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[lightconductor]

If you have a message for me, Dr. John Watson, please leave it here. I shall certainly get back to you as soon as I can.
- JW

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[pineapplesalmon]

"I tease because I appreciate how much you've had to adjust." César runs a hand down the side of Watson's waistcoat appreciatively, hand settling on his hip briefly. "And far less than you, my darling husband."

That last word makes César's smile a little giddy, even as he drops his hand. Watson taking up his cane makes him no less sexy to César's eyes. It's just a part of him now.

[lightconductor]

He returns that smile, and offers his arm to César.

"You are flattering me," Watson observes, mildly. "I am not a fool, you know. But do carry on with the flowery affection, if it pleases you."

[pineapplesalmon]

César takes his arm, looking a bit innocent. "Does it please you, though? Because I'm quite fine with continuing."

[lightconductor]

Watson glances over at him, and sighs a little, though he doesn't let go of César's arm, either, as they move out into the hallway.

"César," he says, his voice low, "I realise things are... difficult, just at the moment. Still, I would not have you do anything just for the sake of my own ego. You know that, yes?"

[pineapplesalmon]

César looks confused and mildly worried at the little sigh, and then he chooses to look just confused. But only for a moment, as relief joins the confusion. Yet, it was still a conscious decision he made.

He smiles softly, touching Watson's forearm with his free hand, keeping his own voice low. "I know. I was just flirting, osito. We had that conversation. You want true consent at all times. I won't force myself to do anything I don't want between us."

[lightconductor]

He stops short, and turns to look at César with a faintly horrified expression, but it takes him a moment to manage to get the words to describe why this is so awful.

"César. My love." Watson shakes his head. "If I want your consent it is because it is something you should want, not because it is something I want you to want."

[pineapplesalmon]

Oh. He hadn't worded that carefully enough. César stares at him in shock for a moment before smiling guiltily.

"I know. It's just... ah." César's thoughts are flying past the conversation too rapidly to string words together. "... ah, well. Shit."

He switched to Spanish but isn't trying to speak it, for the record.

[lightconductor]

"Please don't try to negate yourself. I want a partner, not a shadow. I want you, not you trying to be what I think you want."

He's firm, but his voice is soft, and he starts walking again.

[pineapplesalmon]

They're talking slightly different things. César takes a moment to breathe and let himself be reassured. He strokes Watson's upper arm slowly to comfort both of them.

"I... know you do." César replies quietly, his hand holding still as he looks away. "You coaxed me to be myself again in the first place. But I was a lonely man. I would've... put up with a lot to have been loved. And I do mean that in a horrifying sense."

He breathes. "And the fight with Johnny—well. My maladaptive response makes it obvious now that part of me still doesn't believe I'm enough as myself."

[lightconductor]

"You are enough," he says, simply. "You made a very, very grave mistake, César. I won't lie about that. But asking you to do better is not the same thing as asking you to be someone else."

Watson sighs, though. The thought of César falling into the hands of someone less kind is a terrible one. "There are people who are lonely by nature, but I don't think you're such a man, my dear."

[pineapplesalmon]

César sighs a breath he didn't know he was holding. He relaxes again, properly this time.

"Thank you." It's a simple phrase, but there's trembling relief behind it. "I.. want to say more than that but, I'm stuck on thank you."