Who: Nate Roth (a narrative) What: Planning out the next stage in his grand life. When: Wednesday night, after closing. Where: Stellar Comics, Manhattan, NY. Warnings: Probably none?
Nate Roth was not usually a deep thinking, introspective man. A little over a year ago he could have claimed that he went through life with the kind of happy-go-lucky skip that made everyone around him completely insane. Somewhere along the line, that had all changed. He couldn't pinpoint exactly when or how, but looking around his shop now, he knew that he was practically a different person. The change was pretty subtle. He still acted like the same guy that he'd been a year ago. But that Nate never would have embraced the responsibility that came with his position in Camelot. He never would have bought out the comic shop. And he certainly never would have picked up a ring for the girl who had randomly moved in with him while looking for a job.
He looked around the shop, closed and completely empty. He'd sent everyone else home, since he needed to do some paperwork before he himself left. Instead of sitting down in the tiny office in the back, he started walking around. It had been a risky move, buying this place. He cut a pretty good check from being a department head for Camelot, but it had still taken a lot of courage to actually step up and own the place. He knew he would never regret it, though. Even if he could probably support himself on Camelot pay alone, he never would. He loved the shop, and would continue to keep it open because he loved it. So much that he was thinking of buying the newly vacated building next door and expanding the whole operation. He'd already done a lot of the legwork for it, looking in to things and making the right phone calls. Pretty soon he'd have everything he needed lined up for adding a little coffee lounge, a place where reincarnates could just come and chill. They needed that, and it would give all his loitering friends a place to hang out. Yeah, that would be perfect. There weren't many people who could say that they enjoyed their work so much. He had one job he loved, and another he believed in. It didn't get much better than that.
Or did it? His hand went to his pocket, pulling out the pretty ring he'd been carrying around for the last few weeks. He hadn't worked up the courage to make his move yet. Honestly, he didn't know how to go about proposing. It was a big step that needed to be done right. He knew he was ready, though. Had known for damn sure when the arrival of Leia and the Emperor didn't sway his resolve at all. He was going to do it, just as soon as he figured out some big, romantic way to pop the question. Man, his parents were going to freak. Along with everyone else, probably. At least it would be a surprise. It wouldn't be nearly as much fun if Mina saw it coming. He rarely got a chance to shock her.
He made the full circle around the shop, trying to picture it bigger, with more people milling around. This would work. All of it. Expanding the shop, marrying Mina, maybe even putting the Camelot recruitment office upstairs. He'd have to talk to Dan about that. For now, he couldn't help but think of what a lucky asshole he was. Great jobs, great woman, great friends. If there was one thing their trip to an alternate universe had taught him, it was not to take what he had for granted. He was keeping this life, and all the good that came with it, no matter what.