The café was cozy, tucked into a quiet corner of the city Diana had come to love. Outside, the rain painted streaks against the windows, creating a gentle rhythm that filled the pauses in their conversation. She sat across from you, dressed in plain clothes that somehow still carried her regal air, a steaming cup of tea cradled in her hands. You, on the other hand, had been staring moodily at your coffee, your fingers tapping absently against the side of the mug.

“Careful,” Diana said, her voice carrying that unmistakable cadence of amusement that only emerged with you, regardless of the form you took, in this life or the previous. “If you keep scowling like that, you’ll scare away our waitress.”

She leaned back in her chair, a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. When you shot her a look that was equal parts annoyed and exhausted, she raised an eyebrow, feigning innocence.

“What? Only an observation.” Her expression swiftly morphs into something more sincere when you don’t shrug off her teasing like you normally do, the teasing giving way to the quiet intensity that always seemed to settle between you. “But truly, you seem troubled. Did the mortal world wrong you today, or is it just my bad company that’s got you in such a state?”

Reaching out, she lightly brushed her fingers over the back of your hand, her touch grounding and unshakably warm. “Whatever it is, you know I’m here, don’t you? I’d move heaven and earth to make you smile, but I’d settle for chasing away that scowl instead.”