MHA #14, Thursday Evening

[pocketpretzels]

Following lunch with Steven, Watts had puttered around town for a bit, before heading back to the apartment building. His own apartment was only a brief stop, however, as he collected a little four-legged friend before heading across the hall to Steven's.

Putting the cake away in the fridge, he noticed the remains of both the pie and the whiskey he'd shared with Marc last night, and made sure the pie was covered both so it didn't dry out and so little sneak-thief felines didn't try and sneak a bite.

That taken care of, he headed back to the living room, picked out a book from the shelf to read and curled up on the couch, Raphael on his lap as he waited for Steven to get home.

Comments

[pocketpretzels]

“How much time?” Watts wondered. “Are you thinking you’ll need to start right this moment?”

Before dinner?!?

[hasaknightjob]

Steven sat up enough to give Llewellyn a mock stern look. "It's my present, thank you. Delivery person can get their own."

Steven had dibs, damn it.

[pocketpretzels]

“Of course,” Watts nodded somberly. “In that case,” he said. “I am all yours for the unwrapping.”

[hasaknightjob]

"So later," Steven said, settling back down again. "After dinner. And cake."

Cake was important after all. Especially because Llewellyn had made it.

[pocketpretzels]

“So… second dessert?” Watts said with a smirk.

[hasaknightjob]

"If you've a problem with that I'll know you're not my Llewellyn," Steven said. He hugged Llewellyn possessively. "And then I'll have to get my Llewellyn back."

[pocketpretzels]

“No problems,” Watts said. “But it is nice to know you’d come to my rescue should I be replaced by some impostor.”

[hasaknightjob]

"Already happened once and I missed you," Steven pointed out. He hugged Llewellyn tighter. "Future you was nice but he wasn't you. You're my Llewellyn. No one else."

[pocketpretzels]

“Well, so long as I have any say in it I’m not going anywhere,” Watts pointed out. “I like being yours.”

[hasaknightjob]

"I like being yours," Steven said. "You're the puzzle piece I'm meant to be with. No one else."

[pocketpretzels]

“We do fit together rather nicely, don’t we?” Watts said, pulling Steven just a little bit closer. “Case in point.”

[hasaknightjob]

"Only just enough room for this one," Steven said, freeing up a hand to give Raphael skritches. "Which is quite all right."

[pocketpretzels]

“He’d kick up a fuss were we to leave him out,” Watts agreed. Of course there was more to it than that, but he also wasn’t wrong; the cat would indeed be offended by couch-snuggling he wasn’t allowed to be a part of.

[hasaknightjob]

"We would never," Steven said. He looked down at Raphael, scratching under the cat's chin so that he looked up in return. "We take care of you and your heart as well. I promise."

[pocketpretzels]

Raphael purred happily in response to that, and Watts smiled.

"I love how easily you made room for him too," Watts told Steven. "In your heart and your apartment. You didn't need to go to all that trouble, but you did, to make sure he's comfortable here."

[hasaknightjob]

"Of course," Steven said, as though he couldn't imagine not doing that. Because he couldn't. "He spends time here, doesn't he? He should be comfortable and happy. It's no trouble to do."

[pocketpretzels]

"Most people would expect me to leave him at home while I'm visiting you," Watts pointed out.

[hasaknightjob]

"What on earth for?" Steven asked. "Why should the poor lad be alone when we're right over here? That's silly."

[pocketpretzels]

"I am in complete agreement," Watts said, pressing a kiss to Steven's cheek. "Especially since he's so fond of you."

[hasaknightjob]

"Lucky me," Steven said. He moved his hand to give Raphael more full body pets. "I'd be sorry if he didn't. He's yours, isn't he? Good to be held in his esteem."

[pocketpretzels]

Honestly, some days Watts was rather convinced Raphael liked Steven better. Not that he could blame him, like, at all.

"I think as far as he's concerned, we both belong to him," Watts said drily.

[hasaknightjob]

"He takes excellent care of us then," Steven said. He skritched around Raphael's ears again. "Like now. Making sure we're both warm and comfortable. Such an attentive little lad, isn't he?"

The last part was said in a bit of a coo.

[pocketpretzels]

Why do you think Watts had left him in your company last week, Steven?

"Very much so," Watts agreed, offering a few pats of his own. "And yes, very deserving of some birthday treats in short order." Especially since Steven and Watts's dinner was due to arrive any minute now.

[hasaknightjob]

"Everyone gets to celebrate," Steven said. "It's only fair."

Which reminded Steven, "You did brilliantly last night by the way."

[pocketpretzels]

"Last n- oh. Oh!" Watts realised what Steven meant. "Really?" It had seemed to go well, but Watts hadn't wanted to bring it up, out of respect for Marc's privacy. Not that Steven didn't already know of what Watts had been planning, of course, but as far as details...