empathicfault | IC Inbox

He considers that.

"...She is just... really spiteful and self-centred."

"She's high society, too," Will points out. "Quite a few decades away from what you're used to, but I think you can identify some of those issues a little more easily. Maybe you've built up a wall or two."

And it's a little unfortunate, because Will had seen some potential in her beyond the opulent displays and aristocratic crap. Justine is brilliant and loves learning. He suspects she's very clever and might actually enjoy working at the counseling office, if she breaks further away from her society's standards.

But- well...Malcolm's growth was always going to be that of a bull suddenly finding itself in an antique store. The destruction was likely to be beautiful. Will found himself interested in seeing where this might take them.

He gets to the elevator and- thankfully, those all seem fine. He hits the button for the Deck.

“…Yeah. Maybe she just reminds me of all the ladies that are mean to my mother at galas.”

He pauses.

“I’m pretty sure Arthur doesn’t think I’m an exemplary warden anymore, either. I… had opinions. About what was fair for Walter being fair for Justine.”

Could I curl up with you for awhile?

[ Will hadn't heard who had made it from the other boat, only that few had. He'd been hoping for Signy, but knew it wasn't likely. His voice is gentle and quiet when he speaks. ]

I'd like that. I have a very comfortable couch if you want to come to Level 3. Or I can go to you?

"I can come to you. I don't mind."

She'll knock on the door a few minutes later in human form, barefoot and wearing a long dress. Hjerte is perched on her shoulder, and when Ulla leans into Will as soon as he opens the door, Hjerte wraps a couple tentacles around Will's neck in a hug of his own.

"I think...it might be a little early to tell that. We're all still reeling from everything that happened- Arthur doubly so. And I don't know if you've noticed, but his temper can flare. Any thoughts he sent your way might cool as we get back to our routines and rebuild our senses of safety."

And if Arthur didn't tell Malcolm that directly- and he didn't, if Malcolm was 'pretty sure'- then it's too early to call that.

"Do you have opinions on what you want from Justine? For her actions against Walter?"

“I want her Warden to take it seriously and talk to her about it, then speak to us about what he thinks fair, meaningful consequences would be. But he’s in a coma. I don’t want anything from Justine. She thinks she can do whatever she wants to whoever she wants and it’s fine. I warned John about her total sense of impunity. That needs to be addressed. Whether everyone loves her and thinks it’s cute or not,” Malcolm says.

[After this.]

Hello, Will. I'm contacting you on behalf of Vincent Valentine.

Do you require any assistance cleaning up the counselling offices?

Malcolm listens to the message, then shoves his device in his pocket and runs out of his cabin barefoot and with his shirt sleeves unbuttoned, the pause to put on shoes or tidy himself up deemed a waste of precious time.

"WILL!!" He runs down the hall. He can detect Will's scent, but they live in a room on this hallway and Will comes through here multiple times every day. "WILLLLL!!!" He gets to the stairs. Up or down? Up or down? He looks down, hesitates a moment, then runs up.

He stops at each floor above him, stepping out into the hall to see if it smells particularly of Will, then he ducks back into the stairs and keeps heading up.

On the deck, he finally scents him and follows it, still at a run.

"WILL!!!!!" he calls as he goes. He sees Winston before he sees Will leaning on the rail. "Oh. Winston, thank god. Where's...?" He sees him and bounds over. "Will! Are you okay?"

Winston gives Malcolm a somewhat mournful look before turning to where Will is leaning, face turned upward and staring with naked fascination.

He looks down when he hears yelling, and that one word. Is his name Will? He'd thought...well, it doesn't matter what he thought. He smiles a little, until he realizes the man in front of him is in such distress. His face immediately falls.

"I suppose so, but I...don't remember anything. I'm sorry." He searches Malcolm's face. He wants to stop that pain. "You know me well. Can I ask how?" he asks gently.

He can't make himself look less miserable. He wants to touch him, but doesn't feel like he can, so he lingers slightly further away than he normally would, trying not to allow any tears to actually spill. Jedao said it would wear off. He said it would wear off within the hour. Right? Right?

But Will is looking at him without any recognition, much less the warmth he's used to. But there's something different there as well, and part of him wants to know more about it but....

That question. He can't speak right away. He shifts his weight, just watching his face for a moment.

Malcolm's eyes drop and he looks at the centre of his chest instead of his face.

His mouth feels so dry when he speaks.

"...We're supposed to get married soon," he tells the buttons on Will's shirt.

They're that close? -they were that close. He feels the loss keenly.

Will starts crying, soundlessly. He blinks the tears out, so he can see Malcolm's face. He feels a deep, hollow place in his chest, the very spot Malcolm is staring at. He wants to fix it.

He reaches out and- gently, so this man can pull away if he wants- tips his chin up so they're looking at each other. "Can I kiss you?"

Malcolm’s very damp eyes slowly shift focus to Will’s face as his chin is lifted, blinking surprise at the grief there.

He frowns faintly. He… wants to do that?

“You… don’t know me.” That makes his voice break a little. “Do you think it would help?” he asks with a very guarded hopefulness.

Will gives Malcolm a small smile, even as the tears roll down his cheeks. "I don't know anyone," he admits. "I'd like to know you. Maybe it'll being something back?"

He sounds hopeful, even if it's more for the chance to kiss the man in front of him than anything else.

A couple of tears slide down his own cheeks, but he manages a small, hopeful smile and nods, leaning up to meet the kiss, hesitantly setting a hand on Will's upper arm to steady himself and to make some sort of contact.

Will reaches up again, this time to cup Malcolm's face. He hadn't noticed the ring on his hand- it'd been comfortable and settled there. But he sees it now, realizing it for what it is even if not all the aspects folded into it.

His kiss is soft but not hesitant. It's not quite the same- there's a certain amount of control missing. But that's at least somewhat made up for by his eagerness. Once their lips touch, he presses in and lingers, as if savoring the sensation.

When he pulls back, his eyes are closed. They slowly open and search the face in front of him, now much closer than before. "....Malcolm?" he asks. That sounds right. "Is that your name?"

Malcolm's eyes go wide, his grip tightening on Will's arm.

"Yes! Yes, that's me! Do.... do you remember me?" he asks earnestly. "Do you....... do you remember us?"

Will blinks, then his eyes half-close. "I remember...something. Being warm. Being bathed in sunlight, and..." He hesitantly wraps his arms around Malcolm, leaving his hands on Malcolm's back. "-doing this. You're...like me, somehow? And that's important."

Malcolm is warm, and that feels right, too.

His expression warms faintly at that, though it only lights a corner of an otherwise baleful look. When Will's arms wrap around him like they always do, he slides his own arms around Will, too.

"We are the same," he promises.

He glances down at Winston, then up at Will.

"Do you know that's your dog?"

"Mmmm" and a closed-eye smile is the response to Malcolm hugging him back. His arms squeeze a little tighter, holding onto the only life preserver he's found.

He looks up at the dog. "Oh?" he asks, with hopefulness. "I thought...maybe. He came over to be pet, and has hung aroun-" He cuts himself off, narrowing his eyes at the dog and then asking, "Winston?" The retriever mix wags his tail and spurs Will on. "That's your name, huh? And you're the best, most loyal dog there is, aren't you?"

That gets the wag really going and Winston finally stands up and comes closer, with a small bark of excitement.

Will is still hugging Malcolm tight, and is unlikely to stop before Malcolm does. But he gives Winston a grin. "And I like dogs, huh?"

"You've got about half a dozen at home. Just two here. Winston and Buster. And we have two snakes, too. And a parakeet," Malcolm tells him, watching his face, still clinging tightly.

He looks briefly confused, and probably not for the reason Malcolm would expect. After apparently doing some mental calculations, he looks at Malcolm and smiles. "Here is home, though. Isn't it? I...know there's another place. But..."

But it's not home.

Malcolm is very charmed by that.

"Here is home right now. Because you and me are our 'home'. Forever."

Malcolm mentioned that you were one of the ones who got fucked with.

You were kind when Arthur got fucked with. So... if there's anything I can do to help, please let me know.

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text;

Right after Jedao reports Justine's Amnesia Attack on Will

Re: Right after Jedao reports Justine's Amnesia Attack on Will

Re: Right after Jedao reports Justine's Amnesia Attack on Will

Re: Right after Jedao reports Justine's Amnesia Attack on Will

Re: Right after Jedao reports Justine's Amnesia Attack on Will

Re: Right after Jedao reports Justine's Amnesia Attack on Will

Re: Right after Jedao reports Justine's Amnesia Attack on Will

Re: Right after Jedao reports Justine's Amnesia Attack on Will

Re: Right after Jedao reports Justine's Amnesia Attack on Will

Re: Right after Jedao reports Justine's Amnesia Attack on Will

Re: Right after Jedao reports Justine's Amnesia Attack on Will

Re: Right after Jedao reports Justine's Amnesia Attack on Will

Re: Right after Jedao reports Justine's Amnesia Attack on Will

Re: Right after Jedao reports Justine's Amnesia Attack on Will

Re: Right after Jedao reports Justine's Amnesia Attack on Will

after... everything