A/N: Sorry everyone for taking so much time to get this fic up to date. I got obsessed with the other one I was working on and wound up releasing two new chapters and leaving this one to hang.
Well, that's not the case anymore as you'll be reading the next installment and not only that, I'm working on the next few chapters which will be a minor diversion from the main story I've been running with. I realized the last few chapters have been very adventure heavy and I needed to get back to some good ol' RobRae.
Thanks for hanging in there and all your excellent feedback! It makes me happy that you all like this story.
Raven tugged on the hemline of her skirt that rested slightly above her pale knees. It was stupid to be uncomfortable about the length of this piece of clothing since her legs were always on display with her leotard.
Alfred had chosen for her a cute pale white skirt and light blue frock top to go over it. It fit surprisingly well to her figure. The asymmetric cut of her purple hair made it quite an adorable outfit. She looked in the mirror and felt naked without her chakra in the center of her forehead. Bruce had recommended her to remove it so that it was not readily identifiable and she had agreed reluctantly.
'So adorable, nobody would think the dark titan would ever wear it,' Raven thought to herself with a sardonic chuckle.
"The car is waiting for you, Miss Rhodes," Alfred's voice came from the other side of her door. Raven took one glance at her cloak that was tossed on her unmade bed.
"Coming, Alfred," she said as she resisted the urge to take it.
As she stepped out, Alfred handed her a lightweight jacket the accented every part of her color scheme.
"I'm impressed," Raven said as she walked by him towards the front door of Wayne Manor. "This fits very well.
"I was not always a butler," Alfred answered with a twinkle in his eyes. "I've put a lot of work honing my observation skills."
"Pervert," Raven laughed with a bit of heat reaching her face tinging her cheeks red.
"There is a cell phone in your clutch, Miss Rhodes. If you run into any issues you can't handle, do call immediately."
"Of course."
The large doors swung open, and Raven found a red Ferrari waiting there with Richard Grayson in the seat. He leaned open and popped the door handle so that it swung open for her.
"Hey, sweetheart, get in."
She resisted the urge to growl at him and forced herself to remember the identity that Bruce Wayne had created for her. She was Robin's arm candy and bed warmer as far as anyone else was to know. She slid into the seat and pulled the door shut.
"Sorry," Robin said sheepishly. "trying to get into character."
"You're fine," she lied. Half of her was glad he was able to get past the fact they were teammates but dug into her stomach that he never really meant the words he said and was going to say.
'Stop being a twit, Raven,' the dark sorceress scolded herself. 'You have a mission. That's the only reason you're going along with this. Then you can go back to the tower and be in your room like you want to.'
Raven did not have a chance to think anymore about it as her stomach was slammed into the chair when the Ferrari peeled out of the gravel and on to the highway. They flew fast down the empty lane towards the bright, sparkling skyline of Gotham City.
"Where are we headed?" Raven asked as soon as her voice came back to her.
"The port," Robin answered, his eyes on the road. "Everyone is hanging out on the yacht today. It's a good place to socialize and get some news. Maybe here something about this Nocturnus that is out to get me."
"The...yacht? I didn't pack a bathing suit."
Robin motioned to the little bag on the floor emblazoned with the name of a luxurious boutique for women that Raven had only dreamed of going into.
"Alfred picked a few out for you."
"He's a lech, isn't he?" Raven laughed scooping the package up.
Robin just chuckled as the made their way down the freeway into town. Trusting her leader not to kill them, she dumped the pile of clothing with a shocking lack of material on to her lap.
"What the hell? I'm supposed to wear this?"
She held up a bikini bottom and top that Raven was sure would be more useful as an eyepatch and bandanna than to cover her body up. The sorceress glanced to the side to see Robin quickly look back at the road.
"No, Robin," she said stuffing it back into the bag. "You're going to have to save that one for your disgusting imagination."
"I don't know what you're talking about," he lied making a left turn. "Alfred said there were a few types in there."
Raven finally found a red one piece with soft white geometric patterns that she felt would keep her covered in case of a fight. The front was much lower than her uniform, but it was not designed for combat.
The reached the pier, and Robin popped the trunk and handed her a backpack and grabbed one for himself. He locked the car with a remote and made their way towards a vast and sleek boat named Midas' Touch.
"Oh, Azar, even the names are ludicrous," Raven groaned.
"Come on, Miss Rhodes," Robin laughed. "You're supposed to be a rich girl just like us."
"I don't know how, Robin….Richard..." Raven corrected. "I grew up in a monastery that shunned anything that could elicit emotion. I slept on a mat for most of my life."
"Well, you better be ready, cause here we go."
"DICK! DICK GRAYSON!"
The voice boomed out like a sonic boom and for a second Raven thought it was Cyborg. Instead, it was a massive man with blond hair and icy blue eyes built like a quarterback who rushed forward and yanked Robin off his feet sending his backpacking flying. Instinctively Raven reached out with her soul-self and caught it allowing it to fall gently.
'Shit!'
She looked around, and nobody else seemed to see her action. A few more people were approaching.
"Hey there, Ivan," Robin groaned through the bear hug. " I see you're still trying to break my ribs."
"Dude, you're not as skinny as you once were. You're packing some muscle. Playing sports?"
"You can say that."
Robin was dropped to the ground with a thump, and he picked himself up with a chuckle. He brushed off his white polo and shorts before turning to Raven.
"This is miss Rachel Rhodes," Robin introduced. "She's my girlfriend."
"What happened to Tonya?" Ivan asked with a surprise without even looking at her.
'Jerk,' Raven angrily thought. He did not even bother to acknowledge her.
"You know," Robin said with a lazy shrug that almost made Raven want to kill him.
'Oh, Azar. He puts on this act so well. Why did I not see it?'
Robin had become something so different than the hero she knew in Jump City. He was not the man who had caught her when Slade through her off a building to her death. Nor was he the one who hung out with Cyborg, mentored Beast Boy, or patiently taught Starfire.
A woman with a green pixie cut and a lopsided cut midriff tank top rolled up and popped a gum bubble at Raven. For a second, she almost summoned her power to blast the woman across the deck.
Her demon side was going to be hard to control.
"Whose the new pair of tits, Dick?" The woman asked without taking her eyes off of Raven.
"At least I have a pair," Raven bit out before she could stop herself.
Two more people joined in time to hear the exchange and the whole group burst into loud laughter. The bubble gum chewer broke into a big smile.
"Oooh, she's got a tongue on her. I like her." She extended her hand. "The name is Psycho."
"It's Annabeth Mary Evelyn Connor," Robin corrected. "But we amuse her nickname in our little circle."
Raven took the girl's hand and shook it allowing a small smile come to her face.
"Love the hair, Rachel," Psycho said with an appreciative nod. "You remind me of that goth chick in California I've seen pictures of once in a while."
For a second, Raven thought she had been recognized, but Pyscho turned her attention to the others.
"I didn't know we were going to have another person along, Richard dear," a high but prissy voice spoke up.
Raven turned her head to see a gorgeous brunette shimming her way up to them. She wore a tube shirt and short miniskirt while rolling a small carry-on behind her.
"Oh, Natalia," Robin said hesitantly.
The tone change was distinctive, and Raven stepped just slightly closer to him.
"This is...my girlfriend...Rachel."
Natalia looked Raven up and down as if she was on display and then shrugged. "Oh."
She sidled up and took Robin by the arm and led him and the others away leaving Raven standing there by herself. Anger burned in her, and she felt her demon eyes attempting to force their way open, but she quashed it and chanted in her head. These were only spoiled brats who didn't deserve to see the demon that was now in their presence.
The Yacht was launched, and Raven never realized how opulent it was. It was hard to focus on the fact that this Natalia was continually pulling Robin away from her. Raven had wondered if it was a previous girlfriend or someone who thought she deserved Richard Grayson's full attention. It was hard to tell because she could sense Robin was uncomfortable but not enough that he wanted to be rescued and she felt hard to read and cool, a jumble of thoughts and emotions.
"Time to get changed, ladies!" They're final guests called. They were fraternal twin brother and sister Aiden and Ayla and were the most carefree individuals Raven had ever met.
"The sun is too nice to stay dressed. Let's get our swimsuits on!"
The girls and guys took off to their respective changing rooms, and Raven slowly followed dreading the undressing. She piled in where Psycho and Natalia were gabbing away, and they did not bother to look at her.
"Oh my goodness! It's sooo exciting that Dickie's back! I know he's gonna have plans like some of those other times!"
"Would you try to keep your panties on, Nat?" Psycho said stripping off her clothes without hesitation and dawning a simple two-piece bathing suit. "He's got a girlfriend."
"Pfft," Natalia shrugged. "Dick's gonna lose interest in her once he realizes how frigid she is."
"I'm right here," Raven growled slamming her bag on the little stool.
Natalia glanced at her.
"So?"
The anger burned it's way up to her face giving it a red tinge, but Psycho stepped in and grabbed the bag.
"Whacha going to wear, Rachel? Oh, My!"
Raven looked over to see Psycho holding the dark two-piece she thought she had left in the car.
"You are a daring one aren't you. Might as well stroll out on that deck buck ass naked and dare the men to look at you. Just like Lady Godiva!"
Psycho clapped her hands together making the two pieces of fabric dance.
"That's it! Your nickname is Godiva. We all get nickname's in Richard's posse, and since you're one of us, you get one."
"Hey!" Natalia tried to interrupt, her eyes wide. "We just met her. You can't just go and give her a nickname."
"If Dick likes her then I like her. She's awesome, and she's gonna wow the guys with this outfit."
Raven looked down at the two pieces thrust in her hand and up and the expectant glee of Psycho and the horrified expression of Natalia. If anything, this felt like a precipice. Raven knew she had been warned of Robin's old circle and this perception of being a lady's man, but she had not expected to be thrust in the middle of it, to put her own body on display for the men to enjoy.
The dark sorceress was not ashamed of her appearance, and all the training had kept her in shape. It was Starfire who didn't mind showing skin; her beautifully open personality just made it feel natural in her short top and a short skirt. Raven preferred her cloak. It was hers to show whoever she wanted.
Her mind stopped at that point. The time she opened her cape so long ago to let Robin take a look. She had let him in to see her even if she had done it because he was irritating. Raven made the decision. His life was at risk; she had to be a girl his persona would be interested in. Raven shirked behind a curtain inside the room and quickly changed.
Pyscho gasped when Raven stepped out, and Natalia stormed out of the changing room in her emerald two-piece.
"Oh, if I was a lesbian, honey," the green haired girl said with an appraising look.
"I'm not a piece of meat," Raven responded darkly.
"No you are not," Psycho said taking her arm. "You're a goddess that men must worship or be forever banished from your beauty."
Before Raven could change her mind, she was yanked out into the bright sunlight with Psycho's voice peeling out.
"Hey, boys! Let's gets some drinks and get this boat cruising!"
Raven looked ahead and saw Robin, Ivan, and Aiden both laughing, but Robin froze as he spotted Raven and his mouth fell open.
"Hah," Pyscho said. "I knew he'd like it."
Raven's face turned red at the attention.
'Oh, this is going to be a nightmare.'
"Chin up, Godiva," Pyscho said. "If any of them try to cop a feel, I'll break the offending part."
"Don't doubt her, "Ayla said sliding up on Raven's other side. "She's done it before. Someone tried to grab my ass, and Pyscho broke his arm in two places."
"Hey, Rach," Ivan said with a wink. "You look amazing. You fill out that bathing suit quite well. Don't you think, Dick?"
Robin made a strange choking sound.
"Don't be offended," Ayla said with a laugh as Raven opened her mouth. "Ivan's gay. Take it as a compliment cause it's rare."
Aiden stood. "I'll grab some more beers, and I'll tell the skipper to get us to Reeds Bay."
Raven sat there and braced herself for a very trying day.