*Hello! I know this isn't exactly a quick update BUT I had loads of Uni work and a trip and I couldn't write. Anyway, thank you all for your feedback so far, it means so much, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!*

CHAPTER FIVE

When Raven opened her eyes, she was pleasantly surprised to face the familiar Titan Tower wall of the living room. A look outside the window told her it was quite late in the morning and she felt rejuvenated, as she had probably gotten many hours of sleep. Luckily, sleeping on the couch proved comfortable, as she didn't feel tense at all. A warm piece of clothing was placed over her and she turned around to see Cyborg cooking by the fixed oven. She smiled to herself and thought 'I could get used to this…', immediately frowning to herself at how this thought managed to creep her way inside her mind. She got up and Cyborg turned around to see her just as she was taking a seat on the dusty counter.

"Wakey wakey, little witch!" He greeted, wiping his hand on his apron.

"Hey."

"You sure did sleep much…"

"I suppose. What are you making?"

"Oh, well, while you're catching your z's, I went back to my house and brought some basic stuff here, so I can cook us somethin' tasty for breakfast. I brought some clothes and stuff too."

"That's nice."

Cyborg grinned. "What's even nicer is that you woke up just in time to try my new, improved pancakes! Here." He grabbed a small bite with a fork and approached her mouth with it. Raven frowned at the unusual gesture but opened up and ate the pancake piece. "So?" Cyborg asked, his eyebrows shot up in anticipation of her answer.

"Mmm. It's actually pretty good!"
"I knew it! Now I'm sure no one will ever be able to top my pancakes! This new recipe is amazing!"

Raven half-smiled. "So, what are our plans for today?"

"A lot of movin' around, I suppose. Since the place's not half bad, we can go to your place and bring your stuff here, and then bring my equipment too and get settled."

"Okay. And when are… the negotiations to begin?"

Cyborg shrugged, turning to his frying pan. "I know where Beastie hangs out these days, if we're done early enough, we can go straight away."

"Alright…" Raven mumbled.

OOO-OOO-OOO-OOO-OOO-OOO

"Yes. It suits him." Raven commented, when they reached the district where Beast Boy was living. It was very near the city center, and certainly one of the busiest. The main avenue was very long, filled with enterprise skyscrapers and all kinds of shops and places. Neon sings and big advertising panels decorated the buildings' surfaces, and hundreds of people were out on the street at all times.

"Now, I don't really know where exactly he lives, but if we have a stroll around here, I think we might…stumble upon him?"

"…Flawless plan."

"Come on, Rae, he's not answering his Titan pager, how am I supposed to know?"

"You said you met some time ago."

"Well, how was I supposed to know it'd be important to know his address?!"

Raven sighed. "Let's walk around, then."

Some time passed as they walked among the crowd, taking a glance at the shops' windows, all brightly lit and filled with all sorts of products. At times, something would catch Cyborg's fancy, and he'd loudly comment on what he thought of the thing, while Raven would laconically offer her opinion, refraining from expressing any sort of excitement for anything she saw. Shopping really wasn't her thing, though the times she had gone with Starfire at the mall –countable with the fingers of one hand- hadn't actually been so bad. A small hint of nostalgia made Raven's chest tense up a bit, as she realized that she missed the only lady friend she had more than she wanted to admit.

She tilted her head a bit and observed Cyborg, devouring a hotdog he just bought; his mouth was decorated with splashes of red and yellow –ketchup and mustard, while his cheeks were puffed like a blowfish, from munching loudly. Though chewing wasn't supposed to be among the most flattering things someone could be seen doing, Raven liked how Cyborg's face always appeared so fresh and dynamic. Though she had seen him sad and angry and depressed, his posture and his facial expressions always 'oozed' an 'aura' of energy and passion for life. Raven had grown to deeply appreciate those aspects of Cyborg's appearance, mostly because, she thought, she couldn't find them in herself and her image. Though she had the will to live, of course, and plenty of power, those elements didn't reflect on her appearance that much. Whenever she looked in the mirror, that pale skin of hers always seemed outwardly, and her expression could hardly be described as dynamic or vivid. So she had learnt to enjoy them in the face of her fellow Titan. She had soon realized, as well, that that image of his was in no sense distorted by the metallic parts; Raven didn't even care that he was mostly mechanic, he was Cyborg, and Cyborg was a lot more that metal parts for her and the team. She absentmindedly grinned a bit, feeling quite happy that she was reunited with him and didn't have to be all by herself again. The stroll around the shops wasn't so bad either; in fact, she could even say she was enjoying herself a bit.

Just as they passed an electronics shop, Raven nudged Cyborg and gestured with her head ahead. Cyborg squinted his eyes and saw a green dog sitting in front of the zebra crossing of the crossroad, looking at them sternly. They kept walking towards him and he approached, keeping his tail straight up. "Hey, mutt." Cyborg said, petting the dog's head and he growled a bit, turning to look at Raven. She remained silent, her face betraying no emotion whatsoever. "We want to have a little chat with you." The dog barked lowly. "Follow us."

Cyborg and Raven started walking towards a café they saw at the next corner, and the dog followed them closely, walking by Raven's side. When they reached the entrance, Cyborg held the door open for them. Raven marched inside and Beast Boy followed, turning to himself after having checked that no one was watching.

"Hey, guys." Beast Boy said, as the walked towards a corner booth. "What brings you around this part of the city? I haven't seen any monsters tonight."

"Nah, this isn't about monsters." Cyborg said.

"Then what is this about?"

"Beast Boy, how have you been holdin' on during this year?"

Beast Boy shrugged. "Could have been better."

"In what ways, exactly?" Cyborg asked and Raven admired the way he brought the subject to the table.

Beast Boy's look shifted from Raven to Cyborg and back. He sighed and turned his eyes to his hands. "Don't act like you don't know…"

"We're here because we know." Raven mumbled and Beast Boy gave her a sweet side-look.

"So, you…you have thought of something?"

"Well, there's no point in hidin' behind our fingers, is there?" Cyborg said.

"No."

"We've all been pretty messed up since we went our separate ways and, well, I don't think anyone's been gettin' better this year."

"Not really."

"We've thought of the reasonable thing." Raven added.

"Regrouping." Cyborg announced.

"Are you sure?" Beast Boy asked.

"Of course! I mean, this solo thing hasn't worked for anyone. We are less effective in what we do and, well, I, we, miss the team and everything…"

"Right." Raven agreed.

"But last time was really a mess…" Beast Boy said sadly.

"It was a rush decision to split up, man." Cyborg said. "Yeah, we had our issues but we could have trained, talked, brawled, whatever, but not split! The nerves really got to us."

"I know… But how do we know we can work together again now?"

"We're friends." Raven said bluntly. "A fight can't undo that. We'll train and fix our issues. We work better together, we all know it."

"Have you spoken to anyone else?"

"Nope. We thought you'd be more willing to join the effort, so we came to you." Cyborg said. "So, are you?"

"Am I in, you ask?"

"Yeah."

Beast Boy gave them both a good look and then grinned widely. "Of course I'm in! I've missed you so much, guys!"

Cyborg laughed and Raven half-smiled. "That's the spirit!" Cyborg said.

"Should we go back to the Tower?"

"Been there, done that." Raven said and Beast Boy's eyebrows shot up.

"The Tower's ready?!"

"Yup!"

"Cool! I'll be moving in tomorrow, first thing in the morning. Get ready, Cy, I've bought three new games I've been dying to beat someone at."

Cyborg huffed loudly. "Dream on, buddy!"

OOO-OOO-OOO-OOO-OOO

Cyborg wandered aimlessly around the kitchen, dragging a pinkish cloth over the –now- clean counters, not knowing how to interpret the uneasiness he was feeling. He was very, very happy when Beast Boy agreed to join them and he didn't expect it to be so easy. What he didn't expect, though, too, was from Beast Boy to ask to speak with Raven in private after their coffee. He knew and he understood that they probably had their own issues to settle since they had history together, but what he couldn't understand was why he felt so strangely about it, and why he was so anxious to know what had been said and why Raven was particularly lost in herself ever since. He knew that she wasn't the chirpiest person but she had been awfully silent, even for her own standards.

Deciding that worrying about something he couldn't fully understand didn't really suit him, he sat on the couch and turned the television he brought from his apartment on, silently wishing Robin joined them soon, so they could get their old monitors and screens back. Some minutes later, and after Cyborg had meticulously paid attention to the documentary about the building of asylums for the mentally ill, he heard the doors slid open and he turned around to see Raven silently floating over the floor and making her way to the cupboards. Predictably enough, she prepared herself a tea and exited again, as silently as she had entered. Not thinking about it much and following a quick impulsive thought of his, he jumped off the couch and left the main room, knowing exactly, for some reason, where his companion would be.

Effortlessly, he pushed the rooftop's door open and climbed out, shutting it again. He internally congratulated himself for being spot-on, as Raven was sitting by the edge of the roof, gazing at the night sky and the horizon. He made his way to her sitting spot and sat by her side, placing his palms on his knees.

"Hey there, philosopher." He greeted and Raven welcomed him with a questioning look. "Sittin' by yourself, gazin' at the sea, probably ponderin' about the universe and stuff…"

"The universe has never really been of my fancy."

"Penny for your thoughts, then?"

"Give me a full dollar because they're a lot…"

Cyborg huffed. "I have time. And a dollar." Raven sighed. "So? Care to share them?"

Raven exhaled slowly. "You have probably guessed what this is about."

"I've made a thought or two…."

"Cyborg, I am confused."

"I suppose it's reasonable to be confused. Is it something that Beastie told you that upset you?"

"Yes. And no. It was the whole thing, not something in particular, really."

"If I don't become too nosy, what did he tell you? I promise to act like I don't know a single thing. Pinky promise."

"I trust you. Well, he wanted, firstly, to know if we'd be able to cooperate properly in this new 'initiative'-guess he'd been reading a dictionary lately or something."

"And what did you say?"

"What do you think I said? Of course we'll cooperate properly. We're superheroes trained in the same group for years and at least one of us is mature enough to be able to keep the distance needed during missions."

"Passive aggressive Raven is funny." Cyborg commented, half-smiling.

"Then he wanted me to know that he has grown and 'evolved' during those months we were separated."

"I guess that remains to be seen…"

"Yes. I asked him what does that have to do with me now, and he answered by saying that this is a fresh start for everything, and I think you know what he meant by that."

"It kind of contradicts his last question, though."

"What I thought as well. You can't come and ask me if it'll be okay to work with you, playing all mature and stuff, and then imply that we might…"

"Get back together." Cyborg blurred out, not knowing why Raven refrained from using the term and why he didn't even want to say it either.

"…Yes."

"Did he say anything else after that?"

"Some cheesy things."

"You didn't like them?"

"I might have liked them if they weren't about a year late."

"Oh, I see. He went all 'I care about you' and 'I'm here for everything' and stuff, uh?"

"Something like that."

Cyborg bit his lower lip and turned his gaze at the sea too, slightly hunching his back. He was glad that Raven was open to him and talked to him about it, and… he felt something strange, that he knew he'd had to explore later on, on his own. For now, he wanted to know a bit more, so he pushed his luck and asked the sorceress not about the facts, but the feelings over the talk. "And how are you feelin' about all this?"

"I told you. I'm confused."

"Want me to help you…clarify things in your head a bit?"

"You can try."

"So…um, you talked in private. Did you get that butterfly-knot-thingy you're

supposed to have when bein' alone with your crush and stuff?"

"Can't say I did."

"You saw him after almost a year. What was the first thing on your mind when you first saw him there?"

"That's a weird-looking dog."

Cyborg huffed. "After that?"

"So here he is."

"Nothing other than that?"

"No. I don't think there was anything."

"Alright… Say, now, that he comes all suited-up, with a rose bouquet in hands, kneels down in front of you and begs you to give him a second chance, sayin' that he'll be the perfect boyfriend. What do you tell him?"

"Nothing, I'd probably be laughing hysterically at the image of him being suited-up."

"For some reason, my head can't make up the picture of you laughin' so much!" Cyborg said smiling and Raven smiled back.

"It isn't that much of a habit to me, I suppose."

"A shame, really."

"What? How come?"

"You…You have a very pretty smile and laugh, that is all." Cyborg said, regretting it immediately and scolding himself for speaking before thinking.

"Oh." Raven said, somewhat taken aback by the sudden compliment. "Thanks."

"Uh, never mind, never mind! Back to the point! What would you say to him?!"

"That's the point of my confusion. I…I don't want to see him sad, or hurt him, but…"

"But?"

"I don't think I feel the way I did anymore. I have…run out of that emotion for him."

"You can't lie to him, Rae. Or give him any false hopes. At least if I were him, I'd like to know."

"Yes, of course."

"You're still confused, though."

"No, not confused anymore."

"Then what? Your face isn't the face of someone with his mind made up."

"What if I regret it, Cyborg?"

"Regret what?"

"What if some feelings come back?"

"I don't think they will. You're usually a decisive person." Raven remained silent and Cyborg turned to look at her, shooting a bright smile at her too. "No matter what, I know you'll be fine, Raven. You're strong, you don't…you don't need anyone to remind you that. And do not put someone else's wants before your own, because that, um, that'd be stupid, alright?" Cyborg said, wishing he could be better at sentimental and empowering speeches, as he thought he might have come out as somewhat silly. Yet Raven's look made him forget everything, as the big, amethyst eyes widened a little and the small bright dots of the stars reflected on them, making them shine spectacularly.

Raven nodded. "Thank you, Cyborg. A lot."

Cyborg smiled goofily, passing his left hand behind his head. "It's nothing, Rae. That's what friends are for, right?"

"Right."

Raven turned towards the horizon once again but something was different about her. Cyborg noticed how she was sitting more upright now, shuffling her feet a bit and maybe, he couldn't really put his finger on it, he could make out the outline of a small smile on her lips. And so he knew that he'd been successful.

Raven felt refreshed. She didn't know a talk could work such miracles for her mood. It felt better having someone to share her thoughts with, and Cyborg was perfect for that too. Maybe it was his positive aura that made her feel that way, but she enjoyed feeling positive too for a change. She didn't want to forsake that sentiment, it was nice.

Cyborg battled with his awkwardness, trying to decide whether it was appropriate to pass his hand over her shoulders, but came down to patting her shoulder, as the gesture could have been misunderstood and his arm was probably too heavy as well. Raven turned to look at him. "So, it's getting quite chilly. Want to go inside?" Raven shrugged. "There's a…nice documentary for asylums on the TV."

"Let's watch a movie, shall we?"

"Oh, oh, I know! Zombie Robot Warriors Five is awesome! Let's watch that one!"

Raven tried to smile. That movie wasn't really what she would pick but she didn't feel like saying 'no' to Cyborg and well, she didn't find anything wrong with trying something different tonight. Zombie Robot Warriors it was, then.

*They are bonding a lot, no? Some feeling splashes here and there… Hope you enjoyed it. More Titans will be coming, more feelings, more talks, more trips, more action, more everything! Thanks for reading and please, leave me a small review! Sorry for any typos!*