Trooper Station, Friday

[pocketpretzels]

Watts had only just gotten settled at his desk when he heard a shriek and a clatter, and looked up to see Ralph standing on a chair.

“Mouse!” he exclaimed.

“I told you that’s what would happen if you left bread in your desk,” Hugo pointed out, sounding long-suffering. “But does anyone listen to me?”

“Not really, no,” said Calvin with a shrug. And thus did they descend into brotherly bickering, so Watts turned back to his paperwork. He wasn’t too worried about the mouse; if it were even real, the station’s cat would take care of it.

Comments

[mylandmyrules]

Nell stopped in with some apple caramel soft pretzels. She'd made some for Tuesday night specifically for the Detective, figuring that if he didn't come she'd bring some of them to him later in the week. Unfortunately, they'd been such a hit that there were none left, but Nell had made another fresh batch this morning for him.

She'd made another batch to give to the troopers so they wouldn't bother Watts for his

"Good morning, Detective," she said cheerfully.

[pocketpretzels]

“Ah, Ms Ingram,” Watts said, looking up from his desk. “What brings you in? Is everything all right?”

As a general rule, he didn’t get much in the way of social visits beyond Steven.

[mylandmyrules]

"Oh, no, everything is fine," Nell said. "I just brought you in some of the pretzels I made for Tuesday night. Well, these were baked fresh this morning, but that's what we had. Everyone seemed to enjoy them."

[pocketpretzels]

“Oh, that’s kind of you,” Watts said, with a slight smile.

“Are they vegan?” he asked curiously.

[mylandmyrules]

She tilted her head at him. "Would I bring you something non-vegan?" she asked.

[pocketpretzels]

“I only wished to be certain since the recipe itself was not,” he said. “I have- on occasion,” including at your house, Nell, “-indulged in products made with dairy, after all.”

[mylandmyrules]

Nell adjusted it.

"Oh yes," Nell said, "But I wouldn't specifically bring you anything that wasn't vegan. Especially not knowing that you'd probably share some with Steven."

[pocketpretzels]

“That is- quite likely, yes,” Watts admitted. “I shall certainly make note to remember that in the future. And they do look wonderful.”

[mylandmyrules]

"Well, you know, apples and soft pretzels," Nell said. "How can you go wrong, really?"

[pocketpretzels]

“Indeed,” Watts agreed. “There will certainly be no shortage of baked goods in my house this weekend,” he realised, amused.

[mylandmyrules]

"You do seem to do a great deal of baking if radio is anything to go by," Nell said, "which is why I've stopped bringing much if any to Steven on Thursdays anymore. A bit like carrying coals to Newcastle, but these I felt were special enough to bring by."

[pocketpretzels]

“I do find great satisfaction in the work. Of baking, that is,” Watts confirmed.

[mylandmyrules]

Nell smiled at him. "I'm glad. It can be quite relaxing as well."

[pocketpretzels]

“Yes, exactly,” he agreed. There was a reason the amount of baking he did ramped up when he was feeling stressed or anxious about something. "I'm not surprised you would understand."

[mylandmyrules]

Nell laughed. "Been doing it all my life," she said. "It's kind of nice now to be able to do it because I like it and not because I have to."

[pocketpretzels]

"Whereas for me, I never had the time nor the resources to explore such an activity," Watts told her. "Not until I arrived here."

[mylandmyrules]

"And now you do, which is wonderful!" Nell said with a smile.

[pocketpretzels]

“And you’ve the freedom to pursue all sorts of things,” Watts acknowledged with a smile of his own.

Including a romantic relationship!

“This place has been a boon for both of us.”

[mylandmyrules]

"I do," Nell said.

Though technically, Nell could have pursued a relationship back home - as long as she was good with going back to the Church.

"And it definitely has, that's why I chose to come back, almost exactly a year ago now."

[pocketpretzels]

"A lot can change in a year, don't you find?" Watts asked.

[mylandmyrules]

Nell just laughed. "It's as if I'm living in an entirely different unierse."

[pocketpretzels]

"Well, you are. Rather literally."

[mylandmyrules]

"Or at least a completely different nexus," Nell added.

[pocketpretzels]

Watts tended to take things rather literally, so that got a polite frown. "Was the world you're from also a meeting-point of different realities?"

[mylandmyrules]

Actually, sort of?

"No, but my world was far closer to this one than many," Nell said, "Sort of a sidebar universe, maybe."