[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

[bywolves]

I'm sure she'd drive me up the wall. [ Royce says, nudging Alfie with his hip. ] Was there more?

[devoutish]

Mm.

[And he continues again. This time, he reaches the end of the evening prayer set before he stops again.]

"-- And behind me the angel Raphael, and above me God's presence."

There.

[He sequeezes Royce's hand.]

That's all.

[bywolves]

[ Royce follows, and finishes, as Alfie's translating. He holds Alfie's hand tightly, and then leans against the wall, tired. He's losing the fight against the apathy setting in, slowly. ]

Every night. [ Royce reminds him. ]

[devoutish]

Yeah.

[His face is wet when he leans in to peck Royce on the cheek.]

[bywolves]

[ Royce accepts the kiss on the cheek without complaint. He holds Alfie's hand tightly, and tugs at him again. Back to bed, where Royce will try to big spoon him like he has been for the past few days. He hasn't been able to shake the habit yet. ]

[devoutish]

[Alfie doesn't pick up his tablet again - it stays off to the side with the rest of his things. He swipes the sleeve of his robe across his cheeks, trying to dry them, and then tucks up obligingly against Royce.]

You're tiny.

[bywolves]

Ever thought that maybe it's that you're too big?

[ Royce asks. It's meant to be a tease back, but he struggles with putting the emotion in his voice. He ignores that the best he can, hiding his face against Alfie's hair. He doesn't mention the tears, if only because he thinks if it were him, he'd want them to go unnoticed.

It doesn't stop him from petting at Alfie absently. ]

[devoutish]

Imagine if I were six feet tall. What a pair we'd be.

[bywolves]

Please, you don't need to remind me of Hadrian any more than you already do. [ He sighs. ]

[devoutish]

Ah, no. He's a bit too moral to be like me, don't you think?

[bywolves]

He didn't used to be. But yes. Bit too moral. [ He shrugs absently. ] That's not why you do.

[devoutish]

Yeah. We both love you.

[bywolves]

Mm. [ Yeah. That's mostly why. Royce closes his eyes. ] Yeah. Even when you shouldn't, you do. I like that.

[devoutish]

Don't be ridiculous. I should always.

[bywolves]

You should also try resting.

[devoutish]

Yeah, my mother would really love you.

[bywolves]

[ Royce snorts. ] Must be channeling her.

[devoutish]

Mm, you think the praying is what did it?

[bywolves]

Yeah. [ No, but he sounds very confident that this is the case. ] See? Makes me into a mother hen. Useful.

[devoutish]

[It makes Alfie chuckle - but then his smile fades.]

It felt different, mate. That connection I felt before--

[He slices a hand through the air in a severing motion.]

[bywolves]

Mm. [ Royce nuzzles into him. His voice fades in and out of monotone. ] I know. It feels like any memory of Elan is... distant. The people there aren't as present in my mind. I feel like we've been here so long.

But we haven't. It's only been a few months.

[devoutish]

Six months is still a very long time to be in a place like this.

[But he knows what Royce means. He feels the same.]

[bywolves]

Spent a year in Manzant. [ Royce says, soft. ] It felt like fifty.

[ Still. He pets at Alfie's hair a bit. ] That connection will come back. You can't give up on it.

[devoutish]

Royce.

[He shifts around so that they're face to face, forehead to forehead.]

Will you tell me whether or not you really believe that?

[bywolves]

[ Fight the apathy, Royce tells himself, reaching to hold onto Alfie's shirt for a second. Be honest. Use emotions. ]

Yeah. [ He presses their foreheads together firmly. His voice is steady and confident, as genuine as he can get it to be. ] I believe it.