Easy Evening

Raven thought on the question. She was starting to see why Cupid's Wish put them together. But that was something to deal with later.

"What now? Nothing. This changes nothing in the short term. Other than my trust for you has increased." Rave said, carefully choosing her words. "I just wanted to make sure you weren't some sort of crook or cheat. Bestial rage is something I can at least..., work with." She reached out with a hand and gripped Cole's shoulder, pulling him up and with a light shove put him on the couch. "If you're worried about going into some sort of rage again, getting you worked up or into a position to break like that again is to be avoided. I suppose that does explain why you were a bit... wound up in the morning."

Looking back, Cole was a bit rash and bitter upon waking up. "Was that my raging coming out again?" He thought to himself as he just let Raven do.... whatever she was doing. She finished up putting in the DVD of her choice into the player, floated the remote into her hands and flicked everything on while taking a seat across the couch from Cole. The screen flicked to life and showed.... , some sort of colorful cartoon horse title card. Cole cocked an eyebrow as as his mouth hung slightly open.

Raven shrugged as her magic summoned forth a few more drinks for the pair. "Oh I never said you had to keep the movie inside the holder. Forgive me I made some swaps while I was setting up for the question game. That is..., " She held up a case that had a well dressed vampire, dripping blood from it's maw, "Unless you want to watch something horror based on the first night."

"No no I'm good...., kinda low but I don't mind. Something easy I guess. ...aren't you a bit old for this though?" Cole asked as he cracked open the drink. Just another can of soda, but after that talk he could really use a beer. Better not though it would just make him feel worse in the medium run.

"Can't be doom and gloom all the time." Raven answered as she settled into her spot, "Some times you just just want something sweet to remind you why it all matters." Cole just nodded but noted that Raven's hand were still covered in energy. He didn't see anything happening around him so wondered if he should bring it up.

"Nah. Had enough of a heart to heart..." Cole started thinking as he took a drink.

".....So about that reporter."

Cole took a spit take at the question his head whipping around to look at Raven. She simply kept looking at the TV screen but slid her eye over to him. That mask of emotionless nature still on her face but her powers seemed to flicker just a bit. Just what was she doing? Cole sighed and leaned back into the couch.

"You know," He started as he took another drink, giving a glance at Raven to make sure she didn't interrupt again, "We aren't playing the game anymore, I don't need to answer that question."

"I know. But if you were so willing to talk about your trauma with why you quit boxing, I figured you could talk about her." Raven said with her eyes going back to the TV. "I won't push it if you don't want to answer. That said, you did say you hadn't dated before but had an off again on again thing with a reporter woman." Her eye did shift back to shoot him a glare.

Cole stretched his head as he puzzled this in his head. She'd asked enough hadn't she, what more could she want? Still if Raven was interested in this maybe that was a good sign. "At the very least, best to clear it up. Or show how honest I am while sticking my foot in my mouth." the boxer mentally noted. He took a long sip from his drink to make sure his throat was ready.

"So.... Penny. Penelope Aguirre. She was a reporter for some sports news site or network." Cole pulled out his mobile device and started to flip through some photos he had on it, "Her big stick was she was as active as actual athletes so she'd actually go out and do the drills and training that she reported on or about. If she played she'd probably be average but Penny was pretty toned." He tossed the phone to her, which she easily caught and looked at.

Sitting at a workout station was a pretty tall Caucasian woman, maybe five nine, with very clearly defined and toned muscles. Her face had a warm smile and her blue eyes were inviting. Long brown hair was done up in a ponytail that ended at the middle of her back. Wearing a sports bra and making pants; she cut a pretty large and imposing figure. She could see how this Penny woman got Cole's attention, at least physically. She passed the device back to him with a nod.

"Anyway, she comes to interview me after a fight, things kinda get heated and well we spent a night together." Cole muttered out as he took the device and put it in his pocket, "After that we'd see each other a couple other times at events and hit it off, usually quick bite and heated evening." the boxer had a bit of a flush to his face at the memory.

"And yet that doesn't count as 'in a relationship' to you?" Raven mused, her hands drumming on her leg that she'd pulled up onto the couch. She still hadn't dispelled the energy around her hands.

"I mean," Cole stammered, "Yes?" he gave an shrug with his face tilted downward a bit. "Look what I count as a 'relationship' is going out to more than just fast food and a shagging." He leaned his head back against the couch with a sigh that trailed off, "Maybe I didn't admit to it as being 'friends with benifits' cause I wanted something more. Maybe would have if I didn't have that one fight that broke me. And it was kinda a long distance one too. She often left town for work."

"So the reason you didn't want to admit you dated two girls at once...."

"Yeah okay. Continued to see a few girls while in... friend with benefits set up with Penny." Cole admitted as he sat back up straight, "Again I really don't count that as... dating two at the same time, especially since most the time those were just one night flings."

"What do you count dating as then." Raven asked, her head cocked slightly upward.

"I dunno. Going on dates the other likes to do, seeing movies, fancier eating than fries and a burger, long walks on the boardwalk down by the water. Winning the big fluffy stuffed animal at the crane game?" Cole offered with a weakly held up hand.

"That's a very..., rustic view of things." Raven answered back as she shuffled in place a bit to earn more comfort, "Not that it's a bad thing though."

"Yeah well... thanks?" Cole said as he scratched his upper check with a finger. Maybe his views on dating were... well of course dated, taught by old movies and past stories from his folks. Most people he knew just signed up for dating apps, himself included in desperation, but he didn't know really what to do besides 'do fun things with the girl he liked' as the foundation. Was that all there was to it or was it just old fashioned? Still Raven seemed to be okay with it enough, so... that's a win?

The pair just sat in largely silence, punctuated by Cole asking Raven a few questions about the movie, like voice actors or characters to which Raven answered. Some of the names sounded familiar to him to a worrying degree at times. As he was starting to really relax, a smell reached his nose that made Cole get up. Raven however pushed him back down with a wave of her hand and her magic flaring.

"It's pizza." She said before Cole could get a word out, "I figured since you did breakfast and the after-work food, I could at the very least take care of dinner. I'm not so inept that I can't put a pizza in the oven."

".... I mean YEAH but you haven't left so...," Raven waved her hands again as two plates with cleanly cut slices came out and placed themselves on the table. Cole's words were stuck in his throat for a moment before going, "I think I would feel better if I saw you be in the same room as the device you're using." Cole picked up a slice and bit into it. Pretty good, cheese was clearly melted and pepperoni was nicely crispy but maybe a bit too much salt and grease to it. The boxer couldn't really make a killer pizza himself but even he could taste what was fresh vs frozen. It wasn't bad though, just the sort of cheap and fast food he wanted right now.

"Good choice. Pizza and a movie, good night after what the day's been thus far." Cole said through a mouth of hot food.

"Thought we could use something... easy and comforting as a dinner." Raven replied. "Though also didn’t think you would be up to cooking." She inwardly thought. Expecting Cole to still work an oven after all that was just mean. Besides, she could use some herself.

As she chewed on her own slice, Raven turned her mind back to her friends. Of Cyborg and his push for patents of his tech for car manufacturing, Starfire and Nightwing being on and off, the two never settling down, of BB and his dealings with stopping poachers…, and her just…, floating along. With, hopefully, most of the prophesies around her already dealt with; Raven had just followed along with her friends. It wasn’t like she was dependent on them just…,

"Never really put thought into what to do without them." The sorceress thought as she reached out for the other slice, "Wonder how they're reacting to my absence..., gods I hope time flows at a similar pace." Last thing she wanted was to show back up after two weeks and see Granny Starfire. Well there wasn't anything she could really do at this point, not without finding help in this world which had it's own risks. The only one that she could count on was Cole.

"After that questioning..., he's at least earned that level of trust." Raven thought as she summoned two more plates of pizza after the pair finished theirs. With a wave she sent the used plates back to the kitchen and started to get them washed off. As the years went by, her skill at using her powers to move and control objects had gotten to the point she could handle stuff like this, though Nightwing had always made sure to NOT let the shut-in not get completely lazy. She just thought that leaving Cole alone with his thoughts wasn't the right move.

The pair just shared light chats over the movie and dinner. Considering the in-depth questioning, neither wanted to push it further. It was getting a tad late by this point(the question game took long than either thought). Now was time for a rather awkward question. Cole just finished tossing the last empty pair of cans in bin and turned to Raven. "So um...," He started, scratching his head and not looking at her eyes, "...Where do we sleep?"