Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans.
a/n: Thanks for all your reviews! This chapter is a little shorter than the others, but things are really starting to heat up, and the next chapter will be longer. Pinky promise.
As I get further into "non-canon territory", if anyone notices something that seems OOC, please let me know. It's a huge pet peeve of mine in other stories, so I want to make sure that doesn't happen in mine.
Reviews, sharing, etc. are always greatly appreciated. Love you all.
"I cannot make you understand. I cannot make anyone understand what is happening inside me. I cannot even explain it to myself."
- Franz Kafka, The Metamorphosis
Malchior: There's just one more ingredient. A lock of hair from a beautiful girl.
Raven: Beautiful?
- Spellbound
Chapter Eight: The Sometimes
Raven had to wait until nighttime the following day to visit - Aqualad left after their pizza outing, extending an invitation of a visit to the Titan's East tower, which Robin gratefully accepted. It was then a heated debate - both internally and externally - just how likely it was for Aqualad to be harboring a secret crush for Raven. Once Beast Boy brought up the possibility that Raven was Aqualad's reincarnated mermaid lover, she had to smack him upside the head in hopes of some sense turning on in that green-haired noggin.
Hence Raven having to sit through an entire day at the Titan's tower before leaving 'for Azarath'. She made a show of shutting herself in her room and chanting gibberish for the Titan's ears, then phasing quietly out of their home. To Raven's disgust, the day had actually been rather boring without the witty (albeit frustrating) dialogue she shared with Slade. While she wouldn't say she had been looking forward to her usual check-up, Raven couldn't honestly admit that she detested the visits either.
Remember, Intelligence reminded Raven for the millionth time as she flew toward's Slade's neighborhood. This is just business.
Internally, Raven nodded, agreeing with the smartest of her emotional counterparts.
Hey, Smartass, Passion huffed at her sister. Keep that non-romantic crap out of Raven's head, mmkay?
This isn't a date! Intelligence protested.
Not yet, it isn't. Besides, how long did Raven spend checking her butt out in the mirror before we left? If this wasn't at least semi-romantic, Raven wouldn't care what her butt looked like right now.
At this observation, Raven flushed. "My body is irrelevant to this conversation."
Yeah, okay, Passion yawned, unimpressed. Tell me you put on that push-up bra for Beast Boy, and I'll let this whole thing go.
"I did not wear a push-up bra for Beast Boy!"
Passion faced the other emotions. What did I tell you? She's totally into him.
Oh, no! Timid wailed.
Oh, cute! Happy made a kissing noise.
Lazy eyed them all suspiciously. This doesn't affect me in any way, right? Like, Slade's not gonna make Raven do some weird, kinky, stamina-driven stuff -
"Enough!"
It was one thing for Passion to spread rumors in her own head, but it was another for Raven to imagine exactly what kind of weird, kinky, stamina-driven stuff Lazy feared. Hell, all her emotions should be afraid of it - or, at least be afraid of her if anyone ever asked her to do those things (Damn it, grumbled Passion quietly).
Reaching the mansion, Raven walked through the front door, only to be greeted with an indignant, "Stop!"
She blinked, now accustomed to the dim lighting Slade kept his home in. The narrowed, white eyes of a fully-assembled Slade-bot glared at her from only a few paces away.
Instinctively, Raven allowed energy to flare through her veins, prepared for an attack. But when the robot didn't move, she checked herself and, without moving, called out, "Slade!"
Hehe, Happy chortled. You're calling for Sla-de.
Not in the way I want her to, Passion sighed, dissatisfied. Warmth spread just below Raven's stomach, and she clenched her jaw to refocus on the situation at hand.
"J-31, leave us."
Immediately, the Slade-bot whirled to life and lurched away. Slade submerged from the shadows, taking the spot the robot had left.
"My apologies," Slade tilted his head. "J-31 is unaware you are a more...frequent presence here. I will correct the error as soon as possible."
An unexpected shot of happiness rippled through Raven. Alarmed, she suppressed a noise of surprise.
Wait - Intelligence panicked, but was gleefully gagged by her purple-cloaked sister.
Slade is not, Raven thought dizzily. Slade is my...
The word struggled against Raven's mind. It was 'enemy', but at the same time it couldn't be 'enemy'.
He was still her enemy!
Not mine, debunked Passion, her attention brought forth at the sight of Slade. Come to mama!
"I appreciate the thought," Raven was able to manage stiffly. "But why do you need a Slade-bot? I've never seen one talk before. Tell me that's not another apprentice."
Slade clasped his hands behind his back; although this had been a familiar gesture in the past, Raven noticed that Slade did it more often when it seemed as if he was at an advantage.
"J-31? Of course not. But I've told you before that I require assistance for more menial tasks. My previous help is no longer available. I've given him basic intelligence and communication."
Raven noted that, this time, Slade did not refer to his former help as 'dead'.
"You plan to send out that thing to get your groceries?"
"More or less." She could hear the smirk in Slade's voice, and imagined his bearded mouth tugging at the corners. For perhaps the thousandth time, Raven wondered why Slade continued to keep his mask on. They'd had enough debacles to garner at least a little faith in one another.
It's probably more a matter of comfort, was Intelligence's input. No matter how he harps about being equals, it's likely that he still doesn't feel at ease when you're around.
Riding this train of thought, Raven blurted, "Why couldn't you do it? You could take off your mask and be..."
Slade's silence was enough to dry up whatever she planned to say next. Should she be embarrassed? It had been a fair suggestion - at least, it had been in her imagination. But Raven supposed that telling Slade to be anything other than the masked, dark creature that stood before her was a poor idea.
"Would you still do it, Raven?"
Wait. Stop. Hold the phone. Hold every phone.
"Would you still turn me in, knowing what you do know? That I did save you from your father's wrath? That I did not harm the civilian who spent the night? That, no matter how many times you lift my kitchen sink, I have no weapons in this house?"
Everything was tainted a faint purple. Was this Slade's way of apologizing? If it was, it was a poor attempt.
What now?
Resolving to be diplomatic, Raven was careful with her answer. "If I find anything that is intended to hurt my friends in any way, then yes."
Maybe it was her imagination, but the barest hint of disappointment flickered in that onyx iris.
"I expected as much." Slade straightened, expression haughty. "Then you will have to forgive my aversion to, ah, being more open."
An unwelcome twinge of guilt rippled through Raven, and she cringed.
Stop sympathizing, Intelligence sounded alarmed. Stop, Raven.
Yet all Raven was aware of was the scent of velcro and leather, and how Slade's hair flipped this way and that at the ends, like a sea of white waves.
I'm not creepy. I'm just different.
It had taken the end of the whole damn world for Raven to open up to the people she considered her family. She hardly knew her own mother. Sometimes she couldn't even let herself be open to, well, herself.
I don't do fear.
Discomfort was a feeling Raven knew all too well. Sharing anything about her innermost self had always been akin to pulling teeth.
So really, Raven did not blame the man. She didn't feel any petty discontent or desire for revenge - i.e., Raven didn't think he deserved it because of the birthday incident or just 'cause or anything like that. Rage was miffed by her lack of aggression.
You idiot, she spat, all four eyes flaring crimson. Slade should be rotting. He needs to suffer. You can't think of him as human.
But Slade's chest was moving up and down; he needed oxygen, just as she did. If it walks like a duck, and it quacks like a duck...
Birds. Raven. He was like a raven. He was like Raven.
Slade's gaze, frozen and strong, flicked down to her mouth.
"What - " she began, just as the crash of footsteps cut her off.
"Master!"
The digital drone of the Slade-bot warbled behind them. Both turned to see the robot slow to a stop.
"Master," the Slade-bot repeated, "Your appointment has been changed. The client needs the delivery tonight."
Slade jerked his head. "Tell him not to bother me right now."
A sinking feeling was drilling itself into Raven's stomach. "Slade - "
"The client is adamant, Master."
"What client?" Raven demanded, facing Slade. "What appointment, Slade?"
He glared at her and began to walk away. "It's none of your concern."
Rage shook the bars of her mental confinement, spitting curses.
"Yes it is!"
Claws of dark energy encircled Slade's shoulders and pinned him against the wall. J-31 made a move to attack Raven, but Slade yelled out, "Leave us!" and with that, the robot hunched instantly and crept away.
Awh, Happy chortled from out of nowhere. He's protecting you!
No! Rage hissed. He's saving his toy from destruction.
All of you, be quiet, or so help me God, I will stop at nothing to make sure that Raven has multiple children with mother-f'ing Glgrdsklechhh! I will make Raven drive the goddamn T-ship herself into deep space, find whatever planet he's the 'exalted Schlurch' of, and have her hop right on his swampy green behind if you all don't SHUT UP RIGHT NOW!
Passion's surprisingly horrifying threat was enough to effectively silence all the emotions, including Rage. None of them wanted that particular fate to befall their host. Dimly, Raven debated the authenticity of the warning. If Rage could make her swallow Dr. Light without so much as a second thought, then she was sure as hell Passion could make her wake up next to the slimy green alien that was almost Starfire's husband.
Damn right I could, Passion fumed. Now hurry up and interrogate his sexy ass.
Raven hovered over to her prisoner. Slade didn't appear the least bit frightened, although she could very nearly taste his irritation in the air.
"What is this about, Slade? I trusted you! We agreed - "
"That I wouldn't harm the Titans." His tone was dry. "This arrangement has nothing to do with your friends. How quickly you jump to conclusions, my dear."
"And I told you that if what you're doing harms anyone, even inadvertently, it would be my business eventually."
Slade grunted as he tried to maneuver himself into a new position under Raven's talons. "And I asked for a little faith."
"Which I gave you."
"Because this is the epitome of trust, isn't it?"
He dragged out the last two words, which bothered Raven 'till no end. Slade's voice was like deep, dark wine, flowing and curving with every syllable; she didn't need another reason he unnerved her.
Something twitched, harder this time, in the pit of her stomach.
Reluctantly, she lowered him to the floor. Slade dusted his arms off mockingly, and Raven folded her arms.
"It seems we are at an impasse."
"It would seem so," Raven agreed darkly. The faint sound of tires squealing against an asphalt road sounded from somewhere beyond the mansion, but could be heard by the two opposing forces all the same.
What now?
Slade crossed his arms. "You know, I liked you more when you were afraid of me."
Silly girl. I'm not the one to be afraid of.
Raven didn't blink. "And I liked you more when Terra turned you to ash."
Well? Aren't you going to attack? Reduce me to ashes?
He chuckled, once. The sound was low and haunting.
Again, the two refused to be the first to break the stand. It was frustrating, considering they were both terribly stubborn with one another. Raven had always been somewhat of a passive character, yet something in the man before her made Raven want to pull her hair out and talk forever at the same time.
It was a hushed truth amongst the Titans that Robin and Slade had become such bitter rivals due to the fact that they were too alike.
Robin, that was vicious, dishonorable, and ruthless. Excellent work. You're becoming more like me every second.
But that was before the End. And things had changed, for better or worse.
I have to say, Raven, when I found out the truth, I was very impressed.
Raven wasn't sure which one it was yet.
All she knew was that she and Slade had been through Hell and back together, literally. And it was becoming rapidly apparent that they had far more in common than he and Robin ever did.
"Come with me."
Raven's heart spluttered. Slade had turned away, breaking the physical stand, yet somehow wrangling the advantage over her. She felt small, smaller than usual.
His eye, glassy and the color of midnight, peered back.
"If you're so vehemently concerned over another's well-being, then come with me. You can witness my work for yourself."
Raven's head was spinning. Never, never in a million years would she have expected this offer. Slade barely admitted her into his house, let alone allowing her to witness what was bound to be an illegal business transaction. His generosity made Raven wary - what was he planning?
"Are you coming or not?"
Slade was six paces ahead of her, striding towards the living room. Curiosity and personal duty got the better of Raven, and in spite of her better judgement, she followed Slade.
What now?