General AU Therapy for Hearts and Minds: A Socks AU (Rhys)

[Knight_of_None]

The AC crackled and wheezed softly in the waiting room,a shuddering system trying cool off the summer heat. Billy was sitting on a stuff chair, stewing ti himself with sullen glory. The receptionist had said he had to wait by, with a apologetic smile and a softly starstruck bit if favoritism. Billy hardly spoke. Hell he didn't even want to show up to this stupid ass office. But he didn't have a choice. The judge has made a running and it was anger management courses and therapy. Or he was forced to be benched for a looong time in a legal battle. He probably shouldn't have punched that security gaurd at that club. Or gotten in a drunk tussle with tye cops. Itvwas a miracle that the courts let the story be pinned down.

Billy adjusted his mirror lens sunglasses, and his ball cap, the frustration of being stuck on this bullshit only ticking at him. It didn't help he couldn't smoke. His leg bounced impatiently, but froze as he realized the receptionist was holding something in front if him. A paper cup with a lid on it. "I got you a coffee....sir" she said offering it to him. He sniffed, reaching out abd taking it. "Thanks." He said shortly. Better than nothing. Maybe.

 

[RhysTheFirebird]

Lyrin opened the door to the lobby with an easy, practiced motion, offering a warm smile and a small wave to his previous patient. “I’ll see you next week,” he said, his tone light but reassuring. As the door shut behind them, he turned his attention back to the waiting area, his gaze briefly sweeping over the two other occupants before settling on Billy.

He hummed softly to himself as he stepped forward, his demeanor calm and inviting. The office he worked in was modest—just a small suite shared among a handful of therapists who pooled their resources to afford the space. It wasn’t extravagant, but it carried a quiet sense of comfort, shaped by the people who worked there.

Stopping a few feet from Billy, Lyrin offered a polite, professional smile. “You must be William. I’m Dr. Knomcle,” he said, his voice steady and welcoming. He gestured gently toward the hallway behind him.

“If you’ll follow me, we can head to my office.”

 

[Knight_of_None]

Billy sipped his coffee as the doctor stepped out, something about him...made Billy want to to slap him. The wave? His little prissy calm walk? His face? The football star stood up, pushing up to his full 6 foot and some change height. His stubbled chin jutting towards the hall. "Here?" He said as he stepped passed him, practically walking through him with impatience all over his face. "Fine. Let's get this over with." He said

 

[RhysTheFirebird]

Lyrin’s eyes narrowed slightly before he stepped forward, holding the door open. “My office is the last one on the left.” The door was already ajar, soft light spilling into the dim hallway. He waited for Billy to step inside before following and quietly closing it behind them.

The room was modest, a little small, but thoughtfully arranged. Two walls of floor-to-ceiling windows framed a calm view from the fifth floor—nothing extravagant, just a quiet street below that Lyrin seemed to appreciate. Along another wall, built-in shelves held a mix of philosophy, psychology, children’s books, and a few titles that felt slightly out of place. A simple wooden desk sat nearby, sparsely arranged with a laptop, a few papers, and pens.

In the center, a loveseat faced a single armchair set at an angle. Lyrin gestured toward the sofa for Billy to sit, then took his own seat, reaching for a notepad on the small table beside him.

“How is your day today?” he asked.

 

[Knight_of_None]

"Long." Billy said as he folded his arms, siting back in the chair, his legs shifting apart. His arms were bare, the dark gray sleeveless shirt he was wearing folding to his tense muscles. "Listen, let's just make a deal, I don't belong here."

 

[RhysTheFirebird]

Lyrin raised an eyebrow, his green eyes sharpening with quiet curiosity. “What makes you say that?” he asked, his tone calm but probing. There was no judgment in his voice—only a gentle invitation to explain.

He shifted slightly in his seat, crossing one leg over the other as he settled back into the chair. The notepad rested loosely in his hand, untouched for now, as his attention remained fully on the new patient.

“Why do you think you don’t belong here?” he continued, tilting his head just a fraction. His gaze stayed steady, observant without being overwhelming, as if he were carefully weighing not just the words, but everything left unsaid.

 

[Knight_of_None]

"I'm not here because I'm fucked up, I'm here for court reasons. So we don't have to go through all this touchy feeling shit. You can just stamp my book and I can go." He said rolling his eyes behind his sunglasses. "So how much do you want? I can put your kid in college for this." Billy said as he waved his hand.

 

[RhysTheFirebird]

“Usually, the people who insist they don’t need to be here are the ones who need it most,” Lyrin said evenly, his pen moving across the notepad in a few quick strokes. His tone wasn’t harsh, but there was a firmness to it now, a quiet line being drawn.

He paused, glancing up from the page, his expression sharpening just slightly. “And I don’t like the implication that I can be paid off.”

Setting the pen down for a moment, he leaned back into his chair, posture still relaxed but far less yielding than before. “You’re court-ordered to be here, William,” he continued, voice steady and matter-of-fact. “There isn’t a way around that.”

 

[Knight_of_None]

Billy put his hand on the arm rest of the love seat , drumming his fingers as Lyrin spoke up. "I'm paying you anyway. All I'm saying is we don't have to do anything. Everyone wants a free ride sometime." He said leaning forward. "I showed up. All you gotta do is say that."

 

[RhysTheFirebird]

"You're going to be here, you might as well do something productive. Why do you not want to be here?" Lyrin tilts his head to the side, gently tapping his pen against his notepad.