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]

I don't--

[He shakes his head, hard.]

When you've got a wife and a kid, a chance at a proper family life-- close by can also mean next door, Royce; it can mean down the street.

[bywolves]

But I don't want that, and neither do you.

[devoutish]

Why don't you want that?

[bywolves]

Why is my family life only proper if we kick you out of your own house?

I don't want or need a proper family life and Gwen agrees with me. We're going to live the way that makes us happy, and I would be happier with you in our same house. Like it has been.

[devoutish]

Royce. It won't be like it has been; you know that, yeah?

[bywolves]

[ There's a flash of fright that he smothers. ]

Don't talk to me like I'm a child. Of course it won't be, but I want it to be as close as possible, and I don't see why you're insisting that everything needs to change.

[devoutish]

I never said everything. But many things, yes.

[bywolves]

[ Off go his emotions again. ]

I'm not talking to you until you stop being condescending.

[devoutish]

I'm fucking not.

[bywolves]

[ He stares out at the ocean, pointedly, expression pissed. ]

[devoutish]

Royce, for fuck's sake.

[He really just wants to pace, but pacing in loose beachside sand is hard.]

[bywolves]

I'm not stupid.

[ He says, finally, voice flat and steady. ]

I know things are going to change when she gets here. But I'm done talking about this if you're going to continue to talk to me like I'm not aware that life will be different and then shut me out and down completely when I try to talk to you about it.

[devoutish]

It's difficult to talk about. Even with you. Because I've told myself, right - "Alfie, you are not gonna be the sort of man who swans about sighing over things that can't be helped; shouldn't be helped". I've told myself that this--

[He makes a back-and-forth gesture between the two of them.]

-- wasn't gonna happen at all.

[bywolves]

I don't know what to say to you that isn't going to get me yelled at. [ Royce says pissily. He's not being as mature about this as he could be, but his feelings are still hurt. ]

[devoutish]

I haven't raised my voice once, thank you.

[bywolves]

Alfie. [ Royce snaps nastily. You know what he means. He's not having it today. ]

[devoutish]

[It matters, Royce.]

Don't accuse me of things I haven't done. I've been civil; I haven't told you to shut it.

[bywolves]

Why do you always do this? [ Royce asks, frustrated. ] You always do this. You always pick at my word choice rather than actually talk about the issue at hand.

Fine. Live somewhere else. Is that what you want? Do you want to just give it up as a lost cause? It'll be different so we shouldn't even try, clearly. We'll plan on getting you another house once she gets here.

[devoutish]

Do you not worry about awkwardness and such? Truly?

[He means this as a genuine question - tries to level his voice out, so Royce won't take it as instigating.]

[bywolves]

I do worry. [ The deliberate tone helps. ]

[devoutish]

Yeah?

[He raises an eyebrow. He's surprised, but not skeptical; he believes Royce.]

[bywolves]

Yeah. Of course I do. But I don't think it's going to be as much of a big deal as you're thinking. And I'm going to try to make it easy.

[devoutish]

And perhaps I don't think it's gonna be as big of a deal as you worry I do. Eh? It wasn't something I was ever planning on bringing up.

[bywolves]

[ He frowns, pulling his knees in. ] That is a big thing to worry about and a big thing to hide from me.

[devoutish]

And if it's small worries only? Does your position there still stand?