Chapter Text
MARTELLX3 + Adopted runt group chat:
I'd let him fuck me in my desk. TM
You'd let anyone fuck you in your desk. NM
Wait. Who are we talking about this time? Ty changes fuckbuddies way too fast for me to catch up. OM
Edric Dayne. The firms new Criminal Law consultant and new eyecandy possibly of the year. The man is gorgeous. TM
I've seen him around in court. Too pretty for me. OM
Jesus, what is with you and Arya? The man is perfect! Forget about my desk, I'd let him fuck me raw on the floor. I bet he's a freak in bed. TM
Possibly. It's always the quiet ones. NM
Stop. Texting. AS
Don't you have work to do? AS
We do. But we prefer to talk about that fine specimen that's in front of you right now. TM
Stop harassing Edric. With Arianne on his back the firm is going to get a reputation. AS
So? Being stalked by our cousin is practically a right of passage in the firm. NM
You drooling over Dayne as well? Funny, with a man like Gendry I'd never look sideways. Now that is a fine specimen of a man. OM
I'd let Gendry fuck me on my desk. TM
DITTO. NM
Same. I'd let him use my gravel if he wants to. OM
I HATE YOU ALL. AS
"You ok over there? You look flustered."
Edric asks me making me blush even more. Bloody Martells.
"No, it's ok. Just a lot to take in" I lie, putting my phone away in my purse as I text under the table.
"I know."-- He says looking at his watch. "Look, we could stay after hours but I find my mind works better if I take a break. Why don't we have an early dinner, call it a day and start tomorrow at 8 sharp?"--
"That sounds good but shouldn't we stay? Order something and continue discussing the case?"
"Our defendant is in police custody. He's not going to kill anyone any time soon. At least I hope he's not, for our sake"-- He says winking at me already getting up and putting his jacket on. I freeze
"Sorry. Dark humor among our line of work is something that grows on you"-- He says immediately apologizing.
"It's ok. It's just hard wrapping your head around the fact that you're defending to keep an actual murderer on the streets"
"Is that something that's going to be an issue for you?"--
"I don't know. It's a lot"
We leave the firm quickly, and hopefully without being seen by Tyene and Nymeria, and settle for a bar that a few streets away. Good food and cheap drinks perfect for a quick dinner.
"Don't look back"-- Edric says as he sets our drinks on the table and puts a hand on my shoulder while whispering into my ear. "I need to look boyfriendy as I just told off those two idiots back at the bar since they were say foul things about you and deciding who was going to hit on you first"--
A finger delicately and just for a second brushes my back as he goes and sits on the other side of the table.
"Thank you. But I'm sure I can handle myself alone" I say sitting up straight and grabbing my drink. Edric's eyes zeroes on my engagement ring.
"So... are we going to talk about the massive elephant in the room?"-- He says after a while, leaning over the table.
Edric Dayne is flirting with me. No need to play dumb. He has been the second we met, I just don't tell anyone because I don't want to give the girls more ammunition since they swear Edric is already half in love with me. Don't get me wrong, he's a professional and has been amazing in showing me the ropes, but the man is suave and knows when to turn on the charm. Not that I'm interested. It does nothing for me. Gendry on the other hand destroys anything Edric could possibly throw at me.
I just lift my eyebrow and say nothing.
"Ok... message received"-- He chuckles retreating back into his side of the table. "Ok, let's talk about what we were talking before we left the office. Do you think defending a guilty party knowingly is going to affect your performance?"--
"How could it not? Doesn't it get to you?"
"I have a counter question Counselor. Why did you decide to become a lawyer?"--
"My brothers would say that I wanted to get paid to argue but I just wanted to help people, defend them, make them be heard"
"Same for me. Only that when I started studying I learned that there's not such thing as black and white. And that the law cannot be broken but it certainly can be bent. It became a game for me, to find how much I could push it and still go on top."--
"I don't know if I can do it Edric"
And there it is. The truth that's been nagging me for the past 2 weeks since Edric arrived and started training me as his secondary lawyer. I haven't even told Gendry about this, I feel like I'm failing.
I can't do it, defend a guilty man, woman, whatever that I know is guilty of committing a crime. We've reviewed case after case this week. Heinous crimes, murders with everything to do with robbery, to arson, and rape and these are just old cases of Edric's. I don't even know how I'm going to react once I'm actually face to face with one of these monsters.
"I've seen you in court"-- Edric says interrupting my inner thoughts. "You're actually brilliant. A perfect record too to go with it"--
"I try to do my best defending an employee who got robbed out of his pension or a mother who's fighting for their child. Not some scum who decided another life was beneath him"
"Oberyn saw something in you, as do I. You hold on to an argument and never let go. That's precious in criminal law, the big bucks that surround cases like these can make a firm be known through all of Westeros"--
"I don't value money and power" I whisper. Sansa's whole ordeal coming to mind.
"Wanna know a secret?"--
"You're not a natural blonde?"
"Nop, the curtain matches the drapes. You could find out if you wanted to"-- He smirks "but seriously, do you know the DA? Dondarrion?"--
"I know who he is but I haven't met him why?"
"Do you want to know how I can still sleep at night after defending all these monsters?"-- I nod for him to continue.
"Our families go way back so we know each other pretty good. There is trust between us so I know he won't sell me out on breaching attorney-client after I slip him a few details that might land my defendant easily back in jail and this time for good on completely different crimes"--
"Shut up, you actually do that?!"
"Just because I like to win doesn't mean I'm not a decent person Arya"-- He shrugs. "Like I said, you can learn to bent the law. Just try it, I for one think your the right person for this job"--
"Thanks, I still have a lot to wrap around my head"
"Don't worry, I'm here to help. Also, can I ask you a question?"--
"Of course"
"Is it serious?" Edric asks, gesturing towards my engagement ring.
"Flirt all you want Dayne. You're not going to get anything from me" And that is final.
......
I go back home with a lot to think about. Listening to Edric and finally facing the fact that I might not be able to go through this kind of job is big for me. I need my sounding board, I need to talk to Gendry and hopefully sort my head out.
The apartment is quiet but it's too early for Gendry to be asleep. Rest assured he's inside our study head inside his computer.
"Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes."-- He says stretching his arms wide, he must have been working for a while. "How was dinner?"--
"It was good, we had a lot to talk about. Actually, I have a lot of issues with the job"
"Ice cream or blueberry pie so we can hash this thing out? You talk and I'll sort things in the kitchen"--
I smile.
It doesn't bother me that Edric Dayne flirts with me because it really does nothing to me. I have boundaries and he respects them. Physically? I'm not blind, the man is attractive. But he's just not my type, I just like big, blue eyed men who drop what they're doing to eat sugary things in questionable hours while their girlfriend rants about their life.
"So?..."
"So what?"--
"What do you think?"
"Well... I think eating both the ice cream with the pie was utter brilliance from me"---
"Don't be a dork" I laugh throwing a pillow at Gendry. We're lying in the couch and I've told him all my worries and fears about becoming a defense lawyer.
"I'm biased on this discussion Arya. I want you happy and at peace with every decision that you make. This is something you need to figure out by yourself. The question is not if you're a good lawyer, the question is if you are going to be ok after you get a not-guilty verdict on someone you know did wrong, regardless if that's your job"---
"I don't think I'll ever be ok with that"
"Ok then, you have your answer"--
"Just that simple uh?"
"It's the sugar babe. It makes me more assertive"---
"No more sugar for you. Let's go to bed" I try to stand but Gendry doesn't let me. A cradles me in his arms and just looks at me.
"You're doing spectacular Arya. You know that right?"-- And there it is, Gendry calling me out on my fear of letting people down.
"I know but"
"No buts. Oberyn won't be disappointed if you say no. This is a tryout after all. He's your boss but he cares for you, he'll understand"--
"Ok"
"Ok? Just that simple uh?"-- He laughs throwing my words back at me.
"With you things are always simple Gen"
"I know, you should marry me for it"--
"I'm already marrying you. It's in the works"
"Speaking of that; your sister sent yet another list. Now the list has a list"--
I groan "We need to start doing stuff for the wedding"
"We need to first set a date"--
"Just pick one and tell me what time I should be there"
"Tomorrow. 7am. You already know the way to the courthouse"--- This earns him another pillow to the head.
"I kid woman, stop with the aggression. Why don't we get everyone together, make sure their schedules are open to certain months and we set a date."--
"Now that is more like a plan"
"I told you, sugar makes me assertive"-- He says kissing my neck.
"Yeah well sugar makes me sleepy. Let's go to bed"--
"But I'm still hungry!"--- He whines kissing me all over my face. Such a dork. I love him.
"Then eat something else and go to bed."
"Pussy it is!"--
"Gendry! Put me down!" I laugh as he throws me over his shoulder and is casually turning all the lights outs before heading upstairs.
"I told you Stark. It's the sugar, makes me know what I want. That happens to be always you. Sue me."---
"I can. I am lawyer you know"
"And a damn good one."-- He says throwing me in bed. "Less talking, more eating".
"How much Ice cream and pie did you have before I came home?"
"Not enough to make me want you less now lay down and be pretty."--
"I think I can manage that..."
I miss writing. I miss you all. I miss Thrones, the good one with the brilliant writing.
Have a great weekend.
xoxo
New Girl