Ienzo returned home after spending the afternoon with Raven at the Jump City Public Library. While he'd enjoyed being with her as friends, he still felt like a fool. "And just where have you been?" Even asked him when he entered the hall.
"Nowhere," Ienzo muttered dejectedly. "I'm going to my room."
Hearing the tone of his voice, Even didn't criticize him further but shared a concerned yet confused look with Aeleus. Dilan, on the other hand, recognized the "I've-just-been-dumped" look on Ienzo's face and followed him. "Wait. Tell me what happened," he said, stopping him. He hadn't learned of what had been going on when they were Nobodies.
Ienzo explained, "I met a girl, but we live on different worlds, and our work is too important to leave them behind. I agreed with that, and she agreed to be friends, but..." He found it was getting more difficult to talk. "...Why does it hurt so much?"
Dilan patted him on the back as his side of the conversation devolved into choked sobs. "There, there. This too shall pass." After a moment, Ienzo calmed back down. "Would you like to continue this discussion over some herbal tea?"
"Raven likes herbal tea..."
"Her name's Raven, hm?" Dilan was a bit curious, but this wasn't the time. He used his thumb to wipe the tears from beneath Ienzo's left eye. "But you like herbal tea. Is this going to be like when you stopped eating sea salt ice cream because Master Ansem was banished?"
"For now, I'll just drink juice or something."
Braig, eavesdropping as usual, broke into the conversation. "You'll need to replace all the fluid you're losing."
"Braig..." Dilan warned touching the bridge of his nose in annoyance.
"Hey, I'm sincerely concerned," Braig emphasized, insulted. "I mean, I'm also sorry I didn't get the chance to tease him about it first, but-"
"Forget it," Ienzo conceded. "I'm going to go scream into my pillow until I pass out."
***
Raven decided to surprise Ienzo with a visit some months later. She had kept the flowers he'd given her preserved and used them to find his location. "That's a lot of stairs," she said, looking up toward the castle. She levitated herself over them and walked the rest of the way from the gate. At the front door, she was met with Dilan and Aeleus. "Um, hi. Is Ienzo at home?"
They both looked at her warily. "Yes, he's here," Dilan replied. "You must be Raven."
"He's told you about me?"
"Of course. You're the first person he's ever had romantic feelings for," Aeleus added.
"Thank you for letting him down easy, by the way," Dilan added.
"Oh..." Raven gasped, not having realized. "He wasn't my first, but he is the first that I'm still friends with. I didn't mean to hurt him. Is he all right?"
"He's taken it on the chin. He is probably in the middle of work at the moment, but if you'd like to see him, I could announce you," Dilan offered. Raven agreed, and he led her inside.
When Ienzo saw her, he could feel his heart jump into his throat. Still, he tried to address the situation with cool detachment. "Wh-what are you doing here?" he stammered.
"I actively searched for you and wanted to see where you live," she replied as nonchalantly as possible. "No surprise it's a castle."
"Well you're a girl in a tower," Ienzo shot back.
"All right, all right. Take this conversation someplace else," Even cut in, though he was also somewhat amused. "Some of us have work to do."
"Ienzo, why don't you show her to the library?" Ansem suggested. "First floor only, please."
"So...was one of those guys your dad?" Raven asked when they arrived.
"No. My parents died when I was little," Ienzo replied.
"I'm sorry. Mine are dead too," Raven left it at that, not wanting to admit she was a half-demon. "I was raised by monks."
"Master Ansem adopted me. I was raised by him and the other apprentices. You've met him and Even, and Dilan and Aeleus, probably not Braig, though you may be better off for it..."
"What are you working on? Does it have anything to do with what you were looking for in that other place?"
"No, no. This is something different. We're working toward a new beginning. I can't show you. That's why we were told to stay here."
"I understand." She was quiet for a moment. "Listen, I'm not the best with feelings. I tend to keep mine suppressed most of the time..."
"Me too!" Ienzo had to check his enthusiasm, clearing his throat afterward.
"Anyway, I had no idea what to make of you when we first met, but there's no denying that we're similar. I've dated people who I thought were just like me, but they turned out to be boring or deceitful. You're neither of those things. If it weren't for the long distance between us, then who knows? But..."
"You don't have to worry about it. I understand," Ienzo assured her. "I hope Dilan and Aeleus didn't give you a hard time about it."
"No, they were very polite. They obviously care about you a great deal." She was startled by her brooch suddenly flashing. "I'm sorry. I have to go now."
Ienzo nodded. "Take care of yourself."
(If anyone's wondering, this part takes place right after season 5, during which Beast Boy is still hung up on Tara. Not saying he doesn't get together with Raven, but it hasn't happened yet. Also hammers home the point that both Raven and Ienzo are needed on their respective worlds in light of recent accomplishments.)
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