[log] we wear red so they don't see us bleed [closed]

[bywolves]

Characters: Royce Melborn, Alfie Solomons
Location: Building 141
Date: Day 242, morning
Summary: Both boys are monsters, figuratively and literally.
Warnings: Body horror, possible gore, warnings for other things in subject headers

141: A post office, long-abandoned. There are a few empty white plastic bins where mail was once piled up, and the lobby area is still remarkably clean and polished. The back area isn't locked, so if you like you can go through the back and see the office with its locked safe and the back door that leads to the downtown area. Trees, impossibly tall men, and lots of Ⓧs have been drawn on the walls, along with ball-like things that are made up of tentacles and beaks and death and one circle in green crayon that's been scribbled over in charcoal.

Comments

Day 242

[bywolves]

[ Royce is awakened by the low buzzing ache in his bones. It's before lockdown is up, which is unusual, considering half the time they sleep right up until the unlock, but Norfinbury likes to start early.

He lets out a little groan as he pulls himself up. Shivering, he tries to figure out where the ache is coming from, and is thoroughly startled to find that he's not entirely solid. He can't put his hand through himself, but he's definitely a see-through shadow, a silhouette, and his hood takes some doing to get off of him. He almost feels... sick to his stomach, but not quite. Heavy, maybe.

Royce immediately reaches to try and touch Alfie, to shake him awake. ]

Solomons. [ Alfie's going to see what looks like a fully dimensional shadow creature with sketchy yellow eyes trying to wake him up. ]

[devoutish]

[Alfie isn't sleeping well - it's the lack of beds again - and so it doesn't take much to wake him up, but that doesn't mean he likes it. He grumbles irritatedly and borrows himself deeper under the mound of blankets, but his eyes do crack open.

And then he's fully awake, scrambling back instinctively before his brain fully connects what he's seeing to the voice he'd heard. Royce. This is Royce.]

[bywolves]

[ Royce actually draws back a little himself, instinctive as well. He doesn't have much of a facial expression to read, but it does pang quietly in his chest that Alfie reels back. Monster. Not Alfie's fault. Not Royce's. It is what it is.

Royce doesn't move, just stares. He can't tell if anything has changed for Alfie, not quite yet, but he's looking. ]

[devoutish]

[Alfie at least looks completely normal. He closes his eyes for a moment, forcing a calming breath. It's fine.]

How are you feeling?

[bywolves]

Fine. [ Royce says, quietly. He's completely still. ] Aching, slightly. It woke me up.

[devoutish]

[He reaches out for Royce's arm, seeing if he can lay a hand on him without it going right through.]

[bywolves]

[ Alfie's hand doesn't go through. It feels like the cloth and skin might give, though, if Alfie pushes a little harder. Royce's breath hitches. ]

[devoutish]

[He does, but then he pulls back immediately.]

Sorry, mate.

[bywolves]

[ The part that Alfie pushed at is indented, almost. Like he's poked a hole in Royce's arm. Royce hurriedly yanks the fabric back out and shoves his sleeve up, curled in on himself just a bit. He doesn't answer, but judging by his breathing he's trying to calm himself down. ]

[devoutish]

It's all right. We're gonna--

[He hisses in pain suddenly, stopping. As he'd talked, his lip had snagged on a lower incisor that now seems just a little too sharp.]

[bywolves]

[ Royce looks up immediately when Alfie stops. ]

What? What happened?

[devoutish]

[He reaches up and carefully pulls his lip down, poking around with a finger. It's subtle, but his teeth are definitely pointier than they should be. They're a little bigger, too.]

[bywolves]

Your teeth? [ Royce would move closer, but... ]

[devoutish]

Yeah.

[He's frowning, still prodding at his mouth. He his hand away to talk.]

I drew blood.

[bywolves]

They're sharper? [ That's... weird. Concerning. And he knows that it's not just him. That Alfie's turning into something too. ]

[devoutish]

Mm. But I'm not in more pain than usual. Where are you aching?

[bywolves]

Everywhere. [ Royce mutters. ] In my bones.

[devoutish]

Are you cold?

[bywolves]

No more than usual. It'll happen. If it's like last time.

[devoutish]

[Alfie shoves the blankets aside and gingerly stretches his legs out on the floor in front of him, rubbing at his knee.]

We shouldn't walk today. Let's stay in.

[bywolves]

Mm. [ Royce grunts, agreeing. He rubs at his elbow joints, taking a deep breath. ] Might not be good to be in the same place. Looks like we both might be turning this time.

[devoutish]

[It's a good point. A very good point. But the thought of splitting up twists Alfie's stomach.]

Let's wait a bit.

[bywolves]

[ Royce doesn't want it either. He looks down at his hands. See-through. ]

How long?

[devoutish]

Until we need to reassess.

[It's hard to say beyond that, when they have no idea what's going to happen.]

[bywolves]

You know it's going to get worse.