10 Leisurely Days
by Blue Ten
Summary:
Robin finds out that Starfire will be leaving for Tamaran in 10 days. Keeping his discovery a secret, he has a little over a week to give her a reason to stay. But when things keep getting in the way, will he even get the chance? RobxStar, BBxRae
Disclaimer:
I do not own Teen Titans.
Day 7, Part Two: A Starlit Night and Fireworks
The man standing at the entrance to the amusement park finished his announcement. Starfire looked to Robin and smiled hopefully, "Oh, this is most wonderful news, is it not?" she asked gleefully, "Shall we all go?" she queried, not wanting to leave the others out; after all, it was a big place... Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Raven could have fun on their own while she spent time with Robin.
The crowd was beginning to move around after the announcement, causing Robin to become a little uneasy. "Yeah, that's a great idea." he said quickly, "Uh... let's go tell them right now." he finished. Taking Starfire's hand, he led her off the boardwalk and back down the hill as the crowd began to turn around to leave. As they managed to get away without notice, Robin let out a relieved sigh while they stood next to the stone wall. The last thing he wanted was for that many people to notice them while they were dressed in less than clothes. Noticing that he was still holding Starfire's hand, Robin quickly let go and hid his facial expression.
Starfire watched as Robin warily eyed the crowed on their exit, "Robin, why must we leave so soon? There is much time left in which we can inform our friends." she said.
Robin searched for an answer, though it was really just irrational fear that drove him away from the crowd, "Well, I just didn't want that crowd to notice us... We're kinda well known around here," he understated, "You know how they can be, right?" he asked.
"Yes... indeed." she said, thinking about people like that Kathryn, who couldn't seem to stay away. However, she noticed that Robin seemed intent on hiding more than his face from the people, 'Is he... shy?' she wondered in thought. Starfire giggled.
"What is it?" Robin asked, slightly confused.
"It is nothing." Starfire smiled innocently, "Shall we?" she asked, motioning a hand at the ocean. "I suppose the quickest way back to that place would be to swim." she said happily, leading Robin back to the water; again, she could fly, but she found that she enjoyed swimming almost as much. Entering the water, Robin and Starfire began to swim northerly alongside the shoreline, facing forward this time so they wouldn't run into to anything unexpected.
It had become quite blistery in the sun, and the mildly cool waters were a welcome relief. A slight shore-bound breeze served to cool down the air to a tolerable temperature. It was quite relaxing, and gave the feeling that one would have no protest to falling asleep adrift the warm ocean currents. The ocean, though calm and restrained at this moment, made pronounced sounds as it lapped up against the shore. Seagulls could be heard squawking as they flew about the area near the beach where several people had taken advantage of the sunny day as well. Luckily, Robin and Starfire were far enough out to sea that they simply looked like ordinary people swimming. Seeing the rock walls of the lagoon in the distance, Robin and Starfire realized they hadn't swam that far at all; the lagoon was relatively close to the amusement park.
As they moved along, Robin noticed Starfire speeding up, giggling as she took off; she had challenged him to a race. With a chuckle, Robin kicked his legs faster and pushed himself through the water until he caught up. He was surprised at how fast Starfire could swim considering she had only just learned how. Realizing he couldn't beat her to the lagoon, Robin grinned and playfully splashed her with water. Both came to a stop just before the opening in the walls; seeing Starfire, Robin felt guilty for doing what he did. Her bangs had fallen in front of her face, completely covering her eyes due to the extra water. Reaching her hands up, Starfire pushed the hair away from her eyes and looked at Robin curiously. Before he could apologize, Robin saw an intense smile grow on Starfire's face. Pulling her arms back under the water, Starfire pushed them forward and splashed Robin in return; however what she considered to be a playful splash, was more than twice what Robin had done. Feeling the breadth of the wave strike him, Robin closed his eyes and submerged himself under the water, letting the current pass by. Swimming back up to the surface, Robin took in a deep breath and wiped the water away from his face before opening his eyes. He saw nothing in front of him; however to his right, he noticed Starfire swimming on into the lagoon, smiling as she did.
Robin couldn't hold back a laugh as he began swimming to the opening in the walls. Along the way, he thought about what had just happened. He had completely let his guard down. A smile, a laugh; it may have seemed like nothing, but it was more than he expected to be doing under these circumstances, more than he would usually do under normal circumstances for that matter. Starfire... she brought out the best in him, made him feel things he never thought he could; unrestrained laughter, true happiness, and... love. Was there ever a more complicated feeling? It was love that he wanted to express in words to her, but for the fear of making her unhappy, it was love that kept him from speaking...
Starfire glanced behind herself, glad to see Robin was not troubled by that splash. She knew at times she could be too strong for her own good, especially when she let those specific emotions take hold of her... but she couldn't help it, Robin made those emotions more prominent. It wasn't just righteous fury that brought out her strength, it was also that wondrous mix of joyous emotions she felt whenever she was around him, the same emotions that made her fly without thinking. Starfire thought about how Robin had been acting in recent days; he seemed to be more open, and willing to speak to her about things he would usually keep hidden. She knew that soon... very soon, she would not be able to hold back on telling him exactly the way she felt. But the fear was still there... the last thing she wanted to do was change the way he looked at her; that look she could see beyond the guise of his mask, the look she assumed was friendship. These last few days had been perfect, making it even more difficult... what if she ruined it all by telling him?
'Stop focusing on that...' Robin told himself in thought as he swam further into the lagoon. Once again, he decided not to let those thoughts get the best of him. After all, he was actually enjoying this day, and most importantly, so was Starfire. This was one of the few days that had gone well. Robin wanted to give Starfire more than a reason to stay on earth, he wanted to give her memories she could look back on if she decided to leave; however painful that would be for him... she was all that mattered.
"There you are! Come on, the food's ready!" came Cyborg's voice from the shore.
Robin looked up at the shore; Cyborg and the others had set up food on a picnic table he had taken little notice of before. Robin figured the picnic table was so far out of notice before because it was well covered by the shadows of the trees... that, and he was too busy staring at Starfire. For once the food seemed to be a good mix of both groups Cyborg and Beast Boy seemed to be so separately fond of; on very rare occasions, they would actually agree on something. Seeing Starfire step up onto the shore, Robin was reminded of the reason his face had been so red before; she seemed to shimmer in the sunlight as she walked, her bronzed skin enveloped in ocean water. Realizing he had stopped moving, Robin shook his head and continued on his way. Standing up on the shore, he walked forward until he stepped on the dry sand which felt like hot coals under his feet. Quickly, Robin picked up his shirt from where it sat on the sands. Knowing that he looked very strange, Robin hopped on one foot to the grassy area under the trees as he pulled his shirt back on, almost expecting his feet to release steam upon contact with the cool grass. Watching from afar, Starfire giggled as she watched Robin perform this maneuver; inwardly, she was disappointed that he had decided to put his shirt back on... but she figured that at least this way she wouldn't get caught smiling and staring mindlessly.
Starfire picked up a beach towel from the trunk of the T-Car and wrapped it around herself, much to Robin's relief; now he could keep his voice from cracking and his eyes from wandering. "Friends, we have most wonderful news!" said Starfire cheerily as she walked over to the vacant side of the table; Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Raven, in that order, were seated on the opposite side.
"Yeah, the amusement park's open. You guy's wanna go tonight?" Robin asked, making his way to the table, feeling his stomach growl as he looked over the food. Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Raven sat still for a moment, surprised by the fact that Robin had just suggested something fun, watching curiously as he sat beside Starfire at the table. Normally, Robin was too preoccupied by certain things to have fun, even when they were already doing something.
Shaking the confusion from his head, Beast Boy grinned, "Great!" he exclaimed, the idea of going to the amusement park finally hitting him, "Hey, maybe we'll win you another chicken this time." he added with a grin, lightly elbowing Raven who sat beside him.
"Oh joy..." Raven's voice was saturated with sarcasm as she kept a close eye on Beast Boy's gesture.
"Sweet!" Cyborg grinned, "So when're we going?" he asked.
"Sometime this afternoon, I guess." Robin answered, an idea suddenly popping into his mind, "Because after dark--"
"They will be showing the fireworks!" Starfire cut in happily, smiling as she thought about that spectacular light show and the fond memories of the last time she had witnessed it, though they had been somewhat cut short. Robin was surprised; maybe Starfire had the same idea he did... however, he wondered if he was just letting optimism get the best of him.
After watching Starfire finish Robin's sentence, Cyborg grinned and turned to Beast Boy, "You thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?" he asked.
Beast Boy smirked, "Ar-Stay and Obin-Ray on Erris Wheel-Fay?" he spoke loudly, before being quickly silenced by Cyborg. Robin eyed the two with curiosity; he could have sworn he heard his and Starfire's names in pig Latin. Furrowing her eyebrows, Starfire seemed greatly confused by this language she had never heard before. Slightly amused in her own way, Raven just shook her head.
"Anyway... Let's eat!" Cyborg changed the subject, grabbing some sandwiches and tossing them into his mouth. Still hungry due to over exertion, Robin wished he could do the same, but seeing as how it was normal behavior for Cyborg and atypical for him, he didn't want to get strange stares again like at breakfast. Looking over the food, which was your typical picnic fare, Robin didn't care what was vegetarian and what wasn't; he just wanted to eat. Picking up a sandwich, Robin attempted to eat it as he normally would were he not overcome by hunger.
Starfire filled a plate with many different items one wouldn't expect to find in a salad, "Pass the mustard please." she said with a grin. Beast Boy, though often one to eat strange things, grimaced at the thought of yellow mustard on salad but passed the bottle over anyway. Robin smirked, always wondering about Starfire's fascination with mustard, but he saw it as one of her cute little quirks; one of the many reasons he found her so charming.
Examining the food, Raven noticed that the things Beast Boy was eating weren't getting much attention by the others; for reasons outside of her comprehension, she decided to give it a try. As she reached for the food, everyone, including Beast Boy, gave her a strange look.
"Uh... Raven. That's BB's stuff. There could be tofu in there for all you know." Cyborg attempted to warn her.
Raven shrugged, "Can't always have meat." she said, taking a bite of an unrecognizable item of food which had been skewered by a toothpick. As she chewed, Raven seemed to be thinking intently over the taste, "...Not bad." she said, finishing it off.
"Really?" Beast Boy asked, eyes sparkling with the joy of acceptance, "I made other stuff too if you want any." he said with a grin.
"I said it wasn't bad. I didn't say I wou--" seeing Beast Boy's expression falter, Raven sighed with slight exasperation and a feeling of guilt, "Pass me another..."
Robin laughed under his breath. Aside from that little discrepancy, everything was normal; it made him feel like that incident with Grey was just a nightmare. And being here with Starfire and the others, without a care present, made the training seem like the nightmare's slightly less unnerving continuity; something he could wake up from every morning almost as though it had never happened. He had forgotten how much fun it was to simply spend time with his friends. They all seemed to just be having a great time, oblivious to the things Robin had seen and heard... it was better for them. Robin didn't want anything to change because of this. Starfire... she was the reason they had all met; the reason the Titans had formed in the first place. He shuddered to think of what would happen if she wasn't around; in so many ways, she seemed to be the one who held the group together. Without everything she offered, the team would surely fall apart... he would fall apart. For things to stay just like this was all he wanted for his friends. What he wanted for himself... he considered to be far too selfish to be reasonable.
- - - - - -
The sun had almost set completely, leaving a slight orange glow to linger on the clouds near the horizon. Ocean waves shifted about and crashed against the rocky shore of the island, sending their symphony through the open window along with a warm and gentle breeze. The plain white curtains danced around in the wind, uplifted by the warm currents of air. It was calm, quiet, and serene; perfect for what Robin had decided to take this extra time to do. After performing several cuts with his staff, Robin remembered something Tyrus had told him.
"Visualize your opponent..." he whispered to himself, knelt down as he held the staff at his side. Robin looked ahead, attempting to imagine a figure positioned at a certain distance from himself. Once he fleshed out the distance in his mind, he noticed that all he could think of for an opponent was a pair of piercing gray eyes... one of which he had seen on someone other than Grey. The two were very similar... the same threats, the same piercing stare. But thinking about it now, if it was at all possible, Grey seemed stronger, and far more threatening than... "Right." Robin took one step forward as he drew the staff from its position at his side. Before he could make a cut, Robin heard his door slide open which caused his stance to falter, making him fall flat on his face.
"Robin, we are--Robin?" Starfire immediately rushed into the room to check on Robin who she had seen fall over right in front of her, "What has happened?" she asked, watching him attempt to stand up.
"Mphmrm..." he started, his voice muffled by the carpeted floor. Robin pulled his face away from the carpet and stood up completely, facing Starfire, "I was just... practicing." he said nervously, scratching the back of his neck. Robin retracted his staff and placed it back in his belt.
"Oh." Starfire looked guilty, "Forgive me. I must have distracted you."
If ever there was a more welcome distraction. "No, not at all." Robin shook his head, "I was just about to stop anyway." he said, giving her a smile of reassurance.
Starfire just smiled in return; he was always so kind to her, even when she knew she had done something to interrupt him. "We are all ready to go." Starfire kept her eyes on Robin as they began walking to the doorway, "The sun has set. I am sure that it will not be long before the fireworks are displayed."
"Star--"
"Robin."
Both spoke in unison as the same thought came to their minds. "Sorry... You can go first." Robin chuckled, figuring he had plenty of time left to ask her what he was planning on.
"Thank you." Starfire smiled, "Well, if it is not too much trouble... I..." she felt strange, wondering why she found it so hard to ask him now when they had decided to go the previous time without a second thought. Hidden love caused so many complications and made everything much harder to say... it was present for her back then, but not fully realized until recently. Starfire took a deep breath, "Before the fireworks... will you accompany me on the turning wheel...?" she asked.
Almost tripping over his own feet, Robin just continued walking for a moment in a state of shock. "Yeah--I will." he said quickly, still quite surprised. She had wanted the exact same thing he did... well, as far as being on the Ferris Wheel to watch the fireworks, but that was more than enough for him.
"Really?" Starfire asked, a sparkle of hope in her eyes, trying to convince herself that she was not simply hearing things.
"Of course." Robin replied, 'Did she think I would say no?' he wondered. To reassure her, he decided he should tell her what he was going to say back there, "Actually, I was about to ask you the same thing." he said, almost expecting someone to interrupt him before he could finish.
Starfire felt her heart flutter; even if it was merely a gesture of friendship, she couldn't help but let that glorious feeling of warmth overtake her being. 'Can you not see it in his eyes? He smiles for you.' she thought uncontrollably, causing a surge of blush to rush to her face. Simply overjoyed to hear that from him, Starfire lifted her feet from the ground and floated the rest of the way to the living room, her face adorned by the most jubilant of expressions.
Robin watched Starfire float away, 'Wow... I knew she liked fireworks, but...' his thought trailed away as he exited the corridor. He shook his head; now was another opportunity to show Starfire something memorable. The last time they had gone to the amusement park, their time was cut short thanks to Blackfire and the Centauri police who chased her. 'I won't let anything ruin this for her.' he thought... but if something did happen, he wondered how it would even be possible to avoid it. Robin entered the living room in time to see the others already making their way out the main doors.
"Hehe. I'm in the mood to win some prizes!" Beast Boy said, cracking his knuckles as he walked into the elevator with Cyborg and Raven.
Cyborg smirked competitively, "Not if I win them first." he gloated.
"Just... no chickens this time, okay?" Raven pleaded monotonously, her eyebrow twitching.
"Alright..." Beast Boy scratched his forehead in thought, "I'm sure they've got unicorns, puppies, giant teddy bears, or--"
"Chickens... will be fine." Raven cut in as Robin and Starfire joined the group in the elevator.
- - - - - -
Like shimmering jewels suspended across the empty black, countless tiny pinpoints of bright light decorated the clear night sky by the coast; a luminous banner of stars. Usually on a night like this, the ocean would seem to disappear and fade away at the horizon. But with all the shades of light cast down from beyond the heavens, there was certainly a clear distinction between sea and sky. Though much cooler by the ocean, the air was still warm due to the intense daylight's lingering affects. The breeze was balmy but strong, helping to push good sized waves across the surface of the water; waves which crashed gently against the shoreline.
Viewed from afar, the brightly lit amusement park seemed in stark contrast to the sky. However, from within, it was almost vivid enough to outshine the heavens. Its most prominent feature was the massive Ferris Wheel which reached the height of its turn far above the other attractions; the perfect place to see the stars and the promised light show. A sizable crowd had gathered this night, spread about the amusement park. Ironically, at a time like this, the crowd seemed to pay little attention to the Titans, aside from a few turned heads and children asking their parents, "Is that them?" Perhaps this was because the people were considerate enough to not interrupt them while they were having fun... or because the people were having too much fun to interrupt them. No matter what the reason, the Titans were simply glad to be left relatively out of attention's way.
Beast Boy stared straight forward, pure intention and unhindered focus painted across his face. Breathing in deeply, he squinted his eyes at his target in the distance. Clenching the metal ring in his hand, he let all but the objective fade from his sight. Taking a few steps backward, he brought the ring up in front of his face and stared through it to sharpen his aim. Watching from the sidelines, Cyborg tapped his foot impatiently, knowing that this was all just for show; Beast Boy could have thrown the ring whenever he wanted. Raven, unsure of why she even came, had simply been hanging around Beast Boy and Cyborg the entire time. She thought Beast Boy's pre-throw ritual was both annoying and... kinda funny.
Beast Boy pulled his arm backward, "Now!" he shouted, hurling the ring through the air and into the booth with a perfect horizontal spin on it. Catching a light on its metallic gold surface, the ring neared the mouth of a blue glass bottle marked, '1st', "Come on, come on." Beast Boy quickly encouraged it. "Yes!" he exclaimed as it caught itself around the bottle's neck; however, the spin he had applied to his throw caused the ring to lift itself off the bottle and fly away in another direction, "No!" he yelled. Luckily, the ring landed around the neck of another bottle where it came to a quick stop.
"Second prize!" said the man behind the counter enthusiastically. Walking over to the prize table, he picked up a stuffed animal and handed it over to Beast Boy. Grudgingly accepting the prize, Beast Boy examined the toy; it was a medium-sized green octopus with big goofy eyes.
"Ironic." commented Cyborg.
Beast Boy turned to Raven, "It's no giant chicken..." he said, handing the animal to her.
Taking the toy, Raven looked at Beast Boy curiously, "Why are you giving this to me?" she asked.
Beast Boy's expression suddenly changed, "Well... I--" he began.
"Whoa!" Cyborg's jaw suddenly dropped to the ground as he turned his attention to another booth.
"Huh? What is it?" Beast Boy turned around, letting his jaw drop to the floor as he saw it.
"Gamestation 3!" they shouted in unison as they stared in awe at the grand prize of the booth across the way. Neither cared what kind of contest it was, nor how much money they would lose trying to win. Without saying another word, both rushed off, keeping their eyes on the prize, leaving Raven alone with the stuffed animal.
Raven looked down at the green octopus in her hands which squeaked as she accidentally squeezed it. The look of the toy reminded her of something. She wanted to set it down somewhere, but for some reason she felt obligated to keep it. Sighing, Raven kept hold of the animal and followed after Cyborg and Beast Boy.
- - - - - -
Weaving their way through the crowds, Robin and Starfire began walking away from the snack stands, food in hand. He felt guilty for wasting time, but after eating such a small lunch earlier, Robin found that his hunger was not quite satiated. However, he realized wasted time didn't really matter, as long as they were on that Ferris Wheel before the fireworks started. Though Robin felt as though he was at fault, Starfire had been the one who suggested going to get food; little did he know, this was because she noticed that slight weakness to his step... she had kept notice ever since that morning. It worried her, though she knew it was just his need to be stronger; she respected that... but it seemed too much for a human to take.
Tossing a wrapper into a nearby trashcan, Robin continued walking beside Starfire, "Thanks Star. I guess I was still kinda hungry." he said, taking notice of the Ferris Wheel in the distance.
Starfire plucked off a piece of the cotton candy she held and tossed it in her mouth, letting it vanish. "It is truly no trouble." she held out the candy to Robin, "Cotton candy?" she asked with a sweet smile.
Robin took a small piece, "Thanks." he chuckled, remembering what Starfire thought of that candy the first time she saw it. Robin looked up to the sky; even amidst the bright lights of the amusement park, the stars could be seen clearly. "It's getting pretty dark, you wanna--" he stopped as two people, only one of which he recognized, came into view directly in front of them. Starfire turned her attention to the boy and girl standing there as well; one she knew as Kathryn, and the other came as merely a vague recollection. Kathryn and Alex, off work for once, seemed to be enjoying the amusement park along with everyone else... Unfortunately, Robin and Starfire didn't see it this way.
"You..." all four spoke in unison, tones of anger and surprise mixed in.
Starfire's eyes began to glow as she looked at the girl who stood in front of her, remembering the shameless attempt on Robin she had made. Robin narrowed his eyes at Alex, unable to forget that little incident at the theater. Both were too busy to notice what the other was doing. Kathryn and Alex merely trembled in place.
Ready to tell the guy off once and for all, Robin lifted a finger to point at him, "I--" he started.
Looking for a quick way out, Kathryn grabbed Alex's arm and pulled him right up next to her, "Can't you see we're together!" she shouted, rushing past Robin and Starfire with Alex in tow.
As soon as they got far enough away, Alex turned to Kathryn, "Together... Really?" he asked as they continued on their way.
"Oh, shut up." responded Kathryn, nudging him.
Robin and Starfire just stood still for a moment, watching as the two disappeared into a crowd. Inwardly, they were both glad that the person they found themselves so aggravated with had been taken... They had barely any idea who the other person was, and they didn't care... it was one less thing to worry about.
"...Anyway." Robin attempted to shift the attention away from that strange little interruption as he turned to look at the Ferris Wheel by the ocean, "We should probably get going if we want to see it from the Ferris Wheel." he said, trying not to sound like it was the entire point of going to the amusement park.
- - - - - -
Robin and Starfire were of course offered a free ride on the Ferris Wheel simply because of who they were. However, Robin couldn't accept this and paid them anyway. At the risk of seeming obvious, Robin opened the gate to the seats for Starfire, letting her go in first as the Ferris Wheel came to a stop; once again, he asked himself what he thought he was doing. Luckily for him, Starfire didn't seem to notice, taking her seat inside. Sitting down and closing the gate, Robin tried his best not to sit too close to her, again for the fear of being too obvious, though it proved difficult considering how little space there was. Starfire could be thanked for that; she had purposefully sat far from the end so Robin would have no choice but to be close to her... Guilt weighed heavily, but if that morning at the park proved anything to her, it was that Robin probably didn't mind it so much. Truer words were never spoken.
Both lost their balance as the Ferris Wheel quickly kicked into motion, moving slowly thereafter. Starfire had always been fascinated by the Ferris Wheel. Never had such a device been created on Tamaran. A large machine designed for the sole purpose of people's entertainment seemed a ridiculous notion; however, it was only after experiencing it, that one would find it far from ridiculous. It was quite exhilarating to reach the top and be so far from the ground without relying on flight. It made the heart race and the body tremble... Starfire looked to Robin, noticing it wasn't just the Ferris Wheel's turning that affected her this way. Starfire realized what a perfect moment it was; they were alone... no one else could hear them, and no one could possibly interrupt. Looking to the sky, she began going over things she could say in her mind, finding nothing, drawing a blank. There were just three words that kept appearing to her, but she knew they were the last things she should say. 'Why can you not speak when it matters?' she asked herself.
As their seat began ascending to the top, Robin stopped waiting on the fireworks for a moment. Looking to Starfire, he noticed that she seemed lost in her thoughts. The shimmering jewels of the night were catching their light in her eyes, causing them to sparkle more than usual. As the wheel continued turning, the warm breeze began waving gently through her cherry red hair; all the while, she continued to look at the stars, perhaps wishing upon them. He felt unworthy of being so close to someone so beautiful. It was how he always felt; like he didn't deserve to know her. It was frustrating for him... but at the same time, it was uplifting, because he did know her and she seemed to believe that he deserved this. She was kind, compassionate, and the most caring person he had ever known. Suddenly, a realization came to his mind, 'Caring...' he thought.
"Starfire?" he got her attention as their seat began moving downward. His thoughts seemed more vocal now than ever; some cheering him on, others telling him to shut his foolish trap.
"...Yes." she answered as quickly as possible, tearing herself away from her thoughts.
Robin noticed a boat out at sea, realizing he should speak now before the fireworks begin, "Over the past couple of days I... well, I've really gotten to know you better." he said simply. 'That's a start... keep going.' one voice of encouragement spoke up.
"And I you." responded Starfire, surprised and thankful that he had spoken first.
Robin felt his face heating up, wondering where he was taking this, "There's something... I've been meaning to tell you." he added, feeling as though he could hyperventilate. 'Shut up! That's too much!' shouted anxiety.
'What could he have to say?' she wondered. Thousands of things were running through her mind, so many of which made her heart leap into her throat.
"I want you to know... that I care about you... a lot." Robin felt like he had just blown his cover by adding 'a lot' to the end. Quickly, he decided to add something else, "I know I've done things in the past... that would make you think otherwise..." he admitted, knowing full well that it was the truth, "But I really do care for you Star... more than anything or anyone I've ever known." he finished. Robin realized that what he added was equally, if not more obvious than 'a lot.' But there was no turning back now; he had said it. It wasn't 'I love you,' but it was damn close.
Starfire felt her heart beating in all sorts of directions as the Ferris Wheel began moving them upward again. A surge of heat rushed to her face as she found herself at a loss for words, trying to convince herself that she had not simply daydreamed those words. 'Kiss him... Hug him... Do something!' she ordered herself. "Robin, I--" Starfire stopped as a loud whistle shot out from the horizon. A sparkling green light ascended from the ocean, leaving a luminescent trail as it reached its height. Immediately, it erupted into a brilliant sphere, showering thousands of green comets through the sky, before dissipating and giving way to a series of smaller explosions of light. It announced the beginning of the light show to everyone in the amusement park. "I wish to tell you something as well... but let us watch first." she said with a smile, turning her attention back to the sky. Starfire decided to hold what she wanted to say until they got back to the tower... where there was more room for a hug.
'What did I just do...?' Robin thought, feeling his hands shaking as he looked to the fireworks. He didn't know what Starfire was going to say after he let his mouth run away like that, but there were so many possibilities... some good, some too good to believe, and others... he didn't want to think about. For all he knew, his own stupidity could have just ruined everything...
Robin decided to enjoy this moment while it endured... in his mind, it could be the last one. Suddenly, the Ferris Wheel came to a complete stop with Robin and Starfire at the crest. A family was getting into a vacant seat at the bottom, giving the two plenty of time to watch the spectacle unfold high above in the heavens, and leaving certain thoughts to linger in their minds.
- - - - - -
The doors to the elevator slid open, revealing all the Titans, some looking more despondent than others. Cyborg and Beast Boy moped out of the elevator and into the common room, heading to the hallway without a word. Stepping next into the living room, Starfire seemed happier than ever, and Robin... was struck by so many different feelings, he didn't know which to display on his face. Lastly, Raven ambled out, hiding something behind her back.
Robin looked up to see Cyborg and Beast Boy sulking away, "Hey. Did you guys win anything?" he asked.
"I don't wanna talk about it." they answered in unison, disappearing into the hall.
Raven tried to sneak off, but felt a pair of eyes staring at her from behind. Turning around, she looked to Robin and Starfire who were staring at the green octopus she held in her arms. "What?" she questioned, not making eye contact with either of them, "It's none of your business... stop thinking about it." she said as something let out a loud squeak. Raven floated off to the hallway with the stuffed animal clenched angrily in one hand.
Robin scratched the back of his head, "Well... 'night Star!" he said, attempting to rush off. Ironically, he had faced so many dangerous things in his life without hesitation, but he would rather avoid this situation... Before he could go anywhere, he felt Starfire's strong grip take hold of his shoulder.
"Wait, Robin." she said seriously, turning him around to face her. It was now that Robin tensed up, pulling at his collar to relieve the stress. No words were coming to his mind; there was nothing he could say that would fix what he had done... And he was sure, with the seriousness in Starfire's voice, that it was bad news she was about to give him. Before he could curse himself further, Robin became locked in Starfire's arms. It was a hug he had never received from her before; it was strong and constricting as usual, but also warm, affectionate, and... loving? He never wanted to let go. Starfire spoke right into Robin's ear, making him shiver, "I care for you as well... very much." she said, strengthening the embrace, "Robin, you are my dearest friend." she finished, pulling away to look directly in his eyes. "Good night." she smiled, wanting to lean in and... but she figured she could do that later. Never letting that smile leave her face, Starfire let go and floated off to the hallway, leaving Robin dazed, confused, relieved, and... ecstatic.
Feeling light headed, Robin stayed in the same position for quite some time, tilting from one side to the other. In his mind, he was jumping for joy, but his face only managed to create a goofy expression. In a daze, he walked over to the couch and collapsed on the cushions. He hadn't ruined anything... it actually seemed as though he had done something right for once.
- - - - - -
An intense wind raged beyond the steel walls of the cavernous darkened room. Standing beside a large window, a tall man watched as powerful gales hurled about massive curls of water, slamming them furiously against the glass. As the storm pressed on, he narrowed his stony eyes, angered by the report he had just received. With an exhalation, he lifted his hand close to his masked face, "Iris... by the empath..." he spoke into a small communication device, "She's lost to us now." he continued, "I'll need you to maintain watch without her. If he speaks a single word to anyone... kill them all." he ordered bitterly.
"Yes." came several voices over the link at once.
Shutting off the communicator, Grey continued to glare out the window into what little moonlight managed to pass through the squall, "Soon... very soon, my dream will come to fruition." he spoke to himself. Unsheathing his katana, he held it up in front of his eyes, letting its perfect surface reflect the light. "Cross me boy... and my children will not be the only ones to tear down the walls." bringing the katana to his left, he quickly slashed it through the air, creating a perfect horizontal mark on the window, "You've not known true sorrow."
Author's Note: I'm very late with this one, and I really should apologize. I knew this would happen when school started up again; oh well, guess I'll have to put a little extra effort in.
Grey came back, by popular demand, if only for a tiny little scene; but I hope it offered a little more insight into his character. The last few chapters have been a little lacking in action, so this next one will bring some of that back without potentially ruining everything, so don't worry :P.
Next Chapter Preview: Beast Boy wants to proceed with the main plan by springing it on Robin and Starfire at the same time, but the Titans get a call early in the morning about a break-in at a research facility. Upon arriving at the destination, Robin faces off against one of his greatest foes. But what happens when Red X reveals his connection to The Tempest? Day 8, Part One: The Enemy of My Enemy.
