Apt #14, MHA, Saturday Afternoon

[hasaknightjob]

Another Saturday, another tryout of a Temple on the mainland to see if it felt like a good fit for Steven, Llewellyn, and perhaps even Marc when he felt more comfortable with it again.

This had involved waking up early on a Saturday morning (i.e. waking up at all in the morning on a Saturday) so between that and the chilly weather the plan for the afternoon was staying inside and snuggling.

Yes, the heating in the flat was perfectly fine. But shush.

Lunch was also on the agenda. Which was why, after they returned home, Steven and Llewellyn briefly separated into their separate flats to prepare. Steven had the pizza they'd picked up along the way (a heart shaped vegan pizza). He put that down on the coffee table as soon as he got in, then busied himself with changing into comfortable and warm sweats, putting a spare comforter on the couch, putting out Raphael's water dish and toys, and then getting the kettle on for warm drinks of some kind.

Then, on impulse, he put on a video of a crackling fireplace on the TV.

Now all he needed was the beau and his small companion.

[for the beau and his small companion]

Comments

[pocketpretzels]

Watts had been quieter than usual on the trip back home, and was still somewhat subdued as he swapped out his suit for the boyfriend sweats he’d liberated from Steven months ago.

Raphael had picked up a strange habit over the past couple weeks, running to the door every time it looked as if Watts was leaving. Given that the hallway seemed relatively quiet, Watts decided to see what would happen if he left the door open long enough for the cat to get out.

“I don’t know why I’m even surprised,” Watts said, when Raphael didn’t explore the hallway or even try and make for the elevator or the door to the stairs, but simply trotted right across the hall, to Steven’s door, and then looked back at Watts expectantly.

Watts let himself back into Steven’s apartment, Raphael made a beeline for the couch, Watts following along in quiet bemusement.

“Oh, this looks cozy,” he commented approvingly upon seeing what Steven had set up.

[hasaknightjob]

Since it had actually only been minutes since he'd seen Llewellyn, this time Raphael won out on getting attention first. Steven offered the cat a hand to sniff, then gave him skritches around his ears. "Hello. Who's a good lad? We've toys out for you."

Then, to Llewellyn, he smiled. "Yeah? Thought it might be nice. I've the kettle on. Would you like tea? Hot chocolate?"

[pocketpretzels]

Well, also, being relatively small meant Raphael was much faster at flinging himself at Steven than Watts was.

“Hot chocolate,” Watts said, after a moment’s deliberation. Did that go with pizza? Did it really matter if it did?

[hasaknightjob]

It was cold, therefore hot chocolate went with everything.

"I was thinking that as well," Steven said. He gave Llewellyn a kiss on the cheek on his way to the kitchen. "Two hot chocolates. I've got it. Make yourself comfy."

[pocketpretzels]

Well, he certainly didn’t need to be told twice, settling in on the couch and pulling Raphael onto his lap, the cat’s comforting purr lulling him into something of a doze.

[hasaknightjob]

It didn't take long to put the drinks together. When Steven came back with them he took in the tableau that awaited him and stood there, simply appreciating it. If he'd had a hand free he might have attempted to take a picture of it. But as it was he went over to set the drinks down on the coffee table, then made himself comfortable on the couch as gently as he could, even as he pulled the rest of the blanket over his own lap to do so.

[pocketpretzels]

“That was fast,” Watts murmured, drawn out of that light doze.

[hasaknightjob]

"I put the kettle on before you came here," Steven said. He reached over to gently brush his fingers against Llewellyn's hair. He indicated the cat in Llewellyn's lap. "Shall I get you a slice? Seeing as you are trapped?"

[pocketpretzels]

“That would be wonderful,” Watts confirmed. That he’d been the engineer of his own trapping via cat was not the point.

[hasaknightjob]

"It's no problem," Steven said. He put a slice on a plate for Llewellyn and handed it over with a napkin. Then, thinking about it, he got Llewellyn's cocoa for him and reached to put it on the table beside him, so it was easier for him to get without having to disturb Raphael.

Steven might have needed to reach past Llewellyn to do this, of course, but perhaps Llewellyn wouldn't mind Steven bumping into him a bit in order to do so.

[pocketpretzels]

Oh no, what a fate.

“Thank you, darling,” he managed, not so wrapped up in thought that he forgot his manners. “Very sweet of you.”

It’s possible that particular ‘argument’ was not going to be dropped anytime soon.

[hasaknightjob]

"You haven't tasted the cocoa yet," Steven said with a grin. "Maybe it isn't."

Steven was not going to drop pretending to argue about it either.

[pocketpretzels]

“That just means you’ve made it the way I’m accustomed to, then,” Watts pointed out.

[hasaknightjob]

Steven hesitated. "Oh. I - I mean it is sweet. Is that bad? I could make you something else?"

[pocketpretzels]

“No, no, I like it sweet,” Watts assured him. “I just hadn’t had it that way before coming to the island, that’s all.”

[hasaknightjob]

Steven relaxed. "All right. Because it would've been no problem. If you needed it."

But since Llewellyn didn't, Steven got a slice of pizza for himself. He then positioned himself sideways on the couch so that he could eat and take in the view of his beau.

[pocketpretzels]

“Which is very sweet of you,” Watts pointed out.

[hasaknightjob]

"I see someone is prepared to be stubborn," Steven said, but he was looking at Llewellyn with affection.

[pocketpretzels]

"I am prepared to be myself, as always," Watts said, emphasizing his point with a bite of pizza.

Being himself absolutely included being stubborn, yes.

[hasaknightjob]

"Lucky me," Steven said.

Yes, he knew about the stubbornness.

"I thought today went well," Steven added. Then amended, "Besides getting up early."

[pocketpretzels]

“Mmm,” Watts nodded. “Besides that indeed. Though that is a sacrifice we will need to continue making if this is to become a regular occurrence.”

[hasaknightjob]

"No options for a later start, I'm afraid," Steven said. "Least not any over the causeway. Suppose in the multiverse they're out there somewhere."

Though that had its own set of headaches, of course.

[pocketpretzels]

“Probably simpler to keep it geographically close,” Watts said.

[hasaknightjob]

"Especially if we're hoping to be part of the community," Steven agreed. He watched Llewellyn carefully. He'd noticed Llewellyn had been quiet on the way home, but he didn't want to assume why. "I liked that part about this one. That they often do things after. For those in need."

[pocketpretzels]

Another nod. “Agreed. And everyone seemed- very friendly.” A marked difference from the first place, where people had been polite. Though Watts’s tone was still somewhat subdued as he spoke.