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
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Voicemail (IC Contact Post) OLD - at capcha
This is Bright. Leave a message.
I'm lookin' fer options ta give a magic edge. 'Cause it ain't like 'workin' out more's gonna solve the problem when fuckin' vampires can move so fast ya can't fuckin' see them.
[He takes a slow breath.]
An' that shit tends ta come with a Cost, so I want ta know where ya stand on payin' it.
[He takes a slow breath.]
An' that shit tends ta come with a Cost, so I want ta know where ya stand on payin' it.
Well… we both recently signed up for Gaius’ automatic healing, so what kind of benefit would your thing have and what would the cost be?
“But definitely not you?” Malcolm wonders, squinting a little at the screen.
Don't gotta 'thing' yet. But if ya'll are a'ready covered by him, that'll work, too.
[Because of course it's Iris's Death God that can save them. Why does he even try?]
[Because of course it's Iris's Death God that can save them. Why does he even try?]
You knew there would be a price; you must have had an idea that went with it. I’m open to other options.
Will blinks, and then frowns thoughtfully. He hadn't considered that. "I'm not saying 'definitely not,'" he replies. "But I certainly wasn't that fresh-faced in the Academy. And I think they'd run me out on the psych eval by this point. Oh- that'll be Jack."
He points at an older man on screen who looks nothing like Jack did, but- it does turn out to be his old boss, Jack Crawford. Will rolls his eyes at the screen as Jack tells Clarice he wants her to take a questionnaire to the asylum and do a basic psych profile. And of course it's for Hannibal, who sounds like he's practically the stuff of legend to Clarice.
"Guess she's not Miriam, then," Will sighs, shaking his head. He leans a little more solidly against Malcolm as he continues. "She was the first to identify Hannibal, unfortunately while he was in the room. He kidnapped her, kept her aside for two years to torture Jack with later. We eventually got her back, but he'd been...altering her memories." Like he'd been trying to do with Will.
He points at an older man on screen who looks nothing like Jack did, but- it does turn out to be his old boss, Jack Crawford. Will rolls his eyes at the screen as Jack tells Clarice he wants her to take a questionnaire to the asylum and do a basic psych profile. And of course it's for Hannibal, who sounds like he's practically the stuff of legend to Clarice.
"Guess she's not Miriam, then," Will sighs, shaking his head. He leans a little more solidly against Malcolm as he continues. "She was the first to identify Hannibal, unfortunately while he was in the room. He kidnapped her, kept her aside for two years to torture Jack with later. We eventually got her back, but he'd been...altering her memories." Like he'd been trying to do with Will.
“This is later. I guess Hannibal didn’t go over a cliff in this version. He kind of ended up like my dad,” Malcolm notes.
"Maybe," Will replies.
It's not long until they see him, following Clarice's long walk down the corridor at the BSHCI, past various 'horrifying' patients. It's dark, but Will has a frown on his face as she goes all the way to the corner.
"That's my cell. That's where they had me," he explains with a small sigh as the man who certainly doesn't look like his Hannibal comes into view.
It's not long until they see him, following Clarice's long walk down the corridor at the BSHCI, past various 'horrifying' patients. It's dark, but Will has a frown on his face as she goes all the way to the corner.
"That's my cell. That's where they had me," he explains with a small sigh as the man who certainly doesn't look like his Hannibal comes into view.
“I like him better,” Malcolm teases. “Much less attractive; much less sexually intimidating.”
[Though unseen, Sweeney pinches the bridge of his nose. Play nice, he reminds himself.]
I know ya ain't got magic where yer from, an' fuck, it dunn't seem ta work the same here fer e'eryone, but where I'm from, e'erythin' has a Cost. That's what makes it worth havin'. I need ta be prepared ta know what I'd give fer him b'fore I start seekin' solutions. It's how makin' Offerin's works.
[A beat passes before he makes his addendum.]
Fer me.
I know ya ain't got magic where yer from, an' fuck, it dunn't seem ta work the same here fer e'eryone, but where I'm from, e'erythin' has a Cost. That's what makes it worth havin'. I need ta be prepared ta know what I'd give fer him b'fore I start seekin' solutions. It's how makin' Offerin's works.
[A beat passes before he makes his addendum.]
Fer me.
That breaks Will out of being weirdly offended that even his jail cell was being invaded by Hannibal. He looks at Malcolm and breaks into a laugh- almost a giggle.
"I don't stop to appreciate how candid you are nearly enough," Will says, leaning over to kiss Malcolm on the cheek. "I'm glad you like this one better. He's unfortunately doing the same shit as the other one."
And he was, commenting on Clarice's style of dress, setting her off guard, showing her his drawing of the Duomo from Florence- something that softens the expression in Will's face. Dr. Lecter here is in complete control of the conversation, despite Clarice's best efforts.
"I don't stop to appreciate how candid you are nearly enough," Will says, leaning over to kiss Malcolm on the cheek. "I'm glad you like this one better. He's unfortunately doing the same shit as the other one."
And he was, commenting on Clarice's style of dress, setting her off guard, showing her his drawing of the Duomo from Florence- something that softens the expression in Will's face. Dr. Lecter here is in complete control of the conversation, despite Clarice's best efforts.
"Is it really a sort-of-based-on-reality serial killer movie if the serial killer doesn't do what he does?"
That question is rhetorical, but in a moment, Malcolm tilts his head to look at Will's face.
"Does chianti pair with human liver?"
That question is rhetorical, but in a moment, Malcolm tilts his head to look at Will's face.
"Does chianti pair with human liver?"
Why can't we... browse? You know, come back with a pricelist and we'll decide what the best value is.
"I knew you were friends with him. I just... wished you weren't. I don't trust him not to hurt you. I don't mean physically, like before. I mean your heart," Malcolm tells him.
'Cause I ain't got a fuckin' catalogue. [There's a snip to the words' edges, and Sweeney chastises himself to walk it back. His voice evens when he seeks to explain.]
I'd hav'ta dig. Diggin' means I need ta know what I'm lookin' fer. If I'm just cruisin' the aisle, hittin' up the free samples without actually buyin' dinner, e'entually, folk catch on an' it's bad fer business. [Which, in the end, is neither here nor there. He refocuses.]
What would make you feel safe? [Okay, that's too big an ask.] Safe enough.
[Sweeney understands Malcolm is likely new to this kind of thing, so he lobs some starters.]
Is healin' 'nough? That impenetrable skin he's offerin'? Or somethin' more? Teleportation. Intangibility. The ability ta incapacitate anyone who touches ya with violent intent.
[It's a spectrum.]
I'd hav'ta dig. Diggin' means I need ta know what I'm lookin' fer. If I'm just cruisin' the aisle, hittin' up the free samples without actually buyin' dinner, e'entually, folk catch on an' it's bad fer business. [Which, in the end, is neither here nor there. He refocuses.]
What would make you feel safe? [Okay, that's too big an ask.] Safe enough.
[Sweeney understands Malcolm is likely new to this kind of thing, so he lobs some starters.]
Is healin' 'nough? That impenetrable skin he's offerin'? Or somethin' more? Teleportation. Intangibility. The ability ta incapacitate anyone who touches ya with violent intent.
[It's a spectrum.]
Neal blinks. That was... not what he expected. He's not sure what he did expect, when it comes right down to it. Malcolm has, objectively, plenty of reasons for concern. Neal just didn't realize that was the primary one.
"Malcolm, I promise you, Lestat has no designs on my heart, and anything we do together is... well, it's physical. He's a friend. We play chess, he plays music in the gazebo while I paint, we talk. He doesn't feel that way and neither do I."
"Malcolm, I promise you, Lestat has no designs on my heart, and anything we do together is... well, it's physical. He's a friend. We play chess, he plays music in the gazebo while I paint, we talk. He doesn't feel that way and neither do I."
Edited 2023-06-28 00:39 (UTC)
"I didn't believe for one second that he had serious designs on your heart. That... is how your heart can get hurt. I've heard how he talks to you. And about you. Maybe he's not like that. You know him better. He just comes across that way to me. Human lives are fleeting to him," Malcolm notes. "And maybe you're more interesting to him than the rest of the cattle on this ship, but.... for how long?"
Sure.
[Really, that's not even that challenging. Maybe on a magic prison spaceship, but compared to other stuff, it's pretty tame.]
Why not?
[Really, that's not even that challenging. Maybe on a magic prison spaceship, but compared to other stuff, it's pretty tame.]
Why not?
"Like a lover. And maybe you want to feel wanted in that way."
Malcolm knows he does. But apparently telling people what they feel is harsh and makes them angry.
"Maybe you want to feel close to someone. And maybe it's hard to tell yourself in the moment that that's not what he wants when he acts like he wants it. And maybe you'll eventually convince yourself that it's real. And then reality will intervene to break you the way that it likes to do."
Malcolm knows he does. But apparently telling people what they feel is harsh and makes them angry.
"Maybe you want to feel close to someone. And maybe it's hard to tell yourself in the moment that that's not what he wants when he acts like he wants it. And maybe you'll eventually convince yourself that it's real. And then reality will intervene to break you the way that it likes to do."
Ballpark, what does teleportation for two go for?
Oh. Ow. There are a lot of things to address in that, and one of them--one he's not going to discount--is the way Malcolm phrases what he says.
"That's... You're not wrong. But if I'm at risk of that with anyone, it's Norton." Which makes him go more than a little pink. "Lestat is just very very French."
"That's... You're not wrong. But if I'm at risk of that with anyone, it's Norton." Which makes him go more than a little pink. "Lestat is just very very French."
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