also happy Teen Titans Tenth Anniversary weekend, everyone!
Everything was so different here.
Well, for one, the people were alive.
The girl tugged the hood of her cloak farther over her dark tresses as she watched the vibrant scene dance before her. Lanterns swung in the breeze, dotting the sky with wonderful, warm luminescence. Cheery chatter of fresh apple cider and carving pumpkins drifted about the children, and the sweet scent of hay and cinnamon wafted from the crowd like a haze.
The whole environment was entirely lively. Most of the people there were young with great longevity. The girl couldn't detect any presence of her father's influence there. If her father was about to drag the precious breath away from one of the festival goers, the human victim wasn't in close enough proximity to be felt.
Folding her arms beneath the cloak, the girl readied herself to leave. If she was gone too long, her father would notice her absence, and surely send for her. Scoffing, she found herself opening a portal; the surface didn't need any more demons infiltrating their world. Just as she was about to disappear...
Bump.
A tiny apple collided with the toe of her boot.
The girl frowned, swiveling to glare at the delay. Upon seeing the fruit, her gaze softened. It was incredible shiny and passionately ruby beneath the moonlight. This little fruit was healthy, so full of life, she was almost drawn to it. But she knew better than to pick it up. If she touched it... It would be tainted. Then she would have to bring it back with her, and her father would find this evidence of her rendezvous on the surface. Finally, she found resolve for her decision. She'd always disappointed her father before, what was one more time?
The girl bit her lip, reaching slowly for the apple.
Just as her pale fingers traced the smooth, crimson skin, another hand grasped the apple, fingers grazing her own.
The girl gasped. A zap of recognition jolted through her body, from her fingertips to her toes, singeing her soul. This person's time on the surface was drawing to a close, they would surely fall victim to her father within the evening.
"Oops, my bad!" The voice to the hand spoke. Male, a similar age to hers, full of life... For now.
"I dropped this when I was bobbing for apples." The voice continued, friendly and patient. "Thanks for finding it!" He took the apple in one hand and extended his other. "I'm Garfield."
The girl stared at his hand for a moment. When they'd made contact earlier, he hadn't seemed to be affected by her; he was predestined for a short life. Lifting her wide amethyst eyes from beneath the cloak, the girl peered at Garfield.
He had a handsome face, a strong jaw and sparkling emerald eyes. His features were all beautiful shades of green, from leafy skin to messy clover hair. Garfield had a friendly grin; sharp canines practically gleaming at her amidst the lantern light. The girl blinked a few times, trying to clear her vision.
What a unique human...
"Pleasure." She finally replied, allowing him to take her hand and kiss the top. The second his lips graced her hand, she froze once more. This boy definitely had the stroke of death lingering behind him.
"The pleasure's all mine," Garfield winked playfully, releasing her hand. "So, what are you doing here in this ally? Don't you know the fun's out here?" He motioned to the crowd, still joyful and effervescent.
"I..." Her gravelly voice trailed off. She'd been prepared to leave, sure, but something about this boy made her want to stay. Shifting the conversation, she stalled. "Don't you have friends to get back to?"
"I make friends wherever I go." Garfield shrugged, shifting his weight closer. "Wanna bob for apples?" He juggled the fruit a bit, wiggling his brows expectantly. She couldn't help notice what stark contrast the ruby colored fruit held against his fingers.
A sharp furrow crossed her features again. She needed to leave as soon as possible but this boy seemed desperate to fill a hole inside himself. He'd come to the festival alone, he didn't have anyone to get back to. Clutching the brooch on her midnight cloak, she nodded.
If he was going to die soon, she didn't want to be one of his last mysteries.
Bobbing for apples seemed a trivial activity. Refusing to dunk her face into the ice-cold water, she watched her friend bite frantically at the floating fruit. After five minutes, Garfield finally sunk one of his sharp canines into a bright apple. Pumping his fist triumphantly, Garfield caught her eye, winking at his new friend. She had to bite her cheek to keep from smiling.
"Thanks," He took the towel gratefully. Shaking his head like the three headed dogs in the underworld, Garfield rid of the excess water droplets from his hair. "So, I never caught your name."
Raven, daughter of Trigon, ruler of Demons and Death.
Shoving the horrendous title from her mind, the girl sighed. "You can call me Raven."
"Raven..." Garfield repeated, as if he was tasting her name like a delicacy. "That's a pretty name."
Raven stopped in her tracks, facing him in full. "Yeah?" She hated to sound so insecure, but ravens were wretched blackbirds, he couldn't possibly like a creature so... dark.
"Yeah, I like birds. Well, I love all kinds of animals, really." Garfield chuckled, pausing before a carnival booth. "Hey, let's play this one, eh? It's your turn to have some fun." Handing the booth worker a tiny yellow ticket, Garfield then gave Raven the ball.
Puzzled, Raven gawked at the dirtied, stitched up ball, back to Garfield. His green eyes shimmered with anticipation, flickering from the man, then to his new friend.
"Throw it," He encouraged softly.
Right. Raven nodded. Rearing her arm, she hurled the baseball.
"Ow!" The man yelped. He'd dodged the majority of her throw but hadn't been able to completely escape the baseball as it had skimmed over his head. Raven cocked her head, looking from the angered man and then to Garfield, who was currently in hysterics, holding his stomach, doubled over in hysterics.
"Did... Did I do it wrong?" She asked meekly, twirling a lavender hair in nervous habit.
"You... you throw it at, heh, at the bottles, not the person!" Garfield laughed, throwing an arm around her thin shoulders. Giving her a light squeeze, his emerald eyes found hers and he grinned at her innocent expression. "You're adorable, Rae."
She could feel herself melting; Raven was convinced she could stare at his jewel toned eyes forever.
"Right, sorry about that," She mumbled, averting her gaze quickly from his. Wallowing in the shallow pool of self pity, Raven felt him press the ball into her palm again.
"Try again. This time, aim for those bottles," His voice was gentle in her ear, and their eyes met briefly, before the glass bottles clattered to the ground.
Cheers from bypassers erupted around them, and the girl's heart swelled with excitement as she felt Garfield's whole aura being uplifted. He wrapped his arm around her again and gave another squeeze, harder this time, less timid.
"You did it!" He exclaimed happily. "And you've got great aim, too. I knew this was your game." He nudged her hips with his, taking the oversized stuffed chicken from the man and guiding her away from the crowd.
Raven stifled an eyeroll. A giant chicken, she thought sarcastically, I must be the luckiest girl in the underworld.
The two went on having a grand time at the Fall Festival. Raven tried hot apple cider, excelled at each of the carnival games, and shared cotton candy with Garfield while he carved a pumpkin. As the evening went on, Raven felt Garfield's happy aura glow brighter and stronger, each moment they spent together. She didn't know how she was going to leave him.
"Heh, Rae," Garfield plopped down on a sloppy haystack. They'd made it away from the crowd and had been aimlessly wandering the corn maze. "I think we're lost."
Raven followed his gaze. They were surrounded by hay, taller than herself and even Garfield. Shifting her vision upward, she noted the twinkling stars and full moon. Her father had never stopped her from reading, and she'd always been fascinated with the thought of a infinite space. Infinite freedom.
"I can get us out." She commented idly. Though her next comment wasn't so pointless. Wrapping her cloak tighter, Raven feigned a shiver. "I'd die for some warm apple cider right about now, though."
"Oh, don't say that, Raven." Her amethyst eyes widened, as her head snapped towards his voice. The verdant boy was staring at the dusty trail, voice serious. "Death isn't a joke."
Wandering closer, Raven took a seat beside him on the makeshift bench. Crossing her legs, she cocked her head at her new friend. He was so close to the underworld, her world, that he couldn't fight. Though she would protect him from his end in any way she could, it wasn't her authority to decide when he would go. There was nothing she could do but try and soothe his nerves on the matter.
"Death is a part of life, Garfield." She began monotonously. "It's not... Not something scary like people think. There's tons of people who've died before you, uh, us..." Raven bit her tongue at the mistake, though it had seemed to go unnoticed. "When you die, maybe you can see them again."
For a while, he was silent.
"Is that what you believe?" He spoke suddenly, almost threateningly.
"That's what I know to be true..." She answered cautiously.
"Mmph." Came his gruff reply. It was obviously still a sore matter, as she assumed it was for most humans. "Well, if that's what you think, then me too." He tipped his head up to gaze at the moon, pure white light reflecting in his solemn irises. "I trust you, Rae."
A sudden pang stabbed at her heart. But you shouldn't... Raven sighed. He could never know her true form.
Suddenly, a strong breeze rustled the maze. Wisps of wind threaded through the corn maze, blowing the hood of her cape back. Desperately, Raven fumbled to catch the material, but she was too slow. He'd already seen.
"R-Raven?"
Garfield was giving her a dumbfounded look, and with a agitated growl, she yanked her hood over her head.
"Sorry about tha-"
"No..." Garfield grabbed her wrists, slowly lowering the hood back down. "You- you're breathtaking."
Instinctively, her teeth sunk into her bottom lip. His choice of words was so precise, they were cringe-worthy.
"I should go," Raven stood, impulse throttling through her veins as her fingers fiddled with her garnet brooch. She could practically feel her cheeks on fire and wished desperately for the protection of her hood. Stepping back carefully, she offered Garfield an awkward nod, before fleeing.
Dashing and skirting through the maze, her long cloak billowed behind her. Hot tears swelled in her eyes, the rush of wind spilling them over her cheeks. Carelessly wiping them with her sleeve, Raven skidded to a halt. A dead end. A perfect place for a portal. Surveying the area quickly, she lifted her arms from the cloak and prepared to go back.
"Wait!" His voice called from behind her, and she turned to see him panting. "I want to see you again." Straightening up, Garfield came closer to her, placing his hands on her shoulders. He leaned closer, emerald irises charged with electric curiosity and wonder. "I want to see you again soon."
No, you don't, Raven thought, though she offered him a tiny, sad smile.
"Don't be silly." She whispered, reaching up slowly to touch his cheek. He melted at her touch, pressing into her delicate palm with catlike affection. "We just met," She reasoned quietly. "I-"
He caught her with a quick kiss, stepping in and pressing his lips to hers before she could protest. The girl froze again, as another jolt zipped through her blood; though this time, it didn't leave her with a sinking feeling but rather one of warmth and pure bliss.
She'd never experienced this feeling before. It was completely foreign to her... And foreign mean dangerous.
"Gar..." She murmured into his chest, before backing away from him once more. Raven stared at the dusty ground between them, scared her voice would break if she stayed and explained. "I have to go..."
Garfield nodded, noting the urgency in her shaking voice. In one last, desperate attempt, he spoke his final words.
"Promise I'll see you again soon, Rae?"
Backing further into the tall stocks, Raven squeezed her eyes shut. The likelihood of him hearing her was slim, but she gave him the answer he wanted, though it was the same one she absolutely despised.
"Soon, Garfield... I promise."
a/n: Someone wrote in their tags about a prompt would be good for BBRae and whoever it was... I wholeheartedly agreed. Plus, I haven't written BBRae in a few months. I would totally work this into an entire, well thought out, chapter fic but anyone whose known me for more than five seconds should know I have no patience. And thus, this ficlet was born. (Although, I did alter it a little, for the sake of the story flow).
if you look very closely, you can see the exact line where I gave up. Lolz, I hope this was an enjoyable drabble, even if it was a lot shoved into 2k words! As always, thank you for the reads and please leave a review if you'd like! Well, that's all for now, friends! xoxo.
