Disclaimer: I do not own teen titans or the words to the song Where
Or When by George Michael
Hand in Hand
Chapter Eleven: Where Or When
"So." Said Terra smiling brightly as the seven of them walked into the mall, "Where are we going first Raven?"
Robin looked over at Raven; she was glaring down at the floor as if it were a naughty child that needed to be put in its place. She looked up quickly when Terra addressed her. Raven's eyes narrowed slightly, "Anywhere." She muttered and then looked back down.
Robin looked over to Aqualad who was frowning thoughtfully at Raven. Robin felt his jealousy shift again.
"Robin? Why are you sulking?" asked Starfire suddenly appearing by his side, as if from nowhere.
Robin jumped, he looked at Starfire, everything was confusing him now, he had no idea what to think or where to go, "I'm not sulking Star." He said sharply, and he immediately regretting doing so, "Ergh." He groaned when everyone looked at him oddly, "I'm going to go and look for something okay, I'll meet you at the food court at one." Without waiting to see what any of the others said he whirled around and marched off, in the general direction of the music store.
"I fear Slade is making him anxious." Said Starfire sighing, "I would go after him, but of late he has not been happy and even my pudding will not change that."
There were muffled comments about that said behind hands or under the guise of a sudden coughing fit or sneeze.
Finally after a moments silence it was Raven who spoke, "How about we all go our separate ways until one and then after that we can go somewhere together."
Aqualad sighed at this but nodded his head; he could not afford to argue with her in front of the others without raising any suspicion. As the others began to disperse he tried to catch her eye so that he could at least mouth to her that he didn't want her going off on her own. But he back was already turned and she was heading in the direction of one of the smaller book shops. Aqualad scowled but turning around he jogged to catch up with Beast Boy and Terra.
#########
##When you're awake,
The things you think,
Come from the dreams you dream##
Robin stared at the rows of CDs his eyes were travelling along the brightly coloured covers, but the words were blurred and he wasn't really taking anything in. He was having trouble coming to terms with his jealousy.
Maybe it was a brotherly thing he felt for Raven, but that didn't make sense, because he hardly knew a thing about her. True he knew her favourite drink and food, and what type of music she liked and about her powers, but he didn't really know anything personal, anything that she's told him and only him. There were many secrets wrapped around Raven that he couldn't see through. And it infuriated him.
It wasn't anything sexual that he felt for her either, in that respect it was all Starfire, at least for the moment it was. He scowled at the CD he had paused to look at and then continued along the shelves.
Surely he should be happy for Raven, if she had finally found someone to take away all the problems she had. She had always been a loner; even the team's attempts to converse with her had ended in either something exploding or a cold and often calculating glare.
"Would you like any help?" asked a voice from next to him.
Robin looked sideways at the shop assistant, "No thank you, I'm just looking." He said as politely as he could manage.
The girl's eyes widened, "Oh my god!" she breathed, "You're Robin!"
Internally Robin now hated himself, he sighed and turned his body to face the now dithering girl, her eyes were bright like those of a puppy that was begging for a scrap of food. "So?"
The girl squealed, "Oh, do you suppose I could have your autograph! Could you sign my shirt?" she whipped out a permanent marker from nowhere and offered it to him.
Robin would have refused but he didn't want to give the team some bad publicity, lord knows they had had their fair share of it. "Sure." He said with a brittle smile on his face, he too the pen from her and scrawled, without really paying attention, a message on the back of her obscene pink shirt. He thought vaguely that any company that made their employees where clothes like that had to be mad.
"OH! Thank you! I can't wait to tell Candy she'll be sooo jealous!" The girl started babbling about something else but Robin tuned her voice out, she sounded almost uncannily like Kitten. He shuddered at the memory of the blonde haired girl.
He turned away from her and made a sharp exit from the store. He began wandering in an aimless pattern.
##Thoughts have wings,
And lots of things,
Are seldom what they seem##
#########
"So A-Lad." Said Beast Boy as he struggled with the controller on the latest game at the arcade. His focus was solely on the screen as the little figure he was controlling dodged balls of fire and jumped over black holes, "What's with you and Raven?"
Aqualad cringed visibly at the nickname Beast Boy had given him, "Nothing. Why?" he said lightly pretending he was engrossed in watching the moving pictures on the screen.
Terra was leaning against the wall a bored look on her face; she looked at Beast Boy and then sent a sympathetic look in Aqualad's direction.
"Well," began Beast Boy, "You two just seem to be...YES!" the game made a bleeping noise, "Next level! Anyway, It's just that you and her seem to be getting on well lately..." he hit the button on the panel before him.
"Why do you say that?" Aqualad smiled at Terra when she rolled her eyes. The blonde blushed and looked away.
Beast Boy didn't notice, "You're the first person I've known to be..." he paused to do something with his controller, "able to get Raven to hang out with us without a fight!"
Aqualad smiled, "Maybe I'm blackmailing her." He said shrugging.
"Nah, Raven doesn't hold for that sort of thing...Oh! God-" Beast Boy kicked the machine, "Dammit!" the words 'Game Over' flashed on the screen in bright red. "Dude! You made me lose!"
Aqualad shrugged, "It's only a game."
#########
##Sometimes you think you've lived before,
All that you live today,
Things you do come back to you,
As though they knew the way,
Oh, the tricks your mind can play##
Robin looked up as the floor he was staring at suddenly changed from a white laminated glass effect to a black carpet. He stared around him, not recognising the shop that he was now stood him. He frowned. All around him were old and dusty books. They seemed to form some sort of maze. He kicked himself. He looked back the way that he had come and saw the people milling aimlessly outside. He sighed and turned back to face the shop. Maybe they had a good book on self defence.
He looked towards the cashier, but the man's head was bent over a thick book that looked as if it could kill a horse if thrown right. Robin stepped into a random aisle, not really paying attention again, to where he was going.
And so, as do all people who do not look where they are going he walked into something. Or rather someone.
"Urgh. Sorry." He muttered as he rubbed his arm. He bent down and picked up the book that had fallen from the other's arms. He looked up sheepishly to apologise to the person's face and his mouth fell open. "Raven?"
Raven blinked as if noticing him there for the first time, "Oh. Robin." She said slightly confused, "Where did you come from? I mean, what are you doing?" her tone had started off as mellow and confused, but it had quickly reverted back to the monotone voice that she always used.
##It seems we stood and talked like this before,
We looked at each other in the same way then,
But I can't remember where or when##
"Here. You dropped this." Robin said quietly handing her book over, he glanced at the cover, 'Blake's Poetry and Designs' he had always figured her for an Edgar Allen Poe lover after all he had seen her with a few of those books in the tower ages ago.
Raven frowned at him and then looked at her arms, which were now empty, "I did? When?" her tone was confused again.
Robin stared at her, and began to wonder, really, if she was alright, "Um, just now when I walked into you. Remember?"
Raven took the book of him and then blinked a few times, she smiled uncertainly at him, "Uh, yeah..." now she looked distracted, and she looked around her as if she was trying to find something that wasn't there.
##The clothes you're wearing are the clothes you wore,
The smile you're smiling you were smiling then,
But I can't remember where or when##
"Raven? Are you alright?" Robin asked in concern, this was not normal Raven behaviour.
"Hmm?" she looked back at him and blinked in surprise, "Robin? When did you get here?"
Robin raised his eyebrow in surprise. Was she joking around with him or was she really that distracted? And if so what was distracting her that much? He looked hard at her face trying to see some tell tale emotion in her eyes. But he saw nothing except a blank, searching look.
##Some things that happen for the first time,
Seem to be happening again,
And so it seems that we have met before,
And laughed before, and loved before,
But I can't remember where or when##
"I've been here for five minutes now. I walked into you and you dropped your book, I've just given it back to you." He was seriously starting to see why Aqualad was so concerned for her all of a sudden. But then maybe Aqualad was the cause for concern.
"Oh, right. Right, right, right." She looked at the book she was carrying in confusion as if she hadn't expected it to be in her hands, "Do you want this?"
"No..."
"Oh." She turned to the shelf and placed the book in between two thicker books. Robin was sure it wasn't meant to go there, but somehow he didn't think that anyone would notice. People would notice however if Raven walked out of the shop looking and sounded like she's just got herself stoned.
## It seems we stood and talked like this before,
We looked at each other in the same way then,
But I can't remember where or when##
"Raven do you want to go and get a cup of coffee?" he knew that just across the way there was a small café that nobody hardly ever went it. Maybe a good jolt of caffeine would snap her out of the funny mood she was in.
She stared at him for a moment and then walked past him.
Robin growled in consternation, what was wrong with her? There was, obviously something wrong. But oddly enough, he wasn't as annoyed with what was happening as he should have been.
##The clothes you're wearing are the clothes you wore,
The smile you're smiling you were smiling then,
But I can't remember where or when##
Robin followed her as she left the shop, and as she almost floated, but not quite, across the floor and into the coffee shop. Robin ran a hand through his hair and groaned. He really didn't know what was worse, Raven as she was now, or Starfire when she found the shop 'Victoria's Secrets'.
He glowered at the back of Raven's head as he followed her to the back of the café and slid into a leather chair opposite her. He didn't say anything as the waitress came over and asked for their order. He didn't say a word when Raven ordered two cups of coffee. One for each of them. After all he was still confused.
And since when did Raven drink coffee?!
##Sometimes you think you've lived before,
All that you live today,
Things you do come back to you,
As though they knew the way,
Oh, the tricks your mind can play##
The coffee's arrived and Raven took a sip from her. She looked at him and he decided that now was the time to speak.
"Raven. I know something's been bothering you. And I want to know what it is." He made his voice sound authoritative but it had little effect on the girl sitting opposite him watching him carefully and silently while she drank her coffee.
She didn't reply.
"Raven."
"Robin."
Oh, this was going nowhere, he thought fighting back a sigh. Instead he took a quick mouthful of his coffee, almost throwing back up as it scorched the walls of his throat. He blinked quickly as his eyes teared. That coffee was HOT. How could she drink it?
"Tell me please Raven. I want to help."
She stared at him, "Why?"
Robin stared back at her trying to will her to tell him everything, "Because I'm your friend and I love you..." her eyebrows rose, "like a sister." He finished lamely.
Raven put her cup down and glared at him, "Indeed." She snapped and got to her feet, "Then I suggest brother dear that you hurry up. It's five to one." Holding her head high she stalked out of the door, leaving a very confused...VERY CONFUSED...Robin in her wake.
What the hell just happened? He thought as he drained his coffee, his eyes bulged as it burned his mouth. He quickly spat it back into the cup ignoring the disgusted looks that the other two customers threw him.
##And so it seems that we have met before,
And laughed before,
And loved before,
But who knows where or when##
Hand in Hand
Chapter Eleven: Where Or When
"So." Said Terra smiling brightly as the seven of them walked into the mall, "Where are we going first Raven?"
Robin looked over at Raven; she was glaring down at the floor as if it were a naughty child that needed to be put in its place. She looked up quickly when Terra addressed her. Raven's eyes narrowed slightly, "Anywhere." She muttered and then looked back down.
Robin looked over to Aqualad who was frowning thoughtfully at Raven. Robin felt his jealousy shift again.
"Robin? Why are you sulking?" asked Starfire suddenly appearing by his side, as if from nowhere.
Robin jumped, he looked at Starfire, everything was confusing him now, he had no idea what to think or where to go, "I'm not sulking Star." He said sharply, and he immediately regretting doing so, "Ergh." He groaned when everyone looked at him oddly, "I'm going to go and look for something okay, I'll meet you at the food court at one." Without waiting to see what any of the others said he whirled around and marched off, in the general direction of the music store.
"I fear Slade is making him anxious." Said Starfire sighing, "I would go after him, but of late he has not been happy and even my pudding will not change that."
There were muffled comments about that said behind hands or under the guise of a sudden coughing fit or sneeze.
Finally after a moments silence it was Raven who spoke, "How about we all go our separate ways until one and then after that we can go somewhere together."
Aqualad sighed at this but nodded his head; he could not afford to argue with her in front of the others without raising any suspicion. As the others began to disperse he tried to catch her eye so that he could at least mouth to her that he didn't want her going off on her own. But he back was already turned and she was heading in the direction of one of the smaller book shops. Aqualad scowled but turning around he jogged to catch up with Beast Boy and Terra.
#########
##When you're awake,
The things you think,
Come from the dreams you dream##
Robin stared at the rows of CDs his eyes were travelling along the brightly coloured covers, but the words were blurred and he wasn't really taking anything in. He was having trouble coming to terms with his jealousy.
Maybe it was a brotherly thing he felt for Raven, but that didn't make sense, because he hardly knew a thing about her. True he knew her favourite drink and food, and what type of music she liked and about her powers, but he didn't really know anything personal, anything that she's told him and only him. There were many secrets wrapped around Raven that he couldn't see through. And it infuriated him.
It wasn't anything sexual that he felt for her either, in that respect it was all Starfire, at least for the moment it was. He scowled at the CD he had paused to look at and then continued along the shelves.
Surely he should be happy for Raven, if she had finally found someone to take away all the problems she had. She had always been a loner; even the team's attempts to converse with her had ended in either something exploding or a cold and often calculating glare.
"Would you like any help?" asked a voice from next to him.
Robin looked sideways at the shop assistant, "No thank you, I'm just looking." He said as politely as he could manage.
The girl's eyes widened, "Oh my god!" she breathed, "You're Robin!"
Internally Robin now hated himself, he sighed and turned his body to face the now dithering girl, her eyes were bright like those of a puppy that was begging for a scrap of food. "So?"
The girl squealed, "Oh, do you suppose I could have your autograph! Could you sign my shirt?" she whipped out a permanent marker from nowhere and offered it to him.
Robin would have refused but he didn't want to give the team some bad publicity, lord knows they had had their fair share of it. "Sure." He said with a brittle smile on his face, he too the pen from her and scrawled, without really paying attention, a message on the back of her obscene pink shirt. He thought vaguely that any company that made their employees where clothes like that had to be mad.
"OH! Thank you! I can't wait to tell Candy she'll be sooo jealous!" The girl started babbling about something else but Robin tuned her voice out, she sounded almost uncannily like Kitten. He shuddered at the memory of the blonde haired girl.
He turned away from her and made a sharp exit from the store. He began wandering in an aimless pattern.
##Thoughts have wings,
And lots of things,
Are seldom what they seem##
#########
"So A-Lad." Said Beast Boy as he struggled with the controller on the latest game at the arcade. His focus was solely on the screen as the little figure he was controlling dodged balls of fire and jumped over black holes, "What's with you and Raven?"
Aqualad cringed visibly at the nickname Beast Boy had given him, "Nothing. Why?" he said lightly pretending he was engrossed in watching the moving pictures on the screen.
Terra was leaning against the wall a bored look on her face; she looked at Beast Boy and then sent a sympathetic look in Aqualad's direction.
"Well," began Beast Boy, "You two just seem to be...YES!" the game made a bleeping noise, "Next level! Anyway, It's just that you and her seem to be getting on well lately..." he hit the button on the panel before him.
"Why do you say that?" Aqualad smiled at Terra when she rolled her eyes. The blonde blushed and looked away.
Beast Boy didn't notice, "You're the first person I've known to be..." he paused to do something with his controller, "able to get Raven to hang out with us without a fight!"
Aqualad smiled, "Maybe I'm blackmailing her." He said shrugging.
"Nah, Raven doesn't hold for that sort of thing...Oh! God-" Beast Boy kicked the machine, "Dammit!" the words 'Game Over' flashed on the screen in bright red. "Dude! You made me lose!"
Aqualad shrugged, "It's only a game."
#########
##Sometimes you think you've lived before,
All that you live today,
Things you do come back to you,
As though they knew the way,
Oh, the tricks your mind can play##
Robin looked up as the floor he was staring at suddenly changed from a white laminated glass effect to a black carpet. He stared around him, not recognising the shop that he was now stood him. He frowned. All around him were old and dusty books. They seemed to form some sort of maze. He kicked himself. He looked back the way that he had come and saw the people milling aimlessly outside. He sighed and turned back to face the shop. Maybe they had a good book on self defence.
He looked towards the cashier, but the man's head was bent over a thick book that looked as if it could kill a horse if thrown right. Robin stepped into a random aisle, not really paying attention again, to where he was going.
And so, as do all people who do not look where they are going he walked into something. Or rather someone.
"Urgh. Sorry." He muttered as he rubbed his arm. He bent down and picked up the book that had fallen from the other's arms. He looked up sheepishly to apologise to the person's face and his mouth fell open. "Raven?"
Raven blinked as if noticing him there for the first time, "Oh. Robin." She said slightly confused, "Where did you come from? I mean, what are you doing?" her tone had started off as mellow and confused, but it had quickly reverted back to the monotone voice that she always used.
##It seems we stood and talked like this before,
We looked at each other in the same way then,
But I can't remember where or when##
"Here. You dropped this." Robin said quietly handing her book over, he glanced at the cover, 'Blake's Poetry and Designs' he had always figured her for an Edgar Allen Poe lover after all he had seen her with a few of those books in the tower ages ago.
Raven frowned at him and then looked at her arms, which were now empty, "I did? When?" her tone was confused again.
Robin stared at her, and began to wonder, really, if she was alright, "Um, just now when I walked into you. Remember?"
Raven took the book of him and then blinked a few times, she smiled uncertainly at him, "Uh, yeah..." now she looked distracted, and she looked around her as if she was trying to find something that wasn't there.
##The clothes you're wearing are the clothes you wore,
The smile you're smiling you were smiling then,
But I can't remember where or when##
"Raven? Are you alright?" Robin asked in concern, this was not normal Raven behaviour.
"Hmm?" she looked back at him and blinked in surprise, "Robin? When did you get here?"
Robin raised his eyebrow in surprise. Was she joking around with him or was she really that distracted? And if so what was distracting her that much? He looked hard at her face trying to see some tell tale emotion in her eyes. But he saw nothing except a blank, searching look.
##Some things that happen for the first time,
Seem to be happening again,
And so it seems that we have met before,
And laughed before, and loved before,
But I can't remember where or when##
"I've been here for five minutes now. I walked into you and you dropped your book, I've just given it back to you." He was seriously starting to see why Aqualad was so concerned for her all of a sudden. But then maybe Aqualad was the cause for concern.
"Oh, right. Right, right, right." She looked at the book she was carrying in confusion as if she hadn't expected it to be in her hands, "Do you want this?"
"No..."
"Oh." She turned to the shelf and placed the book in between two thicker books. Robin was sure it wasn't meant to go there, but somehow he didn't think that anyone would notice. People would notice however if Raven walked out of the shop looking and sounded like she's just got herself stoned.
## It seems we stood and talked like this before,
We looked at each other in the same way then,
But I can't remember where or when##
"Raven do you want to go and get a cup of coffee?" he knew that just across the way there was a small café that nobody hardly ever went it. Maybe a good jolt of caffeine would snap her out of the funny mood she was in.
She stared at him for a moment and then walked past him.
Robin growled in consternation, what was wrong with her? There was, obviously something wrong. But oddly enough, he wasn't as annoyed with what was happening as he should have been.
##The clothes you're wearing are the clothes you wore,
The smile you're smiling you were smiling then,
But I can't remember where or when##
Robin followed her as she left the shop, and as she almost floated, but not quite, across the floor and into the coffee shop. Robin ran a hand through his hair and groaned. He really didn't know what was worse, Raven as she was now, or Starfire when she found the shop 'Victoria's Secrets'.
He glowered at the back of Raven's head as he followed her to the back of the café and slid into a leather chair opposite her. He didn't say anything as the waitress came over and asked for their order. He didn't say a word when Raven ordered two cups of coffee. One for each of them. After all he was still confused.
And since when did Raven drink coffee?!
##Sometimes you think you've lived before,
All that you live today,
Things you do come back to you,
As though they knew the way,
Oh, the tricks your mind can play##
The coffee's arrived and Raven took a sip from her. She looked at him and he decided that now was the time to speak.
"Raven. I know something's been bothering you. And I want to know what it is." He made his voice sound authoritative but it had little effect on the girl sitting opposite him watching him carefully and silently while she drank her coffee.
She didn't reply.
"Raven."
"Robin."
Oh, this was going nowhere, he thought fighting back a sigh. Instead he took a quick mouthful of his coffee, almost throwing back up as it scorched the walls of his throat. He blinked quickly as his eyes teared. That coffee was HOT. How could she drink it?
"Tell me please Raven. I want to help."
She stared at him, "Why?"
Robin stared back at her trying to will her to tell him everything, "Because I'm your friend and I love you..." her eyebrows rose, "like a sister." He finished lamely.
Raven put her cup down and glared at him, "Indeed." She snapped and got to her feet, "Then I suggest brother dear that you hurry up. It's five to one." Holding her head high she stalked out of the door, leaving a very confused...VERY CONFUSED...Robin in her wake.
What the hell just happened? He thought as he drained his coffee, his eyes bulged as it burned his mouth. He quickly spat it back into the cup ignoring the disgusted looks that the other two customers threw him.
##And so it seems that we have met before,
And laughed before,
And loved before,
But who knows where or when##