First Date

...

"Daddy, what did you and mommy do when you were dating?"

Richard paused. He had been reaching for his daughter's bedside lamp, ready to plunge the room into darkness and send her happily on her way into a dreamscape. Realizing he had forgotten the traditional bedtime story, he sat on the bed with his daughter, gently rustling the sheets.

"Normal things," he began to answer, "Um, we tried roller skating one time. And whenever the circus came around, we'd go to the shows and rides; I'd win her some prizes. There's all sorts of things that we'd do together-"

"But what about your very very very veeeery firsth date!" she asked, her eyes lighting with excitement and her ever-so-slight lisp returning.

Pensive for a moment, Richard considered what his daughter was asking. It had been a long road to their first official date as a couple, filled often with detours and supposed shortcuts that almost made them turn completely away from each other. But he knew, after thinking on more than just the moments after they had started dating, that there had been too much built into their relationship in the years before. Raven had that affect on people.

"Your mom isn't going to agree with me," he smirked finally. "But what I considered our first date was definitely something I nearly ruined..."

...

"C'mon, Rae! You'll love this theater! It's still kinda knew, so the floor isn't sticky like at that other place downtown. And the popcorn is practically still in the kernel! Never ever those stale pieces of crap that they give you at that other place.. what was it-"

"Cinema 12? The Eastside Forum? Either way, I'm not too fond of picking out popcorn kernels in between trying to make sure you're not spilling our drinks, and actually watching the film," she countered smoothly. "But it looks like there might not be much of a film to watch," Raven continued on, gesturing to the theater entrance before us.

"No no.. nononono," I whispered, looking at the dreadful marque in horror.

'Closed For Repairs,' it read.

"But- but they're supposed to be open all week! We were going to beat the crowds that crawl all over this place on the weekends! They have to be open! No!"

I ran up to the doors and tugged uselessly on the handle. Raven watched with amusement behind her eyes as I struggled with the mere fact that a theater had closed it's doors on it's patrons. I was so convinced that if we'd stayed in uniform, if I could just say the right words to get us into that movie she'd mentioned...

Next I remember sitting on the curb, still trying to understand how a cinema that was still so new would ever need repairs. We'd both asked around, but none of the civilians, and certainly none that were working in shops nearby, had any clue to the theater's mysterious shut-down. Raven tried to act determined, like it was a small investigation that could turn up with clues at any time. But as she strolled up to me after questioning her last civilian, I knew I'd ruined any chance we'd have of a quiet afternoon at the movies.

"Nice work, Boy Blunder," she patronized, trying to add a bit of softness to her voice as she quickly added, "Look.. next time, I decide what we're doing."

She began walking away as I hung my head in shame, wishing the sidewalk would open up and swallow me whole, when her voice called out to me again.

...

"Richard, you're not seriously leading our daughter believe that that particular movie was our first date," Raven called as she entered the room.

Sitting on the other side of mattress, she had a playful glare on her face as she reprimanded her husband. "That was your poor way of making up that incident with the Amazing Mumbo. And besides" -she waved her hand dismissively as he opened his mouth to protest- "we were in uniform, and our first date was undercover, remember? Long after Tokyo..."

"Heh, if you mean that time.. very past Tokyo...?"

"Mommy, what was your real firsth date? Daddy's lying, isn't he?" The little girl between them took to pouting, the brilliant sapphires she inherited from her father turning ice cold as she gave her own glare. She hated when her parents would give round-about answers to her questions, and especially before a bedtime mystery had yet to be solved.

"Yes, your dad's lying, but he's right when he said he nearly ruined our first date..."

...

I popped another kernel into my mouth as we shuffled further in the line, the ushers were taking their time checking every ticket, and scanning for signs of concealed candies. The over-priced soda and popcorn was their only hope for bonuses in the coming weeks, so it didn't come as much of a surprise.

"Are you sure the popcorn's okay? The guy practically drowned the carton in butter," Richard asked as we took another step forward. I simply nodded in response, giving a small smile.

"I'm touched that you care so much for my health," I smirked. The usual banter. But without any teammates to intrude with their own witticisms, it felt as though something was palpable in the air between us, a fear that the conversation would run out, and we'd find ourselves not as interested as we were first deluded into believing.

"You know I've always cared..." There it was. That tone. He was afraid of taking everything too far in stride, so he was cutting off all points of banter. A shame, since most of our early relationship was comprised of nothing but small moments of witty exchanges. Robin knew when to relax and when the battle needed to be the focus; Richard left that behind, and became the mystery itself.

I shifted my weight for a moment, contemplating my next move like a well-rehearsed chess match with Cyborg. Always easy to win, but absolute misery if you didn't drag it out long enough.

"Could've fooled me..." Perfect. I see it in his eyes already. That brief spark of confusion, that moment when he checks and double checks possible hidden meanings and motives. I'm only saying it to get that reaction out of him, and I know he'll see that soon enough. After all, I fell in love with Robin, not Richard. I needed to see that he was still one and the same. That he could still feel free enough to be the same man, all the time.

It was something that had led to his break-up with Starfire, and something that led to him nearly breaking completely away from the Titans. Sure, Robin, and then Nightwing, worked well with our group, but soon he would be operating out of Blüdhaven. He'd have his own city, and the Titans will need to find their own path without him. Richard was ready to move on, even if Nightwing still needed the team.

After that moment of deliberation had passed, he finally gave a smile of his own. "Guess you're a bigger fool than we both thought." Snatching the tub of popcorn and draping his arm around me, he took advantage of my shock.

And this was the most dangerous part of the evening. We had always been open and honest with each other since the beginning, albeit, with a few exceptions. And the start of this relationship had been no different. There were boundaries, and he knew not to cross them until I told him. I knew not to cross them until he gave me the 'go ahead'.

Unexpected contact should have been anticipated, though.

But before I had the chance to dwell on his motives for taking me off guard, we had to pass our tickets to the usher and make our way to the theater. He kept his arm firmly planted on my shoulders, and I was beginning to wonder why I questioned their presence in the first place. It was unexpected, but it also felt nearly comforting. It was the beginning of something new for the both of us.

...

Notes: For tumblr's RobRae Week-Day One: Firsts.
I can't ever get this commercial out of my head, from when Cartoon Network was at it's height and made all those "bumpers" where all the characters from every show lived in one big city together. It was beautiful, and what was great was this one bumper for the Titans. Where Robin & Raven are at the movies...

Next up- Day Two: Time Change.

Until then, happy RobRae Week, and happy reading! :D