JGoB, Sunday morning

[stykera]

Last weekend's visit to the bakery hadn't gone well between Stark's anger and the anger of various employees. He was reasonably certain they hadn't permanently banned him from the premises considering the intense moods had been an island-wide phenomenon but he had still been hesitant to return for several days.

He had started to offer an apology for all the yelling last time upon entering but was cut off almost immediately.

"We're cool, man, you didn't hit anybody or anything. Unlike some people I could name," the woman behind the counter said, smirking.

"I barely touched you," one of the bakers grumbled.

The case was full of spring-themed baked goods today with an impressively wide assortment of flowery cupcakes and cookies.

Stark had a cupcake frosted to look like a yellow rose sitting on the table in front of him for now and a small box to take for later.


[Open bakery is open, of course!]

Comments

[chef_chocobro]

After an incredibly quiet weekend with no Seivarden and no weirdness, Ignis was ready to get back to Insomnia and back to some more meaningful and demanding work, but not without a stop to the bakery to pick up something of a surprise for the rest of the team while he was here.

Prompto, he knew, in particular, would appreciate the treats.

And after putting in the order and waiting for it to be assembled, he gave a polite nod of greeting to Stark. He was pretty sure he'd seen him around (the mask, after all, was rather distinctive), but the mun couldn't recall if they'd exchanged many words before.

[stykera]

They had certainly seen each other. It was a small island, after all. And Stark did stand out a bit in a crowd, even here.

"Good morning," he said, returning the nod.

[chef_chocobro]

"Blessedly so," Ignis replied, a bit of wryness in the hint of a small smile he had, "for around here. A good day for sweets, since we seem to have the wherewithal to get them and enjoy them accordingly."

[stykera]

"It is easier to enjoy them this weekend than the last," Stark agreed.

He hadn't enjoyed anything for 2 full days last weekend.

[chef_chocobro]

Ignis still felt the need to make up for how lax he'd been last Sunday, and likely would for at least the next five years...

"The mood thing," he missed, "was a bit...odd, wasn't it? Though I suppose around here, it could be worse..."

Although worse could also be more...helpful, from Iggy's perspective.

[stykera]

"It was," Stark said with a nod. "Hopefully it won't need to be repeated. But you're right. We've had worse."

None of that needed to be repeated either.

[chef_chocobro]

"I have to admit," said Ignis, "a part of me--an undoubtedly masochistic part, I imagine--is tempted to ask what might have been the worse you've experienced, but that rather sounds like a quick way to spoil such a good morning...

"The name's Ignis, by the way," he offered instead. "Ignis Scientia. I don't believe we've had the chance to properly meet."

[stykera]

"Wouldn't want to ruin a perfectly good morning," Stark said with a hint of a smile. And it was a good morning, so far, with no indication that it wouldn't continue that way. "Yours or mine."

"I'm Stark. And no, I don't think we have."

[chef_chocobro]

"Well," said Ignis, "it's nice to finally have, then, Stark. What is it you do around here? I remember seeing you on the school trip, so is it safe to assume you're a member of the faculty? Or at least somewhat attached to someone who is?"

[stykera]

"I was on the trip," Stark confirmed. "I teach. Occasionally. With several others, for this class."

[chef_chocobro]

"Ah," Ignis mused, with maybe a marginal glance back to see how his order might be coming along. "And what might your area of expertise be, then?"

[stykera]

"We're all teaching Career Development," Stark said, shaking his head a little. "Which is definitely not my area of expertise but I agreed to it anyway." He was fairly sure none of his fellow teachers were experts in it either.

"You teach as well?"

[chef_chocobro]

"Inexplicably," Ignis said, since his circumstances here were still a matter of considerable bewilderment for him, up to and including that he still even went along with it, "yes. Culinary Fundamentals. Though I must admit, it is a surprising pleasure teaching it to students actually willing to learn for a change..."

[stykera]

"Oh, well, many things are inexplicable here," Stark said. "So you're teaching them to cook? I've done classes, before, on cupcakes. Last summer and another years ago. But not any other foods."

[chef_chocobro]

"Cupcakes," said Ignis, perhaps a little pointedly to the staff because it wasn't that complicated of an order to put together, was it?, "are an excellent idea. Anything that allows for one to be creative in the presentation is sure to make for an excellent class, to encourage a certain amount of individuality and inspiration. We haven't covered those yet, but perhaps we should soon. We've mostly been focusing on the basics, or highlighting certain ingredients that work well as the basis of many meals. It was bread, this last week."

[stykera]

Despite Stark's tendency to consume more sugar than any one person really ought to he absolutely appreciated other foods. He just didn't cook that many of them.

"I enjoy the cupcakes," he said, nodding toward the one in front of him. "And the classes seemed to go well. I think most everyone enjoys the decorating. I've never tried making bread. What else have you been cooking with them?"

[chef_chocobro]

"Well," said Ignis, looking thoughtful with a finger curled under his chin, although it really didn't require a great deal of preponderance, "last week we did beans, and before that, potatoes. Eggs. We did a unit on sushi in anticipation to the trip to Japan, and chocolates to celebrate Valentine's Day. And, of course, basic prep on vegetables and various proteins, mis en place, and boiling water for noodles..."

[stykera]

Sometimes food needed that extra preponderance, just because.

"That all sounds good. And cooking is always a good skill to have. Even the very basic skills. Although, I don't know mis en place?"

[chef_chocobro]

"It essentially means 'everything in its place,'" Ignis explained.

How he knew a French phrase when he was from a world that had no concept of French was anybody's guess.

Look, his entire squad had stupidly on-point Latin names, you really couldn't overthink it.

"Basically food prep," he extrapolated. "Getting everything set before you cook can make a world of a difference."

[stykera]

Language was mysterious and sometimes bits of it just appeared in worlds for unknown reasons. And sometimes you had microbes injected that let you understand everyone else because that's totally how microbes work.

"Oh. That does make it easier, doesn't it?" Stark's kitchen adventures tended more towards chaos as a general rule. But he was very diligent at cleaning it all up afterwards.