Similarities Mean Nothing—Connections Mean Everything

"And then the aardvark said 'No! That's my tail.'"

Starfire's laughter rings loud in Beast Boy's ears. The light, happy sound makes the green teenager sit up straighter when the pride he feels for making her laugh shoots through him. He made sure before he started the joke that his alien friend understood what an aardvark was by turning into one. The change had to be quick since they were in a restaurant with a strict No Pets policy turned No Animals policy the minute the changeling walked through the door. One of the waiters had seen the transformation and shot Beast Boy a dirty look, but it was worth it. It had worked—she understood the joke and thought it funny.

"You are most amusing, Beast Boy," Starfire says when her giggles have subsided.

Beast Boy's smile turns into a smirk. "Yeah, I am pretty funny." He practically glowed at the compliment. That's why he asked if Starfire would be the one to accompany him tonight.

He originally was going to ask all the Titans if they wanted to check out the newest hangout downtown—The Breakout, it was called. Although new, its reputation spread like wildfire. Good food, an area for dancing, and impeccable service with a side of sarcasm (since, of course, the place was geared towards teens).

Beast Boy instantly was all gung-ho for going, but as he was running down the halls in search of his friends, he had a rare "graceful" moment when he tripped over his own two feet and fell flat on his face. Before he could even begin to collect himself and pretend like it never happened, Raven came out of nowhere—hood up and nose in a book—floated past him, not giving him so much as a side-glance, and said "Way to go. But next time you practice for a hurdle race, it helps to actually have those there so you don't look like an idiot tripping over nothing and instead trip over an actual obstacle."

Beast Boy had been furious. He and Raven never really saw eye-to-eye or got along real well. Sure they understood each other enough to give well-deserved respect, but their personalities were not compatible. Beast Boy had concluded that long ago. And sure, maybe he had been the one to insult her first when she accidentally got a paper cut from one of her ancient, scary-looking books. He may have started it earlier that day, but that didn't stop his cheeks from flaring up and his anger to begin boiling. It was then and there he decided he would not invite Raven. It was a great club, and he wanted to have a good time. There was a strong possibility Raven would ruin his good mood, and the first time around in the new place, he didn't want that.

And, as he thought about it, he had decided not to invite Robin either. The Titans' leader had been especially work-centric lately and snapped at Beast Boy more often because of it in reaction to his "childish and purposeless" behavior. Beast Boy considered it "awesome and fun" behavior, but whatever.

Two Titans down.

After recovering from his embarrassment, Beast Boy had found Cyborg and asked if he wanted to go.

"Duh," had been the answer. Immediately following that..."But you couldn't have asked me when I hadn't planned a trip to Titans East a month in advance and can't cancel even if I really, really wanted to? Remember that?"

Oh yeah.

So the changeling had dragged himself towards the last Titan's door and knocked. The door opened but he kept his eyes on the floor even when she had greeted him pleasantly.

"Wanna go?" the changeling had asked after explaining his plans. "If you can't or don't wanna or just—"

Starfire's squeal of glee had cut him off, but he didn't mind in the next second when the pretty girl had thrown her arms around him and thanked him for the invitation, claiming he was a "wonderfully generous friend." To the green teen's surprise, his spirits lifted almost immediately upon hearing the exclamation and was glad of his decision to invite the alien princess. She instantly began rummaging through her ever-expanding closet and asking what would be appropriate for such an occasion. Beast Boy absentmindedly listened to her ramble for a little while to be polite since, after all, she agreed to go, until she asked who else would be going.

"Just us two," Beast Boy had said. Starfire grew quiet then. Her hands retracted from her clothes and went behind her back—an unsure action for the teen. Beast Boy observed her odd behavior. "Is that a problem?"

"No. I greatly enjoy both you and the clubs. However, would it be...it shall be you and I and...you have asked. In this culture, does that not mean that you—um..."

Beast Boy's brain had turned its rusty gears to try and understand her apprehension. When it dawned on him, he immediately began blushing again and vehemently denied her insinuation.

"What? No! No, no, no, no, no. Of course it isn't a date, Star. It's just a friend asking a friend. No big deal."

"Truly?"

"Truly—I mean, really." Beast Boy laughed nervously. Starfire cocked her head, contemplated her friend's words, and then nodded. The smile returned to her face.

Hours later, Beast Boy now watches Starfire comment on nearly every dish offered at the restaurant/club. He listens absently like he did when she rambled on about clothes earlier. (Beast Boy does listen most of the time to the girls he takes out, but sometimes when it becomes generic babble, his mind tends to tune it out. No harm done.) He takes another brief moment to be glad Star agreed to come. Then his mind drifts back to how she had asked if it was a date and how embarrassed he had been. Him and her? Ha! She would never agree to such a thing when she held such a strong flame for their team leader. Not to mention Beast Boy wasn't about to put a wrench in their friendship. But he is surprised at how not-opposed to the idea of a date with Starfire he was when she insinuated it.

Beast Boy notices how some of Starfire's fiery hair falls out of her up-do and frames her face. How her green eyes flash with excitement as she peruses the menu. How her copper skin appears flawless under the dimmer lights. It is no secret that Starfire is beautiful. Every male who has ever seen her knows that and would admit it freely if asked. Beast Boy has even found himself on occasion simply watching her, like now.

She's a good friend of his, Beast Boy thinks. She takes care of him when he's sick (or any Titan who is sick for that matter), she laughs at the jokes she understands and tries to understand the ones she doesn't so she can laugh, she plays video games with him when Cyborg and Robin are unavailable, and she cooks for them. (Her cooking is the equivalent of four month old rotting meat and horseradish that has spent an afternoon baking under a hot sun, but it's the thought that counts.) Really, Starfire does her best to make others happy. It's nothing special to him, Beast Boy tells himself. She likes almost everyone. Beast Boy likes Starfire. Like likes is a totally different story. The teen has often told himself that being attracted to his teammate and enjoying being around her was nothing more than hormones and that he didn't like like her.

But on rare occasions, when he watches her fly around the tower with graceful movements and takes note of her unparalleled beauty and eager-to-please smile, he thinks about what it would be like to be on a special receiving end of her affections. He wonders what it would be like to be her boyfriend—to have concentrated attention. An extra dose of Starfire.

"Friend Beast Boy? Are you well? You have not spoken of the menu and the many fascinating foods it contains. Are you not hungry? Do you wish to leave?"

Starfire's concerned voice breaks Beast Boy out of his thoughts. His cheeks betray him when he realizes he's been staring at Starfire for the past few minutes unabashedly.

"Heh, sorry Star. Got lost in thought there." Beast Boy scratches the back of his head in a nervous gesture.

Starfire's uncertain look does not leave. "Have you found your way?"

Beast Boy—being used to Starfire's lack of education in English metaphors—laughs quietly and says, "Yeah, I have. Thanks. S-So, what did you want to order?"

Some girls would have given him a dirty look because that would be the moment they would have realized he hadn't been listening to them. Starfire, however, simply smiles and points to a few choices on the menu she has decided sound good to her.

"What do you suggest?" Starfire asks, eager to hear his opinion.

Beast Boy points to her third choice. "I think you'll like that one."

Starfire nods. "But what is it?"

"It's pasta. A really cheesy one at that," Beast Boy adds when he looks at the description below its name. "But hey, the more cheese on a date, the better. Am I right?"

Starfire straightens in her seat. "A cheese date, friend Beast Boy?"

Beast Boy's face becomes a paler green. He had been thinking so much about the possibility of dating Starfire that it kind of stuck the word in his head. "Sorry, Starfire. I didn't mean that. It was another joke. The mushy-gushy stuff people do like kissing and cuddling is sometimes described as cheesy. Just a joke. Ha, ha?"

The alien puts two and two together then laughs and again compliments him on yet another good joke. Beast Boy breathes a sigh of relief. That was a close one.

The waiter appears at their table, delivers their drinks (an actual drink for Starfire this time around instead of mustard—when Beast Boy had asked why she simply said she could have mustard anytime, but not always a "lemonade of strawberry origin"), and asks for their orders.

"Vegetarian burger with the works," Beast Boy says, and hands over his menu.

"And for you?" The waiter turns to Starfire.

"The pasta of cheese and chicken with the vegetarian form of chicken please."

Starfire's answer surprises Beast Boy. He quickly amends her words to which Starfire quickly changes back.

"No, Star, the real chicken is fine. I won't be offended. It's cool. I've seen you eat meat before. I know you like it."

"I am aware, friend, but I wish for the vegetarian pasta of cheese and chicken if you decide to have a taste." Starfire's smile stuns Beast Boy.

He stares at her innocent look, blinks, then takes her menu and hands it to the waiter. "Vegetarian version it is." The waiter nods and walks off. Beast Boy turns back to Starfire who has suddenly taken to reading the ingredients on the ketchup packet from the container at the far end of the table. "You didn't have to do that."

Starfire looks up and him. She then cocks her head and grins, and Beast Boy suddenly sees a bit of her more serious side, a side that rarely comes out outside of battle. "I wanted to. I thought maybe we could share food. I realize people do such things on dates. However, I had hoped we were good enough friends to get past that. I had also hoped you would more willingly offer me the french fries if I offered you the pasta of cheese and vegetarian chicken. I have come to realize you do not share food very happily."

Beast Boy is struck by her accuracy. He hates sharing food. He will go out of his way to make a new serving of food for others before they eat his food. Starfire, on the other hand, shares like it's a sport. He wouldn't have been surprised if she had him try her food before she did. She was generous like that. Not like Terra. She would order her food and scarf it down before he could even sneak a bit off her plate—

Wait. Where did the Terra Comparison come from? Nuh uh. No thoughts of Terra tonight. Not gonna happen. No.

Too late. The floodgate has opened.

As Beast Boy thought about it, this dinner/dancing date is completely different than his one with Terra. The minute he and Terra had walked through the door, they were loud chatterboxes with hundreds of comments and puns waiting at the drop of a hat to be spread. He remembers some of the annoyed looks they would get from other customers and begin to feel guilty...that is until Terra joked around with him again and he couldn't help but laugh.

With Starfire, she had laughed at his jokes, but not uproariously—polite yet genuine. Starfire was excited when she walked through the door. She had bounced on her feet slightly while talking to Beast Boy about how lovely everything appeared. She had made him stop and appreciate things, but she remained quieter, silently appreciating things and turning her attention to Beast Boy as he tried to liven up their talk with another joke that did not go unappreciated.

It seemed that way on more than one level for the two of them. Terra was more outgoing than Starfire in some ways (which was really saying something). She wasn't afraid of people and what they thought, clearly shown in her bouts with Raven. Starfire is more cautious around them. Sure, she's enthusiastic, but she never oversteps boundaries unless absolutely necessary. Not that Terra overstepped, but it was obvious she didn't feel all that guilty if she offended. And even on a deeper level, Beast Boy could feel the difference.

Being closer in DNA to the animal world, he could...well, not really smell. Sense maybe. He could sense differences in people. Raven's enjoyment of seclusion and quiet torment of herself. Robin's constant strain on himself to be flawless when it came to crime fighting. Cyborg's half-and-half thoughts about his condition. And Starfire's...well. Beast Boy didn't really know Starfire's qualms with life besides some issues with her sister and the whole her being a "prize" thing when they first met.

But there was something deeper. It tore at her. He could sense her inner turmoil. But he also sensed her acceptance of it, like she knew she couldn't do anything about it and that was enough for her. She'd move on and was happy. Not Terra. Terra never accepted her tumult. She fought it tooth-and-nail. She refused to submit to anything. Terra and Starfire got along swimmingly. Their surfaces were compatible. Their inner fighting styles were not, and Beast Boy wonders what would have happened if they had had it out instead of Terra and Raven...

The changeling mentally slapped himself. That took it too far. He couldn't help but do this comparison with other dates he's had, but those didn't matter as much. This is Starfire. Starfire. His friend, teammate, confidant—not another random girl to compare to what he thought was the love of his life and the luckiest break he ever caught. He respected Starfire. He cared about her. No. He would no longer subject her to the low status of "Just Another Girl." Because she wasn't. She never would be.

"Beast Boy?"

Starfire didn't catch his attention soon enough. The ketchup packet she had handed him intending to ask him a question about that he took without conscious thought burst in his grip. Ketchup splatters across the table, the window they sat near, the seat Starfire occupies, and Starfire herself. Specs of red mar her face and the front of her pink blouse. Beast Boy's anger dissipates and shame replaces it.

"Oh man. Star, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to—I just...wasn't thinking. I..."

Starfire's hand on his ketchup covered one cuts him short. Beast Boy looks from their hands up to find his eyes caught with Starfire's. Those green orbs say more than the brief moment of silence does. She's not mad. She's concerned and insistent upon helping.

"Beast Boy, what is wrong?"

Beast Boy tries to give her a reassuring smile, but in his anxious state it turns into more of a grimace—a floppy excuse for the real thing. "Nothing, Starfire." His lie bounces right off Starfire. She knows better than to buy that sad attempt. The alien girl may buy many fake explanations when it comes to Earth culture, but with emotions she is better than the world's greatest lie detector, rivaling Raven.

Beast Boy's ears droop when he speaks. Beast Boy sighs, knowing he won't get anywhere if he doesn't tell the truth. So he decides to tell the truth. A truth. He will be genuine about something without it being the thing. "I'm sorry I haven't been all that fun tonight, Star. I...had...a fight with Raven earlier. I kinda tried to get back at her by not inviting her or Robin. I guess I'm feeling a little guilty." Now that he said it, Beast Boy realized it was the truth.

Her eyes fill with compassion. He has to look away.

Starfire caresses his hand with her thumb in a comforting gesture. Beast Boy focuses on the salt shaker beside their conjoined hand when she starts talking to him.

"Do not be discouraged. You and Raven are very different. It shall not always be perfect between the two of you. This does not mean you do not care for her, yes?"

"Of course I care about her, Star. She's my friend. But I get frustrated around her, and I didn't want to be frustrated tonight. I wanted to have fun."

Starfire nods in understanding. "I understand your view, friend Beast Boy. I must admit I was quite pleased when you had said Robin would not be attending tonight."

At that, Beast Boy's gaze shifts back up to Starfire's face, but she is no longer looking at him. Her stare focuses on the same salt shaker Beast Boy had concentrated on not two seconds ago. There is a slight pink to her cheeks, and she looks ashamed. His curiosity burns. He wants to know what Robin did this time to hurt Starfire. Again. But he'd rather get rid of that tentative look on her face.

"That's not a crime, Star," Beast Boy says in a comforting tone. He shifts their hands so he is the one holding hers. "You don't have to want to be near him all the time every day. Everybody feels that way about someone sometime in their lives."

Starfire glances up at him again. Beast Boy is dismayed to see the sadness in her eyes, then he shifts to wonder when they immediately change to pleased.

"You are right. I apologize for being the downer."

"It's no big deal. Hey! It's over now. Let's have some fun. Did you hear the one about the door salesman?"

And just like that their easy atmosphere returns. Beast Boy's joke is rewarded with another laugh. They shift topics to the type of music playing in the background. By the time Starfire has finished explaining the similarities between it and some of her home planet's music, their food arrives. Like Beast Boy had expected, Starfire offers him a bite of her food before he can even pick up his fork. He takes it and tells his hopeful companion that it tastes delicious. That puts her at ease. Beast Boy hands her a fair-sized portion of his fries without even having her ask first. When she looks up at him, his explanation is a grin. Starfire smiles at him and continues to eat. Why Beast Boy did that? He isn't even sure himself. Maybe a thank you for her consideration tonight. For even being here tonight. He's glad she's here.

I wasn't even going to publish this. It will be the longest chapter story I've ever written if I actually continue it. Until then, it can sort of stand alone.

This came from the fact that these two are my favorite characters. Enjoy! (P.S. I don't own Teen Titans...)