Updated : 11/24/2017

As this is a brand new process for me, I am adding proper heading and correcting spelling and other errors as I go as to provide a smooth read. I have also included a sort of prelude, this time around, to look further into one of the main characters. Also, included, are a couple more sentences in the note at the end. The cover image is not mine! It was drawn by Neptune47 on deviantart. The silhouette is gorgeous. I did not get permission to use it so if I need to take it down, I will. For now I think it is a perfect image to cover this story.

Disclaimer : I do not own any aspect of Teen Titans and am by no means receiving any sort of compensation for this. It is purely my interest in the fandom that is driving this.

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The dark is balance.

Some would say that the absence of light indicated evil, allowing menacing and terrorizing forces to scuttle just out of sight before they finally came for you, maws agape to devour you. These beings knew the dark as fear. Others would say that the dark made it impossible to see, harder to know what was right in front of you. Wasn't that the same thing?

'Not entirely', the thought came.

These people knew the absence of light as a hinderance to their development, it keeping the possibility of advancement from them. They would ask, "How am I to continue if my way is not lit?" This question was common and understandable if only in a certain light.

There was an inward chuckle at the irony of that thought.

At the same time, these people had a point. How do you continue? This is where they began to lose their comprehension.

If one relied only on their sight, would it not eventually lead them astray? One day, wouldn't they see something that looked like home but was not? Maybe they saw something that their shipwrecked minds , in the moment, deemed more worthy of their efforts than what they already belonged to? This could lead the common man and woman away from his or her family. What a shame that eventuality would be. But, what if they had used their other senses? Would not the unfamiliar and putrid scent of decay turn a man's eye away from the harlot? Wouldn't the stench of jealousy and perversion on a promiscuous man's breath steer a woman back to her loving husband?

Relying only on sight was a dangerous mistake. Relying simply on scent, touch, taste, or sound didn't work either. When they were together it did give someone a sturdy foothold on the pitted surface of their lives but that was not what would lead you back home. These people were likely destined to fail and that was ok. How would anyone learn without first seeing the adverse effects that their blindness brought upon them? The key is knowing why those senses tell you what they do.

There were even others that saw the dark as an entity designed to devour them and carry them down to the place they so desired. That place was the end. There was nothing there. Nothing other than eternal torment.

She had been there.

These people are not like the first because they desire to be there. These hated any council the light could offer... what any of their senses offered. They loved pain, fear, and sadness, feeding on depravity. Sometimes, most times, it was hard to take pity on these beings for they had no idea what they were inviting into their lives yet they drank it in, gulping it down to the point of drowning. Bathing in it but they never stopped. All while a twisted smile was plastered to their face, contorting and destroying any beauty the expression used to offer. These people were broken husks.

In truth, she had been like the first of these groups of people for a long while but she hardly ever conceded to the fact she gave her "Fear" emotion the time of day. She was not afraid of the dark itself. She was afraid of the darkness. That impersonal, malevolent shadow that grazed its gnarled claws across her skin as it passed only to have it turn back to envelope her, its four scarlet eyes burning like the deep belly of a blazing furnace. When it came, she had struck out at it, attempting to push it away only to have her hand protrude through its incorporeal form. Physical force never worked.

In the months since her father, Trigon's, defeat and apparent death, she had begun to distance herself from that darkness. She still felt the tendrils of discord in her mind that he had planted but to a much lesser degree as time passed. She very rarely saw the shadow any longer but somehow knew it was lurking in the far reaches of her mind, waiting for the call to return. It wouldn't if she had any say in it. Recently she began to believe she did, in fact, have a say in it if only for the encouragement of her friends.

The other Titans believed Trigon to be dead but she knew better. Despite that, who was she to rain on their parade? It would hopefully be millenia before he would return because without a doubt, return he would.

But for now she could breath easy. As easy as she ever could knowing what she was.

But that was the point, wasn't it? That's what they all kept telling her. That isn't who she was. She inwardly trusted them and appreciated the words they spoke more than they could ever realise but she also knew what she was even if they believed she had conquered it. Even now the undeniable truth of what she was tried its best to sink its fangs into the surety of her friend's claim. Whatever the demon in her did to destroy her hope, it wouldn't ever be enough. She didn't know where her hope was imbedded but the simple fact that it existed was uncontested. A part of it was in her but another was somewhere else... Where? She did not know for sure.

She'd learned on Azarath that the dark and the darkness were two separate entities. One was the absence of physical light which gave the eye nowhere to focus while the other was the spiritual manifestation of fear and obscurity that sought to drag you to the brink and pull you over the edge, filled with glee at even its own demise. Simple. She had never allowed the shadows in the darkness to intrude in her times of quiet reflection but they did, at times, crack the mental barriers she had constructed.

If the Azarathian elders had taught her one thing she would not forget, though, it was this. The dark, in the right context, was an absence of distraction. It is a place where one can feel, experience, and even dissect their very selves; the essence of who they were. It was a place where one could be, unobstructed, in the quest to discover why a certain emotion was apparent following a thought or experience. It was the place to decide how to move forward without distractions. That is what most beings did not understand about the dark. Unlike most, She, however, knew the truth. It was one of the most beautiful yet heartbreaking places she had ever allowed herself to go. It was the canvas of her being. Everything was lain bare to her while no one else had the ability to see it, just how she liked it.

She had always taught to deal with her emotions quickly and efficiently so as to not agitate the power tangled within her. She had believed that alone worked for a long while. It might have worked more than she gave it credit for but that didn't change the fact that the emotions always returned carrying the baggage that was attached to it.

It all came down to how it was managed. Understanding that was the hardest part.

The dark should be balance.

But how long can that last...

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She heard it long before it entered the common room. The shuffling of padded feet that sounded like they were too weary to even attempt proper strides. Without knowing for certain who was making the sound, but having a pretty good idea, she waited for the offending being to pass through the threshold into the room. It shouldn't have but it somewhat surprised her when Robin dragged himself into the room, his hand patting the wall near the light switch. He seemed to remember after a few groggy seconds that Cyborg had installed a new all-inclusive building management system that did away with the switch in favor of a panel that required an access code. He had reasoned that anyone who needed to use it would know how to use it. They'd experienced too many break-ins in the past and part of the overhaul was the ousting of the old and in with the new fangled tech junk that he constantly fawned over.

Robin grunted and mumbled curses under his breath before smacking the wall with his fist in frustration. He was visibly more awake now but that didn't stop his hunched posture and a yawn from stretching his lips. His hand resumed its search forward, trying to use the emergency lighting to make his way over to the couch where she sat, watching intently. Once he located his target, he fell back into it, eliciting a sigh of relaxation. He seemed to be oblivious to the person sitting practically next to him. Of course, it was somewhat easier for her to see him. She'd been there for quite some time.

"Boo." She said in her typically monotonous tone. Robin's head jerked up towards her, quickly followed by his hands and a yelp of surprise. In his haste to distance himself from the "scary monster" in the dark, he fell over the back of the couch, all the while squealing, "Whoa whoa!". He landed on his back with a resounding thud before issuing an, "Ooof..." and scrambled back to his feet, finally in a battle ready stance. Having gotten the desired reaction, she grabbed the remote in front of her to turn on the lights but made sure to keep them low as to not be a shock on his eyes. The trepidation on his face was quickly replaced by familiarity as the room lit up around him. His brows raised in surprise at the girl in front of him. His surprise was replaced by a half grin before he started nervously rubbing the back of his head and neck. He didn't look like he had expected her in the slightest. Just how she liked it. Unfortunately, he had "found" her anyway.

"Raven...fancy meeting you here." Robin trailed off, still nervously giggling at his reaction. He looked quite embarrassed. She couldn't see it behind the mask he wore but Raven knew he was avoiding eye contact with her in his chagrin.

"I suppose." She answered simply. She turned her gaze back in front of her, leaving Robin to stare for a moment before he made his way slowly back around the couch to sit a little farther from her this time now that he was aware of her. Raven surprising herself by turning her body towards him while trying to still seem somewhat disinterested before continuing. "I do live here, you know." She was never one to say more than was absolutely necessary so why did she feel the need to keep talking to him? Despite the tickle of humor, she felt a pang in her chest. Did she actually feel bad for scaring him? It was pretty funny though.

Robin nodded with his lips pursed, them quickly turning again to his previous grin that had now widened. "Ya, I suppose you do." He agreed uselessly to the fact. It didn't take long for the fright she had given him to wear off completely and leave only the curiosity that took its place. After a few moments of silence, both of them simply looking at each other, Raven returned her gaze and body forward, trying to find anything to occupy her errant eyes that continually wandered to the Boy Wonder. She shook off the familiar urge to respond to him, reminding herself that she no longer owed him any further comment. When did that become familiar?

"I'm just surprised to see you is all." He said suddenly, testing the waters while doing his best to appear relaxed. Raven simply shrugged as if she didn't require him to explain himself. "So..." Robin continued, settling his hands on his thighs, "can't sleep?" He laid his head comfortably on the back of the couch, visibly settling in with a deep exhale.

Raven didn't respond for several moments. "Yes." She finally answered in a voice almost a whisper. She readjusted herself and folded her legs under her in an effort to warm her cooling bare feet.

"Me neither." Robin informed with a sigh through his nose, all previous mirth lost in his expression.

Her empathetic abilities picked up on his fleeting emotions before she could consciously clamp down on the passive, yet intrusive, action. He was the Titan's steadfast leader. He was the one that provided them with guidance and direction and was the ever present friend they all needed. Even to her, the self-imposed pariah of the group. Then why did she sense unrest in him? There was... fear. Regret even. Raven's eyes darted around her field of vision as she contemplated what could possibly make him feel that way. Before long, she clamped down on the rogue thought process. It was none of her business what was going on in his head. If he wanted to bring it up, he would. It wasn't worth getting wrapped up in especially considering where her own mind had just been before he entered.

She must have visually shifted as she made this decision because Robin shook his head from his apparent engrossment in his own thoughts. His now perfectly calm, shielded gaze came to lay on her profile. Still, she did not turn to him. Robin chewed on the inside of his cheek, like he was trying to decide what to say. He actually examined her for the first time since he entered.

"You're umm..." Robin pointed before crossing one arm across his chest and chewing on the fingernail of the free hand. His mouth opened and he sputtered like he didn't know what to say as he pointed at her again. "I never thought that you would, uh.." Raven turned her head deliberately to stare at him with a raised eyebrow, willing him to get on with it.

"Spit it out, Bird Brain." Raven said warningly, though her face remained neutral. She crossed her arms low across her stomach before twisting to rest her shoulder against the back of the couch and fix him with her icy glare. Robin responded by snatching back his extended arm before it came back with considerably less fingers. She never used that nickname unless she was decidedly displeased.

"I thought that you always wore your uniform," Robin began with some concern for his personal safety, fiddling with the material of his shirt, "all the time." he finished, clearing his throat. It dawned on Raven and she looked down at herself, finally remembering that she was wearing short dark blue pajama shorts and a white, blue hemmed t-shirt that said "Pillow Fight Tonight" on it. She crossed her arms higher to cover the text and groaned at her oversight. She turned her head when she felt her cheeks blush. She hoped that she appeared angry enough to deter any potential teasing from him but that was unlikely.

"Got a problem with it?" She challenged. 'Can't even leave my room without being careful now.' She thought to herself bitterly.

"Not at all. I think it looks..." he trailed off like he was trying to consider his words carefully,"comfortable." He wasn't about to tell her he thought she looked good in it so he lifted his focus to her face in an effort to not get distracted. Besides, it made him inexplicably happy to see her actually showing comfort. Raven didn't much buy his explanation but without anything to compare it to, she jettisoned her self conscious uncertainty.

'When did I start to care what he thinks?' She thought pensively. Yeah, she valued that they were friends, maybe even best friends, but not about such trivial things. Raven tried to ignore that thought but the emotion still stuck and it wouldn't stop pestering her. She felt unusually forthcoming and couldn't find any reason to stop from explaining herself.

"I used to wear my uniform to sleep every night so it took less time to respond to the alarm but, Azar, did it get hot. Can you imagine sleeping in a cloak?" She asked the young man ,who she noticed was raptly invested in listening to her, when she turned back towards him. She mentally facepalmed at the question. Of course he knew what it was like. He was the only other Titan who wore a similar article. Maybe it would be better to cut her losses and go to bed if her inhibited mind was going to be this stupid.

Robin couldn't believe that Raven had offered any sort of reasoning for what she was wearing so it took him a moment to realise she had asked him a question. He saw her roll her eyes and look down at her lap with a frown, her hands tucked between her thighs. As he caught up with the conversation, he realised why.

"Yeah, I think I know a thing or two about that." Robin answered in a jovial tone with an amused smile that seemed too large for the occasion. He pointed over to the massive window they were both facing, that overlooked Jump City, where a fan made poster of the team was taped to the glass at an odd angle. That must have meant that Beast Boy put it up. Robin's figure stood at the forefront of the work with his arms crossed and a face that promised pain, his cape blowing off frame where Raven floated above it, her own cloak flowing openly behind her. The other three Titans were in similarly imposing stances behind the two of them. Raven huffed at the friendly jab that was no more desirable even if it was friendly.

"You know," Robin began with a finger on his chin, "you could have just taken the cloak off and stayed in the leotard." He tilted his head with a considerate expression. Without looking, Raven expertly punched his arm while trying to hide a blush of embarrassment at her lack of consideration of that fact. Robin winced and rubbed at his new injury and at the unexpected force behind the punch. Even still, he didn't care. He smiled and gently shoved at her shoulder in a teasing manner.

After a moment when no other jokes came, Raven chanced a glance at him, hardly willing to believe the teasing was already over.

She didn't need her power to see that he was genuinely contented and comfortable with being around her. He usually didn't act this way. He had to be suffering from lack of sleep so she tried to let it go. True, they had shared a few moments here and there since the mind meld but it wasn't a regular thing. Maybe that's all this was. A chance interaction. With an almost imperceptible huff, she resigned herself to dropping the thought. None of that stopped her involuntary relaxation at the sight of his satisfaction. Robin noticed her loosen as well, inwardly pleased that she didn't see fit to remove one his limbs at his teasing. It didn't take long for her to go on the offensive.

"You're one to talk." Raven scoffed suddenly, lazily gesturing to his own attire. "Wearing your own knock-off clothing line? Really?" Robin looked down to his black sweat pants with the large "R" off center of the thigh and the dark green and yellow pallet swab of a t-shirt with the letter on the wrong side of the chest.

"Hey, one of our fans gave these to me!" He defended with feigned offense. "I couldn't, in good conscience, get rid of it." He looked down at it and picked at the somewhat properly sewn hem. "Besides, it's comfortable." Raven wasn't buying the explanation even if it was good enough for him.

"Whatever." She relented.

Everything was usually so black and white to Raven that what she said often sounded confrontational but Robin knew otherwise. She had no intention of truly insulting him in any way that mattered. It was her clear and unabridged opinion and in some ways, she was right. He did own quite a bit with green, yellow, and red coloring and that "R" on even his street clothing. Maybe he could do with a little more variety. He did have one thing up his sleeve though.

"What makes you think this stands for Robin?" he asked with his head cocked to the side, pinching the letter on his leg and lifting it for emphasis.

Raven raised one eyebrow in incredulity. She could sense a mild trap in his words so she chose to simply stare with suspicion. When it was clear he had no intention of continuing, she lowered her head and pinched the bridge of her nose, realising that if she wanted to keep talking to him then she would have to answer. The possibility of simply standing and walking back to her room without a word didn't go unconsidered. With a mental huff that she even cared to continue to humor him, she lifted her head back up, tucking her shoulder length hair back behind her ear in the process.

The motion was not lost on Robin's patient consideration.

'She looks so cute when she does that.'

His brow furrowed automatically when the thought caught him off guard. He had always known her to be one of the most beautiful young women he had ever met, he had eyes after all, but this thought extended past a friendly appreciation. Robin shoved it to the back of his mind for further consideration later. Clearing the confusion from his face, he relaxed his brow and refocused. His chin was now resting on his closed fist that was propped up in his lap.

"Ok, I'll bite. I thought it stood for Robin since that's what they all mean. Now, I believe, you're going to tell me how I'm wrong." Raven said, the monotony ever-present in her tone, her eyes doing a good job at looking disinterested.

"Did you notice that they're black?" He questioned, pulling at the comfortable fabric on his thighs.

"Yes..."

"Black with an "R"?" Robin asked, hoping she would get it.

"Yes they are black and that, in fact, is an "R"." She retorted, with a slow nod. Robin adopted a look of weariness at having to spell it out to her. He didn't know what else to do besides just tell her at this point.

"It stands for Raven. Your uniform is black so it stands to reason." He said with a shrug, not getting the desired reaction from her.

Raven glanced down at the sweats before shrugging. "How am I supposed to glean that from the fact they're black? My clothing is obviously extremely deep blue with a royal blue cloak." She stated matter of factly as if he should have known that from the beginning. She couldn't help but grin. Of course, her version of a grin was more in her eyes. It was in the way that they softened just enough that if you knew her as well as he did, you could see the humor in it. Even so, this time one corner of her mouth did upturn ever so slightly. The whimsical grin was so captivating that he barely managed to keep from staring. He settled for a sideways grin of his own.

"What?" Robin asked.

Raven blinked a few times, the grin no longer there but her eyes still telling him she was quite comfortable in the moment. In a rare gesture, she held his eyes. "Boys and their colors." She joked simply, her tone carrying the slightest bit of playfulness. That was enough for him to giggle uncontrollably for a moment. Raven didn't know why he found it as funny as he did. Even knowing he was laughing with her, she still brought back down her mental barriers. They were not locked but they were solid, keeping her safe. He caused too many emotions to well up especially this late at night. It frustrated her that she didn't know why.

Robin chuckled for a second more before he noticed the miniscule change in her expression when she turned back towards the window. Raven's eyes looked glazed over, blinking slowly every so often. She looked like she was staring at nothing and everything at once, like she had disconnected from her body entirely. He'd been around long enough to know that he was running the risk of having her lock him out. He couldn't quite place why he especially didn't want that to happen this time. To that end, he decided it was best to simply sit silently. He did, however, now realise just how far he had sat down from her. After a debate, he knew was pointless because he was going to do it anyway, he scooted closer to her, leaving a respectful space between them before adopting his previous stance. A companionable silence fell between them, unburdened by useless small talk. Now that he was closer her could hear soft music coming from her pocket.

Raven noticed how Robin grew quiet and hoped that he would remain that way. She needed time to regain her composure especially after the limited sleep she had also received and the rattling he caused. Tonight, she was more willing to share her thoughts with him than ever before and that fact bothered her. 'It's not a bad thing..' a part of her reasoned. 'He certainly deserves it after... well, everything.' Another part chimed in. Had he not been the one to bring her back from the brink? She swallowed absently. Damn these traitorous emotions. Didn't they know she didn't have the luxury of allowing her emotions to run amuck? After some effort, she managed to calm them and began to find her center.

Robin could see that she was concentrating, her eyes clamped shut and face taut. Although, after sitting in silence for a couple of minutes, he began to grow antsy. "Raven?" He whispered as softly as he could. Her reaction was instant, eyes shooting open.

"Yes?" Raven asked in her usual tone.

"What song are you listening to? It's pretty good." Robin asking conversationally. He hoped she didn't shut him out again. Maybe he had been too quick.

Raven was taken aback by his question. The soft music was playing so quietly in the background that it had melded with her consciousness, aiding in her meditative state. Despite her nagging desire to tell him what it was, she couldn't bring herself to do it. She was too careful to keep things she loved close to her, lest someone ruin it. At her mental prod, the music player ceased to play.

When she didn't respond to him, Robin was willing to let it go. If she didn't want to tell him, that was ok. In the situation they were in now, every word she said to him was unusual and he found himself liking it. It wasn't like they hadn't had a conversation before but right now it seemed like everything was more honest. More genuine. It was a look into her life that she held so close to her chest, even from her friends. That's why it baffled him all the more when her voice, almost a whisper, rose between them.

"I'll tell you sometime, but not now." Raven knew he would understand, there was little doubt of that. He was like a big brother in a lot of the ways he treated herself and Starfire. He was probably just curious as a way to keep the conversation moving.

"Promise?"

Raven couldn't hide her surprise. She knew she had just been thinking of him like a sibling, with a child-like connotation, but that was uncanny. "Why does it matter to you?" She inquired, suspicion in her tone as she turned her lavender eyes to his white mask. A lock of deep violet hair fell past her ear.

Robin didn't miss a beat. "Because it means something to you. You wouldn't be listening if it didn't." Raven could see through his thinly veiled non-answer answer.

"You are right. That does not tell me why you want to know about it." She pointed out while keeping a watchful eye over the ever-lit Jump city just as something to focus on.

Now it was Robin's turn to not answer. Raven couldn't help but be caught unprepared for that. He was usually one to keep a conversation moving once he committed to it, something that irked her from time to time. Even still, if he didn't answer, didn't that save her the effort of eventually explaining it? She would have thought that would give her a measure of peace but it only left her curious. With conscious effort, she pushed it from her mind. Whatever happened, happened.

Robin did not have any answer prepared for that eventuality. She had an uncanny knack for getting to the heart of the question before even he did, as the one posing it. There was no way he could answer that question without tipping her off to what his true intentions were. The more and more he considered his intentions, the more he began to realise.

He was more curious than ever about her. A young woman that he had known for years already yet this woman in front of him was not the one he met back then...

There was so much of her he hadn't the foggiest notion about. Even after she had entered his mind, when Slade was haunting him, when their bond had initially formed, he was left reeling with how similar they actually were. He knew facets of her no one else ever would. Even so, they were different in just as many ways. She could have hijacked his consciousness and taken him for a ride but she hadn't. Feeling her essence caress his spirit was an experience that, had it been any other time, would have left him elated. In times of quiet afterwards, he caught himself wondering how such a touch could come from a power that the Elders of Azarath viewed as evil. He'd never been so close to anyone before that day. Their compounding experience in the face of Trigon's oppression had only served to bring them to a deeper appreciation of each other.

Robin blinked rapidly to clear the memory, if only to keep his mind on track. Suddenly, he felt like it didn't matter if she became aware of his intention. Maybe he would get lucky and, for now, she wouldn't suspect him. Or maybe... she was feeling the same thing. He hadn't seen her look so thoughtful in so long.

Folding his hands in his lap, he leaned back and crossed one leg over the other in an effort to look more collected. He spoke with surety, more than he thought he felt. "For as long as I've known you, I thought our minds have never been in the same place. It was like yours was always a million miles away."

Raven was shocked at his sudden confession and its contents, as evidenced by the confusion that spread on her face. Suddenly unsure of what to do with her hands, she rubbed gently at her arms that had remained folded. Robin continued.

"After you helped me remove Slade from my mind," he began, Raven nodding in remembrance, "and you defeated Trigon..." He stopped when she cut him off.

"When you helped me defeat him..." She reminded, self-consciously dipping her eyes as if she could hide them from him.

Robin smiled in pleasant appreciation. "You defeated him, Rae. Maybe I helped but it was always going to be you." Her gentle expression spoke loud enough for him to hear her without even uttering a word.

'We did it.'

He was touched.

Raven had actually slipped into his mind that first time where as when they had worked to defeat Trigon together, Robin had merely existed in the world her "father's" power had created. With every other human frozen in rock, save for the other Titans who were knocked out cold, it had only been the two of them.

"Both times allowed me to see your thoughts. It was like..." he trailed off, trying to come up with the right phrase as Raven waited patiently, "like we had the same mind. The same desires for the future of the world. Kindred spirits." He squinted in his search for a better descriptor. "We bonded as purely us. No lies or deception."

Now it was Raven's turn to be raptly awaiting his next words. It didn't even register to her how much it clashed with the facade she constantly wore.

"It was weird." Robin admitted. "I saw that your mind had never been far away. It was always right where mine was." His cheeks turned rosy with blush. He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees, rubbing at his face before noticing that Raven was nodding sagely while keeping her eyes respectfully on him. He had no idea exactly how much she agreed with what he had just said. They had always been similar in their intensity. They both believed with great conviction and fervency in what they did and they made sure it happened. This however, was something else. Raven leaned forward and laid her hand on his knee in reassurance. She pulled it back rather quickly when she realized what she was doing but she was assuaged by his grateful look.

"In that, I found common ground with you that was more than the desire to protect the city. When you hugged me, saying that you beat him because I had believed in you, I knew that our hearts were in the same place." Embarrassed by his transparent honesty, Robin turned his gaze out the same window Raven had before, the massive TV that usually sat there was retracted into the floor. He took a deep, shaky breath and clenched his fists to clear away the now unwelcome torrent of emotion. "I just thought that since the music meant something to you, then we could share that together. It's stupid. I'm sorry."

Raven was overcome with a feeling of such closeness to Robin, even if it didn't immediately show in her demeanor.

Different than a brother, then.

Seeing him turn his face to the window and his apparent discomfort, she lifted her empathetic shield just enough to get a glimpse of what he felt. Like a steady rain, gently, but no less constant, his care for and truthfulness to her was quite obvious but tainted by his disconcert at the flood of honesty he hadn't even been prepared for. She even heard some of his disjointed thoughts ring throughout her mind that were all a mix of embarrassment and care. He didn't have any reason to feel badly for it. When his aura continued to sour, she scooted over closer to him, laying her hands over his clamped fists and gave them a compassionate squeeze. "It's not stupid." was all she could say.

Robin relaxed his hands under hers. That's when he finally noticed she was sitting right next to him. The gesture told him all that he needed. She felt the same on some level but to what extent, he wasn't sure. Raven took back her hands with a genuine grin.

"It is good music. I'd be worried if you didn't want to hear it." Raven quipped. Robin's worry evaporated in an instant. "Just not tonight, ok? I'm not in a... good state of mind." She told him, hoping he would understand. She wasn't disappointed. He had an almost disconcerting ability to see the meaning of what she said no matter what it was.

"Deal." Robin said softly.

The both of them silently watched the flashing spot light of a helicopter dart across the cityscape. It had been a quiet few days for the Titans, crime wise, but this must have been something below their pay grade. Like they got paid at all. Either way, it was a necessary reprieve. The both of them fell, again, into a comfortable silence, not needing to say a word. As time passed, both of them would yawn periodically, reminding them that they were sitting awake in the middle of the night when any sane person would be getting rest. After several more minutes, they still didn't care.

"Bad dream?" Robin asked, unexpectedly.

"What?" Raven asked, marginally returning to the present.

"Did you have a bad dream? Is that why you can't sleep?" Robin asked in clarification, scratching his forehead absently.

Raven had actually forgotten why she couldn't sleep in the peaceful minutes since his candor. She had no idea what to do with the admission yet but that was a problem for another day.

"Yes." She said simply after a moment of troubling recollection. She rubbed at her eyes with her fingertips. "You?"

"Yep."

Both of them fell quiet for a moment once more. Robin was the first to break it.

"I bet mine was worse." He challenged playfully with a half grin that turned into a grimace at the distastefulness of the joke. Raven giggled at his attempt of lightening the mood before adopting a similar expression.

"I doubt it." Raven responded, deadpanned, losing any humor in her features.

Robin tapped his finger on his chin in thought. He really didn't know what to say anymore. "If you want to talk about it, you can talk to me." He told her, bumping her shoulder with his in jest. If she wanted to talk about it, he was there. There was no reason to put her on the spot.

Raven wasn't certain what to do with that. She unconsciously leaned away from the tap, blinking away the confusion. It was obvious that he only wanted to extend his support which only made sense because he had the inside scoop of what made her tick. It was more than that, though. She couldn't point out specifically what it was or what it could have been, as her mind didn't want to relent to it so soon, but she couldn't deny the warmth that spread through her chest and cheeks. Not a blush. Just enough to inform her that it did, in fact, mean something to her. Although, that fact didn't hasten her to respond to him. Robin seemed to quickly catch onto her inner examination.

"You know that, right?" He reinforced in a hushed tone as to not irritate her with his persistence. He had to stifle an unexpected yawn that squeezed an awkward strained guttural sound from his throat, much to his disappointment. Things were going well enough and it had to be interrupted by bodily noises. 'It could definitely have been much worse.' He tried to comfort himself, to no avail.

An involuntary smirk stretched over Raven's lips before she could even think about intercepting it. It turned into a full fledged chuckle when Robin looked at his own hands in semi-feigned disgust. His features screamed, 'Body, why would you betray me?!' Before long, Robin joined in on the chuckle. He couldn't possibly not when she started. It was one of the sweetest sounds he'd ever heard, even if it seemed unused.

Raven dipped her head, trying to muzzle her outburst with her hands. The reclusive part of her mind was insulted and disgusted by the jubilation that set over her but just for now, that part could get lost. In a moment of impulse, she gestured at the blanket sitting to her right, it becoming enveloped in black energy. She slipped it over the back of the couch, foregoing the physical gesture of direction when it got closer to him, and brought it behind Robin before dropping it down over his head, covering him completely. He let out a wail of surprise but it was clean of any actual worry. Seeing that he was escaping from it too quickly for her liking, Raven threw herself towards him, grabbing the edges of the blanket and pinning them behind him.

"Raven! Et Tu, Brute?" Robin cried in protest, enjoying every moment of the sneak attack. He could have escaped quickly if he wanted to but the escape was made infinitely more difficult when he had felt her crash against him, pinning the blanket around him. That had him stunned for a moment but it was replaced by a quite insistent urge to escape his captivity. In a reigned burst of agility, he thrust his arm around the blanket's edge and wrapped his hand around Raven's shoulder, trying to push her off of him. Needless to say, a large part of him liked her exactly where she was. With a sigh of grudging relent, Raven moved her weight off of him and dragged the blanket with her, laughter dying away. Robin blinked behind his mask to readjust his vision. He could see from her expression that she was already beginning to question her actions and chose to relent as well, settling for a deep breath and a hand through his mussed hair.

This was an interesting development for Raven. Robin had pierced through her emotional veil with such ease that it might as well have not been there in the first place. Was there any obstacle he couldn't overcome? Something struck her all at once, coming out of nowhere. She had allowed herself to give in to her emotion for a moment and nothing had exploded, vaporized, or in any other way become damaged, mentally checking off the list. Now she had more questions than she ever had to begin with. This was too much. To his credit, understanding of her reservation flashed across his face.

'So much for quiet meditation..'

Robin wasn't exactly certain why she was uncomfortable again. Hadn't they just been having some friendly fun? Whatever was weighing her down now, it was likely the last time he would get through to her tonight. It was already more progress than he had made breaking through to her in any number of months. It was probably better to quit while he was ahead. As if in answer to his unspoken decision, Raven stood up and tossed the blanket over the back of the couch before moving off in the direction of her room. The soft contact of her bare feet on the hard floor was all that could be heard in the common room. Robin didn't look initially before he spoke. "Raven?" When the gentle sound stopped, he turned around to look at her. "You do know you can talk to me, don't you?" He knew he was pressing his luck by asking again but he had to. He was all too serious.

Raven had turned halfway around, her composure now fully regained. She hadn't forgotten what he said. She held his gaze as a grin crept onto her lips before she turned back around, resuming the trip to her room, almost gliding over the floor. Maybe she was. She sighed at the implication of it all. She both dreaded and hoped for more nights such as this with him. Maybe she could manage to get in some actual meditation and grab even a little bit of sleep tonight. That being said, she didn't regret a second of... whatever that was even if it confused the ever living daylights out of her.

When she smiled and turned away, Robin knew he had his answer. She didn't have to say anything. He smiled after her and when she disappeared around the corner to the stairwell, he turned and took a close look at the black sky. It was all too weird. Both of them were obviously worn from the life they lead and the nights they'd had but even so, both of them were now at some sort of peace since Trigon's defeat. He resigned himself to the fact that life was the greatest challenge to face in existence. It wasn't something that anyone could conquer or beat but the journey was made worth it by the ones at your side.

'Why did that happen?' Robin ruminated. Enough for tonight. He was sure that time would bring some sort of understanding. It always did. If there was one thing he knew beyond the shadow of a doubt, it was time to find some sort of real peace that extended beyond simple enjoyment. A foundation bigger than the constant shift of crime fighting to attach himself to would be nice. He had no intention of forcing whatever eventuality in life that would bring that about. It would happen when it did. Heck, he lived to fight crime. He even enjoyed it. That didn't mean that he couldn't try to create more for someone else.

Heavens knew Raven deserved it more so than he.

/{XXXXX}\

Hey guys it's Preydator.

This is my first attempt at anything I'd be willing to post online and as such, I have probably made a few notable mistakes in the way of spelling and grammar. I by no means claim to be very good at this but I wanted to give it a shot and I'm excited about where this could go. On the topic of Teen Titans lore, I don't know everything about the lore as it has been years since I actually sat down to watch all the episodes. To that end, some of it may seem out of character and there may be a couple inconsistencies in the lore here and there. I just read that there is one more season after these events but for now, it's going to be like that hasn't taken place yet or will ever happen. I'm not sure which way to take this yet as I don't know if anyone is interested in it. As such, some of the characters may seem out of character but not in a way that will fundamentally change anything about them. None of it will be drastic. This chapter may seem jumbled in the perspective department but just for this one, I wanted to add both of theirs just to get a feel for what was going on in both of them. I might keep to it but I'll wait and see how it flows with you guys.

It should be noted that this is a labor of love for me. As such, I may not always want to work on this daily or have a weekly release. I refuse to release something that is disjointed and does more harm than good for the Robin/Raven pairing. Rest assured, however, that I will do my best to serve this fandom.

If anyone wants to point me in the right direction, I'd very much appreciate it. Being as I'm new to this, I would also grateful if any reviews were given in a constructive light and not flaming me for anything I got wrong. I am excited to be a part of this and have been inspired by many others as I have read their stories. I don't think there will be a long note at the end of every one but just this time I had to get this all out, lol. At any rate, I appreciate anyone who does give this a read and I hope to continue this either as a regular chapter story or as one shots that will eventually move towards a resolution. Weird, I know. We'll see. Thanks everyone.