Raven moved down the hallway, upset with herself. She had lost control, she had acted like some idiot. Stammering and blushing like some high school bimbo. She was so stupid, why would Robin even consider kissing her in the first place? She was creepy. She was pale and depressing. She was nearly a midget for heavens sake! Starfire was nothing like that. She was the exact opposite. Little Miss Peppy Starfire. Tan and tall, silky long hair, thin and muscular. What the hell did she think she was anyway? Some super model or something? Raven hissed inside her head. Besides, everyone knew there was something between the two. Robin was smart, he was logical, he wouldn't give up Starfire for her. That was stupid, it would be like trading down. Why give up miss perfect for a defective half-breed? One of the storage doors blew out, surrounded by a black aura.
Raven closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to rope in her stray power. What is wrong with me? Starfire was her friend, she was a good person. Despite everything there was an innocence in her that refused to be smothered. A kind heart that genuinely cared. Raven didn't really want to hurt her friend. Raven sighed and rubbed her forehead for a moment. Was it okay to feel jealous? Was that what this feeling was? It was normal, right? She wasn't normal though. I can't let myself get taken in by such meager emotions.
Raven frowned. Who said anything was wrong with me? Robin was the idiot. He didn't even notice when she thought he was going to kiss her. She was fine. She was perfectly normal. Raven thumped down on the nearest stool. She folded her arms on the table, slumping down, she rested her head on her arms. He didn't even notice. Raven repeated in her head.
Wiping the irritation from her eyes, Raven again sighed. What if he did? What if Robin had noticed her lips? Was he simply rejecting her? Could he have just ignored it? Hoping that she'd get the point? Does he feel anything for me?
She was surprised when she felt the first tear hit her arm. Raven paused, her hand still against her eye. Was she crying? She hadn't cried in forever. This was all so stupid. She silently chastised herself for allowing herself to feel such incredibly silly emotions. It didn't matter. She knew what she was. It's just... She thought maybe she could have a new chance now that Trigon was gone. Was it really that wrong of her to think that maybe she could?
An empty soda can that had been left forgotten on the edge of the table shook for a moment before it collapsed in on itself. Raven stared at the can in disgust. She needed to meditate. She had to clear up her head. Where am I? Raven surveyed the room. The walls were lined with tools of varying shapes and sizes. She noticed that the table she sat at was actually a large workbench. The T-car sat silently back in the corner. The garage? She had walked all the way down here?
Well that works. The garage really was the best place at the moment. With her leaving breakfast as she did Robin was sure to be pounding on her door by now. Demanding a explanation, like he was lord of the castle. When he couldn't get her there he was bound to start checking her other favorite places. The library, the roof, the bluff on the back of the island. She looked around the garage again, she didn't even now what most of the tools in here did, or even their names. Yes, the garage had to be the last place Robin would look for her. Just the place to avoid him until she got her head straightened out.
Raven crossed her legs. Levitating sightly from the stool she began to chant. "Azerath mitrion Zinthos..."
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In her heightened state of spiritual awareness, Raven quickly picked up on the other presence. Staying in the shadows of the room, the figure thought it's presence had gone unnoticed. Ravens first thought was to leave. She gave the presence a quick probe though and easily saw it wasn't the boy wonder.
Cyborg stood near the door. He had come to do some work on the T-car's internal- fusion chamber. He had had hopes of reinstalling the piece today. He looked at the petite figure levitating above the stool, and swallowed hard. It was amazing that such a small person could cut such a intimidating figure. It wasn't that he didn't want to help Raven, he felt a very strong connection to the girl. It was just he still remembered the browbeating he had received the last time he had put his nose in business Raven had deemed was none of concern. He swallowed hard again.
Raven had yet to open her eyes, but she could still tell that Cyborg had stepped out into the room. Even without using her power. She was sure he was attempting to be discreet, though he was doing a poor job of it. Raven was certain even Beastboy would have been able to pick up on the robust young man's footsteps, as he clumped forward. Raven waited as he continued to grow closer and closer. She raised a eyebrow when the footsteps stopped. She waited but the robotic giant remained silent. Well, if anything Raven was good at waiting.
The older titan could stand the silence no longer and finally gave in to it. He raised his hand to his mouth and coughed softly hoping to attract the witche's attention. Raven remained motionless. He could see her lips moving now that he was closer though. He wasn't sure what she was mouthing though he was pretty sure it had to be her nearly infamous incantation.
Raven wasn't pleased with the intrusion on her meditation. She had hoped Cyborg might have given into the dread she felt emanating from him moments before. Though she did have to admit, as she thought back to all to tools and mechanics, that if anyone of them had right to claim this room it was Cyborg not her. She could feel Cyborg growing more uneasy as his polite cough went unnoticed.
Cyborg shifted his weight to the right. He continued to stare at the girl. He felt as if he might burn a hole through her at any moment. Still there was no response. Could some one be that deep in a trance? This was like getting BB's attention when he was playing video games. Cyborg raised his hand to his mouth and began to clear his throat, much louder this time. But before he could his dark eyes were meet by piercing violet ones.
Cyborg startled when Raven finally opened her eyes. "Ah, Umm. Yeah, so, uh, you know if you want... I mean I'm not trying to get up in your business or nothing, but I was just thinking, if you wanted to talk. You know..." Cyborg's voice seemed to fall out from under him.
"I'm fine." That seemed to be Raven's new chant for this morning. She levitated back down to sit on the stool, uncrossing her legs as she did so.
"Oh, yeah." Cyborg eyed the fusion chamber sitting on the edge of the work bench hungrily.
"If you want to work..."
"No! No really." Cyborg gave a deep, but not very convincing laugh. "You're fine, I just wanted to check a few things."
Raven eyed him suspiciously. It was fairly obvious that she wasn't buying it. Cyborg chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. Raven continued her assault unrelenting. You could almost see Cyborg visibly crumble. He was never able to stand up against the young woman. "Well, umm. Why don't you help me? You did a great job helping me fix up my baby after that little shit messed her up."
Raven remembered handing Cyborg various tools and she remembered being covered in grease though she had to admit she didn't remember being that big a help. Cyborg gave her an encouraging look. "Okay" Raven's voice was barely a mumble.
Fortunately Cyborg's enhanced hearing caught it. "Well," His smile spread across his face. "Alright then."
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"Hand me the wrench again."
"hmph." Raven's reply seemed less than enthused but she retrieved the wrench as asked.
"So you just going stand there, staring off? Or are you going to talk to me?" Cyborg chanced a glance at Raven out of the corner of his eye. He was definitely walking on dangerous ground. It was quite likely Raven would be putting the nearest tool some place most uncomfortable for him.
Much to his surprise Raven didn't even seem irritated by his question. "Sorry," Cyborg nearly dropped the wrench on his toe. He must be hearing things. "What do you want to talk about?"
Cyborg gave a aggravated sigh. "What happened this morning?"
"You were there, why?" Raven seemed intent on not giving him an easy opening.
Cyborg forgot his earlier trepidation. "Yeah, I was there and I saw you acting like some nut job." Cyborg turned facing the girl. Not letting her escape again he pinned her violet orbs under his own onyx ones. "What's going on with you? And girl, don't you dare say, 'I'm fine.' I heard enough of that today."
Raven's emotionless expression dropped in a instant. Cyborg rarely saw such anger in the level-headed girl. Raven sneered up at his hulking form. "What's it matter to you how I act? Huh? I just tell you and what? I feel all better? All the scaries are gone little Raven, you're okay now. Am I some little kid to you? You think just because we all live in the same building that makes us family or something?"
Cyborg seemed visibly wounded for a moment. Raven had a fleeting moment of regret but quickly smothered it under her anger. "No, I don't think us all living here makes us family." Cyborg picked up the internal fusion chamber absent-mindly. He seemed to stare off into the nothingness. "Caring about what happens to one another, looking out for each other, sharing our lives, that is what makes us family." Cyborg turned back to Raven. With a silent plea in his eyes he said, "I thought you felt the same way."
Raven felt her regret rear back to over take her anger. Try though she might she was unable to hold her glare. Cyborg turned now and headed for the door. As he reached it he paused resting his large hand on the frame. "You know," He began with out turning around. "I used to have a sister." His voice seemed to shutter for a second. "A long time ago." His shoulders dropped slightly and he seemed lost in thought. "Rae, don't take anyone for granted alright? You get so used to seeing them," Cyborg chuckled slightly. Raven could see his shoulders jumping up and down slightly. "You just don't think that time exists. You think there'll still be forever." Raven opened her mouth but found she didn't have the words. She watched as Cyborg's large frame passed through the doorway. The door slide shut behind him with a hiss that seemed uncharacteristically loud.
Raven lowered her head. Every thing was going wrong today. She should have never gotten up this morning. Perhaps everyone would have been better off if she hadn't. Raven dragged herself back over to the large workbench. Intent on drowning herself in her sorrow.
As she slumped down, the piece Cyborg had been working on was suddenly surrounded by a black aura. "No!" Raven tried to rein in her power, but it was to late. In a split second the piece had been crushed into a hundred pieces. The pieces dropped harmlessly on the floor.
Raven jumped of the stool, sending it falling back. "No, no, no." Raven grasped the pieces. For a brief moment her thoughts betrayed her age. Perhaps she could fix it? No, it was impossible only Cyborg could. Maybe if she pretended not to know? Raven shook the childish ideas from her head. "Damn it!" Raven gathered more of the pieces, laying them carefully on the workbench.
The day had started so good. She had been happy this morning. For some one like Raven that wasn't a everyday occasion. How could the day start so good, and turn so crappy in less than six hours? As Raven sat holding the broken pieces of work, thinking of everything that had trespired at breakfast, a few small tears born of sheep frustration escaped unnoticed down her cheek.