Hey, its me… again… I going to be brief and say this is a short story consisting of at least three chapters and that I'll update as soon as I can. Enjoy.
Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans.
Part 1: The Crash
It was one of those rare moments.
Rare in that Cyborg had lent him the T car and that he was able to spend time with his best friend, alone. Though it was nice to escape the sometimes monotonous feeling of their nightly rooftop meetings, Starfire had stayed uncharacteristically quiet throughout this trip to the grocery store. Usually, she was brimming with questions as they walked down the aisles, wondering what food products she could bring home and make into a one-of-a -kind Starfire concoction. But today had been different. While he had prattled about topics in the attempt to make conversation, she had just nodded, smiled kindly, and spoke in one-word answers. Even now, she just stared out the window as they made their way home. Awkwardness subsiding, all that was left was an eerie calm and slight frustration that radiated off him.
It wasn't like he had forced her to come. She had willingly offered her help as soon as he had spoken the words, even taking his hand to his shock. Where had that spark gone as soon as they entered the car, their spoken words diminishing as they traveled down the highway? She didn't look sad, but not content either. Just there.
He sighed, not mad just confused. He loved spending time with her and couldn't grasp why she dismissed him so suddenly. His hand still burned with her heat and he was eager to do anything to make her talk, laugh, anything but stare into the endless blizzard of snow that trailed behind them.
"What's wrong?" Robin finally asked, taking his eyes off the road to look at her still form.
The words seemed to wake her up as her eyes came alive with the assumption that she wasn't alright. She brushed her hair calmly behind her ear and looked directly into his eyes for what seemed like the first time all day. "Nothing is wrong. Why would you think that?"
Her eyes bored into his like he was accusing her of some awful crime. He turned away quickly, surprised at her icy tone. Having not much to say, he remained without giving or receiving an answer.
A long breathy sigh was released from his right after a few tense moments. His peripheral vision caught her purple uniform sliding further up in her seat. "I am…sorry," she admitted as she lowered her head in shame. "I did not mean to 'snap' at you as they say. I'm just having a rather unpleasant day."
Robin understood the feeling, relieved it was nothing more. Feeling brave, he reached and picked up one of her fiddling hands, squeezing it with reassurance. "It's ok to feel that way, Star," he said, clearing his throat when she grasped back. "…though you didn't have to come with me today. No one would have judged you if you decided to be selfish for one whole day." He said the last part in a joking matter, successfully tugging at the corners of her mouth.
"Actually," she bit her lip, as if confessing a secret, "I needed to get out of the Tower for a little bit. I was starting to feel a little…"
"Trapped?" he question, seeing the hopelessness in her face, recognizing it as his own. There was a brief pause as she thought over the word and glanced at their hands, intertwined on her knee.
She turned her face towards him and nodded, smiling just bit more at his ability to read her so well.
"Precisely," she grinned.
At least it now her eagerness was explained from before, but he was slightly disappointed that it wasn't his presence alone that had lured her on the trip. His face fell a bit.
Starfire, reading him in return, continued, "Besides, I truly do enjoy your company, more so than any of the others. I mean I do care for them, they are my friends after all! It's just that…," she said, letting the idea drift in the car, flustered by her own words.
Just what? Robin thought as he just gawked at a blushing Starfire who had said too much. Though somewhat embarrassed, she did not feel the need to take back her words, just bravely glanced at him.
Say it, he thought. Just say it.
"…you're my best friend."
His heart felt as though it was hollowed out and his stomach set on fire from the disappointment. He had thought that she was trying to convey something more, something that he desperately wanted. The words 'best friend' didn't seem to cover these feelings anymore. To top of it all off, there he was sitting, staring dumbly at the girl he loved while an excruciating headache rapidly filled the void.
"Robin, look out!"
The scream escaped before he could turn his attention to the semi coming head on. It seemed he had drifted too far into the left lane, though it explained the annoying sound. Trying to yank the steering wheel back on course, he narrowly missed the truck as it zoomed by, only to hit a patch of black ice. A sharp intake of air was heard.
"Hold on!" he commanded, gritting his teeth. Starfire braced herself as she would in the T ship, biting her lip to hold back screams. The car was getting too close to the edge of the road as Robin realized too late. All he could do was turn the wheel and hope to slow the vehicle slightly. Slamming into a snow bank, the T car slipped down the ditch, spinning out at the end. They came to a trembling halt, seeing nothing but compacted snow on the other sides of the windows. They looked wide-eyed at each other as their jostled bodies quieted. It seemed as though the whole ordeal hadn't even lasted two minutes.
"Are you ok?"
She scrutinized herself briefly and shakily brushed her hair back. "I am uninjured. Are you all right, friend Robin?"
Mad at his stupidity and her choice of endearment, he huffed a 'just peachy' and began to unbuckle his seat belt. Checking all systems on the dashboard, everything appeared in working order. The moment of truth came when he grabbed at the car door. It wouldn't budge.
This time, the thrust of his body accompanied his effort only to hear the slight sound of metal bending. A string of swear words could be made out with each shove.
"Crap…," he stated halfheartedly, the last curse and effort made before he rested his head against the window in defeat.
"That was quite…interesting," Starfire stated, trying to find the right word. Robin looked pointedly at her. "But good try! Maybe I could be more of assistance?"
"Good idea," he admitted grudging and crossed his arms.
She smiled, oblivious, and turned to the door. At a single touch, the metal groaned and glass threaten to crack.
He hastily stretched over and took her hand away, more forceful than the previous time. "Ok, not so good idea. No need to break Cy's pride and joy," he explained to a slightly hurt Starfire. "I'll just try the communicator." He patted her hand in comfort then returned it to her lap. Facing back to the front, he snapped open the device.
"Robin, calling all Titans. Do you read?"
Starfire, glancing over his shoulder, took in the static noise and blurry screen. He tried unsuccessfully to move it about the car to find any service but it's state remained the same.
"Titans?" he asked one last doubtful time. The gadget clicked shut abruptly. "Damn, no signal. And even if there was, I doubt they could have made it with the storm this bad." He said the words to make sense of what could be done. There seemed to be only one solution. "It looks like we'll just have to hang it out until morning."