The second step

Disclaimer – I do not own Teen Titans.

"Will you cut that out?" Raven asked impatiently.

"Huh?" Robin had no idea what she was talking about. He was so caught up with his work that he even forgot he was not alone in the main hall.

"Have you ever learned tap dancing?" Raven asked him sarcastically trying to keep her cool.

"No..?"

"Then stop tapping your feet. It's annoying."

"Um...I'm sorry?" He felt insulted.

Raven shrugged and turned away.

Robin sighed silently and decided to get back to work. He tried lamely to concentrate on his work. He failed to figure out the reason why Raven seemed to be irritated these days even by the smallest thing he did. And he never meant to make her angry. Even BeastBoy refused to make eye contacts with her. He truly believed that Raven wouldn't hesitate to eat him alive if he looked at her in the eye. Everybody had tried to explain to him that Raven would never do something like that to one of her friends.

"…she wouldn't, would she?"

He sighed again.

"Would you stop that, please?" Raven managed to ask quietly even though she felt like screaming at top of her lungs. She was restless, distracted and confused. Something was bothering her inner peace though she couldn't pinpoint the exact reason.

"…or someone" Raven shivered at her own thoughts.

"Stop sighing like it is the end of the world." She added tightening her grip on her book grudgingly.

"Rae..."

"Don't call me that!"

He sighed again.

Next morning…

The Titan family was getting ready for breakfast.

Raven was already having a bad morning. She was forced to go shopping with Starfire by Cyborg and BeastBoy. They were planning for a surprise party.

"All because of Robin" she thought looking at her steaming cup.

Lately, Raven had been feeling restless around Robin. She could feel her heart spinning faster and faster whenever Robin looked at her. She could feel fireworks in her stomach when he seated himself next to her. His presence made her squeal like a girl. He made her feel like running barefoot on sand. Raven got distracted by the tiniest sound he made when he was tapping his feet or swearing to himself.

Raven slapped herself mentally.

"I'll get my revenge later."

Crushing all her feelings , she decided to distract herself by reading a book.

Robin was also having a bad morning. Everyone else was excited; Cyborg was hoping to visit Titans east, BeastBoy was invited to an exhibition dedicated for 'animal lovers' and Starfire was happy because Raven had finally agreed to go shopping with her. But Robin was stuck inside the tower. And he hated it. Loneliness made him feel chopped, crushed and shaken.

He looked down at his cereal.

"ROBIN!!!" Robin nearly fell off his chair at Raven's yell.

"What?"

"Stop gobbling. It's really irritating"

Robin looked at Raven apologetically. He felt like a servant in his own tower. But he promised himself that he'd get through the day without driving her mad.

"Robin! You're tapping your foot again! Stop it now or I'll end up in the asylum."

"I'm sorry"

He apologized again offering Raven a side-glance. He shivered slightly when he saw the title of the book Raven was holding; 'The Ruthless Defender of Vampires: Count Dracula'

He would never make her angry again.

Robin was bored. It was already midnight and he was all alone in the tower. After going through all the TV channels, he was surprised that he couldn't find anything worthwhile to watch. As much as he hated to admit it, he despised being alone. He had got used to Beastboy's screams, Cyborg's remarks, Starfire's giggles and Raven's threats. They were his only family. He had lost his parents when he was young. He didn't want to see it happening again. He loved his Titan family so much that he felt like he was the father of his Titan family. It was his responsibility to make sure that everyone was alright. Beastboy was the youngest one in their family; playing silly pranks on others. Cyborg and Starfire were the eldest siblings; always looking out for each other.

"And Raven? She wouldn't fit into the role of a mother." Robin laughed at himself for thinking about such a thing. It was ridiculous. Raven would make a horrible mother. He frowned when he couldn't figure out the place Raven held in his family. While thinking, he fell asleep.

"ROBIN!"

Robin snapped out of his dream as Cyborg, BeastBoy, Starfire and Raven shouted in unison.

"I didn't do anything" He sweated.

But the other Titans didn't seem to care. And before Robin could say anything, they shouted again.

"HAPPY B'DAY ROBIN!"

Among all the excitement, he missed Raven's smirk.