MHA #15, Monday Evening

[pocketpretzels]

The weekend had been successful, Watts couldn't help but think. He'd finally gotten to meet Layla, who Steven spoke so highly of and Marc was typically close-lipped about. George had met Steven (albeit not Marc, which was unfortunate, but there had been a desire not to complicate things considering George was only here for the weekend) and Layla as well, and had even ended up with an idea for a new novel out of the experience. And there had been other interesting people he'd met as well, including Annie's friend Kimiko, who despite her inability to speak managed to communicate quite well in a way that Watts frankly found refreshing because it was just so... honest. Less successful had been the pumpkin-carving he'd attempted yet again, so the less said about that the better.

But now it was date night, which Watts also hoped would be successful. Everything was laid out on the table: apples and honey, butternut squash soup, seven vegetable couscous, brussels sprouts with pomegranate molasses, honeyed carrots and roasted chickpeas and vegan challah.

Had he prepared any of this himself? Absolutely not. He'd not even sliced the apples; those he'd picked up from the store pre-sliced, and everything else had been picked off a list of suggested menu items when he'd stopped by Luke's to place the order. And then there was of course whatever Steven was bringing for dessert. Was it likely way too much food for two people? Yeah. But hey, who didn't like leftovers, right?

For after dinner, Watts had his speaker queued up with a waltz-appropriate playlist that he'd compiled for dancing lessons. Now, of course, all he needed was the boyfriend.

[ooc: for the dance partner!]

Comments

[pocketpretzels]

"Agreed on all counts," Watts said. "And it's nowhere near as serious, but it's also why I appreciate that you will let me know that you are joking, and furthermore, explain the joke should I ask."

[hasaknightjob]

"Of course," Steven said. He smiled at Llewellyn, this time with fondness. "You've gotten good with jokes though. Don't think I haven't noticed."

[pocketpretzels]

"That's your influence," both in being able to understand them and in having the confidence to make them.

[hasaknightjob]

"All right," Steven said. "But you came out the gate being charming. I didn't have anything to do with that."

[pocketpretzels]

"No, you just had me over for coffee five minutes into meeting me," Watts said with a grin.

[hasaknightjob]

"I was being friendly to a neighbor," Steven said, grinning back. "Would've done it for anyone."

Ignore how someone new had moved onto the floor and Steven hadn't even met him yet.

[pocketpretzels]

Neither had Watts, so at least Steven was in good company?

"If you're saying so, it must be true."

[hasaknightjob]

"Now buying a coffee next time I saw a new neighbor," Steven said, pretending to think even as he kept smiling. "That might've been special."

[pocketpretzels]

"So you're saying you don't offer to buy a coffee for every person finding themselves overwhelmed by the sheer multitude of choices?"

[hasaknightjob]

"Well, since we're being honest," Steven said, "I have bought coffee for other people. Brought Stark a cider earlier today, even. But there's only the one who I kept wanting to have a good long chat with every time I saw him there."

[pocketpretzels]

"And now we don't even need the pretext of a coffee for that." Or pretending one accidentally ordered food they didn't eat! "As I'll have a good... long... chat... with you anytime you'd care to."

[hasaknightjob]

That was a rock solid subterfuge with no possible flaws to be found in it!

"Yes, well," Steven blushed, pleased, "those are also nice. All forms of... chat."

[pocketpretzels]

Well, while Watts might have figured out it wasn't an 'accidental' order, he hadn't figured out it was because Steven thought he couldn't afford to eat properly. So good job there?

"Hmmm. Even if they result in being tardy for work?" Watts asked, before finishing off the last of his wine.

[hasaknightjob]

"Chat with the right person might make it worthwhile," Steven replied. Hopefully being a little tardy wouldn't be too much of a problem.

[pocketpretzels]

"I shall do my best to keep any conversation brief but interesting," Watts told him solemnly.

"But now, an important question- dessert, or that something I promised to show you?"

[hasaknightjob]

"Surprise?" Steven asked. "Could do dessert after dancing. Work up an appetite again."

Assuming dancing wasn't going to work up any other appetites in the meanwhile. Which was probably an incorrect assumption.

[pocketpretzels]

With these two? Almost certainly. But that was a problem (‘problem’, really) for future them.

“I was hoping you’d say that,” Watts admitted, standing and taking Steven’s hand in his. “Come on.”

[hasaknightjob]

"Oh, I'm to go somewhere?" Steven had thought it would be something Llewellyn brought to him rather than the other way around. He took Llewellyn's hand happily, standing so that Llewellyn could lead wherever they were going. "Now I've no idea what it could be."

Not that he'd had much of an idea before, but this ruled out something portable so by a strict definition of the truth, yes, Steven now had no idea.

[pocketpretzels]

The apartment wasn’t all that large, so it didn’t take long to get where they were going, which was the bedroom.

Specifically, to stand in front of the wardrobe, which consisted of both a space for Watts’s suits to hang, as well as several drawers.

Watts gestured to the topmost of those drawers, his expression hopeful with a dash of apprehension.

“Go on,” he said.

Inside said drawer, Steven would find a pair of sweatpants, a sweatshirt, and a t-shirt, all in his size. Or all in the size he preferred to wear, anyway.

[hasaknightjob]

The expression on Llewellyn's face was endearing enough that Steven had to make himself look away in order to do as he was instructed. Upon opening the drawer he saw what was inside and smiled. "You've more modern clothing for yourself?"

[pocketpretzels]

“No,” Watts shook his head. “That’s- those are for you. So you’ve something comfortable to wear. In the morning. Well,” he amended. “Perhaps not tomorrow morning, specifically, as you’ve got somewhere to be. But other times.”

[hasaknightjob]

"For me?" Steven repeated, trying to process it. He ran a hand gently over the clothes as though they were something fragile, this time noticing the tags and the sizes. "I... you thought to do that for me?"

[pocketpretzels]

“For you,” Watts confirmed. “So you needn’t always get dressed in whatever you wore the night before.”

[hasaknightjob]

"Llew, that's - " Steven didn't have words for it, so he moved to kiss Llewellyn instead.

[pocketpretzels]

“So you liked it, is what you’re saying,” Watts said, pleased. For someone who didn’t like surprises himself, it seemed he’d pulled this one off rather nicely.