The Truth With Compromise

 A dimly lit office, a single fluorescent light and the last dregs of sunlight shining the space, just as Chucked liked. He held a microphone connected to his laptop and spoke clearly.

"I must call to your attention the newly passed Environmental Impact and Sustainability Assurance Act."

Focused on his reading he didn't see Jimmy enter, Jimmy taking care not to make some big entrance, despite his heightened sense.

"...a statue that, as you know, went into effect without any ex post facto provisions in place." Chuck continued, still not noticing his brother's entrance.

"The-"

"You got a second, Chuck?" Jimmy asked, further stepping into the room. From the blinds and lack of light Chuck's face remained covered in shadow, the note pad the best object lit in the room.

"Um, not really. I'm I'm kind of..."

"It'll just take two seconds. I promise." Jimmy said, holding a piece of paper in his hand.

"All right." With a press, Chuck stopped the recording. He didn't have any expectations, giving off a rather neutral tone. He put the paper and microphone on the desk as Jimmy stepped forward to hand him that folded piece of paper.

"What's this?"

Chuck took the paper, unfolding and reading it. A signed document, officiated and everything. 'Jimmy McGill has passed the BAR, as per the Uniform Bar Examination.'

A score and breakdown of the marks followed, as did some additional legalese about Jimmy McGill's status now. That didn't matter. Chuck saw what he needed to see.

Chuck snorted. "Is this a joke?"

"No. No joke." Jimmy responded, completely serious.

Chuck looked again, just to make sure. "You...you passed the bar?" He asked skeptically.

"Yeah." Jimmy nodded and smiled. "I did."

"I...I thought if Kim could do it, maybe I can, too, you know?" He said, smile widening. Though he tried to appear meek, he couldn't help but move just a bit, the excitement flowing through his veins.

Chuck continued to look at the paper skeptically, in disbelief.

"So I got my last few credits for undergrad from a community college. I mean, they're not just for draft dodgers and yoga classes, all right?" Jimmy said, pointing as he began. "Then I found a law school that would accept me."

He spoke rather modestly, though Chuck could hear him brimming with happiness. "You know, wasn't Georgetown or anything, but..." He sighed, no doubt already knowing how 'low-brow' it sounded. "The University of American Samoa."

"Oh. Correspondence school." Chuck said. There was a hint of judgment in it, but Jimmy continued.

"Well, I wasn't gonna quit work, right? Day...nights, weekends, you know?" Chuck nodded. "They call it 'distance learning' nowadays. But they're accredited. Go, land crabs." Jimmy said, raising a fist.

Chuck continued to look at him, just surprised and just a little skeptical this wasn't just some 'bit'.

"And, um, the bar exam's a mother. I mean, for me it was. I failed it the first two times, but I guess it's like losing your virginity...third time's the charm." He added uneasily, throwing in an off-colour joke. Though unsaid, he had been expecting a bit more 'enthusiasm' from Chuck.

This wasn't some 'bit'. Chuck smiled and stopped, "how," he said. "This must have taken you years. And you kept it a secret all this time?" He asked, the skepticism replaced with surprise and just a slight hint of betrayal.