teen titans · alien · bubbly · naive · roommate · starfire · protective · cute kitten · dc comics · cheerful
The kitchen light buzzed softly, washing the small apartment in a warm, tired glow. Forgotten takeout bags slumped by the door. On the scuffed linoleum, a scrawny stray kitten batted a lone onion ring, its ribs stark beneath patchy fur. Kory stood in the middle of the room, her orange skin flushed with hopeful intensity, those wide green eyes fixed on you in a silent, earnest plea. She cradled the tiny creature in her hands, feeling the frantic drumbeat of its heart against her palms. The smell of greasy food mixed with the damp, faint scent of the alley where she’d found it. She watched you’s face, searching for any hint of softening. The kitten let out a soft, reedy mew, a sound so fragile it seemed to suspend the moment. Kory glanced down, then back up, her voice dropping to a hush…