"Oh," Stafire paused in the doorway to the weights room. After Beast Boy went to talk to Raven, Cyborg and Bumblebee had gone off to the control room, talking in hushed tones. For a few minutes, Robin, Speedy, and Starfire had stood around in the Ops room in the most uncomfortable silence. Finally, Robin had mumbled something about getting in a quick work out as he had jetted out of the room as fast as possible. Speedy had frowned in his direction, but settled back on the couch with a book. Starfire tried to curl up with him, hoping she would sit and read over his shoulder like normal, but she couldn't concentrate and the words swam on the page as her mind raced. Finally, she gave up and told Speedy she was going to hit the gym.
"Everything okay?" he had asked, marking his spot in the book with his finger and looking up at her.
"Yes," Starfire nodded.
"It's just," Speedy paused. "I know you, and… you like to work out when something's bothering you."
"Sometimes," Starfire agreed. "But sometimes I just need to release some energy."
"Okay, but…" Speedy stood up and grabbed at her hand. "I'd understand if this was weird. I mean, do we need to talk about… Robin?"
"It is Nightwing now," Starfire shook her head. "And just like his name, other things have changed."
"Right," Speedy nodded. "It's just… you know how much I care about you, right?"
"Of course," Starfire smiled. "And I care for you."
"Good," Speedy smiled back. He squeezed her hand and then released it before getting back to his book. Starfire studied him for a moment before turning towards the weight room. Upon reaching it, though, she found Robin punching the crap out of a punching bag.
"I did not mean to interrupt," Starfire quickly apologized and turned to leave. "I am most sorry. I will leave now."
"Star?" Robin brought his fist down to his sides and looked up. "No, it's okay. Please. Stay."
"Are you sure?" Starfire turned back around, trying to keep her eyes on Robin's. She couldn't help but let her glance fall over him, though. She took in his mask, the one thing about him that looked exactly the same, before letting her eyes fall follow the beads of sweat as they trailed down his well-toned chest before they disappeared under the waist band of his gym shorts.
"Yeah," Starfire forced her eyes up as Robin answered her. "I mean, it's your gym. If anyone should go, it's me."
"You can stay," Starfire blushed and dropped her eyes to the ground.
"Star, I…" Robin took two steps toward her, but stopped with a heavy sigh. He bit his lip and looked skywards. "Do you want to spar?"
"That would be alright," Starfire nodded.
"Ladies first," Robin offered as he held out his hands and made a come on motion. Starfire shook her head with a slight smile before attacking with a round house kick. Robin blocked it, grabbing her leg and holding her in place. Starfire simply floated and used her other foot to kick. Robin had to let go of her other leg to block, and Starfire landed gently on the ground.
"I forgot what it's like to fight someone who can actually fly," Robin laughed as he blocked a punch.
"I shall take it easy on you then?" Starfire teased as she jumped to avoid a leg sweep.
"Not a chance," Robin smirked as he lept from a crouch and flipped over Starfire to land on her other side. "I want to win fair and square."
"Who says you will win?" Starfire placed her hands on her hips as she turned to face him.
"I always do," Robin shrugged.
"I always let you win," Starfire countered.
"Really?" Robin's face fell a bit.
"It made you happy to win. I like to see you happy," Starfire paused and then corrected herself. "I liked to see you happy."
"Yeah, unfortunately, Batman kind of nurtured my sore loser's spirit," Robin shook his head. "But winning's not everything is it?"
"No, it is not," Starfire answered seriously as she looked down at the ground.
"Star, I…" Robin lifted her chin to meet his gaze. "What… I…uh…. Well…"
"Yes?" Starfire frowned. Robin was rarely inarticulate, and she knew something must be weighing heavily on his mind if he couldn't spit it out.
"What happened?" Robin sighed and pulled his hand away from Starfire's face. "To the team, I mean."
"You left," Starfire looked at him confused.
"Well, yeah," Robin bit his lip nervously and scratched at his head. "But I came back a week later and everyone was just… gone."
"After you left, no one could agree on anything," Starfire shook her head. "Raven was the first to go."
"Why?" Robin frowned.
"She said she could not stand the disorder," Starfire sighed. "But I think her heart was no longer in it."
"But Beast Boy?" Robin shook his head.
"He left soon after Raven," Starfire answered. "He said he wished to be a part of a team again. A family."
"But you and Cy…" Robin paused.
"Cyborg went to the Titans East as soon as Raven and Beast Boy left," Starfire added. "Like he said."
"And you?" Robin started to reach out for her hand, but stalled half-way there, leaving his hand just out between them.
"I went to Tamaran," Starfire looked at the hand Robin held out.
"Tamaran?" Robin pulled his hand back to slide through his hair. "Why?"
"It is my place of birth," Starfire answered weakly. "I spent a year assisting my K'norfka and reconnecting with my people."
"A year?" Robin's eyebrows shot up.
"Yes," Starfire nodded. "And then I came back to find Cyborg, Bumblebee, and Speedy here."
"Star?" Robin shuffled his feet nervously. "Why did you come back? From Tamaran."
"Tamaran is no longer my home," Starfire shook her head. "I told you that once before."
"Right," Robin nodded, recalling when he had almost lost Starfire to a blob.
"This tower is my home," Starfire smiled dreamily as she looked around the room.
"I can't believe how much it hasn't changed," Robin commented, his eyes following hers.
"Some things do not," Starfire moved closer and reached up to graze her fingertips over his mask.
"No," Robin breathed heavily. "Some things don't." With that, Robin closed the gap between them and tentatively brought his lips to Starfire's. He brushed the lightest kiss against her lips and then pulled back ever so slightly to look into her eyes. They sparkled back at him, and he wiped a small tear from her cheek before leaning back in. This time, he crashed his lips against hers, pouring the passion of a million kisses that he thought about for the past five years into one single moment. She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him closer as their tongues danced with one another's. When they finally pulled away to catch their breath, Robin was shocked to see a stream of tears flowing freely down Starfire's face.
"Star," he cradled her head in his hands. "I'm so sorry." Starfire cried even harder upon hearing this, and Robin ended up pulling her into his arms muttering soothing sounds.
"Please don't cry, Star. I didn't mean to upset you," Robin cooed.
"I am just…" Starfire sniffled. "Sad. Angry. Confused."
"Yeah," Robin agreed. "This is confusing."
"I am upset at you," Starfire frowned.
"I'm mad at me, too," Robin sighed. "But you… I mean… it's you. And I've missed you. I think about you every day. Wondering where you are and what you're doing and thinking about how much I messed up. I'm so sorry, Star. I…" Starfire cut Robin off with another kiss.
"I have missed you as well," Starfire told him. Robin leaned forward to kiss her again, but she pushed two fingers against his lips. "But some things have changed."
"Right," Robin frowned and tried to push the image of Speedy with Starfire out of his head. "So… what happened to Silkie?"
"Oh, Silkie is great. He has his own room next to mine," Starfire grinned.
"But… my old room was next to yours," Robin narrowed his eyes.
"And now that room is Silkie's," Starfire clapped happily.
"Great," Robin rolled his eyes. "So I guess I'm staying…"
"In one of the guest rooms," Starfire finished. "Cyborg expanded his old room for Bumblebee to join him. In case Raven ever needed a safe place, we kept her room the same. Beast Boy's room is also the same in case the Doom Patrol ever stays here."
"But my room you changed," Robin sighed. "I guess I'm not surprised, but I figured Speedy would take it."
"He is in Terra's room," Starfire bit her lip. "Cyborg tried to tell him…"
"I guess it was bound to happen," Robin shrugged.
"Yes," Starfire agreed. "Things do change."
"But not everything?" Robin nudged Starfire's hands with his until their fingers twisted together. They locked eyes and Robin could see the hesitation in Starfire's, but he leaned forward anyways.
"Beast Boy's back," Robin practically jumped and Starfire jolted at the sound of Speedy's voice. Starfire jerked her hand back and Robin glared at the floor. "With Raven."
"Really?" Starfire jumped up and down excitedly.
"He did it," Robin shook his head with disbelief.
"Yeah," Speedy offered coldly. "Cy called everyone to the Ops room so you could finally clue us in."
"Raven?" Starfire was already out the door and calling for her friend, completely overjoyed by the news.
"Well, that's everybody," Robin released a sigh of relief and picked up the shirt he had set aside to throw on before heading to Ops.
"It sure is," Speedy crossed his arms in the doorway. "But, Nightwing, don't think this means things are back to how they used to be."
"I'm not here to relive the glory days," Robin shrugged on his shirt and ran his fingers through his hair.
"Sure," Speedy scoffed. "But don't get any ideas."
"Look…" Robin started.
"No, you listen," Speedy growled. "I've seen what you've done to your team. What you did to Starfire. Maybe for you that was all five years ago, but they've been dealing ever since. My own team was ripped apart at the seams, and being one of those people that was left behind, I can tell you that if any of them had the nerve to crawl back here I'd tell them where to stick it. Apparently, your old team is either more forgiving or more naïve. Maybe both. But just so you know, I'll be keeping an eye on you. Don't try to weasel your way back in or pull rank. And don't mess with Starfire."
"Speedy," Robin started, but before he could say anything, Speedy stormed out of the room. Robin leaned against the nearest weight machine and thought about everything that had happened in the last several hours. He had come into the Tower to a not so warm welcome, been dismissed by Raven, reprimanded by Beast Boy, had an entirely confusing moment with Starfire, and then got told off by her new boyfriend and his old pay Speedy. If this could all happen within the day, Robin couldn't help but wonder what else was going to happen before he was headed back to Gotham.
