Dear Guest Reviewer, I'm SO glad it makes you happy, seriously xD And yeah Klarion is recovering from getting his ass kicked. And scheming. He's definitely not done, lol.
Thanks for the new favs/follows! xD
Happy reading!
Way Back into Love
The Justice League stared at her with folded arms and severe eyes.
Raven inhaled. "So anyway…I thought I should probably return this." She conjured the Kryptonite spear in her hand.
"Yeah…probably." The Flash mumbled as he took it from her.
"So…you're like, good again?" Zatanna asked.
"To be fair, she was never not good. She saved my life and she didn't have to." Batman said, giving the empath a reassuring, small smile. "Not to mention my sons'."
Raven shot him a grateful look.
"Well, sure. She wasn't a monster. Still, there was a lot of criminal activity." Aquaman stated. "Didn't she kill someone?"
"I'm right here." The sorcerer muttered. "And yes…"
"But that someone was Rouge." Cyborg pointed out. "She wasn't a regular person, she was a major threat to the world and completely evil. Even the authorities had orders to shoot to kill. Besides, if there was a thread of humanity left in her she would have lived, right, Rae?"
"Right."
The Flash frowned. "I mean, sure, but still-"
"I'm good, okay?" The empath said pointedly. She could sense the others starting to feel eager to jump in and defend her, so she decided to end the conversation before it turned into an argument. "And I'm sorry."
"What were you planning to do with that?" Superman asked, pointing at the spear.
Raven sighed. "Oh, I don't know. Defend myself when you tackled me to the ground again?"
The Titans fought back laughter, but it was useless. They were practically giggly.
Clark Kent cleared his throat. "Okay, that was a mistake. But still, you just expect to be completely forgiven and not face any sort of consequences for-"
"I'm going to stop you there, Superman." Nightwing said firmly. "She'll pay in community service by being a hero, just like the rest of us did when we committed crimes. Actually, the amount of criminals she's put behind bars in the last two days should be enough. All those slaves of hers were highly dangerous. And she is completely forgiven. You don't know the circumstances, but…there were circumstances."
"Yeah and it's not like we haven't all done bad things here." Damian pointed out.
"Well, none of you did that much damage…" Wonder Woman pondered.
Ravager smirked. "So the problem is that she was good at it?"
"We're not judging…" Diana said calmly.
"Actually, you are." Raven whispered. When everyone stared at her again, she shrugged. "I can sense it. But…I don't care. I just came here to give you that thing back and get my book."
"Your book?" Wonder Woman raised an eyebrow.
Raven folded her arms. "Yes, the magic book that summons the dead? That book. I gave that collector everything else back but he had no business with that book, it belongs with a witch."
"Yes, I agree. But it is with a witch…me." Zatanna said firmly.
"Right…I know that." The empath nodded apologetically. "But…can we call upon it and let the book decide? We could use it. I have a bitter warlock and the League of Assassins to handle."
Superman frowned. "Let the book decide?"
"It has a sense of loyalty." Zatanna explained without removing her eyes from Raven. "If two people are close enough to claim it, it could just choose."
"Oh, I want in on that! I want to claim it too!" Jinx eagerly raised her hand. Raven shot her a quizzical look, but she just shrugged and chuckled, keeping her hand up.
"No one's doing that. The book stays here." Superman said intently. "It's safer."
"Besides, no offense, but…how do we even know we can trust you yet?" Aquaman asked the Titan sorcerer.
"I trust her completely." Nightwing quickly stated.
Raven sighed and shot her teammates a warning look when they stepped forward – particularly Garfield, Damian and Koryand'r. It was a look that screamed I got this. She cleared her throat. "Listen, I'm trying to ask nicely here. But I have as much right to claim it as-"
"Also me." Jinx said pointedly, folding her arms and smiling.
The empath sighed again. "Yes, okay. Jinx and I have the right to claim it too."
Wonder Woman glanced at the others. "Maybe we should just let them do it."
"Do you really think it's going to choose you?" Zatanna raised an eyebrow at Raven. She did like her, ever since they fought Eclipso together. But she was a bit arrogant.
"Yes, I do." The empath said confidently.
"What makes you so sure? You did just commit a bunch of crimes. Not that I'm judging." Green Arrow spoke. He had been quietly watching so far.
"Well, I just…I should have it, okay?" Raven declared.
Superman folded his arms, looking a little amused. "You think you're entitled to it, don't you?"
"Does it matter what I think?" The empath frowned, slightly annoyed. "Don't take my word for it. Get the book and let's find out."
Zatanna smirked. "You know what? Let's."
Minutes later, Raven, Jinx and Zatanna were chanting in Latin around a round table as the old, dark book floated, glowed and twirled in the center.
"All this for that ugly book, right?" Garfield whispered to Wally, who nodded in agreement.
The artefact twirled around violently a few more times before flying directly into Raven's relieved hands. She smiled and ran her fingers over the cover.
The Justice League gasped, but Jinx just huffed in annoyance. Figures.
"No, wait…we're gonna need you to give that back." Clark said awkwardly.
The empath frowned. "What? No. I'm the rightful owner."
Diana grimaced. "Ah…Raven. We can't let you leave with that…"
Superman looked at Zatanna, who just shrugged in response. "Sorry, it picked her. What do you want me to do?"
"What do you mean you can't let me leave with it? It's mine. Why would you agree to letting us claim it then go back on your word?"
Clark sighed and rubbed his temples. "To be honest, we thought it wouldn't go to you."
Raven huffed. "Well, you thought wrong. That's not my fault. Also, you know what? I am entitled to it."
Superman raised his eyebrows. So did most of the Justice League. Batman just smirked.
"Sweetie…" Wonder Woman started.
"No, I want to know why she's entitled to a book that summons the dead." Clark frowned.
"Guys, we're all on the same side here…" Barry pondered.
Raven narrowed her eyes. "You want to know why?"
"Please, enlighten us." Aquaman chuckled slightly, folding his arms.
"Okay, fine." The empath held the book to her chest. "Why wouldn't it come to me? I don't see anyone else constantly keeping a world-conquering demon at bay so he won't break loose. I answered a call for help from another Universe that nearly got me killed – which in my case means a one-way ticket to some hellish dimension. I've battled entities much stronger than me. Oh, you want to talk about damage? You know who could have done way more damage than me? An Eclipso-possessed Superboy." She pointed at Connor.
Superboy scratched the back of his head and chuckled awkwardly.
"Good thing I exorcised him." She went on. "Also, extremely unpleasant. Let's see, what else? How about being tortured mercilessly for months without caving? Do you know why I stayed powerless for weeks after that? I didn't trust myself because they brainwashed me. By the way, Deathstroke is saving people now. I did that too, and I found Radion in the process. Radion you used against Darkseid. And I'm the only one who's actually used this book, to help the Titans fight Braniac when you couldn't. Should I go on?"
She didn't need to go on. Her point had been made. But her friends didn't know that.
"Oh, I know!" Starfire raised her hand excitedly. "You went inside Lex Luthor's mind to find the venom of the mind-control! Also, transferring my sister's powers to me."
"You practically resurrected me!" The Changeling chimed in merrily.
"You brought me back from being turned to stone then restored my memories!" Terra chuckled breezily, because now they were just having fun with it.
Dick smiled and folded his arms. "How about saving my life?"
"And my life." Bruce pointed out again.
"You fixed my spine." Damian smirked.
Ravager calmly raised a hand. "Does making me switch sides count?"
"Resisting the Lasso of Truth was kinda dope." Jinx shrugged.
"Not to mention all the healing all the time." Bumblebee smiled.
"She did a lot of healing after Darkseid, actually." Bruce said, now thoroughly amused. "Also, you have to admit turning Lex Luthor into a dog was a nice touch."
Krypto got in front of Raven protectively. The empath was a little overwhelmed at this point. It was all really nice, but she didn't exactly feel that worthy of all this support at the moment.
"Okay, okay!" Superman chuckled slightly. "I got it; she's done a lot of good." He sighed and addressed her again. "To be fair, that doesn't give you a free pass to do whatever you want."
"I never said it did." Raven said quickly. "I'm just saying a few bad choices don't erase an entire life of sacrifices…" She lowered her voice to a whisper. "At least not to the book."
"I guess that makes sense." Zatanna nodded, shooting the Titan sorcerer a forgiving look.
"I mean, we've all made sacrifices." Superman pondered. "But…maybe not like you."
The empath could sense the hostility had diminished significantly, but she was still a little annoyed. "Maybe? Did any of you receive a personal invitation from God's Mercy to ascend into an immortal cosmic entity? Because I did."
And then everything else was momentarily forgotten. They gasped and widened their eyes.
"Woah, what!?" The Flash squeaked.
"You did!?" Zatanna smiled. "Why on Earth didn't you go!?"
Garfield had been taking small steps backwards and shrinking since she mentioned Radiant's offer. Shit. Now they'll all hate me too.
"That's not important, all you need to know is in the end I didn't get to go and it made me snap, okay? Look, I can't even laugh too loud or something explodes. It's exhausting being me. I'm sorry, I am. I got a little lost. But I'm back. You can trust me." Raven said sincerely.
Garfield exhaled in relief and smiled. She didn't tell them. Thanks, love.
"You know what? Here, put that thing on me." The empath stretched an arm out and let a surprised Wonder Woman wrap the Lasso around it, making no attempt to resist its magic this time. "I'm sorry about my recent actions. I was broken, but I'm back. You can trust me."
That instantly softened their faces. Diana smiled in relief as she unwrapped the rope from the younger girl's arm. "Yes, I believe we can."
Clark shot her an apologetic look. "Okay, kiddo. Sorry you felt judged."
"I was judged." Raven muttered, still a little annoyed. "But…it's fine. I did bad things. I've undone most of them, but..."
"I'm sorry, are we not addressing the God's Mercy thing!?" Barry asked, utterly perplexed.
"Her name is Radiant, I reached out to her about sneaking Raven into Heaven and then she made that counteroffer." Damian explained. "She said they had been watching her and were pleased with her."
"They? They, who?" Batman frowned.
"We didn't ask. Celestial beings, I guess." Raven answered. "Anyway, if we're good, I'd like to go home with my friends now…"
Superman frowned. She looked upset. Whatever happened had definitely wounded her. Her recent crimes did overshadow a lot of what she'd done for the world. And she had willingly released him from possession. "Raven?" He waited until she looked at him. "I'm sorry."
The empath smiled at him. That one was genuine. "Thanks. I'm sorry too, I really am." She looked around. Okay, good. They forgive me. She didn't expect or even need it. But it was nice.
"Yeah, thanks for returning this." Barry said merrily, holding up the spear. "Stay good, kiddo!"
"You guys know I'm twenty-three, right?" Raven asked. What's with this kiddo thing?
They chuckled light-heartedly and Diana smiled kindly. "Precisely."
As soon as they were back in Titan Tower, Connor approached the empath.
"So…" He smiled charmingly. "When you put it all together like that, it makes you sound nearly legendary."
Raven stared at him quizzically. "Connor, I am legendary."
He chuckled lightly. "You're kind of conceited, aren't you?"
"Very." The sorcerer stated. "But no, I mean I'm literally legendary. There are ancient books on me. Trigon's spawn? That's me. Where do you think destroyer of worlds came from?"
She shrugged nonchalantly and walked away. Garfield chuckled breezily as she left, because he was close enough to hear them. Then Connor joined him, Speedy and Aqualad on the couch.
"Is it an utterly fulfilling sense of accomplishment?" Superboy asked.
The shapeshifter took a few seconds to realize he was talking to him. He looked away from the TV and frowned at Connor. "Huh?"
"Banging that chick. I bet it must be so freaking satisfying." Superboy said, leaning back on the couch in a relaxed manner while Aqualad nodded in agreement.
The Changeling's muscles stiffened. He didn't like that. Not even a little bit. It sounded disrespectful. "What did you just say?"
"C'mon, man, relax." Aqualad elbowed Garfield in a friendly manner. "She's not your girlfriend anymore, right? No need to get worked up about it."
"Maybe he's just trying to save your ass." Speedy chuckled. "If she hears you talking about her like that she'll send you to the Phantom Zone or something."
Aqualad dismissed his worries. "She's in her room. And if she comes back, Garfield here will smell her coming." He put an arm around the shapeshifter's shoulders. "Right, dude?"
The Changeling just pushed his arm off him, being very unamused by the whole bit. Doesn't he have to go back to the East or whatever? He wished Victor, Richard or Damian were there. They'd say Raven was like a sister to them and shut it down.
Aqualad rolled his eyes, completely unbothered. "C'mon, just between us, as the one who did bang her, what's it like? It's obviously awesome; you keep going back for more."
Garfield frowned. "I'm not talking about this with you. And can you stop using that word?" You don't bang someone like Raven. You make love to her.
Connor grinned easily. "Look, I only meant that…well, you know what I meant."
"I don't, actually." The shapeshifter stated firmly.
"I'm just saying, I'd love to see her come down from that pedestal and get messy for once."
"Yeah, imagine that." Aqualad smiled greedily, giving Superboy a fist-bump. "Besides, I bet she's wild in bed, with all that demonic lust."
Connor chuckled. "Imagine picking up a demonology book and being like, see that chick? Done that. Made her moan and everything."
They laughed freely and Garfield stood up hastily, with his fists clenched. Nope. I can't listen to this. They're making her sound like a fucking conquest.
"Someone's getting all jealous and possessive again." Aqualad said teasingly.
"No, I…" The Changeling took a deep breath. "I'm not. Just…don't talk about her like that."
Superboy shrugged. "Like what? We're just saying it must be nice to-"
"Cut it out, dude. He still likes her." Speedy said. He wasn't proud to admit he would easily take part in this kind of conversation in the past, but now that he was in love, it just seemed weird. "Plus, he's right. You two are being kinda gross."
Garfield shot him an extremely grateful look.
"Whatever." Connor smiled. "I get it, Changeling. You don't want us thinking about it even more. You wanna keep her all to yourself. I respect it, but I hope you don't mind competition."
The shapeshifter took another deep breath. Do I mind competition? Kinda. But don't tell them that. "Actually, Connor, you're not competition." He turned to Aqualad. "Neither are you."
They both snorted in absolute outrage.
"Have you seen me?" The aquatic Titan gestured to his own body.
Connor collected himself and leaned back on the couch again. "Dude…I'm Superboy."
"She doesn't give a fuck. Neither of you will ever do any of that to her because you're both idiots and she knows it." Garfield said confidently. "Also, next time you talk about her like that make sure I'm not around, cause I will tell her and enjoy watching her punish you."
Speedy laughed loudly as the Changeling smiled and walked away, leaving two grumpy Titans behind on the couch. He was getting himself a glass of water – because he still needed to cool off – when Nightwing approached him with an uncharacteristically unsure look on his face.
"Uh…hey, man. Do you have a minute?" Richard asked him.
Where were you two minutes ago when I needed you to tell those two to shut up? "Yeah, sure."
"I just talked to Rae. She said you convinced her to come home."
"Oh. Yeah…I guess. She already wanted to; I just tried to make her feel safe enough to do it."
Dick nodded slowly. "She also asked me if I have been hard on you."
The Changeling grimaced. "Oh. I…I didn't, like, complain or anything, I swear. I mean, I said you kinda hate me since she left but that was just a jok-"
"No, I…" Nightwing sighed. "I have been hard on you. I'm not proud of it. I was planning to just give it time, but Raven said I should man up and talk to you, and, well…I think she's right."
Garfield smiled a little. "Usually. But seriously Dick, in this case it's all good. Don't worry."
"It's not all good. Listen…" Richard sat down across from him on the kitchen counter. "I was angry at you. I resented you. I blamed you when she left."
The Changeling looked down and muttered. "Yeah but you were right to blame me, Dick. It was my fault. She left because of me."
"But she also came back because of you." Nightwing smiled slightly when the shapeshifter looked up at him with surprise in his eyes. "You're the one who got through to her. I should have had more faith in you. And, well…I punished you after she asked me not to. Besides, that whole thing with Rouge and…you know…when I thought she was…" He cleared his throat and they both looked away awkwardly. "Anyway, I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. I hope you can forgive me, and that we can go back to…I mean, if you still want to be my friend…"
Garfield beamed at him, feeling absolutely relieved and light. "Of course I do!"
"You do?" Richard's smile widened. "Wait, you do as in you forgive me or you do as in you still want to be my friend?"
"Well, I…both, I guess!" The Changeling chuckled happily.
"Really?" Nightwing exhaled. "Oh, good. So what's up?"
Garfield grunted, glancing at the couch to confirm Superboy was no longer there. He thought he'd heard him leaving the tower, but he had to be sure. "Oh I was just contemplating the fact that I'll have to watch Connor unapologetically hit on Raven everyday now."
Richard immediately reacted. "Dude, seriously! I had to watch him make out with Kory all the time. And he was such a jerk about it, too."
"That's right, you did." The Changeling frowned. "How did you get through that?"
"I have no idea." Dick chuckled truthfully. "I think I just went somewhere else in my mind."
Garfield laughed along with him and opened his mouth to say that was a good tip when he sniffed lavender and turned around.
"Gar, are you busy?" She asked him urgently, almost looking a bit stiff.
Nightwing and the Changeling exchanged a quizzical look to see if either of them seemed to know why she was acting so intense. Neither of them did.
Garfield shrugged. "I…no, not really. We were just talking."
"Yeah, I apologized." Nightwing explained. "Good advice, too. Thanks."
"Oh. Good. That's good." Raven smiled softly. "When you're done, can you let me know?"
"Is everything okay?" Richard asked, slightly concerned.
She nodded. "Yes, of course."
Garfield narrowed his eyes. She hadn't blinked once. "Are you sure?"
"Positive." The empath turned around to go talk to Starfire and Bumblebee, but Richard grabbed her arm to stop her. "What?"
"Stay. He's not busy; I need to go prepare a training routine anyway." Nightwing said kindly. He figured it was better for Garfield to find out what this was about sooner rather than later.
"So…" The shapeshifter smiled at her. "What's up?"
"Can we talk in private?"
His heart accelerated. Raven had only been back for two days and they hadn't found their way to each other's rooms yet. He was mostly trying to give her space. "S-sure."
She smiled mysteriously and floated away. Garfield hurriedly got off his seat and followed her to her room. The door closed behind him as soon as he walked in.
Why am I this nervous? The shapeshifter looked around, tapping his fingers on his leg and sighing. "Soo…what did you want to-Mmh! Mmm…" He was cut off by Raven's eager lips on his and immediately responded. Her body was pressed against him, pushing him backwards until his back hit a wall, then he wrapped an arm around her waist and brought a hand to her face, smiling against her lips and whispering. "Well this is a nice surprise."
She slid her hands up his chest and shoulders and let out a quiet, pleading whimper. It instantly drove him insane. Garfield hastily spun them around so she was the one pressed against the wall. She didn't fight it, she just stopped the kiss to chant her words and deactivate her powers. He smiled and worked his way down her neck, kissing passionately and sucking lightly as she leaned her head back, moaning and quivering.
"That better not leave a hickey." Raven whispered in a breathy, shaky voice.
He chuckled against her skin. "No, I was careful. You just taste so fucking good."
She tangled her fingers in his hair. "I watched it. I saw what you did to him."
The Changeling smiled, working his way back up her neck. Of course watching me beat Klarion to a pulp got her in the mood. He chuckled again. "Oh, so that's what's gotten you all eager."
Raven pulled his head back to look into his eyes with dilated pupils. "You're my fucking hero."
That lit up that primal instinct in him. His entire body was burning for her as he grabbed her thighs and pulled her to his lap. The sorcerer gladly complied, wrapping her legs around his waist. Garfield massaged and teased every inch of her he could get his hands on while passionately kissing her lips. She's moaning so fucking much. I'm going to lose it. He carried the purple-haired girl to her bed and basically dropped her on it, taking a moment to admire her.
Raven moved to get on all fours and smiled up at him seductively. "You know, I want you to-"
The trouble alarm interrupted her and Garfield had never been more annoyed at the sound. His huge, blissful grin instantly fell and he grunted in frustration. Raven, however, was on her feet looking flawless and reactivating her powers in seconds.
"We'll finish this later." She said casually, walking past him.
But he had a more visible issue. She'd gotten him hard already. "Ah…I can't, uh…"
The empath turned to stare at him questioningly and fought back laughter when she saw his problem. "Oh. Right." She made a graceful hand gesture. "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos."
His eyes widened when his situation was magically fixed. "Woah! How did you-"
"It's all blood flow, Garfield. Now c'mon." She said urgently, floating out of her room.
The Changeling had so many questions, but he just ran after her. I hate that stupid alarm. "This better be someone important and not Control Freak or something."
It was organized crime. With the Sirens gone, the outlaw world was once again without leadership in Jump City and everyone seemed eager to grasp their portion of power. Factions and mercenaries were disputing over all sorts of illegal market. Only that night something went wrong and there was a shooting. Red-X had been there, of course.
"Still with the outlaw thing?" Richard asked him during their brief interaction.
"Some people don't change, Robin." X shrugged. "Sorry, I mean Nightwing."
Connor flew in first, with Krypto and Krypto-transformed Garfield, since they were bulletproof. Starfire followed them, as bullets didn't harm her to a great deal. They managed to control the situation quickly and easily. Once every gun was on the floor and all the criminals had their hands above their heads, they watched the guns dissolve and vanish into the floor. And then Raven emerged from the shadows. They remembered her. They had been loyal to her not too long ago. They were definitely still scared of her.
"Who's in charge?" The empath asked in a low voice.
When no one answered, Damian kicked one guy's knee and twisted his arm behind his back once he fell to the floor. He grunted in pain and pointed at someone.
"Thank you." Raven said calmly, floating towards the man identified as the leader and bringing her hands to each side of his head. She frowned slightly, concentrating as her hands glowed for a few short seconds and he screamed in agony.
Nightwing was by her side as soon as she was done. "The cops are here. What did you see? Are there more of them? Will they be a problem?"
She waited until the man was taken away, because she didn't want him to know what she'd seen. "Definitely. He doesn't know much, but…I saw who does."
Back in the ops room, Dick had everyone gather around the couch.
"It's a new guy." Raven reported. "Some corrupt human magnate from Metropolis who wants to expand and I guess he's looking to pick up where the Sire-well, where we left off."
"Human? Sounds easy." Connor chuckled.
"Like your father?" The sorcerer raised an eyebrow at him. "The biggest problem with this guy is he has powerful friends. And I don't want to manipulate judges anymore. Every time I do something like that, it feels like taking a step away from me and towards Trigon. So…if we want him behind bars, we need proof."
"Agreed." Nightwing said pointedly. "Where can we find him?"
Raven frowned slightly. "Dick, do you think you can get us into a party?"
"Whose party?"
"Some socialite with a big family name. Her first name is like…I want to say a gemstone. Crystal? Ruby? Emerald?"
"Sapphire Stagg?" Nightwing guessed promptly.
"That's it." The empath nodded. "Her party. He'll be there."
"Didn't you sleep with her?" Superboy elbowed an already uncomfortable Changeling.
Garfield turned red and cursed Connor internally. He did sleep with her during his wild distraction-seeking escapades.
"Wait, you did? Isn't she Metamorpho's girlfriend?" Speedy asked, instinctively putting his arm around Terra's shoulders.
The Changeling looked down, trying to shrink as much as he could and muttering under his breath. "Ah…yes. They were on a break."
"Well, that's good, actually. You can talk to her and see if you can get any information out of her." Richard said. Then he saw the look on Starfire's face and immediately turned to Raven. "I mean…maybe. Right?"
The empath's heart was tight at the idea of him entertaining and charming a girl he'd slept with, but her face certainly didn't show it. "Yes, obviously. That's a good idea."
"Man, I can't believe we're leaving tomorrow!" Aqualad complained. "We never get to go on the cool missions."
Like so many criminal lords, this one didn't hide either. He had powerful connections and his life was ridiculously luxurious. So, naturally, he was invited to exclusive socialite parties. But naturally, so were the Titans. Superboy alone would have been enough reason to get them all in – he was flashy and charming and really stood out in situations like this. Raven identified their target as soon as they got there and the others gasped, because unlike her, they were familiar with his face. The tall, elegant media magnate was actually quite famous. His aura was cold and dark and she hoped she could avoid being around him until it was absolutely necessary. The Titans scattered and mingled, digging for information.
"Do you mind talking to me for a few minutes? May I record this?" A journalist approached the Titan sorcerer by the bar.
Raven had been avoiding the press more than ever as she was getting a lot more attention than she liked since she rejoined the Titans. "Well, actually I…"
"Wonderful." He sat next to her, hoping the public setting would spare him from whatever consequence his boldness could bring upon him. "So…Raven, right?"
The empath stared at him blankly. She did need something to do to keep her from staring at Garfield as he charmingly talked to pretty girls and from obsessing over the way they were laughing freely with him or feeling his muscles over his suit. He looked so good again and she thought she would lose her mind. But she wasn't going to answer that question.
The young man chuckled. "Right, you're right. We know who you are. I'm David. So, can you make a statement regarding your current status with the Sirens and the Titans? There's been a lot of rumors and I'm sure you'd like the chance to clear the air."
"Would I?"
He smiled awkwardly. "Ah…well, I assume you would?"
Raven nodded slowly. "I see. What are the rumors?"
"What?"
"Tell me the rumors."
"Well…don't you prefer telling me your version?"
"No, I'd like to hear the rumors."
He stared at her quizzically before regaining control and clearing his throat. "Right, ah…it's rumored that you went to the dark side and became an outlaw overlord alongside Harley Quinn, Catwoman and Poison Ivy. And that now you're a Titan again and reformed."
"We both know those are all facts, not rumors."
"Right…I suppose speculations revolve around why and how it all happened. To the public, they seem like rather sudden changes and that leaves people feeling on edge."
"Mmm…were people not on edge with me before?" She smirked and raised an eyebrow.
David chuckled. "Good point. It's just…some people say you enslaved people's minds and some people swear they even saw you possess Superman."
Raven puffed her chest. I'm REALLY not winning fan favorite this year. Oh, well. "All true. Although…I only possessed Superman because he attacked me while we were negotiating hostages' release, and I set him free pretty quickly."
"So you did lawful things as a Siren? Several women came forward and claimed you saved them from a human traffic organization."
"I mean…I wouldn't use the word lawful." She chuckled slightly. "We had a taking-justice-into-our-own-hands approach. But you still haven't told me the rumors."
"Ah, yes. Well, some people say you were always bad and that you're only pretending to be a Titan again. Personally, I think that's bullshit, of course. Some say it was simple power lust and that now you've realized power can't get you happiness. And some say you suffered from a broken heart before going rogue."
The sorcerer's face remained stoic. "Interesting. I like the power lust one, let's go with that. I got carried away with all that power and now I've seen the light. I hope everyone can trust me again over time and all that. Is that good?"
David narrowed his eyes and smiled. "That's not the truth though, is it?"
Raven shrugged. "What even is the truth anyway? Such an abstract concept…"
"Hey there, you." Garfield said cheerfully as he approached the empath.
"Hi. This is David."
"Nice to meet you, Changeling." The journalist excitedly shook his hand. "Actually, if you don't mind, now that I have you both here, could you address the rumors that your relationship triggered Raven's turn and maybe make a statement about your current status? There's been a lot of speculation about this and she's not giving me a lot of straightforward answers here."
The shapeshifter chuckled at her affectionately. "Yeah, she does that. But sorry, man. Whatever she told you is all you're gonna get."
"To be fair, I told him nothing." Raven fought back a smile. "But…listen, David. My reasons were based on painful personal problems. I'm not discussing them. But I am back."
"Can you tell me if the Changeling ever cheated on you?"
She rolled her eyes and looked at Garfield with an amused face. "Well? Did you?"
The shapeshifter huffed in outrage then smiled at her. "Yeah, right. As if I'm dumb enough to cheat on the perfect woman."
Raven smiled slightly and blushed a little. "Good point."
The journalist was extremely excited at this point. "Are you two back together? I can't help noticing some chemistry…"
"We're good friends, David." The empath said breezily.
"Yeah. Good, old friends." Garfield smiled wider.
She nodded. "Good, old, close friends."
"Intimate friends." The shapeshifter chuckled.
"Watch it." Raven said warningly, but her eyes were playful as she stared at him.
David was fascinated. There was definitely something going on between them. "What about-"
"Listen, if you don't mind…I'd like to hang out with my friend now." She said politely.
The journalist was slightly disappointed, but he'd gotten a lot out of this already, so he thanked them immensely and left them alone.
Garfield took his seat. "You look hauntingly beautiful, by the way."
Raven rolled her eyes. She knew she looked good. She was wearing a long, elegant black dress and her hair was pulled into a braided half-updo hairstyle, since it was a bit longer again. And she was wearing the necklace he'd gotten her for Christmas. "Can you keep a secret?" When he nodded, she smiled slightly. "Look down. Discreetly."
The shapeshifter was a little confused but looked down anyway, and then he laughed in utter disbelief, because she had pulled the end of her long dress up a little so he could see her feet. "You're wearing combat boots?"
The empath shrugged. "I needed some level of comfort."
That's such a Raven thing to do. Garfield beamed. "Well, I like it."
"You look handsome. But I'm sure over ten different girls have told you that by now."
The Changeling smiled at her and spun on the seat to lean over the counter. His heart was aching again and his stomach was fluttering. He wasn't sure if it was because she looked so amazing, because she said he looked handsome or because she seemed slightly jealous. It was probably all three. "It means more when you say it. I was only flirting to try and get information. The mission, you know? I only have eyes for you."
She raised an eyebrow at him and shot him a playful half-smile. "Player."
Garfield felt a delicious squeeze on his heart. The one he always got when she flirted with him or smiled at him like that. He matched her playfulness. "Well maybe when we get home you can have your way with-"
"Hello, weirdos." Superboy chimed in as he casually strutted towards them with his hands in his suit's pockets.
Garfield rolled his eyes and suffocated a frustrated grunt. "Connor."
"You two do remember we are here on a mission, right? The point is to interact with people outside of our social group, not hang around the bar making googly eyes at each other." He chuckled charmingly.
The Changeling huffed. "Well I was just doing that! But I couldn't find anyone with a direct connection to him so I came to rescue Rae from this nosy reporter."
"And social interactions aren't my strongest suit." Raven said stoically.
"Actually, that's what I'm here to talk to you about." Connor leaned on the counter, ordering a drink before he went on. "Damian dug some info. Apparently he's most interested in meeting Starfire. It seems he's got a thing for her."
The empath shrugged. "Well, that's understandable."
"No doubt, no one is judging. Especially me." Superboy chuckled again. "But we need him to want to meet you, don't we? That's the whole plan."
Garfield frowned. "Maybe Kor can charm him and find a smooth way to introduce Rae and-"
"Way ahead of you, Changeling." Connor raised a hand. "Damian said my charming self also piqued his interest, so I got a chance to talk to him myself…"
Raven raised her eyebrows slightly. "Oh?"
"…and I told him you're my main squeeze on the side." Superboy concluded with a smirk.
Garfield inhaled to contain his irritation and rolled his eyes again.
Raven frowned deeply. "You said I'm your what?"
Connor took his drink and smiled smugly at her before downing it. "I think you heard me."
She growled in disgust and looked away with her arms folded.
"Did that even work, you creep? Is he meeting her?" Garfield asked. The sooner we finish this mission the better.
"Well, he definitely seemed intrigued, but skeptical. I don't think he believed me. I think he needs convincing. Also, this guy mostly seems to be drawn to power, so I'm thinking that you and me?" Superboy gestured between him and Raven. "That would certainly get his attention. But you sitting here all night like some wallflower won't help."
Garfield scoffed. "You know what, Connor? Why don't you-"
"I'm not making out with you at this ridiculous party to seem more interesting to some middle-aged criminal with performance issues, Superboy." Raven declared pointedly.
"Of course not, I wouldn't dream of it." Connor smirked.
"Then what do you suggest?" She raised an eyebrow.
Superboy offered her a hand and smiled charmingly. "I was thinking you should come dance with me."
The Changeling swallowed dryly and ordered a drink. Why is he so smooth? He's so fucking good at this.
Raven frowned slightly for a moment, but decided there were worse plans. So she sighed tiredly and took Connor's hand. "Ugh. Fine. Let's get this over with."
"That's the spirit!" Superboy joked as she grumpily stood up.
Garfield watched Connor Kent take her to the center of the room and place his hand on her waist while she rested hers on his shoulder. Connor wasn't wrong. It was a good plan. Every head turned around curiously to watch them, especially when they started moving elegantly to the classic music. He ordered another drink.
"You're supposed to let me lead, you know?" Superboy pointed out in an amused voice.
"Sorry. I've only ever danced this with Starfire when she decided to learn to surprise Dick at their wedding." Raven rolled her eyes fondly. "Anyway, I was always the guy."
Connor chuckled. "That's sweet of you. Are you secretly sweet, destroyer of worlds?"
She narrowed her eyes. "Maybe we shouldn't talk. He might notice my utter annoyance with you. Besides, I need to focus on this dancing thing."
He just smiled breezily. "It's okay, I got you. Just trust me and follow my lead." When the empath rolled her eyes intently, he pulled her closer. "You need to stop doing that; we want him to think you're into me."
Raven stared at him blankly. "Well then maybe stop being so obnoxious."
Superboy chuckled softly again. "You're kind of funny in a mean way, aren't you?" She just shrugged nonchalantly, but he realized she was also finally letting him lead, so he shot her a sincere smile. "Hey, you did it. That's it. Much easier, see?"
"Not easy. It feels unnatural to me."
He chuckled yet again and they made a few more graceful twirls.
"You have to admit this makes sense." Connor suddenly stated. "You. Me. We go together."
Raven frowned. "Klarion used to say that to me."
He grimaced apologetically. "I guess that one backfired, huh?"
She smiled slightly and fought back the urge to roll her eyes. "Besides, I have no idea what you mean. I'd understand you saying that to Starfire. Actually, you probably did."
Superboy smiled. "I may have said something similar, but…still, it's not often I find an equal match. We're on the same level, you know?"
"Oh, you're talking about power." The sorcerer smirked. "Isn't that a bit shallow?"
"No, not just power. Presence, I suppose. And you could even match my darkness. In fact, you're darker than me. It makes me curious."
Raven realized he was speaking smoothly and eyeing her charmingly and openly trying to seduce her, so she frowned. "Well, I'm not curious about you. Sorry."
Connor was completely unfazed. "So, listen…Lex is human again."
The empath's eyes widened. "He is!?"
Superboy nodded. "He's still not a good person and I don't think he can stay away from villainous acts for too long but at least I know he's capable of repentance, right? And he knows it too. It's really helped me come to terms with…you know. I mean, I'm glad he's not a total monster. So, thank you."
She smiled genuinely at him for the first time that whole night. "Connor, that's amazing. How haven't I heard about this?"
"I haven't told anyone yet. He's laying low until he figures out where to take his business."
"Right…that makes sense."
"I thought it was a good idea to tell you right now."
The sorcerer chuckled softly. "Why right now?"
"To get a genuine smile out of you." He grinned playfully, kissing the back of her hand as the song ended.
Raven allowed her face to show some amusement. "Clever."
"Let's see if it worked." Connor glanced at the criminal on the corner to see him gesturing for them to approach. He turned to her again and offered his arm. "I guess it did."
The empath took it and braced herself for walking towards several men with heavy auras and whisky glasses in their hands. She did her best to disguise her contempt by putting on an arrogant small smile and she gladly noticed these men were all already drunk and red in the face, which would make their quest much easier.
"I'm sure you've all heard of Raven." Connor grinned breezily as he introduced her. "And Raven, this…" He tilted his head towards their target. "…is Morgan Edge."
The empath took a glass of champagne from a tray and confidently raised it to all of them. "Cheers." She sipped it and they drank with her. She could sense they were interested.
"You've caused a lot of commotion lately." One of the other men addressed her.
"Well…" She charmingly sipped her champagne again and smirked. "Guilty."
They chuckled, growingly intrigued.
"You two look great together." Another man pointed out.
Connor wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer. "Power knows power, right?"
Raven did her best at smiling charmingly at him. "Yes, well…we're keeping it casual, though."
"Of course." Superboy smirked.
"That dress is absolutely stunning, sweetheart."
Sweetheart. She rolled her eyes internally at the word then detached herself from Connor to twirl around playfully. "You think so?" When they all nodded eagerly, she graced them with a slight smile. "Thank you, gentlemen."
"So, tell us, dear…are you truly reformed? All your criminal days are behind you?"
Dear. Raven swallowed her annoyance and smirked mischievously, sipping her champagne again. "I mean…are any of us ever truly reformed?"
They laughed loudly in agreement and decided to toast to that. She could sense every single one of them was corrupt and figured sounding corrupt as well was the best course of action.
"So what made you turn?" Morgan finally engaged. He had been watching her intently so far. "And then why go back to being a hero?"
"I mean…I am half-demon. So I suppose a little mischief is simply in my blood." She leaned closer to whisper. "Don't tell anyone." When they laughed loudly again, she sighed and pretended to think about something. "As for why I stopped…well, I suppose it was getting too easy. The truth is I got bored." She shrugged nonchalantly, finishing her drink.
The laughter got even louder and more excited.
"Taking over the crime market was too boring for you?" Morgan asked incredulously.
Raven chuckled with them. "What? It's true. Having slaves seems like a good idea at first, but they take all the fun out of it. Again, don't tell anyone I said this. I'll deny it."
More laughter. She smirked. Their guard was down. Someone got her another glass of champagne and she gracefully accepted.
"You were right about her." Morgan raised his glass to Connor.
Raven narrowed her eyes cheekily. "What did you tell them?"
"That you're wicked." Superboy said flirtatiously.
The empath chuckled again. The whole thing had her being so fake she felt like taking a shower afterwards, because she was positively disgusted at this point.
"So you did enslave people." The magnate's eyes sparkled. "Tell us how."
He was hooked and she knew it. Raven sipped her drink. "I can bend people's emotions to my will. And sometimes I can alter some things permanently. Like allegiance."
"Would you show us? Do it to one of us. Just for fun."
Time to boost his ego. "I certainly couldn't do it to you. It's much easier on weaker minds." She smiled when she realized that had the exact effect she wanted. "But in any case, I shouldn't. Not when I've had alcohol. It's too dangerous, I could cause accidental damage on you, gentlemen." As they whined and begged as if her magic was a party trick, she chuckled. "I suppose I could tell your fortune." She stared directly at Morgan Edge. "That is…for those who are brave enough."
He smiled mischievously at her. "Certainly."
Raven handed Connor her glass without removing her eyes from her target. "Your palm, please."
They were ridiculously entertained watching her trace his palm with her dainty fingers, making subtle expressions of confusion and surprise. It was all pretending, of course. She didn't need to see his palm; she just needed to distract him and touch him long enough to discreetly sneak into his mind. She also did take a peek at his future, because she needed to say something.
"Your friend is sick, isn't she?"
A deep frown instantly appeared on his forehead. "You're for real."
"Of course I am. You should visit her this weekend. Also, you should withdraw whatever money you invested last week. Oh, and…"
"What?"
"I think I may have accidentally gotten a glimpse of your past." She looked up at him for a single genuine moment. "I'm sorry about what happened to your mother."
His eyes shimmered. "You're remarkable. I'll call someone about that withdrawal tonight."
"It's not an exact science, I only see likely possibilities." Raven dismissed his praise. "Now, gentlemen…it's been really nice meeting you, but I hope you don't mind if we go somewhere more…private now." She took Superboy's hand and shot the men a charming smile.
"It was absolutely delightful to meet you." Morgan brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. "I hope we can keep in touch, my dear."
Well I'm ruining all your plans so probably not. Raven smiled. "The pleasure was all mine."
As soon as they were far enough, Connor laughed at her charming and playful expression being completely replaced by disdain as she let go of his hand.
"I have to say, I'm really impressed with that performance." Superboy said in a teasing voice, but he actually meant it. "That was amazing."
"That was repulsive. Those men are disgusting. I'll need hours of meditation."
Connor grinned, thoroughly amused. "So how much did you see?"
"I saw an address."
Superboy sent a message to everyone to let them know the mission was accomplished. They'd agreed to not leave together right after this so it didn't look suspicious, so Robin and Ravager went back with Connor and Raven while the others stayed around a while longer – Raven and Ravager were dying to get out of formal wear. Damian was a little relieved, because Rose looked really good in her red dress and it was confusing, but not as relieved as he thought he would be, because she still looked good in sweatpants.
The empath pulled Robin aside, both because she wanted to talk to him and because she was trying to avoid Superboy. "Listen, I need to go meditate now, but…just so you know…I'm here if you need to talk about your feelings."
Damian huffed and folded his arms. "What feelings?"
Raven raised an eyebrow at him. "Damian, I'm an empath."
"Oh, right." He grimaced. "Don't tell her. Don't tell anyone."
"Of course not." She said quickly and surely. "But listen, you don't need to be afraid of this. This is normal. You're okay."
The young Robin sighed heavily. "You weren't okay…it messed you up."
The sorcerer frowned. "You're not me, Damian. You're human. You'll be fine."
"Can't you just tell me if she feels it too?"
Raven smiled. "You know I can't do that." But she does. She's just even more clueless than you.
Damian chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Ah, yes. The righteous crap is back."
Bumblebee and Cyborg came back a little later. Then Starfire and Nightwing. Raven had finished her meditation by now. Victor and Richard were investigating the address she'd seen securely guarded in the criminal's mind and it was rather shady and suspicious. It was supposedly an abandoned building, strategically located when it came to criminal activities. Raven wasn't paying attention though, because Garfield hadn't come home yet and she was starting to worry.
"What if something happened?" She asked. "Cy?"
"Oh, I just called him, Rae. He said he's fine, he just wanted to enjoy the party a little longer."
The empath frowned. Enjoy it with whom? Everyone is back already. Her mind went to the girls touching his arms and smiling flirtatiously at him while tucking their hair behind their ears, chuckling at his witty comments and shooting him naughty looks. And her stomach twirled, and her chest felt tight and she felt a little sick. Great. Jealousy again.
Garfield stumbled inside around three in the morning. It had been an eventful night, so some of them were still up watching TV in the ops room, meaning Cyborg, Damian, Starfire – and Raven, of course. The empath was petting Salem on her lap and pretending to watch whatever was happening on the TV, but she turned around immediately when she felt his presence.
"Where were you?" Raven asked as casually as she could. "I mean, I know where you were, but…what were you doing in there until now?"
"Ah…well, I…what was I doiiiing?" Garfield frowned and stared at the ceiling.
The sorcerer gently placed her kitten on the floor and floated to him. She could smell alcohol, so she folded her arms and narrowed her eyes. "You're drunk."
The Changeling's eyes widened. "Oh, yeah! That's what I was doing. I was drinking."
"You were drinking?" I can't believe he's doing this to me. I can't believe he's moving on already, I'm not fucking ready.
"Yes."
"With whom?"
Garfield frowned. What does she mean with whom? "With myself."
"You stayed there two hours longer than everyone else because you were…drinking. Alone. You've been drinking alone in the fancy-people party for the past two hours." Raven stated skeptically.
He narrowed his eyes and tried to focus past his dizziness. "This feels like a trap..."
"I just…I find that a little hard to believe."
"Ooohh…well, actually I didn't." The shapeshifter said groggily. "I left the party because everyone kept wanting to talk to me there. I went to a bar."
"By yourself?"
"Yep." Garfield watched Raven's face become absolutely distressed. She looked like she was about to cry. He hated seeing that look on her face. "Wait, Rae, what's wrong?"
"Why are you doing this to me?" She whispered to him.
The Changeling was completely taken by surprise. "Wait, what? Doing what?"
"Did you meet someone? Why won't you tell me?" Raven was still whispering, but she didn't really care that much if the others heard her. She only cared about his answer. "I know you're single, but…" She lowered her voice a bit more. "I thought we weren't going to act as if we had no feelings for each other."
Garfield frowned. "Huh? I'm not! I told you, I was alone."
"Okay." She said quickly, and then she bit her lip. It was hard to tell if he was being sincere when he was drunk. His feelings were all messy and fuzzy. "I'm not trying to distrust you, I just…it's weird, okay? I'm sorry. Why were you drinking by yourself for two hours?"
Garfield stumbled over to the kitchen. Because of you, love. "Why do you wanna know?"
Raven scoffed and folded her arms. "Seriously?"
The shapeshifter leaned against the counter and sighed. Then he drunkenly pointed a finger at her. "You." He dramatically brought that same hand to his chest. "You rip my heart out and smash it."
The empath frowned slightly. Wait, what?
"That's okay, though." Garfield sighed again, heading to the fridge to find something to eat while muttering sadly. "You get to do that, I deserve it."
"What are you talking about? You're the one who stayed Azar knows where until three in the morning, came home drunk and won't be straightforward about it. You're the one doing the ripping and smashing." Raven said calmly. She knew everyone in the ops room was listening intently at this point. They'd even lowered the volume on the TV.
The Changeling found soy milk and drank from the bottle. Then he stared at her in confusion. "Wait, what do you think I was doing?"
"Well, I…" She rubbed her left arm with her right hand and looked away. "I don't know…I want to believe you. If you say you were alone, then…you were alone. I just, it's not like you. I guess I freaked out a little."
Wait, I don't want her to freak out. Is she jealous? Just tell her the truth. "Rae, I was drinking alone because watching you with Perfect Boy messed me up. I know I'm not your boyfriend, but…I don't know, it kinda sucked. I tried drowning my feelings before I came home so they wouldn't hurt you. I'm sorry you freaked out."
Raven frowned. "Hold on, this was about Connor?"
Garfield scowled at his name. "Isn't everything?" He went back to drinking soy milk to avoid sounding even bitterer.
Her first instinct was being annoyed, but then she thought about his perspective of things. She knew there was no real flirting – at least on her part – because she was there, but he wasn't. The room was too loud and he probably couldn't hear a word they said. All he saw was them twirling around and laughing and Connor kissing her hand and resting his hand on her lower back and…I should have seen this one coming, actually. She had been too caught up in her own discomfort after that mission to think about what it might have looked like.
Raven took a deep breath. "Gar. Beast Boy."
He put the milk bottle down and raised his eyebrows at her. Is this where she tells me she fell for him tonight?
Raven opened her mouth with a serious look on her face, but then she stopped and chuckled softly, because he had a milk mustache. "You…"
Garfield's blurry thoughts became a little desperate. Fuck, she's laughing at me. "What? What is it?!"
"You have a…here." She walked up to him with affectionate eyes and tenderly wiped the milk off his face with a napkin.
Oh, good. He smiled idiotically at her sweetness and his heart started pounding. She's so close. She's so pretty. "Awesome."
Raven rolled her eyes fondly and whispered her next words intently. "Gar, I don't know what you thought you were watching but there's nothing between me and Connor. I danced with him and let him touch me for the mission, that's it."
Garfield narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "…that's it?"
"Yes, obviously. The whole thing was so phony it made me sick and I just wanted to leave. It didn't occur to me that you were probably freaking out. I'm sorry. I don't like Connor like that. I like you like that." She assured him through a small smile. "You should have just come home; I would have told you this sooner."
The Changeling smiled absentmindedly at her words. She doesn't like him like that. She likes ME like that. His grin became gigantic. "Oh, I…are you sure?"
Raven giggled quietly. "Yes, dork."
His heart soared and he chuckled sheepishly. "I guess I got a little jealous…sorry."
"That's okay. I got jealous tonight too. Next time just talk to me instead of punishing your liver, okay?"
Probably should have done that. I could have been with her this whole time instead of depressed and alone. "Yeah, ok-wait, you got jealous too?"
Raven rolled her shoulders back. "With all those women hitting on you? I'm not made of stone. And then when you didn't come home, I thought…you know." She placed her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow. "You don't need to be so ridiculously happy about it."
Garfield realized he was smiling too wide and regained control of his face. "Er-sorry! So…" He pulled her closer and whispered cheekily. "Wanna play a little?"
"Well, I had plans, but now I'm really tired and you're still drunk." Raven sighed. But then he whined cutely and pouted and she couldn't help but chuckle. "I guess maybe we can cuddle."
The shapeshifter grinned and nodded excitedly before being pulled away by the hand towards her room.
"The level of soppiness in this tower is becoming alarming." Damian said pointedly once they were gone, making Cyborg chuckle happily and Starfire giggle.
Way Back into Love (Music and Lyrics)