st_rontium: (i do not understand you past people)
[personal profile] st_rontium
For the most part MacCready tended to avoid...hell, basically everyone really. It wasn't the best way to function, he knew that.

Thing was though...

A guy like him didn't belong in a world like this. And it wasn't in some weird like too good for this upper stands bullshit. Nah, none of that.

If this was really California way, way before the bombs fell, what- What was the point? Who the fuck did he piss off so badly that they went 'I know what's going to make things worse, show him what kind of life is absolutely impossible for him where he's from!'

He was miserable. He knew he was miserable. Wasn't any goddamn sense in denying it.

A guy like him didn't belong in a world like this because a world like this was too good, too whole for him.

Watching Percy and Vax reunite was uncomfortable not just because it was a super personal moment but also...also because MacCready knew nobody missed him that much. Nobody would be that glad to see him.

So somewhere in his mind, he decided that because no one back home would be that glad to see him then no one here would be that glad about it. All these people with their really nice teeth and all these worlds where you just hope you don't get caught out in the middle of a radstorm or mauled by a-

It was better for him to do his routine. Go up to the roof, take watch for a while, slip into the kitchen when the dude who actually had a name wasn't there, steal some food and disappear again either to sleep in his super stiff bed or go take next watch.

He wasn't too keen on watching that day. He didn't- He didn't want Percy or Vax finding him. He didn't need that friendship rubbed in his face too or either of them thinking that they owed him something because he helped them out. Percy'd said as much in his way. Vox Machina was a family. Far as MacCready could tell just from listening to all the stories... There wasn't gonna be room for him. He didn't want to intrude.

He wished the pair of them well. He did. He just...

Better to be alone enough where no one would even notice if he was gone.

He'd come down to head into the kitchen. When he ducked in, he didn't see the non-chicken guy and figured it was safe enough to figure out something to eat. Chicken wouldn't talk to him anyway.

He'd left Lucy locked up in his room, planning to eat there anyway before he headed back out. This was just a quick food run, he told himself.

He was so focused on being overwhelmed (again) by the choices in the fridge that he didn't hear anyone else in the room. The fuck was he supposed to do with any of this?

Date: 2017-02-22 04:52 am (UTC)
st_eadfast: (Default)
From: [personal profile] st_eadfast
Blindness hadn't impaired Ignis's other senses - in fact, he'd worked to sharpen them as much as possible, to make up for his lack. And it had worked well enough that, barring things like reading and driving, he was as functional as he'd ever been.

So, the scent and feel of cool air was all Ignis needed to deduce a non-chicken-maniac presence in the kitchen. (The chicken maniac, after all, never had to linger at any kitchen appliance. He was making chicken something, indecision was never part of his routine.)

Knowing that someone was there didn't mean knowing who it was, of course, but it hardly mattered. However much he thought of the place as his, Ignis had to admit the kitchens were as publicly available as anywhere else but private rooms. Just to announce his presence, he spoke up, "If you're at a loss for ideas, the large pot on that stovetop," the gesture was hopefully only a little off, "generally contains some kind of soup or stew."

Date: 2017-02-22 05:09 am (UTC)
st_eadfast: (Default)
From: [personal profile] st_eadfast
The voice had a hint of familiarity, somewhere around the edges, but as a whole... no. This was one of the many resident Ignis hadn't met before. "It's no bother."

So, a pass on soup. Not a problem, some people didn't like it. Or had cause to be tired of it. Or some other reasonable reason. Ignis had no call to hear the decline as a challenge, but he pointed again, to one of the stools by the counter-island. "Sit. Two heads ought to be better than one for this sort of problem."

Date: 2017-02-22 05:34 am (UTC)
st_eadfast: (Default)
From: [personal profile] st_eadfast
Definitely a challenge. Ignis let the odd statement about whatever he'd been doing (a variation on 'nothing much') roll off largely unnoticed. "Don't be ridiculous. You're here now, as is the food. Sit. What were you looking for?"

Date: 2017-02-22 10:48 pm (UTC)
st_eadfast: (Default)
From: [personal profile] st_eadfast
At another point in his life, Ignis might have laughed. Now, after ten years of daemonblight, he'd done that math too many times to discount it. How much longer would supplies hold out? Could he trust anything he found not to be poisoned? Would he rather risk it or severely ration what was left to reach an actual settlement with supplies? Instead of laughing, a twist of his lips in the not-quite-smile of negative reminiscence showed briefly. "Indeed. That would be anything in these kitchens. I make sure of it. I don't recommend eating meat raw, but short of that you'll do fine."

After a few moments of consideration, Ignis moved to start putting together a few of the sandwich-like items he'd offered to Vax'ildan the previous day. A flat steamed bun folded over pork belly with some greens and cucumber - simple enough, nutritive enough, and it could be carried away at need. "Right now, you'll try this."

Date: 2017-02-23 06:47 pm (UTC)
st_eadfast: (Default)
From: [personal profile] st_eadfast
Hah. Ignis couldn't help a smug little smile at the noise; it would have taken someone with a lot less pride in general not to be smug, and his skill at the culinary arts was something Ignis was very proud of, indeed. Still, under the smugness he was putting things together and adding up. The buns didn't represent stretching himself at all, they weren't difficult things to make in general. Tasty, perhaps very tasty, but not sex-noise worthy to most. Combine that with his statement about looking for anything not rotten... and wherever he came from looked significantly worse than Ignis's own home world.

And that took significant effort.

But he kept those thoughts to himself. The other man would likely try to bolt again at any hint of pity or similar expression of feeling. Instead, he poured a glass of orange juice and also set it in front of the man. No, it didn't really match the flavor profile of the buns, but like them it could well be something he'd not experienced recently. (Or ever.) Plus, vitamins.

Date: 2017-02-25 06:00 am (UTC)
st_eadfast: (Default)
From: [personal profile] st_eadfast
Noctis had been more picky, once upon a time, so Ignis simply nodded and removed the glass of juice. He replaced it, for lack of any better ideas, with a cup of coffee. Quite possibly it wouldn't be to taste either, since he'd made it to his own taste: as black as possible, and hot.

Even if it weren't simple pickiness, all of the reasons Ignis's imagination could provide were eminently reasonable even if most of them plunged the other man's world even deeper into the 'I do not want to go to there' pit. "Try that instead, then."

Date: 2017-03-01 03:00 am (UTC)
st_eadfast: (Default)
From: [personal profile] st_eadfast
"It's no trouble." Ignis poured himself a fresh cup of coffee as well, with only a slight hand-slide to find where he'd left the mug he'd been using, then leaned against the counter to sip. "There's generally coffee available, if I've been in here at all on any given day. You are of course free to help yourself."

Date: 2017-03-01 03:47 am (UTC)
st_eadfast: (Default)
From: [personal profile] st_eadfast
"I've been paying attention to the stores. They replenish, every so often." As if the Inn were still getting the shipments of food that it would have, had the world been larger and it hadn't been functionally a residence to a great many lost travelers. "It's hardly unlimited, but I'd judge our population would have to double, or thereabouts, before food supply became a concern. But I understand. It's rather strange not to cook on a camp stove or out of a backpack, still."

Date: 2017-03-01 04:36 am (UTC)
st_eadfast: (Default)
From: [personal profile] st_eadfast
"Perhaps. I'm not entirely certain whether that would work, however." Ignis's tone was musing, as if he was speaking aloud thoughts he'd already had. "I've noticed that the... shipments... for lack of a better term, only replace what's missing. Canning or smoking does not render the supplies missing. It's possible that, similar to the resistance of the rooms to change," which he'd heard about after complaints that the rooms were ugly, "the pantries resist stockpiling."

Date: 2017-03-01 08:43 pm (UTC)
st_eadfast: (Default)
From: [personal profile] st_eadfast
"True," Ignis agreed. It was true, and oddly comforting that someone else was thinking ahead, even if he had no other ideas to add. Even if any plans wouldn't have to be executed for some time, if ever. "We shall see. In the meantime, here and now, there's no need to ration against an uncertain future."

Date: 2017-03-01 09:00 pm (UTC)
st_eadfast: (Default)
From: [personal profile] st_eadfast
"I don't know." Ignis didn't bother to suppress the notes of surprise or approval; it was a good idea, and he hadn't thought of it. "I'm happy to set seeds aside for the experiment, however. As far as I know, Joanna and perhaps one or two others are gardening, but I couldn't tell you whether that effort is flowers or food." And for certain, he couldn't go and look.

Date: 2017-03-01 09:23 pm (UTC)
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From: [personal profile] st_eadfast
"We have eggs, certainly. I imagine that means we also have containers for them. And several shallow pans, though I shall want to keep one or two of those." For cooking, not for gardening.

Date: 2017-03-01 09:30 pm (UTC)
st_eadfast: (Default)
From: [personal profile] st_eadfast
"No trouble whatsoever. Very few recipes call for the seeds of any given vegetable." And fruit was even easier. "Fortunately, the chicken madman rarely uses anything else, so I need not try to convince him to set seeds aside. And better to start sooner rather than later where actual growing is concerned."

Date: 2017-03-01 09:42 pm (UTC)
st_eadfast: (Default)
From: [personal profile] st_eadfast
"I haven't. If anyone else has, I haven't heard it." Ignis shrugged. "Most likely he'll always be the chicken madman to me, either way."

Date: 2017-03-01 09:55 pm (UTC)
st_eadfast: (Default)
From: [personal profile] st_eadfast
Ignis turned his head, tracking the sound, and nodded. "Thank you for the company. I appreciate it."
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