Author's Note: The sequel has begun! A few things you should know right from the get-go: this fic will be MUCH longer, there will be more action/dark elements now that we've gotten past the initial getting-together portion, there will be more BBRae, and there will be some M-worthy moments.

Other than that, I just wanna say it's great to be back and I hope you guys enjoy this next installment! I'm anticipating their being 4 all-together. It's ambitious, I know, but I promise I won't abandon it. Pinky swear!

Songs: "When You Walk In The Room" - Fyfe Dangerfield

(as always, the songs and other info about the fics are on my tumblr, and you can find that link on my profile page)

Chapter 1

"You really won't tell me what my costume is?"

Starfire laughed, her legs kicking in the air behind her as she lifted up from the bed on her elbows.

"No!" she insisted for at least the tenth time. "You told me I could pick, so I picked."

Dick sighed as he folded a clean uniform into his black suitcase. "I am really regretting that now," he mumbled, and she threw a pillow at him.

He turned toward her, his blue eyes wide, his mouth open in faux offense.

"I am sorry!" she bleated, moving to a sitting position, her hands raised in front of her in anticipation.

"Oh no, it's too late for that now," Dick snapped, grinning wildly as he rushed toward her.

"No, Dick, no!" she squealed as he tackled her back onto the bed.

He grabbed the other pillow from behind her and brandished it over his head with the hand that wasn't restraining her wrists.

"Surrender!" he ordered, shaking the pillow slightly.

"Never!" she countered, struggling beneath him.

"Suit yourself," he answered with a small shrug before the pillow smashed into the side of her head.

She laughed, wriggling wildly beneath him. Breaking free of his grip, she reached up to grab his arm before he could level another blow. Her interference unbalanced him, and he fell forward, catching himself by planting his hands on either side of her head.

They lay there for a moment as the laughter subsided to small giggles and sighs, his face hovering just over hers.

"Hey," he whispered, lowering his face so his nose grazed down hers.

"Greetings," she breathed back, her eyelids drooping as she smiled dreamily.

His lips lowered onto hers, their smiles fading as their mouths moved against one another in soft, sweeping motions.

Her heart fluttered in her chest as she lifted a hand into his hair, her fingers twisting into the product-less strands. She had recently convinced him to forgo the hair gel, much preferring the somewhat bedraggled look it naturally fell into, and he did not mind considering she had insisted it looked much more attractive.

Far too quickly for her liking, their mouths parted, and he rose over her to look back into her eyes.

"I have to pack," he whispered, brushing his lips against her forehead before pushing away and sliding off the bed.

She groaned mournfully, sitting up to watch him return to his closet and pull out several pairs of socks.

"Must you truly return tomorrow morning?" she whined, shuffling to dangle her feet off the edge of the bed. "You only just arrived yesterday."

"You know I have to, Kory," he said, turning to look at her with a pained, apologetic expression.

She pouted, her gaze dropping to the floor.

With a small chuckle, he approached her, placing a hand under her chin. "Look, I know it sucks," he admitted, a thumb stroking down her cheek, "but I have to do it. And, hey, at least I'm here for the Halloween party tonight, right?"

She smiled half-heartedly up at him, nodding slowly. "I suppose so…" she murmured, dropping her gaze to where his torso was level with her face.

He pulled at her chin again, and she craned her neck back as he bent to kiss her.

She placed a hand against his cheek, but he disappeared from beneath it, her fingers falling through the air as he turned away. She watched as he walked back to his closet, rifling through the drawers and packing various shirts and boxers.

Dick had been spending a lot of time in Gotham lately, working on something important with Batman that he insisted he could not tell her about yet. At first it had been a few days here and there, then every other week, and now she only saw him for a couple days at a time with long, unpredictable gaps in-between. They had been together for a little over four months, and she had hardly seen him for the last two. To say it was putting strain on their relationship would be an understatement.

Of course, Dick's time away had given Cyborg a chance to work on some much-needed upgrades within the Tower. He had added a swimming pool onto the roof and, in order to fix the one bathroom conundrum, demolished the wall separating her and Dick's rooms, taking a little space out of each to create a bathroom in-between. There had been some discussion about whether to make it accessible from the hallway, but Cyborg had insisted that putting three doors in would be an "architectural nightmare", and, if it were one of the emergencies, someone could always go through Starfire's room. The project was almost completed, but, for now, a tarp was put up whenever Dick was home to cover the holes through which he could see into her room. Not that it mattered very much, considering, whenever he was home, they spent most of their time together, often falling asleep on one of their beds as they talked into the early hours of the morning.

"Robin?"

They both turned to the voice at the door, exchanging a small, knowing glance. Wordlessly, she reached across to the nightstand, plucking his mask off and tossing it over to him as he made his way toward the door.

He caught it, of course, and quickly adjusted it onto his face, tapping all around the black border the way he always did to ensure the special glue had adhered properly.

"Hey, Raven," he said, greeting the girl as he opened the door. "What's up?"

Starfire leaned to the right so she could see around him and waved enthusiastically at her friend.

"Nothing really, I was actually looking for Star," Raven explained, returning her wave with a small smile.

"What is it you require, Raven?" she asked, levitating off the bed to land in the doorway beside Dick.

"I- Um… I need to talk to you about…my costume," she said hesitantly, her eyes flickering nervously to Dick several times throughout the sentence.

Starfire giggled knowingly before stepping out into the hallway. "Certainly, Raven," she affirmed, smiling broadly down at the girl.

"Wait, what about her costume?" Dick pried, but Starfire hushed him.

"Never mind," she hissed, waving her hand at him as she headed down the hallway with Raven.

"What about my costume?" he called after her.

She turned around, giggling at his indignant expression. "I will deliver it to you later," she replied, and his face dropped into a suspicious glare as she rounded the corner with Raven.

"So," she began as they entered the door to Raven's room, "what is the issue involving your costume, Raven?"

"I don't wanna do it anymore," she answered, shaking her head fervently.

"Oh, Raven!" Starfire implored, grabbing her friend's hands. "It is a most wondrous idea! Do not become the poultry now!"

"But what if nobody gets it?" Raven rambled, her eyes wide and panicked. "What if everybody thinks it's stuipid? What if he thinks it's stupid. Oh, Azar, he's gonna think it's stupid, isn't he?"

"Raven," she said gently, bending down to look into the girl's eyes, "calm down. It is not stupid; it is most inventive and humorous."

Raven's breathing slowed as she looked up at her pleadingly. "You really think so?" she asked, and Starfire nodded in affirmation.

"I am most certain your costume will be very well received," she added, smiling broadly.

"Well…okay, I guess you're right," Raven conceded hesitantly, smiling softly up at her. "What about you?" she added, and Starfire's eyebrows furrowed with confusion.

"What about my what?"

"What about the costumes you have planned for you and Robin," Raven clarified, her fear now replaced by a smirk. "Do you think those will be well received?"

Starfire giggled from behind her hand. "I do not know, but it will be most amusing to find out," she said, and the two girls laughed at their shared secret.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Dick

He stared at the box on his bed warily, his fingers twitching. He could fight giant, oozing monsters without batting an eye, but he couldn't open that box.

Starfire had dropped it off a few minutes ago for him to get dressed for the party, scampering away with a small giggle and a wink, and he had been staring at it ever since.

Who would have thought that something so small, so innocuous, could strike so much fear into the Boy Wonder?

With a steeling breath he stepped forward, flipping open the cardboard flaps in a burst of determination. He wasn't entirely sure what he had been expecting, but he found himself relieved when all he saw was a white shirt and a note. At least it wasn't the back half of a horse costume or something like that.

He lifted the shirt out of the box, holding it up by the shoulders in front of him. It took him a moment to realize it was one of his own shirts, and he glanced over to the closet, wondering when she had gotten in there. It was a simple, collared white shirt, the long sleeves rolled up to what he imagined would be about his elbows, and he placed it down on the bed as he lifted out the note.

In an effort to make this as painless an experience as possible, you may wear your usual, uniform pants. You will, however, need to add your sword.

He turned the paper over in his hand, but found no further instructions. That was it? This shirt, his regular pants, and his sword? That wasn't so bad, but what on Earth was the sword for?

Shrugging, he laid the note down on the bed and went to his closet, pulling the retractable sword from his drawer. With the click of a button it unfurled, the sharp point glistening in the light. He spun it in his hand, smiling absent-mindedly. He really did love his sword. Bruce had insisted it was completely impractical, but he had used it a couple times, and it also just made him feel awesome.

Removing the holster from the drawer, he slid the sword inside and hooked the strap into his belt on his right side. He then walked back to the bed, taking his cape and shirt off as he went. Tossing the discarded garments on the bed, he picked up the white shirt and pulled it on over his undershirt, buttoning it up before tucking it into his pants. Heading into the bathroom, hoping Starfire wasn't going to come in the other door, he surveyed himself in the mirror, assuring everything was tucked in and attached properly.

He was rather surprised to realize he not only didn't hate it, but actually thought he looked rather…dashing, if he could think that about himself. As he examined himself, he realized there was something almost familiar about the image staring back at him-the dark hair, blue eyes, white shirt, and sword-but he couldn't quite place it. He looked like some kind of swashbuckling hero. Was he a pirate, perhaps? But then what would she be to go with him?

Before his brain got too carried away with speculation, he went over to the bathroom door leading to Starfire's room and rapped lightly on the wood. The electronics of putting in the automatic, metal doors that the Tower had everywhere else would apparently have been ridiculously complicated, so Cyborg had opted to put regular, wooden doors in this bathroom, trusting that Robin and Starfire could manage to manually lock doors and knock.

"Star?" he called, inclining his head toward the door as he listened.

"Come in," she answered.

He placed his hand on the handle, but hesitated as he remembered he wasn't wearing his mask.

"I am alone," Starfire added, reading his mind, and he opened the door, peering anxiously into the room as he searched for her, his heartbeat increasing in anticipation of her costume.

As much as he had thought about what it could be, he was not prepared.

She had her back to him, struggling with what appeared to be a bra clasp, but the rest of the outfit was actually so flamboyant, it managed to draw his attention away from that.

Her torso was bare down to her waist, where a bright, green skirt started. The fabric was shiny and tight to just above her knees, and then it exploded into thin, twisting, sparkling strips of some see-through fabric in numerous different shades of green.

"Can you help me with this?" she asked, turning to face him, and it suddenly became incredibly obvious.

Her hair was pinned to the side with a glittering, yellow starfish; the red strands twisting down in front of her left shoulder. She had indeed been fiddling with a bra clasp, but it turned out to be a bright purple bra, the front of which was shaped like seashells.

"Dick?"

"Huh?" he choked, blinking moisture back into his eyes as he realized he'd been staring. "Oh, right, sorry," he muttered, and she smiled softly at him before turning around.

His fingers trembled against her skin as he suddenly lost his dexterity, the two sides of the bra slipping through his grip a few times before he managed to grab hold. He examined the various hooks and loops, his eyes flicking between the two sides nervously.

"Um, how do you-"

"Just put the hooks on the right through the tightest loops on the left," she answered, the smile obvious in her tone.

He quickly obeyed, and she turned back around, adjusting the seashells. He averted his eyes, feeling his throat closing up as a heat rushed up his face.

"I must admit," Starfire chuckled, "I am rather happy that you do not know how these work." She gestured to her bra, laughing outright now.

"Shut up," he muttered, rolling his eyes, but grabbing her hand and pulling her close all the same. "You look…incredible," he whispered, breathing in her usual, floral scent.

She smiled, blushing as she dropped her gaze for a moment. "Do you understand?" she asked, her sparkling, earnest eyes lifting back to his.

"Pippi Longstocking, right?" he teased, raising an eyebrow.

She didn't seem to understand his jest, however, and her face plummeted.

"I'm kidding!" he blurted hurriedly, chuckling as he lifted her pouting face up with a few fingers under her chin. "You're the girl from 'The Little Mermaid'," he said softly.

"Ariel," she corrected sternly, but she was still beaming. "And you are Prince Eric," she informed him, plucking at the collar of his shirt. She sighed mournfully, a wistful look in her eye as she grazed a hand through his hair and down the side of his face.

"What?" he asked, concerned with her sudden drop in mood.

"Nothing," she sighed. "It would simply be so much better if you did not have to wear your mask."

He swallowed hard, grabbing her hand off his cheek and pulling it down to his chest.

"Kory-" he started faintly, but she cut him off.

"I know, Dick," she assured, smiling half-heartedly.

"I'll tell them, I will," he insisted, taking her hand in both of his. "I'm just-"

"Not ready," she finished, her tone soft and understanding. She was still smiling, but there was a distance in her eyes.

This was really the only argument they had had so far, and it had yet to be properly resolved. He knew it bothered Kory that none of the other Titans knew his secret, but it wasn't, like she thought, because he didn't trust them. It was just hard to let go of a secret that literally his entire life revolved around. She was too open and honest to understand that.

"So, what do you think?" she interjected, jarring him from his dreary thoughts.

"Huh?" he murmured, confused by her sudden, glowing smile.

"About the costumes," she clarified exasperatedly.

"Oh," he chuckled, stretching away from her, his hands finding hers as he stretched her arms out to her sides. "I think you need to wear more clothes," he said, scanning her nearly-bare upper body.

She giggled, twisting her hands so their fingers intertwined.

"Sweater?" he attempted.

She shook her head, smiling mischievously.

"Parka?" he offered, and she laughed, releasing his hands and walking past him into the bathroom.

"Full-body snowsuit!" he exclaimed, following behind her.

She rolled her eyes at him before turning back to the mirror, adjusting the starfish in her hair.

"It's perfect," he said, standing on his toes behind her as he wrapped his arms around her waist, and she laid her hands on them as she smiled at him in the mirror. "You're perfect," he whispered into her ear, smirking as he felt her shiver.

She twisted in his arms, tugging at his collar as she pulled him into a kiss.

He chuckled against her mouth as he returned it. It was mind-boggling to him that Starfire wanted to kiss him, that she wanted to be with him, that she missed him. And, although he wasn't any good at telling her, he hated leaving her for Gotham. Bruce's scowling face was not nearly as attractive.

"I do not believe I will let you go tomorrow," she murmured against his lips as they paused.

"Bruce won't like that," he answered with a coy smile.

"We will just have to fight over you, then," she said with a small smile.

"I think you could take him," Dick whispered back, and she grinned at him before leaning in to capture his lips again.

She took a small step back to lean against the bathroom counter, her hands grabbing at his shirt to pull him closer, and he lifted a hand to her neck as the kiss intensified.

Small, muffled clicking noises echoed around the bathroom as their mouths pushed and pulled, and he went to tangle his hand in her hair before remembering how carefully she'd arranged it. Refraining from that, he tightened his grip around her waist, holding her fast to him.

Just then, a knock came to his door, and they pulled breathlessly apart.

"Yo, Robin!" Cyborg's voice rang out as he pounded louder. "Come on! People are gonna be gettin' here soon, and we need time to make fun of your costume first!"

Starfire clasped a hand to her mouth to muffle her giggling, and Dick shook his head, chuckling. Their eyes met for one, shy second before he smiled softly at her and pushed away, leaving her to turn around and fix whatever elements of her costume they had just messed up.

While she was doing that, he went into his room, taking a moment to think the most calming, disgusting thoughts he could muster in order to restore normal blood flow. He grabbed his mask off the nightstand, pressing it to his face as he heard Starfire come out of the bathroom behind him.

"You ready?" he asked, and she nodded, smoothing the front of her skirt with a nervous smile.

He walked over to the door, taking a deep breath to brace himself for the mocking before placing his hand against the panel.

Cyborg stood there for a moment, staring at him, his eyes wide and his mouth agape. He then burst into laughter, and Dick folded his arms and glared at him.

"What are you supposed to be? A gay pirate?" Cyborg wheezed, pointing now to go along with his laughing.

"Hey!" Starfire snapped, and Dick closed his mouth as he realized she was gonna take care of it.

"He does not look like a homosexual marauder!" she insisted, and Dick wasn't sure if she was helping or hurting the situation at this point. "He is my prince," she finished, hooking her arm through his as she smiled, and he could not help but return it, even if he was a little embarrassed by the title.

"Star," Cyborg breathed, his expression shocked, "you look…you look… Wow…" he sighed, smiling dreamily.

"Thank you, Cyborg," she giggled, grinning broadly at him. "I believe I will go see if Raven needs any assistance with her costume," she added, placing a small kiss on Dick's cheek as she pulled her arm out from his, passing Cyborg as she went down the hallway.

Cyborg turned to look after her as she walked, and Dick went to stand next to him, leaning against the side of the doorway.

"So," he strained, smirking up at his friend, "guess I get a pass on the gay pirate thing, huh?"

"Shut up," Cyborg hissed, giving him a small punch on the shoulder, and he laughed.

"Speaking of costumes," Robin Dick, scanning the half-robot in front of him, "I can't believe you're doing 'The Terminator' again."

This would be Cyborg's third year going as the terminator, and Dick kind of considered it cheating. He didn't even really change anything; just stuck some extra, metal panels on, wrapped his exposed skin in tinfoil, and set his eye to constantly glow red.

"Hey, we can't all be Disney princes," Cyborg taunted, shrugging as he smirked down at him.

Dick glared at his friend's laughing back as he followed, the living room door sliding open to admit them.

"Hey, guys!" Beast Boy exclaimed, rushing up to them, streamers in hand. "Whatdya think? Raven helped me," he added, gesturing grandly to the room beyond them.

The shutters were down, leaving the room dark with various colored lights flashing randomly around. Orange and black streamers hung everywhere, along with dangling black bats and skulls spinning in the air on the end of their twine. Across the kitchen counter were several bowls and plates of snacks, as well as a separate table set up at the end to house all of the beverage paraphernalia.

"We already called to order the pizzas," Beast Boy added. "They should be here in about an hour. We figured that'd give people enough time to arrive."

"You're sure saying a lot of 'we' there, BB," Cyborg teased.

"Well, I told you Raven helped me," Beast Boy grumbled, turning away from them as his face reddened.

"Looks great, Beast Boy," Dick praised, and the boy beamed at him.

"Alright, well I better go get changed," Beast Boy said eagerly, rushing past them toward the hallway.

"Woah, sorry, St- WOW!"

Dick turned to see Beast Boy stopped dead in the doorway as Starfire walked through it, her eyes wide with alarm.

"You look- You- Wow!" he stammered, his mouth gaping as he scanned her.

"That seems to be the only reaction I can receive," Starfire giggled.

"You look great," Beast Boy added sincerely, and Starfire smiled warmly at him. "Be right back!" he called over his shoulder as he passed through the door, giving them a small wave as he rushed down the hall.

"It is quite the spooky in here, yes?" Starfire commented as she approached them, her eyes traversing the room.

"Yea," Cyborg answered, looking up at the bat that was spinning slowly in the air over his head, "and I heard BB scheming with Raven about adding a few surprises during the movie marathon too."

"Surprises?" Starfire repeated warily, her hand finding his as she reached his side.

"Yea, like ghosts dropping out of the ceiling or something like that," Cyborg continued, and Dick watched Starfire's eyes widen with fear.

"Ghosts?" she murmured, her grip tightening around his fingers.

"Don't worry about it," he assured her, and she looked at him, unconvinced. "Knowing Beast Boy, it will be more stupid than scary," he added, smiling reassuringly.

She smiled back at him, albeit hesitantly, and released his hand to turn around and look down the snack table.

"What is this?" she questioned, pointing at something on the vegetable tray.

"Oh, no!" Cyborg bellowed, pushing Starfire aside to glare down at the food. "That little twerp is not trying to sneak tofu into this party!"

"Ta-da!"

The group turned to see Beast Boy, his timing impeccable, standing just inside the doorway. He was wearing a light brown, full-body suit, complete with a hood framed with some long, hairy mess.

There was a moment of complete silence before the group burst into simultaneous laughter, Starfire grabbing onto Dick's arm as she struggled to stay upright.

"Oh, come on!" Beast Boy snapped, glaring down at them. "You guys already knew I was gonna be a lion. It can't be that funny."

"I just- I couldn't really picture it until now," Cyborg wheezed.

"It's so much worse than I imagined," Dick added, and the group collapsed into laughter again.

"Ha ha," Beast Boy said flatly, scowling as he approached them. "You guys aren't exactly stunners. What are you, anyway? A gay pirate?"

Dick opened his mouth to retort, but the words froze in his mouth as the door opened to reveal-

"Oh…my…god," Cyborg breathed, his jaw dropping.

"What?" Beast Boy questioned. "What are you-" He too cut off as he gaped, and Dick was forcibly reminded of a heart-eyed, tongue-lolling cartoon.

Raven walked down the stairs, her black pants and boots making her bottom half nearly disappear. Her sequined jacket, however, was bright red, with long coattails flowing out the back, and a tall, white top hat was perched on her head. As she got closer, Dick could see something swinging in the air beside her, and he realized she was holding a long, black whip.

"Raven, you- you-" Cyborg stumbled weakly as she reached the group.

"You look glorious!" Starfire interjected, her feet tucking behind her as she levitated off the ground, her hands clasped adoringly beneath her chin.

"What she said," Dick muttered, smiling across at the girl.

"Thanks," Raven chuckled, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear shyly.

"Raven, you…" Beast Boy breathed, blinking rapidly. "You look…incredible."

Raven dropped her eyes to the floor, her blush obvious even in the dark, and Dick felt Starfire's head against his shoulder. He had told her time and time again that she shouldn't get her hopes up about Beast Boy and Raven, but she was already too invested to listen.

"Um, thanks," Raven mumbled, plucking at the sequins on the front of her jacket.

"So what are you?" Cyborg asked, and the tension in the room lessened slightly.

Raven chuckled as she lifted her head. "A lion tamer," she said coyly, lifting her whip up beside her face.

A strange, choked whimper escaped Beast Boy, but the rest of the group laughed.

"It's a tough job," Raven sighed jokingly, "but someone's gotta do it."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Beast Boy pressed, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"Nothing," Raven shrugged. "Just that somebody's gotta keep you in line," she said as she elbowed Beast Boy lightly in the arm, and he smiled back at her.

Starfire sighed softly into his ear, and Dick rolled his eyes behind his mask. This might be like a live chick-flick for her, but it just made him uncomfortable.

Thankfully, the doorbell rang at that moment, and Dick was grateful for an excuse to bound across the room to the console. Hitting a few buttons, he brought up the main door camera to find the smiling face of-

"Helloooooo!?" Kid Flash sang, his eyes huge as he held his face inches from the camera.

Without responding, Dick hit the button to buzz him in, and the stairwell door banged open just as he was returning to Starfire's side.

"Hey, guys!" Kid Flash exclaimed as he joined the group, standing between Dick and Beast Boy, his arms slung around both of their shoulders. "First one here?"

"What is that?" Dick hissed, pointing down at Kid Flash's costume

He had on his usual mask, but, other than that, Kid Flash was wearing Robin's uniform. It looked like one of his real uniforms too, and Dick was opening his mouth to ask when the hell he broke in to steal it when Starfire cut in.

"Oh, how charming!" she exclaimed, grinning wildly. "He is you!"

"Oh no, my dear Ariel," Kid Flash corrected, suddenly appearing between her and Dick. "I pull this off way better than him."

Dick grabbed him by the cape and tugged, sending him stumbling backward, but Kid Flash merely laughed.

"Flash!" a female voice rang through the room, and Dick saw Jinx heading toward them across the room. "How many times do I have to tell you-"

"Don't take off without you," Kid Flash droned, sulking over to her.

"Honestly!" Jinx snapped, revealing the faux fangs in her mouth. "It's not that hard."

"Sorry, babe," he apologized, lifting her hand to his mouth for a small kiss, and her expression instantly softened.

"Aqualad's right behind us," Jinx addressed the group. "We passed him on the way in."

"Guess we might as well just disable the lock," Cyborg ventured, and Dick nodded his approval.

"What's Aqualad's costume?" Beast Boy asked, trying and failing to sound nonchalant.

"I don't really know," Kid Flash said, shrugging. "Only saw him for a nanosecond."

"Hey!" Aqualad greeted as he entered, dressed as a cowboy. He even had the vest, as well as the expected holsters, boots, and hat.

Starfire giggled beside him, and Dick twisted toward her, causing her to quickly clap a hand to her mouth.

"Did I mention how attractive you look in this shirt?" she said playfully, latching onto his arm as she smiled glowingly up at him.

His glare slowly faded as he gazed into her wide, innocent eyes, and he shook his head down at her.

She giggled, nuzzling into his shoulder for a moment before floating away to greet Bumblebee, who had just walked in dressed as a glittering, yellow fairy.

He caught up with her just as the rest of the Titans East walked in. Más y Menos were wearing outfits that, when they stood beside one another, resembled a yin-yang symbol, and Speedy was dressed as, somewhat predictably, Robin Hood.

Even though Dick could not see Speedy's eyes behind his mask, he could tell when their eyes met. A lightning bolt of tension sparked between them, and Dick felt his chest tighten with the pressure.

He had not seen Speedy since what had happened with Starfire (which he still insisted was a date, much to Starfire's frustration), and he was suddenly not sure how to handle it. Surprisingly, for his part, Dick found himself not mad at Speedy, but he supposed that was one of the perks of ultimately getting the girl. Speedy, however, might be less amicable.

"Hey," Speedy muttered, raising a hand meekly.

"Hey," Dick said shortly back, nodding slightly.

"Please, go enjoy the bountiful snacks," Starfire urged beside him, and he saw her shooing a doe-eyed Más y Menos toward the kitchen.

To her credit, Starfire did not embrace Speedy as she normally would have, instead standing beside Dick as she beamed across at him.

"Speedy," she greeted, nodding politely. "It is glorious to see you. I trust you have been well?"

"Um, yeah," Speedy answered, looking slightly confused by Starfire's language. "You?"

"I have been most wondrous, thank you," she replied, and Speedy smiled across at her.

Dick glanced at her pointedly out of the corner of his eye, and she somehow knew, just like always, even though she couldn't see.

"We will speak later," she assured, walking away behind him and subtly grazing his back in a way he understood as a warning.

The two boys stared at one another for a moment, the silence growing more and more uncomfortable.

"Look-" Dick started, but stopped when he realized Speedy had said the same thing.

They both chuckled at their unison, and the tension in the air instantly lightened.

"Robin, I- I just wanna say, I-" Speedy stammered, scratching the back of his neck.

"I get it," he interrupted with a half-smile.

"So…we're cool?" Speedy ventured hesitantly.

"Yea," Dick answered, nodding, "we're cool."

They exchanged small smiles, but otherwise remained silent for a few moments.

"Nice hat," Dick teased, and the atmosphere instantly returned to normal between the two good friends.

"Ugh, I know," Speedy groaned, taking it off and turning it over in his hands. "I don't know how someone could wear this all the time."

"Robin!" Starfire called, and he suddenly lurched to the right as she grabbed hold of his arm. "Come quickly! Más y Menos have proposed a game of spinning bottles, and I need you to explain it to me!"

"They- You- WHAT!?" he blurted, and Speedy laughed loudly as he was pulled away, scrambling to stay on his feet as Starfire dragged him across the room.

When she stopped, he found himself staring at Más y Menos' startled, disappointed faces. The two brothers looked at one another before leaning in, conversing quietly in Spanish, not knowing Dick could understand them.

"Is he playing?" Más asked, looking furtively up at him.

"I hope not, but still, odds are the bottle with land on one of us anyway,"Menos answered.

Más smiled deviously at his brother, and Dick clenched his fists, fighting the urge to interject.

"True," Más appraised, smirking. "Finally, we will get a kiss from Starfire!"

"You will WHAT!?" Starfire shrieked, her hands planting on her hips as her eyes narrowed furiously down at the twins.

Más y Menos exchanged frantic glances, shirking fearfully away from her glower.

"You are- You two- I cannot even begin to- ACK!" She stormed away, her hands fists as her eyes burned green.

"Where did she learn Spanish?" Más asked breathlessly, and Menos shrugged dazedly.

Dick leaned down toward the twins, smirking, and they looked up at him curiously.

"From me," he said, and, as the twins' faces drained of color, he turned and walked away, chuckling to himself.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The music blared as the Titans twisted around on the dance floor, and Starfire spun Raven around, their hands intertwined over her head.

"Star!" Raven shouted over the music, laughing as she rolled her eyes. "I'm getting dizzy!"

Starfire laughed as she lowered Raven's hand. "My apologies, Raven," she said, beaming at her friend. "I simply adore the dancing!"

"Well, I think I need a break," Raven replied, sliding her hand out from Starfire's.

"Mind if I cut in?" Beast Boy asked, and Raven spun around to face his outstretched paw and warm smile.

"Uh, sure," Raven muttered, gingerly placing her hand in his and returning his smile.

Starfire smirked at her friend. "I thought you needed a br-"

"Shush!" Raven snapped, slapping her arm lightly, and Starfire laughed as she watched her friends passing through the crowd hand-in-hand.

"Princess?" she heard behind her, already grinning as she spun toward the voice. "May I have this dance?"

Dick stretched a hand out toward her, impossibly handsome with his sparkling grin and eyes she imagined she could see.

She beamed at him as she giggled, bowing slightly and taking his hand.

He tugged her toward him and she crashed into his chest with a surprised gasp, blinking to bring his suddenly-much-closer face into focus. He smirked down at her, and, as her knees melted beneath her, she wondered if she would ever be able to not turn into a complete fool every time Dick looked at her.

"Robin," she whispered, scanning the dancing Titans around them warily, "everyone is looking."

"Yea, well, seeing me dance is kind of like seeing a dog walk on its hind legs," he chuckled.

"Oh, no!" she insisted, shaking her head. "You are much more coordinated than that!"

Dick laughed, and she knew immediately she had misunderstood some earthly expression once again.

"I mean that it's rare," he clarified, "and kinda silly looking."

"Nonsense," she scolded, lifting off the floor so she could sink to rest her head against his shoulder. "You are a remarkable dancer."

"Years of practice," Dick said softly back, his breath ruffling her hair.

They spun for a moment, her savoring the warmth of his shoulder against her cheek, before something clicked in her mind, and her eyes shot open wide.

"Wait," she said, leaning away from him to stare critically into his eyes, "what do you mean 'years of practice'?"

"Uh…" Dick murmured, swallowing hard, and her eyes narrowed even further. "Well, it's just that…I've had to go to a lot of…fancy functions over the years," he said hurriedly, and she could nearly see his eyes darting back-and-forth to ensure no one could overhear.

"And who did you dance with at these functions?" she added, her mouth pressing into a thin, disapproving line.

Even in the dark, she could see him turning red.

"Just…people," he muttered, his lips barely moving as he spoke. "Mostly the daughters of guys Bruce was trying to impress."

"Did you- Did you ever- Were you-" she stammered, not entirely sure how to say it, or if she could even manage to.

"God no!" he blurted, and Bumblebee and Cyborg turned from their dancing to look at them, alarmed and concerned.

"No," Dick repeated, softer now as he gave the staring pair a small, reassuring smile, and they returned to their twirling. "It was just favors for Bruce. I don't think I even saw any of the girls more than once."

She narrowed her eyes at him, scanning his face for sincerity, and then smiled softly as she was satisfied.

Dick sighed with relief as he pulled her back toward him, one hand settling on the small of her back.

"They're all terribly boring too," he added into her ear. "All they wanna talk about is what it's like to be a Wayne. All the money and fast cars and crap."

Starfire giggled at his embittered tone, and he smiled across at her.

"I'm just saying, they're all really awful," he continued, pulling her back so her head rested on his shoulder once again.

"And ugly," he said softly, and she chuckled into his neck.

"And they smell," he muttered.

She let out a small burst of laughter, leaning away for a moment to hit him lightly on the chest before returning to his shoulder, which was vibrating slightly with his chuckling.

The music changed as time went by, getting progressively tamer as it got later, but she hardly noticed. She and Dick spent most of their time slow dancing, regardless of the pace of the music, so they could talk. He was home-she would always consider the Tower his home-so infrequently lately, they had to use every possible moment. Mostly they talked about what battles the Titans had fought in his absence, and he listened intently with eyebrows furrowed.

She knew it bothered him to not be around for such things, but she was uncertain if that were because he felt they would need him, or because he was upset they did not. His absence was certainly missed on many occasions, but they had not yet come across an enemy they could not defeat without his help.

She was also very careful to leave out any parts of the stories that involved physical harm to her. She had made that mistake once over one of their video chatting sessions, and Dick had insisted on her bringing Raven in to heal the minute scratch on her arm. Even thousands of miles away, he still managed to be overprotective, and it would have been frustrating were it not so endearing.

What seemed to her to be all of a sudden, it was the early hours of the morning, and the visiting Titans began the slow process of leaving. Kid Flash was the last to go, promising to wash Dick's uniform before returning it, but Dick suggested he simply burn it after Kid Flash revealed he had not bothered wearing undergarments.

"Well, I guess we should clean up," Cyborg sighed, his arms stretching over his head as he yawned.

"Naw, leave it," Dick said, batting a hand lackadaisically, and they all turned to look at him with wide, disbelieving eyes.

"What?" he asked. "I'm tired."

"Dude," Beast Boy mumbled from his seat on the couch, his eyes drooping sleepily, "I might be dreaming, but did Robin just say we could procrastinate?"

"Tonight," Dick clarified sternly, but Beast Boy grinned regardless.

"I'll take it!" he said, stretching his feet out across the couch, his back lowering toward where Raven sat against the arm. He leaned against her lightly, his head pressed against the side of her shoulder, and she looked down at him, her eyes wide and angry.

"Do I look like a pillow to you?" she snapped.

"Dunno," Beast Boy yawned, wriggling more comfortably into the couch as he closed his eyes. "You're behind me."

Raven's mouth opened as if to retaliate, but she closed it again with a sigh, shaking her head as she raised the remote to turn on the TV.

"You are not going to retire, Raven?" Starfire asked, approaching the back of the couch.

"Not yet," she answered, flicking through the channels, the bluish-white light reflecting off her face. "I think I'm gonna unwind for a bit. Parties stress me out," she added grumpily, and Starfire giggled at her scowl.

"I shall see you in the morning," she said, smiling at her friend. "Both of you," she whispered, and Raven turned to give her a sharp glare as Starfire floated away.

"Yea, I'm gonna turn in too," Cyborg said through a yawn, heading to the door in front of her.

Dick followed behind her, and the three of them left the living room and entered the hallway.

In their usual, precautionary way, she and Dick both went to their perspective doors as Cyborg continued to the end of the hallway.

"Night," he called over his shoulder as he rounded the corner.

"Pleasant schlorvaks!" she returned, covering Dick's mumbled 'Goodnight'.

She passed through her door, waiting for it to close behind her before lifting into the air so her footsteps would not be heard rushing through the bathroom.

"Woah!" Dick chuckled, his arms slowly wrapping around her shoulders as he returned her embrace. "I was gone for like three seconds."

She shushed him, shaking her head into his chest. "I do not get much time with you," she reminded. "I must utilize every second."

"Well, alright," he said, and she looked up to find him smiling, "but how about we get changed first? Your starfish keeps stabbing me in the head," he added, tapping at the ornament in her hair.

She pulled away, laughing. "Very well," she conceded, floating back into her room and closing the bathroom door behind her.

It did not take long to change out of her Ariel costume and into a pair of pajamas-purple pants and a large, green t-shirt-, and she wandered into the bathroom to begin the process of removing pins from her hair. She was just removing the last of them-although she had thought she had found the last of them several times already-when Dick walked in, wearing his usual plaid pants and white t-shirt, his mask removed.

"I don't think I've ever been so tired in my entire life," he said before flipping the water on in his sink and splashing some onto his face.

She giggled faintly as she ruffled her hair, feeling through to make sure she had removed all of the pins before reaching for her toothbrush and toothpaste on the counter beside her sink.

There was a time in the earlier days of their relationship when she would have wrestled a raging flarnop before allowing Dick to see her brush her teeth, but things had changed as his time at the Tower had deteriorated. She refrained from using the special sticky, muddy mask Raven had purchased for her when Dick was around, but he was privy to the rest of her rituals.

When she had finished brushing her teeth, spitting as dignifiedly as possible, she passed behind Dick, who was brushing his own teeth, and sat on the center of his bed. She crossed her legs beneath her as she watched him, perching her elbows on her knees so she could hold her head in her hands. It never ceased to amaze her how he could make her heart palpitate even while doing something as simple as brushing his teeth.

"What?" he asked, looking at her self-consciously. "Do I have toothpaste on me?" He turned back to the mirror, wiping non-existent spots.

"No," she answered softly, smiling at him, and he returned it as he pulled away from the mirror.

He walked into the room, flicking the bathroom light off behind him, and clicked on his bedside lamp before also flipping the bedroom lights off. He slid onto the bed beside her, and she took her usual position, stretched out diagonally with her head on his chest. They lay there like that for some time, silent as she listened to his heartbeat and he ran his fingers through her hair.

"Kory?" he said after awhile, and she tilted her head upward to see his eyes. "Ya know…I don't like leaving either."

She smiled into his vulnerable, sad eyes. "I know," she whispered, and he smiled back at her.

She lowered her head once again, staring across his chest at the wall, sleep slowly creeping down her body as she got lost in the rhythmic passes of his hand in her hair. Breathing in his clean scent, she listened to the sound of his heart, her eyes gradually closing with the slowing beats.