pocketpretzels | Midnight Manor Private Residence, Saturday Afternoon

"That's mine," Steven reminded him. Not that he thought Llewellyn forgot, but in case Llewellyn wondered if Steven had changed his mind.

"You may need to eat it quickly, once it's assembled," Watts warned. "In case the filling decides to slide out.

He started placing strawberries on the bottom half of each biscuit, with a few extra on Steven's. Both because he liked making sure Steven had plenty and because maybe they would help create a more even surface for the top biscuit.

Steven wasn't thinking about structural integrity so instead he smiled at what to him was just a large portion. "Being generous. Thank you."

"Only the best for you," Watts replied.

"Thank you," Steven said. He reached to gently rub Llewellyn's back, since hopefully that wasn't too distracting. "You take such good care of me."

"It is my pleasure to," Watts replied, carefully adding the whipped topping, and then topping it off with the other half of the biscuit.

Steven gave an appreciative clap. "Well done! It looks delicious."

Watts smiled warmly, sliding it over to Steven before finishing assembling his own.

Steven looked about for his mobile so he could take a picture of it. "I think it looks lovely."

"It doesn't seem lopsided?" He'd done his best to make sure it wasn't, but, well. He was still examining it with a critical eye.

"What if it does?" Steven asked. "Does that affect the taste at all?"

"No, I- I suppose not," Watts admitted. "But- it's the principle of the matter."

"It doesn't look the way you'd like it to," Steven said.

"That- yes," Watts admitted.

"Two things could be true?" Steven suggested. "It could not look the way you want it to, but to me it could look like evidence of how hard my love works to try to make nice things for me."

"I suppose that- could be the case," Watts conceded.

"Would you prefer I delete the picture?" Steven asked. "Or take another? I don't want to keep it if it's unhappy for you."

"No," Watts shook his head. "Those are- your photographs. Your memories. You should get to keep it, if it pleases you."

"All right." Steven put his phone back into a trouser pocket. "Long as you understand that's never at the expense of your happiness or comfort. It's all right for you to say it doesn't sit well with you."

"Maybe so," Watts said. "But- I don't know that it would feel right."

"How come?" Steven asked. He gestured towards his shortcake to silently ask if it was all right to taste it while they talked.

"Your photographs are- to help with your memory, are they not? At least in part?" Watts asked.

"Yes," Steven said. Llewellyn hadn't indicated no, so Steven sampled a big bite of his shortcake. He chewed and made a pleased sound as the textures and flavors hit him.

"So it wouldn't sit right with me," Watts explained. "If- if the photographs did not align with your recollections."

"I see." Steven licked at a spot of cream that had stuck to his lips. "I suppose we could figure out how to handle it if it happened? Something to give me reassurance even without the picture?"

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