Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans or other characters in their series, you people are smart enough to know that.
A/N: AAHH! I'm terribly sorry this was late! I got hung up with my other story because I was sort of in a writer's block for this one … please forgive the lateness, I'm so sorry!
So I guess you guys want to get to the story now … so I'll let you guys go now.
Enjoy …
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You're Overrated
"You know …" Raven stilled when she reached for the handle on Malchior's black Infinity, about ready to leave after she found what she needed, that voice. His voice, the one she had been trying to avoid since she saw him on the stairs … Johnny Rancid, cursing in her head Raven closed her eyes and pulled away from the car. Turning around to confirm her realization she scowled at the punk-rocker's serious glare, "… Malchior did give me a heads up that you were coming here … he just never told me that you're as stupid as you look."
Raven sneered and sarcastically snapped, "Did Malchior even tell you to hold my hand and walk me back home?"
Johnny shrugged hands in pocket with his surprisingly pressed and neat uniform he snickered, his deep blue eyes showing what a delinquent Raven knew he was, "Nah, he kind-a left that part out. Got what you came for though?"
Raven turned her back with a flip of her violet hair and jerked the car door open, "Not like you need to know," slipping herself inside; Johnny briskly crossed the few feet distance between him and the car. Grabbing the door and holding it open he leaned in and ignored Raven's warning dagger glares, instead he countered it with his own.
"You may be the Number One Nightrider of the 13 blacklisted, but remember, that title is still mine." Johnny growled, Raven's scowl darkened and she leaned up t him getting right up in his face.
"Last time I checked, Johnny you're number 3 on the list and if you want my title, then you gotta get passed Ronan," she snickered coldly, "and from what I hear he smoked your ass good and turned you into his little bitch for the day."
"Watch it," Johnny grabbed a hand full of Argent's uniform and pulled her up, ripping it good, Raven tried not the sigh in disappointment. After all, she did promise Argent that she'd take care of her uniform, now this bozo was ripping it. Not fair, Raven pouted. "Or I'll have to finish what Fang started, looked like he busted you good with that cut on your lip."
Raven sneered, "I'll do far worse to you then I did to Fang if you don't get your hands off me this instant."
Johnny shoved her into the car, Raven caught her hand into the side and pulled herself to sit up properly, gripping the uniform that Johnny had tore and just hating his childish rant, "You think you're some hot shit don't you? Well you better watch your back … cause I'll be gainin' on it."
"I perish the thought," Raven scoffed and twisted her legs so she was fully into the car and slammed the door shut, absolutely irritated by her meeting with Johnny, that was one of the reasons why she hated meeting up with the Number three. Because he was so … hotheaded and degrading to the 13 Nightriders, sighing and letting her blouse go she started the Infinity and drove into the street, yet, instead of heading to her place she headed in the opposite direction to Rorek's house.
There was still something that she needed to fetch.
The drive wasn't that long, especially when traffic was almost non-existent for a schoolgirl out on a school day. Raven could hardly careless about what day it was, once she hit Hearsay Street she pulled over on the side of the road and got out, locked the car and walked down the sidewalk. Reaching his workshop Raven opened the garage and looked around. Everything seemed in place, nothing appeared stolen, yet hesitant to walk to the back where everything … where … the chaos had taken place.
Raven looked to the ground and gulped … trying to forget about the past events she stiffly walked up to the door that lead into the back room and opened it. Ignoring the mess and daring not to turn on the lights she trudged in eyes trained to the ground. Going by memory alone of where everything should be … Raven stopped and nearly screamed when she saw blood … on the ground.
Blood … Rorek's … the feeling of having him nearly taken away from her flooded in and Raven steeled herself for it. Bracing for the memories … feelings … and the sudden heaviness of her heart, Raven clenched her hands into tight fists her ling nails digging crescent moons into her palms as it shook. Her own blood close to drawing Raven bit down on her lower lip and gasped a shaky breath.
She wouldn't cry …
Bad enough she did so … broke down right in front of Angel … and did a whole bunch of non-Raven things that would make her brother hit the roof. No need to break down again … not when it's really not needed, shaking her head stubbornly Raven ran for the desk to her far right, snatched up Rorek's laptop and dashed out of the room as fast as he legs could carry her. Running for her sanity Raven didn't stop and unlocked the Infinity jerking the door open and throwing the laptop onto the passenger side desk.
She could feel it … her heart racing … her throat chocking … her breathing quickening. The regret, the blame, the anger, the rage, the sorrow, that sadness, the hopelessness … it was all her fault … it had always been her fault … her fault … her fault … My … fault …
The car was started and slamming her foot on the pedal she raced back to the loft trying to hold back the burning sensation in her eyes … why … didn't she say that she wasn't going to cry? Why did she suddenly have the strong urge to just … let go … desert it all and give up when she swore on Malchior and Rorek's lives that she'd fight to at least get them free.
Free of her … free from her and all the trouble she brought along.
It was all … everything was her fault!
My fault … my fault … her drive back to the loft was harsh and she knew in the back of her mind that Malchior was going to be pissed if he ever found out … but she was too distracted … too … lost … running up the stairs with the laptop in her hands she yelped and cried out when she miss stepped and tripped. A hand shot out and gripped the railing to stop her from falling and saving the laptop at the cost of having her shoulder slammed to the edge of the stairs.
Raven groaned and stayed put … movement became too much … effort was just too much … the pain suddenly became unbearable … and the burning of her tears to flow was unstoppable. She cried … My … fault … everything … is … my fault … looking up, Raven sniffled and gasped, nearly falling over and tripping down the rest of the stairs when she saw Robin standing at the top. Staring at her with a masked expression she didn't know if it was pity or confusion … but the fact of thee matter was that he was standing over her. Seeing her cry …
Caught … again … but this time by the last person she wanted to see her like this … it was embarrassing and degrading. Especially since she was in a ripped schoolgirl uniform holding a laptop looking as pathetic as ever. Raven wiped her eyes and sat up the best she could on the stairs, glaring up as hard as she could to the silent Robin she growled, "What?"
He blinked, his cerulean blue eyes betraying nothing as he walked down to sit next to her, pulling out a handkerchief from his pocket he handed it to her and sighed, "Yeah … I get that way too …"
Raven raised a brow and glared at the hand with the handkerchief, swatting it away stubbornly she stood up, "I don't need your pity."
Up and marching to her floor, Raven stopped when Robin turned to her and asked seriously, "You remember when we first met?"
It was sudden question … one that Raven found herself trying to remember … but only found it fuzzy, " … Uh …"
Robin sighed and stood up, though Raven just heard it, she didn't see it because her back was still to him and her right foot was already up on the next step. Turning around she narrowed her eyes in confusion at the odd guy that not only already had a girlfriend, but also seemed to be headed up to her place. Topping it off he was talking about when they first met … it was cause for concern … but Raven listened anyway as he walked up to stand next to her, "Of course you wouldn't … because … we were kids … and we didn't actually meet I just … sort of saw you across the way at a ballroom when my mother was invited to some ritzy party. I never thought that I'd ever feel so sorry for someone in my entire life … I guess I do pity you, but … geez … I don't know, I guess I kind also just … didn't think you're that important."
Raven found herself scoffing and wiping more of her tear stained face away, "Gee, thanks, you're a really self-confident booster Robin." She turned to walk away again … but Raven snatched her wrist a sign that he didn't want her to leave just yet.
"Hold up a minute Rae … I'm asking a serious question, do you remember anything from that night? The night at the Palace Hotel's ballroom?"
Glaring at the hand that gripped her wrist, Raven yanked it away and scoffed, turning her back on him fully she marched to her loft, "I've had enough flashbacks for one day if you don't mind I have a lot of work to do. So get to your point Robin, what did you come for?"
Robin frowned and closed his eyes, running his fingers through his spiky hair he walked up after her and shrugged, "I actually came to see Angel, since he wasn't at home, nor at school, I heard Jinx say he was coming to your place … is he there … it's kind of important ya know."
Another guy in my house … Raven sighed tiredly and gestured for Robin to follow, "Just don't touch anything, and watch your step."
Robin nodded and watched as Raven gripped the handle getting the same reaction as Angel; Robin gaped and nearly tripped when he walked into the house. Raven entering first of course scanned the room and glanced to her right into the kitchen, noticing Ronan dancing away to a CD that was playing in … Raven's brow twitched in agitation. He was using her OWN CD player, munch away at his apple, Robin even found it odd that there was even a guy – besides Angel that is – in Raven's place.
A guy that even Robin didn't know.
"I never thought I would wake up in bed, watching the world coming down on my head, I'd sleep like a dog if you had never have said: this is the world coming down on your he – ad …"
Raven slapped a hand on her face and ran it down to her chin while Ronbin scratched the top of his head, "Umm …"
"Robin, this is the idiot best friend of my brother … Rorek's older brother … Ronan …"
Robin blinked and jerked his head back, "Older brother?"
"Yeah …" Raven sighed and marched up to the oblivious fool, tapping him on the shoulder from behind, he stopped dancing and turned around only to have a face full of fist when Raven took out all her frustrations on the poor guy. Even Robin flinched when Ronan was flung back and slammed into the fridge the headphones and CD player knocked off of him. Raven caught them both and set them on the table, "… Ronan … what did I just say before I left? I told you to never touch my things."
"Shit!" the first word that came out of the older male's mouth as he tried to gain his bearings, "Fuck Raven did you have to go and do that?"
"Where's Angel? Robin wants to see him."
"Who?" Ronan growled still irritated by the punch, Robin just sort of stood to the side nervously.
Raven just gritted her teeth, "Robin, now where's Angel?"
"Ever try looking behind you?" Robin turned to the couch and jumped back when he saw Angel emerge from the sofa. An unpleasant look on his face, like he had just woken up from a nap of sorts, his deep amber hazel eyes glared up to Robin as he sat up and lazily stood up. Looking straight at Raven, the violet haired girl turned away from the whimpering Ronan to stand up to Angel's challenging glare. Feeling awkward Robin stepped off even further to the side when he was sure he saw static discharge due to their negative energies, "Lock me up in your damn house with your retar in order to drive me insane … smart, very cute."
"Hey!" Ronan grumbled, but was naturally ignored.
Robin shrank in size, the tension was becoming too much as Angel jumped over the couch and made a beeline for Raven in the kitchen who snapped back a snappy retaliation explanation, "Well it was all I could do in order to keep you from following me around like a love sick puppy."
SLAM!
Ronan glared protectively, Robin blinked, What the hell's gotten into him?
Raven barely flinched when Angel sent a fist to the fridge behind her, though she couldn't help to step back and lean her back against it when he loomed over her sinisterly. His less then "angel" like attitude evident enough in his burning amber eyes, Raven held his fiery gaze with steel platonic violet glares. Just daring him to try anything to set her off, he instead hooked her chin with his hand and tilted her head up even closer to him. Scowling, Raven gritted her teeth when he gently kissed the cut on her lip.
Robin's jaw dropped to the lobby floor and his eyes grew as wide as saucers. Di-did Raven just … ju-just … allow that?
Ronan coed, "Aw, adorable!"
CLANG!
He may have been the older brother of Rorek, but that doesn't mean he was impervious to any kind of pain. Especially when a pan was thrown to his head and hit dead center on his forehead, "OW, OW, OW, OW, OOOOWWWW!"
Raven scoffed, "Serves you right." Trying hard to wiggle out of Angel's personal little prison for her, he just so happened to shoot his other hand to the fridge and trapped her between it and him.
"Who did that to you?" Angel growled, more demanding an answer then asking for one, never caring if Robin or Ronan saw him.
Raven looked up exasperatedly at him. "Does it matter? I got what I wanted from him, and besides … why should you care? Not like you have anything to do with it."
"They hurt you."
"So?" Raven sneered, "I've gotten hurt before, and I've dealt with far worse. Now leave me alone I got things to do, Robin's here and he wants to talk to you."
"Robin can go to hell," Angel scoffed (Robin glared and flipped his counterpart off, even though he didn't see it, although it made Robin feeling better), "Now tell me who hurt you."
Raven scowled and rolled her eyes pushing him away with enough force to knock him into the island behind him, she sneered and snatched up Rorek's laptop. Glaring passively at the annoyed Angel she growled, "I'm not your girlfriend, you're not my boyfriend, we're not having any kind of relationship other then allies against the same villain. So you have no right to be worried and demanding of me … and for further reference, stop kissing me."
"Stop" kissing her? Robin drew a deadpanned look, not sure how the make of this new – shocking – news, What the hell … since when has Raven and Angel been an item?
"Aw little Rae-Rae," Ronan pouted and coed, "must you be so cold to the poor lad? He was doing nothing but worrying for you. Must you push everyone away – AH!"
Somehow her tiny hand found itself wrapped around his throat, being ringed and chocked by the girl that he dared to tease. Her violet eyes sparked with a murderous glare as she squeezed harder and growled low and menacing, "Call me "Little Rae-Rae" one more time Ronan and I swear to god you'll be learning how to fly through the window."
"Ye-yes of-of course …" gasping for air when she tightened again then loosened and released him, pushing him back onto the couch and storming to the hall. Ronan sighed and rubbed his soar throat, "Not pleasant."
Angel with his arms crossed over his chest and his right leg crossed over his left leaning on the island Raven pushed him on. A very unpleasant look on his face as he shot a glare from Ronan to the dangling beads, and finally landing on the confused Robin. Just the sight of him somehow just pissed him off even further … especially when he knew what he was here for.
However if he could read minds, he'll know that the reason why Raven was so pushy – literally – today was all in Robin's mind. He knew why, and he also knew something else … a secret about Raven that he secretly promised the girl he'd never tell to any one. Because … who better to know the kind of pain he went through every day of the year and understand why it was important for one like him to seal himself away. No one … not even his girlfriend Kori "Star" Ander, sad to say. Yet no one, but the violet eyed Raven that always hid in the shadows and flew in the dark of night so to hide away the beauty she thought was ugly.
She was the only one to know what it was like … and still have it worse … Robin respected her deeply, and … though … she was right to think he was pitying her, because from the start … Robin had always felt sorry for the girl that couldn't feel.
XOXO
"Robin! Robin!" 7 years old and surprisingly so passive, the blue-eyed boy turned from talking to one of the kids his age to his mother that was dressed pretty in a velvet red dress, looking stunning and immaculate. Robin excused himself politely from the group and walked across the room to his mother. Standing before her and allowing for her to place her hands on his shoulders, bringing him close to her body to hug and show off to the other high-class rich wives.
Robin kept his expressionless face and ignored their chattering, getting bored and wanting out of his mother's grasp Robin excused himself and walked back to the group of boys he had been earlier talking to. Yet … as he walked he gasped and was pushed back when something flashed passed him in a desperate rush. Curiosity snagged and he looked in the direction the person was running off to.
Only to find it wasn't an adult, but an older kid, running as fast as his legs could carry him to the courtyard. What could be going on he wondered and ended up following after him. Pushing through the crowd and coming to a panting halt a top the three flat stairs into the beautiful garden with a gazebo in the center and a pool side mote around it. a single bridge connecting land to the small island gazebo.
Robin paid no attention to the scenery and directed his line of sight to where he could hear shouting and it appeared to be right at the side of the pool. Four girls ganging up on one and the boy that had rushed him being held back by two adults … odd, not to mention a bit harsh, especially when Robin heard every word they were shouting, "Let me go! Let me go! You can't do this! She's my sister! Let me go!"
"Malchior!" one of the adult males shouted scolding the boy with the name Malchior, "You can't keep protecting her! She has to learn to fight on her own!"
"She doesn't have to! She's only a kid! Raven!" the boy's thrashing became even more so urgent and desperate when one of the four older girls grabbed a hand full of the girl called Raven's hair. The little one screamed and closed her eyes … even with the dim lighting of the night Robin was able to see the glistening tears falling down her smooth skin. The girl's brother called to her once more, "Raven! Raven! Do something! Don't just stand there! Do something!"
He's right girl do something … Robin thought quietly to himself, his feet working on it's own accord and began to walk him down the stairs, but a hand to his shoulder immediately stopped him. Surprised Robin looked up at the older male with pitch jet-black shoulder-blade length long hair. Tied into a neat ponytail letting white tendrils dangle on his shoulder. For some reason, he was getting bad ju-ju vibes from him.
Especially when he opened his mouth and his caramel like voice spilled out liquid venom words of warning, "You must be Robin Richards … you don't belong out here, you'll catch your death of cold in this ghastly weather. Please come in, and ignore the happenings in the courtyard … my daughter and son are just … playing a little game."
A … game … Robin wouldn't know until he entered the ballroom and the smooth talking man had turned to slide the curtain closed to the exit. That, that outside … was far from any childish game. A resounding SPLASH was heard, and through the crack in the not-so-well-drawn curtains, Robin gaped when he saw her. The young girl sputtering in the water that turned a sudden angry crimson red … she thrashed and jerked and floundered, evident enough that she couldn't swim.
Yet … no one tried to save her … her brother was held firm and the girls were suddenly so scared of what they'd done they had taken off running back to the ballroom. It all happened so fast that before Robin knew it he was on the ground due to the panicked girls rushing passed him and the younger one … the splashing … the pleads for help … were suddenly gone. Floating in the red-red water, her brother was finally released and without so much as hesitating jumped into the water to rescue his sister.
"Oh …" the man, Robin jerked his head up to the man standing off to his left, an odd eerie grin on his face, "…it would seem that my daughter has lost. This wouldn't be the first time you know … she has the strength to take them all on … but I guess because of Arella she refuses to fight back and harm others who are clearly harming her. Oh what am I talking to you about all this, you're just a child. Have an enjoyable night Robin Richards, so pleased that you could make it."
Yeah … just a child … but little did that child know he was talking to the demon that lurked in hell and called himself a father to the girl that had nearly drowned in the pool … his own daughter. Just a child … but Robin was old enough in mind, body, and spirit to understand that what had happened was wrong … and he should have told someone … anyone. But … who would believe such a story?
He was just a 7-year-old boy with an "active imagination" anything that'll come out of his mouth would be considered cute, not serious.
She was hurt … and there was nothing he could do about it. Frowning sadly for the little girl, Robin gulped and turned his back just as well as the demon had. Head bowed and trudging silently into the ballroom to find his mother, a happenstance glance to the left locked his eyes on a statue. An angel, not very shocking considering it was a huge Easter Party, yet … this one seemed different. For some reason … Robin just felt – at such a young age – the pressure of grown up society weighing down on him.
The girl …
Her brother …
The father …
And the pool …
Robin wasn't much for religion and neither was his mother, but just this one night he prayed for the girl with a sad frown still on his face.
XOXO