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]

[He rests his cheek against Royce's head, sandwiching him between his face and his shoulder.]

I'm absolutely sure, mate. You show me whatever you wanna show me.

[bywolves]

[ Royce hums, and takes Alfie with him, slowly, to the treehouse.

When they get there, he sits on the bed, making himself comfortable, and then he offers the leaf out to Alfie. His expression is vaguely tense, but resolved. Let's go, buddy. ]

[devoutish]

[Alfie settles next to him, fussily arranging the blankets over Royce's legs and around his shoulders before taking the leaf. He wants to make you comfy, buddy.]

[bywolves]

[ Cute. Royce sort of smiles a bit at the fussing. Carefully, he settles down against Alfie, and then, after glancing up at him to make sure he's ready, pulls on the leaf.

It breaks. And they go under.

When Alfie comes to, he'll find himself in what is clearly an underground tunnel. It's damp and smells salty, like the ocean, cold in that cave way where it's musky and hard to breathe. There's nobody in this part of the tunnel, but there's the sounds of people talking, murmuring to each other, the sounds of metal hitting a cave wall down the way. It's barely lit in here, a few torches on the walls, but even with those, it's hard to see. There's no sign of Royce quite yet, but he has to be close. ]

[devoutish]

[Dream or not, Alfie's not wild about moving even an inch until he gets an idea of where Royce - he doesn't want to approach those voices and discover that they're a marauding band of people who have been driven insane by years underground. He stays put and squints into the darkness, trying to see if he'll be able to make out more once his eyes adjust.]

[bywolves]

[ When his eyes adjust, he can see a few crevices in the tunnel walls. They're not big, but looking closely reveals that there are people hunched up in some of them. Three, maybe four - one of them is quietly sobbing to herself closest to Alfie.

But down the way a bit, there's a man in rags, curled up, fiddling with the manacles around his wrists. He's got a shaved head and more angular features than normal, but - it's definitely Royce, trying to pick the lock of the chains. ]

[devoutish]

[Alfie approaches slowly, not looking at any of the people he passes by, no matter how miserable they are - all his attention is on Royce. When he's a few feet away, he says his name quietly.]

Royce.

[bywolves]

[ Royce hears him coming before he even says anything. He freezes when Alfie speaks up, and then looks up at him, expression harsh, sharp. There's no recognition in his eyes. ]

Not my name. [ Royce says, in a low voice, ground down and raw. ] Go away. Not helping you with anything.

[devoutish]

[He doesn't try to come closer, but he doesn't move away, either.]

I'm Alfie. I don't want your help. Eh? I just got here.

[bywolves]

[ Royce edges out of the crevice, slowly. ]

And? What do you want me to do about it? [ He's twitchy, jittery. Like he's getting ready to bolt. ]

[devoutish]

Sit and talk a bit.

[He glances down at Royce's wrists.]

Let me help you pick that lock.

[Royce is far better at lockpicking than he is, but this Royce doesn't know that.]

[bywolves]

[ What. Royce scowls. ]

What do you want? [ He insists - he's out of the crevice, and he's looking like he's going to take off, still, but. For some reason, he doesn't move. ] Don't touch me.

[ There's no way Alfie's just going to help him with no strings attached. Royce knows that. ]

[devoutish]

You're the first face I've seen that looks decent to talk to, mate. That's all.

[bywolves]

You're going to get yourself killed if you just approach people like that.

[devoutish]

Well, it's a very good thing I'm not gonna approach anybody but you like that, isn't it.

[bywolves]

[ Why just him, though? Does Royce know him from somewhere? Is this someone he's screwed over in the past? They couldn't know it was him. He's Duster, and he's careful. This Alfie is going to look for opportunities to kill him, and Royce knows that, so he needs to be careful.

Running isn't a good idea. Too noisy. And Alfie hasn't attacked yet. But Royce does know that there's a gang roaming nearby and that Alfie would make good fodder for them if they decide they want a piece of Royce, so - Royce doesn't go anywhere. He just huddles down, continuing to pick the lock.

Now that Alfie's closer, he's going to see how unhealthy Royce looks. It's similar to Norfinbury, honestly - he's bony and all sharp angles, pale and worn out and the poster child for malnutrition. He looks like a stiff breeze could knock him out for good. ]

[devoutish]

[And Alfie has nothing on him, of course. He sighs, holding up his hands, showing Royce that he's weaponless.]

[bywolves]

[ Royce unlocks the chains with a small click and tosses them to the ground. He stares at Alfie, hunched down, defensive, like an animal. He doesn't say anything, but it's clear he's watching, able to see Alfie clearly in the dark. ]

[devoutish]

Show-off.

[He mutters, moving to sit down on the ground, hunched over next to the wall.]

Who locked you up, then?

[bywolves]

[ Royce tenses and shifts away, almost baring his teeth a bit. ]

Them. Down the way. [ Royce hisses, nodding his head in the direction of the voices down the corridor. ] The favorites.

[devoutish]

Mm. And what was the point of it?

[bywolves]

Stole food from them. Was supposed to be punished by being bound to the wall. Can't steal food that way.

I got out.

[devoutish]

I can see that, yeah. And what are you gonna do to pay them back for it?

[bywolves]

Nothing. [ Royce says, looking at Alfie like he's lost his mind. ] There's ten of them. One of me. I'm staying away.

[devoutish]

There's no way to be tricky? Punish them indirectly?