Now, I don't want you laughing at me if I don't do it properly.
[He'll strip right down to his underpants and undershirt, then start carefully layering on the new clothes, taking extra care with anything that's jewel-encrusted.]
I would never. [ Royce says, lips twitching into a smile. More than anything right now, he's touched. There's a very warm, very soft feeling enveloping him. ]
You try the clasp before I help. [ Royce says, tilting his head back. The clasp is weird only because it makes the cloak fall in a very particular way. It'll be difficult without Royce's help, because things like these were made in mind for kings to have assistance with. ]
[ Royce rolls his eyes at Alfie, but he gets up to help - he's not exactly practiced, but he knows what he's doing when he drapes the cloak over Alfie's shoulders. Carefully, he pulls the fabric into place, and then tightens the clasp, lips twitched into a small smile. ]
[ There's a little pulse of - something, something Royce doesn't know, when Alfie grips his fingers. It jumps, warm, like his heart skipping a beat. It feels nice. Feels scary, feels intensely vulnerable, after the day he's had, but. ]
No - no. Thank you. [ Royce whispers, unsteadily. ] It... it looks good on you.
I know. I overthink. [ He squeezes Alfie's hands. ] I thought about the fact that it isn't particularly useful. That it isn't something you'll get to use often. I wished for books for other people and thought maybe I should've done that for you instead.
I love it. Yes. I'm gonna wear it for the rest of the day.
[He says this seriously; earnestly. He's not taking it off until he changes into his pajamas. He'll wear it out, and not care if it makes other people do double-takes.]
[ Oh no, that makes Royce feel really, really good. The little spike of happiness is very clear through their connection, which Royce mostly tends to keep on and dimmed, these days. ]
You wouldn't look a bit out of place in Elan. [ Royce tells him. ] Maybe we could test how warm it is by going out to get coffee.
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This bit goes first, I think--
[He picks up the shirt, then starts unbuttoning the one he has on.]
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[ The buckle had given him some trouble when he'd fiddled with it earlier. ]
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[He'll strip right down to his underpants and undershirt, then start carefully layering on the new clothes, taking extra care with anything that's jewel-encrusted.]
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You try the clasp before I help. [ Royce says, tilting his head back. The clasp is weird only because it makes the cloak fall in a very particular way. It'll be difficult without Royce's help, because things like these were made in mind for kings to have assistance with. ]
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[Except, yeah, he doesn't. Watch him struggle with it for a few minutes.]
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I didn't. The elves did. They expected their assistants to do it for them.
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[He gives up and drapes the cloak over one arm, holding a hand out to Royce. Get over here, assistant.]
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There. Not too tight?
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[He murmurs, clasping Royce's fingers to his throat for a second.]
Thank you.
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No - no. Thank you. [ Royce whispers, unsteadily. ] It... it looks good on you.
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[He gives Royce's hand another little squeeze, shooting him a quick, questioning look. All right?]
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[He grabs Royce's other hand too, holding them both tightly.]
Every bit of your culture is important to me. Hating it, being uninterested - that's impossible; that's never gonna happen.
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I know. I overthink. [ He squeezes Alfie's hands. ] I thought about the fact that it isn't particularly useful. That it isn't something you'll get to use often. I wished for books for other people and thought maybe I should've done that for you instead.
I still feel like an impostor, sometimes.
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[He tugs the cloak a little more securely around his neck, fussing with the collar.]
How does it look, then? I don't look ridiculous?
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Very dashing. [ Royce says, with a bit of a smile. ]
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[He adjusts the collar again, fussily.]
Dashing. I like that.
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[ A beat. ] I'm glad you like it.
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[He says this seriously; earnestly. He's not taking it off until he changes into his pajamas. He'll wear it out, and not care if it makes other people do double-takes.]
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You wouldn't look a bit out of place in Elan. [ Royce tells him. ] Maybe we could test how warm it is by going out to get coffee.
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Coffee and the library?
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Yeah. Yes, let's do that.