Bond (backstory, 20 years ago)
Jan. 25th, 2025 06:20 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lepidopterologistAfter a long day that had started in court, Harry sat in the dim light of his study in his Beverly Hills home, the soft hum of classical music playing in the background and the scent of aged whiskey lingering in the air as it rested on the table beside him.
The case had gone perfectly. As a junior associate at the firm, Harry had been assigned a thankless, high-profile mess: James Bond, the young actor whose reckless behavior had made headlines for all the wrong reasons for years. Driving under the influence of cocaine, Bond had caused a car accident that left the other driver paralyzed. But Harry had turned it all around in court today - Bond had gotten probation and no jail time. The victim, despite the overwhelming evidence, had also been convinced not to go public with her story, her own skeletons swept neatly under the rug.
Harry knew that pulling off this victory wouldn’t just put his skills on display—it would solidify his place at the firm. A victory like this was the kind of thing that made careers. He would be moved into bigger cases now, cases where the stakes were even higher, where he’d be given more leverage to negotiate, more power to dictate the terms.
But as much as he knew this would further his career, he couldn't help but feel unsettled. Bond was a mess of a man, brimming with arrogance, a spoiled brat with more money than sense. He hadn’t seemed to fully grasp the consequences of his actions, as if the law and its consequences were something that didn’t really apply to him. And Harry had made it all go away. With a well-timed bit of leverage and a quiet word here and there, Bond’s future was assured. No consequences yet again.
Harry wasn’t a saint. He’d made his peace with this line of work a long time ago. But it still left a sour taste in his mouth.
The sound of a doorbell broke his thoughts. He rose from his chair and walked slowly to the door. He was not overly surprised when he opened it and found Bond on the other side.
The case had gone perfectly. As a junior associate at the firm, Harry had been assigned a thankless, high-profile mess: James Bond, the young actor whose reckless behavior had made headlines for all the wrong reasons for years. Driving under the influence of cocaine, Bond had caused a car accident that left the other driver paralyzed. But Harry had turned it all around in court today - Bond had gotten probation and no jail time. The victim, despite the overwhelming evidence, had also been convinced not to go public with her story, her own skeletons swept neatly under the rug.
Harry knew that pulling off this victory wouldn’t just put his skills on display—it would solidify his place at the firm. A victory like this was the kind of thing that made careers. He would be moved into bigger cases now, cases where the stakes were even higher, where he’d be given more leverage to negotiate, more power to dictate the terms.
But as much as he knew this would further his career, he couldn't help but feel unsettled. Bond was a mess of a man, brimming with arrogance, a spoiled brat with more money than sense. He hadn’t seemed to fully grasp the consequences of his actions, as if the law and its consequences were something that didn’t really apply to him. And Harry had made it all go away. With a well-timed bit of leverage and a quiet word here and there, Bond’s future was assured. No consequences yet again.
Harry wasn’t a saint. He’d made his peace with this line of work a long time ago. But it still left a sour taste in his mouth.
The sound of a doorbell broke his thoughts. He rose from his chair and walked slowly to the door. He was not overly surprised when he opened it and found Bond on the other side.