Chapter Four


"Dick Grayson!"

"Shh! Can you not be so loud? We still have customers here," Rachel replied, moving around her eccentric boss to buss another table.

"Yes! Thanks to you!" Ryu held up her phone showing Rachel some gossipy website where a picture of her and Richard had been posted. For a moment she did remember seeing people taking pictures of Richard as he was talking with her, but she had no idea it was "front page" material. It was Sunday afternoon and the cafe was in the middle of their afternoon rush. When they called Rachel in because they were low on staff, she had no idea they meant their full staff wasn't enough equal to the ratio of guests piling in. The amount of people wanting tea and biscuits had doubled since earlier this week and apparently her date with Richard was the reason for this.

Rachel rolled her eyes, "That doesn't mean anything." She picked up a few empty tea cups and placed them in the large plastic bin she was holding.

"Of course it does! Business is booming!" Ryu beamed, her short platinum blonde hair bouncing with ecstatic enthusiasm. Rachel glanced around at the fully booked cafe and suddenly felt way too claustrophobic. She tried to ignore it and push through to the next table and began picking up more dishes. She figured for Ryu, a young business owner only four years older than herself, would think any type of publicity was good publicity. But that doesn't mean Rachel also had to enjoy the attention.

"Well, we will be yesterdays news by next week so soak it up while you can." Rachel continued down the row of empty tables, picking up the crumpled napkins and empty dishes. Ryu continued beside her, wiping down the tables and ordering her staff to start placing new guests in the booths.

"Oh I plan to" Ryu smiled, "irasshaimase!" She announced, waving to more of her guests that entered her tea shop.

"Welcome!" Rachel translated. After they finished cleaning the tables she turned to head back to the kitchen and noticed the line of people forming outside the cafe. And all because they wanted to eat at the same place as a Wayne, like that had any real significance. At least they were more focused on the venue and which side desert looked the most "aesthetic" and wasn't snapping any pictures of her. If Richard wasn't involved she was still invisible.

"Hold on I'm not done yet!" Ryu smiled, stopping shortly to make sure the outside tables were being attended to before following Rachel into the kitchen.

"I can't believe you're dating a Wayne and didn't tell me! I thought all you did for fun was knit and obsess over cross word puzzles!"

"It's crocheting actually" Rachel corrected.

"Minor details," Ryu waved. She propped herself up on the counter beside a tray of cooling cookies and popped a small vanilla square in her mouth. "How long have you been dating? When did you two even meet?"

Rachel placed the bin of dirty dishes on a shiny metal counter top and began unloading them into the dishwasher. "We met at Gotham Academy okay?"

"I thought you went to school in San Fransisco?"

Rachel paused, "Oh-y yeah I did. But I got a scholarship for the academy and moved here senior year" She lied.

Once she finished putting the dishes away and starting the machine to clean them, she dried her hands and walked over to the large metallic refrigerator. "Oh" Ryu shrugged. "Makes sense, so you guys were like high school sweethearts or something?"

"No!" Rachel laughed thinking how ridiculous that sounded. Even if she truly did go to school with Dick that role would have probably gone to someone like Starfire. Raven would have been more of the loner, mysterious goth type that somehow attracted the sweetheart jock. She opened the fridge and took out a container of fresh honey sticks with another filled with sugar cubes. "And honestly, we're just taking things slowly right now."

"So you're dating" Ryu snickered. She hopped down from the counter letting the head baker know to add a bit more extract to the vanilla batter as Rachel closed the refrigerator. Her purple-haired employee rolled her eyes, secretly wishing they could change the subject. "Why do I even put up with you?"

"Because I gave you a job" Ryu laughed, placing her hands on her slender hips.

Rachel paused before heading out of the kitchen and looked to Ryu, the only person she had close to a friend here in Gotham. "Being serious for a moment, we just kind of ran into each other and decided to get lunch Wednesday afternoon, I wasn't thinking it would turn into all of this."

"I get it." Ryu began, noticing how Rachel was beginning to feel uncomfortable with all this doting attention. "To you he's just an old friend, someone to rekindle a relationship with?"

"Exactly," Rachel breathed. "I don't know what to consider us right now."

They agreed to be more than friends but that didn't mean the transition to lovers would be seamless, especially considering how complex their double lives were. She walked back out to the front of the restaurant and began refilling the honey sticks and sugar cubes into their respective containers as Ryu followed behind her with clean napkins folded into intricate origami designs.

"To you he's just an old friend but realize, to the rest of the world he's, a walking Adonis" Ryu swooned.

"What?" Rachel chuckled, glancing up at her boss in disbelief. "Please control your hormones"

"I mean you'd tell me if you've seen him shirtless right?" Rachel actively ignored that question and moved to the next table. Not only was she a tad bit uncomfortable thinking of Richard..in that way, but she could literally feel Ryu's emotional desire for him, which added another layer of discomfort only an empath would understand.

For several hours they were working non stop to get people severed and satisfied. Rachel was certainly glad their hours were shorter on Sunday's and they were finally nearing their eight o'clock closing time. The cafe was calm as there were only few people left enjoying nightly drinks and other pastries. Rachel decided to man behind the bar and take a small break, reliving her aching feet. Sitting down behind the long, black marble counter top she pulled out her phone at the sign of it vibrating.

"Hey Rae," A small smile curved at the edge of her lips as she read the text.

"Wait, It's almost 8, aren't you...'patrolling' right now?" Rachel broke away from her phone conversation and waved goodnight to a pair as they existed the tea shop, leaving only a few stragglers left before they closed for the night.

"If by patrolling you mean sitting on top of Ryu's waiting for you to get off work then yes, I am." She gasped, glancing up at the ceiling then immediately looking down before anyone noticed. Rachel smirked as she imaged Dick sitting on the roof in that slick spandex suit, texting her with that stupidly cute grin on his face.

"Gotham criminal free tonight, BoyWonder?" She texted back.

"Damian's on watch, besides I wanted to talk to you. I figured after hours would be best."

She huffed, "I'm glad, we were swarmed by people today"

"I'm so sorry about that, but you should be happy to know I won't be moving into the office space next door."

She glanced up, looking at the empty building across the street and for a moment felt a little somber about his decision. She knew Richard was a busy man and that wasn't technically his fault, but this text conversation was the first time they talked since Wednesday. She didn't really count his brief good morning and good bye Friday afternoon because he knew he wouldn't have time to see her in person and just wanted to exchange phone numbers. She was hoping if he worked next door, she'd at least be able to see him more.

"That's too bad, I won't be able to see you in action"

"Trust me, there's more action when I'm not in a three piece suit ;)"

Raven blushed, rereading his text and the multiple connotations it could mean. As Ryu walked behind the counter she snapped her phone closed and stuffed it back into her pocket.

"What?" Ryu paused, noticing how stiff her friend was. "You're allowed to text Rachel, unless..." Her eyes sparkled deviously, "was that him?"

"No." Rachel looked away.

Ryu giggled, leaning against the liquor counter. "Of course it was, I'm probably the only other contact in your phone." Ignoring how right she was, Rachel turned to the sound of the cafe bell ringing, signaling a new customer had walked in.

She looked up with a signature 'customer service' smile, "Hi, Welcome to Ry-" She froze.

Her voice seeming to shy away from the figure approaching the counter. The man clad in black strolled across the floor, making a beeline to the empty bar in long confident strides. He was tall and lean, sharp broad shoulders just as firm as his jawline. His hair was jet black and cut short on the sides leaving only the top part long and tousled. Rachel stilled as he sat down in the bar stool directly in front of her and kindly asked for a menu.

"Sure" She breathed, unable to break away from his piercing gaze that hadn't left her face since the moment he walked in. Even as he took the menu from her his gaze remained locked on her face.

"Thank you," He smirked, looking down at the laminated menu giving Rachel a moment to catch her breath. His sharp eyes were some how so familiar...

Glancing over at Ryu they both had the exact same puzzling look on their face. He wasn't their usual customers that they knew on a first name basis nor was he one of their new, phone toting teenage customers, snapping pictures of everything they ate.

"hmm" He dragged his left hand across his jaw, a small black lock of hair falling in front of his face. "What do you recommend? I'm just making a quick stop, heard this place was worth its cup." He looked up at Rachel and offered a crooked smile.

She blinked unable to find a verbal response fast enough, the dormant part of her brain harboring her demonic powers was going haywire. His voice was deep and slightly raspy, laced with something Raven could only describe as sinful. His whole body radiated this aura that seemed to snake its way into her consciousness and tug on memories she had long forgotten. Shattered and broken bits she wasn't even sure how to piece together. Ryu slightly jabbed her side, breaking Raven out of whatever trance she was under.

"umm, I-I personally like Black Earl Grey tea, it doesn't require a lot of sugar and-it pairs well with our chocolate citrus biscuits." Raven finished her sentence and realized just how nervous she was, but she didn't understand why. He wasn't necessarily intimidating, not like their usual highly paid clients who'd throw a drink at her face if it didn't have soy milk or "two scoops of foam". Even the jittery nerves Richard gave her was nothing compared to this.

"Then I'll have that," He held that prim smile on his face and as he handed back the menu Rachel noticed the subtle drag of his front teeth across his bottom lip.

"Of course" She muttered, quickly walking into the back kitchen to prepare his tea. As soon as the door closed she exhaled a huge breath and shook her head hoping to unscramble her brain. No, this wasn't the same feeling she got when she was with Richard, but this guy, whoever he is, is able to rile up her emotions like Richard can. And it seemed like he wasn't even trying.

A few moments later Ryu walked in the room and grabbed the house keys. She paused by the door looking over at Rachel, "Is it just me or was he a little...?"

"Yeah," Rachel replied. She couldn't quite put her finger on it but he was...intriguing, and a part of her thought this as a bad thing.

"Jeez Rachel, save some guys for the rest of us." Ryu teased. Raven faked a laugh, If only that were the case.

"I'm gonna start closing up shop, think you can wrap his order up fast?"

She nodded, steeping his tea and opening the cupboard for a small plate. Ryu left and as Raven listened to the click of her heels in the distance she began reminiscing again. What was it about that guy that was so...haunting? She hadn't felt this unbalanced since her night with Richard a few days ago, these bubbling emotions that began to feel so overwhelming. And triggered by a total stranger seemed too unlikely to be true.

As she poured his tea, and placed several biscuits on his plate, she felt determined to question him. Try to spark up a casual conversation to probe this mysterious guy of whatever intentions he might have with her, assuming she wasn't overthinking all of this. Dick might have seen this guy walk in, after the cafe closes maybe she'll ask him if he thought something looked off.

Her phone vibrated and she realized she never replied back to his text from earlier.

"Something came up, I gotta go, I'll catch up with you later tonight if I can...I'm sorry" Or maybe she won't ask him. Frowning, she shoved her phone back into her pocket.

Yeah, he did have more action outside of his business suits, because they were always replaced with a sleek neoprene uniform. She wished she was surprised but Dick had always been like this, so work oriented, she guessed as his friend that never seemed like that big of an issue, but being a girlfriend added more to the dynamic somehow, like she was supposed to be one of his priorities, which felt kind of strange. She would never be too selfish to ask him to put her in front of his family or heroism, hell not even in the same category of importance, but was it worth being strung along for the ride?

Pushing those thoughts aside she walked out of the kitchen and panned the room to see that not only was the cafe empty of guests, but so was the bar stool her mysterious customer sat in. It was almost as if he was never there in the first place and she just imagined the whole encounter. The only evidence she didn't fabricate this mystery man was the folded up bills for his untouched meal.

Raven placed his order down on the counter and picked up the money he left behind. She couldn't deny the goosebumps that lined the skin of her arms, similar to the way she'd feel whenever she used her powers.

Maybe he was a meta-human too? That would possibly explain her reaction?

"Hey Rachel? You still need a ride home?"

She broke out of her train of thought and looked up to see Ryu approaching her with the master keys and a bag of trash in her opposite hand. When she saw her employee holding the money she clicked her teeth and rolled her eyes.

"At least this 'dine and ditch' left money right?"

"Yeah" Rachel sighed, almost as if the tea wasn't what he really needed. She handed Ryu the bills in exchange for the trash she offered to take out and they both finished closing up. Heading home, Ryu chatted Raven's ear off the entire time, but she just sat in the passengers seat silently listening.