mylandmyrules | Tuesday Night at Nell's

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Tuesday Night at Nell's

Tonight was fresh fruit night at Nell's. Not that she didn't still have some baked goods around, but she'd set out cubes of watermelon alongside bowls of raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries. She'd also sliced some up and turned others into sauces to go over ice cream if people so desired.

She was also aware that people might be feeling a bit pensive after the events of the weekend, so she was prepared to be flexible with whatever people wanted to do tonight. They could always just sit and watch the stars and talk if sports or games didn't suit.

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And, of course, Gladio was there with Ignis in tow, and he'd rather unintentionally wound up matching the fruit theme in his quest to dig up some of the most unique and interesting beverages from the shelves of Turtle & Canary. These ones definitely won out because he really liked the bottles that looked like melons, and he kind of had a feeling Nell would get a kick out of them, too.

"Come in, welcome, hospitality and safety," Nell said as he and Ignis came in. She laughed delightedly when she saw the drinks. "Gladio! However did you know? Tjose are adorable and since the kitchen is filled with fruit they fit extremely well!"

"Filled with fruit, huh?" Gladio asked, straining his neck as if to take a peek as he instinctually started heading that way regardless. "Great mind strike, once again. But, yeah, I was these and knew I had to see if they tasted as good as they looked."

"They do look tasty," Nell agreed. "Part of me wants to try them all!"

She smiled up at him. "Maybe we can share. We can try more that way."

"Maybe--" Gladio started, but then he cut himself off with a snort. "Actually, maybe not."

Then, he explained: "I was going to suggest we could sort of try to do a blind taste test of them as kind of a game to see if we could tell which was which, but that's hardly a game, Iggy'll probably be able to tell as soon as I open one of the bottles."

"Maybe he doesn't get to guess," Nell said with a smile. "Maybe he just gets to tell us who's closest after the rest of us guess."

For a moment she'd thought he meant maybe they shouldn't share and a part of her was irrationally disappointed.

"That might work," Gladio allowed with a grin, and a decisive, sort of impressed kind of nod. "I think anything we might try to do that involves a game and food, he's instantly disqualified. Guess...the same could go for me if we get into any arm wrestling. And you...flower arranging, maybe? You'd definitely have to be the judge on that one."

Nell chuckled. "I don't know. You might be better than you think at flower arranging. Now identifyig plants or seeing whose plants could grow best - I'd have to judge that for sure."

Hopefully, no one in present company who had already been exposed to them plenty during the weekend was sick of those pasties that Ignis had been whipping up the whole time, but it was difficult to not really lean heavily on the memories involved in them after recent events. After all, it was the quest to recreate these special little treats from Noct's time in Tenebrae that had sparked Ignis' love of cooking in the first place. It had been a nightmare, trying to master the recipe and figure it out, but from the very first moment Noctis took a bite and Ignis knew he'd gotten is exactly right....there was no going back for him after that.

So there were more tarts, and also some of the schnitzel sandwiches, the recipe he'd picked up from Cindy way back when that Noctis had also gone crazy for.

He thought of doing a little something with beans to honor him as well, but...without him here, that would have lost a significant amount of its charm.

"Oh Ignis! I'm so happy you brought those. They are so delicious!" SHe smiled at him warmly. "And of course with the fruit filling they match beautifully with all the fresh fruit I have tonight, thank you!" She took another deep breath, "And those sandwiches smell amazing also. Please comr in!"

"They are known as a beloved treat throughout Tenebrae for a reason," said Ignis, with a soft, appreciative smile for the easy warmth of Nell's praise, "and the sandwiches were a favorite of Noct's that I figured I'd bring in his honor. I'm glad he got the chance to meet you, while he was here. I'm sure you'll be pleased to know he was quite charmed."

Nell blushed a little. "I'm glad to try the sandwiches too, then," she said. "I'm sure they're delicious. And that's sweet of him. I rather liked him as well."

"I might be a touch biased," said Ignis, with a faint, fond, though undeniably saddened smile on his face, "but I think he was rather easy to like. Not at first, for a lot of people, especially back when we were younger, but he did have a natural effortless charm that could win over even the toughest of critics."

Namely him and Gladio, but...well...

"You yourself," he added, a bit softer, a bit gentler, but unable to hold back his curiosity, "didn't have any visitors, is that correct?"

"He did have a charming side," Nell agreed. Not that she was much impressed by charm. The obvious caring and respect he had for the other three was far more impressive to her.

"No," she said with just the hint of a sigh. "I mostly only could have had my husband, John, or my sister wife, Leah."

She shook her head. "John would not approve of where I am or what I wear or who I spend time with - or indeed who I am. He didn't - nobody back home knows about my gifts. They just think I'm good with plants. Leah..."

This time she really did sigh. "I like to think she might be better. She probably would tell me that I was free to make my own life now, but she wouldn't like any of it either. Now, if animals came back..."

Ignis gave a thoughtful, sympathetic sort of hum for those sighs, both fully formed and barely there, as he found himself with just that little bit more context on who Nell was. "They both," he said, "sound like they would be very interesting people to meet. But animals, now....beloved pets from your past, then?"

Nell laughed, but there wasn't much humor in it. "M'not sure interesting is the word most people around here would use." She shrugged. "But they were good to me - Leah especially - much as they could be I think."

She smiled a little sadly. "My dogs. or rather my husband's old hunting dogs. I loved them so much and they loved me back." She swallowed hard thinking of the day she'd come home and found the churchmen had killed them and left them on her front porch. She'd never been able to get all the bloodstains off.

"Pretty sure they're the only things that have ever really loved me."

Lana, for one, had not had any of these, so she was absolutely pleased. (Though she night be taken aback at mention of where the treats were from.) "Oh, this all looks wonderful! How have you been?"

"Thank you," Ignis nodded in greeting back. "It's heartening to know that I haven't lost my touch when it comes to presentation. And I have been well, all things considered. How have things been with you, Lana?"

"I've been well, thank you," Lana answered. "I understand we both had former superiors visit this weekend, though yours seems to have been much more relaxed."

She really couldn't picture fishing with Darth Marr.

"It would be an impressive task indeed to manage to be more relaxed than Noctis Lucis Caelum," Ignis drawled, a bit dryly. "You'd think a man who roused himself from a decade-long nap just to die would have had enough of sleep, but then you'd be wrong.

"And your superior? What were they like? Much less inclined toward leisure, I presume?"

Lana chuckled. "I'm not sure Darth Marr knows the meaning of the word. Even in death, he covers himself in full armour. But it was good to speak to him, regardless."

Lana was here, smiling even wider as she saw the fruit. "Oh, wonderful!" She lifted her bottle. "I brought cider to match."

Nell smiled at her. "Hospitality and safety to you, Lana. Funny how we all seem to be thinking about fruit today, hmm? How was your weekend?"

"Thank you. A fruity sort of day, apparently. My weekend went well. Darth Marr came to visit - did you meet him when we were students?"

"I'm not sure," Nell said. "It was so long ago. Nice guy?"

Lana laughed. "I'm not sure anyone would ever call him nice. But he was a strong, fair leader. And he came back after death to help us. Other than this weekend, I mean. This time we had some very good conversations. I have a lot to think about."

"Sounds like a lot of people had interesting conversations this weekend," Nell said. "I know Gladio, Ignis, and Prompto did. And I think the Detective did."

"I suppose it's to be expected when people come back from the dead," Lana said. "Though to be fair, Darth Marr has hung around a bit even when he's normally dead. He just usually talks to the Commander instead of me. I heard on radio you got to meet Noctis, too?"

"I did," Nell said with a smile. "I ran into them when they were fishing - or when Noctis was fishing nad the others were quietly complaining. And then he and Gladio came over so Noctis could see the view from the roof. I liked him a lot."

"That's good," Lana said. "Though I don't expect they're the types to follow someone terrible, it's good to be sure."

"No, I can't imagine they would either," Nell said, "But there can be a difference between someone who is a good king and someone you like."

"So he's likable, too?" Lana asked.

"He is," Nell said. "I enjoyed the time I spent with him. Though he was rather bothered by my bees."

"Lana," Gladio nodded and offered the customary lift of his beverage in salutatory greeting, "how's it going?"

Lana smiled and lifted her bottle of cider, since she hadn't poured a glass yet.

"I'm well, thank you. And you?"

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Tuesday Night at Nell's

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