Monday: Covent Garden Flowers

[mylandmyrules]

Nell was here with the kittens and a bunch of grumpy flowers. Why were they grumpy? Well, that was the question, wasn't it?

Nell busied herself with making sure their water was fresh, adding soil to those plants that needed it, and giving them a little dose of her energy to perk them up. Grumbly plants did not make for a happy store.

By midday the plants were happier, the kittens had found spots to doze in the sun, and Nell was pleased to have successfully turned things around. Time for a cup of tea!

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[chef_chocobro]

Having recently fallen into some fresh herbs, Ignis had naturally spent his weekend quite busy in the kitchen. And it only seemed right that he shared at least a some of the fruit of his labor with the source of their inspiration, especially since it had been a while, really. A visit was probably well overdue.

So he made his way over to Covent Garden, cane to guide his way through now unfamiliar territory in one hand, a neatly package cake in the other. Funny to think, really, that it was unfamiliar to him now, when, a long while ago (much longer for some than for others), that was hardly the case.

Either way, he entered the shop and took a moment to stop and smell the proverbial roses with a deeper appreciate than he did even back when he was living above the shop, before throwing out a tentative, "Nell? Are you in?"

He was fairly certain she was here most Mondays, and, barring that, there was always her shop tomorrow, or just sending it with Gladio to the gym, which he felt definitely fell into the category of 'worst case scenario.'

[mylandmyrules]

"Just a second," Nell said, hurrying in from the back room. "Hello, can I - oh, whatever that is, it smells delicious. Ignis? Come in, please!"

She wasn't quite sure if there was something she should do to help him, but she figured making sure he had a clear path was helpful so she made sure the kittens were still safely dozing out of the way.

"How are you?"

[chef_chocobro]

"I'm impressed," Ignis noted, and, now with a voice to latch onto, he shifted toward it and headed over to Nell, with just the marginal assistance of the cane, preferring instead to work with his other senses, but even he'd admit they were rather...fallable, in new spaces, "that you're able to catch the scent, even among all these aromatic blossoms, but I suppose your nose is quite accustomed to those.

"And I'm....well," the pause almost had it come across as a question, an uncertainty, "thank you. And yourself? I heard there's been some buzz about some bees?"

Yes, he thought he was very clever. Surely, no one has made that joke before!

[mylandmyrules]

Nell laughed. "Yes, I suppose you could say I've been buzzing about my bees. They are doing very well, as am I. As for whatever it is you made, is certainly different from the flower scents and I must admit that baked goods always catch my attention."

[chef_chocobro]

"Ah," said Ignis, with a faint smile and a confirming nod, "then I have hopefully chosen well. Because what I've made is for you, actually."

He held out the neat little box, hopefully in a way that wasn't too awkward, since he was mostly just guessing where to hold it.

"To thank you for the herbs you sent Gladio off with the other day," he explained further. "I assure you, they're being put to very good use, as I hope you'll see for yourself with this cake."

[mylandmyrules]

"For me?" Nell said, pleased. "Thank you." He wasn't far off with his guess ad she took the box easily, holding it close for a deeper sniff. "Rosemary, definitely and... thyme?"

She smiled at him and her happiness hopefully showed in the tone of her voice as well. "This is wonderful, thank you. Would you like to sit and have a cup of tea with me?"

[chef_chocobro]

"And honey, as a nod to your new bees," Ignis confirmed, with a nod of his own.

"It wouldn't be an imposition, would it?" he asked. "A cup of tea and a chance to catch up does sound like an appealing invitation, especially since it feels as though it has been a while, but I certainly can leave you to it if you're busy. Perhaps take a rain check."

[mylandmyrules]

"Not an imposition at all," Nell said. "I often take a little break for a cup of tea around this time. I'd enjoy the company, though if it's not a good time for you I'm fine with a raincheck."

[chef_chocobro]

"I assure you," said Ignis, with the dry tone of someone for whom this was all too frustratingly true, "I have nothing even remotely pressing to attend to."

And he knew he really did need to start getting out more. The classes were helping, but he was starting to be able to feel Gladio's side-eyes regarding his current state of being...quite the homebody.

"Tea would be most welcome; it's very kind of you to offer, Nell, thank you."

[mylandmyrules]

"Then I am very glad to have the company," Nell assured him. "There's a little table and two chairs about five feet ahead of you and a little to the right. Is there a particular type of tea you'd like? Herbal of some kind? Or do you prefer just a black tea?"

[chef_chocobro]

Ignis nodded, grateful for the directions that had him feeling a little more confident in his steps as he shifted over toward the table. "I'd be quite fine with whatever you have," he told her, "but, if you are asking, I do prefer a black tea. I don't suppose you happen to have a nice Darjeeling on hand?"

[mylandmyrules]

"I have a darjeeling, but not the best of them," Nell said. "I have a wider selection at my store since I sell the teas there." She busied herself getting the water heating and setting out cups and napkins. "Cream and sugar? Or maybe some lemon and honey?" she offered.

[chef_chocobro]

"Lemon and honey," Ignis said, hand groping slightly for the back of the chair until he found it, pulled it out, and eased into into it, "sounds like just the thing. Thank you. And how have things been over there, at your new shop? Feeling good and settled in yet?"

[mylandmyrules]

Nell set out a wedge of lemon on a saucer along with a container with Honey. "This time next year this might be my own honey," she said with a smile. She poured hot water over the tea and set one cup in front of each of them. "The honey and lemon are just to the right of the tea."

She sat and considered his question. "My shop is doing well. Between direct and online sales I'm making enough to get by and the plants in my greenhouse are growing beautifully. My two hives are up and looking good so far. It's... well, it's not home exactly, but it's a good place and I'm happy here."

[chef_chocobro]

Ignis nodded his gratitude at the assistance again, although, with that one, he didn't particularly need it. All he needed was to lean in a little, breathe in, and he could locate it easily enough thanks to his well-honed sense of smell, aided also in just listening to the little things: the clatter of cups, the sound of the cup against the table. And feeling the heat from the steam off the hot water. With all that in mind, he set to diligently dressing up his tea as he spoke.

"Well, they do say there's no place like home," he noted. "But that's good to know. There's a lot to be said, about work you find fulfilling that you can be proud of."

[mylandmyrules]

"It is," Nell said. "When I finally had the opportunity to return here I made some careful plans about what I wanted to do here and made all the arrangements. In that sense I was very lucky, though the nine year time jump - or lack of it here - was unexpected."

[chef_chocobro]

"I know the feeling," said Ignis, with a wry sort of twitch of the corner of his mouth that could be called a smile if one was quite generous, "although everything about returning here was just a bit unexpected."

Master of the understatement, that Ignis Scientia.

[mylandmyrules]

Nell nodded. "I can't imagine how hard that was for you, though that's how I ended up here. I was out in my woods, stealing a quiet moment before I headed back in, and then everything changed and I was in the woods in Fandom. Couldn't go home or even communicate with home for the four years I was here. And then when I did go back..."

She shrugged. "Nine years there with no contact. Nine years for me at least, a week here. That was crazy to come back to."