EXPLANATIONS:
Raven can't hear others thoughts—at least for the sake of this story, but in any case I've only ever noted in reading some and watching some TT of both worlds that she 'senses' more than literally reads minds, which also could be an explanation. Aqualad talks to her normally just because there's no reason he shouldn't. She's not cursed with being deaf after all, just mute.
Raven: that's bad enough as it is...you...
Rei: shhhh you can't talk, remember?
The lessons they're having are in control of one's mind that Raven until now has not focused on, so intent on keeping her emotions in check, she's neglected to reassess the potential necessity of needing to have a bridle on ALL her thoughts, not JUST her feelings, hence the uselessness IN THIS CASE of meditation, which of course would otherwise be her preferred method.
All Raven's thoughts are those clumps of entirely italicized words...usually. Everyone else pretty much talks normally and when the others have thoughts they are probably not italicized for the sake of not getting them confused with dear Raven.
Hope that helps! Review please and thanks.
And now, on with the show:
Hush
Chapter Three
Now, he wasn't a stupid bird.
Oh no, he was definitely not that.
In fact he was quite the opposite.
So it was that he had discerned after no small amount of tearing his hair out—metaphorically of course, since the actuality would render him particularly unseemly as a bald walking traffic light—that he, Robin, Boy Wonder—or Blunder as Raven preferred it with a sardonic twist of her lips—and masked defender of Jump, had...a thing for the empath.
A small thing, he told himself stubbornly, for it is in this way even the greatest minds make fools of themselves, and frowned at his coffee.
Last night when he'd returned he'd waited for Raven to come back and when she had, he'd inquired about Aqualad's...kind offer. She'd dutifully filled him in, explaining that Aqualad's 'lessons' were in a mind-control that had nothing to do with meditation, more so to do with conscious and nearly supernatural control over one's thoughts. She'd also learned that any thinking she did, any ideas, could be treated not unlike arrows to be snatched back at the last second and placed carefully back in her head where they belonged before anyone—even a telepath—could glimpse them, but she did not go so far as to share that with the boy wonder. In fact, she gave her explanation with as scant information as possible because it all had to be written down, and then swept toward her room with a flick of her cloak. He was still there when she returned, book and blanket in hand, ready to spend her first night on the remarkably uncomfortable couch—one of the three—and she'd quirked a brow at him as if to say: what do you want now?
And he hadn't known what to say to the implied query, so he'd bid her goodnight and left it at that, knowing unhappily that the water-breathing superhuman would be occupying one of the other couches on nights soon to come.
Sleeping in the same room as her, his mind now threw the fact at him as he returned to the present and caught it deftly as he pushed the otherwise untouched mug of caffeinated stuff to one side.
And he turned.
It was very early and Raven had fallen asleep at whatever hour of the early morning, book still open and lying precariously on her blanketed lap, one hand draped protectively over its worn spine.
Probably it's one of her favorites, Robin mused. His thought might have woken her, so pointedly upon her as it was, because she stirred and blinked her eyes open to meet his observatory stare.
"Morning," he greeted. She nodded and closed her book, setting it gently on the table next to the television remote—now useless since the television still had yet to be replaced by an exact model, a smaller, cheaper one now playing substitute in front of it.
Dully, he noted how he missed her sarcastic monotone and a small smile crept across his face, catlike.
At this, the object of his thoughts arched a brow and he rather thought she knew exactly what he was thinking.
But he couldn't be sure, so he merely shook his head.
"It's nothing," he said and she shrugged as if to say: okay.
They'd always had a knack for 'getting' each other, especially since she'd gone into his mind to keep him from Slade...no, that wasn't right...to keep him from himself. And this brought him right back to wondering at the unfairness of the curse, that it could block such a supernatural thing as their bond but allow Aqualad's telepathic abilities seemed almost sardonic in nature.
"Breakfast?" he inquired and she nodded again, her own slow smile finally winning out and at this his became a full grin. They could understand each other maybe, if only a little.
A little was better than nothing.
He cracked eggs and made toast after he got the kettle on the stove—this was the first thing he'd done under the watchful eyes of his companion bird—and it was over this that he became so relaxed he dared to breach a rickety topic.
"I'm thinking about breaking it off with Star," he said, not lightly, but not like someone weighed down by the decision either...more like someone who finally knew what he wanted.
Raven carefully kept her jaw from unhinging.
"I'm thinking I like someone else," he added, flipping the toast—Robin made a mental note to thank Cyborg for having salvaged the toaster itself earlier on—onto a plate while his other hand poured the steaming water into a mug, tea bag already inserted. And now Raven gaped, unrestrained as he gently pushed the mug into her hands; she was not used to being dumbfounded twice in one conversation.
She decided she didn't like the feeling.
Who? She asked in her head, but he did not hear her of course.
Someone else did though.
"Who what?" a voice asked cheerfully from behind her and she turned to face the approaching Atlantian, looking good as ever and equally as genial. He'd been scanned in as an 'ally' a long time ago so the tower simply let him in unannounced.
She shrugged dismissively and took a sip of her tea.
Absently, she noted Robin had even remembered how much sugar she liked before answering Aqualad with a short: I'm not sure, but never mind.
Of course, if she had turned around to see the sour expression on her leader's face, she might have found out exactly 'who' it was he'd just referred to.
But she didn't.
Instead she intoned dryly to Aqualad: You don't knock anymore?
"Should I?" he grinned and she shook her head: no, you shouldn't.
"Ready?" he asked then and, finishing off her tea, Raven set the mug down on the counter in response.
For Robin it was all rather odd because it appeared—and certainly sounded—like the water-loving teen always spoke aloud to Raven who in return answered the only way she might, mentally. So he, the non-telepath or psychic...whatever, only heard half a conversation, but Robin wasn't of a renowned sleuth's nature for nothing and he did his best to gather all he needed to piece together the rest.
Mostly he did this with success but the next part of their conversation even threw him for a loop.
You're sure I'll be able to better control my thoughts with these...lessons? Raven asked dubiously.
Aqualad laughed as he answered her, "Yes, of course."
Robin bit hastily into some dry toast to keep from scowling insanely.
Probably Aqualad had only answered a question about her powers...
Munch.
Or his stay...
Munch.
Or the like.
Munch
Probably he hadn't been saying 'yes' to something like a…—Robin bit down harder (munch) and swallowed the last piece of bread with some difficulty—date or such...
Raven doesn't do dates, Robin reminded himself firmly.
And this was altogether true, so he deduced the mostly platonic temperament of the exchange...if only in his own misbegotten way.
Still...
Said platonic nature seemed terribly one-sided. Robin wasn't blind after all; in fact, he saw more than most and right now he didn't like what he saw, not one bit.
For instance, he didn't like the way Aqualad looked at her, looked at Raven...didn't like it because he, Robin, recognized in it what he'd failed to notice about what lay behind his own burning gaze when it fell on the sorceress. He saw admiration, attraction...and yes, desire, saw everything he too felt.
Needless to say, the ruffled vigilante didn't like seeing it in this other person.
But the difference was that one of them was free and the other had let himself be saddled with a pretty, kind, but entirely unfit alien super heroine who unabashedly adored him.
Raven turned to wave to him before she and the Atlantian exited.
He forced himself to wave back and keep on waving when Aqualad sent him a broad smile before putting his arm at a measured distance around Raven's shoulders as they walked out.
It could've been a friendly thing too, simply a friendly thing.
But Robin knew better and allowed himself the scowl he'd choked down moments before as the pair disappeared through the mechanized doors.
"This isn't good," he mumbled to himself dourly. Raven never lets anyone touch her, his mind screamed warning signs in a brighter red than his costume. I know, I know, he shouted back and only then realized he was talking to himself internally.
The next step was probably madness but he didn't have much time to think on his (debatably) impending insanity because...
"What is not of the pleasant nature for you this morning, Robin?" Starfire flew into the room.
Robin barely repressed a sheepish 'Well...'
But he was not an unkind masked wonder...an honest one who knew what he knew when he yielded enough to open his eyes to the truth, yes, but not unkind and never to Star. So, instead he opted for another opening.
"Star, do you have a second?"
"I have many seconds, Robin," she smiled brightly and he felt his stomach lurch with guilt; had he been stringing her along? He hoped not and knew that in fact, until the light of the new situation, his feelings hadn't been untrue, more...platonic than he'd thought, but not untrue.
That did not ease his conscience though as she continued to smile at him and he sighed now.
"Thanks, mind if we...talk?" he asked and her smile dimmed, for Starfire had some idea of what 'a talk' might consist of, but she came to sit next to him anyway...oddly enough, on the couch Raven had slept on just the night before.
LOTS OF STUFF TO DO but I thought I owed you all something since you're being very nice about the supportive bit, through reviews and all, and I'm slowly getting better...I think.
Midterms suck ALMOST as much as being sick...but eh, win some, lose some, right?
Robin: Actually...
Rei: ...shut up.
Rei thanks all reviewers
Rei especially thanks The Writer you Fools, alena-chan, and of course, my dear castle in the air.
Yeah, MY castle. Heh.
-Rei
p.s. Next chapter: some fun times with Raven trying to curb her temper as she has to start from scratch with mental barriers and remember not everything can be meditated away...all the while going in and out of remembering that her 'teacher', the wonderful Atlantian, can hear her every thought.
Also, explanations for those of you who wanted them, on why Robin's got a hold on something Raven doesn't. I swear it'll make SOME sense...maybe not a lot, but eh, fanfiction-ist license?
Wow, long post script. Sorry there.
Review please. You know.