Work Text:
Watching Baileywick clean his pocket watch was like watching his father make a potion back when he was the royal sorcerer. The man had everything he needed set up before he began, from the special wash for the gears to the polish and several clean cloths. It wasn’t until he was certain that he had everything where he needed them to be before he even removed his watch from his pocket.
Cedric watched Baileywick take the pocket watch apart. The steward set the pieces down in a specific order, ensuring everything was neat and straight. “It’s so intricate for something so small,” he murmured.
“Watches usually are,” Baileywick hummed. “It is why it is of the utmost importance to have a regular schedule for cleaning. Otherwise you risk having it run incorrectly. Too much dust or old oil build up can ruin a watch.”
“How long has it been in your family?” Cedric asked.
Baileywick considered the question, carefully removing the crystal from the face. “At least four or five generations back,” he finally said. Now that the watch was completely disassembled, Baileywick put on a pair of white gloves and set to work cleaning it piece by piece.
“Did your father teach you how to do all that?”
“Of course not,” Baileywick laughed, shaking his head. “My father was never good with mechanical things.”
Cedric frowned at that, sitting up straighter. “Then how did he take care of it when he had it?”
“Cedric, this was my mother’s pocket watch. It comes from her side of the family and is an heirloom from her side.”
“...what?”
The older man softly laughed, focusing on his work. “My mother was the one focused on things running smoothly and on time. My father focused mainly on crops and tending to the animals. He left the rest to my mother.”
“So then you..?”
“I take after my mother. Nigel takes after our father. Why else would he be so relaxed all the time?” He chuckled as he continued, soaking each piece in a solution. “Mother always said those two could spend an entire day fishing if they didn’t have to worry about work.”
He watched as Baileywick dried each piece once it was out of the solution. The sorcerer had no idea how he was able to do this without looking at them. His hands were moving based on memory alone, drying and putting pieces together. “I could have used my magic to clean that for you,” he said, getting up to walk over to the steward. “It would have saved you a lot of time.”
“I know you could have. Thank you for the offer,” Baileywick said. He looked over at Cedric and smiled, continuing to put his watch back together. “I find that I enjoy the time I spend doing this. It lets me clear my head, I suppose. I do not have to think about anything but the parts.”
Carefully Cedric hugged Baileywick around his neck, nuzzling their cheeks together with a sigh. He watched as Baileywick put the watch together, marveling at how quickly he was able to do it. In the end the watch looked as if it were new, sparkling in the sunlight. “It’s beautiful,” he said.
Baileywick smiled, turning his head to press a kiss to his cheek. “Thank you, dear.”