ACE ATTORNEY AU

[enigmaster]

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[agoodname]

[Oswald looks...better. He's got a crutch instead of his cane leaning against the table, and he's idly flipping through the file he's brought with him. He glances up as Edward enters, blinking at how quiet he is.]

....good evening, Mr. Nygma.

[enigmaster]

[Edward doesn't... say anything, right away. He's still quiet. Glancing at the crutch and then just... taking in Oswald in general. He's not sure what to say.]

[agoodname]

[. . . . . . um]

....apologies for being late earlier today.

[enigmaster]

... [Apologies for-- Is he for real?] ...That's alright. [It's... softer. It doesn't have the defensive sharp edge that's usually on his voice, which stands out a lot now that it's not there.] I wasn't expecting you at all. So...

[agoodname]

[he just huffs at that, sitting back and folding his arms--though he does look a bit confused at the softer tone]

I told you--I don't drop cases.

[enigmaster]

You did. [...He's still not... sure. What he should be saying.] But people say a lot of things. And after our last conversation...

[agoodname]

[at the mention of that, Oswald goes a bit stiff, glancing away] ...yes, well. It was a bit shocking.

[enigmaster]

...I'm sure it was, yes.

[agoodname]

[he huffs out another sigh, then, rubbing a hand over his face] So. You see ghosts. Not just see them, but talk to them, apparently. Frequently.

[enigmaster]

[He blinks.] ...Um. Yes.

[agoodname]

[......] ...my mother included. [that, itself, is quiet--and Oswald his hiding his eyes behind his hand for a moment]

[enigmaster]

...Yes. That's right.

[agoodname]

...okay. [his voice wobbles again, slightly, and he clears his throat--getting all of that under control before he drops his hand]

Well, in that case, my condolences. [drawled, because sarcasm is a very good defense mechanism h e y]

"I heard that! Naughty boy!" [speaking of, Gertrude sits on the table, tsking] "Teasing his mother like that."

[enigmaster]

[Well. Well, that's a response, alright. And Edward blinks a little at Gertrude's appearance.] She says she heard that. And you shouldn't tease her.

[agoodname]

[and Oswald blinks--yeah that's going to take him a moment, and his face does a sort of weird thing where he's not sure if he should be happy or sad or not so he just ends up looking confused] It's a son's job to keep his mother on her toes. "Yes, and my heels have never touched the ground in twenty-one years." [her response is automatic, practiced, like this is a common conversation.]

[enigmaster]

She says her heels haven't touched the ground in twenty-one years. [It's easy enough for Edward to repeat things. He's done this before, though usually the circumstances are... different. Worse.] ...I know this is... very weird.

[agoodname]

[when Edward says that first part, his expression starts to morph, and Oswald drops his head to hide it. It takes him a moment to actually respond] Ah. A bit. [his voice is...very quiet.]

[enigmaster]

...Yeah. I mean, it's... you know, normal for me, but. Very unbelievable for anyone else.

[agoodname]

[Oswald barks out a strangled laugh at that, though it hiccups a bit in the middle--and he swallows. What does he even say right now?]

[enigmaster]

Are you-- [oh my god no stop talking don't finish that sentence] ...okay? [goddammit Edward what the fuck do you think]

[agoodname]

...it's been a pretty strange day. [his voice wobbles a little--and he clears his throat, trying to get himself under control somehow. For all that Oswald has seemed almost a force of nature at times, he's...almost small now. Young. A kid who lost his parents a little over six months ago. Both of them at the same time.]

[enigmaster]

[Every day is strange on his end. He doesn't say that, because there's no point to that. That's not... what this is about, right now.] I'm sorry. About... what happened. [It feels like it needs to be said.]

[agoodname]

[he curls in on himself a bit more at that] ....did my mother tell you? [he manages a small, wet laugh] She's always been a gossip. "Ah, liebchen..." [Gertrude hovers her hands over his shoulders, looking down at him sadly]

[enigmaster]

She... did. Yes. Though I did ask her about it.

[agoodname]

[it takes a moment--but then] ...the other night. When you asked if I used to be a defense attorney.