[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

[bywolves]

[ Well, that's terrifying. ]

... I don't remember. [ He digs his claws into the blankets. And then: ] Solomons, you - you're.

[ Well, a lot furrier than the last time Royce saw him. ]

[devoutish]

[He brings a hand up to his own face. He can feel, but he doesn't have a good mirror.]

How bad?

[bywolves]

... You look like you have fur. [ It's not quite frightening, but it's unsettling. ] Like a bear. A wolf.

[devoutish]

[He grunts.]

Shouldn't've fallen asleep.

[He wouldn't have been able to keep the changes from happening, but he would have had time to get used to them as they came on gradually.]

[bywolves]

Doubt that would have stopped it. [ Royce says. Sorry, he can't stop staring. His eyes focus in and out again, and then he shakes his head slowly. He feels fuzzy. Fuzzy and aching. ]

I don't think I can walk. [ He sighs out, curling an arm around his stomach. ] I don't want to. To stay here, but.

[devoutish]

We can't go. We'll just have to sit here.

[bywolves]

Yeah. [ Royce looks down at one of his claw hands. ] When - did I have these, before I slept?

[devoutish]

Not like this. And your mouth.

[He's trying not to look too closely, honestly. It's horrifying.]

[bywolves]

[ Both of them can spend the day not looking at each other, it's fine. ]

Hurts. [ He says, trying to get his mouth around the words. Now that he's thinking about it, he's having trouble. ] It split too far. I can - I can feel the...

[ He can feel the muscles, but he trails off, because that's gross. ]

[devoutish]

Think about something else, Royce. There's nothing else to do, eh?

[bywolves]

Hard to think at all. [ He takes a deep breath. He looks up at the girls. ] They're still here.

[devoutish]

Yeah.

It's not them.

[bywolves]

... Right. It's not.

Are you sure? [ He sounds distant. ]

[devoutish]

Positive.

[There's just a little bit of desperation in his voice.]

You know they wouldn't be acting like this. Things would be very different.

[bywolves]

[ Royce looks up at Gwen, watching her quietly. ]

I miss you. [ He murmurs to her, his teeth clacking together. Gwen smiles, tucking her hair behind her ear. ]

[devoutish]

Don't talk to her. Tell me about her, instead. What she's really like.

[bywolves]

[ Royce doesn't answer. He actually gets up a little, crawling closer to her. ]

[devoutish]

No. Royce--

[Alfie follows on hands and knees, trying to catch at Royce's cloak.]

[bywolves]

[ No, Alfie, that hurts. Royce practically yowls, turning to swipe at the thing that's grabbing at him, claws extended. ]

[devoutish]

[He catches the side of Alfie's face, drawing blood that wets the fur. Alfie hisses in pain.]

Stay away from her. Don't, don't--

[bywolves]

[ That gets Royce to actually stop, the hiss of pain. He actually physically scrunches down, staring at Alfie, and then that recognition comes back. ]

I - sorry. [ Breathlessly. ] Sorry - it's - it hurt. You can't pull. I didn't mean --

[devoutish]

I know. I didn't know how else to stop you.

[bywolves]

Yeah. [ Royce rubs at his eye very carefully with the palm of his hand. ] It's - it's hard to think.

[ You said that already, buddy. ]

[devoutish]

Look at me, eh? Look at the floor. Just don't look at her.

[bywolves]

[ He nods, and directs his gaze to the floor. As long as he doesn't look at Gwen, it should be okay, right? Right. He digs his nails into the floor, watching and listening as it scratches across. It's better than anything else. ]

Bandages. [ He says, after a moment. ] You should bandage your face. Clean it. There's rust.