abrightboy | Voicemail (IC Contact Post) NEW

Honestly? I'm not sure I do know that. Everything is messy and everything I say is wrong and I don't know why it's weird and invasive for me to want to be there for him after he had a traumatic experience - for emotional support - and nobody can explain it to me, but I'm being given the distinct sense that I'm driving out of my lane and I'm only being his partner, not his keeper. After I got there, we both calmed down. We ground each other.

He just beat someone to death with his bare hands. Maybe what he needs right now is his warden while she finishes investigating, not a boyfriend.

And maybe with everything you've gone through you need some space too.

Edited 2023-10-11 19:57 (UTC)

He admitted what he did. And what he went through was traumatizing and when you've been traumatized and you're accustomed to people close to you turning away from you, what you need is for them to stand by you. So who are you to tell me what we need? If he didn't want to see me right now, he'd tell me he needed to take a break from stimuli and he'd take it. It's the nature of his disorder that he needs space sometimes and he knows how to ask for it. Maybe he needs his Warden to be his Warden and his boyfriend to be his boyfriend and the rest of you to drive in your lanes. I'm not interfering with Shaw's work. I've seen him for like twenty minutes since it happened!

You can be as defensive as you want, you can yell at me, but the fact is if Shaw says you're overstepping, you have a duty to back off.

I thought so. [And lo, Neal appears in the background with his own fresh cup of tea and the blandest, most politely interested look imaginable on his face.] Excuse me, I couldn't help overhearing. Did Will tell you what happened or were you talking to Shaw, the only truly objective person on board, who surely has absolutely no biases of her own, and now you feel the need to intercede because of her honestly fucking insane image of who Malcolm is as a person?

[Malcolm looks up at Neal in surprise, then back at the phone then at the counter.]

I wasn't yelling at you. And she never told me that. In fact, she's bringing Will by tonight to watch a movie. So.

How about we talk when you don't have company?

[Since he has no interest in talking to Neal about the situation]

I personally advise you to have a lawyer present. [Flatly, to Malcolm.]

Edited 2023-10-11 21:04 (UTC)

I don't need one. Neither does he.

[Why is this ship full of children]

Then maybe Shaw can speak for herself next time. Maybe even when she's here later. Wouldn't that be an idea.

[The boy is so far beyond giving a shit what people think is mature, because literally no one is.]

Edited 2023-10-11 21:06 (UTC)

Why don't you ask Will what he told me, Neal?

I do in fact plan on checking in with Will. After I'm done spending time with my friend, who's worried about his partner and stressed about his own inmate's grief.

I'm more curious about what Shaw told you.

Ask her that, too.

The last conversation we had, she heard the words I was saying and then took the complete opposite meaning from them right before insulting me. So at the moment, I don't care to speak to her.

[Malcolm sits up and speaks up.]

What did he tell you?

[At that, Neal will go tensely silent and sip his tea.]

Call me when you have a free moment. I'm not really interested in fielding a conversation like this when you're both worked up.

Ah, so dangle that bit out for him to want and then leave, so you can get to talk to him alone. That's charming.

Did you think I called him to talk to you? I get you're protective but he doesn't need protecting from me, Neal.

What did he say?

Fucking doesn't he? Did you call for Will or did you call because something Shaw said made you think you had to?

Re: Video

hippie_ninja - 2023-10-11 21:23 (UTC) - Expand

You brought it up. So tell me what he said.

[In a cold, too controlled voice.]

Talk to him yourself.

[He would have gone into this, but not with Neal there.]

[With absolutely no warning, Malcolm screams and whips the phone across the flat as far and as hard as he can throw it, then retreats into the bathroom and closes the door.]

Re: Video

conning - 2023-10-11 21:29 (UTC) - Expand

I thought he was supposed to step off.