Epilogue

"That was so kind of you to make sure my fall was broken by… this." Raven splashed her arms as she fought to regain her footing on the slick floor. Her feet lost traction and her head tumbled into the viscous slime surrounding her. Sputtering and cursing, her head broke the surface with a noise that could only be described as schwelp. Raven wiped at her eyes and groaned up at me. "Oh Goddess… this feels like warm paint mixed with syrup."

"It's not my fault you're not graceful on your feet. I tried to catch you, if it's any consolation." I waved her cloak at her, knowing it would taunt her. "You slid right out of your clothes… although, that's not exactly uncommon for women when they're around me."

"Can you be any more of a chauvinistic pig?" Raven glared up at me as she trudged through the sludge and moved toward the access ladder, her hands closing over the rung above her head. Whatever Mumbo had hit her with had knocked out her powers, and she was left stumbling around relying on her own strength and gumption. "Goddess, I smell like refuse."

"Yeah, you do. You have the smell of burning steel wool and Jump River." I offered her my hand and pulled her to the landing, yanking her out of the goop still clinging to her. The stench coming off her was enough to make me gag. Jesus Christ. What in the world did she fall into? I looked at her cloak and moved it behind my back, keeping it out of her hands. If she was going to tag along with me, I might as well keep something clean. "I'm going to guess you want to keep this clean, huh?"

"Yeah. Thanks." She didn't even bat an eyelash at the fact that I was keeping her clothes from her. Weirdo. She just stared down at her hands in frustration, watching a few sparks of black energy pop out of her fingertips. Her powers would undoubtedly come back, but until then she was left with nothing more than a few, measly magic tricks. She closed her fist, and I watched at her limbs shook with the desire to throttle something. Hopefully not me. After all, I just saved her sorry ass.

She narrowed her eyes and frowned. "So, what… are you working for Mumbo now?"

"Ouch. You think I have to stoop that low?" I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, right. I'd rather seek out the Titans and work cooperatively with your resident bird brain than with him." Shrugging, I leaned back on my heels, suddenly disaffected with her accusation. This seemed like an unusual and rare opportunity to be alone with Raven. She couldn't kill me if she tried, she lost her communicator in the purple goo below us, and she was walking around without her cloak (giving me a nice view of that body that was always hidden under fabric. I guess I wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth.

"He and I just happened to be after the same target. I'm not working with him, coincidence was all that was. I mean, there're only so many jewels in the world that are worth eight digits, I imagine that some villains would cross paths from time to time." I paused for a moment, replaying the fight in my head. Images flashed between blue sparks and I suddenly realized that I had jumped in front of that spell for Raven. I don't know why I moved, it would have been easy to just let her get hit but… whatever. Just poor judgment on my part anyway.

I watched her fight with her hair, biting back a laugh. "Although, I have to say that I didn't imagine that he would have been able to steal the gem out from under my nose. Bastard got in a lucky punch."

She glanced up at me. "Or you're just starting to lose your touch. We have almost caught you the past few times."

I tilted my head and smiled, knowing she couldn't see it behind my mask. "Maybe if I didn't feel the need to try and save you from being sucked down a black portal to… wherever that led. Next time I'll be sure to let you fall."

Raven raised an eyebrow, still fighting with her hair. "Right into the sewer again?"

"Sure. At least you're not dead. Or turned into a rabbit again."

At the mention of the "rabbit" episode, Raven's face flooded red and she stared up into my mask. "You know about that?"

I didn't want to admit it at the time, but her shock and embarrassment was kinda cute.

"Awe, Honey. Everyone knows about that. With your button nose and cute little fuzzy ears and all." I reached out and patted her on the head, immediately regretting my decision. My hand came away coated in whatever she had fallen into. I grimaced and wiped the snot-like goo on the wall behind me. Poor girl must be miserable. "Anyway, word gets around in circles."

"Circles?" Raven snorted and started for the nearest access door, but her face fell as soon as she opened it. It was another winding hallway. She glanced back at me, hiding her disappointment behind her stoicism. "Like Book Club for Baddies?"

"Really more like Dinner Club for Deviants." I shrugged. "I don't have beef with everyone you and your friends know, some of your more refined criminals aren't too bad of company. Like Jinx, she can carry on intelligent conversation… and she has a cute ass." I hung out behind her, leaning on the wall as she wandered down the long, dark, door-less hallway. She could have just asked for help, but she had to be her head-strong, typical self.

She turned and looked at me, frowning. "Jinx told you?"

Okay, the pout was kinda cute too. "I didn't name any names, Sweetheart."

Her pout faded into a deadly glare. "Ugh, don't call me that or I'll send you to a dimension with no women… when I have my powers back." She rubbed at her watering eyes, and I could see concern starting to wrinkle her forehead. For a moment, I could tell we were both wondering if the gunk clinging to her was toxic. Not good.

"Well, if that's how you're gonna play, then I will back off that name, Sunshine."

"That's not exactly what I wanted either."

I laughed at her, and pushed myself to my feet, wandering after her. I could have just let her wander alone, but something told me that hanging around her would certainly play out in my favor in the long run. "Well, take your pick of titles, because I don't particularly like calling you Raven… you're too much fun for that."

"Gee… thanks."

She itched behind her ears, and I could see spots in her uniform starting to fade through, as if they were threadbare. Okay, super not good. What in the world did she fall into?

Raven stopped rubbing at her eyes and turned to look at me, and I could feel her become suddenly aware of how odd this whole interaction was. Not that I blame her or anything, I'm a thief, I'm Red-X. Birdbrain Annoyer Extraordinaire, stealer of jewels, hearts, and panties, and currently the perpetrator behind the attempted robbery of a very precious gemstone, yet she was having a conversation with me as if I was a friend. I could see where her confusion was coming from, and unfortunately… this wasn't exactly unusual.

Two months ago, I was on my way to another heist, and I saw the Titans fighting Control Freak. I couldn't help myself. He's Control Freak. He makes me ashamed to be a criminal sometimes. And, seriously, how could you not want to pants that guy? So, I helped out. And I saved Raven from being forced to wear Princess Leia bikini cosplay (although, looking at her body without the cloak on, she certainly could have pulled it off).

"This is weird." Raven looked up at me and frowned, letting her hands fall to her sides. Her eyes darted between me and the empty space behind me. Was she starting to see double?

"Yeah, it is kinda weird." I shrugged. "But you're not bad company, Sunshine. I kinda like hanging around you. You're funny."

Raven tried to glare, but she wasn't exactly deadly looking when her face was covered in slime. Her cheeks looked unusually red…

"Funny… uh-huh. Well, now I've heard everything." She scratched her back and pieces of her uniform pulled away in strips. I saw the shock enter her eyes as she stared at the remnants of her uniform. "Okay. Pause." She held up her hand and stopped me from continuing. "Before we continue our witty banter, will you tell me what that belt is equipped with?"

"All kinds of things… why…?" Okay. Weird question. I leaned forward and looked at her, noticing the neoprene hanging between her fingertips. "Ah. You're asking me if I can tell you if this stuff is toxic."

"Yes."

"Oh yeah…" I pulled at her sleeve and it slid right off of her arm, showing raw, red skin underneath. Okay. We needed to figure out what to do about this, because the rest of the team would hunt me down if anything happened to their precious Raven. I pulled her arm towards me and examined the skin closer. It was red and raw, and small pinpricks of blood were starting to break through to the surface. "Yeah, this shit is toxic and we have to get you out of it right now or your face is gonna melt off."

Raven took a deep breath and I could see her trying not to panic. She really was helpless without her powers. Poor girl. "What am I going to do?"

"Well, it just so happens that I know these tunnels and systems pretty well… call it extra escape routes when I'm trying to avoid my resident Titans." I wrapped my hand around her wrist, tugging her through the tunnels. The smell was getting worse and her skin was getting redder. "I also just happen to know that there is a workman's locker not far from here, complete with chemical burn shower in the event of catastrophes like yours."

I felt her other sleeve slide off of her uniform and she groaned, looking at it lying on the floor. "Oh, Goddess…"

Okay, I was not going to be responsible for the death and chemical mutilation of a Titan. I did not want that burden. I tried to hide my own panic with humor as she followed my through the maze of tunnels. "Usually the undressing comes after the wining and dining, not usually before."

"What makes you think we'll be wining and dining, X?"

"What makes you think we won't?" I forced another chuckle and threw more of the slowly disintegrating fabric on the floor. "After all, I imagine some payment is in store for being so helpful today."

"If I wasn't in danger of growing an extra arm, I would probably deck you right now."

"I appreciate the enthusiasm, Sunshine." I stopped in the middle of the hallway and slid open an old, rusted access door. Shit. Was it this one or two corridors up? Why did I have to doubt myself now? Oh well, I had better start thinking fast before something terrible happened. Walking inside, I was sure to stay upwind of her, she was now starting to smell of hot garbage and another smell that I could only describe as "putrid vag". I cleared my throat and continued to pull her along. "You smell terrible, by the way, and I don't think that toxic facial is doing anything for your complexion."

"Thanks for your concern." She paused and I could feel her trying to understand why I was doing this. I didn't really know either, I just knew that I didn't want her death on my hands.

"So, why are you helping me?" Her unusually large, dark eyes turned to look at me as I led us down another corridor. "You could just run away and leave me alone until the others find me. I mean, my communicator will alert them."

"The one you dropped at the bottom of the pit of toxic goo?"

Her face fell. "Shit."

"Look, you're my fallen comrade and brother-in-arms and all that nonsense. I should look out for you." I waved her off. "Anyway, you smell something fierce, and I imagine you just want to get that stuff out of your hair before you start spouting and extra set of eyes or something."

Raven snorted, and I could see her roll her eyes at me. I wouldn't learn until having pissed her off after our first lover's-spat that she actually had a second set of eyes. "Well, thanks for your concern."

"Don't mention it." Thank god. It was here, and I might actually get to save her. I opened another rusty door, and pulled her inside. It was a small room with a sink and a showerhead. That was it, but it was enough. It didn't look like it had seen service in a year, which it probably hadn't, and the fluorescent lights were flickering in and out of life, but there was a showerhead. Which meant she could get this stuff off of her and I would get off scot-free.

I looked down at her feet and noticed her toes poking through the fabric on her shoes. "Your boots are starting to disintegrate, Sunshine."

"Yeah. I know…" She pushed me towards the door, definite force behind her hands. "Just stand outside and let me get this stuff off of me."

"Are you sure you don't need help?"

She just glared at me and pushed me even more towards the hallway, slamming the door behind me. Pity, I thought I might be able to at least see if the rumors were true. You know, that the carpet matched the drapes.

"Well, let me know when you're done." I called out to her, but my only response was the sound of the water turning on followed by several curses in a language I didn't even know existed. Minutes passes and I stood there, listening to the water hit her skin and run down the smooth curves of her body. Something inside me became… curious. Okay, she was Raven. Weird, creepy, dark, pale, unusual, and a whole slew of other macabre adjectives, but I had t admit that she was kinda cute, and a nice ass… and she was naked just behind the door. I'm a guy. It's like telling a kid to not eat the cookie when it's placed in front of him. I had to look, besides one little peek wouldn't hurt, would it?

I slid the door open a crack and stole a look.

Okay. I was wrong. She wasn't cute. She was hot.

Holy hell. I could feel my body tense and turn at the sight of her stretching under the fall of cold water, rinsing the toxic goo from her hair. And yes the carpet matched the drapes. Her brow furrowed, and I began to wonder if she could sense my emotions again. Shit. I pulled away from the door as quickly as I could, pacing up and down the hallway.

Okay, this was just fucking weird. I could feel my heart sink into my stomach. This was Raven that I was thinking was hot. She might have been attractive, but not hot. She spent all that time hiding in the shelter of her cloak that I had never really gotten a good look at her. Kind of a pity, really. I mean, her skin was the color of moonlight (yeah, it might sound like something out of a cheap sonnet some high school kid wrote his girlfriend, but it was), and her hair was the deepest shade of purple I had ever seen. But her hips and breasts… ugh, she'd be the envy of Bettie Paige.

Get it together, Jason. This is Raven, and she will not hesitate to kill you if she finds out you've been sneaking peeks at her… carpet. I groaned and leaned back against the wall, still listening as she cursed the stuff that clung to her. Minutes passed and finally, the water stopped. I swallowed hard and pushed all my emotions back into the darkness, she certainly did not need to know that I was admiring her body. I knocked on the door.

"Are you done?" I waited a moment, trying to think of something funny to say so I didn't think of her body bathing under that water. "Skin still attached in all the right places?"

"Yeah…" She didn't even chuckle, and I could hear more strange curses fall from her lips. "But my clothes are slimy and still disintegrating, and I'm pretty sure life is starting to evolve on them."

I don't know why I did it. I should have just left her naked and ran away, but I couldn't leave a girl helpless in the sewers. It wasn't in my code. "Here." I unfastened his cape and pushed it through a crack in the door, pretending I didn't see the long line of her pale leg. "Put this around you like a towel It's not a lot but it will help." I waited for a moment, and then stepped forward and pushed open the door, finding Raven shivering in as she looked at me.

"I feel ridiculous."

That wasn't the word I would have used, but it also wasn't my mouth. I forced a chuckle. "You look ridiculous. Here, this will help." I pulled out her cloak and pulled it around her, rubbing my hands over her shoulders to try to keep her warm, and trying not to think about the fact that she was wearing my clothes. Not in the way they were intended for, but still, my cape touched her nude skin. And she looked kinda sexy in my cape. "Well, at least you're not walking around smelling like Beast Boy's dirty socks and possibly growing another set of arms."

"I guess that's true." Raven pulled the hood of her cloak over her head, hiding in the comfort of her own shadows.

"Will you turn me into Bird Boy?" I don't know why I suddenly felt worried that there might be actual consequences for helping her out, but I did. Honestly, I know I should have left her alone until her powers came back or the others found her, but I couldn't. Stupid morals.

"No." She shook her head and pondered my question for a moment. "Not this time, anyway. For right now, I call a truce."

I smiled. "And tomorrow?"

Raven laughed, the sound husky in the moist corridor. "Tomorrow? That'll be up to you." Her laugh faded and she looked down at her bare feet, frowning. "But, right now I just want to get home and put on some clothes. I'm getting cold."

"Awe, come on." I nudged her shoulder, wondering exactly why I was being so familiar with her. "I kinda like you roaming around half-naked without any panties on."

Raven just glared at me. "You're such a pig."

"I'm a pig that saved your skin. Literally."

"Touché." She looked over at me, desperately clinging to the edge of my cape to keep it from falling off her body. "So, where's the nearest exit?"

I shrugged and moved farther down the hallway. "Not too far from here, it should put you behind a restaurant in an alley."

"Pay phone?"

"Ha. Yeah right. Those archaic things?" I laughed, but my head was suddenly filled with a dangerous plan. "Tell you what, Sunshine, I'll walk you all the way back to Titan Tower and deliver you right on the door step. Free of charge."

Raven watched me carefully, and I could feel her reservation build. "What's the catch?"

"You have dinner with me. My treat."

Her face fell as she put the pieces together. "You saw me naked didn't you?"

Smart too. I feigned hurt. "Why, Sunshine, I'm insulted you insinuated such a thing."

"You're not going to get in my pants, X."

"True, because you're not wearing any." I leaned closer to her, pushing her against the wall. Her heat coiled between us and I could see the faintest blush across her cheeks and down her neck. She could have fought back at any moment, but she was letting me invade her space. Why? Because she trusted me? That was a stupid mistake. Never trust the rogue. My fingers pushed aside the edge of her cloak and wrapped around the top of my cape, the skin of my fingertips touching the tops of her breasts. "I could just take my cape back. I mean, if you aren't going to be nice to me, then I don't need to be nice to you…"

Raven kept her face blank, but her breath hitched just slightly. "Go ahead. Take your cape. I'll just walk back to Titan Tower nude, and tell everyone you forced me down and had your way with me…" She paused and her blank look morphed into something far more sinister. "By the way, have you ever seen Cyborg and Robin on a warpath? It's scary."

I chuckled and stepped back, letting the electricity dissipate. "You're ruthless."

"I'm practical." Raven stepped around him and found the access ladder. "You first."

"Not going to at least let me enjoy the view?"

"I'm smarter than that."

"Pity."

I bolted awake, listening as my alarm went off. Three in the afternoon. I needed to get up and get ready for tonight. There were plans to go over and I had to make sure that… my thoughts drifted off as I ran my hands through my hair and sighed. It had been months since I thought about that time. That was the start of it all, the one moment where Raven and I exchanged a few words that turned into something else entirely. Plus, it was the first time I got to see her naked.

I tapped my fingers together and glared at the clock. I knew I had to get ready for my mark, but I couldn't seem to focus on those stupid jewels. I only had one jewel in mind, and it was a little harder to catch. It had been a while since we talked last night, and I knew she was back in Town (I saw the plane fly in earlier), but she still hadn't called me yet. I know she was probably busy writing reports or doing other Titan things… but, ugh. Why couldn't I get her off my mind? It was the worst feeling in the world to confess your love to someone and not be able to celebrate it.

Fuck it. Plans be damned, I had a girlfriend to make love to.

I ripped off my clothes, leaving them in a pile on the living room floor (something I never did) and donned my Red X suit. I didn't care that it was still light out and three in the afternoon, I was going to see Raven if it was the only thing I did today.

The tower was silent as I approached it. No one was outside, no one on the roof. Through the living room window, I could see Beast Boy passed out on the sofa. For a moment, I wondered if they were all passed out from exhaustion, and then I saw bird brain training. Boring. Seriously, he had a hot girlfriend, he should take advantage of that. Just like I was about to.

I slid the window to her room open, making sure to disarm the security system, and pushed her heavy curtains to the side. I dropped in and closed the window and the curtain, letting my eyes adjust to the darkness. Outside I heard the faint sounds of a barge floating by, but inside it was perfectly still. And then I saw her there, lying on her bed, passed out from exhaustion. I pulled my mask off and walked closer to her, feeling my heart skip a beat.

Jesus Christ.

She wore a negligee.

Navy blue lace and completely see-through.

This is what she wore as sleepwear? Good god, I needed to invest in some for the apartment. At my home she would either sleep nude or in one of my shirts. Don't get me wrong, that's still sexy, but seeing her in this soft, deep blue lace made me want to take her right now and never let her go.

She stirred, as if sensing my emotions, and slowly opened her eyes. Shock laced them for a moment before she sat up, frowning at me. "You're here? And during the middle of the day? Is there something wrong?"

I am Red X. I have a reputation for knowing exactly what to say and when. I am suave and educated, but at that exact moment, I was none of those things. I should have said something smart, or funny, or sexy, but the only thing that came out of my mouth was: "You look hot."

She snorted and raised an eyebrow. "Eloquent as ever I see."

I shook myself from my reverie and sat down next to her, letting myself have the pleasure of indulging in the view of her body. I don't think I would ever look at her and not be amazed that she loved me. Silence wove between us for a moment before I responded. "Sorry… I couldn't stop thinking about last night's conversation and I saw you were home, and I know we were planning on…" Great. Now I'm rambling. "Anyway, I got… antsy."

"Or horny?" She let a small, teasing smile appear on her lips. "We just got back a few hours ago and I'm beat. I would have stopped over, but I couldn't keep my eyes open…" A small smile played on her lips. "And I wanted to make sure I had plenty of energy for tonight."

I chuckled, the awkwardness dissipating between us. "I didn't mean to wake you up."

"It's okay." She shrugged. "Better you than Beast Boy or Star."

There was another moment of silence and I took off my boots, crawling fully into her bed. It was so soft. Like falling into a cloud. I could only imagine what making love in this bed would have felt like. Why didn't I ever stay over here? Oh, right. Bird brain and his band of misfits. I rolled on my side and watched her. "You know, I don't think I've ever slept with you in your own room before."

She fell back onto the pillow, staring at me. "No. You haven't."

I reached over and tugged at one of the straps on her negligee. "And this?"

"I sleep in this." She raised an eyebrow, confusion in the depths of her eyes. "Would you rather I sleep in something else?"

"No. Not at all."

Silence again.

"So, what brought you over here?"

"I was thinking about the time we started this…" My hands moved to fidget with the other strap. "You know, that whole fight with Mumbo?"

"Oh… and what about it?"

"It made me miss you."

"Mm…"

She let silence hang between us again, moving to make more space for me on the bed. I reached out and stroked her exposed skin, reveling in its softness. I loved the way she felt under my fingertips and the sound of her breath catching in her throat.

She sighed and looked over at me. "Jason… Are you going to fuck me or not?"

Those words out of her mouth made me blush. "I was trying to be tactful."

She rolled her eyes. "Your emotions are all over the place and feeding mine. Just make up your mind and figure it out." She sat up and stared down at me, tugging at her negligee as she moved closer. "So, take off your clothes and fuck me, or go home and let me sleep. Just because we said that we love each other does not mean that I don't want to be fucked… because I know that's what you're thinking."

Damnit. She was good. I pulled at her negligee and yanked it over her head. My blood heated to boiling at the sight of her nude body, and I didn't know if I would be able to control myself for much longer. "Sound proof walls?"

"Since Malchior." She moaned as my mouth closed over her breast, her back arching her body into me. "I didn't want anyone invading my privacy again."

I smirked as my head dipped lower towards her stomach. "I'm going to invade you." My fingers found her panties and pushed them aside, dipping into her moist center. She was already wet and hot and ready for me to take her any second.

"I like the sound of that."

I leaned up and bit down on her lower lip, running my tongue along the swollen flesh. "Good. Because this is just the preshow before the main event tonight."

"Oh?" She chuckled and nipped at my own lips. "Kinky."

"You know it." I pulled the covers over us, and for a few, long moments we were wrapped up in each other with no worries in the world, and the words 'I love you' breathlessly tattooed across our lips.

)O(

I'll admit that this was just two ideas that I smooshed together as an epilogue. I hope it worked and I hope you enjoyed it. If it doesn't fit within the context the story… I'm sorry? I'm not really sure what I hoped to accomplish with this, except maybe show how all of this nonsense started. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it.