Masked

Bonds

"Enough."

ragged breaths.

the sting of the iron bar slowly getting numb.

Blood.

Why is there so much blood?

"I'm through with it all."

eyelids closing for the last time.

"Just..do what you want."

Chapter 1

"Your business with us is unfinished! Halt!" 

It felt nostalgic, playing with the Titans. 

Red X hadn't fought them for months, so he could spot the changes in the team since he had nabbed his last jewel. 

Raven, still stately as ever, yet she moved like the weight of the world had been lifted off her shoulders. 

Beastboy and Cyborg, lack of focus watering down their skill.

And Robin, movements always fluid, so determined to win that he couldn't see what was right in front of him. 

Her. 

"Sorry cutie, but our date will have to wait. I just have to take care of a few things." 

He teleported away, leaving his confusing remark to sink in so Starfire couldn't prevent him from apprehending her friends. 

Robin glared at her, having not heard Red X's shameless flirting. "Star, what are you doing? Get him!"

The alien snapped out of her trance, and rammed X away from Beastboy and Raven. "You are a clorbag, and I will not share the enjoyable recreation with you!"

Red X swung from the rafters, pushing the demon and the beast to unconsciousness with his bolts. "Too bad. I could've showed you some fun." 

Robin looked confusingly between the unlikely couple. "What's he talking about, Star?" 

Red X grinned deliciously under the mask. "Oh, you didn't tell Robin? Maybe he'd be glad to know that someone  finally made a move." 

A look of realization spread around the boy blunder's face, and it slowly turned into a shade of crimson red. "You stay away from her!" He hissed, sending a high kick to the thief's face. Robin stood triumphant over Red X's fallen form, until a surprise leg sweep toppled the traffic light. 

"You Titans are so predictable. Even princess over there only has a few tricks." He winked at Starfire, while keeping Robin's face securely pinned to the ground. 

"I said to leave her out of this." Robin squirmed against his X-shaped restraints, but it was no use. The adhesive material was 10 times stronger than steel itself. 

"Better luck next time, kid." Red X surveyed the cold warehouse. By now Cyborg had been found helpless, with the scarlet gunk sinking into his motors during battle. Every Titan had been terminated, one by one.

Except for Starfire.

She zoomed out of a nearby window, probably to fetch an honorary Titan for backup. "Oh no you don't, cutie." He leapt over raven's fallen body, and sprinted out the door. Clear darkness awaited X, and he would've admitted defeat on finding the tamaranian if a quiet "eep!" hadn't alerted him to his surroundings.

"There you are. Look, I don't want to fight you, but-"

Her pupils began to fade, green eyes lighting up with the threat of energy projection.