Midnight Manor Private Residence, Saturday Morning

[pocketpretzels]

The heating pad had helped a great deal to soothe the ache in his arm, though at some point during the night Watts still found himself awake and restless. He scribbled a quick note for Steven and headed downstairs to make himself a cup of tea.

Fandom being Fandom, he never made it back upstairs, and thus come Saturday morning there was a tiny Llewellyn Watts fast asleep on the library couch, one arm slung over an equally fast asleep Raphael, who was laid out next to him.

Comments

[hasaknightjob]

"Aha! So we are in agreement," Steven said, giving Llewellyn a big smile so he knew they were having fun together. "Neither you nor I shall get smaller. We'd miss the other too much."

[pocketpretzels]

Of course, Llewellyn had already gone and gotten smaller, through no fault of his own of course.

"No getting smaller," he agreed.

[hasaknightjob]

Steven held out his hand. "Shall we shake on it?"

[pocketpretzels]

"All right," Llewellyn stuck his own hand out, grabbing on to Steven's.

[hasaknightjob]

Steven shook Llewellyn's hand. Then, after that, he made a show of shimmying in his seat while still holding on to him.

[pocketpretzels]

Which, naturally, made Llewellyn giggle.

[hasaknightjob]

"We said we'd shake on it," Steven pointed out, grinning at that giggle.

[pocketpretzels]

It took him a moment to get what Steven meant, but then Llewellyn too was wiggling in his seat. "Like that?"

[hasaknightjob]

"Precisely!" Steven said, beaming at him. He tried to imitate Llewellyn's movement so that they could be shaking together.

[pocketpretzels]

Which, naturally, set Llewellyn off on another round of giggles.

[hasaknightjob]

Steven kept at it, now shaking enough that their held hands bobbed up and down from the movement.

[pocketpretzels]

"I think," Llewellyn managed between giggles. "I think we're shooked enough."

[hasaknightjob]

"All right," Steven said. He let go of Llewellyn's hand. "I have a suggestion for your orange peels so they don't go to waste, if you're amenable."

[pocketpretzels]

Had Llewellyn hoped Steven had forgotten about the orange peels? Absolutely.

"What?" he asked, guardedly.

[hasaknightjob]

"What if we use them to make treats for animals?" Steven said. "So they get a nice meal and they're not wasted?"

[pocketpretzels]

"What kinda treats?" Still a little suspicious.

[hasaknightjob]

"We could put some nut butter on the peels and then stick seeds to the butter," Steven said. Luckily they had all those things for human consumption as well. "Then put them out on the balcony for birds to help themselves."

[pocketpretzels]

The idea of feeding birds was nice, but still Llewellyn looked reluctant when handing over the piece of orange peel.

[hasaknightjob]

"How can we make you feel better?" Steven asked, seeing that expression.

[pocketpretzels]

"What if I need to eat something later?" Llewellyn asked.

[hasaknightjob]

Steven blinked. Then blinked again. "Well... then we'd have actual food for you? Much as you'd like?"

[pocketpretzels]

And if Llewellyn knew the phrase 'sounds fake', he'd be uttering it right now, at least judging by the expression on his face.

[hasaknightjob]

"Llewellyn," Steven said, gently, "I'm here to take care of you. I promise you won't go hungry."

A thought occurred to Steven. "Would - would you care to have something else to keep in your pockets? Something you can actually eat? Would that help you feel better?"

[pocketpretzels]

"What if you're busy?" Llewellyn asked, though the question got a cautious nod.

[hasaknightjob]

Steven could at least understand anxiety overwhelming reassurances and logic. "If you needed me I would stop what I was doing to help you. But there's no harm in letting you keep a snack handy if that helps you feel better."

Steven thought about options. If this was grown up Llewellyn of course soft pretzels would be ideal, but those would not fit in tiny Llewellyn's pockets. "What about... trail mix? That's got nuts and dried fruit in it."