Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans. I also do not own the board game "Life"…but I think it's funny when Robin plays it.

Author's Note: Hiya! Okay, so this is day one…and it's a very long day and it's kind of boring, but people tend to like my writing more than I do, so maybe you'll thinks it's super-de-dooper. Haha. Anyway, please type up a quick review if you make it to the end. It's not like, super fantastic because I kept most of the old writings to keep the story flowing in the original direction. But…I hope you enjoy it anyway.

Xoxo,

PWG

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Day One.

Alone time…

Together for ten days…

With every man's fantasy…

The most beautiful thing in Jump City…

She was carefree and playful…

He was the most serious person she had ever encountered…

The odd couple.

Robin smiled in spite of himself—memories and thoughts playing in his head like old love songs. It all seemed too wonderful to be true. It was just Starfire and himself. And Silkie...but that didn't really count.

He ran his fingers through his hair, toying with his mind. Was this alone time going to be fun? Awkward? Truthful? Romantic? A total disaster? Maybe the rest of the team leaving wasn't such a good idea after all. He couldn't just waltz up to Starfire and erratically say that he loved her. But, was it even love? After all, they were only seventeen. He didn't consider it as permanent affection, but he couldn't trust himself anymore. Ever since the circus accident, he hadn't been the same Richard he used to look in the mirror at—he obtained more serious, secretive, hot-tempered qualities...anything that would drive someone as perky as Starfire insane.

But he just couldn't sit there and hopelessly watch her slip away. He could try to tell her. It might break up the team, or his heart. He could leave well enough alone. She'd find someone else. He could let her make a move. She might never try. She might not even feel the same way, he decided. They'd only been left alone for barely six minutes, and already the pressure was piling up like heavy bricks. Why did they all have to leave at once? Raven, Beast boy, Cyborg—anyone could have stayed to keep Robin from losing total control of his words, motions, and self worth. The two had been left alone before. Just not for this long.

Starfire had wandered off to play with Silkie on the other side of the room, but that didn't mean she would do that for the next ten days without going over to Robin. Without anyone to watch him, he might lose it. What if she hugged him or leaned on his shoulder? Held his hand? Or what if their faces got really, really close? There were plenty of possibilities and plenty of things that could go wrong. One mistake, and the world would fall on him without a warning. But perhaps she felt the same, and then the world's weight would be thrown off of his shoulders and replaced by tender kisses…and numerous cold showers to prevent further procession. All it would take was three words...

...but he was too stubborn for that.

A troubled sigh escaped his mouth. It was only a matter of time before she would walk over to him. She'd start a conversation about anything. Since everyone else was gone, she could talk freely without complication from three other irritating roommates. The subject could be about what was under the mask...what he thought of her…or even if the chicken came before the egg. With Starfire, anything goes. This was not going to be easy. Robin didn't have all the answers. Nobody did. Starfire's mind was a little too curious sometimes, and it wasn't always a positive quality. If she asked if he loved her, he'd panic and lie. Starfire wasn't afraid to show how much she loved him. The princess was always being jealous and overprotective, and it was a desperate plea for affection. Any day now she'd give up on him. But…maybe love is too strong for that. Robin entertained his thoughts as a spark in Starfire's mind directed her view to the Boy Wonder. All she could do was gaze upon him. His expression was so mellowing…so…incredibly seductive. There was a narrow turn in his mask, out of crumbling concentration, most likely. Even with disturbed etches in his features, he was still the most breath-taking being she'd ever seen. He had inky locks, a mysterious mask, a knock-'em-dead smile, and plenty of muscle. From the look of her huge grin, it was certainly a pleasant view.

The first time she'd kissed him was just to obtain his language. Now all she craved to do was kiss him, but for a completely different reason. She eyed his lips carefully, hoping he wouldn't sense the sudden stare and whip around to catch her spying on him. Starfire shook her head disapprovingly. What was she thinking...considering him like that? They were friends. Nothing more and nothing less. Perhaps all she needed to do was talk to him. She always felt comforted when she talked to him. He was always there when she needed him the most. She wasn't about to destroy that.

A bushy eyebrow rose up to a dark hairline as footsteps grew near. The clapping of her plum-tinted heels echoed throughout the mostly empty tower. He cleared his throat with a steely tone. If she desired to have a meaningful conversation, he'd have to participate as well.

As her mouth opened to speak, he spoke up for her, his face blank and emotionless. "Want to sit down?" he add-libbed.

She nodded slowly, placing herself down next to him. Starfire smoothed out her skirt, and drew attention to her legs as her fingers fidgeted with the hem. "Thank you, Robin. Um…what is up?" She asked unsurely. He twitched the corner of his mouth in an upward direction, making a feeble attempt to smile.

"Nothing. Anything new with you at all?"

"No," Starfire chirped. "I am… simply curious about how our friends are doing."

"They're fine." Robin grunted, more roughly than he intended to. "Besides, they've only been gone a few minutes. How much trouble could they have gotten in to?" He reconsidered his words, picturing how the Doom Patrol would be able to handle Beast Boy. He pictured a scenario of what so often happened at Titans Tower…

"Ooh! What does THIS button do?"

"BEAST BOY, NO!"

Robin's temple throbbed obnoxiously. "Never mind."

Starfire shrugged, inching a bit closer to him. "I am hoping that Raven's mother is doing well. And that Friend Cyborg and Bumblebee are participating in many of the…romantic activities at the resort." She strained, purely obvious to what she had in mind for the next few wrinkles in time.

"Um...I'm sure...they are." he choked. His fingers wiggled around nervously. Was she leaning in for the big one, or was he simply going mad? Either way, he was starting to sweat profusely. Starfire offered him a puzzled look.

"Robin?" she peeped. "Are you feeling well?" The alien laid a hand on his forehead, only to get her palm soaked by his extreme emotion issues. "You are...wet."

"Me? No! I'm fine! Why would you say I'm not fine?" he stuttered quickly. "I am definitely taking it easy!"

She shifted closer to his face. Their lips nearly made contact. "Perhaps you require a pack of ice."

"Um...no." he replied awkwardly. Her face was way too close—tempting him to sample her strawberry aroma. She smiled genuinely at him as she moved in even closer to get a fuller examination of him. As she slipped her arm over his chest to manage to lean in, her hand landed on the couch uncomfortably close to his…rear. He could barely sit still. "I just think I need a shower. A…cold one." He finished softly, savoring Starfire's breath seeping onto his cheeks. She tucked a stray tendril of crimson behind her ear disapprovingly.

"But, would you not rather have a warm one? It is the season of autumn. Should you not wish to receive a warm shower in the prevention of a cold?" Starfire suggested, on the bitter verge of tears. He shook his head and scowled.

"I'm fine. I...just need to cool off. I'll be back soon," he said quickly, anxiously. Robin darted out of the room swiftly, Starfire watching as a blur of red and green colors flew out of her sight. And she could not help but feel rejected somehow, as she experienced the twisted sensation of her heart slowly sinking into her stomach.

O.O

The bathroom door slammed behind him. He'd blown it—totally and utterly blown it. Wasn't this time alone supposed to mean that he would let go of his pride and insecurities and finally confess how he felt about her? But perhaps this was not going to be as simple as putting a puzzle together. After all, they were still missing half the pieces.

He flicked the water on with a tired groan. It sputtered down from the nozzle, spraying away tension. He stripped down to his natural state, and stumbled into the small stall. Despite the deathly cold temperature of the water, it was soothing and comforting. It sure beat having to completely mortify himself in front of the girl he was trying to impress.

Smooth.

Robin grunted when his mask began to slip off, squirting shampoo and Arctic water into his pupil. He tugged at it a little, and the masked flopped off of his face and fluttered down by his feet. He gratefully accepted the feeling of total freedom. He had not felt his face without a mask attached to it for some time. Robin let the water dribble down his pale flesh. It felt welcoming to not have to bother with keeping his mask on straight or always pressing it down in an attempt to keep his eyes shielded. But he never did like his eyes. They held memories that haunted the dark corners of his mind when he forced himself to sleep at night. He had to hide them. His eyes were not worth seeing, he concluded. They were pools of midnight crystal that you would drown in if you did not blink. But he didn't want Starfire to see what he really was—the ghost of a scared little boy, watching all hope sink into oblivion. He would rather look into Starfire's eyes. They were endless pits of emerald that made him weak at the knees. They were so full of warm stares and compassion for anyone or anything that ever needed assistance. She was so beautiful…he was so broken…and so very far from repair.

The water switched off with a flick of the wrist. The chill still lingered in the air, stealing his uneven breaths. A ratty towel swallowed his petite frame as two naked eyes stared into the mirror sadly. His world was engulfed in a deep blue of memories and regretful words.

And then there she was—his angel; his serenity; his star. She always saved him from emotional self-destruction, and he was forever thankful that he had her. She fell into his arms and remained there through all times—good and bad. And now, all he could see was her. Whether he closed his eyes or opened them, her face was always there. No matter how much he tried, he couldn't get her laughs and phrases from ringing in his ear.

He really was in love.

And he loved her so much.

O.O

Starfire had her knees crunched to her chest. A single, salty tear dribbled down her cheek. She had expected this rare quality time to be…maybe a little bit romantic. But this was Robin she was talking about. He was...complicated. Cool, calm, mysterious; he was out of anyone's reach. Starfire's extended hand seemed to be the farthest away. As soon as she would ever get close to him, he'd step back a little further. Perhaps he was afraid of "alien germs", Starfire thought. But he didn't seem like the paranoid type. He took risks, and stood by his decisions no matter how stupid they were—like wearing very tight-tights, for example, when the city was flooded with obsessive fan girls.

Her head whipped around as the door slid open, abruptly shredding her thoughts and differences. There he was: dressed in a white undershirt and washed out jeans. It was strange to see him wearing anything else but Christmas, but she had become sick of the holiday. This was the only present she had ever hoped for—being able to have an excuse to gape at his very toned torso.

Robin cleared his throat quietly, attempting to activate her usual chatter. The silence between them was unknowing and unpredictable, and the way she eyed him concerned whether he should put a sweater on or not. His eyes shifted around nervously while Starfire just looked him up and down with deep curiosity.

The Boy Wonder rubbed the back of his neck. "Um…sorry...about my...sweat…you know…earlier." He mentioned awkwardly. Starfire gained a pitiful frown

"Do not feel guilt." She said weakly. "I too offer the apologies."

He cocked his head. "For what?"

"I..." She paused for a moment, toying with how she could word herself. "...I made you rather nervous. It was not intentional, though."

"I know." Robin replied, blinking behind his mask. "I'm just—"

"Do not feel troubled," She said drearily. "You are fine."

"Actually, I really don't think I am," he mumbled shyly. She crossed her legs, stealing a delicate glance at his tan. His shoulders drooped as he continued. "I shouldn't have freaked like that. So...maybe we can just start over and forget that happened."

She shrugged innocently. "Perhaps."

He appeared taken aback. "Perhaps?"

"Yes. We may forget of the...occurrences of this afternoon." Starfire said slowly, lowering her voice. "But perhaps we should participate in separate activities." She began to stand up and walk towards the opposite side of the room, leaving his mistake strapped to him tightly. He ran over to her, waving his arms franticly.

"I don't want to split up!" he blurted.

She rocked onto one hip. "We are not splitting up, Robin." she droned, crossing her arms stubbornly. "We are simply not...moving closer. You seem rather uncomfortable when I am close to you."

"It's not that." he sighed, looking down on her.

"Then what is it?" she huffed

'Just tell her you love her, Robin,' he thought. 'Just tell her that you don't want to be near her because you might do something stupid! Just say it! You don't have forever to do it…all you have is ten days.'

"Well?" Starfire persisted eagerly. "Just tell me why you have been avoiding me, and I will believe you.."

"Star," Robin breathed. "The reason is... I'm…I'm…you see…you…me…"

She tapped her foot impatiently. "Yes?"

He tugged at his collar, smacking himself inwardly for the pathetic excuse that was slipping out of his lips. "I'm…I'm…allergic to…uh…whatever shampoo you're using." Oh…smooth.

Her expression brightened. "Why did you not simply say so!" she chimed. "I shall dispose of my current sham of poos and use one that does not give you the allergies!" She gave him a warm bear hug as he released a sigh of relief.

He loved her embraces. Lately they were gentle and sweet. He never used to return her hugs. Now he held her as if the world was about to end…like tomorrow would never come and the sun would fail to rise. Robin wasn't known to be an affectionate person in any way at all, but when Starfire gave him the chance to be in her arms, everything changed. He could die in them and he wouldn't care. Having her near him gave him enough assurance to keep a smile for the rest of the day. Robin truly did delight in the pleasure of being near her, as long as they weren't touching torsos for too long. It made him weak and helpless to control his heart beats. They grew rabid and pounded mercilessly against his rib cage. But the poisoning temptation of her kiss only attracted more pain.

He had to let go.

Robin let out a resented groan before pushing his body away from her own. Starfire pouted. All of his heat from his body had suddenly escaped, and she felt bitterly cold. Not just outwardly—on the inside too. Her heart felt like it had been replaced with shattered ice crystals. It sliced all the unbridled joy she had felt into brittle pieces. Having him leave her felt absolutely dreadful. What Shakespeare said was right: "The course of true love never did run smoothly". In other words, love stinks. And that pretty much summed it up.

Starfire's face fell. "Something troubles you?"

Robin shook his head. "No. Or, at least not really."

"Do you wish to tell me about it?"

"I...I can't."

"Why not?"

He frowned. "Star, one day you'll know. Now just…isn't the right time."

She put her hands on her hips, furrowing her brows. "There will never be a time."

"What are you talking about?"

"You have had many chances, but you will not tell me how you—"

He put a finger to her lips, letting out a heavy, exasperated breath. "Um...do you...want to watch a movie or something?" Robin asked gently, getting completely off subject.

She beamed. "May we play a game of board?" the alien questioned, a spark glittering in her eye. Robin nodded uncertainly. He really hoped it wasn't one involved with—

"LIFE!"

Robin smacked his forehead. "Do we have to play this one?" he whined childishly.

"Yes." Starfire chirped. "Is it not most delightful?"

The boy wonder gritted his teeth together at the memory of the last game of 'Life'.

Starfire had been smiling goofily, asking Robin ridiculous questions. "I am to name my husband, yes?"

Robin buried his face in the rug. "It doesn't really matter, Star."

She tapped her finger on her chin. "Oh! I know what I shall name my husband!"

"…What?"

She smiled triumphantly, pointing her index finger in the air. "His name shall be Robi-"

The boy wonder threw a coughing fit. Just because she wanted to choose a name for her plastic, did it have to be his? Wait...did that mean she...loved him? His mind ran around in circles. Starfire just stared.

A few moments later, Robin had to choose as well.

"Come now, Robin!" Starfire encouraged. "You must choose a name for your bride!"

"Its a stupid, pink piece of plastic. I'm not going to name it." Robin growled.

Starfire gasped. "Robin! You should not speak of your confidant in that way!"

His face flushed to a cherry hue. "Starfire, if I tried to kiss it I'd choke on it. What kind of wife is that?"

"A dangerous one." she peeped. "But never the less, the plastic is your lawfully wedded wife now!"

"I'm. Not. Naming. It."

"But you must! Choose the name of the girl you love."

Well, he wasn't about to say Starfire. That would just be a corny way to confess. So he went with the first name that popped into his head. "Er...Amy…?"

Starfire hadn't taken that too well...

"I hate this game." He said stubbornly.

"Well, what game would you rather play?" she inquired.

"I don't know. How about...we..."

"Perhaps we should not play a game of board, but instead play a video game!"

"We can't."

"Why not?"

"Beast boy broke it last week when he was trying to make Raven pull his finger."

"Oh." Starfire blinked, scrunching up her nose. "If we are not to play this game, then perhaps we should clean it up before taking part in another activity?" she offered. Robin nodded.

They both got down onto their knees, picking up odds and ends of the game. It seemed peaceful now. Starfire was her own cheery self again and Robin hadn't quite lost his temper. It had been rough not too many minutes ago, but it seemed relatively smooth now.

That is…until they came face to face. Robin looked up, as did Starfire. Their noses were squished together...and they just stayed like that. It was oddly comfortable...

...And…then again…maybe not.

Robin opened his mouth a little, absentmindedly, and Starfire relished the feeling of his breath on her neck. She felt as if she were going to melt underneath his stare. He inched his hand a little closer to her own, which was nervously squeezing the family car. Starfire licked her lip, driving him mad as she did it. His hormones squirmed around in him. Robin's lungs felt as if they were closing up, shriveling into little California raisins from the lack of air he was taking in. Their minds were rambling on needlessly, each comment ignored. It was only a small gap between them now. But for some reason, it stayed that way. Nobody moved. They were frozen like icicles on a rooftop, and the tension was heating up. Robin began to taste the aroma of strawberries on his tongue...

Clumsily, he fell onto his elbows with a grunt. "Uh…" he groaned; confused, disappointed. "I think it's okay."

Starfire blushed furiously. "Most certainly."

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Author's note that announces whatever pops into my brain: Well, there you have it: the revised version of chapter one and chapter two combined! Gosh, that took a long time to revise! And it isn't even really that good. It's utterly pointless. I was bored. I can't imagine Robin in jeans, but that's all I can say. But…please review! The button is right under these messages. Click it…see what it does…Beast boy would press it…

Xoxo,

PWG

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