dedication: to jerie, the batman to my robin. without whom, i wouldn't be writing here. (don't think she knows i AM writing tho.) anyway, love you so much, jerie. :3
She walked around silently, not wanting to make noise in the dark hallway.
The headquarters was silent, and Raven intended to keep it that way.
Why was she awake? She had this tingling feeling a silent creature was present. And by instinct, she was to hunt it noiselessly.
As she came around the entrance of the lounge, she noticed it was slightly lighter than the hallway.
Someone was there, and was waiting for her to come.
She walked softly to the couch. No one was there.
Then she heard the growl. She turned around in time to see it stab her in the stomach.
Robin woke with a start. He heard a muffled scream from outside his room.
It was definitely a girl's. He didn't move in case the scream would happen again, but nothing happened.
He stepped out of his quarters as he relaxed. It was all in his head.
Raven woke up with a start, and because of her scream. She felt on her stomach. She was definitely alive. The monster was only a nightmare. And no matter how much she'd deny it, she was afraid.
Raven closed her eyes and exhaled. Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale. She opened her eyes. She couldn't sleep.
Robin ran his hand through his hair and took off his mask.
The contact of cold air towards his previously masked skin made him shiver a bit.
He heard a door creak open and a small figure walk out.
"Raven?"
Accepting the fact she was wide awake, she threw off her covers and sat down on the edge.
She shook her head almost violently. "It was just a nightmare, Raven. Be brave."
She stood up to get some fresh air and to look out. The city at night had always seemed beautiful to her.
She tried to open the door as quietly as possible, but it refused to cooperate. Distracted by the creak, she hadn't noticed someone else outside their quarters.
It was only when they spoke did she turn around.
"Raven?" the figure had said.
She looked down. It was Robin.
Robin knew very well that Raven was excellent in concentration, she was hard to disturb when resting or in meditation. So it confused him a bit that she was awake.
"You're up pretty late. Couldn't sleep?"
Raven closed the door to her room quietly and ignored him.
As she walked away, Robin caught up and asked again, "Hey. Raven, it's alright. You can tell me if you couldn't..."
"I had a nightmare. Okay? It made me afraid."
Raven exhaled slowly, not believing that she had actually admitted something she'd rather keep to herself. Especially to the leader of her only group of allies.
"Afraid? You've only been afraid once, Rave. That was when..."
"Beastboy bought that horror movie, yes." She closed her eyes and proceeded to put on her hood, when Robin held her wrist.
He smiled. "You don't have to. It's normal to be afraid once in a while, Raven. Putting on your hood makes you seem even more afraid. Or is it...embarrassment?"
She obeyed his small request. "Alright then. Only because you said it was normal. Even though I'm not..."
He interrupted. "Hey. Don't say that. We're all not normal. We're Teen Titans."
Raven cocked an eyebrow.
"Without your mask and cape, you are a human boy. We use our costumes to protect ourselves. To shield our powers. You wish to shield your identity, Grayson."
Robin flinched. "Who told yo...oh." His expression softened. It was one of Raven's powers to enter others' minds. "How long have you known?"
"Not long." She said in a bored tone, as if expecting this.
He sat on the roof, legs crossed. Eyes closed, he seemed to meditate.
Raven sat next to him and did the same. After a long silence, Robin spoke. "You screamed, didn't you?"
She pursed her lips. "Yes. I did scream. Did it wake anyone else?"
He shook his head. "Don't think so. I woke up seconds before the scream. I thought it was in my head."
She nodded slowly. "How about you? Why are you up so...late?"
He shrugged. "Thinking too much. Star says I should stop."
She smirked. "Oh yes. Wouldn't want the fearless leader having wrinkles on his forehead. Very bad for his image."
He growled. "Raven. At least mine wasn't a nightmare. Bet it was about you dying."
She glared for a moment then looked away. "It was."
He opened his mouth to counter but closed it again. Then he whispered, "Oh. Raven, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it to be rude, I was just..."
"Thinking too much. It is unhealthy. Makes you ugly." Raven answered in a monotonous voice.
"Since when did you care about how I look?"
"Since when were you curious about my dreams?"
"Touché." Robin said as he smirked. "Tell me."
Raven turned to face him. "Tell you what?"
"Your nightmare. Whatever made you scream."
She looked a bit flushed. "Oh. Just a creature stabbing me in the stomach." At this she felt on the said place and sighed.
Robin sat closer and wrapped an arm around her. "Rave, you shouldn't be afraid. We're here. I'm here. We're gonna protect you, we all protect each other. Titans are a family."
She sighed once more. "You left your old one. With Batman or that billionaire philanthropist Bruce Wayne, and his butler Alfred."
He loosened his tight semi-hug on her. "God, Raven, how much do you know about me? How long have you known. Why would even know? What made..."
She shushed him with a finger. "I wondered about it once. Where you came from. You didn't seem to fit in with Jump City. I only know of your name and previous family. You are Robin, the Boy Wonder, sidekick to the Dark Knight of Gotham City, correct?"
He was speechless. "Well that's enough info about me. And summarized. And to think I hardly know a thing about you."
The wind blew and both titans shivered. "Let's continue in the living room?" Robin asked as he stood.
Raven said nothing as she stood to leave. Robin sighed. She was too anti-social. She needed to come out of her shell, and he was trying his best to help.
As he entered from the rooftops, he saw Raven make herself some tea. No not herself, there was a second cup. "It's yours." She said before taking a sip from her cup.
He took it and followed her to the couch. "Thanks."
"You know hardly anything about me like everyone else. You are normal. But since I know something about you that the others do not, I shall tell you a bit."
He grinned. To unravel a bit of the mystery called Raven was good. The night was peaceful and a good time for story-telling.
"I do not lie about my name. I was dubbed Raven at birth. I am only half-human and I was born on Azarath."
"Half-human, hm. Then that means Star is the only one with no human descent." Robin concluded.
She nodded. "She likes you, Robin."
He chuckled softly. "Starfire? I could tell."
Raven smiled. "Well, we others thought it was too obvious. Cyborg tells me you feel the same way. You should ask her out sometime. Like on a date, is that right?"
"Seriously? Who told Cy?" Robin asked.
Raven raised an eyebrow. "He said you did. Well not really say, but he said that you were talking about a girl."
Robin's expression softened once more. "Oh. Right. I said something about that...who said it was Star?" He then said with a casual smirk.
Raven's face looked flushed. "She's Starfire. A pretty alien princess. She's got a lot. What's not to like about her, Boy Wonder?"
He thought for a moment. "I haven't a clue at the moment. But you and Cyborg are half-wrong. I do like someone, just not Star." He placed his finished cup of tea on the table.
"Robin, you're a heart breaker." Raven said crossing her arms.
He laughed. "I'm only breaking one girl's heart, not twenty, Rave."
"It could continue. Robin, you've got the looks and skills. What's not to like?"
"My past," he whispered.
"Your past is not so bad, Grayson. If it hadn't been such, we may have never met." Raven said in a soothing tone.
"Please don't use my surname. It reminds me of what I wanted to forget." He let his head hang. "But I've got the looks? What are you playing at, Girl of Azarath?"
She frowned once more. "Robin...it is nothing. Just think of it as a boost..." then she yawned, "...for your self-esteem."
"Feeling tired, Rae? C'mon, I'll get you to bed." Robin said in a brotherly tone.
"I'm fine. I don't need help." She made it three steps, arms stretching, before almost close to collapsing.
He caught her before she fell. "Hey. No arguments. Or I'll drag you." He carried her on his back and she lay her head on him, softly breathing.
He laughed as her breath tickled the back of his neck. He carried her all the way to her room and let her down gently as they reached her bed.
"There you go, Raven. Have a nice sleep." Robin whispered, though he knew she was asleep.
Tiptoeing away, he chuckled softly as he kept in mind that night with the girl who messed with his head.
this is my first fic for this fandom and i have not looked through the whole archive thoroughly. please do not accuse me of stealing fic plots.
constructive criticism is encouraged. i change for the better when asked. flames are allowed, but pathetic and no-reason flames are discouraged.
please review. :)
~emmy :3