Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans
Another request, Starfire/Aqualad, light fluff. I've been sleeping a lot, so this is a bit late (sorry!). This is also one of those pairings that I'm doing for the first time, so apologies for having to sort of work it out.
... (For this oneshot, I also stole something from the Avatar show, by the way)...
Grey skies spread over quiet waters. Endless blankets of clouds shrouded bleak cliffs standing over flowing waves lapping at the sea shore. Light flitted down from the heavens in monochrome ribbons, painting placid beaches into austere sketches amidst an ashen canvas.
She wandered toward the peak of the precipitous cliffs, alone, glassy, beryl eyes lulled in hushed rumination. High above the ebb and flow of the waves, far from the grey spires of the city, the wind blew by softly, a gentle, cool breeze flowing across the cold pale earth. She sat, legs dangling off the edge, deep waters reflected in her dusky gaze. Silvery flakes crowned her fiery hair in a wintry wreath, a garland of ivory sparkles starkly contrasting with her glowing, vibrant color.
Cold breaths floated over the icy bay. She licked her lips briefly.
The reedy, rich sound of a wind instrument sang out over the sea. It began quietly and slowly, almost indistinguishable from the flowing wind, then rose in volume slightly. Like the slow breath of the tide, it rose and fell, a melancholic, mournful song singing as a lone voice in bleak solitude amidst the stagnant snowfall. She played a couple verses, then paused momentarily, lips a little dry. She licked them again, then started up once more.
It was an archaic, ancient sound. Like the song of a wanderer, echoing as a solitary voice in the high mountains and across the deep valleys, it breathed in time with the natural forces, wind and water, longingly, yearning for companionship. She held one note, a single, vibrating note for some time, then sighed and paused again, letting the pining melody fade. She looked up. The clouded sky was a pale, colorless mirror above. Her eyes glimmered for a moment, and then she started once more. Homesickness pervaded the next few verses. Songs without words cast the lonely perch atop the apex of the sea in melancholic gloom. The timeless surge of swelling waves poured incessantly in the stagnant, ceaseless snowdrift and subdued, ashen light.
Briefly, her song grew more agitated, where the dreary lull of streaming notes grew jagged and rough with despair and hints of rage, but it was only a passing, transient moment that faded quickly back into the funereal, forlorn ballade. She played one more verse, this one gentler, more lyric, then set her instrument down again, resting it in her lap. The minutes passed by in silence.
"You play beautifully."
Starfire jumped a bit and looked over shoulder. She forced a smile onto her face when she realized who it was, then her eyes shifted down to the instrument in her lap.
"It is a traditional song that my people play for the deceased."
"Oh. That explains why it was so different." A man garbed in blue clothing sat beside her. "Whenever we have gatherings or just hang out, the music you play is a lot..."
"You do not need to beat the bush-"
"Beat around the bush."
"Yes. You do not need to do that. I know that most of the music of my homeworld is much louder. We are a people of powerful expression and energy. However, such music is not fitting for the dead."
"I see."
Aqualad looked at the other Titan for several minutes, then followed her gaze out across the sea. It hadn't been loud earlier, but without her song playing, the soft wind felt like something was missing.
"Who were you playing for?"
Starfire fidgeted with her fingers. "I was playing for my parents. They were killed when my planet was invaded by the Gordanians," her hands clenched into fists. "To be truthful, remembering their deaths makes me very angry. I often play war songs to remind myself to never forgive the Gordanians for the murder of my parents. But..." she relaxed. "Doing that is a disservice to the memory of my mother and father. I should be remembering them. Not the others."
"I'm sorry. It must have been hard to lose your parents like that."
She turned to him, unbridled anger flashing in her eyes. "They were taken from me."
Aqualad held his hands up. "I know. Even my stepmother, who is mostly a pacifist, always told me that if there was ever a time for revenge to be justified, it would be when someone murders a loved one."
The alien girl's look softened. "We are a warrior people. The only revenge I would seek is if were my parents were struck down from the shadows by cowards. But they fell nobly, in the midst of battle. War is war. Inevitably, some will die. If it were not my parents, it would have been those of another girl. I would not have wished this misfortune on someone else. It is just..." her voice trailed off. She sighed. "It is not a pleasant memory. I cannot forget what happened."
"You still wish Hell on the Gordanians?"
Starfire's eyes narrowed. "They have killed so many of my people. They slew my parents. You cannot think that I would forgive them-"
"Of course not. We Atlanteans are fighters too. I'd never forgive the enemies of my people either." Aqualad put a fist down on the ground beside him. "It's hard. You want to do something to get back at them, but there's nothing you can do on your own. If you, as a princess, decided to go back to war, how many more people would die? You'd be risking the lives of your people on a grudge. It might be justified, but..."
"I cannot do it," Starfire smiled a little. "You are the Prince of Atlantis. Of course you would understand."
"Politics are hard. People get hurt because of them. I just feel bad that you lost your parents because of it."
The redhead nodded. "It is difficult, but my wound has had time to heal. I am blessed with the care of my Knorfka Galfore, and the companionship of my friends on this planet. I will not let the past weigh me down." She turned. "And you? I believe you said you have a stepmother. What happened to your original parents?"
"They abandoned me. The Atlanteans believed me to be inferior at birth, and so they had my parents banish me to the ocean alone."
"I am sorry." Starfire put her hand on Aqualad's. The male Titan flinched a bit at the unexpected contact, but let her hand stay. It was warm and comforting. "I feel that betrayal is worse than loss."
Aqualad shrugged. "I don't really think of them as my real parents, anyway. Like you said, the past is the past. It would take too much effort to harbor ill will toward them. It sucks, but... it's better to just move on with your life, you know?"
"I agree."
They sat in silence for several minutes, both staring at the boundless sea. At the juncture of water and earth, quiet waves lapped at the soft curve of the sea shore. Quiet tranquility swelled through grey skies and faded snow.
"Star, would you mind playing more?"
"You wish to hear my music?"
"I enjoyed it very much."
The alien girl offered her friend a smile, then nodded. The drifting melody trailed through the delicate snowfall, gracing the air once more. It rang out, alone for a minute or so, then the soft sound of plucked strings joined it. Starfire turned as she heard the quiet strumming of a harp-like instrument join her, stopping her playing momentarily.
"You have brought yours as well!" Her voice brightened a little.
Aqualad smiled. "This? This is just my laire. It's similar to the Chinese zither. I thought that since I heard you play, I would join you if you did not mind."
"No, of course. It is most appreciated that you would come play with me. And mine is... I think it can be called a horn in your language. In my tongue, we call this Kfta'Tsungi."
"Ah. Forgive me for asking if this is impertinent, but does nobody else offer to play with you?"
"My team does not know."
"You haven't told them?"
Starfire shook her head. "They each have their own problems. I see no need to bother them with mine."
"That's very thoughtful of you. Doesn't it get tough, though? Dealing with your problems alone."
"It is lonely, yes. But I am the princess of a warrior race."
"I get that." Aqualad strummed the strings of his instrument, letting the sounds ring through the air. "But being strong doesn't mean you have to suffer alone. Friends are supposed to support each other."
"I..." her mouth moved on its own for a moment, flitting between mixed emotions. She wanted to protest - that fiercely independent, prideful part of her said that she needed no help - but then, he wasn't really chastising her. Friends were meant to genuinely care for one another. They weren't just warriors. They were living, breathing, sentient beings with feelings as well. She graced him with a smile. "Thank you very much."
"Don't mention it."
Starfire lifted the horn to her lips and began playing again. He watched her, the red mane of luscious, silky hair flowing in the wind. Her eyes were half closed in a lull, light and dark flitting over her face with the rise and fall of each phrase, her movements plain and expressive, just like the melody she played. She was totally absorbed in the music, smiling every time the notes from his laire fell in harmony with her song. She was beautiful, the soft curves of her face both delicate and strong, the warm glow of her skin radiating heat in the cold snowfall. The glimmering of verdant color beneath her lashes was lustrous, alluring and entranced, points of intense color sparkling with fiery emotion - though subdued in the present moment.
Above, in dampened grey skies, the clouds parted slightly and sunlight streamed down in thin columns of gold. The song ended and Starfire looked up, basking in the sun's radiance. Sparkling snow cascaded in contrasting streams of the palest ivory, white gold casting a brilliant tapestry over the wide, wide sky. Starfire took a deep breath, warmth and cold juxtaposed in alternating streams, the glacial, biting freshness of snow sharpening her senses, followed by mild heat and the soft glow of sunlight. One more time, the reedy, thick voice of her instrument pierced the heavens amidst the ethereal beauty of the white limbo. This time, the harmonies were lighter, evoking the white glow of heavenly clouds and the trace of wind through the wide, empty skies, floating on wings of crystalline alabaster.
She lifted the horn from her lips and sang, a gentle, richly warm voice reverberating with plucked strings. Her tone was high and melodious, soaring in vibrating notes, full with breaths of vibrant life. It drifted high and low, settled on a comfortable harmony with the strumming instrument accompanying her, then faded as the lapping of the waves against the seashore hastened.
"Would you like to sing with me?"
"Honestly, singing isn't that much of an Atlantean thing. Sound projects differently underwater. I'm perfectly fine listening to you."
The alien girl closed her eyes, entranced by the echoing sounds of their music. Nobody had ever praised her singing before, but then again, it wasn't like she had ever played or sang anything like this for any of her teammates before. The memory of their pale, horrified faces flitted through her head, and she couldn't help but smile. "Perhaps you would like me to sing you a war song," Starfire gave Aqualad a mischievous grin. "Or the twenty-seven verses of the Tragedy of Gurduluk."
Yep. There was Starfire, the girl who was expressive and beautiful, strong, but intimately sincere... and then there was that Starfire, who could make enough noise to wake the dead. And she, of course, was well aware of it.
A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "No thanks. As much as I would love to... I don't think my ears could handle something like that."
They both giggled a bit, then fell silent again. Starfire pressed her hand against Aqualad's. She felt him twitch a bit, but he let her stay put. He felt her curious gaze settle on his face.
"Why do you do that? Does my touching you make you uncomfortable?"
"I'm not used to it. Your culture is a lot more physical than mine in a lot of ways."
"But this has never happened on a date? Or with someone close to you?"
"Not really. I've never been on a date."
Surprise flitted through the alien girl's eyes. Part of her was tempted to blurt it out aloud, but then part of her had learned how to be tactful, at least the way the people of this planet expected. Starfire ran her tongue over her mouth, keeping it moist.
Aqualad was pretty - no doubt about it. If people thought that she was the pretty one of the Titans, then he had to have been at least the same... and yet he did not flaunt it at all! It was like he was oblivious to the fact as to why girls fawned over him left and right. It wasn't just the looks... it was that he was so mature, loyal to his friends, willing to put himself in danger to save other people... well, that could have been said about a lot of her teammates as well. Minus the mature part. It wasn't just that.
She smiled again, eyes trailing down from his face to the lithe, strong muscles of his body. After all, he was the one here with her right now, accompanying her on what usually was the loneliest day of the year. Yes, it was how he looked, but then again, it wasn't that. When it came down to it, how much did a pretty face matter when she, instead, had someone she could trust to care about her?
Her eyes shifted back up. Piercing aquamarine met deeper shades of jade. The jagged angles to his face were strong, but gentle as he looked at her curiously, trying to decipher what she was thinking. He really was very pretty...
The alien girl felt warmth spread through her. It didn't matter that he was so handsome, but it certainly was a very nice bonus.
"It's not like I don't know," Aqualad muttered.
Starfire looked away, blushing and grinning sheepishly. "Forgive me."
"No, it's fine. I don't mind if people find me attractive, but the way I was brought up... eh." Aqualad cleared his throat, then stopped for a minute.
She looked back, blinking. "You are not used to being so open." It wasn't a question. "Why?"
"Happens when you have to fend for yourself as a child, and fight for your right to live for fourteen years before anyone will recognize you." A bit of bitterness touched his voice. "But that's why I value the loyalty of my team and friends so much now."
Starfire moved her hand off of his. "You prefer to have true friends, rather than unstable relationships."
"I didn't say that. Not all relationships have to be so dramatic. It's just that when I see girls look at me, all they see is the face I put on as a superhero. You know how we're idolized. Forget about how we look for a moment. When people look at us, all they see is our victories. The media portrays us in such a way that we seem flawless. We're perfect beings to the average person, so naturally they would be infatuated with us. But we're really not. You, me, everyone else... we're still people. We have our own faults, and we have those moments where we fail. It's just that ordinary people don't see the darker side to being a superhero."
"They cannot understand."
"It would be hard for them to," Aqualad agreed. "Either way, if I want to date someone, I would rather it be with someone who doesn't just look at me like I'm perfect. Part of getting to know people is being able to accept their flaws as well. Or if you really can't, then you might end up hating them," he put a hand to the back of his head, smiling cheekily. "For me, it's a lot about not being comfortable letting other people see my flaws."
Her eyes were lustrous beneath her lashes. "Do you feel comfortable with me?"
The Atlantean pondered that for a minute or so. Starfire's gaze shifted away, down toward the shore. The white froth of lapping waves greeted her, swelling slowly as the tide rose.
"You do not have to answer if my question is impertinent."
He squeezed her hand a little. "I told you I'm not used to being open, right?"
"Yes. I am most sorry. I did not mean to offend."
"Nothing to be worried about." Aqualad left his hand in her grasp. "I've had to fend for myself since forever. It's taken time to get used to trusting people."
She said nothing, merely rubbed her hand over his and smiled. They looked at each other, the faintest veil of falling snow between them, then simultaneously, both looked away, blushing. Daylight slowly began to fade in the distance, where the white glow of sunlight through the pale atmosphere deepened into a flush rose, sunset set upon the ocean waves in blooming color. They looked in opposite directions awkwardly, but their hands remained connected in inseparable silence.
Abruptly, they both looked back at the same time.
"Kori-" "Garth-"
Starfire's face was rosier than before. Aqualad's was slightly flushed as well as he put his hand behind his head. Somehow, they had both ended up using each other's names at exactly the same time.
"You may speak first."
"No, I'd like to hear what you have to say. Besides, haven't you heard the expression 'ladies first'?"
The alien girl began to protest, but their eyes met again and she realized that he was somewhat uncomfortable with sharing his thoughts first. She nodded slowly, in acknowledgement. "I would like to know if you would like to do this again," she sounded a little hopeful.
"Definitely. Playing music with you was very relaxing. It's a nice getaway from the typical stuff we do."
Starfire looked down, her response a little slow. "Yes... I enjoyed it very much."
He caught her hesitation and his eyes shifted away again. The palm of her hand was soft against the back of his. He closed his eyes. I'm used to being alone. But she likes me. She's a good girl. I don't know if we'd be the best match, but... what could it hurt to try? If it doesn't work out, we can go back to being friends. Star's not stupid enough to hold a grudge for a relationship that didn't work out. Or she's just being friendly, and I'm reading her wrong. Only one way to find out.
Aqualad cleared his throat. "It's getting late. Have you eaten yet?"
"No, I have not."
"Would you like to get dinner with me?"
She perked up quickly at that question, cheeks blushing with color. "If... if it is not too much trouble for you?"
"Nah. Eating with other people is more fun anyway. Come on. It's been cold all day, let's get something warm to eat."
"Oh joy! This will be most fun!"
Her hand was warm against his as they headed back toward the city.
A/N: Hmm, that came out very, very different from what I had imagined.