Pitch and Pink

Normally I'm all about plot and action and drama/romance later. But then I wrote a Teen Titans fic. This is a character driven story I guess... It is also a Yuri fic, which means that a couple-like relationship will develop between two females. Don't like? Then don't waste your time reading it. Flames get you-know-where fast with me. Criticism is welcome! Don't hold back.

...

Chapter Six

For almost two days the Titan's tower had been silent except for the humming of the security system. Absent were its occupants, who had been trapped in one of Mad Mod's alternate realties. It was only after finally bringing the renegade British subject to justice once again that the teens finally returned home.

"I have a new found respect for that guy's style" Jinx said lazily as she dragged herself towards the oh-so-comfortable looking couch. She didn't make it. Instead she collapsed on the floor and decided she didn't want to move again for a long time.

"I'm in so much pain that I think my sensors are overloaded and not even sending me most of it anymore" Cyborg complained, next to breach their home. Behind him came Starfire and Raven, also looking worn out.

"Let us hope we never have to do that again" Starfire mumbled, exasperated. She gave her weight to a chair next to the kitchen.

"Better locks..." Raven muttered.

"What"

"Forget it" Raven said"I need a bath"

Jinx rolled over so her face rested on the carpet, hiding a grin that resulted from the images Raven's confession inspired in her mind. 'I'm a bad person. I'm a bad person,' she told herself, 'but damn it, I don't care!'

"See you all in the morning. Good night" Robin said, yawning, passing them all and heading for his own room.

"Wait boss" Jinx called for him, still sprawled out on the floor.

"Yeah" Robin called over his shoulder.

"Did we save the world yet" Jinx asked him.

"Um...No." Robin said, after a moment of thinking it over. Mod had only been trying to gain a monopoly on British candy sold in America by scaring off all competition. No direct threat to the populous on a global scale, but at least the candy vendors were safe now.

"Man, I'm never going to get any free ice cream..." Jinx muttered, drawing circles with her finger on the floor.

"Jinx" Beast Boy said, standing over her"Everybody's gone to bed. Are you going to stay down there"

"Carry me" she offered.

Following afternoon

Elbows on the table and chin resting on interlaced fingers, Jinx stared across the small round table at the spine of Raven's book as if she could read the words on the other side.

"What are you reading" Jinx asked Raven.

"I don't know" Raven said un-conversationally.

"Then why are you reading it"

"To find out" Raven told her.

"That's funny" said Jinx, smiling.

"Super."

"Man" Jinx finished. Raven put down her book and gave her quizzical look.

"I know, I know. Stupid joke" Jinx said, looking away for a second"Hey! You know the one about the raven"

"The one about the raven" Raven asked, registering the point that there were probably about as many stories about ravens as there were clouds in the sky.

"Yeah..." Jinx started, trying to remember specifics. She was never the bookish type. "Where it keeps going 'Nevermore. Quote the Raven nevermore.' Or something like that"

"Raven, by Edgar Allen Poe" Raven asked. Jinx looked at her blankly.

"I donno who wrote it. I'm not even sure how it goes" Jinx admitted.

"Then why are you bothering me about it"

"Cause I like to bother you" Jinx exclaimed. "So, you have that story"

"It's a poem and yes, I do" Raven said, picking up her book to read it. Jinx looked at the back of it for moment wondering what to say.

"So you gonna give it to me or what"

"It's on its way" Raven said. Sure enough, a book floated into the room seemingly on its own. It dropped before Jinx. It was titled "Great Short Works of Edgar Alan Poe."

"Wow Raven! Why don't you use those powers for the benefit of the team when we can't find the remote" Jinx asked her.

"Because I don't need to help you guys get any lazier" Raven quipped.

Jinx quickly flipped to the table of contents and found the page number for the poem "Raven." For the life of her she couldn't remember where she had heard any part of it before and she knew she was only interested in it now because it was something she could talk about with Raven. She read it a couple times and snickered. She was surprised she could make sense of it. Last time she attended school she would have cut off her hands before she'd try anything that involved deep thought; especially if she thought it was something she'd never have use for.

"Well, what did you think" Raven asked.

"'Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken! Leave my loneliness unbroken! Quit the bust above my door!' It's cute. They should put it on a bumper sticker" Jinx said standing and closing the book.

Raven held the quizzical look again.

"A bumper sticker? You want a literary genius to be put on a bumper when you don't even have a car"

"I will one day" Jinx said.

"Not if the department of motor vehicles has any sense, you won't" Raven said.

"I don't think I'll ever get tired of your mouth" Jinx admitted with deep admiration sinking into her words. It also showed in her eyes. She realized she slipped a second too late. For once, Raven didn't have a response.

"Think I'll go get some exercise" Jinx said quickly. Hopefully, Jinx thought, Raven would take that as sarcasm and nothing more. 'Nothing more. Nothing more. For evermore!' Jinx pleaded. Looking at the book, she had an idea for a change in subject. "Unless you want me to put this away for you, first" she said, a sly grin gracing her face. This would of course giver her access to Raven's room.

"Leave it there. I'll take care of it" Raven said without looking up at her friend. Mentally sighing with relief Jinx moved on.

"Dude that is such a cheap move! How is my character ever going to have kids if you keep doing that" Beast Boy was complaining, game controller in hand.

"Not my weak spot. Not my problem" Cyborg cheered. Their bickering stopped when they noticed someone's shadow crawl over them. Looking to the source they found Jinx.

"Hello boys" Jinx greeted, with a grin that bared both rows of teeth. "Who wants to help me work off some frustration"

They just looked at her blankly. Not bothered by their lack of enthusiasm, Jinx launched from the floor as if it were a diving board at them. Cyborg rolled out of the way but she caught Beast Boy and put him in a headlock. She rubbed her knuckles against his head fiercely until Cyborg threw himself at her in an attempt to save him. She moved just in time. Beast Boy was not so lucky.

"Sorry B" Cyborg apologized, crawling off his friend.

"When there's trouble you know who to call" Jinx cried as she shot herself from the couch like an arrow and plowed into Cyborg, knocking him to the ground. Quicker than he could process, she had him in a headlock. It didn't last long. He was soon up and easily removed her. He held her at arms length by the back of her top like a mother holding a kitten.

"Meow"

"What's gotten into you" Cyborg asked her.

Placing her feet together Jinx swung back and then sent them into Cyborg's chest. He sailed across the living room as a result.

"I got her" Beast Boy cried as she landed on her feet. He charged her in the form of a green goat. She twirled away from him and he hit the table.

"Torro" Jinx cried. Soon the three were in a big playful brawl.

"What am I doing here" Raven asked herself out loud. She looked across the parking lot at the formidable structure that took up the entire horizon.

"Spending time with your best friend" Jinx said, grinning as they walked toward it.

"Don't remember giving that title out..." Raven said flatly.

"You're so bad" Jinx commented.

"I don't like this place. At least half the people who come here are snobbish and unreal just because they have more money to spend on nothing than others" Raven pointed out.

"So let's hang out with the other half then" Jinx suggested. "And what do you mean by 'unreal' person, anyway"

"Those filled with too much materialistic value"

"Out of the parking lot losers" a pretty blond shouted at them from behind the wheel of what a must have been a brand knew PT Cruiser. "Halloween was canceled"

"-And people like them" Raven muttered, not even looking in their direction as they speed past. Jinx glared at them. She followed them with her eyes to see them park near the entrance to the mall.

"The nerve" Jinx was shaking with anger. "Let's jump 'em Ravy"

"Leave them alone" Raven urged her"We are heroes. We save them from danger, but can do nothing for arrogance."

"But"

"And don't call me Ravy."

"-we can't let them get away with that" Jinx exclaimed.

"We can. And we will" Raven said, stopping and looking at Jinx with authority. Jinx frowned. They walked along in silence until they neared the car carrying the offenders. The leader turned down the volume on the stereo and watched Jinx and Raven from behind her sunglasses. Raven paid no attention, but Jinx stared back silently until she couldn't take it.

"You should park in back and try to walk off some of that extra weight sister" Jinx shouted.

"Stupid Goth b+ch" one screamed at them as they disappeared into the entrance. The leader, to flustered to think of anything clever, just displayed a hand with only one finger raised.

"We're not Goths" Raven bubbled with annoyance. "I can't believe you did that. I told you not too."

"Gee, I sowwy mama" Jinx said, looking at the ground and pretending to be ashamed. She was nearly choking on a fit of laughter.

"You—! I don't know what to call you..." Raven said, walking away. Jinx ran after her, arms spread wide like a plane until she caught up.

"So, what do you want to do first" Jinx asked her unwilling companion.

"Go home" Raven asked her.

"Come on Ravy! If you really wanted to leave you wouldn't have even come in the first place" Jinx said guiding her friend to into a corner. Raven paused and seemed to be thinking about this. She didn't have much time because Jinx shoved her into a booth.

"Picture time" Jinx cheered"Hope that's your Sunday best."

"Pic" Raven started as she sat up in the booth. Jinx hugged her with one arm, smiled and then...

Flash!

Raven looked at Jinx and there was another flash.

'Dammint,' Raven thought looking at the camera. Another flash struck her deep blue irises. Jinx held up a hand with her index, pinky and thumb extended. This, she had told Raven, was the symbol for Metal. 'She just shoved me into a booth and how do I react? I oughta toss her out on her rear and make no attempt to avoid stepping on her,' Raven thought. Another flash and Jinx was displaying the peace sign. 'But I won't,' Raven sighed.

Jinx practically dragged Raven out and forced her to view the pictures that developed on a long card.

"Oh! We look so good. I mean I always look good. This is precious"

"It's...us." was Raven's only comment. She saw an overtly happy Jinx in each pic and images of herself looking disoriented. As if the pictures were taken while she were going through a maze of some sort; a reflection of her understanding of her new friend probably.

The girls ran—well Raven had to be forced—off to assault the mall patrons with their unique presence. It lasted hours and Jinx couldn't have enjoyed herself more. Raven did too but did her best to avoid admitting it by telling half-truths. Being with Raven made Jinx elated in a way she had never felt. She wanted to run endlessly in any direction. She felt as light as paper, as if the wind could carry her away at any minute. Every cell of her being was ecstatic and warm. She wanted to sing, to dance, to steal even. Stealing had once been the greatest sense of satisfaction. It wasn't the item, it was getting away with it that made it so addicting.

Jinx paused in her tracking to look at a dress display protected by a glass barrier. It wasn't anything she'd actually wear, but it was expensive looking. She searched her self and found the urge to take things with out paying did still exist. The desire to steal was there but it was very tame. It was dwarfed by her desire to be with the dark haired, pitch featured beauty with her now.

"What are you thinking about" Raven interrupted.

"Um..." Jinx trailed her eyes away, starring at everywhere but the display.

"I could just read your mind you know" Raven said with out batting an eye. Jinx looked dismayed.

"Y-you...couldn't. You wouldn't" Jinx was flooded with images of her biggest secrets and the trouble they would get her into. Raven actually chuckled at her expense.

"Sounds like someone still has secrets..." Raven said, walking ahead of her. Jinx watched her for a moment before realizing she was joking.

They walked along in silence for a moment. Jinx could almost feel Raven writhing in her amusement and let her have it. Jinx herself had been attacked by a serious thought.

"Doesn't everybody have secrets" Jinx asked suddenly.

"I suppose..." Raven said a little distantly.

"I thought so" Jinx said, as if she had scored a point. They rounded a corner. Neither knew exactly where they were going but that didn't stop them.

"Wouldn't imagine you have many left. You've rambled on about most of you life to me already. Born in India to an American gangster and a sorceress"

"You were listening" Jinx said, growing interested and even feeling complemented.

"I may have retained some of it subconsciously and involuntarily..." Raven scoffed.

"Well" Jinx said as they exited the mall an hour later. The stringy handles of several shopping bags hung from her arms and she had an over sized sucker in her hand.

"What do you want now" Raven asked as if she were really annoyed; she only wished she was.

"You to confess" Jinx said grinning.

"I don't see a jury" Raven replied. Jinx laughed.

"How long can you keep this up"

"You'd be surprised." Raven said, looking away. Unlike Jinx, she left the mall only with what she went in. Save maybe a stronger bond with the crazy ex-super criminal. Yes! Crazy! That was the word she was looking for earlier. She wondered how it had escaped her perfect diction. The word was such a simple and apt description. Raven meant from-another-planet kinda crazy and she knew someone from another planet. On second thought, that didn't even compare. Where had this strange person come from? And why...

'Hmph. Didn't she show up sooner"' Raven gave up. Liking Jinx was just too difficult. She didn't know how much of herself she was ready to share but she figured she'd start right now.

"Well, I'm spent. Let's go home" Jinx said, yawning and walking towards the Titan's Jeep. A vehicle Cyborg purchased just to thwart the other Titan's desire to use his precious T-Car.

Raven's lips turned into a slight frown that only lasted an instant. She was merely reacting to the timing. It was comical in essence but Jinx caught it and got the wrong idea.

"What's wrong" Jinx asked quickly.

"Nothing" Raven said.

"You wanna do something else" Jinx asked.

Raven paused to think.

"You do, don't you? Well, heck. I was just kidding about being tired. If Raven wants to"

"No, no. It's not that. I was just thinking about something" Raven said. Jinx looked confused.

"Ok. I did enjoy myself but I am ready to turn in" Raven finally admitted to make amends. The brightest grin Jinx had ever worn slowly developed on her face. Raven almost thought she was blushing with pride.

'Is it really that big of a deal?' Raven wondered, 'Strange kid.'

"You're going to hurt your face if you keep doing that" Raven told her.

"At least my face gets exercise—hey" Jinx cut herself off and looked toward the entrance. The PT Cruiser was still there. Raven didn't like where she thought this was going.

"We do have one more thing to do" Jinx said, stashing her goods in the jeep and motioning for Raven to follow her.

"What are you doing" Raven asked her.

"Come on."

"Tell me"

"You can't let me get in trouble all by myself, can you" Jinx asked as she stealthy made her way towards the cruiser. Raven fought with the thought of stopping her and reluctantly followed.

"I need your help" Jinx said once they reached the front of the car. It was empty. Jinx bent down and grabbed a hand full of sand from the island. Before Raven could stop her, she spread it all over the windshield. Jinx slowly reached for one of Raven's hand, extended the index figure, then made her write 'wash me' in the dust. Raven looked at the job perplexed. She felt a little something tugging at her insides. She had just done something wrong. Simple, harmless, and yes, even stupid, but wrong all the same. And it felt damn good!

"Excellent work my apprentice. Now if you really want to mess with their heads" Jinx began to explain.

"No. That's enough"Raven said walking away.

"We could just"

"I said that's enough" Raven's authoritative tone returned. Where had it been the rest of the afternoon?

"Yes boss" Jinx said running to catch up with her friend.

'Boss?' Raven thought. 'Won't Robin be jealous.'

Two days later

Jinx had just returned from an early morning jog. Things started off interesting enough. Beast Boy was begging for his life and the executioner today was apparently Raven. Could it get any better? Jinx came up behind Starfire to get a better view of the action. What had her green friend done this time?

"So...is it true" Starfire asked, looking from Beast Boy—on his knees, hands together prayer style—to Raven—hood up and arms crossed. Raven's frown deepened when the others looked at her.

"Yes..." Raven trailed and began to say something else.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please don't shrink my head" Beast Boy blubbered.

"My, Raven" Starfire grew excited. She and Cyborg grew interested in Raven. What was this all about Jinx wondered.

"It's not that big of a deal" Raven batted them off.

"Didn't think it would ever happen..." Cyborg said. "Not that-I mean! Um...sorry" he said, scratching the back of his head.

"Thanks. Didn't think I'd have to worry about everyone's ridiculous over reacting to my" Raven said shaking her head.

"Finding true love! I wish to know all about your boyfriend" Starfire said, placing her hands together and swooning. Raven took a step back. How was she going to get out of this one? Just shout at them? Take off to her room? She didn't really want to treat her friends that way, but this really wasn't their business. Damn Beast Boy! Why did he have to be so nosy? Was it a condition? A disease?

"Hey" Cyborg said pulling Starfires elbow"Not so loud, now."

"Why? Is this not a joyous occasion on this planet" Starfire asked blankly.

"Sure" Cyborg said"But not everybody likes a marching band to go along with it."

Raven gave Cyborg's back a funny look as he began to shove Starfire and Beast Boy out of the living area. "Shows over people. Nothing to see here" he said. If Raven wasn't mistaken, the large tin man had just come to her aid. Raven could call her friends many things—many things!—but predicable was rarely one of them.

Jinx absorbed this new information almost unwillingly. She didn't realize she was flat against a wall looking like someone had made off with her senses. She shook off the shock and tried to leave without drawing any attention to herself. Her leg knocked a dresser. Her hands shot out to seize it and silence it's racket.

"I thought so..." Robin said, watching the girl with the pink hair in the corner of his eyes leave quickly. "Congratulations Raven" Robin said to his teammate and walked away.

"That went better than I thought it would. Guess they were all going to find out anyway" Raven said, having never noticed Jinx was even there.

'Stupid. Stupid. Stupid! Jinx girl, what you go get yourself into now?' Jinx panicked, pacing her room. 'You're no super hero! You're a joke. A trick! I lost her with out a real fight. This is so surreal,' she felt sick to the heart. Loss of this form was all new to her. It was almost to much.

There was a knock at the door.

"Jinx, it's Robin. Can I come in"

"Uh...Just a minute" she raced to her dresser and quickly looked at her mirror. She wiped at her eyes frantically and looked herself over then tried a practice smile. She was almost able to fool even herself. Satisfied, she moved to open the door and let the leader in.

"Hey" Robin said, coming in and then shutting the door"Anything you wanna talk about"

"Um... Not at the moment boss. Why" Jinx asked him blankly, trying to act as natural as possible.

Robin was silent for a second. Damn this job. He had found a threat and could not afford to be subtle when dealing with it. 'Sorry Jinx.'

"You like her, don't you" He asked, not flinching; convinced.

"Wha? What are you talking about boss" Jinx looked bewildered. Inside her thoughts raged with panic. This wasn't really happening, was it?

"Sorry Jinx, but it's obvious now. From day one I knew something was up but wasn't sure what. As time passed, yeah, it became the only reasonable explanation" Robin told her.

Jinx wanted to lie, to deny it. How could he know when she was barely sure herself? Things just went from horrible to terrible. It was the day from hell.

"Boss..." she whimpered, not sure what to say. Was he mad at her? The thought didn't hurt so much now. She had lost Raven. All other negativity would take backseat to that now.

"Hey, it's ok." Robin said placing his hand on her shoulders"At least I think it is."

She looked at him sadly.

"What do you mean" she was in trouble, her instincts were telling her. It was such a familiar position she felt almost like she had never left it. The only times in her life she ever felt safe were with the Hive and her early days as a Titan.

"I mean—" Robin stopped to best consider how to word this. Not only was she a threat, but she was also a person. A person he had grown to like.

"Ok, look. You're a Titan under my command. Now if Raven, the reason you came here, is gone, I need be certain you won't go rouge on us."

"I...don't know." Jinx's thought began to whirl. Go back to the Hive? Could she? Would they want her? Could she stand being one of the bad guys again?

"You don't know" Robin asked critically.

Jinx covered her mouth and sat down, tears welling up in her eyes. "I don't want to fight you guys again. I like all of you, but I don't think I could stay...I donno boss" she said, shaking her head sadly.

"Ok. Ok" Robin soothed sitting beside her"Calm down and think it over, alright" They were silent for a moment.

"You're going to have to tell her eventually" Robin said into the silence.

"Wha"

"She's very perceptive. It's only a matter of time before she figures it out herself. And if you know anything about her, you know that's true" Robin told her.

He was right Jinx realized.

"And don't worry about Charlie" Robin said"I don't think he'll be around for long."

Charlie? This was Raven's boyfriend's name? How did Robin even know that? Jinx was silent as she tried to figure out what this meant. Then her mouth made a large 'O'.

"Wow boss" Jinx said, sounding astounded"You're willing to kill off an innocent civilian just to keep your team together? So I can have Raven"

"What! No" Robin reacted. Jinx smiled, providing high contrast with the tears still hanging to her lower eyelids.

"It's just, I really don't think he's Raven's type..." Robin said. Far be it for him to know Raven's exact 'type' but he felt he had an idea what definitely wasn't her type, and Charlie defiantly wasn't it. " She's just experimenting, testing the waters. She won't like him. Trust me."

Jinx looked at her hands in her lap. She wanted to know just how Robin came to these conclusions, but she didn't feel the strength to probe now. She just wanted think. Alone.

"Thanks..." she said sadly.

"I want an answer soon, ok? Even if Raven doesn't feel the same way you do, you should consider staying. You make a great Titan" Robin told her and was soon out of her room, leaving her alone to think.