Split
Starfire sat back in the water and hugged herself. "You unbalanced your emotions. It happens."
"It happens?" Robin asked, his tone rising. "It happens?"
Starfire nodded.
"It doesn't happen to me," Robin snapped, defensive.
"It does to me," Starfire told him, her voice firm. She stretched out her hand and placed it on his shoulder. "Emotional unbalance occurs to all of us at some stage during our lives. Robin, you have witnessed it occurring in me many times."
He scowled at her. "No I haven't—"
"I lost my ability to fly on that planet," she told him. "Or did you conveniently forget that?"
Robin looked away. "Umm…"
"If one of our friends is injured, I often lose my confidence," Starfire pointed out. "Pain makes me lose my flight. It occurs all the time. It is how you recover from the unbalance which matters and it is something we all must learn."
His chin dropped toward his chest. "I've never felt so out of control before—"
"Our emotions are not meant to be controlled," Starfire said. "But experienced."
"I don't know how do to that."
She smiled. "Yes, you do. You have been doing that all along, and now you have experienced what lurks beneath our rage, next time you may face it without fear."
He gave her a measured look. "Why didn't you warn me?"
Her smile died and she removed her hand. "If I had, you would have been afraid to tap into that side of our powers."
"With good reason!"
"Some things must be experienced—"
"Oh, fuck that, Star."
She drew back at his vehemence. "Robin—"
"Sorry." He huffed in a breath. "Guess I'm still unbalanced."
"I understand."
"You should have warned me," he told her, stern. "In fact, we're going to have a long conversation about what other things I might expect. If it's going to come at me, I want to be prepared."
She gave him a meek nod. "Yes, Robin."
"But not now," he said, fixing his gaze on the open water. "Later."
She accepted that with another nod, wondering why the delay.
He ran a hand through his hair, his sodden locks sticking up oddly. "Do you think it's true? About the Locrix?"
She went back to hugging herself. "It is a possibility."
"Did you know?"
She hesitated. "Not… not for certain. Not at the time. The hindsight though…"
"Yeah…" He punched his fist. "I can't believe I didn't see it! The way he treated you, how he saw you, we just let ourselves be swept up and didn't consider he could be lying!" He let out a low growl. "We have to fix this somehow. Help the Locrixes."
"I do not think—"
His fist splashed into the water. "We didn't even question. We just assumed that because the Locrixes were shooting at Val-yor and he won, that he was the good guy. What if those were their versions of police? We've had that happen before! I shouldn't have just assumed—"
She stretched out her hand to try and calm him but he moved away from it. "Please do not do the second guessing—"
"We were party to eradication," Robin snarled. "We're supposed to be heroes, not—"
Starfire interrupted, "If their planet was conquered then it is likely they were captured."
"Great," he tossed up his hands. "A party to slavery too." He surged out of the water. "I have to go."
She grabbed his hand before he could move away. "Robin, please, you must calm down."
"Let go," he told her.
"You remain unbalanced," she explained. "You need to—"
"I need to be alone," he said and pulled his hand out of hers. "I can handle this."
"Our people do not thrive alone. I can assist you in—"
"I'm not exactly one of your people," he snapped. "Diluted spawn, remember?"
Starfire gasped. "I have never—"
He wasn't listening to her. "I'm not just Tamaranian. I'm human. I shouldn't forget that."
"Robin—"
"It's time to do some good with these powers." He stalked past her and out of the water.
She stood, water running down her body and dripping back into the ocean. "My powers will not be used for vengeance."
"Oh, don't give me that," he said over his shoulder. "Tamaranians are all about vengeance."
"I am not. Those are my powers and I will not have them used for vengeance."
"They're my powers now," Robin said, flippant.
"Do not dare," Starfire snarled. "Do you really hold that little respect for me that you would use my powers to enact a vengeance we are not even certain exists?"
Robin paused, mid-step. His foot came down, his shoulders hunched and fists clenched.
"Listen to yourself!" Starfire implored. "Vengeance is not you at all!"
"Batman is vengeance."
"Robin is justice," Starfire countered. "But I am beginning to wonder if you are still him."
Robin's fist unclenched and he turned toward Starfire. "What?"
Starfire took a deep breath to steady herself. "I believe my powers are having a detrimental effect on you."
He dismissed that by looking away. "I'm fine."
"Are you?"
"Of course I am," he snapped and turned. "I gotta go."
"Robin, please. I am concerned."
"I'm not."
Starfire frowned and took a few steps to follow. "Did you not query what was wrong with you?"
"And now I know," he told her.
"Please—"
"Later, Starfire."
With a growl, Starfire launched herself into the air. Twisted over his head, she landed in front of him preventing him from moving toward the Tower. One hand on his shoulder and she applied some of her strength. "If you can escape my grip, I will allow you to go."
Robin made an exasperated noise and squirmed. "This is ridiculous."
"Fly, use your strength, use any other emotion than fury and I will let you go. Otherwise, you will have to listen to me."
He gripped her hand and she felt a tiny amount of pressure as he tried to pry it away. "I don't want to hurt you again."
She barked out a laugh. "In your current condition, you could not even hurt the fly." Placing her other hand on his free shoulder she lowered her voice, "I understand you are embarrassed you allowed yourself to react the way you did. I understand you wish to fix our mistakes this very moment. I also understand our emotions better than you and, at this juncture, that is my priority."
"I need to deal with this on my own," he snapped. "I need to think—"
"No," Starfire said. "What you need is to trust me."
Robin adjusted his stance. "I can't be around people right now. It's dangerous."
"Do you not think you should be around the one person who has been through this before?" she questioned and decided to tease him. "And who can handle your terrible danger."
He cracked a smile.
"Ten minutes, that is all I ask. If you still wish to leave, I will let you." She let her hand slip to his chest. "Can you allow me that time?"
He huffed. "Persistent."
"I am."
"And annoying."
"Of course," she said primly. "I learnt that from you."
"Ha," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "So witty." He shuffled and then brushed a hand through his hair. "Ten minutes? That's it?"
She nodded, dropping her hand from his chest and held it out for him to take.
"Can we get changed first?"
"No," she replied. "You will try the locking of the door and I will be forced to break it down. You might even be unclothed when I do."
He huffed and took her hand. "Fine. You got me."
Starfire laughed and pulled him into the air.
TTTTT
Above them, three Titans watched the drama unfold.
"What do you think they're talking about?" Beast Boy asked.
"I imagine it'd be about what just happened," Cyborg said. "Apologising and such."
"Should we go down?"
"Probably wouldn't be a good idea," Cyborg said and laughed. "He might want to make out with her again."
"Oh." Beast Boy rubbed the back of his neck. "Right."
"Wouldn't want to block that," Cyborg said. "'Bout time he got his head together and got on with it."
"Yeah."
Raven said, "I think we should get a hold of Green Lantern and find out more about Val-yor and the Locrixes."
"Good idea," Cyborg said. "I also want to monitor that ship and make sure she doesn't try to program it."
"She won't," Raven said and smiled. "I wove a suggestion into her psyche that she not return."
Beast Boy gave her a look. "You're pretty scary sometimes."
"I know."
"Scary awesome," Beast Boy continued.
Raven's smile softened. "I know that too."
"Flirt later," Cyborg teased as he headed for the stairs. "Research now."
"I was so not flirting," Beast Boy commented, bounding after Cyborg. "Raven, I wasn't! Tell him I wasn't flirting!"
Raven glided after them. "I know. Your flirting contains more begging."
"See!" Beast Boy declared joyously to Cyborg, then Raven's words filtered. "Wait…"
Cyborg laughed and held the door open for the other two. "She's got you there, short stuff."
"At least I go on dates," Beast Boy said and poked his tongue out at Raven as he bounded down the stairs.
"And how's that working for you?" she asked, ghosting after him.
Beast Boy's ears went down. "Umm…"
"Oh, leave the stain alone, he's still waiting for pit hair and stubble."
"Hey! I got hair!" Beast Boy protested.
"Yeah, it's just not where it's supposed to be," Cyborg teased and since they had reached the common room, he changed the subject. "Rae, you call Green Lantern and I'll watch the ship."
"He'll probably put me on hold for a while," she said and set off to the console.
"Probably, but that's Hal," Cyborg said and sat on the couch with his arm activated. Beast Boy bounded up behind him to watch over his shoulder.
They looked up as the door to the common room slid open to reveal the wet pair of Tamaranians. Starfire gave them a bright smile, then led Robin to the table and sat him with his back to the kitchen. "Do I need to secure you to the chair?"
"No," he sulked, his gaze on the other Titans as though daring them to comment. "Nine minutes left."
"You right?" Cyborg called, looking at Robin.
Robin gave an unimpressed nod, "Yup."
"Star?" Raven asked.
Starfire beamed at them. "I am as fine as the peach!"
Beast Boy grinned at her. "Certainly are! What?" he asked at Robin's glare. "I like peaches."
Disgruntled, Robin looked at Starfire. "Can I go?"
With a hand on her hip she gestured. "Sit. Stay."
Robin crossed his arms on his chest and slid down his chair a little.
Starfire patted his head and giggled as Robin tried to fend her off. "Good Robin," she said and flounced off to the kitchen.
Raven rose and drifted over toward Starfire but Starfire shook her head and mouthed, "Later," so Raven returned to her console to wait for Hal to answer.
Cyborg gave Raven a questioning eyebrow raise.
"Star's not happy," she murmured and tugged her hood up so it was less obvious she was watching. "Robin's teetering on rage. Let's remain quiet."
Beast Boy nodded and made the motion of zipping up his lips, then turned into a mouse on Cyborg's shoulder to show he was going to be as quiet as he could. Cyborg nodded and turned back toward the computer, activating one of his external cameras so he could keep an eye on the pair.
Starfire pottered around in the kitchen, doing what, none of them could see clearly and all interest was on her.
Except for Robin.
Robin shuffled. He huffed. He drummed his fingers against the table. He made impatient noises and finally broke. "Look, I appreciate what you're doing, but I really can't stomach a Tamaranian balancing tradition right now—"
Something cold hit him in the back of the head and slid down his neck. Robin yelped and shot up from his seat, his hands trying to get whatever was cold and slimly away from him. "What the hell?" His fingers came away covered in a white and brown substance… "Is this ice-cream?"
Starfire glared at him.
"Did you throw ice-cream at me?" Robin shrilled.
Starfire lifted her hand, holding another ball of ice-cream. "Yes."
Cyborg muffled a snort of laughter. Raven pulled her lips tight to stop the smile. Beast Boy squeaked and lifted his nose to sniff the air.
Robin eyed her, then the ice-cream ball, and took a step backward. "Why?"
"I was going to bring you the banana split but you are too impatient."
"But… it's ice-cream. Why are you—"
Starfire threw the ball she held at him, smacking him in the face. Robin staggered back, sweeping it away from his eyes. When he looked up, Starfire had another scoop ready and several tubs of ice-cream open in front of her for ammunition. Starfire raised her other hand.
Robin held up his hands. "Wait—" A banana smacked in the middle of his chest. "Starfire!"
Cyborg guffawed. Beast Boy fell off his shoulder and morphed back to human on the way down, ending up in a puddle of laughter on the floor.
Starfire scooped out two more balls. "You did the asking for it. We could have had a civilised sharing of the splits but you decided to be impertinent."
Robin charged her and, with a yelp, Starfire let loose with her scoops. She flung them at Robin, he dodged and Starfire dug her fingers into the tub to get more. She'd managed to get two more ready by the time Robin leapt feet first over the counter and planted both handfuls into his hair as she was tackled.
Robin and Starfire disappeared behind the counter, several of the ice-cream tubs displaced from the counter following them down.
Cyborg rose to his feet to try and see. "Are they gonna start fighting again?"
"They'll bust up our kitchen if they do," Beast Boy said, nervous as he glanced between Cyborg and Raven.
Raven relaxed.
The laughter started. Robin's deep-throated chuckle and Starfire's high-pitched teehee giggles. Starfire's laughter morphed into squeals as Robin popped up and grabbed one of the tubs of ice-cream which hadn't fallen and dumped it on Starfire, then reeled back as she tossed more in his face. He grabbed another tub and held it to his chest as he backed away, scooping out handfuls and flinging it at Starfire.
She giggled and squealed, making herself a smaller target as she returned fire.
Ice-cream splattered to the floor, globules plastered the cupboard doors. It clung to Robin's hair and made it clump and was suspiciously smeared over Starfire's belly.
"Dudes! You're wasting ice-cream!" Beast Boy complained at one point and was pelted with ice-cream.
An all-out brawl occurred within moments of its connection with Beast Boy. Cyborg and Beast Boy were right in there, snatching their own tubs to add to the sticky mess occurring in the kitchen. Raven shielded herself, remaining on the outskirts of the fight but every now and then an energy clad ice-cream ball would find its way down the back of someone's shirt, or a direct hit into their face.
When they ran out of ice-cream, and all that was left was a murky soup of assorted flavours and a weeks' worth of clean-up, the boys resorted to wrestling while Starfire skipped to the outskirts.
"That was clever," Raven murmured.
Starfire lifted several sloppy strands away from her face. "It is tradition," she said.
"I didn't think Tamaran had ice-cream."
"We do not," Starfire said and giggled as Cyborg hoisted Robin over his head declaring himself the champion, only to be flipped up over Robin's head by the joyful and now floating youth. "It is not a Tamaranian tradition, but a Titan one."
"Oh? I don't recall us having food-fights before."
Beast Boy hooted with laugher, only to be grabbed and hoisted aloft too while Robin crowed in victory.
"He needed a reminder he was not alone," Starfire said.
"As much as I love getting calls from you guys," Hal said, as the Green Lantern's face filled the main screen. "This is not what I expected."
All activity stopped. Robin slowly lowered Cyborg and Beast Boy down to the ground.
"More to the point," Hal continued and then threw his hands up in disgust. "Where was my invite? I'm the food fight master."
Robin laughed.
Kry's Note: FYI, it might seem hunky dory, but it's not in the slightest. There's something else going on now. And that's all I'll say about it.
