Merry Christmas! This is a little late in the season, but here it is!
I needed to get going, but I was lingering. While Cyborg had backtracked his feelings on Christmas, I knew he was just not wanting to feel alone. I wish he had a partner he could spend holidays with as well. He wished the same, but it was hard to meet people as a hero and I knew he had some hang ups relating to who he had given his heart to in the past.
So I was staying a little later on the couch next to him watching Home Alone 2. I was not going to stay for the sequel, but it was something I could do on Christmas Eve. We were the last two up as there was a multitude of plans happening tomorrow. I should be in my bed in San Diego, but Jason understood and should not be waiting up for me.
"Can we pause for a refill?" I asked shaking the empty popcorn bowl. We had made a variety of snacks and prep foods for tomorrow. I had enjoyed decorating the cookies.
"Sure thing, Star." He said and pressed pause as we both moved to the kitchen. I could tell by the montage music the good pranks were soon to begin and I wanted my snacks.
"When are you taking off?" He asked as we set the bag in the microwave. Three hours ago was the right answer.
"When I feel like it, he is not waiting up for me. He respects that I need to spend time with my friends." It was true we had established a good balance with my move.
"That's what I like to hear. I'm sorry for pushing about meeting him, it just seems serious and while I know you can beat him up if he's a jerk. I just want to make sure he's not taking advantage. You're like my sister Star and I honestly have a great big Brother talk saved up." I knew Cyborg came from the right place. Though he wanted a family, human like things to make him feel back to normal.
"I think he would like you, he also has mechanical and computer…hobbies." Hobbies was a safe way of saying what he did.
"I'm down to drive and explore SoCal more and just meet him along the way if it's less pressure. There are a couple races I've wanted to go to in March." He offered and I thought that was likely doable.
"I think I will have to take Beast Boy to Disneyland so he stops pouting, maybe you could also come with and we can figure out a dinner in disguise. He's really wonderful, but his family does not know and with his mother's heart…I just cannot cause her distress. She would worry if she knew I was what I am." Jason and I had discussed that recently when he shared his mother was suspicious what was wrong with me.
We hadn't figured out a way to ease her mind. I was not good at coming up with lies on the spot and Jason was transparent to her. She had not confronted me only spread whispers so there was little I could so besides treat her as I always had. I liked her and I knew her heart was in a good place, it just would put a strain on us eventually. It was awkward enough when jokes of marriage would happen at dinner. They were from multiple members of the family at this point with his uncle being the most creative. Most revolved around height.
"Do you feel like you're being genuine when you're Stella?" He asked and took the popcorn out of the microwave. It was slightly burnt, my favorite style.
"I am, it just is hard when I have to figure out what of my truth I can share. I wish I did not have to hide anything, but it keeps them safe."
"Dating civilians is hard. It's part of why I'm still flying solo." He said and I nodded in support. I didn't want to spoil he wasn't quite a civilian.
"I see him as worth the extra effort." I said and opened up another can of cherry 7up.
"When are you getting your kitten?" I believe he had overheard me asking Beast Boy for advice about shelters.
"We are actually going to get a cat from an ethical shelter. Beast Boy said that they did not get adopted as easily and it may be best with my schedule to not have a baby." Jason had liked the idea of making me happy and while he was happy to get a kitten he liked the cat idea. It was truly more practical with our schedules.
"Cats can live a long time…are you seeing this as a long term thing?" He asked and I knew he was checking to see if I was being taken advantage of.
"As long as we are both happy, I want to stay with him. If there is something we cannot resolve or are no longer happy, I will figure out a solution. We are both on the same page currently and I hope we continue forward. Though I will win custody if it comes to it." I said trying my best to give him confidence.
"I love you both, but I don't think if you and Robin got together you would be on the same page. It would have been damn awkward if you fought on the field and back at the Tower. It was bad enough when you partially moved out and he had his little fit." Robin had "lost" some of my boxes in the basement. It had been an ordeal at the time, but he had fear I was making a mistake.
"I would not have been able to handle the hot and cold. Jason and I can communicate well which makes everything easier." He already knew his name even if not everyone did.
"I know, you're lucky I set you up with the unlimited plan or else you would be in the big bucks. Just remember we are all here for you if you need something. You have more than just him and his family." He said and put a hand on my shoulder. I brought him into a true hug.
"You are my family, Victor. Let's finish the movie, I have not seen the ending." I said and got us back on track. He knew exactly what was going to happen so some of his reactions were premature, but I did enjoy the movie.
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The best part of having a hot alien girlfriend is that you never woke up cold. It was not like San Diego ever got too cold to begin with, but when the temperatures dipped in the 40s I wanted to hibernate. She made the bed so comfortably toasty it was an easy task to stay in it. She was still sleeping behind me, with her steady breathing against my back. I had fallen asleep on the couch so she must of moved me whenever she got in. I had been playing some Assassins Creed with some friends, I had been trying to stay up partially, but she was right to tell me not to wait up.
She must have been sleepy herself since the sun was up, but she out. I suspected she woke and went back to sleep. It was only a little past nine and with her Holoring she really didn't have to get ready the same way. I had already taken the dress she was going to wear out of the closet and hung it on the door. It would save her time so she didn't go through half a dozen choices and kept adding and losing accessories as she went.
I felt lucky that I would have a partner going into Christmas with me. My family could be a bit much and she was the perfect buffer most of the time. Someone to deflect questions of my work, somebody to whisper gossip to, somebody that did not wear out when my cousins asked her for airplane rides. If my cousins loved me half as much her, I would be lucky. I had already been kicked in the shin by a 5 year old, Jimena when I said Stella wasn't actually her family. She was going to beat up boys when she got older, I knew it.
"Merry Christmas." I heard a sleepy mumble behind me. She moved away slightly giving me freedom if I needed it. Though I just flipped to see her sleepy face. Typically she was bright and bushy tailed, though the roles were reversed today. Christmas morning was still Christmas morning.
"Merry Christmas, Cutie." I said a brushed back the hair that was occluding her face. "What time did you get home?" I let out a yawn I didn't know was in my chest. She kept her eyes closed, but snuggled into my under arm.
"I did not realize there was three Home Alone movies… so very late. Look up." She had sleep in her voice, though I did what she commanded and saw a sprig of mistletoe above us. She had fun decorating the apartment and tree like I expected, though the mistletoe was new. "I stole it." I laughed since it was fun when she did morally grey things. Though I was also happy she likely took that shit out of the Tower where certainly no one should be kissing under it. I gave her a kiss and then another as she started to wake up and shifted so she was on top of me.
"I like the addition. We have a little time before we need to get ready…." I offered making sure she was on the same page.
"Hmmm that sounds nice…You have presents to unwrap too, I want to watch you open them. Nothing is as good as a cat, but seeing people open gifts is my favorite part of your holiday." She said and I hadn't realized that she had gotten me anything. She must have stashed it at the Tower or I would have snooped.
"I think I'll start with this one." I said and undid the one button keeping her favorite flannel shirt of mine on her body. She giggled and when I saw what she was wearing underneath, I discovered I had been on the right track.
"This one has the most bows." She said and moved so she was properly on top of me.
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Christmas changes when you grow up. It becomes less bicycles and toys hoping they have the batteries included to socks and things you actually need. Though this year it felt more like when I was a kid predivorce. The tree was real and decorated in a mish mash of ornaments, there was a flurry of packages under the tree that were frivolously wrapped. I had wrapped up some things for the cat including cat toys. Her eyes went huge when she smelt the catnip and I quickly closed the lid as I was reminded my girl friend was probably cat enough to get high on that.
Her gifts were simply though there was obvious thought. It was a fair amount of clothes in my size in brands I liked wearing. She got me some hot sauce that they only sell at one fruit stand we discovered on a day trip. I had really liked it and had almost wanted to do a trek back. She had somehow also managed to get me this discontinued flavor of pop rocks I had loved in my youth. Though the coolest thing she got was a pair of sneakers I had lost an eBay bid on. She watched me, she knew what I liked and wore, but most of all she got me things I would have to work to get. Though I would not expect less from the person who went through every gift shop at Disneyland so she could get the perfect mug for her Team mates. She was on the phone with Cyborg now chatting about how it went in the morning. I knew she worried about Cyborg being alone more than her other team mates. She shared how he lost his mom and I couldn't imagine how hard his holidays were.
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My family was crazy loud, I think just living in my own place had gotten me used to controlling the volume level. It was even more packed than Thanksgiving and it was a little more chilly, high 50s so less people were outside. I lasted a solid round of saying high and awkward small talk before I escaped on the roof. I had left Starfire behind as my cousins wanted her to play spy with them. Curse the James bond franchise releasing movies around Christmas. She couldn't say no to them often. Though it was only a matter of time until she joined me. She made the show of climbing up the drain pipe even though in reality it was not strong enough. She had chalk marks on her legs now so it appeared the game had shifted.
"I decided to not be drawn on." She said as greeting and sat beside me holding my hand legs dangling off with me.
"I think that's probably smart. Sorry it was a little claustrophobic in there."
"The only one you have to worry about with that is Abuelita. I can escape all the glances at my left hand and whispers about my dress. It's your holiday if you want to spend it looking at the clouds I will not judge you, I will join you." She was down, down to go along with whatever I had planned, down to go with the flow.
"If they are whispering bad things, I can whisper just as many good things in your ear." I knew my family was a little judgy with her style. My Abuela was a fan, but my aunts often had hushed voices about how it effected her character unless she was actively helping my cousins with their school. I didn't want to bring up the ring thing.
"People will always say things, I just care more about the things you say. Though your if Samuel has his phone below my knees again I will kick him where it really hurts."
"Please do, pervs gotta learn the hard way." He was very awkward around women in the junior high phase. A good kick in the nuts was a learning experience.
"He could be worse, but I do not want to encourage him." I put my hand on my her knee and laid back to actually look at the clouds. She joined me laying back so I could use her as a pillow.
"I see a five tailed skynt." She said and I laughed at what just looked like a blob with a swirl at the end. She had all these things she had seen that I never would. I used to have her tell me stories of the prettiest things in the universe. She was sad we didn't have great images of Blackholes since those were her favorite things to watch in action.
"I see a candy cane." I said going to see what I could find. We went back and forth for awhile until my Aunt's voice broke our little game.
"JIMENA!" I was forced up by Starfire's reflexes as she focused in where Jimena was drawing chalk on the street with a car driving double the speed limit her way. Fuck I wasn't wearing my belt or I could have teleported her away. She was total deer in headlights and I couldn't do anything or look away.
Fortunately Starfire was a hero through and through. She had gotten off the roof, over the fence and had scooped Jimena up in her arms. It was not a moment too soon as she had to leap on the hood and run forward to the roof not get hit herself. The fucker didn't even slow down, but when she landed both heels back on the ground I felt relief. Jimena was crying, but wasn't otherwise crying. And Starfire was letting loose some of her worst insults in Tamaranian at the car that did not stop or slow down. She raised her hand out as if she wanted to let loose a starbolt at the car, but quickly retracted as if she remembered she was playing somebody else. She let Jimena cry ugly tears into her neck as she rocked her and handed her off to my Aunt who was trying to hop the fence, but was too short. I shimmied down the roof and went to see her. She was rather heated as she hopped over the fence in one fluid motion.
"I should have thrown a shoe through his windshield! He did not even try to slow down! I should have taken his bumper! How can someone just not stop?!"She said to me as I wrapped her in my arms trying to comfort and cool her down. There was no skid marks he hadn't even stepped on his brakes.
"It's okay. Nothing happened. You saved her." I said as she continued to seethe and stay rigid. "Thank you." My aunt was so overwhelmed in her own tears and fear she hadn't acknowledged Stella had been the one to save the day.
"I just hate I let him get away." She said and finally gave in to letting me hold her properly.
"You did what matters. Jimena is okay, everyone is okay." She seemed to be listening and calming down. She had the capability to chase him down and beat him to a pulp. It was all in resisting and I was tempted to let her go. It just would reveal her if she flew away. I hoped everyone was too focused on Jimena to notice that Stella's feet didn't touch the ground 100% of the time. "Karma will catch up to him and she's a real bitch. Let's get you some water, cutie."
"Okay." She said though I knew I was very much so the only thing stopping her from wrecking that assholes shit. My aunt had taken Jimena in already. The bundle of velvet and red plaid was still wailing.
"Stella are you okay?" This was my Jimena's father asking.
"I am fine, I just am happy she is." She said and changed her tone to more programed hero. She could be very comforting when she was in hero mode. It was in her day job.
"I didn't even see you outside, how did you get there so fast?" This was Jaymie the older cousin that was supposed to watching her. I saw a red cheek where he likely got reprimanded.
"We were on the roof, she's pretty athletic, huh?" I said covering up her tracks.
"Good genes." My great aunt said, she was pro-Stella. "And maternal instincts."
"I'm just glad she is okay." Starfire said and left my arms to go see Jimena who wrapped her arms around her and started crying again. Though it triggered my aunt to play nice.
"Did you get the license plate?" My uncle asked me in an aside.
"No, but I got the make." I knew he wanted to play karma. Though I knew she would want to be involved and that was not something she should be doing or watch.
"Good catch me up after dinner."
Christmas dinner was always early in the day around 3. Jimena stayed in Starfire's lap throughout the meal and she cut her little bites of food. It was damn cute. Though I missed being able to share secret jokes with her. She had become more a topic of conversation after the incident, but I helped her field any questions that would be stretches of the truth. She fit in the family. Maybe more so than me. When it was time to take the family photo, she was smiling and happy blending in with arms around her and no personal space. She ended up needing to leave due to a Dr. Freeze making a Christmas appearance in Jump, but she was the hero or our day as well.
"Is Stella a spy?" My mother asked me as people started to leave. I had stayed behind to help clean up. I was startled by the question. I guess she had also caught James Bond fever.
"Why would you think that?" I asked not wanting to have that be a real question.
"Jason." She said and I looked at her. This was bad. That was her don't bullshit me look.
"What?" I asked trying my best to be secretive.
"She doesn't make sense. I was at the window, she couldn't of made it in time. She speaks all these different languages, and she just is…different" My mom was on the money. Though I couldn't just say totally I am dating a spy, hell yeah that's way simpler than she's an alien princess who is also a Teen Titan.
"Mom, I can't share all her secrets." I said hoping it would be enough of her suspicions eased.
"So she's more than an EMT?" We had never specified she was an EMT. Well time to find a convenient truth. I lowered my voice.
"She's more than that yeah, when I was getting in more trouble, big trouble…she was tasked with making sure I got put away. She didn't, she made a choice to get me out of trouble. She saw more in me than just the bad and I wouldn't be here without her. Give her a little more slack, she has secrets, but she is a good person. She trusted the good in me." That could be a hero or a spy. That was vague enough but it was full of answers for her.
"I don't want to know what big trouble you were in." She sighed. "I like her, it just was hard since she didn't make sense. She makes a little more sense to me now, but I don't want to know." My mom didn't want to know too much information that she would have something she could accidentally snitch on. Though I could see she felt better that her suspicion was justified.
"She's going to do everything she can to protect this family. Trust that more than everything. She's proven that." I said trying to let that sink in.
"You love her, it's sweet." She said and shook her head. "I wasn't sure you would ever settle down. Growing up you had so much energy, so much need to go go. You finally seem content where you are which is a comfort. "
"I think part of that is just me growing up. I turned out okay." I said not wanting to put my entire character development on Starfire.
"Better than I expected." She muttered and poked me in the ribs.
"Hey!" I said and she just laughed and left the kitchen to tend to other matters. Who could have guessed what would have happened in my destiny? It had taken so many twists and turns, but it was still on track to have a happy ending.
