Chapter 10

Starfire swooped into the common room followed by a red faced Robin. "Greeting friends," she called merrily before floating to the kitchen. "Is it not a glorious day?"

Raven looked up from where she was reading a book, her eyebrows raised. Beast Boy elbowed Cyborg and the two of them turned from the game console to stare.

"Looking good, Star," Cyborg called happily. "What's on the cards for today? Seeing as you called off training and all."

"You called off training?" Robin asked, surprised.

"Not quite," she replied cheerfully as she rummaged around in the fridge. "I still require you to practice the soral. Galfore will be communicating with us soon and I thought you should take the break, perhaps do the hanging out."

Beast Boy wandered over to Robin. "Dude, she's flying again," he said with a cheeky grin.

"Yeah," Robin replied absently as he watched Starfire. "If I known seeing me… erm… hey, how about a race?"

"I'll have you know," Beast Boy replied cheerfully as he bounced back to the sofa. "I've had nothing but time lately to practice. I'm gonna whoop your ass!"

"It's a good thing you're back on active duty, you've had entirely too much time on your hands. So bring it!" Robin replied , leaping over the back of the sofa and grabbed a controller.

"You're both going down!" Cyborg cried, his thumbs already frantically tapping away. "I am the master of games!"

Raven carefully marked her place in her book and walked across the room toward Starfire. "So, flying again are we?" she asked in an effort to be polite.

"Mmm-hmm," Starfire hummed through a mouthful of cereal.

"Oh no, you didn't!" Beast Boy cried, bouncing up and down on the sofa.

"Nyah nyah," Cyborg sang, his whole body leaning in the direction his car was heading.

"Can I ask why?" Raven asked.

Starfire swallowed the mouthful of cereal with a gulp. "Can I ask when you are going to allow Beast Boy to kiss you?"

Raven went bright red. "No," she mumbled.

Starfire cocked her head and grinned. "I believe our answers are the same." She sighed and looked starry eyed at Robin laughing with his friends.

"Guys, you've got nothing on me," Robin laughed, forcing Cyborg's car from the road.

"Sez who," Beast Boy muttered, his ears pointed down, before they perked up again. "Gotcha that time!"

"Oh, you so didn't pass me just then," Robin cried, leaning forward on his seat.

Raven rolled her eyes as she watched the drama unfolding on the sofa. "Boys and their toys."

"They are very entertaining to watch," Starfire said, taking another mouthful of cereal.

"Uh-uh, you're going down grass-stain."

"You wish, tin-can!"

"I just don't understand why they have to be so loud about it all," Raven said dryly. "They're sitting right next to each other for Azar's sake."

"Who's awesome? I am! That's right! Uh-huh! You know it! Go Beast Boy! Go Beast Boy! Go- Hey!"

"Can't blame me if you're not watching," Robin chuckled. "You should never let your guard down."

"I'm never going to understand the allure of that stupid game," Raven muttered.

Starfire looked at her carefully. "Raven?"

Raven turned her eyes back to Starfire. "What?"

"Have you ever played the race of cars game?"

"No, and I don't intend to."

Starfire hummed in consideration.

Raven narrowed her eyes. "What?"

"I find it intriguing that you would judge a pass time that you have never tried yourself. Beast Boy enjoys it; perhaps you should have the go. You may find it a satisfying pastime too."

"Perhaps," Raven muttered, somewhat absently.

"Boo-yah!" Cyborg cried loudly, punching the air with his arm.

"Cheater!" Beast Boy bellowed, bouncing up and down.

"You gotta be faster than that to catch me," Robin cried.

"Hey! You can't go and do that!" Cyborg cried .

"Um, I think I just did! Whatcha gonna do about it?"

The computer beeped. Robin swung his head around to the computer almost instantly, ignoring his car crashing. Starfire carefully placed her bowl on the bench and floated over to the computer while Robin simply dropped his controller on the floor and jumped over the back of the sofa, ignoring Cyborg's instant complaint of feet on the sofa.

Cyborg and Beast Boy paused the game and became quiet, turning toward the computer and Raven floated to the sofa to stand beside it.

Robin slapped on his mask and took Starfire's hand before pressing the button that would bring Galfore's image up on the main screen.

"Koriand'r!" he boomed in greeting. "Robin, it is good to see you."

"Greeting Galfore," Starfire sang happily.

"I have the most unexpected news," Galfore said, just as happily. "We have over two thousand xhandal contenders for Starfire's hand in marriage, as well as six for Robin's."

Both Starfire and Robin's jaws hit the floor. There was a muffled squeak from the direction of the sofa.

"Two thousand?" Robin gasped, suddenly finding it hard to draw breath.

"Galfore, Robin cannot possibly battle so many," Starfire said quickly. "It is unheard off."

"Relax my little bungorf and let your k'norfka handle this. I have decided to be the first xhandal contender. If Robin defeats me, there will be a dramatic decrease in contenders. Be warned, Robin, I will not be easily defeated."

"But you are already happily married," Starfire blurted. "You cannot compete."

"As Grand Ruler and your k'norfka, it is within my rights to test the eligibility of your chosen betrothed."

"Two thousand," Robin repeated, dazed.

Galfore looked at him with concern. "You should be happy that you have managed to obtain such a wanted woman. It is a great honor to have so many contenders." He looked back at Starfire. "You have had six xhandal requests for Robin's hand. I have reviewed the female contenders and they will not pose a problem for you. Xhandal will go ahead in four weeks time. I look forward to seeing you both once more."

"I thank you k'norfka Galfore," Starfire replied, her eyes on the glazed Robin. "I look forward to it as well."

"Dude!" Beast Boy cried as Galfore's image disappeared from the view screen. "How are you going to beat Galfore? He's huge for a nanny!"

Starfire grabbed onto Robin's shoulders with both hands, shaking him slightly. His head lolled. "Robin," she called both with her voice and her mind. Seeing no recognition in his eyes she leaned in and kissed him hard on the mouth. She waited anxiously until his hands came up to rest on her back and he began to respond before breaking the kiss.

"Two thousand," he said again his hands tight on her back. "Star, I had no idea. I mean I knew that you were… my god…"

"Many of them are only entering because they believe you weak. When you defeat Galfore it would prove that you are not. Galfore will not lose easily, but we have time to prepare."

"But Star," Robin protested. "What if I can't beat him? He's huge!"

"Bigger they are, the harder they fall," Cyborg called encouragingly.

"Galfore is very strong," Starfire said carefully. "But I believe you to be stronger."

"But Star-"

Starfire sighed. "Robin, if you lose, I will renounce my ties to Tamaran. But you will not lose."

"Two thousand guys," Beast Boy mulled quietly before turning to the impassive figure of Raven beside him. "Hey Raven, do you think if we declared a xhandal thing that there would be two thousand guys willing for fight for your hand?"

There was instant silence as three pairs of flabbergasted eyes swung toward the green changeling. Raven stood frozen.

"I'm not going to dignify that with an answer," she snarled before her raven engulfed her.

"Not smart, Beast Boy," Robin said with a shake of his head.

"What? What'd I do?"

"I will go and locate Raven," Starfire said softly, touching Robin's shoulder briefly. "I shall see you for soral practice shortly."

Beast Boy looked at Cyborg as Starfire left the room. "Aww c'mon, what'd I do?"

"Don't look at me," Cyborg replied, turning back to the computer. "I don't do relationship advice. I'm just the older brother type that gets to kick your ass when either of you hurt the girls."

Beast Boy swung around to Robin. "Robin, you'd better explain this to me."

Robin sighed and leaned on the sofa back. "You complimented and insulted Raven with one sentence. That's gotta be a new record for you."

"Huh? I did what?"

Robin ran a hand through his hair, wondering how he should put this. "Basically, you just asked Raven to marry you and then wondered if there would be anyone else willing too as well."

Beast Boy's colour changed from green to purple as he forgot to breathe, while Cyborg sprawled on the sofa beside him laughing.

"But… But… But…"

"Look out," Cyborg laughed . "It's the butt monster. Y'all better run now before he steals your butt."

Robin glared at Cyborg. "It's not a laughing matter Cyborg. He really hurt Raven." He turned the glare to Beast Boy. "In fact, why are you still sitting here? Go!"

Beast Boy shot off the sofa and out the door.

Robin and Cyborg looked at each other. "So, up for another round?"

TTTTT

Beast Boy paced outside Raven's door. He'd been cutting the same circle in the floor for an hour now, still waiting for Starfire to give him some sort of sign that it was safe to enter.

"Beast Boy, why are you still outside the door?" Robin asked as he walked up the corridor.

"Dude, are you kidding me? No one enters Raven's room without permission. Learnt that the hard way." He peered at Robin. "What are you doing here?"

"Starfire called me. Did you ever think that maybe Raven's in there waiting for you to sum up the courage to enter?"

Beast Boy froze. "Um… no?"

Robin grinned and shook his head. "We both know you have brains, just use them sometimes okay?" Robin closed his eyes in concentration and a moment later the door slid open to reveal Starfire. Starfire gave Beast Boy a cool gaze before waving over her shoulder and taking Robin's offered elbow.

Beast Boy slipped into the room before the door could slide closed behind Starfire. He hovered at the door hesitantly as his eyes adjusted to the darkness of Raven's room. "Raven?"

"What do you want?" the dark figure floating in the middle of the room asked.

"Raven, I'm really sorry, I just didn't think. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings," Beast Boy said in a rush.

"There seems to be a lot of that going around," Raven muttered.

"I was just… you know… it's really strange that Starfire has like two thousand boys wanting to marry her and I was just wondering-"

"That's it," she replied dryly. "Dig yourself a bigger hole.'

"Er… Look, I'm sorry, ok?" he asked as he squinted to see the figure in the middle of the room.

Raven sighed and the lamp beside her bed switched on. "I'm not mad…" she stopped and frowned. "Well, I am mad, but not as mad as you think. Your comment just hit a little to close to home that's all." She sat down on her bed. "You were right, Starfire has two thousand boys and I have… It's not something I'll ever experience, having lots of people wanting you. I mean in a nice way, not because you can destroy the world because you're a portal. I'm not pretty like her, or approachable, or even nice to be around. It just hurt to hear it being said."

Beast Boy quickly crossed the room to kneel before her. "You're not Starfire and I don't ever want you to be. You're Raven, the dark, gloomy and kinda scary but really beautiful girl that I like to be around. Starfire might have two thousand boys, but you have me. And you have to know, chicks dig the ears right?" He waggled them for her, trying to entice a smile.

It didn't work. Raven simply narrowed her eyes at him. "Whatever," she said and made a small shooing motion with her hand. "You've made your apology, now go back and play your video games and leave me to meditate."

Beast Boy didn't move. "Why haven't you ever asked me to mediate with you?"

Raven's jaw dropped. "Are you serious? You can't hold still for five minutes let alone the time that's required for mediation."

"Why don't we try it and see?"

"Fine," she snapped, levitating off the bed and into her mediation position. "Do whatever you like. If you get bored just do me a favor and leave quietly." She shut her eyes resolutely.

Beast Boy shifted so he was sitting cross-legged on the floor. "Raven? If I can last an hour here, will you go out with me sometime? Like on a date?"

"No…" She opened one eye and looked at his crestfallen face. "But I will match however long you last with a video game."

Beast Boy brightened, his eyes shining. "Really? Sweet!"

Raven snorted.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos," two voices chorused.

TTTTT

"Are you becoming more confident in the use of the soral, Robin?" Starfire asked as they walked toward the common room several hours later.

"I don't know, Star," he replied, rubbing his shoulder before twisting it to loosen the muscles. "That thing is damn heavy. I think I have most of the movements down, you're just lucky that I'm a fast learner."

"It is a very difficult weapon to learn. You are making excellent progress and I believe we will soon be able to spar properly and I can teach you all the tricks of dirt."

"That's dirty tricks, Star," he corrected absently. "If there are dirty tricks to the soral why didn't you teach them to me first?"

She considered him. "When you learnt how to use the bo staff, did you learn the technique first or the 'dirty tricks'?"

He grunted. "Point taken." They stopped as they approached the common room, surprised to find a crouching Cyborg peering through a slit in the door. "Cyborg?" Robin asked.

He spun to face them, a look of shock on his face. "Dude, you gotta see this!" he exclaimed and motioned for them to come forward.

Robin and Starfire exchanged a glance, before cautiously approaching the door. Robin leaned over Cyborg's bulk and Starfire floated up over Robin's shoulder and together they peered through the slit.

Raven and Beast Boy sat companionably side by side on the sofa, deeply engrossed in a racecar game. Beast Boy was making hollering noises as Raven managed to pass him. They actually heard something that could have passed for laughter from Raven.

"They've been at it over an hour now. How the hell did he get her to play?"

Robin glanced down at Cyborg. "You've been spying on them for an hour?"

"Well, yeah, how else can I interrupt them when they start kissing?" Cyborg froze as two irate figures bared down on him. "Oh shit."