Midnight Manor Private Residence, Saturday Evening

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After their usual jaunt over to the mainland, Watts had headed to the kitchen to do a bit of baking, and then to the library for some piano practice.

And as he'd told Steven the other day at lunch, he was close to mastering the piece he was currently working on. Maddeningly close, in fact. So absorbed was he in getting to the point where he could play it through without a stumble that he did not notice as the hour ticked over past that where he usually stopped for the evening so he and Steven could have dinner together. Instead, he kept playing, and playing, single-minded in his determination to finally master the piece.

Comments

[pocketpretzels]

"You're very welcome," Watts said, leaning in for another gentle kiss.

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Steven kissed back, letting it linger. "You are as well. For care and kisses."

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"I find the latter particularly therapeutic," Watts confessed.

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Steven responded to that by going to place kisses all over Llewellyn's face.

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Which elicited a genuine, if still slightly watery, laugh from Watts.

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"I love you," Steven said, smiling at him. "Happy to give you as many kisses as you like and more besides."

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"I would like a great deal," Watts said. "You may tire of it."

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"Not likely," Steven said. "Oh! Give us your hands, please."

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Dutifully, Watts held his hands out, knowing what to expect by now.

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Steven beamed happily and started the massage. He began with the hand that had been struggling to hit the notes in the piece Llewellyn had been practicing. "There we are. You've been working hard today, haven't you? We'll give you a little extra care then, yeah?"

He meant Llewellyn's hand.

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Which got a soft chuckle out of Watts as he relaxed back against Steven. "I love you," he said with great fondness.

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"It needs to know it's loved even when mistakes are made," Steven said, oh so seriously (which you could tell by his smile). "It's part of learning is all."

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"Is that so?" Watts asked.

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"Very much so," Steven said as he massaged each of Llewellyn's fingers. "We accept mistakes in this family. It doesn't change our love at all."

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"That is a relief, as I am bound to make more," Watts told him.

Not just when it came to playing the piano.

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"Aren't we all?" Steven asked. "About various things? But when they happen we say something and we figure out how to make it better."

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"Yes," Watts nodded. "We do, don't we? And I know that I can- trust that mistakes made around you will not earn mockery."

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"Never," Steven promised. "Likewise for you. Even with the piano playing. If anything, I'm impressed by how hard you're trying."

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"As frustrating as my mistakes are, it does make finally mastering a piece- incredibly satisfying."

[hasaknightjob]

"I can see that," Steven said, because he wasn't the kind of person who would think of a double meaning on things that were satisfying. Instead he simply reached for Llewellyn's other hand to start massaging it. "More of a sense of accomplishment than if it'd come easy."

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"Exactly," Watts said. "Which is not to say I always want it to be a struggle. But- if it were consistently effortless, I don't know that I'd retain much enthusiasm."

[hasaknightjob]

"A welcome challenge," Steven said. "Something to keep your mind and body active."

Well, mainly Llewellyn's hands but they were active enough for little massages after.

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Little massages that Watts was coming to look forward to, truth be told. Though much like a back or a neck massage, no matter how much he ached he'd never manage to ask for one. "You understand," he beamed at Steven.

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Luckily Steven had no problems with offering. "With the right thing it's part of what makes it fun, right? Maybe that's why some people like climbing mountains, knowing they can do it."

Then, to be clear, "I wouldn't like to climb mountains."

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"I enjoy our hikes as they are," Watts agreed. "Mostly flat, with the occasional slight incline or decline. No desire to add scaling cliffs and mountains to the mix."