Title: Before the Dawn

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Robin awoke with the prickling feeling that someone was watching him, which was especially unnerving given that the unclothed Tamaranean lying next to him was still fast asleep. There weren't cameras in their rooms for privacy reasons, and yet he couldn't shake the thought that someone had eyes on him. He thought about rousing the sleeping alien, but thought the better of it. He reached for his mask that had been discarded on the nightstand and quickly covered his eyes. He couldn't quite remember where his own clothes had ended up in the room as the haste with which they'd been removed had been distracting enough. Hoping he wouldn't have to fight a villain in his birthday suite, he wrapped a blanket that had been haphazardly kicked to the floor around his waist and moved to grab a new uniform from his closet.

He'd just barely gotten into the uniform when Batman stepped out of the shadows.

Oh shit. Now he wished it was a villain. This was so much worse.

"You know, you could just call." Robin snapped bitterly.

Batman moved his hand to silently point to Starfire still sleeping in Robin's bed. Robin had come to find that on nights she spent with him, she slept deeper and didn't wake as easily. It must have been some innate ability to sense an ally's presence, even in sleep. He didn't mind. Right now it would make things easier if she didn't wake up. She'd likely beat Batman to a pulp if she did.

"I'd say it's not what it looks like, but you've already drawn your own conclusions." Robin griped walking towards the door to his room with Batman in tow. It wouldn't do to have a conversation in his room since that only ensured at some point Starfire would wake up. And he could think of no worse introduction than that.

"Did you at least use protection?" Batman flatly asked.

"I'm not stupid Bruce, of course I did." Robin retorted. Batman had expressed his opinions on Starfire and Robin's relationship before there was even a relationship to comment on and frankly none of it had been very positive.

They wound up at the door to the tower's interrogation room and Robin wasn't sure he wanted to be interrogated in his own detainment facility. Either way, that's what seemed to be happening.

"You're losing control for a childish crush." Batman grumbled in disappointment taking a seat in the interrogator's spot.

"I actually love her."

Robin was surprised to hear the words that came out of his own mouth. It was the first time he'd admitted it to anyone aside from Starfire and while it felt weird freely stating it, it wasn't untrue.

"Love is weakness, Dick. She will end up being used against you."

"This isn't a decision I made lightly. Hell, it wasn't even a decision. It just happened." Robin defended with nostrils flaring.

"And you're still sneaking around because…?" Batman snidely commented.

"Because I was raised by you. She deserves better than being treated like some dirty little secret and yet, I keep hiding the relationship because of the bullshit you put into my head as a kid." Robin snapped irritably.

"That has to upset her."

A flat statement. He was trying to goad Robin into responding emotionally, but Robin knew better.

"She was the one to offer this arrangement. It's what she would have had to do on her home planet if she wanted to date before betrothal."

"What are you going to do when she returns to her people?" Batman edged trying to poke holes in the logic.

"She renounced her throne."

Robin could have given Batman the whole story, explained how Starfire's initial betrothal had been a terrible trick by a scornful older sibling. That that had also been the moment he started to realize that he was going to be hurt over losing her whether or not they dated. His emotional investment already too far progressed. He could have told Batman that she'd fought her sister to claim the crown for the good of her people and then left the monarchy entirely. But it was likely Batman wouldn't care. His opinions on the redhead were unchanging. Cursed stubborn old bat.

"For you? Won't she resent you for that someday?"

He was knowingly pushing buttons. Trying to see which trigger would finally break his protege, but Robin was strong in his resolve.

"You really don't know her. Starfire doesn't hold grudges." Robin said thinking of her forgiveness towards her sister after her sister's slew of betrayals which had been met with unwavering compassion and second chances. Hell, Robin himself had done enough messing up and the girl still held the same high opinion of him she had the day he'd helped rescue her. It was remarkable really that one being who'd been through so much anguish could still see everything so positively. But he had to admit that's one of the things that drew him to her. Where he saw the darkness, she saw the stars, and when there were no stars to see, she'd create the light herself. Creatures are drawn to light and Starfire was just that; light incarnate.

"Perhaps I should meet her then. Bring her here." Batman directed.

"No."

This was the flat, sharp response Batman had been trying to coax out of the teen and yet what followed would not be what he wanted.

"Dick, either you bring her here or I will walk in and interrogate her while she's still naked in your bedroom." Batman scolded.

"No. She deserves a better introduction; not just a 'you showed up because you felt like I was being irresponsible'. I actually care about her and I don't need you playing your mind games with her. I'm sure Green Lantern's given you all the information you wanted to know about her. I'm being safe. Now leave." Robin spat irritably.

Batman glared at Robin, but headed out into the early morning just the same.

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Really short, but it's something.

Review if you'd like.

-FWFT