It wasn’t dismissal; it was concession. Malcolm isn’t his father or his boss. More his coach. If Neal was so dead set on arguing that he was fine with how All That went down, who’s Malcolm to declare otherwise?
But he does like understanding things. His perspective on this is skewed, though. He does understand predators and why they prey. And then he puts them in prison for it.
“If he doesn’t get off on hurting people, why was it necessary for him to victimize a human emotionally and physically when they give out his food for free in the infirmary?” Malcolm asks.
“That’s not the part I’m talking about.” Though it does give him pause to consider it, and that’s clear. He hadn’t thought about that part at all, as caught up as he was in the rest. “The part I’m talking about is… being that scared of being alone. Thinking the only option is to keep someone so they can’t decide they don’t want to come back.”
Quickly he adds, “I’m not saying it’s okay either, Malcolm, I’m just saying… I get it.”
Malcolm nods. “I get it too,” he says simply. “I knew a necrophiliac that killed people for that reason.” He shrugs. “Is that better or worse?” he genuinely asks. He holds a finger up. “Bear in mind she was a professional embalmer, so they looked very lifelike.”
Neal squints in that particular way that is a clear indicator of “ew” without saying it.
Then he tries to think past the gut reaction. “I guess if you’re human and not a vampire it’s on par. Ish.”
The “ew” won’t let him leave off the ish. “The difference is that we’re not in a place where his only option is punishment. We’re somewhere he can learn to be better.”
“At what point did I mention punishment? He’s here to learn to be better. And that’s his Warden’s problem. I don’t care about him, Neal, I care about you. I’ve been in a weird codependent relationship with a predator. He. Doesn’t. Love. You. He may even think he does, but if he can rationalize mind controlling you into his room to get you there, then he’s not capable of it. Maybe he’ll change. Good for him, if he manages it. But you do not need the endless pain of waiting for it. There’s nothing there but heartache and getting used again, over and over and over. You had my file. You know that I know.”
“I know how enticing it is, to believe in that love. But it’s not love,” Malcolm says quietly. “So when you go talk to him, keep that in mind. He doesn’t have to be lying for that to be a fact. People like that don’t know what love is.”
"I know he doesn't love me," Neal says softly. "We barely know each other, mind reading or no mind reading. But liking me might have been an option."
He shakes his head, preempting Malcolm's arguments about it. "But I don't think he knows how to do that without trying to own someone."
A pause, then, "Will you come with me when I talk to him? It's not that I don't trust myself--" A pause, because he doesn't. "--it's that I want your opinion. And I want you to get to talk to him too."
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But he does like understanding things. His perspective on this is skewed, though. He does understand predators and why they prey. And then he puts them in prison for it.
“If he doesn’t get off on hurting people, why was it necessary for him to victimize a human emotionally and physically when they give out his food for free in the infirmary?” Malcolm asks.
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Quickly he adds, “I’m not saying it’s okay either, Malcolm, I’m just saying… I get it.”
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Then he tries to think past the gut reaction. “I guess if you’re human and not a vampire it’s on par. Ish.”
The “ew” won’t let him leave off the ish. “The difference is that we’re not in a place where his only option is punishment. We’re somewhere he can learn to be better.”
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"Oh."
Yeah that's what he's got, give him a moment to mentally catch up with the idea that Malcolm's concerns haven't been centered on Lestat at all.
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He shakes his head, preempting Malcolm's arguments about it. "But I don't think he knows how to do that without trying to own someone."
A pause, then, "Will you come with me when I talk to him? It's not that I don't trust myself--" A pause, because he doesn't. "--it's that I want your opinion. And I want you to get to talk to him too."
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"Of course. You feel he has a side to this story. I'd like to hear it. From him."