In the Beat of a Wing {boyxboy}

Chapter Nine

~Thursday 24th January 2013~

"She hit him?" Malcolm nodded at his gaping brother, pushing the salad around in the plastic container, having lost his appetite when the conversation had shifted to what he had witnessed at Eden's house, "what's he doing about it?"

"I haven't had the opportunity to discuss it with him," Malcolm murmured with a shrug, unable to convey any emotion in the situation for fear that he might lose his temper, "I doubt he'll do anything about it. I've seen this all before. He's already lost brother, I don't think he'll be willing to lose his mother as well."

"He's got a meeting today, doesn't he? What are you gonna suggest he does?"

"I'm not. It wouldn't be fair to input my opinion, I don't take abuse cases for a reason. I know my own temper too well, I can't be sure that I will remain calm enough to act in a professional sense," despite how much Malcolm had wanted to offer for Eden to stay with him for a few days after what he had witnessed, he couldn't. All because of his position in the boy's case, he had to just step back and allow him to make the decisions instead, forgoing his own opinion on the matter.

"You can't just let him stay with her, what if she hurts him again?" Malcolm let out a hefty sigh, putting his salad on his desk and finally looking at his little brother, seeing the same concern he felt writhing around in Arian's eyes. Arian had always empathised more, so much so that it often affected his judgement in harsh situations, however, Malcolm knew that he and his brother, along with the rest of the guys, all shared the same views on abuse. He had anticipated the reaction from Arian, he would have had the same one if he didn't have such tight control over his emotions.

"He's not a kid, alright? He can make his own decisions without my input, he doesn't need a protector. This is his mother we're talking about, she's an older woman and, not to be sexist, she doesn't look like she would be able to overpower him in any way," Malcolm knew by the lack of change in his brother's expression that his words hadn't taken effect as he had hoped, "Ari, he's not Slate," Malcolm said in a lower voice, "I'm sure this was a one-off and he doesn't need me breathing down his neck to add to his stress."

"So that's it? You just pretend like it didn't happen? You told me he was distraught, he won't just forget this. How do you know he isn't wishing you'll do something more?"

"I can't, Ari," Malcolm said in a more forceful tone, "I can't do anything. I can't overstep my boundaries, it would give the media a damn field day and I could be taken off his brother's case. I made a promise to him to get justice for Archer, I refuse to fuck that up because I got too close and offered him something out of my professional range."

"Getting him out of that situation is 'out of your professional range'?" Arian shook his head, rising from his seat at the opposite side of his brother's desk, "sometimes, Mal, you take this job too fucking seriously. I'm pretty sure Eden would benefit a hell of a lot more from getting away from his monster of a mother than getting some sense of unfulfilled justice for his dead brother," Arian, wearing a disgusted scowl, walked to Malcolm's office door, clearly having no intention to finish their lunch together.

"Ari, you don't understand the situation-"

"Really, Mal? I don't? So you don't find this bizarrely reminiscent of back in Egypt?" Arian snapped, "back when you were unwilling to do something about Slate's situation because you didn't wanna get kicked out?"

"Don't you dare try to make links to that, Ari, this is not the same," Malcolm growled, unable to believe his brother would try to pick similarities between Slate and Eden's circumstances.

"It could get that way, Mal, you know how these things escalate. Are you really gonna be able to forgive yourself if something happens to him?"

"Nothing is going to happen to him!" Malcolm's temper slipped for a split second, his voice raising abruptly and Arian suddenly got pinned back against a nearby wall. Malcolm sighed, grimacing at his little brother's quiet whimper, knowing his powers could be rather forceful when they wanted to be. He rose from his seat, walking over to Arian and pulling him into a tight hug, rubbing his back and hoping silently that it didn't bruise.