pocketpretzels | The Beach Near Midnight Manor, Sunday Afternoon

The Beach Near Midnight Manor, Sunday Afternoon

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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"I've found it incredibly helpful," Watts admitted. "But then, I was so accustomed to the way they spoke to each other that I found myself looking at reflective surfaces even though I knew I would not be seeing what they saw."

"Oh no, it's definitely helpful," Layla said. "To be honest, it's easier than when they both talk at once from... I guess the body is the only way to put it? But that's what they managed to do before they left Cairo. Luckily it's easy to know which one is talking but it just feels better to make different eye contact."

Also to know how to interact physically, though Layla supposed Watts dealt with that much more these days than she did.

“One of the many ways Midnight has been a boon in our lives,” Watts said with obvious fondness.

"It's a nice house," Layla said. She hadn't taken advantage of any of the illusions beyond being able to talk to Marc and Steven at the same time, but it certainly looked nice. And as for the building's history - if she dismissed things because they hurt or killed people she'd frankly have to stop talking to herself, let alone Marc. At least Midnight didn't seem to want to hurt anybody? "The bathroom's nicer than most I've used."

"Isn't it, though?" Watts said. And she hadn't even seen Watts's and Steven's, with its ridiculous tub. "We spent a truly ridiculous amount of time designing those." Layla could probably guess who 'we' encompassed, here.

(Though Marc likely agreed with the 'truly ridiculous' assessment.)

"The library is a nice touch," Layla said. She had seen Steven's apartment in London after all. "And the kitchen. I don't tend to stay in one place long enough to cook but if I did I'd probably want to hang out here."

Once she'd gotten used to how the appliances looked old fashioned but were not actually operated by coal.

"I'd never had access to a kitchen prior to moving here," Watts confessed. "It wasn't something I ever thought I would want." Funny how things changed.

"That's one that's interesting to see," Layla admitted. "Marc was never one for domesticity. Not that our lives allowed it. But watching you and Steven working together - it was sweet. Even if it felt more like watching Marc's twin than the same body."

Which she knew didn't sound like a significant enough difference in terms but hopefully Watts had had enough experience with the Marc-and-Steven of it all that he got where she was coming from.

Watts felt a little heat rise in his cheeks at her referring to him and Steven as sweet.

"They move so differently," Watts agreed. "Carry themselves differently. Marc stands eye-to-eye with me, while Steven seems- shorter."

His own posture of course being closer in form to Steven's than Marc's, but that wasn't the point.

"That's what I mean!" Layla said, glad Watts seemed to understand it. "After ten years I'm pretty familiar with Marc. Well, again, as familiar as anyone is. But how he sounds, how he moves, what he does. Steven is nothing like that. Part of me keeps wanting to fall in step with him like we'd normally do. When we were working or - "

Layla gave a half grin there, figuring Watts could guess.

"I feel like I have to stop myself from holding out a hand for a trapeze swing that never comes."

"That must be difficult," Watts said sympathetically, trying to imagine what it would be like. He was, of course, intimately acquainted with Steven in a way he wasn't with Marc, but even Marc was- comfortable. Familiar.

"It takes getting used to," Layla admitted. "My own kind of muscle memory I suppose. In a way I think it's good that Marc and I have had the time apart. Even if he hadn't earned it, I think we both needed it. Still need it, in some ways. If he's not entirely the man I knew I need to get to know the man he is."

"He's been- a good friend, to me, for what that's worth," Watts offered. "Someone I know I can trust when it matters."

"No, I know he can be," Layla said. Again the wry look was back. "I didn't stay with him for so long because he was awful. He's... fiercely loving when he lets himself be. But the secrets he kept are too big. No matter what there's no going back to what he and I were before because that was built on a lie. A lot of lies. Whatever comes next has to be something new."

"Of course," Watts said. "With his biggest secret out in the open we can hope he sees less- reason to work so hard to hide the truth."

"Maybe not his biggest one," Layla said. "He still hasn't told me what happened. Why it all fell apart. I asked but - "

She shrugged, indicating Marc's inability to answer.

"He's not ready to speak of it," Watts finished, sympathy in his tone. He, of course, knew what it was Marc wasn't ready to speak about. But Steven hadn't felt it his place to mention to Layla and thus it most certainly was not Watts's to do so.

"He's not," Layla confirmed. Which said a lot really. It was one thing for Marc to have his selfish secrets. Another to see him let slip that something had unsettled him at all, let alone that badly.

(Even more that Layla couldn't remotely guess what it might be.)

Layla sighed and tried to shake it off. "Well. I told him I'm there whenever he's ready. If ever he's ready. Whether he takes me up on it is up to him."

"That is a lesson that Steven's learned that Marc has not," Watts said. "It's not just his joys that I share, but his troubles too. And him with mine. This makes the load lighter on both of us."

"Marc definitely has not learned to share his troubles," Layla said. "Which we all know is ironic, but here we are."

“It took me a while as well,” Watts admitted. “Though the difference there is that while both Marc and I have carried lies and secrets to protect ourselves, I was- never much good at it.”

Layla looked at Watts assessingly. "I can't imagine you having the kind of secrets Marc does. Or does that just mean you're very good at hiding them?"

“In my time, my- preference- is considered sexual deviance,” Watts told her. “Living as I do here would mean losing my career, my reputation, possibly even having criminal charges leveled against me.” He took a sip of his coffee. “Steven has been very patient with me as I work to unlearn old habits.”

Like freezing up at something so casual as a kiss on the cheek in front of a friend.

Layla gave him a sympathetic look. She reached to lightly touch him on the arm to offer sympathy, but hesitated when she wasn't sure if he'd appreciate the gesture. "That's awful. I wish I could say there's nothing like that in our world but I'm sure by now Steven's told you that's not true. But it's better. There's places where you can live just like this, I promise."

Layla gestured up towards Midnight to indicate the idea of Watts and Steven living together, then had to amend her comment to say, "Well - I'm not sure about finding another living house. But the rest of it is possible."

"From what I've seen of your world it's far preferable to mine," Watts agreed. "There's a reason we've taken steps to establish my legal presence there." A process that she had in fact kickstarted last year.

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