The slender empath lay flat on her back, staring motionless her bedroom ceiling, lost in deep thought. Her mind swirled in a fog of confused emotions, conflicting principles, and unsure intentions. Every time she tried to grasp at a thread of understanding, tried to follow it to its end, she always ended up tangling into more knots.

After the unexpected visit on the roof two weeks ago, Raven's initial reaction had been shock when it dawned on her why the guy from the teashop had been so familiar. Looking back on it now, she kicked herself for her stupidity, for not recognizing how glaringly obvious he had been.

Who else would openly approach her with demeaning pet names and an overly inflated ego?

But the realization that it had been Red X who had sat with her that afternoon in the café only added to her churning confusion. Why had he bothered to taunt her the day they had both been off duty? Simply for the enjoyment of harassing a titan? Raven imagined the thief had better things to do than hang around in a tiny tea store, waiting for heroes to come his way.

These small questions were quickly overwhelmed by the bigger, more crashing ones.

Why had he said those things?

Why had he kissed her?

What was he playing at?

Raven seriously doubted he genuinely meant the things he had said that night. At least she told herself this, because it made more sense in her mind. However, the emotions rolling off him that night told her otherwise. Told her each word was sincere.

She shook her head, as if to dislodge the notion from her brain.

No, she thought. He's a thief and an enemy of the Titans. He's working some angle. Either messing with me, trying to get inside my head, or trying to get something from the Teen Titans. Maybe a gadget of some sort. Or access to Robin's information files.

Raven scowled. I won't let him get that far next time. I'm a Teen Titan, not a pathetic, slobbering fan girl. I'm not going to let him manipulate and use me.

Her heart clenched painfully as a memory of Malchior resurfaced, and Raven attempted to push it down, shut it out. Unsuccessful, an image rose in her mind—his arms wrapped around her, his whisper in her ear, that feeling of safety and understanding that came with being around him—

No, stop it! Raven roared to her mind, clutching her knees to her chest.

She stayed that way for a while, trying to empty her head completely.

Azarath… Metrion… Azarath… Azara—

Raven, you're the best thing that's happened to me in a thousand years… the ghost of Malchior's voice seemed to whisper to her.

Raven squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block the memories.

Never again, she promised herself vehemently.

Never again will I fall for someone. Never again will I let myself be hurt, let myself be lead blindly into a lie.

Raven spent the rest of the evening in her room, lapsing in and out of sleep that left her twisted up in the sheets. At about two in the morning she awoke, feeling her stomach growl hungrily, and slipped out of her room. Quietly she walked down the hall, heading toward the kitchen to make herself a cup of tea and scavenge for some food. When she entered the kitchen, she was surprised to see the light on. Cyborg was up, waiting for a hotdog to warm up in the microwave.

"You're still awake?" Raven asked him as she pulled down her kettle and began boiling water.

Cyborg nodded. "Yeah, I just finished working on a project of mine and I've got the munchies. How've you been? We haven't seen you all day."

Raven pulled herself up onto the counter, her feet dangling against the cool stainless steel cabinets.

"I've been…fine," she lied, staring at the steaming kettle.

Cyborg studied her thoughtfully.

"C'mon Rae. That's a load of bull and you know it."

Raven exhaled, looking up at her surrogate big brother.

"I've been having nightmares," she confessed. "Bad memories. They just... make it hard to sleep."

Cy nodded, reaching up to pull his plate out of the microwave.

"Have you talked to Robin about it?" he asked, chewing his hotdog vigorously.

Raven looked at him sharply.

"Why would I do that?"

Cyborg finished his snack and shrugged, brushing crumbs off his hands.

"Seems to me Robin would want to know if you were having nightmares and bad memories resurfacing."

"Robin doesn't need to know every damn thing," Raven snapped, and instantly regretted it.

"I'm sorry Cy," she apologized. "I don't mean to turn on you, it's just…"

Cyborg put up his hands to stop her, a look of understanding on his face. "I know, I know. The lack of sleep."

Raven offered him a small, appreciative smile.

"Do you want to come help me work on my latest and greatest toy?" he asked her.

Raven brightened up a little at the prospect of some caring company.

"Sure, Cy," she said, sliding down from her perch and smiling as she followed him to the garage.

xxx

Raven returned to her room at five that morning, stretching and yawning as she stumbled back from the garage. She stopped in her tracks when she reached her bed.

A book had been placed on top of the sheets.

A Comprehensive Guide to Ancient Azarathian Technology

Raven picked it up and carried it over to her bookshelf, sliding it in to its proper place.

She fell back on her bed and closed her eyes, not seeing the flash of black and red material that swirled past her window.

X

X

Gotta love Cyborg. What a bro. Hoped you guys enjoyed!