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Post by Deleted on Dec 7, 2014 18:11:26 GMT
2nd October 2017 - 15:23 Mount Justice
In truth, it had been a fair amount of time since Tim had last been in The Cave. Wally’s death had affected everyone, in some form or another. Needless to say, the Bat-Family weren’t the most healthy when it came to getting over someone’s death. It brought back memories, bad memories and that lead to Bruce retreating into himself for a few days. Dick was Dick, he needed to be given time, alone. Then there was Barbara, who seemed to just dive deeper into her work. Death, especially death of a teammate wasn’t something that Tim had much experience with up until now. He didn’t know how to deal with it, really. But he knew he could be there, for others. Initially all he could do was be there for Barbara, lend a hand with whatever went on in Gotham. Once Bruce had returned somewhat to normal, Tim made the decision to take a break from the Team. He felt that he was needed more in Gotham, that it would be better for himself and Bruce as well if he focused on his role of being one half of the Dynamic Duo.
Tim only visited the Cave then less than a handful of times - only doing so upon the request of Bruce, or Barbara. But then there wasn’t much to do at the Cave, construction work was going on. This in turn meant that Tim had lost contact with a few members, like Bart, Garfield and Cassie to name a few. But that would change, as Tim was starting to feel at times like he needed a break away from Gotham, away from Batman.
Last night had been a difficult one. Tim had found himself out in Gotham to the very early hours of this Morning – though there wasn’t necessarily anything strange about that. In fact, it would be strange to find Tim at the Manor during the night. Heading out into Gotham was routine, and most of the time Tim found himself being accompanied by Bruce or Barbara. But last night was different. Tim was sent out, alone, to follow up on a few leads whilst Bruce assisted from the Bat Cave. The leads were to do with Two-Face. He had been unusually quiet, and Bruce believed they had leads that would give them some idea as to what Two-Face had been up to, or was planning. These leads led Tim all over Gotham, back and forth like a yoyo. It was physically draining the amount of distance that Tim had covered, and how quickly Bruce expected him to traverse it. Tim had been chasing these leads into the early hours of the Morning, and ultimately they lead to absolutely nothing – talk about a waste of time.
Needless to say, such an eventful and late night had made sure that Tim remained in his bed back at Wayne Manor long into the day. It wasn’t until at least noon before Tim got up, and even then he remained in a zombie like state for a good hour or so. It was at this point that Tim decided he would take a break from Gotham and head to Mount Justice. At least that way if Bruce wanted him, then Tim would get at the very least an extra thirty seconds to chill. But then, there was always the chance that if Tim wasn’t right there when Bruce needed him, that he’d encounter Batman in a less than friendly mood than usual.
It was the Lounge/Kitchen area of Mount Justice where Tim could be found at present. The television there was switched on, turned onto a News Channel so that any breaking news would be heard about fast. It was on the low side of the volume spectrum however, as despite being ‘on call’. Tim was trying to get in a little more sleep. Draped over the back of the couch was Tim’s cape; folded up in somewhat of a rushed manner, and on the table in the kitchen area was his utility belt. The Boy Wonder himself was located on the couch, sporting his Robin costume still, as he laid on the couch. His head resting back on a cushion, whilst at the other end his feet just about dangled over the edge. He kept his eyes shut, half awake, but listening out for anything the remotely sounded like someone looking for him. The effects of last night were still apparent, and he knew he would need his rest because chances are that Batman would call upon him again tonight. Still, it proved motivation for Tim to return to the Cave, even if he was only seeking momentary solitude - best make the most of the peaceful little time he had.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 8, 2014 0:04:02 GMT
It had only been two days since Starfire had officially joined the Team and moved into her new room at the Cave. She had to admit, she loved having her own room. Of course, she hadn't been forced to share a room with Blackfire on Tamaran - they lived in a palace, after all - but sometimes even a heavily guarded palace could get crowded with the two of them. She and her sister didn't always get along, but the same could be said for most sisters. She simply enjoyed a break from both Komand'r and Tamaran. Life on earth was much more interesting and laid back. This Cave, her new room - small, but cozy - all of this was exactly what she preferred. No need for a life of royalty - she'd pick simplicity any day.
Outside of Wonder Girl and Blue Lantern, however, she hadn't met many of the Team. Apparently not everyone hung out at the Cave very often, for reasons she'd yet to discover. The silence of the place didn't bother her, but she had found herself rather bored these last couple days, with not many people around. Life had been a lot more fast paced when she'd been on the streets, fighting crime, but she wasn't so sure she missed that more than she enjoyed living here.
She couldn't help but feel lonely, even though only two days had passed, since few members of the Team hung out here. She knew Geoff, but didn't wish to bother him, for his room was adjacent to her own and she probably bothered him often. As for Cassie, she hadn't seen the younger girl since they'd met the other day. That left her with only two friends and a large, silent Cave.
She headed down the hallway now, in search of something to do. Perhaps she could watch the television, or cook something. How surprised would they all be to come home, greeted with one of her famous Tamaranean pies? She smiled at the thought. At last, she had something to do.
As she entered the kitchen, however, she couldn't help but notice the fact that, not only was there a utility belt laying on the table, but the TV was turned on, the volume down low. Confused but not overly concerned, she flew into the lounge area to turn off the television. Perhaps another person had been here earlier and she'd failed to notice.
Allowing a soft sigh to escape her lips, she shut off the TV before shrieking in surprise the moment she turned around. There was a boy there, with dark brown hair, his eyes closed. She had never seen him before. Was he part of the Team, or an intruder? Should she strike him with a star bolt, or leave him be? She really wished she could remember who was on her side and who wasn't.
A star bolt forming around her hand just to be on the safe side, she watched the boy with great caution before finally speaking up, "Please state your name and why you are doing the napping on this couch." Nice was the way to go. After all, he could be harmless. "If you fail to respond, I will call for help."
Who was she kidding? She had no one to call. She didn't even know what to do if he were, in fact, an intruder. But then, he didn't have to know that.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 8, 2014 10:44:57 GMT
Tim hadn’t been aware of anyone entering the room at first. He heard a few noises, but he thought it all insignificant. Even if it was someone, that made no difference. They could go on about their business just fine, whilst Tim remains on the couch, all comfortable and just relaxing. Of course, that wouldn’t be the case if it was Batman who was sauntering through the various parts of the Cave. But, Tim held out hope that the Dark Knight wouldn’t need his assistance just yet.
Then the sound of the television was cut off, yet Tim was unaware of any sounds of footsteps. There were only a handful of people who could sneak up like that, and not make any sound. Tim was intrigued to a certain extent, and for a brief second he opened one eye to see who was there. A girl, somewhat older it seemed, red hair. It fit the profile of a couple of red heads that Tim knew. But he could only decipher that it was definitely not Barbara. Good news too, less chance of Batman being on his trail. Tim had closed his eyes again, deciding that perhaps the girl just wanted some quiet time. He wasn’t watching it himself, so it didn’t really bother the Boy Wonder whether the television was on or off. Tim returned to resting only momentarily, as rather unexpectedly he would find himself caught off guard as the red head had spoke out.
“Please state your name and why you are doing the napping on this couch.”
Tim opened his eyes, wide, and would quickly sit up straight on the couch having been alerted. Who is he? Why’s he napping? Tim could ask similar questions right back at her. But at the ‘threat’ in calling for others, Tim thought it best to explain himself rather than have any cavalry be called. “I’m… Robin. You know, the ‘Robin’ in ‘Batman and Robin’. I was just trying to nod off for a few minutes of sleep is all, there’s no need to call for back-up. I’m allowed in here”. At least no-one had warned Tim otherwise. Tim offered up a smile, hoping it would help his case in proving that he was one of the good guys. Though that smile quickly faded when he noticed the green star bolt being that had been prepared, and it was probably for him. “You’re… you’re not going to fire that at me, are you?”. It wouldn’t be the first time someone has fired a projectile his way in the past twenty four hours. But this one could be avoided, hopefully.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2014 2:28:21 GMT
The alien narrowed her eyes at him, unsure of whether or not she should believe him. He didn't look like a villain. He didn't even look much like a hero. He was rather young, probably around Cassie's age, and he had only been napping, after all. What harm could he have been doing - creating wrinkles on the sofa? And, on top of all that, he wasn't intimidating in the least, stating his name just as she'd requested. As far as villains went, he was at least well mannered - assuming he was a villain, that is. Sure, he had a sweet face and had remained collected thus far, but something had to be out of place, for he mentioned a "Batman," whoever that was. Anyone who worked with bats had to be at least a little shady. She would know, she had seen many old horror films in the last couple days.
Although she refused to let her guard down, she took pride in the fact that this boy, Robin, looked rather afraid of her star bolts. Villain or hero, he knew who was in charge here - and it wasn't the one on the couch. "Well, Robin," she began, holding her head high. "Who was it who allowed you to be here? I was not informed you were 'allowed' to visit.It is impolite to come over unannounced, is it not?" Certainly this boy knew of common courtesy. It wasn't like he was from another planet.
It was possible she was being too hard on him, though. He hadn't been doing anything wrong, only sleeping. And, besides, it wouldn't be right to shoot him. He wasn't posing a threat at all. Yes, he was working with this questionable Batman person, but that didn't necessarily make him the bad guy. There would be no harm in letting him stay for a while. She was bored, anyway, and she wouldn't mind the company, even if he was evil.
The star bolt disappearing, she sighed before floating over to the couch. "Although I do not believe your words, you may remain if that is what you wish. However, if the man of bats shows up, I will not hesitate to harm you both." She took a seat next to him. "Now, before you resume the napping, we must discuss an important matter." She took a deep breath, this had to be brought up. "Because you seem like a well mannered little boy, I will attempt to enhance that greatness by offering advice of my own!" She smiled now, hoping he would understand she was attempting to help him. "When you wish to visit someone, it is polite to let them know you are coming. Common ways to do this are sending the text messages, or perhaps even a phone call. Another rule of the thumb is to knock before entering, otherwise you might startle someone.
"I am only allowing you to stay because I am nice and you have been a most respectful villain. You have behaved well, but, in the future, you will remember our discussion, yes? And you will begin to use your manners?" She stood up, motioning to the kitchen. "Do you wish to do the practicing? It is not hard to knock, I would be happy to teach you, villainous friend."
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Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2014 12:43:13 GMT
It was quite the peculiar situation that Tim had found himself in, and one he knew he should be more awake for. A rather dumbfounded look on Tim’s face as he watched the red headed girl address him, unsure of how he should respond, never mind what he should say. In many ways she was right, but in others she was wrong. It was perhaps impolite of Tim to turn up unannounced, but he thought he wouldn’t need to phone or text ahead of time – the luxury of doing so is not always there.
As the girl inquired after whom had given Tim permission to be at the Cave, Tim went to open his mouth in order to speak. But before he could, she had said something else, and moved to sit beside him. No words were coming out, and Tim didn’t know what to say as his mind began to wonder about what would happen if she did engage Batman in combat. Energy bolts or not, Tim would have to assume that Batman would be the victor. Tim kept his mouth closed, and simply looked towards the girl and listened. In the back of his mind he had hope of someone turning up to resolve the situation. His ideal pick was Superman, someone who was known throughout the galaxy whom she must have heard of. But nothing was ever simple, and the chances of Superman suddenly entering the room were very low. The odds of a Green Lantern appearance were not much better either.
Tim remained quiet and listened, honing in on the way that the girl spoke. The words which people say and the way in which they say them were always very telling. Every word sounded very innocent, but there was clearly something off about the girl. What exactly, Tim would be given no time to think on that as he quite clearly heard the girl state that he was a villain. It was almost a jaw dropping moment that someone could ever perceive Tim as being a villain in any way, shape or form. Tim moved to correct her, but as he opened his mouth to speak yet again, he would be denied the opportunity as the girl proceeded to talk.
“There really is no need, knocking is not exactly my thing”. Turning up unannounced, and disappearing without a word was something of a train that all members of the Bat Family were guilty of at one time or another, including Tim. “I appreciate the advice, but. I’m not a villain, and even if I was… I would not be any good at it”. Tim was not the most combat savvy as it is, he’d stand no chance against the Justice League, and thus a life of villainy really was not an option for Tim. “I’m actually a member of the Team, I have just been on a bit of a break, stopping villains in Gotham City”.
“I am guessing that you’re new to the Team, correct? Well, who have you met so far? Is anyone around? I’m sure you would have made friends with a friend of mine, they could vouch for me being a good guy”. This seemed like the best approach, find someone who the girl knew already and have them clarify Tim’s membership. He figured that no matter what he said about being on the team that she would remain wary of him. Having someone she trusted back up what he said seemed the best option. Well, depending on who it is. Garfield, Bart… they might be in the mood to play a joke on Tim. So he hoped for someone else, like Batgirl, M’gann, or Superboy - if either of them are around. “Oh, and I have some advice that will serve you well. If you do see the Man of Bats, don’t engage him in combat… that’s a really bad thing to do, really bad”. How had someone not warned her of this before? At least Tim could tell her before she meets the Dark Knight.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 10, 2014 3:04:17 GMT
Her mouth falling open in surprise, it took Starfire some time to process everything Robin had said to her. Perhaps the most surprising of it all was the fact that he was indeed a hero, and on the Team. She felt her face heat up and she let out a small laugh, although it did absolutely nothing to hide her embarrassment. Not only had she accused her own teammate of being a villain, but she had disrespected him in every way possible, first by threatening to shoot him and then by analyzing his manners when, really, she should have been analyzing her own. What kind of person, what kind of hero, would be so rude to someone on her own team? Surely Superman had never done this sort of thing, surely this boy - Robin - had never been so inconsiderate. Who was she to condemn him for his lack of manners? He had obviously been on this Team for longer than she had.
"No proof is required," she muttered softly, her face still a dark shade of scarlet. "It is clear you are of the Team and, do not worry, Robin, I do not wish to harm the Man of Bats. He is part of this Team also?" She figured asking questions would be the way to go from here on out, especially after seeing where jumping to conclusions had led her. It would be in everyone's best interest for her to know the heroes from the villains. "My sincerest apologies. I am Starfire of Tamaran. It was not my intention to wrongly accuse you of being a villain. I was unaware you were a good guy. I have not been on this Team for very long."
She flew over to him and extended a hand, what she should have done from the start. It did make more sense that he was a hero. It wasn't often villains looked as happy and sincere as he. Not only that, but he appeared quite exhausted and she couldn't imagine why she'd assumed a tired villain would just crash on a couch belonging to heroes. Perhaps she should think before speaking next time. "I am sorry I interrupted your napping. If you wish, I will turn on the television and you may resume."
She moved to exit the room, but then, his last words finally dawning on her, she paused and turned to face him. "If you do see the Man of Bats," he had said, "don't engage him in combat… that’s a really bad thing to do, really bad." She wondered what he'd meant by that. If it were true he was on the Team and this Batman person was a good guy as well, why should she beware of engaging him in combat? Of course, anyone in their right mind wouldn't want to be attacked, but was this Batman even more dangerous than he sounded? Was he a nice guy? What was he capable of? What made engaging him in combat a "really bad thing to do"?
"Um, this Batman . . . He is not evil, correct? You give him the trust?"
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Post by Deleted on Dec 10, 2014 10:52:26 GMT
It was obvious even before Tim had finished what he had said that the girl was feeling embarrassed, told through the sudden laugh, and the scarlet coloured look to her face. Tim had a faint look of a smirk on his face. It was a pleasant surprise for him, as he often found himself being the one who gets embarrassed, or is made to be embarrassed. It was certainly a change of pace, as more often than not Barbara or Dick would have some fun at Tim’s expense.
“It’s okay, really. You were right to doubt me. If I was a villain you would want to learn that before anything could get out of hand”. Tim had a similar instinct himself as well, to learn someone’s intentions as quickly as he could. That saying – ‘better safe than sorry’ was something that springs to mind. “And I would have done the exact same thing too. It’s totally understandable. You’re new, obviously, can’t know who everyone is in just a few days”. There were a lot of members within the Team and the Justice League. It was quite rare to find them all assembled at once, mostly members of both seem to come and go as they please. Someone who had only just joined the team could never meet all of them in such a small amount of time. Tim had spoken with a reassuring tone, offering a smile as he looked towards Starfire. “Plus, believe it or not I have had much worse first encounters with new members of the team. I’d put this in the category of good first encounters honestly”. That prestigious title would have to belong to Bart Allen. At least Starfire didn’t even up shooting him, or need to be restrained by Nightwing. There was nothing to be embarrassed about, understandable mistake.
Tim had thought at that point that Starfire had departed, and gone off somewhere else in the cave. He really didn’t mind her staying; it wasn’t as if he would get much rest now anyway. Soon someone will run in, wanting his help – that or a very demanding phone call about him needing to be somewhere. But then she spoke, and it grabbed Tim’s attention as he turned his head so that he could look at her whilst he responded. “If Batman was evil, we would all be in trouble. He’s a good guy. But… he can come across as a little cold. He doesn’t joke, or laugh, or smile, really”. At least Batman didn’t, Bruce Wayne did on occasion. “Just don’t speak out of turn to him, or challenge him and you’ll be good”. Tim ended with a smile. He hoped he hadn’t made Batman out to be some heartless monster. He wasn’t. But at the same time he didn’t do much that would make someone think otherwise.
“But never mind that. Are you enjoying earth, Starfire of Tamaran?”. Tim had no idea what Tamaran is, or where Tamaran is. It was a name that he couldn’t recall hearing before, and so he thought it was somewhere off world. It was the general conclusion to anything he hadn’t heard of. It was an invitation for Tim to hopefully learn more about his new teammate. Everyone had a story, human or alien, they all had a story.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 12, 2014 3:04:37 GMT
The longer Robin spoke, the harder it was for Starfire to figure this Batman person out. What kind of hero didn't smile? Did it not please him to save lives and make a difference? Was it possible he did not enjoy life as a hero? Whoever he was, the alien wasn't so sure she wanted to meet him just yet. After all, he didn't sound like the nicest guy around.
"Just don't speak out of turn to him, or challenge him and you'll be good," the Boy Wonder finished.
Starfire's eyebrows went up. "I will . . . be good? But I am currently doing the good, yes? Will I only be good if I fail to do those things?" Man, life on Earth was going to be more complicated than she thought.
Although this Batman sounded odd, she truly got the sense that Robin was a kind person. She could tell he only wanted to help, to reassure her that her mistakes were common. Apparently he'd had worse first encounters than this, a fact that made her pity him in a way. What sort of first encounter could be worse than being mistaken for a villain? He was taking everything well, though, and that was all that mattered.
She had almost decided to leave him be once more, but then he asked her how she was enjoying Earth and she couldn't even pretend to hide the smile forcing its way onto her face. "Oh, it is most enjoyable! Your planet has many wonderful things! Recently, I have discovered the mall of shopping, a glorious place in which you can purchase things of many varieties! You have been there, yes?" She flew over to him, talking faster as she went on, "I have also discovered that you must use the money to take what you wish to own! I was not aware of that when I first came to this planet. On Tamaran, you may take by force. There, it is strength that matters, but here, you must pay with the green paper." Needless to say, her first shopping trip on Earth hadn't been the greatest one ever. "It is also astonishing how often humans make the lip contact. Is that common? Do you not all speak the same language?"
She found herself eager to ask him about many different things of Earth. After all, it was likely he had many answers and would definitely be able to help. However, he still looked tired and she knew he probably wasn't up for the questions nor the company. "Are you not feeling well, Robin? Perhaps I can make you the soup!"
She headed back to the kitchen now, pulling out pots and pans, along with some other, random ingredients. She had never made soup before, but how hard could it be? Many humans ate this sort of thing when they were tired, or sick. Surely she could make some for Robin now, to show her appreciation for his kindness. It couldn't be too hard.
"Where are the plants located?" she questioned, pulling a jar of jelly from one of the cabinents and filling the nearest pot with a mixture of that, hot sauce, and a canteloupe that hadn't been cut up. "Having the 'greens' in a soup is healthy, is it not?"
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Post by Deleted on Dec 12, 2014 11:56:56 GMT
There was something of a culture barrier between the two. Tim had gathered from the look upon Starfire’s face that not everything was registering as though he wanted. He simply hoped he wasn’t confusing her with what he said, as he knew she would no doubt have further questions. It was better to ask than remain in silence, and Tim flashed a smile as Starfire further questioned what he had said regarding Batman. He was a complicated entity; no-one understands the Bat right away. “No, I mean… I’m sure you’re doing good, great in fact. I just mean so long as you follow what I said, then I am sure that you will make a good impression on Batman”. It was quite simple really to make sure of that, just act well behaved around him, really. “You may even get to see him smile if you’re lucky”. Batman wasn’t the type to smile as often as many others. A smile wasn’t anything foreign to Batman, but it was only seen in the rarest of circumstances. Batman kept a serious approach, and that was needed when there are others of the team who can’t help but smile and have a fun outlook on things. Tim had noticed this starting to rub off a little on him as well. He wasn’t so happy-go-lucky anymore, at times knowing he was almost channelling an inner Batman.
Tim listened on further as Starfire opened up a bit more about her experiences so far on Earth. It wasn’t that often that you encountered someone who was visiting Earth for the first time. Well, maybe in Tim’s line of work encountering someone visiting Earth from off world wasn’t too much of a rarity, but it remained so for everyday Joe’s. Starfire had enquired about whether Tim had visited a mall, that he had, and he would nod his head as though to answer yes, though clarified his answer in case as he spoke back to her. “I have been to a mall, yes. Not a big fan of it myself, but. If you ever need someone to go with, you should think about asking Batgirl, Zatanna or Wonder Girl to go with – I know that they all just love spending time there”. In many ways that was the voice of experience. Tim had found himself dragged along to the mall by female members of the team, mostly by Barbara. To take up the mantle of being a human clothes hanger for a couple of hours. Oh, how Tim dreaded those days. Starfire’s story continued, and Tim fought back against his reflex to laugh, avoiding doing so as he found the notion of Starfire engaging a clerk in combat a funny tale indeed. Then came the question about ‘lip contact’. A slight sigh befell Tim’s face, this wasn’t going to lead to ‘the talk’, was it? “The lip contact is called; kissing. It’s a romantic gesture of one human’s feelings towards another. It’s a common thing, usually between two people who are attracted to one another in some way”. Tim wasn’t bad at this whole initiation process of getting aliens to understand human culture.
Tim’s eyes followed Starfire across the room as she went from being nearby him, to floating over towards the kitchen area. She had asked him if he wanted soup, but Tim wasn’t in need of it. Alfred had fetched him a big lunch before he had left for the cave, so he was full. Plus, Starfire didn’t need to act as a butler for him either. “I am fine, Starfire, really - there is no need for soup”. Tim would say, calling out as Starfire had begun grabbing pots and pans, eager to cook it seemed. Tim didn’t want her going to that much trouble though. “I appreciate the gesture, but I’m okay at the moment”. He was. An expresso before Batman calls, and Tim will be wide awake once again. Caffeine would do the trick. “For future reference though, there are cans of soup usually in one of the cupboards – there is no need to venture outside for plants”. Tim felt it important to put a halt to Starfire’s plans for fetching plants to cook for now, and for in the future. It would be hilarious to see Garfield barf up whatever concoction of plants Starfire could make into a soup. But there was no guarantee that Garf’ would be the first and only victim of a prank like that.
“Is there anything else you want to know while I am here?”. Not like Tim had anywhere to go, or anything to do. May as well share what he can with the newest member of the team.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 13, 2014 0:17:01 GMT
Maybe it was the smile on Robin's face, or perhaps it was the fact that Batman sounded so solemn, but Starfire couldn't hide the grin on her face at the thought of seeing Bruce smile. Apparently it was a rare occurrence, but not entirely impossible. Her goal now, however, wouldn't be to simply see the man of bats smile, but to make him smile. Yes, she would have to remember that whenever she had the pleasure of meeting him. After all, there were many things that made people happy and certainly the Dark Knight had a softer side somewhere underneath his tough facade. She hoped she would see it someday and, more importantly, she hoped Robin truly would as well. He cared deeply about Batman, that much was obvious. She wondered what the relationship between the two was. He had said that he was "the Robin in Batman and Robin," but what did that mean? Were he and this Batman a team? Were they brothers, cousins, father and son? Either way, it was evident Robin had a good relationship with the man and that alone made her eager to see them together.
This Robin was full of surprises, though, the biggest one being that he was not a fan of the mall of shopping. She could not imagine disliking such a wondrous place. Poor guy had probably had some sort of terrible experience there. Perhaps she would take him with her next time she went, to show him the mall could be a fun and exciting place, full of new opportunities and shops around every corner. Surely he would love it then. "Bat . . . Girl?" she questioned, her eyebrows furrowed. "There are many of the bat people. I have yet to be acquainted with any of them and Zatanna. However, I have met the Wonder Girl. She is pretty, yes? Does that not make you nervous?" She lowered her voice and cupped a hand next to her mouth, as if someone else were listening, "Do you wish to be her neighbor?"
Her first day at the Cave had been nice. She'd met Geoff and Cassie, enjoyed her time touring the place with them. However, one of the most interesting nuggets of wisdom came from Wonder Girl that day: "On this planet, you will find that when you are a pretty girl, such as yourself, boys want to be close to you." Starfire had thought about that a lot since then. It was no secret many boys admired Cassie for both her good looks and great personality. That alone had led the Tamaranean to believe Robin was one of many admirers. It wasn't too far fetched, Wonder Girl was likeable and kind. Sure, she had a slight temper, but maybe Robin's calm demeanor would balance well with that. Perhaps Starfire should have become a matchmaker instead of a hero.
Shaking the thought out of her mind, she listened closer to what he was saying as he explained the lip contact on this planet. She laughed, although she wasn't sure she understood this completely. "Where I come from, to make lip contact is to become fluent in another language. People do not do that here?" The entire concept of kissing had thrown her for a loop. It was common? And the two people who made lip contact were . . . attracted to one another? Kissing served no real purpose? This planet grew stranger every moment. "Attract," she repeated. "That means to cause one to have a liking for something, correct? But . . . I like many people. Must I do the kissing with all of them?" She nearly shuddered at the thought, almost wishing she'd left this subject alone. "Is there no other way to show appreciation for people?"
She was thankful when he started talking about soup and how he didn't need any at the moment. She supposed she could make some, anyway, just in case, but he'd once again thrown her off with yet another thing she'd yet to learn about Earth: Soup came in cans and there was no need to put plants in it. Abandoning the makeshift soup with reluctance, she narrowed her eyes at him. Kindness, although a rarity on Tamaran, was not uncommon to this planet. Robin, however, was much kinder than the humans she had met thus far. Even Geoff and Cassie, nice as they could be, had shown sides of themselves that weren't so nice. Robin, on the other hand? He had answered all of her questions without complaint and even tolerated her interrupting his nap time by almost shooting him. Not only that, but as exhausted as he currently looked, he'd refused the soup and voluntarily asked if there was anything else she wanted to know. What kind of person, human or alien, had such everlasting patience?
"You are . . . unlike most humans," she told him, eyes still narrowed, arms crossed over her chest. "Is there something you are hiding, Robin? Surely you did not get the kindness from the Man of Bats, who never smiles."
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Post by Deleted on Dec 13, 2014 10:06:39 GMT
Perhaps Tim should have opted to name drop heroes with reputations that stemmed off world from earth as maybe then Starfire would have a better idea of who he was on about. No doubt, she’ll soon meet Batgirl. After all, Barb had taken up more responsibility with the running of the team due to Dick disappearing for a while - maybe one day Tim will be in a position to lead the team as well, that’s something that Dick had tried to give Tim some experience with. As for Zatanna, well, League members do make an appearance every now and then. But then the focus changed slightly, as Starfire mentioned the name of Wonder Girl. Not only that, but Starfire sure asked a lot of questions regarding Cassie, and what Tim thought of her.
Initially Tim would show signs of becoming quite nervous. He immediately would look down towards the floor for several moments, and when he tilted his head back up he seemed distracted, looking aimlessly somewhat around the room. Once Starfire had paused, Tim looked to her and spoke, his voice not quite as clear or confident as usual. “Wh-what do you mean by neighbour?”. He asked, his eyes scanning the room again as though he was looking to see if anyone was there. Thankfully there was no-one, and Tim returned his gaze to Starfire. “Did she… say something about me?”. The situation between Cassie and Tim was one that was up in the air to some degree. There was something there, between them, sure. But neither had spoken to one another in quite some time, rarely since the incident involving Wally. Tim had retreated back to Gotham, home. The only time he saw Cassie was on a handful of missions, and even then they didn’t exactly get a chance to talk.
In truth, Tim had become somewhat flustered. So was quite happy when Starfire had changed the subject to something else – lip contact. Tim had to be careful here, or things may start to take a step back towards the topic of Cassie. “It depends on the relationship, and how you feel about the other person. With one of my friends such as Beast Boy or Kid Flash…”. Tim still wasn’t comfortable with calling Bart by that codename. “With them I would bump fists, high five, that sort of thing. But then with Batgirl, or Nightwing who are like family to me. I would probably opt for a hug”. Tim felt he had explained things rather well. It certainly put himself at ease, as the clarity and confidence had returned to his tone of voice.
Next came Starfire once again jump to conclusions, believing that Tim was hiding something from her. Whatever gave her that idea, he had no clue. Tim would simply just smile as he responded. “I’m not hiding anything from you, Starfire. If I was, you wouldn’t know about it”. Keeping secrets was something like rule one of Bat Family Club. “I would say some of my kindness comes from Batman, which is quite hard to believe…”. Tim spends a great deal of time with Batman, out in the field as well as at the Manor. It’s only natural for some of Batman’s personality to have an effect on Tim, whether that be instilling a trait into him or allowing a trait he already has to flourish. “I like to think before I act, a lot of the time I overthink things. But it keeps me calm and collected; it stops me from acting abruptly, allowing for me to keep my composure and be the kind fellow you see here today”. Tim would finish with a huge grin spread across his face. Who didn’t like to be told they were a kind human being?
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Post by Deleted on Dec 13, 2014 17:07:13 GMT
Although it was clear Koriand'r had taken the younger boy off guard with her questions, he had surprised her even more with his answers. She had only been asking about Cassie out of curiosity - there was a chance he had a crush on the girl, but, then, was there a boy who didn't? Judging by both his expression and his inability to speak without stuttering, it was clear there was more to this than a simple crush. Often humans got nervous around those they had feelings for, Starfire knew that. But she'd had no idea they got nervous even at the mention of said person. She couldn't help but smile. "A neighbor is a person who resides next to you," she told him. It was odd how many humans did not seem to know this. She floated back over to him, her smile widening. "Because you have the feelings for her, you wish to be near her, do you not?" And then he asked if Wonder Girl had mentioned him and it was official: He had it bad. "She neglected to mention you." Her smile faded, but only for a moment. "Do not worry, friend! I will ask her if she reciprocates your nervousness and fondness at the mention of your name! Surely she must. Perhaps you would like to journey with me to locate her?"
She moved to exit the room, but stopped when he went on to explain other ways of showing you care about someone. "Please, what is a high five?" She considered his words, though. It seemed a fist bump must have been a friendly gesture, meant only for friends, and the hugging was meant for family. If that were so, then the kissing meant . . . She gasped. "The kissing is meant for someone you deeply admire, yes? Perhaps Wonder Girl would wish to partake in such a thing with you." It seemed like a logical conclusion. After all, if people commonly kissed ones they cared about, why shouldn't he kiss Cassie? It only made sense. "Should we ask her of that as well?"
He had looked much calmer, assuring her he was not hiding something, although it didn't ease her worries when he'd said she wouldn't know if he was. His idea of thinking before acting was a good one, however, as it seemed to work for him, keeping him perfectly composed at all times. He appeared to be telling the truth, his wide grin making his sincerity evident. She supposed she wouldn't worry too much about his secrets, for now. After all, he wasn't really good at hiding anything - his feelings about Wonder Girl were made clear with no words at all. Starfire smiled. "Your kindness is most refreshing, friend! I thank you from the heart of my bottom! Now we will go find Wonder Girl, yes?"
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Post by Deleted on Dec 13, 2014 19:59:15 GMT
It was alarming how quickly Starfire caught on to things. That, and Tim was doing far less than his Sunday best to discourage things. It’s the lack of sleep that has caused him to slip up, this is all Batman’s fault. As Starfire brought Cassie up more and more, Tim’s eyes widened. He was incredibly alert now, alert enough to hopefully play down anyone who happens to be overhearing this conversation, or walking in on it. Tim looked about the place over and over again, looking between the various entrance ways as he took in what Starfire said. In truth, he was not paying Starfire much attention. He was half-heartedly listening to her, but then alarm bells began to ring as she said that last sentence.
‘Now we will go find Wonder Girl, yes?’
Before Tim could even process the notion, his he react sharply with a prompt response. “NO!”. That was a bit loud, which of course Tim's intention was not to be loud, so he didn't really help himself there with the sheer volume of his voice. He took a deep breath, and would then speak as a more composed individual. “No… no we won’t”. Much more calmly mannered than the response Tim had blurted out before. “We’re not ever going to mention this to Cassie, or anyone else for that matter”. Tim was not sure how Cassie felt. The two were yet to speak to one another properly, they hadn't really spent any time in one another’s company over the past year. If anyone was going to say anything to Cassie regarding the two, then it would be Tim - on his terms, and in his own time. “You are right about the kissing thing, and I am happy to answer anything else you want to know, but please. Don’t tell Cassie”. Tim’s eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at Starfire with a glare. Tim was yet to perfect Bruce’s ability to instill fear into others just yet, but he was hopeful Starfire would pick up on how serious he was being.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 14, 2014 22:15:31 GMT
Starfire had to admit, she was rather taken aback by Robin's unexpected outburst and it took her several moments to recover from the initial shock. What was this all about? She understood not telling anyone else, but what was wrong with Cassie knowing? She was involved in this situation as well, whether she wanted to be or not. Wasn't it her right to know the truth of how Tim felt? And had it not been said that honesty was the greatest of policies? Certainly there would be no harm in telling her. Robin, however, didn't see things that way. Although his composure had returned, it was clear he was still worked up, as he explained he would answer any other questions she had as long as she didn't tell Wonder Girl.
Starfire wasn't sure whether this was a difference in humans and aliens, or in male and female, but she didn't understand why, exactly, it was so important to Robin that his feelings were kept hidden. Were they not meant to be expressed? Surely holding them in was not a good thing, although his glare told her she wouldn't convince him of this. Conceivably, he, like Batman, had trouble showing emotion and there was nothing she could do to change that. Maybe Wonder Girl would never know, then. Perhaps Robin would decide not to tell her at all in the future. It was possible they could go the rest of their lives not knowing what could have become of a simple confession. And what if Cassie felt the same way about Tim and she, too, was afraid to speak up? What if they were both waiting on one another for something that would never happen? What if they were two steps away from moving forward with their relationship and, instead, choosing to take two steps back?
This concerned Starfire - not that it was any of her business. Of course, she knew better than anyone that fear was a powerful thing, but she also knew how great it felt to overcome it. She had been terrified to be taken captive by the Gordanians in order to save her planet, but she had done so, anyway, in turn taking an opportunity to escape and coming to Earth, an incredible planet full of incredible people. All around her, there were heroes bravely defending what was theirs and standing up for what was right. So, if it were true Robin was one of these heroes, what made him so afraid to take a chance? He could fight the most dangerous villains without even breaking a sweat and yet he was too scared to tell a girl he had feelings for her? Starfire wasn't so sure she was hearing him right.
Sighing, she thought it best not to argue, though, for his eyes told her the discussion was already over. "She will not be told, nor will anyone else." The Tamaranean found it hard to believe he had not been planning to act on something he clearly felt strongly about. New opportunities were waiting at every turn and he was allowing himself to miss out on all of them. It appeared he, too, had much to learn. Avoiding his gaze she floated past him, taking a seat on the sofa to show she truly wasn't going anywhere. "I will do the dropping of the subject if you will answer a final question," she said, hoping he wouldn't be too frustrated with her after this. "My knowledge of Earth is rather limited, and perhaps I have misunderstood you, but I wish to know . . . Is it worth it?" She watched him with wide, emerald eyes. "Is fear of the unknown enough to stop you from saying how you feel? As a hero, many things are unknown, yes? But you do not let those things stop you." More than likely, she was missing some huge detail here, something that made the fear okay, something that explained why he was so brave when fighting crime and timid while being, well, Tim; but asking was better than not knowing and she wasn't about to leave the subject alone - not yet, at least. "So, please, what is the difference here?"
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Post by Deleted on Dec 15, 2014 10:27:24 GMT
Over the past year there were traits of Batman that had become more and more apparent in Tim. The loss of Wally had been a reminder of other losses that Tim had suffered already in his short lived life. It was a cause of Tim retracting into himself somewhat, learning to not become driven by emotion, but by logic like his mentor. Tim had always said that he wanted to be like Batman, but not Batman. Tim saw the flaws in Batman, he lived mostly a solitary life and had built up thick skin to not allow others in. That approach had suited Tim lately as well, but he had doubts about whether he could follow such an example. Tim didn’t want to be alone, but at the same time he didn’t want to feel loss again. It was on Tim to decide what would become of himself, as Robin, as a hero. That would take time, no doubt. There was plenty to figure out, about the hero he wanted to be, who he wanted to be, and Cassie. He was not going to rush to any conclusions. “You think I’m afraid to tell her? I’m not, Star”.
“I like to be precise about things; I don’t allow myself to have much room for error at all, because I rarely have any room. I don’t have super speed, or an amazing amount of strength, I can’t fire beams from my eyes either. My strength is this thing”. Tim would finish up what he was saying, harmlessly tapping his head with his middle and index finger close together. The other Robins were a bit different, Tim was not on their level when it came to combat. Tim was a thinking man’s hero, something that Batman had appreciated as a change of pace from Dick and Jason. That was as close to a superpower as Tim had. Still, he continued. “And I need it to be clear, emotions can get in the way, so. I need to be sure any feelings I have, are genuine. I need to know whether Cassie feels the same way, first. That’s not going to happen within the next day or two, I need time”. Any attraction between the two came around the time of Wally’s death. It had acted as a reminder to all about the dangers of what they do, and what they may face. It was a source that made people feel alone, and feel as though they needed someone who was there for them, someone to be with come the end of the World. Tim needed to know that the feelings he had were genuine, not a cause of that circumstance, and whether Cassie would reciprocate anything he said. That’s not going to happen if they were to rush off now to find Cass.
“Believe it or not, you girls really do a great job of messing us guys up in the head. So I am not going to act on impulse, and just blurt anything out to Cassie. I’m going to figure things out in my head first, I’ve got to be sure that I am allowing the right girl mess my head up”. Tim would say, glancing towards Starfire with a faint smile. Tim wanted to have full clarity on things before acting; it wasn’t like him to act on impulse as Starfire had wanted. “Do you have like… a mind trick or something? No human girl would be able to get me to say half of this”. It was a plausible and sound theory that Tim had here. M’Gann could enter the minds of others, it was not so far-fetched to think Starfire had a way of making people say things they would normally not say.
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