[Mostly Closed] August Catch-All

[alchemyfreak]

who: Anyone that wants to interact with Ed during August (Hit me up to request a top level at TransmutedSelf or post your own!)
what: Various
when: Anytime during August
where: Floor six, the Gardens, The General Store, Trixie and some nice burger joint in the city
warnings: Amnesia effects August 12th-19th, nightmares, religious talk etc. The nightmare thread has the potential to get pretty dark, warnings will go in individual tags.

Top-levels will be posted below.

Ed also has an open mingle posted if that's your thing.

Comments

[Closed to Nico - Auction Date]

[alchemyfreak]

There weren't really a whole lot of places that Ed could think to take someone like Nico. On one hand, all the kid seemed to eat was fast food so although that was probably a perfectly acceptable offer in his opinion, Ed kind of wanted him to have a chance to eat something else for a change.

Which meant trying to find a place to go that was more expensive than fast food while still fitting into the theme of dinner between friends. Or, at least Nico's comfort level. It took some searching, figuring dinner in the communal building wouldn't exactly be an exciting time, before he found something that seemed worth his efforts.

Granted, it was still a burger place, but at least they weren't going to be served paper cups at the register and handed bags of greasy food over a check out counter. No, this place was equipped with a bar, tables and booths covered in fancy looking menus, cloth napkins and silverware, like your average steak house. This was the kind of place that would provide a free glass of water and come around to take your drink order before even considering that you had a meal picked out.

Honestly, Ed was entirely out of his element here, even in Muir he hadn't bothered with places like this. They certainly hadn't existed in Purg, and back home it was more or less about eating wherever you could find a place - a cafe, a diner. This was not only more upscale, but more modern than anything he was used to, which frankly described this whole damn moon most of the time.

At first he wasn't sure what to expect, but as they entered the building a hostess standing nearby immediately offered to show them to a table with the sort of pleasant smile that said she had been doing this long enough to find nobody that walked through that door surprising. Ed glanced at Nico as they followed her to an empty table where she explained which menu was for what - your drinks, your desserts, your dinners - before leaving them on their own to decide.

Once she was gone, Ed glanced across the table over his menu before glancing back at the list with a muttered retort, "How complicated can this be? The only thing they serve is burgers..."

[deathkid]

Nico's never been on a date. There was a time when he would've loved to be taken out, but that had been in the past, when he was in love with the son of Poseidon. Here, in quarantine, however, there was just him and he's been over Percy for several months ( so he tells himself ). So Nico never thought someone would bid on him, much less Ed. It's a surprise that made him wonder what Ed had in mind, but when the day came, Nico was ready.

He didn't dress any different, didn't even think to change out of his ripped jeans. As far as Nico was concerned, this was just a friends kind of thing and he didn't even know what Ed had in mind. Still, as they approached the restaurant, Nico was surprised to see it was a burger joint. Apparently, Ed had put thought into this and knew what Nico liked. When they sat down and were given their menus, Nico was quick to look at it. The types of burgers were numerous and there was a plethora of other goodies he could pick from. But it was Ed's comment that made him lift his eyes over his menu to regard the older man.

"Yeah, but there's different kinds. Like, look," he said, leaning over the table to point at one item. "This one has mushrooms and Swiss cheese. But this one has bacon. This place is actually pretty cool."

[alchemyfreak]

Ed had never been on a date either, the idea was a little weird to him anyway - the whole concept of the auction and bidding on dates. Nico was probably more ready than he was considering he'd actually had an active desire to go on a date before in his life.

As far as attire, Ed hadn't changed anything either. He'd put some research into the place, and if Nico liked burgers he would probably really enjoy a 5 Star burger joint, but Ed had made sure it was casual before deciding on the place. If showing up in jeans and a t-shirt was frowned on it wasn't someplace either of them would probably be comfortable, regardless of how they dressed.

He had to grin at Nico's reaction, setting his own menu down on the table. "There are a lot of options." Ed was still getting used to all the food available here, it wasn't like this in Attollo and even Attollo had been an improvement on Purg - but anything would be at this point. He glanced up from his own menu with a frown, tugging one of other menus from the display in the center of the table. "There's a whole separate menu for appetizers...." He hadn't even noticed the drinks menu still tucked into place between the ketchup and mustard, indicating the small menu in his hand. "Do you want to get something before the burgers?"

[deathkid]

"Appetizers?" Nico hadn't even considered that. Looking over the menu Ed offered, he frowns a little to himself. Already, Ed had spent money to purchase this date and was going to spend more for the food, and that made Nico feel a little bad. He wasn't hurting for money in any way, and since he figured this was more of a friends kind of thing, he should chip in. So he looked up at Ed and tilted his head.

"I can pay for my half of the check," he explained briefly before looking down at the menu again. As far as he knew, the prices were reasonable and he could easily afford anything on the menu. He didn't want to assume anything about Ed, though, so he waited patiently for Ed's response before deciding on whatever he might want from the appetizer menu.

[alchemyfreak]

Any place that didn't bother to put prices on the menu there was generally a reason for that, but it wasn't anything Ed would even be aware of to think about. "If you want." He's not really in the mood to argue about it, and knows Nico can be unpredictable about the weirdest things - in his opinion, anyway - so if he wanted to pay his own way Ed was hardly going to be offended by it. Still, that wasn't the point, so Ed continues without even looking up from his own menu. "I'm the one that invited you out, though. I don't mind. Don't worry about it." He was expecting to cover the bill, if he hadn't been he would have taken Nico to something he was more used to.

When Ed glanced up again he noticed the beverage menu and picked it up curiously, nose wrinkling at the list of beer and wine on one side before flipping it over to reveal an equally long list of juice, soft drinks, milkshakes and smoothies. He barely gave it a glance before setting it down on the table for Nico to look at next. "They'll probably want our drink order first, too." It had been so long since he'd done this actual restaurant thing, it was a little weird, but at least he knew what to look for. Even if this place split their menu up into three different smaller ones for some weird reason.

[deathkid]

At that, Nico quickly scooped up the drinks list. He didn't even bother looking at the alcohol side, far too interested in the opposite part with the list of sodas and milkshakes. Normally, for something like this, he'd order a Coke, but feeling like it's a bit of a special occasion ( this is supposed to be a date after all, even if he's going to insist on paying for himself ), Nico decides he'll splurge a little.

"I think I'll get a milkshake," he says, setting the menu down again. "And the mozzarella sticks sound good too." Because he wouldn't be Italian if he didn't get a good dose of mozzarella.

[alchemyfreak]

Ed nods at that, smirking some as he glances over the appetizer list once more himself. "That sounds like a good idea." When the waitress arrived Ed motioned for Nico to put in his order before adding his own. A Coke, and mozzarella sticks to start.

The waitress jotted those down before looking between them, "Do you need more time, or you just here for the sticks? The salmon burger is pretty popular."

Without answering right away he looks back to Nico, to leave the decision up to him. "Are you ready to order? I think I know what I'm getting."

[deathkid]

Looking up at the waitress, Nico nods. He's pretty set on what he wants to get and has mozzarella sticks and a milk shake to look forward to. So he glances down at his menu for the last time then closes it and offers it to the waitress.

"I'll have the double cheeseburger, hold the onions, with extra pickles and mayo on the side, please," he says confidently. It's like what he'd normally order, but he expects this one to be a lot fancier and even better tasting.