DISCLAIMER: DO NOT OWN TEEN TITANS
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is the revised and rewritten version of the first chapter to Happily Ever After?. Hope you like it better!!
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Chapter 1, Marriage to a Star
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Robin was sitting outside, on the roof of the Titan Tower to be exact. The bright white light from the rising sun stroked his masked face that was currently deep in thought.
He raised masked eyes to the sun.
"Starfire…" he whispered to the wind.
The mere thought of the redheaded Tamaranian brought a smile to his face.
'No one ever made me feel so…happy before,' he thought to the city.
'The time I thought I was in love with Barbara can't even compare with now.'
He had known Starfire for 5 years now, but throughout all that time he had felt the same, never less. Four years of that five had been spent in closeness with her, in other words, as boyfriend and girlfriend. Now, he wanted something more…He was 22 after all.
'But will she feel the same?'
He felt a chill go through his body at the mere thought of her rejection, regardless of the sunlight falling on him. Dating was one thing, but this…this was bonding for forever.
He took out a small red velvet case from his belt. Flipping it open, he stared at the red ruby sitting on the slim gold band. The heart shaped jewel that exactly matched the hue of Starfire's hair had winked tauntingly from the shop window for months before he made up his mind and bought the thing, ignoring the knowing grin of the shopkeeper.
He stood, slipping the case safely back into his belt. Waiting wouldn't lessen his feelings nor make him less nervous. The sight of the ring confirmed that he had made up his mind the moment he walked into that store.
--
The door of his room slid shut behind him. He took out the lavender piece of paper with a small white starflower imbedded in it. Ever since he found out about the flower, he thought of it as her flower.
The handmade paper was rough to the touch, but he knew she would like it more that way. She loved whatever he made with his own hands. He smiled at the memory of throwing away countless amounts of paper and flowers before he got just the right piece of paper made. He took up a pen and started to write.
--
A knock echoed through Starfire's room. Starfire, who was drying her hair after a shower, hurried to the door in her light pink bathrobe. But when she opened the door all she saw was a lavender square on the gray floor of the hallway. "Robin?" she inquired in a quiet voice but no answer came. Smiling quietly to herself she picked up the note and slipped back inside.
--
Robin was pulled on a red sweater over the white dress shirt he was wearing with jeans. He didn't want to be overly fancy tonight. His hands lingered over his mask. Should he take them off, or should he leave it on?
'Let's leave my eyes a surprise.' Maybe he would take them off later.
Starfire was wearing a dark purple turtleneck with white flowers stitched onto it. She tugged at her dark jeans.
'I wonder why Robin wished me to wear something casual,' she mused to herself. 'He has never asked for me to do this before.'
Leaving her doubts behind, Starfire pulled on a pair of black boots and walked out the door.
"Whoa, Star," was all Robin could say when he saw her.
"Is it strange?" asked Starfire worriedly with wide eyes.
"No, you look beautiful."
When Starfire still looked worried, Robin kissed her lightly on the cheek.
"Really."
They walked out of the tower into the crisp autumn air. The sun was still shining in the sky, lighting Jump City in a warm, late afternoon glow. Starfire glanced at Robin. At a nod from him, she grabbed his hand and pulled him into exhilarating flight.
They had spaghetti for dinner. They had a good time trying to spear each other's shrimp, pretending to be greedy. But both ended up placing the hard-earned shrimp into the other's mouth, both giggling.
Robin had a surprise dessert ready after they finished the messy plates of seafood spaghetti. It was chocolate brownies with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the top of each. The two looked at each other lovingly across the table with brown goodness in their mouths.
--
Robin and Starfire sat side by side in the park, sitting under a tree whose leaves had turned yellow. The setting sun bathed the entire world in orange light. Leaves fell occasionally from the tree above them. Between them flowed a blissful silence more rich than any amount of talking could amount to.
'Communicating without words' as Robin put it.
Both faces were turned to the sunset. Glancing at Starfire's smile Robin felt it was time to ask her what he had meant to ask her all the time. He looked once more toward the sun.
'Please let her say yes,' he silently prayed to the heavens. Taking a deep breath Robin reached for his pocket. Breaking the comfortable silence, he spoke.
"Star?"
She turned green eyes dyed golden to his face. "Yes, Robin?"
"You know, I've been dating you for four years now." He took a deep breath.
"And I love you desperately, more even than my life. I always want you to know that." he rushed.
"I know already," Starfire smiled. "And I love you too, boyfriend Robin."
"There's been something that I wanted to tell you for a long time now,"
He paused.
Starfire waited.
Robin opened his hand. There on his palm was the red velvet ring case. Starfire took it in her own hands and slowly opened it.
Starfire gasped at the sight of the beautiful ring.
The sunlight glinting off the ruby made it look like it was on fire.
Robin took off his mask, revealing eyes the color of the autumn sky.
"Will you marry me?"
Green met blue and Robin stopped breathing.
"How could I not?"
--
Well, there were complications.
First, Robin had to tell the others that they were engaged. Truthfully, he didn't want to. He would rather have had another run-in with Slade, but Starfire talked him into it.
Raven: "Umm…Good luck?"
Beastboy: "Dude! It's like soooo about time! You two lovebirds couldn't keep your eyes off each other anyway."
Cyborg: "Way to go, Robin! Man, you finally got the courage to ask her? But wasn't the answer sort of obvious?"
"Uh, thanks guys." Robin replied uncertainly.
"Glorious! We will complete the ceremony of marriage in April, or so we are planning." Starfire said with a big smile, hugging the entire team.
"Hey, Robin! Are you sure you can wait that long? I mean, it's November at the moment," Beastboy teased, one eyebrow wiggling.
"Ooh, ya need to wait five entire months more! What a crisis!" Cyborg laughed.
"So, don't you need to prepare?" asked Raven.
"Yes friends, that is why we are here asking for your help!" cried Starfire enthusiastically.
"Oh, joy." muttered Raven darkly.
--
Another complication was Tamaran.
"I utterly refuse to be married anywhere else!" exclaimed Starfire, crossing her arms stubbornly.
"And I totally refuse to wear purple or that armor they wear with that green jewel on it! Or that metal armband! And I don't want to wear something that reveals my arms so much!" shouted Robin.
"It is the least I can do as a princess of Tamaran! And besides, my G'norfka Galfore is on Tamaran, is he not? We cannot be married without him even in the culture of earth, yes?" Starfire replied with her eyes threatening to start glowing.
So they compromised. Robin would wear a tux but they would be married on Tamaran. They would take Batman along as well as he was Robin's adoptive father. They decided all this without even consulting Batman.
'Will he love this.' Robin thought sarcastically. Not noticing Robin's totally cynical expression, Starfire gleefully sent transmissions to Tamaran that they will be arriving at Tamaran in four months time.
"I have sent word that we will be arriving in three months. Is it not wonderful? I truly love earth very much but sometimes I still get the sick home feeling to see Tamaran once more."
"Wait, Star, did you say in three months? But our wedding is not until April and that's in four months!" Robin said in surprise.
"Yes, I shall show you and our friends the planet Tamaran! Last time I could not show you properly because I was confined to my room and you and our friends were almost prisoners. We will have a wonderful time!"
Starfire clasped her hands together and danced around the room. She looked so cute Robin couldn't resist. He swept her into his arms and kissed her lightly on the lips.
"Dudes, give it a rest." Beastboy's bored voice came from the door.
--
Raven was tapping her foot impatiently on the hard linoleum floor of the clothes shop.
"You know, I don't think you need all this." she said.
"Come, Raven, you must try this on!" Starfire said, holding up a dark blue sweater with a red heart on the left side.
"At least it isn't pink like last time…" Raven mumbled, thinking of the shocking pink T-shirt Starfire had tried to force her into. She sighed. Why can't she take her fiance shopping? she asked the brightly lighted ceiling.
"Fine, Star. I'll try it on…AAH!" Raven was stopped mid sentence as Starfire pulled her towards the changing room.
Four hours later a disgruntled Raven and a singing Starfire entered the tower with four bags stuffed full of various items ranging from mustard to sunglasses.
"We're back." Raven said dryly to the boys.
She needn't have bothered. The moment Starfire was in the room she flew towards Robin and he ran to catch her in his arms. They gazed at each other in a blissfully dazed sort of way while the rest of the three titans rolled their eyes behind the couple's backs.
"You guys can't live a moment without each other, can you?" Cyborg said.
--
"Movie Night!" said Robin cheerfully.
"Umm, Robin, you feeling ok?" Beastboy said, staring at their leader. "I mean, dude, that's so my line!"
Robin merely smiled.
"Friends, we must wear the normal clothes that Raven and I have bought at the mall of shopping the day before!" Starfire exclaimed.
"Star, I don't think that's necessary," started Robin. But Starfire merely gave him a glaring look that made him quail. No one questioned Starfire when she wore that expression. All went to their respective rooms to change.
"Starfire, what are you doing here??" Raven said in surprise as Starfire entered her room.
"Friend Raven, please wear this for the night of movies," she said, holding up the dark blue sweater with the red heart.
"When did you buy this? I thought you didn't…"
"Yes?"
"Never mind."
"So you will wear this?" Starfire looked imploringly at Raven.
"……Fine."
'I have no idea why I'm agreeing to this,' Raven thought as she pulled the sweater over her head.
"Starfire?"
"Shh, Beastboy, please be quiet."
"Umm, why?"
"Will you please wear this to the night of movies?" Starfire asked, holding up a dark blue sweater with a red heart on it.
"Blue isn't really…" Beastboy stopped short at the glare Starfire was giving him.
"Heh, sure thing!" he said instead.
"Hey guys, hurry up!" Robin yelled down the corridor wearing a red hooded shirt.
The titans emerged one by one.
"What!?"
"Raven why are you..?"
"Beastboy! What's with the…!"
"Okay, so you set them up?" Robin whispered into Starfire's ear. She merely nodded with a grin that would have made the Cheshire cat proud.
"Ooookay this is getting creepy." Cyborg scratched his head. Starfire and Robin looked at him wearing identical red hood shirts with a yellow star in the middle. Raven and Beastboy looked up from their bickering, wearing the same dark blue sweater with a red heart on the left side.
"What??" the four asked.
The movie was another scary one. As the movie reached its ending Raven and Beastboy were holding hands tightly while Robin and Starfire were hugging each other though unwilling to take their eyes off the screen. Cyborg was chewing on a cushion.
When the credits started to go up the screen Raven snatched her hand away glaring at Beastboy who was blushing. Robin was saying "That was scary," to Starfire and Cyborg.
"Well, it's over midnight. I guess we should go to bed now." Robin said with a yawn.
Starfire eagerly followed him to the corridor and Cyborg stood up.
"Coming?" he said to Raven and Beastboy, who were both still sitting there.
"Later." they both replied.
--
Next morning Robin entered the living room feeling rather worried. Did Starfire do the right thing?
From what he had heard, Raven sort of told Starfire that she loved Beastboy while having the 'girl talk' with Starfire a few nights ago. She knew Beastboy loved Raven from a while back, so she just wanted them to get together.
'Sweet, but what if they won't speak to each other?'
However, he was surprised. Beastboy and Raven were sitting side by side on the floor leaning on the counter. Beastboy was saying something, and wonder of wonders, Raven was smiling.
"Um, Hi?"
"Hey Robin, good morning." said Raven.
"You both look like you're in a good mood," Robin said, smiling nervously.
"Yeah." said Beastboy breathlessly.
Robin, rather freaked out, wordlessly grabbed bread, jam and milk and went out the door bumping into Cyborg.
"Hey, Robin,"
"Shh…"
"What's up?"
"Raven and Beastboy's in there."
"So?"
"They're enjoying each other's company."
"Ohhhh."
"Good morning friends!"
"Hi, Star, we'll eat in your room, 'kay?"
"Me too?"
"No, just me and Star. Here-" Robin threw Cyborg half of the bread then walked away with his arm around Starfire's waist.
"Hey man! What am I supposed to do with just bread?"
--
Okay, so Batman wasn't really pleased.
"Tell me why I have to waste a month on Tamaran again?" he said over the speakers.
"I'm sorry Bruce, but we have no choice. You do know that Star is a princess, right?"
"Of course."
Robin just stood there looking very uncomfortable in casual clothes and no mask. Because to Bruce he would always be Dick.
"So, should I be Bruce or Batman?"
"You're coming?" Robin said, surprise thick in his voice.
"Of course brickhead. It's my son's wedding isn't it?"
Batman smiled warmly at him through the screen.
"I'm proud of you. Though, I never thought you'd go for someone so high ranking."
Robin grinned rather maliciously. "It runs in the family. How are you and Diana?"
Batman's face turned beet red.
"So when do I get to meet this charming princess?" he asked instead, averting his eyes.
So the next day, Robin as Dick and Starfire went to Gotham via the T-Ship.
--
Spring was nearing, and with it, April. The warm air drifting in through every window reminded all of the trip to Tamaran they would take soon. This time they would not be taking the T-Ship, instead, the Justice League had kindly consented to let them borrow one of theirs, considering that one of them were going as well. The ship was considerably roomier and actually had bunks, kitchen and bathroom.
"Dude, this is cool! Too bad it only takes like two days to get there at most." Beastboy said, staring around the ship.
Just then the door opened and Robin walked inside, accompanied by a dark clad individual. "Everyone, meet Batman or Bruce Wayne, my foster father."
"Nice to meet you." Cyborg shook hands with Batman.
Raven looked up from her ever-present book. "Hey."
Beastboy jaw hung open, and only snapped to attention because Raven elbowed him in the ribs. "Hi?" he said.
Starfire waved cheerily from the kitchen pantry. "Greetings!"
Somehow, the two days went by peacefully. The rest of the titans seemed in awe of Batman and he in turn told them stories of the Justice League. Robin merely basked in the combined feeling of Starfire's love and the familylike warmth of the team. He had never felt so happy in his life.
Too soon, Tamaran was in sight and not long after that, they landed. The next month passed in a haze as Starfire showed them all, the place that she grew up in, from the castle to the mountains and valleys, right down to the tiny stone she used to use as her doll's table. They were all glad to see Starfire so happy. Robin was happy that Starfire was happy. But happy days always come to an end.
"Will you, Starfire, take Dick Grayson the leader of the Teen Titans as your husband?"
"Yes…Yes!"
The scene was so similar to the one that happened long ago, when Starfire was nearly tricked into marrying an ugly, slimy thing, yet so different.
Starfire was smiling radiantly in the same white Tamaranian wedding attire she'd worn that day. Robin was standing next to her in a tuxedo, looking happy and nervous at the same time. Galfore and Batman were smiling too. And of course the Titans were glad too. Something like tears formed in Raven's eyes as she held tight to Beastboy's hand, almost as if she was worried he would go off and marry too.
Everyone cheered as the bride passionately kissed the groom.