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Do you want me to bring them to you, or do you want to pick them up from my office here?

I certainly wouldn't make you come all the way over here.

[But the idea of going straight to the lion's den, even if the lion has apparently never done anything to harm him before... Hrm.]

How would you feel about meeting halfway?

Are you saying that there's somewhere you want to meet us at instead?

McGucket Labs.
Would that work for you?

Fine with me. I can be there in about 20 minutes or so if that works for you.

That should work just fine, thank you.

[... He should be safe in there. Not that he's... sure he wouldn't be safe elsewhere. It's just...

If it's not hurting anybody, he might as well do something make himself feel more at peace, right?]

[Danny has actually not been to McGucket Labs very much, if at all, but he knows where it is if only because he is the type of person who does make sure to know the locations of important places in this place.

As such, he does show up in 20 minutes as promised, as a bat that awkwardly shifts into a person dropping down by the door where he lands. He looks... well. Tired is probably the first word to come to mind, because even though he has physically gotten somewhat better from his fight with Mukuro by now, it looks like he hasn't slept well lately. It makes the smile he wears seem even more cheap than usual when he calls out.]

Marco?

[It's not as if McGucket Labs is equipped with some kind of state-of-the-art security system. Marco is doing his best to be reasonable about this, he swears; a familiar meeting place to help him feel safe, a largely harmless location so as to not give Danny the impression that he is being overly paranoid.

Although Marco is of two minds about this, frankly. He could use a professional opinion on how necessary his precautions are.

In any case, once he opens the door... He and Danny don't look too dissimilar. A tense, tired expression that gives way to a strictly courteous smile once he sees that there is no immediately apparent danger.]

Thank you for coming. [He sighs.]

Of course. This is quite an important matter, after all.

[He says, as he reaches somewhere inside his coat before pulling out what appears to be a file. There's an initial "M" on one of the tabs, so it can be easy to guess what this is even if there's no other identifier on the outside of the file.]

I brought what you asked for.

Thank you, [he repeats, perhaps a little too fast, before extending his hand expectantly.

... Thankfully, a moment later, he does remember to ask:]

May I?

[Danny raises an eyebrow.]

Eager, aren't we?

[He looks like he wants to say something else, but he appears to refrain for now as, after a pause, he tilts the file to allow Marco to take it from him here.

Marco will find, upon opening it, that it does in fact appear to be the correct file, with all of Marco's personal information that had been given when he was a patient of Danny's. There's also dates recorded of appointments had, and brief notes of what the subject entailed without going into too much detail about what Marco said exactly during those sessions.

He may note, however, there is one thing missing: any of Danny's own commentary of any opinions, thoughts, recommendations, and so on he had when examining Marco as his doctor. True to his word from before, it seems he either took the time to remove that sort of thing from the file, or it was never there to begin with?]

[For a moment, Danny manages to scare Marco, and it shows. His fingers twitch, his eyes widen only slightly--

But it's fine. Everything is fine.

The file, as far as Marco can tell... is fine, too. He doesn't linger too long on any page - he'd rather not be reminded of things that he said on certain occasions, thank you very much - but it looks professional enough. And the lack of commentary... That doesn't bug him, either.

In fact, he thinks he'd rather not know what Danny thinks of him at all.]

Thank you. [Again. He nods. And since Danny did just as he asked...]

I'm... not sure if you'd like to see me destroy it or not. You do have my word that that's all I'm going to do.

Oh, do I?

[Is this the other shoe Marco had feared dropping? Because sure enough, Danny's expression and tone is not particularly cheery anymore. It's cold and accusatory.]

Because I'm not sure if I believe that, given that you don't seem to trust my own word as much anymore.

[Ah. There it is.]

It-- It's not like that.

[But he hardly has a plan for this. Not one that doesn't require him to throw Rachel under the bus - and that's a plan he simply can't accept.]

Really? Then what is it supposed to be like, Marco?

[He folds his arms here, as if genuinely prepared to stare the other man down and wait for a better answer.]

I... As I said I might, I did my own investigation on the matter.

[Danny knows what matter. It doesn't need to be named. He doesn't need to name who he talked to, either - or rather, Marco would prefer to think Danny can't make him name anybody.]

And... And ultimately, I've concluded that it wouldn't hurt to get rid of the file.

Ah. So you decided to take more stock in rumors than in the fact that you and I have known each other here for... what, years? I'm truly hurt, Marco.

[It's hard to say if he's actually being sincere about feeling that way here--he looks more tired than upset by this.]

But now, I can't help but wonder what exactly this "investigation" turned up that made you decide to consider those slanderous rumors seriously as opposed to trusting my word...

[As guilty as he feels for not taking Riley at her word from the start, it really was Rachel that gave the most credible, convincing testimony. That's what makes this so difficult; it's who she seems to be to both Danny and Aunamee that lends her credence, and it's that very same factor that means he cannot implicate her without consequences.]

... I understand being skeptical. [Marco gulps. Is it even a good idea to throw himself under the bus before Danny gets to do it?] You would know better than anyone that I can jump to conclusions.

[Danny blinks in momentary surprise at that--it seems he was not expecting Marco to say that.]

I suppose you do have a point there.

[...]

... And yet, despite being self aware of that personal flaw, you're still doing so in this moment. Why? What was said that makes you so sure that this is a risk worth taking?

[Preempting Danny cuts the sting of a potential accusation, at least. Few people have more ammunition against Marco than he does; even if he hasn't taken advantage of it so far, and there seems to be no reason to think he has, he could easily deliver a crushing blow.

Unfortunately, preempting Danny does not stop him from asking the one question Marco isn't sure how to answer.

Not directly. Not specifically. If he mentions only the details, and not the broader picture...]

Well, [He inhales.] I've been told you're very close to Aunamee.

[Ah, so that was the info that Marco is having issue with.]

Allegedly, according to my accusers despite no evidence of ever having any conversations with Aunamee online or in person that anyone could vouch for as proof of this.

[However......]

Unless there was someone else you spoke to other than Riley or Mukuro that told you something like that as well?

[There is one other person that does in fact know the truth of all this. And if his suspicion is correct... well. That might be a problem.]

[Oh, no. He's definitely closing in.

But what can Marco do? If Danny already suspects who it might be, denying it will only confirm his suspicions. If he doesn't, and Marco says there was somebody else, then he'll be casting a spotlight on Rachel. There is no perfect option here. What else can he try? Is there a third option...?

...

There might be.]

F... Frankly... The fact that you're denying having spoken to him ever seems telling.

Oh?

[At that, Danny tilts his head, regarding Marco with curiosity. He's kind of interested seeing that Marco has tried to divert his suspicion here rather than confirm it.]

I mean, it is true, isn't it? Have you ever seen me engage in any of his manifestos on the network, or even standing in the same space together? Let alone ever talk about or mention him myself?

... No, I can't say I have. Not for certain.

[That's exactly what he's counting on for this argument, though. He just... has to put it in a way that makes sense. He steels himself -]

But that's-- that's unusual, isn't it? Aunamee has a big presence. And you say you've never interacted with him?

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that icon makes this tag so scary help

as it should tbh

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--> action?

action!

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