[He's still very warm to the touch - but Reverie is cool, and Alfred leans into him, curling a little, sniffling and rubbing water out of his eyes. Imagining Phil getting a little cat and naming it something so cute is a good distraction, and he laughs a little, an almost frantic, breathless little sound.]
Ah - that's - I - I would love t-to meet Beans, th-then.
[Improvement. Much less hollow, much more himself.]
[He presses a gentle kiss to the top of Alfred's head and pulls him closer, reassuring him as best he can. Now that Rev's not likely to burst into flames on contact he's going to lavish his friend with affection until he feels even a little better.]
Good. He's very good at looking after people.
[And then, more softly:]
If it'd make you feel safer, you're welcome to come stay at mine. there's four locked doors before you even get near my apartment, and my bathtub's much larger if you're worried about being too near flammable things.
[It doesn't take much to get Alfred to practically melt into Reverie - he flushes just a little at the kiss, but mostly because it's...nice, it's nice to be held and cuddled and cared for when he's feeling like this.]
I...I think I would like that. I know that I am - I am safe, here, but I....
[A slow breath in and out.]
I think I need to...not be alone here. For a little while, at least. Until I can...can get it out of my head.
[If he's fussing over Alfred, you can't hold that against him. Eventually, though, he pulls himself upright, offering Alfred a hand.]
Well, if you come for a sleepover I can get Phil to come over too, then you definitely won't be alone. And there's the dancers. Lots of people to make sure you know you're alive, you're loved and you're not what they called you.
[In the stillness that happens when the water turns off, he shivers audibly, draped all over now in cold, wet, half-burnt clothes. Reverie isn't warm, not really, but still he stays close. The caring feels warm enough for the moment.
He ventures a tiny smile.]
...Yes. That...sounds nice.
[He sidesteps the last part of the comment, though. In the back of his head, there's still a nagging thought. He's a monster now, so perhaps he's no longer just food....
But is he not still damned?
The only hint of any of this, though, is a dimness to his eyes, an exhaustion etched into his expression. He says nothing of it. It won't help, now, and...and he doesn't want to lose control again and burn Reverie.]
W-will you...help me up? I think using so much magic was...a little....
[He goes for a towel first. Now he's not burning up so badly, getting him dried off and into something not soaked through was a good idea. Rev wraps it carefully around Alfred's shoulders, then, in lieu of just helping him up, scoops him like he weighs nothing.]
Let's get you decent - can't go taking you through the city like this, it'd be a terrible scandal. [He smiles gently, rubbing circles on the small of Alfred's back with one of his hands. Reassuring pressure.] Can have a nap at ours if you want.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2022-04-07 09:09 pm (UTC)Phil got a little cat. It's called Espresso Beans.
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Date: 2022-04-18 07:07 am (UTC)Ah - that's - I - I would love t-to meet Beans, th-then.
[Improvement. Much less hollow, much more himself.]
no subject
Date: 2022-04-19 11:34 pm (UTC)Good. He's very good at looking after people.
[And then, more softly:]
If it'd make you feel safer, you're welcome to come stay at mine. there's four locked doors before you even get near my apartment, and my bathtub's much larger if you're worried about being too near flammable things.
no subject
Date: 2022-04-20 06:53 am (UTC)I...I think I would like that. I know that I am - I am safe, here, but I....
[A slow breath in and out.]
I think I need to...not be alone here. For a little while, at least. Until I can...can get it out of my head.
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Date: 2022-04-20 10:10 pm (UTC)Well, if you come for a sleepover I can get Phil to come over too, then you definitely won't be alone. And there's the dancers. Lots of people to make sure you know you're alive, you're loved and you're not what they called you.
[Another arm gently turns off the shower.]
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Date: 2022-05-03 04:30 am (UTC)He ventures a tiny smile.]
...Yes. That...sounds nice.
[He sidesteps the last part of the comment, though. In the back of his head, there's still a nagging thought. He's a monster now, so perhaps he's no longer just food....
But is he not still damned?
The only hint of any of this, though, is a dimness to his eyes, an exhaustion etched into his expression. He says nothing of it. It won't help, now, and...and he doesn't want to lose control again and burn Reverie.]
W-will you...help me up? I think using so much magic was...a little....
no subject
Date: 2022-05-03 06:32 pm (UTC)[He goes for a towel first. Now he's not burning up so badly, getting him dried off and into something not soaked through was a good idea. Rev wraps it carefully around Alfred's shoulders, then, in lieu of just helping him up, scoops him like he weighs nothing.]
Let's get you decent - can't go taking you through the city like this, it'd be a terrible scandal. [He smiles gently, rubbing circles on the small of Alfred's back with one of his hands. Reassuring pressure.] Can have a nap at ours if you want.