It Happens
Love or Lust?
(8pm at a Night Club)
Robin and Raven walked in carefully one behind the other into the popular Jump City club. At first they went unnoticed. At least until they ordered drinks.
"Scotch," Robin said to the bartender who just looked at him, "without ice," he added.
"Have you ever had scotch before?" Raven asked.
"First time for everything," Robin responded, "you having anything Raven?" he asked.
"No thanks Robin," Raven responded and the bartender who was about to give Robin his glass of scotch dropped the glass in shock.
The bartender looked from one to the other in open panic.
"They're with me," a voice said suddenly, "give them whatever they order Frank."
Frank the bartender gave Raven a dark look but went to share another scotch for Robin and the usual Vodka for the person who had just spoken.
"Hi Kitty," Raven said formally, "Hot Spot with you tonight?" she asked.
"He's out saving people," Kitty said with great annoyance, "you should speak nicer to me Raven," she said as she sat a seat away from Robin, "I just kept you from going through another scene of being cursed because of what you and your father caused years ago," she told Raven whose jaw tightened as she glared at Kitty.
"Raven caused nothing," Robin spoke up, "what happened was a horrible thing and I'd just like to move on and try to bring back my friendship with Raven as best as I can."
"Are you joking?" Frank asked as he handed out the vodka first then the scotch after, "you've hated this girl for years," he said, "you're suddenly her friend again?" he asked incredulously.
"Things have changed," Robin told Frank, "a lot of things," he added.
"You two aren't shacking up are you?" Frank asked and Raven immediately went red and several bottles exploded behind Frank.
"Hey!" Frank cried angrily as he dodged flying glass, "I thought that she gained full control!" he shouted.
"I'm sorry, it's just been happening at random times recently," Raven said shyly.
Random times as in every time that I'm with Robin. (Raven's thoughts)
"Well try and stop it," Frank snapped, "it's bad enough you're at this club," he told Raven, "don't go giving me extra trouble."
"She has every right to be here," Robin said angrily.
"Well most of my patrons and myself don't think so," Frank responded, "and she's NOT going to make me lose business," he said seriously then attended to cleaning out some glasses.
Robin slowly downed his scotch while Kitty gulped down her vodka and demanded another. Raven meanwhile just sat quietly staring at her hands.
"Hey is that Raven?" Raven heard a patron whisper.
"Yeah," another patron said, "and is that ROBIN beside her?"
"Guess he couldn't find a better seat," a male patron finally spoke.
"I'm sitting with her because I want to so shut up!" Robin cried angrily, "give me some whiskey," he then ordered Frank.
"Please," Raven added kindly after seeing how offended Frank looked at the manner of Robin's order.
Frank slowly took Robin's glass and soon came back with some hot whiskey.
Robin drank seven more glasses of whiskey straight. Patrons were now gawking at him even more than when he had shouted after them.
"I'll have a can of the strongest beer you got," Raven said after Robin just received his eighth glass of whiskey.
Frank gave her a bottle and Raven tore off the cork with her powers and drank until the bottle was empty. When she looked at Robin she noticed him watching her with amused eyes.
"What are you looking at Whiskey Man?" Raven joked.
Robin chuckled and ordered water instead of another whiskey.
"Great choice," Raven said and ordered a cherry flavoured non alcoholic beverage, "so are we going to just sit here?" she asked Robin.
"I'm not in the mood to dance," Robin said honestly, "I'll make it up to you," he added.
"That's okay," Raven said as they both got their orders.
"Excuse me," a female patron said rudely and Raven turned to her, "what are you doing?" she demanded.
"Sitting," Raven responded and the female's face reddened.
"I mean what are you doing here?" the female expanded.
"Sitting," Raven repeated while Robin secretly struggled not to laugh.
"I thought Beast Boy was the funny one," a male patron commented.
"You're not welcomed, leave," the female ordered.
"No," Raven refused, "there's no law keeping me out," she told the female patron.
"There's no law condemning worthless bitches like you to death either," the female blasted and Robin immediately turned on her with a furious face.
"Say that again and I'll be the one responding," Robin snarled and the female stepped back in fright.
"Since when you two became friends?" another female patron asked snootily.
"Since now," Robin responded, 'so back off," he said to her, "you okay?" he asked Raven.
"I've heard worse," Raven told him.
"I'm so sorry," Robin said, "if I could make this go away I would," he said to the gasps of many patrons including Kitty this time.
"I know," Raven said softly and turned back around to drink her beverage.
"I bet she put him under a spell," another patron whispered.
"FUCK OFF!" Robin exploded, squelching all talk and whispering in that part of the club, "Jesus," he muttered and turned around but didn't touch his drink, "do they run on batteries?"
"If they do they have a long life," Raven said causing Robin to let out a laugh, "they say laughter is the best medicine.
"Well it certainly help ease a situation," Robin agreed and then took a sip of his water, "want to head back?" he asked her suddenly.
"Do you?" Raven asked him.
"A little," Robin admitted.
"Just tell me when you're ready," Raven told him, "then you can call the chauffer," she added.
"I had him leave my bike behind," Robin reminded her.
"You've drank too much," Raven pointed out.
"I'm not driving," Robin said and soon waved the bike keys in her face, "I know you want to," he said in a sing song voice.
Raven grabbed the keys.
"Bye Frank, Bye Kitty," Raven said quickly and she and Robin hurried out of the club.
Soon Raven was racing down the streets on the bike while Robin held on tightly to her waist.
When they reached the mansion's garage Robin still held unto her.
"Um, Robin," Raven said uncomfortably, "you can let go now," she told him.
Robin slowly released his hold on her waist and got off the bike. Raven followed.
"I want to show you something," Robin said suddenly and started heading in the direction that just seemed to lead into darkness instead of the door that was nearby.
Raven stood still for a moment. Then slowly followed Robin.
They kept walking until they came to a grilled area. Robin then took out a key and opened it. He then motioned for Raven to head in first.
"I have to lock the gate," Robin explained to her when she looked from the 'unseeable' darkness that Robin wanted her to step to Robin incredulously, "you know that I won't hurt you right?" her asked her.
Raven strongly considered that possibility for over a minute.
"Of course I know that," Raven responded instead of voicing her true feelings, "just hurry in, okay," she said and Robin nodded.
Raven stepped in and was completely enveloped by darkness. Robin then stepped in and looked the gate behind them. Ten more minutes were spent going through doors and grills that Robin seemed to know by heart since there was no light to let either of them see anything. Soon they reached an area where Robin finally stopped without asking Raven to step through another opening. While Raven was grateful, she now wondered where the hell she was.
Suddenly she heard a whirring and the large room lit up automatically. Raven looked around the see a huge monitor, which covered one of the walls just by itself with the largest keyboard she'd ever seen. She also saw other things but what caught her attention was Robin's old uniform right beside another one.
"That's my Night Wing uniform," Robin explained and Raven nodded, "I tried to continue the hero biz after I turned seventeen as Night Wing," he told me, "but it just wasn't the same," he added sadly.
"So you gave up?" Raven asked and Robin nodded, "so, when did you show Beast Boy this place?"
"Oh I never showed him," Robin said simply to Raven's surprise, "that surprises you?" he asked.
"I just assumed…" Raven started to but stopped and looked away from Robin.
"We all have things that we only show certain people," Robin told her, "Beast Boy knew about me being Night Wing," he said, "but I only showed him an extra suit that I keep one of my bedroom closets."
"So why show me?" Raven asked.
"Cause it felt right," Robin said, "I guess," he added sheepishly and soon both he and Raven were laughing.
"I never thought we'd ever be friends again," Raven said as she sat in a nearby chair and leaned back, "I feel so relaxed," she whispered to herself and closed her eyes.
Robin simply sat on the edge of the table that Raven sat behind. He watched her as she relaxed in the chair.
"You look peaceful," Robin said and Raven opened one eye to look at him, "you just seem really relaxed," he said shyly and looked away.
Raven watched Robin and noticed how shy he was around her. Then a grin spread across her face.
"Robin," Raven teased, "I'm not making you nervous am I?" she asked him.
"No," Robin said immediately then went red in the face, "maybe a little," he admitted.
"Robin it's okay," Raven said and stretched out a hand to touch one of his, "it's okay to see me as attractive," she told him, "I'm not going to run from you Robin," she promised.
"Oh God," Robin said and looked up at the ceiling as he took in a shallow breath, "I ruined your life and now I want to be part of it," he said, "isn't that just pathetic?" he asked her tearfully.
"What happened years ago Robin, happened years ago," Raven said strongly, "you can't change the past," she said firmly, "you can only hope for a good future."
"The future," Robin whispered with his eyes closed, "remember my 'What If' future?" he asked her.
"Don't think about it Robin," Raven said firmly.
"How can I not Raven," Robin countered, "it showed me how our horrible reaction towards you messed up our lives," he reminded her, "I can never apologize enough and I wish that I could go back in time and give my younger self a good kick in the head," he declared.
Raven suddenly jumped to her feet, grabbed Robin by his shirt collar and pulled him right up to her angry face.
"Stop it!" Raven ordered, "you do this one more time and I SWEAR you'll never see me again!" she shouted angrily.
Robin stared into Raven's angry face in disbelief.
"You'd leave me?" Robin asked in a small cracked voice.
Raven looked into Robin's eyes and realized how much she had hurt him.
"I'm sorry," Raven apologized and released him, "I didn't mean it Robin," she added.
"Really?" Robin asked and Raven nodded, "can I ask you something Raven?"
"Yeah, sure," Raven responded.
"I know that might seem weird and sudden," Robin said as he nervously watched his hands as he wrung them, "but I was wondering if maybe um, we could uh….go out," he said softly.
Robin suddenly heard a chuckle and looked up to see Raven grinning wryly at him.
"No offense Robin but we've been dating for weeks," Raven told him, "I've slept over at your mansion, danced with you, had several meals with you, taken walks with you in the gardens, gone to the movies in your personal theatre, went with you to the club earlier, and two days ago we nearly even…." she listed.
"Until I had those flashbacks," Robin interrupted hatefully.
"It's no big deal Robin," Raven said kindly, "we don't have to rush into sex," she continued, "plus you've just officially asked me out," she pointed, "I think sex can wait," she added with a laugh.
Raven's laughter was contagious. Robin soon started to laugh.
"But what will happen when you want to go home?" Robin asked, "you do have your own house," he reminded her.
"Jinx can take care of my mansion," Raven told him, "in fact both Jinx and Gizmo can have it when they stop pussy footing around and get married," she declared.
"You'd give up your mansion to stay here with me?" Robin asked totally mystified.
"Robin I travel all over the place," Raven reminded him, "I have mansions, cottages and other residences on Earth as well as several other planets," she told him, "the closest thing I've had to a home is my mansion close to Jinx and my flat on the monk planet Rexmon," she revealed to him, "at least they were the closest things I had to home until I came here," she said to him as she sat beside him on the table, "I really care about you Robin," she said honestly, "it might not be some pure bubbly giddy love," she admitted, "but it has to be something," she insisted.
"I care about you too," Robin whispered, "Raven," he said, "do you think we should marry?" he asked suddenly.
"Um, not right now," Raven said slowly, "I mean, I don't have to marry to stay with you," she added.
"You don't?" Robin asked brightly.
"You sound happy," Raven said dryly.
"Not that I'd have a problem marrying you," Robin tried to explain, "it's just that…"
"Robin," Raven interrupted, "you don't have to marry me for me to stay with you," she told him, "I'm not Starfire," she said, "I'm not going anywhere."
"How can you guarantee that?" Robin asked her.
"Okay, unless I die I'm staying," Raven rephrased.
"I shouldn't be pressuring you, I'm sorry," Robin apologized.
"You just don't want to be alone Robin," Raven told him, "and I don't mind staying with you," she said, "in fact," she said slyly, "maybe we should try something different," she suggested.
"Like what?" Robin asked.
"How about skinny dipping?" Raven asked.
"What!" Robin shouted.
"Your huge rectangular pool in the back," Raven said, "unless me being naked scares you."
"N…No," Robin said, "it's just um, maybe I can wear a swim trunks?"
"Robin, you can't keep being afraid of your body and mine," Raven chastised him, "no one's going to hurt you," she told him.
"I know that," Robin protested, "but I just…."
"What?" Raven demanded.
"I don't know," Robin admitted, "I just…" he started to say but stopped, "how about we stay here," he suggested suddenly.
"Here?" Raven asked incredulously.
"Um, yeah," Robin said softly, "um, I'm just not ready Raven," he told her, "I know that I need to try and be intimate and not think about the rape but right now I just can't," he said, "I want to be able to give my all to you," he said to her, "not just a one night stint or some temporary relationship," he added.
"When you put it like that Robin it's really…sweet," Raven said, "thank you," she whispered and kissed him on the cheek.
"Your Welcome, I guess," Robin responded, "I know it's late but maybe you can watch me do some city surveillance from the monitors?" he asked her.
"Okay," Raven said slowly and followed Robin to the largest monitor.
"I know it's kind of boring but I sometimes do it," Robin said as he turned on the monitor which immediately started to show different parts of the city in four minute intervals.
"Robin," Raven said and Robin turned to look at her, "do you want to be Night Wing again?" she asked him.
"Sometimes," Robin confessed.
"Well just know that if you do I'll support you one hundred percent," Raven told him.
"Thank You Raven," Robin said, "you don't know what your support means to me," he said and turned back to the monitor.
I think I might. (Raven's thoughts)
Raven silently stood behind Robin and watched as he checked different areas and even sent alerts to nearby police stations and heroes of areas where he saw criminal acts being committed. She even pointed out things that Robin missed twice.
"This isn't no bad," Raven said softly to herself, "now seriously that guy following those group of children looks like a lewd pedophile," she said and pointed to the left corner of the screen, "that's definitely a good idea," she agreed when Robin immediately sent an alert to both the police and the new Teen Titans.
"You're good at this," Robin commended her.
"You bet I am," Raven declared then both she and Robin burst out laughing.
(9pm at Cyborg's Apartment)
"Why you shouting at me?" Cyborg demanded of Gizmo over the phone, "I already called Robin a week ago and he told me that he and Raven are sorting things out," he reminded Gizmo, "I thought you'd be glad."
"GLAD!" Gizmo shouted, "I trust that former boy wonder as much as I trust a serial killer!" he declared.
"Hey!" Cyborg cried, "don't go talking about Robin like that," he said firmly.
"How the fuck do you expect me to trust this guy?" Gizmo demanded angrily, "OWWW!" he suddenly cried, "damn bi…" he started to say but stopped, "no Jinx I didn't mean…AWWW!…"
Cyborg stood in his apartment holding the phone a foot away from himself. All he could ascertain was that Gizmo did something to piss Jinx off.
"Hello Cyborg," Jinx said formally.
"Hi Jinx," Cyborg responded carefully, "Gizmo still around?" he asked her.
"With a black eye and other injuries," Jinx said and it was obvious that she was angry, "let him try calling me a bitch again," she muttered, "but anyway Raven had left to stay with Robin for only a few days," she continued, "I guess Gizmo is extra worried that she isn't back yet."
"And you?" Cyborg asked.
"I worry but I trust Robin," Jinx told Cyborg.
"Glad that you do at least," Cyborg said bitterly.
"But you can't fully blame Gizmo," Jinx said, "honestly if she weren't my friend I'd see her as my competition when it comes to Gizmo and I," she added with a laugh.
"Really now?" Cyborg asked in amusement, "anyway I'm glad a friend of Raven's hass faith in Robin."
"And I'm glad that you don't think Raven's trying to put a spell on him," Jinx said and Cyborg laughed, "anyway I have to go," she said, "I have to go see to Gizmo," she added.
"You really do love him," Cyborg said.
"Yeah," Jinx said honestly, "Raven's been telling us to hurry up and get married."
"Then why don't you?" Cyborg asked.
"I don't know," Jinx said hesitantly, "there's just so much out there," she said, "I don't want to miss out."
"But is it worth losing Gizmo?" Cyborg asked her, "plus I hear that Hot Spot is planning to get engaged soon," he told her, "what if he asks you and not Kitty?"
"Oh," Jinx said slowly, "I don't want to marry Hot Spot," she said frankly.
"Well you need to consider everything," Cyborg told her.
"Yeah I guess so," Jinx said slowly, "what do you want?" she snapped suddenly, "oh sorry Cyborg I'm talking to Gizmo, just hold on a moment," she told Cyborg, "what's that?" she asked curiously of Gizmo, "oh my Lord," she whispered, "um, you're sure that is…."
"What the hell do you think it is!" Cyborg heard Gizmo shout angrily, "I was going to wait until Raven came back but she's GOD'S knows where!"
"Oh Gizmo!" Jinx cried, "Cyborg I have to, bye," she said hurriedly and hung up.
Cyborg wondered what was going on. But since Jinx hung up, he'd never know.
(At Jinx's Mansion)
"I love you, I love you, I love you," Jinx kept repeating and kissed Gizmo every time she said it.
"I love you too," Gizmo responded, "are you going to put on the ring?" he asked her.
"Yes!" Jinx cried and let go of Gizmo and allowed him to place the ring on her shaky finger, "I c...c...ca…can't believe this is h…happe…happening!" she declared tearfully, "you really love me," she said and started crying.
"Of course I love you!" Gizmo shouted as he made sure the twenty carat diamond ring fitted her finger properly, "I'm not even eighteen yet and I want to get married to someone who'll soon be nineteen," he told her, "you think I'd marry you if I loved someone else?" he demanded, "sorry, but Gizmo doesn't waste his time," he said seriously after he was finally satisfied with how the ring looked on her finger, "I'll always love you Jinx," he told her softly, "always," he said and kissed her lightly on the lips.
"I love you too," Jinx told him, "the diamond's blue," she said admiring the ring.
"The gold for the ring is pure twenty four carat gold," Gizmo said proudly.
Jinx simply blinked.
"It's the purest gold baby," Gizmo explained and Jinx blushed.
"Oh," Jinx said, "sorry I only know how beautiful, popular and expensive jewelry is," she said with a laugh, "and a little bit about the carats of diamonds," she added.
"That definitely separates you from Kitty," Gizmo said and Jinx laughed out loud, "and also the fact that she's a rich spoilt prima dona bitch," he declared, "Hot Spot can have that," he said frankly, "I'll take you," he said and kissed her on the cheek.
"Hot Spot will be disappointed," Jinx said.
"So?" Gizmo demanded, "I don't give a damn about him, "he could get into bed with Robin and Speedy and have a three way for all I care!"
Jinx decided not to respond since the mention of Hot Spot had gotten Gizmo so hot under the collar.
"Anyway," Gizmo said more calmly, "I had dinner reservations, but with how I look now…"
"Wear sunglasses and tell the waiter to not ask questions," Jinx immediately ordered, "I want my engagement night to be special," she continued, "and I'm sorry for hitting you," she added and kissed him on his swollen eye.
"Go get ready," Gizmo said kindly and kissed her on her nose.
"Okay!" Jinx cried excitedly and hurried off to get ready.
Gizmo smiled as he watched her go. He was so glad that he finally took Raven's advice. He just wished that she could be here to see him propose to Jinx like he had planned.
End Chapter 10
Reggae: This story has two more chapters left. No more and no less. I plan to try and complete this in November. As you've noticed Robin and Raven have gotten closer and Jinx and Gizmo plan to wed. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, please review.