Hola mis amigos! Estoy feliz porque estoy escribiendo! Me encanta escribir! Anyways, here's the story I promised Empyreal Melody for winning the contest in WODC. Aren't you so proud of me? I guess this may take some explanation. As of late, I've become infatuated with stories about the Titans' lives after they stop being the 'Teen Titans'. This is a by-product of said infatuation. In this story, the Titans have had a fallout because of a particular fight about relationships within the team and whether they should be prohibited. The argument wasn't resolved in a way that suited everyone, and each member wondered whether they should stay. When one teammate leaves out of improperly placed guilt, it is within days that the rest of the team has fallen apart. Robin was never content with this and spends the next few years searching for his lost friend. Now, you're up to speed. Read on, review, and be merry!
Dedicated to: Empyreal Melody
Once Again
By Raven-Angel-of-Darkness
It was all her fault. She was certain of it. It had always been her fault. Not that they would admit it, of course. They were too noble for that. But she had started it. She had been the catalyst that set the whole thing in motion. And she had been the one to wash away the glue that kept the remnants of a team together. She knew it, and they knew it. Or so she thought.
It had started simple enough; a little harmless flirting here, a date or two there. It had all been kept relatively quiet though. They made it a point to never make it obvious to the others, particularly Starfire. She would have been heartbroken. In the end, though, she probably was. Raven could imagine how it must have been to find out your best friend and first crush were dating. Though there was never any real proof, there were always suspicions after that. That was probably part of the reason she fought so hard against them when the debate over Titanic relationships was finally brought up.
The fight was horrible, one of her worst memories from when she lived with her friends. They had been pitted, not against their enemies, the likes of Slade or Trigon or Brother Blood, but against each other, their friends. The people they most trusted in their lives were after them, after every ounce of blood they could draw verbally. Raven had cried herself to sleep that night, but she had a sneaking suspicion that she wasn't the only one.
Flashback
"Robin, we need to talk." It was Cyborg's voice. It was also their last chance to mend the team. It really was too bad it would fail.
Robin smiled back at his friend from his position on the couch in between Beast Boy and a box of pizza, though inside he was grimacing, preparing a defense for Raven and himself. "Sure, Cy. What about?" It was obvious what this was about, and it was important enough to draw the girls closer to the battle scene. Raven closed her book and got up from her position beside the window, opting to seat herself on the very end of the couch, furthest from her friends. Starfire had been sitting in the kitchen, doing something or other, but she too sat on the couch to await the inevitable.
"I think we need to clarify something. Are you or are you not in a relationship with Raven?" the robotic man continued. This caused more than one person in the room to tense.
Robin was extremely uncomfortable. Subconsciously, he knew what was coming; he just wasn't ready to accept it yet. "We've gone out a few times, but I don't know that we're technically an item. We were just, you know… having fun, blowing off steam, trying to keep from going into a stress-induced coma. No big deal, no major commitments," he said, trying to keep his tone light. He knew Raven wouldn't mind, that she would probably do the same thing; the last thing she wanted was to lose her only friends in the world.
"Are you aware of what it says in our contract about inter-member relationships?"
"Nah, the only part I really remember is the part where it says that getting a ticket for indecent exposure will get you a free ride out of the Tower. I always thought that was funny." Beast Boy snorted at the show of his leader's immaturity. Not that he didn't remember it. But Robin was usually more mature than himself.
"Actually," Raven spoke up for the first time, "I didn't put anything in on that subject when I drew up our contracts. I thought it best to let things present themselves. Allowed or banned, it could have caused problems either way. And I don't remember there being an issue with this when Terra was here." This caused Beast Boy and Cyborg to wince, though for different reasons. One boy's expression was of pain, while the other had just had his point shot down. It took a moment of thinking before the discussion continued.
"Terra didn't cause as much of a schism as the relationship in discussion has. The feelings involved were returned only by members of the participating party. This has caused a division in the team, depending on where sympathies lie. You broke her heart Robin, and now you're lying to all of us. Why the hell didn't you two tell us you were together? Why the hell didn't you at least explain it to Star? Or were you too wrapped up in all the glory of new romance? Were you so focused on your own happiness that you were oblivious when every bit of evidence against you cracked her heart open wider and wider? Can you just explain this to me?" So much for calm.
"How can you possibly be blaming this on me? How could you possibly jump to a conclusion that you have no fool-proof evidence against and then start pointing fingers at me because of it? I thought you were more level headed than that," Robin replied to his cybernetic friend's accusations.
Thirty minutes later…
The debate had turned into an all-out scream-fest between Robin and Cyborg. Starfire had also put in her fair share against the "couple"; saying that if personal feelings were going to cause such problems, then they shouldn't be allowed; that if having a boyfriend was more important than the well-being of the team as a whole, then maybe someone should leave. Raven was not oblivious to the fact that the girl seemed to only blame her for the incident, or as she put it "seducing my boy," and this hurt her. Admittedly, it didn't hurt as much as it did to find out that Cyborg and Beast Boy seemed to agree with her, but it hurt nonetheless. She was horrified that they would think that the majority of it was her fault, but to have them believe that she had slept with him? That had been too much. It was then that she had fallen silent and let Robin defend them on his own. She half hoped that he would just let them blame it on her; at least then the whole argument would be over. After all, everybody else blamed it on the demons, so why no them? Let them call me a whore; let them slander my name; let them kick me out of this god damned team, she thought. Just don't let her have him.
"Raven, help me!" Robin pleaded. So he had finally asked her to help. This wasn't a good sign; it meant they were losing. Raven chose not to respond. Better to let them think her a slut than kick them both off the team.
"I think her silence is answer enough," Cybrog said smugly. This put new fury into the wordless telekinetic. How dare he? After all this, he still had the nerve… Well, she would put him in his place.
"Shut up." Her command went unheeded, either because they didn't hear her or didn't care. That was a mistake.
She didn't raise her voice one decibel, but her next words caught their attention nonetheless. The pure venom in her voice seemed to carry throughout the room, giving it the aura of being much louder. "I command your silence."
They looked at her, and Cyborg appeared to be about to answer, but Starfire beat him to it.
"I will pay no attention to a whore." That had to be the meanest thing she had ever said. It was almost the last.
Raven merely smiled, causing Robin to become apprehensive. "Rae?" he asked softly, ignoring the comments of his teammates.
"You dare to insult me? You dare to insinuate that I, the daughter of a demon, the willing destroyer of Earth, would bother with a mere human? Your words have no power. Let me show you words that do. Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" Suddenly, the alien girl was flying towards the wall. Before anyone could move, she was hovering inches from impact. "Should I continue, troq? Or should I let you down? You call me a whore when you yourself abandoned your country, your whole planet, to stay on Earth. And why? For the love of a man. A man who, it turns out, didn't want you at all. He wanted me. Does that upset you? Does it make you mad? Does it hurt you inside? Come on, cry for me," the enraged demoness hissed at her. The rest of the team now looked alarmed, and all but Robin had stepped back. The leader was slowly making his way towards Raven.
Suddenly, her eyes went wide. She began to gasp for breath and was sinking to her knees. Her magic having been dispersed, Starfire was zooming for the door, though whether on foot or in air no one could tell. Raven's eyes began focusing in and out and she was muttering incomprehensible words softly. Her whole body suddenly went rigid and her breath stopped coming altogether.
"Shit!" Robin swore loudly. He picked her up and ordered them to follow him to the medlab.
Once they arrived, Cyborg was told to hook her up to the respirator and check her vitals. It was ten minutes later that he informed his leader that there didn't appear to be anything wrong with her.
"I know that, idiot. I just wanted to be certain she wasn't bleeding into her head or something while we were just sitting here. I already know what's wrong with her." Robin's rage-filled voice was cold, and his words came as a surprise.
"You what?" Beast boy asked. "If you already know, then what the hell is wrong with her?"
Robin paused a moment before answering. "You broke her." No response. "Well, technically, you broke her emotions, but it's only temporary, thankfully. She should be conscious again within the hour."
"We broke her emotions?" came Cyborg's disbelieving reply.
"Yes." Robin's curtness obviously wasn't what they wanted; and, after a little prompting, he continued. "She warned me about this before we first went out; it was one of the reasons we didn't say anything to you. She didn't want this debate to be happening at all. Just so you know, she was pretty reluctant to go out with me, and we haven't slept together. Anyway, she said that under severe emotional stress, her emotions could get out of hand. Sometimes, as with the Dr. Light incident, her emotions take over, but there are rare circumstances when they just pull her under completely. She goes through a brief period where she can't breathe, and after that she slowly starts coming back. She said that usually the only times she loses consciousness is when she loses the will to fight her emotions at all. This causes such a flood of emotions that her body can't take the stress of being pulled twenty different directions, and she just drops like a rock. I'd like to take a moment to say that this is all your fault. I hope she tells you as much." When he didn't say anything else, they shifted around uncomfortably. (1)
"You could have at least told me." It was Star who had spoken. Unbeknownst to them all, she had been standing in the doorway for most of the conversation. Her voice was raw with crying, and she had tearstains on her cheeks. Robin sighed softly.
"Yes, we could have told you, and we probably should have, but you wouldn't have even let us have a chance. And we didn't want to hurt you, Star. Don't you understand that?" his voice was gentle and pleading, though for what they couldn't tell.
"No, I do not. Would it not have been better to at least spare her tears, as well as my own?" They all looked back and saw that Raven had woken and removed the respirator mask. She was sitting with her knees against her chest, tears slipping silently down her face.
Three Titans regretted their harsh words towards her, thought that maybe they should have been more civil in their behavior. They had made her cry. That was a first in the Tower. None of them had ever made Raven cry. But the feeling was diluted slightly by a feeling that she could have avoided the whole thing if she had just thought about the effect of her decision before she let Starfire's heart break.
"Rae?" Cyborg said tentatively. Her head shot up, and her eyes met his. It was then that he knew his forgiveness was a long time in the coming.
Raven the Merciless… It was a side of her that had never actually been directed at him. He preferred the Raven he considered his little sister, but he must he virtually have killed her when he let, almost encouraged, Starfire insult her in such a way. He was suddenly very sorry.
The alien princess walked over to the stationary figure on the bed. She rested her hand on top of Raven's for a moment while she let their eyes meet. After a few seconds, she pulled her hand back and exited through the doorway. With her, went Raven's desire to continue being a Titan.
Three days later, Raven was sitting in her bed, trying to gather up her courage. She knew she couldn't continue to stay in the Tower; it had become far too uncomfortable. Every time someone entered a room, the occupants would tense up, as if readying for another verbal outburst. Maybe it would have been better if that had happened, instead of all the silence that seemed to encompass the Tower. They barely talked to each other anymore; it seemed to only one brave enough to initiate a conversation was Beast Boy. Or perhaps he was just the only one stupid enough.
To be fair, Cyborg had been trying to make amends with her, but Raven just wasn't ready to forgive him yet. She had taken to avoiding them all rather than suffer through his endeavors of receiving mercy, Beast Boy's attempts at making the usual small talk, Starfire's deliberate cold-shoulder, and Robin's efforts at making things go back to normal. It was just too much to handle, and she was getting tired of trying to do so. She just couldn't take it anymore; she had to get out.
It wasn't as if the other Titans would miss her. After all, she had been the reason the whole thing had happened. If anything, they would be relieved to see her go. They would have to get used to not having her in battle, of course, but that would come in time. It had with Terra, so why not her? At this point, it was only a very small part of her mind telling her that this wasn't the same, that she had been a Titan all along, that they had already known how to function without the geokinetic, that she was more important than she gave herself credit for. It was relatively easy to ignore this part of her mind though, as all she had to do was recall the argument of three days previous and her doubts disappeared.
Everything she intended to take with her was packed; all she had to do was get up and walk out. She was just having trouble making herself do it. She looked around her room. This had been her home, her first real home. She couldn't just walk out on her friends. As memories of the insults that had been directed at her three days before flooded her mind, she decided maybe she could.
She fingered the four envelopes in her hand, one for each Titan. They held her final words to each of her teammates, the ones she knew she wouldn't be able to say in person. All she had to do was put them in front of their doors and be off, but… why was it so hard? Why was she beginning to regret her decision to leave?
No, she wouldn't start having second thoughts. She just had to steel herself and do it. Thinking about it wasn't making it any easier; now was the time for actions. In one graceful movement, she was off her bed and making her way towards her door. This, she knew, would be the last time she walked through the halls of the Tower, her home, and it was almost enough to make her stay. Almost…
End Flashback (Yeah, I know that was a long flashback, but this is a long one-shot; and besides, it was relevant to the rest of the story.)
Now, it was four years later, and the Titans were no more. After her somewhat less than formal resignation, the Titans had tried to continue; but, as the papers had said, "the crime-fighting life just wasn't the same for the four teens after the disappearance of one of the vital parts of the team." It had been about a week after she left that the team made a public announcement to the city that they were officially ending the Titans and the Justice League would take over their duties in the city.
In the post-titanic days, Cyborg had yet to give up a life of righting crime, though he wasn't the only one. While he had moved to Steel City to assume the role of leader of the Titans East, Nightwing had mysteriously appeared about three weeks after the collapse of the Titans, thereby relieving the Justice League of their short-lived duties to the citizen of Jump City. Beast Boy had assumed the role of a normal citizen; and, after a time, his life had finally calmed down enough for it to be considered normal. Starfire had taken to making frequent trips between her home planet and the one of her friends. She still kept in touch with all her old friends and visited them often, with the exception of Raven. They had never been able to find her, and most of them had stopped looking long ago. However, she had recently found out that one Richard Grayson had taken an interest in the former Titan and was making a concerted effort to find out what had happened to this mysterious teen. It had been making her rather nervous lately…
As for herself, Raven had gone from teen heroine to local waitress. Not exactly the most glorious- or well paying- job, but it was a job nonetheless. She had been saving up to put herself through college, as she didn't plan to work at a café for the rest of her life. She figured she would have to register herself as an immigrant from another planet to explain her lack of high school credentials, but that could be arranged.
At the moment, Raven was on taking her fifteen minute break. Though she ought to know better by now than to reminisce, sometimes she just couldn't help it. As a nineteen-year-old, she was something of a failure, and she couldn't help but think back to a time when she had been considered so much more. Sadly, her break was coming to an end. It was almost time to go back to work, so she shook herself out of her reverie and began to dust imaginary wrinkles out of her uniform.
"Raven, orders at table six!" Right on time, the voice of her co-worker, Justin, informed her that it was time to get to work. The next half-hour was the usual blur of smiles, menus, half-empty glasses, and faceless people that always accompanied her work. It was becoming so routine that she needed to pay attention less and less each day. Smile, fill glasses, take orders, smile, fill glasses, take orders… Not the most challenging thing there was. That, however, was about to change.
The lunch crowd had worn off, as the rush had been almost over at the beginning of her shift, and Raven was leaning casually against a wall, letting the autumn breeze drift across her face. The outdoor café may not offer the most exciting or interesting work, but at least she got free coffee and she didn't have the busiest shift. As she was reflecting, Justin's voice called out an order to her once again.
"Table two, Raven!"
She sighed and pulled herself off the wall. She had already taken her break and now there was work to be done. That was the last time she took her break at the beginning of her work day.
The man at her next table had his back turned to her, but she could already tell that he was going to be an arrogant one. He had an air about him that exuded a confidence that only came from years of knowing he had a face that would make almost any girl's heart skip a beat. As she looked at his long, black hair, she was unaware that this was exactly what was about to happen to her, though for different reasons than most girls'.
She let a sigh escape her lips; she hated these kinds of customers. They were always flirting with her, always thinking they could treat her like every other giggling ditz in the city. It was pathetic really, how deflated their egos got when she turned them down time and time again. It didn't even occur to her that this man might be different.
As she stepped up to his table, she didn't even bother making eye contact with him; she just jumped into her usual routine of asking for drink orders. That was her first mistake. "Hi, I'm Raven, and I'll be your waitress this evening. Would you like anything to drink?" It wasn't until she realized she wasn't getting a response that she looked up into the man's face. That was her second mistake. "Oh my god…"
"Raven?" her former leader asked her incredulously.
"Damn it!" she hissed under her breath as she childishly began to jump up and down in little circles. "Damn it, damn it, and damn it again!"
Robin raised one eyebrow at her apparent lack of maturity.
Finally, she stopped, took a deep breath, and unclenched her fist. Within a moment, she was all smiles and the average waitress-like optimism again. "Fancy meeting you here. Would you like anything to drink?" Raven intoned, as if nothing unusual had happened.
After a moment of shock, Robin said, "Schizophrenic much?"
Suddenly seeming much more like herself, Raven directed her well-known death glare his way. It was enough to make him grin. "I don't want to talk to you, got it? So either you order a drink, or get the hell out. I'd prefer the latter, but if you have a death wish, then by all means, stay. Either way, it's your prerogative."
As he was rather used to her threats, he simply cocked an eyebrow once more. "Don't you have time for an old friend, Rae? It's been forever, and we have oh so much to catch up on," Robin teased.
"Look, Rob- I mean, Richard. I left for a reason. If I had wanted to keep in contact with any of you, don't you think I would have said something over the last four years? The Titans are over; we're over. I'm not going to start digging up old bones for the sake of one of your whims. I'm not that kind of person, and you know it. Please don't start something I'll regret later," she said. Her words brought a frown to his lips for more than one reason.
"How did you know my name?" he asked curiously.
"I'm not a dumb ass. You've been trying to hunt me down for the last four years. If you think I didn't notice that Richard Grayson, a former Flying Grayson and charge of Bruce Wayne, was looking for anything there was to find of me since my disappearance, then maybe you shouldn't be considered one of the world's greatest sleuths." Her words invoked a sigh from him.
"I had hoped you wouldn't figure it out, but it was a pretty slim hope and I knew it." He looked up at her now. "But why won't you talk to any of us, at least me? I was on your side, Rae. It's not like you could possibly think that I'd blame any of it on you." His words only invoked silence from her. "Rae, you don't think that, do you?"
"Richard, I'm busy. Either tell me what you want to drink or not," Raven muttered in a tired voice.
"If you agree to talk to me, then I'll tell you what I want," he insisted.
"I don't have time for your games."
"Oh, but I think you do. I think you're just dying to get back in my good graces. I think that you've been craving my presence ever since you left. After all, what girl wouldn't want another piece of me?" he responded in a sing-song voice in an attempt to lighten the mood. Luckily it worked. She smiled at him and gave a small chuckle.
"I'll get you water. After all, you should probably start watching your figure. All that junk food is bound to catch up with you one day," she said over her shoulder as she walked off. When she returned, she was holding a glass of water, which she set in front of him. After looking around and seeing that she had no one else to serve at the moment, she sat down at his table. This made his grin widen.
"I knew you couldn't resist me," he mock-gloated. She just smiled and rolled her eyes. Surprisingly, there was no denial. This in itself surprised and delighted him. Maybe he could get her to talk to him after all. "So, how have you been?" he questioned.
"Fine, I guess. I'm just trying to get by, make a living, and stand up on my own two feet. I've bee working here for about eight months," Raven told him as she gestured at the café. "Just doing the average nineteen-year-old thing." At this, her companion almost choked on his water.
"Nineteen?" he coughed out.
"Uh, yeah. How old are you?" she said uncertainly.
"Twenty-one." His response only served to confuse her. What was the big deal?
"So? It's only a two year difference…" Raven said slowly.
"You haven't figured it out yet? Raven, we dated when I was seventeen and you were fifteen. That's illegal." (2)
"Oh… yeah." This brought a blush to her cheeks. He sighed and shook his head.
"Whatever. What's done is done, I guess. It's not like I regret it," Richard said softly. She looked up at him.
"You… don't?" she questioned.
He grinned before responding. "Of course not. You had the best ass on the team. What's to regret?"
She smiled and looked around at the restaurant. "God, you're superficial," she said with a laugh.
"Aw, come on, Rae, you know you love it," he taunted. She grinned back and hit his bicep playfully.
"If I loved it that much, then why did I leave you, huh?" she teased right back.
He shrugged as if the answer was right in front of her nose. "Well, obviously you were scared of being dependant on someone as sexy as me. I mean, come on, it was only a matter of time until you just couldn't help yourself…" Richard provoked. At this, Raven could barely contain her laughter.
"You wish, Wonder Boy. If anything, you were the dependant one," Raven joked.
He sighed dramatically. "I know. I would have done anything for your ass- I mean, for you," he said in mock-seriousness.
"For your sake, I'll take that as a compliment," she informed him with a smile.
"Lucky me. But seriously, Rae, I'd like to talk to you. I… I missed you. It's just… Well, it would be nice to talk to you some more, to get to know you again. I mean, I don't want four years of searching to go to waste. You wouldn't want to have made me fritter away my time, do you?" he questioned, giving her the puppy-dog eyes.
Raven smiled at his persistence, but the moment was cut short by the deafening yells of someone at one of her other tables. "I get off at seven," she told him as she rushed off to refill glasses and take orders. Robin grinned. He had finally found her. All these years spent searching, and she had been right here, working as a waitress in Jump city. How had he missed her? All well, it didn't matter. He could wait until seven. After all, he had waited four years, what was a few more hours?
Raven was nervous. She had spent the last four years trying to avoid the Titans at all costs, and now this. She had been so stupid. Why hadn't she recognized him? Whatever, the damage was done, and she couldn't very well leave because he hadn't left the café since he had gotten there. She knew he was watching her, and it made her jumpy. What was he doing? Why had she given in? It was inevitable for him to eventually bring up the painful subject of her resignation from the Titans, and she had still given in to her charismatic, former-leader. Why couldn't she just say no to him? Suddenly she heard the tinkling voice of the owner of the restaurant telling her that her shift was over. How had time gone so quickly? Hadn't it just been 4:30?
With his ever-so-cocky grin, Robin- er, Richard Grayson made his way over to her. She looked at him and smiled back as best she could. He was as handsome as ever, and it looked like this night was going to be even harder than she thought. What on earth had she gotten herself into now?
"Oh my god, you're kidding me!" Raven choked out. She was laughing so hard that she almost fell out of her seat.
"No, I'm serious! He's studying to be a marine biologist!" Richard responded. He was glad their evening was going so well. After she had almost refused to let him drive her, he had been worried that their time together might be more uncomfortable than not. Then again, maybe she had just remembered how he drove on a motorcycle. It wouldn't surprise him, especially since she had made a comment on his driving when he had turned the bike off. It had been something to the effect of "I hope you have someone to pay for your funeral." He thought she was being a bit dramatic, but then again, he was used to his own driving…
"Does he know those are some of the hardest courses he could take? I mean, I never pictured him as a particularly smart person. I guess he did have his moments, but… come on! It's Beast- I mean, Gar!" Raven exclaimed.
"You can say his name, you know. Everybody knows about him," Richard told her.
"I know, but… they don't know about you. Or me, for that matter. I just don't want anyone connecting the dots…" she trailed off.
"Well, it wouldn't be hard. I mean, it doesn't look like you've put a lot of effort into your new identity. You just put a few black lowlights in your hair, you stayed in the same city, and you even kept the same name. A monkey could figure it out!" He paused a moment to wait for her response, but all he got was a smirk. It was only then that he realized her point. "Oh."
"Exactly. Everybody thought I'd put a lot of effort into disguising myself, so I used this to my advantage. While everyone looks in some far off place for someone completely unlike me, I'll sit back in Jump City with no one breathing down my neck because my façade, my public image, is too obvious to believe. I'm hiding in plain sight. Besides, it's not like anyone has really figured me out yet, Sir Monkey," she teased. Instead of getting all huffy for insulting his intelligence-like she half-expected him to- he just grinned.
"I always knew you were smarter than the average bear, Rae," the young hero remarked.
"Are you calling me a bear?" she asked in mock-indignation.
"But of course not, my fair lady. Your Sir Monkey would never disrespect you so," he said laughingly.
With a smile, she responded, "That's a good pet."
"Besides," Richard continued. "It was either that or your average blonde bimbo. I figured you'd rather have the previous insult."
"Actually, I'd take the true one," Raven told him with a sly smile.
"The true one?" he questioned confusedly. "Neither one was true…"
"It's been a while, Richard. I might have changed in four years…" she murmured as she began to rub her foot up the back of his calf. At this point, her companion was looking rather uncomfortable and not a little bit shocked. Suddenly she just couldn't help it anymore and let out the laugh she'd been holding in the whole time. "I can't believe you fell for that!" she exclaimed as she returned her foot back to the floor. "Oh, you should have seen your face! It was priceless!"
Suddenly feeling a bit foolish, Richard shrugged off her snickering. "Like you said, it's been a long time…"
"Not that long!" she retorted. After a moment of silence, she spoke again. "Um, Richard?"
"You can call me Dick; everyone else does."
"I missed you too."
Short pause… Then- "Huh?"
Now it was Raven's turn to look embarrassed. "Well, earlier you said you missed me. I just wanted to tell you that I missed you too."
"Thanks, Rae," he said with a smile. A silence followed, though not an entirely uncomfortable one, as they both ate the food in front of them.
When the meal was finished, Richard paid the woman at the cash register and escorted Raven outside. As they were walking toward his motorcycle, he finally gathered up the courage to do what he'd wanted to all night. Well, one of the things he'd wanted to do.
"Raven?" he asked quietly.
"Yeah?" she turned to him.
"Well, we- I mean, the rest of the Titans- you know, Gar and Kori and Vic, well… we've sort of been missing you…" he began slowly.
She raised an eyebrow. "You've sort of been missing me? Well, gee, thanks," she replied sarcastically. He glared at her.
"You know what I meant. Anyway, I was talking to them the other day, and they said some things I think you should know."
"Oh? And I suppose they're all terribly sorry and feel dreadful about the way they treated me."
"Well actually, yeah, they do."
"Save it, Dick. I don't want to hear it."
"You could at least talk to them, you know."
"That's what she said when she found out we were together, and you see how that turned out?"
"It's completely different, and you know it, Rae!"
"No it isn't! It all involves a huge discussion between us, and every time that happens, it turns out badly. I don't want to feel guilty, Robin! I've spent four years telling myself not to, and it's still hard, okay? I can't face them; I don't know if I'll ever be able to face them."
"Whatever. Get on the bike so I can take you home," he ordered as he slid on it himself. When she didn't obey after a few moments, he turned around, only to be greeted with the sight of Raven glaring daggers at him. With a sigh, he got off the bike. He slipped his arms around her waist, forcing her into a hug. Not expecting this reaction at all, Raven tensed up before relaxing and leaning against him.
"I'm sorry, Rae," he murmured. "I just want us all to be friends again. I wish you would give them a chance. They'd like to apologize, Cyborg in particular."
She finally pulled away from his embrace. "Whatever," she repeated him. He grinned at the typical Raven comment and got back on the bike, while she slid on just behind him.
As they drove out of the parking lot, she made sure to wrap her arms around him tightly to keep herself from falling off, much to his pleasure. "Where to?" he asked loudly as they paused at the stop sign.
"The Sundance Villa neighborhood, in the residential district. I live on Briarwood."
"The east end?"
"No shit. We both know the west end is nothing but strip clubs, and I sincerely doubt you think I live down there."
"Just checking." This caused her to roll her eyes at him immaturity.
Fifteen minutes later, they were turning the corner onto Raven's street. After asking which house to go to, Richard pulled up in front of it. He killed the motor on his bike and escorted her to her door.
"Hey, um, Raven?" he asked.
"Yeah?" she responded.
"Well, I sort of had plans tonight and… Well, there's this new club opening in the commercial district. A couple of people I know work there, and they said they could get me a few friends in… I was wondering…" the somewhat nervous hero continued.
"Rob, does this mean I have to change?" she questioned with feigned annoyance.
He grinned at her. "Well, your work clothes may look fine for dinner at a fast-food joint," he started. "But I think you might be a little more comfortable if you change before we get there."
"That was not a fast-food joint!" she argued.
"It wasn't formal dining, at any rate."
"Whatever. You can wait for me inside. I'll go upstairs to change." With this, she unlocked her door and stepped inside.
Her house was nothing particularly fancy, but it suited her personality wonderfully. She had decorated it, not the completely dark way she had decorated her room at the Tower, but with a mix of that and a funky, Moroccan style. Browns and greens and golds were thrown with blacks and blues and purples. It was a strange mixture, but felt balanced nonetheless. (3) He had a strange desire to see her room. He had a feeling that the décor of her personal space hadn't changed much.
As he sat down on her black couch, which was almost completely covered with fluffy pillows in purples and greens, he wondered what all had changed about his long-lost friend. They had spent dinner talking mostly about either himself of the other Titans, and he hadn't gotten a word in edgewise that could have led to her. He wondered if it had been a game for her; she had done it before. She was skilled in manipulating conversations, usually steering them away from herself. Oftentimes she avoided conversations altogether, but there were times when this could not be done. Verbal legerdemain was only one of her many hidden talents. Finally, Raven emerged from her room. She exuded a dark, beautiful, but utterly untouchable vibe. Even after four years, it made him want to kiss her senseless.
Apparently she noticed because her next comment was, "See something you like?" and it was accompanied with a smirk.
"Raven?" Richard said again.
"Richard?" she mocked, making him roll his eyes.
"What's your favorite color?" he asked.
"Purple, why?" she answered confusedly.
"Who's your favorite actor?" More questions.
"Johnny Depp." More answers.
"Actress?"
"Don't have one." She figured she's find out what this was about eventually.
"Do you read comics?"
"I read manga sometimes."
"Cartoons or anime?"
"Anime. Does this have a point?"
"I got you to tell me more in five point-blank questions than you willingly told me all night." Raven opened her mouth and closed it again. It was true. "But I would rather have not asked those questions. I would rather have you talk to me."
"I'm not good at that, and you ought to know that by now. I'm just not good at talking to people; that's why none of us live together anymore, that's why the Titans broke up, and that's why Nightwing had to come along. It's all because of one little mistake I made, all because I can't talk to people. Can you just try to accept that?"
"You've talked to me…"
"That was a long time ago."
"It wasn't that long ago."
"Alright then, Robin, what do you want?" The use of his former alias caught him by surprise, but he found that he didn't mind it.
"I want you to tell me your favorite food, your favorite song, how long you've lived here, how much you miss Cy's cooking and BB's jokes, who you hate, who you don't, all you're boyfriends who can't even compare to me, your best friend, what kind of music you like, where you go that outfit, and all that kind of stuff. Anything about you… I just want to know about your life. I don't understand why you won't just tell me," Richard begged.
Raven sighed deeply and looked toward the ceiling, as if some answer would be written there. "I don't really have a favorite food, but I still love herbal tea. My favorite song… I don't know; I like Norah Jones's music. Just pick something of hers. I've lived here for about a year and a half. I haven't had anything as good as Cyborg's steak or as bad as Beast Boy's jokes since I left the Tower. I hate Frank; you don't know him, but he works at the café and he's a total asshole. I don't hate Taylor. The few boyfriends I've had since I left, have pretty much sucked, so no worries for you there. What else was there? Oh yeah, I don't really have a best friend, per se, but Brittany's the closest thing I do have. I don't listen to much music, but I like jazz and classical alright, plus Evanescence and Green Day. (4) And this outfit? I got it on an online stripper store." Shocked pause. "I'm kidding! I got the shirt at Papaya and I got the jeans some store in Metropolis. I lived over there for about three months. Did I mention that?" she said with an irritated look on her face.
He contrasted her with a look of shock. "Well, that was everything I asked for and more. I'm so proud of you, Rae," he teased.
"Shut it. Come on, we should be going now," Raven remarked in a more subdued manner.
"Yeah, I forgot. We wouldn't want you to have gotten all dressed up for nothing," said her companion.
"And why exactly did I agree to do this?" was her response.
"How should I know? You're the mind reader," he joked. This time, he didn't get a response.
As she turned around to lock her door, he decided to take a good look at what she was wearing. She had on tight, dark blue jean with rhinestone flowers on one of her back pockets and at the bottom on the back of the opposite leg. Her shirt, however, was not what he had expected. It was black. And low-cut… very low-cut. The only part of the shirt that actually went all the way across her chest was a space of about four inches where the fabric was laced together. The bottom belled out, exposing her still very toned stomach. Her sleeves belled out as well. For the sake of modesty- or something resembling it- she had put on a crimson tube top under it, though it barely covered an inch more at the top or bottom. Still exposed, her stomach displayed a bellybutton ring that Richard had never seen before. I certainly would have remembered that, he thought.
As she turned around to head to his motorcycle, Raven noticed his gaze was on her. This brought a blush to her cheeks. "What?" she questioned self-consciously.
"Nothing, just… the ring…" Her hands went to her ears before he corrected her. "Not those rings." This brought a fresh tint of pink to her already rosy cheeks.
"It's not real…" she murmured. He grinned at that.
"Too bad, I rather like it," he told her.
"Well, isn't that just too bad. The world doesn't revolve around you, Richard darling," she said as she walked to the driveway.
"So I'm your darling now?"
"Only in your dreams." And then they were flying down the road.
When they pulled up in front of Sugar Sugar, (5 a) Raven first noticed the crowd. Expecting to wait at least an hour in the long line, she was surprised when Richard pulled her straight to the door, where the bald bouncer stared them down menacingly. While her companion probably could have taken him, Raven didn't have any urges to make him mad any time soon.
"I'm Richard. Mitch and Shani are expecting me," Robin ordered in a voice that almost demanded respect. She also recognized it as his "leader" voice, the one he used when it was the only way to get something done. The large man nodded and Richard pushed Raven inside before stepping back briefly to speak with the bouncer. She thought nothing of it.
When she got in, she was hit by a wave of music so loud she could feel the beat pulsing inside of her. The crowd of people inside was even bigger than outside, and she didn't feel like fighting her way through alone. When he joined her once again, Richard grabbed her wrist and directed her toward the bar.
After they got to their destination, Richard was greeted by a squealing young woman who threw her arms around his neck. To keep her jealousy at bay, Raven had to tell herself that this woman was the only reason they got in, though she was unwilling to admit it.
"Dick, I'm so glad you came! I was worried you wouldn't," she exclaimed in a high-pitched voice.
"Shani, I wouldn't have missed this for anything. Besides, I figured if you guys could throw parties like you do, then any club you started would be the best around. Why would I miss this? Oh yeah, you said I could bring friends, so this is Raven. Raven this is Shani." The woman dislodged herself from his shoulders to smile at Raven. A young looking man with hair as black as Robin's came into her view. "And this is Mitch. Mitch, this is my friend Raven."
"I thought you were bringing more people, Dick," Mitch remarked with a grin. This caused Raven to look at her friend sharply.
"Hey, can't you be happy with two beautiful girls? Honestly, I thought you were better than that, man," Richard joked.
Shani, who apparently didn't like to be left out of the conversation, said, "Oh, you have to have a drink! Come on, Dick, we know how you like them!" This appeared to be something of a double-bladed comment because both men started laughing.
"Do I even want to know?" Raven asked sarcastically.
"Well, beautiful, that depends on whether or not Richard here wants to tell you," Mitch whispered in her ear.
With a glance at her friend, she said, "In that case, I really don't want to know."
"I like you already, gorgeous," he responded with a wink after moving away from her ear.
Robin, who didn't particularly enjoy seeing Mitch flirting with her, even minutely, spoke next. "Hey Rae, want to dance?" She shrugged and let him lead her off.
When they got back into the crowd, Raven paused to listen to the music for a moment. She didn't recognize the song that was playing, but she began to dance with it anyway. A few songs later, Raven found that she really enjoyed dancing with Richard. He was rather good at it, and she was having more fun than she had expected. At the next song, though, he started dancing closer, brushing up against her more and more and letting his hands rest at her waist. This made her a bit uncomfortable.
When Candy Shop (5 b) came on, Raven had a thought. Two can play this game, Richard. She turned her back toward him and bounced along to the beat. She backed up against him and let his hands rest on her hips. They began to bump and grind to the music, their movement getting more erotic by the moment. She knew what he thought, but she had her own agenda. Tease him a little bit, then take it all away. As soon as the song ended, she pulled away and grinned at him before walking off the dance floor, basking in his shocked expression. Assuming he started to dance with other girls, she sat at the bar. His friend Shani slid up to her.
"I don't know what you think you're doing, but Richard is mine! Stay away from him, got it?" she hissed to a very surprised Raven.
"What are you talking about?" she stammered.
"Just leave him alone. I don't want you going around and messing around with my man," the woman continued.
"Your man?" Raven echoed. "Last time I checked, he was single. And besides, don't you have that Mitch person?"
"Mitch and I are great friends and great business partners, but that's it. He's too much of a flirt, and I've got my sights set somewhere much higher. So stay away from Richard," she growled.
"First of all, I can flirt with whoever the hell I want to, and there's nothing you can do about, okay? Second, I don't think it's good for business to be rude to customers. Just keep that in mind for future reference," Raven said with outward indifference.
The next second, two strong arms were wrapped around her torso and a voice was speaking in her ear. "Hello, gorgeous, mind if I buy you a drink?" Just before sending the owner of the voice into a currently nonexistent hole in the club wall, Raven recognized the voice.
"Cy- Victor!" she exclaimed with bright eyes.
"The one and only!" her friend responded. She turned around and gave him a big hug.
"Does this mean I don't have to worry about you and Richard?" Shani said nastily.
Raven turned on her angrily. "Why don't you just go-" She was interrupted by a green hand on her mouth.
"What she means is, why don't you get us a couple of drinks? I'm sure Richard won't mind paying," said the person on the side of Raven Victor wasn't sitting on. Raven turned to him as well.
"Be- Gar?" she said disbelievingly. He gave her the same old grin she remembered.
"Like you wouldn't remember someone as good looking as me…" he remarked teasingly. She surprised him with a hug as well.
"All that's left now is Kori," Richard said from behind her. Raven turned around and glared at him.
"You, Richard Grayson, are a liar," she said hotly. He raised his eyebrows.
"Now, now, Raven, don't go making a scene in front of your friends," he teased.
"That's the problem. You said they weren't going to be here!" she practically yelled.
His response was calm. "No, I didn't."
When she realized he was right, she changed tactics. "You led me to believe that they weren't!"
"Whose fault is it for making insinuations, hm?"
"I can't believe you're just as pompous and arrogant as you were when I left!"
"You wouldn't expect anything less, I'm sure."
"It would extend your life by at least a few minutes if you shut up, I'm sure."
"Am I allowed to talk, then?" asked a new voice.
Raven's face showed panic briefly when she realized who it was. "Star?"
"I have missed you, friend!" the alien exclaimed as she gave her a hug. Raven's expression calmed.
"I missed you too," Raven said. Starfire's eyes welled up with tears.
"Friend, I am so sorry that I made you leave! I never should have said those mean things to you! I thought that you had broken my heart, but I was mistaken. My love was only that of a sister, and I realized this soon after you left. I wish to apologize for my horrid behavior. Will you forgive me?" she begged.
"Of course! I only left because I thought it was best. I wanted everyone to be happy, and I thought that would be easier if I wasn't around. I… I thought you were all upset with me…" she responded.
"No! We missed you dearly, and-" She was interrupted when Richard covered her mouth.
"I think she understands, Kori," he said to her. Raven nodded quickly.
The whole time, Shani had been standing there looking dumbfounded. Raven had a few uncharitable thoughts about how it was good she was so stupid, or else she would have figured out their secret.
Forcing Beast Boy to move over a seat, Richard took the place next to Raven. "So, what do you want to drink, guys?" Raven looked over at him.
"I think we had a discussion earlier about something that has a bit of relevance to this," she said.
"I'm the one ordering, dumb ass, you're just gonna drink it," he jibed playfully. She hit his arm, a little harder than necessary, and gave him her order. The rest followed suit.
When they were all sitting at the bar, drinks in hand, Mitch found his way back over them. "I knew you were bringing more people!" he laughed. "So, how're you all doing?" After a chorus of answers, he continued. "So Richard, is this beautiful woman your newest conquest? If she's not yours, I'll take her in a heartbeat. She's certainly no eyesore."
Rolling her eyes in a somewhat indifferent manner, she answered before Robin had a chance. "Since when was I put up for auction?"
Leaning over to whisper in her ear, he laughed, "About the time you walked through the door."
"Well then, I'm taking myself off the market," she retorted.
Mitch laughed again. Turning to Richard, he said, "She's sharp one too. I heard her have an argument with Shani, and I think you can guess who won. I wouldn't let her get away, Dick."
Once again, Raven spoke before he could get a word in. "Actually, we aren't technically an item," she responded.
Robin recognized his words of four years back. He was rather surprised she still remembered that; maybe it had hurt her more than he thought… "Come on, Rae, don't be like that," he whined.
"I'm not being like anything, thank you very much. And my name is Raven. You would do well to remember that," she remarked coolly.
"Rae," Cyborg began warningly. "Don't start this."
"No, it's fine," Robin said just as coolly as she had. "Hey Shani, wanna dance?"
The woman gave an excited squeak before jumping over the bar and practically running to the dance floor with him, where Raven continued to glare at the pair of them. She soon turned away out of jealousy; honestly, did she even know how she looked, dancing like that? When she looked back at the remainder of her friends, they were looking at her knowingly.
"So, I'm guessing he pissed you off, huh?" Mitch asked.
"However could you tell…" was her sarcastic reply.
"If you're trying to make him mad, I think he's doing a better job, though it doesn't look like he's enjoying it," he said with a nod towards the dancing couple.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Raven huffed. This made her green companion snicker. "What are you laughing at?" she hissed at him. This time, though, he didn't cower in fear, as he had done a few years back.
"You," he told her blatantly. She looked at him with a shocked expression. "You enjoy his attention, and the only surefire way for you to get it, is by being unreasonably rude and making him try to figure it out. You want him to beg for you again, and he's not gonna do it."
"He never begged for me; if he had, none of us would have ever had that fight," she said. His words surprised her; she had never expected him to be so insightful. She thought he was wrong, of course; there was no way she would admit his words were true.
"Regardless, you want him to now, if only to be sure of his feelings. He's not a dog, Raven, and you'll never make him do it, whether you're willing to admit it or not," he responded.
"You, on the other hand," she snapped, "are a dog, and there's nothing I can do about that either, I suppose."
He grinned at her wickedly. "That's one of the truest things you've said all night. Since you obviously aren't going to change, would you like me to help you make him jealous?"
"What?" Raven questioned.
"Do you want to dance?" reiterated the changeling.
She shrugged and allowed him to lead her away. She knew she was leaving behind a very confused club owner, but she cared little. They stopped several feet from the Boy Wonder and his partner, but stayed clearly within his view. As they danced with the music, Raven became aware of just how much the young man in front of her had changed. Where he had been wiry and short a few years before, he was now lean, but muscular, and tall. It was more than surprising to her that she now had to look up into the eyes of her former proverbial thorn in her side. She would have suspected steroids had his same old, happy-go-lucky sense of humor not been intact. The change was that distinctive.
A few songs later, Gar was getting tired or dancing, so they decided to stop and sit back down at the bar for a little bit. Just a moment or two after they had reached their seats, Raven felt someone tugging at her wrist and turned around, with every intent and purpose of telling whoever was touching her to buzz off. She was surprised to see it was Richard who was beckoning for her to follow him. Remembering her green friend's words earlier, she let him lead her off. She noticed that they seemed to be heading for the door, which was confirmed less than a minute later.
As they slid out into the warm night air, making sure the bouncer knew to let them back in later, they slipped into silence. Raven was itching to know why he had dragged her out there, and it was almost too much not to ask. Her patience was soon rewarded.
"I'm sorry," he murmured softly. This caught her by surprise.
"You're… You're what?" she stammered.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you," he repeated.
This made her fairly uncomfortable. "Um, can you clarify what, exactly, you're talking about? What are you sorry for?" she asked.
"Well, for a couple of things, I guess. I'm sorry about what I said four years ago, about us not being together. It's just what I thought you'd say at the time. I just didn't want to cause any rifts in the team. I didn't know it would make one between us…"
"Is… is that all?"
"No. I also wanted to apologize for tonight. I asked Shani to dance just to piss you off."
"Well, it worked." She said this with a light blush.
There was a pause before he responded. "You were… jealous?"
Now her blush darkened. "Well, we haven't seen each other in a while, and she said some stuff about you being hers, and I figured she had to be coming from somewhere, and then you just ran off with her, and I just-"
"Whoa, slow down for a second. I figured she was starting stuff about me, but you believed her?" His tone was somewhat incredulous.
"Not totally, but…"
"You believed her, and you still argued over me?" Now he sounded amused.
"Don't waste your breath. I didn't do it for you; I did it to make sure she knew not to boss me around."
"I'm sure…"
"I did!"
"Whatever, it doesn't matter. I just wanted to apologize for trying to piss you off. If you'll let me, I'd like to try being friends with you again." Again with the emotional swings. Now he sounded nervous, or uncertain, she couldn't tell which.
"… Friends?" He wanted to be friends? Was he completely oblivious?
"Only if, you know, you want to…" he muttered.
"Well, you know what they say. 'Lovers come and go, but friends are forever'." It seemed that it was only then that he noticed her tone of voice, because he looked up with a strangely perceptive expression on his face.
"Rae… Lovers can last forever too…" he said slowly. Now she looked up as well.
"But can you? Could you stay faithful? Forever is an awfully long time, Richard…" she murmured back. He loved hearing his name from her lips. She mad it sound so alluring…
"I can try," he told her as he stepped closer.
"But do you want to?" she asked.
"If you will," he said as he closed the distance between them.
His lips caught hers in a gentle kiss. She responded by slipping her arms around his neck and tangling her fingers in his hair, while he let his hands rest lightly on her hips. This was one of the things she missed most about life in the Tower, all the sweet moments between them. And it was this that convinced her to try it again. When they came up for air, he looked at her uncertainly, but she surprised him by bringing her lips up for another kiss, this time more passionate than the last. He bit her bottom lip gently, and she got the message, parting her lips easily to allow him entrance. How long they stayed that way, they didn't know.
They finally broke apart, but their embrace kept them warm until they got back to the doors. Once inside, they traipsed back to the bar, hand in hand, much to Cyborg's amusement and Shani's displeasure.
"And here I thought I'd get to dance with her. Come on, Dick, can't you leave some of the good-looking ones for me?" Mitch joked.
"I agree," Beast Boy added jokingly.
"And what am I? Chopped liver?" Shani asked angrily.
"Ah, how could I have forgotten my lovely associate? Shani, babe, wanna dance?" he laughed.
After they walked off, Beast Boy said, "Associate is right, emphasis on ass. I would like to point out the ambiguousness of that statement. So before you start ragging on me for being perverted, Raven, just pretend I meant it the other way. You never know."
Raven's mouth was hanging open in shock. "That was a thirteen letter word! And you used it correctly! What happened to you?" she gasped. Everyone just laughed.
A while later, the newly reunited friends left the club to return home. Raven and Robin slid back onto his motorcycle while the others took their own modes of transportation. When the pair arrived at Raven's house, it was well-past three in the morning, and Raven offered to let him sleep on her couch, which he gladly accepted.
The next morning, breakfast plans were made with the other Titans. In Raven's mind, she was trying to demonstrate that she was back for good now, that they wouldn't have to worry about another disappearing act on her part. Though she knew things could never go back exactly to the way they were before, part of her thought that was a good thing. They had all learned some thing over the past few years, and they were all the better for it… for the most part, anyways. It wasn't something she loved about her past, but the breakup of the team had benefited them in the long-run, in one way or another. She briefly entertained the idea of reinstating the team, but she knew it was too soon. They hadn't even been back together a day yet. This idea would have to wait, but she kept it filed in the back of her mind. It never hurt to hope…
Notes:
(1) I felt that I needed to explain a bit more about the emotions thing, but it just didn't flow right when I had it in the conversation. When Raven tries to fight an emotion, but it gets to strong to be subdued, an incident such as the one with Dr. Light occurs, where she loses control to the emotion. However, when her emotions become very strong and yet she suddenly loses her desire to fight them, they all begin to surface at once. But due to the human body's lack of ability to show every aspect of one's personality, the oncoming rush would cause such a torrent of feelings that her body would be overwhelmed and would temporarily fail to function properly.
(2) With the age thing, I don't know if it's illegal where they are, but it is illegal where I am. I take from life, and if you don't like it, then find a way to live with it.
(3) As soon as I get my own house, I have every intention of decorating it like this. I like both the darker colors (with the black, blue, purple, etc…) and the funky, Moroccan/Indian style, and I can't decide which I like better. So I figure, if I can find stuff that looks good together, why not? Once again, I take from life.
(4) I used my personal musical preferences. While I didn't include everything I like, I just chose what I knew about that might also suit her. You're probably getting tired of hearing me say I take from life, but that's just how I keep from sounding like a total idiot.
(5 a & b) In Florida, I went to a candy shop called 'Sugar Sugar'. While I was writing this, I was sort of subconsciously thinking about it, and the song 'Candy Shop' came on. I was struck by an epiphany, which was very helpful because I had a hard time thinking of a club name. I hope it sounds ok.
I really hope you liked this. It was so hard to write, but a promise is a promise. It wasn't quite as romantic as I would have liked, but I tried... Anyway, I can't really think of a good title, so this one will have to do. I think it's sort of self-explanatory. And I know this was really long, and probably not worth it to read, but I want you to know it means a lot to me that you took time to do so.So review if you liked it, hated it, are confused by it, whatever. Just review, please! They make you feel so special when you see you got a new one from somebody. Anyways, I think that's all, so bye people!
Ciao i miei amici
Raven-Angel-of-Darkness