Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans or any of its characters. Hellfire/Marrin'r is mine.
Robin had been immediately suspicious of the young woman when she'd launched a star bolt at Starfire. She was cool, calm and collected and the only hint of emotion had been a small smile when she'd given herself the codename Hellfire. He grit his teeth remembering Star tell him that it was a correct translation.
He looked up to see the mysterious stranger flying just a little ahead of him, her scarf flapping in the wind. It was almost ominous. They were headed back to Titans Tower and he was trying to come up with some reason or another for why she couldn't stay with them. But knowing his luck, Star would insist that she stay with them even though her 'old friend' had tried to 'hurt' her.
Robin sighed. He needed answers but all of this speculation was just giving him a massive headache, not to mention that they needed to analyze Control Freak's remote. And to top it all of he wanted to have a look at the chip in the Tamaranian's arm.
It wasn't long before they made it back to the Tower and had parked the vehicles in the garage. Robin pulled off his helmet and looked to see Hellfire gazing around the interior of the building. If he didn't know any better he'd say she was actually fascinated by it. Of course, the fact that she kept her face a blank mask when it wasn't partially covered by the scarf made it next to impossible to know what she felt.
"This way friend," Starfire said as she headed for the elevator. Robin let out a big sigh. Great. Now he was going to have to ride in a very small box with what could be an assassin. But when the doors shut, there was no din of kunai knives or a sudden inhalation of knockout gas. No, Hellfire seemed perfectly content with just riding the elevator.
"You know, the way you keep staring at me, I'm going to either take it as an insult or that it's an amusing new Earthling way of flirting," she said suddenly. It made everyone jump, but no one knew what to say, even to cover their embarrassment.
"I'm suspicious of you, is that what you want to hear?" he finally said.
"It's not necessarily what I want to hear, but it's what I expect. Otherwise I'd be severely disappointed in your abilities as superheroes," she replied. Robin was dumbstruck for a moment, as he was almost certain she'd just insulted him and his team. But then it seemed more like a statement of fact than even an insult. Was this what Tamaranian taunting was like? Starfire never acted like this, as at that moment she looked sheepish, silently apologizing to all her friends for Hellfire's behavior.
The elevator dinged and they went down the main corridor to the living area. Robin watched Hellfire's head swivel like a bobble head doll as she took everything in. Now he could tell she'd had military training because her head stopped for only a second, but it still paused when she caught sight of a security camera or a doorway. He made a note to further explore this later.
"Welcome to Titan's Tower!" Beast Boy announced, but the mood was rather sullen. It seemed everyone was less than welcoming. Well, except for BB. He was the eternal optimist. Right after Starfire, who suddenly brightened.
"Oh yes dear friend, welcome to our home! Which will incidentally be your new home as well! Ooohhh, I had not thought of that before! I will get to show you all of the Earthly wonders I have discovered, like the everyday festival which is called the park of amusement and the astounding food they call pizza! Won't that be fun?" She was trying. She really was, and it was almost painful to watch. Because Hellfire showed zero interest in anything Starfire mentioned. Even Raven looked at tad pained at the lack of support Star's 'old friend' was showing her.
Star's smile dropped. "Let's show you to your new room," she said and they all moved down one of the side corridors. They stopped at one of the guest rooms, which were rarely used as they rarely had guests. The door opened with a whoosh to the view of a standard bed with white comforter, a small desk, closet, night stand and a door leading into a private bathroom. Hellfire stepped in, examining it all.
"Dinner's at 6:30. Do you have any special requests?" Cyborg asked. She turned and suddenly it looked as if they were all being inspected, for what Robin was sure wasn't the first time.
"Like what?" she asked. For the first time he noticed that her voice was flat and dull, but it sounded…unnatural. Not that he'd heard her speak much but she seemed to be forcing herself to talk as if she lacked emotion. And shockingly, it made him curious, though no less suspicious.
"Well, BB here is a vegetarian, meaning he's very boring at barbeques and Raven's OBSESSED with tea. You know stuff like that," Cyborg replied. Even he was striking out because she narrowed her eyes before walking over to her bed.
"No, I have no requests. I will eat whatever you cook," she told them with finality. The rest of the team either shrugged or shuddered before making a hasty exit, but Robin stuck around. She must have known he was there but made no inclination she had any intention of even acknowledging him.
"What's your problem?" he finally asked. She quietly turned around and stared at him. Correction, she looked him square in the eye which she seemed to have no problem doing with any of them. He could tell it made everyone uncomfortable.
"My problem?"
"Yes, your problem. Starfire's your friend, or at least that's what she thinks, but you're colder to her than a month of darkness in the Antarctic. What gives?" For a moment, they stared each other down before she slowly walked over to him and gave him the gentlest of pushes out of the door frame.
"I have my reasons, Boy Wonder," she said before closing and locking the door.
A few moments after visualizing six ways of busting down the damn door and pounding on her for being some damn infuriating did he realize that she'd called him Boy Wonder. But how could she-
Who was this girl?
AN: Yay another chapter! I'm into Young Justice, but still plan on working on this fic. I actually don't know if I'll post a YJ fic. I really want to finish the pieces that I've started. You can thank my internet for not working for being able to finish this chapter.