Nightwing came to a small crawl in the early hours of the morning. He yawned, his eyes swelling to form little tears. The pads of his new suit hadn't quite set in yet, he would have to get used to that. Or hopefully a couple days training in it would knock it's stubborn new-ness off.
The doors whooshed open at Nightwing's arrival. "Coffee…." He muttered sleepily. He really should consider sleeping in a little longer. He blinked his eyes slightly at the sight before him and then stared in open shock. Craven and Cranton sat at the table with a plate of pancakes for each placed before the other, and some kind of steaming mug that smelled like herbs. Cranton eyes glittered with happiness as he ate his syrup-drowned-flapjacks. "Ah…" Nightwing uttered. Craven turned at the sound his eyes narrowed. Once he saw that it was but Nightwing the mistrust in his eyes vanished like smoke. He smiled slightly and swooped his hand like he was about to bow, directed at the kitchen. "There is plenty left if you would like some. Would you like Coffee?", he questioned. "Yes, but I can make it." he said. Craven remained seated, "How do you take it?" Robin looked confused, "Black…" he trailed off. Craven nodded and flicked his wrist, blue-black magic streaming steadily out, like a river. The coffee pot was already ready, invisible hands grabbing it along with a mug. The imperceptible hands poured the dark liquid and floated it right to him. His hands caught the white mug and just stared at the mug and back at him, eyes going back and forth. Didn't Raven tell him that she waited until she was sure that he didn't have any of her powers? "She did, and I do, but I have less control over the empathy than her duplicated powers. You were going to test us anyway, from what I heard." Craven smiled like he hadn't just said something extra-ordinary. "I would get out of the door way before the rest of our party join us here."
That sprung Nightwing into action and he moved swiftly out of the doorway just as Bumblebee and her family piled in. Shatani, still in pajamas, walked over and introduced herself to the new pair. "Thought I smelt pancakes, who made them?" Bumblebee's eastern accent sluggish. " Nightwing made them, we just woke up actually. There's some coffee already made as well," Craven said as if he hadn't slaved over the stove and made each and every pancake. 'He could have done them by magic.' He thought. He glanced at Cranton to see him shaking his head side to side as if he heard him. As if to say, my brother made this pancakes, they wouldn't taste nearly as well if they were magic made.
Then Raven walked into the room.
Both of the boys looked up at her and she at them. She floated next to them and sat down, a little awkwardly. "I never thought you abandoned me for a moment." Craven said as if she had said something. Her head snapped up in shock. "I know you thought I didn't have powers, and I didn't at the time. Im more than happy you married Gar-I mean, Changling, and I don't think you're a bad mother. Because let's face it, Dad wasn't the marrying type." The last part held a bit of a sad chuckle to it, though. He said all this without her once saying a thing.
Raven looked upon her son, disbelief coloring her pictures. But then she hung her head low, long purple locks covering her face. Craven bent down to her level, their eyes mirroring eachothers, at the same level. He took his clawed hand and wiped the tears away with his thumb gently. He closed his eyes and gave a sad smile, the only kind of smile anyone had seen so far, save Cyborg. She nodded as if he said something and composed herself once more. He handed her his mug of herbal tea. She took the offered cup and went on about the morning as if nothing had happened. But she did sit next to them, ate with them, and even ruffled Cranton's hair when she went to go put her plate and cup up, which earned her a giggle from him. They didn't say a word at all but they said more than the entire room, even if it was buzzing from chatter.
Nightwing decided to ask Raven about the what just happened later on, because these pancakes really were good. He couldn't let them go to waste.
Shortly after Raven had left, Craven and Cranton excused themselves so they could get dressed. As Cyborg was doing the dishes, Craven and Cranton came down and sat on the couch. He sat down long ways, stretching long legs out, and Cranton, as if they always did this, settled on his chest. 'And back home they probably did.' Thought Nightwing. Craven pulled a leather clad book, seemingly from thin air.
The cover was on its last threads, and what looked like bullet holes straight through the center. The pages a dirty yellow and thumb worn, a well read book by both, it would seem. 'A lot of things are as they seem with these two,' thought Nightwing.
Craven started mumbling something in a dead language, Nightwing assumed because he certainly had never heard it, would pause, and Cranton would repeat. If Cranton ever made a mistake, Craven would correct him gently, and Cranton would repeat once more, with no errors. Cyborg had finished up and tapped Raven on the shoulder. "Raven, What is he doing?" Raven looked upon Craven in admiration and surprise. "He's teaching Cranton how to speak in Ancient Greek, but their moving to Latin." He read as if they did this every day. The language slipped easily on Craven's tongue, as if it was a common speech. Craven had come down in dark-washed, tight jeans and a tight black shirt with a mock-smiley face on the front. He wore a long pair of black gloves that went all the way up to his elbows with straps like a psycho patient. His brother practically wore the same thing as yesterday, minus the jacket, to show a plain, baggy shirt with red and black sleeves. Then Phoenix, ever the late sleeper, walked in.
And like with Raven, Craven and her locked eyes immediately. Cranton looked up from his teachings and saw the red haired girl too. He smiled nervously, already knowing the connection she had with his brother, knowing now that he too, was now connected. He closed the book gently, knowing his lessons would have to continue later, though he didn't mind, Greek was hard, but Latin came naturally to him. It would be easy to catch up the lost days. He did mind the silence though, just a bit.
"Are you the one who saved me some pancakes?" She asked softly. 'Completely out of character,' her mother thought.
He nodded his head up and down. Yes he did save her some pancakes, but she better hurry or they would get cold soon. And cold pancakes sucked to extreme levels.
"Anything for my little sister." He replied easily. As if he said that every morning. She smiled, all the tension melting from her frame. She walked over to the couch and leaned down to hug him, her emotions too much. He accepted awkwardly, like he did with any other contact other than Cranton. She leaned against the couch and turned towards the toddler.
"So, this is my new baby brother?" she asked. He simply nodded again. Cranton had shifted to a Indian-style sitting and was rubbing the fray of his shirt. He waved hi, his little cheeks pink with embarrassment.
"Hi to you too." She gave a goofy smile, ruffled his hair. the moment was absolutely perfect. Until Phoenix's stomach growled obnoxiously. She blushed, but smiled when her embarrassment got a chuckle out of Craven and a giggle from Cranton.
She sat at the table to eat them but didn't stop smiling.