Third Floor Common Room - Monday Morning - 10/13

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

Liir could not stay in his room this morning.

Liir... had to do something normal, something mundane, something hot and greasy and familiar, and that was why he was in the common room kitchen doing a massive fry up for anyone who thought it worth the effort to creep out of their room.

Anyone who started conversations with anything other than 'this weekend' also got a brownie.

[open and free food for all!][...and considering this weekend, his icon (and where it comes from) is FAR TOO AMUSING FOR WORDS right now]

Comments

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

He held his head high and shook it.

"Oh no. I've only made a few so no exceptions other than you," he teased gently. Then he rolled his eyes to the side.

"And... anyone who looks as if they need quite a bit of chocolate to deal with what happened. I'm not cruel, after all."

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

"Then I should feel either honored at the exception, or look like I need the chocolate," she said, glancing back up, grinning. "Either way, I'll not complain though I am curious."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

He grinned back.

"Let us say 'both' and cover all bases," he offered as he put out his arm for her to perhaps take.

"Now... breakfast. And if you like it, we'll figure out some time when we can have dinner. As you've said you'd like to."

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

Penelope glanced at his arm, up at his face, and accepted the polite gesture.

"I am hungry, but not a very big eater; anything you've prepared will be just fine," she told him, her demeanor pleasant. "I'm usually always free." An understatement there, certainly.

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

She was warm and pleasant and so, while it was a bit overdone, the gesture was soothing. Their arms touching and all...

"I've done a fry up, all manner of things. Just pick what you like and I'll take the brownies out of hiding."

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

Penelope wouldn't touch the bacon; it just seemed wrong. She chose eggs and toast and that was it. "This looks wonderful, Liir. It's nice meeting someone here who enjoys cooking."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"There's quite a few of us," he told her. "A whole club. Ned arranged it. We meet on Thursdays."

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

"That's wonderful," she replied, smiling though somewhat embarrassed to be eating in front of him. Her nose wiggled a tiny measure when she chewed.

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

...she'd probably be surprised to know he thought that was rather endearing as well.

"I found it fun. It was nice to talk to someone who appreciate spices and ingredients and such as much as I do."

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

Yes, she would be very surprised.

"I would know nothing about that," she admitted, nibbling on the corner end of a piece of toast. "My mother doesn't cook so I never learned."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"Nor did mine," he told her as he started in at it again. "Which is why I learned. Someone had to and Nanny wasn't up to standing for long at that point."

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

"You grew up with servants, Liir? Or just a nanny who tended you? I'm assuming she became too old, yes?

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

He almost swallowed. And then he laughed around it. It came out sending sort of choked, though more comically than painfully.

"I was the servant. Nanny was there for the Witch, not me. I was rather... incidental, really. I took care of the niceties for Elphaba once we left the mauntery, then took on a few more chores when the Arjiki were taken from Kiamo Ko."

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

She blinked, not understanding his laughter, until he explained.

The blush was very hot and very instant and she ducked her head, looking down. "I apologize for assuming." Mauntery? "You... lived at a nunnery?"

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"I was born there," he explained. "And my first few years were lived there."

Most of it was hazy, information and memory in bits and pieces. Sister Cook and Sister Doctor and some of the others, lessons in patching himself up, watching cooking and weaving and making rope and all manner of other things.

"Then, when I was around six or seven or so, Elphaba was sent off to Kiamo Ko and I with her, much like an extra piece of baggage.

"Nanny came later."

And he'd never forget that day. Well, what little memory he had of it.

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

...much like an extra piece of baggage.

She was afraid to ask him about his childhood because it seemed as though it might have been sad. She didn't want to see Liir sad in recounting memories.

"Why did you come here?"

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

He shrugged.

"It just sort of happened," he admitted blithely, flipping a piece of ham, "I was on my way to enlist with the Home Guard as it seemed the best way to keep body and soul together and I ended up here, enrolled instead."

He turned to her and smiled.

"Miles better than starving on the streets of the Emerald City, anyway. And hired within my first couple of weeks."

He focused on the pan.

"People here are more kind anyway. Oz, as I said, isn't a very wonderful place."

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

"I'm glad you are here, if for nothing more than to avoid what you've spoken of," she replied, her toast half eaten.

"There are many kind people here, Liir. Some don't even care about my nose."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

He nodded.

"Considering some of what I found out about the Home Guard, you're not the only one who's glad."

He shook that right off.

Then he breathed out and looked at Penelope.

"So... dinner?"

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

She was afraid to ask, but she was curious.

"Dinner, yes.." she smiled at him, her eyes bright. "I should leave it up to you to decide."

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

He scratched behind one ear.

"I've work at the restaurant on Wednesday, and work at the bookstore on Friday, but the rest of the week is entirely empty."

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

"I work at Caritas Wednesday evening's but am free otherwise," she said, shifting nervously from one foot to the next. They were planning a dinner date and this just made her feel... well, free. A simple dinner date. Her mother would kill her.

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"How does Thursday sound?" he asked her.

He was planning a dinner date. What in Oz was he thinking? Could this ever turn out well?

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

"Thursday sounds fine," she said, and since her thoughts were wandering, Penelope wondered if she should wear a scarf that evening. It would be difficult to eat, but what if he didn't want to have to watch her eat? She knew her nose wiggled a little.

"Shall I meet you any specific place?"

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"Here should be fine, unless you'd like me to bring it to your room. Or we could have it in mine, since I don't have a roommate. It's up to you."