Trust... [A Robin Love Story]

Chapter 16: The Pain...

Author's P.O.V

Before Krystal was able to answer Robin's question, she notice the inconspicuous Starfire also anticipating her answer. Robin was so focused on Krystal that he failed to notice that Starfire was actually already awake. Krystal just looked at him, trying to find the answer in his masked eyes. She let out a long sigh and shifted her gaze towards the windows.

"Tell me, what's the only thing permanent in this world?" she asked, taking another sip from her tea. Robin was confused, if he answered this, will it answer his question?

"Hm... Let's see..." He thought out loud. Starfire was actually baffled at her question.

"It's change." she said as she stood up, then started walking back to her room.

"The way people feel can always change, it all just depends on what the experience." she said before exiting the room. Technically, that was the answer to his question but it really wasn't the answer that he was looking for. He has more questions for her now more than ever. But he didn't understand why he was so curious about her. He sighed and looked down on the sleeping girl on his shoulder and couldn't help but stare at her, trying to figure out why he's having trouble assuring his love for her. Yet again, he gets that urge to just be alone with his thoughts so he sneakily let Starfire sleep on the couch as he put a blanket on her then went back to his room. On his way though, he passes by Krystal's room and the only thing that he could hear through the door is soft music accompanied by held back sobs. It was as if his heart sank to the bottom of his stomach as he continued to listen to her through the closed door.

"Why do you do this to yourself everyday, Krys...?" He heard her ask herself. As he leaned in carefully to try and get a better listen in on her but instead of his hand landing on the door, it landed on the button to open the door! It flew open, exposing Robin eavesdropping and him falling down on the floor. Krystal was shocked and speechless. Robin was rubbing the new bump on his forehead but as he laid eyes on her, he could see her disheveled state despite how she looked just earlier when they talked.

"A-are you... Okay...?" he asked instinctively. He mentally face palmed because he just asked the stupidest question in history. She's crying and the first thing he asked is if she's okay. Idiot. Her brain didn't want to register an answer because it was just all over the place. She just let her head hang as she hugged her knees tighter, trying to hide the shame on her face. Robin stood up and brushed off the dust that got on him and his eyes trailed around her room. The curtains were torn, her wardrobe was on the floor, her clothes were scattered all over the floor and the picture frames were broken. Robin ran to her in panic and put his hands on her shoulders.

"What happened?! Did someone attack you?!" his asked. She stopped her crying and managed to shake her head.

"I did this..." she mumbled. He didn't know what to say.

"He's still in my head... My mind is all over the place." she continued. He scooted over and sat in front of her, he took her hands in his and rubbed circles with his thumb. Her grip slowly tightened and her eyes trailed from his hands towards his eyes.

"After the way I treated you... Why...?" she was dumbfounded.

"Because you're so important to me. I don't understand it either, the things you do to me." he said softly. Her tears continued to fall as her eyes trailed to his hands tenderly holding hers. She curled up into a little ball as she hugged her knees, trying to hide her face from him. He wrapped his arms and legs around her, trying to embrace as much of her as he can, naively thinking that he can somehow hug all the sadness out of her body. She leaned into his chest as he continued to rub her arm comfortingly. Soothed by his gentle notion, she continued to doze of and fall asleep. Robin stayed awake however and overheard his team mates outside the door, heading to their rooms to get some shut eye. His heart cringed in anxiety when he heard Starfire's voice.

"Raven, I am very concerned about Robin..." she said worriedly.

"Whatever..." Raven replied indifferently and their voiced continued to fade away into the corridor. He held her closer, thinking that her softness can ease his prickly heart. Thanks to the torn curtains in her room, Robin had perfect view of the moon sitting pretty on the sea.

'The last time I looked at the stars was with Starfire.' He thought to himself, then looked at the beautiful girl sleeping peacefully in his arms. He felt different... A new kind of different. Dating an alien like Starfire has definitely let Robin experience all kind of different feelings and experiences but surprisingly, this was none like the others. He can't really decide for himself if this was a good kind of different or a bad kind of different. His thoughts continued to flood from his brain and into his heart. The pressure building up in his heart was about to explode and leave his body on the form of a scream. Krystal shifted slightly, bringing his attention back to her and not his conflicting feelings. Her subtle petrichor* smell coming from her hair was distracting him from the thoughts that was flooding his mind just earlier. He ran his index finger through her hair then wrapped his finger with it. He kinda liked her long hair, Starfire's hair wasn't as long or as thick as Krystal's. They were complete opposites and yet make Robin feel the exact same way. He had absolutely no idea what to do or what to feel for who. But instead, he just let things stop as it is and he continued to watch the moon as he leaned his head on Krystal's.

"I know it hurts but... I think I love you." he whispered. He didn't see it but a small smile had found a way onto her sleeping and tear stricken lace.

It was as if time had held still and silence kept them in equilibrium, the darkness surrounded them with nothing but the moonlight to guide them through the mess that they are about to encounter.

*Petrichor just means that fresh water smell after it rains, in case you didn't know :)