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[abrightboy]

This is Bright. Leave a message.

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[abrightboy]

Oh, that’s interesting.

“Why? Do you just think people won’t like it?”

[chaos_drifter]

“I need to be better about respecting boundaries. That, and the fact that letting others’ emotions stay in the background is also easier here than it is in the Rift. Doing that allows me to feel my emotions more clearly.” They pause, trying to think of a good analogy. “Like wearing headphones. It will never be exact, because my telepathy functions more like a sense than an ability, but I can control it to some extent.”

[abrightboy]

"I've been learning that, too. How to be better at respecting boundaries," Malcolm says.

[chaos_drifter]

“I imagine that can be difficult, given your job here.”

[abrightboy]

"You'd think, but... you're basically the only client I have," Malcolm admits. "Well, I have one other that's... contemplating it."

[chaos_drifter]

“Somehow, I thought you had more. People vanish fairly often, though.”

[abrightboy]

"I've... never had many. I'm not....... wildly popular."

[chaos_drifter]

Avalon shrugs. “Therapists are like wardens. It may just be that others are a better fit for the people here, the same way you seem to be a good fit for me.”

[abrightboy]

Malcolm considers that. "You think so?" He pauses thoughtfully. "Maybe I just have to find the ones that would benefit. Will says I'm best for people with trauma that doesn't respond well to traditional therapies. People who need a push."

[chaos_drifter]

“Yes. I think counseling and wardening are more about having what someone else needs than trying to help everyone.”

[abrightboy]

“I guess so. …When I came here, I wanted to help everyone. But. Maybe that’s what I had to learn.”

[chaos_drifter]

“Wanting to help everyone is a good desire to have.” They know they lack that. They may be able to think of wardening as something more than a purpose, but doing so is not their first idea.

[abrightboy]

"Until the failure starts to break you," Malcolm points out.

[chaos_drifter]

Would something like that break them? They think it could, the same way losing their murders had. “I see.”

[abrightboy]

"I found it easier to cope when I narrowed the scope of my goals," Malcolm tells them.

[chaos_drifter]

“What did you decide to use as your goal, other than helping everyone?” they ask.

[abrightboy]

"Helping people who ask for my help," Malcolm tells them.

[chaos_drifter]

“That makes sense. I might not have asked for the help that I needed, but we got there eventually.”