The Perk; Tuesday Morning [05/02].

[chef_chocobro]

Even though Ignis's forthcoming class was all about preparing food in even the most rugged of conditions, it was probably safe to say he would not be still attempting to whip up a few new recipes in the rubble that had been the kitchen at Luke's.

He had, however, somewhat considered it, but that just seemed like quite the hazard in multiple ways for everyone involved.

And while he certainly planned to make up for this lost time in a kitchen later that evening (hopefully, Liz and Prompto didn't mind having a freezer full of leftovers again), he still had quite a bit of a day ahead of him that would usually have been occupied with his work. Perhaps, then, it would be a good time to get back into his Perkly habits, of getting himself a coffee, maybe a little pastry as well, finding himself a good seat, and just sort of...listening, to the general buzz of the daily activity of such a social hub, as well as for any familiar voices to spark his interest, all the while pondering what to pour himself into later, hoping to be inspired to try some sort of new recipeh.

[[ and, of course, open for all your perkly needs! ]]

Comments

[two_idiots_one_body]

Arthur was heading to work today, but he'd had a bad evening and needed some coffee. "Yes, John, I'll ask her to do the art."

Thank you, Arthur.

He just wished there were a way to do art on plain coffee. But if the only good John got out of it was the appearance, he supposed a cappuccino wasn't too great a concession.

[chef_chocobro]

In general, Ignis might have had at least a little bit of a social reluctance to eavesdrop on conversations, but considering that eavesdropping on conversations was almost the entirety of the reason he was here....

(Well, besides the coffee and the boredom, anyway).

He noticed that was a distinct lack of response to this particular one going on over by the counter at the moment, although it did make him wonder how the baristas would react if he started to ask for them to do the art.

At least they wouldn't have to be struck by any sort of performance anxiety, he supposed.

[two_idiots_one_body]

Arthur thanked the barista as John picked up the cup, then turned around to let John look for a table. Ahead and to your left.

Arthur hummed in agreement as he took a sip and went to sit down.

This place looks the same as usual, none the worse for whatever it was that happened last week. The sun is filtering in through the windows, highlighting the edges of the tables and the wear on the floor where people have trod for years. There's a man at the next table over with an interesting scar on his face and very tall hair. He's casually dressed and wearing silver glasses.

Arthur turned toward where he knew the next table was and nodded. "Good morning."

[chef_chocobro]

Ignis had, for the most part, followed the sound of Arthur's footsteps underneath the general din and hum of coffee shop activity to get a good idea of where the other gentleman might take a seat, so he had a good idea that it had been somewhere fairly in the proximity of his own table. Which meant he had a faint, congenial smile and a nod of greeting ready to go, in case the other person was a social type.

"Good morning," he responded back, and, a bit wryly, because, well, how else did one start a conversation around here so soon after one of its particularly iconic events?, added, "Certainly a better one than some have been around here lately."

[two_idiots_one_body]

"I've heard about that," Arthur agreed. "Luckily, I don't get out much."

You're a fucking hermit.

"So it entirely missed me."

Then, realising he had no idea who this was, "Arthur Lester, by the way." At least they seemed to be far enough away he could get away without a handshake. Those were always awkward.

[chef_chocobro]

"Ignis Scientia," he responded in kind, with another nod, to only be left wondering if there had been a hand awkwardly offered out that was being ignore, which he figured could be made slightly less awkward by occupying his own hand at that moment with a timely sip of his drink. "And consider yourself lucky. It was quite the mess, though I'm sure it'll satiate those who sometimes feel a bit...restless during the quiet lulls around the island."

He would certainly fit into that category himself.

"Have you been here long, Mr. Lester?"

The mention of not getting out much (not to mention the general casualness of regarding the event in the first place) suggested that it hadn't been an insignificant amount of time, but considering the hit his own social life had taken since returning to the island, he figured it wouldn't hurt to get a general idea.

[two_idiots_one_body]

"Oh, um. More than a few months, less than a year?" Once he'd gotten out of the clinic, he hadn't cared as much about time. "I work for Detective Diaz. You?"

[chef_chocobro]

"Going on more than half a year now," Ignis offered, with his faint smile going slightly apologetic for what was about to follow, "though this would be my Round Two, as it were, with about a year and a half before hand, and about ten years in between, although that was ten years for me, but only about three or four months here. Needless to say, there was a bit of an adjustment to be had."

[two_idiots_one_body]

"Wait." Arthur tried to parse all of that. "So, you were here for a year and a half, then gone for ten years. But it was only a few months here. Then you've been back for half a year. Have I got that right?"

[chef_chocobro]

Ignis nodded. "Precisely correct. Perhaps if things don't work out with the Detective, you might have a career in mathematics ahead of you."

[two_idiots_one_body]

Arthur laughed. "I think the maths is the least of the issue with that. This place is insane."

[chef_chocobro]

The laugh pulled a slightly larger grin out of Ignis. "It's certainly not without its quirks and charms," he agreed. "And while a certain part of me does rather wish it could do well to keep its timelines in order, I'd be remiss to say that it hasn't had its...unexpected benefits."

More for Prompto, of course, than for him. In fact, the ten year gap had proven to be quite a difficult thing, in his own relationships, but he liked to think that the timing with regards to Noctra sort of surpassed anything else.

"I take it the place you're from doesn't find itself randomly beset with an influx of violent creatures intent on nothing but destruction and spreading their affliction?"

[two_idiots_one_body]

"Well, uh. I suppose that depends on how you look at it," Arthur answered, grimacing. "Not so most people would notice, but before I ended up here, it was...somewhat fraught."

[chef_chocobro]

"Ah," said Ignis. "So a more subtle,covert insanity, as it were."

He took another sip of his coffee.

"I think I much prefer an insanity that presents itself much more openly."

[two_idiots_one_body]

"Oh, fuck, no!" Arthur answered in horror, John echoing him. "Any more of those things would be catastrophic. The few there are are bad enough."

[chef_chocobro]

The ferocity of the response caused Ignis to quirk an eyebrow.

"I didn't more of them in quantity," Ignis pointed out. "Just more in apparentness. More present and noticeable. Better the insanity you can perceive than the one you can't."

A small pause, another sip.

"As with most things, really."

[two_idiots_one_body]

Arthur shook his head. "Sometimes it's better if you can't perceive them." He was certain he'd have much less of his sanity left if he'd seen some of the things John had described to him. "The ones I've dealt with are...not pleasant."

Understatement of the year, John snarked.

"Sorry, you may be talking about completely different things," Arthur acknowledged. "But in my experience, in my world, the less you know, the better."

[chef_chocobro]

"Mmm." At first, Ignis just hummed thoughtfully at that. "Good thing we're not in your world, then. In mine, the less I know....the deader.

"But," he added, with emphasis, and a pause for a sip, "we're hardly there, either. Here, it's all....relatively harmless, in the grand scheme of things, and I've always been one to believe that knowledge is, indeed, power..."

No matter what it may cost.

"I'm sorry," this next addendum was much softer, "your own experiences have been quite different, though. And that my attempts to make light of a situation seems to have swung clearly in the opposite direction."

[two_idiots_one_body]

"No, no, you're fine." Arthur waved it off. "It's hard not to be serious about it, but that's hardly your fault. And yes, so far here it has seemed relatively harmless. It's been...refreshing."

Suspiciously quiet.