[I do not own Teen Titans.]
Jericho didn't wake up until around three in the afternoon - an extremely rare occasion for him. He got up and yawned, stretching and cracking his back for a moment before he heard groggy mumbling from below him and Ray got up with him.
Weird. Jericho didn't remember falling asleep next to Ray last night. He also didn't remember wearing Ray's shirt.
Jericho turned around and saw the three teens covering the mouths and finally giving up, laughing their butts off. Ray was completely pale white, mortified of what was insinuated by the teens.
"Don't- don't f-freak out Ray! It's a prank, turns out Joey here doesn't have a sense of humor or humiliation." Nissa said in between fits of laughter.
"That is not funny! How did you even manage to move me without waking me up? Or get Joey in my shirt?" Ray questioned, confused by everything and too tired to deal with his friends' nonsense this early in the morning.
'I don't understand, is this supposed to mean something?' Joey signed to Ray, who was still extremely close to Joey.
"NO ONE EXPLAIN IT TO HIM!" Ray boomed once he saw Mikey and Davis already grinning impishly and ready to spoil the alienated innocence of Jericho.
It wasn't long before Jericho was dressed again, standing outside of The Hollow Sound Box and getting ready to say goodbye to Ray.
"Hey, let me walk you home? No offense, but I still don't trust you to just not fall into the arms of a less morally good alley man." Ray joked, jabbing Jericho in the side.
Jericho suddenly grew somber and shook his head, looking everywhere except Ray's face.
"...No?" Ray said brokenly, despite his effort to sound nonchalant.
'I'm a Teen Titan. I'm a superhero.' He signed.
Jericho braced himself. He bit his lips and scrunched his eyes shut, forcing his tears back and making his breath steady itself as he tried to admit to Ray that he wasn't a civilian. He was a freak, a superhero. Ray was going to find out and then he'd yell at Jericho for lying to him. He'd never want to see Jericho again because where there were superheroes there was always supervillains. He'd get angry and he'd say that Jericho was just like every other liar in the city and-
"I know."
Jericho reared back for a moment staring with eyes like saucers at Ray.
"I know." He repeated with an amused chuckle.
"Your friends went nuts this morning when it was noon and you still weren't back, so they sent out a search team and the whole city knows your face and name now. Besides," Ray said.
"I've never had a best friend who's a superhero. It's pretty cool I think." Ray commented, shoving Joey in the shoulder playfully. Joey didn't let up.
'No, you can't be around me. We can't be friends. If any villains find out we're friends they'll track you down and-'
"And you'll save me. Superman style." Ray interrupted, taking Joey's smaller hands in his and cutting him off from signing.
"From what I remember I was the one saving you yesterday. I'll be fine." Ray assured.
Ray and Jericho continued looking out over the sea to Titans Tower, both knowing what they should be thinking about, but thinking about something else entirely anyway.
"I think it's pretty cool that I have my very own Superman on speed dial now." Ray commented with a smile.
'So if I'm Superman, does that make you Lois Lane?' Jericho signed with an impish smirk.
"Well...yeah, I guess." Ray said, only just then noticing the way Jericho was balling his fists up in the corners of his tunic and wondering what was wrong.
"Hey, you ok-"
Raymond Tracey's mind shut down completely.
Jericho, in all of his crazy stupid superhero strength caused by Robin making him train so hard to be an honorary, scooped Ray up bridal style like a classic Superman and Lois Lane picture and planted his small lips firmly on Ray's, effectively startling him and shutting him up. It was quite a sight to see. Ray, who was probably three heads taller than Joey, with his lanky arms and legs hanging awkwardly from the fact that Joey was still very close to the ground anyway because of his height. Ray's black duster hung on the ground and his braid fell in a pool next to it, but he couldn't care any less.
When Jericho finally pulled away, Ray and he just stood and stared at each other for a while, both red as the sunset the night before and wondering how on earth their lives had changed so much in just twenty four hours.
Jericho finally put Ray back down on his two feet, refusing to look Ray in the eye again until he broke the ice. Jericho busied himself with twirling and playing with Ray's ugly green braid that was now hung in front of his chest like a cat toy.
Ray suddenly burst into obnoxious snorts and giggles, wrapping his lanky arms around Jericho's neck tight and nearly falling into him, kissing Jericho back with all the excitement he could. Jericho wrapped his arms around Ray's lanky waist, holding him close and tight and never wanting to let go of the warmth that came with Ray's body. When he pulled away Jericho was silently giggling with him, Ray busying himself with covering both of Jericho's cheeks in thankful, chaste kisses like a grade schooler.
When the two finally calmed down, Joey eskimo kissed Ray sweetly, looking into Ray's eyes with a promise to come see him every single day that he could, and that a follow up date was definitely in order.
"You guys are gay!" Nissa yelled teasingly from across the street.
When Joey finally made it back to Titans Tower, the Titans were all completely bewildered. Joey was covered in glitter and makeup, small, barely seeable black-ish white lipstick stains, and he smelled like lavender and the back of a fast food restaurant. The blonde boy said absolutely nothing. He didn't explain where he was or what he'd done, and he just walked into his room. The next day, life carried on and Jericho acted as if he'd never even left. Titans North found out about Ray when Jericho left again the next day of course, but they were all alright with it.
Raven was a little on edge, but that was to be expected.
[I hope you enjoyed this. I didn't like the little epilogue bit all that much, but oh well. I finished this really really late so forgive me. Read and Review please!]
