[RL] It was only a matter of time

[samuraiprosecutor]

Who: Edgeworth, the Corinthian (II)
What: A celebration is interrupted by an old favorite virus.
Where: Edgeworth's apartment
When: Mid-evening
Warnings: None



Sieghard was waiting by the door long before the jangling of keys preceded their entrance into the apartment. Edgeworth greeted the dog with a few gentle pats, leading him out of the doorway to allow their guest room to enter.

"Can I get you anything?" he asked, for once mindful of his duties as host. "There should still be a few beers left from the last time you were here."

Sieghard moved on to the Corinthian, planting himself at the nightmare's side and sniffing curiously at his hand before greeting him with a lick.

Comments

[darkmirror-vr2.livejournal.com]

"I don't know," he said with a careless shrug. "I'm feeling pretty confident. But let's start it up and see, then."

[samuraiprosecutor]

"Let's."

The tension hadn't quite dissipated, but it had eased enough for Edgeworth to be able to fall back into the film without much effort. Once the movie was playing, he kept his eyes fixed on it until the very end. As the credits rolled he slowly leaned forward, picked up his glass, and tossed his head back to down what was left in it.

"Well well..." He turned to his companion, a smirk on his lips and his eyebrow cocked. "Corinthian, I believe you've finally managed to exonerate yourself."

[darkmirror-vr2.livejournal.com]

By the time the credits began he had already looked over at Edgeworth expectantly, waiting on whatever commentary was to come next. But it looked like he hadn't had anything to worry about after all.

"You really are damn difficult man to please, anyone ever tell you that?" His own smirk widened, just slightly, and he chuckled as he looked away. "I'm glad you liked it, though. It's been one of my favorites."

[samuraiprosecutor]

"Actually, despite appearances I'm not so difficult to please. I demand of others only what I'd demand of myself." The feigned loftiness of his tone hinted at what was coming.

"...Perfection."

His amusement was clear in the way he narrowed his eyes as he said it. Then his expression softened into a small but pleased smile. "But I'll readily admit that this time you delivered. It was an extremely well-crafted film. I can see why it would be a favorite."

[darkmirror-vr2.livejournal.com]

"I don't know. Perfection might be a bit hard, but if it'll make you happy...." Well....honestly, it might be worth a try, however badly it would fail on his end. He shook his head, still grinning.

"I told you before I wasn't all pointless gore, didn't I?"

[samuraiprosecutor]

"You did. And after all this time you've finally managed to prove it," he said, the smirk returning. He took a sip of wine before giving his companion a curious look. "Are you really so concerned with making me happy?"

[darkmirror-vr2.livejournal.com]

"Should I not be?" It was a genuinely curious question, though the grin never quite left his face as he turned to look over at Edgeworth in return. He would have kept up the banter; in fact, that's what he'd been aiming to do.

But....

"As long as you're happy, so am I."

[samuraiprosecutor]

He should have brushed it off. He should have kept his voice steady and calm and made some flippant comment to the effect that the Corinthian should enjoy the films he enjoys regardless of what Edgeworth thinks of them.

Instead, his brows furrowed, and he hesitantly replied, "Corinthian...?"

[darkmirror-vr2.livejournal.com]

That....wasn't an expected response to their usual good natured teasing, and the Corinthian's grin quickly faded as well, replaced with confusion. Did he say something....

There was a pause, brief but tense, and then he swore, quietly, grabbed his jacket off the armrest and stood. He shouldn't have said that. He didn't know why he said it. He had kept his feelings to himself very well before, why was he now--

"Thanks for dinner." The leather was shrugged on in one quick motion as he headed for the door, not looking up. "I'll talk to you later."

[samuraiprosecutor]

The nightmare's reaction confirmed his fears that he hadn't misread the comment. Something twisted uncomfortably in his stomach, but he stood almost as quickly as the Corinthian did, stepping over his startled dog to head the nightmare off before he could reach the front door.

"What did you mean, Corinthian?" he demanded, the furrow in his brow deepening.

[darkmirror-vr2.livejournal.com]

It would have been too easy to just brush the other man aside and continue out the door, but he held himself back, fists clenching at his sides instead. But he only looked at him with a flat expression.

"Edgeworth, you need to move."

[samuraiprosecutor]

Edgeworth cocked an eyebrow at that, but made no move to let him pass.

[darkmirror-vr2.livejournal.com]

"I--" Didn't mean anything. That was what he wanted to say, but the words died before they reached his throat. Twice, when he tried again. Goddammit.

"....Exactly what it sounded like." He looked up, gave him a hard look. "Any chance you could move now?"

[samuraiprosecutor]

He didn't move, but he did seem to relent. The hard challenge in his eyes softened, leaving only confusion and something that bordered on a silent plea. "I don't understand."

[darkmirror-vr2.livejournal.com]

"You don't have to understand. You're not supposed to. I...." The rest of the comment never made it and he sighed, frustrated and a little lost. He didn't know what else to say....

[samuraiprosecutor]

Unfortunately, neither did Edgeworth. All he could do was stare at his friend, his eyes narrowed, searching for...some cue, some sign that this wasn't what he thought it was, some answer to a question he didn't know.

He didn't find any of it, and eventually he had to drop his gaze. Something clenched in his chest; he lifted a hand to rub fitfully at his other sleeve while his mind floundered for purchase and landed on what seemed like the only means of escape. He looked up into the Corinthian's dark glasses.

"You're... You've been acting oddly this evening. Could this be a virus?"

[darkmirror-vr2.livejournal.com]

While Edgeworth's gaze fell, the Corinthian's didn't. He continued to study the man's demeanor, the fidgeting, and he was almost sure he could feel his heart fall just a little more every second.

The next question did little to help the growing discomfort and tension. Not when he had already suspected it himself. He grimaced.

"....maybe partly," he agreed. And he was starting to get the feeling he knew exactly which one it could be.

[samuraiprosecutor]

That wasn't the answer he'd hoped to hear. Edgeworth's eyes narrowed.

""Partly'?"

[darkmirror-vr2.livejournal.com]

And this time he actually flinched. But rather than defending himself he turned away, and for the first time in their conversation he didn't answer. It was safer not to.

[samuraiprosecutor]

But still not safe enough. It wasn't too difficult for Edgeworth to put his refusal to speak together with what had already been said and come up with the answer he'd suspected for the past few minutes. His gaze hardened.

"You didn't intend to tell me this."

[darkmirror-vr2.livejournal.com]

And there it was. The Corinthian gave a quiet sigh, reaching up to run a hand awkwardly through his hair.

"No." Finally, a little bit of blunt truth. "Everything was fine the way it was."

[samuraiprosecutor]

With that unequivocal statement, the reality of it hit him. Edgeworth's glare crumbled and he averted his eyes, looking down to find Sigi at his side, staring up at him questioningly. He let go of his sleeve and lowered his hand to tangle his fingers tightly in the dog's fur.

"How long?" His voice sounded hollow. "Why..." He let it trail off as he searched for a way to ask how this came about then realized the question probably couldn't be answered anyway.

[darkmirror-vr2.livejournal.com]

"....a while," he admitted, hesitantly, and only after a long pause. "I couldn't even tell you when it actually started." Or much longer still it was before he could stop denying it to himself, or finally given in to the fact that nothing would come of it regardless....

"But does it really matter?"

[samuraiprosecutor]

It took him equally as long to answer.

"No. I suppose it doesn't." He frowned then finally raised his eyes to meet his friend's gaze again. There was no pity there, no anger...only regret.

"Corinthian..."

[darkmirror-vr2.livejournal.com]

An all too easy look for him to read, and he could feel his throat tighten while everything else fell. He'd been right in keeping it to himself after all.

"Don't." It came faster than he intended, more urgent. It was hard to bottle it back down before he continued. "You weren't supposed to know. Just....don't."