I hadn't been back in town for long. I didn't even know how long I was staying. I was kinda between things, ya know?

I could pretty much just close my eyes and point to a globe and find a zoo or sanctuary looking for a consult with me. An animal science major who can actually understand animals is the kind of thing that people talk about, I guess. News spreads fast. By the time I graduated last year, I had job offers from all over the world.

"that bastard" Ray suddenly mumbled.

I looked to see she was reading her phone. She turned the phone to show her girlfriend and looked at me.

"So we have to go, Starfire needs us, asshole left her at a fancy restaurant, alone, on their anniversary," she said with an eye roll. "You don't have to come, but you can, if you have anything to wear, that is," she glanced at my duffle bag across her living room that I was living out of while I crashed on her couch, "no shorts."

"Hey! I have nice stuff, it's just... in storage..." I half defended myself. She knew I hadn't been back to my storage unit since returning from spending a year in Africa. I wasn't in a good place when I left. I told myself I was running towards something, but I was probably running away. I had thrown everything I owned into a storage unit and hopped on a plane with nothing but a carry-on. I needed to clear my head. So I spent a year in Africa. I don't know what I thought I would find there, but I went looking for something.

I opened the door to my storage unit and was immediately thrown back in time. Everything was exactly as I'd left it. Papers and boxes In piles, nothing organized. It was like a flash back to a scene in someone else's life. I mean, I knew it was my life, but I felt like I was a different person. I felt all of those emotions rush back, the anger that masked the pain. The pain that was caused by fear. I was so emotionally fragile. I took a deep breath and shook it off. I know I'm gonna have to deal with that, eventually, but tonight is about Star.

"Shit" I whispered to myself, "how am I gonna find one fancy outfit in this mess?" I shifted myself into a raccoon, nimble enough to jump from box to box, and little hands to grab things.

Way in the back, I had a wardrobe. I remembered I hadn't even bothered to remove my hanging clothes. I moved around a few boxes to give myself a little changing room in front of the wardrobe. I didn't bother with any kind of designer clothes, or anything, but I had a few nice things I could wear.

My phone buzzed with a text from Raven that just read "She's ordering a bottle of PATRON" ok, so this is some serious drinking. I think I'll wear black, just in case.

As I drove to the restaurant, I thought about what happened to the boy wonder and his alien princess. They were inseparable for a while. At some point, though, we all watched Robin become so obsessed with Slade that he barely acknowledged her existence, or anyone's really.

I watched her try to love him like that for years, while he took her for granted. She was so kindhearted and loving. She gave her whole heart to everyone around her. She could find happiness in even the darkest of places, which only inspired people to be better versions of themselves. Her smile brightened every room she entered. She could enamor an entire stadium of people, but she only had eyes for him. Some part of me was jealous for a while, but I valued her friendship more than anything, and my friendship with Robin, too.

When we opened the Titans Tower as a tutoring and training center for teen heroes, she stood next to him during the ribbon cutting ceremony. She beamed with pride. It was her project, but she was happy to let him take all the credit for making it happen. She looked at him like he was her personal hero and could do no wrong.

"What I wouldn't give for someone to look at me like Star looks at Dick" Raven leaned over and whispered to me with a laugh.

"oh, shut up, aren't you seeing some freshman, now?" I poked back at her.

"Eh, I don't know about that" she shrugged, "it was one time. I don't even know if she's really gay"

"umm, from what I heard, you guys did some pretty gay things together," I laughed a little too loud and got a few dirty looks from the people around us.

"Shhhh" Raven mock admonished, then laughed, "It's college, she's a freshman." She shrugged, "wouldn't be the first straight girl who's world I rocked for one night only" she winked, which made me almost snort.

Dick didn't even make it to the reception after the ceremony. Star said he had an emergency, but I knew he ran off to chase another supposed spotting of Slade. He had set up an anonymous tip line. The tips were supposed to be vetted before they got to him, but I always suspected he pursued every random call from some bored teenager. He saw Slade in every shadow on the wall, and every dark alley. His paranoia never seemed to get better, even after years of hearing nothing legitimate. He was still convinced Slade would return the moment he let his guard down.

Dick never appreciated what he had right in front of him, because he was too busy chasing after ghosts. My heart broke for her every time he choose his obsession over her. How could he not be obsessed WITH HER? She is literally radiant(like, really, she GLOWS)! She is uninhibited and care free, but she will fight fiercely for her convictions, and to protect innocence or love. She inspired me to be a better version of myself every day. She is the one who convinced me I was smart enough to go to college. Who knows what I would be doing, now, if it weren't for her faith in me.

I don't think I've ever seen her as angry and hurt as she was that night. It was like something snapped in her and she was just trying to forget everything. Her words were already a bit slow when I got there.

"When did Star start drinking like this?" I asked Raven, when I sat down.

"I've never seen her drink anything stronger than a zinfandel" Raven said with her eyes wide and fixated on Star.

I suggested we stop and switch to espresso after we finished the bottle. I was hoping she would sober up, but I she refused my suggestion and ordered a second bottle. So, I promised Ray I'd make sure she was safe getting home.

On the way to the car she was so sad. I couldn't just take her home like that. I had to cheer her up. When she said she wanted to go two-stepping I knew exactly where to take her. It had been a while, but I was pretty sure I still remembered what I was doing.

I hoped some dancing would give her a chance to sober up, but the first thing she did was hand that black card over to the bar tender and order a round, for everyone. I had to cut her off, eventually. I didn't know if Tameranians could get alcohol poisoning, but I wasn't gonna find out that night. She managed to hold her liquor pretty well, actually. It wasn't until we got to the stairs leading to her apartment building that she stopped in her tracks and started to sway. I thought she was about to pass out.

"You ok, Star?" I put my hand on her shoulder to help her get her balance.

"Yeah... just... waiting for the stairs to finish their dancing" She responded with slurred speech.

"Do you want me to just carry you?" I laughed.

"You would do that?" She responded emotionally, as if I'd offered to give her my liver.

"O...K... Star, let's get you to bed" I chuckled and swept her up in my arms. She was heavier than she looked, strong and muscular, but it was hardly difficult to carry her up a flight of stairs or two. She wrapped her arms around my neck, and laid her head on my chest.

Just past the smell of alcohol on her breath, I could smell her hair. She used something with coconut in it, and a slight hint of something else... hibiscus, maybe. Then, beneath that, I could smell her natural scent. It gave me a feeling of floating. I felt like I was in one of those old cartoon shows where the cat floats along the smells of the apple pie, only I was carrying the apple pie. The drunk, not-my-girlfriend, apple pie. I shook off the reaction and silently admonished myself. This is Starfire, dude, one of your BEST friends.

She seemed so comfortable, and sweet. You'd never imagine she had the ability to level this building if she wanted to.

"BB, you are such a good friend" she lifted her head and had tears in her eyes.

"It's really no problem, Star." I chuckled.

"No, really, you are!" She insisted. "you're there for me more than my stupid boyfriend."

"Thanks" I smiled, when she laid her head back down I shook my head and chuckled. Right, "he is still her boyfriend," I reminded myself.

I didn't mean to be so amused, but I knew it was the alcohol talking, and she was kinda cute. I could have sworn I heard her start to snore.

Then, just as I got to her doorway, she jerked up straight and vomited, drenching us both in what was left of her fancy Mexican food and a lot of expensive tequila. Turns out, it looks (and smells) just like the cheap stuff coming back up. I felt the alcohol and vomit seep all the way into my underwear. It felt both cold and warm at the same time, somehow. She covered her mouth and turned as red as a tomato.

"You couldn't cover your mouth like 2 seconds ago?" I laughed, "feel better?"

"not really," she responded, "but I can walk from here, I think." She clamored down out of my arms.

I couldn't do anything but laugh as I shook off what I could outside, and followed her down the breezeway to her door.

She fumbled with her keys and eventually handed them to me in frustration. She was still too drunk to function.

I opened her door and helped her to her shower, turned it on, and told her to get in and leave the dress in the bathroom while I got her a towel.

I gathered a towel, some shorts and a big tshirt for her, and found the biggest, most stretchy sweatpants I could find hoping it would fit me.

"You ok in there, Star?" I poked my head in and saw a shadow of q figure crumpled at the bottom of the tub.

"Star! Are you ok?!" I said in a bit of a panic as I ran to the curtain and hesitated just a moment before I opened it, "are you hurt? Can I open this?" She just started sobbing. I slowly opened the curtain. There I found a beautiful orange alien girl, wearing an almost as stunning blue evening gown, sitting on the floor of the shower, completely soaked to the bone, sobbing into her knees.

"Star?" I didn't know what to do. I'd never seen her like this.

"I cannot unzip this stupid fancy dress," she sobbed, "and I probably ruined it, too." She cried like only a drunk sad girl can cry, and I really couldn't help but giggle.

I gently unzipped her dress in the back, trying not to notice that she wasn't wearing a bra all night, grateful the zipper stopped before I could see if she was wearing any underwear. I didn't need to know. Once she was unzipped, I closed the curtain and turned around, standing with my back to the shower.

"You, uh... you got it from here, right?" I asked, nervously. I was trying to be as respectful as I could. I knew she was drunk, but she was also very... distracting.

"Just a... sec," she stumbled a moment getting out of the dress, "I am ok, thank you Garfield" She handed her dress out to me, and I put her towel and clothes on the counter.

I tossed my clothes, and her dress, in the washing machine. She said it was already ruined, right? I shifted into a small monkey so I could get clean in the sink, then put on Starfire's sweatpants.

By the time I checked on Star, she had pulled on her shirt and fallen asleep collapsed in her bed on top of the covers. I slid her over so her head was on a pillow and covered her up. I went to the living room, and texted Raven.

I think I'm gonna stay here tonight

Did something happen?

She's just really drunk

K, don't do anything stupid

Ray, SHE'S DRUNK

I mean in the morning.

You mean like confess my love to her or something? I almost texted back.