The horizon in the east had a streak of pink and gold as Raven, with a sweaty face, step off the exercise machine, heading outside the tower ❧

The dawn air chills her burning body. She takes a great deep breath and lets the cool air fill her lungs before exhaling it all out. Her short violet hair is saturated; swirls and wisps of it lie like a second skin over her cheeks and there is a slight sting to her eyes - old mascara, smeared around the corners of her eyes.

Salty droplets trickle down her face as newly melted snow crystals, dripping onto the grass as she raises her hand over her head and arches her back in a graceful motion. 

Her soft youthful skin is as wet as if she's just pulled herself from a pool, yet there is no water around, only more beautiful, more glowing, more like polished stone.

The sweat is a dark and growing map down the front of Raven's lycra sports bra, turning it from a bright pink toward magenta. It fit very beautifully snug around her breasts and showing her toned midriff, allowing the eyes to notice how muscular and sculpted her stomach is, yet its lines are refined to that of the rest of her body. It is smooth and incredibly sexy, causing the mind to wander. Her belly button draws the eyes and it makes the observant gaze at it increasingly, noticing its roundness and depth. Her male teammates often find themselves wanting to explore it and experience its touch for themselves, they may not say it, but their expression told the entire story. It fascinates the voyeur to think that the whole of this beautiful woman all began at birth from this very point of her being.

Her long, amazingly gorgeous legs felt empty and there is a rising feeling of nausea from her stomach from the intense workout. Her strong, thick thighs testing the stretch of those little black athletic shorts.

A constant squawk from the hungry seagulls reaches Raven's ears; she glances over her shoulder and beams as she sees Cyborg, still donned in his sleeping clothes, standing in front of a gas grill, which was laden with raw steaks.

He bent down to grab the lighter fuel and sprays over the grill, letting the fresh aroma do what no amount of words could when the place permeated with the smell of freshly cooked ground beef patties. 

A soft thud of footsteps tells him the bait was taken.

Raven: "Morning," said Raven blithely, as she crosses one arm horizontally beneath her chest and grasping it with her forearm, just above the elbow joint. "You woke up pretty early, but you're just in time for our sparring session; I've just cooled down."

Cyborg: "I'm sorry, Raven, but not today," He replies, flipping the steaks. "I shouldn't do anything that's physically strenuous for a couple of days. Other than that, we're having breakfast here today!" 

As soon as those words have left his mouth, his grin came through both sheepish and excited as he turns his head, gesturing towards the wooden table that was laden with delicacies lines the walls. Everything one can think of, and things one has never dreamed of, lie in wait; Newly purchased raisin loaf, eggs, ham, toasts, piles of mashed potatoes. 

Raven's mouth waters even more the moment she spotted the waffles, spread with honey syrup, with the melted butter on top.

Cyborg: "They have your name on it because they know how much you love 'em." 

His grin widens, hoping that by some divine power above, her eyes would bulge out of her skull and she would proclaim to the heavens that she would smile back and be all girly-lovely! 

That did not happen.

Raven lowers her brow for a moment and gives him a blank stare, a pointed look that has his smile in uncertain mode. Her face turns into a frown as she speaks.

Raven: "It's you making up to me for making me babysit that idiot yesterday." She looks off into a corner, a little exasperated, raising her fist.

Cyborg sighs deeply and shakes his head. He approaches Raven and takes her fists in his hands. Raven's fists unfurled in Cyborg's touch; he then places her palms on his chest. He closes his eyes then inhaled and exhaled. Raven looks at her older friend thoughtfully.

Cyborg: "I know this is all unfair to you, and I'm sorry 'bout that," Cyborg said in a tired and wan voice as he opened his eyes. "But girl, what you did yesterday was not cool and Robin did not appreciate it, neither do we. It's a wonder how I managed to cool him off for a little while."

Raven scoffs, giving her eyes a slight roll and glancing irritably to the side. But she was feeling it, eating every bit of her soul. 

Like a newborn baby, everything was like hazy blurs in the beginning.

Each time she had cried for help they come at once and so an idea of safety in her world developed, a foundation on which her future personality would rest. In the years that followed life wasn't so simple. Their duties as heroes, the criminals... Slade coming after her to fulfill her destiny, the turn of events. Life is now different, with more responsibilities.

Though they adore her with every atom of their bodies, their tempers frayed, with each other and with her. And what yesterday is no difference, Raven didn't care one bit when they were frustrated. 

But inside, little cute Raven grew a seed of guilt, powerless as she was to mend the friends she loves or articulate her feelings. At least by good old brother Cyborg, she could avoid more angry voices coming her way...

Her face would become dismayed and with delicate hands she clasps his metal hands, banging them and squealing. 

A sympathetic look crosses his face. If he can lift her on his shoulder and plant cherry-pie kisses on her and toddle off for a book, he would've.

Cyborg: "Hey, don't be like that," he gives her hands a squeeze. "Don't work yourself too hard. We all make mistakes, don't we? No matter what you do, I couldn't be more proud if you were my own sister." 

Raven twists her hands away from her teammate's grip and playfully pushes him. Cyborg takes her hands again and then cast his 'little sister' a glance; he remains silent for a few moments. It was as if he has just seen Raven in an entirely different light and a new realization just dawns over him.

Raven: "Yeah?" said Raven, noticing the odd look her friend is giving her. "Is there something on my face?"

Cyborg: "Time seems to fly by so fast," He says with a small smile. "I can't believe you're already twenty years old...I guess it's the way you act that makes me keep on forgetting how old you are." Cyborg suddenly pressed his index finger on Raven's nose. "You're now a grown woman, aren't you young lady?"

Raven: "Yeah, I know. You don't need to remind me, I know." answered Raven, a little exasperated from the boop. 

Cyborg fixes her again with that gaze which gave Raven a feeling of uneasiness.

Cyborg: "It is a bit sad, but everyone has to grow old," he said, patting her head. "There will be a day when you're smiling at me and saying that you're going out with someone."

Raven had to keep herself from groaning out loud. In the years she'd known him, she can already tell what to expect once he has that expression.

Raven: "Cyborg," she rasps with a warning edge—

Cyborg: "And before the others and I know it, you're getting married." Cyborg continued as though he had not heard Raven.

"Will you get a grip, I—"

"Then, lo and behold, I'll see my nieces and—"

Raven: "Cyborg!" Raven repeats loudly, completely incensed. A flush burned at her cheeks at his words, Raven shoots him a scowl.

Cyborg: "It's all part of growing up," said Cyborg, rolling his eyes, a little irritated at her immature reaction. "Besides, you're in the right age in getting involved with someone."

Raven: "Puh-lease. I don't need to be involved with anyone!" Raven scoffed. "Besides, majority of the male population in this area are just a bunch of chauvinistic idiots and I have a duty to constantly remind them where they belong."

Cyborg: "Raven, don't always measure your strength on being almost physically invulnerable," said Cyborg patiently. "One can also be considered strong within without fighting; when it comes to the dealings of the heart, even the greatest fighters can be the most complete simpletons...and even the weakest beings."

Raven: "Yes, Dad." Raven presses her lips together and rolls her eyes at him, crossing her arms.

Cyborg: "Honestly, if there would be a time when you'd show me someone you like, I'd approve without a doubt," Cyborg said with a small laugh. "I'd like to know how he made you fall for him."

Raven wraps her fingers around her neck and pretends to retch. 

Cyborg: "You're definitely, ah, a late bloomer." he teased, pinching Raven's cheek. Raven pouted and tries to elbow him away. Cyborg laughs once again and Raven sees the wrinkles around his human eye were more pronounced since the last time she had actually looked closer. "You know I was kiddin' right?" He drags a finger to coil a stray lock of hair out of Raven's face, who blushes, wide-eyed. "You're so damn beautiful, there's not a man alive worthy of you! Not one who wouldn't kill to have you even once." 

Raven visibly relaxed and looks off into the corner while being admired as she bites her bottom lip to resist the smile hiding there but suddenly gave up, her face broke into a rare smile, one almost large enough to mirror the mecha.

Cyborg: "Good morning, Y/n. How long have you been standing there?" Cyborg suddenly said with a smile, looking over Raven's head. "Just finished your run I see." 

The feelings of tenderness Raven felt suddenly vanishes at the mention of his name; she grits her teeth and turned to the direction where Cyborg is looking.

And once she does, Raven not only lost her train of thought, she lost all coordination—

With his jacket not donned, the man looks like he's been working out and doing Cardio for his entire decade, or at least since he mastered walking. Under his loose shirt that clung to his torso is an aesthetic body that knows how to play and his face backs that up. His corded muscles rippled as he wipes his sweaty face with the towel around his neck. 

By now Raven's cheeks must be beyond an attractive rosiness.

Y/n: "Good morning," he replied, dragging the towel off his face. Raven shoots him a venomous look.

Cyborg: "Well, go take a shower and hop back here to get ready for breakfast. We're having barbecue today!" Cyborg said brightly.

Cyborg then goes inside, leaving Y/n and Raven in the island. 

Raven closes her eyes and it seemed a vein was popping out of her forehead when she turns to face him.

Raven: "Did you really have to stick your nose on me and my friend?" growls Raven, folding her arms once Cyborg was out of earshot.

Y/n: "I apologize," he said softly. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop."

Raven rolls her eyes before kneeling down for her porcelain legs to lean low into a stretch, her hands trying to reach her tennis shoes. 

As she was carefully doing it, she heard a gurgle and turned on her knees to see Silkie emerging from the door, coming her way.

Raven: "I see you woke up too," she said with an amused smirk.

The apple of the Tamaranian's eye simply brushes briefly against her and went squealing jauntily at Y/n. Silkie purrs affectionately as he rubs himself against Y/n's legs.

What the hell did this idiot do to him? Raven thought furiously. She instantly recalls what Silkie had done in order to interrupt their fight yesterday.

Y/n stoops on one knee and scratches Silkie behind his ears; the larva moth's 'Gurr' becomes more pronounced and he rolls over on his back, limbs curled in the air and his eyelids falling lazily.

Raven was watching them with her mouth half-open in disbelief when Starfire emerges from the tower's door, holding a tray that had homemade sandwiches. 

Starfire: "He really likes you," Starfire sheepishly said with a hearty smile, amused, at the sight of Y/n and Silkie.

Y/n: "I suppose so," he replied as he begins rubbing Silkie's stomach.

Starfire gave a small laugh before addressing to Raven.

Starfire: "Raven, breakfast is nearly ready. I purchased an entire basket at a local deli, and I made sandwiches made of conventional Earthly ingredients like the pastrami and salami. Get nurtured and come partake with us!" 

Starfire then left, her hips casually shift from side to side as she walks away with Silkie squealing hopefully at her heels, leaving Y/n and Raven alone once again, as Y/n finally stands upright.

Only a loud, frustrated sigh comes from her, while she pinches the bridge of her nose. Likely to help ease a headache starting to form in her head. 

Raven: "You're really good at screwing people the right way up to fool them, don't you?" 

Y/n: "It's pointless arguing with an annoying hypocrite."

Raven's mouth opens with a snarl when she hears her friends' laughter. 

She glances over her shoulder and saw Robin who just finished his patrol, and Starfire, setting the table together; Robin talking to Starfire about her amazingly improved cooking skills and she lays a hand on his arm, smiling and laughing. Cyborg and Beastboy, as if they refuse to surpass their teen years, each laughing as if there is no tomorrow, it was like they just got stuck in that mode.

Seeing her friends look so happy made Raven's heart skip a beat. 

She snaps her attention back at Y/n, who notices where she was looking at. He fixes her with his usual undaunted look that seems to hold all the mysteries in the universe, hidden behind dark frames, but for the briefest moment, Raven thought that there was something that stirred behind his e/c eyes.

Her violet gaze narrows and she steps closer to him.

Raven: "You better stay out of trouble." Raven threatens in a low voice, pointing a finger at Y/n's chest as she looks up at him. "They don't need to be involved in whatever 'heroic deeds' you plan to do."

Without another word, Raven turned her heel and marches off towards the tower.

◉◉◉◉◉

Raven dashes downstairs outside. The cool morning air rushes through Raven's hair. She'd showered and now wears her feathered cloak and leotard, and, hell, she smells so damn good their nostrils flared at the added stimulant.

Robin and Y/n weren't there yet; Starfire was busy setting the food on the table with a lovely smile, listening to Beastboy talking and Cyborg grilling the patties. 

Without taking a seat, Raven helps herself to some toast from the table and added jam to top it in a hurry.

Beastboy: "Are you going to skip breakfast?" Beastboy asks as she takes a bite. "What about your waffles?"

Raven: "Can't," replied Raven thickly through a mouthful of toast. "Need to go meditate."

Cyborg: "Girl, you won't do anything with an upset stomach," the half-robot said as Raven drains a glass of milk. "Sit down."

Raven takes the last morse and gestures with her arms animatedly at her friends that she is nearly finished eating; crumbs were on her lips, and she simply wipes it with the back of her hand. 

Her friends were watching her with visible concern.

Starfire: "You're already twenty years old, Raven, if you please dear friend, act like it?" she asks with innocence.

Raven: "Uh-uh," Raven said as she swallows, wondering if Star ever heard herself when addressing the issue of her age; she finds it rather contradicting that the fact that her Tamaranian friend telling her to act what is expected in adults, times have changed for sure. Either way, she was hoping that munching a toast would satisfy them. "I had a great breakfast. Now, can I go?"

Cyborg: "I already made your tea while you were showering and it's in the kitchen. Help yourself."

Raven: "You didn't have to," said Raven, rather piqued. "I don't need you to do that kind of simple thing for me; I can do it myself."

As Raven walks off towards the tower, she glanced over her shoulder.

Robin and Y/n had just appeared from the other end of the island, walking towards the others. He was talking to Y/n animatedly, but Y/n's replies were merely a nod of his head; from afar, it was better if Robin is talking to a block of wood.

Seeing her friends' lighthearted moments together and their benign temperament towards the young man made Raven wonder how they were so easily convinced to provide him houseroom... Had he ever reasoned with them the exact attitude he had towards Raven? If so, how could they accept a man like that and treat him with such benevolence?

Then it was all, she could do is to continue on towards the kitchen, hoping that in meditation she might finally find some peace of mind. 

◉◉◉◉◉

Raven's 'meditation' could not be called meditation so much as a vain attempt to shove down all her prying thoughts as she hovers cross-legged above her bed. 

The surrounding space was aglow in amber light, a swarm of candles blinking amidst the darkness. There is a small parting in her curtains where her window was left ajar, allowing for a mild breeze to drift in and cool the air. On her bedside, a tendril of smoke rises from a stick of incense, streaming the scent of Lotus Flower deep into her lungs. 

Though she sits with her spine straight, her palms facing up on her knees and her eyes gently closed, the witch's center eluded her - that crucial place where she could abandon all things and let her spirit sink into the vast, empty nothingness.

Girl, what you did yesterday was not cool and Robin did not appreciate it, neither do we.

She frowns, beginning to lose patience with herself. If any quandary was to impede her meditative state, she refused to let it be that. 

The fact that Y/n is a 'hero that seeks for good' simply does not reason with their acceptance of Y/n; hero or not, that man had killed. If he had any decency he would turn himself in and save everyone the trouble. 

It was only right...it was only justice.

Before they were merely living peaceful lives, just when her daddy's issues are long forgotten. Now they were providing room for a killer, a mysterious man whom she firmly thinks his entity for them is questionable...Surely the consequences are going to be much worse.

I'm not some sad little girl who's waiting to be rescued. I wanted it to go this way. I wanted to be with Slade. I wanted to annihilate you and pathetic friends!

With a feeling of dread, a memory floods Raven with the vision of the tower in shambles, an ambulance at the entrance of their house, her friends nursing bruises and cuts, and later seeing them lying down on a hospital bed with a swollen and bruised faces, unconscious and with a respirator aiding their breathing...! 

Her eyes snap open and her fingers curled into fists. She stares ahead at the adjacent wall, a blank stretch of purple that somehow seems to stare back, then despondently succumbed to the call of her bed. 

The magus descends and falls to her mattress in a heap, ignoring the way her hair spilled out in a violet mess across the pillow. She stares up at the ceiling in horror, at the shadows cast out from the dancing flames.

Raven was not there to protect her friends and her home. 

The guy may show respect towards her friends in subtle ways, but Raven knows better; He is a cocky bastard who could care less what would happen to them. Simple as that. He's only here, because they need him, and he was using them for that.

What if something would happen and Raven was not there in time to protect them and her home? 

I only have one home, one family, I won't make that mistake twice.

Her clasp suddenly snaps her out of her thoughts as it beeps the Titan 'trouble' alert. Her brow creases and she pulls her hood up, rushing off her bed and floating out of her room.

"Well, what choice do we have?" One of the secretaries asked.

"We have never paid out ransoms before," One of the most trusted men adds. "but I don't know. I don't like the feeling of this. What about you Mr.Robin?"

Robin: "I don't know erm, I'm no expert on these types of negotiations. I-I know people who are, but they are in...Gotham."

"If I may add sir, you have a lot of money." He addresses the man behind the desk. "You have always been a target. We all know that, but much as it pains me, I don't see we have a choice."

Raven rolls her eyes, shaking her head as she looks around the conference room, leaving the attendants to pour out their grief until it's time for work...

Besides a trash can, Raven spots a contorted paper, for some reason, she couldn't help but to kneel down and pick it up and read its contents-

''To reconstitute political life in a state presupposes a good man, whereas to have recourse to violence in order to make oneself prince in a republic presupposes a bad man. Hence very rarely will there be found a good man ready to use bad methods in order make himself prince, though with a good end in view.''

'I don't get it.' Raven utters with an uncertain frown.

Starfire: "To use violence for good, even if it is already wrong, for the greater good." She whispers to her with a smile.

Raven fully turns around and looks incredulously at her.

Raven: "Even if it means murdering people just to obtain peace?" She whispers.

Starfire: "That's morality, Raven." She replies, the corners of her mouth curling into a small smile once again. "It's not easy to make moral decisions all the time."

Raven: "Isn't that what the law is for?" She points at the people in the conference room. "The law is there to tell people what they should do and what not to do."

Starfire: "Morality isn't the law," said Starfire shortly, only for her to hear. "It goes beyond legality."

Raven glares at Starfire. Starfire tilts her head to the side, reading the obvious disagreement in Raven's eyes.

Starfire: "There are times when what is moral is not always legal and what is legal isn't always moral," adds Starfire seriously in a clear voice. 

Raven: "If that's the case, then what's the use of establishing the law then?" Raven argued back. "I'm sure the laws are made for a purpose and most definitely not just for a pretty display."

Starfire: "Laws are made by humans," said Starfire firmly. "They are usually the product of a collective agreement. Laws are decided by a majority vote. Morality is not all about how many people say that something is good or bad, or how many individuals favor and decide that a certain act is right or wrong."

Raven opens her mouth to argue back, but the words were lost; she had a perfect comprehension on what Starfire was trying to express. What Raven greatly disliked to hear was that Starfire sounded more like Y/n and to top it off she sounded like she was praising that kind of philosophy. Raven felt a crazy urge to tell her that what if that someone who used "violence for good" is living among them. Then again, Starfire might already know who she's referring to during their conversation. 

And she can see why this article is thrown in the trash can—

Robin: "Who do you think is targeting you?"

"Haters." The secretary replies quickly-

"Who can say?" 

All eyes dart to the elderly man who wears an impeccably crisp suit and tie, while he looks at Robin.

"Life in this country is not easy you can see that." He then looks at the ground. The silence was intense between seeming confessions. "I have tried to do business the right way but that's not always possible." 

Raven scrutinizes him more thoroughly; the parting in his short grey hair was almost extraordinarily straight, his narrow moustache looks as though he trimmed it using a slide-rule and his shoes were very highly polished.

That's the mayor.

"Of course, I've made enemies, but I've also paid a lot of bribes... I have no idea." He trails off.

Raven's attention snaps to the very calm and composed Y/n at the far distance, who has his undivided attention at the mayor, with his hood over his head, which slightly shadowed his face.

But that stare, like a cobra... seeking its prey.

Robin: "Ahem," Robin fake coughs, breaking the awkward silence. "We'll investigate. Let's go—"

"Miss Starfire and Raven, if you don't mind, I would like to talk to the both of you," called the mayor from the front, looking up from his file records.

Both girls snap their attention to the mayor, then to their teammates, their expressions serious but thoughtful more than wary. They look toRobin's somewhat impatiently curious eyes, before they nod.

"This way, please." The secretary gestures, holding the door to the four titans and all the few attendants and the doors close.  

Raven: "What is this about?" questioned Raven to Starfire.

Starfire: "There is a case file, most likely," She says, gazing downwards, tapping her index fingers together. "Perhaps something that is unwanted to be unfolded to the public—"

"Miss Starfire, please close the door behind you and Miss Raven, kindly put on the blinds on the windows," said the mayor from the front desk.

Scowled in confusion, Raven and Starfire oblige and after they had done the mayor's request, they stand tall facing the mayor's desk. 

A feeling of something foreboding started to gnaw within Raven as she realizes that the mayor dawdles in flipping through his records as though waiting for the noise to subside...as though waiting for the corridor to be empty...

"I saw the both of you eyeing that article." He finally said, seemingly addressing the two, but he was looking at Raven. "What do you think of it?"

Raven: "I think that it has a lot to do with 'the end justifies the means'," Raven replies in a bored voice. 

The mayor tilts his head to the side while looking at Raven with a mildly interested expression.

"You think so? Even it means... to kill for the greater good?"

Instantaneously, Y/n's voice echoed in Raven's ears.

'I had to choose between two evils.'

Raven didn't know whether to nod or shake her head. Unlike Starfire, who eagerly nods her head.

"I don't think Tamaranians have a sense of justice though," he said softly as his lips curved into a malicious smile.

Raven's forehead creases before she glares openly at him. This old geezer got some nerve there!

"Of course who else can understand this article better than Raven, also known as the powerful member of the Titans," said the mayor, nodding at Raven's direction. "Do you think the gist of this article will apply to our times?"

Raven: "I think the easiest way to get justice is to literally knock some sense when into them," said Raven carelessly. She wasn't really thinking of the right answer since all she was thinking is uninstalling his teeth.

"I don't think so," he smirked suggestively. "I think your powers and appearance always make you look so uncivilized, unfit to blend with people, not to mention it'll earn you an image of an uneducated whore."

When Raven's lips purse his eyes light up.

"Miss Raven, why are you looking at me like that? Isn't it true?" said the mayor, amused at Raven's glare. "That's a look of a murderer, not a hero."

Raven opens her mouth, but Starfire lays a hand on her arm and shot her a warning look. 

"The southern side of the city was mostly industrial and commerce-related, full of warehouses and shipping yards. These were often a target of theft and robbery, almost always at risk of being broken into..." he adds, looking down from his records, then back at the two. "This is bad since it affects our reputation... and your dignity as the protectors of this city."

Raven: "So what do we have to do then?" 

"Oh, failures can always be compensated. I assure you that this isn't quite tedious for girls like you and I think you girls could be quite interesting despite your appalling sense of self-expression and retardedness,"—his eyes wandered towards Starfire and her eyebrow twitched—"and, ah, violent tendencies." he said, finally looking at Raven pointedly, holding a file.

Raven's mouth twitches unpleasantly; she wants to explain for what seemed like attacking an innocent civilian, but decides against it since she knew that those were the type of people who didn't want to be contradicted or corrected. Raven knew that this time it is wise to simply nod and agree.

"But... I bet there is more to you girls that meets the eye; the both of you may have something interesting to show..." he said softly.

Raven scowls; the tone doesn't seem to imply he was praising them. Those words seem to accompany an intuition of something undesirable; there is something ominous about this meeting...

The mayor remains silent for a few moments before speaking.

"Did you already have oral sex, Miss Raven?"

Both young women gaped at the old man.

"Miss Starfire, have you ever had anal sex?" He said, this time addressing to the Tamaranian.

Raven: "We're a supposed to save people, not see how many we can sleep with." 

The mayor removes his glasses, wipes them with his handkerchief and putting them back on his face.

"You have a brilliant mind, young one. I can respect your ability to stay very calm and collected," He said. "Though I admit that you're quite good, I'd like to know how far that vulgar mind of yours can take you, I just want to see for myself...I've never touched a girl that looks like a project princess, or more of a pornstar."

Raven and Starfire gape, eyes wide in horror and disgust. The mayor stood up, walks around the desk, and stands in front of Raven and Starfire.

Raven's core tightens.

"You're both grown girls, aren't you?" He whispers, leering, as his hands reached out towards Raven's chest and her thigh muscles clench. "You're both old enough to play grown-up games—"

Without giving another thought, Raven grumbles loudly. Her eyes begin to glow hot white! 

The mayor gasps in fright and leaps backwards—

Starfire: "Raven, NO!" Starfire yelled, launching herself forwards and dragging Raven away from him, "WAIT! You can't—! You cannot do it just like that!"

Raven: "We can beat the living daylights out of him because he deserves it and you know it!" Raven snarls, trying to throw Starfire off. One hand was still clawing the air as she tries to grab the front of the mayor's shirt. Her core was shrieking with desire of beating this pervert into a bloody jelly!

Starfire: "Pull—yourself—together!" Starfire pants, trying to restrain Raven, "Please, think about it! If you hit him, it will be us who are going to get into trouble!"

Raven stops struggling, though her eyes were still fixed on the mayor, who simply looks at her coolly.

"That's right," he said in a soft, triumphant voice. "I wonder whose word the Governor will take. Vincent K. Richard, a respectable graduate of the University of Harvard, with a clean record, with a number of star employees in his career. Or two twenty-year-old heroine with, ah, appalling, reputations: Starfire, a girl from another world, with the soul of a child who once brought chaos to our home because she was a wanted prisoner, then there is Raven, a girl who loves to brawl and uses her powers to threaten people who get in her way."

"I don't threaten—!" Raven started furiously. She finally succeeds in pushing Starfire aside and grabs the front of the mayor's shirt.

"You don't?" He said, raising his graying eyebrows. "Well, I can easily tweak that tiny little detail; if, right now, you hit me, I can use my injury to prove that this certain action was a desperate attempt to pull me out of my job. Just think about it; I know you girls are smart. Whose words do think would carry more weight?"

Raven freezes. The mayor smirks. Starfire wrenches Raven's hand from his shirt and backed away with Raven.

"My, my, my...who would the Justice league believe with such reputation you girls hold...Your profiles are also aren't worthy of any attention from such hero organizations...Remember that I'm your mayor and I have the power to decide with just a prepared speech if you are a hero or not in all of America and no one will ever think otherwise, at all...Also, I wonder how shameful it would be for your friends to know what you have done..."

Before Raven can shout at what a disgusting old pervert he was, Starfire storms out of the conference room, yanked Raven with her.

◉◉◉◉◉

The duo was silent all the way until stopping to a halt. Raven balls her hands into fists to control them from shaking so badly. Starfire's hands were shaking too as she inhaled deeply and shakily exhaling, she drops her gaze to the floor. But Raven knew, like her, Starfire isn't shaking from fear: they are both shaking with pure rage.

Raven: "Starfire," said Raven breathing heavily as it sank in her senses what that mayor had just done. "Why did you stop me? That creep nearly groped me! You should've—"

Starfire: "You heard what he said." Starfire cut across her. "He's right: if you had hit him, he will put in his records that you assaulted him. He has the ability to turn the public on us."

"That wasn't right—!"

"It wasn't right, so please shut up!" Starfire said irritably. Raven glared at her, completely outraged. Yet seeing the look on Starfire's face made her bit back her retort.  

Her eyes were red. A little mascara smeared... like she'd been crying. Starfire's brooding made Raven decide that it's better if she gives her a wide berth; it was better if they didn't jump at one another's throats at the moment. They were both being bribed by the same, sickening old pervert. It was better if they were in good speaking terms.

Raven's communicator trills in her golden belt, snapping her back to reality. She flips open it and sees Robin and Cyborg and Beastboy's curious faces on the screen.

Beastboy: "Hey girls, everything alright?"

Raven looks up from her communicator to see Starfire's emerald green gaze looking back at her, giving her a questioning look. She slides her hand across her face.

Starfire: "All is well!" She smiled in an almost child-like, vulnerable way. 

And then there are hot tears, ones they will never see, falling fast and thick onto her top.

◉◉◉◉◉

As soon as Raven arrived home, she goes straight to the gym and took out the training dummy. Raven punches, kicks, and twisted its limbs so hard that it nearly broke.

"Is there something wrong, Raven?" came a voice. "What has the training dummy ever done to you?"

Raven turned and sees Cyborg looking at her thoughtfully. Raven closes her eyes, inhaled sharply, and harmonized her thoughts before speaking.

Raven: "No, everything's fine; I just wanna vent, that's all."

Cyborg regards Raven thoughtfully; he then approaches her and takes her fists in his hands.

Cyborg: "It's that self-pity again, isn't it?" He then asks with a smile. "Remember what I told you earlier today? Don't put much pressure; it doesn't matter if what decisions you take."

Cyborg then allows his face to crack into a wide grin as he cheers her like a kindly older brother and gently patted her cheek, "Whatever happens, I'm always proud of you." before exiting the gym. 

Raven stood on her spot and stared at the space where her old friend had stood; she then turns around and stands in front of the mirrors glaring unseeingly at her own reflection.

Also, I wonder how shameful it would be for your friends to know what you have done...

She bites her lips, her mood as if she is standing at the tip of a cliff.

No matter what you do, I couldn't be more proud if you were my own sister.

Anger spreads out through Raven's body like boiling water. How dare that old pervert use their honor in exchange for his disgusting favors?!

Raven closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, and held it in.

That bastard degraded her and her best friend, laced words in his insults to sound subtle... what is more disgusting was that he almost touched her...

She opens her eyes, envisioned the mayor's face on the blank face of the training dummy—

Raven's yell echoes intensely across the gym as she grabs the dummy's face with her dark energy and slams it so hard on the gym floor; the impact was so hard that the wooden floor where the back of the dummy's head landed splinters. 

Raven's chest heaves up and down so much that she fell to her knees in a disheveled heap as her grief poured out in, breathing heavily; the force on that blow was just a fraction of the anger that burned within her.

Raven still knelt beside the training dummy with her hand gripping its face with a vice-like grip; she was so entrapped in envisioning beating that mayor senseless without regards to the consequences that she has not noticed the sound of soft thuds of a pair of feet walking outside the gym.

Raven turned on her knees to the threshold, expecting it was Cyborg, Starfire, maybe Beastboy or Robin.

It was Y/n; he casts her with his usual undaunted stare. Raven glares back and he turned and starts walking away; it was bad enough that she met a perverted politician and now she has to go home with a murderer for a teammate. A teammate who wouldn't mind murdering high-class people just to attain this so-called peace—

"Hey," said Raven, suddenly standing up and walking after Y/n. "Wait a minute,"

His eyes tightly shut; Unmistakable annoyance started to etch in Y/n's features.

"What was really your reason why you kill again?"