Alright, since my last two updates were kind of short, I'm making up for it with a nice, long one. This is the first real hint of anything more than friendship between the two. Enjoy!

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Chapter 7: Goodbyes and Awkwardness

Meanwhile, Richard and Kori were taking two rather large suitcases upstairs. Richard, always being the gentleman, led the way with the larger bag, but even the smaller one probably weighed at least fifty pounds. He was thusly surprised to see Kori carrying the suitcase with very little difficulty at all.

"Wow. She's a whole lot stronger than she looks."

Kori, meanwhile, who was walking behind Richard, was taking in the sights, and I don't mean the ones from the mansion. Richard still hadn't put a shirt on, and as a result, Kori was able to admire his broad shoulders and well muscled back.

"X'hal, his physique is amazing!" Richard wasn't large. He stood about five nine, and from outwards appearances was thin. However, his clothes only served to cover the hard, well-defined muscles that daily physical training gave him. Kori was impressed, and couldn't help but recall his six pack abs and chiseled pecs. Of course, Kori was rather prudish about such things, and blushed a faint red at her thoughts.

At the top of the stairs, Richard turned to see Kori's pink cheeks.

"You okay? That bag wasn't too heavy was it?" Kori was startled; she had been lost in her own world, and having Richard bring her out of it made it made her blush even harder.

"Oh no Richard! All is well!" She hurried to walk ahead so Richard would not see her flushed cheeks.

"Alright… so where will you be staying?" Kori took some deep breaths and compose herself.

"Your butler Alfred said that it would be in the Rose Suite."

"Really? That's right down the hall from my room!"

"Truly? Wonderful! We shall have the pleasure of each other's company very often!" The two laughed as they headed down the hall.

Opening the door, Richard and Kori dragged the bags into the Rose Suite. It was a truly magnificent room: everything was decorated in wooden browns and variations on the color red: the soft carpet on the floor was a deep crimson, the drapes on the floor length windows were sunset hued, and the bed coverings were the soft shades of tropical coral (very different from the obnoxiously loud hot pink Kitten wore). All of the elegant furniture, from the night table, to the desk, to the four poster canopy bed were made with beautifully polished rosewood. The room was even equipped with a plasma screen TV the newest, top of the line desktop computer; Alfred had thought of everything.

"Well, this is your room. Do you like it?"

"It is wonderful Richard! It is very much like my old room back in Tamaran!"

"Excellent! I'm going to take a quick shower, and then I'll show you the rest of the house alright?"

"Very well Richard. I shall await your return." Richard left and closed the door behind him. This left Kori to look around. She opened the closet and saw that it was large walk-in sized with a three way mirror at one end; not only that, but Alfred had miraculously managed to hang up all the clothes from the other suitcases in the time they had been downstairs.

She sat on the bed and was delighted to feel that there was a large downy comforter and satiny sheets on a marshmallow soft mattress. She fell in love with it. On top of the bed, there was also a mess of no less than twenty pillows, and Kori giggled like a little child as she dove in and buried herself amongst their delightful fluffiness.

Amidst the sea of pillows, Kori heard a knocking at her door. Peeking out of her pile of pillows, she saw her uncle Galfore open the door and peek in.

"Kori? Are you in here?" Kori, still almost neck deep in pillows, smiled and said,

"Yes Uncle Galfore, though much of me is buried under these delightful cushions." Galfore saw this, and his usually hard, unyielding eyes softened in genuine affection.

"Ah Kori, you're smile never ceases to bring joy to this old heart." He sat down on the bed, and the mattress groaned under the extra weight. "Kori, you know that after today, I will be leaving for Tamaran. I am still needed there, and so you will be in America all alone. Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes Uncle Galfore. Richard has been a most wonderful friend, and Raven, and Victor and the BB as well. Don't worry. I am sure I will be fine." Galfore smiled and kissed the top of her forehead.

"Very well my little bumgorf. I must leave now; Mr. Wayne and I have business to finish." He got up from the bed and walked to the door, then turned around. "But, if you ever feel lonely, or wish to see your parents again, remember this; the brightest stars in the sky are you're loved ones watching over you. Do not forget that, Starfire." That was his pet name for her; ever since she had been small, she had been full of life and joy, like the brightest flame in the brightest star in heaven. Kori loved that name, and knew that whenever her uncle called her that, he cared for her very deeply.

"Thank you Uncle Galfore. I shall miss you dearly."

"Goodbye." And with that, he closed the door and left.

Kori heard the car pull away, and one small tear formed in the corner of her eye. She quickly brushed it away and shook her head, as if trying to shake out bad thoughts.

"No, I will not cry. I must be brave if I am to stay in America, and I must for the sake of my people and my family. And besides," she thought pleasantly, "I have already met a good friend Richard. Life here shall not be difficult at all!" Buoyed by these positive thoughts, Kori got up to continue inspecting her room. It wasn't until now that she realized she had yet to see the bathroom.

Like the rest of her quarters, the bathroom was nothing short of extraordinary. Everything was made of pearly white marble, from the bathtub with large fluffy cream colored towels stacked neatly next to it, to the tiles, and to the elegant sink and counter. The counter was stocked with a almost every conceivable kind of cosmetic: lipstick in about twenty different shades, blushes and bronzers of all tints and hues, eye shadow, lip gloss, and so much more (Alfred, you never cease to amaze me). Yes, the bathroom would not have looked out of place in a five star hotel's presidential suite, or even a French palace.

Kori was just about to further examine her array of cosmetics, when something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. There, next to the shower stall was a large spot. A large, brown spot. A large, brown spot that moved.

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"AAAAAIIIIEEEEEHHHHHHH!!!!!"

Richard had just climbed out of the shower. He had put on his shades (first thing he ever puts on) and wrapped a towel around his waist; he hadn't even dried off yet, when he heard the scream.

"Kori!" Without thinking, Richard ran out of his room and into the hall. At the exact same moment, Kori came flying out of her room and into the hall. They collided into each other and crashed to the floor. Richard had hit his head and was slightly woozy. Nevertheless, he could hear Kori's frantic screaming quite clearly.

"AAIIEEH! There is a monstrous klorbag in there! Richard! You must…"

"Klorbag?"

"A cockroach! Hurry we must bring a large can of…" Kori continued yelling, her eyes squeezed shut in fright. Richard, was still dazed, and it wasn't until he had shook his head vigorously, was he able to clear his head; he almost wished he hadn't.

"Um, Kori?"

"What?" Kori opened her eyes and looked at Richard's face. It was slightly pink. Then it turned sunburn red. And then it became a deep shade of scarlet.

"You…might wanna… get off now," he mumbled. Kori looked down.

"…Oh."

When Kori had come running out, she had knocked right into Richard. Though Richard was taller and a good bit heavier than Kori, she had come running out of pure terror of the horrible abomination in her room. As a result, Richard had been knocked flat on his butt, and Kori had fallen down face first.

Right on top of Richard.

Kori had instinctively put her hands directly in front of her to cushion her impact with Richard, and as a result, those hands were pressed against his chest, her face not three inches from his own. Not only that, Kori now realized that the only thing Richard was wearing was his bath towel. Kori's face slowly colored until it was the same shade of scarlet as Richard's.

And even though they shouldn't have, Kori and Richard started thinking certain things that were remarkably similar to one another.

"I never knew his body was so… firm."

"I never knew her body was so… soft."

Both knew they should do something: speak up, stand up, move, anything; but neither could. It was as if their brains had liquefied like melted pudding. They stayed like that for a second, a minute, maybe more. And might have actually stayed there a while longer, just staring at each other blankly, had not a certain someone walked on by.

"Master Grayson, if you and Mistress Anders wish to canoodle, please do so in the privacy of your bed chambers." Richard's head snapped up and Kori's spun around; Alfred. Instantly, Kori scrambled to her feet and started babbling almost incoherently; Richard did too, though a little more awkwardly, since he had to make sure his towel stayed on.

"Listen Alfred…"

"I am so sorry…"

"It was an accident…"

"Nothing was meant by…"

"We really didn't…"

"I merely had to…" Alfred cut them off.

"Tut tut tut. Say no more." He then walked briskly into Kori's room where they heard a loud SMACK. Alfred came back out and bowed to Kori.

"I apologize for the inconvenience Mistress Anders, but I hope you will find the room now satisfactory and infestation free." Kori mumbled a thank you, still bright red.

"And as for you, Master Richard, I shall return to my post, so you may continue with your… activities." Alfred bowed elegantly and walked off.

"If I didn't know it was Alfred, I would have sworn he winked at me!" Richard, still thoroughly embarrassed, turned to Kori. Neither of them knew what to say. What would you do if you had landed in a position like that with someone and one of you was half naked? Finally, Kori broke the silence.

"Umm… Richard?"

"Yeah?"

"…Let us never mention this to anyone. Ever."

"Agreed." One more awkward moment, and they both retreated back into their rooms even faster than they had come out.

Later that night:

"Dinner is served!" Alfred yelled.

"Not hungry Alfred!"

"No thank you please!" Since that afternoon, neither one had ventured outside their room. Alfred just sighed and shook his head.

"Teenagers."

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Yup. Thing's are starting to get interesting, eh? Chapter 8 will follow shortly. Did you like it? Tell me what you think in the reviews. I really want to improve my story, so even criticism, if it's constructive, is greatly appreciated. Origato!