Midnight Manor Private Residence, Sunday Evening

[pocketpretzels]

Watts couldn't pinpoint when, exactly, Steven came to bed during the night- only that he woke up in the morning clinging to Steven like a human octopus.

After waking there had been the promised breakfast in bed- French toast with syrup and fruit, of course. What followed that was- well, it may have been Steven's birthday but he had something of a gift for Watts of the variety that would normally go behind a cut tag or in the comments because NSFW.

Next up had been the part that Watts was the most apprehensive about- he'd put together a little concert of sorts of a few piano pieces he felt he'd especially mastered. But Steven had enjoyed it, so it was a success.

Late afternoon rolled around and Watts excused himself to go prepare dinner- he'd done as much of the prep work as possible yesterday but despite it not being quite as elaborate as last year's, it still did require some work day of.

Eventually, though, dinner was laid out in the dining room: A soup and salad, along with the main course (which Watts had cooked indoors, with Midnight's help, thank you). There was a cake as well, that would be brought out later. For now, there was music playing softly in the background, and all Watts needed was the birthday boy himself.

Comments

[hasaknightjob]

Steven blinked as his eyes suddenly felt wet. "I love you. So much."

[pocketpretzels]

"I love you too," Watts replied. "My rare one."

[hasaknightjob]

"It's an honor," Steven said. "Spending my birthday with the man I love."

[pocketpretzels]

"It is an honour," Watts echoed. "Being that man. I want to spend all the rest of our birthdays together."

[hasaknightjob]

"Promise?" Steven asked, looking hopeful.

[pocketpretzels]

"Promise," Watts said, making sure to look Steven in the eyes as he said it. "With my whole heart."

[hasaknightjob]

Steven put a hand on Llewellyn's chest. "Best gift I could ever have."

He wasn't just talking about his heart.

[pocketpretzels]

"It's an honour that you find it so."

[hasaknightjob]

Steven looked at Llewellyn thoughtfully, then went back to eating his salad. Still thoughtful.

[pocketpretzels]

"Did I- say something wrong?" Watts asked, a little concerned as he couldn't decipher that look.

[hasaknightjob]

"Oh no, no," Steven quickly assured him. He reached to give Llewellyn's hand a comforting squeeze. "The opposite, actually. I - I was thinking how much I wish we could - could do more. As a couple."

[pocketpretzels]

"Like- like what?" Watts asked, curious.

[hasaknightjob]

Steven lightly traced his fingers along Llewellyn's. When he spoke, he was quiet. Like he was afraid of anyone other than Llewellyn hearing him. "Something more official."

[pocketpretzels]

"Oh," Watts said softly. "I'd- sometimes I forget that's even an option?" he admitted. "It seems so- fanciful."

[hasaknightjob]

"I don't - " Steven hesitated, then plunged ahead. "I don't know how much it is for me. Considering."

[pocketpretzels]

"I- why not?" Watts's mind was moving a mile a minute now. "What's- You already know I want to spend the rest of my life with you. You want the same."

[hasaknightjob]

"For starters I'm not - " Steven held Llewellyn's hand tighter, anchoring himself with the feeling of it. " - not real, to anything that would recognize it. Legally."

[pocketpretzels]

"You've a passport. ID," Watts pointed out. "Same as I do."

[hasaknightjob]

"Would it count for marriage?" Steven asked. Largely rhetorically, he wasn't expecting Llewellyn to know if he didn't. "I - I suppose we could have other legal paperwork drawn up. Cover much the same ideas, maybe."

[pocketpretzels]

"I don't see why not?" Watts admitted. "After all, from a certain point of view, I'm- I'm not all that real either. Not in your world."

[hasaknightjob]

Steven nodded, because Llewellyn wasn't wrong as far as that went. Though Steven still felt compelled to add, "You've your own body at least."

[pocketpretzels]

"That's true," Watts acknowledged, because it was. "But I don't know that they check for that sort of thing?" he asked. "... Do they?"

[hasaknightjob]

"I don't know," Steven admitted. "Suppose that'd be something to look into. I - I wouldn't want to get in the way of - something to look into."

[pocketpretzels]

"In the way of what?" Watts asked.

[hasaknightjob]

"Marc," Steven said. "If - I don't know. It required fingerprints or something. Then how could he - if he ever wished to? If I'd already done it."

Steven was having a hard time saying the actual words out loud, yes.