A/N: It feels like I haven't posted in forever.
Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick.
The fact that she could actually hear the clock on her violet wall was a sign that she was still very much alive. And in that moment, that was very disappointing. She could hear pacing footsteps outside of her room, along with an accelerated heartbeat. A heavier set of footsteps joined the pacing ones. "What are you doing?"
"..waiting."
"For what exactly?"
"Her."
"I think she just wants to be alone, dude."
"She's been alone for weeks, Cy, she needs to at least eat something..this can't be healthy.."
Sitting up, she stared at the door. Waiting for the response. It never came. Instead, nothing but a sigh was heard, and two pairs of footsteps retreated down the hallway. Everything inside her wanted to sprint towards the door, beg them not to leave her, beg them not to give up, but she couldn't. She wouldn't. Instead, she walked slowly, not making a single noise and she put her hand against the door. She could still feel his warmth, smell his aroma, and sense his worry. Covering her mouth to stifle the sob that escaped from her core, through her throat, and past her lips, she stumbled backwards, shaking. She wouldn't weep, she refused too, this was her doing. Her fault. Her choice. Choice. She replayed the word over and over again in her head. Was this really her doing? Was this her..choice? To isolate herself? To be alone? No..no, it wasn't. Moving forward, she reached towards the button that would open her door, she was close, so, so close to the warmth again..
"They don't want you, dearie. They don't want you."
A cold hand reached out from the darkness, touching her shoulder. "They don't want you."
A cold chill went up her spine and she shivered. "But..they were waiting."
"Because they have to. You have no use to them. They do not want you around, sweet Raven. But me, I will always be here. It's for the best."
Was she right? Was it really for the best? Glancing at the crack beneath her door was light from the hallway was slowly fading in, she moved to walk forward again. "If they had wanted you they wouldn't have allowed you to sit here for weeks on your own." That made her stop, and the light beneath her door became immersed in darkness once again. Perhaps it truly was for the best. Slowly, she turned and walked back her to bed. "That's it darling, just sleep and it'll all go away."
Beast Boy paced back and forth in the common room. "Maybe she's in danger! Yea, that's it! S-she must be trapped by a villain or something causing her to stay locked in her room, because..because..um, oh! Because the villain is threatening us!" Nodding excitedly to himself, the changeling started walking in the direction of the weapons room. "Robin, you grab your staff, Cyborg, get the grenades.. and I'll get the flamethrower!"
As he continued to walk, he noticed he was no longer moving. Looking down, he realized his legs were walking on nothing but air, and that the neck of his shirt had gotten much tighter. "Cy, put me down! We have to help her."
Shaking his head, Cyborg dropped him back onto his feet. "We can't, B."
"Why the hell not? She could be in danger!"
Cyborg opened his mouth to reply, but Robin stepped in front of him. "There's nothing in her room. I had Cyborg check with his scanners, the only one in there is Raven, and she's not in danger."
"..what?"
Starfire spoke up from her place on the couch. "Friend Raven wants to have the alone time, there is nothing we can do but let her decide to come out on her own."
Robin nodded in agreement. "Exactly, we can't force her out."
"Please tell me you're joking." Beast Boy gawked at them. "So we're just going to let her sit in her room and rot? That's the plan?!" He yelled, flailing his arms around. When all he got were blank stares, he shook his head and started walking towards the common room doors. "Lousy bunch of quitters."
Raven slowly sat up in her bed. Looking around, she saw nothing but darkness, and she couldn't hear a thing, meaning that the voice, or whatever it was, had gone. Closing her eyes, she focused her energy on the towers inhabitants. Once she was sure they were asleep, she stood from her bed and walked towards her door. Biting her lip slightly, she moved backwards, and instead decided to teleport, sinking herself through the floor.
Once in the common room, she went straight towards the stove, filling up her tea kettle with water. The sound of rustling made her jump and she whipped around, tensing up when she saw the changeling.
"Hey, Rae."
Trying to slow her breathing, she watched as he slowly walked around the counter. "That's not my name."
"Sorry..Raven. What are you doing out of your room?"
She gestured to the kettle on the stove. "Want to guess?"
Beast Boy scrunched his nose up in disgust. "How can you like that stuff? It's so bitter!"
She rolled her eyes and the kettle started to scream. She walked quickly over to it and pulled it off the stove before it woke the others. "Hey, Rae-ven?" He asked, quickly correcting himself.
"Hmm?"
"Did..Did I do something wrong?"
Turning around, she looked at him questionably. "What?"
"Like..did I do something to make you angry?"
"No..why would you ask me that?"
Rubbing the back of his head nervously, he looked down to stare at his shoes. "It's just..you've been cooped up in your room for weeks and-"
"Just because I want to be alone doesn't mean I'm angry at you."
"But-"
"No, I'm done talking about this." She surrounded herself in a black shadow, sinking through the common room floor, leaving her tea, and a disgruntled Titan behind.
Once she got back to her room, she let out a scream of frustration. "What a stupid mistake." The voice had returned, causing her to sigh.
"I told you they didn't want you around, sweet Raven."
Raven nodded and sat on her bed. "I know."
"Don't worry, darling," A cold hand stroked her hand. "I'll always be here. You don't have to ever leave the room again..just sleep forever."
She shied away from the hand that touched her, moving away. "I don't want to sleep forever."
"Oh, but dear, it'll be much more peaceful..you can dream forever, and it's not like anyone will miss you..there's pills in the infirmary..it won't hurt, you'll just fall asleep."
"I don't know if-"
A knock on her door stopped her from replying. "Rae? I know you're awake..I can hear you..you don't have to talk or anything, but I want you to listen..ok?" He took the silence as his cue to continue. "I think I know what's going on, and I can understand. After..after my parents died, I didn't want to be around anyone..but Rae, solitude isn't the answer to this. You shouldn't trap yourself in your room, especially not when you have people who are worried about you. Everyone misses you..Robin, Starfire, Cyborg..me. We're here for you Raeā¦just please let us in."
"He's lying."
"No..you're lying." She started walking towards her door.
"You'll regret this! I'm the only who cares about you! I'm the only one who's always here! They don't want you!"
Pausing, but not turning back, she took in a breath. "He does."
"No!" Raven pressed the button, and the door slid open with a hiss, causing light to flood into her room, banishing the darkness. Walking out the door, she paused again, looking back to the light filled room, searching for the source of the voice before she continued to the common room.
There was nothing there.