Luke's Diner; Tuesday Morning [01/30].

[chef_chocobro]

Ignis was feeling incredibly distracted that morning. He had been hoping that going to work and getting in the kitchen to whip up some good and interesting specials might be a good distraction from all the worrying he was utterly failing to not do, but alas. Such attempts at distraction had proven quite fruitless. But could he really be blamed? Last night, Liliana had mentioned popping over to Innistrad to check on a few things, which should be just business as usual, but considering that 'popping over to Innistrad' sometimes resulted in surprise vampire attacks and unexpected assaults both physical and olfactory, he felt that concern was justified.

But he was also trying to trust Liliana and her capabilities and not fuss about it, despite the track record.

And then he'd start thinking about that letter from her accountant, and....that was proving actually a much better distraction from Liliana's trip than the cooking was, actually. So nobody mind him taking a moment to call up Prompto and ask him if he could look into whether or not any technology existed on this plane that might assist with perhaps scanning the written world and being able to translate it into audio. He'd do the research himself, but it would be quite tedious, while he was supposed to be working, and he trusted Prompto's opinion on almost all things tech anyway.

But, really, focusing on the letter could only get him so far; a meager, insufficient band-aid over a gaping wound of concern. But it would be fine. She said she'd be back for lunch. And he had to trust in that.

Today's Specials
Cheddar Apple Sandwich
Chopped Winter Salad
Mulberry Danishes


Luke's is open!

[[ although it will be Ignis-less (Igless?) and staff-moddable past noon, please and thank you! ]]

Comments

[deathsmajesty]

So, Iggy, how was your blood pressure doing?

Or, more specifically, how was it doing after your phone started ringing with Liliana on the other line?

Ring ring!

Perhaps she was just looking to have you get a jumpstart on whatever off-menu item you were going to prepare her for lunch!

Embrace the power of positive thinking, Ignis!

[chef_chocobro]

The last time Ignis' blood pressure had been decent was probably when he was six year old, really. And when his phone began to ring and inform him that the call was coming from Liliana's phone, that blood felt like it had gone cold.

Perhaps she was just being mindful. Perhaps she'd actually thought that it would be a good idea to call him to let him know she'd be running a bit later than expected, since, well, he could hardly expect a woman who just ignored the first correspondence from her accountant in several decades as something unimportant to anticipate that there might be a few more bumps and hitches with the process at the Innistrad manor than she'd realized...

But then why call and not just leave a voicetext message?

Ignis not-so-politely instructed his brain to kindly shut the fuck up, and answered the ringing phone.

"Liliana?"

Then, there was a small wrestling match with his tongue wherein he tried desperately to bite back the words that wanted to immediately follow it, a match that he had utterly lost as it just came flowing out of him despite the efforts.

"Is everything alright?"

[deathsmajesty]

"I know where Volpaig is," Liliana said, her voice tight tension. Over the line, he could hear the sound of her boots clacking against the wooden floor of the manor, she was pacing. "One of my spirits found him. He's in Thraben."

Her voice hitched, trembled. Not with fear, but the kind of screaming impatience that had every fiber of her body screaming go! Go! GO! at her. "I can't. I can't let him disappear again, Ignis. I can't."

Even the time it was taking for this phone call was like claws down her skin, but she'd promised. And, for some inexplicable reason, that mattered.

Though, admittedly, it was a swiftly losing battle.

[chef_chocobro]

"No," Ignis agreed, his entire body somehow finding more stiffness than it had when he'd answered the phone, infused and bolstered not only by Liliana's words, but how she spoke them, as well as by the reminder of the distance between them.

A distance she might prefer. So all apologies to Liliana's impatience right now, but Ignis found himself with another internal squabble to settle before he could move on with the conversation. A struggle between the part of him that felt he should ask if she at least even wanted his help, and the part of him that would allow no other option but to help.

His feet, it seemed, decided to make the decision for his brain, clearly in no condition to be doing anything in that moment, as he started moving toward the door before his mouth could catch up with what was happening.

"Thraben?" he asked, pulling up the mental map crafted by his fingers dedicatedly exploring some of the maps Liliana had gifted him. And now confident in its location, the next words were firm, decisive. "I'm on my way. I'll meet you there."

[deathsmajesty]

"No," Liliana said. "Don't meet me in Thraben."

She exhaled a long, shuddering breath. "Meet me here, at the manor. Because Thraben is a several hour carriage ride away from here and I will scream the entire way. Planeswalking there would be faster, but I need to conserve my strength."

An inhale, just as long, just as shuddering as she forced herself to think, not just react. "Come to me first and we go together."

[chef_chocobro]

There was a sudden, sharp pull in Ignis' chest. Practical, his brain admonished. She's simply being practical and smart about it, and that was all.

But couldn't she also just use her phone to get to Thraben, just the way you are?, that tug in his chest seemed to argue back.

Then Ignis irritably told both of them to can it, none of that mattered at the moment and the didn't have the time to squander on nonsense right now. Liliana gave her instructions and they were sound, no need to dive any deeper than that.

"The manor it is, then," he agreed. "I'll be there shortly."

As quickly as he could manage, really, already pulling up the portal request from his saved list of potential destinations before even firmly shouting to the rest of the diner staff that he was taking the rest of the day off. The wait between the portal being ordered and the portal actually arriving felt excruciatingly long, despite the fact that it had barely been long enough for Greg and the other to start asking questions. He wasn't planning on bothering to answer them, anyway, and certainly not once the portal did arrive and he wasted no more time in going through it.

"Liliana?" he called out, listening carefully. "I've arrived!"

NFB from here!

[deathsmajesty]

She had her reasons and those reasons were shut up.

The sound of her feet rushing down the hall greeted him even before her perfume did, a contrast to her usual quiet step, or slow, measured stride.

She hurried over to him and pressed something in his hand - a thermos, one he recognized as having brought for a previous visit and left. And from the scent rising from it, it was full of coffee. "It's cold," she said. "Far colder than in Fandom. You call for the portal, I'll get you a coat warm enough for Hunter's Moon."

See? She did have a reason for him to meet her at her manor. It was a very well-thought out reason, not at all off-the-cuff and if she was lacing their fingers together briefly before she dashed off again, that was just...something something hey shut up again.

Re: NFB from here!

[chef_chocobro]

To think, Ignis had been wondering if it had been a mistake to not quickly chug the last of what remained in his coffee cup at the diner before heading over, too, and if the absolute acrobatics his chest seemed to be going through in such a short amount of time were any indication, it might not be just his blood pressure he might have to worry about. He nodded, with a stiffness that wasn't reflected back in his softened expression, a physical confirmation because, in that moment, he did not at all trust what might come out of his mouth if he attempted a verbal one.

But her hand in his, however brief, anchored him back to the task at hand and as her rushing feet retreated to fetch the coat, his speed in taking care of the portal was now twofold, so that they didn't waste what little window of time they had any further and to give him at least a sliver of that precious time to enjoy a sip or two, and any warm feelings spreading across that restless chest of his now had a very distinct and viable explanation.

Re: NFB from here!

[deathsmajesty]

Liliana came back wearing her warmest cloak, belted against the cold, and beneath that was a gown that actually provided coverage for her chest. She could keep herself warm with magic, but it was an absolute waste of power and she was hoarding every bit of it she had to spare for the upcoming confrontation.

She handed Ignis the coat, the Innistradi version of a heavy woollen peacoat, meant to withstand winters at sea. "I'm sure you remember, but Thraben is on a mesa in the middle of Lake Heron," she said, pulling on a pair of slim winter gloves. "The wind gets brutal."

A deep inhale. "When is it arriving?" If you said anything longer than ten minutes, Liliana was going to rethink her decision to Planeswalk.

Re: NFB from here!

[chef_chocobro]

There was a nod of thanks, again, as Liliana handed Ignis the coat and he tightened the lid on the thermos before shrugging it on. There was a brief moment, that almost habitual hesitation in deciding whether an errant thought was best dismissed or followed, and he went with the latter as he leaned in to give her a quick kiss before tending to the buttons of the coat. Because there hadn't been one yet, because perhaps it might help settle some of Liliana's no doubt racing thoughts, because he simply wanted to. It was very clear already that no one would be examining motives too closely right now, and he was certainly no exception.

"Luckily for me," he said, with maybe the hints of smile, "I've become quite acclimated to the cold. And it shouldn't be too long. I requested as soon as poss--"

The gentle whirr of a newly arriving portal stopped him, mid-word, though it lead to an almost pleased proudness rather than an irritation over the interruption.

"And there we are."

Re: NFB from here!

[deathsmajesty]

Her mouth was soft under his, and though she didn't bite his lip to get him to stay, she did tug him back to let the kiss linger for another half-breath before letting him go again.

Because of shut up was an excellent reason that more people should avail themselves of, honestly.

She breathed a sigh of relief as the portal opened in front of them. "Perfect timing," she said, took his hand, and stepped through.