Recognizing that he had fallen for her had been easy. At first, he hadn't quite been aware that he was falling for her, at first really only acknowledging that he was always aware of her when she entered into a room and that he kept a closer eye on her in combat than anyone else. But once he had a moment of clarity and realized that he was cataloging everything he'd learned about her (even after years spent with her he felt like he was only scratching the surface), keeping in mind her likes and dislikes and what she told him and the others during idle conversation, he knew.

He wanted to tell Raven, too. But he was aware of the fact that she was still coming to terms with the knowledge that she had the rest of her life to live and was still figuring out what she wanted to do with it, and that if he confessed it might push her away not because she didn't reciprocate but because she might not want to live her life for someone else, so he kept his feelings to himself and enjoyed what a friendship with her allowed.

Robin expected to want to tell her, of course. She made him happy in a million different small and insignificant and large and meaningful ways, and oftentimes he felt a little disappointed that all he was able to do was joke and laugh and thank her without saying that he loved her. And when she worried him by disappearing into her room for a few days or by keeping excessively to herself it became even more difficult, and all he could do was try talking to her under the pretense of friendship when his feelings ran so much deeper than that.

But somehow, the most mundane of situations nearly cracked his resolve and he came closer to telling her everything than he ever had before.

She found him in the common room on a Wednesday afternoon, where he was keeping an eye on the city through the Titans camera network. "I'm going to go visit Timmy, Teether, and Melvin. I'll be gone Friday and Saturday." She announced after tapping him on the shoulder.

Outwardly, Robin's expression didn't change. He just turned back to Raven and asked in a neutral tone, "How come?" because the last he'd heard, she hadn't enjoyed being forced to escort them when he'd given her the order to do so.

"Melvin's figured out how to manifest some new imaginary friend, and she wants me to meet it." Was all Raven said. "So, I just wanted to let you know ahead of time where I'll be."

Inwardly, Robin felt a slight amount of panic settle in. Briefly, only for a split second as rational thought returned and he could push that feeling away. "You should bring them here, introduce us and all that. I'm sure they'd love Beastboy's jokes." He turned away immediately upon finishing his terrible excuse to keep her home, because she was seeing right through him and he knew it.

"I really don't want them interacting with him for as long as possible." She said with a light snort. "I'll be able to get away from Beastboy for two whole days." Raven mused, inhaling as though coming to a sudden realization.

"And the rest of us." Robin added. "Away from me." He thought, but couldn't say. Couldn't say that he loved her, even though he knew it and felt it and wanted to tell her everyday, wanted it to be the first thing he said to her every morning when he saw her. If it had been anyone else, he could've admitted his feelings a long time ago, but not to Raven. Things weren't so simple with her.

Raven looked at him, frowning slightly. "Only for two days."

He didn't have anything to say to that, or rather didn't know what to say back to her, but it didn't matter because she left after giving a small wave. And all day Thursday, in the back of his mind he couldn't stop hearing that nagging voice in the back of his head repeating over and over, "She'll be gone. She'll be gone. She'll be gone."

And even though it had only been a day since she'd told him, he found himself knocking on her door Thursday night and trying to come up with anything to say that would convince her not to go. When it opened and she stepped back to her bed, he kept to the doorway. "Are you sure you have to go?" Robin asked since it was the first thing that came to mind, leaning against the door to Raven's room with his arms crossed over his chest.

She turned to him and frowned. "They asked me to come and visit. I have no reason not to go. Besides, I want to see them too. Why are you so hung up about this?" She asked, turning back into her room and continuing to pack her things into a suitcase.

"What if we need you here?" He asked, knowing that it was probably the flimsiest excuse he could come up with.

"I'm sure if something drastic goes down in the next 48 hours, I'll be made aware." She moved to her dresser and opened it.

He stood up, taking his weight off the door frame and walking into her room, which caused her to turn around when she heard the door close on its own with a hiss. "What if I need you here?" He asked, his voice low and uncertain as he closed half the distance between them.

Raven sighed, turning to face him as her face twisted into concern. She took a couple of steps towards him, stopping when there was just a few inches left between them. "What's wrong, Dick? Why do you need me here? Why does me leaving cause you such distress?" She asked quietly, raising a hand to his cheek and pulling his mask away with her powers.

"Because I worry about you." He admitted, telling her as indirectly yet as honestly as he could that he loved her, raising a hand to gently take hold of the one on his cheek and closing his eyes, lowering his head. He was worried about her safety, not because she needed to be looked after but because he couldn't rest easily without making sure she was okay with his own eyes. He worried about whether or not she would be happy, because he knew how quickly she could be upset and if he couldn't be there with her, he couldn't do anything for her and recognizing that he wanted Raven to be happy had been one of the first signs that he had fallen for her.

She didn't need to be put under surveillance, he had no right to say what she was free to do and she didn't need to be guarded like some precious treasure, but if she was going to be gone, even if only for a couple of days, even if he knew she would come back and the first thing she was likely to do would be to let him know that she had returned… if she was gone, what was left for him to do except to worry?

"I'm not going anywhere dangerous." Raven tried reasoning, even though she knew that he was aware of that. But that didn't mean she couldn't feel the anxiety coming off him, saw how he had relaxed into her touch and wondered why he was acting like this. It wasn't like him to worry about her like this, nor to be worried over something as simple as her leaving for a couple of days.

He responded with a slow nod, moving his hand down and gently wrapping his fingers around her wrist where he could feel her pulse beneath his fingertips, his thumb gently stroking the back of her hand as his other hand settled on her waist and he moved a bit closer, bringing her flush with him.

Raven resisted the urge to step away, looking up at his closed eyes and taking a moment to calm herself. "And I'll call you in the evenings once I've put the kids to bed." She continued, her voice quieter because of their proximity, trying to lighten her tone and hoping that it would be enough to ease his mind.

An image of Raven reading a bedtime story that ended in 'happily ever after' came unbidden to his mind and he smiled for a second before his face fell again. He opened his eyes and raised his head slightly to meet her gaze, letting her hand go and placing it on her waist, letting his forehead touch hers gently before pulling back and letting go, suppressing the urge to shiver as her warmth faded quickly.

She took a half step towards him and grabbed his hands before she seemed to realize what she was doing, then cleared her throat and sighed. "I'll see you when I get back." She said, her voice even and back to its usual monotone as she looked to the ground.

Robin felt her start to let go of his hands, but he strengthened his grip. "When you get back, let's go out. Just the two of us, wherever you like." He gave into his impulses and finally asked, ducking his head slightly so he could look her in the eye.

Straightening, Raven tilted her head slightly before offering a small smile, barely visible in the near darkness of her room. "It's a date." She agreed, her smile widening when she saw him grin. "Now get out of my room. I need to finish packing."