[log] the high life [closed]

[devoutish]

Characters: Alfie Solomons, Emily Kaldwin, Gregory House, Royce Melborn, Tifa Lockhart
Location: building 48 and building 42
Date: afternoon of 200 to night of 201
Summary: meeting up with the squad and taking advantage of a vulnerable man for the purposes of robbery
Warnings: probable discussion of drug addiction and withdrawal

Catch-all for EVERYTHING - reunion schmoop, highway robbery, etc. Top-level and tag as you see fit.

Comments

Day 200

[bywolves]

[ Royce and Tifa arrive at the building far earlier than Alfie and Emily - they're very close, after all. He doesn't look a lot different than he did the last time everybody saw him, but there are differences. His hair's a little longer, and he's not as visibly tense as he always used to be. He also looks more tired. Sadder, like something was taken from him.

But he's here, and he's wandering from room to room, doing a half-assed search and running his fingers over the beads. It feels like so long ago, the last time he was here. ]

[devoutish]

[God, it's a relief to see both of them. After throwing down his bags and shedding his outerclothes, seeking them out is the first thing Alfie does.]

Royce.

[bywolves]

[ Alfie finds Royce lingering near the bedroom, looking at the beads with a slight frown. When he hears Alfie's voice, though - he turns, and gives Alfie a small half-smile, his lips twitching at the corners. ]

Took you long enough to get here, Solomons.

[devoutish]

[Alfie moves in to give him a quick, one-armed hug, culminating with a clap on the back.]

How are you, mate?

[bywolves]

[ Royce is surprisingly okay with this! He doesn't hug back, but Alfie moves in to hug him and Royce doesn't tense up, just lets him do it with that same sort of half smile. ]

Fine. [ Royce pats at Alfie's arm in return. ] Everything is muffled. I'd forgotten what it was like to be here.

[devoutish]

Muffled - your hearing?

[He knows Royce has some heightened senses at home, but he doesn't really know the details.]

[bywolves]

Mm. [ He wrinkles his nose a little. ] My eyes and ears are less sensitive here. It's like wearing a bag over my head, and I can't take it off.

[devoutish]

Yeah. And the death price?

[bywolves]

I don't know. Tifa does a remarkable job of not ordering me around, so I'm not sure if it's gone. [ A beat, and a sigh. ] Test it.

[devoutish]

[Alfie hesitates.]

Are you sure?

[bywolves]

I'd rather have you do it than a stranger.

[devoutish]

[Good point.]

Raise your right hand.

[bywolves]

[ It's innocent enough, but he still looks uncomfortable when he's forced to raise his right hand. ]

Still in effect, then.

welcome back to hell

[empireofrats]

Royce! [Once Emily realizes it's Royce and Tifa, she races as fast as she can to see them. Sure, it's not the best homecoming, returning to this shithole, but she's so glad to see the two of them again anyway.

Sorry, but she pretty much rams into Royce's front and clings to his middle in a hug.]

thank

[bywolves]

[ Emily slams right into Royce and kind of knocks the wind out of him, but it's okay. It gives him such a rush of emotion that he isn't entirely sure how to handle. There's a pause, and then he carefully wraps his arms around her in return. He missed her, more than he thought.

A beat, and then he lowers himself down to crouch in front of her to let her hug him easier. ]

[empireofrats]

[Gladly, she does, wrapping her arms around Royce's neck and squeezing gently. When she leans back, she has to reach up to wipe a few stray leaks with the back of her hand. But she's smiling.] You look a little different. Your hair is long.

Do you have to wear a crown now because you're a king?

[bywolves]

[ He keeps his arms around her loosely, stays crouching, finding he doesn't really want to let go. He very carefully brings a hand up to brush away the last of her tears, giving her a muted little smile, just the corners of his lips. ]

Yes. A crown made of flowers. [ He teases. ] But I think it might look better on you, Little Empress. Flowers are a better look on you.

[empireofrats]

Is it really a crown of flowers? [She smiles a little more, intrigued.] Is it because you're an elf? They have crowns of flowers for royalty. I wish we did.

[bywolves]

Mm. Let me show you. [ And now he lets go of her, just for a moment. There's a pause, and he offers her his hand instead, a little awkward but meaning well. Whether or not she takes it, he'll lead her to where he's stuffed his backpack, and dig through it for a moment before pulling out an actual flower crown.

He turns back to face her, showing her the crown. ]

Not real flowers, but they'll have to do.

[empireofrats]

[Of course, she takes his hand as if it's the only hand she's ever been use to taking in her life. She follows him to his pack, and then breaks out in an excited grin when he pulls the flower crown out.] Oh! It's very pretty!

[It doesn't matter if it's fake to her. Half the shit she had to wear for coronation was "fake," in that sense.] Now you should wear it. Because you're a king.

[bywolves]

[ He looks amused. Maybe pleased, a little, that she likes it. Dutifully, he places the flower crown on his head, raising his eyebrows at her expectantly. ]

How does it look?

[empireofrats]

[Her smile is appreciative, but she takes the time to teasingly scrutinize his look, seeming skeptical until the smile comes back again.

She nods.] Yes. It looks very handsome. It is fitting for an elf king.

Do you rule over all the forests?

[bywolves]

[ Her smile warms his heart, and normally he'd be grouchy about this, but. He just thinks it's nice to not feel like garbage for once. ]

I rule over a few. Erivan is a country on it's own. It isn't just forests, but a good part of it is. [ Royce takes the crown off, and reaches to place it on her head. ] You'll have to make a diplomatic visit, sometime.

[empireofrats]

Kind of like the Empire. [She straightens the flower crown, but not by much, just so it won't slip down over her neck.] Okay. I will.

You can show me your country, and we can go on adventures like you did with the tower and Mister Hadrian.

[bywolves]

[ He smiles, small. ] Of course.

You and Mercy can decide where we go. [ He grabs his bag again. A pause, and he glances at her. ] Are you too old for stuffed animals?