Malcolm Bright (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
abrightboy) wrote2030-04-30 04:28 pm
abrightboy) wrote2030-04-30 04:28 pm
Entry tags:
Voicemail (IC Contact Post) OLD - at capcha
This is Bright. Leave a message.
[Malcolm looks at the file, then his face, then slowly reaches for it, taking it from him. He looks at the cover, then up at his face again, a little wary and a little confused.]
You said you don’t trust me.
You said you don’t trust me.
[Malcolm hugs the file to his chest then.]
Okay. That's more than I've earned. [He nods and gestures towards the gazebo door.] Let me know if there's anything else you need.
Okay. That's more than I've earned. [He nods and gestures towards the gazebo door.] Let me know if there's anything else you need.
It's not more than you've earned. [His chest aches a little more at how cowed Malcolm is, guilt prowling around the edges of his hurt the way it always inevitably does.] Malcolm, I...
[He stops.] If you want--if you want, I can... coach you, maybe. On being more...
[Neal gestures at nothing in particular.] More participatory. Less prescriptive. About people. Your job, your real job, you have to be prescriptive. You take evidence, you draw conclusions, you present your findings, it's what you do. But you're not... trying to create a profile that will hold up to scrutiny from lawyers here. It's not a contest to be the most right about the people you're talking to. I can help. Maybe. I know how to get people to listen. It just takes practice. Like everything does.
[He stops.] If you want--if you want, I can... coach you, maybe. On being more...
[Neal gestures at nothing in particular.] More participatory. Less prescriptive. About people. Your job, your real job, you have to be prescriptive. You take evidence, you draw conclusions, you present your findings, it's what you do. But you're not... trying to create a profile that will hold up to scrutiny from lawyers here. It's not a contest to be the most right about the people you're talking to. I can help. Maybe. I know how to get people to listen. It just takes practice. Like everything does.
[Malcolm’s expression falters slightly.]
That’s… kind of you. But I’m not really ready to put my feet back under me. I’m going to do something else for a while. Then… if I miss it… I’ll… come see you about it.
That’s… kind of you. But I’m not really ready to put my feet back under me. I’m going to do something else for a while. Then… if I miss it… I’ll… come see you about it.
[He knows he honestly can’t promise he won’t do it at all. It makes him hesitate for just a second.]
..I’d like that. If you want to. You… know where to find me.
[Sort of. An origami flower is still under a door that hasn’t been opened.]
Or you can call.
..I’d like that. If you want to. You… know where to find me.
[Sort of. An origami flower is still under a door that hasn’t been opened.]
Or you can call.
[Neal notes the hesitation and shifts his weight uncomfortably.] I just meant I'm not asking you to be my therapist, that I just want to talk to you. I like talking to you.
[A faint laugh.] Recent evidence notwithstanding.
[He pauses.]
I'm... experimenting. With something. An art project.
[A faint laugh.] Recent evidence notwithstanding.
[He pauses.]
I'm... experimenting. With something. An art project.
[Malcolm isn’t sure how to handle the first confession.]
I thought you really hated me.
[It’s not an accusation; it’s a confession too. He looks at the gazebo door and then at Neal.]
Can I see it?
I thought you really hated me.
[It’s not an accusation; it’s a confession too. He looks at the gazebo door and then at Neal.]
Can I see it?
[That pries a small smile out of him.]
Because our mission statement is helping people develop healthy coping mechanisms?
Because our mission statement is helping people develop healthy coping mechanisms?
Well, I do like everything I’ve heard about him so far.
Malcolm, are you in your cabin?
[ He sounds breathless and there's some sort of monstrous screeching in the background. ]
[ He sounds breathless and there's some sort of monstrous screeching in the background. ]
Will! I was in the library, but I heard some kind of commotion... what's that noise? Are you okay?
I'm okay. Dodging some bat-monsters. I'm on the Deck. I don't know if it's happening over the whole ship, but-
[ There's a loud screech and an even louder bang. Shuffling noises and heavy breathing for a moment. ]
Still okay. Is it safe in the library?
[ There's a loud screech and an even louder bang. Shuffling noises and heavy breathing for a moment. ]
Still okay. Is it safe in the library?
Page 110 of 201
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- 20
- 21
- 22
- 23
- 24
- 25
- 26
- 27
- 28
- 29
- 30
- 31
- 32
- 33
- 34
- 35
- 36
- 37
- 38
- 39
- 40
- 41
- 42
- 43
- 44
- 45
- 46
- 47
- 48
- 49
- 50
- 51
- 52
- 53
- 54
- 55
- 56
- 57
- 58
- 59
- 60
- 61
- 62
- 63
- 64
- 65
- 66
- 67
- 68
- 69
- 70
- 71
- 72
- 73
- 74
- 75
- 76
- 77
- 78
- 79
- 80
- 81
- 82
- 83
- 84
- 85
- 86
- 87
- 88
- 89
- 90
- 91
- 92
- 93
- 94
- 95
- 96
- 97
- 98
- 99
- 100
- 101
- 102
- 103
- 104
- 105
- 106
- 107
- 108
- 109
- 110
- 111
- 112
- 113
- 114
- 115
- 116
- 117
- 118
- 119
- 120
- 121
- 122
- 123
- 124
- 125
- 126
- 127
- 128
- 129
- 130
- 131
- 132
- 133
- 134
- 135
- 136
- 137
- 138
- 139
- 140
- 141
- 142
- 143
- 144
- 145
- 146
- 147
- 148
- 149
- 150
- 151
- 152
- 153
- 154
- 155
- 156
- 157
- 158
- 159
- 160
- 161
- 162
- 163
- 164
- 165
- 166
- 167
- 168
- 169
- 170
- 171
- 172
- 173
- 174
- 175
- 176
- 177
- 178
- 179
- 180
- 181
- 182
- 183
- 184
- 185
- 186
- 187
- 188
- 189
- 190
- 191
- 192
- 193
- 194
- 195
- 196
- 197
- 198
- 199
- 200
- 201
- »
Page 110 of 201