You never considered yourself as someone who needed therapy. At first you felt it was unnecessary, something for people with way bigger issues than your own. Though your life has become stressful lately, with you working most hours of the day at a very demanding job, you desire an outlet to get your frustrations out, you might just snap if you keep this all to yourself. You mull this over in your head, sprawled on the couch, limbs exhausted from another long day, when an ad on the TV caught your attention.

A commercial conveniently flashes across the screen, advertising a self help book titled “The Window Within.” You have no interest in purchasing it, but the woman on the cover caught your attention. The name Dr. Mary Kline stood out to you, giving you a strange pull in the back of your head. You quickly wrote down the contact information on the screen, and decided to book an appointment with her.

You were able to get one in the following day, so you headed to the building straight after work. Her only available time was in the late evening, which worked out perfectly for your tight schedule.

You nervously sat in the dimly lit waiting room after checking in. You felt out of place here… your eyes subtly studying the few others next to you. You wondered why they were here, how long had they been going to therapy? Shifting your focus to them calmed your racing pulse, even just slightly. Though you were jolted out of your thoughts by a voice calling your name.

Your eyes snapped to the door, and met with those of Dr. Mary Kline, the same woman you saw on TV last night. You stood up and approached her, greeting politely.

“Sit anywhere you'd like,” She said in that soft tone of hers, gesturing to a couch and two plush looking chairs. You sat stiffly in the closest chair, unable to fully relax. Mary sat across from you, typing some things into her laptop. Your eyes grazed over her face as she did so, and that strange pull you felt last night came back, this time stronger. You blamed it on the nerves, but there was this almost otherworldly vibe to her, one that both relaxed and slightly unsettled you. Your eyes traveled down her face to the column of her neck, to her slender fingers typing on the keyboard.

When they returned to her face you nearly jumped to see her intense gaze on you. Mary gave a soft smile, sensing your unease. She finally spoke, her voice with a calming lilt of a typical therapist.

“Thank you for coming today,” She started, her hands folding on her lap. “How do you feel in this moment?”

The question caught you slightly off guard. “Um… nervous, I guess…” Laughing dryly, You knew she could tell, you hadn't stopped fidgeting since you entered her office.

Mary's gaze instinctively softened, she knew this all too well. “That's completely normal. Many patients feel anxious during their first session.” She leaned back in her chair, shifting her body language to be more open and relaxed. “The first step is always the hardest. You're very brave for taking it.” She reached for her laptop again. “Now, what made you decide to come to therapy?”

You told her all about your stress at your job, how you felt overworked while concurrently not getting paid as much as you'd like. You gave her more information as the session progressed; what you did for work, your background, things you enjoyed… general knowledge that helped shape her understanding of who you are. Mary listened intently, initially writing down your words, though eventually she set her laptop aside, her focus intensely on your face.

Once the hour reached its end, Mary walked you to the door before you left for the night.

Her eyes lingered on the door after it closed.

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Time passed in a blur. Your days were still consumed by work for the most part, but seeing Mary an hour a week made it even more worth it. That strange feeling she gave you never went away, in fact it slowly festered inside your mind and your heart.

Your face would flush each time you caught her gaze, hoping she wouldn't notice in the dim lighting of her office. Everything about her left shivers down your spine. Her eyes were nearly piercing in their intensity, while her voice a gentle, soothing caress that left you wanting more. You couldn't help but crave more of her, more of this feeling.

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You found yourself excited about your next session with Mary as you sat in the waiting room once again. You didn't want to dwell on what that could mean, so you were greatful to hear Mary calling you back already.

The both of you entered the now familiar office, Mary guiding you with her hand on your lower back. The touch alone made you suppress a shiver. Once you were both seated, Mary greeted you as usual.

“It's nice to see you again y/n, how are you?” Her expression was soft as usual, though it seemed a little strained. She fidgeted with her watch, she appeared distracted. It intrigued you, she was usually so put together.

“Tired… had a long day.” You gave a small laugh.

“Yeah?” She answered quickly, as if on edge. She cleared her throat, hoping you didn't notice how off kilter she was this evening.

“Well that reminds me, I have something new I wanted to try with you.” Her eyes glance to her laptop for just a moment before landing on you again. “You mentioned last session about wanting to talk to your boss about the stress your work is giving you. I was thinking we could do a little roleplay to help you prepare for the conversation.”

You were surprised by that suggestion. You didn't think roleplay was something that could be used in therapy.

“Alright, we can try that.” The idea felt a little silly, but you were willing to do it anyway.

“Good. Speak to me as if I were your boss.” She paused for a moment to prepare, then her gaze locked on you again, though a little different, more professional. “Y/n, what did you want to discuss with me?”

You hesitated for a moment before answering. “I… I would like to discuss the current workload assigned to my position.” You paused, unsure of yourself, before continuing. “I would like to ask if there's any chance I could reduce some of my tasks. I feel as though this would be more beneficial to me and my work.”

Mary exhaled thoughtfully. She leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand, and suddenly it was obvious just how close she was. “I appreciate you bringing this up. I wouldn't want any of my employees to be overwhelmed… I'm sure we can work something out.”

Her lips curled a bit more, her professional act fading. “That wasn't so hard, was it? I'm sure it will go just fine.” She reached out and patted your hand encouragingly… though her fingers lingered longer than they should have.

Your breath hitched at the touch. Every point of contact felt like electricity through your skin. You knew this wasn't an innocent touch. The way her fingers brushed over the back of your hand, slowly up your wrist…

You attempted to pull away, but Mary grabbed your wrist before the thought even fully formed. She stood from her chair, pulling you closer by the arm, eliciting a small gasp of surprise from you.

You stood frozen, eyes darting across her face like they were searching for an explanation. You had no clue what she was doing… her normally sharp eyes seemed almost glazed over with something instinctual. It should have scared you. It really should have, but you found yourself leaning in as Mary brought your wrist closer, you watching her intently.

She slowly brings your wrist to her lips, her breath ghosting over your skin. She doesn't do anything for a long moment, the tension around you two nearly suffocating. You hold your breath, waiting… then Mary leans closer, the presence of her lips barely there on your skin. You feel something gently graze your skin, something sharp…

Then she pulled away, almost as quick as it happened. Releasing your arm, Mary stood up straight, adjusting her clothes as if nothing had happened. You were left there blinking at the sudden switch up, immediately missing her touch.

“Mary…?”

She didn't respond to you. She gave a usual smile, one that didn't quite reach her eyes. She glanced at her watch. “Well thank you for coming today y/n, but it looks like our session is over.” Her eyes met yours once more.