[log] love, let the poison bleed out of me [closed]

[bywolves]

Characters: Alfie Solomons & Royce Melborn
Location: Downtown, Building 150
Date: Day 229-230
Summary: A couple of girls chase a couple of guys.
Warnings: Nothing out of the usual - violence, description of anomalies, language. Event stuff!

150: A small toy store that sells old-fashioned toys. Dusty, long-forgotten dolls, wooden blocks, and rubber balls line the shelves. There are a few board games, and even some stuffed animals, with polar bears and seals being favored alongside more traditional teddy bears. While the building seems normal enough, it has an eerie feel to it. Are the dolls moving around while you're not looking at them? There's a door near the back that leads to an employees only area, but it's completely empty except for one a chair that has a note glued heavily onto it. The note reads "dont trust the toys. i took a marionette apart and it put itself back together overnight plus every other toy moved up against this door. the chair kept the door closed fine but i still wouldnt trust them". At least there's also a public bathroom readily available.

Comments

[devoutish]

You fell into the snow.

[And leaving him had been out of the question.]

[bywolves]

... Thank you.

[ For more than just that. For way more than just that. Royce lets out a shuddery little sigh, and lets his hand slip from his face. He's freezing, and he's pretty sure Alfie must be too. He needs to get them both somewhat warm and dry. ]

[devoutish]

Yeah. I'm glad it didn't take you.

[Glad is an understatement. he's immeasurably relieved.]

We'll need to stay here a bit.

[bywolves]

[ It. He almost protests. Which is why he agrees that they need to stay put. ] I can't look at - it. She looks the same as when she died.

[ He keeps slipping in calling it her. Royce unbuttons the clasp on his cloak before standing up to grab his stuff. He drops a blanket on Alfie once he's pulled it from the depth of the bag. ]

[devoutish]

It was pulled from your memories; your head.

[That's how he makes sense of it, anyway. He can't think of what else it could be.

Alfie just stays on the floor, wrapping the blanket around himself. He's cold and shivering, and the wet from the snow on his clothes - and, surely, Royce's too - could turn dangerous once night falls and the temperature drops even more. He needs to take care of that, once he's sure he can move.]

[bywolves]

[ Royce is already changing clothes, pulling his dry ones from the bag. He can shut down enough to do this. Survival comes first. Survival for both of them. It makes it easier to stop himself from trying to listen for the choking noises outside.

When he's changed, as quickly as possible, he crouches in front of Alfie. His voice is softer, lacking emotion. ] You need to change, Solomons.

[ You're not getting frostbite on his watch. ]

[devoutish]

Yeah. Hand me a shirt.

[Any shirt, as long as it's warm.]

[bywolves]

[ He does. Shirt, and socks. Another blanket, too, because they've got plenty. ]

[devoutish]

Robe?

[He knows it's somewhere in his bag.]

[bywolves]

[ Robe, too. Royce reaches out to hand it to him. It's clear he's shaking when he does, but he doesn't make any mention of it. ]

[devoutish]

[But Alfie, as usual, notices.

Working his way out of his wet shirt is a laborious process, thanks to his aching shoulders and strained back, but he's not going to give up. He doesn't want to get frostbite hypothermia on his own watch, either.]

[bywolves]

[ Royce gives Alfie a bit of privacy, though he is going to make sure that Alfie changes one way or another. For now, he goes to stand by the door. To torture himself a little by watching Gwen jitter outside? Maybe. ]

The other one is Fiona. [ Royce says, in that same soft, lifeless tone. ]

[devoutish]

[He sighs, and nods, slumping against the wall once his shirt is on and his robe is fastened.]

Yeah.

[bywolves]

Put a pillow between you and the wall. [ Royce orders. A pause. ] What happened to her hat?

[devoutish]

Still in my pack.

[He doesn't go for a pillow yet - that's too much stretching right now.]

[bywolves]

[ It's fine, Royce will. He needs to get away from the door. Gwen is on the other side, watching him through white, sightless eyes. Alfie might be able to see her peering in through thw window.

Royce brings the pillow to Alfie, and then sits down next to him. ]

Neither of them are real.

[devoutish]

[He sees them both, if he thinks to look - so he tries very, very hard not to. He tries not to think about a lot of things. How much he misses Fiona. The feeling of her curled against his side. The way she'd grabbed the collar of his shirt before tugging him down to kiss him. And he especially doesn't think about what these anomalies might mean - that there might be an Emily or a Tifa or Kesara wandering around, or even someone from home.

He opens his mouth to agree with Royce, to reassure him, but nothing comes out. He pulls the blanket tighter around himself.]

[bywolves]

[ The thought has occurred to Royce, too. Tifa, or Emily dragging themselves around the town as twisted, static-y monsters. Kesara, Charles, Charlie. Any of them. Gwen, who deserves rest, to not have to sit outside in the snow.

Alfie doesn't say anything, and Royce is not good at reassurance, so he falls silent. He settles against the wall and stares up at the ceiling, arm pressed lightly against Alfie's. ]

[devoutish]

You're not gonna sleep tonight.

[It's somewhere between a statement and a question, asking while already knowing the answer.]

[bywolves]

No. I can't. [ He's already been wildly fluctuating between not sleeping at all and sleeping too long. ] You should rest, if you can.

[devoutish]

No - won't be able to.

[He unzips his bag, pulling out more blankets - and Fiona's hat, which he holds in both hands.]

[bywolves]

[ Royce didn't even particularly like her that much and seeing Fiona's hat still hurts him. It's more for Alfie, than anything. He stares at the hat for a second, and then follows suit - pulls the scarf Gwen made for him out of his own bag to wrap it around his hand and wrist. ]

Both of us should try. Can't travel if we can't keep our eyes open.

[devoutish]

We shouldn't travel tomorrow. Not with those about. And I need the rest day, now.

[bywolves]

[ Royce makes a noise in agreement. ]

Take the pillows. [ Does he feel guilty about making Alfie carry him? Yeah. Little bit. ]

[devoutish]

There's enough to share.

[There are a fuckton of pillows, Royce.]