For the first time, I don't think I have anything much to rant about, except…only FOUR more chapters (plus a bonus chapter) and ExBoyfriend's over! -cries- I know imam miss it a ton… Well…that's what sequels are for I guess…I plotted out the fic, and I predict it to be about nineteen chapters long…looks like another year long project… Well fic time I suppose…
Dedication: To Maureen. Devil Woosley. That's all I'll say. Heh. You know what I'm talking bout chica. Luv ya to death.
Disclaimer: They've never been mine, and they probably never will be. -bow- There are, however, one and a half songs in this fic that belong to my dear friend Adriane. She wrote them, they're hers. The final song is actually the song from the Wicked play, called "I'm Not that Girl". I don't own that one either. I'm making the non-ownership thing very clear, so please do not report me. The first one and one half songs are copywritten to Adriane Nevarez, and if anyone uses them, EVER, she will throw her typewriter at you. I'm not even kidding.
I Have a Request for all of you…
I know how some of you like to read the songs inserted in fics, and some of you don't. I personally BEG OF YOU to read every line of the songs that are in this chapter. The first two I would really appreciate if you reviewed on in addition to the story, like say if you liked the first two songs or not, and of the third one, well…just read it. It's really very good, and it fits so perfectly that I almost died when I read it. Please, PLEASE don't skip over these three songs, they're all excellent in my opinion, and my friend would really like the feedback. And I don't beg often. But for the sake of Adriane, I will.
"What? Marry you…?" Robin was choking on his words.
"You have presented me with a necklace of sliver, have you not?" Starfire shakily pointed in the direction that she had tossed the box.
"I…yeah…" What did the gift he had given her have to do with marriage? "But…"
"Then you have intentions of marrying me? I would have thought that after our last trip to Tamaran and my near marriage to Gilder…Girdle…he, you would not ask such a frightful thing of me for quite a while if-"
"Star…it may be different on your planet, but on Earth, silver necklaces don't mean anything…that important. At least, nothing like marriage." Starfire contemplated this, then slowly sank to the floor, holding her head in her hands.
"On Tamaran, when a male gives a female a necklace of silver, the male is making his marriage intentions known to the female. I did not think that it would be different on this planet. It seems that everything is different on this planet." Starfire paused, massaging her temples with her fingertips. "Several centuries ago on my planet, one who intended to propose to another would mine Tamaranian Silver for days on end to fashion a necklace for whom they wished to marry. Now, such necklaces may be purchased from a Tamaranian silver vendor, but the meaning has not been altered. Am I to suppose that you, too, have also bought this necklace in some form of…shop of silver?"
"Uh…a store in the mall…" Robin wanted to run his head against a wall. Several times. This was not going as he had planned. Had he ever even made a plan? Or had he just gone out on a whim and done what his heart (and Raven) had told him to do? He'd always known it was dangerous to let his emotions dictate his actions, and here were the repercussions right in his face.
"…I have seen a necklace of that kind only once before."
"When you were sent to marry that…thing?" Robin guessed, as it seemed only logical.
"No." Starfire shook her head sadly, then looked up, tears shining in her eyes. "That was an arranged marriage. Necklaces of that kind are used only when your marriage is proposed."
"So then…how did you…?"
"Blackfire was wearing one such necklace when I found her with Scorpio."
"What?" Robin's head was swimming with confusion. "So…"
"Scorpio had proposed to my sister that moonset." Starfire sighed as her eyes rose to meet his. "I am sorry friend Robin, for my reaction, truly. I was simply startled."
"I'm sorry I had to freak you out like that." Robin shrugged, hiding his slight disappointment. "I'll take it back tomorrow." He rose to collect the gift.
"NO!" Starfire lifted herself from the ground and flew to him, grabbing his hand before he could bend down to pick up the box. "…No…I wish to keep this necklace of silver."
"But…"
"I wish to keep it as a symbol of my new life on this planet…to demonstrate that I now belong here, and not on Tamaran. To imply the friendship between…us."
"Um…Star…about that…"
Cyborg sighed with discontent as he danced to the thumping music with dainty Crystal Summers. It seemed that dancing was the only thing that she could do. She really wasn't interesting in any way at all. She had the looks, sure, but not much else. The girl couldn't carry on an interesting conversation to save her life. Was there anything more to this girl than shopping and credit cards? No sense of humor either, unless it was a joke about a Gucci handbag.
So much for a chance at hooking up with someone.
"Cyyyy…I want a drink."
Oh, yeah. The whining.
"Sure Crystal…"
It was going to be a LONG night.
Raven levitated above her bed, meditating as was typical of her. Legs folded in lotus position, eyes closed, fingers arcing into graceful teardrops, and mind focused. Nothing could break her concentration. Absolutely nothing whatsoever.
"Um…Raven…?" A knock on the door broke the silence.
"Meditating." The empath spat, recognizing the voice interrupting the emptiness in her mind that she had fought so hard to achieve.
Damn. Her attention began to wander.
"Look, Rae? I'm about to kill myself if I don't do something, and soon."
"…Go play Game Station."
"…You…kinda blew that up earlier this evening…"
"…Right…"
"Please Rae? I just wanna talk."
"About…?"
"Anything. It doesn't have to be about us. I don't really even want it to be about us. I'm so bored I swear I'll willingly talk about Hernest Emmingway and Abe Allen Hoe if I have to. Yeah. I've stooped to poetry." Raven could feel Beast Boy's pleads like a stab to the gut. Would it kill them to just talk? Besides, he needed some serious poetry lecturing if he was calling Ernest Hemmingway "Hernest Emmingway" and Edgar Allen Poe "Abe Allen Hoe."
"…Fine." Raven allowed the door to slide open. "I guess talking couldn't hurt. First thing's first, interest in poetry is in no way stooping. In fact, for you, it's highly enlightening compared to your game reviews. Now, Ernest Hemmingway…"
"Star…about the whole…friend thing? Yeah, well…I wrote in my letter-"
"Oh! I have forgotten to complete its reading. If you will allow me…" Starfire picked the note up off the floor yet again, as she had thrown it along with the box, but this time Robin stopped her.
"It might be better if I…told you."
"Very well, friend Robin. Please inform, as I am very much wishing to know."
"Um…yeah…" Robin found the words that were tumbling through his mind to be inadequate as to the explanation he wished to give. The only thing he could think to say had nothing to do with his main point in any way. "…Can I sit down?" He shakily gestured to the chair in the corner of the room.
"Oh! Make yourself of comfort friend Robin!" Starfire herself took a seat on her bed and waited as Robin sank into the plush armchair, biting his lip and rubbing his forehead. "…Are you unwell?"
"I'm…fine." The Boy Wonder could not ever remember being at such a lack of words in all his years of living. It seemed that he'd always had something to say, whether it be 'Holy Gotham City, Batman!' or 'Titans, GO!', but now there was nothing. "Star…It's just…I'm…I care about you. A lot."
"As I care about you, friend Robin!" Starfire assured him, nodding her head vigorously as though Robin needed convincing.
"Yeah…um…" The Boy Wonder gritted his teeth. "I'm…I'm totally screwing this up."
"…I am afraid I do not understand. How is it that you can be…screwing something with lack of an electric powered automated tool?" Robin couldn't help but let a grin escape him.
"Been hanging out with Cyborg lately?"
"In my excess time it is often enjoyable to learn of the ways of earthen mechanical parts." Starfire sighed. "But friend Robin…I feel as though you are…keeping thoughts from me. It is not a pleasant feeling."
"I…well…look, on your planet, a silver necklace means that one person really cares about whoever he's giving it to, right?"
"That is quite correct…"
"So…it's kinda like that on Earth, only…"
"You are truly wishing to marry me then?" Starfire's eyes showed distinct alarm.
"No! No…I…don't look that far ahead into the future. But…um…Star…would you happen to know what 'going out' means on Earth?" Starfire shook her head and Robin's muscles tightened. "Um…do you know what…what 'dating' means, then?" The Boy Wonder flinched as he said the word dating He'd never liked the term. Starfire's eyes, however, lit up with recognition.
"You are speaking of The Courtship?"
"Um…sure…"
"Then…you are wishing to do The Courtship with…me?" Robin clenched his fists. HE should be asking HER this, not making her guess until he could find the words to speak.
"Um…yeah?" It was more of a question than a definite answer, but it had approximately the same impact. There was another awkward silence as Starfire took the time to fully comprehend what the Boy Wonder was saying to her. Robin could tell she finally understood when the Tamaranian princess flung her arms around him in an enormous hug.
Within a matter of seconds, all the tension Robin had built up inside that night was released in Starfire's warm embrace. Smiling and suddenly feeling very light and floaty, Robin gratefully returned the hug.
"Edgar Allen Poe was considered one of the best if not the best horror writer in history. His most famous short story, The Telltale Heart-"
"Ya know, Rae, I was just exaggerating when I said that I'd discuss Ernest Hemmingway and Edgar Allen Hoe-"
"POE, Beast Boy, Poe. Edgar. Allen. POE."
"Yeah, right."
"…You must be the most uncultured person I've ever met."
"Probably." The Changeling shrugged.
"Look, you want someone to talk to or not?" Raven looked at him quizzically as she flipped through the pages of The Raven and Other Writings. Beast Boy said nothing in response. "That's what I thought. Now look, this is Edgar Allen Poe's most famed poem, 'The Raven.'"
"What?" Beast Boy sat up a tad, actually looking slightly interested. "So is it like…a poem about you?"'
"…Not exactly."
"Well c'mon, you're special enough to be in a poem."
"No, Beast Boy-"
"In fact, I'll write you a poem! How about that!" The Changeling now looked excited, his eyes shining.
"Raven, Raven," Beast Boy began, "…Rhymes with…uh…Craven! How does your garden grow?" Raven looked at the Changeling awkwardly.
"I don't have a garden."
"…You do now." Beast Boy grinned sheepishly and continued with the next line of his poem. "With pretty eyes that match her hair and…um…they make her very fair!" There was an awkward silence.
"That…was…by far the WORST poem I've ever heard…" Raven finally remarked, biting her lip to hold in what was dying to escape.
Laughter.
No she told herself You have to keep your wall up…
"…Does that mean I get to make another one?" Beast Boy looked hopeful until the empath suddenly let out unusual, bubbly gales of delight, her laugh melodic and enchanting. "Um…Rae?" Raven willed herself to take a deep, calming breath to stop herself before she lost control.
"I'm…sorry…" She gasped, still giggling, "It was just…so…awful…" Beast Boy felt himself begin to laugh as well.
"I always knew I was never cut out for poetry."
"I…I…" Raven tried to contain herself. "I really shouldn't laugh…I…" A crash emitted from the kitchen. "…Oh, Azar…" The pair immediately stopped giggling, leaving the book on the table and scurrying to the approximate area of the noise.
"Wow, Raven…um…" Beast Boy tried to find the right words to describe the mess. Plates, pots, pans, and silverware was scattered everywhere, some broken and some not.
"…I shouldn't be doing this."
"Doing what…?"
"Talking to you. This…this was caused by me. I…I have to go…I just can't…I'm sorry Beast Boy." Raven sunk into the floor and disappeared.
"…Great." The Changeling sighed with regret and, leaving the mess to sit, returned to the living room where his empathic friend had left the book, still open to the poem entitled The Raven. Carefully, Beast Boy picked the book up and flipped through it'd delicate pages. As he did, a few white papers fell to the floor. "…Huh?" The Changeling put down the book and picked up the pages that had dropped. This poetry was much more interesting to him…and written in a much more familiar hand.
To Whom It Concerns
Don't think I'm crazy or just insecure
Paranoia has hit me, I'm not really sure
To whom it concerns, if anyone cares
It's driving me crazy, it burns and it tears
It hurts real bad when you don't notice me at all
But no one seems to like you when you walk down the hall
To whom it concerns, you know who you are
You've stolen my identity no matter where, near or far
The act, you've taken
The wrath, you've earned
To the dead and the living
To whom it may concern
And it won't make up for the things that you've done
I might as well be staring straight into the sun
To whom it concerns, you might as well know
To wipe off that smirk, full of your ego
Full of your pride, and full of yourself
To destroy and honor in sickness and health
To whom it concerns, till death do we part
Last to the first, end to the start
The act, you've taken
The wrath, you've earned
To the dead and the living
To whom it may concern
Kidnapped, held captive in a cell without bars
I've spoken the issue yet hidden the scars
I'm full of rage continued with anger
I pose as a threat, society's danger
The act, you've taken
The wrath, you've earned
To the dead and the living
To whom it may concern
Beast Boy flipped to the next sheet which had fallen, which seemed to be only partially filled.
Jane Doe
Jane Doe
She couldn't ever know
How fast
That train was gonna go
How low
Her dignity would go
But she kept on coming back
John Doe
Met a girl we know
Jane Doe
Whether friend or foe
They both
Lived and died so long ago
Yet she keeps on coming back…
There was nothing more on that page, and Raven had obviously not finished writing it quite yet. The Changeling was captivated by the raw feelings these songs displayed. They were really very good. The third song, however, was very different from the first two.
I'm Not That Girl
Hands touch, eyes meet
Sudden silence, sudden heat
Hearts leap in a giddy whirl
He could be that boy
But I'm not that girl
Don't dream too far
Don't lose sight of who you are
Don't remember that rush of joy
He could be that boy
But I'm not that girl
Every so often we long to steal
To the land of what-might-have-been
But that doesn't soften the ache we feel
When reality sets back in
Blithe smile, lithe limb
She who's winsome, she wins him
Gold hair with a gentle curl
That's the girl he chose
And heaven knows
I'm not that girl…
Don't wish, don't start
Wishing only wounds the heart
I wasn't born for the rose and pearl
There's a girl I know
He loves her so
I'm not that girl…
Beast Boy felt his stomach clench, as though someone had reached inside him and grabbed his gut, only to spin it around mercilessly until he wanted to puke. The song had struck him a little too close to home.
"Beast Boy? Beast Boy, did I leave my-" Raven suddenly entered the room, but she fell silent as her eyes locked on the sheets in his hands. "…Azar…"
"I…um…" The Changeling looked at the contents of the book, then glanced back up at Raven. "These…uh…fell out of your book…thing…"
"Drop them." The empath looked as though she were about to blow something up. Beast Boy was unsure of what he should do. "I SAID DROP THEM!" Raven's eyes glowed white as the papers turned black and flew from the Changeling's hands and into her own.
"…Sorry?"
"…I knew I shouldn't have come out here." Summoning the book into her other hand, the empath rushed back out the door from which she had come.
And Beast Boy was left alone. Again. She just kept running from him. Perhaps she would always keep running. That didn't mean that he couldn't keep trying.
After some thought, the Changeling decided to pay Starfire a little visit. She had seemed in a particularly good mood earlier, when she hadn't gotten angry at him for spying, probably because Scorpio was finally going home. In any case, she could probably offer some valuable insight into the mind of a girl, right?
Beast Boy shrugged and left the room without another thought.
Cyborg was just about ready to blast somebody with his sonic cannon as he drove his date home when Crystal Summers uttered the most wonderful words that the half robot had ever heard.
"Cyborg, I'm really sorry and all, but…you're not really my type." The rich blond raked four perfectly French tipped fingers through her perfect blond hair.
"Really?" Cyborg had to bite his lip to resist grinning. "I've been thinking the same thing!"
"Oh that's so weird! It's like we're…like telescopic or something!"
"…Telepathic?"
"Yeah! That!"
"So…I guess this is goodbye?" Cyborg tried, he really did, but there was no possible way that he could hide the excitement in his voice as he pulled up to perfect Crystal Summer's perfect mansion.
"Guess so. We can still be friends and all, right? Like, I can call?"
"Uh…sure…" The half robot made a mental note to himself to call the telephone company and have the Tower's phone number removed from the Jump City directory. Crystal Summers was half way out of the car when she turned around again.
"Oh! I almost forgot. I have this friend, Trista, and she's been looking for a good guy…I really think you guys would go well together. Your personalities are like…perfect for each other. Would you be interested?" Cyborg considered this new information.
"…When?"
"Tomorrow night if you're available. We were planning on getting together anyways." The half robot drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. "C'mon Cyborg. She's really nice. And totally ghetto."
"…Um…what?"
"I said she's really nice and totally ghetto!" Crystal smiled in an excruciatingly perky manner.
"…Totally…ghetto…" Cyborg had trouble using the two words next to each other. "…Maybe."
"Okay! I'll see you tomorrow night then! Pick us up here at ten!" Before the half robot could explain what the word 'maybe' meant, the car door was closed and perfect Crystal Summers walked through her perfect gated entryway, daintily walking across the perfect lawn and into her perfect grand entryway doors.
"…Looks like I've got another date." Cyborg sighed and began the short journey home.
"Does this mean…we are doing 'The Dating' then?" Starfire asked, her eyes wide an innocent.
"Yeah…" Robin had to chuckle. What had he been so nervous about? Sure, there had been a ninety nine percent chance of rejection hanging over his head and then there was that whole confusion with the necklace and the marriage thing, but who cared anymore? They were together now. Starfire seemed to want to say something, but she held back. "What's wrong Star?"
"…It is something…I would like to inquire of you but…I am unsure of whether it would be…appropriate to ask such a thing."
"Try me." Robin grinned, feeling a tad reckless.
"Very well. I was wondering…have you…ever been kissed before? Truly kissed?" Starfire placed the tips of her delicate fingers on Robin's mouth. "Here?" The Boy Wonder lost all train of thought at her touch. How could he answer something like that?
She was close…so close he could feel her body heat mix with his, her sweet scent mingling with the smell of hair gel. Mere millimeters separated them and they drew nearer to each other.
"Star!" Beast Boy stood in the suddenly open doorway and the two jumped away from one another, both flushing with embarrassment. "…Is this a bad time?"
"What do you think?" Robin failed miserably at containing the red that crept onto his cheeks.
"Um…yeah…so…Star! I've been wondering if I could get a little help with the whole Raven thing?" At the lack of response to his inquiry, Beast Boy actually took the time to survey his surroundings. When he finally realized what he had walked in on, the Changeling grinned. "Oh! I see. Busy, hmm? Well, I'll be leaving you two alone…" Beast Boy nodded and walked back out the door, but mere seconds later his face popped back into view. "Get 'em Tiger."
"Beast Boy, get OUT!" Robin grabbed the nearest object to him-a pillow from Starfire's bed- and hurled it at the already closed door. "Idiot…"
"Ah…" Starfire let a nervous chuckle escape her.
"There goes the ultimate moment ruiner." Robin sighed, then looked at Starfire. "Look, it's getting late. After a night like tonight, I'm sure you want some sleep. I was just wondering though…um…" The Boy Wonder shifted his weight, not having remembered ever getting up. "Would you like to have lunch with me sometime tomorrow?" Starfire looked confused.
"Do we not always partake in the ritual of The Lunch every afternoon with one another?" Robin laughed softly.
"I meant…alone. Without the rest of the Titans." Starfire beamed happily with a bright radiance that Robin had not seen in her since before Scorpio had arrived.
"I shall gladly accompany you for the ritual of The Lunch sometime tomorrow."
Both Titans went to bed, considerably more content than they had been earlier in the evening.
Cyborg stumbled in through the doors of Titans Tower, weary after such a long night. And he still had a date he was being forced to attend tomorrow night. Totally ghetto? The agitating thought still rang clearly in his mind…unfortunately. The cybernetic would like nothing more than to slouch back onto his…well…could you really call it a bed? Beast Boy called it his 'examination tray'. In any case, he needed to attach his system recharger, and quickly, before he dropped dead from pure exhaustion.
Cyborg had no idea how he'd make it through his next date. Little did he know how small his sufferings would be compared to the following evening's torments his friends were about to experience.
Starfire's thoughts flooded Scorpio's mind like a rush of blood to the head. His temples were throbbing and his brain felt as though it were going to explode. He wouldn't stop though. Nothing could stop him from getting back what was rightfully his. So the Tamaranian police would not be coming until the morning after next. A comforting thought. It was time to rethink his plan. He wanted to make his final move at the last possible moment so he'd have the element of surprise on his side, yet he didn't want to begin assault on the Titans if Tamaranian police backup was going to show up to aid them at the same time. For now, he'd lay low and continue probing Starfire's mind, painful though it was without eye contact.
I suppose I should be grateful that I even can probe without our eyes locking… thought Scorpio, drumming his fingers on the desk at which he sat, remembering when he was little and his powers were still not fully developed. Back then, eye contact had been an absolute necessity before the mischievously cruel little Tamaranian boy could begin his brain play. He had it down since then, now that he was older and more mature, only occasionally making people act like ferrets for his own amusement. It was more than he could say for Gemini and Geminey, his younger twin brother and sister. They were still using their teleportation powers to attempt break-ins on Tamaranian council meetings. Scorpio had certainly never been that awful at the young age of twelve.
If anything, he'd been much worse.
His reputation for picking apart the brains of the scrawniest kid in school was forgotten by few. Who couldn't remember the day he'd made the poor runt spew all his darkest secrets in the middle of class? He had been a legend in school, a bad legend, the kind that you don't want to remember but can't seem to shake from your mind. And then there were the thousands of girls he'd been with- all at the same time. He'd never quite achieved the status his older brother Leo had when it came to women, as Leo never usually hooked up with any of the many girls that followed him, resulting in less break-ups and less tears, not to mention more followers, but Scorpio had his share of ladies to talk about. Starfire was one, as was her divine goddess of an older sister, Blackfire. The things she'd say to him…the things she'd do to him…the pleasure of those long nights they'd had together still rang clear in his head.
Too bad she'd been banished from Tamaran. Well, that's why Scorpio was here, to retrieve Starfire. After all, who wanted a banished girlfriend? Or had Blackfire been his fiancée…? No matter, it probably wouldn't have worked out anyways. He would have to visit her some time soon though, on…what planet had she mentioned moving to again? Qalmp? Yes, she had joined the Qalmpians, if he remembered correctly. Scorpio positively shivered with excitement at the passion Blackfire had always offered. Even after he had officially broken up with her (or broken their engagement…? Ah, it mattered not…) she still offered him a good night with a seductive smirk. Who could resist an invitation like that?
One would think that after an eighteen year long life of such pure, unadulterated awfulness, the person in question would have at least a bit of a guilty conscience about all this.
But I have no conscience…Scorpio reminded himself, prying open the desk drawer to make sure the sharp silver Tamaranian battle dagger was still in it's place. Merely a desire. The drawer slid shut. I thought I'd have to fight for your heart eventually, my Starry. Looks like I've finally gotten the chance. The hour is near…so very near.
Head still throbbing with pain, Scorpio somehow managed to giggle with mad anticipation. Tomorrow night he'd make his final move.
FINALLY, the end. God, I wrote this chapter in pieces. Like…I did all the Rae/BB parts first…then the Scorpio part…then the Cyborg parts…then the Star/Rob parts. Idk why, but I just kinda struggled with the star/rob ness. I think I just didn't want to mess up.
Anyways, thank you SO much for reading, as always, and if you decide to be very nice and review, thank you for that too!
God I'm beat. Well…time to start writing the next chapter…
And for all the BB/Rae fans, I'd totally appreciate it if you'd read my latest one shot (if you haven't already…) Beast Boy's Guide to Getting (And Keeping) Your Girl, a cute little romance/humor fic. Thanks!
Love,
SushiChica