Disclaimer: I'm only putting this on chapter 1, I do not own the Teen Titans, or the Twelve Days of Christmas, or any other Christmas songs I may write. Only the plot.
Summary: Twelve days before Christmas Raven receives a gift from a secret admirer. And another the next day. And the next. Whose the admirer? Raven/?
Chapter 1: Pear Tree
On the first day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
A partridge in a pear tree.
Raven tapped her fingers in rhythm to the Christmas music blasting from another room of the tower. Her eyes moved across the page of her latest book not noticing her moving fingers.
She was used to the music by now. In an effort to learn all the traditions of the holiday Starfire had insisted on blasting all the Christmas music she could get her hands on. This had been going on all month.
She paused and looked up at the calendar tacked to her wall. Only twelve days left and she wouldn't have to hear it anymore. Twelve more days it would be Christmas and she could revel in silence once again.
Raven tuned the lyrics of the drowning music back in. It was "Rocking Around The Christmas Tree". She rolled her eyes getting a mental image of the glittery Starfire probably dancing downstairs.
She shut her book silently and placed in back on her bed. Ever since her run in with Malchior she had tried to be out of her room more. With a decision made she wrapped her cloak around her body and made for her bedroom door.
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She passed blinking lights as she made her way down the stairs. Holiday garland and decorations reflected the Christmas lights Starfire had pinned up everywhere.
Raven vaguely wondered where the girl had gotten so many lights. They ran over each doorway and at the base of the ceiling. There wasn't a room, save the titans bedrooms, that was free of Starfire's decorations.
The psye didn't mind too much. It made the tower much more lively. Starfire had even chosen colors to coordinate with the Titans favorite hangouts. There was purple garland above her room and certain places she loved to read. She didn't know Starfire could be so observant.
Cyborg had blue around his door and around the garage. Robin had red over his door and around the evidence room door (Robin forbid anything placed in there). Beast Boy had green about his room and some in the living room near his precious game station.
Raven entered the living room and was hit with a dramatic wave of music. The Christmas tree rock was still going on. Starfire was floating around the titans giant tree placing ornaments ever so often on the pine branches.
A little off Cyborg and Beast Boy were involved in a heated racing game. Watching on the couch was their leader Robin.
Raven moved toward into the kitchen suddenly having a craving for some herbal tea and chips. She heard the game music had stopped when Starfires music changed over. There was a little rustling in the living room as well.
She paid it no mind snatching a small bag of chips and grabbing her tea cup.
When she had reentered the living room the only one there was Starfire humming gently to a slow music lulliby.
"Hey Star," She greeted moving closer and sipping at her tepid tea.
"Hmm? Oh hello friend Raven! Are you enjoying these festivities?" She grinned and pulled slightly at a red bow tied into her hair.
"Yes, you did a very nice job." Raven rewarded her best friend with a rare smile.
"Thank you, and I have finally done the buying of gifts," The Tameranian pointed to under the tree. Along side Ravens gifts to the titans were brightly wrapped orange boxes. Four, one for each of them. They almost matched Ravens darkly wrapped ones.
"Good. Where'd the other three go?" Raven asked finally motioning to the vacant living area.
"Umm I believe Beast Boy had to take a break of resting and Cyborg decided to visit the garage. Robin went to get his gifts for under the tree." She smiled and right on cue bustle returned to the titan living room.
Robin and Beast Boy entered down the main stairs and a few minutes after Cyborg came back from the garage door. Raven raised an eyebrow but decided not to comment on their times arrival.
"I'm going to go get my book, I'll be right back down." Raven informed Starfire. The girl hummed in agreement and turned back to prefecting the evergreen.
Raven set down her tea and started back to her room finishing her bag of chips.
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Raven could see something perched in front of her door going down the hall. Her steps quickened subconsciously wanting to know what it was.
Ten feet.
Five feet.
Raven looked down at the object. An eyebrow raised perfectly in confusion.
There was a small bushel looking thing sitting in front of her. Some kind of potted plant she surmised. Raven bent down a little to get a closer look. She spotted a white piece of parchment protruding from the foot tall shrubbery.
Snatching it she recognized it was a card. Carefully she looked it over, the envelope held no name.
Curiously she tore opened the envelope and pulled a typed white sheet from it. Her fingers nimbly unfolded it and turned it over to read.
Raven,
It's a pear tree.
-An Unnamed Admirer
The girl rolled her eyes expecting someone like Beast Boy to jump out and yell "surprise". The moments lengthened and the hall was silent. Still kneeling she pressed the note closer looking for a hint of who might have written it.
Something poked her hand sharply. Gasping Raven fell back landing on her behind grumbling un-merrily. She dropped the note and was now watching a bird emerge from the plant.
It wasn't until it unfurled its wings did she realize what it was.
A baby raven.
She reached out to touch its sleek black wings. It pecked affectionately at her hand as she passed her hand over its small body.
Raven craned her neck again looking down the hall. Christmas music was still playing but there was no hint of anyone else in the hall.
Carefully she picked up the bird and placed it on her shoulder. It nipped at her cape.
She looked down at the named pear tree. With a swift wave of her hand it floated up and into her room. Her door shifted open and she stepped into her haven. The person hadn't been in there, everything was untouched.
Deep in thought she moved to her bed and sat down.
The gift had gotten there while she was down getting food. There were three males in the tower who could have possibly placed it here. It had a familiar feel so she could conclude it was one of the three.
All of which had been absent from the living room earlier.
The raven hopped down her cape to peck at her hand again.
"Who are you from?" She spoke aloud to the dark creature. It hopped innocently again as if indicating an answer.
Raven sighed. She hated riddles.
Why had they given her a pear tree and a raven? She stroked the bird again contemplating symbolism.
She didn't want to think about the fact this could be real, that it wasn't some joke. The physic groaned at the thought of either Beast Boy, Cyborg or Robin liking her. Before she could stop herself she grabbed her previously neglected book.
Standing up the bird let out a sharp cry as it fell off her lap. Raven headed for her bedroom door again. She needed a distraction. She was not about to contemplate romantic feelings about her titan counterparts.
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Back in the living room everything was like it had been. Except Starfire had retired from her tree post and was now urging the game system junkies on.
No one looked up when Raven entered. She had been so trained on the thought one of them would slip up. One of them would just pay her a little too much attention.
Mumbling to herself she made her way toward the couch noticing the music had been turned down a bit.
"Hey Rae, haven't seen ya all day." Beast Boy added when she sat down beside Starfire on the couch.
"Not surprising," She barbed back taking into note he was the first to speak.
"Yea Star said you'd be right back, you sure took a while," Cyborg turned slightly addressing her. Before she could catch his expression the next round of gaming had started and the two boys spun back around to watch the screen.
Interesting.
"Had to find my book," She supplied knowing they weren't listening anymore.
"What are you reading?" Robin turned to look at her.
"Angels and Demons," She tried to read Robin's expression. If it wasn't for that damned mask...
"Good book," The masked leader smiled before turning to watch the match.
Raven grinded her teeth. Why was it when she needed to find who paid her more attention all three of them did?
"Actually I think I'll just grab some food and then meditate," Raven murmered more to herself as she grabbed her book and got back up. Knowing someone in the same room as you is sending you gifts is unnerving. Especially when she didn't know which one of them it was.
She grabbed a bag of crackers hoping it would suffice the bird.
With a whirl of her cloak she disappeared up the stairs. Raven completely missed the boy's amused smirk as he heard her stomp up the stairs.
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"It's all giving me a headache," Raven growled pacing her room. It had been a good three hours. Three hours of contemplating and attempted meditating.
The raven she had nick named Ebony pecked at the crumbs of leftover crackers.
She had observed the pear tree from every angle looking for even a speck of lint that would lead her to an answer. There was nothing. The well thought out-ness of it almost made her exclude Beast Boy.
But there was the fact they had their fare share of 'moments'.
Her head throbbed again a black tendril swished a few books off a shelf. This bugged her more than it should.
She eyed the bed wanting desperatly to rid herself of such foolish thoughts. She needed to stop this. Whoever this person was, she couldn't let them get to her.
She'd simply act like nothing was up and see if any of them would slip up.
Raven tucked a strand of violet hair behind her ear. Ebony hopped across the bed away from her as she sat down.
"I guess I'll be keeping a secret pet as well," She sighed and pulled off the broach holding her cape on. She may have sympathysed with Robin, obsessive mystery work took a lot out of you.
Tomorrow, she'd forget about one stupid gift. Tomorrow Raven would go about in the Christmas spirit forgetting the headache a simple note gave her.
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New story! And first one I've done in third person I couldn't help using this over done plot line. There will be twelve chapters with slightly altered gifts for the holidays. Go ahead and guess away at the pairing, it won't be revealed until the end. I'm pretty sure I know which one I'm choosing, but hey I may change it...
Reviews and flames welcome, as long as you don't flame me about the coupling hinted at within the story.
Oh and I'm going to sound dumb asking but what does 'Highly Recommend' on reviews actually do?
-Dragonslayer527