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[devoutish]

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[bywolves]

Okay. [ He rests his head against Alfie's shoulder, closing his eyes. He's struggling to stay awake, shivering violently, still freezing to the touch. Going outside is going to suck.

But it'll make for a striking image. Alfie doggedly carrying Royce through the snow, Royce's long, tattered cloak flapping behind them in the wind. ]

[devoutish]

[Alfie grabs a couple of blankets to wrap around them in their coats, but he's still shivering violently after only a few minutes outside. Snatching up the end of the cloak, he tries to bring that around them too, trying to cut the wind.]

[bywolves]

[ Royce helps the best he can, but he's next to useless out here. The most he can do is bring up the cloak and tuck it around the both of them. ]

[devoutish]

[He starts humming again, one of his own lullabies, not wanting to open his mouth in the wind and the cold.]

[bywolves]

[ Royce is a little limp, and his shivering is starting to stop as they walk, but quietly, struggling - he tries to hum along. ]

[devoutish]

Good.

[He whispers, voice swallowed by the wind.]

[bywolves]

[ He makes a noise to try and let Alfie know he heard, but. He'll be almost completely out by the time they get to the grocery store. ]

[devoutish]

[Luckily, it's not far - they really are just next door, though they have to walk around to the front entrance. Once they're in, Alfie carefully sets him down on the floor, giving him most of the blankets.]

Wait here.

[bywolves]

[ Royce wavers, stumbles a bit when Alfie puts him down, but he makes it to the floor okay. He holds onto the blankets around him tightly and does as he's told, staring down at his hands. When Alfie comes back, he clumsily hides them in his lap, looking slightly dazed. ]

[devoutish]

[Alfie's gone for a few minutes, and when he comes back, he's juggling loaves of fresh bread. He'd just grabbed everything he could find; Royce can pick at whatever he wants.]

Here you go.

[He'll place several in Royce's lap, then sit down with the rest himself, scooting up close.]

[bywolves]

[ Oh. That's a lot of bread, what the heck. Royce makes sure Alfie is under the blankets and curled up close, and shakily goes for the loaf of rye. It's a bit of a struggle to rip off a piece, but he manages, taking a bite and chewing slowly.

He hasn't eaten anything in at least a day. This is hard. But it's good. ]

[devoutish]

That's one we eat at home, often.

[He knows he's told Royce this before, but it's something he always thinks about.]

[bywolves]

Yeah. [ Royce croaks. ] I remember. When - when we came here before. You tried to get me to sell you bread.

[devoutish]

[Alfie chuckles, though it's a choked, heartbroken sound.]

And you did a good job of it.

[bywolves]

[ Royce rests his head on Alfie's shoulder. He's starting to shiver again - which is good, honestly. He knows it's bad when he stops entirely.

Quietly: ] I'm sorry I can't be like that anymore.

[devoutish]

So m'I.

[He strokes a hand idly up and down Royce's arm, watching him eat.]

[bywolves]

[ Another tiny stab of guilt joins the several others in his chest. He eats very slowly, not wanting to risk throwing it up. ]

Thank you. [ Royce says finally. ]

[devoutish]

Yeah. You're welcome. I'm glad to get some food in you.

[bywolves]

It's good. It - when. When we came with Gabriel, before. And it tasted like ash - it doesn't, now.

[ When he exhales next, it's shaky and wet. Alfie's shoulder will probably feel a little damp. Eating bread like this just reminds him of everything before things got really bad, is all. ]

[devoutish]

[It's okay, Alfie's getting a little misty-eyed himself.]

Tell me which kind is the best, eh? That's what I'll have.

[bywolves]

The rye. [ He mumbles it, pushing it into Alfie's hand. ] Sourdough is good, too.

[devoutish]

I'll just have a bite.

[His own appetite isn't much bigger than Royce's, though he's been making himself eat. Tearing off a small piece of the loaf, he hands the rest back to Royce, then starts nibbling.]

[bywolves]

I can't eat all of these. [ Royce sighs, picking at some of the bread. ] Can't even eat all of this.

[devoutish]

I didn't mean for you to eat all of them. I wanted you to have choice, that's all.

[bywolves]

[ He nods a bit. ]

We. We can take them with us. [ God, he's trying really hard. ]