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[fessus]

@noctis.sky | ■ ▲ ◌ ▼

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[fessus]

Nah.

[ Eloquence, first and foremost, above all else. It's more important to get his meaning across as quickly as possible so that he's not locked into indentured servitude. ]

I can pick up after myself or maybe help cook a few things, like I did with you... [ Was that really helping or just keeping him busy, though. ]

[saviorexe]

[At least he's honest about it. But the unwillingness to be locked into servitude or otherwise, there's still a ghost of an offer there. Picking up after himself, willing to aid with the cooking...

It counts, as far as Markus is concerned.]

I always need a second pair of hands in the kitchen.

[It's a statement that'll make a nice enough epitaph on Markus' android gravestone one day. Famous last words and all that.]

[fessus]

[ We won't mention that he can fail a mini mission that involves stirring a dish. ]

Just you? [ It's a little funny, for some reason, as he follows that line of logic to its natural end. ]

So... hm, I guess Connor's not too good at it, huh?

[saviorexe]

[Straining his not-processing to phrase this nicely.]

He’s… learning.

[A beat.]

He has less experience with cooking than I do. But he’s eager to help, so I can’t discount that.

[fessus]

[ ... weak spot: detected. ]

Markus... Remember what we talked about? Being one way around the people you have to lead or inspire, but taking it easy around people like me?

Pretty sure you can think of this as a first test. All you need to say is "Connor is a shitty cook", just like that. Not like I'm gonna' tell him.

[saviorexe]

[It’s Markus’ job to support the other android, not to fling criticisms around behind his back. Uttering “Connor is a shitty cook” seems to just go against what he’s hardwired willingly into himself, for good or ill.

Also, he’s just too nice for this, so he doesn’t look completely sold on the idea. He meets Noctis halfway.]

Connor is a less-than-mediocre cook on an average day. Sometimes I have to step in and salvage what’s gone wrong before it turns into a fire hazard.

[fessus]

Ahh... "less-than-mediocre", that sounds worse... But that one sounded pretty real, so I guess that's just how you talk. I'll take it.

I picked up a few tricks from Ignis, the guy I told you about before, but he'd probably say the same thing about me. His cooking's just too good, though, so he's got high standards. [ as if Noctis himself doesn't ]

You guys would get along.

[saviorexe]

[He was trying to be nice about it, even if it was a frank statement all the same. But it seems to satisfy Noctis well enough, and his shoulders ease a bit.]

Oh, you mean my competition. [—he says, jokingly, with the sort of ease the belies he doens’t think that at all.] Tell me about him. Why do you think we’d get along so well?

[fessus]

No, I mean the guy that's just a better cook than you are so you're not in that league yet at all. That's not competition. [ SAVAGE ]

Let's see... You both can get pretty serious, and you're both smart. He's always thinking about the best plan for how to do something... and he likes to lecture me. Gives me advice.

I dunno, you're similar.

[saviorexe]

[NEEDLESSLY SAVAGE. He's lucky that Markus is generally good natured and won't take too much offense to that. (But it might be taken as something of a challenge in the future, a little seed that Noctis has now indelibly planted. Way to go.)]

If he cooks you vegetables, do you eat them?

[This is the first question that's being asked, because it's important.]

[fessus]

[ (good) ]

... why's that your question... This is bigger than that.

But yeah, I guess I eat a couple when he does it right. But if I can taste them I don't. [ ... ] Or if it's enough to trigger my allergy. [ why ]

[saviorexe]

[ ...

Two words, uttered in the most skeptical way possible. Look at how Markus has mastered the art of arching a single brow.]

Your allergy.

[fessus]

Did I say it weird or something?

[ Don't arch your brow at me. ]

[saviorexe]

[You said it like was a LIE.]

Do you expect me to believe that's true?

[fessus]

Yes.

[saviorexe]

I see. Then it's funny how you didn't mention this allergy at all when I was preparing that burger for you, when you first arrived. A fairly important detail that you skipped over.

[fessus]

I didn't eat the vegetables, did I?

[saviorexe]

Because you don’t like them, not because you have a conveniently made-up allergy.

[fessus]

[ SIGHS... ]

We would've both ended up less disappointed in the future if you'd just gone with it...

[saviorexe]

[He’s not so sure about that.]

So I can humor your unhealthy eating habits? I don’t think so.

[fessus]

It's my choice to eat what I want to, right? Besides, my body's really healthy.

[ LOOK AT ME, IN THIS HOSPITAL BED ]

[saviorexe]

It is your choice.

[Don't throw around terms like choice with Markus, he knows what you're doing.]

But it's also the responsibility of those who care about you to suggest healthier eating habits.

[fessus]

[ Okay I'm glad Markus does because Noctis doesn't. ]

Suggest away. I just ate fish; fish is healthy.

[saviorexe]

[Just a glance at the mostly uneaten fish.]

Did you?

1/2

[fessus]