Douglas was strolling aimlessly along...

Ha, almost had you.

Douglas never aimlessly strolls anywhere. He walks, or strides, and he does it purposefully and just a tad too fast, as if he's late for something important. Today was no exception. The former doctor hardly paid attention to other people, except to make sure they didn't run into him.

He didn't even stop as he checked his watch (a compulsive habit), still going on his way...

Is he thinking about something?

Because if he is, then his thoughts have now been interrupted by a boy-child's voice asking "Mister?"

If Douglas realized that Ted was talking to him and looked at the boy, the boy is just that - a boy - with hints of magic about him for those looking, play clothes on and a vaguely inquisitive expression on his face.

Douglas paused long enough to look down at the boy and utter a sharp, quick, "What?"

He hasn't had any reason to act nice for quite a while. And he didn't plan on starting now. He was good at acting nice, if he wanted to. But for this brat, for no apparent reason? (Human, magic,... unusual but uninteresting). Not a chance.

"What're you, mister?"

Teddy is a curious boy, what can I say?

"What do you mean, what am I?"
Well, there are people around - unnish people. Not that he'd be bothered to talk to the boy anyway. Douglas isn't terribly fond of children,... or anyone, really.

"I can see you're something. What kind?"

Why do people have to keep so many damn secrets?

Ted hates secrets.

As a side note? Ted's mother would kill him if she found out he swore in his thoughts. She doesn't believe in swearing.

"Inquisitive, aren't you," he said dryly. "Very well. I'll tell you if you tell me what you are, first."
Douglas knows Ted is something the same way Ted knows that Douglas is.

Hopefully Ted isn't anything that Douglas would find interesting.

Ted shrugs. Why hide it?

"Mage. You?"

He's being unusually rude today.

I think it's because Douglas shows no sign of minding a bit of bluntness.

Luckily for Ted, Douglas considers that answer to be uninteresting.
"Same."
He pushed past Ted, itching to be on his way.
"Goodbye now."

"Why?"

What's so much more important than me, huh mister?

"Because."
If Ted was an adult, Douglas might take the time to offer a semiplausible reason. Adults had the ability to cause problems, and it was better to pretend he had some respect for them. But children? No. They could easily be ignored, with no consequences.

Hm.

What secret is Douglas hiding?

Let's See.

What does Ted see, hm? Where is Douglas going?

Ted's getting better at this, by the way. He gets fewer faces and more scenes. Panoramas, almost.

This is thanks to Alexander, by the way.

Douglas was going to buy groceries, actually (even sociopathic former doctors have to eat). And a few obscure-sounding herbs, though not at the same place he was going for groceries. Nothing terribly interesting to a little boy, unless the boy has a keen interest in botany.

As for secrets, well... they're definitely not something that Ted - or anyone - ought to see.

His mother runs a flower shop. He cares about plants, yes.

And 'ought' isn't something Ted cares about.

People 'ought' to be secretive. He doesn't care what he ought to keep secret.

He doesn't want to be the only one who knows all these secrets.

"What's the aconite for?"

Douglas turned around to look at Ted, something distantly akin to anger in his eyes.

"Excuse me?"
Tread carefully, Ted...

Ted rolled his eyes. Slowly. Deliberately.

"Ah-co-night."

He figured that Douglas was hard of hearing.

For the record.

"I heard you. While I'm not entirely certain how you know - it's none of your business.Go play... something. Run along.Go bother someone else." He shooed Ted with a small wave of his hand. "Go on."

Ted set his jaw stubbornly. "Fine."

He'll find out himself.

This time, he doesn't bother being subtle about the fact that if Douglas doesn't answer his questions, he can take the answers.

It's... a flash. Of magic. Of light. Of whatever.

Ted glows for a moment, like a searchlight.

As a side note, while Alexander has taught him shielding, Ted never bothers with it. Why would he want to shield, eh? He deals just fine with what he Sees. (Usually.)

"Oh, no you don't, brat."

Pity Ted doesn't use shielding - it might have prevented the sharp jolt of pain Douglas sent at him. There's worse than that coming, if Ted continues. Douglas has no conscience.

Ted winced back, crossed his arms protectively and stepped back. He glanced up, this time not bothering with all that 'control' Alex taught him.

Obvious, it didn't work. He hadn't really Seen anything.

Let's see what wild Sight can catch.

...as a side note? The reason he isn't doing much besides stepping back and looking defensive is because his mum would kill him if he reacted to magic visibly in public.

"Go. Away." Obnoxious little...thing.

He didn't take kindly to knowing that someone - anyone - was dredging up his thoughts, whether he knew what they were after or not. As Ted was no longer using control, Douglas used more force. Just pain - worse pain, of course, but he didn't want to do anything that would leave a mark.

Ted ground his teeth.

"Secrets are-" pause- "bad, mister."

He's making an effort to make his tone neutral enough to be mistaken for normal conversation.

He's having trouble breathing.

He's Seeing interesting things.

"So is being a nosy little brat. Leave off now. You have one more chance." He doesn't want to make a scene, but if Ted doesn't leave well enough alone, well, it won't be pretty. He muttered something to increase the intensity of the pain, slighty surprised that the boy was doing so well at appearing unfazed.

Ted swallowed.

Hard.

"Must we do this in public, sir?"

He's being exceeding polite in his request, isn't he? His mother would be proud.

Don't disturb the Unnish, Douglas. It's not polite.

"You seem to have no problem with starting such things in public - I don't see why we can't finish them in public."

Being short of patience, Douglas considered Ted's question to be using up his last chance. He clenched his fist, murmuring another spell.
Poor Ted.

Pain hurts.

And if Ted was less conditioned against that kind of thing, or if they were in private, he'd collapse about now.

He turns around and walks away.

Slowly.

'Cause.

Y'know.

Pain.

Ow.

...this isn't giving up. This is retreat.

Douglas smirked, watching him go. Once Ted was at a 'safe' distance, he undid the spell, then turned and went on his way. There was still some grocery shopping to do.

They shall meet again.