Fighting My Demon

Chapter: 4 - Let the Dreamer, dream

Raven was in the kitchen reading a book while enjoying her morning tea. Damian couldn't help but smirk from behind her. She looked so beautiful, being drawn in a book so deep and not having a care in the world as she visited whichever realm her book was drawing her in. There was no one in the tower but them, Damian had asked Koriand'r to take the team out for a while, so he and Raven could have a sometime to themselves. He didn't need Jon's or Logan's prying eyes over them.

Damian made sure to walked very carefully towards Raven so not to alert her of his presence. As he grew closer, Damian dug into his pocket and brought out the small trinket he had picked out for Raven while he had been away in Gotham. He was right behind Raven, he unclasps the chain and wrapped it around her neck. Raven was immediately startled from her reading as she turned her head just in time for Damian to place a peck on her temple.

"Miss me?"

"I think I made that obvious from our last video call two nights ago. What's this?" Raven gestured towards the locket as she examined it and moved it around on her slender fingers.

Damian leaned closer, resting his chin on her shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "I was out walking from the office one day, passed this small trinket shop and saw this necklace and it made me think of you. It's a locket, you can place anything you want inside of it."

"It's beautiful Damian, I love it. Is the front supposed to be a compass?" The locket he had picked out for her was round with a compass engraved in the front. It was all silver, with a matching thin silver chain. There was something engraved inside but he wanted to keep that as a small surprise for her to find. Damian couldn't help but smirk to himself, he couldn't wait to see her reaction.

"What would you like to do?" Damian asked clearly evading her question.

"Whatever you're trying to hide... I will find out. I wasn't sure at what time you'll be back, so I was planning to take Titus out for a walk."

"Have you eaten?"

"Just a bagel and tea."

Damian raised a brow at her, "Raven. You know that doesn't really qualify for a complete meal. Let me buy you a decent meal, we'll take Titus."

"Very well."

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

"Thank you for the meal again, next time it's on me." Raven said as she threw away her empty drink into a trash can. Damian had taken Raven out to a small diner that had an outside dining area. The diner also offered some assorted doggy biscuits which Titus had chowed down happily. Now they were walking aimlessly around Jump City's park, letting Titus run freely over the green pasture.

Damian bent down to pick up a wooden stick, he whistled, and Titus barked at him. Damian threw it as far as he could, with Titus running after the stick. Damian glanced back to see Raven fiddling with the locket he had gifted her. He couldn't help but smile and walk towards her. In that moment Damian wanted to have her telepathic powers and be able to read her mind, he wanted to know what she was thinking, know her deepest desires so he could turn them to reality. Raven was his muse, his light, and he would do everything in his power to protect her from all the evils in the world.

Damian walked towards his one and only beloved, wrapping his arms from behind as he placed small kissed on Raven's cheek; before resting his chin on her shoulder. "What are you doing, beloved?"

"Just adding a little something to the locket, take a look." Damian darted his eyes towards the locket as Raven opened it, revealing a small picture of Damian sitting on the sofa that was in Titans Tower. On his lap a very young-still-a-puppy, Titus. "I took that picture, on Titus' second day being with us. Got it printed but never got a chance to frame it or know where to keep it safe. Now I have the locket and wanted to hold it here with me, forever."

Had she seen the engraving?  "I like it, makes the locket more personal and valuable... did you find anything else?"

"Like what?" Raven asked him as she leaned against him.

Damian smiled, "Nothing." He let go as Titus trotted back holding another stick, a verylarge andthick stick, towardsthem. Titus let the stick fall from his mouth with a definitive thunk and bark at Damian to pick it up. Damian bent over, then was gently pushed making him stumble and almost trip over his own two feet. He turned around quickly catching Raven smirking and giggling.

"You're going to pay, beloved." Damian snarled.

"Really? Because I think I won, just now...Ah!" Raven screamed as Damian made a dashed towards her. Raven evaded his attack and ran towards a small hill, with her boyfriend trailing after her and his dog following them. Damian continue to chase after Raven, truth be told he was letting her run faster than him. He was a well-trained assassin after-all, he was made for speed. Though this current chase, he wanted to prolong a bit longer and enjoy it. Damian noticed Raven start to run towards the descendance of the hill, and he couldn't help but formulate a battle plan to apprehend his girlfriend.

When they started running down the hill, Damian picked up speed and when he was at arm's reach. He leapt towards her making them tumble down to the ground. They rolled down the hill, Damian using his body to shield her as much as possible. Once they reached the foot of the hill, Damian holding Raven tightly against his chest; Raven resting her head onto his shoulder; did both teens then erupt into laughter. This whole feeling, he was feeling was very strange to Damian, he never had friends. He never got a chance to really act like a regular child or teen. He never got to experience what 'hang out' was. Damian never once consider he could feel love.

No, since he joined The Titans, Damian got a small chance to experience all that, he got to see what Grayson and his Father valued being part of a team was like. Not flying solo but having others to watch for your back and knowing that whatever evils came, working as a team they could overcome any enemy. Now with Raven, his girlfriend, she made him feel stronger and gave Damian something more to fight for. Times like these were ones that Damian wished he could always relive, for moments like these are what he dreams for every night.

- - - - - -

In the distance there stood an old dead hallow tree trunk. It had been sunny but even the sun's light couldn't penetrate the darkness that seemed to want to swallow the dead tree. The two teens had gotten up, Damian Wayne patted his back and knees. He then turned, smiling at the witch girl as he helps pat her shoulders, unaware that a pair of blue eyes studied them from the tree's shadows. Damian grabbed the girl's hands and the two walked towards the exit of the park being followed by the great black Dane.

The being with blue eyes grinned, revealing white brilliant sharp teeth, "enjoy this facade of yours, brother. For soon it will all be over, and you will finally join us."