"Scotty?" Kevin closes the front door behind him and enters their loft. Scotty's bag is on the floor, so he should be there.
"In here." Scotty calls from the kitchen. Kevin can usually locate Scotty when he's cooking, because he is not quiet when he does so, but now the whole apartment is silent.
Kevin enters to see Scotty sitting on the floor with dirt and magazines all around him.
"What are you doing?" Kevin asks, astonished Scotty managed to make such a mess in his otherwise so clean and neat kitchen.
"I'm planting this." Scotty hands him a small pouch with tiny seeds in it.
"Basil" Kevin reads off it.
"In just a couple of weeks we'll have fresh pesto, entirely home-made." Scotty announces.
"Since when do you plant things? We can barley keep our other plants alive." Kevin walks up and stands behind Scotty, stroking his hair.
"I'm gonna take care of this. You'll see." Scotty doesn't pay him much attention, but continues to shove the planting soil into a small plastic pot. He carefully puts some seeds on it, and then covers it with more soil. Kevin enjoys watching him work with his fingers, careful and caring, treating the baby pesto seeds as if they were fragile puppies.
"So, since the basil isn't done for another while, what are we having tonight? I'm hungry." Kevin wonders and leaves the kitchen. He drapes himself on the couch, immediately regretting not turning on the TV when he could still reach the remote.
"Damn." He whispers to himself, but stays put.
"What are you in the mood for, sweetie?" Scotty appears in the doorway. His hands are dirty and he's holding the pot, now placed in a bigger bright red one. Scotty puts it in the window and strokes the pot.
"We could order something." Kevin suggests. Scotty looks at him and raises his eye-brows. "I know you like cooking, but you don't have to do it at work all day, and then once more for me." Kevin defends his proposal.
"Greasy pizza and sweaty Asian wok isn't really my kind of stuff." Scotty states before going into the kitchen to clean up after him.
"How about grilled halloumi with a fresh salad and pasta?" He asks from the kitchen. He doesn't get a reply, and just assumes Kevin is aboard. He's usually a lot more vocal when he's disagreeing than when he's consenting, so Scotty starts preparing the food.
When he half an hour later enters the living room, carrying the two plates with food, he finds Kevin sound asleep on the couch. He places the plates on the small table and walks over to Kevin. Crouching down next to him, he places a kiss on the temple of his head and strokes his arm.
"Dinner is ready." He whispers. Kevin sleepily opens one eye.
"I had such a wonderful dream." He says and reaches out to take Scotty's hand in his.
"Yeah?" Scotty asks, smiling. "What about?"
"You." He leads Scotty's hand to his mouth and softly kisses his knuckles. "Now where is that pesto I was promised?" He gets up and throws the pot filled with soil a look. Scotty has covered it with a plastic bag with small holes in it, and the inside is moist from the condensation.
"Halloumi." Scotty says and invites Kevin to the table with a wave.
"Hello to you too." Kevin says.
"It's Cypriot cheese with mint, the only cheese that can be grilled." Scotty smiles at him. Kevin doesn't reply, but his face says "wow" when he inspects the dish.
"No pesto?" He teases, half-way into the food. Scotty sighs and shoots him a sluggish look.
"Do you want sex tonight?" He replies jokingly.
"Yes, please." Kevin smiles and straightens his back. "I love you." He says with mock strain, causing Scotty to laugh.
After having finished eating, Kevin starts to collect the dishes, piling their plates and glasses, knowing that Scotty will do it if he doesn't.
"How about I fix these, and you just relax on the couch for a bit, hanging out with the pesto plant." Kevin suggests, leaning in to steal a kiss before getting up.
"It's basil." Scotty corrects him, kisses him back and indolently accepts the offer to rest for a minute or two.
"Why don't you come with me and spend some time under a lamp, now that it's dark outside anyway." He says with a coo-ing voice to the pot, and brings it with him to place under the lamp by their computer. "You like that, don't you?" He coos to the plant.
"Is that a teaser for tonight?" Kevin asks, having stopped on his way to the kitchen.
"Yes, if you're a pesto plant it is."
"We are so not having a baby, like ever." Kevin sarcastically points out. "I'm not by far ready to share you with anything." He finishes and enters the kitchen, seeing Scotty grin and throw himself on the couch.