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stressingwitchface

"Ugh. People"

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From:

abrightboy

Good afternoon. I expect you’ve heard the news. Would you like to come by for a cup of tea or hot chocolate?

From:

stressingwitchface

That your inmate graduated? Yes, yes. Congratulations, Warden Bright. We're all very happy for him.

From:

abrightboy

Um. No. Well, that too. But you’re my Inmate now.

From:

stressingwitchface

[Shocked squeak]

From:

abrightboy

So how about that hot chocolate?

From:

stressingwitchface

Yes! Yes, whatever you like, Warden Bright! Should I fetch it for you? Can I command the kitchen inmates to prepare something for us?

From:

abrightboy

No, that’s fine. I’ll make it. You’re the guest of honour, after all.

From:

stressingwitchface

[Whoa]

Really?

Then I shall be at your door shortly!

From:

abrightboy

I’m glad. See you soon.

[He gets to work in the meantime, heating milk and scooping chocolate in a mug.]

From:

stressingwitchface

[Wanting to make a good impression, Kikimora changes into her best, cleanest outfit and arrives promptly, practically levitating with excitement.

She has a warden! One who has a track record and who she doesn't outright despise! Best day ever!

She waits to be called in, knocking at the doorway]

From:

abrightboy

Come in! It’s open!

[On the kitchen island, there’s a steaming mug of hot chocolate, just poured,, and a plate of sugar cookies.]

From:

stressingwitchface

[She walks in, staring at ~her!!!~ warden. Determined not to lose this one, Kikimora resolves privately to be the best inmate she possibly can be. She waits to be invited to sit, standing at attention]

Warden Bright.

From:

abrightboy

[He smiles, but he’s not laughing at her. He gestures to a stool at the counter.]

Have a seat. And you can call me ‘Malcolm’, if you want. We’re sort of partners now, right? Working on your graduation together.

From:

stressingwitchface

[Height at last! Kikimora scrambles up to the stool in a practiced way. She's used to chairs not being sized properly for her and enjoys the high tops most of all]

I'm happy you feel the same way, Malcolm. And I'm eager to prove my loyalty as your inmate and deal-holder.

From:

abrightboy

I'm prepared to offer you the same thing I offered my last inmate. When you graduate, you can have my deal. I didn't come here to get a magic wish; I came here to help my inmates graduate and, ultimately, you're the one that has to put the real work in to accomplish that, so. I think you should get the deal at the end.

From:

stressingwitchface

What?

[oh god. So many possibilities are swimming around in her head right now]

From:

abrightboy

When you graduate, you can have my deal, if you want it.

From:

stressingwitchface

...What's the catch?

From:

abrightboy

There's no catch. Graduating is hard and you're not going to like all the work we have to do.

From:

stressingwitchface

I don't shy away from hard work.

But I don't understand why you would give up your deal. Don't you know you can do practically anything with it?

From:

abrightboy

Yes. But I only came here to help people. I don't need a reward for it. A graduating inmate deserves it more. So they can take full advantage of their second chance.

From:

stressingwitchface

So there's nothing in your life, your world, you wouldn't change for the better.

From:

abrightboy

It's not that I don't have anything that I would change. It's that I think the inmate deserves the chance more. For the work they have to do to get there.

From:

stressingwitchface

But that means you aren't invested! I'm working to gain my freedom and eventual return from death, but you're doing this for..what, for fun?

From:

abrightboy

[He blinks at her.]

...No. It's actually very rarely fun. I do it because I want to help you. Why is that not motivation? Do you know what it feels like to know you genuinely helped someone?