"Dude, just deal the cards!"

"I'm serious, little man! If you interrupt me one more time, I'm gonna—"

"Hang on—You can't even start dealing until Terra coughs up her cards!"

"Come onnnnnn, Terra! You're making me waste muscle energy when I could instead be practicing my poker face!"

"I-I'm trying to get them all in the right order! Sheesh! Just hang on a blasted second!"

"Heh.. …And I thought Robin was the anal one."

"Watch it, Cyborg."

"Oh go blow your nose, Robbie."

"Please, explain. How could Robin be comparable to a rectum."

"Pfffft!"

"Hehehehehehe!"

"Dude! Did she just say what I think she said?"

"It's.. …erm.. …a m-manner of expression, Star. And not a very good one!"

"Well it's true, dawg!"

"So you are not a rectum--?"

"Starfire, do you need help with your cards?"

"I am attempting to locate my most exemplary of fish species!"

"Uhhh—Yeah. J-Just give them to Cyborg and we'll start a new game."

"Where on Earth did you pick this collection up, Beast Boy? Is this the new Pokemon-Replacement or something?"

"Terra—Seriously—NOTHING beats Elemental Blasters!"

"That ain't the name."

"Yeah it is!"

"It's Alchemania, ya dumbass!"

"AHEM.. …Cyborg, not around the table."

"Yeah, Starfire might start thinking about 'rectums' again. Hehehe—"

"H-Huh?"

"Just give him the car—"

"OH! My sincerest apologies, Cyborg. By all means, continue your expert manipulation of the deck, only with my paraphernalia added to the mixture."

"And Terra's too—Come on, Terra! Get your butt in gear!"

"I am! For crying out loud—Here you go, Cyborg."

"Heh, thanks, Missy."

"Besides.. … .I haven't got a butt—"

"What was that? The earth maiden muttering a selfish statement, I hear?"

"Oh hush! Hehehe—Not at the table with everyone else."

"Heeheehee! Do splendidly display your amorous affection for each other before all!"

"Like I haven't had enough of that in the back of my blasted T-Car. Robin, what are the rules this time?"

"I win. I take all."

"Ha-Ha-Ha. Very funny. Now let's be serious—"

"What? I always win!"

"We started out with equal collections this time, man! How do you explain having won that?"

"This is the first time we played this game! Face it, Cyborg. I'm going to smoke you."

"He is our veteran leader, after all."

"Way to go being a cheerleader, Star."

"I beg of your pardon?"

"Okay, before we all suffer any low-blows… …I WILL make the rules."

"Hrmph…. ….By all means, Cyborg. If you want to cheat."

"I don't have to cheat to whoop your ass—"

"Rectum!"

"—Rectum! Thanks, Star."

"Heeheeheee!"

"Let's just play normal rules. Four Quadrants of Consummation. Cyclical Relationship of weaker-and-lesser elements. Blah blah blah—"

"Yeah, yak away. We need a sixth player to make this REALLY wicked cool!"

"Oh you don't mean—"

"HEY RAE! RAAAAVEN!" Beast Boy props himself up on the table of the Main Room and waves his arm wildly. "We need another hand!"

Cyborg's head glistens in the daylight as he turns and smiles. "Yeah, cutie! We're just DYING to see YOUR poker face!"

"Hehehe—Yeah, Raven!" Terra waves. "This should interesting."

"Please! Do bless us with your rapturous presence!"

"Only if you're up to it, Raven… …," Robin adds.

I look up from my book. Sitting on a stool besides the kitchen counter. Bored violet eyes blinking. I drone:

"Do you even need to ask me to know my answer?"

"Pffft," Terra waves defeatedly. "Spoil sport."

"Uh uh uh!" Beast Boy pouts. "You ain't getting away that easil—"

"Yes I am."

".. … …awww phoeey."

"Why do you never desire to join us in our pleasant reverie, friend Raven?" Starfire looks sad.

"Because I was born."

"Hey, let her be…. ….," Cyborg shrugs and finishes shuffling his cards. "She'll come only when she's read."

"Heheheh… …Yeah. 'Now or never'."

"Whatever. Time to deal."

"All right! Let's DO this!"

"Calm down, Robin. This isn't your honeymoon."

"Ew, okay dude—NO."

"Hehehehe."

"Heeee! Please! I look forward to my fish!"

"Er—Yeah. You'll get that."

"Just deal already, Cyborg."

"I am! I am! Sheesh.. .. …"

I flip a page.

I flip another page.

I.. .. …

My finger lingers.

My throat is sore.

I bite my lip.

I look up.. … up.. ….

Slowly up.. …

I gaze at them… …

At all five.. .. ..

The circle of friends.. …

My teammates.. ….

The Titans.. .. …

Cyborg, giving everyone verbal support.

Terra, smiling and being cute.

Starfire and her innocence radiating.

Beast Boy and his kindliness teasing.. …

Robin and his confidence inspiring.. … … … …

And I sit.. …. …

And I stare.. … ..

And yes… .. ..

Yes.. .. …

I am.. .. ..

I am smiling… … ..

For there is nothing more absurd.. … ..then all of eternity making sense in the temporal.

All of the joy that there is ever to be had in one instant.

It is so blatantly rich and decadent that I am forced to resist it.

But to what extent?

It has proven that it will never resist me.

They have proven that they will never resist me.

And in all of eternity.

Here.

There.

Then.

Now.

That they have given me so much as a second glance.. …

If not even a third or a fourth or a fifth. … ..

When I didn't so much as reach or beckon for them in the first place.. .. …

Well.. .. …

I can only wonder.. … ..

Nay, I can only marvel.. …

I can only speculate in absurd joy just what it is that they see in me and what it is that they hear of me that makes me worth so much as a blessed thought.

And here I am.

Right now.

Right now—For there is no other bleeding part of me that makes greater sense… ..or earns greater worth.. …or merits greater virtue… …. …

Then right here and now in the midst of them… …

As I walk up and slide into the booth alongside them—

"Count me in…."

Everyone gives me a double-glance. Seven eyes, an eyemask, and a red dot blinking.

"You.. .. …Y-You wanna join us, Raven?"

"Yeah.. …," I smile ever so slightly. "Why not?"

"… .. … … …" Cyborg, Starfire, Terra, Beast Boy, and Robin all stare at me. "… … . … …"

"… .. .. …," I glare at them with a frown and mutter: "What? It's a free Tower, isn't it?"

"Whew."

"Okay.. …."

"Eheheheh…."

"Well, alright!" Cyborg starts dealing. "Just had to make sure it was the real Raven for a second there."

Cards are flung to me. I grasp them and slide them off the table into my hand. "Really, Cyborg… … …when am I not me?"

"You got that right, cutie!"

"Raven.. …the predictable," Terra mutters.

"Terra, the twig," I return.

"Hoooooo-Ho-Ho-Ho!" Cyborg laughs, slapping the desk.

"Hehehehehe!" Starfire giggles.

Beast Boy winks at Terra. "She got you good!"

"Pfft….," Terra rolls her eyes and hides a grin. "That was too easy."

"As long as you admit it—" Robin begins--

"OKAY, LET'S JUST START THE GAME SO THAT ROBIN CAN SHUT UP AND WIN, OKAY?" Terra cackles.

Everyone laughs.

Everyone but me.

I can suffice with simply.. ….

Basking.

Like I always have.

Always.

Truly.. .. ..truly.. .. …always around each and every one of them.. .. ..

"Okay.. …," Cyborg shuffles and nods his head. "Let's begin with you, Terra."

"Allrighty!" Terra slaps her card down onto the table. "Wood!"

I respond with: "Fire beats wood." Slap!

Cyborg grins: "But Water beats Fire!" Slap!

"Sun dries up Water!" Beast Boy slaps…

And Robin: "And Thunderstorm blocks out Sun.. …"

The table is silent for half a second.

An eternity in the blink of my eyes.

An ocean in the space of my ears.

Everyone turns and looks at me.

I raise my hands.

"I'm out."