Please, Smile Once More.

“Huh? Did Akira already tell you about me or something? You’re Dr. Maruki, right?” Katsu had entered the office already worked up. He was carelessly popping his knuckles and sighing until this confusion interrupted him. The blonde punk sat down in front of Maruki’s desk with a thud.

“Ah..! A friend of Kurusu-kun? I’m honored he gave me a recommendation!”

Despite the young man’s intimidating aura, Maruki had to remind himself that this person wouldn’t have come to him on Akira’s suggestion if it had not been for the fact that he assumed the good doctor could help. Regardless of who they were or what they had done, as long as someone was willing to get better, Takuto wasn’t one to turn them down.

However, he did wish the boy wouldn’t appear so visibly upset to be here. It seemed he would have his work cut out for him.

“I understand that this may seem uncomfortable at first, and it’s perfectly acceptable to feel that way. We don’t even have to talk about anything serious, not if you don’t want to! I’ve actually found that people feel it’s easier to talk about whatever subjects come to mind: hobbies, the weather, what they had for breakfast....the topic is entirely of your choosing, aha!”

Adjusting his glasses as he leaned forward in his office chair, Takuto intertwined his fingers over his lap and gave another reassuring smile.

When Dr Maruki had texted Akira was already on his way out the building. He didn’t have any plans that day, really, and Maruki had seemed panicked so of course he had little other on his mind in response than to climb back up the school steps.

Much to Morgana’s complaint.

However upon seeing the slumped form of the older man, baked into his chair with stress creasing his brow, Akira offers him a concerned look as he closes the door behind him. Nestling himself into the chair across form him, he lets the Doctor ramble his query before scratching the back of his neck awkwardly.

It was habit at this point.

“If you think it will help. Though i’m not sure what wall you could’ve hit, you seemed pretty confident last time we spoke Doc.”

With a deep sigh, the good doctor found himself unable to meet the other’s gaze. He was still contemplating everything, even now. What he could do about this situation if the feeling in his chest was accurate....and what he might do even if that conclusion came to be so. He had already done so much to get here, after all.

He had already lost so much.

Too much to stop now, even if it turned out to be wrong.

“Ah, it’s no trouble. I understand you must have a lot on your plate with the new move and all.”

Akechi settled in the seat indicated, patiently watching the good doctor scramble around his desk in a comedic performance rivaling a TV commercial. That is, up until he heard a particularly painful contact between wood and cranium. His shoulders tensed up on instinct at the noise, and stayed up in sympathy. Before he had a chance to inquire as to his condition, however, Maruki was already back up and speaking to him.

“O-oh….um, yes. That would be me!”

An admittedly bitter reminder, and one he’d kept rather poorly hidden despite his best efforts.

Upon making proper eye contact with his new patient, Maruki noticed the discomfort pass over the young man’s expression, even if only temporarily. Ah, it must have been rude to bring something like that up.

He’d know for future reference at least.

Takuto reached down behind himself and procured the basket of colorful assorted snacks, and offered it up to Akechi with a kindhearted smile.

“Please, feel free to take a few snacks! I keep them stocked specifically for the people that meet with me.”

As he spoke, Takuto took hold of a little apple-flavored juicebox and gently removed the plastic package that contained its bendy-straw.

A new face in his office, without an appointment call? Now that was something he didn’t see often, at least not after his tenure at Shujin Academy had ended! Normally this isn’t how he’d do things, but his schedule had recently opened up, and so welcoming a new patient at such a time was something of a happy coincidence. The little room felt empty without company, anyways. 

Upon glancing up at the young man’s face however, Takuto felt a spark of familiarity. He wasn’t certain, but there was something he recognized in this person.

It wasn’t until the young man had stepped into his office that Maruki even remembered. How embarrassing! The very first appointment with a new client and he had forgotten about it! Entirely! Only a few months into this new office, and he already forgotten one of his first new patients!

“That was today..! Oh no! Please, please sit down, I’ll get everything ready. It won’t take long I promise.”

Scrambling to gather the paperwork necessary for someone’s first session, and an unlabeled folder no less, Takuto bent down and rifled through the drawers of his desk. To make matters worse, the very moment he managed to find both of these very necessary tools, the most necessary tool of them all was dropped beneath his desk, itself! The pen-...! It must have fallen out of his pocket.  So now, on the very first session, with this brand new patient, in his pretty new office, Takuto Maruki was down on all four’s trying to reach the only pen he knew still had ink in it.

“Don’t mind me-...I’m juuuuust... about-...”

With a loud THUNK, the good doctor stopped talking altogether. It seemed that there would be no end to today’s embarrassments, as his head smacked painfully (and loudly!) against the underneath of his desk when he tried to stand.

A moment or two ticked before he finally climbed up his chair and finally met the young man face to reddened face with everything ready.

“I sincerely appreciate you coming so quickly after my message, Kurusu-kun.”

With a defeated sigh, Doctor Takuto Maruki found himself slumping in that comfy brown chair he normally sat in during sessions. This was, by no means, an emergency, and he had hoped his text had made that clear enough. The fact that this young man hurried his way over in spite of this was just one of the many, many reasons he had found Akira to be so reliable.

Burdening himself so readily even over Takuto’s most trivial of requests... it made the good doctor wonder who exactly was the patient in this relationship.