savetheearth | Backdated to Tuesday

"And encourage manipulative behavior? I would never. What a cowardly thing to do," L returned, expression equally hard. "I'm sure others have indulged you; that's probably why you turned out the way you did, but I'm not going to."

Bakura's eyes narrowed further. "And here I could say the same for you, as you enjoy pushing others just so you can get your little thrill out of it. Not above trespassing and getting your hands on confidential information to get your kick, are you? Surely not above using what unproductive therapy time you've had to try and make yourself feel better by talking down to others like you know everything."

"Everything? Just compared to some."

While she assumed L was occupied with rinsing his mouth, she had excused herself down the hallway in the other direction to continue on her way to Dr. Briar's office.

Two aspirin, a fun-sized candy bar, and a moment to catch her breath later, Belle felt ready to finish the session with Bakura. What she was NOT ready for were the dueling voices when she stepped back out into the clinic, and quickened her step to bring herself to their source.

They were arguing. Splendid. As if her day could get any better...

"Lazarus, I'll speak with you later, please." she said, quickly placing herself between the two young men to intervene.

"Don't bother. I'm done here," Bakura returned. "If that ass can see your schedule enough to know when I should be here, who knows what else he's gotten into. I'm done."

"Ms. Goldman, I didn't want to distress him. I know he's one of your more sensitive patients and it was my intention to come when he wasn't here..."

Edited 2014-01-24 02:11 (UTC)

"You are done in twenty more minutes." she corrected him, her voice becoming stern as he tried to regain some semblance of control over the mess. "After that, you can do as you like."

Back to Lazarus. "We'll discuss it later. Please."

"Bullshit," Bakurs spat back. "You've ever said yourself you like making me mad. And how the fuck would you even know shit like that. Do you talk about me with him? The fuck kinda of newbie are you?!"

"She doesn't talk about any of her patients with me," L corrected, still blocking the hallway. "But I've talked to you before, I've got my hunches."

"Listen." she said, trying to be heard over the squabbling. Turning to Bakura, she spoke in a calmer tone.

"I do not keep names in my ledger. I identify patients with their first initial and their case number. He does not have access to my case numbers because I don't keep them written down...which, I am left to assume, means he guessed yours. I apologize, and I'll change it immediately."

Dark eyes shifted back to Lazarus.

"Though, he should NOT have been looking at it at all."

The aspirin. It did nothing.

"Do you really expect I'm going to trust you? Either of you? With the bullshit he pulls....!"

"White, or black?" L asked, cocking his head blithely. "You don't know anything about what I 'pull' and I think you should refrain from that kind of accusatory statement until you actually know what I'm capable of. White, or black?"

The teen blinked, thrown off guard. "...What?"

"Which side? If you're going to behave like I'm constantly attacking you, you might as well pick one. White, or black?"

"Don't just fucking repeat yourself, explain what the hell you're on about!" Bakura demanded, anger returning to his voice.

"If you can't figure it out, there's no way you could hold your own against me, anyway. It's a thinking man's game, you know?"

"Don't keep fucking insulting me for not being able to follow your bullshit changes in subject," Bakura returned, eyes narrowing. "You want to play chess just fucking say so, former champ or no, I'll kick your ass!"

"You're awfully cocky, for someone who hasn't even been in a chess club for eight years. Do you even remember what all the pieces do?"

"I could ask the same of you. Can you even hold the pieces?"

"Provided they're shaped like chess pieces and not unwieldy robot children's toys, I should manage fine. Not like I'll have to keep it up for long, anyway."

The teen bristled. "Oi. Newbie," he called back to where Belle may or may not be still hovering. "Have a chess set?"

On the one hand, it was fascinating to see Bakura when he was not pointedly closed up in his shell.

On the other hand...

"You know my name. I will not answer to that." she told him quietly, eyes shifting to L.

"Lazarus? Please leave. I will not tell you again."

L bristled slightly at the use of his real name, but to make it too obvious was to expose a weak point to Bakura.

"You said yourself that he has time left in his session. Maybe losing a chess game badly would be good for him," he mumbled.

"I have no control over how the two of you interact outside of this office." She said. "But as I would not stand for another patient usurping your sessions, I would like you to show others the same courtesy."

"You say, as if there was anything to usurp," Bakura returned, not even looking over, noting the bristle. "Which would you rather, something you can observe and try and ouija bullshit out of or my ass out the door?"

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