Chapter Fourteen: Confusion State

Blaze didn't go back to sleep that night. She went back to her room, got dressed, and snuck out for her fighting lessons. That, or she was going to tell Red X that the whole thing was a stupid idea and not to stalk her anymore. She wasn't sure which one applied.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Robin couldn't sleep. What had just happened? He wasn't even close to knowing. He had kissed Blaze. Blaze had kissed him, rather. That part he was certain. For only a brief moment, her lips had touched his. That sent chills up and down his spine feverishly. He still had those chills.

Robin really hadn't kissed her back, though. He was in to much shock. He had brought his lips to her cheek, but that was only to hide his confusion, to keep his cool. He had never felt like this before. It was an warm, tensed, icky feeling and he didn't like it. It was awkward and unnecessary.

He crawled back into bed and closed his eyes. "And she was in her underwear," a smile curved his jaw, "what was that about?"

It was no use. Try as he might, Robin just couldn't go back to sleep. Something felt wrong. Something other than the icky. He swung his feet out from their plush cover and slipped them into his steel-toed boots. Maybe there was something on t.v.

Nothing. The same old cliche of 'hundreds of channels'...

"And nothing to watch." Robin muttered to himself. The darkness and seclusion eased his current sensibility. But that all faded when he saw Blaze walking on top of a glimmer of pink across the water in front of the tower. His eyebrows raised, half in mere puzzlement, half in a blind rage. The latter, he wasn't aware of at the time.

Robin had ran to his room, grabbed his utility belt, and secured it around his waist. He took his helmet from the desk and stuffed it under his arm. He wasn't going to let anything happen to her, not again.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Robin had been loud in his exploits. Loud enough to wake Starfire from REM. She got up and opened the door just in time to see Robin run past, not noticing she was there. "Robin? What would you be doing awake in such early morning hours?" she yelled after him, but he didn't hear. Or he ignored her.

Starfire flew in front of him, forcing Robin to pay attention. She held him an arm's length away, searching for something in his face. He seemed pained, worried even. Robin didn't worry. He was always so sure of himself. So... maybe he isn't worried for himself, Star deducted.

"Starfire! Let me go!" Robin was struggling to break free from her overly strengthened grip.

A tear fell from Starfire's eye. She didn't know what was going on, but now she knew it involved Blaze. Starfire hated this. She wanted to scream. She wanted to hit Robin. She refrained. Instead, she pulled him towards her, pressing herself to him as much as possible. She had her arms wrapped around his neck, holding her elbows. If she didn't let him, he couldn't go. "Do not go!" she yelled into his shoulder.

"Starfire? What's wrong with you?" But Robin didn't need to ask. He knew. But he also knew that he needed to go after Blaze. His bad feeling was about her, and he needed to find out what she was doing to rid himself of it. "Starfire, let go!" he commanded, trying to push her away. A few moments of struggling and Robin admitted defeat. He needed go, NOW! Blaze was probably in the city by now. Or worse, underwater.

Starfire acknowledged him, again bringing him arms length. She didn't want to do this. She didn't like it. But she hated the thought of Robin being with anyone but her. Look how she had reacted when Robin was forced to go to the prom with Kitten, and that was only to save the city. She was jealous, and she admitted it.

Robin put a hand on hers, trying to take a different path other than forcing his way past her. "Starfire, please." he cooed. He was about to do something he knew he would later regret. But Blaze wasn't going to wait. He took his other hand and firmly placed it on Starfire's cheek, brushing away a tear. She leaned the side of her face into his hand and closed her eyes at his touch. Robin leaned in and kissed her. It was soft and warm, but there were no chills. Robin wanted the chills.

He snapped his head back, lowering Starfire's arms. She then, like Robin had hoped, let him walk right past and out the door. Moments later, Star could hear the engines of Robin's cycle revving. She took a new position at the windowpane and watched as he sped away towards the city.