ACE ATTORNEY AU

[enigmaster]

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[enigmaster]

...Okay. [It's a little quiet.]

[agoodname]

[he squeezes his hand, gently, before pushing to his feet. He'll retrieve an ice pack and a broom, handing the former off to Edward before sweeping up the shattered plate with the latter. He just...he needs a moment to think. Because as much as he really deeply feels like he's having a meltdown, internally, he just....he can't think about this now. He can't think about what might've given Edward that bruise. He can't think about if it could've been worse. He can't think about if Edward might not've come home at all. He can't-- --and the noise of ceramic hitting the floor jolts him, slightly. Some of the pieces have dropped from the dust pan that he's been holding. And Oswald sucks in a breath, and quickly finishes cleaning that up, blinking very rapidly, trying not to let his hands shake]

[enigmaster]

[Edward takes the ice pack, holding it against the bruise. The first real relief it's gotten since it happened... He really should've done this himself, earlier, but. Well. Mostly he's just quiet, a little lost in thought as he presses the ice pack against his throat... until that sound. Edward startles a little, looking up quickly. And he looks over at Oswald.] Are... [He pauses and swallows.] Are you okay...?

[agoodname]

[and Oswald dumps those shards into a paper bag before throwing it in the trash. Then he puts away the broom and the dustpan and just...leans his elbows on the counter, covering his face with his hands, his back to Edward] ...you promised. [his voice is quiet, upset]

[enigmaster]

[Yeah... There it is. And there's the stab of guilt through him. No, really... That's been there all along. Now he just can't ignore it. It feels awful. So he can't even imagine how it must feel for Oswald.] I... I know... I'm sorry. [It feels stupid to even say. As if saying he's sorry even matters at all or changes anything.]

[agoodname]

I just--[Oswald's voice wavers, and he cuts himself off. He's silent another moment, trying to get himself under control] ...I'm scared, Edward. [his voice is small--he's still not looking at him]

[enigmaster]

[...] I'm... I really am sorry. I... [Edward looks down at the floor, now, not able to look at Oswald either right now.] I don't really... know what happened. I...

[agoodname]

You didn't last time, either. [he rubs at his eyes with the heels of his palms] Know what happened.

[enigmaster]

...Mhm. [He keeps staring at the floor. It's true. He didn't know then, either, no. And this time... He... He doesn't know why this keeps happening. Why he's doing this. Because... this shouldn't happen now, right? After all, he's... he has a home now. He's here, with Oswald, and he's happy. And yet...] I... I just don't know, it's... I know it happened, but when I think about it, it's like I can't even remember the reason why I was out there. It must've been important to me, but... [He pushes his glasses up, pressing a hand up to his face for a moment. Ah...] I think... I think there's something really wrong with me... [And when he says that, Edward's voice is... breaking a little.]

[agoodname]

[it feels like there's a fist or something, tightening in his chest and squeezing his heart and Oswald pushes off from the counter, slowly coming over and just standing in front of Edward's chair for a moment, unsure of what to do. He doesn't know how to help. What can he do, really? So he just--well, Edward might not like it. He might pull back. But...] ...okay. [quietly, and Oswald takes a step closer, reaching out to wrap his arms around Edward and just...hold him for a moment. It's all he can do, really.]

[enigmaster]

[For a moment, as Oswald puts his arms around him, Edward freezes up a little, anxiously. There's a beat where he's just frozen. Scared. But then he grasps Oswald's shirt, holding on almost desperately and... there's a sound Oswald might not be expecting. Because Edward's tended to keep his feelings inside, where it's safer. Even his moments of emotional vulnerability have been... generally understated, nightmares aside. But that's unmistakably the sound of a sob.]

[agoodname]

[Oswald's stomach gives a lurch at that, and his arms tighten around Edward, holding him close, hand petting down his spine, trying to be soothing, or at least grounding]

[enigmaster]

[It's been a very long time since Edward last cried. After a while, he just... stopped. It just seemed pointless, at some point. It didn't help anything. Now it's just... flowing out of him and he can't stop it. He just holds onto Oswald.]

[agoodname]

[and he'll hold Edward through it, as long as he needs, even as his ankle starts to throb quietly with standing in this position for so long. But he ignores it, just holding him tighter. If this is all he can do, he'll do it to the best of his ability.]

[enigmaster]

[Edward quiets down... after a little bit. He's still crying, but it's not quite the outright sobbing from before.] I'm sorry...

[agoodname]

[and Oswald just...rests his chin on the top of his head] S'nothing to apologize for.

[enigmaster]

I'm kind of falling apart on you... And I broke my promise.

[agoodname]

I don't mind you falling apart on me. [his arms tighten a bit around him] I...I'm glad you trust me enough. With this. [as for that other part, though....]

[enigmaster]

...I'm still sorry, though. I just... It felt like... [...] I don't know. Like it wasn't even really me.

[agoodname]

That sounds...difficult. [he keeps his fingers petting against Edward's upper back, soothing] And scary.

[enigmaster]

[He nods a little.] It was... the same this morning, too. When I was talking to you. I got scared and... and next thing I knew, it's like I couldn't control what I said or did anymore...

[agoodname]

It...sounds like a defense mechanism of some kind? But one that doesn't exactly help you.

[enigmaster]

Kind of seems like it's doing the opposite... ...I don't... know what to do about it...

[agoodname]

...I don't either. But we could do some research. There has to be some information somewhere about it.

[enigmaster]

You think...? [Right now... Right now, Edward just feels lost and scared and uncertain. He doesn't know what to do.]