title: oh, my wicked heart
summary: what raven did know was this: she was the only one who wasn't surprised or baffled that red x would conduct, of all things, a reverse burglary. —raex, oneshot.
word count: ~1100

a/n:
a little something for raex weekend over on tumblr. this is for the day one prompt...even though it's kind of day two now. i write slowly, okay?
the title is from my wicked heart by diana vickers because i'm unoriginal.

prompt: "theft" (from xaphrin on tumblr)

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The motive for the crime was unclear, even to Raven. Was it a distraction? A taunt? A message?

Flirtation?

What Raven did know was this: she was the only one who wasn't surprised or baffled that Red X would conduct, of all things, a reverse burglary.

Robin, Raven and Cyborg were drawn inside by the harried museum director (Mr Harris, his name was). His comb over was askew and he wrung his hands as he filled the heroes in on the details: three nights ago, the museum had been broken into by an unidentified thief and an entire set of antique white gold jewellery (total worth circa $4,500) had vanished. Other than this, there were minimal signs of a break-in and no evidence to indicate a culprit. The Titans hadn't been contacted at the time; the JCPD didn't shift every case onto their backs, after all, and as difficult as this was, there had been no particular reason that they would have to become involved.

Last night had been an entirely different story. The thief had left a very clear trace of his involvement — by planting adhesive xenothium 'X's all over the wall. In the form of a smiley face.

"It's the strangest thing, though," Harris muttered, patting his hair back into place. His cheeks were flushed. "One of the pieces is still missing. The onyx and diamond bracelet. Everything else has been replaced — almost exactly as they originally were."

Robin's brow was furrowed, mouth pressed into a thin line — his usual expression when it came to matters concerning X, a cocktail of determination, exasperation and confusion. "Does that bracelet have some significance?"

"No more than the other pieces."

Cyborg was busy scanning the glass case and the area surrounding it for any hidden clues, downloading the results directly to the Titans' supercomputer for analysis. This left Raven to frown at X's overblown calling card. Of course, he would leave something so arrogant. The clues left were so deliberate as to be nigh useless; Red X would only leave that which he intended them to find, and what he intended them to find would obviously be misdirection. Perhaps the others would assume he'd leave some unintended clue in his hubris, but the empath knew better — she knew that's what he'd want the Titans to assume about him, that the supposed hubris was as much a disguise as his mask. What are you playing at, Jason?

"Hey, Raven."

She glanced back over her shoulder as Robin approached, an evidence bag in hand. He brandished it at her. "Does this mean anything to you?"

Raven took the transparent bag, turning it over in her hand: a note, typed, the words accompanied by three 'x's in red ink and a small, blue doodle of a bird.

Chinese takeout. I'm buying. Y/N?

Raven's face stiffened, colour rising to her cheeks. Her lips parted slightly. Had he just…? Was that was this was…?

"Raven?"

Blinking, Raven broke her eyes away from the note to meet Robin's. His expression had intensified at Raven's unsuppressed response, eyes narrowing slightly. Not accusatory, but certainly suspicious. Raven schooled her features once more, aware that her cheeks were still pink. She could pass it off as indignation.

"Other than that he's egotistical?" she responded coolly. "No. Nothing. Why should it?"

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"Nice of you to show, Sunshine."

The thief was already tucking into his half of the order, illuminated dimly by the city lights, legs dangling over the edge of the building and skull mask hooked onto his belt. The only barrier between Raven and his expression was the wine-tinted domino mask, so the self-assured smirk was clear, as was the fact that he needed another haircut — his dark curls were falling over his forehead again, reaching for his eyes. Red X gestured to the rest of the takeaway (the same order as exactly three weeks ago, at this same time, on this exact rooftop) and then patted the spot beside him. "Take a seat, Rae."

Raven remained standing, arms laced together. "There are easier — and more legal — ways to ask me on a date, Jason."

"Why would I want to do things the easy way?" X set aside his egg rice and stood, rolling his shoulders and reaching into a pocket of his belt. He dangled the onyx and diamond bracelet in the air. Raven raised her eyebrows pointedly, holding her left hand out.

X closed the distance between them — closer than he had to be — and pressed the bracelet onto her palm with one hand. The other found her jawline, thumb tracing her cheekbone. There was a tiny hitch in Raven's breath, that small crack in her composure which often appeared in X's proximity; he leaned down to brush his lips against hers.

She pushed lightly against his chest. He pulled away with little force, teal eyes questioning.

"Next time you decide to perform a romantic gesture," Raven said, as assertively as she could manage under the circumstances, "try something a bit more traditional and a little less unlawful. Flowers, for example."

"That's not as impressive."

"Jason."

X rolled his eyes melodramatically. "Fine. I promise. Am I allowed to kiss you now?"

Raven appraised him for a moment as if considering — then, in answer, cupped the back of his neck (fingers tangling into the curls at the base of his skull) and tugged him down. The kiss was forceful, more so that he would have dared, yet he was more than willing to follow suit. She coaxed his mouth open and his teeth kneaded her lower lip, hand shifting to the small of her back to press her closer, stomach to stomach; his eyes fluttered closed. He might have felt her smiling.

When the two broke apart, each a little breathless, Raven glanced down and brushed a lock of raven hair behind her ear, almost as if shy (and Jason would never admit how endearing that was). Her left hand still clutched the stolen bracelet. A small crease appeared beneath her eyebrows as she realised that wasn't all — opening her hand revealed the pendant necklace sitting next to it: a silver starling curled around a star sapphire, hung from a silver chain. Raven blushed lightly, yet spared X a stern look.

He grinned. "I have a receipt for that one. Promise."

"You'd better."

"Most people would say thank you."

Her hand curled protectively around the gift. Despite herself, her mouth twitched into a small smile. It lit her eyes.

"Thank you, Jason."

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