The Perk - Tuesday Afternoon (6/21)

[hasaknightjob]

It was one of those days where it seemed like there wasn't enough sleep in the world to feel fully awake. Marc had volunteered to take one for the team by having the body, but Steven had told him it was fine. Steven had the most experience plodding through when they felt like they'd been hit by a bus, might as well make use of it.

Which was why Steven was currently at a table in the Perk nursing a latte with extra shots. His satchel was on the seat beside him as he'd had every intention of trying to get some reading done while he was there. But at the moment staring out the window at nothing in particular while he waited for the caffeine to kick in had more appeal.

[open]

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[pocketpretzels]

Watts had been walking past the Perk when he spotted Steven, and spent a good thirty seconds debating whether he ought to go on in and say hello or continue on his way.

Saying hello won out, of course. Was anyone really surprised?

“Afternoon, Steven,” he greeted, taking off his hat as he did so.

[hasaknightjob]

It was a sign of how tired Steven was that he didn't register Watts coming in until Watts was standing right in front of him. But when Watts spoke it prodded Steven further awake. He sat up, giving Watts a welcoming smile. "Watts! Hello. Good to see you."

[pocketpretzels]

“Late night?” Watts inquired, taking note of how Steven seemed… less energetic than he was accustomed to seeing the other man. “Or early morning?” the player he added after a moment’s thought.

[hasaknightjob]

"Ever have one of those nights where come morning you felt like you hadn't slept at all?" Steven replied. "That's me today. But here, you're welcome to have a seat. Only - oh you still need to order, don't you?"

And that was Steven realizing that he couldn't figure out a way to discreetly pay for Watts's order when he already had a coffee of his own in front of him.

[pocketpretzels]

“And soon the small birds’ melodies
Must hear, first utter’d from my orchard trees,
And the first cuckoo’s melancholy cry.“ Watts quoted. “I am familiar with the sensation. And I’m in no particular hurry, really,” he admitted. After all, he’d come in more to check in with a friend than acquire a beverage for himself, but he didn’t want to just say that.

[hasaknightjob]

It probably said a lot about Steven that someone quoting poetry at him made him wake up more instead of less. A look of absolute delight shaped his face. Wordsworth wasn't his top favorite - in fact he might not have recognized the quote if he hadn't recently sent Lana a selection of famous English poets as part of the cultural exchange they had going on. But that didn't mean Steven wasn't going to reply in kind with the poet who was.

"Dieu! qu'il est tard! quelle surprise! Le temps a fui comme un éclair; Douze fois l'heure a frappé l'air. Et près de toi je suis encore assise; Et, loin de pressentir le moment du sommeil. Je croyais voir encore un rayon de soleil!"

Steven cleared his throat, his cheeks coloring as he realized he'd probably gone on far longer than he should have or needed to. He tried to cover by gesturing to the empty chair across from him at the table as though that and that alone had been the important part. "But then you aren't sat here beside me, are you?"

[pocketpretzels]

Unfortunately for Watts, French was not one of the languages he was familiar with, bar a few common words and phrases one might encounter living in a country with a sizable French-speaking population. For example, he did pick out that whatever Steven had quoted somehow involved being seated and… sunlight?

“I suppose I ought to fix that,” he said, spinning himself into the indicated seat. “There. Much better, don’t you agree?”

[hasaknightjob]

"Much better," Steven agreed. A rush of relief went through him as it was obvious Watts hadn't been able to translate what Steven had said. Good thing, that. Would've been incredibly awkward for Steven to have to explain why he'd picked that quote in particular. Especially since he wasn't entirely certain himself now. "So, um, you. Haven't seen you since Sunday. You doing all right?"

[pocketpretzels]

Oh, don’t think he wasn’t committing as much of that to memory as possible so he could write Murdoch and ask for a translation later, Steven.

“Mmm, I think I ought to be asking that question of you,” he countered, drumming his fingers on the table. Not accusingly, mind, but rather concerned.

[hasaknightjob]

It was very fortunate for Steven that he didn't know Watts had a good memory or a friend who spoke French because Steven would've had no idea how to talk his way out of that information.

Instead he was able to skip ahead to confusion over Watts's concern. "Me? Why?"

[pocketpretzels]

Watts gave Steven a rather pointed look, eyebrows raised. “You just admitted to not having slept well last night,” he pointed out. “And- the radio broadcast mentioned something about you acting ‘squirrely’,” which was not an adjective he was familiar with but honestly hadn’t been too hard to figure out.

[hasaknightjob]

Steven had a moment of wondering if this was what it was like when Watts was questioning someone for a case. Not that Steven minded, it was clear Watts was asking out of concern. Which was rather nice, actually. But it was giving him an appreciation of how clever Watts must be to notice things and wonder if they were connected.

"The sleeping is nothing," Steven assured him. He waved it off. "Happens all the time. Much better now than it used to be. Hardly ever goes on these days. Didn't get a chance to listen to radio though. Squirrely? Do you recall what that was about?"

[pocketpretzels]

You waving off not sleeping well was not as reassuring as you thought it was, Steven, really.

“It was in regards to your interaction with Miss Smith at the general store,” Watts told him.

[hasaknightjob]

It would probably be even less reassuring if Watts knew what Steven sleeping poorly tended to be an indicator of. As it was, Steven continued to focus more on the radio report.

"Miss - oh Summer!" Steven said as he figured it out. "Oh no. They reported that, did they? Absolute embarrassment. Can you believe I was there for I don't even know how long and forgot to wish her happy birthday? Only the reason I went in the first place. She must've thought me an utter wanker taking so long to mention it."

[pocketpretzels]

“I find it hard to believe anyone might characterize you as an ‘utter wanker’,” Watts shook his head, clearly not biased at all. “But if that’s all it was, then I am relieved.”

[hasaknightjob]

"Yeah, no that was it," Steven said. He was glad it wasn't something that happened which he felt like he needed to worry about. "I'm sure I must've looked a right git, especially when I realized. And there's her being nice and offering me a discount for no reason. But before I left she said something about my memory being off and I can't blame her in the slightest."

[pocketpretzels]

Watts was just… going to file all this away. It was an odd reaction, to be sure, but nothing outwardly sinister about it, so he figured he might as well let it be. For now.

“Well, all right then,” he nodded. “Though,” he added, leaning forward, “I am going to need you to stop talking about my friend that way.”

[hasaknightjob]

Again there was that look of confusion on Steven's face. "Summer?"

[pocketpretzels]

Watts rolled his eyes heavenward for the briefest moment. “No, I was referring to the fact that in the space of mere minutes you used both the words ‘wanker’ and ‘git’ in reference to yourself.”

[hasaknightjob]

"Oh me," Steven said. Possibly someone more suave wouldn't have said that part out loud but for some reason Steven had been distracted by Watts's "my friend" designation. "Well. I mean. Was being a bit rude though, yeah? To her."

[pocketpretzels]

“Yes, you. And I don’t think so,” Watts shook his head. Though maybe he was not the best person to ask when it came to rudeness.

[hasaknightjob]

Steven did still think so but he chalked that up to how he'd been there to see it unfold. Rather than dispute it, he decided to take another approach.

"How about this then?" Steven said, leaning forward. "What if your friend tries harder not to forget anyone's birthday? Then it's not a worry at all then, is it?"

[pocketpretzels]

“You know, I think that might just work,” Watts said, scrunching his face up in thought.

[hasaknightjob]

This did lead to an obvious question, of course.

"So when's yours then?" Steven asked with a smile.

[pocketpretzels]

“Suppose I walked into that one,” Watts acknowledged. “It’s August 8th. And yours, then?” Because with all this talk of wishing people happy birthday, he may as well try and do the same.