[log] how deep are we gonna go with this?

[bywolves]

Characters: Alfie and Royce
Location: Downtown
Date: Day 292 to Day 295
Summary: Exposure effects, a brief reprieve, and then event shenanigans.
Warnings: Nothing yet, will update if anything comes up.

Starters below!

Comments

Day 292-293ish

[bywolves]

[ When they get to the pet shop, both of them are tired. They've been looking through buildings all day long, and Royce can tell that Alfie is on his last legs for the day. He tells Alfie to rest while he puts together the air mattress, and then covers him in blankets before going off to investigate the building.

He - needs to. It's necessary, he can't ignore the urge to check under every cage and behind all of the displays. He roots through everything, finding that he's unable to relax until he does. Alfie might hear him clanging around as he rests. ]

[devoutish]

[When Royce instructs him to rest while he takes care of everything, Alfie doesn't even argue. He starts nodding off while Royce is blowing up the air mattress, and when it's all set up, he doesn't hesitate to crawl onto it with a mumbled thanks, mate and conk out completely. When Royce comes back from searching the building, he won't have moved an inch - he'll still be fast asleep, breathing deeply. For the first time today, he's totally relaxed.]

[bywolves]

[ Good, Royce thinks, when he comes back. He's been worried about Alfie - it's been strong enough to break through most of the apathy. It makes him feel better and less useless to be able to take care of Alfie, so he's glad that Alfie lets him. When he finds Alfie asleep, he settles down on the air mattress next to him and adjusts the blankets so that they're tucked around Alfie a little more securely.

Royce himself is shivering, but he has other things he needs to do first before he can curl up under the blankets too. He found chocolates. And an ice cream sandwich, and - these flowers that taste like sugar. Like candy. He'd planned on saving them, but he's afraid something's going to happen. They're going to vanish. Or... or something will eat them first. He doesn't know.

He's not the biggest fan of sugar, but the ice cream sandwich is something he isn't totally against. He messily eats the cookie parts, and only pauses for about half a second before he starts putting the sugar flowers in Alfie's beard. Angel would probably appreciate a picture of this, he thinks absently. ]

[devoutish]

[Somewhere off in dreamland, Alfie is vaguely aware of someone touching his face. He twitches a little, and murmurs something completely unintelligible.]

[bywolves]

[ Royce is actually vaguely amused by this. Enough to take a picture. He's not going to leave them in Alfie's beard, though, that's mean, and Royce doesn't want to be mean to Alfie, so he'll take them out. Slowly, because he keeps having to check over his shoulder. It feels like someone is watching him.

He only takes them out after he got his picture, though. Blackmail secured. ]

[devoutish]

[Royce has good timing, because just as the last flower is picked out, Alfie mumbles again and cracks an eye open. He stares, unfocused, for a few seconds, and then he squints and says:]

You've got something in your beard.

[It's probably a bit of ice cream or chocolate from that messy eating.]

[bywolves]

[ Royce snorts, amused, and then wipes his face absently with his sleeve. Whatever. Who cares. He doesn't. ]

So did you, a moment ago.

[devoutish]

[He misses, so Alfie swipes at his face with a thumb. There.]

Me? No I didn't.

[bywolves]

[ Royce wrinkles his nose, and then pauses. He glances over his shoulder before looking back to say: ] Yes, you did. I have proof of it.

You're an incredibly sound sleeper.

[devoutish]

[Alfie wrinkles his nose right back.]

I'm tired, aren't I. What are you talking about?

[bywolves]

Nothing. [ Royce hums. ] I have chocolates. And half an ice cream sandwich. And flowers that taste like sugar. You need to eat some before they're gone.

[devoutish]

An ice cream sandwich?

[He sounds vaguely scandalized. Don't join the ice cream cult, Royce; it's cold.]

[bywolves]

[ He raises an eyebrow. ]

Did you have an issue with that? [ Yeah, it's cold, but it tastes good, so. Royce will deal with shivering. ]

[devoutish]

You're gonna freeze your insides. You didn't eat the other half, did you?

[bywolves]

[ Royce rolls his eyes. ] I did eat the other half. And you need to eat this half, before something happens to it.

[devoutish]

Absolutely not.

[He lifts the blankets, trying to usher Royce inside the little cocoon he's made.]

[bywolves]

[ Royce huffs, reaching to push the blankets back down over Alfie. ]

I don't want to sleep yet. [ He glances over his shoulder again. ] At least eat the chocolates.

[devoutish]

You don't have to sleep.

[Get in here, though. He lifts the blankets again.]

I'll at the chocolates if you warm up. And other thing-- what was it, sugar?

[bywolves]

[ Royce sighs, but he scoots closer, at least. He won't lay down, but he does settle his legs under the blankets. ]

Tastes like sugar. They're in the shape of flowers.

[devoutish]

Mm.

[Alfie makes an attempt at tossing the blankets around his shoulders.]

And what was it that I had on my face--?

[bywolves]

[ Royce allows it, as long as Alfie's still covered up and bundled in blankets as well. ]

Sugar. [ Royce says, innocently. ] It's fine. I took them off.

[devoutish]

And why was there sugar on my face?

[bywolves]

Good question. [ c: ]

[devoutish]

[Royce, you little asshole.

But really, Alfie's just happy to see him being playful and alert, so he's happy to play along. He jostles him with his shoulder.]

Give me one, then. And a chocolate.

[bywolves]

[ It's definitely a good day for him. And maybe he's a little on edge, so he's trying to balance it out by teasing Alfie. Either way, Royce reaches out to grab the box of chocolates, and affixes one of the little flowers to one of the chocolates before handing it to Alfie.

And once he's done that, he goes back to looking up at the door, unable to stop checking. ]