"This is not the first time I've found you here, Delilah,"
Koriand'r didn't bother looking up from her place at the edge of the rooftop. Old tear streaks still illuminated her golden skin as she wiped weakly at them, sniffling to herself. When had things become so difficult? After nearly five years of being Titans, Greyson still had no feelings for her. "come now, no need to cry. After all this isn't the first time,"
Slade was a calm figure in the darkness, his looming presence heavy on Starfire's shoulder. The first time they had met like this, she had been willing to fight. It left her with a black eye, an escaped Slade and a good questioning by an obsessed Robin. Now, several times after their first meeting, Starfire was less bothered by the looming presence of her greatest enemy. She wasn't even certain where Slade came from, as he was supposed to be dead. But like all those other times, he seemed to just ooze out of the woodwork.
"Tis' not, you are correct," Starfire wiped at her eyes again. Tonight's argument had been a substantial one between them, causing her to once again retreat to the rooftop to shed her sorrows. Kori felt that she was at her wits end dealing with the boy she once crushed heavily on.
"Ah, such a sad girl. Robin was never one to…how do you say it, empathize? He will never feel your love, nor accept it in his life,"
"I am perfectly aware of that, thank you," Kori hissed angrily, her golden hair flashing slightly in annoyance. Though she was excited about finally growing into her Tameranian curves after five years on earth, it certainly wasn't good at hiding what she was feeling,
"Tut, tut. Again with the temper? Honestly,"
"I am aware you are not intimidated by my flares of emotion, Slade," Star grumbled, pulling herself up to face the duel colored man in a mask. Even with her adult body, he still easily dwarfed her, his cold eyes staring at her from through his eyeholes, "what is it you want?"
"Merely to offer my condolences on your…petty argument? It seems I can find you up here more often then not,"
"Your presence has no doubt triggered the security alarms. Why do you not flee?" Starfire was too tired to worry about Slade as an enemy as she hugged herself slightly, "the others will no doubt come to try and apprehend you…again…" Starfire mumbled the last part of her sentence as Slade chuckled. It was an unnerving sound, but then again, Slade was trying to pep talk her after another argument with her so-called 'boyfriend',
"I see you are finally getting a handle on your sense of humor? Honestly, Delilah, why do you stay?"
"Because this is where I'm supposed to be,"
"Is it really?" Slade's mask turned slightly, his eyes unchanging as Kori sighed heavily. She knew her words were false, they had been for almost five years. But what did Slade know, other then everything apparently, "are you sure the team doesn't just keep you around because of your strength in battle? So I am wrong to assume that you are often pushed aside during more social gatherings?"
"I am not pushed aside," Starfire blinked slightly, but her frown grew deeper. It was true though, wasn't it? It had happened on multiple occasions where they completely ignored her want for gathering, "I merely…am, how you say…awkward,"
"You aren't awkward," Slade insisted hotly, "they push you aside because you aren't like them. Not in their little group, not of their world. You are a smart girl, Koriand'r, I know you see it to,"
"I…do, see it. This is true," Kori turned slightly to look out at the moon, its reflection shimmering across the bay. It was serene really, despite the looming shadow that was Slade, "why do you care of my feelings then, Slade? You only do things to further yourself, that I am certain."
"Indeed I do," Slade admitted, "you catch on quickly, Delilah. You see, I have actually come with a proposition for you. I have taken another apprentice, you may know him as Red X. After your Robin failed me, I saw the distinct error I had made in my choice. He was to…noble, for my taste. To easily turned. He has a twisted sense of justice,"
"Twisted?"
"Oh yes, very. There is no such thing as good and evil, Starfire. The word isn't so black and white as one may believe it to be. I have seen this same inner turmoil in you, many a time. What of a man who steals as to not go hungry? Or who kills as to right an injustice which has been ignored? What kind of justice must be implemented?"
"I suppose you are correct," Starfire admitted, though she didn't like how easily the admittance came to her lips. After all, she knew Red X. He was a distant obsession of hers, the yin to Robin's yang. The forbidden fruit which could only be admired from a distance, "but what of this sudden realization? And what does it have to do with me?"
"You are so obviously ignored by the ones you call friends. That is how these meetings of ours began, after all. I wish for you to come with me Princess Koriand'r, to train beside Red X and become the fighter I know you are,"
Blinking slightly, Slade held out a hand. In it was a metallic, duel colored suit similar to the one Robin had worn during his apprenticeship, "I can teach you so much. And with me, you will never feel unappreciated as you do here,"
"But you are the enemy," Kori said, though her hand reached out to feel the suit anyway. It looked just her size, and would no doubt fit perfectly. But this was her choice now. It did not belong to Robin, or Blackstar, or anyone else. The decision was hers alone. Carefully, Kori took the suit from Slade's hand completely, feeling the metal wrap around her hands and encase her body right over her usual purple uniform, "It fits,"
"Of course. You look beautiful, Delilah. Red X will no doubt be impressed,"
Tucking some hair behind her ear, both she and Slade turned as the rooftop hatch slammed open. The rest of her team had finally caught on to Slade's presence on the rooftop. Turning back to the man who she once feared, Slade held out a hand,
"Come,"
"Starfire!" Robin's voice cut sharply though the night air as Kori's heart skipped a beat. There was no turning back now. Quickly, she dropped her palm into Slade's hand, feeling his fingers tighten around hers. The last thing Kori saw was the horrified looks on each of her teammates faces as she vanished into a vortex and was enveloped completely by Slade's darkness.
A/N: Hey all! Rose here. So, I didn't have a lot of reason to write this little one shot? Just know it has no connection to the canon timeline of the show whatsoever, and the character of Slade and Starfire might be a tad on the OOC side if you squint. I just wrote it cause plot bunnies are annoying as hell. I hope you enjoyed anyway.