017 - text

[cauchemal]

[Background: This morning, after sleeping off a couple of days' worth of child-induced exhaustion, Mal turned up at her breakfast shift on time, but was moody and uncommunicative and eventually made her excuses to Iroh and the rest of the team and left about half an hour early. She's been moping in her room since, and about midday, she posts the

Comments

Private

[paradoxlol]

You needed a well-deserved rest, Mal. Sorry I wasn't the best behaved kid at that age.

Private

[cauchemal]

[Actually, Arthur? She is so amused by you.]

You were quite a boy, Arthur.

I confess I had slightly suspected, but I had never been sure before.

Private

[paradoxlol]

[He is SO EMBARRASSED.]

What made you suspect?

Private

[cauchemal]

A hunch, mostly. And perhaps the alacrity with which you took to extraction.

[No judgement there, mind you. Just something she noticed.]

Private

[paradoxlol]

You could say it provided an innovative outlet for that side of me.

[He wants to ask her about Costigan, why she suggested her husband's clone as a safe figure, but decides against it, opting for a more neutral:] How're you doing? Now that it's all passed.

Private

[cauchemal]

[A pause before she answers. She doesn't want to talk about how she really feels, but she can't dust things under the rug with Arthur as she can with others. She chooses her words carefully.]

I've much to think about. A little too much, to be honest.