Addict? Meet Jedi (Sean)

[Malcom Black]

((Occurs before Christmas.))

Malcom wasn’t sure how he was supposed to buy textbooks. After registering for classes, he’d made a long list of all the books he was supposed to buy, carefully, in his solid but always legible handwriting. He’d made a note of the prices in the campus bookstore, then went online and discovered that they were just as expensive there.

Clearly, there was something he was missing.

But he had government funding here, and it was enough to cover the cost, so he shrugged his shoulders and went into the local bookstore to see what, exactly, he was in for. The results were alarming. The remedial algebra book had topics he didn’t even remember learning in school, and the English asked questions like “what do the purple drapes symbolize?” Malcom wouldn’t have known what the purple drapes symbolized if the author had sat him down and patiently explained it to him. Truthfully, he really wasn’t keen on symbolism. He’d slept through his English class. His biology textbook involved DNA and m and t RNA and generally gave him a headache before he got through the first pages. And the psychology book…

Ugh. He didn’t even want to go into the psychology book. But it was the one he was leafing through in a certain horrified fascination as the other books that he was to purchase floated easily by his head. One thing that the R-Land had assisted him with was perfecting his control over his telekinesis. He’d had nothing else to do other than endless group therapy sessions and reading (Count of Monte-Cristo had been particularly enjoyable). He glanced up after a moment as he tried to figure out how he was supposed to process this, when he recognized Dr. Neville.

Now it wasn’t that he minded the doctor. He quite liked the man. He had a calm that a middle child of ten frankly envied. But Malcom had spent so many years avoiding the doctor that the flight instinct almost took over, and the books that had been hovering neatly by him went plummeting to the ground.

Thank Vishnu for quick reflexes.

Once he’d managed to secure the books, he offered the doctor an only slightly panicked smile and his hand and said, “Dr. Neville! Nice to see you around.”

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Once again, Sean found himself at the mall, where he spent an ever-increasing amount of time. Typically, he wouldn’t come near the mall this close to the holiday season, but an email from Shiya had spurred him into action.

Hello Uncle Sean! I don’t know if you’re still looking for gift idea for Ryan, but there’s a new book out that describes the history of Marvel Comics. I managed to keep Ryan from buying it himself by making him think I bought it for him.

I didn’t.

Attached had been the title and author. The telepath had written it down, and on his trip to the mall, had gone immediately to the bookstore to find a copy. There were only two, and he quickly picked up one and tucked it under his arm. A quick perusal was all he needed to confirm that his nephew would enjoy it thoroughly, although he trusted Shiya’s knowledge of his nephew, given that they would one day start a family together. And while the psychiatrist had already bought Ryan a present, there was no reason he couldn’t buy him another one.

With that book claimed, the telepath chose to do a once-over of the rest of the bookstore, to see if there was anything else that caught his eye. While he and Josh had already exchanged presents (since Chanukah had ended last week), he didn’t need to find something for his partner, but it was always nice to receive a surprise.

During his search, he sensed a familiar presence and caught sight of none other than Malcom Black. Surrounded by books (undoubtedly the result of his powers), one of which was known to Sean since he kept up-to-date on psychology texts.

The telepath didn’t hesitate to take Malcom’s hand for a firm handshake, and he returned the smile. “It’s good to see you too, Malcom. Are you hosting a conference?” That was intended as a joke, a small ice breaker should the younger man choose to explain the purpose of his books.

[Malcom Black]

“Uh.” For a moment, Malcom blanked out. He really wasn’t used to being in bookstores. Periodically he went to the mall to pick up another sketchbook and another case of sketching pencils, but Malcom had never been much of a reader. Periodically his mother would buy him books and he’d dutifully read them (mostly because then she would invite over a girl who, by an amazing coincidence, managed to count that book as her favorite), but past that he just…didn’t. If he wanted to occupy his time, he went on a walk, watched TV, or played video games. Not the most enlightening of tasks, but… In any case, for about two seconds, Malcom simply couldn’t remember why he’d walked into the store. Then it clicked and he offered Sean a slightly less panicked smile as he shifted the weight of the books in his arm. Although Sean was a meta, he was still somewhat shy of using telekinesis when talking to someone. It was hard to dually focus on having a decent conversation and holding up something. In Malcom’s experience, it was the recipe for the perfect migraine.

“No, not exactly,” he admitted. “I’m trying to pick out textbooks. I, uh, took advantage of my veteran status and I’m going back to school. I don’t suppose you have anything to say about this one, do you?” He fetched the psychology book and offered it to Sean. “I’ve tried reading it and haven’t had much luck. It’s been about…” The conclusion of this sentence meant that he was going to feel very, very old in a minute, he could just tell. “—Sixteen years since I last went to school. Seems like a lot of stuff changed.”

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Sean was the last person to pass judgment on another meta for using their powers in such a way that harmed nobody. Telekinesis was a marvelous power, as far as he was concerned. It allowed one to interact in the physical realm and achieve more in one’s day than most other people could. Moreover, he had lived with a telekinetic when he had been a student at Hammel, and thus he was used to seeing power displays; he thought nothing of them.

However, it was also up to Malcom to choose to use his abilities in a way that made him perfectly comfortable. As such, Sean wouldn’t go out of his way to assure the younger man, as that would doubtlessly make him feel more awkward.

“If it isn’t prying, where did you enroll?” The telepath inquired. While he didn’t believe in war or the use of the Military Industrial Complex, he was a strong proponent of the G.I. Bill. He thought that everyone deserved the chance for higher education.

Sean then reached for the psychology textbook that was extended to him, quickly flipping through it. He had recognized the title, and it was in the most current edition. It was a standard text, but one that was accurate and well-written. “A lot has, particularly in the sciences and in psychology. There have been so much absolutely fascinating research over the past decade.”

Reaching the section on the adolescent brain, Sean looked back over at the other man. “Was this assigned by your professor?”

[Malcom Black]

It was not prying—at least, not to Malcom. It was a perfectly reasonable question and, frankly, one that he was glad to answer. It was nice to finally be doing something in his life that he could be proud of. And yeah, okay, it was just a community college and he still had to survive a lot of remedial classes before he got anywhere, but he thought he could figure it out. Eventually. So it was with a slightly more relaxed and definitely proud smile that he answered, “Greenview. It’s not…the best school, but it’s a good start, and community colleges accommodate vets really well. I mean, for a college full of teens and twenty-somethings that I probably gave detention at some point.” Well, you couldn’t have it all. Look at his new roommate: he had yet to have the heart to tell the kid that he thought he remembered writing him up for breaking curfew or something…

Considering that Malcom hadn’t been to school or taken psychology in the last decade, this was a little concerning. But he’d spent the past month in rehab. Even if he’d been on the receiving end, he still should’ve learned something. Right? But maybe that was wrong. He watched, a little worried once again, as Sean read through the book, then shrugged as he looked up. “Yeah. They had some optional texts too, that I might get, but money’s a little tight, even with the funding. I’ll probably just be sitting in here a lot.” Reading. Him. What a strange thought.

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Sean continued to skim the section on the developing adolescent brain, simply because that was the most relevant to his interests and his profession. The book gave a good overview, and it contained fairly recent information on the topic. Of course, it was an ever-changing field with new studies and developments each day, and thus it was impossible for any book to be truly and completely current. Still, the book was the most recent addition, and the information was trustworthy.

It met with Sean’s approval.

Not that it mattered, as he wasn’t Malcom’s professor.

“If this is the required text, then you should certainly be fine,” he remarked, closing the book and then handing it over to the younger man. “At least in terms of reading material, it’s best not to question the professor or try to call his or her bluff.”

He had seen far too many students fail exams because they thought that they could substitute one book for another, only to miss out on key information. Of course, that was before the Internet age, but the general principle remained applicable.

“What are the optional texts? Do you have a list?” The psychiatrist kept a good library at home and at his office. If he owned one of the books on Malcom’s list, he was happy to lend it out to the younger man.

[Malcom Black]

Well, the other man wasn’t making faces. Not that Malcom had ever been able to read the telepath—he’d never spent enough time in his company to be able to gauge facial expressions. He leaned over slightly, feeling like he was watching one of his nephews or nieces with a stranger and so had to supervise very carefully. But that was silly. It was just a book. There was absolutely no point. He didn’t even own it.

“Oh. Uh, good.” He took it and added it to the pile, then blinked. “They make bluffs?” Now there was something he’d never thought of. It was like being told his drill sergeant made bluffs. It was probably true but that didn’t make it easier for him to wrap his head around. But he supposed he ought to get used to it. He was 34 and going back to school. Some of the teachers were bound to be as old as he was. He might as well get his head wrapped around the idea that they were human.

“I’ll have to get it, then,” he added, “And yeah, I have a list, uh, somewhere.” The pile of books went floating as Malcom used both hands to pat his pockets down. Eventually he found it and offered it to Sean, catching the books out of the air and putting them firmly back in his arms. “I appreciate you looking at this,” he added. “I don’t have a lot of experience with, uh, any of it.”

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Part of learning to school his expressions as a boy was that Sean’s facial expressions were difficult to discern. Unless he actively disregarded his general behaviors or he was inebriated.

“Occasionally they do,” the telepath replied, shutting the book and handing it back over to the other man. “Some professors like to load students with texts that they end up not using at all. Or, if they do use it, only do so for a brief and truncated amount. For a chapter, or sometimes less. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to determine from a syllabus whether the professor intends to use all of their texts.”

However, buying the primary, required textbook was inevitable, unless one wanted to make frequent use of the library reserve copy. If colleges still placed a copy of textbooks on reserves at all. Admittedly, it had been a long time since the telepath had been a college student.

Once Malcom found the list, Sean picked it up and began to read through it. Because this was his chosen field of expertise, he was familiar with many, although not all of the books listed. The psychiatrist’s expression was contemplative as he read the books, making mental notes of titles, authors, editions, and subject matter. “If these are optional and not required, I think you can do without the last two. The last one has been refuted, and unless the purpose is to discuss the controversy, there’s no need to spend your money on bad theories.”

[Malcom Black]

Professors really loaded up students with things they didn’t need to? Really? And here he’d been thinking it was just some kind of urban legend. Damn. Unlike Sean, Malcom couldn’t school his expressions very well, and the look on his face was definitely dismay. “Oh,” was all he said, because one of the lessons in rehab was all about learning to look at the positive things in life, and he would see the positive in this even if it killed him. On the plus side, the government was funding most of this, not him. And he did actually have a credit line to get a student loan.

Not a very good one, but as he doubted his parents would cosign for him in his thirties, he guessed he’d just have to live with the issue.

“Well, I guess I can’t just ask them, can I?” He sighed softly. “Thanks, Sean. I appreciate it.” He leaned back against the bookshelf as Sean read through, watching him curiously, then shrugged his shoulders. “All right. I mean, this isn’t going to be my main field of study anyways, but it’s always good to have some pointers. Thanks. What’s so bad about the theories anyways?” His teacher was giving him things that had been refuted? Why was he going to school again? No, he wasn’t going to have a panic attack here. It was a little late anyways. He was committed.

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Sean offered the younger man an expression of sympathy. “It really isn’t as bad as I make it sound,” he assured him. “Professors can be territorial about their class direction and their source materials, but education is everything. I know that you said this won’t be your primary focus, but it’s quite a fascinating field.”

It was fascinating enough that he had devoted his entire adult life to it.

The telepath shook his head. Questioning the professor’s reasons for including certain texts before the class even began was a potential recipe for disaster. While some professors might reward the inquisitiveness, others wouldn’t like to have their authority questioned. Moreover, Sean had spent enough time with other psychologists to know that the latter was more probable than the former. “I wouldn’t ask until you have a better feel for the professor. Hold off on buying the suggested books until a little closer to the lesson. But do buy anything marked as required.”

Sean turned the syllabus around and tapped one of the titles with his thumb, identifying that as one of the optional books that he found problematic. “This one was written before new neuroscience research was published. The thesis isn’t bad insofar as it’s malicious, but we know for a fact that the brain doesn’t work the way the author, and psychology as a whole, thought it did when this book was published.”

Sean distinguished that from a fault on the author’s part, since he had done the best he could with data available at the time. However, neuroscience and adolescent psychology had made great advances since then.

[Malcom Black]

In spite of the fact that Malcom’s old habits of avoiding Sean hadn’t quite been buried, in spite of the fact that he’d always found himself pretty nervous of Sean, he couldn’t help the smile that promptly turned up his lips as Sean began to talk. “Of course you have to say that,” he said, beginning to feel the old sense of humor that he’d once been…better at. Much better at, but maybe now that he was finally feeling normal he thought he could get that back. Maybe, if he could try. A little.

That seemed reasonable. It sounded a lot like his drill sergeants he’d had when he was back in the army. He thought he’d be able to handle that. “Well, all right.” He would’ve taken the list back, but he knew a lot of them in his own head anyways, and felt comfortable mentally checking them off and determining that he had most of them. There were only a few left, and although he wasn’t altogether sure about the whole issue that Sean had brought up, he was going to do his best to be willing to buy the book anyways. At least he already knew some of the issues with it. But…malicious? “Right,” he mumbled. “Well. I guess it’s better to know in advance, right?” He shrugged a little. As he was going to have difficulties reading the books anyways, he didn’t see what one inaccurate one would do. Actually, he doubted he’d even really notice. Wasn’t that sad. “Thanks, uh…Sean. I appreciate it. How's...Josh doing? Still well?"

[Malcom Black]

Malcom tilted his head to the side as he considered this. “Yes,” he said. “I think that’s pretty accurate. In both ways. I am crazy, but I also am kidnapping you.” He offered him a fairly cheerful smile. “So grab a set of clothes if you’d like. Don’t try the phones. Either that, or I can knock you out, since you aren’t doing me the favor of fainting.” He eyed him with a friendly but distinctly calculating look. “Your call."

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Sean returned the other man’s smile with a small one of his own. “You’re right; I am. They’ll revoke my license if I don’t push the field in at least five random conversations each month.” It was good to see the younger man relax a bit, particularly with how nervous he had been when the telepath had first happened upon him earlier.

Perhaps it would be better to pull a current college student into this conversation, or at least someone who had earned his Bachelor’s degree in the 21st Century. Sean meant to give good advice without causing the younger man to panic, but his experiences were hardly representative of modern college student concerns.

At the remark, he nodded in agreement. “I like to think so.” That was how the psychiatrist lived his life; admittedly, the telepathy made that goal a bit easier for him than it was for many other people.

“You’re welcome. If I can help you with anything else, don’t hesitate to let me know.” Sean was sincere in that; he wanted Malcom to deal with this educational transition as easily as possible, even if the telepath had no control over the situation.

His smile widened at the mention of his partner. “He’s doing fine. With the slowdown during the holidays, he’s actually relaxing a bit. It’s good for him, even if he won’t necessarily admit it.” Both he and Josh valued their careers, although Sean didn’t think his partner had healthy methods of coping with stress. That was a matter for another day, however.

[Malcom Black]

Malcom was startled into a laugh. In all the time he’d been avoiding the older man, he wouldn’t have thought that the other man was so…entertaining? No, that wasn’t fair to Sean. He’d GUESSED it, he’d just continued to avoid him. Over exaggerated guilt, he supposed. Oh well. Maybe it was a chance now. “You remind me of my time in the Army. I did recruitment for a while.” He made a face. “I wasn’t very good at it. They told me I was too honest about the food.” Which was better than what his poor budget these days allowed him to buy, but why should he be surprised by that?

It wasn’t Sean’s fault that Malcom was panicking. It shouldn’t have surprised anyone, really. Malcom hadn’t been back to school in a very, very long time, and hadn’t been good at it from the get-go. But since his experiences in the war had mostly left him with nightmares, he figured he might as well get something more out of it.

He nodded. He didn’t know much about Josh, but he could sympathize and enjoy the fact that the doctor enjoyed the company of his partner and that his partner was doing well. “Good.” He and Jennifer had been doing…okay. After he’d gone to rehab, that was. It had taken him a while to manage to call her back because he had liked her too much to want to drag her into the mess of his life, but…well. She didn’t seem to mind so much. “Uh.” Another conversation topic. Right. “I don’t want to distract you from your, uh, Christmas shopping? What were you looking for?”

[Dr. Sean Neville]

Sean smiled although he didn’t chuckle. It was uncomfortable to chuckle at one’s own jokes. However, he was glad that it had gone over well. His sense of humor didn’t always tickle other people’s fancies.

“Christmas shopping,” the telepath confirmed. Although he no longer celebrated a religious Christmas, and he hadn’t for decades, he still celebrated secular Christmas because so many other people celebrated the holiday. Additionally, certain rituals from his childhood were worth maintaining. Moreover, since this wasn’t a present for Josh, he didn’t consider it a Chanukah present, since the holiday was earlier than Christmas.

Sean held the book out so that Malcom could examine it; the red-orange cover proclaiming Marvel Comics: The Untold Story. “It’s for my nephew,” he explained. “He loves comic books and history.”

Particularly with the recommendation by Shiya, he was sure that Ryan would be thrilled to receive it with his other present.

“Do you have holiday plans?” Sean inquired of the other man. If not, the telepath wouldn’t remain on this topic for too long, since there was no reason to hammer into the other man if he didn’t care for the holidays. At the same time, there were community options. To wit: “The Bash is coming up.”

Sean looked forward to the Bash. The past two had ended poorly, but this year there were no broader concerns. He and Josh could drink and relax with the entire community at large.