Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans.
Author's Note: Idk where this one came from but I could imagine Starfire asking for a leave of absence from the team to travel the world and educate herself. It seems very her. Originally written in 2015.
The bright blue sky was clear of any pesky clouds, allowing the sun to light up the entire world without fail. The magnificent light trickled over the sea, buildings and sidewalks, causing the majority of people within Jump City to express their cheerful moods.
Within Titans Tower, however, things lacked much enthusiasm for something as simple as the weather being good. They had all suffered a great deal since Starfire left on her personal journey. Beastboy and Cyborg found themselves without a spectator who would cheer for the winner and sweetly console the loser when they played gaming marathons. Raven was missing her best friend so much that she had trouble concentrating when she attempted to meditate so usually, the empath would need to cast a spell on herself in order to get any meditation done at all. Raven had been supportive of Starfire's choice to take a leave for a while but she never realised how much time she spent with the loving alien Princess because without Starfire being there, Raven found herself reading a lot more than she ever had beforehand and she would even allow Silkie to snuggle upon her lap whilst she did so. It was her own personal way of feeling closer to Starfire now that she was gone.
However, there was another teenager within the tower who missed her much more than anyone else. Robin had become very withdrawn and isolated. Usually, Starfire would be his salvation; she had always been the one that would force him out of his room so that he didn't lose his mind over criminals.
Robin sighed heavily as he leaned back in his chair. He threw his pen down onto the desk and ran a gloved hand through his ebony locks. It had been extremely difficult without Starfire. The mere thought of her brought a small smile to the boy wonder's lips but it wasn't enough. He had spent months hoping she would just come home but Starfire had told them that she didn't know when she was going to return.
Obviously, Robin had not been very supportive at first. He didn't want her to leave for any amount of time. He didn't want her to leave him. It was killing him not knowing if she was okay or where she was or what she was doing. She only contacted them when she had the chance which was not very often; she was keeping herself busy in a number of different countries.
Starfire had sat them all down and had told them that she needed to leave them for a period of time. She told them how she wanted to learn more about the world. She didn't want to keep being naive and ignorant of cultures that surrounded her. To truly be a part of the world she now called home, she felt the need to gain the knowledge about it. Raven, Cyborg and Beastboy had been upset by her plan but they accepted it and supported her completely. Robin, on the other hand, couldn't let it go. Even when Starfire had retreated to her room to pack some things up, he had sat on her bed, practically pleading with her not to go.
He remembered the day that she left as if it were yesterday. She had sat down and hugged him close before whispering, "I shall return soon. I promise."
Robin opened his eyes and stared up at the ceiling. He could still hear the echo of her words in his head. Today marked 8 months of Starfire being absent from the team and he was beginning to wonder if she would ever come back to him.
What was really getting to Robin was the fear that he had missed his chance to admit how he felt about her. He gently grasped one of the photo frames that stood so proudly on his desk and softly brushed his thumb over the right side.
It was a picture of himself and Starfire. It had been a relaxing day at the park; there had been no crimes committed and the weather had been perfect. Starfire had been obsessed with making the memory last so she made sure to snap a few photos of herself with her friends. Robin had graciously accepted a copy of this particular photo from her. Starfire kneeled behind Robin within the photo and had her arms wrapped around him in a sweet gesture. He had a nervous smile plastered upon his face while Starfire had been giggling at the time.
It was a photograph that he treasured, especially whilst she had gone on her journey for knowledge about the world around her. He was completely in love with her and everyday that she wasn't there with him caused him to feel distraught. She was the only member of the team that could brighten any of their days up with a mere giggle.
He sighed and placed the picture down again.
"I wish you'd come home, Star..." He whispered into the darkness,
Suddenly, the room flashed red and the alarm triggered. Robin sat up and immediately readied himself for battle. He quickly exited his room, throwing a glance at Starfire's door as he moved, like he had done so many other times in the past few months. Leaving for missions was really the only time Robin chose to leave his room anymore.
He reached OPS and narrowed his eyes at Cyborg who was already tapping away at the computer.
"Cyborg. Report." Robin demanded,
"Cinderblock." Cyborg sighed,
Robin nodded, "Titans, let's go."
The boy wonder turned and took off without another word. The remaining titans exchanged looks with one another. They had all been worried about Robin's behaviour since Starfire had departed. It had taken a toll on him most of all. Robin was the person who was closest with Starfire; they spent a lot of time together and had a very deep connection. They assumed it had been harder for him without constant contact. It was obvious that he missed her as well as being sincerely worried about her. The titans decided to worry about Robin later; they had a mission to complete after all. With that, they headed out of OPS, following their leader.
The tower was quiet whilst the titans were away fighting Cinderblock. The only source of life inside of the building was Silkie who shuffled around in Starfire's room, attempting to get comfy but even the small mutant was finding it hard without his alien owner giving him all of her love and attention. He made a small noise of defeat as he realised that a good nap was not in the cards for him today.
Suddenly, there was a thud from above, causing Silkie to glance up at the ceiling. He crawled across the purple carpet and waited for the door to automatically open. Silkie continued with his investigation of what the noise was and after hearing thuds again, he decided that the noises must have been coming from the roof. He growled as he edged towards the stairs that led up to the roof and he prepared himself to bite any intruder in order to defend the tower.
In a swift motion, the door leading up to the roof swung open and a figure wandered into the tower. Silkie bared his tiny jagged teeth at the stranger but froze as the figure stepped down from the stairs and revealed their identity.
The little mutant bounced on the spot and gurgled happily. Starfire had finally come home and she was still the same cheerful Princess which was obvious as she giggled and scooped Silkie up in her arms.
"Oh hello, my little bumgorf!" She cooed affectionately, rubbing her cheek against Silkie's, "Have you missed me while I have been absent?"
In response, Silkie gurgled loudly and snuggled against her. She sighed in content and her shoulders slumped, "It is good to be home..." She whispered, more so to herself than Silkie.
Starfire grabbed her bag and pulled the strap onto her shoulder whilst she carried Silkie in her other arm. She floated towards OPS and hummed a quiet tune; she had missed the city, the tower and her friends. She had discovered a lot about Earth on her journey around the world but she had desperately wanted to return home. She finally felt that she had learned enough about Earth that she could come back to Jump City and feel satisfied about her knowledge of the little blue planet that she had come to adore.
The doors opened with a subtle whoosh sound and Starfire took a couple of steps inside of the room. She had half expected her friends to be at home but with a quick glance around the main room, she assumed that they were currently on a mission. She shrugged and floated over to the sofa, placing her bag over the back of it. She placed her hands on the back of the sofa and sighed; it really was good to be home. Starfire had missed the open view of the ocean from their window, she had missed the sight of gaming controllers and junk food spread out across the table and she had missed the familiar scent of home. It was a comforting feeling to be back in recognizable territory.
She had missed all of her teammates an extreme amount, too. She had missed Beastboy and Cyborg's continuous dispute in the mornings over which was better; tofu or meat. It was irritating on a daily basis but after being away for so long, she welcomed the early morning arguments. She had missed meditating with Raven a lot; it was one of their few ways of truly bonding with one another. Over the years, Raven had become like a sister to Starfire, more than her own blood, actually. She had met a girl in France who had reminded her a lot of Raven; naturally, Starfire had met the girl in a bookstore.
The Princess inhaled deeply as she allowed herself to think about Robin. It had been physically painful over the past few months without him by her side every day. She had missed lounging around with the dark haired boy, talking about general things and she had missed his arms being around her when they shared an affectionate embrace. Being away from Robin for so long made her realise how deeply her feelings ran for him. Whilst she had visited other countries, she had constantly witnessed couples taking strolls through parks and sharing meals at restaurants. Out of all of her friends, Starfire had been missing Robin the absolute most and she prayed that he had missed her. She had reached a breaking point whilst she had been away; she finally felt that she needed to tell Robin the truth about her feelings towards him. She didn't know how he was going to react but she knew that if she didn't do it soon, she would go insane. However, for the moment, she softly smiled at the thought of seeing him again. A mix of excitement and anxiety were coursing through her veins at the mere contemplation of having him smile at her due to her return.
Starfire diverted her attention from her reverie and grinned down at her precious mutant pet as he was digging around inside of her bag, apparently smelling something that he liked. She gently patted his back, causing him to hurriedly retreat from the purple duffle bag. Starfire giggled and brushed some of her auburn hair behind her ear as she reached into the bag.
"Oh, how could I forget? I brought something back for you from Australia, Silkie... I was told that only the sweetest of pets are allowed to eat them." She smirked as she eyed the small worm who was wriggling on the spot out of pure anticipation.
She brought a large box of banana and hazelnut pet treats from her bag and shook them in front of Silkie. Needless to say, his eyes lit up and there was no mistaking the faint rumble of his stomach just by looking at the cookies. Starfire shook her head at him but opened the box of cookies up for him to eat until he felt full. She smiled as Silkie gobbled some cookies down, seemingly enjoying the taste of them.
Abruptly, Starfire broke her small trance as she watched Silkie and looked up at the double doors. She could hear shuffling and faint voices which belonged to her friends. She smiled as the mere sound of them caused her to relax. Starfire leaned against the back of the sofa and clasped her hands in front of herself as she awaited their entrance.
Cyborg shook his head as he, Beastboy and Raven headed towards OPS after locking up Cinderblock, "I'm telling ya'll, that blockhead is clueless. I bet he barely understands where he is most of the time." He commented,
Beastboy gave into a high pitched chuckle, "I bet he walks around like: Ughhh, can someone give me directions?" He imitated a deep voice to reflect Cinderblock.
The two of them cracked up at their own jokes whilst Raven simply rolled her eyes. She just wanted to grab the book that she had left on the coffee table this morning and head into her room.
As the three of them neared OPS, the doors opened with a loud whoosh and permitted them access into the room. They took a couple of steps forward but stopped immediately as their eyes fell on a sight for sore eyes.
"STAR!" Beastboy chirped excitedly, bounding over to her while Raven and Cyborg followed shortly after.
"Greetings, friends!" She bubbled, feeling her own overwhelming excitement flowing through her,
Cyborg gathered them all up into a tight hug and babbled about how much they had missed her. As he released them after a moment, he gently ruffled her gorgeous red hair and grinned down at her, "Why didn't you tell us you were coming home girl!?" He wondered,
Starfire beamed at them, "I wished to surprise you all with my return. Oh, I cannot describe how happy I am to see you!"
"We've missed you, Starfire." Raven told her, resting a hand on the Tamaranian's shoulder and offering her the smallest of smiles.
Starfire returned the smile and gently hugged her. The embrace didn't linger nor was it one of force. Starfire was aware of how Raven felt about personal displays of affections such as hugs but she assumed that it was allowed today.
"I have missed you all, very much." Starfire replied, giving Raven a gentle squeeze. She released the empath after a moment and glanced around at them, but she couldn't help but falter as she didn't see Robin.
"Please... Where is Robin?" She asked, keeping her tone light in order to hide her disappointment that he was not also there.
Beastboy tilted his head at her but smiled, "He went straight to his room after we got home... He's been doing that a lot since you left. I mean, I can't remember the last time we all hung out together."
For a moment, a pang of concern shot through Starfire and she gulped. Cyborg and Raven saw this and quickly added to Beastboy's statement.
"Don't worry... He's just been missing you like crazy, Star..." Cyborg informed her, giving her a small smirk,
Starfire felt her cheeks heat up a little at the statement of Robin missing her. She nodded to Cyborg and continued to turn towards Raven,
"You know what he's like... He's just been isolating himself a little bit. I don't think he quite got to grips with you being gone for such a long time." Raven admitted,
Starfire sighed and cast her eyes downwards, "Oh... I feel guilty for being gone for such a long time. I had only meant to leave for a couple of months but there was so much out there that I needed to know about."
"Don't sweat it, Star... He understands that it was a personal thing for you; we all understand that. We're just happy that you're home." Cyborg chuckled,
Starfire beamed up at her bionic friend but Beastboy interjected suddenly, "Wait... You are home for good now, right?"
She giggled, "Of course. I do not wish to leave my family ever again."
The three titans simultaneously smiled at her words, "Hey, shouldn't we tell Robin that you're back? He's gonna be so relieved that you're safe and he's gonna be ecstatic about you being home in general." Beastboy explained,
Starfire bit her lip, as much as she wanted to see Robin; she wanted to see him separately from the others. She felt that she needed some time alone with him, after being away from one another for so long.
"Before you announce my return to Robin... I have gifts that I wish to give you, friends," Starfire told them,
"Starfire, you didn't have to-" Raven was cut off by Beastboy, who gently nudged her arm,
"Raven, if Star wants to give us presents, who are we to argue with her?" Beastboy mocked, eyes twinkling at the idea of presents. Raven shot him a death glare and Starfire couldn't help but think about how things had not changed in the slightest.
Starfire turned and brought Cyborg's gift out of her bag. She had collected it whilst she had visited Italy and she hoped that he'd like it. It was an old book that was clearly dusty and worn but it had been kept safe for approximately 50 years.
"This is a book with handwritten recipes within it and it belonged to one of the most skilled chefs in all of Italy but it had been kept in a vault for 50 years, so I was told. The restaurant owner who is a relative of the book's owner gave the book to me in appreciation for saving the building from a fire which broke out. He told me that it was the least he could do because the building had been in his family for over 100 years." Starfire explained, carefully handing the book to her robotic friend,
"Star..." Cyborg whispered, amazed at the origin of the book.
"I was told that the recipes are sacred and only a few other people are aware of them. I respected that and I did not look in the book." She smiled up at him as he held the book tightly,
"Thank you, Star... I can't believe you'd give me something like this." Cyborg breathed, his eyes glued to the front of the book.
Starfire giggled, "You are the only person that I know who holds enough skill to be able to master such recipes, Cyborg."
Cyborg grinned and gave her a small hug. Starfire turned to Beastboy who was sitting with wide eyes, staring at her as she reached into her bag once again.
She brought out a game that was coated in plastic, showing that it was clearly a collector edition that was yet to be opened. It was an advanced copy of Mega Monkeys X which there was only 5 that had been released into the world.
"I managed to obtain this for you whilst I was in Japan... I believe it is-" Starfire was cut off by a sharp gasp from Beastboy,
"Star... You do not need to explain what this is... I know exactly what it is... I can't believe... It's so... Oh my god, I love you." Beastboy practically cried, slowly taking the game from her before he threw her arms around her,
"This is the best day of my whole entire life... Thank you!" He whispered, as Starfire gently patted his back in response to his intense reaction to her gift,
Starfire giggled as she turned to Raven who simply rolled her eyes at Beastboy. She pulled the empath to the side slightly before she reached around to her bag and grabbed Raven's gift.
She dangled the beautiful choker necklace from her index finger as she displayed it to Raven. It was black, silver and blue with delicate lace embroidery around the gem.
Raven had never been a fan of jewellery but this was something completely different. She gasped at what Starfire showed her and hesitated to touch it, "Starfire... It's stunning..." She breathed,
"I was given this during my time in Russia after I helped a sorceress, with similar powers to you defeat a demon from the netherworld." Starfire paused as she placed it in Raven's hand, "She informed me that it helps you to channel your energy during meditation more carefully and it allows nothing to break the barrier. So, if you meditate with this, you should be able to reach a state of pure tranquillity, allowing you to focus your powers more."
Raven gently ran her thumb over the sapphire gem and brushed her fingertips against the lace around it. Starfire smiled as Raven admired the token but she suddenly remembered something and grabbed another item from her bag,
"The sorceress also gave me this book. She told me that with this, you will be able to unlock pieces of your powers that you are currently unaware you even have." Starfire explained, handing the book over.
Raven glanced up at her best friend and shook her head slightly, "Thank you so much, Starfire... This... These are the most amazing gifts that anyone has ever given me." She informed her, causing Starfire to beam back at her.
"Do not tell Beastboy and Cyborg that I obtained two items for you... I believe they would be jealous," Starfire giggled in a quiet voice,
Raven gave into a small giggle too but nodded, "You're probably right. I won't tell." She promised, clutching the book to her chest with the choker in her hand,
Starfire nodded absentmindedly as her mind began to wander. She really wanted to see Robin and Raven could clearly sense this because she offered Starfire a small smile before looking past her at Beastboy,
"Beastboy, tell Robin to come down." She told him, earning a swift nod from the green changeling.
Beastboy picked up the mic and inhaled deeply, "Yo! Robin! Come to OPS... There's a surprise for youuu," He sang, smiling as the sound of his voice bounced off of the walls after coming through the intercom.
Raven glanced back at Starfire who blushed and looked at the floor after Beastboy had made his announcement. Raven walked over to Cyborg and Beastboy and gently pinched their arms, earning a small sound from both of them,
"We'll give you guys some time alone. Robin's been missing you most after all..." Raven informed her, motioning to Beastboy and Cyborg to leave,
"You know, you could have just done your telepathy thing instead of physically telling us to leave." Beastboy moaned as they exited the room. Raven just rolled her eyes.
Starfire smiled at her friends as they left the room. She gulped and stood up straight with her hands clasped in front of her. Her heart was racing and she couldn't help but bite her lip in anticipation for Robin to make an appearance in OPS. She wondered how he would react at seeing that she had come home. Part of her thought he might be angry that she had been gone for so long without very much contact and with that thought, her heart rate only increased.
Suddenly, the doors opened and Robin wandered in, "Beastboy, if this is one of your kitchen surprises, I'm really not in the mood for-" His mouth clamped shut immediately as his eyes locked on the Tamaranian Princess that stood by the rounded sofa.
Starfire felt her breathing hitch in her throat at the sight of him. She had almost forgotten the feelings he gave her just by being in her presence.
Robin stared at Starfire, disbelieving that she was really here. She was really home.
"Star..." He said, just above a whisper,
Starfire merely smiled at the sound of her nickname, rolling off of his tongue. She hadn't heard his voice in such a long time and hearing it now was music to her ears.
"Greetings, Robin..." She replied, her tone matching his; quiet yet full of emotion.
She held her breath as he swiftly moved towards her and in a flash; he had his arms wrapped tightly around her waist with his head resting lightly on her shoulder. Starfire hesitated to return the hug at first. His sudden display of affection had caught her off guard. Robin was never really the one to show such displays first; it was usually Starfire that initiated hugs.
However, she proceeded to wrap her arms around his shoulders and she returned the embrace with equal emotion. She was so ecstatic to see him again. She felt so calm and relaxed being in his arms and it was now hard to imagine ever leaving him; luckily she didn't need to ever again. She gave into a tiny smile over how tightly he was holding her. It was as if he was scared that she would float away from him.
Robin closed his eyes and sighed, his breath giving Starfire a sudden chill; not that she minded. Being this close to her again was euphoric and he never wanted to let go of her again. He inhaled her strawberry scent which he had missed so very much and he subtly rubbed his cheek against her bare shoulder, basking in the warmth that was Starfire.
"Sorry... I just... Can't believe you're home, Star..." He whispered, "I've missed you like you wouldn't believe..."
Starfire was shocked at how openly he was expressing this to her. It made her emotions swirl and she swallowed the lump in her throat. She closed her eyes tightly and burrowed her face against his shoulder some more,
"I have missed you also, Robin..." She replied,
It had been hard for the both of them not only because of underlying feelings for one another but they were best friends; they spent time together every single day so it had been difficult not doing that for the past 8 months.
Reluctantly, they released each other and simply smiled at one another for a moment,
"So... You're back now... For good, right?" He paused and kept hold of her hands, "No more trips around the world anytime soon?"
Starfire giggled, "No... I am right where I wish to be now that I have fulfilled my hopes of learning about Earth cultures."
Robin gazed at her, "Good," He returned, barely loud enough for her to hear. The sound of her girlish giggle sent waves of happiness through him. He had missed that sound a lot.
Starfire turned her head slightly to glance at the window. She noted that the sun would be going down shortly so she turned back around to face Robin and offered him one of her signature smiles,
"Come," She told him, squeezing his hand gently, "I have missed watching the sun go down with you,"
Robin couldn't stop smiling at her even if he wanted to; it felt unreal with her being back. She turned slightly and grabbed something from her bag which Robin couldn't quite see before tugging on his hand, signalling him to follow her as she made her way up towards the roof.
When they reached the roof, Starfire deeply exhaled. The roof was special to her; it had always been her favourite place in the whole tower. It was nice to come out just to get some form of peace and quiet. Also, Robin usually joined her when she was up here which simply contributed to reasons why the location was so very important to her.
They wandered over to the edge of the roof and sat down with their legs hanging carelessly over the side; only then did Starfire release Robin's hand so that she could present his gift to him.
She turned to him with the all too familiar gleam of excitement within her beautiful jade eyes which he couldn't help but chuckle at. She was still her normal self; she was still bubbly and cheerful.
"While I was travelling the world, I retrieved gifts for each of the titans and I have yet to give you yours, Robin." Starfire told him,
He smiled softly at her thoughtfulness and felt a fluttery warmth in his chest; something he had felt many times before.
She unhooked the object she had brought out of her bag from her belt and handled it with care. It was a scroll that looked dusty and torn at the edges; it was ancient but had clearly been preserved.
Starfire slowly unrolled the scroll so that the writing could be seen, "I was given this token in China when I was helping the people to protect their village from bandits. They were so grateful that they entrusted me with this scroll." She paused to briefly look at Robin, "It gives instructions on ancient martial arts moves from the Han dynasty, I believe?"
Robin's eyes raked over the relic with amazement and curiosity. He couldn't believe that she had brought this back for him.
"The people of the village told me that only warriors who are truly skilled in the art of combat will be able to perfect these moves. So, naturally, I thought of you," She explained, gently placing the scroll into his hands.
Robin was speechless about what she had brought him. He glanced up at her and watched her as she bit her lip, waiting for his response,
"Do you... Do you like it, Robin?" She stammered, concerned that he might hate it.
"Starfire... This is unbelievable... I can't believe you brought this back for me." He stuttered,
"It seemed most fitting, Robin," She beamed,
Robin carefully set the scroll aside and gathered her up in a quick embrace however; it was enough to spark electricity within her. She subtly sighed in content after he released her,
"But, you know... The best gift is just having you home, safe." Robin blurted, timidly smiling at her,
Starfire shyly smiled and she felt a blush spread across her cheeks. She cleared her throat and brushed some of her auburn hair behind her ear. She stared up at him and her expression was serious for a moment,
"I am sorry that I was away for so long, Robin..." She whispered,
Robin offered her a small smile, "The important thing is that you're back now. Besides, it was something you needed to do Starfire. I understand." He answered,
Starfire breathed a sigh of relief that he understood why she needed to leave. But, he cleared his throat and gently took her hands in his,
"But, Star... I do need to tell you something..." Robin started; he had hidden his feelings for too long and it seemed like it was now or never to admit them.
Starfire nodded which urged him to continue with his confession,
"While you were away, it gave me a lot of time to think about things... I know we've been friends forever but... For a long time... I... Uh... I've felt more than that... For you... Uh... When you were gone, I missed you a lot and it made me realise... That I need you... I mean... I... Uh..." Robin rubbed the back of his neck as he continued to babble,
Starfire stared at him with big green eyes; she had heard the main piece of his declaration clearly. He felt more than friendship for her and that was all she really needed to know. She had tuned out whilst he was stumbling over the rest of his words.
She gave into a small smile and quickly leaned up towards him, pressing her lips against his to silence him. Starfire felt Robin relax as their lips moved together in a blissful haze. She was only really half aware when he lightly squeezed her hands but she just smiled into the kiss. They had both wanted to carry out this action for years and the feeling they were experiencing was overwhelming. All of their unsaid affections for each other were spilling into the ecstasy of the kiss they shared now.
Starfire broke the kiss after a minute or so and they leaned their foreheads together as they revelled in the glowing aftermath of their first official kiss.
They couldn't quite take their eyes off of one another and the chance of their smiles disappearing from their faces anytime soon was highly unlikely.
It really was good to be home.