INSPECTOR: Welcome My Loyal Minions to As You Were! Kyo, strike the gong!
KYO: Strike your own gong you stupid Inspector. I'm on Strike.
INSPECTOR: I'll give you some pocky….
KYO:…And a hammock!
INSPECTOR: A hammock! Where did you get the idea for a hammock!
KYO: Rhett's chibi Keoni has a hammock! And I want one!
INSPECTOR: Okay, but please, just ring the gong!
KYO: *smirks, rings gong*
INSPECTOR: *under breath: finally*. I'm so honored to be in a team filled with such exceptional writers. Here's my first contribution! Enjoy everyone.
KYO: By the way…this broke dummy doesn't own a thing…except his chibis….
Zane could only watch, wide-eyed as his good friend flitted across her flower shop like a bat out of hell. What was wrong with Starfire?
Granted the tan, redheaded hyperactive girl generally expressed the symptoms of ADD…but this wasn't a lack of concentration…more of a trying to keep busy so that she didn't have to think about something….
The boy sighed, as his hair flopped into his eyes. It needed a trim again. As soon as the girl…well woman…passed him again for the thirtieth time in the span of ten seconds, Zane snagged her arm. "All right Star, what is it?"
Afore mentioned Tamaranian looked at him in surprise before grinning sheepishly. "Oh nothing, friend Zane! Everything is hunky-dory! Did you see our new shipment of Birds of Paradise!? No? Well they are most red and beautiful, you should get some for your apartmen-"
Her employee gave her the look that quite clearly said "Stop stalling before I incur deep psychological pain because I can't take you on physically!", and Starfire could only sigh at being found out.
Right after Teen Titans had broken up, Starfire began looking around for something she could do with her life on earth. Before her every moment had been devoted to her friends and saving Jump City…but when they broke up…well…she had no idea what to do! It was as she was flying around the park that she was reminded of one of the times that Dick had taken her out for a date, and had brought her roses… Remembering that feeling, Star had decided to open a flower shop.
The first two months were impossible, mainly because she didn't really have any idea how to run a business. Running a planet was apparently a whole other shebang! Then right as she considered throwing in the towel, it was as if the clouds opened up and dumped the answer to her problems right on her doorstep.
And the name to her savior was Zane Garcia. A short teen who had run into Bloom to escape the rain. He had taken one look around the place and tsked. Starfire had sunny plants hidden away in shadows, shady plants in direct sunlight and she couldn't for the life of her make up a proper display—that wouldn't cause a headache. When he had put her store to rights in ten minutes flat, the Tamaranian had been so grateful that she had offered him a job on the spot—although if you asked Zane he would have said that the scary tan red head had threatened him…
The point being that Zane knew Civilian Starfire better than most other civilians….and some of her old teammates at that….and Zane…although he was only like 5'4 was a dangerous individual when it came to mental warfare. In fact if his height were ever mentioned, than you could be guaranteed a spot in a dark, cold, disconsolate room in the middle of nowhere…with only your delusions for company…
A cough near her elbow brought Star out of her thoughts, and she was instantly reminded that she had an impatient blackette waiting for her to spill her guts…or suffer the consequences. And the last time she didn't tell Zane what was on her mind she lost her entire December shipment of Roses, and customers complained of nightmares…
Sitting down behind the counter, she wrung the apron she had on nervously. Bloom was the life she had built for herself after Teen Titans had disbanded, and though she saw Raven occasionally, and the other members from time to time, she hadn't heard a single thing about Dick since…
But now…. "Friend Victor called me last night saying that….he ran into Dick…and that…"
Her assistant looked at her with patient hazel eyes, "And that…"
Sighing the redhead slumped over the counter. "And that….they want to have a little reunion."
For a few moments nothing else was said, until Star peeked over to see that Zane was in deep contemplation. "Isn't that a good thing? You'll finally all be in one place and get to catch up with one another."
Biting her lip, Star shrugged. "Yes, but…."
Finally a light of understanding hit Zane's eyes. "But Dick will be there, and you haven't seen him since he left..."
That was the problem. He left, and Star had no idea how to feel about that. She had always believed that Dick would come back…that they would all be a family and a team again. And that even maybe…maybe Dick and Star could get married and have little superhero babies and live happily ever after in a mustard company till they were wrinkled little old people, with Gar and Raven, and Victor and Karen all sitting together on a porch near the ocean talking about the old days, and growing older together…
But he hadn't come back, and the bite of such a betrayal had made wounded her in ways that she never thought she'd recover…
A nod was the only answer he recieved. With a smile, the teen hugged his boss. "Star, I think this would be a good opportunity. Seeing Dick after all this time may finally give you the closure you need to move on…maybe even move right into Jason's arms…"
Jason being the rather cute delivery guy that would come over twice a week to bring in fresh flowers. He wasn't as attractive as a certain Boy Wonder due to a distinct lack of spandex, that didn't hug certain parts of the male anatomy which caused Star to become horribly distracted, but he was nice in his own way.
Being reminded of Jason earned her a blush, and when she looked up, she saw that her employee was winking at her. "And if it doesn't give me closure?"
At this, the boy could only shrug, "Then you have a second chance with the first earth boy you've ever loved."
Hmm…what Zane is saying makes sense. Alright, I will go to the Reunion…and if…if my heart still won't let Dick go then…then I'll just have to find a way to get him to turn back into the boy I fell in love with…