Couldn't she see it? For such a powerful empath, she seemed to be blind when it came to this emotion from him. Why couldn't she feel it?
He had thought the hug that she had given him, only him, had meant something, but no other offering of affection had been forthcoming.
He had thought that going into the depths of hell beside his worst enemy for her would lay his heart bare and she would see, but she seemed to remain oblivious.
He never realized how much pain was involved with staying only friends. When the only time he touched her or was touched by her, was during battle and combat training. He now prayed to get injured during such times, just to feel her cool hands on him for healing. He lived for the moments he managed to coax a smile or god forbid a small laugh from her.
Unrequited had to be the most painful state of being to exist in. His mind was filled with thoughts of her. Her sound, her scent, her touch…everything.
He sat in the dark, in front of the control screen, staring blankly, trying desperately to get over all he felt and go back to the way it had been before his heart had taken over.
Then she walked in. For so petite a woman, she sure managed to fill the room with her presence and make it difficult for him to breathe.
"Something is troubling you." Her monotone statement whispered over his nerve endings setting them afire, but he was almost used to that feeling by now.
"It's nothing really." He replied, not turning to look at her, forcing his body not to tense as her scent slid through the air around him.
"Nothing does not cause this amount of emotional discharge." She stepped forward, until she stood directly behind him, so when he finally turned in his chair he had to look up at her.
He ran a bare hand through his hair and sighed, damn her, couldn't she just look? Couldn't she just see?
"Robin, I want to help, I just need to know the problem and then we can work on it together." She tried a smile; it came off as a wry smirk. "After all, that's what you did for me."
"Raven, I don't know that you can help with what is bothering me, it's kind of personal." He met her eyes through his mask and prayed she would leave it at that, but knowing she wouldn't. After all he wasn't the only stubborn one on the team.
"So were Slade and Red X and any number of other problems we have had. What you say is personal, usually isn't terribly personal." This time she did smirk and lay a hand on his shoulder, which she quickly drew away with a frown when he flinched. "It's me, isn't it?"
Her voice was carefully devoid of emotion, but he knew he had hurt her and his heart cracked painfully in sympathy.
"God, no Raven." As he said it, he realized that he was telling a bald face lie and by her reaction, he knew she knew it.
"What have I done Robin?" Her voice masked her pain, but it shimmered lightly through their bond.
He stood and walked silently to the large windows over looking the bay, she followed at a distance. The moon was bright and very few clouds marred the sky above, causing them both to fall within the moonbeams as if actors on a stage.
"I'm in love with you." So tired of keeping it inside and hidden, his heart spoke and the words echoed around the room. There was no sound except their breathing and the hum of the computer he had recently abandoned.