Title: Escaping Shadows
Author: Neme
Blood Type: NyQuil. It sucks being sick.
Fandom: Teen Titans, baby!
Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans. If I did, I would force Cartoon Network to air the last four episodes.
Warnings: If you are against the pairing and/or implied pairing of Starfire and Robin, leave now or forever hold your peace.
Author's Notes: This is the first fic I have ever written. Be afraid. Love it? Hate it? Criticism is desired. Be sure to tell me where to stick it.
He loved coming up here at night and the way the wind whipped around the top of Titan Tower, snapping his cape back. His mentor had watched over his own city in the same way. It was strange, mocking a shadow now that he was finally out from under it. Here, no one was overshadowed... Slade. The thoughts connected almost unwillingly in his mind. What could Slade possibly want with him -- from him? Whatever it was, he had finally stepped out from behind Batman's shadow and he was not going to subjugate himself to that experience again. He was part of a team and he refused to go back. Perhaps what he was most unwilling to admit was that he needed the Titans; they were his family. Together they would fight for truth, justice -- and pizza, he thought as his stomach rumbled -- no matter what Slade or any other villain threw their way.
"Robin?" Her voice interrupted his train of thought.
"What is it Star?" he asked, a little harsher than he had intended. He turned around to face her and felt immediately contrite. Her green eyes were on the verge of tears -- he should apologize, he thought. The apology never came, but he softened his tone as he asked, "did you want something?"
"Yes!" she exclaimed brightly. "We are having the 'night of movies' and require your company."
Maybe it would do him some good -- and take his mind off of capturing Slade. He realized that Starfire was still hopefully waiting for his response, the warm breeze twisting her hair in the wind. As Starfire reached back to try and tame her hair, Robin realized why she attracted more than her fair share of stares. Robin shook himself out of his stupor. He shouldn't be thinking that way about a teammate.
"Robin?" Starfire had finally managed to secure her windblown hair with a hand.
"Sure, Starfire." Robin smiled without really knowing why. He took one last look at Jump City, his cape curling around him. He was the leader here, working with his teammates to fight crime. He was free of the shadow that had once held him.
"Glorious!" Her slender fingers wrapped around his wrist. "You do not wish to become a spoiled chicken embryo!"
"That's 'rotten egg', Star," he responded, laughing at her phrasing.
"Rotten Egg, then," she countered, albeit awkwardly, tugging harder on his wrist. For a split second, he wanted nothing more than to stay with her out on the wind-blown rooftop and watch as she tried to control her hair. He had brought down villains one after another and he would eventually find and defeat Slade, but he couldn't tell this one girl that no matter what the circumstances she could always make him smile. Still looking over his shoulder at the city, he allowed himself to be pulled into Titan Tower. He was always fighting -- maybe someday he would stop fighting her.