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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[pocketpretzels]

It was one of Watts's favourite ways to describe him so he could hardly blame her.

"Oh!" he said, a little taken aback but pleasantly so. "That's very kind of you to offer, I'd be remiss to not take you up on that."

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"No rush if you can't think of anything right now," Layla said. "It's not as though I'm only there briefly. Or I could always send you some Egyptian treats? Do you need them to be vegan?"

[pocketpretzels]

"That would be delightful," Watts, who indeed could not think of something off the top of his head, said. "And strictly speaking, they do not need to be, although I would prefer it."

[temporaryavatar]

"I'll put together a box of treats for you," Layla said. "Give you a taste of Egypt even when you're not there."

She'd make sure to include enough for Marc and Steven.

[pocketpretzels]

"That's very- sweet of you."

Back at the house, Steven was surely giggling without quite knowing why.

[temporaryavatar]

Layla looked at Watts, trying to get an overall feel for how he was doing. "Is there anything else I can help you with? You know Steven better than I do now. But being in a relationship with Khonshu's avatar, that I know plenty about."

[pocketpretzels]

And here Watts wasn't sure whether he ought to mention how quiet Khonshu had been. Yes, there had been the revelation that Marc had been doing jobs for him that he just couldn't remember, but there had been months without any hints of large chunks of lost time or inexplicable exhaustion, so even those appeared to have slowed to a trickle.

"I don't know that I have anything specific?" he admitted. "But I'll take any advice you're willing to offer, certainly."

[temporaryavatar]

At least Marc had told Layla himself about how quiet Khonshu had been? If for no other reason than to compare notes one avatar to another.

"It can be hard," Layla said. "Never knowing when he - I guess they, now - might be called to do something. Sometimes it might be something I could help with but not always. Then you just have to remind yourself they have the suit. If nothing else that will keep them safe."

[pocketpretzels]

Watts nodded. "I don't much care for the idea of being left behind," he admitted. "Particularly as someone who- is not much use in a physical altercation. However, I have- accepted that it may someday be inevitable."

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Layla nodded sympathetically. She was a fair hand in a physical altercation, but even still there had been times when she couldn't be by Marc's side.

"I suppose you at least have a better chance of knowing when it happens?" Layla said. "I realize now some of the times when Marc told me he had no way to warn me he was leaving was probably because Steven had the body at the time."

[pocketpretzels]

“There is that,” Watts said. “And knowing- knowing that they will come back, as soon as they are able.”

Not that that had been put to the test as of yet, but he was clinging to that promise even when talking about the theoretical.

[temporaryavatar]

"Steven's not the kind who leaves," Layla agreed. "And Marc - "

She looked back towards Midnight again. "I think it matters to him that he laid claim to this place. It definitely matters that you make Steven happy. Whatever he does for his own life, I think he'll do his best not to screw up what you and Steven have."

[pocketpretzels]

“Which is- it’s probably obvious given the collective change in locale even if I don’t know if either of them have mentioned it directly to you, but it’s changed, since last year. Then, we were- taking things day by day. Seeing how it went.” Even if Watts had privately been terrified of the idea of Steven leaving him. “Now we are- this is it. He is it, for me. As I am for him. We are- building a life, building a future together.”

And oh, as much as he loved saying that to Steven, it felt really good to say aloud to someone else as well.

[temporaryavatar]

Layla couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness at that. It had been just over a year ago when she'd thought she'd been spending ten years building a life with someone. Not that she and Marc had ever put it in so many words, they lived lives that required day by day. But sometimes it was the day by day that made the life. Or the marriage vows, one of those.

But Steven wasn't Marc. Steven, she knew, wanted to build something. He also looked so happy and frankly alive around Watts in a way that would have told Layla what was going on even if Steven and Watts themselves hadn't.

So, even as she mourned the loss of what she thought she'd had, she was able to mean it when she said, "I'm happy for you. Both of you. I know Steven wants to make it work. His promises mean something. Besides, he can't stop raving about you and I like that for him. He deserves someone who makes him happy."

[pocketpretzels]

A blush rose up at 'raving' that Watts tried his best to hide with his coffee cup.

"He deserves so much," Watts agreed. "And I am- I am happy that he sees in me someone worth building that life with, as I do with him."

[temporaryavatar]

Layla smiled. "I think someone who wants to do right by their partner is a good place to start for someone to build a life with. You never know what the future holds, but at least you can try your best, right?"

There was advice for herself there, as much as anything.