Fan Fiction ❯ Last Bell ❯ Chapter 9
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: King Cheetah 
Anime/Manga: Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Suspense | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 08.18.2004 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.8K | Visits: 335 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Suspense | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 08.18.2004 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.8K | Visits: 335 | Status: Completed
Last Bell by King Cheetah
Part Nine - School Dance
I cry myself to sleep each night knowing that I own none of these characters...
Rated PG-13, Robin/Raven and Beast Boy/Jinx pairings. Starfire and Terra with probably get drunk and do something goofy at some point.
------------------------------------------------------------------------ -----------------------------
His bed was nice, she thought but not as nice as her own. His room was... okay, his room was chaos in model, but still oddly like him. While they had lived and worked together these past four years she been given subtle hints as to the nature of his genius, both in designing his own arsenal and equiptment, but in how he led the group so effectively. His talent lay in throwing twenty ideas into the air and grabbing the right six before they hit the ground. From this the marvelous tools of his craft were bourne, such as his Red X gear, which to this day she did not fully understand. And so it was that the seeming chaos of his personal space was a reflection of his ability to know what was what and where it was.
Raven sat on the edge of Robin's bed as the dim, sensual sounds of his showering drifted through his bathroom door. He'd not forbade her from joining him in there, if anything his eyes begged her. But now secure in their feelings for each other, she wanted to proceed slowly and nurture their relationship. It had always been there, she thought. She'd always tried so hard to deny her feelings for him, especially as her friendship with Starfire began to blossom, but it was all undone by Jump Town. Was this why Starfire was avoiding her? Suddenly, she was aware that he was humming, the specific tune obscured by the cleansing white noise of the rushing water, and her heart sank.
"Oooh, what was I thinking," she whispered to no one in particular, "That should be a duet."
Jumping from the bed, she stepped quickly to the bathroom door, but was dismayed to hear the water shut off just as her hand touched the knob. Cursing her poor sense of timing, she flopped back onto his bed for a good pout. His big, inviting, potentially Robin filled bed, though that part was saddly lacking at the moment. Of small comfort was the fact that his rumpled bed clothes still carried the sweet, intoxicating scent of him, and she delighted in hugging his pillow. He lay here and thought of me all night, she thought. No, of us, and she tried to pull what stray dreams of them together she could from the pillow.
So wrapped up in her fantasies was she, that she hadn't heard him finish up with his clean up. Looking up, he was there beside the bed, his placid face breaking into a sweet smile. Kneeling by his bed, he began to gently stroke her hair as he bent forward and planted a soft kiss on the tip of her nose, bringing the smile that he'd always known she was capable of.
"I really do love you. You know that, right." he said as his aim improved and the second kiss met her lips.
"I had my suspicions. I... I, um..." she suddenly found that her vocabulary consisted of about a dozen words, "I love you too. I... I don't know why I'm so afraid to say that. It's what I feel. I love you."
Smiling, he favored her with the kiss she really wanted as his finger tips glid softly along the inner aspects of her arm, a sensation that almost pushed her over the edge. Standing, he helped her to her feet and said, "Come on, we need to see how everyone else is doing." Clad only in his workout sweatpants and sandals, he reached to retrieve his shirt from the foot of the bed, as Raven sat up and said, "W-wait!"
Jumping to her feet, she nervously faced him, "Um, I know we agreed to take things a little slower, but... um..." she stammered as she wrung her hands. In their frantic disgarmenting, she'd only made it down to her bra, panties, and socks, and she reached behind her and began fumbling with the clasp of her bra.
A shake of her shoulders and it slid down her arms to be tossed at the foot of the bed on top of his shirt. Her attempts to cover herself could best be described as disingenuous, but finally her hands moved slowly to her sides. Where she saw a little too much here and a little to little there, he saw only a perfect symmetry of form, her curves graceful and inviting. Moving to him, she pressed herself against him and hugged him desperately.
"Wha-" he asked.
"I... I just needed to feel your skin against mine. I'm sorry." she whispered. He chuckled softly and wrapped his arms around her.
Jump Town. Their moments together there brought the loneliness of her realworld life into sharp focus. It wasn't just Robin, but rather all of her friends now took on a renewed importance to her. The new layout of her inner self facinated and scared her, but now finally she had a ray of hope. She'd seen herself in the united purified form in Jump Town, she now knew where she was heading. She no longer needed to fear her dark self, for she'd seen first hand how easily it can be contained. Raven Bishop truely was her perfected form, and with a clear picture of where she was going, the trip now seemed more enjoyable.
Hugging her a while longer, they kissed, dressed, and went out to face the day.
------------------------------------------------------------------------ ---------------------------
Beast Boy paced the floor like an expectant father, an analogy that he would not at all be unpleased with. She was coming. Soon. The girl who was his sum total reason for existing in Jump Town would be here soon. Never an especially observant religious person, he now begged favor with any and all deities that he could think of for her quick and safe deliverance to him.
Jinx, sweetest of all things in creation, the girl he'd wooed for better than a year, would be his once again. Victor's party had been the consummation of their romance, for in that time alone with her, he truly felt that they were one. In the back seat of his Mustang, they kissed and teased and laughed, she loving him for all that he was to her, he loving her for all he knew she was.
The doubts again. Gar Logan was Beast Boy, and yet he wasn't entirely. Could she love this one as completely as that one? The Gar Logan she knew didn't spend about a third of his time a little farther down the food chain as he did. But he had to constantly remind himself that she knew all this and didn't seem to care. By the same token, was he prepared to accept her odd witchy ways?
Hearing a car pull up outside the Tower entrance, he was almost afraid to look, but cautiously peered out of the small crack in the door. She was dressed in her usual spooky girl costume, which suddenly struck him as somewhat erotic (or maybe it was just what was in it) and carried with her a piece of luggage. Payment and pleasantries with the driver done, the taxi wandered off leaving her holding her overnight bag and looking about somewhat nervously.
Another few deep breaths and he stepped out into the afternoon sun to face her. She looked radiant as she saw him waiting for her, and waved excitedly at him. Slowly at first, then running, they met halfway and were locked in a toe-curling kiss before her bag hit the ground.
Parting, he could do little but just look at her, his hand stroking her cheek softly, as she closed her eyes and luxuriated in his attentions. "Oh, I've wanted this so badly..." she sighed. Reluctantly, he broke their embrace and retrieved her bag, took her hand in his to lead her inside.
"I had a thousand stupid thing to say to you," he said softly, "But I'm just glad you're here. Um, planning on staying a while?" he grinned holding her bag aloft.
She squeezed his hand and said softly, "I'm not going back to the H.I.V.E., Gar. No matter what happened today, I wasn't going back. Ever. I'm sick of it all."
"Are you serious?" he asked, delighted to hear this, "I mean, I didn't think you could just give the H.I.V.E. your two weeks notice."
She looked at him anxiously, "Me and Baran talked about this last night a little. There has got to be something better that I can do with my life. I mean, they're just such big losers! It was all fun and exciting at first, but the H.I.V.E. seems to accomplish so few of it's big schemes... I mean, what's the point, y'know?"
"Yeah. I could see that. Well, you always have a home here." and kissed her on the temple.
She was silent as she bit her lip a little and said softly, "Do... do you really mean that? You're not just saying that, are you?"
"What?! You've never heard of the Gar Logan Home For Wayward Super Villianess'? Guh! Why do I even bother to send out press releases?"
Laughing, she playfully slapped his arm, "I mean it! Are... are you serious about letting me stay here?"
He gave her hand a squeeze, "Yeah. I sorta talked it over with Robin and Baran, and... well, truth be told, I was going to beg you to jump ship anyhow. It seemed easier to do that than me joining H.I.V.E."
Again he was treated to her enchanting laughter as they entered her (hopefully) new home.
Boarding the elevator for the long ride up to the commons, he suddenly grabbed her and held her arms as he leered at her, "Hold on now, how do I know this isn't just some of your crafty H.I.V.E. monkeyshines, eh? Oh, how like them to try and cloud my keen senses with a delicious little seductress! Perhaps a strip search is in order." he was drawing her face closer to his.
With a squealing giggle, she said meekly, "You don't scare me. I... I have nothing to hide."
"Oh really? Then do I intrigue you?" he asked as their foreheads touched.
"Maybe." she sighed, closing her eyes.
"Do I excite you?" he asked as he brushed his cheek against hers.
"Maybe." she said, kissing his chin.
"Do I arouse you." he hissed.
"Maybe." she whispered as their lips met.
Suddenly, the elevator jerked twice, then shuttered to a halt with a small spray of sparks from the overhead panel, as the two looked at each other in bewilderment.
Looking at him, she blushed red and said, "Oops."
------------------------------------------------------------------------ ---------------------------------
Robin took another long sip of his coffee, and smiled at the sight in the commons. Retreived from the jinxed elevator, Beast Boy leaned against the back of the sofa, as Jinx leaned back against him. Arms around her waist, he teased and kissed her neck as she tried in vain to carry on a conversation with Raven and Starfire. Mammoth and Cyborg chatted with Terra in the kitchen as the busied themselves on snacks for the assembled Jump Towners. His feelings for this moment, his freindship with his team mates renewed and new friends added to the mix. The only dark cloud on this moment happened twenty minutes ago, as Raven and Starfire work to free Beast Boy and Jinx.
"We thought you should have a look at this." said Cyborg as they entered the vehicle bay, "Me ans Baran got a little curious on the way home and so with payed a little visit to that warehouse we were in." he said as he approached a large tarp covered object. Even before Mammoth had pulled the cover away, Robin knew what it was.
Still and silent sat the Mad Hatter's Dream Engine in the back of Cyborg's Hummer. His eyes seemed to glaze over for a moment as he took in the sight. There, in one neat little package, sat Jump Town. His family, all his martial arts team mates, his new room and bike... everything that he'd thought mattered to him.
When he was five years old, Robin had fallen backwards from a playground slide and broken his arm just above the wrist. It was agonising on many levels, but what had struck him was that even at that age, he knew that he would not be able to enjoy the playground slide (his favorite) again.
After several weeks of tedius and uncomfortable convelesence, he'd returned to the playground determine to best the infernal construction that had injured him. He would not allow the fates to deprive him of something that he'd enoyed so much. Deep breaths, and the encouragement of his father, he three times scaled the ladder an slid to earth, a feat worthy of Homer's lier if ever there was for a five year old. That mixed feeling of exhileration and dread that filled him on that day returned to him on this day.
"Why'd you drag this thing back here?" Robin asked sullenly, seeling his own sad expression reflected in the machine's polished finish.
"Well, um..." Mammoth mumbled, "We weren't exactly sure what to do about it. It seemed iffy to just leave it there, y"know."
"Uh-huh." sighed Robin, "And you guys saw what the Hatter did to the last guy that took something of his, right?"
Wide eyed, the thought had honestly not occured to them.
Sighing again, Robin said, "Great. Okay, not a word of this leaves this room. Secure this thing and I'll try to figure out a way to contact the Hatter and smooth things over. Hopefully, he'll only be a little psychotic when I deal with him."
Looking at each other nervously, Cyborg and Mammoth set about mothballing the Dream Engine for storage.
Draining the last of his coffee, Robin thought about the infernal construction that had almost broken him a second time. Truth was, if the Dream Engine was still in the warehouse to be found, it was because the Mad Hatter had abandoned it, the device being a passion of one of his more lucid periods. He'd only tracked it's taker as a matter of principle and nothing more. You just don't cross the Hatter. Everyone in Gotham City knew it, and now his reputation was spreading to the west coast. Somewhere in the next few days, enough of Mad Mod would be found by the police to cement the Hatter's rep.
But he didn't even try to lie to himself as to why he'd deceived them, as there was that urge in the back of his mind, that craving. To walk to school in the dead of winter hand in hand with Raven, the snowfall a silent serenade to them. To sit on the porch with her on a late July evening, talking at length about nothing in particular as the fireflies worked their own hopeful courtships. To lay lazy at the beach with her as they enjoyed the shared silence of each other. Again and again he asked himself, could we survive another trip into Jump Town? And for that matter, would they want to.
It was a digital opium den and he knew it.
First one's always free.
Fade to black...
To Be Continued... (For God's sake, somebody stop me!)
------------------------------------------------------------------------ -----------------------------
As always, I use reviews as a barometer, so if you want more of something, lemme know.
Keep reading', keep written'!
Part Nine - School Dance
I cry myself to sleep each night knowing that I own none of these characters...
Rated PG-13, Robin/Raven and Beast Boy/Jinx pairings. Starfire and Terra with probably get drunk and do something goofy at some point.
------------------------------------------------------------------------ -----------------------------
His bed was nice, she thought but not as nice as her own. His room was... okay, his room was chaos in model, but still oddly like him. While they had lived and worked together these past four years she been given subtle hints as to the nature of his genius, both in designing his own arsenal and equiptment, but in how he led the group so effectively. His talent lay in throwing twenty ideas into the air and grabbing the right six before they hit the ground. From this the marvelous tools of his craft were bourne, such as his Red X gear, which to this day she did not fully understand. And so it was that the seeming chaos of his personal space was a reflection of his ability to know what was what and where it was.
Raven sat on the edge of Robin's bed as the dim, sensual sounds of his showering drifted through his bathroom door. He'd not forbade her from joining him in there, if anything his eyes begged her. But now secure in their feelings for each other, she wanted to proceed slowly and nurture their relationship. It had always been there, she thought. She'd always tried so hard to deny her feelings for him, especially as her friendship with Starfire began to blossom, but it was all undone by Jump Town. Was this why Starfire was avoiding her? Suddenly, she was aware that he was humming, the specific tune obscured by the cleansing white noise of the rushing water, and her heart sank.
"Oooh, what was I thinking," she whispered to no one in particular, "That should be a duet."
Jumping from the bed, she stepped quickly to the bathroom door, but was dismayed to hear the water shut off just as her hand touched the knob. Cursing her poor sense of timing, she flopped back onto his bed for a good pout. His big, inviting, potentially Robin filled bed, though that part was saddly lacking at the moment. Of small comfort was the fact that his rumpled bed clothes still carried the sweet, intoxicating scent of him, and she delighted in hugging his pillow. He lay here and thought of me all night, she thought. No, of us, and she tried to pull what stray dreams of them together she could from the pillow.
So wrapped up in her fantasies was she, that she hadn't heard him finish up with his clean up. Looking up, he was there beside the bed, his placid face breaking into a sweet smile. Kneeling by his bed, he began to gently stroke her hair as he bent forward and planted a soft kiss on the tip of her nose, bringing the smile that he'd always known she was capable of.
"I really do love you. You know that, right." he said as his aim improved and the second kiss met her lips.
"I had my suspicions. I... I, um..." she suddenly found that her vocabulary consisted of about a dozen words, "I love you too. I... I don't know why I'm so afraid to say that. It's what I feel. I love you."
Smiling, he favored her with the kiss she really wanted as his finger tips glid softly along the inner aspects of her arm, a sensation that almost pushed her over the edge. Standing, he helped her to her feet and said, "Come on, we need to see how everyone else is doing." Clad only in his workout sweatpants and sandals, he reached to retrieve his shirt from the foot of the bed, as Raven sat up and said, "W-wait!"
Jumping to her feet, she nervously faced him, "Um, I know we agreed to take things a little slower, but... um..." she stammered as she wrung her hands. In their frantic disgarmenting, she'd only made it down to her bra, panties, and socks, and she reached behind her and began fumbling with the clasp of her bra.
A shake of her shoulders and it slid down her arms to be tossed at the foot of the bed on top of his shirt. Her attempts to cover herself could best be described as disingenuous, but finally her hands moved slowly to her sides. Where she saw a little too much here and a little to little there, he saw only a perfect symmetry of form, her curves graceful and inviting. Moving to him, she pressed herself against him and hugged him desperately.
"Wha-" he asked.
"I... I just needed to feel your skin against mine. I'm sorry." she whispered. He chuckled softly and wrapped his arms around her.
Jump Town. Their moments together there brought the loneliness of her realworld life into sharp focus. It wasn't just Robin, but rather all of her friends now took on a renewed importance to her. The new layout of her inner self facinated and scared her, but now finally she had a ray of hope. She'd seen herself in the united purified form in Jump Town, she now knew where she was heading. She no longer needed to fear her dark self, for she'd seen first hand how easily it can be contained. Raven Bishop truely was her perfected form, and with a clear picture of where she was going, the trip now seemed more enjoyable.
Hugging her a while longer, they kissed, dressed, and went out to face the day.
------------------------------------------------------------------------ ---------------------------
Beast Boy paced the floor like an expectant father, an analogy that he would not at all be unpleased with. She was coming. Soon. The girl who was his sum total reason for existing in Jump Town would be here soon. Never an especially observant religious person, he now begged favor with any and all deities that he could think of for her quick and safe deliverance to him.
Jinx, sweetest of all things in creation, the girl he'd wooed for better than a year, would be his once again. Victor's party had been the consummation of their romance, for in that time alone with her, he truly felt that they were one. In the back seat of his Mustang, they kissed and teased and laughed, she loving him for all that he was to her, he loving her for all he knew she was.
The doubts again. Gar Logan was Beast Boy, and yet he wasn't entirely. Could she love this one as completely as that one? The Gar Logan she knew didn't spend about a third of his time a little farther down the food chain as he did. But he had to constantly remind himself that she knew all this and didn't seem to care. By the same token, was he prepared to accept her odd witchy ways?
Hearing a car pull up outside the Tower entrance, he was almost afraid to look, but cautiously peered out of the small crack in the door. She was dressed in her usual spooky girl costume, which suddenly struck him as somewhat erotic (or maybe it was just what was in it) and carried with her a piece of luggage. Payment and pleasantries with the driver done, the taxi wandered off leaving her holding her overnight bag and looking about somewhat nervously.
Another few deep breaths and he stepped out into the afternoon sun to face her. She looked radiant as she saw him waiting for her, and waved excitedly at him. Slowly at first, then running, they met halfway and were locked in a toe-curling kiss before her bag hit the ground.
Parting, he could do little but just look at her, his hand stroking her cheek softly, as she closed her eyes and luxuriated in his attentions. "Oh, I've wanted this so badly..." she sighed. Reluctantly, he broke their embrace and retrieved her bag, took her hand in his to lead her inside.
"I had a thousand stupid thing to say to you," he said softly, "But I'm just glad you're here. Um, planning on staying a while?" he grinned holding her bag aloft.
She squeezed his hand and said softly, "I'm not going back to the H.I.V.E., Gar. No matter what happened today, I wasn't going back. Ever. I'm sick of it all."
"Are you serious?" he asked, delighted to hear this, "I mean, I didn't think you could just give the H.I.V.E. your two weeks notice."
She looked at him anxiously, "Me and Baran talked about this last night a little. There has got to be something better that I can do with my life. I mean, they're just such big losers! It was all fun and exciting at first, but the H.I.V.E. seems to accomplish so few of it's big schemes... I mean, what's the point, y'know?"
"Yeah. I could see that. Well, you always have a home here." and kissed her on the temple.
She was silent as she bit her lip a little and said softly, "Do... do you really mean that? You're not just saying that, are you?"
"What?! You've never heard of the Gar Logan Home For Wayward Super Villianess'? Guh! Why do I even bother to send out press releases?"
Laughing, she playfully slapped his arm, "I mean it! Are... are you serious about letting me stay here?"
He gave her hand a squeeze, "Yeah. I sorta talked it over with Robin and Baran, and... well, truth be told, I was going to beg you to jump ship anyhow. It seemed easier to do that than me joining H.I.V.E."
Again he was treated to her enchanting laughter as they entered her (hopefully) new home.
Boarding the elevator for the long ride up to the commons, he suddenly grabbed her and held her arms as he leered at her, "Hold on now, how do I know this isn't just some of your crafty H.I.V.E. monkeyshines, eh? Oh, how like them to try and cloud my keen senses with a delicious little seductress! Perhaps a strip search is in order." he was drawing her face closer to his.
With a squealing giggle, she said meekly, "You don't scare me. I... I have nothing to hide."
"Oh really? Then do I intrigue you?" he asked as their foreheads touched.
"Maybe." she sighed, closing her eyes.
"Do I excite you?" he asked as he brushed his cheek against hers.
"Maybe." she said, kissing his chin.
"Do I arouse you." he hissed.
"Maybe." she whispered as their lips met.
Suddenly, the elevator jerked twice, then shuttered to a halt with a small spray of sparks from the overhead panel, as the two looked at each other in bewilderment.
Looking at him, she blushed red and said, "Oops."
------------------------------------------------------------------------ ---------------------------------
Robin took another long sip of his coffee, and smiled at the sight in the commons. Retreived from the jinxed elevator, Beast Boy leaned against the back of the sofa, as Jinx leaned back against him. Arms around her waist, he teased and kissed her neck as she tried in vain to carry on a conversation with Raven and Starfire. Mammoth and Cyborg chatted with Terra in the kitchen as the busied themselves on snacks for the assembled Jump Towners. His feelings for this moment, his freindship with his team mates renewed and new friends added to the mix. The only dark cloud on this moment happened twenty minutes ago, as Raven and Starfire work to free Beast Boy and Jinx.
"We thought you should have a look at this." said Cyborg as they entered the vehicle bay, "Me ans Baran got a little curious on the way home and so with payed a little visit to that warehouse we were in." he said as he approached a large tarp covered object. Even before Mammoth had pulled the cover away, Robin knew what it was.
Still and silent sat the Mad Hatter's Dream Engine in the back of Cyborg's Hummer. His eyes seemed to glaze over for a moment as he took in the sight. There, in one neat little package, sat Jump Town. His family, all his martial arts team mates, his new room and bike... everything that he'd thought mattered to him.
When he was five years old, Robin had fallen backwards from a playground slide and broken his arm just above the wrist. It was agonising on many levels, but what had struck him was that even at that age, he knew that he would not be able to enjoy the playground slide (his favorite) again.
After several weeks of tedius and uncomfortable convelesence, he'd returned to the playground determine to best the infernal construction that had injured him. He would not allow the fates to deprive him of something that he'd enoyed so much. Deep breaths, and the encouragement of his father, he three times scaled the ladder an slid to earth, a feat worthy of Homer's lier if ever there was for a five year old. That mixed feeling of exhileration and dread that filled him on that day returned to him on this day.
"Why'd you drag this thing back here?" Robin asked sullenly, seeling his own sad expression reflected in the machine's polished finish.
"Well, um..." Mammoth mumbled, "We weren't exactly sure what to do about it. It seemed iffy to just leave it there, y"know."
"Uh-huh." sighed Robin, "And you guys saw what the Hatter did to the last guy that took something of his, right?"
Wide eyed, the thought had honestly not occured to them.
Sighing again, Robin said, "Great. Okay, not a word of this leaves this room. Secure this thing and I'll try to figure out a way to contact the Hatter and smooth things over. Hopefully, he'll only be a little psychotic when I deal with him."
Looking at each other nervously, Cyborg and Mammoth set about mothballing the Dream Engine for storage.
Draining the last of his coffee, Robin thought about the infernal construction that had almost broken him a second time. Truth was, if the Dream Engine was still in the warehouse to be found, it was because the Mad Hatter had abandoned it, the device being a passion of one of his more lucid periods. He'd only tracked it's taker as a matter of principle and nothing more. You just don't cross the Hatter. Everyone in Gotham City knew it, and now his reputation was spreading to the west coast. Somewhere in the next few days, enough of Mad Mod would be found by the police to cement the Hatter's rep.
But he didn't even try to lie to himself as to why he'd deceived them, as there was that urge in the back of his mind, that craving. To walk to school in the dead of winter hand in hand with Raven, the snowfall a silent serenade to them. To sit on the porch with her on a late July evening, talking at length about nothing in particular as the fireflies worked their own hopeful courtships. To lay lazy at the beach with her as they enjoyed the shared silence of each other. Again and again he asked himself, could we survive another trip into Jump Town? And for that matter, would they want to.
It was a digital opium den and he knew it.
First one's always free.
Fade to black...
To Be Continued... (For God's sake, somebody stop me!)
------------------------------------------------------------------------ -----------------------------
As always, I use reviews as a barometer, so if you want more of something, lemme know.
Keep reading', keep written'!