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[devoutish]

Solomons & Melborn
1108 Sweet Cream Street

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[devoutish]

I'll speak for the both of us, then, yeah?

[bywolves]

Yeah. Okay. [ He trusts Alfie not to screw him over. To treat him like a kid who needs his hand slapped.

He drags in a breath, trying to calm himself down. It's making him feel sick to his stomach. Uneasily, he wraps his arms around his leg that he has pulled to his chest, staring at the ground. ]

[devoutish]

Royce.

[There's not really something Alfie's looking to say, here. He just wants to say his name; another way of saying I'm here.

He is also, maybe, just a bit worried.]

[bywolves]

[ Royce takes another deep breath. ]

It - stings. [ Royce says, finally. ] To hear this over and over. You're wrong. Your opinion doesn't matter. They don't say it out loud, but it's what they're saying.

You're wrong. What you feel is irrelevant. Your decisions are something we have to fix. [ He picks at a loose thread. ] I'm angry. It feels like injustice. It feels ugly.

[devoutish]

I hope you know how proud I was of you when I saw you standing at the base of the tower with that lighter in your hand. Triumphant.

[bywolves]

... Thank you. [ Royce murmurs, after a moment. He reaches for Alfie's hand, though he doesn't uncurl quite yet. ]

It felt good to do. Not just because of the Beetles. It felt a little like burning away a part of Norfinbury.

[devoutish]

[Alfie encloses Royce's hand in both of his, holding it tight.]

Mm. I'm proud of the signs, as well.

[bywolves]

[ That gets a snort. ]

I'm not surprised. I'm not apologizing.

[devoutish]

I expect we'll have a good long while to enjoy them, then, eh?

[bywolves]

[ Royce glances over at Alfie with a weary smile. It's a little forced, but. ]

Mm. Suppose we'll set a record.

[devoutish]

[Alfie leans into his shoulder.]

Yeah, that'll be lovely, won't it.

Are you gonna be all right?

[bywolves]

Probably. [ Royce murmurs. ] Give me a day or two. I have a lot on my mind.

[devoutish]

Tell me more about it, then, if you like.

[bywolves]

[ He's quiet for a long moment. ]

I don't know how to sort through half of it. Town meetings always - they always make me feel small.

[devoutish]

Then how do we make you feel big again?

[bywolves]

I don't know. Time, usually.

It's an ongoing problem. And I don't think it can be solved. John is who he is. He will not change.

[devoutish]

Could set his house on fire.

[Alfie murmurs, giving Royce a little nudge. It's not a serious suggestion, but it's something he's certainly felt like doing from time to time.]

[bywolves]

[ Royce lets out a huff of a laugh, a quiet heh. But he goes silent again, staring out across the kitchen. His anger's faded, mostly. Whatever is left is simmering and on the edge of upset more than anything else. ]

I don't know how to talk about it. [ He says after a moment, curling up tighter again. ]

[devoutish]

[He runs a hand over Royce's hair, light and soothing.]

I don't know how to ask about it in a way that will make a difference.

[bywolves]

[ He leans into the petting, closing his eyes. ]

I don't want to let it rot, either. [ He admits, swallowing hard. ] It will, if I let it.

[devoutish]

Then let's not. Was it just John and Meulin mouthing off, then, or did the others bother you as well?

[bywolves]

No, it was just them. [ Royce mumbles. ] He was - it wasn't. Condescending. It was... dismissive. Meulin wasn't as much. Watson, though.

[devoutish]

Watson makes an art of it, yeah. The way he went on about us as if we were advocating for wiping the beetles off the map. Fucking ridiculous.

[bywolves]

I wouldn't. Systematically wiping out another species is not something I would do. [ Royce rubs at his face. ] I haven't actually attacked them past the guard tower. But they were throwing rocks.

He's - disrespectful. Feelings don't matter unless they're his feelings.

[devoutish]

Or Sherlock's, of course.