Adult-FanFiction.org : Comics

The Silence Of My Love	By : PrincessKoriandr Category: DC Verse Comics > Titans Views: 3147 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Titans, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1
- 2
- 3
Love is often silent…

Lower East ‘80s, New York City, New York. 3:08 AM.

The young woman lying in the middle of the queen-size bed was restless. After a long day of doing absolutely nothing, she had retired to her bed, expecting to sleep, but it was not to be. No matter how she tried, sweet bliss was denied her.

This was nothing new. Many things had been denied Raven of Azarath.

Sighing, she turned to her side and stared at the open doorway. Although she could not see him, she knew he was there, patiently waiting.

Waiting to sooth the nightmares that held her hostage in the night.

Waiting to offer comfort when there was none to be found.

Willing to hold her until the world righted itself around her.

Willing to listen should she speak.

*If only it was that easy,* the thought came unbidden to her mind. Nothing had ever come easily in her life; why should it start now? The bitter look that crossed the Empath’s delicate features would have surprised those who knew her. She normally didn’t express such emotions-*any* emotions, for that matter. Trained from birth to control her emotions lest she free her father, she had been denied a normal childhood, never allowed the freedom of feeling, living, *loving,* for fear she would unknowingly give her father the opportunity he was looking for to control her.

She felt surrounded by men wanting to use her.

Eric Forrester.

Every time she thought of the man, all the newfound emotions came swirling to the forefront, choking her with rage and hurt, feelings she was not equipped to handle or express. Nothing she did helped, and she tried everything she knew. Even trying to gain her inner peace through meditation didn’t work. All she could do was agonize over it, and pray that Azar saw fit to gift her with wisdom-but the goddess was silent tonight, and every night for the past week.

She was on her own. Knowing that, what could she do? How could she express the emotions that relentlessly attacked her? How could she speak of all the spiritual turmoil she was experiencing? How could she explain the *rage*…the *hurt* she still felt? How could she put into mere words the very things she feared would consume her?

She couldn’t. Expression had never been her strength; even now she could feel the raging emotions…swirling…twisting…fighting for control of her every thought. Trying to consume her in ways her father never could; destroying her, one painful memory at a time.

It had been a week since Eric’s assault, and still it was no easier to think about.

One week.

One week since the police came to arrest Eric and found his burned out mechanical body instead.

One week since Karen Beecher and Sarah Charles came with various S.T.A.R. Labs personnel to take the remains away for examination and burial. Karen and Sarah took turns holding the shell-shocked empath, crying even as she cried, offering what comfort and support they could.

One week since the Titans had crowded into her small apartment and took over as only they could. The whole clean-up would have moved faster if S.T.A.R. and the police didn’t have to work around seven additional people, but the Titans refused to budge, intent on being on-hand should she need them. Silently offering the unconditional love and support she had long associated with them. They wouldn’t leave until someone volunteered to stay with her. Her protests that she was fine by herself were continuously ignored by Richard, who gave her a look that said he knew better. He was conversing with Joseph, and though she was in the wrong position to see what Joseph was signing, she did see Richard nod his head once before turning to the team and giving the signal to clear out. There were last minute hugs and kisses, which she accepted before they left. What else could she do? She was still in shock. When the door closed behind them, she realized that one had stayed. Getting up off the couch, Joseph walked over to her and signed, ‘I will stay for as long as you need me.’ And that was that.

One week since Joseph held her in the middle of her bedroom and let her cry for everything she had lost.

*One damn week!*

Trembling, she hugged her long arms around herself, as if to keep the unpleasant thoughts at bay. Once again, she felt the tegathgathering in the corners of her eyes; tears that threatened to destroy her fragile peace. Tears she refused to release, for fear that once she started, she would never stop.

It was always the same; hurt followed by anger in an unrelenting cycle. After the need to cry passed, the crippling anger returned-more potent, more violent than before. Every time she thought of how foolish and naive she had been, how easy to trick, the rage threatened to consume her.

The hurt was much worse.

Eric Forrester. The man responsible for all her mental and emotional anguish. Her first taste of love, and such a bitter pill to swallow.

Betrayer.

No longer willing to encourage such thoughts, she sat up in the middle of her queen-size bed, one of the two things she didn’t handpick for her Broadway apartment herself. That job had been entrusted to Koriand’r. Raven had classes that ended late in the afternoon and was not able to catch the store before it closed, but she was impatient to move in right away. Kory had volunteered to handle her bed crisis, promising she would take care of delivery and set up so that Raven would be able to come right home and fall to sleep if she so desired.

Thinking it was a sound solution, Raven handed over her keys and credit card and told the Tamaranean what she wanted, asking if she would see to the guest room as well if it wasn’t too much of a bother. From the way Koriand’r smiled and pushed her out the door, she knew it wasn’t. Thanking her, Raven headed off to class.

When she got home, she found the keys in her mailbox and headed up to her apartment. When she got inside, she rushed to her bedroom and hit the light switch. It was there, already set up and fitted with sheets and comforter, ready for an occupant-a beautiful, queen-sized bed. What would she do with so much space? She headed for the guest room and took a peek inside. Same thing-a queen-sized bed, set up and ready. Hesitantly, she picked up the phone and called Koriand’r to ask her what happened.

“What do you mean, ‘what happened?’ Don’t you like it?” came the voice on the other end of the receiver.

Twisting the telephone cord around her finger, Raven looked at the bed. “I love it, Koriand’r, but…”

“But what?”

Biting her lip, she asked, “How can I afford it? It looks like an expensive set, in both rooms, and so…large. What would I do with so much room?”

The husky sounds of laughter carried though the telephone receiver. “It *is* an expensive set, one of the best made on this planet.”

“But-”

“Stop worrying, Raven. I didn’t spend a penny more then you asked, so your credit is fine.”

“Then how did you-”

Once more laughter echoed through the phone. “How did I-or rather, you-afford the sets? I love to shop, so I know the best places to go. The Outlet on 5th was having a going-out-of-business sale. It had just started that day, so there was plenty of selection. After shopping around a while, I saw I could get you two queen-sized sets for the price of the two full-size sets you wanted. After I saw name of the company that made them, I snatched them up-at that price, they were a steal! I picked up a set for myself, but mine is king-sized; I need the extra room,” she said, giggling at the reason she would need the room.

Blushing at the thought of Koriand’r and Richard rolling around in the bed, Raven quickly got back on subject, which was her bed. “But…it is too much room! What am I to do with a bed so large? I will get lost!”

“Raven…was that a joke?? X’hal! There’s hope for you yet!”

“Koriand’r-”

“Don’t you ‘Koriand’r’ me. One day you may meet a man who you feel deeply enough for and invite him into that very bed. Trust me, you’ll be really grateful for the extra room if the man is talented with his love play. A king or queen-sized bed just screams exploration!”

“KORIAND’R!”

Chuckling at her friend’s shocked tone, she teased her again. “You can’t win this one, and you can’t return the mattresses, so say, ‘Thanks, Koriand’r’ and then go fall on your new bed.”

Realizing that the war was well and truly over, she gave the appropriate response. “Thank you, Koriand’r, I love my new beds, and now I am going to sleep.”

“Good girl! You’re welcome. Let me know if there’s something else you want me to do, and I’ll see you at the meeting Thursday.”

“I will…goodnight, Koriand’r.”

“Night, Raven.”

Which was how she had ended up with this queen-sized beast of a bed. Share it with someone special? She thought she’d found that special someone with Eric, but she was wrong-totally, horribly wrong. It would have been lovely to share this bed with someone, a lover, a beloved, but there was no one else. There was no one that she hadn’t either totally ignored of read completely wrong. Wallace-she never returned his love, so he found someone who could. Richard-she mistook his concern and friendship for something much deeper. It only took a long heart to heart with Koriand’r to disabuse her of her illusions of love. She finally realized that she was not in love with Richard after all, but in love with the *idea* of being in love. After that, things had returned to normal between the trio.

And then there was Joseph. She felt her heart jump just thinking about him. After all this time, the man still had the power to move her, though she had long since given up on having any kind of relationship with him other then mere friendship. She honestly believed he was her first true love, but she was certain the only thing he felt for her was friendship, so she never pursued him. What would he want with her anyway, when he had beautiful women crawling out of every nook and cranny? Feeling she had nothing to offer, she had given up and fallen right into Eric’s arms.

It had to be fate. Even after she started dating Eric, who was the first person she told? Joseph. And why was that? Secretly, beside wanting him to share her joy, she also wanted to see if Joseph was even a tiny bit jealous of Eric-because, th as as she dated Eric, she thought of Joseph constantly.

Like she was now. And as always, she felt a familiar something stir to life within her chest. Unlike every other night that had passed before, tonight that something called to the restlessness within her.

Shifting, she drew her knees up and wrapped he slim arms around them. Laying her shiny ebon head against the headboard, eyes closed, she waited-for what, she didn’t know. She felt that if she was quiet enough, if she concentrated hard enough, she could almost hear the silent voices of the night speaking to her.

Almost…

*Raven…come to me./

Her eyes snapped open and she sat quietly in the bed, waiting to hear the soft command again.

*I will be waiting…*

In the quiet of the night she heard it beckon to her, begging her to comply. In the hidden recesses of her soul she felt it, draining away the anger and calming the tears that burned in her deep blue eyes. An unseen force was pulling her, but she didn’t fear it. Rather, she was enticed by it, captivated. There was no denying the soft voice in her mind, nor did she wish to. She was hungry for more of the forbidden.

Teasing her.

Tempting her.

Tonight was a mystical night, a special night; this she knew, just as she knew that she would go, would obey the mental command willingly. To what, she knew not, but it didn’t matter. Some things were pure instinct, and tonight, she trusted hers.

Leaving the soft confines of her bed, she stood silently in the moonlight, taking the time to admire its pale beauty. It was a full moon tonight and there were few things in the world more mystic then a full moon. Legend said it was accountable for humans’ and animals’ strange behavior. She had no idea how much truth was in such tales, but considering her own strange mood, it seemed as plausible as anything else she had heard. Bidding the sun’s pale sister farewell, she pulled the sheet off the bed and wrapped it around her slight form and quit the master bedroom.

But the moon was reluctant to release its prize. As she moved, gentle moonbeams touched her, illuminating her pale, strikingly beautiful features while bathing her in iridescent light, from her silky black hair to her delicate bare feet that flashed from under her white silk nightgown. She never stopped to see how the moon portrayed her, for she was determined, purposeful; she walked across the plush carpeting, the pale white sheet trailing behind her like the train of a wedding dress as she navigated the dark hallways of her apartment.

Seeking.

Searching.

Whatever was guiding her tonight, she trusted, and wherever it led her, she was willing to go.

Oh, so very willing.

*Close your eyes and see.*

Slowly she lowered her lids, closing her ‘natural’ eyes and sought sight with her ‘spiritual’ eyes instead. When she was confident that she could walk without hitting the walls, she ventured forth, silently moving through the apartment like a wraith, listening for the quite, persistent voice that was guiding her, unbeknownst, to her destiny.

*Enter. Your fate waits.*

Gradually, she opened her cerulean blue eyes and looked. When she realized exactly where her unseen guide had led her, her eyes became wide with shock.

She was standing in front of the open doorway to the guest bedroom-the samem inm in which her silent protector and Titans teammate, Joe Wilson, slept.

Was Jh inh in danger?

*No.*

Surprised by the prompt answer ringing silently through her head, she asked another question of herself. If he is not in danger, then why lead me to his room?

*He will soothe the savage ache in your soul.*

How?

*Enter and see.*

*There really is no choice,* she thought. *I must know what lies ahead.* Taking a deep breath and releasing it, Raven tiptoed closer to the open doorway, trying to be as quiet as possible lest she disturb his rest. When she reached the open archway, she stepped forward and peeked inside. What she saw delighted her innocent eyes.

He was lying in the middle of the massive bed, fast asleep. Moonlight spilled through the windows, flooding the room in enough light to see clearly; she would have to have been blind to miss the fact that he was quite nude under the thin white sheet.

Quite deliciously nude.

Feeling lightheaded from the sheer beauty of the man, Raven leaned against the archway for support and let her eyes wandver ver him. Of all the ways she dreamed of seeing Joseph, this was her most vivid fantasy -- one she never dreamed there would be a chance of her seeing realized. It didn’t matter. Reality was much better then anything she could have dreamed up. Seeing the evidence before her, she realized that all her fantasies had fallen far short, and she had never been more thankful in her life.

He was so beautiful to her -- like Narcissus, only without the fabled vanity. Even though he had more reason then most to brag, he never did, much like Koriand’r. Both were beautiful, and both totally unaware and unconcerned with how stunning they were.

It simply wasn’t their nature.

But she now understood the story Donna had told her of Artemis and Narcissus; for the first time, she realized how Artemis felt when she first caught sight of Narcissus -- spellbound and helpless before such great beauty. Eternally damned for wanting the one man she could not have. She was desperate to claim him, and even knowing how forbidden Joseph was didn’t stop her from wanting him, nor could she pull her eyes away. Knowing herself to be weak, she let her rebellious eyes have their way, ravenously consuming him as he lay sleeping.

He was lying on his side, facing her, so she had a wonderful view of his perfection. Loose blonde ringlets fell over his well-shaped head. Fine-boned, strong, patrician features; delicate, ageless, and beautiful -- features that would stand long after true youth had faded. Such a look would have been misplaced on any other man, especially one who was so *much* man, but when coupled with those eyes and thmeltmelting gaze, it came together perfectly. And Azar, what eyes they were! Right now, his eyes were closed in sleep, but had they been open, they would have revealed a matching set of startling sea-green irises, as clear as the waters of a quiet lake. Eyes with the ability to see into one’s soul and find the secrets thought well hidden; the most compassionate and expressive eyes she had ever seen.

Continuing with her assessment, her eyes settled on his lips. Soft, even lips that, if she closed her eyes, she could almost taste them. The strong, stubborn chin, long neck, and powerful, well-defined shoulders, relaxed in sleep. A wide, muscular chest that narrowed to a slim waist with a tightly defined abdomen. Joseph was simply spectacular -- to quote Donna, “sexy as sin, and just as seductive.”

He was breathtaking.

A sudden movement broke her from her erotic thoughts, bringing her attention once again to the man on the bed. He was quite restless and she wondered at the cause. Nightmare? Erotic fantasy? Or was it sam same ghost haunting him, as she herself was haunted? Those deep, dark instances of time that were better forgotten but always managed to come, unbidden, during sleep. For his sake, she hoped it was something pleasant -- at least as pleasant as the impromptu strip tease he just provided her with. He had just turned onto his back. She watched as he brought one arm to his forehead while the other rested on his stomach, right above where the sheet covered the lower half of his body.

Or tried to; the sheet was tangled around him, showing her tantalizing bits of his flesh that the sheet missed.

One strong, muscular thigh.

The firm, naked curve of his buttock.

The long, thick imprint of the anatomy that made him a man.

*Azar!* The most peculiar feeling came over her as she stood staring at him, eyes glued to that imprint, praying he would move so that more of the sheet would fall away and give her a full view of what she was so obviously ogling.

Embarrassed at the turn her thoughts took, and feeling the blood start to heat her cheeks, she backed away from the door, trying to give herself a chance to calm down. Once she was outside the room, she paused. Why had she been brought here? Surely not to merely gawk at the man. And what of his effect on her senses? It only took that brief look to convince her that she wanted him, had always wanted him, so now what? Could she actually be entertaining thoughts of making love to Joseph?

It wouldn’t be wise; there was too much at risk for her to approach him sexually without some sign he would welcome it. Their friendship was one; rejection was another. The list was endless, but she also knew that he cared about her. Indeed, it would have been hard to miss, but that was the love of a friend, not the kind of love related to a potential lover -- no interest whatsoever. No sexual advances, no teasing, no touching, not even one single kiss. Perhaps he truly wasn’t interested in her, but after feasting her eyes on him tonight, platonic thoughts went right out the window. Her body refused to listen to it. Just staring at Joseph created the most intense sensations and feelings she had ever felt. Eric could never draw those feelings from her, and he had pushed for a physical relationship every time they met. Even after she agreed to his persistent demands, there was no sexual desire for him, just the need to please the man she thought she loved.

She found out two things that day last week. One was that if she had followed through with Eric, she would have been sacrificing something very precious; not just her soul and life, but the chance to make her first time something very special. After all, she would only have one first time. Another was that in her heart of hearts, she was trying to replace Joe with Eric, trying to find a substitute for the love she could not have -- or thought she could not have. Tonight had been tossed to the winds of fate, and she could no longer hide her secret yearnings. Why else would she have been led to him if not to be given another chance at love -- real love? Was she bold enough to reach out and grasp it? Could she?

*Do not hesitate. Enter and see.*

Her every fantasy was through that door, and all she had to do was walk in and claim it. *Seemed simple enough,* she thought, staring at the doorway. The problem was once she stepped through that doorway, her life would never be the same. Was she ready for such a change, for all the implications entering that room entailed? Looking back over the unending nightmare her life had become, how could she pass up this chance? There really wasn’t any choice at all. Whatever happened in that room had to be better then anything she left behind in her past, and that made the risk worth it for her. Who was she to deny fate?

Taking her faltering courage in hand, she strode through the doorway and directly into the room. In the short time she’d been gone, Joseph had drawn the sheet more securely around the lower half of his body, much to her disappointment; she had been looking forward to what else the scanty sheet might expose. Smiling, she decided that she liked this aspect of her personality -- Raven, the wanton. How unbecoming! Quickly covering her mouth before her faint chuckles betrayed her, she silently laughed into her hand, praying it would be enough to prevent Joseph from waking. When the laughter had passed, she was pleased to discover that it eased most of the apprehension she’d felt about being in his room. Instead of nervousness, she was feeling quite bold now -- bold enough to move closer to his bed.

She stopped at the foot of the bed and stared at him. From her angle, she had a clear view of him; he was even more devastating up close. She also noticed he was beginning to wake.

Watching as sleep slowly departed his consciousness; she waited with baited breath as he began to stir. She felt hypnotized as she watched him go through the motions of waking, slowly stretching, extending, and flexing his well-trained muscles with fluid grace while he shook off the last of his slumber. She wondered what he would think when he saw her there. Just then, his sea green eyes opened, pinning her with their beauty.

Startled, he quickly sat up in bed and rapidly signed, ‘Is something wrong? Do you need me for anything?’

*Oh yes my love, you are needed, but not in the way you think.* Quickly reassuring him, she touched his hand, stopping his motion of leaving the bed. “No, Joseph; there is no danger. I am sorry if I startled you with my presence here.”

Smiling at her, he waved away her apologies. ‘Don’t worry, I wasn’t really sleeping all that soundly, and I was startled only because I was concerned for you.’

“I am fine, Joseph.” Raven felt herself start to melt; who wouldn’t, when faced with such obvious concern and piercing green eyes? It would take a stronger woman than she not to be affected by him. Any woman who walked away from this man was in dire need of psychiatric help. It made her wonder whme lme lucky woman hadn’t snatched him up yet; she was sure it wasn’t from lack of opportunity -- not with his money and looks -- and certainly not lack of trying from the single and eligible ladies of New York. Azar! He even had the not-so-single-or-eligible trying for him. Just one more reason she had never tried to capture his attention before. He had his pick of the most beautiful women in the world; what would he want with painfully shy and introverted Raven? She never had the courage to try… until now. Now was a different story.

Totally engrossed in her thoughts, she didn’t see the look Joseph was giving her. If she had, she would have blushed a most becoming shade of pink. *Raven was in his room!* Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine she would seek him out. Countless times he had dreamed of her, hungered for her, yearned for her until it was a constant ache in his soul, until he was almost insane with his unrequited love for her. But he had long since given up on forming something deeper with her; she seemed totally happy with their friendship, and since he didn’t want to risk upsetting her he never pressed, no matter how much his heart protested. So instead of a grand passion, he ended up with a deep and biding friendship, and kept his love silent; buried deep within, never to be spoken.

It had been three years since they first meet, but for him nothing had changed -- a fact that became glaringly obvious when Eric stepped into the picture and turned his world upside down. He never thought himself a jealous man, but he discovered that he was when it came to Raven. Realization came when she found him in Central Park to talk to him. Apparently she had been seeing Eric for quite some time and just then felt comfortable enough to share her joy -- not with just anyone, *him,* the man who had loved her for years. He was sot, ht, he couldn’t see straight.

Him -- jealous!

He had more women vying for his attention than he had time in a day. The most beautiful women in the world wanted Joseph Wilson, and he couldn’t become serious about any of them. He wasn’t heartless about it; he respected and even cared for every woman he ever dated, but one thing always made sure the dates never progressed into anything more serious.

They were not Raven.

Shaking himself from his thoughts, he gave his attention back to the woman standing at the foot of his bed. Realizing that she still hasn’t answered his question, Joseph repeated, ‘Do you need my help for anything?’

*What a loaded question that is, Mr. Wilson!* Meeting his questioning look, Raven couldn’t help the soft smile that kissed the corners of her lips. She *did* need him, needed him in ways she was just now beginning to understand. Seeing the puzzled look on his face, she knew she had better answer before he really started questioning her. “I am not certain. I have had trouble sleeping this night.”

‘Eric?’ Joe asked.

Seeing the shielded look that covered her face almost made Joe wish that Eric were still alive so he could punch the bastard. That would shock anyone who knew him; Joe detested violence. Ever since his father’s misjudgment had cost him his voice, Joe vowed he would never follow Slade’s destructive path. He always tried to settle things in non-violent ways, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t defend himself. His mother had trained him to be a deadly fighter; between that and his powers, he could easily have become the killer his father was, had he not been a man who strongly preferred to make peace rather then war. But Eric Forrester was one man he would have gladly beaten the hell out of -- and enjoyed every minute of it -- for the pain he caused this sweet, gentle woman.

The woman he always considered *his.*

Sighing, he acknowledged that there was nothing he could do about it now. What was left of Eric was buried in a small, weighted coffin and dropped somewhere out in the Pacific Ocean, forever out of the sight of the one woman to survive his dangerous brand of lovemaking. The same woman who was holding herself at the foot of his bed.

Seeing that whatever was bothering her would have to be coaxed out of her, he scooted over, clearing a place for her to sit on the edge of the bed. Watching her, he patted the bed, indicating that she should sit down.

Taking his offer, she left her position at the foot of the bed to join him on the mattress. When she was seated, he grasped her chin gently between his fingers and turned her so that she was facing him, staring up into his eyes. Once again he inquired, ‘Did the dreams of Eric interrupt your sleep?’

Dreams? Not likely; nothing associated with Eric was ever as pleasant as mere *dreams.* “The things that disturb my rest have a closer relationship to *nightmares* than *dreams,* Joseph,” she replied painfully.

Desperately wanting to be of assistance to her, he asked, ‘What can I do? Please let me help you.’

She looked into his eyes and saw his genuine need to comfort her. She was too weak to deny the very thing she wanted; she *wanted* this man to comfort her. She wanted the privilege of lying in his arms and crying if she needed to, or just lying in his arms because she wished to feel his heartbeat under her ear, soothing her with its steady rhythm. Oh yes, comfort from Joseph would be a wondrous thing. Smiling softly at him, she leaned forward and softly whispered, “Will you hold me?”

It was said so softly that if he hadn’t been listening for it, he might have missed it. Would he hold her? He couldn’t get his arms around her fast enough! Some questions didn’t require answers; this was one of them. How could he *not* hold her? He wanted her in his arms, too. There was no possibility of him denying her; he needed her too badly. There was pain in her soul, and he wanted -- no *needed* -- to be the one who would alleviate it. More then anything, he wanted to make her smile. He wanted to share his world with her, show her the endless beauty of life and free her from the bondage of her repressed spirit; such was his love for her.

Never spoken.

Always silent.

Ever present.

Sitting up, he opened his arms, calling to her to find what solace she could within his embrace.

Leaving her perch at side of the bed, Raven went directly into his outstretchrms,rms, feeling them close tightly around her, bringing her cheek flush with his chest. She felt him lower his head until his chin touched the crown of her head, his breath gently stirring the inky strands. Being in Joseph’s arms, wrapped up and cosseted, was the first sense of security she’d felt in over a week. Nestling close and breathing deeply of his scent, Raven relaxed her guard and gave in to the need to let someone else be the strong protector fore.
e.

Feeling the tension leaving her body, Joe pulled her dr inr into his embrace. Once he was sure she was comfortable, he settled back against the headboard, content to just hold her and listen to her breathe. To him, this was the most perfect of moments; after a three-year wait, he finally had the mysterious Raven of Azarath in his arms.

Right where she belonged, and if everything went as he prayed, where she would *stay.* For years, his feelings for the petite Raven had grown every day, rapidly increasing, deepening, until there was no denying it; it was blindingly clear. He loved Raven. He’d been feeling that way for a long time now -- a really long time.

For a long time, he thought he had his feelings for her under control, hidden; but his assumption that no one else had discovered his secret turned out to be false. Apparently, Kory had known from the start, maybe even before he had. He’d never forget how she confronted him; he was on monitor duty with Raven. Normally, it didn’t bother him to work with her, buat dat day was exceptionally hard for some reason. The very smell of her was driving him crazy, so he excused himself on the pretense being hungry and headed to the kitchen. It was there that Koriand’r cornered him. Nodding her head in the direction where Raven was still at the monitors, she said in her warm husky tones, “In love with her and it’s driving you crazy, huh?”

He could only stare at her in shock. She knew! He wondered who else had figured out his secret. Was he so transparent? ‘Does anyone else suspect?’

In her usual straightforward manor, she said, “No -- though there’s been plenty of speculation about the two of you.” When asked how she’d known, she winked at him. “I’m the emotion expert, remember? Even if you weren’t betraying yourself in a hundred different ways, I’d still know.” Seeing his confusion, she added, “You look at Raven the same way I look at Dick.” Smiling at his stricken expression, she patted his cheek and turned to leave. Before exiting into the hallway, she turned back to him and promised, “Don’t worry Joe. Your secret is safe with me.”

Talk about a wake up call! Until he’d been confronted with it, he was almost scared to acknowledge it to himself, but there really had been no denying his love after the battle with Eric, as he stood in the middle of Raven’s bedroom, holding her trembling body, watching her cry for a man he silently cursed until he ran out of breath.

To feel this intensely about someone and know it wasn’t reciprocated was maddening. Every night he went to sleep with that thought on his mind, but even knowing didn’t change how he felt. He still loved her.

Still needed her.

If only she needed him the same way. His touch seemed to have a calming effect on her; her breathing had slowed and deepened to the point where he suspected that she was more than half asleep. She snuggled more tightly against him, curling her legs up and in the process, shifting her hips so that the sheet covering him suddenly drew tight across his thighs.

Just having Raven in his arms was erotic enough for him, but having the unexpected sensation of the sheet sliding over sensitive anatomy triggered an instant response in his groin. Gasping, Joe tried to be as still as possible, waiting for the feeling tos. s. It didn’t; he felt like a live wire had touched him. Gritting his teeth, he prayed that Raven didn’t choose that moment to glance up at him -- he wasn’t sure he could explain his expression, let alone the deep, intense yearning that came over him with her innocent touch. All he knew was that he needed to get his unruly desire under control. It wouldn’t do for him to betray her trust like this. Taking slow, deep, even breaths, he thought, *Cool off, Wilson, she didn’t come to you for this -- no matter how much you want her. Just ignore your body’s demands and stop thinking about it. That should do the trick… I hope.*

Over and over, he repeated those thoughts, praying that his body would indeed listen, but no matter how hard he tried, his arousal continued to burn unabated. It didn’t help that he could feel the gentle pressure of her breast against his ribs, pulling his thoughts away from his efforts at self-control. Thank heaven she was facing the other direction, and wouldn’t see his very obvious condition should her eyes open without warning.

*Think of something else! Anything else!* He silently cursed his rebellious brain. For once, his willpower was deserting him; so intense were his emotions that he could feel his whole body heating with desire. Think of something else? How could he? His senses were alive, taunting him with the very thing he wanted most.

Hearing -- Her soft, gentle laugh.

Sight -- Seeing her in his arms, their bodies intertwined.

Touch -- Feeling her delicate form under his hands.

Smell -- Hysteysterious, feminine scent, teasing him. Flowers kissed with the rains of thunderstorms; delicate and dangerous.

Taste -- The desire that that was traveling through his body, making him hungry in ways he’d never experienced before. Not just for sex, but for making love. Making love to *this* woman. No one else had this kind of effect on him.

Grimacing at his thoughts, he figured he had a death wish. *Way to go, Joe. You need to find your willpower and manage to get your penis under control, and you continue to think of all the things guaranteed to excite you*. Somehow, he had to kill his erection before she noticed; he didn’t want to upset her more then she already had been by Eric. Her one sexual experience, combined with the knowledge of what had happened to her mother at the hands of her father, had left her scared and disdainful toward the whole sex act. He understood her feelings; more importantly, he knew that he would never forgive himself if he saw fear in her eyes from something he’d done. So he sily ply prayed for strength, control, and that she would be none the wiser.

His prayer evidently went unheeded by God, because she noticed.

Raven’s brow furrowed. Her empathic shields dropped slightly during sleep, so it wasn’t unusual for her to sense feelings that weren’t hers when she was tired. But the emotions that hammered against her shields were too intense to ignore. That meant the source was close by. She sent out tendrils of her power to explore the situation further.

The emotion was desire -- strong desire.

The source was -- could it be…?

No, it couldn’t… could it?

Her eyes went wide with shock. In all the time she’d known him, she had never sensed anything sexual in Joseph directed at her or any of the other Titans women, and there were far more beautiful women than her in the group. He was as he’d always been: considerate and above reproach.

But she had to admit that she loved being able to draw such response from a man -- no, not any man… him. It was a wonderful feeling to have a man desire her without ulterior motives; no plots, no plans, nothing shady attached -- just clean, honest desire. Until Eric came along, she had thought she’d never had a man want her just for herself. Her father only wanted her to control her, thus gaining her extraordinary powers for himself. Wally had been enthralled in order to insure his help; he may have loved her, but it was coerced. In the end, she was too emotionally dead to return his feelings, and he too bitter to be around her. He’d left, and she was alone again.

Though not completely alone. There was Josep swe sweet, wonderful Joseph. She’d be a fool not to explore this closer. Closing her eyes, she opened a small empathic link between them. It was amazing. The desire coursing through him was a heady thing. Her blood started to heat, even as his heated, then slowed, spreading throughout his bin ain a delicious wave and pooling at his penis, feeding it like a hungry animal. His desire called to her sensuality, bringing out her body’s desires and answering his body’s primal call. Her pulse accelerated, her breathing slowed and deepened, her nipples tightened to form stiff little peaks, visible through the thin gown that covered her. She felt her most private places throb and moisten, aching with a desire she didn’t know how to handle or deal with.

But Joseph did.

Continued....
- 1
- 2
- 3
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

The Silence Of My Love