First Impressions: A Modern Pride and Prejudice Adaptation

Chapter 35.1

Darcy leaned his elbows on the edge of his desk as Bingley groaned and scrubbed his hands over his face, his fingers trailing off in his hair until it stood nearly straight up from his head. "God, I hate it. It's literally the worst thing I've ever done." He finally stopped his pacing and threw himself back onto the couch.

"I thought that's what you said about studying for the LSAT."

"Ha ha."

"No, I'm serious," Darcy said. The words felt very odd in his mouth; the entire situation felt very odd. Normally he was the one struggling while Bingley made light hearted jokes. "I'd swear you said that exact phrase to me while you were studying."

Bingley, Darcy decided immediately after the words left his mouth, was much funnier. He would leave the jokes to him after all.

For his part, Bingley seemed entirely unaffected by the attempt at humor. "I really, really didn't think it would be this bad. I mean, Dad's been pulling..." He trailed off with a grimace. "Well, whatever he's been pulling, for years. But it's different when you're in the thick of it."

No encouragement was necessary for Bingley to continue. He had never been one to need coaxing; when he started to speak, he would carry on until he was finished. "Late hours are one thing, if you believe in the work, but he takes all these crap lawsuits just because they can afford us. I mean, I guess it'd be one thing if we took someone of substance every once in a while, but it's just meaningless. It's all people throwing money at things that have no importance.

"And maybe it wouldn't be so bad if it was quick nonsense, but I'm just at my desk at crazy, stupid hours and it feels like I live in the office half the time. I don't mind working my way up—I want to work my way up, I don't want Dad's money for free, but... I kept thinking I would finally get a handle on it, and then I could take my weekends out here with you, or we could go to New York, or... or Baltimore, or something—anything other than DC! But I feel like I'm drowning."

Unprompted, he added, "I know, I know... Compared to 99% of the world I have it easy, I'm lucky to work with my father and have a family business to work up in, et cetera, et..." Bingley's words dissolved when he groaned again. "Sorry. I don't mean to be so whiney. It makes me sound like—well, like some spoiled boarding school brat." The grin he flashed was slightly more genuine, though it was directed towards the rug. "Drive was rough today. I think that's what's doing it... Not to be a bad guest, but I think I might just go to bed." He glanced at Darcy, waiting for a protest that they both knew would never come.

"Sure," Darcy said evenly. He smoothed one hand over the slightly crumpled page of his open notebook. The fingers of the other worried the edge of his keyboard.

The couch creaked as Bingley rose, picking his way around the edge of one of the armchairs. He paused at the door, fingers wrapped around the handle. "And maybe also, I..." Then he stopped and let out a newly disgusted noise. "Oh, never mind."

Darcy looked up from his laptop again, though he barely raised his eyes above the top edge. "What?"

Bingley shook his head vehemently enough to muss his hair and muttered almost too low for Darcy to hear, "You don't want to hear it."

Almost. Darcy had no answer and when his expression did not change, Bingley assumed his friend had not heard. He shared another almost-happy grin and said, "Night! I'm going to try and cut my afternoon call short so I can go see Liz."

"Yes, I... will also try to cut my appointments short..." He kept his face firmly neutral, but in his head, Darcy was speculating whether or not he could avoid to skip out on his engagements entirely.