ACE ATTORNEY AU

[enigmaster]

Comments

[agoodname]

It's not a matter of need. You can do it and you have done it without help. I know you have. But...what's so terrible about having help if it's available?

[enigmaster]

...I don't know, it's just... something I do alone... [He doesn't really have a good reason, other than not knowing how to accept help.]

[agoodname]

...oh. [he presses his lips together a bit] Will you at least think about it?

[enigmaster]

...I can... think about it. Sure. ...Guess it wasn't too bad tonight, anyway... [Just. Very stupid.]

[agoodname]

[And Oswald just...nods at that. Sometimes you have to take what you can get. He doesn't like it, but...]

It doesn't have to be an all-the-time thing, either. You could just...call him when you need some back up, maybe.

[he shrugs a shoulder]

[enigmaster]

I guess. ...I haven't gotten seriously hurt doing this in a long time, you know.

[agoodname]

But...it has happened. And even if it isn't serious lately, you still get hurt. [His eyes flick over Edwards face, as if trying to read his thoughts and understand this somehow.] It's not that you can't do it? It's that it could be easier and safer if you had someone who was there to help you.

[enigmaster]

When I didn't know what I was doing, sure... Last time I got seriously hurt, I screwed up trying to climb a fence. [Edward, buddy... He's... a little defensive, maybe. Intellectually, he seems to understand just fine that Oswald just wants to help, it's just... Emotionally, it's a different story.] ...I said I'll think about it, right?

[agoodname]

[brick wall, meet brick wall. Oswald blows out a bit of a breath...but nods.] Okay.

[enigmaster]

...Okay. [...] I'm really not... going to leave. Not over something like this.

[agoodname]

[lsdkhfshf okay he didn't really expect that to be brought up but he supposes he should've. And Oswald glances down at his hands in his lap] ...oh. That's good to know. [noted. He's not sure where the line is, still, but he really doesn't want to cross it so he'll just have to be extra careful from now on.]

[enigmaster]

...So we're, um. We're good. [...] Right?

[agoodname]

Yes. We're good. [he blows out a breath, then, shoulders slumping a bit]

[enigmaster]

Okay... Good. That's... good. [okay that went... better than expected???]

[agoodname]

[Edward may not have yet agreed to the bodyguard thing, but at least he's agreed to think about it, and he's not leaving, and he doesn't hate Oswald forever so all in all could have been significantly worse.] Yes, I think so too. [teasing, just a little bit, but also honest lol]

[enigmaster]

Oh, well. Thank goodness you approve. [Also teasing.]

[agoodname]

A relief, surely, I--

[and that's about the time the buzzer rings]

--ah. That must be dinner. [and he's going to push himself to his feet to go get that]

[enigmaster]

Ah... Mhm. [Yep, okay. As Oswald goes to do that, Edward just lets out a breath, tension leaving his shoulders. That... That went.]

[agoodname]

[it sure went. It wasn't perfect but it happened and no one left so that's good, right? Either way, time to focus on dinner and just feeling as back to normal as possible?]

[enigmaster]

[It's a lot more normal than the night before, anyway. And that'll get better again, more comfortable, as a few days pass. Or, well. Things between Edward and Oswald are as normal as they were again, at least.

But as they get further into October and the city puts up more and more decorations for Halloween - because Gotham loves Halloween - the less and less Edward goes outside. He's... barely leaving at all at this point, if he can help it.

Not to mention he's acting a more withdrawn, too. Which is saying something, because it's Edward.]

[agoodname]

[YEP OSWALD SURE IS NOTICING THAT. and in response, he's increasing the amount that they're just...ordering in. Both for meals and getting groceries delivered. It's...well. It's significantly noticeable. And one evening, sometime after dinner, Oswald is finally going to bring it up. He sits up a little bit on the couch and presses his lips together for a moment, before closing his book] Edward?

[enigmaster]

[Edward idly looks up from his phone for a moment, a little distracted.] ...Hm?

[agoodname]

...is something wrong?

[ah--he should clarify--]

That is, you haven't been going out much lately.

[enigmaster]

[Edward... tenses, a little. Turning his attention back to his phone screen.] Oh. No, I'm... [...] I don't like October much, that's all.

[agoodname]

Oh. Are there more ghosts out or something like that?