EMPATHEIAS: Mailbox

[newrecipe]

Feel free to contact via letter, messenger bird or telepathy.

Comments

02/07 - i was gonna actually draw the card but then I got lazy i'm sorry

[thatgoodnight]

When Ignis gets up and goes into the kitchen, he is going to find an enveloped on the counter by where he makes his coffee. The envelope is labeled with a doodle of a fluffy black chocobo chick with a pair of glasses in its mouth. If Ignis opens it, he will find a birthday card with a picture of a very lovely cake on the front. Inside it says in the neat script of someone who was made to do handwriting drills because it didn't behoove royalty to have sloppy handwriting:

Dear Specky,

Apparently it's the 7th day of the 2nd month on the calendar here. Even if back home we're all at different points, here we're together. Therefore...
Happy Birthday!
Thanks for always being there for me through everything. Don't forget it's ok for you to lean on other people too.
Try to have some fun today for once!
Love,
Noct

P.S. I'm serious. Take a break from worrying and do something nice for yourself.

The note is accompanied by a doodle of a happy looking carbuncle and another chocobo chick - this one wearing the glasses and a party hat.

[ Backdated to February 14th ]

[magicpanchira]

[ A little messenger bird may have slipped a little somethin'-somethin' into Ignis' mail box. It's Valentine's Day, after all; if he should go check, there is in fact a really dumb valentine, a neatly wrapped box of cookies, and another wrapped box that contains a very belated birthday gift. ]

Happy Valentine's Day and a very, very happy belated birthday! I hope you had a great one, and that today is a fabulous day for you, too!

-Trucy

[newrecipe]

[Ignis, of course, smiles when he goes through the offerings that had been left for him in the mail, touched by Trucy's thoughtfulness. Later that day, she'll receive a messenger bird of her own, carrying a painstakingly neat handwritten note that reads:]

Miss Wright,

My most sincere thanks for your thoughtful gift. I hope the holiday has found you well; you must let me thank you properly by using the aforementioned gift to prepare dinner for you in the near future. Now that our lot has settled on a place to live, please feel free to visit anytime. Our door is open to you.

Yours,
Ignis Scientia

02/23 SPECIAL DELIVERY

[shivmeabreak]

[Once Rose has had enough time after a certain discussion, she rolls on by with a pair of eighty-pound barrels, one of which is addressed to "Iggy~♥" It is, of course, the one that smells of coffee and sports a very tacky, glittery party hat. Happy Belated Birthday, Mr. Stick-In-The-Mud!]

[newrecipe]

[There is only one possible response to this, and that is the heaviest of sighs.

You have not yet won this day, Rose.]

2/25 - telepathy

[thatgoodnight]

Can you teach me how to cook fish for cats?

omg

[newrecipe]

Of course. Make a new friend, did you?

05/14

[quickpic]

In the kitchen and on the counter next to where Ignis prepares his coffee each morning (a popular place to leave gifts for their bespectacled friend, as it would seem), Ignis will find a small vase filled with a beautifully arranged bouquet of blooming flowers and a few bags of specialty coffee grinds, each tied with a pretty pink bow. A small card (with Happy Mother's Day elegantly written across the top - he's not even being subtle here) with a brief note on it rests against the vase, handwritten but far too neat to be any of their writing, except for maybe his own:

Dear Specs,

You cook the most awesomesauce meals, keep the house from falling apart, sew my clothes back together when I mess them up and just kinda kick serious ass in general. You've done a lot for me and I just want you to know that I really appreciate it!

So this day's for you! Treat yo' self.

With love,

Prompto.

He may have had the woman that sold the card write it up for him but those sentiments are most definitely his own. This is undeniably meant to be cheeky and cute, but having come from a home where his mother never paid him much attention it comes from a very genuine place.

5/31 | voice

[umbredna]

Where's Noct?

[newrecipe]

I wish I knew.

[He sighs.]

When he wants to be found, he'll make himself known.

voice;

[geophile]

[ ring ring, it's your friend and future booty call. ]

A little bird [ skarmory. ] told me that you've inherited From The Hearth. Is that right?

voice;

[newrecipe]

[Ah-- if it isn't his favorite nerd. Always a pleasure.]

Is that so?

[He's going to rightly assume that it was actually a giant steel bird.]

I'm afraid so. Someone has to ensure Alvin's hard work doesn't go to waste. I suppose we'll soon find out if management suits me.

9/15 late -- Voice/Telepathy

[nofarplaneyet]

Hey. Just a quick. Thing. Won't be in for work for a few days. Lots of things. Happened.

[If Auron sounds rather incoherent, he has a really good reason for that. It is a testament to how much working at From the Hearth means to him that he makes sure that he's not being irresponsible about those duties. Even when he's not really in his right mind.]

[newrecipe]

Auron?

[As much as he appreciates the notice, it's not Auron missing work that he's concerned about. Instead, it's the odd timbre in his voice, the fact that he sounds almost entirely foreign.]

Of course, take the time you need, but I have to ask: are you alright? Do you need anything?

9/20, action - guess who!!!!!!!!

[geophile]

[ it's been a quiet birthday for steven, which is just how he'd prefer it. as much as he prides himself on appearances, he doesn't particularly like having so much attention on himself outside of champion duties. it's why he hasn't told anyone about today's significance besides ignis, and only because he was insistent about it. he trusts ignis enough not to do anything particularly grandiose, but has to wonder what he has planned when he says that he wants to "show him" something in the kitchen. ]

I did say that you didn't have to get me anything...

[ he's let plenty of birthdays come and go in hoenn without celebration. he doesn't mind something small from a person he cares about, but he's still a bit unsure. ]

[newrecipe]

[Ignis laughs as he proceeds to lead Steven by the hand from his worktable into his own kitchen. Much like with Noctis and Lunafreya's birthdays, he'd taken care to respect Steven's wishes and not done anything particularly sweeping or grand-- but he wasn't going to do nothing.]

You did, but I don't recall agreeing to those terms-- and you never said anything about not making something.

[They emerge from the hallway and into the kitchen, where an ornate and seemingly expertly-made cake is sitting in wait. The small table is already set with two plates and two cups for tea, with water having been put on to boil, Ignis having made himself familiar with the workings of Steven's kitchen ages ago.]

Happy birthday.

10/15

[farseen]

[He owed a certain someone an explaination.

It was the only reason he was out toward the Eos house that afternoon, with that heavy, langorous air that had been about him since he had returned from Kouka. A great many things had happened in the weeks he had been there.... and, though there were moments when he couldn't quite shake the anxiety enough to sleep well at night, he knew that this country was for the most part at peace.

Shin-Ah's hands were laden with a basket of apples he had bought from the market as a means of thanks for that certain someone, although mere apples weren't enough for the help that had been offered while he had been in such a singularly helpless state. Once he reached the front door, however, he froze.

...It was strange, coming here without Gladio to answer the door. It was strange, coming here after so long in his perspective.

From his shoulder, Ao chittered and pukkyuu'd at him. Wasn't he going to do anything?

No, perhaps it was easier to just... wait a few minutes and see if he could find the words to explain before he tried to approach that person first.]

[newrecipe]

[Without a knock or a ring of the doorbell, there's no way for anyone inside to know that there's company waiting on the doorstep-- except, of course, for Kain, and most likely Umbra and Pryna. It's Kain himself that comes to the door first, claws scrabbling against the floor just inside of it as he sticks his head through the pet door on the lower half-- big enough for Lady Lunafreya's dogs to fit through, but too small for any part of Kain to pass through other than his head.

The wyvern makes a curious sound as he looks up to see who's standing there, followed by a brief trill of approval. Did you bring him fish this time, Shin-Ah?]

10/11; voice

[geophile]

[ it's been a week since ignis' return to verens, but realistic improvement on the situation at hand has been minimal. ignis has plenty of work to do to relearn the world around him, and what steven can do to help him with it is minimal at best.

he can at least relate to him on one front - a physical change of losing sight of daylight meant that sleep cycles get thrown out of whack. he's experienced it before in caves, and the frustration and exhaustion of lost sleep can take a toll on someone.

it's why he's taken to having quiet, telepathic conversations with ignis each night, to help him relax. it's good for both of them to talk and have something to reassure one another, even if steven doesn't want to hover or over-impose by insisting to be with him physically. he knows his partner needs space, and that trumps his own wants. ]

How are you feeling?

[newrecipe]

[Steven's patience has been much appreciated, as has his persistence. Ignis had taken no pleasure in expressing a need for space; it a request that he had extended to the rest of his household, as well. Though he was truly grateful for all their attempts to help, and wasn't about to turn any of them away, there was no denying that he was feeling overwhelmed, and the loss of his sight had thrown everything else out of balance, leaving him easily over-stimulated and regrettably irritable. He knew it would pass as he adjusted, but that adjustment itself would take a bit of time.

He smiles wearily to himself when Steven's voice sounds through his crystal, and there's a distinct pulse of warmth in response. Steven has been almost religious in checking in, and Ignis has found himself looking forward to these evening conversations, though they still had opportunities to speak in person during the day. He knew this particular ritual was for both of their benefits.]

Better, thank you. The pain has lessened, but evening tea is somewhat lacking when taken alone, I'm finding. How was the rest of your day?

Voice - 10/15

[dreamsoftomorrow]

[It’s something he had been thinking about doing for several weeks now, but he hadn’t been sure how to approach them. They didn’t know him, so he wasn’t sure about going to their home. He also had no idea where it was and if he asked his family, he would have to explain. Something Hope just didn’t want to do yet as this was something he wanted to do on his own, especially after the wonderful birthday he’d just had. These people had helped take care of his family when he wasn’t here, not that Hope was the main caretaker but... well, it was nice to know that someone looked after them and essentially added to the family. There were plenty of others, he knew, but the photo he was shown spoke volumes. Especially when it came to Lightning.

So it was after a few more moments of contemplation that he reached out to Ignis, choosing him to be the one to speak to for now. He was hesitant, more from his own shyness than any real intimidation, but he pushed on.]

Hello? Is this... Ignis?

[He has also never reached out to someone he hadn’t met yet, so he is hoping he did this right.]

[newrecipe]

[Ignis is working in his study when the message comes through, giving him only momentary pause before he responds.]

Yes, this is he. To whom do I owe the pleasure?

Mystery Gift - November.

[empc]

[ When Ignis wakes, he will find that his crystal is glowing! His emotion drops for the month of Octha have resonated with Empatheias' giant crystal, and a reaction has been formed.

By his feet, he will be able to feel something soft. It's a sweater that fits him perfectly! It is so comfortable against his skin and it gives him feelings of contentment and happiness whenever he wears it.

(Thank you for submitting to the Emotion Tracker!) ]

12/11; let me know if this is workable!

[lostapprentice]

[Kylo Ren carries around him a sort of mild muting effect when he comes to From the Hearth, although his mood doesn't appear overly sour or even impolite to the host or hostess that welcomes him. That doesn't mean he's not his usual self when it comes to getting to the point—he simply requests a menu to take with him to the bar, at the end of which he decides to sit. After only a cursory glance, his gaze starts to wander around the room as if he's searching for someone, but lets out a dissatisfied hum when his search proves unsuccessful.

If Ignis is out in the restaurant, he might notice a bit of nervous muttering from the Verens locals about leaving quickly or even picking a new place to eat if he's going to be coming here. Ren's reputation may have become a bit milder in the last couple of months due to a lack of any major incidents, but that doesn't mean his tendency towards violence and destruction has been completely forgotten by those affected.

Ren himself is a relatively silent customer, even without the emotional effect around him; more than the fact that he came by himself, he hasn't struck up any conversation with anyone despite sitting at the bar, and all he's ordered so far is coffee. In all honesty, he's gotten a bit distracted by his thoughts, and the cup has been sitting in front of him largely untouched aside from a single sip for several minutes at this point.

He's just kind of sitting there, taking up space. Maybe if he weren't driving other customers away, that would be fine, but...]

EXCELLENT it is time.

[newrecipe]

[Maintaining the same level of presence he'd had on the restaurant floor as manager prior to his trip home has taken a certain degree of effort; it's required Ignis to re-learn the layout of the Hearth so that he feels comfortable navigating it without assistance beyond that of his cane, as well as the application of raised labels to most items behind the bar and in the kitchen so that he's not constantly relying on his staff, but able to assist them instead. Those efforts, thankfully, have proven fruitful, and he's come to feel at home in the restaurant once more, grateful for everything the other staff members have done to help him adjust.

At present, he happens to be minding the bar while Auron is on break, and though he can't see, he's keenly aware of the fact that the restaurant has emptied out over the past several minutes, thanks to all of the whispers he's managed to pick up as people filter through the doorway. Between his natural mom-caliber hearing and the fact that his ears have been working to compensate for the loss of his sight, there's not much that slips past him, including the fact that the gentleman at the end of the bar hasn't lifted his cup in quite some time.

Clearing his throat softly, Ignis runs a hand along the edge of the bar as he moves towards the end where Ren has seated himself, offering a polite and even smile as he approaches.]

Is the coffee not quite to your liking? I could have more brought out, if you prefer.

[He must be due for a warm-up, anyway, though good service isn't the only reason that Ignis has opted to approach him rather than let Yin or Serah tend to his needs. Naturally, he's curious.]

12/25

[nofarplaneyet]

[Auron hopes someone reads this note to Ignis. He'd like to deliver this in person but he has too much to do with party preparations.

So in a box with his name on it is the Verens equivalent of a thermos.]

--If you're going to work long and hard enough at the Hearth without stopping for food, at the very least you can pack coffee in this thing. Merry Christmas.

Auron --

12/25

[umbredna]

[Two gifts from Edna, along with a message left for him to poke her if he wants an explanation.

The first is a set of around twenty collars with bells on them. She explains they're for keeping track of his heard of cats and there's even a fish themed one for Noctis.

The second is a collection of assorted teas and a kettle with some matching cups. The kettle, when she shows him the mental image, is decorated with a fancy flame design.]

[trademark_skull]

[Ignis gets a visitor in the form of a baby Malenzio at his window, instead of the usual messenger bird. Though he was more interested in getting all the attention he can there was actually a letter in his backpack. Emizel wasn't so sure if Ignis would be able to read it so he poured a lot of emotion into it as well, just to make sure the message got across.]

If this managed to get to you then it would seem wyvern messages are a success. I look forward to seeing what else can be done with it.

In the mean time, this is also for you.

- Emizel

[In the letter was a bright shell that shined multiple colors depending how the light hit it. Emizel had many of these collected during Helisium and he liked the way they looked. Plus he had other reasons for handing them out to as many people as possible. Think of it as a good luck charm!]

12/25

[lightthedarkness]

[Since Ignis is now blind, Usagi knocks on his door and actually hangs the bag of cookies in mid-air at chest height using dunamis. On the tag the letters are raised so that he can feel them since she doesn't know brail.]

To Ignis

Something sweet for the holidays.

From Usagi

'Christmas' present. In time for... other-calendar Christmas.

[regisrex]

It is not much, but then again, there is nothing that can be given that can express Regis's appreciation and gratitude of Ignis Scientia.

So he picks something small, but something for Ignis specifically. It's a music box - common enough this far - but one specifically crafted to Regis's memory of a melody that Ignis was very fond of when he was about nine years old.

He's not sure if Ignis himself recalls it, after all this time and so much growing and so many new things, new sensations, to sort through. But chances are that he'll still like it.

At least Regis hopes so.

action;

[continuer]

[ After speaking with both Pyrrha and Lightning, and a series of failed job ventures that resulted in Jaune either getting fired or businesses going under, he's finally being urged to speak with Ignis about possibly getting work.

Remembering how easy it is to fake self-confidence, Jaune enters the Hearth on a quiet day, standing tall and approaching the man with some bravado. His eyes are firmly locked on him, even if eye contact means nothing to a blind man. ]

Mister Ignis! I have a--

[ In that exact moment, he accidentally knocks into a stool and it topples over, prompting Jaune to quickly pick it up. His body language is suddenly a lot more pathetic than his strut from earlier, but he tries to persevere anyway. ]

--I'd like, um, t-that is, uh... h-hi...

[ SHIT, he forgot his practiced opening line. That damn stool threw him off his game! ]

opens my arms to Jaune

[newrecipe]

[Ignis recognizes his voice immediately, and smiles gamely as he turns his head in Jaune's direction from where he stands at the bar, having just finished handing a new schedule off to Auron for review. Lightning and Pyrrha had both told him to expect Jaune, and he'd been wondering when the man himself would make an appearance-- though he stiffens as he hears the young man collide with something.

It takes effort not to laugh out loud. He manages to keep his composure, covering his mouth with one hand to hide the smirk that tugs at either corner of his mouth before he clears his throat and lets his hand drop away.]

Jaune. I was wondering when you would come to see me. Please, there's no need to be nervous.

[Kid, you're basically locked in.]

2/7 -- Voice

[nofarplaneyet]

Hey. Of course you'd never tell people, but I heard it's your birthday today.

[Blame Lightning.]

There's a present in your office. Have fun and share with Steven if you feel like it.

[You know what's in your office, Specs? Nice bourbon and a dozen cupcakes because he promised he'd make them for Ignis and Hei to sample and consider adding to the menu.]

[newrecipe]

[Ignis responds to him a few minutes later, after discovering the gifts that had been left behind. He does so in good humor, his smile audible.]

My thanks, Auron. I promise, they will be thoroughly enjoyed.

02/07!

[sparkstrikes]

[After she's left for the night, Lightning very gently opens up a line of communication with Ignis late in the evening, well after the restaurant has closed and she's safe at home. Her voice through the connection is quiet, maybe a little tired, but there's a hint of a smile in there somewhere.]

Hey. I left something for you in your office... on your desk. Happy birthday.

[And before he can give her any response, Lightning quickly shuts it off.

Inside the box will be a pair of fancy sunglasses for him, the sides lined with silver carvings. It had been the pair that she had seen and immediately thought of him, so naturally, it was the only choice to go with. She may not be privy to current fashion trends, but she at least knows he'll look good in them.]

02/07

[yielded]

[ It only takes a few days of clandestine little snatches of training before Kain, who isn't away from Ignis very often, understands the task at hand. (Even now, Pyrrha has her doubts that it'll be carried out correctly, but she's not in a position to observe the proceedings. Hopefully no one will die.)

So, on Ignis's birthday, Kain will, at some point, trot up to him with a present in mouth. It'll be a book of famous battle strategies, originating largely in a foreign country called Ylisse, with an austere leather binding and, of course, notations done in braille instead of printed letter.

Unwrapped, but only because she didn't trust Kain to not eat the wrapping paper. No identifying card or message will go with it.

Happy birthday, Ignis. ]

2/07; action

[geophile]

[ ignis' birthday celebration was quiet as far as parties go, but not without its fair share of excitement. the arrival of old friends had made the day even more joyous, with steven quietly thrilled at seeing his partner so happy.

but, as all celebrations do, things have died down towards the late evening. iris and gladio are busy getting their rooms prepared, while everyone else in the house is getting ready to retire for the night. steven is on the lookout for ignis to suggest the same, managing to catch him sitting at the kitchen table.

he approaches him from behind his seat, leaning down to gently drape his arms over his shoulders. with no one else around, he's perfectly content with giving an affectionate nuzzle to his cheek. ]

It's been quite a day. [ he sighs, but it's more relaxed than anything else. ] Your final verdict?

[newrecipe]

[Steven's footfalls had been enough to keep Ignis from being startled by his presence, and he easily leans back into the embrace, setting down the cup of tea he'd been close to finishing in the process. It's been a much tamer evening than the party that had been thrown for him last year, and for that he's grateful-- he doesn't need anything extravagant, and being able to share the day with his friends and welcome two members of his family back to Verens was more than celebration enough.

Bed isn't far off, but he knows the evening isn't quite at its end just yet, even as he leans into that soft show of affection and turns his head just enough to steal a kiss, knowing that if Steven is being this affectionate, they must have privacy-- though Ignis himself can occasionally be convinced to sneak a chaste display in public these days.]

Everything I could have possibly wanted. Thank you.

[He knows it had been a group effort, but Steven had certainly started the day out right by turning off Ignis' alarm and insisting he sleep in and take the day off from the restaurant.]

I could have wished for no gift greater than spending the evening with everyone else-- it's been too long since we were all together.

Voice 2/17 evening

[nofarplaneyet]

Uh...Ignis?

[He usually doesn't bother his friend like this in the evening, in case he's doing restaurant related work or with Steven or any number of things. But this time he feels like he needs to say something.]

Thank you. For the advice. It was just what I needed.

[newrecipe]

Oh?

[There's a note of curiosity in Ignis' voice, though he mostly sounds pleased.]

Well. I'm glad I was able to be of help. You sorted out what you wanted, then?