It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year...

[damage-granted.livejournal.com]

An out-of-towner wouldn't know that it's December in San Francisco, much less that there are only two shopping weeks until Christmas. There isn't a speck of snow to be seen, and the temperature is in the mid-fifties with a light breeze blowing down Market Street, swirling through the Union Square Shopping District. All the hallmarks of the Christmas shopping season, however, are in full force, with large wreathes hanging from light posts, Christmas muzak being pumped through the speakers in front of almost every store in the area, and the enormous tree situated in the middle of the Square.

Then, of course, there are the crowds.

Fathers and mothers and children and teenagers and grandparents. The list goes on. Families with one kid, two kids, half a dozen. This was the part of the holidays that Grant really wasn't too big on. He doesn't mind the muzak - in fact, he actually rather enjoys Christmas music - or even the laborious process of shopping. Children, really, don't bother him either. He'd only just visited a children's hospital and he and Flamebird had both agreed that it was a great experience. But the huge crush of people milling about, jostling one another, parents chasing down an errant child. He can handle fighting super villains, but a stampede of wild shoppers is rather terrifying.

Still, he was determined to get something nice for Mar'i. She had been informed by Nightwing that her former lover, Ibn, had returned, apparently from the dead - only he hadn't bothered to contact her directly or even leave her a message. Grant and Mar'i had talked about it and he'd been rather pleased - and not a little surprised - that she still wanted to date him. Not that he wouldn't have gotten her something before, but now, Grant wants to make her present particularly special.

Walking through the shopping district, wearing a light jacket to ward off the brief gusts of wind, Grant moves along slowly, looking at each of the shop fronts, a small frown resting on his features. "This is harder than I thought..." he says to no one in particular.

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[damage-granted.livejournal.com]

Stepping into the shop after her, Grant takes a look around, nodding to the older man as he holds the door open for the two heroes. There's something odd about the look the man gives him, a rather knowing look. Ah, well.

It does smell incredible - just like that hot chocolate he'd made for Mar'i, except that the whole place smells like it. That and it smells, well...expensive. It really is surprising how many different things you can turn chocolate into. Whatever happened to just putting chocolate into little boxes with a label inside the top to let you know what each one was?

Relieved of his packages, Grant feels Bea's arm slide through his, following her around as she leads him through the shop, that same irrepressible grin on her lips.

"Whatever you say, Bea," Grant replies, looking over at her, his smile just a little uncertain.

[flame-of-green.livejournal.com]

They finally get up to the counter where a pleasant, if somewhat harried sales lady smiles to them. "What can we do for you today?"

Bea nudges Grant with her hip to hush him up as she returns the lady's smile with one of her own.

"My friend here would like one dozen roses in assorted chocolate to be delivered by Christmas."

Her sandal finds the top of Grant's foot in case he starts to protest.

[damage-granted.livejournal.com]

The place isn't quite as packed as some of the other shops he's been in today, but it's pretty clear that the salespeople have been going hard at this all day, and probably for the last several days.

He opens his mouth to speak as the saleswoman walks over to them, but the nudge of Bea's hip against his shuts him up. Obviously, she knows what she's doing. Again, he opens his mouth to speak as Bea orders for him, but that heel hovering over his foot looks rather dangerous.

The sales lady nods and walks away to fetch the order, and Grant turns a rather bewildered look toward Bea. "Are...are you sure...?"

[flame-of-green.livejournal.com]

"Chocolate and gardening, right? It's perfect."

She smirks slideways at him then turns back to the sales lady as she comes back with pen and paper, handing it to Grant. "Write down what you'd like the card to say, dear and we'll print it up for the delivery."

[damage-granted.livejournal.com]

The green-haired heroine has a very, very good point. This meeting couldn't have been more fortuitous, because Heaven only knows what he would have picked out for Mar'i on his own.

"Oh, um...alright..." Grant replies, taking the pen from the woman, glancing briefly at Bea, then back at the small bit of paper in front of him. It doesn't have to be long. Probably doesn't even have to be all that eloquent. Emerson pauses, the tip of the pen hovering over the paper. Then he begins writing.

Dear Mar'i,

I hope you enjoy
I know how much you like

He glances up at Bea then, looking just a touch exasperated. Why is this so hard?!

Dear Mar'i,

Thank you for everything. I've never been so lucky.

Yours,
Merry Christmas,

Grant

There's lines through a lot of stuff, but hopefully, the woman will be able to piece it together. Bea will definitely be able to tell he's a shade or two redder.

[flame-of-green.livejournal.com]

And it's just so cute!!! She might puke soon, though.

She takes the opportunity to nibble on some samples, leaning on the counter as he writes up his note for the roses. When it seems like he's done, she leans towards him to read the note. Nope. Not done. More samples. Now? Peek. No, ok. Oh! Nipples of Venus! Hmm? Not bad.

She pulls the paper towards her to read it better, then eyes him out of the corner of her eye, a smirk twitching her lips to the side. "'Never been so lucky' but you aren't hers?"

She shrugs and slides it back.

[damage-granted.livejournal.com]

Grant almost reaches for the note to take it away from Bea, but he thinks better of it. After all, if not for Bea, he probably wouldn't have ended bringing anything back for Mar'i. "Well...we've only been dating a month..." he says quietly. And I haven't had a girlfriend since high school. And she's way out of my league...

Passing the note back to the sales lady, Grant looks over at Bea again, smiling warmly at her. "Thanks for helping me out with this," he says, his tone sincere.

[flame-of-green.livejournal.com]

Awww!!! She smiles in return and bumps him with a shoulder. This trip ought to get her out of a few years of Purgatory.

"Anytime, menino do açúcar."

The sales lady comes back after adding the note to the order and smiles to Grant. "With delivery by Christmas that comes to $250."

[damage-granted.livejournal.com]

Her smile is almost as radiant as Mar'i's - almost. Between the smiling, the nudging of her shoulder, and the giggling, Bea seems to be enjoying this as much as Grant is, maybe more. Of course, he'd just had to write that note. Why had that been so difficult, anyway? Ah, well. Either way, he has a terrific present that is going to be hand-delivered to his girlfriend on Christmas Day.

But all these good feelings vanish as the sales lady cheerily informs him of the fact that he's rung up a bill that will probably take him until next Christmas to finishing paying off. And he still hasn't bought anything for Lian!

The blush has completely disappeared, and Bea will undoubtedly notice that Grant is a shade or two paler. "I...I can't...Bea, I can't..." He doesn't quite say it, looking over at the green-haired heroine with a positively horrified expression on his face.

[flame-of-green.livejournal.com]

Sometimes I love being me!

She is trying to look all together too innocent. She obviously knew this place was expensive, as was the gift she was suggesting.

"Got $50?" as she slides a credit card to the waiting sales lady who happily makes off with it.

[damage-granted.livejournal.com]

"Uh...yeah..." Grant finally manages, reaching into his back pocket, pulling out his billfold. Starfire had set him up with a stipend, but it wasn't designed to cover gifts this extravagant. Opening the wallet, Grant draws out a crisp fifty dollar bill - fresh from the ATM - and hands it to Bea with an appreciative smile.

"Bea, I can pay you back. I might...it might take a little while, but..." he stammers, tucking his wallet back into his pocket, his eyes shifting between Bea's knowing grin and the top of the glass counter she's leaning on.

[flame-of-green.livejournal.com]

"You will not!" She stuffs the fifty down the front of her shirt with an indignant sniff.

"I don't have anyone to spend money on but myself. Don't diminish my rare altruistic moment by threatening to pay me back."

She's trying to look offended but the smirk that's playing at her lips keeps getting in the way.

[damage-granted.livejournal.com]

Don't stare...Don't stare...Stop staring!

Kind of hard to ignore a woman's chest when she takes money out of your hand and stuffs it down the front of her shirt. "Alright, I won't, I just..." His voice trails off as he looks down at the counter again.

He sees the smile and knows that she's just messing with him, but her altruism is genuinely appreciated. "Thanks, Bea," Grant says, smiling back at her.

[flame-of-green.livejournal.com]

She is suddenly very much in his personal space, that smirk broadening.

"I'll take this as repayment." Her hands are on his shoulders and she pulls him in for a big, if chaste (for her), kiss then just as suddenly releases him to go collect the packages, a big grin on her face.

[damage-granted.livejournal.com]

She'll hear a small intake of breath as she steps closer to him. Grant doesn't even have a chance to respond as he feels her fingers come to rest on his shoulders, pulling him closer to her, and suddenly, his lips are pressed against hers. He just kissed Fire. Or Fire just kissed him. And then it's over.

What...what just happened...? he thinks, standing there, stunned as Bea grins and walks off, collecting her half of the packages.

Shaking himself out of his stupor, Grant looks back over his shoulder to the sales woman. "Thanks," he croaks as she hands him the remainder of the packages. It takes him a moment, but he's finally able to catch up to Bea as the woman steps outside.