Title: Crimes Against Tea
Author: Greysnyper/Cosmicastaway
Fandom: Animated Teen Titans
Rating: PG
Pairing: Slade/Robin

Summary: Starfire makes tea. Robin keeps his promises...with a little help from his friends. And Slade. Can't forget Slade...
Disclaimers: DC Comics owns the original characters.

*---*---*---*---*

The frigid grey sky of way-too-early morning couldn't reach her fully, chill reflected off of the thick windows and not physically able to snake within the confines of the walls. Nevertheless, she could feel the cold that the new day had to offer and it left green eyes contemplating if it was normal to be craving a warm drink. She assumed that this would be ok.

Kettle on the stove after a flight of stairs later had Starfire listening to the inactivity in the tower. She twisted the stove on and felt mildly alone in the spacious room with the artificial lighting reflecting off of numerous metallic surfaces. Each as cold as the window had been beneath her tough. Mildly alone in the quiet.

No.

Not so quiet. Tilting her head the Titan's extra terrestrial member strained to hear and understood quickly the source of the sounds. The television in the neighboring room was on. She could have company.

Hovering under the doorframe though, Starfire found the television to be indeed left on, yet there was no other soul in site. Thus, she assumed, Robin and Beastboy had stayed up to finish their late channel surfing. Or just Beastboy had, Robin calling it an early night. She bit her lip. Or just Robin, since the channel was the News Network and the bar under the pictures scrolled on about weather phenomena and the Justice League and something about stocks. Beastboy would never watch the news with two hundred other channels at his disposal.

"Hmmm." Starfire responded and returned to her original posting before the stove.

The kettle made a stifled rattling sound that mingled with the muffled catch of a reporter's voice and the heavy nothing of the sleeping Tower. There should be hot chocolate mix in the pantry there and...few items. She frowned curiously, rising an extra foot off of the ground to make a thorough check. The cocoa was not there.

Ah yes, she recalled favorably. Beastboy and Raven must have used it up in the constructing of the large cake in honour of Cyborg's birthday. It had only been three days ago. It made sense that no replacements had been retrieved at the grocery store.

That had been a very fun day.

Star blinked, understanding also that this meant she could not have hot chocolate.

"I don't believe this!" came a sudden shout. Starfire spun about to find the silhouette of Cyborg cast against the dirty white sky windows. His sudden exclamation was followed by an increase in television volume. Starfire strained to catch what the box was now saying but her technological team-mate explained things sooner as he continued, "They told us yesterday that the hurricane would die out before reaching Jump City!"

"Hurricane?" she asked aloud as she returned to rummaging through the other pantries for something hot to drink. From what she recalled about earthly weather, hurricanes were not so uncommon along the coast. But she did not think that they were preceded by nearly freezing temperatures. Pale fingers closed on a box from the second shelf.

"Yes a hurricane!" Cyborg continued, marching into the kitchen with soundless steps that explained how the Tamarian had missed his presence sooner. "It's supposed to reach us maybe tonight and now I absolutely have to bold down everything on the roof and around the Tower." He slammed his fist on the counter, obviously moody due to the early hour, Starfire assumed. "Can't those meteorologists get anything right!"

A more subtle voice answered. "Because they are hardly perfect."

Both Starfire and Cyborg looked up to see Raven leaning against the door frame, dark energy snaking to the television and making the volume drop.

"That can't be good for the remote." Cy pointed out.

"And the damage Beastboy and you sustain when fighting over it is?" Raven replied smoothly.

Starfire smiled, glad that her friends were awake and already acting like themselves. "Raven, may I try some of your tea?" She held up the box.

Raven nodded with a slight pass at a smile before slipping towards the T Tower entrance. "Shall we get some work done?"

And Cyborg followed.

"I will join you shortly!" Starfire called and heard a "Dress warm!" as an answer.

Alone once more temporarily, Starfire placed one of the small tea bags into a glass full of the now boiled water and hovered above it, waiting. She had seen Raven create tea several times before. It didn't look all too hard.

Cyborg and Raven had made their entrances with stealth as their guides, but Beastboy had always been a different story. Starfire could recognize his approach long before he had left the stairwell, yawning loudly in what could have been a stretch.

"Good morning friend Beastboy!" she chirped a greeting from the kitchen.

"Oh," he answered. "Hi Star." and yawned again. There was silence for a moment. It was soon broken. "Hey! What gives! The channels won't change!" More silence left incomplete by clicking button. "Was Raven abusing the TV with her powers again?" groaned the changeling before he stalked into the kitchen. "Whatcha doing?" A third yawn.

Starfire beamed at him. "I am making tea." And to emphasize the point she picked up the mug, its contents warm in her hands, and took a drink. Beastboy must have enjoyed her expression because he was grinning when she looked across at him. "Too hot?"

"It is...strong!" she explained, rolling her tongue to escape the heavy taste.

"Probably needs sugar." Beastboy deduced.

Star blinked. "It is ok to add sugar to this drink?"

Beastboy burst into giggles. "Of course!"

"I see."

She replaced the mug back to the counter.

"Anyways," Beastboy started, "everyone is up?"

Starfire nodded, "Cyborg and Raven have gone to secure things to the tower. And only Robin has yet to come down."

The changeling kept quiet and it was understandable why. Starfire felt the need to not voice her thoughts either. Both wondering if their leader was keeping to his promise. Wondering if he would be in his room all day like before, or if he would join them and be happy.

"I have an idea Star." Beastboy finally voiced, sleep dropping from his tone so that it resumed its natural enthusiasm. He pointed at the steaming mug beside her. "You could check up on him and bring him some of that."

"And you could check up on us and give us a hand." Cyborg shouted at the green Titan who jumped a foot, unaware that the cybernetic man had returned.

Once he had landed, Beastboy was quick to yell back, "Hold your horses!" and promptly turned into one, stamping his foot and snorting.

The change made Starfire smile wider. "Thank you for the idea Beastboy!"

Alone for a third time, the Tamarian poured out a second mug and lifted the lid from the sugar bowl. It was empty.

Why were they short of sugar? Oh yes, she recalled. The birthday cake. Starfire furrowed her short brows for an instant before she pulled out a bag of icing sugar. One of the few ingredients that outlasted the cake baking. She smiled. Sugar was sugar. Tea really wasn't too hard to make...

*---*---*---*---*

He hated to admit it. Hated to admit that he would have dropped the promise and stepped back on his word in an instant had Batman not intervened. He didn't want to believe any of their words. That he couldn't handle Slade, that it was too much. That he should back down. And he had promised that he would let it go. And he had planned to break that promise. It felt bad to think like that, but Robin felt bad about a lot of things too. In his defense, he was trying. Finding that he could see things from their point of view. They were his friends and they didn't like seeing him get hurt in the dangerous game Slade orchestrated. It was easier to see things from Batman's side.

That if he did listen to his friends, that if he let go of hunting down Jump City's greatest threat...that could annoy Slade more than any attack could.

Batman had said it would annoy Slade. Robin knew this better. Robin knew it could hurt Slade. As unpleasant as it sounded, two birds with one stone. He could listen to his friends and inconvenience his worst enemy.

It was why Robin had put away the clippings. Why he had made his presence known each day. Watching movies late at night, decorating for birthdays, training with the others, going for pizza. Like old times. Perhaps they all were right...

A knock. "I'm busy!"

A muffled answer. "It is I. Your friend Starfire..." and he could hear the doubt weaving itself into her tone. It hurt.

"I..." he hit a switch and the door slid open.

He could see her there, holding a tray and watching him with those bright green eyes. Seeing.

The room was a mess again. Fully costumed, Robin stood in the center of a maelstrom of papers, clippings, photos, maps, and blueprints. And it hurt to watch her drop her head.

"You promised..."

It's not what you think. "Star..."

Robin couldn't help but feel endowed to his alien partner as she looked up at him with hope expressed so clearly on her face. She wants him to prove her right. That he is their friend and that promises are to be kept.

"It's not about Slade."

She blinked. She smiled.

"I am sorry if I have jumped to conclusions." and she sounded so sincere. "Here, I have brought you some tea."

"Oh." Boy Wonder responded. "Um, thanks."

She entered the room further, shadows sliding over her and the tray she carried. Robin moved to turn on a light.

"The others are preparing for the hurricane that might reach Jump City." Star continued to explain, "And I thought we could warm up for the cold with hot drinks."

"Hurricane?" Oh yeah. The news had mentioned it last night. Slim chance of hitting the coast hard. Justice League helping on some islands..."That will have to wait." He made himself sound professional. Serious.

A few sets of lights flicked on and illuminated Starfire placing the tray on a bare portion of Robin's desk. Also illuminated were the photos littering the floor and the walls. A face staring out at the two making Star gasp and Robin frown. "I think the Joker might be doing business in Jump City."

Silence. But only for a second.

"I will go alert the team."

And Starfire flew from the room. Robin picked up one of the photographs from the floor, offered a suspicious glance at the white foamed tea, and followed.

*---*---*---*---*

On a clear day the bridge would have offered a clear view of Titans Tower, but now in the storm one could barely see ten feet around them. Starfire just needed to see ten feet below her. Green energy tingled with familiar pulses around her fingers and found yet another target moving on the ground.

It was not so bad, this weather. From what her friends had tried to explain, hurricanes and bad storms would have erratic lightning and winds that would hamper flight. All through the debriefing Robin gave, the television soundlessly gave weather reports. Strange atmospheric conditions had been the cause of the storm and already it was said that the JLA would have everything under control. That they were working on it. That only the trailing end of a dying storm would see Jump City bringing heavy cold rain but lacking the gale force winds. JLA unfortunately, could not be contacted by Titans Tower in regards to the super criminal Joker.

"We can't jump into this." Cyborg reasoned.

"I'm not saying we should." Robin answered.

"Slade was always hard, but Joker. How do we take on Joker!" points out Beastboy. And there is doubt.

Robin argues, "We can't ignore the big threats to the city. It's our job to take care of them!"

Bitterness perhaps. That they made him promise. That twice before they ignored robberies linked to Slade. Gave the JLA a call. Defiantly bitterness.

"The Joker is..."

Too much for us to handle? Too dangerous? Too unpredictable?

"The Joker is crazy." Robin admits. The news cuts to footage of Green Lantern on an island. There are capsized boats. "But I have evidence that he's got a small heist planned and if we break up his hired hands," Robin has a plan. "Then we need not even face Joker directly." Just annoy him. Disrupt his efforts long enough for real help to arrive...

Starfire nods. Beastboy, "We don't have to take down Joker?" Because if Robin tries, Batman will have his head.

"We can't just do nothing..."

Starfire scorches another meter of pavement as a third goon falls from her. Cyborg's blast makes the bridge shake and Raven has surrounded a handful with black energy. A tiger is loose, dividing the ranks of the Joker's so-called men. And Robin.

Starfire turns midair to watch him use no super powers. Robin needs no super powers. Robin is Boy Wonder. Then Stafire sees someone.

He's like the rest. Moving different. Faster? No. Some are more agile with a green and black monstrous feline behind them. This enemy Starfire wants to stop the most. Her fingers tingle with energy.

Enemy looks. Robin spins. There's something being thrown. Starfire blinks and he is gone. No, just fast. A blinding flash beside her and Starfire can only call out to Robin. He can't be a hired goon. Impossibly fast and Starfire can't focus to attack him. Sees Robin turn to look at her. Doesn't want him looking at her. Look behind you. He's fast. Look out. A second blinding flash. Had two things been thrown? Star can't see anything.

*---*---*---*---*

"ROBIN!" And there's trouble. He thinks it's Starfire. There is some kind of explosion up there but she is fine. But that can only mean then...

It hurts. Sudden red blur of pain from a kick.

It was me.

And Robin clears the side of the bridge and falls. It is not an unfamiliar feeling. He has done this before. The heavy mist and rain cover makes everything grey. Only the sensation. And there's nobody to catch him. The weather is not too dangerous, but this ocean is. The attacker. Was that Joker? Fear or mild panic takes over. Robin is falling. Take the grapple and shoot up. No directions but up.

It catches and he stops. Jerks. Sways. Pulls one arm up.

The green gauntlet stands out in Robins' eyes. All there is to see is emerald green gripping his lifeline. A cord that snakes up into oblivious thick grey. His arms too. Too much going on to feel cold. He pulls himself closer up. The wind sways him. A foundation of the bridge is there. A person waiting.

Two more pulls and Robin is sure that this is not one of the Titans. He frowns. Struggles for another exchange of hands. Green not so bright against the black belly of the bridge. The mistakable figure is holding something. The rope. The lifeline. Almost there.

"Robin."

He knows the voice. Could never forget it. Low and controlled. More than Ravens'. More than Bruce. Smug.

He hisses. "Slade." He stops reaching. Hangs.

Aside from the howl, there is silence. A small concussion of shaken stone symbolizing battle still above. Silence again.

He can't hold the accusation in. "You're working with Joker now!"

The laugh.

"No Robin." He can't see the eyes but they're staring. He feels them. "All a charade."

The stupid question disguised as demand. "WHY!"

His arms are a little tired now. He notices only now that his tunic is plastered to him. Wet like the driving rain. Freezing almost.

The answer sounds as if it is carried on the moan of the wind. "You wouldn't come." Such simple words. "I'm slightly hurt Robin. I thought you liked our exchanges."

Exchanges. He had to refer to it as that. "Never."

A pause. Then an offered hand. Robin stares at it dangerously.

"I will not hurt you."

Robin doesn't believe. He knows he has two choices. One involves taking the hand. The other involves the sea. Robin feels his lip twitch. It would be very much like Slade to have an alternative plan for the latter. If so, Robin can do only one thing.

The hand.

He takes it. He must be fast. Slade lifts and Robin can touch the beam of metal with his other hand. Has a boot up. Is lunging. Misses.

Robin swears that if Slade speaks the P word...

"You're so impatient." Slade drawls.

Ok. The I word. Robin charges.

Slade steps back, releasing the rope as a green gauntlet twists free from his hand. Robin growls and pushes Slade another step back. Their footing is slick with semi-frozen rain. Robins' hair clings to his forehead. His cape snaps and so would have Slades' jaw if he hadn't leaped another step back. His balance wobbles as he does. Robin smirks. Slade is unleveled. Robin moves.

His boots land on a foundation not as flat as it should be. The bridge beams' warped metal edge that Slade had sidestepped. Purposefully clumsy.

His boot slips and Robin feels everything drop away again.

The cry is cut off by a strong hand. It's on his cape and wrapped around his arm.

"Careful. You don't want to fall." He waits for it. "Again."

A growl is not released for Slade pulls him up. Pulls him back. Pins him to himself.

"Now Robin."

And Robin can't argue. Can only listen as he feels his cold arms held fast by colder metal. Feels warm breath on the side of his face. "You've been ignoring me."

He sets his jaw.

Yes I have been ignoring you.

"You've been letting crime run free in your city."

I had to. "No!" He can't shrug himself free.

"You've been letting your friends lead you and you are not happy."

That can't be true. He's had fun right?

"They don't understand you." Slades warm voice in his ear.

But Star...

"ROBIN!"

Above them. Green eyes burning and fingers aglow in emerald shining...

"Release him!"

Slade holds tighter. "No. I think not." Is the answer Starfire gets. Slade's grasp has grown...possessive; a term Robin would use. He is not sure what he can do. Encourage Starfire to leave? Get help? Keep fighting despite the possibility of throwing them both from the edge? Nothing Robin can think of allows itself to be said. Slade so close, he can't speak. He believes he can feel Slade smiling. It makes him tremble. Or maybe it is the cold.

Starfire frowns. Then the size of her starbolts grow. He searches her face and she gives him that look. And Boy Wonder trusts her. Trusts whatever Starfire has planned.

And she launches them both.

Robin watches the pale lights shine nearer, snapping animatedly in the rain. Slade stiffens behind him. Perhaps unsure of what to do. Perhaps firing on their own leader was something Slade had never expected the Titans to do. They're closer. A flash of darkness takes over Robin's vision. He feels himself being moved, still close to Slade. Them both moved. Black energy. Raven.

It drops away and Slade stifles a grunt. Starbolts have found their mark. Robin drives his foot down, his elbow back, twists free and falls forward. There was never enough room for them both on the beam. He's falling a second time. There is no way Starfire nor Raven can catch him. He knows this and risks a breath. The grey surrounds him until he hits the water.

It is colder then the air and Slade's possessive grip. The shock of it starts Robin into releasing greedy bubbles making their way to the surface. Tries to follow. Finds instead a great green shark.

They find the surface together, Robin clinging to Beastboys side, inhaling greatfully. Shivering.

She is there. Above them with an outstretched hand. He takes it.

"I'm going to see if I can find Slade in the water." the shark announces.

"B-b-be ca-ca-careful" Robin chatters.

"I will accompany him from above." Raven answers as she moves effortlessly through the air herself.

"K-k-k-kay."

From where he hangs Robin can't see Starfire's expression but she must have been concerned for she lifts him quickly towards shore.

*---*---*---*---*

"Cy-cyborg?" he asks and Starfire hurries out of one of Jump City's houseboats with several towels. The house boat had been empty of life, most likely due to the storm. Robin had already stripped his tunic free and greatfully wrapped the dry towel around himself.

"He remained on the bridge." Starfire explained. "He felt it best to divert Slade's men."

"You figured it out?" Robin yawned, attempting to focus and not grow too tired.

Star nodded. "When you were thrown off the bridge, we all knew that you were the target. It made the most sense." And a sad look followed.

"Star?"

"I am so sorry Robin. I did not mean to distract you in the battle and you could have gotten hurt. I was so worried."

I can tell. He wanted to say.

I wonder how I looked out there. He pondered himself.

"It's ok Star. You guys," he bit his lip. "You guys did great. I should have..." Should have what? Been more careful? Been braver? With Slade Robin was never sure what he should have been.

More patient perhaps? He found a stone just to the left of the boat and studied it as if it were suddenly the answer to all his problems.

"You did great too Robin."

He continued to inspect that rock. His nose was runny and he sniffed.

She tried again.

"You always do great Robin." The insistency of her voice made him meet her stare. Made him want to believe it himself. Made him trust and made him hope. Made him want to smile back.

He did. "You know, Slade told me that I didn't need friends to be happy."

It felt odd for him to say so. He never had told anyone about the things Slade said. The things he did...

"Maybe Slade does not understand." Starfire suggested. "Perhaps he does not have friends of his own."

Such a simple answer concerning his worst enemy could only be something Starfire came up with. And it broke a laugh free from Robin. He stopped quickly to sneeze.

Starfire was at his side immediately. "Robin! Are you sick?"

Her concern made him grin wider. "Nah. I'm just cold." Sniff.

"Ah. Then let us go back to the Tower and I will make more tea!"

His practical side wanted to say no. Wanted to inquire about the chalkiness of her last batch. "I'd like that."

"Most excellent." she replied, and grabbed his arm pulling him along. Robin let her.

Twenty feet from the recently vacated houseboat, Slade watched them go.

--Fin.

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Authors Notes:

Wow. I finally figured out that I have to add these to the actual story before uploading. I didn't know that. It's why Premonition is lacking any notes by moi. Some things regarding this ficlet...

It was written by me for a girl I know. She is known here on fanfiction as Raven A. Star. I offered to write her a story and she wanted a Robin/Starfire pairing. Though I do enjoy to watch the cartoon, you must know that I am a Teen Titan comic fan more, and there are huge differences between the two. I'm more adept at writing fanfic for the DC Comic version. I tried. Secondly, I am less of a Robin/Starfire fan and more of a Robin/Slade fan. Since I promised a Robin/Star...we get a little of both pairings.

I need to thank my sister Kathy and her friend Sadie for proofing and offering suggestions. Kathy doesn't think I got Starfire's character right. If anyone agrees, please suggest ways I can fix this. Other noteworthy readers are Darkhalf, Vadalia, and PeachyKeen0821, all of which are my livejournal legends.

If anyone needs to know, I myself decided to find out what icing sugar in tea tastes like. Originally I was going to suggest that Star's tea was foamy and white on top. But in fear of any of you actually testing that to prove me wrong, icing sugar in tea makes the tea a little cloudy but is otherwise not too noticeable. Unless, you drink it. Icing sugar in tea gives the tea a stale chalky taste and is disgusting. If a sequel is ever written, I will be sure to have Starfire banned from steeping tea of any sort.

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