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[abrightboy]

This is Bright. Leave a message.

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Re: December 28th, morning

[empathicfault]

"Please."

This is the 'Big' present, despite its physical size. Inside is an elegant and expensive-looking ballpoint pen.

"The ink will never run out," he explains. "But that's merely to hide its true function. Do you want to guess, it should I just tell you?"

Re: December 28th, morning

[abrightboy]

Malcolm turns it over in his hands, then looks up at Will.

“Tell me.”

Re: December 28th, morning

[empathicfault]

Will gestures to the pen with his hand. "The top of the cap and the covered part of the pen both glow. They only do so when someone within ten meters means you harm, physical or mental."

It's an early warning system. One that Malcolm can keep on him at all times, if he wants.

Re: December 28th, morning

[abrightboy]

His eyes widen a little, he clutches it to his chest for a moment, then he clips it to the collar of his t-shirt so he can throw himself into Will’s arms. He kisses him passionately, until the kettle whistling breaks the moment. He doesn’t pull back more than a couple of inches, his arms still wrapped around Will’s neck, to murmur “we have to go in the ship to get your present. I’ll put the coffee in a thermos to take with us.” He gives him another quick kiss. “I love you,” he says as he lets go to finally address the screaming kettle.

Re: December 28th, morning

[empathicfault]

Will seems unbothered by the kettle as he kisses Malcolm back, fingers combing through Malcolm's hair. He has a secret little smile for Malcolm when they pull back. "I love you, too. So much."

He has half a mind to pick up Malcolm and carry him back to bed, but the added hint about his present is intriguing. And he's hardly going to take away the joy of giving the gift, either. So he lets Malcolm slip away through his fingers and leans over the kitchen counter. He watches Malcolm make the coffee with a thoughtful look on his face.

"So my present's in the ship? I forgot, we have a whole other house to hide things in, now." He smirks. He takes every opportunity he can to point out how great their ship is. He doesn't suspect the shine will fade anytime soon.

Re: December 28th, morning

[abrightboy]

Malcolm gives him a cryptic smile, but doesn’t confirm or deny. He makes the coffee, pours it in a thermos and offers his free hand to Will, the thermos clutched in the other.

“No need to get any more dressed than we are,” he says.

But once on the ship, he doesn’t pull a gift out of a cupboard. He goes to the control room and enters some information, then returns to Will, gives the door a significant glance, then looks at Will again.

“Ready?”

Re: December 28th, morning

[empathicfault]

Will hasn't figured out exactly what he's in for, here. He looks around curiously, peering exaggeratedly towards the control panel.

"I'm ready for anything with you," he replies with a smile. He reaches out to the door knob with his free hand. Before he turns it, he looks to Malcolm for the go-ahead.

Re: December 28th, morning

[abrightboy]

Malcolm is all but bouncing on the balls of his feet. He grins and nods.

When Will opens the door, it opens into a deciduous forest on a warm autumn day. The leaves of the trees are yellow and orange and red and rustle in the breeze. The sound of moving water is audible as they step outside. The door is in a tree and once they step all the way out, the house is visible on the shore of the river. There’s a small dock, with a modest motorboat tied up there. The house itself is somehow both luxury and rustic. Thick posts cut from single logs support the overhang of the roof that shades and shelters the wrap around porch. A balcony from a second floor room also overlooks the river.

Malcolm looks at Will as he takes in the first impression.

“What do you think? Is it too much?”

Re: December 28th, morning

[empathicfault]

Will takes in the serenity of the scene, the house, the river... His mouth might be hanging open a bit.

"Malcolm, this is beautiful. Is it- did you arrange a vacation here?" He has to ask, even if he suspects it might be more. Malcolm doesn't usually pull out the 'too much' concern with him.

Re: December 28th, morning

[abrightboy]

"Any time you want!" Malcolm says like it bursts out of him. "It's yours! Well. Ours. It's our secret house. It's in my world, but nobody I know knows about it. We can come here to not be found. Or just to relax."

He watches Will's face. "We own all this land," he says, gesturing to the forest. "For privacy. For running...."

Re: December 28th, morning

[empathicfault]

It's so much. That's partially why he had to ask. Despite enjoying audacity often since his death, the idea of buying a house as a gift isn't a natural one.

But as the concept fully settles in, his smile only grows. Tears build in his eyes. "You've made a place for us in your world...a perfect getaway. I love it."

He puts his arm around Malcolm's shoulders. "Care to show me around?"

Re: December 28th, morning

[abrightboy]

“Well, it had to be in my world because that’s where I have really obscene piles of money… you know. To pay for it outright, without relying on anyone else. For it to be a secret. Mother does always say ‘invest in real estate’,” he remarks, taking the opportunity of being held close to kiss Will on the cheek before leading him up the porch steps and taking two keys out from under the doormat. The key he hands to Will is on a chain. “For when you go running,” he explains.

He uses his own to open the door, leading Will into an almost cavernous space. Large windows let in copious natural light and the ground floor is open concept with high ceilings. They’re standing in the main living area, dominated by a large fireplace made of river stones. There’s a comfortable looking couch, a couple of dog beds, a rug, a cozy blanket thrown on one end of the couch. Otherwise, the floors are hardwood. The whole vibe is timber, like it was carved out of the forest. The kitchen area has a breakfast bar and french doors that open onto the porch. There’s a gleaming new barbeque visible outside, and inside all the appliances are shiny and full sized. The freezer matches and stands beside the fridge. They can store food while they’re away, or - as Malcolm points out to him - store meat Will catches in the forest.

Also on the main floor, near the door they came in, is a water closet, so if you’re boating or barbequing or fishing or swimming, it’s easy to pop in to use it.

Once Will has had a chance to look around the main floor, Malcolm takes him upstairs. The entire loft is what Malcolm refers to as the “master suite”. It has a full en suite bath, including a steam shower and a spacious jetted bathtub. The balcony they saw from outside is off the main bedroom area, with a little coffee station set up beside the door. There are two chairs set up on the balcony with a side table between them. There’s a skylight above the spacious king bed. Malcolm has already installed his restraints. This is the only bedroom in the house. They won’t need more. Nobody else will know about this place.

Malcolm finishes showing it to Will and looks up at him.

“On the opposite side of the house from where we came in is a garage and a workshop. If you want to fix stuff or just keep tools in there. …There’s also a wood shed. As much as I enjoyed the idea of you shirtless and splitting wood with a big axe, I had it filled up to start us off. There’s room near the river to build a fire pit for outdoor fires. I thought… maybe we could do that together.”

Re: December 28th, morning

[empathicfault]

It does make sense, why Malcolm would have to get this property in his world. But Will still thinks the space is poetic- it's clearly meant for both of them, and it makes it really feel like he belongs here, too. Like his farmhouse did. Like the ship does. He takes the key on a chain and puts it around his neck immediately.

He follows Malcolm on the tour of the whole place. It's the most luxurious cabin he's ever seen, but he would still qualify it as the cabin. It's all thoughtfully furnished and it even has the skylight over the bed.

Malcolm mentions making a fire pit and Will beams at him. "We can. I've never put one together before, so it'll be new for both of us." He's clearly already looking for good spots for it, staring over to the river. "How'd you even find this place? It must've taken awhile."

Re: December 28th, morning

[abrightboy]

Malcolm smiles, sliding into the crook of Will's arm, looking out the window too.

"I snuck over here a bunch of times when you were working or walking the dogs," he admits. "It's useful having a ship where I can go to upstate New York for an afternoon and come back five minutes after I left. Oh! And we can obviously park the ship inside when we come here. I just parked it out in the woods so you could get the full effect. Anyway. I had a realtor working on it for me and then I'd come by and check out the properties she found. I almost thought I'd have to settle before she found this place. Like two days ago, our time. So I had to be extra sneaky to get it all furnished and stuff in time. You know. Without you noticing I was gone."

Re: December 28th, morning

[empathicfault]

Will chuckles at the thought of Malcolm sneaking past him the past couple of days to work on this. He squeezes his husband close.

"I knew you were distracted, but I just assumed it was something at work. I never would've guessed it was this. Were people dropping off furniture right up until we arrived?" he asks, sounding impressed.

Re: December 28th, morning

[abrightboy]

“Until yesterday,” Malcolm tells him. “I didn’t want to risk anyone showing up once you were here. You should always be able to relax here. You should always feel free to relax here.”

He turns towards Will so he can slide his arms up around his neck and gaze up at his face. “It’s the kind of protection you need.” He gives him a gentle kiss. “Protection of your peace.”