One Thing Leads to Another

by katergator

One thing leads to another when Starfire and Raven attend a lingerie party and Robin gets a surprise view of Starfire's new undergarment. StarxRob and RaexBB full summary inside

37. Chapter 37

You're welcome for the fanservice.

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"All right Starfire, okay okay. I give in. I'm sorry."

Starfire checked the clock. "Oh, Raven has won our bet."

"And it's time for me to collect," she said in a low sultry tone, posing on the doorframe.

Starfire turned around. "Oh, yes. I remember the terms."

Raven beckoned at Starfire with a finger. The alien princess followed the dark empath to her room where candles were lit and floating on magic, little jars of scented oil strewn on the nightstand. Raven turned and glowed at her female companion with luminous violet eyes, never breaking contact as she tugged at the clasp on her cloak. It fell to the floor in a soft heap. She stepped out of her shoes and presented her back to her friend.

"Would you mind?"

Starfire gladly unzipped the leotard, slowly revealing Raven's pale smooth skin. She was left in a screaming red lacy bra and panty set, barely covering her round tight bottom and perky assets.

Raven backed toward the bed, grabbing Starfire's wrist and pulling her along. Starfire gave her a predatory grin and Raven lay back before turning onto her stomach. She reached behind and unhooked her bra, tossing it over the side of the bed.

Starfire flipped her hair and divested herself of her skirt and top. Her hot pink set fit her like a second skin, accentuating every perfect curve. She knelt on the bed and reached over her best friend, grabbing a jar of oil before slinging a knee over Raven and straddling her thighs just under her rump.

Starfire poured some oil into her hands and rubbed them together, then smoothed her hands over Raven's upper back and onto her shoulders. Raven moaned, closed her eyes and smiled.

Starfire was talented. Her movements were controlled and she used just the right amount of pressure to knead away the knots collected under Raven's shoulder blades. Her hands dipped to Raven's lower back and eased the tension. She slid her fingers to Raven's sides, coating everything in hot oil so her palms would slide with no friction.

As Starfire's hands began roaming out of neutral zones Raven felt her body responding. She felt her hips raise the lower Starfire's hands dipped on her back and her chest aching the closer Starfire's hands flitted on the sides of her breasts. Starfire leaned down, her mouth next to Raven's ear, her breathes hitching. Raven turned her head to the side, so close, Starfire's fingers dipping under the waistband of her panties. Raven looked her in the eyes before dropping her gaze to Starfire's lips and swayed in, closing the contact-

Beast Boy awoke with a start. He was drenched in sweat and startled to find that he was staring at the bottom of his bunk bed. He didn't even remember falling asleep.

He ran a hand over his forehead and glanced down at the major tent in his shorts.

It took him a moment to gather himself.

"Good dream…. Good good good gooood good dream…"

A black raven swooped up from his floor.

"Oh shit-"

Raven materialized. Beast Boy pulled his blanket over his midsection hastily.

"Oh uh hey Rae, what's up?" he asked, feigning casual.

Raven placed her hand on her hip and gave him a bland look.

"Really?"

"Shut up," Beast Boy muttered defensively.

"Boys," she muttered, before giving him a scathing look one more time and sweeping out the door.

ooo

"Melanie leaned her head back, enjoying the feel of Dawson's lips against her breast-"

"That's it," Robin snapped. He lunged for a squealing Starfire, yanked the book from her hands before she could protest and whipped it away.

"That is Raven's book, do not ruin it- eep!"

Robin tackled her to the couch and stole a kiss. After a few moments he drew up and hovered over her, narrowing his eyes. Starfire crossed her arms and gave him a very stern look.

"That's Raven's book? I wouldn't have pegged her for trashy Harlequin romance."

"It was in the wrong section," Starfire defended.

"What are you trying to do to me?"

Starfire sniffed and turned her gaze toward the bay window.

"I will so take you right here."

This got her attention. "No you will not."

"I so will."

"We are in the living room."

"So."

"I dare you to try. I will simply toss you off me."

"I'm pretty dexterous, Star."

"Pure strength would triumph over dexterity."

"Want to make that bet?"

"I have already made a bet today." She glanced at the clock and pouted. "Which I have lost. Raven was correct. I owe her the back massage."

Robin's grip loosened on her arms and his face went blank. Starfire used this opportunity to buck him off and dump him on the floor.

"Ow, hey!"

"It was the joke, Robin. It will never happen," she said haughtily, floating up from the couch and stretching.

"Doesn't mean I can't fantasize."

Starfire wrinkled her nose. "You boys and your fantasies."

"Can't blame a guy," Robin shrugged with a grin.

"Yes, actually I can," Starfire said.

"Why are you all snippy today?"

She growled with a sigh. "Why are you being the jerk of faces today?"

"I'm not being any different than normal. You're just super uptight."

"Did you ever stop to do the thinking that maybe I am reacting to how you are treating me?"

"I haven't done anything!"

"Yes you have, you are making the comments!"

"What comments?"

"That we are 'in the clear' and how happy you are," she shot back. Then she clapped her hands over her mouth. "I must go."

"No, wait Starfire! Is that what this is about? Star wait!"

She had already flown out of the room.

"Damn it," Robin muttered, hefting himself off the floor and following. He knocked on her bedroom door. "Starfire, let me in."

"No," he heard her voice from within.

"Why not."

"Because I do not wish to talk to you anymore."

"Star, come on."

"No."

"I'll give you a back massage."

"No."

"Complete with happy ending?"

He could feel her hesitation.

"I cannot. I do not feel well enough for those sorts of activities today."

"Then let me in so we can talk."

"I will not speak with you when you are purposely making me upset."

"I won't make you upset, I promise. I'll be good. Let me in."

He heard her sigh with frustration again and she stomped to the door.

It slid back and she crossed her arms and stared at him.

"What."

"Go sit down," he said, taking her arm and leading her to the bed. "All right. Tell me what's wrong," he soothed. "I'm sorry I was being a jerk."

"There is nothing wrong. I accept your apology."

Robin exhaled with a laugh. He wasn't letting her off the hook that easy.

"You were upset by my comments, then gave me the cold shoulder, then read a sex scene from a trashy romance novel out loud to me. Obviously we need to do some talking."

Starfire fiddled with her fingers in her lap. "I am… confused."

"About what?" he prodded.

"I have the lingering feelings."

"About the pregnancy scare?"

She shrugged and did not answer.

"Aw Star, I thought we talked about that? We're too young and we have lots of time, and we were gonna do things in order."

"Yes, I know. That is very rational. Unfortunately I am not rational at the moment."

"Well I get that, I understand. But we can't have a baby right now, it would be really impractical. We aren't ready for that."

"Yes, I know," she said, becoming tearful.

"Why are you so conflicted then?"

"I told you, I convinced myself I was with child so I could get used to the idea. It made me… almost want a baby. It made me very sad to discover I was not."

"I can't, I mean… I don't know how to help you. I don't meant to hurt your feelings but you're all over the place and to be honest, I don't want a baby right now."

"Yes, I know this, and if I were truly honest with myself I realize this is not the right time. I think perhaps a difference in culture is also the blame. Many girls my age have children on Tamaran."

"Really?"

"Yes. We marry young and we reproduce young. I am the perfect age to have a child in the eyes of a Tamaranian."

"Wow. For a human, you're way too young, you have plenty of time. I mean, it didn't always used to be that way, humans used to marry very young and have many children right away too because our life expectancy was shorter. As medicine advanced and life expectancy went up having children right away wasn't a necessity anymore. So you shouldn't feel bad and feel like you have to have a baby. I know it's probably biological for you but our society isn't putting any pressure on you."

"I should remember that. I apologize, it does seem to be a biological urge, one I was not bothered by until the possibility became likely that we could have a baby. I am sorry my feelings are the out of wack. I just want you to know I am not requesting we try for another, I am just... working through my confused feelings."

Her brows furrowed at this.

"Now what's wrong, why the expression on your face."

She looked up at him, forlorn.

"Do you not trust me?"

Robin sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "It's not that I don't trust you, Star. I do. It's just…it was a close call. This ensures we don't have any more close calls."

"While the protection is extremely convenient keeping the mess to a minimum, it makes me miss the feeling of you. It is not always the most comfortable. It gets dry." She crinkled her nose and pouted a little.

"I know, it feels different for me too. It really dulls the sensation a lot. But I just can't…"

"You do not trust me. I understand," Starfire said sadly.

"Stop saying that," he protested. "I do trust you."

"There is obviously a part of you that does not otherwise we would not be having this conversation."

"Well, I mean," Robin said, frustrated. "I know after our fight you'd tell me. It's just this way I'm taking the responsibility so you don't have to."

"That mostly sounds like the fancy way to say you do not trust me."

"Star, you know I trust you. I just want to use protection for my own peace of mind."

"I understand then," she said distantly.

Robin sighed and clasped her hand in his. "Please don't be sad. I love you and trust you."

"Yes."

"Are you going to be okay?"

The sadness was replaced with a hint of mischievousness. "I think I will require the back massage to feel better."

"Oh suuure. That offer expired, you told me no."

"I am female, I am allowed to change my mind on the whim."

"You shot me right down, happy ending and all."

"What if I remove all my clothing for it?"

Robin considered. "If you did that, I would probably need my own happy ending."

Starfire sighed and looked morose. "I suppose I should just go ask Raven."

Robin's eyes became big and round. "Seriously?"

Starfire rolled her eyes. "No."

"Don't do that to me, that's not even funny."

"Your reaction most certainly is."

"Ha. Ha."

"Why is the thought of two females together so arousing?"

"Do you really have to ask? It's double the boobs."

Starfire stared at him with an incredulous look on her face. "Boys," she muttered.

"So when are you gonna be done with all that-" he pointed a finger and indicated her abdomen, "so we can have sex."

Starfire scowled. "At least six more days."

"How am I supposed to wait that long?"

"That is your problem, not mine. Besides, I thought you were not above taking me on the couch?"

"It may possibly have been an empty threat."

"That is what I thought."

ooo

Beast Boy was lying on his stomach on Raven's bed, his feet kicking back and forth in the air as he read a comic book. Raven was sitting up next to him, knees bent as she delved into one of her favorite novels, the pages worn and frayed from use.

She found she couldn't concentrate however, reading the same paragraph three times. Her attention was focused on the boy beside her, who was wearing a pair of plaid shorts and no shirt. She couldn't help the fact that his back looked very appealing, causing tingles low in her belly. Apparently her sexual desire was fully awakened. It was the perfect time, the Titans had all convened for lunch and then split their separate ways to spend the afternoon in leisure. No one would really be looking to do anything until dinnertime, which meant she and Beast Boy had several uninterrupted hours providing there weren't any alerts.

Her eyes kept darting between the page of her book and Beast Boy's back. Finally she couldn't take it anymore and she casually reached over and trailed her fingertips along his spine.

Beast Boy immediately reacted, curving his back with her touch. He loved it when she petted him while he was a cat, and his motions reminded her of when he'd lean into her touch while he was transformed. She smiled, dipping her hand to his lower back.

He put down his comic, closed his eyes and she could almost hear the rumble of a purr in his chest. He crossed his arms and laid his head down, a satisfied smirk on his lips. She kept up the stroking, setting down her book as well. She sat up a little straighter, using both hands now to massage his back.

After awhile he turned over, looping an arm around her neck and pulling her down for a kiss. Things instantly heated up and as he started tugging her shorts down she pushed herself up on her elbows.

"Wait," she said, out of breath.

"What?" he murmured, still kissing along her throat and maneuvering her panties over her hips.

"We don't have anything," she said. "You only had one, right?"

Beast Boy stopped kissing. "Crap."

"Yeah," Raven said.

"Now what."

"We can't, not until we go shopping or something," she said uncertainly.

"I can't go now," he whined. "We're in the middle of a moment."

"It's not going to be a moment unless we have protection," she reminded him.

"I'm not going out, not when I have this," he said, indicating his midsection, which was standing at full attention.

"Well," Raven said, hesitant. "It's possible that we could… borrow one?"

Beast Boy frowned. "I'm assuming you mean from Rob and Star?"

Raven nodded.

"You get to ask."

Raven shook her head, her eyes wide. "No way. Not me."

"Ask Star, you two are all girlie girlie together, she won't care."

"It's too embarrassing. You ask Robin."

"Nuh uh!" Beast Boy exclaimed. "He'd never let me live it down."

"Fine, then you ask Star."

"That's just weird, it'd be like asking my sister for a condom. You ask Robin."

"No way, he'd make more fun of me than he would of you."

"No he wouldn't."

"Yes he would. He'd give me that stupid grin."

"Well then ask Starfire, like I said, it's less weird between two girls."

"But she'd hug me."

Beast Boy scoffed. "So?"

Raven rubbed her arm. "But…"

"Done. You ask Star. Go go."

Raven crossed her arms. "Why can't you do it?"

"Because I have a massive erection and that would make it very awkward no matter who I was asking."

Raven huffed, replacing her panties and shorts. "Fine."

She phased into the hallway. Reaching out with her powers, she found Robin and Starfire were in the training room and thankfully their emotions suggested they were actually training and she wasn't going to be interrupting anything.

As she peered through the window into the gym they were indeed sparring. Raven rapped on the door.

They both stopped and looked over.

"Hey Starfire, can I talk to you for a minute?" Raven called, feeling her cheeks flush already. She felt extremely nervous.

"I will be right there!" Starfire called. She pecked Robin on the cheek while adjusting her ponytail, which was slipping from all the activity, and told him she would be just a minute. She flew over to the door.

Raven waved her outside while Robin took a swig from a water bottle and toweled down.

"What is it?" Starfire asked curiously.

"Um," Raven started, pulling her down the hallway. "I need your help."

Starfire tilted her head. "With what, Raven?"

Raven looked at the floor, avoiding eye contact.

"Beast Boy and I haven't had a chance to, um… pick up certain things, and we're… that is… we need… um…"

A grin broke out on Starfire's face.

"You require the protection."

"Yes," Raven said, relieved that Starfire had intuitively picked up on her implication.

"Follow me," Starfire said cheerily. They walked to Robin's bedroom.

Raven hovered at the door but Starfire beckoned her in. She dug around in Robin's nightstand and pulled out a box. She tore two packets apart and tossed one to Raven.

"I really appreciate this. We'll get our own, it's just, we haven't had time…"

"It is fine, really," Starfire said, waving her off. "I am happy to get rid of them." Her tone had an edge to it, which of course Raven detected.

"Problems?"

Starfire held her arms sadly. "He does not trust me."

"Of course he does Starfire. He's just being overly cautious."

She shook her head. "I feel it is more than that."

"I know what he's feeling," Raven reminded her. "He was really hurt at first but this is for his peace of mind more than anything."

"I understand, but it still makes me feel like he will never believe me again."

"It's definitely not to that extent, Starfire. Unfortunately you did break his trust and it takes awhile to come back from that. I completely understand why you did, and so does he, but it still hurt him greatly. He just needs some adjustment time. He'll come around."

Starfire nodded and said, "You should get back to Beast Boy." She gave her a smile.

Raven blinked. "Oh yeah. Thanks Star."

"It is my pleasure. Or, rather yours," she giggled. "Go have the fun."

Raven blushed and swirled though to her bedroom.

Beast Boy was sleeping. She floated up and gently knelt beside him, laying a hand on his shoulder.

He opened his eyes a little blearily. "Oh hey Rae. What took you so long?"

"Sorry. Was talking with Starfire."

He furrowed his eyebrows. "Um, about what. You were asking her for a condom and this sparked a conversation?"

"Ah… just girl talk," Raven said.

"Girl talk."

"Yep."

"You hate girl talk."

"I don't hate girl talk," Raven defended.

He crossed his arms. "Okay, really. What took you so long."

"I told you, I just talked to Starfire. I can't talk to Starfire?"

"Was it about me?"

"Had absolutely nothing to do with you."

"Oh."

"Yeah, so can you drop it?"

"Nope, I'm curious how 'hey, can I borrow a condom neither of us want returned' 'yeah sure here you go' 'gee thanks, I'm gonna get back to my studly hot boyfriend now and boink his brains out' turns into a fifteen minute thing."

Raven sighed.

"She had an issue, a private issue, she needed to discuss with me. That's all."

"She and Rob have issues? Trouble in the land of paradise, huh."

"Not really. It's in her head."

"What's in her head?"

"Nuh uh. Can we get back to what we were doing before?"

"You're gonna have to restart me here. I fell asleep while I was waiting for you and Star to work out her issues that are apparently in her head." He grinned at her snarkily.

"You… you are a butt."

"Did you just call me a butt?"

"I did. That's what you are."

"I'm a butt."

"Yes. Glad to hear you admitting it."

"Wow Raven, your zingers are really going downhill."

"I think it comes from spending too much time with you."

"That the best you got?"

"Like I said, you've dulled my razor sharp wit."

"Are we going to have sex?"

"Take off your shorts and we'll see."

"But taking off my shorts requires effort."

Raven used her magic to pick him up, tug off his shorts, and dump him back onto the bed. On his face.

"Owwph!"

"I don't know about you but that got me in the mood."

"It would," he complained, rubbing his nose.

"Oh man up."

"I'm trying! You're the one who took so long gabfesting it up with Star."

"Do you even want to still do this?"

"Yes."

"I thought maybe we'd stop bickering like this after we started dating," Raven said.

"Where's the fun in that?" Beast Boy grinned. "That's like, our thing. It's what we do."

"I suppose you're right."

"Damn straight I am. Now take off your panties. I wanna do you."

"That's the most romantic thing you've ever said to me."

"I try. See, if I set the bar low, I barely have to make any effort to top it."

"Heaven forbid you actually try at anything, like our relationship."

Beast Boy frowned. "I do try, Rae. I mean, for real, I do try."

Raven softened, knowing she had gone too far. "I know you do."

Beast Boy accepted her affirmation and leaned in, giving her a lingering kiss.

"Oh," Raven breathed.

"Take these off," he whispered, tugging on her shorts.

A good half an hour later, Beast Boy and Raven were panting and laying next to each other. Beast Boy had his arm across his forehead and Raven's hands were still clenched in her hair. She finally flopped them down and rolled toward him. He pulled her to his side.

"That glowy, soul sharing thingy is amazing."

"It is," Raven mumbled, contented. "I wasn't sure I could do it again."

"Well I'm glad you can, it's crazy awesome."

Raven chuckled and glanced down his body.

"We need to get our own condoms."

"We do."

"How do we go about that without the entire town knowing about it and plastering it over every magazine."

"Starfire told me she and Robin used the rings."

"Ahh," Beast Boy said. "The rings."

"Yeah. No one noticed them at all."

"Good idea. What should we look like."

"She said they went punk."

"Ha! I would've loved to see that!"

"I know," Raven smiled. "But I think that look would be too close to us. We need to look completely opposite."

Beast Boy snorted. "You have to go as prep."

Raven frowned. "Prep?"

Now he openly belly laughed. "With a sweater tied around your shoulders, and a plaid mini skirt or something! Pink nail polish! BLONDE HAIR! Oh em gee we are sooo doing this!"

Raven shook her head, horrified. "No. No way in hell."

"You have to Raven! If you don't want to be recognized!"

A sick feeling crept into her stomach. "The things I do for you," she muttered

"So you'll do it? I can't wait to see this!"

Raven huffed. "Well, let's get it over with. Robin and Starfire are busy and Cyborg's doing who knows what, so no one's around to catch us."

Beast Boy got up and went into Raven's bathroom. "Great. I know where Cy's rings are," he called from inside.

Raven sat up."You do? Why?"she asked him as he came out, grabbing their clothes.

At this Beast Boy's cheeks flushed and he looked down as he pulled on his pants. "Ah… well, no reason, I just…"

"Why do you feel ashamed?" Raven asked, concerned.

He shrugged.

"You can tell me."

"I ah, every once in awhile I like to go out with the rings on."

"Okay…looking like what?"

"Normal."

"Normal? You go out looking normal? Then why wear the rings?" She and Beast Boy headed down the hall.

"No, I mean, normal."

Raven frowned. "You alter your appearance to look normal?"

"As in, not Kermit the Frog."

She raised her eyebrows. "You make yourself look regular, without the green skin?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"So I can do stuff without everyone staring at me, Rae!"

She was momentarily flummoxed. "But… why… you're a Titan."

"So? Doesn't mean people don't whisper behind my back or think I'm not a freak. I have good hearing, I know they do it."

"Oh Beast Boy," Raven said sadly.

"So yeah, sometimes I just like going to the park and doin' stuff, without everyone staring."

"I didn't know."

"None of you do, unless Cy's ever noticed they were missing for a little bit, but I'm sure he doesn't know it was me who took them and if he does know he's never said anything. My dirty little secret I guess. Sometimes I get tired of being a freak."

"You're not a freak, Beast Boy."

"Come on Rae, who're you kidding. I have green skin. Pointed ears. I couldn't hide in a crowd even if I wanted to."

"Neither could I. Or Starfire, or Cyborg."

"Exactly. That's why we have each other. Sometimes I just like to pretend. Remember what it was like. I was really little, but I still have memories of tanned skin, blond hair and blue eyes in the mirror."

"I can't even picture you any other way and I don't really want to," Raven said genuinely.

"Well you'll get to cause I already know the settings for the rings," he said as they reached the garage, making sure Cyborg was upstairs. He reached into the toolbox and scrounged around for them.

He tested the dials and slid them onto his fingers, knocking the rings together and activating the holograms.

Raven's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open.

His green skin melted away, his pointed canine teeth, his primate-influenced nose, the pointed ears, all gone. A handsome blue-eyed blonde boy stood before her.

"Wow," she said. "You look so…"

"Normal?" he chuckled.

"Yeah…" she said uneasily. She loved the way Beast Boy looked and she didn't ever want to change him. But as a regular looking human, what he would have looked like if he had grown up normal was pretty devastatingly handsome too.

She narrowed her eyes. "How many girls hit on you when you go out like this?"

Beast Boy's eyes darted around nervously. "Ah… you want me to answer that?"

She crossed her arms and pursed her lips. "Uh huh."

He shrugged, grinned with even white teeth. "You're my one and only babe, you know that."

"All right," she said, her stomach cold with impending dread. "My turn."

He clapped his hands together and rubbed them mischievously. "This is gonna be gooood. Let's see…"

He took the rings for Raven and adjusted the dials. He handed them to her and she slipped them on.

"Try that."

She stared at her hands hesitantly before clicking them together.

Beast Boy's eyebrows rose as the image shimmered over her. "Wow. Dang Rae…"

"What's it look like?" she asked uncertainly.

"Crazy. It's you but it's not you at all."

"Crazy?"

"Yeah. Hot though. Really hot. But not hotter than you are regularly," he added on hastily.

"Yeah, you too," she said. "You're hot, but not hotter than you normally… oh Azar I sound really dumb."

"Goes with the look," he said cheekily.

Raven had long blond hair, brown eyes, and perfectly golden skin. He had made her clothing a pink sequined tank top with a tailored gray jacket layered over it, skinny capris and gold flats.

"Now you just need to speak like a valley girl and you'll have it down," Beast Boy teased with a laugh.

"Like, no way," Raven deadpanned.

He laughed harder.

"Come on, hottie. Let's like, go buy some condoms," Beast Boy said in the valley singsong accent, putting his arm around her while still giggling.

"You're getting a kick out of this, aren't you," Raven frowned.

"Totally."

She sighed.

"Port us out?"

"Won't someone notice?"

"Not if you're sneaky and drop us off in the park."

She shrugged. "Okay."

Her raven soul self swirled around them, and she ported to a group of trees where no one was hanging around.

"Great," Beast Boy said, stepping out of the trees after clearing his head. He turned to look at her as she walked out, bouncing on his toes. "See Rae? It feels totally different, doesn't it?"

She crinkled her nose and glanced around. "It feels fake and underhanded."

"Don't you like it that no one's staring?"

"There isn't anyone here to stare," she pointed out. "Except for that old man who's totally absorbed in feeding the pigeons."

"Hey, come on! Give it back!"

Beast Boy and Raven jerked toward the sound.

"Make me, little dweeb."

They hastened down the park's path and as they came around a bend in the trees a group of boys were just off the sidewalk.

A teenager was dangling a baseball glove over the head of a boy around ten years old. Another boy the same age was hanging back, clearly dismayed but unsure how to stop the situation. The older boys were laughing.

"That was my dad's, asshole! Give it back!"

"Make me, looooser!"

"Damn it," Beast Boy muttered. He ducked away, made sure no one was looking and took off the rings. Raven frowned and took hers off as well.

"Hey," Beast Boy called sharply. "Give the kid his glove back."

"Ooooh, it's the Titans," the teenager said. "The freak circus is in town."

"Apparently so is the douche bag convention."

"You wanna have a go?" the teen said, throwing the glove down and stalking toward Beast Boy.

"If you're that dumb, yeah, let's go," Beast Boy said, crouching and curling his fists.

"Beast Boy, you shouldn't fight a civilian, no matter how much of a dickbag he is," Raven warned.

"Did you just call me a dickbag, bitch?"

"I did," Raven said coolly. "And if you call me a bitch again, I'll pluck whatever your biggest fear is from the shallow vapid pool that is your mind and make you experience it over and over again until you suffer a complete psychotic break."

"In other words, don't call my girlfriend a bitch," Beast Boy growled.

"Can't change what she is, cocksucker."

Beast Boy threw a punch and landed it square in the kid's face. He flew back from the impact and looked with shock that Beast Boy had hauled off and hit him.

"Wanna see if you guys can outrun a tiger?" Beast Boy said mildly. They all paled.

In a blink Beast Boy changed and roared, and the group of boys scattered.

"Down, boy," Raven said, patting Beast Boy's shaggy back. The two smaller boys who had been bullied hung back with wide eyes.

"It's okay," Raven said to them. They slowly came closer, and then one of them hesitantly reached out and touched Beast Boy's fur. A wide grin appeared on his face.

"Cool!"

Beast Boy purred and sunk down to the ground. The other boy hugged him around the neck.

"Yeah thanks!"

"Hey, um," one of the kids started.

"Yes?" Raven said.

"My little sister would love to meet you. You're her favorite," he said shyly.

For some reason that warmed Raven right down to her toes. She blamed her recent sentimentality on Beast Boy. "Where is she?" she said with a small smile.

He pointed across the grass. "Over there on the swings. Ashlie!" he bellowed.

"What?" the little girl hollered back.

"Come'ere! Quick!"

She hopped off the swings and sprinted over.

"What Derrick? Oh…"

Her little eyes widened when she saw Raven. She grabbed Derrick's arm and gazed up at her in wonder.

"Hello," Raven said.

"Hi," Ashlie whispered. She ducked her head into her older brother's shoulder.

Raven knelt down.

"Come on Ashlie, ask her," he urged.

"Ask me what?" Raven said. She noted with amusement that tiger Beast Boy was giving the other boy a ride around the sidewalk.

"She wants to see how you use your powers," he said.

"What, like this?" Raven conjured a ball of her inky magic in the air.

"No, that bird thing you do," he said.

"Oh, you mean my soul self?"

The little girl nodded.

Raven murmured her magic incantation and her raven soul cawed and swirled out of her body.

Ashlie's little face lit up as Raven dipped and swayed around her, the world taking on the strange wavering mirage quality it did whenever she projected in astral form. She could see Ashlie's aura, the bright colors of light dancing around her figure. With a start she realized a faint string of red appeared. The cord?

Ashlie had a cord attached to her hand. It faded into the distance. Raven looked back at her own body. Oh…

There was a barely perceptible thin string tied to her left ring finger. The entire length wasn't visible. Somewhere that string was attached to someone else. She glanced at Beast Boy, a string wafted around his form but she couldn't tell where it led, if it was connected to hers. They were scarcely formed images, disappearing and shimmering in filmy hazes.

She returned to her body, shaken. Outwardly she answered Ashlie's torrent of questions with calm.

Soon a woman was calling across the park and the three children had to go. Raven smiled and Beast Boy waved as they scampered off.

"So," he said casually, putting his arm around her. "Let's go buy some condoms."

Raven cringed and gave him the side eye. "After playing with children? Doesn't that make you feel creepy?"

"It's now or never, babe. We're out, we got the rings," he grinned.

"I suppose you're right."

"I am. Now port us out of here so we can find somewhere to put these back on."

Once they were safely camouflaged under the ring holograms they found a grocery store and sauntered in, no one giving them a second glance.

Raven's stomach was twisting in knots, from her experience while she was projecting her soul self or because they were walking down the aisle with the condoms she didn't know.

"Sooo," Beast Boy said, staring at the shelf and staking out the ends of the aisle, hoping no one else would walk down.

"There's so many different kinds," Raven said, slightly overwhelmed.

Beast Boy picked up the Magnums.

"Here. We're all good." He puffed out his chest.

Raven raised an eyebrow. "Would it poke a hole in your completely inflated ego if I said you absolutely do not need those?"

Beast Boy deflated and put them back on the shelf sheepishly.

"You're fine the way you are. Normal size and all."

"I was just kidding," he muttered.

"Let's find something and get out of here."

He grabbed a box of regular sized ribbed for her pleasure and steered her toward the end of the aisle.

"Um," Raven said. He stopped pushing.

"What?"

"Starfire said sometimes they can get really dry."

He raised his eyebrows. "You wanna buy lube too?"

"Well, I don't want to use saliva every time, like we did before," Raven said defensively. "It doesn't last. We might as well get it over with in one trip. Do you want to do this again?"

"Oh I plan on doing this again in a week, cause that's all these are going to last us."

Raven glared at him archly. "A week? There are twelve of them in there!"

"Exactly. Maybe we should buy two boxes."

"And how am I supposed to walk after this experience?"

"Not my problem," he said cheekily.

"Oh it is your problem. It is definitely your problem," Raven threatened. She grabbed a bottle of KY and they headed for the checkout.

The middle-aged lady cashiering clearly thought they were rather young-looking to be purchasing the particular items they had come in for (even though they were both technically legal) but she kept her mouth shut and rang up the total. Beast Boy nervously tossed in a packet of gum as an afterthought, like somehow they had come to the store for the gum, and oh look how did those condoms and that lube get there? Raven resisted the urge to bury her face in her palm because that ploy was the oldest and most see through in the book.

Beast Boy clutched the bag as they headed out of the store.

"Wanna raven us home?" he asked as they ducked into an alleyway.

"Yes please," Raven said. "I want to get this ridiculous disguise off. That cashier lady thought I was trash because of my hair color."

"Really?" Beast Boy said.

"She thought I was a total skank."

"Rae," he said, hurt. "I'm so sorry. I didn't want anyone to think of you like that."

"It's not your fault," she sighed. "There are preconceptions and stereotypes people have for everything under the sun."

"Yeah, but I didn't want that to happen to you."

"Better one dumb lady at the cash register thinks it than everyone in Jump thinking it about the real me, since we're 'celebrities' around here."

"True."

"She thought it was no wonder though, because you're so handsome."

He perked at that. "Really? She thought I was handsome?"

Raven rolled her eyes. "Come on," she beckoned. Beast Boy grinned.

"Aww, you're gonna hug me this time?"

"I noticed you tend to be less nauseous if I have close contact with you when we port."

"Yeah, I don't feel quite as throw-up-y."

"...Throw-up-y?"

"I just made that word up. It'll catch on. Webster's will be calling."

"I'm sure they will."

"Hold me."

Raven snorted and wrapped her arms around him. "How come you don't get sick when I port you in battle?"

"Adrenaline. Plus, it's usually shorter distances, that doesn't hit me as hard."

"Oh. Azarath metrion zinthos."

Raven's magic swirled around them. As she navigated through the tunnel, she narrowed her eyes.

"Do you see that?" she asked Beast Boy.

"Bleeeh, see what?" he groaned.

"Nothing," she said. Flicks of red rotated around the tunnel in amongst the flashes of light.

She dumped them out into Beast Boy's bedroom.

He staggered to his bed and thumped down. "Man, serious head trip. I'm all woozy."

Raven tossed the bag of their purchases onto the mattress next to him.

"I gotta go, um... I'll be back later."

"Huh? Rae, what-"

She was gone.

Raven phased up into her room and clasped her shaking hands together. She went to her meditation mirror and stood over it, leaning against her dresser.

She rocked up on her toes and back down, frowning.

As a rule Raven never gave much thought about the future. Until her sixteenth birthday she had figured there wasn't much point. The heavy burden of knowing she would be the portal for the end of the world was a tough one to carry. Her friends had saved her. Her friends had defeated her father and saved the world. It was exactly why she had come to form the Titans. The Justice League wouldn't help, and while she couldn't blame them mostly, it had left her desperate. She would never let them know, but there was a reason all of them had been compelled to come to the same city. She was originally seeking out Robin, to convince him to form an alliance with her. His very public falling out with Batman made him susceptible and she had been hoping to catch him in the right mood to listen. Cyborg was running from his father, Beast Boy was looking for a new gig, or at the very least a homeless shelter. Starfire had been a lucky bonus, the perfect excuse to bring them all together over a united cause.

She never realized she would come to view them all as her family. She had gathered them at first to protect the world from her, to maybe have a slim percentage of survival. Her instincts had paid off. She was safe, the world was safe.

And now she had a future she had spent her lifetime not thinking about.

Raven was terrified.

She took in a shaky breath and shook out her tingling hands. She picked up her mirror and felt the familiar pull as she slipped into Nevermore.

She encountered Timid first. "Hello Raven," Timid said.

"Yeah, hi," Raven said briskly. "Where's Knowledge?"

"She's around," Timid said, backing away. "I'll find her for you."

"Kay," Raven said in a distracted way. She was jittery.

In a moment Knowledge's yellow cloak swirled into view. She adjusted the glasses on her nose and cleared her throat.

"You needed me, Raven?"

"I have talk to you about what's going on," Raven said, grabbing Knowledge's arm. Instantly the bleak rocky landscape and star filled sky transformed into a cavernous library full of Knowledge's books. She led them to two large worn arm chairs. Raven sank into one and Knowledge sat primly in the other.

"So," the emotion began. "What brings you here?"

"I've been seeing red strings when I astrally project."

"Ah, okay," Knowledge said sagely. "This troubles you?"

"Why haven't I seen them before?"

"Well, I would say you must have reached a new level of spiritual awareness."

Raven narrowed her eyes at Knowledge shrewdly. "Did you know they exist?"

"I know what you know, Raven," Knowledge said with some humor. "Technically you're talking to yourself."

"Yeeess, true, but you also hold revelations about certain things I haven't come to the conclusion yet."

Knowledge's eye twinkled. "Now you get it."

"Get what?"

"When did you start seeing the strings?" Knowledge asked.

"Nice subtle aversion there."

"Hmm. Answer the question."

"When-" Raven blushed. "When I um... when Beast Boy and I...Azar, why am I embarrassed talking to myself."

"When you and Beast Boy shared souls, it opened a new plane of consciousness for you."

"Yes."

"You came to realizations that you didn't have previously."

"Where are you going with this?"

"What I'd like to know, is why are you so afraid of them?"

Raven was about to protest, but it died in her throat. "What does it mean?"

"It's not a double rainbow, Raven. It's a silly string, that you only see because you want to see them."

"I want to see them?"

"Don't you want a future?"

"Quit answering all my questions with another question. And you know me, I don't do the future."

"Old habits die hard, is that it?"

"I spent my entire life not planning for anything except destroying everyone else's," Raven snapped. "I didn't think I would exist after my sixteenth birthday. What use was it to think about boyfriends or love? To wonder what twenty would feel like?"

Knowledge looked sad. "I know. Your childhood was stolen from your very birth."

"After I defeated my father I was distracted. We had missions and I didn't have to think about it. Now that I started dating Beast Boy..."

"Not only do you have a future, it isn't just yours anymore," Knowledge said.

"Exactly. Does that string mean what I think it means?"

"Yes."

"So it's real? The legend is real?"

"It's real because you want it to be real."

"But I didn't know about them..."

"You read about them a long time ago, don't you remember?" The emotion flicked her hand and a book from way up in the top shelves flew down and flipped open.

"Oh. So they're not real, they're just my imagination?"

"No." Knowledge pinched the bridge of her nose. "It's hard to explain."

"Where does the end of my string lead?"

"Where do you think?"

"That answering a question with a question thing is really annoying," Raven said. "Is it.. is it him?"

"Do you want it to be him?"

"Knowledge!"

"Well! Do you?"

"Marriage wasn't even on my radar."

"It doesn't have to be. If you don't ever want to get married, don't."

"But what about the cord?"

"It's just a string Raven. Destinies happen. The prophecy was fulfilled and you became the portal. The point is you made a choice. Instead of hiding in Azarath you found friends who could protect you and undo the destruction of your father. You always have a choice."

"So what if I don't get married to the person on the end of that string?"

"The cord may stretch or tangle but it will never break," Knowledge quoted.

"So I potentially could... marry whomever I want."

"Yes, of course."

Raven thought for a moment. "Would I be happy if I married someone else?"

Knowledge smiled. "One more question. Are you happy with him right now?"

Raven's mouth opened a little.

"I... I am. I am happy with him. But there wasn't any of this pressure-"

"No pressure. The strings don't mean a thing unless you make them mean something. Go and just be happy with him."

"Robin and Starfire?"

"Oh Azar, completely meant for each other," Knowledge said, waving her hand and pushing her glasses up her nose. "No one else could handle being so nice to her when she tries to cook with gravel."

Raven grimaced in distaste when she remembered that notorious day.

"So, do you feel better now?"

Raven stood up. "Yes, I do. Thank you Knowledge."

Knowledge's book haunt dissipated.

Raven smacked her forehead.

"Wheeeeee! Sooo preeeetty!"

"Hello Happy," Raven muttered.

Happy was bouncing near the red string which was wafting around in her pink cheery landscape. She batted at it playfully.

"Where's the hunky monkey man meat!" she giggled.

"You make Starfire look like an emo clown."

"Where's our handsome man? Has he seen our string?"

Raven's eyes widened. She grabbed Happy's arms. "Is it him? It connects to him?"

Happy giggled some more. "Of course! Why else would I be sooooo HAPPY!"

She broke away and started making airplane noises, holding out her arms for wings.

"Oh Azar," Raven said, closing her eyes and rubbing her face in her palms. "I'm escaping to the Forbidden Door." She side-stepped Happy and her 'coming in for landing.'

"Give him a big ole smoochy smooch for me!" she called, waving exuberantly.

"Will do," Raven said sarcastically with a salute. She turned toward the exit and almost ran straight into Lust.

The amorous emotion was crossing her arms in an alluring manner and smirking smugly at Raven.

"Well well well," she cooed. "It was an uphill battle but we finally got there, didn't we Ravie darling?"

"Oh get lost," Raven sighed.

"Admit it, you like me now don't you? Who do you think made you get all hot and bothered when you were stroking his back? Who puts the tingle in your middle when his fingers start-"

"Really Lust? I get it, you're amazing, you make my sex life spicy. Good for you. Go back to your little corner."

"My corner isn't so little anymore, seems I've been occupying more space in your thoughts sweetie. And they're so deliciously naughty."

Raven scowled. "That's thanks to you."

"You are so very welcome," she purred. "Until next time." She faded out of sight as Raven floated through the door and abruptly ended up in her bedroom. There was a persistent rapping.

"Rae? Rae come on. Did I do something wrong? You just vanished on me."

She hurried to her door.

"Hey," she said breathlessly.

"Oh, hey," Beast Boy said. "Is everything all right?"

Raven gave him a small tender smile. "Yeah. Everything's all right."

ooo

Life had settled down to normal, the occasional breakout from Plasmus or Cinderblock, a robbery or two, but mostly the Titans were back into their regular groove. Robin was studying online and Starfire continued working on her fungus collection and caring for Silkie.

Robin was half monitoring the crime scanner and delving into a calculus course on the big screen when the system beeped, alerting a transmission coming through. Titans East's logo flashed on screen.

Robin accepted.

"S'up fearless leader."

"Hey Bumblebee, what's up?"

"We have a ring of organized crime hittin' up the banks in our area. Just wonderin' if some fresh eyes lookin' at the case could help us out."

"Oh?" Robin said.

"Yeah. Wonderin' if Sparky could give us a hand."

Robin twisted in his seat.

"Cy? Wanna take a trip out to Steel?"

"Sure," he grinned. "It's been a few weeks since I've seen mah baby girl."

Bumblebee beamed right back at him. "Sounds good. You takin' off tonight Tin Man?"

"Let me pack my spare leg and I'll be on my way."

"Thanks Rob. We look forward to workin' wit ya again Cy," Bumblebee said with the straightest face she could manage.

"Yeeeah, and what's your definition of 'work'?" Beast Boy quipped. "Makin' sweet hot monkey love?"

"B!" Cyborg exclaimed. "If anyone makes 'sweet hot monkey love' it's y'all and Rae."

Raven's face went beet red at this and Robin waved his hands.

"Okay okay. Cyborg, we're totally doing you a favor. Go to Steel and help them with their case, and… whatever… else." He crinkled his nose.

"Thanks Rob, y'all are a peach."

He clomped a big hand on Robin's shoulder and went off to pack eagerly.

The Titans waved goodbye to Cyborg as he got into the T-Car with a huge silly grin on his face.

"Already countin' down the hours," he said, starting up the car and blasting his music through the speakers.

"Keep in touch," Robin shouted over the volume, leaning on the window frame.

"Will do. Have fun y'all, and don't do nuthin' I wouldn't do!"

"Cy!" Beast Boy looked shocked. "Are you really saying we can-"

"B, you nasty," he shook his head. "Peace out!"

He peeled out of the garage.

"It is already lonely with him gone," Starfire said, watching with clasped hands as the T-Car faded into the distance. This wasn't the first time Cyborg had taken a trip out to Steel to visit Bumblebee.

"Yeah, but he'll be back in a week or so, Star."

She looked back at the four Titans left. Then her eyes widened and she started smiling and everyone knew she was about to suggest an idea they would all probably not be pleased about.

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "We should do the dating of doubles!"

Everyone collectively groaned.

"Really Star-" Robin started.

"That doesn't sound like fun. How am I supposed to get Raven alone when you two would be around?"

Raven smacked Beast Boy and crossed her arms.

"Would not participating in the dating of doubles be fun? We could spend the evening out and enjoying each other's company as couples."

"You know, that sounds like an offer-"

This time Robin punched Beast Boy in the shoulder. "She's not talking about swinging, Beast Boy."

Starfire tilted her head. "But swinging is very enjoyable for human children, is it not? True it would be an unusual activity for adults to partake in for a date but we could always find the playground-"

"Not that kind of swinging, Starfire."

"I do not understand."

"He means switching partners for the night. That's the 'adult' version of swinging."

Starfire's cheeks turned pink. "Oh." Then she glared at Beast Boy and punched him in his other shoulder. He went down with a plaintive cry.

"I'm not a living punching bag, guys!"

"Then quit being stupid," Raven stated.

He sat up and rubbed his offended arm. "Really though, what's the point of group dating when we're this age? Group dating is for kids who want to assure their parents they're not having sex in their cars up at Inspiration Point because they're in a group. We all know that's what happens anyway."

Robin snorted.

"I got an idea," Beast Boy brightened. "Let's go on dates on the same night, just separately! Problem solved. I still get in Raven's pants."

"You are so pushing it, little man," Raven said warningly.

Starfire pouted. "I was merely trying to suggest something fun we could all do together, but if no one is interested I will be upstairs in my room by myself!"

She stomped away.

"Staaar," Robin called after her. "Damn it. You had to be a douche, Beast Boy. She was just trying. Spending a whole evening with you doesn't interest me either, but you could've humored her a little."

"Sorry dude," Beast Boy said a little angrily. "But I really don't need to see you two make goo goo eyes at each other the whole night and then watch you sneak off to God knows where to do it."

"Right, like you and Raven wouldn't try the same thing?" Robin countered.

"Exactly. Awkward all around. I say separate dates."

"Starfire just wants to spend some time with her friends, it doesn't have to be about the end of the night. You have a fucking room for Pete's sake, you can't wait a few hours?"

"So you want to do this now?"

"Well I feel bad. She asked to do this awhile ago."

Beast Boy sighed. "Fiiiiine. We'll go on a double date."

"Raven?" Robin said.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize my opinion counted in this conversation."

"Sorry. What do you want to do?"

"I don't care."

"And that's why no one asked your opinion."

"Dick."

"That's my name, don't wear it out."

"Brilliant comeback. Haven't heard that one since 1995."

"I try."

"I wasn't calling you by your name."

"I know. Come on, let's go get Starfire and discuss what we wanna do."

ooo

"I'm not dressing up."

"That's fine. We don't have the T-Car so we're gonna have to take the R-Cycle and the mo-ped anyway. The wind and helmets pretty much nix formal wear."

"It's the B-ped dude, the B-ped."

"…Right. Anyway, there's a new sushi place on the strip. That might be good."

"I like sushi," Raven said.

"Hello, raw fish. Fish."

"They do have vegetarian rolls, Beast Boy. You'll be fine."

Starfire narrowed her eyes at him, then gave him a wide innocent stare. "Why are you being difficult? Do you not wish to spend time with me?"

Beast Boy drooped his shoulders and ears and looked slightly remorseful. "It's not like that, Starfire."

"Then what is your objection to the dating of doubles?"

"It's the doubles part. Now if it were just you, me, and Rae…"

Raven smacked him on the back of the head again and Starfire scowled.

"Really Beast Boy," Robin said, slightly irked. "I know your best friend is out of town, but you don't have to be an asshole."

"Sorry dude."

Raven looked at him with a pointed stare and raised eyebrows. She knew he was mostly objecting because he wanted the night alone with her. The novelty hadn't worn off their new physical relationship status yet, so he relished every opportunity.

She leaned over and whispered into his ear.

"One night won't kill you, Beast Boy. Give Starfire a break; she's been through a lot. Besides, we still have the rest of the week."

At this Beast Boy's cheeks flushed.

"And if you behave yourself, I'll show you how happy that makes me."

"Dating of doubles, who knew right?" Beast Boy said enthusiastically. "Sushi sounds great! Romantic comedy! Let's get this show on the road!"

Raven pinched the bridge of her nose with a sigh. Apparently sex was the ultimate motivator. Then she stared into the distance for a moment and realized she had quite the weapon at her disposal. She could totally use this to her advantage. Hey Beast Boy, why are your dirty socks strewn about on my bookshelf? Pick them up or no sex. Why Beast Boy, is that my comforter you're dragging all over the tower? Put it back on the bed or no sex. Is that green fur clogging my tub drain? Clean it up or no nookie. And get your damn boxers off my ceiling fan.

A slow smile spread across Raven's face. Yes, this could work out nicely.

ooo

Starfire clapped her hands excitedly as the four of them gathered in the common room.

Raven wore a pair of dark wash jeans and a tight black hoodie. Beast Boy complimented her with jeans and a graphic print tee shirt. Starfire wore an emerald green shirt that had holes cut out on the shoulders of the three quarter sleeves and draped over her figure, with a denim pencil skirt and cork wedges. Robin wore a dark red shirt and jeans, mask in place.

They headed down to the garage, where the boys got out their respective two-wheeled vehicles. Raven looked longingly at the R-Cycle as Beast Boy proudly presented the B-ped.

"How about I just-" she started.

"Rae come on! I've been trying to get you to ride on this with me forever!"

"I know. And I've always resisted."

"Pleeeeease?"

"It's so small. How am I going to fit on there?"

"It's got a banana seat," he defended. "You'll fit just fine. That's what she said! BAM!"

Raven sighed and placed a hand over her forehead.

"Raven, I think Beast Boy's ped of the mo is cute," Starfire said from her seat behind Robin.

"Then why don't we switch? You can ride on this-" she tapped the tire with her foot "little example of the epitome of dorkery and I can ride on the nice cool shiny motorcycle."

"You want me to ride with Beast Boy?" Starfire asked, tilting her head.

"Only if you want," Raven said innocently.

"Raven!" Beast Boy complained. "It's not dorky. Look I even have a helmet for you." He held up a little round white helmet.

"Oh! Very adorable!" Starfire said encouragingly.

Raven sighed and took the helmet, realizing it was futile.

"Here's the goggles," Beast Boy said, holding them up.

Raven frowned. "Goggles? I am not wearing goggles."

"You'll want the goggles Rae."

"No, not really."

"Trust me, you'll want the goggles."

"Whhyyy did Cyborg have to take the T-Car," Raven grumbled, looping the goggles around her head and strapping the helmet under her chin. "Okay. Now that I look thoroughly ridiculous we can go."

"I think you look cute Raven," Robin teased.

Raven considered giving Robin a very rude one fingered gesture but settled for a 'humph' and turned her nose up.

Robin revved the R-Cycle and Beast Boy's mo-ped turned on with a put. The garage door opened to the underwater tunnel and the two couples raced out.

Raven hugged Beast Boy tightly around the waist as he followed the R-Cycle. The elongated seat actually wasn't horrible to sit on and it felt nice to be curled up against him. She shifted with his body as he took corners.

"Wonder how much longer until we get there," she said in his ear.

"We're getting close to the strip. Not sure how far down. Robin is the one who knows where it is."

As they reached the main drag Robin slowed down in the traffic. There were many restaurants, clubs, and bars along the main street. Many young people in cars were cruising, hollering over the loud music out the windows at each other and the people walking along the street. They passed the club they had gone to with Bumblebee and Speedy and not far along was the new sushi place. The parking lot was behind the building down a side street.

Robin secured the R-Cycle with its fancy alarms as Beast Boy chained the B-ped to a telephone pole. Raven attempted not to look embarrassed as she took off her helmet and goggles.

"Great, now I have goggle lines on my face," she said, looking at herself in the B-ped's mirror.

"You look cute," Beast Boy said. "Always. Don't worry."

Raven let the snarky comment die on her tongue. He was being sincere and she reminded herself to try a little harder. She rubbed at the indented line on her face as they walked to the entrance. Robin had his arm slung around Starfire's waist and Beast Boy slipped his hand into Raven's.

The décor was quaintly Japanese, paper lanterns hung from the ceiling and paintings brightened up the walls. There were tables and a bar with stools.

The greeter welcomed them, a little stunned by the appearance of the Titans in regular clothes and asked if they wished to sit at a table or at the bar.

"Table," Robin said, and the greeter nodded and led them to one that seated four.

"Can I start you off with drinks?" she asked, a note pad and pen poised in her hand.

"Coke for me," Robin said. "I know this is strange but you do happen to have mustard?"

The greeter tilted her head and Starfire blushed. Their regular hangouts all knew of her predilection for mustard but this was a new place.

"I can look and see?" she said.

"Please, I will also just have the coke," Starfire interjected, placing her hand on top of Robin's.

"Star?" Robin said. "You like mustard."

She shook her head. "It is fine."

Robin frowned and rubbed her hand, but let it go.

"Sprite please," Beast Boy said, "and she'll have the green tea."

"Coming right up," the greeter said pleasantly. "Your waitress will be with you shortly."

She walked away and the Titans were left to themselves.

"So!" Starfire said. "I thank you for doing this for me."

"It's fine Starfire. It's nice to hang out once in awhile," Robin said.

"Yeah. This place is pretty neat," Beast Boy said, looking around. "It's like we stepped into Tokyo or something."

Their waitress came to the table then and handed them menus, placing their respective drinks around.

They perused over the selections and Beast Boy was pleased to see a variety of vegetarian choices. He ordered a tofu salad and avocado rolls. Raven went with California rolls and miso soup. Robin chose the spicy yellow tail and Starfire was delighted with the rainbow rolls.

Robin picked up his chopsticks expertly and dug into his meal when it arrived. Raven also had a good handle on the chopsticks and daintily nibbled at her roll.

Beast Boy was clumsy and kept dropping them. Starfire also was not quite sure how they worked. Robin remembered how hard it had been teaching her how to use a fork. In Starfire's culture they ate with their… hands and whatever other body parts could reach the food first before their table mates. What a fiasco it had been when the Titans ate their first meal together and no one got anything except Starfire, who had been perched in the middle of the table scarfing down anything she could reach. She was extremely embarrassed after she saw the civil (and let's be honest, really boring) way humans ate their food. They made sure she had impeccable table manners before they brought her out to eat in public.

"Robin? How am I supposed to eat with two sticks?" she whispered, one in each hand.

He chuckled. "Put the first one in your hand like this," he said, positioning her fingers. "Now, take the second one and hold it almost like a pencil. The first one stays stationary, and the second one you move with your thumb and index finger to grab. Yeah, like that!"

Beast Boy watched this demonstration with a frown, and tried to do it himself.

"Here," Raven said kindly. She helped him.

"Thanks Rae," he said. "I learned something new today."

"You learn something new everyday," she teased.

"I do. Like what I learned yesterday right?" he grinned suggestively at her.

Raven's face went bright red and she trained her eyes on her miso soup.

"Oh? Do tell!" Starfire said.

"Nope, nope nope nope," Raven said.

"But Rae, you said-"

A black band slapped across his mouth.

Robin was leaning back in his chair and smirking at Raven. She glared at him.

"Nice," he mouthed.

Raven rolled her eyes. "Are you going to behave?" she asked Beast Boy.

He grinned mischievously and shook his head no.

"Then you're not eating."

"Muuuuuuppph Mrrraavvvv!"

"Give him a break Raven. I know all the details about your love life from Starfire anyway," Robin snorted.

"Starfire!" Raven protested.

"What?" she said innocently. "I tell Robin everything, you must know this. I am sure you tell Beast Boy things as well."

"Not everything," she stressed.

"Well, I do not disclose everything either. I did not mention how you like to have your-"

Now a black band of power enveloped Starfire's mouth.

"Can't take either of you anywhere!" Raven growled.

Robin simply laughed.

"Yeah, that's right, yuk it up, Mr. 'I like Starfire to be on top' in bed."

Robin's laughter died down. "Yeah, so? Lots of guys like girl on top," he challenged.

"Not when they're into control like you."

"It's not about control. It's about naked girl."

"It would be," Raven rolled her eyes. "Can't have sex be about an emotional connection or anything, just naked girl."

"There is absolutely nothing wrong with naked girl. And hey, I emotionally connect just fine," Robin shot back.

"Do you?" Raven retorted.

"Ask Starfire."

"Oh I have," Raven smirked.

Starfire and Beast Boy were watching the volley of this exchange, their heads going back and forth between as Robin and Raven shot back at each other. Both of them were still muted by Raven's band.

Starfire raised her hand and Beast Boy muffled and pointed to his mouth.

"No," Robin and Raven both said at the same time.

"It's kind of nice and quiet, isn't it?" Raven said, taking a sip of her tea.

"Well it was until you started talking about sex."

"I didn't start talking about sex, if I recall Beast Boy implied something, Starfire tried, and you slammed it home by revealing that you know all about my love life."

"Which was loosely related until you had to get back at me and started talking about girl on top."

"How's that working for you, really."

"Great. Heard you still haven't ventured past missionary."

Raven shrugged. "I'm self conscious, what can I say."

"You shouldn't be."

Beast Boy nodded vigorously in agreement. Raven narrowed her eyes at him and he gave her a "what?" gesture.

"All right, all of you. We're in public," Raven hissed. She glanced around, thankful that no one seemed to have overheard them.

"Really Raven, then you shouldn't have talked about sex for the past fifteen minutes," Robin grinned.

Raven sighed and placed her forehead in her hands, removing the bands from her teammates.

Starfire immediately crossed her arms and pouted. "It is not fair. You have the talk about sex and leave me out of it."

Raven glanced up at her. "Because you lack a certain thing called discretion. You'd blab every little detail out loud enough for the whole restaurant to hear."

"I would not," she huffed.

"Well…" Robin said. She gave him a hard glare and he cringed.

"Are we finished yet?" Raven asked, exasperated.

"Hey Rae…?"

"What?" she all but snapped at Beast Boy.

"Can we try girl on top?"

Raven squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her fist, reining in the temptation to smack Beast Boy in the face.

"Cause I just think, what we did last night might work even better if you're on top," he said impishly. Starfire had a huge beam on her face and Robin snorted with a smirk.

"You're all impossible," Raven grumbled.

ooo

After the sushi the Titans headed to the movie theater. They squabbled over the movie selection, then finally agreed on one and headed in, stopping at the concession stand for popcorn and sodas.

They chose seats near the back of the theater, the girls sitting in the middle with Robin and Beast Boy on either side. Starfire leaned toward Robin as he put his arm around her shoulders and Beast Boy slipped his hand onto Raven's thigh.

Beast Boy whispered comments to Raven, making her snort throughout the film. Starfire giggled when Raven repeated it to her.

Once the movie let out Beast Boy heard an ice cream truck's tinkling melody and convinced everyone they needed some ice cream for dessert. He chased after the truck merrily waving his arms, Starfire right on his heels. Robin and Raven had to smile as they walked behind. Beast Boy ordered a Mickey Mouse ice cream bar and Raven got her standard fudge pop. Starfire had a fondness for drumsticks and Robin requested a zebra waffle cone.

They headed back to their vehicles casually, nibbling on their treats. Robin's pocket buzzed with an alert on the communicator.

He frowned and pulled it out, flipping the screen open.

"Huh," he said, licking on his cone. Starfire watched him out of the corner of her eye.

"The system detected a disturbance on... oh great."

"What? Where was the disturbance?" Beast Boy asked.

Robin sighed. "Inspiration Point."

Beast Boy started laughing. "No kidding?"

"Yep."

"What's the trigger?"

"Female distress call."

Now Beast Boy really started laughing. "Sure it was 'distress?' I'm pretty sure there's shouting going on up there all the time."

"That wouldn't trigger, Beast Boy," Robin said crossly.

"So some chick's cries of 'oh God yes!' got a little too loud, I bet it's nothing more than that."

"We still have to go," Robin said. "As much as I don't want to."

"Fine fine. Let's go."

They got on their bike and mo-ped and headed up to the clifftops that overlooked the city.

Once they hit the fork in the road that split into different paths, they agreed that Robin and Starfire would take the right path and Beast Boy and Raven the left.

The two couples separated into the wooded night.

Surprisingly they didn't see any other cars tucked into the alcoves of trees off the main road but Beast Boy knew they'd be up here somewhere, perhaps deeper in the woods where the cops weren't likely to patrol.

Finally he pulled over himself, kicked the stand down and took off his helmet.

"I really don't think there's anything going on up here," Beast Boy said. "Robin just likes to work. We should stage an intervention."

"Like that would help. If Starfire can't get him out of the evidence room or off a 'case', nothing will."

"Well, I don't see any dastardly villains, do you?" Beast Boy said, mock scanning the woods with a hand over his eyebrows.

"Nope. I don't sense anything either."

"Then let's make better use of our time, huh?" he grinned toothily, backing Raven up against his ride.

"I am not making out on a mo-ped."

"But it's not just any mo-ped Rae, it's the B-ped."

"Just because you assigned what is to your questionable sense of humor an amusing moniker does not make it any less lame."

"It's not lame!"

"It kinda is."

"Well fine," he grumbled. "Then where do you wanna do this?"

"At home, where I won't end up with pine needles up my ass."

He crinkled his nose. "You won't get-"

"Bumblebee and Cyborg did it in the woods once. She said she was still finding needles three days later."

"Ahh... ouch."

"Yeah."

"But what about that tree? It's a white birch. No pine needles."

She considered. "I didn't think we'd be doing it in public places this soon."

"You made out with me on top of the club."

"Truuuue."

"Come on Rae," he said, pulling her close and running his hands along her sides and hips, slowly moving her toward the tree.

"We shouldn't..." she tried feebly, giving in because Beast Boy was starting to nibble and kiss on her neck. She moved her jaw to give him room.

"Oh, we should," he said as her back hit the birch.

ooo

"Let's check out the area," Robin said, pulling his helmet off his head and placing it on the back of the bike. Starfire removed hers as well but gripped the front of his shirt before he could walk off.

"Wait," she purred.

He raised an eyebrow. "Star?"

She tugged him back, his hips nestling between her legs as she stayed seated sideways on the bike.

"I have always wanted to conduct the making out on the Point of Inspiration," she murmured, pecking kisses along his jaw.

"Star," he whined. "We're technically on a mission now."

"I know," she sulked. "But it is the perfect opportunity, is it not?" she trailed her hands over his chest, squeezing him a little tighter as she wrapped her legs around his waist effectively trapping him.

Robin groaned. "You tease."

"Oh, it is only teasing if I do not plan on giving you anything," she hummed. "I plan on giving you anything you want."

"Baaaabe," he growled, letting her place his hand on her upper thigh.

"Please, do not tell my k'norfka," she said wide-eyed. "He would be most angry to find out I am up on the Point of Inspiration with you."

Robin chuckled. "Hope he isn't waiting with a shot gun when we get you home."

"He thinks you are the bad boy," she said coyly. "He thinks you are the bad influence on me."

Robin bit her bottom lip. "I corrupted you, huh?"

"Oh yes, you most certainly did," she giggled.

Starfire leaned her head back as Robin's hand slipped up her skirt.

"And this would be why I like the easy access," he quipped.

"Oooh," was all Starfire could respond.

"Jeez, you're all… how turned on are you? We only just started."

"I have been wanting you since the sushi place when you were talking about sex so candidly."

Robin made a noise deep in his throat and pushed his hand further. Starfire gripped his shoulders and attached her mouth to his. She pawed at him, sliding her hands under his shirt and he retaliated by doing the same with his free hand. His other hand was doing wonderful things with its thumb and fingers.

She started for the zipper on his jeans, fumbling over the expanded length inside them.

"Star Star Star," he said, pulling his lips away from hers. "We can't do this out here."

"Why not?" she pouted.

"We could be seen."

"But, who would see us? Anyone else up here would be engaged in similar activities, yes?"

"What if Beast Boy and Raven come back?"

"Oh, they will not be back," Starfire giggled.

"Raven is hardly the type."

"But Beast Boy is charming and persuasive. I am sure they will find a tree, since Raven seems to have a disdain for his ped of the mo."

"Well, besides. We don't have anything."

Starfire frowned, her hands slipping from the front of his pants. "Oh. If it helps, we would be safe right now."

Robin held in a sigh.

"You know how I feel about that."

"Yes, I do," she said, her tone changing.

"What's that about," Robin said sternly, slipping his hand out from under her skirt.

"It is frustrating that you are refusing me based on an excuse. This is one of those times when you could trust me and you do not."

"I do trust you. But people who are dating and not on birth control that want to be safe use condoms. That's the human way."

Starfire recoiled, a hand flicking up to her mouth.

"What? Starfire, what's the matter?"

"Nothing. We should patrol the area," she said, hopping down from the bike and pushing past him.

"Oh no you don't. Where are you going; you're upset."

"I am not upset," she glared at him. "Please, let us complete the scope of the area."

"Stop it. What did I say?"

"Nothing," she clipped. "Let us go."

"Staarr," he called after her.

She lit up a starbolt. "This area is secure," she declared. "Shall I fly above the trees for the aerial view while you run the ground route?"

"Starfire, stop it."

"Please, I merely am trying to conduct the patrol."

"You're pissing me off, is more like it."

She gave him a shrewd look and placed her hands on her hips. "Oh?"

"Yeah," he said angrily. "I'm trying to talk to you. Take it seriously."

"I am serious. I have been serious," she fumed, her eyes lighting up.

"What did I say that upset you?"

"Nothing."

"Stop it, Starfire! I'm trying to talk to you!"

"I have apologized for what I have done and I am most sincerely sorry, and I realize it is the matter of trust, but it hurts every time you disregard my attempts to win you back. I know I am the alien and I do not understand things of Earth but I do my best to fit in. I try my hardest Robin, but I do not know where to draw the line. I will never be the Earthling and I must reconcile that with myself, but it is hard to fit in to a place where I do not belong and I keep having that fact thrown back into my face!"

"Star…"

She huffed and crossed her arms, turning her back to him.

"Is that why you refused the mustard today? Because you think you don't fit in if you don't order soda like the rest of us?"

Starfire sniffed and didn't answer.

"You fit in like you're supposed to, Star. You're different in other ways and that's perfectly okay. You have a home here. You have friends who love you here."

"I know this."

"When I said I was going about the protection thing the human way, I wasn't throwing your method in your face. I mean, I wasn't trying to. Using condoms really is the way humans approach sex before they're ready to try for a baby, unless the woman is on birth control. I was trying to do it the right way by my culture. I'm sorry."

"You should not be sorry. It was I who broke your trust. Why should we not do things the human way?" she said flippantly.

Robin knit his eyebrows. "We tried things your way," he reminded her.

She spun around. "And I ruined it for us, yes?" she was spitting mad now.

Robin backed off. "Well…"

"Yes. I have ruined everything. My stupid alien ways cannot be trusted. I try everything I can to fit in here but it does not work, and yet trying to do things my way is completely foreign to you as well. I am left in the middle of the rock and the place that is hard."

"Star," he said, exasperated. "You fit in fine. If you want to be more alien, go ahead. No one is stopping you but you, really. It's your own sense of self-consciousness that's making you feel like you have to be human and follow our ways. You seem like you're unhappy either way, so I don't know how to help you."

"You do not understand how I feel. You do not understand at all," she accused.

"No, I don't. Only a little. I felt extremely out of place at IGP. So I get it, but certainly not to the extent that you do."

"Why do you not allow me to work for your trust?"

"I already do trust you, Starfire. I do. I was trying to do things my way, and I didn't realize how much it was hurting you in the process. I was scared, I got burned and so I was being overly cautious. Come here," he said, holding out his arms.

She kept her head down, looking up at him through her lashes.

He beckoned. "Come on."

She shuffled over and leaned her head against his shoulder, her arms still crossed. He enveloped her, kissing her on the head.

"I don't want you to be upset. I want you to be happy where you are."

"I know... I feel so lost. I do not know what I am anymore," she said tearfully.

"You're a displaced princess," he said. "And your home is with me."

She sniffled and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Do you want to be more Tamaranian? You know I'll try and accommodate you on anything you want."

"But that is the thing. I do not want… I feel… Tamaran is no longer my home. It never felt like it was. There are too many painful memories and while I enjoyed the traditions of my people, my father and my sister had taken away everything that was precious to me. It has 'soured' me, yes?"

"Yes."

"So I found you and I want to fit in, I really do. But something inside of me mourns the loss of my own culture, and yet another part of me feels like I am betraying my culture, and then the other part of me wishes I were human so I could be a normal girl for you."

"Star," he protested. "Don't you dare feel like you have to be anything for me. I fell in love with you because you were different."

"Truly?" she snuffed.

"Truly," he answered.

"Robin?"

"What?"

"I hate the condoms."

He laughed. "Okay."

"I only wish to use them if I am close to ovulating."

He hugged her tight. "Okay. You have to promise though, that you will absolutely tell me every time you are."

"I promise."

"Okay."

"Are you still opposed to having the sex out here?"

"You're still ready to go after all that?"

"It is the make up sex?"

He laughed again. "Yeah I guess. But what about the mess? Condoms would actually be more convenient out here."

"Hmm," she said. "You have the point."

"Can we make up make out and finish at the tower?" he murmured, backing her up to the bike.

"That would be permissible," she said, pulling on his shirt to rein him in for a kiss.

The kiss was broken by a scream, however. The two jerked apart.

"What was that?"

"It sounded frightened, yes?"

Robin spun around, trying to hear where the scream had originated. Starfire lit up her hands and lifted off the bike. She darted up into the sky.

"There!" she pointed. "Oh Robin, a large man is chasing a girl!"

"Come on, let's go!" he shouted, retrieving his belt and bo staff from a compartment on the bike. "Lead the way Star!"

She led him through the sky as he crashed through the undergrowth in between the trees.

A girl came into view, stumbling on a tree root as she kept looking fearfully behind her.

She scrambled to her feet and dashed toward Robin.

"Oh thank God! I thought I was going to die!" she wailed. Starfire descended from the trees and landed next to Robin and the distraught girl.

"Where's the guy that was chasing her?" Robin said, looking around.

"He disappeared," Starfire said apologetically. "I lost him amongst the trees."

"What happened to you?" Robin asked the girl.

"My stupid boyfriend and I were making out over there," she pointed through the trees, "when this freak jumped out of the bushes! He had a machete and he started waving it around at us and Devon flipped out and ditched me! He ditched me!"

Robin transferred the hysterical girl to Starfire and started peering through the woods.

"Did you get here by car?"

"Yeah, in Devon's car. Well it's actually his dad's car but Devon was allowed to have it for the night," she babbled, unnerved and clutching at Starfire. They came into the small clearing.

Devon was waiting at his (dad's) car.

"Oh, hey there you are babe! Glad to see you're not dead. Whoa, are those the Titans?"

The girl then proceeded to launch into a tirade and ripped Devon a new one. Robin and Starfire backed off, not wanting to get in the middle of the argument and faded back into the woods to hopefully find some clues about the mysterious stalker.

"Sooo glad I'm not him," Robin joked. "I'd hate to be in that car!"

"He was a chlorbag," Starfire said disdainfully. "He ran away and left her to fend for herself! He is the coward."

"Totally agree with you there," Robin said, nodding.

"You would never leave me to fend for myself," Starfire said, giving him a sweet smile and sliding her hand into his.

"Nope," he said, smiling back. They made a valiant search of the area but no one was hiding as far as they could see. Robin was about to call it when another scream echoed through the trees.

"Oh, X'hal," Starfire huffed. "What is out in the forest?" She let go of Robin's hand and zipped up through the tree canopy.

"Robin!"

"What?" he called up.

"There is a lake nearby! I can see people running along the waterfront!"

"Go, I'll catch up!"

Robin ran down the narrow path in the trees toward the lake. He stopped at a wooden sign just before the tree line. The painted words on it caught his eye.

"What the?"

It was old and worn, like it had been there for a very long time.

"Crystal Lake?"

"Robin!"

"No way," he said, running past it. "That can't be."

He burst through and ran down the beach to a couple sitting on the sand, clutching at each other and crying.

"She is hurt," Starfire said, inspecting the slash on the girl's arm.

Robin reached into one of the pouches on his belt and pulled out a roll of bandage.

"Here," he said. Starfire took it from him and deftly bandaged the girl's wound.

"Where did he go?"

"He has disappeared again," Starfire said, not looking up from her task. "The couple said he chased them from the woods and he had the machete and the mask of hockey. He managed to cut her before he ran away when I arrived."

"Hmm. Where's Raven and Beast Boy?" he said, pulling out his communicator. "We need help, we're gonna have to comb the woods for this nut job."

He directed the couple to find their car and go to the hospital, then paged Beast Boy's comm.

It was a moment before Beast Boy answered, only activating voice. Robin smirked and Starfire joined him with a grin.

"Dude, what?" Beast Boy said, a little breathless.

"That distress call up here wasn't a false alarm. I've had two couples chased by a suspect with a machete that's capable of doing damage; a girl was injured. I need you two to help out pronto."

There was a silence for a moment and then a huff. "Kaay. Um… sec."

Robin snorted and Starfire gave him an amused look.

"Remember how that used to be? Doing it whenever and wherever we got the chance?"

"You still try whenever and wherever you get the chance," she said slyly.

"I think you mean you do, pretty girl. You were the one trying to jump my bones out here."

"It is a pity we were the ones to answer the call first," Starfire sniffed, turning her nose up.

"We're heroes Star," Robin reminded her. "But that's what I thought," he added cheekily.

"Seriously, just… put your pants on. We gotta go."

"Don't get your panties in a knot, I'm trying."

"You're the one that wears panties Rae, and by the way, they're up there."

"It's not my fault someone was a little enthusiastic …wait…is your comm still on?"

"Yes, it is," Robin said.

There was silence on the other end as he and Starfire both snickered at each other.

"We'll be right there," Raven's voice cut in, and then it clicked as she shut the comm on their end.

"Well, that was amusing."

It was a couple of moments before Raven's soul self screeched in the air and she and Beast Boy ported through.

"Hey there. What took you so long?" Robin grinned teasingly at them.

"Shut up," Beast Boy scowled. Raven's cheeks were flushed and she wouldn't look them in the eye.

"Something's out there team. We have to catch this guy before anyone else gets hurt," Robin said, becoming all business.

"Did you see the Crystal Lake sign?" Beast Boy said. "That wasn't here before, and that's not even the lake's name! This is Sunset Lake! Someone made that sign and put it here."

"Yeah," Robin said, rubbing his chin and thinking. "Both couples reported that he was carrying a machete and this last couple said he had a hockey mask on."

"Hello, Jason Voorhees wannabe," Beast Boy said, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, I get that," Robin said, scowling. "It was pretty obvious. All the couples up here are easy targets. What's his motive though?"

"Maybe he died at the bottom of the lake and he's pissed that some chick beheaded his mom?"

"Really Beast Boy? Really?"

"Well! It's the plot of the movie! The first one anyway, there's like a bajillion of them."

"Try like twelve or so."

"It's almost as bad as those Land Before Time movies, I swear. Aren't they on like, number fifteen?"

"Boys," Raven cut in. "I'd love to movie review but there's a disturbance over there." She pointed.

"Should we do the splitting up?" Starfire asked uncertainly.

"Are you kidding?" Beast Boy exclaimed. "It's horror movie rule number one! If we split up we're all as good as dead."

"I highly doubt the idiot in the woods is going to get the drop on any of us, Beast Boy," Raven said. "We're all big kids, we can protect ourselves."

"Raven's right, we'd cover more ground. Unless you think you need backup, Beast Boy," Robin goaded.

"Oh whatever dude. I'm going to be the only one that survives."

"Nope, not you. It's always the final girl."

"What? I thought comic relief always survives," he joked. "Because we all know I'm the funny guy here."

Raven released a loud sigh. "No Beast Boy, we've been through this. Comic relief gets killed off first or somewhere in the middle to keep some semblance of humor through the narrative."

"So you're admitting I'm funny."

"I didn't say that."

"Guys-" Robin started.

Another shriek echoed through the trees and all the Titans jerked toward the sound. Raven and Starfire took to the air as the boys followed on foot.

"Quit looking up Star's skirt, Beast Boy!" Robin scolded.

"What?"

"I saw that!"

"I didn't mean to!"

"Bullshit!"

"Just wanted to see if she was wearing whatever she wore to the club," he teased.

Robin scowled and shoved Beast Boy off the path into the bushes.

"Not cool, dude!" Beast Boy shouted after him.

"Then quit ogling my girl!"

"Can't help it, you were looking too!"

"Starfire is my girlfriend; I'm allowed to look, doofus!"

"Raven never wears skirts, it's not fair," Beast Boy whined.

"Not my problem," Robin said as he skidded to a stop at an intersecting path.

"We have lost him," Starfire called down.

"What the hell," Robin swore. "Beast Boy, you take that path. I'll go this way. Girls, scout from the air. I want to find this creep and shut him down, now."

"Catch ya on the flip side," Beast Boy said, turning into a bloodhound and lumbering down his path, nose snuffling along the ground.

Starfire found the couple first, another running from the Jason figure in the woods. The girl was tying her scarf around her boyfriend's thigh which had received a pretty nasty slash.

"Robin," Starfire said into her comm, helping the pair into their car. "I found another couple, the boy was injured on his leg."

"Something's strange here."

"Yes, I feel these injuries are not intended to kill, merely to maim, for the fun?"

"I agree. It's like someone wants to play Voorhees but doesn't want to actually murder."

"That is the blessing from our standpoint, yes?"

"Definitely. Still, we gotta find this guy."

"I am on it," Starfire said, taking to the air again. She scanned around and when she spotted movement in the trees she dipped down, hands lit and on alert.

Instead of finding her target she startled another pair of amorous teenagers.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, looking away with a blush as the two scrambled for their pants. "My apologies but it is not safe here tonight. There is the creep who is pretending to be the Jason Voorhees and he is attacking the couples that are in the woods. Please, you should find somewhere safer to do… that."

The two scampered out of the underbrush, thanking Starfire for her warning with flaming faces.

She would have to be more careful with her approach. A tree branch cracked and she whipped around, starbolts at the ready.

"Who is there?" she called, eyes narrowed. She wrinkled her nose. Something smelled like b.o. and stale nacho cheese. She heard the soft woosh of air and spun just in time to miss being sliced in the back.

She shouted in surprised and cast a volley of starbolts at her foe.

Her comm blipped in her pocket, no doubt Robin had heard her cry and wanted to know what was wrong but she didn't have time to answer.

Her opponent ducked into the bushes and she got her first glancing look at him. He was squat and bulky, huffing from the exertion of dodging her projectiles. He indeed had the Jason hockey mask on and a large machete which he was now using to cut himself a path through the growth. Apparently he was quite the coward when faced with true opposition. She zipped after him easily just as Beast Boy came from the other side, loping through the trees as a deer. He changed into a gorilla with a menacing growl and the wannabe stumbled and fell backward. Robin and Raven arrived from opposite sides and the poser was trapped. Starfire reached him first, he swung around and waved his machete threateningly at her, grunting and huffing. She caught his hand, pulled the weapon from his grasp and bent the blade in half.

The resulting familiar wail "Jason" let loose made all of them groan.

Starfire waved her hand in front of her nose, trying to dispel the unique scent of uber geek.

"Oh God, really?" Robin said, rolling his eyes.

"What have you done? Nooooooooooooooooo!"

Starfire dropped the machete with delicate fingers and a grimace.

"That was a limited edition movie prop replica! You owe me nine hundred dollars!"

"You spent nine hundred dollars on that?" Beast Boy laughed.

"Shut up! I just got it and this stupid bitch ruined it!"

"Dude you so got scammed. And don't call Starfire a stupid bitch," Beast Boy said, his voice hard at the end. "She is neither of those things."

"Whatever, she owes me a new one, if you can even find them! They're going for fifteen hundred on eBay!"

"Don't worry Control Freak, they don't let you keep replica machetes in jail," Robin cut in.

"I didn't kill nobody," he said defensively. "I just wanted to have a little fun and those stupid kids were sitting ducks."

"You cut two of them, they have to go to the hospital. They didn't deserve that."

"Death by sex, dude."

"You know your tropes, good for you," Robin said sarcastically. "It still doesn't justify what you did by any means. The cops are on their way right now."

"I don't even care," he muttered, picking up his precious mangled machete and cradling it. He glared at Starfire again. "You could've hit me or do anything other than destroying my replica."

"I am most sorry?" Starfire said, genuinely feeling contrite.

"You don't have to apologize to him Star!" Robin said, exasperated.

"I don't accept anyway!" Control Freak snarked.

"Raven, can you shut him up please?" Robin said.

"With pleasure." She cast a band over Control Freak's mouth and pulled his hands behind him for good measure.

"Can you put him in a bubble? He smells like 'I play World of Warcraft for twenty four hours a day eight days a week."

Raven snorted and placed a bubble shield around him. The four plus their captive started toward the edge of the woods to meet the police. The flashing lights were just coming up the hill.

"Well guys, I guess that's it for the night huh?" Robin said as JCP loaded Control Freak into their special wagon to contain him.

"It was still a lovely night," Starfire said.

"It was a train wreck," Raven countered, crossing her arms.

"Well I had fun," Beast Boy interjected.

"Because Control Freak out-nerded you again?"

"No, because I thought it was awesome when your panties landed in the tree branch."

"Beast Boy!" Raven hissed.

"Save it Raven, we know you're really a hippie," Robin teased.

She scowled. "Apparently pick on Beast Boy day was replaced with pick on Raven day."

"It's always pick on Beast Boy day. It's just fun to tease you too."

"Can we go home now?" she whined.

"Why? Wanna finish what you started up against the tree?" Robin grinned.

"Well I certainly do not blame her. I would like to finish what we started on the R-Cycle," Starfire cut in.

"Ooooooh, looks like someone was getting' his own action in the woods, huh Robin?" Beast Boy laughed.

"All right, fine. Let's go home guys."

"We should toss our keys into a hat and go home with whoever's key we get," Beast Boy said suggestively, raising his eyebrows up and down.

"That doesn't work, remember? Last time you picked my keys," Robin joked.

Beast Boy grimaced. "It was worth it cause that meant Raven got Star's."

"Point taken."

"This did not ever happen that I recall," Starfire said, tilting her head.

"They're idiots," Raven said. "Come on, you can drive the R-Cycle right? Let's drive home together, those two can share the banana seat."

"Oh! That sounds like fun!" Starfire clapped.

"I am not riding on a mo-ped," Robin said resolutely. "And Star is not driving the R-Cycle."

"You do not think I can drive the R-Cycle?" Starfire said.

"Um... I'm sure you can. But it's my ride and you're not touching it."

Starfire huffed. "I could drive it perfectly fine. You showed me how."

"I did, in case of an emergency. This is not an emergency."

"Fine. Raven and I will not drive home together. But then you will not witness her putting her arms around me and pressing to me tightly to hang on while we-"

"Oh dude, that might so be worth the banana seat to see that," Beast Boy said.

"Nothing is worth a banana seat, Beast Boy," Robin said blandly. "Not even hot girl on girl."

"My hands might accidentally slip," Raven said casually, inspecting her nails.

"Get the mo-ped," Robin said. "Go! Hurry!"

"I'm going dude, I'm going!"

Raven smirked at Starfire. "It's so easy it's almost not fun."

"I think it is fun," she giggled. "We can manipulate them so well."

"No you can't," Robin said, crossing his arms. "I'm not actually riding with Beast Boy."

"No?" Starfire said, sauntering up to him seductively. She held him with flirty eyes and slipped her hand into his pants, purposely brushing against him. He sucked in a breath and almost fell backward as she took the keys from his pocket.

She twirled them around her index finger.

"See you back at the tower," she said, linking arms with Raven and winking at him.

Starfire put on a helmet and Raven put on the second one. They got onto the R-Cycle and Starfire revved it before motoring down the path.

Robin stood with his mouth gaping as Beast Boy putted up on the B-ped.

"Dude! Where'd they go?"

"They're gone."

"Whuuut. You let them go? I didn't get to see them! I have to share a banana seat with you now for nothing?"

"You can fly, I'll take the stupid mo-ped."

"No way dude, I'm not letting you drive the B-ped. How could you let them drive away before I got back!"

"Starfire did this... she... um..."

"She seduced you, didn't she," Beast Boy said, exasperated.

"Uh huh."

"Here. Goggles. You're gonna want them. Oh and the B-ped doesn't have a shield like the R-Cycle does, so you're gonna wanna keep your mouth shut."

Robin scowled and looked at the goggles disdainfully. "I've made a huge mistake."

They could still hear the R-Cycle's motor in the distance.

"How fast can this thing go? Could we still catch them?"

Beast Boy rubbed his hands together. "I'm sittin' on four and a half horses right here, my friend."

Robin raised an eyebrow and sighed. "...Four and a half? That's it?"

"Hey! It's a mo-ped, not a fancy schmancy custom built motorcycle, cut it some slack."

"Sorry. We're never going to catch them."

"Get on. I'll fly us."

"Right," Robin muttered, putting his goggles and helmet on. He slung his leg over the seat as Beast Boy turned into a pterodactyl and grabbed the mo-ped's handlebars.

He cawed at Robin and lifted off.

The girls were visible through the trees as Beast Boy flew higher.

"Set us down in front of them," Robin called. "We'll intercept them that way."

Beast Boy squawked in response and passed the girls' position on the ground. He set them down in an alcove and Robin started up the mo-ped, Beast Boy ushering him aside.

"Really? You're going to make me sit behind you?" Robin said distastefully.

"It's my ride, you're not touching it," Beast Boy quoted.

"Didn't work on Starfire, why should it work on me too?" Robin shot back.

"Dude, either get on or walk home."

"Fine," Robin grumbled. They could hear the girls approaching.

Beast Boy putted up the B-ped and pulled out into the path.

Starfire and Raven were coming fast. They giggled and waved, then Starfire veered toward a fallen log.

"What's she doing?" Robin panicked.

Starfire used the log to pop a wheelie and launch the R-Cycle over the boys. She stuck the landing and kept on zooming down the road.

"Not a scratch, you hear me!" Robin shouted after her, waving his fist. "Go, go!"

Beast Boy started up and went after them. "Dude, that was totally one of your moves! How did she do that?"

"She picks things up quickly. We're not going fast enough!" Robin hollered into Beast Boy's ear.

"Just wait, I'm saving the nitro!"

"You modded it to have nitro on this thing? Do it! They're too far ahead already- AAACCK! AWWW!"

"Bug?" Beast Boy called.

Robin continued coughing.

"Told you to keep your mouth shut."

ooo

Even the nitro boost couldn't save the boys' crushing defeat.

Starfire and Raven were waiting in the garage, giggling to themselves, the R-Cycle parked neatly in its spot.

Robin was still trying to cough up bug parts out of his lungs when Beast Boy pulled in.

"Oooh, look at Robin's hands around Beast Boy's waist," Starfire said teasingly. "Do you think his hands accidentally slipped?"

"By the huge blush on his face I'd say they did," Raven said.

"Dude, you said we were cool, and you wouldn't be obvious!" Beast Boy complained. "It never happened! That's what we said!"

"I'm sorry! There was that huge bump and there was nothing I could do!"

"A huge bump?" Raven said, a smirk on her face. "Is that referring to the road or to Beast Boy after Robin got a little too friendly?"

"Oh my God," Beast Boy said, clamping his hands over his ears. "They're never going to let us live this down."

"Ready to go upstairs, Raven?" Starfire said, offering her arm.

"Yes, I believe I am. Let's leave these two lovebirds at it."

Both boys scowled.

"Duuuuude! I told you double dating was nothing but trouble! I was supposed to get laid tonight!"

"Oh shut up! What was all that out in the woods?"

"We got interrupted!"

"It's not my fault Control Freak is a bigger nerd than you!"

"You didn't make the girls wait for me, not cool."

"Oh let it go already!"

They took the elevator up, squabbling the whole way. The girls were not in the common room.

"Well... guess it's good night then," Robin said, edging away.

"Yeah yeah. Go figure out if she's in your room or hers."

"I bet it's mine. At least you know Raven will be in hers, cause she doesn't touch your room with a ten foot pole."

"Very funny dude."

"Seriously, sometimes I worry that you'll get lost in one of the piles of junk and I'll have to arrange a search and rescue mission."

"Shut up!"

"I think the bottom layer could be carbon dated."

"Still not funny!"

"Go find Raven, get laid," Robin said, waving him off.

"Yeah same to you. Except, with Starfire I mean."

"Aww, here I thought you were giving me permission for a three-"

"Don't go there dude, I will totally kick your ass."

"You could try."

"Seriously, I'd kick your ass."

"Wanna bet?"

"Training room, right now, fifty dollars."

"You're on."

ooo

Starfire looked at the clock on her bedside stand. It had been at least fifteen minutes since she and Raven had gone to their rooms. It was unlike Robin to pass on the opportunity for easy sex, when he wasn't super tired or absorbed in work.

She frowned and pulled on her bathrobe, since she couldn't exactly saunter out in what she was currently wearing (which was nothing).

Raven met Starfire at the end of the hall. Apparently Beast Boy had been a no show as well, and that was even more surprising given how vocal he had been the entire night about spending it with Raven.

"Where are they?" Starfire asked.

Raven concentrated, then sighed and covered her face with her palm.

"They're in the training room."

"The training room?" Starfire asked.

"Yep."

The two headed down there and peeked through the door's window.

Beast Boy in the form of a tiger was chasing around a bounding Robin.

"Really," Raven said flatly.

"Robin is not wearing a shirt," Starfire breathed.

"Down girl. He's getting all sweaty."

Starfire crinkled her nose. "This certainly is not the way I imagined him getting the sweaty tonight."

Raven snorted.

Starfire grinned at her. "I was mostly hoping it would involve me, and not your boyfriend."

"Well I have better things to do than watch these two pinheads duke it out over their honor. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Have the good night, Raven!" Starfire called after her. She turned back to the sparring match.

"So sad he will not have enough energy after he is done in there," she murmured to herself ruefully. "Perhaps it is another bath of the bubbles night." She grinned to herself. "Rubber ducky, you are the one..."'

---

So I realized I haven't updated since August of last year. Yeeah sorry about that.

Guys, I realize you're not all jerkfaces. I'm glad you're out there being sweet to the girls in your life. I tend to write off my own experiences however, and I've certainly experienced guys not understanding. Starfire was being over sensitive and Robin was looking for a reaction cause he knew he'd get one. They worked it out though, so don't worry. Sometimes we all get a little snarky. I don't know a single girl who hasn't had the "boys, what are they good for?" conversation. Sorry, it's just the way it is =)

I still appreciate everyone who comes back a-knockin' when I post. I'm so glad you guys are out there and still interested in the Titans, it means I'm not alone! Really hoping the shorts they're airing on Cartoon Network will facilitate interest in a sixth season? That would be a dream come true. Then I could finally make myself finish season 5. I refuse to watch the last episode. I can't do it.

Next chapter: Yeah I honestly have no clue. We are going to circle back to Blackfire's trial through, because this story has to come to an end sometime.