Richard Grayson read the paper. He was not wearing his mask.
"…mob boss Hatsuharu Nagame and his wife Hiroko were killed late last Sunday night."
He was in a leather jacket and jeans. His motorcycle was parked underground somewhere.
"When asked, the local police refused to comment on the location of the raid."
Drumming his fingers on the table, he took a sip of his latte. It was early in the morning, and he did not want to be in the Tower. The coffee tasted of swill.
"As the gangs of Japan broadened their numbers, Mr. and Mrs. Nagame found new finance by selling an assortment of drugs…"
Somebody sat across from him. He looked up briefly and saw an unnatural smile. "Hello Raven."
Raven nodded. She was clad all in black and drank a cup of coffee. Her hair had grown to her shoulders as she tamed it by ponytail.
"Having fun on our only day off?" she said sardonically, "Or did you feel like reading that article for the fifteenth time."
"Oh. No." Richard said, "I only heard some more news about my parents…"
"Your parents are dead, Robin." Raven stirred her coffee with a little wooden stick. "It has been years since you made peace with that."
"But this paper is from yesterday."
"That's not the point." Raven grabbed Robin's hand, making him jump. His narrow eyes widened at the pale wrist on his skin. "You lived with your parents…your real parents…since you were two years old. They died when you were nine. Then you lived with Batman until thirteen. Then you found us. There's no need to dig up the past."
"Yes…but they loved me, Raven. Even if they were criminals…they were my flesh and blood."
Raven stood up. Robin stood up as well. She looked as though she was struggling with something. Suddenly, she burst forward and Robin felt her cold, turtleneck-encased arms around his neck. Robin found this breach in character unsettling yet strangely comforting.
"Come on." Raven let go of him and slouched, seemingly highlighting her previous state. "Let's go to another coffee shop. I've heard they have one across the street."
"Thank you." Said Robin, putting the paper in a trash bin.