i used to do this for the thrill

A.N: I have been greatly inspired by Masks, written by Kryalla Orchid. So yeah, if you can figure out what part I was influenced by before you start reading, you deserve a biscuit. But here we go.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.


Tender kisses.

Hidden in the darkest alleyways of Jump City at midnight. A soft sigh, a guttural groan and she was gone. She submitted herself to him, leaning more into his touch as he caressed her face with his breath, with his hands.

It was almost shocking how feral the sweet kiss became - a bite on the lip till blood drew, and hands clawed at the kevlar under his cape, trying desperately to reach the skin beneath. A husky moan from her, another nip from him as he pushed up against the wall, fruitlessly trying to claim what was not his.

At this, Starfire reacted.

She pushed him away, clutching her lips in shock as they stared at each other, breathing heavily. Starfire was first to break the long silence, raising a shaky hand accusingly at the man in front of her. He raised both hands - a sign of peace - as she advanced on him.

"You… do not get to touch me like that!" She yelled, her breast heaving in her anger. The figure who was currently receiving the verbal onslaught, wisely stayed quiet.

"You do not belong to me, and I do not belong to you, so how dare you think that you can just claim me like some… like some prize!"

At this, he finally spoke. "Hey, hey, hey, I never saw you as a prize. And no offence, Cutie, but you weren't complaining the first time we done this."

It was the wrong thing to say. Starfire lost all her fight as she stared into the mask-covered eyes of Red X, and her own green eyes filled with tears as she turned from the villain, covering her mouth with a glove-encased hand. Red X took a tentative step towards her, then stopped as her heard her sobs echo into the night.

"Oh X'hal... " Starfire whimpered, glancing at the man behind her. Her eyes lingered on his swollen-kissed lips and the lump in her throat grew. "What have I done… I have allowed this to go too far, Red X. We cannot do the seeing of each other anymore, Robin would not-"

Red X walked towards her now, and engulfed her in his arms as she shook with muffled cries. Helpless, she turned into his embrace, needing the comfort although it was not X's arms that she wanted around her.

"Robin wouldn't and doesn't have a say in what you are doing, Cutie." Red X said, looking at her tear-stained face.

She shook her head resolutely, trying but failing to pull out of Red X's arms. "No," she said stubbornly, "Robin - although he tries to hide it - has made his feelings for me very clear. I am his, and he is mine. What we have been doing is such a wrongness, such a monstrosity…"

Red X silenced her with another kiss, although this one did not last as long, as Starfire pulled away, her green eyes blazing in anger as she stared at the anti-hero.

"I just said!-"

Red X interrupted her now, his fists clenched in what appeared to be fury as he advanced on her. "I heard what you said Cutie. About how bird-brain is yours and all that jazz. But what you fail to understand is that you're not his, not anymore. You're mine. From when you stopped to converse with me after your precious Titans beat me, you've been mine. And you can't deny it. You've felt more freedom being with me than you ever have with Robin, and I don't blame you. He's constantly got a stick up his ass."

Starfire slapped him hard across the face and he staggered away, clutching his cheek in pain. "Damn Cutie, you sure know how to slap a fella." He made to mock her, but after taking in the two large starbolts clutched in her hands, thought better of it, again holding his arms up to signify peace.

"You have no idea, Red X, where my heart lies! And do not criticize Robin! I may feel the lust for you, but I love Robin and I would never pick you over him!"

Red X looked astounded. "You kissed me!"

Starfire shrugged, her starbolts extinguishing. "It was merely a language transfer. I never knew you spoke Swedish."

Red X muttered under his breath and turned away from her, clenching and unclenching his fists. Starfire suddenly felt ashamed, and she laid a hand on his shoulder, letting out a silent sigh of relief when he didn't shrug it off.

"I will not deny the feelings that I have for you - they simply grew out of control. But Red X, my heart lies with Robin and always has. It would be foolish for you to not realise that."

Red X turned his head slightly and laughed, albeit not humorously. "Cutie, I realised that. But Robin didn't, and that's what he has to deal with."

Red X spun to face Starfire properly and pulled off his mask. A black and white domino half-mask stared at her.

"What I have to deal with."

Starfire's eyes widened in shock and her legs became limp; she was caught by his arms almost immediately however. "Robin," she whispered, and the boy in turn smiled impishly.

"Hi Star." Robin said, holding Starfire at arms length before she blasted him with her eyes, which were rapidly turning an electric green. "Okay, I don't blame you for being mad but hear me out, please. I did this because Batman was getting ready to take the suit and I just wanted to try it out one more time. Of course, one time more became a lot more… But I haven't stolen anything and not replaced it! In fact, after I the rendezvous with you, I stopped stealing completely! I'm sorry for lying to you Star… But I needed to finish this."

Starfire raised an eyebrow. "I understand the need to finish the villain Red X but I do not understand the constant lying. I felt the guilt from being with Red X and it was you the entire time! How could you put me through this, Robin? I thought I was yours?"

Starfire moved away from Robin, who looked sadly at her though his mask. "You are mine, Starfire. I'm sorry for not telling you, I just didn't know how to."

Starfire's eyes filled with tears again. "But are we not the best friends? Do you think I would have thought less of you if you had told me initially?"

Robin looked down. "Yeah, I did. I didn't really think things through."

Starfire scoffed, and went to the edge of the alleyway. "Well, I shall not do the telling of our friends… But I do not think I wish to be around you for a while Robin. You have deeply hurt me."

"Wait."

Starfire stopped, turning only slightly to see Robin's pleading expression.

"Did you really mean what you said, when you said you loved me?"

Starfire faced him, her hands on her hips. "Of course, Robin. Although I do not particularly like you right now, I have always loved you. I always will."

Robin walked up to her, his face breaking out into the first smile since his unmasking.

"That's all I need to hear," he murmured, lightly kissing Starfire on the lips before taking off into the darkness, not to be seen until later.

Starfire smiled.


A.N: Well how's that?! I was actually typing this while watching the Phineas and Ferb movie, which isn't the easiest considering how awesome that film is.

Reviews are greatly appreciated, and a big thank you to the anonymous reviews on my previous Teen Titans fics, they made me smile.

-chann3l.0rang3.