Little Things Done Well [Dorian, Liltotto]

Had Dorian heard rumor of his most difficult long-term project's apparent growth spurt? Much to his chagrin, yes, he certainly had, and thoughts of the budget immediately swarmed his mind. Surely this wouldn't effect her needs any further, right? With an appetite like the one she already had, there wasn't any way that it could get any worse.

Sighing to himself as he knocked on the door to her home, Dorian's eyes flitted between the paperwork in his hand and the spot that he'd come to expect Liltotto's eyes. He could discern the rest of these matters after they spoke, but for now, there wasn't any reason in getting ahead of himself. That was a habit that he still went out of his way to rein in.

Liltotto was lounging on her couch/bed, controller in hand as she was going at it with a game she recently acquired. It was a lazy day in her apartment for what she had foreseen, and dressed accordingly - only in a massive t-shirt that ran down to her legs with a dumb, edgy looking cartoon character on it, and some shorts. Her long golden locks were a mess strewn out along the couch as she hardly moved from her position for who knows how long, occasionally eating from one of her snack bags being the most of what she did, until she heard a brief knock at the door.

"Huh?" She'd perk up, pausing the game in an almost automatic fashion as her concentration was broken, before groaning and putting the controller down. She swore, if it was someone trying to sell her something or something equally annoying that took her out of her game right as she was fighting a midboss, she was just gonna be irritated and off her game for the rest of the day...

She'd open the door, only to be met by a somewhat familiar face, well familiar in the sense of indirectly knowing about him; one of the Admins off in Albedochiffren, Dorian wasn't it? Regardless of who, he definitely was here on some sort of business, unless he just liked carrying paperwork around with him at all times...

"Uhhh, heya?" She'd speak in that usual lazy tone as she leaned against the doorframe, "Did you need something?"

Honestly, she wasn't sure if this was some kind of check up, or if she was in trouble, or whatever...

Hm. Dorian's eyes had indeed been precisely where her eyes should have been, but it occurred to him only afterward that her eyes were no longer there. Well, he supposed that he was looking at further proof of her having grown, at least, thought at was simply fuel for his concern regarding the budget.

"Afternoon, Miss Lamperd. Terribly sorry to come on short notice, but it didn't seem necessary to be more formal about it when a quick visit could clear things up. I'm readying the budget for food imports for the next year or so, and I wanted to know if I should make any changes to account for your recent growth."

There was, to his credit, no actual accusation in his tone of voice, or even in his choice of wording. He didn't know anything about the source of her incessant hunger, but he'd spoken to enough people to know that it wasn't quite so clear-cut as simply giving her a bigger dinner. He was simply asking if she would need further accommodation.

Liltotto noticed the positioning of his gaze, though kept such a thing to an amused though. Guy probably wasn't expecting her to have shot up so much... Though when he gave his reasoning for being here, especially on such short notice, she felt somewhat relieved - not that she was gonna crumble over the idea of being in trouble or anything, but that it's a headache she won't be having. Sheesh though, she didn't figure her consumptive habits would be that impactful, but then again... Yeah, makes sense.

"Mmm, nah. I haven't noticed any differences in appetite. Same incessant hunger as always," She'd speak rather casually, leaning against the doorframe, "Yeah, I can imagine why you'd be so concerned, but it's looking like human logic doesn't apply to me, as usual."

She'd shrug and sigh, "At the very least i've been trying to only eat what i'd need in the moment, but then again that's a lotta moments."

"Hm, I see, that's good then. For the budget and for you, I'd imagine."

Dorian took a few notes, writing that down mostly so he could address it later on at his desk. It was good to hear, certainly, though he picked up on the mention of her eating whatever she needed at the moment. He certainly could have left it at that, but that didn't feel particularly right, given his reasons for joining the Vandenreich to begin with.

"Are you eating well? I understand the importance of having snacks and the like on hand, but I'd recommend proper meals when possible. They're better for your health, and certainly more fulfilling in the moment."

It was, much like his previous commentary, not particularly accusatory. He could have mentioned the simple fact that it was cheaper to cook than to eat snacks, that it would probably have been exponentially better on the budget if she did so. But did he? No. That would have been rude, and perhaps just as importantly, he knew quite well that anything was preferable to going hungry.

She'd give him a gentle shrug in response, but really she was kinda thankful nothing had made her hunger any worse. It was the same predictable pattern she had to work with her entire life. Sure, it was irritating if she didn't attend to it, but living for hundreds of years with it made it a commonplace sensation, no different from feeling or hearing. However, her head would tilt to the side with the man's inquiry of if she was eating well, an eyebrow risen,

"You're talking to someone who's had to, reluctantly mind you, eat plenty of non-food when food wasn't available. Health isn't really a factor for the most part," She'd reminisce poorly of the times she couldn't afford food, or when her idea of the apocalypse rolled in, and then her isolation, "Living completely off of meals is also kind of impractical for me. Cooking stuff takes time, especially the amount i'd have to make for myself to eat throughout the week. My hunger symptoms are bearable for like... What, an hour? Then it just goes downhill from there. Stocking up on snacks or stuff I can make real quick and carry around is just much more practical, i've figured."

She crossed her arms, looking to the side, "Don't get me wrong, it's not something I particularly enjoy or do for funzies. I can't eat a whole meal and be satisfied for a few hours like you."

"I've had to do much the same, so I tend to make sure others don't need to."

He understood her position perhaps better than most might have, though not on account of having personally needed that much food. The reality of having to feed others, however, led to the very same situation of requiring food that you simply did not have, of needing to rely on things that were far from ideal. And, of course, of not having what might be called healthy or satisfying.

"I'd be glad to give you what I can. My cafe prepares food for those in the City of Lights that don't have means of getting what's necessary. I'm not entirely certain that I could match your needs, but I'd consider it a failing on my part if I didn't at least offer some help."

Eating, after all, should be something to be enjoyed, cherished. Matters of survival, even for someone like her, should always have been secondary.

"Oh..." Well that made his particular concerning make a lot more sense with that statement. It was a little surprising to the woman; based on how he dressed and carried himself, she would've guessed he was some nobleman, or at the very least well off for his life. There must've been some pick-me-up along the way, she assumed.

She was at the very least attempting to fix her hair, passively tying her messy locks into a braid as he spoke, giving him a gentle 'hmm' as she brushed some hair from her face with her hands,

"That's a kind gesture, Demoiselle was it?" She'd grip her rather loose braid with two hands as she'd continue, "Though I don't feel like I can come by there habitually, in good conscience to anyone who would need food. I don't think there's anything in the word that can really satisfy my... Issue. Personally, i've always likened it to some bizarre disorder, but.. It's much more than that."

She'd look to the floor, biting her bottom lip for a moment, "..But, really, thanks. Don't have many people who hold that amount of concern for my issue. It just feels kinda shitty to admit I don't know how it could be alleviated with that hand extended."

"Please, Miss Lamperd, don't think of it that way. I don't pretend to understand your situation, and I think it would be rude of me if I did. But if you're suffering from hunger, then it's the least that I can do to offer you that."

He offered her a reassuring smile, the same sort of expression he'd worn in his youth among the others at the orphanage. Ah, he wondered what they might think if they saw him now. Well, no matter. What mattered far more was the immediacy, hm?

"If it's a concern of effort, or budget, then I'd ask that you take a look at the budget on produce and imports. Realistically speaking, it would benefit the whole of the Vandenreich if you allowed me to help supply your dietary needs."

But, of course, that wasn't Dorian's only worry, and that was fairly transparent. Call it a bit of a personal matter, but the idea of condemning her to a life made up mostly of idle snack food seemed almost depressing to someone like him.

"Even if we can't completely solve the problem, it's the least I can do to improve the situation a bit."

"Mmm.." She'd make the slight noise in response to his sentence, still somewhat fiddling with her loosely made ponytail. God, he was giving her that kind of smile? Anytime she saw someone give that sort of smile, there was always that feeling to return it in her, even if she was feeling like a depressed sack of shit. There was a level of earnest in it that she couldn't deny, and valued such a trait in an individual.

"Okay okay, alright, no need to bring the technicalities in it to convince me..." She'd wave a hand slightly, though there was no irritation or anger in her voice, just a sense of hurriedness and.. Perhaps guilt?

"I get it, I get it. I just... Wanted to get that across. Didn't want any shock or disappointment if it didn't work out in... Whatever way."