Chapter Text
Even after all this time, his skin still felt raw. Nerve endings misfiring randomly, muscles twitching, mind humming with something he couldn’t fully control. The suffocating, bottomless helplessness he’d felt when he realized no one was coming to save him from the Joker still echoed deep in the recesses of his mind. He’d emerged from the Lazarus Pit, eyes blazing green, black hair streaked with a white chunk, and full of the kind of energy that burned. The memories were hazy, tinged with too much emotion for him to do anything with but lock away, but still he woke from nightmares gasping the same jagged breaths.
Tonight was no different.
“Fuck.”
Dragging in air, sheets shredded and drenched in sweat, he forced himself to sit up and unclench his fists. Focusing on the half moon rings his blunt nails left behind, he chanted the mantra Ducra taught him. Didn’t stop until the sun peaked out from the horizon and his breathing leveled out.
After a shower, a cup or three of earl gray, and several protein bars, he tugged on civilian clothes.
He had shit to do. People to watch. Guns to shoot.
%%
Raven woke up to magical flames. They licked at her, deliciously warm and enticing on bare skin. Repeating her mantra, voice hoarse and wobbly, she absorbed the flames and lowered herself back down to the bed.
“Fuck.”
She couldn’t stop the tremble in her lips. Couldn’t still the shaking in her hands.
Her dreams were always vivid. Sometimes they belonged to her - unbridled hellfire, her father’s raspy voice, an endless array of burnt and decaying and desolate landscapes, her brothers’ scraping laughter. Sometimes they belonged to others. She couldn’t stop her powers from snatching thoughts and feelings when she was asleep. This dream, though… She took a deep breath. This one was new. A warning. Hungry, churning, endless darkness. The kind that was so cold it was hot, or maybe so hot it was cold. Whispers tumbling over each other like grains of sand, speaking in languages that made the darkness inside of her sing.
She didn’t feel an outside presence in her mind, which meant this warning was either a figment of her admittedly paranoid imagination or an empathic precognition. Goddess, she hoped it was her imagination. She didn’t have time for another potentially world-ending threat.
Making her way to the en-suite, she spat out the bitter taste that had gathered in her mouth. It was early - the sun had not yet begun to peak out from the horizon. She had plenty of time to collect herself before the others awoke.
After brushing her teeth and throwing on the corny oversized Metropolis hoodie that Gar purchased for her, she melted into a portal and emerged in the kitchen. Victor teased her occasionally about her reliance on her powers, but she’d worked too hard to control them to not use them to make life easier. Since no one was around to see it, she floated the kettle over to the stove.
As the water heated, she drew a deep breath and called the heat to her hands. It was a new ability - or rather, a new awareness of an existing ability - magical pyrokinesis. She wasn’t always sure what kind of response she’d get…but the goal for this morning was proving to herself that these flames could be called upon outside of her dreams. Baby steps.
Grinning to herself when she absorbed the fire back into her skin without incident, she made a cup of tea and re-appeared on the rooftop to watch the sunrise.
%%
Dick was hyper focused, voice steady as he explained the intel he’d been gathering for weeks. If he was correct about this group, their “business” was of the human trafficking variety. They’d been attempting to expand the operation since their main competition met a fiery and extremely violent end courtesy of Red Hood.
Raven knew who he was - even without her empathic and psionic abilities, she would still have been able to tell. Jason Todd wasn’t exactly subtle.
“I’ve picked up chatter that they’ve got something happening tonight. I don’t know the details, but I do know that we’ll be there. Our plan is to watch and gather as much information as possible, acting only if we can confirm what we’re walking into. Cyborg, you’re on off-site mission control. Raven, you’ll be with me for on-site surveillance. Changeling and Starfire, you guys will patrol the usual quadrants but act as backup.”
Catching Dick’s eye, she nodded under her hood.
“If we decide to move, it could get messy. Review the files, keep your eyes open, watch each other’s backs.” He looked at each of them in turn, a frown tugging at his wide mouth. “We reconvene in 2 hours.”
As the others shuffled out, Raven shook her hood off and quirked her head. She could feel him tugging on her mind, asking her to stay behind.
He huffed, gripping the back of a chair and staring at the floor. She let him pull his thoughts together - forcing Dick to speak before he was ready was unnecessary. He’d talk to her, he always did.
“I have a feeling he may show up tonight,” his words were soft, but he knew she would hear regardless.
“It’s highly likely, yes.”
“I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.”
“Are you asking me what you should do about him showing back up in your life after being murdered or about him executing human traffickers and other evil-doers?”
Dick tried desperately to mimic her signature glare. Raven’s lips twitched; his heart was never in it. After another second he huffed again, running his hands through grown out hair.
“Both?”
She stepped up, placing her hand on his shoulder. It sagged under her fingers, deep blue eyes finding her purple ones.
“You’re allowed to miss him, Richard. It’s ok to feel conflicted,” she kept her words soft, soothing, “Or to not feel conflicted about what you think you should feel conflicted about.”
His hand covered her gray-tinged one, forehead leaning down to meet hers. He exhaled, slumping further against her. Raven let him, knowing he drew more comfort from physical touch than words alone.
“It will be ok.”
Dick snorted, the air ruffling her hair.
“Promise?”
Her prophetic dream drifted briefly across her mindscape, warning her against promising anything of the sort.
“As usual, I’ll be right by your side, bird boy.”
He laughed, tugging her into his arms and squeezing too hard. Always too hard.
“Thanks, Rae.”
After flicking his nose with a lick of magic, she phased through the floor. Not needing to read the files she’d already helped Dick create, she had enough time to eat and meditate before the mission.
At exactly 7 pm, they met again. After a repeat of his earlier instructions and a quick round of follow-up question and answer, it was time. Starfire and Gar took off into the sky, Victor settled into his aptly-named Control Room, and Raven placed her hand on Dick’s bicep. At his nod, they dropped into a portal.
The air was humid tonight, tinged with ions that said a storm was likely rolling in off the ocean. Night was just beginning to blanket the sky, giving Raven’s shadows ample room to play.
They were on a rooftop catty-corner from the target - the vantage point allowed them to see the entrance and side door. Dick had some grossly high-tech night vision goggles on, courtesy of an ongoing Bruce-Victor collab. Nudging his shoulder into hers after she shook her head at the picture he painted, he waggled his eyebrows and gave himself little horns with his fingers.
“We can’t all be demonesses that see in the dark, Rae!”
She smothered a laugh at his thought, shaking her head and sending back a dry “Pity”.
The longer they sat, the more her mind drifted towards the dream. Fearing she’d slip too far into that pool of inky darkness, she reached for an anchor. Dick’s mind was a well-worn sweater, always within her reach and warm enough to settle into. At some point in the last few years, his particular mixture of playful energy and serious (occasionally concerning) work ethic had become comforting. When he’d asked about the extent of her psionic and empathic powers almost two years ago, she hadn’t been able to give him a concrete answer because she’d never pushed hard enough to find the limits. But knowing what he was really asking, she’d gently nudged her thoughts into his mind. He’d almost choked on his own saliva, his too-loud mental squeal of “I KNEW IT” forcing a laugh out of her.
Boundaries were swiftly and firmly voiced - she didn’t want to be hearing anyones thoughts or emotions all the time and she preferred to avoid projecting her own thoughts most of the time. But just as swiftly Dick trampled over her guide rails, because what was the point of having a best friend and fellow hero with ~mind powers~ if they couldn’t use them to talk?
She let her empathic field narrow now, taking belly breaths. Instead of hearing specific thoughts or feeling specific feelings, it felt like she was behind a partially-opaque wall of Dick’s aura. Sometime later, once the sun had fully set and darkness (real and constructed) had taken over, Raven felt the stir of new consciousnesses at the edge of the field she was paying the most attention to.
“Three vehicles arriving now from Lock Street - sensors indicate twelve men. All armed, most wearing kevlar. Two suits, ten guards. Entering the building now.” Cyborg’s voice echoed in their earpieces. They couldn’t see that vantage point, but Raven knew Vic had it covered.
It was show time then.
“Four vehicles approaching from the corner of Flint Street,” Dick’s call tugged her mind next, directing her to the vehicles pulling up on their side of the building.
Three panel vans led by a black sedan. They rolled to a stop at the curb, pausing to survey the area before a man in the passenger seat of the sedan got out and opened the back door.
But Raven was focused elsewhere. Goosebumps erupted over every inch of her skin, stomach tightening as she registered the buzzing presence rapidly approaching. It was so bright and loud she reflexively jerked the doors of her mind closed, trying to cling to the peace she’d cultivated. He was here. She forced more calming breaths.
Why the fuck did his presence always do this to her?
Jason landed in front of them, thick thighs bunching as he stood from a crouch. He wore a black mask over his eyes and an armored black kevlar suit with a red bird emblem, tight against his skin and riddled with enough weapons to take out a small country. Heavy combat boots and gloves completed the look.
He was massive. Taller and broader than Dick, but somehow still nimble when he wanted to be. Raven flinched internally when she cracked her mind’s doors open. The rush of emotion from both men was so potent she felt her body react to feelings that weren’t her own.
“Dickie,” Jason drawled.
The shadows clung to Raven as she stepped in line with Dick. Her hood stayed up - she needed all the leverage she could get whenever Jason was involved.
“Raven,” he sent her a smirk that he knew set her teeth on edge, “Should have known you’d be here too, someone has to ensure he makes smart choices.”
“Hi Jason,” she kept her voice devoid of any feeling, flat and empty and level.
Dick made a choked sound, drawing Jason’s full attention. When he tilted his head, Dick cleared his throat and quickly glanced down before refocusing.
“Jay. It’s…good to see you,” Dick’s feelings felt like physical forces on her skin. A mixture of grief, longing, guilt, disappointment, and the kind of love that was sticky and heavy.
For a second, Jason looked like he wasn’t quite sure what he was going to say. Raven felt his eyes dart to her, looking for some clue, before resettling on his brother.
“I’d say likewise, but I’m pretty sure you’re about to try to convince me to not kill all of those fuckers,” he hooked a thumb backwards.
That snapped Dick back to the task at hand. He’d jerked the night vision goggles off when Jason had appeared, so now he squinted into the night and mentally poked Raven. She hated when he did that.
“Cyborg, what’re you seeing?” Dick moved to the edge of the roof, pretending to ignore Jason’s comment.
“They’re all inside now. Fifteen men and two women from the new group, plus the twelve men that arrived earlier. The women weren’t armed, but all of the men were. They’ve got signal blockers inside, I can’t get any audio or video. You’ll have to do the rest the old fashioned way,” Victor hesitated slightly, his voice hardening, “The women looked empty, Dick. They could barely stay on their feet.”
Raven’s lip curled, disgust and anger churning in her gut.
“Is this some sort of evil sale, then?” Dick directed his question at Jason now.
Unable to strengthen her blockades in time, Raven felt the whiplash of Jason’s emotions - all of the sudden he was furious, so angry he ground his teeth hard enough she felt the echoes in her mouth.
“This is a fucking sample,” he spit the words out, clenching his fists, “They’re making a deal to go into business together - one will supply the drugs, the other will supply the women.”
She inhaled sharply, magic sparking on her fingertips.
Before Dick could say anything, Raven stepped forward, “We’ll have to move quickly tonight then.”
Her tone had a steel spine that left no room for argument. Dick nodded, pressing his earpiece and quietly informing Victor that they would be making a move. When asked if they’d need Gar and Starfire, Dick sent her a quick thought and told Victor no. This mission needed no more wildcards than they already had.
“I don’t want to assume and make an ass out of you and me, but I’m guessing that your idea of what should happen here does not align with mine,” Jason’s eyes were hard even as he kept his tone light.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Dick snapped.
“It means that you’re like him and therefore unwilling to do what needs to be done to actually stop this shit,” Jason glared back. “In other words, no pop-pop, only bop-bop.”
“Screw off! There are other ways of stopping this besides killing everyone -”
“Oh by all means, lecture me on how effective your methods are -”
“Silence!” Black energy wrapped itself around both mens mouths. “Now is absolutely not the time for this. If you both insist on acting like children, you’re welcome to do it in a different dimension of my choosing.”
She hoped her look conveyed all of the unspeakable dimensions she was capable of sending them to. Dick’s eyes were wide and then apologetic, shaking his head to signal his concession. Jason, on the other hand, continued to glare at her with his head cocked, as if daring her to do it. His middle finger faced Dick.
Stomach clenching, she returned his glare as anger burned up her throat. His eyes twitched briefly, a micro-flare to a narrowing, and she caught Dick’s surprise and trepidation filter through her mindscape.
“Raven” his voice, the one he only ever used when she was on the edge, punched through the cloud of challenge blanketing her mind.
She blinked rapidly, noticing the shadows of red light bouncing off Jason’s face and the cool breeze on her bare face. She hadn’t meant to drop her hood and she certainly hadn’t meant to let her eyes glow red. Ugh.
When her construct retreated from their mouths, Jason sent her a grin and a pulse of feelings she did not want to feel. He liked when she stepped up to his challenge. And she liked stepping up to it. What did that say about them?
“Our priority is getting those women out,” Dick said.
“I agree. Grab them and go.” Jason cracked his knuckles, tossing a look over his shoulder at the warehouse and then smirking at Dick. “Plausible deniability is a wonderful thing, eh Dickie?”
Frowning, Dick’s mouth dropped open. Again, Raven beat him to it.
“We don’t have time to argue. Their fear is becoming acute and the men grow restless, which means the meeting is almost over. Let’s go, Dick.”
Jason saluted them and dropped backwards off the roof.
A moment after confirming Dick’s agreement, Raven’s portal opened up in a backroom of the warehouse, directly behind where the women were being held. After taking a few deep breaths, Raven reached out, shrouding the guards minds with deep calm and ease. They never noticed as the two women were dragged through a pool of ink.
As Dick prepared to take the women through a second portal to safety, Raven felt the second he realized he was worried about Jason. Giving him a nod and a smile so small anyone else would’ve missed it, she sent “I’ll stay”. His relief - mixed with shame and anger - hit her gut.
As soon as the women were gone, the world seemed to explode in smoke and shrapnel and gunfire. Raven felt Jason launch himself into the fray behind the cover of smoke bombs and flash bangs. Answering gunfire from automatic weapons told her they weren’t going quietly.
Wrapping her physical body in her soul self, Raven reappeared in the large open area. Snarling, she launched anything not structurally important with nothing more than a thought, pinning several men in place.
They were firing at her now, cursing the “demon bitch”. She felt Jason’s indignation flitter across her mind briefly, right before he took out four men with rapid-fire headshots.
Her shield construct was keeping bullets from finding their target in her flesh, but when Jason cursed and stumbled she knew he’d been hit by a ricochet she’d caused. The heady scent of his blood filled her nostrils - iron mixed with the acerbic Pit magic. Fear and rage ripped through her mindscape, potent and sharp, cutting through the ties of her self control.
%%
Jason felt the bullet rip through his side - of course he fucking felt it. But pain was a friend of his, a confidant. So he’d bitten out a curse, lowered to a knee, and reloaded, focusing on the task at hand. Except…everything seemed to pause, the air becoming thicker. His nostrils flaring, Jason swore he smelled some kind of smoke. What the fuck?
Raven materialized behind the men, her eyes glowing red and fangs bared. She growled so low it set his hairs on edge.
“I’ll show you demonic,” her words were a charred, echoed iteration of her usual voice. Full of promise, like claws scraping on brimstone.
In the next second, the remaining men were engulfed in her darkness. Screams had only just begun to escape when they all sagged, red leaking from every orifice.
“Fucking hell,” Jason breathed.
She was in front of him then, and he was caught in her gaze. Her eyes weren’t just red as he’d always assumed - from this close he could see that her iris’ were inky black fading into pin pricks of pure white pupils, surrounded by red sclera. Her purple hair was crackling with magic, floating around her head as if gravity itself had ceased to affect her.
Reaching out with fingers dipped in black and ending in wickedly sharp nails, she touched his side far more gently than he’d have thought possible. Caressed his blood between clawed fingers.
“Shhhh,” the sound was strange, almost whistling between her fangs.
As he opened his mouth to say who the hell knows what, a bright white light flared and foreign calm washed over him. Flinching away on instinct, he dragged in air scented with smoke and something sweet. He knew she’d healed his side, but he poked and prodded at the shiny new skin anyway. Any excuse to take a break from the intensity of her focus.
When he looked back at Raven, he met purple eyes this time. Her brows were furrowed, gaze wary.
“Thank you,” he didn’t recognize the softness in his voice.
“You’re welcome,” she cleared her throat, returning to her usual raspy tone.
She looked away to survey the aftermath, lips tightening. Jason could feel her pulling herself together, re-attaching chains and turning locks.
“We should…clean this up.” Her words were soft, almost reverent. A wave of her hand and those dead by her power floated to rest in the center of the room, eyes closed.
“I’ve got it. You covered for me, it’s the least I can do,” he grabbed a lighter and vial of concentrated fire fuel from his suit, sending a smile her way. “Besides, I know you aren’t used to cleaning this particular type of mess up. Something about this being my specialty, right?”
Raven gifted him the softest almost smile he’d ever seen, purple eyes still swimming with emotion he couldn’t decipher.
“How would you know what is and isn’t my specialty, Jason?”
She turned her palm up and Jason’s mouth dropped open - deep blue fire licked at her skin, seeming to jump and shift like shadows, almost reflective in the center like an obsidian mirror. Turning, her chest filled with a breath. Fire poured from her hand, incinerating the bodies and leaving no visible marks on the concrete. Her lips moved silently, eyes drifting shut. Later, he’d swear she was uttering some kind of burial rite.
“What the fuck?”
She gave him a half smile this time. She had dimples.
“Never seen a little magical fire before?”
He gaped at her.
“You can clean the rest of this up however you usually do.” She stepped towards him, eyes flicking to his no-longer wounded side briefly. “I need to ask you a favor, though.”
Shaking his head, he scanned her eyes. Ah.
“I won’t tell anyone. I promise.”
Something dark passed through her eyes.
“A promise means something to a demon. Don’t use the phrase lightly.”
He wanted to know why her words sounded closest to a plea, but he wanted to reassure her even more.
“I don’t. You have my word, Raven.”
Her eyes flickered red, so quickly he may have mistaken it for a trick of the light if it weren’t for the feeling of a papercut stinging his palm. He chose not to look, knowing that he could only handle so much at once.
“Take care. Please.” Her hand pressed too briefly against his chest and then she was gone in a flash of her soul self.
Jason took several deep breaths before dowsing the space in the concentrated fuel and lighting it up. The fire wouldn’t burn the bodies completely, but it would do enough damage to ensure he was in the clear and to send a message.
Later that night, as he shed his suit in the bathroom of his safe house, the faint red line cutting across his palm sent a shiver up his spine.