Title: Moths & Butter

Author: Alicia "Kamitose" Hackney

Summary: ONE-SHOT. After the events of The Prophecy, Robin and Raven talk and Raven tells Robin of the difference between moths and butterflies. RobRae Implications

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: None of the characters mentioned in this piece of fiction belong to me. They belong to the creators Marv Wolfman, George Perez, and Cartoon Network.

Distribution: As long as I am credited, and as long as you ask (and let me know once it's posted) then I don't care where its distributed. BUT you have to ask.

Author's Note: This is my first Teen Titans fic so here's hoping it turns out all right. I also don't care if some of you loathe this pairing... because I don't. I don't flame you so please don't flame me. Thank you.

He watched them playing in the park. So lively and energetic. Living like there was not a thing wrong with the world.

As if the world would still be there tomorrow.

And as far as the average man or beast was concerned... it would be there tomorrow. Just as it has been in all the tomorrows that had already come to pass.

So why should this tomorrow be any different?

Maybe tomorrow wouldn't be any different. And the same for the tomorrow after that. And he knew the three friends that frolicked freely in the soft, grassy hills of the park, kept that philosophy in mind.

He should have done the same.

He was optimistic that perhaps they could ensure that a million more tomorrows would come and nothing bad would have to come to pass. Despite the planets starting to align... despite everything...

They were the Titans after all... they've done the impossible before.

His eyes drifted up to the top of the park's play fort. There stood a girl who's dark garments greatly contrasted her ivory grey skin. This was a girl that carried the weight of the world on her shoulders and understandably so...

She was the portal, the prophecized means to its end.

Robin sighed as he stood up and walked past the other three care-free Titans. He climbed the play-fort and approached the dark haired girl.

She was surveying the city in silence. Searching, perhaps, for the million-and-one reasons or more to fight what she was foretold to do. He quietly joined her silent reverence.

He had a million-and-one reasons already. One of which was his partner in the ever growing silence that threatened to swallow them both whole.

He knew that she was aware of his presence. This was just something they did sometimes. Bask in the rare silence of the bustling city. Saying nothing which conveyed almost everything they could say with words.

He didn't mind.

But today the silence was killing him slowly. Tomorrow after all, may become a fleeting dream. Best to seize the day while its still there.

She beat him to the punch.

He noticed the girl hold out a slender, elegant hand as a butterfly landed on it. It was such a sight to Robin. Anything he had planned to say was stolen from his tongue as he stood intrigued by such a simple act of beauty and majesty that the moment commanded.

She inhaled deeply and quietly before beginning.

He held his breath waiting to hear her speak.

"There are two types of people in this world, Robin. There are moths and there are butterflies..."

He stared at her delicate features. "Raven?"

She looked at Starfire, Beast Boy, and Cyborg as they all laughed oblivious to the observations of the two dark Titans.

"They are butterflies. Beauty portrayed in shapes and hues. People are fascinated by them. They love them and welcome them. They are the rare insects that people do not feel an instant need to swat and destroy. But most do not understand that the colours warn of poison. If threatened the butterfly can and will hold its own. And foolish predators get their dues. They are such care free creatures... so free..."

And he cannot read her face. It stays cold and observant. Distant to all but the butterfly on her hand.

"Butterflies are meant to be free. It wouldn't be right to make it otherwise." She said as bounced her hand in the air several times in order to encourage flight from the winged wonder.

She glanced over at a moth who blended into the wood of the play fort.

"Then there are moths... Moths tend to hide. Beauty tucked away and hidden from all. The world cannot understand their beauty and so they shun it. They swat at it and urge it to leave. Moths are viewed as destructive forces and are turned away no matter where they fly. I fear I am a moth, Robin."

He watches her now with a much sadder expression on his face. "Rae..."

"I can't tell which you are Robin. You are still in your cocoon. You have both the tendencies of a butterfly and of a moth. But your darkness sometimes overshadows your light... perhaps you are a moth like me."

She won't look at him. Her look grew more distant. The butterfly could no longer hold her interest. She knew what was coming.

"Perhaps." Was all he could say.

And again silence.

A gentle breeze picked up causing Raven's hair to shimmer in the fading rays of the sun as it set over the Jump City horizon. Robin took a deep breath.

"Have you found what you needed? Have you found what makes this world worth saving? Worth fighting for?"

She finally looked at him. Stunned and wide-eyed at first. The butterfly long forgotten and departed to the wind.

A minute of silence passed between them before she was finally able to find the words.

"I could scour the world over but the answer always brings me back here... to you. To the Titans. You all accept me despite knowing who I really am... my heritage... my fate... you accepted a half-demon. Something many would never do... you are all family to me. I'd do anything for you all. Including die so the prophecy cannot be fulfilled."

He could swear he saw her eyes shimmer with the beginnings of tears. But Raven doesn't cry. It's not of her nature.

He placed his hand over one of hers.

"We won't let that be an option, Raven. You won't have to die. Please, Raven. I..." He hesitated. "we love you, Rae... we won't let you die."

She brought her lavender eyes up to his masked ones and gave him a slightly scrutinizing look.

"You said 'I' first, but stopped. I think that's what you meant to say in the first place isn't it."

It wasn't a question. It was an observation and he knew it. Robin couldn't cover himself from her eyes. He almost felt naked under them. Like she could see under his mask.

"Yes."

She didn't lose her concentration on his eyes. "You... love me?"

His feet suddenly took on a new point of interest as he looked down at them, breaking their gaze. "I have for some time."

"Robin... I..." She was speechless.

He looked up to Raven finally. Gently cupping her face with his hands he leaned in to kiss her. He fully expected her to fight it. To fight him.

She did nothing but give into the moment as their tongues danced together.

And then it was over. She pushed him away and drew her hood over her head, only allowing him a second's glance to catch the fresh tears beginning to form in her eyes.

"It isn't right Robin. You know this. You shouldn't let moths into your closet... they're destructive." She phased into the ground leaving Robin alone on the play fort.

The words of the moth hurt more like the sting of a wasp. He looked out at the city. His face was empty and without emotion.

His face lied.

"But I invited the moth. Why does that make it wrong?"

The end. Questions, comments, love it, loathe it? Let me know.