Lunatic: One shot. Robin/Raven. Hey look at me, look me in the eyes. Do I look like I own the Teen Titans? Do I?
2 A.M.
The red numbers glared balefully at him, silently scolding him to get some sleep. He couldn't do it.
Robin sighed wearily and rose from his bed, looking around the darkness with a disgruntled expression. He entirely blamed the shadows for his inability to sleep.
Though it wasn't really their fault.
He pulled on a pair of black pants and a white shirt, hardly noticing that he had, once again, fallen asleep with his mask on. He rarely took it off.
The main living room was silent as he entered. This happened to him often. He would have nightmares about his friends, worrying about what might become of them in the midst of a battle. They risked their lives every day. It was an occupational hazard.
He opened the fridge and scanned for anything edible.
"A little late for a midnight snack, don't you think?" A calm and creepy voice made him yell out loud, causing him to slip on a puddle of blue mold that had dripped from the fridge and fall flat on his back.
Raven appeared above him. He wasn't sure, but he thought he saw a flicker of amusement on her face. It must've been a trick of the shadows.
She offered him a hand, which he took, and helped him stand.
"Careful. I think that stuff has a mind of it's own." He made a face at the remains of the mold on his hand that he'd wiped from his pants.
"What are you doing up?" He asked grumpily, heading to the sink to wash off the cerulean ooze. He was aware of her following him.
She went to grab a paper towel from the roll above the sink. She reached over his shoulder, bringing them awkwardly close. He took no notice of it as she returned to the mess on the floor and began to clean it up.
"I'm always awake at this hour." She said simply. He raised an eyebrow at her.
"Always? How come I never see you?" He asked.
"Generally I stay in my room."
"What made you come out this time?"
"You ask a lot of questions, are you aware of that?" She glared at him, holding the dripping paper towel away from her in disgust.
"Not really." He didn't press her further.
He dried his hands, watching as she poured water into a pot. She lit a flame beneath it, and settled down on the couch to wait for it to boil. He followed her, giving up on finding anything edible in the fridge.
Robin vaguely noticed that beneath her usual dark blue cloak, was a pale white night gown. He found that a little amusing, considering he thought her wardrobe would consist of nothing but black and blue.
"What are you smiling at?" She asked, watching him with an annoyed expression. He shrugged.
"Nothing."
"They put people in insane asylums for that you know." She said, making him laugh. She looked as if that surprised her.
"For someone who tries so hard not to be, you're pretty funny." He explained fondly. She blushed and looked away from him. Outside, the moon was beginning to set, leaving behind a complete darkness.
"So… " Silence persisted between them, until Robin grew bored with it. "You never answered my question."
"I didn't know I had to." She said stiffly.
"Now you do." This earned him a very indignant glare.
"Stubborn." She sniffed. "I came out because I wanted tea."
"That's all?" He said incredulously. She growled something inaudible. He remembered her temper and decided not to press her further.
But what to say to fill the silence? Every time they settled into it, he was reminded of his dream, and the irrational fear of it wrapped its cold fingers around his heart. He needed a distraction if he was going to get anymore sleep.
"What?" She said, before he could even open his mouth.
"I was just… thinking." Raven sighed, and he got the distinct feeling that she was making a decision for his benefit.
"Shall I read your mind, or will you just tell me?" She put the book down that she had been about to read, and pulled her legs up on the couch, facing him.
"It's nothing." He said vehemently. It was nothing; look at him, Boy Wonder, getting jumpy because of a nightmare. The problem was, that it was a nightmare that could come true if he wasn't careful, if he wasn't vigilant.
"Yes, it could come true." She said coldly. "But fearing it and making it an obsession won't help anyone."
He stared at her. He looked away quickly beneath her knowing gaze, aggravated and ashamed that he had let something get to him. When he risked looking up again, she had returned to her book.
She ignored him, her violet hair falling over her face as she read. He was enough of a detective to notice that her eyes weren't moving back and forth across the page.
"Raven, why are you really out here?" He said softly.
She looked up from her book and gave him a completely blank expression. He had no idea how she did it, how she was able to convey so many things without doing anything at all.
A hiss from the stove kept her from answering, if she had even intended on doing so.
She got up from the couch and tended to her boiling water, adding a tea bag to it. He followed, and leaned on the counter as she blew the steam from the reddish brown liquid.
She wasn't beautiful like Starfire. Starfire was carefree and open. She was sunshine and smiles, always handing you her heart on her sleeve. She was a flawless optimist with the physical attributes to match.
Raven was different. Her beauty came from something about her; something about the way that she held herself together with so many contradictions. She always looked vulnerable despite how hard she protected herself. She was serious, focus, matured and yet so inexperienced when it came to matters of the heart. It drew you to her, and pushed you away.
She was like a rose with so many barbed thorns.
She was watching him, watching her.
"You didn't answer my question." He said simply.
She shook her head slowly. "I never intended to."
Lunatic: Yeah. I don't know either.