She was like a little kid.
That's what Robin had come to understand after fifteen seconds of watching Starfire skip around in the rain. She laughed like a pleased five year old child as she hopped into puddles caused by the storm that had recently passed. A delicate, cloudy drizzle remained, dampening their outfits.
Beast Boy joined the Tamaranean in her delight, shifting into a dog and leaping into the little lakes that had formed in the middle of the street, barking with glee. He watched the green teenager purposefully drench Raven, earning himself a harsh slap across the face.
Robin stood off to the side, watching the young red haired girl with interest. He didn't understand how someone with so much responsibility could be so carefree and happy. How someone who literally had the weight of the city, sometimes even the world, on her shoulders could enjoy the little things like splashing around in puddles. It boggled his mind.
His eyes traced her form as she twirled around, her sweet laughter filling the air. The pleasant smile on her face caused something to claw at his heart. Every shadow suddenly felt too dark and all the people walking the streets of Jump City became enemies.
He wanted nothing more than to protect this innocent, alien girl from all harm.
At first, as much as he didn't want to admitted, he feared for her. She was too forgiving, polite and overall just too kind. However, after months of fighting off different villains, he had watched her develop layers of badass heroine. What he really admired though, was the fact that she could still be the curious teenage girl around them.
He wouldn't dare accept it, but he had over time grown to like her...Maybe a little more than like. But, he was scared. He didn't understand it at all. How could he be able to take down the most dangerous bad guys in moments but be reduced to a babbling idiot around her? Thinking about it just gave him a headache.
She had a sort of purity that was not meant to be tainted, but as one of the Teen Titans, she knew she would have to put herself in harm's way if that meant protecting the innocent. And she knew she would have to deal with the emotional trauma of killing someone if she wanted to keep the city safe.
It wasn't just that reality bubbling under the surface that made Robin want to hide her away from the rest of the world. It was just Starfire in general.
She had a certain way of smiling when she'd successfully win a battle against an opponent that not only infuriated the enemy, but it also made Robin's heart melt. Listening to her laugh was almost like listening to the most beautiful song in all existence. She always knew what to say and how to comfort someone. Whenever she spoke, her words held passion and truth.
The way she treated everyone on the team was tender and loving. She had a habit of overdoing things, but it was undeniably adorable. Whenever someone was injured, she'd be the first one to their aid, wanting to do anything to nurse them back to health.
She wasn't fearless and powerful. She was also gentle and beautiful.
And Robin didn't want to let anyone lay even a finger on her. He would die before he could let someone corrupt that purity.
Starfire was just so...Starfire. There was really no other way to say it. Robin often tried putting himself in her shoes, being an alien from another planet, having superpowers and all that. He simply couldn't comprehend how someone with so much responsibility and power could still be so easy going and lighthearted.
Yet, there she was, whirling around gracefully in the rain.
"Wow!" She giggled as she spun in the precipitation, her hair matted to her back. "This is quite glorious! It never rained on Tamaran!"
Once again, Robin fought the urge to wrap his arms around her and never let go.
"Robin!" She called his name in the impossibly captivating way that makes his heart leap and his stomach to back flips. She proceeded to bounce over to him in that naïve way of hers, kicking up water as she went along. "Join us!"
He grinned and for once, decided to let loose a little. She forced his guard down and he felt as free as ever.