Infinite Consortium, Thursday Afternoon

[deathsmajesty]

Liliana desperately wanted to sit on the giant jelly donut that had shown up in her shop. It looked perfect for lounging upon, and was a confection to boot. But as inclined as she was to self-indulgence, she was resolutely ignoring the impulse. That way lay stickiness, oil spots, and a thorough covering of powdered sugar, which would be unpleasant even most days, but a day when she would be running errands? Truly unacceptable.

Instead she was passing her day going through pictures on her phone, earmarking specific ones For Secret Purposes^TM and listening to various Christmas carols while she did. She was compiling a list of those she liked especially and those she wished to never hear again.

Hark the Herald angels siiiing--

"Absolutely not," she declared, hitting the 'skip' button and noting the song on the paper on her desk. She might be enjoying the Christmas trappings, but angels were still verboten.

Winged Boots
The joy of flight and gift of protection in one! Makes an excellent gift!

[Open!]

Comments

[chef_chocobro]

There were plans to finally go and fetch thei-- the tree for the house when Liliana was finished with work, a time that Ignis could only imagine was very mercurial and subject to whim, so he figured it wouldn't hurt to swing by and save a bit of time by meeting her at the shop before they went.

Besides, he had treats. Treats that could wait for that evening, but, well, why put off for that evening what could be done now? He didn't imagine Liliana would be one to complain...

"Liliana, darling," he called lightly as he walked through the door, "I trust it's safe to come in without any...unwelcome intrusions this week?"

[deathsmajesty]

So much of her life was mercurial and subject to whim, why should her shop not be the same?

"Ignis!" she said, voice colored and warmed by happy surprise. "Well, there is a couch-sized jelly donut that I have been resisting the temptation to eat, but otherwise, it's safe. The only visitor I've had today is very wanted."

She stood, letting him come to her, hands out to reach for his when he came into touching distance, and--hello, what was that? "It appears that you come bearing gifts, my darling."

[chef_chocobro]

"Indeed, I have," Ignis confirmed, a pleased and proud smile on his face as his free hand found hers, though mostly to use as a guiding point to continue toward her hip, to better ease into greeting her further with a kiss, "and not a moment too soon, it would appear, lest that temptation prove to be too much. But, I figured...since today seems to be lacking in quite a bit of the more...bite-sized indulgences that you've been enjoying so much this month that suit your style far better than something so egregiously oversized...I thought perhaps I'd help fill in that gap."

He shifted the box of caramels toward her.

"With something I imagine would be considerably less pleasant when falling from the sky, as well."

[deathsmajesty]

"But would provide another use for my umbrella, perh--oooh!" She looked down at the caramels with excitement and then leaned in to deliver another kiss. "You spoil me," she said, laughing low in her throat. "I love it."

Her next kiss - because of course there was a next one - tasted of sugar and salt. And deep approval.

"Thank you, my darling," she murmured, quite pleased by the surprise gift.

[chef_chocobro]

Ignis had, of course, tasted the caramels himself while making them, and never once did he enjoy how they tasted even half as much as he did tasting them there on her kiss.

"You're welcome, my dear," he murmured back, kissing her again, perhaps just because he could, perhaps letting it linger a little longer, though not at all for that sweet taste of caramel. "How was your day?"

[deathsmajesty]

"Oh, you know," she said. "Quiet. I mostly stayed here and made lists of acceptable Christmas carols."

Most other people would probably have missed that thread of sneakery and mischief in her voice, the one that suggested she might have, in fact, Been Up To Something^TM, but Ignis was both highly perceptive and had had the benefit of experiencing her tells as a child, when they'd been more pronounced.

Rude to sneaksy necromancers.

[chef_chocobro]

Well, at least those sneaksy necromancers could be assured that there'd been quite a bit of even SNEAKIER sneakiness these past few days from certain sneaksy chefs, so Ignis was hardly about to bring attention to that fact, lest he shed more light on his own recent CONVENIENTLY HANDWAVED activities.

"Mmmm," he hummed thoughtfully, as he considered this day filled only with such arduous musical decisions and clearly nothing else, "perhaps you'll have to share what you've learned with me later. I'd hate to accidentally find myself stumbling into a rousing rendition of any that's made its way onto your Naughty list..."

[deathsmajesty]

Well, we've already established that he is wont to keep things from her, like leather pants and slutty, slutty gloves, so WHAT'S ONE MORE THING, HUH?

"There seem to be several different varieties," Liliana noted, sliding her fingers in between his. Well, of one hand. The other was plucking another caramel from the box. "Ones that seem solemn and contemplative, ones that sound like something we'd dance to at a party, and others that are just..." She struggled to find a good word. "Obnoxious. I enjoy the first set, save they're infested with songs about angels--" because they were the religious carols, Liliana "--the second are a mixed bag, and the third are generally terrible."

[chef_chocobro]

Or several more, really, in this case.

But at least he certainly made it worth the wait, at least?

Ignis grinned faintly, especially when Liliana finally managed to find that word, fingers now happily laced in hers and likely content to stay that way for quite a bit longer. "Well," he said, "there is that party tomorrow. I'm sure you'll get the chance to point out a plethora of each category to me, whether we're on the dance floor or otherwise."

[deathsmajesty]

"You have a very important task tomorrow, my darling," Liliana said. "You simply must distract me with kisses any time a song about angels come on, lest I roll my eyes so hard I do myself an injury."

Or ended up threatening the DJ if they played one more version of Angels We Have Heard On High.

Better to think of something else. "I do think you'll enjoy my outfit for the evening," she added with a smile. "It's on-theme without being proudly ugly."

Why that was a thing, Liliana had no idea.