Midnight Manor Private Residence, Wednesday Evening

[pocketpretzels]

“There we go,” Watts said, sliding the rosemary foccacia into the oven.

“The pasta recipe calls for canned purée,” he continued, “but it seems a shame given fresh tomatoes are in abundance right now. I looked up how to make it ourselves and it doesn’t seem complicated at all. What do you think?” he asked Steven. There were enough fresh tomatoes to make said purée laid out on the counter, but also a can ready to go in case that was deemed too many steps.

Comments

[pocketpretzels]

Watts nodded as he finished up chopping his portion of the tomatoes. "You're not the only one to get such an impression."

[hasaknightjob]

Steven got a bowl - needing two tries to remember where they'd put those sorts of bowls - for them to put seeds in as they cleaned out the tomatoes. "Arden in particular. Not that Illyana isn't also someone I've got my eye on. But she does have a family at home she seems to be happy with."

And Gonzo mainly seemed in need of an audience, which Steven was happy to be a member of when the time came.

[pocketpretzels]

"Mmm," Watts hummed. "She did seem a bit- skittish."

[hasaknightjob]

"And worrying about owing people anything," Steven said. "To say nothing of that man calling Marc out of nowhere to pay for everything."

[pocketpretzels]

"Very odd, that," Watts agreed. "I understand not wanting to be in anyone's debt, of course, but..." it seemed as if there were more to it than just that.

[hasaknightjob]

"Marc's already been thinking if something goes wrong with her rent she won't be charged," Steven said. "Possibly come up with some sort of job for her to do so she doesn't feel as though she's being put into debt."

Not that Marc cared about people or anything.

[pocketpretzels]

"That's kind of him," Watts said, approving but unsurprised.

[hasaknightjob]

"Between you and me," Steven said - and given their situation Steven actually double checked the reflections to confirm it was him and Llewellyn alone - "He's serious about being responsible for everything. Not just Midnight but anyone in it."

[pocketpretzels]

"I know you were concerned about him- being somewhat adrift," Watts noted as he worked on scooping out tomato seeds. "So that ought to be good for him. To have something meaningful to focus on."

[hasaknightjob]

"I mean it's his way, isn't it?" Steven said. "Taking things on. Only in the past it's gotten him into trouble. Thinking he's got to take things on alone of all things."

Steven gave an eyeroll because of course he was uniquely positioned to react to the idea of Marc being alone.

[pocketpretzels]

Watts bumped Steven's shoulder carefully, mindful of the fact that they were both working with knives.

"Not an issue anymore. Even if he's taking point, he's got both you and myself to lean on."

[hasaknightjob]

Steven was giving Llewellyn heart eyes again. "I love you very much, you know."

[pocketpretzels]

"I am glad to hear it, given how much I love you," Watts replied.

[hasaknightjob]

Steven gave Llewellyn a quick kiss, then focused on finishing up his share of the tomatoes. "We should know by... end of the week? I think she said? If Marc can accept the payment on the rent. So wait and see until then I suppose."

[pocketpretzels]

"All right," Watts said, dumping his portion of tomatoes in to the pot. "Hopefully all goes smoothly." He was not talking about the tomatoes.

[hasaknightjob]

Steven followed suit with his portion as well. "If it doesn't, we'll figure it out. Certainly no lack of people available to lend a hand if she needs it."

Of course someone needing help and someone being willing to accept help were two different things. They'd certainly had more than their share of experience on that end.

"Perhaps Marc should be about later in the week?" Steven said, floating the idea to himself as much as anything. "In case she's reluctant to ask for him?"

[pocketpretzels]

“That makes sense,” Watts agreed, doing his best to school any disappointment from showing on his face. After all, if Marc was about all day Friday, that meant Steven wouldn’t be able to make their usual lunch date.

But then again, he’d known going in that he couldn’t have Steven all the time, that was just how this worked.

[hasaknightjob]

Steven looked at Llewellyn in confusion. "What's wrong?"

[pocketpretzels]

Watts’s face scrunched up in mild annoyance at himself for apparently not managing to hide his disappointment. “We’ve our lunch date on Friday,” he said. “If Marc’s about, we’ll need to skip it.”

[hasaknightjob]

"What? No, no, I hadn't meant that at all," Steven quickly assured him. He moved to touch Llewellyn's arm to offer further comfort if Llewellyn was all right with it. "Perhaps Friday afternoon, or Saturday? I'd never skip our lunches. I'd have one tomorrow if we could."

[pocketpretzels]

“Oh,” Watts leaned in to the touch, now feeling a bit silly for immediately leaping to the wrong conclusion. “Although, I suppose- why don’t I bring you lunch tomorrow? And we can swap, I mean.”

[hasaknightjob]

"So I would bring you lunch next week?" Steven asked, to be sure he had the right of it.

[pocketpretzels]

"Yes," Watts nodded. "Would that work out?" he asked. "With your schedules, I mean."

[hasaknightjob]

"Can I confess something?" Steven asked, looking shy. "I rather thought it would be nice if you made the first lunch. It just felt right somehow."

[pocketpretzels]

"Is that so?" Watts's expression was practically a mirror of Steven's.