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[empathicfault]

"Will Graham here. Leave a message."

[Open for text/audio/action/whatever.]

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[cactusy]

[Shaw only hears Will's end of his conversation with Sweeney, but all the same, she can read between the lines. An hour or so later, she pops up as he's walking the halls, sliding out of a stairwell to walk side by side. In a low, relatively light voice, she says:]

Entertaining the idea of revenge, are we?

[empathicfault]

[ The slide up to him gets more of a reaction than the question, as he double-takes at her appearance. ]

I'm not planning anything. Just glad that something might actually happen in response to this one. Wish it had been handled when it was my friends getting hurt, not me, but- [ He shrugs, performative. ]

[abrightboy]

Since the coma, Malcolm has been, perhaps, a bit more of a barnacle in regards to Will. Just at night. And in the morning. And on any occasion he gets to see him in between.

This particular evening, Malcolm is curled up against Will’s side on the couch, a little distracted considering his earlier conversation with Shaw when he finally has to just ask out of nowhere: “Social groups have rules and rituals, right? That’s not a weird thing to suggest.”

[empathicfault]

Will might not have been aware of the lost time before, but he certainly is now. They've been somehow even more physically close and affectionate than they had been before. Will think it feels like a second-wave crush, all over again. He's happy to let it carry him along.

And their form of courting tends to be a lot of discussion, so he's not too confused when Malcolm brings up social dynamics out of the blue. He tilts his head a little as he thinks about it and then responds, "They do, but I always got the feeling that one of the rules is that you're...not supposed to talk about the rules. You're just supposed to know them somehow."

Considering Will's condition, most people would think he'd have an advantage there, but- emotions don't come with logical explanations for what preceded them. He was usually doomed before he even got started.

[weaponwithoutpurpose]

You're the guy with all the dogs, aren't you? Got a question for you.

[empathicfault]

I am, in fact, the guy with the dogs. What can I help you with?

audio

[cactusy]

Graham.

[Her voice is hoarse; tired.]

How are you holding up?

[She thinks she's sending this outside of a dream. But she can't be positive.]

Re: audio

[empathicfault]

I'm all right. Nothing I haven't dealt with before, even if this version's a bit extreme.

You? I know you've never had...positive experience with anything like this, yourself. Are you able to hole up in your cabin?

After Johann's Hot or Not post

[abrightboy]

You really are a ten. Am I condescending? Like. Naturally?

Re: After Johann's Hot or Not post

[empathicfault]

[ He holds off on his usual "who said that to you?" because he imagines it's on Johann's post somewhere. And he thinks about it. ]

You're also a ten. I was just trying to give Johann some leeway with the 'objectivity'.

And you can be condescending. I'm not sure if it's natural- in fact, I don't know if it's possible for it to be natural, because the act generally requires intent. I'm guessing that when people might notice such a thing coming from you, it's when you're trying to be helpful and someone's being oversensitive about it.

And if that's the case, I have a few people from 'home' I could introduce them to.

After Gaius' Grad Announcement

[abrightboy]

Malcolm waits for Will to get back from the kennels... restlessly. He's scared now. Specifically, he's scared for Will in a way he hasn't been since they connected. There's an aborted attempt to work on his mess of a painting that he started while painting with Will. There's an aborted attempt to read, the book left face down on the couch. He's managed to make tea. His cup is full of cold tea by the time Will arrives. He's sitting on a stool at the kitchen island, facing the door, trying not to look like He's vibrating out of his skin.

Re: After Gaius' Grad Announcement

[empathicfault]

Will comes back from his shift a little early. He felt a headache coming on and knew it was time to pack it in. He'd like to get back to his- Malcolm's- their cabin before it fully settles in.

When he opens the door, Buster zooms inside to say hi to Malcolm, but Winston sticks within petting distance of Will. He sees Malcolm immediately (obviously) and gives him a lopsided smile. "Worried about me, huh?" He opens his arms wide. They could both use a hug right now. "I'm right here. I'm all right."

Before the port

[abrightboy]

After talking to Maggie, Malcolm knows he has some apologies to make, but he doesn’t go home to make them. He goes to the kennels, to Will’s work area, and finds Winston lying off to the side. He sits quietly next to him, crosslegged on the floor, absently scratching behind Winston’s ears as he watches Will work.

Re: Before the port

[empathicfault]

Will's a little busy cleaning a couple of snake enclosures, but he finishes quickly once he notices Malcolm in the area. It looks like Winston's taking care of Malcolm, leaning up against him and thumping his tail rhythmically, so Will doesn't disturb them until he's scrubbed up and ready to join them.

"Hey. Rough day?" he asks, sitting down next to him.

audio

[cactusy]

You wanna get off and go take on this city?

Re: audio

[empathicfault]

I'd love to. Should I assume you're going to stay in the city until we leave? It looks about the size you're comfortable in.

Cityyyyyy because it’s weird if he doesn’t call about this

[abrightboy]

Will! It’s a city! I… have some stuff to do today [Surprise stuff for Will but shh shh.] but tomorrow I want to go on a date. A real date. …With you, if I wasn’t clear. Dinner and… other date stuff… I haven’t worked out yet. But it will be romantic, I pronise!

Re: Cityyyyyy because it’s weird if he doesn’t call about this

[empathicfault]

[ Will laughs in response, because this is pretty adorable. ]

I assumed it was with me! And okay, I'm doing inventory runs today anyway. And I'll probably need a break back on the ship. But a date night sounds...nice. Anything I can bring?

Post-Avalon Graduation

[madaboutit]

Hey

Saw the announcement.

You doing okay?

Re: Post-Avalon Graduation

[empathicfault]

[ Will had not seen the announcement. There's a couple minute delay on this reply. ]

I'm okay.

But this place sure does feel like a bad joke sometimes.

Shortly after the Avalon Announcement and his conversation with them.

[abrightboy]

[It was Avalon's own question about how Will is taking it that makes Malcolm look at his role in it a different way. Finally he pauses agonizing over whether he did harm to Will by having a role in it long enough to call Will and ask.]

....Is it weird that I helped them? I didn't think of it as hurting you. I kind of thought of it as protecting you because I'd have an inside track on their state of mind, but now they graduated and I think I helped.

I'm sorry.

Re: Shortly after the Avalon Announcement and his conversation with them.

[empathicfault]

[ Will is practically speechless for a moment before he reparses the sentences and- yes, that is what Malcolm means.

What he ends up doing instead? Is laughing. A sudden burst of it escapes before he manages to stop it in a cough. After all, neither of them react well to being laughed at, generally. ]

Malcolm, you don't- I'm sorry, but. You did protect me. Avalon's not going to attack me again. They're not going to hurt anyone, most likely. And I've been trying to help, too, I just- I couldn't walk them through it all, and...

You have nothing to be sorry for. I promise.

Audio 1/?

[abrightboy]

[Once he's regained consciousness after the Hannibal attack. He still sounds bleary and a little woozy.]

Hi Will. I don't know if you're back and I don't want you to worry. I'm in the infirmary. I'm okay. They just want someone to come get me. So. Let me know when you're back.

Re: Audio 2/?

[abrightboy]

...Will?

Voice

[artistinexile]

[the message comes a few days after Will has removed his artwork]

My sincerest compliments to you, Will Graham. I had not meant to take your artwork for an extended period of time.

Re: Voice

[empathicfault]

Oh, I see. Uh...thanks? Have to say- I like art thievery a lot better than the recent massacres we've had with a lot of our new inmates. I personally would've been happy to let you borrow- or hell, keep- something of mine if you'd asked. But I'm aware others might not feel so generous.

You're Thrawn, right? -well, abbreviated. I'm not going to pretend I can pronounce your full name.

[abrightboy]

[After this.]

Will has gone back to work, of course, since Malcolm got himself healed. Malcolm shows up there one afternoon, hands in his pockets, glancing around like he's shopping, looking to see what Will is up to and if he seems busy out the corner of his eye.

It's only the second time he's ever just shown up at the kennels while Will is on shift. At least he's not a puddle on the floor next to Winston this time?

He peers at a snake in a tank for a moment, slightly distracted by it.

[empathicfault]

Will knows he's there, even if he's feeding the swamp dragon in the other room. He's too familiar with the scent, and he notices Winston go off to greet the man through the open door in his peripheral vision. Unfortunately, you have to be very careful when feeding him and make sure he doesn't get too agitated, so he takes a minute or two to get everything out slowly and carefully. And then he slowly and casually walks to the door, because post-meal there might be some fire-burps.

Once he shuts the door, he smiles at Malcolm. He knows something's probably not going well, but why not start off a little more positive. "Hey, there. Everything okay?"

audio

[punched_hitler]

Hey, with Shaw down - I know you've got people, but if you need a warden for anything, you can let me know.

Also, if you're planning any trouble, I'd appreciate you letting me know.

[That last bit is a tad toungue-in-cheek, but a guy's got to try.]

Re: audio

[empathicfault]

[ That gets a good chuckle from Will. ]

No plans, other than what I'll do after I graduate. Might be a little trouble there, but I'll be out of your purview by then.

...thanks for reminding me, though. I'm a little surprised Shaw hit her four-month mark again, this time. But having a regular rhythm to it does make it seem less...worrying.

Evening of 7/7

[forensicks]

any objections if I bring over one of the lovely new board games?

[Surely he'd heard about the admiral granting the request that he and his grandmother and Malcolm came up with together. As they continued to spend more time around each other, that first hunt had been one of the only moments that brought anything even slightly real out of Walter. But the schedule of this moment is a time Will will realize Malcolm is likely busy or absent altogether.]

Re: Evening of 7/7

[empathicfault]

[ It's curious. Although Will might be able to guess why Walter's reaching out now. ]

New board games? No, none at all. Come on over.

After the Crunchwrap Debacle; voice

[abrightboy]

Hi. I didn't want to show up at your work... all the time. So. I thought I'd call. Hear your voice. If you have a couple minutes.

Re: After the Crunchwrap Debacle; voice

[empathicfault]

You can show up at work all the time. The kennels are mostly open to the rest of the Barge because it's therapeutic to pet them.

Feeling like you could pet some dogs? I'm just watching the place right now.

audio

[cactusy]

[Shaw is not a panicker - not even when her inmate unceremoniously disappears from her warden item, and she's well aware that there are only two potential causes of that, one significantly better than the other. Still, there's a note of urgency in her voice as she says--]

Graham, check in.

Re: audio

[empathicfault]

[ Will responds near immediately. ]

Checking in. Everything okay on your end?

[ It's a little early for a flood, isn't it? ]

Graduation notification

[madaboutit]

[Sweeney hadn't been ready. How could he be? All he knew was Jax was licking his face to wake him up. With a quick scratch of the hackles, Sweeney pushes himself up to sitting. He squints, trying to figure out why things don't feel right. The floor doesn't offer a great vantage. When he stands, everything falls into place.

OH.

A swell of emotions crash over him. They're complicated at best, but when he gets to the other side, they've settled into 'overwhelmingly positive'. Sweeney pulls out his comm.]

Hey

You got a sec to come by your place?

Re: Graduation notification

[empathicfault]

Sure, I'm not busy. See you in a few minutes.

[ He makes sure Malcolm is awake (they'd been dozing on the couch). Then he heads down to Deck 6, curious if Harkin has something new he's been working on (he was always making or growing or working on magic). Or maybe there's something else going on. It's always hard to tell, considering how busy the ship is.

He knocks on the door, waiting a few moments before opening it. His brother knows he's coming.

Will promptly stops in his tracks, however. He didn't expect to see grass on the ground in front of him. ]

[forensicks]

[A little over an hour after this, as a voicemail:]

Hey. Malcolm told me the news. I was actually bothering him about something else at the time, so, sorry about that. We've been... No, I should say I pushed him away. You might have your concerns, I know... Anyway. I just wanted to say: congratulations.

[empathicfault]

Thanks. No need to apologize- warden-inmate business comes first while we're here, anyway. Sorry to hear you two on the outs.

Several hours after Silent Hill

[madaboutit]

Hey

You ok?

Re: Several hours after Silent Hill

[empathicfault]

Mostly. I'll be much better a day or two out from this. A few more showers couldn't hurt, either.

I saw you. Harkin-you, after I'd infected you. But that wasn't real, right? You didn't see me in that other place?

Audio

[skybeyondsky]

Senior Will seems to be quite busy. [ It seemed only fitting that he should stop calling the other man as a donor as if they were still strangers. So the previous inmate turned warden got a new form of formal address from his temporary inmate. ]

So this young monk wouldn't want to take up too much of Senior's time.

But if it is possible, does senior think he will be able to talk to the esteemed Admiral on Wu Xin's behalf about releasing the holds on the meridians? It was suggested to this one that there might be the possibility where the Admiral has the power to place a hold on my previous abilities instead of a physical hold on my body. As such, this young monk may work to relearn an internal force from scratch. An empty cup can refill slowly drop by drop, but a full cup with a lid upon its waters will be useless as it is.

[ It would take a decade to reach the levels he was before he boarded the Barge, but he was quite certain that even half a year of cultivating his internal force would make him more useful than the average person. ]

The previous events have proven that this vessel is far more dangerous than originally anticipated.

Re: Audio

[empathicfault]

[ Oh, he's 'Senior' Will now? It makes him smile. ]

Hey, Wu Xin- just so you know? You're still my priority here. So don't feel bad about taking up time. Even when we're not paired anymore, I'll do what I can to help you out, okay?

That being said...I can ask for you, but I still think it's unlikely that the Admiral will allow it, since it's a change to your body. But tell me- is the block causing you discomfort or pain? Problems of that nature? I'm not sure what putting holds on the meridians looks like, especially if you're highly attuned to the change.

I do want you to have means of defending yourself, though. The Barge is not usually...that bad, but it's never completely safe here. So we'll work something out, if the Admiral doesn't go for your request. I know you probably haven't extensively used weapons, but that I'm sure I could get for you. Is there anything you'd be okay with using, or trying? I can arrange teaching for whatever it is.

audio; the final day of the Silent Hill plot

[cactusy]

You know, sometimes I really miss being able to track your location. Check in.

Re: audio; the final day of the Silent Hill plot

[empathicfault]

I'm on Deck 2 right now, or at least I think it was Deck 2 last I saw the Barge. If you've run into the other me, watch out for bleed- well, I am now, too. Lots of blood, though, from seemingly nowhere.

[ He sounds a little dazed. He's trying his best to stay focused, though. ]

text; post-pairings

[cactusy]

that was fast

Re: text; post-pairings

[empathicfault]

No kidding. I was surprised, too. Barely had time to get tired of relaxing.

I suspect the Admiral's starting me off with an easy one because he knows I'm here for a good long while.

After waking from his coma

[madaboutit]

Hey Pup

Just wanted to let you know I'm up and moving.

Appreciate you taking Jax.

Hope things are going well.

Re: After waking from his coma

[empathicfault]

Thank goodness, I was worried. Glad you're up.

Things are going well over here.
At least so far. Malcolm and I are enjoying the cruise. Hope you get to do the same.

Ulla's pretty much constantly in the water, by the way, so go join her when you get the chance?