Liliana's Office, Thursday

[deathsmajesty]

Was it a bit ridiculous to have your steward hie all the way over from one side of the island to the school just to bring you your cat to play with during your office hours?

Yes, yes it was.

Liliana didn't care, she wanted kitty cuddles for awhile. And also to watch him run about, chasing the laser pointer. Her steward was standing by, ready to bring Josu home if either cat or mistress decided that that was enough kitty enrichment for the day, but until then, Liliana was content to sit in a chair in front of the window and cuddle her precious, sweet boy in her arms for a little bit.

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[chef_chocobro]

Well, if the cat and steward were going with Liliana that day, then Ignis was just going to have to make sure to whip up a little something extra to bring with their lunch that day.

There was the soft knock, and the brief second of slipping off his glasses before opening the door, and though his hand just instinctually then moved toward the lock, it paused in deference to the fact that it was presumably still a slightly more crowded office than usual by the the time he arrived.

"Liliana?" The honing question likely more unnecessary now than usual, as he could likely also follow a distinctive purr toward where she might be settled or working. "I've brought lunch."

[deathsmajesty]

Ah, but Liliana had no problem instructing her steward to go, say, spend some picking up groceries at T&C while she and Ignis...lunched. Or possibly even taking Josu home with him early if said lunching were preferred to occur catless.

It was one of the reasons she'd bid him to stay, rather than just having him dropping Josu off after her class and coming to pick him up right before Ignis'.

"Hello, my darling," she called. "I'm afraid I can't get up to greet you as normal. I've been called a monster many times with differing levels of veracity, but there are some lines even I won't cross."

[chef_chocobro]

Mmm, and so choosing one's battles would indeed proceed his class; an excellent warm-up for the lesson, it would seem, though Ignis was about to present a choice not to Liliana, but instead to her cat.

"Mmm," there was a soft, thoughtful hum, and while Ignis was quite certain that was a line he would happily cross without another thought, that was yet another example of where their views may be a bit disparate. "Yes. Well. Perhaps the solution is an attempt to free you from this particularly fuzzy captor."

He had set the bag he'd brought on Liliana's desk and extracted the smaller of the containers therein, meticulously removing the lid and setting it strategically where the scent of the meal might start to waft and catch the cat's attention. He helped it along by making a few kissing noises and finger snaps toward the dish, before sending a crooked (albeit incredibly soft and tender) smile untoward Liliana.

"Though I could hardly fault him," he said, "if not even the enticing call of food would be enough to motivate him to move from the comfort of your lap. That is a conundum I can understand far too well."

[deathsmajesty]

Josu was sadly not so steadfast as Liliana not Ignis and with a strrrreeeetch in her lap, where he somehow managed to put all his weight on each foot just when it would be most uncomfortable, hopped up and sauntered over to accept his rightful due. He meowed at Ignis once, perhaps a lofty acknowledgement of having performed his most important duty adequately.

Cats really were the gods' perfect creatures.

"And lo," she teased, "I'm free. Although...now it means that I do have this empty lap..should someone else wish to come and occupy the space instead."

[chef_chocobro]

If anyone had pointed out the small nod of acknowledgement that Ignis had given Josu in response to that meow, he would staunchly deny it and suggest, with the utmost of dripping irony, that perhaps they get their eyes checked.

"Well, it would hardly be wise to leave such well-earned territory unseized."

But he didn't seize it, not right away, not quite yet, as he moved around the desk with his fingers trailing along the edges, a careful guide that he didn't need, until he was there beside Liliana. His fingers left the edge of the desk, making its own soft, cat-like leap to her cheek, and he bent over to kiss her, a kiss he wanted to crawl into so deeply it was a miracle that he didn't actually just fall right into her lap after all.

[deathsmajesty]

Don't worry, darling, her steward would never tell. Your secret was safe with him.

Liliana sighed softly, sweetly into that kiss, closing her eyes as she gave herself up to it entirely, face tilted up to his, lips gentle and yearning. Her hands didn't cup his face in return, instead gliding up his arms and then down his chest, not yet clutching the front of his shirt in wordless demand, but simply delighting in the shape and feel of him under well-tailored cloth.

"Ignis..." she whispered when he finally pulled away, his name hanging in the air between them, flavored with longing.

[chef_chocobro]

"Liliana..." Ignis whispered back, his own low rumble holding in it a certain questioning lilt to it, a gentle request for guidance, with the suggestion that, in that moment, she could request the world and he wouldn't stop until he'd gotten it for her, alongside tart, sweet treats, all on a golden platter. He didn't pull too far away at all, and he was still contemplating that recently vacated lap, the only thing keeping him standing still was just the fact that he would feel just a touch silly and awkward about the position in this current iteration.

[deathsmajesty]

Behind them, the steward picked up Josu and efficiently put him into his cat carrier, which got a low yowl until the plate of tuna was tucked in there, too. And then he slipped out, closing the door quietly, if gently, behind him.

"Just you, you ridiculous man," she said, in answer to the question in his voice and that he had to ask at all. "Just you."

Welllll...her steward's departure did add one or two small possibilities to that list. "Go lock the door?" she suggested.

And then moved over to the chaise since someone was being precious about climbing into her lap.