Hey guys! This is now CosmicEgg (aka Sadista), the co-writer of this story. This used to be called 'A Pristine Road' but I changed the title, because I felt like it and Mind Shadow said it was okay. Anyway, I hope you like this chapter! (Disclaimer: I don't own the song used below)
Enjoy!
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The Music in Us
Chapter 1
"No. Uh-uh. No way. Not in a million years." The violet-haired girl shook her head profusely, crossing her arms over her chest as if that would further explain her stubbornness. "Never gonna happen, Wonder Boy."
"That's Boy Wonder to you, and for your information, you don't really have a choice in the matter." He smirked, running his hand through his gel-free hair. They had dressed in their street clothes for the day's 'outing,' with him in a red shirt, jeans, sneakers and a dark jacket while she wore a purple blouse, black leggings and paired with an intricate belt and matching sandals.
She raised one slender eyebrow. "And by that you mean…?"
"This is one of life's best experiences, and besides…" He winked. "I triple-dared you. You can't say no to a triple dare!"
"And why ever can I not, hmm?"
"Because Beastboy and Cy will never let you live it down."
At the mention of their two teammates' names she scowled promptly. "That's hardly fair. It's practically blackmail."
He shrugged. "Not my problem, Raven."
After a few minutes of silence, or perhaps contemplation on Raven's part, she broke it.
"Fine. I'll do it."
The nonchalant expression on Robin's face turned to one of unparalleled glee. "Seriously? You're not possessed or anything?" There was a hint of mirth in his tone.
"No, Robin. Believe it or not, I am doing this of my own free will. Now, before I change my mind…"
'Score!' Inner Robin said, punching his fist in the air. Outer Robin was a bit less… odd in his victory gestures, but nonetheless enthusiastic, his grin nearly reaching his ears.
He offered his arm. "Mademoiselle?" He said in his best fake French accent.
She slapped his shoulder playfully, but hooked her arm through his, vaguely aware of the tingling sensation that danced over her skin at the contact.
"I don't know what you're so formal about. You're only escorting me to the jukebox."
It was true. After leaving the Tower, they went sightseeing in the city, and even though they've been in its every nook and crevice while crimefighting, it was different under the varying circumstances. Before, they'd been too busy grappling with villains to notice the beauty of the little things and the not-so-little things, but with the sun hanging bright in the sky and wind cool as it ruffled their hair, they could fully appreciate the city they had lived in for so long… as well as the other's company.
After touring the endless array of museums, landmarks, and nature parks available in Jump City, by dusk they realized they were famished. Robin suggested a small restaurant that he promised had delicious food; he was true to his word, and they enjoyed their conversation as they ate. Raven was just getting ready to leave when he pointed to something in the far corner of the room, and, with a mischievous glint in his unmasked eyes (she saw that they were a vivid shade of amber), declared the dare which had now put her in the very precarious situation.
"Um… Robin, I'm having second thoughts about this…"
"Relax, Rae. You're just gonna sing one little song and I'll even let you pick it. Come on, I've tried this before… It's fun."
She tried to be reassured. "And when ever did you find the time in your busy schedule to do… this?"
He suppressed a chuckle. "I have my ways."
As they reached the old-fashioned sing-along machine, Robin picked up the clear book with the song list, handing it to her. She took it unsurely, flipping pages at a snail's pace.
"I… don't know any of these songs, Robin…"
"Are you sure or are you just saying that to get out of it?"
"What do you think?" Despite it being a negative comment, her voice shook ever-so-slightly, revealing her nervousness, and he picked up on it.
"I'm thinking… I'm not gonna let you get away that easily. Honestly, Rae, give me a challenge," he replied, as if to prove his quick-wittiness. She would have stuck out her tongue… if that was in her nature, which it wasn't, so she settled on an eye-roll. He scanned through the book nonetheless, finally settling on a title.
"Aha!"
"I don't know that one."
"You don't have to."
"Excuse me?"
"It's a duet. I'm gonna sing with you."
"You're kidding."
"I don't kid… at least, not when I'm about to exploit you like this."
"You know, your head's getting so big I think I should take cover before it explodes and I get covered in brain goo."
He didn't respond, as he was busy keying in the code for the song. The title flashed on the screen and the introductory music began. Some heads in the restaurant turned at the sound. Robin held out a microphone.
She gingerly closed her fingers over it. "I… can't do it, Robin. Not with all these people staring at me. And… why is the song so perky?"
He only laughed. "Trust me, you'll do fine. Just follow my lead to get the hang of it."
He was about to say something else, but the words to the first verse appeared and the cursor was already moving. As he finished his line, it was her turn, but when she opened her mouth, nothing came out.
Robin gazed at her expectantly. He stopped the song.
"I can't do it, Robin. I'm not the kind of person who does these things." She turned around.
He took her hand, much like when he had been persuading her to stay with them and not sacrifice her life when her father was unleashed. She had shaken out his grasp then, immediately walking away and not even looking back, in fear that it she did, she might just do what he says.
This time, however, she didn't refuse.
"Raven, come on…"
"Robin…"
"Raven? Please?" His eyes were pleading. He squeezed her hand. "For me?"
"But…"
"I'll change the song, if you want."
She sighed. "Why is this so important to you anyway?"
He looked down on the floor. "Because…" His voice barely above a whisper. "This might be one of my only chances to see you like this, like a real person, not some aloof empath that's always locked up in her room…"
"What's this really about?" Then it dawned. "You… you think Trigon will be back, don't you? That this carefree, emotional state of mine will only be temporary, and you want to take advantage of it?"
He bit his lip. "Please don't be mad."
"I'm not." Her lips curled into a half-smile. "I'm actually happy you care this much."
There was something he should have said then, to confirm what she just said, to fill the quiet… but the moment passed without him saying anything at all.
"So… um, are we doing this or what?" She started.
They both gripped their respective microphones. 'Thank you,' he mouthed to her as the music came on again.
(author's note: bold-Robin, italics-Raven, bold italics-both, (italics in parentheses)-background vocals)
"Don't
go breaking my heart
I couldn't if I tried
Ah,
Honey, if I get restless
Baby, you're not that kind…
"Don't
go breaking my heart
You take the weight off of me
Ah,
Honey, when you knock on my door
Ooh, I gave you my key…"
At first, she was a bit hesitant, but Raven soon realized that she was actually enjoying myself. In the short-lived instances where she wasn't trying to keep up with the fast-paced lyrics, Raven listened to Robin's vibrato as he sang. She could admit that he wasn't the best singer in the world, and was merely average when he held a note, but there was something about the way he sang; so pleased and untroubled, like the bird that was his namesake. She found it… alluring.
"Ooh-hoo,
and nobody knows it
When I was down
I was
your clown
Ooh-hoo, and nobody knows it
Right from the
start
I gave you my heart
Ooh-hoo... I gave
you my heart…"
Robin didn't need to look at the screen; he knew this song from being played continuously on Babs' stereo, and contented herself to watching Raven as she sometimes shied away. Her voice was naturally melodic, but she seemed tentative in her singing, and it ruined the effect.
There was a pause in the lyrics, and he took this opportunity to murmur in her ear.
"Let go, Raven. Just let go."
His breath on her neck sent delightful shivers down her spine.
'Just let go.'
And so, without worrying about the consequences and without even thinking, she did. And it was even better.
"So
don't go breaking my heart
I won't go breaking your
heart
Don't go breaking my heart
"And
nobody told us
Cause nobody showed us
And now
it's up to us, Babe
Ooh I think we can make it
"So
don't misunderstand me
You put the light in my life
Oh,
you put the sparks to the flame
I've got your heart in my
sights…"
Robin had picked this particular song solely because it was a duet, and that he was familiar with it, but he never really paid attention to the genre, or the kind of song it was. Pop, maybe, but he never considered that it was romantic.
So, why did he, if but unintentionally, found himself meaning every word?
"Don't
go breaking my heart
I won't go breaking your heart
Don't
go breaking my heart…"
Raven had become familiarized enough with the tune to gather confidence to turn away from the screen to face him. Her smile was broad and her cheeks flushed; his own smile couldn't be contained.
"Don't
go breaking my heart
I won't go breaking your heart
(Don't
go breakin' my, don't go breakin' my)
Don't go breaking
my heart…"
Something
brilliant flickered in his eyes the second something strange and new
gleamed in hers. Her heart felt swollen and about to burst with joy,
but she didn't know why. It felt oh-so similar to the emotion she
had allowed herself to feel when she was with Malchior, but somehow…
somehow she knew that this would turn out differently.
"(Don't
go breakin' my, don't go breakin' my)
I won't go breaking
your heart
Don't go breaking my heart
(Don't go
breakin' my)
I won't go breaking your heart
Don't go
breaking my heart
(Don't go breakin' my)
I won't
go breaking your heart
Don't go breaking my heart
(Don't
go breakin' my)
I won't go breaking your heart
Don't
go breaking my heart
(Don't go breakin' my)…"
Both were aware that the song was about to end in one more, just one more duet line, and they crooned it out to the best of their ability, as if wanting it to last forever.
"I won't go breaking your heart…"
As the instruments faced out, they only just become conscious of the fact that the restaurant's diners had been observing their performance and had now broken out in applause and hoots, and a few were even throwing the flowers from the tables' centerpieces at their feet.
They caught glances and smiled with understanding. He took her hand again and did a graceful bow, which she imitated. As the crowd grew wilder at the actions, the roar of the applause became but a dull ringing in their ears, a sort of white noise as they gazed at each other, sweeter, deeper and profounder than they'd ever had before.
In a spur-of-the-moment decision, Robin leaned closer and placed a soft kiss on her cheek. Her paleness turned pink.
"I meant that last line, just so you know," his voice dropped to an undertone.
She traced his jaw with one delicate finger. "I knew you did."
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Mind Shadow, or A Change of Perspective, it's your turn again! Don't really know where we're going with this but I enjoy doing it! I hope this… thing wasn't too bad, I think I was having an off-day, but I liked this idea to follow-up your first chapter.
Anyway, to everyone else, please
REVIEW!
