Luke's, Thursday

[betterthanaplan]

The kitchen staff had gotten very into the dreidels.

"You guys are going to work today, too, right?" Duke asked.

"Sure, sure," Greg said. As Ali offered up Greg's spatula. And when the dreidel landed, earned back Gussie's slap bracelet.

Duke pulled some loose change from his pocket and held it up. "Never say I don't pay you enough not to gamble away our utensils"

Looked like he was cooking again this week.

Today's specials
Traditional Moroccan fish

Luke's was open.

Comments

[fears_no_one]

Flint had gotten a note from Miss Bennet to meet here for their weekly group dinner. (He wouldn't call it a supper club, even in his own head.)

"I'm here for Miss Bennet and her...associates," he said, and realized that wording might sound vaguely menacing. Then he remembered he was a pirate and "accidentally menacing" was what he strove for. With an internal shrug, he stood and waited to be directed since Lydia's mun was temporarily locked out of her account and asked for help.

[thatwaslucky]

Rey didn't know if there'd be any more supper club for the year, so she made sure to be there. Plus it had been a long time since she'd been in this restaurant. She was going to have to refresh her memory on what they had.

[thatwaslucky]

"Did you call us associates?" Rey asked, amused.

Or, ...associates.

[betterthanaplan]

Duke nodded. (He wasn't not a pirate, and not easily menaced.) "You're the first one here. Grab whatever table you like, I'll get you some menus."

[betterthanaplan]

Everything. They had everything.

"Hey, Rey. Here for the Miss Bennett thing?"

[fears_no_one]

"I did," Flint said with a tiny smile. "Would you prefer cronies?"

[fears_no_one]

Arr. "We may need several," Flint said. "The crowd fluctuates. One time it was just Mr. Logan and myself, but it's normally larger."

He and Logan had eaten in silence for ten minutes, then fled. It had been delightful.

[betterthanaplan]

"You've got your pick, man," Duke said. "I'll let the kitchen staff know. They've been, uh. Dreideling."

[thatwaslucky]

Rey made a face. "That makes us sound like we're doing something very illegal."

Which she had but there were extenuating circumstances.

[thatwaslucky]

"I am," she smiled. "We're rotating restaurants."

[betterthanaplan]

"Cool." Duke nodded. "Happy this one got included. The old-timey pirate looking dude got you started over there." He gestured with his thumb.

[chef_chocobro]

Well, well, well! This was going to be quite the novel change of pace, to enjoy a meal at Luke's not crafted by his own hand for a change! He was, honestly, actually a little excited about it, though it seemed a bit silly overall.

He did not arrive empty handed,either, or empty-armed would be more fitting, as he had with him several small boxes of petit fours he'd whipped up as small favors and gifts for his fellow Supper Clubbers and coworkers.

That he'd kept at the apartment to prevent Liliana from culling their numbers before he got the chance to distribute them.

(Surely, the several decoys deployed in the usual spots around the mansion had helped, as well).

[betterthanaplan]

"Hey now, I'm not sure bringing outside food is allowed," Duke said, grinning. "The super supper friends are over thataway."

You're . . . welcome? . . . for the new nickname.

[deathsmajesty]

That wasn't stopping Liliana from giving those boxes a side eye. "Those definitely weren't at the mansion before," she noted, having cheerfully pillaged the decoys with a thoroughness that would have made Flint proud.

[thatwaslucky]

"Thanks," she says. "I'm sure he was normal about it."

Associates. Sigh.

[deathsmajesty]

Habit had Liliana heading towards one booth in particular before realizing that they were sitting elsewhere (and that she wouldn't want them sitting in her usual booth anyway). She angled towards the chosen table instead, inwardly amused at the novelty of having to actually order something to eat, rather than having food simply brought to her.

She did know she wouldn't be ordering the Moroccan fish...though she might steal some from Ignis if he ordered it for himself.

[chef_chocobro]

There was a slight pause, filed with a faint lift of Ignis' chin, as he teetering on that precipice he so often found himself on the edge of, that decision to make some wryly sarcastic comment about the usefulness of such directions as 'thataway' were to him, no doubt accompanied with a gesture or tilt of Duke's head that he could not perceived.

But he stepped away from tgat precipice with a small, somewhat tight smile.

"Well, 'tis the season," he said, "and perhaps you'll be a little more forgiving of the transgression if I were to disclose that one of them are for you, as well? I was rather hoping you might still be around yo catch you and give it to you in person, rather than just leaving it with the others for later."

[chef_chocobro]

"No," Ignis confirmed, looking terribly smug and pleased about this observation that told him with resounding clarity that his plan had worked to perfection, even though this meant perhaps having to ask Gladio or Prompto to hold them for him next year. "They most certainly were not.

[thatwaslucky]

"Hi there," Rey greeted him. "You work here, right?"

[betterthanaplan]

Then she'd learn that Duke was an excellent cook!

He was also watching her walk right by without comment. (She still kind of terrified him, yes.)

[betterthanaplan]

"No one on this island is normal about anything," Duke pointed out, gently teasing. "It's nice to see you, though. Have fun."

[betterthanaplan]

"Ooo, I'm not above taking bribes for sure," Duke said. (He'd realize later that the gesture and everything was . . . misplaced, yes.) "Thanks, man."

[deathsmajesty]

Noctra would be almost three next year. Could he really trust those boxes with a toddler? And Gladio might confuse them with a Cup Noodle™ or something!

Her purple gaze narrowed as she took in the full implications of that admission--and, of course, the accompanying smugness. "Hmmm..." she said. "I shall remember this."

[deathsmajesty]

Good. That meant he was a smart man.

She did, of course, blow him a kiss as she passed. You know. Friendly-like.

[chef_chocobro]

"That is correct, Miss Skywalker," Ignis confirmed with a nod. "Usually on Tuesdays, though I intend to take this upcoming one off for the holiday. Very good standard fare, with a bit of some interesting variations with specials that differ heavily based on who might be working that day.

"But speaking of the holiday," he shifted his load slightly so that he might offer Rey one of the neatly wrapped parcels, "this is for you. A little token of of the budding friendships fostered her in our little club."