Work Text:
Marvin had been sitting in Mendel’s office for almost fifteen minutes now, dead silent. Mendel looked more than happy to wait, the ass.
It wasn’t the first time Marvin had spent a session silent, but it had been a while. As he’d become more accustomed to the therapy process he’d become better at answering Mendel’s questions and had spent less time sitting awkwardly trying to think of the right thing to say.
This time was different.
It wasn’t an awkward, searching silence. It was a one-sided glaring contest. Mendel looked uncomfortable at times, but mostly he looked… smug. The ass.
Marvin finally broke the silence.
“Why are you always at our house?”
“At Trina’s house, you mean?” Mendel asked, feigning innocence. Marvin couldn't believe he was sitting there so self-righteous. As if he wasn't in the wrong. As if Marvin was being unreasonable.
“Sure.” Marvin replied as coldly as he could.
“Well, Jason’s therapy, of course. It seems to be going-“
“Cut the crap, Mendel,” Marvin spat, “We both know you don’t care about Jason.”
“Hey!” Marvin was almost impressed at the vitriol he managed to pack into one word. Almost. “You can say what you want but don’t tell me I don’t care about my clients.” He paused for a second, thinking better of it. “Don’t tell me I don’t care about Jason.”
Marvin quirked an eyebrow. So maybe he did care about his kid.
Still.
“You don’t only care about Jason.”
Mendel sighed.
“We’re here to discuss you, not me.”
At least he had the decency to look tired now. It was a half-step in the right direction. Marvin knew he wouldn't be happy about this even if he could end the session with Mendel begging for forgiveness- but that didn't mean he couldn't damn well try.
“That’s my goddamn wife!”
“Ex-wife.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. Wouldn’t want to hurt your feelings by over-asserting my relationship to Trina.”
“Is that what you feel I’m doing? Over-asserting myself?” Mendel said, professional as ever. He held his pen at the ready. Marvin wanted to snap it in half.
“Drop the therapist act. I’m talking to you man-to-man.”
“Well, I’m afraid you’re here for therapy. It isn’t an act, it’s my job.”
“Right, because you’re so concerned with professionalism when you’re screwing your client-”
“Marvin.”
Well that got to him.
"What? Is that not what's going on here-?"
"Look, Marvin. If you want to discuss your feelings about Trina we can, but-"
"Why are you refusing to talk about your feelings for Trina?"
"Because this is your time. You need to work through your problems, not m-"
"Oh, so you admit what you're doing is a problem?"
"That's not-"
"It's gotta be a violation, right? I'm sure if I poked around I could find a law-"
"Why do you care?" Mendel asked, evidently trying to switch tracks.
"Why do I care?" Marvin scoffed.
Mendel stared expectantly.
"I- Well, I-" Marvin spluttered.
Why… did he care?
"You ended things with Trina. And I respect that, but I love her. I…" Mendel sighed, finally losing his professional posture and slumping back in his chair. "I don't think you're… entirely wrong for feeling slighted. You clearly still feel some attachment to her which is more than understandable, and… it's not exactly… an ideal situation."
"Ideal situation, " Marvin muttered, shaking his head in disbelief.
"But," Mendel continued, "We’re doing the best with what we have to work with.”
Mendel waved his hand at Marvin’s head like a goddamn wizard or something.
“I don't- Will you stop that!” Marvin swatted his hand away. “You’re full of shit, Mendel.”
Marvin shook his head and got to his feet. He didn't have to take any more of this.
“We-”
“We nothing. Cancel my appointment next week.”
“You’ll have to pay for the full hour today.”
“What, no friends and family discount?” Marvin sneered. “I don't care. I’m done here.”
“Alright.” Mendel sighed.
Marvin had his hand on the doorknob when Mendel called his name.
“Marvin?”
“What?”
“I’m sorry.”
"Yeah, well- you should be.”
Marvin paused for a moment to see if Mendel had anything left to say for himself. He was met with only silence. He shook his head and left Mendel to stew in his guilt, trying to bite down the seething rage that threatened to bubble over inside of him.
Why did he care.
What a stupid fucking question. He cared because it was a violation of trust. Because Mendel had no right to do something like that. Because it was a shitty thing to do, period.
Marvin wasn't in the wrong here.