"Anyone seen Raven?" Robin entered the common room through the automatic door and stopped behind the sofa. Cyborg and Beast Boy remained glued and drooling at the flat screen television. Starfire's eyes scrunched as the zombies ran rampant on the screen and continued to eat civilians.
"Oh, boyfriend Robin!" She chirped and threw her arms around his neck. "I have very much missed you since you have left me." Her rouge hair tickled his neck and the smell of bubble gum stuck to him. He shifted weight to his toes and gently pushed her off. Pink blush crossed his cheeks but only for a second. This was not the time nor the place for this kind of thing. He grunted and repeated his question, this time directing it to the other Titans.
Cyborg broke out of his reverie first. "She's in her room."
"Yeah, like always doing who knows what." Beast Boy quipped. "Probably with books or spells or some freaky mojo." He lowered his voice, "Her room has dents on the walls from the inside at night, but they disappear by morning."
"Has she come out for lunch?" Behind his mask, Robin's eyes narrowed. What in the world could she be doing in there besides meditating?
"I've been giving her food." Cyborg said quietly. "She told me very clearly she does not want to come out. Something's up. And she doesn't want to talk about it right now."
"She's been in there ever since we got back from Tokyo. She needs to be out here with us."Robin frowned. "We are a team and her family. She knows that."
"Dude, she's a recluse that needs her space sometimes." Cyborg stood up to face his leader. "Something is really bugging her out though and she'll come out when she's good and ready to. You must be patient with her, Rob. And she's just as stubborn as you are." He half shrugged. "Jump's been really dead since then anyways, so it's not like we need her to do anything."
Robin crossed his arms. He was used to Raven being reclusive. He was used to having her treat others with silence. But him? His ego flared. Was he no different than the rest of his team? Their link was clearly not severed but eerily silent more than ever. Their minds no longer came into contact, there was no more morning coffee and tea or watching the sunrises on the rooftop. He thought their hand to hand combat and meditating lessons would continue as always once they returned to Jump, but everything simply stopped with no explanations. With the little power he could control he felt as if every time he attempted to reach her he hit a brick wall.
His lips turned downward. She was being a puzzle again. Did he really want to try at that endless murky maze once more?
He was her friend after all, a brother. It's only normal that I care.
"I'll go talk to her." He finally announced.
"Don't say I didn't warn you." Cyborg shrugged.
"Boyfriend Robin, shall I play tag?"
"Tag along, Starfire." He chided her. "No, I'll do this myself." He awkwardly patted her on the shoulder and turned on heel down the team wing of the T-tower. He was at least going to get that girl out of her room. Nothing more, he promised himself.
Raven sighed for the tenth time in the last half hour. Shelves, books, bedding, clothing, amulets and artifacts levitated around her in a slow continuous circle. She floated in the center with her dark robe gently waving back and forth. She absentmindedly flipped through pages as the books lingered by her. She pulled incantations and spell circles and flicked them away by swift movements of her fingertips. Red and black symbols littered her walls and she carefully categorized them so no incantation touched one another. The characters bounced off her mind and refused to sink in.
"There has to be a way." her voice barely breaking to frustrated tone. In the corner of her eye her mirror floated by and she took it into her palms. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos." She muttered as she allowed a part of herself to be pulled into Nevermore . She greeted the dark world and starless sky. She took a deep breath and called silently summoned council. Wisdom in her yellow robe came forward first with Happy Raven having her arm wrapped around a light shade red robed Raven.
Pink Happy Raven teetered with a laughter and smile, "Raven look another Raven!" She chortled at her own absurd words.
Raven frowned at the other Red girl who was clearly not Rage. "She's not supposed to be here." She gritted her teeth. "How do I get rid of you?" The girl in front of her with the slight blush on her cheeks opened her mouth to retort.
Yellow Knowledge beside her pushed her glasses further on her nose. "Not possible. I have been repressing her for some time now. Be careful to not let Jealousy out." she added. " Courage and Jealousy have been in a bit of a row as of late."
Raven looked towards the sky as noises of Jealousy pricked her ears. Crude was on her side while Courage was flopping from one side to the next. To flee or to fight back. "We don't have the chance to anything." Raven scowled. "There is absolutely nothing there. It's gone now."
Orange Crass Raven levitated to the molten rock. "Flaunt those girls out and tell him what he's missing!" she puffed out her chest. Jealousy appeared and continued, "It's not like Starfire has any good qualities about her besides her face."
Raven pushed down any kind of smirk from her lips. "She is my sister, do not say such a thing."
"Oh, right, because everyone on the team is your family." A sultry voice resounded above the rest. Lust leered over Raven. "Let's pretend I don't dream about him taking me on the stone cold floor."
"Because I don't." Raven bit her tongue as Rage and Lust grazed her. She slowly exhaled and pulled herself back to the T-Tower. Don't lose control. Azarath Metrion Zinthos. Azarath Metrion Zinthos. She continued her almost silent plea to Azarath for several minutes. Her heart slowed and she opened her eyes to her own body. She shoved the mirror away from her and watched it hit the wall. Damn her emotions and damn that Lust to hell.
A familiar mind reached her immediate barriers outside the door. With a sharp jab, she prodded it back.
Robin's hand flew back from the door like a magnet does when it comes into contact with its like poles. He grabbed his right wrist with his left hand and flexed his fingertips. Pain ruptured his mind and his brows caved downwards. "Why are you pushing me away, Raven?" he spoke out loud. Inside, Raven could sense the bite in his tone. "Why don't you even talk to me anymore? Why do you refuse to look at me?" After some hesitation he relented. "I'm right here. If there is anything you want to talk about, I'm here and I'll keep it between us. Trust me."
Raven hesitantly stretched out her left hand towards the door. Did she want to let him in?
Robin continued. "I only care because I am your friend."
Energy surged as Raven's feelings spun out of control. Happy became upset. Knowledge became unsatisfied. Timid pulled back into a more reclusive phase. Bravery backed down. And Rage? Rage licked at her insides and grasped on her skin. Love? She was swallowed whole.
Outside, Robin's feet momentarily left the ground. For a second, he relished the feeling of defying gravity, (1) but his instinct turned elation into braced anticipation. Mystic voids enveloped him and smashed him into the opposite wall. Loud shouts erupted from the common room and Starfire's screeches of surprise filled the air. Robin sat up from the ground and threw himself at Raven's door and only met yet another barrier that threw him back harder into the opposite wall.
His limbs shaking, he willed his feet to move. "Raven!" He shouted, "Let me in!" He rushed at the door again and the force quadrupled in strength as it launched him back. His eyes swam as he felt his body being hammered into the wall. But he couldn't let Raven be all alone in there, whatever was happening.
"Robin, stop!" Cyborg called from the hallway several feet away. Starfire flew past and encircled her arms around Robin's waist. He continued to shout Raven's name and fought back to go forward even though his strength held no match against Starfire's.
"Robin, you'll only hurt yourself more!" She held on tighter.
"Raven is the one who's hurting." Robin gritted his teeth together. "I have to go save her! Let me go Starfire!" He snarled at her.
She immediately let go and hurt apparent in her eyes. "Do not shout at me. I do not like you in this way!"
Temper peaking at the weak, injured naive look in her eyes he raised his chin and faced the door bracing himself to break that barrier. A steel hand pushed on his chest. "Robin, you can't break that barrier."
"Yes, I can!" Cyborg's hand pushed him back into the wall almost adamantly. "She's been able to break my barrier and I can break hers." Robin snapped. "I can't leave her all alone."
Cyborg sensed the panic reach the young teens voice. Probably not even Raven had knowledge that he knew more than he let on. Robin never saw Raven peek from her books at him whenever he walked into the room. Raven didn't notice that Robin passed by her room every morning to make sure she was there. He remembered swearing to himself he would not get involved, but the two of them ended up making a bigger mess without him. Then there was Starfire. He glanced at the young Tamaranean who had her back facing Robin, her shoulders shaking.
A green cheetah came speeding down the hallway and came to an abrupt albeit messy halt. Beast Boy stared at the black jagged lines of inky electricity that started from the top and bottom of the door. "Dude What is going on in there?!" The lines connected and a hissing sound sealed Raven's door shut. Robin made a move to push forward but Cyborg pushed back.
"You know her, Robin." he said, "She is a bright and very strong young woman. She can handle herself quite well without us. Get yourself together, man. We need a plan while we wait on that barrier."
His speech to quietly remind Robin of his leadership worked, but just barely. Robin took a very slow step back and he took a deep breath. Cyborg could feel Robin's heart beat wildly against his hand. He felt the passion and the blazing heat coming from it, but he could tell the irrational temper was gone.
"Fine." Robin spoke, keeping his voice even although slightly gruff.
"Good." Cyborg let his arm drop. "What do you want us to do."
"Think you can pinpoint where the source of the barrier is coming from? And any route at all to get me inside?"
"Don't you mean us?" Beast Boy interrupted.
Robin remained silent.
Cyborg decided not to press on that. "I'll get on that right away. BB, and Star come with me while Robin, you stay here and watch the barrier. And don't try to break it on your own."
He didn't nod to agree and only crossed his arms over his chest. The only thing between him and Raven was that damn door. Once the rest of the Titans left the hallway, he ignored the trauma of his arms and legs and stretched a hand towards the jagged lines. A static noise growled when he got several inches from actually touching the door and he retreated. "Damn it. Raven, can you hear me? Answer me!"
"He's only calling my name as a friend." Rage seethed. She bared her fangs and arose from her slumber. Poison dripped from her words and hatred laced itself around Raven's heart. "Absolutely pathetic. I will not stand here and watch him flaunt his superiority as a something as undermining as a friend. I gave him every action I could to tell him how I feel, but does he listen?" Anger roared in response. "That ignoramus bastard-"
Raven grasped blindly at the reins, "No, no, no, no!" She fought down panic and grappled for control. Her meditation words refused to come out of her lips. Instead she fell on her back up- numbers. She started to count and breathed deeply between every 5 digits. Numbers were always constant. A 7 will never be a 46. Number 1 knows it comes after 0, not after 2. Double and triple digit numbers knew with whom they belonged to. Jealousy dug her nails into that line of thought and Raven dug her own nails into her knees. She savagely snapped at herself. Don't let them control you!
"Why don't you let me control you, then?" an endearing voice said softly. Raven's eyes opened and the world around her slowed a fraction. "I can take you on."
"Who-" her voice cracked. This wasn't a voice muffled from outside like the rest of the background noise.
"I haven't betrayed you." A large hand from behind laced his fingers with hers and gently pried her fingers from her skin. His guttural, serious tone washed over her through the chaos. She could hear him with perfect clarity. An intimate, but familiar mind brushed against hers. "Rae." he dropped his voice to a whisper. Raven turned slowly to her right and noticed obsidian spikes touching her shoulder. "Everything is going to be okay. You don't have to say anything." His crystal blue eyes regarded her violet pupils without blinking. "I know you. And you know me."
"R-Robin?" Rage restrained herself in shock.
"Raven." His eyes crinkled as he said her name. She turned towards him and let her legs stretch towards the ground. "There's my little bird." His fingers still interlaced with hers, he stood there. "I'm not going to leave you alone now. Expect annoyance. " His lips quirked into smile. "Now rest." He tugged her into his arms. Weeks of work and no sleep caught up with the rest of her body as she sagged against his sturdy frame. "I'll take care of anything that comes to annoy you. I'll never leave you alone anymore and I shall always protect you." The burdens of her mind evaporated like smoke and something else began to plant itself in her heart. Her cheek pressed against his bare skin.
She flinched, "You aren't-"
"Shh.." Robin's thumb grazed her jaw and she felt his hand touch her hair. The smell, the aura, the way his muscles moved- it was Robin. But no, he couldn't be acting like this- "Rae, stop thinking."
"Don't touch-"
Lips brushed against hers and a hand cupped her cheek. Raven's heart jumped to her throat and he did it again, longer this time, but just as light. Heart flapping erratically, Raven did something very much unlike her.
The teen holding her retreated and chuckled. "You? Fainting?" He kissed her forehead. "I hope you don't faint every time I try to kiss you. My plans involve going beyond that." He very carefully made sure she didn't brush against his nether regions that were very much functional and watched as everything floating around him obeyed gravity and tumbled to the ground. He could hear Robin and Cyborg shouting Raven's name from outside the door and groaned. This was going to be a pain to explain. "Okay, my princess." He hoisted her into his arms bridal style and picked his way around the debris to her bed. "Sleep, and I'll see you soon." He laid her gently on the sheets and brushed his fingers again against her cheek. Despite her being unconscious, she shifted towards the touch. He smiled and was very much tempted to wake her once more with a kiss like sleeping beauty.
The door burst open and the teens nimble fingers yanked Raven's blanket from beneath her.
Robin's hair stood on end. He was the first to notice another entity in the room. "Freeze!" he shouted. Cyborg beside him held a cannon at the ready. They both balked at the other guy standing half naked by Raven's bed. Her own blanket covered his waist down. That was certainly was the one thing you could count on not being in her room.
"Hey." The man moved away from Raven's bed with his hands in the air. "Don't shoot or throw anything at me, please." His black hair shifted over his blue eyes and settled on Robin. "I'm only here on my own accord, I swear."
"Another Robin?" Starfire put her hand back down at her sides, the green power blinking off.
"Tch. What are you blind?" The man shrugged and kept his eyes steadily on the other teen. "He's got a mask on his face while I clearly don't. Granted, we have the same height and same color hair but please don't make that kind of comparison." He smirked. "I find him to be lacking in many areas. No offense of course." he added.
Robin growled deep in his throat. He did indeed take an offense and he didn't even have a logical explanation as to why. He didn't know this arrogant bastard and if he had met this guy before, he would have remembered. "What are you doing in Raven's room?"
"Who are you?" Beast Boy quipped. "Shouldn't we be asking that first?" he pointedly glanced at Robin.
The man bit his cheek to keep himself from smiling. "My name is Gray. And my relations to Raven is our business."
Robin really wanted to tear that smug smile off his face. "Don't be a smart ass."
"Don't lose your temper." the other boy admonished. "It's quite unattractive."
"That isn't my concern."
"Oh right, cause you have that alien girl, now." Gray acknowledged, but didn't even deign Starfire a glance over. He pursed his lips. "Each to his own."
"Th-There is nothing wrong with how I look!" Starfire interjected. Her hand to her chest she stepped forward. "I am very much wanted by many earthlings."
Gray rolled his eyes. "Congratulations, have a cookie."
"Hey, don't you both be losing your tempers right now." Cyborg rebuked the two hormonal teens. "Robin, check on Raven. She is our priority right now." He glanced at Gray. "You, come with me. I don't know who you are but I need you to move to the common room so we can discuss what's happening."
His grin mirrored Robin's in a striking likelihood. "Nah, I understand Cyborg. Protocol and all that jazz." He waved it aside. "It's not like I announced myself very well anyways."
The half robot man pulled back his cannon."Alright come on, I'll lead you there. Beast Boy come with me and make sure he doesn't go anywhere." Visibly fuming, Starfire floated behind Gray as he exited the room.
"Hey, Boy Wonder." Robin recoiled at the nick name spoken from a guy he already despised. "She just fainted. She hasn't been eating much and she's been using her powers incessantly. Let her rest and bring her more substantial food and she'll be fine."
"I'll make my own assessments and carry out her recuperation plan accordingly." he replied evenly. Already looking at her paler than normal frame, it seemed apparent that Gray was right which didn't sit well with him. He knelt on her bed and yanked off a glove. As he heard the door shut behind him, he took Raven's cold hands in his. "What were you doing with him, Raven?"
"Robin?" Starfire looked at him and Raven's hands.
More importantly, why did that eat at him this badly? He quickly let go. First things first, he had to find the identity of this Gray person. He didn't give a last name. "For now, I'll call him..." Robin glowered at the ground. "Gray X."
A/N: WOOT! I always write chapters on paper first, but when I end up typing in, it changes. There was stuff added on this one, but I like how it went. So guys was it okay? Did you like it? Was it too long?
(1) haha, that rhymed without trying to :D
Review if you so wish :)