Apt #14, MHA, Tuesday Morning

[hasaknightjob]

The children had been sent back to their real parents, safe and sound. After which Steven and Llewellyn went back home to clean up the detritus that had accumulated over a three day weekend with little ones. Amazing how much of it there could be considering there were no toys or other child specific things. But snacks, reading books, drawing pictures, playing tag, building a blanket fort - it all added up.

There'd been no real plans for the day. Normally Steven and Llewellyn did their own things on Mondays, but the children had taken priority. Likewise normally Tuesday was Marc's day, with him getting up early to go to the gym. But once the children were gone Steven felt an ache at their lack that, while no where near the pain Marc would have felt at being around their presence, was still enough that Steven asked Llewellyn to stay the night and be there in the morning.

Which was why come Tuesday morning Steven was in bed with his beau, awake far earlier than he usually was but that was also because he'd slept very little to begin with thanks to all the thoughts and feelings running through him.

Llewellyn hadn't gotten much sleep either. Whether from his own emotions about having children over the weekend or from Steven not getting much rest Steven wasn't sure. Regardless they'd both been quiet, most likely both with the urge to let the other rest even if they couldn't.

Thus there was Steven Tuesday morning, staring up at the ceiling again, and debating if he should risk getting up and putting the kettle on for tea or if he should keep still on the odd chance Llewellyn wasn't awake right now.

[for the beau]

Comments

[pocketpretzels]

Raphael plopped himself down within Steven's reach. You know. Just in case there needed to be pets happening.

"I know, darling," Watts said, rubbing small circles across Steven's back. "I know." And he hated that it was a hurt he could not do anything to fix.

[hasaknightjob]

Therapeutic pets did need to be happening. Steven gave Raphael gentle skritches around his ears.

"Year ago I didn't know who I was," Steven said. Then he grimaced. "Or about a year. The timeline is all muddled around then. Obvious reasons. Didn't really settle down again until we moved here. But April. Early May. I know that much."

[pocketpretzels]

"A year can seem so long and so short at the same time, can't it?" Watts mused.

[hasaknightjob]

"Some days feels like you and me only started dating a couple months ago," Steven said with a grin. He bumped their shoulders together. "Even though I know it's coming on a year for us before we know it as well."

[pocketpretzels]

"Seventy-three days," Watts said, without hesitation.

[hasaknightjob]

Steven frowned. "We've been dating longer than seventy-three days, haven't we?"

[pocketpretzels]

"Much longer, darling," Watts said, pressing a kiss to Steven's cheek. "I'm sorry, I should have been more clear. In seventy-three days it will have been a year, for you and I."

[hasaknightjob]

"Oh," Steven said, feeling silly when he realized. "That makes much more sense. And see? Here before you know it. Barely past two months, right?"

[pocketpretzels]

"Mmmhmm," Watts hummed in agreement. "I'm still on the lookout for something special for us to do. And of course if you've any thoughts on that matter I want to hear them."

[hasaknightjob]

"Short trip might be nice," Steven said. Though that might also be fueled by how a change of scenery might be good after the weekend as well.

[pocketpretzels]

"You know me," Watts said with a little smile. "If I can find a way to make a trip out of it, I will."

Which reminded him... "On that note, actually-"

[hasaknightjob]

"I do know you," Steven said with a hint of a grin starting to peek out again. "It's why I love you."

Steven put the plate of muffins in easier reach. "Actually what?"

[pocketpretzels]

"I did speak to Marc. About- about that thought I had, regarding putting some of my money in investments," Watts said, taking one of the muffins and breaking off a piece before popping it in his mouth.

[hasaknightjob]

"Oh?" Steven asked. "He's not caught me up on the details there, I'm afraid. Only that he was handling it."

Which arguably for Marc was details since as far as Marc was concerned that was the relevant information that needed to be passed on.

[pocketpretzels]

"Which he is," Watts said. "And one of the initial steps would be for me to- to meet with his financial people. A task which would necessitate a trip to London."

[hasaknightjob]

"Suppose that makes sense," Steven said as he mulled it over. "Mind you I've not met his financial people. Only ones we've in common are Crawley and Layla. And Khonshu I suppose. Then I don't need to meet them, do I?"

After all it wasn't Steven's money. Not really.

"Big step for you though, isn't it?" Steven said, watching Llewellyn to see if there were any hints how he felt about it. "Having an official claim to something on my world?"

[pocketpretzels]

"Beyond yourself, you mean?" Watts said, his tone lightly teasing.

"Joking aside- it feels... right," he told Steven. Even his apprehension regarding the very idea of investments couldn't override that.

[hasaknightjob]

That did get a fond chuckle out of Steven. "Yes. Besides me. I'm yours no matter what world we're on. How about the idea of it? It's more than just paperwork, isn't it? Dealing with money and all?"

[pocketpretzels]

Watts plucked again at the muffin.

"It's not the dealing with money specifically that is a problem. But investing is- it's gambling, when you get down to it. You could win big. Or- or you could lose everything."

[hasaknightjob]

Given Llewellyn's feelings about gambling, Steven could understand that. "There's those who treat it as such as well. Marc's not pushing you into anything you're not comfortable with, is he?"

Steven didn't think Marc would, but perhaps Marc might not have noticed Llewellyn trying to hide his discomfort the way Steven had learned to pick up on.

[pocketpretzels]

"No, no," Watts shook his head. "He said I could be- relatively hands-off, regarding the day-to-day management of it, if that's what I wanted. Even offered to loan me some money to get started. I didn't," he shook his head, "I couldn't take him up on that."

[hasaknightjob]

Steven couldn't help but smile at Marc's offer, even as he also understood why Llewellyn would turn it down. "If it's the idea of being involved in investments at all that's the problem I'm sure we could figure something out. Some sort of... savings account or the like?"

Steven was not a financial expert. Which was ironic on a multiversal level but there it was.

[pocketpretzels]

"Perhaps," Watts said with a nod. "In any case- since I have to go in person to get things started I thought we might- make a bit of a holiday of it again, like last time?" he suggested tentatively.

[hasaknightjob]

"I could come too?" Steven asked.

Yes, he'd technically be around regardless, but if Marc was handling the majority of the details that meant Steven wasn't necessarily needed.

"I mean, I don't mind spending time with you in London," Steven said. "Or anywhere else, really."

[pocketpretzels]

"I would be delighted if you would accompany me," Watts said. "In general, I mean, since it would need to be Marc at the meeting itself. But- I'm sure there are things about modern London we did not get to see last time. You could be my knowledgeable local guide once more."