CHAPTER FIVE
ORANGE

I just wish I hadn't wasted all that time, you know?

Robin's words had been whirring in his mind all of the previous night and for the better part of that morning.

For Beast Boy, the past two months had felt like the stillness after a cyclone. Like a long, slow walk on a stretching path, where he could breathe the air in deep and look around at all the things that had once been moving too fast to see.

For most, time was something of value. But especially for them, in this life full of peril and risk, it was golden.

Was he heedlessly wasting it in the same way Robin had been? Was it something the world had gifted him, laid out before him with open hands, only to be squandered by the hesitation of fear?

As Garfield sat on the floor of his room, eyes fixed to the pixels duelling it out on screen, he couldn't help but think on just how much opportunity he had lost throughout the years to his crippling prison of doubt. It was seared into him, into all of his memories and his thoughts.

Some days, it was a sharp whip at the base of his neck. It was needles in his flesh and dark welts to his face.

Some days, it felt paralysing. It had a gruff voice and a heavy hand when it demanded he do better than he could possibly do and be better than he could possibly be.

And some days, it had teeth. It clawed and howled and fed off the dregs of his self-esteem like a vicious, living thing. A parasite, burrowed beneath his skin.

Even now, having risen through the ashes of battle, he still felt more like a fledgling than a phoenix. Still unsure. Still dependent. Still afraid to take that leap from the flames, lest he set himself ablaze.

If he dwelled on it for too long, he would begin to feel the anxiety crawl, and the only distraction would be to take up a games controller and fight out the frustration until his eyes began to sting in the back of his skull.

He felt that familiar sensation coming over him as his heels dug into the carpet, as his thumb hammered at the X button and he watched his avatar's sword swing out in attack. His pupils were drawn in, focused to pin-pricks, with red veins splintering out from the corners of his vision.

She might be in the common room right now. You could go talk to her, he heard in his head. She might be meditating on the roof. You could bring her some tea. She might be-

Gar flinched, almost dropping his controller at the sound of two strident bleeps from his belt. He blinked fast and for the first time became aware of the ache pressing in at his hands and spine. Pushing the pain aside, he paused his game and made a grab for his communicator.

Upon flipping it open, he was met with a group alert from Robin. It read:

Team meeting in Main Ops. Five minutes.

"Great…" the changeling frowned. Team meetings were never usually a good thing, but were always a reminder that they'd soon be out on the field, putting their safety on the line as they had done so many times before.

Garfield stood, stretched out all the cricks in his joints, then left for the common room.

As expected, Robin was in front of the flatscreen with everyone else sat on the sofa by the time he arrived. He took a seat of his own, reclining and propping both his elbows up on the back of the couch.

"So, we haven't had one of these in a while. Mainly because we haven't needed to," the Titan leader began with a voice of command. After freezing and detaining most of the villains aligned with the Brotherhood, crime in Jump and the surrounding cities had been scarce.

There would always be criminals, of course, but of late the role of peace-disturber had fallen to non-powered crooks - most of which could be handled by the cops alone. And though Slade would always be in the back of everyone's mind, they felt prepared enough after their latest triumph should he decide to make a reappearance.

"We received consecutive reports at 10:00am today from Ashcroft Institute, Wargate Penitentiary, and Whitewood Maximum Security Prison, in that order. There was an escape attempt performed by some of our Brotherhood lackeys which was brought to the attention of the wardens at exactly 5:08am this morning." Robin paused then. "Unfortunately, three inmates were successful."

"Damn," Cyborg said into his hand, and in the space that Robin left, Raven could only hope to not hear that dreaded name form on his lips in the seconds that followed.

Shock was not the word to describe what the magus felt when she'd seen the dragon staring back at her from across the battlefield.

But… how? had been her first thought; a sentiment she was sure her teammates shared in at the time.

In the month following Malchior's downfall, Raven had learnt that there had always been three levels to the curse Rorek of Nol had placed upon the Dread Dragon.

The first was to be bound to a body of paper - only legs that could walk and a voice that could speak, but still intrinsically chained to the hexed book. The second was to be sealed within the book's pages, still able to talk but with the freedom of movement stolen away. The third and last was to be made one with the book itself. To live within its ink and its parchment. To be silenced and unseen by the outside world.

It had taken her even longer to discover that, centuries before the book had ever come into her possession, a powerful mage had broken through the first level to free Malchior. Alas, he had not harboured the potency with which to shatter through that second barrier, and had died long before he could ever hope to gain it.

She had sent the monster back into his first purgatory that night on the tower roof, one and a half years ago. So for him to be standing tall in his dragon form moments before the battle commenced meant that the Brotherhood must have stolen the book from the evidence room. It meant that they must have somehow broken through not one, but all three fortifications of the curse.

A terrible reminder that the Titans weren't the only team with sorcery on their side.

And in that instant, when his blood-red eyes had found her within the crowd, Raven wondered how she'd ever convinced herself she might have once loved him.

That hadn't been love.

Love wasn't the desperation she had felt during that blighted week. It wasn't his glacial stare or his cold hand wrapping around hers.

Love was her family. It was warmth. It was trust and perseverance and a reason to keep fighting.

She watched Robin with impatience as he turned to the computer and tapped at the keyboard. On the large screen in front of them, the first mug-shot appeared.

"Cheshire," Robin said before clicking to the next image. "Punk Rocket." That made everyone wince. He had been confined in a lower-grade prison, and Raven could only put his escape down to the lack of security. The final image flashed on screen.

"Adonis."

She hadn't heard Malchior's name, yet that last one still plucked at something in her gut.

"Are you kidding?!" Beast Boy heaved himself upright, exasperated and hurling his hands out in front of him. "Adonis is meant to be closed prison, Level Six security minimum. I thought the feds knew that?!"

He had enjoyed seeing that bastard carted away to spend the rest of his life in a cell. Knowing he was now roaming free felt like a blunt stab to the centre of his chest. Adonis might have been a substandard criminal once, but since the incident in the testing lab, he had become a great deal more dangerous and, worse still, more bloodthirsty.

Unlike Beast Boy, who acknowledged the presence of the Beast within him but had trained to keep it on a tight leash, Adonis had recognised this feral power and welcomed it wholly.

Though the Titans had liaised with the authorities during the felon's imprisonment, sharing Cyborg's antidote to ease the impulses and encouraging the same mindfulness training that Beast Boy underwent, it hadn't taken long to determine that one might only achieve Garfield's state of control should the host be willing to.

"They do," Robin returned as everyone else eyed the shifter from their place on the couch. "He was at Whitewood, Beast Boy. But it wouldn't have mattered. This was clearly planned."

Beast Boy crossed his arms over his chest and huffed, falling back into the sofa with a glower.

"And you can guess who by." The masked man brought his attention back to the computer and another image appeared on screen, this time a photocopy of a statement.

"They were unsuccessful, but Mallah and Rouge also attempted a breakout just ten minutes after. We suspect they had planned to escape themselves before retrieving The Brain. Of course, it's believed that they had some means of communication with other Brotherhood detainees in separate prisons Possibly a mole. So the FBI have begun an investigation into that. We'll receive updates as they progress and aid where we can."

There was quiet for a moment before Starfire sighed.

"The Brotherhood are most persistent."

Having fought them from the age of nine and knowing the Doom Patrol had done so long before he'd even joined, Beast Boy could agree with the Tamaranean's sentiment. Robin's brows turned up and he frowned with his girlfriend.

"Look. I know this isn't ideal. But we have to stay on top of it, or we'll have a much bigger problem on our hands." He reached again for the computer keyboard and with a swift motion the screen went blank, signifying the end to his debriefing. "We've had it easy for a while. Now, it's time to get back to work."

There was an unhindered groan from both Beast Boy and Cyborg.

"So this afternoon I'm alerting all honorary Titans. And then I'm going to write up a new patrol schedule for the coming months."

"Fun," Gar muttered through a pout.

"Cyborg, I'll need you to stop by the Crime Lab before dinner so we can look into tracki-"

Robin's words were abruptly swallowed by the wail of a siren, the room plunged into a wash of red.

"Might need to put a pin in that," the robot shot back as he stood, alert. This movement was mirrored by the remaining three, thrown abruptly to their feet by sheer instinct. Robin was already back at the computer, monitoring the details of the distress call.

"It's Rocket," he threw over his shoulder, and in the absence of Adonis' name, Raven and Beast Boy shared in a secret breath of relief.

"He certainly does not waste the time," Starfire said, touching off from the ground.

"Titans, move!"

- T -

In Raven's experience as a hero, she had determined that there were three types of villain.

The first was the masterminds, clever and cunning and often bound to the shadows. These were the ones who harboured a long-term goal. They were the Brother Bloods. The Brotherhoods. The Slades.

The second was the middle-grounders. Those like Professor Chang, Red X, and Blackfire. They often had something to gain through their criminal acts, and it was usually to a selfish end. They were a valid threat on their own but would not hesitate to serve under a higher power if they ultimately got something out of it.

Then there were villains like Punk Rocket. Low grade, with messy execution and short-term goals. Having only escaped from Wargate not ten hours ago, one would think the scoundrel was just dying to be thrown right back into the brig.

Raven certainly did.

"I see this city's taste has gone to shit in my absence!" the gaudy rocker squawked from where he stood at the top of the arena. He was a splash of orange amid the rows of tiered seating, with a jet black guitar in his hands and one leg propped up on the head of the chair beneath him.

In the round were the Titans, staggering to their feet after being hit with a second surge from the theatre's amps.

"But don't worry, kiddies. Rocket's back at the mic now!"

With that, he raised his arm high, and with this tick of warning, Raven cast out a sphere around her team to stifle the sound. Even with their shield, the five grit their teeth against the shrill, metallic shriek of the guitar as it ricocheted around them.

Just when she thought he was going to send out another blast, Punk Rocket swiped the guitar beneath him and instead hopped on it like a skateboard. He went hurling down from the peak of the bleachers to the bottom, the flat of his guitar skimming the seats as a skier might descend a mountain.

"Oi!" he called out to them, dismounting the instrument and landing back on his feet when he reached the round. "It's no fun when ya' just stand there!"

He needn't concern himself with that for long, as a plan was brewing in Raven's mind to make a grab for his guitar with a black tendril at the first chance she saw.

She hoped it would play out better than her first plan, which had been to simply unplug the cord from its mono jack. A failure, as it seemed he had them bound tight, likely by the same magic he used to make his guitar soar.

With a nod from Robin, Raven let her arms fall and her shield with it. The black barrier disintegrated and Rocket took two steps forward with both hands planted to his hips.

"There, that's better. Now how 'bout you lot let the real musicians- Woah! 'Ey!" His speech was severed by a starbolt narrowly missing his side, then all at once, he was assailed by a wave of sonic power, whips of dark energy, and bird-a-rangs shooting through the air.

Where there had been five was now four, as Beast Boy had used the distraction to skulk away as a mouse to the main stage. There stood towering monitors, mixing boards, amplifiers, light boards, but most importantly, the enchanted cable Punk Rocket had used to hijack the concert's entire setup.

Best not to damage the very expensive equipment, so the cable was key. And the only way to disconnect was to cut right through.

First, a crocodile. His jaw opened wide to reveal razor-sharp teeth, and with a mighty force, he clamped down onto the cord. Still, it remained intact. So a Bengal tiger was next. Longer canines, better for shredding. This did some damage, but beneath the rubber skin, the wire was untouched.

The wild cat scrunched its face in vexation, knowing it wouldn't be long before his friends were again knocked to their feet and Rocket clocked onto his absence. Beast Boy raised his head to gauge the scene and saw the villain scramble for his guitar.

In the instant before his hand struck down on the strings, Gar morphed one last time into a polar bear and let the cable rest between his teeth. His eyes squeezed as he braced for the wave, then when that screech hit his ears, he let his whole mouth snap shut like a snare.

The air stilled, with only a distant ringing resounding in his head.

"What?!" was the next noise he heard - an affronted cry peeking out over the silence. The changeling felt his body shift again, and he stood back up on human feet before walking out to centre stage.

What he saw was his team on their knees and Punk Rocket burning with rage.

What they saw was the green hero with a satisfied grin, holding up two ends of the severed cable in his hands.

"Not the way to make a comeback, bro!" Gar called out across the arena, his voice echoing within its walls. Their foe bristled with bulging eyes before ripping his guitar from its strap and hurling it to the ground in anger.

Police emerged from where they had been hanging back behind the railings and in the lobby, making quick work of incarcerating the crook. An easy task, now that he was worn and weaponless.

As Garfield leapt down from the stage and into the round to join his friends, he noticed how several of the concert staff were beginning to filter in from their hiding spots at the edges of the arena. Then his gaze flickered to Raven, still kneeling on the ground and taking a second in the aftermath to massage the sides of her head where the ringing hurt most.

The boy's eyes lit up and he quickened his pace, suddenly spotting his chance to help her to her feet and ask if she was okay. But he felt his jog break to an abrupt halt when, seemingly out of nowhere, another hand he didn't even recognise was being held out to the girl in offering.

"Are you okay?" he heard a low tone slip out over the fading vibrations. Raven let her arm fall as she looked to the outstretched hand, then up to the man it belonged to.

He was tall, for starters. A soft yet angular face, a slight tan to his skin, accented by his mop of tousled brown hair and deep, umber eyes.

Beast Boy didn't even see the way Robin assisted Starfire in the background, nor the way Cyborg sent a smirk in Raven's direction before ushering his friends over to finalise things with the cops.

"Fine," the sibyl replied whilst accepting the stranger's hand, only releasing it when she was finally upright and tagging a 'thanks' on at the end. With his hand empty, the boy placed it into the pocket of his jeans as a mirror to his other, raising his shoulders a touch as he did so.

"Well, that was..." he began casually, looking around the arena. At a loss for words, he let out a whistle instead, hoping that in making light of the situation, he might come across as more fearless than he felt. "Not how I'd imagined my first day to go down."

After adjusting her cloak, Raven adopted a confident stance, with her arms crossed at her torso, shoulders relaxed and weight leaning to one hip.

"You work here?" Beast Boy heard her reply as he slowly started making his way from the foot of the stage to the place where his friends gathered. And the whole time, he watched the pair from the corner of his eye, attuning all of his focus to his sensitive ears.

"I'm on lights. Tonight's my first arena gig, though…" He paused, then gave a lazy smile. "Pretty boring compared to what you do."

Who the Hell is this guy? the changeling fumed in his mind. So much for saving the day! All this dude did was cower behind an overturned table!

And yet, it seemed that even a dude who cowered behind an overturned table had more courage in his pinkie finger than the 'big, brave' superhero had conjured in the last three years.

Instead of answer, Raven just allowed the boy a small lift at the corner of her lips. Miniscule, really. And Beast Boy couldn't quite determine if she'd done it out of genuine interest or meagre sympathy.

The brunette shook his head as if to collect his thoughts, then put his right hand flat to his chest.

"I'm Adam, by the way," he tumbled out.

"Raven."

A small chuckle escaped him.

"Yeah. I know."

Adam was quickly learning that if someone started up a conversation with Jump City's sorceress, she fully expected them to steer it, as once again she was quiet in the moments after he'd spoken. Nervously running his fingers through his hair, he inhaled before speaking again.

"I've never been that close to the action before," he told her with a gesture to where Punk Rocket had dominated the bleachers. "That's probably a good thing, but- You guys were pretty amazing out there. You were amazing."

Raven blinked, dark brows rising on her head. At a certain distance behind her, the police finished taking down their notes and left the Titans to shamelessly observe the interaction playing out in the round. Though the others couldn't hear what was being said from their spot near the exit, they had garnered enough from the two's body language alone. Cyborg snickered with Robin and gave the shorter man a little nudge with his elbow.

Just as Raven's mouth parted to respond, another voice was hurled out across the arena.

"Oh, Raaaaven?" Definitely, unmistakably, Cyborg. "Think you can pull yourself away from the cute boy so we can head home and eat?" There was that all too mischievous lilt to his tone, telling her without words that he knew exactly what he was doing.

"Desist!" Raven thankfully didn't hear Starfire hiss at the robot. He merely ducked low and whispered back.

"Aw come on, I'm doing him a favour! Guy's gotta get a move on if he doesn't wanna bore her!"

Somehow, the sibyl was able to quell the blush threatening to rise to her face and instead felt her eyebrow twitch in frustration.

"Sorry," the girl said, beginning to turn away and make for the exit. "I have to-"

"Wait!" Adam sputtered with a hand raised out. "Just…"

She warily turned back to the sight of him rustling through his jean pocket. Then she found herself blinking down at a crinkled piece of paper instead of up at his flustered face.

Several feet behind her, Beast Boy's eyes ballooned and stomach churned at this stranger's insistence in making his intentions unequivocally clear, his audience be damned.

"Here's my number," Adam told her. "You don't have to use it. Or do, if you want. There's… My friend's playing a gig in The Barfly next Friday night. It's never too crowded. If, y'know, you were interested…"

"Um…"

"The T-Car ain't gonna wait for you, Rae!" Cyborg wailed a second time, eliciting a cringe from every face in the vicinity. Had they not endured enough volume today to last them an eternity?

"I have to go," Raven said plainly, then watched as Adam's shoulders fell and mouth turned down.

"Oh." The sound was small and meek, though he nodded once politely and went to return the paper to his pocket. "Okay."

Astonishingly, Raven took the paper from him on its way back and instead gave it a home in the inner-pocket of her cloak.

"Good luck with the show tonight," she said, leaving the boy's breath to hitch and his face to flush.

"Uh, yeah! Thanks!" he replied with newfound fervor as Raven finally turned from him and walked away to join her teammates at the exit.

The Titans left through the door and he was suddenly tackled by two other men, appearing just as out of nowhere as he had done before.

"No way did you just do that!" one of them screeched, rustling excitedly at his co-worker's mane of hair.

"I didn't know you had balls that big!" added the more vulgar of the two, prodding a finger into Adam's cheek in a grand show of both camaraderie and tease.

Better to try than to regret and never know.

Author's Note:

this is like the opposite of a spoiler, but i don't wanna create false hope, so i just wanna say now that whilst the concept of malchior returning is a great one, it won't be happening in this particular fic. in the boe battle raven managed to revert him back to level 2 containment so it would take another powerful sorcerer to free him, and he's also heavily guarded in prison.

but more importantly, i merely wanted to TOUCH on bb and rae's past romances (like i did with terra in chapter 2) purely to show that they are now well and truly IN THE PAST. i also feel involving malchior would call for an overarching villain plot which, as stated in the preface, this story doesn't really have.

p.s. i will NEVER be okay with the fact we didn't get even a tiny moment of raven going up against malchior in the boe battle. not even a close-up of their eyes meeting across the room. MISSED OPPORTUNITY.