Malcolm had gone downstairs looking for Doc. It was later than usual and he couldn’t sleep. The dressing wasn’t sticking properly to the wound on his finger anymore and he could at least deal with that.
Neal told him Doc had requested to use the master bedroom. Well, it was his night to mind Malcolm’s night terrors. It didn’t occur to Malcolm that he might want it for anything other than being nearby.
Until he opened the door, poking his head in in case Doc was asleep, but it was too dark to see at first. He moved into the room.
“Doc? Neal told me y...” His voice trailed off suddenly as his eyes adjusted enough to see the bed in the dim light filtering in from the hall as he got almost halfway towards it.
He felt his stomach sink as he was sure the colour drained from his face and he hoped it was too dark for them to see him, backlit by the hallway. He could still salvage his reaction if they hadn’t seen the look on his face. He could only soldier through on the assumption they hadn’t.
“Sorry. I didn’t... think. I should have knocked, I didn’t.... Neal said you asked for the room, I didn’t really think for... what.”
He felt foolish, largely. Foolish for believing a little affection could be more than it was. Of course he was with Doc. Malcolm had originally thought he was. It made sense. They were equal. They did the same work, keeping everyone safe.
He realized his eyes were lingering on Raylan and he let them fall away.
“Sorry. It’s... nothing that can’t wait until morning.”
Mostly he felt foolish because he’d known from the start that Raylan was well out of his league. Well out. But he’d let himself entertain... notions. He started backing up towards the door. “I’ll just. Talk to you at breakfast.”
no subject
Neal told him Doc had requested to use the master bedroom. Well, it was his night to mind Malcolm’s night terrors. It didn’t occur to Malcolm that he might want it for anything other than being nearby.
Until he opened the door, poking his head in in case Doc was asleep, but it was too dark to see at first. He moved into the room.
“Doc? Neal told me y...” His voice trailed off suddenly as his eyes adjusted enough to see the bed in the dim light filtering in from the hall as he got almost halfway towards it.
He felt his stomach sink as he was sure the colour drained from his face and he hoped it was too dark for them to see him, backlit by the hallway. He could still salvage his reaction if they hadn’t seen the look on his face. He could only soldier through on the assumption they hadn’t.
“Sorry. I didn’t... think. I should have knocked, I didn’t.... Neal said you asked for the room, I didn’t really think for... what.”
He felt foolish, largely. Foolish for believing a little affection could be more than it was. Of course he was with Doc. Malcolm had originally thought he was. It made sense. They were equal. They did the same work, keeping everyone safe.
He realized his eyes were lingering on Raylan and he let them fall away.
“Sorry. It’s... nothing that can’t wait until morning.”
Mostly he felt foolish because he’d known from the start that Raylan was well out of his league. Well out. But he’d let himself entertain... notions. He started backing up towards the door. “I’ll just. Talk to you at breakfast.”