cactusy | IC contact for lastvoyages

[She'll come up next to him, standing a few feet away and leaning forward, resting her chin on the top rail.]

When I was a kid. I know the basics, but not plot details.

Yeah. That's all that tracks, anyway.

[ He leans against the rail and looks out. He and Shaw have some of their best conversations that way. ]

The inmate in the vents- the boy who never grows up- is that Peter Pan. Except he's some kind of monster that tricks young boys into leaving their lives behind, and he throws them away like broken toys when he's tired of them. I don't know even half the things he's done to James. But I got the impression he's been Peter's favorite 'toy' for quite a while now.

There was a heavy, righteous rage that emanated off James, when he wasn't terrified for my well-being.

Are you terrified for your well-being? Beyond the panic reaction.

[She has other questions too, and other things to say, but this seems like the place to start.]

[ Will snorts with laughter, which is probably answer enough. But he verbalizes it too. ]

Hardly. I've compensated for that sort of danger, a couple of times over now. Not that James could've known that.

Fear isn't always logical, even beyond panic reactions, but - okay.

[She hooks her arms over the railing, turning her head to look at him while keeping the rest of her body facing outward.]

So it sounds like we need a game plan to help protect this guy, yeah?

[ Will tilts his chin to the side, a small acknowledgement that fear isn't logical. ]

Hmmm. We do, but I would recommend you make sure of the situation before trying to protect him. A lot of what... [ He waves his hand in the generic direction of the Enclosure. ] -that was about were James' feelings replicating mine so well. He was less in danger than everything and everyone around him. Peter hurts him by hurting other people, letting him have nothing in his life that isn't that creature in a little boy's skin.

I...didn't run away when James told me to. I couldn't leave him alone to that. So the best way to protect him might be to let Peter try and fail to hurt me, to hurt others. Fail to change things on this boat. Let James see it's safer here, even if it's not entirely safe.

I'm not... just talking about doing it for his sake.

[She speaks slowly, choosing her words carefully.]

I'm also thinking about practice for you, helping people without torturing or killing the perpetrator. I'm thinking about what we can do to help you not feel like a powerless bystander. That means that even if it turns out James doesn't need as much protection as you're feeling he does, I still want to work on this, not just go "Okay, crisis averted".

What are you thinking letting Peter try and fail to hurt you would entail? Goading him, watching him, waiting for him to attack, something else--?

[ Will's expression moves from confused to curious to impressed. He didn't think of this as a situation to work on himself, but he can see it. Now that the trauma is at least a little out of the way. He gives Shaw a weak smile and looks away, thinking it over. ]

No need to goad, Peter's already riled up plenty. Anyone showing care or connection with James is likely going to do the same, but I was willing to fight with him. I was going to go about my normal day and wait it out. Take extra precautions with the dogs.

Once he tries something, the goal would be to catch him and contact you or a nearby warden. And then it depends what you folks would want. Treating him dismissively would frustrate him the most, so that's probably what I'd lean towards.

You wanna ask Gaius if he can do his protection mojo on the dogs?

[ Will blinks. A couple of times, actually. ]

I can't believe I didn't think of that.

Two heads are better than one?

[She says dryly, quirking a brow at him.]

I, uh-- I also wanna be clear. I know you have helped people without going full murder about it - here and at home. I'm not forgetting about that. Me thinking you need practice with something doesn't mean I think you're totally incapable now, got it?

I've got it.

[ He smiles now, looking down at his hands. ]

I noticed what you were going for. Nonviolent solutions...and knowing there are nonviolent solutions. That's an important thing to practice, since I'm planning on wardening myself eventually.

[ More seriously, though: ] I appreciate what you're doing here, reinforcing my agency. If we do it enough times, my overemotional hindbrain should actually get it.

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