Traitors and Teachers

Chapter 11

Perhaps it was the familiarity of minds that drew them closer, a sort of subconscious radar until they stood under a street lamp, silently looking at the other. The silence continued as he turned, walking away and she in turn followed him and stepped quickly to walk beside him. For a time they walked like that, their minds touching the other in hesitant intrigue, not sure what to do or expect.

"Not well." She arched an eyebrow and looked at him.

"Excuse me?" his lip twitched up at her confusion, and he looked at her before he clarified.

"You asked if I sing, not very well. Don't have the voice for it," he shrugged at his explanation, obviously he didn't value singing all that much, at least not him singing. She nodded as she understood, going quiet until she came up with another question.

"What am I suppose to call you? I doubt you'll answer 'Cool New Guy,'" he smirked at Beast Boy's name for him and shook his head.

"Naw, I probably wouldn't. I don't have a hero name yet, I'm still new at this. Still getting used to it," she hmmed at his words, thinking he did need a name of some sort. She also wondered what he did before becoming a hero. So she decided to pry.

"What made you do it? Become a hero, I mean," Raven suspected it would be a touchy subject, so she jerked back when he broke out into a deep, harsh laugh and shook his head. A glance at her though quieted him, her honest gaze bringing a strange smile to his face.

"Something happened to someone I cared about. She got hurt, really hurt. I was able to save her, but I couldn't help her as I was then," his smile faded and he looked forward, not looking at Raven anymore as he finished, going quiet. The story was familiar, not just because it was a typical one but somehow more personal.

"What happened to her?" Raven asked before she could stop herself. A smile flickered on his face.

"She's fine, and she'll never know," with this he looked at her again, blue and purple eyes on her, and asked: "So what about you? Why did you become the hero?"

"I... wanted to fight my destiny, do good when I was fated to do evil," she didn't want to get into all the details, so a brief and vague answer seemed best to her.

"Did it work? Did you beat your destiny?" this time it was her that flickered a grin. She nodded, glancing at him and wondering why she had a feeling he knew the answer. They were quiet again, the city around them dim and quiet save the distant noise of the heart of the city. They were currently in a not so good area, but they saw no signs of danger for them or anyone else, so they let their feet wander.

"How do you feel about parties?" he asked, breaking the silence.

"Why?" Raven asked, quirking her eyebrow and voice tinged with suspicion. Her feeling was quickly relieved.

"Seemed like a better question than your favorite color," he said this, shrugging at his lame question and attempt at conversation.

"Ahh. I don't like crowds. You'd blend right in at a rave though," she said with a glance at his bright hair and peculiar outfit. Of course she was accustomed to such costumes, she was a superhero and worked with superheroes after all, they all ran around in silly outfits when one thought about it.

"Hmm, flashing lights, pounding music, and drugs. Sounds like how I like spending my nights," his mock enthusiasm was just Raven's type, so naturally she went with it.

"More fun than crime fighting I'm sure," she said in mock seriousness as if to convince him to go to a club.

"Depends on who you're with. And I prefer being in control, drugs and alcohol lessen self control quite a bit," the first statement made her wonder, but the mention of control -especially self control- caught her attention.