FIFTEEN MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT, I MADE THE DEADLINE ERNGOUSDHFI
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"Raven, you have to be more careful out there. You could've gotten yourself killed." Damian stitched up one of Raven's wounds that she had obtained from a fight the Titans barely got out of. Raven flinched at the pain of the needle piercing her skin but Damian's hand grabbing her arm when she moved eased it. Of course she was always careful, but the villain was more powerful than her. He escaped, but not before leaving Raven, alongside everyone else, with multiple tears in their skin.

Damian was upset about her decision to nearly sacrifice herself. It wasn't as if they were together, but he did have more than friendly feelings towards the teenage witch. He didn't understand them, of course not. It wasn't anything he'd ever felt before. And so, he was nowhere near admitting them to her, or anyone else for that matter.

"I needed to help, Damian. I can't just allow him to nearly kill us off." She mumbled. She was extremely willing to offer her life for anyone else on the team. And she knew that the others would do the same. Especially Damian.

"You can't sacrifice yourself. I need you alive, Raven." He tied her stitches and begun working on another one of her cuts. He detested looking at her like that; vulnerable and hurt. He was aware that it was difficult to shake her but, still. She wasn't one to return from a battle hurt and wounded. Why it bothered him so much, he was unsure of, but he was always extra protective of Raven. Those small moments where she'd flash him a smile was one attribute of hers that he loved. He actually would do anything to keep her smiling. And so, stitching her up clearly wasn't helping her retain that beautiful smile of hers he adored so much.

"You're one to talk about sacrificing." She sighed. "I can't promise you I won't do it again. I know you would die for any of us. I'm only trying to be like you, Damian."

"Why would you want to be like me, Raven? I don't want to be like me." He wrapped a bandage around a gash of hers.

It had been true, what he said. He always secretly longed to be like Raven; collected, calm, patient, loved by the other Titans. The team had deep admiration towards her, everyone knew that. He, on the other hand, was simply a child that was forced upon them when he overreacted to a situation that legibly could've been handled in a better way if only he had been more alike to Raven.

Or at least, that was what he assumed they thought of him.

"Because.. you're you. You're probably the best Titan. You have a lot to improve but taking into account what has happened in your life and the fact that you're brave enough to surpass that.. I wish I was like you."

"No, you don't." He breathed out heavily and began to stitch up the final slash. "Don't ask, you simply don't want to be me."

"I'm sorry if I hit a nerve." Raven took in a deep breath as he stitched her up. "Thank you for helping me. But with that being said, why did you help me?"

The question caught him off guard. What was he supposed to say? "Because I love you"?

"Because I won't allow you to bleed out. You're a part of the team, automatically I care for you."

"Are you sure you don't care about me for any other reason? Because I'm sure as hell you don't care for Garfield."

He sighed, "What do I tell you, Rae? Tell me what to tell you."

"The truth." She shrugged, "I am an empath. I can sense people's emotions. Do you actually believe I am not aware towards your pining to me?"

His eyes widened in surprise. "No.. I hadn't figured.."

"Tell me you like me, Damian, that's all I wish for as of now."

"You already know. What's the point?"

"You've always been the bravest person I know, why can't you say a simple thing?"

"Feelings aren't simple, Rae. You, of all people, should know that."

"Then how is it so easy for me to tell you that I feel the same way?"

"I don't kno--" It was then that his brain fully processed what she said, "You do..?"

"Of course I do. I won't lie, I have feelings for you."

"I.. thanks, Raven.." He had no idea what would've been appropriate to say. Or do, either.

"Is it about time we kiss now?" She blushed and looked down.

"Hasn't it always been?" He hesitantly wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her in. He was in no rush to kiss her. It was his first kiss; both with Raven and in general, so he wanted to take in every single detail about it. Then, finally, after a few moments of absorbing every feeling about the moment, their lips met.

And when they pulled apart, there it was. That smile on her face he was so wild about. The smile which reassured him that even if she was covered in gashes and bruises, even if he wasn't fond of his very own life..

Somehow, someway, everything was going to end up just fine.