Patrons streamed out of the theater after the movie ended, among them, a certain purple-haired psion and pink-haired sorceress. Jinx tried to take Raven's hand, but she pulled back quickly.
"Jinx, not here..."
"Why not? You weren't so shy earlier."
Raven flushed. "Everyone can see."
"Well, then," Jinx smirked, "You leave me no choice but to proclaim it for all to hear."
"Jinx, don't."
"RAVEN..."
"Jinx!"
"LIKES..."
"Stop it!"
"GI--" She cut off as Raven grabbed her hand. "See, that wasn't so bad."
"You bitch," she grumbled affectionately.
"And don't you forget it," Jinx said proudly. They stepped out into the cool evening. "So, you wanna go somewhere?"
"Raven!" She whirled upon hearing the familiar voice. Oh please, no, she thought as Beast Boy stalked towards her. "What the hell, Raven? This is the someone you met! No wonder she got away!" Raven tried to interject, but he just kept going over her. "She's a girl, for God's sake! Not to mention a criminal! What are you thinking! I thought we had something special!" He turned and ran before she could get a word in edgewise. Raven looked at Jinx, torn between people she cared about.
Jinx nodded. "It's ok, go after him. I'll hang here for a while, y'know. In case you come back."
Raven gave her a grateful hug before flying after Beast Boy. "Beast Boy, wait!"
He shot back over his shoulder. "How could you do this! You're betraying all of us, especially me!"
"We never had anything more than friendship! I've told you before!"
"She's just using you to spy on us!"
"That's not true!"
The changeling shifted into cheetah form, sprinting down the street. Raven flew as fast as she could, but he outdistanced her and disappeared. Great, now what? She floated to the ground and sat dejectedly on a nearby bench. Everyone's going to think I've betrayed the team. He didn't even give me a chance to explain...Tears welled up in her eyes.
"He ran off, huh?" Jinx sat down on the bench beside her.
Raven didn't look up. "I thought you were going to wait back there."
"What can I say? I figured you might need some backup." Placing her arm around Raven's shoulders, she added, "Looks like you could use it."
Raven struggled to hold back the tears. "He...wouldn't even listen..." Her shoulders shook with suppressed sobs. "None of them will listen." Several nearby streetlights exploded, plunging the area into shadows.
Jinx pulled the crying girl into an embrace, at a loss for words. What can I say to her? I have no idea how to handle this. "Raven, don't cry..."
Raven sat up, her eyes red-rimmed. "I have to go. My friends..." She looked away uncertainly. "I need to talk to them."
Jinx hugged her again. "Okay." She handed Raven a folded piece of paper. "My phone number. I almost got caught leaving that letter."
"Thanks."
Jinx sat there, watching as the dark bird flew into the sky. Good luck, Raven. If I know anything about the other Titans, you're gonna need it.
---
"--and she was making out with Jinx in the movie theater!" Beast Boy finished breathlessly.
"Are you sure?" Robin raised an eyebrow.
"They were holding hands when I came out! Of course I'm sure!" He gestured wildly. "Robin, Raven's gay! With a criminal!"
"I am confused," Starfire injected. "What is the meaning of 'gay'?"
"Ummm..." Robin scratched his head. How to put this... "It means she likes another girl...romantically."
"Oh."
The doors flew open, admitting a newly-composed Raven. Her hood was up, hiding the redness in her eyes.
Robin took a step towards her. "Raven, are you...involved with Jinx?"
"We're friends, if that's what you mean."
Robin folded his arms. "You know what I mean. Normally, your relationships wouldn't be any of our business, but this could hurt the team. What if she's just using you to spy on us?"
Raven glared. "It's not like that."
"The hell it isn't!" Beast Boy cried. "Raven, she's evil! She doesn't really care about you!"
"She is NOT evil!" Several overhead lights burst. "I care about her!"
"She's a criminal!"
"She's a human being!" Raven's eyes glowed red as monitors started exploding around the room. "She's a person, with feelings and emotions! Why can't you see her as anything more than some villian to throw in jail!"
Starfire stepped between the two. "Friends, please! We must not fight!"
"She's the enemy! Raven, you can't do this!" Beast Boy yelled around Starfire. Raven turned and stalked off, a trail of bangs following her back to her room. Beast Boy likewise escaped into his room, slamming the door.
"Well, that could have gone better," said Cyborg.
Robin headed for the door. "I'm going to talk to Raven."
Cyborg glanced at Starfire. "One of us should talk to BB."
"Perhaps we both should?" Starfire asked. "He seems most upset."
---
Robin rapped on Raven's door. "Raven? Can I talk to you?"
The door slid open a few inches. "What?"
"I'm sure Beast Boy didn't mean what he said." Robin rubbed his head. "I think he's just jealous."
Raven walked back into her room, sliding the door open as she went. She didn't want Robin to see the tears welling up again. "He wouldn't even give her a chance. None of you would."
"That's not true!" Robin stepped towards her. "If you vouch for her, then the rest of us will accept that."
"I trust her," she said simply.
"That's enough for me," Robin replied. "But can you understand what I'm saying about being a little skeptical?"
Raven glanced back at him. "I know. You're thinking about what's best for the team."
"It's not easy," Robin said, placing a hand on her shoulder, "and I don't want to force you to choose. Just be careful, okay?"
Raven managed a wobbly smile. "I will." She turned to face him. "Thanks for understanding."
The Boy Wonder grinned back at her. "Hey, it's what friends do."
---
Outside Beast Boy's room, muffled thumps echoed through the hall. "B? Whatcha doing in there?" Cyborg called through the door.
"Nothin'."
"Can we come in?"
"I guess."
Beast Boy was punching the wall as Starfire and Cyborg entered. "Beast Boy, you will injure yourself," Starfire pointed out.
"I don't care," he growled.
Cyborg gave him a reproachful look. "Look, I don't trust Jinx either, but if Raven likes her, we need to be supportive."
"I thought she liked me." Beast Boy replied.
"I am certain she does like you a great deal," Starfire said, "but it is wrong to be angry at the jinxed one because Raven is her friend."
Beast Boy whirled on her. "What if this is all a trap? Or a plot to lure Raven away from m--us?"
"Calm down, dude." Cyborg said. "We won't let that happen. How about we keep an eye on Jinx when we get the chance? If she makes any wrong moves, we nail her."
Starfire piped up. "I am not certain that is a good--"
"Alright." Beast Boy interrupted. "I don't like it, but I'll tolerate Raven liking her...for now."
---
Frustration painted Jinx's face as she paced in her living room. Dammit, it was going so well. Then Beast Boy showed up with his jealousy, and...Shit. Jinx sat down hard on the couch, scrubbing a hand through her hair. What if she decides to end it? Can't say I'd blame her. I sure as hell ain't worth it.
The phone rang unexpectedly. Jinx tripped trying to dive for it, managed to grab it from the floor. "Hello?" she answered hopefully.
"Jinx, I've got a new plan. Listen up, cuz this is the big one." Gizmo.
"Look, Giz, I'm really not in the mood."
"Seriously, just shut up and listen! We get a giant slingshot, right? And then--"
"Gizmo, I'm not interested, okay?"
"What did you say?"
"I'm. Not. Interested."
"How can you not be interested in getting rich?"
Jinx grimaced. "Maybe I'm getting sick of this shit, okay! Always running and hiding, living from heist to heist. I've had one meal in two days! Not to mention going in and out of jail! Maybe I don't wanna do it anymore!"
Stunned silence on the other end of the line.
"Tell Mammoth I said hi," she muttered before hanging up. Almost immediately the phone rang again. Exasperatedly, she snapped, "Look, Gizmo, I said I'm not--"
"Jinx?" Raven's voice came from the other end of the line.
"Oh...sorry." Jinx grinned with a combination of embarassment and joy. "Gizmo was tying to sell me on another one of his stupid plans."
"What'd you tell him?"
"I said..." Jinx hesitated. "...I was tired of doing it. Y'know, being a crook."
"You mean you're done robbing banks?" She sounded amused.
"Yeah. But I'm broke and out of food, so I don't really know what I'm gonna do."
"I could give you some money."
"No, I couldn't. I'll manage somehow...plus I can't pay you back."
"You wouldn't have to." Raven said in a serious tone. "Debts ruin friendships. Think of it as a gift."
"Well, if you insist...so, how'd things work out with your friends?"
Raven frowned. "Pretty badly. Beast Boy got really pissed, and Robin wasn't too happy either. But he told me he'd trust you because I do. I still don't know what Cyborg and Starfire think."
"You trust me?" Jinx said disbelievingly. "I lie a lot, you know."
"You haven't lied to me," Raven replied mildly, "and I don't think you will."
Long pause. "I trust you, too."
"Have you ever considered joining us?"
"What, being a Titan?" Jinx scoffed. "Yeah, like I'd have a chance in hell."
"You did help us against the Brotherhood. I'll back you up, you could join."
"Seriously?" Jinx pursed her lips. "I'll think about it."
Alarms rang in the background. "I gotta go. I'll call you later." Click.
Join the Titans? That's crazy! Jinx lay there on the floor, thinking. But she wants me to...still, it's a huge change. And who can say what the rest of them would do? She rolled onto her side. On the other hand, I'd have at least one friend who actually cares about me as a person and not just an accomplice, and I wouldn't have to worry about when I'd get my next meal. But what would Giz and Mammoth say? What if I had to fight them? Dammit! I wish my life wasn't so fuckin' messed up.
---