#robstarweek 2019

[celestial-mari]

Robstar Week 2019 Day 5: Blush

Some super adorable blushing Robstar icons made from the cartoon-related Teen Titans Go (2003) comic books. 

[nightofnyx8]

Robstar week Day 2: Stardust

I actually enjoyed writing about today’s prompt, even if it was a little different. Hope you enjoy! 

Finally.

Kory floated carefully down the stairs; her gaze fixed upon the nursery door. She had finally gotten six-month-old Jake to sleep, and Mar’i was safely tucked in tight in the room next door. Everything seemed perfectly set up for a good night’s sleep, but Kory swore her children could sense when their parents relaxed.

She reached the bottom of the stairs and let out a sigh of relief. Perhaps tonight Jake would allow her sleep for a little more than two hours. She entered the living room and found her husband focused on his laptop, piles of paper crowding the little coffee table where he worked.

She came up behind him and draped her arms around his neck, her head resting on his shoulder.

Kory kissed his cheek. “What are you working on, my love?”

Dick absentmindedly stroked one of her hands, not taking his eyes off the screen.

“Stuff.” He replied tonelessly.

“Stuff.” She repeated. “Care to elaborate?”

“Uh-huh. Love you too, Star.”

She sighed. He was in one of those moods again, fully concentrated on his work. And when he got started, it usually took him a good couple of hours to snap him out of it again.

Kory leaned in close and whispered in his ear. “Well, I suppose I could not kiss you for a week. Perhaps then we could talk about “stuff.”

“Yeah I’ll be up a sec.”

She groaned, finally resulting to drastic measures. “Then I expect to see you at my wedding next weekend. I am leaving for Tamaran in the morning.”

She started to walk away, but Dick caught her hand and pulled her onto the couch, catching her so her face was inches from his.

“And who is this suitor who dares to steal you away from me?”

“I believed you were not listening.”

“I am now.”

She laughed and kissed him. “Perhaps I shall reconsider.”

She rose herself up to a sitting position and rested against Dick’s shoulder.

“What is this?” she questioned. “This does not look like a case.”

It’s my will.” He replied.

Kory’s eyebrows creased with confusion. “Richard, ‘will’ is a grammatical function used for the future-tense.”

He laughed. “Yeah, but a will, the physical thing, are like instructions on when you die.”

“When you die?” she questioned.

“Yeah, it tells the lawyer or your family what to do with your money and possessions. Like here in this section, this delegates who will take custody of Mar’i and Jake if something happens to us.”

“You are implying that something will?”

“No, it’s just a precaution. It’s good to be prepared.”

“Ah.” Satisfied with his answer, she squinted to see the screen. “So who did you put to care for our children?”

“That’s what I’ve been trying to figure out.” Dick mused. “I don’t know who would be best suited. Bruce is the closest living relative, but it doesn’t create the most ideal living situation, especially if the kids are still young.”

“Why not Rachel and Garfield? They live close enough to Gotham so they can visit Bruce daily, and it would create a steady home environment. Besides, I am certain wherever they live, they will have many people caring for them.”

Dick looked at her with surprise. “You’ve got a point there. Maybe you should write the will.”

“Or just let me into that fortress you call your mind occasionally. What does this section address?” She pointed to a small paragraph near the top of the screen.

“Oh, that just instructs on how we’re going to be buried.”

“That is easy.” Kory stated. “We shall have a traditional Tamaranean funeral for warriors.”

Dick raised an eyebrow. “And what exactly does that entail?”

“Simple. Our bodies will be burned in the Furnaces of Glorthrog the All-Seeing, and after a glorious play will be depicted of our deaths by the royal theatre in front of the entire planet. Then we shall be carried to the top of the highest mountain and a Zobgar will be sacrificed in our honor. And finally, our dust shall be released into the universe. And then—” she stopped at Dick’s expression. “What is it?”

“It’s uh, definitely unique. You sure we can’t just have a quiet, normal Earth funeral?”

Kory scrunched her nose with distaste. “You mean placing the dead in wooden boxes and leaving them underground to rot and disintegrate?”

“Well when you put it that way—”

“You do not prefer the traditions of my beloved planet?” she accused, Dick quickly releasing he was about to lose a fight with his sleep-deprived wife.

“I didn’t mean it that way!” He defended himself. “I just meant, that uh, maybe it’s not the best thing for Mar’i and Jake to watch.”

Kory’s expression softened. “You are correct. It would not be wise to have them rewatch our deaths.”

“How about we compromise?” He proposed. “We can have a funeral here on Earth, with tombstones so they can visit us, and then our ashes can be sent to Tamaran so we can be nuked into space and whatnot.”

“Alright, I concur.” Kory smiled, but her eyes told Dick a different story.

“What’s wrong?” He asked, his full attention now focused on her.

“It is…sad. To think about what will happen if we someday pass unexpectedly. To think what will happen to the children.”

“Yeah, it is.” He agreed. “But it’s just a precaution. It’s not like we’re planning on it. It’s very unlikely to happen.”

“It was unlikely for our parents as well.” She stated dejectedly while avoiding his gaze.  

“Hey,” He took her face his hands. “Look. I can’t promise that it won’t happen. But we’re going to do everything we can to make sure it doesn’t. And on the very off chance that it does, we’ve already set up a plan for Mar’i and Jake. We’re not leaving them to fend for themselves, okay?”

“I do not wish to lose them, Richard. I could not bear it.”

He pulled her into a tight embrace as she rested her head against his chest. He stoked her crimson curls, watching her shake ever so slightly. Dick was well aware that in their line of work, they could be killed at any moment. He didn’t like the thought of leaving their children anymore than she did, but worrying themselves to pieces on the worst possible outcome wouldn’t do them any good. No one ever won at that game.

“Enough of this will nonsense.” He said, closing the laptop. He scooped up Kory off the couch and threw her over his shoulders.  

“Richard, wha—?”

“No more tears for tonight. And you can’t go to bed until I get a smile out of you.” He spun her around in circles across their living room, her laughter driving out whatever gloom had been there before.

“Richard, s-stop!” she shrieked before they finally both collapsed on the couch, breathless with laughter. Dick slid an arm under Kory’s waist, appreciating the amusement that had crept back into her eyes.

“You okay in there, Princess?”

“I am now.”

“Good, because I’m looking forward to an evening alone with you.” He pulled her into a kiss, both lost in the moment until Jake’s faint cries reached their ears. Kory groaned.

“Well, you, me and Jake.” He decided. “Don’t worry, I’ll get him.”

He rose from the couch and was about to make his way to the stairs when their six-year-old daughter appeared around the corner.

“Mommy, Jake is crying.” Mar’i stated, clutching a stuffed elephant.

Dick gave a stern look. “Young lady, you’re supposed to be in bed.”

“But Jake is awake.” She pouted. “Can I stay up too? It no fair!” She stuck out her bottom lip and pleaded with the largest puppy dog eyes she could muster.

Dick sighed and looked helplessly at Kory, who was trying not to laugh.

“Come on my little bumgorf.” She said. “One last story for you and Jake before bed.”

Dick picked Mar’i up and swung her onto his shoulders. “Come on, Starshine. It’s daddy’s turn to tell the story.”

“Oh yes, tell her the one about Larry.” Kory chimed as they ascended the stairs to Jake’s room.

“I’m not telling her about Larry.”

The laptop lay forgotten on the table below.

 _____________________________________________________________

It was unusually cold on Tamaran that night. Despite her supposed increased tolerance to cold weather, Mar’i shivered. She struggled to climb over the craggy rocks and jumbled vegetation to reach the top. She didn’t feel like flying tonight.

She slipped and would have fallen flat on her face if her brother hadn’t of caught her.

“Careful.” Jake said, breaking the silence between them. “Are you sure you don’t want me to carry that?”

Mar’i sighed. “Sure.” She relented the urn she carried to her brother. “We’re almost there anyway.”

Jake took her hand and smiled softly at her, guiding her along the way. Even if he was her annoying younger brother, she always found comfort in his strong and steady presence.

It was a breathtaking view as they reached the top. The cloudless sky opened up to reveal multicolored planets and comets, with billions upon billions of stars.

“You ready, Sis?”

Mar’i looked over to see Jake cradling the urn, his eyes staring straight into hers like he could see into her soul. There was no hiding anything from this guy.  

She felt tears prick her eyes, and Jack enveloped her in his arms.

“I know,” he sighed. “I miss them too.”

They stayed that way for a while until Mar’i released his hold, wiping her eyes.

“I’m ready.”

She helped Jake lift the urn above them before turning it on its side, releasing the contents into the air. The ashes poured out like mist, like shimmering dust.

“Goodbye.” Mar’i whispered, feeling Jake put his arm around her shoulders. “I miss you.”

The ashes seemed to dance, chasing itself higher and higher in the galaxies above. The stars seemed to shine brighter. Despite herself, Mar’i smiled, seeing them both released into the universe.

And into the stars.

[dk-4-ever]

Robstar Week Day #4

[nightwingwhatdidisay]

“It's the oddest feeling; once upon a time an hour alone on the couch was spent so differently between the two of them. But that's all Starfire allows herself to think before reining all her thoughts back in with a quick pull.”

A companion art to my RobStar Week Fanfic: “Anything Other Than This” on AO3 and FF.net!

[snowdragon4]

An old drawing I did of Mar’i Grayson daughter of Nightwing and Starfire. For robstarweek 2019. Children.

[slightly-nerdy-rambles]

Robstarweek Day 1: City-Sitting (Prompt: Wayne Manor)

Heeere we are, it’s Robstarweek! This is the first year I’ve gotten to participate, and after seeing some of the great writing and art that’s come from previous years I am pumped. These oneshots will all be crossposted to my fanficition.net account under the collective title “Stardust in Her Hair (Robstarweek 2019)” if anyone wants to see them there.

For day one, “Wayne Manor,” I was both intrigued and a little intimidated by the kind of material I’d be tackling. I’m not exactly a Batman expert (or as well-versed in the greater DC franchise as many people here in general), but I do enjoy expanding on the universe connected to the Teen Titans animated series. I’ve been meaning to tackle something related to the ‘verse’s Justice League, Batman and such for a while now, and this prompt gave me a great excuse to do so. It’s actually based on a concept that I’d already been playing around with, and now that I’ve written something for it there’s a pretty good chance that I’ll come back sometime to turn it into a full story.

I should note, a lot of my inspiration for characterization and such here (especially when it comes to Penguin’s personality) comes from animated series The Batman.

City-Sitting

Ragged laughter echoed through the still halls of the Gotham Bay Art Museum. Penguin strode down those halls, as he far too often did, like he owned the place. He wasn’t bothered by the nighttime security systems – his trained birds had already taken care of that – but he couldn’t help but wonder why the museums around here always saw fit to tempt him.

Well, their loss was his gain. With Batman away on Justice League business, Penguin stepped with an extra note of confidence into the newly expanded Ancient Wonders exhibit. It didn’t take him long to find his prize: an elegant – and, more importantly, priceless – sculpture of the Egyptian hawk-headed god Ra.

With a nasty little grin, he approached the statue and reached over its barrier. “Too easy,” he muttered to himself.

As if in defiance of that statement, a small disk flew in and burst at his feet. Smoke billowed out around the would-be thief, sending him back with a startled yelp.

“You didn’t really think we’d leave Gotham unprotected, did you?”

Penguin started again and turned at the sound of that voice. The smoke was thinner here, and through the haze he was able to make out a familiar but long-absent form, already clutching his bo staff.

“Well well, if it isn’t the little bird-brain come back to the nest,” Penguin drawled with a smirk. “I was expecting the other brat, but with Daddy Bat gone this won’t be a problem either way.”

Robin gave his staff a little twirl and showed off a smirk of his own. “I wouldn’t say that if I were you.”

Well, Penguin was done talking. With a flick of his wrist, he pointed his trick umbrella forward and shot off the explosive tip. Robin was forced to step back and shield himself with his cape as it burst against him, giving Penguin a chance to turn around and grab the sculpture through the thinning smoke. In another moment he had his umbrella’s copter mode running, and he quickly rose up past the costumed teen.

Ha! It really was too easy. Those chumps over in Jump must have let Robin go soft.

There was a flash of green light, and his copter mechanism exploded.

Penguin had just enough time to think that he should seriously stop tempting fate before he slammed hard onto the museum floor, the statue of Ra rolling harmlessly out of his grip. Robin stood over him and pressed his staff against the dazed villain’s chest, keeping him down while he pulled out a pair of handcuffs. Meanwhile, a purple-clad girl that Penguin had only ever seen in newspaper images flew into his range of vision and swooped down to pick up the statue.

“I thought the Penguin was one of your mentor’s most troublesome adversaries,” the girl commented as she checked the statue over for damage, nodded in satisfaction, and placed it back on its pedestal.

Robin glanced back at her, that stupid smirk still on his face. “He is when he doesn’t get too cocky. You should have seen him the first time Superman was in town.”

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Robin had to keep himself from laughing as he relayed the story back to Batman.

“I barely had to do anything but distract him while Star got into position. I think that might be the fastest Penguin’s ever been taken down!”

The voice on the other line hummed in thought. “Good work, but don’t get too comfortable,” it finally said. “That only worked as well as it did because he wasn’t expecting an enemy who could fly. Now that you’ve used up the element of surprise, the news of who’s here is going to spread through Gotham’s underworld and you can bet the next criminals will be ready for you.”

Robin fought back a scowl – as much as he wanted to just take pride in this victory, Batman was right. He glanced up at Starfire, who was flying several yards ahead of his cycle as they traversed one of the many secret tunnels leading to the Batcave. She remained silent, though whether she was leaving him to his conversation or simply didn’t have a comment he wasn’t sure.

“I know,” he said at length. “We’ll just have to be ready for them too.”

“This isn’t a vacation, Dick. Don’t think I didn’t notice your choice of partner.”

Now Robin did scowl down at the console on the R-cycle. “Is that seriously what you think is going on here?!” he snapped. “Starfire’s my teammate, Bruce. I didn’t bring her along as a date, I brought her because of how well we work together.” He fixed his gaze ahead and revved up the cycle, bleeding off some of his frustration into the increased speed. Day one in Gotham and he was already missing his home and the rest of his team.

Maybe it was that acceleration or maybe Starfire deliberately slowed down for a moment, but suddenly she was keeping pace at his right. She said nothing other than a tentative, “Robin?” but the concerned look she gave him told him she was ready to mediate if need be.

Meanwhile, a sigh sounded through the other end of the line. “…I suppose I know that,” Bruce admitted. “I just don’t want to see you get hurt out there. Either of you.”

Robin grit his teeth, but his frustration was already starting to drain away. “I know,” he muttered.

The tunnel opened up then, into a vast cavern that Robin hadn’t seen in far too long. “We’re here,” he informed the console as he slowed to a stop. “I’ll update you again later.”

The Batcave hadn’t changed as much as he had expected. The main computer had been upgraded, of course, and the trophy area had a few new additions, but everything still felt so… familiar.

Of course, that wouldn’t mean much to someone who had never seen the place before. Robin couldn’t help but smile at Starfire’s low gasp as she rose slowly toward the ceiling, rotating this way and that to take everything in.

“I take it you approve, Lady Kory?”

Both young heroes looked over to find Alfred waiting for them on the upper floor. Starfire grinned and flew over to alight next to him.

“The Batman’s base of operations is most impressive,” she said with a small incline of her head. “Thank you again for hosting us during our stay.”

Alfred’s lip quirked into a small smile of his own. “Of course. Any friend of Master Dick’s is welcome here.” He turned on his heel and started making his way toward the exit into the rest of Wayne Manor. “Right this way, please. I took the liberty of bringing your bags in, but I will need to ask that you change into civilian clothes once you are inside. One never knows.”

Robin played a little at the edge of his mask as he followed the other two through the entrance into the Manor proper before finally peeling it off. It felt almost wrong – he’d been doing the full-time hero gig for so long now that he was used to only removing his uniform in his own private quarters. Getting called by his birth name on a regular basis again was also going to take some getting used to.

Robin – Dick, now – was pulling his gloves off when he finally caught up to Alfred, Starfire disappearing ahead of them. “’Lady’ Kory?” he asked the butler, one brow raised.

Alfred merely shrugged. “I know I won’t be able to use it if company comes by, but it seemed sufficient given her… unique station.” The corner of his lip quirked again ever-so-slightly, in a smirk that Dick doubted anyone who didn’t know the man well would notice. “I suspected that you would both object were I to attempt the more appropriate ‘Highness.’”

Dick scowled. “I still can’t believe you guys knew she was a princess before I did,” he grumbled.

Alfred strode forward. “Master Bruce’s associates include several high-ranking extraterrestrials, and this is hardly the first time their duties have taken them off-world. I would have been more worried had he not known.”

Dick snorted and shook his head, but he couldn’t help but smile. He had to admit, it did feel good visiting Gotham again… even if he and Starfire had been called away to deal with Penguin before they’d even gotten to the Manor.

Speaking of Starfire, she reappeared a few moments later in casual clothes and one of Cyborg’s holographic rings. She had remembered to stay on the ground while in her civilian wear, but still she seemed to almost glide over the floor. He suddenly found it very hard to take his eyes off her.

“Your k’norf- Your guardian’s home is beautiful, Richard,” she commented with a warm smile.

Dick returned it, and without thinking he blurted out, "So are you."

Immediately he felt the heat rise to his cheeks, and he started stammering, “Uh… What I mean is… I guess you’re right.”

Star – Kory? – giggled a little behind her hand, and a lightly impish smile appeared on her face. “Do I make an attractive human?” she asked, twirling once to show off her disguised form. It wasn’t far too different from her true appearance – human-toned tan skin and hazel eyes, longer eyebrows, and a smattering of freckles that Cyborg had said would break up her face shape, but that Robin suspected he’d really added just because he could.

“Of course you do,” Dick replied, smoother this time. “You’d look great no matter what disguise you wore.”

Kory blushed a little at the compliment, but after a moment she looked around the living area again and her smile softened. She let out a contented sigh.

Dick raised an eyebrow. “What is it?”

Kory made her way to a plush armchair and sank down into it, turning to face him again. “I am glad that we can visit your old home for a time, even if it is to watch the city while your mentor is away,” she replied. “I know he has his reservations, but I believe we can still have some of the fun here when we are not working.”

Dick snorted and strode over to her, resting his arms on the back of the chair when he reached it. She craned her head to look up at him, a hint of that playful twinkle still in her eyes.

“Bruce is just protective of the people he cares about,” he said. “And sometimes that protectiveness comes out as kind of harsh. It took me a while to realize that.”

Kory smiled again. “He reminds me of Galfore, in some ways. In any case, I believe I will enjoy Gotham.”

Dick snorted. “Don’t get too comfortable. Batman didn’t get his reputation by dealing with petty criminals all the time.”

For a moment, all mirth in his partner’s face vanished and she became dead serious. “Of course,” she said earnestly. “I would not let my guard down just because I wish to appreciate the positive aspects of the city.”

Dick chuckled. Of course she would take a mindful but positive approach to their mission. “That’s my girl,” he murmured, leaning forward to kiss her forehead. She giggled.

“Need I remind you,” Alfred’s dry voice broke in, “that removing your mask alone does not constitute civilian clothes.”

Dick jolted and looked down at himself, finally remembering that he was still wearing most of his Robin costume.

“Uhh…” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Right, I’ll go and change now.” He started off for his room, flashing Alfred an apologetic smile and offering Kory an awkward wave. She waved back, her expression impish again.

As he passed by Alfred, the older man held out a hand to stop him for a moment. “I wanted you to know that I took the liberty of preparing a separate room for Lady Kory,” he said. “I hope this was not done in error?”

Dick’s face screwed up in confusion. “No, why wouldn’t she need…” He trailed off as he saw that tiny hidden smirk on Alfred’s face again.

All at once he realized what Alfred was trying to imply, and his face went beet red with embarrassment. He made a disgruntled sound in the back of his throat and pushed past the butler, praying that his girlfriend hadn’t overheard.

[celestial-mari]

Robstar Week 2019 Day 2: Stardust

"The stars never stop burning."

[nightofnyx8]

Robstar week 2019: Day 1

Alright, I’m pretty new at this writing thing, but I have been such a fan of this wonderful couple, so I decided to participate this week to celebrate these two. Hope you enjoy, and be sure to take a look at all the amazing submissions for this week!

WAYNE MANOR

X’hal. This wasn’t good. She hadn’t meant to wander off this far.

Even after all the warnings Dick had given her about how big the mansion was, her curiosity had won out and she’d gone exploring. She had lost count of how many doors she had opened, and she could never tell if she was going down the right set of stairs. They all looked the same to her. The last thing she needed was to enter one of those secret passageways Dick had mentioned and find herself stuck between the walls.

She sighed in defeat and sat down on the nearest chair, staring at the carvings lining the staircase. Everything here was adored with gold, silver, and intricate details. It was beautiful, but all a little too fancy for her taste. Even the palaces of Tamaran were decorated only with weapons of war. Sometimes she forgot that Earth was not constantly under attack—well, at least not by merciless slavers from other planets.

She had been so excited when Dick had invited her to spend the Christmas holidays with him at the mansion. She had met Batman before, but Dick wanted her to get to know the rest of the family as well. However when they had arrived, the only person to greet them was an older gentlemen in a black suit.

What had been his name? Oh, he was ever so kind.

Oh yes, Alfred.

“Are you a member of the Wayne family?” she had asked him.

“Alfred’s our butler.” Dick corrected, which only made Kory more confused.

“And what exactly is a butler?”

“Hmm” Dick mused, looking at Alfred. “Well, I suppose the normal definition of a butler doesn’t really apply to you, does it?”

The gentlemen rolled his eyes. “I believe I am the one who assures that the residents of this house don’t end up in Arkham Asylum.”

Alfred had shown her room, but soon after Batman had called Dick to help him on a case that everyone else was helping on. After promising to be back soon, he kissed her and sped off as Nightwing into the twilight, leaving Kory alone in this giant, empty house.

 Alfred had left to prepare dinner, and Kory had gotten bored of watching clouds in the fading light. She found the rooms next door to be more guest bedrooms, and wandered off down the hall. Unfortunately, she didn’t realize how large the mansion really was until it too late. She couldn’t tell which hallways she had been through and which ones led back to the main floor. She was entirely, hopelessly lost.

She sighed again, her stomach growling. She lost track of the time a while ago, and her mind vaguely wondered if Dick and the others had returned home by now. Were they looking for her?

Eventually, her hunger motivated her to keep moving. Maybe some lost soul had left behind a little something in this maze of a house. She entered a new hallway (at least, she didn’t think she had entered that hallway before) and opened the nearest door on her right. The room opened up to reveal an enormous grand piano, nestled alongside a glass-stained window that reflected the moonlight in various patterns. Beautiful yes, but not where she wanted to be. The next room revealed a library that was filled top to bottom with books. Glass cases showcased books with yellowing pages and intricate hand-painted drawings that were probably centuries old. She could have stayed in that room for hours, but she continued her search for the main floor. The last door in the hallway stored canvases and paint for the wandering artist to create whatever they wanted. Oh yes, she would be coming back to that room later…if she could find it again.

Kory descended a long, winding staircase and wondered dully how many floors this house had. She knew the Batcave was down below, but had no idea where the entrance was. Knowing her luck she’d probably end up in some booby trap set up a hundred years ago.

She opened another door to find a small gym. The next room held a gallery of paintings. There was also a room of statues, three movie theatres, and about a dozen mini golf courses (seriously, did anyone actually use these rooms?)

The next three doors in the neighboring hallway were locked. The first had multiple and complicated lock systems complete with a note stating that visitors were not welcome (unless it was Starbucks). The second had a large, “Beware of Dog” poster above a set of double-bladed swords. The third only had a sign painted in blocky lettering: No Trespassing: Violators will be shot. Survivors will be shot again.

The last door in the hallway was surprisingly unlocked. Kory opened the door slowly and found a cozy room with a simple bed and large fireplace at the end. She was about to leave when something caught her eye. She entered and found herself drawn to a beautiful painting positioned above the fireplace. A man with jet-black hair that looked curiously like Dick had his arms wrapped around a thin woman with auburn hair. They looked very much in love. Kory examined the eyes of the woman with curiosity. She would recognize those eyes anywhere; she got lost in them every time her boyfriend looked at her. A sudden realization jolted through her. This was Dick’s old room.

She didn’t want to pry, but there were many things she recognized as she looked closer: old red bird-a-rangs from his days as Robin, newspaper clippings of mysterious characters, and an entire shelf dedicated to cereal boxes. Kory laughed quietly to herself as she pulled down an open box of Fruit Loops. As she did, she realized that a wall panel next to the cereal shelf was opened slightly. She reached in and found the contents to be pictures.

She sat down on the bed and went through each one of them. Pictures of Bruce (mostly brooding), of Wally doing dumb things, of Victor and Garfield doing even dumber things. There were pictures of a much younger Dick, younger than before she had met him. She had forgotten how short he was back then. And there were many more pictures with people she did not recognize: a red-headed woman in a wheelchair at the computer; Dick laughing with two other boys, both with dark hair and blue eyes; a young man asleep with a large, black dog at his side. She flipped to the last picture and recognized herself and Robin dancing together. Kory smiled. She remembered that night, at a Junior Prom on a cruise ship beneath the stars…

“Why am I not surprised to find you here?”

Kory jumped and saw Dick standing at the doorway, looking relieved.

“Next time I’m giving you a tracker.” He continued. “We’ve all been looking for you for the past hour.” He sat down next to her and kissed her forehead. “You alright?”

“Yes,” she replied. “I suppose I did get a little lost.”

“What’s this?” He plucked the photo from her hands. “Ah yes, our little prom date. I had never seen you quite so jealous, Princess.”

Kory scoffed. “Would you like me to repeat how you acted in response to my betrothal on Tamaran?”

Dick roared with laughter. “Alright, you win this round.”

Kory was silent for a moment as she looked again toward the picture of Dick’s parents.

“You have your mother’s eyes.” She stated simply.

“Hmm?” His gaze followed hers and his expression softened. “Oh. Yeah, everyone tells me that. You know, she’s the one who pegged the name ‘Robin’ in the first place.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.” He smiled to himself at the memory and continued. “My mother designed a costume for me so we would all match in our trapeze acts. I hated it at first, I felt like a walking green, red, and yellow target. But she told me that I reminded her of little robin, flying high in the air. So I guess it stuck in the end.”

Kory listened carefully. It was rare that he talked about his parents, and she wanted to memorize every single detail he revealed to her.

“I wish I could have met her.” She finally said.

“She would have liked you.” Dick replied. “Especially being that you can actually fly. Mom would have been ecstatic.”

“Well, I always feel like flying around when I am around you.” Kory blushed slightly as Dick fixed her with his clear, blue eyes. Grinning, he bent down to kiss her, but they were interrupted by the sound of Kory’s stomach growling.

“Oh my,” Kory held her stomach. “I believe I am ‘starved’ as you say.”

Dick laughed again. “Alright, Princess. Dinner first, and then I’ll introduce you to the rest of my crazy family.”

She took his hand as he led her out the door. Her love wasn’t exactly an open book, but she loved putting together the pieces of his life, little by little. And she fell more in love with him every single time.

Perhaps she should get lost more often.

[nightofnyx8]

Robstar Week Day 7: Jewel

Oh my goodness that was a lot of writing. But thank you so much for everyone who read my stories, it truly means a lot. I’ve really enjoyed this week, and the art and stories that have been posted by others have been truly fantastic. Enjoy this week’s last prompt!

Officer Grayson was irritated. No, more than irritated. He was downright angry. Today was supposed to be his day off, and he was looking forward to a nice day that wasn’t full of chasing, shooting, questioning, or the mountain of paperwork he continually neglected to fill out.

But no, they had to contact him at six o���clock in the morning to call him in to question a witness. It wasn’t even part of his job description as he was only a cop, not a detective. (Technically, he had been offered that position a while back, but there was no way he was putting on a suit every day. He was perfectly content being the perfectly normal and insignificant Officer Grayson).

But, as the chief had repeatedly told him that morning, all the other detectives were out on other cases, and he was the only one left who was qualified to question anyone at the station. And so he sat impatiently, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel as he puttered along through the morning traffic.

The Blüdhaven Police Station was unusually quiet that day. The sleepy atmosphere drifted from the scattered officers yawning over their coffee to the secretary who continually glanced at the giant clock on the wall.

“Thanks for coming in, Dick.” He was greeted by Chief Stone, who handed him a large cup of coffee.

“This better be black.” Dick responded before taking a sip. “I’m only doing this because I owe you.”

The chief let out a small smile. “Come on, let’s get this over with.”

Dick had questioned suspects before, but this time it was only a witness. He peered inside the two-way mirror that revealed a woman playing nervously with the tips of her crimson hair.

“The jewelry store on 9th was robbed last night around 3 o’clock am.” Chief filled in. “She’s the only witness we’ve got. Be nice, she’s pretty shook up.”

As Dick entered the room the woman looked up. He caught his breath, his senses suddenly alert and functioning. Her emerald eyes stared at him from beneath locks that cascaded like fire around her shoulders.

He cleared his throat and sat down across from her. He glanced down at the file report in front of him, stating the witness name in bold letters.

“Ms. Anders, right?”

“Yes. My name is Kory.” Her voice held a soft timbre, an edge of anxiety at the corners.

“My name is Officer Grayson. I’m just here to have you answer a few questions.” He looked closer at her file. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. “So, you’re a model here, Ms. Anders?”

“Yes.” She responded timidly. “Just at a local agency down Main Street.”

“And how long have you lived here in Blüdhaven?”

“About three months.” She replied. “I moved here from my island of Tamaran to practice my English.”

“Your English is pretty good.”

“Well, I suppose it is improving.”

Dick closed the file, everything checking out. Perhaps if they finished early with their little chat, he could at least ask her out to breakfast.

“So, what exactly happened last night? Could you describe to me what you saw?”

“I was walking down the street, when all of the sudden I heard crashing noises from the nearby jewelry store. I saw two men dressed in black who climbed out of the window. They were large and carried guns. One of them saw me and chased after me, so I ran and hid in a small alleyway until they passed. This is where the police found me a few hours after.”

“May I ask what you were doing walking around at 3am? The streets of Blüdhaven can be very dangerous at that time at night, especially for a young woman.”

“I had a late night photo shoot at my work, and I am afraid I am still lacking in my directions here. I did not recognize the city at night, and I was trying to find my way home.”

“Until you passed the jewelry store.” He guessed.

“Yes,” she replied; her eyes wide like a deer caught in the headlights. “Please help me, I am very frightened to walk the streets alone at the moment.”

Dick studied her as she spoke. He watched the arch of her eyebrows, the constant toying with her hair, the way her lips formed the words. Her actions were all very…interesting. Innocent, charming even, yet interesting.

He ended the questioning and started to get up from his chair.

“Don’t worry, Ms. Anders. We’ll have an officer here escort you safely to your home. Thank you for coming in today.”

As he watched her walk away, the Chief came up behind him.

“Thanks Dick.” He said gratefully. “You can go back home now, I’ll give you tomorrow off as well.”

“Wait, Chief.” Dick stopped him abruptly and let a smile break through. “I’d like to check out the crime scene. And I’d like to begin a full investigation on Kory Anders.”

_________________________________

He found her later that evening, closing the lid on a suitcase that revealed hundreds of jewels.  

“You know, for a thief, you’re a pretty bad liar.”

Kory spun around and whipped out her gun, only to be met with the point of Dick’s as well.

“You.” She breathed, then smiled slowly. “Why Officer Grayson, I did not expect to see you so soon.”

“You might have convinced every other officer with that sob story, but you and I both know you’re not as innocent as you seem.”

“And how did you figure that out?” She didn’t lower her gun, her eyes watching his every move.

“Your story. It doesn’t add up at all. Based on the position you say were at, you wouldn’t have had enough time to enter the alleyway you mentioned before the supposed thieves got to you.”

“Maybe they let me go.”

He inched closer, ready to block her if she ran. “Any thief who’s skillful enough to rob one of the most expensive jewel stores this side of the Mississippi wouldn’t be so careless. You sent the department looking for two nonexistent thieves while the real one got away.”

“That does not prove anything.”

“No, but it provides reasonable suspicion, kind of like how you don’t use contractions when you lie.”

She smirked, clicking the gun into position. “I knew weren’t fooled. You’re a fine detective, you better be getting a pay raise after this.”

“Return the diamonds.”

“Not a chance.”

“I’m not going to fight you, if that’s what you want. Especially considering you didn’t even want to steal those diamonds in the first place.”

She hesitated, but kept her gun on him. “And why do you say that?”

“They say I’m pretty good at reading people. You’re protecting someone. They got in deep with someone, and now you’re trying to get them out of it.”

“And how would you know that?”

“Maybe I’ve been through the same thing myself.” He lowered his gun and put it slowly on the ground.

“I’m not here to arrest you, Kory.”

She stood there silently, as she seemed to be calculating a thousand different courses of action in her head. She let him inch closer, closer, until he was barely an inch away from her, the gun still pointed to his head.

“I could help you.” He voice was barely above a whisper. “If you let me.”

“And why should I trust you?” she retorted quickly, her finger shaking a little on the trigger.

“Because I know you, Ms. Anders. You put on such a façade for the whole world, but your eyes tell me the whole story.  

“You don’t know me at all, Officer Grayson.”

He smirked, allowing his hand to slide over her waist.

“Let me help you.” He added seriously as he heard her breath hitch. “Legally. We can save you and whomever you’re protecting. Trust me, you’re heading into something that’s way over your head.”

She lowered the gun, letting it hang at her side, still locked in position.

“And if you are lying?” She asked, letting a natural innocence slip into her voice.

He pulled quite close, feeling her relax ever so slightly.

“Honestly, I would have thought that by now, you would know the difference between the truth and a lie.”

He kissed her softly, feeling the electricity spark between them. He reached behind her and felt the cool touch of the suitcase, slowly gripping the handle.

“But first,” he said, breaking the kiss. “I’ll be needing these back.”

“Hey!” She looked for her gun, but found it twirling in Dick’s fingers.

“Fine, you beat me.” She smirked, amusement glinting in her eyes. “And just what are you going to do now?”

“I’m giving you a ten-minute head start.”

Oh, how he loved the confused look she gave him. “You mean, you’re not here to take me to jail?”

“No,” he said casually, spotting his own gun that still lay on the ground. He kicked it towards her. “You need time to consider my offer.”

“And I only get ten minutes?”

“Nine minutes, fifty seconds.”

She smiled, picking up the gun while pulling a pair of car keys from her back pocket. “And if you can’t catch me?”

“Well then, you better get used to me chasing you, Princess. Because I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon.”

“How charming.” She teased, getting into the front seat of the car. “Well, Adieu, Officer Grayson.”

“For now.” He agreed, watching her drive off into the night, the moonlight reflecting off her taillights.

[celestial-mari]

Robstar Week 2019 Day 1: Wayne Manor

So, I don’t normally post my writing since it’s super flowery and mostly just long-winded descriptions, but since it’s Robstar week and I really couldn’t think of anything else for this prompt, here’s a blurb. Hope you all enjoy it.

There were always moments when Koriand’r realized just how different Tamaran was from Earth. Of course, there were similarities. Both planets had a diverse set of people, with billions of personalities, and stories to tell, and also millions of environmental wonders to behold, each more unique and incredible than the last. Still, even with all the beauty that could be seen in both of these wonderful worlds, there was also a darkness that could be found.

On Tamaran this darkness personified itself as Gordanian troops marching into the cities of Tamaran and burning them to the ground. All the while, the shadow of fear itself, the Citadel, looms overhead, ready to take control of the Tamaranean people and turn them into slaves.

With darkness, there is also madness, and once again on Tamaran, madness is personified by a would-be queen with hair as dark as her soul had become, and blazing green eyes filled with rage. This type of insanity is the kind that convinces someone to sell their own sister to dark shadowy hands of the Citadel.

On Earth, the darkness and madness are not as direct. It’s not always a full-fledged attack, although many times that can be the case. On Earth, direct emotion is not the number one way to make any decision, but rather humans can be conniving. They can become so terrified of the world around them that they become terror itself. In this case, terror itself is personified by a man in a black cowl and a cape, surrounded by hundreds of tiny dark-colored creatures known as bats.

And yet, terror’s son is the vision of a baby bird, one who has grown in terror’s shadow and become light. However, one cannot live in darkness all their life yet find goodness in the world without being shown it. That’s the thing about Earth versus Tamaran, on Earth humans value their rage and darkness and they spread it. On Tamaran, that same horrible rage becomes fire and fire becomes light.

So when that little baby bird still nestled in its dark nest found the queen of fire and light herself, he couldn’t help but leave his shadow and step out into the sunlight. That same baby bird eventually grew into a large majestic creature, the embodiment of the moon, and thus, the sunlight and the moonlight fell in love. Starfire, light herself, and Nightwing, the combination of Earth’s darkness and Tamaran’s fire.

The first time that Koriand’r visited Gotham and saw the gloomy silhouette of Wayne Manor, she started to realize that while in her mind it had originally represented darkness, maybe it wasn’t that after all. If Wayne Manor and the man in it had no light within their walls, how would she have discovered it in Dick Grayson?

With those thoughts fresh in her mind, she held her lover close, and stepped towards the manor, happily embracing it with open arms and deep respect for who it had helped create.

[nightofnyx8]

Robstar Week Day 5: Blush

Fun fact: According to Crystal Encyclopedia (yes, it’s a thing), the emerald opens the way to the Heart Chakra, the wellpoint of emotions representing unconditional love, compassion, and joy. And in my opinion, I’d say that describes Starfire pretty well. Here’s Day 5, enjoy!

Dear Star, 

To Princess Starfire of Tamaran,

Starfire,

I'm not exactly sure why I'm doing this.

I'm really not that great at writing letters, at to be honest this is kind of the first one I've ever written, and to a girl no less. But I have to do something, because well, you make me do crazy things. However whenever I try to even talk to you my heart beats faster and all I can do is turn red. I've never been very good at telling people how I feel. So I guess this letter will have to do, even if I never give it you.

I haven't told you very much about my time before the Titans. You barely know who Batman is. And quite frankly, I could say the same exact thing. I'm grateful to him of course, he took in an orphan who had no one else. But at best, my time with him was incredibly lonely.

I'm not proud of the things I said to him when I left. Maybe someday I'll make things up with him too (Have I mentioned I'm not good at expressing my emotions?)

I tried to find the sunniest place away from Gotham, so Jump City was a natural choice. I was determined to work alone, to prove to Batman that I could do this without help.

And then I met you.

You, this beautiful alien princess from another planet who appeared so suddenly and so intensely. You definitely made a statement when you almost destroyed the city. And you made an ever bigger one when you kissed me. Yeah, I know it was to learn English, but I still rather enjoyed it. 

What I'm trying to say is that you're nothing like anyone I've meet before. You take such wonder in our earthly "customs" as you call them, from the toppings of a pizza to snowflakes falling from the sky. You care so deeply for others, always trying to make someone smile. But my favorite smile is yours, and you're almost never without it.

How can you smile like that all the time? You've been through so much pain and confusion. You've lost your parents, your home. Your sister wants to kill you and your brother is missing. You've been treated like dirt, less than dirt, by so many. So how is it that you can still smile like that, holding back nothing? You're so forgiving, so open, so full of life.

And how is it, that you have the same effect on me?

I've only gotten this far without my parents because fighting the bad guys brings justice. It keeps others from going through what I did. But a crime-fighter is only a part of who you are. Is it possible that there's another way to move past the grief?

I love being with you. You make me feel like I can smile and laugh without feeling guilty for doing so. You instantly break down my walls that I've tried so hard to build. And when you're not with me, I feel completely lost.

I still remember the day of your almost-wedding on Tameran. That was the only day you never truly smiled. You were making a choice that would never bring you happiness, all for the sake of your planet. And I couldn't stand to see you that way.

I was so scared that I would lose you forever, and to this day I still am. That someday I'll have to get used to fighting without you by my side.

Why is it that when I try and sneak a glance at you, you're already looking at me? Why is it that whenever you hug me, I never want to let go? And why is it that even the very thought of you makes me blush?

Maybe someday I'll find the courage to say these things to you. Maybe someday I'll be able to open my heart to you. And when I do, I hope you'll feel the same.

____________________________

Dick finished reading, looking up from the crumpled, yellowed note he had written so long ago. He met the shimmering eyes of his girlfriend, the moonlight highlighting the red tinge that had appeared on her cheeks. The kind of blush she reserved only for him.

He took her hands in his. "Look, I know it definitely took me a while to say it, but I love you, Kory. I've known it since the very beginning."

She smiled, and he took a deep breath. It was now or never.

"And I also know without a doubt," he said as he kneeled on the ground in front of her. "that I want to spend the rest of my life with you." He held out the ring he had so carefully chosen, the emerald twinkling amongst the tiny diamonds that surrounded it.

He hadn't even finished the question before he felt her lips on his, giving him the kind of kiss where you can almost feel the soul of the other.

They broke apart and Dick laughed, feeling as though he could fly.

"I guess I'll take that as a yes."

[nightofnyx8]

Robstar Week Day 6: Children

So, I actually wrote this a couple of years ago, but I edited it to fit today’s theme. I find Mar’i to be a very interesting character to write, with many different sides to reflect her parents’. And based on the storyline in Kingdom Come, it’s always interesting to consider why she became Nightstar in the first place. So without further ado, I hope you enjoy today’s theme.

I fear the night.

The glow from the day slowly fades away, and darkness seeps into every corner. It swallows the light, chokes it. Night means uncertainty, blindness, cowardice.

Death.

Of course, my dad thrives on it. He whoops with joy as he swings from tower to tower in a black and blue bodysuit. The darkness clings to him, aiding him as he takes his enemies by surprise. A sudden chill, a metal clang, and then you're upside down as you're met with a smirk and a bad pun. The one and only Nightwing of Blüdhaven was the prince of the night (as a certain Bat claimed the crown as King).

My mom was different. She didn't exactly blend into the night (especially when her hair was on fire). She drew her strength from the sun, brimming with radiance and passion. There was little subtlety in her actions: just a high voltage starbolt with deadly aim. She wore her heart on her sleeve, her emotions the center of every decision. Dad says I take after her in that area, but I'm still not sure it's a compliment.

They made a good team, Nightwing and Starfire. Night and Day. Darkness and Light. Dad could cool her fiery temper, Mom made him laugh. She managed to drag him out of the evidence room, and he brought her back down to Earth when she drifted too far out. I guess it was only natural that I came along to complete everything.

I thought it would be like that forever.

But the night always comes, no matter how bright the day was. And in my family, it has a history of claiming the ones we love.

____________________________

It was stupid. So unbelievably unfair. She had faced the most unearthly demons: demented aliens, homicidal sisters, psychotic metahumans in Halloween costumes. But in the end, my mother was defeated by something so incredibly…human.

At first, we didn't think much of it. After all, the symptoms of a common flu were nothing to fret over. But a few days stretched into weeks, which turned into months. She grew weaker and frailer, her strength and glow dimming every passing day. She spent most of her time in bed, curled in a ball waiting for the pain to stop. All while her worried husband and daughter watched helplessly by her side.

When the results finally came back, it was worse than we feared. The disease found in her body had spread so quickly through her foreign DNA that it would have been declared terminal on the first sighting. There was nothing that the doctors could do. And even despite Bruce’s best efforts and research, it was to no avail. All we could do now was wait.

The morning after the news my father climbed on top of the roof and remained there for the rest of the day. No matter how many times Bruce or Alfred tried to coax him down, he stubbornly stayed put. Needing some comfort, my nine-year-old self flew up to meet him on the roof. As I landed softly next to him, he turned to look at me. His deep blue eyes that once held laughter and light were now hollow, empty, and hopeless. He tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear and whispered, "I was the same age, Mar'i."

We sat there as the sun set behind the skyline, watching Bruce sped back to Gotham while dusk approached. It was a tender mercy Jason and Tim had volunteered to look after Blüdhaven for the time being. Nightwing simply didn't have the heart to don the mask tonight. We probably could have stayed up there all night when I heard a soft cough behind me. I turned to face my mother on the roof, who looked exasperated with the both of us.

"You will both catch colds if you two stay up here all night." She sounded exhausted, but her eyes held a bit of amusement in the fading light.

My dad suddenly came to life. "Kory! What are you doing up here?"

My mother scooted next to me and stroked my hair. "Well, it does get a little lonely down there by myself, especially after yesterday. Besides, the sun is setting. It is tradition, is it not, my dear Robin?"

Dad gave a timid smile at his old superhero name. But his demeanor changed quickly. "Kory, you should be resting."

My mother scoffed. "I have been resting far too much. I wish to do something more with my life."

"But Kory," my father sighed. "You're..."

"I do not have much time left, Richard. I want to spend time with you and Mar'i. I refuse to spend the rest of my life being afraid of even going outside."

Dad sighed. "I just don't want to lose you, Kory. At all."

There was an eerie silence on the roof as the inevitable truth sunk in. Wanting things to go back to normal, I tugged on my father's sleeve.

"Daddy, can you tell me a story?" I asked. He looked down at me with surprise before smiling.

"Only if your mother helps." He replied. Dad picked me up in his lap, just like he did when I was smaller, and pulled Mom close to him.

"Ok Mar'i," he started. "Let me tell you the time your mother first met a certain little Robin by almost destroying an entire city..."

____________________________

Surprisingly, the next couple of months were considerably normal: school, work, training, patrol. We had even gone to see Paris so Mom could finally see the infamous "tower of love." We could almost pretend nothing was wrong.

Almost.

My mother tried not to let anyone see it, but she was slowly fading. More time in bed was necessary, the trips to the hospital were frequent. The medicine receipts piled higher, as well as our stack of bills. She slowly began to lose her strength, her eyesight, and finally, her ability of flight.

But she always managed to keep a smile on her face around me and Dad. On better days, she would take me on short walks and point out the most random things.

"Look at that little robin, Mar'i. Is it not beautiful?"

"But it's just a bird, Mommy."

"Just a bird? Hmm, on the surface yes. But perhaps there is more than what meets the eye. Just like you, my little Bumgorf."

Relatively, these were happy moments. But at last the dreaded day came, and it started out perfectly.

Dad got work off early so we could go to the last night of the carnival. We ate too much cotton candy, failed at most of the games, and were about to go on the Ferris wheel when my mother suddenly doubled over and grabbed onto my Dad for support.

"Kory?" He watched in horror as his wife looked up at him with terrified eyes as she struggled to breathe.

"Kory!" He scooped up my mom bridal style and rushed to the car, his daughter along in a tow.

When we finally got back to the house, we knew we only had minutes. My dad had laid her down on the bed and clutched her hand while stroking her hair.

"Mar'i." My mother rattled. "Come closer. I wish to see you better." She reached out for my hand and squeezed it weakly.

I didn't say a word as I looked up at my mother. Her fiery red hair had lost its luster a long time ago. It hung like a dull rusty curtain over her pale face. Her beautiful features were slowly eroding due to the harsh medicines. But her eyes were still a vibrant glowing green, full of Tamaranean energy—the same energy that flowed through my veins.

"Kory," My father's voice broke as he placed his forehead against hers. She smiled and closed her eyes.

"Richard," she breathed. "If I could only express to you how much you mean to me."

My father kissed her temple. "I already know, Star. I've known for a very long time."

My mother drew me closer as she whispered, "Do not forget to smile, Mar'i. There is joy in this life if you look for it. Please, do not let your father forget that either. I love you, my little Starshine."

I cried as she held me, Dad wrapping his arms around the both of us as my mother gazed upon her little family for the last time.

____________________________

"That's Pegasus, and over to the left a bit is Andromeda."

"Is that what the Tamaraneans call them?"

"No, they have weird names for constellations, with even weirder stories. I can't even pronounce most of them."

"I bet I could."

"Okay fine, Princess. Nice to see that you're still humble as ever."

I smile as I slug Dad in the arm.

"Ow!" He complains. "You Tamaraneans seem to forget that your playful punches hurt."

"Quit being a baby and pass me the mustard."

Dad smirks as he gives me the large bottle with a straw sticking out. Our evening picnic by mom's grave seemed an odd sight to some, but we didn't care. Our little memorial marked seven years since my mother's passing. We spent the day with Gar, Rachel, and Vic at the pier as they told me the stories I had heard a thousand times. I never grew tired of hearing about my parents' adventures. Bruce and Damian came by the house later with about twenty floral arrangements to brighten up the grave. And once it hit 7 o'clock, my dad and I headed off to the cemetery to visit my mother.

Four years ago, Dad put his foot down. We were not going to just stare and cry at a headstone all day. So he packed a lunch along with some scrapbooks into our picnic basket as we set off for the cemetery. He said Mom would have wanted us to throw a party or something to celebrate her life. The tradition had remained ever since.

"Speaking of Tamaran, I found this the other day while I was cleaning the attic." He pulls out a small white package and hands it to me. I remove the wrapping to discover a round magenta pendant, set in a silver casing. Its polished surface gleams in the moonlight.

"It was your mother's." Dad says. "She told me it was the only thing she could grab before she was taken by the Gordanians."

I hold up the pendant and trace my finger over the worn Tamaranean markings on the edges. "It's beautiful."

"It's yours." Dad states simply.

I look at him in shock. "But...this is moms. Doesn't it belong to you?"

Dad wraps my fingers around the pendant and looks at me with imploring eyes. "Mar'i, she would have wanted you to have it. Besides, you're the one who's got Tamaranean blood."

I sigh. "Like I even have a clue how to live up to that title. How am I supposed to control...this?" I feel a tingle up my arm as green energy collects around my closed fist. The starbolt isn’t refined and accurate like my mother's. It crackles and burns in the cool night air. Uncontrolled.

My dad gives me a wary look. "You'll learn, Mar'i. It just takes time."

My starbolt fizzes out as my emotions give way to grief. "I miss her."

"I know Starshine, I know. There's not a day that goes by that I don't miss her by my side." He draws his arm around my sagging shoulders and pulls me close to his strong chest. We stay that way for a while as the breeze blows my tousled hair away from my face.

"Dad?"

"Mhm?"

"Do you think Mom's watching us right now?"

He looks up at the shimmering constellations. "I know she is. She's probably dragging my parents around up in Heaven and gushing about how gorgeous her daughter is."

I let a small smile break through. "She really loved us, didn't she?"

Dad gazes back at me with intensity. "Mar'i, you were her world."

I crane my neck to see the stars above. We used to spend hours naming the constellations. Sometimes Mom would even bring me to meet Dad on patrol so we could climb the highest tower and see them a little closer.

That seemed like a lifetime ago.

"Dad, can you tell me a story?" I put on my "I'm-still-your-little-girl" face for the extra effect.

He laughs. "I'm pretty sure that's not a single one you haven't heard at least fifty times."

"Oh come one, there's got to be at least one you haven't told me yet."

He gazes off as he thinks for a moment. "Aha! I've got it!"

I lay my head on his shoulder as he goes off on one of his and mom's adventures. I close my eyes and try to picture my mother sitting next to us, laughing at Dad's stupid jokes while holding me close.

I open my eyes and smile. I'm a part of her legacy. Hers and Dads. And even if she couldn't be here physically, I could still bring a part of her back down to Earth.

Perhaps it was time to let go of old fears. Accept and move forward. Like an old Bat once said, to conquer fear, you must become fear. Maybe I could do the same.

For if we did not have the night, then how could we see the stars?

____________________________

Ok, I honestly cried writing this, but according to Kingdom Come Starfire died of some circulatory illness. It is interesting considering her alien anatomy, but I wanted to focus on how Dick and Mar’i may have reacted to the situation. Anyway, thank you for reading and I promise a happier story next time. :D 

[nightofnyx8]

Robstar Week Day 4: Fever

I tried my best to put a little twist on the theme, even if the story kind of ends the same. But I hope you enjoy nonetheless! 

______________________________________________

The sun was breaking quickly through the horizon, its steaming rays slipping into the small room where Dick slept. He could hear the robins chirping away happily, the smell of bacon wafting in from under the kitchen door of the trailer. Usually this kind of morning got him up and running, but he today he ducked his head under the covers.

He felt like he had been hit by a sledgehammer, feeling cold and hot all at the same time. His body burned under the thin quilt, yet his teeth chattered spontaneously. Maybe if he could just slip back into sleep he would feel better.

A sharp rapping at his door interrupted the quiet morning.

"Come on, Dick." The muffled voice called from behind. "Come eat your breakfast so we can get to practice."

Dick got up painfully and rubbed his eyes. Thoughts of the show that night ran dully through his head—there was no getting out of this one. He slowly dragged himself out of bed and shivered as he changed into his costume. Apparently he took too long because the rapping started again.

"Dick, sweetheart let's go!"

He suppressed a smile. He normally didn't listen to anyone giving him orders, but when his mother was involved, it was an entirely different story.

The Graysons ate a hurried breakfast and quickly headed over the main circus tent. The familiar musty scent filled the air, a mix of animals and old canvas rolled into one. Dick was greeted by Zitka, who immediately searched him for food with her trunk the moment she saw him.

"Not now, girl. I gotta go practice." He slipped her small handful of peanuts and trotted over to where his parents were waiting.

A few minutes later, he stood on top of the wooden platform, the ground looming far below him. Usually this sight didn't bother him, but today it made him feel woozy.

"You alright, sweetheart?" His mother reached over to him, but he shooed her away, knowing she would only worry.

"Yeah Mom, I'm fine." He took hold of the trapeze and swung himself forward, feeling the sensation of flight filling his whole body. The wind whistled though his ears and blew through his hair, and couldn't help wishing that he could never again be a victim to gravity.

He finally reached the opposite platform where his father was waiting and surged forward to stick a perfect landing, but his vision doubled before him. He landed quite clumsily, taking two wobbly steps before falling flat on his face.

"Dick!" He heard his father shout after him, running across the platform.

He could soon feel his mother holding him, his father's hand checking his temperature.

"He's got a fever, Mary." His father stated worriedly. "A high one."

"We've got to get him home as quickly as possible." She agreed, rising with Dick in her arms. "He's not performing tonight."

Dick woke up later, back in his bed and a stack of damp towels on top of his forehead. His mother fawned over him and wiped the sweat off his neck.

"Mom?"

"Hey sweetheart, how are you feeling?"

"Like I just got run over by Zitka."

His mother laughed. "You'll be alright after some rest, my little robin."

"Mom, don't call me that." He complained. "I already get laughed at for the costume."

She smiled, but turned serious as she ran her fingers through his sweaty hair.

"Dick, why didn't you tell us you were sick? You could have stayed in bed this morning."

He looked into his mother's eyes—a clear, sharp blue that pierced his conscience. He knew how hard she worked every day to run a circus, train as a professional acrobat, and raise a family all at the same time.

"I just didn't want to worry you. The show tonight was going to be really big, and you and Dad were always training and working to make sure the routine was perfect and—"

"Oh Dick." She kissed his clammy forehead. "That doesn't matter to me. You are much more important."

His face turned red as she hugged him, to which he responded, "Mom, you're smothering me again."

His mother laughed. "Alright, alright. Now get back to sleep before you get any worse." She pinched his cheek playfully and turned off the light.

"Sweet dreams, my little robin."

_____________________________________________________

Mom.

_____________________________________________________

He shot forward, his vision blurring before his eyes. He thought he heard a small "eep!" somewhere off to the side.

His surroundings came into focus after a few seconds. He was in his room, in the tower.

Oh yes, that's right.

She wasn't here anymore.

He looked over to see a figure sitting next to him, her green eyes unmistakably bright.

"Starfire?"

She looked quite startled, as she must have been close to him when he suddenly jerked awake. The damp towel she was using now lay discarded on the floor.

"Robin, are you alright?" she asked tentatively.

He blinked hard a couple times, trying to register the fact that his alien girlfriend was actually next to him. In his room.

"Yeah, I think so." He responded. "What, what happened? All I remember are the sirens going off."

Starfire bit her lip. "We were fighting Plasmus. But you became quite unstable and fell unconscious. We brought you here to your room to rest, and Cyborg commanded me to be here to assure that you 'stayed there' as he put it."

"Oh." He squinted in the fading light outside his window, realizing it was much brighter than usual. He reached up instinctively to his face, feeling for the mask. There was nothing there.

"I am sorry." Starfire pulled out his mask and placed it in his hands. "You looked to be in great pain, so I removed it."

Robin looked down at the mask in his hands. For years it had been somewhat of his first line of defense. A protection against vulnerability. Even though he and Starfire were dating, and the mask had come off for the first time a couple weeks back, he still felt unnatural without it.

But he placed it on the bedside table, not wanting to make Starfire feel bad. He turned and found her staring intently at him, her eyes conveying a thousand different emotions.

"Robin, you are certain you are alright? I believe there is something else that troubles you." She felt his forehead, and then slowly, hesitantly, reached for his face. He took her hand in caught it against his jaw, her touch unusually cool against his feverish skin.

"I'm alright, Star." He said quietly. "I promise."

She didn't look convinced, but resumed to cooling his neck with the towel. "Why did you not inform us that you were unwell this morning? Fighting Plasmus has only worsened your condition."

"Evil can't be ignored because I decide to get sick, Starfire. My health takes second to that."

Starfire frowned. "That is not true. Evil is not worth hurting yourself over. I was…truly worried for you"

Robin kicked back the covers and started to get out of bed. "I have to get back to work. Plasmus is still out there."

"Robin please, you must rest!" She insisted "For now, Plasmus does not matter. You are much more important."

He froze.

"What did you say?"

She blushed slightly. "Please just rest, Robin. You do not need to push yourself so hard."

He stood still, his mind trying to replay the events that had just unfolded. It had been a while since he had dreamed of his parents. In all the chaos of the Brotherhood of Evil and traveling to Tokyo, his nightmares had plenty more to focus on. Until now.

He didn't like people worrying about him. He wasn't worth all that fuss and effort. And he knew better than anyone that he wasn't exactly the easiest patient to care for, physically or emotionally. Plus, no one needed to waste their efforts on the poor little boy wonder with no parents.

But now she was right in front of him, her hand hovering above his chest to prevent him from going back to work. Her eyebrows creased with worry, her eyes begging him to rest. And then it clicked for Robin. She was there for him through the thick or thin, whether he liked it or not. He didn't need to close himself off from her.

Robin looked at her, as though seeing her for the first time. He took her face in his hands, trying to memorize every detail of her expression.

And then he was kissing her, feeling his heartbeat throb against his chest. He seemed to forget that he was running a high fever and the heat that rose to his cheeks was not helping one bit.

It was only until the fact registered in his mind that he was probably giving his own fever to his girlfriend that he broke the kiss. She looked up at him with a smile, but her eyes still screamed a thousand questions.

"I'm sorry." He said, relaxing back on the bed. "I just, well…"

She said nothing, only listening, as if trying to physically hold every word he said.

He smiled, pulling out a small family album from a compartment above his bed.

"Alright, I'm not getting up." He assured her, slipping the small album into her hands. "But I owe you an explanation. But first, there are a few people that I would like you to meet."

[nightofnyx8]

Robstar Day 3: Lost

Alright, this isn’t as fluffy as I would have liked it to be, but it was still enjoyable to write! Plus I believe I needed a bit of a happier oneshot after yesterday. Enjoy!

_____________________________________________________

It’ll be fun, she said.

The things Dick Grayson did for his alien wife. Of course, he was all for the idea of going to Disneyland for a family vacation, but Kory neglected taking a plane and opted for driving the entire way.

“But that’ll take forever!” He protested when she proposed the idea.

“Nonsense.” Kory said, packing their clothes into a large suitcase. “Garfield said this “family road trip” is a most delightful experience.”

“I really don’t think we should be using Garfield as reliable source material.”

“Oh, come on.” she bantered. “It could help us create memories with the children.”

“Kory, we’ve never been a road trip this long. Trust me, we’ll kill each other before we even get there.”

But her heart was set on it, always the one for “new experiences” as she called it. And after all her constant pleads and head-reeling kisses, he finally agreed to it.

And now they were driving along I-50, somewhere in Arizona. The heat sweltered through the open windows, making Dick sleepy and very uncomfortable.

“Daddy, I’m bored.” Mar’i complained from the back seat.

“I know, Starshine.” He called back. “We’ll be at the hotel in just a few hours.”

She slunk back into her seat, playing with her dolls without much enthusiasm. Jake slept soundlessly beside her.

“I believe we will be turning right soon.” Kory mused, searching the giant road map she had bought at the last gas station.

“No, we stay on this road until we hit the border of California. Dick countered. “Why did you even buy a map? We just follow the signs until we get there.”

His question went unanswered and Kory creased her brow. “Are you sure? The map says we take this exit in a mile.”

“Yes Kory, I’m sure. We don’t need a map.”

“Daddy, are we there yet?” Mar’i called out, now trying to wake her sleeping brother.

“No Mar’i, not yet. And leave your brother alone.”

The AC was blasting on high, but the car still felt like the inside of a volcano. Mar’i had stolen his phone a while ago and was now listening to the only downloaded episode of her favorite cartoon for the tenth time. They had been stuck in the car for two days straight, and Dick felt his nerves itching with irritation. How much longer?

“Richard, I really do think we should turn—”

“You want me to go right? Fine, we’ll go right!”

He swerved across three lanes of traffic and exited off the freeway, speeding into some forsaken town of tumbleweeds.

“Not that one!” Kory scolded. “You turned much too early!”

“Well maybe if you just let the driver drive—”

“Daddy, are we there yet?

“No, Mar’i.”

“We have to get back onto the highway.” Kory said frantically.  

“That’s what I’m trying to do!” Dick exclaimed, not particularly focused on the turns he was making.

“Perhaps I should drive.”

“No.”

“We are clearly not going the right direction!”

“Yes we—Mar’i, if you ask me that question more time, you’re riding on the roof until we get there!”

Dick’s attention was now far from where he was going, and after half an hour the family finally stopped arguing long enough to notice that they were well beyond the highway. They were driving along some lonely country road, miles upon miles of nothing stretched out on either side.

“Uh, where are we?” Dick mused, trying to retrace all the turns he had made in his mind.

“I shall check the map.” She decided, but Dick snatched it away from her.

“Are you kidding? That’s what got us into this mess in the first place!”

She crossed her arms in annoyance. “Then perhaps we stop and ask for directions.”

“From who?” He demanded. “Oh wait, I think I see a giant station of nothing ahead.”

Kory scowled. “Then let us at least stop for a moment. I need to feed Jake.” She motioned to their son, who was now screaming in the backseat.

“Fine.”

They stopped along the edge of the road. Mar’i jumped out of the car straightaway and hovered slightly over the rows of cacti, laughing gleefully as she tried to chase the tiny wrens. Dick sighed and leaned against the outside of the car. He looked over the horizon, the sunlight fading fast into twilight.

He had absolutely no idea where they were.

Fantastic.

A little while later Kory came up next to him with a sleeping Jake in her arms. She leaned against the car as well and rested her head against his shoulder.

“We are lost, yes?” she asked with a small smirk.

Dick let out faint smile. “Completely.”

Kory shifted Jake onto her hip. “Is our GPS working?”

“Not without a signal.”

“What about your phone?”

“Mar’i drained it watching her show.” 

Kory giggled softly, surprising Dick.

"What's so funny?"

"All of this.” She replied. “It recalls memories of when we were stranded on that awful planet, trying to find our friends.”

“You mean when you completely ignored me because I said you weren’t my girlfriend? And my only response was ‘I like the way you shoot starbolts?’”

She laughed. “Yes, I suppose I was a little displeased with you then.”

“Look, Star.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m sorry I snapped at you back on the road. I was just frustrated, I guess. I didn’t mean to take it out on you.”

She smiled and kissed him on the cheek. “You were tired, Richard, as are we all. I think it best to stop and rest for the night.”

“What, here?”

“Yes! We have sleeping bags and a small tent in the trunk in case of emergencies.”

“We do?”

“Of course.” She replied, holding his gaze. “You taught me to always be prepared.”

She placed Jake in her husband’s arms. “You can set up here. I shall fly over to see where the main road is so we can start again tomorrow morning.”

 The fire they lit was reduced to only smoldering embers by the time Mar’i finally got into her sleeping bag. After five rounds of tag and hide and seek, she quickly fell asleep and snored softly besides her father.

“Poor thing, she’s exhausted.” Dick stated, stroking her hair.

“Yes, but rather content.” Kory bundled Jake up with all the blankets they had so he wouldn’t get cold. “I must say, I did not expect a camping trip on our journey.”

Dick laughed and allowed her slip under the blankets next to him, her warmth radiating against the cold.

“You know, this whole thing kind of reminds me of my days in the circus.”

“It does?” Kory propped herself up on her elbow to face him. “How so?”

“Oh you know, we used to drive for days when we traveled from city to city. My parents would argue too, and my Dad used to make me pay a nickel every time I asked where we were. I got so bored that I think I actually did ride on top of the roof once. But you know, looking back on it now, those really were good memories.”

Kory smiled, resting her head on his chest like a pillow. “And now we can make new ones. Lost in the middle of nowhere.”

Dick kissed the top of her head and pulled her closer. “We all know that I would be completely lost without you.” Kory hummed in response, both drifting off to sleep. 

“But seriously, next time can we just take a plane?”

[celestial-mari]

Robstar Week 2019 Day 6: Children

Since most people are probably going to create something about Mar’i or Jake (which I’m super excited for by the way), I wanted to go a different route with this prompt. One of my favorite parts of Robstar (versus DickKory) is how the cartoon really did a good job portraying the teen part of Teen Titans. To celebrate the youth the cartoon had I’m sharing some of my favorite panels from the comic book that was paired with it. These are from Teen Titans Go Issue #38

[celestial-mari]

Robstar Week 2019 Day 3: Lost

“yeah, you’re right. but it’s not always easy to stop hiding behind the mask. to stop playing hero and just… be human.”