[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

[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.]

[bywolves]

I know. Not going to give you mine. [ He's got one ratty pillow that he can use. ] You need them for your back so you don't slow us down.

[ Yeah, that's the reason. ]

[devoutish]

Thank you. I'm feeling very loved and appreciated right now.

[Look, even heavily depressed and traumatized, he can still tease a little bit.]

[bywolves]

[ There's a very small hint of a smile on his face. ]

You should. [ He thinks Alfie knows how much he's appreciated, honestly. ]

[devoutish]

[Royce. Way to be unexpectedly sweet. He rubs his thumb over Fiona's hat.]

Yeah. So should you.

I could sleep the day away today.

[It's still morning, sure, but he's sick on top of everything else. A rest day every once in a while does him good.

[bywolves]

[ He can't say the words, but he can insinuate them, at least. Royce settles against the wall a bit more comfortably, quietly feeling good about being cared for, as always. ]

Sleep, then. I can watch the anomalies. Make sure they don't come closer. [ Both of them have exposure effects that make them want to sleep. Rest days are fine. ]

[devoutish]

[He closes his eyes, getting as comfortable as he can against the pillows.]

Wish there were beds down here in the downtown--

[bywolves]

Yeah. [ Royce sighs. ] We'll head back up soon. Should move tomorrow. There were a few places I wanted to look through down here before we leave.

[devoutish]

And if they're still out there?

[bywolves]

They didn't attack us. All they're doing is watching, for now.

[devoutish]

I don't trust it.

[bywolves]

Neither do I.

[ Royce tilts his head back. ] I won't attack her. I can't.

[devoutish]

Then why go out? Let's wait, eh?

[bywolves]

If I stay here, I won't be able to leave. The poisoning is getting worse. I need to keep moving to stave it off.