Robin stood on top of Titans Tower, surveying the city as seriously as if her were Superman, listening to the world for trouble. Even if he did have super-hearing, he doubted he'd hear many complaints. Christmas was only a week away, and everybody was already deep into making the merry. Everybody except him. Ever since that day, he hadn't ever truly been able to put his heart and soul into the holidays again. Maybe he just didn't have a heart and soul anymore. Fun seemed so far away since his parents had left him, and sometimes it didn't seem worth having knowing that they weren't there.

A slight chill cascaded through him, starting from his face. Robin crossed his eyes to find a small snowflake resting at the tip of his nose. It had started snowing again. He shuddered, tugging his cape over his shoulders, but it did nothing to prevent the bitter ice from biting into his skin.

Damn, he thought, After all these years, a little cold is getting to me. Maybe Slade is right: I am weak, and I'll go crawling back to him the next time I lose a fight. He abruptly pushed the thoughts out of his mind.

Robin would never join forces with Slade, perhaps even when he had no control of his will. He would die before he became his apprentice for the second time. It was too much pain, so much hate, and far too much insanity. But who was he to call it pain and hate? Everything was so confusing, and especially since the night Robin had inhaled the chemicals from the dust in Slade's mask, he had trouble deciphering what was real and what was not.

"Robin…"

He forced himself to turn his stiff neck and saw Starfire, her large, green eyes shining with concern. It slightly ticked him off; he didn't need people worrying about him.

"What is it?" His voice was raw and sore, and he immediately regretted how it came out.

Starfire fiddled with her long, auburn hair, biting her lip and looking nervous. Her face tinged a slight pink and she smiled. "We are having the chocolate while it is hot and in a cup inside. I would be pleased to have you join us."

She looked beautiful in the snow, tiny flakes appearing as the sparkles of some goddess, but Robin failed to think much of it in his current mood. He considered her offer, most of himself wishing to go, but the other part, including his mouth, seemed frozen.

"It is getting rather cold up here," she added softly, the smile faintly stretching her jaw.

Something inside Robin clicked. "I should get used to it then." Nothing would be too cold for him, he decided, and turned back to the city.

Starfire's emerald eyes flashed with hurt, and she fought back the tears swimming within, even though they had already begun to cling to her eyelashes. Like dew on a delicate flower. Her posture beginning to droop, as if her flower had begun to wilt, she slowly drifted to Robin's side. Perhaps he was thinking of Slade, punishing himself for reasons that he falsely accused of himself. Starfire knew his "obsession" with the villain, just as every other member of the team did. But she felt that she knew Robin the best.

"Robin, do not beat yourself for things that you cannot change. Why should Slade's opinion of you matter more than ours?" She wrapped her fingers around his green-gloved hand, stroking the material with her thumbs.

He didn't notice how it was as if she had read his mind because Robin realized that he had never thought of it that way before. He gazed at her soothing caress, only because he couldn't meet her eyes. He gripped her hand back tightly, a grim smile on his face.

"It just does," he whispered, so quietly that Starfire, who was less than ten inches away from him, couldn't hear him.

She opened her mouth to ask him to repeat himself, but his lips were suddenly up against hers. They had kissed before, so only mildly surprised, she pressed back until they were passionately kissing, still holding hands. Robin's other hand was in her hair, at first gently pushing her face closer. In a manner of seconds though, Robin was doing it so ardently that Starfire was worried he would accidentally bite her. But she loved him and continued to kiss back, what with Christmas so close and all, it was natural to have such feelings, no?

When at last their lips had unlatched, the two held their faces close and lingered a moment more before reluctantly pulling away, shyly smiling.

Robin tucked a strand of Starfire's hair behind her hair tenderly. "Do you still want hot chocolate?"

Her face lit up with a brilliant, genuine beam and together they walked inside; hand in hand, welcoming the warmth not only from the building, but their hearts.

Starfire never did find out what Robin had said.

If you have any couples you'd like me to write for, tell me somehow, and I might put it up if I like the idea of the pairing enough. Happy Holidays!