EUPHORIA

Beach day

(ok let me set the scene Raven and Damien are together that all🫠👍🏽)

It was that time of the month when Kori declared "mandatory fun" for the team. This month, she'd decided everyone needed a day at the beach, so she called everyone together for a meeting.

"As you all know, it's time for mandatory fun," she announced, her eyes bright with excitement. "And this month, we're going to the beach!"

The team cheered-everyone except Raven, who muttered under her breath, "Does she realize how easily my skin burns?"

Damian's voice came from right beside her, startling her. "Why don't you just put on sunscreen? Or sit under an umbrella?"

Raven nearly jumped out of her skin. Damian's assassin training allowed him to sneak up on her effortlessly. She could recall the time she'd been cooking, only to turn around and find him silently perched on the kitchen island, watching her. She'd practically jumped out of her skin that time, too.

"Sunscreen doesn't help," she replied, sighing. "I still end up as red as a tomato."

"You mean... like this?" Damian smirked, then leaned in to plant a quick kiss on her lips before casually walking away, leaving her blushing.

"Exactly like that," she muttered, trying to shake off her flushed face.

---

The team started packing for the overnight trip. Raven hated hotel rooms-they were always far too cold, and she wasn't allowed to adjust the thermostat. With the Tower nearly empty as everyone gathered last-minute supplies, she decided it was the perfect time to make a plan.

Damian was still training, so she slipped into his room quietly. She knew his room as well as her own-probably even better, since she usually slept there, while her room had become more of a glorified closet.

She went over to his closet and opened it, the familiar scent of spices filling the air. After rummaging through his drawers, she found what she was looking for: his black hoodie, with the Robin emblem on the left and a larger emblem on the back. Just as she started to fold it, the door creaked open. She froze.

Damian stepped into the room, looking at his phone, then paused when he noticed her standing there, hoodie in hand, looking as guilty as a puppy caught tearing up a cushion. He raised an eyebrow and let out a small laugh.

"You... need something?" he asked, amused.

Caught, she tried handing him the hoodie back, but he shook his head. "I know you hate cold hotel rooms, and, for some reason, you never seem to pack hoodies. So take this one."

"Thank you," she mumbled, cheeks pink, and scurried back to her own room.

---

Later that evening, Raven grew bored and wandered back to Damian's room, throwing herself onto his bed with a sigh. Damian glanced at her in brief confusion but went back to packing his bag, amused. When she showed no sign of moving, he walked over.

"Are you done packing?"

"Mm-hmm," she mumbled, stretching out comfortably.

Damian grabbed both their bags and carried them to the car, shaking his head at her casual invasion of his space.

---

They arrived at the hotel around 8:30 p.m. Kori and Dick had their own room, Raven and Damian shared one, while Wonder Girl, Jamie, and Logan bunked together down the hall.

Damian, getting ready for bed, emerged from the bathroom in just a pair of sweatpants. Raven looked up, her eyes widening in disbelief.

"How the hell are you not freezing all of your limbs off?" she asked, staring.

With a sleepy smirk, Damian replied, "Habibi, I spent most of my life in the mountains."

She shrugged and climbed into bed beside him, resting her head on his bicep. He ran his fingers through her hair, savoring the vanilla scent that filled his senses, feeling a rare moment of peace.

---

The next morning, they all made their way down to the beach. Raven settled under an umbrella with Damian by her side, applying layers of sunscreen to avoid burning. Everyone else was splashing around in the water, which gave Damian an idea.

He turned to her, a glint in his eye. "Do you know how to swim?"

Raven looked at him warily. "I don't like where this is going."

"Just answer the question," he pressed.

"Yes, I know how to swim," she replied.

Before she could react, Damian scooped her up in his arms and walked down toward the water. When it reached his knees, she finally yelled, "Damian Thomas Wayne, put me down!"

With a mischievous grin, he did just that-dropping her into the water. Raven stood up, soaked, as he laughed, thoroughly pleased with himself.

"Oh, so you think this is funny?" she muttered, forming a small water bubble over his head. The meme ran through her mind: *It was at this moment he knew he'd messed up.* The bubble burst, drenching him head-to-toe, leaving them both laughing.

Their water fight continued until the sun began to set, ending the day with laughter and a newfound lightness between them.