Love Sick (Oriel, Sean)

[Deleted]

Phoenix had mixed emotions about this meeting. First and foremost was anxiety; while his first meeting with Dr. Neville had been surprisingly alright, he always got nervous talking to adults, and was doubly so over the topic that he was going in with. He was also hopeful, in that he and Oriel would benefit from this talk and it would lead to them soon being allowed to see each other again without supervision. And, he was dreading the fact that that might not happen.

It was with a trembling hand that he knocked on Dr. Neville's door, having been escorted by an older woman to his office. Oriel was probably either already in there or soon going to be; Phoenix hadn't seen him yet, but he was desperate to hold him as soon as he could.

When he was allowed in, he offered a meek nod and a small,"Hello". Phen needed to sit; even the walk down from the dorms to the offices had worn him out, having hardly been eating for the past... Long while, because of his anxiety and heartache. He always felt sick anymore, and he knew it was his own fault, but he just hadn't been able to snap himself out of it.

He drew in a raspy breath as he shuffled inside, his thin, hunched figure hidden under an oddly heavy long-sleeved jacket for the summer that was two sizes too big for him. Is Oriel here?

[Deleted]

Oriel didn’t want to do this. Not in the least. He didn’t see what good could come from it. For one, Oriel had already been in several sessions with Dr. Neville since he first went to see the man last winter. Clearly that hadn’t helped, therefore Oriel didn’t see what more could be done. Secondly, Phoenix already forgave him for what happened. Hell, the older boy had a lot more forgiveness for Oriel than Oriel had for himself. He just wanted to put this shit behind him and go back normal. They were perfectly happy before. They could just pretend like this never happened and get on with their lives.

That what Oriel wanted to do. None of this “exploring” crap, digging deeper, “oh you had a horrible childhood and that’s why you’re an asshole”-psycho bullshit that always seemed to come up. Oriel was fine. Just fine.

Besides, they needed this to be done so that Oriel could take care of Phoenix because the boy certainly wasn’t doing a great job of doing that himself.

The only reason why Oriel was here, why he agreed, was because Phoenix brought it up. Because he asked him. And because Tak asked him again. So fine, he was here, and now they’ll see just how much good it wouldn’t do.

Oriel made his way down the halls to the office of Mr. Dr. Sean Neville, a pretty little scowl on his face and glint of disdain in his eye. His wardrobe reflected that of a classic young punk; jeans riddled with holes, white tank, and his long tresses curling like mad and without direction across his shoulders. Behind him was his escort. Was that guy going to be his shadow for the whole session too, listening in on things that were none of his business? He sent the big-guy a glare as he invited himself into the psychiatrist’s office. Oriel saw Phoenix already here and immediately turned away, not wanting the other boy to see the bruises that Gryphon had left on his face; his eye was still discolored as was his chin and cheek, and the cut on his lip, while healing, was still something ugly. Then there was the brace still wrapped around his right hand and wrist, a consequence of him trying to punch a hole through the concrete.

Oriel was a mess, needless to say. He was broken, both inside and out. Though he’d still never admit to either being a problem. Oriel took the other chair and sat facing away from his lover, his eyes focused on some pattern he gleaned in the flooring.

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Sean had conducted couples therapy sessions when he had operated his own practice, decades ago in Manhattan. Occasionally, he had done couples therapy sessions at Hammel, although those occasions were few and far between. Most couples therapy pertained to people older than students. Some to newlyweds who were going through their first rough patches after starting a new stage in their relationship. Much for people who had been together for a few years and who had other fissures. Some who desperately wanted to remain together and wanted to use the sessions as a tool towards that goal. Others who were unwilling to face the fact that their relationship was ending and considered this a last-ditch effort to avoid the inevitable.

By far, Sean (like most mental health professionals) disliked couples therapy arising from abusive dynamics more than he disliked any other reason for joint sessions. If the psychiatrist had his way, there would be no abusive relationship dynamics for anyone to adopt, but that, like so many other aspects of life and society, was out of his hands.

Violence between partners, even what some in society tried to minimize as “minor violence” had no place in a relationship. Large-scale jealousy, unfounded accusations, projection...all of those were indicative of individual problems that then, when combined with a co-dependent or enabling relationship, created disaster.

Sean knew that from so many avenues, personal and professional and life experience.

The psychiatrist had agreed to handle the couples therapy sessions between Phoenix and Oriel, because somebody had to, and because those outside of Hammel were less-equipped to do so. However, the triggering incident was one that did not warrant unexamined forgiveness, and that was one of the many topics that he needed to address with the two young men.

Phoenix’s escort had dropped the boy off, and Sean had had a brief exchange for him, requesting that he wait in the administrative hallway. Then he turned his attention to Phoenix, “Not yet, but he will be.”

The telepath had set three chairs in a circle, with enough distance between them so that Oriel and Phoenix could not touch each other during this session. From the furniture arrangements, each of the three of them could see the other two easily.

When Oriel arrived, he directed him to one of the empty chairs. Then the psychiatrist took his papers and sat in the last one. “I want to say this part first: I’m a gatekeeper, not for fun, but out of necessity and as part of my job. If I find out that either of you have been trying to get around the escort and separation, that will only result in a longer separation, because I can’t and won’t clear you if you demonstrate an inability or unwillingness to handle this like adults with the care that it deserves. This is serious, and you both have to take this seriously, in order for me to do my job and to work towards your common goal. Do you understand?”

[Deleted]

Phoenix merely lowered his gaze and nodded as Dr. Neville spoke to him, feeling a self-conscious flush rise on his hollow cheeks. He had no idea how this session was going to help anything, but he was willing to give it a try if it really might. Sean was nice, he reminded himself. They wouldn't be... Punished, or anything, right?

When Oriel finally appeared, Phoenix let out a small sound of excitement and moved to go to him, but quickly realized that they weren't going to be allowed to touch each other. This made Phoenix wilt, lower lip trembling as he stared dejectedly at the other boy's back. For some reason, Oriel didn't even seem to want to look at him. It only took Phoenix craning his neck to get a peek at the other boy's face that he realized why. The pixie's stomach dropped as he gaped in horror. "Oriel...." he whimpered, for a moment forgetting where they were. He wanted to say more, but Dr. Neville had started talking, and Phoenix's gaze gradually shifted from his boyfriend to the older man, his eyes damp with emotion. Someone hurt him... Why didn't anyone tell me!? he wondered, feeling bad enough that it might as well have been him that had gotten hurt.

If he'd known that it was Gryphon that had done it, he would have been even more distraught.

He swallowed hard and tried to pay attention to what Dr. Neville was saying. What he caught onto made him feel even worse, and Phoenix shifted guiltily in his chair, eyes dropping to the floor. They weren't supposed to see each other. At all. He knew this, and he understood what the psychiatrist was saying, but it was just so hard to try to struggle on without Oriel....! "I... I understand," he said quietly, twisting his fingers together in his lap. Phoenix peeked over at Oriel to see his reaction. "C... Can we at least... Have m-more supervised meetings?" he added after a moment. It wasn't what he would have preferred, but he needed something. "I'm j-ust n-not doin' well without..." He trailed off, feeling like a stupid, dependent child. Which, really, he was.

[Deleted]

Oriel kept his head turned away from Phoenix, even after he knew that there wasn’t any point to it anymore. Phoenix had already seen the injuries, there was no avoiding it. But if he looked him in the eye, Oriel felt like he would have to provide some explanation for why it happened. And that explanation would only worry Phoenix even more, especially when Oriel was supposed to be continuing this facade that he could take care of himself, that he was fine, that everything was fine. If Oriel couldn’t keep it together, then Phoenix would be too busy worrying about Oriel to be taking care of himself.

He heard Dr. Neville’s words and he, too, cringed under them. They’d already broken that rule once. Oriel wouldn’t admit to it out loud, however. It didn’t matter if he did anyway, Dr. Neville probably already knew about it just from skimming over their thoughts. The threat to keep them away even longer did not sit easily with the ink manip. “I understand,” he said through gritted teeth and a lip which threatened to quiver. Oriel steeled himself even more to keep that excess despair from leaking out, particularly from his eyes. He’d already done that enough in this man’s office.

Which was another reason why Oriel was resistant to these meetings. The sessions Oriel had had with the doctor over the past several months weren’t just periods where Oriel sat in silence and glared at the dear doctor(though that did happen a number of times as well). The things he’d told Dr. Neville were things that he hadn’t dared to speak to anyone else, not even Phoenix, including the matters of his sister and his separation from her, the long run of fosters he’d had growing up into adolescence, many of the experiences he’d had running around on the streets….there was so much that he hadn’t gotten through it all yet with Sean, but there was still a lot. And he didn’t know if they were going to come up in these meetings or not.

Oriel clammed up, allowing Phoenix to do the talking. If Oriel spoke, he’d probably just say something asinine and hostile anyway.

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Sean continued to split his attention between the two teenagers, to make certain that they understood the stakes facing them. The psychiatrist was on their side, insofar as he was trying to work with them to make sure that their needs (primarily Phoenix’s) were being met, while at the same time not placing the boy at risk of harm, given the problems in their relationship. He certainly didn’t want to punish anyone, but keeping them apart was not about retribution. It was about safety, and it was about liability, and he wanted the two to understand that their actions had consequences.

This was far too serious to simply let slide or to turn a blind eye towards because it might make things easier in the short-term. Sean was concerned with long-term health, functionality, and stability.

Once he received confirmation from both young men, the psychiatrist then turned his primary focus to Phoenix. Phoenix was the bigger concern, as he was the victim here, and he was not suffering from anger management problems.

Sean wanted this to be an open space where they could share their feelings and work towards health. Honesty was the only way to achieve that. Still, he was more worried about Phoenix than he was about Oriel.

The winged boy’s barely-audible words and his admission underscored why the psychiatrist was more concerned about him.

As with Oriel, Sean did not interrupt Phoenix. He allowed the boy to speak as he wished, letting him say whatever he needed to on his own terms. When it became evident that he wouldn’t say very much, the psychiatrist took the initiative again. “Supervised meetings are going to be related to progress.” That was what the staff had worked out as a protocol, and he hoped it would be an incentive to work together, particularly for Oriel to work towards a common goal, seeing how Phoenix was doing.

“Let’s talk about how you’re doing more explicitly,” he said gently, and then turned towards Oriel. “Afterward, we’ll discuss how you’re doing.”

[Deleted]

Had Phoenix been experiencing this situation as an outsider looking in, he likely would have better understood Sean’s reasons for keeping the two boys apart. As it was, he had a hard time seeing it as anything more than punishment, even if the tiny logical side of his brain told him otherwise. It was just… He hadn’t done anything! If he’d just came back later or made sure Oriel had never seen those texts… This would have all been fine.

Because Oriel wouldn’t hit him. Not again. Phen was clinging to this hope.

His eyes kept drifting over to Oriel. This was the closest they’d been in days… Weeks? Phoenix couldn’t remember how long it had been. Too long. He could feel Dr. Neville’s gaze on him, but he had a hard time meeting it, so he just stared between the carpet and Oriel, trying not to panic with the attention placed on him.

Supervised meetings…. Related to progress? What was that even supposed to mean? How much progress? What did progress even consist of? “Wh… What d’you mean by that?” he finally asked, meekly. “I m-mean, I’m willing t’try anythin’ I need to at this point…” Phoenix didn’t realize that it was Oriel that needed particular guidance with his anger, even though he should have.

“H-how I’m doin’?” he repeated, sinking down a bit lower into his chair. Phoenix glanced at Oriel, hoping for some sort of supportive look. “Um, well….” There was no point in lying or keeping things out, he told himself. “… I get panic attacks sometimes,” he said softly. “O-other times, um… I just gotta lot of anxiety about other stuff. It m-makes my stomach hurt, and… It makes it hard to eat.” Even though, logically, he knew he was hungry, the twisting and discomfort in his belly made food sound unappetizing. “I… Haven’t been sleepin’ very well either. It’s d-dark and lonely and cold…” Phoenix, despite it being warm and summer, still got cold quite easily. He looked at Oriel again. “It’s just… Hard,” he finished in a low mumble.

[Deleted]

Progress….What the hell was that supposed to mean? It sounded like just some arbitrary word to be used to get them to shut up and “try”, thinking that there would be some reward in the end when they had no idea where that “end” actually was. Like someone expected you to jump over a wall, but they didn’t tell you how high it was and oh, by the way, the wall was invisible so you couldn’t even gauge it by yourself.

“And, how do I know you ain’t just dangling a fucking carrot in front of me?” he grumbled after Phoenix spoke, keeping his head down and looking up sharply with just his eyes. “And you just going to pull it away at the last second?” And then spout some bullshit that he needed to “try harder”.

One man’s “progress” was another man’s “failure”, he’d come to find out. No matter how much “progress” Oriel had made, it was never good enough. He took one step, they expected him to have already taken twenty. And that…that made it harder to even take another. Pretty soon he was frozen at that one step, too intimidated to move forward, and too prideful to move back. And so he ended up just staying in one place, forever, feeling like shit because he couldn’t do something that was supposed to be easy.

Oriel fell silent again, holding his tongue as Phoenix spoke, though there were so many things he was hearing that made him want to scold the pixie. Didn’t he tell him to make sure he ate? Anything at all was better than nothing! Didn’t he tell him to get his friends to help him out? Make them stay the night if they had to! Just make sure no funny business went on….

Oriel wanted to reach over and pull the older boy into a hug. He never would have gotten so bad if he’d just listened to Oriel. No better yet, if the staff hadn’t forced them apart!

Though there was that trickle of a thought that said that this never would have happened if Oriel just knew how to keep his shit together. If he hadn’t lost control, if he hadn’t gotten drunk, if he hadn’t gone to Kodi to vent and mope about the shit that was bugging him, if he’d just been able to deal with it all on his own instead of whining like a fucking baby….

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Sean listened attentively as Phoenix spoke, and then he addressed the question that the winged boy had asked. “This entire situation – the separation, the escorts, all of Oriel’s restrictions – are because of Oriel’s behavior towards you and because of your relationship dynamic. In order to lift those restrictions, including visits, the administration, through me, needs to make sure that the two of you are making the necessary emotional progress so that there aren’t risks.”

He wanted to speak to the two young men as adults, rather than as adolescents. Not only because most of his experience with relationship counseling came from sessions with adults, but also because these were serious issues. This was not simple adolescent drama; this was a pattern that would continue for their full lives, if not addressed now. The longer it continued unabated, the worse it would become, and the more difficult it would be to change.

His expression was sympathetic as Phoenix listed his symptoms. Although the psychiatrist didn’t need to write them down, as he could remember them, he made note of them on his pad regardless. He had wanted to encourage Phoenix to take some medication for a while, and perhaps they could start with a sleep aid. “You and I can discuss something to help you sleep, if you’re interested,” he offered. However, that was a matter for individual sessions, not the joint counseling.

And then Oriel interrupted.

“If you don’t have respect for my ethics as a professional or for my integrity as a human being, then that’s for you to work through,” the psychiatrist replied, turning his head just enough to face Oriel more fully. His voice remained even, not rising to the challenge, not growing harsher from the inherent accusation in the question. “But I can talk to you about the difference between an uncertain hope and a guaranteed outcome. And we can talk about motivation. If you choose to cooperate, and you also don’t trust me, then you don’t know for a fact that you’ll succeed in meeting the goals we set together, but it’s an unknown. If you refuse to cooperate, then you guarantee that you won’t succeed, and all restrictions will continue until graduation.”

The psychiatrist kept his gaze on Oriel, as he continued, “The question becomes are you willing to risk that vulnerability for the chance of success? If not for yourself, then for Phoenix.” He gestured at the winged boy, who only a moment ago had shared how difficult this separation had been for him thus far. “And, as a side note, you’ll watch your language when speaking to me adult-to-adult, from this point forward.” That was not a request.

[Deleted]

Sean had Phoenix’s full attention as he explained what he meant by ‘progress’, and the boy’s heart slowly sank as it all soaked in. “S-so… The fact that I’ve forgiven him doesn’t mean anythin’?” he murmured, wringing his hands together in his lap. He knew this already, of course, but… It just seemed unfair that these adults felt the need to control their relationship. Phen winced at Oriel’s choice of words, but continued staring down into his lap, thinking he could probably guess what his boyfriend was stewing over in his mind. “I mean… I-I’m technically an adult. I… I understand what you’re sayin’, but… Forgive me if it just doesn’t seem fair,” he said softly, nervously huddling back into his chair. He didn’t want the psychiatrist to reprimand him for arguing or anything…

He nodded quietly at the offer of sleep aid. Phoenix wasn’t against using drugs if he was told they would help; he’d used enough of the illegal kind of drugs to not feel adverse to the kind that would make his life easier. “If it would help,” was all he murmured. He figured it was something they would talk about more in private.

When the attention was turned to Oriel, Phoenix let out a small sigh, glad the focus was off of him for the moment but feeling bad with what the psychiatrist was ‘drilling’ Oriel about. He winced at appropriate moments and kept biting his lip, wishing silently that the younger boy hadn’t said anything. Phoenix, as soft-hearted as he was for Oriel, often forgot how he interacted with adults and how off-putting his behavior likely seemed to them.

“So…. So what’s the plan, then?” he asked softly when there was a moment of quiet. “Is there like a… A ten-step program we need t’follow or somethin’?” This didn’t seem like a situation that could just be ‘fixed’ overnight. And that scared him.

[Deleted]

Emotional progress? That was even more vague! What did…what was he even expecting Oriel to do!?

This was exactly why Oriel should’ve just kept his mouth shut. Anything he said was just going to be countered by something else he couldn’t do anything about. Sean was right, though. Oriel had no reason to not trust the man would keep his word. And that made him feel even worse.

His face twisted, reflecting the acute frustration he was struggling to work through. “It ain’t that I don’t want to do it!” he snapped. Of course he wanted to do whatever it took to get him and Phoenix back together. He just didn’t know if he could do it. Was Dr. Neville just expecting Oriel to flick a switch and all of his inner bullshit would just disappear, despite never being able to do it before? “I’m saying that if I can’t do what you’re ‘specting of me, then I don’t get nothing, so how the fu—” Oriel swallowed. “If I’m going to screw it up and fail anyway, then why waste my time?” And why put himself through the agony of yet another failure?

Oriel knew how fucked up it was, what he’d done to Phoenix. Phoenix was undoubtedly the victim here. His rational told him that. And his own guilt.

Even so, Oriel couldn’t help but feel frustrated at how “diplomatically” Phoenix was handling all this, while Oriel was sitting in a corner feeling like shit and moping like a child. And it seemed like Dr. Neville was more concerned about Phoenix and making sure he was okay, and only seeking to reprimand Oriel...

“I have trouble sleeping too,” he said suddenly, like a child trying to one up the other in how screwed up he was. Oriel hated himself for it. “And I’m anxious. And I’m pissed all the time. And my head don’t stop thinking ‘bout things I hate, ever. And sometimes it gets so bad I feel like I’d just be better off—“ Oriel didn’t finish his sentence. That was going too far.

Though nothing he’d said was necessarily untrue.

[Dr. Sean Neville]

No, Phoenix’s forgiveness meant little in this situation. Not merely because Hammel held ultimate authority in the same way that a crime victim’s opinions meant less than the state’s involvement. But because the victim in an abusive cycle forgave reflexively, and the cycle continued without intervention. Sean would not allow Phoenix to be hurt further by that cycle.

“I’m sure that doesn’t seem fair,” Sean agreed. He agreed that it did not seem fair, but Phoenix was quite young, and most likely he did not understand the machinations of unhealthy relationships. Most likely he did not understand how liability worked for the school or for the fact that it served the legal and ethical parental role in the absence of students’ parents. “And I know how it sounds when older adults say this, but in several years, it will make more sense and seem fairer.” Of that, he had confidence.

“It might. We’ll talk about it.” For both of them.

The psychiatrist nodded, since that was a semi-accurate way of describing what lay in store for them. “Not a step program exactly, but there are exercises for both of you to do alone and together to help with healthy communication. We’ll have to do some role play in addition to listening exercises and sharing, the three of us during these meetings.”

Sean and Oriel had discussed anger management before, and they would go into even further details during their intense program together. Not all of the details were appropriate for a joint session, but the boy would have full details; Sean had no intention of throwing him to the lions.

The psychiatrist turned his full attention to Oriel momentarily, his gaze steadily on the teenager. While Oriel had snapped at him, Sean did not respond in kind. His expression was serious, but no threat followed; he had already covered the stakes involved, and he expected that the boy would take those as serious enough incentive. That had been his point.

“You’ll find very little worthwhile in life, if you don’t try for fear of failure.” That was also a topic that he and Oriel would discuss in depth during their one-on-one sessions. It also demonstrated another problematic dynamic, because, as long as Phoenix had free will, theoretically he could leave or he could find someone else or he could respond in kind to Oriel’s accusations and behaviors. That was beyond Oriel’s control, and he needed to learn that risk of failure went hand in hand with effort. He could not shy away from effort or deny effort unless he had guarantees of success.

Then came the boy’s other revelations, and Sean immediately scribbled down a note. His voice was serious but without judgment, as he said, “You and I are going to need to talk about that in our next one-on-one session.”

And their next one-on-one session had just been moved to immediately after this joint session ended. He could not let Oriel go back to his room without addressing those thoughts.

[Deleted]

Of course Phoenix didn’t understand. He might have been legally an adult, but really, he had the mindset of a child, and all he knew was that he loved Oriel and he wanted him back as soon as he could have him. Still, what could he do? His cheeks heated up a little as Sean spoke, and Phoenix looked down with a small nod. “If… If you say so…” he mumbled, unable to accept his statement completely. But… He saw no point in arguing.

He was a little surprised to hear that he had apparently been sort of thinking on the right path, though what the psychiatrist was talking about sounded… Kinda scary and intimidating. The mention of roleplay, however, made him think of a different kind that he and Oriel had done together, and Phen’s face turned beet red, especially after he realized Sean would know what he was thinking. “Th-that sounds like a plan,” he stammered, curling inward on himself. He might have said more, but… He was too embarrassed and trying to think of something else.

It took him a few moments to realize Oriel was still struggling quite a bit with the conversation. Phoenix looked over at his lover with empathy. All he wanted to do was reach out and hold him and tell him this would all be okay…. Reflexively, his hand started to lift as though to lace together with the younger boy’s, but they were too far apart, and all he managed to do was look incredibly needy.

What Dr. Neville was saying to Oriel, even if he wasn’t addressing Phoenix, struck a chord within him, and he listened intently to their conversation. Phen was so often afraid of failing, he usually just stuck to the sidelines and let other people have all the glory while he trembled and shook like a nervous wreck. It just… Wasn’t in his nature to be bold and fearless. He was a very fearful, anxious person. He couldn’t help it.

Phoenix swallowed hard and looked down again. Then he glanced over at Oriel. Was he allowed to talk to him?

“Squishy,” he murmured tentatively. Phen leaned over so he could be as near to Oriel as possible. “P… Please… Don’t give up before you even start.” His fingers gripped into the arm of his chair. “I believe you can do it. I know you can. You’re the strongest person I know.” He hoped his words of encouragement wouldn’t somehow backfire. “I love you…”

[Deleted]

Why did Oriel have to say all that? They didn’t….want to be bothered by Oriel’s shit…need to be…

Oriel hated himself for doing that. He was like some five-year-old brat who was trying to get attention. No matter how “valid” or “honest” he was being, it still made him look like an asshole for bringing it up at all. Nobody cared about the shit going on in his head…Oriel couldn’t believe it, even if Dr. Neville said they were going to address it later. He was just doing that because he had to, not because he cared. If he really cared, then they’d be talking about it now, wouldn’t they? But then…did Oriel really want to talk about that in front of Phoenix? Fuck…Oriel didn’t know what to think anymore.

He nodded like the petulant child he was. “Okay….” His throat stung, but Oriel refused to let it go further than that. He hated that he was such a crybaby.

Why couldn’t he handle this maturely like an adult? Like how Phoenix was doing? How could Phoenix remain so calm and composed in the face of these adults forcing their ideas of what was “best” for them on the two boys?

Phoenix was even…encouraging him…. Why did he have to do that? The more reasonable Phoenix was being, the more Oriel’s irrationality stood out. And the more Oriel felt like shit for being that way.

“Shut up! No, I can’t! No, I ain’t!” he snapped at Phoenix’s words, looking at his lover with fierce eyes. “You don’t know nothing ‘bout what I got to deal with, what I’m going through, what I got to put up with, so quit pretending like you do!” Oriel stopped, instantly regretting having done that, and turned his head away from Phoenix, too ashamed to look either him or the doctor in the eye. “I’m not….I ain’t that strong,” he mumbled. “…furthest thing from it, actu—“ Oriel trailed off in the middle of the word, no longer feeling the willpower to try anymore. If they didn’t before, then now there was no doubt that they both thought that Oriel was just an immature, unreasonable, bratty piece of scum who only knew how to whine about his problems. And it’s because he was like that that they wouldn’t let him see Phoenix except like this, with an adult present. It was his fault. They should just say it already and get it over with, so he could go back to learning how to be alone…

[Dr. Sean Neville]

“Good.” That was not praise intended to affect further behavior on Sean’s part. Instead, that was how he would react to an adult making the same commitment to working at self-improvement. It was important for them to work together and individually towards healthier dynamics, and the psychiatrist was glad to see that Phoenix had the commitment to doing so. Not that this came as a surprise, since Phoenix was the victim of Oriel’s anger and the disadvantaged member of the dyad from the view of power dynamics. As the enabler of a codependent cycle, it was to be expected that Phoenix would be more willing to participate and more compliant in jumping through hoops. Oriel was the wild card

Oriel’s self-perception was also something that the psychiatrist needed to work with the boy on during private sessions. The fact that he moved so quickly to hating himself when sharing or when making mistakes fed into his anger management problems and caused him to lash out. After all, depression was anger turned inward, and getting to the root of the problem was the only way to teach him healthy habits and to help him make sustainable change. It would be slow work, and Oriel’s impulsiveness did not help in that regard. As illustrated by this entire conversation. But there would be time.

There would be time, because Sean had been honest with the boys about the fact that this would not happen quickly, and that was part of why he wanted them to accept that. Not only would it serve as motivation for them to cooperate, but if they had a realistic time table, they were less likely to get frustrated and backslide.

Backsliding like snapping at Phoenix for trying to help him. The cycle of codependency was always so complicated. “Oriel.” The psychiatrist’s said the boy’s name firmly, not shouting, but with enough snap to try to draw the boy’s attention from his ranting. It worked to the extent that the boy trailed off, and then mumbled an excuse in the absence of an apology.

Given what had occurred during this joint meeting thus far, Sean would probably have to meet with each of them twice each week, at least.