Disclaimer: Characters here are property of their owners, none of which happen to be me. Correction – Yoko's mine.

Initial Notes: And they lived... What, isn't that enough? At least this isn't Vermilion. Oh and there's some um, mature-ish content on this one. Yay?

A Cup of Sugar, Ch 9

Morning came to each part of the world at varying times, Jinx knew.

This morning, came far, far to early, for her tastes. "Oh, auughh," she muttered, rolling unceremoniously out of her warm bed and into the chillier air beyond. The muffled thump of her landing repeated, as with her eyes till half closed she bent into a number of pushups, huffing slightly as she willed action from her still lazing body. Sleep faded from her mind as her blood sped up, her heart thumping quietly, contently in her ears.

Folding an arm, she lay on her back and contemplated the ceiling, yawning hugely again. The sun stretched out into the room further, and with a grin she kicked the small panel by the window, forcing the slats shut. The comfortable darkness that remained whispered to her to sleep again, but she refused, too used to denying that call.

Flipping up onto her feet, she nearly overbalanced, and stumbling, made her way to the bathroom, to begin the water for her shower. The booth was smaller, here, but in time she'd fix that.

If there was one thing she missed from her old apartment, it was her lovely, huge shower. The water was slower, the room a bit more cramped and the room less bright... but she didn't mind it. It was part of something hers, again. Now, the pressure in her bladder... Grumbling she dashed out of the bathroom, leaving the warm water to a trickle, ready for her once she finished her time on the treadmill.

Her eyes, as they often did, traveled to the corner and the nascent, boxed computer there, and the small router that was set up beside it. Sighing, she made a note to set it up... again. It had only been a month since moving in. She wasn't procrastinating.

A burning in her legs finally stopped her jogging, and she let the machine slide her off in it's momentum. Jinx yawned, hugely one last time, before dashing into the bathroom and closing the door. She missed her bar... as soon as she found a place for it, she needed to set it up. Mornings just weren't the same without it, regardless of the other niceties she had now. A grin, anything but innocent crossed her features as she let the water run over her fingers. "Mm, shower," she sighed, and wasted no more time. Deliciously scalding water met her and she leaned forward, hands splayed on the wall as the torrent beat at her, the steam rising up as the water dripped down. A moment more in the heat and she leaned back, arching and twisting in the spray.

Shampoo, it's smell strong in the mist, sudsed in her hair as she scrubbed, humming to herself. So content, so engrossed in her ritual, Jinx failed to notice the shadow, quietly easing into the room and peering into the bath, watching, listening. A moment as she hummed another strain of song, and the shadow had shifted...

Cold, smooth hands moved up from her hips, slipping up along the curve of her breasts to rest there, making her acutely aware of their chill. A single shiver ran through her, but not from the cold, "Mm... see. This is why I try to let the sun in... your hands are cold."

"But, that's why I have you," the slight purr in Raven's voice always set her skin to tingling, when she was so close. Her words tripped over her ear, weakening the Thief's knees where she stood unsteadily, the shower's heat now beating at the curve of her hips. As she liked to, Raven had slipped in with her, and proceeded to pull her from the water, intending to steal it for herself.

Jinx grinned, having been at this game longer than the shorter girl. Stretching back into the water, she purposefully pressed her hips against the shorter girl, feigning a languid arch. Looking back, she was rewarded with the half-demon's eyes going hazed and unfocused, as the contact between them lessened but became more focused. "Raven..."

The shorter girl's eyes snapped up, and she seemed to realize her position, close to the cold tile. "You don't play fair," she accused, as the taller girl smirked, ducking from between the hero's arms.

"Not often, but at least I try and make up for it," she quipped, pulling at Raven's hand and settling the dusky skinned woman under the fall of water. She was instantly rewarded with a content sigh from the demoness, as she soaked in the heat, lifting up her arms into the spray as it cascaded across her face, down her shoulder and against her collar.

Jinx leaned back and suppressed a purr, watching the water slide over Raven's skin. It was mornings like this that made her very pleased to have gotten this apartment. "Stay still," she ordered quietly, and without opening her eyes, Raven nodded, her hands wrapped around the shower head as she arched, her back to Jinx.

The soap was smooth, liquid and wonderful smelling, and the only thing between her and Raven. As her hands worked at the former Titan's back, she faintly hummed, the color rising along her skin as the warmth soaked deeper. She was cold, chill by nature, a consequence of her heritage she claimed. Jinx knew it to be true, but still it amused her. Those often barbed exchanges, the insults sometimes calling into light her cold nature, and so often now she was not only amused, but grateful for the smaller woman's tendency to cling, seeking heat.

She'd never felt so wanted.

Jinx liked to show her appreciation, for that feeling. "Oh... that's amazing," the demoness groaned, arching her back slightly as Jinx's slender hands worked at her lower back. With a grin, she focused there and tried to keep her mind from wandering, and with it, her hands. Not that the shorter girl ever minded... Giving in to temptation she dragged the nails of her hands along the curve of the woman's back, up over and along her shoulder, setting a shiver along her spine. When her fingers reached Raven's collar, she slipped her arms around the woman's sorter frame, letting her fingertips trace along the Titan's more generous curves.

The Thief bit her lip, as the woman under her hands turned, slipping slender arms around her and pulling her forward. Warm water cascaded over her face, driving the chill from her skin, not that it was noticed as soft curves and needy hands were already there. A small noise escaped her, as the shorter woman stole her lip from between her teeth, the beginning of a kiss.

Moments passed as they forgot the water and the boundaries between one another, Jinx's small, sharp cries a counter for Raven's low, purring sighs. It was a few moments before the water turned chill that the two settled back, Jinx's back and hips against the tile and Raven wrapped in her arms, her back to the taller girl. The Thief smirked, as her hands wandered, tracing over Raven's skin, drawing a gasp as they settled along points more sensitive. "Keep that up, and we'll be back in bed, another day wasted," he former hero warned.

Chuckling, Jinx leaned and grazed her teeth along Raven's neck. "I never consider such, a waste," smiling impishly, she bit harder, making the girl in her arms falter and lose her footing. "Besides, Yoko would have us both killed if we were late picking her up from the airport."

"Five more minutes..."

Jinx nipped at the half-demon's ear. "Water's getting cold."

Grumbling, the violet haired girl leaned her head back for one last kiss, before scurrying from the threatened chill. Jinx smiled, rinsing the brief soap from her skin and hair, sure her distraction was enough to miss plenty.

When the water was finally turning cold, she cut the heat off entirely and counted to twenty, her teeth chattering and clenched as she bit out a short scream from the cold.

Fully awake, if distracted, she padded back into the bedroom with a towel around her shoulders, another capturing her hair. Raven was back in bed, curled up in the blankets and dozing, the closed window slats keeping the sun at bay, letting her rest. Jinx made it quietly around the room, gathering up clothes to wear. Raven was likely to sleep through most of the day, something at the Tower keeping her up late, so she'd have to explain to Yoko herself. Still, she took her cell and made sure Raven's was on, just in case.

Besides, she didn't mind picking up the little librarian. Grinning wickedly, she tossed a few extra dollars in her bag and settled it on her shoulder in the mirror.

"So much has changed," she mused.

Those months ago, she could have barely imagined the things that would happen to her. Wary, careful, she'd made plans, kept her eyes open, and always planned for the worst, while hoping for the best. There was always the threat of her life crumbling down, some shadow of her past reaching out and stealing away her future.

And then, it had almost happened. Jinx smiled, as she thought about how things could have gone, had she not gotten back in contact with Raven. She may have had her condo still, the focus to be on the Dean's list, and a life she'd planned out. Boring.

The past was dead, and for all the time and effort she'd placed in it, she didn't mind. As far as reasons go, she still wondered, still had questions about the precise happenings that lead her to this place. Those weren't quite as pressing, though. This now was a good thing, and being where she was, now, made her rather happy. Her hair in tails and her skirt decidedly too short, she smirked and walked through the small stairwell that lead outside, snatching a rather ridiculous pink helmet off the hat stand there.

Five minutes later she was guiding her Vespa down the street, humming loudly and grinning madly. Traffic wasn't an issue, as today it seemed that people had better things to do than get in the way of the girl who alternated driving to doing acrobatics behind the scooter's handlebars.

The occasional "Aooooga!" when someone was going too slow seemed to help matters.

As usual, the trip was too short, but she'd gotten used to curbing her impulses enough after getting the cute ride some time ago. It was just too much fun.

Yoko knew to come outside, so Jinx wasn't worried on making it there before the small girl. After all, there was that problem, with airport security she had... definitely and oil and water type relationship. Oh, she could have brought all her paperwork, put on the wig and contacts and the like, but she was only supposed to be there long enough to snatch one pretty librarian and make a run for it. Circling the lot, Jinx wasn't surprised to see her standing there chatting with her father. It was a cute sight, really, and a small part of her envied the relationships with her family that Yoko had. Even though it seemed idyllic, she knew better, it was far better than what she'd had. Shaking off her contemplation, she glanced back to see how her... pickup, would play out. She was still wondering why it was Yoko had worded her voicemail in that very specific way, when the answer stood there, beside the two happily chatting Yoichis. Slightly to the side and with his football gear slung over a shoulder, lazed Yoko's brother Hiruma.

"Oh hell," Jinx muttered, ducking the scooter behind a parked van. Yoko had mentioned the young man a few times, but the last thing she'd really expected was to see him in the US. The other problem of course... well. Brothers and overprotective streaks, plus villain girlfriends who were also dating someone besides said sibling... Dating? Blinking, Jinx had to assess that one. She didn't know if the living together and copious amounts of sex qualified. Shrugging off the musing, she leveled her coral eyes at her target.

Instead, she found herself staring right back Yoko's blonde haired brother. "Hmm..." Pulling out her cell phone, she grinned.

I oOo I

Yoko was irritated. "No, dad. I don't think it's bad weather for this time of year." She'd just managed to survive a month with her family in Japan, helping tend to the needs of her grandmother and her failing health. Small, necessary things, like moving the aged woman to a care ward, and dealing with the home and how to arrange it's care as well. While that was all well and good, she was a very independent person by nature, and all this family interaction had her ready to scream. Currently her mother was remaining overseas to help, and in her place...

"Hiru, what are you staring at?" The young man's gaze had been locked on a nearby van for at least a minute, and Yoko was worrying that he'd do something spectacularly destructive just for the hell of it, since he was back on US soil.

Usually he at least waited till winning a game, but recently, with his own graduation and the various work of sorting through pro team offers, he'd been... less stable. "Oh, just some strange girl, who's watching us."

To her credit, Yoko only managed to half fall on her face. "Ah?! Oh, haha. Maybe she's a fan? You did get a lot of coverage you know..."

"Mm."

Jinx was here, then, she mused. Her message had been clear enough she felt. "SAVE ME, HELP! We arrive at 8am, don't be late! (heart) SO DON'T FORGET!" Yoko knew that it wouldn't be as easy to pick her up with both her father and brother there to potentially interrogate Jinx, despite her dad's already fair familiarity with the young woman.

It just didn't pay to let your parents know you weren't their innocent little angel anymore. Or rather, to crush those illusions so utterly by being caught in bondage gear while being disciplined, she amended. Sighing happily, she snapped back to the present and bit her lip.

She hoped Jinx didn't exacerbate her brother too much-

Far too close for her comfort, something exploded. Instinctively she turned slowly to look at Hiruma, but the taller man just shrugged, a slight smile playing over his features.

People began rushing out and around the airport, as security moved in shortly after to try and contain the chaos. It wasn't working so well, as no one really knew what was going on. The family moved to the corner of the entranceway, avoiding the press and push of the crowd while trying to keep an eye on the scene. "Well, this will make getting a taxi difficult," her father griped, causing a tick to fire under Yoko's eye. She'd told him that after the trip, likely she would want to find her friends and maybe spend the day with them. He'd firmly squashed that idea, saying she would be coming home and that, was that.

The difficulty of course came with her father knowing that one of those friends was the one with the paddle that day. "Dad, I really don't think we're going to be getting out of here anytime soon. You know how paranoid airports are these days."

"Oh I wouldn't say that."

The three turned, her father letting out a gasp at the voice just a meter behind them. To her credit, Yoko just grinned, recognizing the voice... until she realized that the ground under her feet was rapidly swallowing her. "Meep?"

"What the," Her brother blinked once at the ground, once at her father's face as it seemed to swell and grow huge in anger, and once at the girl leaning indolently against the wall smirking at them before he came to the most logical course of action, with a brief nod.

Pull out a machine gun and start shooting things. "YAAHAA!"

Jinx had heard Yoko's tales of her deranged brother, but she really didn't believe the whole shtick about being able to spontaneously produce heavy firearms from midair. Grudgingly, she admitted this was a tactical error on her part. "Holy shit!" Backpedaling and lunging off the wall, she managed flip over his and Yoko's father's head and avoid a few stray shots, but noticed in passing the bullets were bouncing, not leaving impact craters...

Grinning, she winked at the blonde, as he returned the gesture.

"What the hell is going on here!?" Yoko's father on the other hand, was in full, red-faced end-boss mode, and seemed to have found his enrage timer. "Can't you people behave normally!?" he roared, as she pecked him on the cheek in passing.

"Welcome back Mr. Yoichi!" Jinx cartwheeled away, as he flailed at her madly.

Yoko's response to this, Jinx felt, was rather apt, "Meep?!"

The man looked once at his daughter, seemingly already up to her shoulders in some kind of hole, before pointing at Jinx with an accusing finger. "Stop making reality break so you can play your weird sex games with my little angel!"

Snickering, Jinx just dived in after the panicking librarian, as Hiruma sowed a bit more chaos just for good measure. Rounding on the young man, Mr. Yoichi stabbed a finger at him next, "And you! Stop acting like your mother!"

That one actually made Jinx pause. "Huh. I guess Yoko takes after her dad."

"Graaah!" The man's head was dangerously reaching critical mass, which was fine. Her backup was already spiriting them back to more... normal climes.

I oOo I

"And I thought my family was weird," Raven remarked, settling in the couch while Yoko looked around with huge eyes.

"How did we," stumbling, the small girl blinked, then remembered what had just happened. "You!"

Snickering still, Jinx finally just fell over and laughed outright. "Oh wow, I haven't seen your dad so worked up since that day with the paddle-"

"You shut up!" Finally catching her breath, the tiny girl shrieked, falling backwards onto the couch. "You realize that Hiruma's going to be locked up forever thanks to this right?" To her irritation, the former Thief just brushed the comment off. "You know, for the whole machine gun thing, which by the way, I warned you about!"

"Rubber bullets," Jinx replied, settling on the floor before the two others on the couch. "He just wanted to have a bit of fun too. Besides, we'll put in a good word for him. Aren't always saying it's uncanny how no one ever does anything about that?" She shrugged again and stretched, smiling.

Raven snorted, chuckling, "I don't blame him, your dad is a riot when he's mad. I've never seen someone spout steam from their ears,"

Laughing, Jinx pointed to Yoko and winked to Raven, "Hang on, I wasn't kidding when I said she takes after her dad."

"Graaah!" As she was slammed into the ground, Yoko's tiny hands bunched in her shirt and holding her down, Jinx had to admit, it was a wonderful life. "I'm going to kill you!"

"You're cute when you're angry, you know that?"

Raven just sat back and grinned, shaking her head. "It's good to have you back, Yoko."

I oOo I

"So now that they're back home, when do you want us to go pick up a few more of your things?" They'd finally managed to calm the smaller woman down, but the cost had been high. Jinx rubbed idly at her backside, wincing as she sat the dining room table. Totally worth it, she thought to herself, as the beaming Yoko sipped some tea.

She considered the question a moment and finally shrugged, "Anytime really. There's no rush with the semester over, and I have a couple day's clothes in my suitcase."

Raven chose then to walk in, carrying a small tray of cookies, "I'm not as good as you at this, but I think they came out OK." She ruffled Yoko's hair in passing, earning a wrinkled nose and a raspberry. "So, any plans for tonight yet? I should check in at the T soon, and want to know what my excuse is."

"C'mon, they aren't that bad," Jinx replied, as Raven just stared at her. "What?"

Rolling her eyes, Raven shuffled through the papers on the nearby table, till she found her target. "Have you been even reading these?"

"Yes."

"Something other than the comics?"

"... No." Picking up the newspaper, her coral eyes narrowed. "Wow..." There on the front page, a group shot of the heroes looked back. Titans West was always in a state of flux, and as she checked the date, it seemed that the newest group was an interesting collection indeed. "No wonder. What are the odds on this one?"

On the front page, the current working team was arrayed, behind them scene of fairly modest destruction, by all accounts. At the head was the familiar face of Robin, now in his Nightwing garb. Apparently the other... Robin, had gone back for more training. Jinx had wondered about this, after the man had come to speak with her at the hospital, but Raven had cleared things up. "The bat family is insane," she explained, which seemed easy enough to work with. Ever present at his back were Cyborg and Starfire, the Tamaranian having not been seen in some time.

Must be back for her beau, she assumed, scanning the other faces present. There again was Wally, and beside him, the scowling face of Beast Boy. "They look awfully... chummy. Don't you think?"

Tilting her head, the former hero nodded ruefully. "Yeah, they figured the best way to keep an eye on him, and help him through his issues and that social breakdown he had, was to keep him working, and active," shrugging, she settled beside Yoko and shared a cookie with the shorter woman. "Which again, is why I need an excuse. Color me antisocial, but I'm not really in a hurry to go back."

Honestly, Jinx didn't blame her. With the common knowledge that she was now living with Jinx, Raven had come to be more than a little uncomfortable with the Tower's inhabitants. "Not a problem, I mean.. you've been with them how long?"

"Years," her answer was vague, and even Yoko could pick up on the thread of sadness in her voice.

Jinx settled beside the young woman and draped an arm across her shoulders, while Yoko smiled, resting her hand along Raven's gently. "It's alright. I mean, I don't know if it helps," Raven looked up and met her eyes curiously, as Jinx continued, "but well, you have us. And you haven't lost them. Friends drift, they fall away... sometimes all the way.

"If they're important to you, you'll work at it." Leaning forward she bumped her forehead into Raven's making her grin. "Hell, I'll even go with you if you want. Would it help?"

It took her a moment, but hesitantly Raven nodded, a small blush coloring her cheeks. "I just feel a bit alienated these days. Robin comes and goes, Star's been all over, but for some reason, they never get like this."

"Really?" Yoko blinked and looked from one to another, as they nodded, Jinx seeming to consider the question a moment before doing so as well. "I guess it's just... well. The nature of what and how?"

Blinking a moment, Jinx nodded at the logic. "I suppose. Robin goes off to hero cram school with the Bat, Star goes off to save some unpronounceable world, but you," poking Raven above the navel, the Titan squirmed, Jinx grinning down at her. "You had to go off and get a life. For shame."

A shove at her shoulder imbalanced the Thief, and she flailed about before falling off the couch. Yoko peered down with a satisfied smirk, as the pink haired girl stared up at her accusingly. "Be nice," the librarian reprimanded, but with a smile. Turning back to Raven, she broke another cookie in half, offering one to the introspective young woman. "She's right, about people growing apart in time. But people also grow closer. I'm happy to have you two, I can't feel too bad that things led you the way they did."

Her head perking up over the edge of the couch, Jinx nodded in agreement. "Besides, you'd be bored without us."

Chuckling, she reached out and ruffled Jinx's hair, before smiling. "I would at that. And would be much colder in the morning as well."

Yoko raised a brow at Jinx's heavy blush to this. "Oh, she finally wore you down hmm?" Snickering when the Thief shot her a dirty look, Yoko only shrugged in response. "I told you so. I don't know why you two were so hesitant about things," nibbling her cookie, she blinked as the Hero and the Villain gave each other a meaningful glance and then smiled at Yoko menacingly. "Meep?"

"Good answer," the two replied in unison, advancing on the girl.

I oOo I

"I know how you feel about this," Yoko said quietly, standing by the stairwell as her often roommates stood at either side, looking at the door intently. It was nearly the start of the next semester, and they had agreed to just take advantage of the close location of the apartment and all live there, as opposed to paying overpriced dorm fees, or trying to find space of their own. It was an odd situation, where everyone had come to rely on and support one another, and though comfortable, no one wanted to impose on one another. The irony of this was that, as one, the three young women had grown to depend on one another enough to know that wouldn't happen. Yoko let her lip curl slightly into a grin, "Are you sure?"

Jinx looked back, and odd mix of worry and happiness on her features. "The other place was nice, and it helped me a lot... but yeah. It's gone, and beyond there," she waved her hand, a dismissive gesture. "I, yeah. I am sure." She turned and nudged Raven out of her introspection, the young woman shaking it off with an apologetic grin. "What about you? I mean, you have so much history..."

Shaking her head, the violet haired girl just reached out, steading herself with a hand on her two friends. "It's OK. Honestly, it's been a while since I thought of any place in that way, like I think about here. This is where I want to be."

Nodding, Jinx looked down at the simple wooden plaque in her hands, an odd warmth and anxiety in her chest. She'd never thought of those words, with so much gravity before, and to just... know now. She swallowed the lump in her throat and smiled brilliantly up at her friends. "Alright then."

Jinx lifted the small sign, as Yoko and Raven both helped tack it to the door of their apartment. It was simple thing, just a wooden sign without embellishment or ornament. It was the message that it bore, that affected them. Smiling they stood back, Jinx wrapping an arm around Raven, letting her hand rest along the Titan's hip, while her other sneaked around Yoko's waist. They leaned close and returned the impromptu embrace.

"Welcome Home."

-End, A Cup of Sugar.

A/N: do you see what I see?