Sorry it took so long! I got pretty sick this week and couldn't even get out of my bed. But no worries! I'm healthy again. And I'm on a school break. Yay! There aren't too many more chapters to be written. I'd say this story will be done in a week and a half or so. Probably just three of four more chapters.
"Booyah!" shouted Cyborg at the top of his lungs. "I totally kicked your ass, bird boy."
"Really? We haven't grown out of the names, Cy?"
"Man, I got four years of teasing you to make up for. BB's lucky. He's only got three."
"Can we keep this as pick on Dick day?" whined Beast Boy. "I'm having fun."
"Get out of my house," says Dick sullenly. "Why the hell did I invite you guys over?"
"'Cause you looooove us," they tease in unison.
"That's what you think. All you do is eat my food," he signals towards the empty potato chip bowls on his coffee table.
"Speaking of food," says Cyborg. "Where the hell is Wally? He's supposed to be bringing some pizza's."
"Hope he brings a veggie pizza. I don't want any of your shit."
"You couldn't have any even if you did want some," says Cyborg. Beast Boy sticks his tongue out at him. Dick rolled his eyes, twisting and turning his game console controller around in his hand. He had invited the two over for the day and planned on hanging out at the bar later. It'll be the first time the three of them have done something together in years. Wally invited himself along, but they didn't mind. So long as he brought the pizza.
"If you don't mind me askin'," says Cyborg, "But uhhh, what's goin' on with Starfire?"
"Yeah, did you two love birds get back to your tree?" asks Beast Boy with a big grin on his face. Cyborg gives him a look.
"B, what the hell does that mean?"
"You know, like, are they back together." Cyborg wrinkles his nose and shakes his head.
"Anyway," he continues. "Are you still tryin' to get back with her?"
"How about we don't talk about Star," Dick answers, angrily tossing a grenade at Beast Boy's video game character.
"Hey! Don't take your sexually frustrated issues out on me, Dick."
"Shut it," he says, tossing one at Cyborg as well. He slams his controller onto the coffee table.
"Sooo does this mean we can go hunting?" asks Cyborg. Dick squints at him, confused.
"Do what?"
"You know. Find some girls."
"What the hell am I supposed to do?" interjects Beast Boy.
"You can talk to chicks if you want. Just don't get pissed off when Rae sends you straight to hell," taunts Cyborg. Beast Boy huffs, crossing his arms.
"Don't you dare even think of looking at another girl. We'll have to kick your ass for our sister," threatens Dick.
"Hey now, I know better. I only got eyes for Raven," Beast Boy says proudly.
"He's got his girl, Dick. We gotta find ours."
"I don't really think-"
"Man, is this girl comin' back to you?"
"Not yet, but-"
"Then she ain't your girl. I hate to say that, but dude, seriously. Let us just have one night where you don't think about Starfire." Dick sighs. "I'll take that as a yes!"
"What about me?" The three look up to see Wally standing in front of them, two boxes of pizza in one hand and a case of beer in the other.
"You have Jinx, remember?" says Dick.
"Oh yeah," says Wally. He shrugs walking over to the kitchen. The three stand up and follow him, forgetting their game.
"Thank God, I'm starving'," says Cyborg.
"Dude, you're always hungry," teases Beast Boy.
"That's became a give into my carnivore appetite. I'm a man. You're vegetarian ass is just a boy."
"Being a vegetarian has nothing to do with how hungry someone gets." Dick sighs, choosing to ignore their argument. He opens up a pizza box to find Beast Boy's pizza, so takes a slice from the other one.
"So, when're we heading out?" asks Wally.
"About another hour," replies Dick, taking a seat at the table.
"Hand me a beer will ya, Dick?" asks Cyborg. Dick obliges.
"Pre-gaming, are we?" says Wally, taking a beer for himself.
"Not me," says Dick. "I'll be the designated driver."
"That's no fun!" exclaims Beast Boy. "We can just walk."
"How is that a good idea?" asks Dick.
"What do you mean? It's safer to walk drunk than drive drunk."
"Yeah, until you in your drunk-minded state say "fuck walking" and you turn into a freaking bird. Bludhaven doesn't have a Beast Boy. That would not go over well."
"Who's to say anyone would notice?"
"You guys, I've kinda been staying away from alcohol anyway. I don't wanna be tempted." Beast Boy and Wally start whining, but Cyborg shuts them up.
"Hey, we can respect that. Alright, eat up boys. Dick's the DD, let's get ready to roll."
…..
After pizza and a bit of "pre-gamming", Boy slipped on their holorings and they headed out. After getting Dick's car from the parking garage, they drove over to Champs, Dick's favorite bar, where all the cops hang out after work. He was kind of excited to bring his friends here. To show Cyborg and Beast a different part of his life and include them in it.
He held the door open for them as they entered. Wally, who has been here before, led them over to their usual booth. Several games played on the television as sports fans screamed "yes" and "no" at various teams. Dick had never been one to watch sports. Not that he didn't understand him, they just never interested him. He'd rather play basketball than watch it.
Dick slides into the seat next to Gar just as a tall, slim waitress comes over to take their orders. Wally stared up at her all googly eyed; and lets just say, he wasn't looking at her face. Dick clears his throat, getting his attention.
"Oh uh, just a beer," says Wally. "Corona," he clarifies.
"Just three beers?" asks the waitress.
"Oh! Cheese fries too, please." says Gar. She walks away to get their orders.
"Man, cheese fries? Better hope you don't drink too much. That won't be pleasant to cough back up."
"Well fine then, you don't have to eat any." Dick looks up at Wally and notices his gaze. He follows it to find the waitress coming back.
"Here are your drinks. The fries will be up soon." She smiles at the group, but Dick notices her eyes lingering on him. She leaves them once again and Dick looks back at his friends.
"I totally saw that," declares Vic.
"Saw what?"
"She was eyeing you up, man!" says Gar. Dick shrugs, not interested.
"You have some serious issues," mutters Wally.
"And you have a girlfriend," Dick retorts.
"I wouldn't call her that."
"I bet she would say otherwise," says Vic. "I don't know what's goin' through her mind, getting back with you an all."
"She can't resist! I'm a chick magnet, man."
"Yeah, and that's why the hot waitress was looking at Dick. You didn't seem to attract her eyes."
"I will admit that Dick is my only competition. If he were to go to the bathroom right now, I'd have everyone lookin' at me," says Wally.
"Should I be offended?" asks Cyborg defensively. "I mean, I'm the single one here, besides Dick. But he won't admit he's single or even look at another girl. So I'm the only eligible one."
"Alright, let's make this interesting. Me and you, metal ass. Whoever can get the most phone numbers by midnight."
"Man, you better hope Jen doesn't hear 'bout this." Cyborg shakes his head at him, but says, "You're on."
"Sweet! Winner get's to dare the loser. Loser has to do it no matter what."
"This is not going to end well," murmurs Dick. Gar nods, taking a swig of his beer.
"May the best man win," says Cyborg as he gets out of the booth.
"How about the best red head?" Wally winks at him before heading over to a table of girls.
"Pool?" asks Gar, pointing over to the table in the back of the room. Dick smiles. He'd always been a pretty good pool player. They head over to the table and grab two sticks off the wall. Gar sets up the balls in the triangular rack, and Dick lets him take the first break. He takes two more shots until he fails to pocket a ball.
"We should have gotten a table in the tower," says Dick, taking his first turn.
"Dude, you probably wouldn't have let us," says Gar. "You were a bit of a hard ass."
"Was not." Two more shots and he's winning. "So, I'm not anymore?"
"What?"
"I'm not a hard ass anymore?"
"Well maybe. I don't know. I haven't worked with you in a while," muses Gar. "But from what I can tell, you're not the way you used to be." Dick nods, agreeing. He's definitely changed. He misses, and it's Gar's turn again.
"Are you still going to be associated with the Titans?" asks Gar.
"You mean, like, still help out on missions?"
"Well, only ones where we'll need back up." Dick hadn't really considered this before.
"I suppose so. Nightwing will be considered an honorary Titan."
"No. You're still the original." Gar looks up to smile at him before taking another shot. "Damn it!" he cries as he misses. "I hate it when you win things."
"It's the way life has to be, Gar," teases Dick as he takes another turn.
In the end, Dick won. But he didn't rag on Gar too much. He lets Vic do that.
He and Gar head back to their table and ask the waitress for another beer for Gar. They watch as Wally schmooze's with that same group of girls. Dick looks around for Vic, wondering where he has gone to. He finally finds him sitting in the far corner with some girl. All that he can see of her is the back of her blond head. Vic is actually talking to her, smiling and laughing. Dick smiles, hoping that something is actually going to work out for his friend.
"Way to go, Vic," cheers Gar silently. Dick nods in agreement.
"Wonder who she is."
"You're the one who lives here. And you're a cop. Shouldn't you know, like, everyone?"
"Bludhaven's a pretty big city, you know."
"Well maybe you- Holy shit." Dick looks over at him, following his staring eyes. He looks back behind him toward the entrance door.
"Fancy seeing you here," says Katherine Riordan. She strides over next to him, some brunette friend of hers walking in with her.
"Hey Kat." Dick looks over to see Gar awkwardly staring. Dick knows that Kat is pretty hot, but he's never actually drooled over her like that. "Gar, this is Kat Riordan. She's my partner on the force."
"N-Nice to meet you," Gar manages to choke out. Kat smiles at him as if he's a lost puppy.
"This is Lauren. She's my sorority sister."
"Hey," says Dick, leaning around Kat to wave at her. She seems shy, barely lifting her hand in response and smiling only slightly.
"So, having a guy's night I see," muses Kat. "I noticed your little friend Wally over there."
"There's another one, too. My friend Vic. I'll have to introduce you later."
"Sounds peachy. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a hot young red head to attend to," she purrs, eyeing up Wally.
"Remember Kat, he has a girlfriend."
"But she's not here, is she?" Kat winks at him as she walks away with Lauren in tow. Dick shakes his head, chuckling.
"Duuuuude!" exclaims Gar once she's out of earshot. "You work with her?"
"Yeah."
"And you see he like every day?"
"Your point?"
"How could you not get with that?!" Gar tosses up his hands.
"Just friends, Gar. Plus, she's as old as Selina. Which is basically saying as old as my mom."
"I think it's a sign. Bat Girl, a red head. Starfire, a red head. Kat… I mean come on! You gotta-"
"Drop it. We work together. Not going to happen."
"You don't even like her a little?" Dick scrunches up his nose.
"Actually, no."
"You sure you're not gay?"
"One word… Starfire." Gar narrows his eyes at him, but then just shrugs, dropping the subject. Vic suddenly comes back into view, holding just one piece of paper in his hand.
"You're so going to lose," says Gar.
"I don't even care. Did you see that girl I was talking to?"
"Just the back of her head. Who was she?"
"Her name's Sarah Simms." Dick thinks about the name. "You wouldn't know her. She's not actually from Bludhaven. She lives in Jump and teaches at the No Limits academy."
"The school for special needs kids?"
"Sorta. They all have physical disabilities. Kinda like me, I guess. But not as extreme." Vic smiles. "Isn't that cool?" Dick and Gar open their mouths to speak, but Vic cuts them off. "She's just so perfect. She's kind, and funny, and pretty."
"You love her, dude?" taunts Gar.
"Pshh, no. I ain't stupid.'
"Well she sounds great. Hopefully someday we can meet her." Dick signals to the paper in his hand. "That hers?"
"Yeah," says Vic as he unrolls the paper. "She told me to call her tomorrow. So she obviously wants to talk to me." Dick smiles. He's glad that Vic has met somebody that he's so excited about. As far as he knows, Vic hasn't been with anyone since Karen. And that was back when they were the Teen Titans.
"That's great man," says Dick. He calls for the waitress, asking for another round.
"Dick, I forgot to look for a girl for ya," says Vic as he looks around the room.
"That's seriously okay. I'm good."
"He might be gay," Gar whispers to Vic, who widens his eyes in response.
"I am not!" shouts Dick. "I'm just not ready. But it's fine." Dick looks down at his watch; it was about 9:00. "Hey, I gotta step out for a little while."
"What do you mean? We just got here."
"I'll be back. I just have to do some Nightwing stuff." The two look at him expectantly. "Nothing big, just some checking up on things. I'll be back before 11."
"You better be. Vic's going to have to do Wally's dare. Hey, bring the video camera on your way back!" Dick laughs as he stands up from the booth, exiting the bar.
…..
It was another date night with Xavier, and Kori was just dropped off outside of Xavier's hotel. She began the short walk to the entrance doors, passing by the city people on the sidewalk. It was about 9:15 and she was supposed to be there by 9. She thought about texting Xavier to warn her of her tardiness, but decided against it. She shifted around in her coat, uncomfortable. It wasn't necessary to wear one, because she never gets cold. But it would seem odd if she hadn't, especially in with the weather growing colder.
"Starfire." If she were a human, she wouldn't have been able to hear it.
Kori looked back at the sound of her name. Red X was waving at her from the shadow of a building across the street. She glances around her, makings sure no one notices when she walks over to meet him and slips off her ring. Her eyes rake over him as she walks, taking in his form as he leans against the brick wall. She looks at his arms, considering the size of Xavier's and trying to match them with his. Everything just looks so different in the black uniform.
As she reaches him, he pushes off the wall and grabs for her wrist. In the blink of an eye, they were on the rooftop of Xavier's hotel.
"Hey," he says, still holding onto her wrist.
"Greetings," she replies. She feels her body moving toward him, like a magnet being drawn to metal. His masked eyes look down at her. In the back of her mind, she realizes that he really is shorter than Xavier is. Is he wearing flatter shoes than normal? She lets the thought slip away.
"So, you got another date tonight?" She just nods, studying his body language to see if he gives anything away. "Same guy?"
"Yes," she says. He cocks his head to the side.
"You like him?" She shrugs, trying to tease him, then giggles.
"Yes, I suppose I do."
"How much do you like him?" he asks, tilting his head down toward her. She inhales through her nose, taking in a soft musky scent. She feels her heart flutter.
"I would have to say quite a bit. He is a wonderful man."
"Is there anything that could change that?" Her eyebrows furrow as she looks up at him. Why would he ask that? Wouldn't he want her to like Xavier? This doubtful feeling begins to creep inside her. Perhaps Raven was right.
"I do not understand... Why would you want that to change?"
"You're not meant to be with him, Star." Her heart stops. Only one person calls her Star. He doesn't seem to be acting the way that Red X usually does. Or even Xavier for that matter. What is going on?
"You just called me- What are you saying?"
"Listen to me. Xavier isn't the guy you're supposed to be with. You know who you need. Who you really love. Please, just admit it."
"What? Aren't you… Who are you?"
"You know who I am. Think about it." He lunges forward, grabbing her wrist. She only slightly struggled as he stroked her hand. His touch was soft and it somewhat calmed her, but she was still afraid. If this wasn't Xavier, then she had no idea who it was. "Take off my mask," he says.
"I do not want to. Please, I just want to go home now." This evening had taken a sudden turn off course. Nothing was what she thought it was anymore.
"Take it off," he demands. She looks up at the masked man. The curiosity in her burned and the voice telling her not to grew faint. She slowly raised her hand, shaking as she placed it on the rim of the mask. She lifted it up off his head, dropping it to the ground at the sight of him.
Those blue eyes burned into hers with a strange intensity that she had never seen before. The familiar face looked strained, possessing a quality that she had only seen when he was investigating Slade. He looked consumed, driven, and… crazy.
She reeled back, lifting her hands up with two glowing starbolts. His eyes widened at her reaction, eyebrows furrowing.
"Star, it's me." He spoke softly, taking a small step towards her, but she pointed her hands outward towards him protectively. "Why are you being this way?"
"Why?!" she shrieks. "You have been following me like-like-a stalker!"
"I have been protecting you!"
"You follow me on all of my dates ever since Roy. I have seen you after all of my dates with Xavier. You have let your jealousy get to you!"
"My jealousy? I knew that Roy was a perv and that he was going to put the moves on you. I followed you to keep you safe, and I proved to be useful in the park, didn't I? You didn't want to kiss him. And I know something happened at that party that upset you."
"It is not your job to protect me. I am not Bludhaven."
"I have to protect you, Starfire. Because I love you."
"If you loved me, you would have stayed! You would have fought for me! You say that I am bipolar, well I believe it is you who is unsure of your emotions now. You do not know what you want anymore, you only think that it is me."
"That's not true, I know that I want you. I've had time to think and I've done nothing but think about you. I'm going crazy over you."
"That I can see. You do not look right, Richard. This is not healthy."
"Then make me better again," he says, taking both of her hands, and for some reason she lets him. "Be with me, not him."
"I cannot do that," she says quietly, averting her eyes.
"How can you just stop?!" he shouts, causing her to jump.
"Stop what?"
"Loving me. It was like you just flicked a fucking switch! Was it always just a lie?"
"Do not say that! Do not cheapen what we had. You know what you meant to me."
"You promised me forever! Then you left me! I would've loved you forever still even if you hadn't come back. You were dead to us and I could barely look at another woman."
"But you looked at Babs," she sneers.
"She wasn't you! She never could've been you!"
"Well you do not get to have me anymore, Dick. Not as a friend, not as a lover. I cannot trust you. You manipulated me and lied to me. I loved Robin. The Richard I knew before I was gone. This Nightwing… I do not know you. And from what I have seen so far, I do not want to know you anymore." She jerks her hand away from him and heads toward a door on the roof, hoping it leads to a stairwell. "I will give you a forever. A forever without me. And that is a promise I can keep."
"Fly, Starfire. Fly away and prove to me that you don't miss me." Starfire stops walking, turning her head slightly so he could hear her.
"I never said I did not miss you." She opened the door and slammed it behind her.
…..
Starfire stalked back up the stairs to the bedroom wing of the manor. She had called Alfred back to Xavier's hotel so he could take her home. She felt bad, but he assured her it was no problem.
She didn't want to tell Raven she was home. She hoped she wouldn't run into anyone in the halls. She didn't even want to speak to Xavier before deciding to go back home. She felt guilty for only a moment, but then decided she was doing him a favor. She wasn't really in the dating mood anymore.
Once in her room, she tears off her coat and kicks off her shoes to the corner. After changing into a pair of shorts and a tank top, she throws herself onto her bed. Her hand is tingling, still able to feel Richard's touch. She closes her eyes, telling herself that she did the right thing.
Even though it hurts like a thousand knives.
Even though there's a gnawing ache inside her that gets bigger with every breath she takes.
She rolls over and buries her face in her pillows, trying to think of something else, anything else: Raven, the Titans, training, a girl's night with Karen… But all of her thoughts travel back to the same place… back to him. With her eyes closed, she can still picture how sullen he looked tonight, the vulnerable gape of his eyes, and everything that he said. It was as if everything between them had died.
Or that together they had finally killed it off.
She starts humming the first song she can think of. She hums, hoping that the sound will drive out her thoughts. Then she realizes she is humming the Tamaranean wedding song. She abruptly stops, and sighs angrily.
Tossing in bed, she feels her skin begin to itch. Heat pulses through her and she feels slightly sweaty. Is she having some sort of panic attack? She sits up from her bed, deciding to go down to the kitchen for some water, and that is when she sees him.
Richard was just seconds away from rapping on her window, his fist lifted up to the glass. She saw the grappling hook in his hand as he hung there braced against the windowsill. The moon illuminates his face, making him look straight out of a dream.
She walks over to the window, opening it just enough for them to speak.
"Take your promise back," he says before words can come out of her own mouth. "I don't want to lose you forever."
"It is possible that you already have," she replies quietly.
Richard looks away so that she won't see his eyes tearing up. "I know," he mouths, no sound escaping his lips. He clears his throat, but his words still come out husky. "I was just thinking that maybe…" He looks at her again, his eyes full of sadness. "We could just be together one last time?" Her eyes widen. Is he suggesting that they make love? "Not like that," he says quickly, apparently reading her mind. She calms down, looking at him warily.
She should say no. For five full seconds she tells herself that she couldn't possibly allow this to happen. But in the end, she opens the window wider, allowing him to swing inside.
The lie together on her bed under the covers. He stayed in his Red X suit so she wouldn't feel uncomfortable, the spandex-like fabric touching the bare skin of her thighs, her shoulders, the exposed skin on her lower back. Together they face the window, the moonlight flooding in, casting an eerie glow over their bodies.
She closes her eyes, feeling his hand slip up her leg, over her hip, up her back underneath the tank top. Tingles spread over her skin, stealing her breath. And stealing his too.
As she starts to fall asleep, she hears his breath heaving in and out. A gasp escapes his throat as she pushes back against him, his body surrounding hers. At one point in the night, she thinks she feels his kisses at the nape of her neck, his leg against her thigh, his body hugging her from behind.
Her blood stirs and her body churns.
Is this just a dream?
When she wakes up the following morning to the morning sunlight in her eyes, Richard is no longer there. In his place sits a note, reading "Thank you for one more night." She holds the paper to her chest, feeling sad, yet grateful. Perhaps she needed last night; that this was the closure that she needed.
Maybe now she could finally move on.
She stares down at the paper, thinking of his body against hers, his warmth and love radiating to her. She feels the back of her neck tingling where he placed his kisses. Then the ringing of her cell phone breaks her thoughts.
She looks down at the caller I.D., reading Xavier's name. She feels a ping in her heart, of guilt for being with someone else last night, and yet of hope as well. She picks up that phone, feeling genuinely happy to hear his voice, and very excited to see him later that day.
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The more I get, the sooner I'll update :)