"I say again, Shaw is welcome to her opinion, but I don't necessarily agree with it. I think she gets to decide if intent, when explained, makes up for part of the unintentional harm done or not. For her, maybe it doesn't matter what intent is if the way it's expressed does harm. That's her choice, and for her own wellbeing she gets to make it. But that doesn't make it the standardized barometer for every interaction with every person, and it doesn't mean she's right that your intentions didn't matter."
He gestures to Malcolm's communicator. "I think you feel raw enough about the way people treated you over your relationship with Will that it makes perfect sense that you didn't approach that with the gentleness you might have if you'd taken some time to consider it or talk to someone else about it first. He hurt you, his opinions impacted others' actions toward you, and from where you were standing, he was sitting pretty on a high horse that just got its knees broken. That feels good when it happens to someone who treats you badly. Even if it might not, given a little time and consideration."
“It… didn’t feel good like that. I just thought he must be able to understand where I was coming from now, but he was fighting it even inside himself, and if he could accept that we’re actually the same, I could help him. …That felt good. That I have the tools to help him with a struggle I’ve already been through.”
He presses his lips together and gestures towards the phone.
Malcolm gives him a grateful, if shaky smile, but only realizes as cup clatters against saucer that his hand is shaking. He clenches it into a fist in his lap and with an apologetic look, takes the tea with his left hand and takes a sip.
“Oh, that’s new,” he notes. “I like it. Is that… ginger? Annnnd…” he takes another sip trying to place the other flavours.
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“It was in mediation,” he clarifies.
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He gestures to Malcolm's communicator. "I think you feel raw enough about the way people treated you over your relationship with Will that it makes perfect sense that you didn't approach that with the gentleness you might have if you'd taken some time to consider it or talk to someone else about it first. He hurt you, his opinions impacted others' actions toward you, and from where you were standing, he was sitting pretty on a high horse that just got its knees broken. That feels good when it happens to someone who treats you badly. Even if it might not, given a little time and consideration."
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He presses his lips together and gestures towards the phone.
“Listen to the rest.”
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He nudges Malcolm's tea toward him. "I'll listen, but drink first."
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“Oh, that’s new,” he notes. “I like it. Is that… ginger? Annnnd…” he takes another sip trying to place the other flavours.