2013.06.27 - A Star in the Night

A beam of light struck in the trees, any wildlife in the area scattered from the tree line in a herd of mass migration, but with an additional panic. Something that they were not used to shattered their solace and silence from the smog ridden city and sent them momentarily fleeing from their hideaway and into the open, even the birds momentarily clouded the skies, or considering it was night time those 'birds' are bats.

Some time gone from this place, Koriand'r returned now, her home - gone. This is all she has left, and in some form of reflection and a sight of just what it is she has left she starts at Gotham, at the worst of it all where beauty is cloaked in a dark grey and covered in bruises. Stepping from the foliage those booted feet that once bore a purple boot of simple shining fabric are now enhanced and constructed with reinforcement, plated with an alloy that added armor to the stretch of purple sheen topped in silver points at mid thigh. Sunset hued skin left seen, openly displayed from thigh to the nary clad hips where more of that strap work commenced, purple harnessing rising in high arches and crossing over her hips, sides bare as well as abdomen only to have her chest cusped in that armored purple as well, leading in a thin line up to the shoulder pads that rested across her shoulders, clasped in place by the high necked brace with a red gem centered within. Pupil-less green gaze snapped over the short stretch of land before her, looking from the peaceful view of suppressed serenity towards Gotham City's skyline. That long mane of red hung down her back, ends hanging at the tops of thighs, bearing the embers of her landing, their light slowly fading like a dying star.

"Welcome home..." Koriand'r murmurs under the only watchful and wary eyes of the creatures her concussive landing had startled.

Intentional on Starfires part or not she is making her presence in Gotham known to Nightwing. The location for instance is one he haunts nightly in his passage, a place he tends to stop and eat. One of the small inner garden areas that dot the city here and there. Timing couldn't be better either... It's doubtfully just a coincidence Koriand'r is one of the few people on (or off) this world who truly knows Dick Grayson and his habits. Perched on an outcropping gargoyle which has long been his favorite to enjoy a meal upon the vigilante takes another bite of his burrito, the foil around it covered in a paper bag (reflection of tin not wanted) the meal still warm. A slow chew and he watches the fading light of his not-so-/ex/-girlfriend's arrival. Deja vu really.

The wary gaz of the creatures is met in return with the green reflective of her own, Koriand'r offering only the slight cant of her head towards them in apology for her disruption and once more she is pushing off the ground, that tail of flame following behind her like the end of a comet as she leaves tha place and enters the city itself in a zig-zag path that displays the irratic and a solemn moment already fading to be left behind her on the end of the burnout.

Landing, she rests between the wings of a stone gargoyle, cradled on its back and between its wings on her abdomen with legs kicked up behind her and crossed a the ankles, her chin propped in the cusp of her palm.

"That type of food will be the death of you." She speaks non-chalantly to the one who rests only a few feet away on another rock faced gargoyle.

Another bite and Nightwing eats slowly, quietly and with his mouth closed! Flying Graysons and Alfred didn't raise no ill-mannered savage. "This? No way. Everything I need for a great night out is in this delicious wrapping of heaven." Straightening up the black and blue clad hero grins over at the belly sprawled alien. A stunning image really, one of those burned in to the memory and minds eye permanently sort of images.

"Did you just get back to Earth?" An agile spring and he is closing the distance between the two of them, from a ledge to another adjacent gargoyle to the wing of the one she is on and swinging around it to cling and suspend just above her between both of the creatures stoney appendages where he can stare down at her.

"If it makes you happy..." Kori states with an offhanded wave of her idle hand, a small smile plying over lips even as her hand drops and fingertips trail over the ridges of stone spine that are eroding over time.

As his agile movements carry him over her, her eyes only followed him to where he stood out of her line of sight unless she moved, now sliding forward to peer over the head of the gargoyle and down across the small park. "Great night? It's eerily quiet." In Gotham, that -is- a great night for the good guys, but no matter to Kori as she finally turns just enough to stare over her shoulder at Nightwing and offer a nod in response, the smile she bore fading only slightly.

"Seeing you again makes me happy... the burrito doesn't compare at all." Nightwing genuinely smiles as he lowers down to stand with a foot on either side of her. "How was it, Kori?" Studying her as he asks the question prepared for bad news or for her to be upset, maybe, hopefully even excited with something grand to share. He has no idea what to expect right now and some part of him is just simply over eager and happy to see her back.

There it was, even partially veiled by the draping mass of red hair that draped over her shoulder like a cloak, the smile - a reaction to his words that had her reacting accordingly as hands came to press against the stone statue like she would turn to fully face him from that place between stone wings and Nightwing's feet, but when he asked again, she froze only having turned to make it to her side, an arm as her prop while green gaze left him and went back over the landscape of Gotham.

"This is the only home I have left." Koriand'r's words were lowered in tone, solemn but somewhere in them is an affirmation, a stability she found amongst the wreckage.

Kneeling down so Nightwing is situated in a crouch above her. A black gloved hand reachs down to rest on the side of her cheek turning her chin so he can look at her face and in to those outlandish green eyes. "I'm here if you need to talk to someone about it."That smile Dick bore still present and remaining, sympathetic and caring as ever. That's Dick Grayson for you.

Talk about it? Koriand'r wanted nothing more to have it not have happened at all, or to pretend she did not know, did not fly through the remnants of her home planet hovering in space like rubble while Kitt'n tried to navigate them safely to a landing point that was no longer there... She knew what did it, the ultimate breakdown of a civilization borne in war and battling its own internal strife.

Implosion.

Touch is a way of communication, expression to her kind, a way of learning and /knowing/, and she had avoided it even upon landing to keep from happening to her what happened to her home. That touch from Dick, who knew her so well is met with the gaze of determination, down-turned at the outer edges by a sorrow.

Turning beneath him, and sliding upward her arms swung up and captured him in an embrace, one that left her profile brushing his, her lips hovering just before the shell of his ear, but not touching. "I just live in the now, Dick. I'm home again." And just like when she had first crash-landed on Earth, she draws back slowly and cups his face in her hands and presses her lips to his.

Starfire is to no surprise stronger than Nightwing or any human is by a /lot/ and once she takes a-hold and 'man-handles' him in to the kiss he gives in with zero resistance. It's not like he was going to anyways. The kiss met with equal fervor even touching tongues as he lingers there in the connection before pulling his face back giving room for them to speak again, "I know you do. Still, as long as you understand you can always talk to me."

"I know." Is all Kori says upon release of the kiss and the embrace, her hands or arms no longer 'keeping' him, emphasizing as much with her hands now pressed down behind her to prop her upright there still beneath his crouched form, that red hair spilling down over the head of the gargoyle like it now wears a wig of its own. "You taste like your heaven." She says with a smile now resurfacing, a leg rising slightly beneath him to nudge him teasingly. "Have I missed anything in my absence?"

"To us directly? No. To the rest of the world... yes, it's ugly as usual. So much to actually tell you about it'll just be easier to let you play catch up on the news yourself. I suppose I could bullet point it for you." Nightwing straightens up to a stand once again only to step away from her enough to lean against one of the statue's wings. "I thought I always tasted like heaven?"

Koriand'r just stared at Nightwing as he spoke of the day to day. Nothing has changed in most cases, and she should not be surprised, in fact she isn't. "I'll find out first hand, better that way then wasting my time in front of a box." A dismissive wave of her hand to that notion, though that risen hand now fell to her thigh, slipping beneath the lip of her boot and withdrew a small device, flicking it to him. "/Your/ heaven, the burrito." Kori laughed briefly, one brow rising. "Nothing has changed there, for me." She says with a bref pause as she rises and then points to the small device that looks like nothing more then a blue tooth. "That will connect you with my ship, in any way you need to, even bring you aboard.."

Taking up the chip between two fingers Nightwing looks it over with a quirked brow before carefully depositing it in to a hidden belt fold. "Wasting time, huh? Sounds like you have some plans for yourself." He grins and shrugs off the commentary towards the burrito. He knows what she means. "Speaking of... since you're back what are your plans?"

Leaning against the opposing wing, those green eyes focus on Nightwing with the determination reborn in them, this time there is no sorrow, nor any show of recollection of what once was. "I wont let what happened to my former home happen here. I'm not losing anyone else, or my home to foolish wars." In the backdrop sirens wail and sound from deeper inside the heart of the city, her head tilting towards it. "So much for your quiet night... I should go." One hand reaches up and piints to where her version of the device she handed to Dick was, tapping her ear. "Kitt'n.."

Nightwing's shoulders push back and he presses away from the opposing wing to reach over and take Koriand'r's wrist. "I had no plans. Why don't you stay?"

"You just got back we can catch up." A tug of his forearm and Nightwing draws Starfire in against his chest. "Special occasion. I can take a night off."

Tugged in against him Kori's hand drops from her ear to his shoulder, the smile that she wore turning even higher at one corner in a smirk that bordered on coy playfulness, that insetting for pupiless green gaze narrowing as she spoke into her device. "...Nevermind." Tugging it from her ear she slipped her own device into her boot to show she, as well, is officially 'off duty'. "Alright, you have me. Now what, Dick?"

"Well, you did interrupt my lunch. Why don't we go get something to eat and just enjoy each others company for the rest of the night? I suppose I can fill you in on some of the changes since you've been gone. Might help you get an idea of what you want to do with yourself." Nightwing's hand encircles her own and he motions off the statue. "For old times sakes I'll let you do the driving even." The former Boy Wonder is just being all kinds of lazy.

"Sounds good to me, what you were having did taste like heaven though." Her own playful smirk worn then in response as Kori accepted and took his hand in her own, her other hand gripping his belt and tugging him in against her so their bodies contoured in that press. Without warning she leaned to the side, taking him with her in a free fall that had them tumbling from the head of the gargoyle towards the ground and just before impact they shot outward and arched back into the air, that tail of flame trailing behind them, even as she laughed and now finally spared Nightwing a glance from the corners of her eyes. "I never have problems finding things to do with myself, it's where to start.."

"Did it? Mexican it is then. I know just the place." Swept off his feet and suspended above Gotham Nightwing manages another grin, "I'd say you're off to a good start so far."