Robin one shot part 3!

Some abandoned works as a treat

"Well, if it is a tradition I suppose that's alright."

"Will you be my boyfriend?" Starfire asked. Robin felt his heart leap to his throat and the air was knocked out of him. He stared at her, dumbfounded and painfully aware of how the whole team was waiting for him to answer. He wanted to nod and say of course because he really did love her. He'd love for them to be together and finally have a label on what they were. Then came that logical training that had been drilled into him from Batman that told him not to make such close connections with teammates because if everything went wrong, it would ruin everything. He knew he wasn't the best at romantic and platonic relationships, so it wouldn't be too out there to suggest he'd eventually mess it all up and they'd part ways. What would that mean for the team? Would they part ways, and team up against him because of course it would be his fault or would he be demoted and kicked out? He liked this setup, he'd like even more for Starfire to be his and for him to be hers but it was a risk. If he declined this offer though, that could destroy the team also. There was no winning. It was all just diving off a building with barely enough time to get your grappling hook and he didn't know if he could grab it in time to catch himself or if he'd be a splattered mess on the pavement. He didn't know if he could take one more failure. If this family fell apart, he thought he would fall with it. Not only did he want this team to work out, he needed this team to work out. Maybe that was too much pressure to put on Starfire and their budding teenage romance. She didn't even know his real name. Oh fuck, none of them knew his real name.

The team exchanged looks with one another as one simple question had their leader staring wide-eyed and on the verge of hyperventilating. After how well the dinner had been going, they hadn't expected this to be the place where things came screeching to a halt. 

"Should we do something?" Cyborg muttered after a good minute had gone by without a word being uttered. Other than being awkward for everyone in the room, he was starting to feel sorry for Starfire. Putting on all this only to have the guy she was asking out power down right at the most important part. His teammates gave him a confused shrug.

"Rob? Are you okay?" Beast Boy asked, placing his hand on the older's shoulder. The action made him jump and whip around to face him. It was truly something to shock Robin so much that he lost his almost sixth sense-like ability to anticipate everyone's next move. Something was happening here but what that was exactly, none of them could put their finger on.

"What? Yes? Yeah no yeah I'm just- I need- yep." As he stumbled through his reply, he got out of his chair and eyed every exit there was. "Gotta- uhm- air so I'll just." He ran off down the hall and presumably continued until he was on the roof. They watched him leave and then turned to Starfire who was just as surprised as they were at what had transpired.

"Is this an Earth custom?" she asked unsurely.

"Not that we know of," Raven replied. "Maybe a Gotham thing?" The alien frowned and got up out of her chair, politely putting it under the table before following after her love interest. She wasn't content with leaving it there and she had a feeling that she was right about her original approach. She should've known that he wasn't going to like it.

"I shall return momentarily," she assured them. Her request for them not to follow was silent but they could pick up on the hint and quite frankly, they didn't want to get involved in that mess. They'd rather deal with putting away the plates and table over going through the minefield that was Robin's emotions.