Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans. They own me!

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"So basically, you've just realized that you're not as in love with Starfire as you originally thought, and now you want me to help you conspire against My. Best. Friend. In a scheme that entails you dumping her?"

Robin momentarily marvelled at how she had been able to say that all in one breath.

Shaking his head in the negative, the boy wonder tried to explain, "No, you're deliberately misunderstanding me. I don't want to end my relationship with Star, I just cannot continue this charade of us being in a romantc relationship any longer!"

Ignoring Raven's snort of contempt, he chose his next words carefully. "You have to understand. I am not doing this because I don't love her. I'm doing it because I do love her."

Her eyebrow lifted in what Robin recognized as one of the many signs indicating her growing irritation. Cringed inwardly at the thought of further embarrassing himself, he nevertheless pressed on courageously. Raven already looked like death warmed over and was quite possibly harbouring thoughts of flinging him out an open window, so there was no harm in venturing further into their floundering conversation.

"We, as a couple, are a mistake!" He declared, reinforcing the last word with a forceful thump of a fist against his palm. "It was a mistake from the beginning. I should have known from the start that Star didn't belong with me. She's in love with someone else! It's just that…she hasn't realized it…yet."

Robin faltered, loosing steam. "Star's not aware that she doesn't love me…romantically. And also that she loves that other…aforementioned person…"

The sorceress tiredly rubbed her temples and sighed, "So you're telling me that you not only feel that my best friend doesn't know her own feelings, but she is also somehow cheating on you?

He frowned at her overly simplistic rendition of his words. Though essentially true in point, she was completely missing the subtle nuances of his argument. Half of him wanted desperately to correct her, but his rational side knew better than to foist emotional reasoning onto his logically inclined teammate.

"She's not doing it intentionally…"

Folding her arms into a faint mockery of The Thinker's pose, she murmured, "So even though Starfire's totally in the dark, and is therefore blameless," a slender finger tapped thoughtfully against her chin, "you're still going to dump her?"

"NO!" Robin bellowed, at his wits end. Casting out wildly, he seized her arm and dragged the startled girl against his body.

"Stop. Doing. That. Raven!" He bit out in frustration as Raven struggled to break free. "You keep twisting everything I say. As I've already explained, this is NOT about me. I'm looking out for Star and her happiness."

Incensed violet eyes met his furious glare unflinchingly. "So. Am. I."

Robin felt his anger suddenly die away, doused by the seriousness in her expression. A wave of remorse buffeted his conscience and he loosened his grip on Raven's wrist. But he couldn't let go. Couldn't bring himself to release her completely even as she tugged half-heartedly at his hold.

Cradling her hand in his, Robin apologetically rubbed at the rapidly darkening welts that he had put on her porcelain skin. "I'm so sorry Rae."

She said nothing but placidly allowed him to massage her bruise.

"I love Starfire… but as a friend, not a lover. It's the same as her feelings for me, if she'd only examine our relationship more closely. We have all these feelings for each other, but it's mostly that of comradeship and mutual sibling affection."

Raven remained silent, though she turned her wrist slightly to allow him better access to her purplish skin.

"You know, I've been mulling over this for a long time now. Probably ever since we both started dating. Something just felt wrong from the start. It took me a while to figure it out, but…I got it at the end, like I always do."

Her eyes rolled exasperatingly at his smug grin.

"Sure there may have been a spark at the beginning, but Star and I? What we experienced together may have been love, but it wasn't love love. I know the difference now. It wasn't ever since you…well, you know."

A pale hand halted his ministrations with a cool touch. "You do know that you're not making any sense right, Robin?"

The worried crease in her brow told him that though she still didn't understand, she was nonetheless worried about him. Or more likely concerned about the state of his sanity…

Robin smiled helplessly.

What in the world had ever possessed him to consult their resident goth for help? Sure, she was his girlfriend's best friend in the whole world (she had even eaten the pudding of friendship, albeit unknowingly at first, to prove it) and the sorceress knew Star better than anyone else. Though, considering Raven's inability to comprehend his very straightforward contention, he may have overestimated her understanding of Star's overly clingy but loving nature.

It was surely an extremely unpleasant twist of fate that this woman before him also happened to be the one he had fallen madly in love with.

But she didn't know that…

Yet.

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Author's note: Don't know what possessed me to write this. It doesn't make any sense to me but I'm too tired to care. Had fun playing with stressing certain words though. Italics. Are. Fun.