( No Title )
Lucifer Was an Angel As Well (63782 words) by VickytheSnake, thesavagesabretooth
A sheltered young artist with a tragic past finds herself caught in the web of dark affection by a beautiful and sinister murderer, and his carefree rockstar brother.
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October 12, 2028– 10:15 am
“It’s nice to see you again, Lana.”
Kristoph had rearranged his cell very slightly– drawing his chair up near the bars, and a small table along with it. That made sense of course, since they’d be talking for longer today, and he’d probably be taking notes.
After all, she was on official business from the prosecutor’s office, to prepare Kristoph Gavin for his new position and his community service.
She remembered the view on the other side of the bars intimately, and the excitement and fear of realizing that very soon you’d see the outside world again, at least in some capacity.
It was nice to see him. She took stock of his expression as she settled herself into the chair with a genuine smile. Soon, Kristoph Gavin would take to the courts once more– this time on her side of the courtroom. He looked, in her opinion, pretty happy about it.
“It’s nice to see you too, Kristoph. I hear you’ve been keeping well…with lots of company. I’m pleased.”
Kristoph smiled even wider, his hands folded in his lap. “Oh yes, I’ve been getting lots of company this last month. It’s been quite a comfort.”
Lana adjusted her red scarf around her neck– a new one that Jake had purchased her as a ‘welcome back’ gift, geometrically patterned with a fringe at its end.
“I can only imagine, comfort bolstered by the good news, no doubt.” She leaned on her hand with a smile. “I’m sorry I haven’t been able to visit more often. I’ve been behind the scenes working to secure this opportunity for you.”
“You’re more than forgiven,Lana, dear.” He leaned a little toward her. “Even if you weren’t helping me, I know you’re busy organizing your own life beyond these bars. It’s been treating you well, I hope?”
Lana nodded against her curled fingers, a thoughtful smile on her face.
“That I have. It’s been treating me well. I’ve made amends with my dear sister, though– she’s often busy nowadays bustling about on her globe trotting investigations. They’ve given me an office again, right by the Chief Prosecutor’s.”
“Well, well! It sounds like Chief Prosecutor Edgeworth is happy to have you back then– or does he just want to keep you close?” Kristoph seemed to consider the matter, drumming his fingers on the arm of his chair. “Regardless, I’m glad to hear you’re doing well. And your sister.”
“I’d say the latter would be sensible.” Lana chuckled wryly “But he does seem to genuinely trust me. Which I’m glad for– he was my protege, after all. I think he’s glad for my return, and for my judgment now that it’s unclouded by Gant’s threats.”
She smiled at him. “thank you– and soon you’ll hopefully be doing a little better yourself. I’m to teach you all about the prosecutor’s path, after all.”
“What a delightfully dramatic way to put it.” Kristoph laughed musically. “One thing I’m going to have to learn to keep up with is typical prosecutor showmanship, for certain.”
Lana laughed.
“It’s become an increasingly important skill. Back in my day , why…it was simpler. But each year the prosecutors become stranger and stranger, I’ve been thinking of how to keep up myself. My detective thinks I should join him and Diego in the ‘western’ theme, of course.” She smirked at him “any thoughts? Or do you think the handcuffs will carry the weight of impression for you?”
“The cuffs will certainly contrast with my usual image– that’s for certain. But I’ll have to give it some thought. I wouldn’t want to be considered too plain,” he smirked teasingly. “Do you think you’ll follow the suggestion and trade your epaulets for spurs? Maybe you ought to go the opposite way, and start wearing a sword to court.”
She chuckled into her hand. “No, absolutely not. One western themed prosecutor is enough. It’d be insufferable if I joined in. I may, however, bring a sword. Lean into the military angle. The judge should be amused, if nothing else. As for yourself…it’s a chance to reinvent. Have fun with it.”
“I’ll give it due consideration,” he agreed, folding his arms across his chest thoughtfully. “But I gather we have more to go over today than just fashion, more’s the pity.”
It was true. Lana had a whole stack of procedure material to go over with him, paperwork for him to sign, etc. But more interesting than all of that was the news that the chief prosecutor was intending to assign him cases within the week. Minor, straightforward ones, Lana was sure were meant to test his ability on the other side of the aisle.
Lana shifted to pull the stack of papers out of her bag to rest them on her lap, looking amused as she held them up.
“More’s the pity. I’m afraid I’m already putting you to work. I hope your beautiful hands are ready to sign away for a few hours…because I’m going to have to catch you up on procedure quite fast.” She smiled wryly at him “because you’re going behind the bench by the end of the week.”
“Well!” Kristoph’s surprise and pleasure were written obvious on his face. “Nevermind my hands for now– let’s get started!”
November 3, 2028– 1:05 pm
Kay leaned back in her chair, idly playing around with one of her lockpicking sets and a heavy padlock. She hadn’t exactly been out thieving very much lately, not since the start of her job as Miles’ official assistant, but it never hurt to keep yourself from becoming rusty.
Things had been changing around her as of late, the once quiet and understaffed prosecution office was now bustling, and she had recently re-hired prosecutors coming to her desk several times a day to ask for meetings with Miles, or to hand her the reports to file.
It was nice, as a thief herself she was a sucker for second chances…so seeing Lana around, Diego, Iris, and Jake…all of them really…had been nice. The justice system was shifting away from the harsh penalties and executions it’d been too used to, and into something more productive…starting right here in the prosecutorial office.
Sure, she’d gotten complaints in Miles’ box– which she’d sometimes taken the liberty of replying to herself– but some people sure loved to judge books by covers. If you asked Kay Faraday, things were looking up.
What the prosecutor’s office didn’t often get a lot of was unexpected visitors. Calls, sure, but it was surprising to see the unfamiliar figure shuffling through the door towards the reception desk. He was a tall and lanky man, somewhere in his late 30s or early 40s, with a pair of cheap black rayban sunglasses on his narrow, pointy face. He was dressed somewhat respectably in a striped polo shirt, but the pale blue jeans on his narrow hips had seen better days. Chin length blond hair framed his sharp chin.
“….” Kay slipped her lockpicks up her sleeve and folded her hands together with a raise of her eyebrow. “can I help you?”
The man smiled widely, and Kay felt like she could count every one of his large, squarish, crookedly arranged teeth. She noticed that she he had a bundle of manilla folders under one arm.
He sauntered up to the counter and put the folders down, offering her his large, flat hand for a shake. “I’m sorry to bother you, ma’am. I have a bit of an unusual situation. My name’s Carter Ackerman. You’re–” he glanced at the nameplate on her desk, “Kay Faraday?”
“That’s my name, Mr. Ackerman. Well deduced.” Kay said with a low snicker “are you here to speak with a prosecutor? I don’t recall seeing your name on the appointment list.”
“No, no appointment I’m afraid! A bit of an unusual situation,” he repeated. “I’m actually just here to make sure I had the right Miles Edgeworth, you see. I’ve been trying to track down a relative, and his name kept coming up, you see.”
Kay’s eye twitched. In all her years following Miles Edgeworth around and meeting weirdos on their investigations, she never met someone with a vocal tic that made her immediately think about kicking them in the knees.
If she heard ‘you see’ one more time, she was going to scream.
“Is the Mr. Edgeworth you’re looking for the Chief Prosecutor? Because if so, yes. You’re looking for a family member?”
He scratched his hair and grinned wider at her. “That’s a bit what I’m trying to figure out, Miss Faraday! The family member I’m looking for is Miss Vera Misham, and there’s a Miles Edgeworth who keeps coming up in the paperwork, you see? So I’m wondering if I’ve got the right one on the horn so to speak.”
Vera Misham??
Kay jolted in surprise as she looked up at the man in confusion.
“…you’re related to Miss Misham?” As far as any of their research had come up with…Vera MIsham’s only family was her dead father.
“Yes ma’am!” He ducked his head bashfully, his long, stringy hair bouncing around his chin, and his glasses briefly jolting on his nose. “Cousin by technicality you see, but I’d describe myself as more of an uncle figure. Bit frustrated with the system right now, between you and me. I only just heard about the tragedy a few months ago, and I’ve started trying to track her down, you see? Sounds like you know her?”
Kay Faraday stared at him in utter confusion.
“You only just heard about it? No offense sir, but it was all over the national news. But if you’re looking to speak to Mr. Edgeworth regarding Vera, I can give him a call.”
“Would you do that for me, Ms. Faraday? That’d be very kind of you, very kind.” He leaned on her desk, one hand on his manilla folders.
Kay’s eyes were drawn to the folders as she reached out to her phone.
“…might I ask what all that is?”
“You can just tell him I’m concerned about Vera, and I’d like to get in touch.”
November 3, 2028– 1:42 pm
Carter Ackerman was in Miles Edgeworth’s office for about a half an hour. When he left, he gave Kay a jaunty wave, and whistled as he left the building.
Kay’s desk intercom buzzed almost immediately.
“Kay– could I have you in my office for a few minutes?” Miles asked. She knew him well. He sounded annoyed.
“Hooooooooo boy.” Kay hissed through her teeth “I knew it. I knew this was comin’.”
She stood up and hurried to join her boss by his side. If nothing else, the gossip was gonna be good.
Miles was leaning back in his chair, playing with his glasses in one hand. “Make sure the door’s closed, thank you, Kay.”
Oh yeah. It was going to be good gossip.
She shut the door behind her and sauntered over to lean on the desk “…alright, boss. Spill the tea.”
He slipped his glasses back on his nose and wound his fingers together. “That was Vera Misham’s cousin– apparently. He’s seeking protective custody on her.”
Kay’s brow furrowed.
“you’re fuckin’ kidding. She’s an adult , why the hell’s her cousin asking for protective custody?” She crossed her arms after hopping atop his desk to sit “and I thought we didn’t turn up any family when she was orphaned, anyway.”
“We didn’t,” he agreed. “And she’s very much an adult, as we recently discussed. A fact which I was happy to remind him of. I’m very suspicious of this man, Kay. I’d like you to do some research into his background if you would. When he left the office, I got the impression that he;s going to try to make a claim in court. To have her declared mentally incompetent and in need of guardianship.”
Kay’s expression twitched in anger that she barely…JUST barely restrained.
“Mentally incompetent…Vera?? You’re kidding me. She’s a capable young woman! She’s in the frickin’ police academy, and he wants to try to make some kinda claim?” She flexed her fingers, her eyes narrowing as she tugged on the bottom of her gloves “I’ll steal the truth for you, boss. Don’t worry. I’ll get to the bottom of what this guy’s fucking deal is.”
“I’ll be counting on you, Kay.”
November 17, 2028– 2:15 pm
October had passed like a flash of lightning, and November was threatening to race forward at the same pace. The pace of Vera’s studies had increased, and she felt like she barely had time to reply to her angel’s letters– but she did every time, as faithful with her correspondence as she was dutiful with her work. It was all good news– they’d already started letting him prosecute small, simple cases in court. Cases that only required him to be escorted to the courthouse and back.
Somewhere in the hazy rush of days, too, she’d gotten word that Klavier and Trucy had returned from Khura’in, bringing Apollo successfully home, as well as a few new friends.
It was exciting, genuinely exciting. She let the good news carry her even through the difficulty of her increasing pace and difficulty of the training. The few new friends were a surprise, but she’d texted Klavier that she wanted to meet them as soon as possible– she’d even written to Kristoph about the relayed news with a kind of curious amusement.
Of course, she kept an ear out…part of her utterly desperate to hear what sort of cases he was on and just how the prosecutor’s office was accepting him.
It inspired her, urging her forward with the desperation to graduate with the kinds of honors that would allow Mr. Edgeworth to grant her wish to stand by Kristoph’s sign as his assigned detective.
She had her angel’s latest letter on her desk in her stack of papers as she listened to a lecture on evidence procedural and handling procedure.
The best thing about her angel’s letters perhaps, was that ever since she’d signed hers with a heart– Kristoph had signed his with one as well.
Her heart had skipped a beat the first time she saw it…and ever since, it’d warmed it every time she looked over a letter. Whenever she felt like she wanted to give up…whenever she felt weak or scared, she just looked at the letter and let the heart bolster her forward side by side with Pearl.
As the lecture droned on, she snuck another glance at it.
The cases themselves haven’t been very interesting, I’m afraid– mostly thefts and simple assaults– but just being able to stand in court again has been very refreshing. I feel already I’ve become accustomed to going on the attack rather than playing defensively. I’m looking forward to the day when I’ll be able to investigate a crime scene myself, which I’m told may not be too far in the future.Vera imagined him there, smiling like an angel in the courtroom as he pressed his advantage…for a moment the imagining took her away from the lecture before she shook herself back to it and returned her attention to the teacher.
She couldn’t lapse now. Not when he was waiting for her.
Her daydream was interrupted when she heard the instructor change topics.
“Some of you have already heard about your upcoming internship next month in partnership with the prosecutorial office. I’m passing out packets relevant to that now. There will be two weeks over Christmas where classes will be suspended and your main duty will be to shadow your assigned prosecutor.”
Vera perked up, her eyes wide as she put her hand to her lips to stifle her smile. She couldn’t help but wonder…who? Who would she be assigned to?
Pearl caught her eye from the desk next to her, grinning with barely restrained eagerness and curiosity as the instructor came around and left packets in sealed envelopes with their names on each desk.
“Obviously, the specifics of the case or cases you’ll end up shadowing are a mystery to everyone but Lady Justice for now,” the instructor chuckled. “But your packet does include the prosecutor that you’ve been paired with.”
Vera flashed her a smile as she held up her packet with a whispered ‘we should share who we got’ before she quietly began picking the flap open with a nod up at the instructor.
She couldn’t help but hope that somehow, impossibly…she might be assigned to Kristoph Gavin.
Vera shuffled through the boring pages of paperwork until she found the sheet of paper where a name was filled in handwritten on a blank line declaring her assignment.
The handwriting was familiar. It belonged to chief prosecutor Miles Edgeworth.
The name was familiar, too– it read Kristoph Gavin. Vera gasped, and her hand went to her mouth to stifle it before it…and the ecstatic smile on her face…became noticed by the class.
She felt like she was dreaming. Like the stars had aligned and twisted in her favor…Kristoph Gavin. Her guardian angel…her dream.
She’d even get to intern under him.
November 17, 2028– 2:45 pm
In the hallway after class, headed back to their dorm, Pearl walked close to Vera, smiling excitedly and clutching her own packet to her chest much like Vera was.
“Can you believe it!” Pearl beamed.
Vera turned to face her as they walked, shuffling excitedly along with her packet clung to her chest.
“I can’t…I almost can’t believe it, Pearl. I get to intern with my guardian angel…” She squeezed it tightly to her heart–. “and you get to with yours…do you think Mr. Edgeworth made sure it happened??”
“I mean, that was definitely his handwriting, right? I thought I recognized it, but you’d know for sure, right?” Pearl bit her lip. “I’m sure he made it happen. I mean, it’s not like anyone else could make him do it if he didn’t want to!”
“It absolutely was…it was absolutely his writing.” She bumped her shoulder against Pearl’s, laughing happily. “which means he’s giving us our chance , Pearl– like a trial run before our careers really start.”
Pearl laughed and bumped her back before she opened the door of their dorm and held it for her.
“Knowing Mr. Edgeworth, that’s probably exactly what it is, huh?”
Vera nodded as she slipped inside.
“Almost certainly. He’s Mr. Cautious after all. He’s probably going to be keeping a close eye on how we work with Mr. Gavin and Mr. Armando.”
Pearl followed her in, and shut the door. “Which means this is our chance to impress him, so we get the permanent positions that we want. We’ll have to ace it!”
Vera pumped her fist with a nearly inaudible giggle. “It’s you and me, Pearl…we absolutely can! We’ve got this, right?”
Pearl put her hand around Vera’s fist and squeezed it. “We’ve totally got this! and if you need any help, you know you can count on me, alright?”
Vera’s other hand reached out to grab Pearl’s to squeeze them all together. “Promise…I’ll come to you first thing. Same goes for you, okay?”
“I’ll count on you, too!” she beamed. “I know that we can pull this off if we work our hardest.”
Soon. Soon Vera would achieve her dream. She’d be working with her guardian angel– no bars between them.
“Let’s let nothing stand in our way.” she beamed back, her whole body shaking with anticipation. Over two years ago, Vera’s life had been nothing but the rotting studio and her father…and the memories of the devil’s affectionate smile. Two years ago she could have never grown enough to get this far.
But here she was. Bolstered by the hopes of herself, Pearl…her big brother, and her guardian angel…and with the permission and blessing of Miles Edgeworth, she was finally going to become something irreplaceable.
Kristoph Gavin’s precious detective.
November 18, 2028– 6:15 pm
The next day there was a text message from Miles Edgeworth, and later, after classes, a taxi he sent for her, to fulfill the invitation to dinner he’d extended. According to his message, he wanted to talk about her internship and ‘other details’.
It wasn’t a surprise he wanted to talk about the internship– she imagined he still had his reservations on it after all. It was the other details that left her wondering as she entered the taxi and let it drive her to the restaurant.
She wasn’t sure if it was something to do with her letters, or possibly with her apartment while she’d been gone.
Vera was glad she’d dressed up in one of her newer outfits, when the taxi pulled up and let her out at an expensive French cuisine restaurant. She had on another of the frilled ‘lolita’ dresses that Trucy had initially recommended and she’d become attached to. It was layered, with deep blue bows around the hem of the skirt and a matching ribbon around her neck. The restaurant, meanwhile, was one that she was aware was popular with the prosecutorial office, judging by mentions she’d heard of it before. It wasn’t that far from the office itself, either.
It wasn’t a surprise. It seemed every time a prosecutor invited her out to dinner, it was at a place she couldn’t have even fathomed when she was only a little younger.
She gave the man at the door a nervous smile and asked if he could point her to the Edgeworth table.
The maitre d’ gave a little bow and ushered her into the handsome dining room of the restaurant, filled with greenery, and lit by a swarm of tiny electric candles. There was a band playing classical music in the corner.
As she was led to her table, she noticed detective Dick Gumshoe and Maggey Byrde dressed up at another booth, and Maggey gave her a little wave as she passed by. She was so distracted by it that she didn’t notice that someone else was sitting at the table Edgeworth was at until she’d arrived.
There, sitting at the candlelit table with its high backed chairs, was Chief Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth– and convict Prosecutor Kristoph Gavin.
Vera gasped the moment she turned from her wave to Maggey, her black gloved hands raised to her lips as she stared at Kristoph in his chair. Joy, surprise, excitement, devotion…they all spun within her and nearly made her dizzy as she came to a stop only feet from the table.
“Oh…” she whispered, “oh my.”
The maitre d’ pulled out the chair for her at the table, and as she stood there in shock both men turned to greet her.
“Good evening, Vera, it’s lovely to see you again,” Kristoph purred with his usual angelic smile on his face. She couldn’t help but notice that he was bound in a thick and obvious set of manacles.
“I hope you don’t mind that I brought company to dinner, Vera,” Edgeworth said, inclining his head toward her. He smiled, but he looked pensive. “I thought it would be best, given that your internship experience will be a little different than your fellow students– considering.”
“C-considering, y-yes…” She gave Miles a broad smile. “Thank you for thinking of me, Mr. Edgeworth!”
She turned then to her guardian angel. “I don’t mind at all, h-hello Mr. Gavin. It’s…it’s absolutely wonderful to see you again…especially out at a dinner like this.”
“I have to agree,” Kristoph nodded. “It’s been a while since I’ve been out to dinner. And with such good company, too.”
As Vera arranged herself at the table– Edgeworth on her right and her angel on her left– the maitre d’ poured wine into the glass at her place.
She gave him a thankful smile, before she sheepishly took the glass and raised it to her lips.
“Very good company…I’m surprised, but very happy, that you’re here, Mr.Gavin.” She glanced shyly at Edgeworth before she murmured “I missed you. I’m pretty excited that I get to work with you on my internship.”
“I’ll admit I’m a bit surprised to be here as well,” Kristoph said with a charming smile. “I’ve thanked Mr. Edgeworth profusely for the opportunity. Both to be here tonight, and to work with you.”
“Indeed,” Edgeworth nodded. “I must say the both of you certainly seem enthused. That’s… good energy for the department, if nothing else.”
Vera sunk shyly into her chair with a sheepish smile. “good energy…? Do detectives not normally enjoy working with their prosecutors?”
“That all depends on the prosecutor and the detective of course,” Miles shrugged. “I’m told that many detectives find prosecutor’s to be…. stuck up. Annoying. Tyrannical, occasionally.”
Vera wasn’t sure if this was meant to be a joke, but Kristoph smiled. “Occasionally I used to hear prosecutors call detectives lazy, irritating, slovenly…”
she squeaked, holding her hands up.
“Noooooo! I can promise I’m not lazy, Mr. Gavin.” She blushed, “or the other things, either.”
Timidly, she sipped her drink and looked between them “Mr. Klavier’s not stuck up or tyrannical. Though I have heard Ema complaining about him..”
Miles frowned. “The two of them have a… fraught relationship it seems. I try not to interfere.”
Kristoph sipped his wine. The chains on his manacles clinked as he raised the glass. “They really haven’t changed since they were teenagers. The same old squabble since back in germany. Klavier doesn’t mean anything by it– Ema, I can’t quite tell.”
It was strange to be having such a normal conversation– even with the manacles reminding her that Kristoph was a prisoner.
“…since Germany?” Vera asked with genuine curiosity. “They’ve known one another that long?”
It was so normal…so pleasant. Mr. Edgeworth didn’t seem upset by her and Kristoph’s proximity, and the conversation didn’t have the heavy air of condemnation she feared it may.
It was…nice. Nice to hear more about her guardian angel’s life and her ‘big brother’…and her dear friends, while also in the company of Miles Edgeworth.
“So they did,” Kristoph nodded. “Klavier and I were living in europe at the time, and they met at the legal academy there.”
“They only narrowly missed my sister Franziska, as I recall,” Miles murmured.
Kristoph swirled his wine in his glass and his chains clinked again.
“Yes, she was already prosecuting at the time. Actually, as I recall, Klavvy was rather inspired by your sister. To become a prosecutor rather than an attorney.” He turned toward Vera and said, probably for her benefit, “Ms. Von Karma was prosecuting at 13. The youngest in the field to date.”
Vera put her hands to her lips “oh wow…she must be a very impressive woman to inspire b..Klavier like that, and to have gotten started s-so early.”
It was amazing…the youngest prosecutor in the field ever, still holding the record even now. At 13, Vera was an expert forger…a genius like Franziska, she supposed.
“I don’t think I’ve ever met her, Mr. Edgeworth.”
“She’s been in and out of the country for quite some time,” Miles explained. “She no longer prosecutes regularly, rather she’s the department liaison with Interpol, and does most of her work within their jurisdiction. I could arrange a lunch if you’d like to meet her some time.”
“A very driven young woman– though I suppose not so young these days,” Kristoph mused.
“M-maybe.” Vera sipped her wine “I’m trying to get to know more people, after all.”
She looked up at Kristoph with a curious smile. “you knew her, Mr. Kristoph?”
“She and I faced one another in court more than once at the time,” Kristoph chuckled. “Three times, in fact. And she left with her perfect record intact. Some might have been embarrassed to losing to a teenager, but there’s no shame in being beaten by a prodigy.”
There was a little twitch at the edge of Kristoph’s charming smile.
Miles seemed to grimace at the memory. “My sister was very… aggressive at the time.”
Vera slowly reached out and patted Kristoph on the arm.
“you’ll get her next time…boss…” she murmured with a timid smile.
That made him laugh softly, and he tucked a stray lock of hair back behind his ear. “Unlikely, since she’s no longer prosecuting, and here I am. But who knows what the future holds. Speaking of prosecution though, I do believe Mr. Edgeworth had some business he wanted to get out of the way?”
Vera startled a bit, looking up at Miles with wide eyes. She’d been curious…she knew Miles likely didn’t invite her out here for small talk, he’d mentioned something he had to say. Did it have something to do with the fact her guardian angel was here?
“Ah, some, yes,” Miles nodded. “Given the unique situation of your internship. First of all I deemed it too unwieldy to have you conduct the internship from prison, so you’ll be granted a small office for the duration, in the building, and transported back and forth at the beginning and end of the day.”
“I can see why you;d make that judgment, Prosecutor Edgeworth,” Kristoph nodded. “I’ll still thank you for your generosity.”
Vera put her hands to her lips.
“useful!” She breathed “that will make…make assisting Mr. Kristoph with his duties and investigations much easier, Mr. Edgeworth, sir…”
“Indeed,” Edegworth said, “It would be inconvenient to have you going back and forth from the prison all day, so there we are.”
Vera leaned forward, hoping she didn’t come off as too excited as she asked “and I’ll be allowed to come and go in it, Mr. Edgeworth? As his detective…intern.”
“Indeed. This is very much a trial run for your ambition, Vera, in more ways than one,” Mr. Edgeworth said.
Kristoph gave Vera an encouraging smile from across the table.
Vera’s heart thumped in her chest. It was her trial run for her ambition in more ways than one. She could only imagine that he meant what she thought he meant by that…
Was he tentatively accepting of it? Of her affection for Kristoph, and her desire to be by his side?
He had to be. Which meant she simply couldn’t prove him wrong in this trial run.
She raised her wine glass to her lips.
“then I promise, Mr. Edgeworth. I won’t let you down.” her eyes fell on Kristoph with a smile behind her wine glass “I think me and Mr. Kristoph will manage to impress you by the end..”
“Excellent,” Edgeworth nodded. “I have already impressed upon Mr. Gavin that I will be watching him very closely– and the same goes for you, Vera.”
Vera bit her lip. “you will be, Mr. Edgeworth? I suppose you said as much when I asserted my career choice to you. Have you seen my results so far at the academy?”
“I have, Vera, and they’ve been exceptional,” he nodded. “So I’m counting on you not to let me down when it comes to practical experience as well.”
“I think Miss Misham will continue to be exceptional, if you want my opinion,” Kristoph purred.
Vera turned a deep pink, and her fingers wound together as the praise warmed her like nothing else.
“I’m striving to be nothing l-less than exceptional, sirs.” Tentatively she reached out to pat Kristoph’s hand “I aim to be the best forensic investigator of my generation, and I won’t stop even after I’ve…I’ve impressed the both of you.”
Edgeworth’s eyes tracked her hand across the table all the way as she put it on Kristoph’s hand– and immediately he poured more wine into his glass, perhaps in response.
“Indeed. I’m… looking forward to having my expectations exceeded,” Miles murmured. “In any case there is some other business to discuss, I’m afraid.”
Under the table, Vera felt a shoe press against her own– Kristoph’s.
Vera ducked her head with a small smile as she allowed her foot to press gently back against Kristoph’s, rubbing subtly against it as she looked up at Edgeworth. “other business, Mr. Edgeworth? Is it about the internship, or something else?”
“The internship is… potentially impacted by it,” Edgeworth said. He took a sip of his wine. “I’ve been contacted by a man claiming to be one of your relatives, Vera.”
Vera watched Kristoph raise an eyebrow. “Well. That’s surprising, isn’t it?”
She couldn’t stop herself from twitching in surprise. “A relative? Of mine? But I only ever had papa…he told me there was nobody else after my mother left us…”
Kristoph’s fingers curled subtly around her own.
“Indeed,” Miles nodded. “And I confirmed as much several years ago when I took over your filings. However, he is making the claim that he’s your cousin, and he does have paperwork to prove as much.”
“What does he want?” Kristoph asked. There was a firm, suspicious tone in the question.
“He’s seeking a protective order.”
“Charming.” Kristoph did not make it sound like he felt it was charming at all.
“……..” Vera’s eyes were wide, and her smile had all but died as her fingers tightened against Kristoph’s.
“A protective order…on me? I don’t know him, I don’t h-have a cousin…and even if I did I wouldn’t ne-need one.”
“I agree with that,” Miles nodded. “You’re an adult. You live independently. There’s no need for something like that. But he’s making a legal claim and it will need to be countered.”
“Wonderful,” Kristoph drawled. “A bogus legal claim for a protective guardianship. Should I offer to marry her to cut the legs out of his attempt?”
Vera turned a vivid red, and she was sure Miles Edgeworth noticed the wide and flustered grin before she smothered it into her usual placid expression.Marriage to save her from whoever this ‘cousin’ of hers was…the romance of it made her squirm in her seat at a loss for words.
Miles Edgeworth choked on his wine, and grabbed his chest. “I– Mr. Gavin, I think in this case such a thing would only give ammunition to his claim.”
Ammunition to his claim? Vera looked up at Miles with concern. Why in the world would that give ammunition to it? Unless..
“Pardon my humor in poor taste then.”
“…Is…Is he basing this order of protection on my communication with Kristoph?” she guessed in a shaky tone.
“No, he’s unaware of it, as far as I know,” Miles said, shaking his head and blotting his face with a napkin. “He’s basing the claim on some letters between himself and your father from a number of years ago, discussing your mental health, and your father’s apparent wish that if anything were to happen to him, that you be entrusted into this man’s care.”
“Funny how letters keep coming up,” Kristoph murmured. His hand hadn’t left hers.
Vera’s fingers twitched against his, and she held it tighter as her breath caught in her throat.
“Father asked that I be….entrusted to his care? I’ve never heard of anything like this, I c-can’t believe it. And even then I’ve grown s-since I escaped father’s care.”
“So you have,” Miles nodded. “You’re an independent adult. I have no wish to see this go through any more than you do.”
“And I assume that you’re doing everything in your power to fight it, Mr. Edgeworth?” Klavier asked. His tone was light, but there was a sharpness in his eyes.
“Obviously.”
Vera took several soft, shaking breaths…she could feel the way she was shaking…the quake of her fingers against Kristoph’s and the sick fluttery feeling of anxiety welling within her.
The very thought that there was someone out there trying to take her away from everything she’d built and drag her back down into the dark terrified her more than she could take. Old habits and the difficulty she’d once found in simple speech began to well up as she brought her fingers to her lips and bit her thumbnail to try and calm herself.
If it were true, and her father had spoken with someone who’d take her when he’d died, it could only mean he was selling her–passing her on to some other criminal to print money with, just another tool like her paintbrushes and paints.
There was a clink of chains, and Kristoph moved his hand, putting it on her shoulder. It sounded as if he and Miles had continued their conversation while Vera was struggling to breathe.
“Vera. Vera, are you listening to me?”
“H…hhh..” she breathed sharply. Her vision was swimming as she looked up at him with watery eyes “huh?”
“You’re having a panic attack and dissociating, Vera. Tell me where we are right now.”
Vera swallowed thickly. For a moment she had no idea, the phantom smell of paint thinner in the air as she shook her head.
It couldn’t be back at the house. Miles would have never visited there. She shivered and forced herself to focus on the room around her and not her spiraling thoughts.
“Restaurant.” she murmured. “..a..a restaurant.”
“Good. And who’s here with you?”
“M..” she looked quickly between them, “Miles Edgeworth and my guardian angel.”
“Good. What kind of chair are you sitting on?”
Vera felt under her, and her perfect recall pulled up the picture of the chair.
“a mahogany chair with an arched back and carved floral designs in its flourishes. There’s a chip on its left backmost leg that they’ve attempted to disguise and patch with varnish and wood-putty.“
"Good. And how are you feeling right now?”
Calmer. She was already calmer. The world had swam back into focus, and she could see Miles Edgeworth sitting there, looking extremely nervous with his napkin wrung between his hands.
Vera smiled gently , her hair falling in her face as she took another breath…this one deep and satisfying.
“Better. I feel calmer.” she murmured. “Sorry about that, Mr. Gavin. Mr Edgeworth…wh-what were you saying?”
“Mostly we were worrying about you, Vera,” Edgeworth said with a frown. “I’m sorry I upset you so much.”
Vera shook her head “No, no it wasn’t you Mr. Edgeworth…”
She looked down at her painted nails…one of them chewed through lower than it’d been in years. The taste of polish was on her tongue, sharp and bitter.
“I was just trying to imagine who this ‘cousin’ might be, and I got thinking about my father…how he must have wanted to pass me on like a printing press or some other expensive tool.”
“Ah,” Miles nodded. “I… the thought had crossed my mind as well. But we won’t allow that to happen. It would take a disaster of unprecedented magnitude to–”
“Mr. Edgeworth?”
“Ah, yes, Mr. Gavin?"
Kristoph smiled. "I don’t think there’s any need to discuss nightmare scenarios. The simple fact is that it won’t happen..”
“Ah, yes, you’re right,” Edgeworth nodded and straightened his cravat. “I’ll admit, I admire your confidence. And your way with people, I suppose.” He glanced at Vera.
“Talking her through her panic attack just now?” Kristoph’s smile dimmed very slightly. “I have experience with it, I’m afraid.”
Vera ducked her head apologetically again, smiling quietly as she rubbed her fingertip against her jagged nail.
“Helped a lot.” she admitted “…you do, Mr. Gavin? I can tell…you were…c-calming.”
“My brother used to have them when we were younger I’m afraid. I got used to soothing him.”
“Ah,” Edgeworth murmured, still fussing with his cravat. “That would be a useful skill to have in one, if one were susceptible to such a thing. In any case, I’m glad you were able to reassure Vera a bit.”
Vera’s fingers reached out again to touch Kristoph’s arm, “I didn’t know he and I had that in common too..” she murmured
She looked at Edgeworth with a shaky smile.
“…a-anyway. I won’t let it happen either…I don’t intend to let anyone take my future from me.”
“Good.” Edgeworth nodded. “Well then– let’s consider business out of the way for now and have dinner. I can fill you in on the rest over coffee.”
“That sounds nice, Mr. Edgeworth,” Kristoph said with a smile. “Why don’t we talk about lighter things for now. Vera, have you seen the menu yet? You might recognize one of the dishes on it.”
Vera looked down at the menu, and her expression lit up as she held it up “Vongole!!! I want to order that!”
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