wickedchouette | (no subject)

[What.]

Royce.

[He's trying not to sound hurt here.]

What happened?

Who are you? [ Royce says, and his anger is upset, growing into something painful. ] Why are you trying to - you're not him. Leave me alone, I'm not an idiot, you're not going to make me walk into a trap.

[ And he hangs up and leaves his tablet on the first floor of the house he's in, climbing up to the second. ]

[He tries calling back a couple of times, and when he gets nothing, he finally scours the network for answers. Maybe something happened while he was gone. Hallucinations? Trickery?

And then he finds the problem. It's been a month. More than a month, even; almost a month and a half. God. He can't even imagine.

He calls, again.]

Royce - I know it's been a very long time, but it's me. I promise you, it's me, and I'm coming back.

[ No. He ignores it. He ignores this because he can't get his hopes up. The last time he did, Alfie died. He won't let himself dare because it will always end poorly. Royce leaves his tablet in the house when he leaves the next morning, traveling in the direction of the split tunnels. That's where he needs to go. He needs to hide.

I promise. It's me. Royce can't breathe when he thinks about it, so he doesn't. He just makes his way through the snow, doggedly. ]

[It's been a month. He could be anywhere by now, and Alfie knows he wouldn't have left a trail.

Alfie leaves the chapel and heads to the nearest house, where he decides to bunk down for the evening despite it being nowhere near time for lockdown. He's just going to stay put, as much as he can. Wandering might point him away from Royce.

A few hours later, once he's settled in the house, he calls back.]

I've been thinking about London, boy.

[ Royce finds another tablet in the house right before the split tunnels. He's frustrated, but he doesn't throw it away this time. Instead, he makes a nest of blankets and curls up in it like always. He doesn't eat because he's not hungry, just tries to sleep.

But then whoever this is that's calling him calls again. And Royce reaches for his tablet to listen. Alfie will hear him breathing on the other end, not saying anything. Even if he knows it isn't real, it's comforting to hear Alfie's voice. He's starting to forget what it sounded like. ]

[He takes the breathing as encouragement. At least he's not hanging up this time.]

Yeah. I've been thinking about it a lot. Cars might be a bit much for you at first, but you won't want to walk everywhere. I think I'll buy you a bicycle.

[ This is cruel. Royce curls up tightly, hugging Alfie's hat to his chest. He wanted this so bad and now whatever this thing might be is using it to torment him. Royce closes his eyes. Don't answer. Just don't answer. Nothing good will happen. ]

You might not know what that is, eh? It's a wheeled contraption. You steer it with your hands and pedal it with your feet. I'd need to teach you how to ride, but you'd pick it up.

I can walk just fine, I don't need something to ride around on. [ Royce says - blurts it out, mostly, and then wants to punch himself for doing it. ]

[There you are, Royce.]

They're faster. They're fun.

It sounds like something someone could take. [ Royce mutters. ]

Yeah. But nobody would take yours.

I wouldn't let them. I'm tired of people taking my things.

I know you are.

[ Royce is quiet for a while, and then, with a wobbly sort of sniff and an unsteady voice: ] Are you real?

[He answers gently.]

I am.

I don't know if you are. You could be lying.

Why don't I let you rest and think on it a bit? We'll talk again tomorrow, or later tonight.

... Okay. [ Royce says quietly, with another small sniff. A beat. ] Tomorrow.

Tomorrow.

[He agrees.]

I'm in building [INSERT # OF A BUILDING NEAR THE CHAPEL HERE, I'M TOO LAZY TO LOOK IT UP] tonight. I'll stay here.

[In case, you know, Royce wants to come looking for him.]

[ He'll stay. Okay. Royce hangs up - but in the morning, right after lockdown ends, Royce calls Alfie as he walks away from the split tunnels to the house Alfie said he was in. ]

I have your hat. [ His tone is cautious. ]

[It's just a relief to hear his voice again; to know he's doing okay.]

I know. I knew you'd keep it.

Royce, would it help if I turned on the video on my tablet?

[ The hat might be Royce's forever now. Sorry, Alfie. ]

... I guess. [ He sounds unsure, but. ]

[And so he turns it on. He looks... not great, but it's more because of worry than anything else.]

All right?