More from Mark! Yay!
Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing. If I did, there'd be a lot more romance on the show. And there'd be more than 5 seasons. And I'd be having dinner with Gerard Butler right now.
A couple days later, Starfire received another e-mail from Mark.
It was breezy and cheerful, telling her more about himself and asking interesting questions. She spent a long time writing a reply, wanting it to be entertaining and with perfect English. For some reason she couldn't even define, Starfire wanted to present herself at her best for her new friend.
With his online guidance, she set up an instant messenger account, using MustardLover1 as her screen name. Her buddy list only had his name on it.
It didn't even occur to her to add the Titans.
MustardLover1: This is marvelous! It is almost as advanced as the video communication from my home planet.
unfeeling scrap: lol
unfeeling scrap: well, we have something like that too
unfeeling scrap: it's called a webcam
MustardLover1: Will you teach me how to use a webcam next then so I may better speak to you?
unfeeling scrap: how bout we just meet in person? that'd be the easiest way
MustardLover1: Of course! When and where shall we meet, friend Mark?
unfeeling scrap: let's just go out for coffee or something
unfeeling scrap: have you ever been to starbucks?
MustardLover1: No, though I have heard from Robin that the Mint Mocha Chip Frappucino is the "stuff of the gods."
unfeeling scrap: so robin's a fan…cool
unfeeling scrap: anyways, let's go to the one on the corner of lake and california, k?
MustardLover1: That sounds wonderful!
unfeeling scrap: just meet me there at around 2 tomorrow and we'll decide wat to do from there
MustardLover1: I will be there! May I ask why you do not capitalize anything and misspell "wat" and "about"?
MustardLover1: And also, what does"lol" mean?
If Mark were that kind of person, he'd be jumping up and down for joy. As it was, he was grinning from ear to ear and congratulating himself.
Raven entered Starfire's room a few minutes later, grimacing at the pink and purple fluffiness. "Starfire, the happy waves you're sending off are making me ill. What's going on?"
"I am going to meet my friend Mark tomorrow at the Starbuck's! I am very excited to see him in person," explained Starfire, bouncing in her chair.
"Ah…I see. So who's Mark? And does Robin need to be worried?" Raven deadpanned.
Starfire looked very confused. "Why would Robin worry about Mark?" When Raven didn't respond, Starfire continued. "Mark is a friend I made over the Internet. He is very sweet and intelligent."
A thought suddenly occurred to Raven. "What are you going to wear? You can't exactly wear your uniform out in public if you don't want to be mobbed." Which was very true, but Raven really wanted to check out Hot Topic again. Plus Starfire dressing up for another guy might make a certain masked boy very jealous…
The other girl frowned. "What do you suggest? I have no other clothing besides these," she said, gesturing at her Tamaranian outfit.
"We could always go shopping again. Oh, and bring the boys along as well." Raven couldn't believe the person she'd become. Manipulating innocent friends into shopping with her and matchmaking to boot—wait. She could believe it. Never mind.
Starfire's eyes lit up. "GLORIOUS!"
The Titans were back at the mall for the second time in as many days. Starfire, Raven, and Beast Boy were on the hunt for civilian clothing. Robin and Cyborg were browsing for the newest technology.
When they passed by the closed Border's, Robin, dressed in jeans from Armani Exchange and a red polo from Lacoste (courtesy of Bruce Wayne) with his customary mask, winced at the memory of the previous day.
Didn't see Red X, didn't find any clues as to why he broke into a bookstore, and property damage on top of it all. That's going to take a lot out of our government fund. He sighed. He'd much rather be researching on Red X's next moves than shopping.
Their destination was Forever 21, where Starfire was hoping to get her new wardrobe.
With some help from Cyborg, who had a surprisingly good fashion sense, Starfire was soon in the fitting room with what seemed like half the store.
When she walked out of the fitting room in the first outfit, Robin's eyes practically bulged out of his mask. His longtime crush was wearing a short denim skirt that showcased her long legs perfectly and a fluttery white tank top that hit all the right places. Robin gulped.
"What do you think?" Starfire looked right at Robin, who had a very strange expression on his face.
"Uh…yeah…it's fine, next?" Robin stammered, blushing as Beast Boy and Cyborg exploded in laughter at his situation.
Cyborg decided to help out his buddy. "He meant you look gorgeous and there's no need to model for us, however much some of usenjoy it—" This said with a significant look at Robin. "Whatever you want, just buy it."
Robin quickly excused himself, blabbering something about computers and gifts and a need to use the restroom.
I need to get a grip. God, I should NOT be thinking about Starfire like this. I mean, she wears a short skirt every day! And her usual outfit's a lot more revealing than the one she just had on. Robin blushed. What am I going to do about this?
Raven and Beast Boy walked out of the store carrying the first of many of Starfire's shopping bags. Raven stopped when she got level with Robin."Robin. You. Are. Pathetic."
With that said, she calmly strode off for Hot Topic with a laughing Beast Boy in tow, already making a long list of things to buy and ignoring her leader's incoherent mumblings.
Humming happily, Starfire flew to Starbuck's a little early the next afternoon. She was wearing a pair of jeans and a green t-shirt that proclaimed that she was a "California Girl." She looked curiously around.
There were two students with their laptops and books at two of the desks and an old lady at the counter. Cozy couches occupied on corner of the room, and tables along another wall. A lone barista was behind the counter stocked full of interesting appliances and liquids. Starfire breathed in slowly, savoring the smell of coffee.
Just then, she heard the door open and some bells jingle. She turned around to see one of the most gorgeous guys she had ever seen in her life.
Including Aqualad. Including that one Tamaranian. Even including Robin.
He was taller than her, with light brown hair and brown eyes. He was smiling broadly, showing off even white teeth. Dressed casually in that perfect fit of jeans and a blue button down shirt over a white t-shirt, he looked very put-together, down to his silver and blue Nikes.
When he said her name, Starfire closed her mouth, which she hadn't even realized was open.
"Mark? It is good to meet you!" She flew forward and shook his hand vigorously, a custom she had learned from Robin.
It was the start of a great afternoon. Starfire decided to change her screenname to FrappucinoLover after a sip of a Mint Mocha Chip, making Mark laugh. He then suggested a movie, which Starfire eagerly agreed to.
The Titans rarely went to the theatres to see movies, since they attracted so much attention it was impossible for anyone to enjoy the film. Starfire's first experience with popcorn, stadium seating, and noisy kids in the second row couldn't have been better with the Titans squabbling and talking than with Mark, who just caught her eye from time to time and smiled.
They went to Mark's favorite Japanese restaurant after Batman Begins was over.
Wasabi had never tasted so sweet.
A/N: I apologize for the shortness, but I'm not really in the zone I need for writing since I just got done with tennis camp and all. I hope you guys enjoy!
I never expected to get any reviews for this story. Thank you so much to you guys that did!
RedX'sGirl (Thanks! PotO is a must-see movie! Go watch it!), Tory A. of wicked fire (Thanks for the correct spelling, I see conflicting versions all over the web. And anyways, who hasn't heard of Kanye?), KorrianderX'Hal, CatGirl R and S Fan (I probably won't write any pairing for Raven, but if I do it'll definitely be BB!), lives4lifeandlove (lol I'm glad you like it! I'm going into high school, and don't worry about babbling—I do it too!), falyn anjel, strodgfrgf, starrobin4eva (well I based the Border's on the one near me), teenyugiohpotterphantom, Rae-Wolf-Demon, starxrobin (When I try typing that in, it just doesn't show up when I save it…weird), and MereImage
Mark's screen name is a line from "Down Once More/Track Down This Murderer" when the Phantom sings, "A mask, my first unfeeling scrap of clothing." I was surfing random Phantom of the Opera lyrics for Mark's sn, and that phrase just jumped out at me.
Love you all!
Sarah