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From:

empathicfault

Will lets out a rather performative 'hey!' when he gets slapped, laughing a bit.

The question pulls a confused expression forward, but it only lasts a moment. "Work? I don't remember having anything big come up today. Maybe I was too focused on you. How was your day, other than waiting for me?"

He leans on the kitchen counter, ready to catch another kiss if one is offered.

From:

abrightboy

He will sweetly steal that kiss before answering.

“I didn’t do a whole hell of a lot. The jerk in the infirmary still hasn’t called me. And I’m sure not going to be a counsellor. Can you believe that shit?”

He takes the steaks out and starts plating them.

From:

empathicfault

"Yeah, I-"

Memories aren't mixing together. Malcolm feels different, when Will doesn't even know what Malcolm should otherwise feel like. He's used to forgetting, but not while he's with someone. What the hell?

He rubs his head. "I've got to be honest, I'm not...feeling great. Might've been something I ate earlier? Maybe I should head to the infirmary. For a checkup." He stops himself for a moment, then adds, "After dinner," because he's not passing up filet mignon.

From:

abrightboy

“…You don’t feel well?” Malcolm leaves the food on the counter to put a hand on Will’s forehead and look at his eyes with a serious, analytical gaze. “When did it start? What are you feeling?” he asks with concern, but also as a doctor.

From:

empathicfault

Ah, damn. He'd been hoping for a quick bite first. And his stomach twists at the concern on Malcolm's face.

"Uh...back on the couch? Things feel a little different? I can't tell exactly what, just feeling a little disoriented. I'm sure it's fine." He frowns slightly, looking concerned himself. "Really. Didn't mean to worry you."

From:

abrightboy

“Oh.” He returns to plating the meals, keeping an eye on Will sidelong. “Maybe the flood is affecting your empathy. People being disoriented all over the ship making you feel disoriented.”

He takes one plate and puts it in Will’s hands, giving him a gentle kiss before letting go of it.

“Try to take it easy.”

He hands him a roll of cutlery in a cloth napkin before grabbing his own and his plate and heading around to the other side of the island.

Edited Date: 23 Oct 2025 03:36 (UTC)

From:

empathicfault

As soon as talk of Will's 'empathy' comes up, he stands stock still. He is not, as Malcolm suggested, taking it easy. He's distressed- wary, even.

"Hold on, I told you about my empathy disorder? What- what flood, what ship are you talking about? I thought I got it, but this is..."

His fingers squeeze the plate, and he is definitely considering dropping it and running. He must be on something, this doesn't make any sense...

From:

abrightboy

Malcolm just looks at him for a moment, for the first time visibly taken aback.

“…Of course you did. We’ve been together for, like, two years. We got married just after Christmas. …You don’t remember that?”

From:

empathicfault

"Married?! Shit. No. That's not- I'm not marriage material. If you know about the empathy issue, you should know that."

This is stupid. He puts the plate down on the kitchen counter and starts heading for the door. "I- I need some fresh air."

From:

abrightboy

"There's no fresh air here," is his knee-jerk response. But Will is still moving towards the door and in a quiet, sincere, almost desperate voice that almost nobody has ever heard from this Malcolm, he says "Please don't go."

From:

empathicfault

He feels the request like a blow to the chest. Will stops and sways in place for a moment, tears welling up in his eyes. "I'm not! I'm not, I promise."

Damn, he really should've bolted when he woke up. Why didn't he? "I don't know who you want me to be," he adds, sounding lost. He looks down to the plate in front of him and picks it up, carrying it over to the bar to sit next to Malcolm. "This doesn't make sense."

From:

abrightboy

"You're the first person I've really known who wasn't... just... performing. I never wanted you to be anything in particular," Malcolm tells him. He turns in his seat to face him a bit more. "If you lost your memory, we can work on it, okay? I'm a neurologist. It's okay; we'll figure it out."

From:

empathicfault

Will's eyes widen at the reassurance, because that really doesn't sound like him. But then, why does he only have good memories with Malcolm? Not marriage, but fun nights with a man who was far more complex than what he generally showed the world. Will had been addicted immediately.

He rubs at his face. That, at least, hadn't changed. "I...before I met you, I was thinking of trying some ayahuasca. Maybe I did and forgot to tell you- or myself- and this is all some...vision of how I'd really like to settle down? Be honest? I don't know." He shakes his head, but Malcolm's reassurance seems to be settling him down. "Why isn't there fresh air?"

From:

abrightboy

Malcolm cuts a piece of his own steak and a piece if potato, spearing them together on his fork and holds the bite out for Will.

"The boat is in... it's not even space. It's the liminal space between dimensions. It's spectacular; we can go up and see it, but it's not... fresh air."

From:

empathicfault

Will is struck by the strangeness of the conversation with the sweet way Malcolm's taking care of him. He decides to lean into the sweet part first, literally leaning down for the bite. He savors it as he chews.

"That's amazing," he says, closing his eyes for a moment. Then he shifts to his own plate and starts cutting for himself. He's not missing out on this meal, even if this world is falling apart. "So I'm guessing all that means we're not in New York?"

From:

abrightboy

Malcolm takes a hearty bite of his own meal and looks over at Will.

"You were living with me in New York? How did we meet, then?"

From:

empathicfault

Will bites his lip a little- he wouldn't have called it 'living with Malcolm,' but he absolutely was sleeping here every night. "I was working as a catering attendant for some fundraising gala your hospital was holding. You weren't a speaker, but you had to be there."

Will had been disappointed- so many people there hated the event. He thought more would be happier with the chance to at least show off their spending, wear something nice, eat fancy dinners, but...

"When we were relatively alone, I declared that you were the most ridiculously bored person in the entire room. Guess you found that funny, rather than inappropriate. We both left a little early."

From:

abrightboy

Malcolm smiles as he swallows a bite of steak.

"What can I say? You're very attractive. What was I supposed to do? Not leave with you? I bet I was the least bored employee of that hospital by about an hour later," he teases.

From:

empathicfault

Will takes a bite, looking shyly down at his plate. He's clearly pleased. "I can guarantee that you were," he replies, the words not reflecting his more innocent expression.

"We've been in each other's orbit ever since. I clean up nice, and navigate your social scene all right. And-"

His eyes flutter shut for a moment. He's pulling himself back together again, so it's time to mention it and try to push past it.

"I'm sorry for freaking out earlier, I've just... I've never told anyone about the empathy disorder. Only my dad knew. I didn't want people thinking I was some sort of psychopath."

From:

abrightboy

Malcolm chews thoughtfully, studying him sidelong.

“Would it be the worst thing in the world if you were one? I mean… maybe some people deserve what they reap from their sowing and maybe someone has to have the wherewithal to deliver it to them and maybe some people call that psychopathy, but maybe other people call that justice.”

He watches Will carefully.

From:

empathicfault

Will has to steal some of that carefulness, because he suddenly senses a danger to this situation. It's not the first time here with Malcolm, actually. Or the second.

It might be the first time Will doesn't immediately tell himself to get the duck out of here...he hadn't listened, why bother now? Will lets out a sigh and chews his lip before he answers.

"I would call that justice, yeah. But am I really feeling that way, or...am I reflecting it? Could I actually believe that's possible, or is that a fairy tale I'd tell myself after getting...swept away on the emotions?" His voice shakes as he speaks, as if the weight of the words are too heavy for him.

From:

abrightboy

"Who taught you that feeling things is wrong?" Malcolm asks. "Who told you that you should shut that off?"

From:

empathicfault

"What I feel isn't real, that's the problem," he says, liking truly miserable to give voice to it. "Or it's real, but it's not mine... I'm a mirror."

He looks away, and notices the mutt at his feet. "The only thing I decide is where I'm positioned." He aims for the light, so it seems like something's there.

From:

abrightboy

"You have feelings. Your own feelings. Maybe what you need to look for using your 'condition' is someone whose feelings resonate with you. You feel what they feel but do you enjoy it? Does it feel right? Or does it feel... dissonant? Like an ill-fitting suit?" Malcolm shrugs a shoulder and spears a potato, holding it out for Will. "You're trying to feel things like normal people do, but you're not one of them. I know what it's like, to be forced into a mold and to feel like a failure for not fitting it. But you can let your wings unfold here. Try to feel things your way, not... fit your way of feeling into the parameters of how normal people feel things."

From:

empathicfault

Will looks like he's going to argue at first, but when Malcolm brings up the ill-fitting suit he has to shut his mouth again. He technically 'resonates' with everyone he comes across. So what does he keep running away and starting over?

He's quiet for what feels like a long time, thinking it over as he chews his food. And then almost laughing at himself for thinking it over. "So, what you're saying is that it might be more mentally healthy for me to explore any latent tendencies towards psychopathy?"

He huffs a breath out. "There's no putting that genie back in the bottle after I let it out." Watching Malcolm's eyes, he adds, "Just how much darkness could I reflect?"

He's not saying no. Hell, if he's in space, maybe he's already had his break.