flameinthedarkness

Well that's not going to go well for either of them then, since he really is not great at social cues either!

Wait... Who?! Idia's confusion clear on his face as he quickly tries to think if he even recognizes that name. Maybe on passing on the network, but he's never interacted with this Jonathan. Eventually, "Ah... no. Not for me. Or the previous owner. As far as I know."

Then to the obvious question, "...just how long were you away?" Oh, hold on, "I guess you can't answer that since... you were away, huh?"

"I don't know. Some time, I think."

There's a subtle twinge of sadness to the pinch of her brows as her eyes slide down to her coffee. It's hard not to be disappointed, thinking that she could come here and feel a connection to someone only to find that it had long since stopped being a place he'd spent his time at.

"Everyone I knew is gone."

Well, all but one--but she hesitated to reach out when he'd never showed her very much beyond disdain. Everyone else, the ones she had come to consider friends or more...usernames all deactivated.

Edited 2026-01-04 03:27 (UTC)

Oh. Oh... That's sadly too common a story here in Duplicity, someone you care for leaving... and hoping they are leaving to somewhere good. If anywhere at all.

Idia silently looking to her for awhile, then a sigh, and holding out his hand. "Well, now you know someone who isn't. Hi, I'm Idia, I'm the owner of Catsanova."

Uncurling one of her hands from around her coffee, she starts to stretch it toward him--before seeming to remember something and stop.

"I suppose you don't have immunity to extremely hot temperatures, do you?"

Usually she would assume no, but, well, his hair does make her pause. Either way, despite retracting her hand momentarily back toward herself, she does introduce herself.

"My name is Agnes."

Ah, ah... "N-No, I'm not." Yeah, Idia's just going to take his hand back as well. It also suddenly raises SO many questions. With her sitting there. Hold the cup. Not burning up the place. But... Idia also hates similar questions about his flames, so he moves past it.

"Feel free to come back whenever. Tho, ah, so you know, none of the Cats or staff got that, ah, immunity either..." But still! "But welcome to come back for the food. And company." Just no touchy.

Alas. Agnes considers pulling out her gloves, but with Idia's hand retracting, she decides the moment has passed. Maybe she looks just a little regretful about it, but that look softens when he makes his offer.

"You don't mind?" She understood that she was, well, a bit of a difficult customer. The kind that would order one single coffee and take up a seat for hours, thus inspiring the owner to come and see what the loitering was all about. "I wouldn't say...I'm very good at holding conversations. Still, I feel as if...I'd appreciate the company."

Maybe needing to pay for it was an alright way to start, if it kept her from isolating altogether.

"Nah, I don't." In fact... though would this be insulting? Fuck it, lets find out. "I'll even have a special table for you, so you don't have to worry about, ah, the heat thing. Some other customers can get... grabbier than they should." Even to other customers.

As for her concern, was it concern? Either way, "I mean... neither do I. But sometimes it's nice... just to be around, even if not interact. People watching, I guess?" As he's made more connections, more friends, seeing them happy was nice for Idia, even if he's not directly involved.

It's subtle, but Agnes does seem to be a little more relaxed when he gives her the permission she needs to continue her patronage--as hands off as it'll be.

"A special table? Please, show me."

She stands, taking her coffee with her. He had hit the nail on the head--she liked to watch other people go about their lives, imagining what it was like. Trying, and often failing, to picture herself in their shoes. It was a little easier here, without the oppressive, constant connection to her entity...but still difficult, without the overall experiences to call back to.

"Oh...and you may want to make sure the chair has a chance to cool down before anyone sits in it."

Oh... Idia grabbing the chair she was using and turning it so it's upside down on the table, pretty much establishing that table was now 'closed'. Then gesturing to another seat for her. "This way." It's a bit more out of the way, but that would work, right? Keep her from being worried, keep him from being worried. A win/win.

"I'll change out the table and seat for you too, make it something more heat resistant, so don't have to worry about... how it's affected by you." Ah, this may be personal but... "Do you... know what temperature your normal output is?" Wait. Hold on. Hold on, hold on. "...does this mean you can't eat cold stuff? Like... normally? Does it just... melt?"

"Thank you."

Agnes slides into her new seat, settling her coffee cup in front of her.

"I've never thought to try and gauge it. Not quite so hot as the sun, I suppose...though I think the idea was for me to get even hotter with time." She fixes a somewhat far-off look into the dark brew nestled between her hands, and one might think her gaze alone might boil it. "I don't eat."

That's. Not. Helpful. But whatever, Idia will work to an 'extreme' situation then.

Instead more focused on that last part, "Y-You don't?" But the coffee? Wait. It is still a full cup of coffee, so... "...you like the smell of foods and drinks then?"

"Yes. I enjoy the smell of coffee. Sitting with a cup makes me feel...normal."

Well, about as normal as someone like her can get, when she's basically the antithesis to normal.

"There are many delightful scents in cafes. It's somewhat fulfilling, being able to sit inside that atmosphere."

Though, granted, she hasn't really experimented with enough different settings to have really put her finger on other aromas that are appealing to her.

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