Dick groaned in pain as his back hit the mattress. He'd just gone toe-to-toe with thirteen bank robbers—and his bruised body was living proof he'd won. "Would it kill you to ask for help every now and then?" a familiar monotone voice asked from the doorway.

He peeled one eye open, lifting his head a fraction. "Hey, Raven," he muttered.

"You know I was your backup tonight, right?" she said, stepping into the room.

"I didn't need backup," he mumbled, feigning nonchalance. "The perps are behind bars."

"Perps?" Raven raised an eyebrow, placing her hands on her hips as she looked down at him. "Exactly how many perps?"

Dick propped himself up on his elbows, trying not to wince. "Thirteen. Armed robbers," he said, with a proud smirk.

"Richard!" she exclaimed, aghast.

"Hey, I didn't get shot or stabbed," he said with a shrug, then grimaced as he painfully sat up.

"I don't understand why you insist on doing things solo," she said with a shake of her head.

Dick shrugged as a smirk tugged at his lips. "Thought you were on a date tonight," he teased, before painfully laying back down.

"It wasn't a date," Raven replied, crossing her arms and looking away.

"Oh, really?" He sat up, letting his gaze rake over her outfit—dark purple sweater dress, black leggings, and boots. "You dress like that when it's not a date?"

Raven glanced down, puzzled. "What do you mean? I look… normal. Some may even say frumpy."

Dick gave her an incredulous look. Can't she see how incredible she looks in everything? "You wore your hair down, too?" he asked, leaning a little closer.

"No, it was in a messy bun. Why?"

He scooted back to rest against his headboard and studied her, watching her fight a losing battle against a blush. "You're dressed for a date," he surmised.

"It wasn't a date," she huffed, sitting beside him on the bed and reaching to peel his uniform away.

"What are you doing?" he yelped, his body tensing in surprise.

"You're injured. I was going to heal you," she said, eyeing him like he was being ridiculous.

"Oh." Dick relaxed, trying to ignore the way his pulse sped up as she leaned back in. "It's not necessary. Told you, no stabs tonight."

"Richard, don't make me force you to take your clothes off," she replied, rolling her eyes as she gave him a flat look.

Dick gulped as his mind wandered, picturing how that scene would play out. "Fine," he said, stripping off the top half of his suit with more than a little dramatic flair.

Raven's hands froze for a second as her gaze flickered over his torso. Dick couldn't help but grin. For a moment, he thought she'd noticed him—really noticed him. But then she frowned, snapping back to her usual self. "I thought you didn't get stabbed," she said, pointing at a long, bloody slice across his torso.

Dick glanced down. "That's not a stab, that's a slice."

Raven shot him a sharp look. "Your suit prevents stabs and slices."

"It does," he replied with a casual shrug. "The attack happened before I could put it on."

"What?" her face tensed.

"I was in the jewelry store when the robbery started. Didn't have time to change." He flashed her a crooked smile. "This is just a lucky slice."

Raven sighed, resting her hand on his stomach. He fought to keep his breathing steady, fighting to ignore the way her touch made his skin tingle. "You need to be more careful," she murmured.

Dick cleared his throat, forcing himself to focus. "So… if it wasn't a date, what was it?"

"A business meeting," she replied.

"With who?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.

"I can't tell you that."

"Uh-huh. So, it was a date."

"It wasn't a date," she said, rolling her eyes as she pressed a little harder on his wound. "The guy is fifty years older than me."

"Sure, sure. Then tell me who it was," he insisted, his grin mischievous.

"You know," she began, raising an eyebrow, "you didn't give Kori this much grief when she started dating again."

"I didn't have to. She practically shouted it from the rooftop when Roy asked her out." He grinned, wincing only slightly as her healing warmth spread across his skin. "So, why are you keeping his identity a secret?"

"All done," she said briskly, stepping back.

Dick glanced down at his healed torso, now flawless. He looked back up at her, his expression softening. "Raven, wait," he said before she could turn away. Her violet eyes met his in the dim light of his room. "I just want to make sure you're being safe," he said, his voice gentler.

Her face softened, and she gave a small nod. "I am, Richard. You can trust me."

"I do trust you, Raven," he replied, his gaze intense. "It's the guys out there I don't trust."

A smile tugged at her lips, and she almost laughed. "Cute. The big-brother act suits you."

The word hit him like a punch to the gut. Brother? That's how she sees me? He tried to keep his expression steady, but inside, he felt his heart sink.

"Goodnight, Richard," she said softly, before slipping out of the room.

As the door closed, Dick threw himself dramatically onto the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. Brother. She thinks of me as a brother. He let out a frustrated sigh, rolling over as disappointment weighed heavily on him. Tonight is definitely not my night.

A loud banging jolted Dick awake. He groaned, pulling his pillow over his head. Today was supposed to be his sleep-in day—the rare, cherished mornings he allowed himself. "What?" he yelled, his voice muffled.

"Dude," came Beast Boy's voice from the hall. "You've got a delivery!"

"Just leave it by the door," Dick replied, his eyes still closed.

"We can't."

Dick sighed, reluctantly pushing himself upright. "What do you mean, you can't—? Fine. I'll be out in a minute." He let out a long, dramatic sigh. I just want a bit more sleep, he thought, surprising even himself. He couldn't remember the last time he had wished for more sleep.

Shaking his head, he swung his legs over the bed as his gaze flicked to the clock. His eyes widened in disbelief. 11:15 a.m.! No way! He never slept this late on his sleep-in days; he was always up by 9. Last night's fight must have taken more out of me than I'd realized. Still… something about this felt off.

Dick walked groggily into the common room, dressed only in pajama pants, struggling to shake off the haze of sleep. All conversation halted as the doors slid open. "What is it?" he asked.

"You have an admirer," Cyborg beamed, holding out a small card. "This came with the delivery." Dick took the card, eyeing the foil-wrapped trays of…something. "Who delivered it?" he asked.

"Did a full background check," Cyborg assured him. "The guy works for one of those specialty delivery companies, usually with baked goods." Dick nodded, tearing open the envelope. Inside, a note read, On the 12th Day of Christmas My True Love Gave to Me…

He raised an eyebrow and delicately peeled back the foil on the tray. "What the…!"

"What are those?" Starfire asked.

"Candy apples!" Beast Boy exclaimed.

"Candy apples?" Starfire repeated, still confused.

"What does the note say?" Cyborg prompted. Dick handed it over as he continued to inspect the treats. "What's a candy apple?" Starfire asked.

"It's just an apple coated in some sugary stuff," Raven replied, appearing from the floor. Dick startled at her sudden arrival, realizing he'd been too distracted to sense her with his guard down. Raven gave him a curious look before continuing. "All this time on Earth and you still haven't had a candy apple?"

"No," Starfire shook her head.

"H-hey, Raven," Dick stammered awkwardly.

She blinked at him with an unreadable expression. "Someone sent us candy apples?"

"Nope," Cyborg corrected, gesturing to the tray. "Someone sent Dick candy apples." Dick stared at the twelve bright red apples before him. "Twelve candy apples," Cyborg mused. "That's…different."

"What do you mean?" Raven asked.

"It came with a note," Dick murmured.

"It said, 'On the 12th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me,'" Cyborg elaborated, holding up the card, "Twelve candy apples."

"That is different," Raven agreed.

"I do not understand," Starfire said as Beast Boy eagerly eyed the apples. "What is different?"

"It's a Christmas song," Raven explained. "The line goes, 'On the 12th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, twelve drummers drumming.'"

Starfire tilted her head. "I think I understand?"

"Just ask Speedy about it next time," Raven suggested with a small smile. Starfire nodded, brightening.

"Cool!" Beast Boy grinned, grabbing an apple and holding it out to Raven. "Robin said we can eat them!"

Raven pushed the apple away. "I'm not eating that. And you shouldn't either."

"Just like you and Robin to ruin the fun," Beast Boy muttered, taking a big bite anyway. "Fine, I'll eat it."

"Yes," Raven said dryly as he bit in. "If you're still alive in 48 hours, we'll know they're safe to eat." Cyborg and Starfire burst into laughter as Raven exited, her calm confidence leaving Beast Boy a little wary mid-chew. It vanished, and he grabbed another one.

Dick studied the note and the candy apples thoughtfully before retreating to his room.

Later that night, Dick sat alone in the common room, gazing out the enormous windows. It was just past midnight, and he'd finished half of a candy apple, savoring the taste. He couldn't help it—these sugary fruits brought back memories he hadn't revisited in years. He was so lost in thought that he didn't notice Raven slip into the room, or even when she sat down across from him.

"Hey," she said, startling him. "Sorry," she apologized quickly, a blush dusting her cheeks.

"It's fine." Dick smiled. "I was…thinking."

"About?" Raven cocked her head, studying him with that calm, perceptive look of hers. Dick patted the floor beside him, waiting until she was seated comfortably beside him before he replied.

"Today," he answered, still staring out at the city.

"Ah," she smiled softly, "your secret admirer."

"Shut up," he nudged her playfully.

"I see you caved and ate one," Raven observed, nodding at the half-eaten apple on his plate.

"Yeah," he admitted. "I gave in."

"But I thought you didn't like sugar?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't, really. But…" He trailed off, his gaze returning to the apple. "I haven't had candy apples since my circus days."

"Really?" she said, intrigued. "Then…whoever sent these must know you as both Robin and Richard."

Dick blinked, processing that thought for the first time. "I was so wrapped up in memories, I didn't even think of that. What if it's a villain?"

"Do you know any villains who might know your secret identity?" she asked. He thought hard, but the only possibility he could imagine was far away in Metropolis.

"None that come to mind," he admitted. "It's probably just Roy playing a dumb prank." He chuckled, though it sounded forced.

Raven continued watching him, a hint of worry in her gaze. "Richard," she said softly. He looked up, meeting her serious expression. "Are you sure you're okay with…this?" She gestured to the candy apples. "No…bad memories?"

He offered her a reassuring smile. "I'm good, Rae," he said, amused by her reaction to the nickname. "Remind me to tell you about the time I got a candy apple stuck in my hair." Her eyes widened, hinting at her interest in hearing the story. "You should try one," he said, holding the apple out to her.

Raven hesitated, eyeing it. "Are you sure it's safe?" she asked.

"Yes," he said, trying to keep a straight face. "I'm confident it's safe."

With a small sigh, she took a bite, and he watched as she licked the sticky sweetness from her lips. He found himself mesmerized. "It's…good," she smiled.

"Yeah. Only five left," he added with a chuckle.

"What!" she exclaimed.

"Cyborg had one. Starfire had one. Beast Boy ate four."

She sighed. "He's definitely going to have a stomachache tomorrow."

"He has one now," Dick replied with a grin. His heart fluttered when she responded with a smile of her own.

"So," Raven said, settling in. "How exactly did a candy apple get stuck in your hair?"

Dick chuckled, diving into the story as he took her on a trip down memory lane.