snowblindrpg | [log] "I can't have cats around me because they try to steal my energy." [closed]

Characters: Davesprite, the Cat, then Ecks, and lastly Alfie and Royce
Location: The grocery store (144), then the post office (141)
Date: Day 300
Summary: That awkward moment when your plans to meet up with friends turn into meeting up with a dude you tried to steal from once, but your other friend's still dead, and you picked up a golem at the store on the way over.
Warnings: Talk of anomaly death, and Davesprite will be on edge from the (event memory) time he decided not getting stabbed was more important than successful theft. Other warnings will be added as necessary.

144: A grocery store of decent size, it's stocked with fresh food. Even the produce and bakery have items available, and if you get here in the morning, all the bakery goods are still warm. Aside from that, there really isn't a lot here--it's a large building, and obviously receives regular cleaning, but all of its electronics are missing. Still, there's plenty of food to be had! This is a business that closes at night; characters will not be allowed to stay here after 7PM. If they try to do so, they will be compelled to walk out and will not be able to enter again until the next morning.

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. "ALPHONSE ELRIC, DAY ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY SEVEN, TRAVELLING NORTH. IF ANY ASSISTANCE IS NEEDED CONTACT @LELRIC ANY TIME" is carved on the wall. "ALPHONSE ELRIC, DAY ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY SIX, CONTACT @LELRIC FOR ANY ASSISTANCE" is written on the wall.

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No. I don't. [ Royce mumbles. ] Doesn't mean it didn't happen, somewhere.

What do you mean?

Maybe I just don't remember it. Maybe I blocked it out. [ He fidgets, nervous. ] That happens, people blocking out memories.

I don't remember it either.

[Pause.]

They couldn't've both happened. It would've been one, the other, or neither.

I tortured you. They tortured you, and I watched. They tortured me, and you watched. [ There's that paranoia kicking in really, really hard. ] Why wouldn't you torturing me be part of that? It'd make sense, right?

No, I think-- it only happened once, yeah? Only one of those things. People were taken once, tortured by one person, and that was all. Done.

[He'll be damned if he can figure out which option actually happened, though.]

I know, but which one? What if the one I'm missing was the one that happened?

[ He has to let go of Alfie's hands to stand up and turn around to pace again. It was a month ago, but - of all things, memory manipulation freaks him out the most, and he's having a hard time reconciling. ]

[When Royce moves away, Alfie collapses into himself - a quiet, subtle, sad movement.]

I don't know. I don't know much of anything, Royce.

[ Royce pauses, stopping mid-stride to look down at Alfie with a worried expression. There's so much going on in his head, but. There's this, too. Right now, in the moment, Alfie is curled in on himself, and there's no memories that can stop Royce from wanting to comfort. Somehow.

It's so strange. He would've never had this, if he hadn't decided to follow Alfie such a long time ago.

He hesitantly sits down next to Alfie on the air mattress, and leans against him, expression upset, picking absently at the scars on his fingers. A reminder. That happened. ]

[Alfie strokes his arm, elbow to wrist - wanting, as always, to give comfort back.]

Are your memories of home like this, or are they clear?

Everything is hazy. I think I remember home fine.

Yeah.

[Home seems impossibly far away and divorced from everything that his life is now, but at least the memories aren't twisted and unclear.]

Royce.

Alfie. [ Royce sighs out, leaning a little more heavily against Alfie. ]

The best memories I've got are the ones with you in them.

[And that has to mean something.]

[ It does. ]

Those are the ones I'm trying to hold onto. Those memories. [ Royce mutters. ]

Mm. But not the ones where we were on opposite sides.

The ones where I don't know you at all are worse.

Even if tomorrow, you wake up and don't believe that this is real--

[He squeezes Royce's hands. This meaning this right here; meaning them.]

Stay anyway. Don't run off.

[ Royce holds onto Alfie's hands, staring down at them. ]

... I'll try. [ He can't promise. ]

Please.

[Alfie doesn't beg often, not even with Royce, but he needs to here.]

I said I'll try, Solomons. [ Royce says, voice wavery. ] If I'm not me in the morning, I can't predict what I'll do.

[Alfie nods, falling silent.]

[ He's still sorting through his memories, but he's certain enough that this is real. This is what's right, so. Royce turns to curl into Alfie's side, getting under his arm and closing his eyes. He'll stay silent as well, holding onto Alfie's hands for as long as he's allowed to. ]

[He leaves Royce with one hand, wrapping the other arm around his back.]

The memories where I'm Alfie, and not Solomons - those are also the best ones.

[ It makes him frown, a bit. ]

Sorry. [ He thinks? ]

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devoutish - 2017-11-19 06:23 (UTC) - Expand

bywolves - 2017-11-19 06:28 (UTC) - Expand