thisavrou_log | burger flippiiiiin

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burger flippiiiiin

Who: Nyx & Anybody
When: Morning and Evening, end of May
Where: Pax Hamburgana
What: Working hard, or hardly working? Stop by for service with a smile! :D
Warnings: G. I will switch to brackets if you prefer that!

e a r l y.

The diner didn't serve breakfast, though understandably there still had to be someone there relatively early. Prep work needed to be done: goodies baked, beans boiled, dough kneaded, pickles sliced, and so on. Nyx wasn't really a morning person but he didn't mind taking the early shifts. One benefit was that he could play music as loud as he wanted to and sing along while he worked without worrying about anyone interrupting his (non-existent) musical talents.

This morning in particular a song with a heavy beat and danceable melody came on, which had Nyx not only singing along but dancing back and forth around the kitchen as he put together the ingredients for the Strawberry Rhubarb Pie. Personally he hated the taste of the pie, but it sure did smell wonderful baking. He was in a good mood, and entirely unaware that he hadn't locked up the diner after himself, nor did he hear any sounds of anyone coming in.

l a t e.

Nights like this reminded him of the bar he and Libertus ran back home. It was dark outside, there were only a few stragglers left eating or drinking, and the mood was super mellow. He was tired; it had been a long day. It had been a profitable day though and Nyx was pretty sure that Kaz Grumpyface Miller might even be pleased with the ledger. No new customers had come in during the past half hour and he began his nightly cleaning ritual.

Nyx might have not had the most spotless apartment but when it came to his job, he was meticulous. He loved the idea of every piece of cooking equipment from the stove to the spatula being shiny and glittering clean. There was something therapeutic about it. Or, maybe, he told himself that because going home alone to an empty apartment really sucked after awhile. Whatever the reason, Nyx was not afraid to use all the elbow grease he had to make sure the stove had not even a micro-atom of grease anywhere on it.

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Ardyn’s brow rose and for a moment he waited a breath expecting for Nyx to laugh it off as a joke. However, the youth seemed serious enough and Ardyn found himself with an idea of complying. It was a strange and welcoming sensation to be hungry, to be sated by delicious tastes that calmed the irritable ache within him. Though he had consumed many enriching items he did not have the appetite for them for as long as he could remember. Now it was different. Now he could very much recognize his body’s needs.

Not just for hunger but for sleep, exercise, release, and desire.

Years upon years he fed each of his sensational needs with promises of revenge, he satiated the squall within his soul by delving deeper and deeper into that black abyss that became his only source of desire, of bliss, of ecstasy. He would be a fool to not consider how much he’d come to depend on his solitude in that darkness and how large the void was now that it was gone.

What to fill it with, he’d yet come to know, or perhaps who to fill it with was still unknown.

“Alright. I will lend you my novice hand.”

"Alright then!" Nyx was very content with that answer, and it showed with his lop-sided grin. "First thing's first. Stay right there, I'll be right back." With a flourish, the young man spun on the stool and hopped off, jogging into the back and out of sight. Moments later he came back with a short length of string which he waggled in order to show it off to Ardyn.

"That hair, man. That hair. Hold still. How would I ever explain purple hair in the food to my boss?" Nyx set the string on the counter and moved behind Ardyn. His fingers ran through the ridiculously fluffy, thick, purple hair several times in an attempt to comb and contain it somewhat. It kept slipping like silk right back into place and Nyx realized a simple ponytail wasn't going to work.

Good thing he knew how to braid. Nyx presumptuously reached around and tilted Ardyn's chin up, then he set about braiding the man's locks. The plait was neat and tidy and extended to the back crown of Ardyn's head. After that he used the remaining lengths to make a plaited tail, and the string was fetched for securing it in place. "All done."

It’s been a long time since someone’s touched him gently like this. More than a passing body who put cautionary hands up as if to warn him they’re moving past him in a crowded room. More than a gentle pat on the shoulder to obtain his attention. More than shoulders, hands, or backs brushing past him in the street. Nyx touched him for more than a brief moment to file his hair back into a suitable state for this coming task.

He was tense with his surprise, his shock, his unfamiliarity for the contact with another. Soon he melted into the touch and his eyes closed with a soft grin up toward the ceiling while he focused on the gentle way in which Nyx gathered his hair and tucked it away into a braid. Once Nyx finished Ardyn straightened and turned to face the other man with a soft, “thank you.. I would have been devastated to know such of me ruined someone’s appetite.” He then moved his hands to his jacket and began to unfasten the buttons. He soon had the clothing folded and set aside on the bench that held his hat and now was loosening his tie and collar. Afterward he unfastened the buttons to the shirt’s sleeve at his wrists and began to fold the material up to his elbows. He then turned over his hands and looked at them.

“I think it has been far too long since I’ve last prepared food for someone else..”

"Figures. You're royal blood. You've probably had someone wipe your arse since the day you were born, right?" He teased, laughing afterward as he walked backwards towards the entry to the kitchen. Nyx winked at him before moving on through.

He still had his own apron on but there were others stowed away in a closet, which Nyx availed himself of and pulled out a fresh and clean one for his guest chef. As soon as Ardyn followed him through, he would get it tossed right at him. "Put that on. We're making the dough for the hamburger buns next. We go through dozens a day, they're all freshly made. I hope you have some muscles hidden under there: you're going to knead them. Ha- get it, knead?" Nyx smirked at his own stupid joke as he began pulling out ingredients that they would be using.

How delightful! Nyx was quite humorous. Ardyn gave the other a respectful light chuckle at his jokes, even the pun was something quite clever and should be recognized with an obligatory chuckle, at best, which Ardyn provided. He moved to the sink and washed his hands. While he dried them he spoke to Nyx’s concern. “I have adequate strength, I’m sure of it.”

The comedy of their situation was not lost on Ardyn— Eos’ hero next to the villain preparing food for not themselves but for others. Such an afterlife this turned out to be!

Nyx took a minute to get them both a glass of water (much better liquid to work with than coffee), washed his hands too, then showed Ardyn the recipe. "My boss comes up with all the recipes himself. He's a perfectionist. So I stick to them down to a grain of salt, close as I can."

Everything was stirred together using an electric mixer and Nyx commented on the use of just the right amount of sugar, before he slapped the huge ball of dough onto the counter. Using a large knife, he cut the blob into four equal sections which were each large in their own right.

"This, is all about rhythm. You better like music, or we can't be friends, Chancellor." Nyx pointed at him with a very serious expression before walking over to turn the music up. Immediately his head began bobbing to the beat and he spun around and did a robot dance move with his arms and shuffled his feet closer to Ardyn before a grin split his mouth again. Nyx laughed and moved back to the counter where he took up one of the balls of dough and began kneading it with strong squeezes.

Edited 2017-05-21 17:26 (UTC)

The music was clever and the beat catchy, Ardyn could appreciate the appeal to the song. However, Nyx proved to be far more interesting than just the tune alone. How his body moved earlier that morning to how his body moved now. He was gifted with excellent rhythm and demonstrated a well orchestrated step in tune with those beats.

Ardyn joined Nyx’s side and mimicked what he saw the other do with the preparation. He then followed the directions he was given by Nyx as they moved onto the next preparation.

“I am a fan of music..” He confessed long after Nyx’s comment. “I find the art of music to be fundamentally moving for all species..” He explained further: “The song of a bird to attract their mate, the movement of crowds to the beat of a drum, the poetic expression that many can relate to.. Yes, we can be friends.. Nyx, I enjoy music.”

Nyx kneaded and flip the dough around in time to the beat of the music. Frequently, he could be caught moving his body slightly to it too, bobbing his head or lip syncing to it. They went on to forming the much smaller balls of dough onto the racks which would go into the oven one at a time after the dough had a chance to sit for a few minutes.

He was drinking his water when Ardyn spoke up, and he smiled. "Good. That's a good start." Again he pointed at the other man. "But only a start. There will be other tests and trials you may have to go through..."

Nyx tried not to grin and ended up looking away as he did so. Yes, as if there was a huge line of people waiting to be graced with his friendship. He ended up chuckling to himself as he wrapped the extra uncooked rolls and stowed them away for baking later on. Next he started wiping down the counter. "We'll make tortilla dough next, for the burritos and empanadas. Pick a song and let's see that rhythm."

Ardyn found himself under a spell, surely that was the case because when Nyx spoke of him only at the start of being the youth’s friend Ardyn was taken back. Surprised and unexpected as Nyx toyed with him. It was simple, light, fun and Ardyn welcomed the tease. He was becoming for more interested in Nyx with this new interaction. He felt it was completely void of disdain, hate, loathing and distrust. Ardyn felt a warm sensation in his chest and an excitement rush through his veins as he allowed himself to feel enjoyment as well between Nyx and himself.

“Ah, I seemed to have misunderstood the criteria to obtain such a worthy friendship. Music is but the first trial I must endure then..?” He had himself a warm grin and he patted his hands gently on his gut, soft clouds of flour burst from his clapping before his hands then moved from himself and to the radio. “Tortilla … I think I have in mind the inspiring beat to our step to accomplish this.” He then picked his own song.

Nyx was already mixing together some of the ingredients while Ardyn found his song. As soon as it began, he stilled what he was doing and slowly his head raised. When the lyrics started, he looked sharply at Ardyn. His eyes narrowed and he looked off to the side as he considered. Pretty soon his head began bobbing, with a slight tilt each time. His shoulders soon joined in.

He closed his eyes and his whole body shifted and let the rhythm course through him. Nyx slowly grinned as he opened his eyes and gave Ardyn an approving nod. "Damn. Now this is alright." It was actually a really great song. For some reason he was surprised, having expected something much more... academic or snooty or something.

His arms raised and his hips shifted to one side as his feet shuffled again. He was getting very distracted though and tried to focus rather than get carried away. Nyx danced himself back to where he was and added in the final ingredients and began stirring. However, his feet were hardly still and he kept moving his body to the music. "Maybe you're alright after all, Chancellor."

This song meant a lot more to Ardyn than a catchy tune. Saw the darkest hearts of men.. and I saw myself starin’ back again.. Sharing the song with Nyx brought Ardyn to feel even more connected to the other. It was like showing Nyx the depth of him and seeing Nyx stare into that abyss—

or, at the very least, the corridor down into his darkness. Nyx was a hero and perhaps Ardyn was enticed by the idea that the youth would do what he had to do in order to save Ardyn from his darkness. It was almost like a play of irony: could the deamon be saved?

Bowed down to get the kings overthrown
And I’m all alone and the fire grows.

Lunafreya’s blood still stained his hand, however, and that brought Ardyn’s thoughts back from fantasy to reality. No, Nyx would let him drown and he wouldn’t have any relief.

“I would wager a song would not purify me in your eyes.” He softly fed to Nyx. His thoughts formed then to a desired manipulation: save me.. He challenged Nyx by looking to the other’s eyes to see if he would indeed be rescued.

Ardyn had gone all serious on him again. Nyx furrowed his brow and looked from the mixer doing its thing, over to the dour man. The braid looked good on him, he found himself thinking on a tangent. He looked confusedly at Ardyn as he tried to interpret just what that could mean and why now, the former Chancellor had picked to express that statement. It wasn't just a statement though, it was a question, or maybe a request.

Swing sweet charity
Take what's left of me.
A new beginning
or is this the end?

It was impossible to put his finger on but he felt like there was a lot Ardyn wasn't telling him. He had already tried to get the man to talk but he only revealed what he felt like, when he felt like it. Instead of fighting him on, Nyx had decided at their truce that he would not fixate on the man Ardyn was and instead on the man he could be.

No, that didn't mean this was easy for him, or that he really forgave Ardyn. They had a truce though, an understanding that they would not fight here. What was done, was done. "Is that what you want?" he finally asked. "Purification? From me?"

“You would be well to know, Noctis had purified me in the end.” He looked to Nyx, his body turned toward the other and a hand moved up to his chest where the foreign apron fit tightly over his body. “When the prophecy is fulfilled, all in thrall to darkness shall know peace.” He looked to the hand where Lunafreya promised healing and peace to him, but he could not-would not take it from her.

After all, they all had a key part in fulfilling this prophecy.

He looked then to Nyx and lowered his hand. “Those words were given to me at a time in which I felt profoundly at my worst.” He rubbed his forefinger and thumb together, the blade he had used to stab Lunafreya with heavy still in his hand. “Our friendship should be built on purification, don’t you think?”

Nyx looked down at the mixer and turned it off, then carefully pulled all the sticky dough out of the large bowl and onto the counter they had been working on. Again he sectioned off smaller portions, and he thumped one onto the counter in front of Ardyn for him to start kneading. Nyx took to his own, listening as the song played out through to its completion. Some random song came on next which he didn't recognize and wasn't listening to anyway. For a long few moments he said nothing, thinking hard on this subject while he put his weight and muscle into kneading the flour tortilla dough.

"I don't... really know what you mean by purification. I can't forgive you, that's too simple a word, too simple an act, for where you and I go from here." Nyx turned the dough over and kneaded from a new angle, then did the same again. "It's up to you to forgive yourself, Ardyn. That's what I think." He thought of his sister and sighed, leaving the dough alone but not looking at the other man yet.

"Which is a lot harder. But, you and me..." He trailed off as he thought about how to say on his own feelings around their potential friendship. "We can't start over but if you mean starting new, without judgment or expectation, then I can get behind that. Is that what you mean by purification?" Nyx hesitated a moment longer before looking up at Ardyn.

“Yes, start anew.” Ardyn nodded his head. “This will be best.. as we both have been born again after our death.” He moved back to the counter space and placed his palms down on the flour to collect some on his skin. “I am no authority on forgiveness, can it be done, how to do it, what one might lose or gain.. I can wonder on such for days.. perhaps I might learn here what that means.. to forgive a fatal treachery.” He licked his lips and found himself taking another piece of the dough and began to knead it.

“My body is my own.. our life is our own.” As they previously stated. “For the first time in many years I feel outside myself.. yet.. truly myself again.”

While Ardyn talked, Nyx watched him, and his gaze went down to the dough as Ardyn began kneading it. For a few moments he was silent before he turned again to his own task and began working the sticky dough again. "I'm trying to figure that out too. It's weird, right?"

Again he took a moment to collect his thoughts before he continued. "It's not just that our history and culture and lives were taken from us when we came here. We both died. It's like more than just starting over, it's dealing with that loss of yourself and, wondering if you could have done more, dealing with... the guilt, of that."

Nyx was revealing more than he wanted to but Ardyn was being a real downer and taking Nyx with him. He sighed and flopped the dough over onto the counter to knead again. "I don't know what I'm saying. But yeah. You need to get some new hobbies," he concluded with a short, dry laugh.

“I find you delightful, Nyx Ulric. You are charming and clever.” He complimented the youth. Of course there was that bit of truth in there too in which he was drawn to Nyx as if he was Eos himself and gravity kept on pulling Ardyn toward him. “You are my favorite hobby thus far.” He glanced to his side with a grin to his lips.

His brows then rose and he looked down to his dough as it began to stick to his hands unfavorably. “Hm.” Ardyn reached for more flour to avail him in this sticky situation. “I think.. perhaps, … I’ll look for more hobbies then.. some events or activity.”

That was... a weird thing to say. Nyx felt a tickling sensation at the back of his neck and it felt a little warm in the kitchen suddenly. He dropped the dough he was working on and grabbed up his glass of water for a gulp, not caring about the flour fingerprints he left behind on it. The charming and clever bit he could appreciate, and he couldn't help a cocky little grin that came to him as he set the glass down again.

"You have good taste in music. You could come to one of the night clubs with me, drink, dance, watch the shows. Do you ever dance? I don't mean those stodgy balls the rich people have. Those are dumb." There were plenty of those he'd had to attend, having been assigned as guard duty for the royal family at them. Watching Prince Noctis falling asleep at the royal table wasn't really his idea of a good time. Nyx snorted and patted some fresh flour onto his hands too, and went about needing a new ball of dough.

“Mm, I would be thrilled to attend.” He nodded. “I haven’t been in such a crowd for some time.. I can recall the last time it was in Altissia.. many years before your time.” He chuckled at the statement. Nyx was not that much physically younger than Ardyn, yet Ardyn was around for some time. “The singer was known for her ability to connect to a variety of audiences.. singing on common emotions rather than detailed accounts of her history. She sang of love, heartbreak, the rain, an uncomfortable heat.. she was quite good and the crowd .. was markable! All of them moved together like a wave across the sea. Synchronized to the beat of her sound.” He had lifted his hand above his dough and made a gesture to mimic a wave on top the sea.

“She even had audience of the King of Lucis.. though not Regis.. one before his time as well.” He smiled and glanced to Noctis. “You would have found the experience pleasant .. I dare promise.”

He was imagining opera, and he was dubious at best. He gave Ardyn a long look but decided to let it go. Maybe he would have enjoyed it. Maybe. He doubted it. "Not Regis?" Nyx asked instead of inquiring further on the type of music. Regis was ancient though, and Ardyn couldn't be that old. Nyx tried to remember if the Chancellor had ever indicated just how old he was but he couldn't recall at the moment. It had been a whirlwind few months. "Hm."

Nyx decided he didn't understand and let it lie for the moment. Instead he began thinking that it'd be nice to have someone to drink with for once. There were a few regulars at the bars and clubs he found himself returning to but they weren't friends. Nyx hadn't taken anyone with him before.

Ardyn's description of the crowd all be coming one with the music was promising. Those were the best nights in the clubs. "You should wear your old boots," he decided suddenly. "When we go out." Those boots were basically amazing and Nyx knew boots.

“Dressing me now, is it?” He gestured to his apron. “I should wear this with my boots?” He playfully looked over his shoulder as if to look at his own behind. “I should catch a most uncomfortable draft. I might,” he looked to Nyx, “catch a cold.. and then where would I be?” He hasn’t been sick with a cold since before his crucifixion. Such a thought. It had him chuckle.

Not that his horrible and most torturous death was funny, but the thought of catching a cold was almost exciting!

It was terribly funny. Nyx gave Ardyn a long look, glancing down at his rear, then back up. He could just imagine it now: the Chancellor in nothing but those (very cool) boots and a white apron. Nyx bust up laughing. "I think you'd catch more than a cold with your arse out at all night."

He laughed harder and wiped one eye with the the back of his hand which unintentionally left a smudge of flour on his forehead. "Just what sort of clubs do you think I go to, anyway? That I would have you dress up like that..."

Nyx had stopped outright laughing but he snorted softly and grinned over at Ardyn. This was more like it. He liked joking around and teasing one another.

Ardyn chimed in with a few more laughs with Nyx on his account. Though the thought of Nyx inquiring about such clubs had Ardyn considering the fact there were indeed such clubs out there. In any case, Nyx already wore the outfit of Regis’ elite soldiery outfit. The King’s Glaives were dressed accordingly just as the very Prince and his posse had clothes of their own that dignified their station. Why would it be surprising that someone who already wore a uniform would in turn find another to replace it?

“I would say.. if one supported the cause passionately enough they would adorn any fashion to show their devotion.”

"What's that supposed to mean?" Nyx smirked before he began pulling off small handfuls of dough to pat into round balls and set aside. Later in the day, they would be smoothed out and grilled into proper tortillas.

"You want people to be devoted to your butt? Is that what you're saying? Damn. Chancellor, why didn't you think of that ages ago? You could have ended the whole war before it ever began." Nyx was laughing again, occasionally looking over at Ardyn as he worked.

"Just flash your ass in front of the masses!"

Oh, this wasn’t what he meant at all. Ardyn had a soft snort before he shook his head gently. “Nyx, I can’t hardly..” Such talk of this was just far too scandalous and filthy, honestly. Just filth. “Figuratively, perhaps I had done some of that.” He mused for Nyx, though he glanced quickly to the other and gave him a narrow glance of his eyes which indicated that he was merely joking. “No, I was musing on your response to the idea.. that you wore the colors and garb of your rank and station.. that you might do so here as well.”

In talk of this uniform compliance it was quite common of Ardyn to avoid wearing white; an intentional adverse toward the Empire of Niflheim who adorned themselves all in white. A poetic foreshadowing to his betrayal of the empire, should anyone ask him.

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