IC contact for wethelost

[devoutish]

Solomons & Melborn
1108 Sweet Cream Street

[Feel free to use this space for letter/package deliveries as well as visits/knocks on the front door!]

Comments

[devoutish]

It nearly is tomorrow.

[He drapes a loose arm over Royce.]

This couch is still more comfortable than anything in Norfinbury.

[bywolves]

Mm. [ Royce sighs a little. ] Just want you to have the least amount of pain possible.

[devoutish]

Thanks, mate.

[He stretches, rolling a shoulder.]

I'd move, but-- you've brought all these things out. Shame to have to put it all back.

[bywolves]

You ass. [ Royce mutters, nudging Alfie in the side. He's not moving from where he's curled up, noticeably. ] Could've just gotten up when I said to the first time.

[devoutish]

Couch is fine.

[His eyes haven't opened this entire time. He's not going anywhere.]

You're staying?

[bywolves]

Mm. [ Royce huffs. He sleeps better this way. ] Brought all the blankets out here, so I have to, don't I.

[devoutish]

Mm. Fucking have to, yeah.

[He burrows deeper. It's not cold, but he's so used to being freezing that it's comforting to nest all the same.]

Be weird sleeping alone.

[bywolves]

Don't know if I could. [ He tucks the blankets in closer around them. ] At this point.

[ He's quiet for a moment, and then: ] Wanted to say sorry.

[devoutish]

For what?

[bywolves]

For when John was here. [ It's stuck with him, and he's not used to things like this sticking, so it bothers him more than normal. He doesn't even know if Alfie's thought about it. ]

[devoutish]

Doesn't bother me. Really. I was surprised, that's all.

[bywolves]

Surprised about what?

[devoutish]

That you mentioned the-- are we talking about different things, here?

[bywolves]

No, I don't think so. The ring.

Didn't mind mentioning it to him. He's not the type to use that information poorly.

[devoutish]

I like that you wear it.

[Still with his eyes closed, he ghosts his fingers over the top of Royce's collarbone, wondering if he took it off for bed. He hasn't noticed if he's been leaving it on at night or not.]

[bywolves]

[ Royce maybe startles a little - he's not expecting the touch, and it's an ingrained reflex to be tense after something has touched him in a generally intimate sort of place. He doesn't protest, but there's a hell of a lot of alarm bells that go off in his head that he has to manually shut down, one by one.

He's wearing it, still. Twine, tied around the ring. ]

Don't want to lose it. [ He says, after a second. ]

[devoutish]

[He moves his hand away, murmuring a sorry.]

Yeah, it's important, that one. All of 'em, really; they're all heirlooms.

[bywolves]

[ It's okay, Royce doesn't seem to mind. He eases, slowly. ]

That's what you said, yes. [ He remembers. ] Don't want to take it off, in case we get taken somewhere else and don't get to bring things with us. [ Sleepily: ] Thought about leaving it somewhere you'd find, though.

[devoutish]

No, I want you to have it. It's a gift.

[He hadn't originally meant it as one, at least not permanently. But Royce is special to him - special enough for this.]

[bywolves]

What? [ A beat. ] You want me to keep it.

[ He's - surprised. Or maybe not surprised, just... unsure, though not because of the gift itself. ]

[devoutish]

Mm, yeah. It's yours, from me.

[bywolves]

[ Alfie's eyes are closed, but he might feel Royce shift to bring his hand up to wrap around the ring, running his fingers over it. ]

Seems too important for that.

[devoutish]

It's very important, yeah.

[But not too important.]

[bywolves]

If I leave, you might not get it back. [ He's just - pressing that. ]

[devoutish]

That's why I'm giving it to you. In case you leave.