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[devoutish]

Yeah?

[That's it, that's all you get.]

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[bywolves]

[ It's too late. He's now on the floor forever. Wine also seems to go straight to his head, and he's almost pleasantly dizzy. He can't fully enjoy it because he can't ever relax, but.

He trusts Alfie. And it doesn't matter if he dies anyway. Royce lazily tries to dry his feet off from his laying down position. ]

Smart. [ Royce says, in that same absent tone. ] No - clever. He knew everything that was important to know. He was always six, seven steps ahead. Watching him work was... it was like watching a fox.

[ His tone is different, here. It's not like how he describes Hadrian. ] Do you know about the fox and the crow?

[devoutish]

[Alfie's been leaning on Royce and on the wall, but now he grabs a towel and sits up to help with that, because wet skin is a bad, bad thing here.]

I dunno. I don't think so.

[bywolves]

There was... there was this old fable. Moral lesson. Whatever you want to call it. There was a crow and a fox. Both of them wanted a cookie off a baker's cart. The fox distracted the baker and the crow flew down and stole the cookie.

[ Royce gives up on trying to dry his feet while Alfie is doing it. ]

And the crow wouldn't give up part of the cookie from where it was up in its nest, but - the fox knew the crow had an ego. So the fox started complimenting the crow. Begged the crow to grace him with a beautiful song. And the crow was pleased and flattered and full of itself so it started to sing, and it dropped the cookie when it opened its beak. Right down to the fox.

[devoutish]

Mm.

[He finishes, tossing the towel aside, and will pull Royce's socks on him if he sees them nearby.]

And what were you? Also a fox?

[bywolves]

[ They're nearby! He stripped them off to put his feet in the water. ]

Not until Merrick taught me how. Merrick was the fox. Always. We'd still be together in Colnora if he hadn't - if he'd. [ Royce hiccups a bit, closing his eyes. ] I killed him, you know.

[devoutish]

[Alfie slumps back again when he has Royce's socks on to his satisfaction.]

Why?

[bywolves]

He was the closest person. After Gwen died. I thought it was him at first but I knew it wasn't when he said it. Wasn't him. It was Arcadius, but. I didn't care. I killed him. Stabbed him and threw him off a bridge.

[devoutish]

Mmmm.

[He rests his elbow on Royce's shoulder.]

[bywolves]

I don't know if I regret it. He sent me to Manzant.

[devoutish]

Yeah. He fucking deserved it, mate, didn't he.

[bywolves]

He was doing his job. Kidnapping Gwen. [ Royce says distantly. ] Not Manzant. That was a step I wouldn't even go.

Even after. Even after, I missed him.

[devoutish]

He was a-- was he a good friend while you had him, before all that?

[bywolves]

Mm. [ Royce closes his eyes. ] We were close. We were... he was everything to me, for a long time.

[devoutish]

And then he-- he fucking betrayed you.

[bywolves]

[ Royce turns to lay on his side. His whole head spins. ]

Yeah. He did. There was something I couldn't fix, after that. I loved him as much as Jade did, but he still broke it.

[devoutish]

[Alfie drops his hand onto Royce's other shoulder, patting it.]

[bywolves]

[ Royce hugs the pillow he's got. ]

Bad record. [ Royce sighs, voice muffled. ] People that I could spend my life with. Beautiful people. Just have a bad record.

[devoutish]

Beautiful--

[Alfie looks down at Royce, a little dumbfounded.]

You were in love with him?

[bywolves]

Little bit. [ He is very drunk, or he would not be admitting this. ]

[devoutish]

Fucking hell. I didn't know you-- with men--

[bywolves]

[ Royce opens his eyes, squinting up at Alfie. ] No. Just him.

[devoutish]

Yeah.

I'm not-- I'm only surprised, that's all.

[bywolves]

[ Royce closes his eyes again. ] Probably shouldn't've told you. Too much wine.

[devoutish]

No, no; I don't care; it doesn't bother me. It changes nothing. I still love you.

[He pats Royce's shoulder again.]

[bywolves]

[ Royce will take that and hold onto it for... ever, honestly. He pats at Alfie's hand. ] Okay. [ He sounds sleepy and reassured, at least. ]

Keep it to yourself. About Merrick. Sick to death of hearing comments from people.