#bbraeweek2021

[samarasketch]

BBRae Week Day 6: Fantasy 💚💜

When you think she's an angel, but it turns out she's the spawn of the devil herself. Either way, you just can't help but be swept away into the darkness...

Icarus and the sun AU or Mistress of darkness luring fools to their doom (but Gar willingly goes with everything, just to spend an eternity with her) AU? I couldn't decide hahahaha 🙈

[oceanspray5]

Into The Woods I Go, To Lose Myself And Find My Soul

BBRae Week 2021, Day 6 - Fantasy

Word Count: 20.7k

Ao3 - FFN

Note: This fic was a double prompt fic and included the prompt for Day 3 - Into The Woods as well.

Once Upon A Time in a land far far away, there was a beautiful kingdom by the name of Azarath. It's lush forests, shimmering pools, beautiful gardens and sophisticated architecture was marred only by the fact that the Kingdom was ruled by a horrid tyrant: Trigon the Terrible. Rumored to have stolen the kingdom from the previous rulers with the help of dark magic and deals with demons, Trigon was hated and feared throughout the land. The people were aware of his slippery ways, how he would appear kind and benevolent to few he deemed necessary to please before turning around and causing misery everywhere in his wake. None could escape terror under his horrible thumb. Yet despite Trigon's tyranny, none were so happy as the people of Azarath on the day the news spread that a daughter was born to Trigon's queen, Arella.

Raven was declared to be her name. Such a common name and after such a common bird. The people questioned its importance. After all, ravens existed in every kingdom, in every nook and cranny. What was so special about a bird so common that it could be deemed a worthy enough name for a princess? What's more, the people whispered, ravens were birds of death. Dark omens. What a horrible name to saddle a child with! For the future of the child and the hope of the people, the princess should have been bestowed with a name like Dove or Lark. Something lovely and serene. But Arella had named the princess Raven and the wise among the common folk began to murmur that it was because the princess was to be a very dark omen indeed – but not to them, oh no! She would be a dark omen to Trigon. She would bring the downfall of her father and put an end to his tyrannical rule and save the people. Arella had gifted her daughter the name because she would free them, and that imbued a sense of excitement within the people who whispered and cheered for the baby princess not yet a week old.

The whispers of the common folk made their way to Trigon who had ears and eyes everywhere. At first he dismissed the notion that his daughter could overtake him. She was a frail thing, a premature birth and thus weak and small. She was hardly a threat. And yet thrumming in her veins was power. Power that Trigon himself had given her through his lineage. After consulting the demons within him it was confirmed: Raven was yet weak but one day she wouldn't be. Her power would only grow with age until it surpassed his own by her 18th birthday. And that is when the fear began.

Trigon had worked too hard to keep the people fearful and the kingdom as his own. Arella had been a helpless human, another way to fool the people he ruled. She was a fluke who he had no love for and the daughter was meant to be just another pawn. But Trigon could not stand the idea of his pawn being more powerful than him. Raven had to die. Trigon would have no one threat his power over the kingdom.

Plans in place, Trigon was to have his only kin murdered in her sleep. He toyed with the idea of letting her grow. Of grooming her into doing his bidding as a dark princess and of stealing her power for himself when she reached her eighteenth year when her power was ripe. But such plans were too risky. Trigon had an abundance of his own power and killing Raven would ensure no one would be able to contest it for a long long time.

What Trigon hadn't realized in his immense self-satisfaction was that Arella was no longer blind. He had long since given up the facade of loving her, treating her as brutally as he did everyone else. She was weak and human and had no escape from him so he ignored her whimpering. She posed no threat to him so he overlooked her. He was wrong.

In the dead of the night, Queen Arella bundled up her precious baby girl and stole away to the bottom of the castle gardens. Behind a wooden door – hidden by thick moss in the stone wall – a severe woman in a hooded cloak was waiting for her.

"Lady Azar!" Arella breathed in relief. "Thank you for coming."

"The window of opportunity is small, my Queen. Trigon may notice at any minute that the young Princess is absent." Lady Azar got straight to the point.

Arella's face grew damp with tears as she looked once more at her precious baby with her tufts of violet hair. Her eyes were closed in sleep and her breathing was soft. Raven was so small when she was born. So small and meant to endure such a heavy fate. No matter whose daughter she was, no matter Arella's misery at being trapped with Trigon, she loved her daughter boundlessly. She knew that she was in no position to protect Raven and must give her away.

With a heavy heart, a loving hug and a final kiss to her soft chubby cheeks, Arella handed her pride and joy over to Lady Azar. She turned away as the older woman left, unable to watch her daughter go only a week after her birth. Then with as heavy of a resolve as she could muster, she locked the wooden door and made her way back to her palace chambers from where she could see the Ever Deep Woods of Azarath. The sanctuary where the monks lived unharmed and out of Trigon's reach beyond which lay the kingdom of Doom.

"Be safe my Raven. Don't return until you have your powers under control."

-

17 YEARS LATER

It was the best day of Rachel’s life.

Lady Azar had finally granted her permission to leave the sanctuary and wander the woods on her own. It had only taken Rachel seventeen years to garner permission but now she had proven her emotions to be under control and herself wise enough to leave the monastery. She still wasn’t allowed to wander far but Lady Azar had permitted her to leave the walls of the (admittedly large) sanctuary in which Rachel was the youngest member and the one allowed to leave the least.

She had always longed to leave, always longed to meet other people. But longing was too close to desire and Rachel was not allowed to feel. She had little clue as to why. Lady Azar had told her it would protect her and Rachel did not wish to offend the wise woman who had raised her as long as she could remember. Lady Azar had told her that her mother had left her on the doorstep of the monastery when she was a baby and that her father was a terrible man out to get her due to which she must stay inside to keep safe. Rachel had never questioned her.

When she was young she had tried to sneak out multiple times but someone had always seen her or she never got very far out into the woods before Lady Azar came looking. Rachel knew she could not trust anyone at the monastery. They all looked out for her but they were wary of her too and she knew she would find no assistance among them. Instead, she had turned to working hard to control her emotions instead. Her angry outbursts and cries gave way to silent acceptance. And happiness? Well, Rachel never felt much need for that emotion to begin with so that was hardly hard to tamp down.

Rachel fought back the elation at being allowed to venture into the woods. It would do no good if Lady Azar was to find out she was indescribably happy to be leaving the monastery wallson her own for the first time. The woman had only allowed her to go after careful inspection of her reactions and Rachel was pleased with herself for not allowing any to break out of her control.

Finally free of the marble walls she had known since she was a girl, she breathed in the fresh pine-scented air as she wandered the woodland beyond them. The trees were thick but not at all dense. The grass was soft and springy beneath her slippered feat. Shadows cast by the trees allowed dappled sunshine to break through and birds chirped and sang loudly. It was serene but of an entirely new kind. Serenity was all Rachel had known inside the walls of the monastery but nature had an order of its own that was different from anything she had ever experienced before.

She picked out purple and red berries from the wild bushes, their ripeness hitting her taste buds more deliciously than they ever had been before. The sensation of picking them herself, of knowing she was unbound even for a few hours, made them taste that much sweeter. The wildflowers grew in patches and their exotic scent washed over her in even doses as a gentle breeze danced around them, tugging at her hair hidden under her cloak.

Rachel passed by a beautiful bubbling brook that pooled into a small pond. Its water was cold and its crystal-clear water was sweet. Tugging her hood back to see her even reflection, Rachel allowed herself a small smile now that she was far from the monastery before letting the fabric fall back into place.

It was peaceful. Rachel was content.

That was good. Content was close to happy but it was safer.

She moved onwards, eventually finding a small clearing with more wildflowers. A log overgrown with moss had fallen and next to it was a mound of dirt covered in the same soft grass that grew everywhere. Pulling the hood of her cloak down for good, Rachel sat down with her legs tucked under her. She withdrew a book from her cloak and began to read.

This was nice, she thought. Very nice, indeed.

-

If only it had stayed nice…

Rachel had had a pleasant few hours reading before she had decided to stretch her legs. She had left her book by the mound to get a drink from the brook, certain no one would steal it while she was gone. It was quite a heavy tomb and she didn’t exactly want to lug it around if she could leave it be. While certainly no people had stolen it, animals were another story.

She returned to find her book missing and after looking around in confusion, Rachel found a pair of squirrels chittering in excitement as they darted through the trees. Behind them, with their tiny paws, they were dragging her precious novel. It was one of the only novels Lady Azar had allowed someone to bring her from outside and with a horrified gasp, Rachel found herself running after the little critters who had stolen her prized possession. Even with the heavy dead weight that was the book, they were faster than her and ducked inside a tree’s hollow where they were most likely to tear it to shreds to make their nest.

Rachel huffed in frustration as she looked high into the tree. It was too tall for her to reach. Her only option was to climb. Except there were two problems with that. Rachel didn’t know how to climb trees and she was too scared to try. Lady Azar had forbidden it and once when Rachel had been very small, she had tried. She had ended up very high, unable to come down and had fallen out. Ever since then she was terrified of high places. Surprisingly, Lady Azar had been relieved by this development and Rachel presumed that it had always been because she would never attempt such a stunt again but she had never been able to shake off the feeling that the old woman knew something more that she refused to let on.

Having no other option, Rachel could only yell at the critters to give her book back. She certainly hoped they hadn’t ripped it apart just yet.

“Hey! Give me back my book!” She attempted. She winced at how loud her voice sounded compared to the birds chirping. She could only hope none of the other monks were nearby. If Lady Azar were to hear that Rachel had become upset on her first day out and because of a few woodland creatures of all things, she’d be less inclined to let her leave again. Rachel refused to let a couple of no-good animals take her freedom from her.

Looking around she saw a tall stone laying on its side. She dragged it over to the base of the tree before standing on it. It gave her enough height to just barely reach the opening of the tree and she shifted to her tiptoes trying to reach. The squirrels must have anticipated that because the book was nowhere close to the edge of the hollow where Rachel’s fingers reached.

Screaming in frustration she glared up at the annoying things that were leaning out of the hole now, a ripped piece of paper caught between their paws. They were mocking her.

“When I catch you!” Rachel growled. “I will spear your tiny little bodies and feed them to the ravens outside the monastery! Give me back my book! Now!”

The critters either didn’t understand her threat or didn’t care for it because they went back to their hut, presumably to rip apart her book some more. Rachel groaned, dragging her hand over her face. She didn’t notice a person coming up behind her until a voice behind her said, “Need some help?”

Rachel shrieked.

-

Gar was flying through the woods as a bird. He had been wanting to go for a short flight to stretch his wings for ages but had been unable to. Royal duties combined with a resurgence in the rumor that he had been cursed by a witch who had made him a beast had left him castle-bound until the people could be calmed again. Rita had asked him to stay put and Steve had ordered it but Gar had had enough and had snuck out for a while. He had been debunking the rumors that he was a faerie changeling, a vampire, a monstrous beast and god knows what for almost two decades now.

What the people didn’t know was that they were right. A witch had cast a spell on him to save his life. That same witch had been the one rumored to have killed the real King and Queen, Mark and Marie Logan. In reality, they had died of a deadly disease, their dying wish that their son somehow be saved. So the witch they had called upon had tried everything and had succeeded eventually. The young prince was saved and Mento, or Steve as Gar better knew him, Doom’s military commander had raised him along with his wife Rita who had been the Queen’s most favored companion. Now Gar looked like any other young man of seventeen. The only hint of the virus left was a shock of green hair that stood out against the rest of his brunette mess, and the pallor of his skin which was a normal rich brown but tinted almost olive green in the right lighting.

For the life of him, Gar didn’t understand how the rumor started up again every few years. By all means and purposes nobody should suspect his hidden gift at all, and yet the people were fearful after the deadly Sakutia plague had wiped out half the kingdom fifteen years ago. Gar had been the lone survivor. They had a right to be afraid of any potential ruler that could be the cause of the plague again despite his friendliness with the masses.

Gar didn’t usually meet anyone on his flights. The woods were silent away from the main pathways that were used by travelers so his shock was great when he heard shouts coming from a small cove hidden by the trees. What surprised him even more was the realization that the person shouting was a young woman.

Curious, he perched on one of the trees, hiding his green feathers against the foliage. She looked frustrated as she dragged a rock to the base of a tree. Gar could see her reaching into the hole where a couple of squirrels resided. They had stolen something from her. Amused, Gar watched as she tried to get it back, angry at her unsuccessful attempts because of her short height.

Flying a few feet away from the clearing, he hid himself behind a tree before transforming back as a human and making his way on foot to help the young woman out.

“Need some help?” He asked her.

She clearly hadn’t realized he was standing there because she shrieked in surprise at how close he was behind her. She almost fell, tripping on the very rock she was standing on before he caught her.

"Woah! I'm sorry I startled you," he apologized as she quickly moved away, now that she was firmly standing on solid ground again. When she didn't reply, still fearful of him, Gar leapt up on to the rock instead. Reaching into the hole in the tree he tapped around looking for whatever it is she had lost. The squirrels hidden there scrambled out and onto the nearby branches, hissing in anger now that someone tall enough to thwart their plans for a nest had arrived.

Gar felt the smooth texture of stacked paper and dragged it out slowly, careful not to rip it. The heavy tomb almost fell on top of him since he wasn't expecting its weight but he caught it just in time, stumbling to the ground the same way the young woman had.

"All this trouble for a book?" he murmured, amused as he inspected the damage to it. A few pages were bitten through and the cover was a little worse for wear but it was largely undamaged. The young woman seemed to take offense at his humor though because she snatched it away at once, inspecting it herself.

"I didn't ask you to help me," she said almost petulantly. Her face was hidden by the shadow of her hood but he could make out the glare she was leveling him with.

"Well you couldn't have gotten it out yourself," Gar stated. He meant it to be matter of fact but the way his eyes drifted over her short frame only seemed to make her angrier.

She turned around, clearly ready to walk away from the clearing without another word to him before Gar cleared his throat.

"Aren't you forgetting something?"

She didn't turn back or stop, the tenseness in her shoulders and the roll of her eyes visible.

"No."

"My thank you?" Gar tried again.

She looked back at him in disdain before turning to leave again. Gar felt a little offended at that. He was only trying to break the ice.

"Hey where are you going?"

"Leave me alone!"

"Look, I'm sorry I implied you were short."

She stopped suddenly almost causing him to bump into her which only made her glare more severe when she whirled around to see him right behind her.

"Why are you in my part of the woods?"

At this Gar wasoffended.

"Hey lady, you don't own the whole forest. I have as much right to be here as you."

"Then stay here and stop following me."

"What's your deal?" Gar snarled. "I was only trying to help."

"I didn't ask you to." She repeated.

"So what? I was supposed to let you keep struggling when I could, and did, solve your problem in ten seconds?"

The woman huffed in frustration at that, clearly out of responses. Gar grinned smugly and she let out a groan before turning away. Feeling benevolent, Gar walked around to face her again.

"Look I'm sorry for teasing you. I didn't mean to bother. If it really makes you uncomfortable, I'll leave."

He turned to go when she cleared her throat instead.

"Thank you." Her voice was low. Still quite cold but with a hint of an apology all the same.

Gar turned back around.

"You're welcome," he offered back, now curious. The young woman made no move to say anything else which made him consider leaving but instead he kept his feet firmly planted instead.

"I'm Gar," he offered as an introduction.

"Rachel."

"You're quite far from any pathways, Rachel," He observed. "Do you live nearby here?"

And truly he was surprised. No one usually ventured this deep into the forest unless they knew it well. The only thing close to here was a monastery and Rachel didn't have reason to belong to one of those.

"Something like that," she evaded. Wanting to keep the conversation going, albeit unknown to even herself why, she spoke, "I was on a walk. I went to get some water. I didn't think there would be any thieves and a book is invaluable to most as it is."

Gar couldn't help the grin that spread on his face. "Well now you know there are thieves here too. Very unconventional ones, but thieves nonetheless."

The girl didn't smile, but Gar could see something akin to humor in her eyes. Hesitatingly she reached up to draw back her hood. She didn't take it off completely but it was enough to see her face a little better. She began to walk but didn’t protest this time when he followed.

"Do you come here often?" Gar asked as he and Rachel continued to walk through the woods.

"Maybe."

"Are you usually alone?"

"Yes."

"Would you mind company?"

She leveled him with a flat look.

"I'm putting up with you aren't I?"

The truth was Rachel didn't quite know how to feel about this young man. He'd helped her and teased her and having never met anyone her own age before, she had lashed out. And then she had lashed out further in the knowledge that her emotions were getting dangerously out of control and she needed to be away from the young man at once in case something bad happened and somehow Lady Azar found out. But he was persistent, and Rachel wasn't nothing if not curious too. Spending an entire childhood and almost all of her teenage years among monks who were much older than her made it so she didn't have many companions her own age. Gar was the first human her age that she had met and his personality was quite… interesting. Nothing so dour and serious like the monks who never smiled while around her.

Despite her best efforts, Rachel didn't have it in her to ask the young man to leave. So she allowed him to follow her as she walked further into the woods. She was trying to keep a careful mark of wherever she walked with a piece of chalk she had brought with her but found herself distracted by Gar's incessant questions.

"That was harsh," he pouted in response to her previous remark. Rachel found herself mesmerized by the hurt yet playful look in his eyes.

"Why does it matter?" She asked, blinking as she quickly looked away. Don't get attached, don't get attached, don't get attached, she repeated to herself. She couldn't afford to have more than a cursory interest in this strange gentleman even for the day.

"Because I was wondering if I could visit you again here. In case the squirrels steal your books again?" He looked hopeful despite the tease and Rachel felt the anger and humiliation rising in her chest again before noting the kindness in his eyes. He wasn't making fun of her… he was making fun of the situation.

Rachel knew what her answer should be. She knew what Lady Azar had told her about meeting other people and how dangerous strangers could be especially because they brought about emotions that were hard to control.

The only time before Rachel had almost left the monastery was when she was barely fifteen. It had been at the urging of a young man who had seen her through the carved windows of the monastery walls and had visited for a week straight. Rachel had never felt so special before, feeling every bit of a princess as the ones in a novel one of the kinder monks had snuck to her among her textbooks. She would even have left with him if Lady Azar hadn't found out. The old woman had forced Rachel to watch as she exposed the young man as inhuman. He was a dragon looking for an innocent woman to make his next meal. Rachel had been so disheartened she hadn't asked to leave the monastery again for almost two years.

Fear of the same thing happening struck Rachel. She had already trusted once and her eyes had deceived her. But a pang of intense longing suddenly rippled through her chest, one that contained seventeen years of hollowed loneliness. From beneath her hood she looked at the expectant young man who looked more and more nervous as he waited for an answer. He looked human enough. Malchior had always had an inhuman charm about him that made him spellbinding. The man in front of her was nothing like him. He looked almost too normal.

Finally having made her decision, Rachel steeled herself, letting out a quick breath before she answered.

"Alright."

-

Gar visited her every day he could after that. Rachel had been relieved to find out upon her return to the monastery that Lady Azar was none the wiser to her mishap with squirrels that led to her meeting a young man. She showed no emotions and remained the picture of perfect neutrality as she asked permission again the next day and the day after and the day after to take a walk outside the walls.

Lady Azar seemed curious but pleased with Rachel's immense control. She figured that the poor girl had been cooped up enough her whole life and since it was rare for visitors to drop by the monastery, Rachel could have free reign of the surrounding woods as long as she didn't stray near the pathways.

"Remember Rachel, you must not speak with anyone," Lady Azar warned every day.

Rachel nodded, forcing herself to shove down the guilt as it rose before it became visible in her eyes.

"I won't Lady Azar", she always promised.

Then she stole away to the clearing in the woods to meet Gar.

Some days he was already waiting for her. Other days she was first with him arriving only moments later. He always arrived on foot which surprised her because, as far as she knew, nobody lived in these woods for miles. Most visitors at the monastery came on horseback and yet Gar never had a horse with him. If he tied it up at a distance he never made indication of it but Rachel never pried. He never asked her where she lived and so she never asked him where he came from.

He was an enigma to her. Rachel quickly learnt that he never stopped talking. It was infuriating. After growing up in the monastery where solitude and quiet were the norm and no one spoke louder than the rustling of the leaves in the wind, learning to deal with Gar's chatter was an adjustment. It didn't help that she herself remained largely quiet which only encouraged him to keep talking to fill in the silence.

"You could rival the magpies," Rachel commented once after he had enthralled her with a long-winded tale of something or the other that he had learnt from a traveler.

"Thank you?" Gar asked.

"It wasn't a compliment."

"Hey now, birds have beautiful voices. You're basically saying I have a song bird's tongue Rae-Rae."

"Tongue, yes. Voice, no," she deadpanned. Then realizing what he called her she scowled. "Don't call me Rae-Rae."

"But it suits you!"

"No!"

"Gar and Rae. See. Short and simple."

Rachel harrumphed as she glowered at him but didn't say anything else. She would never admit that she liked having a nickname. It made their friendship more solid somehow. Real. And if she pushed him into the lake later as payback and he only laughed instead of being offended by it, warming her heart in the process, he didn't need to know.

-

Their visits continued for quite a while. Eventually Rachel felt comfortable enough to take her hood down. The first time she had done it was about two weeks after they had begun to meet up.

She had been the one to arrive first and after some brief consideration, she had tugged down the hood of her purple cloak. She turned when she heard his soft footsteps approaching on the springy grass.

He looked at her in awe and Rachel suddenly felt self-conscious. She had unnaturally pale skin, that much she knew even though she had only had the monks to compare. And her hair was short and almost as black as a raven's plumage until it hit the light when the real dark violet shade of it was exposed. It had always grown naturally that way.

Rachel had never given much thought to her looks before, but seeing Gar staring awestruck at her now she wondered if she was as pretty as the girls he would be used to seeing out in the rest of the world. She didn't know why she cared either, but she convinced herself it was because Gar was quite handsome himself.

She would have been an idiot to not notice him. His warm brown skin looked like honey in the sunlight although it held an oddest tint of green which she supposed was due to the trees reflecting their pigment on his skin. His brown hair was a mess but it never looked untidy and the strands at the front that often fell over his forehead were green.

"They've always grown this way," he'd explained to her once when he had caught her staring. She assumed he explained because people usually asked but in reality she had been staring because for the first time she had seen someone with hair that naturally grew colored as hers did.

Gar's eyes were as green and as deep as the forest pools that surrounded them and they reflected light in the same way especially when he threw his head back to laugh at one of her sarcastic quips. And his laugh… She tried hard not to stare at the dimples that formed in his cheeks when he smiled wide, always displaying his perfect white teeth but it was hard not to notice when he was such a joyful person.

Gar was beautiful and Rachel didn't want to think about the feelings that stirred in her when she focused on it.

Today, he looked at her like she usually looked at him.

She didn't say anything for a few moments, choosing to observe her as he took her in. The way his eyes lingered on her hair as it danced around her face because of the slightly stronger breeze today. The way he shyly met her eyes as he took them in properly, no longer half hidden by her hood. The way his eyes drifted across her porcelain skin that was largely unmarred except for a faint freckle or two where she actually got exposed to the sun.

"Cool hair," he eventually choked out.

Rachel felt humiliated even though he had complimented her. She didn't know why she had expected something more.

"Thank you," she mumbled, getting ready to cover her head again but he grabbed her hand before she could. He looked almost as surprised to have done it as she was on feeling his skin suddenly against hers.

"Don't," he whispered, almost pleading. "I like seeing your eyes."

Rachel tried to ignore the heat that rose to her cheeks and the flush of red that surely accompanied it.

She left her hood down.

-

Eventually they couldn't not talk about the elephant in the room.

"I live in the monastery," she told him one day as they sat and munched on berries they had picked while wandering together. She has laid them out in her cloak since they didn't have a basket. The weather was pleasant today and so she didn't mind taking it off and remaining only in her simple deep purple dress as she and Gar sat near one of the father brooks and ate their fill.

He had brought some biscuits on his way from the town too, something he had discovered Rachel enjoyed but didn't get much of wherever she lived. Ever since, he had taken to bringing freshly made ones from the bakery almost every visit.

Rachel felt her heart flutter the first time he did it but then it had taken to becoming a whole swarm of birds and butterflies when he always remembered without fail. She had never had anyone do something so sweet. The fearful whispers in her mind that warned her that Gar wanted something from her and would betray her like the dragon had had long since been hushed. She felt safe around him for some reason. Safer and happier than she ever had at the monastery.

Gar looked surprised at her admittance. He had never asked although she had always seen in his eyes that he was curious. He often offered to walk her back to her house to be sure she was safe but she always refused. She felt ready to tell him why now.

"I've lived there as long as I can remember. The monks told me that my mother was involved with a bad man and that she left me there to keep me safe. They say I'm still in danger so I can't leave yet." She explained.

Gar just watched her, the look in his eyes urging her to continue.

"Apparently whoever was after my mother can sense my emotions. Lady Azar does not want me meeting people. She's afraid anyone could be dangerous."

"It's why you don't let me walk you back," Gar concluded. Rachel nodded sadly.

"If she knew she'd never let me leave the monastery again."

"Wow…" Gar slumped further against the tree he was sitting down against as he took it all in. "It must have been difficult," he mused finally, looking at her sadly.

Rachel scowled. She didn't want his pity.

"I've survived," she snipped.

"Hey I didn't mean it that way." He raised his hands in surrender. "I just meant that it sounds lonely."

Rachel looked down at the ground then, tugging up the tufts that were within reach.

"Yeah," her voice was barely a whisper. "You're my first friend," she admitted.

Gar looked like he expected it but was surprised all the same. Without warning he leapt to his feet and gave a dramatic bow. "Well, it is my honor to be the first friend of such a beautiful maiden."

He grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips before Rachel could protest and she quickly snatched it back. His cheeks burned as red as hers and he looked anywhere but her piercing glare. Something had changed between them in that moment and neither wanted to say what.

Gar cleared his throat. "Anyway, has your Lady Azar found out where you go when you come meet me?" He asked. He finally looked back at her as the red in his cheeks died down and the racing of his heart slowed back to a normal pace. From his raised senses, he could hear Rachel's heart had returned to its normal pace too.

"No. She hasn't." She looked curious. "Why?"

"Just wondering," Gar muttered. He looked thoughtful then as Rachel continued to watch him before the mischievous spark that had a home in his eyes lit back up again. "How would you like to go experience a day in the town?"

-

"Finally!" Victor snapped, noticing Gar coming out of the woods and towards the pathway that led to Metrion. "You better have a good reason for calling us out all the way to Azarath, green bean. Why couldn't we just meet up at- oh."

He finally noticed that his best friend was not alone. Behind Gar stood a young woman in a cloak and hood. Her intelligent eyes peered out at the strangers defiantly but it was clear she was nervous.

"Guys, meet Rachel," Gar introduced smoothly, completely ignoring Victor's outburst. Dick straightened up and Kori looked absolutely exuberant at meeting a new friend.

"Hello Rachel! I am Kori but you may call me Starfire as well," Kori said warmly, ever the welcoming one. "We have heard the many good things about you from Friend Gar."

A pale hand reached out from under Rachel's cloak ready to shake hands but Kori went for a hug instead. Dick, who chose to go by Robin for this meeting in public as he did with most new people, shook her hand next, looking at her critically once over with his ice blue eyes. He didn't smile beyond a polite grin but Victor made up for it with his much warmer smile all the while hoping she hadn't heard much of what he was yelling before she arrived.

"It's nice to meet you all," Rachel said finally. Her voice was slightly gravelly but soft. She made no move to remove her hood and Victor noticed she stayed close to Gar although she stood confidently on her own with no indication she required his support. She was uncomfortable, but confident and it was clear she trusted Gar only.

All that hardly mattered to Kori who immediately took the newcomer’s hand and led her down the path to town already chatting up a storm.

"This is the girl from the woods you've been meeting with, Gar?" Victor finally said once they were out of earshot. Gar had told them all about Rachel once he had no longer been able to hide how much he snuck out. He usually met up with his friends once a week if not every day and when that had suddenly stopped, they were naturally suspicious.

What had come out next was an interesting revelation that had Victor, Dick and Kori all worried for their friend. However, they couldn't deny he was happy especially after the hurt he experienced with the resurgence of rumors of him being cursed. They had wanted to meet the young woman who clearly had their best friend smitten although he resolutely denied such a thing. Gar had refused to let them come with him up until this point, insisting she was shy and seemingly wouldn't like to be ambushed. It was confusing then to have him turn around and suddenly ask them all for a favor to travel an hour to a town at the outskirts of Azarath and meet them there instead of their usual haunt in one of the towns of Doom.

"Hey, her name's Rachel. She's not good with people. Just let her open up." Gar replied defensively. Vic only laughed. Ohh, Gar had it bad.

"Not judging little man but you have to admit you caught us by surprise with this. A little warning would have been nice."

"I know, I'm sorry. I just didn't think you you'd would agree otherwise."

"Oh we would have agreed. We've been wanting to meet this girl since you told us about her, Gar." Something in Victor's tone must have given him away because Gar immediately jumped on it furiously.

"You don't think she's trustworthy?"

"He's saying we should be careful. Have you told her anything?" Dick asked firmly before emotions could escalate.

Gar shook his head. "She doesn't even know I'm a prince."

"You didn't tell her?" Victor asked in surprise. He had expected his best friend to have told the woman he was smitten with at least that much.

"It never came up," Gar shrugged looking down. "She treated me so normally and after…" Terra.

The girl had been someone Gar had fallen for and trusted. It had turned out she was only using Gar for his status as the Prince. When Steve had discovered this he had had her banished from the kingdom. Gar had been heartbroken. His only consolation was that he had never revealed the truth of his powers to her and that was only because of a promise he'd made to Rita. Gar shook his head as if forcing the bad memories away.

"Anyway she doesn't know. I didn't want her to think of me differently. I want to tell her but I don't know how." Knowing his friends would be confused, he further clarified, "Both things."

Dick looked concerned at that, always the most vigilant.

"It's a good thing you haven't yet." Seeing Gar's face scrunching up in protest he quickly added. "I'm not saying she isn't trustworthy, Gar. But let's just get to know her a little better. You said she'd never even been in a town before. I don't know about you but that seems suspicious to me. Let's observe her for today and then pass judgement."

Without waiting for Gar to continue he stalked after the girls who were well along the path by now.

"Is that why you didn't want us meeting in Doom?" Victor asked.

"Yeah," his best friend sighed. "I'm too easily recognized there. I didn't want to overwhelm her since I hadn't even told her the truth about me yet."

He looked guilty as he said it and Victor patted him on the back, putting his other hand on his shoulder.

"Look, Dick's right. Let’s just have a good time today. You may know her but give the rest of us a chance too. Afterwards, you can tell her, okay?"

Gar bit his lip, his one canine that was a little sharper than the others becoming visible for just a second but then he nodded.

"Okay."

"Good. Now let's get a move on before Dick starts hounding your lady friend and scares her away."

-

Gar had told her he'd be inviting some of his friends so Rachel had been steeling herself to meet them for a week. She'd been apprehensive at first but he'd badgered her about it enough that she finally agreed.

"It'll be good for you! And my friends are all nice people so you'll have fun. Besides they really want to meet you," he begged.

That had interested her. "You've told them about me?"

Gar had only blushed in response. Rachel wondered what they expected of her but she felt warm inside knowing Gar thought of her even when he wasn't with her. She thought about him too and she wished she had someone she could tell like he had told his friends but no one at the monastery would understand so she suffered in silence.

"Fine.”

The prospect of meeting more people and finding more friends was one Rachel couldn't ignore especially since her friendship with Gar had blossomed so well over the months. She was feeling more rebellious lately which was why she supposed she agreed so easily to Gar's plan of taking her to the nearest town outside of Raven Woods.

"Why are they called that?" she'd asked him as they made the journey through the tall trees. As far as she knew, there wasn't any particular abundance of crows and ravens in the woods she called home.

"They used to be called Ever Deep," Gar told her. "But after the Princess of Azarath went missing, presumed dead, they were renamed in her honor."

Rachel knew very little of Azarath but she did know a tyrant ruled over it and that the monks detested the king. They lived outside of the kingdom's territory in a neutral space that belonged neither to Azarath nor to its neighboring kingdom, Doom.

Meeting Gar's friends was nerve-wracking despite the steely expression Rachel held on to. She wanted to make a good impression and she worried she'd already blew it when her and Gar emerged from the woods to find his friend yelling. That fear quickly dissipated when they all welcomed her with varying degrees of warmth.

Starfire had hugged her and befriended her immediately. She was beautiful with her cascading red hair, green eyes and dark skin. She held a grace about her that had Rachel wondering if she was some kind of nobility and Rachel found her admiring the other girl's beauty and appreciating her friendship immediately although it overwhelmed her how exuberant she could be. She had thought Gar was the most hyper a person could be but clearly she had thought wrong.

Robin surveyed her coolly despite his polite greeting. He didn't trust her yet and Rachel could respect that. After all, she didn't much trust any of them yet either. As they entered town she observed as he took a mask from his satchel and tied it above his eyes. She wondered why he bothered since most of his face was exposed.

"Boyfriend Robin likes to stay the incognito in public spaces." Starfire whispered to her. That did nothing to alleviate her confusion but she realized that Robin not having worn the mask for their first meeting itself was already a show of trust. It was shocking, but it was something that brought a smile to Rachel's face anyway. Slowly, she tugged down her hood in return.

The company stopped only for a second as they looked at her, taking in her appearance before moving on. Rachel pretended to ignore the looks they kept shooting her as they walked. They had clearly wanted to keep looking but didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable.

Victor was the one Rachel had been nervous about since he had been the one who appeared annoyed on their first meeting but it seemed his annoyance was purely for Gar and not for her. His kindly demeanor was warm and attractive and his behavior to her was almost brotherly despite them just meeting. Rachel had never had an older brother, but she found Victor's presence to be a nice resemblance to what it might have been if she did have one. He joked, trying to coax out smiles from her not unlike Gar but his jokes were always at his best friend’s expense as if he already knew that was the perfect way to engage Rachel who couldn't resist making a quip back.

The teens showed her around the town of Metrion. To Rachel it was the largest town she had ever seen but when she voiced the thought, the others only laughed.

"This is actually a pretty small town, Rachel," Victor explained. "It's one of the important ones though since most travellers to Azarath usually take this route into the forest."

"Have you really never been here or anywhere before Rachel?" Robin asked. Behind his mask, Rachel could tell he was analyzing her.

"Never," she promised. "My guardian, Lady Azar, she always used to say it was too dangerous."

"Why were you in the danger, Friend Rachel?" Kori asked with a gasp of concern. Rachel felt the same warmth of acceptance wash over her at being called friend.

"I don't know," she replied honestly. "My mother was involved with a magician or something. Lady Azar has never told me much. But whoever he is, he can sense my emotions and Lady Azar refuses to let me leave until it is safe."

Rachel could see the same sadness on these people's faces that Gar had displayed only days earlier but before she could lose control and snap at them, Victor spoke instead.

"Well house arrest or not, we're all glad to have you little lady. Let's show you everything you've been missing."

She smiled at the warm expression in his eyes. He was redirecting the situation and she appreciated it.

As Starfire and Robin led the way with Victor following, Gar sidled up to Rachel.

"So… what do you think?"

His voice held the same nervousness it had held months before when he had asked if he could visit her again and Rachel found the corners of her lips quirk in endearment.

"They're nice," she admitted. "They've accepted me so easily. Even though I don't quite fit in."

"Pfft," Gar waved away her worries. "As Vic always says, we're all weird in our own ways. You fit in just fine."

Rachel allowed her smile to widen then. "Thank you for bringing me, Gar," she murmured, low enough that she wasn't sure if he'd hear.

"You're welcome," he replied equally as softly. They stopped in the middle of the cobblestoned path, just looking at each other for a few moments, amethyst meeting emerald, before being shocked out of their reverie by Victor's beckons.

"Come on lovebirds! Stop falling behind!"

Gar and Rachel both blushed and looked away as they hurried along the path.

-

Over the day Gar's friends had each taken turns showing Rachel something new and interesting about the town.

Starfire had forced her into a dress shop to show her all the pretty designs. Rachel had only ever dressed in plain gowns but she couldn't deny her curiosity at the vibrant patterns all on display. Eventually she tired of the dresses though and Kori seemed to realize for she then brought her over to stalls set up by local sellers who were all selling trinkets of some sort. The jewelry, in particular, caught her attention. One gem in particular.

"Finest rubies in Azarath, Miss," the vendor told her when he observed the brooch she was eyeing. It was nothing special. Just a circular stone set in a metal mold. "They're selling especially well these days."

"How come?" Rachel found herself asking.

"Because of the princess of course," the vendor replied bluntly almost surprised she didn't know.

"The princess?"

"You look Azarathian," the vendor peered at her curiously. "How is it that ye don't know?"

She took a step back, covering her head in her hood again so he wouldn't stare at her any further.

"I'm a traveler," she insisted. The vendor shrugged.

"The princess' eighteenth birthday is nigh. Those of us who believe she still lives have hope she will return to defeat her father, the tyrant Trigon. These gemstones are those of her birth and its legend they'll bring good luck and Princess Raven's protection."

Raven only looked curiously as she turned the stone over in her hand. It didn't seem like much. And the idea that the missing princess could protect people through ordinary minerals was just as ridiculous.

"Ready to go, Rachel?" Gar asked as he came up behind her. She turned to see Victor and Robin looking just as bored as him. They had been remarkably patient as her and Starfire browsed.

Setting the brooch back on the vendor's cart, Rachel nodded as she walked away. She didn't see the exchange that followed between Kori and Gar as Victor and Robin led her out of the market.

"Friend Gar, did you notice that Friend Rachel was looking intently at that brooch."

Gar raised an eyebrow. Currently Kori was looking at him with intent but what she was implying he didn't know.

"You should buy it for her," she finally spelled out. "You are holding the affections for her are you not?"

Kori left before he could reply, leaving Gar to ponder over her words.

-

After Kori had had her fun with Rachel, Robin and Victor had their chance. Robin took her to a weapons store. While he tested out some trinkets to add to his own collection, he also beckoned her over.

"Try this out," he told her, showing her a dagger with a red gemstone embedded in the hilt.

After correcting her incorrect posture with Robin's help a few times, Rachel found that the weapon fit quite well.

"Is the weight too light or heavy?" He asked.

"It's perfect."

"Then we're getting it."

Rachel stared at the dark-haired boy in shock. If she was any less put together then her mouth would be agape but Lady Azar had taught her better manners than that.

"Why?" She found herself asking. Besides Gar, no one had ever gotten her anything before that wasn't a book meant to help her meditation or a novel meant to appease her begging. Having something be gifted without asking was a foreign concept to Rachel.

"You live in the woods and have to travel to and from them alone when you meet Gar," Robin shrugged. "It's better to be safe than sorry."

He went up to the vendor to pay for his own weapons as well as her dagger and Rachel had to swallow the lump in her throat. For the first time, the idea of protecting herself in a form other than hiding behind the monastery’s marble walls or within the cover of the forest was offered to her. Holding the dagger close to her chest, Rachel allowed herself a smile that only grew wider when Robin returned with a holster strap to carry it in.

-

After all the browsing, it was obvious everyone was getting hungry. That was made even more apparent when Rachel's stomach let out a keening wail that was audible to her entire group of friends. She turned red in shame and embarrassment but before she could apologize, Victor held up his hand.

"Looks like we're all hungry. Thank God. My stomach's been making these noises for hours now."

As if to prove his point, his stomach also grumbled which only led to Gar laughing and Kori giggling while Robin smirked too.

"Lead the way," Gar said amused once he'd finally stopped. "You're the one who knows the best food joints in all the land."

"I meant in Doom, string bean," Victor glared. "But I can do just fine here too."

"Somewhere vegetarian," Gar said firmly.

Victor rolled his eyes but gestured for everyone to follow as he moved forward.

Not half an hour later they were seated at a small tavern which was selling lunch for the time being since it was still early evening.

"I don't know what any of this is," Rachel admitted to the rest of the group as they decided on their orders. At the monastery she only ate simple foods and even those were tailored to be plain so they didn't invoke any powerful emotion from her. She didn't even have a favorite food, something she hadn't discovered until one day Gar had asked her. The closest thing she could imagine was the biscuits which was part of the reason he had taken to bringing them for her: every day a new flavor.

"How about I just order something for ya then?" Victor asked. "I'm the one with the best taste here."

"You keep telling yourself that."

Gar rolled his eyes at his best friend but he didn't suggest choosing a dish for Rachel as Victor had. He wanted her to gain a full experience and he knew that while his preferred dishes were excellent to him, they were quite limiting to someone who had already grown up with little variety in dietary choices.

In the end she ended up with a steaming plate of waffles accompanied by strawberry sauce, chocolate sauce and syrup placed in front of her. It smelled sweet but not overwhelming and Rachel felt her mouth water just looking at them. Once again she pretended not to notice as the others eagerly watched her as she cut a small portion off the first waffle, dipped it in the syrup and took a bite.

Instantly she felt like she was in heaven. Rachel didn't know how she had gone this long without tasting waffles but they were the best delicacy she had ever tasted. She closed her eyes as she let the flavor settle on her tongue before taking another bite. When she opened them again, the others were already digging in to their respective dishes but with smiles on their faces as they saw how much she clearly enjoyed the fluffy pastry.

"Can I pick a dish or what?" Victor grinned in pride.

Rachel only nodded as she continued eating.

At the end, Victor insisted he pay for her portion too. Gar argued with him over it and for a minute Rachel felt a twinge of embarrassment for not having her own money but there was no way she could have asked for any from Lady Azar. She realized quickly she had no reason to be embarrassed though because it seemed they were arguing over wanting to pay for her.

"Dude, I'm the one who brought Rae. I'll pay for her."

"Shut up, B," Victor rolled his eyes, the private nickname Rachel had yet to understand why he called Gar slipping from him in fondness. "I'm paying for my new little sister and there ain't nothing you can say to stop me."

Gar raised his hand in surrender as another wave of happiness crashed over Rachel's heart at yet another confirmation of acceptance from Gar's friends.

-

It was nearing sunset when the group of five was now making their way to the cliffside in the town that gave way to a view of the other side of the forest and the rest of the kingdom.

As they approached, Rachel was amazed by giant baskets that seemed to be sitting near the edge of the cliffside.

"What are those?" she ended up asking. She gasped in surprise as a large pocket of fabric began to emerge from the basket as someone lit a candle in a little lamp below it.

"Sky Balloons," Gar explained. "They take you for a ride in the sky."

With a mischievous grin he tugged at Rachel's hand, leading her over to one that was almost ready to go. "We'd like to go on a ride, please," Gar asked the man who owned the balloon.

Rachel tugged him back. "Gar, no. I'm afraid of heights." She glared at him, knowing he knew that.

He only held her hand tighter as he gazed deeply into her eyes. "Trust me," he asked.

Rachel sighed, her hand raising up to pinch her nose in aggravation before her facade dropped and she nodded.

"Shall we go too?" Robin asked from behind her. "It's been a while since I've been on one of these."

Rachel was about to say yes before Kori wrapped her arms around one of his and tugged him away.

"We can go a while later, boyfriend Robin. I feel if I go know I will be the sick from all the mustard I put into my sandwich."

Rachel winced at the memory. She had not liked the taste of mustard and with the way Starfire had lathered it on, she had assumed it was a kind of sweet sauce too and had tried it. It was not and Rachel wasn't sure how Starfire hadn't been sick already with how much she had eaten.

Starfire grinned at her almost too innocently as she dragged Robin away.

"Do you wanna come, Victor?" Rachel asked the man left behind.

"Oh no. You two lovebirds go ahead. I'll just stay here or catch a ride with the other lovebirds if they decide to go."

Satisfied with the brilliant blush his words had invoked on Rachel;s face and without waiting for a retort he ran off after Starfire who looked like she was fondly scolding Robin who, even behind his mask, now looked wide eyed as if he had come to an important realization.

"I got the tickets, Rae. Come on," Gar told her as he came back.

Rachel frowned as she looked at the menacing balloon that was now at fool height. The basket was sturdy enough but it was still just a woven box. As much as she trusted Gar, Rachel did not trust the contraption he was leading her to.

Her anxiety wasn't tamed even once inside the balloon. The wicker, wood and rope beneath her feet only seemed that much weaker and unable to support her weight.

“I won’t let you fall,” Gar promised as she glared at him.

Too late, a voice whispered in her head and she promptly looked away.

As the balloon took off Raven sealed her lips together in an effort to conceal any yelps of fear. Her stomach swooped as they flew higher and higher and she hadn’t realized it but she had practically buried herself against Gar’s side who was now blushing bright red.

They were well in the sky when Gar nudged her. “Look up, Rae.”

She mumbled something incomprehensible and shook her head against him. “I promise the view is worth it,” he pleaded.

He could feel her pout as she slightly pulled away, eyes still closed tightly. She opened one eye first and then the others then stared agape at the view before her.

It was breathtaking.

She could see the whole kingdom from this height. The forests, the valleys, the rivers, the minute towns. The Azarathian castle on one end stood menacing the distance and she saw spires that could have been the castle of Doom on the other end of the horizon. The sun bathed everything in a tangerine orange as it set beyond the horizon slowly and Rachel didn’t realize as she took a step closer to the edge of the basket to see the whole view better.

Gar watched her watch the sky. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen and the sparkle in her eye that came with the freedom of seeing the world was one he wanted to commit so permanently to his memory that it would never leave him.

“This is…” Rachel breathed. She had no words. She whirled around and looked at Gar as if to ask if he was seeing what she was seeing. He only nodded with an entranced smile as she turned back to the view, her hand still tightly gripped in his.

“I want to stay up here forever,” she said eventually. The sun had set and twilight had begun to fall. Lights dotted the areas with towns with the stray twinkle where people lived in farmland further from the cities. The flame that kept the balloon afloat only burned brighter, washing them both in its soft orange light and meager warmth.

Rachel shivered as a particularly strong gust of wind blew through, undoing the knot of her cloak that was already falling open without her noticing. Before she had a chance to catch it, Gar had already caught it for her. He stepped closer, tucking it tightly under her chin as he wrapped it around her. He withdrew a familiar red brooch inlaid in metal and used it to keep the ends fastened together. He didn’t step back once he was done.

Rachel looked down as she raised her hand to inspect the brooch more closely. “This is the brooch that I saw in the market,” she murmured. Looking back at Gar who she noticed was still standing close to her she blushed.

“It’s from me and Kori.” Gar’s voice was low. “She saw you looking at it and told me it would be a nice gift.”

“But...why?” Rachel asked stunned. First Robin, then Victor and now Kori and Gar too?

“You deserve nice things Rachel.”

Gar raised his hand from where it was still holding her cloak to tenderly brush a few stray hairs the wind had blown into her face. Tucking them behind her ear he looked at her with a gaze so soft Rachel thought she could almost feel the affection rolling off of him. She leaned closer, ready to meet him in the middle when a sudden jerk of the balloon due to the wind sent them sprawling almost on top of each other. They scrambled up quickly, both sporting fierce blushes as they looked away from each other. Rachel went back to looking out at the horizon, reveling in this small taste of freedom.

She was no longer afraid of heights but her hand never left his for the remainder of the ride.

-

Gar insisted on walking her back to the clearing despite how late it had gotten when the evening ended. They had said goodbye to Kori, Robin and Victor at the edge of town. The small group had each hugged her before she left with Kori being the saddest at having to say goodbye to her new friend so soon.

“We must do the hanging out again soon,” Kori insisted. Then she grinned down at the brooch that hadn’t been decorating Rachel’s cloak earlier and had looked to the boys. “Preferably without the boys so we may do the girl talk.” She smiled warmly once more at the younger girl before leaving.

Rachel had to admit the idea of spending more time with Kori sounded nice as excitable as she was. Her energy was the exact opposite from Rachel’s but the violet-haired beauty had greatly enjoyed another girl’s company today. Girl talk, too, sounded nice even though it made Rachel blush at the teasing she knew she would be sure to receive from the redhead.

Victor and Robin had each hugged her too.

“Look out for yourself, little lady,” Victor said. “Next time I’ll introduce you to even more cool foods you’re sure to enjoy.”

He enveloped her in a warm hug before standing aside. Robin didn’t hug her but he smiled, far more warmly than he had earlier in the day when he first met her.

“Take care of yourself, Rachel,” he said. Blunt but with an undertone of genuine care.

Gar had dragged her off after that. Rachel had felt warm the entire walk back, thrilled the day had gone so well. She would have to lie especially well to Lady Azar today about why she was so late but it was worth it. As they reached the clearing which was now lit only by the moonlight, nightlight glow flowers and the small lamp Gar had bought in town for the journey back, he tugged on her hand.

“Rachel, did you have fun today?” He asked. He had wanted the day to be perfect for her. It was her first day out after all.

“I did.”

“You won’t get in trouble will you?” he worried, voicing the very thing she had been thinking about earlier.

“I’ll handle it, Gar. It was worth it.”

He looked into her eyes and seeing nothing but honesty there he nodded. Still not letting go of her hand he bit his lip before blurting out, “Can we meet again tomorrow?”

Rachel chuckled. “We meet almost every day, Gar.”

“I know,” he said. “I have something important I want to tell you.” Seeing Rachel’s alarm, he hastily added, “It’s nothing bad. Just something I’ve been meaning to share for a while and was working up the courage to say.”

That was only half true. Gar wanted to tell Rachel how he felt about her but he also wanted to tell her the truth. That he was the Prince of Doom. That he was a changeling. And that he wanted to court her because he loved her. He couldn’t confess the last thing without making her aware of what she was signing up for. Gar knew he should have told her these things earlier but today while Kori had Rachel distracted with her goodbyes, even Victor had given his blessing to tell Rachel deeming her safe. Dick was still cautious but he too found nothing vicious about Rachel worth being wary about.

Gar would tell her. And if she took the news well, he would confess his feelings to her as well. If she refused him, he knew he’d be heartbroken but Rachel’s happiness was paramount for him. She seemed to have had so little of it in her life. Her friendship was more than enough for him.

Taking in what he said, Rachel exhaled. “Okay,” she agreed. Curiosity painted her features but she no longer looked afraid.

“I think I should tell Lady Azar too,” she admitted.

Gar looked surprised. “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure,” Rachel said. “I’m done hiding. I have you and today was… amazing. Meeting Kori and Victor and Robin? I want to do that again. I want to see the world, and not just from a balloon.” Her voice sounded wistful before turning serious again. “I’m old enough to protect myself now.”

Gar grinned, his white teeth flashing like pearls in the moonlight. He was proud of her.

“Okay,” he agreed, handing her the lamp so she could find her way back. “So, tomorrow then? Same time as always?”

“Tomorrow,” Rachel agreed. She looked at the lamp he had given her, curious as to how he’d find his way back without it. He sensed her question and shook his head.

“I can see fine in the dark,” he promised, urging her to go. She turned and left knowing he’d leave from the opposite end of the clearing. When she turned to look back at a rustle in the leaves of the trees he was already gone. Assuming he was a fast walker, she shrugged and kept walking even humming a soft tune she had heard in the town as she went.

As suspected, Lady Azar was worried sick.

“I fell asleep while meditating, Lady Azar,” Rachel apologized, looking as contrite as possible. “It won’t happen again,” she promised.

As she left the room she didn’t notice the fearful look Lady Azar threw at the lamp in her hand. One with a design so different from the ones the monastery used.

‘Tomorrow,’ Rachel promised herself. ‘Tomorrow, I’ll tell Lady Azar everything and be free.’

-

The next day, Rachel woke up with a smile on her face. She had slept better than she ever had before in her whole life. Lady Azar was standing in her door, looking severe which caused the smile to fall off her face as soon as she noticed.

“Rachel, see me in my room,” the old woman said sharply and left.

Rachel felt dread pool in her stomach. Did Lady Azar know? Was she in trouble? She shrugged those thoughts off.

Even if Lady Azar knew, Rachel was ready to reveal everything by herself anyway. She’d tell her mentor and then meet Gar in the woods this morning just as they’d planned.

Lady Azar was waiting. Rachel waited almost impatiently while the wizened monk finished meditating before turning to her.

“You left the woods,” the monk stated.

Rachel opened her mouth in surprise but then let out a breath.

“Yes,” she admitted. “I made a friend in the woods. He took me to see the town.”

Anger flickered across Lady Azar’s usually serene eyes. “You foolish girl! Do you have any idea how you’ve endangered yourself?”

Rachel felt a volley of her own anger fill her.

“But I didn’t!” she protested. “I was safe! Nothing happened!”

Lady Azar ignored her. “How long has this been going on?”

“Almost a year.”

Her eyes were defiant as the monk looked on in despair. Feeling a stab of guilt, Rachel further added, “I only went to Azarath yesterday. Before that Gar and I only met in the woods.”

“Gar?” Lady Azar asked incredulously. “You’ve been meeting a man in the woods for a year and didn’t say anything?”

“Would you have let me keep seeing him?” When Lady Azar didn’t reply, Rachel huffed. “That’s what I thought.”

“This is serious, child!”

“No! It’s not! And I’m not a child!” she growled. “I’ve been here for eighteen years. Nothing has ever happened to me. I can’t stay here forever!”

“You won’t!” Lady Azar promised. “But-“

“No! Not even another day!” Rachel’ was done. “I have this,” she held out her dagger, “whatever is waiting I can protect myself.”

“You’re naive and stupider than I thought if you think what waits for you can be defeated by a mere dagger!” Lady Azar screamed.

“Then TELL ME!” Rachel yelled back as loudly. She didn’t feel the wind whipping behind her or the dark shadow erupting behind her either. “Tell me what waits for me so I can! I’m done hiding!”

“R-rachel,” Lady Azar stuttered. The girl didn’t notice the fear in her mentor’s eyes or where her gaze was fixed.

“No!” she was crying now. “If you won’t tell me then I’ll find out myself. But not here. Never again, here.”

With one last look at her mentor, Rachel ran from the room, ignorant to the destruction being left in her wake.

-

Rachel ran to the woods. Anger, despair and frustration bubbled inside her. Lady Azar hadn't understood just like Rachel knew she wouldn't. She was intent on keeping her locked inside the monastery. But no more. Rachel had friends now. She had Gar. She would protect herself outside the walls if she must, she would live inside them if they were the only way she could protect herself, but she would be confined to them no longer.

Her burst of rage gave way to anxiety as she ran through the path she had become well accustomed to. Gar would be waiting. She had promised to meet him and it had been over an hour past their usual meeting time. She had never been so late before and she desperately hoped he'd still be waiting. She wanted to know what he had to tell her. It seemed important. She also just wanted to see him. He had a way of melting her worries away with his boyish charm and sweet smile. She felt safe with him in his arms. She wanted nothing more than to cry in them right now as she vented her frustrations about Lady Azar to him.

When she entered the clearing just past the brook she looked around. "Gar?" she called out. She didn't shout but her voice was a few octaves higher than her usual calm tempo. Had he left already? Rachel hoped he hadn't. She didn't want to go back to the monastery without seeing him. She didn't even know where he lived or where else to find him so she could go to him.

"Gar!" she called out again a little louder this time.

"The prince you seek isn't here, young one." A sickly voice whispered into the empty clearing.

Rachel felt her blood freeze. "Who's there?" she asked angrily. "Gar if that's you playing a prank on me I swear I will skin you alive."

"Pity child, you don't even recognize your own father," the eerie voice continued. The wind had stopped whistling in the trees and all was silent. The birds had flown away too and Rachel felt her skin prickle with fear.

"My father?"

"Oh yes dear daughter. I have been looking for you and at last I have found you."

Rachel gasped as she felt something move in the shadows to her right. A dark cast fell over the grass but no one was there.

"What are you?" she whispered. Her eyes trained on the shadow that had now taken the form of a man as tall as the tree itself.

"Only what you are too, Raven."

Rachel gulped.

"My name is Rachel. Go away. You have the wrong girl. My father was human."

"Lady Azar fed you lies, child. Have you not realized it yet?"

"What?" Rachel took a step back as two beady eyes looked at her menacingly from the shadows.

"Surely you know by now. Surely it is why you have come running."

Steeling herself, Rachel stood up firm, straightening her shaking shoulders.

"I came looking for Gar. I didn't run away."

"Ahh yes the cursed prince," the voice slithered again.

"Why do you keep calling him that?" Rachel asked.

"Because he is, child. Didn't you know?"

"Gar is just an ordinary boy. He's not cursed. He's not a prince."

"You'd believe what he says so easily? Foolish girl. He is Prince Garfield Logan of Doom. So far above your current rank, you could only hope to reach him."

"He would have told me. He trusts me!" Rachel screamed. Her faith in Gar wouldn’t allow her to believe the words of some strange spirit. Then she remembered something. "He was going to tell me today." She breathed. "We were supposed to meet but I was late. He would have told me."

"Then where is he?"

"I was late!" Rachel ground out.

"But I was not," the shadow whispered. "I have been here waiting for you. And yet your prince never came. It would have made no difference if you had arrived one hour earlier or three."

"N-no. He promised," Rachel faltered. "I won't trust you over him."

"You'd trust the hag who lied to you about your heritage over me? A prince who was only using you for a distraction. Did he tell you his curse? That he is a changeling? That he holds command of each and every animal mystic and otherwise in his veins?"

"N-no…" Rachel whispered. Gar was a changeling? She didn't want to believe it. Didn't want to believe he hadn't told her something so important. But it made sense now. Why he never had to come by horse or carriage. How he hadn’t needed a lantern the night before. How he was always so fast to reach here despite living so far away in Doom. Truly that was the only thing she knew about him. That he lived in Doom. And now she had just been told he not only lived there but ruled too. He was the prince. Even if he could not trust her with something as personal as his ability to morph, what could have prevented him from revealing he was royalty?

Doubt began to creep into her heart. How much had Gar not told her? She had told him that she lived in the monastery. She had trusted him with what she knew of her past. Why had he not trusted her? Was it something she lacked? Or was it as this shadow said. He was just using her. Like Malchior had wanted to. Someone easy to play with who he could discard since she was nothing but a lowly naive peasant girl.

"I can help you Raven. I can make it so he won't use you as a mere distraction. He will respect you, trust you, treat you as you deserve. I can make it so that Azar never manipulates you, weakens you, ever again."

"I'm Rachel," she protested feebly. "Raven is the princess of Azarath."

"You are the princess of Azarath, Raven. The truth the old hag kept hidden from you. Nobility is in your blood as is the unimaginable powers you possess."

The voice was soothing now, almost gentle as if it was trying to soften the blows it was delivering. Rachel was no longer looking at the eyes of the shadow but they glittered with malevolence still.

"Powers?" she said faintly, her mind a whirl.

"The magic of demons runs in your veins. Your soul is a powerful projection just like the projection of mine you see now. Your emotions unleash your power. Lady Azar kept it hidden from you so you would remain under her control."

"If I have powers then why didn't I feel them. I've been feeling my emotions without her knowing for months," Raven whispered. The fight had left her. Now she just wanted answers.

"Lady Azar kept them locked within you with powerful spells. You never knew what you possessed. How could you have felt them? But now you do. Now you can feel them. Break the spell on them with your own magic. Use them."

Raven sunk to the forest floor, the dagger she had raised falling from her hand. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she almost recoiled at the dark energy that gathered at her hands unexpectedly.

What Trigon was saying was true. Her awareness had awakened her powers. As much as she wished it, he wasn't lying.

"Come with me Raven. Reclaim your birthright. Sit on your throne as my daughter, Princess of Azarath. Your Prince will be unable to refuse you. Lady Azar will cower before you. The people will revere you."

"I-I…"

Raven grunted as she grabbed her head through her sobs. Her emotions were conflicted. She didn't know how to trust. Lady Azar had lied to her about everything. But everything she knew about Trigon was that he was evil. But if she was truly Raven, truly the daughter of a demon, then that meant she was evil too. That meant she was born for this. And no matter what she did, she couldn't escape such a bleak destiny.

A sudden rush of fury filled her to the core. Anger at Lady Azar for keeping the truth from her. Anger at Gar for not trusting her. Anger at herself for being naive. Trigon was the only one who hadn't lied to her yet. And if he could give her answers, Raven wanted to hear them.

"Have you decided, daughter?" Trigon asked. She could not hear the glee in the demon's voice.

"Yes," she whispered. "I want to come home."

-

Gar was worried.

He'd been waiting for Rachel for over an hour. In his anxiety to finally tell her the truth about himself, he ended up arriving early just to pace around the clearing and rehearse what he was going to say. He was almost relieved when she didn't show up on time but as the hours passed, an unsettling feeling of dread settled in his chest. Rachel was never late. Usually, it was him who was late to their rendezvous.

Her words from the previous evening repeated in his mind. How she had looked so hopeful and willing to tell Lady Azar about the friends she had made, about her desire to see more of the world with him and his friends. It was a risk she hadn't wanted to take before but meeting Victor and Dick and Kori and experiencing something as freeing as flying in the sky had finally freed her of any remaining reservations.

Gar didn't know if she had told Lady Azar yet. She had told him she would and then come to meet him. Had she tried and Lady Azar forbade her from coming? A sense of panic enveloped Gar's heart. He couldn't stand that. He couldn't stand not meeting Rachel. She was the highlight of his life now and she had become too important to him to lose.

After waiting another half-hour, he steeled himself. He'd go to the monastery and speak to Lady Azar himself. Rachel may not be happy with him but he'd rather face her wrath than never see her again. He had to at least try.

Looking at the dense foliage ahead, Gar decided flying above the tree line would be much faster. Turning into a small falcon he swooped up and above the canopy, not noticing Rachel as she stumbled into the clearing only minutes later.

The monastery doors were wide open and cracks ran across the marble stone in the walls. Stepping into the doorway and transforming back, Gar stared in amazement at the destruction. The branches of the trees were bent and broken. The flowerbeds were in disarray. Crumpled up leaves and petals were scattered on the stone pathways. It was like there had been a storm. But there had been no storm today. With a sinking feeling of dread, Gar made his way through the building calling for anyone left. It was silent. Like a graveyard. Not even the birds chirped.

A sudden groan picked up through his sensitive hearing had Gar running to the room where it came from. On the floor lay an old woman with snow white hair and in the red robes of the monks. She was clearly in pain but struggled to open her eyes.

"Lady Azar?" Gar questioned as he took a step closer to her. She opened her eyes at last and despite the pain they were piercing and fierce.

"What happened here?" Gar questioned slowly wondering if the old woman understood him.

"So you're the boy," Lady Azar said instead as she sat up with his help.

"Rachel told you about me?" Gar asked ecstatic. Then seeing the mess around the room he became worried. "Where is she? Is she okay? What happened?"

"Foolish boy. Shehappened. She's the one who did this."

"Rachel?" he asked in disbelief. "How could she have done this."

"Because she's not Rachel. She's the daughter of a demon. Her emotions have destroyed this place. You'd do well to stay away from her boy. It's your fault this happened."

Seeing the rage in the old woman's eyes Gar glared. This was the woman Rachel had been raised with? Unkind, harsh and clearly uncompassionate.

"Where is she?" he growled out.

"She left," Lady Azar spat bitterly. "Nearly eighteen years of hiding the truth from her to protect everyone and its worth nothing at the end."

"What do you mean? What truth? Why did you hide her? Nobody needs protection from her. She's a normal girl."

"I told you boy. The girl you knew doesn't exist. Only Raven, the daughter of Trigon the demon exists. She destroyed this place when I refused to let her go back and see you. I had thought I had kept her powers hidden from her and yet somehow still she accessed them. Are you proud of yourself now? Who will stop her if she decides to exact revenge?"

Gar was stumped." R-raven?" he asked. "But that means she's…"

"The princess of Azarath?" Lady Azar scorned. "Her mother entrusted her to me as a child because Trigon was going to kill her. She was to be kept here until she could control herself by her eighteenth birthday. How was I to know she had discarded all her training to meet you. And now in her rage she will destroy us all."

Gar opened and closed his mouth a few times before his face formed an ugly scowl.

"This is your fault," he hissed. "Don't blame it on anyone else when you should have told her the truth. Rachel isn't evil. She may have done this; she may be the daughter of a demon but that doesn’t make her evil. She was scared and confused and you LIED TO HER!" Gar growled. He could feel his skin turning green and sprouting fur as the instincts to become a monster and maul this woman who had hurt his Rachel- no his Raven, became overpowering.

He regained control at the last second. He gripped the old woman's shoulders tightly as his glare pierced into her.

"I'm going to ask one last time. Where. Is. She?"

"She left. The last thing I remember talking to her about is meeting you," Lady Azar said looking positively cowed at the realization that the boy in front of her was a changeling.

Gar released her shoulders and stood up, looking back down in disgust.

Without another word he turned back into a falcon and raced to the clearing.

"Rachel! RACHEL!"He yelled as he transformed back cursing when she wasn't there. He had missed her. If only he had stayed a few more minutes instead of going to the monastery he would have found her.

As he wandered around the clearing his boot hit something and he bent down to inspect it. A silver dagger with a ruby in the hilt. The same dagger Dick had gotten Rachel just yesterday. What happened to her?

Panic seized Gar's chest as he turned into a bird to fly, this time below the canopy looking for any sign of Rachel.

After an hour of searching he collapsed, the dagger in hand as he thought over where she might be. Something didn't feel right and Gar couldn't figure out what. Thinking back to Lady Azar's words Gar thought long and hard. Lady Azar had said Rachel didn't know about her powers, couldn't access them until she did. But if she didn't know of them? Then how could she have destroyed the monastery? It didn't make sense.

Running one hand through his hair and down his face in exhaustion, he sighed. Rachel was Raven. Princess of Azarath. He had been meeting up with the hidden princess for months and he had never known. But she was so unlike Trigon. Gar had been forced to meet with Trigon only a few times before but that man was truly inhuman and demonic. Raven was nothing like him. Looking back, it was true she had an etherealness about her that Gar had just mistaken to be her spellbinding beauty. It was no secret he was smitten with her. But it made sense she was half demon.

What didn't make sense was why she had lost control of her powers if Lady Azar had simply disallowed her to see him.

Bolting up Gar felt sick to his stomach. Something Rachel always told him finally made its way to the forefront. Lady Azar had told her that Trigon could sense her emotions which was why she was kept on neutral territory within the monastery where he couldn’t touch her. He had assumed that was a lie too to keep the truth hidden from Rachel but what if it wasn't? What if Trigon could sense her and follow her? What if the protection around Raven had been broken because he had brought her to Azarath just the day before. Then… that would mean the monastery's destruction was not Raven's doing… it was Trigon's.

Trigon must have taken Raven. That's why her dagger was in the clearing. She needed help.

Everyone knew Trigon had wanted nothing more than to kill his newborn daughter. Her being alive had only been a rumor to give the people hope… until now. Raven really was alive. And if Trigon had her she was in unimaginable danger.

But first, Gar would need backup and he knew just the people to go to for it.

-

It had been a day and Rachel- no it was Raven now, was reconsidering her decision to come back to Azarath. She had met with her father only once and he had tearfully greeted her but with a sinister smile that had put her on edge.

Now wandering the halls of the castle, she questioned how good of a decision it was to come here without telling anyone. But then who could she have told? Lady Azar? Gar? The very people who had hurt and betrayed her.

It was pathetic really, how unaware she had been of her own identity. One of the first things Rachel had done when she had arrived at the palace was ask after her mother. The servants told her that Arella had passed a few years earlier. Despite never knowing her mother, despite her anger at having given her up, Raven couldn't help the grip of sorrow that wound its way around her heart at this unknown loss.

Still, nothing was as it seemed in this castle. Something put her skin on edge. One side of her, a darker side that Raven was too scared to consider, reveled in the darkness and suffering that lurked in these walls. The other part of her, the human part that craved acceptance and love and desired kindness was revolted. Her senses were heightened and she could feel the misery of the servants and of the people who lived close to the palace walls. Trigon wasn't as he seemed. But who else was she to go to?

"Come in, daughter," Trigon summoned once Raven had made her way into the throne room.

He had been waiting for her. His sharp features resembled so much of her own. The sharp face. The red tinted eyes. The demonic aura.

"I have a gift for you," Trigon's voice slithered. "In the happiness of your return and your birthday tomorrow, I have this."

Raven came closer as Trigon opened a small box carved with odd symbols she couldn't understand. Within it rested a diamond shaped gem. A blood red ruby.

"Thank you, father," Raven said quietly unsure what to make of this. Her mind flashed back to the ruby brooch that Kori had gotten her and Gar had gifted her. The gem hadn't been nearly as refined as this one but somehow it held more meaning. Pushing the thoughts of her former friends away, she tried to smile. Before she could touch it though, Trigon pulled the box away.

"It is not merely to possess. It will grant you direction to your power. Allow me."

He brought out the gem and Raven stayed still as her father touched it to her forehead right between her eyes. A strange heat spread through her head as the gem took hold and became embedded in her skin. She screamed as she felt white hot power scorch through her. She felt as if her head was splitting open from the pain.

Lashing out with her powers, Raven was horrified to find she couldn't feel them as strongly as she had before.

"WHAT DID YOU DO?" She screamed as she stumbled away.

Trigon's face remained covered with the same impassive smirk it had been before.

"What I always planned to," he waved dismissively. "Tomorrow on the eve of your eighteenth birthday, your power shall become mine. I will have no more use of you. But until then, stay safe, daughter." His hand reached for the stone now embedded in her head and Raven turned away.

Trigon only chuckled darkly as he walked away leaving her on the floor of the cold dark throne room in tears.

She had been a fool once again. She had forgotten, or rather ignored, what she knew of Trigon. That he had been the one rumored to kill his daughter. Her craving for love and acceptance had gotten her here and now she had no way out. Trigon would take her powers and kill her and no one would be wiser for it.

Unable to push herself to her feet with the pain still heavy in her head, Raven wrapped her cloak tighter around herself and cried.

-

“Are you sure this will work, Gar?” Dick questioned as they hid in the forest right at the edge of the Azarathian palace.

“It has to,” the green and brown-haired prince replied. His face was drawn up in a snarl as he thought of Raven trapped in the palace by her father. Was she alright? Did Trigon hurt her? Was she even still alive?

“Friend Gar, you must calm down,” Kori’s soothing voice came from behind him.

“Right. Sorry Star,” he winced. He took a few calming breaths then looked to Victor who smiled sympathetically.

“We’re all worried about her B. We’ll get to her in time.”

“Then let’s go.”

The group made their way through the shrubs and along to the castle walls. It had taken Gar longer than he had hoped to gather his troops. Steve had resolutely refused to allow any of the Doom military to become involved in this mission. He had practically delegated Gar to his room for even thinking such a thing. Azarath was not their problem, and Steve refused to let Gar’s emotions for a demon princess lead Doom to war. Rita had been more understanding but could not help by herself. Instead, she had given Gar the window of opportunity to escape and gather his friends while she kept Steve distracted.

Victor, Kori and Dick had been ready to follow Gar the minute they had heard what happened. Despite having only met Rachel for a day, they had all loved her. The realization that she was Princess Raven had done little to dissuade them. Dick had half-heartedly played devil’s advocate and questioned the likelihood of Raven having gone to Trigon on her own but seeing the dagger that he had gifted her and Gar had found on the forest floor had won him over too.

Much to Gar’s dismay, Dick had insisted they tell the monks about Gar’s theory.

“They don’t deserve to know!” Gar had spat. “Not when it’s their fault this happened!”

“You don’t think I know that?” the older boy had argued back. “But we need to tell them. They’ve known her since she was a baby. If she is hurt and we need help they’re our best bet. It’s better to make sure they know anyway. Or would you rather they keep thinking she’s the one who destroyed their sanctuary?”

Loathe as he was to admit it, Dick had a point and so Gar had gone back to tell Lady Azar. The old woman had barely looked at him as she directed the other monks to clean up the mess left behind. Gar hadn’t waited for her approval before flying off.

Now they were here. Ambushing Trigon’s castle with an army of four. Not many were aware that Kori was an other-worldly princess from a people who treasured warriors. She had come to this world seeking new horizons and experience. Many were also not aware that Victor had steel in his bones. They had embedded in him, the magic and minerals in them revived him with the assistance of a powerful physician when he had suffered an accident. The metal now grew as naturally as the rest of his limbs, hidden from everyone but those who knew him. They were a small army, but they would have to make do.

“It’s easier if Trigon isn’t expecting us,” Dick had added as he drew up the plans. He had grown up the protege of one of the best military leaders in the land and would be directing the mission.

As the quartet climbed their way up the palace walls, they watched in horror as torches became ablaze the moment they landed.

Trigon had known they were coming.

“Foolish mortals,” a shadow in the shape of a man hissed. “You’re too late.”

Gar growled about to pounce on the Trigon’s essence in a fit of fury.

“Beast Boy, WAIT!” Robin yelled, holding him back.

“Your skills are puny and beneath my notice. Malchior shall battle you instead while I complete the ritual to make Raven’s power mine.”

The shadow disappeared. From the place where it had fallen previously the ground rumbled and out erupted a thorned vine that twisted and spun meeting with others that erupted as well, blocking the group’s way the castle.

A loud screech sounded as the group looked up to see a dragon circling them, blowing enchanted fire as if taunting them.

“Malchior?” Beast Boy whispered. Raven had told him about the dragon once. She hadn’t said much, clearly too embarrassed by the memory of her own foolishness. She had only told him that the dragon had tried to lure her away in the form of a man and that she was glad Gar was nothing like him. It made him guilty for keeping his secret from her but now it only deepened the realization that Trigon had known where Raven was all this time. He had tried to capture her before using the dragon but when that had failed he had waited until Raven entered Azarath and the spell the monks put on her was broken to follow her.

With a snarl, he turned into a rhino and began to crash through the pointed shrubbery, certain his friends would protect him from behind.

He had to get to Raven before it was too late.

-

Raven woke up on the day of her birth dreading what was to come. She stayed in her room well into the afternoon and almost until the evening when Trigon summoned her. All her attempts at forcing her powers to work were futile and ended up in her becoming more panicked. The situation was hopeless and she didn’t know what to do.

“I can sense you’ve been trying to escape,” Trigon said, almost amused, when she finally stood in front of him. “Foolish daughter. The stone will prevent that from happening. He whose power possesses it can amplify its power.”

Raven glowered silently. She loathed the man that was her father. She loathed him for believing in her.

Outside the sun was about to set and an explosion sounded. Turning her head to the window in surprise, she saw a giant dragon flying.

“Have you met Malchior?” Trigon asked. “A pity he wasn’t able to get you to leave the monastery like that prince of yours did. But no matter. It worked out for the best to have you at your most powerful while I drain every last drop.”

Raven took a step back, her rage blinding her as she tried to summon the dark energy again. Trigon laughed at her attempts.

“Just as those foolish humans can do nothing to save you now, neither can you stop me.”

“Foolish humans?” Raven muttered. She looked a little closer back out the window; this time seeing the small figures making their way through a maze of thorns that hadn’t been there earlier.

“Gar,” she whispered, seeing a green eagle fly near the dragon trying to claw its eyes out.

He came for her.

Yet another lie of Trigon’s which had been exposed.

This wasn’t over yet. Raven saw the small figures of Victor, Kori and Robin as they fought their way through the bushes, flying, blasting, burning. They were coming for her.

She had to fight.

Turning back to Trigon she felt her fury encase her yet again before another voice broke through the haze.

“Patience, child,” Lady Azar’s memory whispered. “Deep breaths. Find your center. When you take control of your emotions, only then will you be able to channel them.”

Raven gasped. She had been going about this all wrong. Lady Azar had lied to her on many accounts but she had always known who Raven was. She had always taught Raven how to control her powers.

Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm the storm whirling inside her. Instead, she imagined itself as the eye of it. The center where everything was calm, where she could see the chaos and take control.

Trigon seemed to notice her attempts for he laughed again but Raven ignored him, blocking out all the sounds.

She allowed herself to feel.

She felt the anger, she felt the betrayal, she felt the hurt and sorrow at all the lies she had been victim to, all the pain she had been subjected and all the things she had lost or had no chance to have growing up. She felt the envy for a different life.

She felt the peace she had longed for, the happiness the memories with her friends gave her, the rare pride she felt when Lady Azar bestowed her with a compliment.

She felt the love she held for Gar. The emotion she had been most afraid of and the emotion she had most longed for. He had come for her. He cared about her. She could almost feel his soft caress as he pushed her hair out of her face, the gentle tug as he wrapped her cloak tighter around her so she wouldn’t be cold. The warmth of his body as they stood so close.

She felt everything she ever wanted to, and then slowly, she let go.

-

Gar could feel the heat scorching him as Malchior tried to breathe fire on him again. Kori had escaped the tangled thorns and had flew after him now using her starbolt spells to try and knock the dragon out of the sky.

Victor and Robin were still on the ground fighting their way through to the palace doors to hopefully break in and find Raven before it was too late. The sun was setting and there was little time left.

Since clawing the dragon’s eyes out wasn’t working, Gar transformed into a dragon himself, settling down on one of the castle’s spires to breathe fire into the other dragon. Malchior was larger than him but Beast Boy had a greater reason. With Starfire using her eyes' heat vision to distract the dragon once more and lead him beyond the castle, he turned into a fly and came up in front of a larger dragon. Starfire ducked out of the way right as he transformed back and threw a volley of flames into the other dragon’s open mouth. In the confusion, Starfire threw another powerful Starbolt at Malchior backing him up again and again against the cliffside behind the castle.

With a roar, Beast Boy turned into an eagle again, clawing at the dragon’s eyes. Starfire threw a starbolt at the edge of the cliff so it would crumble and right as Malchior tried to paw Beast Boy away, he flew out of the way as Malchior fell into the thorns below as a man again.

“Are you alright Friend Beast Boy?” Kori asked, breathing heavily. Her hair was a mess and sweat dotted her brow as she flew over the edge of the cliff to see if Malchior really was gone.

“I’m fine. We need to get to Raven.”

Without another look at the charred remains of the dragon beneath, they flew back to the castle.

-

Raven could feel the power coming. The stone was a channel like her father said except it was herchannel and not his. The whispers of the townsfolk echoed in her mind. The tale they had told her. Their excitement discussing the princess’ birthday.

“She’s more powerful than Trigon. He tried to kill her because she would one day kill him.”

‘Was it the truth?’ She wondered as she meditated through her soul. Everyone believed it was. She was willing to try and find out.

Trigon’s dark power tried to fight hers within the stone but Raven’s darkness fought back. Eventually, she overpowered it and her eyes opened, turning a blinding white. Her cloak had turned bright white, the only color left was the red brooch pinning it together. A symbol of her friends. Her chosen family.

“Your reign ends today,father,” Raven hissed. She could see the fear in Trigon’s eyes. She could feel it in her soul as the realization came over him. Raven allowed her demonic side to feel the sick pleasure this time, revel in it, feed on it.

She had the power to defeat Trigon.

She would.

With a heaving yell she flew into the air, using her hands to direct the power at the demon that had terrorized Azarath for so long. Trigon roared as he attempted to draw up a shield but Raven was too strong. She felt her skull pounding, her heartbeat racing in a way that was almost painful. The dark tendrils of her magic wove within her veins and spun around her body. The exhaustion was imminent. It would overtake her soon but not yet. Not until she defeated Trigon.

She had no knowledge of Victor and Robin entering the throne room first followed by Kori and Gar only minutes later. All she felt was her raw unbound power being unleashed like hell’s fury on the demon that called himself her father to manipulate her and use her at her weakest.

She could feel herself fading, fading.

With one last burst of energy, she released the last of the emotions she had been holding on to. Trigon roared in defeat and Raven was plummeting to the floor. A smile was on her face as she fell into slumber.

-

Gar ran to Raven as soon as he saw her fall. The scorch mark where Trigon had been before the throne went ignored as he flew to catch her transforming back into a human as he landed on the floor.

“Raven?” He yelled in panic. “R-raven wake up!”

Kori came up after him along with Victor who quickly went to inspect her too. Dick went to inspect the scorch mark to be certain Trigon was defeated and nothing else would catch them off guard.

“She’s still breathing,” Victor sighed in relief. He was the most well trained in medicine out of all of them.

“Why isn’t she waking up?” Gar almost sobbed, shaking her harder.

“Raven… Rachel!Wake up. Please!”

“Friend Beast Boy, you must calm down,” Kori put a hand on his shoulder although she was crying too.

“What’s wrong with her?” he begged.

“She used too much of her power, young prince,” a new voice came from behind.

Dick immediately fell into a defensive position in front of the group on the floor before realizing who it was. He eased his stance but still looked suspicious.

“Lady Azar?” Gar asked dumbly.

“It seems you were right. Raven did not cause the destruction and even if she had she would have been within her rights.” The wizened woman looked ashamed. “I should have told her the truth instead of waiting for this day. She has fought bravely on her own even when victim to the worst emotions.”

“Why are you talking like she’s dead? STOP TALKING LIKE SHE’S DEAD!” Gar screamed. Tears were streaming down his face now as he looked back down to the sleeping princess in his arms.

“She is not dead. But she is in a deep coma. Her emotions had been locked away for so long and the magnitude of power she displayed exhausted them all. She can only awaken through the help of someone with a deep emotional connection to her,” Lady Azar said sadly.

“Well you’re basically her mother figure,” Victor pointed out. “Can’t you save her?”

“I never allowed myself to become too close to Raven,” the woman looked grieved. “It was too dangerous. I fear Raven has never had an emotional bond of substance with anyone. I never allowed her to.”

“This is your fault then,” Robin stepped forward, glass shards in his voice. “There has to be something we can do. She can’t stay asleep forever.” He turned back to his friends. Beast Boy���s eyes were shut and his mouth pressed in a firm line as he tried to contain the sobs. Kori was crying too and Victor looked close to it as he watched his best friend mourn what very well might be the death of his best friend.

“Maybe there is,” Victor said suddenly. “B, you gotta try!”

He shook his friend’s shoulder so Gar opened his eyes. “Me?” he asked in shock.

“You’re the only one closest to Rach- I mean Raven. You’ve been meeting up with her for almost a year. You’ve told us how you feel about her!” The older man insisted.

“Just because I feel that way doesn’t mean she feels the same, Vic!” Gar said hopelessly, voice tinged with despair and even a hint of anger.

“Friend Garfield, you are our only hope,” Kori begged. Her eyes pleaded with him to understand. “It is, as you say, worth the shot, is it not?”

Gar looked at all his friends and even at Lady Azar who was silently watching the proceedings.

“I do not know the nature of Raven’s feelings,” the elder spoke gently, “But I am aware she felt strongly for you. You’re our only hope.”

Gar gulped. “Why not one of you?” He asked his friends.

Victor groaned. “You kidding me Garfield? We met her for the first time two days ago! You’ve been friends with her for almost a year. We all know there is something there between you two. You have to try.”

“Yes, or else Friend Rachel may sleep forever,” Starfire reminded, mournfully.

“Come on Beast Boy,” Robin insisted. “If you love her, it's possible she loves you too.”

Gar looked back down at the sleeping beauty within his arms. Her brow was still beaded with sweat and her dark violet hair fell messily into her face. Her breathing was even and despite the smudges of dirt and blood on her face she looked so peaceful. So beautiful. Her soft-looking lips parted as she softly breathed and Gar was hit with the memory of the moment they shared in the sky balloon. Was that only days earlier? It felt like years.

Gar knew he loved her. He had wanted to tell her along with his other two most important secrets. He would have begged to court her, Steve’s protests about her being beneath his level be damned. Yet all this time she was a princess. And not only a princess, but a powerful one. More than he could ever be.

Gar felt the lump in his throat at the idea that she would never wake again. At the thought that he would never see her amethyst eyes roll in annoyance or amusement at his stupid jokes. That her lips would never quirk at the corners with the beginning of a smile she tried to hide. He didn’t want to live in a world like that.

Even if she didn’t love him. Even if she only felt friendship for him, she had too much light to sleep forever.

Without realizing he was doing it, Gar leaned down slowly. He breathed in, taking in Raven’s loveliness one last time as he pushed the stray strands of hair out of her face. Even hurt and a mess she was still the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

His lips met her soft ones in a chaste but adoring kiss. All the love he felt, all the affection he had harbored for her since their first meeting, he pressed into that kiss hoping it was enough to wake her. Hoping she loved him in return.

When he pulled away, Starfire’s gasp and Victor’s booyah and Dick’s sigh of relief mere background noise, her amethyst eyes looked back at him. Tired, but surprised and happy.

“Gar?” she whispered, almost confused as to where she was.

He couldn’t take it anymore and with something between a laugh and a cry he crushed her in a hug. She wiggled in annoyance but even as she pulled away to sit up, he held her tight.

“Don’t ever scare me like that again, Rae!” He yelled. “I can’t handle it!”

“It’s Rache-” She paused. Her regular retort dying on her lips. “It’s Raven,” she corrected instead. “Princess of Azarath.”

Gar chuckled. It was time for him to come clean too. “I’m Garfield Logan,” he replied. “Prince of Doom.”

She smiled then and Gar swore it lit up the whole room, dreary as it was. Fireworks sounded from outside in celebration for the Princess’ birthday now that the sun had well and truly set.

“Happy Birthday, Raven,” Gar whispered. She replied by tugging him forward to give him a kiss of her own.

-

Starfire had been ecstatic and stolen Raven for a hug right after the second kiss.

“Oh friend Rache- I mean Raven, I was the most worried about you. Please do not scare us like that again.”

Raven looked surprised as she looked around at her friends. They were tired, sweaty, scracteched up and bloody but they were happy and it was only because of her.

“You all came for me?” she asked. She had known of course. She had seen them from the windows earlier. But them standing in front of her, hurt and weary just for her sake seemed to hammer home the fact that she was loved even more.

“Of course, we did,” Victor smiled, hugging her next tightly. “You’re one of us now Raven.”

“You don’t find me creepy?” she couldn’t help but ask all the same.

“B can turn into animals; I’ve got steel in my limbs and Kori can shoot heat from her eyes and fly. You fit in just fine.” he said putting a comforting hand on her shoulder.

“It would seem the odd one out is me,” Robin said from behind. Raven turned around to see him. He was smiling in relief just like the others were.

“I believe this is yours,” he handed her dagger back. The one she had dropped in the forest. “I don’t think you need it anymore though.”

Raven instead hugged him. Robin stood ramrod straight in surprise. He hadn’t been expecting it and wasn’t the touchiest person. “I’ll always need you all Robin,” Raven said instead.

“Dick,” he said instead. “My real name is Richard. But this bunch calls me Dick. You’re part of the family now, Raven.”

She smiled and turned to the last person who looked on in relief but was too fearful to approach her.

“Lady Azar,” Raven called softly. She was surprised to see her mentor here after how their last meeting ended.

“Raven,” Lady Azar acknowledged. She looked upset. “I’m sorry to have misled you for so much of your life.”

Raven couldn’t help the frown that flickered to her face at that. “You shouldn’t have done that,” she agreed. “But I’m happy you taught me what you did. And I’m happy to have you here.”

She threw her arms around the woman for the first time in her life and then quickly pulled away. Neither she nor Lady Azar were one for hugs as a form of affection. There was too much distance despite the eighteen years between them for that.

“I’m proud of you Raven,” Lady Azar said. “Despite my misgivings, you applied what you learnt well. And the friends you have made? They are good.”

Raven looked back at where Kori, Dick, and Victor were all surrounding Gar, possibly teasing him.

“Especially your prince,” Lady Azar continued. “He is quite protective of you. He’s in love with you.”

Raven looked away from Lady Azar at that, trying to hide her blush. Just because she still respected the older woman and had understood her apology, didn’t mean she wanted to hold her emotions on display for her anyway. “I know,” she chose to say instead. Gar caught her eye from where he was standing and winked playfully despite the blush rising to his own cheeks. “I’m in love with him too.”

-

They had ended up going to the capitol to stay in one of the boarding houses. The castle was spacious but far too dreary and held the fresh memory of what happened.

“Seems like you’ll be spending some time redecorating and landscaping,” Gar joked on the terrace before they left the castle through the air. The thorned vines still made up most of the castle grounds and none of them wanted to brave them yet again so Kori had carried Lady Azar back to the entrance before returning for Dick while Gar planned on carrying Victor after transforming into a velociraptor. The metal man was currently making himself discreet, aware that Raven and Gar had some things to talk through that they hadn’t had a chance to yet in the heights of elation of Trigon’s defeat and Raven’s awakening.

“Seems so,” Raven admitted. “I wouldn’t mind some company while I do.”

They hadn’t discussed what their relationship was yet. Gar was still the prince of Doom and she was still princess, or as some would consider her Queen after Trigon’s death, of Azarath. They were neighboring kingdoms, but the kind of relationship they were used to having might not be in the cards anymore given both their noble status now.

“I’ll visit every day,” Gar promised even though he wasn’t leaving just yet. “I already flew half-way to meet you near the monastery anyway,” he joked. “What’s half an hour more?”

Raven hummed. “I can fly too now, remember?”

“No longer afraid of heights?” he joked. “They grow up so fast.” He pretended to wipe an imaginary tear and laughed when Raven promptly shoved him.

“We can still meet halfway,” she continued as if he hadn’t interrupted.

Gar’s grin widened more. “Secret rendezvous in the woods? Two young royals. Torn apart by their duties but far too in love to keep apart? They meet under cover of night away from their duties for a chance at a normal life? Maybe even visit a few different places to explore the world together? How positively scandalous, Rae.”

“Shut up,” Raven huffed, blushing at his descriptor. In love. Is that what they were now? She liked the idea of that. “And you say you don’t read romance novels.”

“I may have bought the one you were reading after we first met,” Gar admitted sheepishly. His smile fell off his face then as he took her hand gently, holding it like she had his on the day they were in the sky.

“Rae, you know I trust you, right?” he looked fearful as if he didn’t tell her now she wouldn’t believe him. She only matched his intense gaze urging him to continue, begging for the answers to the questions Trigon had lied and manipulated her with.

“Well, I do.” He promised. “And I wanted to tell you that first day we met. But I didn’t because… because I’ve had people look at me differently because I was the prince. And I was scared. I’d been hurt. I liked what we had,” he was moving closer and closer to her now. “And that was only because I was a prince. People from my own kingdom already fear me because they think I might be a changeling. I was scared that it would turn you away entirely. I didn’t want to give up what we had, not after you, not after we,” he paused to lick his lips, realizing only now just how close they had gotten. “Not after I fell in love with you. You brightened every day for me, Raven. I was going to tell you the day we were supposed to meet but then everything happened and I couldn’t find you an-”

“Gar,” Raven whispered. Her lips were just a hair’s breadth away from his. “Shut up.”

With that she pressed her lips against his again. He immediately reciprocated, wrapping one arm around her waist, the other going to tangle in her hair. She hooked her arms around his neck as the kiss deepened. She felt the love he had for her through her newly discovered empathic abilities and he could hear the thrum of her heartbeat in tune with the heart in his own chest. It was the kiss they had been waiting for, longing for, ever since the day in the air together. Ever since the day they had met perhaps.

“I love you too,” Raven gasped as they pulled away from each other.

Gar’s smile after that was as bright as the moon and her eyes twinkled like the stars. It had taken a long time to get here, but they were finally home, right in each other’s arms.

-

And so the Princess of Azarath and the Prince of Doom courted for many years as they both ascended their thrones as ruling nobles of their individual kingdom’s respectively. On the Princess’s twenty second year of birth, the Prince proposed for marriage and they united their kingdoms together as Queen and King.

The people of both kingdom’s adored their rulers, their apprehension and fear fading each year as no more plagues ripped through the land and no tyrannical laws were implemented.

Kori tied up any loose ends and gave up her monarchy in order to live closer to her friends. She got married Dick who took on the moniker as NightWing and led the military of Doom after Mento retired. Victor joined him and with his new inventions, made the combined kingdoms one of the most advanced in the lands.

It was not a picture-perfect fairytale always. There were road bumps along the way such as when the truth of Prince Garfield’s changeling finally became exposed. There were always the villains that tried to rip apart the happiness and fantasy. But all in all, Raven figured she could have had a worse life.

As she looked at her husband who loved her, the people who revered her, Lady Azar who respected her and her chosen family who adored her, she felt it was a fitting story. The best one could have for a heritage such as hers. After all, what more could she wish for than finding what was the closest one could get to a Happily Ever After…

If you enjoyed this fic please leave a comment or a review! I worked super hard on it and would love to hear readers thoughts and any constructive criticism! And look out for my fic coming for tomorrow's prompt Wedding Bells on the last day of BBRae Week!

Please do check out my friend @lavender-scent's fic for the prompt Sunny Days here and her fic for the prompt Poolside here. She writes BBRae banter to perfection! She was a great help for me during the brainstorming process of this fic and I owe it to her for encouraging me to finish not one but two fics in time for BBRae Week.

[niazelki]

BBRae week 2021

Day 7. Wedding bells

A shared fleeting vision of the future.

Thankyou for watch all my fanarts There are not the best. But it's the first time I did all in digital art just in time. I practiced a lot anda I hope still doing well.

@bbraeweek21

[shblackeagle]

BBRAE Week 2021

Day one: Unconventional Kiss

Garfield Logan was known to have the silliest jokes and pranks at the most stupid and unpredictable times. He was practically famous for it.

Raven knew that, actually everyone did. That's why she often didn't care if he pulled up a prank or cracked a childish joke when everyone least expected. None of those silly jokes got the team into trouble, at least most of the times, so she basically never invested so much into them. He'd always been like this ever since she knew him. It didn't even change when he became an adult. Gar's silly jokes never changed.

But his feelings somehow did.

As an empath Raven could easily feel the slightest changes in everyone. She always knew if something had changed in someone before anyone, even before the person themselves.  Such power was really helpful to the team in many ways. She could feel if someone was being dishonest or too afraid for a mission, maybe even expose a villain's lies. She basically knew things about Titans other titans didn't even have a clue. 

She knew about Dick's inner fears, Kory's homesickness no matter how much she tried to hide it, Victor's sadness about his humanity, Donna's insecurities and many more that they didn't dare to share. Despite that, she never pried more than she was allowed to. But being a very powerful empath she was, she often found herself knowing some private secrets she was not supposed to know. It was hard at first but then she learnt to keep this power more under control, not to expose what she knew and maybe even forget them.

But Gar's sudden change of feelings was not something she could easily overlook.

She knew it wasn't as sudden as she wanted to think. She had been feeling it for months now and at first thought it would disappear like many changes of feelings others went through. But not only didn't it stop but it grew stronger each time she felt it.

She knew exactly when it happened. It was long ago in the medical room. She could picture it in her head easily.

She felt his first slight change of feelings when he was badly injured in a mission and she had to spend a long time healing him. It was an ugly fight and if she wasn't quick enough, he might have died. It was a very painful process for her. Absorbing such pain wasn't as easy as she talked about it. The pain would stay with her forever, but it was worth it. Gar was worthy of it. She would always do she could to save him. Whether he knew it or not, he was important to her; more important than she wanted to admit.

When she was done, he opened his eyes and met hers, he smiled at her.

Appreciation 

Hurt

Confused 

Proud

"None of Vic's medical treatments will ever be as good as your healing touch. Thanks" He said weakly. Raven just nodded at him despite the pain she was feeling at that moment. She didn't want him to feel guilty. 

He got up from the bed and sighed.

"But as much as I appreciate it Rae, do me a favor next time will you?" He said pulling away the cover.

"What is it?"

He hesitated for a moment, "Don't heal me next time." She looked at him confused.

Hurt

Scared

Ashamed…?

"Why?"

That was the first time she felt it. A sudden strong feeling coming suddenly and almost overwhelmed her but before she could totally embrace it, it stopped. It only lasted for a very short moment and she wondered if it was from him in the first place. She had just absorbed his pain so she was probably messing up her head due to the pain?

"I can heal myself quickly and Vic's treatments also come in handy. You should use your healing powers for something more important than me."

It wasn't the first time they had this conversation. Gar always asked Raven to never use her healing powers on him and whenever she asked why he always said the same answer.  

Something more important? What could possibly be more important than his life?

But before she could ask, the door opened with a bang as Kory came to the room.

"Garfield!" The Princess flew towards the weak man and lifted him up from the ground, hugging him tightly. "I was worried!"

Gar laughed, "No need to be Kory. I'm fine." He looked down at Raven, "All thanks to Raven."

***

Raven tried to forget that strange feeling from that day and she would have been successful if it didn't come to her out of nowhere consistently when she wasn't ready. 

Next time she felt it, even stronger than before, was when the Titans decided to have a movie night. They were superheros but even superheros needed some time to be themselves, even if it was just for one night.

It was not unusual for Gar to arrange the whole thing, definitely with Victor's help but mostly himself. He even forced everyone to be in their rooms when he was preparing the movie night in the main room. Dick found it a little extra but who could stop the Changeling? He was always unstoppable when it came to their short gatherings. 

Raven was sitting on her bed that night while reading her new book when she heard someone knocking on her door. She knew it was Gar of course. She easily felt him coming to her door excited a minute ago.

Without even looking away from her book, she called. "Yes?"

"Rae it's Gar!" He was definitely too excited for it. It wasn't like they've never done this before but something obviously never changes. 

"I'm done preparing the main room for movie night. Everyone is now in the main room. Please join us! The movie I picked is amazing!"

She'd rather not think about the last time he picked a movie to watch. She was so scared that she had to meditate for hours to keep her emotions under control the next day. It was even harder when she could feel others were also scared.

"What genre?" She asked. There was no way she was going to watch another scary movie and absorb others' fear of it for a week.

"Comedy! I promise you'll laugh."

She shook her head. Was he really still into that? She was really impressed by his commitment to take any chance of making her laugh. She appreciated it of course, but found it unnecessary. 

She opened her door and found Gar in his pajamas with a grape soda in one hand, offering it to her. She took it, thanking him by a nod.

Happy

Excited 

Impatient 

He was just so easy to read. He always wore his heart on his sleeve, letting her feel anything he was feeling and since he was usually in a good happy mood, Raven always welcomed his presence.

Not that she would ever tell him that!

"Let's hope this one won't come out as silly as the last time you showed us a comedy movie. It was basically a kid show." 

Gar gasped, "How dare Rae! No one is too old for cartoons!"

Raven grinned, "So you agree it was a kid show." 

Gar opened his mouth to retort but nothing came. Raven just shrugged and started walking toward the main room with a  grin on her face. Gar quickly caught up with her from behind.

"It still made you laugh! I remember that."

"It didn't. It was just a silly cartoon."

"Do you want me to go and get the security cameras to prove my point?" He winked at her as she tried to hide her smile and the door opened to the main room.

That was the moment she felt it again. That powerful strange feeling. It hit her in every way possible as she tried to find the source. She looked at Gar but his face remained straight.

"Hey Rae! Join us. The movie is about to start." Cyborg said with bags of chips in his hands.

"Where's Wally? He said he would come." Donna asked looking around.

Suddenly Wally appeared on the couch with many bags of snacks and drinks in his arms.

"What are you talking about? I've been here for the last three seconds!" He obviously bought them from the supermarket downtown. It didn't take long for him to come and go.

"Okay then. Now that we're all here. Let's watch it." Dick said.

But Raven couldn't understand what they were saying because that was the moment the feeling faded away as quickly as it came. Was it from Gar? Roy? Donna? She wasn't sure. Gar was always so easy to read. She doubted he could feel something so strong and hide so quickly...but could he? If the feeling didn't belong to him then who was it? Who was the one that possessed this powerful confusing feeling?

She immediately looked down at Kory who was cuddling with Dick on the ground. Kory was indeed capable of that. She was also there when the first time it happened. But what was it? Kory's emotions were always loud to read for her and she usually never hid them. Raven knew it. 

Raven sat on her favorite part of the couch which was now filled with pillows and blankets and some of her favorite snacks. Thanks to a certain shapeshifter who outdid it. Despite her curiosity, when the movie started, she tried to forget about that powerful feeling. She only felt it twice and it was probably no big deal. For now maybe she would just enjoy being with her friends rather than investing in something she probably had no role in.

Raven was sitting at the end of the couch with Gar beside her. Vic and Wally were also sitting on the couch while Dick and Kory were on the ground, sharing the same blanket. Donna and Roy were on the ground as well but not as touchy as them. All the Titans knew they were a thing but apparently, they were the only ones who weren't convinced.

This time the movie was actually very funny and she found herself chuckling at some of the parts. The main room was filled with Titans laughter as they enjoyed themselves after a long busy week. 

That was all she needed. The whole room was filled with happiness. Everyone had forgotten about missions, stress and plans even if it was for just two hours. Even Boy Wonder wasn't feeling uneasy as he was laughing loudly with Kory by his side whose laughter was so beautiful to hear. 

Raven closed her eyes and took a deep breath, letting in all the happy emotions around her,. Even two days of meditation would not give her such peace as this did.

Azar! How much she missed it! 

She didn't even care if she missed some parts of the movie as the Titans kept laughing. Them being happy made her happy. She was so deep in herself and in her own world as she didn't even notice she wasn't even watching the movie. 

That was the moment that once again, that feeling came to her.

She opened her eyes quickly, looking at all Titans faces to find a clue yet she found nothing strange. Everyone was busy laughing, eating and drinking exactly like how they were before she closed her eyes. 

"You okay Rae?" Gar asked as noticed her curious face, "You seem worried."

Raven looked at him, "I thought I felt something."

"Felt something?" 

"Yeah." She said looking at everyone again but she didn't spot anything unusual or something she would worry about.

"Anything dangerous?" Gar asked as he stretched his hand to get another soda from behind.

"I don't think so…" She pressed her back to the couch again, trying to let it go. She didn't want to worry Gar for nothing. "It was probably nothing."

"Well I trust your emotions detector more than anything. It saved us more than we can count." He offered her the grape soda he grabbed, "but for now, let's just not overthink things and enjoy the movie. I'm sure if it was anything alarming, you'd know it by now."

Raven took the soda from his hand, "Yeah...Yeah you're probably right." 

Gar grinned, "when wasn't I?"

"Do you want a list?"

He laughed. "Maybe I'll ask you to show me later."

Raven smiled at him as he turned his head to the TV and continued watching. He had a point. If it was anything dangerous, she'd have felt it, but it was so powerful to let it go. During the rest of the movie, she felt it come and go very quickly many times, especially the times she was laughing or chuckling. It was weird how the person could switch it on and off whenever they wanted it. Was it a sort of a red alarm? Was it really dangerous? She doubted it because whoever possessed it was in the room and there were only Titans. 

But one thing was certain, as much as the feeling didn't feel harmful, it was very powerful that she could detect it among all those happy emotions surrounding her. What could it possibly be? How could such emotion be that strong? It even beat Kory's loud emotions.

But she'd lie to herself if she said it didn't feel so good. Everytime she felt it, she was overwhelmed by it in a very good way. Whatever that was, it put her in peace and gave her warmth. She would be a big liar if she said she wouldn't welcome it the next time she felt it.

***

Even if Raven wanted to let go of that feeling, that feeling didn't seem to let her go. 

It came to her in the most unexpected places, rushing through her whole body and leaving before she knew it. She noticed that each time it came, it lasted longer than before but it was still all over the place and Raven couldn't exactly point her finger to anyone; especially because it came to her randomly.

During battles, her daily training routines, her meditations, sometimes even when she was eating lunch or just walking, even when she was reading her book on the couch and minding her own business! Each time it came, there were many of her friends around and it was hard to figure out who it was.

Mostly because a big part of her didn't want to know who it was either.

It was the truth. Raven never went deep in her investigation to realize it. Probably, if she really wanted to she would have realized it long ago, but she feared that if she knew, she wouldn't feel it again. That powerful feeling, whatever it was, put her in peace and gave her strength. She was fed from emotions and one of her friends was giving her something she didn't know how desperately she desired. 

A feeling of home, comfort and warmth. She didn't want to lose that! Raven figured if it was from one of her friends, she didn't need to worry about it. It wasn't like she suspected anything bad about it.

Azar! How selfish of her! 

She closed her book and sighed, lying on her back on her bed. She was being selfish. What if one of her friends was in trouble and it was their way of giving her a heads-up, or asking for her help? But such an act required a serious knowledge of how her powers worked and she knew none of them had something like that.

Dick and Victor were the only ones who knew how her empathic powers worked better than others but giving her a strange yet amazing feeling to ask for her help didn't match any of them. Dick would have directly said it and Vic was more into technical ways. 

She shook her head and tried to let it go. She shouldn't be using her strength over something ridiculous. No one asks for help by filling her soul with a particular strong feeling. No one even knew she was capable of feeling their deepest emotions as much as she let it show and they most of the time forgot it as well. 

She heard a gentle knock on her door when she was struggling with herself. It was Gar. She never mistake his aura.

"Hey Rae...are you there?"

It was a stupid question. Everyone knew that Beast Boy could easily pick up anyone's scent even from far away or hear their heart beats if he wanted to. His heightened powers gave him advantages that most of the time they forgot he had even; just like her.

Pulling her hood down, she walked to the door and it opened as she stood in the doorway. 

"Yes?" 

Gar was in his casual clothes. A dark jacket with a T-shirt underneath, his dark jeans and a cap. She would never tell him, but he looked very handsome in them. She quickly put that weird thought away before it got somewhere she didn't want it to get.

He was standing with one hand behind his back and his usual smile on his face.

Joyful 

Delighted

Self-conscious?

Nervous?

Shy?

"Great!" He looked around making sure no one was near. Yeah he was definitely nervous but why?

"Is everything okay?"

"Oh everything is great! I was just…" He scratched the back of his head with his other hand nervously.

"Well…?"

He sighed, "Well I was in the city to get some fresh air and I passed by your favorite bookstore...thought of something you might like to read but then I saw this." He took out a book from his back with his hand and Raven's eyes widened in surprise. "I know you've been reading the first novel of this series...I thought you want the second novel soon." He stretched his hand and gave it to her. Raven was flattered if she was honest. Gar knew what book series she was reading and bought her the second part of it! She never even thought someone like Gar, who couldn't really focus on reading books, actually cared about her hobbies so much that he knew what she wanted; even before she told him anything.

He suddenly looked scared, "Please tell me you haven't bought it already!"

Raven shook his head. "No, I haven't." 

Gar sighed in relief a bit dramatically, "Thank God that would have been awkward." 

Pressing the book on her chest, Raven said, "Thanks Gar."

He smiled, "No problem Rae."

That was the moment it hit her again; that familiar feeling. Raven looked around. No one was there except them. There was her chance. This time she had to put her selfishness aside and for once make everything clear. 

She closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. With just Gar around her, she was now able to figure out who it was.

"You okay Rae? You seem...paler than usual." Gar asked worriedly.

All of the sudden, Raven opened her eyes.

"Where are the others?" She knew the answer but had to make sure.

"Oh? Well Dick and Kory are out, thinking it's a great time to have some alone time. Vic is in his room, coming up with a new technology which I still didn't understand. Don't tell him that though. Donna is on her secret date but let's be honest we all know it's Roy." He laughed and continued, "Wally is off to meet his family and said he would be back…" He took a glance at his watch, "in 45 seconds top."

Raven looked uneasy and pulled the cloak tighter around herself, looking down.

"So...it's just you and me here?"

Gar shrugged casually, "Yeah pretty much but don't worry. If anything happens, we can handle it. It's not the first time we might face a threat alone." He gave her a reassuring smile, "and others are probably heading back as well. So yeah no need to worry."

She wanted to tell him she was not worried at all. She was shocked! But she couldn't bring herself to tell him that right now because she wasn't sure about it.

"Well I'm headed to the kitchen. Do you want me to make something for you? You haven't gotten out of your room since morning. You must be hungry."

Raven tried not to look suspicious so she looked at him with a forced smile, "No thanks."

"You sure? I wouldn't make it too vegetarian for you."

"No no thanks…"

Gar simply shrugged, "Okay." 

He turned around and started walking away. Raven looked down at the book then at him for a second and before she knew it she was speaking.

"Thanks again Gar...I appreciate what you did for me."

He turned his head back to her with a smile, "Anytime Rae. If you ever feel hungry, you know where I am."

The door opened and closed and he disappeared from her sight as he went to the kitchen.

Raven stood there for a couple of moments, not believing what she just found out. It was him! That strange feeling came from Gar himself. She just couldn't believe how easy it was to figure it out. It was so obvious. He was there anytime she felt it. It made sense it was coming from him.

But it wasn't Gar who surprised her, what he was feeling shocked her more than anything. 

She suspected that she had felt that feeling before and it turned out she was right. She felt it from all titans before; especially from Kory on great levels. 

It was love. 

Of course it was love! Only love was so powerful that could give her such warm feelings from inside and put her in such a peace no meditation could ever do. Love was a powerful emotion, she knew it better than anyone. 

She held the book harder as she looked down. The realisation hit her harder than she expected. She didn't know why she regretted knowing the truth or why she wasn't happy about it. 

Gar was in love...it was a truth she wished she never knew.

***

"Have you noticed Garfield has been acting...weird recently?"

Raven asked Victor days later at the gym as he was lifting up weights and she was done meditating. After knowing the secret behind the strange feeling, Raven started to avoid Gar in a subtle way. She was ashamed of prying too much into his emotions when it was obvious he was trying to hide it; so the farther she was from him, the better.

That didn't stop her curiosity though.

"No, why?" Vic asked casually, "Did that green ass do something stupid again?"

"No…" she lowered her voice.

It was hard talking about it. She already knew something she believed she shouldn't have and now she was trying to know more. It was wrong, yet she really wanted to know.

"Then what is it?" Vic's question brought her back to the gym, "You seem worried."

"No, not worried. It's just...he seems different. He...feels different." She said the last part in more of a whisper but Victor heard her.

Shocked

Uneasy

Surprised

Scared?

Yet his face didn't show anything. He just gave her a blank look. Victor was good at not showing his emotions but not as good at not feeling them.

"What I mean is…" she felt stupid in asking, "Is he seeing someone?" Her question tasted bitter on her tongue and she felt she didn't want to know the answer.

This time Victor stopped his exercise and turned his head to her, giving her a questioning look. Raven kept her face straight, not letting him see more than she allowed it but she knew her question wasn't something to just ignore. Victor was curious to know why she would ask such things, especially about the Changling of all people.

After some intense moments, Victor turned back on exercising. "No."

His answer was way firmer than she expected. Raven was taken back on how he seemed upset about her question. 

"No, he's not seeing anyone. At least not someone I know." His words sounded angry and Raven wasn't sure why.

"Why are you angry Victor? I just asked a question." He scoffed.

"It's not you Rae…" he lowered his voice, "Stupid green bean!"

"What?"

He looked at her with an angry face. "You're the empath here. You should know it by now."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Before she could get any answer from him, the gym's door opened with a bang.

"The Animal Man is here!" Gar shouted excitedly, "Please cheer for the new gym captain!"

He was in his sports clothes with his towel on his shoulder and a big speaker in his hand. He almost seemed to be at a party rather than at the gym.

"There's no such thing, Animal Man." Dick said following Gar from behind. 

Gar put the speaker on a table and turned to the Boy Wonder with a grin, "well I guess I just invented it." His eyes landed on Raven and Victor. "Oh hi Cy! Rae!" 

Victor stood up suddenly and walked towards his best friend. Raven could feel how his anger leaving his body the moment he saw Gar. His sudden change of mood surprised her, especially because it was Victor.

"Looks like someone is here to get his ass kicked." He patted Gar's shoulder. 

"Oh you wish! I beat Richard, you're easy."

"Only once." Dick said in defense, "and only because you were lucky."

"Two out of three isn't once and it sure as hell wasn't luck."

"Well I guess there's one way to find out." Victor said. 

Raven felt her presence was not welcomed anymore. She wanted to leave the gym as soon as she could. Seeing Gar was hard especially when she knew his little secret when she was not allowed. However, the moment he stepped in the gym, his love poured over her like a waterfall. It was hard to stay and harder to leave. 

If only she didn't dig in too much! She regretted it more than anything. If she let it be the way it was, maybe she wouldn't feel uncomfortable around him anymore. So what if Gar was in love with someone? It wasn't her business. She shouldn't care! He could be in love with anyone he wanted. It wasn't like it mattered to her. It didn't matter!

She wished she could sound more convincing in her head.

"What do you say Rae?" Gar's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Hmm?"

"I asked if you wanna judge the game, to see who's better?" 

He was close, too close and he was letting her feel everything! She wasn't sure if it was his doing or was it because she already knew his deepest emotion; as in she couldn't turn back. 

Up close, Gar looked way better than from far. When did he start to look so attractive to her? Did she always find him attractive? She knew he was good looking but now it felt different from the last times. It had changed! Something had changed about him, or maybe about her?

She should leave. She should leave as soon as she can. 

"Sorry I can't." She said quickly flying over him to the exit door.

"W-what? Raven you okay?" 

She didn't even look back, "I'm fine." And left the room with no other words, leaving the boys there confused.

Except that she wasn't. She wasn't fine at all. Something was happening with her and she knew it was all because of her nosiness from that day. Love was a powerful emotion. Something she shouldn't just mess with especially when Gar initially had kept it hidden within himself. There must have been a reason why he didn't let her feel it in the first place.

But it didn't matter how many times she told herself otherwise, she couldn't help but wonder about Gar's secret lover. 

Was she a superhero too? Was she blonde? Azar was it Cassie? No! Gar would never go after girls way younger than him. Then who? A normal citizen no Titan knew of? Someone he met online? He could do that. He just needed to take a picture of himself in those sports clothes and everyone would be all over him.

"Raven? What's with the rush?" She heard Donna's voice as she and Kory were headed to the gym as well. They were both in their sports outfits as well.

She stopped flying and landed on the ground before them. Kory got a worried face as soon as she looked up.

"Raven, are you okay?"

"Yeah...just finished meditating at the gym." She tries to sound normal, "the guys are already there." 

"Yeah we know." Donna said, "but are you okay?"

Raven raised an eyebrow, "I am. Why do you both keep asking?"

Donna and Kory exchanged some confused looks and Raven just wished she knew what it was about. She didn't want to get into another intense conversation or an awkward one like the ones she had back at the gym with them. She needed to be alone right now more than anything.

Kory stepped closer to her, "Raven... you're blushing!"

***

Life always put people in the most unexpected situations, kind of like Gar's jokes; you basically couldn't predict them.

But Raven was used to find herself in situations she didn't expect, being Trigon's child gave her that. She was herself unexpected.

It wasn't that Raven was unfamiliar with love. Maybe the time she just left Azarath she could say she was, but it was years ago. She gained more control over her powers and emotions ever since. If she could recall correctly, she always felt love from others, especially when they were younger with more unbalanced emotions.

She felt Kory and Dick's love throughout the years and the alien princess could overwhelm anyone with her emotions, let alone a powerful empath like Raven herself. She felt Donna and Roy's thing with each other, Victor and Sarah's and Gar's. 

Azar! Even her own!

So why did it feel so different this time? Why was it so powerful? Raven knew Gar's love before. She'd witnessed many of his crushes before her own eyes. But this time? This love? It was so different on considerable levels.

"Raven! Cover Flash!" Kory shouted as she tried to block the attacks from this demonic creature who seemed to just get out of hell. A gift from her father? Raven decided not think about it.

As Wally was running fast towards the creature, Raven used her soul-self to block the fires. The monster was indeed strong and possessed dark magic as she felt it. 

A green flying eagle flew above her fast and went straight to the monster. Raven saw how Gar shifted into a gorilla and attacked it with his power hands. A smile appeared on her face. His presence alone always made her smile.

She still didn't get the time she wanted to talk with him. After her awkward conversation with him at the gym, Raven couldn't get the courage to ask about his feelings; mostly because she was afraid if he was actually in love with someone.

She didn't know how to approach the subject either. For all that matter, Raven wasn't the titan with the best social skills. How was she supposed to start the conversation even? And tell him she basically invaded his mind and his privacy by accident? When she knew it wasn't an accident at all? That she knew he was in love? That she was jealous? To the point she couldn't stop thinking about him?

As if she would ever do that.

So Raven waited for the right moment. A moment she was brave enough to talk about it. It was frustrating how this right moment she was waiting for didn't come for weeks. The universe hated her. She had to endure months to finally find out about the truth and now weeks to talk about it? She knew what he felt, she knew what she felt and that was the biggest problem.

A familiar yell caught her attention as she saw Gar being thrown in the air.

"Beast Boy!"

He tried shifting to something to reduce the pain of landing hard but he was too weak for that. Gar crashed on the ground hard with a hand on his side, trying to stop the cut from bleeding.

Letting go of what she was asked to do, Raven quickly teleported herself on the ground where Gar was lying on the ground groaning in pain. 

"Oh Azar…" she whispered as she kneeled down above his head. There was a big cut on his side which he was covering. Raven put her hand on his and tried to remove it so she would heal her but Gar didn't stopped her. 

He groaned. "Don't Rae… it's not that important." His voice was weak, "Go help the others. I'm fine."

Raven frowned. "You're bleeding. If it doesn't stop soon it will get dangerous. You might even die."

And it scared her. She couldn't just leave him because of his stubbornness. She had to heal him before it caused him his death. Raven made a move with her hand and made a magical force bubble around them to prevent any attacks or interruptions.

Gar opened his eyes slightly.

"I heal quickly...you know that." He hissed for a second and continued, "Don't waste your power on me...Go!"

It all started with a similar moment didn't it? Him asking her not to heal him. It was months ago by now and Raven remembered all of his words. It all started that day, maybe she would finish it today.

She put his head on her thighs and looked at him upsidedown. Putting her hands on his cheeks, she started to caress them gently. 

Stubborn or not, Raven couldn't leave him.

Gar smiled through his pain. Weakly he put his free hand on her and leaned to her touch.

"Raven…" he whispered.

And then it hit her. Raven's heart froze as she realized how stupid she was the whole time. Gar was in love with her!

It all made sense now. How could she be so blind over something so obvious? Anyone even without her powers would have figured it out already. It was right before her eyes. There was a reason Gar's feeling was more powerful than others, that she felt it stronger than others, why he tried to hide it from her, why such a powerful feeling never left her head...and her heart.

She just looked down at him. He was so lost into his world that he didn't feel she had already started the healing process; she knew it because he would have stopped her. It was painful and she tried hard not to make any sound so he wouldn't notice what she was doing. 

"God It feels...it feels like heaven…" his words got her attention from his wound to his face. Even wounded, Gar was smiling and making her smile as well. It was what he excelled. He always managed to make her happy even though she didn't admit it. 

She was done heading him yet she didn't let go and he didn't seem to be willing to leave the situation either. He looked so in peace and it was heartwarming.

She looked down at his lips. They were slightly apart and hot breath was coming out of his mouth. Raven bent down a bit, still staring at his lips. His smile never left them and Raven realized she couldn't stop herself either.

Still caressing his cheeks, Raven closed her eyes and kissed his lips upsidedown. 

Azar she was kissing him! And how much it felt amazing! His lips were soft on hers and she felt him kissing her back shortly after. A smile appeared on her lips as she kept kissing him gently. That's what she wanted. Him with her. How much of a fool she was not to realize it sooner. It felt as if her lips were meant to be on his at that particular moment; and she figured she didn't mind if these moments become more often.

"Guys! Really?!" It was Roy, "in the middle of a battle?

Neither of them cared as they kept kissing. A battle, a mission or even an apocalypse, none of them could take away this moment from her. She had waited long for this to finally happen.

They broke the kiss slowly. She didn't open her eyes and knew Gar didn't either. She could feel his breaths on her face and his hand on hers. He was rubbing his tomb on her hand. She heard him chuckle.

"You knew it all the time, didn't you?"

Love...

For that moment, that was all he was feeling. She smiled.

"Well, you're always easy to read Gar."

@bbraeweek21

[snowdragon4]

Thanks for the awesome bbraeweek21!!

[samarasketch]

BBRae Week Day 7: Wedding Bells 💚💜

And they all lived happily ever after... or at least until the next extreme game battle with Cyborg 🙈

---

An update to that one wedding piece I did 3000 years ago. It's so long ago that I'm always surprised when yall are still reblogging it 🙈 Which version of her wedding dress do yall prefer? :)

[samarasketch]

BBRae Week Day 5: Sunny Days 💚💜

I added wisterias into the background before I realised that wisterias are a spring flower, which would be wayyy too cold for our OTP to dress like this for an outdoor picnic :') But they looked nice in the background, so... 🙈

[samarasketch]

BBRae Week Day 3: Into the Woods 💚💜

Just a (not-so) regular couple having a stroll through the Fortnite woods... nothing to see here~ 🙈

[samarasketch]

BBRae Week Day 4: Starry Nights 💚💜

Decided to try something a little different this time, and the result was surprisingly... good? 🙈😅 Feel free to use this as your phone background!

[samarasketch]

BBRae Week Day 1: Unconventional Kiss 💚💜

Almost missed day 1 🙈 Way too many things happened over the weekend and I keep forgetting to upload this :') Hope I'm not too late!! Which version do you prefer? 👀

[samarasketch]

BBRae Week Day 2: Poolside 💚💜

It's a meme-ish kind of day 🙈🤷🏻‍♀️😂 Also, I had a lot of fun designing swimsuits for them!! I feel like Kory would definitely be a beach bombshell while Rae's more of a traditional one-piece kind of gal. Jealous!Gar is always fun to draw 😏

[oceanspray5]

Fool's Gold (Ladies And Gentlemen, Will You Please Stand)

BBRae Week 2021, Day 7 - Wedding Bells @bbraeweek21

Ao3 - FFN

Word Count: 9.9k words

It was the happiest day in Gar Logan's life.

The sun was as the wedding bells rang shining. The air was pleasant and the sky was clear with the promise of a new start ahead. The breeze was filled with the scent of the flowers used to decorate the beautiful altar and the wedding guests had all accumulated and were seated already.

The bride was a vision as she glided down the aisle and Gar felt tears well up in his eyes to match his face splitting smile. She was beautiful. Her exuberant joy was matched by the guests as they gazed in awe of her in her beautiful white dress that would have looked obnoxious on anyone else but looked elegant on her. Her red hair was pinned up with jewels and her green eyes shone with glee as she clutched the bouquet, her eyes firmly on her target at the end of her pathway as the wedding bells rang.

This had been a long time coming and now the day was finally here.

Kori Anders and Richard Grayson were getting married.

Garfield, Dick and Victor had been best friends and roommates since college; and since college, Gar and Vic had seen the huge crush Dick had on Kori blossom into an awkward but sweet relationship. Now a year after they had all graduated the two lovebirds were tying the knot. Dick would be moving out, and as happy as Gar was for his friends and their celebration of love, he was even happier knowing that the room his best friend rarely used anymore would be fully vacated and could now be delegated to a gaming room for him and Victor. A gaming room that would serve many purposes: one being that it would be extremely useful for distracting himself from all thoughts of romance and love and, consequently, heartbreak.

Truly, it was the happiest day in the young man's life.

Now most people would assume Gar had all the wrong intentions. His best friend was moving out after five years of living together. Shouldn't that warrant a few tears? The occasion of the first wedding in their trio of friends was a joyous one. Shouldn't his happiness be focused on that instead of just the gaming room he was getting out of it? And it was. But Dick had already practically moved out half a year ago opting to split his time between the boys’ apartment and Kori's place and Gar was used to his absence already. No matter what anyone believed he was thrilled for his friends, but he was also over all of this wedding nonsense.

Gar knew he was being bitter. His own recent breakup with Terra, where she had cheated and dumped him as if he was the one who had done something wrong no less, still stung. Having been thrown into helping Dick and Kori with their wedding planning had done nothing to help his feelings when he now had to get rid of all of his hopes of one day marrying the girl he thought was of his dreams. But today was the day. It was the day of the wedding. No more rehearsal dinners and wedding rehearsals. After today, Gar wouldn't have to worry about any of those again until Vic got married which didn't seem like it would happen anytime soon since Karen and him had only started dating six months ago.

As for himself? Gar Logan had sworn off of love and relationships. He was now fully invested in following his dreams as a game designer by day and a gamer by night. Video games didn't break your foolish hopeless romantic heart and Gar wasn't going to give his any opportunity to hurt him further.

The ceremony was over and when the couple led the way to the reception in the next hall, Gar found himself looking forward to dinner. Dick's adoptive family came from money and they had spared no expense at making the after party lavish and fun. While usually the relationship between Dick and his family was strained, for once Boy Wonder, as he had affectionately been dubbed by his friends, had silently accepted the help they were offering to pay for the wedding.

"Garfield!" Kori cheered as he and Vic walked over to the newlyweds to offer their congrats. As Victor ribbed on Dick for being a sap and crying during the ceremony, Kori turned to Gar.

"Did you enjoy the ceremony, Friend?"

"It was beautiful. And you looked great, Star," Gar promised with the fond grin and nickname he reserved for Kori.

She was such a genuine person. It was hard not to love her. She and Dick would be so happy together and Gar felt himself having to beat down the familiar pang of envy that came with wanting a love as beautiful as theirs. Get yourself together Garfield! We've sworn off love, remember?

"I hope you shall enjoy dinner too," Kori declared. Then she leaned forward and stage whispered, "I insisted on multiple vegetarian options just for you."

"Thanks Kori."

"You are most welcome," she beamed. "Although I do have a favor to ask of you."

Gar perked up at that. Kori hadn't mentioned any favors before the wedding but he supposed she must have forgotten. She had been extremely frazzled the last few weeks before the wedding. He hadn’t seen much of her himself but Dick had been quite worried about her so Gar had taken his word for it.

Taking his interest as an invitation to continue, Kori explained, "My friend Raven is here at the wedding. She came from far away just to attend but I am afraid she does not know anyone here. I know it is a lot to ask, but would you accompany her for a while tonight?"

She looked nervous as if afraid Gar would say no.

And Gar wasn't sure if he should say no or not. He wanted to help Kori and he certainly didn't mind meeting strangers but this girl was someone he didn't even know! He definitely hadn’t planned on conversing with any of the female species, still too afraid of his ability to get attached too easily. There were to be no girls for him tonight, no sir. He had sworn to stay single and would be keeping to it which included no hookups either until he was certain his heart was under control.

"It will only be for a little while," Kori begged. "She is very antisocial so it is likely she will not want company for long as it is. But she traveled a long way just for me and I would feel terrible if I knew she was alone the entire night."

Kori was giving him the pleading eyes. None of them could resist those, not even Vic, so he found himself caving.

"Alright, who is she?" Gar half-whined.

Kori clapped her hands happily then pointed out a vaguely familiar young woman from the crowd that Gar had recalled seeing earlier. She had pale skin and dark hair highlighted purple. She was in a bridesmaid’s dress which gave clue to where he had seen her and she stood in the corner nursing a simple coke and observing the festivities without so much as a smile on her face; a literal wallflower. Gar shrugged before deciding to walk over immediately. The sooner he got this over with, the better.

"And Gar," Kori did look nervous this time. "Please do not tell her I sent you. She hates me fussing over her."

He raised an eyebrow at that but then sighed. He was familiar with Kori’s immense concern for others even when they didn’t need it. It was one of the things that just made her more endearing to everyone around her.

"Alright Kori," he promised.

Dick came back to get his wife then and lead her across the room where they would have their first dance. Gar watched them with a smile, knowing how hard Dick had practiced how to dance with him in preparation for the wedding. Then he looked across the room with the wallflower he'd been tasked with talking to and made his way over.

"And then I had to drive Dick to the venue in the middle of the night because he was panicking thinking Kori was panicking but she didn't even know the mix-up had occurred!" He exclaimed. Raven didn't laugh, but she did smile and her shoulders shook with mirth. Gar couldn't help his own grin and the triumph filling his chest at seeing this reaction from her.

Raven was brilliant company. While they had gotten off to a rocky start with her being a little cold in the beginning under the impression that he was just another groomsman trying to get lucky with her, once he had cleared up that confusion, she actually proved to be really nice. Gar found himself enjoying his time with her as they traded stories about the pre-wedding shenanigans. Raven hadn't been in Jump City to help Kori prepare for long but she had spent many a night awake with the frazzled girl on the phone and Gar had his own plethora of stories of shenanigans Dick had gotten up to.

"It all seems to have worked out in the end," Raven replied, looking around them at the venue. Her voice was soft and Gar found it soothing to listen to even if it was barely audible among the cacophony of guests.

"I guess it did," he agreed. "But I don't think this sort of thing is for me."

He didn't know why it slipped out. He hadn't been planning on exposing his residual resentment towards love tonight. He had promised himself he wouldn't, in fact. Not on Dick and Kori's perfect night. But seeing Vic dance with Karen across the room alongside the newlyweds and all the various other happy couples around them, Gar hadn't been able to help the envy and had retaliated the only way he had taught himself how.

"Not one for weddings?" Raven asked. Her voice was casual, trying not to betray emotion, but he picked up on her curiosity all the same.

"They're pointless," he scoffed in return. "Not everyone can find the picture-perfect love. I'm happy for Dick and Kori but weddings are overrated."

"Yes, I suppose so." Her tone was almost sad and Gar wondered if she had gone through something similar to a broken heart too.

The conversation which had been full of laughter minutes before turned pensive and Gar turned to look at the woman beside him. She was gazing out at the dance floor like he had been, something wistful in the shine of her eyes before it disappeared, hidden away behind her indigo irises. With a sudden heat to his cheeks, Gar realized she actually was really pretty. He had spent the first half hour conversing with her trying to insist that he wasn't making a move on her that he had hardly realized then but three hours and a nice conversation later he couldn't help the way his eyes drifted across the sweep of her cheekbones which had the slightest flush from the heat of the room, her full pouty lips and the flutter of her eyelashes as they whispered across her cheeks whenever she blinked.

Gar swallowed hard as he looked away trying to pretend he wasn't checking her out. He wasn’t supposedto be checking her out. He’d sworn off girls, remember? Then without meaning to, he cleared his throat suddenly. "Wanna dance?" he asked, without looking at her directly.

Well, there went his plan of not getting attached. But this was a friendly dance, he insisted to himself. Clearly Raven had the same reservations as him because he felt her curious gaze and raised eyebrow trained on him.

"Still not making a move," he insisted. He looked at her and then teasingly rolled his eyes at the crowd. "Come on, I just told you weddings are overrated."

"I suppose you did," Raven agreed. She smiled this time and Gar tried not to notice how the triumph in his chest felt strangely like a flutter this time. She had a beautiful smile.

"Just because we're two single people doesn't mean we can't dance too. It is a party," Gar shrugged, looking back to the crowd casually as if this meant nothing to him.

"Alright," Raven replied. The amusement was clear in her voice this time. As Gar turned to look back to her, he thought he saw the wistfulness in her gaze again but this time it was replaced rather than hidden. With what, he didn't know. He jumped to his feet instead.

"May I have this dance, m'lady?" He asked with a sweeping bow.

Raven frowned. "Not if you're going to pull dramatics like that."

She folded her arms across her chest, refusing to get up but at Gar's pleading face she softened.

"No dramatics," he promised as he pulled her to her feet.

He led her to a less crowded part of the dance floor, one hopefully hidden enough behind a pillar from the rest of the guests too. He had a feeling Raven would appreciate being as secluded as possible. As she placed her hands on his shoulders, Gar wrapped his arms around her waist maintaining a friendly distance between them. Looking down into Raven's dark blue, near indigo eyes which suddenly held shyness in them that they hadn't before, he felt his traitorous heart flutter again as the same shyness that overtook her, overtook him too. He ignored it once more and instead opted to tell her another bad joke. When she rolled her eyes, the shyness was gone but the flutter in his heart still remained.

It was after the newlyweds had left for their honeymoon that Gar offered to drive Raven back to her hotel.

"Are you sure?" She asked. "I can book a cab."

"I'm sure," He insisted.

Victor had already taken Karen home and Gar had brought his own car tonight in anticipation of that. It made no sense to let Raven go home alone in the middle of the night when he could drive her back himself. He told himself that he was only looking out for Raven's safety. A beautiful girl dressed up and alone in the middle of the night was dangerous. Kori would never forgive him if she found out something had happened to her best friend. He ignored the nagging voice in his mind that reminded him Kori had only asked him to keep Raven company for an hour at most. All the hours after that had been of his own free will.

Raven didn't argue and he found himself enjoying the comfortable silence as he drove her back to where she was staying. For once, he didn’t feel the urge to fill it which was a strange feeling but one he liked despite how new it was.

"I'm glad that's over," Raven sighed eventually as she leaned back against the passenger seat.

"I'm wounded," Gar pouted. "One would think I kept you terrible company."

"Who said you weren't?"

At his wounded expression, Raven huffed out an almost laugh.

"I'm sorry. I enjoyed your company tonight, I promise. I'm just not good with crowds. And I miss my own home and bed after being here for a week." She paused. "I wasn't really planning on staying at the reception as long as I did."

Gar beamed. "Well who could resist my charming company," he agreed. Then he sighed, "How is home? Isn't New York one of the most crowded cities ever?"

There was genuine curiosity in his voice and Raven hummed a moment before answering. "It is. But no one notices you. It's easy to blend in."

"And you want that?" Gar asked. Raven did seem like the type of person who would be easy to miss in a crowd, but a part of him also wondered why she would want that for herself. Seems she had the same idea too.

"Not always my choice," she said in response. It was muttered, almost as if she was saying it to herself and so he decided to change the topic.

"I've never been to New York. I've always wanted to visit though. Is it as fun as they say?"

Raven gave him a once over.

"You'd fit right in at Central Park Zoo," she replied plainly, referencing earlier in the evening when he'd regaled her with his plethora of animal puns and impersonations. She had rolled her eyes so hard he was surprised they were still in her head but he had caught her hiding a smile behind her facepalm and it had been worth it.

Gar snorted. "Well now I'll have to come visit. I need to come up with more animal puns."

"I hardly doubt that is what you need." she scoffed.

"Well I'll at least need a tour guide so I can see places other than the zoo," Gar thought out loud.

"I suppose you can stay with me and I'll make sure to take you places that are actually worth seeing," Raven mused. She paused suddenly, as if she had said something she hadn't meant to but before Gar could ask if her offer was serious, he was pulling up at the hotel.

"This is my stop."

Gar watched as Raven quickly gathered her shawl and checked to see if she had everything in her clutch before she opened the door and slid out. If he didn't know any better he'd say she was flustered although he couldn't understand why.

"Thank you, Gar," Raven said softly once she was safely out. Her eyes held a vulnerability they hadn't before and he felt his heart speed up just a little. "I-I had fun tonight."

"Me too," He replied sincerely. And it was the truth. Gar had been expecting to be mostly on his own tonight since Vic and the rest of his friends had all come with dates. Raven had been an unexpected but not unwelcome companion despite his earlier apprehension. He'd have to thank Kori for suggesting he keep her company.

Raven looked surprised, as if she didn't know what to say to that. As if she hadn't expected him to enjoy her company as much as she did his. So she offered one last tentative smile as she closed the door instead. She stood there, waiting for him to drive off but when he didn't she looked back through the window to see him nodding his head to the entrance of the hotel. He wanted to make sure she got in safely.

Once again caught off guard, Raven made her way across the pavement and to the hotel entrance. She finally turned and watched from behind the door as Gar only left once he was certain she was inside.

Raven was frustrated and a little heartbroken

Her recent ex-boyfriend was the reason for her tears. She had been in an off and on relationship with Malchior for the better part of a year and had recently found out he had been using her, leeching off of her and that he didn't actually care for her as a person. Raven had always suspected… heck she was sure she purposely had kept herself snowblind to the truth because of her own issues with self-esteem but it still hurt to find out the truth. Malchior had used her. And Raven was devastated because despite being twenty-three years old, he had been her first real relationship.

Boys had never flocked to Raven like they did other girls. She had always had a difficult time finding friends let alone maintaining relationships, but Malchior had been different. He had met her in a coffee shop adjacent to a bookstore. He was buying the same book of fairy tales Raven was and that had gotten them talking over a cup of tea. Despite her initial shyness, he hadn't thought she was creepy or weird. He had called her beautiful and showered her with compliments on their first meeting when she wasn't even dressed up. In hindsight, Raven thought she should have known that excessive flattery in itself was a red flag. But in the moment she had longed for a companion. Kori had just gotten engaged and Raven longed for love too as much as she wanted to deny it.

Malchior had been so sweet to her in the beginning. Always giving her compliments, always bringing her flowers. But then slowly he changed… or Raven started to notice all the things she had ignored before. He got angry and emotionally distant every time she refused to give him money. He didn't pick up the phone when she called if she missed picking up his first. For a while Raven took it silently. Who else could love a girl like me? She used to worry. Malchior only reinforced this belief verbally every chance he could. He made it seem like his love for her was a privilege. One that no one else would bestow on her. But even she had her limits and in a recent blowout right after her return from Kori's wedding, Malchior had finally admitted it.

He was using her. He didn't love her. No one could ever love her. All she was good for was being a gullible pawn to leech off of.

Raven had thrown him out of her apartment and had refused to speak to anyone since then. Not that she had many people she usually spoke with to begin with and with Kori just back from her honeymoon and sorting out her new household with Dick no one had really checked up on Raven either leaving her to wallow alone in her self-loathing.

The only person Raven had been unable to ignore was Garfield.

Ever since Kori's wedding, she hadn't been able to stop thinking about the cute young man that had kept her company throughout the reception. She had gone to the wedding amidst her own relationship issues only because of her intense love for Kori. They had been best friends at one point and Raven missed her dearly when she moved to New York. She had met Dick a few times over his relationship with her best friend but it was mostly through phone calls that her and Kori had had girl talk and Raven had heard the relationship blossom over the years feeling happy for her dearest friend. The minute Kori had told her that Dick had proposed, Raven knew she would have to go to the wedding.

She wanted to be there to support her best friend but Raven just didn't do well with people, especially people she didn't know. Kori had been Raven's only friend back in Jump City so everyone at the wedding was a stranger to her. She had been expecting to spend the night alone at a table in the corner until it was appropriate to leave. Raven knew Kori would want her to stay but Kori was also busy with her new husband and she understood Raven's need for space from large crowds especially after partaking in the ceremony as a bridesmaid as well. All had been going to plan. Raven was planning on leaving after the first few dances. Until he had come into the picture.

Garfield Logan. A groomsman and one of Dick Grayson's best friends.

Raven had seen him briefly before the ceremony and had promptly forgotten him until he had come up to her at the reception. She had been annoyed and had snapped at him. She didn't want the groomsmen at this wedding flirting with her just because she was one of Kori's bridesmaids. She was already in a relationship with Malchior and if he refused to be loyal to her when they took breaks in their relationship, didn't mean she had to be as low as him too. She wanted to have her dinner, see the bride and groom through their first dance and then leave in peace.

To Raven's surprise, the young man seemed almost offended at her insinuating he had come just to flirt with her.

"You don't get a lot of polite conversation, do you," he'd snarked at her. "Not everyone is into finding love and relationships at a wedding."

He proceeded to take a seat next to her on purpose as if to annoy her and Raven was almost considering leaving in the middle of Kori and Dick's dance after all, politeness be damned. After it ended and before she could make her escape, the man had started a conversation with her. Despite Raven's attempts to shut it down, he refused to stop and she finally gave in and retorted to his comments and answered his questions.

She hadn't expected the brilliant smile on his face at her first sarcastic jab. It bewildered her that he found her scathing sarcasm amusing but had gotten upset earlier when she had tried to politely shut him down from asking her out… which apparently he wasn't going to do anyway.

Against her best judgement, she found herself enjoying his presence and she didn't realize until Kori and Dick were leaving that she had stayed at the reception well past the time she had intended to. She had a flight the next day and Raven knew she couldn't stay at the reception hall all night. She certainly had no reason to after the married couple including her only friend had already left which was why she got ready to leave to. She ignored the pang in her heart that had weirdly enough wanted to stay and talk to Gar some more at the afterparty post-reception that the Wayne family had splurged for and she ignored the flutter in her chest when he offered to drive her home too.

What was worse, she had offered for him to stay with her if he was ever in New York during the drive back. Raven didn't do that! Everything about her was careful, calm and collected. She prided herself on not letting her emotions rule her or get out of control. Somehow, Raven had found herself acting impulsively and inviting an almost stranger to come stay with her in the city. It was a hypothetical conversation because as far as she knew, Gar didn’t intend on coming to New York anytime soon but still! It was the principle of the matter. Raven didn’t behave thos way with strange men.

She was thankful that before he could reply the hotel had arrived and she tried not to think about how sweet she found the fact that he waited for her to get in safely. No one had ever done that for her before. Malchior usually told her to walk back from their dates even if he had the means to drop her off.

Fastforward to the present: Garfield had kept in contact with her ever since the wedding. She had been surprised when two weeks after the wedding an unknown number had sent her a text letting her know it was him. For that one text, Kori had sent her fifty, thrilled that Raven had made a friend among her new husband's.

Garfield had gotten her number from Kori. He wanted to keep talking to her. She almost ignored it. She almost pretended she didn't know who he was. Something in her refused though and she texted back. Ever since, every single day had been filled with a barrage of lame jokes, memes and stupid videos that she always had a sarcastic retort for even though they made her laugh. His jokes were the only things that were keeping her going since Malchior's harsh breakup with her a day ago.

Her and Gar were still virtually strangers. They never really talked about themselves often and usually redirected the conversation if it was getting too close to personal territory but Raven found herself smiling a lot more while texting him anyway. It was something she hadn't done properly since Malchior had entered her life.

Which led her to her current frustration: she couldn't stop thinking about him. After the wedding Raven had felt guilty feeling so interested in another man while she was still with Malchior even though they were on a break. The months following the wedding they had gotten back together and yet still she couldn't shake the thoughts of Gar out of her head. And now, while she was heartbroken and upset and feeling at her lowest, she still couldn't stop thinking about the nuisance that was the brunette man with the green dyed hair that she had befriended at her best friend's wedding.

A ringing brought Raven out of her thoughts as she scrambled to reach her phone.

"Hey!"

Speak of the devil.

"Hello, Gar," Raven replied. Her voice even and cool as it always was despite the way her heart leapt to her throat. He had never called her before today.

"So… funny story but I'm in New York for the week and was wondering if that offer to be my tour guide was still open?"

Raven felt her heart leap higher. Why him? Why now? Why when she was already so confused. She swallowed the lump in her throat before replying.

"You didn't say you were coming."

"I know. I know. I should have told you but it was kind of a last minute thing?" He sounded sheepish and Raven could imagine him running his hands through his hair in awkwardness. She had never seen him do it before but it sounded like the kind of thing he would do. "Anyway, I'm at the airport and on my way to the hotel but if you're free anytime this week I'd love to meet again."

"Why don't you come stay with me?"

Raven wanted to cut her tongue out. The words had spilled from her without her permission. The first time in his car it had been a joke but even back then they were meant to be serious and the offer had ripped from her unbidden. This time again, her mouth spoke without her brain allowing it and she couldn't take it back.

"Are you sure?" Gar asked after a small pause. From his tone of voice it was clear he hadn't expected her to be serious either and if she was he was offering her an out for the second time.

"Yeah."

Another pause.

"Alright then. Tell me your address and I'll be there."

It was a waiting game til Gar got to her flat. Raven puttered around trying to clean up before realizing her apartment was in spic and span condition as it usually was. She didn't know why she felt so anxious. It was just Gar. She had a great time with him. Best of all he had seemed to hate love and relationships almost as much as she did at the moment courtesy of his own breakup that he had only given her vague details about. But maybe that was the problem… Raven wasn't used to letting people in easily but with Gar it was like her walls collapsed on their own. By the time he reached, Raven was in a frenzy, trying to meditate to calm herself down. Strangely, one look into his green eyes and Raven felt the fear in her spike and subside in a strange paradox.

"Hey!" Gar smiled as she let him in. "Thanks for letting me stay here on such short notice. You didn't have to."

"It's nothing," Raven repeated. "You can get set up in the guest room. It's small and I mostly use it for work but it'll be more comfortable than a hotel I hope. This really was last minute so I didn't have a chance to get it organized."

Gar laughed upon seeing the cozy room. "Raven if this is disorganized I never wanna see what organized is."

She let him set up and when he finally emerged, she offered him a cup of tea. He looked surprised at her hospitality and Raven didn't tell him she had made it for herself to calm her nerves.

"So… why the sudden trip?" Raven asked trying to avoid the awkwardness forming between them. Suddenly together after two months sending memes over text made it glaringly obvious how little they had actually talked despite the underhanded flirting they both participated in.

"Oh, well... I just needed a break and figured a trip to the city would be nice." At Raven's raised eyebrow Gar chuckled and amended, "Another city. Jump is nice but it doesn't have many sights to see."

"New York isn't usually where people come to relax."

"I'm usually a more outdoorsy nature kinda guy," Gar admitted.

"And you decided to visit a concrete jungle?"

"There's a beach and I'm told I'd like the zoo nearby," Gar shrugged with a teasing grin.

"Whoever told you that?"

"Someone who’s judgement I've come to trust very much."

Raven looked surprised at that. Gar's expression turned bashful but he didn't look away, his easy grin firmly in place.

"I hope they don't make you regret your visit then."

The week passed by in a blur. True to promise, Raven took Gar out about the city wherever she thought he might enjoy himself. She found herself venturing out of her comfort zone a little but surprisingly didn't mind it as much. Gar also seemed to suggest the least crowded timings and places for wherever they went. She didn't know how he knew, maybe he looked it up, but in a city as big and touristy as New York she was always surprised when they ended up sightseeing at the least rushed times.

He was always trying to make her laugh too, Raven found. Bad puns, stupid jokes, sarcastic jibes. Everything to annoy her but also amuse her. She had thought that was just the way he was but his self-satisfaction when she finally let her smile slip through was always bizarre to see. It proved he did made a fool of himself intentionally just for her. He took an interest in her in a way no one ever had. Raven didn’t know what to do about that.

"Let's stay in tonight," Gar suggested one evening. She had asked him if there was anywhere else he wanted to see, turning up blank herself. Despite living in New York, most of the sights were new to her too. She hadn't had anyone to go with and while Raven never needed company, it always seemed weird going sightseeing by herself and she usually told herself she didn’t have time anyway. She ignored the part of her that told her the entire last week had been like an extended first date with Gar. It was one of the best ones she had ever been on too if she admitted it as that.

“I'm kinda tired and I think relaxing here would be nice." Gar explained, bringing her out of her reverie.

His eyes looked through her as if to say 'and I know you're tired and would rather stay home too.' She was once again taken aback by his thoughtfulness but turned away before he could see the blush rising to her cheeks.

"Okay. How about a movie and I'll order takeout?"

"Only if you let me pay."

"Gar-" Raven protested.

"Come on, Rae! Please. You've done a lot for me this week. Just let me pay for dinner today." He insisted.

"You paid for dinner yesterday too," Raven complained. Then she added, "And I told you not to call me Rae."

Gar stuck his tongue out at her. "You paid for our tickets to the museum Rae-Rae. It was only fair that I pay for McDonalds."

Raven huffed but didn't say anything further which Gar took as a win.

"You're a guest," she complained one last time as he paid for the Pakistani food they ordered and ate it at the bar at her kitchen.

"You know something? I thought you were joking at first. I never actually expected you to be serious about letting me stay at your place," Gar spoke halfway through their meal. It seemed like something that had been on his mind a while now.

Raven swallowed the bite of chicken karahi in her mouth before admitting, "I wasn't expecting it to be a serious offer either."

Gar looked almost guilty and said, "That's why I booked the hotel. I didn't want to make you uncomfortable or like I took a joke too far."

"You didn't," Raven insisted firmly. "I wanted you to stay. Even though it's...something very new to me."

Gar looked at her closely before Raven shrugged and looked back down at her food. "I don't usually make friends in a day… or have them stay over at my place so easily. But it's nice. Somehow I don't mind it with you."

Gar didn't say anything for a few moments. "I don't usually have trouble making friends, but being friends with you feels different too. Special." A blush bloomed across his cheeks and he pretended to ignore it as he continued, "Thank you for trusting me so much, Raven."

"Well there was only a slight chance you'd end up being a serial killer," Raven shrugged hoping to bring back the light and atmosphere from before. It worked since Gar laughed, surprised she was the one starting the joke this time.

"Hey now, I can still impale you with a kitchen knife." He snickered.

After dinner they moved to the couch to watch a movie. They didn't notice over time how they ended up right next to each other growing sleepier and sleeper. The realization only hit Raven right before she nodded off, her head on his shoulder, curled up in his side. She realized, for the first time, that she felt completely safe next to Garfield Logan.

The early morning light streamed in through the windows. Raven had forgotten to close the blinds all the way the night before and the gentle kiss of the sun woke her up as the white light grew unbearable behind her eyelids.

She opened her eyes, confused for a second as to why she was on the couch but then she felt something shift beneath her and looked up to see she was still leaning against Gar. A furious blush rose to her cheeks as she realized the position they were in. Overnight they had ended up so that he was leaning between the back and corner of the sofa with Raven on top of him, her head resting on his shoulder, one hand on his chest. Gar's arm was wrapped around her, holding her close to him and Raven's other hand rested on top of it. With a start she realized they had been holding hands while they were asleep.

For a few moments Raven panicked, trying to figure out a way to get out of Gar's grasp before he woke up and it became awkward. But slowly the serenity seeped back in and she realized she didn't want to move out of his arms. It was a terrifying feeling, wanting to be wanted. Raven had squashed all thoughts of it ever since Malchior. But what was more terrifying was knowing that she wanted to be wanted by someone in particular. She wanted Gar to want her. She didn't know if she could take the heartbreak if he didn't. She also didn't know if she could take the pressure if she did. What they had was so nice and Raven hadn't felt this way with anyone before.

She got so lost in her thoughts that she forgot she was trying to work out a way to slip out of Gar's arms before he woke up. She looked back up at him, seeing the small smile on his face. God, he was so handsome. As he shifted in his sleep and held her closer, Raven felt her cheeks burn red again. She saw him squint in his sleep as the sunlight hit him too and making a split-second decision, Raven closed her eyes and tried to even out her breathing to pretend to be asleep. As much as she felt safe with Gar, confronting the position they were in and the obvious feelings brewing was not something she was ready for at this point and especially not so early in the morning.

She continued her act as she felt more than heard Gar let out a sigh as he woke up, his chest rising and falling heavier beneath her. Then it was silent and Raven had to fight the urge to squirm as she felt his eyes on her. He didn't move for so long that Raven wondered if she was just imagining his eyes on her but then she felt his fingertips gently graze her cheekbones as he swept a strand of her hair and tuck it behind her ear. If she hadn't been so alert, she would have jumped in surprise and would have given herself away but instead she could only worry about how fast her heart was beating, worried Gar could hear it loud and clear.

She felt him slowly move her to rest against the back of the couch so she wouldn't wake and for a moment Raven felt her heart fall at the realization that maybe Gar didn't feel the same way she did about waking up like this. Maybe he didn't want her near, didn’t like it as much as she had. But then he brushed the same strand of hair from before that had fallen back in her face when he moved her and the tenderness of the gesture almost made Raven's eyes tear up beneath her eyelids. She felt as he wrapped the blanket from the edge of the couch around her, tucking it safely under her chin and patting her shoulder gently before finally leaving. When she knew he was safely in the kitchen she let out a breath filled to the brim with all the emotions she was feeling.

No one had treated her so gently before. No one had cared for her that tenderly before. With a sharper clarity, Raven recounted all the incidents with Malchior and the way she couldn't even remember a single time he had bestowed her with such meaningful tenderness. Gar had done this when he thought she was asleep. And he had been doing this the entire week too. Offering to pay for her tickets, observing when she got tired of the crowds and declaring he wanted to go home, making himself scarce after dinner so she could have the rest of the apartment to herself and last night. Last night she knew he wouldn't have minded going out again, but he had chosen to stay inside because he could see she was overwhelmed. She had been jittery and anxious all day even though they had only gone out for breakfast at a waffle house but he had made her tea and had once again told her he didn't want to go anywhere for the day, preferring to stay in on one of his last days of vacation.

In the past week Gar had driven her up the wall. He had also made her question everything she ever knew about love. She knew she wanted to be with him. But she also didn't know how. Despite her very recent breakup, Raven now knew she wasn’t heartbroken about losing Malchior as she was about losing the idea of love. But now Gar had presented her with a better picture of it in five days than Malchior had in five months.

It was another fifteen minutes before Raven finally gave up the ruse and pretended to wake up. Gar was already in the kitchen, making breakfast for her.

"Hey! I hope I didn't wake you with all the clatter," he asked. "I decided to start on breakfast. You've been so nice. I figured I'd let you sleep in and make something instead."

"What are you making?" Raven asked, a soft smile turning her lips upwards as she slipped into the small stool at the bar that separated the kitchen from the living room.

"You didn't have many vegetarian options so vegan pancakes?" Gar looked down at the mess he'd made and the half-done batter and sheepishly tried to clear it up.

"It's fine, Gar," Raven said softly. "I'll clean up."

"But-"

"You're cooking. I'll clean," she cut him off firmly. That was that.

Gar grinned as he went back to work, humming a song to himself as he did. Raven sat and sipped a cup of tea that had been ready for her when she got there. Another one of Gar’s thoughtful gestures. The spring sun coming in from the windows fell against her back and as she looked up to see Gar awashed in the light doing some weird dance move as he moved around her kitchen, a part of her felt like this is how it always was meant to be.

They ended up going out to a fancier restaurant for dinner that night. Raven insisted on going out and Gar had the perfect idea but he didn't tell her where. It was a lovely restaurant with an outdoor terrace overlooking the sea and the beach. The wind was chilly because of the lingering winter in the weather. Much to Gar's disappointment he hadn't been able to go swimming this time around. Raven didn't know how he found the location but the fairly lights and small lamps on the terrace bathed the wooden area in a soft golden light as the sun set over the sea. The smell of sea salt was heavy in the air but so was the light perfumed scent of the floral arrangement on their table. They ordered relatively quickly and then Gar leaned back in his chair to look at her.

"It's beautiful," Raven sighed looking back out at the ablaze sea.

"It is."

Raven blushed at the realization Gar wasn't looking anywhere near the ocean. She hoped the sunset would mask the redness on her cheeks.

"Let's play a game," Gar suggested.

Raven groaned. Gar's games to pass the time over the weeks had been downright ridiculous and embarrassing.

"It won't be a bad one! Promise!"

"I don't think I trust your judgement, Gar."

"Please Rae?"

Raven scowled and folded her arms across her chest but inclined her head forward the slightest.

"Two Truths and a Lie."

Raven's scowl didn't disappear but her expression softened the slightest.

"I'll even go first!" Gar promised. "Look: I love mopeds. I think killing animals is murder and I drink mustard out of the bottle."

Raven snorted. "Come on Gar, how stupid do you think I am? The first two are the truths and the last is a lie."

"See! You're catching on already!"

"Yes. I suppose that has nothing to do with the fact I've seen Kori drink mustard straight of the bottle more times than I can count and that you've made your love of animals and desire to own a moped perfectly clear over the last week."

"Of course not! Your turn!"

He looked so eager. Raven sighed but she couldn't help the twitch of her lips at his antics. "Um… I love Edgar Allen Poe. I love strawberries and I hate horror movies."

"You hate strawberries?" Gar guessed.

"No…" Raven blushed. "I hate horror movies."

"No way!" Gar gasped. He leaned back in his chair looking at her as if she'd told him the most shocking yet entertaining thing in his life.

Raven scowled. "Yes. It's not a big deal!"

"Aww Rae-Rae. We gotta go see one next time. I have to see your reaction now!"

"No."

"No need to be afraid. I'll protect you!"

"Gar!" Raven complained.

"Alright, alright. Sorry." He raised his hand in surrender. "My turn. I hate apples. My parents are M&M and Final Fantasy is my favorite video game."

Raven looked confused at the name of the video game but took a guess anyway. They played two more rounds before their dinner came and they put the game on pause to eat.

After they were done and Gar had swiped the bill and paid before she got a chance to see the bill they had racked up much to her annoyance, they got up to leave but Gar dragged her further along the beach for a walk instead of leading her back to the bus station.

"I've always wanted to go for a moonlit walk along the beach," Raven found herself saying. She turned her head slightly in embarrassment for revealing one of her deepest guarded secrets. Raven Roth was a hopeless romantic. All the novels she had read and the romances she had aspired to led her to longing one of her own but she had never gotten it. Not until now… and it wasn't even a romance to begin with. Right?

"Glad to make your dreams come true then," Gar teased with a grin poking her in the side. "I've always wanted to take a pretty lady for a moonlit walk so it seems we're helping each other."

Raven huffed but smiled anyway grateful for the way he always put her at ease. He got under her skin, but he always knew what to say to soothe her at the same time. It was certainly a strange talent he possessed since Raven sometimes got under her own skin and didn't know what to do with herself in those moments.

"I love dogs, I hate rubies and I think the crescent moon is prettier than the full moon," Raven said suddenly.

Gar looked surprised at her starting the game again but took it in a stride. He thought for a moment then guessed, "You hate dogs?"

"Dislike is more the term," she admitted.

"I always took you for a cat person anyway," Gar grinned. Then he thought for a moment. "And the rubies?"

"What about them?"

"Why do you hate them?"

Raven bit her lip as she considered how to answer. "My mother loved them. My father was a rich collector obsessed with rare gemstones even if they were too polluted to hold any value. My mom had a family heirloom she refused to sell… so he destroyed her life just to get to it."

Gar thought the heavy words over. Raven seemed resigned and bitter in a way he hadn’t seen before. He wanted to ask more about her obviously difficult past but then thought better of it and continued the game. He would let her open up more when she was ready.

"My mom and dad were scientists; I love math and you couldn't pay me to go boating near a waterfall."

"You hate math?" Raven guessed.

"I hate going near waterfalls," Gar admitted.

That took Raven by surprise. Gar was such a spontaneous person. Sports like boating, jet skiing and playing near waterfalls were all things she would have thought were directly up his alley.

"My parents died in a boating incident near one while conducting research. I wasn't with them that day. I can't go near the mouth of a waterfall without seeing them fall." He paused. "I-I've-"

Raven caught his hand then. "Gar you don't have to. I don't want to pry."

Gar looked like he wanted to continue but the look in Raven's eyes told him to stop. There would be other moments for conversations like these. Right now they were here to enjoy a nice stroll and pleasant evening.

"You're right," Gar sighed. He intertwined their hands together with purpose and then walked forward as if nothing was amiss. They continued playing the game to one end of the beach and then turned around and walked back to the other end.

"Okay one more!" Gar begged. Raven was laughing by now but she'd had enough of this game.

"We've been playing for over an hour!"

"I promise just one," he begged. "I'll even show you the kitten eyes."

He pouted at her sadly, making his eyes look as beseeching as possible and Raven burst into laughter.

"Kitten eyes?"

"You said you didn't like dogs so I figured kitten eyes would work better!" Gar grinned. "They always work on Kori."

Raven sighed. "Alright. One more."

Gar looked thrilled but he went quiet then, a shy expression overtaking the light in his eyes as if now that she had agreed he didn't know what to say. He stopped in place and Raven stopped with him, hands still intertwined.

"Okay. Here goes." He exhaled sharply, taking Raven's other hand in his own too. "My middle name is David. I have a pet snake at home and the real reason I came to New York this week was to see you..." Raven felt her breath catch in her throat. "Because I haven't been able to stop thinking about you since the wedding."

She stared at him, standing in the moonlight, with the soft moonlight throwing shadows over his tanned skin and green dyed hair. He was looking at her like he could love her someday. Raven found herself unable to speak. She knew his middle name was Mark. He’d told her on their first meeting.

"Tell me I wasn't the only one," he whispered. "Tell me you've been thinking of me too. Tell me I'm not the only fool."

Raven's breath hitched in her throat and suddenly she felt all her self-defense instincts that she'd been suppressing all flare up at once.

"You're not…" she replied hoarsely. "I may be a fool, Gar. But I'm not stupid enough to think anyone could be one over me."

She was about to take a step back but he squeezed her hand, rooting her in place.

"I'm not lying, Rae," he insisted. "I am a fool for you."

Raven felt overwhelmed. She could only see honesty shining in his eyes. Eyes that were begging her to feel the same way he did.

"W-we can't." She replied feebly. "We live miles apart, Gar. It would never work."

"Just answer my question, Rae."

Raven thought back, remembering the rest of the conversation. Her head felt like it was stuffed with cotton.

"You weren't the only one." She admitted, finally. "I'm a fool too."

Gar sighed in relief then, his brilliant smile overtaking his face.

"But-"

"We'll work it out, Rae. I promise." He insisted, squeezing her hand tightly again. "But right now, can I kiss you?"

Raven had barely nodded before his lips were on hers. Soft, sweet and full of affection with the promise of becoming something much much deeper.

It was the best kiss Raven had ever experienced in her life.

In the end, they decided to give long distance a try. Raven was apprehensive at first but Gar convinced her they could make it work. He only had a day left with her before his flight back to Jump City and he refused to let her overthink it. Raven had smiled upon being greeted with her favorite tea again the first thing in the morning.

"You're distracting me aren't you?" she accused.

Gar only grinned. "If it's working then yes."

He took her out again that evening, on a real date this time. Technically their entire previous week together had been one long extended date but this time they both admitted it was one.

"I'm thinking of getting myself transferred here," Gar told her over dinner.

"Gar no!" Raven huffed. A swell of ugly feelings bubbled in her chest and she wanted to do something embarrassing like cry. "This is why I didn't want us to do this. You're making a rash decision."

"Not right away," Gar promised, reaching over to take her hand. "But my company has an opening for NYC in the next few months and anyone can volunteer and appear in the interview for the transfer. I wanted to see the city before I moved here, Raven. I promise I'm not just doing this for you"

Gar looked at the woman in front of him, gentle but stubborn. He couldn't stop the swell of feelings in his chest that came from her consideration of him and his comfort. Terra had never given him that, always ready to do the next exciting thing whether or not he was ready to follow.

"You are," Raven sulked at him but she looked a little less upset and readier to listen.

"I am," Gar amended. Lying would get him nowhere. "But when I came to visit I did it with the intention of not only seeing if we could work out, but if I could live here if we did."

Raven looked stunned. Gar had been planning on moving here for her on the condition that they worked out even before they had started dating? It was a difficult concept for her to wrap her head around. The idea that someone could be so captivated by her they were already ready to take such huge steps to be with her? But Gar didn't do things in halves, that much she knew by now. He jumped into every scenario feet-first unlike her and Raven wasn't sure if he should do that for her.

"Are you sure?"

"We'll be dating long distance for a while, Rae," Gar promised. His eyes were tender as he rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand comfortingly. "The transfer won't be for another six months at least. But if we're still together by then, I'll take a shot at it." He looked imploringly at her to make her understand, to alleviate her guilt. She was worth it to him, and he wanted her to know that. He could see her resolve wavering before she finally gave in.

"Fine but you're making this choice on your own, mister," she huffed before settling back in her seat and taking another bite of her steak.

Gar grinned as he turned back to his mushroom pasta.

For once, he had a good feeling about this relationship. He was no longer scared to put his heart out again.

It was the happiest day in Gar Logan's life.

The sun was shining. The air was pleasant and the sky was clear with the promise of a new start ahead. The breeze was filled with the scent of the flowers used to decorate the beautiful altar and the wedding guests had all accumulated and were seated already.

His bride was a vision as she glided down the aisle and Gar felt tears well up in his eyes to match his face splitting smile. She was beautiful. Her shyness at being the center of attention couldn't mask her joy and was matched by the guests as they gazed in awe of her in her beautiful white dress that would have looked nice on anyone else but looked absolutely gorgeous on her. Her dark hair was pinned up with a single flower and her indigo eyes shone with delight as she clutched a bouquet of lavender flowers. Her eyes were trained firmly on her target at the end of her pathway as the wedding bells rang.

This had been a long time coming and now the day was finally here.

Raven Roth and Garfield Logan were getting married.

So here we are. At the end of BBRae Week 2021. I had such a great time participating and am thankful I ended up joining the fandom right on time despite being a casual BBRae fan for years now. Everyone is so talented and I loved seeing everyone's contributions and contributing myself. Thanks especially to my bestie @lavender-scent for being the one come up with the idea for this fic and always encouraging me. The banter between BBRae in her fics for Day 2 - Poolside and Day 5 - Sunny Days is to die for.

If you liked this fic, please be sure to comment and let me know because nothing makes me happier than reviews and constructive criticism!

Check out my BBRae Week Day 3 - Into The Woods/Day 6 - Fantasy fic here in case you missed it. It's a combination of fairytales, mainly Sleeping Beauty and starring BBRae with found family trope with the rest of the Titans of course.

[niazelki]

BBRae week 2021.

Day 6. Fantasy.

This take me more time than I thought, but I like the result.

I tried to make Bard Beast Boy like a Fairy with beatle wings. I need more practice with animal parts.

He loyalty accompaines Raven the Knight Demon in their heoric adventures.

I like the idea for a fanfic.

@bbraeweek21

[niazelki]

BBRae week 2021

Day 2. Poolside

I really don't know how ti draw water yet, but the first try I think I didn't ruined it.

@bbraeweek21

[niazelki]

BBRae week 2021.

Day 3. Into the wood

I have a little headcanon with this picture. Beast boy usually helps Raven in her spells or magic studies. He's still scared, but he loves make Raven happy more.

@bbraeweek21