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]

"With you here, I feel brave enough for the attempt," Steven said. He put his glasses down by his notepad. "Ready when you are."

[pocketpretzels]

Watts stood behind Steven, wrapping his arms around his waist and letting his chin rest on Steven's shoulder: "Go on, then," he said encouragingly.

[hasaknightjob]

"You've my back?" Steven asked with a grin. He picked up a potato to get started. "Am I meant to use pressure?"

[pocketpretzels]

"Your front and all your sides as well," Watts said, giving a gentle squeeze of his arms. As for pressure, just a little is needed."

[hasaknightjob]

Steven chucked at Llewellyn's joke. Then inspiration struck. "Can you show me? Your hand over mine?"

[pocketpretzels]

"Certainly," Watts said, putting his hand over Steven's and guiding it to the chute. "Just like so," he continued, gently pressing down and letting the mandoline's blades do their work.

[hasaknightjob]

Steven relaxed as Llewellyn showed him what to do. It had a little bit been a ploy to get Llewellyn to touch him more, but Steven had also wondered about the pressure in truth.

"That's not so bad," Steven said. "I thought it'd be more effort."

[pocketpretzels]

"The blades are very sharp," Watts might not have been entirely aware of any ploy-related reasons for Steven's request, but he wasn't removing his hand just yet either.

[hasaknightjob]

That was all right. Steven didn't want him to.

"Good thing our fingers don't get anywhere near it," Steven said. "Don't much care for the idea of you cutting yourself."

[pocketpretzels]

"Nor I you," Watts replied. "You might be able to heal from such a thing quickly, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't hurt."

[hasaknightjob]

"Would you kiss it better?" Steven asked.

[pocketpretzels]

"I most certainly would," Watts said, bringing their joined hands up to his lips so he could press a kiss to Steven's knuckles.

[hasaknightjob]

"My hero," Steven said, smiling up at him. "Taking such good care of me."

[pocketpretzels]

"Always," Watts said. "I love you."

[hasaknightjob]

"I love you too," Steven said. He started slicing again. "I love that you bought this."

[pocketpretzels]

"I wanted to make crisps for you," Watts said. "And all of the recipes called for the use of one."

[hasaknightjob]

"Yes, but - " Steven tried to think of how to explain it. "It's... homey? That you would get things for our kitchen?"

[pocketpretzels]

"It is?" Watts said, pleased. "I like that- that I can," he admitted.

[hasaknightjob]

"I think that's part of why I like that you did it," Steven said. "It's you knowing this is your home. You have as much right to set it up as Marc or me."

[pocketpretzels]

"It's still because of you two, in a way," Watts said. "It's not- the kind of purchase I would've made a few years ago. Leaving aside not being much for cooking. But it would have seemed- too frivolous. To consider."

[hasaknightjob]

"That's another part of it," Steven said. "That you consider yourself worthy of things even if they are just for fun, or making things easier."

[pocketpretzels]

It was easier to do that sort of thing when it wasn't just for his own benefit- the electric fireplace and the piano had been the two major exceptions to that rule. But tools for the kitchen, or making sure their hotel room had a jacuzzi tub? Well.

"Still getting used to that freedom."

[hasaknightjob]

"I suppose that means at least it won't be taken for granted?" Steven said, always one to try to find a bright side. "Though of course I wouldn't mind if you accepted it as a given that you are worth good things."

[pocketpretzels]

"I've the very best of things right here," Watts said, pressing a kiss behind Steven's ear.

[hasaknightjob]

Steven chuckled. "And I've a shameless flirt."