J.R’s Yearly Counseling Session

Posted on Sun Nov 26th, 2023 @ 9:10pm by

2,095 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Mission 1: Campor III - Resupply
Location: Feeva’s Office

It was that time of year again. The annual medical physicals and counseling sessions. A requirement for all Starfleet officers and a point of soreness. Many try to dodge them, many try to run. J.R didn’t really mind them that much. He walked down to Feeva’s office, wearing an off duty outfit of a sweater and jeans with comfortable converse style sneakers. His tail swishing as he walked til he got to the office door and rang the bell, letting Feeva know he was there.

He shifted on his feet as he waited for her to acknowledge the bell.

Feeva opened the door, with a smile. "Hello, doctor!! Come on in," she said, stepping to the side. "Thank you for coming by," she said. "How are you? Feel free to sit anywhere you like," she continued. "Something from the Replicator?" She had a small one in her office that only dispensed soft drinks, water, coffee, and tea, and an assortment of juices. It was meant to be just a welcoming gesture, though sometimes she wished she could get cookies or something from it while she was in-between patients.

When JR looked around, he would find Feeva's office was well-appointed. She had painted the walls a pale dove grey, and the furniture was a couch, in sort-of beige (discolored from wear over the years), an armchair that matched, both of which sported furry throw pillows, a blanket, and the chair she preferred-a large wooden-framed upholstered chair, in a pretty toile print. In between the armchair and couch and her chair was a coffee table in dark wood. On the walls hung various posters, prints, and some of Leena's artwork. She hoped it was more "welcoming" than "sterile". She liked it, even if she was sort of skirting the rules with the painted walls.

J.R found the office to be accomidating, if the furniture was a bit...dated. He sat on the sofa across from the big arm chair and the coffee table, letting himself sink into the cushions.

"So...How do you normally go about this? I know that Counselors have different ways of goin about a session, so I'll let you take the lead on where you'd like to start with our session."

Feeva nodded. "I usually let the patient lead, but I will start, then, since you said so. My first question is easy. How are you feeling TODAY? Right now?" She asked.

“I’m doing ok.”

J.R. started.

“Everyday is a new day though.”

Feeva smiled. "Indeed. With luck, we'll wake to experience it. Why was it only OK? Not great? At least it wasn't bad, though. Things get hairy here, for sure," she said. Her softly-accented Standard was somewhere between Earth's Irish and the lilting accent of her people. It made her voice sound singsong-y and perhaps younger than she was. She had never bothered to take speaking lessons or anything.

"What can we do to ensure you have a fantastic day tomorrow?" She asked.

“Hope for the best, prepare for the bad. Let the universe fall into place has been what I’ve been going by.”

J.R replied to her questions.

Feeva simply nodded. "Alright. I hope that has been working out for you," she said. "Before we dive really deeply, is there anything that isn't in your file that I should know?" She asked. Something that might've happened in the past few weeks, for example.

"Aside from starting to see Kevin from Astrometrics?"

He asks her bluntly.

Feeva raised an eyebrow. "Let's explore that," she said. "Kevin from Astrometrics, eh? Tell me about him. What is he like?" She asked.

"He's...He's amazing. So sweet and kind, and handsome. He makes me happy to be with him, and I hope he feels the same about me."

J.R beams as he speaks about the human he was seeing.

Feeva smiled.

"Excellent," she said. "What was your day like today?"

“It was an ok day. Mostly paperwork from the vaccine write ups. Documenting the work and such. I had thought about going down to the promenade and doing some shopping. Need to get some alterations done to a couple of my uniforms, especially the skant, need to get the hips widened a bit”

She smiled. "I am glad to hear that you're getting settled. Let's move on. Tell me a little bit about where you joined us from. What was your previous posting like? It was the USS Excalibur, right?" She asked. She liked to get a little bit of info to know where to start for treatments. "Skants, huh? Do you find them comfortable?" She asked. She didn't judge but she didn't personally find skirts comfortable-thigh chafe was a problem.

“Actually it was Deep Space Twelve in the Baku System. Studied the Metaphasic Radiation belt there. Of course I also was a senior surgeon on the base hospital. As for the Skants, I do find them quite comfortable, alongside the skirts. I tend to flaunt gender roles, speaking as a gay nonbinary”

Feeva nodded, and made a note. "Someone switched them in your file; I'll correct that. My apologies," she said. "That's great. I think everyone needs to be comfortable expressing themselves in their own skin. You have my support," she said. She had met a few others in the Fleet who were genderfluid or at least questioning, and she was only glad that in all of those cases, they had had really supportive CO's and family.

"Tell me about your family," she said. "You don't need to get far into detail today, but is there anything you want me to know that isn't in your file?" She asked.

"Well...My Father is the Captain of the Yellow Rose, my Mom is a surgeon in private practice on Earth, and manages the Ranch. My sister Anna-Lee is a brilliant Software engineer, but her ship, the Elysium, went missing a few months back with all hands."

J.R. stops for a moment in pause for his sister before continuing

"My Cousin George is a Touring Country Musician, just won a CMA and Grammy for his last album where he covers the great Georges of Country Music, and I guess that sums it up."

Feeva smiled sadly.. "I hope your sister will be OK," she said. Though she knew the outcome of that was unlikely, she also didn't have enough information to say anything more. "You have a very accomplished family," she said. "Were you born on Sol?" She asked, favoring the FOP's term for the planet. "Earth" was a weird word on her tongue.

“Yes, in Dallas. I was raised on the McEntyre ranch, same as all the McEntyre’s goin back to my great-grandfather Jeremiah, who was also a surgeon on one of the Constitution Class Starships, The Midway”

Feeva nodded, and made a notation. "Very nice. Have you ever wanted to go to Cait, investigate your racial background?" She wanted to determine if he was comfortable or not in his own cultural identity. "How is your relationship with your family? Are they supportive?" She asked.

J.R looks rather…forlorn.

“I thought about it once, but I think I like the identity of being an Earth Born Caitian than one from Cait. It’s nice for a visit though.”

Feeva nodded. She understood that.

J.R paused before he continues.

“My family is a bit of a touchy subject. I don’t think they much care for my wanting to carve my own identity and I feel that in someways I’ve let that get to me.”

Fee simply nodded again. "I see. That's too bad. Why do you think that they don't want you to be an individual? Do you think it's because they're immigrants? Because of the Fleet?" She asked.

"My father is what one might call "ultra-conserative". He believes in "Old Fashioned" values and morals. I'd rather be my own person with my own sense of self and not feel like im trapped in my skin"

J.R elaborated.

Fee smiled sadly. "I understand. My father is a bit conservative, too. Nearly had a canary when I married a human," she said. "My people can't procreate the normal way, so it's a process, and having a mixed heritage can complicate things," she explained quickly. "Still, hopefully, in time, he can learn that you ARE his son, and that the bonds of family are important and shouldn't be forgotten for old-fashioned ideals," she said. She was sad that those sorts of beliefs were still prevalent, but she supposed that was the human (and Caitian) condition.

“He also didn’t care much for my…flaunting norms of a good society”

J.R went on.

“Me and my sister both but my sister had it worst with social anxiety and possibly being on the Autism Spectrum. Me, I took most of it for not being…he doesn’t like that I do not want to take a wife or show good masculine traits. It’s always been like that, since I was the first born child.”

Feeva blinked. "I didn't realize that Caitians were still so far behind the times," she commented. "I am sorry. Your sister is Autistic? I was tested, as a child, but I am not. I am just...weird," she said, with a shrug and a laugh. "What did your mother think?" She asked.

"My mother really didn't have much time to think with running the ranch and raising kids. The McEntyre's have always been on Earth since Jeremiah was rescued from a Caitian Transport by the United Starship Wolfe in 2237"

J.R pauses before continuing.

“He especially didn’t like when I use to take my twin sister’s clothes. He’d use to raise hell with me about that. I just..always found them more comfortable and have more options than traditional masculine clothing, and I think a lot of me would prefer to be able to wear more feminine clothing again, but his voice is always in the back of my mind.”

Feeva smiled lightly. "Our parents' judgements will always stay with us, I am afraid, as they are our first exposure to the way the world works," she said. She knew from experience how true this was, given her mother's lifelong absence from her life. "What if you tried one piece at a time, in public? Maybe try it off-duty at first. Say, wear a skirt over some leggings or regular pants for a date with Kevin," she said, glancing at her PADD to make sure she had the man's name correct. "If he likes you, it shouldn't matter much what you wear. Admittedly, it might be a bit of a surprise at first, but most people are accepting of whatever once the first shock wears off. Commander Razka wears a kilt sometimes," she said. "I know it's not the same thing, but it's similar. I admit the first time I saw it, it was a bit of a surprise, but only because it was out of the ordinary, not because I cared if he were wearing a "skirt"." Fee paused. "I am even willing to meet you there first, and sit in the back of the Lounge or Coffee Hound or whatever and make sure it's ok." She offered.

“I think I would like that a lot. I’d probably would also need a woman’s perspective on what would look good with my body type as well.”

J.R smiles softly at Feeva.

"I can help you, but I warn you that I am not much for fashion. I just wear what I like," she said. Her style was mostly modest and understated. "But I don't mind giving my opinions. We can also ask Nurse Lissa, if you'd like, she's very fashionable, and hip." Feeva nodded.

"So if you're interested, let's make a plan for that. When is your next date with Kevin?"

“A couple days, and We can make a day of it in my quarters. Y’all can help me replicate some things that would work.”

J.R talked excitedly, a glem in his eyes.

Feeva smiled. "That would be acceptable. You're also welcome here," she said. "My office is bigger, after all," she said. "But whatever is most comfortable for you." She looked at her computer for a moment. "We're nearing the end of our time today. Do you want to come back again to see me?"

“I would like that”

J.R said as he moves to get up.

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