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 Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2025 5:04 pm
Faraday escapes from Ellis's room and heads out on a grand adventure. Sometimes all it takes is a little cat-astrophe to fix a fractured connection. heart
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Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2025 6:33 pm
  🗲 𝙳𝚄𝙺𝙴 𝙾𝙵 𝚄𝙸𝙻𝚄𝙼 🗲· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·location DORM > KITCHENS xxxxx company NO ONE > IZZIE xxxxx outfit CASUAL WEAR With a contented sigh, Ellis leaned back from his desk, eyes cast down at the blueprint pinned in place by various clips and paperweights. Upon it were the plans for the latest piece of equipment he and Pascha needed for their self-made generator. Unsurprisingly, the project had outgrown its original scope of work. It seemed that every time he met with his fellow engineer, Pascha had come up with some innovation that inevitably required a wholly unique part to be crafted and the integrated into the machine. Although the ever-evolving nature of their generator was at times extremely frustrating, every change posed a new challenge, both for the builder and the designer. And it was... not so bad, over all, if Ellis was to be perfectly honest.
He drummed his fingers against the surface of the drafting table, then stood from his stool with a full-body stretch. Now that the late afternoon light was beginning to fade, the air coming in from his open window had grown just a tad too cold. Ellis moved to the wall to close it, but a sudden, anxious thought struck him like lightning. His heart skipped a beat as he whirled around, scanning every nook and cranny for any sign of his cat. The spots on the bookshelf - empty. His cat tree - empty. His cat bed - empty. Ellis tore through his dorm like a storm, but soon came to the sickening realization that his fears were indeed founded.
Faraday - who had never thought to escape through an open window before - was gone.
🐈 🐈 🐈 🐈 🐈
For a cat who had only ever known the serenity of an isolated countryside manor, Faraday was finding Utopia Academy to be quite the exciting place. There were so many sights and smells, and plenty of passersby willing to give him a pet or two. He had seen some of the school before, the times when Ellis had toted him along to the workshop or had taken him out on walks. But this was his first time out here on his own -- and as interested as he was, the fast-paced and populated nature of the schoolgrounds left him feeling a bit skittish. Wherever he ventured, he did not dawdle, and once or twice had to dodge a stranger's attempt to grab him. He slunk beneath the bushes, scampered through flowers, and even spent a few terrifying minutes up on a tree branch.
With little else on his cat brain other than what was before him, Faraday followed his instincts - or perhaps it was his nose - all the way to a part of the school where he had never been. It smelled most tantalizing indeed, with cream and cheese and the faintest whiff of meats and fish deep within. All of the sudden he found himself in desperate need of food, because his bowl and kibble were nowhere in sight. So he found himself a window and sat outside it, yowling the song of every starving cat in the world. And when that did not immediately work, he wiggled his rear and attempted to leap upward and into the building.
But this window, unlike the one through which he had escaped, was not open. And the ledge against it was not very big. So all he succeeded in doing was launching himself into the glass pane with a thump, before unceremoniously falling back down onto the ground.
He yowled again. Maybe for a different reason, this time.
🐈 🐈 🐈 🐈 🐈
Leash and towel and bag of treats in hand, the now very frantic duke burst out of his room, his heart hammering in his chest. Terror gripped his mind, making it hard for him to think very straight. Where might Faraday go? Or, better yet, what should he do? Was there a system in place for lost pets? If he alerted a guard, would Utopia mount a campus-wide search for his lost companion? Or should he ask a friend? He had -- precious few of those. Well, precious few of people he was friendly with, at least. As far as friends went, he had only one, and she... was not talking to him right now.
As a matter of fact, she was avoiding him right now.
It was hard not to notice, oblivious as he could be at times. She had helped him come down from his nightmare-induced asthma attack following the disastrous events of history class, but after that, Izzie had not come within fifty feet of him. Ellis was certain it was his fault, somehow; he just couldn't quite figure out what he had done. Even in his incapacitated state within the hallucination, he'd been able to tell that she was displeased at finding him with Farrah. But what was so bad about someone trying to give him CPR? Had his sorry and pathetic state perhaps embarrassed Izzie beyond forgiveness in front of the princess? Was she mad at him as a fiancée -- or as a friend? He did not know. And he would continue to not know, so long as the chance to speak with her continued to elude him.
For this, though -- in his hour of greatest need -- surely she would be willing to set aside her displeasure enough to help him. Right? And then he could use the opportunity to bridge the gap that had formed between them. It was... it was something, which was as good as his frazzled mind could muster right now.
So Ellis made for her dorm room, power walking as fast as his lungs would reasonably let him. He banged on her door until her neighbor came out and yelled at him, then checked her window to make sure she wasn't inside still avoiding him, and got yelled at for that, too -- something about peeping. But Ellis did not care. Every moment he wasted was another moment that Faraday could be bleeding out in a ditch somewhere.
If Izzie wasn't in her room, the next best bet would be the library or the kitchens. A difficult choice to make, until he factored in distances. The kitchens were closer, so if she wasn't there, he could simply continue on to the library. Nodding to himself, Ellis set off once more, not caring how goofy he looked running around and calling out for his cat.
At long last, he reached the kitchens, bursting through the doors with enough force to frighten some of the lingering staff and students. A man on a mission, Ellis tore through the space in search of his red-haired quarry -- and found her, in a remote corner of the kitchens. Ellis rushed toward her, huffing and puffing and red-faced with effort.
And not yet noticing the black cat currently lounging on a counter very close to her.
With a force Izzie had yet to hear from him, Ellis all but shouted: "Isabelle, I need your help!!"
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Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2025 10:05 pm
 
 Irritation was etched into every inch of her face, her wild curls a messy bun at the top of her head. A few stray locks had sprung free from the hold she’d put them in, teasing over her features to have her huffing out an annoyed breath every now and then. The dough she was working with wasn’t doing what she wanted. Which was not only rude but absolutely unheard of. This was her thing. The one hobby that she loved and excelled at. And here she was, screwing it all up. And all because of something she shouldn’t even be worrying over.
With an annoyed huff, Izzie dropped the dough into a bowl on a nearby counter and wiped the back of her hand over her cheek. She was so lost in her foul mood that she didn’t notice the transfer of flour onto her skin. If she had, she might not have cared either way, but that was a moot point. Right now, she was too busy fuming. It was stupid, really. Getting upset over something so frivolous as a meeting of lips. Especially when it had been to help someone. And yet…The image still lingered, torturing her and taunting her at the worst of moments. Ruining her day in an instant and forcing her from sleep at night. Over and over and over again.
”Gods, this is absurd! It was nothing!” Grumbling to herself, she stomped over to the sink to get the rest of her failed creation from her skin. As she chastised herself under her breath for being dumb, the soft cries of something pulled her focus. What was that? Confused, Iz looked up and tried to figure out the source. Seconds later came a thud, followed by a yowl that had her jumping a bit in surprise. What in all the hells was going on outside?! A quick look around told her she hadn’t been the only one to hear it, but the staff did nothing. So, after drying her hands, she moved to the window and eased it open. What she found had her going soft instantly.
”Oh my goodness, you poor thing! Are you alright?” Like the animal could talk back, she looked it over then tipped her eyes up to the area around them. ”Are you all alone? There’s no way someone just left you here, right? Your owner has to be somewhere close by. Why don’t we- OH!” With the window now open, the furry beast jumped for a second time and landed rather gracefully on the sill. Izzie blinked a bit in surprise before melting, the purrs coming from the cat too much for her to ignore. Reaching out, she stroked her fingers over warm, soft fur and giggled softly at the nudge she earned in return.
”You are too clean and healthy to be a stray. You obviously belong to someone.” As she spoke, her fingers brushed over what appeared to be a collar. Nimble fingers searched for the end, finding a tag with the name ‘Faraday’ etched into it. Her thumb ran over the smooth metal, fascinated that someone would think to bring an actual pet with them to school. ”I bet your owner is worried sick. Come on, let’s get you something to eat then we will go look for them.” With that said, she scooped the floof into her arms and carried him over to the counter she’d been at.
”Um, my Lady, I don’t think…” A member of the kitchen staff moved to make a comment about the cat, only to earn an arched brow in return. Immediately, the man bowed his head and returned to his task. If she wanted to risk the wrath of the head chief, it was on her head. Satisfied, Izzie settled Faraday at her little station and turned to where the cooler was. They had to have fish or perhaps some chicken she could give him. Cats like that kind of thing, right?
While she rummaged, the sound of pounding feet and slamming doors echoed through the room. The staff stirred again, irate at being interrupted again during their duties. She was going to have to make it up to them at a later date, she mused as she pulled a bit of salmon from the cooler. It wasn’t until the footsteps grew louder that she realized they were heading for her. With wide eyes, Iz stalled out at the sight of Ellis making a beeline for her. She had nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. Cursing her luck, she remained where she was and arched a brow once more at the desperation in his voice. As well as the volume in which he was speaking to her. Had she ever heard him quite so…loud before?
”My gods, Ellis. Take a breath. You are going to give yourself an asthma attack coming in all hot like that.” Shaking her head, she closed the door to the ice box and turned to the counter. With one hand holding the salmon, she grabbed a knife from the block and expertly began slicing it into kitty cat sized bites. She didn’t need to cook it, did she? Would Faraday prefer it warm? Izzie was tempted to ask but didn’t want to look foolish in front of Ellis. Well, anymore than she had already managed since history class, she mused as she worked.
”What has you all in a tizzy? And is that a leash?” Her eyes moved a bit as she worked, narrowing on the items in his hands from behind the curls that were still playing over her face. This was the most…unkempt she’d ever been in front of him. The realization turned her features a soft rose shade, but she ignored the heat. He didn’t deserve to know he was getting to her. Even in such a slight way.
Location: Kitchen Company: Faraday, Ellis, Kitchen Staff Thoughts: ‘Oh gods, this is going to be a long day…’ OOC: Izzie’s outfit beneath her apron
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Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2025 1:27 pm
🗲 𝙳𝚄𝙺𝙴 𝙾𝙵 𝚄𝙸𝙻𝚄𝙼 🗲· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·location KITCHENS xxxxx company IZZIE xxxxx outfit CASUAL WEAR Clearly, Ellis’s sense of urgency was lost on his companion – but her concern over his condition was not lost on him. The duke gaped like a fish before clamping his mouth shut and taking a steadying breath through his nose. She was right, of course, and to fall prey to a fit right now would only further delay his efforts to locate his lost cat. His eyes remained focused on the redhead as she moved about the kitchen, perfectly unhurried. Ellis supposed he could understand she had no reason to worry yet, though he had to hope that once she learned of the gravity of the situation, she would be quick to lend her aid. Friends did that for each other, right? They cared about each other’s problems, even when they were in some strange, complicated disagreement(?)
Right?
Ellis took a few more breaths and stepped closer, now that he was of sound enough mind to form a coherent sentence, and Izzie was beginning to notice that something was awry. “Yes, it is a leash, for my cat, Faraday, who has absconded,” he explained, unable to mask the concern in his tone. “That is why I need your help. I – I have been running all over campus trying to find him. I am but one man, so even with your assistance alone, it would double my efforts.”
’Miaow!’
“He is a black cat with gold eyes. He’s wearing a collar. He is, admittedly, a little on the heftier side, but –”
’Miaow!’
Ellis huffed, at last registering the noise of a calling feline. Surely he was not so distressed as to be hallucinating, so… Pale blue eyes flitted about in the direction of the meow, soon zeroing in on the cat laying by Izzie on the counter. Faraday playfully rolled onto his back, stretching his whole body in contentment.
All Ellis could do was stare. Wordlessly.
Then all the pent-up tension in his body went out at once. Everything he was holding came clattering to the floor, startling Faraday enough that he flinched, but not so much as to make him bolt. Were he the type to cry, Ellis would most assuredly be doing that now, as he moved toward his beloved companion with outstretched arms.
“You – you already found him,” he proclaimed to Izzie in wonder, scooping up the feline like one would heft a baby. “Gods above, you miserable cat, you nearly gave me a heart attack!”
Ellis held him only until he began to wriggle in protest, leaping from his owner’s arms to return to his spot on the counter. There, Faraday flopped onto his back and began to cheekily paw at the pieces of salmon Izzie was preparing. At least he was not in danger of running off again, with so sweet a distraction.
Ellis sighed. “I should have thought he might find his way to where the food is… I’d only thought I might find you here, since you weren’t in your room.” His pale complexion tinged pink as he shoved his glasses back into place. “I… apologize for my outburst. I was out of sorts. Faraday has never run off before…”
The duke trailed off awkwardly, sudden at a loss for what to say. With the crisis averted, and no need for him to desperately plead with Izzie for help, he was left only with the yet-unaddressed tension between them. Perhaps there was a delicate or polite way to breach the topic, but… Ellis was neither of those things. He pursed his lips, then asked:
“Are you upset with me?”
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Posted: Sat Apr 19, 2025 11:23 pm
The way his mouth floundered silently had her biting down on her bottom lip to keep from giggling. Okay, he was pretty cute when he was all flustered. It was a rare appearance for him, one she made a mental note to try and coax free in the future. Once she had moved on from the event that had transpired in class. When that would be, she hadn’t the slightest clue. It was an odd sensation, feeling as she did about what had happened. Was she even allowed to? They were engaged, but did that entitle her to be upset? Not sure she wanted to know the answer, Izzie brushed it off and focused on the task at hand.
At his words, confusion and surprise warred within her. First off, who put a leash on their cat? How was that even possible? Was there training involved like with dogs? A million questions threatened to escape as she worked, demanding to be asked so she could satisfy her curiosity over the matter. Behind them all was also the fascination over him having a pet at all. He was a hermit, a social recluse, and preferred machines over mammals. And yet, he had a pet? And a cat, on top of it all. The whirlwind of curiosity and uncertainty kept her silent, listening rather than bombarding him with what was sure to be an endless amount of information demand.
”You’ve been running everywhere for your cat? Not that I don’t understand the why of it, but you know you shouldn’t overdo things. You would be useless to your pet if you keeled over in the courtyard from an attack.” Should she be chastising him right now? No. Did that stop her from worrying about that exact event from time to time? Again, no. Shaking her head, Izzie portioned off the salmon she’d been working with onto a plate. She wasn’t sure how much the cat would want, though from the meowing going on beside her she was sure it would be a lot.
The description she was given paused her movements, her dark eyes looking at the exact replica of the creature he was telling her about. Wait, this was his cat? Was that a weird twist of fate, or a lucky coincidence? Neither sounded good in her head, so Iz brushed it aside. She shook her head and finished working with the fish, still determined to give the creature the meal she had promised him. The clattering spooked her a bit, causing her to jump and pulled her gaze back to him immediately.
”My gods, Ellis! You’re going to give me a heart attack doing things like that!” Gently, she set the knife still in her hand aside and moved to wash her hands. At his words, she chuckled softly and scrubbed the salmon out from beneath her fingernails. ”Correction, he found me. He scared the life out of me, kind of like you just did, by trying to jump into the window while I was preparing dough. I thought he might have been a pet that got out. I had no idea he was yours.” She reached for a towel to dry her hands before finally turning to him, looking from him to the lounging beast on the counter. A soft smile played over her lips at the creature’s antics, her body shifting to slide the plate over to where Faraday could get to it.
His mention of going to her dorm colored her features to mirror his own, her eyes widening a bit in surprise yet again. Wait, he’d gone to her room? Had she told him where it was? Not that it was a bad thing, of course. Just not something she would think he’d be interested in knowing. Granted, she knew where his was, but that was more out of her own curiosity than anything else. She kept this to herself, obviously, and shook her head at his apology. He had been concerned for his friend, so it was only right that he be a bit…flustered.
”It’s alright, Ellis. Truly. If it had been a pet of mine, I would probably have been just as frenzied. Probably worse, but that’s neither here nor there.” She joked, moving from the sink to toss the towel she’d been holding into the soiled linen basket at the end of the counter. The new location put her closer to him, her heart picking up its pace with every inch that faded between them. Gods, she was losing her mind. She needed a distraction. Iz looked towards the cat sniffing at the fish she’d offered up, her hand reaching out to stroke his fur. It was exactly what she needed, especially when Ellis’s question reached her ears.
”I wouldn’t say that I am upset. I have no right to be.” Her body shifted to get closer to the cat, leaning on the counter so she could scratch beneath his collar as he ate. ”Like I said in class, this is a business arrangement. Who you choose to be with is of no concern to me until the moment we say ‘I do.’ It would be foolish of me to think otherwise.” The words cut at parts of her she didn’t want to think about. Sliced through things she wished she could ignore. She refused to let any of it show, though. Her face stayed on Faraday, a slight smile on her lips as she watched him enjoy the meal she’d given him.
Location: Kitchen Company: Faraday, Ellis, Kitchen Staff Thoughts: ‘’ OOC:Izzie’s outfit beneath her apron
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Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2025 1:10 pm
🗲 𝙳𝚄𝙺𝙴 𝙾𝙵 𝚄𝙸𝙻𝚄𝙼 🗲· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·location KITCHENS xxxxx company IZZIE xxxxx outfit CASUAL WEAR Izzie was right, of course; she had come to the same conclusion as he had – that an asthma attack would only set him back even further in his search. In the moment, he rather wished she could set her concern aside until a more opportune moment, however grateful he was that she worried about him at all. But those thoughts were forgotten as soon as Ellis belatedly realized his cat was right there, and very much in safe hands. It was a wonder the circumstances had turned out as such, considering all of the factors at play. For Izzie, of all people, to have been in the kitchens at the right time – at the right window – with the right foods to lure Faraday in… Or perhaps she herself had had an unknowing hand in influencing Faraday’s course? Surely the cat had smelled her on him from time to time. Not that they touched very much – at least, not outside of danger-riddled hallucinations – but a cat’s nose was extremely keen, so it was not so far-fetched a –
Ellis was getting distracted. He ran his fingers through Faraday’s fur as Izzie spoke, explaining how the cat had ended up with her. That certainly sounded like Faraday – food-motivated, and clumsy at times. Definitely not the graceful hunter his species were meant to be. “I appreciate you letting him in, then. And not shooing him away.” It only occurred to him then that if Izzie hadn’t known Faraday was his, then she probably didn’t know he had a cat at all. Briefly, he ran through his rolodex of memories, trying to determine if he’d ever mentioned it to her, and came up empty. The fault was his, of course; he struggled to remember to share personal details with people unless asked directly. And it wasn’t as if he and Izzie spoke very much, all things considered…
He watched as his cat greedily chomped down on the salmon Izzie had prepared for him before setting his sights on the chef herself. Thankfully, she was not too put off by his intrusion, and sympathized with his plight. He wondered how a frenzied Izzie might look, and if she would have thought to come to him as he had come to her. He knew he didn’t have the energy of a reliable person, but he was certain he would have done his very best to aid her, if their roles had been reversed. As she drew near, he stiffened – and was slow to withdraw his hand when Izzie reached for Faraday. The slightest bit of static shocked their fingers when they brushed together, and Ellis quickly put his hand away, allowing her full, unimpeded access to pet his cat.
It was nice that she did. Whether she did it for Faraday’s sake, or her own. Petting animals was good for the heart – science had proven that much. But Faraday liked it, too, and began to pur at an almost shocking volume, made louder by his eager munching.
Izzie responded to his final question carefully. She was dismissive in her language, though a smile tugged at her lips, and not once did she look Ellis’s way while she spoke. These were all things he took note of, but he wasn’t quite sure what they meant. The only thing that was truly clear to him was that the inciting incident had been her finding him with Farrah. Who you choose to be with, she said. He was truly terrible at reading between the lines, but at the very least he assumed that by her choice of wording, she was referring to ‘being with’ someone in something of a romantic capacity. Which was… strange, to put it mildly, because there had been nothing remotely romantic about his encounter with Farrah.
His face twisted in frustration. He could stand here grasping at straws all day, and he would be no closer to understanding.
“I would argue we all have the right to feel whatever we feel. There are no rules for emotions,” he countered, but that was beside the point. “If you are upset, I would rather you tell me. I don’t know how to correct my behavior unless I know what I did wrong. And if you truly aren’t upset, is there another reason you’ve been avoiding me? Or have I misinterpreted that?”
Even if Izzie continued to face Faraday, Ellis kept his icy eyes on her, as if observing her microexpressions might offer some additional insight. A laughable thought, considering how much he struggled with understanding human behavior.
“Business arrangement or not, I… consider you my friend, above all else. And even I am not so callous as to not care about a friend’s feelings,” he continued carefully. “I can assure you I have no… romantic interests, if that is a concern. That is certainly not what happened in History class. Farrah fell on me when the ceiling caved in, and that must have made me stop breathing, because I woke up to her attempting CPR. Which is not much help for an asthma attack, but there was no way for her to know that that was what was actually happening.”
Again, he searched her face.
“I know that our arrangement is not ideal for you. That being forced to marry below your status is embarrassing. I cannot help the disparity between our families, but I can at least promise you I would never do anything to further hurt your reputation. Least of all something so debased as…” He grimaced, as if the mere notion caused him physical pain. “Messing around.”
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Posted: Tue May 06, 2025 12:08 am
Izzie said nothing at his thanks, simply nodded her head in response. Like she would ever shoo a hungry creature away from the kitchen. Especially not one as adorable as Faraday was. He should know that about her, right? They were going to be married one day. Perhaps she would need to make him a list. One that detailed all the things she would and wouldn’t do. Or maybe they just needed to talk more? The idea sounded scarier than the list. Opening up to him, letting him in, the entire business of being…vulnerable with someone that wasn’t Gwen. She couldn’t give someone that power, right? Especially someone that was supposed to be her husband…Right?
The feel of the feline she was currently petting purring had a soft smile playing over her lips. Her mother was allergic to cats, so there were none in their homes. But the ones that ran wild in the stables seemed sweet enough. Though, none of them purred quite as loudly as the one beneath her fingers was. It helped her relax a bit, gave her mind something else to worry over as Ellis did what he did best: thought over everything. The man viewed every angle, every path, and even then went over it a second time. To be sure. To be precise. His work, and his family’s part in their world, was a large part of why he did it. The rest, well, Iz just chalked that up to Ellis being Ellis.
When he did finally decide to speak, she felt her eyes shift to his. Wait, was he really talking to her about emotions? What did he care about how she felt? It wasn’t his job to care about her. To worry about what was going on in her head and heart. As her friend had stated, she was nothing more than a title and a pair of hips. Two things she definitely wouldn’t be repeating to the man at her side, but couldn’t get out of her head. No, this must be something else. A ploy or some odd task he had been put up to. Maybe his parents wanted him to try and get closer to her so that they could know, for certain, that she wouldn’t be going anywhere. That made more sense to her, though it also cut as something in her that had her absently rubbing at the spot on her chest where her heart was.
”You don’t need to correct anything, Ellis. It is just an emotion, one I will get over on my own. Please, do not stress yourself over it.” Gods, she hoped he would just let this drop. He had his cat, he was safe, and no one had ended up having an asthma attack. That was a win for everyone, right? Straightening up, Izzie brushed her hands over her apron and chuckled softly at the cat hair that transferred to it from her hands. Well, at least she was done cooking for the day. She pulled the tie open at her back, removing the sullied thing as he began to speak once more. It stilled her movements, surprise dancing in her dark eyes as she looked at him for the first time since he’d arrived.
”Wait, what?” Had she heard him right? Had he called her his friend? Was that even possible? Not sure what to think, she shook her head as if to clear something from her mind and tried again. ”Ellis, you don’t consider anyone your friend. I’ve heard you say that before. Friend’s come with attachments. Sticky situations. How can you say that and still believe such things?” No, this had to be a mistake. A trick. Something that made more sense than what she was experiencing. It took her a moment to realize he had also mentioned the incident in class, her cheeks flushing at the memory of it. His lips. Her lips. Together. It sent a shudder through her that had her trembling a bit, her hands shaking as she finally removed her apron. She stepped by him, moving to place the thing in the same basket she had set her towel from earlier.
”I see. Thank you for clearing that up for me, Ellis. I appreciate it.” Izzie didn’t disbelieve anything he was saying. She just couldn’t stop her own head getting in her way. Nor could she stop the whispers of Gwen’s voice, planting doubts where interest should have been. No matter what it had been, it had gotten to her. It had shifted how she saw things between them, reminding her that she would have to grow thicker skin if she were going to survive with her heart intact. The feel of his eyes on her face turned up the heat in her body, deepening the flush on her face to have her looking away at anything that wasn’t the inquisitive glance of his alluring gaze.
”We are on the same level, Ellis. Just because we run in different circles doesn’t change that. And you aren’t embarrassing, so you should get that idea out of your head right now.” Okay, yeah, she was being a bit of a hypocrite talking to him like that. But she hated the idea of him thinking he was less than she was. He wasn’t the one that had been turned down by every match before him. The one that had been the only girl in her group to have taken so long to find a fiance. No, if anyone here was less than, it was her. Of course, Iz kept that to herself and chuckled softly at the way he spoke the last few words in his little speech.
”Gods, that sounds weird coming out of your mouth. Does it taste as bad as you are making it seem right now?” Laughter danced in her eyes as she looked back up at him for a moment. Yes, in the very, very back of her mind, Iz knew it was a stupid thing to believe he could do anything to hurt her. But, years of trauma and grooming had twisted and warped her sense of the world. There was a chance she’d never see the truth, but that was for another day. Right now, her lips twitched with a smile and her feet carried her back to where Faraday was still happily munching away at his meal.
Location: Kitchen Company: Faraday, Ellis, Kitchen Staff Thoughts: ‘This is the most I’ve ever heard him say in one setting…It’s odd and…sweet.’ OOC:Izzie’s outfit beneath her apron
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Posted: Wed May 21, 2025 5:10 pm
🗲 𝙳𝚄𝙺𝙴 𝙾𝙵 𝚄𝙸𝙻𝚄𝙼 🗲· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·location KITCHENS xxxxx company IZZIE xxxxx outfit CASUAL WEAR Again, Izzie’s responses proved to be dismissive and evasive. Ellis furrowed his brow, frustrated by the lack of clear answers. If she preferred to handle her emotions on her own, he was in full support – but how was he supposed to not stress when he didn’t know what was wrong? Had he truly just imagined the avoiding? Perhaps that was so, considering Izzie seemed in no rush to get away from him now. His assumptions tended to be off base as a general rule, but why was it that he was so much more out of sync now? Particularly when he was making such an effort to communicate clearly…
Ellis did not have to wonder for long. He watched as Izzie shed her apron – and revealed a critical factor to this equation. It was one he had not once considered, but perceiving it now, he realized what a glaring oversight it had been. How foolish he had been. The very foundation upon which he had been basing his proofs and theorems was flawed. Like a final puzzle piece clicking into place, the equations rapidly began to add up. His head was cleared –
But something cold and prickly roiled in his stomach.
Izzie did not consider him a friend.
And why would she? Ellis thought, pressing a thumb to his temple. The realization was unsettling, and he reached for the counter to steady himself. Of course Izzie did not think of him that way. After all his talk of the burden of acquaintanceships, and the lack of evidence proving otherwise, she would have no reason to assume that he would ever see her as a friend. There was no bond linking them together, spurring on the effort of mutual understanding. She – she had said so herself, even.
A business arrangement.
She shuddered. No doubt so disgusted by the idea of them being friends that her body was revolting. Had it gotten hotter all of the sudden? Or perhaps colder? Both at once, somehow? Ellis loosened his collar and looked away. Which was rude, he knew; Izzie was still talking, efficiently disproving each of his assumptions. He should have been flattered, hearing her insist they were equals. He should have been touched, hearing her insist he wasn’t embarrassing. He should have been amused, as she was, by his rare use of crass language. But all he could feel was… something. He couldn’t name it quite yet.
“I – did not enjoy how it ‘tasted,’ no,” he managed to work out, his normally flat affect twisted with effort. Izzie was unbothered. He should be unbothered. Would that he could control his emotions through the sheer force of logic.
Faraday gobbled up the last piece of salmon and set to licking the plate – an immediately irritating and grating sound to the harried duke. He sucked in a sigh, electing instead to tug at the ends of his sleeves. Maybe Izzie was adept at avoiding topics – but Ellis was not. And her, of all people, he did not want to misunderstand him. At least any more than she already had.
“I do, though,” he said suddenly, haltingly. “I do – consider you a friend. Despite how ill I’ve spoken of such relationships, I… Well, I suppose I have never been… bothered by my attachment to you. Though, it certainly feels ‘sticky,’ now that – now that I understand the sentiment was not mutual.” Looking away from her once more, he scratched at his chest. “That was why the engagement was not so appalling to me. I thought – if it had to be anyone, best it was… a friend…”
Izzie might not have thought he was embarrassing, but it was only embarrassment that he felt, standing here before her.
Ellis cleared his throat. “So that I do not continue to operate under the wrong assumptions – how would you classify our relationship? Engagement excluded. Are we… acquaintances?” He could salvage this – so long as he knew which box to place themselves in, which lines he was not supposed to cross. Once he understood the shape, everything would fall neatly into place, and he could finally stop feeling whatever it was that he was feeling right now.
He faced Izzie fully, eager to receive her direction, whatever it may be.
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Posted: Wed May 21, 2025 10:16 pm
There were many times in her life that she wished she had been born in a different kingdom. Granted, the thoughts were silly and more often than not fueled by her desire to be more than just a daughter of a duke. But there were a handful of times, a few select blips in her lifetime, where the choice would have done far more for her than being from Uilum ever had. Phronese, for example, would have been her choice had she any idea what was going on in the mind of the man beside her. She would have been clued in on what he was thinking, maybe even what he was feeling. Izzie would have immediately fixed things, made right what she had screwed up with her carelessness. For hurting Ellis, in even such a slight way, was something she never wanted to do.
Unfortunately for our heroine, she was who she was. So she was lost when it came to the tone of his voice, confusion filling her eyes as she blinked at him. He was so hard to read, so hard to figure out. It was that part of him that she usually found fascinating. It had her wanting to pick at his brain, to twist and turn the axis that his puzzle sat upon until the picture became clear. Right now, however, Iz found it a bit frustrating. Of course, she'd never admit such a thing. She'd simply watch him, hoping to catch something that could help her through the maze of miscommunication they constantly found themselves in when it was just the two of them.
The sound of Faraday finishing his meal pulled her attention from him, her body moving to take the plate. It was then that she caught the move he made, slight as it was. Wait, was that a tell? A sign as to what was really going on in his head? Hopeful, Izzie picked up the now empty plate the feline had been licking clean as slowly as she could manage. She didn't want to spook him, after all. Much like an observer of a fawn in the woods, she barely breathed and watched to see if he gave her anything else. What she got, however, was most certainly not what she had been expecting.
"Y-you...what?" The shock of his admission, the obvious discomfort he was in, rattled her a bit. This wasn't the man she knew. This was an unknown beast. One she wasn't sure how to navigate. As he continued, Iz could do nothing more than stand there and gape at him. Her mouth hung open, slack jawed as he confessed things she hadn't expected to hear from him, well, ever. Her grip on the plate did the same, the ceramic dish sliding from her hands to clatter against the edge of the counter. It bounced once, twice, then fell to their feet with a resounding CRASH!
"Oh no!" The sound pulled her from her apparent trance, forcing her to her knees before him as she scrambled to collect the pieces. This was going to get her banned from the kitchens, she just knew it! There had to be some unspoken rule about breaking things, dishes especially. Her mind raced with the horrific thought, fighting with the question he had asked her before the plate had decided to take a nosedive from her hand. Izzie knew he deserved an answer, but how was she supposed to put into words the twisted feeling she got in her stomach when she thought of him? It definitely wasn't friendship.
"I have...always considered you a friend, Ellis." The words were just loud enough for him to hear, but spoken to her hands as she cleaned up the mess. It was easier to say if she couldn't see his face. If she wasn't distracted by the way he watched her so closely. Her face heated up at the thought of it, making her momentarily relieved her hair was hiding most of it from him.
"I just never thought...That is to say, I never believed that you would...Damn it!" Her ramblings were cut off as a rogue piece of the dish sliced through her finger. Blood beaded up from the cut, rolling down her hand as she glared at it. This was going horribly, and she still hadn't said what she wanted. Sighing, Iz looked around for something to stem the flow from her wound as her mind tried to get back on track with what she had been trying to get across to him.
"I just didn't think you wanted friends. So, I never pushed it. As I said, you told me exactly that." Coming up with nothing, she simply curled her hand into a fist and lifted her free hand to the ribbon in her hair that she used to keep her curls from her face while cooking. She did her best to tourniquet the damn thing, hoping it stemmed the flow before lifting her eyes finally back to his own.
"Had I known that you had an...attachment," The term brought her pause, her features heating up once more to have her cheeks nearly the same shade as her hair. It was such an intimate thing to say, especially when the individual in question was to be her husband one day. "I would have done more to show you that the feeling was mutual. Though, I probably wouldn't have termed it an attachment. More an...interest in you as more than just a fellow noble. Wait, no, that sounds worse...Gods, I'm really messing this up, aren't I?" A weak chuckle escaped her lips at her admission, knowing she was doing exactly that without him having to answer. Izzie just shook her head, not needing him to answer as she sat back a bit on her legs and dropped her eyes back to the mess she'd made on the floor between them.
"So, is that really how you feel? Like we're friends and you aren't absolutely horrified by the idea of being forced to be...linked to me, so to speak?"
Location: Kitchen Company: Faraday, Ellis, Kitchen Staff Thoughts: ‘Just my luck that I screw things up and break a dish all in the same go...’ OOC:Izzie’s outfit beneath her apron
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Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2025 1:04 pm
🗲 ð™³ðš„ð™ºð™´ ð™¾ð™µ ðš„ð™¸ð™»ðš„𙼠🗲· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·location KITCHENS xxxxx company IZZIE xxxxx outfit CASUAL WEAR Tense as he was, like a man waiting for divine judgement, Ellis startled at the unexpected shattering of the plate. But his reaction paled in comparison to Faraday’s; in typical cat fashion, he leapt a good two feet into the air out of terror, and the moment his paws hit the counter once more, he was already scrambling, claws scraping against the surface. His limbs went this way and that until he gained enough friction to launch himself off. The cat landed with a thump on the ground, making an immediate beeline for the nearest safe spot: the narrow space between the cooler and the wall.
Drawn between chasing after his cat and helping Izzie with the plate, Ellis took two steps toward Faraday, then doubled back to move toward the duchess, and in the end found himself falling prey to decision paralysis. The moment Izzie spoke, however, he focused entirely on her.
"I have...always considered you a friend, Ellis."
Oh. Well, that – … Ellis stared at the back of her head, brows furrowed in confusion. It was remarkable that he managed to be so very wrong about everything. At least – everything when it came to Izzie. She was certainly turning out to be the common factor among the bulk of his faulty logic. For a moment, Ellis wondered if the true reason was that he was so ill-versed in friendships, and was therefore lacking the experience and data he needed to navigate such a relationship with her. But he quickly understood that was not the case. It was Izzie alone that always had him on his back foot. Because they still did not know each other very well yet, yes – but also because he… wanted to.
Was desperate to, even.
She cursed, drawing him from his stupor, and leaving that unfinished realization dangling in the ether. Beyond her hunched frame he spied the blood pooling on her finger. The sight of it set his mouth in a firm line, and he looked around for any kind of medical kit. That seemed like a reasonable thing to keep stocked in a kitchen – but his brief search came up empty. The towel he’d brought along would be overkill, and…
Izzie was already taking care of it. With a ribbon from her own hair, no less. She revealed more of her feelings as she wound the ribbon ‘round her finger, once more reminding Ellis that he was the arbiter of his own mistakes. Not once had he considered his careless remarks about friendship might deter her, however much it now made sense in hindsight. He really needed to be more cautious about the things he said – and, perhaps, to say more of the things that he thought.
Izzie continued, flushing a pretty shade of red. She was setting a good example now, filling in the gaps of Ellis’s understanding. He checked to make sure Faraday had not vacated his new position, then swiftly moved beside Izzie to crouch down as well. It gave him some comfort to know even she was stumbling through her thoughts and feelings, composed as she usually was. Ellis shook her head at her question, not wanting her to be deterred from trying, because every new word out of her mouth was helping to define the shape of their relationship.
Perhaps he ought to have spoken before this, to demonstrated he was being an active listener, but he kept quiet, not wanting to interrupt and somehow get her off track, as he feared he would. He set to plucking the shattered pieces of ceramic, starting with the sharpest ones, to keep Izzie from wounding herself again. At her final question, though, he raised his face to look at her, even though she kept her eyes downcast. Absolutely horrified was such a strong choice of words, and while Ellis wondered why on earth she might think anyone would not want to be linked to her, now didn’t seem like the right time to pose such a question.
“I am not ‘absolutely horrified’ to be linked to you. I am not even a little bit horrified. I…†The duke paused, searching for the right words. “I like having you in my life.†Was that an okay thing to say? “Perhaps the engagement has been forced, but… I am attached to you of my own volition.â€
Finally, late as ever, Ellis remembered the folded handkerchief in his pocket – freshly washed, and hopefully still free of any pathogens. He fished it out and gently took Izzie’s finger to wrap it around her wound.
“I apologize for insinuating I would not be interested in a friendship with you,†he continued. With his hands once again at work with the pieces of plate, he felt a little less lost. “I often fail to think about how my words might affect other people. Or rather, I… often fail to think about other people’s feelings. To be honest, I don’t really care about most people’s feelings – but I do care about yours. I would like you to know that if I do upset you or hurt you feelings, it is not on purpose.â€
Hopefully his words would make Izzie feel better, just as her words had soothed him. In fact, the weight in his chest had been entirely lifted, and in its place there was… something warm. Amusement?
Ellis studied her face, as one corner of his lips lifted slightly higher than the other.
“I am perfectly fine with ‘an interest in me as more than just a fellow noble.’ I will take whatever I can get. And if we can call it friends, I will work harder to reflect that. I am not bothered by the challenge, if it is for you.â€
With the parts of the plate now gathered, he scooped them into his hands and stood to deposit them in the nearby trash bin. After wiping his palms against his pants, Ellis extended a hand toward Izzie to help her up.
　
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Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2025 6:06 pm
The realization that she had upset the beast that had been snoozing on the counter had her feeling downright awful. She hadn’t meant to upset them both. Hell, she hadn’t meant to upset anyone. She had just wanted to bake away her feelings. And yet, she’d failed on all counts. Izzie chastised herself shifted to try and rise from the ground. If anyone should go and help the terrified feline, it should be her. Had she been more careful, more aware of things, she might have been able to avoid all of this. Gwen’s voice in her head reminded her that she was faulty, that she was a screw up, and that no matter what she most likely would have ended up messing with things as she had. Perhaps this was the best result of the possible outcomes, her doubts whispered as she remained frozen on the floor at his feet.
What she hadn’t expected was for him to join her, even less that he would try and clean up the mess she’d made. She opened her mouth to argue with his actions, to tell him she could do it. The words, however, never made it to her lips. His voice filled her head and had her eyes widening in surprise. Wait, what?! No, that…This was wrong. He had settled on her because no one else wanted her. All he cared about was her status and what it would do for his family. Right? His words argued with what she’d been taught, what her best friend had forced into her mind and tied around her very soul. How was she supposed to deal with all of this?!
So lost in it all was the redhead that she didn’t say anything when he reached for her hand. She remained as she was, her gaze on the floor and her hand in his. A soft spark popped along her skin where he touched, not enough to harm him but enough to be noticed. It was a sensation she’d never experienced before. It raced through her body to have her heart stumbling and her stomach tying itself into knots. What in the everloving hell was happening to her right now?! This had to be a hallucination! Maybe she had blacked out from blood loss. THAT made more sense than what was actually happening to her.
When he finished speaking and moved, she finally looked up. He wanted to be linked to her. He was actually interested in being her friend. He cared about her feelings. It was all so much. Almost too much. Her head was spinning, her heart was racing, and her lungs were begging for the air she was keeping from it as she held her breath. She didn’t want to breathe. She didn’t want to move. She didn’t want to ruin this moment and realize it was all a dream. A cruel fantasy that she was being forced to wake up from. It wasn’t until he reached for her that she finally gave in, the spots around her vision enough to force her to take an actual breath. Izzie cradled her injured hand against her chest and put her free one in his, allowing him to help her back up onto her feet. The room spun a bit, but she did her best to ignore it as she tried her damnedest to come up with the right words to respond to his admission.
”I don’t…That is to say, I am not sure how to respond. This is all so…” She shook her head at the lack of words, unable to truly come to terms with all the things he’d said. Another deep breath filled her lungs, her head clearing enough to allow her to think a bit more properly. ”It’s a rather different outcome than I had anticipated, to say the least. You’ve got me a bit out of sorts, so you’ll have to give me a moment to try and come up with the proper thing to say. I don’t want to…” Another pause, her eyes dropping to look at her hand in his. She could feel the callouses from his work, the rougher parts that told more about who he was than anything else. It was one of the things she liked most about him, having never trusted a man with hands smoother than her own. That, and the way his touch seemed to make her feel…safe. The thought had her blush returning, a sensation she did her best to control as she tried to finish the rest of her thought.
”I really don’t want to mess this up. I care about you and want to make this work. Friends, partners, whatever. So long as we agree that we don’t dislike each other, I know I can be satisfied with it.” It was far more than she could have ever hoped for, considering how things between them had started. If they got along, and actually enjoyed each other's company, who’s to say that they couldn’t build an okay life? It wasn’t the happily ever after she had dreamed of as a girl, but it was better than the thought of being alone. His mention of a challenge had her smile returning, her hand giving his a gentle squeeze before she finally released it to dust off her skirts.
”I wouldn’t call being your friend a challenge, but if that’s how you want to view it then so be it. I can handle it if you can.” Determination dripped off her every word, more than happy to take on whatever he decided to throw her way. Would she be able to handle it all? Probably not. But that wasn’t going to stop her. To start, she turned away from him and moved to where his frightened pet had scampered off to. She had one more relationship to mend, and then she could get back to attempting to bury her feelings in her baked goods.
Location: Kitchen Company: Faraday, Ellis, Kitchen Staff Thoughts: ‘Why does he make me feel so nervous…?!’ OOC:Izzie’s outfit beneath her apron
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Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2025 7:58 pm
🗲 𝙳𝚄𝙺𝙴 𝙾𝙵 𝚄𝙸𝙻𝚄𝙼 🗲· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·location KITCHENS xxxxx company IZZIE xxxxx outfit CASUAL WEAR Pleased as he was in his ability to communicate his thoughts and feelings so well, Ellis immediately began to worry he had said something wrong after all. Izzie was slow to respond -- slow to move, even. And the way she was staring at him, eyes full of some unknowable emotion... Ellis had to remind himself to give her time, the same way he often needed time. All he could do was put his faith in a positive outcome. He held her gaze, unblinking, and when finally she reached for his hand, he grasped hers tightly, pulling her upward in a smooth motion. At last, words began to tumble out of her mouth -- perhaps sooner than she intended to speak them, seeing as she had yet to let go of his hand. Or maybe he was the one still holding onto hers? Should he let go now? Would it seem rude? Truthfully, he... did not dislike the feeling. He hadn't disliked holding her hand during history class, either. And that was coming from someone with a strong aversion to physical contact. But, as Ellis was discovering, Izzie was a rather large exception to many of his rules, wasn't she?
Not knowing what to do, Ellis -- as he so often found himself doing -- did nothing. He left their hands where they were, curled around each other, and tried not to think about the sensation as Izzie admitted to being caught off guard. Which was perfectly understandable. Ellis gave her an encouraging nod, but did not have a chance to properly respond, because now she was looking down at their hands. A firmer sense of anxiety settled in his chest. It was weird, right? Would she think he was some kind of pervert for not letting go? Izzie flushed red again, which Ellis could only guess was out of embarrassment. Not that he was supposed to be guessing anything right now. Maybe he should just ask; asking had been working well for him so far.
”I really don’t want to mess this up. I care about you and want to make this work. Friends, partners, whatever. So long as we agree that we don’t dislike each other, I know I can be satisfied with it.”
Relief washed through him, now that he had that final confirmation they were on the same page. No more misunderstandings. Izzie smiled again, and he felt something in his face soften at the sight. He was so content he had forgotten about the issue of their hands entirely -- until Izzie squeezed his, and finally let go. "I can most certainly handle it," he insisted, perhaps a little too eagerly. "I am... I am very pleased we are on the same page. I'm glad we were able to connect." With nothing else occupying his hand, he fiddled with the cuffs of his sleeve. And part of him wanted to keep the communication going -- to learn more about the things he was wondering. But he also feared coming on too strong.
Not to mention the fact he had entirely disrupted her activities, barging in here as he did.
He was not the only one who had, however. As Izzie advanced toward the first intruder, Faraday cautiously poked his head out, eyes the size of dinner plates and ears pressed against his head. His gaze immediately settled on her, and he retracted slightly, nose twitching. But it did not take long for him to relax; she was the salmon-giving goddess, after all. He mewed once before squeezing himself out of the narrow niche to rub against her legs.
Ellis watched this all cautiously, fearing Faraday might make another run for it. He could only hope that the cat's brief adventure would deter him from a second, but only time would tell. Still, Ellis softly shuffled toward where he had left the leash and everything else. "Is your finger alright?" he asked as he joined the pair by the icebox. "Perhaps we ought to wash and disinfect it, just in case." While he hadn't examined the wound too closely, he hoped it was not bad enough to warrant a trip to the infirmary. "I apologize for the double intrusion... I hope we haven't inconvenienced you too much."
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Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2025 7:53 pm
The smile on her lips grew at his words, more than delighted that they had managed to find a middle ground between them. Things were going to be okay. Or so she hoped, Izzie mused as she lowered down to her knees before Faraday’s hideaway. They had a very long time between now and when life was sure to be its rockiest. It was going to be an interesting adventure to see how they handle it. But they’d handle it together, a thought that had her features heating up again as she held her hand out for the skittish feline.
”I’m so sorry, Faraday. I didn’t mean to startle you, sweetie.” She kept her voice soft, gentle, and calm as she spoke to the creature. It was rewarded with his reappearance, a soft giggle escaping when he mewed and rubbed up against her. Her fingers immediately reached out to stroke over his soft fir, scratching gently behind his ears. She’d never had a cat before. Her mother was allergic to them. There had been a few in the stables, but those were mousers and usually too angry to be petted or given treats. Faraday was nothing like them and she wondered what living a life with him as her pet was going to be like.
Ellis’s voice had her looking over her shoulder at him, an easy smile still on her lips. She could tell he’d been toying with his cuffs, the edges rumpled a bit from his fingers. Even though they had worked things out between them, he still looked a little out of place. Like he was worried that she was going to banish him from her sight now that they were okay. Izzie was going to have to be sure to remind him that his presence was always welcome in her space. Or, rather, here in the kitchen. Her dorm…that was another topic altogether. Just thinking about it had the heat returning to her face, something she did her best to hide as she shook her head at his words and returned her focus to the feline before her.
”I’m sure it will be fine. I’ve cut myself worse just baking.” His concern for her was adorable, and had her heart fluttering a bit in her chest. She’d never had anyone but her family and Gwen care for her. It was…interesting. Marveling over it, Iz lifted Faraday into her arms and stood back up onto her feet. She carried him gently over to the counter he’d been on, setting him beside his leash before turning to look at Ellis once more.
”But, if it bothers you, we can get it taken care of. Wouldn’t want you worrying too much over me.” She teased him a bit as she turned away and headed for the sink. The sound of his apology surprised her, her hand hesitating on the ribbon she’d used to stem the blood flow from her wound. Hmm, perhaps he wasn’t the only one that had been miscommunicating her feelings about their…situationship. Izzie was more than happy to remedy that, starting with his view on being an ‘inconvenience.’
”Ellis, you don’t need to apologize. For Faraday, or for yourself.” As she spoke, she unwound the ribbon and held her injured hand over the sink. The bleeding had stopped, but the cut was red and raw. She contemplated visiting Lady Gwyn and Lady Manon in the infirmary, but brushed the thought aside. This was something she could handle on her own. Iz set the ribbon in the sink, for now, and reached out with her uninjured hand to turn the warm water on.
”He’s a cat, so he can come and go as he pleases. It was nice to have him for company. I find him to be cute, entertaining, and a welcome addition to my baking time. The staff, on the other hand, might view it differently but I’ll handle them. He is more than welcome to return whenever he wishes, should he be in the mood for a treat or some scratches.” With that said, she placed her hand under the water and hissed through her teeth at the sting that followed the action. Oh yeah, she’d gotten herself good. It didn’t feel deep enough for healing, but it was going to definitely leave one hell of a scar once it was healed up. More than okay with it, Iz reached for the soap and went through the rather annoying, and slightly painful, act of cleaning the wound.
”As for you, I would never consider you to be an inconvenience. Or find your presence to be an intrusion in my life. You’re my friend, Ellis, and you have been for a while now. I’m sorry it took me so long to tell you that.” She paused in the act of washing her hand to look back at him, smiling softly once more as she tried to show him just how truthful her words were. It was hard to know if he believed her if she couldn’t see his eyes.
”You’re also my fiance, someone I’m going to be spending a lot of my time with. So, getting used to you being in my space comes with the territory. I’m sure it will be an adjustment, but I’m really looking forward to figuring it out. If I’m honest, I’m more worried that I will be an inconvenience to you.” The fear she had been keeping to herself lately escaped before she could stop it, her features turning scarlet again for the umpteenth time. Izzie forced herself to take a deep breath, not wanting to let her anxiety over the future cause another miscommunication between them. For this, however, she couldn’t look at him. Instead, she refocused on cleaning the cut, making sure it was washed thoroughly as she continued.
”Your work, your Duchy, it’s important to you. And it’s how you spend a lot of your time. I don’t want to be a bother or have you thinking that you need to pull away from that just because I’m there. It might take me a bit, at first, but I’m sure we can find a happy medium that will give us the chance to explore our interests without too much interruption.” Iz made it a point to avoid talking about sharing a bed, or children, or being…intimate. No, that was a long way away. And was sure to be a topic they both would find difficult to discuss. For now, she could be happy with what they had. A friendship that was built on understanding and a tentative trust.
”I really hope all of that made sense to you. And that I didn’t just put you to sleep with all my talking.” She laughed nervously, wondering if she could drag out cleaning her hand a bit longer so she didn’t have to see the look she assumed to be on his face after her little rant.
Location: Kitchen Company: Faraday, Ellis, Kitchen Staff Thoughts: ‘This is good….We are talking…I hope we can keep this up…’ OOC:Izzie’s outfit beneath her apron
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Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2025 8:01 pm
🗲 𝙳𝚄𝙺𝙴 𝙾𝙵 𝚄𝙸𝙻𝚄𝙼 🗲· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·location KITCHENS xxxxx company IZZIE xxxxx outfit CASUAL WEAR Watching how happily Faraday leaned into Izzie's touch, Ellis very nearly felt that he could put his worries to rest. There was little the creature loved more than physical affection -- delicious snacks aside, of course. And with Izzie doting on him so, Faraday was bound to find more to gain from sticking around than running off into the great unknown. But that very last bit of anxiety was hard to shake, considering this whole fiasco had come about because Faraday had chosen to do something unprecedented in the first place. Cats would always be fickle creatures at their core. So Ellis continued to hover, eyes trained on the pair before him.
In the space left by his diminishing concerns, something new and strange settled in. A bizarre sense of... contentment, he supposed, seeing how kindly Izzie regarded his cat. How gentle she was being. How compassionate. When she had no real need to be -- and when she did not even know that he was the most precious thing in Ellis's world. Sometimes Ellis rather wished she could be less nice, because he had seen the way her kindness could be taken advantage of. But right now, he was grateful for it. Two parts of his world were overlapping, when normally he preferred things separate, and yet it did not feel even a hair out of place.
His momentary sense of peace ended as soon as Izzie responded to him, leaving a subtle yet unmistakably horrified look on his face. "Baking?" he echoed, unable to conceive of how something so innocuous could result in even worse wounds than the one she had sustained today. Until this very moment, he thought he'd held a solid understanding of the art of baking, for someone who had never done it himself, but now he feared there was a critical gap in his knowledge. Were there even knives in baking? Just what danger was Izzie getting herself into??
It was enough to make her less wary of personal injury, certainly. While logically, she was the expert here, and Ellis ought to defer to her judgement, he found he could not shake his worry. He ran a hand down Faraday's back, then clipped the hook of the leash into the loop on his collar, before scooping the cat up into his arms and joining Izzie by the sink. Ellis eyed her finger. "Even the most shallow of wounds can become infected," he pointed out. "There is no harm in taking precautions..."
As she assured him he did not need to apologize, his pale eyes shifted to her face. Once more, her consideration for Faraday warmed his cold heart, and he was glad to know the cat had not been an imposition.
And that neither was he.
Her smile caught him off guard, and Ellis stood there and stared at her, unable to conceive a reasonable and thoughtful response before she continued speaking. Not for the first time, he was grateful for how different their brains were. He knew he could be shortsighted at times -- most of the time -- so focused as he was in solving one equation before moving on to the next. Izzie bore a wisdom that allowed her to think of things that might never come to his mind. Even now, their friendship and their engagement were wholly separate lanes to him. In part because their friendship was the immediate equation, and the engagement was a future one. But also because in his mind, that engagement began and ended on a piece of paper. Perhaps they would be wed, but they would still lead their own lives. He had not even imagined them living in the same house. Although they'd had no choice in the marriage, he wanted Izzie to have the freedom to live whatever life she did choose.
But she was right. Whatever the arrangement they personally agreed upon, they would still be spending time together as fiancés. They would be figuring things out as partners. Izzie was looking forward to it, even. She was always thinking about them solving the equations together. Ellis needed to remember that; he wasn't the only one working the math.
"I appreciate your brain."
The statement leapt from his tongue without him even realizing, and two beats later his lagging mental processor brought him back up to speed. Ellis brought a fist to his mouth and awkwardly coughed.
"Er... By that, I mean..." He looked away, shifting Faraday against his shoulder. "I... It did make sense. I like to hear your... thought process. You think of things I haven't considered, and it... is. Good. For me."
Was he having a stroke?
"I am not used to sharing my space," Ellis continued, a little less falteringly now. "I'm used to everything being... separate. I'm used to routine. Isolated instances with clear boundaries and predictable outcomes." He gestured with a flattened hand, as if he was dividing something invisible in front of him. "The interruption of my routine can make it hard for me to adjust. I admit that is a struggle for me. But for me, you are not an... unwelcome interruption. So, I am willing to adjust, and develop a new routine. Together."
His eyes slid back to the left, toward Izzie, but he didn't fully face her yet.
"You can teach me about baking, and its perils. And I -- can bring Faraday by, when you'd like. He would like it, I'm sure. He does not get much company now that we're at the Academy. Or as many snacks." Ellis paused, and added, "Thank you. For taking care of him. He is... very precious to me."
Finally, Ellis set Faraday down on the counter next to the sink, where he flopped over and began to fastidiously clean his face.
"Is there a medical kit in here that might have a sterile bandage for your finger? I can fetch it."
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