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[empathicfault]

"Will Graham here. Leave a message."

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

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[abrightboy]

"I didn't mind those ones so much. ...Maybe next time, I'll brag," he teases with a grin, closing his eyes to focus on the warmth of being snuggled up there. His expression grows serious again, though he doesn't open his eyes. "The only one I didn't want to answer - and didn't at all - was the demand to know all the future plans we've talked about. I don't want to tell her we're going to get our own ship and go anywhere. She'll be like... I knew it! You're going to isolate yourselves on a ship! But, really, if we get the kind of ship we want, we'll be able to visit anyone, any time we want. No matter where they go after this. I think it'll make us more social than if we just have them drop us in one world or another." There's a pause. "Do you think living on a space boat will be like when you lived on a houseboat?"

[empathicfault]

"Might be something like it," Will replies with a smile. It's a nice thought, just docking in different worlds whenever they want to settle for a bit, staying in the spots they like. "Although hopefully the engine'll break down less."

The plan still makes him feel warm and content inside. He'd never felt entirely comfortable in a house, not even his place in Wolf Trap. He didn't know what to do with it, other than exist inside it. His dogs were what made it home. He'd never felt the need to set roots down.

He squeezes Malcolm's shoulder before addressing his worry. "I don't think Shaw would hate the idea, by the way. Especially if I explain why I want to do it this way. That I want to see new things and help people, and I don't want to lose track of anyone I've gotten close to here. She'd understand that." He closes his eyes, briefly, and imagines it. "It'd let me help her out, too- she...actually offered to take me back to her world, after graduation. If I wanted. She thought I'd work well with her team."

[abrightboy]

“Even if I thought she’d take it well - and she rarely takes things well when I say them - I didn’t think it was fair to ask me that behind your back,” Malcolm tells him. “It’s ours.”

[empathicfault]

Will can't help it- that makes him grin with delight. "It is. But I don't mind telling her if you you're all right with it. It'll keep being ours." Maybe he'll just leave off the part of wanting to solve people's problems via violent murder. "Do you know what you'd want it to look like? We could probably ask for anything."

[abrightboy]

"I don't mind what the outside looks like. I just want it to be... kind of open concept inside. Like my apartment. ...I have claustrophobia," Malcolm says. "But not too big. Cozy."

[empathicfault]

"Your loft's style. Open, with plenty of space to put souvenirs," Will notes, mildly paraphrasing. "Might feel a little empty for our first couple of trips, but we'll fill it up. The outside should be something we could hide...a vehicle might be too anachronistic. Like a tree? Or maybe just a door. I don't know, I'll have to think on that one. Oh- a sort-of Enclosure-like open space for the dogs, maybe. In case we need to keep them in."

He'd meant for it to just be a mild distraction, but it's fun to think about. A home for both of them. Something that feels appropriate.

[abrightboy]

"Just a door? Can it be just a door? ...But then it'd have to be bigger on the inside," Malcolm says with a giggle.

[empathicfault]

"I don't think the Admiral has too many problems with non-Euclidean space. He could probably manage that. Especially if we're traveling between dimensions," Will says, with an amused grin. "Don't you think?"

[abrightboy]

Malcolm smiles broadly and snuggles closer against his side.

“Look out, multiverse.”

[empathicfault]

"Mmmmm," hums Will, in an agreement full of contentment. "And until we get that set up, we'll be riding on this big boat. Not too many people seem to like it like we do, I've noticed."

That's not to say that Will hasn't been frustrated by it, or messed up by a thing or two. But compared to home, this place is great. Besides, it's the people that he's had problems with, mostly.

"Iris understands. She might be the only one."

[abrightboy]

“I’ve noticed that,” Malcolm agrees. He pauses, then opens his eyes and tilts his head to look up at Will. “I did tell Shaw that I won’t give you up. I won’t.”

[empathicfault]

Will smiles down at Malcolm. "I won't give you up, either. Never. If that's something I have to do to graduate, then this whole system isn't what we thought it was."

And they'd figure out some other way to get him out of there, then. "But that's not the impression I've gotten from this place."

[abrightboy]

"Me either," Malcolm agrees, settling back against Will's shoulder. "Love is something, existentially, the Admiral seems to want people to have more of.'

[empathicfault]

"Sure seems that way. Especially with all the couples and...more there end up being around here." Will seems almost amused by that.

"And considering some of the inmates, there might be more of a focus on recovery than pure 'rehabilitation'. Learning to care for yourself again, that sort of thing. There's no way cutting people off is going to be part of that."

[abrightboy]

“Exactly. People who’ve lost love or are unloved, people who are isolated, people who haven’t experienced real connection with others or affection… they’re the ones that turn to violence and antisocial behaviour, statistically,” Malcolm notes.

[empathicfault]

"And the curse passes on," Will replies, in far less analytical fashion. "It does seem like this place is focused on turning it all the opposite way. Even for the wardens, sometimes."

He hums thoughtfully, before continuing on. "Shaw talked to me about that, too. The relationship things. She thought the whole reason I'm here is because of relationship issues, and- after I thought about it a minute, I think she might be right. I've never actually interacted with people in a normal way. And here all my coping mechanisms have been taken away. I feel like I'm...stumbling in the dark, sometimes."

[abrightboy]

"Maybe you just need to be where people don't expect normal from you," Malcolm tells him. "Maybe that will give you the space to work out who you are. And who you aren't," he suggests.

[empathicfault]

"I feel like I know who I am, but- that's not acceptable for graduation, for some reason."

He heaves a sigh that's intended to be overdramatic, then smiles wanly at Malcolm. "I'm hoping I'm merely missing something, perhaps small but important. And once it clicks, I'll breeze through. That seems to happen every so often."

[abrightboy]

"If a relationship thing is your problem... I don't think it's how you do relationships. Hannibal corrupted you. On purpose. I know how complicated it can be, but... there's something of his still in there," Malcolm says, wiggling his fingers at Will's temple. "I know. I have it, too. The... voice that... whispers. Do you always know where it ends and yours starts?"

[empathicfault]

That gets a real frown from Will as he thinks about how to answer. "No," he answers honestly. "It's not a voice, not a whisper, it's a...a symphony. I don't know if there is a way to separate our thoughts out, not anymore. The melding was strong and complete. So if that's it- well, I'm not sure what I can do."

He has a look of real concentration on his face. He's taking the idea seriously, but he's sort of at a loss.

[abrightboy]

"The Admiral wouldn't give you a goal that you can't accomplish," Malcolm tells him. "If there's no way to... purge him, then that's not the problem," he concludes simply.

[empathicfault]

"Hmm." Will still seems troubled. "I do wish I could give you a better answer than that. Something more reassuring. Something that indicates I'm...making progress, of some sort."

[abrightboy]

"You... don't have to demonstrate progress for me. I mean. I'd like to help if I can but... I don't need you to be Making Progress, as long as you're not going to... jump over the side or something. Sometimes people don't even figure out what their progress looks like and then bam! They graduate. So. I think you're doing fine. Besides, we don't know that you being here really has anything to do with Hannibal. Maybe it's about learning to say no to things that are harmful to you. Without.... jumping off a cliff with them."

[empathicfault]

"What, that's not the usual method of setting boundaries?" Will replies, giving Malcolm a wry smile. It shifts into something fonder and more genuine, however, as he leans his head against Malcolm's.

"You have a point. I'd rather not take too long and- ruin all our plans, that's all. I have a real reason to stick around now." For the first few months he was here, it was just extra time, icing on a cake. But he's invested now.

[abrightboy]

“Love will save the day?”

His fingers fidget absently at the front of Will’s shirt.

“We can take all the time you need here. But I think you are making progress. You found a real reason to stick around already,” he suggests with a grin.