Charming and Not Talking (Sean)

[Ottavio Casagrande]

Ottavio was serene. This might’ve surprised anyone who knew why he was waiting outside of Sean’s office. Actually, it might’ve surprised anyone who even just saw him outside of the psychiatrist’s office, even if they didn’t know the why. But Ottavio had been to a lot of therapy appointments, and quite a few with Sean. He wasn’t ambivalent on the subject. But used to it? Oh yes, very.

Sometimes he wondered if he ought to be feeling any differently, after all these appointments. He very rarely talked about the reason he was in therapy. Was that supposed to be normal? Absently, he fiddled with the cuff of his jacket. He should be feeling different, he thought. Perhaps miserable. Perhaps happy. Definitely nervous. However, mostly his mind was on the new semester. New classes, same teachers. It sounded so absolutely…not fantastic. If he got his powers down, could he graduate early? He wanted out. He didn’t like to stay anywhere too long.

His eyes strayed to the door. Mm, his odds were slim there. Control of powers would probably not be the reason he had to stay in Hammel for the full time. Nor would it be coursework. Hm. Maybe he could ask for college classes as a supplement, which would allow him to leave the Hammel campus for a while and get away from all the hormones and the drama. That sounded almost pleasant. He was smiling to himself, pleased with the idea, when he heard Sean—Dr. Neville, he reminded himself, no need to be informal as it might encourage…something—call him in. He rose to his feet, tugged his jacket straight, flicked invisible lint off his shoulder in a gesture no one but his sister would recognize as something to calm his nerves—and slid in.

“Afternoon,” he greeted. “Happy Monday. Did you have a nice holiday break?” Ottavio had stayed here. He always did. His family had learned to stop protesting.

[Dr. Sean Neville]

((OOC: This occurs in January after the end of Hammel winter break.))


Ottavio had a background that Sean wished on nobody. His ideal world was one in which nobody suffered what Ottavio had, and he actively worked at making that world a reality. Nothing he did was enough, since so many still suffered from that same type of abuse. So often, as was the case with mental health services, he spent more time with post-event treatment than with prevention, working with victims to help pick up the pieces of their lives and to help cope with trauma rather than preventing abusers from harming others.

Ottavio was a particular case, primarily because he did not want to discuss what had happened to him. That alone was typical enough; many abuse victims had no desire to relive those traumatic experiences. However, while Sean had specialized in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder with his practice in New York, few of the students had such histories (for which he was grateful) and this set Ottavio apart from most of his appointments. He always set aside additional time for the boy during their sessions, although Ottavio rarely made use of it.

They would see what happened today.

“Good afternoon,” he returned the greeting, offering the boy a smile. “I did, in fact. It was very relaxing. And did you enjoy having the dorms mostly to yourself?”

He knew that Ottavio never went home during the winter break.