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

[bywolves]

[ A twitch of a smile. ]

Like I said. I'll take what both of them say to me with a grain of salt. I'm too old to hear it from them.

[devoutish]

I do think they're good for you.

[He kisses Royce's hair on.]

On the whole, right.

[bywolves]

I think you're right. That's why I'm going to try to fix things with them. [ A pause. ] But I won't do it on my own. I'm going to need them to put in the effort, too.

We'll see how it ends up. [ He sips his tea. ] I'll need to... to take a while to not want to recoil from Renart.

[devoutish]

And that's very reasonable.

[bywolves]

[ Royce is quiet for a moment, and then: ]

You've done a very good job, this past week. Of being understanding.

[devoutish]

Thank you.

[He pauses.]

You make it easy to be.

[bywolves]

[ Another smile. ]

I'm glad that's the case. [ Sniff. ] There were several times where I thought you'd be angry, or you'd lose your patience, but you never did.

[devoutish]

If I got angry, I knew you'd just give in to it. You wouldn't've fought back. It wouldn't have done anything for you, and I couldn't've beared to see it.

[bywolves]

[ You'd just give into it. Royce runs his thumb along the rim of the cup, thinking. ]

You have power over me. [ Royce murmurs, repeating his shadow. ]

[devoutish]

[He sighs, a little shuddery.]

And you have it over me.

[bywolves]

[ Royce settles into silence, head resting on Alfie's shoulder. He's just thinking - but he's here. He's present. ]

[devoutish]

[Alfie does the same, yawning hugely and letting his eyes settle shut. Bear, on the other hand, decides that this is the perfect time to start trying to steal his sock.]

Oi.

[He mumbles, pulling his foot back and away from him.]

[bywolves]

[ Bear, please. Royce laughs, a huff of a sound under his breath. He does absolutely nothing to help, because it's funny. ]

Maybe we should've named him Bandit.

[devoutish]

Fucking unrepentant creature.

[He says, in the fondest possible tone. He lets his head loll to the side, resting it over Royce's heart. He knows Royce is much calmer than he'd been before, but he wants to hear proof of it in the form of a slowed, regular heartbeat.]

[bywolves]

[ He hears it. Royce's heartbeat is slow and steady, at ease. When Royce realizes what Alfie's doing, he sends Alfie a bit of his calm, the warm and enveloping feeling of being safe. ]

I didn't mean to worry you. [ Royce murmurs, almost absently. He knows that running down the path like a man possessed was probably a startling thing. ]

[devoutish]

You don't have to apologize.

[He ghosts his fingers over Royce's arm.]

[bywolves]

I know. I'm only reassuring you.

[devoutish]

[Instead of thanking him with words, he sends him a little pulse of gratitude and understanding.]

[bywolves]

[ Royce makes a happy sound, pleased as usual to feel from Alfie. Alfie is making an effort to keep up what Royce has asked for, and Royce feels a rush of his own bit of gratitude at the realization. He leans forward to set the tea on the coffee table, just for a moment, and turns to just full on hug Alfie, wrapping his arms around Alfie's shoulders and burying his face against Alfie's neck.

It's literally the least he can do. ]

[devoutish]

[Alfie bear-hugs him back, perching his chin on Royce's head.]

I love you.

[bywolves]

Love you. [ Royce whispers, eyes closed. He'll just stay like this for a while. It's nice. ]

[devoutish]

[Alfie is perfectly happy to do the same - and so is Bear, the wannabe sock-stealer. They'll all doze for a little bit, as the sun outside slowly starts to sink, and it'll be at least an hour before Alfie speaks up again, saying quietly:]

Are you awake?

[bywolves]

Mm. [ Royce hums, still burrowed. ] Yeah.

[devoutish]

You remember the conversation I had with your Shadow, about me telling you to sort thing out?

[bywolves]

Mm. Sort of. I remember it distantly. Why?