There were thirteen missed transmissions from the Batcave on my communicator when I woke the next morning. When I saw the flashing light I groaned and pulled the covers over my head. No way was I dealing with him first thing in the morning, not today.
Cyborg and Beast Boy were in the hallway outside my door.
"D'you think he's told her yet?" That was Beast Boy. I squashed my pillow over my head. Was this what they did, skulk around watching me blunder around like their own private reality tv star?
"What do you think, he's not even awake yet," said Cyborg impatiently.
"He might have told her before he went to sleep."
Cyborg laughed before quickly smothering it.
"After last night the last place he'd be caught dead is in one of the girl's rooms." I growled under my breath. So much for keeping it quiet until I had time to break the news to the girls. Flinging my covers back I crossed my room in two strides and opened the door.
"Can I help you?"
"We just came to tell you that you'd better move fast if you want to be the one to break the news to Star. The story is all over the news."
"Thanks," I mumbled, scrubbing my face with my hand. "I'll meet you in the common room." It was a not-so-subtle suggestion for them to beat it. Once they disappeared around the corner I fixed my attention on Starfire's door. Cyborg was right. After everything that had happened it was a little daunting to walk up and knock. I could hear her getting out of bed to answer it. For just a nanosecond I pictured her opening the door dressed in the black lingerie Cat Grant had been wearing. Desire hit me like a fist low in my belly. God if I ever saw Starfire dressed like that...
I was standing there trying to wipe my brain clean of that wonderfully painful image when the door slid open.
Thank god she was dressed this time, though the thin white spaghetti strap shirt and skin-tight boy shorts were hardly helping my situation. Her red hair was tousled around her face and she smiled sleepily at me through half-lidded eyes.
"Greetings, Robin, did you have pleasant slorvaks?"
So sweet... So innocent... God she was so beautiful.
"Uh slorvaks...yea... I slept well thanks. Um, Star, d'you think we could talk for a minute? There's something I need to tell you."
A strange mixture of emotions crossed her face: fear, shock, and what I thought was hope before she bit her lip and dropped her chin.
"Robin, if you wish to try and make me change my mind about leaving then I-"
"-No, nothing like that," I clarified quickly. My life would be so much simpler if that was all. "No. Um, it's about last night and where I was." Her brows drew together curiously and she tilted her head to the side as she stepped back to let me into her room. I hesitated. I know it's silly. I knew there were no cameramen waiting to leap out from behind her curtains, but I felt as though my every move was under surveillance now. It wasn't beyond the realm of possibilities that Bruce had found a way to spy on us here in the tower-though the thought of him watching video footage of Starfire in her room was enough to stiffen my spine and get me across the threshold.
"You were not in your room last night?" she asked, hovering in midair as I stood in the center of the room. I felt like I was on trial.
"I went to see the reporter who wrote that article about you..." I explained in a rush.
"Xhal, Robin," she muttered under her breath. "Truly it makes no difference now. I will leave Earth before my presence can cause strain to the relations with the public."
"I had to, Star. She knew things she wasn't supposed to. I needed to know how much she knew. I-"
"She?" The way she said that one little word stopped my world on its axis. She looked at me as if seeing me clearly for the first time. My mouth went unexpectedly dry.
"I take it your meeting with this female did not go as planned...?" Her tone was odd as she tried to puzzle out what I was trying to tell her. I fidgeted.
"Long story short there are pictures of me sneaking out of her hotel room this morning. The reporter is trying to make it seem like something happened between us. She's got a lot of evidence on her side..." I trailed off bitterly, angry at myself all of again. God I'd been so stupid! Starfire was silent, just staring at me.
Finally, she giggled.
It was the last reaction I expected from her. I jerked my head up and saw her trying to hide her smile behind a wave of crimson hair. Desire sucker-punched me again.
"Oh Robin, my apologies. It must be very uncomfortable for you, but it is not the big deal what stories this woman makes up about you. It does not matter if you are caught with a hundred different women, your prowess as a crime fighter is the only truth that really matters to the city. It must have been very bad if you thought to warn me." She had the nerve to giggle again. Such an adorable sound and yet at that moment, so irritating. I felt like an even bigger idiot than before. My face was practically glowing now. Seeing my embarrassment, she swooped forward to grab my arm. "Please do not be embarrassed. I am grateful that you took the time to warn me. You believed my feelings would be hurt by the woman's claims, yes? Raven tells me that I can sometimes seem possessive of you when other females are around. It is not my intention to be a burden to you."
"You're not!" I blurted out. Instantly I wished the words into oblivion. They made me sound like such a dork! But of course I didn't mind when she got possessive of me. What guy would mind that?
"Actually, Robin, you have just given me the perfect opportunity to ask you about something that I have been thinking about ever since I made the decision to return to my planet." Great, here we go. "It occurs to me that my people are not as...nice as humans. When I return my entire future will be in the hands of others. I wish...that is, before I go I want to experience the Earthen courtship rituals. From what I have observed they seem most...nice." She beamed at me and my head filled with fuzzy white noise. Was she asking me what I thought she was asking?
"Robin, would it be possible for you to contact Speedy on my behalf? I am unaware of the protocol one must follow in order to arrange the 'date.'"
Flames, that's what my dreams went down in, a raging inferno of bright, green, Starfire flames. She wasn't interested in me, she wanted Speedy. Why had I never picked up on it before? I mean he liked her, but just about every guy did. None of us really stood much of a chance. Maybe it wouldn't sting so much if he wasn't so much like me. Honestly I think I'd rather set her up with Kid Flash than Speedy. At least I knew there were things Wally could do that I'd never manage in a million years, but Speedy? There was nothing that Speedy could do that I couldn't-and no the whole arrows thing doesn't count because my birdarangs are ten times more useful than flippin' arrows that are terrible to use in close combat. Get a grip, I told myself, realizing that I was ranting to myself.
"Speedy...?" I repeated slowly. Maybe...maybe now would be a good time to try asking her out myself. If all she wanted was the experience then I could give her hearts, flowers, and romance for one night. She wouldn't have to know it was the real thing.
"Starfire, if you want to go on a date I could take you." I was impressed by how calmly I said it. In my head I was doing cartwheels. I had just asked her out! She looked bewildered and shy at the question. That was good, right? Her feet touched the ground. Oh. No. That's bad.
She put a hand on my shoulder and I wanted to die of embarrassment.
"Robin, you are my best friend. I will always cherish the times that we have shared, but if we were to go on the date it would not be real. I want to remember us as we are and not what you pretended to be for me. I believe Speedy will accept because he has done the flirting with me in the past." He has? When?!
"You can just call him and ask to see a movie," I said stiffly. "Trust me it would be weird if I asked for you." Weird because I'd be giving him the Bat-glare if he even considered saying yes.
"Truly, that is all? And he will accept?"
"He'd have to be an idiot to say no," I said, letting more of my real feelings show than I meant to. She smiled at me, that smile she reserved only for me. At least I thought it had been only for me. For all I knew it was the same look she gave Speedy whenever he'd been flirting with her. Gah, that was going to drive me crazy!
"Um, I should probably go, I have some calls to make and I promised Cyborg and Beast Boy I'd meet up with them..." But she was already reaching for her communicator, the one that would give her a direct line to each member of the Titan Organization, including the red-headed archer who'd stolen her out from under my nose without me even realizing it. Maybe he was better than me at something after all.
With a heavy heart I left her to make her call. God knows that was one conversation I didn't want to eavesdrop on.
A/N: Okay, just to be clear, this is not Starfire trying to make Robin jealous. She just wants to go on a casual date to know what it's like. I haven't really delved into her point of view much yet, but on Tamaran there is no kissing, no hand-holding, and no choice for her as the princess. With Speedy she can expect some light flirting but no broken hearts on either side. Robin is the person that matters most to her and she doesn't want to risk changing their relationship to something more when she knows they can't have a future. It may or may not be a coincidence that her choice for a date happens to be the next best thing to Robin. I also want to point out that Robin has kept her in the friend zone too, and she doesn't realize how jealous she's just made him by asking for his help.
Next chapter we see how Batman likes Robin's midnight adventure.