I don't own anything of value – no one here does – stop asking.
The song lyrics however, are mine – don't steal them, I like them just fine right here on this page ONLY.
-BHW
Lyrics
Thoughts
Narrative
"Rae?"
Nightwing tapped lightly at her door, the sound seeming much too big for this particular day.
"Come on, Rae, I know you're in there. It's time to go."
The door slid open to reveal a girl with purple hair that hung just past her shoulder blades. Her dress was a dark green, so dark it was almost black. Almost black, because she couldn't wear black, not today, today shouldn't be a plain black day.
Nightwing must have sensed that too. He was wearing a dark blue suit with a green tie. She stepped forward, heels muted by the carpet, she lifted a hand as if to stroke his face but instead straightened his tie.
"You okay?"
She nodded.
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Life is only a dream
Shape it to perfection
The world a changing stream
Don't get lost in your reflection
The ceremony was beautiful. Lilies were arranged in large buckets and the sun shone brightly casting a urethral light on the beach. The waves crashed ashore in a soothing lull, running along the sand and smoothing the beaches, erasing foot prints, wearing down the toughest stone. Where did all the foot prints go? Were they lost forever? Or had the waves filled the mold, the impression in the sand, did the water take the shape of every print, ever lost? Even his?
Cyborg had Star pulled to his chest as she cried. Red shinning, blue gleaming in a happy sun.
Raven remained apathetic just watching it all, the coffin being pushed off, Superman's speech, the Doom Patrols sad faces, Nightwing letting the tears fall down his face as if it was natural. All she wanted to do was scream and pull open the coffin lid and shake him until he woke up. He was just sleeping, only sleeping. She turned to watch the water, dumb little silver and purple mask clutched in her hand. Had this once really fit him? Had Changeling ever been this small?
The moon is lost to another cloud
Yet you only have to think to bring it out
Or let the glow be enshroud
Nightwing pulled her against himself, she could feel his tears soaking through her hair. All the tears, they all smelt of salt, like the ocean. Could the ocean be made of tears? Suddenly she had to remember to breath, in and out, in and out. A moment passed, only a beat, the waves crashed, a bird flew, casting its shadow on the sand. She wanted to run under that bird and pretend it was him. She watched it disappear, never to return again and gave a small choke before covering her eyes with her hand. She didn't want to see anymore.
This was a dream, that was it, it was a dream. Of course it was a dream! Cyborg was crying, Nightwing was crying, Starfire was crying. A hero doesn't cry! A smile lit up her face. That's it, that's her proof.
Raven turned around in Nightwing's arms and smiled into his chest, embracing him. Just a dream.
Sometimes you wish
You could wake up from it all
But a wish is just a dream
We dream when we fall
"Rae," Nightwing held her at arms length, "it's okay to cry you know."
He frowned as she smiled, "I'm not sad."
"You aren't?" Nightwing leaned in to search her eyes.
"No. It's only a dream." He stared at her, "Tomorrow I'll wake up and you'll be beside me and you'll roll over to kiss me but then Beast Boy will open the door and I'll chase him out." She told all in one breath.
"No Raven, not this time."
She pulled out of his grasp, "Yes! It. Is. Just. A. Dream."
He moved towards her but she only took a step back. He reached out for her, "Come here Rae. It's okay." She turned, her heel digging into the sand and bolted for the tower.
Live life on a satin pillow
Pretend the worlds alright
Sleep in your darkened hallow
Turn off your flashlight
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Raven lay on her bed, letting the satin sheets stick to her sweaty body. She rolled over trying to find a spot that wasn't warm with body heat. Her dress was rumpled and the bottom was lined with sand.
She heard her door open, but didn't move.
"Hey." Her voice only a whisper.
Nightwing didn't say anything back, he only walked into her bathroom and started a bath, testing the water temperature with his hand. Raven turned her head to the side so she could see what he was doing.
Once the bath was full, he shut off the taps and walked over to her.
"I don't want to take a bath."
Sometimes you wish
You could wake up from it all
But a wish is just a dream
We dream when we fall
He didn't say anything, just lifted her off the bed and carried her into the bathroom. He sat her on the toilet and undid her shoes. Next was her dress. At first she protested and struggled against him but she soon decided it simply wasn't worth it.
He slid it off her shoulders and let it fall to her feet, a crumpled mass of sandy dark green. He lifted her up and stood her in the tub. Soon his own clothes were on the floor and he stood in his batman boxers looking at her. Her arms were crossed over her stomach as she shivered in her green bra and Robin panties. He gave her a smirk.
Stepping into the bath Nightwing, or Richard, wrapped his arms around her and brought her to sit in the water with him. They were both shivering now and Raven pressed her back against his chest.
Reaching over the side of the tub Richard produced a green duck and let it float in front of them. They sat for awhile, Raven's eyes never leaving the duck.
See what you want to
Dance under open skies
In dreams you can pursue
Just remember they're telling lies
To you
"Rich?"
"Mmm-hmm," he mumbled into her hair.
"This isn't a dream is it?"
"No."
He placed his hands on top of hers and led them to rest on the duck.
"I can't wake up?"
"No."
He kissed her shoulder.
Bust a wish is just a dream
A wish is just a dreeammm
A wish is just a dream
And we dream when we fall
"Will he go away?"
"No."
The lump in her throat throbbed, threatening to rip her chest apart.
"A hero doesn't cry?"
"No."
Open your eyes
You're stronger than that
See corruption and lies
The world is no longer painted in matte
The tears started to make paths down her face and drip into the bath water, slowly turning it into an ocean.
And the green duck bobbed along as salt dripped off her nose, and Richard brought her closer causing bath waves to roll and swell against white porcelain walls.
A wish is just a dream
And we dream when we fall
A wish is just a dream
Sometimes we're better off if we don't dream
At all
To show support after a certain crazy out there decided it would be wise to lash out at Alana or the RobRae community for that matter. I personally think StarRob is a bit boring and unimaginative but I would like to remind whoever is reading this that not all SR fans out there are like that. Respecting others ideas is the path to tranquility. Disrespecting them is much like what Hitler did to the Jews or what enslavement by Europeans did to the Africans…it is all the same even if the scale is smaller.
I'm not usually into challenges but this popped into my head after I wrote a chapter of Christmas Healing (one of my other stories) and I decided what the hell.
Stay Strong
-BHW