IC contact for wethelost

[devoutish]

Solomons & Melborn
1108 Sweet Cream Street

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[devoutish]

[Alfie frowns, picturing Royce's white-knuckled hand clutching at the side of the boat - but he's right. It's just a bit of wind.

Unfortunately, after another half-hour or so, it'll be a good deal more than that. It's no storm - there's no rain, or thunder - but the wind is kicking up quite a fuss, and the waves are tossing them around so much that even Alfie is starting to feel queasy.]

We could turn back now!

[He calls, again - though at this point, pushing on almost seems like the more sensible option. Surely they're more than halfway there by now.]

[bywolves]

[ More than halfway means it'd be ridiculous to turn around. Royce is not going to ask Alfie to turn around - it'd be better to just keep going and get to the island. But after a half-hour of the rocking, unsteady waves, Royce is utterly miserable. He's sunk down to the very bottom of the boat, head hanging, hands laced and resting against the back of his neck, elbows on his knees.

And see, he's going to try and lift his head to tell Alfie to keep going, but just that little bit of movement has his stomach lurch pretty violently - which means Alfie gets to hear Royce scramble to the side of the boat to vomit over the side of it as an answer. Sorry, buddy. ]

[devoutish]

[Alfie winces; poor guy. He waffles, but only for a moment; without Royce's input, he just decides to keep pushing forward.

When Royce hauls himself back into the boat, Alfie reaches a hand back for him.]

[bywolves]

[ Royce groans, low, taking Alfie's hand. He brushes his mouth with the other, and then carefully curls up in a ball on the floor of the boat. He's dizzy as hell, and he's not sure if it's the cold sweat or the spray of the waves that has the back of his shirt drenched. Probably both. ]

[devoutish]

[Steering the boat one-handed is decidedly more difficult, but unless Royce lets go, Alfie doesn't pull his hand away. You can do it, buddy; he's got you.]

[bywolves]

[ He lets go after a couple of minutes, not wanting to distract Alfie from sailing the ship. He's very quiet after that initial groan, and very still, too. If he opens his eyes or moves, his whole world spins, so he just - doesn't. He'll stay like that until they hit land. ]

[devoutish]

You're still with me?

[Alfie asks him, once they're close. The wind has died down somewhat, but the boat is still rocking more than he'd like - and besides, when it comes to Royce, he's pretty sure the damage has been done.]

[bywolves]

No. [ Royce says, just loud enough to be heard over the waves. ] This is it for me, I'm dying.

[ Royce, you butt. ]

[devoutish]

Don't be dramatic.

[Alfie says kindly.]

We'll be there soon.

[bywolves]

Not if I throw myself overboard first. [ He grumbles. ] This is not what I needed today.

[devoutish]

No.

[Alfie sighs, and the sound of it is snatched away by the wind.]

We'll take stock once we arrive.

[bywolves]

[ He shivers again, keeping his eyes closed. ]

How much longer? Can you see the shore?

[devoutish]

Yeah. Ten minutes, I think. The wind's blowing us about.

[bywolves]

Really? I hadn't noticed.

[devoutish]

It's blowing us about and making going straight ahead harder, is what I'm telling you.

[bywolves]

[ Sorry, he's about to puke again, so he's quiet, trying to find a position that means he won't be rocking wildly. It is impossible, but at least it stops him from being a brat. ]

[devoutish]

[And eventually, with much tribulation (and in more than ten minutes), Alfie brings the boat ashore. The first thing he does after tying up is hustle to Royce's side, wobbling and clumsy on his feet.]

Mm?

[Can you stand? He's guessing not.]

[bywolves]

[ Nope. He's dead. Or at least, he's extremely nauseated and incapable of getting up on his own. He notes that they have hit the shore, at least - but he just melts down into the boat and keeps his eyes closed. ]

I hate boats. [ He whines. ]

[devoutish]

I know you do.

[Bending down, Alfie scoops him up into his arms and carries him onto the shore.]

[bywolves]

No, no, just leave me here for dead --

[ Royce instantly goes very, very still, grabbing onto Alfie, stiff like a board. He really doesn't want to throw up on Alfie, but the swaying in his head and the movement of Alfie carrying him off the boat makes it a close thing. He doesn't finish his overdramatic sentence, just hides his face against Alfie's shirt.

He's actually sweating, Alfie will notice. ]

[devoutish]

Shhhh.

[He holds Royce close, and the moment he hits land and is away from the waterline, he sinks heavily down into the sand.]

There. Better?

[bywolves]

Not much. [ He mumbles, flopping out on his back. The sand feels like it's shifting under him, and he brings an arm up to cover his eyes, taking steadying breaths. ]

... Thank you.

[devoutish]

[When Royce pulls away, Alfie lets him go, but he'll reach back over immediately to smooth the hair away from his face.]

Take all the time you need, eh?

[bywolves]

[ Alfie is so nice to him, Royce doesn't deserve it a bit. He'll be there for a good ten minutes, trying to even out. When the world no longer feels like it's spinning crazily underneath him, he sighs and sprawls out, opening his eyes. ]

Well. The sand stopped lurching. At least there's that.

[devoutish]

Mmph.

[Says Alfie, not moving, his hand resting on Royce's chest. That wild ride had taken something out of him, too.]