I am really really sorry that it has taken me a 1000 years to write this chapter. I hope you haven't given up on me!
I really appreciate all the follows and favorites and reviews!
much love
The Boy Wonder paced across the floor in the living room his hair still soaking from the rain on the rooftop. Three Titans sat stiffly on the couch. You didn't have to be an empath to feel the leader's angry determination. Starfire's concern was written plainly on her face and Cyborg's human eye watched the leader walk back and forth. Raven's hair was still wet as well but she sat with her hands in her lap and a blank expression on her face. However, her senses were searching for the voice she heard before. She was just grateful that she wasn't put in the overly-sanitary medical room again despite Robin's insistence.
"Where the fuck is Beast Boy?" Robin mumbled under his breath. As if on cue, the green boy walked through the door. "Oh hey guys, I was just…"
"You're late so sit down and shut up," the masked boy snapped. Beast Boy put his hands up in defense, "Whoa bro chill out. No need to flip…"
"SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP"
The shifter sat down with a confused look on his face. Starfire's eyes widened and then shifted her attention down to her manicured nails. Cyborg broke the awkward silence by carefully asking, "Hey man what's going on? This isn't like you." Raven felt Robin's eyes shift toward her as she continued staring at the wall, listening.
Robin stopped pacing and faced his team, running a hand through his hair he answered, "What's wrong? We have three; excuse me four, villains running around and no leads. We've almost lost two of our teammates trying to fight them and that's just been when there's one of them and five of us. None of them are in jail or dead and it's been weeks. We need to pull our shit together. We are stronger than this. We…"
"Wait," Cyborg bravely interrupted, "You said four villains…don't you mean three? Slade, Predator, Mimic, and…who?"
Raven's mind snapped away from her listening, but her eyes continued to look ahead when she answered, "An unknown telepath breached my mind today. I've come across many telepaths but none as dangerous as this. He, She, It, can make a person do whatever it wants, feel whatever it wants," she turns her gaze to her team, "I've trained my whole on how to protect my mind and it destroyed those barriers like they were nothing. Its influence is powerful. I cannot explain how important it is that this thing is not only caught, but destroyed."
After a beat, Robin continued, "Titans, there is something else you need to know. Raven shared with me something about Slade," The girl barely grimaced at the mention of Slade's name, "she believes that he is somehow behind the voice and that the voice told her that Slade is making a team to beat us indefinitely."
It's not a complete lie. I'm just trying to keep them safe, she told herself again for the thousandth time. She knew telling him something, anything about Slade, would throw him off of any suspicion that Slade wanted anything to do with specifically her. Still, her guilt swallowed her and she was grateful that she was the only empath in the room.
"Do we know what this creature looks like?" Starfire interrupted, her shining eyes searching Raven's face. The empath knew the girl anxiously waited for the slight reassurance, but Raven shook her head, "No." The air thickened with disappointment and was so tangible, she almost couldn't breathe. She wanted to be alone. She needed to look through her books and in her mirror and see if there was anything she could do. The weight crushed her heart and lungs even more with the thought of having to see him in order to protect the ones she loved. With that thought, she began to stand up but was interrupted by Cyborg.
"Wait, why is he trying so hard to contact Raven and not any of the rest of us?"
Dammit Cyborg.
Robin's eyes flashed towards Raven and she began to feel his suspicion and curiosity settle in.
Fuck.
"He's using me as a threat. While he doesn't doubt that the rest of you are strong, he knows I train my mind the most. He's showing that if it can break me the way it did; imagine what it could do to the rest of your minds." She was almost ashamed of how good of a liar she was. Almost.
Once she felt the team accept it as logical, her body relaxed. "I need to meditate. You understand, "she started off towards her room again when she heard the Boy Wonder once again.
"Wait Rae, one more thing. Guys, since we don't know when this thing will attack again, I suggest we all stay the night here in the living room so we can keep an eye on each other. That's an order actually."
Raven inwardly groaned. No no no no. I need to leave tonight. Part of her wanted to be around her friends so she'd feel protected, but she could never ask for their protection. She replied, "As fun as a slumber party where we have to fear for our lives the whole time sounds, it's not really my thing. But don't let my absence ruin the fun."She felt Starfire's spirits lift the minute the words "slumber party" came out of her mouth.
"Oh friends we are having a party of slumber?! I am most excited!" The alien was hovering above the ground and her smile was contagious, even Robin smirked. His smile drew Raven's attention to his lips.
His lips. On my lips. On my ear. On my neck…STOP. The dishes in the sink exploded and the team turned towards the shattered plates and bowls. Robin looked back at her with confusion and concern. Don't you look at me. That was technically your fault. Beast Boy laughed and said, "Well shit, I guess Raven is excited for this slumber party." The smile returned on the masked boys face and for the moment and it hid all his fear and anger.
The now blushing violet haired girl attempted to urgently leave the room again, when the smiling boy called after her, "Raven if you don't come to the party, the party will come to you." Beast Boy laughed and yelled, "Party in Raven's room!"
That boy is beginning to feel too safe around me, she thought with a majority of annoyance and a very slight amount of amusement. Very slight. She continued to walk down the hall, the sound of her friends getting farther away.
Despite the jokes and laughter, Raven knew her teammates were afraid. The laughter sounded off and their smiles didn't quite reach their eyes. Her door slid open and she walked in scanning her room and hoping that there was nothing hiding in the shadows. As soon as it shut behind her, she leaned her back against the wall and slid down and shut her eyes.
Her emotions stirred and stretched. A sudden breeze came through the room despite the windows being closed. It was a sigh of relief. She was exhausted from the effort of holding them down the entire meeting.
What happened with Robin could not happen again. If anyone found out, they could hurt him to get to her. She stood up and walked over to her bed.
She knew what she had to do. She had to push Robin away. She didn't want to. All she wanted to do was pull him close. But she couldn't have what she wanted and Raven was used to this fact. But she was pissed at this fact and at herself. Her pang of anger jolted a book end off her shelf and in turn, knocked ten books down with it.
"GOD DAMMIT!" she yelled as she kicked a thousand –year- old book across the dark room. She kicked another priceless book across her room when she realized that she probably attracted some attention. As predicted, three knocks came at her door.
"Go away," she answered in her composed monotone despite her insides shaking with anger and annoyance
She was both relieved and disappointed with the voice that answered back.
"It's me, Rae," Cyborg replied, "Can I come in?"
"Well you're gonna come in no matter what I say so…"
She heard the door slide open and the quiet hum of Cyborg's machinery enter the room. "Yeah you're right," he said honestly. He walked into the room and did a low whistle when he saw the mess of books on the floor. "I like what you've done with the place."
The reminder of the mess on the floor reminded her of her emotions which reminded her of Boy Wonder, which reminded her lack of control which reminded her of Slade which reminded her how pissed off she was.
Her voice only slightly rose, but it was laced heavily with annoyance, "I just wish that we had decent shelves around here, you know? Maybe then, my stuff wouldn't fall off of them all the time. I feel like it's not asking for much to have nice shelves that are genuinely efficient at their job of holding all my shit. Seriously everything falls when I even blink towards them. I know they are trying the best they can but they just can't do it alone anymore. I just…" Cyborg stared at her with an eyebrow raised, but she continued, "I just want some nice shelves."
Cyborg stared at her a couple seconds longer before answering, "Okay so I know that's not the real problem and I know you won't tell me what the real problem is until later and we'll have a beautiful Cy-Rae moment and maybe even a hug. But for now, I'm gonna leave you and your shelves alone to sort things out."
The girl almost smirked but opted for an eye roll instead and picked up one of her scattered books, "I'll make sure to write that meeting in my schedule."
Cyborg handed her another book and smiled before answering, "Maybe sometime after we go shopping for new shelves."
She offered him a small appreciative smile, "Thank you Cyborg."
His face turned serious, "Seriously Rae I'm always here for you. You know that."
She nodded and he stepped out with the door sliding closed behind him. However, not long after, she felt a familiar surge of concern wash over her and she knew the Boy Wonder would come swooping in at any moment. His concern never usually bothered her before but right now it pissed her off. Her door slid open and the masked boy walked through.
"Hey are you..."
The violet haired girl cut him off, "Stop."
"I was just wondering if you were okay."
"Robin, I'm tired of feeling your concern. It exhausts me."
His hurt rapped at her door but she pushed it away. This was something she had to do.
"I'm sorry I care about you and your general well-being?"
"Well you need to stop," she snapped as she picked up a book off the ground and put it back on her shelf.
Robin walked in further into the room and the door slid behind him. He walked up to her and put a hand on her cheek and asked gently, "Rae, seriously, are you okay? I'm worr…"
It took all she had for Raven to rip away from his hand and mumble convincing hatefulness, "I'm so fucking tired of that question."
Now she began to feel his anger seeping into the air around her. This is good. This is what you want. She turned her back on him and began to straighten her books, hoping that he'd leave.
Of course he didn't.
The normally calm leader let his anger slip into his voice, "Yeah well you never give a straight goddamn answer. I know something is wrong but I'm just waiting for you to explain everything to me. I know you're hiding something," fear washed over Raven and she was glad her back was turned because she knew it showed on her face. Robin continued, "And I don't know what I've done to make you feel like you can't tell me what that is, but it is so incredibly frustrating to watch you struggle and hiding what's going on."
"I'll never be able to tell you everything, Robin." She meant it to come out defiantly but instead it was a defeated admittance. She began to feel the sinking feeling of defeat coming from him as well. "Because why? Because you can't trust me? On the roof you seemed to…" Robin was cut off by Raven. Say it. Say it. You have to say it.
"The roof meant nothing."
She said it in such a calm and final way that she almost convinced herself that it really did mean nothing. But the tears welling up in her violet eyes knew otherwise. Her heart was broken. One half knew she was doing the right thing, or at least hoped so much that she was that it convinced her. The other half was gone. It left with the boy and out the sliding door that she heard close behind him. She was left in her room that was thick with heartbreak and defeat.