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[abrightboy]

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[ukan]

Lark steps forward, grasping Malcolm's other arm. "Let him go."

[abrightboy]

Martin pulls the scalpel out of his pocket and looks like he’s about to lunge at Lark, but then his arm snakes around Malcolm’s neck to press at his throat.

“Over his dead body,” Martin sneers.

[ukan]

Lark lets go, hands up. "Don't hurt him." He looks at Malcolm, judging distances, trying to think how close that scalpel is to the carotid.

[abrightboy]

“You always do this,” Malcolm says sadly. “That’s why I’m leaving, you know. Not because of Lark or because of Will. Because of you. You always ruin everything.”

Martin roars with rage and shoves Malcolm hard, directly at Lark. He turns into a whirlwind and shoots into the air, turning the whole sky red.

[ukan]

Lark grabs Malcolm and runs for the nearest building, the nearest shelter out of view of that awful sky.

"Good job!" He tells him though, meaning it. "I know that can't be easy!"

[abrightboy]

"He'll never be... gone," Malcolm tells him. "He's always here." He taps his temple. "Always."

[ukan]

"Yes but you use that for good. You know he's there, influencing you, and you always push back. That's one reason I trust you," Lark says, looking at him intently.

[abrightboy]

Malcolm's gaze snaps to him in surprise, lingering there for a moment. On one level, he knew Lark trusted him. Lark chose him. But it's still a weird thing for him to hear from anyone, no matter how honest he is with them.

"It's... a weird feeling," he finally responds. "Not really knowing who you are but knowing who you're not."

[ukan]

"It's a strong place to start from though," he says. "As you find out who you really are. And I think the Barge is the best place to do that."

[abrightboy]

Malcolm nods. “Will helps me. He has experience trying to figure out what’s inside him that’s his and what’s other people’s noise,” he says.

[ukan]

He hums, nods. "He does. He's done some amazing work, getting through that noise, hasn't he?"

[abrightboy]

“He’s… strong, in a lot of ways that I’m not. Kiryu thought I might set him back, letting him help me with… me. …Asking him to. But he said no. He said it’s hard for people outside of us to understand us and what works for us. We help each other and we both get better,” Malcolm explains.

[ukan]

"Alec helped me graduate. I hope you can help Will graduate, too. Just be aware that no relationship comes without a downside or a weak spot and watch for it."

[abrightboy]

“He has a Warden he trusts for that part of it. But I hope I do help him, by showing him that I believe he deserves to be treated well. And that he’s worth standing up for. And that someone can be happy to have him around because he’s…. him and not because of what his mind can do for them. Those are the things I can do,” Malcolm tells him.