Friendship lunch

[Raize de Sardet]

De Sardet knew why he hadn't gotten a dog sooner. IT reminded him of home, and a little of his brother and also training would have been time he didn't have. Now...well, Pandora had a point, 'not not go for it?' He found himself smiling as she spoke to this and that value a dog might have. They were fine point, very respectable, and all things that he would have considered too, had he pushed himself a little bit further.

"I think I will," he agreed. He'd have to make a few purchases and then actually find a puppy, but...even with that quick moment of acceptance, he found himself quite excited by the prospect.

He wasn't looking forward to tasting it again but it seemed Pandora was way ahead of him, as usual. At first, de Sardet was confused why she pulled out the granules (probably sugar, definitely smelled like it) and then added the concoction to the meager spoonful. He leaned forward and wrapped his mouth around the spoon, before closing his hand around hers on the utensil so he could pull it out of his mouth. "Better. Tastes like sugar."

The young noble would give that another moment. It was quite possible the first couple were working and he just didn't entirely notice. His gaze wandered over her shop. "You ever think about getting a pet?"

[Pandora Valis]

Pandora looked to him a bit hopeful on that, she believed a dog would be a great companion to him and he'd have a friend with him always. Not like he didn't have friends, he did, she just liked the idea of him not being alone and having something to keep up with him as he went about life and work.

"Oh that's awesome! Can I come with you when you pick them out?" she asked curiously. She was already excited- she wondered if he'd let her make the pup some pet-friendly treats to keep bad breath at bay.

A smile was on her face as he didn't say no to take it again, even though he had a puzzled look on his face before he took it into his mouth. She'd smile some as he covered her small hand with his and then pulled the spoon from his mouth and then made her laugh a little, "That was the goal, I don't mind trying to make it taste even better for you but he said he didn't care about taste too much so," she said with a little shrug to that.

That made her stop for a moment, "I mean...I have but I don't know what I'd get honestly. I kind of like all kinds of animals- though if I brought them here in the shop they would need to not be able to climb...I don't want everything knocked onto the floor," she said with a slight shiver, she'd cry if all her hard work got knocked off because of a cheeky cat, "What kind do you think would fit me?" she asked him then, a big smile on her face at the question as she would reach for her drink to take a sip.

[Raize de Sardet]

"Sure, Bubbles," he said with a nod, leaning over to tousle her hair slightly. She was so excited it was a little contagious. He figured Aiden would like to come to, at least, once he heard his brother's intentions. "I'll let you know when I go looking." He'd have to ask around about breeders.

Didn't care about taste? De Sardet blinked. "That's terrible," he said, not realizing he said it out loud. "If I'm going to put something in my mouth, I care about taste. He should care too." He didn't sound offended, just...confused and perhaps a little concerned. Was her client okay? Was he a person? "If you sell this to other people, I suspect many of them will care about the taste." Not to say all of them would think it tasted bad like he did, to each their own, but it did boggle his mind ever so slightly.

"Birds can't climb, but I suspect that won't do either," he mused. "A turtle? No, doesn't suit your personality. Maybe..." he paused in thought. "A rabbit!" he declared a bit proudly. "Cuddly, cute, high energy, but as long as you keep everything off the floor, nothing should be broken." He glanced around the room at the floor, as if considering how rabbit-proof the place was. There were a lot of display sections and crates of supplies and other storage and he hesitated. "Maybe this is a pet free zone..."

He'd have his work cut out for him teaching a dog not to stick it's nose in everything here.

[Pandora Valis]

The hair tousle made her just laugh and shake her head a little at him but she was smiling still and would playfully bat at his hand with her own so that she could smooth out her hair. She didn't have it tied up so it wasn't easily tangled from that, "Yes please! Oh boy- can I make him treats? Dog safe treats of course but can I?" she asked him curiously. She knew a bunch of herbs that were great for the health of them and their coat!

Listening to him made her bite her lip to prevent herself from laughing as he went on about taste and how people should care about it and she did agree but it wasn't her mouth it was going into, "I know but so far it's only going to him and I didn't do anything to taste because I had asked and he said it couldn't taste that bad so...well I'm not working on the taste," she told him with a little shrug. It was the easy thing to do to show that things could easily taste horrible.

Pandora listened to him, hoping for some inspiring idea of a pet but as he went on it was showing her that maybe her shop was not a pet friendly place after all. That alone made her smile and laugh, "I'll have a pet rock, can't get into any trouble and can keep my papers from flying all over the place if a breeze comes through," she told him with a bright smile. Really not a lot could dampen her spirit on anything and if someone did give her a pet rock, she'd take care of it.

She knew her place was not a super pet friendly place but that wouldn't stop her from wanting one.

[Raize de Sardet]

Dog safe treats? What the hell did that mean? His confused expression was short lived though as he had no intention of curbing her enthusiasm. "As long you don't stop making food for me. Better yet, if I can eat those treats too..." Food he couldn't eat would be a shame, honestly.

De Sardet noticed her face fall a little but as always she was a positive bubbling person. "Doesn't mean you can't get a pet," he said quickly. "Just means they can't be in here all too often. We can make a safe place in the back." Even a well trained animal wasn't ideal to keep in her shop. Not to say Pandora was a mess or clumsy but...she was spontaneous and always had something going on. He glance at the extractor and various other contraptions and cauldron about. Even he had a hard time not getting nosy and putting things in his mouth and he knew better!

Speaking of putting things in his mouth...he turned his attention back to the food she had prepared. He was sort of always hungry. And even if he wasn't hungry he liked food. He didn't notice his leg bouncing at first as he ate dessert but eventually the energy buzz caught up with him. It was weird. He didn't feel all that different. And it didn't feel like getting electrocuted or anything so extreme but... "Well...I feel less tired? Think I'll sleep tonight?" His words came out a bit faster than usual. "How long is this supposed to last? Or do you not know yet? Will sleep tonight?"

[Pandora Valis]

"I will never stop making food for you and uhm you probably could since they'd be herbs mixed in with coconut oil; probably rather minty and would make your hair shinier," she told him with a little smile as she would reach over to play with his curls a little bit. He already had great hair but she would bet that she could make it even more so.

That made her bounce and nod, "We can, I do have space back there, even with my bad in there and all that." she told him, thinking for a moment. What animal would work, maybe a dog as well? But if she got a dog what kind? And how big? So many questions rumbled through her mind before she just figured she would just write it out and figure it out later.

Pandora would look at him and see him as he seemed to be starting to get buzzy, a grin growing on her face as she would take a drink before looking at her essential oil catcher and would pull a candle closer to see how it was going- still had a little bit longer on it and then he was asking her questions. "Uhh well you know it's supposed to last a while and it's meant for someone who's doing a night shift so at least eight hours minimum and thirteen maximum with how I made it but It could be less for you since I tinkered more with the taste for you," she told him as she could hear it in his voice- he sounded like her!

[Raize de Sardet]

He smiled. "Good." Mint wasn't one of his preferred flavors but in the right combination he didn't mind. "My hair is already shiny," he added and then paused and seemed to realize something. "Also I don't have bad breath." He frowned. Was that what she was implying about the mint? Sure it was for a dog but...still.

"Stick with something small," he cautioned with another smile. Not because she was small but because Pandora had a habit of getting her hands full. Or getting in over her head. Pets were a lot of responsibility and so was her shop and he didn't want her to get too distracted too quickly.

Eight hours. It was lunch time now. He didn't work tonight. He had originally planned to find a few peers and play chess but now he sort of didn't want to sit still. Not that he couldn't also play chess but he would have to play at least five people at once. Or speed chess. Yes, that would be fun.

At least right now, it felt like he wouldn't sleep tonight.

"Hmm...Do you want to play chess? Or a walk. That sounds good too." He forgot for a moment she had a shop to run and that he couldn't hang out there all day. "Oh, right. You have work." He wondered what Raina was up to...

[Pandora Valis]

That made her just grin as she played with his hair for a moment, it was shiny and soft and she really did like playing with it, "I know it is but I bet I could make it shinier and bouncier," she told him before laughing then, "I know you don't but dogs get bad breath easily so it would be useful for their breath not yours," she told him with a little laugh.

"Small...and fluffy?" she asked, her tone now a little joking but yet if there was something small and fluffy she'd happily take it because well, she liked those sort of things and they did make her happy.

The realization that he was about to be wound for sound made her feel a little bad but then he had some offers her way and she was smiling more.

"We can play chess and I do but I can close early if you want and we can go for a walk," she would offer to him. She did have a mailbox for people to drop in their needs if she wasn't around, a nice little system that always worked out great!

[Raize de Sardet]

"Small and whatever your heart desires, Bubbles," he said with a smile. The fluffy part was rather predictable. She liked fun, soft, cuddly things. He was...most of those.

He looked around. "Not a lot of space to play chess..." he mused and the seemed to trt and get hinself back under control. "Ah, no...you need to make money." Not because she was poor of course, but to make sure the shop was seen as profitable and worthwhile by her family. "People talking to you. Pandora had a good personality like that, and her customers generally liked hearing from her directly. "I shouldn't stay much longer..." he mused out loud. "But maybe we can play a game first," he suggested, poking the extractor lightly out of curiosity.

[Pandora Valis]

That made her smile even more, she did like soft things and things that because they made her feel good, "I can't wait then and I can't wait to see what you get," she told him happily. He was going to make a great pet owner she believed!

"I can make space easily," she told him with a smile as she would move around to go to the back to pull out the chess set she kept in her shop to play with. She would place it on the seat where she was sitting before sighing, "I know and I do like talking to them; I've made even more new customers even as well! Honestly, business couldn't be better,' she told him honestly as she would give a light tap to his hand, "Don't do that unless you want to burn your finger silly,' she scolded him lightly as she would gently move the extractor off to the side. It needed to cook for a while yet to get more. "So one game and then you can go," she told him with a little smile at that. She loved having him around, he made her smile and so she would move things on the counter to be able to fit the chess board.

[Raize de Sardet]

He smiled slightly. Sometimes, his friend has more enthusiasm than he knew what to do with. Also, why did it take him mentioning he might get a dog for her to go off on some parade about also getting a pet? Couldn't she had gotten one ages ago? In any case, he probably wasn't going to get a dog anyway. Just...think about it. So maybe he wasn't any better.

"That's great," de Sardet said with half a whine as she tapped him. Yes, okay, he knew better, but still. He cleared his throat "Er, great, I mean," he said again, this time with a bit more joy in his tone. He really was glad the herbalist had good business. "Not that you need it, but if my family can ever help, let me know."

As Pandora cleared them space for the board, he took both queens in his hands, shuffled them behind his back and held them out to the young woman, one in each closed fist so she could pick one and play whichever color it was. "White moves first," he reminded her. Once it was determined who was playing what color, he set the board.

[Pandora Valis]

Pandora hadn't been in a place to think about owning a pet until recently but talking about it more now made her think about it more. She knew she'd love to have a little friend to just be with through the day while working here when she had no friends around.

She smiled and raised a brow at him as he whined, he was not hurting himself on her watch if she could help it darn it! "Hey I will always take help, especially from you and your family," she told him with a warm smile at that. She liked them and it never hurt to make further connections for her shop, it would only help it to flourish.

When he took the queens and shuffled them, she bounced a little as she poked one hand and would wind up with the white one, "I know that," she told him with a little wrinkle of her nose at him with a smile. She would get her pieces set up and situated before she would take and move a pawn forward.

[Raize de Sardet]

De Sardet smiled and nodded. They did business with the Valis family from time to time. Not that his father particularly liked the notion of a woman running her own shop, but he liked it a lot better than soldier, since at least it was mercantile and not military. "Always pays to be on good terms with a herbalist," he said, nodding again. "That and our families owns a lot of shops and trades with many others so, you know, doesn't hurt you to get your product out there either." Not that he understood very much about herbs, but he did realize there was a market for things that could heal a variety of things.

Mostly, he knew from first hand experience with his allergies and proclivity to fall ill.

"Of course, my lady," De Sardet intoned, already distracted by the game. He studied Pandora for a moment as she set up her pieces, focused on how she touched and turned each one, watched her first move and wondered what opening- And then he reminded himself this wasn't some grandmaster he was playing, and that she didn't know openings and counter openings, let alone the names of them all. He preferred playing black. It was less about responding to moves and more about forcing his opponent to lead. The young man played through a few moves in his head, moving his own pieces quickly on his turn. He didn't intend to rush her he imply though it was more fair if he didn't take hours to think over his move. The man was quite good at playing strategically and intuitively.

"Who's this coffee thing for anyway?" he asked curiously. Sometimes she answered, other times she preferred to keep things confidential and he didn't mind either way. Normally, he didn't talk wile playing chess, but he had extra energy to burn, apparently.

[Pandora Valis]

A little grin was on her lips at that, it was good to be on good terms with one, wasn't it? She knew it was helpful but maybe that would only expedite the speed of things and nothing more really since she never played favorites, "True...I have thought of seeing about offering out some of what I've made to be sold elsewhere but I always worry that the item will not be in the best condition," she told him with a slight sigh and shake of her head. Pandora was always concerned about the quality of an item than quantity.

A smiled was on her face as he said that, her fingers carefully setting up her pieces and getting them in the right places before she would make her first move. Once she had, she'd reach and grab her cup to take a sip from it as she would bite her lip waiting for his next move. The young woman was by no means a pro or anything, she only played for the enjoyment of the game and really nothing more about it.

"Oh, this is for something for the skin. I've learned that the essential oil in coffee beans is great for the skin and a woman has been coming in monthly for a cream I've made that has it and it helps wake up the skin so to speak and protect it as well," she explained with a little smile at that.

[Raize de Sardet]

"You make things in wonderful condition," he reassured. Sure, transport could alter things a little, but there was nothing else to do for it if she was serious about growing that way like she suggested. De Sardet imagined she was and could be, just as successful staying local. Either way.

He noticed his leg kept bouncing and he kept pausing to consider it for a moment before he could manage to stop it. He didn't feel like he was anxious, but...this coffee thing was strange. The young noble moved his pieces quickly, slowly capturing her pieces and nudging her toward an endgame.

When she mentioned 'skin' he cocked his head and looked up at her. He didn't ask, but his expression was a very clear "What did I just eat then?" Because he had been asking about the thing he had put in his mouth. Maybe that was why it tasted so bad? He did quickly realize she was talking about something else by how she went on, so he didn't actually ask out loud and made no indication of his confusion after the look. "Strange," was all he had to say on the matter. Very strange. He didn't understand plants. Or skin care. Skin wasn't asleep so how could it 'wake up?' Pandora was quite odd, honestly, but he liked her all the more for it.