Who: Seth and Ariel. What: First date! When: 1/17. Where: Restaurant. Rating/Warnings: Nope, maybe some swearing? PG-13. Status: Complete!
Ariel had absolutely no idea what Seth Balmore was used to on her normal dates, except that it would likely be much ritzier than he could afford. Even with Lo’s help, he was very aware that he wasn’t part of her world. So he’d simply done the best he could - dressed nicely, but not too extravagantly, carrying a bouquet of calla lilies - and now he was waiting for her to meet him at the restaurant. He could talk to women, sure, but this was a very special woman.
Seth had dressed up without trying to make it look like she was dressed up. Her skirt hit her knees so he wouldn’t be intimidated, and she couldn’t help but grin when she saw him. Ariel probably had no idea he was gorgeous. “How’d you know about my favorite flower?”
Ariel saw her and immediately blushed. “I took a rather lucky guess, actually.” She would never have been the type to like red roses. Lilies were gentle flowers, but not weak. He handed them to her with a shy smile. “Hello, Seth. You look lovely.”
“I could say the same.” She leaned over to kiss him on the cheek, sitting down with him. “This is one of my favorite restaurants, how’d you guess?”
“I had help, in all honesty. It turns out we share a mutual friend.” Ariel had to be honest, smiling a little more broadly. “Lo? He’s my attorney. He spoke very highly of you.”
That made Seth laugh. “He’s a good guy. Wow, the world’s small, isn’t it? That’s comforting and scary at the same time. ... that he knows me so well, you’re not scary, don’t worry.” Seth squeezed his hand.
“It’s his job, I figure. He’s extremely good at it.” Ariel wanted to talk about the teleporting thing, but he wasn’t certain if she knew about it yet. He didn’t want to come off as odd when they’d been together for ten minutes. “Are you a vegan, or vegetarian? I understand this place is well known for their meatless cuisine.” Well. Beef-less. He saw some fish on the menu.
“I try to eat ethically, so if I can find locally sourced things, I will. Which means I mostly end up eating tofu,” she chuckled. “You chose well.” She got branded a hippie because she did most of her own cooking and shopping (from farmer’s markets, of course).
“Lo chose well. I can’t take credit where it isn’t due.” He smiled a little. “But I’m vegetarian myself; it works out. I simply got tired of meat.” He knew he was on the skinny side, but he’d never had much interest in getting back into the meat-eating trend.
“I just can’t after all the research I did on mass produced meats and eggs and cheeses. If I know it lived a decent life and wasn’t in a crate, I can, but honestly at this point it hurts my stomach. You should come have dinner at my place next time, I make a great pad thai.” She smiled at him, a genuinely happy thing. They were clicking on a friendly level, which was the best thing for a date.
“That would be nice; I actually have some Thai ancestry. My father’s family comes from there a few generations back.” Ariel smiled, trying not to think about Going To Her Place. It had been a long time since he’d done that with a woman.
“Really? I’ll have to be careful to not mess it up, then.” Seth grinned, scanning the menu. “Think I should risk a glass or two of wine? I hope I won’t get giggly and annoying.”
“I can’t imagine you being annoying.” Ariel risked saying what was on his mind, hoping it didn’t sound sycophantic. She came off as so intelligent; the idea of her annoying anyone ever seemed silly. “I might have just one.”
Seth smiled at Ariel, chuckling a little. “That goes both ways, then.” She opted for a glass of white, if only because she was still deciding what to eat.
He did the same, figuring it would go with everything. “So,” he started, hoping it didn’t come off odd. “I did do a bit of reading about you. You’ve spent most of your time recently in Italy, is that true? I’ve always wanted to go.”
“I did, yeah. I was in Milan for about a year. I signed on with an agency there and sort of made it my home base. It was nice for a while, but I got homesick.” She’d come away with an elementary level of Italian fluency and a desire to do less modelling and more work with her causes.
“Understandable. I would just be curious about the country. I’ve never left the United States, unfortunately, and I’ve always wanted to travel. Even if you don’t like the work, I imagine that’s a nice perk.” Ariel smiled a little. “Europe is so elegant, compared to here. Everything’s too new.” It was one of the reasons his shop was so deliberately aged.
“You should go, it’s gorgeous.” Seth smiled and tucked her hair behind her ears. “I admit, I ate everything in sight. It all balanced out, though, because I walked a lot more.”
“One day, I plan to. Never had the money.” Ariel smiled right back. “I put it back into the bookshop, and I have to pay child support, obviously.” She’d seen the photo of Alicia; she knew about his little girl.
“When do you get to see her next?” Seth leaned back, smiling brightly. “She looks a lot like you.”
“I don’t know. We’re in the process of working out a new custody arrangement.” Ariel smiled, but it was a little wistful. It was good that his visits would be more frequent, but it was painful to have them put off until the court and lawyers stopped messing around. “Hopefully soon.”
“I wish things like that weren’t necessary. I’m sorry. You’re already a better parent in that sentence than most of the ones I know, so good job there?” Seth chuckled sheepishly; she didn’t want to bring up her own awful upbringing.
Ariel smiled a little. “It didn’t work out in my favor the first time.” He debated telling Seth the truth, and finally did - he had nothing to hide. “I had a prescription for medical marijuana, for my migraines, but my daughter’s mother was able to use that as proof I was some kind of unfit parent.”
“... that bitch,” Seth glared. She couldn’t help gritting her teeth. “And to hell with the judge who thought that was a good defense, too. That’s a prescription. I hope they get migraines too, those things hurt.”
Ariel was surprised by her vehemence, but he’d be lying if he said it wasn’t faintly gratifying. “It hurt. A lot. Losing custody. But I got a very good, very smart attorney in Lo, and he worked it out.” He smiled. “I don’t get the migraines nearly as much anymore?” He wasn’t sure what it was at this point; the herbal tea, the magic, or something in between.
“I just ... I don’t have a good relationship with my parents. When I was a kid, I wanted attention, so I did drugs. I’d have killed to have someone fight for me that way, you know? She doesn’t realize what a good man you are.” Seth sighed, drumming her fingers as she did when she wanted a cigarette.
“I’m sorry to hear it.” There wasn’t anything else he could say, not without being intrusive. “Just because my daughter doesn’t have the mother I thought she would, it doesn’t mean I can just wash my hands of it. I’m sorry that anyone in your life washed their hands, metaphorically speaking, of you.” He blushed faintly.
“My parents didn’t really want me. It’s good to hear you love your daughter,” Seth smiled. “That’s what happens with famous people, I guess. They just... forget how to do things for themselves.”
“They told you they didn’t want you?” Ariel stared at her. He couldn’t conceive of that sort of cruelty.
“No, but it’s pretty obvious. They didn’t really raise me, that’s what the nanny was for,” Seth nosewrinkled.
“Ugh.” Ariel shook his head. “I would want to spend all my time with Alicia. I wonder what I’m going to do about the shop half the time when she’ll be visiting.”
“That’s what other employees are for. I could work for you, if you want. I’ll take minimum wage and everything.” She smiled broadly.
“I don’t actually have any other employees.” Ariel laughed. “I’ve never needed any.” The shop was his life, really.
“Well, hire me.” Seth beamed. “I can alphabetize, promise.”
Ariel raised an eyebrow. “I would imagine you have a lot on your plate right now.” Even if she was serious, there were so many things she was probably doing right now.
“Less than you’d think,” Seth grinned. “And it’s not like it’d be for years or something, right? Just keep me on as an in a pinch employee.”
Ariel chuckled. He risked being awkward and joking, but he felt like he could. “Is this just a ploy to make sure I always have your number?”
“Yes and no,” Seth laughed. She liked how fast he was, how witty, and she took a sip of her wine. “Why, are you going to lose it?”
“Not if I can help it, but things do happen.” Oh, good. He smiled. “If you’re serious, I would be delighted to keep you on. I just don’t want to get in the way of anything more important. You obviously have the potential to be quite busy.”
The waiter came and took their orders, and Ariel figured he would splurge, getting a good-sized piece of fish. He was paying, after all. “It’s a day I’ve remembered to eat,” he joked. “A good step.”
“Do you usually forget? And I am serious.” She reached out to squeeze his hand, having ordered a large plate of buckwheat pasta with sriracha tofu as a topper.
“Sometimes. Yes.” Ariel shrugged. “I’ve gotten better about it, but there were times I would get so wrapped up in everything that I’d think “I’ll eat later” and then just ... never do it.”
“I’ve done that before.” Mostly back in the coke days, but she wasn’t going to say all that. “Maybe set an alarm for yourself? Get it in as part of a routine?”
“Maybe. I know rationally I need to eat more, it just never seems important.” Ariel chuckled a little. “There’s always too much to be done. But I know I need to eat, especially if Alicia will be around. Got to set the good example.”
“Exactly. And it is important, it keeps you at your sharpest mentally.” She figured that was what Ariel would be most proud of, his mental faculties.
“Stands to reason. I just have to get into the habit.” Ariel smiled. “Thank you for not patronizing me. Some people seem to think I lack wits because I get so wrapped up in everything.”
“That’s not a lack of intelligence, it’s just a different sort,” Seth shrugged. “My work takes me all over the world, so I get to meet lots of different kinds of people. I think it’s made me a lot less quick to judge than I was when I was a kid.” She’d been a brat, plain and simple.
“Stands to reason. It’s one of the reasons I would love to travel. And bring my daughter. You learn so much.” Ariel smiled again. He was getting a habit around her.
“Well, when she comes, maybe you two could go to Disney or something? You look like you’ve never been.” Seth squeezed his hand and chuckled. “You should go in the off season when it’s not too busy.”
“Perhaps. She’d certainly enjoy it.” Ariel liked the hand squeeze, though he did let up as their food arrived. “This looks excellent.”
“It’s great,” Seth beamed. She started in on her tofu, sighing happily when she took a bite. “Do you cook at all when you remember to eat, or are you as hopeless there as I am?”
“Only basics, I’m afraid. Though I’ve gotten better lately.” Oh, how was he going to explain the dreams? It was probably better to leave them unmentioned. “I’ve become better at judging temperatures,” he finally said. It wasn’t a lie; he’d had to get good with that sort of thing given his formulas and equipment.
“That’s something! I’m kind of hopeless unless it’s a salad. I’m great at cold salads,” Seth quipped. She really was, though. “Smoothies too.”
“I can make pastas, and reheat things.” Ariel chuckled. “This is much better.” They ate in silence for a little while, but when they were nearly done, he asked, “What about desserts? Are you a better baker? That was Marguerita’s strength - Alicia’s mother, I mean.”
“Oh, no. I’m a great dessert eater, but not so much maker. I’m a better gardener and fisherman than any of those things.” Seth laughed and leaned forward. “I used to rent a fishing boat on my days off in Milan, and I’d just go up and down the coast, catching fish or diving for mussels.”
“Really.” He was fascinated by the visual. “That must be so nice. Living off the fruits of one’s own labor, and all that. I’d love to learn to fish, but I never did. I grew up in New York; there wasn’t much opportunity.” The waiter came by and asked if they wanted dessert; Ariel ordered coffee. “If you want dessert, please, feel free.”
Seth ordered a bit of chocolate mousse with two spoons. “If you want a bite or three,” Seth beamed. She was glad she’d only ordered one glass of wine, and was proud of herself for it. “You could garden if you wanted to, you don’t need much room. And there’s a few good fishing spots around here.” Seth usually surprised people with her tomboy side.
“Maybe one or two. Thank you.” Ariel smiled. “And I might consider gardening - there are herbs I need at times.” For what, stupid? “I live above my shop, though, so it might be a challenge to find grassy places.”
“Do you have a balcony?” Seth loved urban gardening, and when she talked about it, her eyes lit up.
“Not as such, but I do have an exit to the roof. I suppose I could have pot-plants up there.” Ariel smiled again. He couldn’t help it; she looked positively joyous.
“You could, I can help you build boxes if you want.” Seth chuckled, looking down at her hands. “I’m ... kind of an urban gardening enthusiast.”
“Are you?” Ariel raised an eyebrow. “You’re very multitalented, Seth.” Saying her name was strangely warm and fuzzy. It felt as though they’d known each other for years.
Their desserts arrived, and Ariel sat back with his coffee. He felt very mellow, which was highly unusual for him in any situation, let alone on a first date.
“I had a lot of time on my hands as a kid,” Seth blushed. “Then when I was in rehab, it was a good way for me to find a headspace that made me happy instead of drugs.” Also chocolate; she clapped like a little kid when the mousse was set in front of her. Leaning over, she handed Ariel a spoon.
He took it, and before he dug in, he simply went for it. Best to get it over with. “May I see you again, Seth?”
Seth blinked. “I’d be really upset if you didn’t, Ariel.”
Ariel blushed, but it accompanied a relieved smile. “Good. I’m glad. I’ll telephone, if that’s acceptable. Now, let’s try the chocolate.”