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]

I don't know how else to phrase it.

[devoutish]

Well, you just struggled a bit, that's all. Yeah.

[bywolves]

[ He frowns. ] More than just a bit. Like I couldn't breathe.

[devoutish]

[Alfie pauses, pulling back so he can look at him.]

Really?

[bywolves]

... Yeah. [ Royce gives him a confused look. ] You were there the first time it happened. You saw what it did.

[devoutish]

I didn't know it was still happening.

[bywolves]

It almost happened with K. Definitely happened with John. [ Shift. ] They haven't been as bad as the first time, but.

[devoutish]

Did John have any sort of doctor things to say about it? PTSD and all?

[bywolves]

Yeah. He said it was trauma. Said I just got unlucky, and that I got one of the triggers that tends to happen in a more public setting.

Said it happens to a lot of people.

[devoutish]

He's right.

Did anything else happen, besides the breathing trouble?

[bywolves]

Mm. Breathing trouble, shaking hands. I was cold, but... sweating, at the same time. [ He sighs. ] Apparently it's normal.

[devoutish]

He didn't make you feel weak for it, I hope.

[bywolves]

No, he didn't. It was... good to have the reassurance from someone who knows what they're talking about. [ Even if Royce hates doctors, he knows John knows his shit. And - well: ] John doesn't sugarcoat things.

Still, he was detached. And he left, while it happened.

[devoutish]

[Alfie's frown deepens as he peers down at Royce.]

He left, while you were still panicking?

[bywolves]

Yeah. I told him to, but. He did.

[devoutish]

[He relaxes a little when Royce says he was just following instructions; he probably would have been more annoyed if Royce had sincerely told him to go and he'd stayed, honestly.]

Do you wish he hadn't, now that you're not in the moment?

[bywolves]

I don't know. [ Royce says, shifting uncomfortably. ] I just know that it didn't work. Didn't make me feel better. And I was alone, in the butchery.

It took a while for me to get out.

[devoutish]

[What the fuck, that makes Alfie's heart hurt. He wraps his other arm around Royce, pulling him into a full-on bear hug.]

[bywolves]

[ Royce curls up into him, letting himself be small for now. ]

You wouldn't leave me there.

[devoutish]

Mm. If you asked me to, I'd just go stand outside for a bit.

[bywolves]

I know. [ He closes his eyes. ] I don't think I'd want you to. Talking to me helped.

[devoutish]

It's times like this that make me wish we had a network here - or telephones, or something. You could've given me a ring.

[bywolves]

Yeah. I wish I could've. [ A beat. ] We should test how far the connection works.

[devoutish]

[Alfie pauses. He's surprised he hadn't thought of that, actually.]

Mm-- that's a good point, yeah. If it doesn't work well, we might be able to wish to change that.

[bywolves]

[ He nods a little. ] I haven't really tried to see if I can send you emotion far away or not. It's worth a shot.