[RL 18: In Your Dreams; Edgeworth, Phoenix Wright]

[samuraiprosecutor]

The night was still early; Edgeworth didn't need the clock at the bottom of his computer screen to tell him that, and it would offer him no insight into the real question (i.e. 'Why does nine pm suddenly feel like three am?'). He cast a baleful look on his cooled, half-empty cup of tea, wondering if perhaps it was time for a third.

The presence at his home office door went unnoticed at first. By the time his visitor was noticed, in fact, he had already been treated to Edgeworth's spirited sifting through the two neat piles of paperwork on his desk, a rub at the bridge of his nose, and a weary sigh.

After the visitor was noticed, he was treated to a hardened gaze. "How long have you been there?"

Comments

[attorneyatlol]

Leaning against the door frame, arms folded, Phoenix smiled. "Long enough to know you need a break," he said.

[samuraiprosecutor]

Edgeworth rolled his eyes and turned back to his computer. "I need to finish my work, uninterrupted. I also need another cup of tea." He paused and glanced to the ceramic cup again. "Or perhaps an espresso."

[attorneyatlol]

"I hope that wasn't a hint." Pushing himself away from the door, Phoenix leisurely strolled into the room and stopped behind Edgeworth's chair, placing his hands on the other man's shoulders. "What you need is to relax." He gently squeezed. "The world isn't going to implode if you call it a night a little early every once in a while."

[samuraiprosecutor]

"The part about the espresso wasn't. The part about working uninterrupted was," he looked up from the computer in time to glare at Wright as he entered the room. "Obviously I should have made it less subtle."

When Wright took up a position behind him Edgeworth's shoulders stiffened. Pointedly he turned his attention back to the screen, determinedly attempting to focus on the forms displayed there.

Focus became far more difficult to maintain when strong hands were resting so casually on his shoulders. Edgeworth's eyes slid shut for a moment at the light pressure. Finally he shrugged, hoping to dislodge Wright's grip. "This is not 'a little early.'"

[attorneyatlol]

Phoenix's grip only tightened, released, and tightened again, repeating the process as his hands moved inward towards Edgeworth's neck. "You're absolutely right," he said, sure that the amusement was evident in his voice. "In fact, some would argue that it's a little late."

[samuraiprosecutor]

"The same people who are always behind on their work." His tone was clipped, his target obvious, and he sat up more straight at the continuation of Wright's touch. Instead of the result his companion was likely expecting, the muscles in Edgeworth's neck and shoulders tightened noticeably under his careful ministrations.

[attorneyatlol]

Catching the inflection, Phoenix squeezed a little tighter in retaliation, but his hands quickly resumed their previous grip. "And yet I always manage to get it done, anyway," he teased. "Imagine that."

When he felt Edgeworth's muscles tighten, he frowned and loosened his hold, his movements becoming more gentle. "Too hard?"

[samuraiprosecutor]

A non-committal grunt was Edgeworth's only response to Wright's teasing. He was quickly losing himself in the evidence lists and case summaries he was flashing through, and his companion's question caught him by surprise. The rapid tapping of keys paused as Miles turned his head; his neck protested the movement, and he didn't fully manage to cover his wince. "Too distracting. I'm aware that pestering me is your greatest joy in life, but I'm afraid that tonight I must deprive you."

[attorneyatlol]

Phoenix smirked; the wince didn't escape his notice. "Not hard enough. Got it." He pressed one of his thumbs into the side of Edgeworth's neck in hopes of urging the other man to turn away again. Phoenix needed a better angle, after all.

[samuraiprosecutor]

"Wright, would you plea-" the word trailed off into a loud and highly undignified moan as that thumb hit a particularly tight line of muscle. Miles felt heat rise to his cheeks and he glared up at Wright accusingly. "Stop that. If you must waste your time, surely you can find something to do that doesn't involve wasting my time as well."

[attorneyatlol]

Phoenix quirked an eyebrow and ran his thumb over the same spot, trying to elicit another reaction. "You sure you want me to stop?"

[samuraiprosecutor]

Edgeworth bit back another embarrassing sound. With every touch of Wright's fingers his muscles had begun to loosen; the difference was minuscule, but each firm press eased a bit of tension. Before Miles realized it his eyelids were slipping shut, and it seemed to take a supreme act of will to open them again.

'Damn him.'

Miles stiffened his shoulders intentionally, though he couldn't quite pull himself up from the slight slouch he'd fallen into. "I want to complete my work."

[attorneyatlol]

Firmly pressing both thumbs against the base of Edgeworth's skull, Phoenix rubbed in small, circular motions. "But do you want me to stop?"

[samuraiprosecutor]

A quiet 'uhn' escaped him as Wright's thumbs dug into his neck, too hard but the moment of pain gave way to the sensation of his muscles all but melting and god, he hadn't realized just how tense he'd been.

He tapped out more letters on the keyboard at something much lower than his average typing speed, and slumped a little further back in his seat, giving his companion no response.

[attorneyatlol]

Phoenix smiled, almost sadly, as his hands traveled outward once more and then down, past the sides of Edgeworth's neck, ceasing at his collarbone. For a moment he concentrated his efforts there before finally leaning forward and wrapping his arms around the other man. He placed a light, lingering kiss against Edgeworth's temple and nuzzled the hair above his ear. "Come watch a movie with me," he whispered.

[samuraiprosecutor]

Miles started at the embrace, but almost immediately he sank into it, cursing himself for a fool. Almost as an afterthought he cursed Wright for his seemingly effortless ability to manipulate him; cursed Wright for his warmth, his touch, his voice.

The flashing cursor on his computer screen beckoned, stubbornly held his attention. There was still work to be done. Maybe... He would be done soon. It wouldn't take much longer to finish up; then he'd allow Wright to cajole him into spending the rest of the night on the couch with a movie of his choice, a glass of wine, and Wright reciting actors' lines beside him. Just a bit longer...

***

Waking was sudden, and accompanied by heavy breathing and a mad grab at the empty sheets on the other side of the bed. The warmth was gone, the bedroom chilly. An ache flared briefly in his chest, and images he desperately wished he could unsee scrolled through his mind's eye. From the corner of the room he could hear Sigi's fur rustle as the dog lifted his head to whine softly and stare curiously at his master.

Miles didn't respond. He laid silently back on the bed, brows furrowed and gaze fixed on the black sky outside the balcony doors, until the sky bled into a red-orange sunrise and the raucous cry of his alarm filled the room.