Fandom Island Museum, Thursday Daytime

[hasaknightjob]

Steven hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary on his way into work that morning. Perhaps because he'd been so focused on getting there.

It wasn't until he arrived that he tripped over a suitcase in the front doorway. He bit back a curse as he glared at it.

There on the suitcase was the word: Lesser.

That didn't help Steven's desire to glare, actually. He grabbed the suitcase and hauled it behind the Welcome Desk. On his way there he spotted others: Unwanted and Uninteresting.

A memory of a few years back came to Steven. He clamped down on any feelings of Marc he could possibly put a hold on so that whatever this was didn't manifest something for him too.

"You're not getting him," Steven said aloud to... whatever this was. "You can't have him."

Behind the Welcome Desk was another suitcase.

Unreal.

Steven shoved that one under the desk as hard as he could. He then stood there, his eyes closed, and tried his best to breathe slowly and calmly.

"It's fine," he said. "Absolutely fine. I can handle this."

Behind him, near the staircase to the second floor, was a battered and worn trunk. The word on that was ANGER.

Steven didn't see the trunk. Which was fine. It wasn't his anyway.

[open!]

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[pocketpretzels]

Watts had persevered through making and waiting for his order at the Perk, making his way over to the Museum as had been his original plan while ignoring oddly persistent luggage all the while (which had not been part of the original plan).

He had a sneaking suspicion that given all the changes of the last few years, Steven might be a little less fine than he had been last time this had happened.

Hence the bag consisting of one of every vegan goodie the Perk had on offer to go alongside the tea.

"Hello, you."

[hasaknightjob]

Steven had been lost in his thoughts again so didn't notice Llewellyn come in at first. When he heard him Steven looked up. His first looked happy, then worried. "Hello - is it lunch today?"

The day was already so disorientating Steven didn't rule out he'd lost time.

[pocketpretzels]

"It is not," Watts said. "Sorry- I should have- I should have sent you a message letting you know I was coming by. I just- I was at the coffee shop, and I thought perhaps. You could do with a treat."

Or half a dozen treats.

There was a soft thud as a duffel bag labeled 'TOO MUCH' landed on the floor behind him.

[hasaknightjob]

Steven saw Llewellyn's bag and immediately felt guilty. He'd have words for that in a moment but first he was going to race around the Welcome Desk so he could wrap his arms around Llewellyn in a tight hug.

[pocketpretzels]

Watts certainly was not going to object to a hug from Steven, clinging back tightly.

[hasaknightjob]

"I'm sorry," Steven said, still clinging. "I should have called you."

[pocketpretzels]

"It's all right," Watts assured him. "You had- distractions of your own, I see," he noted, spotting the bags Steven had shoved behind the desk.

He wasn't sure how he felt about his assumption regarding this bout of weirdness's effect on Steven being correct.

[hasaknightjob]

"You're not too much," Steven told him, still hugging tightly. "You never are."

[pocketpretzels]

Which would be, of course, when the double whammy of 'ABANDONMENT ISSUES' and 'CLARISSA' showed up, the latter predictably making a break for the door.

[hasaknightjob]

"I'm not going anywhere," Steven told him. He glared at the luggage. "Don't care what you say. Llewellyn's mine and I'm not leaving him."

[pocketpretzels]

"You should drink your tea before it cools," Watts murmured into Steven's shoulder.

[hasaknightjob]

Steven had completely forgotten about the tea. "Oh. I - thank you. That was very kind of you."

The hug wasn't stopping though.

[pocketpretzels]

"Thought you could use a treat," Watts said again.

[hasaknightjob]

"It's a day for tea," Steven agreed. He let go just enough to look at Llewellyn. "I'm glad you're here."

The bag that said lesser seemed to fade in and out of visibility.

[pocketpretzels]

Watts was just going to frown over Steven's shoulder at that bag.

"You're not, you know," he said. "Lesser."

[hasaknightjob]

"Not to you," Steven agreed, looking at him gratefully.

[pocketpretzels]

"Nor Marc," Watts pointed out. "Very important to the both of us, you are."

[hasaknightjob]

"I'm not letting him out today," Steven said. "Whatever this is can't have him."

As Steven said that, a black duffel bag appeared with the word Killer on it.

Steven glared. "Come now. That's not even original."

The bag vanished.

[pocketpretzels]

"Brave of you," Watts said, one hand coming up to cup Steven's cheek. "Keeping him safe."

[hasaknightjob]

Steven leaned into the touch. The look on his face indicated that Steven would indeed have found comfort in Marc's reassurances if he'd been there. "Wish i could keep you safe too."

[pocketpretzels]

"You're here," Watts said, as 'IDENTITY' landed unceremoniously on the Welcome Desk. Sorry about any papers or the like that might end up scattered about due to its arrival.

[hasaknightjob]

Steven frowned when he saw the new arrival. "Is that mine or yours?"

[pocketpretzels]

Watts peered at it. "Judging by the style?" Which, like most things of Watts's, was rather old-fashioned- "Mine."

[hasaknightjob]

"I see," Steven said. He took in their situation. "Thank you for letting me hug you then. Shall we have a sit down?"

[pocketpretzels]

"Let's," Watts nodded, holding up the now slightly rumpled bag of treats. The teas had made it to the desk prior to Watts being hugged. The bag... had not been so lucky.