Voicemail (IC Contact Post) OLD - at capcha

[abrightboy]

 This is Bright. Leave a message.

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[abrightboy]

Wanna get a cup of coffee, then?

[citizendetective]

[She looks down at her paper, then back over at him, and smiles.]

Sure.

[She says, folding the paper into a square and tucking it into her jeans pocket.]

Malcolm, you believe me when I say that you're one of the people who feels real, right? Who isn't just a prop?

[abrightboy]

I believe that you mean it and that it’s a compliment. I’m not sure I know what it means. In what way are other people props?

[citizendetective]

Well, "props" was Pagan's word; he says it's how I treat people. I mean it more like... how a lot of people just feel hollow to me. Shallow. Not really real.

[abrightboy]

Because you can’t connect with them emotionally? They feel like cardboard cut-outs of people? Inanimate?

[citizendetective]

Right. But you don't, and it's important to me that you know that.

[abrightboy]

Do you think that’s because we have similar interests?

[citizendetective]

I'm sure that's part of it.

[She curls her fingers over the paper in her pocket, crinkling it a little.]

I feel like I understand you. I like spending time with you - you specifically, not just because you're a person who's willing to be around me.

I would never have let Sweeney hurt you.

[abrightboy]

[Malcolm looks over at her.]

Do you think he would have tried?

[citizendetective]

I don't think he would have tried unprovoked...

[abrightboy]

Was I provoking him?

[citizendetective]

A little! He doesn't like being questioned like that.

[abrightboy]

Then how do you avoid provoking him?

[citizendetective]

I guess I just ask different kinds of questions!

[She chirps, smiling at the acknowledgement of their similarities.]

I don't think he likes shrinks. He definitely doesn't like feeling like anybody is trying to fix him.

[abrightboy]

I’m not trying to fix him. When I met him he was slobbering drunk on the floor despairing about how long he’s been here without graduating. I told him I can work with him to help him figure out why.

[citizendetective]

Isn't that fixing him?

[abrightboy]

No. It's assisting him in reaching a goal he's outright stated he's having trouble achieving. Suggesting I can 'fix' him would be suggesting there's something wrong with him. I haven't seen any evidence of that.

[citizendetective]

When I try to help people against their wishes, I get told off for it, too.

[She smiles brightly.]

That's another thing we have in common!

[abrightboy]

I'm not in trouble; he's just a bit prickly.

[citizendetective]

That's an understatement.

[abrightboy]

We do better every conversation we have. He reminds me of a friend back home. It takes some people time to warm up to me. My mentor says I’m an acquired taste.

[citizendetective]

And people never tell you to back off, stop pushing, stop being nosy...?

[Double standards, honestly.]

[abrightboy]

[He looks confused by the question.]

Of course they do.