Cleaning Away Worries
Did you honestly think it would be that easy?
No, Please No
You cannot escape your destiny
Not Again, Not Again
You cannot shun what you know what must come to pass
It supposed to be over
You cannot hide who you truly are
This is not real
You cannot ignore what you are
I won't, I won't do it
Your destiny is not yet complete.
I won't let it be
Destinies can be altered with time, yours has altered
Get out of my head, Out of my life
Run all you want
Go AWAY
You can't hide
LEAVE ME BE
You Live For Me
I REFUSE
YOU ARE ME
"I AM NOT"
Raven jolted awake, her hands over her heart, her eyes scanning the room, her heart racing. She looked to the left of her toward the windows; her dark blue curtains were drawn. She feared the worse.
Raven slipped out of bed, still in her uniform. She glanced at the clock in hope of somewhat stalling her, it told her it was an hour after midnight. Raven shifted barefooted to her window, her hands clutching soft velvet drapes. She drew an uneasy breath and let it out.
"Control yourself Raven," she told herself when she heard something explode in her room, due to her powers. "Azarath, Metrion Zinthos." She repeated to control them.
Raven opened the curtains, and the image of destruction and despair entered her vision. The harbor and streets were flooded with molting lava; buildings either caught on fire or melting into the fire. People frozen in statues with fear etched across their faces, they were melting in the heat of it all. Her own team-no, her friends-NO, her family in the same state, forever frozen in time. A dark laughter suffocated the air and-
Raven opened her eyes and glazed down at the sleeping Jump City. A fog was rolling in from the harbor, where the T-Tower proudly stood watching over the city. The night air promised rainfall before sunrise. There were few people up at one in the morning, most were either workers or party goers, and then you'd have the occasionally petty nighttime thief that Jump's own police division took care of. However there were times when the Teen Titans would get receive a call, activating them into duty. It was a city, just like any other city on this planet, and it continued well into the night.
Raven didn't reflect on this fact. No, her mind was on the fact that the streets weren't covered in volcanic emission, and the city wasn't burning up in a blaze. The city, no, the world was safe; safe from Trigon the Terrible, her father. She didn't have to worry about him any longer, the Teen Titans made certain of that when they leant her, their power so she could have the potency to beat him, and effectively destroying him.
Who would have believed it, they stopped the end of existence, just seven days ago.
Raven sunk to her knees, her head against the cooling glass of the window. She released a breath of relief and let a few tears fall.
"It was a dream, he's gone." she said softly to no one. She wiped her tears away dispelling the signs of weakness. She needed to do something, something to occupy her time. Truth is, she needed sleep, but haunting dreams kept her from falling into the depths of slumber.
The sleep deprived teen stood up and went to her dresser and pulled out loose dark gray sweats and a black spaghetti-string shirt. She removed her uniform and replaced her clothes. Raven put on a pair of black flip-flops Starfire convinced her to buy once at the mall, and gazed in the mirror and froze. She closed her eyes trying to will patience to overcome and hope that when she opened them, her hair wouldn't be down to her back.
Eyes opened no such luck.
Raven took a pair of scissors off her dresser that, she kept for times like these. She grabbed some of her hair, and cut, letting the strands fall to the floor. It took all of five minutes cut her hair back to chin length. She didn't give a thought about why it grew back knowing the answer would send her over the edge.
Raven placed the scissors back in their place, and levitated the fallen hair into the trash bin. She sighed gazing into mirror again, this time pleased with her look. She sighed again repeating her mantra in her head as she phased out of her room.
The dark empathic emerged from the shadows in the common room. Her gazed traced the room with annoyed patience. The room was a mess; food all over the carpet, walls and tables. There were empty pizza boxes thrown about, juice containers this way and that. The music playing loudly, the television was displaying GAME OVER, from some game of Cyborg and/or Beast Boy. The kitchen area wasn't fairing well either.
A party took place here, there's been a party every night since the defeating of Trigon, of course when defeating a renown all powerful demon whose soul purpose was the destruction on all things mortal, one would rejoice in party. Yet, what Raven demised what that they partied, EVERY NIGHT, did her team mates not tire of it.
Raven walked to the couch seeing it was occupied; she almost smiled when she saw its inhibitors. Almost. Starfire was sleeping widely at one end, Beast Boy in the middle, upside down hanging off the couch, and Cyborg balled up like a ball at the other end. The only one missing was the Robin, who was probably in bed; after all it was going on one thirty in the morning.
"Azarath Metrion Zinthos," Raven whispered, so not to awaken anyone. The three was surrounded in her black aura and was taken to their respective room. Cyborg was plugged in so his battery won't die out.
Once they were gone, Raven sighed looking out the mess. Hopefully cleaning will keep her mind from wandering to troublesome matters. She proceeded to go around the common room cleaning up without using her powers.
Raven wasn't anyone's maid by far. She disliked the idea of cleaning up after someone who was perfectly able to clean up after themselves. Raven would have used meditating to clear her mind, but Raven wasn't trying to clear it. No, clear it brought on voices, voices made Raven unstable. She needed to occupy her mind, what better way than cleaning and thinking about the many ways she can hurt the ones who dirtied it up.
Raven turned off the game, television and music, and then went around setting things away. She picked up the boxes and old food that was lying around and threw them in her bag, using her powers only to hold up the bag. She scrubbed the carpet, walls, and even the couch clean. Her mind stimulated to find ways to give pain on the partiers.
Raven worked an hour, just to clean the common room she haven't even touch the kitchen area. She was wiping off the table when she heard footsteps.
"I never took you for the cleaning type." Said a voice, Raven knew all to well.
"That makes two of us." Raven replied dully as she finished wiping the table. She stood up and looked to Robin; he was wearing his training clothes, with his mask on, he was covered in sweat, meaning he just finished training.
"They still were partying huh?" Robin asked stepping into the room, Raven didn't reply. Robin looked at Raven, she looked paler than usual, and her eyes showed lack of sleep. Something was bothering her and he had a feeling about what it was.
Raven moved onto the kitchen, filling the sink with soap and water, she moved to clear off the counters as the sink filled.
"Raven..."
"Robin..."
All week Raven did her best to avoid Robin. He wanted to talk when she wanted to forget, no matter how impossible that seemed. She wasn't ready to talk just yet, to anyone. Raven didn't want to talk to the one person who knew her better than anyone else, maybe better than herself.
Raven put some dirty dishes on the counter by the sink. When she picked up the sponge to start washing, a hand stopped her.
Robin stepped behind Raven and turned off the water. He took the hand towel off the counter and dried her hands. Raven remained quiet, letting herself be handled with care. She knew Robin would have cornered her soon; it was only a matter of time.
It did not mean she would give in so easily.
Robin took her hands and led her into the living room of the counter. Raven broke away and moved to the window.
"I'm not in the mood to talk, Boy Wonder." Raven said gazing out the window.
"Then you'll have no problem listening." Robin replied, walking next to her. Raven didn't reply. "I've been keeping an eye on you Rae..."
"Maybe you shouldn't-"
"He's gone Raven, he's gone and he's not coming back. We-you made sure of that." Robin interrupted. Raven eyes widened and turned around.
"Of course he's not coming back. I destroyed him; if he were still alive then I would feel him." Raven replied.
"Then what keeps you from sleeping? What nightmares wake you up at night?"
"I don't know what you're talking about." Raven looked out the window.
"I was walking by your room tonight; I heard you scream 'I am not'. Through our bond I can feel your turmoil." Robin walked to Raven and put his hands on her shoulders turning her to him. "Don't keep me out. You found out what was haunting me when Slade's mask was triggered. Let me help, let me help with whatever is haunting you."
Raven stared at Robin. She should tell him, she needed to tell him, she's afraid to tell him. It'd make her appear weak. However, how strong was a sleep-deprived haunted half-daemon empathic? Not very.
Raven eyes lowed to the floor and her shoulders sagged, showing just what type of weight she was carrying.
She backed away from Robin until her back felt the glass of the tower's window; she slid to her knees, her head turned to look out the window. Her arms limped at her side.
"Raven, what's wrong? You can tell me." Robin said knelling down next to her.
"I'm so tired Robin," Raven replied in a much practiced monotone voice, "So very much tired. He haunts me, reminds me."
"Reminds you? Of what-who?"
Raven looked at Robin then bowed her head. "Trigon is gone, he was destroyed for all time, he can't return. Yet, I am alive. Tell me Robin, when all your life you are told one thing, that you live to serve one purpose and that never takes place. What are you left with?"
"The rest of your life to do as you please," Robin argued.
"You make it sound so simple." Raven growled standing up.
"Because it is that simple," Robin stood up too. Raven pushed passed him, and walked away, but she was grabbed and turned around.
"If you complicate things, then that's how things will turn out." Robin insisted. Raven shook her head.
"You don't understand."
"Then help me understand." Robin said
"You want to understand, fine." Raven growled and touched his head sending him her pain.
Did you honestly think it would be that easy?
No, Please No
You cannot escape your destiny
Not Again, Not Again
You cannot shun what you know what must come to pass
It supposed to be over
You cannot hide who you truly are
This is not real
You cannot ignore what you are
I won't, I won't
Your destiny is not complete
I won't let it be
Destinies can be altered with time, yours has altered
Get out of my head, Out of my life
Run all you want
Go AWAY
You can't hide
LEAVE ME BE
You Live For Me
I REFUSE
YOU ARE ME
I AM NOT
The harbor and streets were flooded with molting lava…a dark laughter suffocated the air-
Robin fell back, it just happened that the couch was behind him and he landed on it. It also just happened that he was still holding on to Raven and pulled her down with him.
"Nice going Boy Blunder," Raven growled, but she only shifted so she could sit next to him.
"How is-he is-you even said?" Robin questioned. He pulled himself up.
"I am his daughter; his plans extend for me even in his death."
"What does it mean?"
"It means that I am to take his place, Robin." Raven shifted closer to Robin, thankfully he didn't pull away. "I am The End. Trigon's prophecy will come to pass, even if it's me in his place."
"No, I refuse to believe that." Robin growled.
"It matters not what you believe." Raven herself believed even though she did not want to.
Robin growled, without warning he pushed Raven under him on the couch. He held her hands over her head and put his legs on both sides of her, yet keeping his weight off of her. Raven gasped in surprise at their sudden change in positions, and somewhere an unused light bulb burst.
"You are Raven; you are in charge of your own life. You are NOT Trigon's tool, Raven. Why can't you see that?" Robin asked ignoring their intimate position, or not caring to. Raven turned her head. "RAVEN!" he yelled when she didn't answer.
"What do you want me to say, Robin?" Raven questioned angrily staring up at him. "That I won't give in to my father? That I'll fight?"
"Yes." Robin nodded.
"Then I would be lying." Raven whispered. She jerked her arms and Robin let them go but he moved off the couch and went to stare out the window.
"What can I say to make you see that you don't have to live in his shadow?"
"What can I say to make you understand?" Raven asked, "Even with what I showed you, you still don't get it." Raven moved to stand behind Robin. She gently touched his back and before each of them knew it she wrapped her hands around his waist and rested her forehead against his spine. "A shadow is only a mere puppet of its caster. I AM a shadow, his shadow; I was born in the shadows, I live in the shadows, and I will die in the shadows. If you shine a light on me I will disappear, Robin, but…but that doesn't mean I don't yearn for the sun."
Robin lifted his hand to place over hers but they were already gone. He turned around when her presence left him. He heard water running and released a breath of relief glad that she hadn't left to go perhaps hide in her room. He made his way toward the kitchen, watching Raven wash dishes; her total being concentrating on cleaning that dish, then the next. It was how he found her, concentrating on a single task as if not letting anything else enter her mind.
He smiled at what she was possible thinking about.
"So…how many ways have you thought of torturing our friends, for this mess?" Robin asked walking toward her.
"Three hundred twenty-eight- no wait, twenty-nine, that being stuffing all three of them under Beast Boy's bed," Raven said a smirk gracing her lips.
"I'd hate to be them," he shuttered and walked behind her and lifted a piece of her hair. "Your hair's long."
"So is yours," was the quick reply.
Robin lifted a hand to his own and did find it stopping just past his shoulders. His hands went back to her mauve hair and he ran his fingers to them, he stepped closer to her and rested his forehead on the back of her head, half aware that a dish exploded in the rack, as he smelt her lavender scented hair.
"Robin…" Raven softly asked, as she felt his left hand move down her arm and connect with her own left hand.
"You're my best friend Raven," he whispered, "I'll help you get that sun, even if I have to bring it to you."
Raven smiled and squeezed their connected hands, I know you will Robin, she thought as she nodded softly. "Why don't you make some tea, and when I'm done with these dishes I'll give us both a hair cut."
"Okay," Robin said pulling away but not before, giving her a soft kiss on her neck, causing her to gasp and the light bulb above them shattered surrounding them in darkness.
"Nice going, boy blunder." Raven said using her powers to replace the light bulb bringing light back in the kitchen area and then levitated the broken dish in the dish rack into the trash. Robin only smirked as he reached for the teapot.
Raven looked over at Robin who took the faucet from her to put water in the pot, then returned it. She watched as the boy wonder place the pot on the stove and turned it on.
I'm putting my trust in you, Robin, for the sake over the entire world; I hope you'll do what you must when the time comes.
A/N: How do you like it? I'm wondering if I should leave this as a one-shot or continue it into a story as a Sequel? Tell me what everyone thinks!!
Please Read and Review:: or review, I'm hoping you'll already read :)