If I Left The Zoo
By NotReallyAnything
Beta'd by The Great and Awesome and Magnificent and Fabulouso Flabergastous DYNOMITE
DISCLAIMER: No, I don't own anything Teen Titans, Circus-y, or the title, which is actually the title of a Jars of Clay album. No, there is no real zoo in this story, it's a circus, but I still liked the title. I might actually change it to one of their songs on the album—TEN POINTS TO WHOEVER FIGURES IT OUT AND EMAILS ME IT! (Contest still running, but aparantly I need to up the bar a bit. So…
TEN POINTS AND A SPARKLY CUPCAKE TO WHOEVER SENDS A SUGGESTION FOR A TITLE CHANGE THAT IS RELATED TO THE BAND JARS OF CLAY!!!)
All a/n's have been moved to the bottom of the chapters, including review responses.
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Raven Roth was in a barn.
Raven Roth was in a barn, right next to a tiger.
The tiger Raven Roth was next to wasn't seperated by bars.
Therefore, if you do the math, it is obvious why Raven Roth's pale hand was squeezing Changeling's green one, very, VERY hard.
Changeling looked down and grinned. "We can leave, you know."
"Sure," Raven squeaked, "that'd be great!"
The green teen smiled and detached his hand from hers. Before Raven could blink, he had transformed to a tiger himself.
Raven froze. Her eyes were steadily on both of the tigers as they circled her. She nearly screamed when the green one pushed his head up on her hand, forcing her to pet him. She relaxed quickly, though.
"Well, that's not so bad. But I have a feeling you won't bite my hand off for dinner." She said to him. The green tiger winked and growled softly to the other one.
His fellow tiger flicked her tail at Raven's stomache, and circled around her one last time before coming to a complete stop in front of her.
"Changeling. This isn't funny." Raven hissed at him, all the while waiting for the tiger to pounce. "I live in the city. I've only been to the zoo twice, and even then I was far, far away from any of the animals! This is a tiger! At least let me get used to the parrots or whatever, before you introduce me to the wild animals!"
He transformed back to a human and grinned.
"That's the first time you've said my name, you know. And after spending half an hour touring the grounds, I still don't know yours, Miss Mystery."
"Take me out of this place and I might tell you." She glared at the tiger.
Changeling sighed and took her hand again, leading her out of the barn where the animals quite litterally roamed free.
Raven really didn't like this hand-holding thing. First of all, she didn't like him enough to instantly hold hands with him, and second of all, she hated touchy-feely stuff. So she carefully unlaced her fingers from his, and calmly walked beside him as if nothing had happened.
He gave her a side-glance. "So, your name?"
She looked up at the sky. "Raven."
"Really? Nice name. Has anybody eve-"
"Ever quoted 'The Raven' to me? Said 'nevermore, nevermore!' to me? Yeah. All the time." She snarled, distancing herself and glaring at the ground.
"Actually, I figured that would annoy you. I was gonna ask if anybody had ever told you that in certain light, your hair looks purple?" He innocently grinned at her.
Raven side-glanced him this time. "Really? My mom used to say that all the time. She said I should stay out in the sun to lighten it more."
"You have parents?"
"Yeah."
"Ooh, that wasn't a pleasant tone." He fake-shuddered.
"I'm not talking about it." Another pointed look to the sky.
"You're a runaway. Listen, if you ever want to talk about it, find me."
"Right. I'll be sure to pilot that into my palm."
He chuckled. "Need a pen?"
They stopped when they reached the second-largest tent. "No. What's this? No more animals, right?"
"Nah, I figured you'd want something to eat." He looked surprised. Raven held a puzzled expression on her face until she looked up and saw a big sign over the flaps of the tent.
"Cafeteria. Right. Duh, Raven." She wanted to smack herself, but that would probably make Changeling laugh harder. She wriley watched him throw his head back and let out a hoot. Still grinning, he tilted his head forward and opened his eyes. He quickly lifted an eyebrow at Raven's horrified expression.
"What? What's wrong?" He looked behind him to see what she was staring at.
"Nothing! I mean, everything!" she nearly screeched. "I mean, I had plans…and I'm late."
"I thought me and the boss were the only ones you'd met. He hated you. Who exactly do you have plans with at a strange circus?"
"This guy named Cyborg said he'd help me get a job." Her eyes pleaded with him.
"Oh. Cyborg. Him." Changeling said darkly. Raven tilted her head in question.
"Ooh, that wasn't a pleasant tone." She repeated his earlier words dryly.
He smirked, "so she does have a sense of humor!"
"What's so bad about Cyborg? I liked him." Why exactly did she feel like defending him?
"That hunk of metal owes me twenty bucks." He glared somewhere beyond her left shoulder, and suddenly started grinning. "Speak of the devil! There's the Tin Man himself! Dorothy, your…companion." He gestured behind her.
"Hey there little lady. So I see what kept you late. Change's got a knack for not being on time." Cyborg came next to her and smirked.
A black-haired boy approached the small group. He was wearing sweatpants and a ratty old t-shirt, and was sweating. Through his dark shades Raven got the errie feeling that he was watching her every move, even though he smiled genially at the other boys.
Changeling's face lit up and he introduced Raven to the boy. "Grays, this is Raven. She wants to get a job, but she already pissed off Baldy, so…"
"The chances are very slim. Greeny here also forgot to mention that I'm both an Edgar Allen Poe and runaway cliché." She stuck her hand out. He chuckled and took it. His hands were rough, but strangely nimble. She quickly let go, and she felt as if it was blatently obvious what she'd thought. Or at least that's what his grin suggested.
"Well, I'm Richard Grayson, and it's a pleasure to meet you, Cliché. Now that you've met civilized company, do you want to get something to eat?" He nodded to the tent opening.
"Hey!"
"Not cool, I'm civilized!" The boys cried at the same time.
Richard laughed and Cyborg patted his stomache. "Screw civility. I'm so hungry I could eat a cow."
Before she knew it, Raven was sitting at one of the large middle tables, plates of food surrounding her. They all seemed to consist of either salads or sandwiches. Richard sat across from her, Changeling to her left, and Cyborg to her right. As Cyborg got up for seconds, a musical voice called out to Richard. For the first time since she'd met him he looked flustered, but only for a few seconds. He smiled and hopped up, rushing across the room to a very tall, very beautiful red-headed girl.
Before she could spy any longer a deep voice and hot breath spoke directly into her ear, sending shivers up and down her back.
"I hope 'Greeny' isn't my nickname now?"
She collected her thoughts and tried to tame her blush as she answered him. "Just as long as Richard's nickname for me isn't 'Cliché.'"
"Or 'Poe.'"
She smiled. "Or 'runaway.'"
"Are we still talking about Richard, here?" His hand crept down the bench and found hers. "Please say no."
Oh no. He was getting way too close for comfort. She slid her hand out of his grasp and tried to gracefully lean away from him.
Thankfully Cyborg returned, his plate laden with at least three more sandwiches.
Her eyes widened. "Are you really going to eat all of that?"
"What, Cyborg? He's a food machine." Changeling easily said, apparantly not affected by Raven's rejection.
At Cyborg's playful glare, Changeling added, "No pun intended."
"Sure, man, sure." He shook his head in good humor, and shoveled half a sandwich into his mouth.
"You still owe me twenty bucks. I get to make all the puns I want."
Cyborg stuttered and nearly choked. "Twenty?! I thought I only owed you five! And that was nearly a year ago!"
Changeling tapped his finger to his head. "It's called collecting interest, Bucket of Bolts."
Raven watched the exchange with a smile, finally increasing to a full chuckle when they started to flat-out insult each other.
As they broke into laughter, her smile faded. Where exactly was she going to stay tonight? She still needed a job, and so far she had only met a few people, taken a tour, and ticked off the one person she didn't need to tick off. It was time to get to business.
"Guys, I need a job. As in, now. Before I have to sleep under a bridge."
They immediately sobered up and examined her.
"Done anything with a hammer or screwdriver?" Cyborg asked.
"No."
"What about with animals? Ever worked in a shelter?" Changeling questioned.
"No."
"Can you cook?"
"No."
"Clean?"
"I can learn…I think…"
After about five more questions it was determined that Raven was severely limited to the things she could do.
After five more it was decided that she was pretty much useless to civilization as a whole.
"Wow," Cyborg muttered, "I think this is a tough situation."
Changeling wouldn't give up, though. "What about talents? Can you do anything?"
Raven squirmed and averted her eyes. "No. I'm talentless too."
Changeling stared at her, and Raven fearfully thought he could see right through the lie. So she quickly stood up.
"Well, if I can't do anything, I'd better leave. I'm sure I could find work somewhere, but not here. Thank you both, and I'm sorry for wasting your time." She abruptly turned and strode out of the tent.
Halfway to the entrance, and bird flitted past her. It would've been normal, except the bird was green.
Raven couldn't get rid of the amazement at Changeling…well, changing.
He instantly transformed to his human self and stood directly in her path. His eyes narrowed at her and he talked to her seriously.
"This could work. You aren't leaving to sleep under a bridge or get mugged and raped. If I have to hide you in the stables and sneak you food I will. But you are not getting past me." He smirked and folded his arms across his chest. "After all, you don't know that I can change into dinosaurs."
She looked to the ground and bit her lip. The emotions suddenly and embarrasingly rushed to her eyes in the form of tears. No one had ever…never…
She sighed.
"Why do you want to help me?" She asked, her voice mortifyingly timid and cracking.
He stepped towards her and gathered her in his arms. He tilted her chin up and forced her to look at him.
"Because I really think you could work. And not just the laboring way, either." He smiled.
She hastily stepped away and smiled. "Then teach me to work. The laboring way."
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a/n: Alright, here it is! The second chapter! I've just sent it to my beta, and added the authors note, 'cause the first time I posted it I had just wanted to see if it would post on my computer 'cause it usually doesn't and GUESS WHAT?!?!?
That's right.
THE SECOND NARNIA MOVIE REALLY IS COMING OUT MAY SIXTEENTH!!!
Oh, and IT POSTED IT!!
So…yay for fanfiction not being really stupid!
So yeah. Uhh…any questions, ask away!
And yes, the red-head was Starfire.
Be patient, padawans, be patient.
Feel the force and all that jazz.
NoRA