Chapter One: Robin
"Dude! We whooped Adonis's BUTT!"
I began to laugh and whacked Beast Boy's head with my green-gloved hand as we walked up the island's slippery incline to the tower. He cowered for a moment, then whacked Raven's head.
Lightning flashed just when she turned to face him, an angry expression on her face. "What," she said slowly, "Was that for, exactly?"
"Hey! He hit me!" BB pointed to me with an accusing look.
"You had to pass it on?" She asked.
"Please, friends," the Tamaranean, Starfire, said slowly. "Please do not fight. I realize that it is late and wet, but we are almost to a warm, dry area, and-"
"Star," Cyborg interrupted her. "We ARE there."
He pointed to the large T standing above us, towering up high into the overcast, ever-darkening clouds. He raised a palm and placed his hand on the identification pad. The door slid open, and I walked forward with the other four Titans close behind.
"Well!" I said with a loud sigh. "What would you guys like for a midnight snack?"
I
turned to each of them in turn; Starfire was wringing out her long,
thick, red hair, and the rainwater dripped onto the floor. "I… do
not know." She muttered distantly.
Raven rolled her eyes and
began to float up the steps to the main room. "I'm getting tea.
Make what you want."
"TOFU!" erupted Beast Boy as he ran past Raven, smacking the back of her head again as he passed. His footsteps on the metal staircase echoed and then disappeared quickly.
"Well, ya'll," Cyborg said as he turned to face me. "I feel like havin' French toast. I'm too hungry to argue with BB about animal rights, and everyone likes toast with sugar! Actually, I'll go make it, since you'll probably burn it again, Robin!"
I blushed slightly and scratched the back of my neck. "Well, that's-"
"Agreed." said Starfire. "The toast from France would be welcomed by all!"
"See, I got your girlfriend's approval!" Cyborg laughed, then started up the stairs before I could even attempt to reprimand his comment.
"Come, Robin. You are wet to the soaking, and you may catch the cold if you are allowed to stay that way."
I nodded, smiling at her. She always made things better, and was ever the optimist in the group, though occasionally naïve in the face of things those are unfamiliar.
"Alright," I said as I began to walk up the stairs. "I'll go get changed. Meanwhile, can you make sure that the others aren't messing up the kitchen too badly?"
She looked up at me with a confused glace. "Hmm?"
"You just cleaned everything yesterday, Star. Go make sure you don't have to do it again tomorrow!" I laughed as she nodded and flew above me to the kitchen.
Chapter Two: Raven
I was pouring the kettle of tea into a china teacup as Beast Boy pestered Cyborg about the waffles' "Toasting Time," as he called it. It was a rather pointless argument in my opinion, but, of course, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. And that included-
"Beast Boy, seriously, man! You have to pick a fight about everything, don't you!"
"I think he does," I mutter, thoroughly annoyed.
"What was that, Raven?" BB asked, leaping over the counter toward me. He kicked the kettle as he landed, and, quite suddenly, I felt a searing pain across my stomach.
I looked down and saw a splash of sizzling water on my uniform, and a burning sensation crept over my skin. The kettle clacked to the floor with a metallic clang, and lightning flashed outside, echoing the noise with a loud roll of thunder.
"Whoa!" Cyborg yelled as he pulled Beast Boy away from me. I grabbed my black leotard with my free hand and held it away from my skin. The burning was gone but was soon replaced as it entered my fingertips. I set the teacup I was holding on the soaked counter and looked up with a grim expression on my face.
"Are you okay?" Cyborg yelled almost directly in my ear. "Yow! That's gotta kill! BB!" He turned to the green figure that was now standing up. Apparently, he had been knocked down by Cyborg's immense hand. I almost felt sorry for him, but then I remembered why he was knocked onto the ground in the first place.
"What?" he asked.
"That's scalding water, man! Don't, 'What?' me! Apologize!"
I smirked. He wasn't going to apologize-
"Sorry, Rae…" He muttered as he gazed out the window, watching the rain absentmindedly.
Okay, I was wrong. Maybe he would apologize. But that didn't make things better, even if he actually meant it. "I'm going to go change…" I said in a hoarse, low voice. "My uniform is soaking wet."
I walked away, down the dark hallway to my room, feeling Cyborg's eyes follow me until I closed the door quietly behind me.
Chapter Three: Starfire
I paced around my room, my long, fiery red hair still dripping wet from the rain. I combed my fingers through it anxiously, trying to untangle the knots. A basket of clothes sat on my bed, mostly Raven's blue cloaks, her black leotards, or my purple outfits. They were folded up and placed randomly on the bed, put there with quaking hands.
KNOCK.
I jumped at the noise, and turned to the door.
KNOCK. KNOCK.
"Starfire?" came a voice. "Are you okay?"
It was Robin. I relaxed and opened the door hastily, then stepped back and clutched my hands behind my back to keep them still. "Yes, friend," I replied quietly. "Why should I not be the oh-kay?"
"Well, you haven't been out of your room since you got here-"
"It is late, and I am tired. I was merely putting clothes away for tomorrow." I smiled and tilted my head to the side.
"Star, it is late. If you were just putting your clothes away… why did it sound like you were pacing back and forth? Are you sure you're alright?"
I nodded and held my hands out, gesturing toward the door. They shook slightly. "Yes, I truly am fine, Robin. Please do not worry ab-"
"Starfire, you're hands are shaking," he said in a low, unconvinced voice. "What's wrong?"
I put my hands behind my back again, clasping my fingers together so that they were hidden from his field of vision. "I simply remembered the last time the Adonis had struck. The second time. We came back on a rainy night, and…" My voice dropped out.
Six months ago, on a rainy night similar to the one at hand, we had finished a battle and went home. As Robin had been climbing the stairs, he had tripped on the slippery metal steps and had fallen three flights of stairs until he landed on the floor. He had needed desperate medical attention to his arms and head, even though he had used several of his tools to slow him down.
Robin blinked. "Starfire, that was months ago. I'm fine, really! And it didn't happen again, and we fixed the stairs so that they're not metal, and they won't be slippery anymore when they're wet!"
I looked up at him. "I…I know. I simply remembered the incident, and-"
"And nothing. Don't worry about it, alright?" He took one of my quivering hands and held it in his own. "Finish your work, and then come get something to eat or go to sleep. Okay?"
He smiled, and I had to smile. It just came so naturally to my face: I couldn't help it. I nodded. "Could you please tell Raven that her cloaks are dry and waiting in here for her?"
Robin nodded. His smile was still on his face as he stepped out the door. "Good night, Starfire."
"Good night, friend."
