Fan Fiction ❯ Tomorrow Never Yesterday ❯ Birthday Girl ( Chapter 1 )

Tomorrow Never Yesterday

 

Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans. Period. I just make them dance as I see fit. Its all for fun kids, all for fun.

 

Author's Notes

To begin:

No Titans East - Speedy and Aqualad join the Titans after “Winner takes all”, Bumble Bee will make several appearances.

Terra's name is Terra Nostra.

Robin is original character/Dick Grayson fusion

In aftershock part two, Raven doesn't say that they'll be searching for a way to reverse the affect, Cyborg does.

This story takes place before The End and Stranded

There are a total of ten major original characters. Most of them play a role in Titan's character development, though three of them stand out strongly as they are. Don't be afraid.

I drew pics of the OCs, I'll post them as I introduce them.

 

And there will be more A/N to follow each chapter.

Italics denote thought.

 

Chapter One: Birthday Girl

 

He stood mesmerized by the swirling scarves, the blues and pinks and reds danced along the wind in some ancient beautiful song.

 

Robin… Robin…

 

The small boy watched the colors flow and weave in the wind; his feet warm in the soft brown of soil he found as a second home. He watched the bright birds fly as his toes and heels sunk deeper into the welcoming, fertile earth of the Eastern China country side; his love, his home.

 

“Robin… Robin!”

 

Robin blinked suddenly, his masked eyes focused sharply. He realized he was still in the antique shop. The Asian artistry had dazzled him, reminded him of something he was no longer really sure of. The Boy Wonder sighed deeply, turning to his companion. From her sweet face, he realized he must have been standing still for a very long time.

 

“Yes, what is it Raven?”

 

“You seemed distracted. If we're going to make it back in time to help, we should go.”

 

Robin nodded. Raven smiled gently before taking her find to the register. Robin had noticed she smiled more and more as the days past. He knew it had something to do with Slade and her birthday, but true to her word, she couldn't bear to tell him what that something was. That day had changed her; Robin had noticed that though she mediated more she seemed to do it in the company of others. Her emotions didn't spark as often: in anger at Beast Boy, or in joy, not that they had seen that happen often. It seemed to Robin and the other Titans that Raven's power was growing and her control was tightening to master every little change.

 

But there were times when control slipped. Sometimes after a long meditation, Raven's hair would grow down her back. Sometimes her cloak or eyes would flash red briefly. She'd flee hoping no one would notice. Beast Boy had caught her once and so had Cyborg. It seemed every time that Robin would see and, if only for a second, their eyes would meet and Robin could see both fear and relief. He still didn't know what to make of it, but the small moments of uncertainty were always worth those brief moments when Raven smiled.

 

Robin turned back to the scarves that swayed gently with the slow rotations of the ceiling fan. Maybe he would come back and buy one… but then with all the sweet memories there were bitter ones tied up.

 

I've wasted so much time… please don't think I have forgotten… I couldn't ever…

 

The scarves continued to whip and flex after Robin and Raven left the store, oblivious to what their colors awakened in the Boy Wonder.

 

…

 

Cyborg wasn't exactly positive how he knew, but he was pretty sure someone was talking about him.¹ He had felt a chill run up his spine but couldn't place the source. He had run hot before but never cold. He shrugged his shoulders and continued to hang the decorations. Today was Starfire's 32 Blaxrig or her Flochort, which Cyborg roughly translated as her sweet sixteen. It had only been two weeks since Raven's birthday and his own was only four days away. With the exception of Beast Boy, they were all what his mother would call “Summer babies”.

 

Though hardly babies in anyone's eyes anymore. Cyborg thought as he hung the last banner over the doorway. He himself was going to be twenty, and no longer a teen Titan. He really needed to talk to Robin about changing their name. Aqualad was well past nineteen and he had a sneaking suspicion that Speedy was too. They couldn't continue fighting crime with such a misleading handle could they?

 

Cyborg forgot those thoughts when the ding of the timer went off.

 

“Cyborg! Your cake's done! Better get to it before Beast Boy does!” Aqualad called as he continued to move chairs.

 

“Hey!” Beast Boy squawked. “I do have some self-control!”

 

Aqualad smirked. “Not that I've seen exercised.”

 

The full out war that would have ensued was prematurely ended by a baritone “BOOYAH” that shook the ground beneath the two of them. Cyborg entered their field of vision holding a towering cake in one hand and a proud, crooked chef's hat on his head. The background seemed to scream with a triumphant blue as Aqualad and Beast Boy's jaws dropped in stupefaction.

 

“It's beautiful.” The two whispered in unison.

 

“Isn't it? Keep your hands off, Star gets the first piece.”

 

Aqualad and Beast Boy's heads sagged and the two marched off to finish moving the chairs.

 

“Excellent. This baby should be cooled by the time Speedy brings Star back². Now where are Rae and Robin?”

 

Just then the door to the common room slid open and Raven came in bearing gifts.

 

“Great, you got all the gifts!” Cyborg called.

 

“Sorry, Robin got a little distracted at the mall.”

 

“Oh, so where is the Boy Wonder?” Beast Boy asked.

 

Huh? Raven turned to the side and realized for the first time Robin wasn't walking beside her. She wiped the shocked look off her face before levitating the gifts to the table. “He must have stopped off when we passed his room. He's been… not exactly himself today. I'll go get him; Speedy should be bringing Starfire back in a few minutes.”

 

“Hey Raven! Before you do that could you help us finish moving these chairs?”

 

“Sure.”

 

Maybe had she left, denying Aqualad's request, she would have better understood what was bothering the Titans' leader. Robin lay on his back on the floor beside his bed watching the overhead ceiling fan spin, just like he had seen in the store. A gloved hand draped over his masked eyes, fingers spread just wide enough for him to see. He felt like he did as a small child, lying on the ground by himself as the world busied itself without him. Before, the world went on; ignoring him because he was small, now it was because he was being selfish. They had a party to plan and he knew that he should help before Starfire came back to the tower. But instead of helping his was lying on his back, eyes closed trying to feel that sandy wind against his face…

 

My life… had so much more color then… Robin would only decide later if it was solid hissing of his door opening or his EGO telling him that his pity party was over that rose him from the floor. Raven stood with one hand on her hip and the other holding a letter extended to him.

 

“You should hurry Boy Blunder. Speedy just gave us the warning. They're only five minutes away.”

 

“Yeah. Right. Sorry. I'm a little…”

 

“Out of it?” Raven supplied.

 

“Of sorts. Sorry for not helping as much as I should.” Robin dusted his legs, though there was no dust to be found in his nearly immaculate quarters.

 

“The only thing you could have done was pin Beast Boy to the carpet so he'd leave the cake alone… but I'm sure Aqualad wouldn't have given up the privilege.”

 

Robin laughed, though both of them knew it wasn't really funny. They both knew something was wrong; the bond that had been building between each other has been growing. Sometimes they talked to each other in their minds and neither would realize it until they thought about it afterwards. Twice Raven had woken up startled from a bad dream Robin had had and slept on Robin's floor to make sure Robin slept peacefully for the rest of the night. Four times Robin finished the sentence Raven hadn't started and exactly three times when Robin's hand hit Raven's a brief flash of Raven's worries blinked in front of Robin like a movie in a terrible slow motion… black and white and no volume.

 

It was terribly beautiful thing they shared, but it still allowed them to keep secrets from each other; what she remembered, what he feared, what had kept him awake for the last six days. When Robin looked at Raven, when her face was relaxed, long hair brushing her shoulders, he wondered how much she knew and how much he could bear to tell her.

 

“We should go.” Raven stated.

 

“What's that?”

 

“I'm sorry?”

 

“In your hand. What is it?”

 

“Oh. This came for you. It was the only mail today. Other than Cyborg's “Popular Mechanics” and Beast Boy's “ZooLife”.” Raven sighed thinking about the last thing she had said.

 

Robin took the letter and noticed the characters under his name. The writing was painfully familiar. From Gotham City.

 

I didn't know you read Japanese. Raven thought with Raven's equivalent of whimsy.

 

Yeah, I learned as a small child… I rarely use it though…

 

“Robin! Raven! Hurry! They're here!” Beast Boy's frantic voice squealed. Raven looked to Robin then exited his room. Robin placed the letter gently on his desk then followed behind the cloaked sorceress. The two ran silently into the common room and stood out of sight. They all stood silently and waited, growing anxious as Starfire's voice became clearer and clearer.

 

“Thank you again friend Speedy. I have never been to a zoo of petting before! The small animals were most enjoyable!” Starfire squealed as she flew into common room.

 

Speedy smiled and crossed his writs behind his back.

 

“Surprise!” The Titans yelled in unison. Starfire's smile widened to take over her pretty face. She clapped her hands in joy.

 

“Oh friends! Joyous day! You have thrown a party to celebrate the anniversary of my birth!”

 

“Happy Birthday Starfire!” Starfire placed her feet on the ground and from behind her Speedy dropped a tiara on her head. The Tameranian had never looked so happy. Robin stood beside her and placed his hand on her shoulder.

 

“Happy Sweet Sixteen Star.” He said before leading her to the table where Cyborg was, with one hand presenting the cake and the other holding Beast Boy back. Starfire clapped her hands together, enjoying her friends' presence.

 

“Alright Star, you remember what I told you about blowing out candles right?” Cyborg asked as he slid the lit cake towards the bubbly alien. Star nodded enthusiastically. She inhaled deeply and everyone took cover. A gentle blow escaped the birthday girl and the team crashed to the ground in bewilderment. Starfire's confusion rested clearly on her face.

 

“Did I misunderstand?”

 

Raven was the first to recover. “Starfire, don't ever change.”

 

The party continued well into the evening. After flat out refusing to participate in Beast Boy's suggestion of spin the bottle, Speedy turned on the radio to allow them to dance. Raven took her seat next to Cyborg and the two watched Robin and Star twirl around them like some beautiful music box and Bumble Bee did her best not to die from embarrassment, standing as close as she was to Beast Boy as he showed off his “moves”. When Speedy decided to rescue the too nice Bumble Bee, Beast Boy pouted for a moment then plopped down beside Cyborg. Raven handed him another slice of cake and smiled when Beast Boy's pout erased itself in favor of cake.

 

A Tameranian giggle returned Raven's attention to the four dancers. They looked like something out of a romance movie, discounting the height difference. Raven tapped her fork gently on her plate, watching Starfire hug Robin as he spun her around by the waist. She swore she had seen the moment before, a million times before, in Robin's dreams. A large hand brushed her hair behind her ear, turning her head to meet his. Cyborg held out his hand for her.

 

“Dance with me.”

 

“I don't know how.”

 

“I've never known that to stop Beast Boy.” Cyborg replied.

 

“That's because Beast Boy is shameless.” Raven replied.

 

Over a slice of cake Raven couldn't be sure if Beast Boy had mumbled “so not cool” or “eat tofu”, probably the former, but knowing Beast Boy it was just as likely to be the latter. She took his hand and let him lead her to the dance floor.

 

The two watched the handsome Aqualad, every inch the ladies' man, cut in gently between Robin and Star, sending Robin right into Raven.

 

“Tired out already Boy Wonder?” Raven asked.

 

“Not hardly.” He grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her to the center of the room a few feet away from Star and Aqualad and barely avoided colliding with Cyborg as he cut in to dance with Bumble Bee. True to her word, Raven couldn't dance. But for all his gracefulness as an acrobat, Raven was relieved to find that the Titans' leader had two left feet on the dance floor.

 

Beast Boy nearly choked on his fork when the alarm blared behind his ear. Starfire turned a distressed eye to the communications monitor. There was trouble… and it was in the tower.

 

End of Part One.

 

 

 

Author's note:

[1] Remember this, Cyborg's paranoia will help chapter two and three make a lot more sense.

[2] Fear not! This is not a Star/Speedy fic. I'm going to announce the pairings as I develop their relationships. No one ends up lonely in this fic, though hearts are broken and mended in the chapters to follow. This is undoubtedly a RobinxRaven fic. That's not a warning, it's just the way I want to write it.