An outtake from Haunted. Sorry, I was mixed up.
"If you ever get close to a human
and human behaviour
be ready to get confused" Bjork, Human Behavior
…...
Rain pounded upon the city, flash flooding it. It pounded on Starfire as she walked through town, her shoulders hunched, but her eyes looking for trouble. She was trying as hard as she could to see Slade, to make up to Robin for not seeing him earlier. But she really didn't see him, even though she tried.
The more time passed patrolling, the more frustrated Starfire got. There was no sign of Slade, or bombs anywhere. She was soaked to the bone, and she was starting to get cold, something that was rarer than Raven hugs. She had been wondering for hours, searching for trouble since Robin's outburst.
Starfire rubbed the spot where he had grabbed her. It had turned into blue and white bruise- but really, it was about the meaning behind the pain that really hurt. She had never thought in a million years that he would hurt her like that. He had hurt her before, but it wasn't his fault those times.
It was her fault, she was sure of it; maybe she had done the taboo? Humans were so confusing- it was in their nature. She hadn't learned completely about Earth yet, so sometimes she still did do things she thought were fine, that would anger or upset others. It was frustrating, but she had to do it to belong here.
She was too deep in her thoughts to notice Red X on the roof above her, watching. He caught her by surprise when he teleported behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist before teleporting back to the roof. Once Starfire got over the shock, she turned to Red X, glaring.
"Red X? What are you doing? If any of my friends saw us, they will-" Red X flashed up the bottom of his mask before Starfire could comprehend, and he pecked Starfire on the cheek. She blushed madly, making the thief chuckled as he fixed his mask back to normal.
"Relax cutie. I scouted the area before I snatched you," Starfire released a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. Humans were confusing, and Red X was no exception. She didn't really understand her relationship with Red X, but she did understand how she felt about him. Red X on the other hand, wasn't really that sure.
She loved her friends, but he fulfilled something she had missed. He never talked down to like she was a child. He kept an eye on her, and had saved her hide more than once from the Grim Reaper in the process. He listened to her woes, and put things in perspective for her at times, but others, looked at hers.
He kissed her, making her belly flop and her body float for her rest of the day.
When she told jokes wrong, he still laughed for her.
When she was upset, he always cheered her up in a way no one else could.
She had witnessed and done things she wouldn't have if it weren't for him- like she helped him commit crimes against people who deserved it. When she explained about her qualms, or rather, the lack of qualms with killing for justice, he didn't yell like Robin. In fact, he agreed.
At times, he was the one who kept her on Earth. She wished to be Robin's girlfriend, even though he shut her out at times, or yelled. But Red X... Red X had hurt her before, and she him. They would in the future, because he was still a villain and she a hero. When she was around him, she never felt alienated though. She loved to hear his real voice, to feel his lips, to share his laughter.
It was toxic and dangerous, but she still loved it. She was a girlfriend to him in all meanings, but they never talked about it; they just were what they were. It was addicting, and made her feel giddy and guilty. Starfire sighed and hugged herself.
"You did not answer my question. What are you doing?"
"Well, you were walking down the street, in the pouring rain, in the middle of the night alone. You look like a kicked puppy- so what's up?" Starfire looked up at the sky, a lump forming in her throat and tears in her eyes. Clouds swarmed around in the sky, darkening and lightening with lighting.
Red X and plopped down and the edge of the buildinging, his soaked suit squishing comically. He ignored it and patted the page beside him. Starfire, after a moment, sat down too with a squish. After she found her voice, she recalled the whole situation. When she was done, Red X shook his head.
"Cutie, as much as I want to find him and beat his face in, I know you won't let me," Starfire smiled at the indirect compliment. " and it sounds like something happened to him. He's trained by Batman, he's bound to notice things you won't, but seeing someone that was right next to you? It sounds like he is seeing things- he could have gone crazy like Bats, and he is drugged."
Starfire winced at the prospect. But now that she thought about it, the more he was right. He was getting more right about a lot of things lately, and that frightened Starfire because she wasn't sure if he was changing or she was.
"That sounds possible." Starfire rubbed her arm. Red X raised an eyebrow underneath his mask.
"Let me see," Starfire turned her arm away from him, putting on a sad smile.
"It is fine-"
"Kori," The use of her real name made her stick her arm out for him. He inspected it gingerly, mumbling under his voice something Robin. He growled, then released it.
" I don't care what he's on, he's going to have his ass handed to him before he knows it." He seemed genuinely angry, and Starfire just watched as he got up and paced the roof, clenching and unclenching his hands. Starfire watched him for a moment, before she grinned.
She tried to smothered the giggle that was escaping from her, but it wasn't really working. Red X looked up at her, confused about the sudden change in her mood. From his stance, she could imagine the look on his face, turning the giggle to a full blown laugh.
Her cheeks flushed as she did so, reminding how much Red X liked watching the way she laughs; she just put her whole body into the motion, so happy she couldn't stand it. He was still very confused, to say the least. But he smiled rejoined her.
When she calmed down, Red X asked.
"What was so funny?" Starfire grinned deviously, something she had picked up from the criminal.
"Imagine, you in a butler outfit, all serious, handing a platter to friend Robin with his butt on it!" Star started laughing again, ignoring the stab of guilt over what she was laughing for. " And he is confused, and missing his butt! " It was so childish, so stupid, but they both laughed.
It wasn't even all that funny, but they were soaked to the bone, in the middle of the night and one of them was deeply hurt at the moment. They wanted to laugh, because it made them both cry and their stomachs bounce with joy. And to Starfire, that was okay. She would return to her friends, and explain what happened.
Laughter almost turned to kisses, but they were both on the rooftop, and there was no time because they had places to be, and it was a huge risk to do anymore of this. Sometimes being on separate sides really bites. It almost like a cheesy Romeo and Juliet scenario- Red X just hoped they wouldn't die in the end.
After Starfire left, Red X stretched and then stood. He was so going to mess with Robin big time after this was over. But right now he was just going to be a support for the Titan- after all, he owed her after what she did for him.
…...
I couldn't help myself. I should be updating Written in the Stars but blaaaarrbge! It was all of the feels fault, I tell you, the FEELZ!
KKA