Four Seasons Hotel Alexandria, Friday Afternoon

[hasaknightjob]

Thursday had been spent enjoying themselves as much as possible, including the couples massage which had proven a great way to wind down after some sight seeing.

Friday... Friday was quieter.

Steven sat outside by their pool. He was dressed in his swimsuit but he was currently sitting cross legged by the edge of the pool looking into the water.

Looking at his reflection. Which was his reflection.

Which was fine. Good. What Steven was for, of course. Handling things that were too much or too painful for Marc to deal with.

Still. It wasn't as though Steven liked dealing with it either.

Steven sighed and kept looking down towards the water, not sure what to do.

[for the beau. warning for discussion of parent death and child abuse]

Comments

[hasaknightjob]

"As long as you're happy," Steven said. "And it gives you no stress."

[pocketpretzels]

"Very well," Watts said. "I will agree to that."

[hasaknightjob]

"Thank you," Steven said, letting his relief show. "That's a gift to me as well. Knowing you're not making yourself unhappy on my account."

[pocketpretzels]

"No unhappiness," Watts promised.

[hasaknightjob]

"I think Marc will be all right for his usual, if you're up for it as well," Steven said. "I've felt nothing different from him on the subject."

[pocketpretzels]

"I've had a recipe picked out for a while now," Watts admitted.

[hasaknightjob]

"For Marc?" A smile spread on Steven's face. "That's wonderful! Oh don't tell me, I want to be surprised after."

Marc generally let Steven know how those nights went. Generally. At least with specifics enough about what Llewellyn had made.

[pocketpretzels]

"All right, I'll keep it a secret," Watts said, charmed as always by Steven's enthusiasm.

[hasaknightjob]

"You're so good about knowing how to handle him with this," Steven said. "Even though he knows what you're doing now, he doesn't mind it."

[pocketpretzels]

"I'm glad," Watts said. "He deserves a reminder that he's cared for, even if he can't bring himself to celebrate."

[hasaknightjob]

"I don't - " Steven started, hesitated, then went ahead anyway. "I'm not sure about telling Harley? If he doesn't want to?"

[pocketpretzels]

"I think that's best left to him," Watts said.

[hasaknightjob]

"It's not as though he'll be more inclined to be out and about," Steven said. "And later in the week is usually our time anyway."

Whether that affected anything that happened early in the week after remained to be seen, of course.

[pocketpretzels]

"Our time," Watts echoed, smiling fondly. "I like that you think of it that way, though of course- I don't have exclusive claim to your time, if ever you wanted to do something apart from me."

[hasaknightjob]

"You in return of course," Steven said. "Besides our work, naturally. When we're not having lunch together."

[pocketpretzels]

"I do reserve the right for the occasional non-lunch visit," Watts told him.

[hasaknightjob]

"Of course," Steven said. "You are our VIP after all."

Did Blathers consider someone a VIP? Eh, didn't count.

[pocketpretzels]

"VIP, hm?" Watts echoed, smiling besottedly at Steven.

[hasaknightjob]

"Very," Steven said, giving Llewellyn a kiss between each word, "Important. Person."

[pocketpretzels]

"Flirt," Watts said, grinning widely between those kisses.

[hasaknightjob]

"That would be VIF," Steven said, grinning. "Very Important Flirt."

[pocketpretzels]

"That's you," Watts declared. "Most Important Flirt of my acquaintance. Also the only one I care to know."

[hasaknightjob]

"MIF?" Steven considered, then nodded his approval. "I'll allow it."

[pocketpretzels]

"Good," Watts reached out with one finger to boop Steven gently on the nose. "I'm glad."

[hasaknightjob]

The boop got a giggle out of Steven.

"VSF as well," he said. "Very Specific Flirt."