snowblindmemes | AGE-DOWN MEME

You can't go outside. There's gonna be lockdown in a few minutes. That's when they lock the doors, right, and you're not gonna be able to get in anywhere else.

I've been in the cold before. [ But not like this, he knows. He's frozen to the bone indoors, and he's seen the snow starting to fall. He'll die out there, but he'll probably die in here, too. He can't trust adults any more than he can trust little kids.

A beat, and then he makes another break for it, this time trying to go through between Alfie's legs. ]

Fucking hell, kid--

[But over in the living room, he hears the locks click shut, so he just lets him go. As long as he can't run out the door and to his death, he can have the run of the house, as far as Alfie is concerned.]

[ The door is locked, and Royce panics.

He makes a gaspy little sound when he tries for the door and gets nothing. He's locked in here, with someone he doesn't know who is a lot bigger than him, and he can't get out, which means he needs to hide. There's just not a lot to hide under or behind, in this house. The kitchen had been his best bet, but Alfie is in there, and now he's stuck.

Royce turns, making eye-contact with Alfie, and does his very best to not look like he's terrified out of his mind. ]

I'll - I'll make you a deal. [ He tries, voice cracking a little. ]

Listen.

[He's not sure Royce will, or even can, listen right now, but he's going to try.]

I am not keeping you here. The doors lock every night, and I can't unlock them. If I had let you run out into the cold, you would've been stuck out there, and you would have frozen to death. All right?

[ Royce wraps his arms around himself, swallowing hard. He shouldn't trust what this guy says, but he hasn't quite gotten to the point where he immediately assumes everybody is lying to him yet.

So instead, he sort of just sinks back against the door and takes a deep breath to try and calm himself down. He doesn't take his eyes off Alfie. And like he's warning Alfie: ] You can't hurt me. I won't let you.

I don't wanna hurt you. I'll take the living room, you take the bedroom. We'll stay out of each others' ways, if you like.

And if you've got anything against the Mir, just stay quiet about it, because that's the one thing that I won't stand for.

[He's definitely not going to tell baby Royce that he knows what he is, but he wants a roundabout way to let him know that he isn't a danger on that front.]

[ He - oh. Royce looks shocked for a good couple of seconds before he manages to wrestle his reaction under control. How did he... he can't know. He's just warning Royce, he doesn't think that Royce is one. Okay. He can handle that.

But it's such a weird warning. Royce has never heard anybody stick up for them before, and before he can stop himself, he accuses: ] You're lying. Nobody likes them.

Now what did I just tell you?

[He raises his eyebrows at Royce.]

My friend, the one I mentioned, yeah - he's Mir. And if you're gonna start up like everybody else, you can fuck off to the other room. I did give you a fair warning, because I know how the world is.

[ Royce hunches down, watching Alfie suspiciously. ]

I don't hate them. [ He says stubbornly, scooting away from the door. He flits across the room in little bursts, until he can hide behind the arm of the couch. Not quite out of sight. He also maintains eye contact the whole way. ] How are you friends with a mir? Did - did you buy him?

I did not. I would never do such a thing. No, mate, he's free, and we've killed men who tried to change that.

[ Hello, Royce's new hero. Royce stays where he is, but he peeks out further from the couch. ]

Really? [ Oop. He hates how hopeful that sounds, and he flinches back down. A beat. ] Do you have food?

I've got more apples. Here.

[He takes one out and rolls it across the floor towards Royce.]

And a few more things besides. Wanna take a look, then?

[ Royce snatches the apple up off the floor and holds it close to his chest. Hides it. People can't steal it that way. He's reluctant to move out from where he's hiding, but this guy... ]

No. [ Royce says, but it's less resolved than he wants it to be. ] What do you want for it?

Your solemn promise that you do not hate the Mir, and won't tip off anyone that my friend stays here sometimes. Now, he is unashamed of what he is. He tells me, "Alfie, don't try to hide me. If somebody wants to fight me over what I am, let them come." But I worry, you see?

If you promise that, I'll give you a sandwich.

[ Royce is much better at taking deals as a child. He frowns deeply, thinking about it, and then finally nods a little. ]

I don't hate the mir. [ Royce says, as solemn as possible. He holds the apple in his hands tightly as he inches a little closer, skittish. ] They've never done anything to me.

A whole sandwich? [ That sounds fake but okay. ]

Here.

[He pulls the wrapped sandwich out of his bag.]

Do you want me to take a bite first, so you know it isn't poisoned?

[With anyone else, it would be a joke, but he thinks it might actually be a valid concern of Royce's.]

[ Royce nods, biting his bottom lip. He didn't even think of that. That's a good thing to remember. ]

Right. Tell me where to bite from, then.

[He thinks that's the most trustworthy way to go about it - otherwise, he could theoretically have just left a little section unpoisoned, and then chosen that part for himself.]

Right in the center. [ Royce says, watching closely. ]

[Alfie uses his scalpel to cut the sandwich in half, then takes a bit out of the center. He chews, swallows, and raises his eyebrows at Royce.]

All right?

... Yeah.

[ Okay. He scoots closer, still twitchy. He's still got the apple gripped tightly in his hands as he makes his way over in those same short, sudden bursts of motion, moving across the room from piece of furniture to piece of furniture rather than a straight shot.

When he gets close enough to Alfie, his breathing has picked up, but he doesn't run. Up close, it's clear he's shivering.

But he won't get within touching range. He sees that scalpel. ]

[Seeing the problem, Alfie stretches forward to set the sandwich on the coffee table, then leans back again. He could probably still reach Royce if he tried, but he'd have to lunge. Hopefully that's far enough away to make the kid feel safe enough.]

[ It's enough. Royce darts forward, grabs the sandwich, and then darts back, hiding by the couch again. This time he drops down to sit, pressing his back against the couch and pulling his knees to his chest, and hurriedly starts wolfing it down.

Not because he's starving, necessarily, just because this is the best way to make sure nobody else is going to eat it. ]

[And Alfie pulls out a bag of sour cream and onion chips, munching away at those - much more slowly than Royce.]

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