Prompt 7: Sunrise
Set just after 'Sisters'.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

Starfire's head jerked up from where it had previously perched on her knees. "I am sorry, what was it that you said?"

Beside her, Robin was hunched over with his arms extended to support his weight. "The sunrise. It's beautiful." They sat together at the edge of the Tower observing the horizon.

"Beautiful," the alien girl mused softly. "That is a strange expression from someone such as yourself." She gave her friend a curious look. "I have not heard you use it often. Or even at all."

Robin's mouth twitched in the slightest hint of a smirk. "I guess it's not something I'm really used to saying. Not a lot of beauty in crime fighting."

"And yet?" He couldn't help but wonder how her mildly inquisitive glance compelled him to speak more than he usually would to anyone else he'd ever met.

"I don't know, Star. I guess I just kind of have a thing for sunrises."

"You find them beautiful?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"Raven was wrong, then."

Robin raised an eyebrow at his friend's remark, "What did Raven say?"

"She told me that you are an insufferable, egotistical, brooding, solitary individual without the ability to find things beautiful or remarkable or interesting at all.
Starfire stated matter-of-factly, almost as though she didn't quite understand the full extent of her, or rather Raven's, words. The almost invisible smile she seemed to be trying to fight off told Robin otherwise.

"Should I even bother asking how I came up in a conversation between you and Raven?"

Starfire seemed hesitant to answer, but finally spoke, ever so softly, "I asked if you were always so…cold." Her expression was somewhat regretful, apologetic, but in a way almost pleading. "That was Raven's response. Perhaps…perhaps you could provide one of your own?"

There were not many times in which Robin was rendered speechless, yet Starfire's words had seemingly removed all traces of the English language clear from his mind. Seeing his difficulty in responding, the alien girl continued hastily, as though attempting to right a wrong.

"That is not to say I find you to be cold at all times, but I cannot help but take note of times in which you block everyone out and distance yourself to such an extent that I wonder if perhaps you will simply leave us and never return. And while I do hope that may never be the case, part of me wishes that I could…try to…understand these cold, separated times. I do not mean to imply that I desire for you to divulge all of your secrets, I only want to perhaps connect with you in a way that close friends often do-"

"Sunrises are beautiful. Sunsets too," Robin suddenly interjected, startling Starfire into silence. "Fireworks. The perfect martial arts form. The first time I saw the R-Cycle complete. Jump City when it's not under attack. Titans Island. They're all beautiful. The look in your-" the Boy Wonder paused the flow of words erupting from his mouth, like an auto-lock had rammed itself into place in his brain.

"Yes?" Starfire's voice was almost inaudible; she didn't want to break the connection. They were so close, mentally and physically (she's hardly noticed the inches between them diminishing as they'd talked). All he needed was a little encouragement. "I am listening."

"…Nothing. Never mind," Robin shook his head and shifted away from Starfire, the auto-locks firmly in place and holding their ground. "It's almost time for morning training. Could you go warm up the obstacle course while I go round up the rest of the team?" The moment was long gone and Starfire seemed to realize this. Even so, she couldn't resist one last try.

"There is nothing else you find to be beautiful?"

Robin pushed himself to his feet, almost physically dodging the question, "Another time, Starfire. We have to train. It's our duty to this city." Without giving her a chance to respond, the Boy Wonder walked coolly to the door leading to the interior of the Tower.

Starfire remained sitting, watching the sun's golden glow bask Jump City. Beautiful Jump City.

"Are you always so cold, Robin?" The alien girl sighed with defeat and slipped off the edge of the Tower, descending slowly to the Island's only training course at the time (Cyborg was designing new ones to be installed soon, supposedly). Starfire's feet grazed the glimmering chromes flooring of the training course's master control platform, already mentally going over the most recent statistics of each Titan and programming the machine accordingly. Perhaps she should speak to Raven about the morning's encounter.

…Then again, maybe not.

There's always something more you wish he'd say.
-Everything You Want/Vertical Horizon-