AN: Wooo pointless one-shot time. I dunno when or where this came to me but I loved it so damnit I am writing it. I know I know, I should be writing Time Of Your Life, but the chapter I'm working on it just sooo hard to put into words…don't ask me why.
Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans or James Blunt's song. I'll name the song at the end so I don't spoil it.
Piano Player
Titans Tower. A large building shaped like a T. Floor after floor. Room after room after room. Each Titan had rooms and a floor of their own, well, except Starfire and Robin. When Starfire had first arrived Robin had out her in a room just down the hall from him. After three years Starfire still hadn't moved to her own floor.
Starfire stood just outside the elevator on her and Robin's floor, looking down at many of the doors she hadn't opened or never would. She knew the other Titans were about. However she didn't know exactly where they were. She imagined Beast Boy to be playing his game station, Raven to be reading and Cyborg to be doing something to his car. Yet Robin drew a blank in her mind. Starfire would've thought he would be in the training room, but she had just left the dark and empty gymnasium so she knew he definitely was not there.
Her feet padded softly on carpeted floor, bare from boots. Her loose pyjama bottoms swishing lightly with each step. Her hair fell down around her shoulders and back, covering the bare skin exposed from the navel-skimming tank top. The lack of sound in the hall was creepy as she trotted down it, searching for anyone. Crime was at a low recently and she had felt the need just to slob around that day, plus she knew that none of the others were wearing their uniforms.
She passed by doors. Many she had never been in, some she regarded as Robin's. Starfire stopped outside one of his "rooms" when she heard some strange tinkling noises escaping from within. She quickly recognised it to be a piano. Tinkling quickly became chords and a tune. A voice floated out from the small gaps and sang with the tune.
"Did I disappoint you or let you down?
Should I be feeling guilty or let the judges frown?
'Cause I saw the end before we'd begun,
Yes I saw you were blinded and I knew I had won.
So I took what's mine by eternal right.
Took your soul out into the night.
It may be over but it won't stop there,
I am here for you if you'd only care.
You touched my heart you touched my soul.
You changed my life and all my goals.
And love is blind and that I knew when,
My heart was blinded by you.
I've kissed your lips and held your head.
Shared your dreams and shared your bed.
I know you well, I know your smell.
I've been addicted to you."
Starfire pushed the small metal button by the door and cringed as the miniscule metallic hiss echoed throughout the hall. However the loud notes of the song covered the noise. Expecting to see a lone CD player pounding out the noise she saw a naked back, the owners face looking at music on a piano. His les were covered in sweatpants whereas him feet were bare, pressing the pedals down.
Taking a few steps forward, Starfire listened closely as the notes continued. The owner of the piano seemed to not notice the teenage girl creeping into the room. he was oblivious as to what was in his surrounds as he continued playing.
He took a breath a started the chorus:
"Goodbye my lover.
Goodbye my friend.
You have been the one.
You have been the one for me
Goodbye my lover.
Goodbye my friend.
You have been the one.
You have been the one for me.
I am a dreamer but when I wake,
You can't break my spirit - it's my dreams you take.
And as you move on, remember me,
Remember us and all we used to be
I've seen you cry, I've seen you smile.
I've watched you sleeping for a while.
I'd be the father of your child.
I'd spend a lifetime with you.
I know your fears and you know mine.
We've had our doubts but now we're fine,
And I love you, I swear that's true.
I cannot live without you."
Starfire continued to walk forward, coming nearer to the piano and the boy with every step. The boy was in an induced coma, or it would appear so. She took a few tentative steps around and was looking at the profile of the pianist.
He had his eyes close, meaning he had memorised the music and was not reading the sheets of carefully printed paper. His black hair fell across his forehead in soft strands and pieces, void of any and all hair products. Though his eyes were closed, a look of intense concentration was spread across his smooth face.
"Goodbye my lover.
Goodbye my friend.
You have been the one.
You have been the one for me.
Goodbye my lover.
Goodbye my friend.
You have been the one.
You have been the one for me.
And I still hold your hand in mine.
In mine when I'm asleep.
And I will bear my soul in time,
When I'm kneeling at your feet.
And I still hold your hand in mine.
In mine when I'm asleep.
And I will bear my soul in time,
When I'm kneeling at your feet."
The boy stopped playing for a moment, as if sensing there was someone next to him, watching him. Starfire cringed inwardly, praying to X'hal that he would not to turn to look at her. He re-tensed as his fingers continued to play the notes and took a final breath.
"Goodbye my lover.
Goodbye my friend.
You have been the one.
You have been the one for me
Goodbye my lover.
Goodbye my friend.
You have been the one.
You have been the one for me."
He took his hands away from the key of the piano, but his eyes remained closed.
'Hey Kori,' he said lightly. He pulled his legs away from the pedals and turned to the right. Facing her, but with his eyes still closed.
'How long have you know that I was listening?' Starfire asked, running her hand gently over the silent piano. The magnificent wooden structure was firm and finely made. A dark oak brown in colour, each surface shined perfectly.
'Long enough,' he answered before turning his body around and fingering a few keys lightly, creating a small tinkling melody.
'Robin –'
'Richard,' he cut in instantly. 'Robin doesn't play the piano, Richard does.'
'Oh, Richard, I did not know you could play piano at all,' Starfire said with a small sigh of awe. A small look of worry rushed onto her face. 'I did not mean to burst in on you. I know I should not have "creeped" around into your rooms, but I could not resist. The sounds I was hearing were fantastic.'
'It's ok Kori, really I don't mind,' Richard said. His eyes flickered open and he looked at the red head next to him. 'In fact, I could teach you a little if you want.'
'That would be wonderful!' Starfire cried with joy. Richard motioned the space next to him on the bench, indicating Starfire to sit next him.
'So…ok, this key is middle C,' Richard said slowly, taking Starfire's hand into his and making her thumb touch the white key. She pressed down lightly an squealed as the note hit out around the room.
'I never knew you could play the music of the piano,' Starfire said as she pressed down slightly harder on the note.
'You don't speak to Richard very much Kori,' Richard said as he moved her index finger on to the next note. 'Only Robin. This is D.'
'Where did you learn this skill?' Starfire enquired as she alternated her fingers and let a stream of C's and D's spread throughout the room. 'Surely not from "The Bat".'
'No, no, not at all. I learned to play this before I became Robin. It's one of my earliest memories from Wayne Manor actually,' Richard said as he moved an octave up and joined Starfire in her note playing.
'Oh?' Starfire said softly in question as she slowed her fingers down. 'Why…?'
'Well Alfred taught me,' Richard explained her he took her middle finger and set it on the next key to the right. 'It was really just to keep up appearances in the Bruce Wayne, but I would have much rather learned guitar. Alfred looks rather attractive with an electric guitar.'
'You play guitar also?' Starfire asked in awe. She took her hands away from the keys and turned to look at the person she knew next to her. Then realisation hit her. She didn't know this person. She didn't know him at all.
'Electric and acoustic, I prefer the acoustic,' Richard answered as he took control of the keys and played a soft little tune.
'I…I…I…do not know what to say…' Starfire said slowly, shaking her head slightly in disbelief.
'I know… it's amazing when I think of my life before I was a superhero. I had it simple…then rough…then easy, I never had to do anything for my self and certainly didn't have to look out for others,' Richard said casually as his tune changed to one of sorrow.
'I just… do not know you…Richard,' Starfire said in reply, a sad look crossing her face.
'But I don't know you Kori,' Richard replied evenly, his tune changing again to that of a playful sort. 'Princess, I don't know who you are.'
'Don't call me that,' Starfire muttered softly. 'I do not wish to be called such things.'
'But you are, you're a princess,' Richard answered. 'And as I don't know you, it's only polite call you by your formal title.'
'Richard…Robin…' Starfire sighed before continuing. 'We are who we show others, you show me you as Robin, and that is who you are, you cannot change who you are, though you may be able to change your name.'
The light tune of the piano stopped and was replaced by a silence that was dark and suffocating. Starfire watched as Robin squeezed his eyes shut tight.
'I don't want you to know me as Robin,' Richard said after a few minutes of tension. 'I want you to know me as Richard…who I am and who I will always be. And I want to know you…the real you. The Princess.'
'But Richard…'
'Shh…just listen…hear me out,' Richard said as he positioned his fingers on the keys and played a soft tune. 'I love you…but I also want to love the real you.'
'Oh…Robin…' Starfire said softly, watching his skilled fingers lash over the keys in rapid succession. 'You…do not mean it.'
'I can only mean it if you be the Princess you are,' Richard said lightly, his concentration heading back towards the piano. 'Would you do that for me?'
'…Of course…'
Urg… pointless one shot that gets messed up and makes no real sense! Oh well…anyways, if you want an MP3 of James Blunts Goodbye My Lover emailing me requesting it! TaTa!