[log] we wear red so they don't see us bleed [closed]

[bywolves]

Characters: Royce Melborn, Alfie Solomons
Location: Building 141
Date: Day 242, morning
Summary: Both boys are monsters, figuratively and literally.
Warnings: Body horror, possible gore, warnings for other things in subject headers

141: A post office, long-abandoned. There are a few empty white plastic bins where mail was once piled up, and the lobby area is still remarkably clean and polished. The back area isn't locked, so if you like you can go through the back and see the office with its locked safe and the back door that leads to the downtown area. Trees, impossibly tall men, and lots of Ⓧs have been drawn on the walls, along with ball-like things that are made up of tentacles and beaks and death and one circle in green crayon that's been scribbled over in charcoal.

Comments

[devoutish]

Royce, the other room.

[Alfie bumps his elbow very lightly against Royce's shoulder, and finally turns away from Fiona.

When they go, she follows.]

[bywolves]

[ Royce follows Alfie back, to the backroom - and when she follows, he shuts the door in her face. She can stay out, thanks. She can probably also open doorknobs, but Royce isn't going to let her in because he just goes ahead and slides down to the floor in front of the door, holding it closed. His eyes are closed, too, expression a grimace. ]

[devoutish]

[Alfie leans heavily against the wall, closing his eyes. He opens his mouth to say something, but before he can--]

Come on, boys.

[His eyes pop open. There's Fiona standing across the room, arms folded over her chest.]

I just want to thank him.

[bywolves]

[ What the fuck. Royce startles, and reflexively hisses at her, a noise that's static-y and inhuman. He drags himself to his feet again, making the sort of sounds animals make when they have to move even though they're injured, and drops into a defensive stance. His mind is getting away from him. ]

[devoutish]

[She rolls her eyes, still looking at Alfie more than Royce.]

So dramatic.

[Alfie interjects:]

Might be better to just ignore her. It. Yeah?

[bywolves]

[ He lumbers forward a little, and then - stops. Stops moving. Right. Right, human. You're human. You're mir, you don't act this way. Royce pulls his cloak closer to him, sinking down onto the floor right where he's at. Okay. Ignoring. Ignoring everything, he's fine. A beat. ]

Yeah.

[ Hoarse, with a background of white noise. As long as it's just Fiona, he can deal. ]

[devoutish]

[He closes his eyes again, and for now, at least, Fiona stays back.]

It touched me, Royce, and I didn't go unconscious. It felt--

[Normal. Like a person; like Fiona.]

[bywolves]

She'd be trying harder to convince you it was her. If it was.

[ It's not right. That white noise continues. ] She can't have your light. How would she have gotten it?

[devoutish]

No, I know it's not her.

[But it's still so fucking creepy.]

I don't even know what these lights are, mate. You took mine off me, but where did it go?

[bywolves]

I don't know. I don't even know if I have mine. Nobody took it and I'm still this.

Unless I never had one to begin with.

[devoutish]

Why wouldn't you have?

[He sounds almost affronted at the idea. Of course Royce had a light.]

[bywolves]

I'm not sure. You didn't turn the first time. I did. You had your light stolen. Now you're turning. [ He's not making any conclusion here, this is just what happened, and there's a logical end to it. ]

[devoutish]

I don't feel like going out and stealing anybody else's now.

[bywolves]

None of it makes sense. [ He curls in on himself, the cloak enveloping him. ] None of any of this adds up to something logical.

[devoutish]

I've wondered if the lights might be something like souls.

[But that feels like morbidity talking.

Fiona saunters over to him, running a teasing finger down his arm. He shivers.]

[bywolves]

I wondered the same thing. [ Royce mutters. He doesn't know if he believes in them, but. The static in his voice gets worse from where he's curled up. ]

Stop touching him. [ He sees. ]

[devoutish]

[She never touches for more than a couple seconds, Alfie notices. She doesn't drape on him, or curl up against him. She just sort of... pokes.]

I'm ignoring it.

[His voice is tight.]

[bywolves]

Keep ignoring it. [ Royce says. He drags himself up and standing again, and then slowly limps his way over to Alfie. ]

If we can't get rid of it, might as well sit in the other room with the blankets. [ Come on, friend. ]

[devoutish]

She'll follow.

[She ghosts a thumb over his lips, and smiles. She absolutely will follow.]

[bywolves]

Better to be warm. [ Royce offers a hand again. ] She's going to follow. You don't need to freeze because of it, especially without socks.

[devoutish]

I won't. I'll wrap up.

[He takes Royce's hand, very carefully. His claws scrape a little.]

[bywolves]

[ Royce helps pull him up with a muffled, low groan of pain. The claws don't bother him. Royce has got a little of that going on himself. ]

Yes, you will. Can't do that in here.

[devoutish]

Careful.

[He heard that groan, and doesn't want him to hurt himself. Still, he's grateful for the help - he's still getting used to walking on claws.]

[bywolves]

Everything I do hurts. Can't be careful. [ Royce says, dismissing it. He takes a deep breath, and helps Alfie walk back to the main lobby. Maybe he leans a little on Alfie in return.

And of course, they're not alone. Fiona follows - and sitting in the blanket nest is a dark-skinned woman with long black hair and green eyes, watching them with a gentle sort of smile.

Royce freezes. ]

[devoutish]

[And so does Alfie, but it's Royce he's watching.]

Mate, go back into the other room, eh? I'll bring you the blankets.