[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

[bywolves]

[ He's glad he didn't have to explain all that much. Royce makes a grouchy sound. ]

Yes. Not because I wanted to be, but because their crazy religion makes it so that I'm all that's keeping them from destroying humanity.

And two was what I could negotiate them down to. [ SO ANNOYED. ]

[devoutish]

Have you got a crown and robe? A scepter?

[He's teasing a little.]

[bywolves]

[ Royce gives him the DIRTIEST LOOK. ]

[devoutish]

[A little more serious now:]

You'll tell Emily? It'll be good for her to hear.

[bywolves]

I told her already. [ He sinks down into the couch further. ] I asked her for advice.

[devoutish]

I was thinking you could be a role model to her, mate.

[bywolves]

[ He lifts his eyebrows. ] That's a sentence I've never heard before.

[devoutish]

You know she worries that she won't be able to do what she wants when she takes the throne. You'll be able to tell that that doesn't have to be her fate, eh? Surely you haven't settled for giving up anything you don't want to.

[bywolves]

[ He's actually sort of vaguely offended by this. ]

I'm not going to do anything to depress her further, Solomons. I asked her advice to let her know I care about her opinion. [ And he'll do this as well, now that it's been brought up. ]

[devoutish]

I'm not suggesting I think you're going to depress her, Royce. I'm suggesting you're going to do the opposite. Yeah? Isn't that what I said?

[bywolves]

I almost prefer it when you give me orders rather than suggestions. [ He says this as dryly as possible. ]

[devoutish]

I don't see what's wrong with thinking you'd be a good role model, mate.

[bywolves]

[ A pause, and then Royce sighs again. ]

Don't - there isn't. Anything wrong with that. [ He rubs at the bridge of his nose. It's that voice, in the back of his head - the angry one, the poisonous one that tells him nobody is being sincere. ] I'm not used to people meaning that.

[devoutish]

No, I suppose you're not.

[Alfie frowns.]

I can't say I'm happy that you're back here, but I am glad to see you again.

[bywolves]

I'm not happy to be back here either. [ Royce tells him, dropping his hands back down on the couch. ] But I am glad to see all of you again, too.

[ He doesn't have any reason to lie. ] I've told you before the three of you make this much easier. It's still true.

[devoutish]

Yeah. For me, too. Lately I've been--

[He cuts himself off with a shake of the head.]

But it would be worse without you.

[bywolves]

You've been? [ Maybe before Royce would have let that go, but. Not now. Especially not after it would be worse without you, that's something he keeps close with him. ]

[devoutish]

Not well. Too many dark thoughts rattle around in my head.

[bywolves]

[ Royce rubs at his face a little. ] I understand. I've been the same way. It's not something I've found a solution for.

[devoutish]

Getting out of here. That's the solution. The rest, I'll deal with day by day.

[bywolves]

Mm. [ Royce is quiet for a long moment. ]

Talking to Tifa helps, too. [ Just saying. ]

[devoutish]

It does a bit, doesn't it? What a woman.