Chapter Two: Friendship
Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans.
Raven sat in the garden, the warm spring breeze ruffling her purple hair. She turned the pages of her novel, absorbing the information and taking in the rows of words. The paper crinkled pleasantly between her fingers, and the scent of ink wafted off the pages.
Yummy!
Raven relaxed, enjoying the period of undisturbed reading. The Latin words on the page formed epic poems retelling the adventures of Aeneas fleeing from the doomed Troy. Raven could never decide which she liked better; the Greeks or the Romans? Vastly different, though equally interesting.
In the tower, the Titans scuttled about. Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Terra were having a video game day and movie night, and gratefully Raven, Robin and Starfire only had to participate in the latter.
"Oh, the small racing animals are so adorable!" Starfire cooed as she watched the flickering screen. "Love Robin, why do you not watch with us?" Starfire asked, looking at him with bright, pleading eyes. Robin shook his head.
"I'm good, thanks," he reassured his fiancé. At the table, Robin was looking over jail records, reading lawyers' requests to appear in court. Part of being a Titan meant having to win a verbal battle every time a villain had a stunning personality change and demanded parole. Robin had seen enough villains in his time to realize these changes rarely lasted more than a few days.
He stared at Starfire's long red-gold hair, shining as it swung. Even after all these years, she was as beautiful and gentle and happy as ever. He had proposed to her a month ago, and couldn't remember being as happy as he was now. She had even moved into his room. She shared his bed, his bathroom. They were the quintessence of perfect coupling.
And yet. . .he now found himself thinking of Raven. Why had he kissed her last night? On that thought, why was he so worried about it? They were just friends and both of them knew that. And he kissed her forehead. He was just trying to comfort a friend. With a sigh of frustration, he got up and headed outside.
The first thing Robin saw was Raven, sitting and reading. He smiled, and walked over to the join the girl.
"Hey," he said, smiling at Raven.
"Hi," Raven said, staring up at him in confusion. "What brings you out here?" she asked him.
"Needed a break from incessant bombardment." Robin admitted. Raven laughed.
That's the second time she's laughed in two days. Robin thought. What is going on?
Why am I acting like this? Usually I just keep to myself, but suddenly it's like I'm Robin's best friend. . .or maybe more. No! Starfire's my best friend, I could never move in on her fiancé! Raven thought.
"What are you reading?" Robin asked, changing the subject. Raven held up her book.
"Ah, Virgil," Robin said knowingly. "The Aeneid."
"Yup, in the original Latin," Raven said.
"I'm impressed," Robin said, raising his eyebrows.
"It's no big deal really," Raven said, shrugging her shoulders. She paused, as though trying to decide what to say next. "Why did you kiss me?" There, that was good, blurt it out. Raven felt her cheeks heating up yet again. Why am I blushing so much? It's only Robin. My friend.
"I just thought. . . maybe it would calm you. It's painful to see your friends upset, ya know?" Robin said, catching her eye. I'm such an idiot. Why did I put such emphasis on the word friend? There's nothing else there, right?
"Um, thanks, I guess. I slept really well last night. Better than I have since. . .ever," she admitted. Both smiled and blushed.
The peace was interrupted by the Titans' alarm sounding. Raven and Robin's heads shot up. The four other Titans shot out, Starfire carrying Cyborg, Beast Boy as a bird and Terra on a rock.
"Control Freak is robbing a bank on 5th and Seaside," Cyborg reported. "C'mon!" The two Titans exchanged looks.
"But I can't fly . . ." Robin said, looking at them going off.
"Don't worry, I've got you," Raven assured him. A combination of her powers and muscle and his small, light body made it possible for her to lift him up and fly off.
"Terra! Heads up!" Raven shouted. The girl looked behind her, and Raven dropped Robin off on her rock. The mage then flew up, catching up with Starfire.
What just happened? Why did holding him feel so good. . .and so right? Raven wondered. She pulled her hood up and shook her head, trying to concentrate on the task at hand. The team landed outside the bank, just cutting off Control Freak.
"Give it up, Control Freak!" Robin shouted, looking the villain in the eye.
"Not happening! I have a new remote control!" Control Freak shouted. He pointed and clicked, and suddenly a huge rock came out of the ground and was thrown at the Titans.
"No freakin' way!" Terra shouted, looking at him with fury. Control Freak snickered and used the remote to possess a bus and throw that at them too. Starfire caught it just before it hit the Titans. The look exchanged between Raven and Terra was not lost on their friends.
"He's gonna get it now," Beast Boy said, looking at the two girls with worry.
"Oh yeah," Cyborg agreed. Raven and Terra sprung into action, tossing anything they could get their hands on at him.
Terra looked around, and found where a building was coming up. Concrete! She lifted the wet cement up and wrapped it around Control Freak's feet.
"Rae, help me cool this down!" the girl shouted. Raven brought a gust of wind by, but as soonthey though they hadcaught him, he broke free. The girls fell back, and Starfire came at him from above, shooting lasers at the remote control. Beast Boy took the form of a tiger and sprang forth. Cyborg attacked him with a cannon, and Robin threw exploding discs at Control Freak. The villain retaliated by throwing a car at them.
Raven gasped as she saw the car heading towards her. Before she could react she found herself being yanked harshly out of the way. Her body fell against her rescuer, and she found herself on top of Robin.
"You okay?" he asked. Raven scrambled to her feet and the Titans' leader followed.
"Yeah, fine, thanks to you," she said with a grateful grin. The two stood there a moment, forgetting the battle.
"Robin! We have caught the Control Freak!" Starfire exclaimed with glee as she held up the over weight villain.
"And this is what you get for messing with MY powers!" Terra shouted. She snatched the remote and proceeded to smash it with several rocks.
"My baby!" Control Freak wailed. "NO! How will I build a new one?" he cried.
"Well, I'm sure you'll get lots of free time - in jail." Robin told him smugly. He nodded off to the police standing on the sidelines, who scampered forth to take him away. "Good work team," Robin said, giving them a congratulatory nod.
"Yes! We have done well!" Starfire said. She kissed Robin hard on the lips, and the Titans rolled their eyes.
"Let's go, lovebirds," Cyborg said, teasing the couple. "C'mon ya'll, pizza on me." Raven turned away as Starfire grabbed his hand and began tugging him to the local pizzeria. Something stung from watching them. That was new. She didn't have feelings for Robin. He was her friend, her teammate. What was going on with her?
Robin glanced at Raven as his fiancé pulled him along after her, cheerfully bubbling about how they had invented an m & m and mint frosting pizza just for her, and wasn't it wonderful? The Starfire pizza! He just had to try it, oh please, wouldn't he? Robin hardly noticed her.
This is ridiculous. I'm getting married in two months. I love the woman I'm marrying, I hand picked her. Why is now that I'm thinking so much about Raven?
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