Candy Candy (Sean)

[Dr. Sean Neville]

The other man’s assumptions weren’t wholly incorrect, since Sean was typically thrilled to hear from former students. Hearing from Anna or November would bring him great joy; hearing from some of his older protégés would also cause him to smile and result in going out to supper or perhaps for a drink, certainly for a cup of coffee at least.

Anastasia van Drakke hadn’t been one of his protégés. She had been charismatic and popular, self-entitled and...off, because she had been hiding something. He hadn’t discovered answers as to what the something was.

“You were entitled to flirt with anyone you wanted,” Sean informed him, and truly that wasn’t a problem to him. It was surprising that the other man had flirted and made a pass at someone else, simply because he had withdrawn from the dating scene around the new millennium; but Sean felt no jealousy over the knowledge. While that entire period from earlier this year was unpleasant to remember, he felt no depression at the thought that Josh had made an advance on someone else. He’d done the same.

In fact, it was heartening in a sad way to know that it had bothered his friend so much, although not enough to make him reconsider his interpretations and talk to him.

But that was in the past.

Once the bags were in the trunk, Sean shut the door and walked around to the driver’s side, unlocking the doors. He expected that Josh would follow, and he didn’t want to continue this discussion until they were safely in the car and on their way to the liquor store.

He slid into the driver’s seat and fastened his safety belt, waiting for Josh to do the same. Then he started the car. “I’m not a traditional counselor, and I don’t have a traditional relationship with most of my students,” he reminded the other man.”

Sean backed them carefully out of the parking space before adding, “I admit that I hadn’t expected her to return to Pilot Ridge. Or to want to interact with me in a social setting.” He couldn’t say that a party at her house was high on his list of desired ways to spend an evening.

[Joshua Bernstein]

Josh was aware in an abstract way that he had been allowed to flirt with anyone he wanted, but he'd never been all that comfortable informing Sean when he did. He'd withdrawn just as much when seeing other people as he did when Sean was dating. And besides, no matter how often the telepath insisted he never felt jealousy that was simply unfathomable to him, and so he really preferred not to bring it up.

He followed Sean's lead in dropping the subject, moving around to open the passenger door. He hadn't acquired a definite answer about the party; he assumed that was because the answer was a yes; what else would it be?

"I don't know why she moved back," He admitted, leaning back in his seat and watching the trees and vehicles flash by. "I think perhaps something to do with her brother and meta rights, but she never really outright said. Or perhaps Russia simply reminded Ivan too much of his days in the military."

He glanced over at the other man curiously. "Why wouldn't she want to interact with you socially? Your other students do, and she's so pleasant."

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Once they were on the road, the telepath split his attention between the other cars and the scenery, and the discussion with Josh. Then he heard the other man’s presumptive thought regarding the party.

He loved the other man; truly, he loved Josh intensely and different from how he had ever loved another person and he accepted all of him, his strengths and his shortcomings. But there were times when he wished that he picked up on subtlety better; it would make discussions easier.

Sean didn’t take his eyes off the road for long, only for the split-second required to meet the other man’s eyes after the curious look. “My other students were protégés; I fully expect them to want to spend time with me socially.”

The implication was that she hadn’t been a protégé.

The liquor store wasn’t as close to the grocery store was convenience dictated, and thus they would have to drive for a bit. That was fine, since Sean wanted to finish this conversation privately, rather than allow it to drag on into the liquor store. “When you say that she’s pleasant, is that the only impression you had of her? That she’s pleasant and that she cares about meta-human rights?”

[Joshua Bernstein]

Josh smiled, not at all noticing any reason for concern. Sean hadn't said anything he would construe as negative toward their potential hosts, merely expressing surprise because apparently they hadn't been that close during her years at Hammel.

"Yes, she's extremely pleasant. She has the most lovely manners I've ever encountered, so interested and inquisitive about everyone else. She clearly cares so much about everyone, and what they're doing. Not just idle asking, either, she remembers what people tell her. She was so eager to ask for Riley's help with her garden, and Ivan apparently cooks so they really bonded over that. She didn't eat much, she was so focused on being the polite hostess. I think she resents being an heiress a bit, what with all the attention people pay to that and not to her, you know?"

His smile slipped momentarily; it was so unfair of people to always make assumptions without getting to know others first.

"But it's impossible to feel any discomfort around her. She just has this way of making you feel important, and understood and safe. I suppose she shares that nurturing instinct with you, if anyone is upset she manages to smooth it over remarkably well. I'm always impressed by people who can do that."

[Dr. Sean Neville]

The telepath continued to split his attention between the road ahead of them and his conversation with Josh. Despite the two competing interests, he listened attentively. From the corner of his eye, he saw the smile on Josh’s lips, and he heard the sincerity in his tone and his mind as he gushed about Anastasia.

Sean had seen this before; the other man’s behavior was reminiscent of Anastasia’s circle of friends during her time at Hammel, reminiscent of other students as well. She had been quite popular, and not merely because of her money; he was familiar with adolescent group psychology, and her popularity had gone beyond the typical alpha-teenage girl figure in a given group of students.

She had given off that vibe, the same one he’d gotten from a different student, nearly a decade before. And the same amount of attention had been paid by his peers, although he hadn’t tracked her the same way he had with Gabriel Underwood. With Gabriel there had been more; with her, there was only the vibe and the eerie cult-like affection she inspired.

It didn’t sit well with the telepath.

Particularly as his partner said that it was impossible to feel discomfort around her. She was an empathy, he knew, which in and of itself wasn’t cause for concern. Empaths tended to develop the way Ann had. That she hadn’t wasn’t necessarily indicative of anything.

Yet simple word choices and the smile on his partner’s face set off that same sense of alarm bells, because those were descriptions and reactions used for cult leaders and other excessively charismatic people. As did the comparison between her and the telepath. The notion of smoothing over being upset.

Sean’s expression was carefully neutral as he listened, and when Josh finished, he took a moment before he responded. “That’s what I thought.”

There was another pause, as he turned them down a street. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to go to this party.”

[Joshua Bernstein]

Josh was taken aback by Sean's refusal to go to the party, particularly after he'd spent so much time explaining why he felt that Eva was an absolutely wonderful person, on par with, say, Dr. Prideaux. (And surely they would get on fabulously!) Or Riley, for that matter, in terms of people who were otherworldly as far as kindness went. Or Sean himself; he didn't make that comparison lightly, intending it as the highest form of praise.

"Are you sure? She'll be so disappointed!" He protested. Never mind what his opinion on his partner bowing out of a party when he attended was; he was far more concerned with upsetting or offending their host. She was such a lovely young woman, it seemed a shame to hurt her feelings by not going.

"I don't know how I can explain why I'm alone when she invited us as a couple." He frowned. He didn't understand why his partner would possibly turn down a party. "Are you afraid I'll get drunk and embarrass you in front of her? I'll avoid the alcohol and stick with candy if you want."

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Sean didn’t want to get into an argument about this. But he had a sinking feeling, one of those hunches that he trusted despite having no precognitive powers. He hadn’t liked her as a student because she had been...off, because she had a secret she was hiding, because she was self-entitled, and because she gave him that vibe. Articulating those concerns proved difficult, because Josh wasn’t a telepath, he wasn’t a psychiatrist, and he fundamentally interacted with people in a different way than Sean did, due to different outlooks and personality types.

“Say that I had a prior engagement.” That was the standard lie used whenever anyone didn’t like company their spouses or family had to visit, or to get out of work-related social gatherings, or to avoid further dates with people one didn’t like. As far as the cultural ethos was concerned, it was a lie one needn’t think about before offering.

The telepath frowned as well. A frown that deepened when Josh assumed that he was the reason that Sean didn’t want to attend a party held by Anastasia van Drakke. He so dearly wished to work on Josh’s self-esteem, but there was never any time, particularly not with how much work they’d had to do to make him functional again.

The telepath shook his head. “I assure you that there isn’t anything you could do to embarrass me in front of her.”

To be embarrassed in front of someone was to have a vested interest in her opinion; Sean had no such concerns.

“But I don’t want to go.”

[Joshua Bernstein]

This had initially been a fun outing, full of happiness and verve and flirtation. How had it deteriorated so quickly? Was Sean so adverse to attending a party hosted by Ms. van Drakke? Josh couldn't understand it, but it was evident that Sean wasn't going to offer any more explanation, and considering the way the rest of the month -- no, the rest of the year had been, he really didn't want to have yet another argument.

So he let the matter drop.

"Very well."

He was silent for a moment, searching for a topic of conversation that wouldn't result in arguing. He considered bringing up Yulia and her insecurities and trauma and the interesting conversation they'd shared, but she had asked him not to discuss her with the psychiatrist.

The next best topic that reared its head was Greg, one they'd discussed before, but was more relevant now that he'd been cleared of any wrong doing.

"Do you think Greg will move in time to go? I'm sure he'd love to meet people."

Greg had always loved a good party, and Josh had no doubts that Eva would throw one to remember.

[Dr. Sean Neville]

The telepath suppressed a sigh between Josh’s conciliatory thoughts (rather, his desire to evade an argument) and his partner’s bafflement. Sean had no greater desire for an argument than the other man, but he also believed that he wasn’t asking too much to not have to attend a party when he wasn’t imposing that on Josh.

Regardless of his personal opinions, without a more concrete explanation, he couldn’t, and wouldn’t, dream of asking the other man to likewise bow out of the party.

However, the silence was uncomfortable rather than companionable, because both men wanted only to avoid an argument, and yet they hadn’t reached an understanding beyond that.

At least they could distract themselves with buying alcohol when they reached the liquor store. And if Josh wasn’t so offended on Anastasia Van Drakke’s behalf, then perhaps they could spend the rest of the evening drinking and enjoying themselves again.

Greg’s moving would be a pleasant topic change, but for the fact that Josh had asked in the context of their friend attending this party. This time, Sean did sigh, albeit softly. “I hope he moves soon. I don’t know if he’ll move in time for the party, or if he’ll want to go at all. You’ll have to take that up with him.”

[Joshua Bernstein]

Somehow this attempt at conversation didn't seem to be having the effect Josh had hoped for, and he subconsciously began to slouch in his seat, glancing out the window. Had he somehow offended his partner? He wracked his brain, trying to think what he might have done to merit the terse, uninvolved responses, but he couldn't decide what he'd said or done that might be construed as offensive.

"If he can't be here by then I'll ask him about throwing a party for him. I'm sure all our friends would love to meet him."

He really, really wanted Greg to fit in at Pilot Ridge instead of being outcast for crimes he hadn't committed. "He'll probably get along great with Riley." Everyone got along great with Riley, but then again before his arrest everyone had gotten along with Greg, too. Riley was the least threatening of all his friends, however. Not to say that he considered Mitya or Clarisse or Ben or Danny or Josef (or even Cobalt or John) threatening, but they weren't as gentle as the giant landscaper.

"Otherwise I suppose we can find ways to celebrate just the three of us." He wouldn't blame Greg for wanting to be alone, though the blonde had always been not only an extrovert but an extremely confident and charismatic one, and Josh couldn't imagine him turning down a party. Then again, he hadn't seen the other man in years. Things could change.

"Speaking of celebrating on our own, if you're not attending Ms. van Drakke's Halloween party with me then we're going to need a private party for two. The question is should we wait until we have costumes?"

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Discussing Greg’s social life generally, as opposed to focusing purely on Anastasia’s party, was a far better topic of conversation, and Sean was happy to muse. The telepath believed that if Greg felt up to the task of socializing that he would get on well with their circle of friends. Greg had always been charming, had never been at a loss for company.

Moreover, they had a wonderful social circle.

“And with Danny,” the telepath added with a smile. Danny was outgoing and gentle, a combination that Greg would appreciate. And Danny was social and, like Josh, always seemed to want to add more friends to his network.

Whenever Greg moved, they could ask what he wished to do and plan accordingly. “If it’s just the three of us, I suppose we’ll need less liquor than if we had a larger gathering.”

Perhaps not, considering who they were.

Speaking of celebrations...“Are you asking whether we should have a private Halloween party two weeks early and without costumes?” Or Josh was attempting to seduce him in the middle of errands. Either was possible.

Sean turned the vehicle into a parking lot, the one attached to the local liquor store. Then he pulled into a space and turned off the engine.

[Joshua Bernstein]

"Danny is difficult not to like." Josh agreed, because even during the awkward phase wherein he'd learned that his friend had slept with Sean he'd had a hard time being properly furious about it; oh, he'd certainly been jealous, but they had already been friends before the incident, and it had been easy to get over it.

In any event, he was sure that their college friend would get along with their current social circle, and not just Danny and Riley. If they had been thirty years younger he would have been sure that Greg would try and seduce several of them, but he wasn't sure how the other man would feel about flirting what with his partner murdered and all.

He didn't think he would be able to bring himself to flirt for years if Sean were to die, and Greg and Nathan had been married for quite a long time. Still, the idea of a Greg who wasn't vivacious and charming and confident and flirtatious was oh so difficult to envision.

As Sean cut off the engine he unbuckled his seatbelt, hand on the door handle. "I'm not asking if we should have a party two weeks early, I'm suggesting it. I was just wondering whether or not you felt costumes were a requirement."

He hoped the answer was yes, because he loved playing dress up with Sean.

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Of course, several members of their social circle didn’t drink as much as Sean and Josh did, or as much as Greg had before his arrest and likely wished to do again. That simply meant that they would have to moderate drinking in larger circles and then concentrate it when the three of them were in the living room cursing the prison industrial complex.

The telepath wouldn’t be surprised if Greg wasn’t quite up to typical socializing. Sean had seen his friend while he was withdrawn, after his arrest and indictment, and he was different as a result. Hopefully, with the change of scenery, the freedom, and surrounded by friends, he would be able to slowly return to himself. Albeit in mourning.

Mourning was to be expected.

The telepath pocketed his keys and unfastened his seatbelt as well. “We haven’t even decided on Halloween costumes yet,” he reminded the other man. They had briefly discussed the possibility of Trilby and Svengali, but that conversation had quickly degenerated into a discussion of facial hair, and no consensus had been reached. Sean didn’t think that Josh wanted to be Trilby.

He opened his door and exited the car, waiting for the other man to follow suit. “Unless the costumes you propose that we use don’t have to be our Halloween costumes.”

Sean was quite familiar with the other man’s love of dress up and role play, and it was returned. If these didn’t have to be their permanent costumes, then that added a plethora of options. It also meant they didn’t have to visit a costume shop after the liquor store.

[Joshua Bernstein]

Josh would have no problems with drinking just the three of them, particularly if that meant they could discuss the injustice inherent in The System, one of his favorite topics and one relevant more than ever now that Greg had been a victim of it.

Poor Greg. He couldn't imagine being in his shoes. He'd certainly never imagined that Greg would be going through such a horrible situation.

No need to dwell on that, however. They would do what they could to help Greg, and there was nothing they could do for him now. What they could do was continue the errands they'd set out for, and decide upon costumes.

"I know we haven't." He slammed the door shut behind him, following after the telepath before flinging one arm around his shoulder, hoping to make up for the almost-argument they'd had over Eva earlier. "But of course they don't have to be the ones we wear on Halloween, why not use the holiday as an excuse to wear more than one costume?"

He wasn't sure what he wanted to wear, though.

"I could be....a....dragon and kidnap you." He suggested, trying to think of costumes that would be suitable for a private party between the two of them.

[Dr. Sean Neville]

The telepath slowed his pace to allow the other man to catch up with him. When Josh wrapped an arm around his shoulders, he reciprocated by slipping one around the other man’s waist. He remained concerned by the notion that Anastasia van Drakke had returned to Pilot Ridge and that she was friends with Josh, and that he had introduced her to others in their social circle; however, there was little he could do about that at the moment since it was only memories and the vibe.

Besides, while concerned for Josh, he wasn’t upset with the other man.

Walking beside the other man, Sean entered the liquor store and immediately found one of the small carts; since they had agreed to “all you can drink,” he assumed that their load would be too heavy for a basket.

Now inside, they were greeted by aisles upon aisles of shelves filled with nearly every type of alcohol imaginable. Save absinthe and other similar high-concentrate brews.

“If you want to wear more than one costume, I would be amenable,” he informed the attorney, and that was the truth. He would gladly play along.

However, it was difficult for him to take dragons seriously after the treasure hunt earlier this year, and he shook his head. He lowered his voice, however, since this was a more personal topic. “I’d prefer to pass on the dragons if it’s all the same to you. Do you have your heart set on kidnappings?”