Power Swap: Scallions and... Shenanigans? (Sean)

[Vincent Meian]

It was a Sunday evening, and as usual, Vincent Meian was cooking dinner.

For the first time in a while, he wasn't cooking for his family, though; his eldest had (rather surprisingly) chosen to go to a movie with a friend and would not be back until much later, and his younger daughter had (more predictably) been at a birthday party all weekend that would last until she was dropped off at school tomorrow morning. Hatsuharu was out of town on a recruiting trip. Even Nakia was working late - at least until ten, unless there was an emergency. Still, at least he wasn't cooking just for himself. There would be company soon enough.

The trainer had invited colleagues over before, most times just for coffee and conversation. Sometimes, he broke the mold and invited fellow trainers by to discuss techniques and tactics. However, he rarely made meals for people outside his household, and this time it was an invitation not for a coworker, but a friend. That was something special in of itself and was treated as such.

The Japanese man was very at home in the kitchen, and he knew the placement of everything in his domain just as he knew where every file in his office was without looking. It was as much a part of him as his arm, and some days it felt like simply that; an extension of self that encompassed a small part of his world. Setting up for the meal, beginning the process, washing up and tying back his hair more firmly to (attempt to) keep it out of his face... it was all part of how the world moved.

There was a knock on the door, and Vincent turned to look momentarily before putting his prep down and moving to greet his guest. The door opened without hesitation, and the expression he gave the psychiatrist was warm even if his smile was barely visible. "Good evening, Sean. Please, come in."

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Sean was far more used to cooking for people outside of his household than Vincent was. He was also more accustomed to being invited over for supper than Vincent was accustomed to meal preparation for people outside of his family. It was that comfort, coupled with his friendship with the trainer and Josh’s encouragement that he “do something to keep himself distracted” that the psychiatrist had accepted the invitation to supper at the Meian household. Josh had promised to watch Bailey, and, in return, Sean had promised to call the younger man if he had a depressive bout that rendered him incapable of getting through the evening. Additionally, Sean had the number of the taxi company programmed into his cell phone.

The drive to his friend’s house was slow and careful; the psychiatrist listened to Bridge Over Troubled Water on CD, and focused on the evening ahead of him. Everything would be fine, he told himself, because he was coping and because he enjoyed the company of everyone in Vincent’s family.

Upon arriving, he parked his car in the driveway, and then he approached the door. After knocking and being bidden entrance, he offered the younger man a smile. “Good evening.” He stepped over the threshold and held up the bottle of cabernet sauvignon. “I brought this for you and Nik. We don’t have to break into it tonight, but I wanted to thank you for the invitation.”

[Vincent Meian]

The trainer took the bottle graciously with both hands after closing the door behind Sean, reading over the label quickly. "I thank you for the generosity, my friend," he replied, giving a slightly more engaging smile. "There is another wine planned for the evening, but I assure you this will be enjoyed quite thoroughly."

Though drinking wasn't something they had done often in Japan, Vincent and Nik weren't terribly shy about doing so in social events. The doctor of the two was more free flowing with her alcohol and her complements in public; for his preference, the liquor stopped when he found his emotions beginning to... flux. While he wasn't a mean drunk or a depressed one, one could definitely say Vincent's emotions when he was drinking were "unpredictable".

"Nakia will be joining us later," he informed the psychiatrist, leading the man into the kitchen at a casual pace. "However, please make yourself comfortable; I have just started my preparations." Placing the bottle of red wine in the pantry with the rest of his selection, the younger man looked to Sean and added, "Would you prefer wine tonight as well? Considering the dish, I believed a pinot gris to be appropriate."

Though Vincent himself enjoyed a much heavier set of beverages than his wife, this was a good compromise for them; it combined the dry flavors Nik approved of with a richer body that appealed to his own palate without being overpowering to dishes suited for white wine. And tonight, the meal was definitely going to be accented well.

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Sean offered the younger man a smile. “You’re quite welcome.” It was the least that he could do, to bring alcohol when invited over for supper at a friend’s or coworker’s house. “And I look forward to tasting what you have planned.”

The telepath was a wine drinker. He far preferred wine to beer, and he enjoyed having a glass of wine with supper, and then hard liquor afterward. He had a bit of a refined palate as a result, although he was far from a connoisseur. Still, he trusted other adults to have a similar taste to him, particularly those adults like Vincent who enjoyed all aspects of meal preparation and food culture.

Sean followed behind the younger man as they entered the kitchen. At the request to make himself comfortable, the telepath seated himself at the table, largely remaining out of the way while Vincent returned to what he had been doing. “Wine would be fine, unless you had something else planned. I’m not here to dictate the menu.”

Which he wasn’t. Sean didn’t care for fast food, but he enjoyed most other foods, and he was far from a picky eater.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” He had to ask, even if he expected to be told that, as a guest, he should simply wait.

[Vincent Meian]

The flicker of an expression that crossed the younger man's face was pleased at the anticipation present in Sean's statement. He enjoyed cooking greatly, and had for many years. It had been something that he did for his family for two decades now, and though it was something of a responsibility (considering that his wife was a disaster behind a stove) it was always first and foremost a beloved hobby. Sharing the experience with someone else was still relatively new outside his family, but he knew to accept the subtle compliment without objection.

Taking two glasses from a cupboard, Vincent briefly inspected them before setting them on the counter and pulling the bottle of wine from the refrigerator. It was relatively local for a winery, but he'd had it before and knew it to suit the meal at hand, and opened the bottle with a practiced hand. Pouring a small amount for them both to taste, he walked the glass to his guest and handed it over. Even if Sean had been a wine-taster by trade or the most casual of drinkers, this custom would have followed. The bottle sat nearby on the edge of the counter, ready to be poured further if it proved itself satisfactory.

After taking the taste of his own (and finding it exactly what he'd expected), the trainer shook his head. "As a host, I must ask you to relax," he replied. "This will not take long. Though you may observe, if you like."

This was under the subtle assumption that the older man would not be underfoot during the process, but considering the general understanding between cooks of how a kitchen worked, he did not feel the need to state it out loud.

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Sean nodded in gratitude as he accepted the wine glass. He had gotten a glance of the bottle, and he thought he recognized the label; to be sure, he would ask to take a look later. Given that he had lived in the area for over twenty years, and he was a wine aficionado (in a loose sense of the term, as opposed to being a connoisseur), he was familiar with many of the local wineries and vineyards. Vermont was charmingly chock full of smaller businesses in so many food and beverage industries.

After taking a sip, he smiled, quite pleased with the taste. “This is very good.” Which it was.

At the request, he raised his free hand in a gesture of surrender. “If you insist.” The psychiatrist wouldn’t argue further on that point. If Vincent didn’t want his assistance and preferred that he relax and remain out of the way, he was perfectly capable of doing so. Not everyone wanted their guests puttering around in the kitchen, even if those guests had competent skills to assist.

He certainly wasn’t offended by the request.

Instead, he settled back down at the table with his wine glass. “How is the family this evening?”

He could make small talk, as long as that wouldn’t distract the younger man.

[Vincent Meian]

At the approval, the younger man poured Sean a full serving of the drink (as he did himself) before giving a brief smile in thanks at the request being honored. It wasn't that Vincent didn't like other people in his kitchen; there were just few people that ate with him (and none with any regularity) that could handle themselves without causing a minor disaster. His younger daughter seemed to have better luck in handling herself than her sister, but outside of serving coffee and washing up from gardening, Nakia was expressly forbidden from entering the tiled area.

Therefore, it was simply that he wasn't used to people cooking with him, and he didn't want to accidentally crash into another person or repeat steps in his focus.

"Very well," he answered, taking another drink of the glass in his hand before settling it on the counter to continue his work. He could talk and cook, even if he seemed distracted or hyper-attentive. "Appoline seems to be making more friends lately, which I have been concerned with for some time. But it appears my worries were unfounded, and she has even been spending time with others outside class."

This, of course, was a big deal - his older child was horribly shy and had been bullied extensively at both Eisai and her middle school. It was one of the reasons that the family was prompted to move, and it seemed to have been a good decision despite the hiccups.

"Cassiopeia is also doing well, though she is ever adapting. I believe I see the making of a metahuman expert in her, with how intrigued she is with the school and its students." Despite not attending Hammel herself since she was a baseline, the exuberant girl seemed fascinated with the school and those involved in it quite extensively. She was probably so well-known by the security guards and staff by now that she knew everyone's names and life stories.

"What of yourself and Josh?" Tawny eyes glanced up briefly at the question to show interest in the answer before returning to chopping asparagus and setting the pieces aside to be cooked later. The sauce and pasta would take almost the same amount of time to cook, so he wasn't going to be caught unprepared. "Does he have any difficult cases?"

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Sean took the glass with a murmured “thank you.” He then sipped his wine and listened while his friend described the current situations with his family. He smiled at the descriptions regarding both Appoline’s and Cassiopeia’s social and academic progress. “I’m quite glad to hear that.”

At the question, he shrugged his shoulders slightly. “As far as he’s told me, his cases aren’t too taxing.” Then again, Josh had not been sharing with him the same way that he had before Sean had lost his telepathy. Not that he faulted his partner for this, not entirely; Sean realized that he was more fragile now than he had been before the loss. He was stronger than Josh gave him credit for being, but Sean also knew that his partner functioned through perceptions, irrespective of whether they synched with reality. Seeing him vulnerable had made Josh view him as vulnerable, and that was a long way to fall in the attorney’s esteem. Going from the pedestal on which he had rested to being viewed as someone to be treated with kid gloves lest he shatter.

The older man took another sip of his wine and then said, “And I’m coping as best I can.”

Both of them were coping as best they could, although they had limited results with that. He and Josh had spent decades relying on his telepathy in ways they couldn’t articulate and didn’t even consciously acknowledge. Adjustment happened slowly.

[Vincent Meian]

The way the reply had been phrased made the younger man look up in concern as he moved from the preparations to the beginning stages of cooking the meal. As Sean was a telepath and Josh his partner, there should have been communication below the surface of direct conversation. There always had been before; recently should have been no different.

Unless, of course, Sean had been caught up in this whole power-swapping mess that had been going around the school. Having seen it in a couple of his students, the trainer was glad that his family had miraculously been spared of whatever curse it was. However, his friend may not have been. Given how much the psychiatrist relied on his abilities, how core they were to himself, it was probably a tender subject.

"Then, I am grateful to aid in that coping process in any way I may," he offered gently, giving the older man a slightly warmer smile. Being with friends and coworkers tended to help even just a little, as it often allowed for some form of distraction. That little bit, that night away from home problems and just relaxing in the company of friends, was what he could offer. And the Japanese man did so gladly.

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Sean missed the deeper levels of conversation that he and his partner had once shared. He missed everything about his telepathy, even the aspects that most other people might find frustrating. He relied on his power for so much, from the deep and meaningful to the mundane, and the loss was as distracting as it was devastating. Most of all, he missed the easy intimacy between himself and his partner. He missed being able to know Josh’s thoughts, so as able to plan for them. He missed the intimacy of the merge. He missed the sharing even when his partner didn’t intend to share.

Still, the older man thought that he was coping as well as could be expected.

While Sean wasn’t aware of Vincent’s particular thoughts, he was grateful for the fact that his friend did not ask for any specifics. While he was in better shape than he had been when the loss had first occurred, he did not have the energy to discuss this in detail with anyone who wasn’t Josh. Not that he and Josh had discussed it too much since his initial breakdown.

The psychiatrist offered Vincent a small smile of his own, before he took another sip of his wine. “Thank you for that. It’s appreciated.” Which it was, even if he did not avail himself of the offer.

[Vincent Meian]

Subject of conversation closed, Vincent returned to his cooking in full, taking handmade pasta and setting it to boil as he prepared the sauce and shrimp elsewhere on the stove. His motions were fluid and inexact - signs of a person who had been cooking much of their life and knew their trade well, but also of someone who had not been trained for it specifically. Much like a number of things he did well, the trainer was not a master of his craft; merely someone who enjoyed it immensely.

Given the short cooking time of the main dish, it had been started later than the roasted vegetables in the oven; a fall mix from the farmer's market of squash, sweet potatoes, zucchini, and fresh tomatoes and red bell peppers for some bite. As something slightly sweet, salty, and acidic, it would provide a good balance to both the wine and the cream sauce of the main course. During a break in the stovetop cooking, the younger man glanced back to the timer, then to his work once more. Both would be done shortly, and the aroma of the whole was making him hungry just as assuredly as the heat made him thirsty.

With a slightly triumphant smirk at the timing of everything being done in good time, the stove turned off, the pasta was drained, and the oven had just begun to alert him of its own completed task when it was dialed down and the vegetables removed. It was a knack, of sorts; the tall man had grown so used to putting things together for a meal that synchronicity was everything, and his timing was impeccable.

Given the hour, though, it was still early for his wife to be home.

"Please bring two plates from the table, and I will serve the portions," he directed, looking to the older man before double-checking the meal. It was not large, but it was cooked through and with enough servings that there would be more than enough for the doctor of the house when she arrived back from work. Vincent took another sip of his wine to wet his throat, noting that the glass seemed notably less full than when he started before setting it back down. He could have more once he sat at the table.

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Sean loved Josh, and he loved doing everything with Josh. However, the one benefit of not having his partner with him and eating with someone else was that the psychiatrist wasn’t limited by the low-sodium diet that the attorney required, and that Sean had implemented for their household in an act of solidarity. It was nice to eat someone else’s cooking. It was also nice to be free of any dietary restrictions.

More than that, the food smelled Heavenly, and his stomach rumbled slightly in anticipation. Since the loss of his telepathy, the older man’s diet and caloric intake were both off. Glucose was less important to him now, but he had difficulty adjusting his diet in a proper way. But vegetables and protein both remained important, and he had never eaten a bad meal with the trainer.

At the request, Sean rose from the table and grabbed two of the plates from their settings. He approached the younger man and held out one plate first, letting Vincent serve. In someone else’s house, with someone else cooking, the psychiatrist never tried to serve himself, not at first, at least.

With one plate filled, Sean handed Vincent the other plate.

Everything looked as good as it smelled, and he couldn’t wait to eat.

With his plate, the older man returned to his place at the table. He made no attempt to eat, not yet. That would be rude.

[Vincent Meian]

In many cases, the food Vincent made was healthy - some of that came from learning to make foods with alternate ingredients because some were unavailable, some of that was due to dietary restrictions he'd encountered over the years. But most often, and whenever possible, the most traditional ways were used. Which meant that ingredients like heavy cream, salt, and sugar were in, if not constant, at least popular demand during meals.

Serving up the dishes with decently sized portions, the trainer covered the containers to keep the heat in before taking his plate, wine glass, and the bottle to the table. He sat, then gestured for Sean to begin, his expression openly curious. When cooking for others, he often wanted to know what they thought of his meal before trying it himself.

As he waited for the verdict, though, he topped off his glass of wine and offered to do the same for his guest.

"Have you been adapting well to your daughter?" The younger man had been a father now for nearly seventeen years, and for two girls. With Sean's happy news some months back that he and Josh had become foster parents, news of the young girl was usually quite easy to obtain. It also usually made the psychiatrist more relaxed, and given his mood recently that would be a very good thing.

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Before taking a bite, Sean lifted his wine glass. While he had cut down on his drinking, this wasn’t very much wine for a man of his size and his drinking experience. He could easily handle another glass or two over the course of a leisurely supper with friends and not run afoul of his BAC.

Once his wine glass had been filled, the psychiatrist lifted his fork and had a taste. He smiled in approval, enjoying it very much. After thoroughly chewing and swallowing, he remarked, “This is delicious.” The compliment was sincere.

Having had the opportunity to sample the meal and provide feedback to Vincent, Sean waited for his host to dig in before he continued to eat.

Before he could do so, the question caused the older man’s smile to widen. “We have been.”

Even if Josh felt a bit more out of place than Sean did, due to the attorney’s anxiety and self-doubt, they were both adapting well. The psychiatrist was very proud of the family that they had created together. “Bailey is fairly quiet, but she’s been opening up to us. She’s very sweet, and she enjoys doing family activities.”

Both Sean and Josh had made it their mission to include her in as many experiences as possible. Over the summer, they had taken her out on the boat, and to the beach. They took her on day trips; they had gone blueberry picking. They watched movies and she helped Sean to cook their meals and Josh with his baking at night.

In that way, he was very happy. “I love having a child in the house.”

[Vincent Meian]

Pouring a second glass for his guest and accepting the compliment with a relaxed smile, the younger man began to eat as well, signalling the start of the meal proper. It had indeed come out the way he liked, and the pasta itself he considered a success - homemade and dried noodles were a treat that took more time than he often had to create, but these had come out wonderfully.

Seeing the smile on his friend's face settled the mood into something more relaxed as well, and Vincent drank his wine thoughtfully while listening to his response. "That is good news," he stated, meaning every well intent he could. "She has found a good home for herself, then."

His own experiences with the foster care system notwithstanding, the trainer had seen how well it could work, especially in cases such as the Bernstein-Neville household. Where the parents were willing and eager, not only for their own happiness but for that of the child. The inclusion of Bailey in household activities only proved just how much the couple wanted to care for her as their own, and that she was responding well to such affection was a very good sign.

"Children are a wondrous addition to a steady house." This statement was filled with love for his own daughters and his wife, and his thoughts drifted to them easily as he glanced toward the main portion of the house. Even if Sean couldn't read his mind tonight, the thoughts would likely be obvious in the warmth of his tone and nature of his words. He was about to continue, but the sound of the front door opening snapped his attention and gaze elsewhere just as assuredly as the Japanese call from the entry.

"Okaeri," he called back, standing as the last member of their group entered the kitchen looking flushed. Walking to the pale woman, Vincent took one of her cold hands in his, smiled warmly and openly to her, and pressed his lips to the thin fingers. "Rest; dinner has only begun."