boxolawyers | (no subject)

Who: Quatre, Edgeworth
What: A virus strikes! Quatre and Edgeworth are forced to stay within proximity of each other, lest they become terribly ill.
Where: The Maganac's village and base of operations.
When: Some random point in time.
Warnings: None!

The sun peaked through the curtains of the window, slowly bathing the small bedroom in light. It was a quiet morning; the only sounds that could be heard were those of men and women setting up shops at the market down the hill, and those were only faint echos at best.

It was a day to sleep in--not that Quatre normally did. There was something about this place, though, something peaceful and safe. Everyone knew who he was, just as they did nearly everywhere he went these days, but the Maganac Corps were like family, and so was everyone in the village by proxy. He could forget about politics and disarmament, at least for a moment, which was why--when a sliver of sunlight positioned itself directly over his face--the young man simply winced and rolled over with nothing more than a groan.

He could afford a moment more.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Against all of his expectations, the rest of his first day in Winner's world passed in relative peace. Aside from a somewhat awkward introduction to Rashid, who turned out to be every bit as intimidating and overly protective as Winner had warned, Edgeworth's interactions with the rest of Winner's associates went surprisingly smoothly. (True, that may be chiefly attributed to Edgeworth's efforts to keep to himself as much as possible, but it was still better than he had anticipated.)

Winner's crash course in business took up a sizable chunk of the morning and included a sort of rehearsal where Edgeworth was required to sit in on some of the boy's conversations in preparation for the upcoming trip. When there were no other demands on Winner's time, there were hours of (not unpleasant) conversation to be had. Edgeworth allowed himself the freedom to delight in (and, perhaps, over-indulge in) the household's culinary offerings--rich, comforting, and seasoned to perfection. Even the coffee and tea rivaled anything he had found on his own world. As forced sabbaticals went, this one could certainly have been worse.

And given what the next few hours promised, it might get even better.

A little twinge of nervous anticipation snaked its way through his stomach. Relaxing dream vacations were not the community's forte. At least not where Edgeworth was concerned. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was merely being set up for an unpleasant fall. He tried to force himself to release some of the tension suddenly creeping up his back and shoulders as he fell into step beside Winner. The shuttle was just ahead, and beyond that, space. It was time to put his concerns on the back burner and enjoy the ride.

As they made their way to the shuttle, Quatre looked to the sky with a faint smile. Returning home elicited complicated feelings at the best of times. He loved space, of course, and space was home.

But home was also Winner Enterprises and all of its associated baggage. As rewarding as yesterday's conversation had been, the wounds it reopened were still healing, and he had spent much of the night thinking about his father. While the sleep he managed did leave him in better spirits, he knew this was going to be a long shuttle ride.

At least he had friends to distract him, though. His smile brightened as he looked to Rashid, Ahmad, Abdul, and Mr. Edgeworth in turn. Though the latter was probably a long way from returning the sentiment, Quatre was at least confident that the man didn't hate him. That was more than he could have said before yesterday.

"It's a lot like an airplane," he offered, hoping to dispel some of the anxiety he was sure Edgeworth was feeling. Even seasoned pilots got nervous about first times in space. "In fact, the inside is nearly indistinguishable."

He wasn't aware that he may have been giving too much away again until Winner reminded him. A slightly sour, pinched expression flashed across his features for an instant before he tamped down on his habitual anxiety over such exposure. It wasn't the boy's fault he couldn't keep his own emotions in check. At least he seemed to have misinterpreted the source.

Of course, in doing so he gave Edgeworth something else to be anxious over. He hadn't spared much thought yet to what the reality of space travel was going to be like...particularly on a world which still didn't seem to have cell phones or laptops which weren't bulky and awkward.

Stop being foolish, he snapped at himself. If it was that dangerous and unpredictable, they wouldn't allow unqualified, untrained people to do it.

'...a lot like a plane.' He forced a rueful smile on his lips and shrugged. "I have had ample experience with planes, at least."

Contrary to what Edgeworth might think, very few emotions were noteworthy. Having long grown used to their fluctuations, he kept talking as if the flash of increased anxiety had gone unnoticed. "Being from the colonies, I'm actually more experienced with shuttles. My first time on a plane was only a year ago." As he said this, a thoughtful look crossed his face. "Which reminds me... Obviously, there are some key differences you should know about."

To think, flitting around outer space was mundane for him long before his first experience with a plane. If Edgeworth had his timeline right, even the boy's fledgling flights in his war machine would have come before his first steps on Earth. He wondered briefly if Winner had anticipated his first plane trip with any of the anxiety he was feeling now as they approached the shuttle. However, he discarded the notion almost immediately. Surely experiences on such a massive scale would make something like a plane ride seem unspeakably banal.

Their life experiences and perception may not be mirrored, but he could at least try to maintain an equivalent level of grace. Edgeworth made an effort to steady his thoughts, nourishing the excitement slowly building in his chest and scattering the threads of anxiety as best he could. "Please, elucidate. Forewarned is forearmed, after all."

(no subject)

I literally have no non-Ryslig icons but my default now fml

What a travesty. My account expired, too 8(

Did you renew it (while you were renewing mine because you're the best wifey)?

:3c

^3^<3