Marcone and Dresden Interaction from Fool Moon

His face twitched again, and I could smell him lying. "Of course not, Mr. Dresden. But you don't get where I have in life by being reckless."


"Just by being soulless, right?"


Marcone slammed his palms down on the desktop and stood. I rose with him, enough to stand over him, and to keep my eyes on his. "I am a man of business, Mr. Dresden. Would you prefer anarchy in the streets? Wars between rival crime lords? I bring order to that chaos."


"No. You just make the chaos more efficient and organized," I shot back. "Stick whatever pretty words you want onto it, but that doesn't change the fact that you're a thug, a fucking animal that should be in a cage. Nothing more."


Marcone's normally passionless face went white. His jaw clenched over words of rage.

Okay, okay, I know I have slash goggles permanently attached, but I was reading this scene at lunch and it hit me that Marcone doesn't get really pissed until Harry starts telling him that he's a thug. An animal. Harry, even at this early stage of their relationship has insulted him at pretty much every opportunity. But *this* this is the part that pisses Marcone off. I think he really does see himself as the best option, lesser of two evils, whatever you want to call it. He really does believe that he's the good guy here, as much as anyone can be. And I think, from the Soulgaze, that he *likes* Harry. He's seen Harry's soul, and not flinched. No one else has done that. Whatever he saw in there I think he respects Harry and wants Harry's respect back. Two hard men doing hard things for the greater good. And no, my belief here is not Jossed by the revelations from Even Hand. Marcone is practical and he knows that physically he is playing out of his league when he's dealing with the supernatural world. Harry's powerful, and he just keeps growing more powerful. Having a plan in place to take him out should the need arise is very much in character. Harry and Marcone are enemies who respect each other. And aren't really enemies anymore anyway. Really. Even if they don't want to admit it. And that's even *without* my belief that they are secretly boinking each other. But they *are*.