Sorry this took a bit to churn out! Life has gotten quite busy with my other hobbies, as well as taking care of my family. I wrote this chapter pretty quickly, but spent a lot of time editing the crap out of it. It got insanely long, so I ended up splicing it- good news is, that means chapter 7 should be out pretty quickly, just need to polish it up! Hope you enjoy chapter 6 (:

Chapter 6

Garfield rubbed at his face as he walked across the grass of the cemetery to his car. He'd come straight here after working an overnight shift, which he rarely picked up, but sometimes the increased pay was too good to pass up and if he were being honest, he hadn't been sleeping well after what happened to Adonis.

The medical examiner had no explanation. Not a clue what could cause the dramatic physical transformation he'd gone through, or even how he'd died so suddenly and violently. After what he'd done to Raven, Gar thought he'd be happier to have the man gone, but instead he couldn't help but find it haunting, the way his life had come to such an abrupt end. Gar winced at the thought.

So, he figured, he may as well work if he were going to be awake anyway.

The funeral was... lonely. Adonis, or rather Gabriel, as Gar had come to learn, didn't seem to have a vibrant social life. Only one person attended; a man who hid himself quite thoroughly beneath a trench coat, wide-brimmed hat, and sunglasses. Gar didn't know who the man was to Gabriel, but he knew he didn't smell the salty fragance of tears during the short ceremony. Garfield, for his part, had stayed far back, not trying to elicit any suspicion by hiding, but not wanting to be directly involved either. He'd been hoping that perhaps showing up here would give him some closure, and he was glad he did; as much as he hated the guy, he couldn't help feeling that even villains deserve company when they're being buried.

Gar hopped into his car, turning the key in the ignition then slapping his cheeks lightly in an attempt to energize himself for the drive. "First, coffee," he muttered to himself as he backed out of the spot, "then home."

Halloween in Jump City was quite the spectacle, though the decorations plastered on nearly every wall and window were nothing compared to the brilliant colors of the trees, and the refreshing cool but sunny weather. As she strolled into the quaint bookshop where she worked, Raven vowed to spend some time at the park before winter rolled in and made the trees bare.

"Good morning, Raven."

The empath bristled at the voice behind her, straightening from her position at the monitor they used to clock in and out. She turned to see her manager, Josh, hovering several feet away.

"It's Rachel..." she corrected, confusion lacing her tone. He knew her real name, of course- most people who had lived in Jump for longer than a couple of years did. But she'd adopted the alias to distance herself from her past life, and Josh had always respected that until now.

Josh blinked at her, then chuckled uneasily. "Right, sorry. Don't know where that came from." He moved stiffly around her, heading toward the back room of the old bookstore. Something about the man seemed off today, but Raven didn't care to question him about it. He'd never seemed malevolent, but she didn't like how touchy-feely he was and typically opted to avoid him as much as possible. Her job was simple enough, requiring little intervention, so it wasn't typically difficult to do so.

Raven spent the next hour arranging and restocking the shelves, enjoying the peace and quiet. Acoustic versions of seasonal tunes in minor keys played softly over the speakers, and for once, she didn't have any complaints about the music choice. They hadn't had a single customer yet, and Kaylee, her perkier counterpart for the day, was moving around humming to herself and hanging up cute little pumpkins, ghosts, and fake spiderwebs all around the shop. When the store remained empty for another hour, Raven decided it would be fine to leave to grab a cup of tea from the cafe around the corner.

Before leaving, she asked Kaylee if she wanted anything, quickly losing focus as the girl rattled off her complicated drink order. Her mind wandered to Adonis, as it had frequently over the past week, and she wondered if any of her friends were as bothered by the circumstances of his demise as she was.

"... and caramel drizzle, please!" Raven snapped her attention back to the present as Kaylee concluded.

"Got it," she lied, then headed for the back of the store, looking to let her manager know that she was stepping out. She expected to find her him holed up in his tiny office, as per usual- but the door was locked shut.

"Hey, Kaylee," Raven said as she emerged back into the main storefront, making her way over to the pigtailed brunette. "Have you seen Josh?"

"Oh, he just left a few minutes ago, didn't say where he was going," Kaylee replied nonchalantly.

"Oh. Okay," Raven shrugged, grabbing her bag and heading out the door for the nearby cafe.

When she arrived at the small neighborhood coffee shop, she was surprised to find Garfield standing in line ahead of her. He turned around as she walked in, shooting her a smile and looking completely nonplussed, as though he'd been expecting her.

"Hey, Raven," he said as she stepped up beside him, now the only people waiting to order.

"What are you doing here?" she asked. He shot her a puzzled look.

"Am I not allowed to be here?" he joked.

"Of course you are, it's just..." Raven looked down at his scrubs. "Don't you work on the other side of town?"

"Oh, yeah, but I was on my way home and-"

"Next in line!" Gar smiled sheepishly as he was cut off by the barista, and he motioned for Raven to order ahead of him. She did, requesting herbal tea for herself and a frilly drink she picked at random for Kaylee. She paid and stepped aside, waiting patiently to resume her conversation with Gar.

"What for you?" the friendly barista asked him as he stepped up to the counter.

"Oh, I'll just have a mango juice refresher," he replied, swiping his credit card and joining Raven at the pick-up counter.

"No coffee today?" she asked.

"Oh, I don't really drink coffee," he replied. "So, how have you been feeling?"

"I've been... okay," Raven sighed. "Adonis has been on my mind." She avoided his gaze by looking at her hands instead, absently picking at a hangnail.

"Yeah... horrible, what happened," he said indifferently, and she knew that he hadn't been struggling with the mental images like she had. It made sense, considering his occupation, that he'd perhaps grown more accustomed to gruesome sights like the one they'd witnessed when Adonis died so unexpectedly. She certainly wasn't a fan of his, but it was hard to stomach the grisly nature of his death.

Raven contemplated sharing more about how it had been bothering her, but just when she opened her mouth, another barista called her name and slid the drinks across the countertop. Instead, she told him she had to get back to work and bid him adieu while he continued waiting for his drink.

A few short minutes later, Garfield drove quietly down the street, mind largely unfocused on anything other than keeping the Prius between the white lines- that is, until he spotted Raven walking along the sidewalk toward the bookshop, carrying a cup in each hand. He perked up and moved to wave at her, but knocked his own cup in the process, spilling hot coffee in his lap. He muttered curses while reaching for napkins, grumbling as he continued on his way home.

"Star," Raven whined, letting the nickname slip as the familiarity of the moment took hold. "I cannot wear this."

"You can, and you must!" Kori squealed in return. She clasped her hands together, applauding excitedly as she gleamed at her friend. "You liked it at the store," she pointed out.

"Yes, but that was a regrettable spur-of-the-moment decision because you were looking at me like... well, like that," Raven said flatly, gesturing to Kori's face, which morphed into a dramatic pout. "It's too much," she continued, turning to frown at herself in the mirror. Reflected at her was a gorgeous, entirely black evening dress. The bodice was form-fitting, while the skirt flowed around her in rivets, featuring a long slit that ended near the top of her thigh. Black lace accentuated it further, forming the long sleeves and layering over the bottom of the dress.

It was a beautiful dress, Raven knew that, but she couldn't help but think that the extravagance may draw attention her way. The thought made her uncomfortable, but she looked at Kori, wearing her own revealing gown- a dark green, velvet number with a plunging neckline, that hugged her body all the way down. Raven sighed and shook her head at her reflection, deciding it was too late now to make any changes. Besides, she told herself, it seemed obvious that most people's gazes would be drawn to Kori. She masterfully pulled her hair into a simple french twist, pinning it with an antique silver hairpin she'd been gifted by Starfire years ago, when they all still lived in the tower.

She turned to face Kori, who squealed once again, earning a grimace from the empath as they exited the bedroom. The group had agreed to meet up at Richard and Kori's place, an impressive two story home in a wealthy neighborhood. The decor was an eclectic combination of the pair's clashing tastes, but somehow, it worked to give the home an artsy, cozy feel. Kori squeaked when Victor yelled up the stairs to them.

"Yo, girls, y'all coming? I've got my date waiting on me, we ain't got all night!"

Raven rolled her eyes. "We weren't aware everyone was here," she called back down as they approached the banister, noticing the stranger waiting with the other men and groaning quietly. Kori shot her a look over her shoulder.

"Be nice," she whispered as they cautiously made their way down the stairs in high heels. At the bottom, Victor and Richard whistled playfully at the pair, eliciting a giggle from the redhead. Garfield, however, was uncharacteristically quiet. His mouth went dry as he stared at Raven, taking in the sultry dress draped perfectly over her body like the damn thing was made for her. It wasn't as though he had never noticed that Raven was attractive before; he was a man with eyes, after all, and he'd spent years navigating his intricate feelings toward the empath when they were younger. But the way she looked tonight... something animalistic awoke within him, and he fought back the jealous growl that tried to work its way up when her gaze pivoted toward the newcomer standing behind him.

"Holy shit..." the man mumbled under his breath, and Gar turned to see him staring at her in awe as well. "You must be Raven," he said as she stepped off of the landing, walking past Gar to say hello to his date.

"And you must be Arturo," she replied, holding out her hand to shake. Instead, he gently pulled her hand up to his lips, placing a kiss on her knuckles. Raven blushed.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Raven. You look stunning."

Garfield turned away from the pair, flooded with unwelcome irritation. "Everybody ready?" he asked as he opened up the front door, letting everyone file out ahead of him. As she turned to lock the door, Kori furrowed her brows a little at him, and he knew that she was silently asking if he was okay. He smiled at her reassuringly, then joined the others as they walked to the various cars parked in the driveway. He tried not to glare as Arturo helped Raven into his Jeep with a hand placed firmly on her lower back.

A couple of hours later, the group mingled and danced in a dimly-lit grand ballroom, surrounded by artificial candles and string lights shrouded under dark mesh canopies. It was surprisingly classy for a Halloween ball, though the same couldn't be said for all of the patrons. Most people were dressed elegantly, but there were a few poor souls who misunderstood the nature of the occasion, showing up in silly costumes. Unfortunately, Garfield's date was one of these individuals.

Jana- the cute blonde nurse from work whom he'd asked to accompany him- had arrived dressed in revealing pink satin pajamas and fuzzy slippers, with huge fluffy wings strapped to her back. Though she seemed embarrassed, he'd done his best to boost her confidence and assure her that she wasn't the only one in a costume, and after a few too many drinks, she seemed perfectly comfortable as she bounced around on the dance floor with Gar. He was enjoying himself, even as he looked over to see Raven and Arturo smiling at each other in a dark corner.

The fast-paced dance music drew to an end, transitioning into a slow song, and he returned his attention to Jana as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He smiled at her out of courtesy; he didn't really have feelings for her, but she was cute and it was nice that she'd decided not to leave him dateless tonight. The intoxicated girl grinned back at him, suddenly gripping his face harshly, almost painfully, and planting a sloppy kiss on his mouth. Garfield reeled back and stared, baffled, at the giggling, swaying girl in front of him.

"Uh-oh," Jana said as she suddenly went still, and he realized that her face was unusually pale. "I think I might be sick-" She clamped a hand over her mouth and spun around, the feathered wings whacking Gar in the face as she ran off toward the bathroom. He gaped after her and happened to meet Kori's eyes across the room; she gave a sympathetic look and held up a hand as she twirled around, letting him know she would follow and make sure the girl was okay. He nodded back at her gratefully, then made his way over to one of the side doors where a balcony lay, seeking fresh air.

As he closed the door behind him, Gar turned to see none other than Raven, standing off to the side and leaning comfortably with her back against the rail. He jumped a little at her unexpected presence, and she let a small, amused smile cross her features.

"Jesus, Rae, you could've yelled 'occupied' or something," he joked as joined her, leaning over the railing.

"I don't mind the company," she replied, taking a small sip from her wine glass then looking up at the stars. "It's a beautiful night."

"Yeah," Gar glanced up at the sky as well and made an effort to sound neutral as he asked, "Did Arturo leave already?"

"No..." He tried not to look when he felt Raven's stare shift to his face as she spoke. "He went to go make a phone call." Garfield finally caved under her gaze, and looked down to find her studying his face, looking somewhat confused. He narrowed his eyes back at her.

"Rae, stop reading me," he sighed after a moment. Her brows raised in surprise.

"I'm not. Well, I'm not trying to," she corrected, setting her glass down with a shake of her head. "Sorry, this stuff weakens my barriers a bit."

Great. She probably caught a whiff of the jealousy he'd been battling all night. Garfield, suddenly grateful for his own mild inebriation, remained mostly unbothered; he knew he'd have no choice but to worry about what she'd picked up on, but that could wait until he was sober. Now, though, with his inhibitions dangerously absent, he decided to take a risk. The music changed again, but remained slow, a pleasant muffled melody drifting through the glass panes of the balcony door. Gar held out his hand.

"Dance with me?"

Surprise flashed on Raven's face for a moment, but it was quickly replaced with a curious smirk as she took his hand and stepped toward him. "Are you sure this is a good idea, after what I just told you?" she asked as she placed her hands on his shoulders.

Gar shrugged in response, slowly sliding his hands down to her waist. A jolt ran up Raven's spine, followed by a flutter in her chest that she didn't dare question. They began to sway back and forth, and after a moment, she looked up at him with furrowed brows.

"Are you doing it again?" he deadpanned. No alcohol in the world was strong enough to squash his panic if he knew she was feeling all of his emotions in this moment.

"No, no, it's just... when did you get so tall?"

He laughed at that, pulling her closer by a fraction of an inch. "You like it, huh?" He wiggled his brows at her, and she rolled her eyes. "I shot up before the team split, remember?"

"Oh, that's right. I guess I didn't fully realize, seeing as we've never..." she trailed off as she gestured between them.

Gar laughed again. "You never would have danced with me back then, Rae. Actually, I'm surprised you agreed to now. Are you feeling okay?" He pressed the back of his hand to her forehead, and she swatted it away, rolling her eyes once more.

"That's not true," she said seriously. He gave her a knowing look, and they stopped dancing as they stared at each other, the air between them growing tense. He ignored the implication of what she'd said, his gaze traveling down to his fingers where they were twiddling with the lace fabric at her hip.

"For what it's worth," Gar said, his heart pounding in his chest as he met her eyes again, "You look beautiful tonight."

Something dangerous brewed in the empath's eyes, and her breath hitched when he traced his fingers back up the side of her dress, landing at the top of her ribcage beside her breast. Her head swam with fresh emotions, his and hers, mingling together in harmony, and she opened her mouth to speak-

"Raven?" She jumped back, turning to see her date smiling at her from the doorway.

"Hi, Arturo," she breathed, glancing back at Garfield before picking up her forgotten wine glass and making her way back toward the newcomer. "We were just having a quick dance, the song playing was too nice to pass up..." she trailed off as they went back inside.

Gar stared after them through the window, assuming they'd be staying in the main area to torment him for the rest of the evening. But he watched as Arturo led her clear across the dance floor, Raven giggling at something he said as they rounded the corner into the hallway outside of the ballroom. Gar couldn't help the annoyance and concern that bubbled up inside of him as he fought the urge to go look for the couple. Reason broke through to the forefront of his mind, telling him what he already knew- that it was none of his business, and that this stupid gut feeling was probably just the result of hyperactive animal senses and too many shots. He grumbled as he shoved back through the door, making a beeline for the open bar.

Elsewhere in the mansion, Raven allowed herself to be pulled along down the labrynth of hallways by Arturo. She knew it probably wasn't wise to wander off with a man she'd just met, but the two and a half glasses of wine she'd had were clouding her vision pleasantly and she had no concerns about being able to defend herself if it came to it. She wasn't truly worried, though; Arturo seemed like a nice person, and though she may be a little confused after the moment she'd just shared with Garfield, she could admit that it was still nice to be given attention by a man who seemed genuinely interested in her.

Arturo paused in front of a massive, ornate door, smiling at her over his shoulder before dropping her hand and pushing it open. He'd insisted he knew of an art gallery hidden in the rented manor, and boy, was he correct- they stood in a long, narrow room filled to the brim with sculptures and paintings. Raven's jaw dropped as he flipped on the lights, and she stepped further inside, barely noticing as he closed the door behind them.

"How did you know about this?" she asked, strolling over to a white marble bust positioned proudly in the center of the room, a lone spotlight shining down upon it.

"I've been here before," Arturo replied simply as he sauntered up behind her, tentatively placing his arm around her shoulders. Raven stiffened a bit at the contact, but didn't move away. She'd dated a little here and there, and though she was still rather reserved when it came to showing and receiving affection, she had put a great deal of effort into learning to loosen up. She couldn't help noticing that his touch was far less comfortable than Gar's, but she chalked it up to the fact that she hardly knew Arturo.

"When?" she finally asked, taking a sip of her wine as she turned to face him; their bodies were mere inches apart, and she tried to decide how she'd feel if he tried to kiss her.

"When I impersonated the mayor to steal a priceless artifact from this gallery."

Chapter 7 should be up very soon! Would love some feedback if you're enjoying the story :) Don't forget to drink water! Ok bye!