Fandom Island Museum, Thursday Daytime

[hasaknightjob]

Today at the Museum Steven was working on - well not interactive exhibits. Being on Fandom Island meant Steven suspected any sort of interactivity with the exhibits would lead to the sort of chaos and mayhem where by the end of it you were happy if the worst that happened was people getting stuck in an exhibit for a brief period of time instead of becoming the exhibit which would be an entire other set of problems.

Instead, he was pondering what sorts of things could be added to signage and displays to encourage visitors to really observe and think about what they were seeing. As such, Steven had a pen and paper in front of him as he wrote down ideas that came to him. Things like signs which asked, "What sorts of plants do these butterflies seem to enjoy visiting?" and "What might have inspired this painter to capture this particular view of the beach?" and "Why does that one crab look like it's constantly playing an invisible set of bongo drums?"

And so on. He figured he'd put down all his ideas as he thought of them and then work on picking the best ones later.

Of course he would stop at any time if a visitor needed him.

[open]

Comments

[pocketpretzels]

Did a beau bearing lunch count as a visitor?

"Hello, you," Watts greeted with a smile.

[hasaknightjob]

A very important one at that!

"Hello, you," Steven said. He took his glasses off so he could see Llewellyn better. "Lunchtime already?"

[pocketpretzels]

“That it is,” Watts confirmed. “You look as if you’ve been busy.”

[hasaknightjob]

"Coming up with things to add to the exhibits," Steven said. He held up his notepad for Llewellyn to see. "Questions we can put up on signs to help visitors think about what they're looking at."

[pocketpretzels]

“Oh, how clever!” Watts said approvingly, as he’d been to enough modern museums by now to know that the better ones did things like that to make the experience a little more interactive.

[hasaknightjob]

Steven smiled proudly. "You like it? It's also meant to help those who might want to go through the exhibits on their own without a guide. Sort of a non-intrusive way of helping them get a more full experience, you see."

[pocketpretzels]

“I do,” he said. “It makes it so there’s a bit more involved than just ‘come in and look at this object’. Or creature, I suppose, in this museum.”

[hasaknightjob]

"And it can be overwhelming," Steven agreed. "Not knowing where might be a good place to look first or understand why it's here in the first place."

Steven grinned proudly. "I'm having fun with it if I'm honest."

Sure there were no Egyptian exhibits in the museum but even so! Steven got to help with exhibits without being told to get back behind a counter and only work on selling candy.

[pocketpretzels]

“I must apologise for interrupting your fun, then,” Watts said, though he was smiling to show he was well aware Steven likely didn’t mind at all.

[hasaknightjob]

"You are allowed," Steven said. To punctuate that, he put out the sign that said he was taking lunch. "There. Shall we?"

[pocketpretzels]

And off went his hat, deposited on to the desk, before he spun back around and offered Steven his arm. “We shall.”

[hasaknightjob]

Steven took the arm gladly, smiling at the twirl. "I look forward to seeing what you've brought."

[pocketpretzels]

“I do hope you enjoy it,” Watts said. “I was- somewhat inspired by the season.”

[hasaknightjob]

"Oh?" Steven asked. "Well now I'm even more curious. The fall season, I assume?"

[pocketpretzels]

“That would be the one,” Watts confirmed.

[hasaknightjob]

"I imagine you've done something wonderful with it," Steven said.

He had a hard time imagining Llewellyn not doing wonderful things, mind you.

[pocketpretzels]

“I only followed someone else’s recipe,” Watts said in mild protest as they approached their usual table and he pulled Steven’s chair out for him.

[hasaknightjob]

"You had to pick the recipe though," Steven pointed out. He took the offered chair with a smile for the chivalry. "And I'm sure you executed it brilliantly."

[pocketpretzels]

“Let’s hope your confidence isn’t misplaced,” Watts said. Although he was reasonably certain it would be all right as he had taste-tested it once he’d finished preparing everything.

Watts unpacked two thermoses, followed by two bowls and two cups. From one thermos, he poured soup into the bowls, and from the other a beverage into each cup. That done, he also produced a slice of bread for each of them to eat alongside the soup.

“I know it’s still quite warm out, which is why I didn’t go with a hot cider drink as accompaniment,” Watts told Steven as he sat down.

[hasaknightjob]

"Oo, very nice!" Steven said when he saw the layout. He patted himself down for his mobile so he could take a picture. "Smells wonderful as well."

[pocketpretzels]

Watts beamed at him, pleased that Steven seemed to like it. “Seems you cannot go anywhere these days without being asked to try something or other in a pumpkin flavour, so I figured I might as well.”

[hasaknightjob]

"Pumpkin spice has become very popular," Steven agreed. He pointed at the bread. "Yours as well, yeah?"

[pocketpretzels]

“Of course,” Watts said. “You favour it, so I’d not serve anything else.”

Even prior to moving in together Watts had made sure Steven and Marc had been consistently supplied with homemade bread. He wasn’t going to stop now!

[hasaknightjob]

"It is the best," Steven told him. "Don't suppose I can give you a proper thank you?"

[pocketpretzels]

“You may,” Watts said, not even taking a moment to glance around.

The museum, like their home, was safe.