Chapter 9

Robin gritted his teeth against the icy spray of the shower, lacking the energy to move away. He rested his head against the cold tiled wall as he waited for the water to heat up. As he lifted his arm to reposition the showerhead his muscles froze halfway through the motion, unable to lift anymore. He was thankful that it hadn't stuck in that position as he lowered it back to his side.

The past week had been relentless. Every morning Starfire had gotten them up at the crack of dawn. First was the stamina training. Since Beast Boy currently was not allowed to do it, Starfire would run companionably by his side pacing him as he made a ten-mile run around the city and he would silently curse Tamaranian stamina as he puffed and panted his way through. He wanted to gradually build up to a twenty-mile run. He would return and shower before being provided with a hearty breakfast, usually prepared by a still mending Beast Boy.

Cyborg would then arrive to complain about tofu and cart him off for weights training. That grueling training continued for several hours, each hour harder than the last, with Cyborg always grinning gleefully as he inflicted as much pain as possible. Robin was going to find a way to get his own back, somehow. When he was released he would shower, again and trudge off to the common room for lunch.

After lunch Raven commandeered the common room and ran both him and Starfire through a series of meditations designed to help them strengthen and control the a'tiyk valm. It was a strange gift the e'ara had bestowed upon them and they were still coming to terms with its full potential. At first it seemed there was nothing they could do but read each others thoughts and then all of a sudden they were unable to make it work. Raven believed it was still developing and as they gained more control over it, the better the gift seemed to become. He had to admit Raven's meditations did seem to be working. He found himself less and less projecting embarrassing thoughts or any thoughts for that matter and they had even started being able to actively communicate through the link. He hadn't involuntarily entered her dreams in the last week, but then he hadn't been able to willingly enter either.

He had, all bar a few larger items, moved completely into Starfire's bedroom and they had removed the round bed in favor of his. Any opportunity for teasing by Beast Boy and Cyborg had been lost when Starfire announced it was appropriate behavior for betrothed on her planet and they were not actually doing anything besides sleep in the same bed. He had considered asking Cyborg to extend their room into his old now vacant room and upgrade the bathroom, but decided that could wait until they returned from Tamaran.

He was allowed to flake out after meditations for an hour or two, before training with Starfire began. He usually spent this time locked in his office rushing through the copious amounts of paperwork that seemed to be piling up. Even with Cyborg and Raven helping him with the paperwork, the pile just seemed to be getting bigger.

Tamaranian soral training was both the best and the worst part of the day. It was the best because he got to spend some quality alone time with Starfire. It was the worst because that damn weapon was so heavy. He had barely been able to lift the damn thing the first time Cyborg had brought it in. He certainly wasn't as comfortable with it as he was with his bo staff. They had compromised, Robin spent a fair amount of time going through the Tamaranian stances and motions with a staff that had been modified to portray the balance of a soral, perfecting the turns and twists that would be required of him to defend himself. Starfire said this was only temporary until he had built up his strength.

The soral itself was a long Glaive like weapon, except that the end consisted of two wicked blades, a larger curved blade and one spear-like blade. He remembered seeing the guards on Tamaran wield them, but he never witnessed it being used in the way that was Starfire was training him. Mostly the guards had just poked the blades toward them ominously.

Robin did admit, there were times that he did get the stances deliberately wrong. Starfire would painstakingly reposition his body and he would revel in the wonderful feeling of her hands. She caught on pretty quick and now just whacked him with the butt of her soral when he was cheeky. Toward the end of the lesson, she would spar with him using the sorals and she would point out any flaws in his attacks. And she was still holding back her full strength from him. They were going to have to work on that.

If he was lucky, the Titan alarm would sound and he would get a reprieve from training for a short time.

Robin sighed as the water began to heat up. His muscles were knotted into a tapestry of pain. His bones screamed with every movement. He was beginning to resemble a human leopard from all the bruises caused by both weights and soral training. His mind was weary from Raven's meditations. And he still had four more weeks of this grueling pace to complete.

They were expecting a communication from Galfore tomorrow. They would know then if xhandal had been declared. He was half hoping that it had been, so all this training would not have been for nothing.

At least after dinner he was allowed to rest, after he had had yet another shower. The Titans gathered at night in the common room to eat, talk, watch videos and play games. He was planning to sprawl out on the sofa and watch the news before retiring tonight.

He was still worried about Starfire; she had not yet been seen to fly, although her other powers had not diminished. When there was a Titan alert she would either jump on his R-cycle with him or Raven would quietly supply a flying disc for her. Even though Beast Boy had not been to any alerts due to his healing leg, the changeling had noticed too and wisely remained silent. But Robin took comfort in the knowledge that all the Titans were watching her carefully, doing their best to keep her happy and waiting for her to fly.

Robin groaned in exhaustion as the hot water pounded on his back, doing little to relieve his aching muscles. He couldn't find the energy to lift his head from the now damp tiled wall. His knees were buckling beneath the strain of just standing. Robin grunted and slid down the shower wall to sit on the floor, resting his head on his knees, allowing the hot water to beat over his body.

Starfire's small bathroom filled with steam. The constant pounding of the water seemed to act like a lullaby and Robin felt himself drifting away. He was dimly aware of his name being called, but it seemed so far away.

He could not find the strength to respond when he recognized the soft touch of Starfire's mind tickle the edges of his. Nor could he rouse himself enough to open his eyes when what seemed like a just few seconds later the shower was shut off and he was lifted to his feet, hastily dried and placed on his stomach on the bed.

He jerked awake when he felt warm hands kneading the back of his thigh. Planting his hands he pushed off the bed and leapt away, his eyes wild. He attempted to drop into a fighting stance but his weary muscles froze halfway there. He let out a grunt as he toppled to the ground.

Starfire appeared over the edge of the bed above him, her hand covering her eyes, one hand tentatively groping around on the floor for him. With a yelp he realised why. His frenzied leap out of bed had dislodged the towel around his waist and sent it fluttering to the ground beside him.

"Starfire, what are you doing?" he yelped as he lunged for the towel and frantically covered himself up once more.

"Are you decent?" she asked, a small smile on her lips.

"Yes," he muttered, his cheeks burning.

"I was attempting to relieve your muscles with a massage," she replied as she uncovered her twinkling eyes. "I am quite versed in it and Tamaranian acupressure would not be suitable to use in your current condition. It will help relieve your pain. Would you have preferred I left you to sleep in the shower? You were in there a long time."

"You got me out of the shower?" he squeaked.

"Of course, Robin." Her smile slipped into a grin.

"But I'm naked," he squeaked again, his neck turning red.

"That did pose a problem," she replied. "Perhaps should I have requested Cyborg or Beast Boy's assistance in moving you?" She giggled, the sly minx actually giggled. "Would it ease your heart if I said I did not look?" He grunted at her and she held out her hand to him. "Come now, d'anthe l'ani, do not fret so. Get back on the bed and allow me to help you."

His heart leapt at the endearment; it was the first time she's used it since that day and he allowed her to pull him to his feet. She got off the bed and directed him to lie face down once more. She averted her eyes as he wrapped the towel around himself before he did as she bade and pillowed his head on the back of his hands.

"This may hurt," she said as she repositioned the towel across his backside and planting a small kiss on his shoulder. The bed bounced as she got back on beside him. "But I promise you will feel much better once I am finished."

He grunted as her deft fingers dug into his skin, gently manipulating the muscle and kneading out the knots. Her fingers were slick with some sweet smelling ointment that created a growing warmth under his skin. He groaned in pain as her fingers worked a particularly tight knot in his thigh before kneading their way down his calf.

He tiredly lifted his head from the crook of his arm and glanced down at her. Her brow was knitted in concentration and she was biting her bottom lip. Her hands were glowing the palest green and he suddenly realised how she was generating the heat underneath his skin. He watched as she dipped her fingers into a tub of blue gel before rubbing her hands together.

"What is that stuff?" he murmured quietly.

She glanced up at him and smiled. "It is the pulp of the cahan fruit. Combined with heat it makes a very effective muscle relaxant." She frowned. "I am using the least amount of energy required for star bolts. Please tell me if it is too painful."

"It's fine, Star… ugg," he grunted as she concentrated on another knot in his calf and his body tensed in pain. He clenched his teeth and buried his head back into his arm.

"Relax," she whispered as he felt the knot beginning to unravel.

She shuffled on the bed, moving around his body so she could concentrate on his other leg. He found the leg she had just finished was growing warm and heavy and there was little pain. She made endearing little grunts of annoyance ever time she found a hard knot in his muscle before her fingers worked to loosen it.

She finished his other leg and shifted on the bed, before he felt her straddle his bottom. She ran her fingers up his backbone before she placed her thumbs on either side and began to work on the muscles on his back. She stopped every now and then to reapply the ointment on his back before she massaged the ointment in. By the time she reached his shoulders and neck his whole body felt warm and heavy and relaxed. He was enveloped in a wave of drowsiness and slipped into sleep.

TTTTT

Robin woke slowly.

Sunlight filtered into the dim room through a small crack in the curtains. He yawned and stretched, his muscles feeling none of the tightness of the previous night. He saw Starfire lying beside him with her back to him, quietly playing with Silkie. He grinned and snagged her around her waist, pulling her toward him to snuggle against her.

She giggled slightly and wiggled in his arms.

He planted a kiss on her bare shoulder; one hand sneaking up the singlet she normally wore to bed to tickle her stomach. "Star, your positively amazing," he mumbled into her shoulder before he scooped her hair out of the way and left a wet trail of kisses up her neck. She giggled and shuddered against him in delight as he nibbled on her ear.

She curled her back against him, whimpering as he licked the spot below her ear. He attached his lips to her neck, savoring the taste of her, his hand on hot on her stomach. He pulled away, nibbling his way back up to her ear, leaving a small red mark on her neck.

"Good morning, Robin," she said merrily before rolling onto her back so she could see him. "How are you feeling?"

Robin planted a kiss on her lips, before kissing his way down across her jawbone and back to nuzzle at her neck. "I feel wonderful," he replied heartily between kisses, slowly creeping his hand upward. "That massage you gave me last night was incredible."

He'd discovered she never wore a bra to bed, it was pretty obvious she didn't with that spaghetti strap singlet she wore, but he'd never had such a divine opportunity to test the boundaries and cup her bare breast. And now he was so close he could feel her heat radiating from her as he nibbled her neck.

"I am glad I could assist you," she purred before her voice took on an incredibly cheeky tone. "Should I remind you that you remain naked beneath the blanket?"

Robin squawked and scooted away from her pulling the blanket with him and she laughed in response. She rolled from the bed, patted Silkie on the head and gathered some clothes for the day, while Robin lay red faced in bed.

"Perhaps I should invite you to shower with me," she said boldly as she turned to face him from the wardrobe. "After all, I was allowed to see you naked, perhaps I should return the favor?"

Robin yelped. "You said you didn't look!"

She laughed as she floated toward the bathroom. "I asked if it would ease your heart, I never said I did not look," she retorted cheekily before closing the bathroom door.

Robin wasn't sure if he should be happy or upset about the fact that she had seen him naked, or the fact that she found it joyful enough to fly again.