July 9th, 1893 — Asphodel Cemetery

None of this was real, it couldn't be. Wallace was in a veritable haze, unsure if he was even responding as people spoke to him. His boss had sent them a floral arrangement and condolences. He had stared at it so long that he now had Fitzroy Prewetts handwriting seared into his mind. At some point one of his parents, he wasn't sure which one, had taken it out of his hands and guided him to bed.

Now he was here, watching as a headstone was placed next to Sawyers resting place. Someone mumbled that the twins were reunited now. Like that was meant to be a positive side to everything.

Wally walked away to get some distance from them only to end up bumping into someone. Oh, one of Sloane's friends. Some of them he was friendly with but he was so out of it, he didn't know which was standing in front of him or even which gender the friend was. "Sorry about that," he said, his voice sounding terribly distant even to himself.

open for any of the Gryffingroup kids

  

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wally has extensive burn scars on the right side of his upper body (including his face and over his right eye) and the lower part of his left leg is missing.

Lester didn't want to be here, but he didn't want to be anywhere, and most of the Hatchitt family was here. They were the Bixby neighbors, after all. He hadn't said anything during the bulk of the funeral, to anyone — staring blankly at the grave instead. It didn't make any sense. Sloane was supposed to be untouchable.

He wandered a few feet away from the grave to get some air — even though they were outside, and all the air was the same. Lester grunted vaguely when Sloane's brother bumped into him. "S'alright," he managed. Wallace had more right to be like this than Lester did.

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set by lady!

"How are you holding up?" Wally asked because it would have completely killed the thread if Wally just grunted back and walked away. Sloane wasn't really dead, he didn't believe it. There was no body so she had to be alive out there, somewhere. She must be so cold if she had gotten wet.

  

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wally has extensive burn scars on the right side of his upper body (including his face and over his right eye) and the lower part of his left leg is missing.

Lester shook his head. "Not — uh, not great," he managed, because Sloane's brother deserved a verbal response. "You?" he asked. He doubted Wally was doing any better.

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set by lady!

Wally had no idea what to say next. It wasn't like he was fully mentally present. "Wanting to be anywhere but here," Wallace admitted. "You lot have any plans together later?" They had been Sloanes friends. He knew the girls were having a sleepover but didn't know if the boys had planned something similar. Mostly, he was casting around for something to talk about.

  

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wally has extensive burn scars on the right side of his upper body (including his face and over his right eye) and the lower part of his left leg is missing.

Lester shrugged. "Dinner before the girls' sleepover," he said. "After that — dunno." He felt stupid and slow, like he was in a cloud, with Sloane dead. He believed it now, but he didn't like that he believed it. "I'm sorry," he said, "I'm just — really sorry, you know?"

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set by lady!

Everyone kept saying that - that they were sorry. He didn't really get why, it wasn't like they had murdered her. Maybe they just did not know what else to say. "Maybe we could go get drinks," Wally said. Mostly he just didn't really want to be alone nor did he want to be around his family.

  

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wally has extensive burn scars on the right side of his upper body (including his face and over his right eye) and the lower part of his left leg is missing.

Did he want to get drinks with Sloane's older brother? Lester didn't know — but he did not want to do so any less than he wanted to do anything else, after her funeral. "Sure," he said — his tone was impassive. "I'd like that."

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set by lady!