empathicfault | IC Inbox

Will nods at hearing that Maggie thought so, too. The rest? It has Will half-smiling. He leans over and gives a kiss to Malcolm's temple.

"You are," he says definitively. "A very good person. I don't know if you owe them an apology. But if you want to ease any possible hurt caused, then that's a good thought."

Shouldn't be too hard to find. I'll want to check with Harkin about his inventory list, too. But for once I don't think we're going to have to scrounge.

...maybe we should stock up on modern gadgets.

Anything specific you're thinking about?

Uhhh. I actually don't know. Laptops? Smart phones? Or the parts for either. I haven't heard of anyone ruining their communicator, but I'm sure it's happened before, right?

Your wife might be a better person to ask about that.

Will kisses him - at work! - and calls him a good person and he can't help a dreamy, almost dopey, smile.

"You don't think Sweeney is mad at me?"

"I don't think so. He does shove things down..." Will chews on his lower lip, thinking that over.

He looks up to Malcolm again, smiling. Realizing what he's about to say, and how much he means it. "Still, he's family, right? I don't know how you're both handling that, but it's...closer than Pack, to me."

Malcolm smiles softly.

"You know... I thought they were the same thing. But. Maybe they're not?"

Yeah. But there's no real internet on the Barge; our stuff from home doesn't pick up crap.

Will shakes his head. "They might be closer to each other than most things, but...no. If they were the same thing, I think I would've been a lot more comfortable with the concept of family."

Well, yeah...there's no network. Someone smarter than me might be able to build one, but- you don't need internet for a laptop to be useful.

I'm just saying, we've seen a lot of magic lately, maybe we should refocus from spell components to technology while we've got the chance. I know I'm more comfortable with it.

[ Will, you're literally a supernatural creature. ]

“You weren’t comfortable with that?” Malcolm hadn’t noticed. The evolution of their little family has seemed very natural to him. Right. “…Did… people who didn’t really value you try to call you that?” he asks.

"It's more that I didn't really have one. Just my dad, and he didn't have any idea what to do with me. There was a couple of times, when he was fixing up a boat and let me help, that I thought I might've...felt it. That's it."

He draws his knees up and leans slightly more fully against Malcolm. "Hannibal did call me family, though, yes. And it was manipulative. But it was also true." He takes a deep breath in and lets it out in a sigh. "I think family are the people you are connected deeply to, through fate or circumstance. You don't choose your family. You do choose to be Pack. And you are both, to me."

When Will leans closer, Malcolm nuzzles against Will’s jaw, a gesture of comfort that he doesn’t notice has come naturally to him with Will. His finger fidget absently at one of his buttons. He smiles at Will’s conclusion, though.

“You chose me for both,” Malcolm says and his tone makes it clear how stupidly happy that makes him. Maybe he thought Will was interesting and attractive, but he wouldn’t have considered he had a chance there if Will hadn’t initiated the idea. And maybe he was a wolf first, but it was Will who suggested he could be one too and they could have another connection that way. Will offered him what felt like impossible dreams until they became real and Will understands the significance, for Malcolm, of someone choosing him. Choosing him and not changing his mind. Choosing him when there were plenty of other options. “And I choose you.”

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!

Will accepts all the attention readily, something he never thought would come naturally to him. He looks pleased as he leans farther into the nuzzling, making it easier for Malcolm.

As for what Malcolm says, it's true- Will could've let the moment pass, could've pressed down his jealousy over Malcolm's awkward non-flirting with Shaw, ignored the unseen attention Malcolm was getting from Norton and Neal. He could've let it all go and worked on his own mess of a relationship history by himself.

...but it's not in his nature to deny himself, anymore. So where does choice fit in, there? Perhaps it's all merely semantics. Besides, hearing Malcolm choosing him back has him grinning like a kid with a school crush.

"Mmmhmmm," is his very eloquent response. And then, "I love that I make you smile like that."

[ 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?

I never really thought about it, but-- yeah. Not a bad plan.

I also had another idea, if you're interested. You wanna try some crime-solving, Shaw-style?

Malcolm grins down at his knee. “It’s starting to feel more natural. Smiling.” He looks up with a grin that says he’s teasing when he adds “It doesn’t even make my face hurt anymore.”

Nope! Just yourself. …Are we coming back to our cabin tonight? Or do you have something else in mind? I just… don’t want to not see you until then.

No, of course not.

We should probably plan on going back to the cabin for tonight, at least. Cities and I...we don't always get along all that well. I want to be ready for whatever you've got planned tomorrow. They do have dog-friendly places, if you want to get a hotel that night, though...

That makes Will laugh a bit. "Same here, if I'm honest. Still hurts my face, though." His eyes are twinkling. He lets out a happy sigh that coincidentally lets him breathe more of Malcolm in.

"Hey," he says, after a moment. "I'd like to...talk to you. Just- more about future plans," he adds, before Malcolm gets worried. "I know we're getting deals after I graduate, but...I wanted to make sure. I want to stay on until Harkin graduates. It might be a while. Are you okay with that?" He realizes it could be misinterpreted and adds, "I'm sure we'll go visit people, get off the boat sometimes, but as far as where we're living...I want it to be here."

“I’m okay with that,” Malcolm says. “We have to take care of our family, right?” he confirms. “…I never told you,” he suddenly realizes. “When you were in the… coma. One day, when he came to get the dogs for their exercise, he asked me when I was going to ask you to marry me. So I… told him that we’ve already talked about it. I hope that’s okay.”

In my city experience, everywhere is pet friendly if you pay them enough. [He grins and winks.] …What’s your favourite smell? [No reason.]

Oh, yeah? I'd love to.

I mean, there's a lot of people down there, there's got to be some crime to solve. What's Shaw-style like?

Hard and fast, but with more thinking than it used to have, and no collateral damage.

We've test-driven disaster response plenty, but we haven't gotten to do any prevention beyond patrolling. Sounds like a good opportunity to work on Graham-style too, yeah?

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