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[pitythetrumper]

Freddie was almost coming to terms with Anatoly. It was an overly frustrating feeling because Anatoly was who he always took things out on. Whenever he was in the mood to yell at someone or bother someone, he always took it out on Anatoly. He always made the man's life a living hell mostly just because he could but also because it helped him feel a little better. But now...he almost empathized with the other man.

For the last two days, he'd been on edge. He had been waiting to get into a fight. Unfortunately, Fight Club had already happened for the month and it wasn't likely there was going to be another one any time soon. Plus Anatoly was the only one he got into it with on a regular basis.

He walked along the boardwalk and tried to ignore the way that it felt like someone was itching underneath his skin.

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[capable-of.livejournal.com]

Ever since Lex had returned from the space station, he too had felt on edge. It was the still the lingering guilt of Helen's condition and the mysterious bruises that were scattered of Anatoly's body. While he said he'd been in another fight with Trumper, Lex couldn't help but think this wasn't an ordinary fight between the Grandmasters.

When he'd heard whisperings of Fight Club, Lex got his answer. Trumper was going to pay for each and every bruise.

Lex didn't see Freddie at first. He was half reading a book he was considering using in his humanities class. But when he glanced up and did see him approaching, he made sure to 'bump' into him. Hard.

[pitythetrumper]

Freddie could have let it go. Well, maybe not 'let', but there would have been only a minor amount of backtalk. He could have and, instead, he stopped and turned to face Lex. "Do you have a problem?" he asked, already knowing both that he did and what the likely problem was. Unless...Anatoly hadn't told him about the movie, had he? Maybe, hopefully not. The last thing he needed was for Lex to start taunting him about it.

[capable-of.livejournal.com]

"Oh I have a problem alright." Lex said as he turned back to look at Freddie with a small smirk, a finger going into his book to hold his place. Anatoly had told him about the musicals, which had been both a bother and relief. A bother because of the pain they had caused Anatoly, but a relief to have confirmation of something he had seen when he'd been drugged.

No, the problem he had were the bruises he'd found all over Anatoly's body when he'd returned from the space station. "Tell me, did you miss me while I was up on the space station? I hear Fight Club was...interesting."

[pitythetrumper]

Ah hah. Freddie should have known. This was about Fight Club. His lips curled up and he shook his head. "Didn't miss you at all. I had a much better replacement." He lowered his voice and leaned in a little. "I even made him beg." Technically not true, but Anatoly had surrendered and that was about as close as he'd ever expected to get. Closer, even.

[capable-of.livejournal.com]

Thankfully, Lex knew better then to take that bait, but he had had any hair on his body, it would have been standing on end from the rage coursing through him. Still, a smirk appeared on his lips. "Can't beat him on the chess board so you have to result to school yard tricks, is that it Mr. Trumper?"

[pitythetrumper]

"Oh, but that's the point," Freddie answered with a laugh. "I can beat him on the board and off it. I'd never really thought about it, but it's very satisfying hearing the thunk of my fist hitting his flesh." He flashed his own smirk at Lex and began walking away. He was sure that wasn't going to be the end of it and that was what he was hoping for. A continuation. More.

[capable-of.livejournal.com]

Of course it wasn't going to end there. Lex didn't think he or Freddie had it in them to stop there. "So tell me," he said without even moving from his spot, "How did it feel watching two versions of home, one where, when it mattered, you chickened out and quit and the other where you only won because he threw the game?" Lex chuckled. "Even when the island pulled us back to Bangkok, I saw him crush you like he was meant too, so I'm afraid I don't believe you."

Lex did believe the bit about fist hitting flesh but Freddie would pay for that soon enough.

[pitythetrumper]

"How about where I was the one who convinced him not to throw the game?" Freddie took a breath and turned back to look at Lex. "There's a world in which none of us won, but he and I didn't lose, either." He smirked. That was the achievement he was most proud of and the one he'd all but given up as lost when he first met the Anatoly here. What he hated now was that Sergievsky had seen his past. Had seen where he'd come from.

"And you know, I think you're jealous that he's found someone who actually challenges him on the board. You can't hope to keep up and you know it. Does it eat at you? I hope it does."

[capable-of.livejournal.com]

Freddie's arrogance just made Lex laugh long and loud. "You know, not everything in this world is about chess Mr. Trumper. No, it doesn't bother me that I can't challenge him on the chess board. Not in the slightest. Do you know why?" He leaned forward for emphasis. "I'm secure enough to admit. Can you say the same?"

Then he smirked pointedly. "Of course, I can also challenge him in many other ways. Why should I ruin his pleasure?"

[pitythetrumper]

Freddie shook his head sadly. "A world outside of chess. Are you sure you know Anatoly at all? I would have thought you'd understand by now that his entire world is chess and that everything, everyone outside of it? They're just artifice. Sorry to be the one to break it to you."

With that, he turned and continued walking. He veered off the path and into part of the jungle, expecting Lex to follow. He didn't want them to be seen.

[capable-of.livejournal.com]

Lex didn't follow, until he saw Freddie veer off. Then he was right behind him, sensing his intention. Being unseen for this would be beneficial.

"While I'm glad you two got to see how similar you really are, but don't make the mistake of thinking you know him. It just took someone determined enough to look for it."

[pitythetrumper]

"Oh, but I know all about him, his wife, his children. Sadly, I never actually got to meet them. Walter did that end of things. Tell me, are you proud of the fact that you're helping him cheat on his wife?" There was always the option that Sergievsky would want a divorce, but there was also every option that he wouldn't.

[capable-of.livejournal.com]

"Honestly, how idiotic are you? Of course I know about his wife and children and how he left them. Do you think we don't speak of these things?" Lex shook his head, obviously not impressed. "And I'm also cheating on my wife with him. Oh did you not know that before you started spouting things to seem informed? I'm sorry." He added with a sarcastic smirk. So what that he would be filing for divorce three months after his return. He was still married to Helen at the moment.

[pitythetrumper]

"Then you two are the same type of cheating bastard," Freddie said. He began moving closer. An outside observer would probably assume something sordid, but Freddie's fists were clenching at his sides. "You know what I can't wait for? The day when one of you cheats on the other. If past history says anything, it's bound to happen sooner or later."

[capable-of.livejournal.com]

Lex's eyes carefully followed Freddie's progress but his own body stayed relaxed, though the book in his hand was carelessly thrown to the side. "Oh and you consider yourself better then us, is that it? When you treated Florence like an underling rather then an equal partner?"

Then he shook his head and looked at Freddie with false sadness. "Then I'm sorry, but you'll be waiting a long time. Things change."

[pitythetrumper]

"Not that much. Not when he left you and slept with someone who apparently looks like me." He smiled. "Or did you think you were different because he came back? Me, I prefer to trust in history. He loved Florence, too, and he left her just the same. I don't think you'll be any different."

[capable-of.livejournal.com]

Now Lex laughed so hard he had to clutch his stomach and bend over slightly for air. "You have absolutely no idea what you are talking and you are only making yourself look more and more like an incompetent fool."

He waited a moment, shaking his head, still catching his breath. "I left him, you idiot." He wasn't about to do into those reasons with Freddie of all people but that much was public knowledge.

[pitythetrumper]

"Do you think it matters? You left him, he left you. It works out to the same thing." Freddie moved until he was almost within breathing room of Lex. "You two will both end up alone and miserable. Trust me. It seems to be a pattern with him. You. Florence. All the others. A leopard doesn't change his spots and neither does a jackal."

[capable-of.livejournal.com]

"People say the same thing about Luthors. Have the bookshelf tell you about Superman sometime." Lex just keeps laughing. "Keep talking Trumper. You think you know everything when you're just blowing smoke because it's the only way to make yourself feel like a big man."

[pitythetrumper]

"I could give a fuck about what you think." Freddie snarled. He was tired of talking and wanted to end this. To that end, he lifted his chin. "I'm sick of this and sick of you. Maybe I'll find Anatoly and see if he's up for a rematch. He did look so nice beat to the ground."

Back to the reason he was here.

[capable-of.livejournal.com]

"You obviously do or you wouldn't be spent all this energy trying to convince me otherwise." Lex said in a calm voice and he fought to keep it that way as Freddie continued.

"And you will not have the pleasure of seeing that again, I assure you."

[pitythetrumper]

"Oh you say that now," Freddie said almost sweetly. "But he was eager enough to go last time. I think I'd only have to beckon next time and I will be able to bloody him."

[capable-of.livejournal.com]

"He may be eager but I still won't allow it. If you want your violence kicks, you'll have to get them somewhere else." His smirk turned challenging now, just daring Freddie to make the first move.

[pitythetrumper]

Freddie just smiled and took a step closer. "Maybe you won't have the chance to disallow it," he said with a smile. "Maybe he'll seek me out. He did the last time, after all. I'm sure if you look closely enough, you can see the knuckle marks."

[capable-of.livejournal.com]

"You know that if I hadn't been on the space station, actually trying to do something productive for the island, it would never have happened. He followed you, yes, but I promise you it won't happen again." Lex wasn't in the slightest intimidated and just stared Freddie down. "Or are you hoping he finds you because you are too much of a coward to seek him out yourself? Afraid of going through me?"