(Apologies on the late update. Holidays and tests have proceeded to take over my whole life these few weeks.)
"Give me the remote!" Cyborg yells out.
"Dude, it's MY turn for the TV!" Beast Boy shouts back.
"YOU'RE BOTH WRONG! I'M WATCHING THE GAME!" Their leader screams back.
Raven groans, leaning back against the couch and shutting her book. "Really? It's seven in the morning. You're really going to start this early?"
"You're gonna have to come up here and get it!" The robot remarks, holding the remote over his head.
"No fair you big loser!" Beast Boy huffs, jumping and pawing at Cyborg's arm.
"Not my fault y'all are four feet tall!"
Raven floats off, escaping to the kitchen.
"Are the boys causing you the frustration as well?" Starfire asks. She hands Raven a steaming cup then flies over to sit on the counter.
"Frustration is an understatement," she sips the cup contently, "I read the same stanza four times and didn't absorb any of it."
Starfire giggles, "that is what is most troubling for you? Not all the bickering?"
"I hate their bickering, but now their bickering is making me waste my time and energy reading the same line over and over again. I don't care if they waste each other's time," Raven grumbles out as the fight in the living room starts to get physical.
"Most definitely. There are times where they make me wish I could escape the the quaza moons like at home when my sister and I would fight." Raven raises an eyebrow, but then decides to dismiss it. "What do humans do when they get on each other's skin?" Starfire asks, turning to the other girl.
"Each other's nerves," Raven corrects. "And I usually go to my room. Removing the boys from any situation automatically removes the stress as well."
Starfire laughs, "that is funny! So you also just leave whom you are bickering with until you wish to see them again?"
"It wasn't a joke," she grumbles out, cutting her eyes at the brawling boys in the room as the coffee table gets throw aside. "I guess you could say that, Star."
Starfire lights up. "Then let us leave them! We may do the going out, Raven!" The alien flies off the counter with a huge grin.
"Uh Star, about that," the demon starts, going to set down her mug.
"I will get dressed immediately! I know the most perfect of places!" Starfire immediately flies off towards the hall, unintentionally ignoring the demon's sighing.
"Great," Raven finishes off her cup of tea then chucks the mug in the sink, not caring about the shattering noise that follows. "She spent half the night with me. You'd think she'd be sick of sarcasm by now." Raven retreats toward the stairs as the TV erupts in a baseball game. "Robin won. Shocker."
She swipes her hand in front of her as her door slides open. "All I wanted was a day to myself," she snaps to nobody in particular as her door shuts. "I wanted to sit down and read this book. Is that so much to ask Azar?" She clenches her fist lightly, "with no boys fighting, no loud television, and no alien trying to drag me to Azar knows where." Her fists tighten as she clenches her teeth, "Now I've got to spend all day with her and her stupid smile and her stupid green eyes and her stupid strawberry hair!"
Raven lets out a deep sigh as she realizes she is shaking. "Why are my emotions like this already? This no meditating is going to kill me." "Or maybe it's because you know you're taking advantage of her." Raven quickly shakes the voice out of her head. "No. I'm not," she argues back to herself. "You know she doesn't understand." "I'm… I'm going to tell her that she's misunderstanding." "After all that's already happened? Really? And you think that's not taking advantage of her?" "It's not like that… just… Just stop," she tries to shake the thoughts out of her head again. "Just cause you're confused doesn't stop you being a bad person to her." Raven starts to shake as she hugs herself tightly. "Shut. Up." "She trusts you to never mislead her." "Please," she whispers out, her emotions starting to overtake her mind. "You're supposed to be her best friend. The one she trusts the most." Raven tightens her grip of her arms, her knuckles starting to turn white. "Some best friend you are, lying to her cause you're lonely." "SHUT UP!" Raven screams as her fists makes contact with the wall in front of her. Tears stream down her face as she falls to the floor almost sobbing.
"Raven?" A soft voice calls from outside the door, but it goes unheard. "I should respect Raven's privacy, but that banging noise, and do I hear the crying?" Starfire presses her fingers against the seam of the door, debating if she should open it or not, and against better judgement, she slides the door open.
"You'll lose her trust." Raven buries her face into her lap, curling up as she sobs harder. "She'll never forgive you. Are you really so desperate for attention?" "Stop stop stop!" She screams out, hugging her legs tightly. Her breath hitches in her throat as she feels two strong arms wrap around her tightly.
"Why do you cry?" Starfire whispers out as she rests her head in the crook of Raven's back. Raven tenses up tightly as she hiccups out sobs.
Starfire gently gives Raven a reassuring squeeze as her breaths start to even out. "I'm so sorry, Star," she whispers out.
Starfire moves in front of Raven so that she can look at her face. "Why do you apologize? You did nothing to I?" Starfire gently wipes away tears from Raven's cheeks.
"If you only knew." Raven closes her eyes, not able to look at the alien's face.
"Is this because I wanted to take you out today? We may go another day if today is the inconvenience," Starfire replies, trying to rack her brain for what she could've done to Raven to make her cry.
"It's it's not-" Raven stumbles over her words in frustration. "You didn't do anything." Starfire tilts her head to the side as Raven deeply sighs again. "I'm just a bad friend to you," she whispers out, barely audible.
Starfire quickly pulls her into a strong embrace. "Never say such things again," she sternly states. "You are the most wonderful friend, and whoever or whatever has made you believe otherwise will most definitely be on the receiving end of my boot."
Raven clutches onto the alien's biceps tightly, feeling more tears coming on. "Quit being so nice to me!"
Starfire tilts Raven's face up, then gently presses her forehead against hers, "what has made you have such thoughts?"
Raven shuts her eyes tightly, fighting off sobs, "why are you doing all this? All this going out and dates and going to other planets for me and all these compliments? Why are you doing this? What are you gaining?"
Starfire blinks a few times in confusion, "I do not know what you mean? Do you not enjoy going to all of these places with me?"
"This isn't about how I feel," Raven growls out, pulling her face back so she can look at the floor, "I need to know how you feel."
"I would not ask you to go with me if I did not have fun with you, correct? So are my feelings for you not clear?"
Raven feels her hopes rise. "Why did that make me feel better?" She quickly shakes her head, "no she's just confused… I'm just confused...right?"
Starfire wipes a few more tears away. "Raven, what is causing you this distress? I do not like to see you such a way."
Raven just wipes her eyes in silence. Then, for the first time since Star's entrance, she looks up at her then blinks a few times. "You look nice," she quickly whispers out. Starfire smiles softly at the compliment as Raven takes in a deep calming breath, her face drying. Silence falls between them as Raven shifts a little uncomfortably. "I'll get dressed. Why don't you go feed Silkie or something, and I'll meet you in your room in a few," she states, trying to fake some composure.
Starfire quickly flies up, pulling Raven to her feet. "Oh most joyous!" Star offers a loving smile then quickly flies out of the room to leave her friend to her changing.
Raven opens up the door to her bathroom then sighs heavily, "What are you doing, Raven?" She splashes water on her face in an attempt to remove some of the redness from her cheeks. "Why couldn't I just tell her that she's being ignorant?" Raven runs her hands through her hair, trying to at least look like she wasn't on the verge of another mental breakdown. She racks her brain more as she exits out the bathroom door. She pulls open the closet, and grabs the first outfit her hand touches. "Maybe I am just a terrible person," she whispers out as she slides the black hoodie over her head. "Yeah. That's it. I'm just a terrible person," she repeats to herself as she eyes her reflection in the mirror. "Red eyes and black jeans and a hoodie huh? Some real date material. Maybe she'll see what a trainwreck I am and just friend break up with me. Wouldn't that be great?" She chuckles to herself, "as if… that would make my too life easy." She deeply sighs then disappears out of the room into the hall.
"I'm ready. Star," she calls as she walks into the alien's bedroom. Starfire flies over happily. Raven glances down her outfit for the second time that day then sheepishly looks away in embarrassment. "She looks like something out of a winter magazine, and I look like death. Suddenly I'm regretting my mental breakdown." She snaps out of her thoughts as Starfire pulls her out of the room with a big smile.
"So uh this is where you wanted to take me today?" Raven asks, reading the sign aloud, "Happily Ever After Book Den."
"I passed this shop earlier this week, and I saw that your favourite author had just released his new book! My first thought was of course to bring you!" Starfire chimes out excitedly. "Is it to your liking?"
"I've actually never been to this bookstore," Raven remarks dryly, feeling guilty about her thoughtful friend already. She heads in through the open door Star is holding then breathes in the scent of new books.
"It seems most cozy," Starfire replies as she glances around the dimly lit store. "There!" She pulls Raven to the small display of black books.
"She really remembered my favourite author," Raven thinks to herself as she picks up the small book off the pedestal. She runs her hands over the leather cover. "Do I even know if Starfire reads? How much attention does she pay to me? Azar. I really am terrible aren't I?"
"Raven?" Starfire calls out for the third time, snapping the smaller girl out of her thoughts.
"Huh?"
"I was asking if you are going to purchase the novel. You have been staring at it for quite some time."
Raven sighs, sitting the book back down on it's display. "Uh maybe later. Are uh you looking at anything in here?" She asks, scratching at her arms nervously.
"Raven," Starfire states in a rare, serious tone, "are you alright? If there is something that is bothering you or you do not wish to be here with me, we may go home. I do not wish to bring you the discomfort."
Raven shoots her a fake smile, "I'm fine, Star." "She looks so sad. I'm the reason she's sad! Get it together, Raven," Raven quickly glances around for a distraction. "Hey uh Star? Will you go buy me a coffee why I run to the restroom?" She quickly extends money to the alien then retreats off before she could get a response.
Raven throws open the door to the restroom then locks it, leaning her back against the door. "I should've just stayed home," she whispers to herself as tears suddenly make their way down her face. "Stupid thoughtful alien. Stupid Raven. Stupid guilt. I'm just so freaking stupid." Raven hugs herself tightly as her back slides down the bathroom door. Rave chokes back sobs as tears stain her hoodie. "I'm literally crying in a bookstore bathroom." She whispers to herself as she wipes her eyes with her sleeves. She takes a deep breath then stands up, leaning over the sink. "Rock bottom, huh?" She asks her red eyed reflection. "God just look at you. What are you even doing? What is this? You're so fucking-"
"Raven?" A soft voice calls from outside the door.
Starfire grips the cups a little tighter when she doesn't receive a response. "Raven?" She asks, a little louder. "Raven? Please respond? Are you the all right?" Starfire quickly stops talking as the door swings open. She looks down at the smaller girl, who frankly, looked like she got hit by a bus on the way to the bathroom.
"I'm fine, Starfire," Raven remarks, offering a small smile.
Raven's smile soon turns real as Starfire extends a warm cup to her. "I know you wished for a coffee, but as I was in line, I remembered you do not like coffee, Raven. I got us the hot chocolates instead! Also," she starts as she extends a plastic bag to Raven, "I bought your book while you were in there as well."
Raven blinks a few times at the girl in front of her, "you're… you're really something. Do you know that?"
Starfire tilts her head to the side, "I am the something, yes?"
Raven can't help but chuckle at the confusion of the girl in front of her, "I just meant thank you for getting me a hot chocolate. It was nice of you to remember I hate coffee."
Starfire flashes a wide smile. "We are ready to leave now, correct? Our job is done?"
Raven starts to frown as realization dawns on her. "She thinks I'm miserable with her right now. That's why she went ahead and bought the book. God. Can she turn the thoughtful off for two seconds? Ugh. I really need to make this up to her. Think Raven think! Quit being useless!"
"Why do you still look upset, Raven? We are going home, correct? Will that not make you happy?" Starfire tilts her head again as she starts to pull Raven towards the bookstore's exit.
Raven sighs as they exit the small shop. "Weren't we trying to get away from the boys?" She offers Starfire a small smile as they stop at the sidewalk. Starfire opens her mouth to respond, but Raven cuts her off. "Let's go somewhere else," she spits out quickly.
Starfire's face instantly lights up happily, and Raven feels the first happiness she's felt all day. "Where are you taking me, Raven?"
Raven smiles as she grabs Starfire's arm, leading her the opposite direction of the tower. "You'll see."
Starfire slides her hand down into Raven's as they walk down the sidewalk, sipping from their cups happily.
"Written in the Stars," Starfire reads aloud then stares at Raven in confusion.
"It's uh, it's a planetarium," Raven mumbles out, a blush blooming on her face from Starfire's staring. "Stop blushing, Raven. I finally start to calm down and then she just breathes and I can't think straight." "Has uh anyone ever shown you the constellations?" She spills out nervously.
"What does the consolation have to do with Earth?" Star stares at the giant globe on the sign in confusion.
"No not consolation, Star, constellations," Raven softly chuckles as she leads the alien inside, "They're clusters of stars that… nevermind. Here I'll show you."
Starfire's eyes light up as she enters the dimly lit building. "This is space themed, correct?" She glances around in awe then remarks, "There is the earth sun and moon on that wall!"
Raven smiles as she looks at the wall, "Yeah. See you walk through the building and get to see all the objects that rotate around earth. It starts with the sun and moon and as we walk through, we'll get to see all the stars that you can see from every part of earth." Raven leads Star towards the wall and points happily. "Have you heard the tale of the sun and the moon being lovers?"
"Your planetary celestials are in love?" Starfire asks, reading the little sign on the wall explaining gravity between the two.
"Well, not exactly. I was actually reading about it earlier today," Raven smiles as Star turns to face her, "the moon had fallen in love with the sun as he saw how everyone reacted to her warmth and light. He realized that they just slept through his glow and to save up energy to see his love the next morning. He only saw her only at dawn and dusk, but he wished to see her more. The sun told him that they could never be, but he always hopes that she will change her mind. That's why in the summer we can see the moon for longer."
"Does the sun not love the moon back?" Starfire asks, listening intently to the tale.
"Azar she's so cute." "She does. The moon just made her promise to not abandon her lovely light for his fleeting darkness. It's also said that's why eclipses are so rare; the lovers are meeting in secret to love each other in the light of day."
"Your earth moon must be very in love to only see it's lover for a few minutes a day." Starfire happily squeezes Raven's hand in response to the story, "Do you think we will love like that, Raven?"
Raven chokes on air as her face turns to the shade of Starfire's hair. "Say something! Anything! Azar, she's staring at me."
"Do all the shapes have stories?" Starfire asks, looking down the hall of stars.
Raven releases the breathe she doesn't realize she's holding then smiles, "Most of them do, yes. That's why I wanted to show you this place. I knew you'd enjoy it." Starfire beams happily, her eyes lighting up. "Maybe you are like the sun, Starfire."
"What about this one?" the alien asks, almost like a little kid, as she drags Raven to the nearest wall.
"That's Ursa Major and Minor. They're mother and son bears," Raven replies, pointing to the wall. "You can tell because the small one is curved towards the large one, so he can watch over his mother."
"How did the bears become stars? What makes them so special?" Starfire replies, gently rubbing her thumb over Raven's knuckles.
Raven clears her throat, turning red again, "Zeus's wife did it- i mean uh not," she quickly breathes then sighs, "I mean Zeus was cheating on his wife with a human woman. When his wife came down to earth to see if he was being loyal, he panicked and turned his girlfriend into a giant brown bear. Once she was a bear, her son accidentally ended up hunting her. As an apology, Zeus made them into constellations so they could be together forever."
"Are all the stories this sweet?" Starfire asks, looking at Raven smiling.
"Well, I mean, she died I wouldn't exactly-" Raven chokes on her words as she realizes Starfire isn't breaking eye contact.
"You know a lot about this subject, Raven," Starfire smiles widely.
"Why is she looking at me like that? Oh Azar is she getting closer?" Raven feels her whole body freeze as Starfire's face gets closer. "If you do want a sad story though wait till I tell you about Orion!" Raven quickly almost shrieks out as she drops Starfire's hand and escapes to the next part of the wall.
Raven deeply blushes to herself as she tries to breathe, "I was just starting to get my emotions under control. Then she just had to try to kiss me."
(Happy New Year Everyone!"