Two Birds With One Stone
Disclaimer: No, I do not own the Teen Titans. No matter how well I write them. Or whatever. The term "Sister-in-God" was borrowed from Tad Williams. I did not create it.
I was dreaming when I wrote this/ So sue me if I go too fast
Dedicated, once again, to mokoto the dragon tamer (Don't worry, I don't care too much for Original Characters. No one from Raven's past – except her father – will interfere.) And to sekai no yakusoku. Enjoy.
Chapter Nine: She's Mine
Raven was, if possible, more distant as December faded and January came. As much as he wanted to confront her, tell her that he thought of her night and day, Robin knew she needed her silence. Needed time. And it annoyed him. He ached for her touch, and had to bite his tongue when Alfred threw out the Christmas decorations, mistletoe included. He wasn't a child, after all. He could wait. Raven was worth waiting for. But that didn't mean he had to wait patiently.
Impatience was his virtue, it seemed.
A number of times he tried luring her out to help him patrol the streets. The media had gotten wind of her after that day with Terra... reporters asked him what became of his beautiful partner. Robin told them she was strictly on-call, not a permanent partner.
Weeks dragged by. Valentine's Day approached and he had the crazy idea of buying her a dozen roses. One dozen white roses. And a red one buried in the middle. As his patience grew thinner, he began to play a game with himself by thinking up unique ways of confessing his love.
Friday the thirteenth.
"Spell it out in her tea leaves..." he muttered to himself.
"What?" Raven looked up from her teacup.
"Nothing," he replied in a tone that indicated it was definitely something.
"Richard?" she said carefully, and with a sickening pang, he realized that he loved the way his name sounded when she said it.
"Raven?" he replied.
Her eyes wandered vaguely toward the ceiling, and Robin knew she was thinking about the mistletoe.
"You didn't offend me." The words were out before he even thought them. He'd been wanting to say it for ages.
She stared at him.
Then, never taking her eyes from his, she placed the teacup on the coffee table, reached out, brushing her fingers along his jaw to twine them in his hair.
His communicator rang.
"Damn," he swore, pulling it out.
"Batman." He nearly spat out the name. He had half a mind to close the wretched device and chuck it out the window. "Trouble?" he asked, with an obvious you-better-have-a-good-reason-for-interrupting undertone.
"It's Slade," informed the Dark Knight.
"Slade is dead," retorted Robin.
"So we thought."
Raven gave him a puzzled look.
"Coming?" he asked her, snapping the communicator shut with a tad more force than necessary. She nodded, took his hand, and teleported them there.
It was like a scene from hell. Instead of his robot army, there was a horde of flame demons, easy enough to defeat. Maybe too easy.
"So nice to see you again, Robin," Slade drawled. "And Raven. You look lovely."
Raven visibly flinched.
"What are you planning?" Robin demanded. He'd asked it countless times. It was almost a game between them.
"Nothing for now, Robin. No need to rumple your feathers." Slade chuckled. "I merely came bearing belated birthday wishes for Raven. From her father."
Robin growled and leapt, his bo staff at the ready. Slade merely stepped to the side, flicking an arm out in a complicated gesture. A flame shot out of the air and flew, full force, at the young man.
"Robin!" Raven waved her arms, trying to put up a shield for him, but it was too weak. Robin fell to the ground, groaning in pain. He'd managed to pull his cape around him at the last instant, but he hadn't been quick enough. The flame bit at his arm.
"Leave him alone!" Raven rounded on Slade, and even the flame demons around them seemed to shrink back. Robin looked up and realized, with horror, that her eyes were glowing red. Rage.
"Raven! Don't let yourself be consumed by rage!" he cried desperately.
Her fists loosened, and she was once again staring back at Slade with her cold emotionlessness. Before Robin could recover, Slade was gripping her wrist, and she was staring back, defiant.
"Soon, Raven. Soon." He twisted her arm and threw her to the ground.
"Don't touch her, Slade!" Robin snapped.
Slade favored his rival with his best psychotic snicker and picked Raven up, twisted her arm again, and threw her into Robin's arms.
"She's mine," Robin hissed vehemently.
"We'll see, Robin. We'll see." And then he was gone, leaving Robin to seethe and Raven to look down at her arms in sadness. Her sleeves were torn where he had touched her, and on her pale, moon-light skin burned red symbols that gave off an ominous aura.
Writer's note: As always, thanks to all those who read, reviewed, and are now waiting most anxiously for the next chapter.
Okay, so this chapter was shorter than I expected. But the plot is building up, people. I estimate four more chapters. I just realized that this is the third chapter I've submitted today. I have a life. Seriously. But this story is flowing out of me faster than I can type.
Go review already.
Signed,
The writer, you fools