Silverbengal
Raven walked into the restaurant as gracefully as she could manage. She felt that she had just about mastered walking in heels without falling, but actually looking like she knew what she was doing was another matter.
She didn't see why Diabolus had made her wear them anyway. She was tall, she didn't need heels. She sighed and walked over to the table that Diabolus had told her about. Her date was already there, his back to her as she walked over.
He was wearing an immaculately tailored suit, and had jet black hair. As she walked tentatively towards the table, she saw his face, and in a split second decided that she was going to murder Diabolus Darkdoom the next time she saw him. Judging by the expression on Nero's face, she would be queuing behind him to do it.
isobeljones2000
Nero's mouth opened and closed for a few seconds helplessly as Raven stood stock still a few metres from his table. The first thing he noticed was the short black dress she was wearing and the high heels that he was sure she had once threatened death to.
"Well," Nero said weakly. "At least we don't have to do the awkward introductions, my dear."
Raven collapsed into the chair opposite him, scowling darkly. "I will kill him."
"Join the club," Nero told her, raising an eyebrow.
"Why us? Together? On a 'blind' date?" Raven wondered. "Is this some kind of extremely unfunny joke?"
"Knowing Diabolus, he's probably completely serious," sighed the man.
"Permission to hunt him down?" Raven inquired, looking very scary.
"Didn't he say he had organized everything on our - date?" Nero wondered, deciding to quickly change the subject before Raven actually did try to hunt him down.
Just at that moment, the lights dimmed around them and a hauntingly familiar song started to play overhead...
Silverbengal
"If that song is playing for us I will kill Diabolus next time I see him," Raven hissed through her teeth, gripping the side of her chair tightly.
"It's not," Nero said, "It can't be. No, absolutely not."
"This is Diabolus we're talking about, Max," Raven said weakly.
"Point taken," Nero nodded, "but even for him…"
"He's already booked us a table at a romantic restaurant with candles dotting the room," Raven pointed out, "I wouldn't put it past him."
"Well at least no one knows," Nero shrugged.
"Would you like to order drinks?" a waitress asked as she walked over to their table.
"I'll have a glass of red wine please," Nero said, and the waitress nodded, jotting it down.
"I'll just have water please," Raven said.
The waitress nodded and hurried away, leaving Raven and Nero sitting in silence once again.
"This is brilliant," Raven muttered, "I'm sitting in a restaurant wearing a dress, for a blind date that is obviously a prank."
"I don't see why you're so self-conscious about wearing dresses," Nero smiled.
"Because I look like a total idiot," Raven said, "I'm not pretty, and no amount of dressing up will change that."
"You are pretty, my dear," Nero said.
Raven raised an eyebrow, tracing a finger down her scar.
"As much as I appreciate the compliment Max, I think we can fairly safely get rid of that notion," Raven smiled, "and I don't care all that much anyway. Being pretty isn't exactly top of my list of things to do as an assassin."
"Maybe," Nero shrugged, "but on the few occasions when you have agreed to come as my date for council parties, I have always had at least one council member approach me while you're a little way away and say something along the lines of "your date looks stunning". And they're always right. Tonight appears to be no exception."
Raven blushed, dropping Nero's gaze and muttering something under her breath. Thankfully, the waitress arrived at that moment, carrying the drinks. Raven and Nero both breathed sighs of relief as the awkward silence that followed Nero's compliment was dispelled by the glasses being set down on the table, and the two of them thanking the waitress.
"However," Nero said as the waitress walked away, "I am well aware how uncomfortable dresses make you feel, and this has certainly been irritating, so I think that some sort of revenge plan should be put into place."
"Yes Max," Raven grinned, "that's more like it."
"So," Nero smiled, leaning over the table very slightly so they could talk a little more quietly, but no so much that he looked weird, "how about this…"
isobeljones2000
Anyone in the restaurant that happened to be listening to their murmured conversation would be surprised to hear evil laughter after a few moments. At Nero's suggestion, Raven grinned widely. "Revenge. Sweet revenge. No one sends us on a date without suffering consequences."
Nero smiled at his friend. "The idea will need a bit more work, but we can work on it later."
"It's basically the same as he did to us, except probably a lot more awkward," Raven mused.
"Oh I don't know, my dear. Seemingly this so-called date isn't that awkward. At least we know each other as friends. While Diabolus and his 'blind date' may not get on quite so well..."
"True that," Raven said with a rare Raven smile.
Nero took a sip out of his glass of wine, contemplating. "I wonder where the waitress has got to? We ordered our drinks a while ago, and we haven't ordered any food yet."
Raven shrugged. "I'm sure they'll come soon."
Just then, as if on cue, the waitress came back over to their table, burdened with one large plate of what Nero assumed was a complicated restaurant version of spaghetti and meatballs. "Here's your meal. Enjoy."
"Oh - no," Nero was quick to argue. "We haven't ordered yet. This isn't ours, I'm sorry."
The waitress shook her head. "Your meal was preordered when you booked the restaurant. One plate of spaghetti and meatballs to share."
"To share?" Raven questioned incredulously.
The waitress nodded. "This is what you ordered, ma'am?"
Nero nodded, feigning a look of comprehension. "Oh yes, okay. This is our meal. Thank you." It wouldn't do to arouse any suspicion, after all.
The waitress smiled satisfied, placing the large plate down between them and walking away.
Raven met Nero's eyes. "Is it possible to kill someone three times over?"
"Diabolus," was all that Nero said, his voice sounding annoyed - and even slightly amused?
Raven regarded the meal with faint suspicion. "To share?"
"Let me guess. It's some kind of romantic chiche," Nero assumed fairly accurately.
The woman sighed heavily. "Diabolus should really stop reading all those cliched romance books."