14395/Coffee Perhaps

Coffee Perhaps
Date of Scene:	18 May 2022
Location:	The Coffee Bean - Manhattan
Synopsis:	Summary needed
Cast of Characters:	Batman, Wonder Woman

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Batman has posed:
Diana's phone ewas buzzing.

It buzzes likely with offers of invitation to ambassador meetings and functions, United Nations calls, or simple communications from the Watchtower to tell her where she's needed the most and if she happens to be available when needed. What's curious about this one, this one call, one might ask? It's from a personal cell as opposed to an identifiable ID.

Bruce Wayne.

It's not a phone call invitation. It's a text. "Coffee Bean. Interested?"

Text was plain. Nothing to indicate foul play or mysteriousness from the Dark Knight. Sometimes, you need coffee with an old friend. Maybe it's a morale stunt. He normally reserves those 'coffee times' for time to chat with Superman.

Wonder Woman has posed:
Diana Prince was reading over a diplomatic report in her office at the Embassy. A soft frown colored her features as she focused on the content. It was the detailed report her staff had prepared for her in advance of the Climate Summit that was to be held later in the week in Helsinki. The contents were not of the most positive sort in most cases. It was troubling.

Picking up her phone, absently, she continued to read to the end of the paragraph she was on. Her thumb casually unlocked the device before her eyes turned to it. The frown remained on her features for a few moments longer as she considered the implications of this private request. It wasn't entirely out of the ordinary yet it was certainly not the most common of invitations given the nature of the sender.

Closing the report and putting it away in a locked drawer of her desk, Diana turned back to the phone and tapped back a reply.

"That sounds lovely. I will be there in fifteen minutes." She had no intention of flying there when it was a non-business meetup. A taxi would do fine. It would also let her people watch and look out at the city she has come to think of as a home away from home. Just with many more people, worse crime, and smog.

Dressed comfortably in a blue button up blouse, dark gray dress pants, and open toed sandals, she stood up and made her way out of her office. Pausing at her assistant's office, she looked in, "Helen, I am going out for an hour or two to visit with a friend. If something should come up please do let me know, however?" She offered a smile and followed up, "Thank you." With that, she made her way out of the embassy to the street where she caught a taxi in short order. True to her word she was there within the indicated timeframe.

Stepping out of the taxi after paying the fare, the dark haired Amazon walked toward the coffee shop and slipped inside. Her gaze swept the room in search of Bruce.

Batman has posed:
She was dressed nicely.

She had a habit of dressing far beyond any of the 'mortals' that surrounded her. Diana didn't have to look far. Maybe it was pure luck or coincidence, or Bruce's tactical mind at work. He was sitting in a booth. Menu in front of his eyes as he orders from a kind-looking waitress that seemed to take a liking to him. She blushes and she runs off to complete his order. Bruce isn't sure what he said to get such a quick reaction.

He's wearing a black suit. Collar popped, no tie. Vest and blazer worn easily, a kind smile touching his face. He wore an expensive watch and checked it fairly regularly. Contrary to appearances, it was not that Batman was the mask and Bruce Wayne the true identity. The truth was just the opposite.

Bruce looked around the room one final time, spotting the dark haired amazon princess and giving her a kind smile as he lifts his hand into the air to wave her down. "Over here." He tells her with a playful grin.

Wonder Woman has posed:
Diana Prince waited for the server to leave and walked over to the booth. Before sitting down she offered, "Bruce. It is good to see you, as always." A tilt of her head, "I did not realize they had menus. I have always gone up to the counter" she observed while puzzling thing out. "Should I join you and order here? Or order first and return?" Somehow there were always customs about humanity she thought that she properly understood, only to discover she had been doing some portion of them incorrectly.

Batman has posed:
"Diana."

Bruce's voice was calculated, farcry from his normal tune as a playboy philanthropist and universal charmer. Bruce's attention stays on Diana as she approached, shaking his head. "Come join me, I haven't figured out quite what I wanted yet." He gestures to the seat in front of him, passing her a menu. Mostly just coffees and sandwiches, simple breads and meats.

He smiles. "Your awareness of custom hasn't changed." He chuckles a little bit. "But you have steped on no toes. Thank you for being here so soon."

Wonder Woman has posed:
Diana Prince nods and moves to slide into the booth. Once settled, she rested her arms on the table. It caused her blouse sleeves to draw back a few inches, revealing the silver bracers she always wore, even if she were not wearing her tiara or iconic attire. It was a safe guess that the lasso was somewhere with her as well. Always be prepared.

Offering a smile, she looked at the menu. "I do try. It just seems that when I begin to understand a custom, something changes and what I believed I knew becomes incorrect. It is very confusing some days." She offers a casual shrug. She won't stop trying to understand.

Looking over the list of offered items, she sets the menu card back on the table. "I will a chai latte and the sous vide organic egg bites." She leans back, fingers casually laced atop the table. "How are you, Bruce? I admit I was not expecting an invitation to coffee from you. Is everything alright?" she wonders.

Batman has posed:
Bruce has done considerable research on those bracers. Yet, each time he sees them, it's like he sees them for the first time. Their craftsman had created each to be unique to each Amazon. It's no small wonder that Diana has used them to such effect over the years. "Nothing changes, merely how someone interprets the same thing." The more things change, the more things stay the same.

Bruce looks over the menu and he looks to the waiter when she returns, taking Diana's order and looking to Bruce. "I'll have the Devil's food with a coffee, styled black. Thank you." He hands off the menu and he rests his arms on the table to look at Diana.

"Fine." His voice returns to his 'Batman' style. "Merely wanted to see you. I don't get much time to do a sitrep with other Leaguers, aside from Superman who can make the time. I should be asking how /you/ are doing."

Wonder Woman has posed:
Diana Prince hears his terse reply. Fine. Everything is always fine with so little emotion. It was so hard to truly understand the man. And as his friend, she dearly wished that she could.

Offering him a warm smile, she nods. "Okay. Well. I suppose, then, that I am merely happy to have gotten the invite? It was a nice surprise." She looks to him with curiosity. "Me? I am well thank you. There has been nothing worthy of concern lately."

Batman has posed:
When you're the Batman, you don't get a whole lot of opportunity to rest on laurels. You have to be guarded at all times, protected at all times, alert at all times. Being...vulnerable was a feeling that Bruce just wasn't used to. He can't show that, not even to Diana. Not yet.

Or wouldn't allow himself to in order to protect her.

"Good." Bruce replies as he takes his seat and he looks at her. "I realize I haven't gotten the chance to truly know you as well as I'd like. I've been too focused with the League." They've known each other a long time, but it's not like Batman knows what her favorite animal or color is.

Wonder Woman has posed:
The truth is, there is always time to change. And if there is anyone who does not need protecting, it is she.

SHe listens to his words and nods in silence. The orders are delivered before she can reply, giving her a moment to think. And to sip her latte. She smiles then, "I didn't realize that you wanted to now me better, Bruce." It makes her curios, but no less pleased. Who isn't pleased to know someone has interest in understanding more about them?