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abrightboy

This is Bright. Leave a message.

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From:

cactusy

If that's what you wanna call it. Sure.

From:

abrightboy

It’s not a trick.

From:

cactusy

I don't care.

From:

abrightboy

I wouldn’t hurt you.

From:

cactusy

I'm not scared of you, Malcolm.

From:

abrightboy

That’s not what I was suggesting.

From:

cactusy

And if I was, that wouldn't be reassuring. Anyone can say "I'm not going to hurt you".

From:

abrightboy

Anyone can say anything, but if you've gotten to know someone and they're sincere, then what they say should carry more weight than what any old person might say.

From:

cactusy

We're talking about a hypothetical situation where someone's scared of you. You're a pussycat. If they need to be told you're not going to hurt them, they're not the type to take you at your word.

From:

abrightboy

You think I'm not capable of hurting you because I choose not to?

From:

cactusy

If we're talking about me again, you couldn't hurt me physically because I'd snap you like a twig. You couldn't hurt me mentally because--

[She pauses.]

You're too obvious.

[As much as she dislikes the fact, it is possible to break her: after all, Samaritan had done it expertly. But while Malcolm's attempt at objective analysis had given her the willies, it hadn't come anywhere close to harming her. Malcolm's approach might involve some amount of keeping things to himself, but it's still direct. It's not insidious. It never truly invites her to let her guard down.]

From:

abrightboy

I was never trying to trick you.

[Not with his therapy techniques, nor with his feelings towards her.]

From:

cactusy

Yeah, I know. Like I said, too obvious.

You still can't keep me in the dark. And I need to know that if you notice something concerning about my behavior, you'll tell me right away.

From:

abrightboy

I’d never hide that.

If we’re going to do work that makes real progress, you could trust my professionalism a tiny bit.

From:

cactusy

These are my terms, take them or leave them. There are still two other counselors in the office.

From:

abrightboy

I’m sorry to hear that. You know where to find me if you… ever want to… talk. Or. Work on deprogramming or… mitigating the disorder. Or. Anything.

From:

cactusy

So you're picking "leave them"?

[She's admittedly a little surprised, but.]

From:

abrightboy

I can't half ass the work, so you didn't actually give me a choice. But I'm leaving the door open. I'd like to help you if you eventually decide that my help is something you can accept. Maybe I have to earn it or maybe you need more time. I don't know. But the door is open.

From:

cactusy

You seriously think being open with me in return is half-assing your work?

From:

abrightboy

I'm open with you. I'll tell you anything you want to know. But when context would blur the usefulness of the answer to a question, I can only give it to you afterwards and you don't trust my abilities at the job to wait until we're done to have it explained.

From:

cactusy

... This is why I hate shrinks.

From:

abrightboy

It’s why everyone hates shrinks.

From:

cactusy

Whatever.

From:

abrightboy

So. I’ll see you later?

From:

cactusy

[The view of her ceiling judders a little, like the communicator has been nudged.]

See you for what, Malcolm?

[She asks, sounding very, very tired.]