Local Diner

“Hello, welcome to Mavis grill, can we seat you today." A warm peppy voice called from the foyer. The figure wore a white shirt, black aproun and slacks, along with a little cap of some kind. She had on a warm smile that made the wet pair that walked in feel a little better

"Two please." The woman asked as her male companion took off his jacket, "Out of the way and by something warm if possible." she added as she followed his lead.

"Oh I know just where to set you up then, right this way?" The hostess said as she grabbed a couple menus and escorted the pair further inside.

Raven had taken them to a well known if out of the way local diner. The visitors book had suggested it as a place to eat as it over saw a line of train tracks, a humble viewing experience for your eating pleasure. Another of the selling points was private rooms for guests; the city was well famed for its wild temperatures and rather muggy weather. As such rather than enforcing a standard temperature, the restaurant offer a few private rooms, modeled after small private train cabins. Thus a cold guest could turn up the heat, while someone who wanted the AC on had that option.

The room they were shown to wasn’t very big, though most of the area was dominated by the folded out table. Raven thought this was pretty unique set up, which made sense. The Tourist book say the man who made the restaurant was a retired railroad engineer. With a shrug, Raven took her coat off and placed it on the rack before sitting down. Cole followed her example though he reached over and flicked the thermostat up a few degrees. Once the two were seated did the waitress follow them inside.

"Alright what can I get you two. If you want I can list some specials and the soup of the day." The woman started with her practiced pitch, handing out the menus to the two and getting out her little clipboard.

"Is the beef stew still on the menu?" Raven asked quickly. When the Hostess nodded, Raven continued “I'll have that… with a Monte Cristo sandwich.”

The Hostess made sure to make that down and turned to Cole. He scratched his head while looking at the menu. The words were familiar but placed just a little off which made it hard for him. Like knowing American English but going to Wales and ordering food. How did Raven get it right so fast? He was about to ask for some help when something did stick out to him.

“I’ll just have the meatloaf… Wait..,” he took another look at the menu, scanning the words,“You have baked potato soup?” he asked looking up at the hostess

“Yes sir! It’s one of our more popular items at this time of year. I believe we just made another batch.” the woman replied with a slight bob.

“Oh hell I’ll have that then.” Cole said with a grin, as he handed over the menu “And with…”

“Water. And warm tea please.” Raven finished. Cole started to give her a look but she met his gaze, “Now now dear, have to watch your teeth.”

Cole didn't push the issue. The waitress confirmed the orders and saw herself out, saying it might take twenty or thirty minutes. Bread rolls would come soon enough though. With a clack of the door, the two were alone again. The only sound clearly heard was the soft patter of rain on the window.

“Interesting spot.” Cole opened up with as he loosed up on his side of the table.

“I thought so. It’s why I suggested it. Not many places model themselves after train cars. Very rustic.” Raven commented as she got the book out of her small bag, "This has been pretty useful."

“You like trains?” Cole asked. He didn't recall that being a thing about her character but..., this didn't seem like standard Raven anyway.

“Not the way you might be implying." Raven replied as she flipped through the tour book, "I just tend to like older and forgotten aesthetics. Perhaps we visit a speak easy next time.” She offered.

“If that’s what you like, I know of a hotel that was built in an old train yard.” Cole came back with, grin on his face, "Good place for snow boarding too."

“That… does sound sort of cool.” Raven mused as she looked up a bit from her book.

“Didn’t you visit a bunch of train yards? For… history papers?” Cole stumbled, coming up with some other ideas to cover for what he was about to say.

With a small sigh, the woman waved her hand and the room seemed to glow bright for just a second. Cole looked around but didn't see anything different, or hear anything wrong. Raven knew what she was doing though as she seemed to relax her body. She took a breath as she settled into her seat more.

“There. The sounds from within are muffled so long as we don't raise our voices. We’ll be fine now. Or at least safer.” Raven said, as she put the book down and gazed out the window.

“Sooooo…, Hmm. How was that life like?" Cole started weakly.

“You read the comics.” She replied curtly. Which was... fair.

“Like ten years ago, and there’s a bunch of versions so I dunno what is real to you. Do I picture you going up against the Brotherhood or the Light group? I don’t even know what those guys were, brotherhood was just ‘Nee heee Heee! We’re evil.’ Which was at least cartoon villain stick.” Cole explained as he brought his hands out to his sides, alternating which one was slightly up when he mentioned the names of the groups.

"Ah. Well, I suppose that would muddle things a bit." She turned her attention back to him.

"To answer your question, I went up against both on the Teen Titans. Though we split the name. TT was used for the younger ones behind us, the next generation so to say, while we just used ‘Titans’ as the moniker. I stuck with the team; Robin, Star, Cy, BB, added in Donna, Speedy, Kid Flash and others. It wasn't a bad life in either Titans, and I still enjoy being with them. In fact I was stolen out my room in the tower by this.” Raven said, her eyes narrowing towards Cole.

After Cole gave a sheepish, 'ah heh..' she let up the gaze with a small grin. It was a little fun to see him squirm, just a bit. Besides it wasn't his fault outside of putting himself on that site and even then it was a mistake on his part.

“I kid. Once again, you seem to be someone I can work with so this isn't too bad. Now the fight against the Brotherhood was years ago. Not that it stopped them.” Raven said with a sigh as she leaned her chin on a propped up hand, “They’d break out and cause trouble again. Sometimes Months, sometimes just Days later. Annoying. The Light was a little more in depth but at least they broke up after we beat them."

“Yeah ever think…” Cole started has the words felt dry in his throat.

“Ending it or rather, them?” Raven stated, giving him a long hard glare. She gave another sigh as she turned to take in the passing trains, “I don’t believe there’s someone that hasn’t thought about it. But only the most irredeemable should be dealt with in such a manner. Usually demons, monsters, crazed animals; I don’t enjoy it when I do.”

“Given my emotions, I’m unsure as to how I would react afterwards if I was **** to do so.” Raven as she used her other hand to trace a small face on the lightly fogged window.

“Suppose that makes sense um….” Cole thought trying to figure out a way to distract her, “So what were the others doing?”

Raven slowly started to return to her normal, not as dour, self as she talked. Cole was interested in hearing what these heroes would be doing anyway, off camera so to say. Most stories avoided the day to day stuff or future plans anyway.

Cyborg went into helping design prosthetics and vehicles along with his hero duties. Last she heard, he was trying to make an improved Wheelchair, one able to link up with a car to the point someone could use it to 'walk'. Beastboy was off doing work in other counties; one evil plan had seen a large amount of rain forest destroyed. BB took it on himself to coax animals back into the replanted forest along with a few other heroes. It was good practice for his morphing ability. Nightwing still lead the team, though he was often caught up with Bat plots and schemes so he was often back home. Raven or Cyborg usually took over duties, but he'd come running back if they were in trouble.

“And Star?” Cole asked as he bit into one of the rolls the waitress had brought a few minutes ago.

“Last I heard she went home for a visit or something about Blackfire. Heh.” Raven gave a small smile as she ran a finger around the rim of her glass, “Ah she’d probably break light speed a few time getting back to earth when she hears I’m gone.”

“Must be nice to have people care about you.” Cole muttered before holding up a hand to cut her off, “Rea I know but I can count on one hand the amount of people that care about me back home. Even if this gets taken care of… maybe this kinda bookshop life ain’t bad? New place, new chances, ew life ya know?”

“Well, I suppose I can let you have the store. I’ll not need it, though perhaps you could give me a discount when I visit.” Raven said.

Cole jokes about the amount as Raven’s mind pondered. Cole was in a dead end state, with little hope in getting out of it. Heck, he’d probably drift downhill. In her world, he’d be easy to recruit as cannon-fodder muscle. Perhaps Cupid was more than just a match maker; maybe it really did try to improve someone’s life beyond just finding ‘the one’.

“If that’s the case, what did it plan for me then?” She thought as a knock on the door brought her out of her thoughts.

"Here's your food you two!" The hostess announced as she brought the food with another waitress's help, "So will that be all?"

"I believe so... thank you." Raven said as she checked the food over.

"Alright, I'll be back later with the bill, in case you want to get something else before you leave." the peppy hostess said before heading out.

"We... do have a way to pay for this right?" Cole whispered when the woman left. Raven gave a small snicker.

"I was just going to make you pay for it. You wouldn't make the lady pay on the first date." Cole started to babble but Raven laughed again and cut him off. "No. I believe I'll pay. It's one of the things I looked up yesterday, their billing and payment system is simliar enough to our own so our cards should still work, just shifted over to new companies and accounts. Though..., I don't believe you have one?"

"Debit. And not much on it." Cole answered with a sigh.

"As I thought. Well, I do have some spending money set aside so we'll be fine in the short term. Just don't expect to eat out like this every day." Raven said with a 'tut tut' motion of her finger before digging in.

Cole joined her in eating. It was honestly pretty good, just the sort of warm and filling food you want on a cold day. Reminded him of his mom's cooking. He mentally thought about how she'd freak out. Wasn't sure which one would be worse, the fact he vanished or the fact he showed back up with a wife. She'd have his head, even if it was all just some weird cosmic joke.

The two kept eating, the silence punctuated with small chat and questions. Usually about the city as neither of them wanted to really push the other.