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[empathicfault]

"Will Graham here. Leave a message."

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

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[empathicfault]

Sure.

[ That sounds like a good backup. Even if Malcolm could probably handle most things, in a pinch.

His eyes slide halfway shut, and he looks for a moment like he might be drifting off. But he does refocus on Shaw. ]

You have questions about anything else while you were down? Anything else?

[cactusy]

[She pauses.]

Are you tired? We can talk later.

[empathicfault]

No, not tired, just-

[ He looks up, trying to decide how to say it. ]

I'm getting overwhelmed again. Maybe I've been 'socializing' too much lately, but I just want to hole up here with the dogs again for awhile.

[cactusy]

[It's something that Shaw is all too familiar with herself these days - both the feeling of overwhelm itself, as well as the resulting impulse. She nods, and shifts a little, preparing to stand if he needs to.]

You want me to go?

[empathicfault]

No. No, I don't.

[ Then what is- ah. ]

You being up is just highlighting how tired I was getting of other people.

...that's a compliment, honest.

[cactusy]

[There are so few people who not only accept, but appreciate that she is how she is - and once again, Shaw finds herself absurdly grateful for getting so lucky pairing-wise. She nods and starts to settle back against the pillows, but then--]

You want me to at least get out of your bed? I don't mind sitting on the floor if you'd rather.

[empathicfault]

And move all those dogs? They're so happy.

[ Will gives her a small grin, but he's not going to keep her there if she wants to get up. The dogs are still competing for pets, although it seems like Winston is winning right now. ]

You thirsty or anything? I don't know what it's like coming out of those.

[cactusy]

[Well, if she's not getting kicked out she's certainly not leaving these pillows and this dogpile (also a pillow, kind of) of her own accord. She shifts to the side a little to give Will more room if he wants to flop next to her, but otherwise, she stays right where she is.]

Water, yeah. Sure. Thanks.

[After a brief pause, she adds--]

-- Graham. There is something I wanted you to know.

[empathicfault]

[ Will stops just before bending down to grab a cup from one of his drawers. ]

Oh, yeah? What's that?

[cactusy]

I came here for the deal.

[She's not looking at him; her eyes are closed.]

But even if it turns out to all be bull - I still want to see you graduate. If the Admiral showed up right now and said I wasn't getting a thing for it, I'd stay.

[empathicfault]

[ He still smiles as he looks at her. It's not something he'd been concerned about, not like some inmates. But it's nice to know she cares that much. ]

Thank you.

But I do want you to get your deal. So if the Admiral did that, I'd call him on his bullshit.

[ He stands up, heading off to grab some water. It doesn't take him very far, but he still calls out:] We could work on taking him down together, maybe.

[cactusy]

Impossible.

[But she appreciates the sentiment all the same. ]

People have tried, you know. Wardens, even.

[empathicfault]

[ Will scoffs, but then it replies cheerfully: ] Well, I'd expect it'd take awhile.

But it's a good thing he seems good for his word.

[ He returns with a cup of water, setting it on the nightstand. Jet starts sniffing towards it and he breath a quiet 'hey'. Jet quickly returns to being interested in Shaw. ]

Wardens have tried, though, huh? What prompted that?

[cactusy]

General discontent about the way things are run, from what I've heard.

[She keeps it vague in part because Steve hasn't given her too many details, and in part because she doesn't want to tattle on him specifically.]

Seems like the goal was to crash the place and set people free.

[empathicfault]

[ Will raises his eyebrows in a weird sort of appreciation. ]

That's a bold goal, when we know so little about how the ship works or even what it's moving through.

But good on them for trying. I'm not discontent, but I understand why some would be.

[cactusy]

[She cracks an eye - half to look at him, half so that she won't knock over the water glass as she reaches for it.]

People died. Even more people were at risk. I don't think it sounds like it was anything close to worth it. This place is-- frustrating, confusing. It does a number on my head. But if it's real, it's not evil.

[empathicfault]

Sure. But I can also understand people not agreeing with that. Not to say I want a mutiny or to put the ship at risk, but we're all from different backgrounds, different places in our lives. It's not so hard to imagine that someone wouldn't have any trust left to give.

[ Will slides his armchair over and sits down, facing Shaw. ]

...if I hadn't been given the choice to come here, I might've done something similar.

[cactusy]

We're not talking about that, though. We're talking about a warden.

[empathicfault]

Really? How interesting.

I assume he got demoted for that one. Especially since people died.

[cactusy]

Yup. It was a few years ago now, though. I'm not sure too many people even know about it now.

[empathicfault]

He was doing it out of principle. So that's...Steve, or Raylan, or maybe someone I haven't spent much time talking to...

[ He's muttering, half-lost in thought. ]

[cactusy]

[Shaw goes quiet for a moment, rubbing her fingers over the velvet of Jet's ear.]

Does it matter?

[empathicfault]

Oh- [ Whoops. ]

Sorry, not really. Habit, I guess. And I'd like to ask him what he's seen that I haven't. Even if his opinion changed, which I'm guessing it must've if he's still here. I like having full knowledge of what I'm working with, and that's been in pretty short supply, here.

I want to ask about the time the ship was broken up, too. But talking to Raylan about it...I got the idea it was extremely traumatizing for everyone involved.

[cactusy]

I could ask him if he'd be cool with you asking about it. Not Raylan, uh-- the other guy.

[empathicfault]

...ah.

[ He looks slightly sheepish, looking to the side and running a hand back through his hair. A profiler's always gonna profile, apparently. He's better about that than Malcolm in some respects, and worse in others. ]

Yeah, would you? If he's uncomfortable about it, I'll drop it entirely.