Those who help themselves

Denise & Marco | Not Vegan

She took the glass with slight hesitation, holding it on top of her knees with both hands. “Isn’t that why people say that Lawyers are the Devil’s ministry? Honestly… I tend not to dwell on it. I do what I have to– even if, sometimes, what I have to do isn’t exactly justice.” Bringing the glass to her lips, Denise drank in a momentary silence. Finally setting it down, she let out a shaky laugh. “What about you? I mean, I’m literally an open book,” she gestured to the binder. “I don’t think we ever talked about just what it is that you do to keep this rather swanky roof over your head.”

“Oh, this old place,” Marco said, looking around the apartment as if it was nothing to own such a place. For some reason he still hesitated to tell Denise all the facts about himself. Maybe part of his attraction to her was how refreshing it was to talk to someone who didn’t know him or the family he belonged to. With most people, he had to be constantly questioning their motives when they tried to get close with him. It was nice not to have to do that with Denise. Although that came at the cost of. not lying but withholding the whole truth. “I’m boring really. I got the apartment from my family, and, as for a job,” he shrugged, “I work in security. No where near as impressive as you, Harvard.”

 We’re fighting for the soul of this city

Shirtless Marcel Gerard Appreciation Post

Denise & Marco | Not Vegan

“Oh– water’s fine, thanks. Caffeine makes me jittery and alcohol and work just don’t coincide in good taste,” she removed the pen from between her teeth, jotting down a quick note in the margin of her paper. “I mean, the case has long since been buried so I suppose there’s no harm in speaking freely about it now. We tried to find holes in the prosecution’s analysis of the supposed ‘murder site’, but no dice. We went for a plea deal in the end. He’s going to be behind bars for the better half of his life, but it beats death row in my… professional opinion.”

“Well,” he said, getting her a glass of water. “I’m impressed you can do so much lawyering without a coffee addiction.” Marco walked over to her, and held out her drink. “What if he’d gotten away with it? Does it ever get to you that you have to potentially help people who put their wives in acid get released back into the world?”

Denise & Marco | Not Vegan

“Who says they’re bad?” She asked, her eyes suddenly on him and away from her work. She blinked at Marco for a moment, curious. “Sometimes good people do bad things, Mister Marco. I try not to examine my cases with so much… morality. The law is hardly ever black and white, anyhow. I try to help the defendant end up in the best possible circumstances upon assessing their situation.” Denise picked up her pen, taking the end between her teeth as her gaze began to wonder in thought. “– But if I were to speak plainly, I’d have you know that sometimes I am stuck with some pretty ‘bad’ guys. Had one case where a man’s wife was found in a vat of acid. Can you imagine? Ugh, I just cringe at the memory.” 

He smiled at her reasoning, oddly relieved to hear she wasn’t the kind of person who believed in drawing lines. Like their conversation at Margot’s birthday party, the point inbetween good and bad. He could certainly identify with that. “And what did you do?” he asked, “Is he in jail?” Marco moved over to the cupboard he kept his alcohol in, considering what he wanted to drink. “Can I get you a drink? Wine, or coffee or something?” 

Denise & Marco | Not Vegan

“Better now that you’re here,” he said, in the cheesiest voice possible, before answering seriously. “Not too bad. I’m sure you can sympathise with how fleeting days off are.” Marco stepped back into the kitchen area, checking to make sure everything was cooking properly. “Hopefully it tastes just as good.” He looked back to her, already getting into her work. The comittment to her job was something that liked about Denise. And he could relate with that fully, after all the position that Vince had given him was one of the utmost priorities in his life. “Murder, that’s pretty intense,” he said. “So do you put the bad guys away or help them get away?”

Denise & Marco | Not Vegan

In the After | Margot + Marco

Marco stood and stretched, giving Margot a tired smile. “I’m going to head home,” he told them. They may have made quite a leap in sibling bonding tonight, but not quite to the level that he was ready for a sudden sibling sleepover. Besides, some time alone would be time to think, and after tonight he needed plenty of that. “I’ll talk to you both soon,” he said, walking towards the door, and putting his shoes back on. “Try not to kill anyone else until I’ve at least had my eight hours.”