(2 years later)

"Ugh~ get off me, you big oaf!" I yelled at Raven who was currently sitting on my back as he reached for my can of Pringles and stuffed ALL the content in his mouth. "That's disgusting. You're such a slob."

"Then why put up with me in an apartment?" Raven cooed in my ear.

That's right. Ever since that day on the rooftop, I warmed up to Raven. And now that we're in college, we started living together in an apartment near to the university we were enrolled in since the dorms were all packed. I didn't mind living with Raven, except for the fact that he is so messy.

"You know why," I sighed. My stomach was getting sore from Raven's weight pushing it hard on the floor. I was getting tired on sitting down on the couch, so I decided to lie down on the cold tiled floor. "Get off me, fatty. My gut is starting to hurt."

Raven laughed as he got off me. He dusted off the legs of his pants and pulled me up. "I'm nothing but fat, love. These are all muscles that came off from hard work," he puffed his chest out in pure arrogance.

I rolled my eyes, "Hard work in being a slob. You can't even clean up after yourself."

"Yes, I can," he picked up the empty can of Pringles on the floor and threw it like a basketball to the trash bin nearby. Unfortunately, he missed and just rolled around in the corner. He grinned at me, "I'll throw that later."

I sighed and threw it in the trash bin myself. You practically have to follow him around to make sure he was not making a mess of things. When we became friends, I realised how much of a troublemaker he was at classes. Always passing homeworks that were given a month ago. Sleeping during lectures. Fooling around during Gym. He can never be serious.

"You really need to be responsible," I said, sitting down on the couch and read my thesis for tomorrow.

"Yes, Mother," Raven snorted and sat beside me, slinging an arm over my shoulders just like he did that day I decided to make a friend. He picked up the remote and flipped through different channels.

"I'm serious, Raven," I looked at him intently, "I'm not always going to be around for you to take care of you and your mess."

Raven made a face when I mentioned about not being around me. He has always been clingy ever since we met. I've got used to it the past two years. It's not too bad. I always loved my very own human warmer sticking by my side.

"What's wrong with always being with me?" he asked. "Are you telling me to leave you alone? Are you ready to say it?" Again, he had that challenging look on his face. It was as if he knew I can never say it.

"Of course not," I huffed as I snuggled in Raven's side. "You know, once we're out of college, we're going to have our own jobs, our own lives... our own families. We're not always going to be stuck with each other."

"You've really stuck your nose in what'll happen in the future, have you?" Raven chuckled, rather dryly. "Are you trying to get rid of me? Just because I forced myself on you to be your friend?"

"Stop being such a drama queen," I flicked his nose. Raven always hated it when I do that. He says it makes him feel like a bad dog. "You became my friend because I wanted you to be my friend. You just took a step ahead of me because I was chicken back then."

"Bree," Raven hugged me, drowning me with his scent, "what if I always want to get stuck with you? To be always like this with you?"

"Things will always be different," I said. "You and I will want different things. We're both different people. We can't always be stuck, you know."

"I know," he sighed. "Can't blame me for trying." Raven looked so adorable with his shoulders slouched. I smiled and ruffled his thick, silky locks. I was very envious with his hair. It was always so smooth, while mine was always caught up in tangles.


I woke up to a creak on my bedroom door. I knew from the shadow that it was Raven. He always had this bad case of sleep-walking. It makes me wonder how his parents handled a handful like him.

Raven got in my twin-sized bed and tucked his head on my shoulder and continued sleeping. I resisted the urge to laugh. He was too adorable for his own good. I stroked his hair like I always do when he climbs in my bed at night.

I didn't mind how hard his body was from all his muscles. He wasn't really packed with them, just enough to have a good, lean figure. I managed to get through with that since it was worth the warmth his body gave me.

When I moved away that strands of hair that practically covered his face, his eyes shot open. "Raven, are you alright?" I asked.

Raven didn't reply. He just fixed his blue eyes on my face. Then I felt conscious. Did I have dried saliva on my face? "Brianna," he whispered then pulled my head down to meet my lips with his.

My eyes widened as my body completely froze. His lips only gave me one kiss before his hand at the back of my head fell back to his side. I quickly pulled away and saw him fast asleep. I didn't know what to do. Well, it wasn't like he was my first kiss, but I never technically kissed anyone before.

My first kiss was from a boy named Bill from pre-school. He just walked right up me, yelled to me that he liked me, and kissed me. Back then, I already was anti-social, so I told my parents to transfer me to another pre-school, and they did. I never saw him again, and I was better off.

But this time, it was Raven. My best friend. My only friend. The guy who always clung to me like a child to his mother. The guy who can never clean up after himself. He kissed me, and I did nothing.

Did I actually like it? But I felt nothing. No sparks. No shocks. No fireworks. No heart racing. Maybe because it was the shock, but maybe it was also because I didn't like him that way.


When I woke up, my body was sore from crashing in the couch. I couldn't possibly sleep in the same bed with the guy who kissed me and fell asleep right after. Would he even remember what he did? Would it change our friendship? Put a strain on it?

I hope not. I always loved my friendship with Raven. I was content. But I didn't know if I wanted more than what we already have. Raven clearly wanted more than friendship that night. My head was in a bunch. I couldn't think properly.

"Mornin'," Raven yawned, scratching his messy bed hair like he always does when he wakes up. "You weren't there when I woke up," then he took sight of the pillow and blanket on the couch, "you slept on the couch?"

"Yeah, I had to since you hogged all the space in my bed and made me fall on the floor," I lied. I bit my tongue right after, punishing myself for telling a lie to him. Before he can say anything or suspect that I even lied to him, I scurried my way to the kitchen.

"Is there something wrong, Bree?" Raven asked, looking at me with genuine concern behind the counter-top where we usually have our meals.

"No, nothing's wrong," I avoided his prying eyes, grabbing a jar of milk from the fridge. "What'd you want for breakfast?" I asked, changing the topic.

To my relief, Raven's eyes lightened up. "Does waffles with blueberries sound good?" he grinned.

I nodded and started working. Hopefully, he can't notice my movements being hasty. Unfortunately, Raven did notice. I was in the middle of mixing the batter when Raven placed a hand over mine and stopped my movements.

"Something's bothering you," Raven declared. "And you're going to tell me why."

I gulped, feeling cold sweat appearing on my forehead. He's too close. He's in my personal space. It's the same this all over again. "I... Nothing's bothering me," I squeaked out.

"You and I know that's bullcrap, Bree," Raven glared at me. "What did I do? You're acting the same way when I first met you." He held my chin and lifted my head up to meet his eyes.

"You... you don't remember what happened last night when you crawled in my bed?" I whispered rather shyly.

A look of horror flashed in Raven face. "I didn't fondle you, didn't I?" I shook my head, then he proceded thinking deeply. It wasn't a couple of seconds when his eyes widened in realisation. "That... that kiss wasn't a dream?" he mumbled like a child caught with his hand in a cookie jar.

"It wasn't," I replied, calmly. I expected him to apologize for going throught the line in our friendship, but he surprised me at what he said.

"I don't regret it." I looked at him shocked. Raven looked so different. He was always having that goofy expression in his face, but now, all I can see was seriousness paired with an intense look in his eyes. "I've always liked you. Ever since that day in the library."

I froze. That look in his eyes was giving me flips in my tummy, heat in my cheeks, and making my heart bounce like a bunny rabbit. I couldn't tell if I liked it or not. These feelings were too foreign for me.

"Say something, please," Raven said; the intense look in his eyes were gone, now replaced with silent pleading.

"I... I don't know what to say," I said. "I think we need a time-out. I'm going to need some space. I want my personal space back." With that, I went back in my room.


Two weeks. 14 days. That's how long I stayed away from Raven. It was somehow excruciatingly painful. I felt cold without Raven. Sure, we still lived in the same flat, but I rarely saw him. He would leave early in the morning and arrive late at night.

The worry that was already there in the first week we hadn't saw each other grew when he started not coming back. Was he alright?

I was sitting at the couch in the living, staring at the blank television screen. I jumped when my wrist-watch beeped, signaling that it was already eleven p.m. Today was the day that I was supposed to tell Raven that I wanted to be by his side. Always.

But apparently, he had other plans and was not coming home tonight, judging by the time. After fifteen minutes, I dashed for my coat and exited the building. I made my way to the park, which was the nearest to the building and decided to look for Raven there.

Just my luck, I found him sitting on a wooden bench while holding a half-empty bottle of whiskey. I knew Raven drank alcohol-I do, too-, but I never knew he drank that much. I casually sat beside him.

The smell of alcohol instantly hit me. "Mind if I have some of that?" I asked. Raven handed over the bottle, keeping his eyes on the starry sky. I took a swig and grimaced at the heat. I was more of a wine, cocktail, and champagne kind of person.

"Why are you here, Brianna?" Raven slurred but managed to keep the bitter edge in his voice, which made me wince. "Do you finally have the guts to tell me to leave you alone?"

I sighed and took another mouthful of whiskey. Raven kept on blabbering about something, but he was too drunk to pronounce a proper word. I just laid my head on his shoulder, and he continued raving on about how I was in too deep in my personal space.

When he started yelling and was starting to get the attention of the only person left in the park, which was a hobo, I grabbed his face and kissed him. It was just like the kiss he gave me when he was half-asleep. Just a peck, but it was enough to shut him up.

"I don't understand," Raven said, his voice sounding completely sober than a few seconds ago.

I rolled my eyes and kissed him again, my fingers weaving into his silky, raven-black locks. When Raven realised that I wasn't pulling back any soon, he started kissing me back, tugging my blonde curls.

I pulled away first, breathing heavily. "You're a lousy kisser," I teased. "You kiss better when you're asleep."

Raven rolled his eyes, "Oh, please, I know you haven't kissed anyone until tonight."

"True, but I still say that you kiss better half-asleep," I grinned, snuggling close to his side. The cold wind was giving me goosebumps.

"Let's try that again, shall we?" Raven didn't give me time to reply and dove for my lips.


Next morning, I woke up in the couch with Raven burying his face in my hair. I smiled at him. I guess going out of my personal shield wasn't so bad after all. As long as Raven was always there for me.

I kissed his forehead, making him stir. That's weird. Even though I blast full-volumed AC/DC songs in Raven's ears, he'll never wake up if he's asleep. "How long have you been awake?" I yawned.

"Give or take half an hour," Raven shrugged, kissing my nose.

I giggled and pushed his head away. "So, you mean to say that you were sniffing my hair for half an hour? You're such a weirdo," I laughed.

Raven stuck his tongue at me. "Don't act as if you don't like it," then he looked at the wallclock at the wall nearby. "Don't you have a class in like fifteen minutes?"

I looked at the clock myself and jumped out of Raven's arms. "Bloody hell, I'm going to be late," I hissed, dashing for my room. I didn't even take two steps when Raven hugged my waist form behind.

"Can't you just be absent for today?" he mumbled against my neck.

"I can't, and you're just saying that because you're lucky that you don't have classes today," I turned and kissed his lips lightly.

Raven pouted at me. "Please stay," he pinched my cheeks just to annoy me. I grimaced and glared at him playfully. "Pleeeaaase," he dragged the word out in his bad imitation of a chipmunk voice.

I sighed, "Fine."

"You'll stay with me?" Raven grinned.

I nodded, "Always."

~The End

Author's note: Okay, I won't lie when I say that this was sort of inspired why Snape and Lily's story (Harry Potter). ahem*Always*ahem. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this, and Happy Valentines! Well, Happy Valentines Eve if we don't have the same time zones.