Author's Note: This one's a bit longer, but still too short to be out on itself. Also, I hope it makes a bit of a counterweight to the angst of the previous story.

-=oOo=-

Rebuttal

Raven unclasped and removed her cloak, tossing it carelessly over the bench, picking up a towel and wiping the perspiration from her face and the back of her neck. She sat beside Starfire and reached into the cooler, retrieving a couple of water bottles and offering one to the Tamaranian, who accepted it with a smile and a polite, grateful nod. She drank greedily of the cold water, not caring that some of it escaped from the wide mouth of the container and ran down her cheeks and neck; the feeling of the icy liquid trickling over skin heated by exercise was refreshing and quite sensual.

The two of them had just finished a demanding but exhilarating sparring session, and now they could rest, relax and enjoy the view of the next training bout, another sparring face-off, this time between their two boyfriends.

Both girls watched the boys intently as they danced their violent ballet. It was a no-powers duel, which meant that Garfield was at a disadvantage, but it was a necessary and inescapable part of their training. Relying solely on their powers was a policy that would lead to disaster sooner rather than later. While he understood it and accepted it, Gar figured he wouldn't mind it if it didn't hurt so much. But the rewards were worth it.

Raven frowned as she followed the duel, though inwardly she was quite pleased, and for two reasons. First, her green lover had improved a lot and he was holding his own against Richard far better than he used to. Second, and much more importantly, the sparring would leave quite a few bruises all over his body, bruises that she would have to treat. Of course, she could make such minor injuries all go away with little more than a snap of her fingers, but she much preferred to fuss over each and every one, grumbling and growling at him for his carelessness while she touched them gently and applied just that little extra power to make his skin tingle as if electrified.

Not that Gar didn't know what she was doing. He was far from being stupid, no matter what people may think. And she also knew that he knew, but they still played their little game, both of them enjoying it thoroughly, both of them knowing very well which way it led.

Inescapably, Raven's eyes began roaming over Garfield's body, a small grunt of satisfaction sneaking through her throat. He was more wiry than muscular, built like a runner or a jumper, as opposed to Richard, who had more of a gymnast's physique. While the latter may have been more appealing in an aesthetic sense, she knew which one she preferred.

Her grunt started turning into a long purr, before she caught herself and realized what she was doing. Her cheeks colored slightly and she cast a quick glance at Starfire, making sure she didn't notice it, then returned her attention to the boys, still locked in mock combat.

Soon enough she found herself again checking out her boyfriend. Yes, Richard's shoulders were wider and his muscles more defined, but still… the memory of how Gar's body felt under her fingers and her lips swamped her suddenly and she felt herself heating up. Azar, was it just this morning that they made love? It seemed to her like it was a lot longer than that.

She shivered a bit and considered wrapping herself in her cloak, but discarded the idea. The slight tremor was certainly not caused by cold. Her gaze went down, to her boyfriend's well-formed abs, again comparing them to those of their leader. There was less difference here, both sets were quite attractive.

Her gaze slid yet a bit lower, flickering from Gar to Dick and back. She smirked, appreciating the sight. The tight uniform pants both boys wore offered indeed a nice view. Leaning forward a little, she tried to get a better look at Richard, when Starfire's soft words startled her.

"Friend Raven? Are you studying parts of dear Dick's anatomy?"

Raven jerked as if burned, her face flushing. "What? No! No, I… How can you say that? I would never!"

Starfire giggled into her hand. "Do not speak the untruths to me, friend Raven! I was following your gaze as you examined –"

"I wasn't examining, I was comparing, all right?" the flustered sorceress blurted out. "It's not like I'd…"

"And what is the result of the comparison that you were making?" Starfire inquired, a mischievous smile on her lips, her green eyes glowing with amusement as she watched Raven blush ever more fiercely.

"I – I think that – I mean, Gar… That is to say, Richard has… you know, not like…" the sorceress stammered.

"Dear Dick has a definite advantage in size, does he not?" Starfire prodded, delighted for the opportunity to tease her best friend.

Raven was just about to let the earth literally swallow her – that is to say, to phase down through the floor and into the quiet privacy of her room – when the meaning of Starfire's words reached her numbed rationality. Her blush extinguished suddenly and her eyes tinted with a touch of red. No one, and that meant no one – not even Starfire – was allowed to slight Garfield in her presence.

"Size is overrated," she growled at the Tamaranean. "Besides, the difference is small."

"I do not consider the difference to be so small," Starfire chortled, aware that Raven had accepted and returned her challenge. She was going to milk this occasion for all it was worth. "You should have the awareness that I am unable to grasp the entirety of Richard's –"

"Well, that doesn't prove anything!" Raven interrupted. "Gar is big enough that I have to use both hands if I want to –"

"On the contrary! Your hands, they are small and delicate, are they not? It serves to confirm the observation that I had made!"

Raven's jaw muscles bunched up and she frowned while her mind raced to find a way to win the argument.

"It is irrelevant, Kori. Size is unimportant!" she grumbled. "I find shape and firmness to be much more desirable characteristics!"

A shocked gasp came from behind them. They turned to see a stunned Cyborg staring at them wide-eyed, his mouth open and working soundlessly. Raven lifted an eyebrow at him.

"What is it, Victor?"

The half-robot squeezed his eye shut and closed his mouth, his huge metallic hands closing into enormous fists that shook for a few moments, until a scowl came over his face and he opened his eye, glaring at Raven angrily.

"What in the blindin' blue blazes are y'all doin'?" he scolded them, a thick, metallic finger waggling accusingly. "Shame on you! Discussing your boyfriend's… attributes! And just like that? This is so improper, little sis!"

The girls returned Cyborg's glare. "Do you mind?" Raven said in a dangerously cold tone. "Our conversation is supposed to be private! If you don't like what you're hearing, stop listening!"

"Friend Raven is most correct, friend Cyborg!" Starfire chimed in with obvious annoyance. "Please abstain of doing more of the dropping of the eaves!"

Victor's face flushed dark with anger, but he swallowed his words and turned around, stomping away and muttering under his breath. Raven and Starfire watched him storm off.

"He can certainly get overprotective, can't he?" Raven harrumphed. "I really don't see why there's any problem with what we were discussing!"

"Friend Cyborg worries too much," Starfire said appeasingly, already forgetting her anger. "And his actions come from the affection that he has for us."

"I know," Raven replied. "But he does get overbearing at times. Now, as I was saying…"

Starfire smiled. "Let us agree that the size is a matter of the taste, but in that case I submit that so is the shape, is it not? And the firmness is not possible to determine from just looking."

A small, crooked, impish smile started spreading over Raven's face as she turned her head to look at her friend. "Then I suppose there is only one way to settle this," she stated quietly.

Starfire beamed. "Friend Raven! You mean…"

"I do, Star. Let us wait until they finish."

The girls leaned closer, watching carefully, whispering to each other every now and then and giggling often, especially Starfire. She was almost giddy with the prospect, but she forced herself to be patient and wait. Cyborg kept an eye on them from a few steps away, still seething, wondering what they were up to.

Finally, the sparring session came to an end and Garfield stretched out, listening to Richard as he pointed out the errors he had noticed and the best way to eliminate them in the future. They were so absorbed in their discussion that they didn't notice the two girls approach silently and stand behind them. Cyborg saw them move closer to the boys and he finally understood what they intended to do. He tried to run over and prevent them, to grab them both and bodily carry them away, to do anything to interrupt the terrible, immoral thing he knew they were going to do…

But he was simply paralyzed, the commands from his brain were lost somewhere on their way to his servos. He could just stand there and watch as panic overwhelmed him.

Raven and Starfire exchanged glances, then at a small nod from the sorceress their hands moved, seized and squeezed.

Cyborg fainted.

Two very girlish squeals merged into one as two very startled boys jumped at least four feet in the air, colliding at the high point of their jump, their arms going around each other in consternation. They dropped down, still embraced, staring in astonishment at the girls.

"Raven!" Richard shouted, his face reddening.

"Starfire!" Garfield squealed, blushing.

The two boys looked at each other, realized they were hugging and their arms dropped with some urgency, going behind their backs in a vain attempt at innocence. Their blushes deepened.

"Dude, did your girlfriend just…" Garfield asked Richard, his voice quavering.

"She did," he answered. "And Raven… she also… she…" he swallowed, still disbelieving. They turned to the girls that were completely oblivious to their discomfort and were finishing their debate.

"I think we have a drawing, friend Raven!" Starfire commented and linked her arm with the sorceress' as they turned and slowly floated away.

"The expression is 'a draw', but you are right, Star," Raven concluded. "They both have very nice and firm butts."

Garfield and Richard looked at each other again.

"They were checking out our butts?" Dick wondered incredulously. The green shapeshifter suddenly grinned and elbowed his friend.

"I think we're up for an interesting evening, dude!"

The leader of the Titans blushed again, then returned Gar's grin. "I guess you're right!"

Only then they noticed the unconscious mass of metal and flesh on the floor.

"What's wrong with him?"

"Looks like he's passed out!" Gar frowned. "Can we throw a bucket of water on him?"