Outfit of the day:

Her words repeated as he got dressed for a nightcap, wanting to go for drinks with a superior. Ittindi had no doubt that sergeant, no scratch that his prophecy fulfilled she was a captain now. She probably just wanted to speak about her career options, Ittindi had also moved through the ranks at a faster pace than most. Still there was an undertone that made him worry a bit, if it was more than a professional drink. Well, Ittindi didn’t really know how to handle it, his last date felt like an eternity ago. It had been with another servant so they had something in common, what would he have in common with someone like Captain Anikka? People weren’t supposed to talk about work on dates right? He couldn’t call Colonel Tōga or the Young Master, they’d laugh at his naivety, no he would have this face this obstacle alone.

Are you really monologuing over a meeting, what happened to the best butler in the world. I don’t see the difference between servicing a date or an employer. You humans trifle over the most meaningless thing. If you like someone recreate with them and move on. That way after I take your life I can infect one of your children.

Ittindi would have to hold in his laughter from Naki’s comments, they did take his mind off the anxiousness. He dressed in one of his striped jackets with a solid black vest and tie a lighter button up that matched with his jacket completing the ensemble. His deep blue colored contacts he’d look over at Sylvia as she purred while laying down over his typical glasses. Instead, he’d choose some gold frames, inspecting himself in the mirror he decided to take his gloves off just in case this wasn’t work related.

He’d walk over to Captain Anikka’s room in headquarters knocking then waiting a moment to hear if she was there. If she was he’d speak loud enough for her to hear through the door.

”Captain Anikka, did you still want to go out for drinks?”

He thought of adding a joke, but stopped himself, instead he occupied himself by looking over the hallway. It was clean, but not up to his standard, he’d have to come by this wing of the barracks privately for some deep cleaning. There always seemed to be somewhere that was neglected in headquarters, it gave him plenty of opportunities for stress relief.

Ittindi was surprised to see Captain Anikka in a bath robe, even worse he thought it looked flattering on her. Not something any gentleman would venture to say to someone when they opened the door in surprise. Perhaps she was expecting a friend or some other company? Either way it was obvious that his visit was a surprise, perhaps he had been to rude when she asked for drinks the other day? He’d let her finish up her words keeping his eyes focused on her eyes to not make the situation more awkward. After her acceptance she’d allow him in the room as she went to get ready. Five minutes was an amazing preparation time it typically took Ittindi 20-30 minutes for preparation unless it was an emergency. Her cheeks had been flushed, Ittindi wondered if she had been drinking or perhaps in a bath? Either way he wondered what he was supposed to talk about over drinks, should they drop titles? Colonel Tōga and General Saturn were always big about dropping formalities was that because they were friends?

Ittindi my friend you seem anxious, I know because I can count on one claw how many times you’ve worried so much. Take a breath, you still don’t even know if this is a romantic invite, just take it like a mission.

Looking around the room, as soon as she was out of eyesight he’d inspect the general area, averting his eyes from anything that seemed to personal. The room was well organized something that Ittindi admired, it was while he was looking around that Captain Anikka would emerge from her private quarters fully dressed and ready. It reminded him of some of the librarians he had met when he was inducted into the Rune Knights with Averie. She never had acquired a rank being too obsessed with her necromancy; no doubt lost somewhere in a region in some book.

”Your outfit is very chic Captain Anikka, we’ll certainly draw eyes. I just had my car washed as well they’ll think we’re a pair of nobles courting haha….Places to go ummm….”

Ittindi would spiral at his awkward attempt at a joke it might have been forward, and even worse was she testing him. Was he supposed to pick a couple’s bar, a casual place to talk, something more upscale? While his face seemed stoic and flat, his mind raced with a billion different ideas on where to go. When in doubt he’d of course choose the safest option, he knew a small cocktail bar that had a domed roof that filtered out the smog and had magical fans to give a clear view of the Era skyline with the Rune Knight Headquarters peering over it all. They’d have booths and it wasn’t to loud so that they could talk, or Ittindi would be drinking heavily. That’s when he heard the paw marks at the door. He had forgotten to wake up Sylvia before leaving, no doubt she had found him and was trying to get in now. He hoped that she didn’t leave any scratch marks on Captain Anikka’s door.

” There’s a cocktail bar I know of called the Boutique Glasshouse that has a great view we could go there first.”

When they were ready Ittindi would open Captain Anikka’s door to see Sylvia rolling on the ground outside excited to see him, while staring at Captain Anikka with judging eyes. It didn’t seem to decide whether it liked or hated her just yet.

” I’m terribly sorry, I just recently found this cutie, Sylvia, in one of the abandoned labs of the Ministry of Research. They really need a better guiding hand that section has been out of control without proper purview. She’s taken to the habit of following me around, I can drop her off in my room if you’d like.”

Ittindi’s stiffness would soften at the sight of his feline friend, but he knew that many people had problems with cats. Especially if she saw this as a date, he didn’t mind putting her away in his room. He had done so for some briefs, though she had a habit of flying out of his window and exploring the town. So far nothing to terrible had happened from her shenanigans.

Ittindi knew he was supposed to laugh or smile at compliments, but he was still nervous sharp enough for a dreadnought was a compliment right? He’d see her reaction to him mentioning Sylvie and wonder if she didn’t like cats? Then quickly realized that he didn’t mention that Sylvie was a cat, he wondered what Captain Anika was thinking about before she walked to the doorframe. Ittindi did lose frame and start laughing heartily at her reaction to putting her hand out as if to shake his cats hand.

While Ittindi was all for manners, he had never met any cat that cared for anything besides themselves and their owners or loved ones. It was the refreshing part that made him a cat person more than dog, the ability even in the direst circumstances to stick up for oneself. It was something that he had admired about the Young Master as well, the idea seemed unapproachable in his own life. Service, sacrifice that was needed in the world and no one powerful seemed to think so, they left it for those that were weak, meager or loyal even a combination of those traits. That was part of what made him want to be the world’s best butler, to show that those traits didn’t have to be the sole defining factor of their class or job. There had to be more one could be loyal, servantly and sacrificial no one had the will or power to strive for it, Ittindi would be the first. After he recovered from laughing he’d speak while Sylvie would go up and sniff Captain’s Anika hand then quickly move back to behind Ittindi’s legs.

”I’ll take Sylvia back to our room she sometimes needs encouragement to take a nap. I imagine an early serving of food will do the trick. Do you mind coming to my room real quick, or would you rather meet at my car?”

Regardless of her answer Ittindi would start walking back to his room, their rooms weren’t to far apart, Ittindi with the new Colonel position had his office adjoined to his apartment. They’d walk through the mostly empty Ministry of Communication main office. The whirring of papers printing with different propaganda as well as information from every country of the council was an ambient sound for both Ittindi and Sylvia at this point. A couple salutes here and there for the late-night workers trying to prove their worth to Ittindi, he knew their names by heart even if he didn’t address them as such. Better to see who had loyalty to the cause then to Ittindi himself, those were the soldiers he wished to promote.

He'd put his palm on the door releasing the magical lock holding the door open if Captain Anika had decided to come into his room. It was a basic enough common area, littered with pictures of Ittindi with different employers and employees. From Café’s to Mansions his stoic impassioned face plastered across an array of suits and a decent number of contrasting smiling faces in the same pictures. His desk was organized with papers in different bins all organized with labels, the room had been shortened to make room for Ittindi’s massive walk-in closet which had the label clothes above it. Ittindi would walk to his magic refrigerator an expensive investment and pull out a Sylvia’s wet food while going into a cabinet to get the dry and a specific mixing bowl with a spoon that mimicked a cat’s paw for the scoop.  Opening his door and placing the food bowl inside Sylvia would saunter in while Ittindi closed the door.

Heading to his vehicle he’d notice how brisk the weather was outside and be reminded of the Head Butler speaking on the pursuit of romance. That a women should never open a door for herself, he had recently washed and waxed his mana car and as a result its black luster beamed even in the break of dusk. That’s when he had another idea a surefire way to know whether this was professional.  Before they got in the car, he’d open the door for Captain Anika and say.

”After you Captain Anika,  uhh…do you think we should drop our ranks for the night by the way or is this more business oriented?”

The words felt awkward coming off Ittindi and if Captain Anika looked closely as he walked to his side you could see him cringe after the question. Going to the driver’s seat, he’d flick on the magic radio while heading through the city. Era had its own beauty as he’d drive down from their headquarters on top the largest hill in the city. It wouldn’t take more than 10 minutes before they were in the biggest district in Era colloquially called the Era Streets. Their destination was 6th street. When they arrived Ittindi happened to know the Concierge on service, he had helped the man with his first ever Trinity knot. Rolling down the window the man would see Ittindi with what appeared to be a date for the first time in history.

”Colonel Ittindi, a pleasure sir, I’ll take your vehicle for you. I have to say I was inspired hearing about you saving that burning building full of children. And that time you helped my family with their debt, you're a magnomanis man.”

Ittindi would sigh as the valet would open the door for Captain Anika and he was wondering why the man would make up so much about him. And why he used the word magnanimous incorrectly, he'd have to tell the captain once they were inside. There was a small line and a bouncer, but he recognized Ittindi as well opening the door and beckoning him into the groan of those in the line. One muttering “nice catch” under his breath to Ittindi as he opened the door into the bar. The stairs up were higher steps than he remembered, he'd offer his elbow to Captain Anika if she wanted the aid climbing it, but wouldn't be offended either way.

Once at the top they were greeted by the lights of the city a sight that Ittindi had hoped they would make it to in time. A sea of light beads dotted the landscape with Era’s Rune Knight headquarters sitting above all like the star on a Christmas tree. As Ittindi lead Captain Anika to a table for two with elevated chairs and a clear glass table, it’d be obvious that the patrons didn’t seem to notice them but all the staff kept staring their way. A server would appear at their table before others, a women in her late twenties in a white button up with black slacks and matching vest. Looking at Captain Anika they’d ask.

”What can I get you to drink madam?”

Ittindi couldn’t think of when it would be appropriate to call someone by their name at work besides in life-or-death situations. He hoped that there wouldn’t be to many of those with Captain Anika but decided not to vocalize that thought. Thinking of how weird of responses he had gotten about the subject of death from friends and superiors. Even the ones who knew of his powers still felt awkward about the subject, such a bother.

”Sara I’ll have my usual Minstrel 75…”

She’d walk off chuckling, that was when Ittindi realized the implication that he might seem like an alcoholic if he had a usual. The words had slipped out so fast without a thought. He could imagine it already, going back to the barracks and people speaking of him behind his back like they did with old codgers that came into work with the smell of a bar or a whore.

”Cap…I mean Anika, just so you know I don’t drink that often I’ve just worked here before…Riesling huh, I think you might be the only Rune Knight besides me that drinks wine.”

It was at this point that Ittindi realized he didn’t really know anything about Captain Anika besides her brief background in her file. He knew that she was from Bosco, and there was an incident, but he didn’t care to much about people’s past, he had never investigated past that. That wasn’t something you brought up on drinks right? While thinking about it their drinks would show up and Ittindi would go to make a toast before stopping, the only thing he had ever toasted was the Rune Knights. They were being informal it wouldn’t be a good thing to remind Captain Anika of work, so awkwardly his drink kind of pointed at her before he brought it up to his lips.

In his nervousness some of the drink almost spilled onto his jacket. Out of instinctual reaction and his golden glowing divinity, Ittindi would move out the way, problem was there was nothing to sit on once he was out of his chair. Hitting the ground with his butt the thud seemed to happen at a moment of complete silence, or was that just in his imagination? He managed to keep his drink in his hand at the least, it probably wouldn’t be seen as romantic mopping a mess up so he avoided that fiasco. Turning a little red he’d just get back up to his chair as people snickered in the background.

”Almost spilled my drink on my clothes, split second reactions and all that…what was I saying earlier?”