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]

[ He looks like he feels okay - and he feels like he feels okay, too, content. There's the slightest bit of discomfort as always just because he's so unused to sincere emotional displays, but. It's nothing serious. ]

You're going to have half the bottle done before I get drunk. [ Royce ribs at him, smiling. ]

[devoutish]

You say that as if you're not nearly drunk already.

[bywolves]

Shh. [ Royce says, huffily. ] I'm not even close.

[ He hasn't eaten, so he's a little close. ]

[devoutish]

Yeah, you are. I can tell these things; I've got a sense for it.

[Another ankle-kick.]

We never put on the film.

[bywolves]

[ Royce kicks him in return. ]

I can go put it on. You have to let go of me, though.

[devoutish]

Oh, well, then; never mind. I'd rather not.

[He curls closer, just to prove his point.]

I'd rather keep you here than have a film.

[bywolves]

[ Snort. Royce wraps an arm around him, resting his head against Alfie's shoulder. ]

Really? I don't believe you.

[devoutish]

What shall I do to prove it to you, then?

[bywolves]

Hm. [ He closes his eyes, thinking. ] I should make you compose a song for me or something along those lines, but really, the fact that you're practically in my lap is proof enough.

[devoutish]

[He pauses for a few moments, and then starts in with:]

Royce, oh Royce, how can I explain what you mean to me--

[Yes, this is being sung in some sort of tune.]

[bywolves]

No - no, no! No more singing! [ Royce says hurriedly, slapping a hand over Alfie's mouth. ] I've had enough singing for a lifetime.

[devoutish]

[Chuckling, Alfie bats at his hand.]

All right, all right; fucking hell. What's gotten into you, eh?

[bywolves]

[ HEAVY SIGH. ]

Monty keeps cornering me and singing to me. Music happens and everything. It's too much.

[devoutish]

Hm. You could give him a kick in the balls.

[bywolves]

[ Royce opens his mouth - and just barely stops himself from saying what was going to come out. He flushes slightly instead, and grabs for the bottle to drink from it. ]

[devoutish]

[Alfie hmmmms again, nudging his chin into his shoulder.]

You're definitely a bit drunk, yeah.

[bywolves]

Shh. [ Royce grumbles, chewing at the lip of the bottom absently. ] It's been a while since I've had this much this fast.

[devoutish]

Do you wanna stop?

[He asks, taking another sip for himself.]

[bywolves]

No. [ Grabby hands. ] Kind of want to regret it in the morning.

[devoutish]

I'm sorry.

[He curls a lock of Royce's hair around his finger, then tucks it behind his ear.]

I had the idea of trying to make this a fun evening for you.

[But he's starting to get the feeling that it's not going to turn out that way.]

[bywolves]

[ A pause. ]

I - am I ruining it? [ He asks hesitantly, dropping the hand reaching for the bottle. He thought the evening was going okay. ]

[devoutish]

You are not.

[He kisses Royce on the cheek.]

Not at all.

[Really, he knows that big, demonstrative displays of happiness aren't really Royce's thing - he'd just gotten caught up in the idea of it, remembering raucous evenings with everybody back home.]

[bywolves]

[ The kiss on the cheek is nice, but Royce still has an uncertain look on his face. He has no idea what Alfie had been imagining - he's going over everything that's happened, trying to figure out if he said anything particularly melancholy. ]

I meant - I meant that as a joke. Regretting it in the morning. [ His voice is still hesitant. ]

[devoutish]

All right.

[He sends over some reassurance as he reaches for the bottle, nudging it back into Royce's hands.]

Any evening spent with you is a perfect one to me, eh?

[bywolves]

[ He takes the bottle, looking down at it. He's trying not to let it get to him, because he knows that'll just make things worse. ]

Yeah. Okay. [ All it takes is one thing to get under his skin, and he's annoyed with himself for feeling uncertain. ] Are you sure?