Chapter 2: Girl Talk - Starfire and Raven

"Friend Raven," Starfire called, knocking on the door.

After a moment, Raven answered, her violet hair sticking up in odd places and a blearly look in her azure eyes. "Starfire," she rasped, "it's two in the morning."

Starfire only smiled brightly, clasping the stack of magazines in her arms to her chest. Her green eyes were filled with excitement. "Friend Raven, would you like to do the participating with me in the reading of the magazines and the taking of the quizzes?"

The half demonness raised an eyebrow. "At two in the morning?"

"Yes," Starfire replied, lowering her gaze. "I have heard that in the duration of the slumber parties, you do not actually slumber. Rather, you stay up and do the reading of the magazines and the taking of the quizzes, and do the makeovers and the hair styling and the nail painting and-"

Raven desperately cut her off. "Well, I guess magazines are okay, but none of that other stuff."

Starfire positively beamed and pushed her way into Raven's room. "I have brought many of the Cosmo magazines. Which of them would you like to start with, Friend Raven?"

Raven stifled a yawn and joined Starfire on the bed, where she was carefully spreading them out. "Does it matter?"

"Oh, let us please partake in the reading of this one!" cried Starfire, holding up the first issue. "Inside is a quiz I have always wanted to take."

"Um, Starfire. You know you can take the quizzes alone?"

"But what of the slumber parties?" Starfire asked, evidently confused. "Should we not follow the rules?"

Raven sighed, not feeling up to explaining to her that there really weren't any rules at slumber parties. "What quiz is it?"

She quickly flipped though the pages and found it.

"Are You Approachable?" Raven read it aloud. She already knew the answer to that-for both herself and Starfire. But she supposed it wouldn't hurt to do it anyway, as long as it made Starfire happy. Starfire had been feeling a bit down and lonely ever since the boys went on a mission, leaving them to keep an eye on the city.

"Would you like to do the quiz taking first?" Starfire offered.

"No, thanks," Raven replied. "You go first."

Starfire smiled and immediately set to work, occasionally asking Raven the meaning of a word or phrase before carefully choosing her answer. The manner in which she took the quiz reminded Raven of an exam, upon which a student's grade depended. She had to stifle a smirk.

"I have scored a perfect twenty," Starfire announced. "Glorious!" She looked down at the description of her score. "Let us see...fifteen or more-yes, twenty is more than fifteen, so this is mine. Oh, Friend Raven, I am a One-Woman Welcome Mat!...This is good, yes?"

"Yes," Raven said. "It means you're easily approachable...although sometimes overbearing." She muttered the last part under her breath.

"Your turn," said Starfire, flipping the page back and handing the magazine to Raven. She, of course, did not have a high score. "Six points or fewer," Raven said, "Reserved Solo Act."

"Glorious!"

"Thanks," Raven shrugged.

Starfire leafed through another magazine, but then closed it again and looked at Raven with the most serious expression Raven had ever seen on her. "Friend Raven," she said. "Do you think Robin...has a thing for me?"

Raven nearly choked on her air. "Uh, uh," she uttered. "What do you mean?"

Starfire suddenly looked concerned. "Oh...I must have used the phrase incorrectly, yes?" She thought of another way to say it. "Do you suppose Robin like, likes me?"

Raven sighed. "Have you been watching television again?"

"Yes," Starfire smiled. "But do you, Friend Raven, believe that Robin wants to...tap dat?"

This time Raven did choke, and for a long moment found it impossible to even look at her friend. "I don't think that means what you think it does," she answered finally.

Starfire cocked her head. "I do not know how else to explain what I am asking," she said almost sadly.

"I think you're asking," Raven said slowly, "if I think Robin likes you."

"No, I know he likes me," Starfire replied. "We are very good friends."

"But you mean likes you as more than friends."

Starfire's eyes lit up. "Yes! That is what I am asking of."

Raven frowned, thinking hard. Then she said, "Well, I'll tell you what I think, but you have to promise not to tell him I told you."

Starfire eagerly leaned forward, nodding consent.

"I think Robin-"

"WE'RE BACK!" screamed Beast Boy and Cyborg. Though they were in the common room, their voices carried all the way to Raven's room.

"Keep it down," Robin said. "The girls are probably sleeping."

"What were you saying, Friend Raven?" Starfire asked, ignoring the boys' arrival for the time being.

"Well," Raven said. "Robin-"

"Oh, you guys are still awake," Robin said as he passed. He stopped at the open doorway and looked in. Seeing the magazines, he asked, "What are you guys up to? Girl talk?"

Starfire ran to the door and slammed it shut in his face, then wordlessly ran back to Raven's bed and dived onto it. "You were saying, Friend Raven?" she asked.

"I think Robin does," Raven blurted out quickly before they could be interrupted again.

Starfire broke out into a large, happy grin, and it warmed Raven's heart to see it. "Thank you, Friend Raven. I will keep it a secret that you think so, if you will keep this a secret: I believe that there is someone who likes you as, more than a friend."

Raven raised her eyebrow. "Oh?"

Starfire nodded, crossing her legs and looking at Raven gleefully. She leaned forward and cupped her hand around her mouth, whispering in Raven's ear. Raven instantly turned red with embarrassment, and perhaps with flattery as well.

"You really think so?" she asked, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

Starfire giggled and nodded, and Raven couldn't help but to smile back. She wasn't really big into girl talk, as Starfire was, but sometimes it was appreciated.

A/N: That was fun. :) Hope you didn't hate it~

Next up is Raven and Cyborg!