Fandom Island Museum, Thursday Daytime

[hasaknightjob]

Khonshu had been keeping Steven and Marc busy of late.

Well, all right, mainly Marc but they were a package deal so whoever Khonshu asked for couldn't exactly go it alone, could they?

Regardless, it had meant more time back home on things which weren't pleasant holidays.

Steven wasn't thrilled about it for any number of reasons. He knew Marc wasn't entirely happy about it either. It was difficult to fully complain, though. They'd had years of largely being left alone to do as they liked on the island. A deal was a deal. They'd both agreed to be Khonshu's avatar, so they could hardly complain when asked to fulfill their part of the bargain. Particularly when Khonshu was keeping his about not asking them to murder anyone.

Still. It rankled. It felt lopsided in a way Steven couldn't fully articulate. Nothing he could put his finger on though. More something he chewed on in the back of his head, as it were.

At least today nothing had been asked so there Steven was, behind the museum's Welcome Desk as usual, ready to help any visitors who might have need of him.

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[pocketpretzels]

Naturally, at lunchtime there was a visitor who indeed did have need of him. "Hello, you."

[hasaknightjob]

Steven's face lit up to see him. "Hello, you. My favorite sight."

[pocketpretzels]

"Flirt," Watts smiled back at him. "You doing all right?" he checked, as he stepped up to the Welcome Desk to drop his hat in its usual spot.

[hasaknightjob]

Steven likewise put out the sign to say he was taking lunch. "Yes, thank you. Quiet morning so far. You?"

[pocketpretzels]

"About the same," Watts said. "Which is all right. I don't mind quiet. At least-" he stopped, scrunching his nose up and making a bit of a face.

[hasaknightjob]

Steven looked at him worriedly. "Something wrong?"

[pocketpretzels]

"No," Watts shook his head. "I was just- Quiet or not, I prefer it when I know that you- or Marc- will be coming home at the end of the day, that's all," he admitted.

[hasaknightjob]

"No argument there," Steven said. He made a face. "I'm not fond of it either."

[pocketpretzels]

"But, a deal is a deal," Watts acknowledged, holding his arm out for Steven to take.

[hasaknightjob]

Steven took the offered arm, holding it a little tighter than he normally might. "Indeed. And we are helping people. Hard to find fault in that."

[pocketpretzels]

If Steven hadn't taken the initiative to hold on tighter, Watts might have. "Making a difference," he agreed.

[hasaknightjob]

"And he has kept up his part of the bargain," Steven said, once again reminding himself as much as anything. "No killing."

At least as far as Marc and Steven knew.

[pocketpretzels]

"Good," Watts said, bumping Steven's shoulder gently with his own.

[hasaknightjob]

"And Marc's not doing it alone," Steven said. "No risk of Khonshu getting in his head and giving him ideas like he used to."

Which didn't mean Khonshu didn't get into Marc's head and give him ideas. But at least now Steven was aware of it and could try to fight those ideas from taking hold.

[pocketpretzels]

"I'm glad he has you watching out for him," Watts said, letting go of Steven's arm so he could pull his chair out for him.

[hasaknightjob]

"Cheers." Steven took the offered chair with a smile. "Bloody right I do. Like a hawk. He's been manipulated enough, thank you. No more taking advantage of how much he thinks he's a horrible person."

[pocketpretzels]

"That's my Gentleman Knight, right there," Watts said fondly, unpacking their sandwiches.

[hasaknightjob]

Steven smiled as he saw them. "Aren't those colorful? Like springtime."

[pocketpretzels]

"Huh," Watts said, a bit of a wistful expression on his face. "You're right. I hadn't thought about it like that."

Perhaps he'd been subconsciously drawn to the recipe for just that reason.

[hasaknightjob]

Steven patted himself down for his mobile so he could take a picture. "What drew you to it then?"

[pocketpretzels]

"The edamame," Watts explained. "I know we usually get it when we order Japanese food, but I've never had it outside of that."

[hasaknightjob]

"That's sweet," Steven said. He put his mobile back into a pocket. "Er - not literally. But I like the idea. And it's a good excuse to use your bread."

Steven wasn't even entertaining the idea that Llewellyn had made a sandwich with something inferior.

[pocketpretzels]

"Er," Watts said, realising belatedly that the edamame in question wasn't immediately obvious. "It's in the spread. The edamame beans, that is."

[hasaknightjob]

"I did wonder why I wasn't seeing it," Steven admitted. "I assumed I might when I had a bite. Which I suppose I will if it's in the spread."

[pocketpretzels]

"It's nice," Watts said. "Or at least. I thought so. Tried it out before I put it on the sandwiches."

[hasaknightjob]

Steven looked at him fondly. "Protecting me from not tasty meals?"

With that he took a hearty bite of his sandwich. He took a moment to chew, then nodded his approval.

[pocketpretzels]

"Should I ever show up with takeout in hand, you'll know that my attempt at lunch did not pass muster," Watts told him.

[hasaknightjob]

Steven licked a stray drop of avocado from his lips. "I'd be glad for any lunch with you. Though sad that you'd been thwarted in your efforts. I know how frustrating that can be."

[pocketpretzels]

"We've both been remarkably successful so far," Watts pointed out. He then made a face. "Did I just jinx it?" he wondered.

[hasaknightjob]

Steven looked worried, then brightened when he remembered. "No! We had problems that once! The island was having a laugh around Halloween. Completely changed what you made."

[pocketpretzels]

"Ah, yes, right," Watts said, his expression further crumpling into an annoyed grimace at the reminder.

[hasaknightjob]

"At least we got a banana that looked like Marc out of it?" Steven said.

Well, a banana that had been dressed like a mummy that Steven added a cape to.

[pocketpretzels]

"True enough," Watts said. "Not everyone can claim such a thing."

[hasaknightjob]

Steven chuckled. "They might have gotten bananas that looked like Marc but not known they looked like Marc. Their loss, really."

[pocketpretzels]

"I'm not certain Marc would agree," Watts pointed out.

[hasaknightjob]

"Yes, but he's wrong," Steven said, now giggling at the memory.

[pocketpretzels]

Watts let out a chuckle of his own, charmed as always by Steven's laughter. "Terribly so."

[hasaknightjob]

"Shame Marc doesn't celebrate Purim," Steven said, a little wistfully. "A mummy banana with a cape would be a brilliant costume for him."

Marc would throw both of them off a cliff first but it was sweet Steven had dreams.

[pocketpretzels]

"I imagine that would be a- what is the saying? A 'hard sell' even if he were inclined to dress up," Watts pointed out.

[hasaknightjob]

"Don't think even I could pull it off," Steven admitted. He cast his thoughts back. "No. Don't think anyone could. Shame, really."