Fandom Island Museum, Thursday Daytime

[hasaknightjob]

Steven wasn't entirely back to feeling like himself - so to speak - but neither was he as bad as he had been. Tempting as it was to stay at home, routine was just as helpful. Particularly since routine in and of itself helped to ground Steven in what was and wasn't real.

Still, a quiet day was the sort of thing that the doctor ordered, again so to speak. So Steven focused on going through mail, making sure records were up to date, and other sorts of things that let him sit at the Welcome Desk and not push himself too hard. It allowed him to be readily available for any visitors as well.

[open, though sp may be on offer due to still feeling sick, dang it.]

Comments

[pocketpretzels]

Once lunchtime rolled around, there was a very particular visitor; how’s that for routine?

“Hello. you,” he greeted.

[hasaknightjob]

It was a very good routine indeed!

"Hello, you," Steven said. He got the sign out to say he was taking lunch since, after all, that was also routine. "That time already?"

[pocketpretzels]

“It is indeed.” Also a key part of the routine was the kiss Watts was now pulling Steven in for.

[hasaknightjob]

This was a highly important part of that routine since hellos could not be claimed to have been properly had without kisses. These were simply facts.

It also helped that both the routine and the kiss itself helped Steven feel more solid and grounded in the here and now. "That's nice. I like that. And you."

[pocketpretzels]

Watts laughed, charmed. “It is a relief to hear you like me,” he told Steven, one hand coming up to cup his cheek. “As I like you in return. Very much.”

[hasaknightjob]

"Spent a great deal of time learning about you," Steven said, grinning up at Llewellyn. "I feel safe in my conclusion."

[pocketpretzels]

“As well you ought,” Watts said firmly, deciding that merited one more quick kiss.

[hasaknightjob]

"Much as I feel safe with you," Steven said once the kiss was done. He took a moment to study Llewellyn's face, enjoying the familiarity of it. "I'm glad you're here."

[pocketpretzels]

Watts deposited his hat on the sign with his usual flourish and then held out an arm for Steven.

“Work treating you all right so far?” he checked. Not that work was what he was really concerned about.

[hasaknightjob]

Steven took the offered arm gladly. "Been quiet. Nothing overwhelming. Oh! Nell popped by. Oh! Don't let me forget to give you the stew she brought over for you and me. If you don't mind taking it home with you?"

[pocketpretzels]

“Of course not,” Watts said. “That was very kind of her; was there any occasion that prompted it?”

[hasaknightjob]

"She said she was in the mood to cook for friends," Steven said. "Which does sound like her. Though I wonder if it was a bit of her thoughtful side as well. She knew I was feeling out of sorts last week."

And Steven respected the desire to try to help people by making sure they were fed properly.

[pocketpretzels]

“It isn’t as if she could have ‘accidentally’ made too much for herself if it’s vegan,” Watts teased, bumping his shoulder gently against Steven’s, since he’d employed a similar tactic in reverse with Watts once upon a time.

[mylandmyrules]

Nell was here with a large container of a mildly spicy vegetable stew. "Good morning, Steven," she said cheerfully. "I made a big batch of stew yesterday and thought you and the Detective might enjoy some."

[hasaknightjob]

"Nell, hello!" Steven said. He blinked in surprise at what she was carrying, but not unhappily so. "My goodness! That's kind of you. Special occasion or just you being kind? Which is special in its own right, of course."

[mylandmyrules]

"Blustery fall day and I felt like cooking and sharing," Nell said. "And who better to share with than my friends. Feeling any better today?"

[hasaknightjob]

A quick look of relief crossed Steven's face as Nell's explanation answered his next question, which was worrying that he'd somehow forgotten a promise to join Nell for dinner. He knew that Llewellyn would never let that happen but at the moment the worries crept in all the same.

Which of course went to answering Nell's question. "Better than last week. Not all the way there. That time change does your head in, doesn't it?"

[mylandmyrules]

Nell would have texted if he'd been supposed to join her and didn't. And she'd have been far more worried today.

"It does take some getting used to," Nell admitted, "But I'm more used to depending on the sun to run my day - unless I have an appointment - so that makes it a little easier I think."

[hasaknightjob]

"I was wondering about that," Steven admitted. "Especially back home. You being off the grid and all, would the time change even matter?"

[mylandmyrules]

"Not for my day to day stuff," Nell said. "Sometimes, if I had an appointment of some kind I'd set an alarm, but mostly it was up before the sun and let the seasons tell me what was what."

[hasaknightjob]

"It's a silly tradition anyway," Steven said. "Mucking up the clocks twice a year. Especially since it's different days depending on what country you're in. Leave it be, I say. All it does now is disorientate people."

Steven this week especially, for example.

[mylandmyrules]

"It can be confusing," Nell agreed. "Has it been tricky for you?"

He still didn't seem quite himself and she was concerned.

[hasaknightjob]

"Little harder to keep track of when I am," Steven admitted. He didn't want to get too far into the details about why since even now it was a raw topic. But he knew he could trust Nell with more talking about the results if not the cause. "Same issue with the party, really. Easier to get lost when reality's messing about with masks or time changes."

[mylandmyrules]

Nell nodded. "For me it's not so much getting lost as feeling overwhelmed by so much stuff and feeling out of place - like I'm an imposter or something."

She didn't need the details, though she would of course be a sympathetic ear when or if he wanted to share.

[hasaknightjob]

Nell's understanding about such matters was greatly appreciated. It was part of why Steven felt able to share as much as he did.

"For me it was more... feeling unmoored?" Steven said, trying to think of a good explanation for it. "And it's better now. Not all the way there but better. But time itself going a tiny bit off was, well, bad timing."

Steven gave a weak smile for the inadvertent wordplay.