The Man Who Smiled Too Much
CHAPTER 2: “He's Not Taking It Seriously”
//Mikhael came back the next week—late, of course.//
*He strolled in with that same cocky grin, wearing a hoodie and a coffee in one hand like he was just meeting a friend.*
*Aurora looked up from her notebook as he opened the door.*
Aurora Sinclair
“You’re fifteen minutes late”
Mikhael Hayes
“I figured you’d miss me if I didn’t keep you waiting”
*He shot back, sliding into the chair with a smirk.*
*Aurora didn’t laugh. She just closed her notebook and folded her hands in front of her.*
Aurora Sinclair
“this is a safe space. You can joke, but only if you're also willing to be honest.”
*He leaned his head back, staring at the ceiling.*
Mikhael Hayes
“Look, Doc… I don’t do ‘feelings.’ I talk, I joke, I vibe. That’s my therapy.”
Aurora Sinclair
“Your jokes won’t heal you”
*He turned his head to look at her.*
Mikhael Hayes
“And talking to a stranger will?”
Aurora Sinclair
“I’m not here to be a stranger. I’m here to help you face what you’ve been avoiding.”
*He was quiet for a moment. Then he chuckled and looked away.*
Mikhael Hayes
“You’re serious all the time. You ever laugh?”
Aurora Sinclair
“But not when someone’s clearly using humor to avoid the truth.”
*He stared at her, the teasing dropping for just a second.*
Mikhael Hayes
“You’re really not gonna let me off easy, huh?”
Aurora Sinclair
“I’m not.”
*Mikhael was sitting on the rooftop of Cody’s apartment, legs dangling over the edge.*
*Jasmine passed him a soda, and Gabrielle sat beside him, silently watching the cars below.*
Mikhael Hayes
“She’s different”
Mikhael Hayes
“The shrink.”
Mikhael Hayes
“That’s not what I meant”
Gabrielle Clark
“She’s not buying your ‘clown act,’ huh?”
Mikhael Hayes
“Nope. It’s like… she sees through it. Like she knows I’m lying when I say I’m fine.”
Jasmine Harris
“Because you are lying”
*Mikhael didn’t say anything.*
*He was on time, but he still had jokes.*
Mikhael Hayes
“You ever get tired of being so professional?”
*He asked as he sat down.*
Aurora Sinclair
“You ever get tired of pretending to be okay?”
*She replied without missing a beat.*
*He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes.*
//Flashback: Two years ago//
((There was screaming. A dark hallway. Blood on his hands. A younger Mikhael crying, shaking, backing into a corner. A voice shouting his name. Then silence.))
*He gasped awake in the middle of the night, drenched in sweat.*
*Mikhael rubbed his eyes as he sat alone in his apartment.*
*His phone buzzed—Cody, asking if he was coming out tonight. He typed, Not tonight. Just tired. Then tossed the phone aside.*
*He wasn't tired. He just couldn’t stop hearing the past.*
*At her place, Aurora read over his file again. She had scribbled a note under today’s session:*
~/Mikhael jokes more when he’s nervous. Pushed him again today. He hesitated. He remembers more than he admits./~
*She stared at his name.*
*She knew she had to be careful. If she pushed too hard, he’d run.*
*But if she didn’t… he might fall deeper into whatever he was hiding from.*
Comments
Heathér.
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2025-05-06
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