~*~ *pats body up and down, then squeals* I'M ALIVE!!! YOU DIDN'T KILL
ME!!! YAY!!! Thanks again for the reviews! ^-^ Oh yeah, if you want battle
scenes and stuff, I have one thing to say- I-Suck-At-Fight-Sequences. Hehe,
yeah, there's gonna be some in the next fic and a LOT in the 3rd, but for
now, I'm just writing like they're normal teenagers chilling and stuff. Ok!
Again, I apologize for the length between my updates, school, ya know? (I
had a history test on the second day!! Test! DAMN YOU HONORS COURSES!) I
just saw "Switched!" It was good! Raven and Starfire are friends! YAY! The
next one looks exciting, too, they both fall in love with Aqualad, hehe
Robin and Beast Boy are gonna be jealous...muahaha...at least I hope ^-^ I
just got back from my volleyball game (we won :D) and since my dad's too
lazy to drive me to my friend's house *rolls eyes* I get to write! Which
isn't a bad thing, cuz I REALLY wanna write this ^-^ I'm excited! 3 more to
go!!! Eeee!! Hehe, you'll like this!! ~*~
Robin, as one could imagine, was SEETHING. It was the next day, and Cyborg couldn't figure out why Robin had not breathed a word to him. He occasionally saw him skulking about the Tower, but whenever he trotted over for a quick convo, he sped off in the opposite direction groaning loudly. Growing annoyed with his best bud's odd behavior, he decided to confront him on exactly what was up. He entered the lounge around noon time, where Beast Boy was watching a cheesy 70's horror film, Raven shrouded herself behind a book, and Robin sunk deeply into the heavily cushioned sofa, his arms crossed in anger. Cyborg was certain he saw steam leaking from his ears. Starfire, however, was nowhere to be found.
Robin noticed Cyborg's immense form looming in the doorway and growled under his breath, bearing his teeth from the corner of his mouth. His mask was reduced to 2 black lines as he glared at him, and he stomped out of the chair and stormed into the kitchen. Beast Boy and Raven did not mind, but Cyborg chased after him, catching his arm when they reached the counter. "Yo, dude, why aren't you talking to me?" he asked as he restrained him. Robin let out a curling groan from the back of his throat, and spoke in a low, menacing voice. "Leave.Me.Alone." he muttered, and tore his arm away, but Cyborg nipped his shoulder and whirled him around to face him. "Heh, so you're talking to me again." he said with a smile, but when Robin groaned and tried to pull away he tightened his grip. "Man, I'm sorry, ok?! I'm really sorry! The last thing I want is you pissed at me, and I'm SORRY! Now can you PLEASE tell me what I'm apologizing FOR?!" he cried, shaking the boy slightly.
Robin softened, but very little, and still kept his angry expression on. "You really wanna know?" he asked gruffly. Cyborg nodded like a child who was just offered candy and loosened his hold on his arms. Robin rubbed the sore spots with the tips of his fingers, but remained impassive. "How bad was the dish situation last night?" he asked coldly. Cyborg stared at him weirdly for a second before letting out an answer. "Uh...I guess minimal, nothing like a code red alert or anything.." "Oh REALLY?! How INTERESTING of you to say that!" Robin snipped. Cyborg was confused. "Um....what?" he asked, scratching his head.
Robin inhaled, repressing his inner rage, and continued. "So, you know, as a buddy, you didn't THINK to just screw the schedule and do something NICE for your FRIEND?!" the rage was seeping out through his pores, slowly filling the entire room like poisonous gas. "I still don't get it." the robot replied. Robin moaned and slapped his forehead, leaving a tiny red mark. "YOU IDIOT! You didn't think I may have had something a LITTLE more important to attend to?! HMM?!" He was eye to eye with him, poking his chest with an accusing finger. Cyborg's eyes widened with a thought. "OH GOOD GOD!!! DID YOU BANG HER?!?!" he screeched louder than necessary. Robin screamed in annoyance and grabbed his friend with both hands by the collar, thrusting him back and forth vigorously. "NO! YOU SICK, TWISTED BASTARD! EVERYTHING DOES NOT EQUAL SEX!!!!!" Robin bellowed in response, his voice echoing off the walls. Beast Boy and Raven, stunned and confused by these words, poked their head into the kitchen with concern. Robin glanced over at them and plastered on a fake smile, releasing a terrified Cyborg from around the neck. "Oh, hiya guys!" he said cheerily, nudging Cyborg to play along. "We were just rehearsing a play! Yeah! It's called...uh... 'Did-You- Bang-Her-No-You-Sick-Twisted-Bastard-Everything-Does-Not-Equal-Sex.' Hehe, charity work." he said with a tremendously phony grin. Raven and Beast Boy exchanged glances, shrugged, and eying them suspiciously, returned to their business.
Robin turned back to Cyborg, the smile eerily running away from his face. His neck cracked, which only frightened Cyborg more. "Dude, if you go psycho on me I will MIGHTILY flip out." he stammered as he backed into the table. Robin seemed to calm down, and lost the insane killing-rampage glint in his eye. "We didn't do ANYTHING, which is precisely the problem." he mumbled, propping his elbows up on the countertop. Noticing his friend's confused look, he explained. "When you walked in....we were literally THIS close," he held up his thumb and index finger to indicate the tiny space between them, "to...well...KISSSSSSSING." he sighed and let his head drop to the top. Cyborg stared at him in bewilderment, feeling a pang of guilt strike the back of his neck. "What?" he harshly whispered. Robin said nothing. "You're serious?" he questioned. He took Robin's low moan for an answer. He had no words, and instead burst out into laughter. "YOU....WERE...ABOUT...TO..KISS...HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!" he wheezed out in gasps. Robin scoffed and began to leave. "I don't need this. I'm meeting Star." he muttered. Cyborg stopped guffawing and paused, gazing at the boy in shock. "Whoa, hold on, back up here, what did you just say?" Robin turned back to him. "I'm meeting Star, what?" he asked nonchalantly. It was now Cyborg who slapped his forehead. "Ok, ok, lemme get this straight-you and Star were one second away from kissing before I-" he stopped and chuckled nervously when he saw Robin's deadly glare, "Before you were interrupted, and now you're just gonna hang out again like nothing happened? Isn't it awkward? Uncomfortable? Or SOMETHING?!"
Robin arched an eyebrow and shook his head. "Noooooo.." he said quietly. Cyborg smirked and shook his head. "Man, you've got the real thing." he muttered, chuckling to himself. Robin cocked a head in confusion. "I've got what?" he questioned. Cyborg looked up and slowly made his way over to him as he spoke. "You've got the REAL thing. I thought it was just some little puppy-dog crush you developed cuz she's HOT, but I really think you truly, deeply, utterly love her." he repressed another laugh, he had no idea why he acted like a 3 year old whenever he said the word 'love.' Robin glared again. "Well, it could have been something more if YOU-" "Stop telling yourself that." Cyborg said as he cupped a hand over Robin's mouth, stopping the flow of words. "You're not convincing me and I'm pretty sure you're not convincing yourself either." Robin looked confused. "Why are you blaming me for some little accident? Nothing has obviously changed. What? Are you too scared to make a move? So, what, you've gotta cling to this idea that I ruined everything between you and all hope is lost forever? Cuz that's not the case." Robin looked at him, shocked on how insightful he could be. Cyborg removed his hand from across Robin's mouth. "You have something special here, Rob. Do something about it. Use it or lose it, and her." With that he exited, leaving Robin to ponder what he had just said.
"Robin! That was most entertaining! Please tell another!" Starfire squealed in laughter. She sat crossed legged on her bed, laughing uncontrollably at Robin's latest joke, and taking another bite from her candy bar. Various assorted treats were spread across the mattress they rested on, mostly junk foods and sweets, they had decided to have an impromptu picnic in her room that day. Though they had been 'dining' for a relatively short time, nearly all the treats were gone. Robin smiled at her and took a swig of his root beer.
"Ok, ok, I got one...so this lady walks into a bar with a goose on a leash. The bartender looks at her weirdly and says, "Hey, why did you bring your pig in here?" The lady stares at him and says intelligently, "Excuse me, but I believe this is a goose." The bartender then turns to her and says, "Excuse ME, but I believe I was talking to the goose.""
Starfire fell back into her pillows, laughing hysterically and occasionally wiping away tiny tears that escaped her eyes. After a moment or so, she composed herself and, though still giggling, returned to her Indian-style sitting position. "I enjoy hearing these humorous tales of yours, Robin. They are very amusing." she said with a sigh. Robin smiled and shook his head, everyone else thought his jokes were tired and overused, but Starfire laughed no matter how corny they were. "One of her many perks, I suppose." he mused to himself. Starfire unwrapped a Rolo and popped the sweet candy into her mouth, tossing the golden wrapper carelessly aside. "Thank you for bringing the delectable treats of sweetened condensed sugar, Robin. They are delicious!" she exclaimed, her teeth slightly stuck together by the caramel insides of her candy. Robin smiled in return and let his eyes travel to the space between the two. Starfire had mindlessly been sipping her soda, but when she saw Robin was mesmerized by something, glanced down to see what it was as well. Between them, amidst the discarded wrappers and faint chocolate smudges, lay one single chocolate bar, the last one left. They exchanged a "Bring it on" glance, and both hands shot for the candy. Robin's reflexes were much quicker, however, and he snatched up the bar with ease and held it over his head victoriously. Starfire groaned and reached over to steal it away, but he only pulled it further from her grasp. Neither could help but smile.
"Robin! You have eaten more than a Clybordian Muckle Worm! It is only fair for me to devoir the jubilant junk food!" she mock-whined with a giggle, reaching for the candy once again. Robin held it out of her reach and laughed. "No way, Star! You're not getting it that easy!" he cried, and jumped off the bed and made a break for the door. Starfire floated up and zipped after him, and the chase was on. For about five minutes, she chased him in circles around her room, both laughing joyfully at the game. After a while, he flopped back on the bed in his original position, slightly panting, and Starfire joined him, her legs crossed and her elbows resting on her knees, her head lolling in her palms in defeat. Robin grinned and put his hands behind his back, hiding the candy bar from view. "You reeeeeeeeeeally want the candy?" he taunted. Starfire perked up. "Yes!" she cried excited. "You reeeeeally want it?" he mocked again. Starfire was getting a little annoyed. "Yes!" she repeated. "Are you suuuuuuuure-" "YES! I would like the candy bar Robin! Stop teasing!" she shouted and tried to snatch the bar again, but Robin restrained her. After she was back in her sitting spot, he hid his hands once again. "Ok, I'll make you a deal-you guess which hand I have the candy bar in, and you can have it." he said sweetly with a smile. Starfire grinned in reply and giggled a little. "You make it too easy." she laughed, and leaned in towards him, her arm curled around his form to point to the hand of her choice. She hadn't even realized how close her face was to his.
And that's when he kissed her.
It was very subtle, very soft. He only brushed his lips gently against her full, rosy ones for a split second. He merely leaned in the same moment as she and tenderly pressed his lips to hers and pulled away. Some would barely even call it a real kiss. Starfire stared at him, her lips parted in shock and her breathing shallow. They sat in silence for what seemed like eternity, intently looking into each other's eyes in bewilderment. Robin broke the stare and his eyes widened in realization of what he had just done. His face darkened with a deep scarlet and he bowed his head and sped out of the room. "I-I must go." he muttered and disappeared out of her door. Starfire watched him go, and after the door had slammed shut, she gazed after it, half expecting it to run away too. Slowly, she brought her fingers to her lips and touched them with her fingertips very gently, like she was handling some rare, easily perishable silk. She closed her eyes, feeling herself tremble with the amazement. Robin just kissed her. What was she to do?
Robin burst into the hallway and ran into the lounge, his anger consuming him and taking over his entire body. He saw Beast Boy and Raven still in their positions prier to him leaving, other than the fact Beast Boy was curled up behind a pillow hiding from the monsters on the screen. "CY- BORG!" Robin screamed, and both the tone and noise caused Beast Boy to shriek and dive under the cushions. Raven looked at him oddly and pointed down the hallway. "Weight room." she said simply, and in a flash the Boy Wonder had vanished down the corridor to seek and kill.
Cyborg was bench pressing around 550 lbs with ease, and nonchalantly added another few hundred to his weights. He saw a fuming Robin explode into the room from the corner of his eye, and sat up on the bench, lifting a 50 lbs weight designed to increase the muscle in his forearm. "YOU!" Robin said threateningly, and charged at the metal man with clenched fists. Cyborg snatched the hem of Robin's cape and pulled him off the ground. He groaned, hovering a few feet in the air with 2 swinging fists. "Whoa! Chill man! What did I do now?" Cyborg asked, holding the boy slightly further away from him, as the missed blows were growing closer to his face. Robin moaned and his shoulders sunk, and he dropped his face in his palms. Noticing this quick mood swing, Cyborg set him down on his feet and put a hand on his shoulder. "Yo, you ok, man?" he asked, concerned. "I am the biggest idiot alive." was the muffled response. Cyborg laughed and resumed his spot on the bench with the 50 lb weight. "Yeah, well, I already KNEW that, whadcha do now?" he said with a chuckle. Robin looked up at him with slim eyes, and though he could not see them, he knew his eyes were filled with fire. "I LISTENED to YOU." he said through gritted teeth. Cyborg raised an eyebrow and questioned him. "What are you talking about?" he asked as he completed another 30 reps and switched hands.
Robin rolled his eyes and brought his elbows to his waist, letting his forearms flap out, so now he too took the appearance of a retarded duck. "You have something special, Robin! You have the real thing, Robin! Make a move! Use it or lose it Robin!" he said in a high pitched voice. Cyborg looked slightly excited. "Hey! That's like what I did to you a few weeks ago!" he cried, both offended and proud that he was worth imitating. Robin dropped his arms to his sides and hung his head. "Yes, Cyborg. It's called a cruel irony, like my dependence on YOU." he muttered, obviously irritated. Cyborg groaned, continuing to lift the weights. "Will you please stop beating around the bush and tell me what you're so pissed about?" he asked, wiping a few beads of sweat away from his forehead with his available hand. "I KISSED HER!!!!!" Robin screamed, flailing his arms madly in the air. The weight Cyborg clutched in his hand dropped and crashed directly on his foot. He hollered in pain, and jumped up to hold his injury, hopping up and down in the process. "What-do-you-mean-kiss?" he asked in between hops.
Robin let his weight fall to his feet and toppled backwards, landing on his back on the cold, metal floor. He immediately popped up and forebodingly pointed his index finger in Cyborg's direction. "YOU were the one who told me to make a move! So I did! I kissed her! On the lips! Now she HATES me and IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!" he screamed, his anger towering over the metal man. In his mind's eye, he saw himself strangling Cyborg and throwing him out the window, but naturally that did not happen. Cyborg stared at his friend in complete and utter shock. "You-you really...oh god...I had no clue you'd....daaaaaaaaaaaamn...." he said finally. Robin hung his head and buried his face in his hands. "Man, I just have one thing to say to you-" Robin cut him off. "What? That everything's gonna work out fine and we'll fall in love and live happily ever after?" he remarked sarcastically as he lifted his head. Cyborg shook his. "Nope. I was gonna say you're screwed." "CY-BOR-G!!!!" Robin shouted. He turned on his heal and sprinted for his room, where he could settle in his humiliation in peace.
Starfire had not moved from her position on her bed, she remained immobile as she stewed in place. She wasn't exactly sure how to react; happiness that it happened? Shock that he did it so quickly? Anger that she didn't get to do it first. Her eyes slowly creaked open, and her hand dropped carelessly to her sheets. Was it all a dream? Did something trigger her fantasy into a subconscious image? Starfire glanced around the room, mentally noting the discarded candy wrappers, certain objects awry, and the small groove that was indented in the comforter opposite from her. "No." she thought, the tingling sensation refusing to die down from her lips. "No, it happened. It really happened." She finally uncrossed her legs and settled them into her carpet, and they wobbled uneasily under her weight. When she gained composure, she bolted from her room in search of the only one who could assist her with her conflicting emotions. She entered the main room panting slightly and desperately scanned the room for the ever- emotionless girl she had recently managed to get through to. She only saw a small green boy mindlessly flipping through the channels, buried beneath a castle of cushions.
"Beast, Boy, where is Raven?" Starfire questioned anxiously. Beast Boy kicked his makeshift tower down but continued to repeatedly click the remote. "She's not here. She went to some poetry reading at Le Café Café with that Goth kid she met at the club a while back. You know, Carden?" Starfire tilted her head curiously; was that the faintest hint of scorn in Beast Boy's voice? She shook it off, and once she had her worry set in again. She sighed in apprehensiveness. "This is not good. I am in need of the Earth custom of 'girl talk' very badly at this moment!" she cried, nervously biting the nail on her index finger. Beast Boy switched off the TV and laughed, rising and beginning to walk to the kitchen. "HA! Girl talk with Raven? You've got a better chance of having girl talk with ME!" he chuckled to himself, but stopped short when his path was blocked by Starfire, a wide, silly grin plastered to her face. Beast Boy immediately knew what that meant. "Star...." he moaned, but she grabbed his hands and stared at him with pleading eyes. "Please, Beast Boy! I am desperate!" she clamored. The shape shifter sighed in defeat and reluctantly slumped into the adjacent chair. Starfire smiled and sat poised across from him. "So....how have you been?" she asked, not entirely certain of how to begin. Beast Boy perked up a little and began to speak as though someone had never uttered a word to him. "Pretty good, actually. Recently I've just been playing video games, I'm getting pretty good, I can beat the first level without dying after 3 seconds! Oh yeah, and I found a new recipe for yak's milk yogurt! It sounds gross, but once you pick out all the hairs-"
"Robin KISSED me!!!!!!" Starfire could hold it in no longer, and her emotional burst caused Beast Boy to shout. He tipped over in his chair, but quickly shot up to gape at his blushing alien friend. "He WHAT?!?!" he screamed. Starfire cupped her palms over her burning cheeks and whimpered in reply. Beast Boy walked over to her, still stunned, and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Want me to kill him?" Starfire looked at him in horror and pushed him away. "NO! That is the last thing I wish for you to do! If you touch him..." Her eyes began to glow their spine-chilling shade of green as she floated in the air, gripping 2 Starbolts threateningly in her clenched fists. Beast Boy staggered back, holding his hands up in innocence. "HEY! It was a joke! I was KIDDING!" he defended, and sighed with relief when she, embarrassed, resumed her seat in her chair. "Oh." she muttered, glancing down. The green boy walked back over to her, cautiously this time, and pulled up the footstool so he would be sitting around eye level with her. "So, how do you feel about it?" he asked her warily. She shifted in her seat and continued to gaze down. "I am not sure, that is what I would like to discuss...." she murmured. Beast Boy thought for a second, before pelting her rapidly with possibilities.
"Are you mad at him?"
"No, I know for certain I am not mad..."
"So you're happy?"
"I do not know if it is happiness, it seems...different..."
"So, sad? What about sad?"
"It is most certainly not sad, this is true...."
"So, seriously, what ARE you?!"
Starfire pondered for a second, before answering. "It feels like....like I have just dove into a pool of ice water, but I am not cold. Like I have wandered into a dense, deep forest, but I am not afraid. Like I am trapped in a desert with nothing, but I do not tire. It is like...like there is a cyclone in my heart and it is spiraling out of control. But I do not want it to stop. Is this normal?" she questioned him with a cocked head, her eyes puzzled. Beast Boy smiled and nodded. "Yep. There's only one word to describe what you're feeling right now." She eagerly leaned in to hear his answer. "What is it?" she asked, excited to hear the reply.
"Love."
Starfire gasped and leaned back into her seat, a hand covering her mouth. "Love?" she squeaked, unbelieving. Beast Boy smiled and nodded. Starfire felt dizzy and held her head so she would not fall to the ground. Love? Could it be possible? This whole time, was the innocent little infatuation of hers in actuality the purest emotion one could ever feel? She had said nothing for at least 3 minutes, and Beast Boy inched in a little in worry. "Star? Y'ok?" he asked, concerned. "Are you certain that is it?" she whispered as if he just told her she was terminally ill. "Ok, lemme guess; you wanna be around him constantly, you blush or giggle, or possible both, at the sound of his name, you would go to the ends of the Earth to protect him from any harm and would do anything to hold him in your arms, even if it was just for one simple night?" he asked impassively. Starfire blinked once...twice. "YES! That is it exactly!" she exclaimed. Beast Boy nodded. "Toldja. Love is a strange and confusing emotion...I know it well...." he added with a sigh, but quickly recollected himself and glanced back at the girl. She inhaled and felt an uncontrollable force tug at the corners of her lips. It wasn't long before she was beaming brightly. "I...am in love. I love him. I love Robin. I-LOVE-ROBIN!" The words gave her an overwhelming sense of glee, like she was releasing her own personal Pandora's Box of hidden insecurities.
She started panting, holding her hand over her heart. "I-I never expected it to...to come this far." she confessed, and the joker smiled. "Yeah, it'll do that to ya. Sneak up on you when you're back is turned." he said with a grin. She rose, but felt woozy and her legs nearly crumbled beneath her. She floated up into the air, breathing in deeply, the smile never fleeing her face. "I-I have never felt this way before. It is so-so incredible. I must tell Robin!" she squealed, but released a breath and shook her head. "But not now. I must sort my thoughts. Thank you immensely, Beast Boy! I can never thank you enough! I love Robin! I love him!" she exclaimed joyfully over and over and she hovered out of the room and zipped outside into the endlessly blue sky. Beast Boy called after her, even though he partly knew she wouldn't hear him. "What's there to sort? All you've got is the repetitive 'I LOVE ROBIN!! I LOVE ROBIN!! I LOVE ROBIN!! I LOVE ROBIN!! I LOVE-" He continued to mock her in a high falsetto voice, repeating that phase over and over with his hands locked over his heart. He began to twirl as he sang. "I LOVE ROBIN!! I LOVE ROBIN!! I LO-" He ceased when he saw a slender, shapely figure looming in the doorway. He could barely see her, she was shrouded in darkness, but he did manage to catch her glimmering amethyst eyes and a faint smirk toying with her mouth. "Is there something you'd like to share with us, Beast Boy?" Raven asked tauntingly. Beast Boy raised a finger to object and opened his mouth to say something, but instead of producing words, he abruptly hustled away into his room. Raven scoffed and shook her head, pondering why God created boys in the first place.
~*~OMIGOD! I DID IT!!!! WHOOOOO!!!! Now you CAN'T kill me! Muh ha ha!!!! Didja like it? Hope you did! Few notes- [1] A rolo is a small, caramel candy covered in chocolate. Currently me and my best friend are addicted to them. Sad, yes I know. We attend a weekly seminar at REA, Rolo Eaters Anonymous. I've been clean for 3 seconds! *grabs a rolo and devoirs it* Well, so goes that. [2] I apologize for the lack of BB/R in the chapter, I doubt there will be any more. Sorry. [3] The Goth kid reference is from the episode "Sisters." Remember the kid Raven met at the party? ("This party is pointless." "Everything is pointless...wanna go talk about it?") I thought I'd stick him in to add some flava. I have no clue what his actual name is, or if he even actually HAS one, but I know the name 'Carden' means 'from the black fortress,' so I thought "Oooooh...cooooool.." hehe, I thought it would be good to add him to the mix, he'll bring extra spice in the BB/R sequel! Well, that's it! Please R&R and I'll update as soon as I can! I really, really, really hope you liked it!! Bye! ~*~
Robin, as one could imagine, was SEETHING. It was the next day, and Cyborg couldn't figure out why Robin had not breathed a word to him. He occasionally saw him skulking about the Tower, but whenever he trotted over for a quick convo, he sped off in the opposite direction groaning loudly. Growing annoyed with his best bud's odd behavior, he decided to confront him on exactly what was up. He entered the lounge around noon time, where Beast Boy was watching a cheesy 70's horror film, Raven shrouded herself behind a book, and Robin sunk deeply into the heavily cushioned sofa, his arms crossed in anger. Cyborg was certain he saw steam leaking from his ears. Starfire, however, was nowhere to be found.
Robin noticed Cyborg's immense form looming in the doorway and growled under his breath, bearing his teeth from the corner of his mouth. His mask was reduced to 2 black lines as he glared at him, and he stomped out of the chair and stormed into the kitchen. Beast Boy and Raven did not mind, but Cyborg chased after him, catching his arm when they reached the counter. "Yo, dude, why aren't you talking to me?" he asked as he restrained him. Robin let out a curling groan from the back of his throat, and spoke in a low, menacing voice. "Leave.Me.Alone." he muttered, and tore his arm away, but Cyborg nipped his shoulder and whirled him around to face him. "Heh, so you're talking to me again." he said with a smile, but when Robin groaned and tried to pull away he tightened his grip. "Man, I'm sorry, ok?! I'm really sorry! The last thing I want is you pissed at me, and I'm SORRY! Now can you PLEASE tell me what I'm apologizing FOR?!" he cried, shaking the boy slightly.
Robin softened, but very little, and still kept his angry expression on. "You really wanna know?" he asked gruffly. Cyborg nodded like a child who was just offered candy and loosened his hold on his arms. Robin rubbed the sore spots with the tips of his fingers, but remained impassive. "How bad was the dish situation last night?" he asked coldly. Cyborg stared at him weirdly for a second before letting out an answer. "Uh...I guess minimal, nothing like a code red alert or anything.." "Oh REALLY?! How INTERESTING of you to say that!" Robin snipped. Cyborg was confused. "Um....what?" he asked, scratching his head.
Robin inhaled, repressing his inner rage, and continued. "So, you know, as a buddy, you didn't THINK to just screw the schedule and do something NICE for your FRIEND?!" the rage was seeping out through his pores, slowly filling the entire room like poisonous gas. "I still don't get it." the robot replied. Robin moaned and slapped his forehead, leaving a tiny red mark. "YOU IDIOT! You didn't think I may have had something a LITTLE more important to attend to?! HMM?!" He was eye to eye with him, poking his chest with an accusing finger. Cyborg's eyes widened with a thought. "OH GOOD GOD!!! DID YOU BANG HER?!?!" he screeched louder than necessary. Robin screamed in annoyance and grabbed his friend with both hands by the collar, thrusting him back and forth vigorously. "NO! YOU SICK, TWISTED BASTARD! EVERYTHING DOES NOT EQUAL SEX!!!!!" Robin bellowed in response, his voice echoing off the walls. Beast Boy and Raven, stunned and confused by these words, poked their head into the kitchen with concern. Robin glanced over at them and plastered on a fake smile, releasing a terrified Cyborg from around the neck. "Oh, hiya guys!" he said cheerily, nudging Cyborg to play along. "We were just rehearsing a play! Yeah! It's called...uh... 'Did-You- Bang-Her-No-You-Sick-Twisted-Bastard-Everything-Does-Not-Equal-Sex.' Hehe, charity work." he said with a tremendously phony grin. Raven and Beast Boy exchanged glances, shrugged, and eying them suspiciously, returned to their business.
Robin turned back to Cyborg, the smile eerily running away from his face. His neck cracked, which only frightened Cyborg more. "Dude, if you go psycho on me I will MIGHTILY flip out." he stammered as he backed into the table. Robin seemed to calm down, and lost the insane killing-rampage glint in his eye. "We didn't do ANYTHING, which is precisely the problem." he mumbled, propping his elbows up on the countertop. Noticing his friend's confused look, he explained. "When you walked in....we were literally THIS close," he held up his thumb and index finger to indicate the tiny space between them, "to...well...KISSSSSSSING." he sighed and let his head drop to the top. Cyborg stared at him in bewilderment, feeling a pang of guilt strike the back of his neck. "What?" he harshly whispered. Robin said nothing. "You're serious?" he questioned. He took Robin's low moan for an answer. He had no words, and instead burst out into laughter. "YOU....WERE...ABOUT...TO..KISS...HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!" he wheezed out in gasps. Robin scoffed and began to leave. "I don't need this. I'm meeting Star." he muttered. Cyborg stopped guffawing and paused, gazing at the boy in shock. "Whoa, hold on, back up here, what did you just say?" Robin turned back to him. "I'm meeting Star, what?" he asked nonchalantly. It was now Cyborg who slapped his forehead. "Ok, ok, lemme get this straight-you and Star were one second away from kissing before I-" he stopped and chuckled nervously when he saw Robin's deadly glare, "Before you were interrupted, and now you're just gonna hang out again like nothing happened? Isn't it awkward? Uncomfortable? Or SOMETHING?!"
Robin arched an eyebrow and shook his head. "Noooooo.." he said quietly. Cyborg smirked and shook his head. "Man, you've got the real thing." he muttered, chuckling to himself. Robin cocked a head in confusion. "I've got what?" he questioned. Cyborg looked up and slowly made his way over to him as he spoke. "You've got the REAL thing. I thought it was just some little puppy-dog crush you developed cuz she's HOT, but I really think you truly, deeply, utterly love her." he repressed another laugh, he had no idea why he acted like a 3 year old whenever he said the word 'love.' Robin glared again. "Well, it could have been something more if YOU-" "Stop telling yourself that." Cyborg said as he cupped a hand over Robin's mouth, stopping the flow of words. "You're not convincing me and I'm pretty sure you're not convincing yourself either." Robin looked confused. "Why are you blaming me for some little accident? Nothing has obviously changed. What? Are you too scared to make a move? So, what, you've gotta cling to this idea that I ruined everything between you and all hope is lost forever? Cuz that's not the case." Robin looked at him, shocked on how insightful he could be. Cyborg removed his hand from across Robin's mouth. "You have something special here, Rob. Do something about it. Use it or lose it, and her." With that he exited, leaving Robin to ponder what he had just said.
"Robin! That was most entertaining! Please tell another!" Starfire squealed in laughter. She sat crossed legged on her bed, laughing uncontrollably at Robin's latest joke, and taking another bite from her candy bar. Various assorted treats were spread across the mattress they rested on, mostly junk foods and sweets, they had decided to have an impromptu picnic in her room that day. Though they had been 'dining' for a relatively short time, nearly all the treats were gone. Robin smiled at her and took a swig of his root beer.
"Ok, ok, I got one...so this lady walks into a bar with a goose on a leash. The bartender looks at her weirdly and says, "Hey, why did you bring your pig in here?" The lady stares at him and says intelligently, "Excuse me, but I believe this is a goose." The bartender then turns to her and says, "Excuse ME, but I believe I was talking to the goose.""
Starfire fell back into her pillows, laughing hysterically and occasionally wiping away tiny tears that escaped her eyes. After a moment or so, she composed herself and, though still giggling, returned to her Indian-style sitting position. "I enjoy hearing these humorous tales of yours, Robin. They are very amusing." she said with a sigh. Robin smiled and shook his head, everyone else thought his jokes were tired and overused, but Starfire laughed no matter how corny they were. "One of her many perks, I suppose." he mused to himself. Starfire unwrapped a Rolo and popped the sweet candy into her mouth, tossing the golden wrapper carelessly aside. "Thank you for bringing the delectable treats of sweetened condensed sugar, Robin. They are delicious!" she exclaimed, her teeth slightly stuck together by the caramel insides of her candy. Robin smiled in return and let his eyes travel to the space between the two. Starfire had mindlessly been sipping her soda, but when she saw Robin was mesmerized by something, glanced down to see what it was as well. Between them, amidst the discarded wrappers and faint chocolate smudges, lay one single chocolate bar, the last one left. They exchanged a "Bring it on" glance, and both hands shot for the candy. Robin's reflexes were much quicker, however, and he snatched up the bar with ease and held it over his head victoriously. Starfire groaned and reached over to steal it away, but he only pulled it further from her grasp. Neither could help but smile.
"Robin! You have eaten more than a Clybordian Muckle Worm! It is only fair for me to devoir the jubilant junk food!" she mock-whined with a giggle, reaching for the candy once again. Robin held it out of her reach and laughed. "No way, Star! You're not getting it that easy!" he cried, and jumped off the bed and made a break for the door. Starfire floated up and zipped after him, and the chase was on. For about five minutes, she chased him in circles around her room, both laughing joyfully at the game. After a while, he flopped back on the bed in his original position, slightly panting, and Starfire joined him, her legs crossed and her elbows resting on her knees, her head lolling in her palms in defeat. Robin grinned and put his hands behind his back, hiding the candy bar from view. "You reeeeeeeeeeally want the candy?" he taunted. Starfire perked up. "Yes!" she cried excited. "You reeeeeally want it?" he mocked again. Starfire was getting a little annoyed. "Yes!" she repeated. "Are you suuuuuuuure-" "YES! I would like the candy bar Robin! Stop teasing!" she shouted and tried to snatch the bar again, but Robin restrained her. After she was back in her sitting spot, he hid his hands once again. "Ok, I'll make you a deal-you guess which hand I have the candy bar in, and you can have it." he said sweetly with a smile. Starfire grinned in reply and giggled a little. "You make it too easy." she laughed, and leaned in towards him, her arm curled around his form to point to the hand of her choice. She hadn't even realized how close her face was to his.
And that's when he kissed her.
It was very subtle, very soft. He only brushed his lips gently against her full, rosy ones for a split second. He merely leaned in the same moment as she and tenderly pressed his lips to hers and pulled away. Some would barely even call it a real kiss. Starfire stared at him, her lips parted in shock and her breathing shallow. They sat in silence for what seemed like eternity, intently looking into each other's eyes in bewilderment. Robin broke the stare and his eyes widened in realization of what he had just done. His face darkened with a deep scarlet and he bowed his head and sped out of the room. "I-I must go." he muttered and disappeared out of her door. Starfire watched him go, and after the door had slammed shut, she gazed after it, half expecting it to run away too. Slowly, she brought her fingers to her lips and touched them with her fingertips very gently, like she was handling some rare, easily perishable silk. She closed her eyes, feeling herself tremble with the amazement. Robin just kissed her. What was she to do?
Robin burst into the hallway and ran into the lounge, his anger consuming him and taking over his entire body. He saw Beast Boy and Raven still in their positions prier to him leaving, other than the fact Beast Boy was curled up behind a pillow hiding from the monsters on the screen. "CY- BORG!" Robin screamed, and both the tone and noise caused Beast Boy to shriek and dive under the cushions. Raven looked at him oddly and pointed down the hallway. "Weight room." she said simply, and in a flash the Boy Wonder had vanished down the corridor to seek and kill.
Cyborg was bench pressing around 550 lbs with ease, and nonchalantly added another few hundred to his weights. He saw a fuming Robin explode into the room from the corner of his eye, and sat up on the bench, lifting a 50 lbs weight designed to increase the muscle in his forearm. "YOU!" Robin said threateningly, and charged at the metal man with clenched fists. Cyborg snatched the hem of Robin's cape and pulled him off the ground. He groaned, hovering a few feet in the air with 2 swinging fists. "Whoa! Chill man! What did I do now?" Cyborg asked, holding the boy slightly further away from him, as the missed blows were growing closer to his face. Robin moaned and his shoulders sunk, and he dropped his face in his palms. Noticing this quick mood swing, Cyborg set him down on his feet and put a hand on his shoulder. "Yo, you ok, man?" he asked, concerned. "I am the biggest idiot alive." was the muffled response. Cyborg laughed and resumed his spot on the bench with the 50 lb weight. "Yeah, well, I already KNEW that, whadcha do now?" he said with a chuckle. Robin looked up at him with slim eyes, and though he could not see them, he knew his eyes were filled with fire. "I LISTENED to YOU." he said through gritted teeth. Cyborg raised an eyebrow and questioned him. "What are you talking about?" he asked as he completed another 30 reps and switched hands.
Robin rolled his eyes and brought his elbows to his waist, letting his forearms flap out, so now he too took the appearance of a retarded duck. "You have something special, Robin! You have the real thing, Robin! Make a move! Use it or lose it Robin!" he said in a high pitched voice. Cyborg looked slightly excited. "Hey! That's like what I did to you a few weeks ago!" he cried, both offended and proud that he was worth imitating. Robin dropped his arms to his sides and hung his head. "Yes, Cyborg. It's called a cruel irony, like my dependence on YOU." he muttered, obviously irritated. Cyborg groaned, continuing to lift the weights. "Will you please stop beating around the bush and tell me what you're so pissed about?" he asked, wiping a few beads of sweat away from his forehead with his available hand. "I KISSED HER!!!!!" Robin screamed, flailing his arms madly in the air. The weight Cyborg clutched in his hand dropped and crashed directly on his foot. He hollered in pain, and jumped up to hold his injury, hopping up and down in the process. "What-do-you-mean-kiss?" he asked in between hops.
Robin let his weight fall to his feet and toppled backwards, landing on his back on the cold, metal floor. He immediately popped up and forebodingly pointed his index finger in Cyborg's direction. "YOU were the one who told me to make a move! So I did! I kissed her! On the lips! Now she HATES me and IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!" he screamed, his anger towering over the metal man. In his mind's eye, he saw himself strangling Cyborg and throwing him out the window, but naturally that did not happen. Cyborg stared at his friend in complete and utter shock. "You-you really...oh god...I had no clue you'd....daaaaaaaaaaaamn...." he said finally. Robin hung his head and buried his face in his hands. "Man, I just have one thing to say to you-" Robin cut him off. "What? That everything's gonna work out fine and we'll fall in love and live happily ever after?" he remarked sarcastically as he lifted his head. Cyborg shook his. "Nope. I was gonna say you're screwed." "CY-BOR-G!!!!" Robin shouted. He turned on his heal and sprinted for his room, where he could settle in his humiliation in peace.
Starfire had not moved from her position on her bed, she remained immobile as she stewed in place. She wasn't exactly sure how to react; happiness that it happened? Shock that he did it so quickly? Anger that she didn't get to do it first. Her eyes slowly creaked open, and her hand dropped carelessly to her sheets. Was it all a dream? Did something trigger her fantasy into a subconscious image? Starfire glanced around the room, mentally noting the discarded candy wrappers, certain objects awry, and the small groove that was indented in the comforter opposite from her. "No." she thought, the tingling sensation refusing to die down from her lips. "No, it happened. It really happened." She finally uncrossed her legs and settled them into her carpet, and they wobbled uneasily under her weight. When she gained composure, she bolted from her room in search of the only one who could assist her with her conflicting emotions. She entered the main room panting slightly and desperately scanned the room for the ever- emotionless girl she had recently managed to get through to. She only saw a small green boy mindlessly flipping through the channels, buried beneath a castle of cushions.
"Beast, Boy, where is Raven?" Starfire questioned anxiously. Beast Boy kicked his makeshift tower down but continued to repeatedly click the remote. "She's not here. She went to some poetry reading at Le Café Café with that Goth kid she met at the club a while back. You know, Carden?" Starfire tilted her head curiously; was that the faintest hint of scorn in Beast Boy's voice? She shook it off, and once she had her worry set in again. She sighed in apprehensiveness. "This is not good. I am in need of the Earth custom of 'girl talk' very badly at this moment!" she cried, nervously biting the nail on her index finger. Beast Boy switched off the TV and laughed, rising and beginning to walk to the kitchen. "HA! Girl talk with Raven? You've got a better chance of having girl talk with ME!" he chuckled to himself, but stopped short when his path was blocked by Starfire, a wide, silly grin plastered to her face. Beast Boy immediately knew what that meant. "Star...." he moaned, but she grabbed his hands and stared at him with pleading eyes. "Please, Beast Boy! I am desperate!" she clamored. The shape shifter sighed in defeat and reluctantly slumped into the adjacent chair. Starfire smiled and sat poised across from him. "So....how have you been?" she asked, not entirely certain of how to begin. Beast Boy perked up a little and began to speak as though someone had never uttered a word to him. "Pretty good, actually. Recently I've just been playing video games, I'm getting pretty good, I can beat the first level without dying after 3 seconds! Oh yeah, and I found a new recipe for yak's milk yogurt! It sounds gross, but once you pick out all the hairs-"
"Robin KISSED me!!!!!!" Starfire could hold it in no longer, and her emotional burst caused Beast Boy to shout. He tipped over in his chair, but quickly shot up to gape at his blushing alien friend. "He WHAT?!?!" he screamed. Starfire cupped her palms over her burning cheeks and whimpered in reply. Beast Boy walked over to her, still stunned, and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Want me to kill him?" Starfire looked at him in horror and pushed him away. "NO! That is the last thing I wish for you to do! If you touch him..." Her eyes began to glow their spine-chilling shade of green as she floated in the air, gripping 2 Starbolts threateningly in her clenched fists. Beast Boy staggered back, holding his hands up in innocence. "HEY! It was a joke! I was KIDDING!" he defended, and sighed with relief when she, embarrassed, resumed her seat in her chair. "Oh." she muttered, glancing down. The green boy walked back over to her, cautiously this time, and pulled up the footstool so he would be sitting around eye level with her. "So, how do you feel about it?" he asked her warily. She shifted in her seat and continued to gaze down. "I am not sure, that is what I would like to discuss...." she murmured. Beast Boy thought for a second, before pelting her rapidly with possibilities.
"Are you mad at him?"
"No, I know for certain I am not mad..."
"So you're happy?"
"I do not know if it is happiness, it seems...different..."
"So, sad? What about sad?"
"It is most certainly not sad, this is true...."
"So, seriously, what ARE you?!"
Starfire pondered for a second, before answering. "It feels like....like I have just dove into a pool of ice water, but I am not cold. Like I have wandered into a dense, deep forest, but I am not afraid. Like I am trapped in a desert with nothing, but I do not tire. It is like...like there is a cyclone in my heart and it is spiraling out of control. But I do not want it to stop. Is this normal?" she questioned him with a cocked head, her eyes puzzled. Beast Boy smiled and nodded. "Yep. There's only one word to describe what you're feeling right now." She eagerly leaned in to hear his answer. "What is it?" she asked, excited to hear the reply.
"Love."
Starfire gasped and leaned back into her seat, a hand covering her mouth. "Love?" she squeaked, unbelieving. Beast Boy smiled and nodded. Starfire felt dizzy and held her head so she would not fall to the ground. Love? Could it be possible? This whole time, was the innocent little infatuation of hers in actuality the purest emotion one could ever feel? She had said nothing for at least 3 minutes, and Beast Boy inched in a little in worry. "Star? Y'ok?" he asked, concerned. "Are you certain that is it?" she whispered as if he just told her she was terminally ill. "Ok, lemme guess; you wanna be around him constantly, you blush or giggle, or possible both, at the sound of his name, you would go to the ends of the Earth to protect him from any harm and would do anything to hold him in your arms, even if it was just for one simple night?" he asked impassively. Starfire blinked once...twice. "YES! That is it exactly!" she exclaimed. Beast Boy nodded. "Toldja. Love is a strange and confusing emotion...I know it well...." he added with a sigh, but quickly recollected himself and glanced back at the girl. She inhaled and felt an uncontrollable force tug at the corners of her lips. It wasn't long before she was beaming brightly. "I...am in love. I love him. I love Robin. I-LOVE-ROBIN!" The words gave her an overwhelming sense of glee, like she was releasing her own personal Pandora's Box of hidden insecurities.
She started panting, holding her hand over her heart. "I-I never expected it to...to come this far." she confessed, and the joker smiled. "Yeah, it'll do that to ya. Sneak up on you when you're back is turned." he said with a grin. She rose, but felt woozy and her legs nearly crumbled beneath her. She floated up into the air, breathing in deeply, the smile never fleeing her face. "I-I have never felt this way before. It is so-so incredible. I must tell Robin!" she squealed, but released a breath and shook her head. "But not now. I must sort my thoughts. Thank you immensely, Beast Boy! I can never thank you enough! I love Robin! I love him!" she exclaimed joyfully over and over and she hovered out of the room and zipped outside into the endlessly blue sky. Beast Boy called after her, even though he partly knew she wouldn't hear him. "What's there to sort? All you've got is the repetitive 'I LOVE ROBIN!! I LOVE ROBIN!! I LOVE ROBIN!! I LOVE ROBIN!! I LOVE-" He continued to mock her in a high falsetto voice, repeating that phase over and over with his hands locked over his heart. He began to twirl as he sang. "I LOVE ROBIN!! I LOVE ROBIN!! I LO-" He ceased when he saw a slender, shapely figure looming in the doorway. He could barely see her, she was shrouded in darkness, but he did manage to catch her glimmering amethyst eyes and a faint smirk toying with her mouth. "Is there something you'd like to share with us, Beast Boy?" Raven asked tauntingly. Beast Boy raised a finger to object and opened his mouth to say something, but instead of producing words, he abruptly hustled away into his room. Raven scoffed and shook her head, pondering why God created boys in the first place.
~*~OMIGOD! I DID IT!!!! WHOOOOO!!!! Now you CAN'T kill me! Muh ha ha!!!! Didja like it? Hope you did! Few notes- [1] A rolo is a small, caramel candy covered in chocolate. Currently me and my best friend are addicted to them. Sad, yes I know. We attend a weekly seminar at REA, Rolo Eaters Anonymous. I've been clean for 3 seconds! *grabs a rolo and devoirs it* Well, so goes that. [2] I apologize for the lack of BB/R in the chapter, I doubt there will be any more. Sorry. [3] The Goth kid reference is from the episode "Sisters." Remember the kid Raven met at the party? ("This party is pointless." "Everything is pointless...wanna go talk about it?") I thought I'd stick him in to add some flava. I have no clue what his actual name is, or if he even actually HAS one, but I know the name 'Carden' means 'from the black fortress,' so I thought "Oooooh...cooooool.." hehe, I thought it would be good to add him to the mix, he'll bring extra spice in the BB/R sequel! Well, that's it! Please R&R and I'll update as soon as I can! I really, really, really hope you liked it!! Bye! ~*~
