[RL: - Thursday, February 19; Midday | Phoenix; Tyki; Edgeworth later?]

[attorneyatlol]

Phoenix stared blankly at his computer monitor, idly tapping his pen against the desk. Thus far, the offices of Wright and Co. Law had been relatively quiet. It was a welcome change from the last few weeks, which had seen a steady flow of potential clients (a few had panned out, some of whom even paid), but while he was still up to his neck in debt, it was nice to have what seemed like a long-awaited break. In fact, looking out the window where he could see the Gatewater and the fading evening light behind it, he thought he might lock up early. There were only a couple hours left in the day, after all, and people rarely stumbled in any later than 2pm on a Wednesday, anyway.

Standing up, he lifted his arms above his head, wincing until he heard a satisfying pop in his back and then dropped his arms with a sigh. The whole being an average lawyer in Los Angeles thing was starting to take its toll on him. He couldn’t wait to get home, kick his shoes off, and enjoy some mindless television on the couch, a soda and warm TV dinner in hand…

…Or maybe not.

He nearly jumped at the sudden appearance of a gangly figure standing awkwardly in his doorway. Clearing his throat, he quickly smoothed his shirt and suppressed a sigh. (There went the rest of his day…)

Still, he smiled earnestly and said, “Hi,” holding out his hand in greeting. This was a rare occasion; people usually barged in and did the talking for him. “I’m Phoenix Wright.”

The man didn’t say anything in return. As a matter of fact, the man had yet to acknowledge Phoenix’s presence at all, which was a bit unsettling and caused Phoenix to frown. His arm sagged a little.

“Er, did you need a lawyer…?”

The man lifted his head slightly, then took an unsteady step toward Phoenix. He was shaky and he was limping, and his face appeared to be twisted in pain. He took another step and muttered, “I need… I need, I need…”

Phoenix swallowed and stared for a moment, his hand going for the phone. This guy didn’t look good at all… “Are you okay?” he asked, his brows furrowed. “Do you need me to call someone?”

“I need... I need to…” The man stopped about a foot away from Phoenix’s desk and dropped his head into his hands, shaking it back and forth. “I need to…”

“Hey…” Phoenix reached out as if to steady the man, but the distance between them was too great; he held his hand up in a placating gesture while his other hand grabbed the phone and lifted the receiver to his ear. “Just… hang on a second, okay?” He tried to sound reassuring. “I’ll get some help.”

Then the man suddenly looked up. For a brief moment, they locked eyes, but before Phoenix could possibly know what was happening, he suddenly found himself staring down a thick barrel aimed right at his face… a thick barrel that was coming out of the man’s forehead straight through his skin. Phoenix stepped back and dropped the receiver. “What--!?”

There was a strange sound, like the cocking of a gun, but Phoenix didn’t wait around to see what it was. It was a good thing, too; he jumped to the side just in time to hear the bookshelf with his law books (Mia’s formidable, mocking law books) be blown to smithereens, the aftershock of which nearly sent him sprawling. Without looking back, he scrambled to the bathroom and immediately slammed the door shut, already fishing for his cell phone. He an idea of what was going on, but God, what could he do?

Dialing without thinking, he used his free hand to pile whatever he could in front of the door (it wasn’t much: a wastebasket, a few towels, and a mop) which probably wouldn’t be very effective, but at least it was something. While the phone rang on the other end, he eyed the small window above the toilet. There was no way he’d be able to make it out of there, and he was on the second floor, anyway. Which, in short, meant he’d basically trapped himself. Fantastic.

He couldn’t hear anything on the other side of the door, but that probably didn’t mean anything. He stayed as far away as he could, wedging himself between the toilet and the sink, and proceeded to make a phone post.

Comments

[attorneyatlol]

“What?” Phoenix drew his hand away and hesitantly turned his attention from the door to Tyki, obviously confused. “Do I trust you to what?”

[tyki-tock.livejournal.com]

Tyki left his hand outstretched. "To get you into the apartment without breaking down the door," he said simply.

[attorneyatlol]

Phoenix frowned, studying him for a moment until realization finally dawned, and his eyes widened slightly. He turned back to the door and then, without a word, he took Tyki’s hand.

[tyki-tock.livejournal.com]

Tyki stepped closer to him, reaching out to encircle Phoenix's waist with his other arm and drawing him against him. Then he stepped sideways and pulled them both through the door into the apartment.

[attorneyatlol]

Phoenix tensed in Tyki’s grasp. “What are you—” But before he had a chance to protest further, they were already stepping through the door, and by the time they were on the other side, he was more preoccupied with looking around the apartment.

It was quiet, he noted. The curtains over the sliding glass door were drawn shut and the lights were turned off, offering very little light in an already darkened and apparently empty room.

Phoenix sighed and turned his attention back to Tyki. He considered asking if that stunt was really necessary but settled on giving him a decidedly unamused look instead and then attempted to extricate himself from his hold.

[tyki-tock.livejournal.com]

Tyki released him once they were across the threshold and he'd ensured that all limbs had made it through without issue. He raised an eyebrow at him, vaguely impatient with Phoenix's suspicions.

"You'd have been pissed if I'd gone without you and taken more time unlocking the door, when I could have just brought you with me," he said in a reasonable tone. "You're allowed to complain again when you've saved my life three times in one day."

And he turned away to search the apartment for any sign of Edgeworth.

[attorneyatlol]

Phoenix opened his mouth to protest, but he knew there wasn’t much he could say that wouldn’t sound stupid and petty. He sighed and averted his gaze, but his jaw was still tightly set when he said, “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

His gaze immediately went to the dark hallway to the left of the foyer, to the closed door at the end of it. If Edgeworth was actually heeding his doctor’s advice, he would be behind that door, lying down in bed, and sleeping. It was a long shot and possibly a pipe dream, but the office door was closed with no light on underneath, and Phoenix didn’t have many other options. He quietly made his way down the hall.

“…Couldn’t we have gotten through with you just holding my hand?” he asked.

Apparently, he wasn’t completely beyond a little pettiness.

[tyki-tock.livejournal.com]

Tyki was mollified to a considerable degree by Phoenix's apology. He glanced around, then moved to follow Phoenix, since he seemed to know where he was going.

As far as he could tell, the apartment seemed deserted, though since Edgeworth was sick it was possible he was asleep in his bed. Maybe that was where Phoenix was going.

"Well, we could have," Tyki said, wryly. "If you'd like to risk getting stuck halfway through. Since Eris was the one who returned my powers, I prefer to play it a bit safe, and tuck elbows in. I've gotten stuck myself a few times, and it's not pleasant."

[attorneyatlol]

Phoenix stopped at the bedroom door and cast a glance over his shoulder, eyebrows raised. “Her price?”

[tyki-tock.livejournal.com]

"I guess so," Tyki said wryly. "It takes conscious concentration to use my powers, now, whereas before it was the other way around. It used to be that if I didn't choose to touch something, I didn't."

He shrugged faintly. "I'm getting better at holding it than I was at first, otherwise it wouldn't be safe to hold the teases inside me, or fight the akuma. But it's not perfect." He touched the wound on his arm in illustration.

[attorneyatlol]

Phoenix glanced at his wounded arm. He knew there had to have been some sort of catch to Eris’ ‘gift’… “All the more reason for you to get some rest, then,” he sighed. He turned back toward the door and softly knocked.

[tyki-tock.livejournal.com]

Tyki hesitated, then nodded. But sleep didn't seem to be in the offing right now. He listened intently, but heard nothing from the bedroom.

"If he's not in there, where might he be?" he asked quietly. At least he hadn't seen any piles of dust in Edgeworth's clothes. Yet.

[attorneyatlol]

“I don’t know. Maybe at the Prosecutor’s Office, but…” Phoenix inwardly cringed. Realistically, the Prosecutor’s Office should have been the first place he thought to check, but he was certain that Edgeworth said he’d be taking the week off to recover. Not that that meant anything, as this was Edgeworth he was talking about. Phoenix wouldn’t be surprised if he’d somehow gotten around his ban. He sighed again.

Hoping this hadn’t been a wasted trip, he reached for the doorknob and knocked again before slowly pushing the door open and poking his head in.

“Edgeworth?” he quietly called. The curtains in the room weren’t drawn as tightly, and the light from outside shone in well enough that Phoenix could very clearly make out a pale figure lying on the bed, presumably sleeping. He relaxed considerably and opened the door all the way, unsure of what his next move should be.



[OOC: I don't know if Tif wanted to next or what. I'll tell you when I figure it out. XD;]

[samuraiprosecutor]

The word died quickly in the silence of the bedroom.

When something finally did stir it wasn't the figure on the bed but the smaller, dark shadow lying next to it. Sigi, who'd been watching the door intently since before they entered, rose suddenly to his feet with a single, smooth movement. He stood by the bedside, ears perked forward and eyes glinting dully in the darkness, and stared at the familiar intruder.

[tyki-tock.livejournal.com]

Tyki saw the dog and hung back, frowning. He did see Edgeworth, and could tell that he was alive, but asleep. But he couldn't tell much beyond that other than the fact that the bedroom was very dark

But the dog was very large, and he didn't want to agitate it by approaching its sick master. Phoenix seemed to be known, but Tyki was a stranger, and he didn't know how protective the dog would be.

"Is that dog likely to bite me if I go pick Edgeworth up?" he asked in a low voice. "We can put him in the back of the car and take him to the hospital in Gaia."

[attorneyatlol]

Pick him up? Phoenix took his eyes off of Sigi for a moment and threw a disbelieving glance over his shoulder. “Yeah, if Edgeworth doesn’t bite you first.”

Turning back, he exhaled deeply before entering the room but stopped no more than a foot inside, frowning at the dog. He looked over his shoulder again and whispered, “Do you really think it’s necessary to leave? I mean, how many more can there be?”

[samuraiprosecutor]

Sigi tensed slightly at his approach, lowering his head and shifting his gaze back and forth between the two men, but didn't make a move towards either of them.

[tyki-tock.livejournal.com]

Tyki followed Phoenix into the room, but didn't move straight towards the bed.

"If he can't walk on his own or wake up enough to answer his phone, I venture to suggest that he won't be inclined to bite me," he said wryly, though the idea of Edgeworth trying struck him as quite funny.

He frowned. "It might not be necessary. I'm not sure how many there might be. If you stay here, inside, you'll be relatively safe I think. But what about him?" He pointed at the unconscious man. "Quite frankly, hospitals attract akuma. I'd want to clean up the city before we try to take him to a hospital on this world."

[attorneyatlol]

You’d be surprised, Phoenix thought wryly. Edgeworth would have to be on his deathbed before he ever lost the fight in him, and even then, it was questionable.

He looked at the bed again. “I’m pretty sure he’s just sleeping…” he said. At least he hoped that was the case. He knew Edgeworth was a heavy sleeper, and it was quite possible he’d left his phone somewhere else in the apartment and was just getting some much-needed rest. He’d been fine, if not a little drained, when Phoenix visited him on Monday, after all. He supposed there was only one way to find out for sure, though…

Casting another wary glance in Sigi’s direction, Phoenix cleared his throat. “Edgeworth,” he called a little louder than before.

[samuraiprosecutor]

The only response he received was a stubborn silence and Sigi's continued staring.

[tyki-tock.livejournal.com]

Tyki frowned and stepped closer to the man on the bed, keeping half an eye on Sigi. Perhaps slightly different stimulation was required.

He bent closer to Edgeworth and spoke in a low, seductive, and evil voice.

"Miles Edgeworth...You do look beautiful sprawled out in that bed. Won't you open your eyes and play with me?"

[samuraiprosecutor]

Whether due to the tone or volume of his voice, Mikk's words managed to stir Edgeworth, if only slightly. His brows furrowed briefly, and he shifted his arms, clutching more tightly to the pillow he was laying, cheek-down, on.

Sigi, however, gave a more pronounced response. Taking a step forward, ruff bristling, he lowered his head further and gave the man a warning glare that rivaled one of Edgeworth's own.

[attorneyatlol]

Phoenix gawked at Tyki. Could he do anything without turning it into some creepy innuendo? “Do you want to wake him or give him nightmares?” he finally remarked, perhaps a hint of exasperation in his voice.

Not wanting to contend with the dog, he sighed and made the decision to round the bed and climb onto the mattress just enough to reach Edgeworth, tapping him lightly on his bare shoulder. “Edgeworth, wake up.”

[tyki-tock.livejournal.com]

Tyki laughed. "I just thought it might wake him up," he said, his voice back to normal, though there was always that teasing purr deep in his throat. "I thought your voice might be too comfortable and pleasant to his ears, and that was why he hadn't responded to your call."

Out of deference to Phoenix - and the dog - he backed up and leaned against Edgeworth's dresser, folding his arms. His left was already beginning to heal, and it moved easily, though not completely without pain.

[samuraiprosecutor]

For once, Sigi spared Wright only a cursory, (albeit warning) glance before fixing his gaze on the stranger by the dresser.

Edgeworth stirred again, his brows furrowing more deeply. His hand raised, too slowly, to swat half-heartedly at the annoyance that poked his shoulder. After meeting only air, it fell back to the pillow.