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[abrightboy]

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[goingtobeunwell]

"Doing harm? I don't think you are," he says gently. "I was merely speaking on my own experiences."

[abrightboy]

He looks relieved.

He can’t, in truth, picture Francis doing harm, but he has said he had a journey.

“Um. Nobody has told me that. To answer your question. That… they think Will might be manipulating me.”

[goingtobeunwell]

"Unconscious or consciously, perhaps. I couldn't say for certain, nor would I want to believe that of him. But...it very well could be a possibility, Malcolm."

[abrightboy]

"He loves me," Malcolm says quietly. "He means it. I can tell."

[goingtobeunwell]

"I don't think that's an issue," he says gently. "Of course he loves you."

[abrightboy]

“Why would he manipulate me? To what end?” Malcolm asks.

[goingtobeunwell]

"I wouldn't know, Malcolm. I'm not the one calling him manipulative, his warden is."

[abrightboy]

“He’s very open with me. She doesn’t get us. She’s concerned he’ll turn into his abuser and put me in the role he held in that relationship. But he won’t. It’s not like that,” he assures.

[goingtobeunwell]

"It isn't her job to understand your relationship. Her job is to redeem him."

As gentle as his voice is, he's still firm in this.

[abrightboy]

“Not being completely wrong about it would probably help her relationship with him,” Malcolm protests quietly.

[goingtobeunwell]

"That's for them to hash out," he says simply. "Or it should be."

He lets the weight of the conversation hang in the air between them for a moment.

"In any case, I'm happy you were able to see him."

[abrightboy]

“Thank you,” Malcolm says. He takes a breath, lets it out. “I didn’t… I didn’t do anything, Francis. I don’t know how to be if everyone thinks I need to be dealt with when I’m doing what I was told.”

[goingtobeunwell]

"Wait a few days," he tells him sagely. "It'll die down, all of it. People will calm. See reason."

[abrightboy]

He looks truly hopeful for the first time today.

“You think so?”

[goingtobeunwell]

"It's the one thing you can count on in this place," he reassures him. "People always move on to the next thing."

[abrightboy]

“I’ve just… I’ve already struggled in the counselling office. I don’t… I’m worried if the messiness of… all this gets bandied about, the few people I see will drop me and then what am I doing? How can I be a counsellor if everyone thinks I’m a joke?” he explains.

[goingtobeunwell]

Crozier crosses his arms over his chest thoughtfully. "Are you happy in the counselling office?"

[abrightboy]

“Most of the time. It’s going better this time than last time. I stopped making myself a target by encouraging everyone to go,” Malcolm tells him.

[goingtobeunwell]

"Oh, well, you were never going to win that fight, were you?" He chuckles softly. "Don't fret. Those who are passionate usually find their way."

[abrightboy]

Malcolm smiles a little. “Well, if nobody comes to see me anymore, you’re going to have to come talk to me so I don’t look like a loser,” he huffs with grudging good humour.

[goingtobeunwell]

"Ah, well, I've got a standing appointment to come visit you every other day as we speak. I think you'll be just fine."

[abrightboy]

“If she keeps letting Will come over at the end of the day, I’ll be fine,” Malcolm tells him. “How are things going with your man? Still good? It was nice to talk to him for real.”

[goingtobeunwell]

Probably best not to comment on that first bit. Crozier doesn't want Malcolm to be dragged back into that earlier state of mind, not when he's finally climbed the metaphorical hurdle.

"Still good, still good," he says, eyes crinkling. And that's all he really cares to say about him and Xingchen, but he'll throw Malcolm a bone. "I was pleased to see you spoke."

[abrightboy]

“He was kind. I know I can be… a lot,” Malcolm concedes.