Tracing the Outline

Update!

"If this is true, then why didn't he just kidnap them while the numbers were down? You told me there was a fire when Raven got the mark. Why didn't he take them then?" Tsunade questioned.

"Because. Gaara was there. He was still fighting. Orochimaru wanted to get out of there before the Titans and ASAP got home. Question is, Roachy is evidently much stronger then Gaara. He could have taken him. So I'm thinking, Roachy was missing something. Evidently he wasn't going to kidnap them just yet," Maniac said softly.

"Why's that?"

"Because, he's still missing something."

…

Raven's eyes fluttered open slowly as dawn approached. She was automatically greeted with the sound of Jason snoring. Raven sat up and looked at her surroundings. It was a dark room, couple posters, and a picture on the end table.

The rest of the group were curled up on the floor with Jason, Reese, and Gerard sprawled out on the bed. She was in the corner of the room near the door, Gaara was close bye. She made eye contact with him and smiled. Evidentially he had been watching her sleep the whole time.

Creepy, yet flattering.

Gaara got to his feet and held his hand out for Raven. She took it graciously as Gaara helped her to her feet and opened the door for her.

…

"I-I see, I see what you saying," Tsunade said dimly.

Maniac nodded and took another swig of her beer. "Y-yeah. Hamburgers completely taste better with… what were we talking about again?"

Maniac got up from her stool of the Ichiracki Ramen Shack (I don't know if that' s right) slowly and hiccupped. "M-my god. Hiccup. What the hell is in this beer?" she groaned.

"It's not beer. It's sake. It's a stronger alcohol."

"N-now hiccup you tell me. I am going hiccup to-to have a one hell of a killer hangover tomorrow."

"Yeah, b-but it's good stuff."

Maniac laughed hysterically. "Oh hiccup hey, look, the suns coming up yo."

"D-dawn al-already? Hiccup. We couldn't have been here that long could we?" Tsunade questioned.

"We closed at mid-night," The old man behind the counter said.

"Seriously?" Maniac said dazed.

"Y-yeah. Hiccup. Your face is serious. Hiccup."

Maniac laughed after Tsunade finished her sentence. Tsunade started laughing with her as the started down the street.

"Hey! Who's paying for this bill?" The old man cried.

Maniac kept laughing as her and Tsunade continued down the street. "I-I don't know what he said! Ha!" Maniac cried.

"Y-you're drunk," Tsunade said.

"No-no I'm not. You're- you're- you're drunk. You're to-to drunk. Y-you needs to get home hiccup home."

"You're right. Y-you're right."

"I know I'm r-right hiccup. What was I right about?"

"I don't hiccup I don't know."

Maniac started laughing again. "Ha… you-you don't know."

"Know what?"

"I don't know."

Tsunade began laughing with Maniac as the turned a corner.

"Oh-oh h-hey hiccup look. It's um it's someone," Maniac said pointing to Raven and Gaara as they waltzed down the street.

"Hi people!" Tsunade cried.

"Y-yeah hiccup, hi!"

"Maniac?"

"Who said that?" Maniac said confusingly. "Oh hey Raven. Gaara. When did hiccup when did you get here?"

"Maniac, how many drinks did you have?" Raven said worriedly. Maniac stopped walking as Raven and Gaara approached.

"I-I don't know what your-your talking about."

"You're drunk."

"I'm- I'm n-not drunk. I-I have never felt better in my life hiccup. Wow, I was holding that one in for a while," Maniac said in a daze.

"W-watch this," Tsunade said excitedly. She hit her chest with her fist and burped.

Maniac clapped and laughed happily. "W-wow. That's- that's nice. W-watch-watch me." Maniac squeezed her stomach and belched. "S-see. I'm- I'm great."

"Maniac-"

"Hold-hold up Rae. I-I am not d-drunk. I only had a few drinks. And that's perfectly fine. I'm-I'm 28 god dammit. You ain't my momma. Hiccup."

"Maniac you need to go lie down."

"N-no I'm… hey, you can walk. Your-your powers must have started working hiccup working again. Way-ta go. Way-ta go."

"Uh… yeah. I'm fine."

"That's-that's great honey. N-now-now… what were we talking about?"

"Maniac-"

"I'm fine. Never-never hiccup better. So your-your powers are working? That is-is great… just great."

"Yeah… my ankles a little soar, but I'm okay. But Maniac you really need to lie down or something-"

"A- I won't have none of that young lady. What?"

"What?" Tsunade replied.

"I thought you interrupted- don't- don't interrupt me."

"N-no I didn't say- I didn't say anything. You're drunk."

"You're sexy," Maniac laughed.

"See-see, you're too drunk. Give me your car keys."

"We didn't drive here y-you dumbass."

"Oh-oh yeah. Dumbass."

Maniac laughed again for a second before walking again.

"Maniac-"

"I can get back on my own dammit. I-I know the way to the apartment. I'm-I'm not stupid hiccup stupid."

"Yeah, she ain't she ain't stupid."

"No, she's an idiot," Raven muttered.

"Agreed," Gaara said nodding. "So how about that tour?"

"Sure. Though I might not make it the whole way. Like I said my ankle is still soar."

"Then if you get tired, I'll carry you," Gaara said smiling. They turned the corner and started walking towards the ramen hut. "But first, let's get breakfast."

Raven nodded and took a seat. Gaara sat on the stool next to her and smiled.

"What will it be?" The man behind the counter asked.

"Something that's good for breakfast."

"Well, there's a ramen that's like an omelet. I has eggs, sausage, and cheese."

"That sounds nice," Raven said smiling.

"Alright, 2 please."

"Treating your girlfriend to breakfast a? That's nice. Alright, 2 Egg Ramen."

"She's not my-"

Gaara looked to Raven and gave her a skeptic look.

"Did you know you were my girlfriend?" Gaara joked.

"First time I've heard about it."

They both fell silent and looked away.

"Here you are, 2 Egg Ramen."

The old man behind the counter set 2 bowls in front of them and smiled.

"On the house."

"Thank you," Raven said gratefully. "Er, can I have a fork?"

"A fork?" The man queried.

"She's new here," Gaara said softly.

He reached for a near by cup and pulled out a pair of chop sticks. "You use these here."

"Oh." Raven stared at the sticks questioningly. How did you use these? Was she supposed to poke the food and pick it up that way? She tried that method, no such luck.

"Uh, Gaara, how exactly do you use these things?"

Gaara took his own chopsticks and pulled them apart. Raven then watched him take both and pick up an egg.

"Yeah, I've never had take out before. Mostly pizza."

"Pizza?"

"Yeah. It's like a rolled out bread with sauce and cheese on top."

"Like a sandwich?"

"No. I would have to show you."

Raven bit her lip and tried the chopsticks again. This time she tried Gaara's technique. Still it didn't work. Then as a last resort she tried taking both sticks and lifting the food up. She got it half way before the egg started wiggling and fell to the ground.

'At this rate I'll starve,' she thought.

"Maybe a fork would work better," Gaara said smirking.

Raven glared and tried the chopsticks again. Still no luck. "Yeah, a fork would be nice," she said sighing.

The man handed Raven a fork and she was finally able to eat.

"I'm done."

"So ready for that tour."

"Mm. Okay."

"I'll be right back though. I need to take care of something real quick," Gaara said pointing to the bathroom.

Raven giggled and stood from her seat. Gaara disappeared into the bathroom, leaving Raven all alone.

"Hey."

Raven turned and saw a boy about her age with brown hair standing next to her. "Oh. Hi."

"So was that your boyfriend?" the boy said pointing to where Gaara had disappeared.

"Sorta."

"Sorta? So he's not your boyfriend?"

"I don't know."

"Well if it isn't official, what to say to spending a day with me baby?"

"I say you better not call me baby again if you know what's good for you," Raven snapped. She turned back towards the bathroom and waited for Gaara.

"Attitude," The boy remarked. "By the way, I'm Rake."

"I think it's time for you to leave," Raven said glaring at the boy.

"I don't. Come on babe, I'm way better then him," Rake said referring to Gaara.

"I said no." Raven turned to leave.

"Come on." Rake grabbed Raven's arm and pulled her back.

"Let me go!" Raven cried.

"I'm not even doing anything baby."

Rake tugged on Raven's arm and pulled her into his arms.

"Come on."

"Let go."

Rake wrapped his arms around Raven and held her closer.

"Come on baby, I'm just having some fun."

"I said let me go."

"I don't care. I said come on."

"Let me go or I'll scream."

Rake ignored her demands and started to drag her along with him.

"It's all in fun sweet cheeks."

Raven inhaled a deep breath and let out an ear-shattering scream. Rake slapped his hand over her mouth and growled.

"Stop screaming."

Raven made a ruffled cry as she tried to wriggle free.

"Just calm down dammit." Rake pushed slammed Raven into a nearby wall.

"Let me go." Raven pounded her fist on Rake's chest, trying to get free.

"Stop it."

Raven tried screaming again. Rake growled and slammed her head into the wall. Raven continued to try to get someone's attention. Rake pressed his lips against her's in an attempt to get her to stop screaming.

It caught her off guard and Raven was quiet for a second.

Raven pulled away angrily. What was with this guy?

"For the last time, I said let me go!"

"Get your god damn hands off her!"

"Gaara!"

Rake wrapped his arms around Raven's waist and smirked.

"And what if I don't? What are you going to do?"

Raven gave him a pleading look. She could definitely use some help.

Gaara glared. In a split second, the sand rushed from the gourd strapped to his back and headed for Rake. It latched onto his shoulder and squeezed.

"Let her go."

Rake shoved Raven to the ground and tried to wrench the sand off his shoulder. The sand tightened and Rake gritted his teeth. He swung his leg forward and it collided with Raven's stomach. She gave a hacking cough as blood spouted from her mouth.

Gaara's eyes widened.

"Tell your boy friend, to let me go."

Raven staggered to her feet and coughed.

Gaara cried out in anger and the sand raced forward and incased Rake's whole body. Lifting him off the ground, the sand tightened and started to crush his body.

"Gaara, stop. You're going to kill him."

Raven trudged to Gaara's side and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Please, stop."

Gaara let the sand loosen and Rake dropped to the ground. Rake immediately got to his feet and ran off.

"He hurt you," Gaara said softly. "I should have killed him."

"I get hurt all the time. But you should never kill someone Gaara."

Raven looked at him with fearful eyes and waited for his response.

"I'm sorry."

Raven gave him a halfhearted smile and wrapped her arms around his neck. Gaara hugged her back, and for the first time, neither of them wondered if this was love.

…

"Don't they make a great couple?" Maniac said smiling. She took another sip of her drink before handing it to Tsunade.

"Yeah. You're right. It is a good thing that we got seats from this rooftop. Though I have half a mind about that boy."

"Teenagers. What are you going to do? Give me my drink back." Maniac held her hand back and waited for her beer.

"We went through this already. Too much alcohol is bad for you."

"Okay. Wait. Then why are you drinking it?"

Tsunade glanced around and downed the rest of the beer. "There it's all gone."

"Damn you to hell bitch."

"Watch it girly."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Psh. You sound like my mother."

"I am in my 50's you know."

"Freal? Damn, that is one good plastic surgeon you got."

Tsunade sighed. "I don't feel like explaining it to you.'

"Whatever," Maniac said taking a sip of her beer.

"Hey where'd you get that?"

"I conjured it. I can do that," Maniac said sticking her tongue out.

"Give me some."

"No, go get your own."

"Share."

"Back off. You drank my last one."

"So."

"Back off."

"Give it."

Tsunade grabbed the top of the beer and started a tug-o-war.

"Stop you're going to make me-"

The beer fell off the roof.

"-drop it."

Maniac looked to Tsunade and gave her a hateful look.

"Wait to go."

Okay. This was a crappy chapter. Just fluff. And not even the good fluff. The boring bad fluff. I have bad writers block. But don't worry. There's still more to come. Thank you for reviewing. I love to get kudos!