Varying Degrees of Sexuality

by LadyLaguna

Summary:

Gumshoe gets demoted, causing Edgeworth a surprising amount of preoccupation...

With the rampant corruption going on in Criminal Affairs and the Prosecutor’s Office, City Hall finally came down hard on law enforcement. The Chief of Criminal Affairs was one of the first to go. His replacement pushed his men hard and let them all know that no man’s job was safe.

So Edgeworth showed little surprise on the day he received a summons to the Chief’s new enclosed office. All of the dirty dealings went down in there. Just as he arrived at the door, Gumshoe emerged. His normal “kicked puppy” expression had been sharpened into something much more profound. And while Edgeworth expected to at least be greeted by the Detective, the larger man passed by without a word—or even eye contact.

Miles entered the Chief’s office and took a seat.

“You’re being assigned a new partner,” the Chief informed him. Edgeworth merely nodded, inscrutable as always. Had Gumshoe been canned? “He’s a young hotshot from the Midwest. Immaculate record. You’ll love him.”

“Thank you,” Edgeworth replied. Never one for small talk, he rose and excused himself. When he reached the door, however, something compelled him to turn back. “Is Detective Gumshoe…?”

“No longer a Detective,” the Chief replied tersely. “Back on the street. He’s lucky to still have a job—though his case resolutions were quite satisfactory—no small thanks to being partnered with you, I imagine. Unfortunately, his mistakes were difficult to overlook.”

So he still had a job as a patrolman. “I see.” With another curt nod, Miles thanked the Chief and left.

Silence seemed to reign in the halls as Miles made his way back to his office. Did everyone else know what had happened? Not seeing Gumshoe’s ragged trenchcoat or hearing his overenthusiastic chatter every morning would be strange.

Miles stepped into his bright—suddenly, a bit too bright—office and looked around. What a great thing! After nearly a decade, he was finally free of Gumshoe! This was all he had ever wanted!

…wasn’t it?

…if so, then why didn’t he feel any sense of relief?

* * * * * * * * *

Miles felt Gumshoe’s absence almost immediately. The janitor cleaned his office fine enough, he supposed, but she always left things in disarray. No thought for Edgeworth’s belongings at all. The morning that he entered his office to find a piece of Steel Samurai’s armor chipped, he confronted her.

“I didn’t think it was a big deal,” the woman said, smacking her gum as she glared back at Edgeworth with equal virulence. “It’s just a toy and all.”

Miles could only grind his teeth in impotent fury. He didn’t control her salary, after all. Though he did send a strongly worded message to her supervisor.

On the scene, where it really counted, Miles encountered difficulties as well. His new partner was indeed a hotshot, who felt that Edgeworth need not approve his every activity. In addition, he failed to deal well with the victims’ families… or the suspects. Gumshoe possessed a disarming sort of humanity that both Miles and his new partner lacked. Almost no one cooperated with the two of them right away. Did Wright have to deal with this nonsense on a daily basis??

The more Miles thought about it, the more he realized that Gumshoe’s assets had complimented Miles better than he ever realized. Where Miles was aloof, Gumshoe was open. Gumshoe was empathetic, enthusiastic, optimistic. He made victims’ loved ones feel at ease, he pursued the truth tenaciously, and he was good for bouncing ideas off of when Edgeworth couldn’t quite piece together a string of logic. For all the mistakes he made, he improved Miles’ working life in numerous ways. Trying to slog through cases with his egotistical new partner often took twice as long. On one occasion, a suspect even slipped through their fingers while they argued about how to approach his questioning.

Edgeworth supposed he had no choice but to adjust. However, he still wondered about Gumshoe. Did he enjoy his new—old—job? Did he miss Edgeworth as much as Edgeworth missed him? Did Edgeworth just admit to himself that he missed the big oaf? He couldn’t very well just waltz into the station and inquire about him. And Gumshoe had to give up his cell phone when he’d been demoted, so Edgeworth couldn’t call him. Stopping by his apartment seemed a little… creepy. And the complex he lived in reeked anyway.

Two months passed. One evening, Edgeworth found himself walking back to his car from a crime scene; the investigation drew him several blocks away.

Past the line of unmarked squad cards sat a cruiser. A group of children stood on the sidewalk beside it. An officer towered over them all, wagging a finger at one child who looked particularly chastised.

Edgeworth knew that figure immediately. Gumshoe! He crossed the street, drawing closer to the group.

“—now, they’re investigatin’ a crime here… and if you try to sneak into the lot again, I’m gonna arrest ya!”

A chorus of tiny “We’re sorry, Officer Gumshoe”s rose from the crowd.

“It’s gettin’ late. You all should go home an’ eat dinner, ok?” He threw up his beefy arms and they scattered. Those arms struck Edgeworth suddenly, sticking out of the short sleeves of his blue uniform… They were fuzzy, and the dark edge of a driver’s tan betrayed just how he thrust his arm out of the car as he drove. Edgeworth supposed he always noticed strange little details like this because of his job…

“Keeping the perimeter sealed, I see,” Edgeworth called out as he sidled up alongside the car. Gumshoe jumped, turning to take Edgeworth in with wide eyes.

“Y-yes, sir. The kids—they were trying to get past the squad cars…”

“I see that.” A soft smile played over Miles’ features. He couldn’t help himself; just like old times already… though he felt awkward in doing so, as usual. “Well done.”

The smile seemed to throw Gumshoe off even moreso. He leaned back against the driver’s door somewhat, knuckles knocking softly on the paneling. “Thank you, Mr. Edgeworth.” He swallowed heavily. “Welp, gotta get back to work now…”

He was going to leave Edgeworth in the dust, just like that? “—wait—“

Gumshoe stopped short, his fingers on the door handle.

“Would you like to… meet for dinner? Catch up a little?” Miles told himself he simply felt curious.

Chewing on the inside of his lip, Gumshoe replied, “Well… I would… but my shift doesn’t end until eight, and…”

“…that’s fine. I can meet you then.” Gumshoe still hesitated. Miles now felt like the lug was being contrary, and resolved to make him agree. “My treat.”

Free food did the trick. Jaw going slightly slack, Gumshoe replied, “I… I couldn’t ask you to…”

“I insist,” Edgeworth pushed, shoving his hands in his pockets. “8:30, at that new restaurant on the corner of Sixth and Main.” Not a place that Miles would normally go to, but Gumshoe wouldn’t fit in at any of those. “It’s casual, so you can wear your uniform if you’d like.”

And Edgeworth departed then, feeling a strange sense of victory.

* * * * *

Gumshoe stumbled in at about 8:50, just as Miles finished his first glass of wine. He knew that Gumshoe would be late so he took the liberty of loosening himself up a bit. What gave him this mad idea, anyway? Never would he have invited Gumshoe out to dinner before…

“Sorry I’m late, Mr. Edgeworth,” Gumshoe stuttered as he lumped heavily into the seat across from Miles at the small table. “I… I got a little lost…”

“I assumed that was the case,” Edgeworth replied, his voice a bit lower and more silken. “I ordered some wine. …for me. And some beer for you.”

Gumshoe’s eyes widened as the waitress plunked a glass down in front of him and handed him a menu. After she left, the larger man stared longingly at it for a moment. Finally, peeking over the top of it, he murmured, “You don’t have to… do this, Mr. Edgeworth… I don’t feel like I should…”

Immediately falling back into his normal exasperation for the man, Miles replied, “What are you talking about? Now that I’m not your superior, is my company not tolerable?”

“N-no sir! That’s not--!” He flapped the plastic pages desperately. “I just meant… you don’t have ta… feel bad for me or anything… I mean, I’m doing alright. I’m actually making more money now than I made as a detective!”

He laughed sheepishly and Miles pursed his lips. “That’s good to hear. I was… curious.” Avoiding eye contact by looking over the menu he’d already nearly memorized, Edgeworth continued, “But don’t kid yourself by thinking I feel… SORRY for you or anything. I was… merely curious.” How many times would he say that?

Of course, Gumshoe liked to twist Edgeworth’s words. “Were you… worried about me, sir?”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” But he didn’t deny it and thankfully the waitress came to take their orders. Gumshoe infuriated the Prosecutor by ordering the cheapest thing on the menu. Once the young woman had gone, unfortunately, Gumshoe hadn’t forgotten the conversation.

“I, uh…” He scratched the back of his head. “I admit I was pretty worried about you, too. Followed you home in the squad car when I could.” He fiddled with the corner of his napkin, bashful. “Maggey says she’s got the worst luck in the world… but your luck is a lot worse!” Another laugh.

All this time Edgeworth had been wondering about the man, and he’d been stalking him? Edgeworth felt a bit of anger… and then a bit more anger because he didn’t feel enough anger initially. There was a tiny bud of relief in the pit of his stomach that the anger refused to extinguish.

“Aw, man… you’re angry with me, aren’t ya? I’m… I’m really sorry. I know you wanted to get rid of me, but that new guy… I don’t like him, he’s real snotty to everybody…”

“Get rid of you?” Edgeworth finally looked up, blinking at Gumshoe in the low light. “I… well, maybe at times I entertained the idea…” When the man’s shoulders just continued sinking, Edgeworth continued, “…but I didn’t have anything to do with your demotion.” The wine pushed him to add, “In fact… I much prefer YOU as a partner.”

Gumshoe’s face lit up immediately. “I believe you, Mr. Edgeworth sir! I know you… I know you wouldn’t just say that. It… it makes me feel so much better, sir. So much…”

The former detective knew Miles all too well, and it made him somewhat uncomfortable. As a result, he resolved to find out more about Gumshoe. For the rest of the meal, he grilled the man on his new job, his life, and everything in-between. Gumshoe answered gladly, of course—all he ever wanted to do was tell Edgeworth about himself. It seemed that street work suited Gumshoe so much better. With his amiable nature and tendency to jump right into action, Edgeworth wondered why he ever thought to become a Homocide Detective instead.

“So, how is Ms. Byrde doing, anyway?”

“Oh, ah… I haven’t talked to her in a while. I hope she’s doing good…”

Blinking, Miles replied, “I thought that… the two of you… had a thing or… or something…” Was he wrong? He was never wrong. The way Gumshoe fawned over Maggey was obvious…

“We did, for a little bit.” Looking down, Gumshoe cleared his throat. “But she didn’t like how… dedicated I was to my job.”

“But… she used to be a police officer. She didn’t understand?”

Gumshoe took a long drink of his beer. He was only on his second glass but his cheeks were so flushed already. “No. I mean, yeah. But no… Uh…” Pushing a piece of broccoli around on his plate, he shook his head.

Edgeworth could see the gears turning in that thick skull of his and finally waved the subject away. “I don’t need to know the details.” He assumed that he never knew about Gumshoe’s relationship because he had never been interested; but, in fact, Gumshoe would have likely told him anyway. Something about the whole affair had instead compelled the man to keep things to himself, and Edgeworth respected that boundary.

For once, Gumshoe struggled to change the subject. “You know…  I saw a real nice chess set the other day, in a store window… And I missed playing with you… I think I was getting pretty good! Someday I bet I coulda beaten you…”

A grin twisted over Edgeworth’s features and he snorted. “I highly doubt that, Gumshoe.” Tapping his finger on the table, he quirked his head a bit. “Though I miss having a regular opponent, I admit. Perhaps you can come over for a game sometime.”

“M-me? Come over? To your place?” As if Edgeworth were a prince or something.

Lip curling, the Prosecutor wiped his mouth and pushed his plate forward. “Yes. You know how to get THERE, don’t you? Come over on Friday. We can have dinner and play a game or two.” Or four, considering how quickly Edgeworth normally bested Gumshoe.

“A… alright, Mr. Edgeworth…”

 

* * * * * * *

 

Edgeworth spent the next few days in profound confusion. Why did he invite Gumshoe to his home? The wine, maybe? But he’d only partaken in two glasses. Those damn puppy dog eyes melted Miles’ resolve at every turn. Stupid oaf, thinking Miles orchestrated his demotion. He’d tolerated the man for all these years, hadn’t he? Miles only needed his own abilities to win cases, the person he partnered with mattered not. Soon enough, Gumshoe would understand. Even if Miles did not, for his current partner still frustrated him on a daily basis. Maybe that was the nature of the beast, and no matter who he worked with—Gumshoe or otherwise—he would spend every day simmering in frustration. Did Wright want to throttle the little mystic on a regular basis as well?

The night arrived and Miles rose from his couch at the sound of three hesitant knocks on his front door. Never mind his doorbell! Definitely Gumshoe.

When Miles opened the door, he found the man standing on his stoop wearing his old detective coat, a surprisingly nice shirt and slacks. Gumshoe even took the initiative to shine his shoes, though some of the scuffs still showed. “Welcome,” Miles replied, ushering him in a bit awkwardly. Miles didn’t often entertain visitors at his home, after all.

Gumshoe’s eyes grew large as he looked around at Edgeworth’s dwelling. His apartment could fit into Miles’ foyer alone, and was as richly decorated as his office… Tapestries and fine mahogany furniture throughout.

A large, fluffy, well-manicured dog came trotting into the room, sniffing around the hem of Gumshoe’s coat. The man made a soft sound of delight, kneeling down to scratch its head. “This must be Pess, huh?”

Blushing, Edgeworth replied, “How did you know about Pess…?”

“When I cleaned your office… sometimes I’d see notes on your desk. Reminders for vet appointments or groomers and stuff.” He smiled up at the Prosecutor. “Pess lives better ‘n’ I do, I think!”

“Well… It’s only responsible to care for an animal if you take ownership of it,” Edgeworth replied tersely, avoiding Gumshoe’s eyes. Truthfully, Miles lavished the animal with every luxury he himself enjoyed, and then some.

Satisfied with the presence of this man in his home, though not fond of his aggressive scratching, Pess wagged his tail a few times and returned to his rightful place atop a soft pillow in the living room. Like owner, like pet… Pess didn’t seem prone to excessive emotional demonstration.

“Maybe sometime I can bring Missile over and they can play!” Gumshoe cried happily, getting back to his feet. Edgeworth narrowed his eyes, looking up at the other man. Never would he subject his Pess to such a corrupting influence.

“You forgot to take off your cap,” Miles observed, leaving the former subject behind.

“Huh?”

Drawing closer, Edgeworth pointed upward. When Gumshoe merely blinked in reply, he sighed and reached up, taking hold of the bill of Gumshoe’s police hat. For a moment their eyes met, and Gumshoe’s face turned crimson.

That smell suddenly drifted into Edgeworth’s nostrils: cheap soap and cologne, and the slightly musty tinge of that trenchcoat. His stomach jerked slightly. An aroma he didn’t realize he missed until just now. “Your… police cap. You forgot to take it off.” Quickly, he pulled it off and stepped away, offering it to Gumshoe.

“Oh… I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t wanna make you wait, so I hurried and changed after I got off work…” Miles took his coat as well, hanging it beside the door. Gumshoe’s shirt sat a bit too tightly in the shoulders, but it flattered his figure rather well. Why did Miles notice these things?? And why was Gumshoe still blushing and staring at the floor?

“You didn’t have to change,” Miles replied, leading Gumshoe into the living room. A chess board and some hors d'oeuvres sat in waiting. He turned to look at the detective, gesturing toward a seat. The two of them played the “you first” game for a moment until Miles grew frustrated and they finally sat down together, across from one another.

As the night progressed, Edgeworth surprisingly began to enjoy himself. Without the pressures of work to set his nerves on edge, he could take Gumshoe’s naiveté in stride. And they had known each other for nearly a decade, after all… Gumshoe knew all of Miles’ quirks… They talked like old friends.

Soon the clock chimed almost midnight, and Edgeworth yawned. “I guess I should get going, huh?” Gumshoe laughed, shifting forward on the couch. They had moved there, situated with a cushion between each other, Gumshoe’s arm draped casually over the back. With a groan, he rose to his feet and stretched. “Man, I feel like I just got here…”

“Mm… yes… perhaps we should do this again soon.” Miles rose as well, fetching Gumshoe’s coat and hat.

As he took them, Dick grinned, his eyes lighting up a little. “I’d love that, sir. I… I… Um, I meet a lot of people out on the street but you know… it’s not the same as working with you. After, ah, me and Maggey broke up and I got demoted, I decided maybe I was better off alone.”

Gumshoe definitely should go home, as the bit of wine had pushed him into “too much sharing” mode, his cheeks flushed. But Edgeworth indulged him. “Don’t speak with such finality, Gumshoe… You broke up before your demotion? Your hours are more set now, aren’t they? Perhaps you should try to reconcile with Ms. Byrde.”

“I… I can’t do that,” Gumshoe replied softly, his shoulders sinking as he pushed his hat into place. “I’ve ruined everything beyond fixing.”

“Truly?” Edgeworth quirked a brow. “The two of you are equally accident-prone, I can’t believe she wouldn’t forgive your transgressions.”

Shaking his head, Gumshoe replied, “It wasn’t just a… little trancession.”  Edgeworth thought to correct him, but he was already barreling forward. “I told her I’d fix stuff. I’d scale back my hours at work and make her feel important. Like she deserved. Right? So… ah… we were making love afterward… She forgave me and all… and then I did somethin’ really stupid.”

Not that Gumshoe doing something stupid surprised Edgeworth at all. Crossing his arms, he listened intently.

Humiliated, Gumshoe looked at the floor. “I called out someone else’s name.” Fiddling with his coat that he had yet to don, he murmured, “It’s just that we had been talking about that person earlier, you know? And the names start with the same letter--! I wasn’t fantasizing about him or nothin’—“

Gumshoe stopped, making that face he always did when he divulged way too much information. Edgeworth’s eyes went wide.  Taking in a soft breath, Edgeworth plied, “So, not only did you call out someone else’s name… but the name of a man…” Chewing on his lip, Edgeworth couldn’t help but ask, “Are you… bisexual, Gumshoe?”

“Huh?” the man looked up, confused out of his own misery.

“Bisexual. Interested in both sexes…? Or was it just a silly mistake?”

“It was just a silly mistake! I… I ain’t never been with a man or anything.”

Edgeworth wondered if Gumshoe considered it, however. Being attracted to one of his coworkers did not bode well in such a testosterone-fueled workplace. “You don’t think… that is why you were demoted, do you? Do you think Maggey told the person that was the subject of your… mistake? Or it got out some other way?”

Shaking his head emphatically, Gumshoe replied, “No way, I’m absolutely sure about that.”

“THINK DEEPLY about this, Gumshoe.” Edgeworth’s glare bored into the larger man and he shrank slightly. Feeling guilty, the Prosecutor shook his head. “Being gay… can be difficult in any career… But in one such as law enforcement, when the public is always scrutinizing you…” Sighing softly, Edgeworth looked to the side. “I can speak from experience.”

Like most things, this fact didn’t sink in for a moment. But Gumshoe finally squeaked, “You, sir…? I had no idea…!” Maybe he did… but was too polite and loyal to say anything. Edgeworth wasn’t stupid, he’d heard the rumors that flew around.

“Well… it’s not as if I’ve had any time for that sort of thing. My job keeps me rather busy.” And he’d yet to find anyone that he could stand long enough to pursue a relationship with… or vice versa.

“Have you ever…” More fidgeting. Gumshoe couldn’t stop staring at the ground. “…been with a man, sir?”

“Oh, yes. Hmmnh, not an ARMY of them or anything, but a few. I’ve had invitations from women as well… I made an attempt, but I don’t feel much attraction toward the opposite sex… Unfortunately.”

“Can’t get it up at all? Or… do you sometimes get it up when you think about them?”

Grinning, Edgeworth finally looked up. “These are rather penetrating questions, Gumshoe. Especially for one such as you.” But of course Gumshoe would never reveal what was really on his mind. When he decided not to share something, getting the truth out of him took a great deal of coercion. “I don’t think that I’ve ever fantasized about a woman, no. If that’s what you’re asking. Since my youth I’ve found my eye wandering toward young men, and that’s where it stayed.” He gestured outward. “But fantasizing about a man doesn’t necessarily make you gay. There are varying degrees of sexuality, you know. Being attracted to only one man, or a couple of them, is more normal than you probably realize.”

Drawing a great breath, Gumshoe finally smiled, eyes shining slightly. “You’re so smart, Mr. Edgeworth. You always know the right things to say.” He finally put on his coat, reaching to pat Edgeworth on the arm. “I won’t tell anyone about you, I promise. All of this is between you an’ me… right?”

Grinning crookedly, Miles nodded. “Right. I won’t tell anyone about your little… mistake.” Not that anyone would care if he did. “Why don’t you come back next week? We can talk some more.”

“I’d love that, Mr. Edgeworth. I’ll be here at the same time.” He bade the Prosecutor goodnight and took his leave.

As Edgeworth shut and locked the door, the color suddenly drained from his face. Maggey was angry that Gumshoe spent so much time at work. The incident in question occurred before his demotion. What did Gumshoe spend so much extra time doing? Cleaning Miles’ office, putting in extra hours on investigations with Miles, serving Miles tea, fetching files for him. Who else could they have been discussing?

Miles’ name shared the same first letter with Maggey’s.

Was this the reason why Edgeworth never heard about the whole messy situation? Had Gumshoe cried out his name during sex? Impossible!

The way their eyes met. The way Gumshoe blushed when Edgeworth grabbed his hat.

…Impossible!

But Miles was never wrong.

* * * * *

 

As the coming week passed, Edgeworth became more and more preoccupied with the bit of logic he put together. Was Gumshoe attracted to him? Did he really fantasize about him while having sex with Maggey? If not then, perhaps some other time?

Disturbingly enough, Edgeworth felt something other than disgust when his mind wandered toward these questions. He considered whether or not Gumshoe would act on the little gay urges he felt. He considered those arms, the light stubble on that jaw, the way his shirt stretched over those broad shoulders, the warmth of that hand patting Miles’ shoulder.

No way that such a bumbling moron could be a good lover. But, would Maggey choose Gumshoe otherwise? Despite being a huge whiner, Miles remembered her having a couple boyfriends around the station.

Angrily, Miles mashed his pen against the paper he’d been signing, flinging ink everywhere. Such a ridiculous waste of time, preoccupied with Gumshoe like this! And he realized he’d been preoccupied with the man from the day he’d been demoted. He needed a vacation away from this God-forsaken city.

His agitation increased until Friday arrived, bringing Gumshoe along with it. This time he had a treat for Pess in hand, and a box of tea for Edgeworth. The Prosecutor cringed as his dog crunched down the little brown bone, thinking it was likely made of all kinds of crude pressed protein and chicken parts. The tea was cheap, though it was the kind that Edgeworth did enjoy in the evenings. He wondered how many cups of ramen Gumshoe gave up to buy it.

Everything Gumshoe did that evening angered Edgeworth… Or, at least, he attempted to feel anger. Anything to keep from focusing on all the good qualities. It took all his willpower to avoid glancing at his ass whenever he bent over to ruffle Pess’s ears.

“I’m considering a vacation,” Edgeworth announced suddenly. As suddenly as he decided it, really. “For how long, I am unsure…”

“Back overseas, sir?” Gumshoe asked, looking a little disappointed at the news. “I’ll... I’ll miss you, sir.”

“You don’t have to call me ‘sir’ anymore, you know. I’m no longer your direct superior.”

“You’re still kinda my superior though! Well… I guess not if you leave again…” He fidgeted with the seam on the arm of the couch. “I still… respect you a lot, and that’s really why you call somebody ‘sir,’ right?”

“But I’m younger than you! And… you don’t even know anything about me. What is there to respect about me, really??” Edgeworth’s lip curled into a snarl. “So many people fawning over me. ‘Mr. Edgeworth, sir! You’re so amazing! Best prosecutor in the district! No, the world!’ But none of them know a thing about me… About why I do my job…”

“I know!” Gumshoe cried, stomping his foot on the ground as he turned to him. “Nobody knows you better than me, Mr. Edgeworth… I was sure of that, every day. I’m -- well, I was—your partner. Your assistant. I kept all of your secrets and I still do!” He pointed a finger, a little too much like a certain defense attorney. “Who else knows you’re gay, huh? Why didn’t you tell anybody else but me?” That righteous indignance emerged on Gumshoe’s face. “It’s important to me, pal. To be trusted by Prosecutor Edgeworth. It’s one of the only things I’ve ever been able to brag about. One of the only things I was ever proud of. I… I didn’t cut it as a Detective, but dammit…” His passion faltered, hand lowering. “…I was the most loyal partner you could ever hope for… I kept my promise to you…”

“You didn’t fit in as a Detective from day one. Did you just stick around because of the promise you made to me? After all the paycuts I gave you… Despite the fact that you despise blood, guns, and pretty much everything that your job entailed? Living on noodles and a laughing stock in the force… What kind of idiot are you?!”

“Where did all this come from, all of a sudden?” Gumshoe cried, shrinking back like the puppy he was. He couldn’t even bring himself to be angry after being told his entire career was a mistake. “I… I know it’s hard for you to realize, sittin’ up here with your fancy curtains and fresh seafood and stuff… But life ain’t all about money, pal! It’s about… protectin’ the people you care about.”

“I never asked you to care about me,” Edgeworth replied tersely, curling in on himself, looking away. “I didn’t ask you to throw away your career, your relationship…”

“You needed me… You needed someone to help you. Everybody was against you. Everybody’s still against you, because they’re jealous of how amazing you are…”

“Stop saying that tripe!” His fists clenched his sleeves before he caught himself.

Gumshoe’s brow furrowed as, per usual, the point made its way through his skull a moment too late. “My… relationship…?” He sucked in a breath through his teeth. “I didn’t… throw it away for you, sir. It just… happened that way. We weren’t meant to be, me an’ Maggey… Is that why you’re so upset? You think it’s your fault?”

“I’m upset because you’re an idiot. The same reason why I’ve always been upset, the entire time I’ve known you.”

“No!” Gumshoe reached across the gap between them, grabbing Edgeworth’s arm. “You can’t keep doing that. Burying everything you feel. Making excuses and insultin’ people when they get too close. I realize now, that’s why you do that stuff…” He leaned forward, something profound shining in his eyes. “Now that you’ve been talkin’ to me… REALLY talkin’ to me… I have you all figured out, Mr. Edgeworth.” He shook the man slightly. “Get mad! Yell at me! Hit me like Ms. von Karma does. It’ll make you feel a lot better, I promise.”

“You’re seriously implying that Franziska emotes in a more healthy fashion than I do?”

Gumshoe shook his head. “Cuz you don’t emote at all. You need to get angry. Real angry, not that fake angry you always put on so people will leave you alone.”

“Maybe I want to be left alone. Maybe I want you to get the hell out of my house.”

“I don’t think you do, or I wouldn’t be here, would I? You coulda walked on by that day you seen me on the street, but you didn’t. You coulda let me leave. I was gonna leave you alone. But you didn’t. And here I am now. So I ain’t leavin’, pal. And… you know what?” His jaw set itself. “I won’t let you run away, either. Flyin’ off to another country won’t solve your problems, no way, no how.”

Edgeworth did the only thing then that he knew would drive Gumshoe away. The man’s closeness made it easy. He turned, glaring at him for a long moment before grabbing his lapels and pulling him forward into a bruising kiss.

After barely a minute, they parted. Gumshoe leaned back, eyes wide, touching his lips incredulously. They stared at one another for what seemed an eternity. Edgeworth knew it’d take the man a moment to figure out what happened and what he was going to do about it. But he continued sitting there, looking Edgeworth over. Sighing softly and rising, Edgeworth hissed, “I will fetch your coat.”

“No you don’t,” Gumshoe growled, grabbing Edgeworth’s sleeve and hauling himself upward. Curling an arm around Edgeworth’s waist, he stared down at him.

Their bodies pressed together now and Edgeworth realized just how slight he was, compared to Gumshoe’s frame. “Will you hold me hostage here, then?” Edgeworth complained, one arm hanging limply at his side as Gumshoe kept the other held tightly.

“You can’t talk your way out of this. So… don’t… try.” Edgeworth deduced that Gumshoe was working himself up for what came next: swooping down and kissing the smaller man again; large, soft lips covering Edgeworth’s. A fine shiver passed down Miles’ spine, and he felt Gumshoe’s arm shaking.

After a moment, Edgeworth pushed away. “You don’t have to do this, Gumshoe. I know you’re not gay. This isn’t going to make me stay…”

“I don’t have to be gay to be attracted to a man. You said so yourself.” Gumshoe had already etched this fact deeply in the crevices of his brain, Edgeworth saw clearly. “I’m not gonna question my feelings anymore.”

“So… it WAS my name that you called out… wasn’t it?”

Frowning, Gumshoe nodded. “She wanted me to be reassigned. ‘We’ll never be able to afford a wedding at this rate!’” Gumshoe cried, mimicking Maggey’s whiny voice almost perfectly. “She said you treated me like crap, always yelling at me and cutting my pay… I told her you were a good guy, people just couldn’t see it, you needed a good partner… And…” He sighed. “I didn’t want to leave your side. I HAD made a promise to you. But more than that…” His grip on Edgeworth finally loosened somewhat. But Edgeworth stayed put. “…I cared more about you than I cared about Maggey. I had known you for so long. We worked together almost every day! That was a hard thing to admit to myself. I cared more about my boss than my girlfriend. Pretty messed up, huh?”

“A little bit,” Edgeworth replied, a smile ghosting over his features.

“All that stuff, rollin’ around in my head. And I was trying to get into it, you know. She was on top, she was doin’ all the work, and I was thinkin’ about how I’d tell you I wanted to be reassigned, I was worryin’ about if you’d be okay on your own, wonderin’ who would protect you.”

Gumshoe didn’t exactly do the best job protecting Edgeworth to begin with, but the Prosecutor supposed his heart was in the right place.

“So yeah, somehow I called out your name and she smacked me, grabbed up all her clothes and said she never wanted to see me again, that was the last straw.” In his own revelry, his arms curled around Edgeworth’s waist, fingers digging into the soft cloth of his shirt. “I told myself that I’d rededicate myself to my promise. You were always there for me just like I was there for you. My partner. Then… I got demoted.”

“And you thought I had requested it. Everyone you loved had abandoned you.”

Mentioning the “L” word made them both go stiff for a moment, even if Edgeworth hadn’t intended it to be taken in that context… He could only sigh. “You poor, dumb oaf.” His fingers slid upward, feeling the short hair at the back of Gumshoe’s head. “You said you were attracted to me earlier… Are you sure about that?”

“Kinda wish I wasn’t…”

“Big, dumb oaf.” Another kiss. Slowly, Edgeworth pushed him back until his back was against the wall. Gumshoe’s lips were cautious at first, testing. Miles’ fingers  continued to stroke through that hair, caressing Gumshoe’s scalp. With a soft groan, the larger man curled arms more tightly around Miles’ waist, lips parting slightly. Responding to the overture, Miles parted his lips as well, tongue sliding out to brush against Gumshoe’s bottom lip. The kiss broke for just a moment. “You called out my first name? When have you ever… ever used that name?”

“Dumb luck. The only luck I got.” His voice was quiet and rough, a timbre that made the tingles in Miles’ spine ignite anew. “You want I should say it now?”

“Try it.”

“…Miles…” He couldn’t quite do it. “…Edgeworth, sir.”

Laughing softly, Edgeworth shook his head. His tongue teased at Gumshoe’s lips again, and finally met its prize. Turning his head slightly, Gumshoe sighed as his own tongue slid into Edgeworth’s mouth, gliding slowly and lazily over the other’s. His technique lacked a certain finesse, Miles decided, but thinking of those lips and that tongue on other parts of his anatomy just made his blood simmer.

When they finally had to draw back for breath, Gumshoe whispered, “I don’t know how to do things… with a man, you know. Nothing at all…”

“W… what do you mean…? It’s not so different from being with a woman, really…”

“…really?” So one hand slid up Miles’ side, feeling the contours under the thin material of his shirt, tracing up over a shoulder blade, finally resting at the back of his neck. Fingers burrowing into his hair, he tilted Miles’ head back and to the side just slightly. The breath caught in Miles’ throat when Gumshoe moved to kiss it softly, sucking and nipping gently at the skin.

“Well… harder.”

“…nh?”

Swallowing hard, Edgeworth hissed, “Do it… harder… Don’t be afraid to… leave a mark.” He wasn’t wearing his cravat just then, but knew it’d cover any offenses easily. Thankfully, Gumshoe immediately responded, sucking on that soft bit of skin just at the curve of Miles’ throat. His knees went a bit weak and he clung more tightly to the larger man. One of his hands drifted downward, getting a good feel of Gumshoe’s shoulders, meaty pecs, grabbing the front of his shirt.

As he became lost in these sensations, Gumshoe’s hands grew bolder. From the small of Edgeworth’s back, his free hand slowly snuck downward until it rested on the curve of Miles’ buttock. At first it stayed, but the temptation was too great; his large fingers curled over the flesh, squeezing slightly and pulling the Prosecutor forward.

Their hips met so deliciously and Edgeworth went up on the tip of his toes for a moment. “…ah!” The little sound sneaking from his throat, embarrassing him somewhat… In addition to the heat beginning to flood his loins.

“We… should… stop… this…”

Blinking, Gumshoe drew back. “Did… I do something wrong?”

“No… Unfortunately… quite the opposite.” Despite any convictions Gumshoe held at the moment, Miles feared they would melt in the face of having to deal with the more… male parts of Edgeworth’s anatomy. Though he now ached to see all of Gumshoe’s male parts, and perhaps wrap his lips around them… NO! Stop thinking about those things, or you’ll never get out of this mess you’ve created. “You… should go home now, Gumshoe.” He forced himself to meet Gumshoe’s eyes. “I… I promise that I won’t leave… yet.”

Frowning, Gumshoe replied, “You’re gonna wake up tomorrow and regret this. And then you’ll hop a plane and I’ll never see you again.”

That rueful smile curling over Edgeworth’s face, he answered, “Actually, I believe you will be the one who wakes with regrets in heart and mind. So I’m stopping this now, before we reach the point of no return.”

“I don’t regret nuthin I do, pal!” Gumshoe cried, shaking Miles just a bit. “Well… I regret when I mess stuff up, yeah. But I don’t MEAN to mess stuff up. So it’s different! I meant to do this! Every bit of it!”

“What do you intend to do with me, then?” Miles asked, raising a brow. “Kiss me until we both starve to death, perhaps?”

“Well… I…”

Extricating himself from Gumshoe’s arms, Miles turned to the side, sighing as he adjusted himself just slightly. Gumshoe’s eyes flicked downward toward the gesture, which is exactly what Miles intended.

“I… I don’t know what to do, exactly. I’ve never been with a man before, like I said.”

“And you’re not gay. Like you said. So anything past this point would be… for gay men only.”

“What?!” Gumshoe thumped his fist back against the wall. “That’s not what you said to me last week, not at all!”

“Being attracted to a man is quite different from fucking one, I’m sure even YOU understand.”

The word, especially from Edgeworth’s mouth, made Gumshoe shrink. “Well… not really… right…? Because if you’re attracted to a man… Means you want to fuck him… right?”

“Not necessarily…” Both of them would be crossing into conjecture territory at this point, and Edgeworth HATED conjecture. He especially hated trying to match wits with Gumshoe of all people, and outside of a courtroom to boot. Holding up his hands, he conceded, “I think that it would be wise for both of us to close up this evening… And… ruminate on the developments herein.”

“You marinate entirely too much, Mr. Edgeworth. That’s your problem.”

“And you don’t RUMINATE enough. So let us meet in the middle.” Deflating slightly, he clapped his hands together in a begging gesture. “PLEASE… just grant me this, Detective.” He had let the word slip out, after so long of carefully avoiding it. “I… I’m sorry. I mean… Dick.”

Gumshoe finally relented. “Alright… Miles. …sir. But you promise not to leave.”

It wasn’t as if Gumshoe could stop him from doing so, but he nodded, defeated. He couldn’t possibly leave now. Even with an ocean between them, thoughts of this man would drive Edgeworth mad.

After allowing his coat to be fetched, Gumshoe drew close a last time. Grinning crookedly, he pressed a kiss to Miles’ lips before the other man could protest. And then he was promptly shoved out the door.

 * * * * *

 

Edgeworth barely had time to register that someone broke into his office; just as he turned toward the door, he felt rough hands on his arms, jerking them behind his back. As cold metal clamped over his wrists he heard Gumshoe’s voice. “Ain’t no escaping this time, pal. It’s murder. Caught ya red-handed.”

Impossible! None of this made any sense… Why was he even in his office? When did he get here? “Read me my rights, you oaf!” Edgeworth barked as Dick roughly shoved his head down onto the surface of his desk, patting him down for weapons.

“You know ‘em already,” Gumshoe growled in reply, his crotch pressing hard against the Prosecutor’s soft behind. With a squeak of discomfort, Edgeworth shifted slightly. He already felt the blood rushing south… Dick’s hands groped harshly, bruising as they finally pulled at Miles’ pants, jerking them down to mid-thigh. Without breathing another word, the officer entered him roughly.

With a gasp, Miles awoke, ass throbbing as if he’d actually been penetrated. But no, he was safe in bed, completely alone. Rubbing his stinging eyes, he glanced helplessly at the clock. Two in the morning… What a shame.

After the resolution of the DL-6 case (and several sessions with an excellent psychologist in Nuremberg), Edgeworth finally found himself able to sleep through most nights. It troubled the man that Gumshoe now preoccupied his thoughts so completely, he even starred in his dreams. Edgeworth’s insomnia returned again, especially after two days passed with no word from Dick at all. Of course, Miles expected that result… But his subconscious tortured him with numerous scenarios anyway.

Dick awaiting him, naked, when he returned from work. Dick at the witness stand, slowly disrobing as he approached the prosecutor’s bench. Dick arresting Edgeworth, driving him to a remote area and taking advantage of him in the backseat of the patrol car. With every passing night the scenarios became more and more outlandish, and in the daytime Edgeworth felt more and more agitated.

If Gumshoe never returned again, Edgeworth could do nothing to change the situation. And, after all, Dick had been guilty of fantasizing as well, hadn’t he? So, this evening, Edgeworth finally gave in… After a couple of frustrating hours of lying in bed, watching the light of the moon creep over his wall through the curtains.

Stretching out on his back, he imagined the (ex) detective kissing him again. His lips moving to work over his neck, slowly unbuttoning his shirt and attacking Miles’ skin. Down and down he moved… Miles felt his cock stiffening in anticipation. Grabbing some lotion from the drawer in his nightstand, he allowed a hand to creep into his silken pajama pants. In his fantasies, Dick’s hands were on him now, so large and rough, caressing his delicate skin as if he owned it.

“Just… take me,” Miles whispered in the dark, embarrassed at himself despite the fact that nobody else could hear. This mattered not, however; his hand sped up, squeezing the head as he reached a quick crescendo. He barely caught his semen with the palm of his other hand as he shot hard, surprising himself with the violence of it.

After a quick wipe of the hand and liberal reapplication of lotion, Edgeworth sighed and sank back into the pillows. Then he slept like a baby.

Mood improved markedly the next day, Edgeworth managed to do a great deal of paperwork without thinking much about Gumshoe at all. That changed when he heard a tentative knock at the door.

“Come in.” A blue police cap preceded the whiskery head that poked in. Edgeworth’s eyes went slightly wide as they met Gumshoe’s. Never did a beat cop have business in the Prosecutor’s Office.  “Can I.. help you with something, Officer?”

“Yeah. Well… no. Well… I got something for you.”

Edgeworth silently hoped against flowers. Oldbag still sent him bouquets regularly. But then Gumshoe stepped in holding nothing but a manila folder, locking Edgeworth’s door behind him. For a moment, Edgeworth’s heart fell right into his stomach. Was Dick serving him legal papers of some kind? Sexual harassment, perhaps?

Silently, Dick placed the folder on Edgeworth’s desk and pushed it toward him. Brow furrowing, the Prosecutor picked it up and opened the cover.

The letterhead of a doctor’s office… And a chart below. Gumshoe had brought Edgeworth some test results. STD test results. He was clean, of course; Edgeworth didn’t expect Gumshoe’s “contact pool” was very large. 

“I just… I wanted you to know that I’ve been thinking about it. I’ve thought it through real well, you know? I wanted to prove it to you so I went and got this. So… so now you know I’m ready. For whatever.”

Edgeworth looked up at earnest eyes, those puppy dog eyes, though something resolute and maybe a little fearful lurked in them now. This must have taken a great deal of bravery to accomplish: making up his mind to do it, doing it, bringing the results here to possibly be completely disregarded. Edgeworth appreciated the effort, especially because it proved that Gumshoe had been just as preoccupied with Edgeworth as vice versa. “You… truly intend to continue with this, then?”

“Yeah.” Then he fidgeted a little, a flush creeping over his cheeks. “If you… uh… want to. Sir.”

Knowing that Gumshoe locked the door made Edgeworth bold. Putting the folder aside, he rose and moved around the desk, keeping his eyes leveled with Dick’s. Dick didn’t dare move, still facing toward the desk as Edgeworth reached his side. “Have you thought about… what you’ll do with me?” His voice lowered, heart beginning to race. Those stupid dreams fed his ambitions; pushed him to test boundaries.

“I… I, um… I have.” With a light touch, Gumshoe finally turned toward Edgeworth. He swallowed hard, lips moving silently as he tried to articulate something. Anything.

Edgeworth stopped him from the strain, pushing up to kiss him. His lips lingered, plying against Gumshoe’s until the larger man finally melted with a soft groan. Grinning, Edgeworth snuck a hand between them, fingers deftly feeling for Dick’s member through the coarse cloth of his uniform pants.

He finally found his prize, testing the thickness of it as his tongue slid over Gumshoe’s bottom lip. It didn’t disappoint, especially as it began to stiffen in arousal. “Hmm,” Edgeworth mused in appreciation, eyes fluttering open to look up at Gumshoe again.

And then he pulled away. “You should probably get back to work, Officer,” he stated, moving back to his leather chair and sinking down into it. “And then… return to my office after your shift ends.” With a satisfied smile, Edgeworth handed the folder back to Gumshoe.

Only after a moment of stunned silence did Gumshoe rediscover his voice. “Y-yes, sir,” he rasped, shakily taking the item from Miles and holding it close to his chest.

Miles arched his fingers over his paperwork, head tilting slightly. “I could… easily have some test results for you by this evening. And then we can discuss what your plans for me are.” A little money and influence would get him some results in no time.

With an awkward smile, Gumshoe nodded and fumbled with the lock before finally making it out the door. Edgeworth smiled to himself, licking the taste of Dick’s lips from his own. He figured that if he’d had to suffer all this time, he might as well make Gumshoe suffer a little with him. And, perhaps, the ‘plans’ Gumshoe came up with would be very satisfying indeed.

 

* * * * * * * * * * *

 

Edgeworth found it hard to keep himself occupied with paperwork until 8pm. From the moment his “anonymous” results came back after lunch, it seemed every hour his mind drifted to inappropriate things. Shifting uncomfortably in his chair, Miles willed his genitals into submission and resumed work.

A quarter after eight, Gumshoe entered; at first he didn’t even bother to knock, throwing open the door halfway before stopping short and pretending at propriety. Grinning crookedly, Miles ushered him in. “You made it here so quickly…!” he marveled, though he felt no surprise at all. Rising, he circled Gumshoe slowly, making his way to the door and locking it soundly once again.

Without ceremony, he handed Gumshoe his own folder. As the man looked it over, hands shaking a little, Miles unbuttoned his vest. Having shed his jacket long ago, he now stood in only his white dress shirt. “So… there you have it,” Miles stated quietly, reaching to take Gumshoe’s hat just as before. That flush returned, predictably, much to the Prosecutor’s satisfaction. “So… have you thought… about what you’ll do with me now?”

“Well… you said… it’s not much different than being with a woman… right?” Placing the folder on the desk, Dick’s shoulders heaved slightly in that way they did.

Approaching Gumshoe, Miles sighed, beginning to undo the officer’s tie. “It’s just a bit different. I suppose I should show you.” Lips met again, a bit more comfortably this time. Miles looked forward to a day when Gumshoe wouldn’t hesitate at all. Pulling the tie free, he felt it slither to the floor with a soft thud. As his tongue searched for Dick’s, fingers splayed over his chest and he pushed the man back against his desk. “Get comfortable.” 

“What are you…?”

Miles’ fingers deftly worked at the buttons of Dick’s shirt, mouth slowly moving over his jaw, to his neck. “I hope you’re taking mental notes.” He knew Dick wasn’t exactly a Rhodes Scholar, but he had common sense enough to pick up some skills by observation. Secure in this, he sank his teeth just so into the rough skin of Dick’s neck; this action wrung a gasp from the man, his hands suddenly moving to grip Miles’ hips. “No…?” the Prosecutor whispered, glancing upward.

 “S’just… new. Not… used to that.”

Miles imagined a number of things Dick wouldn’t be used to as they progressed. He’d make sure that Maggie would never compare. Parting his shirt, he began to move downward, fingers brushing across his partner’s skin. He’d been working hard that day, clearly; the usual scent of soap and cologne mingled with sweat… Something pleasant that awakened a primal urge in Edgeworth. Not to mention the rough hair on his chest… the swell of muscle under that… all calling to his fingers and lips.

But Gumshoe fidgeted. “Mr. Edgeworth… Are we going to… here…?”

“Would you prefer to sit on the couch?” Edgeworth asked, not bothering to look up. His lips continued their work, migrating toward one of Gumshoe’s nipples.

“I just mean… what if someone—haaah--!” Miles’ teeth raked across the sensitive flesh, then pulling on it with soothing lips. “If… someone walks in… It’s late, and the janitor…”

“…would never dare to walk into my office if I were still here working late.” She’d already made that mistake in the past and he gave her an earful for it. After that, Miles made a point to tell security he was leaving each evening, so that they could alert the cleaning staff in due time. “Now…” His right hand met its goal, cupping Gumshoe’s crotch and caressing the warm flesh lurking beneath the cloth. His lips returned to Dick’s, prizing his mouth open all the more. “Do you have any second thoughts?” he asked quietly, eyes fluttering open.

Gumshoe’s hands still sat on Miles’ hips, fingers periodically squeezing the flesh there. “I…” His breath caught in his throat as Miles’ fingers closed over his member again, squeezing it in return. As it thickened, pressing insistently against his fly, thought left him almost completely.

Smiling, Miles moved to unbuckle Dick’s belt. “Your body… isn’t hesitating.” Likely he was being much too forward, but he had always been the one in charge in this relationship, and if it was to progress the way he wished, he’d have to continue on that path. Not exactly a typical “womanly” thing to do, but he hoped that eventually Gumshoe would come to terms with that. “If… this is what you want, then I’ll make sure you enjoy it. But… if it’s not… then you must raise your objection now.”

“You’d never give your opponent an opening to raise an objection in court,” Gumshoe finally teased, a glint in his eye. “You’d find a way to get your victory.”

“Oh… I will…” Edgeworth replied as he pulled Dick’s pants open. “Because I am the best at all I do.” Even if he wasn’t, he was sure he’d be the best that Dick ever had. His long fingers slid within, finally meeting with warm, hard flesh. A gasp escaped from Gumshoe’s lips, fingers digging into Miles’ hips all the more desperately. With a little bit of effort, he finally coaxed the man’s cock through the front of his boxers and out into the open air.

As Miles wrapped a hand around it, he sighed in satisfaction. It was so thick, the skin slightly more pale than those muscled arms. It curved upward slightly, throbbing and twitching eagerly as Edgeworth began to stroke.  He finally turned his attention back to Gumshoe, who was watching the scene with nothing short of complete awe.  “Now… say it.”

Gumshoe’s lips parted as he blinked in confusion.

“My name… Go ahead and say it.” His hand squeezed a little harder, speeding up, thumb rolling over Dick’s frenulum. A thick bead of precum formed at the head, rewarding his efforts. As he spread it over Gumshoe’s skin, the man finally rasped, “Miles…”

“Good.”

“I… I never thought that you would ever…”

“…jack you off? It gets better.”

Sinking to his knees, Miles licked his lips in anticipation. Closing his eyes, he let his lips part, sucking softly on the head of his throbbing member. “Hnn…” The only sound that left Dick’s lips. He had the man now. After this point, they could not return.

After so long, trying to take in Gumshoe’s thick cock served as a challenge. Miles shivered as he considered what it’d feel like inside him, fingers curling around the base of it and gripping tightly. Mouth closing around it, he began to move slowly over it, tongue swirling around the head each time he pulled back. Soon, Dick was gripping the lip of the desk so tightly that his knuckles were going white.

Miles could feel Gumshoe’s cock swelling in his mouth and he grew more aggressive; opening his throat, urging the head as far back as he could stand. He drew harder, moved faster, blushing as his lips made inelegant noises. Those were soon masked by Gumshoe’s heavy breathing, and then his hips left the desk, thrusting shakily against Edgeworth’s mouth. He muttered something under his breath, something incredulous… Miles shifted uncomfortably as his own member began to beg for release, strangled by his trousers and his awkward position. He moaned, the vibration moving down Gumshoe’s cock to the base of his spine.

“Miles—“ he groaned, the name flowing as naturally as Edgeworth had hoped. His fingers twitched along the wood as he struggled with his own urges and respect for this man knelt before him. Miles merely sped up, a hand gripping Gumshoe’s thigh as he readied for the final sprint. The fingers at the base of Gumshoe’s cock twisted, sliding into the opening of his boxers and scratching across the thick pubic hair there. He didn’t want it to be over yet… He’d fantasized entirely too much about this moment over the last week. But it had to end. “I’m—“

He tried to warn Edgeworth but that didn’t matter. The man reacted to Gumshoe’s frantic thrusts, drawing his cock as deep as he could for that last push, rewarded when he finished in a strangled cry and that first shot slid easily down his throat. He milked Gumshoe thoroughly, until the man finally fell back against the desk, panting quietly. After sucking the last drop from his flaccid member, Miles tucked him away again, buttoning his fly and standing.

After taking a long draught of tea, palette cleared, Miles grabbed a small bottle from his desk drawer. He’d managed to pick it up during lunch that day, and was so happy he’d thought of it. He returned to the Officer. Sitting on the desk now, Dick was just slightly taller than Miles. Their eyes met then; a bit of sweat glistened on Gumshoe’s brow. He found no words at all. Pressing against him, fitting nicely between his spread legs, Miles kissed him softly… almost affectionately. “No objections…?” he asked, voice low. His erection was pressing against Dick’s stomach now; his own breath was slightly labored as well.

“No…” Gumshoe finally managed to breathe, arms curling around Miles’ waist. “And now…”

“You can assist me.” He handed Gumshoe the bottle of clear liquid and began to unbutton his shirt. “I will need to be… slightly less clothed, just in case it gets messy…” Hopefully that word didn’t intimidate Dick too much. It didn’t seem to, especially once Edgeworth’s pale skin was bare. The man’s larger hands caressed it tentatively, running over his back and then his sides. His eyes roamed just as his hands did, lids heavy in the afterglow of his own orgasm. After a moment, Miles unzipped his pants, giving Gumshoe only a glimpse at his member before he turned away. Leaning back against Dick’s bare chest, Miles sighed softly and pushed his underwear down to mid-thigh. He was really only average in size, pubic hair as well-manicured as the rest of him… But he felt no need to impress his partner at the moment. He only ached to feel Dick’s hands around him, but tried to be patient.

He took the bottle back from Gumshoe, then coaxing his hands to continue exploring. They slid around to the front, tracing the curve of his pecs, moving over his flat, soft stomach. Taking a deep breath, Dick pressed his face against Miles’ neck. Was he looking over Miles’ shoulder? No way to tell without being obvious, so he simply opened the bottle, allowing a few generous drops of lubricant to coat the head of his member. “Doing it like this… Makes it just as if… you were touching yourself.” Hopefully Gumshoe would get the idea then. Taking another steeling breath, he seemed to… his right hand sneaking downward, two thick fingers feeling the base of Miles’ cock… growing bolder, hand curling downward to cup his balls gently.

For a moment, Miles felt as if he’d go mad. He reached up, fingertips sliding into Gumshoe’s hair, encouraging him. Finally, with slow and deliberate movements, he rolled his palm over Edgeworth’s cockhead, spreading the lube generously over it before beginning to stroke. His meaty hand could almost envelop Miles completely; as it moved upward that first time, closing tightly over the head and pulling, Miles’ legs almost gave out.

“Yes…” he hissed, head rolling back to rest against Dick’s shoulder. The rhythm became steady as Dick grew more confident. Soon, his other hand returned to caressing, doing its best to memorize every inch of Edgeworth’s skin from his collarbones to his thighs. Miles’ own free hand moved to rest on Gumshoe’s thigh, squeezing it enthusiastically.

Gumshoe’s breath ghosted over Miles’ ear as he turned to kiss, lick and nip over his neck. Even if Dick lacked in technique, the pure overload of sensations drove Edgeworth straight into ecstasy. It had been so damn long… And Dick’s hands felt so good… warm and calloused and strong.

“Harder,” he ordered, a general command that could have meant anything… So Gumshoe applied it to everything, squeezing his cock tighter, arm curling around his waist, lips drawing hard on the skin of his neck. And as he began to coax breathless moans from the Prosecutor, he grew faster too. “So good… at this… Detective…”

He stiffened slightly, angry at himself for making that mistake again. But Gumshoe didn’t stop. “You can always call me that… I missed hearing it…” And then he lapped at Miles’ shoulder, teeth sinking in to the skin he’d prepped... Demonstrating that he had, in fact, been paying attention earlier.

Taken completely off-guard, Miles couldn’t warn Dick of his impending orgasm at all. Moaning something unintelligible, hips thrusting against that hand, he climaxed. He forgot to cover himself as he finished, and looked down to see his seed splashed across the immaculate floor… and coating Gumshoe’s fingers. That wasn’t quite how he had planned it would end… And as he watched Dick pull his hand away, he cringed. “I… I apologize,” Edgeworth breathed, shrinking in on himself just slightly, growing so small in Gumshoe’s arms.

“…apologize for what?” Gumshoe asked, holding that hand carefully away from any of Edgeworth’s clothing.

“Lost my composure,” Miles whispered, turning awkwardly to reach into his desk and grab a box of tissues. Feeling foolish, he helped clean the semen and lubricant from Dick’s fingers before turning any attention to himself. And finally… the floor.

Grinning, Gumshoe nodded. “You did. It was… well…” Blushing, he turned his head to look awkwardly at the wall. “It was sexy.” He seemed to flinch for a moment, unsure if he was allowed to say that word.

Miles merely barked out a short laugh, shaking his head as he buttoned and smoothed out his pants. After a moment of reflection, he turned to face Gumshoe completely. “So… I am… ‘sexy’ to you?”

Dick couldn’t look at him. Biting his bottom lip, he replied, “Yes…” very quietly. Scratching the back of his head, he felt as if he should explain. “Just… when you let down your guard, you know? It’s… it’s nice. I like it…”

Out of anyone else in his life, he realized, he guarded himself the least with Gumshoe. Truly, Gumshoe did know him better than anyone… Because Gumshoe was the only person he knew without any pretentions or ulterior motives at all. Even Phoenix could not entirely be trusted… As much as he wanted to make himself out to be a warrior of goodness and truth, he still told lies and deceived people to meet his own ends. Gumshoe never did… Even at times when he should.

“This is me… letting down my guard… completely.” Leaning forward, he pressed another lingering kiss to Gumshoe’s lips, hanging onto his shoulders for a long moment. And then the moment was over. “Now… I am going to dress. It’s rather cold in here.”

Without a mirror for reference, Dick was completely hopeless at putting his tie on correctly. Sighing in exasperation, Miles adjusted it for him. “Now… would you like some dinner? If you can go home and change, we can go someplace marginally nicer than that last dive we went to…”

“Huh? I thought that place was pretty good!”

“You have absolutely no taste, Gumshoe. You should be aware of that by now.”

Just to keep from arousing any suspicion, he made Gumshoe leave before him and finished up his paperwork. He supposed that now they were probably a couple, weren’t they? Eventually someone would see them together if things continued progressing this way. That was something he’d have to adjust to.

 

* * * * * * 

 

The following week brought more Gumshoe into Edgeworth’s life. Instead of relegating their meetings to Fridays, Edgeworth found himself asking for the Officer’s number that evening at dinner… And actually calling him the next night when he sat home, alone, and noticed Gumshoe’s shift had ended. The following nights were the same.

“I really don’t know what’s come over me, Pess,” Edgeworth sighed as he prepared dinner one evening in anticipation of his guest. “I couldn’t possibly have been lonely. I mean, I have your companionship.”

Pess huffed, his muzzle flush against the cool tile in the kitchen, looking up at his master under expressive brows.

“Yes, you’re right. Not THAT kind of companionship. Everyone needs THAT, I suppose. And he is rather handsome, after a fashion. Brutish and calloused and… everything that I’m not. Opposites attract, they say.” Pess shook his ears and sat up. “I’m… overthinking this, aren’t I? Go with the flow. Yes. Not everything in my life must be planned down to the last detail…”

Gumshoe arrived. Edgeworth informed him that dinner was made and his eyes lit up, but they didn’t get to dinner right away. Little by little, Miles had peeled away the Officer’s hesitation until kisses and caresses flowed freely. However, they hadn’t ventured much farther since that evening in Edgeworth’s office.

His arms around Edgeworth’s waist, lips against Edgeworth’s ear, Gumshoe breathed, “I’ve been thinking…”

“A dangerous occupation for you, Detective,” Miles teased quietly, fingers caressing Dick’s warm arms.

After a little pout, Gumshoe continued, “…I’ve been thinking about that… uh… blowjob that you gave me.”

When he wasn’t looking Gumshoe in the eye, flippancy came more easily. “So have I… And… several other things as well…”

“I’m surprised you’re not mad about it.”

Blinking, Miles pulled back. “Hm? Why would I be?”

“Well…” Blushing, Gumshoe glanced at the floor. “I always thought it was… supposed to be equal, you know? You give some, you get some.”

“I recall… ‘getting some’…” Edgeworth replied, a grin twisting at the corners of his lips.

“Just a lousy handjob.”

“It wasn’t lousy at all…” Was he really reassuring Gumshoe in this way? Normally Dick was the one to give pep talks. “…what are you getting at?”

“Um, I was just thinking…” He cleared his throat roughly. “…I should give you one back. …right?”

“Do… you wish to do so…?” Really, tiptoeing around the issue wouldn’t help either of them. The ultimate prize—Gumshoe, in Edgeworth’s bed—wouldn’t materialize without overcoming this obstacle. Or, at least, it wouldn’t be ideal. This whole thing resembled a game of chess to Edgeworth, at times. Smiling, he decided not to give Gumshoe any more room to doubt. Instead, he took the man’s hand and guided him toward his own bedroom. Edgeworth hoped getting him familiar with the surroundings would help considerably.

As they entered the room, Gumshoe’s eyes grew wide. Yet another part of Edgeworth’s home that could encompass his own apartment. Though, by this point, he was smart enough to keep any commentary to himself. Edgeworth hated to be reminded of the pit that Dick called home. Even if he HAD finally managed to save up enough to get the lights turned back on.

Next to the window overlooking the spacious backyard was a plush chair. Standing before it, Edgeworth began to unbutton his shirt. “Come here,” he ordered, and Dick came with only slight hesitation.

“I did some, uh… reading up on it… But you’re still gonna have to… show me how to do it.”

Edgeworth was unsure if he should be impressed or amused by Gumshoe’s admission. Where was he doing all this research? On the laptop in his police cruiser? Hopefully he knew how to delete search histories.

Finally nodding in understanding, Edgeworth took to kissing the man again, hands caressing over his shoulders, arms and sides until the tension finally dissolved from the muscles there. Gumshoe let his hands wander as they so often did… but they had never ventured between Edgeworth’s legs. This night he took some initiative, palm covering the bulge there and rubbing softly.

Miles’ breath stilled in his throat and he squeezed Gumshoe’s arms encouragingly. In no time at all, his member responded favorably to the stimulation. Sighing softly, he sank down into the chair and unbuttoned his pants, carefully pulling his member free and stroking it. Lips slightly parted in concentration, he noticed that the moonlight was spilling through the gauzy curtains and over his lap… and Gumshoe was staring at him.

“…losing your nerve?” Edgeworth asked gently, looking up at his partner. “If you are, that’s fine…”

“No,” Gumshoe interrupted, jaw setting resolutely. “I was just… looking at you.” Falling to his knees, Dick took a deep breath. “I dunno if this is a good thing or not… I mean, especially when you’ve got your dick out and everything…” He laughed sheepishly. “…but sometimes I forget you’re a man. I mean… you’re just… really… pretty…” His voice trailed off and he looked around the room, feeling especially stupid.

“Considering the source, I’ll accept that as a compliment,” Miles replied, betraying just a bit of mirth. But his hand continued moving and his voice became tempered with growing arousal. He was going to climax before they left this room, whether Gumshoe assisted or not.

Thankfully, his partner came through. He tugged at Miles’ pants to remove them. When Edgeworth looked curiously at him, he replied, “There’s something I… wanna try…”

“Did you learn something during your research that I’m unaware of?” Miles replied, brows raising. This would either be titillating or it would ruin his opinion of Gumshoe forever.

Gumshoe nodded, though he couldn’t stop blushing or meet Edgeworth’s eyes. Reaching out, he twined his fingers with Edgeworth’s, helping him stroke. “Just… tell me what to do…”

“Hnnh…” Talking already took effort. “…it’s really rather simple. The head, that’s the most sensitive part… You wrap your lips around it and… suck.” So crude. “The best part…” he tapped his frenulum “…Is where you are supposed to roll your tongue.”

Shrugging, Gumshoe leaned in. His warm lips enclosed around Edgeworth’s cockhead, drawing a little too sharply at first… But with some coaching he managed to even out. With more and more breathless words, Miles instructed him on how to handle the rest; and Gumshoe was a rather large man with a rather large mouth. Miles was surprised to discover how easily he managed to take in almost all of Edgeworth’s length.

“Yesss… and… faster, now. Harder… Gnn…” His head bobbed for a few moments until he pulled back abruptly, panicking and then grabbing Miles’ member with a frantic hand. Stroking wildly, he sucked a breath through his teeth. “…Dick…” Miles breathed, brow furrowed as he leveled a heated gaze in his partner’s direction.

“Jaw hurts. When women talk about that… That’s not just a joke, huh…?”

“No,” Miles replied, the word almost guttural. “But… perseverance… is rewarded…” Mother of God, he just needed a little more…

Licking his lips, Gumshoe dove back in. Miles cried out despite himself, fingers burying themselves in Gumshoe’s hair, keeping his head moving at a desirable pace. “When… I finish… Hnn… I’ll tell you…” He felt Dick’s fingers digging into his thighs, straining with this effort. “Take me in deeply… the back of your throat if you can… Then… you won’t taste as much of the semen…” Sure, he could be courteous, give Dick the option to finish the job with his hand… But he was too close now—hungry for this—his cock and his brain told him that he needed this more than he’d ever needed anything in his entire life.

He almost didn’t notice, at first, that one of Dick’s hands was creeping between his thighs. Suddenly a thick, gentle finger was pressing against his cherry. It didn’t even enter him; just a small degree of pressure was all it took… as pleasantly unexpected as it was.

Edgeworth gasped, legs spreading instinctively. “C-Cumming…” So crude! Didn’t matter. Hand pushing downward, hips thrusting upward, he finished and Gumshoe dutifully sucked him dry. Spent, he let his arms hang over the sides of the chair as Gumshoe sat back.

Pursing his lips, he surmised, “Didn’t taste as bad as I thought it would.”

“Well… my diet is considerably better than yours, I imagine…” After a moment of recovery, a smile formed on his lips. “…speaking of, there are drinks and dinner waiting downstairs… You can wash away the taste.”

When Gumshoe rose, he had to adjust himself just a bit, blushing deeply. Edgeworth considered that a personal victory. Eventually he was sure his partner would freely feel arousal when taking part in these activities, once he overcame his doubts. He was obviously thinking a great deal about them when they weren’t together, if he was doing “research” that resulted in those wonderful little surprises.

Indeed! A considerable hurdle jumped and Edgeworth could see the finish line! Despite what he told Pess about “going with the flow,” Edgeworth immediately began to make plans. It’d been a long time since he’d been with a man, really… And Gumshoe was reasonably well endowed. With only a small amount of shame, he ordered a pair of “sex aids” off of the Internet, holding his hand in front of him to try and recall exactly how much girth his partner possessed.

Thus, he started off small on the first evening, fucking himself slowly with the first toy, giving his body plenty of time to adjust. He wanted Dick’s first experience with him to go as flawlessly as possible, with little to no pain involved…

In a few nights, he’d worked his way up to the second. Imagining Gumshoe inside him as he eased the toy back and forth made him climax surprisingly quickly.

His mood had improved so considerably that coworkers began to take notice. And then life, as it tends to, got in the way of Edgeworth’s plans.

A large case dropped into his lap and he spent several days in his office, working from sunup to sundown. A capital murder trial, and Detective Hotshot wasn’t making it easy on him. The crime scene was a mess and nobody could seem to keep evidence straight. He could never get a direct answer to any question he asked his “partner.”

Even though Edgeworth was no longer Gumshoe’s direct superior, he was still a superior. He shied away from having the Officer visit him too frequently at his office, for fear of attracting undue attention. So, for a little over a week, they didn’t see each other at all.

Finally, they had a breakthrough and captured a suspect. As the man endured questioning, Edgeworth found himself waiting for background information. The Police Department promised it the next morning, and so he was finally able to go home at a reasonable hour.

Without Gumshoe’s presence, Miles’ massive abode seemed rather… bare. Even poor Pess was restless, pacing from the front door to the living room every quarter hour. Miles finally picked up the phone and called.

Gumshoe’s voice was quiet as he answered. “Mr. Edgeworth! I heard they caught the guy!”

“Hopefully,” Miles replied, feeling a strange warmth rising in his chest at the sound of Gumshoe’s voice. “I won’t have information until tomorrow. I thought that… perhaps… you’d like to…” Why was this so hard to do? He was used to just ordering Dick to do things, he supposed. Not asking.

There seemed to be some muffled conversation on the other end of the line. “Uh… I’d love to, Mr. Edgeworth. But… well, you see, Maggey called me this afternoon. It’s the damnedest thing. And we’re at the restaurant now, see…”

Miles’ blood ran cold. Back straightening, he cut Gumshoe off mid-sentence. “I see.” Before Dick could reply, he continued, “That’s wonderful to hear. I wish you… the best of luck.” And he promptly ended the call, snapping his phone shut and holding it in his lap with both hands.

Of course, he should have expected this result. Gumshoe was not, in fact, gay… What had Miles been expecting from all this? To Gumshoe, it was just play. Getting off, experimenting, nothing more.

Did Miles really think a relationship would spring from all this? Did he even want a relationship with that oaf? Let him have the girl. They were made for each other.

The phone buzzed in his lap. Gumshoe’s number. He opened it and promptly hit the “end call” button.

He’d mastered control of his emotions when he was a mere child. With little effort, he managed to extinguish everything that threatened to bubble up… that had already bubbled up and taken root inside him. Or so he readily told himself and Pess.

The phone buzzed again. If only he could turn it off! But he needed to be kept abreast of developments in the case. Technology was a wonderful thing; he blocked Gumshoe’s number with a few quick minutes on his computer and was off to make dinner.

Back in his office the next day, the calls did not cease. A little after 11am, the receptionist buzzed in: “Officer Dick Gumshoe is on the phone, Mr. Edgeworth. He says that it’s… urgent… but did not give me specifics.”

“Do not take a message. I don’t want to hear about any more calls unless they’re relevant to TY-17.”

At 2:30, someone barged into Edgeworth’s office. He was ready to tear Gumshoe a new asshole until he looked up and saw Phoenix and Maya standing before him. Phoenix looked more miserable than normal, a bag of frozen peas pressed to his temple.

Doing little to disguise his frayed nerves, Edgeworth hissed, “Can I help you?”

Stomping her foot, Maya cried, “You’ll never believe what Detective Kleinfelter did!”

Unfortunately for all of them, Miles likely would. Leaning forward, he steepled his fingers over his mounds of paperwork. “Let me guess: you were nosing around somewhere you shouldn’t have been, and ended up running into… the lead investigator.”

“HE ran into US!” Maya cried, little hands balling into fists.

“With extreme prejudice,” Phoenix added sardonically, pulling the bag of peas away to reveal a sizable goose-egg above his left eye. “He ‘restrained’ me against a brick wall several times.”

Sighing raggedly, Edgeworth rose. “While I may not agree with his methods, I certainly believe he was right in… restraining you.”

“What happened to Detective Gumshoe!?” Maya demanded, refusing to listen to any sort of reason at all. “This new guy, he’s the biggest wet blanket I’ve ever met.”

What indeed. “Detective Gumshoe is no longer a Detective,” Miles replied, sinking back into his chair wearily. “He’s a patrolman these days, I hear. Hang around on the West Side and perhaps you’ll catch a glimpse.”

“How could you?!” Maya cried, tears welling in the corners of her eyes. “After all that he’s done for you… You’re so cruel, Mr. Edgeworth!”

Slamming his hands on the desk, startling all three of them somehow, Miles cried, “Why does everyone always assume it’s my fault? I had absolutely nothing to do with his demotion. He is the one responsible for his own current predicament… I refuse to continue… being a party to his bad decisions!”

His hair stood on end by the time he finished ranting, and the Defense merely stood, staring slack-jawed at him. Phoenix got that little gleam in his eye that Edgeworth did so hate. “Did Gumshoe… ASK to be demoted? Was it just too much to keep working with you?” He made a face as Edgeworth nearly lunged over the desk.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Wright. It was completely out of our hands. Who in their right mind would ask for that? All he ever wanted was to be a Detective and—“ And why was he still talking about this idiot? “—and I will have a discussion with Detective Kleinfelter about his… overzealous… methods.” Not that it’d do any good.

A moment of silence.

“For the love of God, Wright, stop looking at me like that. If you’re quite finished, I’d like to return to my job now. You see, I do things the proper way, through the correct channels, and…”

Maya was already tuning him out, grabbing Phoenix’s arm and dragging him through the door. He could hear them speaking in hushed voices on the other side of it… No doubt hatching a plan to figure out why he was so perturbed. That was fine; while they wasted their time interviewing psychologists, he’d be ensuring his victory in court.

 

* * * * * * 

 

The calls finally stopped and Edgeworth buried himself in work. In a few days, he managed to stop thinking about Gumshoe entirely. The weekend rolled in and he packed up his documentation, taking it home with him so that Pess would have company.

On Friday evening, Pess seemed restless again… Pacing and staring out the windows, circling the front door. He’d never acted in such a way before Gumshoe started coming around; he was always such a quiet dog before. Another thing he would hold against the man.

“What is it?” Edgeworth asked, looking up from a packet he was reading. Pess merely glanced back at him, wagging his tail. Sighing, Edgeworth surmised the dog wanted outside, despite just going out an hour previous. “Just a little walk. And then back to work,” Edgeworth informed him, rising to his feet. He opened the front door and found himself face-to-face with Gumshoe, picking brambles from his torn shirt.

At first, Edgeworth attempted to stifle his anger, but he finally roared, “What the hell are you doing here?! How did you get in here?!”

“Climbed the fence,” Gumshoe stated a little breathlessly. “It’s a lot taller than it looks, pal. Why’d you turn off the buzzer at the gate?”

“Because I didn’t want to be bothered,” Edgeworth shot back, making to close the door again. “Enjoy climbing back out. I have half a mind to have you arrested for trespassing--”

Slamming his hand on the door, Gumshoe stopped Edgeworth abruptly. “What’s going on, Miles? Why won’t you answer or return any of my calls?”

“That is Mr. Edgeworth to you, Officer Gumshoe. And I don’t owe you any explanations.” He struggled to close the door with one hand, but Gumshoe was plainly stronger than him. “Get out of my doorway.”

“I don’t… understand…” Gumshoe frowned, his arm weakening a little. Edgeworth got the door to close another few inches. “You get this big case and suddenly I don’t see you anymore. And now we’re back to being all formal? Please just tell me what I… did wrong. If you just tell me that, I’ll go.”

Snarling, Edgeworth finally gave up on trying to push Gumshoe out. “You really shouldn’t be trying to spend any more time with me, Gumshoe. Isn’t that what caused you and Maggey to break up in the first place? Does she know you’re here?”

Blinking, Gumshoe shook his head slowly. “Maggey…” Then he grinned and scratched the back of his head. “I get it. You’re… you’re mad at me because I had dinner with Maggey? You’re… you’re jealous. That’s… really cute, Mr. Edgeworth… I didn’t know you were the jealous type.”

The fury on Edgeworth’s features sharpened to a fine point, his eyes ice cold. “I’m not. We had our fun. Now it’s over and I have a case to attend to. Leave me alone.”

“Maggey doesn’t know I’m here,” Gumshoe growled, setting a single foot in the doorway now. Edgeworth desired to stomp on it. “Because all we did was have dinner. That’s it. We talked. She apologized for treating me like she did. It made me feel a lot better.”

Edgeworth’s brow furrowed and he looked up at Gumshoe.

“She wanted things to go further, of course. I guess she struck out with this new guy she tried. Or she needed someone to help her pay rent. I dunno. But I told her there was already someone in my life that I cared a lot about. And I’ve been trying to call him for days but he’s been freezing me out, like… like… some high school girl!”

That last phrase was tacked on with a bit of fury behind it, a tone he didn’t easily take with Edgeworth. For a moment Edgeworth thought to keep being angry, to insult the man and shove him back into the lawn. But if what he’d said was true…

“You… rebuffed Maggey?”

“Did you…” Dick’s face softened, eyes turning sad. “…really think that I would choose her over you? You… and I, we’ve been partners for so many years. Ever since that first night you kissed me, I… I can’t stop thinking about you. Hell, I… I always thought about you before that anyway. Please don’t push me away. I… my heart… can’t take it, pal.”

Edgeworth relented, his hand sliding away from the door. “Perhaps I… overreacted.” That was the closest he’d come to an admission of guilt, and Gumshoe gladly accepted it. Tumbling in through the door, he curled his arms around Edgeworth’s waist, squeezing him so tightly that he came off the ground. Pess barked and wagged his tail, dancing around them excitedly.

“Gumshoe—“ The Officer’s lips covered his own, forcefully plying his mouth open before his tongue slid within. This was the most “persuasive” Gumshoe had been with him thus far, and he was surprised to discover how arousing it was. Gripping Dick’s upper arms, he faltered for a moment. But only a moment. Pulling his lips away, he breathed, “…my case… really need to… work…”

“It can be like the old days. I’ll bring you dinner… run errands for you… whatever you need so you can work. What do you say?” When Edgeworth didn’t immediately answer, Gumshoe pressed his face against the man’s neck. “You need me. Admit it. I can help you…”

The last vestiges of Edgeworth’s resistance faded. He ran fingers upward, along the base of Gumshoe’s scalp. He had missed that smell, the feel of that rough hair, the timbre of Gumshoe’s voice. As if he somehow sensed Miles’ train of thought, Gumshoe murmured, “I missed you…”

Edgeworth managed to pull Gumshoe into his foyer and shut the door. “I missed you too,” he replied quietly, closing his eyes.

After a moment of silence, Gumshoe finally let go, flexing his arms. “Alright… Time to get to work! C’mon, Pess.” He and the dog trotted into the kitchen as Miles watched incredulously. He’d really done it now… He’d let this man into his life completely.

He didn’t have the heart to tell Gumshoe he’d already eaten dinner… but in the end, Gumshoe ate both portions anyway. Then he made himself useful, fetching files from the foyer when asked and otherwise—for the most part—staying out of Miles’ hair. He relaxed on the couch in the living room, watching some cookie-cutter “gritty crime drama” marathon and gasping at appropriate times. From his office, Edgeworth could see the back of Dick’s head… hear the drone of the television… and somehow he felt a measure of comfort, rather than distraction.

Eventually the marathon faded into infomercials and the tea was no longer keeping Miles’ eyes open. He finally gave in, rising and stretching his arms over his head. “Enough is enough, I think.” Gumshoe turned toward him, smiling crookedly.

“Guess it’s time for me to go then, huh?” he called from his seat in the next room.

“It’s almost two in the morning, Gumshoe…” Fingers fidgeting with the edge of his desk, Miles finally said, “You can stay the night… if you’d like.”

“I guess… Missile will be okay overnight…” They both stared at one another, blushes steadily growing on their respective cheeks. Nodding, Gumshoe finally got to his feet. “I’m sure you’ve got a guest room that’s bigger than my apartment…”

“You may… sleep in my room. With me.” He felt much too tired, mentally and physically, for sex. But this would be another obstacle defeated. The two men stared at one another for a moment before Miles finally took the initiative and started walking. Gumshoe followed dumbly, chewing on the inside of his cheeks.

Once they were in his bedroom, Dick spoke up. “I didn’t offer to help you out for that reason… you know.”

“What?” Flipping on the small lamp beside his bed, Edgeworth began to undress. He realized then that Gumshoe brought no bedclothes… Should they both sleep in their underwear? Or… nude? The thought thrilled him so much he felt like a high school boy.

Once Edgeworth’s chest was bare, suit jacket hung on the rack for dry cleaning, Gumshoe started fumbling with the buttons on his shirt. “I wanted to help you because I… wanna see you succeed. I didn’t do it thinking there’d be sex.”

“Who said there’d be sex? I’m much too tired for that, Gumshoe. I merely assumed that… you’d be more comfortable in here. My bed is larger, after all. As… you are.”

Dick’s brow furrowed but the tension seemed to flow from his shoulders. Without the pressure to perform, his fingers became more nimble. Clearing his throat, Miles battled with the decision to blatantly look in Gumshoe’s direction or pretend at disinterest. He’d only been able to catch glimpses of his partner’s body thus far; he wanted to see it all. Stopping at his own underwear, he tried to act natural as he slid beneath the covers. Gumshoe’s eyes were definitely on him as he removed his own pants, tossing them aside.

“What… in the world… is that?” The waistband of Gumshoe’s threadbare boxers was gathered up  to one side, wrapped in what looked to be a rubber band.

“Oh,” Gumshoe answered as he pulled the covers back, ready to climb in. “The elastic is worn out so that’s how I keep ‘em up. Pretty good idea, huh?”

“No!” Edgeworth cried, recoiling. “It looks ridiculous. I will buy you some new boxers, for the love of God… Just… take them off.”

“But… they’re still in good shape. Not even any holes in them…”

Eyes wide, Edgeworth merely glared at him until he finally complied and removed them. And there he stood, completely nude before Miles’ hungry eyes.

The silence was palpable for a moment; Edgeworth could hear his own heart beating in his ears. Despite not being able to tear his eyes away, he decided it best not to make a big deal out of it. “Thank you. Now… come to bed.”

“Yes, sir.” As awkwardly as possible, Gumshoe inserted his hulking form between Miles’ soft sheets. He immediately melted against the pillows, letting out a long sigh of pleasure. “Oh, man. I knew that you had really awesome stuff, but… but this…”

“My therapist recommended that I buy the best mattress I could find. To… help me sleep better.” He stiffened slightly, realizing that he was mining entirely too close to one of his own weaknesses, a part of his life that he never desired to share with anyone.

Gumshoe didn’t bat an eyelash. Curling arms behind his head, he stared up at the ceiling. “You definitely picked the best one. I bet I can even figure out when you got it. I noticed one day last year… Your eyes weren’t as puffy. You weren’t as grumpy either.”

Laughing softly, Miles turned onto his side, looking over Dick’s profile. So earnest, eyes bright, a soft smile curled over his features. In some ways he envied the man; so carefree, never questioning his motives or actions. He just DID whatever he felt was right and that was that. “I never appreciated you.”

“…uh?”

“You… you were a good detective. I’m sorry that I ever implied you were not. Your ability to… empathize with others far surpasses mine… Even if your observational skills occasionally came up lacking. And I never appreciate that. Or you.”

Turning to look at Miles, Dick grinned crookedly. “It doesn’t matter. I know you never meant the things that you said when you were angry. You never do mean those things.” He gnawed on the inside of his cheek. “And here we are anyway. Maybe this’s the way it was supposed to work out all along.”

“Dick…” He started to say something but really nothing had been in mind to say. Gumshoe was here, in his bed, and everything was okay. Maggey was just a memory, and Dick was all his. So surreal. Had he passed out on top of his casefiles and this was all a crazy dream? Half stupid from lack of sleep, he reached out and pinched Gumshoe’s nipple.

“WooooOW! What’dya do that for, sir?!”

The nipple was growing hard even from the unwanted attention. Laughing to himself, Miles purred, “I’m sorry. I think… since I’ve been with you… I’ve lost my damn mind.”

Before Gumshoe could stammer out a bewildered reply, Edgeworth was sliding toward him, skin already heated against the cool sheets. His legs easily tangled with Gumshoe’s as their bodies met. Miles’ head dipped, tongue rolling soothingly over the abused flesh on Dick’s chest. “A… are you… WITH me, sir?” he finally breathed, voice already a noticeable degree thicker. “Are we… a couple?”

“I have no idea. I’ve found… that nothing good comes from overthinking this situation.” A grin curled over his features. “Though… perhaps I was referring to the day we met all those years ago…”

“I wondered if maybe I lost my mind too. There’s just somethin’ about you that… I can’t resist. I don’t think anybody can. The way women always look at you…”

“They’re fools,” Edgeworth bit back, lips and tongue still moving softly over Dick’s skin. He took his time, remembering the taste and the smell. Then he snorted, realizing the implication that Gumshoe, too, was a fool.

Of course, Dick didn’t catch that implication. His chest rose erratically as he chuckled. “You sound like Ms. von Karma now…”

“Ugh,” Miles sighed, finally glancing up at Gumshoe. “No more words, please.”

For once, Gumshoe obeyed that command. Miles’ lips, teeth and tongue battered him into submission quite easily, moving from that nipple up to his neck and jaw. He heard the soft rush of Dick’s breath against his ear as he worked, pleasuring in how it grew deeper as his arousal rose. Soon Miles’ hand slid down toward that arousal, scraping over the rough thatch of hair between Dick’s legs with an almost guilty pleasure. As his fingers curled around the shaft, a little noise rose from Gumshoe’s throat. Looking up at him, Miles observed that his lips were pursed, fighting to hold something back.

“I know,” Miles breathed, “I said ‘no sex.’ I changed my mind.” Before Dick could break the exquisite silence, he kissed him, tongue easily prizing his mouth open. Gumshoe’s hands finally met Miles’ skin. Warmth seemed to flood from his palms as they slowly caressed Miles’ sides, his hips, squeezing his ass almost brazenly. Letting out a soft gasp, Edgeworth pulled back.

Gumshoe thought he’d made a mistake as his partner slid away, until he saw that Miles was digging in the nightstand. Fishing out a bottle of lube, he grinned. “I’ve been planning for this moment…”

“Well, yeah. You plan everything…”

“You’ve been doing some planning yourself, haven’t you?” Feeling somewhat saucy, Miles licked his lips, handing the bottle to Gumshoe. “You were thinking about fingering me during that… last little bit of fun we had, weren’t you?”

“Uh…” Gumshoe wasn’t sure of the right answer. Blushing, he replied, “Just kinda trying it out…”

“Just like a woman, right? That’s how we’ve been playing this game.” Miles didn’t mind at all if he got off in the end. “Try it again… Because you know what comes afterward, right?”

Gumshoe couldn’t form words, so he simply nodded shakily. As he spread the lube over his fingers, Miles straddled him, hands firmly on his shoulders. His own member twitched in anticipation, a soft flush rising on his skin. After a moment of silent hesitation, Dick pressed the pad of a finger against Edgeworth’s entrance.

“…aah.”

He closed his eyes, head rolling back as Gumshoe’s thick finger pushed inside him. His cock throbbed, growing harder, which encouraged his partner. Soon it was sliding slowly in and out of him, prizing soft moans from the prosecutor. Biting his lip, Gumshoe watched the scene in fascination. Never had he seen such abandon on Edgeworth’s features…

“…another…”

“…finger…?”

Nodding, brow furrowing, Miles kept his eyes closed. Cautiously, Dick pulled out, then pressing both fingers against his partner’s cherry. With only a bit of pressure they slipped within, a guttural moan rewarding Dick’s efforts. Soon Miles was riding his hand, hips rolling eagerly toward each thrust of his fingers. No toys could compare to the feel of soft, warm flesh. And it would only get better from here.

“I want you.”

Gumshoe looked up to find himself meeting Edgeworth’s eyes, that familiar steely determination set in them. He pulled away from Dick’s hand, sliding down his body as he grabbed up the lube again. Suddenly, panic flashed across the officer’s features. As he covered his palm in the clear liquid, Miles looked up at his partner. “…second thoughts?”

“No. I just… I hope I don’t…”

“Don’t what, Detective? Spit it out.” He began to stroke, renewing the vitality of Dick’s erection with little effort.

Drawing a shaking breath, Dick replied, “…hope I don’t screw it up.”

“I’ll tell you if you do.” Rising, he moved into position, coaxing Gumshoe to hold his cock upright. “…don’t I always?” With a hand placed against Dick’s chest for support, he slid downward. It was slow going at first, and Gumshoe barely dared to breathe. As his thick head finally entered Miles’ body, so hard and hot, the prosecutor hissed, back straightening. And then the pleasure came. Moaning openly, he slowly took in the majority of Gumshoe’s length, settling down with Dick’s hips firmly clamped between his thighs.

“…yes.”

Under heavy lids, he regarded his partner in silence. Dick, for his part, tried to contain himself; his heart hammered in his chest, pulling deep breaths to calm itself. Edgeworth leaned forward, placing hands on either side of Dick’s head, and began to move. Moaning softly, he closed his eyes again, reveling in every sensation. He heard Gumshoe’s breath coming forth in quiet gasps.

“Touch me…”

Dick’s fingers curled around Miles’ member, pulling shakily. They were a bit sticky from the lube now, having exposed them to so much air, and he fumbled for the bottle again. “Just relax,” Miles whispered, not bothering to open his eyes, completely lulled by the combination of pleasure and tiredness. Soon fresh, wet flesh engulfed his cock, squeezing tightly in half rhythm with the lazy movement of his hips. “God, yes.” A smile curled over his lips, shockwaves of pleasure coursing up his spine as his body tightened around Gumshoe’s cock.

“Haah--” The first noise Dick dared to make. Edgeworth could feel his cock twitching, throbbing within him. Gumshoe’s hips jerked upward instinctively and Miles cried out.

“Oh, God! I’m… I’m sorry…”

“Again.”

“Sir?”

“Do it again.”

Gumshoe retreated, taking in a soft breath before thrusting again. Flesh met with flesh and Edgeworth groaned in pleasure. Gripping Miles’ hip with his free hand, Dick did it again, and again, until he no longer feared the action. Miles took over with his own member, pumping hard and slow as Gumshoe grabbed his hips with both hands.

Then Gumshoe fucked him, pausing for deep breaths between thrusts, finally beginning to moan openly. The sounds of their pleasure mingled. Edgeworth entered a sort of fugue. The world outside no longer existed, only the pleasure and the smell and the sound of them, then and there.

Suddenly, he was moving. Gumshoe had easily risen up beneath him, holding him tightly as they rolled. Then he was hovering over him, profile lit by the soft light of the bedside lamp. The heat was almost stifling but intoxicating, a sheen of sweat on the larger man’s brow.

At that point, both understood without exchange of words. Edgeworth pulled his legs upward, exposing himself again, and Gumshoe drove into him. From this angle he went deeper, and actually took Miles by surprise. “Ghhn--!”

But Dick didn’t hesitate this time. Brow knitted in concentration, panting softly, he continued to move. Harder, a little faster, so much deeper, and Miles began to feel that tightening sensation, a bowstring readying to fire.

His arms rose up, pulling Dick close, clinging to him almost, but at this point no thought was given to that. Fingers buried themselves in the back of his hair, manicured nails scraping across his scalp. Pressing his clammy forehead into the curve of Miles’ neck, Gumshoe growled softly, moans interspersed between labored breaths.

“Harder,” Miles hissed a last time. He began to stroke himself again. Dick’s hips moved with deliberate, almost punishing force. Every muscle in his body was tensed. Edgeworth realized now that he was resisting the overpowering urge to cum. Stifling a curse under his breath, the prosecutor spread his legs wide, trying to accommodate him. Eventually, he couldn’t keep himself quiet under the onslaught, moans rising in volume until they were all he could hear ringing in his own ears. His hand pumped hard and fast, his own muscles tensing until the string finally snapped.

With an anguished cry, he coated his own hand in his seed, back rising off of the bed. Keeping his hips elevated, Dick continued to slam against him. As Edgeworth’s own voice faded, he registered Gumshoe’s… Breath now ragged, muscles shaking under the exertion. Pleasure faded into a bit of pain, but that was just as arousing to Miles.

“Detective…” The word almost inaudible. But it was enough. With a shuddering breath, Dick finished, shooting deep within his partner’s body, hips continuing to move on their own until they slowed to a stop. And then he collapsed, just barely moving to the side so that Miles was spared the majority of his bulk. With a soft whimper, he settled, the side of his face against Edgeworth’s shoulder.

After that, several minutes ticked by in near silence, their breath all that could be heard. Idly, Miles ran fingertips through the short hair at the nape of Gumshoe’s neck. He moved his leg and winced, feeling that creeping soreness suggesting that perhaps he’d gone overboard. “Thank you… for that.”

With a grunt, Dick managed to turn his head in Edgeworth’s direction. “…y’welcome.”

Blinking, Miles grinned. “That was… a surprisingly succinct reply. Is that due to the sex? I’ll have to remember this the next time you won’t stop flapping your lips at me…”

“You’re the one… talking so much right now.” Gumshoe replied rather pointedly. Then he felt embarrassed. “…sir.”

“Indeed.” He grabbed Dick’s head and stole a kiss, reasserting who was in charge of this situation. And then he rose. “Now, thanks to you, I have to shower and change these sheets before I can sleep…”

Now Gumshoe felt even more embarrassed. “Oh… I’m sorry, sir. Am I going to ruin your case?”

“Perhaps. You’ll have to stay the entire weekend to assist me with it now…”

Gumshoe could only sit up against the pillows, scratching his head in confusion as Miles rose to walk to the bathroom in as dignified a fashion as he could manage. He hurriedly ran hot water for a shower, cleaning away the sins of that last hour. He shivered at the renewed memory as he massaged soap over his abused entrance. Steam fogged up his shower doors and he was taken by surprise when Dick opened them, stepping inside.

“I can help you with this too.”

“You’re starting to catch on rather quickly, Detective.”