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[empathicfault]

"Will Graham here. Leave a message."

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

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In port, before Wolfing; video from a hallway while he walks

[abrightboy]

[Right after this but before Wolfening.]

Hey, just an FYi that Shaw has been doing self-prescribed civic clean up in the docking ring, apparently, and today she got shot. She’s okay. She’s with Root in their hotel room. But just in case you wonder why she comes back after with a hole in her.

[empathicfault]

[ That actually pulls out a bark of a laugh from him. ]

Of course she has been. There was no way she was going to just leave all that crime there completely unfought.

Did Root call you? Did they- wait, doesn't Shaw have Gaius' healing?

[abrightboy]

Root wasn’t with her. She was walking up to me and these guys pulled guns on us. I guess she thought the guy I was talking to looked suspicious. I took her to a clinic she asked for where they recognized her, then dropped her off with Root.

She was cagey about the healing. She eventually told me that she will only use it if she’s going to actually die.

[empathicfault]

Wait- you're-

Are you okay? They didn't hit you, or shoot you, did they? Did they hurt you at all?

[ His voice is growing quiet and cold. ]

[abrightboy]

This guy knifed me in the leg, but I took the knife out of my leg and put it in his lung.

[empathicfault]

Good.

[ He takes a breath instead of continuing, because that was about to get very nasty. ]

Guess that guy was suspicious. Did any of those guys get out? Are they going to be looking for you or Shaw?

[abrightboy]

Not if they have any baseline brain functions. They’re hurt worse than she is.

[empathicfault]

Okay. [ He takes a breath- which catches, and he disappears for a moment. ]

Sorry, Shaw called. You okay, otherwise? And she's...patched up?

[abrightboy]

Patched up and Root has her on lockdown.

Listen… I have to go pick something up but then… can I come see you? Where are you?

[empathicfault]

I trust Root to keep her there. Okay.

And of course you can. I'm back on the Barge, checking in on Winston and Buster and Jax. I was bringing some supplies on board, but I should be all done with that now. I can find someone to let me out if you want to meet somewhere on the station, though.

[abrightboy]

Oh. No! I’ll meet you on the Barge. Your cabin or mine. Whichever you want.

[empathicfault]

Let's go to your cabin? I feel like I haven't seen it enough this week. Even though I've been over there plenty...

[abrightboy]

Well, I like you in my cabin, so… I’ll see you there.

--> action

[empathicfault]

[ And so Will is waiting in Malcolm's cabin, sitting on a bar stool and leaning back on the kitchen counter. He watches the front door as it opens, smiling at Malcolm as soon as he has the chance. ]

Welcome back.

Re: --> action

[abrightboy]

Malcolm meets that smile with one of his own. He has a package under his arm, but he deposits it on the counter for the moment, in favour of wrapping his arms around Will to squeeze him tight. Francis already intercepted him to change his stabbed, bloody pants. There’s no physical sign he was in a fight. He gives Will a kiss before drawing back.

“I missed you all day,” he says, though he went to the station without him on purpose. To find him a gift.

He picks up a solid, shiny black box and hands it to Will. Inside he’ll find a device that looks like a particularly sleek helmet with an opaque visor built in.

Re: --> action

[empathicfault]

Will accepts the hug readily, humming happily as Malcolm tells him he missed him. "I missed you, too. Although I'm sure we both had chores to-"

That's when he sees the box. "This is for me?" He raises an eyebrow and opens it. He pulls out the helmet and starts looking it over carefully. He had his own little something to give Malcolm, but the smaller black box rests forgotten on the counter as he looks over the helmet.

He thinks he might know what it's for, but he goes with his least likely suspect as a joke. "You bought me a motorcycle? I dunno...might be kind of hard to ride it in the Barge..." He smirks a little as he looks hopefully back up to Malcolm. Tell him what this does, please?

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[abrightboy]

"It's like..." He's almost giddy but has to search for the right words. "It's like a sensory deprivation tank, except it's portable! I mean. It gives you the same experience as a sensory deprivation tank. But you can use it anywhere. If you're overwhelmed."

[empathicfault]

He breaks into a grin, hearing about it. "I was wondering if it was something like that. That's perfect. Maybe it'll even help me 'reset' some when I've been on the Barge too long."

The breaches 'helped,' as far as that went, and he's definitely found some respite here in Malcolm's cabin. But a total void? Maybe his brain can finally work out some of the twists and turns it's got this way.

He gives Malcolm a small, mischievous smile, then puts the helmet on. Got to test just how heavy a dark and quiet it gives him, right? He won't be long, honest. Hell, even just not having to worry about whatever expression he's been wearing while he zones out might be nice.

[abrightboy]

Malcolm watches with gleeful enthusiasm, not moving to turn off the lights or anything. Best to see how it works in a normal room.

One hand fidgets on the edge of the counter, his whole frame eager with anticipation.

[empathicfault]

It works better than Will expected, although being on the Barge had made him forget the extent of the technology on the station a bit. It's dark and silent and he can barely even feel anything, somehow. After about half a minute, Will tentatively reaches up and pulls it off, blinking like he'd just come out of a tunnel.

"You should try that sometime," Will recommends, setting it on the counter. "But while sitting. I get the feeling that after a few minutes, you'd lose all sense of up and down." His eyes focus on Malcolm and he breaks into a grin, before reaching out to pull Malcolm into another hug. "Now I can take a break anytime. I love it," he says into Malcolm's ear, before kissing just under it. "Thank you."

[abrightboy]

"I'm so glad you like it," Malcolm tells him, holding him tight. "I knew they had to have things that we wouldn't be able to get at home."

[empathicfault]

"You were right," Will replies contentedly. "I just never would've thought to look for something like that. It's so thoughtful."

He pulls back enough to kiss him, then gives him a sheepish smile. "I got you something too, but I don't know if I should be trying to follow this up."

[abrightboy]

"You got me something?" The only person who'd ever given him gifts that weren't obligations was Gil.

Not counting his dad in the Before Times.

"What is it?" he asks eagerly, bouncing a little on the balls of his feet, even still in Will's grasp.

[empathicfault]

Will laughs, looking down towards the counter. He kind of has to now, doesn't he? Maybe he should've waited until Malcolm noticed the box.

He sort of wishes he had three hands now, though. He somehow manages to reach for the box with one arm without letting entirely go of their hug. It takes a firm grasp on Malcolm's upper arm for a moment, but it works.

He comes back with a small box, with a small thing inside. Will bites his lip as he watches Malcolm open it.

[abrightboy]

Malcolm opens the box and his eyes widen a little. He looks up at Will.

“This is a ring.”

Thank you, Captain Obvious. He takes it carefully out of the box, like it’s made of something that will crumble or evaporate if he handles it too roughly.

“It’s beautiful,” he breathes. He looks from the finish - gold showing through the cracks, like him - to Will with wonder. “How is this less big than what I got you?” he says, almost accusing, clutching it in his palm to his chest before putting his hand out so he can open it and look at the ring again.