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.
Dedication:
To everyone who has read and reviewed (see author's note for details :)
Day 8, Part Two: The Perfect Plan
"We are?" Robin asked in response to Beast Boy's statement that they would love what he was going to say. As he spoke, he began to impatiently tap his fingers on the tabletop; the last thing he wanted right now was another distraction... there were less than two days left until... However, Robin noticed that Starfire seemed interested, so he decided to listen as well; after all, the last time the others "distracted" them, it worked for the best.
"Yep." Beast Boy continued grinning. "Okay. So, every year the city holds this big celebration in honor of the 'heroes' of Jump City." he started, "We've been free to go every time, but we're usually too busy. Thanks to the low crime level, we should be able to go this year, plus..." he trailed off, reaching behind his back, "This time we've been invited as the honorary guests!" he finished, pulling out five blue envelopes from behind his back and tossing them on the table for everyone to see. Spreading themselves across the tabletop, each envelope had one of the Titans' names hand-written on it.
"What?" asked Cyborg and Raven in unison, looking clueless.
"You failed to mention that little detail." Raven crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at Beast Boy.
"That's so cool!" Cyborg exclaimed, "--Wait, they're not gonna have us signing autographs are they?" he asked seriously.
"Nope, they just want us to be there tomorrow night. It's our party." Beast Boy smiled, glad to finally have both pairs of friends surprised as he had planned.
"Please, what manner of party is this?" Starfire asked, wondering what would take place at this party. She had mixed feelings about the other parties she had attended; the one Blackfire had taken them to was not a situation she wanted to repeat, and the prom... Thinking about it, Starfire realized that situation, though having its midway downsides, certainly ended happily enough.
"What kind of party?" Beast Boy smirked; now was the time to throw in the hook, "Oh, just the usual kind; food, music... dancing--"
"Dancing?" Starfire stood up from her seat enthusiastically. Suddenly, she was reminded of the prom, and the complete feeling of happiness she received from that one little dance. "Oh, what does one wear to such an event?" she asked, smiling endlessly at the thought of a chance to dance with Robin again.
"I guess you would want to wear a dress." said Raven, placing emphasis on 'you.'
"I do not know if I have anything... I must go look!" with that, Starfire quickly floated off to the hallway, wondering if she had anything presentable stuffed away somewhere in her closet.
With an unreadable look on his face, Robin slowly stood up from the table. Keeping the same expression, he mysteriously walked past Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Raven, causing them to become paranoid; standing still, he simply stared into the hallway for a moment. After a while, Robin turned around to face the others; all three had unsure looks on their faces. Panicking, both Cyborg and Beast Boy pointed to Raven at the same time. With the collective finger pointed at her, Raven stood still, eyes narrowed, a large vein clearly pulsing on her temple.
Suddenly, Robin spoke, "Thanks." he said with a slight smile. The three shocked Titans felt like falling to floor in surprise and relief. They had expected Robin to go along because they knew Starfire would like the idea... never had they imagined he would like the idea too, let alone thank them for bringing it up.
"Um... You're welcome?" Beast Boy scratched the side of his head in confusion, wanting to make sure he was still in the same dimension as before.
Suddenly, Starfire floated out of the hallway with her arms hanging forward, looking remarkably disappointed. "I do not appear to have anything..." she said, thinking back to what she found in her closet; two dresses, one she had worn to the prom and another she took to the beach... neither seemed suitable for a party like the one Beast Boy described. She also wanted something new, something that would make Robin notice her. Glancing at Robin out of the corner of her eye, Starfire turned to face everyone, "Perhaps we could venture to the mall of shopping?" she asked hopefully, innocently tapping her index fingers together.
"Oh--Uh, yeah." Beast Boy agreed, finally getting over the shock of Robin's acceptance of the idea. "I'll need to find something too. Y'know, gotta look good just in case the ladies wanna dance." he said, grinning moronically, referring to his female "fans." Raven rolled her eyes in response to this, feeling a strange and unfamiliar emotion popping up inside.
"Tch. I'd like to see that happen when we go." Cyborg scoffed sarcastically, "We... are going, right?" he asked Robin, raising his eyebrow inquisitively.
As he thought about the things that would happen at the party... dancing in particular, Robin found that he was hardly paying attention. Quickly, he spoke up before the others could notice, "Of course. I think it's a great idea... I mean, how often do we get to do stuff like this?" he scratched the back of his neck, covering for himself. All he wanted was to give Starfire another great memory, and seeing as how she already liked the idea, the only thing he had to do was make sure nothing went wrong.
"That is wonderful!" Starfire exclaimed, flying over to Robin in order to smile closer. If she had gotten to dance with him at a party he didn't want to go to, she wondered what it would be like this time. "Surely you know more about this party than me. Will you help me find something suitable to wear?" she asked.
Robin thought about that for a moment. He didn't know if he would be any help; after all, he thought she looked beautiful in anything. "I... think Raven might be of more help to you." he answered truthfully, though he knew Raven wouldn't like the idea of shopping for dresses of all things. Starfire was not disappointed at all by this; secretly, she wanted to surprise Robin with what she would wear... just to see his reaction.
Raven glared at Robin for a moment, thinking about her least favorite thing to do at the mall. Elbowed in the side, she turned to Beast Boy who muttered 'Stick to the plan' under his breath. With an exasperated sigh, Raven looked back to Starfire, "Sure Starfire... I'll help you out." she said under direst.
"Oh, thank you friend!" Starfire exclaimed happily, "And in return, I shall help you pick out a dress." she smiled widely.
Raven's eyebrow began twitching, "I don't wear dresses..." she said plainly. Suddenly the smile disappeared from Starfire's face. "But I'll still help you find one." Raven added quickly, bringing the cheer back to her alien friend.
"Alright then, no time to waste." said Cyborg, taking out his keys as he began walking to the main doors, "I'm driving."
"Do you even need to say that...?" asked Beast Boy.
- - - - - -
In stark contrast to that morning's atmosphere, the sun was now beaming brightly across a clear blue sky; the clouds had since been pushed away by the breeze. However, as a reminder of the earlier weather, the ground was soaked with a thin layer of rainwater. Small puddles dotted themselves across the large parking lot like lakes on a continent, turning the entire lot into a shining platinum mirror as the sun reflected its intense light across the saturated asphalt. The mall, as usual, was an ominous presence; never out of sight, it blocked the view of the city with its massive stature. Two stories tall, with a high ceiling to accommodate the skylight, it was one of the biggest buildings in the city, if not the biggest. Luckily for the Titans, the time of day and day of week allowed for a good selection of parking spots, and Cyborg had chosen one right next to the entrance.
Stepping out of the T-Car with the others, Robin was surprised to find himself in awe of a parking lot of all things. It wouldn't remain this way for long, but the sun was illuminating the rain-soaked ground from its position in the middle of the sky; even some of the cars in their parking spaces, spotted with droplets of rain, were shimmering as though they had been encrusted with jewels. It was all very odd, to think of such an urban area as scenic... but there it was. Robin took it as a sign that things were going to work out. Seeing the sun after a rainy morning always seemed to bring out his optimism. But it was more than the sun which caused him to feel this way; Starfire, as always, was his shining star... When it rained, when things seemed to take a turn for the worse, she was always there to shine her light. It saddened him to know that in such a short amount of time, she might be forced to leave... Like the sun reflecting against the ground, it seemed not long before she would simply disappear, leaving an empty barren area, void of the happiness and beauty that once shone so brightly upon it. Disgusted with his dispirited thoughts, Robin felt like punching himself for being so melodramatic. It was no time to be feeling sorry for himself; he knew that now every moment counted, so he wouldn't let himself spend a single one in despair.
Robin looked up to find the others already making their way to the mall's large glass doors; Starfire however, seemed to be waiting for him at the end of the group, her expression calling him over. Quickly catching up to the others, Robin began walking beside Starfire with a smile on his face. All doubts, any ounce of despair which clung to his thoughts, simply melted away when stood beside her, basking in that glorious light. His smile was true, uninterrupted by his previous despondent thoughts.
Like the rest of the building, the entrance was bluntly ostentatious, as though it were the threshold of some grand royal construct. A wall of large, tinted glass windows stretched up to the roof of the building and joined with the skylight, making its way over the building to the entrance on the opposing side. The actual doors themselves seemed modest next to this spectacle. Shaped like an enormous compass, direction kept intact, the mall had four public entrances, and the Titans were now making their way through the southern doors.
A burst of air rushed through the opening as Cyborg pulled the doors outward. As soon as the pressure allowed them to do so, all the Titans made their way into the south gallery. Many people were walking about the ground floor, but much less than the last time they had visited the mall; enough that the echo of footsteps could be heard remarkably present amidst the chatter of crowds. As many times as the Titans had been to this place, never could they take it upon themselves to memorize the positions of each individual store, especially since most seemed to change location upon every other visit. So, as they walked up the hallway, the walls of which were lined by various different stores, they had one destination in mind... the map, and the respite of the 'You Are Here' sign.
Positioned in the center of the building, at the meeting point of each hall, was the mall's most prominent, and probably most expensive feature, the water fountain. In that central area, was a large body of water contained within an immense white marble circle one could practically call a pool. At the heart of the fountain was a large display of tropical plants which stretched up midway to the ceiling. Tiny jets of water continuously spouted upward from the fountain toward this display. The sun, which beamed brightly through the glass ceiling, made the water sparkle and reflect wavering light up onto the palm trees.
The map was a large plastic plaque facing the southern entrance; on it was labeled every store in the entire building, numbered, named, and color coded respectively. Having never been to the mall to shop for clothes, Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Raven began to examine the map for their unfamiliar destinations. While the others tried to locate the proper stores on the map, Starfire sat down on the edge of the fountain and looked into the water. Leaving the map reading to the others, Robin decided to sit next to her.
As she looked at the water, Starfire noticed a multitude of coins beneath the surface, shimmering copper and silver in the sunlight. Hearing a nearby splash, she saw someone finish tossing a coin into the water. Curiosity peaked, she turned to Robin, "Robin, why are they throwing away their money?" she asked; she had seen this before, but never quite understood why people did it.
Robin took his eyes off the wave-shattered light which was shining on Starfire from the water, "Oh, remember when you wished on the stars?" he asked, thinking fondly of that moment of pure complacence they shared.
Suddenly Starfire's face turned bright red, "Yes... I remember." she answered, smiling innocently, the most prominent recollection being that kiss she stole while he was sleeping.
Robin noticed the slight redness to Starfire's face and wondered what it could be regarding. "Well, this is pretty much the same thing. People throw coins into wells or fountains for luck, or to make wishes." he explained.
Glad to feel the blush disappearing, Starfire smiled, "Humans make many wishes, yes?" she inquired, thinking about how many other ways there must be to go about making a wish.
"I guess sometimes... they feel like they need it... y'know, a little extra hope." Robin clarified, realizing he could use a few good wishes.
"I see." Starfire smiled, another aspect of human culture made clear to her by the one person who always seemed willing to explain. Noticing something shimmering in the corner of her vision, Starfire looked to see a coin sitting right next to her. Giggling as an idea came to her, she picked it up and turned to Robin, "Shall we make a wish?" she asked sweetly, holding the coin between his hand and hers.
"Um... what?" Robin asked, feeling stupefied by her touch once again as he stared at their hands.
"If we throw the coin in at the same moment, we may share a wish, correct?"
"Oh, right. Okay." Robin gulped down a lump in his throat, nodding in response. Starfire positioned their hands securely between them. Finally calming down, Robin began to swing their arms back and forth to create a good throwing motion, "Okay. One, two... three." at that, both released their grip and watched as the coin flew out toward the water, catching the sunlight on its silvery surface. Splashing in the water, the coin landed very near to the center display.
"I suppose that makes our wishes twice as likely to come true." Starfire smiled, turning back to Robin, finding herself caught in his eyes... hidden as they were, for a while now she had felt as though she was able to see them.
Robin simply looked back at Starfire, "Yeah..." he agreed, taking in the serene moment; the sound of the water splashing peacefully on the surface, the sun bouncing its radiance about their faces, but mostly... those spectacular green eyes... like jewels.
"Hey, lovebirds!" Cyborg shouted toward Robin and Starfire, "We found a couple of good places." he continued. Robin turned his now tight neck to see Cyborg grinning immensely, Beast Boy attempting to hold back laughter, and Raven looking off to another direction, though a slight smirk could clearly be seen beneath her hood.
"Love... birds?" Starfire furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, "What manner of bird--"
"Well, I guess we better get going then!" Robin quickly stood up from his seat and rushed over to the others. In a panic, he began pushing a surprised Raven over to Starfire.
"But we do not know where we are going..." Starfire chimed in as she stood up from the fountain side, attempting to look over Raven who was blocking her vision.
"Right..." Robin chuckled nervously as he let go of Raven and backed off, receiving an angry glare.
"It's on the second floor, just across from the arcade. You'll know it when you see it." said Cyborg, pointing up to the east hallway's second floor.
Starfire giggled, clapping her hands together, "You are still going to help me?" she asked Raven hopefully.
"Of course--"
"Splendid!" exclaimed Starfire, taking hold of Raven's hand, pulling her gleefully to the escalator. Raven sighed disdainfully, not because of Starfire, but because of their destination... Beast Boy was going to owe her for this one.
Suddenly, a rather sly sounding emotion spoke up in Raven's mind, 'Maybe you could ask him to repay you with a--SHUT UP!' she quickly interrupted herself.
Robin let out a deep breath as he watched Starfire and Raven step onto the escalator in the distance. He didn't want to leave so soon... and if not for Cyborg's big mouth, he wouldn't have had to. Giving Cyborg and Beast Boy a angry look, Robin began moving forward. Quickly, the two turned around and started walking to their destination, feeling the Boy Wonder's glare stabbing painfully at their backs all the while.
- - - - - -
Partway up the escalator, Starfire looked back to see the boys making their way down the west hallway. Turning her attention back to the moving staircase, she wondered why Robin seemed so eager to leave, 'Perhaps he is as excited about this party as you... perhaps he wishes to dance with you.' she thought, causing a silly and uncontrollable grin to spread across her face. The smile remained plastered on her face, as she had no reason to believe such a thing was not on Robin's mind.
Holding her cloak above her ankles so it wouldn't get stuck in the escalator, Raven looked to Starfire; even from behind she could tell how happy her friend was. Raven took a deep breath, trying to maintain her focus though thoughts of brightly colored dresses kept assaulting her mind, 'I'm doing this for Starfire, I'm doing this for Starfire...' she repeated the same phrase to herself continuously. 'I'm doing--Oh, for the...' Raven's expression faltered as she saw a store near to the top of the escalator. Cyborg was right... they would know it when they saw it. And it was so blatantly a store for bright sparkling attire that Raven felt like rushing back down the escalator... however, keeping Starfire's emotions in mind, she stayed put, grimacing as the automatic staircase brought her ever closer to... that place.
Stepping off of the escalator, Starfire smiled, immediately taking notice of the store Cyborg described. The windows directly adjacent to the entrance were used as displays for mannequins. Each figure was adorned by clothing worthy of the runway; most wore florid dresses. Beyond the doorway, Starfire could see many items of clothing displayed on the walls and circular racks throughout the floor. Further on, she noticed an entire section devoted to the particular apparel they were looking for.
About to walk in through the doors, Starfire turned around to see Raven looking uneasy, "There is nothing to fear, it is merely a clothing shop." she smiled, noticing Raven's expression change.
"I am not afraid." said Raven. Walking past Starfire, Raven stood at the threshold and took in a deep breath. Slowly making her way through the open doors, she turned around to face Starfire, "See." she said, feeling strange just standing in the place. Simply giggling, Starfire followed after Raven.
As the two walked along the isles to their destination, Starfire took the time to examine some of the other clothing in the shop. Most of the things she saw seemed very strange to her. Looking upon the mannequins which stood tall above the racks of attire, she had to withhold a laugh at what humans considered to be high fashion; many of the items looked to her like the costumes people wore during the celebration of Halloween.
"Here it is." said Raven, sounding less than enthusiastic as she stopped at the section of the shop which was dedicated to dresses.
Walking into the gallery of outfits, Starfire looked around herself, immediately feeling overwhelmed by the selection. "Um... Raven?" she attempted to attain the empath's attention.
"...Yes?" replied Raven, reluctantly stepping into the area.
"On my planet, many celebrations require specific attire to be worn... what do you suppose this party will require?" she asked, unsure of the party's code of dress, if it even had one.
Raven eyed the various racks, "Well... I don't think it's a fancy celebration... So, I guess you'd want something simple... nothing too flashy." she advised, relying on common sense to help her. Raven figured she knew as little, if not less than Starfire about this subject. Suddenly, Raven smirked slightly, "That is, unless you're trying to get someone's attention." she added in her usual monotone voice.
Starfire's face quickly turned red, "I do not know what you are referring to..." she said, turning around to hide her expression, "But... would you have any suggestions?"
Raven felt like laughing, but kept her composure, deciding not to tease Starfire any more. Standing beside Starfire, Raven grimaced as she looked over the selection, "Hmm... Anything from over there." she said, pointing to a section of the wall which displayed a multitude of normal looking, but flattering dresses. "Just... pick one you think would work..." Raven felt very strange; the last thing she thought she would be doing on this day was giving fashion advice... it was the last thing she expected to do in her life for that matter. Had the apocalypse not already been averted, she would have thought the world was coming to an end.
Starfire looked over the dresses until something caught her eye, "This is the one!" she exclaimed happily, picking up a length of shimmering white fabric from the wall.
"That's... good." understated Raven, holding back a smile as she examined the dress Starfire held. She knew it wouldn't have mattered what Starfire chose, Robin would have taken notice no matter what... but this... this would drive him crazy. Raven smirked at the thought of Robin mindlessly gawking all night at Starfire and tripping over himself with his attention so preoccupied... Cyborg and Beast Boy would have a field day with it.
"Let us venture to the payment counter." Starfire smiled jubilantly, beginning to walk back toward the entrance.
"Wait, Starfire. Don't you want to try it on first?" Raven shrugged, "Just to make sure you like it?"
"Oh, of course." Starfire realized that in her state of enthusiasm she had forgotten to check if the dress even fit, "Thank you for reminding me." she said, looking across the shop to find the changing rooms. Locating her destination, Starfire started on her way, "I shall return shortly." she assured Raven who would now be left alone in unfamiliar territory.
As Starfire disappeared, Raven sighed realizing she had just prolonged her stay in this place... Feeling crowded, Raven crossed her arms and began tapping her foot against the carpeted floor. Unsure of how she should spend this time, Raven stopped tapping her foot and proceeded to pace back and forth through the isle. Suddenly, something caught her attention. On the wall was a dress that stood out like a sore thumb, not because it was bright or flamboyant, but because it was situated oddly between several dresses of that nature. Suspended by its hanger, the smooth fabric of the simple black dress fell long to the ground and sparkled slightly with tiny unnoticeable stones placed in a pattern about its surface. Standing still and keeping her deadpan expression, Raven simply raised an eyebrow at it.
- - - - - -
Robin groaned as he watched Cyborg and Beast Boy make their way into the men's clothing section of the store. The one thing he hated about parties was the obligation to dress in uncomfortable clothes; flashbacks to the prom and that tight-necked tuxedo he had to wear kept popping into his mind. He remembered going to so many of Bruce's little business socials as well... it was something he thought he had escaped by moving away. As bad as it sounded, Starfire's smile remained etched on his thoughts, giving him a reason to go through whatever he had to. The party seemed like something she would really enjoy, and so many of the events they had attended since she arrived on earth had always been cut short by something... Taking a serious expression, Robin nodded to himself as he followed after his friends; this time would be different.
Robin realized he had gotten so used to wearing his uniform day in and day out that he had forgotten what it was like to have a secret identity. In Jump City, he was Robin and no one else. Tracing Cyborg and Beast Boy's footsteps, Robin walked about the area; surrounding him were pants and shirts suspended by hanger on shoulder-high circular metal racks. The racks were spaced evenly apart and each one seemed to keep to a certain theme, from t-shirts to jackets. Around the perimeter of the small section of store, several tables were positioned, on which more shirts had been placed... Robin assumed the clothes had been placed there because the store had run out of room for more racks in such a small area. It seemed a bit suffocating, but Robin pressed on, finally catching up to Cyborg and Beast Boy.
Seeing Cyborg looking over the clothes along with Beast Boy, Robin eyed him curiously, wondering what he could be looking for... his clothes were permanent after all. Beast Boy seemed to be having a certain amount of fun, a grin plastered across his face as he searched about the tables and racks, stopping momentarily to furrow his eyebrows and scratch his chin while he examined individual articles of clothing every so often.
"Hehe, how 'bout this?" Beast Boy picked up a button-down t-shirt with odd colors and funky shapes decorated across the fabric, holding it up for Cyborg to see. His tone of voice made it clear that he was not in the least bit serious, obviously just trying to get a reaction out of Cyborg.
"No way." Cyborg answered seriously, "Y'know we're not gonna hang out with you if you wear that, right?"
"Aw, come on. Doesn't it just say, the funny one?" he asked with a grin, holding the shirt up to himself.
"Yeah. And that's exactly why you shouldn't wear it." Cyborg snatched the shirt away and tossed it back on the table. "Get serious man. I thought you said you wanted to look good for your fans." he said, quoting the word sardonically with his fingers.
Chuckling, Beast Boy immediately turned back to the table of shirts. "So, are you gonna try and find something, or are you just gonna stand there looking uncomfortable all day?" Beast Boy asked Robin in a joking manner.
Robin groaned under his breath as he looked around the place, "I... don't know." he answered gruffly with his arms crossed.
"Come on man. Star's gettin' all dressed up. How do you think it'd make her feel if you went in wearing your regular old uniform?" asked Cyborg with a sly tone and a wily grin.
Robin stood still for a moment, his expression shifting to one of regret as he imagined that situation. "...Out of my way." said Robin, pushing aside Cyborg to start searching through the racks.
Cyborg laughed under his breath as he watched Robin rummaging through the clothes, "Works every time." he said while the Boy Wonder was out of ear-shot.
Suddenly, Beast Boy stepped in front of Cyborg, grinning profusely as he held two peculiar objects in his hands, "So, which novelty tie--"
"NEITHER!"
- - - - - -
Standing in the changing room, Robin looked at himself in the mirror. What he saw was very strange to him; if not for the mask, he would have looked like an ordinary teenager... a teenager who was on his way to some important event. Robin wore a long sleeved, white button-down shirt and black pants. It was all a lot more comfortable than he expected... which made sense to him, as anything was more comfortable than that tuxedo. Deciding to go for a relaxed look, Robin kept the shirt untucked and left the top button undone, glad to not have the collar biting at his neck. Looking back at the reflection, Robin grimaced; it made him look... different, not bad, but different. He wondered what Starfire would think of it... he wondered if she even looked at him that way.
Suddenly, Robin started to think about that night at the amusement park. He had come so close to revealing his feelings for her. The exact words he used wouldn't leave his mind... that he cared for her more than anything or anyone he had ever met; never had he spoken words of more truth. It was at that moment that he thought everything would be ruined... but nothing could have been farther from the truth. He remembered so vividly what Starfire said when they returned. She had embraced him, and whispered softly in his ear... just the thought of it made him shiver. 'I care for you as well... very much.' her sweet voice echoed in his mind. Robin took in a deep breath. There was something there... something in her voice that just couldn't be ignored. It made him believe that Starfire might actually return his affections. No matter what he believed, he had to know for sure... and there was only one way; sooner than later, he would have to tell her.
Snapping out of his thoughts, Robin was struck by new resolve. Making up his mind, he decided that it would be tomorrow night... No more hiding.
- - - - - -
Finally back together, the Titans stepped out of the mall carrying their things in bags and boxes, heading to the T-Car. As expected, the water on the parking lot had become all but evaporated by this time, leaving only small sections of moisture, mostly under the cars. Looking to the light clouds above, Robin noticed that they must have been in the mall for a reasonably long amount of time, as the sun had already passed more than halfway through the sky. The beginnings of a sunset could be seen as the sky was in the midst of shifting tint from blue to orange. The clouds would soon change colors as well.
Gathering at the back of the T-Car, all the Titans proceeded to place their things in the trunk. Much to Cyborg's surprise, Beast Boy had actually settled on something normal. As Beast Boy placed his bag in the trunk, a purple sleeve could be seen hanging over the top; once again, he had apparently opted to preserve his usual colors. Setting his bag down next to Beast Boy's, Robin was surprised to see Starfire place two shallow blue boxes in the trunk; he assumed the box was to keep the dress from getting wrinkled... but he couldn't figure out why there would be two boxes.
"So," started Cyborg, shutting the trunk, "We weren't doing anything today, right? You guys wanna just hang out here for the rest of the day?" he asked.
"Sure." responded Robin, knowing the others were going to go along with it anyway.
"A fantastic idea!" exclaimed Starfire with a smile.
"...Sounds good." said Raven, who could have gone either way.
Suddenly, Beast Boy leapt in front of everyone and dramatically pointed to the mall, "To the arcade!" he shouted.
"Yeah!" responded Cyborg enthusiastically, "I've got your high score beat!" he said, pointing triumphantly to himself with a thumb as the Titans began walking to the entrance once again.
"Not for long." Beast Boy gloated.
"I'll be at the bookstore." said Raven, not wanting to deal with the noisy commotion in the arcade.
Suddenly, Beast Boy stopped in his tracks, "Come on Raven, we've never seen you play any games..." he said, turning around to face her, "Something tells me you'd be good at air hockey." he added with a grin, continuously raising his eyebrows.
Raven attempted to avoid Beast Boy's eyes, "...Alright." she agreed without thinking. Having never been to the arcade before, she figured there might be something she could find to do there, "But I'm not making any promises."
"So we are all going to the arcade? Excellent, I have always wanted to try out the Double-Dance Evolution game I have heard so much about." Starfire smiled, floating alongside the others instead of walking. Thoughts of tomorrow night's celebration were jumping about in her mind; she wondered what Robin would say if she asked him to dance at the party.
Robin chuckled slightly as he heard Starfire mention the game's title, "Star, I think you mean..."
- - - - - -
After spending a while in the arcade, the Titans soon realized they hadn't eaten anything all day... not even for breakfast. Cyborg and Beast Boy only noticed this after they had played too many games and ended up with severe headaches; the flashing lights of the arcade weren't aiding the situation much either. Helping them both with her powers, Raven held up Cyborg and Beast Boy who were on the verge of collapsing. Raven, who had been "forced" to play a few games by Beast Boy, felt a certain amount of hunger pains as well, and so led the team out and toward the food court.
As the others made their way out of the arcade, Robin and Starfire began to follow, stepping away from a group of rather angry gamers who surrounded the machine Starfire had been playing. Relieved as they exited the place, Robin and Starfire let out a sigh while they continued after the others.
"I do not understand... If I did well, then why were those people angry with me?" asked Starfire, seeming disheartened.
"Well, you beat their scores... I guess that kind of thing is really important to them." trying not to smile, Robin thought back to what happened in the arcade. The game was played by stepping on sections of a pad which corresponded to the symbols displayed on the screen, completing a full sequence of moves in the process; essentially, it required the player to be a good dancer. Starfire had completely destroyed any average gamer's chance at the top score... the numbers were somewhere in the high millions. Robin figured that with all the alien martial arts Starfire knew, and her quick reflexes, the game must not have been much of a challenge to her... fighting arts were a lot like a lethal dance after all.
"Then... I did nothing wrong?"
"Not at all. Those people were just being sore losers." Robin reassured her, hoping to see her smile again.
"That is a relief." said Starfire, smiling now that she knew she hadn't broken some unspoken human rule.
Glad to see the joy returning to her face, Robin smiled back. Suddenly, he noticed an abundance of shining objects in the window of a store to his right. They were passing right by the jewelry store he had bought that necklace from. Quickly, a multitude of thoughts came rushing back to him; the necklace... he had nearly forgotten about it. But after seeing that window again, the thought wouldn't leave him. Now, he knew exactly when he should give it to her. Paying little attention to the placement of his feet, Robin soon tripped over himself and began stumbling forward awkwardly.
"Robin!" called Starfire, immediately by his side, her arms around his waist to keep him from falling. "You must be greatly deprived of nourishment." she said worriedly, looking into his eyes... she knew it was the truth; Robin had been forcing himself to do extra training lately. "Take my hand, I will carry you the remaining distance." letting go of his waist, she held out her hand to him.
"Star, I don't..." Robin trailed off as he saw the serious expression on her face, "Alright." he conceded, taking her hand.
- - - - - -
Feeling stuffed from all the food he had eaten, Robin waited as the doors to the common room slid open. He laughed quietly as he remembered how Starfire wouldn't let him leave the table without eating just a little more... She really did care about his well-being; he felt blessed to know someone so kind. Stepping into the living room with the others, bag in hand, he looked out the main windows. The sun had set completely, leaving a mere twilight glow to linger on the fringes of the horizon. Another day had passed, though he didn't feel like he had wasted it.
"Long day..." Cyborg yawned, walking toward the hallway.
"Yeah... I could use a good rest." said Beast Boy, stretching his arms out as he followed after Cyborg.
"Next time, don't play yourself into a headache." Raven shook her head as Cyborg and Beast Boy disappeared around the corner. As soon as they were out of sight, Raven whispered something quietly to Starfire. Holding her boxes securely, Starfire nodded in response. "Thanks." said Raven as she proceeded to walk off to her room.
Carrying the two boxes under her arms, Starfire floated to the hallway. Stopping at the threshold, she turned around to look at Robin who was just now walking down into the living room, "Goodnight Robin." she smiled.
"'Night Star." replied Robin, noticing Starfire's smile intensify as he spoke. Robin watched with a little curiosity as she made her way through the hallway. Shrugging his shoulders with a smile, Robin realized he was still carrying his bag. Walking up out of the living room, he ambled down the hallway toward his room, shutting the light off along the way.
After putting away his things, Robin looked around the outside of his doorway. The lights were all shut off, though the glow of the moon and stars managed to bounce its way through the corridor. Stepping out of his room and quietly shutting the door, Robin assumed the others had already fallen asleep. Walking quietly, Robin found his way to the staircase leading up to the roof. Keeping the same stealthy demeanor, he softly climbed the stairs until he reached the metal door at the top. Careful not to be too loud, Robin turned the knob and pushed the door outward; the usual rush of air came through, and he realized he had little control over the sound it made. Looking out over the empty rooftop, Robin stepped out of the doorway and shut it behind him.
The stars were bright, complemented by the nearly full moon; both heavenly presences cast their humbling glow down upon the rooftop. The pinpoints of light twinkled ever so slightly as a nearly invisible layer of clouds passed by overhead. Rumbling in the distance, the ocean sent waves to crash against the shore of the island. As Robin walked to the edge of the roof, he felt a breeze blowing about, carrying with it the lingering affects of a warm day.
Sitting down at the edge, Robin sighed; tired as he was, he couldn't sleep. The day had not been wasted... but it was still gone... one more he could never get back. There was so little time left... just two days, and he was still so uncertain. For all he knew, Starfire would still be leaving on the morning after that tenth day... for all he knew, she had absolutely no choice but to leave, whether she wanted to stay or not. Robin looked up to the stars, locating the brightest one in the sky, 'Please... I've never wished for anything before...' he thought, leaning against his hands. 'Grant my... No, grant her wish... whatever it may be.' he continued, feeling strange about speaking to the vast sparkling infinity above him.
"May I join you?" came an angelic voice from behind him, one he immediately recognized.
Snapping out of his state of mind, Robin turned his head to see Starfire standing at his side, smiling down at him. His heart had nearly leapt out of his chest, but he answered her anyway, "Of course." he said, tapping on the edge of the roof beside him.
Sitting down reasonably close to Robin, Starfire rested her hands on her knees and absentmindedly began swinging her legs as they hung over the edge. "This is where you come to think, yes?" she asked, hoping she wasn't prodding... she simply wanted to spend some time alone with him after an entire day of the opposite. To her surprise, he nodded in response to her question. "Robin... is something worrying you?" she inquired.
Robin looked back up to the stars, "Well... a little." he answered. "It's that wish... it's something I really want to happen, but I don't know if it's even possible." he took a deep breath and exhaled, realizing he had begun to speak with her... differently, more open in a sense.
"I understand this feeling. My wish... is something I have wanted for a very long time, but I fear that I may be asking too much... that I should be happy with things the way they are. It seems selfish..." she said, looking remorsefully down at her feet as she kicked them lightly.
Robin noticed the sudden change in Starfire and decided to reassure her, "Starfire... wishes come from the heart, and the heart wants what it wants. It's not selfish at all." he said, smiling as he realized he had made himself feel a little better... he only hoped the same thing for Starfire. "Besides, you're the least selfish person I've ever known... Whatever it is you're wishing for, you deserve it."
"Thank you." said Starfire, feeling her doubts slip away. When he talked like that, it made her think that somehow... he might share what she felt for him, though there was no way she could know for sure. However, Starfire knew that was not the truth; there was one way she could know for sure, but she didn't feel ready to tell him just yet. "You are very kind to me..." Starfire blushed slightly and attempted to hide her face under her shoulders. Snapping out of it, Starfire stood up, "I suppose we should rest if we want to be awake for the celebration tomorrow." she said, holding out a hand to Robin in order to help him up.
Taking Starfire's hand, Robin stood up and looked into her eyes for a moment... she had completely taken his worries away, 'Maybe I will be able to get some sleep tonight.'
Author's Note: I am a terrible insomniac... I stayed up all night finishing up this chapter, just so I could post it on time (something I don't often do, if you haven't noticed :). Hehe, yep, that was Beast Boy's plan the entire time. There is a little more about it, such as what goes on at the party, but the plan has pretty much been revealed in its entirety.
On another note, I've reached a personal milestone with this fic... 300 reviews. My goal when I first posted the fic was to have 100 reviews by the time I was done :). So, I have no one else to thank but all you great reviewers out there who made this happen... you are AWESOME! That's why this chapter has been dedicated to YOU, that's right, you :). Hehe, but a special thanks goes to Crazy Girl Person for posting the 300th review :P.
Next Chapter Preview: Robin is in for a surprise as Tyrus challenges him to a fight in order to test his skills... or perhaps it's Tyrus who's in for the surprise. Later that morning, Robin and Starfire head to the park alone. But, with threatening skies, will their outing be ruined? Day 9, Part One: When It Rains...
