My Land, My Rules

It had been a nice weekend, ans the best thing about it was easily the good mood it had Nell in. Getting to finally see Soulwood (and really start to understand the connection she had with it) himself was just an added benefit, though there was definitely a part of him feeling glad to be home again, too.

He was, however, very disappointed in Turtle & Canary for not anticipating exactly what he wanted in a beverage for Monday night, but he supposed a oatmeal milk drink would have to do in lieu of an actual oatmeal soda like he'd wanted.

"Think we're all set for tonight?" He asked, coming back in after his class and errands and checking in at the gym, and needing a moment to just enjoy all the promise of the excellent food in his future, if the good smells permeating the place were anything to go by.

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"I think we're good," Nell said, stretching up for her kiss. "I had extra time today since I didn't have work. How was your day?"

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So...Liliana had brought the lyre with her. She'd decided that perhaps it might fit Nell's aesthetic and, perhaps if the other woman played, she would enjoy having a lyre of her own. Please, this was Fandom, it was hardly a stretch to assume someone might be able to play a perfectly normal instrument. It wasn't a glockenspiel, for Gaia's sake!

Liliana still wasn't sure if glockenspiels were real instruments. Or triangles. Both of them sounded like jokes. One was a shape.

So...yes. Verify that Nell played the lyre, hand the instrument over, stop thinking about it. Brilliant plan, 10/10, no notes.

"Good evening, darlings!" she called, swanning inside.

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Of course, Ignis always looked forward to coming over and visiting with Nell and Gladio (no comment on the kittens), but this week, he might actually be excited about it. Because someone had promised him meat.

He wasn't coming empty handed, though, bearing vegan scones with the remainder of the blueberries he wasn't saving for said meat, already thinking of how nice it would be to have them after dinner with some fresh coffee.

"It smells as though you've outdone yourself once again, Nell," he had to compliment as they started to get settled into the visit and he could barely keep from commenting any longer.

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And there was Watts, tray of cinnamon buns in hand.

“Good evening, Ms Ingram,” he said, entering with a bit of a twirl and depositing his hat down on someplace not meant for hats, as per usual.

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There was a little hum of appreciation in returning that kiss, and a grin on Gladio's face. "Well," he looked happy to report, "the gym's all in one piece still, so that was encouraging. And I got in touch with the contractors for the remodel and they're swinging by to get started on Wednesday. Class was a ballpit at a bar, and Summer was looking pretty rough at the store, so I got her to promise to have some Cup Noodle^TM, so hopefully that'll perk her right back up again."

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hashtag_chocobro

Noctra must have really storied herself out earlier that day, because she'd pretty much fallen asleep on Prompto's shoulders not even halfway to Nell's. Which mead him wonder if they should just skip that evening, but as soon as he turned around to head back home and text Gladio when he got there, she woke up just enough to start whining and causing a fuss over it, and then settled back down when they set back on the right path.

So this should be fun. At least he wasn't too worried about waking her with conversing with his fellow (alleged) adults. In fact, that would be preferable, otherwise she'd end up being wide awake and hyperactive probably the moment they got back home.

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"Detective," Gladio, at one point, offered up a nod of greeting a lift of his drink; sure, this was still very much Nell's thing, but now that it was their place, he definitely felt he could do a bit more to be a better host in the matter. "Good to see you this week. Been doing alright?"

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“Mr. Amicitia,” Watts greeted, and perhaps he ought to extend his greetings to both residents upon entering the apartment, but, well. Certain habits were hard ones to break.

“I have been, yes. And yourself?”

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Looked forward? Tsk. Language, darling.

Liliana bit back a smile. For Ignis that was downright effusive. "Make sure you take all of it," she whispered. "Otherwise it will become a Cup Noodle^TM garnish and I'm not sure you'll survive the indignity."

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"No complaints," said Gladio, with a little bit of a shrug of his shoulder; there were plenty of complaints if he really wanted to have them, but they were hardly anything to bring up in just friendly chit-chat. "Hard to have too many of those with good food and company, right?"

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Even the most diligent were known to falter on occasion, dear. Most people would find such slip toward lax language from him a reason to celebrate, really...

"Mmmm," he said, more long-suffering grunt than anything else and he gave a faint shake of his, "gods know I've suffered that particular affront to good taste enough in my lifetime. But I would hate to deprive Nell of her own opportunities to put it to good use before he can convince her otherwise."

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"Liliana!" Nell called out cheerfully. "Welcome! Oh, what's that you'veg ot there? Are you going to play for us tonight?"

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"There's venison here for you," Nell said cheerfully. "We have more than enough - even if Gladio did complain about how small our deer are. And those scones smell delightful!"

She looked more closely. "And you brought blueberries as well! How nice!"

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"Hello, Detective!" Nelll said cheerfully as she redeposited his hat onto the hook just for it. "So nice to see you. How have you been? Not letting the gloomy weather get you down, I hope!"

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"Sleepy girl," Nell said with a fond smile as Prompto and Noctra came in. "So adorable. How have you been, Prompto?"

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Well, she would certainly be smirking about it if she could read narrative. Granted, she was already smirking, but now it was for different reasons.

"I suppose you'll just have to take comfort that your venison will be properly out of reach of any gremlins or Cup Noodle^TM enthusiasts," she soothed. "...He won't cook it until it's well-done will he?"

Would there be no end to the horrors?

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“I’m sure if one dug deep enough they could be found,” Watts said. “Though as you say, this hardly seems the time to air them.”

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Nell laughed. "Do we need to send her over some?" she asked. "I think we could spare one or two."

She kissed him again, just because she could. "I'll be looking forward to seeing how the remodel turns out!"

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“Reminding myself we’re at the tail end of winter, spring will be along soon enough,” Watts replied.

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"It will indeed," Nell agreed. "I'm looking forward to it myself, though since this is the quiet season of the year for me, I am enjoying it as well."

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Liliana paused, startled. "Oh! I hadn't though--I'd brought it for you," she said smoothly. Sorta. Okay, with a smooth recovery. "I didn't know if you played, and thought it was the kind of decoration you'd appreciate. It seemed very woods witch."

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"Liliana, please," Ignis drawled, "I have work in the morning. I'd rather prefer to actually get some sleep, not be inundated with nightmares all evening."

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"It is very pretty," Nell said, "But I don't play. I suppose I could hang it somewhere, but that seems a waste of such a beautiful instrument."

She quickly added. "Not that I'm not grateful that you thought of me. It is truly beautiful."

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