T'Shan didn't know what he was doing here. He didn't know why JJ was so insistent on this stupid date. Ever since the guy's night it seemed like JJ was obsessed with setting him up with women. It was weird, especially since T'Shan had been adamant that the only woman he was interested in was Aileen unless she came out and said it wouldn't happen. But T'Shan kept getting a vague vibe from her. Of course it could be just that T'Shan couldn't read the writing on the wall so to speak. He didn't know why JJ had to speak so loud when they were at the mansion setting it up but T'Shan ignored it. He didn't know why he didn't get to wear his normal clothes on a date but JJ had insisted. Especially since the reservations were in, as he loudly proclaimed, a 5 star romantic restaurant, there was a dress code. He'd even bought a small bow tie for Skugga but Skugga shredded it and T'Shan hadn't seen him all day.

T'Shan was wearing a simple black suit with a white dress shirt. JJ had also been very clear, no axes would be with him either. Especially since he could call them from anywhere on the planet. T'Shan arrived there early and gave the name Grayson to the maitre de. The man nodded and led T'Shan to the table. It was tucked away in the back, slightly more private, T'Shan approved of that. He was fine being the center of attention while fighting, but in his personal life he liked keeping to himself. Of course being a 7 foot god and hero that tended to be nearly impossible.

T'Shan sat there calmly sipping his water as the server brought over a bottle of wine for the two of them. T'Shan shrugged calmly and proceeded to look around and killing time. Then he heard 'Grayson'. He glanced up and looked to where the voice came from. It was definitely a familiar voice and T'Shan couldn't help but laugh. JJ had said she was just his type. He knew exactly who it was, an old friend Laurel Queen. Of course. An attractive archer with a relatively similar build as Aileen. He would just be treating this as catching up with an old friend. His heart was still set on Aileen, but JJ made a point. Why wait on a woman who may not even be interested.

As she was directed to the table T'Shan smiled and held up a glass of wine to her. Of course this is who JJ would set him up with. Sure the two were closer when they were younger but since he left the Titans and went full time Avengers, occasional Justice League, they rarely spoke. More so the occasional greeting when they crossed paths, but that was about it. They hadn't ever been romantic at any point, which he had been fine with. It would however make this apparent date tricky.

I heard you had a voice like an angel

Laurel had almost not even gone tonight. There were a lot of things she would have rather been doing. Like staying in bed. Or playing some sort of games. Or going back on tour with Dinah. And that was just the top of the list. But no, she couldn't just keep staying away. Just because the last time she really went out, she ended up having to spend the night with someone she really could have liked to avoid didn't mean that it was going to be the case every time, right? And there was one thing that had given her a small amount of hope. While going on a date was the least of her worries, the fact that JJ was setting her up with someone made her wonder which of his big time actor als it could be that he's setting her up with. She said she didn't want to know who, she wanted this to be a real blind date. And she knew that if she was told, she'd probably make up an excuse to suddenly not go if it was someone that she didn't like too much. Go ahead and call her petty. A girl's got priorities, though. So, after convincing herself that this was the right thing to do, and knowing pretty damn well that, after she agreed, she was likely to have a Dinah or John dragging her ass out of the hotel room to the restaurant, she finally got herself dressed up nicely and headed out.

Now, she wasn't one to just go somewhere without a bit of class, so she was happy she'd called a town car a bit earlier to head out there. At least it would give her a lovely ride out, wouldn't it? And it gave her a bit of time to think. He mind was racing with possibilities. And while there was always going to be this small hope that the guy could be a very special someone from her past, she knew that it would never be the case. He was gone, probably dead or somewhere that she'd never see him again. So why hope for that when she could hope for people that were far more worth it. Like Scarlett Johansson. Or Chris Evans. "Actually... please be Ian Somerhalder. Pleeeeeease be Ian Somerhalder," she muttered to herself, crossing her fingers as they pulled up to the restaurant.

It was pretty nice from the outside, definitely her style. Actually, if she was honest, it looked like the type of place she would actually call up for herself if she had to make her own date. Not that she'd done that before or anything... She smiled over at the driver. "I'll see you in a few hours, okay?" She pulled a bit of money out of her jacket pocket and handed it to him before slipping out of the car. "I'll call you when I'm ready." And with that, she headed inside. She went and talked to the host, giving JJ's name before he lead her to her table. She smiled at him, though the emotion wasn't fully in it as she turned to start moving and saw who it was. There was a momentary pause in her step, almost a falter. It was no actor, that was for sure. "And here I thought it was a blind date," she muttered. Well, it could be worse. It could have been the wannabe archer again. Wouldn't that be funny? Both Grayson's trying to get her to be cozy with that red head.

Laurel pushed those thoughts out of her head as she went over and took a seat, staying quiet a moment. He certainly cleaned up nicely, so there was that. She'd have to change the mindset she had come in here with. The was definitely not a date. This was friends. Just friends... talking. It would help none the less, she was sure. "I'm not gonna lie, I wasn't expecting to see you here T'shan. But you're looking really good. Never thought I'd see the day you'd be wearing a suit." She paused a moment so she could take off the leather jacket and hang it on the back of her chair. "Surprised you're even single to be my blind date." Yeah, Laurel, just make this as awkward as possible, right?

xxx	@thorson
whoosh~

Blinded by the light shining from your own halo

✿

It seemed she was just as surprised as he was. He had no problem dating Laurel, she was attractive and they'd known each other since they were Titans. That being said she wasn't who he wanted to be on a date with. But JJ, in his odd own way, had made sense. There was no sense waiting for someone who may not even be interested in dating. It was sound logic, and he'd said he wanted to have an actual relationship. Maybe JJ was right and Laurel was possibly the one. Or at least it got him out there to begin dating. As she approached he nodded his head and smiled. She was right, this wasn't the blind date he'd been expecting. He was expecting some actress or musician.

"Aye Laurel, I would hardly consider this a blind date. However JJ did make it clear that this was a free meal. So please, sit Laurel."

He said as she sat down. He knew some Midgardian customs said he should at least stand if not pull her chair out. However T'Shan never understood that. He wasn't looking for the woman who needed babying and someone to wait on her hand and foot. Sure he could be generous and kind, but he never understood these Midgardian customs.

"Well Laurel, I was not expecting you either. Mainly I did not expect him to set up two old friends. However I suppose it could be worse. After all he could have set me up with his sister. Nothing against Dinah, just not really my type."

Sure Dinah was fun and all and in a fight he'd like her to have his back. But he'd never thought about her in a romantic or even sexual way. She was just a friend and JJ's sister.

"Aye, the suit is not something I typically go for. However this was not up to me. JJ is surprisingly persuasive when he wants to be, that explains Rayne."

He said with a laugh. The server came over and poured Laurel some wine before going over the specials and then leaving them to decide. T'Shan glanced at the menu before looking over at Laurel.

"For the record I have always been single. Sure I had the occasional hook up. Well, ok, MORE than occasional but nothing serious. Ever since the year locked up by, us, and nearly being disintegrated then stuck in the future, I realized I wanted more. Then a drunk JJ set this up. I'm surprised you even took him up on it. I assumed you were beating people off with a stick."

He said with a laugh. All T'Shan knew was that he'd be spending a lot of money, or JJ would more accurately, on food. Well probably wine too, but just for fun.

"So tell me Laurel, been up to anything interesting? Well, aside from...the usual."

He didn't want to hear stories about heroics, he had some of the same stories. He wanted more real stories. He hadn't actually spoken to her in awhile outside of fighting and so forth. Sure they each had a cell over that terrible year, but most people in there had avoided each other, for obvious reasons. No one wanted to be reminded of what had happened.