pocketpretzels | Midnight Manor Private Residence, Saturday Afternoon

Steven came into the kitchen while holding Raphael.

"He wants to help," Steven said.

Which would be why he was holding the cat. Raphael's help was more well intentioned than helpful.

"You can help by making sure his help remains paws off," Watts said, turning to smile at Steven and hold a slice of strawberry up to his lips.

"Hear that, young man?" Steven said to Raphael, "Emotional support only."

Steven then leaned forward to take the offered strawberry, kissing Llewellyn's fingertips in thanks.

"I'm nearly done, at least," Watts said, with a glance over at the oven timer. "The biscuits should be finished baking any minute, and then it's just a matter of putting everything together."

"Can I help in ways besides holding on to our cat son?" Steven asked. He gave Raphael ear skritches while he said this so it undermined any potential behavior correction Raphael might be getting here.

"I could use some help slicing the biscuits in half once they're ready, but you'd have to put him down to do so," Watts said.

"You hear that?" Steven said to Raphael. "You'll need to be on best behavior."

This was followed up with a kiss to Raphael's tiny apple head, though, so again any attempt at sternness was not happening.

Watts probably also wasn't helping, the way he held up a tiny chunk of strawberry for Raphael to take (yes, he'd checked the google, and it had said small amounts of strawberries were perfectly all right as an occasional treat).

"You'll get him asking for our shortcakes later," Steven said. But this was said with great fondness in Llewellyn's direction. So Steven was utterly failing at being stern with anyone today.

"We may have to distract him by offering more feline-appropriate treats," Watts mused.

"Perhaps a toy as well," Steven said.

In the meanwhile he was giving Raphael cuddles. Which were an important part of a kitty's diet.

"Spoiled little man that he is," Watts nodded.

He'd paused in his slicing strawberries to offer some head-skritches of his own to the cat, also very important.

"He's our cat son and he deserves it," Steven said. While Llewellyn was close Steven snuck a kiss on his cheek. "Just like his dad."

"I see what you did there, you flirt," Watts declared.

"Long as it's clear I'm not flirting with him," Steven replied with a grin.

"Oh, don't worry, it is abundantly so," Watts assured him.

"The cuddles he gets are entirely different from yours for a start," Steven said.

Steven could lift Raphael without needing to summon the suit, for example.

"Less pleasant when he takes a nip, too," Watts noted, leaning in to offer Steven's earlobe a light nibble.

Steven chuckled as he leaned into the touch. "As likely to tickle me with his whiskers though."

Watts drew back, suddenly concerned. "That doesn't bother you, does it?" he asked, scratching at his chin.

Steven freed a hand to caress Llewellyn's cheek, purposefully going over the stubble there. "Tickled means it doesn't bother me. If it was bothersome I'd have said something like 'scratched'. And I would have told you long before this, I promise."

"Well. All right," Watts said, leaning in to the touch.

Perhaps one day he would rid himself of the notion that he was bothersome.

"Besides," Steven said, caressing his cheek again, "you look handsome."

Steven would think Llewellyn was handsome if he was clean shaven too, of course.

Watts closed his eyes and let out a contented sigh at the touch.

"Thank you, my darling flirt."

"You're welcome, my handsome beau," Steven replied. He bumped their shoulders together, gently since he was still holding Raphael. "Sexy too."

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