Chapter 8

Faint

"Ah!" Starfire yelped in pain. Her head was throbbing, and she clutched her abdomen in pain. Just sitting up in bed lit her back on fire. She had been feeling this pain ever since... she didn't want to think about it. She didn't show it because she didn't want them to worry. She just wanted everyone to be happy. She just wanted to be happy.

"Ugh," Starfire gasped and covered her mouth as she coughed. Red hot liquid was all over her hand.

"Starfire..." came a voice. Robin had been sitting by her bed watching her the whole time.

Starfire turned to him in surprise. She tried to hide her bloody hand, but he had already seen everything.

"You know...you don't have to hide anything from us. Especially injuries like that." Robin stared sadly at her bloodied hand.

"I... am completely healthy, Robin." She looked around frantically, trying to find something to wipe her hand with...anything to keep from looking at the worried boy standing right in front of her.

"No. You're not." Robin looked determined to get her to admit her pain.

She reached for a tissue box and flinched as pain shot through her back. It was too real to ignore anymore.

"No... And I am afraid I will never be..." Tears trickled down her cheeks.

"It's okay. I'll make it all go away. All your pain. All your tears. I'll make them go away. I promise." Robin sat next to her and pulled her into a gentle embrace.

She stiffened at the contact but let him hold her. His touch was so warm and tender. She burried her face in his chest and cried silently. They remained like that until there were no more tears.

"Thank you." Starfire finally pulled away, and Robin immediately desired to hold her again.

Star took a deep breath to try to ease the pain she felt all over. Feeling a little better, she put on a smile for the boy who had been so caring towards her.

Robin felt his heart skip a beat. For a moment he thought she was using some sort of mysterious power to enchant his heart.

I love when she smiles... Whoah! Robin, you idiot... Crime fighting has really made you lose one too many brain cells. She's not using any powers. It's just you! Ah! This has never happened before. I don't like this feeling! What exactly is this feeling anyways? Oh crap! She must think I'm really weird!

Starfire noticed Robin's face growing red and wondered if she did something wrong.

Ah, did I say something wrong? Friend Robin always seems very... stiff in my presence. He has been very kind to me. He can make me smile, or at least make me try... I wonder what he looks like without that mask...

Star felt herself also blushing for no particular reason. She was about to get up when a jolt of pain knocked her right back down.

"Starfire! You shouldn't be moving around like that. If you break anymore bones...well, it would hurt!" That was the best Robin could come up with.

"I am very much aware of that. But it is so uneventful to keep resting!" Star wanted nothing more than to fly right now. Fly up, up, and up, until she could fly no more and her eyes watered.

"Yeah, but that's the thing. You're broken in so many places that it's impossible for you to move without inflicting pain on yourself.

"I do not care about pain... I am used to it now." The sadness was back in her eyes.

"Starfire..." He wanted to help her, but how?

"Ah! This bandage has ripped! Friend Robin, could you help me?" The bandage wrapped around her whole upper body had ripped and knotted in several places.

"Uhh. Huh! Um... I don't think I should... you should probably get Raven to help you... she's better with this kind of stuff... I'll-"

"Please, Robin? I wish to do it myself, but my arms are bound by more bandages." Starfire kept trying to unwrap herself, but she could only move her arms so much.

"Um...fine..." Robin sat on the edge of Starfire's bed and put his arms around her waist. With one hand, he caught the end of the bandage and slowly began unwrapping her body. His heart was pounding into his brains, a mad blush coloring his whole body.

AHHH! WHAT THE HELL AM I DOING! CALM DOWN! ... She's not wearing anything underneath the bandage... and I'm unwrapping it. That's all. No big deal. GAH! WHO AM I KIDDING! IT IS A DAMNABLY BIG DEAL! Ah... I feel...

"Hm? Robin? Why have you stopped?" Starfire looked behind to look at him, only to find him unconscious on the floor.

"Robin!" Starfire exclaimed, worried that Robin was seriously ill. "Friends! Help! Friend Robin needs help!"