[log] justin! he's punching all my blood out! [closed]

[bywolves]

Characters: Royce Melborn and Alfie Solomons
Location: House 12
Date: Day 351ish
Summary: We'll see if they both last the night, honestly.
Warnings: violence, extra stuff will be cw'd in the subject lines.

BUILDING 12: This bizarre house, while fully intact, only consists of one very large empty room and a hatch that leads to the maintenance tunnels.

Comments

[bywolves]

[ you fuckin' sassmaster ]

I mostly just don't want you tattling on me.

[devoutish]

Then why didn't you finish the job?

[bywolves]

[ A beat. ]

Plenty of reasons. I don't especially want to sit in a building with a dead body all night. You'll just come back anyway, or so I've been told by half the population.

[devoutish]

Yeah, I saw your little post on the network. Getting--

[He cuts himself off as a large drop of blood hits the floor next to him - the bandage is pretty thoroughly soaked through now. He pulls more fabric out of his bag to get a new one ready, and continues gamely:]

Getting busy, aren't we? And quick.

[bywolves]

Don't know why I shouldn't. I'm good at what I do and I know the people here aren't all perfect, law-abiding citizens.

There aren't any laws here, anyway.

[devoutish]

No. Just a great many people who think they are the law.

[Be careful, amnesiac assassin bro.]

[bywolves]

I'm not worried about it. They come after me, and I'll take care of it.

[devoutish]

You-- are a fucking ridiculous sort of man.

[His breathing goes harsher for a second, as he unwraps the old bandage and redoes the new one even more tightly.]

[bywolves]

[ There's a very small twist of sympathy in his chest - he knows how much wounds like that hurt. But it isn't enough for him to offer help. Alfie can be charming all he wants; Royce doesn't trust him and isn't looking to give the guy he just wounded any sort of ability to wound him back. Right now, Alfie's weak. Royce feels safer that way. ]

I'm not the one that's ridiculous.

[devoutish]

Yeah, you are. Never met a more ridiculous man in my life.

[bywolves]

You're the one that tried to stop someone with a knife. And now look at you.

[devoutish]

This is because I didn't want to kill you. If I'd wanted to kill you, I would've taken that cloak you've got on, wrapped the hood around your neck, and strangled you with it.

[bywolves]

You could barely stand before I sliced you open. I doubt you would've gotten as far as touching me.

[devoutish]

You look fucking awful yourself.

[bywolves]

I can look awful and still be able to dodge your clumsy mitts.

[devoutish]

And you weigh fifty pounds. I could've strangled you with no effort at all. Your neck's a twig.

[bywolves]

[ He's almost smiling a little. ]

How are you supposed to do that if you can't catch me? You're so old you'd likely die of a heart attack before anything.

[devoutish]

Well, we can't all be seventeen and four foot two.

[bywolves]

[ Another long pause, as Royce just looks at Alfie. He's trying not to let his guard down. It just... it feels natural. And that's why he can't let Alfie rope him in - the last fucking person to do this was Merrick, and Royce can't - he can't.

So he goes silent instead, looking away and pulling his hood down further. ]

[devoutish]

[Alfie lets the silence reign for a little while, but it's not long before he speaks up again.]

What's that round your neck?

[bywolves]

[ Royce glances up, and then back down at the necklace. Some ring. ]

I don't know. Had it on when I woke up. Why?

[devoutish]

[Alfie grunts.]

Dunno. Curious, that's all.

[He adjusts the bandage on his arm... with fingers covered in several bloodstained gold rings.]

[bywolves]

[ Which - look, Royce is going to notice that. There's no way he wouldn't. Expression mostly hidden under the hood, Royce tenses. He tries to be subtle about comparing the appearances of the two, at the very least, but. ]

[devoutish]

What?

[Alfie snaps, because of course he was going to notice that. He's seen Royce tensed up under his cloak enough to know what it looks like.]

[bywolves]

Nothing.

[ He says it quickly, grabbing for his razor. He stares at Alfie, on alert. ] Nothing. Go back to making sure you don't bleed to death.