This is my first real try at a story. My other one was a one-shot. It may be only be a couple of chapters long, but I'll see how it goes.
Non-con Rancid/Robin,con RedX/Robin. Slash.
Disclaimer:No matter how much I wish it I do not own these characters nor the show.
Everything he believed in came crashing down in a peacock tail of flames laced with burning anguish.
Only the pain and sorrow filled his already traumatic mind, adding more confusion to the scattered thoughts as he tried to process to why this was happening. That line he held for right and wrong was suddenly cut into a million pieces as is shattered as brilliantly as delicate glass. His views that he held for the criminal mind twisted and morphed into something demonic and repulsive, and he cursed his childish mind for thinking that he could never sink this low.
He cried out in pain as his captor thrust more deeply and Robin's cry of desperation mixed with his cry of release. Then he ground against the boy with a grunt before extracting himself and whispering softly into the Boy Wonder's ear.
"Thanks for the great time Birdboy, who knew you could be a real blast?" With that Johnny left the hero, satisfied and pleased that the paralysing agent had worked. He quickened his pace as he left the alley. It wouldn't be long until it wore off, and he didn't doubt for a second that there could be the consequence of the heated wrath of the Titans descending onto his shoulders. Yet, he thought smugly, that was the sweetest victory to date.
The feel of perfect adrenaline cursing through his veins as he pulled of another successful heist was like a drug to him as he soared through the city, jumping from rooftop to rooftop with his prize safely in his belt, he was in heaven.
Red X paused in his victory flight at the sight of Rancid humming merrily down the street. He would skip every now and then before settling into another unrecognisable tune.
What's he so happy about? Thought Red curiously, as he watched perplexed at the strange behaviour from another Jump City criminal.
Shrugging, Red X took of again, not really caring about Rancid's change in behaviour, he had better things to do. Like getting his merchandise home and finding a suitable buyer.
How can he have been so stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!
He should have seen that spray in Rancid's hands. He should have finished him before he even had the chance to use it, goddammit!
In his fury Robin punched wall, turning and swinging to kick a bunch of crates. They splintered and tore upon impact; bits of wood flew across the rooftop before skidding and sliding to a stop. Next the remains were thrown everywhere as Robin decided they weren't broken enough yet. Their contents of empty glass bottles shattered mercilessly, just as Robin had under the hands of Johnny. It was time the crates suffered the same fate too.
He kicked and screamed, took out all his anger on any object he could find, and soon the rooftop was strewn with broken glass, wood splinters and a shattered young hero who now was crouched over in the mess, tears streaming down his face as he allowed himself now to express sorrow. All he wanted to do was cry, something he had never allowed himself to do in a long time. Robin no longer cared.
What the hell! Red X changed his direction and headed towards the yells and grunts of what sounded like someone in a fight, and the crashes of public property being destroyed as a result of it.
The sounds got louder as he neared his destination and was now accompanied with the shattering of glass. He soon realised that those human cries were only coming from one person, a person he knew very well indeed.
He skidded to a stop and watched in horror as Robin attacked everything in sight. His search and destroy mission extended to the whole rooftop, anything the boy could get his hands on he destroyed it. He held no mercy for the unsuspecting crates and Red could only watch this massacre in frozen shock.
Red X had never seen the kid loose control like this, never had he seen anger so raw, and never seen this kind of destruction come from the noble hero.
What the hell had caused this?
Then in an astonishing turnaround, the boy wonder collapsed onto his knees, emitting a final cry before bursting into tears. Hunching forward and clutching at the ground for some kind of escape or reprieve.
Red didn't know what to do. He saw the broken hero and his normally selfish heart went out to him. No matter how much Red wished he didn't care, the truth was he did. And before Red X could fathom to what he was doing, he was inching forward towards the boy. Carefully avoiding the glass he stretched his arm out, his hand hovering over Robin's shoulder.
"Kid?"
Before Red could even blink Robin had jumped up turned around and stumbled back away from the thief. A disbelieving look plastered on his face as he tried to understand what the thief was doing there. He caught his bearings and stared at Red while wiping his face, even though it was too late to hide tears now.
"W… what are you doing here?" Red was surprised by the sound of vulnerability that was etched into the voice. Robin had never looked more like his age.
"I could say the same to you kid. Jumping around and destroying public property isn't what I thought would be your cup of tea. But who am I to question a hero's antics."
Robin paused taking time to look at the remains of the battle, before shaking his head and shakily turning around heading off to hell knows where…
Red hastily caught up with Robin, worried about the lack of answer and the absence of that usual fire fuelled by pride and determination to seek justice. Red hopped in front of the boy stooping him in his tracks, hoping to try and get an answer to the many questions buzzing around in his head.
"Whoah! Wait a moment, what's this all about?" Red stood with his hands on his hips keeping his cocky mask to hide the worry and frustration. "Why do you look like you've just been in a fight with Plasmus?" Red waited for an answer from the unusual quiet boy, whatever had happened must have been big to get the kid into such a state. He never even believed he would ever see the prideful Boy Wonder cry.
Still not getting an answer, only the lack of gaze which was currently drawn to the floor, X raised his hand and lightly touched his shoulder hoping to get some attention. Suddenly a green gloved fist imbedded itself into his stomach and Red found himself kneeling on the floor wincing in pain.
"Don't touch me." The voice held a dark malice, a silent warning tipped with a fear inducing growl. Red had no doubt he had learnt that from his former mentor now hiding faraway in the dark shadows of Gotham.
Robin turned and ran off; his metal tipped boots crunched the wood and shattered the glass, his cape flowing behind him, flapping in the light wind. Sneaking a glance back he caught the sight of the thief behind him, sprinting forward trying to snag his cape. Panicking Robin picked up his pace and jumped from roof to roof, using his natural acrobatic abilities and trained experience from Gotham's nightly excursions. In hope to loose his pursuer.
Robin didn't need this now, he wanted to be alone. Away from the prying eyes of team mates, the questioning voices of friends and any annoying thieves who picked the wrong time to change their ways and act concerned. He still wasn't over what Rancid did too him, and he knew it wasn't going to go away by itself. He wasn't the type to hide his problems and act cowardly by pretending they weren't there. He was taught to face his fears, learn from his mistakes and move on. Yet he was the type to do things alone, not wanting help from anyone else, either from pride or fear he hated to let anyone see him weak and vulnerable. However Red X had, and that made it all the worse.
Seeing that the thief was refusing to give up the chase and leave him alone he removed his trusted grappling hook from his belt and got ready to swing faraway from any human presence. That was until a flying 'X' knocked it out of his hand so it dropped onto the road or empty pavement below.
Furious Robin turned to face the culprit. "Why can't you just leave me alone!"
"Sorry kid, but the chance to chase you for once was too tempting. Since it seems it's always the other way around."
Robin really did not have the patience to deal with that cocky attitude of his tonight.
"Will you just get lost. I don't want to deal with you right now, and if you want to go to jail be my guest and keep following me and see what happens." Because Robin really hoped that the threat of jail would keep Red off of his back. Yet with his luck lately it did not deter the determined thief.
"I may consider leaving you alone until you tell me why you got so worked up, and then maybe we can go from there."
"It really isn't any of your business to what went on before you saw me on the roof." Then something Robin hadn't considered before suddenly dawned on him. "Why do you even care?"
Red X really hadn't been expecting that question, and the reality that they were actually having this conversation was abnormal enough and Robin trying to switch the questioning around was only complicating the matter. "Who wouldn't? It's not an everyday occurrence that you see your rival crying on the floor. It's enough to shock anyone into finding out the truth and even if I'm just a low life thief I'm still human."
Now it was Robin who was caught of guard. The shock and realisation at the sight Red X had actually seen him in was embarrassing and upsetting enough to make him want to break down again. Giving himself a mental slap he quickly glanced at X and took in what he said. "I don't think you're a low life." He whispered.
That was nice. It was as near as a compliment Red had gotten from Robin and he couldn't help feeling more confident that what he was doing was the right thing, and not just leaving Robin to his grieve so Red could take his stolen goods home and forget what he saw. "That's good to know kid. But you still haven't answered my question. Let's make it easier, who else was involved to whatever happened."
Red was trying to get answers again. Answers he really didn't want to give, but this is Red X. The selfish thief that had not only saved his life, and the cities. He also had allowed Robin to retrieve his most valued possession before anyone else could. He owed X that much. "Johnny Rancid."
The name was said with so much malice and hate that if Red hadn't believed Robin was too noble he would have thought that Robin had the intention of killing him. But wait, didn't he see Johnny earlier? He wasn't that far from Robin at the time, and it couldn't have been long after whatever had happened. Yet something else bothered him. "I saw him not far from where I saw you. Did that incident benefit Rancid in anyway, since he too happy for him to be normal."
Robin inwardly flinched. Red X couldn't have been closer to the truth and yet so far from it at the same time. Robin sighed and sat of the wall of the roof facing Red X, leaning backwards so his back hit the railing. A growl worked its way into his voice as he answered. "I bet the bastard was happy. He got what he wanted." Robin was surprised that he had swore, but he really thought that this time he had an excuse. But he silently apologized to Alfred anyway.
Red too was surprised, another thing he thought Robin would never do was added to his list. Red was even the more curious yet starting to dread the answer that Robin would give to his next question and found himself sat next to Robin but leaning forward to look at his face. He held so many emotions it was hard to tell what he was feeling. Sorrow, anger and even fear flickered across his face now and again changing as quickly as the winds.
Plucking up the resolve and the new need to help his rival he asked. "What did he get?" Because Red really hoped it was just as simple as a stolen item, even a close possession of Robin's. And not what was lingering at the back of his mind. Telling him all the signs were correct and that Robin wouldn't get this upset over something as trivial as objects.
Robin looked at Red and saw that his posture only showed friendliness and a want to understand and help. It was strange to see him so relaxed while Robin felt so tense and upset that he was near to shaking. He didn't know how to answer Red's question without putting it bluntly and maybe Robin shouldn't be doing this. He should be with his friends and telling them, not Red. Yet he and Red had some strange connection that was brought about not just by fighting side by side, but by a deeper understanding that lingered in the pit of his stomach and travelled up to his beating heart. Robin could only put his head in his hands in shame and humility.
The worry that had been eating away at his brain had suddenly flared up again and not only was it accompanied with concern but anger, but not at Robin but a certain bike riding rock-punk that if his suspicions were proven correct would be in an never ending world of pain. "Kid. What. Did. He. Do?"
The question was told with such authority that Robin could not help but answer. However his voice was raw and when he answered he sounded small and scared. "He raped me."
The bluntness and traumatic answer first shocked X into silence. He saw Robin and yet could never comprehend what he had been through, the surprise at Robin for acting the way he had had vanished. Swept away by a raw burning hatred for Rancid and anger so strong that he forgot to breath. A light touch on his arm tore him from his thoughts of revenge, and he looked up to see a green gloved hand resting softly on his arm, and the face of the owner looked so confused that the anger subsided. Red knowing that anger was not what Robin needed right now. Yet Red X, who had never been in this situation before, didn't really know what Robin needed.
"Red?"
"Sorry, kid. I'm really am."
Robin looked away. "There's no need for you to feel remorse. It's my own fault, if I hadn't been so stupid I…"
"No!" Red couldn't take Robin apologizing, what that freak did…. He couldn't even put it into words. "You listen to me. It wasn't your fault, never was never will be. Do you understand?"
Robin couldn't believe this. Red X was here helping him, not being selfish, not being arrogant and not mocking him. It was kindness Robin didn't deserve; he didn't understand why X wasn't running, why he was still here when Robin was disgusting, dirty and… "I don't understand X." Robin turned to look at the confused face of his once rival. "Why are you here helping me? Help that I don't deserve."
And Red didn't really know the answer to that. Because Red X is a thief, someone who takes things from other people, not giving them things, especially his kindness and concern. Which recently was only saved for himself. Yet here he was, listening to Robin, helping him and now he has to explain why, when he can't, not even to himself. However, he was very sure on one thing.
"You do deserve it kid. Don't ever think you don't. And those friends of yours would say the same. You're not any different from last month, last week or even an hour ago. Don't let what he did too you ruin your life because I know you're stronger than that. You do deserve better, and that's a compliment coming from me."
Robin couldn't help but smile, a small grin played across his lips and that warmth he felt when ever he was in the other teenagers presence returned. It was comforting to think that Red really did care, but mentioning his friends only brought back the realisation that he would have to explain why he was out for so long. When he should have been back an hour ago.
"Red X I…." Whatever he was going to say was interrupted by his communicator going off, it's loud beep cutting off his words like a knife and with it the connection between himself and Red X. For the time being.
Annoyed Robin turned it off but got up anyway to leave. He knew his friends were looking for him, and it would only be a matter of time until they found him, even though he was not looking forward to it.
"I suppose you better go. That bubbling alien will most likely pop her head into our business if you don't leave now." Red was disappointed that he had to go. He knew Robin wasn't anywhere near alright and that he wasn't going to tell any of his friends what had happened. But the conversation they had was better than nothing, and it felt strange to have saved Robin for once, for him to be the hero.
Robin nodded, but then said. "Thank you." Smiled warmly, then jumped of the side of the building, flipped once and caught a fire escape. He pressed a button on his belt that would summon his bike and as he waited he glanced back up at the roof, but Red X was gone.
Red was currently sweeping through the city on his way to find a certain bike riding rock punk. I will find you Rancid and when I do I'll have you wishing that you never met Robin.
However, unknown to Red a shadow was following him, the owner whose face was only recognisable by a black and orange mask.
Meh, was a good place to stop.
Please don't flame me, but reviews are welcome.
And yes, that was Slade. Nothing happens to his little bird without him knowing. We'll see his reaction in the next chapter.