fandomtownies | The Infinite Consortium, Thursday Afternoon

Liliana was in an excellent mood today, humming a soft tune as she entered her shop. Sure, she still had some inventory to do before classes began next week, but she wasn't going to let that drag her mood down any.

Even if the remaining inventory were the sheer pile of various swords, knives, and daggers she hadn't bothered sorting through thus far.

Even if brushing a hand over the hilt of the Banshee's Blade caused it to wake up and start screaming.

Even if she'd been so startled by the screaming, she'd lost track of all the other swords she'd been keeping count of.

Nope. Still in a great mood. In fact, she was just going to hum louder to drown out the banshee screaming.

Except, hmm. The Banshee's Blade had been crafted to be heard across a ringing battlefield. And didn't have lungs to tire. Liliana glanced around, spying some cloth and the packing tape. Okay, she could make this work.

Banshee's Blade
You ungag the sword, you're taking it home.

Liliana was behind the counter, surrounded by swords, in a great mood!

[Open!]

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Did someone say surprise treats? No? Well. Someone was getting them anyway.

In the form of kupoberry cheesecake.

"Liliana," Ignis said, announcing his arrival (by the front door proper today), and immediately heading to the counter, where she could meet him if she wasn't there already, "darling, I'm sorry, I can't stay lo--"

But that statement (he had no expectation that it would even be true), was cut off with a bit of a frown, a quirk of his attention.

"Do I hear muffled screaming?"

Well. His day certainly got significantly more worrisome, now, didn't it?

Edited 2024-01-04 16:35 (UTC)

Someone had been thinking about them, surely, even if she hadn't said anything. But when wasn't Liliana hoping for surprise treats?

Or the surprise visitors who might bring them.

"Ignis!" she said, her bright smile made even moreso by his arrival - especially his arrival bearing something that experience suggested was going to be something delicious for her. "My darling, what a lovely--hmm? Oh yes. That." She sighed. "Do try to ignore it, my darling, it just wants attention."

"I am almost afraid to ask," said Ignis, who was lying, because he was actually very afraid to ask; however, that certainly didn't stop him from drifting over toward her voice to find her and her hip to help guide him into a greeting kiss, "but what, exactly....is it?"

Whyever would be be afraid to ask Liliana about the source of screaming?

The kiss was obviously getting higher priority than the question, though that the question existed meant she likely needed to get more packing tape.

"A Banshee's Blade," she said, eventually, once he'd been kissed good and proper, both for the greeting and for the treat. And then she was reaching to peek and see what he'd brought her, because look how patient she'd already been, Ignis! "A magic blade that grows stronger each time it draws blood from an enemy. So named for the screaming. However, they're supposed to remain quiescent when not properly equipped."

That last was said accusingly towards the sword, on the off chance appealing to its propriety would get it to shut up.

To the credit of Liliana's packing abilities, most people probably wouldn't even notice it, but Ignis' sense of hearing had been almost preternaturally hones, especially towards sounds of potential imminent danger or distress.

The kiss, however, had been an excellent distraction, and the explanation a considerable relief.

"Perhaps," he proposed with a faint grin, "it merely sought to serenade you, my dear, though I suppose you haven't exactly happened upon some sort of...Sheath of Silence, or anything like that. Might make for a most fortuitous pairing."

"Nothing so useful, sadly to say," Liliana said with a sigh. Though not too sadly as she was helping herself to some of this delicious cheesecake.

There was a Bell of Deafening hanging about, still in disgrace from last month's Carol of the Bells concert.

She smiled up at him, hand curling along his cheek. "Thank you for this, my darling."

"Of course." Ignis' tone was soft, but warm, just like the smile on his face, and he was certainly a wise enough man to know that he was going to just not mention that the reason why today's offering was the cheesecake that it was was because he'd mostly made it for Prompto and Liz before their trip and not, necessarily, with just Liliana in mind.

"I can't stay long, though, I'm afraid," he added, now that he was quite assured that the muffled screaming was nothing he should directly concern himself with. "Prompto's meeting us at the apartment in a little bit to get everything set up for little Noctra's stay this weekend."

It's true, that really didn't need to be mentioned, not when things were so much happier when she was thinking otherwise.

As it was her smile was already sliding from her face. Not that she had anything against Prompto and Liz leaving Noctra behind, of course...

"But they're leaving tomorrow, right?" she verified. "This is just setting up?"

"They're leaving tomorrow morning," Ignis confirmed with a nod, his own soft smile gone slightly apologetic, "and it's just setting up. Prompto is, understandably, a bit nervous, and the apartment has not exactly been baby-proofed."

So many daggers. So many giant swords.

"Plus there's the cat..." He sighed a little, as if just now realizing what an undertaking he had ahead of him. "I did try explaining to him that it would far less trouble if we were to housesit for him, but he's hoping the new environment will be an enriching experience for her, and I can't say I entirely disagree."

"Aw, you're taking care of his cat, too?" Liliana softened slightly and leaned in to kiss him, like a brush of flower petals over skin. "A most efficient way of doing things."

Since that would hold more water than simply 'kind' and the Ignis that she'd begun da--dallying might not have done so, efficient or not.

"Oh! Does this mean you'll be bringing her to the picnic?" she asked. "Or will you two be apartment-bound all weekend?"

"If," said Ignis, trying to not get too distracted by the way that petal-soft kiss was felt less on skin than it was in his chest, "she hasn't exhibited too many signs of being already overstimulated by the new environment, then yes," most people would have probably just said the yes part there, Igs, "we do plan to bring her to the picnic as well. Prompto has actually picked out an outfit already, which I'm told is very adorable."

"Oh good," she said, currently ignoring how much that answer felt like relief in hers. "I'm sure you three will have fun together this weekend, and at least you'll have the picnic to be able to enjoy some socializing with adults." Yes, Gladio, that was sass. "Her Christmas outfit was quite cute. I'm sure Prompto chose well. I'll be happy to fill you in on the details there, if nobody has has in the interim."

The Infinite Consortium, Thursday Afternoon

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