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!]

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[devoutish]

Royce.

[He doesn't try to pull Royce's hands away from his ears, but he takes ahold of his wrists, looking pretty concerned himself.]

[bywolves]

I can't -- [ It's muffled, and he can't quite hear himself, but he's not completely deaf. Thank everything. Royce drags in an unsteady breath, head throbbing and heart thudding away in his chest. Terrifying. Guns are - guns are bad. ]

[devoutish]

Royce, you're scaring me.

[He gives his wrist a squeeze.]

Are you gonna be all right? Do you need a doctor?

[bywolves]

[ A beat, as he tries to read Alfie's lips to fill in what he can't understand. ]

I'm - I can't hear. [ He says, a little louder than he means to. His breath shudders. ] Everything is muffled.

[devoutish]

It'll go away.

[He leans closer, and raises his own voice.]

I've seen this; I've had this. It doesn't last.

[bywolves]

[ He pulls a hand away from his ear to hold onto Alfie's wrist - he's trembling a little. ]

Yeah. [ He says, unsteady. Sorry, Alfie, he's staring at your mouth. ] Okay. I - okay. I wasn't - expecting it to be that loud.

[devoutish]

Packs a punch, doesn't it.

[He rests their foreheads together.]

You need to be careful. Bombs are louder.

[bywolves]

It's not - is it not like this for you? [ He figures he's suffering more because of his sensitive hearing. Royce presses his forehead against Alfie's, trying to settle his heartrate down. ]

[devoutish]

Not this bad, no. Listen - I can take you to Watson.

[bywolves]

No. [ Royce says sharply. ] You said it'll go away. He's not going to be able to do anything about it.

[ His grip tightens on Alfie's wrist. ]

[devoutish]

Yeah, but I don't know if it's different for elves.

[bywolves]

Yes, because Watson has plenty of experience with working with elves. [ Scowl. ]

[devoutish]

If it doesn't go away in ten minutes...

[He trails off.]

[bywolves]

[ Royce lets go of Alfie to rub at his ears, slowly calming down. ]

Did you kill it? [ He asks, still talking too loud. ]

[devoutish]

Yeah. Just there.

[He points.]

[bywolves]

[ At least his vision still works. He can see the rabbit from where they're at. There's a beat, and then Royce dislodges himself from Alfie's grasp. He doesn't feel right, this way. It's worse than Norfinbury, worse than the muffle from there, and he almost feels off balance.

He frowns heavily, looking upset. ]

[devoutish]

[Alfie follows, still looking pretty damn concerned.]

Royce...

[bywolves]

[ Royce doesn't hear him, not facing him. He makes his way to the rabbit, and crouches down to look at it, to examine the damage that the gun did. Quietly, he thinks about how he's glad they're not a thing back home. ]

[devoutish]

[It's mostly a clean shot - though, of course, the bullet will have to be dug out. Alfie puts a hand on his shoulder.]

Let's go back.

[bywolves]

[ Royce jumps. It might actually be one of the first times Alfie has ever caught Royce by surprise. He looks startled too, turned to look up at Alfie, just for a second before he's nodding a little. Right. Right, yeah, okay.

He takes the rabbit by the feet and stands, less fluidly than normal. ]

[devoutish]

Fifteen minutes, and then we go to Watson.

[And he's never going to fire his gun anywhere near Royce again.]

[bywolves]

I need to - I should wish for earplugs. [ Royce says, shaking his head a little. It's getting... not better, but not worse. The ringing is subsiding, at least. ] It's fading.

[devoutish]

That gun's not gonna be shot anywhere near you ever again, mate.

[bywolves]

[ He scowls, looking at Alfie. ] Don't be stupid. I didn't take you seriously enough when you said it was loud. That means I need to take the steps to protect myself from the noise.

[devoutish]

Yeah. But I'm still not gonna shoot it when you're around.