[OPEN LOG]

[nukeoleptic]

Who: Jade + literally anyone
What: Jade bribing people into her restaurant with free things.
When: Day 355.
Where: The Highwind, in Heimdall's district.
Rating: PG-13 for language at most!

EDITED TO ADD: Also, totally feel free to threadjack and use this as a mingle log IF YOU WOULD LIKE ♥

[ It had worked once before, back in the heat of late summer in Asgard, so Jade was trying it again. She had dragged the sign out to the front of the store, right in the middle of the sidewalk, and written in huge letters:

free hot chocolate! :D
just come inside ♥

The temperature hadn't broken the sixty degree mark today - it was getting chilly fast. Both Orihime and Annabeth were gone, and the store was oddly quiet. Jade will be found keeping herself busy throughout the day with odd little chores when it's completely empty of customers - sweeping, dusting, and occasionally dozing in a booth near the door when the boredom becomes too much to bear. ]

Comments

[fantastix]

[It's been a day of work. And there really hasn't been much to do after. So he has no problem with stopping by, rapping his knuckles on the doorway.]

All right today?

[nukeoleptic]

Yep!

[ And he gets her brightest smile for that, too. ]

Haven't fallen asleep and faceplanted into a single cake, either.

[fantastix]

Now there's improvement!

[He pokes his head inside]

Nice place you've got here.

[nukeoleptic]

[ She just beams at him, beckoning him in. ]

Isn't it? I kind of inherited it.

[fantastix]

Business owners skipped town, and you're thriving?

[He smiles, looking quite charmed with the little place]

Suppose I'll taste it for myself.

[nukeoleptic]

[ She pours a mug of hot chocolate, playfully topping it with a ridiculous heap of whipped cream. ]

Have you ever had it before? Sooo many people haven't.

[fantastix]

Cuppa here, a bit there. Decadent or simple.

But I've never had yours.

[Cream! He grins delightedly at it, very pointedly taking a mouthful and making a slight mess. No reason not to.]

[nukeoleptic]

[ Jade laughs aloud, leaning forward to roll her eyes and offer him a napkin at the same time. ]

It's just hot chocolate. But I'm glad you like it!

[fantastix]

[He delicately dabs at his face, then reaches into his pocket for something. Rummaging...ah, there. He withdraws a small wrapped loaf for her.]

Spiced banana bread. I thought it would fit.

[nukeoleptic]

[ She takes the gift, staring down at it in her hands, openly baffled for a moment. ]

You brought this for me?

[fantastix]

Who else would it be for?

Least I can do for your generosity.

[nukeoleptic]

[ She smiles a little guiltily, moving to put the loaf on the counter. ]

This isn't generosity.

[fantastix]

...oh, I know I'm paying for it. But it's still a wonderful experience. How much?

[nukeoleptic]

Shut up, you're not paying for anything. You brought be a gift! I just mean - maybe there were selfish motivations at play.

[fantastix]

...for example?

[nukeoleptic]

[ She doesn't really know him that well - she has no reason to be too candid, but she ends up sort of just shrugging and admitting: ]

I was sort of lonely.

[fantastix]

[That's not such a big deal. It's normal. He just nods and settles in.]

So many of us, yet it's so easy to feel isolated. We've got distractions that keep us apart, don't we?

[nukeoleptic]

We do. [ The look that she flashes him is earnest -- a smile, but sort of uncomfortably sad at the same time. ] Mostly, though? I don't want to leave Asgard, but everyone else keeps going. It's dumb.

[fantastix]

You like this place, but you keep losing friends?

[He exhales softly, then fixes a sympathetic look on her]

If there's anything I know, it's that feeling.

[nukeoleptic]

So which is worse?

[ She meets his sympathetic look with a young, shuttered one. ]

Losing the people you love, or waiting for it to happen? Because I haven't figured that out yet.

[fantastix]

Losing, I think.

[That answer comes surprisingly easily. He can feel it.]

Because if they haven't left yet, you can pretend you're gonna find a way to reunite. Or you can try to find that way.

I've tried it.

[nukeoleptic]

[ She cuts her eyes down, offering him a slice of pie as she does. ] Come on, Doctor, how old are you guys supposed to be? Surely you know when a girl wants you to lie to her by now, jeeeeez.

[fantastix]

[He takes the pie, but sadly.]

I'm never good at lying when you want me to.

But I suppose what I'm saying is I've been losing people for nine hundred years. I know what it's like.

Even now I meet new friends, knowing what'll happen. And I don't push 'em away. Because there's always a chance for someone good to come along.

[nukeoleptic]

Oh, no. No, no, I'm not - I'm not giving up, and I'm not pushing people away. That's not in the plan, at least!

[ And then she hands over a fork, pointedly, as if telling him: eat. ]

But it's kind of a really nice, really selfish daydream sometimes, right? Nothing wrong with that!

[fantastix]

No, nothing wrong at all.

[There's a wistful smile there---maybe it is wrong, but he doesn't want to be right---and then he finally takes a bite.]

It's delicious. You'll have people all around you in no time at all.