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[devoutish]

Yeah?

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

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[devoutish]

Mm, yeah. Not a word.

[bywolves]

Wouldn't marry you anyway. Too much beard.

[devoutish]

[Alfie starts chuckling at that. He doesn't laugh at lot these days, so it's an accomplishment!]

[bywolves]

[ It's kind of funny but it definitely makes him all warm and fuzzy on the inside. Being able to help Alfie in any way always does. Eyes closed, Royce sprawls out on the floor. He's quiet for a bit, just companionable silence, ignoring the sounds from outside - he whacks at Alfie later, when Alfie's talking to Watson, but not long after that, he falls asleep.

Until he hears Alfie's voice from across the room, anyway. ]

[devoutish]

[Alfie curls rather than sprawls, and ends up leaning on Royce at least a little bit at some point - even with the blankets, he's always, always cold.

When the anomaly starts crying at the door, he makes his way over. He can't help it. He leans his head against the wall and croons quietly to it:]

I'm so sorry, sweetheart. I'm sorry.

[bywolves]

[ Royce wakes up to Alfie murmuring. He's not sure what Alfie's doing, so he rolls over slowly to try and hear what Alfie's saying. ]

[devoutish]

Just go off to sleep.

[His voice sounds a little choked, and definitely still drunken.]

It's all right.

[bywolves]

[ Royce pulls himself up with a bit of a grunt, his arm still sore and aching. He's also pretty sure he's still drunk, too - which makes this harder, but whatever. Royce stands, and moves over to the door, leaning heavily against it. ]

It isn't her. [ The crying - the crying hurts to listen to, but he knows. ]

[devoutish]

I know.

[And he does. He really does. It's just so hard to listen and do nothing.]

I know, I'm not gonna try to let it in, I'm--

[bywolves]

It isn't her. Wasn't ever her. [ Royce says, firmly. ] Like Gwen. If it's not and wasn't ever Gwen, it's not and never was Emily. They're trying to hurt you. Us.

[devoutish]

Yeah.

[He heaves a sigh.]

It's working.

[bywolves]

I know. [ It's a trick, but it's an effective trick. ] Come away from the door. You don't need to torture yourself.

[devoutish]

[The anomaly lets out an especially loud wail, and Alfie stiffens.]

[bywolves]

[ Royce closes his eyes with a wince, turning his head so he can rest his forehead against the door. ]

Solomons. Come on.

[devoutish]

Yeah.

[Moving is hard, both physically and mentally. He drags himself into more of a seated position, but that's it.]

[bywolves]

[ Royce is still drunk, so it's... difficult, but he tries his best to crouch down and help Alfie stand up. Come on, buddy. You can do it. ]

[devoutish]

I'll knock you over--

[He's pretty unsteady.]

[bywolves]

[ Royce makes a negative noise. ] Then we'll get up again. Come on. You're not staying by the door.

[devoutish]

I didn't save her.

[And so maybe, he deserves to hear this. Self-torture, like guilt, is something that Alfie rarely indulges in, but this is a special case.]

[bywolves]

[ Royce pauses, hands stilling in the attempt to pick Alfie up. ]

I didn't either. [ It wasn't just Alfie's job. ] You couldn't have.

[devoutish]

Yeah. I'd tell you that you were a fucking idiot, if you'd said that to me.

[So he knows.

He reaches for Royce's hand.]

[bywolves]

You're fucking idiot. [ Royce tells him solemnly, but it's light. He doesn't mean it as an insult. He takes that hand, and he helps Alfie up, and - well, definitely stumbles a bit. It's alright, he doesn't fall unless Alfie totally falls on top of him. ]

[devoutish]

Thank you.

[Alfie doesn't fall on him. He even helps to steady them both a little, using the wall.]

I meant what I said earlier, mate. You're a-- you're a fucking brother to me, you are; honestly.

[bywolves]

[ Royce gets his arm around Alfie, and together they can drunkenly stumble to the other side of the room, away from the door, away from the anomaly.

He doesn't know what to say to this, but he's drunk enough that he's just going to say whatever comes to mind first. ]

Yeah. It's the same for me. [ They're a mess, but at least they're messes together. ] Gonna miss you.

[devoutish]

[Alfie makes a sad sound - partly because of the missing, and partly because he doesn't really believe they'll ever go home.]