Aside #1: Painting the town red...

Robin squinted at the computer screen in his room as he took another sip of his coffee. Having just woken up an hour before to get ready to take over for Beast Boy on patrol duty around the West Jump City Institute for Education, he was still slightly groggy. He'd never admit it to anyone, but his scuffle with Jinx had taken more out of him then he had let on. His jaw still hurt from that roundhouse kick...

Just as he was closing the window of the news website he visited to get his current events, his bedroom door opened and Beast Boy strolled in casually. Robin arched an eyebrow, "Shouldn't you still be out on patrol?"

"Cyborg went on over to take over for us." Beast Boy picked up a bird-a-rang and flipped it's razor sharp edges open. One cut his finger and he dropped the deadly instrument with a yelp of pain.

Robin's other eyebrow joined his first one near the top of his hairline, "Shouldn't Cyborg be getting ready to patrol the city with Star?"

"Nope. I'm taking over the city patrol tonight for him and Star."

"What?" Robin looked confused, "So wait..." he rubbed his eyes with an exasperated sigh, "You just spent the last twelve hours patrolling around WJCIE, and now you're going to spend the next ten hours patrolling the city, get two hours of sleep, and be good to spend another twelve hours watching Raven's back?"

"Yep." Beast Boy nodded as he stuck his slightly bleeding finger in his mouth.

The Boy Wonder sighed again, "Okay, I know I'm going to regret asking this question, but... why?"

"Because you, my spandex clad chum, are going to take a certain red haired alien girl out on the town tonight, and treat her like the princess she is."

"Beast Boy, we can't shirk our responsibilities to the city just so I can take Star on a date that you, for some unknown reason, insist has to take place tonight." Robin stood up, "Get to bed, man. I'll reissue orders to Cybrog and get Star started on her patrol."

"Nothin doin Wonder Boy." Beast Boy placed himself in the doorway, "You're taking Star out tonight. I'm to make sure it happens on pain of death."

"Who's going to kill you if I don't?" Robin folded his arms over his chest.

"Raven. And Jinx will probably help her."

The raven haired Teen Wonder smirked, "They found out about you peeking in on them changing, didn't they?"

Beast Boy was frozen in place for a moment, then nodded miserably, "Yeah."

"So they ordered you to make me take Star out?" Robin was getting confused again.

"Jinx did. Said she'd tell Raven if I didn't do it."

"Why the hell did she tell you to do that?"

Beast Boy rolled his eyes. Contrary to all outward appearances, he wasn't as stupid as he looked or acted, "Probably because she knew that if you weren't watching the place, then Cy would be, and she wants to jump his titanium exoskeleton bones."

"The fuck?" Robin arched his eyebrow again, "Since when is she lusting after Vic?"

"Since the HIVE infiltration, dude! Don't you pay attention to anything other than reports of criminal activity?"

"Not really." Robin shrugged.

"Well, let me inform you of another fact you seem to have overlooked," Beast Boy walked up to him and leaned in until their noses were almost touching, "Kori is head over heals for you, Wonder Boy, and she'll be the happiest person on the planet, Tameranian, Human, or otherwise, when you go ask her out tonight." he poked Robin in the chest, "So change into something nice, and go be all romantic and stuff. If not for my continued existence with my balls still attached to me, then for her sake, you oblivious dolt."

"Did you just call me a dolt?"

"Which I think speaks for just how seriously right I am in this situation. Don't worry about Jump for the night, Robbie. I can handled it." Beast Boy stepped back and did some mock muscle flexing, "I'm a big super-teen now. I change into my own animals and everything." he became a dog, then a cat. Jumping onto the table in the middle of the room, he became himself again, "I'm even house trained!"

Robin tossed the idea around in his head for a moment. Would it really hurt anything? Crime had been slow lately, and Beast Boy was an accomplished crime fighter in his own right. He'd taken down plenty of bad guys by himself, and he had a rather powerful Man-Beast form to fall back on if things got bad. Besides, he and Starfire would both have their com units with them...

"Alright, your balls stay in place this time, Gar."

"Yes!" Beast Boy did a little dance on the table, then jumped down, "You go tell Star, I'll pick out an outfit. You do have normal clothes right?"

Robin rolled his eyes, "That closet." he indicated the walk in that was across the room from the closet he kept his uniforms in. Beast Boy ran over and threw the door wide, "Don't be too long! I have to start patrol in like, a half hour!"

Robin just shook his head and walked out of his room with a half smile and a sigh.

Robin stared at her door, suddenly nervous. He felt like he should have brought her flowers or something. With a mental shrug, he bolstered his courage and knocked.

The door slid open a moment later, and Star stared at him with a pleasantly surprised look on her face, "Robin! I did not expect to see you before you left!" her face suddenly became slightly less happy, "We have not seen each other very much at all since you started patrolling around the school."

"Yeah..." It never stopped astounding him how she could always look so effortlessly beautiful, "Well, I'm here to fix that little over sight on my part. Beast Boy volunteered to take over the city patrol for you and Cyborg, and Cy's already taken my position at the school, so we're both free tonight." he swallowed hard, then pressed on as he smiled nervously at her surprised look, "I was thinking we could go out, you know? Paint the town red."

Star's eyes grew wide, "But... would that not be vandalism?"

There was a beat of silence, then Robin burst out laughing, "Oh, gawd, Kori... You're too damn cute for your own good... No, no... that's just Earth slang. Paint the town red means to go out and party all night."

"Oh!" she slapped her hands over her mouth, "You wish to... take me out on a date?"

"Yeah." he relaxed a little, and smiled at her, "What do you say?"

"Oh, Richard! Yes! Of course! I'd love to go out with you!"

"Great." he smiled even wider, less nervous now that the asking and the accepting was over with, "Why don't you change into something... um... casual? Not your uniform. Just... jeans and whatever. We'll be taking my bike."

"Yes! How long do I have?"

"Take your time." he nodded at her, "I'll change and come back to see how you're doing."

"Very well." she nodded back and smiled, "I am very excited! I will change quickly so we may get underway!"

"Great." he said again, and with a grin and a wave, walked back down the hall to see what Beast Boy has picked out for him to wear.

"Dude, you have some really nice threads..." Beast Boy was inspecting Robin's vast collection of Armani suits and designer jeans.

"Yeah. Comes with the turf." He sighed and mumbled, "Damn you Alfred. Couldn't you just send me clothes from The Gap or something?"

"Who the hell is Alfred?"

"Just an old gentlemen's gentleman I know."

"What?"

"Just tell me what you've picked out, Gar. And it better not be too formal. Jeans and a nice shirt sounds good."

"You're in luck." Beast Boy tossed a pair of jeans at him (not too loose, but not too tight either. Robin thought they made his butt look good) and a gray button down short sleeved shirt. Robin inspected them for a moment, then nodded, "Thanks."

"Not a problem. The shirt should bring out your eyes."

"How do you know what color my eyes are? And what makes you think I'll be taking off my mask?"

Beast Boy rolled his eyes, "Raven told me, and I really think you should. Kori will appreciate it."

"How the hell did Raven know?"

"She's psychic? I don't know, she just told me they were blue."

Robin sighed, knowing Beast Boy was right, "When did you become so grown up? Like you're thinking about things before you say or do them..." he peeled off his mask and tucked it into the pocket of the jeans, just in case.

"When the threat of ball removal was levied against me." Beast Boy replied with a grin, "You'd be surprised what it does for your clarity of mind."

Robin knocked on Starfire's door again ten minutes later. He had dressed, washed his face, put on some cologne, and given Beast Boy last minute instructions. With no more excuses left to stall himself with, he had had no choice but to come pick up Star.

"Kori?" he called after there was no answer for a few moments, "Are you ready?"

The door opened with a swish and there she stood, beaming at him. He noticed not for the first time how she was almost two inches taller than he was, but this time, he really didn't care. Anyone looking as beautiful as she did now could be two feet taller than him and he'd still love her instantly.

Starfire was wearing tight blue jeans tucked down over stylish black boots, with a pattern of purple flame embroidered along one leg. Her top was a sleeveless, pale violet shirt, accented by the lack of her usual neck piece. Instead, she wore a simple pendent that sported a green jewel in a silver casing. Her armband remained in place, and she carried with her a simple brown leather purse.

"I am ready to commence the application of red pigments throughout the city, Robin!" she looked at him, staring at her with wide eyes, his mouth slightly agape, "Is there something the matter with the way I am dressed?" she glanced down at herself in a self-conscious manner, "I tried my best to wear something that was 'casual' and yet trendy..."

"No!" he choked out, "No, Star, you look... wow."

Starfire was pleased with his level of articulation, "I take it that you approve very much then?"

"Uh huh." he nodded dumbly and looked up at her eyes, "You're beautiful, Kori."

She gasped, "Robin! Your mask..." slowly, she reached out and touched his face where his mask usually sat, and ran her fingers along under his eyes. He tensed slightly at the intimacy of the physical contact, but gradually eased back into a relaxed posture. She was staring at his eyes with a mix of wonder and reverence, "Like the summer sky..." she murmured, and he smiled.

"And yours are like emeralds cut from the worlds most pure vein." he took her hands, "Let's go, Kori."

She snapped out of her funk and blushed lightly, "Yes." she nodded and wrapped her fingers in his as they walked towards the elevator.

Speeding down the land bridge that connected Titans Tower to the main land, Robin spoke into the built-in com device in his helmet, "Anything you really want to do, Kori?"

Star responded through the com in her helmet as well, "Should we not partake of a classic Earth date? What is it that Cyborg said... 'the works'? 'Dinner and a movie, and like so.'"

"Um..." Robin blushed and ducked his head a bit more, feeling her arms around his waist a bit more acutely now, "Maybe we should forget about the 'and like so' part for now."

"What did friend Cyborg mean by that turn of phrase?" she sounded so curious.

"I think he meant it to mean... um... sharing relations." Robin came to the end of the bridge and hit a hard right to head to the East side, where he knew of a good restaurant.

"I do not understand."

"Well... how do I put this? It means... to... well, when a man and a woman love each other, they can... well, I guess it doesn't have to be just a man and a woman. It could be two men, or two woman, or three-"

"Are you referring to sex?" Star asked him, a grin evident in her voice.

Robin swerved so hard he almost wiped out.

"Kori!" he spluttered, "Where did you learn about that?"

Her voice was slightly cold as it came through the com link, "On Tameran. When I was ten years old."

"... Oh."

"There are some practices that are universal to all warm blooded life forms, Robin. Sex is not nearly as taboo a subject on my planet as it is on this one. For instance, what is this ridiculous notion that your children have of a long legged bird bringing babies to new parents?"

Robin had to laugh at that, "Okay, Kori, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have assumed you didn't know."

"Just remember that I am just as old as you are, Robin. I may not know much about your world, but you know just as little about mine."

"That's true. Why don't you tell me about it when we get to the restaurant?"

"I would be very pleased to." she sounded happy.

"And we can go ahead and skip the 'and like so' if you want."

"If I want?" he blushed at the playfulness in her voice. She squeezed him once, "We will see, Boy Wonder."

Robin was suddenly glad for his helmet, as it hid his bright red face.

With the bike parked and their helmets secured, the two Titans walked the length of the parking lot to the entrance of an up-scale looking restaurant called Le Fleur. Starfire looked around with a broad grin on her face, taking in all the new sights with glee.

"This is a wonderful place, Robin! It looks... expensive."

He laughed, "You've always been a fast learner. Yeah, this is going to cost a bit more than pizza and soda." pausing for a moment, he considered something, then stopped her while they were still in the parking lot and relatively private, "Kori... while we're here... well, while I'm not wearing my mask... you shouldn't call me Robin."

"What am I to call you then?" she smiled.

"Um... my real name... it's..." he looked down, frowning.

Star reached out and touched his arm, "I understand if... you do not want to tell me." he didn't miss the disappointment in her voice, or the slight frown on her face.

"No." he said looking up and catching her eyes, "No, you should know. It's Richard." he sighed and smiled a little, "Richard Grayson."

Star smiled back at him and pulled him into a hug, "Your trust will not be betrayed, Richard."

"Thank you." he muttered into her shoulder.

"It is a strong name. Was it... your father's?"

"Heh... no. His was John."

"Oh." her stomach growled loudly, and they pulled apart, laughing.

"Onward then, Koriand'r."

"Indeed, Richard."

"Sir, I don't think you're quite understanding me-"

Robin rolled his eyes, "Does this place have a black tie policy?" he asked the host who had been arguing with him for the past several minutes about the casual dress he and Starfire were wearing.

"Well, no... but Sir-"

"And is my money no good here?"

"No Sir, but-"

"And is this building leased to the restaurant by Wayne Reality?"

"How did you know that?" the host looked baffled.

"Because I'm Dick Grayson. Bruce Wayne is my benefactor, and close personal friend. I own more stock in Wayne Enterprises than I'd really like to admit, and whenever Bruce retires, I'll own this building as well."

The host stared at him for a moment, his mouth slightly agape, then turned quickly and picked up some menus, "Right this way, Sir."

"Thank you." Robin smiled over at Starfire, who was staring back at him with wide eyes. After they were seated, she leaned near him and whispered, "You are... wealthy?"

"Well, Bruce took me in after my parents died. I have a line of credit he's given me to do whatever I want with, and I've used it fairly well. Technically, I'll take over his job as President and principal shareholder of Wayne Enterprises, so that makes me a fairly influential person."

"I... never would have guessed! You are so humble and... I do not know how to describe it." she seemed in awe of him, "Most of the wealthy people I have known... and you meet many wealthy people when you are the Princess of a whole planet... have been arrogant and mean spirited. You are so... good."

"Well thanks." he smiled at her, "It probably comes from being raised in a circus, then becoming Robin a half a year later."

Her eyes lit up, "What is a circus?"

"Tell you what; after dinner, I'll show you." he smiled wider.

"Oh, I can not wait! Such a whimsical sounding name... it must be a magical place!"

"Oh, it's pretty unbelievable sometimes..." he picked up his menu, "Now let's see if I can remember any of my French..."

Robin and Starfire were laughing and talking when his communicator started bleeping at 20:00 hours exactly. They both paused in their laughter as he pulled it out and flipped it open.

"Raven, report." he said.

There was a pause, "You're not wearing your mask." Raven sounded surprised. From somewhere nearby, Robin and Starfire heard a crash, and then a brief struggle. Jinx's voice came through.

"Lemme see! What color are his eyes? You know don't you? Oh, you've been holding out on me, Rea! Don't make me... gra!"

The two diners exchanged glances before Robin looked down to see Raven's face on the screen again, "Sorry about that. She's been acting weird all day."

"Well, tell her to stop it. You two are supposed to be normal, remember?"

"I know. We're blending in just fine." Raven's eyes glowed black momentarily, and they heard Jinx let out a muffled shout.

"What are you doing to her?" Robin asked with an arched eyebrow.

"I'm holding her down with a pillow." Raven said it with a straight face, and no emotion showing at all, "I have a job for you."

"What's that?"

"I need you to run a background check on Rose Wilson. She just transferred in today, and something seems... off about her."

Robin had learned long ago to trust Raven's feelings on such matters, "I'll look into it. Everything else going okay?"

"Yes. Why aren't you wearing your mask?"

"I'm... uh... out on a date."

"With Kori?"

"Yes, with Kori."

"Wow. I'm impressed." she looked like she was, "I never would have thought you'd grow the balls to ask her out."

"Thanks, Raven. Really." Robin rolled his eyes as Starfire giggled.

"Well, you kids have fun. I have math homework to get done." she looked grumpy, "Raven out."

Robin snapped the com unit shut as the line went dead, and shrugged. Looking back up at Star, he found her grinning, "What?"

"I am glad you grew the balls necessary to ask me out, Richard."

Robin blushed again, and sank down in his seat. Raising one finger in the direction of their waiter, he called out, "Check please!"

An hour later, Starfire was gazing about in awe once again, "This place... it is like the carnival we attended on the pier, correct?"

"Something like that." Robin waved his arm in a broad gesture, "It has a midway like the pier did, and a few rides, but the main attraction here is the show."

"What show?" Star cocked her head to the side and looked at him quizzically.

"The greatest show on Earth!" he gave a little laugh, "We're really lucky actually. A circus travels all over the country, only stopping in one city for a week or so. We lucked out that this particular circus just happens to be Haly's Circus... the one I grew up in."

Star gasped and grinned even broader, "Truly? So this is the place... but..." he face fell, "You said earlier... that your parents..."

"Died. Yeah." he smiled, "Don't worry about it, Kori. Bruce took me in, Batman trained me to be who I am... I've made my peace with my parents death."

"I am still sorry. This must be... painful for you."

"Not really." he closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, "I was born with sawdust under my feet. My first word was 'rube.' This is home, Kori. My roots."

"So... it is like the time I returned to Tamaran. A homecoming."

"Exactly. Now let's head over to the big top, and-"

"Dick?" an old, gravely voice from behind them shouted, "Is that little Dicky Grayson?"

They turned to see who was calling him, Star with a confused look on her face, and Robin with a wide grin, "Hey Pop! How've you been?"

"It is you!" the owner of Haly's Circus, Mr. 'Pop' Haly, waded through a crowd of clowns and jugglers and wrapped a rough one armed hug around Robin's shoulders. The younger man returned it with enthusiasm.

"How've you been, old man?"

"Just fine! Show's doing good again for once! My lord, Dick! I haven't see you since you were knee high to Jespo the Tiny!" he motioned to one of the midget clowns, "How're you doing these days, lad?"

"Well, I've just started collage out here... met a nice girl, decided to come see home... perfect fist date since I know I can get killer seats!"

"Seats?" Pop elbowed him a little, "Sure you don't want to get back up on the trapeze?"

"Yeah, pretty sure, Pop. This is Kori." he reached out and grabber her hand, pulling her over, "Kori, this is Pop Haly. He's basically my grandfather."

"I am very pleased to meet you sir!" Starfire smiled at him and shook his hand.

"Well, well, Dick... you've snagged yourself quite the looker!"

Star blinked, but Dick came to her rescue, "She certainly is gorgeous isn't she? I wonder what she's doing with me sometimes."

Star caught on and smiled once again, "Oh, I believe it is your sense of humor. Definitely not your roguish good looks..."

He grinned at her, and she smiled back. Pop glanced back and forth between them for a moment, then smiled himself, "Well, if it's seats you want, then it's seats you get! Ring side! Best in the house!"

"Thanks Pop!" Robin slapped him on the shoulder, "Now come on! It's been forever since you bought me a corn dog and a funnel cake!"

Starfire gasped again as the lion tamer barely avoided a claw swipe. It was all Robin could do to keep her from flying out of her seat and beating back the jungle cat.

"It's a show, Kori!" he hissed in her ear, not wanting to ruin the moment for the children sitting just behind them, "It's all rehearsed and planned out exactly. The trainer isn't in any danger!"

"Oh..." she settled back, "I am sorry... it just looks... so dangerous."

"It is dangerous." he admitted, "Mistakes can be made, and accidents can happen. It's just as dangerous as any other high risk profession."

"Like jumping from a building without looking first?" she flashed him a grin.

"Kinda." He smiled back, then nodded to the center ring as Pop came back out and bellowed at the crowd.

"Tonight, ladies and gentleman, a special treat for all of you! Performing on the trapeze here and only here, the amazing Double Dare!" he motioned upwards with a sweeping gesture, and a spotlight suddenly swept up to show that two woman clad in skin tight yellow spandex were waving at the crowd from the platform on the upper part of the main tent pole. "These two lovely ladies work without a net, defying death at every swing!"

Starfire's eyes grew wide, and her face split into a huge grin. She turned to Robin to express her excitement, but was surprised to find that he wasn't there. Looking about frantically, she saw him ducking out of the tent flap by the exit.

"Excuse me." she said to the man sitting next to her and he moved his legs to let her past as Double Dare started their act.

"Richard?" Star asked as she walked up behind where he was leaning against a ticket booth outside the main tent, "Richard, are you well?" as she walked up behind him, his back shuddered, and she realized he was crying. With a gasp of concern, she wrapped her arms around him, "What is the matter, Richard?"

"My folks... Mom and Dad and I... we were the flying Graysons. We were an acrobat team, like those girls back in there." his voice hitched, and he stayed facing away from her, "They died doing their act... sabotaged by a ruthless crime lord in Gotham to punish the circus for not paying him money."

"But... they were murdered?"

"Yeah... Batman helped me catch the people responsible a long time ago, but seeing that... it just brought back a lot of painful memories. I'm sorry I made you miss it." He swiped at his eyes, then turned to face her, hugging her back, "I didn't mean to ruin the night, Kori."

She took in the sight of his red rimmed eyes, and his sad, watery smile, and her heart melted for him, "Richard... if I ever want to see the worlds best acrobat at work, all I have to do is watch you in action. Besides, I do not know how I feel about you oggoling young woman clad in nothing except those revealing body suits..." she sniffed once as he laughed, and smiled at him.

Half an hour later found them walking along the beach in the moonlight, their hands clasped together. Their shoes had been left back at Robin's bike, and their bare feet left foot prints in the moist sand.

Star sighed as she moved closer to him and put her head on his shoulder, "This is very romantic, Richard." her tone was light, and teasing.

"Shouldn't it be? I mean, you are a Princess and everything... you deserve the best."

"I have not been a Princess for some time. Or at least, I have not acted like one."

"You'll always be a Princess to me, Kori."

"That is very sweet of you. You will always be a hero to me, whether you are Richard Grayson, or Robin the Boy Wonder."

"Hmm." he nodded, "A hero."

"You do not think so?"

"Well, no, it's not that. You're a hero too, you know. It's just... I don't do what we do to be heroic and brave. I do it to help people, to keep them safe."

"Which is what makes you so noble and wonderful. It is what makes you a Knight."

"A Dark Knight." he chuckled, "That's what they call Batman back home."

"You are a different kind of Knight."

"Maybe. I learned everything I know from him... I can't be Robin forever, Kori. Someday, I'll have to give up the red and green."

"Batman is a human, like yourself, correct? So when he grows too old to be The Batman..."

"I don't know. I might take over for him... if I do, I'll have to move back to Gotham, give up the Titans..."

"But why?" Star sounded confused.

"It's part of the image. No one can know if the mantle of the Bat changes hands. He's a legend. An icon. People are more afraid of the threat of Batman than of having an actual encounter with him."

"I see. So that is why you have cultivated an image of intimidation and anger for the villans of Jump City."

"Exactly. Fear is a strong weapon when used right."

There was a lull in their conversation for several minutes, then she spoke again, "I do not think you are scary at all."

He laughed, "I would never want you to, Kori. I would never want you to."

"We had fun tonight, huh?" Robin asked her as he placed his helmet back on it's shelf next to where he parked his bike in the Tower's garage.

"We did. Dinner, and the circus, and the walk on the beach, and the ride home was so fast!" she giggled, "You should not drive through so many traffic signals!"

"Then they shouldn't make bikes that go as fast as mine does."

"They don't." she pointed out, "You modified it yourself."

"Well, they shouldn't make the parts I need to modify the bike then!" they both laughed as they stepped into the elevator that would take them to the residential level.

"Richard..." Starfire looked over at him as they stood next to each other, "Do you remember what we spoke of as we left the Tower tonight?"

"The 'and like so?'" he grinned, "I don't expect anything, Kori, don't worry."

She sighed in a frustrated sort of way, "You are far to noble for your own good, Richard." and with that she pinned him to the side of the elevator and kissed him firmly on the mouth. After a moment, he melted into her and they began to make out in earnest.

Three minutes later they were stumbling to a halt outside of Starfire's room, still kissing. Robin's shirt was halfway unbuttoned, and Star's shirt was pushed up, giving his hands access to the skin of her sides and back. She fumbled for the panel next to her door, and smacked it to make the door open. They tumbled inside and continued to kiss as they fell to the floor.

"Kori..." Robin gasped out, then kissed her again, working his way down her throat and to her neckline, "We... should stop..."

"I know..." she moaned, pulling up his shirt, "We are 'moving too fast' as Raven would say... we should... get to know one another better..."

"I feel like I've known you my whole life..."

"I as well feel that way..."

Robin finally sat up off of her, and forced himself with a supreme effort to scoot away a little ways, "We shouldn't." he said, still slightly breathless.

Star moaned in frustration and pounded the floor in a somewhat childish manner, "Why not?" she asked, sitting up, "Richard, we are... well..." she blushed, "I am..."

He looked at her seriously, then smiled in a warm sort of way, "I think I might love you too, Koriand'r."

Her eyes met his and she threw herself into his arms, "Oh, Richard! Then why do you not wish to... make love to me?"

"Because... we should take things slow. I know it's hard, but it's just our hormones telling us to go further. We need to master those feelings and try to establish a more serious relationship based on mutual trust and consideration before we take that next step."

"But we already trust one another, and I consider your feelings in all that I do!"

"Yeah, me too, Kori, but..." he ran a hand through his hair, "You're making it really hard to say no to this..."

"Then do not say no..." her hands rubbed his back, "Come share my bed Richard... please?"

"I... Kori..." he relaxed into her and brought her lips to his. After a moment he pulled away, "Let's go to bed."

She grinned and allowed him to scoop her up and carry her over to her bed.

Robin stepped into his room at half past three in the morning, having been kicked out of Starfire's room so that she could sleep in the next day without him waking her up at six so he could go train. He paused when he saw a shapely rear end leaned over his desk, wearing a short gray skirt, and black socks and shoes. The figure straightened up, and he saw a black haired Raven turn to regard him with an arched eyebrow. She held his TI-89 in her right hand.

"What-" he started but she held up a hand to silence him.

"You," she said in an even voice, "are an incorrigible bastard."

His face spilt into a grin and he whistled a merry tune as he walked over to his closet, "You're just jealous that you're not the one getting laid. Or is this about your boyfriend named Rob?"

"Don't make me turn you inside out Dick."

"You need to lighten up Rae."

"Don't even make me remind you of the consequences of me 'lightening up.'" she rolled her eyes, "I come back here because I need a graphing calculator for my math homework, and what do I find? You and Starfire broadcasting orgasmic, mid-coital emotions all over the Tower!" she scowled at him as he removed his shirt and tossed it into a hamper with his other dirty clothes, "When I return from this mission, you two had better have learned how to keep your disgusting thoughts quieter!"

"Sorry, Raven. You should know better than anyone that it's hard to control emotion sometimes." he shrugged, "You'll just have to learn to deal with it."

"It's not very considerate of your roommates to just be broadcasting that kind of shit, Dick."

"We knew that this would be a possibility when we formed the team, Rae. This many teenagers in one place? It was bound to happen." he shook his head, "We decided then that you wouldn't interfere."

"That was before I grew so attached to the lot of you! How was I supposed to know that I'd start caring for your well being?"
"I guess I don't see how you couldn't see that you would."

She opened her mouth to retort, but stopped before she could. Snapping her mouth shut, she glared at him, knowing he was right.

He shook his head again, "Go back to the school, Raven, and get some sleep! Staying up all night doing homework isn't good for you."

"Because you never stay up all night working..." her soul self gathered around her in a black swirl of energy, "This conversation isn't over. We'll talk more when I get back." and with that, she was gone.

Robin sighed and sat down on his bed, "Guess you can't please everyone all the time..." he grinned like an idiot, "But I'll gladly keep pissing you off on this one Rae."

Closing Note: Just thought you might like to know what went on durring Robin and Starfire's date. Kinda nifty, no?