With These Broken Wings I'm Falling
Agent Malkere
Disclaimer: No, it is not mine. If I owned the Teen Titans, do you really think I'd be writing fan fiction?
The only good thing about the uniform was that it blended in better with the mud and shadows than red and green.
In the shallow depression underneath of the huge fallen tree, Robin lay flat on his stomach entire body screaming in agony as he watched for his hunters, frigid rain water beginning to pool on the muddy surface of the earth around him. Mud and blood were smeared across his face and a long gash across his forehead was oozing red that was soaking into the edge of his badly torn mask. He felt a single rebellious tear squeeze from the corner of his eye. It had been four months. Four months since she had arrived and they had stopped holding back any restraint during battles. Four months since he had uttered a single sound for any reason. Four months since his friends had given up all hope on him.
Robin couldn't blame them for giving up, it had been nearly a year since Slade had forced the former boy wonder into becoming his apprentice, but deep inside part of the former Titan wanted to blame them. Blame them for never considering that he hadn't changed sides of his own will. He couldn't, though, he wouldn't. They may have given up on him, but Robin would never give up on them. That was the only reason he hadn't killed himself yet because as long as he was alive he was still able to protect them somewhat. Instead of the nearly fatal injuries they would have receive fighting Slade, Robin left them with only bumps and bruises and maybe a scratch or two. He watched them from afar as Cyborg took the role of leader and Beast Boy and Raven's relationship slowly began to change into something more and Starfire became more adept at the culinary arts with earth foods. And he watched them take in a new member.
Terra was a blonde haired geokenetic who came to the team with very little control over her powers but was now, after much training, quite adept with them and was improving almost every time Robin faced her. None of the others had ever mentioned their past with Robin to her or that he had once been a Teen Titan, had once been their leader even, and not always the criminal Icarus, as Slade had soon renamed his young, unwilling student. And because she had no way of knowing otherwise Terra saw Slade's black haired apprentice as nothing more than a villain. Robin saw her as someone who, perhaps under different circumstances, might have been a friend and possibly the one hope he had left because she, Terra, alone out of the remaining Teen Titans was not infested with Slade's nano-bots. Her death was not yet just the press of a button away. He hoped that somehow, somehow he might use this fact to save his friends. Robin had already forced himself to accept that it was long since too late to save him and their lives were all that mattered to him now anyway.
The badly beaten boy's eyes widened and he flattened himself even farther against the ground, trembling slightly, as he caught sight of a pair of feet approaching out of the corner of his eye. That was another secret that nobody knew or had realized, not even Slade. After so many months of being forced to fight against his friends, Robin, once the seemly fearless leader of the Teen Titans, was now terrified of them. Not even his hated master could instill as much fear in him as they did now. He still fought for their lives, still secretly loved Starfire very deeply, but if one of them would have tried to even touch him now, no matter how non-aggressive their manner, Robin would have shied away like a frightened wild animal despite his longing for a kind word or a gentle touch. It was as though he was actually beginning to morph into a feral creature, flighty, silent, and distrusting, and, though Slade had hoped for a great many different out comes when he had forced Robin to become his apprentice, this was not one of them. He had intended to break Robin's will but not to silence him completely. No, for once, this had never been in the villain's plans and a little over a month ago Slade had given up trying to get Robin to speak. It was pointless and, Slade had reasoned finally when the frustration became too much for even him, unnecessary. 'Icarus' did not need to speak, only obey commands.
Robin held his breath as the feet stopped directly in front of his hiding place and his body began to shake more violently, both from fear and from his preparation to leap should the need arise.
"Come out, Icarus!" Robin cringed as he heard Terra's voice use the name Slade had given him. Even his friends called him that now and it hurt more than everything else. He knew his Greek mythology, knew that Icarus had been the boy who had flown too close to the sun only to have his wings broken, like Robin had. Well, the wax of Icarus's wings had melted really but Robin preferred to think of it as broken. Irony was a cruel thing. "I can sense where you've disturbed the earth so you can either come out on your own and surrender or we can do things my way."
Body tense, Robin lay perfectly still, hoping to call her bluff. Unfortunately it turned out the blonde geokenetic wasn't bluffing. In a great surge of earth, the tree Robin had been hiding under was tossed aside like a twig leaving the bruised and bloodied teenager beneath exposed once more to the elements and the icy rain. His body froze for a moment before instincts and reflexes took over and he lunged at the girl in front of him. Terra was already ready and waiting for his attack, though, and he narrowly managed to dodge a chunk of rock that had been aimed at his head. It still managed to clip him as it sailed by though and as a little blood began to trickle down his jaw he heard something crunch and suddenly the sound of static assaulted his ears. Eyes widening, mouth slightly agape, he slowly reached up and removed his now broke ear piece, the corners of his mouth twitching ever so slightly in what was now his equivalent of a wide triumphant grin. His constant connection to Slade was broken, gone. After so many hopeless months, he was finally being given the opportunity to remove his friends' lives from danger.
With a sudden burst of strength and hope, Robin sprang forward, pinning Terra against a tree, and opening his mouth to at last break his four month long continuous silence.
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A/N: Thanks for reading! Any feed back you have I'd be happy to hear! I think I spelled 'Icarrus' wrong… two Cs, maybe?
