A/N: I don't own Teen Titans nor their respective likenesses, but tis the season and all...maybe they'll give them to me? No? Nah, I didn't think so either...
Free Fall
The sun rained down sparkles on the waves of the bay surrounding the massive structure that was home to the superhero team known as the Teen Titans, as if rewarding them for their hard work before setting, and releasing Jump City to the coming night. A dark figure floated serenely atop the tower, hands atop knees, thumbs and index fingers joined. The breeze from the water was brisk, fluttering the cloak around the obvious feminine figure, carrying her mantra out into the coming darkness.
From the recesses of the access door another figure emerged, walking with a powerful, yet controlled, grace. It stopped only feet from the hovering woman, eyes hidden behind a domino mask, head turned towards the setting sun. The dying light caressed his face, showing a youthful countenance but one that had weathered much more then others of comparable years.
They remained silent, allowing the ambient noises of the city and bay to fill the gaps between them, neither needing much in the of words to know what the other was thinking...or feeling. The half whispered mantra finally faded out, the woman's voice trailing off as her eyes opened, just in time to watch the sun dip below the horizon.
"Right on time, as usual," said Robin, a crooked half smile on his face as he spoke, knowing that she'd timed her meditations to coincide with the setting sun.
"You expected anything less?" she asked rhetorically, a faint smile crossing her face as well. She'd come to enjoy the quiet moments they'd spent on top of the tower alone, the remainder of their team mates knowing better than to cross the two dark birds when they sought peace from the rigors of their lives.
He walked from behind her, crossing the roof to the edge, the toes of his armored boots just barely hanging over the edge. His cape flapped in the wind, giving him a noble look, a heroic pose. Raven watched him closely, studying him as he looked out onto the city they'd adopted. "You look like him when you do that," she commented quietly, noting the similarities between the man standing before her and specter that ruled the night within Gotham City.
Robin looked over his shoulder at her, a relaxed and confident smile on his face as he addressed her commentary. "I should; he taught me a lot, even if he didn't realize how much," he answered, crouching down into the classic pose long associated with Batman. His hands rested between his feet, knees bent outwards, the cape that had once been fluttering around him drooping over his shoulders and blurring his outline against the night sky, until he resembled nothing more than a watchful gargoyle. "Although, this is more his style," he amended, the smile easily apparent in his voice, his face now being hidden in the lengthening shadows.
Raven smiled serenely, finding comfort in his banter, releasing her hovering pose and taking her feet once more. They'd found solace on the roof together, neither intruding upon the other, instead taking the solemn comfort of having another soul nearby as they sought to quiet the voices that drove them. Their conversations had begun haltingly, each afraid of revealing too much, taking the time to carefully open up to the other. In time, they'd established an easy sort of camaraderie with each other, strengthening the bond between them with true ties of friendship and something more, something undefined. It rested between them, neither willing to broach the subject, instead enjoying what they'd found and letting the path lead out before them, something that went against their normal patterns of absolute control.
She stood next to him, waiting only a moment for him to rise and stand next to her, both of them quietly observing the endless waves crashing onto the rocky shore far below them. The darkness of the water was only broken by the sudden and almost dramatic appearance of the white caps that would extend and rush over the jagged rocks. "What's it like?" she asked him softly, her eyes never leaving the mesmerizing sight of the waves beneath them.
He gave her a questioning look, "What's 'What' like?" he asked in return.
"Free falling," she answered, then turned her face to look at him. "With my powers, I'm able to fly, levitate and hover, yet..." Raven paused, allowing her face to be drawn back to the water. "I don't think I can remember a time when I was unable to stop my descent," the woman finished, her brow finely knit as she remembered times she'd been knocked from the air, though her powers had usually reestablished her flight within moments. 'With a few exceptions,' she noted dryly to herself, only slightly embarrassed at the memories of having to be caught before suffering what would have been a near fatal fall, usually by the green gloved hands of the man standing next to her.
"It's not something you'd forget," he replied with a perfectly straight face, ignoring the dangerous frown of annoyance she shot his way. Clearing his throat, he just managed not to smile as he turned to look at her again, letting out a breath before speaking.
"As I was saying," he started again, crossing his arms over his chest and turning his body to properly face her. "It's something...I don't know, I just...do," he said finally, shrugging in slight frustration, searching for the words and unable to bring vocalization to the sensations he felt when he challenged gravity.
His eyes lifted above her face, staring out into the night, letting his mind relax into the memories of his parents and all they'd taught him above soaring without wings through the air, trusting in your partner and your own abilities to get you safely back to earth again. "Fear isn't something you remove, it's only something you master. Even now, after all these years, I still feel some slight fear when I dive from an insane height, intent only on what I'm doing and not what the possible outcomes will be. It's like I just don't know HOW to fail when I do it. Does that make any sense?" he asked her, cocking his head slightly to the side as he did.
Raven considered his words, searching her own thoughts and feelings when she used her own powers, finding a common thread there. Nodding slowly, she examined his face, "Yes, actually, it does," she told him, earning her a thankful smile in return.
"But, it still doesn't tell me HOW it feels," she added, taking her own breath and releasing it slowly, enjoying the salty tang it left in her nasal passages.
Robin frowned, his eyebrows almost burying themselves into his mask as he did. "You're right, but I don't think I CAN put it into words," he acknowledged regretfully. A look of inspiration quickly replaced the consternation, a confident smile growing on his face.
"Do you trust me?" he asked her suddenly.
"What?" came her intelligent response, caught slightly off guard by his sudden change in demeanor.
"Do. You. Trust. Me?" he asked her slowly, purposefully enunciating each word as he did.
"I'm not stupid, Robin, I understand what you're asking. I just don't understand how that's relevant to the current conversation," Raven replied in a dark and warning tone, leveling a fierce stare at him.
"No, you're not stupid, but neither am I. Now, please, answer the question," he pressed, returning her stare with one of his own.
The frown stayed but her curiosity was peaked by his inquiry. "Yes, I do, although that much should have been obvious by now," came her slightly put off answer, sounding even to her ears slightly offended.
He stepped closer to her, well into her personal space, his eyes never leaving hers as he did. "I'm going to ask you to close your eyes," he told her, one arm slowly extending out and wrapping around her waist as he did. "And, no matter what, not to open them or use your powers until I say so, okay?" he asked, pausing to explore her face for any signs that he'd pushed too far with her.
Her eyes widened at his actions, her breath catching momentarily as she found her body pressed against his. For a moment, she understood exactly what he meant by never removing fear, only temporarily conquering it, her emotions threatening to burst free at such intimate touching.
Long seconds passed before she answered him, her face shocked and open as she allowed herself to be held by him, trusting him in more than just words. "Okay," she whispered, slowly closing her eyes, swallowing hard as she did.
"I promise you, nothing bad will happen," he assured her, tightening the arm around her, then pausing. "Hold on to me and do NOT let go," he cautioned, all humor gone from his voice as he warned her.
Sensing what was coming, but intent on seeing this through, she encircled his neck with her arms, noting distantly how enjoyable holding him like this actually was. Such lines of thinking were interrupted as she felt his whole body tense, then solid ground fell away from them. Her eyes clinched tightly shut, her arms unconsciously clamped down on him as he leapt from the top of the tower.
She felt them hit the apex of the jump, noticing how his heart was pounding out a beat with hers, his chest expanding as he took a deep breath, gravity grasping them tightly once more, pulling them inexorably back to earth, at a rather rapid pace.
It was unlike anything she'd ever experienced before, the feeling of racing downwards and unsure of when they'd arrest their descent. Her mouth was dry, her voice husky as she tried to say his name, finding it hard to speak with her heart so far into her throat while her stomach had retreated to somewhere close to the big toe on her right foot. Opening her eyes, she caught sight of the tower racing past them, send a tremor of concern through her body. "Robin..." she whispered in small, frightened voice.
"Don't worry," he said, even as he twisted in mid air, so that she was resting atop him as they continued plummeting to the ground.
His acrobatics was something she'd taken for granted, until now, when she'd been able to experience just how talented he actually was first hand. As their eyes met, she found absolute trust in him, knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt just how far he would go to ensure her safety, no matter the personal cost to himself.
Even as his arm moved, she knew he was in control, mastering his fears in all things that mattered in the moment, never doubting his abilities. The firing of the cable gun sounded small in her ears, so lost in the sensations of falling was she. As the finned spike bit into the tower, Robin adjusted his body once more so that there was no sudden jerking, instead allowing them to swing gracefully down to the paved patio at the base of the tower..
She found herself saddened at the perigee of their un-powered flight, not wanting the moment to end. When Robin set them down, it took a moment for her to let him go, her eyes never leaving his as she slowly did so. Raven realized then just how special a moment they'd shared was, how much he'd given to her, and she to him, in what they'd done.
"Thank you, Robin," she whispered shyly, meaning the words more deeply then she'd had in a very long time.
"Thank you, Raven," he replied, his voice quiet and subdued, a shy smile playing on his lips.
They stood in silence, inches apart, his hands on her shoulders, hers on his chest, neither realizing just how intimate they looked, nor at the moment, caring.
The sound of pounding feet and the hissing of the automatic security doors opening yanked them both from the moment, each taking a prudent step backwards and covering themselves with either a cape or hood, respectively.
"What the heck was THAT?" Cyborg practically screamed at them, stumbling slightly as he almost ran headlong into them, his arms flailing about as he did.
"DUDE!" echoed Beast Boy, his eyes comically wide and his breathing coming in ragged gasps as he looked up to the top of the tower and back to them repeatedly.
"Friends, why did you jump?" asked a curious Starfire, unsure of why Raven would allow something like that unless there was a problem with her powers.
Robin simply regarded them with a stoic look, folding his arms across his chest. He frowned slightly, but as he opened his mouth to answer, it was Raven that stepped in.
"Free falling," she answered simply, giving them a cryptic look before calling forth her powers and enveloping herself within the darkness, disappearing to the depths of the tower.
The trio looked over to Robin with something akin to incredulity, unsure of what to make of the dark sorceress's words.
"Robby?" asked a clearly confused Cyborg.
Robin gave him a smirk, then shrugged. "It's like she said; Free falling," he answered, striding confidently past them and towards the entrance of the tower. "Say, isn't it about time for dinner?" he asked with an off handed wave of his left had as he entered the doors without looking back.
Shaking their head, Starfire and Beast Boy followed the leader of the Teen Titans, both wondering about the strange exchange that had just taken place.
Cyborg looked up at the roof, then slowly back to the now closed doors, sighing heavily as he did. "They need a new hobby," he muttered darkly, glaring up at the roof once more before reentering the tower. "Or I'm gonna need life support from the heart attack they're gonna give me," he finished, shaking his head.
End of Story notes:
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
Just something that came to me while reading a fic the other day, though I do have to apologize for not remembering exactly which one at the moment. I wanted to pump this out both to get the plot bunny out of my mind and to give you guys a slightly WAFFY story to take into the new year with you. This is a one shot, meant to help me break out of the writers block I'm currently suffering from, so let's keep our fingers crossed, shall we? As always, RnR if it moves you to do so, and keep your stick on the ice.
Merry Christmas!
Happy New Year!
Nomadic One