Disclaimer: I do own the Teen Titans, but in an alternate universe.

-=oOo=-

Starfire hummed softly to herself as she floated towards the Tower's indoor swimming pool. The day was hot, and while the Tower's air-conditioning was working properly and maintaining a pleasant seventy-five degrees throughout it, she still felt the need to refresh herself. She pouted a little as her mind went back to her boyfriend's morose refusal to join her. He could be so infuriating with that obsession he had with paperwork and crime pattern research.

A small smile spread over her face, just a little crooked. To be sure, it would all go on his tab, and she would have him pay it in full come the evening. But for now, she would have to enjoy her swim by herself.

As much as she disliked not being able to share it with anyone, there was no way around it. All her friends were either out or busy. Friend Cyborg was working on his beloved vehicle, friend Beast Boy had flown away to the city earlier saying he was going to visit the arcade, and friend Raven was shut in her room for the last couple of hours, meditating.

The small disappointment did nothing to diminish her usual joyful demeanor, but she took hold of it with practiced ease, allowing her feet to touch the ground so she could walk the short distance to the edge of the pool. A quiet sound of splashing caught her attention and she turned towards it. Her small eyebrows shot up in surprise at the sight.

A head was peeking at her over the edge of the pool. Wet, dark violet hair framed a pale, lovely face from which a pair of wide open, deep amethyst eyes watched her anxiously. The cheeks were quite rosy, as if their owner had just finished a set of physically demanding laps. Starfire smiled delightedly and moved closer to her friend.

"Oh, friend Raven, it is glorious to see that you are here!" she exclaimed, clasping her hands. "I was feeling the fear that I would have to make the use of the pool by myself!"

"I, uh... yeah, um... hello, Star!" Raven stammered out an unconvincing greeting. "You, um... came here to, uh... swim?"

"Of course! I felt the need for the refreshment!" Starfire answered, the fact that Raven seldom asked such idiotic questions still not filtering through to her consciousness. "I shall join you promptly!"

"No!" Raven shouted, her blush deepening, then bit her lip. "I – I mean, no problem, Star!"

As Starfire approached she became aware of a fearful, almost panicky expression on Raven's face. The empath's eyes flashed for an instant from the Tamaranian to an object on the floor and returned immediately back, glowing with… guilt? Puzzled, she followed Raven's gaze and crouched to inspect what it was.

The target of Raven's uncomfortable attention turned out to be a dark blue sports swimsuit; a sensible and functional one-piece made for comfort and convenience. It was just something that Raven would use. As understanding of the situation glimmered in Starfire's mind, a huge grin spread slowly over her face and she turned to look at the Azarathian.

"Friend Raven…?"

The sorceress' head sank slowly until only the eyes remained visible over the edge of the pool, staring at Starfire with a mixture of shame, fear and defiance.

"I would never have the expectation of something like this from you!" the tall redhead chortled accusingly as she walked to the rim of the pool and sat on its edge, splashing her feet through the cool water and looking down at her friend. Only Raven's nose and eyes were now above the surface, but it could neither hide nor cool the fierce blush that glowed on her face.

"I did not have the awareness that you preferred to do the dipping in the skinny!" Starfire said excitedly while pulling off her T-shirt and immediately reaching behind her to untie the strings holding her skimpy bikini top. "I have the same predilection! We shall indulge together!"

"Starfire, NO!" Raven screeched, her hand lifting up from the water in an imploring gesture, but the alien ignored her, removing the top and quickly squirming out of the bottom, hopping back on her feet and launching herself into the water in a high, elegant, golden red parabola. She surfaced and shook her head to get the water out of her eyes.

"STARFIRE!" Raven shouted, a pair of huge, ethereal black wings sprouting from her back and hiding them both behind a semi-transparent, black-and-white photo-negative screen.

Raven scowled at the alien while casting concerned glances behind her. "Someone may come in, Kori! What in the Nine Hells –"

Starfire lifted a small eyebrow. "I am failing to have the understanding, dear Raven. Why would the appearance of one of our friends have such an importance?"

"Because we are naked!" Raven cried, irritated beyond measure. "It's just… not done!"

"It did not seem to matter to you," the alien frowned in confusion.

"I... I was alone!" the sorceress sputtered. "Being naked with someone else is… improper!"

The alien regarded her friend with a blank, uncomprehending look. Raven took a deep breath, glanced with obvious worry behind her again and turned her attention back to the Tamaranean.

"Kori, if the boys come in and see us swimming naked in the pool together, they may jump to the… wrong conclusions. Do you understand?"

Starfire laughed. "Oh, you are implying they would have the conviction that we were having the sex between the girls? How delightful!"

"Delightful is not precisely a word I would use!" Raven growled.

"But that would not be true! We would explain how the matters were standing and any of the confusions would be cleared, yes?"

An exasperated groan came from the empath's throat. She glanced back again, then turned to her friend. "No, Star. Those kinds of things never get 'cleared'. Suspicions would remain."

Starfire frowned deeply. "I am in love with dearest Richard. I am his girlfriend and I would never commit such the act of the treachery!" she said, obviously angered. "Even if I did consider the notion previously, now that we are in the togetherness I have the full and exclusive commitment!"

The sorceress cast yet another worried glance behind her, then whipped her head back, her face becoming first pink, then bright red. "You considered WHAT?"

"Considered wooing you, of course!" the alien replied matter-of-factly. "You have much of the beauty, both inside and outside, no matter the earnestness and the effort you invest in hiding them both."

Raven's mouth worked, but no words could come out. Starfire watched her, slightly amused at the sorceress' obvious astonishment. The ethereal wings faded, their creator for the moment unable to focus on maintaining them. The redhead's gaze fell on her friend's shoulder, now showing above the restless surface that blurred her view of the rest of Raven's body. She frowned again.

"You seem to have several bruises on the shoulder, friend Raven. And on your neck, too! Do you require any of the medical assistance?"

If Raven's face was red before, now it became a blazing shade of ripe tomato. She sank into the water up to her chin, closing her eyes and mouthing her mantra soundlessly. A blue-white glow surrounded her for a few seconds, then her blush faded and her eyes opened.

"It's… it's nothing, Kori. I, um, hit the wall while turning the lap. Nothing to be concerned about. I've healed it now."

"If you are certain…"

"Of course I am!" Raven replied in a much stronger and more confident voice, casting a final glance behind her. "But I need to go to the toilet. I'll be back in a minute."

Starfire nodded and watched her friend as she climbed out of the pool, toweled herself, picked up a sports bag and headed for the dressing room where the toilets were.

She walked into the dressing room and closed the door. Immediately she was enveloped in the embrace of two strong, green arms while soft, warm lips pressed on hers. She closed her eyes and let herself enjoy it for a few seconds, feeling the passion rekindle, then broke the kiss and looked at him.

"I didn't peek, I swear!" he whispered.

"That's why you're still alive and kissing me," she said sweetly, then frowned. "You did hear, though. I can sense it."

"Hard not to, when my ears are so sensitive!" he grinned, wiggling them. She gave him a crooked smile, embraced him and nipped at the twitching ear. "In more ways than one," she whispered back.

"Y'know, Rae, maybe –"

"Don't finish that sentence!" she growled warningly, then pulled away and studied him critically. Her hands glowed with healing magic as she closed the torn skin on his shoulders, back and hips and treated the bite marks, bruises, hickeys and other assorted tell-tale signs of her passion that were written on his body.

"I see you've healed yourself, too!" he smirked. "Good. I love to paint on a blank canvas."

"Another thing we have in common," she smiled back, then her face became serious. "I brought you your uniform. Put it on and sneak out while I distract her. It's good that she didn't figure out I could've simply teleported or phased away."

He dragged her closer into another kiss. She tried pushing him back, but finally let herself go and returned it with everything she had. It was the lack of air that separated them at last.

"Dunno if I can wait until tonight," he whispered hoarsely.

She gave him a wicked smile. "Of course you can. Just keep that dirty mind of yours focused."

He grinned and started dressing himself. She watched him for a few seconds, then her hand went for the door handle. She looked at him again.

"Garfield."

He lifted his head and regarded her quizzically. There was a hard frown on her face.

"If you try to even catch a glimpse of Starfire,I will feel it," she said, her voice becoming low and dangerous and her eyes tinting red. "You will find yourself searching for parts of your anatomy in the deepest Pits of Hell. Do I make myself clear?"

"Can I steal a glimpse of you?" he asked with an impish grin on his face, his gaze sliding down and taking in the delicious figure standing before him in all her naked glory, then rising back to look mischievously into her eyes.

Her frown melted and she bent to kiss him lightly.

"Tonight. My room. As much as you want," she said, opened the dressing room door and left to join Starfire.