…..
A giggling echoed in the Tower. Someone crouched down by the Titan's unlit pine tree. Starfire's excitement must have leaked out into the other rooms of the building because Raven, Cyborg, and Beast Boy soon came shuffling into the front room a few moments after.
Beast Boy rubbed his tired eyes, complaining, "What are you doing, Star? Christmas isn't until three weeks."
"I know! I have resolved to put out the presents I have purchased under the Tree of Christmas early," Starfire said, once again giggling merrily.
"Christmas tree. It's called a Christmas tree," he repeated sleepily in his froggy boxers.
"Yes. The Christmas Tree."
Raven blinked confused. "Starfire, what are you wearing?"
The Tamaranean twirled in her red, velvet halter, miniskirt, and a little Santa's hat which sat perched on top her head. All trimmed in white faux fur. Starfire prattled on, "I acquired it at the Mall of Shopping, do you not like it?" With a bemused expression, she lifted the hem of her skirt to examine the material and left a generous look of a plump amber thigh.
Raven went over to smooth her skirt out for her as the boys drooled a little. "Nothing is the matter with it. We were worried you might try to decorate the tree without supervision… again."
Ah yes, Starfire's opportunity to plan Christmas last year. Let's just say, candy canes are forbidden from now on. The hyper alien attempted to starbolt last year's tree to pieces.
"No, we shall decorate the Christmas Tree together next week, correct?"
Cyborg nodded. "That's what we agreed… has anyone seen Spike-head? He can't be still asleep, can he?"
Raven answered but Starfire detected a note of whim to her normally monotonous voice. "Not sure," and changed the subject very quickly, "Is anyone hungry?" That brought on a riot as Cyborg and Beast Boy raced into the kitchen to begin the battle of who-was-using-the-oven-top-first.
"Get your tofu crap outta my face!"
"No way, I wanna cook my tofu! Get the hell out of my way!"
"Bacon and eggs are better!"
"Tofu is healthier!"
"No one here cares about being healthy! The only thing we eat is pizza and Chinese!"
Starfire didn't like hearing them repeatedly screaming at each other so she distracted herself by making her annual Christmas pudding... let's see... yes, all she needed was some berries of the straw...pickles...catsup...spinach... Her head jerked up when Robin entered.
What confused her was that he wore no mask and his sharp blue eyes gazed at her with clear anxiety.
"Friend Robin? What distresses you?"
Cyborg stopped slapping Beast Boy with his spatula to glance at him. "Rob, man, you're usually up before us. What's the deal?"
"I've been awake. My eyemasks... the ones I keep in my closet are gone. I've been looking for them since five this morning."
Starfire spoke up, horror-struck, "Someone has stolen them?"
"...Dude, how many of those do you own?"
Robin said without a hint of joking, "Three hundred and sixty four of them. Gone missing."
Beast Boy's mouth dropped almost to his feet. "Three hundred…sixty four?" he breathed. "You aren't kidding, are you?"
He frowned, cracking his knuckles. "Does I sound like I'm kidding? Every one of them is missing." The changeling still gaped.
"What would someone do with three hundred and sixty four masks?"
Cyborg proposed, "Throw a Robin-themed party?"
"NO! Don'ca think they'd take his costumes, too!" Beast Boy gestured to the red, yellow, and green clad man, staring at Cyborg as if he were an idiot.
"You got me there," Cyborg replied.
"She wanted him to experience one day where he wasn't hiding behind something." They all glanced at Raven who had spoken up and who had crossed her arms, gazing only at Robin. Her beautiful face not hard or expressionless. She looked not quite pleading but pretty close. Starfire watched on as the violet-haired woman said calmly, "You had the courage to take me out of my comfort zone, knowing what consequences could come from it. I'm doing the same to you. You'll get them back; I promise you that."
Robin drew himself up to his full height (he was pretty tall) and stood in front of her to stare her down. Her violet eyes shone dimly into his. She seemed not afraid.
Starfire knew the kind of person Robin was: extremely serious, never took 'No' for an answer, and hardly cracked a joke in the past. When he walked over to Raven, their friends prepared themselves for a fight. She couldn't stand it if it turned out to be another conflict. They had gotten over the outcome of the last one in November.
...
Flashback.
...
She knew that her leader was in no condition to attack her, and so, she wasn't frightened by him. Starfire crossed the threshold of the training room to see Robin sitting on the mat floor, his broad-caped back to the doorway. The morning sun playing in his black hair. He sensed her arrival.
"Hey, Star," he murmured, throwing away the broken Grappling Hook he had been fixing.
"I do not regret forcing you to stop."
Robin finally turned around, his mask meeting her eyes. She added, gravely, "If you had harmed Friend Raven, which I do not think you would have, it would have been far worse."
He was ashamed enough to stare back at the wall.
"Last night... was really bad. Star, I can't believe I said those things to her." His hands ran through his unkempt locks. The alien woman knew the honesty in what he said. She believed in him so much she was at times blinded by her devotion for him. Starfire sat beside him, curling her knees to her chest.
"Then mend your relationship with Raven and say sorry for your mean words."
"I don't think apologizing is going to cut it."
She persisted, "It is worth a try." He looked at her kind smile and encouraging green eyes. She allowed him to hug her when his arms draped around her shoulders and returned it gladly. Time was lost on them when they lingered where they were. Robin left. She gave him a good ten minute headstart before following him into the lobby. Starfire stayed by the doors. Beast Boy and Raven sat in some chairs; he held her hand quietly, glaring at Robin as he talked rapidly with frenzied hand gestures. It looked like Robin was trying to persuade Raven of something. Her face only read doubt. Starfire couldn't hear the discussion.
After Robin became silent, Raven's wry eyes flicked to a pair of green. Beast Boy nodded reluctantly and let her hand go. Robin and Raven left through the central hallway. Starfire stepped out of the way. She ran down the stairs to where the green changeling nonetheless sat. "What has happened?" she asked.
"Raven agreed to talk it out. I never have seen her so freaked before. Raven doesn't get freak out."
"Yes, Friend Robin is also very upset." Beast Boy's face darkened.
"He better have a damn good reason for nearly losing it."
"I do not think Robin would have harmed one of his friends. Robin does not do such things," she insisted, firmly.
"You're too nice, Starfire," he said lowly and she averted her eyes.
"Perhaps you should believe in him more, Beast Boy."
"Garfield," he corrected her, and Starfire looked surprised. "I'm sick of being called Boy. Everyone here can just call me by my real name if they really want to."
"Real name…" Her lips traced over her words. "...on my home planet, I am known as Koriand'r."
"Koria. Cute name." He smirked.
"Garfield is also a worthy name." He got up from the couch, trying desperately to hide the red blossoming his neck.
"The suspense is killing me. I have to see what's going on." Beast Boy eyed her to see if she would try and stop him but was stunned to see her already on her way out. They suspected the Tower's roof was the place and indeed found them up there. The two spying Titans hid behind the potted shrubbery Cyborg installed after the past destruction of the recreation chairs. He said it 'added life'. Starfire brushed aside a large lush green leaf and looked dismayed at the private scene unfolding in front of her eyes. The couple stood near the basketball court, under one of the hoops, talking very slowly.
What Starfire caught was- "never in my life have I been hurt like that… not by my Father's power… not by Malchior's betrayal… " Raven's violet eyes closed, her eyelids trembling.
Starfire felt Beast Boy squeeze her hand rigidly at the mention of the wizard's name. She didn't mind it.
"I'm so sorry, Raven." Robin shook his head. "I hate myself for doing this to you. I wasn't thinking."
Her monotone faded and a wavering replaced it, "Don't… You were. You were thinking. It hurts me because it's true. I -am- distant from you and the rest of our friends." Her eyes opened to reveal tears brimming. He hugged her shoulders, and she didn't push him away.
His own tone became slightly shaky, "You'll overcome being distant. I want to help you. Relationships have their ups and downs; it's the only way we can grow."
"I want us to be happy, Dick. I don't want to fight with you anymore."
Raven brought her arms around his back and held onto him, burying her released tears from sight. He pressed his face against the top of her head. "I don't either."
Starfire figured their privacy had been invaded enough and pulled Beast Boy back out the door; thankfully, he didn't resist. As they went the fifth floor, Beast Boy said reassuringly, "They'll be fine. They'll probably put off saying this but they love each other, we both saw it."
She unfolded her arms. "Yes, you are alright."
...
End Flashback.
...
She didn't grimace as Beast Boy did because she saw bright blue eyes quietly alter into fondness. Luck was on their side.
"I guess it wouldn't hurt for today. It's just a mask," he said. Starfire let out a relieved breath as the empath smiled in his arms wrapping around her.
The rest of the morning went by in a wink. Breakfast had been settled with equal amounts of healthy and carb-filled foods. Robin was dared to try Beast Boy's seaweed energy drink and Starfire's half-finished Christmas pudding. The drink went down better than the pudding. He appeared to be more lively without his mask. His expressions at times remained unmoved but his eyes were enough.
The way they watered when Starfire shoveled the gray goo into his mouth, the way they laughed when he beat Beast Boy and Cyborg at GameStation, the way they smiled when he talked to her, the way every emotion shined when they peered at Raven. Starfire was particularly fascinated about the looks he shared with Raven.
Raven didn't seem to understand the incredible burning in his eyes when Robin met her gaze. It was almost shameful.
He might have not looked at Starfire like that when they were dating. And she would have been envious if she had not cared about the bond Raven and Robin shared.
In the past… admittedly, she had not.
...
Flashback.
...
Nobody in Titans Tower was stupid to what goes on. No, not even Beast Boy. He chose to be ignorant in his nature.
Since humankind was saved and Slade was out of the way during those first few months, the five members of Teen Titans spent a lot of time together. Sometimes it got on each other's nerves but that's roommate basics. Occasionally, there was the Hive and a lesser villain to take care of but they had plenty of free time.
Although some of the Titans preferred to waste their lives meditating in a locked room or training at ungodly hours.
Starfire, on the other hand, had an evenly balanced share of going out to town and lodging. She loved trying on new clothes and showing them off to her best friends. Starfire also found enthrallment in the subject of gossip, which spread like wildfire. For example, Robin and Starfire's breakup was publicized. The fans of the pairing were in despair, and the rest held a celebration in the streets. The only people who knew the cause lived in the Tower. Beast Boy and Cyborg would secretly talk about the possibility of Robin seeing the dark-haired sorceress. Those two could spot the magnetism involving the birds.
Maybe Raven would stop acting so cold and grow a funny bone… a happy bone would do fine as a substitute.
A year passed and nothing happened. Nothing in a public domain in any case. And Starfire couldn't be more pleased. She wasn't clingy, oh no. She was, however, so used to Robin paying attention to her. She wouldn't be able to stand the fact that Robin could be attracted to another woman, especially Raven.
Raven, who didn't have a dazzling beauty; Raven, who wasn't upbeat; Raven who acted like she wanted half the people she knew rotting in their graves. Who would be charmed by that attitude?
Starfire knew if she wanted Robin's attention... she had to make sure it would have it again, unmistakably.
After lunch on Thursday, her teammates went into their normal rotations. Cyborg and Beast Boy played a ninja videogame. Robin disappeared into the training room. Raven… well, simply disappeared.
The Tamaranean got up from watching television and carefully made her way into the observation room. If you punched in the right code, you would be guaranteed access to every stakeout camera inside and out the premises. Hacker proof, virus proof, it was unbeatable. But you'd get only one chance before the alarms go off.
A cool, mechanical voice trickled from the ceiling, "PLEASE PRESS THE CORRECT CODE NUMBER."
Without a moment's hesitation, she obeyed.
It responded immediately, "CAMERA SURVEILLANCE ACCESS GRANTED. HAVE A NICE DAY, MR. STONE."
On the seven-foot-tall screen in front of her flashed hundreds of mini screens... with the pushing of a few buttons, she was left with one.
The training room's entrance. In full color, an image of a man kicking a punching bag and Starfire pressed with her knuckles SOUND ON. The sounds of her leader grunting with physical effort blared from the speakers. She leaned forward, staring intently.
He wiped his forehead with the back of his hand and looked to the side at something Starfire couldn't see.
"Hey."
A hooded figure magically appeared in the camera's line-of-vision, indigo cloak swaying.
"You shouldn't wear that hood," he said.
A deadpan poured out, "Why is that?"
He ran his thumb over the raven symbol on her neck and unclasped the cloak. It fell onto the padded floor to expose a long-haired, curvy woman in black. Starfire's mouth twitched a moment as Robin flashed a big smirk in Raven's direction. "It hides your best feature," he explained, matter-of-factly.
"Yes… because that's the only thing you're partial to. My face." She raised a delicate eyebrow. He placed a green, gloved hand around her thin waist tightly, drawing her close.
"Alright, it's not the only thing. You are very attractive, Raven."
She shrugged, brushing her fingertips against his arm. "At least you're more direct. But if I knew you were going to get handsy, I would have met you somewhere more private, Dick." Raven ran her palms up to his chest with a smile. This was a far more confident Raven that Starfire had ever encountered. It was one Robin was enjoying.
"Don't call me that."
But an usually warm smile crossed his face and it touched Raven's lips gently.
At first, the empath did nothing but absorb the kiss, and finally responded by slinging her arms round his neck and moaning lightly as their kisses deepened. Starfire was torn about blowing up the giant screen until Raven suddenly pulled away, gasping, "Wait… the door is wide open. What if someone catches us?" Robin pretended to look hurt.
"Are you embarrassed to be seen with me?"
She pinched him unkindly and he jumped out of the embrace, laughing.
"Damn! Tell me you do that all the time..."
"Quit it. I'm being serious. What if Beast Boy finds us and makes some sort of brainless remark?"
"Beast Boy is always going to make a brainless remark. That's how he is. What is this really about?"
Robin gave her a deliberate glance and she sighed, "I worry… about Starfire's opinion about this. I didn't want to hurt her back then and I don't want to start now."
"We talk to her, remember? All three of us? She seemed alright."
Raven argued, "Looks deceive."
"We're not hurting anyone."
That last sentence pounded into the Tamaranean's skull. The image of an understanding Robin and an unsure Raven was overshadowed by darkness.
She pushed SOUND OFF.
On Starfire's way out, she clutched the metal siding on the doorway and ripped out a giant chunk, chucking it at the wall. It took every ounce of will power not to blow Raven's head off when she saw her next. But she was prepared to have her way. She found her meditating on the rooftop near sunset, the clouds making dreary overcast above their heads.
Raven knew her approaching and opened her purple eyes, braid down her back swinging to the wind. "Hello."
"Friend Raven."
Starfire did not float, she only floated when she was happy, but moved towards where she sat. "Are you having a good day, Friend Raven?"
Raven nodded, burrowing her brows. "Starfire, are you ok?" she asked, "You seem a bit… upset."
"You did not answer my question, Friend Raven."
"I am having a good day, Starfire."
The alien woman forced a wide grin. "Is Robin having a good day, too?" Raven frowned at her.
"Why do you have to ask me?"
Starfire's grin almost resembled a sneer as she commented, "You read emotions, do you not? Surely you know how Robin feels about his day or about certain people in it."
"I don't read emotions unless I have to, like right now you're sending big waves of hatred at me."
Starfire's hands began glowing. "I don't understand! Robin needs me!" she yelled. "We are only on a time-out!"
"I thought we talked about this." Raven said, holding a hand to her forehead. "I'm sorry that the breakup hurt you, Starfire. Gods. I really am but if Dick decides he wants to see other people, you can't hold that against you." The alien woman stepped forward menacingly and Raven drew herself to her feet.
"You were my best friend and you cannot steal Robin from me!"
Raven blocked the earliest and weakest starbolt sent at her and put up a blue shield against another.
"I'm not stealing him from you. Dick isn't a thing, you can't own him!" The empath said, lowering her shield, "Please. Starfire. Reason with me."
Starfire took her opportunity. To punch her square in the face with her alien strength. Raven's head snapped back and she stood teetering a moment before losing equilibrium over the edge. As Raven tumbled head first in the air, an orange hand grabbed her ankle so that Raven dangled upside down from the rooftop. Starfire's eyes stopped glowing and she remained kneeling, suspending her from her death.
After a few seconds of regaining her short-winded breathing, Starfire slowly pulled Raven back on solid ground, cradling her dizzy friend. "What the hell is going on?" The other three Titans watched astonished as Starfire wiped the sweat off her upper lip and Raven came around.
The Tamaranean helped her to her feet, tears forming in her green eyes. "Forgive me, Raven… I…"
Raven rubbed her jaw. "Ahhh- I think we all need to settle this before you kill someone," she muttered.
"I do not know what came over me… but yes, you are right."
"I saw you down on the rocks." Robin said, angrily, "Starfire, why-?"
Raven interrupted him, fingering the red mark on her face, "I think Starfire somehow caught us earlier, Dick. I'm not sure how but she knows."
His face contorted and Starfire hated the disappointment showing.
"Star, I thought you were okay with this."
"...It is hard. I understand I am feeling what they call 'jealousy'."
"That's normal but to act out on that feeling, you could have seriously hurt Raven."
Starfire bowed her head, the wash of oncoming tears piercing the back of her eyes."I am sorry. I know not what I would have done if I had damaged you." She was flabbergasted to find the normally stoic woman hugging her. Raven's lips were graced by a small smile.
"You could have easily let me fall off the roof but you didn't... and because of that, I'm still your best friend, Starfire."
Starfre squealed mildly and hugged her back.
The green changeling shouted in the background, "-Dude, I totally won! Starfire kicked Raven's butt! Now where's my ten bucks?"
...
End Flashback.
...
A wild roar of laughter brought her back to reality. Beast Boy was doing his thirty-second funny animal impressions and her friends were getting a kick out of them.
Cyborg looked over at her and grinned. "Yo, Santa's little helper, get yo ass over here!"
She grinned back and floated on the cushion between him and Beast Boy. He stretched out over her, turning into a green kitten, and she happily scratched his tummy. Robin asked from the other side of the couch, "Anyone up for some pizza?" Starfire giggled, clapping her hands.
"Yes, please! I am overjoyed that I had the chance to go shopping for everyone!"
They all got from the couch to change into street clothes. Cyborg yelled over their voices in the garage, "I'm driving! I don't care if he has his license! I don't trust grass-stain over there!" Kitten Beast Boy hissed angrily, and Starfire holding him in her arms, pet his furry head consolingly as he purred contently.
The T-Car past the central highway, speeding by an older neighborhood when Robin suddenly grabbed the dashboard, crying out, "Stop the car, Cyborg!" The tin-man slammed on the brakes and as they skidded, the latter climbed out to stare up. "No... damn it."
Raven followed after him.
"What is it?" she asked, quietly.
Robin took her arm and pointed down the way. About ten yards away, a burly, tattooed thug gripped a chain tied to a giant scrap metal dog who cornered a group of civilians. Nearby, Cinderblock knocked down random buildings. Cyborg hollered over the fire sirens, "Rob, man! What's the plan!"
Starfire came up behind him and heard him say lowly, "Move out." Robin yanked out his Bo-Staff and took off into a run.
Cyborg shouted over the rest of them, "You heard the man! Titans go!" She soared upwards into the air as Johnny Rancid laughed.
"Aw, it's Kiddy Titans and Bird-boy. I think you all know Cinderblock, my partner in destruction. We speak the same language."
Cinderblock let out a wordless roar and Raven remarked, "Mindless bellowing, oh yeah."
Johnny threatened, pointing a finger at her, "You're gonna get yours, you little witch!"
Robin stopped Cyborg from blasting him with his Sonic Cannon. Innocent lives were at stake. "If you want to fight, leave these people out of it and deal with us," he said, calmly. "What do you want?"
Johnny dropped the chain with a vicious grin and Rex-2 went charging at the huddling mass. He tugged the robot dog back at the last second and it snarled grotesquely. Somebody fainted on the sidewalk. Robin's clear blue eyes slit at the villain. "I guess there's nothing to talk about." He attacked the villain with a hard hit across the head.
"Titans, take Cinderblock down!"
Starfire hit the monster with all she had, shrieking at the top of her lungs. She dodged the sharp glass thrown in her path and fell back so Cyborg could shoot. Starfire looked back at Robin where he had Johnny on the ground, staring down on him with the fiercest glare she ever saw. Or had been allowed. Johnny let go of the chain. Starfire flung at starbolt at Rex-2 and it changed its mind to chasing after her instead of the civilians. The alien woman winced as flying oil sludge dripped on her face and pink clothes.
With several more starbolts, she backed the creature at the rear of Cinderblock, who was propelled through the air by Raven. It crushed the robot dog and knocked the giant out cold. The rest happened in what seemed like slow motion.
Starfire whipped around to the sound of a child crying. A battered-looking Robin pushed the child aside harshly, just as Johnny Rancid threw something towards him.
"ROBIN!"
The screams coming from Robin's throat chilled the air surrounding her, so thick, so pulsating, and Starfire fell to the ground with a thump, scrambling on her feet to reach him. He was screaming like he was dying. She saw through a blur as Robin fell on his side limp. She got to him first.
Starfire tried to examine him to see what was wrong, but her hands were shaking too hard.
Beast Boy stopped beside her at once, gawking at the liquid glistening on the unconscious man's face. Jade widened. Pupils darkening. The changeling let out a loud howl and transformed into a panther, tackling a running Johnny. Something cracked in the remote stillness that was Park Street. She let out a shivering breath, touching his forehead.
"Robin? Robin, please awaken…?" Starfire gasped when the liquid on his face grazed her skin. It was burning hot.
He wasn't replying.
Cyborg's voice entered her hearing, "-The police has this covered. We have to get him to a hospital."
Her lips numb. "Hospital?"
He stopped talking to a paled Beast Boy and said gently to her as if she were a child who didn't understand, "We don't have time to analyze this stuff. Whatever this punk used, it could hurt Robin. We have to get him out of here now." This couldn't be real… Robin doesn't get hurt... he doesn't go to hospitals. Cyborg grasped her by the shoulders.
"Can you bring Raven back to the T-Car? Can you do that, Star?"
Starfire stared at him dumbfounded. A minute passed before her legs got feeling and went over to where Raven could be found.
The Tamaranean swallowed, her throat dry.
"Raven… we must go…"
The empath had her face buried in her hands and Star pried them away to make her stand. The look in her violet eyes was enough to make Starfire want to start sobbing on the spot, but Cyborg had given her a job. When Robin couldn't take control, he was second-in-command. Tenderly, Starfire led her to the passenger's seat. Raven didn't move to buckle her seatbelt so she did it for her.
The next few hours were lost on her. She didn't remember Beast Boy becoming hysterical, Cyborg slapping him, Robin's bruised form being wheeled into the emergency room, Raven being absolutely still and the same air of grief imprinted over her face. Her thoughts drifted in and out until Starfire discovered that she was sitting in the waiting room.
The window across from her full of inky black night and speckled with stars. Cyborg on her right, his hands entwined together in a gesture that she remembered Raven mentioning as 'prayer'. On the far left wall, Beast Boy glanced at Starfire with glazed eyes. A sleeping Raven leaned on his shoulder, his arm enveloping her.
Cyborg stopped 'prayer' and raised his eyes to Beast Boy's, then rested his gaze on Raven's slightly frowning face. Beast Boy gazed down at her sadly, licking his chapped lips absently.
They were all hoping for the same thing.
Answers.