Author's Note:

Fast: Dick didn't overstate how common his ideal is, he said it wasn't popular, but it was normal. And his original comic counterpart from New Teen Titans was very much like this. Very timid before Devon Grayson got a hold of him and turned him into the man whore he is considered today.


The camp - Friday

Lake Lilac was a popular vacation spot for people who liked to rough it. A very large lake nestled in the valley between mountain ranges. There were various sports available, rock climbing, canoeing, hiking, fishing was permitted but wouldn't be done out of respect to both Beast Boy and Aqualad. That, and Aqualad said he would warn the fish and may all their hooks enter their own thumbs.

It was a lush looking landscape with many hidden caves and marvels. The forest floor was littered with bracken and rotting foliage, clumps of ferns clustered around tall trees, but the trees were sparse enough to walk comfortably through as well. Robin planned a sort of scavenger hunt for sometime during the weekend, different landmarks and geographic locations in the surrounding area.

Their chosen campsite was a large clearing, set a decent distance away from the lake itself, but still close enough so they could see its glistening waters. Starfire heard Robin mention in the morning, mist would cover the entire surface of the lake.

Cyborg brought the food, planning all sorts of foods and organising the portable BBQ be packed in the T-Ship before they left. Raven carefully packed her meditation candles and runes, she and Jinx planned to have a few meditation sessions with anyone else who wished to join in.

Beast Boy was in charge of the games, volleyball, badminton, football, he was currently setting up the nets down by the banks of the lake while the rest of the Titans organised the tents and firewood. Or being entangled in the net and having to yelp for help.

Titans were laughing and teasing each other as they set up camp, greeting friends and fellow members, others they hadn't seen in a while, others they had seen only yesterday.

Starfire and Aqualad fetched long logs for seats, placing them in the centre of the clearing they would be camping in. Red Star organised a pile of stones which would contain the fire. Kid Flash and Mas Y Menos were racing each other to collect firewood, and subsequently that was the fastest part of the camp set up. The rest of the Titans set up the tents, two large ones, and four smaller tents around the place. One of them Starfire knew to be the food storage tent, but she wondered at the other. From memory, only Bumblebee and Herald and Kid Flash and Jinx had requested separate tents.

Once that was done, there was a general scramble for their bags so they could all claim their spots in the tents. Robin handed out sleeping bags, standing on top of the T-Ship to toss them at people so they could go and get their sleeping places sorted. Starfire thought it was a game, as Robin was very accurate with his shots, the rolled up sleeping bags doinking everyone on the head.

"Titan meeting when you're all unpacked!" Robin called to everyone as they collected their sleeping bags. "Don't be too long."

"This is gonna be so awesome," Beast Boy crowed, a sleeping bag tucked up under each arm. "Sleeping in, staying up all night telling ghost stories. Raven, you can do the spooky shadows!"

"Yes, because that's a brilliant use of my powers," Raven muttered, sorting through the pile of bags for hers. She pulled Beast Boy's out, floating it away from the pile.

"You should," Jinx commented. "We could all use a good scare. It's a camping tradition."

"So are s'mores and singing campfire songs," Raven said. "But you won't catch me singing either."

"But you'll have s'mores," Jinx clarified, grinning.

Raven arched an eyebrow at her. "Maybe."

"Did someone mention s'mores?" Kid Flash asked.

"No, you're hearing things," Raven said immediately.

"And you have food on the brain," Jinx teased.

"Any of ya'll gonna help me unload all this food?" Cyborg bellowed, seeking attention.

Kid Flash grinned. "That's my cue-"

"Duuuuude, you messed up my do!" Beast Boy complained, smoothing down his hair.

"Raven, that's bag you have there is mine," Argent called. "Can you pass it here, please?"

Raven tossed her the bag, picking up the next closest. "Whose is this?"

"Mine," Herald called, waving his hand and was subsequently delivered his bag too. Raven became the official bag delivery system, wrapping a bag in her powers and levitating them to whoever called out they belonged to their owners.

"Jericho?" Raven called, looking around, then levitated the musician's guitar to him.

"Did you remember to bring a swim suit?" Beast Boy asked Raven. "You promised me you'd swim."

Raven rolled her eyes. "Yes. I even borrowed one of Star's bikinis."

"Really?" Beast Boy squeaked, going a little pink.

"No."

"Darn."

Raven finally pried her backpack from under the pile of baggage. She shouldered it and turned away. With a tiny smile at Beast Boy she said, "I have my own," and headed off to the girl's tent leaving behind a flabbergasted Beast Boy.

While the mayhem of bag collection and sleeping arrangements was occurring, Starfire wandered down to look at the water.

The lakes on Earth were alway so amazing and blue. The little surface water which existed on Tamaran were always a shade of red, caused by the algae living within it. So much vegetation and life around their chosen campsite, hidden in the water and on the banks, and filling the trees. Small pebbles scattered along the bank of the lake, there was no beach, just a small overhang of mud and clumps of grass over the water, Starfire suspected there was little water movement here to explain the erosion of the banks itself. There was a long, flat part of grassy ground before the bank and it was here that Beast Boy had placed all the sporting equipment.

To her left, Starfire could see a long dock with a number of canoes tied to it, to her right, a structure floated out in the water, the wooden planks of the decking attached to several large drums which kept the thing afloat. Starfire tilted her head curiously. It looked like it would be fairly easy to swim out to see what it was.

"Anchored raft," Robin said. "We'll swim out there later, you can use it as sort of a diving board, or canoe dock, or even just a place to rest."

"Oh. I see."

"Are you mad at me?" Robin asked.

Starfire turned her head, seeing Robin standing slightly behind her, looking concerned. "No."

Dumping two sleeping bags and their backpacks on the ground, he took two more steps so he was by her side and placed his hand on the small of her back. "Sure sound like it. You've barely said two words to me all week."

"My apologies. I have been thinking."

"I see," Robin mumbled, knowingly. "Care to share?"

"No."

"Star-"

Starfire lifted her hand. "Robin. Stop."

He gave her a woeful look. "We can talk about this-"

"Robin," Starfire said and placed her hand on his cheek. She smiled, stroked his cheek with her thumb and said, "Yes. We should talk. But not now. You said Tuesday, did you not?"

"It's obviously worrying you. We can talk-"

"I am... concerned, yes. There are many things I do not understand," Starfire admitted. "But I have not yet finished researching."

"Researching?" Robin asked. "What have you been researching?"

Starfire considered him. "It is a religious choice, yes?"

"No. Well, it can be, but that's not why I chose it."

Starfire blinked, taken aback. "Oh."

He gave her a wiry smile. "Looking on the internet won't help you much. It's different from person to person."

"Oh."

"I like that you tried," he said, his smile shifting from wiry to lopsided.

"It is... a difficult concept."

"What if we went for a walk?" Robin suggested. "We can find someplace quiet to talk."

Starfire nodded.

"I know it's gonna take some time," Robin said. "And I'm really sorry I didn't mention it sooner."

Starfire nodded again, eyes back on the water of the lake.

"And... um..."

Starfire looked at him and raised an eyebrow at his sudden nervous apperance.

"I... decided to have my own tent," Robin said, sheepishly. "Cyborg so nicely reminded me that I tend to react violently when suddenly wakened, and in a tent full of noisy boys... his calculated change of injuries was rather high."

"Oh." That explained the extra tent.

He rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. "So... if you want... um... it's not an offer or anything... but we can sleep in the same tent if you still want to. Just sleep. Snuggle maybe."

Starfire shook her head. "That would not be the good idea."

Robin deflated a little. "Oh."

"You must set the good example, yes? You would not wish for people to get the wrong premise."

Robin looked uncertain. "Well... I don't really care what anyone else thinks. Just you."

"It is the okay," Starfire said, turning her face away again. "I will enjoy the girl time."

He wrapped his arms around her, pressing his stomach to her back and encouraged her to lean into him. He placed his chin on her shoulder and Starfire tilted her head back so it was resting on his shoulder. "Okay."

"Did you not have announcements?" she asked.

"Yeah... I suppose. Soon. Still need to unpack."

"Yes."

Turning his head, he kissed her jawline.

"Dude, get off her already," Kid Flash teased and they were both jostled by the speedster as he shook Robin's shoulder. "Plenty of time for hanky panky later."

Robin sighed.

"I'm all unpacked, when do we eat?" Kid Flash asked.

"Is that all you think about?"

"Food and sex, what else is there?"

Pulling away from Robin, Starfire picked up her pack and sleeping bag. "I shall see you soon."

"Waaaait... she's not sleeping in your tent?" Starfire heard Kid Flash ask as she headed for the girls tent.

Starfire shook her head and lifted the flap in the girls tent. "Greetings friends," she said, smiling happily at Pantha, Kole, Argent and Raven.

"Starfire," Pantha said in her booming voice. "Pantha is most surprised to see you in this tent."

"Yes," Argent said. "Rumour was you were-"

"The rumour is wrong," Starfire said. "There is room for me here, yes?"

"Of course," Raven said. She spread her fingers out toward her own sleeping bag, shifting it over with her powers. "Space beside me."

"I thank you."

Pantha placed a fist against her chest. "Not to worry, Pantha will protect your virtue from the evils of the boys outside."

Raven rolled her eyes and shared an indulgent smile with Starfire, who giggled as she began to spread out her own sleeping bag in the spot Raven had vacated. Starfire wished it was as simple as protecting her virtue, which made her wonder the opinions the other girls might have over Robin's views, although the thought of divulging to her friends would be embarrassing.

"This is exciting," Kole said, sitting on her own sleeping bag. "I've never had a camp out before."

"You haven't?" Argent asked. "Don't you and Gnaark live in some sort of tree house or something like that."

"Well... yes... But you will notice Gnaark isn't here."

"Where is he?" Starfire asked, unrolling her sleeping bag.

"Groups aren't really his thing," Kole said with a shrug. "I left him at home, seemed like the best thing for it. He'll fret until I return, but he knows I'm in good hands."

"Knock, knock," Bumblebee said, peering through the tent flap. "Enough room for two gate crashers?"

Jinx peered through beneath Bumblebee. "Girl talk tonight, right?"

"Think you can pry yourselves away from your guys long enough?" Raven asked.

Bumblebee laughed. "Sure. I brought the nail polish."

"I have mud masks," Argent said, rummaging through her bag and pulling out several foil packets.

"You okay?" Raven asked quietly, sitting cross-legged on her sleeping bag.

Starfire lifted her head. She sat in the middle of her sleeping bag and reached for her backpack. "Of course."

Raven narrowed her eyes. "You seem... out of sorts."

"I am... confused about certain human ideals," Starfire said.

"Did you want to talk about it?" Raven asked.

"Perhaps-"

"Didn't you bring a pillow?" Bumblebee asked Starfire, throwing herself on Raven's sleeping bag. Behind her, Jinx sat on Argent's bag as she talked to Argent and Kole, while Pantha fussed with her sleeping bag.

"No," Starfire said. "I do not sleep with one."

"Then how are we supposed to have naked pillow fights?" Bumblebee asked in a loud voice.

"Say what?" Cyborg's voice said from outside.

Bumblebee peered out the small window at the back of the tent. "Caught you, Sparky!"

"Huh?" Cyborg asked and Starfire heard lumbering footsteps. "Girl, what are you doing in there?"

"Why are you spying?"

"Wasn't. Unpacking the food tent. It is right next to you. What's this about naked pillow fights?"

"Who's having naked pillow fights?" Hotspot asked.

"Naked pillow fights?" Beast Boy asked, some distance away. "Who's naked?"

"Naked?" Speedy echoed from even further. "Someone's getting naked?"

"One of the girls!" Hotspot called.

"Really? Sweet!" Speedy called back, his voice sounding closer to the girls' tent.

Bumblebee laughed while the other girls giggled. "And that's how rumours start," she quipped.

Kid Flash poked his head through the flap. "Can I watch- heeeeey, no one's getting naked."

He was hit in the face by Raven's pillow. "Out!"

"KF!" Robin snapped. "Out of bounds."

"Busted!" Bumblebee crowed and clapped her hands while the other girls giggled and Pantha looked ready to bust some heads.

"Sorry, ladies," Robin said from outside the tent, his shadow falling against the flap. "Titan meeting."

"Okay," they chorused.

"Cy!" Robin yelled, his footsteps clomping away. "Titan meeting, pass the word!"

Raven levitated her pillow back in while Bumblebee clambered out of the tent. Starfire followed the rest of the girls out and headed over to the fire in the middle of the tents, where they were gathering as a group.

Robin stood on one of the logs so everyone could see him. "Everyone here?" he asked, sweeping the Titans. "Okay good. First things first. The tent of the opposite sex is out of bounds. Don't go near, don't try and peek, no bugs or accidental winds blowing flaps open, no looking while people are changing, have some respect, okay? If I catch anyone doing any of those things, that person will be on dishes duty. Am I clear?"

"Yes, mom," Kid Flash mumbled.

"Dude, seriously?" Speedy asked.

Robin lifted his eyebrow. "Batman is on call to chaperone, if you would prefer."

"We're good," Speedy said, and crossed his heart. "Best behaviour."

"Couples, I know I already said this, but anyway. Please be discrete."

"Dude, like you're not going to-" Speedy began, then thought better of it as Starfire began to toss a starbolt from hand to hand.

"We have a cooking roster," Robin continued. "Everyone needs to help out, if you didn't help cook a meal, you need to help clean up afterward. Don't litter, we've got some trash cans near the T-Ship's. This is not just a social weekend, we do have some team building exercises planned, but they don't begin until tomorrow morning, first light, so no sleeping in, Beast Boy."

"Awww, what?"

Robin ignored him and continued, "This afternoon is for sports and swimming. Tomorrow morning is for the team hiking, tomorrow afternoon is the canoe trip, we might even have a volleyball tournament. Sunday is for relaxing and packing up. Any questions?" He waited a moment. "Okay. Cy?"

Cyborg nodded and raised his voice. "Cookers for dinner tonight are Raven, Hotspot, Argent, Jericho and Thunder. Ready to cook by six, please. Beast Boy, ya'll need to make your own nasty tofu junk."

"It's not nasty!"

"But it is junk," Speedy said.

"Ya'll, football!" Cyborg cried, waving his arms around. "Who's in?" Many of the boys indicated their approval for that.

Bumblebee looked sly as she surveyed the girls. "So, games or swimming?"

Starfire always found it interesting Bumblebee took charge of them when they were together as a group. But then, despite being a princess, Starfire did not like being a leader and with her knowledge of Earth, preferred to follow.

"Swimming," Argent, Jinx and Kole said at the same time.

"Bikinis," Bumblebee said with a gleam in her eye.

"Oh, joy," Raven muttered.

"Pantha will challenge Red Star to a battle at the volleyball," Pantha said loudly.

Red Star lifted his head. "Accepted."

"Starfire?" Bumblebee asked. "You in?"

Starfire's eyes drifted to Robin, who was watching her. Seeing that he had her attention, Robin lifted his chin, signaling that he wanted to talk to her. "I shall... join you shortly."

Bumblebee looked between Robin and Starfire slyly. "Okay. Your loss."

Ignoring that, Starfire walked toward Robin.

"Shall we go down the dock and put our feet in the water?" he suggested, holding out his hand.

Starfire nodded, placing her hand in his. "I would like that."

"Bit early to be sneaking off," Kid Flash drawled as they passed him.

"Jinx is putting on a bikini," Robin said.

"Ooooh," said the wind as it was leaving.

The dock was a small distance away from the camp and Starfire could see the floating platform from where she stood. She was pretty certain there would soon be Titans swimming around and jumping from it. Her hand felt strange in Robin's, like he was clutching at hers too hard but she could not judge the strength with her fingers. It was a most odd sensation, it was not sensual like he normally held her hand, almost like he did not wish for her to escape.

They reached the edge of the dock and discovered it was too far away from the water for them to comfortably dangle their toes in, so they decided not to remove their boots. Robin sat them facing the campsite, Starfire guessed that was so he could see if people were coming to interrupt them.

"So," he said, still holding onto her hand. "Let's see if I can do this better this time."

Starfire nodded.

"Humans, we do the most changing as we shift from teenagers into adulthood. Seventeen to twenty four or five. It's about the age most of us are moving out of home, going to college, deciding what we want to do with our lives. We change, we become more responsible, less reliant on those around us. Goals and hopes and dreams shift. People who were high school sweethearts and were absolutely certain they would stay together forever might drift apart as they join the real world. People that were never close might become so."

"You are afraid we will drift apart?"

"Well, I hope not, but it could happen. We need to start planning for the future. I know I need to, Bruce is on my case about it. I have to finalise my college submission soon. Dick Grayson has to reappear."

"He does?"

Robin nodded. "Private Boarding school would have finished. The covers gone. If he doesn't the press will start asking questions."

"What will happen to Robin?"

"Robin'll still be around, don't worry. But, see, this is what I'm talking about. We have so many decisions to make, sex will needlessly complicate things. Do you even know what you'll do with your life? Career wise? Or do you plan to be a Titan forever?"

Starfire sighed. "Robin, I do not fit in on Earth anywhere else but in the Titans. Many humans distrust me because I am alien, not to mention how powerful I am. Here, I am accepted because we are all different. So, yes. I do plan to be a Titan forever."

"There's other things you could do... like... being an interpreter. Working with children or animals."

"Titan first and foremost," Starfire said. "I like being a Titan."

"Okay," Robin said, looking a little sad.

Starfire considered him. "But perhaps I shall look at the college courses and see if I can be accepted?"

Robin nodded, smiling. "Just have a try. You might be surprised."

"So, is your reluctance based on the future or-"

"I'm not reluctant, Star. I want to wait until marriage. It's a choice."

That confused her a little, because he had said he wasn't ready. But then he had mentioned years and marriage and so many other things too. "Oh."

"I only want to have sex with one person, my wife. Someone who I will spend the rest of my life with. And it would be naive of me to think that person will definitely be you."

Starfire shot him a stricken look.

"Not that I don't want it to be," he said, clasping his hand around the top of their joined ones. "Because I do. I just want to wait and make sure."

"It was not the first time you have said you were not sure if you wanted to marry me," Starfire murmured, sullen. She dropped her eyes to the water, watching the tiny fishes swim circles.

"I'm still young, we're still young. Marriage is not something we should be thinking about just yet."

"If I were still on Tamaran, I would already be married."

Robin pulled a face. "Yeah, to a slug monster thingy as a treaty offering."

Starfire shot him a sharp glance. "No, to a prince or a general. A rival sect on Tamaran. I believe there are many who would consider me a worthy wife."

Robin narrowed his eyes. "Was that a jab?"

"No. It is the truth. The only reason I have not been called back to Tamaran is because my parents are no longer alive, my sister is banished and Galfore will not pledge me. There is no family older than I am to arrange my marriage and I have the right to chose my own husband."

"Arrange your marriage?"

"You already know we have arranged marriages. I am a princess, that is the only fate I was able to have on Tamaran."

"Oh. So you would never be allowed to fall in love?"

"Of course I could fall in love. Marriage and sex are not mutually exclusive. My father had many lovers."

"See, this is what I mean. On Earth, marriage is a sacred vow. Fidelity to one person. For me, it is the ultimate sign of trust and love to save myself for that person."

"People do not always remain true to those vows."

Robin looked startled. "Would you?"

"Yes. I am not on Tamaran, I wish to live the Earthen way. I do prefer monogamy. But I do hope that I will not have to give up too many of my beliefs to conform. How far?"

"What?" Robin asked, confused with the topic change.

"How far are you willing to go? You said before you would do the 'other stuff'. What, exactly, does that entail?"

Robin rubbed the back of his neck. "Kissing. Hugging. Some touches. Not much further than we have gone already."

"What else is much further than-"

Robin sighed. "No oral sex."

Starfire frowned.

"I am willing to... um... well... we have touched and explored each other a little. I am willing to continue that."

"Manual stimulation?"

Robin sighed. "Yeah. Okay."

"You do not sound too eager," Starfire said, disheartened.

"Well, I can't really say no, because we've already... tried it a little. Even though I probably shouldn't have, but I got carried away. But that's it."

Starfire released his hand. She lifted her feet so they were on the dock and hugged her legs. "I am still not certain I truly understand this," she mentioned, trying to think where she had the most confusion in the hope her questions would be answered.

"This is... kind of a deal breaker, Star."

Her heart clenched. "What?"

"I'm sorry, but if you really can't understand and respect my choice, then we shouldn't really be together."

She stared at him in shock.

"I know it's hard, but we need to have similar goals and ideals or this isn't going to work."

"What about my choice?"

Robin sighed. "Star-"

"You have not even considered my side at all, have you?"

"I have-"

"Here I am, ready to give you every part of me, the greatest gift a Tamaranian can give, and you do not want me." She struggled with herself, determined not to show how much that effected her. "You cannot even be certain of your commitment to me and whether it is strong enough. That hurts, Richard. It hurts deeply."

He stared at her, jaw open and an appalled look on his face. "Star, I-"

"Do you not find me attractive? Am I too alien? Am I good enough to kiss and do the fooling around with, but never copulate with-"

"You're blowing this out of proportion."

"Am I? I am trying to understand something I have no concept on. No basis for reference, I cannot even equate it with anything I know. But I am willing to listen and see your side of things and attempt to understand and you will not give me the same benefit. And then you claim if I cannot understand you shall break up with me, yet you have also not given me enough time to assimilate it all. That is not a partnership." She stood with a sharpness than made Robin cringe backward. Barely able to keep her eyes from glowing, she turned and stalked away from him.

"Where are you going?"

"Away from you," she snapped. "Before I say something we both regret."

There was the sound of boots on wood behind her. "Starfire-"

"I have done all the listening I am willing to do at present. Do not push."


Author's Note:

Religious reasons are a pretty stock standard reason to wait until marriage, but there are plenty of other reasons too. And as religious reasons can become controversial (oh my, Kry shying away from the controversial) because we get into denominations and I'd rather not classify. I decided that while Robin may have that as a factor, it's not the only reason. He's thought about this, chosen it for himself.

On a... note, I suppose. Within any relationship where one party wishes to wait until marriage, the other person suddenly becomes the 'bad person' for wanting sex. So, in essence, Starfire is that 'bad person'. It's not really a very fair notion, in my opinion, if one considers that even if though Robin has many plausible reasons for waiting, it's still selfish. Then if Starfire manages to convince him, she's the one being selfish. No win situation. But not wrong, that's what I'm trying to illustrate here. Neither of them is wrong.

There are a few 'tells' which will help people identify whether or not a person is serious about wanting until marriage. See if you can guess any, I have used a couple for Robin, you haven't seen them all yet. (Kater, shush, I know we've discussed this).