Author's Note:

So. Um. Beta for Guild Wars 2 comes out this weekend. Just for the weekend. Thus, Kry's gaming! Do not disturb.

Non geek speak- There's a game which Kry and Kry hubby have been clamouring for the past... year... ish... Those that know me know I used to play WoW (World of Warcraft, yes I am lame). We kicked the habit and have been trying not to get back into gaming with such intensity. But this game looks so promising, we can't help it. We prepurchased, got invited to the Beta weekend (its gaming test stage), sending the kids to Grandma's (my god I am a bad mother) and remembering what it was like when we were younger and used to spend the whole weekend on the computer playing. Just for the weekend though. So I won't be updating.


Change.

She sparkled.

Shone. Clouds trapped in her hair, emeralds caught in her eyes, moonlight dancing from glistening skin. She twirled, catching bits of cloud, swirling it around her form, a gossamer gown of aether. Midnight velvet covered the sky beyond with winkling stars, sharing none of her secrets. They swirled, danced around her as she twirled in the air, so bright and airy and free.

She giggled, a soft high pitched twitter, raising her arms above her head and gathered up her curtain of hair. Her long neck exposed, toned arms, the curve of her back. She tossed her hair and looked over her shoulder and made eye contact coyly.

"Robin."

Another giggle and twirl, those perfect lips curved invitingly. Hands stroking skin, shivers to the contact. Taking her waist, holding her ribs. Sliding upward as she settled down.

There was music somewhere. Black leather hugged the curves of her as she crawled, purred, melted away to nothingness.

"Robin."

He could feel the skin of her neck beneath his palm. Brushed away the mane of hair to taste her skin.

The diamonds were back, sprinkles of water dotted her shoulders, a towel so tight it hid nothing. Palms against his chest, pushing him down. Hips moving.

Light touches of her hair against his arm as she draped it over one side of her perfect swan neck. Her bottom lip caught beneath pearly teeth. Half lidded glow, head thrown back.

"Robin."

She was everywhere, surrounding him, enveloping him. Gasping breath and shifting and-

Robin bolted upright, gasping.

Sweat dotted his temple, his eyes wild as he surveyed his darkened bedroom. Scrubbing a hand over his face he grimaced, pulled a disgruntled face and crawled out of bed, grabbing a change of pyjama pants on his way to the bathroom.

So gross.

When he came out a few minutes later, disposing of any evidence of nocturnal emissions from the infrequent visit from the puberty fairy in the laundry basket, Robin's eyes alighted on Starfire lying upside down on the couch.

Bathed in moonlight from the lounge room window Starfire. Long neck exposed as she draped her head over the edge of the sofa Starfire. Red hair pooling on the floor like silk Starfire. Stomach bare because only a few of the buttons on her shirt were done up Starfire. Long legs visible since her pants were subject to gravity and were bunched around her knees Starfire.

Robin realised with a jolt just who had starred in this latest one.

"That really can't be good," he muttered to himself and headed back to bed. He flopped face first into the pillow, allowed himself a muffled groan of displeasure and rolled onto his back.

It really wasn't his fault. Stupid hormones. There was a pretty girl, sleeping on his sofa for the last few nights. A pretty girl who really couldn't grasp the fact he wasn't supposed to see her naked. A pretty girl who was smart and funny and nice to be around and seemed to really like him too. She was nothing like Babs and yet everything he never knew he was looking for.

He couldn't afford a relationship right now. He just couldn't. On the cusp of forming their own team, he couldn't play favourites or date her. Even if she was amenable. Even if part of him really thought it might be nice. There was so much work to be done.

And he didn't want to ruin their budding and oh so comfortable friendship like he'd done with Babs by involving feelings.

He just wasn't good at that stuff.

But Robin also knew he'd been kind of encouraging too. She made him feel nice, so he allowed more things than he should. Like her touching him so much. Him touching her back. Innocent flirting. Snuggling against her for warmth. Allowing her to sleep on him for so long when he really should have just left. Allowing her into his bed so they could talk.

The almost kiss.

He'd been so close. So close. Any noise of confirmation from her, any hint that she wanted it too and he would have just gone for it. But she'd given him that oh so confused look and moved away, leaving him thoroughly embarrassed and unsure, especially since that kiss when they first met was forefront in his mind.

He was going to have to back it down. Keep her in the friend corner. He'd been spending so much time with her he was neglecting his other duties. Like random patrolling. Setting up monitoring stations around Jump. Talking to Cyborg about computer systems. Following up old case files and solving cold cases. The Tower design to finalise, they were going to see Cyborg and Beast Boy in the morning to talk about forming the Titans.

Tomorrow, he decided. Tomorrow it would change.

TTTTT

Starfire rose with the sun. She smiled to herself as she removed her feet from Robin's wall. She felt so happy this morning. Accepted. Today would be a glorious day.

The first thing she did, as she did every morning, even on Tamaran, was to find a high place to greet the sun. Robin hadn't minded her going on the roof, as much as he asked she was not seen, he invited her up there enough. After combing her hair with her fingers, she clambered out the window and rose up into the light.

As she alighted on the roof, her face lifted toward the sun, she noticed Robin, in full uniform, sitting on the awning and watching the sunrise too. He had his back to her.

Beaming brightly, Starfire zipped up to him and alighted beside him. "Good morning, Robin!" she chirped.

He jerked his head toward her, his eyes hidden by his mask. He seemed surprised she was there. "Hey," he said after a moment. "You're up early."

"I always wake with the dawn," she mentioned, turning her face back toward the sun and closing her eyes. "The light tastes so fresh."

"Oh."

"Did you sleep well?" she inquired, smiling at him. The wind was coming behind them today, tossing her hair in front of her eyes, so she gathered it up in one hand and held onto it to keep it from her vision.

He stared at her for a moment too long then looked back at the sunrise. "Sort of."

"Why are you in uniform?" she asked after he chose not to elaborate. "Do we have the alert?"

"No."

"Oh. Robin, is something wrong?"

"No."

Starfire was most confused. He seemed rather curt with her this morning and she wasn't sure why.

"I just figured, well," he shrugged. "Cyborg, Beast Boy, they can't hide who they are. Neither can Raven or... you... so... if we're really serious about this team thing, I really shouldn't be out of uniform. It'll be more professional that way."

"Oh."

"Besides, if I'm going to be the leader, I have to act like a leader."

Starfire didn't like the sound of his voice. She rested her free hand in her lap. "Robin-"

Robin got to his feet. "Well, no time like the present," he said. "Enjoy the sunrise."

Starfire turned her head to watch him as he strode back toward the fire escape and bounded down the metallic stairs, more confused than before. When she got downstairs, his bedroom door was resolutely closed. Starfire stared at it for a moment, he had not closed it before. Even last night when he was working on plans for the team, he had left it open. It was most odd.

But perhaps he needed privacy, his computer was in there, and it was his home, so Starfire headed for the shower.

He didn't venture out for breakfast, Starfire ate several eggs, crunching on shells thoughtfully. She made some toast, Robin had shown her how to make it yesterday, and spread some 'jam' liberally on it. She knew he liked jam. Once she was done, she carted the plate over to his room knocked on Robin's door. "Robin, did you wish-"

"Busy!"

The hand she used to knock on the door dropped down to her side. "Oh."

Not really knowing what else to do, why this change in Robin, she left the toast she had prepared for him on the floor by his door. Robin had a couple of books on a shelf so Starfire picked up one on Astronomy, because it looked interesting and she wouldn't need the human concepts explained to her and headed back onto the roof so she could soak in some sun.

It was the beginnings of a beautiful day. The sun was warm, the rays were nice against her skin and she could feel the energy swelling within her as she sat on the roof with her back to the awning and flipped through the book.

Earthlings had such pretty picture of star systems. Starfire knew most of them from the star charts on Tamaran but it was enjoyable to see pictures of them without having to get close. Earth must have some magnificent telescopes to be able to gather such clear pictures from so far away. Some of them even of other galaxies, most of them she had never seen.

It was interesting to read what they theorised were in the locations which were vacant. It was also interesting to read what they theorised on black holes and other phenomenon. They had the correct idea about some things, but others they didn't.

Then she discovered a section on Vega. Or rather the constellation called Lyra. This idea of grouping all the stars into constellations representing pictures in the sky was very intriguing. She thought in terms of distances and numbers, humans saw images in the sky. An archer. A swan. A bull. Twins. A scorpion. All forms of animals and person.

Lyra was a harp. A musical insturment. Which made her think of the music from home. And that set off a wave of loneliness she could not control.

There was an ache in her chest as she ran her fingers over the photograph of Vega. With a sigh, she closed the book and hugged it to her chest, looking up at the blue sky of Earth.


Author's Note:

Kry's sexual awareness: Wet dreams are something every adolescent boy will experience. Sometimes he remembers, most of the time he doesn't. Really, his only evidence is that sticky gross feeling. Adolescent Girls have them too, just as many. We just don't get the evidence. The main thing to remember is they are natural. Unavoidable. Nothing to be ashamed of. Nothing to tease others about. Whoever starred in them, doesn't matter. You can't control it.

But, I'm of a firm believer that Robin's "She's not my girlfriend!" claim may have actually been "I am not having wet dreams about her!"

Next Chapter: Butterfly kisses.