Chapter 20

Raven watched the exchange between Naruto and Beast Boy with mild amusement, her arms crossed as she observed their antics. There was a time when she might have found such interactions irritating, but now, after the emotional weight of the day, their playful banter was a welcome distraction.

She sighed, shaking her head. "You two are idiots," she muttered, but there was no venom in her tone—only a ghost of a smile playing at the corner of her lips.

Naruto caught the expression and grinned. "Did you just smile, Raven? Is this a historic moment?"

Raven's eyes narrowed as she turned away. "You must be imagining things."

Beast Boy, now emboldened by the shift in mood, nudged Naruto. "Dude, we just did the impossible. We got Raven to smile. That's gotta be worth a free meal, right?"

Raven let out a small chuckle under her breath before sighing dramatically. "You realize this means I'll have to listen to your nonsense all night, right?"

Naruto gave her a playful thumbs-up. "That's the price of friendship. No refunds."

Rolling her eyes, Raven pulled up her hood. "Let's just eat before I regret this decision."

Naruto and BB high-fived as they walked alongside her, and for the first time in a long while, Raven felt something light inside her—something that pushed away the darkness, if only for a moment.

Nightwing leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples as he stared at the mission plans in front of him. The flickering light of the computer screens cast shadows across his face, highlighting the exhaustion that had settled deep into his bones. The next step against the Light was a dangerous one, even more so than their previous maneuvers. Aqualad was already risking everything by working as a spy within their ranks, and now, they were about to send Artemis in as well.

It was a calculated risk, but every move they made felt like walking a tightrope over a pit of fire. One wrong step, and the entire operation would come crashing down.

His thoughts drifted to Naruto. The blond was an enigma—powerful, unpredictable, and full of energy. Nightwing had considered slipping him into the Light's ranks, but the risk was too great. Naruto's power was like a beacon, something that could be traced with magic or advanced technology. The Light had some of the most dangerous minds in the world working for them. If they caught on, Naruto would be compromised instantly.

Shaking his head, he dismissed the idea for now. Instead, his mind wandered to something else—someone else.

Starfire.

Impulse had once gushed about her beauty, about how perfect she seemed. Nightwing had thought so too, once. He had believed in her, trusted her, loved her. They had been partners in battle, inseparable in spirit, or so he had thought.

But then… that night.

The memory hit him like a punch to the gut, sharp and unforgiving. He had come back from a mission, exhausted but eager to see her, only to find her in bed with Malcolm. His closest friend. His brother in arms.

The raw anger he had felt that day had been unlike anything he had ever known. A deep, burning rage that nearly consumed him. He had wanted to kill Malcolm, to tear him apart for what he had done. But the worst part? The part that shattered him beyond repair?

Starfire wasn't even sorry.

She had looked at him with those wide, innocent eyes and simply stated that she didn't see the problem. That he was her love, but Malcolm and the others were just toys. That her desires were too strong for just one man to handle. That he should accept it.

He had walked away that night, leaving behind the team, the Titans, the life he had built. The betrayal had cut too deep, and there was no coming back from it. Beast Boy had told him later that she cried for a day before vanishing into space, but it didn't matter. He had cried too—cried in anger, in frustration, in pain.

And now? He couldn't trust anymore.

Since then, relationships had become meaningless to him. He had turned into something resembling his mentor—cold, distant, unwilling to form attachments. He had flings, but nothing more. From thrill-seekers like Harley Quinn to mystics like Zatanna, he had gone through them all, but it was just physical.

His heart? That was locked away, buried beneath the weight of betrayal.

He let out a slow breath, leaning forward, his fingers pressing against his temples. Forget it. Starfire was gone, likely back on Tamaran, married to that fiancé of hers. She had always talked about how she would marry him for duty but still love Nightwing.

Love.

His lips curled into a bitter smirk. She really thought I'd be okay with that?

She really took him as a cuck.

No. Never.

His hands clenched into fists as he pushed the memories aside. He had more important things to focus on.

The mission. The fight. That was all that mattered now.

Nightwing turned away from the computer screens as he heard the familiar voice.

"Night."

He glanced up, recognizing the serious tone in Superboy's voice. Connor wasn't one for casual visits, especially now. Whatever he wanted, it was important.

"Connor, how can I help you?"

Despite everything they had gone through over the years, Nightwing still considered Connor one of his closest friends. They had been Titans together, fought side by side, and endured losses that left deep scars. Him, Wally, Aqualad, Beast Boy, and Cyborg—they were brothers in arms.

Connor stood near the entrance of the dimly lit base, his hands clenched as if he was still debating whether to ask what was on his mind. His expression was thoughtful, even hesitant, before he finally spoke.

"I need your help with improving my fighting style. You know all my powers better than anyone, and I've realized that I've been lazy about fixing this problem."

There was a flash of frustration in his eyes, directed at himself. "My big brother is a master of martial arts, even my cousin incorporates fighting techniques when necessary, but me? I've just been relying on raw strength. It's time to change that."

Nightwing's gaze sharpened as he observed the unspoken turmoil in Connor's expression. He knew this wasn't just about training. There was something else.

The whole team was a mess when it came to relationships, and Connor was no exception.

Batgirl had been left heartbroken when he, Nightwing, had put an end to their romantic entanglement. Connor had suffered betrayal in a much worse way—Miss Martian had violated his mind, forcing her way into his thoughts, altering memories, stripping away things she didn't like. And she had justified it. Never once did she admit she was wrong.

What made it worse was that she had continued doing it, not just to him, but to others. He hadn't told the team yet, but she had been ripping memories out of people's minds, leaving them comatose, all in the name of the "greater good."

She was becoming what they fought against.

Then there was Red Arrow—his on-and-off relationship with Cheshire was nothing short of a dangerous gamble. Would she ever leave the villain life behind? Nobody knew.

Zatanna? She had loved John Constantine, but their relationship shattered after her father sacrificed himself because of one of John's choices. That loss created a wound that never fully healed.

It seemed like, aside from Wally and Artemis, everyone on the team had some kind of tragic love story.

Nightwing leaned forward, interlocking his fingers as he regarded Connor carefully.

"No problem, I can help with that," he said. "But honestly, if you want the best results, you should ask Donna Troy. Just explaining things won't be enough, and I can't help you with practical sparring."

Connor frowned slightly. "Why not?"

Nightwing smirked. "Because I like my bones unbroken, thank you very much."

Connor huffed out a short laugh. It was true—going up against Superboy in a sparring match wasn't exactly fair. And Cassandra, standing silently behind him, was strong in her own right, but she still wasn't at Donna Troy's level.

"I don't think I'm allowed on the island for long."

Nightwing shrugged. "Then just invite her for a spar outside Themyscira. If she has time, she'll come. Or… you could just train with Naruto. His close combat skills are just as sharp as ours, and you might even learn something from how he integrates his energy attacks into a fight."

Connor's expression shifted as he thought about it. His pride had kept him from considering Naruto as a training partner. The blond ninja was powerful, but Superboy had always relied on his Kryptonian heritage too much to think of learning from someone who wasn't Kryptonian or Amazonian.

But Nightwing was right.

"Yeah," Connor muttered, rubbing his chin. "I almost let my pride get in the way. I'll talk to him about a sparring session."

He sat down at the table, finally letting some of the tension leave his shoulders. His eyes flickered to Cassandra.

"You don't have the problem of being restricted from Themyscira. Maybe you should go and train with Donna, then come back and teach me something."

Nightwing watched them quietly, noting how natural they looked together. He had never understood Connor and M'gann's relationship, even when it was good. Their species were just too different.

Meghan was a psychic, a being who relied on telepathic connections and emotional bonds in a way that Connor never could. After what she had done to his mind, he had begun to despise telepathic contact altogether.

She had tried to change him.

But Lagoon Boy? A fellow Martian hybrid? He was the right fit for her. Not Connor.

Nightwing leaned back in his chair and let out a breath.

"Just don't go overboard, you two. If you do get stronger, I might have to start carrying Kryptonite in my utility belt."

Connor rolled his eyes, while Cassandra smirked.

Training, fights, missions—it was all they had now. And maybe, just maybe, it was better that way.

The wind blew gently over Jump City, carrying with it the salty scent of the sea. The trio sat atop the abandoned Titan Tower, their legs hanging over the edge as they watched the city below. The golden hues of the setting sun painted a beautiful contrast against the steel and glass of the skyline, but none of them were particularly focused on the scenery.

Raven sat in silence, her hood down, exposing her short violet hair as she stared at the cityscape. Nostalgia tugged at her heart. This had been her home, her sanctuary from the chaos that was her heritage. The Titans had given her purpose, a family. Those days had been the best of her life—filled with teamwork, late-night pizza runs, and the occasional supernatural disaster. Now, all that was left was an empty tower and memories.

Naruto, on the other hand, had a more practical outlook on the situation. "You know, it's a waste to let this place just sit here. I mean, it's got a great view, state-of-the-art security, and enough room to fit an army. Why hasn't anyone moved in?"

"Because it's not a rental apartment," Raven deadpanned.

"Still, it's a shame. You could at least turn it into a training base or something. Think about it—Titans Academy. Teach the next generation of heroes. Or even better, open a restaurant with BB's cooking."

Beast Boy let out a strangled gasp. His face contorted in agony as he clutched his chest. "Don't even joke about that, dude. I just lost a part of my soul paying for today's meal. I swear, Naruto, you eat more than an entire pack of werewolves after a full moon!"

Naruto grinned, rubbing his stomach. "Hey, you're the one who insisted we eat at an upper-class restaurant. Don't blame me for having refined taste."

Beast Boy groaned, flopping onto his back dramatically. "I should have just taken you to a burger joint… My poor wallet. It's gone, man. Dust in the wind."

Raven rolled her eyes, though the corner of her lips twitched in amusement. "Maybe next time, don't try to impress Naruto with fine dining. You should know by now that he eats like a black hole."

"I thought he was a normal guy with ninja skills! I didn't realize he was a walking stomach with an appetite rivaling Galactus!"

Naruto smirked. "Hey, I earned this meal. You can't just train all day and not fuel the machine. Speaking of which, you might want to consider eating more, BB. If you're going to keep up with me, you'll need all the energy you can get."

Beast Boy groaned, covering his face with his hands. "Man, now I gotta take more acting gigs just to afford my groceries. Can't survive on my last paycheck forever."

Naruto blinked. "Wait, acting?"

Raven nodded, answering before Beast Boy could. "His mother was an actress. He inherited some of her talent. When he's not turning into random animals or emptying his bank account, he does gigs."

"And researching!" Beast Boy added. "My dad was a scientist, remember? He was the one who gave me my powers in the first place. Got sick as a kid, and he figured the only way to save me was to make me part jungle. Now I can turn into anything, even space creatures. Pretty cool, right?"

Naruto whistled. "Damn, that's some serious dedication. Your dad must've been a genius."

"Yeah, but I got the raw end of the deal. I can turn into any animal, but I don't get their skills unless it's instinctive. Like, I can be a dragon, but I don't suddenly know how to breathe fire unless it's built-in. Otherwise, I could just turn into a green version of you and wreck house."

Naruto laughed. "A green Naruto? Now that would be a sight."

Beast Boy shuddered. "No thanks. I made a rule a long time ago—no turning into other people. I don't wanna forget what I actually look like. There were times I freaked myself out, wondering if I was even still 'me.' You know, existential crisis stuff."

Raven gave him a rare sympathetic look. "You're still you, Gar. Even if you look different, it's your choices that define you."

Naruto nodded. "Yeah, besides, if you ever forget, we can always slap some sense into you. That usually works."

Beast Boy grinned. "See, this is why I keep you guys around. Emotional support… and emergency therapy through violence."

The trio sat in comfortable silence for a few moments, enjoying the cooling breeze. Despite the jokes and complaints, there was an undeniable sense of camaraderie between them. It didn't matter that the tower was abandoned, that their old team had scattered. Right now, they were together, and that was enough.