"Out here on this lovely night, I see."

Turns out it didn't take long to see her again. It doesn't take long for her to face him, either. She's wearing this white dress, all pretty and angelic and really, he can't help but smirk. How pure she looks despite that look in her eyes, something that resembles rot.

Her whole body tenses before her eyes glow green and she raises her arm, firing up that admittedly sexy starbolt thing of hers. It flickers in her hand, but she keeps her ground.

She's a lot stronger than she looks, he knows this, but he almost feels bad for her. She looks exhausted above everything else. Why was she even here in the first place? Was she looking for something, someone?

Would be pretty damn nice if she was looking for him. His hopes aren't high, though.

He keeps a safe distance from her, despite the fact that he only wants to move closer, closer. 'Cause despite himself, despite the fact that he's been all alone for some time now, he's been wondering about her. Thinking about the way she was all warm in his arms. He wants to know her, wants to get to.

"I'm not here to pick a fight, princess." And really, he isn't. But he's not gonna butter her up, either.

"Then what is it that you want?" she says lowly, almost a growl. It would intimidate him if he wasn't who he was.

Still, though. Pretty hot.

"Just wanna know how you're doing, seeing as you were bleeding out on the street just a week ago." He lifts his arms in mock surrender. "But fine, give me your attitude. Just know that next time you're in dire need of medical attention, I won't patch you up."

With hesitation, she allows her starbolt to spark and die.

"It was you who…" she trails off, gesturing towards her side. She must not remember much. But that attitude. Woof. She's angry.

He likes it.

"Yup. And I did it aaall by myself."

She furrows her brows and stares straight into his masked eyes. "Why?" she says, and it catches him off guard a bit 'cause she says it so softly and, more importantly, she's asking as if he knows the answer. It's kinda funny, so he laughs, but she just tilts her head at him like a curious cat. Well, a pissed one.

"Did I do something humorous?"

"Nah. You're just cute."

She looks both flustered and disgusted. Nice. He loves reaction, response. He wonders how she'd react if he touched her in the right places. Pushed the right buttons. He bets she purrs.

"You here to take me up on my offer?" he continues, smirking. "From what I understand, your boy's not treating you right. Well, you're in luck, cutie," he says, gesturing to himself animatedly.

Like, why wouldn't she want some random dude wearing a mask at night that she only vaguely remembers saving her life about a week or two ago?

"What are you talking about?" she says through gritted teeth, fists curled at her sides.

"You did lose a good amount of blood that night. You probably don't remember. But don't worry, princess, I did nothing but treat that nasty wound."

"I believe I inquired why you did so."

He chuckles. "Why does it matter? You're alive. I'd at least appreciate a 'thank you.' But suit yourself."

With that, he turns and walks away, deliberately slow. Another set of fireworks go off in the sky. He stops and looks up. They're so close that they boom in his chest, and he welcomes the feel of it. Behind him, she whimpers, not unlike a hurt kitten. Must've caught her off guard. She makes no other sound.

He watches the colors fizz and fade and die and he waits silently. She hasn't moved, not an inch. Her presence is so heavy and warm, it radiates all over his back. He's been feeling it all around him since he first found her, and he doubts he'll be able to shake it off anytime soon. There's just something about her that pulls him in, makes him dizzy if he thinks about it too much. He wants her heat in his mouth. Wants to know what she tastes like.

He'll take his time. Let her take hers. Build up to something indescribable. Something she won't forget.

"You should not have assisted me," she says so low, he almost doesn't hear it under the last of the fireworks.

"What's that, princess?" He looks over his shoulder to see those cat eyes. They're wide, unapologetic. Afraid. He says nothing more. He waits for her. That's the game he's learned to play: the waiting game. Don't fill in the gaps, or else you'll lose.

"You should not have assisted me," she says again, finally, louder in the now silent air. He turns and makes his way towards her, just to see if she'd step back. She doesn't. "Though I am grateful to you —"

"You're grateful for me not letting you bleed out, but I still should've let you bleed out?" he says with a cocky grin, one eyebrow raised. She's fun. She's real cute too with that little pout. No wonder why Dickhead's head over heels for her.

He's closing in on her personal space, but she doesn't cower. The "fuck you" kinda look on her face is kinda turning him on. He'd gladly let her.

"You're not making a whole lotta sense, cutie."

"Then allow me to speak," she bites back.

He hasn't been this entertained in awhile. Maybe it's that he hasn't really spoken to anybody lately, or the fact that he simply likes riling people up. Alien chicks, too.

He leans in just a bit closer, lips inches from her ear. "Sorry, princess. I won't interrupt you again."

Once he locks eyes with her again, he smiles sweetly. Lets his dimples show. Her expression softens for only a second before she's back to her cute little tough schtick.

"I am grateful for you assisting me," she repeats herself, speaking confidently, gracefully. "I thank you. But I cannot help," her voice wavers, "but wonder…" she trails off, looking down at her feet.

"Hmm?" he breathes.

"Perhaps it would have been best to leave me there."

"Now, why's that?"

She's silent, and he lets her be. He thinks back to when he saw her last, how destroyed she looked. It was fucking weird how drawn he was to her. He honestly could've left her there, let golden boy find her half-dead deep in the city.

For once, his intentions are, for the most part, as much as they could be, pure. He doesn't mean her any harm. No, that's not a face he could hurt. He's not as depraved as he makes himself seem. He just thinks she's pretty. Real fuckin' pretty.

When she looks at him again, tears brim her eyes.

Oh no.

He hasn't exactly been around people lately. Hasn't spoken to a trusted friend, let alone try to form any sort of connection between himself and somebody else. He threw intimacy and emotion into the ocean to drown when he came back from the other side. But seeing the pain in her eyes, watching something like glass shattering right in front of him makes him involuntarily lurch forward. His chest fucking aches all of a sudden.

He knows this. He understands her, in this moment, without words. He doesn't look away. Doesn't feel right to. Almost like he needs to prove himself to her or some shit. He is a man, dammit.

He doesn't know how much longer he could take it, though. His skin is crawling. What the fuck happened to this girl? A tear slips down her cheek, and he panics. When was the last time he did that?

"Do, do you…"

She gives him that same curious look from before, all innocent and more. He forces himself to regain his composure. Don't be a bitch, Todd.

"Do you like dogs?"


She has never been one to remain in the past. It was what she was taught as a child, when she lived around and in the present, careless and free. Her people moved forward. Never stuck in the before. The pain.

And here, on a whole entire different planet, she has never missed her motherland like this. She is sitting across from the one person who pushed her forward until he pulled back. Wishing for the kiss she almost had, the searing want a ghost over her skin. Never had she longed to go back to the way things had been. To the springtime, to the summer before, X'hal, even the beginning.

She could feel his eyes behind the mask, prickling her skin, making her dizzy. Whatever fun she was having ended when the bottle landed on him, just a moment ago:

"Robin… Truth? Or dare?" Bumblebee had said with a mischievous smile.

After a beat, and with a smirk: "Dare."

"I dare you to kiss Starfire," she said without a hint of hesitation.

Her blood pressure dropped about thirty seconds ago and she did not think it would climb back up to a healthy level soon.

Cursed. Cursed. She is cursed, she knows this for a fact now. His expression reminds her of that night, nearly a week ago, when he'd — when he did that thing after she was doing another thing and what did she do to deserve all of this again? She is running through every conceivable emotion on the Tamaranean spectrum in less than a minute while he simply stares, unmoving.

She has no means of escape, not without making what she hopes isn't obvious, obvious. She makes the mistake of looking at everyone's smiling faces, and panics even more. Her eyes land on Raven's, and silently, she begs for help.

"Robby, ya know ya want to…"

He stands up. X'hal, save her. If he kisses her… if he kisses her, she doesn't know what she would do. Her mind is nearly gone, there is a strong chance she will lose control of herself and do things she'd regret. What exactly, she does not know. This deeply unsettles her.

He walks around the table full of candlelight, closer to her, and it was as though she could feel the strings between them, the very things that connected them, and she wants to cut them off and run away. She's thinking in babbles, glued to her seat, unaware of anything else but him.

What happened to the silly dares just minutes ago? The ones that had her giggling nonstop? The ones that did not involve lip contact? Why hadn't he picked truth? He would have gotten a question a lot better than this! He doesn't even want to kiss her! Why was he about to? Was he actually about to kiss her? Why can't this just not happen? Why does it have to be that a party game is what makes him lean in, and —

He bends down just low enough that his head is level with hers.

Yeah. Her heart stops. She has died, and she is currently dead. Someone take her back home, so that she may rest in peace.

All she can focus on is the white of his mask. It stands out against the shadows along his face. She learns that forever is merely seconds long, and that if she looks hard enough, she could see his eyes behind the mask, watching her. It's too much. She closes her own. She thinks she can hear the sounds of anticipation coming from everyone else behind the pounding in her ears.

His breath hits her cheek. She thinks she hates it.

"I won't —" he whispers to her before she interrupts him with a hard shove. She doesn't really think about it. She just wants him gone, away from her.

She hears him stumble and fall, still not daring to open her eyes. It seems like nobody even breathes for a moment.

Then, all at once, nobody could catch their breath.

"Damn Star," Bumblebee says through laughter, shaking her shoulder. "I did not expect that, whatsoever." Starfire forces herself to finally open her eyes and look at the girl, who had tears in her own.

Everyone seemed to be laughing. She was mortified. For herself, for him, for both of them. They must all take her for a fool. Especially him.

She's afraid to look down and see the irrevocable damage she has done to what was left of their friendship.

Except he's not there. When did he get up? She whips her head around, trying to catch sight of him. Where did he go?

"Woo, that was a good laugh," she hears Beast Boy say somewhere beside her.

"Yo. The rain stopped. Y'all down for some fireworks?"

"I'm down."

"Hell yeah."

"To the roof!"

Starfire doesn't follow when everyone files out of the ops room, nor does she really respond to anything anyone says to her in the meantime. She sits in a haze, unable to unravel herself from the blur. A hand rests on her shoulder, and she knows whose it is without having to look. It relaxes her just a bit.

"Sorry about that, Star," Raven says. "But trust me, nobody knows anything, and nobody's making fun of you. Don't worry about it."

She smiles weakly, turning to face her friend. "It is not that."

"I know."

Starfire nods numbly. "I am tired."

"I know."

She sighs deeply. Inhales deeply. Exhales.

"It would be rude if I did not join the others, would it not?"

Raven squeezes her shoulder. She seems to be her only reassurance as of late.


She doesn't like dogs.

She loves them.

The difference in her demeanor is a fucking trip to witness. Her emotional stability is definitely not here, but it's not like his really exists, either.

He gave her another out, another chance to leave. A chance to get the final say, or maybe even kick his ass for the comments he's made to her in the two times they've spoken.

She stayed.

She is currently next to him right now, having the time of her life, something she may or may not have had if she left him the way she should've and he would've.

What that means, he doesn't know. Except maybe that she just really loves dogs.

He found Eliza a few months ago, shivering all alone on the street. She was a sweetheart from the moment he reached out and scratched behind her ears. She was smaller then, a skinny puppy that was abandoned by who the fuck knows who, but if he ever gets to meet whoever left the poor puppy to die on the street, he will happily beat them to a pulp.

He's always had a soft spot for animals, particularly dogs. He had a dog named Sparky when he was younger, back when he was living in a shithole in Gotham and he had nobody else. He loved Sparky with all his heart. God, he misses that dog.

He wasn't sure what breed she was exactly, probably a mutt. But she looked a lot like a German Shepherd. And holy fuck, was she cute.

She looks extra cute playing with her.

The girl coos as she holds Eliza's face, stroking her fur. What overcame him a few minutes ago, he doesn't know, but he doesn't exactly enjoy seeing pretty girls cry. She giggles as Eliza gives her a little kiss.

"Where did you find such a beautiful creature?" she says breathily, wrapping her arms around Eliza's neck. She rests her head on the girl's shoulder, panting happily.

"I found her a while back, starving half to death in some alley way," he says. "Guess I just have a thing for saving cute girls."

She narrows her eyes at him, but then she's back to bubbly laughter when Eliza jumps from her grasp. "Aren't you the energetic?" she grins. He catches a dimple on her right cheek. She's got everything, doesn't she? Gorgeous face, gorgeous hair, gorgeous body, gorgeous smile.

Eliza barks. Woof, indeed.

"She likes you a lot."

She looks up at him with this shy little smile. God. "I like her a lot as well," she says before she leans in and kisses the top of Eliza's head. "Umm… what did you say her name was?"

"I didn't get to tell you 'cause you two hopped onto each other," he chuckles. "Eliza. Her name is Eliza."

"That is a lovely name," she says. She looks over at him with a soft smile and sleepy eyes. "I thank you for introducing me to Eliza. And for your hospitality."

"Hmm, well," he crouches down next to her and scratches Eliza's chin, "no problem. It'd be shitty of me to just leave you there when I had the means to help."

"I apologize for my outburst," she says suddenly, looking at his dog instead of him. "I — I…" She sighs heavily.

"Starfire, right?"

Her eyes widen in surprise. "Correct," she says.

"Honorary member of the Teen Titans. Mot from this planet. Arguably the strongest out of everyone. I've heard about you," he continues. She eyes him warily, but she doesn't speak. "I'm sorry for being such a dick when you were, y'know, in pain," he says. Since when was he sorry for anything? He doesn't really realize what he said until after he said it, and he laughs.

"What?" she says softly.

"Nothing. Starfire." He tries out her name and it rolls off his tongue perfectly. He hears her breath hitch. He likes it.

"Are you… are you one of…"

"Nah, I'm not a part of your crew. Or any one. I work by myself."

"Oh…" she says. "You just look so… familiar."

He laughs again. Little did she know.

"Trying to find out more about me, princess?" he teases. She blushes before scrunching her face up into this cute little angry pout.

"I am merely trying to… trying to…"

"Find out more about me. Get to know me a bit better, all the like. I get it, trust me. My ruggedly good looks are simply… irresistible."

She rolls her eyes and continues to pet Eliza. She tries to hide the little smirk at the corner of her lips, but she fails. She's going to kill him. He feels it now.

He holds out his hand, smiling like the cheeky son of a bitch he is. She looks at him, questioning. Hesitantly, she connects her hand with his, palm to palm, and he swears he feels a spark in the space inbetween.

"Nice to meet you, Starfire. The name's Jason."

"I do not believe I have heard that name before. Jason."

How does she make his name sound sexy?

"I do not believe I have heard Starfire before," he teases, leaning in for a second before pulling back.

"It is merely my Earth name," she says, not playing into his comment.

"So what's your name, princess?"

She glances up at him like a little kitten. "Koriand'r," she says with this wistful smile, like she's remembering somebody who's been long gone. He feels a lump in his throat.

"Like the herb?"

"There is an 'herb' of such a name?!"

He laughs.

"Yup. Koriand'r. Pretty name for a pretty girl."

She blushes, red as her hair, and quickly looks down at her feet. He'd expect for "pretty" to be thrown at her pretty much all the time, but from the looks of it, she doesn't even know what she looks like, let the alone the effect she's got.

Eliza starts to paw at his legs. "She wants to go for a walk," he translates for Starfire, who looked concerned for a split second. "Feel free to walk with us. If not, well…"

He pauses, waiting once again for her response.

"... I hope we meet again, Kori."

She's out of her trance at the sound of her name, like she's been starving to hear it.

"I do not know who you are. I do not know your intentions. I have no reason to trust you."

Well, she's not wrong.

She sighs heavily. Smiles.

"And yet, I have accepted your kindness. This may sound strange, but you remind me of someone I know. Perhaps I…" she shakes her head. He doesn't ask her to finish the thought.

"You have done more for me than you know. Jason, thank you," she says so sincerely it kinda makes his head spin.

She bends down and softly pets Eliza's head, who nuzzles into her hand. "I hope to see you again as well," she says quietly, but still with that smile.

With one motion, she's in the air and he watches her go.

"Kori, you're gonna end me," he mutters to the sky.


She adored fireworks since the first time that she saw them. She felt them pound through her body each time they popped in the sky, a brand new heartbeat made of sparkling color.

The boys sent them off into the sky, tripping and laughing and running around on the roof. It was innocent, fun to watch. She tries to focus on them instead of the embarrassment she was attempting to stifle.

The moon is a bright crescent above them, stars littered about. She cannot find him anywhere.

"Sparkler?" Cyborg says beside her. She spins to face him. He holds a long, skinny package in his hand. "Remember how much you loved these last year?"

"Oh, yes!" she says a little too enthusiastically, which earns her a raised brow. "Yes, of course. May I?" she continues, a bit more toned down.

"Of course, little lady." He hands her a stick and holds a lighter up to its end. With a flash, it ignites, and she laughs in surprise.

She loses herself in the sight of it for a moment. How precious it was to witness something burn so beautifully. Around her, she hears the whistle and bang of another firework, a chorus of sparkling fires coming to life. Laughter and child's play. A world she is currently not in right now.

Without thought, she glances ahead of her. He stands in front of the stars.

How strange it is that she once thought that by now, they would be out of this state of almost. She is tired of reaching the edge only to find that she has more ground to walk. Tired of looking over and finding that he is just as far away as he has always been.

She had never loved someone in so many ways. As a friend, as a partner, a leader. As a confidante and, perhaps most of all, as a lover. An almost lover. A could-have-been. And for all she knows of the ins and outs of him, she has never been sure of what his heart holds for her. As she holds his stare, her faith in him breaks a little more. It is a shame.

She does not want to love him. She does not believe in him anymore.

She turns on her foot and heads towards the girls, who were receiving their own sparklers. Jinx shrieks in delight once she lights her own with a pink flash of energy. Wonder Girl bumps her hip against Starfire's and winks.

"I thought y'all wanted to kiss," Bumblebee giggles, reaching out to put a hand on her shoulder. "I did not expect that!"

The girls laugh again, and Starfire forces herself to laugh along with them. She doesn't want to be embarrassed anymore. Jinx and Argent recreate her moment of shame, with Jinx leaning in with pursed lips. Argent pushes her back and screams.

"Oh, Starfire, I knew it was too late," Jinx sobs dramatically. Something cracks in her. Starfire begins to laugh uncontrollably, and everyone joins in. Even Raven was smirking beside her.

Tears formed in the corners of her eyes. It was truly ridiculous, wasn't it? It made it all hurt so much less.

"Yo, everybody gather 'round! Grand finale!" Cyborg shouts over everyone. "It's almost midnight, y'all, let's go!"

As directed, everyone crowded towards the edge of the roof, keeping a safe distance from the last of the fireworks. With her sparkler still in hand, she looks up at the sky, waiting.

"Ready, guys? Gonna be a big one. Hold onto your panties," Kid Flash yells, holding a long lighter.

The boys and girls cheer loudly, and she joins them.

"Land of the free…"

"HOME OF THE BABES!"


Aqualad gives her a tight hug when he says goodbye. His arms were snug around her waist and she would be lying if she said she did not enjoy it. She squeezed him a little too hard, and ignored the eyes burning holes into her back.

"I'm glad we hung out tonight," he says, gasping for breath once she let him go. "We should… hang out sometime."

She smiles up at him. "As am I. And perhaps we should."

He beams down at her. "Good night, Starfire."

"Thank you for coming. Good night."

She says goodbye to each and everyone of the Titans, thanking them for their presence. The night had ended happily, especially for those who had drinks throughout the night, something she hadn't even realized they had partaken. It was a glorious party, despite the uncomfortable circumstances she was under.

She remains on the roof after cleaning up, sitting over the edge in her favorite spot. That's all she seems to do anymore. Look among the stars and contemplate.

He edges into her mind, smiling mischievously, handsomely. She would think he was a dream had she not been bandaged.

She was scared, scared of what he might do to her. His actions contradict his words. She doesn't know what to think or feel. Was he setting her up? Was he the reason she fell down? Or was he afraid as well?

What would she say to him if she saw him again?

Ever since that night, everything has felt wrong. Everything hurt her. She is struggling to keep this door open. The door where she's carved all her love into it, the grooves all filled with glimmering gold. His name is in the middle, etched with so much care that she forgets her own.

But how can she love him anymore? Even her blood aches as it runs through her.

"I do not want to love you anymore," she whispers, her thought floating in the air. "I cannot love you anymore."

And although her heart breaks once more, and it hurts in a way she has never had the misfortune of carrying, she cannot deny that for the first time in what feels like ages, just a bit: she is free.

The moon pulls her up like a tide, and she floats in its glowing glory. She soars and she does not stop. Something is calling her. There is someone she may or may not find.

Tears fall freely from her eyes, more of a relief than a nuisance. She doesn't know exactly where she's going, or how long it has been since she had taken flight, but when she lands, she thinks she knows.

"Out here on this lovely night, I see," comes a voice behind her. She turns around.