Chapter 2

Saturday night arrived and I do not know why I was a bundle of nerves. Perhaps it was because it was the first 'date' I had had. Ever. Which apparently was rather bad, considering I was eighteen Earthen years.

I studied my reflection in the mirror. Beast Boy had said casual, so I went with casual. I picked something I would wear to College, only a little dressier. Blue skinny jeans. A purple halter neck top, with a band of silver beads below my breasts, rather than the long sleeved shirts I wore. I kept my armband on, I do love that band and wear it even beneath my College clothes. I chose some nice flats rather than my tennis shoes. I would have worn heels, I suppose, but even though Beast Boy has grown considerably when he hit the puberty, he is still shorter than me. Light makeup, I did wish to do this correctly. Make the effort. Beast Boy had been right, I needed to try.

Picking up my small handbag, I headed to the common room.

Robin and Raven were there, holding hands and playing chess in their corner. I glanced at them and smiled in greeting as they looked up, but did not head over to them. Instead I headed for Cyborg.

"Ya'll ready for your date?" Cyborg asked, winking at me.

I smiled at him. "I look nice, yes? Appropriate attire for the first date?"

"Date?" Raven asked, eyebrows raised.

"Date?" Robin echoed, his voice rising.

"You look gorgeous. You know the rules, right, Star?" Cyborg asked.

"Dating has rules?" This might be a little more difficult than I imagined.

Cyborg grinned at me and nodded. "Let him pay for it, since he asked you. No touchin' below the belt. And ya'll to be home before midnight."

"She's going on a date where you have to warn her about touching?" Robin asked, standing. "Who's this guy?'" he demanded, addressing me. "Why haven't we heard about you wanting to date before?"

Cyborg frowned at Robin. "She doesn't havta ask for permission, Robin. She's a big girl, makes her own decisions."

Raven placed a restraining hand on Robin's forearm and he visibly calmed. "It's good that you're going out," she told me, smiling in her quiet way. "Do you want to have a girl talk when you get back? You can tell me all about it then."

I hesitated, considering that might be awkward, but Raven and I had not done the girl talk for such a long time. "I would enjoy that."

Raven smiled at me. "I hope you have a great time."

Cyborg turned back to me, getting that teasing look on his face. "Now, I'm lettin' ya borrow the T-Car. I'm checkin' the GPS, I don't wanna see lover's lane there," he teased, holding out the keys.

"I do not foresee that occurring," I said, wondering why he would not like to see lover's lane there but the name did allow me some hints.

"Starfire can't drive," Robin protested. Why was he making such a fuss about a date?

"No, but I can," Beast Boy said, sauntering in and catching the keys Cyborg tossed to him. "Licensed and everything."

I turned to him and smiled. He wore jeans too and a long sleeved dark purple shirt. "We match."

"You look beautiful," Beast Boy said, smiling back. "You ready?"

"Beast Boy?" Raven asked.

"You and Beast Boy?" Robin blurted.

Beast Boy frowned at him. "Why not?"

"You're not allowed to be jealous, Robin," Cyborg said, stern.

"I'm not jealous. Stunned maybe."

Beast Boy held out his crooked elbow to me. "C'mon, don't wanna be late for my reservation."

"You have a reservation?" Robin asked. "Where? Chucky Cheese?"

Cyborg frowned. "Man, that's uncool."

Robin looked chastised. "Sorry. I just..." he did not seem to have the words for whatever his problem was. "Sorry," he said again, looking at Raven this time.

Beast Boy sighed. "For your info, it's at the Italian restaurant on the Third. They make a really awesome veggie lasagne and Star can have whatever pasta or meat she likes."

I watched Robin, confused, and Raven was looking at him with a very odd expression.

"Ya'll have fun now," Cyborg said, shooing us then sniffled and pretended to dab his face with a tissue. "Mah babies, all grown up."

"Don't be a dork, Cy," Beast Boy said.

"Midnight!" Cyborg called as we headed for the door.

Beast Boy mocked saluted to him. "Bye!"

We walked in silence until we reached the garage, casting small smiling glances at each other. He held the door to the T-Car open for me and I slid into 'shotgun'.

As Beast Boy slid into the driver's seat and turned the car on, the stereo blasted us with Barry Manilow and Beast Boy fumbled for the knob to turn it down. He chuckled sheepishly and shook his head. "I don't wanna know what Cyborg had going on in here last."

I giggled.

"Couple of rules, since this is a dry run for you," he said, as we headed into the underground tunnel that connected the Tower with the city.

"More rules?" I asked. "Cyborg has already informed me that you are to pay for everything, since you invited me, I am not supposed to allow you to touch me below the belt, and he will know if we go to a place called 'lover's lane'."

Beast Boy went red. "Thanks, Cy."

"That is incorrect?"

"No, that's pretty stock standard. But I have a couple of rules too."

I nodded and threaded my fingers together on my lap. "I am prepared, Beast Boy."

"That one first. On a date, I'm Gar, not Beast Boy."

"Oh. Very well."

He flashed me a toothy grin. "Next rule, involves physical contact, you get to decide. If you want to hold my hand, that's fine. It's the same on a real date, guys'll try things, like holding your hand or putting his arm around you. If you like the guy enough, you can choose to let him or you can move away. Some guys will push, but if you don't like them that way, say no, if they don't listen, kick them in the balls. Usually though, if you don't like a guy that way, or can't see him as a potential boyfriend, don't lead him on by letting him hold your hand, that sort of thing, okay?"

I nodded. "Dating seems most complicated."

Gar laughed. "Yeah, it can be. Don't be afraid to have a bomb date either. We all crash and burn, you just gotta learn from it."

That made sense. "Very well."

"And don't let him take you to lover's lane."

"Why not?"

"'Coz..." Gar cleared his throat. "It's... um... usually for sexual activities. Making out. Below the belt stuff."

"Oh. I see."

Gar frowned. "Unless you want to do that with him."

"Even I know it is not something acceptable on the first date unless you wish to be called names the following day."

Gar seemed relieved as we exited the tunnel and headed out to the quiet streets of Jump City. "Good."

The restaurant was most pretty. It was quiet with bright white walls and a friendly appearance. The kitchen was open and I could hear several of the cooks speaking Italian to each other, I had to smile as one of them acknowledged our entrance with a compliment about Gar's taste in dates. One of them even called out to him by name. The waiter escorted us to a booth up the back, out of the way so we could still converse and have the private appearance, but we could still see what was occurring within the restaurant.

"Do you often come here?" I asked as I slid into the booth opposite him.

"Yeah. The veggie lasagne is really that good."

"On the dates."

He looked a little startled. "Oh. That. No... I've never brought a girl here before."

"Why not?" I asked, curious.

"Just a sec," he said, and looked at the waiter. "Did you get my special request?"

The man nodded. "I'll bring them."

"Special request?" I asked, as the waiter left, leaving us the menus.

"Mustard," he said with a grin.

I beamed.

"And the reason I never brought a girl here is I like this place," he said. "I don't want to mar it by having a disappointing date."

I blinked in surprise. "But-"

"You're my friend too," he said with a grin. "Can't be disappointed to spend time with you."

I smiled, pleased and a little flattered.

He gestured the menu in front of me. "Have a look, they've got some really nice food here, and I've tried almost everything, special order without the meat."

"I thought I might try the 'veggie' lasagne too."

Gar straightened. "Really? Why?"

"You said it was awesome."

"I don't mind if you have meat, Star, you don't have to have veggie just for me."

I smiled at him. "I shall tell you a secret. Most Tamaranians only eat the meat of an animal we have hunted and killed ourselves. Indeed, I did not even know such foods as the pepperoni was a meat until you complained to Cyborg about it. The Tamaranian food I partake here on Earth is either a plant or a fungus."

"Even the wriggling food?"

I nodded. "Fungus."

Gar laughed. "Wow. I shoulda known. I'm so gonna have to try it now. I was sure it was some sort of animal."

"Ahh, young master Gar, I'm so glad you've come back to our fine establishment."

I turned, noting the large man who waddled up to our booth. Gar stood and shook the man's hand. "Luigi. How are you, dude?"

"Better and better every day," he said. "And who is this delicate flower? Do my eyes deceive me? You have finally brought one of your teammates to dine with you?" He bowed. "Miss Starfire, your radiance lights up my establishment."

Gar grinned at me. "Star's my date for this evening."

Luigi looked between Gar and me. "Really? A date?"

"Yup."

Luigi switched languages, spluttering off several compliments, praises to God and the word 'finally' while I pretended I did not understand him. Gar chuckled, the tips of his ears going red as he sat down in the booth again. He mouthed 'sorry' to me. When Luigi switched back to English, he gushed how we would get the special deals and free garlic bread and dessert was on the house. I wondered how he would get dessert on a house, until I remembered it was the slang.

Gar ordered two vegetarian lasagnes when the waiter arrived back with our drinks.

"Sorry about Luigi," Gar said when we were alone.

"I do not mind," I replied.

"This is... I used to come here a lot, before you and me started hanging out more. You know...after..."

I nodded.

"Kinda became my home away from home. The people are nice, Mrs Luigi is a like surrogate grandmother, I half expect Luigi to be calling her right now so she'll come in to meet you too."

I was a little concerned. "Why?"

"She's always been complaining I never bring any nice girls here on a date and trying to set me up with a granddaughter or a niece. And now I have you."

"But... Gar... is this not the practice date?"

Gar shrugged. "So? Might get her off my back a little."

"Yes, but..."

"Don't worry about it, Star. Just enjoy yourself."

We made with the small talk, Gar told me some of the pranks he had pulled on his acting classmates, Jacelyn in particular. I laughed as he regaled me about how he 'accidently' dyed her costume wig bright blue the night before a play and how she had to perform in it without laughing. Then he told me how she got back at him by taking the belt out of all his costumed pants, and he had to hold them up during their rehearsal or he'd depants himself.

I do not think I have laughed so much in a long time.

Mrs Luigi did indeed come to visit, bustling into the restaurant wearing a large green fake fur over coat. She gathered Gar up in her huge bosom and squeezed him tightly, then insisting Luigi give the best for him. She expressed delight over me, called me pretty and complimented my hair and even hugged me tightly too.

We shared a 'on the house' ice-cream sundae, giggling over some of the Cyborg antics while we ate and making outrageous stories about why he would have Barry Manilow playing in the T-Car. Gar's favourite theory was that Cyborg had given the T-Car artificial intelligence and was having a secret and incestuous relationship with it. "I mean, hello, he built the damn thing, it's made from his parts. If he was in a sexual relationship with the T-Car, it would have to be incest."

"How, exactly, do you suppose he would have sex with his car? The pipe of exhaust?"

Gar's eyes grew wide. "Ew... ew! That's like the same as anal!"

I giggled.

"It's no wonder he spends so much time under the hood!"

"He does the fiddling with the dials."

Gar gestured me. "See? You know where it's at!"

"What if the T-Car is a boy? Does blue not represent masculinity?"

Gar burst into laughter. "Oh, that's priceless. We so have to tease him about that! Incestuous, gay relationship with his car. Awesome."

"He might not let you drive again," I warned.

"I'm saving up for another mop-ed. You and me can go cruisin' when I have enough money. Are you finished?"

I nodded. "I could not possibly eat another bite."

He grinned, then stood. "Phase two of the date then."

"Phase two?" I asked scooting to the edge of the booth.

"Yup," he said, reaching into his pocket and leaving a wad of cash on the table. "We have to utilise leet ninja skillz to get out of here without being waylaid by the Luigi's." He held out his hand and I took it as I stood. "When I say go, break for the door. Ready?"

I nodded.

Gar cast a glance at the door and my eyes widened as I saw Mrs Luigi moving toward us. "Go!"

We bolted, Gar was fast on his feet, he pulled me along after him, weaving through the tables and other customers. Gar laughed and waved to Mrs Luigi. "Thanks Nanny! It was delicious, seeya next time!" he called as we burst into the street and kept on running.

We ran for about a block and a half before Gar stopped, looking over his shoulder. He waggled his eyebrows at me. "That was fun."

I giggled. "It was most enjoyable."

"Night's still young," he said. "And we're going bowling next."

"Bowling?" I asked. "What is bowling?"

He winked. "You'll see." Gar shifted his grip on my hand, so our fingers wove together.

I glanced down at our hands, then back up at him and Gar lifted his eyebrow at me. The way his fingers curled around mine made me feel strange. Fluttery in a good way. It was... much like the feeling I received from Robin, only different too. Gar and I have always been tactile people, very affectionate with each other, friendly hugs and touches to the arm and drapings if he was in cat form. But this... it seemed...more. I cannot explain it. But I did not wish to release his hand.

He smiled at me, then tilted his head. "This way," he said and coaxed me walking again. "It's not far."

Bowling, as it turned out, was a game. One with long runways and strange clown-like shoes and heavy balls one rolled down the runaway which were supposed to hit the pins and knock them down. There were gutters along the side, designed to trap the ball and make it impossible to hit the pins, and it was here where my ball spent the majority of its time.

Gar was making the most of his 'strikes' and 'spares', knocking down all the pins in one or two hits. He would turn into a gorilla to roll the ball down the alley, dancing as it hit the pins, even if only one pin dropped, it still received the victory dance and Gar singing, "Go Beast Boy, go Beast Boy!"

I did so enjoy how Gar made everything seem fun. Happy. He did not allow anything to get him down and would not allow my lack of ability at the bowling to make me unhappy too.

"It's all in the wrist," he said, standing beside me as I held the ball. "Kind of. Sort of and not really."

"That helps," I said.

He laughed. "I know. I'm so helpful. Okay, stand and face the pins and hold the ball up to your face with both hands."

I did as I was told.

"Feet together, bend your knees a little."

I did that.

Then I felt Gar's hand on my hip as he reached around from behind me with his other hand, sliding it along until it could reach my hand. I think my heart sped up from the contact, I was suddenly quite warm and most aware of his closeness and I was not certain why. I think it was because he had never touched me so much in places humans considered to be non-platonic.

"Now, slowly drop this hand and swing it back," he said, tugging at my wrist as he led me through the movement. "Nice and slow, that's it." He nudged me from behind. "Walk forward as you do that and slow drop down as you do so. When you're about here-" The ball was just touching the wooden floor behind us, "-this is when you start aiming, roll the ball along the floor to aim and release when the ball's in front of your body. You should be in sort of halfway through standing and a crouch when you do so." He shifted his grip on my wrist, bringing my arm back again.

We went through the motions a few times before he released me. "Try now."

I did and was most pleased when I managed to knock three pins over. I bounced up and down on the spot clapping my hands. "I did it."

Gar grinned at me. "I knew you could."

I threw my hands around Gar's neck and hugged him, my feet up behind me as I lifted off the floor in happiness. "Thank you," I said.

He cradled the small of my back as he returned the hug. "You're welcome, Star."

I pulled back a little, but he kept his arm around me. "Now, think you can use your amazing aim to whoop my ass at this game?" he asked, giving me a toothy grin.

"I am certain I could try," I said, smiling.

He laughed. "It's so on!"

And it was.

'Epic Beast Boy and Starfire battle of the century' as he called it, commentating the whole time. He even described what I was doing as I bowled, teasing me about a 'butt wiggle'. He called himself 'buff and handsome', turning into a gorilla again to a body builder pose not only for me, but the other girls in the room who could not seem to take their eyes off him when he was in human form. Certainly, I did appreciate the view too, Gar had grown up most nicely now he was seventeen. Not too muscular but he was well defined. His face was no longer rounded with the puppy fat, but with an angularity that matched his pointed ears and his smile did light his eyes. It was no wonder other girls watched him so.

Despite the quite obvious attention and flirtatious looks he was getting from the group of teenage girls beside us in the next alley, he did not seem to take much notice, trotting back to my side to brag about his shots.

He popped the collar of his shirt as he managed to get the 'strike' and grinned at me. "Match that."

I tried, carefully lining up the ball before I bowled it down the alleyway. I managed to knock over nine pins, which was a feat for me.

When I turned back, one of the girls from the next booth was leaning over Gar, her hand on the back of his chair and bending at the hips. I could see Gar was most uncomfortable, leaning as far away from her as he could.

She was flirting, touching his arm and cooing and Gar did not look like he was enjoying it at all.

I tapped her on the shoulder. "Excuse me. Would you please release my date, it is his turn."

She turned, gave me a withering up and down look and said, "As if. Everyone knows you're just friends. Seriously, lay of the fake tan."

I rolled my eyes. "Why do human girls insist on doing the 'dishing' of other girls as a form of flirtation? Surely you must realise insulting me in front of my friend will be detrimental to your attempts to 'steal' him."

Gar chuckled. "Buuuurn. Nice one, Star."

"As it is, this is the natural colour of my skin, as green is Beast Boy's, and these-" I lifted my hands and created two starbolts. "-hurt. Please leave."

She went pale.

Gar ducked out from beneath her and placed his hand over mine, even though it singed him a little. I hurried to release it as quick as possible to not harm him further. He threaded our fingers together. "I've kind of soured to bowling, why don't we go for a walk?"

I nodded.

We returned our bowling shoes and head out the door and into the night, Gar grinning the whole. "That was really great," he said, holding my hand again. "You rock."

"I do not see why human flirting involves lowering the self-esteem of another."

"Me either. It's good that you've got a huge helping of it."

I shrugged. "Not truly. I simply stopped wishing to conform. I am not human. I will never be, I should not attempt to fit myself into human perceptions."

Gar squeezed my hand. "I've said it before, you're beautiful just the way you are."

I beamed at him.

We wander down to the docks, to watch the moon sparkle across the surface of the water. I leant on the wooden railing and looked into the water. "What is it like?" I asked. "To turn into a fish?"

"Wet," Gar responded.

I giggled at him.

"It's... a little hard to describe," he said. "It's wet. And cold. And everything feels slimy, and it hurts to breath, but I feel so strong when I swim. But, it's also... I have to do all the work. You fly, Raven levitates, Robin gets a cool bike and Cyborg a car, but when I fly anywhere, it's me. It's my muscles, my energy. It's hard work. And then Robin gets on my case for being tired after a battle."

"I can imagine."

"I'm... not a fish though, or a bird, or a gorilla, or anything I change into. But I am too; sometimes... the things I sense while I'm in a form are overwhelming. There are certain animals I can't turn into during certain seasons..."

"The mating season."

He chuckled. "Yeah. That just gets awkward. I don't think you guys realise how much I have to know about an animal before I shift into it. Climates, mating cycles, weaknesses, cold or warm blooded, whether the male is actually the stronger of the species, I soooo will never turn into a black widow or a praymantis, the females eat the males. Stuff like that. If I shift wrong, it fucking hurts."

"Oh, Gar."

"Did you know there are certain fish that switch sexes?"

"There are?"

He nodded. "Barramundi, that's a fish, it start out male and switch to females when they get big. Can't switch into them, I'm too old now. Clown fish, they have one alpha female, one alpha male and a lot of neuter males to a colony. If the female dies, the alpha males switches sexes and one of the neuters becomes the new male. Some frogs switch. There's a lizard that's exclusively female and reproduces by a complicated form of cloning. I gotta be careful or we'll have a Beast Girl going on."

"Oh, we do not want that."

"Nope. Guess that's why I have a few overused forms like I do. When I shift though, I bring a piece back... and that doesn't make sense."

"It does."

"Sometimes, I worry that when I change, I mightn't all come back from it. Like with that with radioactive thing that I change into... it's... different than the others. But then... well... when you're us, every day might be your last anyway. Gotta make the best of it." He chuckled. "I suppose it's like asking you what your powers feel like."

I smiled. "It is as though the warmth of sun is contained within me and flows through me."

"That must feel nice."

"Yes. It does." I allowed my powers to trickle through my fingers as slowly as I could, my hands glowing weakly but it was enough for him to feel the heat of my fingers.

"Wow. That's so cool," he said, lifting our hands so he could put his other one over the top of mine. "It's so warm. No wonder you never get cold."

I glanced at him, smiling. "It has benefits."

He squeezed my hand again, then lifted his other one to check his watch. "Damn."

"Time to leave already?" I asked, saddened that the night was coming to an end.

"We should head home. Before Cy calls to check on his car."

We rode home in silence, Gar seemed pensive, I felt more relaxed and peaceful than I had in a long time.

"I had a really nice date tonight," I said as we entered the elevator to head up to our rooms. "It was most fun. Thank you."

"Me too," Gar said, then cleared his throat nervously. "We could do it again. If you like."

I blinked at him, my mouth suddenly dry. "What?"

"Well." He placed his hand on my hip. "You had fun. I had fun. We have fun together. We could date." He smiled at me. "You know that I love ya, right? I think you're beautiful and funny and smart and one of the best friends I've ever had. A lot of friendships like ours slip to something else. Ours could. If you want."

I blinked. "You... think so?" I asked, uncertain.

"Very easily," he said. "I know what I feel for you is stronger than friendship."

And then he kissed me.

It was nothing more than a lingering peck, just a pressing of his lips on mine. There was barely enough time for me to even determine if I wished to close my eyes or protest before it was over. But it held the promise of so much more. The possibilities. Something different, something completely unexpected. Something sweet. Something very scary.

He smiled sheepishly at me. "I know I kinda sprung it on you. So, um, I'll give you time to think. It's totally up to you if you want to try. If you don't, I'm cool with that too."

The door to the elevators slid open, revealing Cyborg at the end of the corridor, who looked to be eagerly awaiting us and Gar grinned. "Night, Star," he said and left me standing there.

I do not think I moved until the doors closed after him.

Author's Note:

And I'm suddenly having awesome ideas for a gender bended Gar.