He was smitten. He, Robin was smitten. Behind the white mask, the eyes of the Titans Leader followed the motions of Princess Kori'ander of Tamaran – more commonly known as Starfire.
She was very pretty. She had a shapely figure, tall and slender. Even the odd orange skin and green eyes did nothing against Starfire's beauty.
His attraction started as simple lust. When a pretty girl kisses a boy out of nowhere for seemingly no reason, the boy would undoubtedly follow her – acting on hormones or some other nonsense – it was perfectly natural, Robin rationalized.
Over time, however, that attraction grew. As Robin spent more time with the girl, watching the innocent alien learn of Earth's cultures, he could do nothing but continue to admire her as his lustful feelings grew into an emotion much more pure.
The girl in question, of course, was blissfully oblivious to Robin's inner musings. She was gleefully floating around the room, holding her pet Silkie in her arms all the while; she was chattering to Raven, the team's very own witchdoctor, about something completely frivolous.
"Robin!"
The masked male jolted fiercely at the suddenly shout that seemed to burst his eardrums. The shout was courtesy of Cyborg, another male titan who was exactly what his name implied.
"What?" Robin snapped after he had recovered.
"I'm hungry man. We're outta food and it's your turn to go grocery shopping."
Beast Boy, the last of the main five titans – and the least, if you went by height – added, "And can you pick up something quick on the way back? You take forever to shop!"
"Yeah, like tacos." Cyborg suggested.
Robin was about to try to weasel his way out of errands, when he saw an opportunity. A wily smile grew on his face as he agreed to the trip.
Cyborg looked startled at the seeming enthusiasm, and was a bit wary, but Beast Boy took it in stride, "Sweet! I want a veggie burger!"
"I would like one of those new waffle burgers from Waffle Burger." Raven stated, having escaped from Starfire after hearing the commotion.
"I would like Steak Burger please!" Starfire voiced.
"… Steak… Burger?" Robin asked, not quite processing the thought, as he was lost in his own.
"Starfire, I think you mean hamburger." Raven responded.
"But, are they not made of beef instead of pork?" God bless her.
"Well, yes, but the name has more to do with where the come from. Hamburg." How did Beast Boy know-
"Alright, got it!" Robin interrupted his own thought trail before it got out of hand. "Guess I'm off."
As he rode the R-Cycle through Jump, Robin began to plan out his return. The idea behind his easy acceptance of having been forced to go on this journey, after all, was a golden opportunity to ask Starfire on a date.
It all was perfect. Robin would go up to Starfire, and hand her the hamburger. He would say something romantic and charming, and she would then thank him, saying something to the effect of 'Sustenance, oh joyful day! I and all nine of my stomachs are so grateful to you, oh fearless and handsome Robin!'
Or something like that…
Anyway, all he needed to do was figure out just what he would say to woo her, so he started practicing. Once Robin had gotten to the marketplace, he parked his bike and began to shop, trying out different lines, and seeing how they felt.
Naturally, onlookers were put off. It was very off-putting for townspeople to see one of their beloved heroes muttering to himself like a lunatic. It was even worse when they heard snippets of his numerous speeches.
Alas, Robin was oblivious to all of it. He was doing his very best to create the perfect speech and delivery.
"Dearest Starfire," No, that was far too formal.
"You ordered a steakburger?" No, she would take teasing seriously and be upset.
"Please date me!" Too desperate.
"Yo, whaddup Stardog?" Um…
"Hey, bird-brain." Robin looked up at the oddly familiar voice and saw an oddly familiar shade of pink hair and eyes, but he couldn't quite place the face. "You trying to impress someone?" The girl smirked.
Fatigue is what Robin would later use to justify admitting his troubles to a strange, as familiar as she was.
"Just trying to find the best way to ask out a girl."
The freckled redhead that stood beside the girl cocked an eyebrow, "Really? Mighty Robin is havin' girl troubles?" He teased.
Robin twitched with irritation at the other boy's voice, both because of the truth behind the teasing and the familiarity with which it was delivered.
He would also use fatigue to justify stalking away childishly.
Approximately half an hour later, Robin was heading back to the tower. Groceries lined the back of his bike while five meals were stacked in front of him. He made it home fairly easily, despite the lack of space with which to carry the items – he had the most trouble with shopping out of the five.
When he did get back, he found the living room empty, so he put away the groceries and stored his meal in the fridge before he went to the others' rooms to deliver their meals. He saved Starfire's of course for last.
The trip was uneventful. Raven didn't even open the door, her black aura simply brought the food through the solid metal. Beast Boy's meal, too. He would have been worried had he not wanted to get to Starfire quickly. Besides, he heard muffled noises that implied something was happening – was that a moan?
Cyborg was next, then. He was in his room, playing some game on his computer. Cyborg grunted at him and Robin decided to just leave the food on the desk, easily within arm's reach.
He mentally reviewed his plan at least twenty-two times before finally knocking on the alien's door. Robin was so certain of his preparedness, and was completely and undeniably ready to ask the girl out on a date.
Until she opened the door.
"Friend Robin! You've returned!" The girl grabbed him into a hug made of pure ecstasy. Bliss soared through his vein, melting him to pile of mush, and he found himself even more in love, and even more determined to get a date out of this wonderful being.
As she asked for her meal, it was all the smitten boy could do to hold it out and speak.
"Here's your hamburger."