The Beach Near Midnight Manor, Sunday Afternoon

[pocketpretzels]

Layla had said she wanted some time to talk to Watts without either Steven or Marc around, and so they’d made plans today to go for a walk and grab some coffee. The walk itself had consisted of a mix of idle chit-chat interspersed with Watts occasionally pointing out a location of interest; the real talk was being saved for when they found a nice spot to sit and enjoy those coffees.

“I know just the place,” Watts said, leading Layla to a spot on the beach where they had a good view of the Manor, and there were rocks and logs scattered about that were large enough to serve as seats.

[ooc: for she who be mentioned!]

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"Imagine the look on Steven's face if you didn't," Layla pointed out, not without a measure of fondness. Though she then sighed and shook her head. "It is wild to me how different he is from Marc. I still catch myself sometimes expecting to see something of Marc in there but - "

She shrugged, sipping her coffee for lack of a better way to end that sentence.

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“Well, they’re different people,” Watts said with a shrug.

Of course, Layla had known Marc, and just Marc, for years, and had met Steven relatively recently. Watts, on the other hand, had only known Steven a month or so before he’d met Marc, so adjusting to the idea of the two of them sharing the same body had been a little simpler.

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"I know," Layla said. "Now. It took getting used to. I've known Marc for over ten years and I had no idea - "

She shook her head again, "As much as anybody knows Marc. He's still keeping secrets from me. That's where you're lucky. Steven's not like Marc. He's honest."

Layla felt no bitterness about that. More sad resignation than anything.

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“I am keenly aware of how lucky I am,” Watts assured her. “Steven and I- we take being honest with each other quite seriously.”

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"I'm glad he's happy." Layla shrugged. "Much as I have a right to be glad he's happy. You know him better than I do now."

She and Steven and Marc kept in touch via texts, but she knew that wasn't the same thing as being there.

"He and Marc seem to be doing pretty good together too," Layla said. "That's good. At least in some way Marc's not alone."

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“I consider Marc a dear friend as well,” Watts told her. “He is very important to me.”

There was, well. A marked change in warmth regarding how Watts spoke of him compared to last year, when he’d still very much been Mr. Spector.

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"He is to me too," Layla said. Not challenging or anything, just confirming that she and Watts were - well not on the same page but maybe similar ones. "Ten years doesn't just go away. You can't stop caring for someone just like that."

Layla snapped her fingers, then gave a wry look since she came from a world where a snap could actually do a lot.

"I don't know what the future holds for me and Marc," she said. "If he let me in I'd give him a chance, but he's still not ready to do that."

To Marc's credit, though, at least now he seemed aware that that was something he needed to get past in order to be a good partner. Whether or not he ever did was another matter.

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Watts considered that, and was silent for a few moments as he mulled over what to tell her.

“How much do either of them mention to you regarding the odd things that happen here?” he said, aware it seemed like an abrupt subject change.

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"Odder than the living house?" Layla asked with a grin. Which was arguably unfair since Midnight hailed from a corner of the multiverse more like Layla's home than not, but still. "I've heard some. Mainly from Steven."

Which probably went without saying but Marc did text her highlights from time to time. Mainly to point out that sometimes the world was crazier than he was.

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“Last year I was afforded a glimpse of- a possible future. Wherein you and Marc were once again involved romantically. It was- the four of us had- a good life. I don’t know if that future will be our future, but- it happens somewhere, at least, which means it’s possible here,” Watts told her.

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Layla's eyebrows raised, and then raised some more. "That one did not make it to me."

Funny how Marc had felt no need to mention it.

"It sounds nice," Layla said. Look, she'd had a decade of building something of a life with Marc. She'd be lying if she said part of her didn't still wish it might happen. "Right now he and I are - we're letting things be. He needs to work on himself if he's going to be with anyone. And we've agreed that for either of us if something comes up in the meanwhile there's nothing holding us back from trying it."

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"That seems- reasonable. Fair," Watts agreed. "You shouldn't- put your life on hold waiting for someone else to catch up."

Said in the tone of someone who had tried doing just that.

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Layla noticed the tone and gave him a sympathetic look. She'd listen if he wanted to talk, but she didn't think it was her place to press.

"Regardless," Layla said. "No matter what happens I would never try to interfere with what you and Steven have. That - I know that's a strange thing to say. Like you and Steven need my permission somehow. But Marc tried making decisions about us without consulting me so I think it matters for everybody to know there's got to be respect all around. Everyone's got to have an equal say in how things are handled."

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“I appreciate that,” Watts said. “You mean a great deal to Steven. Your opinion certainly carries more weight with him than that of anyone else I know, except Marc of course.”

Well, and himself, but that didn’t count when the topic was him.

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"If Marc and I ever got back together I'd expect the same in return," Layla said. "But you seem to understand that."

If nothing else Layla hadn't picked up on any sense of resentment that Watts had slept alone Friday night while Layla and Marc had stayed up late talking about some of the very topics Layla and Watts were talking about now.

Well, none about Watts sleeping without Steven. The cat ending up with Layla had been another matter.

"I guess it helps that you knew about the two of them coming into it."

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Watts nodded. “That was- Steven and I had quite a lengthy discussion, regarding expectations, when he agreed to giving courting a try. Non-negotiable was respecting Marc’s need for a life of his own.” That Marc hadn’t seen a need for a life of his own wasn’t the point.

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Yeah, Layla was used to how it was typically Marc who threw the wrench into the works. At least in the relationship related things.

"That sounds like Steven," Layla said, a fond smile on her face. "He even tried fixing things with me and Marc. Telling me why Marc was being such an asshole."

Which had been extra impressive given Steven's obvious crush. (One that admittedly Layla hadn't discouraged, but in her defense it was a confusing time and Steven was very sweet.)

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“That doesn’t surprise me,” Watts said, his own expression mirroring Layla’s. “He wants so badly for Marc to be happy.”

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"He's not alone in that," Layla said. She brushed sand off of her pant leg. "Even after everything he's done, I don't want him to suffer. I want him to - "

Layla realized what she was about to say and gave a wry look. " - get his head on straight. You know what I mean. Stop being such an asshole, really. But at least I think he understands that now. He's not ready to open up but he knows he's not ready for a relationship either until he's able to."

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Watts nodded. “I am in agreement there as well,” he offered. “And I think- his position as the one to oversee Midnight’s function as a boarding house has been- a step in the right direction. He’s not happy, but he has something to focus on beyond being Khonshu’s hand.” Did Watts know that was one of Marc’s actual titles? No. It just seemed like an appropriate turn of phrase.

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"Marc being adopted by a house is hilarious," Layla said. Or maybe Marc had done the adopting. Either way it was funny. "But he could use something to focus on. I don't know what's going on with the gods. Tawaret doesn't mind me using my powers to help out back home but I've no more idea of what she or Khonshu or any of the others are worried about these days than Marc does."

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“Is that not the nature of gods?” Watts asked. “To be incomprehensible to us mere mortals?”

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"Typically for them to be assholes," Layla said. "Tawaret's not too bad but don't turn your back on Khonshu for an instant. He gladly sacrificed Marc for his war and he'd do it again if he had to."

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"Another gift that glimpse of the future has given me," Watts told her. "Not that I was inclined to think highly of Khonshu based on what I've been told in the here and now, but my future self held nothing but disdain for him. Gained, it seems, via experience." Not that Khonshu would have any sort of dealings with him personally, of course. Watts was far too unimportant for that.

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"Marc feels indebted to Khonshu," Layla said. "I don't think the new deal between them changed that at all. Khonshu has no problem taking advantage of that. The one good thing is Steven's looking out for him. I don't know that it actually changes the terms of the arrangement at all but maybe it will help keep Marc from throwing himself away because Khonshu told him to."