fandomtownies | Fandom Island Counseling Services and Psychiatry, Monday

Current Location: 22A Phoenix Place

Entry tags:

Fandom Island Counseling Services and Psychiatry, Monday

Now that everybody was back from their vacation, Hannibal was wondering if there would be any new traumas. And apparently there was a new inhabitant, if radio were to be believed. You never knew who might need to talk.

So, he was in his office, reading. Coffee and hot water for tea were both ready, and he had some lovely scones just in case.

[OOC: Open post!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The island was just crawling with new inhabitants these days, wasn't it? New, or fairly new. Maybe even some old ones who were just bad at staying away for long...

Zack walked by the sign every day just to get out of the apartment, because being inside was stifling in ways he'd never dreamed the indoors could really be. But today he'd actually stopped to read it, had frowned and stood there for a few minutes contemplating it. Counseling? Psychiatry? Those were... things he really had never gone reaching for, before, but lately he was feeling more out of touch with himself than he'd ever been, and while he wanted to turn and walk away, he found himself approaching the door of the office? Clinic? Tentatively. Maybe just to get a better look. He'd totally just peek in, decide it wasn't for him, and then leave.

... Or peek in and kind of freeze there, uncertain of what to do next. That could work too.

Hannibal looked up, caught sight of him, and smiled. "Hello, there. Would you like to come in? I have tea, coffee, and scones, if you're interested."

Zack blinked up with wide blue eyes, looking for all the world like he'd just been caught doing something he wasn't sure he was supposed to be doing.

"I, uh." He smiled uneasily. "Hey! Sorry, I was just... looking."

Hannibal had probably gathered as much, yes.

"That's perfectly all right," Hannibal assured him. "I never mind an audience."

He set his book aside and waved Zack in. "Please, come in. It's getting a bit cold out, isn't it?"

"Is it?" Zack glanced outside with a thoughtful frown. "I guess it must be. I didn't really notice."

He shrugged it off and stepped inside, shutting the door behind him, so as to not let all the heat out. Standing there with bare arms as he was, you'd think he would have noticed something.

"Um... hi?"

He used to be so much better with people.

"Hello," Hannibal said again, nodding and smiling. "Tea or coffee?" He got up slowly, telegraphing his moves and not stepping toward Zack as he went to pour whichever he wanted.

Zack was watching him carefully as he did so, frowning a little bit to himself. Well, now that he was in, he needed to come up with a good reason to get out again. And one... wasn't exactly coming to him.

"Tea, please," he said, finally. "Something decaf, if you have it."

The last thing he needed was to be even more wound up.

"Of course." Hannibal found the right tea and added it to a cup before pouring the hot water over it. "Chamomile, lemongrass, and ginger." He placed the cup and sugar dish on a tray and nodded to Zack. "Pick a seat, and I'll bring it over."

"Thank you?" If Zack sounded faintly puzzled as he made his way across the room to sit down, well... he was. He was definitely puzzled. He did stop for a moment to take the sword from his back and prop it carefully against the wall nearby, though, which on its own was probably a good indication that he was resigned to sticking around for tea, at least. "That sounds great."

"You're very welcome," Hannibal said, bringing the tea over. "I'm pleased to meet you properly. I don't know if you're aware, but I'm the one who stocked your refrigerator for Jono. If I'd left it to him, I'm certain it would have been only greasy fish and microwave things," he said with a smile.

Zack blinked, processing that, and then he gave Hannibal a little, wry smile.

"I mean, about all I really had the headspace for at the time would've been microwave things," he admitted. And then realized how that might sound and waved a hand around, wide-eyed. "But what you gave us was great! It was nice to not have to worry about eating for a while, knowing there was plenty of food already made. Thank you."

Hannibal nodded in acknowledgement. "I do adore feeding people, so I assure you it was no hardship. Particularly not for friends of Jono."

"Well, Ino is his friend," Zack said, awkwardly reaching a hand up to scratch at the back of his neck. "I never really knew him, beyond that we were students at the same time. I don't think we even had any of the same classes."

Zack, that kind of wasn't the point.

"Either way, everything you've both done for us has been... it's been great. Thank you."

"Again, you're welcome," Hannibal said. He brought Zack a plate with a couple of scones on it before returning to his own seat. "How are you settling in?"

Zack smiled wryly, refraining from saying 'thank you' a third time in as many minutes as he reached to take a scone.

"I think I'm setting in fairly okay," he offered. "I mean... I've never run an animal shelter before, but what dogs and cats need is pretty self-explanatory. And the island is.... still the island. Not much has changed here, except for the faces."

"Animals are easier than people," Hannibal said. "Their needs are apparent, and they make no promises."

"Yeah," Zack agreed, slipping into silence for a moment, frowning. "I mean... They're good company, too. I've never had a dog before, but I'm kind of glad I'm working with them now."

"They're said to be quite therapeutic for some people," Hannibal said. "And I imagine they're pleased to have you as well."

"I hope so," Zack admitted, chewing his lip a little. "I'm used to being left to my own devices, but not having someone to take care of would've been an adjustment. The animals aren't the same, but they're a good distraction, at least."

"How are they different?" Hannibal asked. "Smaller? Fuzzier?"

"Smaller, fuzzier. More alert," Zack sighed. "I'm not as worried about them, I guess. At least if a dog is scared, it'll growl or hide. And you never really have to guess for long if something is bothering them."

Hannibal nodded. "They're much more transparent than people. And people are more likely to lash out if they're scared."

"Yeah," Zack agreed quietly, his attention pretty firmly on his scone. "They really are."

In this scenario, maybe it was him they were talking about, after all. He had a lot more to be scared about, these days.

"Have you been hurt by people lashing out?" Hannibal asked calmly. "Are you worried you may do the same?"

"I..." Zack blew out a breath, and then directed his attention up toward the ceiling, instead. Hi, ceiling. "Wow, that's a complicated question. Or, I guess it's an easy question with a complicated answer, isn't it? Though the short answer is 'yes,' I guess..."

Zack was super great at dancing around any uncomfortable point a little bit like a turd circling a drain. He'd get there eventually, but you still had to put up with that crap in the meantime.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject