wickedchouette | (no subject)

Entry tags:

(no subject)

[When the car radiator overheats for the third time in a week, Alfie takes it as a sign that it's finally time for more than just another quick tune-up.

They're in a deserted area, which is both good and bad. On the one hand, most of the dangerous gangs are still in urban areas, the way they had been before the world had gone to shit. Out here in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by miles and miles of fields with only the occasional small copse of trees, they're not likely to run into anyone at all, much less anyone dangerous. But on the other hand, if they do come across anyone, there won't be anywhere to run to or hide. Alfie, as always, has his pistol tucked into his coat pocket, and they have more weapons stashed away in the trunk. But they're a small group - no match for the bigger gangs with armored trucks and heavy artillery. If they meet one of those, they'll be slaughtered.

With his sleeves rolled up and the hood of the car open, he leans in with his tools, carefully tinkering away. He can't afford to make a mistake here - replacement parts are rare and precious. When he hears footsteps behind him, he doesn't dare look away from his work as he says sharply:]

Stay back. You don't want hot steam to the face.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Mercy quietly takes Alfie's hand and holds it tightly. ] I'm okay, Alfie. [ She whispers it, like she's not sure she should keep talking. ] Y-you don't have to worry, you got me back.

[ Because of course she's worried for the two of them. A beat, and then she lifts his hand - the injured one. ] You're - you're hurt!

It's all wrapped up. It's all right.

[He'll have to clean it as often as possible and keep checking it regularly for infection, but he's decided he's really not going to worry about it now.]

But - but you got hurt because of me! [ Her voice breaks again. ]

No, no, no, no.

[He focuses now, reaching up to hold her face in his hands.]

I got hurt because of them. And I would do it again in an instant. Yeah?

[ She clearly does not like that answer, and it shows on her face, but she doesn't argue it. Instead, her mouth twists and she brings her hands up to rest on his.

Royce watches quietly - he's still here, still paying attention, just. Letting Alfie see she's okay. He's still trying to figure it out for himself.

Mercy sniffs, and says stubbornly, determinedly: ] I love you. Both. I love you lots.

And we love you.

[He reaches for Royce again, trying to bring him over to Mercy. Trying to join the three of them together.]

[ Royce slides over quietly, shoulder to shoulder with Alfie. He's too tired to care, and he's mostly just relieved that she's okay. Mercy climbs into Royce's lap, putting her feet in Alfie's, and settles there. Royce presses a kiss to the side of Mercy's head, and then murmurs: ] Need to keep an eye on that hand.

[ A beat, as he rubs Mercy's back. ] We should find a place to rest for a day.

Yeah.

[But he doesn't move. He's too worn out to, but physically and emotionally.]

[ Royce doesn't mind. He doesn't move either, resting his head back against the seat, eyes closing for a moment. Mercy reaches to take Alfie's hand - she's already drifting off, trying not to and failing. ]

Rest for a while. [ Royce murmurs. ] Both of you. I'll wake you up in a while, Solomons.

[ Because both of them need to be careful as far as concussions go. ]

You need the sleep more than I do, Duster.

[he strokes Mercy's hand, still having trouble taking his eyes off of her.]

You sleep first, yeah?

[ He shouldn't argue, but: ] I don't know if I can.

[ After all of that. After the fact that he was sleeping when they were ambushed. Mercy yawns, rubbing at puffy red eyes with her free hand. Royce mutters that he'll try, though - he has to. Has to catch up on sleep. ]

[Neither can Alfie. He doesn't even try. For a while, he just sits there - holding Mercy's hand, stroking her hair. But eventually, he mutters something about needing air and lets her go, quietly opening the car door and slipping out.

He doesn't go far. He leans against the trunk, staring at the darkening sky, trying to quiet his head.]

[ Mercy and Royce sleep for a while. Royce dozes lightly, but Mercy keeps waking up. And when Alfie leaves, she notices immediately. She starts to get up to follow him, but Royce mutters something and holds her close. Don't go yet. Let him settle.

She protests at first, but... lets it be. For a while.

Royce dozes off again, until Mercy kisses him on the cheek and tells him she's going to go sit with Alfie. Royce agrees sleepily, and Mercy slides out of the car to go around to the trunk, watching Alfie with a sad sort of expression.

She scoots closer, and then rests her head against his arm, looking up at him. ]

[Alfie, by and large, isn't a crier. It's not that he represses his feelings - tears just don't come easily, even when he's sad. But tonight, his eyes and cheeks are wet.

He bends down, picking her up in his arms and cradling her close.]

None of this was your fault, sweetheart.

[His voice is a little thick, but it's firm and sure. She's said a few things that have worried him on that front, and he doesn't want her feeling guilty or blaming herself.]

[ She clings to him like she did Royce, earlier. She rests her head on his shoulder and holds tight, like she can will whatever comfort she has in her out in the form of a hug. She's still scared, but mostly, she doesn't like how upset the two of them are. It feels good to have someone worry, but also bad, she thinks. ]

I know. [ Mercy says quietly, hiding her face. ] It's not yours or Daddy's either, okay? [ She knows that, too. ]

[He hmmms to her; that's a yes. And she's right - it wasn't their fault. But it was their responsibility to keep her safe, and he knows that for a while, both of them are going to feel like they failed in that at least a little bit.]

Are you having trouble sleeping?

Um. [ She stalls, shifting her hold around Alfie's shoulders. She doesn't want to answer that. ] Maybe a little. [ She lifts her head, bringing a hand up so she can use her sleeve to dry some of the wetness on Alfie's cheeks. It's a nice way to be distracting. ] I'm okay. Or, um. I'll be okay.

[It's worrying to Alfie when she does that. Royce is a brother to him, and he loves him, but he hates the idea of Mercy growing up to be as closed off as he is, for any reason. So even though he isn't the sort to talk about his own feelings much, he tries to with Mercy, especially now that her mother is gone. He wants her to have some sense that feeling is okay. He knows Royce wouldn't tell her that it isn't, or openly encourage her to shut herself down. But kids have a way of picking up on things, and Mercy is no different.]

Yeah. I've been having some trouble too, myself. If you need to, you tell me or your dad, all right? I know he won't mind.

[ Hearing it from Alfie helps. Royce doesn't ever talk about his own feelings - keeps them bottled up and lets them go sour. Mercy sees it and thinks it's tough, that it's the way she should be. She has to be tough to survive, they all do, and she wants to be like her dad, wants to be strong.

She doesn't realize the way Royce does it is unhealthy. It's a good thing she has Alfie to balance it out. ]

I know. [ She says defensively at first, and then she sighs huffily and rests her head back on Alfie's shoulder. ] I think I - I think the gun was really loud, is all.

You saw a lot of awful things, today.

[He threads his fingers through her hair.]

It's all right to be scared and upset.

[ And now she hides her face. Her voice is quiet and muffled: ] ... They said a lot of things about where they were taking me.

[She'll feel his heartbeat quicken at that, and he tries not to stiffen in anger.]

Do you wanna tell me about it?

[ She gets scrunched up and upset about it. ] I - do I have to? [ She didn't understand a lot of it, but she knew enough to make assumptions and guesses. ]

You do not. No.

[He smooths a thumb over her cheek.]

You do what feels right, Mercy.

Okay, because I really... I really don't wanna. [ Mostly, she has questions she doesn't want to ask Alfie or Royce. She figures they'll just have to go unanswered, for now, which she's fine with. Maybe she'll magically figure them out when she's older.

Here's something that's been bugging her, though: ] Why - um. Why did you tell them I'm a half elf?

[ Her voice gets very small. ]