A Way Back Home - ( A Shizaya Fanfic)

Izaya's Past: Part (II)

3 years ago
Japan Niigata
17th May, 8:00am

Izaya was postive on only one thing at this point in his life. That his new therapist, Yuina Maki, would give up on their sessions.

It was the same routine every time. She would come in and speak to him, avoiding topics previous therapists tried to pry on, such as his past, his mentality, or the fact he didn't speak or react to anything.

Instead, she spoke about random subjects. On their first session, she gave him a lecture about colours. And then the next day, she made a quiz just for him on a piece of paper.

At first he decided to simply stare at the paper, feeling sure that the stubborn therapist would give up. Maybe even storm off if he was lucky. Yet sadly, after an hour of silence and the scratching of pen on paper from her clipboard, Izaya reluctantly filled out the quiz.

And when he gave it back, the therapist's following words were unexpected to say the least. "Sorry I made you take a test, but since you weren't speaking and reacting much, I was worried you had suffered brain damage," She started as she examined the quiz.

"And I know your mind was scanned and there were no problems, but I had to be sure," Then she put the paper down, and looked him in the eye with a genuine smile, "You also got all my silly questions correct! You're pretty bright. I wish you talked more."

For some reason, the next few words really stuck with the ravenette.

"I bet having conversations with you would be really interesting. Like those types of unforgettable exchanges you have with fascinating strangers, you know?"

Izaya never imagined anyone would think that about him. Because he was manipulative and a monster. He ruined everybody's lives. But the therapist was able to make him think otherwise, even if it was just for a few seconds.

And so every day she would come in, and he never spared her a word. And she would always bring up the game of chess. He'd always refuse to play. But as time passed, Izaya actually waited for their sessions. He wasn't really upset about them anymore. They were entertaining. And today was no different.

She walked in with her signiture labcoat, a smile on her lips and a pencil messily stuck in her hair. "Good morning Mr. Orihara," she greeted cheerfully.

"So after a few weeks of sessions with you I reached some important conclusions about your behaviour," she started as she went over her desk which was full of sheets of paper, "You actually don't have a god complex- never did. The doctors would never believe me though, but the most important thing is that I know right?"

It was weird. Having someone figuring him out when he didn't even speak. But it was also comforting in a way. Up to a few weeks ago, he didn't care about what people thought of him. Yet, just knowing that she knew the truth made him feel a bit better.

After Yuina was done searching through her papers, she walked infront of him, and bent down so they were now at eye level, "Can I ask you a question, or two if you don't mind?" Izaya only nodded slightly.

"Are you finding your new wheelchair comfortable- it did cost a lot of money after all."

There was no way in hell that was a genuine question. Her smug look and teasing tone gave her away- she was mocking him.

And so since Izaya started feeling comfortable with showing more emotion than a blank face, he gave her the most pissed off look he could muster. And while she was in a fit of giggles, he only raised his brows at her poor sense of humour.

"Okay okay, serious question though," she started as she took a seat on the vibrant orange sofa, "Do you think you can speak?" It was in a concerned tone that she asked. And in all honesty, Izaya wasn't sure if he could speak. He hadn't used his voice in so long... he wasn't too sure he still had one.

But somewhere deep down, he had a gut feeling that yes. He could talk. But now wasn't the time. His world was turned upside down, and the transition to this new life was difficult. He had no interest in speaking.

But he wasn't an ideot. He knew that Yuina was somehow helping him in her weird tactics of therapy. He just needed more time. So he almost enthusiastically nodded his head at  her question, and as she saw his upbeat reaction, a small smile tugged at her lips.

"Good. Then I hope that when you're ready to talk again, you'll do it soon. Because you see," She leaned in, lowering her voice till it was a whisper.

"I'll be leaving at the end of the year. I have to move away as I'm going to be relocated to another place in Japan to work. But don't tell the other workers- they would go crazy if they knew I was leaving," She laughed slightly, tucking some lose strands of her hair behind her ear.

"So it's our little secret, okay?" She reached out her pinky, and he was reminded by the way innocent promises were made by young children. The ravenette felt a foreign expression deep down in his gut as he hesitantly reached out his own hand.

And as she securely completed their pinky promise, he realized that things were ever so slowly changing for him.

It took him even more than a month to realize it. And she had to come in daily for long hours to talk to him. But there was a spark of emotions inside him. Something different from the usual bland and mundane ones that he had gotten used to.

"What's that weird thing your face is doing," She started sarcastically, jokingly, "Are you trying to smile?" When Izaya scowled at her, she only gave him a simple reply, "Careful! Smiles are contagious!"

After her playful warning, she took out the old, dusty chess game. And as the school bell in the next building rang, she looked at the ravenette, a content look in her features with a spark of hope in her eye.

"Okay, lets begin." She chirped happily.

She prepared the game quietly, and when she looked at Izaya, she noticed his hands were crossed, as a sly grin made its way to his lips.

He wasn't going to play today either.

But she only kept on smiling at his direction, with a look in her eye so bright, that it made him think of those words that repeated themselves in his mind every day. And with every new morning, they made him believe just a little bit more that despite his mistakes and his guilt, things were going to get better one day.

'When you hit rock bottom, the only way to go, is up.'