TLV: Inbox

[tinstar]

Comments

[tinstar]

Good... I'm under that protection too. Came in helpful when I got into a tight position in that giant ass cave port we landed in. [Malcolm was still his defacto spokesperson if Gaius needed permission to do anything.]

Well, I don't know. I'm just workin' off what I know. Maybe it was an offhanded comment, I can't say. As much as she meant it personally, I wouldn't take it that way. Talk to Steve maybe. He's her warden now, and he's a good man. I think he'll be good for her. Maybe this won't happen again.

[abrightboy]

...Is he her permanent warden now?

[tinstar]

If I'm rememberin' the last pairin's notice correctly, yeah.

You friendly with him?

[abrightboy]

No. I only ever met him at the meeting.

[tinstar]

He's a good guy. Not always the wisest, and that's from his lips, but a good one, none the less. Long timer, former military like B is. I trust him. [And trust wasn't something that Raylan handed out.]

He'll be good for her.

[abrightboy]

He’s got a whole job of work ahead. And I say that as Kikimora’s new Warden.

[tinstar]

I saw that. Good luck - last time I talked to her, she was in a giant robot suit demanding we concede to something or other.

How's she taking it?

[abrightboy]

She loves me. I was teaching her anger management before we were paired.

[tinstar]

Sounds like you're already three steps ahead then. She's a firecracker for sure.

.. You mind me askin' what you ended up doin' with your reward for graduatin' Neal?

[abrightboy]

I gave it to Neal.

[tinstar]

And this next one? [He had no doubt that Malcolm would graduate Kikimora too.]

[abrightboy]

I promised it to her.

[tinstar]

... Mm. [Of course there was an opinion there.]

Goin' for Saint of the year, huh?

[abrightboy]

What do you mean?

[tinstar]

I mean, you keep givin' away your rewards for your efforts. They're gettin' not only their life back but also a free genie wish that they didn't put the effort or sufferin' in for themselves, that's all.

[abrightboy]

“They’re the ones that put all the hard effort in,” Malcolm tells him. “They have to reflect and they have to change or they’re stuck here forever. We don’t have to change and we can be free of it any time we want. I know a lot of Wardens are doing this for the Deal and I don’t begrudge them that, but I came here for this. To help,” Malcolm explains.

[tinstar]

Raylan shakes his head. "So we're not doin' anythin'? You can't say helpin' is valuable and then not assign any value to it for yourself. Helpin' is work. Or at least it is for the rest of us." Raylan's sacrifices couldn't be downplayed like that; he refused to accept that view.

[abrightboy]

“That’s not what I’m saying. I’m saying its inherent value is enough for me, specifically. I don’t think less of Wardens that take their deal. That was the deal they signed up for, as it were. Francis used his to save all the men who died under his command. Now he doesn’t have to carry that burden. I’m happy for him. And you’re using yours to be a good father. I don’t think the value of that can be understated. But I don’t need it. I don’t have anything back there. Maybe one day I’ll keep one, but… I don’t need one right now.”

[tinstar]

"It doesn't have to be for back there. That's the thing - you could go to any world you want, likely any version, you could have whatever kind of life that you want with whoever you want." He wasn't trying to push Malcolm, he respected Malcolm's choices whatever they were, but he didn't want to be misunderstood as misunderstanding.

"I hope you do keep one, one day. I hope you find somethin' that you care enough about or want enough for to take it."

[abrightboy]

“When Will earns one, he’s going to get a way for us to travel anywhere,” Malcolm tells him. “That’s when I’ll need it, anyway. When Will is free.”

[tinstar]

"When Will earn- Is he planning on staying as a Warden? I don't- I'm sorry, I don't get it. Why not use one of yours to do the same thing once he graduates? Why wait for him to go through the Wardening process?"

[abrightboy]

“Why would I take that away from him? This place is timeless; we’re not in a rush,” Malcolm points out.

[tinstar]

"Timeless and sometimes hellish and traumatic, where either of you could-" He had gotten a little too animated with his surprise, his subtle indignation that he didn't realize was spurred up and it was all cut short as Raylan looks away from the screen and bites down on his words, jaw working. No, he knew why that was his reaction. Fresh wounds.

[abrightboy]

“We’re both made from trauma and this place is better for us than where we’re from, even without each other. We like it here,” Malcolm tells him.

[tinstar]

"And what about with each-" He lifts a hand and shakes his head. "Okay. Sorry."