7snogs Themed Fics

by LusciniaeCantus

Robin/Raven pairing

Standard Disclaimer: Move along people, it isn't mine.

Theme #3 Embrace:
How It Ends

This was the end, Raven thought. Not the End she'd imagined for herself, but an end nonetheless. They had grown, all of them—it had been four years since they had just become known as The Titans, shedding the 'Teen' part of their title as they had shed their childhood.

They had each decided to take their own paths in life. It hadn't been a conscious group decision, but suddenly it seemed like they realized there was a world out there, just waiting for them. Or, in the case of their alien friend, a whole other planet whose people needed and loved her.

And thus, Starfire was first. Contrary to expectations, the cheerful, bubbly alien princess was the first to decide to leave. She had a planet, a kingdom to go back to. She was responsible for her people, and no matter what, she could not forsake that duty. She would never forget her friends on Earth, she promised with a teary smile, holding up the glass of champagne that they were now legal to drink. The others assured her that she would always be welcome to come back and visit any one of them.

Then Cyborg held up his own glass in a toast, Bumblebee smiling softly at his side. He was the eldest of them, and the longing for a home and family were returning. He'd found a beautiful, loving girl who knew him, and accepted him. The superhero thing was no longer such an adventure anymore. He wanted a family, with a modest house and something familiar to come home to everyday. He wanted his children to have as much normality as having two superhero parents could offer them. Looking around, the cybernetic man smiled and asked his friends' blessings. They all responded with hearty cheers. Beastboy wanted to know if he could name the firstborn.

After he popped out of his tortoise shell (the casually tossed pastry missed anyways) and shifted back, he proceeded to break another glass getting everyone's attention. ("You're supposed to tap it gently, genius," their resident witch drawled.) As he was now a man (groans and chuckles sounded), he decided that he would go out and bravely explore the wide world beyond. Discover the unknown. Grapple with beasts and monsters and rescue a few damsels in distress along the way. His friends laughed, as he gestured dramatically how exactly he'd defeat that lion-eagle hybrid monster. ("It's called a griffin," Raven informed him dryly. He ignored her.) Then, he declared, he'd go to the jungles and savannahs and search for the legacy his parents had left behind. His flippant tone failed to hide the emotion that lay underneath, and no one was laughing anymore. There was a pause, and then he grinned, cheeky as always. Why was everyone so serious? he wondered with a laugh. Would them wish him luck? They all nodded. Then, it'd better be bottoms up!

"Cheers!"

Then, Robin had approached Raven. His mask was off, a clear light flickering in his exposed eyes. Everyone hushed and turned to watch quietly, expectantly. He reached for her hand, held it gently in his, and brushed a light kiss across the back.

Her heart stopped in her chest, then began hammering so loudly she was surprised the Tower wasn't shaking with its beat. She forced herself to breathe again, and tried to get her voice box to respond. He was still gazing at her, and she found that while his eyes looked blue, almost grey, from afar, it was in fact a clear, deep green—the colour of fine jade.

"Alright Robin, you got me," she told him, her voice leaving her in a rush of air. They sounded panicked and anxious, yet they were steadier than she felt. "That's funny. Now stop." She tugged on her hand. He still held on. "Let go." It was a whisper now. It said, Please don't do this. Nothing has to change. But things were changing, and she knew it.

He lowered her hand, but kept a firm grip on it. A small smile rested on his lips, softened his eyes. It asked nothing; it asked for her world. All around her, she could feel the weight of her friends', her family's gaze. For years, they had taken care of her, and taught her how to live. They'd fought together, laughed and cried together. She had kept up a strong front throughout the farewell ceremonies and even through their private party today. But as Robin relinquished her hand, warmer now with his strength, and leaned forward to wrap her into a silent embrace, Raven felt her heart give a shudder and surrendered to her emotions.

She let Robin pull her closer, burying herself into his shoulder. There was a tickle of warm air as he whispered a question into her ear, and she nodded her reply. No one commented on the various objects that began floating around the room, and if there was the occasional sound of something exploding, well that was fine too. Because their friend was going to be ok. She would not be alone again—Robin had managed to break through her walls once more and they would both be strong together.

And this is how it ends, with a tight embrace, an unspoken vow and the future before them.

A/N: I experimented a bit here with a different style than I'm used to writing in, and I'm actually quite satisfied with how it turned out. I'm usually more into crisp writing, and thus my stories are short and almost clipped at times, so hopefully, this time around it won't be as rushed sounding.

So, leave me a thought?