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[abrightboy]

This is Bright. Leave a message.

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After Kikimora's graduation announcement

[empathicfault]

[ The next time Malcolm walks into their cabin, he'll find a mug on the counter. Stamped on one side is: "Best warden ever". Stamped on the other side is: "Two-time Graduation Champion".

Will is on the couch, very invested in rubbing Winston's belly. ]

Re: After Kikimora's graduation announcement

[abrightboy]

[Malcolm is always pleased to come home abs find Will there. Always. He drops his keys in the dish by the door and starts to say "Hey" before he pauses as he spots the mug. He laughs with delight as he steps over to pick it up, turning it around in his hands.]

Where did you even get a novelty mug!? Does the Barge have a giftshop I don't know about?

[Video]

[inthebiblicalsense]

[Abel is trying so hard not to think about what Norton told him about this man. He was going to ask him some questions, that's all. What he knew about his sex life had nothing to do with it and he could just leave it be. His complexion did him no favorites though, unable to keep the dusting of pink from his face.]

Excuse me, I'm sorry to reach out like this, but I was hoping that maybe you could help me with something. I'm Abel, by the way, I know we haven't met, but I've- ['heard so much about you' makes him think too much, god. Just say something.] Heard good things and am trying to get better at asking for help.

Re: [Video]

[abrightboy]

…You’ve heard good things? [Well. He has graduated two inmates now.] I mean, I’m always happy to help. What do you need help with?

audio

[empathicfault]

Hey, Malcolm.

[ His voice sounds rather gravelly. ]

Another inmate decided to show up attacking people. I'm in the infirmary- broken ribs. Could you bring some loose clothing? I fought him as a wolf.

Re: audio

[abrightboy]

…What? [Though Will can probably hear him grabbing a pair of sweatpants, a flannel button-down, his bag of frozen peas and a tea towel. He can hear the door open and close while Malcolm is talking.] What do you mean this person broke your ribs? Why? What… what happened? Are you okay?

Morning of the 9th

[stricken_achilles]

It's extremely early, when the first switch happens. Hannibal makes good use of his time, quickly going to the fridge and feeding what appears to be Winston and one of the other dogs in Will's pack of strays. He peruses the cabin, taking note of the items that have begun invading his own spaces, as well as things that seem incongruous with the rest of the place. He snoops shamelessly but quietly.

Only once satisfied does he begin looking through the communicator. By now, it could actually be considered early morning. Hannibal begins making coffee, pleased to see the French press. By the time Malcolm begins to wake up, he's in the middle of omelettes, having found a white cheese that he would classify as similar to gruyère, as well as an assortment of fresh herbs. He seems pleased with how it's cooking. This kitchen will do, while he's here.

Re: Morning of the 9th

[abrightboy]

Malcolm stirs fitfully, thrashes a bit, wakes screaming.

The dogs barely stir when he does these days. Sunshine, on hearing him wake starts chattering and flapping restlessly between perches in her cage and he looks over warily.

The shape of the man in the kitchen is wrong, even before detail comes into focus for him.

Sunshine’s warning - always when the bad thing is about to happen in his ‘dreams’ - a murderer in the kitchen. This is pretty bog standard night terror fare. He doesn’t assume it’s real. Still sitting up in bed with his restraints on, he considers Hannibal for a moment with a faint frown.

“You’re not my usual serial killer. What are you doing here?”

A Gift

[madaboutit]

Sweeney leaves a box with a simple silver chain necklace, along with a note.

This should protect you from Eric biting you.

He also hates the smell of garlic.

He's vulnerable to silver weapons, I just don't know how much.

Text

[abrightboy]

Are you okay now? Do you have protection too? Did you give one to Will? He’s trying to keep Hannibal away from me so I haven’t seen him in person.

voice, after finding Walter murdered by Eric

[reformedsinner]

[from here] Mr. Bright. I've just found your inmate. He's been attacked and killed in the third floor hallway.

Re: voice, after finding Walter murdered by Eric

[abrightboy]

The third floor? [He’s in the infirmary with Will, but he heads up. He’ll come back.] I’m… coming.

7/9

[forensicks]

[It's been a rough few days. Walter hasn't stopped coming over to use his orange-adorned fridge shelf quite yet, but it could be inferred that he was mostly making his way through what he already had. He's claimed that his friends are finally feeling better after the flood, that they're watching movies, that he's gotten the chance to meet people who'd arrived around the same time as Lydia had been present. It's more obvious than his other lies, but not less pleasant.

Then, of course, Eiffel's post just had to come around. Walter physically ran here two stories from the library in a way that was not wise. The further counseling office, he would have allowed himself the elevator. He's bracing against the wall with one arm, completely breathless.]

This can't go on any longer. [He takes his inhaler out of his pocket (a familiar enough phenomenon by now) and looks down at it bleakly.] Oh, I really should have known this doesn't count as ten minutes mmphlmmple. [Before, he was trying to say, before rigorous activity.]

Re: 7/9

[abrightboy]

Malcolm looks over from the kitchen with complete bafflement.

"...What?"

counseling office shortly pre-breach

[howtheyshine]

Edwin is in Malcolm's office.

More accurately, he oozed under the locked door into Malcolm's office at fuck o'clock in the morning so he could curl up in a chair in the shape of a foxlikething. Specifically, a slightly larger than usual winged-fox-multiple-tail-creature that looks very real except for the solid black of his eyes, which are... something. Not something that should be looked at directly for too long.

He has been avoiding, and now he is making himself not avoid, hi.

Re: counseling office shortly pre-breach

[abrightboy]

When Malcolm walks in with his coffee in one hand and a book on brainwashing tucked under his arm at an uncommonly early hour compared to when most people start work, he's only slightly startled by something lurking in his guest chair.

He considers it for a moment, cocking his head faintly.

"...Edwin?" he hazards.

[empathicfault]

[ After this discussion with Norton. ]

Will hears a little of what Malcolm's talking to Norton about, after the announcement of punishment for Jacob. They're both currently in the living room, after all. He waits until Malcolm's off the communicator and then joins him on the couch. He has two mugs of tea and offers Malcolm one. "Just chamomile," he says.

As he leans back, he bites his lip. Then he sighs. Then he looks at Malcolm. "So I...I've contacted Hilbert to offer help with the deprogramming, too. I found I couldn't just leave it when I have relevant experience." He seems almost disappointed about it.

[abrightboy]

Malcolm accepts the cup, taking a cautious and careful sip.

At the news, his eyebrows go up.

“That’s such a relief,” he breathes out, like it was a breath he was literally holding. It’s a relief for two reasons. One is that he doesn’t have to feel bad for feeling animosity towards Hilbert if he’s not brainwashed anymore, though that’s the smaller of the two concerns. The other is that at least Will will let him know what’s going on in the follow up to what he very briefly considered his investigation until he realized the next day that the people downstairs must not have been updating him. “That’s a huge relief,” he adds firmly. “Thank you.”

forward dated to after the breach [Audio]

[inthebiblicalsense]

[Abel is feeling much better than he's had in a while despite everything. Who knew a strange week of believing you were an otter for all your life could just help reset some of that mounting anxiety? And yet, because of it, he feels like he's got the energy and fresh mind to start working on himself again without any reminders.]

The breach threw off the schedule, but if you're not busy, I wouldn't mind having that drink, Malcolm.

Re: forward dated to after the breach [Audio]

[abrightboy]

[He’s caught off guard. He was sure Abel wouldn’t actually call him. That he was just being polite.]

Oh! I’m not busy, actually. Do you want to come by my cabin or would you rather somewhere more…neutral?

Counseling offices spam, backdated to 7/31

[chaos_drifter]

Avalon is sitting in the waiting room of the counseling offices, their orb in their hand. Black swirls cross its pine green surface, difficult to see as they curl into its center, but still there. The next time they see Shaw, they want to let her hold it. They can see what it shows her in comparison to what it shows them.

Re: Counseling offices spam, backdated to 7/31

[abrightboy]

"Avalon," Malcolm says with faint surprise as he spots them. He looks confused for a second. "It's... not Thursday today. ........Right?"

Good news!

[empathicfault]

Will returns to Malcolm's cabin from his short journey out. He seems gobsmacked, like someone just ran up to him and hit him with a fish. He walks in and immediately makes for the fridge, grabbing a pitcher of water and pouring it for himself. Will absolutely feels like he has to clear his throat before he says the words and makes this even more official.

Re: Good news!

[abrightboy]

Malcolm is in the middle of his morning routine when Will comes back. There is coffee in the French press and classic rock playing on the record player and he's doing pull-ups under the stairs, but he lets himself drop back to the floor as Will goes into the kitchen and follows, a little hesitant because he doesn't know what made him look like that but lingering nearby because at some point that facial expression will need a hug.

"What's wrong? Did something happen?"

Thursday Hint

[forensicks]

Note is still there :(

You can ask for help, I'd rather that than you stumble upon it by brute force searching. But I wrote it just for you!

There's not long until the flood :/

Re: Thursday Hint

[forensicks]

HELP FROM SOMEONE ELSE! You do not just get the answer for free!

[ Audio | Slightly Backdated ]

[handleyourshit]

[It takes a day or two - it would have been sooner, except a few surprise conversations stemmed off the one she avoided at the time with him - but eventually:]

Thank you.

That whole thing ended up turning into a clusterfuck, like I figured it would, and I didn't want to just be pissed off because I was already pissed off.

Re: [ Audio | Slightly Backdated ]

[abrightboy]

[The thank you surprises him, in a good way, even more than the fact that the call is happening at all. He picks up the phone. His voice his soft. There's no aggression or resentment in it.]

I'm trying to be better about taking people's expression of boundaries at face value. I never wanted to piss you off. I appreciate you calling me back.

Day 1 of the You're Not Here event, audio

[empathicfault]

[ Will comes in on audio only, already unusual. His voice is distorted and patchy, like the call is having a hard time getting through. ]

-colm, are you there? Looks like the flood's--

Re: Day 1 of the You're Not Here event, audio

[abrightboy]

Will? ....WILL? I was trying to get t.... but I c......

Private

[neverwaitslong]

You know Will and I were brother and sister in the last breach, right?

I have a question for you.

Re: Private

[abrightboy]

You were? Oh, that’s nice. He l… [Wait, she has a question.] Oh. Question. Sorry. Go ahead.

I have a million threads of yours to reply to, but here's another...

[empathicfault]

[ Will is currently reading an updated psych textbook (as far in the future as he could manage) from the library. But when he goes back to his communicator and sees this, he looks up to Malcolm. ]

Good job disengaging, there.

[abrightboy]

[He's been at his desk, stewing over whether he did that right, so that means a lot. He perks up a little.]

Yeah?

[audio]

[inthebiblicalsense]

If you're not busy, I was hoping that I could get some time and maybe set up a schedule today, if that's alright with you? If not, it can wait.

[Dealing with shooting someone you hated in the face wasn't quite so important, right? Of course not.]

Re: [audio]

[abrightboy]

I have time. Want to come to my office?

[He is very pleased that Abel wants to 'make it official', though he's trying not to sound like it. Will just joined Counselling and he's very, very pleased, but he also has visions of sitting at his desk with nobody in his office, watching people line up outside Will's and Neal's doors.]

[falkeditupagain]

[Left in the Counseling office is a little jar full of colorful paper stars. Along side it is a little note, Hanna's hand writing is actually kind of nice, all things considering.]

Hey Malcolm, just wanted to say thanks for those cards. You really shouldn't reward someone for fucking up though, but I'll be sure that I do earn them. Maybe sometime in the next year or two I can join y'all at the big boys table, open doors that were previously closed. Anyways, unfold a star if you or a client is feeling down - Hanna F. Cross

[And, there is a star outside of the jar just waiting for Malcolm to unravel and if he does it unfolds into a long slip of paper that says-]

I am my true self, unapologetically, and that is powerful.

Text

[abrightboy]

I wasn't rewarding you for fucking up. I was rewarding you for handling your fuck up in a mature and responsible way.

Thanks for these origami affirmation cards. They're great! Did you make them?

[greatoldjohn]

[John's been putting this off.

He's been putting this off because he doesn't like having discussions like this, because he adores Malcolm, because he's not sure what happened and he's also not sure this will fix it... but he promised Justine he would talk to Malcolm about it so talk he's going to.

He clears his throat just as he starts up the communicator.]

Um... Malcolm? Do you... um. Have a minute? T-to talk about something?

[abrightboy]

Of course! Always. How can I help?

On the Island

[empathicfault]

[ By the time they end their respective conversations, Will has found their little spot on the island and is putting a hand on Malcolm's back. ]

Sounds like he needs us for something, but he's trying to sound like he's doing us a favor. What's your read on it?

Re: On the Island

[abrightboy]

I don’t like it. It sounds like he just wants supplies. Hard to say why he’s so insistent on scooping us all up too. Also food, maybe?

[inthebiblicalsense]

Abel knows he's being watched now, not that it's entirely obvious that he is, but after a year of being followed, he's able to recognize it more easily than he had before, and he's learned a few tricks. His pace is casual, and he's certainly avoiding the infirmary, but once he shakes it, he's walking a little faster, and turning a corner near where the infirmary was, he takes it too fast and bumps into the other person coming the opposite way.

He catches Malcolm's arm in a kind of spin to make sure they don't both fall over, and he blinks at him, though honestly, it's nice that it's someone familiar and not a Narrenschiff native.

"Malcolm! Hi. Sorry about that, are you okay?"

[abrightboy]

Malcolm startles when the man bumps into him, clutching his bag as the man clutches his elbow, but then he recognizes Abel and relaxes.

"Oh hi! I'm okay. It's fine." He lets go of his bag to hang at his hip again. "How are you?"

The Return to the Barge

[empathicfault]

Will and Malcolm both feel the jar of the Narrenschiff when it bumps up against the Barge. Getting up to the Deck after that is a chore, to say the least. However much trouble the infirmary was getting, that was nothing compared to the open fighting happening now. Will focused on holding onto Malcolm's hand with a death grip as he dodged fire and keeping either of them from being seen by no less than two superpowered Narrenschiff people floating in the air. Either one could crush them instantly.

He has his knife in his other hand, hoping he doesn't have to use it. Will doesn't want to fight for once. There's no righteousness here. Just a reminder of the bloody, dysfunctional lives they've long since left behind. Will instead watches the deck of the Barge swing further away and then back towards them. They may be locked in combat, but the ships aren't perfectly aligned.

"We'll jump it," he says into Malcolm's ear, tension running through every part of him. "Jump and then we'll have to run."

Re: The Return to the Barge

[abrightboy]

When they emerge into the open fighting, Malcolm is a little disappointed in… well, almost everybody.

He clings to Will’s hand, his other hand gripping his bag and keeping it close to his body. He feels like it’s not too late to get robbed.

We’ll jump it, Will suggests and, if anyone else had said it or the stakes were any lower, he probably would have balked more, but he just nods, his eyes wide with fear and adrenaline and an anxious need to get home. To get to their home. Jump and then run. He’ll do it. He’ll do it when Will gives him the signal.

[neverwaitslong]

Hello, Malcolm.

Do you want to come over for awhile?

[abrightboy]

Over? Sure. I mean yes. Do... I need to bring anything? I have..... um. I think we still have an apple.

Spam, counseling offices, forward-dated to 11/6

[chaos_drifter]

They knock on the door to Malcolm’s office in the early afternoon. They have a journal in their hand, a few pages filled with as much information as they can remember from the shipwreck.

They had felt disconnected, but the feeling had been more concrete than they had expected. It had taken up space in their body, both empty and heavy. They wish they could see it on their orb, but that will have to wait until after the port, if it happens at all.

Re: Spam, counseling offices, forward-dated to 11/6

[abrightboy]

"Come in!" Malcolm calls, looking up from where he's re-folding paper stars on his desk and dropping them back into a jar. When he sees it's Avalon, he smiles.

"Avalon! Hi! Come in. How are you? Want some tea?"