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[abrightboy]

 This is Bright. Leave a message.

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[tinstar]

Stock and Trade of these things sometimes. Too much noise to be worth arguin' about it in that venue. 'Fair' is astronomically hard to find in life, much less here.

Look, I love Roman and that should mean that we're doin' what we think is best for those we're caring for. I don't know Reid. I can't say that he feels the same way about the service of the feeling, but that discussion allowed some of us to at least be heard, supported or not. No can say they don't know where you stand, and honestly, that's productive.

Have you talked to Neal since you walked out of the meeting?

[abrightboy]

What were some of the other ideas on the scale?

[pharadyne]

[Norton opens the door and waves Malcolm in.]

Well, I wouldn't go so far as to say everything's okay, but there's no immediate emergency. More like a slow and continuous pile up of multiple ongoing disasters that I find myself on the edge of.

First of all, sorry I didn't visit you in the infirmary when Lestat... [He makes a small squeaky noise and draws his finger across this throat.] It's been...well you know how it's been lately.

Second of all, I know Neal also had a bit of a...uh...bad...throat...incident...and I'd like to try something to address it, but I want to consult with you first.

Third of all, is the Barge more nutters than usual lately or is it just me, and I don't just mean the recent flood.

[abrightboy]

Of course I have.

And they don't care about where I stand any more than they did before the meeting. Some of them less so. How is it productive?

[transfundere]

What powers he has been granted could have been temporarily taken away, either in part or totality. And I was open to see what ideas you all had, with a firm line through any physical changes or harm. I can give you a long answer as to why they are a terrible idea for him but in short, they would not provide the lesson you would wish for.

[tinstar]

Them caring and them hearin' the words come out of your mouth are two different things. Draw your line and stick to it and no one can claim ignorance when it blows up in their face or when you do somethin' to follow up.

What'd Neal have to say about that suggestion? That he and Reid came up with it beforehand.

[abrightboy]

It is definitely less... I don't like it like I used to.

[He follows Norton inside.]

What did you want to do to address it?

[abrightboy]

I never advocated for nor wanted him to be physically harmed.

[transfundere]

I recall.

But the removal of his fangs or claws would be in the same category. Some talk edged towards the idea.

[abrightboy]

Not mine. I was against both of those ideas.

[transfundere]

Of course. I was merely answering you, Malcolm.

[pharadyne]

We'll have to fix that. Bit of a rough patch right now, but I'm sure we can make it fun again. Don't let the naysayers bring you down, sweetheart.

[He leads Malcolm to the sitting area and settles himself on a chair and elegantly crosses his legs.]

As for the Johann situation, I think we might be talking to the wrong "-orian" about it. That is, I'd like to bring it up with Florian because Florian has far more influence over Johann than Dorian does, and Florian likes me. I think he'd listen to me and that we could reach an arrangement.

But I don't know if anyone already has approached Florian, or what might have been discussed, or what sort of arrangement would be the goal.

[abrightboy]

“I don’t try to poke holes in things.” A pause. “I know that I do, though.”

[abrightboy]

It’s not the naysayers. [He sits.] It’s that it’s not what I thought it was and I’m not doing what I thought I was. I’m not helping anyone here. Imagine giving yourself entirely to helping people because you were asked to and then you get there and do it and they all hate you for it.

I’ve spoken to Florian, but he does not like me. If that plan can go anywhere, you would have to handle it.

[empathicfault]

"Yep," Will says this with a smile in his tone. "And sometimes things need to have their protective wrapping popped open. It's something you can learn to temper, if you want to. I think you've got the resources for that, here."

[abrightboy]

“How am I supposed to help my inmate graduate when I’m the one that needs lessons in… literally every facet of behaviour according to the feedback I’ve gotten? I’m not sure why I’m a Warden at all. I need more work than most inmates,” Malcolm says.

[pharadyne]

You are helping people. Maybe not in the way you thought you would, but I see it. It's what I like about you. You've helped me a time or two, although I may not have made that clear. I'm not very good at expressing gratitude in ways that don't involve jobbies.

What happened when you spoke to Florian? I want to know what I'll be walking into.

[abrightboy]

He gave me shit for chiding Johann for murdering my inmate.

[abrightboy]

I'm merely clarifying that that is not what I mean when I say 'reasonable consequences'.

[empathicfault]

"That last part's not true," Will declares first. "You are a Warden because, I assume, being a Warden isn't about being a shining example of social niceties. It's about being a good person who wants to help rather than hurt. And you have both of those characteristics."

Will pauses for a moment to turn off the stove, and returns to slide both hands to Malcolm's shoulders, rubbing them lightly as he continues.

"I had a theory that wardens are asked here because they also need help- beyond their Deals. But the wardens do better in the positions they're in, and the inmates do better in the positions we're in." He looks back at Malcolm and shakes his head a bit. "That's just a guess, but I have seen so many wardens with significant problems. It's more common than not."

If Malcolm isn't looking at him, Will reaches forward to tilt his chin up. Either way, he'll look him in the eyes. "You could ask Neal for help with interacting. That could help both of you. And I'm always here for anything else. You don't have to do this alone, not here."

[transfundere]

Understood. As I told Mr. Tennant, I was hoping to hear other ideas. Things... did not turn out as such, but I do feel as if the current plan has the necessary forward momentum.

[abrightboy]

I had ideas. I just wanted to hear what your baseline was first.

[transfundere]

I would hear them, if you'd care to share.

[abrightboy]

“It feels… selfish. And you and Neal are the only ones who didn’t suggest it while yelling at me,” he replies. “I’ll… think about it. I don’t know where to… where to start or how much it’ll feel like…. Like pretending. Like when I was in the FBI and put on a normality mask while I was at work.”

[abrightboy]

I heard one violent inmate was made so he turned incorporeal when he tried to hurt another person. If it was self defence, he was fine, but if it was an act of aggression, he turned incorporeal. I was thinking more of something along those lines for violent inmates with a body count because - as long as they’re not committing violence - they’re completely unaffected. If they do try to commit violence, only they’re affected.