VERACITY

I just wanted a nap. I say want, but I really mean craved. Something about having close to ninety-five different cats inside me made that little scrap of light at the end of the couch the most appealing thing in the world.

I was half asleep when my ear gave a frantic twitch, the sound of someone plopping onto the other end of the couch was evident and loud.

I tried to ignore it, I really did, but you know what they say about curiosity and cats.

He was staring at me.

I just knew he was staring at me.

Some distant, calculative gaze. I could feel his eyes boring into the side of my face, his emotions rolling off him in waves as each trickle slowly seeped into my skin unveiling insecurities I had thought were firmly buried in my past. It was irritating, to say the least.

With an irate glare, I decided to figure out what was going on using my patented methods- effervescent witticism.

"Could you maybe put a stop on those depressing thoughts for a minute, eh, Robster? It's getting hard to think while I'm drowning in your intellectual sorrow."

There was a sigh- somehow a mix of shock and indifference, if sighs could really hold so much, which I suppose they do. His mouth opened for a split second only to snap shut as a wave of defensiveness and- what is that? Bitterness?- shot through the stagnant air.

This is getting really annoying.

"That obvious, huh?"

"Part animal, dude. The sixth sense thing? Not just a cool thought."

A small sense of shock and muffled embarrassment swirled about the usually calm and collected leader.

"You never mentioned empathy before."

"Because I'm not an empath. It's… it's just a feeling. Sort of like an intuition." Great. Now I sound like a mother.

His gaze was now fully on me. His emotions were distant as he tapped into his brain more so than his heart. His heart was stilling to a far more normal beat,his previous nervousness slowly ebbing away.

His eyes, however, still watched me like a hawk. And, if I were to be entirely honest, it was beginning to grate on my control. I could practically feel the fight or flight building inside me.

My ears twitched uneasily and, of course, he noticed.

"Sorry. I… I was just thinking."

"Don't hurt yourself." I quipped. He seemed annoyed as he responded with a snarky, "Is that your method, then?"

He got a disarming grin for that one.

"Alright, I'll bite. What were you staring at me for, exactly? I mean, I know I'm handsome, but the whole excessive stalking you and the Big Bat do? Kinda creepy."

"I don't know your story."

"Is that a problem?" I questioned with an honest curiosity.

"I'd be a hypocrite to say yes, but… the detective in me can hardly stand it."

"Now you know how the rest of us feel."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means, you're always so mysterious."

"And you aren't?" Not angry, but perhaps a little indignant.

"Not really, no."
"I don't see a difference."

"I do."

Silence lingered for far too long. With a sigh, I began to elaborate.

"You're the leader. The one we look to for advice, support, commands- a lot of things. We trust you entirely. Rae, Star, and Cy have trusted all of us with their pasts when asked. It'd be nice for you to reciprocate it a bit."

"I still don't see the difference. You haven't taken that step yet, either."

"I haven't been asked. You have and yet you refuse."

It was true. The only time the team had asked me about my past was when the Doom Patrol requested my help with the Brain fiasco. They didn't seem interested. So I wasn't either. Robin on the other hand, has had so many plot twists where each one of us have openly questioned his past for an array of things. He declined us every time. Now, a guy like me with a past like mine, I understand avoiding that can of worms. The thing is, if they actually wanted my story or if it were necessary for a mission, I wouldn't hold back the way our 'Boy Wonder' does. Then again, maybe I over thought it again.

The sudden silence mixed with his calming breaths was beginning to send chills down my spine, my hairs standing on end with an annoyingly lofty sensation. Feeling a sudden need to break up the heavy silence, I added, "Cyborg knows. He asked. I told him because there was a mutual trust. If Star or Raven ever felt the urge to ask, I'd tell them- they've been honest, so why shouldn't I? You? Rob, I don't even know your real name. I haven't even seen your eyes."

Maybe I had gone too far. Struck a nerve, I shouldn't have. His heart rate was escalating alarmingly fast and, frankly, I'd rather not deal with his crankiness at the moment. Pizza sounded nice, though.

I stood up glancing over to see Rob, his head lowered to observe the floor with a rather keen interest, shoulders slumped in defeat. Just as I was walking towards the kitchen, I felt a need to clarify, "In my past...I...I learned never to trust someone you don't entirely know -the really hard way. You could say I'm a bit of a polygraph because of it. I know a lie when I hear one. A voice can be trained to sound strong, but a heart will always waver. I'm sorry, Rob."

And with that, I took my leave. At least we were on the same page, now.

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