Teen Titans/Yu Yu Hakusho:

"Titanic Spirits"

Chapter 5: "Jealousy"

Disclaimer: Teen Titans --- both its various comic incarnations and current animated incarnation --- and Yu Yu Hakusho, both manga and animé, do not belong to me. Teen Titans belongs to DC Comics, Warner Brothers, Cartoon Network, and Kids' WB. Yu Yu Hakusho belongs to Yoshihiro Togashi, Shonen Jump, and Cartoon Network.

Author's note: Ok, so you've been waiting for the next chapter of this story. Here it is.

Timeline: TT, post-"Apprentice." YYH, post-"Dark Tournament."

The faintest lights of dawn shone upon Titans Tower. Everyone was asleep. Except for two people. Kurama and Genkai.

"I swear, that boy is no better than that slacker of an apprentice of mine," Genkai said.

"How is that?" Kurama asked. "He seems far more attentive than Yusuke, no offense intended toward the latter."

"It's not that, Kurama," Genkai contradicted. "I'm referring to his 'relationship,' if you can call it that, with Starfire."

"Ah, yes," Kurama said, realization dawning --- or more like the confirmation of certain suspicions. "They seem very attached to each other."

"It's love, Kurama," Genkai replied. "They're in love, but they refuse to admit it to themselves, or each other."

"It's fairly obvious if you're observant enough," Kurama said. "The way Starfire goes out of her way to help Robin, and Robin's protective manner regarding her. You recall what happened when the Chaos Harpy Sisters came after us, right?"

"Yes," Genkai confirmed. "That was the incident when Robin's spirit energy first manifested."

"Exactly," Kurama said. "He fought to avenge Starfire and protect her from further harm."

"So how do we get those two to figure it out?" Genkai asked.

"Jealousy," Kurama replied.

"Jealousy?" Genkai echoed.

"Yes," Kurama confirmed. "I will pretend to court Starfire, and you with Robin so that both will be driven to admit their feelings before losing their love to another."

"And just what are you two up to?" Botan asked, popping up from out of nowhere.

"We're just planning on how to bring a pair of lovers together," Genkai replied.

"You mean Robin and Starfire?" Botan asked. "Count me in!"

"All right, then." Kurama smiled. "Perhaps seeing two women after Robin will convince Starfire to confess her feelings to Robin."

"On that note, can't we get one of the guys to help out?" Botan asked.

"Hiei is far too devoted to Raven to flirt with Starfire," Kurama replied. "The other males are perverts and/or simply don't know what the word 'subtle' means."

"Do you mean Koenma, too?" Botan asked.

"Remember how his infant form was all over Starfire when we first came here?" Kurama asked.

"Oh," Botan replied after thinking about it.

"So it's up to the three of us," Genkai said.

A half hour later, the Titans (sans Raven), Spirit Detectives (sans Hiei), and Yukina rose from their slumber. (A/N: Koenma returned to Spirit World, if you must know.) Starfire made it into the bathroom and stepped into the shower, having already divested herself of her purple uniform. (A/N: If you saw "Switched," then you know the Titans sleep in their costumes.) She turned the "HOT" and "COLD" knobs until the temperature was just perfect.

In the meantime, Robin's body was upright but his mind was still half-asleep. So the unfortunate result was that he walked into the bathroom.

That was when he snapped completely awake. However, what had dispersed the fog of sleep from his brain was the sight of Starfire's nude silhouette in the shower. The steam was keeping him from seeing anything good, but he could definitely tell that she was naked.

Duh, his brain said to him. Of course, she's naked. It's a shower! Who goes into a shower with their clothes still on?!

You don't have to yell, Robin replied. Then his mind drifted . . . down into the gutter. I wonder what she looks like without her clothes. Of course, the better part of his psyche smacked the worse part of his psyche upside the head. Hentai! The normal Robin just wondered, Since when did I learn Japanese?

(A/N: In case you don't know by now, "hentai" is Japanese for "pervert." "Ecchi" means the same thing, but not quite as extreme, and both describe manga, animé, or manga/animé drawings of an adult nature.)

The better part of Robin's mind embodied itself in Robin's image. Leave now! And if she figures out you're here, fall on your knees and apologize lavishly!

The worse part of Robin's mind embodied itself as his black-clad, skull-faced former alter ego Red X. It spoke in Red X's mechanically distorted voice. Who cares? You want her, you know you do. It chuckled sinisterly. If you didn't, then why are your little green tights suddenly so uncomfortable?

It would be wrong beyond comparison for you to take advantage of one as kind and pure as Starfire! Robin's conscience retorted.

Wrong? Wrong is you not paying attention to your wants and needs, Robin's anti-conscience replied. Who knows? Maybe she'll like it. Again, it chuckled sinisterly.

(A/N: It makes perfect sense. The conscience urges a person to do right and make it right when s/he does wrong. The "anti-conscience," as I call it, entices a person to do bad.)

I won't do it! Robin screamed at his anti-conscience, who merely snickered.

I've got an idea, it said. Strip naked, go in, tell her you didn't know she was in there. She'll probably let you stay in. And maybe she'll let you in some other places. An evil snicker followed those words.

I should get a lobotomy to get rid of you! Robin replied.

You sick bastard! Robin's conscience yelled.

It's not sick, it's perfect, Robin's anti-conscience retorted. Perhaps when she sees the state he's in, she'll try to do something to alleviate it. This time, a full-blown evil laugh came from the embodiment of Robin's darker desires.

Robin clutched his head. "Shut up!"

"Robin?" Starfire asked from inside the shower. "Whom are you speaking to?"

Robin realized he'd spoken out loud. "No one. Don't worry, Star. Enjoy your shower." He left.

"So, Robin, what were you doing in the shower?" Yusuke asked. He smirked. "Checking out Sexyfire?"

"Her name is Starfire!" Robin protested. "And no, I was not checking her out, you sick bastard!" His spirit energy spiked in response to his anger, and Yusuke found himself thrown into a wall. Realizing what he'd done, he ran to Yusuke. "You all right? Sorry about that."

"It's ok," Yusuke replied, getting up. "Besides, if that's how powerful you are when you're not trying to hurt anyone, then we oughtta be scared of how powerful you are when you actually mean it."

(A/N: Remember in chapter 2 of this story when I said I'd be appropriating something else from "teen love," the Robin/Starfire romance fic written by sandr4ever? Anyone who read that oughtta get a laugh out of the scene between Robin and Yusuke.)

After that embarrassing scene, the Teen Titans and Spirit Detectives converged at the breakfast table. Of course, two others joined, or rejoined, them. Hiei and Raven.

"Hey, welcome back," Robin said.

Raven actually smiled. Not a deliriously happy smile, or an excitedly happy smile, but enough of a smile to know that she was content. "Thank you."

"Hey!" Beast Boy shouted. "She's smiling! Raven's finally smiling!"

Cyborg did a double take. "She is?" Pause. "She is! I've gotta mark this day!" He ran to the nearest calendar and marked that day's date.

"It is wonderful that you are finally expressing joy," Starfire said to Raven.

"I actually have a reason," Raven replied.

"Hey, Hiei," Yusuke said. "I don't think Raven's the only one smiling." Hiei tried to give him a stony-faced look, but failed, the smile persistently tugging the corners of his lips upward.

"I always hoped this day would come," Yukina said.

"Yeah, maybe he'll loosen up now that he's finally got a girlfriend," Kuwabara added.

"If you mean that I'll 'finally see what a kick-ass fighter you are,' in your dreams," Hiei replied.

"Onii-san . . ." Yukina said, her voice soft as ever but with annoyed undertones.

"All right, imouto-chan," Hiei said, relenting. "If it bothers you that much, then I'll try my best to hold my tongue."

(A/N: "Onii" is Japanese for "older brother." "Imouto" is Japanese for little sister. You add the suffix "-san" to show respect, and the suffix "-chan" to indicate affection.)

"I know who'd like to hold your tongue," Beast Boy chimed in. He smirked. "And do other things with it."

Raven and Hiei shook their heads in annoyance. "Why do you have to be such a pervert?" Raven asked.

Beast Boy shifted into a wolf and sniffed the air, then changed back. "Oh, so you did do it!"

"Do what?" Starfire asked.

"The horizontal mambo, making the two-backed beast, making sweet, sweet love all night long, take your pick," Beast Boy replied.

Robin just glared at him under the mask. "Beast Boy . . ."

"So what was it like?" Yusuke asked Hiei. "Details, man!"

"What Raven and I do when we're alone together is none of your business," Hiei replied. To emphasize this, he gave Yusuke the finger.

"What sort of gesture was that?" Starfire asked. "I have seen it done before, but usually the people who did it were very angry at the person they did it to."

"It's a nonverbal way of saying 'sod off,'" Raven replied.

" 'Sod off'?" Cyborg asked.

"I can't very well use the other word, can I?" Raven replied.

"Let's just have breakfast," Kurama said. "And Beast Boy, Yusuke, we should not be prying into the more intimate details of Hiei and Raven's relationship."

After breakfast was over and done with, Starfire went outside for some fresh air. Surprisingly enough, she found Kurama there.

"Kurama?" Starfire asked. "What are you doing here?"

"Admiring the scenery," Kurama asked. "It's so stuffy indoors, you just need some fresh air sometimes."

"I agree with you in that regard," Starfire said. "It's beautiful out here."

"Yes," Kurama agreed. He looked at Starfire. "There is so much beauty to admire here." He smiled gently and pulled a rose out of his hair, offering it to her.

"It is beautiful," Starfire said.

"Will you take it?" Kurama asked.

"Yes," Starfire replied, accepting the rose.

"Let me show you something," Kurama said. He gently took the rose out of her hand and placed it in her scarlet hair. "Your hair reminds me so much of this rose. I thought they would go well together."

Meanwhile, Robin had come outside to talk to Starfire. "Star, I ---" He stopped when he saw Kurama placing the rose in Starfire's hair.

"Robin!" Starfire exclaimed. "Did you wish to enjoy the outdoors with me and Kurama?"

"Thanks, but I think I'll leave you two alone," Robin replied, trying to hide the sadness in his voice, as well as a dejected expression. He went back inside.

Kurama smiled. Just a few more turns of the screw, and they will run into each other's arms.

Robin went into the training room to work out his frustrations. He punched and kicked the punching bag, imagining Kurama's pretty face as the target of his attacks.

Damn it! Robin thought. Goddamn fox! He'd better not take Starfire away from me! He paused. Away from me? It's not like I own her. She's her own person, and if she wants to be with him . . . He slumped to his knees, deep in thought and his thoughts in turmoil.

"Hey, Robin," a cheerful female voice said, interrupting the tormented whirlwind that was his thoughts.

"Hey, Botan," Robin replied.

"What's gotcha down, Robin?" Botan asked.

"It's nothing," Robin replied, lying through his teeth. "Don't worry."

Botan walked over and knelt beside him, placing a comforting hand on his gloved one. "Don't worry, Robin. It'll all work out." She withdrew her hand and placed it inside a pocket of the red jeans she was currently wearing. She removed said hand and opened it, revealing a silver amulet.

"What's that?" Robin asked.

"It's a good-luck charm from Reikai," Botan replied. "Want me to put it on for you?"

"Sure," Robin acquiesced. Botan moved so that she was facing him, then placed the chain the amulet hung on around his neck. She reached her arms over the back of his neck so that she could fasten the clasp. As innocent as the gesture may have seen, Robin was a bit uncomfortable at Botan's somewhat questionable proximity. Besides, with the red top she had on and her current position, he was in a position to see her cleavage. Fortunately for him, Batman's training had left him conditioned to have a decent grip on his impulses.

Soon enough, perhaps too soon to the dirtier parts of his psyche, Botan had fastened the clasp and drew back from him. "You like it?"

"Yeah, I like it," Robin replied. "Thanks, Botan."

"You're welcome," Botan replied.

Robin and Botan left the training room. However, Starfire had just turned the corner to see Robin, and had seen him, all right, but with Botan. Starfire's emerald eyes faintly glowed, from an emotion she could hardly recognize. Actually, she did recognize it as the righteous fury that she could channel into her starbolts and newfound spirit powers, but it escaped her reasoning as to why seeing Robin with Botan triggered that feeling.

"Hello, Robin and Botan," Starfire said. "How are you?"

"We're all right," Robin replied. "Botan gave me this good-luck charm." He held up the amulet to demonstrate just what the "good-luck charm" was.

"It's very lovely," Starfire said, hiding her anger behind her usual demeanor of gentle naiveté.

"So's that rose in your hair," Robin replied, stifling his anger as regarding the source of that particular gift.

"Hey, there's something else I wanted to tell Robin," Botan said, "but I suppose I can tell you, too, Starfire."

"What is it?" Robin and Starfire asked at the same time.

"We're going to the beach," Botan replied.

"I always wanted to go to a beach on Earth," Starfire said.

"Then you'll have a lot of fun," Botan replied.

So they went to the beach. Cyborg couldn't really go swimming, considering that a good portion of his body was made up of wires and circuits, which could get scrambled if they touched water. Beast Boy was wearing a pair of black-and-fuchsia swimming trunks, Robin was wearing green trunks, Yusuke was wearing green as well, Kuwabara was wearing blue trunks, Kurama was wearing white trunks, and Hiei was wearing black trunks. Koenma had decided to join them and was wearing a pair of white-and-blue swimming trunks.

(A/N: All Kuwabara bashers can scream in horror at imagining Kuwabara in swimming trunks if you like. Be glad I didn't put him in a Speedo.)

As for the girls . . . the guys' collective jaws had dropped when they saw them. Starfire was wearing a lavender bikini, while Raven wore a simple black one-piece. Yukina was in an icy-blue one-piece, while Botan and Genkai were in bikinis, sky-blue and carnation-pink respectively.

Of course, Kurama was managing to maintain his composure. Hiei stopped ogling Raven long enough to threaten Kuwabara for doing the same thing.

"Stop looking at my sister that way, you lecherous fool," Hiei stated, his voice cold and threatening.

"You're looking at Raven the same way!" Kuwabara protested.

"The difference is that I will not let you get that close to my sister, you hentai baka," Hiei countered.

Damn, Yusuke thought. For a seventy-something woman, she's damn fine. It didn't escape his notice that for someone as small and slender as Genkai, she definitely had curves.

(A/N: I'm sure you read the first chapter already if you've gotten to this point, but in case you don't know, Genkai is in her seventies. However, Koenma revitalized her spirit energy in such a way that it caused her cells to be revitalized as well, reverting her to her more youthful self.)

"Does all this staring mean that you are not pleased by our choice in attire?" Starfire asked.

"Ohhhhh, no," Yusuke contradicted, leering. "We're pleased, really pleased."

Robin snapped out of his Starfire-lust-induced daze and glared at Yusuke through his mask.

"I am glad," Starfire said. She was silent for a moment, as though in thought. Then her expression brightened. "I always wanted to try . . . what was that sport where you ride the waters on a board called?"

"Surfing," Robin replied.

"Oh, yes, surfing!" Starfire exclaimed. "I would like to try that!"

"I'll come with you," Robin offered. As they walked to the shed to rent a pair of surfboards, Robin noticed some guys ogling Starfire. He sent them a glare and a blast of invisible force that left them coughing up sand. After they got their surfboards, Robin and Starfire went surfing together.

"This is so very pleasurable!" Starfire exclaimed. "Riding these waves is so much . . . fun!"

"Yeah, it is!" Robin shouted back. He navigated a particularly high wave with ease. "Oh, yeah!"

Starfire decided to try the same thing, surfing along the curve of the wave like a skateboarder would skate a half-pipe.

"Awesome, Starfire!" Robin shouted.

"You were quite awesome yourself, Robin!" Starfire shouted back.

After a while, Starfire and Robin returned to the beach for a break. It was then that Robin happened upon Genkai, who was lying on a beach towel.

"Hello there, Robin," Genkai said. Actually, it came to Robin's attention that she wasn't really speaking to him so much as purring.

"How are you, Genkai?" Robin asked.

"Quite well, thank you very much," Genkai replied in that same purring voice. "Except for one thing."

"What?" Robin asked.

"I'd like to get a tan all over," Genkai explained, "but I can't do that without the lotion on my back and I can't quite reach there." She smiled coyly. "Perhaps you would like to help me with that?"

Robin was stunned speechless for several moments. It's a perfectly innocent thing, he told himself. She just wants to get a tan, that's all.

Are you an idiot? another voice asked him. She's obviously flirting with you. A wicked chuckle followed those words. First Botan, and now Genkai. Now you've got two hot women after you. Can you say "threesome"?

"Well, Robin?" Genkai prompted, her voice still purring but with a hard edge.

"Sure," Robin replied. Genkai rolled over onto her back, and Robin could see that her bikini bottoms didn't cover very much of her small yet curvy backside. A blush came to his cheeks. Regaining his composure, he squirted some lotion onto his hands and began to rub it onto Genkai's back.

Meanwhile, Kurama found Starfire again. "Hello, Starfire."

"Hello, Kurama," Starfire said. "How are you enjoying the beach?"

"I like it here," Kurama replied. Never mind all the girls and women who keep staring at me. Sarcastically, he added, Curse these devilish good looks of mine. Out loud, "Oh, I found this for you." He pulled out a light purple wildflower and gently placed it in her hair. "I hope you like it."

"Thank you, Kurama," Starfire said. "You are very kind."

"You're welcome," Kurama replied.

Starfire looked over his shoulder and saw Robin rubbing the suntan lotion on Genkai's back. The faint emerald flicker of jealousy returned to her eyes. Then she noticed something.

Robin wasn't wearing his customary green gloves. For the first time, she could see his hands, and what beautiful hands they were, with slender, nimble long fingers attached to them. Too bad those hands were all over Genkai.

Somehow, I do not think teachers are allowed to get that close to their students, Starfire thought. At that moment, she finally realized where this unusual anger came from. He is my Robin! Mine! I cannot let her take him away from me!

Mine? she thought. Robin is not my property. If he is attracted to Genkai, then I wish he is happy with her.

Suddenly, a massive tsunami rose from the ocean, heading straight for the beach.

"I do not understand Earth weather, but I do not believe that that is a common occurrence," Starfire said.

"You're right," Robin said, joining her. "It's not. Titans, go!"

The Teen Titans and Reikai Tantei sprang into action, helping the civilians escape to safety.

"That was no natural tsunami," Robin said.

"You have an uncanny grasp of the obvious," Hiei said.

Suddenly, a figure rose from the now-receding tsunami. The figure looked human, save that he seemed to be made entirely of water.

"Who are you?" Robin asked.

"I am Aqueris," the water-being replied. "And I am your death!" His arm extended into a powerful torrent of water, headed straight for Robin. Fortunately, Robin created a force shield to protect himself.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" Raven shouted, levitating the sand and throwing it at Aqueris, who leaped out of its way. "What's the matter? Don't like sand?"

"Gatling Gun!" Starfire shouted, firing her starbolts while moving her hands around in a circular pattern. The end result was that her starbolts flew at Aqueris like the bullets of the gun her attack was named after. The energy blasts struck him just like bullets, but they made only momentary holes which soon regenerated.

Beast Boy jumped into the water, then reemerged as a green sea serpent. He slithered around Aqueris and wrapped himself around him, trying to squeeze him. The operative word being trying, as you couldn't really hope to squeeze someone who could just dissolve into water.

Aqueris didn't stay dissolved for long, as he reemerged as a tidal wave that happened to have a human head and shoulders.

"You can't hope to stop me," he sneered and blasted Beast Boy out of the water, forcing him back into human form.

"Can't hope to stop you?" Cyborg asked. "I may be mistaken, but since you're made of water, you have all the same characteristics. Yeah, you may be fast, agile, and able to make yourself practically invisible in the ocean or anywhere else that has water --- but you got the weaknesses of water, too."

"Like what?" Aqueris sneered.

"Why'd you dodge the sand, if you've got no weaknesses?" Cyborg asked. "I'll tell you why: If the sand particles mixed with your water molecules, you'd become mud. And mud may be a powerful, inexorable force, but it's slow compared to pure water and it's actually solid. And here's another one of your weaknesses coming up! Rai, kaminari --- Rava Shock!" His arm converted into its cannon mode and shot a blast of purple/dark blue lightning at Aqueris. Aqueris attempted to dodge, but the Rava Shock made a glancing hit, leaving him weakened. "Now, Raven!"

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" Raven shouted, levitating the sand and throwing it at Aqueris. Robin used his powers to push the sand at Aqueris as well.

"Nooooooo!" Aqueris screamed. The sand mixed with his watery consistency, and when he got back up, he looked more like a melting wax statue than a creature of water. Yukina used her ice powers to drain the heat from the air immediately surrounding Aqueris, soon making him into a helpless frozen mud statue.

"Now we have something solid enough to hit!" Yusuke shouted. He and Genkai performed the Shotgun technique together and blasted Aqueris. Kuwabara, Hiei, and Kurama cut Aqueris to pieces with their Spirit Sword, katana, and rose whip respectively.

"Done deal," Robin said.

However, the recent victim of their attacks did not share their opinion. A roar of pain and rage could be heard from the frozen pieces of mud, which melted and fused together into an angry Aqueris. With a scream, he separated his water molecules from the sand particles, leaving himself as a creature of pure water once again.

"How dare you?!" he screamed. "I'm going to kill each and every one of you brats!" He fired pellets of water at Robin, each one like a stinging needle.

"Stop hurting Robin!" Starfire shouted. She held her right arm in her left hand like she was holding a rifle. "Machine Gun Blast!"

A barrage of starbolts shot out of her fist like the very weapon her attack was named after. Aqueris actually let out a shout of pain when her attacks hit him. He then turned the water pellets on Starfire, who created a shield to protect herself. She then extended that shield into a devastating blast of energy. When the blinding emerald light faded, Aqueris was nowhere to be seen.

"Whoa, Star, that was awesome!" Beast Boy said.

"I didn't know you had it in you," Kuwabara added.

"It was not a great task," Starfire replied. "I simply wanted to help Robin."

"Well, you helped me a great deal, considering Aqueris is gone," Robin said.

"Can't you sense it?" Kurama asked. "Aqueris is still very much present."

"Give the pretty boy a prize," a watery voice said. Once again, Aqueris rose, even madder than he was at the beginning. "Don't you get it? I am unstoppable!"

"Not in this universe!" Robin exclaimed. "Cyborg, you ready?"

Cyborg's arm shifted into its cannon mode. "I got the sonic if you got the boom."

"Teen Titans, go!" Robin and Cyborg shouted at the same time. They ran at opposite sides, then jumped up and did a sideways flip, shooting their rei-ki attacks at the same time. The spirit lightning ran through Robin's force blast and struck Aqueris. The combined attacks blew Aqueris apart.

"Is he gone this time?" Beast Boy asked.

"Definitely," Kurama replied.

"How do you know?" Yusuke asked.

"You'd know if you paid attention in your classes when you actually bothered to show up, slacker," Genkai replied. "Water molecules are made from two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. Expose water to a massive concentration of electricity and you reduce it back to those two basic component elements. Aqueris will take quite a while to reform, and by then he will be too weak to fight, so he will return to his master Trigon."

"How do you know it's Trigon?" Kuwabara asked.

Hiei bit his tongue to stop himself from calling Kuwabara an idiot. No one else bothered to do it for him.

"We should just get back home," Robin said.

So they returned to Titans Tower and changed into their clothes.

"Starfire, may I talk to you?" Robin asked, knocking on the door to her room.

"Yes, Robin, you may converse with me," Starfire replied.

Robin entered her room and saw Starfire lying on the bed with her feet on the pillows and her head dangling off the edge. "I have to confess something to you. It's something I've kept inside for a long time."

Starfire sat up and turned to face him, waiting anxiously for him to continue.

"When Kurama started flirting with you, I felt jealous," Robin continued. "I was angry at him for flirting with you, for coming near you. I was also angry that Koenma came onto you the way he did."

"I found Koenma adorable as an infant," Starfire said. "Did you mean to say that he tried to take advantage of that?"

"He was nestling on your . . . your . . ." Robin tried to get the last word out, but choked.

"Breasts?" Starfire finished. "I was aware of that. Do not worry. I was not seriously offended." She took a breath before continuing. "When I saw you with Botan and with Genkai, I harbored similar feelings of anger and jealousy. I am not proud of those feelings, but I had them."

"I'm not that proud of my anger and jealousy, either," Robin said.

Now is what the humans call "the moment of truth," Starfire thought. Does he feel for me what I feel for him? X'Hal, I hope so.

Now is the moment of truth, Robin thought. I want to tell her so badly, but does she feel the same way? Will she even understand? He breathed.

"Robin?" Starfire asked. "May I tell you something?"

"Sure," Robin replied. He thought, It'll give me time to work up some courage.

"When I came to Earth, I was all by myself," Starfire said. "When you and the other Titans befriended me, I did not feel so alone. I felt as if I had found a new family. This feeling was strongest when I was with you. You always went out of your way to show me kindness and help me learn about Earth. For that, I thank you."

"You're the kind one, Star," Robin said. "You always go out of your way to be nice to people, and you never have a mean thing to say about anyone. You're so gentle and sweet and pure, and I feel happy just being with you."

Finally, at the same time, they said three words.

"I love you."

Robin and Starfire looked at each other, amazed.

"You love me?" Robin asked.

"Yes," Starfire replied. "I do love you, Robin. Do you love me?"

"With everything I am," Robin replied. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Hopefully, I will never give you cause to find out," Starfire said.

Robin and Starfire finally noticed just how close they had gotten to each other without really being aware of it. "May I . . . see your eyes?"

Somehow, Robin couldn't see why she shouldn't. He reached up and peeled off his mask, revealing the most beautiful eyes Starfire had ever seen. They were a sparkling blue color that reminded her of the sky and the ocean.

"You have beautiful eyes," Starfire said.

"So do you," Robin replied. "They're the brightest and loveliest shade of green I've ever seen."

"I love you, Robin," Starfire said.

"I love you, too, Starfire," Robin said.

For the first time since they'd known each other, their lips met in a kiss of love. Starfire's slim golden-tan fingers reached up to stroke Robin's messy black hair and Robin's gloved fingers entwined in her silky crimson locks.

Kurama, Botan, and Genkai watched silently through a crack in the door, smiling in triumph and joy.

"Have you ever seen something more beautiful than a kiss of true love?" Genkai asked.

"No," Botan replied.

"I have seen much beauty in my life, but nothing as beautiful as that," Kurama added.

"We should leave them be," Genkai said. On that note, she, Botan, and Kurama left Robin and Starfire to their own devices.

End Notes: So how'd you like that? I told you I'd put in some Robin/Starfire. Ok, so the whole chapter was dedicated to them. Don't worry; you'll get to see the final fight with Trigon, and it'll be a nail-biter.