So here's a little angsty RobxStar for you! I had a lot of fun writing this chapter, so I hope you all enjoy it. Again, thank you thank you thank you for reading my stories! R/R.~ Love, Sam.

Side Note: I edited the end of Chapter 5 to give a little more clarification to the ending. So you can go back and check that out at anytime.

Sprezzatura

Defenestration

"How know you he loves her?"

Slade found the Boy Wonder without a problem. He was sitting at the bar with a coke in his hand, trying to fend off the constant stream of girls who approached him. With each well dressed, polished socialite that flirted with him, Robin's irritation clearly grew.

And so did Slade's.

He had removed his mask for this particular event and his exposed eyes were used for watching his enemy turning down advances from attractive women. Irritation bubbled up inside of him, threatening surface with all the ferocity and force of a geyser.

When yet another curvy, blonde haired woman walked up to him, Slade nearly snapped, but instead, he simply decided that it was time to say a few words to the Boy Wonder.

"Something troubling you, boy? That's the ninth woman you've turned down tonight." Slade leaned back on the bar counter casually. Although he was speaking to Robin, his eyes still scanned the crowd before them. A few seconds ticked by before he turned back to the bartender. "A scotch, please."

Robin only glanced at him before his eyes returned to the swarm of people dancing in front of them. He seemed to be keeping tabs on someone, but Slade couldn't quite make out who, and he struggled to find the person Robin's gaze was so intently following.

"Just waiting for my girlfriend to finish dancing with a friend," came the airy response.

Slade 's eyes finally landed on the alien, dancing with a man whom he could only assume was Cyborg. He could tell by the detachment in Robin's voice that the Boy Wonder was still distracted.

"They look like a little more than friends to me."

"What?"

Robin's head whipped around so quickly, Slade could have sworn he heard the kid's neck crack. But there was a certain satisfaction in knowing he had gotten the boy's attention and simultaneously startled the world's greatest detective all at the same time. Slade picked up his glass of scotch from the bar counter, sipping it carefully. If he was going to dismantle Robin, he'd have to do it right.

"Well, they look a little cozy to me. Maybe his hand is just a little low on her back. Maybe that's it." Slade shrugged nonchalantly, keeping his voice airy and aloof. "Or maybe it's because she keeps on giggling." He paused another time, knowing that his next words would undoubtedly piss his nemesis off the most. "Or maybe it's their natural chemistry."

Robin visibly paled.

The corners of Slade's lips twitched with the hint of a smile. The seed of doubt had been planted.

"But if you'll excuse me, I have to be off." Slade left with a polite nod that Robin didn't even notice. He was too busy staring at Starfire and Cyborg.

All of a sudden, Cyborg's hand did seem to low on her back and Starfire did seem to be laughing more than usual. Robin's fingers tightened around his glass that he hadn't really touched all night, even if it was just soda. His grip tightened until his knuckles turned white and eventually, he was forced to set his drink down on the bar counter so it wouldn't break.

And natural chemistry? What the hell was that supposed to mean? Sure, they were close friends, and sure Cyborg really had no problem asking Star to hang out when it had taken Robin three months to muster up the courage to ask her out on a date, and sure Cyborg and Starfire were currently dancing and talking as if there was no one else in the room. But all of that could just be attributed to friendship, right? Pure, simple, innocent friendship.

Robin was jostled from his thoughts by his communicator buzzing in his pocket. He yanked it out to see Raven's passive face on his screen.

"Mr. Wayne has requested our presence. Meet in the east wing hallway. "

By her purple hair and eyes, Robin could tell she was already there waiting. He only nodded before tucking the yellow communicator back into his pocket. He stormed through the ballroom as images of Starfire and Cyborg played through his head like a movie reel.

Cyborg teaching Star how to cook.

Cyborg showing Star how to play video games.

Starfire showing Cyborg her books from Tamaran.

Robin jerked the door to the hallway open with surprising ferocity, only to find himself face to face with his mentor and the rest of his team. He quickly smoothed over his suit before joining the group.

"Ah, Dick. I'm glad you could make it."

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Beast Boy snicker.

"Well, I've called you all here to thank you for all sacrificing…"

Robin tuned out the moment Bruce opened his mouth. Occasionally, his eyes wandered to Starfire but then the same, raw anger he felt in the ballroom returned and he was forced to look away. Eventually, he settled with counting the number of items that cost more than his annual salary in the hallway.

He was at a hundred and twenty seven when his mentor's voice slowly solidified in his thoughts.

"So, truly, I thank you. You all are a spectacular group of individuals and an even better team."

He gave them a gracious nod before returning to the party and the moment he was gone, Robin turned on his heel and stormed out without a word. His teammates watched him with a mix of fear and confusion before Cyborg spoke up.

"So, Star told me that she wants to marry Rob."