Sweet Disposition, tag; Sage Penn

Emil was trying to make every activity he did with his patients different so that each session had a unique feel to them. The center of each one had been food, for it was something most people could share. Not everyone liked music or poetry or theatre; but most people, Emil had discovered, enjoyed food to a degree. Sweets was something that Emil tried to indulge in only occasionally and he knew he was going to have to do some major cardio after what he had planned for today, but hopefully it would be worth it.

Emil’s office was rather barren: there was no furniture aside from a coffee table in the middle which was set formally and bean bags scattered around it to act as the seats. It was temporary, of course, because Emil planned to remodel his office once he had the chance. In the corner of the room was a box full of things that he would unpack sooner or later.

The table, though, was set with several interesting things: two placemats , one for him and one for Sage, and in the middle a candle that was yet to be lit. On serving platters were little bits of marshmallows, chocolate and graham crackers alongside skewers to stick through the marshmallows. Indeed, he had planned to make miniature smores here in his office. Camping reminded him of a lot of good memories and it was just a feel good activity overall.

Today he was dressed in snug black jeans, a gray dress shirt, a vibrant dark orange felt jacket and gray-hued-plaid scarf tied loosely around his neck. All of this was probably too many layers of clothing to be wearing indoors, but Emil was willing to go to lengths of discomfort just to look good.

He stood near the table, awaiting Sage’s entrance, eager to meet his new patient and get started with the smores, which he hoped would be a fun experience for the both of them.

Sage wasn’t the type of person who asked that many questions when it came to doctors in her eyes they had already done enough damage especially where she was concerned, Her grandmother was the other problem but she wasn’t going to let her mind go into that.

For some reason her doctor was changing at was confusing to Sage not that she cared maybe this one would let her hell out of here. Sage looked at the guard as he appeared to take her to the office of this new doctor. Pressing her lips together she just followed him, her hands stuffed in the pockets on her jumper, there was no doubt that sage never spent any amount of time on her appearance she didn’t care that much about it and usually forgot about it.

Sage walked into the office and raised an eyebrow; she’d seen enough doctors’ rooms to class this one as slightly weird. Glancing at her father who was leaning against the wall she shrugged slightly. He was thinking exactly what she was, what the hell this guy was going to be like, seriously who had bean bags any more.

Glancing at the table she couldn’t help but crack a smile at the site of the candle, sage had always loved the site of a burning flame, Glancing at the doctor Finally, she covered her hand to hide a yawn before tilting her head slightly, he had to be boiling in all those layers but he made feel sage out of place in her simple Jeans and Jumper.

Glancing at him sage pressed her lips together before letting herself take a breath and speak “Hello”

When Sage entered the room, Emil had on quite the ecstatic face, although it was hinted with a bit of confusion. None of his other patients had nearly as bad hygiene as Sage- that was evident from looking at the poor gal! Nowhere in the file had he read about a hygiene problem, so he assumed that perhaps the girl was just having a bad day. He wouldn’t mention it just for the sake of everyone’s comfort; instead he focused on making the girl feel welcome and at home.

“Well hello there, pookie! You must be Sage Penn! Lovely! I’m Dr. Emil, although I’d rather if you called me by my first name, Emil. I do think ‘doctor’ sounds so stuffy and of all the things I am, stuffy seems to be just the opposite! Besides which I try quite hard not to be a regular, boring doctor. If I do ever seem a bit boring let me know and I’ll be sure to spice things up! Now, please, take a seat,”

He spoke, gesturing to the bean bag chairs surrounding the coffee table as he himself took a seat to lead by example.

Once he was sitting he gestured at the table,

“Now, I thought we could make smores you know! On this plate are the regular marshmallows and on this one are the vegan ones- and the same it with the graham crackers, regular and vegan. I wasn’t quite sure what your dietary restrictions were and I wanted to be sure you could participate! Let me just light this here,”

Emil took a lighter from his pocket and sparked the wick of the candle, a small flame lulling in the middle of the table. He was trusting his patient Sage enough to behave well around fire. If things went sour, well, he’d just have to think of other activities in the future.

“And feel free to help yourself! Now, how are you sweet pea?” He asked politely, sticking a marshmallow on his skewer and roasting it over the candlestick for a moment. Once he was done he put it on top of a piece of chocolate and that on a graham cracker, which quickly melted together to make a smore. He held it up to Sage so she could see, giving a chuckle and putting it down on his own plate, waiting to see if Sage would do the same and if he’d need to help her or not.

Sage watched him her hands retreating into the arms of her jumper to hide her hands. Pressing her lips together sage flicked her eyes over him before letting a yawn escape her lips; she looked around the room again before looking back at Emil as he spoke.

She looked rather shocked as he spoke how could she not , he was way too nice and that automatically put Sage on Edge after all why would he be so nice , no doctor was that nice , she let him speaking as she continued to flick her eyes around the room.

Sitting down as he said to she pulled her legs Automatically to her chest watching him carefully , she tilted her head as he spoke again a small smile etching on her face, Sage hadn’t seen a Marshmellow in ages , her grandmother had always been against anything that was sweet.

Sage smiled as he lit the candle her eyes fixing on the flame, there was something about flames that she found hypnotic, she had always felt safe around fire, and it made her remember things that used to be great.

“Thanks but I’m not really hungry right now” she smiled at him watching him with a smile “I’m Fine I guess , slightly tired but I’m fine” she shrugged slightly , her eyes still resting on the candle, she just wanted to get out of here and be safe away from her family and to get back to the smell of petrol and oil in a workshop.

Emil grinned a bit at the refusal, a goofy expression falling on his face. A lot of people, especially women, watched their weight and refused the occasional treat simply because of that. If Sage was one of those people, he was going to attempt to convince her to cave just this one time. Today was a special occasion, afterall! He didn’t want it to be treated like any other day. Meeting each other and getting acquainted was supposed to be fun.

“You sure, pookie? Well if you change your mind, they’re here,” He spoke in a bit of a teasing voice, taking a small bite of his smore and then putting it back down on the plate, wiping his mouth with a napkin in the proper way a gentleman was supposed to do.

“Hmm, didn’t sleep very well? I’m sorry, pookie,” Emil commented gently. He’d read about Sage’s nightmares and felt rather bad for her. What would it be like to have bad dreams every night and not be able to sleep because of it? Sleep deprivation caused numerous problems, he knew, because on the go he was often without much sleep and he’d experienced everything from delayed reactions, trouble thinking, and flat out delusions! He’d thought he’d been going crazy half the time! And slowly, a theory was forming in his head. Maybe if he could find a way to get Sage sleeping more, the delusions would go away. It was a theory at best, just guesswork, but at least he had an idea of what might need to happen in order for one of his patients to recover.

“Now, I just want to let you know that I’m not a regular doctor and this is definitely not a ‘session’ or whatever they call those! I just wanted to introduce myself so that you could get to know me, and perhaps, if you’ll allow me, at some point I’ll get to know you. But it seems a bit silly, don’t you think, that most doctors expect someone to open up when they know nothing about their doctor! Well, I’m different. I’m an open book. Anything you want to know about me, I’ll answer the best I can!”

He hoped that even though his activity hadn’t worked out as planned that he could still make this experience entertaining and relaxing for Sage. His goal was to get her to smile and laugh and be comfortable. If he could, then when they did have to talk about ‘the hard stuff’, it shouldn’t have been as muddled or awkward.

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Sage watched the doctor tilting her head; she interested her more than anything else in the room. Pushing her hair from her face, Sage yawned leaning back in the bean bag chair, wrinkling her nose at the use of pet names.

“Thank you but no thanks” she shrugged and watched him her eyes resting on the flame more than him, Sage couldn’t help the safety she felt around flames, they had always seemed to calm her and chill her out.

“ I’m used to it and I have been for years” she shrugged knowing that he had most likely read her file, she stretched slightly and looked at him a small smile reaching her lips, she could help but like this man, he was so open and welcoming and you couldn’t help wanting to smile. Sage watched him carefully her eyes flicking too her father now and again, Shrugging at him, she was going to try not to talk to him , she knew that he wasn’t dead he was in front of her but no one else believed her at all.

Sage nodded and looked at before speaking “Thanks” it was odd for a doctor to what to let their patients know them and for some reason sage didn’t want to, she was hoping that just letting him talk himself out would help. She preferred being alone with her father, a time when she could actually talk to him and besides, why would she want to know her doctor, they just tended to shove a load of drugs down your throat and hope for the best.

Sage tightened her legs to her chest, her arms wrapping around them as she watched him, it was odd, and sages Level of talking seemed to be more centred around when she was angry or in a foul mood, sometimes she just didn’t want to talk and at the moment that was exactly it.

Sage was a quiet one, wasn’t she? Emil couldn’t place it really, it was sort of strange to be in the presence of someone who talked so little. But he did reason that if she couldn’t sleep she probably wouldn’t be very functional while talking, and he wondered, what had been done so far to treat Sage’s sleeping disorders? Physical health was essential to being mentally healthy.

“You know Sage, has anything ever been done…about your nightmares? I don’t mean to pry, of course, and if you’d rather not talk about it I can completely understand, sweetie! I don’t wish to make you uncomfortable and you never have to discuss things with me that you’d rather not. In fact, if you’d like to leave right now, I wouldn’t be offended in the least. But I ask, darling, because I think that maybe if you were able to sleep better it would be easier for you, hmm? Why, I’ve lacked sleep for days when I was on the road and such, and I remember how ‘out of it’ I felt. Do you know what I mean, Sage?”

He smiled politely, hoping that he wasn’t moving too fast with Sage. But maybe she was just like his other patient, Thomas, who wanted to get things done quickly and surely.

Sage watched his her eyes flicking around, there was nothing that she wanted more than to get out of this place, it made her want to pretend that she was fine, so she could get back to her world filled with the smell of oil and petrol.

Sage shrugged “I always handled it myself; Daddy said it was a sign of weakness. I’m not out of it, grandma thinks I’m out of my mind, I’m not, I’m just me, and I just wanna go home and stay the hell away from her the stupid old bitch” Sage couldn’t help the venom seeping from her tone, pressing her lips together she bit her lip looking at Emil “Sorry” she frowned at him looking at him.

She pulled her legs tighter to her chest, she felt awful, most doctors would now flip out what if that was just he did, she didn’t want to be here , but then who really did want to be in a place that got you down just by being in the building.

Sage ran her fingers in her messy hair and pressed her lips together with a small sigh, she was worried now about Emil’s Reaction , he seemed so chilled but how did she know if that was true.

Crunching his brows together, Emil decided the topic had drifted a bit from what he had intended. Perhaps Sage had misunderstood his comment; he had been specifically talking about how sleep deprivation seemed to take the best out of everyone, but Sage’s muses had wandered about talking upon her father and her grandmother who, as it sounded, the girl didn’t particularly like. Emil mentally cringed at the curse word, though he wouldn’t scold Sage for it. He didn’t know her well enough to dictate her life to such a degree and besides which, he didn’t want to make her feel like she had to walk on pins and needles around him and watch what she spoke. Since Sage was so quiet thus far, any words out of her mouth was progress indeed.

“You don’t need to apologize, honey.” Emil said with a warm smile, hoping it comforted Sage a bit and made her feel more at ease in his presence.

“I just think, maybe, you misinterpreted what I was saying, that’s all sweetie. I was wondering, do you want to sleep better? Would you be alright if we worked on that together?”

He hoped Sage would be willing and that they’d find a treatment plan that at least would make her sleep better than she was now. The nightmares might best be cured through talk therapy, but perhaps Sage needed something that would put her so deep in sleep she wouldn’t dream. Emil didn’t want to resort to drugs, since he knew how his patients felt about drugs, but if push came to shove and other things didn’t work that might be what would have to happen. He firstly wanted to know if Sage was interested in treating her sleeping issues. If she wasn’t, he wouldn’t force it on her, at least not this early on in their doctor/patient relationship.

Sage pressed her lips together a small frown on her lips, she hated doctors anyway and was trying not to piss this one off, and she’d done it enough to say the truth. Running her hands slightly in her messy hair. Sage just didn’t know what really to do; she just wanted Out of here to leave and never have to come back.

Sage looked at him “Okay” she offered him a smile in return but it never really reached the rest of her face.

At his next statement Sage glanced at her father and looked for him giving her answer, she shrugged slightly at him before looking at Emil rubbing her eyes “Yeah, I guess it would”

Sage stretched her legs out before pulling them back into her chest. Though she was sure there were things to do here, none of them appealed to Sage, she just tended to sit curled up most of the day, she knew that as long as she was here there was no hope in even getting near an engine or a bike for that matter. She watched Emi carefully; he actually seemed okay if this was true or not only time would really tell.

He could already tell that Sage’s outer shell was going to be a tough one to crack, but Emil was determined. Pleased at her reaction towards the possibility of trying to eliminate her nightmares, Emil gave a brimming grin in return.

“Wonderful, Sage!” He exclaimed jubilantly, unable to hold back his enthusiasm. He had never really done much sleep therapy but he figured it was something he could learn about by the next time they met up. He had no intentions of getting into any of that today; today was for bonding and he figured maybe he could get Sage to laugh a bit.

“But I don’t think we’ll do that today, hmm? I just wanted to introduce myself, is all. I suppose I ought to tell you something about myself, too! Well, in short, I haven’t always been a doctor. Most of my life I’ve spent pursuing the arts; theatre, music, dancing, performing…I love it all. The only thing I never really could master was instruments! My matka, she’s brilliant at them, but I never was.”

He shook his head in memory. He missed his mother a lot of the time, but the distance between them meant he could only call on the phone. When his cousin had her wedding, he gathered he’d get to visit his whole mother’s side of the family in Sweden and that would be an event to be had for sure.

“Anyhow, darling…do you have any hobbies you enjoy? Of course, you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to,”

He didn’t want to make Sage feel crowded like she had no say in matters, after all.

Sage watched Emil a small smile on her lips, this man was different to people who she was used to he was slightly odd, too happy and in a way was slightly scary.

Sage Raised an eyebrow at his Wonderful sage comment, god this man was weird she most certainly didn’t like his over happy way, she just wasn’t used to it at all , Sage watched him carefully her legs moving to cross her hands keeping hidden in the sleeves of her jumper.


Sage nodded as he spoke watching him Carefully there was something about him that screamed Theatricality and she now knew that it was right, she raised an eyebrow “ So why a doctor” that was the only thing she could say in that statement why a doctor after doing all that it didn’t really make sense to her.

Sage saw his face slightly as he mentioned the person who could only be his mother that was the only thing it could be right, pushing the thoughts of her own mum from her head Sage looked at him again.

Sage shrugged at his question before speaking “ I used to help my Dad build Motorbikes, that’s about it , I love the sound and the smell of a workshop” Sage couldn’t help the smile that Appeared on her lips it always happened when she spoke of something that had always made her happy.

It was a good question why Emil had dropped everything and gone into the doctor business. He wasn’t exactly the brainiest doctor material, but that was the point, wasn’t it? Doctors were scary stuffy people and Emil was good with people, friendly, charming. If anyone could succeed at the doctor business it was him. Or so, that’s what he liked to think.

“Well…I had a terrible breakup with someone that I really loved…and still love to this day. I realized that I’d been spending oh too much time flying back from LA to Seattle to San Francisco and such and that I needed to slow down. I was offered a position at this treatment center! Admittedly, at first, I was a bit doubtful that I could do it. But I think I’m doing an alright job, hmm?”

It wasn’t phrased like a serious question, but underneath, it was a bit of a serious question to Emil. He wanted to be confirmed by his patients that he was doing a good job and that he was being the best he could be. Emil needed approval in the same sense he needed to validate others. Thus, secretly, he wondered what his patients were thinking and if he was bonding with them or only scaring them further away.

Upon hearing about Sage’s dad, Emil nodded his head.

“Well! I’ve never been much for things like that; the only building I’ve done is sewing, really, but it sounds absolutely wonderful. I have a similar bond with my father; he taught me theatre and that’s partly how I got my start,”

Too, Emil filed the information far away. If they ever went on a field trip, Emil decided maybe to a place where they repaired motorbikes or did hands on work on cars. That might brighten Sage’s spirits up!

Sage watched him crossing her legs, her body language becoming more open and willing, pressing her lips together she watched him carefully, with a small sigh on her lips, Sage listened to Emil, tilting her head slightly as she listened “ wow, changing your life just like that, it seems odd” as he spoke of doing a good job, Sage smiled and just nodded slightly.

Sage glanced at the corner where her father stood, forgetting where she was and who she was with, sage spoke to him “Daddy your quiet why?” she watched him tilting her head slighting smiling at the sound of his voice “I’m just listening angel.“

Sage smiled at Emil “ I liked helping him, I liked the fact that a heap of junk could become something awesome and amazing, I liked how the end product made us feel proud” she shrugged slightly and lent back slightly, her fingers running in her messy hair and her hands retreating further into the ruined jumper.

Sage watched Emil carefully, her lashes brushing her skin as she closed them for a few seconds before opening them with a small yawn. Sage was fed up with feeing like she was an animal in the cage, she wanted out.

Emil nodded his head; it had been quite the change indeed. But he so far was appreciating his new line of work and excited that he might have the potential to help people. Of course, Sage’s problems came into full view when she began to address an empty part of the room as ‘Daddy’ and asked a question. He watched her pause and then continue speaking, as if she’d gotten a response from an invisible person. He’d read the girl’s file and he knew of her delusions, but he decided it was best not to bring that up right away. He needed to bond and get to know Sage before any progress could be made regarding her father.

“I should say, I know how that feels to a lesser degree. It’s a glorious feeling.” He noted. The conversation seemed like it was stilting but if that was the natural course of things he’d allow it to and dismiss Sage early. Just to give her an opportunity to speak a bit more if she wanted to, he added,

“Really, feel free to ask me anything you want. You needn’t be shy about it.”