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]

[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?

[devoutish]

It seems like an important thing to make not so distant. I had no idea that you felt-- that you thought I ever meant for you to sort things out quietly, or on your own.

[bywolves]

[ He shifts, waking up more fully. ]

Thinking about it now, I can see that's not what you meant, but... at the time, it - we'd just finished fighting. [ Sigh. ] And I always feel as though I take too much to begin with.

[devoutish]

[Just as quietly:]

Mate, I don't think you've ever had a clear understanding of how much you give.

[bywolves]

[ He's glad his face is still hidden. ]

Maybe not. [ He sighs out slow. ] But that doesn't stop me from remembering every time you've picked me up after I fell apart, and how little I do that for you.

I think I can count on one hand how many times I've seen you break down. Half of those times were in Norfinbury.

[devoutish]

Maybe part of the reason I don't break down is because I've got you by my side every day.

[bywolves]

[ He frowns a little. ]

Maybe. [ He sounds hesitant, though. ] Or maybe you're just more stable.

[devoutish]

Not maybe, Royce. You definitely help me, every day, in keeping my head together.

[bywolves]

[ He breathes out slow. ]

Then there must be something wrong with me, seeing as I can't usually keep mine.

[devoutish]

You keep it together nine times out of ten, don't you?

[bywolves]

Sure. [ It's just that one time that gets him. ]

[devoutish]

Then that's not "usually", is it.