trying to find the perfect gift (open)

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It was a calm warm day as Rick set out into the streets of New Rome. He had decided to go to the shops to try and find a gift for his older brother Josh's unborn baby and was pretty sure he would be able to pick out something that would be perfect for the baby shower. He looked up at the sun shining on him as he walked and he smiled loving the feeling of being free of training for the rest of the day and being able to just relax and enjoy some free time. As he reached the market he noticed a bunch of open shops and smiled as he walked into the first one he had came to,which happened to be a shop that sold men's clothes. Rick knew that he wouldn't find the gift he needed here so he thanked the sales man and left.  

He walked down a bit father and noticed a little Deli and felt his stomach growl with hunger. Rick took this as a sign it was time for lunch so he stopped inside and got him a sandwich and a coke to eat while he walked around window shopping. Rick ate his lunch as he walks up and down the blocks trying to find the right store to look in and smiled as he finally found a store that sold baby clothes and other things the new baby might need. He threw away his trash and walked inside to be greeted by an older lady who looked to be in her mid-thirties "Hello Dear how may I help you?" Rick looked around as he said "I am looking for something for my brothers baby," the lady smiled and lead him over to a section of baby clothes and told him "Babies always need clothes maybe you can buy him some of those." The younger Demi-god nods and thanks her as he starts to look around.

Rick had wanted to get them something special,but he had no idea what he could get as he had never been around a baby before and only knew they needed clothes and diapers. He sighs as he starts to look through the clothes and has a forlorn look on his face that shows he does not know what he is doing. Rick was so lost in his thought that he accidentally bumped into someone " I am so sorry I was distracted by my thoughts my name is Rick," he said holding out his hand. 

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It really didn't matter much to Mercury, he would get the couple whatever they wanted for the baby. After all it was a grandparents prerogative and tradition to buy one of the larger items that a new family would need. He had heard that Trivia had decided to pain the nursery, so he had taken the liberty to purchase a couple of items, two different kinds of cribs, dressers and so on, so they could pick what they like and send back whatever they didn't. But that wouldn't stop Mercury from over doing it. Mercury was over the top that his son had finally gotten through to Rhiannon. He had been particularly troubled when she had lost track, but she found her way back. Family was everything to MErcury and he never lost faith in them. But he decided that New Rome was the place for him to be. He found the demi-gods to be exciting and happening. This was the place to be. They were young, vital, they had an energy that was rather catching. He loved to be amongst mortals. Now that he was allowed to do so, he spent most of his time in the mortal world, happily chatting with his children, taking care of them as best he could, and, as always, working to make sure everything got to where it was supposed to be.

Mercury spotted a rather adorable looking boutique. This would be a good place to shop. His Mercury Express card never had a limit after all. He had more money than the most powerful people in the world. He was the god of business and finance and he knew what was a good buy. He walked down the line with a basket in one hand. He paused at a glow turtle with a water pattern that appeared on the ceiling and the sound of the ocean. He tossed it in the basket. A hand full of onesies, all sizes of course. A baby leather jacket, damn strait. Every kid needed a leather jacket. He'd enchant it so that it grew with the boy. Five pairs of overalls, a bunch of pacifiers, a turtle humidifier, that was adorable. Toss it in the basket too. Not to mention that huge pallet of diapers that should be arriving at Josh and Rhiannon's home within the week. He really didn't think it was too much. A rattle and a few sippy cups... Oh the toy aisle. MErcury did a quick one eighty and spun to grab bunches of toys to spoil his grandkid with. But instead of finding the toy aisle, he found one Rick Rogers. his son and Josh's brother. "Well well if it isn't my favorite little Rogers." HE said as he gave Rick a noogie atop his head.

"Dude, you look so lost." HE said with a laugh and an amicable chuckle. "Don't look so confused, lest the flies catch in your mouth." He said, elbowing him in the ribs with another laugh. He grabbed a couple of toys from the shelves, picking up a stuffed dragon and tossing it in the cart as well. hmm, maybe this was a bit too much. No, of course not. "Rick you think this is too much?"

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Rick was still looking around when he saw a man walk down the aisle he was on and start picking things out and throwing them into his cart. The young Demi-God was about to ask for his help when the man did a one eighty and Rick's mouth fell open as he saw it was his dad Mercury. This sort of shocked the young boy a bit as he was sometimes a little nervous around his father being Mercury was God. Rick was about to try and say hello when he dad called him his faviorte little Rogers and gave him a noogie messing up his hair. The teen laughed and pulled away saying as he fixed his hair "I am the only little Rogers dad."

He blushed as his dad said he looked lost and he nods and says "Yes I am trying to find a special gift for the baby,but I know nothing about them and so I am a failure." Rick watches his dad throw some toys into the already full basket and his eyes open wide and he looks back up at his father as he is asked if this is too much or not. He shakes his head and laughs saying "No dad I think this is fine they need all they things they can get for the new baby,"Rick goes over to a onsie he had seen earlier and picks it up before running back to his dad and shows it to him "Look dad or should I say old man," he says teasing him. Rick holds it up showing it says on the front 'My grandpa can beat your Grandpa,' making him laugh as he knew his dad would love this one as it had a funny saying about him on it.

After handing the onsie he sighs knowing he still doesn't have a gift for his nephew. Rick goes over to a chair and falls onto it and puts his head in his hands and pulls on his long black hair as he racks his brain for a gift idea,but is having no luck. Rick looks at his dad and wonders how he had picked out so many things in such a short period of time,while he himself had been looking all day and had come up with Squat.

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"Being the only little Rogers makes you the best one." Mercury said with a wink and another ruffle of the top of Rick's head. Oh he loved his boys, every single one of them. He remembered all of his children, adoptive and legacies too, and he cared for every single one of them. Before, he was unable to be the father that he wanted to be. Jupiter had largely restricted gods access to their children and Mercury hated every moment of it. Though there were blowhards like Vulcan that couldn't give two shits about their children, but that was beside the point. He wanted to be a father, someone his kids could look up to. But he broke the rules of course. There was really nothing that could stop him from being a real dad. Well there was a problem, he did what he could when he could. Sometimes were harder than others. War always made it hard to do what he wanted with his children. He did what he could to protect Lance, Ethan, Josh, Rick and Zidane. HE loved all of his children and he wanted to do anything he could for them. Mercury desperately wanted his children to have what he had with his dad. Jupiter wasn't THAT bad. Okay, he was THAT bad. at times. kindda. But he was still his dad and he loved them.

"Nah, don't count yourself a failure. You just need a little help." Mercury said with a dismissive wave of his hand. He ran a hand over his goatee, thinking hard of something, any kind of idea he could give Rick. "Well here's one thing you can think about. Don't buy stuff for Newborns, they grow too fast. Most people recommend you buy stuff from 3 to six months so they can grow into it and get the most use." He pulled out a small list that he downloaded from the internet and printed out about an hour ago. "You could always get a baby bath tub, look this one here has an attachment for a little sprayer and massage...." Mercury looked at the price and made a face. He quickly put it back. "That's cool, but not a hundred and fifty dollars worth of cool." He muttered as he checked his list. "There's always blankets, burp cloths, why not get a cute little T-rex hooded towel?" Mercury said as he threw some suggestions out. "and always buy an extra pack of diapers. Everyone needs diapers."

"Hey!" Mercury said indignantly. "I'm not old just so you know." he stated as he put his hand on his hip. "I'm ancient and I define the term old." HE said snapping his fingers in a sassy z formation. He didn't mind being called old, that was alright if he was picked at and made fun of sometimes. He didn't mind pranks and things like that. He was just as bad. Hell he thought that the Romans needed more fun. They had to have more fun, they were kids after all. They had to have a chance to live like kids every once in a while.