Luke's Diner; Tuesday [06/27].

[chef_chocobro]

The weekend had, indeed, left Ignis feeling quite thoughtful and introspective...


...well, okay, Ignis was pretty much always thoughtful and introspective, sometimes to a fault, but, the point is, he was feeling that slightly more than usual, although, admittedly, not by a great margin. Still, he was glad to get back into the kitchen at Luke's that morning, and he hoped that it showed in his specials or anything else he might pop back to make for the customers.

Today's Specials

Red Lentil Soup
Yellow Curry with Tofu over Rice
Orange Almond Poppyseed Cake

And, no, the irony of doing a slight color theme today was not lost on him.

Luke's is open!

Comments

[hasaknightjob]

Marc came in around lunch time. He took a second to look around at the new decor. Finally he shrugged it off and went to get himself a seat.

"Hey, Ignis. No rush."

[chef_chocobro]

"Well, thank goodness you said something," Ignis, who had always considered the word rush to be only acceptable in very specific and rare instances anyway, remarked from behind the counter, "before I all but tripped over myself in my hurry and haste. Do you still take coffee with your lunch?"

It had been a while; he certainly wouldn't want to just assume.

[hasaknightjob]

"I do, yeah," Marc said. "How's it going? New furniture treating you okay?"

[chef_chocobro]

With the coffee situation now confirmed, Ignis grabbed the pot to pour a mug to bring with him before making his way over to where Marc had taken his seat.

"I can't say I have any strong opinions on the matter one way or the other," he admitted, quite frankly, because, well... "But the flow is nice, the paths make sense, and new equipment to work with is always a particular delight. Customers seem to be enjoying it as well, but, of course, I would be interested to hear your thoughts on in for additional perspective."

[hasaknightjob]

Marc took another look around to see it from the angle he was sitting in. "Not bad if you like that kind of thing? The beach theme, I mean. Did the menu change too or same deal?"

[chef_chocobro]

"Same deal," Ignis confirmed with a nod. "Though even if it did alter in any significant capacity, I'm sure exceptions could be made. What did you have in mind for today?"

[hasaknightjob]

"Burger and fries would be good," Marc said. "Medium, lettuce, tomato, ketchup.

[chef_chocobro]

"Anything other than the coffee to drink?" Ignis checked, as he took mental note of the details to carry back with him to the kitchen.

[hasaknightjob]

"Coffee's good," Marc said.

[pocketpretzels]

“Marc,” Watts nodded in greeting from his own nearby spot. “How are you?”

[hasaknightjob]

"Watts," Marc said. "Doing all right. You?"

[pocketpretzels]

Watts gave him a little half-shrug. He was a little- not quite apprehensive- nervous, perhaps? About his and Steven’s plans for tonight.

But he wasn’t going to ask Marc if he was all right with giving up his evening; he had a feeling he knew what the answer would be.

[hasaknightjob]

Watts was probably right about that guess, assuming it was that Marc was fine with it.

Marc came over to join Watts so they could talk more easily. "Doing okay after the weekend?"

[pocketpretzels]

“It was- easier. This time.” Watts confirmed. “Nice, mostly.” Really nice at times, but Marc didn’t need him going in to that.

[hasaknightjob]

Yeah, Marc had the general idea. "It's good, nobody giving you a hard time. Unless the island throws some bullshit at you."

[pocketpretzels]

Watts grimaced, memories of last December’s bullshit still far too vivid.

“I could do without the bullshit.”

[hasaknightjob]

"Couldn't we all?" Marc agreed. He took a sip of his coffee. "Set for the weekend?"

[pocketpretzels]

And lunchtime meant Watts, too, was making his way into the diner.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Scientia,” he greeted as per usual.

[chef_chocobro]

"Detective Watts," Ignis greeted back with a nod in his direction, "good afternoon. How are things going today?"

[pocketpretzels]

“Fairly well,” Watts said. “How about you? Did you have- a good time this weekend?”

[chef_chocobro]

There was a slight shrug. "While the spirit of the occasion is one I wholeheartedly appreciate and support," he said, "I must admit, some of my...enjoyment of the festivities are a bit...diminished. Through no fault, of course, of anyone."

Well, except Ardyn Izunia. And Ignis himself getting in his own way.

"So parades and flags and banners are all quite lost on me, though I did appreciate a good deal of emphasis on music, as well."

Even if a lot of it wasn't exactly to his personal tastes, he was trying to not be a complete stick in the mud about something that should be nothing but lauded and celebrated.

"But, well," he tried a small smile, "my situation is a bit exceptional. I trust you were able to enjoy yourself?"

[pocketpretzels]

“As you say,” Watts said. “Though I understand and support the spirit of the occasion as well, some of my own- enjoyment- was diminished, at times, for various reasons.” That probably didn’t quite overlap with Ignis’s, but there it was.

[chef_chocobro]

"And that can sometimes be quite the disorienting incongruency," Ignis said, with a soft sigh but an unexpected gratefulness that someone else actually might understand, "can it not? Feeling like a bit of a black mark on an otherwise vibrant and colorful tapestry? Still, I'm glad I went, and I'm glad it was very clearly a success and that everyone seemed to have had a good time."

[pocketpretzels]

“As am I,” Watts agreed. Overall, he’d certainly had a better time than last year, for a number of reasons.

[chef_chocobro]

Ignis truly wished he could have said the same, but, then again, no one could blame him considering where he was for it last year instead.

He smiled, softly, with a nod as if to confirm this mutual perspective. "But," he offered, "enough about the past, let us now turn our attention to the here and now, and, more specifically, to your lunch order, Detective. What can we get for you?"