WHO: Ian Rhinehart, with NPC!Olive McKinnon WHEN: Afternoon of November 13 WHERE: The McKinnon home in DC SUMMARY: Ian has a conversation with his mother about his future nuptials, which leads to discussing his father. WARNINGS: Mental health, particularly in relation to bipolar, and treatment thereof BINGO PROMPT: It Runs in the Family
Ian puttered around the kitchen of her mother's (and step-father's) home, fixing her a cup of tea. She was seated not far away, perched on one of the stools that sat alongside the edge of the island, and he could feel her gaze on him, even turned away from her.
For as long as Ian could remember, his mother worried about him to an extreme degree. He knew that wasn't too shocking of a fact, especially given that they had spent much of their lives with it being just the two of them. It wasn't until he was in his teens that he really understood to what degree his mother worried. He could remember in all too painful detail the day that she had broken down in the living room after he skipped one more appointment with his therapist and she had counted his remaining pills and realized he hadn't been taking his medication. It wasn't until that moment that he realized just what toll his own actions would take out on her. It was that moment that he vowed to himself he would never make her worry like that again.
And his unwillingness to worry his mother in that area had positive consequences when it came to his mental health. They had found medications and a dosage that worked for him and he started to take his therapy seriously. Though he would always have his bad days, Ian knew that he would always have his mother as a support system on those days.
Today wasn't one of those bad days, but he had recognized the worry start to line his mother's face the moment he had delivered the news -- he was engaged to Ezra and they had no plans to make it a long engagement.
He had expected the worry, though he knew not to take it personally. Having seen her interact with Ezra, and also have a debriefing phone conversation not long after their first meeting, Ian knew that she liked the man and not only because he made her son so happy. No, he knew that her worry wasn't related to that and he even knew that she would be as supportive as ever if they moved forward with their engagement as planned. He would just need to convince her that worrying wasn't necessary.
"Sweetheart," she started slowly from her perch, hands folded as she leaned her elbows against the island, "don't take this as an accusatory question, but… have you been keeping up with your meds?"
Ian finished pouring the hot water into the cup, then set the kettle aside to move back over toward his mother. As he walked, he said, "Every day." The cup was placed in front of her, steam curling toward the ceiling from the hot tea, as he slid into the stool next to her. "And I saw my therapist on Monday."
"That's good." His mother unfolded her hands, letting one rest on his own to squeeze gently. "You know I don't ask that lightly, Ian. I just want to -- "
"I know, Mom," Ian cut her off, resting his other hand on top of her own to return the gentle squeeze. It might have been the start of an argument a handful of years prior, but maturity (and nightmares courtesy of Hatta) left Ian more understanding than he had been in his youth. She had lived through the unraveling of one man's mental health before. Ian wouldn't put her through that again.
A long silence stretched between them, but it wasn't an uncomfortable one. Ian watched as her mother considered her son and while the worry didn't entirely dissipate, he could see it slowly start to leave her. There would always be some bit of worry that she felt for him, he knew. It was the same for Verity and Miles, even if they didn't share blood; sharing blood had never been an important factor when it came to this particular blended family.
Eventually, his mother smiled, warm and genuine. "I do like Ezra."
Ian smiled in return. "I know you do."
His mother released a long sigh, keeping their hands linked as she used her free one to pull the cup of tea a bit closer to her along the counter. "Now, I know you had the whole… plan. The airplane, getting married in the air, all of that." She looked back to Ian, a vaguely pained expression on her face. "Sweetheart, wouldn't you want to consider doing something more, I don't know… traditionally on the ground?"
Despite himself, the side of his mouth lifted in a smile. He could see that she was trying not to offend him, but he hadn't been lying when he'd told Ezra that he had never really thought of himself as a big, elaborate wedding sort of guy. What they had discussed wasn't traditional by any stretch of the imagination, but it also wasn't a party with 250 of their closest friends and family, either. Still, he could also understand his mother's point of view, even if he likewise knew that she would agree to attend any sort of crazy wedding he came up with.
"What would you suggest?" Ian asked, nodding toward the tea to prompt her to take a sip. He'd been careful not to prepare it too hot, instead putting it just at the temperature he knew she liked best.
She did take the suggested sip, then gave an approving nod at the blend that he'd brought, before saying, "Well, your father and I got married at the courthouse. It was just my parents and a few of our friends. Simple, easy, but no less touching in its own way. We all went for dinner afterward, then those that enjoyed dancing did that." Ian watched his mother closely as she spoke; it wasn't often that she spoke of Daniel Rhinehart, especially in more recent years as her relationship with his step-father marched on, and he found himself hanging onto her every word when she did. She smiled, gaze meeting her son's. "You wouldn't have to do exactly that, but it might be nice to see you repeating some of the good history, in your dad's memory."
Ian found himself smiling back at his mother, hands tightening around hers one more time before he leaned in and kissed her cheek. She was right. He was like his father in so many ways and many of those ways terrified him, when it came to considering what might be in store for his future. It really would be nice to be able to be like him in a way that could only be good.