Disclaimer:I don't own the Teen Titans

Chapter 2: Sore Sight For Blind Eyes

The door slid open and if you strained your ears, perhaps you could hear the swish of a cloak passing by. After a few moments, perhaps you'd be able to hear the sound of another door diligently and swiftly making way for its stoic master. Then it silently closed shut. Nobody rarely knew what happened behind the door, and nobody dared to ask. It was a private thing, and it was rude to nose, but all this secrecy brought trust into suspicion.

"Friends, please, do you wish to try the Gnlorflog that I have made?" She was enthusiastic, as she always was, and was at the moment, eagerly smiling at her three male friends, who, in turn, blanched and was overcome by a brilliant shade of puke green.

"Are you not feeling well? Please, do you wish me to make my Blorfnab of Health and Well-Being?"

"No! Er—I mean, no thanks Starfire. We'll try your uh, Gnlor-whatever later." He grinned weakly, and she accepted, showing her teeth again, humming on her way to the messy kitchen. An already green boy who had been holding his breath let it all out, and chuckled nervously with a humor filled voice.

"Whew! That was close." Beside him, another tall teen was scratching the back of his half mechanical, half human head. He had been thinking thoughtfully, and wondered aloud.

"Hmm. You know, we haven't seen Raven in a long time." The boy who had spoken first, nodded in agreement.

"She hasn't been out of her room for weeks. Maybe we should check up on her." The ever jumpy green changeling switched into a green chicken and flapped his wings while bawking in mock fear.

"Are you kidding? Dude! She'll blow us up into little pieces!" He exclaimed as he morphed back into his 'normal' figure. Behind him, a grating monotonous voice replied to his indignant comment.

"I could do much worse." He screeched and jumped into the half human, half cybernetic boy's arms.

"Heh. Hey Rae! Just uh…talking." She cocked an eyebrow without breaking a smile and kept on walking towards a tea kettle on the stove farther away, showing the back of her dark cape to the three pairs of boyish eyes. There she met a perky red haired Starfire, offering more of her Tamaranian delicacies.

"Hey Rae! Haven't seen you down here in a while!" The boy dropped the changeling and waved. She ignored the greeting and sniffed at the scent rising above the deep brown concoction inside her porcelain cup.

"Herbal tea." A hand rested on her shoulder. She only slightly turned her head and saw a green glove.

"Uh, Raven? Is everything alright?" Turning back to her tea, she sighed inwardly.

No, Robin. Everything…everything is not alright. Everything is wrong. Just wrong.

But you didn't say that. You didn't say that to your leader, partner, friend. And you most definitely say that if you're Raven.

"Everything…" She hesitated for a brief moment, then snapped back to the present.

"Everything is just fine." Then she left for the double sliding doors. The changeling, let us call him Beast Boy, wondered at her rushed leave.

"Dude, what's up with her?" Starfire pushed up the chef hat, which was too big for her, with one finger and her sparkling green eyes questioned her boyfriend.

"Is friend Raven feeling low of the down? Shall I make her a—" Robin flinched and interrupted his naïve girlfriend.

"I don't think that's going to help her much, Starfire. Maybe I should go talk to her." Cyborg, obviously the half human half cybernetic teen, stopped him and headed towards the door himself.

"Nah man, I'll go. She's my little sister anyhow." And it was true. As the unofficial big brother, he marched up the stairs and worried the whole time for his "sibling". He was concerned for her well-being, she was a bit unstable with her emotions, and he knew she was not allowed to show them. He wanted to protect her, and loved her in the way a brother a sister, excluding the arguments and pillow fights over a stupid little thing. He reached the door marked 'Raven', and knocked firmly. It echoed along the large empty hallways, and his voice boomed loudly.

"Rae? Raven?" When no answer came, he red eye flickered with annoyance.

"Com'on Rae. Open the door!" Then the door cracked open slightly, and he saw a pair of amethyst eyes glaring at him. An awkward silence lingered in the air between them, and Cyborg fidgeted nervously under her unfailing gaze.

"Um…you okay? I mean, you haven't come out for weeks, and you barely say anything—"

"Oh, so you noticed?" She cut him off, but her facial expression remained the same. His eyebrows furrowed, and he was angry.
"Look Rae, I just want you to know that I care, okay? And the rest of the team cares, too. We're here to help and look out for each other." Watching her face falter for a moment, the anger in his voice faded away. He reached out and put his hands on her shoulders, and felt sorrow as she flinched when he touched her.

"Rae, I'm just worried, kay? You know if you're having trouble you can chill with me, right?" She smirked and nodded.

"Right, and I'm guessing if we ever do 'chill', we'll be wasting time playing video games or fixing up your 'baby', right?" He gave her a big grin.

"You got it!" She returned the smile and sighed. He gave her a bear hug and threatened to stuff tofu down her throat if she didn't come out at the right time for dinner. He ran off before she could retaliate with one of her many ways to punish her teammates whenever they pulled a prank on her. The door shut silently and she turned to lean against it, smile converting into a deep frown. The sun was setting and something was stinging her arm. She resisted lifting the sleeve and ran into the bathroom. She twisted the faucet on, and placed both arms under the cold liquid and although it hurt she did not cringe or flinch. The pleasure of the pain seemed to wash all the wrongs away.