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[She has the grace, if you can call it that, to look sheepish.] Uh. I was serious, sure, but I mean--it's not--I'm not used to having an offer like that succeed, okay?

[Nor does Renee usually make offers like that, but she's not going to tell Ignis that, either. She doesn't think she's anything special--far from!--and she doesn't want him to get the wrong idea.]

I have practice too, and it's not like mine is like this! [Really Renee, you can't help it if your dad bought trash coffee. At the Institute, she didn't get to practice because usually there was someone else up before she was.] Besides, you're not that much older than I am!

[Now Ignis is confused.]

Your friends don't have dinner with you?

[He half frowns as she compliments him for the coffee. Really there's better stuff out in the world and if they would only go home for that.. And then.. what?]

What does my age have to do with anything?

[Cue more confusion.]

Edited 2019-09-18 22:27 (UTC)

For that, I'd actually have to have friends. [Renee knows Pete and Gwen might let her, but she doesn't like to bother them. It's a strange sort of respect for them and their budding relationship, out of her. They've never made her feel like a third wheel, and Renee's pretty sure they wouldn't start, but still. She's maintaining her comfort zone, there.

Noticing his frown, she's on the defensive, then.] What's that look for?

[She shakes her head at his age question.] My old man wouldn't even let me touch the coffeepot until I was like ten years old, or he'd spank me. [Putting that mildly.] So it's like, 'when did you start making coffee'?

[Just keep adding to the confusion there Renee. Ignis has seen her with other people he'd assumed were her friends.]

You're saying you don't have friends here?

[That's news to him certainly but he sighs as she seems somewhat alarmed at him and he shook his head.]

I meant no offense. I've simply had better coffee back home though I thank you for the compliment.

[With Renee's explanation, he nodded.]

I suppose ten years is a fair assessment.

I definitely don't have friends at home. I keep to myself, there. [And only half of that is because she still considers herself kind of dangerous. Between her temper and her enhanced strength, Renee worries. So she keeps herself apart.]

I'm...learning here. There are at least people who seem to like me at least. Gwen. Pete. Manabu puts up with me. [She kind of trolls him, though, so that's on her.] I'm a pain in Tony's ass. And yours, too, probably.

[Because here she is.]

Oh, are you used to the fancier coffees? Like kopi luwak or something? [Renee's heard of that stuff before, but never experienced anything fancier than like...Taster's Choice. And if she knew her coffee, she'd know that kopi luwak was more a gimmick, nothing to write home about.]

[Once she starts naming off people, Ignis nods though he's disappointed to hear that Renee doesn't have friends at home. The reference to asses has him blink down at the salmon he's about to finish flavoring. He's already heard way too much about his own ass today.]

You're not a pain, I assure you.

[His expression goes blank when she starts mentioning things he's unfamiliar with. So he puts the salmon in the oven and then looks at her thoughtfully.]

N..no. Where I'm from had their own coffee.

[She can't help but bark out a laugh at Ignis at that. Renee just...doesn't buy it. She knows he's polite and diplomatic. She couldn't blame him if he was spinning that right now.]

You're nice to say that, but I'm not sure I believe you. Though I don't think you're a liar either. So I'm just fuckin' confused, I guess.

[Best to be honest, here.] Oh, something proprietary I guess? Like Costa Rica or Brazilian, or Sumatran. [A beat.] I could go for some Sumatran, that was a real treat. Oh, yeah. Coffees from Earth, that's what I mean. Sumatran's from a place called Sumatra, it's a pretty dark roast. Sumatra itself is an island. And I'm probably babbling. [But coffee does seem like something Iggy's got an interest in.]

[The way she laughed almost seemed as if it was mocking, but then when Renee explained, he realized the humour was at her own expense. It doesn't sit well with Ignis and he's not a person to say what he doesn't mean to people who get to know him. Subterfuge and smooth talking he can do, just like he did when Noct deferred to him in Altissia. But this wasn't that by any means.]

I'm not just simply being polite. You have been enjoyable company.

[Really, why is this eating at her? Those thoughts are interrupted by her going on about coffee. Would they go to Earth or even Lucis someday?]

I wish I could try all of the coffees you mention, they sound wonderful.

I tried, at least. It's been nice to talk to you. [In that much, at least, she's completely honest, even if Renee also seems a bit embarrassed to admit it.]

Yeah, I don't know what it is, but we've got a pretty wide variety of beans where I'm from. And then even the roasting methods and the cleaning methods change the flavor up...

[She shakes her head at that again, a bit embarrassed. But he did seem interested, which is the continued protest from Renee's brain. And he's not telling her to shut up--as if Ignis would really even do that. So not the type.]

What other stuff do you like, then? Besides coffee and cooking?

I don't believe that you need to try.

[Really, Ignis had no issue with her. He was quiet as he listened, thinking of the times the group helped the vendors in Lestallum. Then there was the whole brave adventurers thing with someone who ended up in Eos through a teleporter. He'd heard every word and smiled over the top of his cup.]

It almost sounds to me as if that would be a rather quest of sorts. One in which to find the perfect cup of coffee.

[The last part he was a bit hesitant on, but he had an answer.]

I love to read.

I'm not entirely sure there's a perfect cup of coffee--not like one solo thing, like a Holy Grail. It's kind of subjective. Like you might like your coffee black, but I drink mine with some cream and sugar.

[But that kind of a quest would be interesting to go on, to say the least...]

What do you like to read? I kinda admit I go for escapism, like fantasy and science fiction. I used to get in trouble for reading when I should've been concentrating in class. [And that meant double trouble, both at school and when she got home, too...]

I suppose perfect cup would need to be tailored to the taste of the person drinking it. I rather prefer the kind in a can from back home.

[Noctis tried to have a passion for coffee, but it never quite matched his own. Ans at the question of books, Ignis brightened a little.]

I don't suppose cookbooks count.

[Smile]

Edited 2019-09-20 02:38 (UTC)

Yeah? The kind from a can is what my dad always bought, but I imagine that ours don't match up. My dad bought cheap shit--he needed to save the big bucks for alcohol. That's why even if I was 21, I can't see myself drinking.

[She shook her head at that, but at Iggy's next comment, that just had her laughing. Renee should've expected that!]

They count, but that's not all you read, is it? Totally they count!

I wouldn't drink anything other than Ebony.

[This is said in a very serious manner. Nobody messed with Ignis' coffee, nobody. Her comment about her age surprised him but then again he didn't go around and ask anyone their ages because it wasn't any of his business.

Hearing her laugh though had been totally worth it.]

Fantasy is always a good choice as is science fiction.

I've never heard of Ebony. Sounds really fancy, though, just from the name.

[As expected, he's one of the Don't Screw With My Brew Crew. But if the coffee he drank was as good as it sounded from its simple name, Renee couldn't blame Ignis. Not one bit. Though her next comment is mildly teasing, now.]

You're forced to here, though! I know you're probably the type who can't survive without a cup!

[She kind of misses soda, herself. Ginger beer is okay, but it's not Pepsi. The lemonade's pretty good, though.]

I'm sure you're used to reading all sorts of stuff, though, outside of your own enjoyment. Advisor stuff. So like...world history and economics and all sorts of other stuff that makes my head hurt when I have to read about it.

[Someone was not out of school yet, after all.]

It's very good.

[Yup he's a definite fan and he laughed lightly.]

It's one of the few things I've found that connect worlds.

[He tilts the head slightly at her assessment and nods.]

Of course, but here I thought were were speaking of reading for enjoyment. The rest simply comes with the job.

Coffee, you mean? Yeah, I can see that being a thing. I'm a bit surprised it's on more than one world, but hey! The multiverse is a strange, strange place.

[She shrugged at that, but smiled at Ignis anyway.]

I do like reading for enjoyment! And I mean, I do, but even I'm not free of reading stuff because I have to. I told Tony that I didn't finish high school, and so I'm getting assignments now, just like Peter.

[Because really, as if that's not a Tony thing to do? Renee sighed.]

[He figured coffee was just that good of stuff since it was on multiple worlds. The next comment about high school piqued his interest.]

Are there some sort of tests required to pass? If so, I could help you study.

[A pause]

I could help Peter as well if he's open to it.

[Ignis didn't go to high school like Noctis did. But he had gone to a school for gifted children at a young age and had studied right along with the prince.]

On Earth there is, but I'm not sure there's an actual General Education Development exam here. Nor do I think it'd count at home if there was? Still, studying couldn't hurt...even if it's kind of embarrassing.

[Though Renee's expression was thoughtful--she was considering it.] I could ask Pete, too, yeah. He's probably further ahead of me though, he's smart. I'm average.

[But hey, it was 'average', not slow or stupid, despite some of the things that have been said. Even if Tony had started to change his tune. It sort of made her head hurt, sometimes.]

It'd be good to have two smart guys to help me catch up! [Renee's a little less enthused than she appears, though.]

[Ignis won't admit it, but he's looking forward to seeing what kids on Earth study.]

I don't see why studying is embarrassing. I rather believe it shows you're looking to improve yourself.

[Let someone come make fun of Renee like that in his presence. And he's not sure if Peter would be open to spending time with him but he'd like to do so.]

Should you decide to study then I am at your disposal.

[And he planned to make dinner for her and Peter if he would be there.]

Edited 2019-09-21 00:57 (UTC)

Okay, it's embarrassing to me. I mean I do want to better myself, but the circumstances why...eehhh. I don't want to talk about it.

[Mostly she doesn't want to talk about her dad. He's dead and gone, why can't he just stay dead? No, she's got his specter hanging around. Renee's not possessed and an exorcism won't drive him away. She just can't let it go.]

I will. I mean, it's something else to do, and it'll help if I ever go back to Earth. I'm...not really sure what I want to do with myself, and I know that's a problem. My older brother decided to design computer games after he lost his powers. My younger brother? He went into sports. [Renee figures talking about hockey will only confuse Ignis if there's nothing like it where he came from.] I spent so much time taking care of them, I don't know what to do with myself, now that they've basically found themselves.

[And Renee shrugs at that.]

Then we don't have to.

[Ignis understands boundaries, and he won't cross any if it can be helped. And at hearing Renee talk about not knowing what to do with herself, he can relate. He had no idea what to do if Noct followed his doomed path. Luna was gone and the king was destined to save the world, so that left him feeling nowhere.]

I have faith that you'll figure it out.

[And so would he.]

At least one of us does, 'cause I don't. And I should talk about it sometime, but...

[Renee trails off. It's embarrassing too. She's still a teenager; on some level, everything inflicts some level of embarrassment, but most stuff is mild. Talking about her father and how he was rockets past embarrassment straight to downright shame, and it doesn't rest easy, even now.]

I call it 'family, the ties that bind and gag'. It's supposed to come off as funny, even when it's not.

[A lot of time humor is a weapon, for her. Or, alternately, a defense mechanism. Deflect. Don't look too close.]

That's up to you.

[And Ignis figures that Renee knows he'd be there to listen. While he doesn't understand the ties that bind and gag, her description doesn't sound very flattering so he doesn't say anything. He really doesn't have much to go on family wise except King Regis and Noct besides an uncle.

So have a blankish stare.]

Edited 2019-09-21 04:42 (UTC)

[Renee took a deep breath, frowning just a little. She didn't owe Ignis anything, damn it...and yet.]

Okay, so I told you about how I'm what they call a mutant where I came from, right? Because I have powers and I didn't have like...an accident. Or built a suit of armor. It's all 'natural', if you can call it that? Most people on Earth don't, though.

[She doesn't really wait for Ignis to respond, either.] Well...there are a lot of normal humans who think we're like...abominations. Monsters. That we should be imprisoned, or hunted down and killed, or enslaved, just because we're different, and they see us as a threat. So...yeah if I come off weird or act like I've got a complex or some shit...I do, and that's only half of it.

[Because there's still the giant unspoken shitpile of her family life. Still not talking about that, nope. Renee tries to come off as flippant, here, but it's probably more bitter and hurt despite that. She never asked for any of it.]

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