Trooper Station, Friday

[pocketpretzels]

It was a typical day at the Trooper Station. Which was to say, there was not much happening save the occasional odd phone call. The theme of which, today, seemed to be inquiring about the date for the next Recycling Amnesty Day.

“That continues to not be an officially recognized island event,” Watts told the fourth caller so far. “In fact, why are you even contacting the Trooper Station regarding this? I do believe this sort of inquiry is better suited to Town Hall.”

When he wasn’t fielding calls about a day that didn’t exist, Watts was singing quietly to himself “Katie Casey was baseball mad, had the fever and had it bad… ”

Comments

[pocketpretzels]

"A tasting might be nice," Watts said thoughtfully. "Hopefully the local vineyards have moved on from counterfeiting. And fratricide."

[hasaknightjob]

"Not... into the wine, yes?" Steven asked.

[pocketpretzels]

"Ah," Watts shook his head. "No. Merely poisoned."

Merely.

[hasaknightjob]

"I see," Steven said, since he'd gotten something of an understanding of what Llewellyn's world was like. "But you caught them?"

Steven assumed it was Llewellyn who had solved the case, of course.

[pocketpretzels]

"Oh yes," Watts affirmed. "I still have the bottle of wine, actually. Not," he added after a moment, "the poisoned one. But an otherwise identical vintage. The only remaining, in fact."

[hasaknightjob]

Steven was going to ask if it was the poisoned one so he was relieved for the reassurance. "That's a keepsake, isn't it? Would you ever drink it?"

[pocketpretzels]

"I don't know," Watts admitted. "It's been opened- the killer was drinking from it as we arrived to arrest him. I sampled some from his glass, and it's- not half bad. But I've not as of yet found myself with any inclination to finish off the bottle."

[hasaknightjob]

"Probably just as well," Steven said. "Can't really be replaced, can it? Imagine he's not making wine anymore."

[pocketpretzels]

"Mmm, no," Watts said. "He was convicted of his crime and hanged."

[hasaknightjob]

"Oh." Steven's face fell. "I thought... arrested. Not allowed to operate a winery anymore."

[pocketpretzels]

"Ah," Watts said, giving Steven an apologetic look. "The punishment for murder is nearly always death by hanging," he said. "Excepting very rare circumstances. As this crime was premeditated, it did not meet that particular criteria."

[hasaknightjob]

Steven sighed and poked at his food with his fork. "I'm not fond of that. Which - I know you know. And it wasn't your decision. I just - I hate the idea of giving up on people."

[pocketpretzels]

"I am sorry for mentioning it," Watts said. "I should have just left it at 'No'." But he had a habit of not always thinking through what he said before he said it.

[hasaknightjob]

"No, it's all right," Steven said. He put his fork down to rub Llewellyn's arm to reassure him. "Not like you decided it. And I think I would've known you were leaving off details."

[pocketpretzels]

"True enough," Watts admitted. "I only- I didn't mean to spoil the mood."

[hasaknightjob]

"It's fine," Steven told him. He gave Llewellyn's hand a squeeze. "I'm with you. My mood can't be spoiled for long, I promise."

[pocketpretzels]

“Flirt,” Watts declared fondly.

[hasaknightjob]

"Yours," Steven replied, his smile returning. "So then, anything else you would like to do?"

[pocketpretzels]

"Not that I can think of in the moment," Watts said. "I did let Marc know his presence is welcome beyond just duration of the baseball game. I don't know if he will take me up on that, of course, but- the option is there."

Not during activities such as their carriage ride, but Watts wasn't going to say no if there was something Marc wanted to do.

[hasaknightjob]

"I'll ask him," Steven said. Then, with his usual optimism, "You never know. He might find something he likes when we're there. He's been doing so well lately."

Talking to people! Multiple! A new one to come that very afternoon!

[pocketpretzels]

Watts nodded. "He's been remarkably social." You know, on a scale of Marc.

"Of course," and now he was fiddling with Steven's collar again, this time letting his hand just... linger a bit longer than strictly necessary. "We also ought to make sure there is time for you and I to just... enjoy a lie-in at the hotel."

Which would be far nicer than the hotel they stayed in the last time they were in Toronto, for the record.

[hasaknightjob]

Which was why even Steven, with all his optimism, wasn't expecting too much out of Marc beyond the baseball game. Certainly thrilled if more happened, but aware he shouldn't try to push.

Much.

He wouldn't.

He'd do his best not to!

Fortunately Llewellyn was offering a rather good distraction. "It'd be a shame for the room to go to waste."

[pocketpretzels]

“Exactly what I was thinking. We may not have tropical weather and a private pool, but I’m certain we can still have a good time.”

[hasaknightjob]

"We'll find some way to manage to keep warm?" Steven suggested with a grin.

[pocketpretzels]

“Precisely,” Watts said, giving Steven a knowing smile in return.