5AN: Yeah, I probably should be working on my multi-chap instead of writing a fluffy oneshot about these two but, this idea has been in my notes for months and I finally caved. Also, I'm much more the Garfield in this situation, so please try not to cringe too hard if I messed up while talking about tea.
There are some truths in Titan's Tower that are known as absolutes.
It was inevitable, really, what with the heroes being so open with their city. With so many interviews, quick conversations with civilians, and sneaky snapshots taken by the paparazzi, it was only a matter of time before some facts became very well-known to the public. Certain facts, like Robin and Starfire's relationship status, were considered defining. One half of the power couple was rarely mentioned without the other. Others, like Cyborg's generous donations and frequent appearances at the local school for disabled children, were considered proof of character. And of course, there were plenty of facts, like Beast Boy's love of tofu, that were brushed off as interesting trivia, but not typically paid attention to.
In that last category was Raven's tea: an absolutely trivial absolute.
Everyone in Jump City seemed to know how much Raven loved tea, and, perhaps due to the lack of more personal information about the introverted Titan, everyone paid attention to it. Tea fanatics in the city blogged about the brews she was rumored to be caught drinking and made it a point to try and review them. Local cafés boasted about her rare visits and were quick to recommend whatever she'd tried. Grateful civilians often sent packages of rare teas to the Titans' PO box after a particularly nasty battle.
And it's not like they were wrong- Raven really did love tea.
And up until recently, she'd been incredibly picky about it.
The hydraulic doors leading into the Titans' common area open with a loud whoosh as the empath enters, legs crossed, hood down, and floating a few inches off the ground with her nose in a book. Without looking up, she glides soundlessly to the kitchen, stopping when she gets to what the Titans have uncreatively dubbed Raven's Cupboard: an entire cupboard filled with boxes, bags and jars stuffed with every kind of tea-related ingredient known to man. She wraps the book she was reading in shadows, casting it to the side as she peruses the shelf. She's in a good mood this morning, and she considers brewing one of the more exotic blends that she picked up in Tokyo.
She moves to start filling her electric kettle but is stopped by the sight of a steaming cup of tea on the counter. Plain herbal tea, by the smell of it.
Of course.
Apparently, there was one person who still hadn't gotten the memo of how high the empath's standards for her favorite beverage were.
Sighing, Raven puts the kettle back, grabs a saucer for the herbal tea, and braces herself.
Well, at least she's never been one to complain.
Wordlessly making her way to the couch, the half-demon finally spots the green tabby curled up on in the corner of it, in such a deep sleep that he's managing to snore, which she didn't even know a cat could do.
Hesitantly, she sits at the opposite corner, sips the tea, and cringes.
Yep. Just as bad as it's been the last six times.
It really is a credit to her training on Azarath that she manages to refrain from shaking her head in disbelief. Honestly, herbal tea, made from a teabag, is one of the easiest teas to make! That's why it's at the very front of her cupboard, and why it's her 'usual', if she has one: it takes barely any effort to brew. Just add hot water, let it steep, and mix in a dollop of honey and maybe some ginger. It's that easy.
So how has he managed to make it borderline intolerable for the sixth day in a row?
And it really is bad. Raven isn't one to complain, but somehow he manages to make it simultaneously almost flavorless and sickeningly sweet, with a grainy texture that makes her hold back a gag as it slides down her throat. She can't restrain the shudder that rips through her though.
At least it's warm.
She's forcing herself through the next torturous sip and settling back into her book when the doors open again. She doesn't have to look up to know who it is.
Some things are absolute, after all. Beast Boy likes tofu, Raven likes (most) tea, and Robin likes to read the morning paper.
Sliding onto one of the kitchen stools, the Boy Wonder sets the newspaper on the counter and promptly proceeds to fall asleep face-first in it.
Raven smirks to herself as she practically feels the familiar scene. The Boy Wonder may be conditioned to wake up at seven o-clock every day, but he definitely isn't a morning person. He'll probably be out of it for the next half hour or so, until Cyborg starts on breakfast and fires up the coffee pot.
"Morning" she mumbles, thoroughly amused by the groan of irritation she receives in lieu of a reply. She might have had to force back a chuckle if she didn't take another sip of the painful concoction in front of her. Ugh.
Apparently, the resident detective isn't as dead to the world as she initially thought, because he props his head up on his arm, smirks, and asks "Again?" with far too much amusement of his own.
She decides not to respond, lest the green cat sleeping a few feet away hear the choice words that bubble up inside of her. If she didn't brew herself a proper cup of tea around noon anyway, she'd be concerned about an outburst from Rage at this point.
"Well, at least he's consistent."
'Consistently bad' she refrains from groaning, more in exasperation than anything else. Her only salvation is the fact that the tea is warm enough now to gulp down, meaning this ordeal will be over with quickly enough.
"Go back to spooning your paper." She snipes, though there's little bite to the words. It just makes the team leader laugh harder, though he makes no attempt to lift his head.
"Why do you keep drinking it if it's so bad? He's not even awake to see it."
Raven hesitates for a fraction of a second, before shrugging "It's warm."
Robin's amusement is so strong that it washes over her like a tidal wave. "Alright." he grins, before faceplanting onto the counter again.
Externally, Raven rolls her eyes. But in her mind, the question lingers. Why didn't she just pour the tea down the drain and make herself another cup? Sure, it'd be a waste of tea, but at least she wouldn't have to suffer anymore. And anyway, it's not like her teammate had to know that she was discarding it…
But even as she considers it, she finds herself finishing off the cup and setting it down on the table in front of her. And even as she wonders how on Earth such a sweet beverage managed to have such a bitter aftertaste, she can't really find it in her to regret drinking it all.
She can't help but ponder it further, though- can't help but acknowledge that for the last seven days, the team's resident changeling has woken up before her, made her tea, and collapsed on the couch, where he would remain asleep until noon in the absence of any crime alerts.
Even though he hates waking up early and hates tea, he's been waking up early, to make her tea.
She figures that if he can make her tea even though he hates making it, the least she can do is drink it even though she hates tasting it.
She allows herself the tiniest smile as the tabby rolls over in its sleep so that it sprawls out on its back, baring its soft, green belly to the world.
Maybe the tea isn't the only thing making her chest feel warm these days…
Before she can dwell on that thought further, the crime alert goes off, blaring loud enough to wake Robin with a jolt and startle Beast Boy so badly that he yowls, propels himself several feet, and shifts, all in a few seconds, so that he ends up with his head in the empath's lap.
"Hey Rae" he chuckles, looking up at her with muddy red cheeks.
"Raven." She corrects, her own cheeks flaming.
"Right, sorry."
She hears the sound of heavy footsteps (Cyborg, probably) and a sense of urgency takes over her.
"Thanks for the tea. It was nice." She mumbles, before phasing through the sofa and reappearing by their leader.
'Please, for Azar's sake, don't make it again.' She prays to any deity that would take pity on a half-demon.
Her prayers aren't answered.
Four days later, Raven finally snaps and makes him vegan brownies to 'repay' him. She watches him choke down every bite of the corner piece with barely restrained glee in her eyes, before casually suggesting that maybe next time they should just go out to eat so they don't have to torture each other anymore.
Some things are absolutes. Gar can't make a cup of tea to save his life, and Rae's no cook. That never changes.
But they'd do anything for each other. And that never changes either.
Because even though they don't know it yet, love is absolute too.
AN: Robin definitely tells this story at the wedding, because he's a dick like that (heh.) Speaking of Robin, sorry if he's a little OOC, I just like that more 'human' side to him. Even though he's a no-nonsense leader a lot of the time, he can definitely be a wholesome dork too.