Komand'r stood in the corridor with Hikaru, leaning against the wall with practiced casual grace. "Come on, one training session. I could show you some Tamaranean flight techniques that would mesh perfectly with your light powers."
"I'm good." Hikaru's tone remained polite but firm. "Thanks though."
"Lunch then? I know you're half-angel, and I spent three cycles on a celestial plane. We could compare notes about divine realms."
"I've got plans."
Starfire pressed herself against the wall, watching from around the corner. She shouldn't spy—it was not the behavior of a friend or sister—but she couldn't seem to make herself leave.
"Plans with my sister?" Komand'r's voice carried an edge now, subtle but present.
"Maybe." Hikaru straightened, clearly preparing to leave. "Is there a problem with that?"
"No problem at all." Komand'r's smile didn't quite reach her eyes. "I just wonder what you see in her. She's so... naive. Earth must be confusing for someone so sheltered."
Hikaru's expression hardened. "I see someone genuine and kind. Someone who doesn't need to tear others down to feel better about themself."
Before Komand'r could respond, Hikaru turned—and immediately spotted Starfire. His features softened instantly. "Hey, Kory. I was just coming to find you."
Starfire's heart performed a small flip at the nickname. "You were?"
"Yeah." He walked past Komand'r without a second glance. "I was wondering if you wanted to do something tonight. You can pick."
"Oh! Yes!" The weight in her chest lifted. "I would like that very much… How about a team movie night?"
"Sounds good."
As they walked away together, Starfire glanced back once. Komand'r stood alone in the corridor, her expression unreadable.
The common room buzzed with warm lamplight as Starfire carefully balanced her offerings. She'd learned over the past weeks that movie night required proper provisions—an Earth custom she'd grown to love.
"Friends!" She entered with her brightest smile, arms laden with buckets of popcorn and bags of candy, DVDs stacked precariously on top. "I invite you to join me in the togetherness of a stay-home movie night. I bring you popcorn and non-cotton candies. Tell me, what sort of movie shall we view?"
"Action," Robin said from his spot near the computer console.
"Comedy." Beast Boy sprawled across the floor.
"Sci-fi." Cyborg looked up from the kitchen where he'd been preparing his special nacho recipe.
"Horror." Raven didn't lift her eyes from her book.
Starfire's smile twitched. "Perhaps a double feature?"
"Forget the flicks, kids."
Everyone turned. Komand'r stood at the entrance wearing one of Starfire's spare outfits—the purple crop top and skirt she'd bought during her first Earth shopping trip with Hikaru. Her sister had abandoned the armor entirely, looking casual and comfortable in her clothes that made the irritation at the theft only grow stronger
"We're going out!" Komand'r announced.
Starfire blinked, nearly dropping her carefully balanced load. "We are?" Komand'r swept past her toward the team. "Where did—? Are those my—?"
"Heard about a party downtown," Komand'r continued, ignoring the questions. "Cool crowd, hot music."
"Yeah!" Beast Boy jumped up.
"I'm in." Cyborg abandoned his nachos.
"Why not?" Even Robin seemed interested.
Raven remained in her chair, nose still in her book. Then Komand'r added: "And it's in a creepy run-down warehouse."
One violet eye peered over the pages with newfound interest.
One by one, Starfire watched her teammates file toward the door. Cyborg whooped with excitement. Beast Boy transformed into a gorilla, pounding his chest. Robin, Raven, Donna, Kid Flash—all of them.
Komand'r paused as she passed, her smile sharp. "Hey, sweetie. Raided your closet. Hope you don't mind me borrowing your look."
The popcorn buckets suddenly weighed a thousand pounds. Starfire's voice came out smaller than intended. "Why not? You have already borrowed my friends."
The words hung in the empty room as the door closed behind them. Starfire stood alone, surrounded by abandoned snacks and unwatched movies, feeling more isolated than she had since arriving on Earth.
"That was pretty messed up."
She turned to find Hikaru emerging from the hallway. He must have been in his room and missed the initial announcement.
"I thought you would have gone with them," Starfire said quietly.
"And miss movie night?" Hikaru walked over, gently taking some of the buckets from her arms before she could protest. "Besides, I wanted to talk to you about something."
"About what?"
"Your sister." He set the popcorn on the coffee table, expression serious. "Kory, I don't trust her."
Starfire's chest tightened. "She is my sister. She would not—"
"Those probes that attacked." Hikaru's golden eyes met hers steadily. "I don't by her explanation. And the way she's been acting, inserting herself into everything, borrowing your clothes, monopolizing your friends' attention—" He paused. "I think she might be up to something."
"But she said she was innocent. That her enemies were pursuing her falsely."
"Maybe." Hikaru's tone gentled. "But I've seen enough manipulative people in my life to recognize the patterns. I think we should go to this party. Keep an eye on her."
Part of Starfire wanted to argue, to defend her sister. But she found that she had begun to trust Hikaru more than her own sister. She began to think back on Komand'r's actions since she arrived, the casual dismissals, her calculating smiles, perhaps Hikaru had a point.
"Very well," she said finally. "We shall attend the party."
The warehouse pulsed with music, the bass thrumming through Starfire's bones in a way that wasn't entirely unpleasant. Strobing lights painted the crowd in shifting colors—blue, green, purple, red.
Inside, the team had already dispersed. Komand'r held court on the dance floor, naturally drawing attention with her movements. Robin, Donna, Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Kid Flash had joined her, leaving the three who'd arrived last standing on the periphery.
"Well," Hikaru said, surveying the scene, "since we're here, we might as well enjoy it." He glanced at Raven. "Want to dance?"
"I'd rather fight my father," Raven deadpanned.
"Fair enough." Hikaru turned to Starfire, extending his hand with a slight bow that reminded her of Tamaranean court customs. "Kory?"
The gesture made something warm bloom in her chest. She accepted his hand. "I would be honored."