"Oh no, sex is ordinary now. No one cares about fucking a secretary or getting a whore. It's boring, no one wants to do it any more. It's like old news. Nah, you pay 25,000 then it's kinky. You're fucking trafficked virgin girls from the Congo or really into watching your wife fuck an orangutan or a chimp - it happens, how do you think everyone ended up with AIDS?" it was topical and scandal worth. Besides, it would make this dry and boring case have a little spice.
"Or maybe they're just two queers who need to pay a girl to have a threesome with them cause they're shy and oops, oh no, suddenly they're just fucking each other. Now they're being blackmailed. That shit can ruin your life." He banged his hand on the table insistently. "25,000 to avoid being a faggoty little AIDS dispenser to the public. Bingo-bango, I'd take the fucking deal."
"25,000 seems cheap for that. Maybe not the threesome, that could work. Though now you have to factor in whether our clients will admit to being poufters sooner than they'd just confess their daft murder plot." Honestly, seemed like a toss-up. They weren't the kind of man who had any security in their masculinity whatsoever. Kian tossed the file to land on the desk and shrugged.
"We'd have to prep them, if we want to lay out their kinky sex life as proof." He made a face as he conjured up images of their clients in their head. Ugh. "Just hope there's no faggot in the jury. No way anyone would believe either of those two are fuckable."
"Who says they have to agree? If we put it out there in court and they try to double back then people will still think it. And that's all that matters. We plant the seed of doubt. No one in their right mind would admit to that sort of thing in court - it's almost more believable if they deny it." He usually just threw things out in court and saw how the client went along with it before he made decisions. He never bothered 'prepping' clients before.
"If there's a queer in the jury, he'll feel it's relatable. Chicks are always full of empathy for weirdos and men would soon believe a guy is hiding he's homo than hiding he's an assassin." Honestly, it seemed fool proof. "The problem with you is that you overthink it with all your 'proof' and 'facts' but anything can be fact if you make it fact."
"I just like getting paid by my clients in the end, not get sued for defamation." Of course, he expected his supposed mentor there dealt with those potential law suits in much the same fashion. "Well, we can try. People like the queer representation as long as it's pathetic like that, they might go for it."
Besides, he'd heard enough homophobic quips from their clients to find the thought of fake outing them on the stand pretty entertaining. "Still leaves the issue of the gun. What was that for, fucking each other up the arse?"
"Rape kink! A little non-consensual kidnapping. Making him suck a gun and call him bitch, all kinds of dirty shit. And that's when the girl realised that she was not being paid enough. 25000 is better. More forgiving." He waved his hand in dismissal as he patted himself down until he found his cigarettes. He wasn't supposed to smoke, he had like 5000 lectures on smoking from his doctors and case workers and fucking therapist but he wasn't gonna quit. He got bored without them.
"And you know, you pitch it right, you could convince them it was just a fun, deadly dildo if you want. I believe in you, kid. You got this."
Leaning back in his chair, he exhaled loudly. "Ah, this is a piece of piss. We'll win no problem."
"Please. If we need someone to convince people of the pleasures of arse play, you've got seniority. I'll defer to you in that matter." Kian tipped his hat to him, metaphorically, then leaned forward to pick up the lighter Taliesin had left on his desk earlier, before he'd start tearing through things to find it. He lit it and held it out for the man. Probably easier when someone whose hands didn't shake did it.
"Threesome, prostitution, some fun faggotry... Won't be a boring day for the jury." Which, he supposed, was all that really mattered to Taliesin. Maybe he had a point, at least in this case.
"It's boring otherwise. People can deal with a lot but not boring. And I don't blame them, I hate that shit." He let Kian light him up and blew the smoke upwards, watching it hit the ceiling. Hopefully this place had the smoke alarms removed, like he'd done in his house. "I can tolerate a lot of crap. I don't care about race, sexuality, what you did last weekend that you want no one to know about. Live and let live, just don't bore me with it."
He got himself up and strolled over to the window, wondering how much longer it would piss it down for. "Let me handle the cross examination, you can do the boring crap you like so much and we'll split the slow and methodical destruction of the prosecutor." Seemed like a fair deal.
"Think the judge would take it to heart if we just cut all of the boring shit." Kian glanced at his watch, then sized up Taliesin. "Hearing's in the morning though. Are you going to be able to walk that early?"
He wasn't sure how reliable that was. "You're off to therapy in an hour and then you'll be so fed up afterwards that you're going to hit the drugs hard." He really, really wished that he didn't already know the man well enough to be this familiar with his routine.
"Don't leave me hanging tomorrow, unless you want me to run the whole show. I'm not waiting around."
"I'm gonna be just fine, mam. Thanks though." Rolling his eyes, he turned to Kian and wondered if he was just secretly wishing he would not turn up. Devious little bastard. He was after his job, his office and his life. Like he was going to let him have a solo day in court. "Your training wheels are still on. Don't get cocky. I can get my arse out of bed when I need to. I've been to court on sedatives."
Nothing could stop him. Nothing. "If it wasn't for all the drama queens here, I would have finished my case, not gone to hospital." And now here he was, jumping through hoops for the unforgiving bastards. He had a helper, stupid therapy and bi-monthly check ups.
"Aye. You've also fallen asleep in court before." Honestly, some of the stories he had been told were less than awe-inspiring. He was split on it anyway. "I'm not rooting against you, Tal. I'm on your side, literally. I don't want to look like a fool in court, that's all."
And there was a risk factor there. He'd rather Tal didn't turn up than he turn up and embarrass himself, and Kian by proxy. "I'm just letting you know I'm prepared." He smiled, very friendly. "You know. So you can rest easy. Party in peace. I know it's harder to shake it off at your age."
"Oh, you think I'm gonna be a fool? You're the prick with hedgehog hair, sounding like fucking Scrooge McDuck and you think I'm gonna embarrass you? Please." Rolling hie eyes, he stubbed out his cigarette on the walk and turned around, flicking the butt at Kian before walking closer to him.
"You keep smart mouthing me, you little punk, and you're not gonna be here much longer. You think you're a big shot but you're a baby to me. Still just shitting your pants and gargling away a bunch of bullshit no one cares about." He leaned forward and purposefully flicked Kian's nose. And not lightly. "I'm older than you but I'm not over the hill. I'm on top of it and you're rolling in the mud."
Kian reached up and snatched Tal's wrist, gripping it tightly and forcing his hand away from him. He wasn't about to tell him not to touch him, that would only entice him further, but he could certainly enforce the rule even without laying it down.
He looked into his eyes, those wild, crazy eyes, and he had to smile. He supposed they'd work on people. Frightful sight, but he was getting used to it. "I'm on your side, old man. They don't want you here any more. I think there's a spark left. I'm ready to learn. But you know they only let you come back by making concessions. And I'm the only one willing to put up with all of your shit to get through to the gold underneath."
He pushed him back a step and stayed sitting, for now. "Do you want a ride to therapy or do you want to keep measuring dicks?"
It was true and he knew it was true but he didn't like to engage with it. Last time he tried to think about it all logically and considered what was happening here, his heart got tight and he couldn't breathe for about five minutes so yeah, no, he didn't really want to deep dive but he wasn't happy. He was a joke to people and they talked down about him, said he had one foot in the grave and so what if he did? He'd sooner die working than ever retire.
Reaching out, he grabbed Kian by his suit and yanked him up, using the fact that he had some weight at his advantage to make him actually get to his feet. He shoved him roughly across the room and sneered at him. "Pack the fuck up, we can go. I don't think I can drive, my eyes are like looking into a disco ball right now. Shimmering and fucking messed up." Probably the pills.
Kian slipped free from him, since that was easier than trying to move the man who did have a considerable amount of mass on him. Clearly. He grabbed his file and put it in his bag, then picked the bag up and took Tal's arm. No need to be precious about it, essentially being an old man's walking stick at times came with the deal he had made here. He was hoping it'd pay off, but at times he questioned his judgement. "High blood pressure messes with your eyesight. Ease up on the uppers and you'd have less of these troubles."
Obviously. He was sure Tal knew it too, but clearly he didn't give a shit. Kian rolled his eyes and walked them out of the office. "Still the same therapist, yeah? I saw him last time. He's cute. I think I know him."
It was kind of sad in some ways, to be treated like an old man. He was fucking 40. He just had a heart attack, he wasn't 60 but the way Kian acted around him, he'd have thought he was a pensioner. It wasn't like that punk was even that much younger than him. Well, he was younger but not 'could be your daddy' age. Unless he fucked before legal. Which he did but he never fucked a scot. He would have known.
"I don't care about my blood pressure, it's never been an issue before." Until the heart attack. "It's just settling in." Or whatever.
As they walked towards the lift, he shrugged Kian off and shoved his hands into his pocket. "What? You spend a lot of time in queer clubs, batty-boy?" He had no idea if Kian was gay or not but he assumed he was smart enough to not say it aloud. "For bent ol Mick, he's not so bad."
"I get around. It's a big city, you've got to take in all the sights." Kian pressed the button and then got onto the lift once it opened, pushing the button for the garage. He assumed they'd have to take Tal's car or he'd throw a fit. It was a nice car, so he didn't overly mind it, although he didn't fancy hanging around to wait for him to finish up therapy. Maybe he'd get a cab.
"Not your scene? I figured you wouldn't limit yourself." He looked him over and grinned. "If only because you might have run out of women you haven't fucked yet by now."
To be fair, he had yet to meet a woman Tal didn't have some kind of history with. Kian got out when the lift doors opened, putting his hands in his pocket and not entirely aware of how much he was mirroring Tal's body language there.
"I'm not judging the gays. I'm judging you." He was a dumb queer, not the other gays. Holden was bent but he was fine, as far as therapist went. He didn't really mind the gay thing, never got the issue or the hype. Hell, he'd been fucked in the ass often enough to know it must hold an appeal.
Tally got his keys from his pocket and tossed them to Kian, letting him open the door while he slipped into the side.
"Limitations are for weaker men who want to worry about people and ideas and whatever other bullshit that worries them. I have no worries. I'm worry free. So I don't give a shit."
"Yeah, you seem real worry free." Kian rolled his eyes and got into the driver's seat, starting the car and backing out carefully. It was a beautiful car, antique, definitely not something he'd want to damage. Some lines weren't crossed, he wasn't going after the man's car. "Is that what your therapist thinks too? That you're worry-free?"
He snorted and then focused on getting them out of the garage and into traffic. Ah, London. This was going to take a while. "I think I've fucked his boyfriend. Your therapist's."
"Oh, he just stares into my eyes all session. Thinks I can do anything. the usual sort of thirsty bitch, just a queer one instead. We're gonna sue his ex, sounds like a real piece of work." Or, at least, that was what Tally had decided he was going to do. "Wonder if it's the same ex. Ginger cunt with commitment issues? Sort of looks like royalty." And no, he didn't mean it as a compliment. He meant it as in 'incest-face' but he was trying to be classes.
He laughed as he looked out of the window, wondering how long it'd fucking take to get out of London. Bloody early evening traffic. "I thought I'd do him a solid, given that gimp keeps fucking with his life."
"You want to sue Felix Faust?" His eyebrows went up a little at that, simply considering the thought. Looked like royalty. Yeah, he got that joke. "Asking for trouble there. Do you know who his brother is?"
At least the money was definitely there, so that might work in their favour. "That's quite the case. Don't think I've ever heard about a high-profile 'why won't he love me?' but it's gay before."
Certainly added some interest. "That kind of partnership isn't even recognised properly by law, doubt you can spin much out of it. Faggots don't win trials right now, they lose them. I guess if you pit two against each other..."
"Yeah, even the name screams villain, don't you think?" It wouldn't be hard to demonise Felix of all people, given his name, lifestyle and all that good stuff. He didn't care how well connected his big brother was, he'd sued politicians for less and won fast and fair. Or fair by his own standard, anyway. "If you do it right, you can sue anyone for anything." Doesn't matter about the times or perceptions.
He fiddled with his car radio and turned it up a little, leaning back as he started to search himself for a nice relaxant. He always took one before therapy - made him seem more stable.
"Faggots can win if I'm backing them. Me and only me. Otherwise, they're fucked."
"Well, good luck with that. Though I think your therapist is the heart of gold type, so that might be your bigger obstacle there." He had a hard time imagining Holden wanting to sue anyone, much less the love of his life. Curse him out and yell, maybe. Unleash an asshole like Tallie on him? Seemed less likely.
"Anyway, last I heard you weren't supposed to take on too much of a case load." Doctor's recommendations and all that. "If there is any more I can help you with, you only have to say."
"Fuck off, I'm feeling fine. I can take way more than I have right now. Bunch of cowards. Look, you ever stiff me over a case or screw me over, you will pay for it. Don't make me take you over my fucking knee, you little brat. You ever mess with me and you're not gonna be happy. Got that?" He knew the company was out to get him and sure, he could work at any other law firm he wanted but it was a matter of principal. And if Kian ever took it from him, he'd destroy him.
"I'm doing fine, feeling fine, ain't nothing wrong with me. Just a little fucking hiccup, that's all." His heart gave out like the fucking weakling it was and now everyone was talking down to him. Bastards.
"I don't know about letting you take me over your knee or anywhere else. I'm afraid you'd keep me hanging." He somehow doubted the man's stamina. Maybe it was the copious amount of drugs, the recent heart attack or that angry yelling at a stripper he'd been forced to witness the other night. Might be a combination of the three.
He got them off the bigger road, now that they were closer to his therapist's office. Good thing it was the city one and not the one in that bloody village he was so not ever driving him to again. That was too much concentrated Taliesin, by a long shot. "What are you going to discuss today, eh? Daddy issues?"
"I don't have daddy issues. My dad is a joyless man with high standards, it don't bother me. He's just pissy I'm not a Rabbi. And my mom, she just wants the grandkids she'd never getting." Taliesin would sooner die than have kids - and he very nearly did. He had no intent to ever father children. "They live in Cwmafan and they barely have phone reception. They ain't an issue, they barely exist to me."
He never visited much either so really, he didn't think they have any impact on his life. Or, at least, that was what he kept telling Holden. "Usually we just discuss pointless bullshit for like half an hour and then I ask him about his life and I get myself home." And once, he passed out in the room on the couch and slept there overnight.
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"Or maybe they're just two queers who need to pay a girl to have a threesome with them cause they're shy and oops, oh no, suddenly they're just fucking each other. Now they're being blackmailed. That shit can ruin your life." He banged his hand on the table insistently. "25,000 to avoid being a faggoty little AIDS dispenser to the public. Bingo-bango, I'd take the fucking deal."
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"We'd have to prep them, if we want to lay out their kinky sex life as proof." He made a face as he conjured up images of their clients in their head. Ugh. "Just hope there's no faggot in the jury. No way anyone would believe either of those two are fuckable."
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"If there's a queer in the jury, he'll feel it's relatable. Chicks are always full of empathy for weirdos and men would soon believe a guy is hiding he's homo than hiding he's an assassin." Honestly, it seemed fool proof. "The problem with you is that you overthink it with all your 'proof' and 'facts' but anything can be fact if you make it fact."
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Besides, he'd heard enough homophobic quips from their clients to find the thought of fake outing them on the stand pretty entertaining. "Still leaves the issue of the gun. What was that for, fucking each other up the arse?"
He supposed there was some who'd go for that.
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"And you know, you pitch it right, you could convince them it was just a fun, deadly dildo if you want. I believe in you, kid. You got this."
Leaning back in his chair, he exhaled loudly. "Ah, this is a piece of piss. We'll win no problem."
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"Threesome, prostitution, some fun faggotry... Won't be a boring day for the jury." Which, he supposed, was all that really mattered to Taliesin. Maybe he had a point, at least in this case.
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He got himself up and strolled over to the window, wondering how much longer it would piss it down for. "Let me handle the cross examination, you can do the boring crap you like so much and we'll split the slow and methodical destruction of the prosecutor." Seemed like a fair deal.
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He wasn't sure how reliable that was. "You're off to therapy in an hour and then you'll be so fed up afterwards that you're going to hit the drugs hard." He really, really wished that he didn't already know the man well enough to be this familiar with his routine.
"Don't leave me hanging tomorrow, unless you want me to run the whole show. I'm not waiting around."
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Nothing could stop him. Nothing. "If it wasn't for all the drama queens here, I would have finished my case, not gone to hospital." And now here he was, jumping through hoops for the unforgiving bastards. He had a helper, stupid therapy and bi-monthly check ups.
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And there was a risk factor there. He'd rather Tal didn't turn up than he turn up and embarrass himself, and Kian by proxy. "I'm just letting you know I'm prepared." He smiled, very friendly. "You know. So you can rest easy. Party in peace. I know it's harder to shake it off at your age."
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"You keep smart mouthing me, you little punk, and you're not gonna be here much longer. You think you're a big shot but you're a baby to me. Still just shitting your pants and gargling away a bunch of bullshit no one cares about." He leaned forward and purposefully flicked Kian's nose. And not lightly. "I'm older than you but I'm not over the hill. I'm on top of it and you're rolling in the mud."
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He looked into his eyes, those wild, crazy eyes, and he had to smile. He supposed they'd work on people. Frightful sight, but he was getting used to it. "I'm on your side, old man. They don't want you here any more. I think there's a spark left. I'm ready to learn. But you know they only let you come back by making concessions. And I'm the only one willing to put up with all of your shit to get through to the gold underneath."
He pushed him back a step and stayed sitting, for now. "Do you want a ride to therapy or do you want to keep measuring dicks?"
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Reaching out, he grabbed Kian by his suit and yanked him up, using the fact that he had some weight at his advantage to make him actually get to his feet. He shoved him roughly across the room and sneered at him. "Pack the fuck up, we can go. I don't think I can drive, my eyes are like looking into a disco ball right now. Shimmering and fucking messed up." Probably the pills.
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Obviously. He was sure Tal knew it too, but clearly he didn't give a shit. Kian rolled his eyes and walked them out of the office. "Still the same therapist, yeah? I saw him last time. He's cute. I think I know him."
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"I don't care about my blood pressure, it's never been an issue before." Until the heart attack. "It's just settling in." Or whatever.
As they walked towards the lift, he shrugged Kian off and shoved his hands into his pocket. "What? You spend a lot of time in queer clubs, batty-boy?" He had no idea if Kian was gay or not but he assumed he was smart enough to not say it aloud. "For bent ol Mick, he's not so bad."
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"Not your scene? I figured you wouldn't limit yourself." He looked him over and grinned. "If only because you might have run out of women you haven't fucked yet by now."
To be fair, he had yet to meet a woman Tal didn't have some kind of history with. Kian got out when the lift doors opened, putting his hands in his pocket and not entirely aware of how much he was mirroring Tal's body language there.
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Tally got his keys from his pocket and tossed them to Kian, letting him open the door while he slipped into the side.
"Limitations are for weaker men who want to worry about people and ideas and whatever other bullshit that worries them. I have no worries. I'm worry free. So I don't give a shit."
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He snorted and then focused on getting them out of the garage and into traffic. Ah, London. This was going to take a while. "I think I've fucked his boyfriend. Your therapist's."
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He laughed as he looked out of the window, wondering how long it'd fucking take to get out of London. Bloody early evening traffic. "I thought I'd do him a solid, given that gimp keeps fucking with his life."
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At least the money was definitely there, so that might work in their favour. "That's quite the case. Don't think I've ever heard about a high-profile 'why won't he love me?' but it's gay before."
Certainly added some interest. "That kind of partnership isn't even recognised properly by law, doubt you can spin much out of it. Faggots don't win trials right now, they lose them. I guess if you pit two against each other..."
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He fiddled with his car radio and turned it up a little, leaning back as he started to search himself for a nice relaxant. He always took one before therapy - made him seem more stable.
"Faggots can win if I'm backing them. Me and only me. Otherwise, they're fucked."
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"Anyway, last I heard you weren't supposed to take on too much of a case load." Doctor's recommendations and all that. "If there is any more I can help you with, you only have to say."
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"I'm doing fine, feeling fine, ain't nothing wrong with me. Just a little fucking hiccup, that's all." His heart gave out like the fucking weakling it was and now everyone was talking down to him. Bastards.
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He got them off the bigger road, now that they were closer to his therapist's office. Good thing it was the city one and not the one in that bloody village he was so not ever driving him to again. That was too much concentrated Taliesin, by a long shot. "What are you going to discuss today, eh? Daddy issues?"
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He never visited much either so really, he didn't think they have any impact on his life. Or, at least, that was what he kept telling Holden. "Usually we just discuss pointless bullshit for like half an hour and then I ask him about his life and I get myself home." And once, he passed out in the room on the couch and slept there overnight.
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