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

[pocketpretzels]

"You really think so?" Watts asked.

[hasaknightjob]

"I know so," Steven said. "Last year was amazing and so is this year's. That's where the thought comes in. It's not about the - the concepts? Gesture for the sake of a gesture? You heard what I wanted and planned accordingly."

[pocketpretzels]

"Oh," Watts said thoughtfully. "Well. All right then. I shall endeavor to remember that."

[hasaknightjob]

"Your instincts are good, Llew," Steven said. "Far as I'm concerned. You've never steered wrong, whether it's planning for a birthday or a holiday."

[pocketpretzels]

"Which, when you think about it- it isn't as if I'd had much practice with either before meeting you," Watts mused.

[hasaknightjob]

"Hard to know how to make us happy when you didn't know who we were," Steven agreed.

[pocketpretzels]

"Well, yes," Watts conceded. "But I meant more the concepts of- birthdays and holidays in general. Celebrating them at all."

[hasaknightjob]

Steven frowned. "Really? Not even when you were older?"

Steven could guess about birthdays for Llewellyn as a child.

[pocketpretzels]

Watts shrugged. "It was always- just another day," he explained.

[hasaknightjob]

Steven hugged Llewellyn tightly. "It isn't to me. It's the day that brought you about. It's a day I'm very grateful for."

[pocketpretzels]

"Thank you, darling. For thinking so," Watts said, hugging back.

[hasaknightjob]

Steven kissed Llewellyn's cheek in response to the thank you. "Told you. You're the best gift I've gotten. Of course it's worth celebrating you being born."

[pocketpretzels]

"My Gentleman Knight," Watts said fondly, turning his head to offer a proper kiss.

[hasaknightjob]

"My dearest detective," Steven murmured before kissing him back.

[pocketpretzels]

"Would you like your present now?" Watts asked, as they continued dancing.

[hasaknightjob]

"Is this when you'd like to give it?" Steven asked. "I'm looking forward to it, but don't rush if you've other plans."

[pocketpretzels]

"My plans at this point are to go at whatever pace you'd like," Watts shared.

[hasaknightjob]

"Let's have a pause for my present then," Steven said. Then he grinned when he realized his alliteration.

[pocketpretzels]

"... Perfect."

It took Watts a moment, but he clearly got there in the end.

[hasaknightjob]

"Precisely," Steven said. He gave Llewellyn a kiss for playing along.

[pocketpretzels]

Which was also perfect, as Watts had been planning to do just that before he pulled away to go fetch Steven's present.

[hasaknightjob]

Steven snuggled into Llewellyn's arms and kept kissing. No harm in getting some extra kisses in on his birthday, right?

[pocketpretzels]

Anytime, really, but particularly on one's birthday, yes. And present or not, there was no rush, so Watts was just going to take his sweet time.

[hasaknightjob]

Steven made a happy noise as the kiss kept going. He snuggled in close in Llewellyn's arms, enjoying the warmth of the moment and the gesture.

[pocketpretzels]

"Love you." A statement that had been made more than a few times throughout the evening. But like the kissing, it bore repeating.