Author Note: Did you think this was dead? Thank you Ophelias'Song for being vigilant with me. The amount of patience you have for my shenanigans is astonishing. This was a mess before she beta read this.
Starfire eyes were transfixed on the dress.
She watched Cyborg's hands delicately place the gown into its garment bag. It was dark blue with purple undertones. A long, almost bodycon dress, with a small slit on the right side of the skirt. The most intricate of hand sewn flowers and swirls, danced around the neckline and trailed down in the most beautiful hues of black, purple and silver.
It looked expensive, high fashion, and way too petite for her.
A feeling that stirred in the pit of her stomach, one that was uncommon to her. It was rotten and cruel, and she quickly tried to pull herself from its clutches. It pushed back and before she knew it, she had flown near Cyborg, as he descended down the Tower's living quarters corridor.
"Is that for Friend Raven?" she inquired, already knowing the answer.
"Yup, this is for the undercover mission. I hope this thing comes with insurance." Cyborg shook his head.
"Oh," she whispered, her own voice pathetic to her own ears. "Has Friend Robin devised a plan for the place of gambling?"
"Uh, yeah," he winced, taking note of her tone. "He and Raven are going undercover. We are both on standby. We have voice com, but Robin strictly forbid visuals."
"Oh," she whispered again, "I assume Robin will not be going as....Robin?"
"You know that boy loves his secrets," Cyborg frowned and shook his head as they walked up to Raven's door. "After all this time, you think Batman's orders would be null and void by—"
"Oh friend Victor, mind if I deliver Raven her dress?" the princess interrupted, her voice an octave higher than usual. "It's gorgeous and I would love to experience her wear it at least once."
Cyborg looked at the dress, and then stared into her emerald green eyes. Starfire tried to give him her usual charming smile, but the tin man wasn't buying it. She was never good at hiding her emotions, and she never would be. Masking emotion was something she was never taught. Her culture was expressive and there were certain things she wasn't willing to give up in order to conform to the ways of this strange planet she now called home. He looked back at her with one part pity and another part concern. The alien's smile faltered slightly, knowing he'd figured out too much. Yet he remained silent, draping the dress over her arm. Her heart sank to the bottom of her stomach; Cyborg was a good friend to too many people and valued trust above all. Starfire looked down at the dress and hoped she could meet his expectations.
"Be careful with that, it's a loaner" the tin man warned.
Starfire watched him leave, letting out a drawn out sigh. The tension in her chest quickly built up again. The Tamaranean's hands trembled as she held the dress hanger. Looking at Raven's door, she wondered why she was even there, why was she doing this—what was she even supposed to say?
The coil in her chest became tighter as she choked back heavy tears. Suddenly, the door slide open and Raven stood at the entrance of her pitch black bedroom. Starfire felt her own face stretch into a smile as Raven stared back with the strongest expression of surprise that had ever graced the empath's face. The creases around her lips hurt, no emotion to support the muscles to smile. Of course Raven was surprised, she wasn't Cyborg, or Robin for that matter, but the person that had been avoiding her for months: She was Starfire, the one who projected her feelings too strongly, allowing them to scream from the top of her lungs. Which meant the empath knew, all too well, what truth boiled within her.
"I brought you your dress," Starfire said, draping the dress over her arm. "Cyborg said to be careful with it."
Raven stepped back from her stupor and reeled back all emotion. "Oh, I will."
"Friend Raven—" Starfire started and Raven's shoulders rose to the word 'friend'. "Mind if I come in?"
"I don't think—"
"Please," Starfire begged in the most desperate tone Raven had ever heard the alien speak.
The empath stayed silent for a moment, her eyes wandering from the dress draped over her arm, finding the floor. Raven's violet eyes could not meet the vibrant green of the princess's —not now—the empath was unsure if she'd ever be able to again. But, within the second her eyes caught a glimpse of the floor, she noticed Starfire descend a couple inches to the ground. The feeling of stress, shame, and the smallest burst of happiness, filled the empath's senses before Starfire levitated herself back up.
"Yes, please come in." Raven stepped aside, allowing Starfire to float past her.
As the door slid closed, Raven watched Starfire's every move. The rise and fall of the alien's chest, the hint of tension in her shoulders—her way too rigid posture. She wondered what was on the tip of the alien's tongue; if she knew, maybe she could defend herself. More silence ensued and the empath found herself lost. There were no more excuses she could hide behind.
Starfire finally turned to her, her feet gracing the ground before she stared directly at Raven. They were always a bold shade of green, unlike Blackfires which always seemed dull and muggy. The shade only added to the intensity of the princess's stare, and from it, Raven didn't feel anger or ill intent, but somehow, she felt like a defenseless mouse under the hungry stare of a feral cat.
"Raven, I—" Starfire started, taking a step forward, her arms lifted in a pleading stance. She swallowed and dropped her arms, making herself look small and shrill. "I wanted to say, I am not angry at you."
Raven's face twisted to an expression the alien has never witnessed. Remorse, disbelief and shock etched onto the empath's face while the sound of shifting bookcases echoed behind.
"Honestly I am not," Starfire sighed, "I am angry at Robin."
Raven felt there was more furry in Robin's name than the Tamaranean's tone conveyed. Her grip tightened around the hanger. "Why? I was the one—"
"I understand, Raven," The alien interrupted, and her expression softened, "but I was foolish to think you mistook the love of friendship for romantic love."
Raven winced, and there was a small spark of electricity in the air. The empath's books rattled in place and there was a distinct cracking sound. Starfire balled her hand into a fist and tried to hide her vague sense of fear. The empath looked at her, and released a small breath. Wind enveloped the room and the rattling ceased. Raven moved away from Starfire and into her closet to hang up the dress.
Inside, Raven shouted, "Maybe I did mistake it...maybe I'm still mistaking those feelings."
She waited for Starfire to digest the information.
"Maybe you aren't mistaking it at all," Starfire said in rebuttal. "You and Robin have always been...close. I was jealous of that. You got to know him more completely than I did. There were things that he hid—its part of his nature. I don't even know his name, or how he looks under that mask. But I know people need an outlet, and sometimes their significant other can't always provide that. So I let him have his space, let him go to you—even knowing all that—"
The alien's weight shifted and her footsteps echoed to the mouth of the closet.
"I knew that he had feelings for you, Raven," Starfire continued with a guilty expression. "But I gambled on his pride, his utter respect for you, and your—"Starfire looked away "—condition in hopes that he would not take pursuit. I never doubted his feelings for me, romantic feelings can exist for multiple people at once. Just one feeling can completely envelope the other. I hoped his loyalty to you would completely consume that love."
The empath didn't look at Starfire. She couldn't. Her eyes wandered to the duffel bag, stuffed in the corner of her closet. She didn't know how to take it all in, Beast Boy's love and Robin's confession.
"I was foolish to not account for your feelings. I am an awful friend," Starfire finished.
The empath grunted and unhooked her cloak, placing it on a hanger. "I'm good at pretending, Star. I've shoved my feelings down and pretended my whole life. You couldn't have known—"
"But I—"
"No—no one knew, Kori: Not Robin or Cyborg. Beast Boy only knew because he understood. He understood how it felt to look at someone when no one was watching. We're foolish to want the people we want."
Starfire rubbed her copper forearm. "I should have guessed, used my intuition?"
Raven shook her head, but said nothing.
The alien sighed, dropping her shoulders. "That's why I am here, Raven—that's why I wanted to talk to you. I wish to use my intuition now." Starfire breathed in, finding resolve. "I am mad at Robin because he is stubborn and prideful. He came to me because he knew how I felt. I realize that now. I was an easy choice. But once he saw an opportunity, his heart acted quicker than his mind and—"
There was a sudden rush of anger and Raven felt the room get hotter.
"—He could have told me! Relationships are about building trust. He should have been honest with you, and me, and himself. If he was honest about his feelings for you. He could have let me down gently! Instead, he denied it, strung you along with beautiful words while his heart said what his mind could not. All while gripping tightly to a relationship that was bound to fail."
Somehow, between her monologue, the Tamaranean started crying, her green eyes illuminating her tear drops. She wiped damp cheeks with her forearm as she sniffed.
"Starfire, I'm sorry." Raven reached for the alien, her hands tense and her body stiff, unused to physical contact. However, she made a valiant effort as she wrapped her arms around the beautiful alien. Starfire rested her head on Raven's shoulder, her cries an ear shattering howl from her broken heart.
"I messed everything up. Robin loves you. You guys were—are the power couple," Raven silently chuckled to herself. "I thought I could contain it all; I don't know what changed?"
Starfire sniffed. "It wasn't working. We tried so hard to be happy, but everything felt so close to the surface. It pains me to watch him hurt you, hurt you without realizing it. I see the way he looks at you, a sickly sense of longing."
Raven shook her head, burying her face into Starfire's red mane. "There is nothing between us."
Starfire took a large breath and pulled away from Raven. She stared at the empath, her eyebrows forming in the most beautiful look of pity. "Robin doesn't love me. He wants to hold on to something, anything stable. He believes that what's between you will be fleeting."
The empath opened her mouth, but said nothing. Her quick wit could not form a rebuttal. Robin mentioned that he was afraid. Afraid of taking the chance on her because of her own instability. He'd waited for her—waited for her to show him she felt the same. Only to be reminded by Malchior, who brought that feeling of jealousy, and the seed of doubt, telling him he'd never be part of her world.
Everything Robin said, she couldn't rebut Starfire's words. The empath was starting to see a little too clearly what Beast Boy and Starfire were trying to say.
"I'm sorry I put you through this, Starfire. I never meant to hurt you," Raven frowned, "but I did. I have handled this whole thing terribly"
Starfire wiped her tears and gave a somber laugh. "I don't think I would have done better in your situation. On my planet, love is precious and people are known to take many lovers. But we hold honesty to the highest importance. Robin wasn't honest, not with you, not with me, not even himself."
"We all weren't honest," Raven interjected.
Starfire sniffled. "I suppose so. Beast Boy is the only one who stayed honest and true to his feelings." Starfire gave another somber laugh. "How our green friend surpasses us in wisdom sometimes."
"Yeah." Raven placed her hand against the wall, her eyes tearing away from Starfire. Beast Boy's' name brought too many emotions and her knees suddenly felt weak.
"Raven, are you okay?" The Tamaranean grabbed hold of the empaths shoulders.
"Yes—I... it's just a lot of emotions I'm not use to taking in all at once." The empath pinched the bridge of her nose, feeling cold sweat form.
"Do you need to rest?" The princess took hold of her once more and the empath staggered before regaining her footing.
"I need to meditate," Raven replied as Starfire led her to her bed, "I'll be fine."
"I understand the importance of Raven alone time," The Tamaranean smiled, her eyes glowing a fluorescent green as she walked to the door.
"Star," The empath called, "I'm truly sorry for this mess."
Starfire gave her a long hard stare. "I'm sorry for being in the way." Starfire's face softened. "Just get Robin's head pulled out of his butt. Settle what has already begun and find happiness, even if it isn't with each other. Feelings aren't everything. Don't try to fit two puzzles because they look good together. Don't do as we did."
The light in Starfire's eyes dimmed as it became evident just how tired the alien was. Raven bit her tongue as Starfire looked away and walked out, leaving the empath alone with her thoughts.
Author's Note: So I'm already writing the next chapter but it going to take some time. I apologize with the wait you know how real life is.