Stuff Like That There
(Hugs)
by Em

A/N: FLUFF strikes again. Enjoy.

Thanks: I can't believe 158 of you have liked these little things so much to actually have reviewed. Thanks.

11: Childhood

"It is never too late to have a happy childhood."
- Tom Robbins

There were children everywhere.

Twenty-two 6-8 year olds altogether, running, jumping, hopping, climbing, spinning, dancing, playing pretend, playing ball, talking, laughing, yelling…

Overall, it was a madhouse.

Pure chaos.

The two second grade teachers in charge of the loony bin took it all in easy stride while Beast Boy, infected by their effervescence, was running and skipping, and jumping, and playing as hard as any six year old; Star was being taught the mechanics of jump rope; Cyborg was alternatively pushing swings, turning carousels and coaching the impromptu dodgeball game and while Robin had been helping a group of kids across the monkey bars, he was granted a reprieve when they were drawn by the lure of the game.

Raven, not particularly adept at any sort of game was reading from her book to a group of six little girls before they too decided to play the game. She watched, amused despite herself, as teams were formed and a quick rundown of the rules was issued by Cyborg.

Not surprisingly, Beast Boy joined them, and Star asked to play, as she was unfamiliar with the game and before she could wonder what had become of their fearless leader, he was standing next to her.

"Why do I have a feeling we're going to be asked to play dodgeball in the near future?" Robin asked.

"Because you are wise beyond your years with an added dash of exceptional foresight," Raven answered, glancing at him.

Robin laughed, but was interrupted from replying by the sudden appearance of five seven year old boys, tugging on his arms and a cacophony of little voices all talking at once.

"Whoa, there, little ankle-biters," Robin said laughingly. "One at a time or I can't understand you!"

"You have to come join our team or we won't win!" the one closest to him with tawny hair and a missing upper-incisor said with feeling.

"Their team hath Stharfire," another one added in a distinct lisp, "And we only have Beath Boy."

"They'll beat us for sure!" a third intoned.

Raven choked back a laugh and Robin barely held his laughter in. "But then it wouldn't be fair if you guys had another one of us."

They looked at each other in agonized realization until one piped up, "Raven can play with Starfire's team!"

"Yeah!" the others agreed triumphantly.

"No," Raven said seriously. "Raven doesn't play."

"Aw, man!" the first one bemoaned. "Please!"

Raven looked worried for a moment before Cyborg came to her defense.

"I'll play on Star's team," Cyborg said, shrugging.

When all parties involved agreed over the heads of the joyous tots, Robin went to join the group on the left side of the court with a shrug. Each of the Titans in the game was quite amused at the joy had by the tiny ones at their joining the game, since they knew that they would only aim to hit another Titan and none of the children at all.

"I wish I'd have had a Titan to play on my dodgeball team when I was a kid," one of the teachers, a pretty brunette in her late twenties, said with a laugh.

Raven turned to her right where the woman had suddenly appeared, but she didn't know quite what to say to her. The woman smiled and raised a hand. "It's okay," she said. "I know you don't talk much." She turned to watch the game. "We're just really grateful that you all came out today to be with the kids."

"It means so much to them," the other teacher, approaching the first woman's side added.

The first one nodded. "They need to know there are good people out there, heroes, you know?" she looked at Raven.

Raven's expression changed only the minimalist bit, relaxing a little around the eyes and the corners of her mouth. "Children must maintain their childhood as long as possible."

The woman nodded, smiling. "Yes," she said, a little surprised. "Exactly."

"Head's up!" Beast Boy called as the large, soft ball sailed out of bounds and right toward Raven.

If Raven had not been so used to tuning out Beast Boy's loud voice when not in a battle and if she had not been so involved in the conversation the woman beside her was offering, she might have heard him and would have definitely been able to dodge the dodgeball. As it was, the rubber coated foam ball came sailing straight at Raven's back and the first notice she had of it was when she found herself suddenly enveloped in strong arms, and turned away from the danger, a rapid heartbeat beating against her back and Robin's cheek against hers.

She felt the impact of the ball as it hit Robin's back and looked at his face as he winced.

Raven's eyes opened in surprise. "What's happening?" she asked, a slight worry to her tone. Robin's arms were pining hers to her side and she couldn't have put up a shield if she had wanted to, which she considered.

"Robin, what the he—eck!?" Beast Boy called out. "It was just a dodgeball, not an enemy missile!" he added in exasperation.

"And now he's OOOOOOUT!!!" Cyborg called joyously, cheers from their team spurring his victory dance.

Robin remained pressed against her for a moment, his eyes behind the mask indecipherable, before he turned his head to face her, smirking for a moment before releasing her and turning to face the teams. "Sorry, guys," he said to his team who were showing their displeasure by pouting…Beast Boy included. "Force of habit."

"Eeeeeewwwww!" a little seven year old from Robin's team called out. "You huuuuged her!" He made a cross with his two index fingers. "Now you've got coooooties!!"

The cry of "eeeewwww!" was echoed by most of the children.

Robin laughed and glanced at her, turning back to the child that had spoken. "You don't get cooties when you're older, rug-rat," he told the child, ruffling his hair much to the child's horror.

"Oh NO!" the child's friend exclaimed, aghast "Now Walter's gots cooties too!" Apparently, Robin's assurance of his lack of cooties went by unheeded.

"Hurry, Walter!" yet another boy exclaimed. "Jump five times and touch your nose with your tongue!! Before it SPREADS!!!"

Walter, who did as told, still pale and worried asked, "Will anyone give me a cootie shot?"

His first friend bravely walked to him and touched his forearm with his finger, tracing a circle twice and pressing in the middle of the circle twice while reciting, "Circle, circle, dot, dot, now you have your cooties shot!"

Relieved, Walter turned to his friend. "You're such a good friend, Jake."

"I know," Jake said, turning to Robin as he returned to the game. "You're out now, you know!"

Robin raised his hands and stepped back from the playing field, coming to stand next to Raven on the sidelines.

"That was kind of stupid," Raven remarked, her eyes forward on the game. "The ball couldn't have hurt me."

Robin shrugged, she caught it out of the corner of her eye. "Like I said, instinct."

Raven turned to him and waited until he looked at her before smirking slightly. "But now you have cooties," she reminded him. He laughed and she raised her index finger. "Do you want me to give you a cooties shot?"

Robin sobered, but his smile remained as he looked at her, and even though she couldn't see his eyes, she could feel the emotion coming from him in waves. "No thank you," he said. "If this is cooties, I don't want to get rid of it just yet."

Raven's lips quirked into a quick smile, but she turned away to hide her flush. "You just don't want to jump five times and touch your nose with your tongue."

Robin laughed, "You're right," he admitted and leaned close enough to whisper for her ears alone, "I've got much better things I'd like to do with my tongue, actually."

Raven flushed even brighter, but did not move away when Robin's shoulder bumped hers, and although a few feet away a trashcan rose from the ground a few feet and toppled over, no one noticed that either.