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[devoutish]

Yeah?

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

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[bywolves]

Irony. [ A beat. ] Or whatever it is that makes it so that nice things are overshadowed by life kicking dirt in your face.

[devoutish]

Say something, then. Say something to make this a good memory for when the bad times come.

[bywolves]

I'm not good at that. [ Royce sighs, tilting his head back. He sinks against the couch, staring at the ceiling. He's quiet for a long moment, and just about when it seems like he's not going to say anything at all, he murmurs: ] Thank you.

[ For a lot of things. ]

[devoutish]

[Alfie tilts the tablet towards Royce's hands now, focusing on the ring on his finger.]

That's an heirloom, that is. My grandfather wore it. It was a gift from-- oh, I can't remember; his uncle, I think.

You're not gonna want to wear it outside. Cold metal sticks to wet skin.

[Which he figures Royce knows already, but what he really means is that Royce should hang onto it. No need to give it back once they're done fiddling around tonight.]

[bywolves]

[ Royce takes the ring off carefully, and then leans down to reach for his bag. He pulls out a bit of twine that he's still got, and ties it tightly around the ring. And then, once he's put together what looks like a pretty well reinforced, braided necklace of twine with the ring hanging off it, he puts it on and tucks it under his shirt. ]

Never had a heirloom. [ A beat, then, vaguely amused: ] Actually, I think I am the heirloom.

[devoutish]

[That works. Alfie tosses him a grin.]

Heirloom.

[Someone kill him for this pun.]

[bywolves]

[ GOD, STOP ]

Ugh. [ Royce makes a face, but he's amused. That's his response. ]

[devoutish]

You've got to be at least a hundred before you're a real heirloom, mate.

[bywolves]

Never thought I'd live past twenty, if I'm being honest. [ He really doesn't want to live to a hundred. ]

[devoutish]

But you did. And I'm glad of it.

[bywolves]

You keep doing that. [ It's not an accusation or anything like that, he's just - pointing it out. A little distantly, a little amused, still. ]

[devoutish]

Doing what?

[bywolves]

Telling me that you're glad I exist.

[devoutish]

Why the fuck shouldn't I, eh? It's nice to say, nice to hear, and entirely truthful.

[bywolves]

I'm not going to stop you. [ Royce says mildly. ] It's just familiar.

[devoutish]

Is it?

[He'd thought it wouldn't be, honestly, but if it is then he's glad for it.]

cw: suicide mention

[bywolves]

Hadrian does it, sometimes. [ Royce glances at Alfie. ] He pushed it harder after Gwen.

[ Because Hadrian knew him well enough to predict when and how Royce was going to try and kill himself, in that tower after Gwen died. Alfie's starting to pick up on stuff like that too. ]

[devoutish]

Good.

[Alfie nudges him with a knee -and then hurriedly remembers the recording tablet, and turns it off. He'll do more video memory shit when Royce isn't being sad about his dead wife.]

Good.

[bywolves]

Too depressing? [ Royce asks wryly, after Alfie's turned the video off. He's in a weird mood. Too apathetic to feel sad. ]

[devoutish]

I didn't think you'd want to...

[He gestures to tablet.]

Not while you were talking about her.

[bywolves]

I don't want to talk about her. [ Royce sighs. ] I don't want to talk about home. Especially not after the chat we had with Gabriel.

[devoutish]

You couldn't pass cancer on to Mercy and Hadrian.

[That, at least, bears repeating.]

[bywolves]

Even if that's true, Mercy doesn't need to see the parent she has left die slowly.

[devoutish]

It's better than--

[He cuts himself off.]

[bywolves]

Better than what?