MHA #18; Wednesday Afternoon [11/09].

[sword_chocobro]

Having so much spare time on his hands was still something Gladio was getting used to, and there were times when it felt downright surreal, really. But he'd be lying if he said it wasn't kind of nice, every once in a while, to have a quiet afternoon where he could just sit and read and not have to worry about anything else. He'd even picked up a few new books and was finally getting the chance to dive into one that was vaguely topical to a conversation he'd had recently. Ignis was out getting stuff for dinner later, Goose was probably off in Ignis' room doing whatever goose things he did when Ignis went on a particularly independent streak, he had some tea, the apartment had come with a good sturdy armchair...

....and it was nice. He could almost get used it. He didn't particularly want to, all things considered, but it was a moment that made him think that, if he was going to be stuck somewhere, at least it was somewhere that afforded him certain creature comforts he'd been mostly denied for the past ten years.

Even if surreal really only seemed the tip of the iceberg there...

[[ some goose-related shenanigans are expected, but the post is very open! ]]

Comments

[notagoose]

“None taken, I must admit it, I much prefer being a human than a goose,” Goose smiled softly at that, moving a bit closer in Ignis’ direction, he was trying to not hover but he wanted to be able to help if Ignis needed it, “it wasn’t quite how I imagined you coming back was going to go,” he admitted.

[chef_chocobro]

Ignis set the bags on the counter, carefully, quietly, so most of his attention could focus on Shane's presence, his movements, sensing where he was in the now familiar space of the kitchen, with an additional appreciation for how his size made him much easier to track than he was as a goose, although that, too, had its easily discernable qualities. And he hesitated a moment before he responded, weighing whether or not his first compulsion was the best one, especially since, even though he'd been afforded some time to think about things due to the timing of Shane's transformation, he was not quite solid on any actual conclusions yet...

But still, the only thing he could think to say, with an intrigued quirk of his eyebrow, a turn of his head Shane's way, and a particular tug of something in his chest, was to ask, "And how did you imagine it would go?"

He could imagine there were quite a few elements, besides just his being a goose, that didn't exactly fit his predictions...

[notagoose]

“Well I was going to make you dinner,” Goose admitted, feeling his cheeks start to redden, “I’ve been practicing all summer so that I could make you a nice dinner when you got back,”

He hesitated, “and then whatever after dinner,” he was bright red now, not that Ignis could see that.

[chef_chocobro]

No, Ignis couldn't see that blush, but he could certainly assume, especially since Shane had never exactly been one to moderate tone. Something that Ignis had always paid attention to, even more so now when he no longer had facial expressions and body language to lean in for interpreting meaning.

"Talking," he said with a faint breath that might have been a laugh, a poor attempt to brush aside a stirring of things he had not felt for a very long time, "no doubt. Gods know we're well overdue for some of that."

There was his own pause, filled after a moment with sorting through some of the things in the bags, so he could ensure that what needed to be refrigerated would not go too much longer without it.

"Dinner," he then added, softly, "would be nice. It will be interesting to see if you've maintained your skills, or perhaps even improved on them, even in my absence."

[notagoose]

“Talking, yes …” Goose let out a nervous laugh, rubbing the back of his neck, “talking wound be nice,”

He paused, hesitating slightly, “well I haven’t set anything on fire and there’s no new stains in the ceiling …” his voice trailed off awkwardly when he realised that Ignis wouldn’t be able to see that stain, “and Summer was very specific on not making maggot cheese, so I won’t make that,” he assured Ignis, in case Ignis was worried that he’d try and make the dish.

[chef_chocobro]

Ignis opened his mouth to say something in regards to maggot cheese, knowing full well that he hadn't misheard, but a realization far more ddisturbing had just hit him, and that was the fact that this man had been left with that woman, completely unattended, for months now.

But far better months than years.

"So it would seem she has certainly not changed her ways, then," he noted, but now a new worry had arisen, with regards to the fact that apparently, Summer had to convince Shane not to go with maggot cheese.

"Should I suggest a menu?" he wondered.

For his own sake.

[notagoose]

Goose debated on adding that he had taken Summer’s food classes over the summer but figured Ignis would probably not want to hear about that, at least not before he’d made the food first.

“I mean, if there’s a specific dish you’d like me to make for you, I can do that,” he offered instead.

[chef_chocobro]

"Well, I have always been a bit partial toward paella," Ignis noted, "but I understand that can be quite a bit...intimidating, and, I assure you, there has been no shortage of seafood in my life lately."

Fish were brilliantly resilient against an apocalypse, it turned out.

"So perhaps....something that makes good use of fresh produce, especially something in season. That is something that has been sorely missed."

The poor man hadn't even been human again for more than a day, and, already, Ignis was doling out an assignment. They may all wax poetical on how the last decade had left them fundamentally changed, but some things, apparently, were forever.

[notagoose]

Goose was making careful notes of what Ignis was after, he did file away the paella to be see if it was something he could attempt at a later date but the rest of Ignis’ list sounded like something he could manage.

“I’m sure I can find something that will fit that,” he assured him with a smile, “and did you have anything in mind for wine or dessert?”

He thought it was best to cover everything, he wanted to make it as nice a meal as he could for Ignis.

[chef_chocobro]

"Well, it would be difficult to know which wine would suit it best without knowing what the dish will be," Ignis pointed out.

So there was more homework for him!

"But I'd be happy to handle...dessert."

Intentional, meaningful pause?

....Perhaps.

[notagoose]

“Oh yes, I’d forget about that, I suppose I’ll leave the wine until I know what dish I’m making ,” Goose considered.

He then grinned at the next part, “then I’m …looking forward to seeing you handle dessert,” he went a little red.