[log] things fall apart [closed]

[devoutish]

Characters: Alfie Solomons, Emily Kaldwin, Royce Melborn, Tifa Lockhart
Location: building 92 and the surrounding area
Date: night of 213 to morning of 214
Summary: another one bites the dust bum tish
Warnings: character death

CATCH-ALL FOR TRAUMA

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[empireofrats]

[It isn't the best park. In fact, it's barely a park at all. What's left is scrap, miniscule. There's no plants, no trees, no flowers, only snow. More snow. The frozen wasteland has wiped what should be a serene and quiet place off the map, leaving only the quiet behind.

But it's still something to Emily.

She wants to take off in a run, but the ribs won't allow, so she hobbles in a different way as if that will make her go faster somehow.] Look!

There's funny things sticking out of the ground!

[devoutish]

Careful around those.

[He doesn't want to fuss too much and spoil her fun - God knows she needs more of that - but he has no clue what those things are, and gangster dad worries.]

[devoutish]

[When Emily takes her last breath and finally goes still, Alfie makes a sound like a wounded animal. It's a long, low moan that he doesn't even realize is coming from him at first, and when he does, he doesn't bother to try to muffle it. He's been sitting on the floor between the two girls ever since they'd brought them in, and is still holding tight to one of Emily's hands. He doesn't look up yet. He can't.]

[bywolves]

[ Royce has Tifa's head in his lap, has Emily's other hand in his. She goes still, and Royce closes his eyes, trying to breathe. He tries, but he doesn't know if he can remember how. It shudders, and he shakily closes Tifa's eyes as well. He flinches at the sound of Alfie's low moan, curling down further into his hood. ]

They're - they're both. Gone. [ Royce says, voice low and ragged. ]

[devoutish]

[Alfie had settled Emily's upper body on his own lap when Royce had taken Tifa. It would have felt wrong to let either of them lie completely on the floor, even with a pillow. Reaching out, he brushes a hand over Tifa's hair. He still says nothing. He's not getting up.]

[bywolves]

[ Royce doesn't say anything else. Tifa just died. She just came back, not too long ago - this wasn't fair. Emily - he can't think about her. He can't look at her. It's too much, it's too much like Mercy, and Royce drags in another rough sort of breath.

He brushes Tifa's hair out of her face. He can't breathe right, it feels - it's a lot. It's too much. He was scared when he died, and now he's numb, almost. ]

[devoutish]

[Alfie sits for something close to an hour - not talking, not moving, barely breathing. And then, very gently, he eases Emily's head off his lap and onto a mess of blankets. He'll be back, but first, he has some things to do.

Going over to his pack, he starts pulling things out, moving them into Emily and Tifa's bags. There are things he wants them to have with them, if they wake up. Tifa gets an extra blanket for them both to share. Emily gets the rest of those chocolate donuts that Watson had brought over.]

[bywolves]

[ Royce doesn't move for a while, but he can't sit there for an hour. He can't. He slides Tifa gently down onto the pillows they'd gathered around, and moves away, just - to get his head back. Just to try and pull himself together, but he can't, he just sort of numbs out the rest of the way, not sure how to even... handle this.

He couldn't handle it when Gwen died. He still doesn't know how he managed. Myron helped, but Myron isn't here. Royce vanishes for half an hour, and then comes back, hood up, cloak close, kneeling down next to Emily to stare at her.

He just stares. He doesn't know what else to do, stuck here, not even paying much attention to Alfie, like he's forgotten Alfie is here. ]

[devoutish]

[By the time Royce gets back, Alfie is back on the floor again. He has Emily's body back with him, and with Royce gone, he's holding onto Tifa too - lightly brushing a hand across her forehead, over and over again. The girls' bags are slightly more full than before, but one thing is missing: Emily's sketchbook, which he's taken out and set on the floor next to them.

When Royce sits down, he doesn't do anything at first. But then, he reaches out and settles a hand on the other man's shoulder.]

[bywolves]

[ Royce startles slightly when Alfie sets a hand on his shoulder, looking up. His expression is pained, his cheeks a bit wet, but he's not outright sobbing. He just looks stricken.

He looks back down at the girls, and sags a bit, reaching for Emily and then faltering. His hand falls back. ]

Solomons. [ Royce says, voice hoarse. He doesn't know what else to say, just - help? He doesn't know what to do. ]

RIP emily; that one dying thread no one wants

[empireofrats]

[Bleeding out might not be quite so bad if it wasn't bleeding out through the midsection. The pain isn't something that can be ignored, and Emily realizes how Alfie must have felt that one time falling down onto the debris in the snow and then dying between them.

At least there's some comfort in holding their hands, feeling them. She's still alive if she can feel them, and there's no frostbite if she isn't numb, so that's a good thing.]

I didn't mean what I said before. [She makes sure to whisper.] About sleeping forever. I don't want to sleep forever.

I want this more than air tbh

[devoutish]

[Alfie has no plans to let go of either Emily or Tifa anytime soon. He tries to force himself to breath slowly, steadily, calmly. Sometimes, it almost works.]

Yeah, I know. I know.

[He gives her hand the smallest of squeezes.]

You just hurry back to us.

[empireofrats]

[Even if Alfie is struggling to do a good job, Emily can't tell any difference. Because she thinks he's calm and understanding in the face of death, she is, too. She's reassured.

Her hand gives Alfie's a small squeeze.] It's okay, Mister Alfie. I was kind of broken, and so when I come back, I will be better again. Like when you came back.

And you will come pick us up.

[devoutish]

We will. We'll come running.

[He has to try very hard not to squeeze her hand too tightly.]

Emily, do you remember when you asked if I'd say a prayer for Fiona, and I said no?

[empireofrats]

[She thinks she nods, but then realizes she didn't. Weird. Instead, to make up for it, she says:] Mhm.

Because we don't say those prayers in case they are still alive.

[devoutish]

Yeah. But I can say a blessing for you, if you like. A blessing for your health and safety.

[empireofrats]

Okay. [She smiles a little, winces, and then tries for another smile. Or the continuation of the one she had before.] I would like that, I think.

[devoutish]

[He says the blessing slowly and quietly, enunciating every word so that she can hear them clearly, even though she won't be able to understand the Hebrew. He's nearly done when the first tear rolls down his cheek and hits her forehead.]

i'm screaming why didn't you tell me this was here

[bywolves]

[ Royce is settled there with all of them. Tifa drifts, and Alfie settles with her for a bit, and Royce very carefully smooths Emily's hair back out of her face with his free hand. He's got her hand in his own, without gloves, holding tightly. ]

Mm. [ He knows. ] You remember what I told you, right?

LISTEN!!!!!!!!!!

[empireofrats]

[Her small hand is cold and pale in his own, but she holds onto his fingers like a lifeline.] You told me a lot. [It's a try at a joke, kinda.

Though she sounds tired.] About dying...?

[bywolves]

[ Her hand is so small. This hurts, this - digs at him, in him, like a knife. She's not Mercy, and in a way, he knows her better than he knows Mercy, thinks of her as the kind of daughter he wants Mercy to be. The connection there is undeniable and unshakable and it makes it worse.

He smiles a little when she jokes, anyway. ]

About how I feel about you sleeping forever. [ Royce murmurs. ] I would miss you. [ Quieter: ] I'd cry, and the tears would turn to icicles at the bottom of my eyes.

[empireofrats]

[It hurts so much to laugh, but she does, very quietly and very airily, wincing after. Her fingers grip his hand. It's okay. She needed the laugh.] I remember.

It's okay. I won't sleep forever. You and Mister Alfie will come back to pick me up. Miss Tifa, too.

[bywolves]

[ He winces when she does. ]

Yeah. We will. [ He very gently pulls her a bit closer. ] We'll stay close to the revival spots. We'll come to you as soon as we hear from you. [ His breath catches in his throat, and he makes sure that his hood covers most of his face. ] Until then, I'll miss you.

[empireofrats]

I'll miss you, too. [She offers his hand a reassuring squeeze.] Thank you, Royce.

For being nice to me. Not a lot of people are nice to me because I'm a little girl. But then I met you, and Mister Alfie, and Miss Tifa. I would make you all Royal Guard if we were in Dunwall.

[bywolves]

[ He laughs a little, but it breaks halfway through. ]

I'd make a terrible Royal Guard, little empress. [ He strokes gently at her hair. ] But I'd do it for you. I could make an exception.