cantacquityou | [ARCHIVED] IC-inbox

...This is a general post for Paradisa residents, should anyone wish to harass visit or contact Edgeworth ICly. If you are not from Paradisa (I.E., from another game/dressing room, etc), you are welcome to interact with Edgeworth via ~~his Hotel Room~~.

LOLNOPE. Edgey has a new inbox now. Go there.

Room at various angles.

...Because Edgeworth is very well-off, there will be no question that he will request as much from the castle as he can to feel 'at home.' Therefore, his room will be inspired by a room of one of his favourite hotel suites - the Hazlitts in Soho, London. The hotel room is a bit smaller than it appears in the picture, but is extremely richly furnished and decorated. However, with opulence comes a price, as usual, and because of Edgeworth's fastidious tastes, the castle will inflict upon him at least one temporary loss per month. Unbeknownst to Edgeworth, of course.

At any given time, there will be a book or two on the bed, and others placed sporadically at various crevasses within the room. There is another, smaller partition of the room containing a couch, small table, and chair. There are a pair of small speakers, a heated blanket, a small fridge with at least two wine bottles, and a heating apparatus that doesn't emit microwaves. There's also a burgundy/blue chess set. There's no television, no futon, and of course, no Oldbag . There is a black box on the desk that requires not only a key to be opened, but a sliding puzzle to be solved. There's also a medium-sized kitchen. The bathroom is nothing particularly fascinating, as he doesn't spend enough time in there to feel the need to expend too much effort in decorating it, and it is much smaller than one may expect after seeing the room. There is, however, a clean bathtub lined with a few red/gold, unused candles.

See the chess piece? Definitely Edgeworth's room.

The kitchen is similar to this, but quite smaller:

Current Mood: amused
Current Location: Hotel Room

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

You're always on top of things. When I do win against you in court, it's by the skin of my teeth. You're better than me--at life, I guess--and you know it. And your money is part of that.

I...I see...

...so, then, it's fair, isn't it? For me to be surprised when you actually like something about me. I mean, you're better suited to grander company than mine.

That...That is not how I have been seeing it.

That is not how I have been seeing it at all.

Oh? ...mind sharing your side of things?

We are entirely different beings - that I agree - and while they may become glaringly obvious and, at times, harrowing in lesser situations, it is these differences that, in my opinion, make us the perfect team in the pursuit of higher justice and truth. You also possess certain qualities that are a 'million levels' over my own, and...given the general outcome when we work together, I had started to think that, because of said differences, we compliment each other rather nicely...

...At work, you tend to make up for what I generally lack. If it were not for you, I would still be plagued by nightmares nearly each night. I am grateful for all that you have done and I am utterly indebted. I see. I...I knew I should have paid you more for your services. You deserved far more than that... I don't understand how this could have escaped me all this time. It explains so much... I am sorry... If only I were cognizant of this before, I would have had a far better understanding of--...[he trails off.]--...

...some 'friend' I am, hm?

[He's speechless throughout this surprisingly wordy explanation, clenching the black shell still in his fist and trying, in the moonlight, to watch Edgeworth's expression as carefully as possible while he talks.]

Miles--no, first of all, I don't want money from you. You're a wealthy guy, I'm not, and I'm inclined to a little embarrassment about that when I'm with you, but it's not a friendship-breaking problem.

And anyway, it's so much more than enough "payment" for me to know you don't have nightmares anymore because of me. That's... incredible, really. You have no idea what that does for me--makes me just puff up with all this joy in my heart that I could help you like that. And...

...and you thinking of us as an effective team is...

[(Gushing a little too hard, there, Phoenix. Settle down.) He takes a slow breath.]

...it's really, really good to hear you say that. I'm sorry for feeling intimidated by you, but believe me, it's no fault of yours.

The fact that you do - well, still do, rather - was lost to me. And while I do know that you are not seeking money from me, it doesn't change the fact that what I had gained because of your help and influence is priceless. Paying you more was the least I could have done in return. I should have had the better conscience about me to do so before.

I don't think I would've taken it if you'd tried--and even if, for some reason, I had, I don't think it would've changed a thing about how I feel right now, in this damn castle on this stupid beach.

[Punctuating his adjectives with gestures, he continues.]

So I feel inadequate next to you... is that really so hard to understand? You have the world at your feet. A fancy car, adoring fans, and everything you want you can get if you just snap your fingers. I'm only human. Of course I feel like I can't measure up to that kind of success. Why you even see me is beyond my understanding, and the fact that you like me just boggles my mind. I believe you... but I don't really get it.

[After taking that all in, he stays silent for several seconds before the weight of the words cause for his knees to buckle...he falls to his knees before leaning back to sit upon his shins. Speechless, he fixes his gaze upon the moonlit waters, those heavy words teeming throughout his head...]

Miles! Are you okay?

[And he's on his knees, too, hands on Edgeworth's shoulders and gripping tightly.]

What is it? What did I do?

[He gently pats one of those hands on his shoulder.]

...Nothing. It's quite alright.

[He bites his lip. Should one have a trained-enough ear, one may hear a small 'sniff' from beneath his silver bangs...]

Hmph. Do you recall at the end of the case when I had asked if you had wanted to switch places? The offer still stands... [His voice degrades into a morose laugh of sorts...]

I don't want to switch places.

[He's tried to contain himself, really he has, but he's a touchy-feely person by nature, and someone very important to him is sniffling and emotional...

...so, forget inhibition; he wraps his arms tightly around Edgeworth and proclaims]

I like you the way you are!

Hmph.

[The hug doesn't surprise him, be it that it was coming from Mr. Affectionate himself, but with all the utter embarassment of being on the verge of losing certain composure on display for Phoenix to see, he immediately attempts to regain it as if nothing had happened. He inhaled deeply, actually enjoying the bit of human contact this time around. Turning his head against Phoenix's cheek, a small semblance of a smirk appears as he speaks lowly, and close to his ear...]

...Objection.

[That soft-spoken word against his ear certainly has an effect on Phoenix, although it's probably not the kind that was intended. It's all he can do not to shiver at it, and even so, he presses Edgeworth more tightly into this painfully predictable hug.]

It's myself I have a problem with--not being able to keep up with you. I want to be--

[He won't finish the thought--"good enough for you."]

"...[my] friend"? Is that what you were going to say? [Since...that's generally what he would say. Though Edgeworth, at this point, decides to hold back on stating the real reason for his, 'Objection,' seeing that it would more than likely bring the man down more than he already seemed to be.]

...no, that isn't what I was going to say, but it's no matter.

[Abruptly, he lets go the hug and sits down on his knees in the sand, hoping distantly that the darkness hides his face well enough to keep the bare emotions there from showing.]

You don't believe me that I like you the way you are?

[He simply closes his eyes and shakes his head.]

[Phoenix groans at that--a pained, quiet sound tending slightly toward a whimper--and rakes his hands through his hair. In this half-moment, he truly fears he might do something much too rash to prove just how wrong Edgeworth is, but the rough hug was already pushing it, he felt certain.

Maybe he lingers too long looking at Edgeworth, sitting there with his eyes shut and that forlorn expression, but he's lost for what to do, and his chest and stomach feel like exploding and everything... hurts.

And everything makes terrible sense, and his words are heavy despite their low volume.]

You don't know the half of it.

[...and that only makes him certain that he doesn't want to explain his reasons at the very moment.]

...I can very much guarantee that neither do you.

[...and yet, in terms of subject matter, they could very well be meaning very different things. Edgeworth, having concealed plenty of shortcomings that being called the 'Demon Prosecutor' barely scratched the surface of, there were just...far too many things that he had hoped to keep away from Phoenix (and anyone who had retained some sort of respect for him), but oddly enough, now thought that it one day may be necessary to share with him. This, however, was definitely not the time.]

No, I... I'm sure I don't.

[And there's nothing else to it. There's no understanding, and yet somehow it's the lack that hangs almost tangible in the air.

Phoenix sits and tries to silently keep his mind from falling apart as he wonders, wildly, if maybe he should just walk out into the ocean and give up now while he still can.

In a mental standoff with himself, he does nothing but gaze at the moon.]

[He looks over at Phoenix for several seconds before...suddenly erupting into a fit of subdued laughter.]

[It takes him a moment to notice the laughter.]

...are you laughing at me?

Nonsense. I am laughing at myself. Only I would be the sort of person to make an effort to cheer you up and end up making you feel worse.

I thought we were both trying to cheer each other up.

[He's talking a bit more normally, now, but his eyes are still glassy and he can't seem to look at Edgeworth.]