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[creeksidealtarboy]

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[abrightboy]

“It is definitely messed up. I was remembering something. Something that already happened, but I’d forgotten because of all the chloroforming. An associate of my father’s grabbing me by the arm as he urged him to finish me. I stabbed him back then. Stabbed him and ran. Eiffel took my arm just when I was remembering it, so I… did the same thing. I stabbed him and ran.”

[creeksidealtarboy]

"Huh. How did you even get a fucking knife as a kid?" he mutters.

[abrightboy]

“My dad bought it for me off the turnpike in New Jersey. It was hanging in a bag from my door that morning,” Malcolm tells him.

[creeksidealtarboy]

He laughs. "You got a fucking knife from the Admiral. You wardens get all the good shit."

[abrightboy]

“It shot me in the foot, so to speak. Will still has it,” Malcolm tells him. “What did you get?”

[creeksidealtarboy]

Aaron's smile is hard. A bit lopsided.

"A lump of coal."

[abrightboy]

“Um, harsh,” Malcolm acknowledges. “So if this were a novel, what would the theme be? Loss of innocence?”

[creeksidealtarboy]

Malcolm says that and Aaron laughs, pleased by the question.

"Yeah. That's what my whole life is. Nice to keep that off for a week longer."

[abrightboy]

“Same,” Malcolm agrees. “So it sounds like you’ve been staying out of trouble,” he notes. “Has anything happened lately that’s made you angry?”

[creeksidealtarboy]

"Does being here count?" he laughs, leaning back and looking up to the ceiling.

He doesn't give Malcolm a chance to answer. "No. Nothing really. It's been a good few weeks, I guess. I'm learning French, and taking medical lessons, and I talked to Hunter about helping out in the infirmary."

[abrightboy]

“That’s awesome. Who’s teaching you French? Lestat?” Malcolm asks.

[creeksidealtarboy]

"Nah. That real pretty lady in the library. Una."

He grins. "You met her?"

[abrightboy]

“I haven’t, actually. She works there?” Malcolm asks.

[creeksidealtarboy]

"Think so? She's real smart."

Reminds him a lot of his Ms. Rebecca, but that's not a thought he voices aloud.

"She gives me books to read and they're real intellectual-like."

[abrightboy]

He can see that she reminds him of Miss Rebecca. But. Like. The good part.

“That’s great! What are some of the titles she’s given you?”

[creeksidealtarboy]

He thinks. "Around the World in Eighty Days, Un Autre Monde. Uh.. some stuff by Balzac, Hugo, Flaubert, de Maupassant, Baudelair..."

He ticks them off his fingers as he pictures his bookshelf.

[abrightboy]

"The French masters," Malcolm says appreciatively. "I take it she's French."

[creeksidealtarboy]

"No."

He falters. "She's a time traveler. I don't know when or where she's actually from."

[abrightboy]

“A time traveler! Like Iris?” Malcolm asks.

[creeksidealtarboy]

"Guess so?" he says with a shrug. "I don't know her."

[abrightboy]

“Has she talked about how she travels in time? Or when she’s been?” Malcolm asks curiously.

[creeksidealtarboy]

Aaron reaches an interesting sort of crossroads here. On one hand, he could use this to be impressive and useful to Malcolm, which always serves his interests. On the other - he doesn't want to reveal any of Una's secrets. More than he already has.

"Eh, not really," he lies. "We mostly just talk about books. Hey. You think that counts as a book club?"

[abrightboy]

“Sounds better than a book club,” Malcolm tells him sincerely, even if he did recognize that Aaron held something back. He pats the desk. “I think that’s good for one day. You can take the rest of the tea with you.”

[creeksidealtarboy]

"Thanks, doc," he says and stands up, taking the tea and the cup with him, whistling as he wanders off.