Trooper Station, Friday

[pocketpretzels]

There were raccoons in the cells.

Which was not an unusual occurrence, at least here on Fandom Island.


"New Years Resolutions," Calvin said with a shrug, when Watts tried asking what, exactly, had landed them there this time. He didn't elaborate, so Watts was unsure whether it was succeeding or failing at said resolutions that had ended in raccoon arrests.

Comments

[hasaknightjob]

Someone with a much easier to understand reason for being there was Steven, who arrived at noon with an insulated lunch bag.

"Hello, you," Steven said as he came in to Llewellyn's office.

[pocketpretzels]

"Hello, you!" Watts looked up, beaming, at the sound of Steven's voice.

[hasaknightjob]

"Happy first lunch of the new year," Steven said, holding the bag up proudly. "I've been looking forward to this."

[pocketpretzels]

"As have I," Watts said.

Sure, they had lunch- most meals, really- together when Steven had the body. But their work lunch dates were something special all on their own.

[hasaknightjob]

Steven made sure the door was closed behind him before coming in range of a kiss. "Hello, you."

Worth repeating for the second part of the greeting after all.

[pocketpretzels]

Watts pulled him in to close the rest of that distance. "Hello, you," he murmured contentedly.

[hasaknightjob]

Steven got in a few kisses before pulling back far enough to talk. "Missed you."

Mere hours. As always.

[pocketpretzels]

"It's been terribly dull without you," Watts said, by way of agreement.

[hasaknightjob]

"Raccoons not providing entertainment?" Steven asked.

[pocketpretzels]

"They're quite put out that they're here and not... roaming the streets, doing whatever it is raccoons are supposed to do."

[hasaknightjob]

"Have they been unjustly imprisoned?" Steven asked. Not that he thought Llewellyn would do such a thing, but the island itself had strange ideas about matters such as guilt.

[pocketpretzels]

"I don't believe so," Watts said. "Calvin said something about their New Year's Resolutions. I wouldn't put it past them to have resolved to get into more trouble."

[hasaknightjob]

"Ah, so not that they woke up in the cells because the island was having a laugh," Steven said. He looked thoughtful. "Should we warn Stark if they're up to mischief?"

[pocketpretzels]

That was the thing, the raccoons were always up to mischief. "Why? Do you think they have it out for him in particular?"

[hasaknightjob]

"They have in the past," Steven said. "Though I believe not in some years? Perhaps they've reformed as far as that goes."

[pocketpretzels]

"Or moved on to other targets," Watts pointed out, since they were currently in a jail cell.

Or at least some of them were. He wasn't sure of the exact numbers regarding the island's raccoon population.

[hasaknightjob]

"Still a step in the right direction," Steven said. He frowned. "Unless they're bothering everyone but Stark, I suppose."

[pocketpretzels]

"Ideally, I'd like them to bother no one, but," Watts shrugged. "Not sure how possible that is."

[hasaknightjob]

Steven gave a sympathetic sigh. "We cannot control the actions of others if they are determined to make bad choices."

Not that Steven had gotten to fully accepting that and trying to stand back when someone showed no sign of changing their ways, but he hoped by repeating it often enough it might sink in.

[pocketpretzels]

"No we cannot," Watts agreed. "But on the topic of good choices, what did you make us for lunch today?" he asked, turning away to pull Steven's chair out for him.

[hasaknightjob]

Steven took the offered seat gladly, then unpacked their lunch, complete with garlic bread to go with it. "Something warm and comforting, I thought?"

[pocketpretzels]

"You see? Excellent choice, there," Watts said approvingly as he looked over what Steven had brought.

[hasaknightjob]

"I hope you like it," Steven said. He made sure Llewellyn had a generous portion. "Happy new - er, lunch year?"

[pocketpretzels]

"I've never been disappointed in your lunches," Watts pointed out, pressing a quick kiss to Steven's cheek. "I don't see that changing any time soon."

[hasaknightjob]

"Here's to a year of that, then," Steven said. "And many more."

[pocketpretzels]

"A lifetime's worth," Watts agreed, before taking a spoonful of soup and scooping it in to his mouth.

The appreciative noise he made around the mouthful hopefully conveyed how he felt about it.

[hasaknightjob]

"Wonderful!" Steven said. Both to the idea, and to Llewellyn's enjoyment of the meal.

Steven started to tuck in to his own food. "Is it too soon to think of our next holiday? Getting you somewhere warm and sunny?"

[pocketpretzels]

"Not too soon at all," Watts said fervently.

[hasaknightjob]

"At least the light's slowly coming back?" Steven offered as a, well, bright side. "But yes. Have you anywhere in mind yet?"

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"How do you feel about the Caribbean?" Watts mused.

[hasaknightjob]

"Could be fun," Steven said. "It's meant to be very nice."

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"We did enjoy Barbados," Watts agreed with a nod.

[hasaknightjob]

"I'd like somewhere new?" Steven suggested. "So not Barbados if we did the Caribbean again. But I'm amenable to other locations. Unless you had your heart set?"

[pocketpretzels]

"Oh, no, no, I didn't mean- I didn't mean a repeat visit," Watts said. "Just that- we had a general feel for the Caribbean, at least insofar as- climate."

Since culturally things were bound to be different depending on what destination they settled on.

[hasaknightjob]

"All right," Steven said. "It wasn't until I started speaking I realized I might have been quashing something you were hoping for."

[pocketpretzels]

"There are some places I enjoy returning to," Watts said. "Jasper, obviously. And I think it would be nice to do another trip to Greece," he gave Steven a clearly besotted look at that. "But in general, I enjoy- exploring new places."

Even if their winter trips mostly involved exploring the pool and/or beach.

[hasaknightjob]

"I would very much enjoy another trip to Greece," Steven said, looking at Llewellyn fondly as well. "But another time. This is about your sunshine."

[pocketpretzels]

Watts smiled fondly at him. "My sweet Gentleman Knight," he said. "All right. Somewhere in the Caribbean then. You'll let me know if you've any preferences there?"

[hasaknightjob]

"At the moment only somewhere we've not been before," Steven said. "With nice beaches but I imagine that's all the options there."

[pocketpretzels]

"Perhaps somewhere with an interesting museum nearby," Watts mused. "Just in case we want to do more than just- lounge."

[hasaknightjob]

"I'd like that," Steven said. "History and culture of some sort. Er - in a museum or the location, that is."

[pocketpretzels]

"Perfect," Watts declared. "I'll look in to it."

[hasaknightjob]

Steven gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, love. You're so good about such things."

[pocketpretzels]

"You're very welcome," Watts said. "I enjoy it- and as always, if you've any thoughts or desires for the trip, I'm happy to incorporate them."

[hasaknightjob]

"I'll let you know if any new ones come up," Steven promised. "Perhaps they will now that we've narrowed the location down more."