Teen Titans Fan Fiction ❯ A Previous Engagement ❯ The Journey Begins ( Chapter 4 )

I once again use Star's brother in a story. He's a bit different than he was in the comics, mostly because I don't really know how he was in the comics. So, I made him a bit more… Well, you'll find out.

“English” “Tamaranian. You should have this by now.”

A Previous Engagement

Chapter 4: The Journey Begins

Three pairs of wide eyes stared at Starfire. She tugged her hair nervously.

“Didn't you go-”

“Weren't you-”

“Haven't we gone-”

“-Through this before?” they finished in unison.

She nodded and shook her head, making an odd sort of jerking motion. “I, erm, I- It is… different…”

Explaining this to Raven had been easy, because Raven was the calm one of the group. Unfortunately, she was staring at Robin. She could not see his eyes beneath his mask, and she desperately wished she could see his expression. His mouth was turned down in a frown, his brow furrowed. She sighed softly, confused and uncertain.

Somehow she knew telling them that this time she was in love would not help.

“…I-I wish for you to return to Tamaran with me…” she breathed, not really meaning it. What she wanted was to have more time to figure out exactly what she did want. She knew her relationship with Robin had always been a close one, perhaps more than friends, and most certainly not brother-sister. What she had felt for Ph'yzzon, seeing him when he fought, the strength in his movements, the certainty with each blow…

It had been the same with Robin.

Robin looked at her. Beneath his mask his eyes were filled with sadness. He'd always been so protective of his alien friend since she'd revealed her docile and naive nature. (Of course he knew from experience that if you got in her way, there was a good chance you wouldn't make it out.) He'd had a crush on her for ages now, but he'd never admit it. He knew better than to date teammates. But now she was getting married…

(…Again, he had to note, and the first time hadn't ended well for the man- er…thing- at the other end of the line…)

Star stared at him, trying to permeate his mask, his mind, to see inside his head.

“We'll have to go then,” Robin said.

He was going to do the only thing he could do. He was going to be supportive.

They had all noticed the tone of his voice and took his lead.

“…Hey, yeah,” Beast Boy said, “And at least this time you know who you're marrying.”

“Sure, Star,” Cyborg continued, “Is there any chance we can get a translator though.”

Raven was staring at them as if they'd lost their minds. Her gaze was pointedly at Robin, but she cast looks onto the other too and turned back to Starfire, offering her a small smile.

“We're here for you, Starfire,” Robin finished, “Whatever you need.”

><><>><><><

Robin glared at the punching bag, staring it down before beginning his fight. This was how he relieved stress and worked things out. A few rounds in the gym, and his resolve would strengthen, his plan would be perfect, or he might be able to concentrate on the task at hand.

He punched the bag hard, letting it swing back before kicking it right in the center, pushing it back further.

“So that's it then?”

He whirled around, and the punching bag hit him in the back. He glared at it, but it swung gently, docilely returning to its place.

Raven was in the doorway, looking ready for bed.

“What's it?” he asked, deciding to play stupid. Which was an idiotic thing to do. Raven knew of course. What he didn't know was that everyone knew that he considered Starfire more than a friend.

“You're just going to lie down and let Starfire be taken?”

“Maybe,” he muttered indignantly.

“Honestly?”

“…” He sighed. “Maybe not…”

“Whatever,” she shrugged, turning around, “I'd just hate to see either of you ending up with something you don't want.”

She left, and he turned back to the punching bag.

I'm going to win her back, he decided, sending a hard punch into the poor, beaten bag, I'm going to make her choose me.

The problem was, he wasn't even sure if he was a choice.

><><><><><><

The T-Ship, which had originally been the T-Sub, then the T-Ship, only to be converted back again, had taken the team to Tamaran before. Of course, this was not after it had been destroyed after Brother Blood's underwater base had exploded. The new one had been built from scratch, but it was hardly ready to be attached to a few rockets and shot through space.

“So…” Cyborg stared at the hardly built ship, “…How exactly are we getting there?”

Starfire stood beside him. “My parents have promised to send a ship. It should be here in a day or so.”

“Who exactly is… flying this ship?” he asked.

She shrugged. Her mood had been dampened since she'd confessed to her friends. She'd avoided in flying in fear she wouldn't be able to. Fury, she was feeling, but it was hardly righteous fury. More like guilty fury. Anger at herself.

“I suspect someone from the royal family. Or Galfore, but he is as close to family as one can get.”

It only took them two days to find out.

The sleek ship landed on the top of the giant T, gliding perfectly through the sky. A young man stepped out, about Robin's height though with younger features. He stepped out of the street with open arms, which Starfire flew into.

“Ryand'r!” she greeted him, “You are well! I was worried! I had not seen you when I was in Tamaran!”

“My fault,” he answered with a grin, “Mother and father had to dig me out of some offhand planet. If I had known, though…”

“What were you doing?” she asked.

“Not important enough,” he glanced at her friends, who were standing behind them with confused looks, “These are your friends?”

She grinned and pulled him over to them. “Friends!” she cried, “This is my brother, Ryand'r!”

“So,” Ryand'r grinned slyly, “Where's a lovely lady I'm allowed to kiss so I can understand anything you're going to say.”

She elbowed him. “Is that what you were off doing?”

“I did learn a few new languages.”

She sighed and touched her lips to his for a moment and pulled away. He frowned.

“Why do you always ruin my fun?” he pouted.

She shoved him playfully. “Because otherwise you would be in trouble in all moments.”

The Titans were staring on curiously. The last sibling of Starfire's that had met had been Blackfire, who had the intent of killing her sister. But Ryand'r seemed harmless. Of course, so had Blackfire.

The Titans were cautious as they approached.

But Ryand'r held out his arms graciously, and Starfire giggled.

“Shall we go then,” he said.

They nodded uncertainly and followed him onto the ship as he began his `tour.'

This, they may or may not have realized as they stepped aboard, would not be a journey they would soon forget.

Authoress Notes:

Took me a while to update this chapter.

I'm taking the tiniest break from fanfiction, but I'll still update what I can. I'm currently distracted by my original that I'm working on. I've got a few new stories in my brain, and I actually have two and a half chapters done for another Teen Titans one, but I was looking at what stories I have posted and decided I want to try and update a few of those first.

Review and I might update faster.