empathicfault | IC Inbox

Will knows he's there, even if he's feeding the swamp dragon in the other room. He's too familiar with the scent, and he notices Winston go off to greet the man through the open door in his peripheral vision. Unfortunately, you have to be very careful when feeding him and make sure he doesn't get too agitated, so he takes a minute or two to get everything out slowly and carefully. And then he slowly and casually walks to the door, because post-meal there might be some fire-burps.

Once he shuts the door, he smiles at Malcolm. He knows something's probably not going well, but why not start off a little more positive. "Hey, there. Everything okay?"

When Will approaches, speaks to him, Malcolm smiles. It’s small and tinged with sadness, but it’s genuine.

“Hi. Sorry to…” He waves his hand at the room. “I just… I just needed to see you.”

Will nods and pulls him into a hug, because he's pretty sure Malcolm needs one.

"Well, it's good to see you anytime," he murmurs into Malcolm's ear. "Did something happen?"

As soon as Will pulls him into the hug - shows him its okay - he clings to him.

“Johann came to see me,” he says, pressing his face into Will’s shoulder. “He’s leaving.”

Will hugs tightly back, rubbing Malcolm's back a little. "Oh, Malcolm. I'm sorry."

After a moment of quiet and hugs, he asks, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I don't... know," he says honestly. "Just... like....... the other week when he wanted me to let him heal me he was all 'you're not alone; I'm on your side' and now he's just... leaving." He takes a breath. "That week when I was... injured, Thomas came to visit and he said he's leaving too, but not yet. Just soon. And they both said they'd be happy for us to visit... Johann said he expects us to visit, but... it still feels like when Raylan and Kiryu and Francis all left in a row," he rambles. "So I came down here, because..." He looks up at Will's face. "I just wanted to see someone who won't leave without me, I guess."

Will pulls back enough to look Malcolm in the face, then leans forward to gently kiss him on the forehead, the cheek, the mouth. It's a reverent movement, to remind Malcolm how cherished he is.

"And I won't. I'm sorry you have to go through this again."

The tenderness of the gesture makes the tension in his frame ease tangibly. His fingers fidget absently at the seams of Will's shirt at his shoulder and his waist.

"Neal's been in a coma for a long time. I know it'll be okay even if it's just you and me left, but... I liked... having friends." His arms slip back around Will and he holds on tight. "But if I can only hold on to one thing that I've never had before, I'd choose this."

Malcolm's sense of loss is tangible to Will. He lets himself feel it for a moment, gently pressing his forehead against Malcolm's, letting the tears well up. One of these days, it'll be Will's turn. Shaw's in a coma right now, but the regularity of it makes it seem less worrying, somehow. It makes her less likely to disappear.

"You still have friends. And we will visit them, but...it's still a break. They're difficult to reach. And it still hurts...I don't think any of it is going to feel real until I'm free to go."

He doesn't apologize this time. It's just how it is. He leans into Malcolm and hugs him tightly. "The moment I graduate, we see how many places Iris is willing to take us. I've been making up a list."

Malcolm looks up at him with wide eyes.

He holds tight to their plans; they mean everything to him but... Will making a list is Will making it tangible in some small way.

"You made a list? What's on it?"

"Hmm...let's see. First, we're headed to our place on Lark's world, but after that..." He fishes his communicator out of his pocket and starts perusing it, finally opening a little notetaking function. "Raylan Givens in Miami. Aaron Stampler in Nie Huaisang's world." He points out the parenthesis and reads it out, "Chinese ghost magic?" before continuing.

"Francis Crozer on his world. Kikimora, Boiling Isles- watch out for the boiling rain. Johann in whatever world he's gone to- haven't checked into that yet. Kiryu Kazama on his world. Help Root and Shaw with the Machine whenever they go back. Visit Maggie whenever she goes back. Go on an adventure with Iris. Back 'home' to apologize to Molly. Spread the 'Good Word' wherever possible."

Malcolm listens raptly, tilting his head to look at the little screen. His eyes glisten a little by the time Will is done. He looks up at him again.

“You really, really thought about it. Like planning a really real trip.”

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