Standard disclaimers apply.
CHAPTER EDITED NOV. 24, 2004: With the insight of Aria-Angel.
GUIDING STAR
Chapter Ten - Gotham
Starfire found sleep three hours through the flight after an attendant had mistaken her request of Lemon Iced tea for a Long Island one. Naturally, the alcohol knocked her out cold and the flight attendant got a severely displeased look from Alfred.
Fortunately, two hours of sleep was enough to detoxify her Tamaranian system.
As she slept, Robin and Alfred, coats off, took to the chess table, thinking up strategies while they discussed light matters over Bishops disposing of pawns and Rooks pursuing Knights.
Pieces were splayed all over the chess board. Robin was up one pawn four to three, but his queen had been kicked out of the game. Robin was confident that his primary pieces were in a good position to trap Alfred's king at G-1, with Robin's rook unhampered at F-8, his bishops in A-3 and C-6 and his knight at G-5. But while Alfred could certainly be put on the offensive, Robin wasn't about to underestimate his opponent.
Alfred eyed the board critically, rubbing the fingers of one hand together in high-brow discernment.
Robin smirked and couldn't help but think that Alfred looked like a plotting English Lord.
Alfred moved his white queen over to Robin's pawn on D-3.
Tricky.Robin knew Alfred had spotted his intent to let his knight intrude on H-3, and by devouring the pawn, Alfred also managed to threaten Robin's bishop on A-3. After a quick surveillance of the situation, Robin decided he had to sacrifice his rook by moving it in the direct path of Alfred's queen.
Alfred smiled serenely, looking at the board again. "I noticed that you have a particular kind of interest for Madam Koriand'r."
Robin arched an eyebrow. Alfred didn't like being too straightforward. It was impolite, and it removed something from his Englishman's bearing. So instead of saying "you like her", Alfred would prefer "you have a particular kind of interest for the madam."
Alfred thereafter ate his rook. It did, however, free Robin's knight to intrude on H-3. Alfred would either go for the bishop or go for the knight. Since Robin knew Alfred had sense, Robin was expecting to lose his knight in the next move.
"Why do you say that, Alfred?"
Alfred chuckled. "It is not difficult to see, Master Robin. Your eyes betrayed you long before the rest of you did." Alfred moved his queen over Robin's knight.
Robin's brows furrowed. "She's my best friend." He moved his bishop to C-5 from A-3, checking Alfred's king. "Check."
"It is not unheard of that a young man, such as yourself, would feel significantly more than just friendship for a beautiful young lady who just happens to be his best friend. If it is any consolation, the best relationships begin with true friendship." Forced to protect his king, Alfred slid his queen in the path of Robin's bishop.
"Did you all conspire to give me this lecture today?" muttered Robin, keeping his eyes on the board, elbows to knees, while he leaned his chin on his knuckles.
"Oh? I am not the first one? Well, maybe we all venture to say the same thing because your actions begin to speak louder than your words. You do know that, don't you, Master Robin?"
Robin was silent for a moment. His actions?
He let his gaze rest briefly on Starfire who was peacefully slumbering on her reclined seat. He looked back at the board. "Your queen's mine, Alfred." He moved his bishop, devouring Alfred's queen.
"Ah! So is my king, it seems. Well done, Master Robin! Shall we play again?"
Robin quirked his eyebrow and grinned briefly, agreeing to a new game. Alfred certainly wrote the book on being discreet. Even now, the old butler was going on as if they hadn't had any discussion at all about anything other than chess.
Several games and random discussions later, Starfire rose lazily from her seat.
Robin peeked furtively from the chess board to watch her wake up. Her hair was in disarray and her shirt was slightly rumpled. The attendant who had served her the Long Island, probably feeling guilty for her mistake, immediately approached her and offered some freshly steamed scented towels. Starfire responded, probably with a smile and took a towel while the flight attendant appeared to be giving her quick directions. Nodding, Starfire pushed her blankets back to get up, taking her walking cane to make her way towards their chess table.
Alfred spoke first. "Madame Koriand'r, I trust you are feeling better?"
"Much better, Alfred. The flight attendant said we would be landing in about forty five minutes, so I suppose I must freshen up. I would imagine that I look rather… smashed."
Definitely a "Revenge of the Nerds" word, thought Robin. "Nah. You don't look smashed, just sleepy."
Starfire chuckled, patting Robin's shoulder fondly. "If you will excuse me…"
Robin didn't even know his gaze followed her retreating figure until he saw Alfred looking at him pointedly. Robin felt a blush rise in his face. "Alright, I admit. Starfire's really… really… God, really nice to look at. I can't even begin to tell you how her nice-ness affects me, but that just makes me feel like some perv." It was easier to say these things to Alfred. Alfred would never judge him, and he had always confided in the old butler, probably the way Bruce did. "Believe me, if I could just stop—"
"Stop? Well, Master Robin, that would be difficult. That is the trouble with you masked heroes with your utility belts. You think you could stop emotions like you could stop a crime from being committed." Alfred smiled at the stunned expression on Robin's face. "What I fail to understand is how you and Batman could jump off high buildings without a parachute but both be so terrified about the prospect of a relationship with a perfectly fine lady. It is my belief that loving a good woman is much more pleasant and a lot less dangerous than hitting a cement pavement at sixty miles per hour."
"But—"
"Master Robin, when you love a woman, it is but natural to desire her. The trouble, I think, begins, when you cease to desire the woman you love. I suppose you could take a little blue pill for that these days, but I'd expect you wouldn't need such a pill for at least another fifty years."
Robin's jaw dropped, running his hand through his hair in slight embarrassment. He looked up at Alfred who was waiting for him to say something coherent. He looked at the chess board desperately. "Um—queen to knight A-6?" He made his move.
Alfred smiled sagely, moving his bishop. "Checkmate, Master Robin."
Robin stared, going over Alfred's words in his mind. He swallowed the lump in his throat and looked up. "Yeah. Checkmate."
Riding in Bruce Wayne's black stretch Jaguar beside Starfire as they cruised through the busy streets of Gotham City, Robin wished he had Beast Boy's proficiency for describing things as they happened. Beast Boy possessed a talent for making the best out of the worse scenery, so it would have been perfect to have Beast Boy around to tell Starfire just how great a city Gotham looked. Robin was irked that all he could see were the dark alleys, the gangs and the prospective purse snatchers.
Maybe it was because Gotham so rudely introduced itself to him, looking only a little bit better after Bruce took him in.
He could hear Alfred telling Starfire things about the city, and she seemed interested enough. Robin was glad Alfred was around to speak to her, otherwise, it would have been very quiet in the car.
The neon lights shone through the windows in an amazing display of colors. He didn't like neon lights; reminded him too much of Poison Ivy.
He supposed Gotham's glamour had been worn out of him by years of fighting the scum off its streets, and of course, there was his spectacularly dysfunctional relationship with Bruce to go with all of it.
Robin sighed. He missed the Titan Tower already.
Soon after, they left midtown behind and rolled into Gotham's more posh neighborhoods. As less and less people littered the streets, Robin couldn't help but feel a sense of—is it nausea?
Robin thought about it. Not really. Just an ingrained sense of a home he had mostly wanted to leave, yet was sad to have left nonetheless. And now he was getting back into it, if only temporarily.
He remembered how living with a circus was so much simpler; weird, what with the bearded women and the three-armed men, but simpler.
Through the darkness, Robin caught a glimpse of a gray monolith nestled in a cluster of trees, surrounded by wrought iron bars and sectioned by stone columns that rose into miniature spires. Huge arched and beveled windows looked out to the quiet street from the face of the stone structure, very few of them lit with a warm, yet eerie glow from within. At the east wing, amidst the parapets, rose two turrets. Dark, yet visible by the shadows they cast against the walkway lights. At the center of the expanse rose something like a fore-building, though it was not separate from the house. Robin knew what sat at the top of it. It was Bruce Wayne's room; a king sitting atop his castle.
Castles, by nature, were structures built to protect those inside it. Castles were battle stations; its primary purpose to keep the enemy out. It was fitting that a man such a Bruce Wayne, private; secretive; impersonal; would live in such a house, and no matter how many times Robin saw it from afar, it was still looked unbelievably big and luxurious.
Imposing at it was; perhaps the epitome of material excess, Robin wished he could tell Starfire how it looked. It was a wonder of architecture, if nothing else, and perhaps he also liked the idea that Starfire could picture where he grew up. It was an intimate thing to share, and maybe that was what he liked most about the notion.
Soon, they were gliding through the gates of Wayne Manor. The goblins atop the stone gate columns sat bemused on their perches, their faces turned away. The Jag cut through the thicket of trees, following the loop of the smoothly paved driveway, and stopped at the main door.
"We're here," said Robin quietly.
He was surprised when he felt her fingers threading through his.
"Where Richard Grayson became Robin," she said in soft awe.
Robin wasn't sure how he was supposed to respond to that, her words so parallel to his thoughts, but he held her hand firmly as the door was opened and they stepped out.
The cold hit them, as it did in the airport, and while he knew Starfire probably wasn't feeling much, he felt the hairs on his arms rising in response. The wind chill was the worse.
Alfred saw to their baggage, which wasn't much, but Robin held on to his back-pack. Alfred already had enough to carry around. While Bruce Wayne was not adverse to the idea of employing outside help, like pilots and drivers and flight attendants, he tended to keep his house staff to the barest minimum. Often, it was just Alfred.
Robin draped the backpack on his shoulder and led Starfire inside the house which was nicely heated. Alfred, however, did not ask them for their coats. It was handier to have the disposal of one's own coat in such a big house.
The grandfather clock in the receiving hall said it was five twenty seven in the afternoon. Robin felt it was later. They had left sunny Jump City only to emerge in this dark, dreary and cold place.
"Daylight savings time," said Alfred, noticing the disorientation in his expression.
Of course. He had forgotten about that.
"Master Bruce will be receiving you in his study. Master Richard, I am sure you could escort the lady to the study yourself."
Robin cocked a smile. Inside the bug-free house, he was no longer Master Robin.
"I got y' back, Al."
"Of course." Alfred left with a pert bow, their bags in hand.
Robin chuckled. Alfred hated slang, and he disliked being called Al. "You have to excuse the long walk. That's the way it is around here. Everything's too damn far from everything."
Starfire smiled. "It is no matter. It would be nice to have a long walk with you."
He was extremely glad to hear her say that. He led them through the halls of the mansion, avoiding shortcuts on purpose. He tried, as best he could, to make descriptions of certain things, stopping every once in a while so Starfire could touch and get a clearer picture in her mind's eye. She was amazed, mainly of the space.
"It must have been wonderful to be a child in a place such as this," she said, with a hint of sadness Robin couldn't quite put a finger on.
He shrugged. "I guess you could say that. I was an acrobat. I could swing, do flips and jumps and still have enough space to spare. Doesn't mean I didn't break anything, though. Bruce said he ought make me pay for all the expensive stuff I've broken monkey-ing around, but he said it was worth all the times he found me half-dead at the bottom of the stairs or somewhere else."
Starfire absorbed this for a moment before chuckling.
Several minutes later, they finally arrived at the door of Bruce's study. When Robin told her where they were, Starfire froze.
"Do I look presentable? Is my coat on straight? Goodness… I am about to meet Bruce Wayne!"
Robin frowned and Cyborg's voice came unbidden in his head. "…jealous…"
Maybe he was.
"Kori, you look fine. Anyway, Bruce wouldn't give it much thought—"
The doors opening cut him off and he turned, exasperated by the amused look on Bruce Wayne's chiseled features. Decked in designer clothing from neck to toe, Bruce always looked like he had just jumped out of the pages of Gentlemen's Quarterly. The public called him a playboy, but what the hell did they know? The only reason Bruce came off as like that was because he chose to come off as like that. Bruce, when it came to most things in his life, had perfect control.
"Hello, Dick."
"Bruce."
"Miss Koriand'r, the papers have done you little justice. You're even lovelier in person than you are in print. My name is Bruce Wayne and I am very pleased to meet you." He took her hand gently and shook it.
Starfire blushed; Robin glared at Bruce in the background.
"It is wonderful to meet you, Mr. Bruce Wayne. Thank you for having me."
"Please, call me Bruce."
"Then you must call me Kori."
Robin bit back a growl.
Bruce smiled, perhaps amused at the spark of annoyance flashing from Robin's eyes. "Dick, please escort Kori to one of the more comfortable seats."
Shooting him a glare, Robin did as he was told without a word. Bruce offered them something to drink, and when they declined, he sat on a chair opposite theirs, his eyes fixed on Starfire critically.
Robin knew the old routine. Bruce always sized everyone up, no matter who they were. It was perhaps the reason Bruce was so successful, because hardly anybody could take him by surprise.
The study, just like most of Bruce's haunts in the mansion, was dark; lit dimly. Right now, the only thing lighting the room was the roaring fire, a lamp with a soothing orange light over Bruce's huge desk and a couple of orange-light standing lamps in the sitting area. Robin had to admit that he had caught his particular fondness of dimly lit rooms from Bruce. "Too many things to hide," Alfred had once said.
"I've heard many things about you, Kori, all of them great."
Another blush rose in her cheeks. "I have heard many great things of you as well from—" she paused "—from Richard."
Robin and Bruce arched an eyebrow at the same time. Robin recognized the kind intent behind the lie and Bruce looked terribly entertained.
"Did he?" said Bruce, his eyes laughing. "How very kind of him."
"Yes, I'm very kind," said Robin sardonically.
Starfire turned to scowl at him.
Bruce moved on. "Whatever he said, I'm just glad he had the sense to come to me for help."
Robin rolled his eyes.
Bruce continued fluidly. "Kori, I can't promise to give you back your eyesight, but I have the resources to try everything possible to look for answers. Could you at least trust me to do as much?"
"Of course, Bruce. A cure would be glorious, but this offer, in itself, is something I am very grateful for."
Bruce smiled. "Think nothing of it. Now, let's talk about how this is going to happen. If you go through with this, you will be subjected to various physical examinations. They will take blood samples; tissue samples. Nothing more painful than a needle prick, I assure you, but ultimately, if you feel any discomfort, all you have to do is tell them to stop, and they will. My personal psychiatrist, Dr. Chase Meridian, will see to your well-being every second you are with my scientists. She will make sure you are treated appropriately. The tests will probably take a day and a half, depending on how cooperative you are. In the meantime, I assure you absolute ease and comfort in my home. Are these terms agreeable to you?"
Starfire grinned. "Most certainly."
"Good!" said Bruce. "Now Richard, I'd like to speak to Kori privately."
Robin frowned. "Oh? What are you going to talk about?"
"That's why it's private, Dick."
Robin shot him a glare. Of course, it was silly to think that Bruce would try anything lewd on Starfire. Bruce was never one to go for under-aged women, but Robin didn't have to like the idea that he was leaving Starfire with someone she gushed and giggled about. "You going to be okay, Kori?"
Starfire seemed surprised by his question. "Of course, Richard. Why wouldn't I be?"
He stifled a scowl as he stood. "Alright. I'll just be outside."
"Alfred would be in the kitchen if he's done bringing your bags to your rooms," said Bruce. "Go and ask him to make you something."
Robin spared him a glance before turning to walk out of the door.
Robin talked with peanut butter and jelly in his mouth. "So Diana is with the League and now they're… unlimited?"
"Quite right. Master Robin, do try not to speak with your mouth full."
Robin had the grace to blush, swallow and apologize. "So how many of them are there, now?"
"I honestly do not know. Quite a lot, I suppose. One of them suggested that they should demand the affiliation of your faction, but Master Bruce said that he did not want to bother your set up in Jump City, especially since you were doing so well."
"He said that?"
"Yes. Do not tell him I told you so."
"Heh! Who'd a thunk?"
Alfred gave a slight sniff of disapproval at the slang.
"Well, I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't see it with my own eyes."
Robin froze mid-bite on his PBJ. He'd know that voice anywhere. He looked over his shoulder, blinking. Her voice hadn't changed, but she certainly looked different. Good different. Of course she'd filled out in the right places, and she'd grown taller too. She was in cargos, and her fatigue tee said, "Ha! Now you can't see me!" Her dark auburn hair was tied in pigtails. She was grinning, and she looked extremely pleased with herself.
"B-Babs?"
"Madam Barbara, using windows again, I see?" Alfred didn't seem very displeased.
Babs laughed, skipping to Robin's side. "I wanted to surprise Dick." She grinned, draping an arm over his shoulders and squeezing. "Are you surprised?"
Was she kidding? "Yeah."
Babs chuckled. "I heard the rumors," she said in a confidential tone. "I didn't believe them, but I figured I'd check it out for myself. Gosh, you're back!"
"Not permanently."
Babs smacked him playfully on the shoulder. "Well, of course, silly. What'll Jump City do without you? But I've always wondered what force on Earth was powerful enough to get you to eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches again in this ridiculously big house. Certainly wasn't me." She bumped him with her hip.
Robin felt a blush coming on him.
Babs laughed at her success. Alfred offered her something to drink and a sandwich of her own. She waved him off. "Pish, don't you worry about me, Alfred. I'll go get my own soda. I know where it is." She hopped off to the refrigerator, opening it and peering inside. "So where is she?"
Robin arched an eyebrow. "Starfire?"
"Gods, you're still such a dork! Who else would I be asking about?"
He stifled a sigh, exchanging amused looks with Alfred. "She's with Bruce. They've been talking for about thirty minutes."
She popped open a can of Pepsi. "Mmm, Bruce. Such a beautiful man."
Robin had no comment about that.
As if on cue, the intercom buzzed and Bruce's voice came over the speaker. "Alfred, please come over to the study."
"I shall be there presently, Master Bruce."
Babs grinned and rolled her eyes.
Alfred rose from his stool. "If you will excuse me."
Robin watched Alfred leave.
Babs returned to the counter, grinning. "So, do I get to meet this fabulous Starfire of yours?"
A blush rose in him again. "I guess if you stick around."
Babs looked positively amused. "Richard has a girlfriend." She said it in a teasing, sing song way.
"Babs, grow up."
She stuck her tongue out. "Not in your life. But gosh, Dick, it's been a long time, hasn't it? Look at you! You've grown up. Not as scrawny as you used to be. But—what's with the mask? You're at home, for goodness sake."
Robin arched an eyebrow. "Oh, I've just gotten used to wearing it most of the time in the last few years."
She nodded, accepting this. Having spent enough time with the Dynamic Duo, she had grown to understand both men's need for privacy. "You should come by here more often. Gotham kinda misses you. I know Uncle Gordy does. Whenever a crime goes down, he says something like, 'This is Robin's specialty,' or 'I keep forgetting that Batman isn't the Dynamic Duo anymore.'"
Robin chuckled. "Well, I've always liked the Commish."
She cocked a smile. "So everything's going really well in Jump City, huh?"
"Well enough. Crime rate's down, but it's not ready to be left yet. I'm not ready." He added that last thought in case Babs got any ideas.
Babs laughed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Well, don't feel so smug about yourself, Dick Grayson. I'm not about to beg you to move back to Gotham. You should be so lucky, because I'm not ready for that either." She winked at him.
He grinned, making another sandwich for himself as they fell into a comfortable silence.
"Split that?" asked Babs.
"Sure."
"So," she continued. "How long have you and Starfire been going out?"
"Hmm?"
"Well, something must be keeping you in Jump City. Sure as heck ain't the bad guys."
"Starfire and I aren't going out."
Babs sighed, rolling her eyes in exasperation. "Slow as ever."
"What? Slow? As ever?"
"Hey, I'm the one who had to spring the kiss on you, remember?"
Robin's eyes narrowed wryly. "Point taken, but with Starfire—she's different." He sliced the sandwich and gave one half of it to Babs.
"Well, sure. She must be really special, but you're still slow." She turned away, as if she didn't care what he had to say about it. She ate her sandwich, hopping to another kitchen counter so they would be facing each other.
He was about to get a word in when she interrupted it with noisy slurps of her soda.
Robin sighed and just let it go.
They talked a bit more about the things they had heard about each other in the news, confirming and denying reports in friendly banter. Babs was as flirty as ever, but he was used to that part of her, so what might have embarrassed him before when he was twelve (or even when he was fourteen) was no longer as embarrassing to him, now that he was going on eighteen.
Moments later, the kitchen door opened. Robin turned and was astonished to find, not only Alfred, but Starfire as well.
"Master Richard, Master Bruce will see you now."
Only vaguely aware of Alfred's instructions, Robin observed Starfire. A small smile was playing on her face, though it lacked a certain brilliance. "You okay, Kori?"
She nodded. "You must go see Bruce, Richard. He said it was somewhat important."
Alfred smiled. "I will take care of things here, Master Richard. Do not worry."
Robin looked first at Starfire, and then at Babs, who gave him another wink. Alfred indeed, would take care of things. He nodded, giving Starfire's arm a gentle squeeze before he left to go to the study.
Robin didn't know how long Bruce was willing to just sit there and insist that they stare at each other, but he was up for the challenge. He leaned back on the sofa, crossed his arms over his chest and waited.
It was Bruce who spoke first. "Kori is very beautiful."
Robin sneered. "I think she's too young for you, Bruce. You should go for someone more—oh, I don't know… legal?"
Bruce arched an eyebrow. "Beautiful, but not my type. She is, however, yours. Between this one, Poison Ivy and Babs… I gotta tell you, Dick: You're consistent."
"Hey, Poison Ivy used some kind of mojo. That wasn't my fault. Besides, they're all completely different."
"Fine. I'll leave Dr. Isley out of this, but be that as it may, they all have red hair and long legs. Not to mention the God-given ability to kick your ass—"
Robin gritted his teeth. "Did you just call me over here to talk about my taste in women?"
"It's a little more complicated than that, Dick." Bruce cocked a smile. He picked up a glass that Robin hadn't noticed was there. It probably had brandy in it, though Bruce was never one to drink much. "Women… they're hard to resist, God bless 'em, but you haven't the slightest clue what they could do to you. They may make your job harder; you, more vulnerable. I've told you many times that you can't get too involved with them. The bad guys could hurt her to get to you, and in the off-chance that you fall for the wrong girl, sans the mojo, they'll whip you from behind."
"They're catty that way."
Bruce gave a shrug of acquiescence. "You see what I mean? You understand to some extent. Selina was an amazing woman, if only she didn't want to claw my throat out, that is."
Robin arched an eyebrow. "Unlike you, I don't have a thing for psycho women, sans the mojo. What part about Catwoman did you find normal, anyway?"
"You forget, Robin, that I am a grown man who jumps around the city wearing a bat suit. I had no right to complain to a woman about her cat suit."
Robin laughed sardonically. "No, no, no. That cat suit was probably her only redeeming quality. You don't get to complain about that and deprived the whole male population of Gotham of eye candy."
Bruce grinned. "You do get my point, don't you, Dick? Kori's terribly sweet. Like an angel, but could you really go around saving the world with half your mind on a girl? Because you know, it can't be like that. Focus is near impossible with a beautiful woman running around in your mind."
"Kori has never gotten in the way of my efficiency as a crime fighter, Bruce. And I couldn't even count how many times she's saved my life. Best friends do that."
Bruce shook his head in absolute disagreement. "Best friend my ass. It catches up on you. Don't get me wrong, Dick. I work with women superheroes, remember? I would trust the likes of Batgirl and Wonderwoman—heck, even Supergirl with my life. But you don't get involved with them, Dick. That's when they get dangerous."
Robin sighed. Bruce will never change. Emotions, for him, gave weakness instead of strength. Even Raven, whose emotions could blow up an entire city, acknowledged the fact that personal attachments were a source of focus, rather than a distraction. "Bruce, what are we doing here, hmm? We fight bad guys; we even say that we fight for those who can't fight for themselves, but how can you do that if you can't even let yourself care for anyone?"
Bruce arched an eyebrow. "On the contrary, it's because I care that I fight for the common good."
Robin rolled his eyes. He wasn't going to get fooled by Bruce's crap. "You're a vigilante, Bruce, but I don't know if you care. I'm not even sure why you do this. You gotta care for something in that way. You couldn't be a detached superhero. There's no such thing. I learned that the hard way. I can't live your Machiavellian philosophies. I went down that road." Slade's face flashed in his memory. "And I'm not going back. I hurt the one I love the most."
"The one you love the most? I know there was one but I didn't know there was love."
"I didn't say one. I said, ones; plural."
"You said one."
"No, I didn't."
"Yes, you did."
"No, I didn't. Look, Bruce, I don't want to argue with you anymore. You're hopeless."
Bruce shrugged a shoulder. "Fine. Go to your room, then."
Robin rose from the couch, grabbing his backpack from the floor. "I will."
"Good."
"Not because you told me so."
"Keep telling yourself that."
"Don't have to." Robin left the study in a hurry, intending to deprive Bruce of the last word. He hurried to the kitchen to see if Starfire was still there. The kitchen was empty. He felt a slight twitch in his stomach at the remembrance that he had left Starfire with Babs, but felt a little better about the fact that Alfred had been around to "take care of things."
Robin took the shortest route to his old room, which was over and around a few banisters and two chandeliers.
When he got to his brightly lit room, he saw his bag set down beside the closet doors. On one of the tables was a fruit basket. He frowned and took the card. It read:
Thought you might like this since I sent you to your room. –Bruce.
Robin cursed profusely and tossed the card in the trash.
He looked around the all-too-familiar room and noticed that except for the posters that used to cover the meticulously wallpapered walls, everything else had stayed the same. The stereo, the books, the aquarium that used to contain his pet spider… the work desk was pristine, but Alfred probably set the clutter aside somewhere. The old butler would never throw anything of his away, no matter how much it looked like junk. He was even willing to bet that the posters he left behind were stored somewhere in individual canisters in some corner of the mansion.
He grabbed his bags and went to the walk-in closet, expecting it to be empty. He stood several seconds at the door when he discovered that the closet was full of clothes.
Robin surveyed his stocked closet and recognized a few pieces, but most of it was pretty new. He shook his head, dumping his bag on the dressing bench. Shees, how long does Bruce expect us to be here?
He tried to remember why he needed so many clothes before and recalled how living as Bruce's ward, he often had to wear a different ensemble for every meal of the day, mainly to entertain different sets of guests.
What a ridiculous lifestyle, he thought, pulling out the sweater and pants he brought along. He didn't even bring another pair of shoes.
Heck, I didn't even bother to bring my costume. He always had one handy in the Bat Cave. He looked around him, grimacing at all the Guccis, Salvatore Ferragamos and Versaces. What the hell am I going to do with all of these?
Robin took his real clothes and tossed them in one of the panels. He kept the rest of his personal things in the bag and stuck the bag in another panel. There, I'm unpacked.
He went to the dresser and peeled off his mask. Who had he dressed up for, anyway?
Robin shrugged off his coat and fell back on his bed, tossing his coat aside and never minding that he had his shoes on. Alfred would have a fit, but not today. The old butler was probably just glad he was there. At the Wayne Manor, he had a tendency not to be as obsessive about being neat and orderly.
The bed smelled like citrus. It was so typical of Alfred.
Closing his eyes, he found his thoughts drifting to the rest of the day. What was up with all of them getting on his case? Starfire this; Starfire that; go for it; don't go for it; it's completely natural… why is everyone expecting him to do something?
So maybe he could be jealous—sometimes. So maybe it was natural to feel desire—a lot of times. So maybe he liked to spend time with her—all the time. And he liked looking at her; and hearing her voice; and holding her hand; and making her laugh… and the thought that she was angry at him, that he might lose her to death, circumstance, or plain old time gave him an ache so deep that it could become a part of him…
Robin opened his eyes and frowned up at the high ceiling.
He sat up on bed, the beginnings of enlightenment winking in his mind like a small light, slowly blossoming into a complete thought.
Suddenly, he knew who he had dressed up for; he knew what he wanted and understood exactly what everyone was trying to tell him.
Robin looked at his reflection, mask off and plain clothed.
He had come back to Gotham in the hopes that Starfire could see again; he hadn't known that he'd been blind himself, until at last, he began to see.
Robin toyed with the food on his plate. He looked at the fork in his hand; so shiny; so vintage; so expensive. It had been one among many utensils placed at the sides of his plate; took him years to get used to it, because how many spoons, forks and knives did one person need, to eat, anyway?
At the other end of the long table, ten chairs down, sat Bruce; not toying with his food, but eating it very deliberately, drinking from his goblet of red wine at every bite. For a man who lived a dangerous and exciting life, he certainly knew how to take his time with his dinner.
On each side of Bruce sat Babs and Starfire, chatting politely about random things. Babs was explaining the concept of "high school" and Starfire shared her knowledge about "prom".
As Robin observed the girls, he couldn't help but think back on Bruce's comment about both of them having red hair and fabulously long legs. He stifled a groan. It made perfect sense, yet he had been the last to realize it.
Way to go, Boy Wonder. Not such a wonder now, are you?
He felt like an idiot. A thoroughly smitten idiot, but an idiot nonetheless.
Drinking from his glass of soda (something Alfred had frowned upon because steak and soda were not meant to go together) he stole a glance at Starfire who was so amicably speaking to Babs. He wondered what Babs had told her about him; wondered if he was in any undue trouble. When he first met Starfire, Babs wasn't even an issue anymore, but who the hell knew what went on in these women's minds, anyway?
Even Bruce was not so arrogant as to claim that he knew how to handle them when they started to get under your skin. God bless 'em, indeed.
"You don't like your steak, Dick?"
Robin blinked, his silent reverie watching Starfire's every gesture interrupted by Bruce's insignificant inquiry. "Huh? No—I mean, the steak's fine. It's delicious."
Alfred, Bruce and Babs arched an eyebrow, all at the same time, and he had to turn away to duck from their gazes, sneaking another peek at Starfire for good measure.
"It is very different from our usual fare at the tower," said Starfire, having no idea about what transpired. "We usually have Quick Food."
Babs giggled. "You mean fast food, don't you?"
Starfire blushed. "Oh yes, of course."
Babs grinned, winking at Bruce. "I really ought to show you around Gotham while you're here, Star. You'll be a big hit with all the boys, and with your looks, we could get into clubs for free."
Robin shot her a glare. He knew what she was doing.
Babs took a mouthful of steak and bared her fangs at him. "After all, it's not like you have a boyfriend, right? Or is someone pining away for you in Jump City?"
Robin shook his head at her in deadly disapproval, a snarl forming on his lips. He pierced a piece of steak with the tip of his knife and it made a loud clink on the china.
"Don't take it out on the plate, Dick," said Bruce. "It was my mother's favorite set."
"Oh," began Starfire, her cheeks gone visibly pink. "I do not have a boyfriend. But I—I am not very good with… clubs… or digging the scene…"
Robin sneered.
Babs waved him away in disgust. "Boys in Jump City have to be really dumb if they're not clawing at the chance to be your boyfriend."
Robin didn't know how he managed to let Babs get away with that one. He was about to say something particularly biting when Bruce patted Babs' hand fondly.
"Easy, Babs. We'll give the Jump City Boys their chance for the meantime. Starfire has a lot of things she has to get done first before she could go clubbing in Gotham. Right, Dick?"
"Abso-friggin'-lutely," muttered Robin through grit teeth.
Starfire smiled shyly. "Anyway… Jump City boys are not so bad…"
Robin looked up at her and felt a smile breaking from his lips. He momentarily checked to see if Babs was going to do anymore taunting and saw her chuckling in mild amusement. She seemed satisfied enough, so he went back to watching Starfire in peace, dinner plates and utensils none the worse for wear.
After dinner, Alfred offered dessert, but Babs reclined, saying she had to eat and run because she didn't want to have to explain to her Uncle Gordy how she was having too much fun at the Wayne Manor to bother with the time. Starfire declined as well, giving her thanks to Bruce and Alfred for a delicious dinner. As she stood to leave, Robin thought maybe he could skip dessert for sweeter company.
Starfire smiled. "Babs, perhaps I could see you out?"
Babs looked surprised by it. So did Robin.
"That would be nice, Star," said Babs, going to her side and taking Starfire by the arm. "Thanks for dinner Bruce, Alfred. You know I'll be back to mooch off you again."
"We shall look forward to it, madam," replied Alfred.
Bruce merely cocked a smile and watched them leave the room. When they were out of earshot, he spoke to Robin. "They're going to talk about you. You know that, don't you?"
"Then maybe I should hurry on over there…"
"Let them. How bad could it be?"
"Gee, I don't know, Bruce."
"Master Richard is merely worried that Madam Koriand'r will… misinterpret certain histories."
Robin nodded. "Yeah, what he said."
Bruce scoffed. "I knew it. Dog-tagged already."
Robin exchanged looks with Alfred and smiled. "Probably, but with Kori, being dog-tagged doesn't seem so bad."
By the time Robin got away from Bruce's lectures on the evils of falling in love, Babs had already left, and Starfire was climbing the grand staircase heading to the bedrooms.
Robin caught up with her, giving her due warning before he gently took her arm to guide her. "You turning in?"
She smiled. "Yes. Bruce said I have an early day tomorrow with Dr. Meridian. I do not wish to keep her waiting. I had hoped that you could give me a more thorough tour of the house; show me your secret passages." She giggled. "But indeed, I came here to find a cure, not gallivant."
Robin nodded, willing his jumble of thoughts to settle. He'd have wanted to bring her around too, perhaps share more secrets than he had ever cared to share with anyone else. But there was time to get to that, of course. First, he had something to say to her, because now was as good a time as any.
Taking a deep breath, he was just as about to begin when she spoke.
"You and Babs… had something before?"
That stopped him cold. They had reached the top of the stairs and he froze a moment before he let them continue on to the hallways. "Something?"
She bit her lip, as if searching for the right words. "A… relationship?"
He winced, trying to find the right words. "Probably… for about five minutes. I was twelve and she was thirteen; wasn't exactly the romance of a lifetime. What did she say?"
"She called it a—a fling. She said it did not last very long."
"That's for sure."
Starfire smiled. "She said she would have wanted to pursue it."
"She did? Funny. She's the one who basically had the dumping of me."
"Oh, she said that too, but she also said she had no choice at the time. She had things happening, and she didn't have room for a boyfriend."
Robin rolled his eyes. It was so typical that he would find these things out several years after it might have mattered, and from another person, too. It was so typical of Babs. "I got that impression."
She giggled. "Babs also didn't want to get in your way. She mentioned that you had many things to deal with, becoming Robin. She might have risked having a relationship with you at a later time, even with the things she had to do, but she supposed you wouldn't have made a very… attentive boyfriend."
Robin frowned. "Hey… " Then he sighed in resignation, watching her. "Maybe not at the time, but I'd be a very attentive boyfriend… now."
It was the perfect time to tell her. She was so close that he could smell the faint wisp of cologne wafting from her skin.
An amused smile played on her lips. "Oh? Maybe I should tell her that."
His thoughts came to a screeching halt and his reaction was instant. "What? No! Babs was so—before. Done; over with." He sighed. Why did he get himself into these situations? "Kori…"
"Hmm?"
And then it hit him. His lips wouldn't move and his palms began to sweat cold. That smile; that small smile on Starfire's face… she had spoken about Babs without looking the least bit disturbed by it; had talked about Babs' thoughts on the matter without the slightest hint of—
Jealousy.
His breath caught and the worse feeling crept up his spine: Pure doubt.
What if… what if she didn't feel the same?
All indications that she saw him only as a friend came rushing into his memory like a tidal wave. He had absolutely no right to expect her to return his feelings, and what if—
What if it completely ruins everything?
Robin didn't even want to imagine how it would be. She might get so weirded out by the notion of him wanting more than her friendship that she might start to avoid him, or worse, feel sorry for him.
His stomach knotted and his eyes were riveted to the doors of his room, only a few doors away from hers. He could make a break for it, and perhaps forget that he had even dared to think.
"Richard?"
"This is your room." And it was. Whatever he had to say to her, he could not say it to her on this night.
She stood there a moment and for Robin, it felt like an eternity. Finally, she turned to go inside, pushing the great doors to let herself in. "Good night, Richard."
He swallowed. "Good night."
She went in and shut the door.
Robin squeezed his eyes close and rapped his knuckles against his temples in growing frustration. "Shit!" he hissed under his breath. "Shit, shit, shit!"
I should have said something anyway. I should have! So what's the worse she could do? Reject me?
His eyes widened at the horror of it. Oh God.
Robin raked his fingers through his hair. There was a thin film of sweat around his temples and he cursed even more.
Maybe he didn't have to tell her. Maybe he could just go on like this; being her best friend. Helping her overcome her condition; teaching her how to fight; how to fly unhampered; holding her, smelling her hair, watching her go out with other men…
He growled, storming into his room; angered by the realization that the Fearless Leader wasn't exactly as fearless as everyone thought. "I'm such a dork!" He closed himself in and contemplated whether he could sleep off his failure by banging his head against the bedpost.
The bedpost remained ominous the entire night, so he lay awake in his bed for many hours before sleep mercifully overtook him.
To be continued…
Closing Notes: Hopefully something you'll find interesting… the chess moves I used for Alfred and Robin's game was designed by Jeremy Silman for the movie Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Unfortunately, much of the strategy was chopped and lost in the workings of cinemagic. The game I narrated above is the complete and original strategy Mr. Silman submitted for filming. (Note the emphasis on Alfred's White Queen and Ron's—I mean, Robin's Knight… ahhh… Now you're remembering!) It ain't a Wrongski Feint (or Wonky Faints, as Hermione so delightfully calls it) but hey, it's chess!
Raven's tarot talk will eventually be explained. Worry not. I didn't forget.
Lastly, a bit of an explanation on Robin's… well—Richard acting up, in case you're wondering why it's there at all. While I'm actually a hentai by heart, in this case, I wasn't exactly being hentai. As Alfred so discretely put, a man's desire may not be accompanied by love, but a man's love definitely must be accompanied by desire. Robin had to see Starfire as someone he could have intimate relations with if he was ever going to progress from his delusions of friendship to the reality of his growing feelings. In essence, I figured I'd let his body know where it was headed before his mind did. It was necessary, mainly because he puts up such a semblance of a tough exterior. As you could see, I had to sic all of 'em on him, even Babs, just so he could realize the glorious truth.