Midnight Manor Private Residence, Saturday Afternoon

[pocketpretzels]

Watts had promised to teach Steven how to make homemade crisps, and so following their usual services on the mainland he departed from his usual routine of baking something in favour of doing so.

"It's quite a straightforward process," he said to Steven, once they had everything ready to go, including salt and spices for possible seasonings. "With a sometimes maddening amount of waiting."

Luckily they had ways of occupying themselves during such times.

Comments

[hasaknightjob]

"Wonderful!" Steven said. He got to peeling. "That'll make two new things learned then. I'm doing well with my new year already."

[pocketpretzels]

Watts's potato peels were, predictably, flying everywhere as he also got to peeling. "Two new things, while also keeping up some traditions," he grinned.

[hasaknightjob]

"Will you practice your piano later?" Steven asked, as long as they were on the topic of things normally done.

[pocketpretzels]

"That was my intent," Watts confirmed.

[hasaknightjob]

"I admire you for that, you know," Steven said. "Keeping at it all this time. Proud of you, actually."

[pocketpretzels]

"You do?" Watts asked. "You are?"

[hasaknightjob]

"You've been at it for ages now," Steven said. "Still going even when it's not easy. I think that's admirable, don't you?"

[pocketpretzels]

"Well, I do enjoy it, even when it's challenging," Watts shared.

[hasaknightjob]

"You like being able to meet the challenge and get to the other side?" Steven guessed.

[pocketpretzels]

"Precisely," Watts nodded. "If there was no challenge, it wouldn't be- as satisfying, I feel."

[hasaknightjob]

"Not as much of an accomplishment," Steven suggested.

[pocketpretzels]

"That's it, yes," Watts nodded.

[hasaknightjob]

"And so you see?" Steven said. "I admire you doing it, even when it's hard."

[pocketpretzels]

"I do appreciate your support in that matter," Watts said. "Especially when it means I disappear in to the library for a time."

[hasaknightjob]

"Of course." Steven lightly bumped his shoulder into Llewellyn's. "It's all right when you get stuck in to a thing. Long as I can lure you out for dinner when the time comes.

[pocketpretzels]

"You do have a talent for that," Watts replied fondly.

[hasaknightjob]

"Helps that I like making sure you're fed," Steven replied with a grin. Then he remembered to add, "Thank you."

[pocketpretzels]

"You've a talent for that, as well," Watts added. "It's how you began courting me, after all."

Before they were officially courting, but... details.

[hasaknightjob]

That officially was a key qualifier, yes. As indicated by Steven's blush.

"I worried about you," Steven said. "New to modern life and all."

[pocketpretzels]

"Very gentlemanly of you," Watts said, finishing the last of his potatoes and going to wrap his arms around Steven again. "I welcomed it, even if my situation were nowhere near as dire as you were imagining."

[hasaknightjob]

Steven smiled up at him. "I wasn't going to risk it. Worked out well for me, I'd say. No regrets."

[pocketpretzels]

"None at all?" Watts asked, with a smile.

[hasaknightjob]

"None," Steven said. He grinned. "Wait, one."

Steven turned around so he could give Llewellyn a kiss. "There. Now none."

[pocketpretzels]

"Flirt," Watts declared. "My flirt," he added, after a moment.

[hasaknightjob]

"And you're mine," Steven said. His smile grew wider. "See? Courting worked out for me. I'd not done it before either. Not with any sort of success."