MUTE

Out of Personality
MereImage

I'm good at keeping secrets.

It's the truth, it comes naturally to me. But of course, with every blessing comes a curse. My whole life is based on secrets, revolving around the lies I've set upon myself. And if you hold a secret, it's something you can't share. Something you pour into the poison of the soul that dilutes the last bit of good. So now I'm forced to wind backwards, picking away at my fabrications, reaching down for the truth. Hopefully by then, I'll have something to share. And I won't be plagued by secrets anymore.

Yes, every gift comes with a curse, but not every curse comes with a gift….

It took me seventeen years for that to dawn on me. Seventeen long years…too late.

And even as the sun touched the sky, I knew I would have to start over again. A new perspective, a new voice.

"No one will look at me." Starfire sat to my right, picking away at her shoes. Her shoulders hunched over, hugging her knees to her chest.

"….." I watched the sunrise, pealing away at a flower. Slowly, but surely.

"No one will talk to me. I do not understand… Cyborg is always working on his so called 'baby', Beast Boy cowards away in the shadows, and even Robin does not wish to be around my presence. I can feel the-the distance between us. I fear nothing will ever be the same. " She stared out into the horizon as well, as if expecting her answers would drop from the sky.

"……"

"Raven, why will you not speak to me? Why will you not speak to anyone? Are you truly incapable of speech?"

I twitched, pausing before reaching down into my pocket and pulled a white notebook swiftly from it. I began to scribble upon it in barely noticeable words.

Starfire watched with curious eyes, squinting at the scribbled word.

No.

She flipped the sheet over, clearly expecting an explanation on the other side. She bit her lip, fumbling with the paper. I failed to notice the small temple throbbing on her forehead.

"Are you….wishing to keep something from me?"

My hand wrote yet again.

No.

Whether it was my lack of explaining, or the tension bottled up inside her, she took out a side I had never seen from her before not a moment later.

"Arggggg!" Her eyes lit up in a battle cry. My eyes nearly burst from their sockets as her head turned towards mine, and for a fleeting moment I could have sworn she was going to attack.

So I dove. Not very gracefully, but I did it all the same.

But she hadn't been aiming at me. Either that or Robin's aiming practice had been a huge waste of time. The sweltering green orb zoomed past my shoulder, almost expanding as it hit the ocean's surface a fair distance from the shore.

"Starfire!" My head shot up it time to catch Robin in the doorway. His eye mask was wide, jaw hung open he stumbled towards the seething alien. He took her by the shoulders shaking her lightly as he tried to calm her.

"Starfire, what happened? What's wrong? Starfire…Starfire?…Starfire, say something!" he failed to notice me feet away.

Star gave him a cold shoulder, yanking away from the contact. Folding her arms, she turned with her back to him. It was the first time she had ever shunned away from him and he froze from the icy display. His mask wilted, the same reaction clouding his face as if she had slapped him. Betrayal…

"No Robin, you may not comfort me." The tone held no emotion that could almost be mistaken for mine.

"But…." He stretched out a gloved hand touching air.

"But what Robin!" she turned into his face, causing him to topple back with a flinch. He held up his hands in defensive manner, her frame towering over his own. "Were you expecting me to forgive you! You have avoided me for the past two weeks Tim Drake, never speaking to me. I recall you vowed you needed ample amounts of 'space' on multiple occasions yes! Well here is your space!"

She brushed past him, hands clenched at her sides. She didn't fly.

Robin nearly tripped over himself trying to catch up to her.

"Starfire, I had no idea you felt this way!" she stormed towards the door, gripping the handle as his words crossed the rooftop. "I'm sorry!"

She paused, head bowed. Her hair draped over her face, a curtain to her thoughts.

I sat where I was, unmoving.

"I've never seen you act this way Star….and it scares me." He reached his hand out, capturing it in his own. He gave it a small squeeze from behind. She turned around; stubbornly keeping her head bent low to the ground.

Standing face to face, I noticed how Robin had sprouted a good two inches above her. His remaining hand went under her chin, raising it towards his own. He stroked her cheek softly before dropping it down to her side.

It would have been very romantic to say he kissed her passionately against the backdrop of the rising sun, held in each other's arms with the soft breeze gracing their faces.

But that didn't happen.

Instead, Robin took her in his arms and held her close. At first she tried to push away, a small jerk to be freed from his entrapment. But his grip held firm, pulling her closer when she tried to shove away. I think that was exactly what she needed.

Small sobs broke from her system, leaning into his chest with a head resting on his shoulders. Her fingers dug into his shoulders for support, afraid she might drift away from this Earth if she let go.

"I….feel so alone Tim…so alone….." His mask held a thin line, relaxed, undoubtedly eyes closed underneath. He gave a soft sigh as they rocked together in each other's arms.

Ok, so maybe it was a little bit romantic.

Over time, Starfire's body grew limper, soft breaths steadily issuing from her mouth. The tear flow had stopped, a restful sleep overtaking her worn out figure. Robin simply stared down at her, eyes locked, winding a strand of hair in his fingertip. He smirked, in the only way the boy wonder knew best. He carefully lifted her up, bridal style, giving one fleeting look over the rooftop.

It was then he spotted me.

Color drained from his face as his body grew stock still, a deer in the headlights. A look plastered on his face like he had stolen a cookie before dinner.

I looked over my shoulder to find nothing. Yep, defiantly staring at me. I brushed myself off, a gray shimmer reflecting against the clouds as I walked past him. His head turned with my figure. I swung the door open, taking a step inside.

"How long, errr, how-how long were you standing there Raven?"

I gave only one answer.

I turned around and saluted to him. He became flustered all the more, and I could have sworn his hands tightened around the sleeping girl. Protective reflexes no doubt.

I rotated on my heels and left. He slowly followed after.

"……."

"…….."

"……."

"…….."

We reached the bottom of the stairs, branching off into different directions. I watched him go. He never turned around….and his pace seemed oddly hurried.

I fingered the butterfly burette in my hair, walking back towards my bedroom. My hand rested on the door, pausing.

I did a double take.

Who the heck is Tim?

I shrugged, blinked, and walked inside.