Raindrop Side Stories

Jozawa - 4

These are a couple of different therapy sessions Joue has had so far with Aizawa. It's how they've been getting closer. Also a couple extra things that don't really constitute a whole side story. They go along with the other interactions they've had.

Enjoy~

Joue's POV

"So is there anything specific you want to work with me on?" I asked. Aizawa glanced up at me, my stomach squeezing gently.

"Where do I begin?"

"You can just pick one," I stated, though that seemed obvious.

"Well, a big one to get out of the way I guess," he said, letting out a sigh. He had previously shown disdain for therapists, stemming from his past experiences with them. I hadn't seriously expected him to schedule a session with me, but he appeared on my schedule just 2 days prior. "I've got nightmares pretty often."

"Ahh, prone to them?"

"I didn't used to be," he pointed out. I tilted my head, allowing him to continue. "Some of the dreams are positive, some start out that way and turn bad, and some are just bad from the beginning."

"Recurring?"

"The person in it, yes," he replied. "My best friend Shirakumo was, uh, killed in front of me in high school. So his presence frequents my dreams."

"I'm so sorry to hear that," I replied, my stomach dropping. His emotion was internalized but overwhelming. So overpowering I couldn't help the blue hue fading over my heart.

"I...don't discuss it often," he said, clearing his throat.

"Do you want to change that?"

"I guess...it would be beneficial if I could think about it without the threat of a nightmare," he said. I nodded, assessing exactly how I was going to do this. Often people enjoyed that I began or carried conversation while others benefitted more to my silence and listening ear.

"Why don't you tell me about him," I offered. "If you're comfortable and it has been a while that you've been holding this weight. I figure as much if you haven't spoken too frequently about it. I assure you it will get easier as you talk. If you want to cry or get angry, feel free to."

"Well...he was very optimistic, really wanted to help people more than anyone else I've ever known. He was charismatic in his own kind of way and most of the time people gravitated towards him," Aizawa explained, looking hard at the desk. I just kept calm eyes on him, nodding as he spoke to ensure that he knew I was listening if he so chose to look up. "He was a good guy. He should've been a hero."

"Right, and those positive dreams showcase him in a good light," I connected and he nodded. "Are the positive dreams giving you any kind of trouble?"

"Sometimes, it's difficult to start the day after waking up from it," he admitted and I nodded.

"These nightmares are of his negative side or of his passing?"

"Sometimes both, but he was never a really big pessimist or anything like that. It's all pretty exaggerated, at least his negative traits," Aizawa explained. I couldn't imagine having to watch the loss of a friend. I didn't want to imagine how brutal it was.

"What else do you remember about him?"

~~~

"Joue?" I glanced up, smiling when Aizawa entered my office. He started towards a bean bag when I stopped him.

"Wait! Are you allergic to cats or fur?" I asked and he looked back to me, looking to me strangely.

"No...why?" His question was answered as my cat leapt down from the windowsill to the desk, peering at the new guest. "Cat."