pocketpretzels | MHA #14, Saturday Morning

It had been Steven's fault, clearly. He'd said there would be no problem moving things over to Llewellyn's flat, which meant nobody but him to blame for jinxing that very possibility.

Regardless, ideas of any sort of practical nature had long since vanished. Much nicer to be asleep on a Saturday morning while being held by the man you loved. Especially if being held meant it was easier to use his chest as a pillow. Or at least to unconsciously try to move over and make that happen.

Edited 2022-08-27 09:18 (UTC)

Which was a familiar enough position that Watts, still mostly asleep himself, obligingly shifted in a way that made that happen.

"Mmm," he said intelligibly, in an attempt to vocalise that contentment.

Steven wasn't awake enough for vocalization, but he could sigh contentedly, as if even when unconscious he knew this was were he wanted to be.

Funny that. This was also exactly where Watts wanted to be.

Coffee would be nice, soon, but that could wait until both of them were a little more awake. He was loathe to leave while Steven was still fast asleep.

Steven still wasn't verbal, but the way he hugged at Llewellyn's body with one arm suggested he might be on the way to waking up. Or at least more aware of his surroundings.

"Darling?" Watts murmured, because he was at least verbal enough to manage a couple syllables.

It took a moment for the word to make it through, but the word choice helped in how the reply was a smile and a pleased sounding, "Hmm?"

"Aha, we have signs of life," Watts teased, pressing a kiss to the top of Steven's head.

"No, you don't," Steven said, but Llewellyn could probably feel the grin against his chest.

"Hmmm, that's a pity," Watts said regretfully. "Suppose I only need to arrange enough coffee and breakfast for myself then, if that's the case..."

That got a Steven to raise his head enough to peer at Llewellyn with hopeful, one might even say puppy dog eyes. "Tea?"

"Is also for people awake enough to drink it, my darling," Watts pointed out. Though he was biting back a smile so the answer to Steven's question would most assuredly be a yes in actuality.

Steven shifted up enough to give Llewellyn a light kiss. "Please?"

"You do offer a very compelling argument," Watts admitted. "Very well. Tea, and breakfast, and then- well. We'll see how things go from there." He knew Steven was considering the picnic, or considering making Marc go, but as that was all day it wasn't as if there were any particular rush to make it to the school grounds.

That earned Llewellyn another kiss. Though Steven did shift over to the side so that kissing could not turn into something which would delay something as important as tea. (Not more important than Llewellyn, of course, but this way there could be Llewellyn and tea. See? He was awake enough for logical thought already!)

"You are wonderful," he said, just so that was clear.

Watts just gave him an indulgent smile and one more quick kiss (for the road!) before clambering out of the bed.

His trousers were easy enough to spot, but as for a shirt- he'd no idea where his undershirt ended up, and his actual shirt... he'd been about to pull it on when he noticed with dismay that a couple of the buttons were missing.

Ah, yes, he recalled now. Steven had perhaps grown a little impatient with regards to how long it took him to undress and had... helped the process along. He hadn't minded at the time (the opposite, in fact), but now?

Well, perhaps it didn't matter. Wasn't as if there was anyone else around. So he headed towards the kitchen, sans shirt. Though not without a glance backwards to see that Steven had somehow already fallen back asleep.

Edited 2022-08-27 17:18 (UTC)

Nell said her goodbyes to Lana and the others and had made her way to Marc and Steven's. It was early and she had to admit she'd listened at the door for a moment to see if anyone was up and around before she went in.

She took a few minutes to put her things in Marc's room and then check on her plants. Once satisfied that they had been well cared for she thought perhaps it would be all right for her to make a cup of tea before retreating to the balcony for a while. It would be easy enough to take one of the chairs out so that she could have her tea there.

She washed her hands in the sink before filling the kettle and setting it on the stove to heat up, then puttered around quietly to get down a mug and a tea strainer for one of her morning blends.

Watts had his mobile telephone in hand and was in the process of placing an order for breakfast delivery as he puttered his way down the hall and into the kitchen. So he could perhaps be forgiven for not realising right away that there was, in fact, someone else in the kitchen.

Nell didn't notice anything till she heard footsteps heading into the kitchen. She smiled a little shyly as she turned, ready to greet Marc or Steven (and probably apologize for being in the kitchen) and offer to make them tea or coffee and other breakfasty things.

Instead she got an eyeful of shirtless detective.

The spoon in her hand fell to the floor and her eyes followed its trajectory and stayed glued there. She hadn't even got past bare chest to see who this person was other than NOT Marc or Steven.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered quickly. "I must be in the wrong apartment, I completely apologize for my intrusion and I'll..."

But wait. It couldn't be the wrong apartment. Not with her plants all here.

"Or... I... Ummm... I'm just very sorry and I will... come back another time."

Except that there was a shirtless detective blocking the door and there was no way she was going to move any closer to him!

The sound of the spoon hitting the floor had Watts looking up, just as he'd pressed the button to confirm the delivery address for the breakfast order.

Annnd then his phone was joining the spoon on the floor. Thank goodness the salesperson who'd sold it to him had also recommended a nice, sturdy case. Not that he was thinking about that at the moment. Not that he was thinking much of anything besides Oh no, no, no, no, no, as he stood frozen in place. If Nell was saying anything, it didn't quite register.

Edited 2022-08-27 18:52 (UTC)

Nell's eyes were glued to the floor. Studiously. They were not moving. All she could see was his phone and his feet.

"If you maybe - if you could just -" If he'd move somewhere, she could flee.

"I'm sorry," she said again miserably.

Well, he was looking at a spot on the wall just to her right, eyes wide and panicked.

"I- I should-"

Should what? Finish the sentence, probably, for starters.

"Oh no, this is entirely my fault," Nell said, "I should never have -"

Well, anything, really.

They were both going to stand here frozen, weren't they? Why yes, yes, they were.

This would be far easier if she were yelling, honestly. But she wasn't.

Also, he was quite certain it was his fault, all things considered. After all, she was a resident here (however temporary). She had a key.

"No, no," he managed. "You're- you should-."

He and Steven had, in fact, discussed the possibility of this very scenario last night, he recalled now. Why hadn't they followed through on their plan to go back across to his apartment? If only they had, then none of this would have happened.

"If I hadn't come back too early," she interrupted. "No, if you could just... then I could..."

Flee. That's what she could do. She could flee. The woods would be so very much better.

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