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[abrightboy]

 This is Bright. Leave a message.

Comments

[abrightboy]

That's definitely the dilemma of a person. How do you hurt this person? What would you have to do to stop it from happening?

[greatoldjohn]

It's... hard for him to trust. To open up. To offer parts of himself, of his past. He's done it a few times with me, and I-

Most of the time, I treasure those moments. When he tells me a poem he loves, o-or when he tells me about something important to him.

Or someone important to him.

I feel... honored. Like I've been given something special, something significant. It means so much to him and so it means- it means a lot to me.

But when he- [ no, this isn't about Arthur, this is about him ] when I get angry or frustrated, when I feel like he isn't listening or he's blocking me out, I- I panic. I grab, for anything, for everything. As if I could... jam that memory into him and hold on to keep him when it feels like he's ignoring me or wishes I'd never come into his life at all.

Digging into people's hearts, whispering doubts and horrors into their ears... that's what I was. Undermining people, making them tear themselves apart, driving them mad. That's what I was. It's- it's power. I know that.

I don't want it.

I don't want to be like that. But I do. And I did. And I can't-

I can't undo it. Even though I haven't done it yet. And I hate that.

[abrightboy]

So what you're looking for is maybe some Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, where you learn to substitute new habits or behaviours for ones that are destructive to your goals and relationships.

[greatoldjohn]

...I... guess?

[ Normal people have that? ]

[abrightboy]

[It's painfully normal.]

Well, why don't we set up a weekly appointment and I'll teach you some techniques. It'll take time and you have to put in the work, but you can change the things you want to change.

[greatoldjohn]

[ There's a solution. That is... that is incredible. And strangely comforting. It makes him feel like maybe he isn't as far behind as he tends to think he is.]

All right. That sounds reasonable. I'd like that.

Thank you, Malcolm.

[abrightboy]

[Malcolm smiles at him.

That's what I'm here for.

[greatoldjohn]

[ He's quiet for a moment before-]

Can we start now?