Despite the going ons in the world at large, Titans Tower was as rowdy as a place as ever.
"Dude, where did you put my game?"
"I don't have your game." Cyborg said, annoyed. "Where did you put my remote?"
Raven almost rolled her eyes, but she tried to simply tune out the noise. She had set aside the book she had been reading in favor of the newspaper. "The Island of Paradise." She couldn't quite say why, but the entire ordeal had fascinated her.
'You reading about Eldia?" She looked up to see Robin leaning over her, glancing at her newspaper. She almost folded it up to hide it from view, purely out of reflex, but allowed him to look over it.
"Yes." She said, gesturing to the article. "Wonder Woman met with Eren Jaeger, and his queen. The entire Royal Family is planning to visit the outside world soon."
"Wow.' Robin said. "Any word on where they came from?"
"None." Raven said. "It's suspicious, if you ask me."
"The Justice League has their eye on things." Robin said. "If Wonder Woman herself says nothing is wrong…"
Robin was the only one out of the group that had relatively close ties to the Justice League.
"What does Batman think?" Raven asked, a little bluntly.
There was a very awkward silence.
"I… I haven't asked him about it." Robin said, a little taken aback. "I… I'm not sure if…"
"Robin." Raven said, perhaps a little more harshly than she meant to. "You still care about each other. I don't know what happened between you two… and I don't want to know. But now would be a great time to make up."
They stared at each other. Finally, Robin bent his head.
"You're right." He acknowledged. "I… I've been thinking about going back for a while now. Just for a visit. I'll… give him a call."
"I'll hold you to that." Raven said. She watched him leave, a little surprised at the day's events. Starfire had seen their conversation, and had floated over to her.
"What is the matter?"
"Nothing." Raven said quietly, turning away from her. "Robin's…. just growing up a bit, I think."
Starfire looked a little confused, but let the matter drop.
Later that night, however, after dinner the four titans Cyborg, Starfire, Beast Boy, and Raven sat around their living room, trying to decide what movie to watch that night. When the door slid open, everyone was quick to assume the same thing.
"Robin, we need a tiebreaker." Cyborg said, raising his head to the door. "We-"
He stopped, openmouthed.
"Who are you?"
Starfire turned and gasped, hand over her mouth. Beast Boy gaped at the young man standing in the middle of the room, dressed immaculately in a suit and tie.
"How'd you get into our tower?"
Raven was preparing to unleash her magical powers when the young man raised his hand.
"Easy titans." Robin's voice said. "It's just me."
The group stared at him. The Young man couldn't possibly be Robin. The hair was different, and the clothes, and there was no mask…
"You… You're Robin?" Beast Boy asked, disbelievingly.
"Yeah." Robin said. "Sorry, I don't get out of uniform much these days, do I?"
He made his way over to the kitchen counter and poured himself a cup of his favorite tea. The other titans stared at him, open mouthed.
"You… the mask can come off?" Starfire asked, disbelievingly.
"Yes, Star." Robin said, sounding a little bit taken aback. "Come on, guys. It's not that big of a deal."
"Yes it is!" Cyborg exploded. "You've been Robin ever since we met, and now you're…. you're… someone else!"
Robin looked between the four of them. He sighed, shaking his head.
"I'm sorry, guys." He said. "I had no idea… you had no idea that this is what I normally look like."
"Robin." Raven said, a little bit slowly. "This isn't your normal."
There was a very awkward silence.
"So, uh, why'd you dress up?" Beast Boy asked, a little bit timidly. "Are you going on a date?"
"I have plans tonight." Robin said, a little bit evasively. Starfire gasped, hand over her mouth.
"So it is a date!"
"No." Robin said. "I'm… meeting… uh, someone."
"Liar!" Beast Boy Cyborg.
"Liar Liar Pants on fire!" Agreed Cyborg. So loudly that Starfire began to look sure that It was true.
"Look… I can't tell you who I'm meeting." Robin said. "It's… uh, personal."
"It's Batman, isn't it?"
The entire room turned to look at Raven. She wished she hadn't spoken. The look coming from Robin looked as if it could kill.
"It is, isn't it?" Cyborg said slowly. "That's why you're out of uniform. You're meeting him in public."
Robin seemed ready to deny this allegation, but upon looking at all of those accusing stares he sighed. "Yes." He said, a little bit gloomily. "I am."
"Oh wow!" Starfire said, her previous worry and anger evaporating from her face. "How wonderous! I would love the opportunity to meet your-"
"I need to see him alone." Robin said. "And I don't want any of you following me… understand?"
He glared at them all, assuring them that he meant it, before turning around and stepping out of the room.
The silence that filled the room now was palpable.
"What's gotten him so worked up?" Beast Boy asked, arms folded in front of him. "Did something happen?"
"No." Raven said. "He's just worried, that's all."
"Worried about what?"
…
He had never taken a cab in his entire time living in Jump City. He had never walked the streets as an ordinary person. He had never been out of uniform since coming here.
Everything looked so strange and alien. People passed by him without acknowledging his presence or thanking him for his work. No one had any idea who he really was. Apparently, even, his closest friends.
When the limousine rolled up to the street corner where he was waiting, people gave a surprised start as the driver stepped out and greeted him.
"Alfred." Robin said,
"Master Dick." Alfred returned, bowing his head. He was older now, Robin realized with a sudden jolt. "A pleasure to see you again."
"It's Robin." He said, almost automatically. He winced, as if not even sure what he was saying. Alfred stared coolly down at him. Robin honestly felt as if he were being judged.
"Master Wayne awaits, Master Dick." Alfred said, as he opened the door for him. Robin thanked him, and entered the limousine.
He had expected to see Batman. It was somehow worse to be greeted with Bruce Wayne. He sat with his back to the driver's seat, staring straight ahead. Unmoving. Robin sat across from him. They looked at each other.
"Dick." Bruce said, his voice light and friendly. "It's been forever!"
Dick said nothing. He knew, perhaps better than anyone, that that light, friendly tone was nothing but a façade. Bruce Wayne did not exist. He was nothing but a vessel for the real personality that lurked deep underneath the surface.
"It has." Dick agreed. "I'm surprised you made it out here so quickly."
"Oh, I had to cancel an important business trip and skip out on a company meeting." Bruce said, a little bit casually. "But you're more important."
"More important than Batman?" Robin said, a little bit aggressively.
There was a silence. The car started moving. Bruce was staring at him, as if expecting him to apologize, but Robin did not.
"Barbara." Bruce said. "Has things well under control. And Jason, too."
"Jason?" Dick repeated. Bruce did not elaborate.
"You contacted me." He said. "Because of the appearance of Eldia. Your instincts are as sharp as ever. That's why I came."
"So something is wrong with Eldia, then?"
"Not to our knowledge." He said. "All of our reports have suggested that Eldia is nothing but a poorly developed island nation that just happened to appear out of nowhere. Wonder Woman, as I'm sure you know, feels that they are a kind, hard working people and has publicly advocated for them. Superman agrees, as they have performed no aggressive actions on the world stage. With the approval of those two, the world has been convinced that there is nothing wrong with Eldia."
"But you don't feel the same way."
There was a silence.
"No." Bruce said. "I don't."
"Why not?"
"It's just a hunch." Batman said. "But my hunches are usually right. Islands don't just appear out of nowhere. We're dealing with something we don't understand, and if we don't understand something… it is a threat to global stability, and peace."
"But if they haven't tried something…"
"They might." Batman said, the façade of Bruce Wayne slipping a little. "It's our job to be prepared for any possible situation Dick. You should understand that."
Robin glowered at him.
"The Royal Family of Eldia." Bruce continued. "That is to say, Eren Jaeger and his wife, Queen Historia… have publicly announced their plans to visit the outside world. I have decided to extend an invitation for them to visit Gotham City."
"You what?"
"This." Bruce said. "Will allow me free reign to assess their situation, and determine whether or not they will be truly be a threat to the world. Wonder Woman will not be able to interfere, and we will be able to further our intelligence to their power structure, government, and unique technology."
This was just like him, Robin thought to himself, a little bitterly. Every little detail needed to be considered. Every person needed to be considered an enemy. And now, that mindset had extended to an entire country, one that had professed a desire to peacefully assimilate into the world.
"Robin." Batman said. "It's time for you to leave the Teen Titans."
Robin almost gave a start. "Why?"
"Because they are holding back your development." Batman said. "I have been watching you. More closely, I think, then you could possibly imagine. I have seen you struggle against foes that you should have easily been able to overcome. Slade Wilson, in particular, should have been no trouble for you."
Robin bared his teeth. "Slade was dangerous."
"Dangerous, perhaps, for someone unprepared to deal with someone like him." Batman said. "Were you ever really aware that he targeted you, specifically because of your relationship with me? Did you not realize that he understood your weaknesses, and that he actively sought to exploit him? Did you think that I did not notice that it was you that robbed Wayne Enterprises-"
"Shut up."
"No Robin." Bruce said, his voice angry. "This has gone on long enough. You will return to Gotham, and you will assist me in investigating Eldia, and Eren Jaeger."
"I won't leave the team!" Robin snapped. "I won't leave them. Not for you, and not for anyone!"
They stared at each other again.
"You think you can do everything yourself." Robin said. "But deep down… you know you can't. It's why you helped form the Justice League, and it's why you're asking me for help now.
Batman said nothing. He was glowering from his position.
"I'm not going to be like you." Robin said. "I will never be like you. I'm going to do what I think is right, and I want to stay with the Titans. I want to form my own team, and do things my way."
"Your way doesn't work." Batman growled.
"And yours does?" Robin shot back. "We beat Slade. Can you say the same for the Joker?"
"Enough!"
Robin kept his voice raised. "I'll come to Gotham." He said. "I'll help you look into the Eldians. I'll fight the Clown for you, if you want. But I'm going to be doing it with my friends. Under my own terms."
Robin was sweating when he finished. He had almost stood up. If they had not been in a vehicle, he was sure that the argument would have come to blows. But it hadn't.
"Very well." Bruce said, smiling, completely unphased by his outburst. "I'll have Alfred prepare rooms for your friends… It'll be good to have you back, Dick."
