Silence held the room like a vice. Wildcard's words—half flippant, half razor-sharp—hung in the sterile air of the medbay, heavier than the antiseptic tang clinging to every surface.
Robin's jaw tightened. He didn't rise to the bait, didn't throw a retort across the space like Wildcard clearly wanted. Instead, his eyes locked on Raven, his mind already spinning through possibilities, strategies, consequences. His voice, when it came, was low but firm.
Robin (quiet, deliberate): "We can't make a move without considering the risks. Raven's powers are unstable when she's unconscious, but forcing her awake could trigger something worse. We need precision, not… shortcuts."
Starfire's hands pressed together tightly at her chest. Her expression softened into open sorrow at the sight of Raven's still form, then hardened with determination. She floated a step forward, voice breaking through the tension like a gentle flame in the dark.
Starfire (soft, earnest): "She is not a burden to us. She is our friend—our sister. To leave her adrift in the shadows is to let her suffer alone. We should wake her… but with care. With love."
Beast Boy shifted on his bed, scratching the back of his neck. His usual grin faltered under the weight of the moment, but he still tried, as always, to cut the edge of the fear.
Beast Boy (nervous humor): "Yeah, uh, maybe don't hit her with the morning bell just yet. Raven's not exactly the sunshine-and-pancakes type, y'know? Last time I tried waking her, she nearly telekinetically yeeted me into a wall."
The chuckle that followed was weak, almost guilty, as his eyes flicked back to her pale face.
Cyborg folded his arms, metal joints groaning softly, his gaze narrowing on Wildcard. His tone carried equal parts suspicion and worry.
Cyborg (gruff, firm): "Yeah, see, you make it sound like it's just a switch we flip. But you don't know her like we do. If Asmodeus is still crawling around her head, dragging her out too fast could fry her worse than letting her rest. We need a plan, not a gamble."
M'gann's voice was quieter, gentler—but carried its own weight. She had been watching Raven closest, her empathy brushing against the storm of the unconscious girl's mind. She finally spoke, eyes troubled.
M'gann (hesitant, thoughtful): "He's right about one thing—the city isn't calm. It feels… wrong. Heavy. Like static everywhere. But Raven—" she glanced toward her, then back at Robin "—her mind is fragile. If we force her to wake too soon, we could break something we can't repair."
The Titans' voices blended into a chorus of concern, hope, and caution.
And through it all, Wildcard leaned against the wall, arms crossed, gaze detached, like their debate was nothing more than a late-night sitcom argument. The faintest trace of amusement ghosted his lips, sharp and unreadable.
Wildcard's gaze lingered on Raven's unmoving form, his expression unreadable. His voice cut through the low murmur of the medical bay, crisp and even.
"Let me clear the fog in your heads—Raven isn't under anyone's control. Not mine, not Asmodeus'. She's just… drained."
He pushed off the wall, tone dipping into something colder. "And not to pile on the pressure, but if you mishandle this, there's a chance she slips into a coma. Permanently."
The words hit hard. Beast Boy's throat bobbed as he swallowed. Cyborg's fists clenched at his sides. Starfire's lips parted, her worry hanging unspoken.
Wildcard went on, utterly unmoved by their fear.
"Even if she does wake up, she won't be hurling anyone across the room. I severed her connection to magic last night at the stadium. Think of it like pulling the fuse from a bomb. At worst, she'll curse, maybe throw a pillow. But with her frame?"
He shrugged, the faintest flicker of a smile tugging at his mouth. "That's all she's got."
Silence pressed down. The Titans traded uneasy glances—whispers of doubt, guilt, hesitation rippling through the sterile room.
Jinx, perched on a nearby counter with her legs swinging, broke the suffocating silence with a dry laugh.
"Well, isn't this a cheerful little wake-up call. You lot gonna sit around wringing your hands, or actually do something before demon daddy comes back for round two?"
Her words snapped the Titans back, but it was Wildcard's next line that cut through the room.
"Do it quick," he said, his tone flat, final. His gaze swept across each of them like a blade. "Or wait until Asmodeus gets stronger, takes Raven, then takes this city—and then he'll take you."
His eyes narrowed, voice dropping into something colder, harsher.
"And trust me, I am not saving any of you again."
The weight of his words hung like chains.
Cyborg's jaw worked as if he wanted to argue but found no ground to stand on.
"...He's not wrong," he admitted finally, voice low.
Beast Boy shifted uneasily, his hands tightening into fists. "I don't like this…"
Starfire, torn between fear and duty, floated closer, her voice trembling with worry. "But… if it is the only path to free our friend, then we must."
Reluctance spread across the team like a slow poison, but still—they nodded.
Wildcard exhaled, almost bored, and leaned back against the wall. He even yawned, as if the life-or-death tension barely touched him.
"Good. Took you long enough." His hands slid into his pockets as he spoke, his tone clipped and matter-of-fact. "Waking Raven now is easier. Asmodeus doesn't have his claws in her at the moment. You restrain her—firmly, or this gets messy."
His gaze lingered on each Titan before it settled deliberately on Megan. The pause stretched a heartbeat longer than it should have.
"Waking her up?" He tilted his chin toward her. "That's your job."
Megan blinked, startled. "Mine?"
Wildcard's eyes didn't waver.
"You've got the softest touch in this room. She'll hear you more than she'll hear me—or any of them." He let the edge of steel return to his tone as he added, "If she wakes up hostile, I'll step in and calm her down. That's my part."
Beast Boy muttered, "And if you don't?"
Wildcard's smirk was thin, humorless. "Then we all find out if pillows really can kill."
The room fell into grim focus.
***
The room shifted from argument to action.
Cyborg moved first, jaw set. With a few metallic clicks, he drew out reinforced straps from the medbay's cabinets. He didn't say anything as he secured Raven's wrists and ankles against the bedframe, the soft hiss of synthetic leather fastening far louder than the silence around him.
Beast Boy shifted uneasily at the sight. "Feels… wrong, dude. She's our teammate, not some—"
"She's also the one Asmodeus tried to hollow out," Wildcard cut in, his tone sharp enough to slice through Beast Boy's protest. "If she lashes out mid-wake, these straps won't hold long. But they'll buy you seconds. Use them."
Beast Boy swallowed his reply, shoulders slumping as he looked away.
Starfire hovered close but deliberately kept her distance, her hands clasped tightly at her chest. Her voice was soft, almost pleading. "Please, let her not awaken in pain."
Miss Martian stepped forward then, her expression steady despite the nerves she radiated. She placed a gentle hand on Raven's temple, brushing a stray strand of hair aside. Her eyes briefly flicked to Wildcard. "You're sure she's clear?"
Wildcard, leaning against the wall with arms folded, gave the faintest nod. "I already gutted Asmodeus' influence last night. What's left is just… her. But she's been through hell. You'll feel it when you reach in." His gaze lingered on Megan for a second longer than usual, then dropped back to Raven. "Don't push too hard. If she fights you, pull back."
Cyborg finished tightening the last restraint with a heavy exhale. "She's set." He stepped back, giving Megan space.
The Titans instinctively formed a loose circle, none daring to come closer, as though standing guard against something they couldn't see.
Wildcard pushed off the wall, straightening. His voice was calm, almost casual.
"Alright. Megan, it's your move. Wake her up—gently. If she snaps, I'll be the one to put her down."
A shiver ran through the room. No one argued.
Miss Martian closed her eyes, fingertips pressed to Raven's temple, her mind reaching for the storm inside.
And Wildcard, for the first time that day, let his hands turn in seals hidden in his coat—ready.
End of chapter.
Author's note: Don't forget to add this story to your library and drop a Power Stone to show your support!