Closed;

[madrush]

Who: Tommy and Ocelot
When: Backdated to Ocelot's post
Where: The lounge; various
What: Talking
Warnings: None; will update if needed


[OOC: Continued from here.]

[After a brief conversation on the network with Ocelot, Tommy decides that meeting up might be a good idea. He doesn't really know how it'll all go or if anything will come from it, but he's willing to give it a try. He sends a text.]

Is the lounge good? I can be there whenever.

[He'll wait for a response before heading down.]

Comments

[yer_pretty_good]

[Ocelot lets Tommy know he can meet him in the lounge right away and heads there as well. He's curious about what the young man really wants or perhaps needs. Some were real skittish when it came to the concept of hypnosis while others seemed to dismiss the entire concept. Those people were closed minded, in Ocelot's opinion. They didn't realize the true benefits it could hold and all of its potential uses.

When he gets to the lounge, Ocelot finds a comfortable place to sit that's out of the way, though Tommy might already be there, in which case he'll just go and join the young man.]

[madrush]

[Tommy waits, flitting around the ship, until a normal amount of time has passed and Ocelot would be in the lounge. He comes into the room, skidding to a halt.]

Hey!

[He takes a seat next to Ocelot, resting on the edge so he can stretch his legs and stick his hand out to be shaken.]

I'm Tommy. It's nice to meet you officially.

[yer_pretty_good]

[Ocelot is a little surprised when Tommy arrives, since he didn't see the man enter. Normally, he's pretty perceptive, so he doesn't think he just 'missed it' accidentally.]

Nice to meet you too, Tommy.

[The man gives Tommy an easy going smile with the handshake.]

So, let's talk.

[madrush]

[Tommy's not good at this, which Ocelot is about to find out pretty fast.]

What do you wanna talk about? The weather?

[He shrugs and leans back in his seat, rubbing his hand through his hair. Does he look awkward? He feels it.]

Is there weather in space, I don't know.

[yer_pretty_good]

We could talk about the weather. I could ask you how your mother, or girlfriend, or whatever is doin'. But I prefer to cut the chit-chat and talk about your interest in hypnosis and that problem of yours.

[He cuts to the chase rather than dance awkwardly around the subject.]

[madrush]

[Tommy likes a person who is direct and gets straight to the point. Even if it's not something that's easy for him to talk about.]

Does it work? Can you hypnotize people?

[He folds his arms over his chest, brow scrunched.]

People think I don't care because I act like I don't.

[yer_pretty_good]

Yeah, I can.

[He's done it before. He's even done it to himself.]

Why do you act like you don't? Seems like an easy problem to fix.

[One he wouldn't need hypnosis for.]

[madrush]

It's easier that way.

[Wow this is so much harder than he thought it would be.]

It doesn't hurt as much that way.

[Now he's just lying.]

[yer_pretty_good]

So are you askin' me to make it so you don't care what other people think?

[Tommy can't be asking Ocelot to make him care. Then it would hurt.]

Just an observation, but I don't think it is easier that way, or you wouldn't be havin' this problem.

[madrush]

No, I, um.

[Tommy sighs, and frowns in Ocelot’s direction. He knows he’s got to explain now, really explain, and he hates it.]

I don’t want to stop caring what people think. I want to be able to tell people how I feel.

[He lowers his voice.]

Especially my brother. He deserves better from me.

[yer_pretty_good]

[This sounds like an anxiety disorder or something.]

Why can't you tell him? Just tell him what you're thinkin'?

[madrush]

I don’t know.

[It’s not that easy for him, never has been.]

I’ve got to be strong and protect him.

[yer_pretty_good]

Just because you tell him what you're thinking or feeling doesn't mean you're not strong or you're not protecting him.

[Though he understands why Tommy would think that.]

You think he'll think you're weak if you tell him what's on your mind?

[madrush]

Billy’s not like that. He might think it’s weird but only because I don’t do it.

[He’d probably say something stupid and encouraging about how he’s proud of Tommy.]

Are you hypnotizing me now? I don’t usually open up like this.

[yer_pretty_good]

Maybe at first, if he's not used to it, but that doesn't mean he doesn't want to hear it from you.

[The last remark gets a smile.]

Hypnosis takes more than just a few words at a table to happen. Look, kid, your problem doesn't need hypnosis. You just need the guts to say the things Billy probably already knows. But if you gotta be pushed into doin' it, I can make you do it if that's what you want.

[madrush]

Should I text him?

[He realizes it’s sort of a cop out after he’s said it. Texting isn’t really talking and it’s not the best way to share feelings that have been pent up inside of him for years.]

Nah, I know I shouldn’t. I don’t really want you to, so I’ll have to make myself do it.

[yer_pretty_good]

If you can't start otherwise, a text is something over nothing. Or you could write a letter.

[But he can see that the idea of a text isn't satisfying to Tommy.]

You're both welcome to come into my office and talk it out if you think it would help.