"Some of us think that holding on makes us stronger, but sometimes, it's letting go"- Herman Hesse
Endymion was a young, handsome mortal man. Some versions of the story say that he was a simple shepherd; others claim he was the King of Elis. Regardless, the Moon Goddess Selene laid eyes on him one night and fell in love with him. Of course since Selene was a goddess, she would stay eternally young and beautiful. Endymion, on the other hand, would eventually succumb to time, age, and death, as mortals do.
Selene then put Endymion into eternal sleep, keeping him deathless. This way she could gaze upon him lovingly every night, and he would never grow any older.
Robin looked younger asleep.
Younger and more...innocent. Or at least that was how it seemed to her.
While he slept the Teen Wonder seemed peaceful -peaceful in a way he rarely did when he was awake and aware...not to say that even now he wasn't somewhat aware. She had no doubt that were she to even lightly tap him -especially around his neck area- he would awaken instantly.
That was why she had seated herself a good foot away from his resting form. The warrior girl didn't want to take the chance that she would accidentally bump him, and ruin his slumber...an event which was becoming ever more infrequent.
The two Titans were stationed on the top floor of a half-finished construction site, where according to the intelligence Robin had gathered over the past week, a shipment of illegal substances would be coming into their city.
They were alone as it was Raven's night off -though the witch would only be a called away should they need her- and Beast Boy and Cyborg were busy chasing down some bank robbers' get-away car.
(Taking nights off and splitting up to do separate assignments was a recent development for the team...and one that Robin was reluctant to allow, considering that it had been only been a short time since they had all come together.)
(But the change had to be made sooner or later. Otherwise they would not grow as heroes.)
That fact was what had convinced their leader to give them the...what was the earth word...the ermm...o-kay?
Anyhow, something had been off. The dealers were running late, and as the night drew on, their contacts on the ground below the young heroes quickly grew impatient...so had Robin for that matter.
...but he also grew sleepily, and she believed that she knew why. When the Titans had formed their team, they had (after explaining the concept to her) unanimously voted the inky-haired teen to be their leader.
After all, it had made sense. While Robin was not the oldest among them at sixteen years of age -that privilege went to Cyborg- he had the most experience in this line of work. Far more than the rest of them.
But for all his expertise, Robin had never lead a long-term team before, and she could see that he had struggled to adjust. Not only with refining their training, but in getting the Tower built, and collecting intel on the criminal underworld of Jump.
(The rest of them had helped in what ways the could, but Robin had always preferred to conduct what he considered -rightly or wrongly- his duties alone.)
That was the one of the key earthen words she had learned, in order to understand this puzzle of an earthen boy.
Alone.
(Along with strong, bright...and good. Utterly good.)
And consequently, her stubborn friend had wound up sacrificing his sleep hours to get work done, leading to him being exhausted when he normally wouldn't be. Or shouldn't be.
(Beast Boy and Cyborg and Raven had all placed bets on how soon it would be until he just collapsed. Beast Boy had bet one week. Cyborg two. Raven three days.)
She had refused to participate.
But if she were to place a bet right now at this moment...she would say it would be anywhere within the next five minutes.
"Well Robin, it seems that you will soon be playing the bag-piper," she had whispered to him teasingly, after seeing him stifle yet another yawn.
He had turned to look at her then, the corner of his mouth twitching suspiciously upward.
"Paying the piper Star," he had gently corrected, in a softer tone that she didn't think had to do with his tiredness.
She had blushed slightly. While the team had been helping her with earthen sayings and culture, she still had much to learn. "Ah yes..." she had answered, before clearing her throat and raising her chin.
She was a Princess of royal blood after all, even if her friend didn't know that...yet.
"But I think it would be wise if you took advantage of this moment to rest," she advised him with diplomatic graciousness.
And just like that, that softness evaporated. Most of it anyways.
"No Star," he replied sternly, straightening up in his kneeling position and shaking his head. "I can't, the dealers could arrive at any moment-"
"And if they do, I shall wake you," she paried quickly. Two could play this game. Robin still hesitated, by she could see he was weakening. On impulse she reached over, and placed her closed fist on his chest directly over his heart, a Tamaranean gesture of implorance.
"Robin, if you do not get some rest, you will not fight your best when the time for battle comes," she explained. Unfurling her hand, she held his gaze without flinching.
"You could be hurt...please."
With that she had him. She could tell by the way his shoulders slumped.
"...Alright," he yielded with a sigh. With that he shifted himself so that he was half-sitting, half-laying down on the beam they were perched on, and leaned back against a bare metal beam that rose straight into the air.
It must have been cold to his human skin, but he didn't complain.
"You promise you'll wake me?" he asked her once more time, his handsome face very serious.
She immediately nodded, her own features equally grave.
"I give you my word my friend," she assured him wholeheartedly; grasping his hand and trying to make her honesty shine threw her eyes.
His expression relaxed at that. Slowly, she released his hand, and allowed the backs of her fingers to touch his cheek.
"...Sleep now," she enticed softly; in a tone that she herself didn't recognized. She had never used it before. It was fainter than moonbeams, or the glowing embers of a hearth-fire.
Yet it almost had a...breathy quality to it. The short of breath that could stir a fire to life.
Well whatever it was...it did the trick. Robin was now asleep. Finally.
Silently, she wished him pleasant dreams.
Without a companion -well an awake companion- the time passed slower. She kept a carefully watch on criminals below...but quickly wearied of it. One could only watch unattractive males smoke and cuss for so long.
So more and more as the minutes ticked by...she found herself turning her gaze to observe her much more appealing friend. Just to make sure that he didn't fall off the very narrow beam he was resting on (especially since one of his legs was dangling off the side).
And...and if she also noticed how his raven hair shone with an under-coloring of blue in the moonlight...and that his cape made his shoulders look broader...or that his mouth was exactly rather nice when it wasn't pressed into such a grave line then...then...
Then that was a absolute coincidence. Random happenstance. And she will deny it if anyone said otherwise. Hemff.
...So surly it wouldn't cause any harm if she had one more look. Just one.
She couldn't help it...strange at it may sound, she had never seen Robin asleep before, and the sight fascinated her. And not just because he was...well...him. She had seen the other members of the Titans at rest, and often (Beast Boy especially). But not Robin, and in a way, she supposed that made sense.
Sleep was a vulnerable state...and vulnerability was not something she could easily associate with her friend, despite his human weaknesses.
(Mainly because he was constantly overcoming them).
Though perhaps she should reconsider...Robin looked younger asleep. Maybe he was younger. Maybe everyone temporarily reclaimed their youth while they slept.
Younger and more...innocent. Like all his concerns had fallen from his shoulders. And...a part of her almost wished that she had the power to make him sleep forever, like in the story Raven had told her of the earthen Moon Goddess who loved a mortal boy. Which was ironic, considering that the tale had both bewildered and appalled her when she first heard it.
She just hadn't been able to understand it. If you loved someone, why would you make it so that he could not properly experience life?
But now...now she had a little sympathy for the goddess in the myth. After all...a goddess would know well what kind of evil lived in the world...and maybe she had feel that doing such a act would keep her lover safe from it.
(But safe for his sake...or for the goddess'?)
...when she had been a child, her sister captured a rare Aru'ka...an intelligent fire-bird, who's had been hunted nearly to extinction by poachers for it's beautiful scarlet-gold feathers that glowed in the night. Komand'r had caught it to save it's life, or so she said, and had put it in a cage that hung in their playroom.
But as the days went on, the Aru'ka feathers ceased to glow, and were soon falling out. Worried that the beast was falling ill, she had consulted her Kenof'ka...who had told her that the Aru'ka was suffering from heart-sickness. That it didn't enjoy being in a cage.
"But the cage is saving his life!" she had protested at the time.
"Yes," Galfore had concurred. "But it is also keeping him from living his life. Your sister put him in the cage so only she could enjoy him, while you allow it so you can hold him in security...but security is not worth freedom child. Nothing is."
...that night, she had secretly let the Aru'ka go (needless to say Koma nearly killed her the next morning).
Her sensitive hearing suddenly perked at the sound of approaching footsteps, and glaring up sharply, her keen eyes narrowed as she took in the sight of the three dealers she and Robin (and the buyers) where waiting for, as they approached on foot -why she didn't know.
Perhaps they had run into some trouble along the way. They had heavy-looking gym bags thrown over their meaty shoulders.
Tensing, she slide off beam and hovered in mid-air. Her blood pounding in her veins, she turned to keep her promise...and hesitated.
Robin still looked so peaceful, in a way he rarely did when he was awake and aware.
A part of her didn't want it to end, just like the moon goddess hadn't. If...if she moved fast enough, and restraint from using her starbolts...she could knock the villains out, and take them to jail. And when Robin woke up on his own, she could tell him that they had never shown up...he would believe her.
But then she wilted a bit.
...That would be like keeping a fire-bird in a cage, wouldn't it? Robin had worked hard on this case, and would want to see it through. This was the life her friend had chosen, she had no right to try and block him from it, if she didn't want his light to stop shining.
(From what she could gather from Beast Boy, Robin's father had tried to do just that...and had lost him as a result.)*
Besides she had given him her word.
"Robin," she whispered urgently, reaching out to shake him slightly. "Wake up."
Her hand had barely made contact with him before her friend was up and in a crouching position.
"Here?" he asked shortly, all business.
"Here," she confirmed -her tone likewise. "What is the plan?"
"...How 'bout you provide a little cover-fire, while I take them out?" he said, his voice become excited with the per-rush of battle, giving his olive skin a healthy glow.
He grinned at her, and turned her insides into fire. "Sound good?"
...Right then and there, she decided that however nice Robin had looked asleep and secure (and she definitely wouldn't mind seeing him like that again...particularly if she could lie down and join him) she would always prefer him to be awake and alive.
After all, a bird was more beautiful flying free than being held in a cage.
"Very good," was her honest reply.
"Then let's go."
Robin's fingers suddenly filled with his birdarangs, while her own hands filled with her starbolts. Together they leapt from beam, and into the fray. Her scattering the cockroaches with her 'bolts, while Robin used his acrobatics to prevent them from escaping, his bo staff neatly sending them into a not-so-peaceful looking sleep.
All and all, it was over in less than ten minutes. They slapped wrist restrains onto their captives and contacted the police in informed them of their location.
Thus their job was done for the night. And as she waited patiently for Robin to fetch his R-cycle from where he stashed it, the sun chose just then to show its head, signaling the new day. Smiling, she closed her eyes in rapture to better enjoy the rays warming her face.
Mmm...glorious.
"...Um Star? You ready to go?" Robin asked her, sounding a bit uncertain, his face unreadable as he observed her.
"More than ready," she assured him. As they took the main road back to the tower, Robin spoke once more.
"Hey Star...thanks for keeping your word...it...it means a lot to me," he told her sincerely.
"Think nothing of it," she replied warmly. "You are most welcome."
After that, she found herself trying to recall how that myth had ended out of curiosity...but it seem to have slipped away from...but suddenly the rest of the myth came back to her, and her face flushed crimson.
In the story, the moon goddess had bore her lover fifty daughters while he slept.
Ermm yes...well then...that most definitely did not match what transpired here this night. Not at all.
...Though admittedly, she confessed to her inner-most self, her gaze once again finding her friend's attractive form below her...she wouldn't mind terribly if perhaps, someday in the future, she did bear a raven haired daughter (one daughter).
A beautiful little girl, who would be strong and bright and good. Utterly good.
And, she joked to herself, maybe even sleepy like her father.
* This is referring to when the when the Joker shot Robin, and Batman fired him, preferring him to be safe rather than alive. Which in teen titans causes him to run away to Jump.
Well how was that? What did you think I always wanted to write a story based off a myth...also, this is why I think Starfire deserved Robin more than his other lovers, as she is the only one who never tried to control him.