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[devoutish]

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[devoutish]

You can lean on me.

[bywolves]

I know. [ He shifts, and just - goes ahead and does that now, actually, leans on Alfie and stays where he is. ]

[devoutish]

[Alfie hooks an arm around him, pulling him in close.]

Read me some more of your book.

[bywolves]

[ With a little sigh, he opens the book again, and starts to read. His voice is hoarse and he's not exactly the most evocative speakers - he doesn't add much emotion to the text so it's flat, but. When he gets closer to the end, where they finally confess how they feel to each other, he falters, and then stops. ]

[devoutish]

[Alfie, who's been slouched there with his eyes closed, cracks one open.]

Mm?

[bywolves]

[ He clears his throat. And then: ]

I'm tired. I don't want to read anymore.

[devoutish]

Do you want me to finish it?

[bywolves]

[ Another long pause, and then he rests the book in Alfie's lap. ]

Yeah. Okay.

[devoutish]

[Alfie reads quietly, but with more emotion in his voice than Royce had - he's not theatrical about it, but he's a good, soothing reader. If Royce doesn't interrupt, he'll finish the book right when his voice is starting to get a little hoarse.

It's a happy ending; of course it is. The two friends reciprocate each other's feelings, and despite their homophobic coworkers and Matt's homophobic family, they decide they can't hide who they are any longer.]

[bywolves]

[ It's a happy ending, and honestly, it's nice to hear. He thinks that maybe he can just let himself be comforted by it, for now. He has so little else. ]

Thank you. [ Royce mumbles. ]

[devoutish]

Yeah. You're gonna keep this book, aren't you?

[He gets the sense that Royce likes it a lot, so.]

[bywolves]

I've kept it this long.

[devoutish]

Yeah.

[He brushes his fingers through Royce's hair again.]

I'll find more for you.

[Alfie's already carrying around several books, but Royce has probably at least looked through them all already.]

[bywolves]

There are book places on the way to the grocery store, I think. [ Royce murmurs. ] It's the only thing that I can do anymore. Read.

[ He takes Alfie's free hand to hold it. ]

[devoutish]

I like it when you read to me.

[He says, idly rubbing a thumb over the back of Royce's hand.]

[bywolves]

I like reading to you. [ He sounds tired. His voice cracks in the middle, mostly from the strain of using it so much. He hasn't talked a lot lately. ] I like listening to you read, too.

[devoutish]

Mm, yeah. I don't think Matt and Trevor were supposed to sound as if they were from London, though.

[bywolves]

[ Snort. ] I liked that extra touch.

[devoutish]

Nice, innit. Londoners from--

[He double-checks the back of the book.]

-- Colorado.

[bywolves]

You never know. Maybe that was the writer's intention. It never says they aren't from London.

[devoutish]

No, no; a Londoner would never move to Colorado. There's nothing there. Like most of America.

[bywolves]

Sure sounds like there's plenty where these two live. [ He taps the book. ]

[devoutish]

A pub. Roads. Mountains. A hospital.

[And plenty more stuff that the book mentioned, but listen.]

[bywolves]

[ Royce elbows him very gently. ]

You're being obtuse. [ Which is like Alfie's whole personality, but listen. ]

[devoutish]

I think there was a lake mentioned somewhere as well, wasn't there? I'm sure it was a very big lake.