LOVE + FEAR

ENINAZZEM

"Thanks," Damian stepped through the portal first. When Raven arrived behind him, the air conditioning of the Tower kissed away the heat of the sun.

Damian excused himself to take a shower. Meanwhile Raven wandered to the kitchen, finding a drawer full of tea bags that she'd discovered during her previous invasion of the kitchen. They really did think of everything when I moved back in. Besides the sugar shortage.

Raven picked a chamomile blend—and jumped when she found someone seated on the other side of the kitchen island. Her powers reacted this time, making a roll of paper towels shoot off the counter.

"John?" She gaped at Constantine as he sipped whiskey from one of the Tower's glasses.

He raised a hand, where an unlit cigarette balanced between two fingers. "You used to break windows when something scared you. Now look at you, the bloody ghost hunters on TV could do a segment on you."

"What are you doing here?" said Raven. As she waited for the explanation, she shut a few drawers that were also opened from her shock and placed the paper towels on their proper stand.

"The house misses you and is on strike." Constantine took a sip of his early-morning whiskey. "And the Seven Deadly Sins have been active in the area—"

John paused. He sloshed around the liquor in his glass as he studied their surroundings with a skeptical look.

"What?" Raven glanced around. Gar was sleeping in; the rest of the Titans were probably training early. No one else was in the room. Then she sensed it.

Light suddenly filled the room. The two winced and turned away from the blinding rays as they shimmered, morphing into delicate shades of blue. When a silhouette appeared, Constantine huffed. "Bollocks, it's my ex."

The lightshow melted away. Zatanna Zatara stood before them.

"Hey, I've wanted to check up on you since I heard you moved out of John's," Zatanna closed the distance between her and Raven, placing a gentle hand upon her arm.

Raven had run into Zatanna many times during her stay with Constantine. At one point, she'd spent a month with the dark-haired magician. For someone so famous (and flashy for a living), Zatanna was one of the most genuine people that Raven had ever met.

"Are you doing okay? Was it because of the usual, or did John do something overly stupid?" Zatanna's voice was a calming monotone. Listening to her always instilled a feeling of relaxation in Raven.

"I'm sitting right here, love," Constantine waved his drink in the air.

"What did you do, John?" Zatanna crossed her arms at him.

"Nothing! Tell her—I did nothing," said Constantine.

"What are you even doing here—? Isn't it too early for happy hour?"

"I'm treating myself. Rubbing alcohol is for the outside wounds; drinking alcohol for the inside ones," Constantine downed the rest of his glass.

Raven and Zatanna exchanged a look. Raven spoke first, "That isn't the exact reason why I moved out, but it was a sign."

"You could've stayed with me. My offer always stands," Zatanna squeezed her arm in a light, comforting way.

Raven glanced down at her feet. "Thanks, but I'm happy here."

Zatanna had offered her an apprenticeship many times—and Raven always declined with a polite refusal. There was a time when Raven had wanted her as a mentor. She still did, deep down. But it was easier this way. For the best.