databurst | accidental video; $sherlockfreud

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accidental video; $sherlockfreud

[ The video comes on and shows Malcolm laying with his head down on the table. He's asleep, or, more accurately, he's passed out. His hair is flopped over his face and he mumbles to himself, twisting in a nightmare. The words 'no' and 'Beth' can be made out, but that's about it.

In the midst of his flailing, he's managed to turn his video on, broadcasting this nightmare to Svelte at large. One of his arms flings across the table in front of him and the sound of shattering glass follows it.

It snaps him out of his sleep. Malcolm picks his head up, looking through his locks of hair with a dazed expression. He turns towards the camera; the realization that it's been on this whole time flashes through his eyes. ]

Shit. [ Malcolm fumbles for the device, the camera swinging wildly around as he tries to turn it off. ] M'sorry...

[ The feed shuts off abruptly. ]

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Malcolm? [ Anna clearly wasn't woken up by the sudden broadcast - she's alert and a bit rattled herself. They're apparently both experiencing nightmares tonight. Her voice is even, but there's no attempt being made to hide the concern in her tone. ]

Malcolm, are you okay? What's going on?

[ It takes a minute before Malcolm responds. He's brushed his hair off of his face in an effort to look semi-presentable, though he still seems hung over and out of it. ]

Hey. I'm fine. It was... a nightmare.

[ Every second that Malcolm doesn't answer is a second that is spent changing her clothes and slipping on shoes. By the time he answers, she's halfway to the elevator. ] Clearly. But it's not just that, is it?

Malcolm, what happened?

[ He takes a ragged breath. There's no harm in telling her, of course. ]

Beth is gone. I-I think she must have gone home...

[ Malcolm is heartbroken. ]

[ Anna steps off the elevator and nearly falls over when Malcolm tells her that Beth is gone. A sharp pain shoots through her chest in sympathy and she's silent a few moments before she replies. ]

Oh no... Malcolm... I'm so sorry. I'm on my way.

[ It's now that Malcolm notices that she's on the move, coming out of an elevator. She's coming over here? ]

You don't have to.

[ He doesn't really want anyone to see him like this. ]

I'm fine.

[ Sometimes you don't get to pick when people see you at your most broken. Svelte seems to be the place for that. Anna realizes that she's pushing the issue but Malcolm is quite clearly not okay and her protective instincts are once again in overdrive. ]

I don't have to. But I want to. And bullshit you're not fine. You're everything but and you don't have to go through this alone.

[ Malcolm rubs at his face, knowing that this is a fight that he's probably going to lose. Honestly, he doesn't really have the energy right now to fight it anyway. ]

I live over the museum. [ Even if she didn't know that, she'd figure it out. ]

[ Has Anna learned her lesson about steamrolling from Desmond yet?

No. No she hasn't. Sorry Malcolm. This happens when Anna has friends. Most people get used to it after a while. ]

I'm on my way. I'll be there in five. You need anythin'?

[ This is probably why Malcolm doesn't have friends. It's easier to stay trapped in his own misery when there's nobody there to pull him out of it. ]

A bottle of whiskey?

For me? You're so considerate, Malcolm.

[ Anna drawls jokingly as she tucks into a store to grab said bottle of whiskey. Malcolm's not drinking alone. Once she's out of the store she begins to jog toward the museum. ]

Get some glasses ready.

You can have your own bottle if you want. [ He's not going to judge.

The video shows Malcolm standing and walking towards the kitchen. ]

I guess I'll see you in a few minutes.

Yes, you will.

[ Anna ends the video call and knocks on the museum door before letting herself in. She heads toward the back and takes the stairs up to Malcolm's apartment two at a time because this is urgent. When she gets to the door, she shifts the bag to her free arm and knocks twice. ]

Malcolm? It's Anna.

[ She's the only one knocking on his door this late at night, so he's not surprised to see her. He opens it and peers out of the crack, his hair flopped over the sides of his head. ]

Hey. You didn't have to come.

[ He steps back from the door in order to let her in. ]

You mentioned that, but I'm here now and I brought whiskey.

[ Anna replies nonchalantly and enters his apartment without hesitation, going straight for his kitchen. Glasses, glasses. They need glasses. Anna clearly came right from getting ready for bed, as she's dressed in an NYPD t-shirt and black pajama pants in contrast to her usual professional look. ]

Where do you wanna sit and drink?

Here's fine.

[ He gestures towards the couch in the living room. Malcolm's aesthetic is particularly gothic, from the paintings, to the books, to the scant amount of weapons that he's acquired here and hung on the walls. Nary a bit of neon to be found. Malcolm sits down on the couch and lets Anna bring the whiskey and glasses to him. ]

[So maybe he shouldn't stick his nose in, here. It's that 'danger sense' again, the one that tells him when he ought to stay away from something (mostly false flags these days, when everything feels dangerous).

He does his best to ignore it and picks up the phone.]

Uh, h-hey... You need any help?

[ It takes about a minute for Malcolm to respond. He does appreciate that people are checking in on him, even though he's mildly horrified that Svelte at large had to see that video. ]

I'm okay... I had a nightmare.

[Desmond chews his lower lip for a moment. He probably shouldn't press on this, but... Hey, he stuck his nose in in the first place so he might as well go all out, right?]

You sure?

[ Malcolm lets out a ragged sigh. ]

I'm... better now that I'm awake.

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accidental video; $sherlockfreud

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