A/N: A big thank you to kitsunechibiko who kindly informed me that I apparently didn't allow anonymous reviews! I was SO sure I fixed that, but NOW I have… so now you have NO excuses! Moh-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!!

This is not the long one. That is now 37 pages. Still working on it. Nearing the end… might be up this weekend or early next week! This I wrote at mostly at work whenever it was quiet… wrote it in emails, mailing them to myself and putting the pieces together at home… I'm such a bad girl…

Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans.
Pairing: Robin/Red X (Yes! You read that right!)
Warning: Nope. Slight slashy theme… not much to worry about…
Background:None what so ever. Just read.

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The Darkness below

The damn low-life scum of a thief always seemed to strive to make life difficult for him… Robin was running, flat out, after the quickly disappearing form of Red X. The bastard had stolen a diamond necklace that once belonged to Marie Antoinette, the queen who lost her head in the French revolution. The jewellery was on loan from the Metropolis Museum, and Robin figured that they would never let Jump City even near their collection again if this treasure disappeared.

Damn, stupid… Robin couldn't even think of an appropriate term… it's not like he will ever be able to sell the thing! It was too well known… no dealer would touch it.

He smiled as he saw Red duck into a construction site. He was catching up… The building in the middle of the site was about to be demolished and, apparently, Red either though he could loose the hero in it, or he actually had his base there.

The building looked like a real haunted house; it was an old family home, made of wood instead of the concrete and stone buildings around it. It would have been a really nice place if anybody had cared about it, but now it was going to be knocked down. Raven would love this place, Robin thought. The door was slightly ajar and Robin entered carefully.
Suddenly the floor in front of him erupted, a smoke bomb no doubt, but instead of retreating, Robin launched himself through it, ramming the young man on the other side. They fell to the floor and Robin heard the floorboards creak ominously under them. Red X managed to throw Robin off and jumped to his feet aiming a kick at the boy.

"Didn't think you liked to wrestle, kid. I don't mind, but can we take a rain check? Got something to take care of ya know..."

"I'll take care off you…" Robin snarled and went into a vicious attack. He jumped up and kicked Red in the chest, sending him crashing trough a beam in the middle of the room. As Robin's feet hit the floor there was a definite crack under him. Not good… not good… He looked up and saw the beam he kicked Red through. Support beam, flew through his head… then, in the corner of his eye he could see X reach for something in his belt.

"Stop!" Robin yelled, and for a second, the teen actually did. "No explosives! I think the house is going to…"

Red X threw it anyway.

Robin threw himself forward, towards the thief and away from the projectile that had been aimed over his head. There was a bang. Not a loud one, it was only a small stunning explosive. But, somehow, the noises around them only got louder. Suddenly the floor disappeared below them and the roof seemed to decide it wanted to be the floor for a while, as it came crashing down. They were thrown into the darkness of the basement below.

Robin awoke to Red's swearing. As he opened his eyes he panicked for a second, thinking that he had gone blind. Then he realized that there just wasn't any light to see by.

"Are you hurt?" he asked Red, who sounded like he at least had broken a leg. Robin hoped he had. Would have a damn hard time to run away from me then, wouldn't he?

"I lost it!"

"What?"

"I lost the damn necklace!"

Robin just gaped. "You what? First you are stupid enough to steal the thing and then you go and drop it in a demolished building? Do you know how much it's worth?!"

"Naaahhh… was sure pretty, though…"

"What are you!? A magpie?! If it glitters, you'll steel it?"

"Hey, kid! I'm not bashing your work… I mean 'if it runs, you'll chase it?' You, pal, is like a terrier…"

"I'm not your pal, thief."

"Yeah… pity, that…"

Robin could hear the snigger in the older boy's voice.

"Shut up." he muttered eloquently.

They were both quiet for a while.

"So you're not hurt, then…?" Robin sounded almost disappointed.

"No. You?"

"I think I'm fine."

"Good." Red X, to Robin's surprise, sounded like he meant it.

"Sooo…" Robin started. "Can you see a way out?"

"See? Its pitch black!"

"Well? Use the night vision!"

"The what, now?"

Robin was stunned.

"You… you haven't found the night vision?"

"This suit didn't come with instructions. If it did, I would have stolen those too."

Robin couldn't help too laugh at this. He had given the suit lots of great gadgets, and realizing the Red hadn't even found all of them yet, were just great.

"Stop that! Where is the night vision-thingy?"

"By your right eye, there's a hidden wheel-dial."

Red was silent for a moment.

"Can't find it."

Robin sighed.

"All right, I help… where are you?"

"Standing right here, kid"

"Not helping, moron… Keep talking, I'll find you."

"Any more stuff you hidden that I haven't found? Any chance you can get this thing to fly? Is it bulletproof? Just curious y- ouff… you found me…"

Robin's outstretched hand had hit Red in the chest, perhaps a little bit too hard… Robin surely couldn't be blamed, though, as he couldn't see a thing.

"Don't know if it's bullet-proof, but feel welcome to try…" he smirked.

As Robin was taking the last step towards the thief, a piece of debris tripped him and he crashed into the older boy again. Red's arms came up automatically and caught him around his waist

"Wo-ha! You like to snuggle now? You sure change your mind fast."

"Get your hands off me!"

Red unceremoniously let go and Robin, who had no warning, had to grab his shoulder to keep from falling.

He heard the thief give a half sigh, half laugh.

"Make up you mind, bird-boy."

"Just… shut up." Robin got his legs untangled from the rubble and managed to stand up straight. He looked up to where he supposed Red's mask must be. "Maybe you should just hand me the mask?" he tried.

"I'm stupid now? No deal, kid, forget it."

"Fair enough." Robin reached out again, finding the young man's chest and feeling his way upwards. As Red laughed and cringed a bit, Robin frowned. "Stand still! This is tricky enough!" As his fingers trailed up the masked face he found Red's lens-covered eyes. "Okay, I installed several different set of lens filters. Just say so when the right one comes up."

"No chance there's an X-ray-function?"

"No. Because those don't actually exist."

"Oh."

Robin felt for the small dial and turned it. He didn't remember the correct setting, and it was even harder when he wasn't wearing the mask himself, so there was a bit of trial and error.

"Hey!" Red exclaimed

"Is it working?"

"No… this one actually managed to make things darker."

Robin grumbled and continued.

"Now we're talking! Cool! Everything is green! Oh-" Red X fell uncharacteristically silent.

"What is it? What do you see?" Robin asked, agitated.

"Well…" There was a smile in that voice, Robin was sure of it. "You lost your mask, you know."

Robin gasped and his hands flew to his eyes. There was a shallow scratch all along the side of his face and, yes, the mask was gone. Robin swore.

"What's this? Profanity from a hero!? I think I like it…" Red chuckled.

"Where is it? Can you see it?"

"I think so… It's right up there…"

There was a moment of silence.

"Are you pointing to it?"

"Yeah?"

"I can't see anything, idiot! Where is it?!"

"Oh… right… heh… sorry… It's hanging from a nail… that thing must have scratched your face and pulled it off… God, you're lucky to be alive!"

"Can you… can you get it?" Robin really hated to ask the older boy a favor.

"Sorry, kid, it's too far… not gonna try to climb this rubble unless I have too. Besides, you're cute.. I like cute…"

"I'm not…! Just shut up."

"You keep telling me that. Has it worked so far?"

Robin snorted.

"Well… can you see any way out?"

"Nope. Everything looks shaky too… what about that communicator of yours?"

Robin froze. How did he ever forget about that? He must be in shock or something. He fished it out and flicked it open. It cast a faint green glow over the surroundings, and Robin tried to form an image of the room until the glow flickered and almost died. Robin swore again, seeing that the back seemed to be damaged, probably the power supply, and he immediately tried to contact his friends.

"Robin calling all Titans. Emergency. Come in!"

At first there didn't seem to be a reply, but then a faint crackled voice came through.

"Cy here. What's up?"

"We are trapped under a collapsed building. Don't know the address. South side of town."

"Ok. Your communicator is really busted up… Better shut it down before the battery goes dead. We'll use the tracker. We'll find you."

"Thanks! Hurry… this place is falling apart…"

"Sure. Who are 'we' by the way?"

"Me and Red X." Robin said and shut the thing off before Cy could say something stupid.

Again the complete darkness closed in.

"Help's on the way."

"Hurray." Red wasn't overly enthusiastic, but who could blame him? Getting rescued by the Titans might very well mean getting captured by them, but hey! He was a resourceful guy, and why not have a bit of fun instead of worrying? He watched Robin and was slightly disappointed that he couldn't see the color of the kid's eyes… everything was black and green. The hero looked a bit nervous. Standing completely still, afraid to trip over something or getting hurt on some sharp piece of junk. Not being the quiet type Red soon got bored.

"Soooo….? Seen any good movies lately?"

Robin arched a brow in his general direction.

"We're doing light conversation now?"

"Why not? We're stuck here anyway…"

"The only things I want to find out from you are your name and address. Care to dish?"

"Oh, you are really not interested in anything else? I'm so hurt!"

Robin snorted with laughter again.

"You are cute when you laugh." Red confessed. Robin immediately changed his expression, but that didn't discourage Red X. "You're cute when you frown too."

"Stop it. I don't flirt with thieves."

"Oooohhhh… was that an 'I don't flirt with boys' I DIDN'T hear"?

Robin was suddenly glad for the darkness; at least Red couldn't see him blush.

"Shut up." he said again, feeling that was a safe route to take.

Suddenly something touched his nose.

"What!? What was that!?"

"You got a cute nose too."

Something touched it again. It was Red's finger, Robin realized, and tried to swat his hand away.

"You can't really see a thing, can you?" Red's mirth-filled voice said. "You are like totally helpless."

Robin got a bit scared. He really didn't dare to move around much. What did he know about X anyway? He had perceived him as just a thief, not a real threat. Actually he quite liked the guy… he was annoying but refreshing, and Robin had never met another criminal that he actually wished was on his side. Well. Perhaps Catwoman. But now, trapped and blind, he feared that maybe Red had a darker side. Maybe he was in real danger here…?

"Keep away from me." Robin warned.

"Naaaahhh… this is just too much fun! I bet I could even…" Red became quiet. Robin thought he heard someone move and then a familiar weight suddenly vanished around his waist and hips.

"What the hell!?" The bloody thief had stolen his belt. "Give that back!"

"Come on! I don't want you to have all the advantages when your friends come by, right? You'll get it back… maybe we can do a little trade? Your belt for my old one?"

"They are both mine, you little…"

"Ah-ah-ah… no nasty name-calling, bird-boy… maybe I'll just drop the belt in the rubble here somewhere…"

"Don't you dare…" Robin snarled and, forgetting all else, he threw himself in the direction of the voice.

He had only taken a few steps when Red cried out.

"Stop!"

Robin wasn't about to listen to a…

"Aaahh!" the hero had run straight into a sharp peace of wood, piercing his thigh.

"I told you to stop! Who's the idiot now?"

"Still you." Robin growled between clenched teeth. "If you had listened to me in the first place, and not thrown that explosive…"

"Yeah, yeah, just get over it already! … Let's see…"
Suddenly the thief was right there, holding on to Robin to steady him, and then bending down to check the wound.

"There's still a splinter left. I'll pull it out on three, ok? Hold on to me."

Robin grabbed at the boys shoulder.

"One-"

There was a sharp pain.

"Ouch! You said three!"

"I lied. Sorry." He didn't sound sorry at all. "It's not deep, nothing much to worry about, I think… hope you got your tetanus shot, though… lot's of weird stuff in these old houses."

"Yeah, you for one…" Robin grunted.

"Be nice, hero, I'm trying to help you here!"

Robin suddenly felt a bit ashamed.

"Sorry… thanks…"

"That's better!" Red sounded cheery. "Now, let's move to a safer place, shall we?" Red was now very close and Robin nervously bit his lip, forgetting for a moment that Red could actually see him.

"What is it, Robin? Worried I'll bite? I almost never bite… unless you want me too?"

Robin tried to draw away, but Red's arms caught him.

"No. Not that way… lots of sharp, nasty things…" Red herded him slowly back in the darkness until Robin's shoulder blades hit a solid surface. A wall. He was backed up against a wall. Good job, boy wonder… let's just go and hand Slade your bo-staff next, and this day would be complete.

"There." Red X said, sounding pleased. "Nothing sharp near, and this wall looks solid. You are safe, my darling!" he added in a mocking voice.

"I don't feel very safe." Robin muttered, noticing all too well Red's body so close to his.

"Of course not!" Red sounded disgusted at the thought. "You're with me! Where's your sense of adventure? A little danger?"

"It's not you here, not being able to see, and without your mask!"

"Oh, don't tell me you don't feel a little thrill?" Red pressed up to him a bit more. "I know you do…"

"Red… this is… we can't…"

"Sure we can…" Red laughed softly, and then there was a sound Robin recognized only because that suit had been his. Red had pulled off his mask. Hot lips pressed against his and Robin almost shouted in surprise. As Red's mouth left his, he could hear the older teen whisper.

"Come on, kid… kiss back already…"

Lips met his again and Robin slowly opened his mouth. His hand's wandered from the thieves hips (how had they gotten there in the first place?!) up his sides and over his chest. He reached for Red's face, but his hands were suddenly caught in Red's own.

"Uh-uh… no feeling my face… I bet you can figure out what I look like if you do…"

Robin's hands was returned to Red's hips and held in place for a moment.

Robin grinned.

"What? You're that ugly?"

"Hey! I'm even prettier than you!"

"Doubt it..." Robin chuckled, but was interrupted by Red's mouth again. His hand's, having a weird will of their own, caressed the other boy's hips, pulling him closer. Then they started wander down his ass. Red returned the favor, letting his hands discover Robin's body and their breathing got heavier.

"…Robin… Robin! Can you hear me?" The boy startled, realizing it wasn't Red's voice. It was Beast Boy. The cavalry had arrived. Damn cavalry! Red's mouth was pressed to his ear.

"See you soon?"

Robin nodded, grinning slightly. "What about tomorrow night? The roof or Titans Tower? Midnight?"

"It's a date… I'll even bring you a present…"

"Oh…? What?"

"Forgot your belt already?" Red laughed. Then there was a beam of faint light and Robin caught a glance of sparkling eyes and a wide smile before Red pulled the mask back on.

"I have a little parting-gift for you… I'm afraid I'll spoil you, though…" Red hastily whispered and pressed something into Robin's hand.

"My… my mask?! You had it all along?!"

"It was hanging on that nail… it just… wasn't that high…"

Robin muttered something about the honor of thieves as he put his mask back on, but Red just continued to laugh quietly.

"Robin?!" The voice was closer now.

"Yeah! I'm right here!" Robin answered.

"Are you hurt?"

"Got a wounded thigh, but I'm okay." He could hear his friends above, carefully moving the rubble, and more and more light came drifting through.

"X with you?"

Robin hesitated.

"No, he used the night vision in his mask and I think he was able to slip away."

"Damn! It was close this time, though."

"Very close" Red whispered in his ear, and Robin chuckled. As a hole was opened above them, Red slipped off into a dark corner, hiding. A rope was let down and Robin turned to Red, whispering.

"You'll be able to get out?"

"No problem."

"Ok… bye..."

"See you soon…" came a pleasant reply from the corner, filled with promises.

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A/N: my first Red X- fic… I don't think I'll build a character around him… you know a name and a face… others have done that so well… then again…? Red X only occurs in the cartoon, I think, and only a few episodes, so he is pretty much there for the taking, as the show doesn't tell us ANYTHING about him! –curses softly- So I guess he can be fun to work with… he was fun to write here, at least…
Oh! Please review! Remember, thanks to kitsunechibiko you can now be anonymous! (Se top A/N)