24th-and-a-half Howl | Backdated [Closed]

[professorwolf]

Who: Lyall and Richard
What: Lyall's found out something he doesn't want to believe
Where: Richard's classroom
When: Before school, November 13

After an evening of fretting about his fellow teacher and his trustworthiness, it was hardly difficult to get to school early and wait at Richard's classroom, leaning on the wall beside the door with arms and ankles crossed. He looked up at every sound of the hall door opening and waited for the one that had Richard's scent attached, before he even saw the man.

So when Richard made it to his classroom, there was the werewolf, waiting and waiting obviously. "Good morning. Might I have a word?"

Comments

[flamberge]

Nothing started off the morning right like an americano from Starbucks. Caffeine helped like nothing else to prepare someone for a long day of teaching, it truly did.

As he sipped on the drink and drew closer to the classroom, a familiar face came into view. That familiar face did not seem the least bit happy, either. An eyebrow got raised as he approached and the curiosity further rose at the question, which really didn't feel as such. "I suspect I've little choice in the matter."

He walked over to the door to open it before motioning for Lyall to head inside first. Just what could this possibly be about? And so early in the morning, too.

[professorwolf]

"You always have a choice. Though I am glad you agreed." Lyall stepped inside behind him, and shut the door behind them. And then promptly demanded, looking a little injured as he did so, "What is this about you and the police, Richard?"

[flamberge]

The sudden question takes him aback. It's so out of the blue that some of Richard's surprise shines through on his face. Had... had Lyall actually managed to find out who he really was? No no, maybe that wasn't it. He had to make sure of the facts before jumping to conclusions. "Excuse me?"

[professorwolf]

"At the bombing site," Lyall clarifies, obviously unhappy about the situation. "You were talking with them, on perfectly good terms, with people who are hunting us. --And I'm sure it wasn't Nick, he's only one man, not half a dozen." And besides, he's fairly sure Nick wasn't even there.

[flamberge]

Maybe there's some visible relief in his body language at that reply. Good, Lyall doesn't know. Very good. Too many people know already as is and Lyall didn't need that unnecessary information.

"I take it this information came from Bakura." This is less a question and more a statement. A brief pause follows before Richard continues. "And I also assume he had failed to mention my explanation of knowing several individuals on the force and that I had been attempting to get information from them in regards to the bombing?"

[professorwolf]

"He didn't mention anything about you explaining anything," Lyall counters, still frowning unhappily. He wants to believe that's all it is-- Richard is his friend. But he's suspicious, he can't help it. It fits sneakily with several small, odd things about the man. "When did you talk to him?"

[flamberge]

Maybe he sighs softly at that reply. Somehow the most important details being omitted isn't of much surprise, particularly so when you're viewed as suspicious. "If you mean with the police individual, a little while ago. Our talk failed to yield any useful information, however."

[professorwolf]

"Actually, I meant Bakura," Lyall pointed out. "I have my own friends on the police force, you know, though admittedly they're both one of us, as well. But Bakura told me about this just last night. So either you have corrected him since, and he hasn't had a chance to tell me, or you didn't convince him very well."

[flamberge]

"More than likely the latter. He has a rather intense dislike of me and most of what I say to him likely goes in one ear and out the other." Despite what he says, Richard didn't sound mad or anything, just pointing out a fact. A dislike well within reason. It's almost funny, the one kid who likely hated him the most was the one with the closest idea to the truth.

[professorwolf]

Lyall wanted to believe him. Especially given he knew how Bakura was with grudges, and he knew he had one against Richard now. He sighed, rubbing at the bridge of his nose. "Probably true, sadly...." He gave it one more go, before giving up: "You're sure there's nothing you're not telling me, Richard?"

[flamberge]

The question got Lyall a look right in the eyes. "Nothing of importance, no." No indication of lying was obvious, maybe cause it didn't feel like a lie. Being a part of the force wasn't an important detail. It wasn't. At least, Richard would keep on telling himself so.

[professorwolf]

And Lyall really wasn't far enough along in his echoes to tell a lie from a truth, not one that well hidden. So he sighed, shoulders slumping. "All right, then. I'm sorry to bother you about it. I just-- had to know." He didn't want to think his friend was lying to him, that was all. Well, that and another police officer on the network was usually a good thing-- someone hiding a police connection from the network made one worry about motivation and loyalties.

[flamberge]

"You don't need to apologize. You had reason to believe I may have been a threat and followed up on it, nothing which necessitates an apology." If anything, the apology should be coming from Richard's end. Maybe what had been said wasn't a lie, but it left a bad taste. A stray thought of getting soft at his old age crossed his mind and instantly got followed up by another thought, one which claimed it wasn't softness, but the fact he was actually starting to care about the people on the Network.

[professorwolf]

"It still doesn't feel terribly noble to be questioning a friend's loyalties." Lyall gave a rueful little smile. Then he added, a little hopefully, making sure he hadn't done any irreparable damage: "Lunch tomorrow like usual, then?"

[flamberge]

'A friend's loyalties'. The comment both made Richard feel happy and horrible at the same time. For some to call him a friend, well, it was nice; knowing that those loyalties were wisely questioned wasn't. Neither thoughts manifested themselves on his face, however. Keeping a poker face was a skill long since perfected. This was why Richard only nodded at the question, though perhaps his expression softened the teeniest bit. “Naturally.”

[professorwolf]

"Good." There was relief there, and a smile to go with it. "I'll see you then, then. And probably in the lounge for coffee, if they have a decent pot, for once. I had best get back to my classroom. Bakura always shows up during my prep, and he'll start fretting if I'm not there before too long."

It was probably pretty obvious even to Richard just how attached the boy was, and at least Lyall tried to do what he could by him.