Robin made a lot of mistakes. Really, it was natural in his position; mistakes are a lot more common when you're the one making all the team decisions that don't revolve around meat vs tofu. Every now and then, even the best slip, make a small error in judgement, and sometimes it costs them. This one was costing him a lot.
He still wasn't sure why he agreed to buy Beast Boy a camera, but it was proving a terrible choice. The camera was a handheld digital one, custom-made to be as green as the changeling's skin, and Robin was fairly certain it hadn't been turned off once in the week it had been in the Tower. There was one close call when Beast Boy tried to film Raven making her tea and got a tad too close, but no dice.
Thankfully, Beast Boy was quickly learning who liked the camera and who didn't. Raven made her stance clear with the destruction in the kitchen; Robin made his with a very firm glare through his mask. Cyborg seemed pretty indifferent, not always up for the whole song and dance but generally willing to give a thumbs up and a "booyah" if he caught the grass stain filming. Starfire, of course, was fascinated with and delighted by the whole concept, and flew into almost every shot he took with a beaming grin.
The most surprising thing was Terra. She was very hesitant around it, ducking out of frame as subtly as possible and refusing to look at the footage afterwards if she couldn't. For someone who was usually pretty confident, it was weird, but most of the team was willing to accept it. Unfortunately, the only exception was the guy holding the actual camera.
"Aww, c'mon Terra, just for a minute? A second?"
"I said no, Beast Boy," she sighed, squishing her spoon through her cereal rather half-heartedly.
Having already wolfed his own breakfast, Beast Boy was perched on the counter, filming the blonde from behind without her knowing. "But I can't do a Q and A on my own!"
"Why are you doing a… Q and A… anyway?" Raven droned, with a roll of her eyes. She was making her tea, carefully positioned out of shot.
"I've been uploading some stuff on YouTube – I made a channel for the team – and people love it! I asked the fans for questions, you know, to get 'em more involved." He smirked. "I know what the crowd wants."
"You've been posting videos from inside the Tower?" Nobody had noticed Robin's entrance, nor Starfire hovering at his side, but the look on his face was impossible to ignore. "Are you serious, Beast Boy? What's in them? You could be compromising team secrets."
Terra cleared her throat awkwardly, scraping her chair back as she stood. "I-I'm gonna go… tidy my room."
Beast Boy frowned. "But you haven't finished your cereal."
"Are you okay, friend?" called Starfire, leaning over Robin's shoulder for a better look.
"Is there even anything in your room to tidy?" Raven asked, a little coldly.
The blonde was already shuffling out, mumbling an "I'm not hungry" as she left. The doors closed behind her with a particularly loud swish. Beast Boy clicked the camera off, not really feeling in the mood for filming anymore. When the doors opened again, four heads whipped around, but only a confused Cyborg entered.
"Yo, anyone know what's up with Terra? Girl raced past me like an Olympian."
Lowering herself to the floor, no longer feeling like floating with the tension in the air, Starfire said quietly, "Beast Boy's camera seems to have upset her."
"Oh." Cyborg folded his arms over his chest. "Still on that, grass stain?"
"I like filming stuff!" Beast Boy protested, though he wilted soon after. "Maybe I should go apologise to her, though."
Gently clapping him on the shoulder, Robin nodded wordlessly. Slotting the camera into his pocket, the little green boy hopped down from the counter top and walked to the door like he was being led to the slaughter. Terra had said she was going to her room, so that would the logical place to check, but he was fairly sure that had been a lie. When he found her on the rocks by the sea, knees tucked under her chin and her hair draped over her face, he knew his instinct had been correct.
She jumped when he sat beside her, then slouched back again when she realised. "Oh, it's you. Hey."
"Hey," he repeated, not really sure what to say. "You okay?"
She sighed. "Yeah. Just… not a big fan of cameras."
He inched closer, desperately trying to silence the scraping of his shoes on the stone. "How come?"
To his immense relief, she also shifted towards him, a few strands of blonde catching on the sleeve of his uniform. He bit his lip to make himself concentrate, because now she was starting to speak again, "I don't really know. Maybe it's because any time I've been filmed before, it's gone badly." Sensing his next question, she added, "People film it when my powers act up, and then I'd see it all over the news the next day, watch the damage happen all over again. Watch myself lose control like an amateur." She paused, as if weighing these words carefully, trying to choose the right ones. "And last time somebody filmed me, it was Slade, hoping to use that chaos for his own good."
She looked like she might continue, but when she didn't, Beast Boy took the chance to interject, "But we're filming happy stuff, everyone having fun. It's different."
"It doesn't feel different," she murmured. "I still feel like it's evidence and I'm on trial."
"Well, that's not why I'm filming it, if that helps," he mumbled lamely.
Brushing her hair back, she asked, "Why are you filming?"
"To remember," he answered immediately. "I like looking back on good times and having an actual recording of how it was, how people were. I… I've lost a lot of people, over the years, and… I guess I just wanna make sure I remember how good you guys are, in case I lose any of you."
Something changed in her eyes, but she had looked away before he could figure out what. "You won't lose anyone," she said, though her tone was hesitant, like she didn't really believe it either.
He shrugged. "I might. Our job is dangerous. Hopefully it won't come to it, but if it does… I don't want to forget."
She nodded solemnly. "That makes sense…" A long silence, followed by a tentative, "Did you say you were posting these online?"
"Yeah, on the Titans Youtube channel. Not everything, just the funny bits, that don't risk any information."
"So anyone can see them?"
"Yep."
Terra hummed thoughtfully. They fell into a peaceful silence again, listening to the waves lapping at the rocks, and he assumed the conversation was over for now. He would apologise soon, then try and keep the camera off her from now on, and everything would be okay. And then she spoke.
"Do you…" She cleared her throat. "Do you still want help with that… that U and A thing?"
"Q and A," he corrected with a chuckle, "and heck yeah I do!"
He leapt to his feet and offered her a hand. After a second of hesitation, she took it, and he pulled her up. He didn't let go until they reached the Tower doors, their linked hands dangling by the bulge of the camera in his pocket.
So, I'm hoping to do either a second chapter or a part two to this, of them actually filming the video – if people are interested. And if you are interested, as well as letting me know, feel free to offer any question suggestions, because I'm a little lacking in ideas for that bit… just a little. Thank you :)