empathicfault: (Couch Nap)
Will Graham ([personal profile] empathicfault) wrote2023-06-18 11:04 am

IC Inbox

"Will Graham here. Leave a message."

[Open for text/audio/action/whatever.]
abrightboy: (what do you mean)

[personal profile] abrightboy 2023-09-08 10:39 pm (UTC)(link)
He slumps forward in a sort of relief at the observation.

“It was going mostly well. At home. Before I came here. Being on a team as me. I… I do want to… to connect with people and I want to be part of things, but… there are at least seven people here who like me pretty well just… how I am. Seven. I have a best friend and a boyfriend. This is the most successful I’ve ever been at developing connections with people that I’ve ever been.” He presses his lips together. “Sometimes I forget that. Sometimes the chorus of negativity beats me down so badly that I can’t see it. But you’re always there when that happens.” He pauses. “I made up with Neal. Oh! And want to hear something weird? I was in the library and Laura was there and she asked me questions. About mental health. Pretty sure she punched me for sticking my nose in people’s mental health but…” he shrugs expansively. “Sometimes I take some getting used to.”
abrightboy: (blankie)

[personal profile] abrightboy 2023-09-09 12:15 am (UTC)(link)
Malcolm smiles back at him, leaning against him, wrapping his arms around him. Practically radiating affection.

“I love you so much,” he murmurs. “I’m… I think I do want to figure myself out before I… tweak things. I can do that without it meaning that I think I’m perfect, right?”
abrightboy: (wants to help)

[personal profile] abrightboy 2023-09-09 12:26 am (UTC)(link)
“I like who I am when I’m with you,” Malcolm admits. “It’s a weird new feeling.”
abrightboy: (looks to you)

[personal profile] abrightboy 2023-09-09 01:02 am (UTC)(link)
Malcolm melts a little at the touch, his eyes fluttering closed for a moment.

“I tried to explain… about that. About how far I’ve come and how hard I had to work. It’s… hearing that dismissed as an excuse not to put in more effort was the worst part.”

His eyes open.

“That wasn’t what I meant.”
abrightboy: (empathy)

[personal profile] abrightboy 2023-09-09 02:05 am (UTC)(link)
"You know what was the weirdest part, though? When she said something about me being taught to communicate by manipulative people, like we talked about. Except... we've never talked about that. I don't know where that even came from," Malcolm muses.

He shifts to curl up against Will's chest, so he can hear his heartbeat.

"But she seemed to think I should know how to overcome it."
abrightboy: (empathy)

[personal profile] abrightboy 2023-09-09 02:19 am (UTC)(link)
"You don't have to apologize for thinking about me," Malcolm tells him. "Did you talk about that because you were trying to smooth things out? Because I literally asked you to," he points out, drawing patterns on Will's knee absently with one finger.
abrightboy: (heh)

[personal profile] abrightboy 2023-09-09 02:40 am (UTC)(link)
Malcolm snuggles in. "I'm interested," he tells him.
abrightboy: (confession)

[personal profile] abrightboy 2023-09-09 03:35 am (UTC)(link)
He considers that.

“My therapist said that would probably happen. Not to me. I overheard her telling my mother. But we’ve never talked about it or… how it might impact me. I guess… bigger fish to fry. Like you said. …I have been called immature. But ‘weird’ and ‘intense’ tend to get thrown around a lot more. And Gabrielle seemed to think a lot of the emotional regulation issues came down to the. Um. Secret diagnosis plus my mood disorders.”
abrightboy: (presses lips)

[personal profile] abrightboy 2023-09-10 02:41 am (UTC)(link)
Malcolm’s expression creases and he nods slowly. “The fight with Raylan and the fight with Neal… they both happened because I lost my temper about something. And now… they both said they forgave me but it’s different now. There’s a… a wall there that wasn’t there with me before. And I lost control and made them put it up and nothing I say or do makes it better. I don’t know how to fix it. I thought everyone lost their temper sometimes, but… mine must be different somehow. More… more harmful or… “ He trails off. “Do you think it can be fixed? Do you think if it’s fixed they’ll let me be with them like we were before?”
abrightboy: (thinking down)

[personal profile] abrightboy 2023-09-11 12:02 am (UTC)(link)
Malcolm nods glumly. “It’s just… there seems to be no limit to the things I can ruin by saying the wrong thing.” He twists around to look up at Will. “What if I say something awful to you in the heat of the moment? Where will I go then?”
abrightboy: (Default)

[personal profile] abrightboy 2023-09-11 12:25 am (UTC)(link)
Malcolm snuggles back against him, clutching his hand.

“I’m not afraid of him. I’m dangerous too.”
abrightboy: (concession)

[personal profile] abrightboy 2023-09-11 12:49 am (UTC)(link)
"I like the idea of having nothing to worry about but I don't actually know what it's like," he teases, fidgeting with the tail of Will's shirt.

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