So I've been kind of up and down this year...
A lot more down than up lately, but that's just how life goes. I'm always torn between having hope for the future and feeling like everything I do is futile in the end.
But enough about that
Counseling
DCAU
James Jesse looked up at the brick building with the kind of a feeling a kid gets when they look at their school building on the first day. He really hated counseling, it didn't help that it was grey and rainy (he vaguely wondered if Weather Wizard was in one of his moods), but he'd promised Flash and Breedmore staff and doctors and his mother over the phone that he would do it. So with all that obligation looming over his head he dragged his feet into the warm building and addressed the desk lady person.
"I'm here to see Nancy at three. Dr. Vexx?" James forgot that he was supposed to use his counselors title, but it was so hard to not call her Nancy.
"She's with another client right, but they'll be done shortly. Please have a seat."
James smiled with false pleasentness and sat down. This was probably the second worst part of the process. The absolute worst was being asked uncomfortable questions by Nancy, but sitting here like he was waiting for the dentist set him on edge. He didn't like the dentist either, but at least if he was waiting there he would have a chance to entertain a small child with his yoyo. Plus dentists hired cute assistents. Not that the desk lady wasn't attractive, but hitting on someone at a counseling office just wasn't the same.
"I'm here to see Dr. Phillis at three." Wait, where did that familiar voice come from?
"Please have a seat."
The familiar man sat down a chair away from James. Now there was a cutie pie if James ever saw one and he'd encountered some cute dental assistants (both male and female). Why did he suddenly feel ashamed about sexualizing dental assistants?
"Can I help you?" The pretty man had noticed him staring. Crap!
"You seem familiar. Have we met?" James asked, trying not to come off as weird.
"I don't think so. Although, now that you mention it..." The man scanned him for clues. James imagined a lightbulb going off in the man's mind when his eyes widened and he got up to sit closer so he could whisper in his ear. "Are you Trickster?"
James shuddered and he wasn't sure why. "Sometimes. I'm not right now."
"Well, yeah. You're not in costume. What are you doing here?"
"I'm back on my medicine and going to counseling like a good boy. Who's making you come here, Piper?"
"So you figured out who I am. Though you should call me Hartley here. And from now on."
"Hartley. That's a pretty name. You should probably call me James."
"Not Jim?"
"Never."
Hartley smiled. "No one's making me come here. I...had a break down a while back and turned myself in."
"Really? You're coming here on your own?" James asked.
"I need help, James. I'm so stressed." Hartley seemed to be shrinking into his green hoodie.
"Well, obviously you need more fun in your life!" James grinned. Hartley's little smile and rosy cheeks made his stomach do flip flops.
"Mr. Rathaway?" A deep male voice called while a client left.
Hartley's smile turned apologetic. "That's me. See you later James."
"Sure." James waved at him. He wondered if they'd have counseling on the same day once a week from now on? He'd like that.
But enough about that
Counseling
DCAU
James Jesse looked up at the brick building with the kind of a feeling a kid gets when they look at their school building on the first day. He really hated counseling, it didn't help that it was grey and rainy (he vaguely wondered if Weather Wizard was in one of his moods), but he'd promised Flash and Breedmore staff and doctors and his mother over the phone that he would do it. So with all that obligation looming over his head he dragged his feet into the warm building and addressed the desk lady person.
"I'm here to see Nancy at three. Dr. Vexx?" James forgot that he was supposed to use his counselors title, but it was so hard to not call her Nancy.
"She's with another client right, but they'll be done shortly. Please have a seat."
James smiled with false pleasentness and sat down. This was probably the second worst part of the process. The absolute worst was being asked uncomfortable questions by Nancy, but sitting here like he was waiting for the dentist set him on edge. He didn't like the dentist either, but at least if he was waiting there he would have a chance to entertain a small child with his yoyo. Plus dentists hired cute assistents. Not that the desk lady wasn't attractive, but hitting on someone at a counseling office just wasn't the same.
"I'm here to see Dr. Phillis at three." Wait, where did that familiar voice come from?
"Please have a seat."
The familiar man sat down a chair away from James. Now there was a cutie pie if James ever saw one and he'd encountered some cute dental assistants (both male and female). Why did he suddenly feel ashamed about sexualizing dental assistants?
"Can I help you?" The pretty man had noticed him staring. Crap!
"You seem familiar. Have we met?" James asked, trying not to come off as weird.
"I don't think so. Although, now that you mention it..." The man scanned him for clues. James imagined a lightbulb going off in the man's mind when his eyes widened and he got up to sit closer so he could whisper in his ear. "Are you Trickster?"
James shuddered and he wasn't sure why. "Sometimes. I'm not right now."
"Well, yeah. You're not in costume. What are you doing here?"
"I'm back on my medicine and going to counseling like a good boy. Who's making you come here, Piper?"
"So you figured out who I am. Though you should call me Hartley here. And from now on."
"Hartley. That's a pretty name. You should probably call me James."
"Not Jim?"
"Never."
Hartley smiled. "No one's making me come here. I...had a break down a while back and turned myself in."
"Really? You're coming here on your own?" James asked.
"I need help, James. I'm so stressed." Hartley seemed to be shrinking into his green hoodie.
"Well, obviously you need more fun in your life!" James grinned. Hartley's little smile and rosy cheeks made his stomach do flip flops.
"Mr. Rathaway?" A deep male voice called while a client left.
Hartley's smile turned apologetic. "That's me. See you later James."
"Sure." James waved at him. He wondered if they'd have counseling on the same day once a week from now on? He'd like that.