Professional Interest (Sean)

Even with the conscious knowledge that Sean was telepathic, it still came as one of those many surprises when the other man called out for him to come in by name. He paused for a moment, chiding himself for forgetting that fact when it was one of the reason he'd come to the doctor in the first place, then opened the door with a sigh. The trainer had expected to see Sean behind his desk when he entered, but noticed that the other man had switched to one of the armchairs near the door instead. So, closing the door behind him, he stood behind the other chair for a moment.


"Good morning, Sean," he greeted, the given name flowing off his tongue more easily now that he'd had a few months to practice the custom. "Thank you for meeting with me today."


He shifted around to sit in the plush chair, slightly surprised and grateful that it was made for people his height. Then again, the psychiatrist himself was in the same grouping for such things - they both were not quite six and a half feet tall - so it would be reasonable to assume that the chairs would fit his tall frame. Either way, it was a pleasant surprise.


Though he was not one for small talk, jumping straight into business with Dr. Neville was somewhat like trying to catch a cat; it took more work than was strictly necessary and tended to make both parties uncomfortable. "Are you well this morning?"


He wondered about mentioning the croissants he'd seen in the staff lounge that morning and asking if Sean's partner Josh had made them; the younger man had eaten one and found that it was much better than he had thought. Normally he wasn't one for buttery treats, but they had been sprinkled with sugar so he couldn't really resist. They had been delicious, though, and he wanted to thank whomever had made them. "Did you bring the pastries in the lounge today? They were delicious."


Though the simple conversation with the psychiatrist was relaxing in its own right, Vincent chafed slightly at skirting the point. He'd never been very good at it in Japan where it was common practice, and he'd always preferred wasting little time with pleasantries. He enjoyed talking in a relaxed manner with people, but... well, for some meetings, it was better to cut ot the heart of the matter.


"As I mentioned previously, I'd like to discuss my students with you," he stated, tapping the files in his lap absently. "Specifically Leiken and Michael. I am concerned with their progress and would like to know your opinions on the matter."


From his perspective, the trainer had found that both boys had deep-seated anger issues, though Lei was more prone to panic and hysteria deep down. When he'd pushed them, Mikey had lashed out subconsciously with his powers whereas Lei had plotted revenge in a calculated manner. While expected, it was still a matter of concern; he'd gotten a good (if rocky) start on gaining Lei's trust though it was far from ideal, and he wasn't sure exactly how to get through to the younger boy. Neither of them talked at length about why they acted the way they did, and the soldier suspected that Sean might have a better idea of how to reach them.

He had guessed that the psychiatrist had brought the pastries; he tended to share anything and everything his spouse baked with the school (which was good, because Josh was a very good baker). He didn't have to, so it was only right that he was shown gratitude for the generosity. "Thank you for sharing them," he added.


"I am well, although..." He struggled with the right words for a moment before adding, "I am concerned with my students. I forget some days that they are not yet adults and no longer children." He let out a dry laugh that showed he wasn't really amused and shook his head. It had been so long since he was a teenager that it was harder to see from their perspective than he had thought. He could do it but... well, sometimes things seemed so much more important when you were that young and involved.


The trainer pondered who they should discuss for a moment before setting on an answer; Lei's situation was of more concern at the moment. "Leiken Do Chu, if we may. His situation is... more unique." This wasn't to say that Mikey wasn't a priority or even a concern; the other student was just somewhere to start. And Vincent had a lot on his mind when it came to the older boy.

Where did he begin when it came to that boy? There were so many things that Lei had said in his office that concerned the trainer, not to mention the fight he'd gotten in with Odion or even the situation with Lucy. It would also be a good idea to figure out exactly what the teen was capable of; he'd rarely kept a trainer for more than a few weeks, according to his records. Vincent wanted to know why. Though, of course, it was always best to start at the beginning.


"I have realized that Lei is not particularly trusting of the trainers here," he began, opening up the folder in his hands to scan the notes he'd made in the file. "There are a number of transfers, many after only a few weeks and some after days. I have experienced his disrespect for authority myself, but that cannot be the entire story." Vincent looked back to Sean and caught his gaze, his own questioning. "I expect it is involved with his penchant for pranks, but I do not wish to assume."


"There is also the matter of an incident in my office two days ago," he added, though his tone was more stating fact and less worried. "The matter has been taken care of and his punishment dealt, though I have the impression that I should be more aware of any valuables held in such a public place. He has already used one possession as a tool for his mischief and I do not wish to see it desecrated again." Though the Japanese man kept a tight lid on many of his emotions, a sharp flicker of scorn and anger rose in him at the thought of the ancestral blade being abused as a form of revenge. He didn't want to take it home as that would be conceding a sort of victory to Lei's threats; however damage to the weapon was unacceptable. "I have filed a report for the damaged lock on the room's window to be fixed, so it will not be so easy for him to enter without permission, however the boy is strong-willed. If he desires it, he will find a way."

Vincent nodded in agreement. "Nor would I," he added. "Though, that is not to say he cannot learn to trust someone. He has become more open recently, if not less... petulant." He hesitated, not wishing to break the confidence he'd gained the other day, so he chose his next words very carefully. "I believe we have come to an understanding, however there is still the feeling that I must watch him carefully. He will not accept my help easily, of that I am sure, and I do not know what he is fully capable of."


Granted, the Japanese man had never been a particularly easy student either; it was one of the reasons he was given students like him when he'd taught at Eisai. His own temper and attraction to violence had caused more than enough problems until he found someone who could beat him at his own games repeatedly without losing his own temper. He suspected such a tactic could work when working with Lei, but Vincent refused to play the boy's games for the most part and reacted little to the disrespect. He suspected it was one of the reasons his student found it entertaining to taunt him regularly.


He shook his head at the idea of the campus security following Lei around. At best he'd view it as a challenge; at worst, he'd see it as his trainer trusted him so little as to have him watched all the time. It seemed like a bad idea. "I will simply have to take it home with me at the end of the day until the lock is fixed," he stated. "At this point, involving more staff will be detrimental, given his views on those older than he."


"I should make you aware, however, that he was also recently in a fight with another student; a physical one," he added, remembering the other day clearly. "I do not know what caused it, only that they came to blows in the library and were forced to be separated. I also do not know the other student's name, though I will know him if I see him again." The memory of the fight had come to the surface as he spoke, including the use of physical force needed to pry the two boys apart. "He will likely have bruises on his arms, as Lei seemed to let his control on his power slip during the argument."


Not to mention that the boy had meager control over his power anyway. That certainly hadn't helped the process.


After a moment, the ex-soldier realized that he was twisting the silver wedding band on his hand absently, one of his many habits when thinking and usually when it concerned his relationships. He stretched his hands and relaxed them, struggling with how to broach this portion of the topic. "I have an... additional concern," he stated slowly. He wasn't exactly sure how to verbalize it, but he tried speaking to the psychiatrist regardless. "I am sure you are aware that Dr. Kenjutsushi was called to my office the evening of the prank as well. Lei is not aware of the fact the she was there; he had fallen unconscious due to a power manifestation attacking him, and I asked for her aid in ensuring that he would be all right. According to her examination, there was no lasting physical damage."


There was more to say, but the trainer was not sure how to continue. He remained silent, struggling to translate memory and emotion into words, and those words into a language Sean would understand. He was not succeeding.

"Yes, of course." Taking a breath to steady himself, the trainer thought back to the incident in the library. He remembered the struggle, of moving past the tables to break up the fight. In his memory he saw the boy; young and copper-haired, almost certainly a student, with an accent Vincent couldn't really place and a sneer. This was the student on top of Lei, trying to beat the other boy senseless, and in his memory he'd grabbed the back of said boy's shirt and pulled him away before the redhead had huffed some disrespectful remark with a sneer and stormed out. He couldn't recall much else, due to his attention focusing back on making sure his student was all right, but he'd seen the boy clear as day; Odion Martins, even though the name wasn't registered in his thoughts.


Looking back into the therapist's face, he searched the older man for some sign of recognition. "Do you know this boy?"


When Sean mentioned conclusions, the military man nodded, averting his eyes slightly at the memory. While the contact from his perspective had been completely platonic and very much just one person comforting any other in a time of need, he could see how things could have been misconstrued. He'd already spoken to Lucy about this, though was almost sure by her attitude during the meeting that she didn't believe him. Struggling with how much to say and how much to leave alone, the trainer sighed irritably and rubbed at his temple with one hand.


"It is a mess," he explained. "Leiken awoke fearing that his powers had caused me harm. When he saw that it was not the case, he... needed comfort." It would be difficult to explain why that was without going into the boy's emotional state in more detail, but both Vincent's body language and thought process made it clear that such things were agreed not to be discussed with anyone else. "Miss Serrano simply entered the wrong office at the wrong time. There was no illicit behavior, I assure you."


Vincent well knew that should this get out of hand, he could lose his job. He'd already dealt with a situation like this once before at Eisai, but that was a different circumstance with a much more emotionally stable individual. Right now, he had to walk carefully. If Lei's trust hinged on a more serious relationship than Vincent could give him, they were in some trouble.

The trainer nodded. It was a crucial part of his training program that those in it learn to control their tempers. He'd be keeping a close watch on Lei while he was at school to make sure that something like this didn't happen again, or if it did that the boy had the ability to control the situation himself. "I apologize for the lack of control on my student's behalf," he stated calmly, resorting once more to a familiar cultural response to such things. "In time, I hope our training teaches him some restraint in that regard."


There was something else that was out of his control, though; the feelings that Lei had for the trainer. Vincent hoped it was a simple understanding of two people who had been through much of the same things, the more experienced giving the young comfort in times of doubt and need. Still, the sudden need for closer contact was not something that usually applied to Lei, and the openness the student had displayed was also worrisome. It could have been relief that made the boy talk so much... but the soldier didn't know if he could just leave it at that. There was something else going on here.


Sean's expression of trust relived him somewhat, and the long-haired man nodded, relaxing once more from his tightly-wound state. He'd known the other man would understand if he were to look at the situation; the fact that he didn't have to gave the trainer confidence. "Such things do not escalate rapidly," he replied, more of the normal firmness returning to his voice now that some of his concerns had been salved. "I will be sure to watch him carefully for any signs of intent, though I do not think he would step so far. His pride seems to dictate the need to be in control."


And control was something they were working on. If Lei were to offer up an affection, there was risk for refusal. Major risk. He doubted the boy would be so brazen, especially when the two of them had barely known each other for two weeks. If something were to happen, he would come to Sean - until then, other things were of equal concern.


"I believe that we have covered all of my concerns with Leiken," he added, seguing into another conversation. "May I ask what you have learned with Michael? His anger is something to behold, but he is even more unwilling than Lei to speak of his reasons. Have you had any progress?"


Michael was a case that Vincent had taken back in early November. Much of the boy's powers were destructive, and the fact that the trainer pushed him to not use them and focus on his own problems in a more productive manner seemed to grate on the child. Enough so that he'd shattered one of the training room mirrors less than a week ago. Concerned, the Asian man had scheduled an appointment with Sean to see if the telepath would have better luck getting through to the boy.