Alice: Hey, it's my first Teen Titans fic!
Emily: But not my first Robin fic.
Alice: Well, I hope you all enjoy.
Emily: Warning: Not much of an original plot.
Title: Haly's Circus
Summary: On their day off, Beast boy suggests that the titans go for a trip to Haly's circus, Robin (or Dick Grayson's) old home.
Pairings: None.
Haly's Circus
It was so peaceful before Beast boy had decided to announce there was a circus. Raven was reading her book while Starfire cooked and Cyborg played video games. Robin was simply investigating the usual villains but so far it has been a nice day. Until Beast boy decided that he was bored. He looked into the newspaper and noticed something that made his eyes widen. He harshly grabbed the paper, crumbling it a bit, and shouted, "The Teen Titans are going to the circus!"
That caught the attention of all the members. Raven slightly glanced up from her book, pretending not to be interested in the circus. Starefire blinked in confusion while Cyborg shrugged. Robin, though, didn't turn to face him. His eyes behind the mask went wide as he turned around quickly, a look of distress on his face. Beast boy continued to grin. "Which one?" Cyborg asked.
"Haly's!" Beast boy exclaimed excitedly.
"No."
Everyone turned to Robin, who glared furiously at Beast boy, as if he had mentioned the Batman (there was an unspoken rule to never speak of the Batman while Robin was present). Beast boy pouted. "B-but! They're really good! I went when I was a kid and there were these acrobats. The "Flying Graysons"! They were really good and didn't use a net!"
"They're dead, Beast boy," Robin hissed dangerously. Beast boy flinched at the tone of voice used, causing the whole team to wonder what could have possibly upset Robin. Raven, who knew something about it, decided to keep quiet. Ever since she went into his mind, she could feel his emotions and feelings. Right now, the emotions were not good. She remembered a slight memory, though only a glimpse, of two people falling in a circus-like setting. Could it be… he witnessed their death?
"You don't like circuses." It wasn't a question. Raven just simply stated something that Robin knew all too well.
Robin narrowed his eyes at her, though she could not see them behind the mask. "No. I don't."
"Please!" Starfire suddenly jumped up to beg. "I've heard so much about the circuses! The elephants and the strange tricks with fire. Oh, I would love to go!"
"I said no!" Robin raised his voice, glaring at everyone.
This time, Cyborg began to speak. "Why not?"
Robin froze, hissing where stood as his fists clenched in fury. He couldn't tell them… but he couldn't go… He sighed in defeat. "You can go but don't bring me."
"So you're just going to avoid this?" Raven spoke up, a blank look in her eyes.
"Avoid? I'm not-"
"Yes. You are."
Robin stared at her in shock for a few moments before he sighed. A look of total defeat came across his face, which was unusual. It would take so much more to make Robin give up than Raven just saying he was avoiding something. "Fine. We'll all go to the circus."
With a few excited "yays" and "thank yous".
They decided to go by flight and a car. Robin took in a deep breath, trying to calm himself down and slow his racing heart. Finally, they arrived and Robin slowly slid out of the car, staring at the circus, his old home, with soft eyes. Raven could sense a feeling of nostalgia coming from her leader, but she decided not to think much of it. He probably came here before was what Raven's instincts told her, but she ignored it this once. She didn't want to ruin the fun of the team.
"Look Mom!" a kid cried out. They all blinked as a kid pointed to them, grinning madly. "It's the Teen Titans!"
"Don't point," she hissed but smiled in apology at them. Smiling in embarrassment, they send the family a small wave. Some people stared at them, wondering why the city's heroes were here, taking a break. Either way, they shrugged and decided to just have fun at Haly's circus.
Robin was actually doing okay. His heart pounded loudly in his chest, but other than that, he wasn't freaking out. Maybe Raven was right. It wasn't best to avoid this place.
At least, until they ran into someone.
"No way!" Beastboy exclaimed, grinning widely. They had just tried to buy some cotton candy when Beastboy recognized another person there. Jack Haly. Beastboy grinned and before Robin could stop him, he dashed over, shaking Jack's hand and saying how much he loved his circus. Beastboy waved over to them, telling them to come over and meet him. Robin hesitantly went. No one recognized him with his mask on. Not even his closest friends. And Jack hasn't seen him since he was nine.
"Greetings," Starfire chirped up. "My name is Starfire!"
"Raven," she said in her usual monotone voice.
Cyborg grinned. "Cyborg."
"Robin," Robin plastered a fake smile on his face. Only, Jack frowned, his eyes growing wide before he reached out and put both hands on the boy's shoulders, bringing him closer in a hug. Robin's eyes widened as did the members of the team. Once he released him, Robin stared in confusion. "What was…"
"It's been so long, Dick," Jack grinned. "How old are you now? Sixteen, right? Man, seven years. You've grown."
"What is this man talking about?" Starfire whispered in his ear.
"You… recognize me?" Robin whispered.
"How could I not?" Jack chuckled. "I helped your parents raise you."
"Huh?" Beastboy exclaimed while Cyborg just stared at the two in confusion. "Y-y-you know him? He raised you! What?"
"Yeah, what gives, Robin?" Cyborg asked. Starfire just appeared to be confused. Robin smiled softly and nudged to one of the tents, where Jack nodded. The team followed him into the tents. Robin glanced around, making sure they were alone before, for the first time, peeling off his mask. The team gasped when they came to meet blue eyes.
"You have the same eyes from when you were a kid," Jack smiled. "Hey, Dick, can you do me a favor?"
"Sure," Robin, or "Dick" as Jack called him, smiled.
"Preform for my circus. Just one last time." He whispered softly. "I've never seen anything as great as a Grayson preforming."
Beastboy's eyes widened along with Cyborg. Grayson? Dick Grayson? The son that survived after his parents fell to his death? The one who was adopted by Bruce Wayne but left for a boarding school? That Richard "Dick" Grayson! Raven, who seemed only a little shocked, had a ghost of a smile on her lips. Starfire, not knowing the background behind the Graysons, just stared off confused.
"Course I will," Robin's voice smiled. "But don't introduce me as Robin. Otherwise, that'll cause quite a commotion."
"I wouldn't introduce you as anyone else other than Richard Grayson." Jack smiled back.
"Dude!" Beastboy grinned as they were in the titans tower once more. "You were amazing!"
"Please inform us on how to do all those flips in the air without a net," Starfire smiled in amazement.
"So," Cyborg smiled at him, "that's why you didn't want to go."
"Yeah," Robin nodded in response but smiled. "I'm glad I went though. Thanks, Beastboy."
"No problem, Dick," Beastboy grinned.
"You did well."
Robin turned around to see Raven at the door of his bedroom, glancing off in the other direction. Robin frowned. "Raven...?"
"I saw them fall," Raven confessed. "Through your eyes and mind. I feel guilty but... it was only because I wanted to save you from Slade that I got a peak into your mind. I'm sorry."
Robin smiled softly. "I would have been angry before but now... not so much. You were right, Raven. I was avoiding my past... and my family. Jack helped me realize that I can't just run anymore. I have to face what's coming and what happened. I'm glad you convinced me to go, Raven."
Raven slightly smiled, nodding. "Can I see them? I mean, when they were alive?"
The question shocked Robin a bit. Of all the people, he expected Starfire to ask him about his parents and family. Then again, she didn't understand like Raven did. Raven, though she didn't have the same situation as him, didn't really have a family because of her father. Robin nodded and grabbed an old flyer for the Flying Graysons. He handed her the flyer. Raven glanced down at the black and white paper. On one side was a woman, her left hand up and her right hand on the back of a young boy. The father was in a similar stance, only his right hand was up and his left hand on the back of the boy. The young boy had both his hands up, grinning like the happiest child in the world. Robin smiled, glancing at the old photos. "I loved them."
"No," Raven shook her head, making Robin raise an eyebrow. "You love them. Loved is past tense. I doubt you ever stopped loving them."
Robin chuckled a bit, knowing it was so... Raven-like of her to say that. "Yeah, I do love them."
Raven nodded. "I may not know them but... I saw them. I have your memories and... I love them too."
Robin nodded, his eyes softening. "Well, they were our family."
Raven's head whirled towards his, her eyes wide with surprise. "What?"
"You have my memories," Robin informed her. "That means... in a way, you're like their family too."
"Robin..." she whispered.
Robin smiled brightly. "It's Richard actually. Richard Grayson."
Alice: The ending seemed a bit rushed so I added a moment between Raven and Robin. It can be romantic or just friendship. Depends how you look at it.
Emily: Sorry I skipped the Robin preforming part.
Alice: I just didn't know how to write him doing all those flips and stuff.
Emily: How did you like it?
Alice: Thanks for reading!