~Saturday 2nd February 2013~
Malcolm often lost himself in cases, forgetting to eat, or drink, or check the time. He had to look over files and make notes and form some sort of plan in his mind. Most of the time, his health came second. He knew it wasn't good for him, and he knew it worried others, but he didn't care. He had an obligation to help others in his job, they had gone through terrible losses or could be facing serious jail time, missing a few meals was nothing in comparison to their possible fates.
"Mal, it's nearly midnight," Arian chided, peeking his head through the doorway into Malcolm's office, "are you ever gonna go home?" Malcolm looked up from the files strewn over his desk, rubbing his eyes when Arian wouldn't actually snap back into focus.
"Yeah, in a minute," he murmured, covering his mouth as he yawned, frowning when Arian sat on the chair opposite him, "what are you doing?"
"Waiting with you. One minute never means one minute. You need to go home and sleep, you're gonna crash," Malcolm didn't stop his brother when he started collecting the documents and pictures together in one pile and slipping them back into the file, "come on, you're done for tonight."
"How come you're here so late anyway?" Malcolm inquired as he rose from his seat and shrugged on his coat.
"Had to finish an autopsy report, Rei was pestering me so it took longer than expected," Malcolm collected his briefcase and turned off the lights in his office as the two exited, locking the door behind them.
"What was it?"
"Siren, came in with death by natural causes, not anymore," Malcolm cocked an eyebrow allowing his brother to go first as they stepped into the elevator, "poisoned. There was atropa belladonna in her blood, only a minute amount but it was enough to mimic a stroke and kill her. Her husband isn't going to be pleased when I have to inform him on Monday."
"Do you think it was hunters then?"
"What else could it be? If it was suicide, she would have taken enough to kill herself instantly, not draw out the process," Arian shrugged plainly, following Malcolm out through the foyer, "either way, she went painfully, and her husband is probably gonna rake up a serious investigation into it. I'd expect a heavy case from him," Malcolm nodded, choosing not to mention how intense his workload already was.
"I hope everything goes well on Monday with it, are you gonna be over for breakfast tomorrow?"
"Yeah," Arian stopped next to his car whilst Malcolm continued further toward his own, "go to sleep when you get home Mal! I'll know if you've been working from home!" Malcolm chuckled, ignoring his brother, pressing the button to unlock his car.
Before he could open his car door, however, he noticed something out of the corner of his eye, something glinting down the nearby alleyway. He focused in on the surroundings, listening in to the noises drifting around him until he heard quiet whimpering, almost as though someone was trying not to cry. His brows furrowed into a frown, an internal debate of whether he was listening to the wrong thing or whether he should investigate. Investigating wouldn't hurt, at least if he was wrong then he could put his mind at ease.
Malcolm placed his briefcase on his driver's seat, locking his car and walking down toward the alleyway. With each step, he saw that same glint again, something metal catching on the shifting lights around. He could hear voices too, two hushed tones and one breathless one. Malcolm stopped at the opening to the alleyway, squinting in the darkness, silently wishing he had Reivon's sight. It was far superior to his own. Finally accepting that he would have to walk further down the alleyway to see whatever the commotion was, Malcolm stuck to the shadows.
"What are you fucking gonna do now, angel?" Malcolm heard one of the voice hiss in a mocking tone, "you're no better than your brother was. You gonna just stand there and cry?" suddenly, nausea writhed in Malcolm's stomach, his pace quickening as he continued down the alleyway, "why don't you bring out your wings, angel? Maybe carving you up will teach you a fucking lesson."
As soon as the mist parted enough for Malcolm to see all four of the men perfectly, he flicked his wrist, sending three of the men hurtling backwards away from the fourth. Malcolm knew he had to keep some degree of control, he couldn't lose it, no matter how much he wanted to. As the three men tried to scramble up, Malcolm checked on the fourth, having to pour some degree of focus into taking deep breaths.
"Edee, you're OK, you're OK," he repeated, holding Eden tight against his chest, rubbing the boy's back whilst he sobbed hysterically. Malcolm tilted his head back, forcing the boy to look at him, a quiet growl managing to slip over his lips when he noticed the blood and bruising over Eden's tear-streaked face.
"Oh, bunny," Malcolm brushed his thumb over Eden's cheek, wiping away some of the tears, despite the act being entirely pointless with his continuous crying. He hadn't even noticed the pet name slip out, having not used it for millennia before that moment.
"Mal!" Eden shouted suddenly, a swift breeze of wind fanning out over Malcolm's side before he heard a low whine from the boy. Malcolm looked to his right, his grip on his control finally slipping away entirely when he saw the tip of a golden blade sticking out of Eden's wing. The boy had shielded him, despite the danger he put himself in.
Malcolm's eyes began to glow, the ice blue iris' growing lighter with every second and he felt his hands shake. Stepping away from Eden, Malcolm locked his eyes on the only man that had had the stupidity to stick around. Judging by his wide eyes, that man had realised what a foolish mistake he had made. Too bad he wouldn't have the opportunity to remedy that issue.
Holding out his hand, Malcolm stopped the blood in the man's veins, drawing it away from the heart, ignoring his pleas and roars of pain. He didn't stop when the man dropped to his knees, his arteries bursting, blood spraying over the floor and walls, didn't even stop when the man fell forward, unmoving and limp.
"Mal..." at the terrified, weak whisper from Eden, Malcolm stopped, reigning in the beast he had allowed out for a mere second, locking it back into the cage it dwelled in. Malcolm spun on his heel, catching Eden just as the boy passed out, obviously succumbing to the pain from the wound in his wing.
"You're gonna be OK, bunny, I promise," Malcolm whispered, carrying Eden back to his car and laying him in the back seat. He made sure to fold up the boy's wing carefully around him, hoping he wouldn't roll off the seat and hurt himself more.
"Meet me at my house, quickly," Malcolm ordered into his phone the minute Arian picked up, tossing it onto the seat next to him so he could focus on not crashing the car.
"What? Why?"
"Eden's hurt, I found him in the alleyway behind the office. He was attacked," Malcolm flexed his fingers on the steering wheel, trying to remain as calm as possible, "it was Kailen and a few of his fucking friends," Malcolm took a deep breath, checking in the rearview mirror that Eden was still OK.
"Shit, how bad? Did you catch any of their faces?"
"He wasn't too bad until one of them tried to fucking stab me and Eden used his wing to stop the goddamn blade. I..." Malcolm's voice cracked, tears springing to his eyes at the thought of the agony Eden was in, the fear, he didn't even want to begin thinking about what might have happened had he not been there to save him, "I killed one of them, Ari, I couldn't stop myself," Arian didn't answer immediately, Malcolm knew he would likely be trying to process the information he had received.
"Fuck, alright, I'll call Slate and get him to clean it up. Get off the phone and get home safely, I'll meet you there," Malcolm tried his best to obey the laws of the road, trying to remain in the speed limit and not wreck his car, but it was difficult. The adrenaline in his veins was battling against the logistics of his brain, telling him to drive faster when he knew if he was stopped with Eden in the back of the car it would be an arrest first, questions later situation. He really didn't need that that night.
"How long until he wakes up?" Malcolm asked, refraining from pacing as he had been doing just seconds before. Apparently, it distracted Arian, which Malcolm chose not to mention was the whole reason he was doing it in the first place. To distract himself.
"I'm not sure, couple hours maybe," Arian rose from his position kneeling beside Eden, wiping his hands on a rag Malcolm had given him, "the pain should be minimal and the wound will have healed by the morning. I can't do much for his psyche though, I'm not sure how he'll be when he wakes up. Do you want me to wait with you?" Malcolm shook his head, unable to drag his eyes from Eden's slumbering form. His left wing was folded up behind him, bandages wrapped tight around it to hold it in place, with the other stretched out over the coffee table so he was comfortable. If his face wasn't still bloody, and the bruising was a little more faded, he would almost look peaceful.
"No, it's fine. I'm just gonna have a shower and make some dinner then I'll sit with him until he wakes up. Thanks for coming so fast," Malcolm walked with his brother to the front door, opening it for him.
"You don't need to thank me, Mal, I wasn't exactly gonna refuse. Call me if he gets any worse, I'll come around in the morning and check on him again," Arian cracked a smile but Malcolm couldn't quite find the energy to mirror it. The task simply seemed too laborious.
"Drive safe," Malcolm patted his brother's shoulder, closing the door behind him. He grimaced when he ran a hand through his hair, his fingers catching on the matted knots. Checking that Eden was still unconscious, Malcolm walked upstairs to his bathroom.
He left the door half-open, listening out for any signs of Eden waking, trying to shower as quickly as possible. Watching the blood mingle with the water, swirling down into the drain, Malcolm somehow still felt no regret for what he had done to one of the men. Slate would sort out the body, there wouldn't be a single second of publicity. The man would be found in a ditch somewhere far away, the pathologist performing his autopsy would be paid off and Malcolm would be able to forget that whole night.
It wasn't his own memories of the night that Malcolm worried about. He wasn't sure how Eden would react when he woke, despite having seemed quite calm about the situation to Arian. He didn't want to worry his brother, but he wasn't sure how well he would be able to handle everything if Eden became violent. He doubted he would, and knew that if he did, it would probably only worsen the effect, adding guilt into the trauma.
"Your couch is comfy," Malcolm immediately stepped away from the toast he had been buttering, walking over to Eden. His eyes weren't open, but he wore a gentle smile. At least the sedatives were working so the pain shouldn't be bothering him too much.
"Hey, Edee," Malcolm kept his voice steady and quiet, not wanting to startle the boy, "how are you feeling?" Malcolm knelt down next to Eden, rubbing his hand gently, a small smile gracing his face when Eden's eyes fluttered open.
"You called me bunny earlier," Malcolm felt a subtle heat flare in his cheeks and his smile became a simper.
"Sorry, it just slipped out," he mumbled bashfully.
"Don't apologise, I like it," Eden's mouth tugged up into a half-smile, "at least you didn't call me angel like everyone else does. It's like someone calling you witch," Eden shifted a little, his grimace worrying Malcolm more than the man would care to admit.
"Are you in pain?"
"A little, it's not that bad though, honestly," Eden turned his hand over, gripping Malcolm's tightly, "will you stay with me tonight?" he asked in a whisper.
"I was gonna suggest you stay in the guest bedroom but if you want to sleep down here then OK. Do you want anything to eat?" Eden shook his head but Malcolm wasn't convinced, "I think you should eat, Edee, maybe just have a few bites of mine?" Eden still didn't agree, "please, for me, bunny?" Eden's cheeks suddenly darkened, that rouge shade staining his cheeks that Malcolm was growing to adore. Finally, the boy nodded, and Malcolm returned to finishing the toast he had been making.
"I'm sorry about all of this," Eden whispered when Malcolm sat down with him, "I ruined your night," Eden may have shifted so he was laying with his head resting on Malcolm's chest but the man could still see the tears in his eyes.
"It wasn't like I was having a particularly interesting night anyway, there wasn't really anything you could ruin. You don't need to apologise, Edee, you didn't do anything wrong."
"Y-Yes I did," Eden's voice wavered and Malcolm saw a tears streak down his cheek, "it was my fault," Malcolm frowned, wrapping an arm around Eden and rubbing his back.
"What are you talking about?"
"You'll be mad if I tell you," Eden's bottom lip quivered, sending a spike of sorrow through Malcolm.
"No I won't, I promise," Eden remained quiet, "Edee, have I ever been mad at you before?"
"No, but you'll be mad about this," Malcolm tilted Eden's head back, forcing eye contact with the boy, trying his best not to dwell on the fear in his expression.
"I promise, bunny, I won't be mad," it took a moment but, in the end, Eden finally opened up.
"I was there when Archie died," the tears began to flow freely, and Eden's voice cracked, "it was my fault," he sobbed, "I'm so sorry I didn't tell you, I-I just couldn't. I couldn't talk about it," admittedly, Malcolm did feel angered by Eden's revelation. He was an eyewitness to Archer's death, able to account first hand what occurred. He could have sped up the investigation and the trial, could have had Kailen put away in a matter of days, but he had chosen to withhold the information. The more Malcolm thought about it, the more the flames rose, he had to remain calm, he couldn't push Eden away at such a crucial moment.
"I'm not mad, Edee," Malcolm forced his voice to remain steady, brushing Eden's curls back out of his eyes, allowing him to rest his head back on the man's chest, "will you tell me what happened please?"
"It was my fault," Eden repeated in a weak voice, "I followed Archie, I wanted to stop him. Kailen thought he was trying to ambush him or something..." Eden trailed off, a shaky sob breaking his train of thought, "Archie died protecting me. Kailen killed him because he saw me, if I had just-"
"It's not your fault, Eden, don't beat yourself up about this. From what I read of the ME report, Archer's death was calculated, premeditated. Kailen had planned to kill him that night, he'd brought the tools with him that he needed. Honestly, he was probably planning on taking Archer somewhere secluded, drawing out the torture. He's a psychopath. Eden-" Malcolm paused, wondering whether continuing would help or worsen the situation, "Eden, you probably saved your brother a lot of pain by being there. And if, like you said, he died saving you, then he died for something, he wasn't just a sick fuck's first kill, OK? Stop blaming yourself for this, it's not worth it," Malcolm hadn't realised his hand had slid under Eden's shirt, his fingertips caressing the boy's bare skin, yet he didn't stop when he noticed.
"Are you gonna make me take the stand?"
"I'm not gonna make you do anything, Edee. If you want to take the stand, I'll add to my report that you're an eyewitness. If not, this conversation stays between us. Whatever you're comfortable with," Malcolm shifted under Eden ever so slightly, moving the boy more onto him so there was less pressure on his wings. He tried not to dwell on how nice it felt to hold the boy, or how well their bodies fit together, as though they were adjoining puzzle pieces.
"Why aren't you mad? Why are you yelling at me for being so selfish?" Malcolm chuckled briefly, reaching behind him and collecting a folded up blanket, laying it out over the both of them.
"The case is solid enough without your account of the night, you would speed it up, yes, but we have a good chance of winning anyway. And as for yelling, I won't ever yell at you, not for something like this, that would just be cruel."
"What about tonight?" Malcolm didn't answer, staring up at the ceiling instead since he didn't have a viable excuse for the boy, "you're not gonna tell anyone, are you? Because... Because you killed that guy," Malcolm scolded himself silently, having hoped that Eden might not have seen or remembered what he did.
"Are you scared of me now?" he inquired in a quiet voice, meeting the boy's gaze hesitantly.
"Do you think I'd be here right now if I was? The guy deserved it and-" Eden paused for a second, his eyes flickering elsewhere before they returned to Malcolm's, "it was kinda hot," Malcolm cocked an eyebrow, a small smirk managed to lift his lips at the blush on Eden's cheeks, "shut up," the boy mumbled bashfully, resting his head in the crook of Malcolm's neck.
"Why were you out so late tonight?" Malcolm inquired after a few moments of watching Eden search through the channels on the TV for something interesting to fall asleep to.
"Coming back from a friend's," Eden's steady tone faltered ever so slightly, probably not even enough for him to notice himself, but Malcolm knew that meant he wasn't telling the entire truth. It wasn't a lie, a lie sounded different to him, more a half-truth, like Eden had to think about one of the words he spoke.
"Will you tell me what happened?"
"Have you ever seen Lord of the Rings? It's one of my favourite movies," Eden said absently, leaving the movie on and snuggling closer into Malcolm's chest, clutching onto the man's shirt. Malcolm didn't bother pressing his unanswered question, it was too soon for the boy clearly. Malcolm didn't mind, he'd find out eventually. For now, he was quite content to just allow the boy to drift to sleep in his arms.