Devon grinned an almost cheshire cat sort of smile. Somebody enjoyed showing off.

"Can you see it? Or, it is just a feel thing?" He'd been slouching before, but now AJ stood for the show. "Is it always that space? Or centered here?" AJ tapped his chest. He'd sort of always imagined chakras and personal energy to be body-centered with the bulk of a man's mass. This adapted business felt like it belonged in the realm of the spiritual. He couldn't see it. He just had to believe it was there and that it worked.

There wasn't a whole lot to see, except that Devon's eyes bled to black. Once he'd noticed, AJ's adrenaline spiked while his lizard brain shouted that something was really, really wrong. Fear try to grip him and AJ dismissed it as best he was able. Not only was Devon a stand up guy, but he'd stepped in to prevent AJ from taking another hit. Those may have been the eyes of a demon, dark like a swath of starless night, but Devon's body didn't act alarmingly different. He did look threatening, mostly he looked a bit distant and contemplative. Even that may have been because AJ couldn't quite tell exactly where the other man was looking.

That only happened with active influence... of the atmosphere. AJ took his time connecting the dots. He was on the lookout for something showy, but after looking around Devon announced that he'd tweaked things so that it'd be nicer out tonight.

That, too, AJ just had to take on faith.

"I've never noticed the weather being weird just for me, or—" Wait. There was one time at a fire— a mutant who could immolate, specifically. And none of that had bothered AJ too much until the actual bookstore around them had gone up in flames.

> “I would agree you have a magic touch though it has more to do with your healing skill and knowledge. What got you into the field?”

He was ready to make excuses for the "healing" (what a mutant way to say slapping bandaids on people and administering narcan), but AJ actually prided himself on knowing what he did. "I was aiming to be a doctor and sort-of took a detour. The human body is just crazy. We're so resilient in the things we can recover from and the things we can do, that's before you add in the potential of special abilities." Oh, but Devon had asked about what got him into wanting to fix people in the first place?

"My little sister..." He couldn't help but say in tone what he was avoiding saying out loud: this was one of many things he had to say about his sister. "When we were kids, she had a compound fracture bad enough that the bones were poking through. Everyone was freaking out, but she's not just my sister, she's my little sister and she looks up to me. Everybody else was useless. I had to help. I guess I got a taste for it." His first ambulance ride. How nostalgic.

Wasn't Devon a counselor or something? "What about you?"

>> "Can you see it? Or, it is just a feel thing?"

Devon’s head bobbed side to side. “Technically, both, but only because outside of your range I can see the finer details of the weather...  And yes, about there.” He studied and his senses expanded out, turning as he turned away with black eyes to heat things up. Looking back, it seemed AJ wasn’t quite convinced, though it was clear he was reflecting on times past.

Devon simply smiled back with a soft warmth, the smile he knew he wore when someone made a self-realization even if it was guided.

Thankfully AJ was comfortable talking of himself. As much as Devon was proud of his abilities and enjoyed using them, it wasn’t common he spoke of himself. Speaking of his powers always felt different. They were a blessing of genetics and his control the greater achievement. Not everyone felt so blessed as he, few were. Indeed, he hadn’t felt so blessed a few years ago. There were darker days then…

The smile Devon wore touched his eyes as AJ spoke of his sister. There were was some real consideration in them as Devon’s thoughts only continued along a particular line. “Control and calm in a dangerous, scary situation, let alone while your emotions are raging is a very admirable thing,” he nodded. “Believe me, I appreciate that more than I can probably describe.”

“I can say, however, that I became a psychologist because of how much mine helped me. I realized there would be many others, mutants and humans alike, who warred with themselves, what they were, and what they needed,” he nodded again. “Or maybe it’s a bit of karma for giving some people I cared about let alone my doctor a hard time for too long,” he chuckled and shrugged a shoulder, glancing down over the balcony for a moment.

Why was he avoiding saying what drove him to the doctor? He could just say he was bipolar. He’d said so a million times; it was nothing he was ashamed of… Right? So why hold his tongue now?

Devon pursed his lips and licked at them, going for another sip of his water as his mouth suddenly felt dry. Of course, his glass was now empty. His mouth became a half smile as his brow dropped when Devon’s blue eyes met AJ’s brown again. “It was that and my battle with bipolar disorder. In the end, we all face challenges of various origins, but with assistance we can move past them, live with them, and grow beyond them. I did and I want to help others to do so.”

Devon nodded a third time, an affirmative nod, as he took a deep breath. He could hear the dance music pounding downstairs, but all the serious topics of the evening were really making the setting seem wrong. Why did this feel so strange?

“The need for control in difficult situations has always been important to me,” he smiled gently.

> “Control and calm in a dangerous, scary situation, let alone while your emotions are raging is a very admirable thing,”

Control and calm were Ajeet's two middle names. You couldn't get into the EMS game without demonstrating grace under pressure, and those who bulled their way through without it imploded or exploded eventually. AJ had been on board for more than a year already. He felt the wear, but he was nowhere near burnout. Thankfully.

Devon joked about how much trouble he was, hinting and leading up to a confession AJ wouldn't have expected. Devon was bipolar. A personal detail one would only confide to a friend or maybe he felt it was necessary...?

Or maybe AJ was the sort of person who prompted trust and he'd needed to talk about it with someone. People in power often found it hard to open up to those close to them, or people who relied on them. As a third party, it was up to AJ not to screw this moment up.

"I stuck with the physical because bodies are a lot simpler to put back together. I'm out of my depth, but--" He set his bottle down and put his hand on Devon's shoulder. He wasn't afraid. It wasn't like AJ was going to catch something, or something stupid like that. "that's just another facet of who you are. If you want to talk stuff through to someone, I know next to nothing. I'm a blank slate you can write your story on." Next time he met someone bipolar, maybe he would know better how to respond because of whatever Devon taught him.

Already he was wracking his brain for the best questions to ask should he get the chance.

>> "I stuck with the physical because bodies are a lot simpler to put back together. I'm out of my depth, but--"

A single brow quirked up in question as AJ’s tone drew out. Then he came close once more and put a hand on Devon’s shoulder. The world shrank, became simpler, and Devon focused on the man in front of him.

>> "that's just another facet of who you are. If you want to talk stuff through to someone, I know next to nothing. I'm a blank slate you can write your story on."

“Oh, yes,” Devon nodded, laughing a bit and then grinning. “I do have a Psychiatrist I work with. I’m very open about it,” he nodded again. “I try to be open and clear of it when speaking with new patients. Not that I think you are one. And not that I’m not thankful,” he shook his head. His hand went for his glass and yes, still empty. He set it down.

“But yes, just a facet, and a disease. Many have such challenges and it’s important to face them. It’s why I share it openly. I’m proud of what I’ve faced. But good you’re willing to talk to someone who brings it up to you,” Devon nodded again, a bit quickly. He was talking a bit fast wasn’t he…

“Not everyone’s like that and if someone comes to you with such a reveal it’s good to support them as there aren’t many people who feel truly supported in that way. They reveal these things looking for help and it’s why I find it important Hadden’s Havens can offer that help to people. I needed it help and it took me maybe too long but I got it and it worked out, so yes.”

Devon blinked a few times rapidly, then a single time slower, and then nodded. He laughed awkwardly, glancing down as he felt the heat in his face. Looking back up he chuckled, “Sorry I ramble on sometimes. I think I need some water.”