(I'm writing Blackcid… no surprise there.)
Blackfire of Tameran and Johnny Rancid (of earth, no duh!) had plenty of names to call each other.
At first, the word was enemy.
Blackfire nursed her black eye and strained wrist. "I can not believe that… that HUMAN beat me!" XL Terrestrial nodded sympathetically and handed her another ice pack. The ex-princess took it gratefully.
XL looked the woman over, searching for more wounds that she couldn't handle. "You should be glad to know that my planet was quite depressed when you were removed from the throne." He said, attempting to get her off her griping. "Isn't your planet the one who attempted to marry me off to some general's son?" Blackfire asked. XL nodded quickly. "Oh, yes, I knew that person who you are speaking of."
Blackfire looked oddly at the now seemingly flustered XL. "Really? Who was it?" She asked, fully curious. "Er… well… me." XL Terrestrial admitted, now embarrassed. Blackfire smirked. "Ah, so that's why it was canceled. They mentioned the prospect for me was away on a mission."
XL nodded again. "This won't make it awkward between me and you, will it, Komand'r?" Blackfire shook her head no. "Of course not, Xilo." The green alien nodded gratefully and began dabbing away at the black eye with medication. Blackfire hissed in pain.
"I still can not believe it. Me, Blackfire, a princess of Tameran, beat by a silly human!" "If it makes you feel better, Johnny Rancid is not just a human. Meta human, definitely. Stronger, a bit faster, and he's lucky." "Luck won't help him next time." Blackfire grumbled.
XL Terrestrial had one more thing to say: "At least you left him with a few marks of his own." Blackfire agreed there.
~*~*~*~*~ Meanwhile~*~*~*~*~
"Johnny, you are a giant baby." "But it hurts, damn it!"
Angel gently smacked Johnny upside the head, causing him to wince in pain. Johnny also had a nasty black eye, his lip was swelling up, and the skin under his shirt was practically scratched off.
After his fight, Johnny went to the HIVE base to get fixed up, mostly because Punk Rocket was in jail… again. Kyd Wykkyd glanced up from his book. 'So, how did you get those wounds?' He signed after setting down the book. "Embarrassing, really. Some flying chick landed on my hide out, I made a snarky comment, she got pissed, we fought… I can't believe I won, I was really lucky."
Angel made him remove his shirt and she winced. "Ouch… seriously glad you can not bleed, because this would be really ugly otherwise." "Don't remind me." Johnny groaned. Billy and three of his clones were playing video games, and one of them glanced behind at Johnny. "So, was she cute?" He hollered.
After thinking about that thought for a couple seconds, Johnny replied, "Actually… she kinda was. But it's hard to measure hotness when the person in question is attempting to pummel you." Billy laughed at that. "Gotcha."
Next name (and several of the next names) came at around the same time.
Pain in the neck (or other parts of the anatomy.)
"If I was a ruler of my planet, I sentence you to death by getting ripped in half." "Well, guess what? You aren't. Why aren't you? Because you are bat shit INSANE."
Both villains glared as they were nursing their wounds. Both were beat up pretty bad this time, and it wasn't even the titans' fault for once!
Johnny groaned and leaned against the wall. His head felt way too light, pretty sure he had given himself a concussion again. It hurt to breath, but he was also sure that he didn't break his ribs this time. Blackfire was missing several parts of her armor, Johnny had ripped them off, and bruises littered the orange skin. She used her tongue to probe at her front tooth, which was knocked loose.
Blackfire glared at Johnny. "Damn it, why don't you bleed?" She growled. "Wha?" Johnny asked, realizing unless he hurried back to his apartment, he would probably pass out in front of this crazy woman. A gut feeling told him he wouldn't live through that experience.
The alien girl sighed and repeated herself. "I've scraped you up in more areas I can count. Why don't you bleed, Johnny Rancid?" Johnny was a bit surprised that the girl knew his name, he hadn't ever learned hers. They just fought. Slowly, Johnny limped over to the girl. Grabbing her hand, he placed it on his chest, too tired to explain it in words.
Slowly, reality dawned on her. "You… do not have a heart." She said. "No duh, crazy bitch… what is your name?" He asked. "I am Blackfire, of Tameran." She said, eyes sharpening. Johnny nodded and limped away from his opponent.
Unwilling allies was next, four months after they had met.
Trapped in a bank robbery was not the way Johnny wanted to get caught this time. Blowing bangs out of his eyes, he glared from where he had hid. Then he heard a gasp of shock.
He whipped to the side to see Blackfire, also holding a bag of cash. "What are YOU doing here?" She demanded. "Knitting a sweater, what's it look like I'm doing!" Johnny snapped.
Blackfire glared. "Back off, this is my bank to rob." "No way, honey." "I am not a mixture of bee spit and pollen." "… not what I meant." After another glare off, they heard Robin yell, "Come out willingly, and we won't have to do this the hard way." "Damn bird boy…" Johnny grumbled, gripping his loot.
Both glanced at each other again. "Temporary allies?" Blackfire suggested. "Agreed. We can beat the shit out of each other next time we meet." Johnny agreed, grabbing his laser gun. Blackfire's fist glowed, and they charged.
Clearly, the titans were not expecting the sudden assault by the two, and they managed to escape.
Actual allies became the next step.
"You owe me, man. Cough it up."
Johnny had loaned a street thug about five hundred dollars. The thug sneered. "Yeah, and what'll make me?" Johnny sighed. "Don't make me get rough with you." "What'll you do, Johnny? I can beat you in a fight any day." The boy bragged.
Smirking, Johnny whistled. "Perhaps, but can you beat her?" Blackfire dove out of the sky and tackled the now shell shocked street kid. "Pay up." Blackfire ordered, holding him against the wall with one hand, the other hand uplifted glowing purple.
Shrieking, the thug handed over the cash, plus the interest, and took off.
Blackfire handed half of it over. "That… was actually a bit of fun." She said. "Yeah, hand me the rest, Black. You only keep the interest." Johnny said. "What will you do, beat me up?" Blackfire mocked. "No, but I will kick your mini skirt ass out of my apartment building. Gimme."
After more threats and complaints, Blackfire handed over the money.
Roommates happened at the same time they allied.
"I thought you hated her." Punk Rocket said point blank when he discovered that Johnny had cleaned out the abandoned apartment next to his own and had Blackfire move in. "I do. But she can help bring in the dough." Johnny responded.
Punk glanced at Blackfire, who was now attempting to read one of the books about motorcycles that Johnny had. "Alright, as long as she doesn't slit my throat… think she's up for a one night stand though?"
Johnny snickered. "One sentence you sound scared of her, the next you are thinking about f***ing her. In what world does that make sense?" "None, actually. But strong chicks are pretty hot. Mind if I give it a shot?" Punk asked. "Be my guest." Johnny said with a shrug.
The punk rocker fist pumped and sauntered over to the couch. Johnny watched as he got turned down, slapped, and then… kissed. On the cheek, but still a kiss. Johnny rolled his eyes. Blackfire was strange at times.
It took quite some time, but Blackfire and Johnny could soon call each other friends.
"Johnny, what are you doing?"
Johnny pulled himself out from under his car. "Fixing a car, wanna help?" He asked. Blackfire made a face and smoothed her new dark blue sweater. "It's dirty. No." Johnny shrugged. "Then take off your shirt like I did."
Blackfire rolled her eyes as Johnny went back under the car. "You do know our cultures have different taboos on nudity, correct? My planet, it does not matter as much. A body is a body, not much more." "Note to self, visit Tameran in the future." Blackfire giggled and rolled her eyes.
A while later, Johnny found himself joined by Blackfire. "Earth vehicles are so odd… what's that?" "It's the oil pan, for one, and for two, I thought you said it was dirty down here." "It is, but clothes wash." Blackfire pointed out.
Johnny looked into her dark purple eyes. "You know, you are scarily practical at times." "It's the way I am. What's that?"
The rest of the afternoon was spent with Johnny teaching Blackfire about cars. He pretended not to notice, but she never wore the sweater again, probably because of all the grease stains.
During this time and a little afterward, Johnny's emotions… shifted. The name now for her was 'crush' He didn't know how he felt, but any time Blackfire was around…
"Johnny. Your arm is around my shoulders."
"Get your hand off my waist."
"No touching!"
Johnny sighed and pulled away- he did it again. The way his affection worked was by touch.
Blackfire was clearly not the same way. "I swear, Johnny, every time I come visit your apartment or we go on a heist, your hands are everywhere on me!" "I haven't touched your tits or your ass; take a chill pill, Barbie." Johnny said with a smirk.
The alien huffed. "Well… just… stop, alright?" "In case you haven't noticed, it's the way I show I care, alright? Touch is very important to me." Johnny snapped. Blackfire softened. "… it is a way of… showing affection?" "I guess when you put it that way." Johnny said, a bit angry.
After that, Blackfire wouldn't push him away quite so roughly.
Blackfire had her own way of showing her feelings were changing as well from friend to 'crush'.
"Blackfire, what is this?"
Johnny pointed at the drawing on the table. "I have been learning from XL… its gross, I'll toss it out." Blackfire said quickly, about to grab it. Johnny snatched it away and grinned. "Hey, it's not that bad… is that me?"
Stomping her foot, Blackfire said, "Well, yes, I was supposed to sketch something I knew well. You happened to be dozing on the couch, and I needed a model. I'll just toss it out; it's not all that good." "… Can I keep it?" Johnny asked quietly.
Surprised, Blackfire looked a bit shy. "You… you want to?" She said. "Yeah, I do." Johnny replied. "Then you may. I'll redraw it when I get better." Blackfire promised.
From that day on, Johnny kept that picture folded up in his pocket.
That name stuck around for several months, and it was almost a year since they had first met that Johnny slipped and called her a nickname.
"Could you pass me that, blackberry?" Johnny almost kicked himself.
Johnny Rancid, biker villain, had just called Blackfire a cutesy name. Johnny didn't do cutesy names.
Blackfire handed him the wrench without a word said. Thinking he had embarrassed her, Johnny slid out from under the car he was working on. "Look, I'm sorry for- are you laughing at me!" Blackfire tried to hide it, but another giggle escaped. Her whole body was shaking with suppressed laughter.
Finally, she managed to spit out, "Blackberry?" Now she was just full out laughing. "Hey, it was a slip of the tongue, bite me!" "Blackberry… I wonder what Punk would think if he knew you called me that." Blackfire wondered.
Yes, Punk and Blackfire did hook up once. Punk didn't get the dreamy expression off his face for weeks, and Johnny was very green with envy the whole time.
Johnny slid back under the car, glad he couldn't blush because otherwise his face would be fluorescent. "… I like it." "Like what?" After handing him the tool Johnny needed, Blackfire said, "The nickname. Blackberry. It's kinda cute." "I'm never saying it again."
Of course, Johnny did, when they were alone, and each time he would insist it was an accident. He only did it to hear Blackfire laugh though.
Shockingly enough, the next name for each other was 'confidant'. It happened late one night.
Johnny had heard Blackfire scream from his room. Bolting in a rush, he pounded on her door, it being locked. "Blackfire, Blackfire, open up!" He ordered.
After another scream, Johnny ripped the doorknob off the door and ran into her room.
Blackfire was still asleep, turning and screaming in her sleep. Running up to her, he grabbed her and shook her awake. "Blackfire, it's only a dream, wake up!" He ordered. "So… much pain… blasted sister, get away from me!" She moaned, still in dreamland.
Johnny finally shook her awake. Blackfire blinked a couple times, leaving the realm of dreams behind. "Don't leave me, alright?" She asked tearfully, façade of being so tough and strong vanishing. "I won't, I won't." Johnny reassured, crawling into bed next to her. Blackfire was very tall… but right now, she seemed so small.
The rest of the night, Blackfire clung to him like a life preserver. In any other situation, Johnny would welcome the beautiful girl cuddling up next to him, but he was more worried about her dream.
When morning finally arrived, Blackfire woke up to see Johnny had fallen asleep, chest breathing without too much reason lightly. "When you get in here?" She said jokingly, flicking his face.
Johnny woke up with a snort. "You alright, Blackfire?" He asked. "I will be, I have had this dream before." Blackfire said. "… What happened?"
Blackfire sighed and lifted up her hand. An orb of purple light surrounded it and Johnny flinched, thinking she was going to star bolt him into next week. "These do not happen naturally in my people… an experiment had to happen. A very painful, unnecessary experiment." Blackfire said calmly, the light fading.
Johnny stared in shock. "Oh. I… didn't know. Sorry, Blackfire." "Don't be. I do not care any longer." Blackfire said. "Your dreams say otherwise." Johnny pointed out. Blackfire glared and Johnny slid out of her bed, ready to run if her temper changed even worse. "I'll go now." He said quickly, making his way to her bedroom door.
"Komand'r." Blackfire said suddenly. "Hmm?" Johnny turned around, confused. "My name may mean Blackfire, but, when we are alone, call me by my name. Komand'r." The expression on Johnny's face seemed excited. "Komand'r… it kinda suits you. My first name is Johnny, Jonathon actually, but my real last name is Sykes."
Blackfire nodded. "You also have a good name."
Leaving, Johnny winced at the mess of her front door. It was still worth it though.
And finally, arrived the last name.
Both stared across at each other, rain pouring, wounds littering their bodies, chests heaving… and emotions running high.
"You… what is your problem!" Blackfire yelled, stomping her foot in the mud. "I don't like seeing my friends hurt, alright?" Johnny snapped back. "You nearly got killed, you son of a bitch!" Blackfire said. "You would've been if that star bolt had hit you full on!" "I am more capable to withstand injury than I look!"
What had happened was that Starfire had lost her temper, threw an extra large star bolt at Blackfire, Johnny turned and saw it heading for her, tackled her and ended shoving them both off a cliff.
Now, rain soaking them both, they stood at the bottom, taking out all their pent up emotions. "Can't you fly us out of here?" Johnny yelled. "I don't… I can't, okay!" "Why not?" "My powers are based on emotions, and right now, my emotions are so confused, I can't, okay?" "That's really pathetic!"
With a scream, Blackfire ran over and punched the wall by Johnny's head. "Why… do you do this? How can you keep just screwing with my head like you do!" She sobbed. "Komand'r…"
Angrily, Blackfire stared up at Johnny, cobalt blue eyes clashing with amethyst purple. "I… I can't… I can't say it…" She whispered, a tear rushing down her cheek. "What can't you say?" Johnny asked. "I… can't say… how my emotions are about you… I used to know them before; you were my enemy, my ally, my friend… I don't know what the word is anymore."
With a movement that startled them both, Johnny pressed his lips to hers. Pent up emotion flowed away as they kissed in the rain.
Finally pulling away, Johnny asked breathlessly, "Confused anymore?" Blackfire gently touched her lips with her fingers, face flushed. "No… not at all." She said, a smile going across her features.
They kept kissing in the rain until the titans found them… and none of them had the nerve to interrupt them.
Enemies. Pain in the neck. Allies, willing and forced. Roommates. Friends. Odd crushes. Cute nicknames. Confidant.
And then the last, final name:
Soulmates.
(oh my GOSH, the last part was so incredibly sappy. Seriously, I'm actually becoming a girly girl!
… That actually will never happen. Never. Ever.
By the way, listen to 'At the Beginning', that one Anastasia song… I listened to it while writing this.
Bye byes, remember to review!)