The Cool, Cool River (Greg)

[Dr. Sean Neville]

There was a Russian and Turkish bathhouse in Brooklyn that had been in business since the turn of the last century. As with many of the classic Russian and Turkish (and Polish) bathhouses, it functioned primarily as a health club and social hangout for men of a certain age. There were saunas and a steam bath, a whirlpool bath, showers, and tea service and a bar. Quite different from the more sexual bathhouses, common during the 1960s and 1970s, before the AIDS epidemic. Sean and Greg had visited the bathhouse in Brooklyn on a couple of occasions; they were relaxing, even though they had stood out like sore thumbs given that, when in college, they were several decades younger than the other patrons.

It had been a good bonding activity.

There was another Russian and Turkish bathhouse in Allston, Massachusetts. Sean had been there before, and it was similar to the on in Brooklyn, albeit somewhat modernized. There were more spa-type facilities at this one, including a swimming pool, and in addition to tea and alcohol, there were also smoothies, for the more health-conscious among the patrons. However, it was close enough.

Thus, on a day when Sean knew that Josh had plans with his mother, the telepath had called Greg to invite him out to the bathhouse, so that they could make a day of it. Considering that it was a three hour drive each way, they had to devote the entire day to the experience. Sean had promised to take Greg out to supper afterward, so it would be nice.

It would also be a good way for him to check in with his blond friend and make sure that the other man was all right.

After a drive of swapping stories and listening to music from the 1970s, reminiscent of college, they had arrived. It didn’t take too long to register, get their lockers, and then change into swim trunks and towels. And then they were in the first of the saunas.

“It’s just like college,” the telepath remarked, leaning back against the wall of the sauna. He spread his towel over his lap and braced his hands on either side of his body. “Although I think we actually fit in with the age group these days.”

[Gregory Strickland]

The bathhouse sounded like the ideal place to spot a Gregory.

Instead of feeling ridiculously younger this time, Greg felt like he belonged. It was something he hadn’t felt in a long time, and hoped that it was a feeling that would last. With friends like Sean, Greg felt like he was on the up and up.

The smoothies weren’t just for the health conscious types, Greg was drinking one because it tasted really good. “This doesn’t even need a shot of tequila,” he stated with surprise, a little grin on his face as he sipped away. Supper or no, Greg was delighted to be here.

Wiggling his toes, Greg felt quite relaxed in the sauna. “Wrinkles and all,” he said jovially, nodding towards Sean. “How’s your drink?” And then another thought pressed into his mind.

“So, I have some exciting news,” he paused simply to build anticipation, “I'm remodeling Erika's house.” If he needed reassurance from anyone right now, it was Sean. He was nervous to be up to his old habits again.

[Dr. Sean Neville]

“It’s good,” Sean said with a nod, agreeing that they were fine without alcohol. They could drink at supper, and there would be a wider selection, surely. “And I don’t know about you, but I don’t have any wrinkles.”

That was a blatant falsehood. Particularly in the middle of a sauna; his fingers were already withered.

The telepath smiled at the news. He was glad to hear that Greg was involved in a project; not only a project, but in a paying project that involved his career skills. It was excellent progress for his blond friend, both as a distraction as well as allowing the other man to develop connections and a reputation. “That is exciting news,” he agreed, before taking a sip of his beverage.

Sean had ordered a green tea smoothie, which consisted of the tea as a base while blended with melon, banana, and milk and honey for a base. It was quite refreshing, certainly something that the telepath would consider ordering a second time or trying to make at home.

It was always important to remain hydrated while in a sauna; the last thing they needed was for him to faint from dehydration.

“Tell me all about it,” he encouraged Greg, reaching out to clasp the other man lightly on the shoulder. “What are you doing to remodel? Is she giving you carte blanche, or did she have a plan in mind?”

While architecture had never been one of Sean’s personal interests, he was interested because Greg was involved.

[Gregory Strickland]

"Well I can't prove or disprove that, so I'll just have to trust you," Greg said, shrugging. He had a few wrinkles, it wasn't something he was worried about. He'd age with grace, because otherwise he'd be someone to tried to use lotions and potions to make time rewind.

"I've been meaning to thank you about it actually," he said with a small grin, "she wouldn't have known about me if not for your recommendation." Greg really did appreciate it. He was trying really hard to get out of his mental slump.

Greg sat back, drink in hand. He could stay here a while. "Well she has a house that needs some serious remodeling for the kind of work she wants done there. I had some blue prints made up for her to take a look at. I think it's going well," he said, glad to be talking about something he knew so well.

"And that's not all," building wasn't the only thing Greg had been up to though. "A friend of mine set me up on a blind date..." He said, making himself laugh until it reached into his eyes.

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Sean rolled his eyes affectionately at Greg’s diplomatic retort. “I’m wearing a towel; you can easily disprove that assertion,” he pointed out. Whether his friend had the inclination to do so was another matter entirely; Sean couldn’t fault him for not wanting to pursue an argument about body image, even if that argument was good-natured and decoupled from feelings of self-consciousness or vanity.

The telepath returned Greg’s smile and waved off the remark. “It was my pleasure. As soon as she mentioned needing an architect, you came to mind. You’re the best that I know.” Sean believed that beyond the mere fact that Greg was an old friend. He trusted the blond man’s abilities in his chosen career, and he had never had reasons to doubt his skill.

He sipped his green tea smoothie while listening to Greg describe his plans for the house. “May I ask what she needs remodeled? Is she expanding it?” He hadn’t asked Erika for details when she had come to his office months ago, seeking a referral. Since he would have recommended Greg either way, and he had no knowledge of house plans beyond proper maintenance for his own house, he’d had no reason to ask. Now, however, having the time to discuss it with the blond, he was curious enough to ask.

The telepath’s smile widened at that tidbit. “Who set you up? And did he give you a name or is this one of those affairs when you’ll know him if he has a red rose?”

[Gregory Strickland]

Greg raised an eyebrow at Sean. "Thank you, but no. I don't need to have a look." He was still grinning affectionately at his friend though, because honestly, wrinkles or no, it didn't really matter. "I'll just ask Josh about it later," he quipped instead, feeling very happy with his response.

"Well still, thank you. You seem to be the driving force for getting me out of this proverbial rut I've found myself in." Sean had his own life, but he had been there for Greg whenever he needed someone, especially during the hard times. He was irreplaceable.

"Not really expanding it, just making the rooms more workable as a work space." Greg wasn't a hundred percent sure what Erika was doing with it, she seemed to want to keep that to herself. "Some of the rooms are completely empty though, so we get to start from scratch." As an architect, Greg never viewed himself as the final verdict. He liked collaborating with everyone until the final product was produced. And when that happened, everyone deserved a pat on the back.

Greg rolled his eyes. "I'm not on the Bachelor Sean, honestly." Although the thought was pretty amusing and he'd have to see if he could spend even more time on live television. "Abby Winchester. Would've snatched me herself, but, you know." He shrugged. "Anyways, his name's Vinod, and he's quite the man." Greg smiled sheepishly. It felt strange to talk about someone else in this way. Almost too friendly, but wasn't that the idea?

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Sean reached out to pat Greg on the shoulder. “I have to try. You deserve more, you know.”

He then nodded to convey that he was listening to the explanation, and he understood it as far as a layman could. He assumed that it would take intense labor to redo an already built foundation, but he had complete confidence in Greg’s skills. And, if this went well, it meant that the other man could build up a reputation in town and get more work, if that was what he wanted. “Do you have a timeline for when it has to be finished?” He asked. Erika had only asked in the vaguest way for an architect, and thus Sean knew no details.

“If you were on the Bachelor, I wouldn’t be interested,” the telepath replied. He didn’t watch reality television or game shows that weren’t Jeopardy. The fact that his powers made it impossible for him to be ignorant of the private lives of those within his range made him less inclined to enjoy the spectacles made of some people’s lives: gossip, reality television and other similar forms of “entertainment.”

However, when Greg mentioned the name of his blind date, Sean became more interested. He knew Vinod; aside from working together, they were also friends. He was young, however, far younger than Sean would ever consider if choosing a date for himself. But that was a matter for Greg and Vinod to work out for themselves. “Vinod is very nice,” he agreed with a nod. “So, when is this date going to happen? And what do you plan to do? You can give me details; I promise I won’t crash it.”

[Gregory Strickland]

Greg raised his eyebrows, remembering the sharp witted and striking woman who was Erika. "As soon as possible," he said, giving a little nod. He was doing his best with the project and since he had nothing else to do, as soon as possible would be sooner than any of his previous projects, where many things went on at once.

"And if I wasn't, you would be?" Greg teased, knowing full well that the answer would be in the negative.

Apparently Greg hasn't considered age as an obstacle, and since he hadn't really chosen the date (it really was that blind), it was best to be courteous and stick around to get to know the man. Then Greg had to stifle laughter. "It happened already," he said, "she had the wool over my eyes! I thought the two of us were just having drinks when she admitted that the real reason she asked me out was to set me up. What a vixen!"

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Sean nodded his understanding. That was the standard answer given in most engineering jobs, when there was no concrete answer. It also conveyed what Erika’s timeline was, which also wasn’t particularly surprising. Erika had given him a business card, advertising her security company; more than that, she had made allusions to a dangerous past. She would undoubtedly want to have a secure perimeter as quickly as possible, and would pay for the expediency. “Tell me when you finish; we can celebrate,” he suggested.

The telepath then shook his head, a playful expression passing over his face. “You keep uncovering my secrets,” he remarked, rolling his eyes. “My VCR records all of the newest reality programs. Every last one of them.” Of course, that was false. Sean watched no reality television, and very few scripted programs. Primarily, he watched the news, one or two other shows, and then TCM or documentaries on The History Channel, The Discovery Channel, or PBS.

“Is that so?” Sean asked, tilting his head slightly to the side. Since the date had already happened, he now wanted to know details about what had transpired, as opposed to what might occur. “So what happened? Did you enjoy yourself?”

That was important.

[Gregory Strickland]

Greg bore his toothy smile. "I'll open my oldest wine." Yes, he had been waiting for a good day for that one. That particular bottle was meant to be enjoyed, not had as fast as possible.

Of course the next statement was false. Greg seriously doubted that anyone used VCR's anymore. "At least you and your students have something to bond over," he offered with a wave of his hand. It was probably the first thing Sean mentioned when someone came to visit him in his office.

Greg smiled. "It was nice." And that said more than anything could. Not a lot had been terribly nice for the man. Having a date was amazing. "And yes, I did. Thanks for asking." He sighed, twirling his empty cup in his hand. "And you're doing well I presume?"

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Sean returned the smile with a teasing one of his own. “Well, now that you’ve proposed wine, I’m all the more excited.” Wine was one of his preferred alcoholic beverages. Any adult who knew him more than merely in passing knew of his fondness for baked goods and his fondness for wine or other, stronger spirits.

The telepath shook his head, feigning disbelief over the other man’s comment. He then adjusted his towel around his waist to make himself more comfortable, and then leaned back on the bench. “We do. I invite them over to watch with me on weekends. It’s why I’m so popular with the teenagers, you know.”

Sean listened attentively as Greg described the date, waiting for what could be deemed details, although those were lacking in specifics. “Will you give details?” That was the only time that he would ask seriously. If the blond refused, then he would let the matter drop without remark. He didn’t want to press his friend, although he liked to be informed.

The telepath then sipped from his cup and nodded in response to the other man’s question. “I am. The semester is well underway and most of the students are fine. They’re finding their pecking order, although I still wish, somewhat idealistically, that they would shed hierarchies all together. And we had a retreat last month as a school trip, which was less than comfortable in my old age, but nothing was broken.”

[Gregory Strickland]

Greg smirked and held back a peel of obnoxious laughter. They weren’t the only ones in here after all. “It’s an ice wine,” he stated, smacking his lips together. “Do they have wine here?” He couldn’t help himself, after he’d mentioned the old bottle he wanted some now. Oh human wants.

“That,” Greg said, “is creepy. Are you allowed to invite students over to your house?” And for that question, they did receive a couple stares. This wasn’t looking very good. “I mean, some people could get the wrong impression.”

Greg proceeded to give Sean the details of the date, obviously very excited.

“A retreat? Where did the school take the kiddies?” Greg always loved hearing about anything having to do with powers. He so wished he was a meta, and was automatically jealous of anyone who was. It wasn’t a mean jealousy though.

(OOC: Sorry Sean, the date thread hasn’t been completed yet!)

[Dr. Sean Neville]

“I think they do.” When they finished with the steam room, they could take another trip to the bar and find new beverages.

Not only could Sean see the stares of the couple of other people whose interest had been piqued by the conversation, but he could hear and feel their thoughts and attention turn to him and Greg. Unfortunately, they were in Boston, not in Pilot Ridge, and thus people wouldn’t recognize him and know that he meant no harm. At the same time, at least they were in Boston, a place where nobody knew his name, either.

For the sake of the conversation and for deflecting attention from others, Sean lowered his voice. “When current students come to visit me, I make sure that the school is aware of all of the details for that very reason.” He had no desire to create an image of impropriety. And when L.C. had lived with him, Claude and the rest of the faculty had all been well-aware. That had also been a unique situation.

He listened happily while Greg provided details, and he smiled at the end. It sounded positive, precisely what the blond man needed right now. As such, the telepath was glad for him.

Then at the question of the retreat, he replied, “We took them camping. We try to do that every autumn, although last year, Hurricane Irene came through the area before you moved up, which canceled the trip. But the weather was gorgeous for the entire retreat, and I think the students needed the change of scenery. It was nothing complicated: hiking, swimming, boats, nature trails, a dance...I spent most of it on the water.”

[Gregory Strickland]

Sean had to hand it to him though, Greg had taken his time nursing this drink. He didn’t want to forget this trip, and he didn’t want to just get through it.

“Oh, I didn’t think that was allowed,” Greg stated in his own whisper, which was still fairly audible but at least quieter than before. Greg knew that Sean loved the students too much to do anything stupid, like jeopardize his career. “You should be proud of yourself,” Greg added, choosing to ignore the unwelcome stares now, “not a lot of people go out of their way like you do.” They were good friends for a reason, and Greg knew his charms only went so far.

Greg wasn’t sure he’d see Vinod again. Well, he was sure he’d see the man, but whether or not another date was in order, only time would tell. Greg at least had enjoyed the experience and would be up for another one, now that it wouldn’t be blind.

“Oh I see,” Greg said with interest. If Sean had told him this before, he couldn’t remember. Why he couldn’t remember was up for debate. The soft smile remained on Greg’s face – of course Sean had been boating for the most part. “That must’ve been great. Everyone would have gotten the chance to get to know one another in a different light.” It must’ve been something else for the kids to see Sean boating, that probably didn’t happen at Hammel.

Stretching out his legs, Greg stood up, empty glass in one hand, the other making sure his towel was secure. “I could use another glass of wine, care to join me my friend?” He asked, smirking a little bit. He’d have to ask someone where the little bar in here was again, though they called it something else.

[Dr. Sean Neville]

“It is allowed under the right conditions,” Sean explained. He didn’t do anything to break Hammel policies regarding his employment or the safety of the students. Even with what happened at the beginning of last year, that had been done for the sake of Hammel, in response to a threat to Hammel, and it had explicitly not involved the students. “Two of them even found their way to my house once in the middle of the night to ask for advice.” That had been a distressing time, and it had led to a distressing relationship between that student and a now ex-teacher. But staff and students were able to interact outside of the school.

“The retreat tends to be relaxing,” Sean said, and it was, as long as the students treated one another with respect. Typically, they were happy to have a trip off the Hammel campus and to have a break from classes for a few days. “I admit that it was nice to be able to go boating with some of the students. Although the hiking wasn’t quite my cup of tea. And Josh wasn’t allowed to come along.” Greg knew that he wasn’t particularly fond of camping or hiking activities, and he knew that his friend understood how it was difficult to be parted from a loved one.

The telepath nodded in agreement and said, “I’d love to.” With that, he pushed off from the bench carefully, rising to his feet. Reaching down, he picked up his mostly empty glass and then started towards the exit for the steam room.