Return to Friendship Park

[Dirt Nap]

Dirt Nap arrives at the park nearby the now closed for the night homeless shelter, perching on a tree branch. He makes sure that he is unobserved, and moves down to ground level and changes into human seeming form, to await J.C. Smith's arrival.

[JC Smith]

JC could have easily passed for someone checking to see if the Loaves and Fishes was still open, his clothes worn with age and elements. Though recently washed in the House's laundry. And to Dirt Nap, there was also, obviously, the taint of the undead.

"Hey, Clay," he greeted his cousin with sincere smile, while looking around to make sure they were alone "Where would you like to talk?" he asked before things started. The park had several benches for sitting, covered areas, or JC was fine with standing. The important thing was for Dirt Nap to be comfortable.

[Dirt Nap]

Dirt Nap smiles slightly at J.C.'s relatively warm welcome.

"Anywhere you like, doc." Dirt Nap says, glancing around as if he hasn't already noted everything about the scene.

"I don't see no couch around, so I guess it doesn't matter much where we talk. I need your professional opinion on some things, if you don't mind."

[JC Smith]

"Alright," he said, smiling lightly at the couch comment. JC selected a spot where two benches faced each other and took a seat, letting Dirt Nap chose whether to sit next or across from him. Or if he wanted to use it as a place to lay down like many homeless during the day.

"What would you like to talk about?" He still wasn't sure if Dirt Nap was wanting a diagnosis or simply advise but he let the cowboy lead the way.

[Dirt Nap]

Dirt Nap sits as J.C. suggests.

Then he smiles slightly and says, "First thing, doc, you gotta tell me if you're view on things has changed any since the first time we talked; 'cause it seemed to me then like what we have in our Blood, what we are both fighting down, was something you thought was a run of the mill mental illness. Is that still what you think? 'cause I think some of the same treatment can help, but it's an entirely different Beast just the same."

"I think you can help me either way...it just depends on how I tell it to you, you see, what way would be the most helpful."

[JC Smith]

JC gave a small smile “My views haven’t changed but I also don’t consider it to be run of the mill.” Even his own depression and anxiety didn’t really count as run of the mill when the chemical and neurological processes needed to produce mental illness were there anymore but this was about the Beast. “I do find that the paradigm of mental illness is useful, at least for me, as a way of putting things into context and working to handle things. But,” he added “I also know it has its limits.” There was no negotiating with the that part of himself.

“Does that answer your question?” He could go more in depth about IFS or meditation or strategies but he still wasn't sure what Dirt Nap was look

[Dirt Nap]

Dirt Nap observes J.C. closely as he answers his questions.

He nods. He can work with that.

"Alrighty. You know how schizophrenia can run in the family?" Dirt Nap asks perhaps rhetorically. "I'd say, 'it runs in the Blood', 'cause I can get poetical like that, time to time."

"Well, doc." Dirt Nap says. "What we got...can have...complications, from where we got it, if you catch my drift. The Blood matters."

"I gone and developed some 'complications' while I was gone." He explains helpfully.

[JC Smith]

JC gave a nod in the affirmative. Lots of mental illness looked to have a familial tendency, not just schizophrenia. Though it was interesting that was the one Dirt Nap chose. He'd also heard of vampires going insane, though never as a matter of blood ties. That was interesting.

"How would you describe your symptoms? And is there any one that you feel you'd like most to address?" Normally he'd go through a whole list or it would be provided in a pre-appointment worksheet. Though that was for mortal mental health and he needed a better handle on what was going with the 'complications'.

"Additionally, how would you describe your feelings towards developing complications." However, it never hurt to also get an idea of what certain mortal parts might think of the whole situation. Sometimes, often, they were the only thing you could really control.

[Dirt Nap]

Dirt Nap looks steadily at J.C. for a long moment. Then he says, "Please don't mention about the Blood to anyone else. It's a well known fact, that in our kind, a parent can pass on a type of condition in the blood. You might want to think on your own parent, to be prepared." He offers.

"I knew what was possible, even been preparing for it, to keep it fenced in, if it came, which it has. The appetite is bigger; that's a part of it, but real specific ideas about how to fill up are the main part. Hunting comes to mind, often. Stalking, real calculating like. And any kind of person fitting a picture of a victim tends to stir things up."

He looks directly at J.C., pointedly searching his body language and face for clues as to his intentions.

"I need to ask a favor of you, but first I need to know if you can keep it from our mutual house mate?"

[JC Smith]

JC hadn’t thought of his sire in a while. He wasn’t too sure if doing so would reveal any ‘condition’ she might have passed on. Mostly because there just wasn’t a lot of memory to go off of. All the same, he gave a little nod and accepted the advice.

He listened as Dirt Nap explained his situation, though not his feelings on it. Just the facts right now. As well as a look he recognized. Not distrust exactly but apprehension. JC’s posture was relaxed, open, yet intently observant. Actual intention was difficult to pin down. More than anything, he just seemed curious.

He gave a small smile when Quinn came up “Well, you probably know better than me she’s good at reading people,” he didn’t know enough about telepathy to say for sure his thoughts were safe “but I can promise to keep confidence as best I can.”