Okay, phew, this took me a bit! I've actually had this chapter completed for about a week, but had a hard time finding the time to edit it. I almost said fuck it and just posted it as is, but I'm so glad I didn't because I ended up changing quite a lot for the better, in my humble opinion. It's also about double the length of the previous chapters, so hopefully that helps make up for the delay!
I'm assuming everyone already knows this, and I definitely should have put it in chapter 1, but uh... in case this happens to be the first story you've read in this fandom:
Rachel = Raven, Garfield = Beast Boy, Richard/Dick = Robin, Kori = Starfire, & Victor = Cyborg
Ok. Now I can sleep at night. Enjoy chapter 4!
Chapter 4
Although the doctors were baffled by her quick recovery, they did agree to let Raven go after only 2 days in the hospital, contingent on Garfield's promise that he would keep an eye on her for them.
"You know you can count on me, doc," Gar finished speaking with a wink. Raven rolled her eyes as he assured the curvy blonde sporting a crisp white lab coat, who smiled flirtatiously back at him before setting down the discharge papers and leaving the room.
"Azar forbid she take the patient's word that she can literally heal herself..." she muttered, earning a sheepish grin from the changeling.
"I am a medical professional now, Rae," he countered, and moved on none the wiser while Raven stared blankly at the old nickname falling so easily from his lips. He didn't even seem to notice he'd used it, or at least didn't care to dissect the implications she may be drawing from it. Could things really go back to normal so easily?
"Do not fret, friend!" Starfire beamed. "What matters is that you are to return home for the remainder of your healing." She smiled, but a puzzled expression suddenly replaced the grin, and she leaned in close. "You have a home, yes?"
Raven fought the urge to roll her eyes again.
"Yes, Kori, of course I have a home." She'd been trying to get acquainted with all of her friends' new names, even though Starfire in particular insisted that she did not mind being referred to as her former handle. Raven decided she didn't need to detail the area of town she lived in; even though she was well-equipped to deal with any low-level threats that may arise (and had done so once or twice), she knew the woman in front of her would fuss incessantly if she were to divulge that particular piece of information.
Raven stood up slowly from the bed, already donning the white t-shirt and grey sweatpants that Kori had brought her. Kori's phone began to ring, and Raven listened idly to the chatter as she shifted her weight from foot to foot, refamiliarizing herself with the sensation of supporting her body.
"Yes," Kori responded to the person on the other end of the line, "I promise I will be there soon. We have plenty of time, Derek." Richard rolled his eyes at the mention of Derek, and though Raven pretended not to notice, she couldn't help the knowing smirk on her face. Victor held Raven's belongings out to her, and she finally released the bedrail, gingerly taking her wallet and cell phone from his robotic hand as Kori hung up the phone.
"Alright," Vic bellowed, "Let's get this show on the road!" The cyborg tossed his keys up with a flair and caught them again, striding out of the hospital room with the others close behind. As they crossed the lobby and filtered out into the daylight, Raven noticed Garfield lingering behind and paused, shooting him a look.
"Got a shift today," he shrugged. "No point in going home just to come back."
"Oh," she replied, her tone betraying nothing. "Well, thanks for... everything," she said, unsure what exactly his role had been but knowing he was part of the team that had aided her en route to the hospital. His soft smile faltered as he recalled those terrifying moments where he thought he may lose her again, after he'd only just found her.
"Can I..." he stepped forward, quickly wrapping his arms around her before he could talk himself out of it. Raven stiffened under his hold, but he let go almost instantly, rubbing his neck and blushing slightly. Raven stared at him blankly.
"Just... don't disappear again, okay?" he looked to her expectantly.
She blinked up at him (when had he gotten so tall?), an almost imperceivable smile gracing her features when she responded.
"I promise."
The smile returned to Garfield's face, and he nodded gratefully before turning to head back inside-
"Aw, man!" Victor was standing in front of a sheepish-looking valet, who was holding out a set of car keys to him with no vehicle in sight. Vic turned back to them, pouting, while Gar loitered at the exit as he listened in on the conversation.
"They say my car won't start! Stupid piece of junk," he muttered, snatching his keys and making his way back toward the group.
"Oh no-" Kori started.
"The T-car would've never done me like this!" Vic interrupted. "You shoulda let me keep her!" He shot a comically emotional glare toward Richard, who just rolled his eyes in response. The city had decided to confiscate most of the team's crime-fighting gadgets, including their vehicles, stating that it wouldn't be responsible to let them be owned by civilians. It was a bummer, to be sure, but he supposed he understood their line of thinking.
"You know it wasn't my decision, Victor," Dick chided.
"Well," Vic sniffled dramatically, looking around at his friends, "I won't be able to take Raven home anymore. Unless you feel like helping me work on it?" He looked to her with a twinkle in his eye, and Raven tried not to visibly flinch at the idea of spending the rest of the afternoon sitting on the ground next to a broken car.
"Uh..." she looked to Kori and Richard pleadingly, not realizing Garfield hadn't left them yet. "I would, but I'm still pretty tired and definitely in need of some meditation. Would you guys by any chance-"
"We would love to!" Kori squealed without hesitation, then her expression drooped as she recalled her earlier phone conversation. "Oh, but... I must get back to the station," she lamented, crestfallen.
"Also," Richard raised an eyebrow at his fiance, "we rode here on a motorcycle, Kori." The alien girl's pout grew even larger, and she crossed her arms defiantly.
"We could have made it work..." she muttered.
"Well, I guess that leaves me," Gar chimed in, pulling his keys out of his pocket as he headed back over. Raven spun on him, frowning.
"Oh, uh, unless you don't want-"
"No, no, it's not that," she interrupted, shaking off the expression, "It's just- I thought you had to work? I could just call a taxi." Garfield smiled gently at her, waving his hand nonchalantly.
"I've got time, don't worry. Let's get you home."
The group exchanged phone numbers and goodbyes before dispersing, promising to keep in touch. The vows felt a little pointed at Raven, she noticed, though she supposed she couldn't blame them. Still, it was hard to ignore the sting she felt at the air of distrust...
"They think I'm going to run again," she mumbled, while Garfield led the way across the parking lot to his car. He glanced sideways at her as they walked, caught off guard by her sullen tone. He wasn't sure what to say to that, considering he was equally petrified at the possibility... but something about the dejected expression on her face begged him to offer some comfort.
"They don't," he finally responded, looking back in front of him and clicking the lock button on his fob a few times to narrow down his car's location. It beeped incessantly a few hundred feet away. "Not really. They're just... you scared us, Raven," he sighed, refusing to meet her eyes even when he saw her look at him in the edge of his vision. "We didn't know what happened to you, and it was scary. So they might just be a little... worried, is all." He finally spotted his trusty steed in the sea of vehicles outside the hospital and shot a grin at Raven, thankful for the opportunity to change the subject.
"Okay, I think you're going to be very impressed. Are you ready?" he quipped, pressing the lock button again to make the little car beep as they approached it. They stopped in front of a forest-hued Prius, Garfield staring in admiration before turning to Raven.
"Well?" he nudged her with his elbow, bobbing a little with excitement.
"It's..." she pondered for a moment, then stated flatly, "green."
"Yeah!!" Garfield took it as a compliment and walked forward to open up the passenger side door, then went around to climb into the driver's seat. Raven took her seat delicately, glancing around at the surprisingly immaculate interior.
"And it's clean."
"Yeah!!"
Raven raised her brow at the changeling. "Should I be concerned about your ability to drive with this level of unwarranted excitement?" she asked plainly, reaching forward to gently flick the black cat bobblehead adhered to the dashboard. The car was filled with small trinkets, some of which you had to squint to even notice, like the tiny pair of succulents clipped to the air vents, or the thin stripe of green LED lights bordering the sunroof. Otherwise, however, it was practically spotless.
"Sorry, you're right- I mean no! You shouldn't be worried, I'm fine to drive," he stammered, "I just wanted you to see how mature I've become." Garfield swept his hand around the car as though he was presenting it, wriggling his eyebrows before turning the key in the ignition.
"Mature might be a stretch," Raven deadpanned, causing Gar to stick out his bottom lip as he pulled out of the parking spot. "But I am pleasantly surprised," she admitted quietly.
The pair made idle small talk as they trekked along, conversation dotted with the occasional navigational cue from Raven. As they passed a blood-stained patch of sidewalk in the ramshackled neighborhood, Garfield's demeanor changed abruptly, and Raven quieted as well.
"Is that where-?" she asked softly, not quite remembering where she'd managed to teleport to that fateful day.
"Yes," he replied gruffly, neglecting to say anything further. Raven nodded contemplatively and decided not to push the matter, even though the anxious waves flowing from him were impossible to ignore. When they pulled into a spot outside her apartment, Gar ducked slightly to peer through the windshield up at the dilapidated old building. He sat up straight and faced her, his expression unreadable.
"How did you wind up here?" he asked suddenly. She'd been expecting a snide comment on the run-down structure, or perhaps concerns about the safeness of the area. Not that. She blinked at him.
"It was the only place that would let me move in without a deposit," she said, reminiscing about the landlady she'd somehow befriended when she first returned to Earth. "The woman who owned the building, her name was Greta, she'd been managing it for decades... I was going around pleading for places to just give me some time to come up with rent, promising I'd pay on the first of the month, but no one was able to accomodate that and I had nothing. I was about ready to accept defeat and go back to Azarath, when I happened to find this place and decided to try one more time," she picked at the hem of her shirt, staring ahead absently as she spoke.
"I went in and met Greta. Her office smelled terrible, like cigarettes and mildew, and if you think I'm incapable of emotion..." Gar opened his mouth to counter, but she shook her head, an air of amusement clouding her voice. "Greta gave me a run for my money. But she said she liked me, offered me a place to live, and promised she'd kick me out if I didn't pay her when rent was due. But I didn't, because apparently no one wants to hire known demon spawn no matter how many times they've saved the city. And she let me stay," she smiled gently at her lap before looking back to Gar, sadness suddenly filling her eyes.
"She was the only friend I've had since leaving the team," she said quietly. "She died three weeks ago."
Garfield's mouth fell agape at the information, but he snapped it back shut when she sniffled uncharacteristically. He had no clue what to say. Even though they'd grown so much closer over the years spent being part of a team, Raven had never really developed a tendency to let her negative emotions show so candidly. As such, he'd never gotten the chance to learn how best to comfort her, and after this much time was he even expected to? Did she want comfort from him? Oh god.
As he battled inwardly, Raven surprised him by letting out a short bark of laughter.
"It's fine," she said, "I'm fine, really. She was old, and with her habits I certainly wasn't expecting her to live forever. I just miss her sometimes," she said wistfully before meeting his eyes. "But it helps that I have friends again." The slightest hint of pink tinted her cheeks and she turned away, reaching for the door handle.
"Do you need help with anything?" Garfield asked as she opened the car door and stepped out, knowing full well that she had exactly two items on her person. She shut the door and leaned to respond through the open window.
"I think I've got it under control," she said flatly, though amusement danced in her eyes when he smiled sheepishly at her.
"Right," he replied, then added hastily as she began walking away, "Hey, Raven?"
She quirked an eyebrow as she stooped to look at him again.
"Seriously, don't be a stranger, okay?"
Her lip quirked up as she nodded, heading inside the decaying property. Garfield had decided not to mention that he lived only a few blocks away, but it made him feel immensely better that she wasn't on the opposite side of town. He smiled to himself as he put the car in drive and began his journey back to the hospital.
Raven stared out of her small apartment window, a nearly drained mug of tea in hand as she watched the rainy fall day. Her phone chimed, and she jumped a little at the intrusion, lifting the device to look at the screen.
10/22 9:53 a.m.
Josh M: 'Hey Rachel, wanted to see if you might wanna pick up a shift today?'
Raven rolled her eyes at the text from her boss; while the bookstore being short-staffed did present nice overtime opportunities, it wasn't who she'd been hoping to hear from this morning. Her phone dinged again.
10/22 9:54 a.m.
Josh M: 'We could really use your help'
Raven huffed in annoyance and tossed the phone aside, standing up to make her way to the tiny kitchen and rinse out her now empty mug. She relished the warm water running over her hands when her phone rang out for a third time.
"Oh my-" she gritted her teeth and stomped back over to her phone, ready to chuck the damn thing out the window after she gave Josh a piece of her mind. But when she looked down, it wasn't her manager who had texted this time. She smiled and dried her hands hastily on her billowy lounge pants, unlocking her phone to get to the message thread.
10/22 9:58 a.m.
Victor S: 'Mornin' y'all! Who feels like grabbing breakfast?'
A bubble appeared as someone else in the group chat began typing.
Garfield L: 'I'm down! There's this vegan place downtown that's really good...'
Victor S: '[vomit emoji]'
Richard G: 'Kori and I had a late night, she's sleeping in so we'll have to pass. Dinner?'
Victor S: '[vomit emoji vomit emoji vomit emoji]'
Richard G: 'Not like THAT'
Victor S: 'Fine, I'll eat breakfast alone if y'all wanna meet up for dinner instead?'
Garfield L: 'Works for me :)'
Richard G: 'We'll be there! Details later, I'm going back to bed'
Raven: 'I'd love to do dinner.'
Raven smiled again at her phone, looking forward to meeting up with her old friends. She padded toward the bathroom, turning on the shower and waiting until the water wasn't downright frigid to undress. As she stood with a finger held under the stream of water, her phone dinged once more and she reached with her dry hand to pick it up from the dingy bathroom counter.
10/22 10:09 a.m.
Garfield L: 'Hey, do you maybe wanna grab breakfast?'
Raven typed out a quick reply, turning the shower back off as she opted to just take one later, the water temperature feeling as though it had somehow drooped even lower from when she'd first turned it on. She looked in the mirror at the outfit she'd thrown on this morning- those baggy grey lounge pants with a baby blue cropped sweatshirt- and decided it was fine for a quick breakfast. She ran a brush through her tousled hair, smoothing out the bedhead she was prone to now that her locks had grown longer, and slipped on her black tennis shoes and messenger bag as she headed out the door.
Twenty minutes later, Raven approached the vegan cafe sopping wet and in a terrible mood. She'd made it the majority of the way with her cheap fold-up umbrella in tact, but five minutes prior to arriving, a strong gust of wind had blown it inside out, bending the rods irreparably. It had turned out to be plenty of time for her to be drenched by the thick drizzle. Raven grunted as she tried to cram the defective umbrella into a too-small trash can outside the cafe, stiffening when she heard a chuckle behind her. She spun around, ready to ream into the source, only to find that it was Garfield standing a couple of feet away. The smile fell from his face instantly when she rounded on him, glaring.
"Sorry," he said, not looking sorry at all. He bit back another laugh as she attempted to ring out her hair under the protection of the canopy covering the entrance. A couple pushed past rudely and Raven all but hissed at them as they scurried inside.
"Are you okay?" Gar asked hesitantly, already knowing the answer.
"Peachy," Raven deadpanned, then sighed as she gave up on drying herself off in any meaningful way. "I don't think I can go inside like this..."
Garfield brandished his keys in reply. "Want me to drive you back home? It's no trouble."
"Sorry," Raven muttered, feeling guilty about ruining their plans. "Yeah, that would be nice, thanks."
"No worries," he shrugged, ushering her toward the green Prius parallel parked only a few feet away. She climbed in the passenger side, trying to make as little contact with the seat as possible so as not to get it soaking wet as well. Garfield quirked his eyebrow at her as he sat and started the vehicle.
"Rae, you don't have to worry about that," he said with a chuckle. "Are you cold?" He cranked the heat on before she could respond, and she shivered in spite of herself when a blast of not-yet-warm air hit her in the face.
"Shit, sorry-" he fussed, lowering the air flow as he pulled out of the parking spot.
Hidden in the darkness of an alleyway across the street, a figure simpered off as his prey disappeared, for the time being.
They were quiet for the short drive back to her apartment building, Raven still stewing at the turn of events with her arms crossed. Gar tried his best to conceal his amusement at the predicament, but for the most part failed to do so. He happened to find an available spot close to the front door, pulling in and putting the car in park before turning to her.
"Sorry the weather ruined breakfast," he said, then added, "and your umbrella." Raven narrowed her eyes at the reminder, earning a sheepish grin from the changeling. The pair sat in awkward silence for a moment, Raven looking as though she was contemplating something, and just when he was about to ask what was going on-
"Do you want to come inside?" she blurted. Gar's eyes widened in surprise, and she hastily continued, "I just mean, if you're still hungry, I've got things to eat. I think. Not sure how many vegetarian options there are, but I'm sure there's something..."
Garfield looked at the bag of baby carrots in Raven's hand, meeting her eyes cautiously as he politely shook his head. She grumbled incoherently as she walked to the fridge and tossed the bag back in, rooting around a little more while Garfield stifled a laugh behind her. After a moment, she closed the door and turned back to him, a slight frown playing at her features.
"Water?" she offered bluntly, spinning to pull a glass from the cabinet. Gar chuckled and took the cold jar from her, taking a sip as he gazed around the small studio apartment.
Raven definitely did not have anything that counted as a vegetarian breakfast option, but he didn't mind. When Gar had taken her up on coming in, it was more out of curiousity than the promise of food. He couldn't help wondering what her home looked like, and he was surprised to find that he wasn't surprised at all. The apartment looked like a grown-up version the room she'd inhabited in the tower all of those years ago, and it had already looked pretty mature for having belonged to a teenage girl, so to him it felt incredibly, eerily familiar.
The abode sported a surprising amount of natural light, but was otherwise filled with dark decor. The only room separated from the open main area was the bathroom, but there was a floor-to-ceiling room divider in the corner that he assumed hid her bed. On the visible side lay a dark grey couch adorned with deep purple throw pillows, sat atop a large bohemian rug that also held a small coffee table. A plethora of plants and candles were scattered about, and the walls boasted mystical artwork that he vowed to look more closely at when he had the chance. A daunting walnut bookcase was the star of the room, pressed against the wall across from the sofa where most people would put a t.v, and it was precariously overflowing with magical trinkets and books that didn't quite fit within the margins of the shelves.
Raven stalked toward the makeshift bedroom and disappeared behind the divider, groaning in discomfort as she peeled off her soggy sweatshirt and dropped it to the floor with a wet thud. Gar sauntered over to the bookshelf, observing the eclectic decor and listening as she rifled through a drawer looking for a dry change of clothes. His eyes were drawn to a large black crystal perched atop a delicate gold stand, and he slowly reached toward the enticing fixture.
"Don't touch that." He jumped at the sound of Raven's voice, spinning around as she padded across the floor to the bathroom, not even looking at him. His cheeks reddened at the unexpected sight of bare skin, and he quickly looked away, flustered.
"Garfield," she called out from behind the closed door, "You've seen me in a lot less than a sports bra." Had she grown eyes on the back of her head? He groaned in embarrassment, plopping down on the couch as he was reminded of summer training days and injuries that required suits to be cut for easier access. He supposed she did have a point. Raven emerged a minute later wearing a flowy maxi skirt patterened with hues of violet, an oversized black sweater tucked into the waistband. She'd thrown her hair into a messy bun atop her head and donned fuzzy socks on her feet.
"Don't," she warned when she caught him looking. "I'm freezing and they keep my feet warm." Gar held up his hands in a 'don't shoot' gesture, and she rolled her eyes as she dropped onto the other end of the sofa.
"So, where do you suppose we'll be going for dinner?" she asked, snatching the knitted emerald green blanket draped over the back of the couch and wrapping it around her shoulders.
"Oh, uh, I'm not really sure," he shrugged in reply.
"Don't you guys have a favorite place or anything? What about the pizza parlor?"
Gar shot her a perplexed look, reminding himself that she still had limited context of life on Earth over the past 3 years.
"That place closed down years ago..." he said slowly, "And we haven't really hung out enough to have a favorite place." He tried to squash the tinge of resentment clouding his thoughts. It wasn't really her fault, he knew that, but he'd spent so much time using her as a scapegoat for his pain over the years that he couldn't help the feelings bubbling up as they talked about the state of things while she'd been away.
"Oh." Raven sensed the tension beginning to fill the space between them, but the question was spilling out before she could think it through. "I... what happened? I thought the plan was to keep in touch?"
Gar furrowed his eyebrows as he stared at her. She couldn't be this tone-deaf, could she? The resentment grew.
"Yeah, Raven, that was the plan," he replied, venom creeping into his voice. Something minute shifted in her expression, a flash of hurt before she schooled her features again and looked down at her lap while she spoke.
"Garfield, I didn't mean-"
"I know you didn't," he interrupted, dragging a hand down his face. This conversation was heading nowhere good. "Look, maybe I should go-"
"Please don't leave." She was looking at him again, and he stared hard for a moment before dropping his head back onto the cusion, exasperated. She was being vulnerable with her request, and he couldn't just leave knowing how hard it was for her to do that.
"...I thought you forgave me," she said softly, a tinge of pain lacing her words. Gar threw his hands over his face, groaning as he rubbed at his eyes in frustration.
"Don't do that," he said abruptly, rolling his head to look sideways at her. Her gaze snapped to his in surprise.
"Don't do what?"
"That. Make me feel bad for you. I..." He sat up, raking his hand through his hair and looking anywhere but her face now. "I know things were hard for you too, Raven, but I'm allowed to be hurt."
"I never said you weren't!" Raven raised her voice, irritation starting to take hold as her defenses raised. She knew he had every right to be upset with her, but why had he pretended everything was fine if he was still harboring this much resentment toward her? She cursed under her breath as her favorite candle, sat upon the coffee table in front of them, became engulfed in black magic. She took a deep, albeit shaky, breath and the aura dissipated, leaving the candle unharmed. Shrugging the blanket off of her, she stood from the couch and began to pace. Gar's gaze followed her around the room, the conversation at a standstill as they both tried to calm themselves.
"Raven..."
"What." she spat, harsher than she meant to be, and Gar narrowed his eyes at her tone. So much for calming down.
"I'm trying to be nice," he gritted out. "But you can't expect me to just forget the last few years ever happened. You closed yourself off so many times, and I thought you were finally past that, but you still decided to abandon us and it fucking sucked, Raven. We tried so hard to earn your trust, but nothing we did was ever good enough for you."
"That's not true!" This time, Raven couldn't rein in her emotions fast enough, and the glass pane of a piece of wall art cracked loudly. She rubbed at her temples, her head beginning to throb dully. "I trusted you all with my life, you know that. I just didn't want to hurt you." She took another deep breath and looked at him, fighting back the tears that were trying to prick at her eyes. A small voice began to mutter incomprehensibly in the back of her head, and she flinched. Not now...
The voices had been absent for so long. It had taken the untimely passing of Greta, her only friend, for them to make their unwelcome return. She'd heard them when she was attacked by Adonis, too, but before that it had been radio silence. Though this was only the third time she'd been plagued by their incessant whispers since she'd left for Azarath three years ago, the increasingly familiar sensation horrified her as much as it always had, and she wondered once again if she was losing her mind.
Garfield's eyebrows drew together at her obvious discomfort, but he was too proud to let go of their argument to ask if she was okay. His throat was tightening and his lungs felt suddenly shallow; he knew what was coming, and he didn't want to be here when it happened.
"Whatever, Rae..." he finally uttered, rising from his seat with an annoyed grunt. He moved to grab his jacket from the coathook, knocking it over by accident in the process. Raven snapped out of her stupor as it banged against the floor, staring at him inquisitively.
"That was an accident," he breathed, squeezing his eyes shut and trying hard, so, so very hard to stop his heart from trying to leap out of his chest. Raven huffed out a sigh and began moving toward him. He heard her soft steps getting closer, but he stayed put to focus on making his breaths somewhat rhythmic.
"I know," she said gently, moving closer still until she was directly in front of him. Garfield kept his eyes closed, running his hands over his face and groaning into them as they trembled against his will. "Gar, what's going on?" He dropped his hands in time to see that she was tentatively reaching toward him-
"Don't touch me," he hissed, smacking her hand away roughly as he stumbled backwards toward the door. Raven yanked her hand back, taking stock of a minor scratch beginning to ooze tiny beads of blood, but otherwise unharmed. She looked up at him, surprise coloring her features very briefly before her expression hardened into something akin to that of the girl he'd first met eight years ago; to that closed-off person who had taken so long to tear down her walls and believe that anyone could truly care for her. His pounding heart sunk into his stomach as he noticed the small red stain on her wrist.
"Shit, Rae, I'm sor-"
"It's fine," she replied curtly before stepping around him, keeping her distance, and opening the door. "I shouldn't have kept you."
"Raven..."
"Garfield." she spoke his name sternly, wrenching the door open a little further, "I said it's fine." The turmoil bubbling in her eyes said otherwise, but it was clear she didn't want him there anymore. With an iron fist squeezing every last drop of air from his lungs, Gar wordlessly left her apartment, racing for the privacy of his car as he finally succumbed to the panic attack.
"Well. That was awkward," Richard stated plainly, slipping off his coat and hanging it upon a hook near the doorway.
"Indeed," Kori sauntered over to him and smiled sadly as she helped him remove his tie. "What could have possibly happened in such a short amount of time?"
The pair had just come back from dinner with their former teammates, and to say that things were tense between Garfield and Raven would be putting it lightly. They'd spent the entire evening avoiding each others' gaze, picking at their meals and speaking only when spoken to. When the bill was paid, Gar had bid them a hasty farewell before he all but sprinted away. To Raven's credit, she lingered behind and tried to make pleasant small talk, but they knew her well enough to see through the facade and she quickly took her leave as well.
Richard rubbed at his temples, then stopped and stared admiringly as Kori slipped off her heels and pulled her long, fiery hair aside, straining to reach the zipper on the back of her dress. He smiled gently and made his way over to her. How the hell had he gotten so lucky?
"Here," he said softly behind her, unzipping the garment and placing a tender kiss on her neck in the process. Kori's head lolled to the side and she made a contented noise, twirling to wrap her arms around his neck.
"I am worried about them," she pouted, and he was startled to see tears brimming her lashline.
"Hey, hold on, they'll be okay," he soothed, gently pulling her toward a bar stool at their kitchen island a few feet away and pouring her a glass of water when she sat down. "They just have a... complicated past, but they'll work things out." He slid into the seat beside his fiancee and placed his finger softly under her chin, nudging her face toward his. He thumbed a tear off of her cheek. "We have to trust them, Kori."
"I know it is silly," she sniffled, "but I was simply looking forward to being with our friends again. Dinner was... not how I expected."
Richard smiled sadly at her, pulling her in for a hug that she did not resist. "They'll be okay, Kor. They always end up working things out." He pressed a kiss to her forehead and booped her nose, earning a giggle from her as he stood, making his way to a small closet and unbuttoning his shirt along the way. The costume was hidden behind various cardigans and winter coats, snuggled alongside Starfire's old purple suit in the very back of the wardrobe. He pulled the black and blue ensemble from its hanger, laying it over the back of the couch, and removed his pants as well. Kori propped her elbow on the counter, resting her face in her palm as she watched him, frowning.
"Must you go tonight?" she asked quietly. He glanced at her, and the look on her face plucked sharply at his heart strings.
"Kori..."
"I know, I know," she sighed, walking over to return the favor and zip the suit shut for him. Once she had done so, she tugged at his arm until he was facing her, and gently cupped his cheeks with both hands. "I worry for you, too. That is all." She leaned in to kiss him passionately, and Dick was helpless as usual against the gesture as he wrapped his arms firmly around her waist. Just as he tried to deepen the kiss, she broke away and smiled at him. "Please be safe, Nightwing." Kori winked smugly and made her way to their room to get ready for bed, leaving him there to groan and wonder if all of this was worth it. Before he could talk himself out of it, he sheathed the two escrima sticks at his back and climbed through the shadow-shrouded window at the back of their home.
Well, there's that! A few optional notes:
Um, I changed a couple of minor things in chapter 1- I'd originally written Raven's age as 20, then realized that didn't make much sense, so I upped it to 23. Jsyk. I'd also said that Dick was chief of police, and that's been changed to a high-ranking detective. I don't have much knowledge of either profession, but I feel I stand a greater chance of being somewhat realistic with the latter.
Loooots of talking in this chapter! I tried to avoid too many walls of dialogue, but what can I say, our friends were very chatty. I hope Raven doesn't seem too OOC- I am trying very hard to keep her in character while also conveying how much she had changed and how comfortable she'd become with the group by the end of their time together.
And once again, I just want to reiterate that this is based on the TV SERIES, not the comics. I borrow some things from the lore, of course, but I've been reamed before for not being 100% canonically accurate soooo pls be gentle with me. Ok that's all for now, I hope you enjoyed! Ch 5 should be up within the next week or so!
(p.s. can we talk about how refreshing it is to not worry about proper writing and just yap in the author's note? I love it lol)