A/N: So I freaking LOVE Gray. I have no idea why when he's Robin. Actually, maybe it's because he's the Robin of how he would act (at least in my mind) if he were to date Raven. In my opinion he acts too reserved and too closed up when he's with Starfire.
Anyhow, I don't own Teen Titans, sadly not even Raven and Robin. This is my story, but not my property!
Special Thanks to Smiles-X-Giggles as my Editor! I love her, and you guys should thank her for all the corrections she's done for this!
Off you go then!
With a heavy heart, Gray settled himself on the floor with one of Raven's books on meditation on his lap. Raven hadn't said a word to him for days now. With Robin glaring at him whenever he saw his counterpart even move while in the same room as Raven was bad enough. Cyborg had edged a bit and held a discussion with Gray every once in awhile while Starfire and Beast Boy were warming up to him by playing a round of videogames or two. They didn't ask why he never went home, but he was sure they were curious. Cyborg probably didn't ask out of respect for Raven.
Sighing, he closed the book that he wasn't really reading. A sharp pain tore through his muscles and he almost fell over. Blinking rapidly, Gray sat up straight and frowned. What the hell was Robin doing now? His head flung forward by an invisible force and he winced. The training device had a good punch from behind. He rubbed the back of his head where no bump was found, but the pain was still very real. Someone had lost his focus. "Damn, Robin, maybe this is a sign that I'm bothering you a bit too much?" he clucked, "Hurry up and see me, you idiot."
It was a simple solution, but hard to get accomplished. Oh, Gray was very much used to the ignoring-he-existed charade. Hell, he was suffocated by millions of reasons why he shouldn't exist. But Robin needed to understand. No matter how much he rejected this part of himself, he still existed. Gray flexed his fingertips, still feeling strange that he now owned a body and was no longer just an emotion. He could be as proactive as he wanted, and had already kissed Raven several times.
Still, he felt… unfinished.
"Gray." Raven silently levitated into the room. She looked away from his unmasked eyes with her arms folded behind her. "We need to talk."
Gray instinctively greeted her with his mind first and let a smile light up his face. "Great, I really wanted to talk to you. I was worried that you hated me now with all this trouble I've caused. "
"I don't-" she hesitated and folded herself into a lotus position on the floor in front of him. She debated for a few minutes before looking back up at him. Those were the longest 2 minutes of his short life. "You are Robin. I can't hate you." She said quietly. She took a deep breath. "You've protected me all these years. You wouldn't be able to without caring."
"Raven," Gray wanted to reach out to take her hand, but hesitated. Just being willing to wait for whenever she was ready was the best way to care for her. "It's not just caring about your safety. I care about your heart. You are special to me and I-"
She held up a hand. "I don't want to hear-"
"You have to know, Raven." Gray pressed forward. "I know you more than anyone. You think you don't deserve how I feel about you, but if I have to, I'll tell you. Every day, I'll tell you why I care for you and prove it to you in any way you can imagine."
"…Like Starfire?"
Gray recoiled, bit his lip and broke eye contact. He hunched over and rested his hands on his knees. "I'm sorry, Raven." His voice was tinted with regret. "I was not strong enough to overcome those feelings for her. Like you said, you never knew I existed. I was hidden and rejected. But…" he bowed his head. She noticed the deep pain in his eyes. "I'm still here, regardless. I am real, and I'm still right in front of you."
He looked up and something flickered in her dull eyes. "I don't blame you. Starfire is very pretty."
"Raven you are beautiful." He grasped her hand. "Don't take it from me, but you have to know that you are. Love is not always easy. People love many people in their lifetime but there is always that one person that you always turn to. No matter what happens, no matter how hard you try to hide it-" he swallowed. "There's a love that will endure and cannot be replaced no matter how many times we try to forget."
Her hands were cold beneath his, but she didn't draw away. With his other hand, Gray brushed her cheek with a finger. "You understand that, don't you?"
She pushed him away lightly and stood up. "Tell me how you got here."
Gray sighed and handed her the books he was reading. "I guess we can stop for now." He mumbled, and then stood up as well. "Honestly, I'm not sure."
Raven frowned and moved to a bookcase. "I was experimenting with incantations. They might have morphed when I pushed them outwards at Robin." She picked up another book and stepped back. Her eyebrows furrowed and she absentmindedly flipped pages.
Gray felt the need to go into the detective mode that Robin was known for. He tapped his chin. There had been darkness he was used to, then light. Raven had been in pain and had called out to him. So he responded; it was just that simple. He wanted to protect her from anything and everything. He only had acted on Robin's impulse to be with her beyond her sealed doors while actively acting on his own free born desire."I was under a lot of pressure. Then, I suddenly felt free. What were you trying to do exactly?"
"I-" Raven faltered. "I was trying to get rid of something." She whispered.
"Sort of backfired instead, huh?" Gray asked lightly.
"You are just an emotion, but not even my own can take form out of Nevermore."
"Shows how strong I am." Gray shot her a look, and attempted to hide his uncalled for pride.
"Do you feel anything when you're with Robin?" she quipped.
Gray's lips tightened. Of course he did, he felt his frustrations, his thoughts, and the inner conflict. He even tasted coffee when he wasn't drinking any and still felt the nightmares of Slade run through his sleep. But Robin was a man of strategy, taking every advantage. And Gray was going to use every advantage that he had over Robin to give him a disturbing wake up call. Gray smirked and laid his hands on his hips. "It's the same crap as before, really."
Raven lifted her eyes with an eyebrow raised. "What do you-"
The alarm for the city shrilly rang in the Tower, drowning her question. Raven's muscles tensed with the sound. With a flick of her wrist, she created a black disc as transportation. She yanked Gray with her as she opened a portal. He naturally slipped his arms around her thin waist. The smallest blush erupted on her cheeks but she pushed it away. This was not the time to feel pleasurable of his touch. He caught her stare and winked. She huffed cutely and sighed. Yep, he was still a mystery to her, no matter what he said.
But, his feelings were genuine. She had to accept that much. If only it was that easy.
"Why is he here again?" Robin snapped.
"Oh?" Gray snickered. "Would you like me and Raven to eat elsewhere, away from your supervision?"
Robin bit down on his pizza crust with a frown and didn't bother to reply. Cyborg, Beast Boy and Starfire munched on pepperoni pizza, trying to ignore the tense atmosphere. Robin tore into his pizza with gusto; smashing thousands of moths was not enough to vent his overwhelming anger. Gray snorted and turned to Raven who was beside him. "You aren't hurt, right?" he ran a hand through her hair and grinned.
Robin wished she would smack him but she only shifted away slightly and shook her head. God, nothing was helping his mood today. "Stop touching her like that." He snarled.
"Again, you aren't her boyfriend." Gray chided. He came to a certain realization and raised an eyebrow. "You're just the brother, right? Like Cyborg here." He pointed. "Even he's not as much of an ass as you are."
Robin looked at Raven for support, but she only nibbled on the end of her pizza. He stared hard until she finally looked up. "Gray isn't a bad person. He is not a criminal and he's… just very arrogant." She said dryly. His heart sank as the smallest of smiles appeared on her lips. "He intends the best for me."
"I just like pissing you off, Boy Blunder." Gray flicked an empty straw paper at Robin's face. "Because you are an idiot."
"Gray." Raven touched his elbow. "Enough."
Gray retreated and touched her cheek instead. Robin sneered and rapped his fingers across the table. Starfire's hand reached out to calm him. "Sh- shall we go to the mall of shopping instead Boyfriend Robin?" she asked quietly.
"Yeah." He shoved his chair back. Cyborg watched amazed as Raven held no flicker of pain while Robin and Starfire walked away. Gray stole Raven's sweet tea instead, grinning like a lovesick idiot. His crystal blue eyes only held for hers alone and his touches were light, cautious and careful. Even if Cyborg didn't want to admit it, Gray might be good for her. Still, the likeliness with Robin irked him some.
They wiped through the systems twice, just to make sure, but Gray was nowhere to be found. Cyborg didn't want to believe it, but was this one of Raven's summons? Was she getting tricked again like what Malchior did to her? But. He couldn't help but smile when Raven lightly hit Gray's shoulder with her eyes glowing. Gray leaned in close to her ear and said something quietly. She smacked him hard that time with a frustrated look.
Then there was Robin who was causing enough problems as it was. Being protective and suspicious was understandable, but being jealous was not. Cyborg sighed and called for the tab. "Dude, so are you two actually dating or what?" Beast Boy spoke up.
Raven flinched, fear filling her eyes. "That-"
Gray's warm hand patted the top of Raven's head. "One thing at a time."
"Eh? But we saw you guys kissing. You know when the sprinklers turned on." Beast Boy squeaked as Raven kicked him under the table. "OW!"
"BB just drop it." Cyborg pointed a finger at Gray. "You hurt her, I'll kill you."
Gray's eyes widened. "I'll hold you to that then. I'd deserve it at that point." He replied honestly. "So what do you guys want to do?"
"You've been wearing those sweatpants and wife beater this entire time, don't you have any other clothes?" Beast Boy rubbed his aching shin.
"Says the Titans who wear the same thing every single day." He countered. "Excluding Cyborg of course." He added.
"Maybe I should get you some clothes." Raven said thoughtfully.
"Don't you have a home so we can drive you there to grab some clothes?" Cyborg asked, carefully watching Gray for a reaction.
Gray shrugged. "Why would I need to do that if my favorite girl in the entire world is offering to buy me clothes? It's not any trouble, is it Rae? I know you don't like the mall. Would you survive?" he joked.
"Wait, have you been standing naked when you wash your clothes?" Beast Boy's eyes grew into saucers. "DUDE, aren't you cold like that?"
Unbidden, Raven's mind flicked through the image of a naked Gray. Gray chuckled and threw his chest out. "I'm not ashamed of my body one bit." He forced himself not to look at Raven. "I only need the approval of one girl, everyone else can just keep their opinions to themselves. How about you?" he raised an eyebrow.
Beast Boy wagged his head to clear it. "My body is just fine, thanks."
"Heh." Gray ran his fingers through the un-gelled black bangs sweeping over his eyes. "Good to know."
"E-Excuse me." The waitress came back with the check. She was a petite blond with a flirty smile. "Would you be related to Robin by any chance? You look just like him." She giggled and batted her eyelids, making Raven narrow her eyes at her. The girl hardly noticed. "You look way more natural though like a non hero version of him. Do you live around here?"
Gray casually placed an arm around Raven's shoulders. "Sorry, not related to Robin. And I have someone else in my sights already."
The girl looked at Jump's infamous Titan Goth and derision registered on her face. "Right…" she said slowly.
"Have you met Beast Boy?" Gray extended a hand to the green teen. "Now there's a looker and a fighter. He beat me up last week during training."
Beast Boy blinked rapidly. "Wait, but that was-"
"He's a tough cookie, and very loyal." Gray interrupted. "Give him your number and you won't regret it."
"Hm." Beast Boy clammed up, as the girl looked him up and down. "Well you are kind of cute." He visibly swallowed and his cheeks turned red.
"Right?" Gray prodded while Cyborg tried to keep a straight face. "Since you're done with your shift, you and he should go on a date tonight, while the city is safe. And he'll protect you if something does come after you."
She smiled and winked at Beast Boy whose face was going redder by the minute. "I'll be right back, Beast Boy." She handed Cyborg his change and sashayed back into the restaurant. Once the door shut behind her, Beast Boy reached over the table to shake Gray.
"Dude, what did you just do?" he asked, his voice a pitch higher in panic.
"Got you a date." Gray said simply. "She's your type since you are masochistic."
"WHAT?" Beast Boy shouted in Gray's face. "I'M NOT-"
"Time to leave before she gets back." Cyborg stood up and grabbed Raven and Gray by the shoulder. "Have fun BB, don't screw it up bro." he laughed.
Gray and Cyborg dragged Raven away form the pizza place with Beast Boy at a loss. "Haha." Gray high fived Cyborg as they turned into the street. "Want me to get you a date for tonight as well Cy?"
Raven walked between them, and Cyborg waved his hand. "No, I have to watch you guys."
"Alright." Gray conceded easily and looked down at Raven. "Something on your mind?"
"How did you know she was off work?" Raven asked carefully. "Were you watching her the entire time?"
Gray touched her hand to calm the jealousy he knew was kindling inside her. "She was taking too long with our order. On a Friday night like this that place usually has seven waiters at a time. There were eight waiters including her. You'd think she noticed how I acted around you, but girls are stubborn like that." He stopped.
"They think they see things that aren't there and refuse to see what's really there." Cyborg finished. They exchanged glances. 'How much did Cyborg actually know?' Gray wondered.
"Besides, I had to lessen my competition." Gray said in a lighter tone.
"Who?" Raven let her fingers grasp his pinky, just relishing in the warmth. She did this instinctively and let go a few seconds later. Gray smoothly slipped his hand in his pocket instead. She looked away to the asphalt, but Gray leaned forward and gave a warm smile.
Cyborg whistled. "You are quite the perceptive one, aren't you?"
"I could say the same to you." Gray looked up at Cyborg.
"Cyborg what's going on?" Raven's eyebrow was quirked in irritation.
"Nothing Dark girl." Cyborg ruffled her hair with his hand. "Everything is fine for now." He never tore his eyes from Gray's. "At this point in time now works for me." He gave an uneasy smile; he could at least trust the guy a little. He watched Gray tug on Raven's cloak with a grin and a laugh. Cyborg sighed, happy for a guy who wasn't scared for her. He just hoped he wouldn't regret trusting Gray.
Maybe for once, Raven could be happy.
A/N: I'm so sorry for the wait you guys! I don't know if the readers care about real life problems, but I had one. It's not an excuse really, but just an update.
The first time in 3 ½ years I am now single. I was dumped the day before Valentine Day, so I have been a bit out of it. Honest, I'm doing very well now
But yo, I'm still a teenager. Stuff happens sometimes.
Anyways, be excited for the next chapter ;). Gray and I are going to exploit Robin and sort of screw him over… Stay tuned!
Review please!