[log] a couple of setbacks later [closed]

[bywolves]

Characters: Royce Melborn, Alfie Solomons, Tifa Lockhart, Emily Kaldwin
Location: Building 50 (bonus Building 44)
Date: night of Day 142 (plus, bonus Day 144)
Summary: Reunion log!
Warnings: Will update as necessary!

A standard two-story house with an attic. The first floor has a kitchen, living room, and dining room, while the second floor has two bedrooms and a bathroom. The entire house has been done up inside in Victorian style--it probably cost quite a lot of money, and no detail is spared. The color scheme is a bit dark, though, and it's difficult to see in here during the night. "ALPHONSE ELRIC, DAY EIGHT, TRAVELLING EAST" and "ALPHONSE ELRIC, STEPH BROWN, MAMI TOMOE, FREYA CRESCENT, EDWARD ELRIC, DAY TWENTY-FOUR, TRAVELLING WEST" have been carved into the hallway wall. "ALPHONSE ELRIC, EDWARD ELRIC, GREED, DAY SEVENTY-FIVE, TRAVELLING SOUTH-WEST. DEAR FORMER RESIDENT, WE ARE FRIENDS, PLEASE DO NOT FEEL YOU NEED TO HIDE FROM US. CONTACT LELRIC." has been written on the wall. Written on the wall in blue ink is the following: "This is Building 80 on the composite map. Contact @CaptSteveRogers for details." Underneath is a pretty accurate map showing the house in relation to the south and west snow walls, the school and athletic shed, the funeral home, and buildings 34, 35, 37, 39, 40, 41, 46, 47, 48, 49, 53, 57, 58, and 59. The snow wall is labeled "Snow wall." House 58 is labeled "Entrance to ice tunnels." The school is labeled "School. Food available in cafeteria; DO NOT STAY HERE OVERNIGHT." The athletic shed is labeled "Shed". The funeral home is labeled "UNSAFE; DO NOT STAY HERE OVERNIGHT." House 34 is labeled "Medical assistance; hot, clean water. Contact Dr. Epps @claytonator".

Comments

[bywolves]

Can't read it right now. Can barely sit up straight. [ Grouch grouch grouch. ] I don't trust it. Can't be that easy.

[devoutish]

[Well, that answer was predictable.]

I'll try it out someday, yeah? Let you know.

Listen, mate; that letter opener, yeah?

[bywolves]

[ What a TWIST. Alfie offers to try it out and Royce is relieved for about two seconds before Alfie brings up the letter opener. Are you really prepared to try and separate Royce from a pointy object, Alfie... ]

That was a stupid bet. A joke. You weren't supposed to take it seriously.

[devoutish]

It wasn't formal, but it was a deal, mate. This is about trust. I need to know you can hold up your end of a bargain.

[He's deadly serious.]

[bywolves]

[ Ughhh, don't put it that way. Royce tilts his head over to meet Alfie's gaze, staring at him for a long few moments. He's decently sure that this is a power play, that he's being bullied into this because Alfie knows Royce won't do anything to make Alfie angry, but - it's true, anyway. He won't.

Royce reaches for his pack, digs through it, and then hands the letter opener to Alfie wordlessly, expression flat.

He's really not happy about it. Not because he's losing the letter opener, so much. ]

[devoutish]

Thanks.

[He tucks the letter opener into one of the side pockets of his bag. Royce is half right about his reasoning, really. Backing down would give leeway that he isn't prepared to give - the way he sees it, it would be showing Royce that he can be wheedled out of deals and agreements. But he also really does want to know that Royce can be trusted to hold up his end of bargains.]

[bywolves]

[ Royce doesn't say anything. He sits back, and pulls his blanket back up around him like a hood. It might seem like pouting - and he'd be lying if he said it wasn't a little - but it's more that he'd let himself get a little too comfortable. Not friends. Allies. There's a difference.

Someone might need to shake him out of it before he gets too far entrenched in the paranoid and distrusting harmful thoughts that eventually ends up ruining all of his relationships. ]

[devoutish]

[HE'S TOTALLY YOUR FRIEND, ROYCE. You have to uphold deals with your friends, too.

Alfie's quiet for a while too, but eventually, he glances over at him and says quietly:]

You asleep, mate?

[bywolves]

[ SORRY, HE'S NEW TO THIS WHOLE FRIEND THING... He's never had a friend like Alfie who hasn't eventually fucked him over. He's wary, is all.

Royce doesn't look up. ] No.

[devoutish]

Shame there isn't a bedroom on this floor.

[bywolves]

I don't ever use them anyway.

[devoutish]

You should start. Block the door with a bureau if it makes you feel better.

[bywolves]

If I did that and something appeared in the room with me then I'd be d -- dead.

[devoutish]

Yeah.

[It's true.]

But you're not less safe on a bed than a couch.

[bywolves]

More prepared. [ A beat. ] Like hands in your pockets as opposed to sitting on them. [ Throwback Thursday, over here. ]

[devoutish]

[Awww, he remembered.]

Mm.

Couch is better than the floor, at least.

[bywolves]

Floor is the most safe. [ But Alfie and Tifa being here makes it balanced. ]

[devoutish]

The floor will make you stiff.

[bywolves]

When you enter a house, do you expect people to be on the floor or the couch?

[devoutish]

That depends. Is it a house you're in?

[bywolves]

[ Oh, ha, ha. Royce just sticks his tongue out at Alfie like the giant child he is. He's been hanging out with Emily for two days, it was bound to happen. ]

[devoutish]

[YOU'VE DONE IT BEFORE TOO, ROYCE. And it made him chuckle then just like it's making him chuckle now.]

[bywolves]

[ HE HAD A CONCUSSION BEFORE!! This time, though, he has no excuse for. Other than trying to make Alfie laugh, which feels unexpectedly good. Royce rests his head back down on the couch arm, turning his eyes back down to the floor, with the hint of a smile on his face. ]

[devoutish]

[Alfie takes out his tablet and pulls up a picture (without the text or conversation attached), angling the screen to show to Royce.]

[bywolves]

[ Snort! He peers at it, trying to get a better look. ] What is that?