Pyramid Lake Lodge, Jasper, Alberta, Thursday Afternoon

[pocketpretzels]

Watts and Steven had gotten to the lodge last night and very much enjoyed the Prosecco and chocolate-covered strawberries that had been waiting for them. Today, they'd gotten a nice leisurely start at an hour that was still technically, if only barely, morning before heading down to the lodge's restaurant for brunch.

With a few hours to fill before heading to the wine-tasting evening in town, they'd decided to bundle up and go for a walk. Yes, they'd be snowshoeing later on in the trip, but this was along a trail that had been cleared for the purpose of a scenic walk without the need for snowshoes or cross-country skis.

"Quite a change from Fandom," Watts remarked, and not just because the only snow there so far had been the unnatural sort.

Comments

[hasaknightjob]

Steven, who was wearing the hat Llewellyn had provided when they'd last gone ice skating - a hat he'd "forgotten" to give back, ahem - titled his head back and blew out a breath of air, smiling as it made clouds. "It's nice. I like it."

[pocketpretzels]

"The air has a pleasant crispness," Watts said, watching Steven with fond amusement.

[hasaknightjob]

Steven experimented with blowing air out in different ways to see how it affected the small clouds that formed. "It's not bad for being out in at all. Provided you've got the right clothes on."

Such as a nice warm knit hat.

[pocketpretzels]

"Wouldn't do to catch a chill on holiday," Watts agreed, gently reaching over to tug that knit hat down a bit so Steven's ears were properly covered.

[hasaknightjob]

"What? Oh, cheers," Steven said, once he realized what Llewellyn was doing. He took advantage of the gesture to step closer to Llewellyn. "No, can't go getting ill. Not when we've so many activities outdoors. Though I suppose if we do get too cold that tells us what we need to buy: warmer coats or the like."

[pocketpretzels]

Steven’s words were a near-echo of something Jack had mentioned once, right before things between them had started to fall apart, Hence the brief look of melancholy before Watts managed to banish it once again.

“It also means we can enjoy warming each other back up once we’ve returned to the hotel room,” Watts pointed out.

[hasaknightjob]

Steven looked at Llewellyn curiously. "What's wrong?"

[pocketpretzels]

“Hm?” Watts sighed. “A brief- moment of melancholy, that’s all.”

[hasaknightjob]

"What about?" Steven asked. "If you don't mind sharing, of course."

[pocketpretzels]

“Jack mentioned something similar to me once,” he said, kicking at a bit of snow with one booted foot.

“Right before everything went to hell, with Edwards.”

[hasaknightjob]

Steven tried to think of what he'd just said. "He mentioned something about coats?"

[pocketpretzels]

“That I ought to have a warmer one,” Watts nodded. “In response to my complaint that I detested the winters in Toronto.”

[hasaknightjob]

"He didn't know that you didn't care for the dark?" Steven asked.

[pocketpretzels]

“I corrected his misconception,” Watts said.

[hasaknightjob]

"I see," Steven said. He reached for Llewellyn's hand. "I'm sorry I brought up a poor memory."

[pocketpretzels]

“You had no way of knowing,” Watts said. “And it isn’t as if I need to worry about- about either of us being accused of anything indecent. Not how I did then.”

[hasaknightjob]

"Luckily no," Steven said. "I wouldn't let anything happen to you anyway."

[pocketpretzels]

“Ever my Gentleman Knight,” Watts said, wrapping an arm around Steven’s waist.

[hasaknightjob]

Steven relaxed, glad that Llewellyn still felt comfortable holding him in spite of the memory. "Always, for my detective. And in the meanwhile we'll just have to keep one another warm, won't we?"

[pocketpretzels]

Watts’s reaction had been to directly spite said memory, as a matter of fact.

“A task I am happy to perform.”

[hasaknightjob]

Steven was extra proud of him for doing it then.

"You're rather good at it, I must say," Steven told him. He snuggled in to Llewellyn's side as best as he was able given that they were walking. "This is nice. Not too difficult. Lovely views."

[pocketpretzels]

“Snowshoeing will be a bit more work, but I figured this would be- relaxing, in its own way.”

[hasaknightjob]

"It's good for a start," Steven said. "Besides, don't want to do anything that could get in the way of enjoying our wine tasting. Less chance of a possible injury with walking. Assuming I didn't jinx us by saying that."

[pocketpretzels]

“We’ll stick to the trail,” Watts promised. Since the trail in question was cleared regularly and currently only had a light dusting of snow, compared to the several inches that had accumulated in places that hadn’t been cleared.

[hasaknightjob]

"I trust you," Steven told him. "You've planned a wonderful holiday for us. You'd not let anything get in the way."

And they were in Steven's world which meant not nearly the chance of coming across a murder as if they'd gone to Llewellyn's.