Will Graham (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
empathicfault) wrote2023-06-18 11:04 am
empathicfault) wrote2023-06-18 11:04 am
IC Inbox
[Open for text/audio/action/whatever.]
[Open for text/audio/action/whatever.]
[ He takes in a breath and sighs it out. ]
I'd like to get this over with, personally. Before I lose this feeling of shame that I earned and I start emulating people I'd rather not, again. Before I let the whispers of how to smooth this over crawl into my brain.
I'd like to get this over with, personally. Before I lose this feeling of shame that I earned and I start emulating people I'd rather not, again. Before I let the whispers of how to smooth this over crawl into my brain.
Oh. Uh...I do think they'd probably accept it more as fact if they know that both you and Kiryu are also aware of me manipulating things. I don't know if it'll fix anything, but that might mean they'd give Malcolm more consideration.
So I'd prefer if you were there.
So I'd prefer if you were there.
Well, that makes things easy. Okay, set it up and we'll do it.
[Pause.]
And, uh-- we can talk about what I would've said if you'd said you didn't want me there, if you want.
[Them both wanting the same thing does make things easier this time, but she's under no illusions that that will always be the case - and she knows he has experience with his wants ultimately not mattering in the face of someone else's.]
[Pause.]
And, uh-- we can talk about what I would've said if you'd said you didn't want me there, if you want.
[Them both wanting the same thing does make things easier this time, but she's under no illusions that that will always be the case - and she knows he has experience with his wants ultimately not mattering in the face of someone else's.]
...ah.
[ He thought she'd been giving him a choice. But that wasn't what she'd said, was it? ]
Sure. Were you expecting me to say no? That I'd rather try it alone?
[ He thought she'd been giving him a choice. But that wasn't what she'd said, was it? ]
Sure. Were you expecting me to say no? That I'd rather try it alone?
Oh. Really? I thought you were noting that just now, so I'd know I--
[ All right, he's confusing himself, now. He clears his throat. ]
Forget it. Just thought you were pulling a Jack Crawford on me, that's all. -which, for the record, is basically "too bad, so sad." What would you have said?
[ All right, he's confusing himself, now. He clears his throat. ]
Forget it. Just thought you were pulling a Jack Crawford on me, that's all. -which, for the record, is basically "too bad, so sad." What would you have said?
I figured you would, which is why I kinda wanted to talk about the hypothetical.
I would have asked why. I would have listened. If I thought the explanation was a good one, I would have said, okay, go do it and we'll talk about it after. If I thought the explanation was crap I would've told you I thought it was crap, and told you why I thought it was crap, and given you a chance to respond. It would have been a really annoying amount of talking.
I would have asked why. I would have listened. If I thought the explanation was a good one, I would have said, okay, go do it and we'll talk about it after. If I thought the explanation was crap I would've told you I thought it was crap, and told you why I thought it was crap, and given you a chance to respond. It would have been a really annoying amount of talking.
[ That last bit surprises a chuckle out of Will. ]
Yeah, most likely. Okay. Thanks for letting me know. I'll go...set some meetings up, then.
Yeah, most likely. Okay. Thanks for letting me know. I'll go...set some meetings up, then.
The day after meetings with Avalon/Jesus/Sheehan are over
abrightboy
2023-12-21 03:32 am (UTC)(link)
Malcolm could see the emotional drain on Will after the meetings. He would only stay that night if Will wanted him to.
But the next day… the next day feels like time to unveil what he has been working on in the Enclosure.
He doesn’t tell Will what they’re going there for, but Will can probably tell he’s excited and also a little nervous. Apart from the crime scene, he has Will’s Christmas gift in his pocket and he hopes he likes it.
As they walk in, they’re in a park, a Victorian style greenhouse looming ahead of them. Malcolm grins and leads him there. On the floor is an elaborate crime scene featuring a young woman, dressed in a white gown and elbow length gloves surrounded by flowers.
Malcolm looks at Will and raises his eyebrows.
But the next day… the next day feels like time to unveil what he has been working on in the Enclosure.
He doesn’t tell Will what they’re going there for, but Will can probably tell he’s excited and also a little nervous. Apart from the crime scene, he has Will’s Christmas gift in his pocket and he hopes he likes it.
As they walk in, they’re in a park, a Victorian style greenhouse looming ahead of them. Malcolm grins and leads him there. On the floor is an elaborate crime scene featuring a young woman, dressed in a white gown and elbow length gloves surrounded by flowers.
Malcolm looks at Will and raises his eyebrows.
Edited 2023-12-21 03:34 (UTC)
Will walks into the Enclosure and something in his demeanor seems to settle when they enter. This place isn't any he recognizes, but it feels right. Comfortable. And he's here alone with Malcolm and there are no walls he has to put up.
He wasn't sure what Malcolm wanted to show him, but it becomes clear after they enter the greenhouse. He sees the body and his first instinct is to chuckle. He can't keep the grin in as he turns to his partner. "You really know how to cheer a guy up," he says, sincerely. He leans down for a quick kiss and adds, "Thank you. Did you come into this one with any info? Seems like the killer wanted her to be perfect. Or look perfect, anyway."
He wasn't sure what Malcolm wanted to show him, but it becomes clear after they enter the greenhouse. He sees the body and his first instinct is to chuckle. He can't keep the grin in as he turns to his partner. "You really know how to cheer a guy up," he says, sincerely. He leans down for a quick kiss and adds, "Thank you. Did you come into this one with any info? Seems like the killer wanted her to be perfect. Or look perfect, anyway."
Will’s grin and then the kiss only make his grin larger and the fact that it’s just them means he doesn’t have to try to school his features like he would try to at a real crime scene.
“She’s the second in twenty-four hours and the media have already dubbed the killer ‘The Bridal Butcher’,” he explains excitedly. “And you’re not wrong about perfection; we’ll discover at the autopsy that this woman actually has heterochromia iridum. The reason both her eyes are blue right now? One of them has been replaced.”
He steps back a step from the display to give Will room to examine it from any angle he likes.
“She’s the second in twenty-four hours and the media have already dubbed the killer ‘The Bridal Butcher’,” he explains excitedly. “And you’re not wrong about perfection; we’ll discover at the autopsy that this woman actually has heterochromia iridum. The reason both her eyes are blue right now? One of them has been replaced.”
He steps back a step from the display to give Will room to examine it from any angle he likes.
"Replaced? I wouldn't have guessed." He steps around the corpse display, placing himself the way the killer would want to once everything was set. One final perfect picture before they left. "There's a lot of white in the flowers, too. Projects innocence, virginal beauty. Not always what people want if they're getting married nowadays, but this is an idealized version. Almost childlike."
He circles around her, not seeing any wounds. She really looks like she's sleeping with her eyes open- or will until the body starts to decompose, anyway.
He crouches down around her head, notes the slight mishap with a false eyelash and reaches out to touch one eye. He taps it with his nail. Glass. He dips it in and tugs it out without hesitation. There's a thrill to messing with a crime scene like this, after the tape is up and everything. "The color matches perfectly. Do prosthetics lean towards glass anymore?" He looks up at Malcolm. "I would think it'd be medical-grade acrylic now."
He circles around her, not seeing any wounds. She really looks like she's sleeping with her eyes open- or will until the body starts to decompose, anyway.
He crouches down around her head, notes the slight mishap with a false eyelash and reaches out to touch one eye. He taps it with his nail. Glass. He dips it in and tugs it out without hesitation. There's a thrill to messing with a crime scene like this, after the tape is up and everything. "The color matches perfectly. Do prosthetics lean towards glass anymore?" He looks up at Malcolm. "I would think it'd be medical-grade acrylic now."
Malcolm is almost giddy that he gets to tell him "It would be. It's a doll's eye. Custom made."
Edited 2023-12-21 21:46 (UTC)
"Really?" Will half-smiles at the glass eye, as he rubs a little eye-based viscera off of it. "So, this was either created by the killer or someone ordered it with our beauty in mind. They probably found someone who makes life-sized dolls. Hmmm."
He holds the eye out for Malcolm, who certainly doesn't need to see it, since he's solved this one already. But it's part of the fun, honestly. He quirks an eyebrow up at Malcolm. "You think we should try solving this normally, or should I...uh, do what I usually do?" It should work, with the amount of detail Malcolm's clearly put into this place. And this shouldn't mess with him like the Dragon did. It's not only been ages, but he's learned how to keep it from sticking quite so much.
He holds the eye out for Malcolm, who certainly doesn't need to see it, since he's solved this one already. But it's part of the fun, honestly. He quirks an eyebrow up at Malcolm. "You think we should try solving this normally, or should I...uh, do what I usually do?" It should work, with the amount of detail Malcolm's clearly put into this place. And this shouldn't mess with him like the Dragon did. It's not only been ages, but he's learned how to keep it from sticking quite so much.
Malcolm takes the eye from him without flinching, tossing it up in the air and catching it again with a grin.
“I think we should solve it whichever way you want to do it,” Malcolm tells him. “Because it’s your present. And also watching you work is extremely attractive either way.” He tosses the eye up and catches it again with a cheeky look.
“I think we should solve it whichever way you want to do it,” Malcolm tells him. “Because it’s your present. And also watching you work is extremely attractive either way.” He tosses the eye up and catches it again with a cheeky look.
Edited 2023-12-21 23:44 (UTC)
Will looks down with a small grin, almost looking like he's shy. ...he's not shy, he's just holding all the pleased feelings within himself and enjoying them. "All right, well. Guess I'll do my 'trick,' in that case. I'm not sure if it'll come 'out' or not, since I'm comfortable. Either way..." He looks up and smiles. "Give me a minute."
He looks down at the body, his expression smoothing over into something blank. He takes a deep breath in, closes his eyes, and the pendulum of light swings. And swings, and sweeps away anything not relevant, anything that time changed. Eventually, even the body is gone.
"I didn't kill her here," he murmurs, eyes still closed. "No, that would be disrespectful. Only the best for these girls, always. I drug them, lightly, so they're resting, then suffocate them slowly. The body doesn't even know it's dying. It's all...gentle." He sees himself bridal-carrying her into the area, set her down on the tarp, and move to grab bundles of flowers. "They might have rejected the strive towards perfection, but I haven't. I'm helping them...transforming them into their best selves. It's important that I do this."
He crouches over the body, like he's sleepwalking. His hand moves vaguely over the tableau. "I've watched them a lot, and I know what they need. I do her hair, I slide her gloves on, I arrange the flowers. I...flinch as I take out her eye, as I sever the optic nerve, but it must be done. She will be beautiful in ways I will never be, and she will be seen by all. This is my design."
His eyes flutter open and his head shakes- twitches, really. But he's back. He rubs at his face as he shifts to standing, part of his ritual to return to the real world. "Was I saying that out loud?" he asks Malcolm, genuinely unsure.
He looks down at the body, his expression smoothing over into something blank. He takes a deep breath in, closes his eyes, and the pendulum of light swings. And swings, and sweeps away anything not relevant, anything that time changed. Eventually, even the body is gone.
"I didn't kill her here," he murmurs, eyes still closed. "No, that would be disrespectful. Only the best for these girls, always. I drug them, lightly, so they're resting, then suffocate them slowly. The body doesn't even know it's dying. It's all...gentle." He sees himself bridal-carrying her into the area, set her down on the tarp, and move to grab bundles of flowers. "They might have rejected the strive towards perfection, but I haven't. I'm helping them...transforming them into their best selves. It's important that I do this."
He crouches over the body, like he's sleepwalking. His hand moves vaguely over the tableau. "I've watched them a lot, and I know what they need. I do her hair, I slide her gloves on, I arrange the flowers. I...flinch as I take out her eye, as I sever the optic nerve, but it must be done. She will be beautiful in ways I will never be, and she will be seen by all. This is my design."
His eyes flutter open and his head shakes- twitches, really. But he's back. He rubs at his face as he shifts to standing, part of his ritual to return to the real world. "Was I saying that out loud?" he asks Malcolm, genuinely unsure.
Malcolm is smiling a fainter but warmer smile. He nods. “And you’re right. My sister was covering this story and - in passing - I mentioned the gloves. She’s the one that recognized that these girls weren’t dressed as brides. They were debutantes.”
Another clue that he only learned by being told. His substitute for the crime lab Will had given him access to.
Another clue that he only learned by being told. His substitute for the crime lab Will had given him access to.
The reaction (or more, the lack of anything negative) is unexpected, even with knowing that this is how Malcolm would logically respond. Even with knowing that he only let his conclusions out for everyone to see because 'everyone' was Malcolm and he felt comfortable. Even with everything they can relate to each other on. And he realizes he'd been assuming that it was just 'off-putting,' the thing he does and there was nothing to be done about it.
He takes a moment to wrestle with the emotion that wells up. At the same time, the rest of the killer's feelings start to take their leave, receding into the background of his mind. He looks momentarily like he might cry, and it makes his eyes a bit shiny as he smiles warmly back at Malcolm.
"Debutantes?" he asks, his voice pleased and growing steadier with each word. "That's still a thing? I would've figured that'd be a little too embarrassingly traditional for the current 'rich elite.'"
He takes a moment to wrestle with the emotion that wells up. At the same time, the rest of the killer's feelings start to take their leave, receding into the background of his mind. He looks momentarily like he might cry, and it makes his eyes a bit shiny as he smiles warmly back at Malcolm.
"Debutantes?" he asks, his voice pleased and growing steadier with each word. "That's still a thing? I would've figured that'd be a little too embarrassingly traditional for the current 'rich elite.'"
It was remarkable and he lets Will compose himself afterwards, but when he picks up the line of questioning again, Malcolm steps over to give him a tender kiss before he answers, not stepping far out of his space to do so.
"Debutantes. My sister actually went to a hundred year old finishing school to learn etiquette and... other fake ways to be 'perfect'. But she never debuted. She dropped out of the program before that. Fun fact: both victims went to the same school. And so did the next one." He gives Will a cheeky look. "There isn't much that's too embarrassing for the rich elite."
"Debutantes. My sister actually went to a hundred year old finishing school to learn etiquette and... other fake ways to be 'perfect'. But she never debuted. She dropped out of the program before that. Fun fact: both victims went to the same school. And so did the next one." He gives Will a cheeky look. "There isn't much that's too embarrassing for the rich elite."
The kiss wouldn't belong in this scene, except for the two of them here. Will basks in it, this unspoken support. The connection. And he breathes it in, settling and finding calm as he watches Malcolm's face.
He looks down with a chuckle at the last note, and adds, "I guess not. Did the victims 'debut'? Maybe this was supposed to be it for them." He quirks an eyebrow and looks at Malcolm. "Did you have to do anything like this? A...finishing school?" He honestly doesn't know how most of it works.
He looks down with a chuckle at the last note, and adds, "I guess not. Did the victims 'debut'? Maybe this was supposed to be it for them." He quirks an eyebrow and looks at Malcolm. "Did you have to do anything like this? A...finishing school?" He honestly doesn't know how most of it works.
“Finishing schools are for girls, but I did go to an elite boarding school that was founded by my mother’s family and for which she still sits on the board. The incident I told you about - the boy that locked me in the janitor’s closet and my… retribution…” He doesn’t call it his murder this time. “That’s the school I got expelled from for it. I don’t think my mother has ever had much hope that I could be ‘perfect’, even if it were an option. She’s at the point where she’ll take ‘alive’ and ‘reasonably functional’.” He shrugs and smiles a bit. “I’m not sure I could gave sat through etiquette class with a straight face anyway.”
Will actually cracks a smile as Malcolm finally calls it something other than a 'murder'. Retribution sounds like the proper word for it, and he's proud of Malcolm for not taking that unearned guilt. But still- ugh. That place. "I would've been thrown out of both places before the end of the day, I imagine," he admits with a sly smile. "I feel bad for your sister's plight, though. Especially..."
He trails off and tilts his head. "Was she targeted too? Or- is asking spoiling the case?"
He trails off and tilts his head. "Was she targeted too? Or- is asking spoiling the case?"
Page 74 of 111
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- 20
- 21
- 22
- 23
- 24
- 25
- 26
- 27
- 28
- 29
- 30
- 31
- 32
- 33
- 34
- 35
- 36
- 37
- 38
- 39
- 40
- 41
- 42
- 43
- 44
- 45
- 46
- 47
- 48
- 49
- 50
- 51
- 52
- 53
- 54
- 55
- 56
- 57
- 58
- 59
- 60
- 61
- 62
- 63
- 64
- 65
- 66
- 67
- 68
- 69
- 70
- 71
- 72
- 73
- 74
- 75
- 76
- 77
- 78
- 79
- 80
- 81
- 82
- 83
- 84
- 85
- 86
- 87
- 88
- 89
- 90
- 91
- 92
- 93
- 94
- 95
- 96
- 97
- 98
- 99
- 100
- 101
- 102
- 103
- 104
- 105
- 106
- 107
- 108
- 109
- 110
- 111
- »
Page 74 of 111