Robin threw his shovel at the guards, zipping past the outer watchtower.

"Get back here, thief！"

Robin ducked under the rapidly falling South Gate of Vledermous, escaping into the Meralac Ravine.

The moonlight cast huge shadows over him; he could hardly see the path in front of him.

"Great, you're here. We gotta run." Wally, his smuggler into Harmonica City, was a silhouette against the moonlight.

"Yeah, sure, but I can't see." Robin said gesturing at his eyes.

"Oh yeah, I forgot, here are your night time glasses, made specifically for your eyes only, by the cyborg himself."

"Vic made these?" Robin studied them, and carefully slid them on. "These are great."

"Anyway let's go!"

They hiked their way past the rocks, and scaled a huge cliff. They camped there for the night and continued their journey when the sun rose. They slid down a valley, and crawled through a concealed tunnel behind a waterfall. And as the sun set behind the mountains, they climbed up inside the walls of Harmonica City.

Harmonica City was a neutral land located between two feuding kingdoms, Azarath and Vledermous. The reason for their feud was lost to history but Robin had heard something about the Vledermous princess running away with the Azarath princess a hundred years ago and both were convinced that it was the other's fault.

Either way, Robin couldn't care less. He was just glad to be out of Vledermous.

Wally led Robin to an alleyway near the tunnel that they'd climbed out of.

Waiting for them there was Victor Stone, also known as Cyborg for his talent at making gadgets. Victor ushered them in through a door, into a small, earthy living room. It was fairly clean, just a single round dining table and a sofa near the fireplace.

"Ok, Robin, I've made arrangements for you to stay with a friend of mine who is looking for a roommate."

Robin turned to him. "Does she know?"

"That you are a suspected poisoner? No, we didn't tell her. It doesn't matter anyway, she wouldn't care." Victor said, sliding Robin a glass of water.

Wally opened a duffel bag and threw Robin a fresh shirt and slacks. "Tidy up, my man, we are going to the club."

"Why?"

"Well you have to meet her first."

Victor grabbed his arm at the door. "She's like my baby sister, so… hands off."

Robin put his hands up. "Got it.

…

There was hardly anyone on the streets. He learned that this was the poorer side of the city. There was a white collar sector (Centro), which was the central business and law district, a suburban area where said white collars lived, and the Breaches, where they were. These districts were split in a concentric fashion.

They stopped a small shop - Karnori's.

"Aren't we going to a club?"

"Not looking like that." Victor said. "You can't blend in around here unless you have at least a few tattoos. And awesome hair."

"My hair is fine." Robin said.

"It's boring!" Wally said. He moved aside and Robin could see a short green-haired girl. Her eyes were silver - contacts, probably - and her skin was a brownish gold. She was wearing a long robe, a feathery boa lining the edges.

"Robin, this is Karnori."

"Welcome to Harmonica, and yes you definitely need a do up. Come on, the tattoo machine is out back." Her voice was higher than he expected and she had an accent to her English.

"She's an expert." Victor said, winking.

She took his arm and dragged him, with surprising strength, to her back room.

Karnori sat him down on a chair and eyed him up and down.

"Okay, permanent tattoo's might take a little while to completely set and heal, so I'll use temps for now. Grab that blue book and pick some designs."

"And my hair? You're not going to colour it are you?" Robin asked, tentatively.

Karnori chuckled. "Not it you don't want me to, soparfnor. I'll just gel it up. You'll look rocking."

"Soparfnor?"

"It means scared child. Like you."

Robin shifted in his seat. "I'm not scared, just… I don't want it to go wrong."

"Don't worry, I'll make it perfect."

…

When Wally and Victor saw him, they laughed. Robin turned red.

"We weren't laughing at you, we were laughing at your face." Wally said, as they passed the fourth alley since Karnori's.

His hair was spiked up at the back, revealing his forehead and ears.

"We're here, Robin. Go in there and make a good impression." Victor pushed open a door labelled NO ACCESS: CONSTRUCTION.

Robin looked up at the building. The first few floors were done, but after that it was bare timber and steel beams. It looked like it was abandoned during building.

Inside, were two big guys. One had orange hair, the other, turquoise. They were wearing sleeveless tank tops which put their huge muscles on display.

"Who's the new guy, Cy?" The orange-haired one said.

"This is Robin. He just got in, if you know what I mean." Victor said, raising his eyebrows.

"And what if I don't?" The turquoise-haired one said. He looked scary.

"He just lost his job, mate." Wally quipped, throwing an arm around Robin. "Sad, really. He could have had it all."

"Alright. Oi Wesener! Take his name and photo."

"Ay, grab me a look 'ere."

Robin jumped. He hadn't even noticed a skinny, gray-haired man in the booth. Wesener's hands shook as he brought a camera to Robin's face.

"Ya could show ya pearly whites, ya know?" Wesener said from behind the camera.

"He means smile." Wally said.

Robin tried a smile. The photo came out looking like he just wanted to run out.

Robin saw Wesener stick the photo to a page in what seemed like a guest book and wrote his name with a marker underneath.

"Thanks." Robin said.

"Pleasure, ya boya." Wesener said with his rickety voice.

The guards got out of the way, and Robin entered the club with Victor and Wally.

"That Wes is gonna break in half someday soon, I tell you." Wally said.

"Oh look, there she is." Victor said, pointing.

Robin followed his eyes and saw a tall, light golden-skinned girl, who looked a little bit like Karnori. She had bright pink hair and neon green eyes, and was wearing a skin tight lavender and silver outfit that showcased her tiny midriff.

"She looks a bit like Karnori." Robin said.

"Not her, that's Kori. Rae's beside her. The one with the dark purple hair."

Robin looked around and saw her. She was quite a bit shorter than Kori, and more curvy. She was wearing a loose-long-sleeved tee, tucked into tight, high-waisted shorts.

"What did you say her name was?" Robin yelled, as the music became louder and they approached the crowd.

"I didn't! Her name's Rae-" Victor dodged a few dancing drunks. "Raven. Her name is Raven."

"Birds of a feather, then." Wally teased, smirking.

"Victor!" Kori said, seeing them. She was stumbling, tipsy to the point where her words seemed to slur together. "And whooo isssht this?"

Raven steadied Kori from behind. "She just broke up with Roy, yesterday. So…"

"Rae! This is the new roommate candidate I was talking about. Meet Robin!" Victor said, shoving Robin in her direction.

As Kori began tearing up, Wally and Victor took her to dance. She brightened up immediately.

"You two take the time to get to know each other."

"Hi, I'm Raven. Robin?"

"Yeah."

Her skin was very pale, up close. All the lights looked more saturated on her skin. Her features were very prominent, Robin thought. From her eyes to her lips, to her high cheeks bones, and strong eyebrows. Only her was like a button. Cute, really.

"So… how much money do you have anyway? If you just lost your job and home…"

"I, uh, have enough to pay rent. I think. How much was that again?"

Raven's eyes drifted to where Kori and the others were, and then back to him. "It's 40 pennies a month. For half the apartment."

"I have enough for about a year then." Robin said, as her eyes flitted back to Kori.

She nodded absentmindedly. She looked back at him, when she realised he was staring. "Sorry, she's just… I don't think we should have come here and now she's drunk and emotional. We should probably leave soon."

"Um, so do I move in tonight?"

Raven looked at him, inquisitive. "That desperate, huh? If you don't have a place to sleep tonight, sure. But make sure you look for a job or something."

Robin smirked. "Will do. So, can I buy you a drink?"

She raised an eyebrow.

"As celebration?" He added.

"Sure. Another lemonade would be nice."

"You don't drink?"

"Not often." Her eyes were back on Kori.

Robin looked. Kori was getting uncomfortably close to someone with bright red hair, and Raven straightened up.

"I'll take a raincheck on that drink." She said as she slipped into her cloak and pushed through the crowd to get to Kori.

Robin studied her as she took Kori's arm and dragged her out of the club.

Victor came to him with two drinks in his hand. "Have some party favours, Rob!"

Robin took the glass, smelled the contents and decided not to. "I forgot to ask where she lives." He said to Victor.

"Well you could follow her." Wally suggested, escaping his dancing partners for the drink Robin had left on the counter.

Robin stared at the both of them.

"Go!"

…

Raven was supporting a very, very drunk Kori on her shoulders. "Come on, Star."

She was struggling to make it down the alley, but, thankfully she could already see Karnori's.

It was quiet. The streets were empty. Everyone was either asleep or in a club or bar. So it was odd that Raven heard fast approaching footsteps.

She tried quickening her pace, but Kori was making that severely difficult.

She heard the person get closer and closer, they just touched her shoulder when she turned with a leg in the air, successfully kicking her assailer in the abdominal region. He cried out and doubled over in pain.

It was dark, there were few streetlights and fewer that were working.

She felt kind of sorry, he didn't seem threatening looking like the victim, but she stood her ground.

"Who are you? Show me your face." Raven said.

Looking up at her, still clutching his stomach, was the guy from the club. Robin.

"Sorry." She said, helping him up, as much as she could with a friend gurgling and making bird noises on her shoulder.

"It's okay," He said, straightening. He was a lot taller than her. Then again, a lot of people were. "You sure pack a nasty kick."

"Sorry. I thought you were attacking us or something. It's the middle of the night, after all." Raven said.

Kori looked at him and laughed. "You lost! You lost to Rae Rae." She stuck her tongue out, teasing.

"Star, be nice. This is Robin." Raven said, shifting her weight as Kori slouched.

"Robin, tweet, tweet, tweeeet."

"Need help?" Robin asked.

Raven thought for a moment. "Sure. Thanks."

Robin took Kori's other arm around his shoulders. It was awkward, Kori's body angled in a way that would definitely give her cramps the day after.

"How about I just carry her on my back?" Robin said.

"Yeah I think that might work better." Raven said.

Robin knelt down, somewhat royally, Raven thought, and Raven shoved Kori so she would get on.

"It's only until Karnori's down the road so it should be alright." Raven said, walking beside Robin with Kori's sandals, purse and jacket. "You've been there, right? She probably did your hair."

"How'd you know?" Robin asked. Thinking regrettably about the spikes.

"Everyone knows her handiwork. She's the best in this place." Raven said, more matter-of-factly than as a praise.

They reached Karnori's in a comfortable silence, just enjoying the soft breeze of a coolish night.

"Oh, Koriand'r, what have you done to yourself, fumnor?" Karnori took her sister inside. She peeked her head out again. "Thank you, Rave, you're a life saver. And I see you've met the new boy. Tea?"

"Not tonight, Karnori, thanks. We've got to get going." Raven said.

Karnori smiled and waved them goodbye.

"So why did you come after us in the first place?" Raven asked, as they turned a corner onto the next street.

"I didn't know where you lived."

"Oh." Raven bit back a smile. "Sorry. I'll take you."

"Thanks."

They walked back, Raven pointing out places of interest as she saw them.

She knew next to nothing about him. She was sure he was from outside Harmonica City, and he looked familiar, like she'd seen him on a television somewhere.

But he walked, not too close to her. His eyes had, so far, stayed settled at her face or away when he was talking to her. He didn't press things or ask pointless questions. So far, he was fine.

"Oh, was does fumnor mean?" Robin asked, as they were approaching her street.

"Something like silly child, I think." Raven said, leading Robin to her apartment complex. It wasn't high end by any means, but it was near the border, so it was better furbished that most of the apartment blocks in the Breaches. She almost felt embarrassed about showing it to him, even though she had no reason to be.

"What language is it?" He asked.

Raven looked at him, and instead of answering, led him inside. The night guard, Jeffrey, was struggling to keep his eyes open, as usual.

"Jeff!" Raven said, jolting him straight.

He looked at her, and relaxed. "Oh, hey Raven."

"This is Robin. He's my new roommate." She said, reaching into her bag and pulling out an apple and a bottle of water.

"Heya Robin. Nice to meet you." He said, eyes drooping.

"Hi. Likewise." Robin said.

Raven gave Jeffrey the apple and the water, and he smiled. "Thanks, Raven."

"It's okay. Just don't drink so much coffee." Raven said, heading to a grey door.

"The elevator never works." She said, as she opened the door and revealed stairs.

"What floor do you live on?" Robin asked.

"The fourth." She said, starting up the stairs. "Probably why I don't drink often."

By the fourth floor, both Robin and Raven were yawning.

Raven had the keys ready and she opened the door to her apartment.

She saw Robin look around, study her apartment. His eyes passed over her kitchen to the right, and the doors to the left, and over her furniture in the common area, and settled on the wine-coloured drapery. It was probably the brightest colour in the room.

"The curtains were a gift from Star, uh, Kori. I would've probably picked something darker. Or purple." Raven said.

Robin nodded. "Where is my room?"

"It's to the left. Here, I'll take you." Raven said. She walked to his currently empty room and opened the door. There was a mattress in the centre (it was her old one). "I used to use the room as a study. But then I quit my second job to free up my time and didn't have enough money to keep renting the whole thing. I sold a lot of stuff before I decided to get a roommate."

"Well I'm glad you did, because otherwise, I probably would have had to sleep on the floor at Victor's place." Robin said, chuckling.

"Did you bring your stuff?" Raven asked.

"Yeah." Robin said, throwing his backpack down. "This is it."

"Well, that's great. No moving in people." Raven said. "You might as well get changed." She left him in his new room to shower and change, herself.

She crossed the apartment with some long strides and paid particular attention to the curtains Kori got her on her birthday. They were nice, she thought as she entered her room.

…

Robin scanned his new room. It was a tiny room, he thought. The mattress took up the majority of the space and there was a small closet, that he chucked his backpack into after getting his few clothes out.

He took out his towel and pajamas and headed for the bathroom. Which, as he headed out of his room, he realised he didn't know the location of. There was a fifty-fifty chance he would get it right and get to the bathroom and also a fifty-fifty chance that he would walk into Raven's room and she would land another painful kick in his stomach.

He opted for the door next to the wine curtains, instead of the one next to his. Thinking on it in retrospect the obvious decision would have been to go for the door next to his, but at the time he thought that the two rooms would be beside each other and the bathroom would be separate.

He opened the door and saw a beautiful bedroom.

"What are you doing in my room?" Raven asked, an irritated tone lacing her voice.

Robin turned around. "I was looking for the bathroom, I swear." He said.

She was wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around her. He caught sight of scars etched into her arm but before he could look at them closer she turned around.

"Don't look!" She said. "Just go to the bathroom, it's the other door. The one next to your room."

He left to go there, keeping his head down. His face was heating up and for sure, turning red.

…

Raven sighed. She hurriedly closed the door and changed into her night clothes, opting for a long sleeved loose sweater and a pair of pajama shorts.

She didn't like drying her hair with a dryer too often, found that it dried out her hair and made it frizzy and hard to manage. She dried her hair with her towel, noting the dark black roots starting to grow.

After she changed, she sat on the couch with her latest novel. She'd borrowed it from her co-worker the day before. It was about fantastical kingdoms and noblewomen dressed as knights to fight for their kingdoms.

When she was in to the eighth chapter, Robin came and sat down beside her.

"Good book?" he asked.

"So far." She said.

"What language is it?"

Raven knew he wasn't from Harmonica City, but he would have at least done some reading before coming, surely.

"You're not from here."

Robin nodded. "I'm from the suburbs. I just lost my job and home."

Raven rolled her eyes. "Thanks for the story, I've read better ones. No one who lives or has lived in Harmonica City doesn't know the native language."

Robin scrunched up his eyebrows. "I thought that was English, most people don't have an accent."

"Ok, so before the current 'Harmonicans' came to this land, there were natives. There was already a Wall, already a language and already a culture here. But when the invaders came they wreaked havoc on the old buildings and robbed the natives of their wealth. They were pushed to the outskirts of the city; and those outskirts became known as the Breaches."

"So…?"

"We learn it in school. The native vernacular and English. So, don't go about asking people what things mean. Instead, I'll lend you some books on learning the vernacular." Raven said.

"How come you have those?" Robin asked.

"Because I'm not from here either." She said.

"Well then we have one thing in common."

"I guess we do."

"We're living together now, isn't that something to drink to?" Robin said, smirking.

"Sure, if you don't mind falling down eight flights of stairs." Raven answered, grinning.

A/N : might make a chaptered fic of this? thoughts?

Review me to woo me?