Thresholding by CidGregor
Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans.
This fic is dedicated to Post, for all that he has contributed to its existence. (Run! He's getting his pyriod!)
Chapter 12
It was a disturbing sight, seeing the hangars of the Squir'l standing empty, save for the battered components of the T-Ship. Not a single Tamaranian fighter had survived the assault. Thirty capable, honorable warriors, according to Tromand'r – all dead.
Their sacrifices were thankfully not in vain; the enemy craft and all its fighters had been obliterated by the arrival of the Tamaranian war fleet, and the two dozen-or-so ships were now establishing themselves in orbit around Earth, ready to defend it from the Gordanian armies that were surely on their way. And to Robin's amazement, General Graham had done nothing to strike at them yet…and now, surprising Robin further, was this new government official on the line for him.
Robin seriously pondered this new development. Had Graham been at last removed from power for his actions? Was this person contacting him some new authority overriding the General? Or was Graham perhaps just biding his time, waiting for the most opportune time to send another misguided strike their way?
Robin looked up from his thoughts. Tromand'r walked at his side, leading him back toward the bridge. The other Titans, minus Starfire, were following behind him. Robin's eyes lingered on Terra for a moment, some part of him wanting to ask her about Starfire, but he thought better of it. If she was awake this soon, she would be fine, he reasoned with himself. In the meantime, this new development was more important.
The bridge doors slid open, and Tromand'r immediately took charge. He barked out an order in Tamaranian to one of his crew, who answered him hurriedly.
Tromand'r turned to Robin, his body blocking the communicator panel. "My men tell me that this human is specifically requesting to speak with you."
"Is that all right with you?" Robin asked.
Tromand'r nodded, but did not yet step aside. "There is something else. The origin of this signal is not on the Planet's surface. It is moving through the atmosphere at high speed. Straight toward us, to be precise."
Robin frowned. "You mean whatever is signaling us is flying? And it's on its way here?"
"That is correct. And further…" Tromand'r gestured to a display hanging above Robin's head. "When we analyzed the source of the signal, we found a very familiar craft."
Robin looked at the display. Oh, he recognized them, all right. The F-18 fighters. They were back. Four sleek silver jets were cutting through the air, and aiming straight for them. According to the displays, the signal was originating from the lead fighter.
"You don't think…?" Robin trailed off.
"I will allow you to speak with them. But if I suspect hostile intent from them, Robin, I will order my forces to fire on them."
Robin glared at Tromand'r, but now wasn't the time to argue. He stepped forward as Tromand'r stepped aside, and flicked a switch on the communications panel. "This is Robin of the Teen Titans. I understand you wanted to speak to me specifically?"
The radio crackled for a moment, then came alive. "Robin…good to hear from you again."
Robin raised an eyebrow; he recognized that voice. "Commander Amato?"
"In the flesh," the fighter pilot confirmed. "My apologies that we had to start off on the wrong foot earlier. It seems you were right after all. Graham's analysis of the situation was way off. Central command has removed him from jurisdiction on this issue."
Robin breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good to hear."
"They would also like to extend the hand of friendship to our visitors, and hopefully let the peace talks begin. They are, curious, however, about that firefight over the last half hour."
"Everything will be explained shortly, Commander," Robin assured him. "I'm guessing your squadron is here for escort duty, then?"
"That's affirmative, Robin. We're ready to receive the dignitaries of the alien people whenever they are ready to send them."
"Right. Hold your positions around their ships; I'll get back to you as soon as I can." Robin glanced aside at Tromand'r, who was momentarily distracted by something one of his crewmen was telling him. Robin lowered his voice and went on, "Listen, Commander…keep a bit of extra distance, just in case…we've got a bit of an itchy trigger finger up here…I'm honestly not sure which way he's leaning right now, but Graham's actions caused the deaths of quite a few of his people, so he's not too happy about it."
"Understood. Holding positions."
Robin clicked off the communicator, and turned to Tromand'r. "The fighters are not hostile," the Boy Wonder informed him. "General Graham has been removed from jurisdiction, and Earth is now extending the hand of friendship to you. I suggest you accept it."
Tromand'r frowned. "Frankly, Robin, I am not inclined to…but it is no longer my decision to make."
"It isn't?"
"No. Now the decision rests with the commander, Lord Galfore. A shuttle escort is en route now to bring us to his command ship, the Echo'r."
Robin nodded, internally relieved. Galfore, he knew, could be reasoned with. Maybe things were at last looking up.
"What about Starfire?" Terra spoke up from the middle of the rest of the Titans.
"The Princess has already been moved to the main medical ship. They have the capabilities to heal her wounds more quickly and thoroughly than we do here. She should be healed enough to be able to participate in the deliberations by the time we arrive. In fact it is vital that she is. Lord Galfore insists on her presence."
Robin nodded. "Then let's get moving."
The Titans found their way to the hangar bays once more, where two Tamaranian shuttles awaited them.
"Two?" Robin said aloud.
Tromand'r glanced aside at the Boy Wonder. "As I said, Lord Galfore insists on Starfire's presence. I've been instructed to collect her from the medical ship and bring her to him on the Echo'r."
"…Then I'm going with you."
Tromand'r sighed. "I expected you would insist as much."
Robin frowned at that, but the Captain did not fight him on it, and while the rest of the Titans boarded the shuttle bound for the Echo'r, Tromand'r and Robin entered the shuttle headed for the medical ship. The two craft launched from the Squir'l and split off, heading for their respective destinations.
"So Starfire's okay, then?"
"For the last time, Cyborg, yes. She was fine when they kicked me out, and I'm sure she's fine now."
"I'm sorry, Terra, I don't mean to pester, just…it's like she's my little sister, y'know?"
"We're all family, in some sense of the word," Raven murmured from her seat on the shuttle. "We're all concerned for Starfire on one level or another. But she's fine. I can sense it."
Beast Boy gave a thumbs up. "Yeah, Star's just fine. It's Robin I'd be worried about, if anyone," he added with a slight chuckle. "Starfire'll probably sock him one for being such a…dick."
For some reason both Raven and Terra exchanged a snicker at that.
Beast Boy raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"Nothing," Terra said. "I wouldn't worry about Robin either, Beast Boy. I think he's finally gotten some sense knocked into him."
At that moment their shuttle docked with the command ship Echo'r, and the doors slid open, inviting the Titans inside.
"Well, y'all…this is it," Cyborg said. "Time to play politics."
"Let's just hope Galfore hasn't gotten as hard headed as Tromand'r…" Raven muttered.
Robin stared.
Tromand'r stared straight back.
Neither of them moved a muscle for the entire shuttle ride; they only locked eyes, faces set somewhere between a glare and a scowl. Robin wasn't sure what was on Tromand'r's mind, but his own was still somewhat troubled despite General Graham being removed from the equation…and Tromand'r was the source of that trouble.
Tromand'r…and Starfire.
The shuttle docked with the medical ship, and the two heroes rose in silence, heading for where Starfire was recovering. It was not long at all before they'd reached her room. Robin made to open the door, but Tromand'r held a hand out between him and the door, blocking their entry.
Robin turned his glare upon the Tamaranian Captain again. "What?.!" he snapped.
"I must speak with you, before you go inside," he said.
"And you couldn't do that the whole way here?" Robin said harshly.
"I do not blame you for holding hostilities toward me, as it is because of me that Koriand'r is in here at all. But surely you understand that this was a risk she willingly entered into, do you not?"
"What's your point?"
"My 'point' is just what I have been telling both you AND the Princess from the outset. I fear for both of your safety when you allow your emotions to interfere with your judgment as you have done so much since my arrival."
Robin internally sighed. So Raven wasn't the only one who'd noticed, after all. Everyone, even the alien who'd been around for hardly twenty-four hours, could see as plain as day what he felt for Starfire. Great.
"I do not expect you to understand me…or even listen to me, young as you are. But if you allow yourself to be swayed by your feelings, then sooner or later, it will bring disaster. To you, if you are lucky…to those you love, if you are not."
Robin's gaze softened. "Believe me…I do understand where you're coming from. And to tell the truth, I used to think that way too. It's a mentality my mentor lives by. But living that way was destroying me, Captain. Denying my feelings is what's been affecting me all this time. And I refuse to do it anymore. I refuse to go back to that way of life. It was killing me, Tromand'r, not being honest with myself. I didn't know it at the time, but…I was miserable."
"More miserable than you would be if those you let yourself love were made to suffer?" Tromand'r asked. "If you were forced to make a decision…forced to do what MUST be done…at the cost of your loved ones' lives? At the price of their blood on your hands?"
Tromand'r's own face had softened now. Robin saw beyond the mask of the battle-hardened warrior and officer. Beyond his humanoid-yet-alien features. Beyond everything that Tromand'r was on the outside. Robin saw through all that…and within him…Robin saw a kindred spirit. One who knew the pain he spoke of all too well. Robin saw a soul no different from his own.
Robin internally shuddered, staring at the floor. "Believe me…I know. I know what it's like to lose loved ones. And the thought of losing any of my friends again…my family…it terrifies me…"
He looked up to face Tromand'r again. "But that doesn't mean we should stop loving entirely. It may be a risk…especially in the hero business…but it's what makes us whole. It's what gives us purpose in life. Gives us something to fight for. With something like that as the prize…it's worth the risk of losing it."
Robin turned back toward the door. "That's what Starfire is to me. She gives me purpose…she's what I fight for. I just…never admitted it to myself. And now that I have…I'll be damned if I let the possibility of losing her scare me away from ever being with her to begin with."
Robin strode through the door, and this time Tromand'r made no move to stop him. The door slid shut behind the Boy Wonder, leaving the Captain standing alone in the hallway. For a moment he stood there, silent and unmoving. Then, slowly, he reached one hand up to the long braid of hair that hung down over his chest. Carefully he undid the tie at the end of the braid…and as he did so, something small and gold fell out from within. Tromand'r caught it with one hand, letting his hair hang loosely, and examined the object. It was flat and rounded, like a small medallion, with Tamaranian script written across the face of it. Tromand'r worked his thumb along a crack in the side, and the front of the object popped off. His hand trembling only slightly, he took off the cover and looked beneath it…
Inside…was a small photo of a Tamaranian woman. A woman whom Tromand'r stood stock still and stared at, for the first time in many, many years.
………Cathir'n………
Robin approached Starfire's bed with some trepidation, almost fearing how she would react to him after so long of their butting heads. For a while he only stood there, admiring the alien girl's soft, gentle facial features for what felt like the first time in his life; looking over the wounds she'd suffered that were now quickly healing; and watching the rhythmic rise and fall of her breath. She'd nodded off again at some point between the Squir'l and here; likely she was still exhausted from her fight, Robin guessed. Unfortunately, she needed to be awake, and not just because of Galfore's summons.
He laid his hand on her shoulder and lightly shook her. "Starfire? Can you hear me? C'mon, Star, time to wake up."
Starfire responded to his touch almost immediately. She raised her arms up over her head, stretching them out as she yawned cutely. Her eyes blinked slowly open and focused on the Boy Wonder at her bedside, and Robin watched uncertainty fill the emerald pools.
"Hi, Star…" Robin began, putting on a nervous smile, but it faded as Starfire only stared at him, neither angry, nor happy. "Erm…Galfore is asking about you…he'd really like it if you could join him for the…the peace negotiations…with Earth…"
Silence fell between them again, and Starfire only kept staring at him with those uncertain eyes. Robin couldn't bear it for long; he averted his eyes from hers…mere milliseconds before Starfire did the same. Both of them opened their mouths at the same time…
"I'm sorry, Star." "I am sorry, Robin."
It was a moment before they realized they'd both spoken at once. They slowly looked back at each other, both expressions a little more hopeful.
"Starfire…" Robin murmured, the first to find his voice again, "you don't need to apologize for anything. I'm the one who's been a jerk lately…"
"But Robin…I failed," Starfire responded. "I challenged Captain Tromand'r to stop his assault on Earth, and I…I failed."
"Hey, Star, it's okay. Everything's worked out for the best. Tromand'r cooperating now that Galfore and the fleet are here, he's not attacking anyone. I'm just glad you're okay. Don't feel bad. I'm the one who owes you an apology."
"Robin…truly, it is not necessary--"
"Yes it is, Star," Robin said. "I've been…a HUGE idiot, ever since…well…"
"Since you witnessed me bestowing your language upon Captain Tromand'r," Starfire filled in for him.
"Yeah…" Robin admitted. "I…overreacted. And I took most of it out on you. You didn't deserve any of that, Starfire…and I want to apologize…"
Starfire propped herself up into a sitting position so she was at eye level with the Boy Wonder. "Robin, I insist, this is not--"
"Please, Starfire, let me finish…it's important to me."
Starfire frowned slightly, but she fell silent.
Robin took a deep breath. "There's something else I need to tell you. Something that I've refused to admit to myself for a long time now…and never more strongly than the last day or so. But I'm sick of lying to myself."
"About what?" Starfire asked.
Robin took one of Starfire's hands in both of his own. "About you, Star."
"Me?"
Robin nodded. He breathed deep again. This is it, he thought. Now…or never.
"Starfire…I think…that I've been…falling in love with you."
Starfire let out a tiny gasp, and her free hand flew up to cover her mouth, eyes wide. But Robin wasn't finished.
"I don't know how long I've felt this way and refused to let myself believe it…but it is there. I can't ignore it anymore. I really…really do love you, Starfire. I know that probably doesn't mean much to you…you might not even care at all…but I needed you to know the truth…so I could stop lying to myself."
Robin released her hand and closed his eyes. "Thank you…for at least listening."
He turned away, and made to leave the room, but a tug on his arm held him in place. He looked back, down at his hand.
Starfire was still holding onto it.
Robin looked up into the girl's eyes again, and saw they were swimming with emotion.
"Robin…what on Earth could ever give you the idea that I do not care about you?"
The Boy Wonder stared back in shock. He was stunned enough that the conversation was still going; now she was making him think he'd been mistaken all this time?
"I…I just…" Robin muttered. "…When I saw you…kiss Tromand'r…I thought…I…I dunno what I thought…I was just so upset by it for some reason. And then later, when you said that kissing is just a tool for exchanging language…that it doesn't mean anything romantic to you…I realized that those times you and I…well…that those times didn't mean anything to you either."
Robin felt Starfire pull a little tighter on his arm. "Come here."
Robin obliged, moving a little closer to her. She swung her legs out from under the bed covers and braced herself against Robin's body as she pulled herself into a standing position. She released his hand, and brought both of hers up to his face.
"Robin, I have been here on Earth for well over a year now. And from the moment I arrived, you were teaching me. Your lips bestowed your language upon me. Your deeds showed me kindness beyond anything I could ever have dreamed of as a slave. You befriended me without any thought of personal gain. Thanks to you more than any other, I have come to learn a great many things about this planet…including its culture. When I said the act of touching one's lips to those of another does not hold any romantic connotations among my people…I did not mean that to be true of myself."
"You…didn't?"
Starfire actually giggled. "Of course not. Robin, I know perfectly well how much romantic symbolism there is in a kiss among Earthlings. It was in that very spirit that I kissed you…during Kitten's mind control…in our battle with the Earth Titan…and now."
"N-now? What--"
But Robin never finished his sentence, for Starfire pulled him forward and pressed her lips to his. Robin quickly relaxed into it…or he relaxed as much as he was able to, anyway, which wasn't very much at all; kissing Starfire was like touching a live wire. The sensations surged through his body like an electric shock, making the notion of 'relaxing' a lost cause. He wrapped his arms around her lower back and fiercely returned the kiss, for the first time really allowing himself to enjoy the feeling. The kiss deepened as he felt her lips part, and he responded in kind…tasting her, drinking her in. Her every scent and taste and touch was mesmerizing; her hair gave off a faint aroma of strawberries, her lips were like rich cherries, her hands were blankets of silk caressing his cheeks with their every stroke.
When she finally released him, he was about ready to collapse where he stood, his knees were so weak. He had to brace himself against Starfire's shoulder for a moment until some of the feeling came back into his legs so that he could stand straight.
"Starfire…what does all this mean?" he asked once he was finally stable.
The alien girl gazed into his eyemask, her hands still on the sides of his face. "It means, Robin, that your feelings are not unrequited." She leaned slowly toward him again. "I believe that I am also doing the falling in love with you."
She drew him forward again, but differently, somehow; it was a slower, more nervous movement now. Instead of bringing their lips together, she leaned the tip of her forehead against his, so that her bangs and eyebrows brushed gently against his. It sent a pleasant tingle through Robin's cranium, an entirely new sensation to him. He felt her positively trembling in his arms, as though this simple action made her more nervous than a kiss ever would.
And then it struck him. That was exactly what this was to her. This was a Tamaranian kiss.
Robin wasn't quite sure what to do; this was entirely new territory to him. Experimentally he shifted his head a bit, so that his eyebrows rubbed ever so slightly against hers. Instantly he felt her nervous trembling cease. She relaxed into it with a tiny murmur of pleasure, and Robin knew he was at last doing something right. His hands drifted upward, sliding beneath her hair and stroking along her back and making her shiver at the sensation. His hands reached her shoulders and stopped, massaging the bare skin there. She melted into it, slipping her own hands past his face and around his neck. She squeezed him tighter against her body, and both of them could feel a passionate heat building in their hearts…
"Ahem."
Starfire jerked, spinning her quickly-reddening face around toward the new voice. Robin's own gaze followed almost lazily, like he'd barely heard it.
Tromand'r stood in the doorway, a vague smirk on his face. "I do not wish to interrupt, but…Emperor Galfore is still waiting, Princess."
"Oh! Y-yes, o-of course!" she stammered hurriedly. "How absent of me to forget such important matters! Come, Robin, we have peace to negotiate!"
"Uh-huh…sure thing," he murmured, still dazed, but happier than he ever remembered himself being. He drifted along after the airborne Starfire, practically hovering himself. There was nothing that could diminish the unbridled joy within him.
Nothing……
Author's Note: For those of you who haven't heard yet, fanfiction dot net now has a Forums feature. Any author can create their own forum to their personal tastes and likings. If any of you are interested, I have jumped on this feature and created my own forum. You can find the link on my author profile page. Just click the 'forums' tag near the top of the page to check it out. I hope to see some of you there!
-Cid