Trooper Station, Friday

[pocketpretzels]

Given that there was just over a week until he and Steven were leaving on holiday, was it any surprise that the Portuguese phrasebook was out again?

Well, actually, Calvin was surprised.

"Yes," Watts confirmed. "It is, in fact, nearly October. Tomorrow, actually." How time flies, indeed.

Comments

[hasaknightjob]

You know what it also was? Specifically around noonish? Lunchtime. Hence there was a Steven with takeaway bags in hand looking to see if Llewellyn was about.

A slightly tired looking Steven but a Steven nonetheless.

[pocketpretzels]

He was, indeed, about! And unlike last time Steven had been by, at his desk, not napping under it. Though he was rather absorbed in trying to puzzle out a translation of a particular phrase, so he hadn't actually seen Steven just yet.

[hasaknightjob]

Steven took a moment to enjoy the sight of Llewellyn concentrating before saying, "Hello, you."

[pocketpretzels]

"Olá, você," Watts replied, smiling as he looked up at the sound of that particular voice.

[hasaknightjob]

"Someone's getting a hand on his phrases," Steven said, smiling proudly at Llewellyn. Steven came into the office and closed the door behind him so they could have privacy. "You. Right brilliant, you are."

[pocketpretzels]

“I’m not fluent by any means,” Watts said. “But I should at least be able to ask the important questions, like ‘which way to the museum’?”

[hasaknightjob]

"I've Spanish, which is close enough to muddle through," Steven said. "Many people will speak English as well. Hopefully no problems finding a loo or good dinner then."

[pocketpretzels]

Watts nodded. “I’m not anticipating any particular communication difficulties,” particularly since he knew Spanish as well. “But I like to at least have the basics down if I’m going to visit somewhere.”

[hasaknightjob]

"Hopefully being there means we'll pick up new phrases as well," Steven said. He put the bag on Llewellyn's desk and started to unload the contents, revealing kushari, ta'amia, and cups of halabesa. "Egyptian this week. In honor of you meeting Layla."

[pocketpretzels]

“I’d wondered when we’d get to Egyptian,” Watts said, pleased. He’d deliberately left that one for Steven even as he’d been looking at different cuisines from Africa.

[hasaknightjob]

"Seemed good timing for it," Steven said. He took his usual seat. "All street food as well. Even the soup."

[pocketpretzels]

"You know me so well," Watts said fondly, leaning over to give Steven a quick kiss on the cheek.

He'd strayed a bit from street food when it was his own turn to bring lunch, at least when it was cuisine that was unfamiliar to him, because it was easier to find appropriate dishes that way. So Steven's effort was definitely appreciated.

[hasaknightjob]

Steven was pleased at the kiss, both because it was a kiss and because of what it meant for how comfortable Llewellyn was to give it. "Thought it'd make a good introduction for you."

[defenderofdesmoines]

Annie had plans this evening, but while she was very tempted to start getting ready for them at, like, 2 PM, she also knew that was silly.

(But also she was really excited.)

Instead, she was embracing a new project she'd adopted: helping Mr. Watts get ready for Diego's party next week, which was why she was bustling into the Trooper Station mid-afternoon, armed with a printout and a Spotify playlist. (It had taken almost two years, but Annie had finally conceded and installed that, instead of Voughtify, on her phone.)

"Hellooooo," she called, winding her way past the more familiar area she usually hung out in on Saturdays, and towards Watts' office.

[pocketpretzels]

Watts was once again absorbed in Portuguese vocabulary, so it took a moment for Annie’s presence to register.

“Miss January!” he greeted as he did look up, catching sight of her through the open door. “Come on in.”

[defenderofdesmoines]

"I brought you karaoke homework," Annie noted with a smile as she stepped in, noticing the little differences between now and when it had been Liam's office. "If you're still game."

[pocketpretzels]

There were a few differences: like the little ink pot for a dip pen on one side of the desk, and a photograph of three young boys: two of them identical with light brown hair, and one slightly older, darker-haired boy.

And of course Watts’s hat, currently resting on a corner of his computer monitor.

“Haven’t changed my mind since last night,” he confirmed. “What have you, then?”

[defenderofdesmoines]

"You know how to get music on your phone, right?" Annie checked, heading in with her printed list (on which she had highlighted a few suggestions, even.) "I found a playlist that'll be really good to get you started, I think."

[pocketpretzels]

“It was one of the first ‘apps’ I figured out how to use,” Watts confirmed.

[defenderofdesmoines]

"Sweet -- I found a couple playlists," Annie shared, holding up her phone to show Watts the one she'd come in prepared with. (Bonus points for not making her spell 'karaoke' aloud, just to cover her bases!) "These are all songs that people are used to hearing at karaoke nights -- which means, like, you might get a little audience participation with some, if you're up for that."

[pocketpretzels]

"Audience participation?" Watts echoed dubiously.

[defenderofdesmoines]

"Some songs," Annie explained, "are so popular that you'll end up with people singing along the choruses."

Annie liked yelling, 'Bah bah bah' when she heard Sweet Caroline in a bar as much as the next ex-superhero, okay? It was fun. Especially if there was drinking involved, as there should be by default for karaoke.

[pocketpretzels]

“That… might be distracting,” Watts admitted with a grimace.

[defenderofdesmoines]

"There's also," Annie noted, just going ahead and striking out Hey Jude on her little printout -- those nah-nah-nah-nahs, you know -- "duets. And that can kind of be the most fun, if you've got a buddy to sing with. On purpose, I mean. Just to throw that out there."

Did Annie want to see Watts and Steven singing a little, 'Tell me more, tell me more,' maybe? She didn't not.

[pocketpretzels]

"A buddy, hm?" Watts said, musing on this. "I could- ask him." Because he knew full well who she was implying this buddy might be. Though he'd seemed somewhat reluctant about the idea of singing at all, so who knew.