Teen Titans Fan Fiction ❯ Normal Like You ❯ Sleepovers and Secrets ( Chapter 17 )

Normal Like You (Sadly not citrus flavored yet)

Chapter 17: Sleepovers and Secrets

Raven forgot how… big Gar's house was. He was rich, apparently, and his home clearly reflected that.

“…Parents?” she thought aloud. What would his parents think if he dragged home a girl? Especially one as strange as she was.

“They're not home,” he answered, “They're biologists, so they run off on expeditions a lot, and leave me with free reign of the house. They're gone for another month or so. I can really do whatever I want without them finding out.”

“Oh…”

“Don't worry `bout it. I just… You really shouldn't go back home.”

She nodded and got out of the car. She didn't want to go back either, though she would barely call it a home. So, she followed him in, realizing she'd never actually seen the house.

“Grand tour or kitchen?” Gar asked.

She realized she was hungry. Normally she didn't eat much anyway, but she hadn't eaten anything in the past twelve hours.

“Kitchen,” she said, offering him a smile, “Kitchen would be good.”

><><><><><

Gar, she had to admit, was an excellent cook. Yes, he substituted all meat for tofu, but, since he'd forced her to try it, there'd been no complaints.

“You know,” she said, “If you fed this to Vic and told him it was meat, he wouldn't know the difference.”

Gar grinned. “Think I could get away with it. He's a connoisseur of meat; I'd think he'd notice a difference.”

It was almost like a date, Raven was reluctant to admit. She was not the type to have a significant other, nor was there any chance she would consider herself half of a couple. Plus, it was Gar. As much as she liked him (though she refused to acknowledge how much she actually liked him), there was little probability she would `go out' with him.

She kept reminding herself of this while they sat down and ate.

Then she had to wonder why she had to remind herself.

Raven shook her head and finished her plate, allowing herself a small smile. Gar saw it and grinned.

And despite all her warnings, she still felt something swarm up when she saw his smile.

><><><><><><

Something stirred.

Raven's eyes popped open.

It took her a moment to register she was not in her own bed. Natural paranoia had assumed that anything that moved was dangerous, but that was just life.

The thing that stirred was not something about to jump out and grab her. Actually, it seemed as if the thing that had awoken her was right beside her…

Of course. She silently chided herself for being so paranoid. She clearly remembered before she'd drifted off to sleep, Gar had sat with her, and there was a good chance he was still right beside her…

Warm breath caressed the nape of her neck, and a hand was placed lightly on her hip. A shiver ran through her, and she pushed certain thoughts out of her head, attempting to turn without waking up Gar. Except now she was facing his front, her head against his chest. He murmured something in his sleep and his grip tightened; his hand had moved up to her stomach in her turning and now clutched the material of the shirt she'd borrowed from him.

Of course she'd agreed when he'd asked her to spend the night (not in that way, she made a face at how it sounded); she was already there, and she sure as hell did not want to go home. But she hadn't wanted to be alone, either. Not when every sound made her jump. As a good friend he'd sat with her, and they'd fallen asleep together, and now he was incredibly close to her.

Why was she always the one in these positions?

It didn't help that they were in a small bed made for one person. They were snuggled (another grimace at the word) together rather tightly.

He squirmed again his sleep and she felt his arms envelope her. Something wriggled inside her and she pushed it down. There were romantic feelings welling up within her, feelings she couldn't allow herself to have. Everything about her life had been secretive until now. She'd kept to herself and lived perfectly without friends or someone to confide in. But Gar was something else. Sometimes he didn't know when to stop, after all his prying he knew what not to say and exactly how to act.

Raven realized in her thoughts she'd been clutching his shoulder, bunching the material in her fists. She let go and sighed, pressing her forehead against his chest. His eyes flickered open and he groaned wearily. She froze and blushed, instantly chiding herself for being embarrassed.

“Is it morning?” he asked, digging his head into the pillow.

“Not quite,” she answered. He obviously seemed unabashed that they were in a bed together closely entwined.

Of course her assumption was wrong. The reason Gar had woken up was because he'd felt her beside him. He was blushing also; she was tucked in his arms, pressed tightly against him. Slowly he unraveled her and she scooted back, tipping over the side of the bed. She went a bit too far over and tumbled out.

Gar couldn't help but crack a smile. He stepped out of the bed to help her. She glared at him and pulled herself up, ignoring his hand. He only smiled and pulled her closer, kissing her fully on the lips.

A blush heated her face as he let go of her, smirking slightly.

“Uh, um,” she stumbled over her words, hanging her head to hide her face, “B-bed… Sleep…”

He grinned.

><><><><><><

Vic stood impatiently at the door of his best friend's house, ringing the doorbell repeatedly. He'd be pissed off if Gar wasn't home, especially since he brought such an awesome game with him. Yes, Victor Stone had been first in line for the latest Mega Monkeys game, and he now held it in his hands. There was no choice but to celebrate this victory with Gar so he could gloat as he beat his scrawny ass again and again.

There was a muffled curse behind the door and it opened revealing a bleary-eyed Gar.

“What the hell- it's seven in the morning,” Gar said, instantly annoyed. He did not get up on weekends `til at earliest eleven, though mostly he got up right around noon.

Vic only grinned, holding up the game. Gar's annoyance melted away as he saw the box shining brightly at him. This was too good to be true! Mega Monkeys 4 within his grasp…

He froze. Vic had not just traveled all the way to his house (granted only a few blocks away) to shove a game box in his face. They would sit down and play, and Vic would find out that Raven had slept in his room- with him- and instantly jump to conclusions. Rae would kill him, and Vic would torture him.

Meanwhile, Raven, waking from her first full night of sleep in too long, stretched her legs beneath the blanket. Garfield was no longer beside her; she wondered where he ran off to. `Probably to make breakfast,' she decided and got up, stretching her arms out even more so. An actual night of sleep had been perfect, and she was actually happy Gar had let her stay the night.

Smiling in spite of herself, she walked out of the room to see what Gar was up to. Too quickly was she greeted by the sight of Vic in the front hallway talking with Gar. She gasped and ducked back into the room.

The same thoughts ran through her head: `Vic's here. Vic's gonna find out. He's gonna want an explanation, and I am not going to tell him I'm sleeping with Gar. Then again I wouldn't want to tell him the truth either…'

Vic, having heard her frightened gasp, stared past Gar in her direction. “Is someone else here?”

“What?” Gar answered quickly, “No way, dude. You know my `rents are out of town for a while.”

“I thought…”

“Dude, just give me two seconds and I am ready to play.”

He rushed off, leaving a confused Vic behind.

><><><><><

“Um, Gar,” Raven said as he looked through a messy and disoriented drawer, “If you haven't noticed, we aren't exactly… alone in the house.”

“Yeah, I know,” he answered, shrugging as if it weren't a big deal.

“So…?”

“So what?”

If there were ever a time she needed patience, this was it.

“Garfield,” he flinched as she used his full name, “I am not going out there and explaining to Vic exactly why you have a girl in your room.”

He looked up at her. “You're not going anywhere.”

She blinked, surprised by his response. “What do you mean?”

“Every time someone gets close to you, you run away. Every time we try and help you, you run away. I want you to stay here. I'm not saying you have to go out there so Vic can see you; I just don't want you to go anywhere.” His voice was stern, not a hint of playfulness. He softened for a moment, touching a hand to her shoulder. “Seriously, Rae. I know if you run off, I won't get you back here, and I can't stand thinking you might run back to your… to your home. Besides,” he grinned at her, a bit of his normal personality leaking in, “When am I ever gonna get you in my bed again?”

She rolled her eyes but smiled. He cared for her. That was all that mattered.

Someone cared.

><><><><><

“Dude!” Vic called out, “What's taking you so long?”

Gar emerged, grinning wildly. “Nothing, man. Where's the game? I wanna see your face when I beat you.”

“Yeah right, little man. I bet it won't take me ten minutes to kick your ass.”

“Loser has to eat a pound of tofu?”

“If you lose (and you will lose) I'm cooking you an all meat breakfast.”

“You're on.”

Raven could hear them arguing as she pulled on her normal clothes. She wouldn't be gone long, she thought as she stepped out the window, just long enough.

Author(ess) Notes:

Where is Raven running off to? I'm not completely sure. A few bits of Gar/Rae since we haven't seen a lot of that in a while. Will Vic find out or won't he? I bet he will.

I've made a wonderful discovery on myspace: a lot of my favorite bands are on there. If you're into Harry Potter themed music there's bunches of good bands: Harry and the Potters; Draco and the Malfoys; The Whomping Willows (I think Brian Ross sings for both DM and WW); Hermione and Crookshanks Experience (not as good, but still worth a listen.)

If you're looking for my myspace, it's JimmytheGothEgg.

Review!