A beautiful mess

WTF (Well That's Foreshadowing)

"RAVEN!"
When the boys reached the living room, they found something that could only hardly resemble the girl that kicked Dick's ass (no pun intended). On the floor, near a broken vase, probably the source of the loud the crash they heard, was a pile of fabric that maybe in a past life could've been a cloack, but that now was torn up at the end and reddened by something that resembled blood. Wrapped in all that, was Raven, with a bored expression on her face while Zatanna checked her for injuries.
"Zee. I told you. I'm fine. No need to wake up the whole city."
"RAVEN! HOW AM I NOT SUPPOSED TO BE WORRIED! YOU GET IN HERE AFTER PATROLLING, FALL AND BREAK A VASE BECAUSE YOU'RE FEELING DIZZY, WITH A BLOODY CLOACK AND YOU WANT ME TO KEEP QUIET!? LOOK AT YOURSELF! YOU'RE A MESS! "
That was something Raven both loved and hated about Zatanna. She treated her like a daughter, and the older woman was no different than a mother to her, and she cared for her deeply, but she hated when she was over-protective.
She's a superhero! She can take care of herself.
All the while, the boys were petrified on the doorway. The first to wake up from his trance was Dick, who hurriedly made his way to Raven.
"Rae! How do you feel? You look terrible"
"You should've seen the other guy"
She could feel their worry, so smirking she tried to make them relax.
"And as for the vase, don't worry"
As she said that, purple energy enveloped th broken pieces, putting them together, and putting the now intact vase back on the table.
"Raven don't waste your energy!"
"Zee I'm fine. It takes more than this to take me down"
"Oh really? Then why don't you get on your feet?"
Dick was irritated. It had been 3 years since they last went on a mission together, and she still hadn't learned to admit when she was hurt.
"Shut it bird-boy" glared Raven, but she didn't try to get up.
Bird-boy was ready to kill someone at that point. First his unsufferable younger brother, now this.
Was there someone with a little sanity left in that room?
"You know what? Fine. Whatever. I don't care. You can bleed out on that carpet for all it matters to me. I'm going back to sleep." And with those words he left, slamming the door to his room.
By now the remaining males in the room had given up on understanding what was going on, and were just standing there looking like ducklings who were just told to stand on one leg.
Well, actually not everyone had...
You already know who I'm talking about, and normally he would've spoken up already, but he was still shaken after seeing his brother, normally calm and collected, blowing up on them. Twice. So he kept his mouth shut.
Raven's only reaction was to huff, and roll her eyes, as the motherly enchantress brought her to one of the couches.
"Zee, don't make such a fuss. I'm fine really, I just need to sleep for a  few hours and meditate. Besides, you're going to dirty the couch."
The hard look the other sent her, made her cast her eyes down. Not because it was particularly harsh (Raven was a master glarer, not even Batman could make her bow her head), but because of the worry and love that gaze contained. She felt terribly guilty, and a wave of shyness submerged her, because no matter how many years she spent with the sorceress, she would never get used to be the object of something so pure and good as that look.
Seeing that her pupil wouldn't be causing her problems any longer, she turned to the fishes in the room.
"Are you done standing there? Good. Then go back to bed and I'll see you tomorrow morning. You need to sleep."
Surprisingly, Kon'El opposed to that.
"But Miss Zatanna-"
"No buts, and don't call me that. It makes me feel old. Now leave."
They obliged, but as they were walking down the hall, the archer of the group looked behind him to see a certain little had not moved from behind the door.
"Ohi Dame, you not coming?"
The inquired glared at the other: "Do not call me that, and use correct grammar. As far as I know you went to school didn't you?"
"Yeah yeah, now answer the question"
"Everyone's so secretive. I'm sick of this. Something smells fishy, and I'm going to find out what it is."
A snicker came from behind them as they heard: "Well, it must be Aqua's fault if something's smelling fishy." followed by a grunt of pain. Both were ignored, though you could see the hint of a supressed smirk on Roy's face.
"Well, someone has to be the responsible one, and that clearly isn't going to be you, so I'll stay with you, just to make you don't create a bigger ruckus than you already did"
The silent fish-friendly boy though, had something to add to the conversation, so he spoke up.
"You, responsable? The day sharks will fly. I'm not going to leave you on your own. I'll stay and be the responsable one"
"Aw, Aqua, don't you trust me?"
The only answer he got was silence.
"Well I'm not going to leave my best buddy. So I'm staying too."
"I'm not going back on my own. I'm scared. I'll stay here"
"Kon. You're a superhero. You fight bad guys. You have freaking lasers literally coming out of your eyes."
"Yes, but I'm literally awake when I do that, and I won't be able to defend myself from the monsters if I'm asleep"
The youngest made everyone crack a smile with his antics. He was absolutely ridiculous, but they loved him all the same, and were going to protect the sweet innocent cinnamon roll that he was.
But Mr. Bratety Brat had to be a brat and speak.
"Yeah, fine. Let's have a happy tea party behind the door if you so wish, but shut up and let me hear what they say"
They complied, and huddled close behind the door, hoping to hear snippets of what was going on.
On the other side of the door, the little bird was being tended to.
After some minutes of silence, Zatanna finally inquired how she had ended up like that.
Raven didn't dare joke about it, sensing the worry laced in the question, and reluctantly explained that during the night she had come upon a robbery in a side alleway. Seeing only two men, she decided to make it quick, and instead of planning a sneak attack, she flew in their faces, to put herself as a shield between them and the boy they were trying to hurt. However she had not noticed the guns in their hands, and while she was dealing with one of them, the other managed to get through her and shoot at the boy. Seeing the boy petrified, she understood he was not going to move, so she used her body to protect him, effectively taking the bullet. After that she knocked bothe of the men out, and helped the boy get home, after handing the robbers to the police.
"Why didn't you stop the bullets with your magic?"
Raven's gaze, if possible, turned even more guilty, as she showed her mother the metal bands on her wrists.
"Raven! You should've taken them off before patrol! What are you doing with them still on!?"
The youngest's eyes filled, and the eldest regretted raising her voice.
"I-I-... H-he w-was sayi-ing and I couldn't-... 'm s-sorry"
Her trembling form was soon brought in an embrace, as the older woman stroked her hair.
"Hush, you're okay. I got you, I got you..."
Words could not express how much feeling the fear and the sadness rolling in waves off the normally strong girl in front of her teared up her heart.
"I just wanted it to stop..."
They spent the night like that. Entangled in that sorrowful embrace, both unaware of the ears that heard them behind the door.

You either die a hero, or you live long enough to let yourself  become the villain
Alias290