Trooper Station, Friday

[pocketpretzels]

There were oranges everywhere today. Which meant, yes, Watts was snacking while he worked. And also tucking a few away to take home later, because oranges.

Comments

[pocketpretzels]

"Certainly tries to be," Watts agreed, smiling fondly at Steven.

[hasaknightjob]

"He does an excellent job of it," Steven said. He looked around at the oranges. "Would you like me to take some of those home with me?"

[pocketpretzels]

"If you don't mind?" Watts said. He'd already planned on taking some, yes, but this way they could come away with twice as many!

[hasaknightjob]

"I could put them in the bag," Steven pointed out. "It'll be lighter once we've eaten."

[pocketpretzels]

"Oh, that is good thinking!" Watts said approvingly.

[hasaknightjob]

"Thank you," Steven said, since it was a compliment after all. "Shall I get our lunch then?"

[pocketpretzels]

"Yes," Watts nodded. "I am eager to see what you created, even if it does not contain oranges."

[hasaknightjob]

"I thought something summery would be nice?" Steven said. He unpacked two rice bowls along with two thermoses of watermelon juice. "That's watermelon juice, by the way."

[pocketpretzels]

"I've had watermelon before," Watts mused thoughtfully. "Though not as a juice. That should be interesting. Lunch looks delightful," he informed Steven.

[hasaknightjob]

"There's some lime, mint, and ginger with it as well," Steven said. "I thought - refreshing?"

[pocketpretzels]

"It certainly sounds so," Watts agreed. "I'm properly intrigued."

[hasaknightjob]

Steven smiled. "So you see? Not oranges. Worked out for me there."

[pocketpretzels]

"I wouldn't have been disappointed if it had been," Watts pointed out, before going to to dig in to his bowl. "For the record."

[hasaknightjob]

"Kind of you," Steven said. "Either way the strangeness of the island hasn't gotten in the way of our lunch. I'll call that a success."

[pocketpretzels]

"Mmm," Watts said appreciatively around a mouthful of rice. "Sweet, but with a bit of bite to it as well."

[hasaknightjob]

"Good mix?" Steven asked, to be sure. "Of flavors? I tried to give them enough time to get friendly."

[pocketpretzels]

"Good mix," Watts assured him. "You did a wonderful job."

[hasaknightjob]

"Brilliant!" Steven took a big mouthful of his own. "Glad you like it."

The last part might require Llewellyn's translation skills.

[pocketpretzels]

"A delicious lunch prepared by my wonderful beau, what's not to like?" Watts replied.

[hasaknightjob]

"The ingredients, I suppose," Steven said, being a bit on the literal side with that question. "But I'm glad that's proven to not be the case."

[pocketpretzels]

"True enough," Watts had to agree. "But we haven't had a failure in that respect yet."

Of course, Watts would also eat other people's half-finished discarded sandwiches, so he maybe wasn't the most discerning in that respect.

[hasaknightjob]

"Lucky thing, considering we've already limited options in our diets," Steven said. "Hard if there were even more things we had to leave off."

[pocketpretzels]

"Certainly easier in this time than- back in Toronto," Watts pointed out.

[hasaknightjob]

"True enough," Steven said. He sipped his drink. "Finding and cooking."

[pocketpretzels]

"All sorts of clever substitutes for ingredients that otherwise would contain animal products," Watts nodded. "It really is impressive."

[hasaknightjob]

"Access to more variety of ingredients as well," Steven said. He smiled. "Like fruit that's not locally in season."

[pocketpretzels]

"Oh, yes," Watts said, with great enthusiasm. "Absolutely."

[hasaknightjob]

"Perhaps I'll look up drinks that can be made with oranges?" Steven suggested, indicating their newfound bounty.

Then, after a moment, "Er - besides orange juice, that is,"

[pocketpretzels]

"Using orange juice as a component," Watts nodded. "I'm sure there are any number of fruit cocktails. And I don't just mean the type that contain alcohol."

[hasaknightjob]

"There's all sorts," Steven agreed. "I was trying to pick something for today and there were a great deal of options. I went with this because it felt summery, not just tropical."

[pocketpretzels]

"I'd say you were successful," Watts told him after a long, thoughtful sip.

[hasaknightjob]

"Good," Steven said. Then leaned over to give him a kiss.

To make sure the drink tasted nice, of course.