Author Notes

It always seems that when I start one of these, I combine multiple story ideas into one. I was originally going to do one where they shared a moment on the shoreline and another where he confessed but the story wrote itself, I let it happen. I hope you enjoy.

Knightmares

Sleep wasn't something that you got when you put on the capes, cowls, and costumes. Crime never sleeps, and usually that means you don't get to either. However, there are times when you get your rest. Brief moments of respite against the ever massing waves of those that would do harm. The Teen Titans knew this better than almost anyone. Considered by a lot of the metahuman community as children, their feats have proven however, that they have a place at the table. With powerhouses like Superboy, Starfire, Wondergirl, and Donna Troy. Backed with the brains of Tim Drake and know-how of Raven. Then there's Arsenal, Aqualad, and Robin for the lethality, and finally Nightwing. The "leader" And is highly respected by both the League and Titans. Without him, they wouldn't have gotten very far. And of course there's Beast Boy, Jaime Reyes, and Wally, keeping them positive and innocent in a dark grim world. All of them had their night to sleep soundly. Few of them stirred, a couple squirmed and turned, and then there were two that didn't.

Raven, mostly in part of her visions that her father will come back. Try to use her as a vessel to take over the planet and force his will over those he would defeat in its wake. She's lucky she managed to seal him away the first time, she couldn't have done it without the team though. She didn't want to be the harbinger of destruction, nor the prophetic savior. She just wanted to be. Yet, circumstance said otherwise. She always felt so helpless in that no matter what she did, it seemed futile in the end because of her bloodline. She'd always be a danger to everyone around her, especially Robin. Robin...That was a constant thought, to their last conversation of him being her protector to their brief kiss in the training room a week or two ago. She cared for him too much. Becoming frustrated with her thoughts, she undressed and put the leotard on with the cloak, grabbed her book and went to the elevator. She was going outside to listen the water rush against the rocky outcropping of the tower.

Robin laid awake and stared at the ceiling. Every time he fell asleep it was either the feeling of the sword going through his gut, the sensational overload of coming back, or he was behind the cowl of Batman. It was his destiny. He is the rightful heir to the mantle of Batman. He was also the heir to the greatest network of Assassins known to man. He was at an indifference with himself. He wants to be Batman, he wants to lead the league and not be disappointment to his mother and grandfather, he also wanted his family to be together. Then there was a small part of him (perhaps it was larger than he wanted to admit) that just wanted to be with her. Not his mother, but Raven Roth. He said he'd be her protector, he fully intended to live up to it. When a Wayne gives their word, they live by it. Then he kissed her in the training room and all his emotions have been coming into play. He couldn't even think straight, let alone sleep. He slipped his cape over his back, grabbed his sword and slipped into his shoes. He'd practice on the rocks where the shoreline was. He was wearing his black padded shirt and pants. He opened his window and began to glide out of it. A smile on his face as his cape caught the air and he began soaring down towards the earth. A smile on his face.

He touched down not too long after and went out on the craggy rocks, unsheathing the sword, he began. A couple swipes here and there, a thrust followed by an upwards slash into a backwards somersault. Using the moment of his body in his fighting. A couple more quick successive slashes then jumping backwards, throwing two birdarangs to cover his retreat, landing on his feet, he rolled and came with a rising slash. He landed solidly, raising his blade so it was ready. "Impressive." Her voice cut through his concentration. He immediately turned to see Raven. "I take it you aren't much for sleeping either?"

"When I'm not training." He said, sheathing the sword. "What about you?"

"What exactly are you training?" She asked him, not believing him.

"My form and the ability to um, use my momentum in battle?" It wasn't a very confident answer.

"Riiight." She nodded. "Unlike most people, I'm honest. I couldn't sleep." She told him. "So I figured I'd come out here, read, listen to the water."

He'd been had. "Doesn't sound too bad." He said, pulling off his cloak and laying it down neatly. He motioned for her to sit. She hid a smile as she walked over and sat down on it. He placed the sword behind them and sat beside her as she opened her book. They sat there in silence for a bit as they listened to the water brush up against the shore. "So uh, why can't you sleep?" He asked, she looked over at him, half a smile on her face. "Not that I can't sleep or anything, I'm just curious." She rolled her eyes.

"Well, my dreams kind of keep me up." She told him. "What about you?"

"I wanted to practice. I told you." He stuck to his story, she rolled her eyes. He was impossible.

"You know, you don't have to put on a face the entire time right? We get it, lethal assassin, son of Batman. You're still human. Whether you choose to believe it or not." She closed the book.

"I am perfectly capable of handling my own affairs." He told her. "My mother and father told me that-"

"I'm neither." She interrupted. "I'm also a good listener." She said, placing a hand on his arm and rubbing his shoulder. He sighed.

"Can we just enjoy the silence?" He was obviously uncomfortable. She retracted her hand, and nodded.

"Yes, we can." She moved closer to him.

He eyed the movement, and then scooted in beside her. Now she was practically leaning on his chest, her head stopped just below his chin. He rested it on her. They sat and watched the water crash against the rocks. He felt at peace for once. "I couldn't sleep either." He finally admitted. "Dying does a lot to you, coming back makes it harder." He said. She nodded.

"Wanna talk about it?" She asked. He shrugged.

"There's not really much to talk about." He told her. "I got stabbed, and it all went black, then I was brought back. That was really overwhelming." She let him talk, pretending not to notice him placing his hand on hers. "Lights were really bright, and it was like sensory overload. Feeling, smelling, hearing tasting, seeing all at once. It was a lot to take in." He traces circles on her hand with his fingers. Making it easier for him to talk. "Then of course, there's the ones where I'm him. My father. Only I'm behind the cowl and I'm doing what he does. It's my destiny." He told her.

"Why does that keep you up?" He never really thought about that. Why did it bother him so much?

"Because I would still like the ability to choose my own way. I don't like anything being pre-determined for me." He answered.

"What would you be doing if you weren't Batman? Leading the League of Assassins?"

"No." He answered. "I do not know. What keeps you up?" She sighed.

"Um, my father honestly." She opened up a bit. "Worried that the slight minute I could lose control and then the world is over. He comes back and then we might not be able to stop him again." Damian nodded, continuing to fidget with her hand. "Plus I have the whole harbinger of doom thing and it's just...I don't like to talk about it." She placed more of her hand on top of his as they continued.

"I understand...You know, you're not a time bomb." He told her. He had already told her this once, but he wanted her to know he meant it.

"You've already told me this." He shrugged.

"I mean it. You aren't the harbinger of anyone's doom. You're a powerful sorceress." That got a laugh out of Raven.

"I'm not as strong as you think." He shook his head.

"I beg to differ." She wasn't sure what he meant. "We couldn't have stopped him without you." She shook her head.

"There's more you could've called on, Zatanna, Phantom Stranger, The Spectre, Deadman, even Dr. Fate." She told him, Damian gave her a confused look.

"I don't even know who half of them are." Damian told her. "And we didn't have to call anyone because of you. You brought him down of your own accord. We just bought you time. It would've been our doom without you."

"I don't know about that..."

"My father didn't even know what to do. Don't try and downplay yourself. This team needs you, I need-" he stopped himself, closing his eyes, Damian exhaled.

"What do you need?" She asked, anxious of what he would say, her stomach had all the butterflies.

"I...need good teammates." He horribly saved himself. No tact at all, she just narrowed her eyes at him.

"Good teammates?" She repeated. He nodded.

"Which is what we are." He piggy backed off of her. She rolled her eyes.

"Okay. Look at us right now. Exact positioning, are we still just good teammates?" He tried to retract his hand but she grabbed ahold of it. "Oh no. You've been had, Ibn Al-Xu'ffasch." He glared, wishing he'd never revealed his real name. "Can we just acknowledge this for what it is?"

"You're right." She was now even more nervous. Was he about to verbally accept it? "A misstep in conduct. We should stop so it-"

"Oh are you fucking serious?!" She cursed at him. He'd only heard her curse twice before, and once was in a language that he didn't know how to speak. "A misstep in conduct? Really? If I'm not wrong you were the one that...that kissed me!" He sighed. She had him, it was in fact, he that initiated the kiss.

"Personal relationships within the team can negatively affect-"

"Can you just drop the act for a second and admit that you have some form of affection for me? Can we both actually just stop kidding ourselves for ten seconds?" She wasn't wrong. Damian just realized, the most quiet and reserved Titan out of them all, was definitely being the most upfront right now. He sighed, he knew it was going to come to a head eventually, just not sure when.

"Okay." He answered. She went blank.

"Okay? So after all that, all you have to say is 'okay'? I left myself completely open for this, I tried to open up and this is what I get. What the hell am I doing here..." she rolled her eyes as she got up. He followed, grabbing her arm and turning her around. He planted a kiss on her lips perfectly. She returned it without hesitation. After a couple seconds they broke it off.

"Affection isn't my strong point. I don't know how to really handle it, or you or anything." She took his hand in hers as he talked to her. He squeezed as he talked. It helped if he could fidget a bit. "And um, I'm used to pretty much all the good things in my life disappearing. My grandfather practically disowning me, my mother putting a hit on me and killing me. Taking me away from my father and Grayson and Alfred. Then I came back and Grayson supposedly died. Now I'm here, you're all competent teammates and I truly believe we can be greater than any Justice League. Then I saw you." He sighed, stopping for a moment. This was a completely off-guard and honest Damian Wayne. "I don't know how to explain it. I've thought you were beautiful since the first time I saw you, and your abilities and strength only furthered it. Then my grandfather injured you and I just felt like I had let you down completely..." he paused again, trying to formulate words into sentences that made sense. "I never want to see you hurt again." He told her, "Which is why I asked to be your protector. You asked what I would like to be doing? If I could choose, it would be at your side." She felt her heart sink. "To hell with my parents and their lineages, as long as you're safe." She blushed, no way to hold it back.

"No one...has ever said anything like to me." She told him. He shrugged.

"You told me to open up. I did." She smiled and embraced him, resting her head on his shoulder. "Sooo, what now?" He asked. "Are we-"

"Just enjoy the moment." She told him. Agreeing with her, he held her tightly. Finally, she was his, and he'd go to the ends of the earth to protect her.