Titans Under the Mistletoe
A Teen Titans Fan Fiction by Jacob McDonald
Opening Notes - It took me forever to write this. Don't know if I'm happy with it either. No idea why it was so hard for me. The rest of these should have a Christmas song theme to them.
I'll Be Home for Christmas
The rooftops of Jump City looked nothing like those of Gotham. They were large and flat, open and rarely had access for the general public. The sky scrapers reached high into the bright California sky, no shadows marring their surfaces.
Still, there was one building near the heart of downtown that had been built by an architect with a flair for the dramatic and a penchant for the old-school designs on the East Coast. The Duram Building was slate gray, rose in tiers rather than straight gleaming glass fronts, and positively bristled with gargoyles and graduated steeps to sharp ledges.
It was on the west most precipice, facing the bay that a certain masked super-teen crouched, staring at his own hand. The green glove flexed out, then balled into a fist, then flexed again, repeating endlessly. The stare behind the mask was blank and Robin seemed barely aware of his surroundings, even though he was perched some fifty stories off the ground.
The wind whispered by, blowing his hair in his eyes and making him reach up a hand on instinct to shove it back to its spiked position. Robin glared through his own flexing and fisting hand and muttered, "Damnit, Bruce. Why this year?"
"Should I be worried that you're talking to yourself?" droned a monotone voice from behind him.
To his credit, Robin didn't fall from the ledge he was on, but he did jerk and whirl about rather quickly, "Raven!" he gasped, "For the love of God, don't sneak up on me like that."
Raven arched an eyebrow from under her hood, "Even with the nature of my powers lending me to the shadows, I usually can't sneak up on you." She gave him a questioning look, "Off your game today?"
He sighed and settled back into a crouch, shaking his head and quirking a half smile. He'd known Raven long enough to know when she was trying to be funny, "Nah. I'm just… thinking."
"You usually do that fairly well while on your feet," Raven floated over and hovered nearby so they could talk over the sound of the wind a little easier, "What has you so distracted?"
"Oh, nothing important. Batman wants me to come home this Christmas. Says I haven't been by in years."
A ghost of a smile pulled at Raven's lips, "You haven't been home in years. He's right."
"I went back in 2007," Robin replied, then thought about it, "Uh… I guess that was like, four years ago, huh?"
"Yes." Raven chuckled this time, "If it helps any, you have a right to claim distraction. We've saved the world a few times since then and that's usually a fairly time consuming venture."
"I guess…" Robin stared off at Titans Tower, just starting to illuminate the bay as the sun sunk into the sea behind it, "I guess Gotham just doesn't feel like home anymore. My friends are here, and even though Bruce will always be like a father to me… you guys are my family more than anyone else."
"Hmm." Raven nodded, "Do you miss anything about Gotham?"
Robin patted his perch and grinned, "They have the best gargoyles in Gotham. You can really get some constructive brooding done there."
Raven snorted out a brief laugh, "Do you miss the manor? The butler? What's his name?"
"Alfred," Robin nodded, "Of course. I miss Bruce too for that matter, and I miss thumping some of the Gotham baddies… but Jump is home now. I've put down roots here."
"Of course," Raven floated away a little, "Your girlfriend is here."
"Starfire and I really aren't…" he trailed off as he glanced at Raven and saw her smile, "Okay, yeah. What has you in such a good mood anyway? E-mail from Speedy again?"
Raven rolled her eyes, "I'm just happy to see you thinking about going back to Gotham this year. You need the vacation."
"Right. Like Batman will let Robin just lay around the house all day and night. I'll be working twice as hard there than if I stay home!"
"But you'll love it," Raven nodded and floated away a little more, "I have some reading to get done tonight… I'll see you back at the Tower later."
Robin nodded, and watched her leave for a moment. He called after her before she was too far away, "Hey! Raven!"
She turned back and looked at him, "Yes?" she called back.
"Are you saying I'd love it because that's what I'm feeling, or because that's what you think I would be feeling?"
"You already know the answer to that, Robin," She started to fade into a black miasma as her voice wafted to him on the breeze, "just search your heart."
As she vanished from sight, Robin sighed and settled back down on his ledge. It might not have been a Gotham gargoyle, but it would have to do for his brooding for now.
Later that night found Robin sitting at the work bench in his room, the gadget he'd been tinkering with long forgotten. He stared across his work space at a poster on the wall for the Flying Graysons and sighed. Shaking his head he leaned back in his chair to stretch and looked straight up at the ceiling.
He found himself staring into a set of bright emerald green eyes that blinked down at him.
"Graa!" Robin shouted as he fell out of his chair.
Starfire floated away a little, concern written on her face, "Robin! What is the matter?"
Robin, seated on the floor now and breathing hard while he stared up at her, quickly regained his composure and stood up, "Uh... nothing! I'm fine! I just... what is it with all of you sneaking up on me today? Didn't you knock?"
Star blinked at him again, "Yes, I did," she replied and held up several fingers, "four times."
Robin stared back at her, "Oh," he stuttered for a second then sighed, "Guess I was just really distracted. Sorry for freaking out."
Starfire covered her mouth with one hand to hide her smile, "I am not offended."
"What can I do for you?" Robin asked as he walked over to his bed and sat down. Long used to talking with her closest friend in this manner, Starfire floated over and sat prettily next to him.
"You have been ensconced here in your chambers for many hours," Star replied, "When you did not emerge for the supper that friend Cyborg had made, I grew concerned."
"Oh man," Robin shook his head, "it's rib night isn't it? I must have been really distracted..."
Star grinned again and patted his shoulder, "We left you a plate in the wave of micros," her grin faded to a kind smile as she scooted a bit closer to him, "Please Robin... tell me of what troubles you that I might lend you the helping hand."
Robin almost laughed, "Nothing really important I guess. Batman wants me to come back to Gotham City this year for Christmas."
Star nodded, "The Kriss-mas is in only one earth month. You should make your decision soon."
"Yeah, I know... it's just... you guys out here are my family, Kori. I don't want to be away during the holidays... especially not from you."
Starfire blushed at his use of her given name, "Oh Richard..." she muttered and reached up, pulling off his mask. Setting it aside, she leaned into him and let their lips meet for several seconds, "Do not feel that you should avoid your foster father and friends in Gotham just for me. I will always be here waiting when you return."
Robin smiled as he held her close to him. A thought suddenly occurred to him, "Why don't you come with me this year?"
Star blinked and sat up away from him, "Truly? You wish to..." she struggled with the words for a moment.
Robin helped fill in the missing vocabulary, "Bring you home to meet my folks. Or at least Bruce anyway. Alfred will love you."
"But Bruce will not?" Star looked confused.
"No!" Robin laughed, "He just reserves judgment until he's met someone. Alfred would love any girl I brought home... he'd just be happy there was someone keeping me in line."
Star grinned, "Well, I am most certainly adept at that."
Robin nodded, "Alright then. I'll let Cy know we'll both be gone for a week over Christmas. Maybe over a nice big plate of ribs."
Star grinned in a wicked way, "Yes, you should do that. After I've kept you in line for a little while..." and she pushed him back on the bed, crawling up next to him and kissing his neck.
Grinning as he wrapped his arms around her, Robin muttered, "Any time, Kori... any time."
Closing Notes - Why did I rate this 'M?' Oh yeah, some of the content in the next few stories will be a little dicey. Just playing it safe.