Angel's Blessing
Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans, any resemblances of any characters in the story to other people or works is coincidental. Also Jack Knife and Archangel are my original characters so I'd prefer if you didn't use them but it's not as though I could enforce that so whatever.
Chapter 1: Stargazing
It was an unusually cold night for April, a last salvo of chilled air from the dying winter season. As cars hurried along the busy streets, the moonlight glistened on Jump City Bay. It was an exceptionally clear night, as the stars were highly visible even with the presence of the city lights. From the middle of the bay, a monumental 'T' stood watch over the city, connected to the coastal city by bridge. Taking advantage of the spring warmth, repairs were being undertaken by road workers after the inevitable wear and tear resulting from high-performance vehicles racing to and from the tower.
"Most roads don't have to sustain such constant wear from the R-cycle" Robin mused, peering over the city from the roof. It had been a relatively light day today; only one bank robbery and, for once, no supervillains directly involved in the heist. At the same time, Robin felt both relief and suspicion.
"It was too easy" he thought, "too quiet." Since the Titans set up base in Jump City, there was scarcely a week some maniac or alien or demon didn't rear its ugly head and bring the city or even world to the brink of destruction.
Robin wondered if supervillains would be so prolific had there not been high-profile superhero teams to counter them. "No," he thought, "If we weren't here, either the criminals would openly run rampant or the corruption inherent to everyday citizens in power would."
Robin sighed, laying back and gazing up at the stars. Just then the roof door closed and a familiar presence laid down beside him.
"Hey Star," Robin said, half-smiling, "what's up?"
She was almost afraid to ask him, she'd thought, knowing how Robin tended to compete with Raven for least social among the Titans. Still, she knew Robin did care for the group immensely and often accompanied the group in activities he would normally not pursue, if only for the sake of strengthening their connections in order to maximize teamwork.
Robin remained something of an enigma to her curious mind, always so strong and guarded despite being the only Titan without any 'powers'. He kept his emotions distant and yet whenever any of the Titans were in danger, herself especially, he would put every last ounce of his ability to keeping them from harm. It was this unwavering dedication to his team that endeared him to her and his commitment to bringing justice to those who would harm the innocent.
"Hello Robin! The others and I are preparing to watch a movie together and I was seeing if perhaps you would like to join us? I believe we will be watching 'Tristan and Isolde' if you would care to accompany me to the living room and enjoy our glorious snacks!"
"Chick flick." Robin thought, "What bet did Beast Boy and Cyborg lose to get sucked into that". Still, though he'd feign disinterest, the prospect of spending two hours with her made the idea much more attractive if only in the subconscious recesses of his mind. Ever since he'd met her, he'd been captivated by her – something about her innocence, joyful nature, and absolute loyalty to her friends, himself in particular.
"Well, it's not really my thing but…" Robin said hesitantly, "okay! Let's go…" he said playfully, letting slip a rare burst of excitement, though he played it cool on the way inside.
Unbeknownst to both of them, from across the bay at the water's edge, a shadowy man gazed upon them, wearing an outfit consisting of tattered jeans, an old t-shirt with a skull upon it, black army boots and a denim vest filled with razor-sharp knives from which he gained his name: Jack Knife.
A bit cliché, he always thought, but accurate. He was well known among the underground rock scene in all the lowliest of dives. Something of a punk gone rotten to the core, he preyed upon whoever was foolish enough to encounter him. Though most considered him a common thug, he proved himself quite clever, tactical, and ruthless in destroying those who took unwanted notice of him. Soon, the Jump City underworld would be his. And tonight, he decided the best defense against such would-be heroes, is a good offense.
T-T-T-T-T-T-T-T-T-T-T-T-T-T-T-T-T-T-T-T-T-T-T-T-T-T-T-T-T-T-T-T-T-T-T-T
Robin and Starfire took the stairway down, Robin casually parking himself on the end of the couch. Starfire floated higher in the air, twirling playfully before gracefully landing to his left, presenting Robin with a big smile and an even bigger bowl of popcorn and mustard.
"Nice beverage choice, Star" Beast Boy joked, glancing over. Robin had to admit it was odd, but lovable nonetheless. Of course Robin couldn't help but notice that she sat in what he referred to internally as the gray zone: closer than most friends but not so close as to show definite attraction. Of course Robin noticed how deeply she cared about him but was it because she loved him or because she was that way with all her friends. The cultural differences didn't help matters. It was just frustrating trivialities that prevented him from ever thinking she might care for him as much as he did for her.
"Quit obsessing and watch the movie" He was surprised to hear two voices say. The first was his own mental voice, keeping his obsessive nature in check. But a quick glance to his right revealed Raven whispering in his ear.
"Damn empaths" Robin swore, forgetting how obvious Robin's internal battles must be broadcasted to Raven. Still she was the only one who knew his affection and provided an open ear and meaningful advice on a few occasions. Robin was at least grateful that his war of affection might not be completely waged on his own.
"Still," He thought, "she's right, best not to worry about it." Starfire was his teammate and friend, first and foremost and, at least for now, that would have to be enough for him.
Author's Note:
Alright, I'm alive, back from the land of the dead, or at least the inactive. Now I'm going to stress that my updates will be infrequent as I have a very busy school and work life but I do feel quite inspired on this story and will see it through to completion though it may take some time (I haven't even fully fleshed it out in my head yet!). I also have not given up on The Magic Within but I feel that one may take a bit of a back seat to this. I'll work on both but please be patient. On the one hand, I haven't written in forever so please excuse my style or character inconsistencies. On the other hand, I have a very strong idea of what I want to do with this and I think that'll help the quality. I hope you enjoyed this intro and be ready, for this story will be the debut for two original characters of mine: Jack Knife, who we met above – kind of a darker take on Johnny Rancid or whatever his name was, and Archangel (not the Marvel comics one), a hero of my own invention, loosely based on Tyrael from the Diablo universe (powers wise).