#ace attorney imagines

[perplexedflower]

Warm Body, Warm Heart

Fandom: Ace Attorney.

Category: F/M.

Relationship: Dick Gumshoe x Female Reader.

Type: One shot.

Words: 5,100.

Summary: [Y/N] comes back, traumatized, exhausted, in shock. She comes back, past midnight, way past the time at which she was about to get back. She comes back, to her apartment, to her roommate, to her best friend, to her shelter: to Dick's arms.

Chronology: Any game.

~~~~~~~~~~

With a shaky hand, I reached inside my purse for my keys, which I inserted into the keyhole before I turned the knob and opened the front door. To my surprise, the lights inside were on, their brightness hurting my eyes and making my head dizzy.

And, sitting in the very center of the living room was Dick, sat at the table, which he almost knocked over with his legs as he promptly stood up upon seeing me enter the apartment.

"Dick? What are you doing still up?" I asked him hesitantly.

In all honesty, it mattered little to me why he was not asleep: I was just glad he was not. It was past midnight, and I needed him. I needed his company. I needed his presence.

There was nothing else I needed, nothing else I wanted.

Dick and I lived together in the same cramped apartment we rented, but we were just roommates. Just roommates. Nothing else, nothing more.

That was what I had always told myself.

But that night, after what I had just gone through, I could not deny that I craved his embrace.

And judging by the concerned look on his face and the worry in his eyes, I could tell he, too, was relieved to finally see me being back home.

"I've been worried sick about you, pal! Where have you been all this time?" He asked me in return.

I had always been a bit of a night owl, but even for me, that was later than usual. The last time Dick and I had spoken — which, admittedly, had been in the late afternoon — was when I had informed him that I had plans to meet up with a friend for drinks and dinner.

But I had told him I would be back before dark.

"I know it's late... I'm sorry..." I started with a trembling voice. "I didn't want to make you worry... I didn't think you would..."

I barely took a step toward him before I froze, standing still as I turned my head to my feet, my eyes shut tight.

"... Dick, I... I was walking on the way back home, and, it was dark, and... there was this dog..."

I took another single, slow step closer to him, still in the same stance, but this time with my hands holding my arms, which hugged my chest.

"... Dick, I was so scared..." I murmured with a heavy breath.

"Hey, hey—" He started hurriedly, trying to calm me down. "You're safe now, you're home. That's all that matters."

I was acting very strangely; I knew I was. And I could tell by the timber of his voice that Dick was greatly concerned.

"Did the dog hurt you? Was there anyone else out on the street?" He asked further, trying to get me to open up. "What happened, [Y/N]?"

I remained silent at first, listening to the sound of his voice as I kept my eyes closed, my heart rate progressively slowing down until I felt able to speak clearly.

"... I was walking up the road down the street, and all of a sudden a dog came onto the road out of nowhere." I began to explain while I sheepishly looked up into his eyes. "But it wasn't at all a dog like Missile— Well, actually, it technically was— It was a guard dog, trained for hunting, but it wasn't well-behaved and trained like Missile is... It was a German shepherd, and it came running at me, barking violently..."

"What?!" He exclaimed in both surprise and fear.

The disbelief in his tone told me the description I had made of the dog painted a terrifying mental image in his head: a German shepherd, known for being large, physically imposing, and potentially aggressive, attacking me in the dead of night.

"What happened then? You weren't hurt, were you? Are you okay now?"

"I-I wasn't hurt, don't worry—" I answered in a tone which was meant to reassure him, while I shook my head a little. "I... I guess the gate to its owner's house was opened, so it snuck out... or maybe there was a hole in the fence, or something... Either way, the dog was in the middle of the road and ran up to me while barking, and it kept barking until I backed away far enough..."

I looked back down at my feet as I slowly shrugged.

"It was protecting its house, I guess? I don't know why it was so aggressive, but it didn't bite me... But it did back me into a corner of the road... It was terrifying..."

I closed my eyes once more before I took a few deep breaths, trying to remain composed.

"... I was eventually able to walk past its house after I waited for it to return inside, but it was a really close call... I really thought I wouldn't make it back home in one piece, Dick..."

"But you're here and safe now, pal, and that's what's important." He immediately told me.

Probably due to how pale and shaky I was, I saw him give me his best attempt at a reassuring smile; since Dick and I had first met, he had never gotten to see me so terrified.

And I would have preferred for things to stay that way.

"I can't believe how dangerous this neighborhood's become since all that crime started..." He grumbled under his breath. "This is supposed to be a safe quarter, for God's sake."

"... I wish you'd been there, Dick." I spoke softly after a moment of silence.

As I uttered those words, I felt the temperature of my face rise slightly.

Surely, it was only the stress of the situation getting to me; surely, there was no other reason for me to suddenly flush.

"I kept thinking of you... of how you could have protected me if you had been with me..." I continued, my voice still low. "I just... wanted you to be there, and I wanted to be by your side... I couldn't wait to finally be home."

"I wish I could've been there too, pal..." He responded, his words gentle and tinged with regret.

Silence came to settle between us once more, the room only filled with the gentle noise of the air conditioner running. That, and the sound of my heartbeat resonating within my ears, so loud and so fast it was almost overwhelming; I convinced myself it was only beating at such a rate due to how much stress and fear my encounter with the dog had stirred in me.

I convinced myself it was the only reason. The only explanation behind my increasing shyness.

And, in fact, that very same reason was what pushed me to look up into Dick's eyes at that moment, as my eyebrows furrowed lightly and my fingers started to fidget.

"... Dick... Could... Can you hold me?" I asked him out of the blue, my voice sounding slightly awkward. "I... I could really use a hug right now..."

I witnessed his cheeks turning slightly pink as he slowly nodded.

"Uh... Yeah... Of course I can. Come here." He said, beckoning me towards him.

I took a step forward while still staring into his eyes, until I was faced with his torso, my gaze falling to his chest as he wrapped his arms around me. His strong, warm, comforting arms, the only form of solace my heart sought at that instant.

I felt the slightly sweaty palms of his hands on my cold back, I smelled the scent of his cheap cologne on the collar of his dress shirt tickling my nose, I heard the regular rhythm of his heavy breaths close to my ears, I saw the soothing rises and falls of his chest as his heart beat steadily right before my eyes.

It was pure bliss. It was exactly what my heart desired.

And it was real. Oh so real.

"There..." Dick whispered, gently stroking the top of my head to his chest as he cradled me. "You're safe now."

And for the first time that night, I did feel safe: in his arms, draped in his warmth and his affection, graced with his soothing voice and his comforting presence.

And yet, I remained completely silent. Not necessarily by choice; there were thoughts restlessly running through my mind as we hugged.

God, the things I wanted to say to him.

You feel amazing...

You're so comfortable...

Don't let go...

You mean so much to me...

Your embrace is really warm...

I want to feel your arms around me more often...

But no words came out. None of these thoughts made it past my lips. And I kept quiet as I melted into his arms, as I let all my worries fade away.

Dick, too, remained in silence as he held me; he simply continued to stroke my hair and kept me as close to him as he could. Perhaps he was thinking the same things I was thinking at that moment: but I could not be sure, as he did not utter a word. Not that it was necessary anyway.

The hug we shared was pleasant and comfortable, and his gentle aura surrounding mine was more relaxing than anything. I soon began to feel my heartbeat gradually slowing down and the tension within my chest progressively ebbing.

I took a shaky breath, closing my eyes as I leaned further into his chest, my body all of a sudden feeling rather heavy.

And I could still hear the beating of Dick's heart, slow and steady, even despite how intimately close we were to each other; the sound lulled me further into tranquility, making me feel all fuzzy from the inside.

There was only one thought in my mind at that moment.

I don't want to let go...

But I knew I had to. I could not possibly keep him standing like that forever, after all.

And so, I reluctantly, slowly pulled away from him, feeling a great deal of frustration as I did.

Dick looked down at me with his kind, concerned eyes, keeping his hands firmly on my shoulders.

"Feeling better now, pal?" He asked me in that deep, yet soft voice, the gentleness of his tone and the sweetness of his facial expression making me want nothing more than to dive right back into his arms.

"Yeah... A bit better, yeah." I nodded, the movement as timid as my eyes. "... Thank you, Dick."

I took another deep breath while I let my gaze fall on the small hallway behind him, before it returned to his face.

"... I think I'm going to go to sleep now, I need some rest." I told him with the softest expression I could conjure up despite my weariness. "... You should too, you know... You've stayed up late for me... You shouldn't have. You must be tired."

"Don't worry about me, I'm fine. You get a good night's rest for now, though." He responded, his words quiet and gentle as he slowly released his grip on me. "And if you need me for anything, I'll be in my room... Just knock on my door."

I lost track of time for a brief instant, my mind focused solely on the sensation of his grasp on my shoulders loosening.

"Alright... Thanks." I said with a weakened smile.

Slipping away from his hands completely, I took a weary step forward.

"... Well, you have a good night." I added as I slowly started making my way to my bedroom. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"... Yeah. Good night, pal." He echoed, his voice soft as I felt his eyes gently following me as I shuffled down the hallway. "Sleep well."

And with that, I retreated to my room and closed my door, followed soon after by the sound of Dick doing the same, the two of us parting for the night.

I did not bother turning on the lights right away: I simply made my way over to my bed, my mind occupied by nothing but the thoughts of everything that had just unfolded. Of the way Dick had gently held me in his arms, how he had whispered reassuring words to me, how his hands had stroked my hair as he was keeping me close, how his heart had beaten in such a steady, relaxing rhythm.

I plopped on the mattress and buried my flushed face into my pillows as my heart thumped in my chest, now for an entirely different reason.

Dick was a kind soul. I had always considered him as my best friend; the best friend everyone would ever wish to have. Yet, when I thought back to that moment, back to his tight embrace, it all felt to me like it was much more than a simple gesture between friends.

But it was impossible. I knew it was.

We were roommates. And beyond that, best friends. Nothing more.

So I pushed it all away. All the thoughts. All the emotions. All the sensations.

All the doubts.

I stood up from my bed with a huff, went to the bathroom, got myself ready for the night, then entered my room once more. I undressed, changing into a tank top and shorts; lying back down on my mattress, I took a breath and pulled the sheets over my body.

But now anxiety took over me once more: now that I had chased Dick from my mind, all that remained were my fresh memories of that dreadful dog I had encountered.

The animal's silhouette haunted me as I closed my eyes. I heard the sounds of its low growls echoing inside my ears. I felt its breath as it panted with aggression. I smelled the strong stink in its fur.

Goosebumps appeared all over the surface of my body while I felt my skin crawl, my arms wrapping around myself in a futile attempt at bringing me comfort; futile, as it did not work. My mind continued to be tormented by the canine's image.

"... Help me..." I whimpered under my breath, my grip tightening around my own body, my face flushing with heat as tears gathered in the corners of my eyes.

I wanted it to end.

I wanted to sleep.

But I could not rest. My heart was pounding in my chest, my breathing was shallow, and my limbs were shaking as if I were trapped in an ice house.

"... Dick..." I continued to whisper to myself, my voice shaky, my eyelids too heavy to keep open. "... I need you..."

And I knew I needed him.

Tears still tickling the edges of my eyes, I threw my bedsheets aside, unable to bear their weight any longer, and stumbled out of bed. My vision was hazy and my knees felt weak under my weight: I could barely stand, but I did not care. I made my way out of my room and, with trembling knuckles, knocked on my roommate's door.

I waited a few seconds while my heart beat with increasing force. I stood helpless and hopeless, until, finally, the door before me slowly opened by a fraction, revealing a half-asleep Dick standing behind it, his eyes half-open.

"... [Y/N]? Do you need something?" He asked quietly, his voice filled with concern despite the sleepiness. "Are you okay? What's wrong?"

"Y-You... You said that... if I need you for anything... I can knock on your door..." I murmured between breaths.

My gaze was fixed on the floor for a moment, before I glanced up at him.

"... Can I come in... please?"

"Of course, pal." He nodded without a trace of hesitation, his eyes still heavy but his voice still soft.

He stepped aside, holding the door open for me.

"Come in, it's all right."

I slowly entered his bedroom as he closed the door behind us, then took a brief look around: at his bedside lamp, at his messy bed, and, ultimately, at him. Even in the dim light, I could see he was close to bare, wearing only a pair of dark brown boxer shorts that matched his eyes, leaving his broad and muscular chest exposed.

"... Thanks, Dick..." I eventually said quietly. "I... I'm sorry for waking you up like this... I know it's late... You already stayed up for much longer than you should've for me, and I'm sure you just want to sleep already..."

"... Tell you the truth, I've been havin' trouble finding sleep myself. I was kind of dozing off... but not asleep asleep." He told me with a chuckle, his voice gentle as he slowly sat down on his bed. "So don't ya worry about that, really."

Somehow, inexplicably, a part of me was put at ease knowing we were both going through the same situation, knowing we could relate to each other.

The only response I gave him was a subtle, gentle nod, the slight pink on my cheeks hardly visible in the darkness of the room.

"... So, what's on your mind? Are you still stressed about the dog?" He calmly asked me after a moment of silence. "Don't tell me you can't sleep 'cause of the shock, pal."

The pink hue on my face turned darker in shame. I said nothing at first, too embarrassed to admit it.

"Hey, don't be embarrassed, it's okay." He reassured me, his voice sweet and his smile warm. "You've nothin' to be ashamed of, pal. You went through something really scary, it's totally normal you're having trouble sleeping after something like that."

"... I'm scared, Dick..." I let out in a shaky whisper, my eyes falling to my feet. "I can't get rid of that image... of its smell... of the sound of its barks... They've all been haunting me since it's happened... And I can't rest because of it... Not with those fresh memories stuck in my head..."

I brought my hands up to my arms, hugging myself defensively.

"... I've been trying to fall asleep since I told you good night, but... but I just can't manage to." I carried on. "All I've been thinking about is everything that happened... I can't help it. It just... won't go away, no matter how hard I try. It's like it's stuck in my head... I can't stop seeing that dog..."

"It's alright, [Y/N], I understand." He said in return, nodding his head slowly. "And you're safe now. You're here, with me, and that mutt can't get to you here. Hell, even if it could, I wouldn't let it... I know it's hard for you to forget about it right now, but eventually you will and it's all gonna be okay."

As I listened to him talk, I raised my eyes to his face and saw the most sympathetic expression I had ever seen from him, his gaze filled with kindness and understanding.

His words were comforting and soothing: exactly what I needed. But I knew his words were not enough. I knew my heart and soul ached for something else, something more.

"... Dick, I... I know it's... a little strange of me to ask... and a little... awkward, but... Could I... Could I maybe sleep in your bed tonight?" I asked hesitantly, my voice barely above a whisper as I continued to shyly look into his eyes. "... I don't think I can stay alone tonight, and... I don't think I'm ready to go back to my bedroom... So... if I could... stay with you tonight... I think I could maybe manage to find sleep..."

A few seconds of silence followed as those words left my mouth. My roommate simply stared at me with an expression of surprise and bashfulness plastered on his face. He sat, quiet and frozen, his mouth slightly agape, his eyes slightly wide, his face slightly flushed.

"... Y-Yeah... Sure." He finally replied with a nod after his moment of contemplation. "... Of course you can, pal... Go ahead, you can hop in."

With a gentle sigh of relief, I nodded my head back at him before I slowly made my way toward his bed and timidly lay on the mattress by his side.

"Thanks, Dick..." I muttered as I slipped between the covers, their softness and warmth providing me with instant comfort. "... Really."

"Don't mention it, [Y/N]." He said in a sweet voice as I felt him lying down beside me. "Like I said, I'm here for ya, pal... I'll always be here for ya."

With those words, he turned off the light on his nightstand and turned his back to mine. The room was now dark. Silence lingered between us as I gently pulled the blanket up to my chin. My body was still a bit tense, but only because I could feel Dick's warmth by my side. And although the fear of that earlier encounter was still there, although the memories were still present and prominent in my mind, I felt safe.

I was there, lying next to Dick, in his own bed. I was safe. I was protected. I could not help but blush as that realization occurred to me.

Even if a small part of my brain refused to shut off and was insisting on bringing those dreadful memories back, I did my best to push them aside, determined to focus on the warmth of the moment instead; and on the warmth of the person sleeping next to me, just inches away.

Time passed as I lay there with my eyes fixed on the wall, the minutes stretching for what seemed to be ages; although exhaustion weighed heavily on me, slumber simply refused to take hold of me, my thoughts too loud to let me drift off to sleep.

I delicately rolled over onto my other side, my body making barely audible sounds as it brushed between the sheets and the mattress. Dick was still lying with his back to me. I could hear the quietness of his breathing.

I observed his figure in the darkness of the room, unable to take my eyes off him: I lingered on the shape of his muscular shoulders, on the broadness of his back, on the way his spine rose and fell slowly while he inhaled and exhaled.

And then I could no longer hold myself back.

Without a word or a sound, I moved closer to him until my body was pressed into his; I almost recoiled at the sudden sensation of his bare skin against my limbs. I restrained myself and only twitched slightly as I timidly wrapped an arm around his torso and hesitantly rested my head against his back.

On impact, a soft gasp of surprise escaped him at the same time as his body tensed up around me, his whole frame going rigid, save for a shiver that I felt run through him.

"[Y/N]? W-What are you—" He began to ask me in a trembling voice but cut himself off before he could finish.

As he fell quiet, I held my breath: I was suddenly filled with dread at the thought that, perhaps, I had made a terrible mistake.

"I-I'm sorry— I know this must be weird for you..." I said quietly, my tone as uncertain as my emotions. "... I know t-this is very sudden and probably strange to you... b-but... I just..."

My voice drifted off into silence as I struggled to find the right words to express myself.

"... I just wanted to be close to you..."

Silence continued to weigh on us; then, I heard him exhale slowly, felt his body tensing up ever so slightly.

"... Do... Do you... wanna be even closer?" He hesitantly asked, and I could picture the flush on his face through his voice. "Because... I don't mind... if that's what you want."

His offer caught me off-guard and left me stunned, but I quickly composed myself and nodded against his back as my heart started racing.

"... Yeah... I do." I answered, my murmur tender.

There was another moment of silence, and then he gently took my hand in his and cautiously intertwined our fingers. The gesture was so soft, so delicate, as if he was afraid I would pull away from him at any second. But that was the last thing I wanted to do, my heart swelling with a spark that made me crave his touch more than anything.

As I lay there, pressed against Dick's warm body, my heart racing and my breath uneven, I could not help but feel a strange mixture of emotions swirling inside me: I was nervous and excited, I was vulnerable and protected, all at once. His gentle touch, the warmth of his skin, the rhythm of his breathing against my face; all of it was both familiar and foreign, and yet, it felt right.

I closed my eyes and buried my face against his back. The muscles of his shoulder blades beneath my cheek were firm, strong, but the hair on his chest was soft and relaxing to caress. He was so much bigger than me, so much stronger in so many ways: and despite it all, in that moment, I felt so perfectly secure with him.

Time seemed to lose all meaning as I clung to him, unable to find the will to let go. My body may have been tired, but my mind was wide awake, caught between a strange mixture of confusion and relief. I pondered over my feelings, marching through them as they raged inside me, Dick's embrace keeping me grounded in comfort and serenity.

As I lay there, listening to the sound of his breathing, I knew I had at last found the solace I had been seeking since the very beginning: a solace I never wanted to let go of.

"... I think I'm in love with you." I suddenly blurted out in the quietest of whispers, my grip on him tightening as the words slipped through my lips.

At my unprompted confession, I felt his body tense up once more under my touch. He held his breath for a moment, his fingers gripping my hand firmly.

"... Did... Did you... just say that you're in love with me?" He asked in a trembling voice, a note of disbelief in his tone.

I nodded shyly, my heart hammering so hard in my chest I thought it would burst out; I was unsure of what his response would be, of whether he would reject me or reciprocate my feelings. But, at that moment, all I cared about was being honest, with him and myself.

"... I think... I always have been." I spoke up after a moment, my voice barely above a whisper.

Both of us remained perfectly still, lost in our respective thoughts and emotions. Then, to my surprise, Dick shifted slightly under my touch, rolling over onto his other side so he could face me. He pulled me impossibly closer to him, wrapping his strong, muscular arms around me in a gentle, but firm embrace.

"... I... I've always felt the same way about you, too..." He confessed quietly, his voice filled with emotion. "I just... I never really knew how to tell you... and I didn't know if you could feel the same way... and I was too afraid to say anything, because I... I didn't want to risk losing you..."

His heavy words affected both of us: his breath against my skin, warm and reassuring grew unsteady, while my heart palpitated with happiness and relief. All this time, we had both been harboring feelings for one another, too scared to express them, but now we had finally taken that leap together, and it felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.

I nuzzled my face into the crook of his neck, the steady rhythm of his pulse beating against my skin. I had never felt so loved and safe.

"... I'm so glad you were brave enough to tell me." He whispered softly, looking into my eyes affectionately. "And... And I want you to know that I'll always be here for you, no matter what happens. I'm never gonna leave your side, not for anything in the world."

One of his hands slid from the back of my head to my face, gently cupping my cheek as he made me look into his eyes.

"... I love you, [Y/N]." He murmured, his voice barely audible in the quiet of the room as he locked his gaze with mine.

"... I love you too, Dick." I replied in a tone as quiet as his, my words filled with sincerity and warmth.

And then, as if in a dream, his lips met mine, capturing them in a soft and tender kiss. As our lips connected, the world around us immediately faded away: the worries and fears that had plagued me earlier began to melt into distant memories, leaving only the feeling of his touch, of his warmth, and of his love. In that moment, all that mattered was he and I, joined in a way that words could never fully express. I could feel the electricity in his touch pulsing through me, igniting a fire within my core that burned with passion and desire.

And I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that I never wanted to let go of him.

We gently pulled back from the kiss, both of us full of an intense mix of emotions. Our foreheads rested against each other, neither of us speaking as we simply lay in his bed, enjoying the feeling of being so close to one another, savoring this newfound intimacy between us. As I gazed into Dick's eyes, I felt a sense of awe and wonder: this man, this incredible man who had always been there for me, had now become mine, and I had become his.

Although I wished for the moment to stretch out into infinity, fatigue eventually began to claim us both: as our eyelids started to droop, Dick pulled me even closer to him and planted a tender kiss on my temple.

"Let's get some rest, now." He lovingly whispered in my ear, his voice a tickling murmur against my skin. "I'll keep telling you how much I love you some more in the morning, but for now, we should both be gettin' some rest... Together."

I nodded with a small, tired smile, exhaustion settling in and enveloping me like a warm blanket.

With a soft sigh, I snuggled into Dick's embrace, my body fitting perfectly against his. His warmth and the steady beating of his heart lulled me into peace, and, slowly, my eyes finally closed for the night.

[sapphire-wine]

[spextr1m]

If you have worst luck like Phoenix's, congrats you two have unexpected luck and bonding yall imbalancing luck!

Like for example, you gets hit by a truck only your bones intact while Phoenix is STRAIGHT up worry for you in his newbie days.

His poor wallet couldn't HANDLE at all!

If its Hobo version of him, eh he's totally chill about his luck but for you should he be worried bout it. Dont worry, he'll watch ya and Trucy would've SO worried.

Secretly makes a joke "Break a leg" only a culprit broke your leg but it will heal in next day

But if we're talking about Veteran! Phoenix, he'll make a snarky comment while nursing you not to mention. If its Nahyuta's prayer beads, you nearly fainted but dont worry, you managed to survive from the bracelet since prosecutor used to beat the shit out of lawyers 😭 (Edit 6/4/24: Its prayer beads...)

BUT if we're talking about "Feenie" aka his loser college self, he'll be lost puppy and worrying over you 😭😭😭😭 (Pls you just swallowed a necklace)

Like he'll cry and cry and cry and cry AND cry 😭😭😭😭

[cherrysweather]

Hello! How are you? So, I have a request. Can you write about a scenario where Trucy gets bullied badly, LIKE EXTREMELY BADLY. But then, her S/O saves her from the bullies. Any format is allowed! And yes, thank you for reading!!!

Hello hello uwu

I'm fine? I think?

I hope you're doing well though ^^

Thank you for requesting and, let me give you a hug ;v;

It was so sad writing this because thinking about Trucy getting bullied hurts me TvT This is short and I'm sorry for it, but I really didn't know what to write and this work caused me to lose imagination more than once to write in general, I'm so very sorry

So, I hope I've written all the emotion well; I hope you'll enjoy! <3 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Trucy Wright is saved from bullies by her S/O:

It was always like this.

It didn't matter if it was during breaks between school lessons, on her way home, during her shows rehearsals or her live ones, Trucy was never alone - in the worst way possible.

Spoiled, fraud, naïve, delusional - she was called like this and more so many times a day that her mind sometimes forgot her name.

It started when some of her classmates asked her to show them some magic tricks, complimenting her hard work in everything she was doing.

Of course, some people didn't like that -call them jealous, ignorant, stupid or just disrespectful- and started to bother Trucy, mocking every achievement she conquered.

What she thought and hoped would last for some time, took a regular seat in her life instead; if she answered correctly to an answer she was a nerd, then a loser if she failed a test, an attention-seeker if she talked to someone from another class, anti-social if she didn't.

Wrong or right, everything she did was scolded, they always highlighted the worst aspect of it.

Trucy learned when she was a child how to handle the kinds of emotions that these events made her feel, how to bottle them up and keep a smile for everyone around her and to try and convince herself that she was strong, she could do it on her own.

That's why no one ever noticed.

Phoenix was the only one who immediately noticed how her daughter would isolate herself even when Apollo and Athena were with them at the office, but when he tried to talk to her about it, she just smiled and told him she was fine apart from some school stress.

He didn't want to play the part of the invasive father, the one who asked and asked until the answers he wanted reached his ears, so he asked someone he knew Trucy trusted as much as she trusted him.

Of course, they noticed too. How she slowly stopped to tell them how her day went on their way home, how she stopped bringing her favorite deck of cards to show them some new tricks and many other small things that made Trucy the bubbly girl she was.

They talked to her, making her realize that she had to react and show those bullies that whatever they said or did didn't touch her. She didn't have to become like them, envious, mischievous or evil; ignore them, ask her friends for support and always opt for a smile. They remained close to her while she tried to do that, waiting for her after school if they finished earlier their own lessons and always checked on her mood and health.

And, it worked, actually.

They stopped talking badly about her, thanks also to the other classmates who started to call them out, they stopped ripping her books after a teacher yelled at them and a very menacing blue lawyer glared at their group with death in his eyes each time he came to pick up his daughter.

"You think you're strong?" "You always need someone else to cover your back" "It's easy to say you hold shows in theaters when others do all the work for you"

Her blurred vision didn't help at all while she searched for her safety contact to ask for help; she was walking back home with unrequired company- like always.

This time, she understood quickly that a smile wouldn't help that much after a kick hit her legs. When they grabbed her backpack, arms or clothes, she pushed them away, not being able to hit them in any kind of way. That was until she felt her scalp burn and almost fell backward, wiggling from the grip she hit someone's leg; that triggered, however, a pull to her hair that made her back meet with a wall.

The only thing she felt after a while was air being pulled out from her lungs as someone pulled her scarf tightly around her slim neck. She closed her eyes and continued to push them away, free herself and avoid visible bruises. How would she explain that to Phoenix afterward.

They waited for Trucy outside her school; she told them that Phoenix invited them for lunch with Maya, Apollo and Athena, so they hurried up once classes finished and waited. They realized Trucy probably forgot when just the staff remained inside the building, so they started walking towards Phoenix's house.

That's when their blood started to boil; it took a few meters ahead to spot Trucy's cape and the same individuals she talked about these last weeks, and what helped recognize them was the rather unfriendly way they were treating her.

Trucy regained the courage to open her eyes again when she heard that familiar voice screaming against her bullies, pushing them away and finally freeing her neck from the grip of her scarf. No one there knew how they resisted beating them on the spot, calling them every possible way to make them feel as bad as they made Trucy feel, if not worse; to remind them of what they really were, how insignificant and vile.

They didn't even wait for them to go away, pulling Trucy away, somewhere safer to try and soothe her, speak to her; but that wasn't the ideal moment. Trucy slowly calmed down from the shock, but did not utter a word.

Once home, she just closed her in the bathroom, processing what just happened in the silence. Useless to say that once Phoenix learned everything, he knocked on the door softly, trying to get his daughter out of there and talk, doing his best to suppress his anger.

For once, hearing someone cry his lungs out was a positive sign; Trucy finally found the courage to let herself go, let off all the steam inside her while torturing her father's shirt and almost attempting to merge with his chest.

They waited, already thinking of ways to pay back those bullies as they deserved. When Trucy finished explaining the full situation, she gave herself a break, washing her face and dragging them to her room; lunch could wait.

She occupied her bed and used them as her pillow; her sobs could still be heard from time to time, her grip on the pillow was more than strong, so it was their hug on her. Only when her breath stabilized and she fell asleep they could relax, too. The gentle strokes on her hair didn't stop and they patiently waited for her times of recover to then find all together a solution.

Even though, Phoenix was already filling in the documents for a legal complaint for every one of those being.

[doydoune]

oh to be a rookie attorney in France in love with the bitchy prosecutor next door

[noodles-and-tea]

I might colour this later

[legayllyblonde]

hey... we saw you across the bar and we HATED your vibe. abysmal. disgusting. here's the lawsuit we drafted over our wine. we'll see your ass in court.

(extra doodles under cut)

[laurellala-comics]

What if the characters in Ace Attorney all texted each other. Because they're friends. <3

(My alt text descriptions were a little long so I've added the individual text exchanges below, btw if there's any way I can improve my alt text please let me know!)

[id: drawing one shows text history between Maya Fey and Phoenix Wright on Nick's phone, starting with older texts at the top

Maya: ramen? (Nick has given this a thumbs up)

now we see texts from today at 11:37

Maya: Burgers?

Nick: sorry, not today, big case :(

Maya: Aww Nick

Maya: I'll pick it up and bring it over!

Maya: ... can i use your credit card (she punctuates the sentence with a big smiling face emoji) /end id]

[id: drawing two shows text history between Phoenix Wright and Miles Edgeworth on Miles's phone, starting with older texts at the top

Edgeworth: This was a riveting article, I thought it might interest you.

now we see texts from today

Nick sends a screenshot of a twitter post that reads: Lawyers help people get through the worst day of their life. They're good at it because they have experience getting through their own worst day, which just so happens to be every waking day of their existence

Miles: Ha.

Nick: Just one "ha"?

Miles: Not your best work.

Nick sends a frowny face :( /end id]

[id: drawing three shows text history between Miles Edgeworth and Maya Fey on Maya's phone. The text bubbles from Maya here are green as a result of her, an iPhone user texting Miles, a google pixel user. Maya has also sprinkled several emojis into Miles's contact name, the libra scales, the angry face emoji, the shouting emoji, and the clashing swords emoji. They're mid conversation and Miles has sent a text bubble so big we can't read the whole thing.

Miles: -completely unnecessary. Doing a Steel Samurai reboot so soon after the series ended is a foolish decision, everyone will be directly comparing the two from the moment the first episode drops. I don't believe they even have a fresh direction for the show, the only difference will be the cgi. God forbid we rock the boat and follow a new character! It's abundantly clear to me that the studio executives are cowards.

Maya: Oh my gosh, and did you see the new outfits? Maya includes a sobbing emoji

Miles: Oh, don't get me started.

we see three dots at the bottom of the screen indicating that Miles is still typing. /end id]

[shrimpface]

i woke up in the middle of the night thinking of this and it didnt go away

if a spirit medium can talk to ghosts imagine what a large can do

[blackfire5561]

He wants a bite (of ice cream) 🍨

[ministarfruit]

day 15: haunting ♡

(femslashfeb prompt list)

[perplexedflower]

Bar-Tender

Fandom: Ace Attorney.

Category: F/M.

Relationship: Dick Gumshoe x Female Reader.

Type: One shot.

Words: 7,352.

Summary: [Y/N] offers to spend an evening out with Dick in the bar right down her street. But while it starts as a means for the two to unwind and relax, it becomes clear - through liquor, chatter, and cheers - that real feelings are at play.

Chronology: Any game.

~~~~~~~~~~

She hurried down the street, her heels echoing on the sidewalk; she hated that she was late, even by only five minutes. But she could not help it.

She had spent longer than expected getting ready, but she could not afford to show up scruffy. It was just a night out at the bar, she knew it, but she simply could not help it.

Soon enough, in the nearing distance, she spotted Detective Gumshoe standing at the bar's entrance, visibly waiting for her.

"Detective Gumshoe!" She called out to him.

A smile came over his face as he watched her approaching, seemingly happy to see her.

"[Y/N]! How was your day?"

"Good, thank you." She answered in a slightly panting voice with a smile of her own. "I'm really sorry I'm late, I hope you haven't been waiting for me here for too long... I had trouble deciding what to wear..."

She looked down at her own body, at her clothes, and felt her cheeks redden slightly.

"... I hope I'm not overdoing it." She added in a shy whisper.

"I only got here a minute or two ago, don't worry." He reassured her with a chuckle before he looked her up and down. "But ya don't look bad at all. I think ya look quite lovely, actually."

His warm grin soon vanished as he realized his compliments were making both of them embarrassed; more than they already were, to begin with.

"I-I mean, that is, uh... y'know what? I'll just shut up before I put my foot in it." He mumbled while he cleared his throat. "... In any case, the wait was worth it."

She felt the tips of her ears burn as a shy, embarrassed smile shaped her lips.

"Thank you..." She whispered while her hands fiddled with the end of her sleek black skirt.

Before she could let silence take over, she decided to continue talking in an attempt to break the tension between them.

"You look good yourself, Gumshoe." She told him with a nod.

But it only made things worse: the man was dressed exactly as usual, tie and coat on, even down to that red pencil he would keep behind his left ear.

"I mean—" She promptly added, her eyes lowering to the ground. "Nothing's different in your outfit compared to usually... But, you know, you always look good."

And somehow, she had taken it even beyond "worse".

"I-I mean— It's just— Your, hum... Never mind, pretend I didn't say anything..." She stammered in embarrassment, her entire face red.

"No, no, please, keep going." He said with a wide grin as he gestured for her to continue. "You were saying?"

His grin was contagious, and [Y/N] had to try her best not to smile back in return: she could not help but let out a little giggle as she looked at him, hearing her heart beat in her ears. And no matter how hard she was trying not to let her emotions get the better of her, it was evident to both of them that they shared a mutual attraction.

"I wasn't saying anything... You big, dumb idiot." She murmured shyly under her breath, her eyes still averting his.

She gently cleared her throat then gestured to the doorway, in front of which they were both standing.

"Anyway, let's just... go in already, shall we?" She asked him as she motioned with her hands. "We didn't come here to spend the entire evening out on the doorstep, after all."

"Right you are." He responded with a nod.

Still smiling, Gumshoe stood straight and beckoned her into the bar with an extended arm; as they stepped inside, [Y/N] felt her heart start to race, noticing how closely he was walking beside her. Her eyes darted everywhere around them in an attempt to try and take in her surroundings, but all she could truly focus on in the end was the detective's handsome face.

Eventually, however, she managed to snap out of it and dedicated some time to scanning the inside of the bar: the establishment was not overcrowded, but not deserted either. She looked around her and her eyes landed on the bar counter, behind which stood the bartender.

I don't know what's best for us... should we sit at the counter or a table? Hmm... I wonder what he'd prefer...

"... We could sit at this table, if that's all right with you?" She asked him after a moment of silence as she pointed to an available table nearby, only slightly isolated from the others.

Although a part of me wishes to merge with the decor by sitting at the counter, I also crave intimacy right now...

"That sounds wonderful." He answered with a gentle chuckle. "A table it is."

A light smile passed over his face and he began to walk over to the spot the young woman had pointed to; once they had both reached the table, he held her chair out for her to sit on.

"Allow me to provide service, m'lady." He said, grinning.

She could not help but giggle at his behavior, so charming and endearing, as she sat down.

"Well, in that case, allow me to repay that service, my good sir." She said in return with a grin of her own. "Tell me what drink you'd like to get and I'll go order it at the counter along with mine."

For a woman to take a man's order in his place could sometimes be seen as inappropriate, that she was well aware of, and she was not sure whether Gumshoe would accept her offer, but she wanted him to know she cared about him.

He laughed and shook his head as he looked up at the ceiling, before looking back down at her, right into her eyes.

"Your good manners, I love 'em, [Y/N]."

With that comment, her eyes darted away and a thin layer of blush appeared over her cheeks.

"Y'know, you don't have to do this... but I'll accept it." He told her with a sly grin while he leaned on the table with his arms. "I'll have a beer, please."

"One beer, duly noted." She said with a warm smile as she got up from the table. "Then, I'll be right back with our drinks, Gumshoe."

As she spoke these words, she gently tapped on the table with her hand, her eyes looking directly into his, before she made her way to the counter, her smile still present, though it was now accompanied by a hue of pink on her cheeks.

He watched her walk away and could not help but admire that adorable walk of hers, his gaze still locked onto her figure.

... She's a real sweetheart, ain't she? He asked himself in thought. She's definitely actin' cute, and her words only make it ten times better... Darn, I have to keep my composure, I can feel my face turn red just thinking 'bout it all.

Once having reached the bar, [Y/N] called out to the bartender and ordered their two drinks; as she waited for them to be made and served to her, she started to get lost in thought, the longer she stood straight.

Things are going well with Gumshoe so far. If only I could be less nervous around him... But I just can't help it, he's so... him.

Soon enough, both of their drinks were set in front of her by the bartender, whom she thanked before she walked back to the table, one drink in each hand. She returned with a smile and placed his drink before him, then sat back down.

"One beer for you, and one whiskey on the rocks for me." She said with her glass in hand.

"Thank you, [Y/N]." He responded with a smile as he took the bottle from her hand.

But as he looked down at his drink and then down at hers, he let out a low chuckle.

"Wouldn't ya rather have somethin' light like a beer?" He asked her before he took a sip. "I mean, I can't even imagine what you're like when you're drunk... but I feel like I'd like to see it, actually."

"Oh, because you really think one glass of whiskey will get me drunk?" She rhetorically asked with a scoff. "Please, it takes more than that for me to be tipsy. I can hold my alcohol pretty well, you know."

She drank from her glass, the pleasant taste of liquor flowing down her throat, then looked back into his eyes with a playful smile.

"Besides, even if that does end up happening, it's Friday night." She added. "One Saturday morning hangover wouldn't be a problem."

Weirdly, her words made him feel somewhat more comfortable, taking another sip to ease his nerves further.

"Well, guess I have to see it for myself, then. But I just know you're adorable when drunk. You can already be a bit of a handful normally, so I can't imagine what kinda shenanigans you'd come up with once you've drank..."

Upon hearing his choices of adjectives, her playful smile vanished in an instant to be replaced with somewhat of a pout, her confidence having suddenly left her, shyness taking over in its place.

"Y-Yeah, well... we'll see." She muttered as she looked away.

With both of her hands wrapped around her glass, she raised it slightly towards him in an attempt to make it meet with his beer bottle; and, despite her slight awkwardness, she forced herself to look into his brown eyes as she did so.

"In any case, cheers." She said affectionately.

He held his bottle up towards her glass and they both clinked their drinks together.

"Cheers, [Y/N]."

Gumshoe took a swig of his drink, his expression mostly filled with joy, though a slight hint of embarrassment was readable as well. He felt his heart beating in his ears, feeling so close to her at that one moment: he wanted to reach out and hold her hand in his own, but he fought against the urge. It was not long before he felt his cheeks beginning to flush again and he cleared his throat while he put on a grin, trying to hide his timidity.

After their toast, [Y/N] swallowed another sip of her whiskey before she put the glass back down in front of her on the table. As if being fully rid of her shyness once more, she smiled in a relaxed manner while she closed her eyes, a sigh escaping her lips.

"Man, this really feels good." She said with genuine appreciation.

She opened her eyes and her gaze immediately found his in a moment of tenderness.

"I'm really glad you agreed to spend this evening with me, Gumshoe." She told him sincerely. "Finally having reached the weekend, not having to think about work, being able to relax and unwind... I really needed it. And I know you did too... and I'm happy we get to take this much-deserved break together."

"Well said, [Y/N]! I'm more than happy to spend this evening with ya, and I'm glad you proposed it. I can't stress enough how much I agree... My work's been real challengin' lately, so it's always wonderful to feel the peace of not having to think 'bout it."

He could not help but smile while his cheeks continued to redden and his heart continued to quickly beat inside his chest; he truly had been looking forward to that meeting at the bar, and now that it was finally happening, all he felt was sheer happiness and an odd sense of safety in her company.

"My thoughts exactly." She said with a light chuckle. "Don't get me wrong, I love helping Phoenix out with his cases and investigations, but boy, is it exhausting. And I'm not even an actual attorney myself, I'm only an... attorney helper, all I do is fieldwork, yet it's already so tiring... I don't know how he does it."

The young woman looked down into her glass, into the honey-colored liquid swirling gently, then looked up into Gumshoe's eyes with a more tender expression.

"... And the same goes for you." She added. "I'm always so happy to lend you a hand in your detective work whenever I can, but I won't lie, sometimes it's a lot for me. You work so hard all the time, it's honestly quite impressive."

"Well, you're right about that." He told her, still smiling, as he took a sip of his beer. "I'll admit, I sometimes don't even realize just how much time I end up spending on work. Truth is, I don't think it's 'cause I love my job that I dedicate so much time to it... Frankly, I don't really know what else to do with my life, and I'm not even sure if I wanna do anything else with it... But that's just somethin' I need to figure out on my own at some point."

The emotion in her gaze turned sad as she stared at him, a feeling of compassion weighing on her heart. Her eyes instinctively landed on his hands, holding his beer bottle in their palms, and then her heartbeat began to pick up speed: after a short moment of hesitation, she outstretched her right arm over the table and reached for one of his hands, delicately placing hers over his. The two of them stared into one another's eyes as a smile formed on her face.

"... Hey, for what it's worth, I think you make an amazing detective." She told him with honesty. "I personally wouldn't see you doing any other job... though, I do understand the doubts and worries. And no matter the choices you might make throughout your career, I'll be here to support you through them."

Gumshoe looked surprised yet overjoyed that she chose to hold his hand, leading his cheeks to turn red for the umpteenth time that night, his pulse racing.

"[Y/N]..."

He cleared his throat - somewhat awkwardly - before he looked back down at their hands: in earnest, he was not quite used to showing so much affection to someone in such a way. And at the same time, it simply felt too good to be true, the pleasant sensation of her smooth, warm hand against his own overwhelming him and making him forget all of his concerns and doubts.

[Y/N] smiled further and closed her eyes as she slightly tilted her head to the side, before she removed her hand from his and placed it back around her glass, a hint of blush on her cheeks.

"Anyway, I'm sorry I brought all this up in the first place. I said we didn't have to think about work, and yet here I am, rambling on about it." She said with a chuckle. "Let's cast it all aside for tonight and enjoy ourselves, hm?"

The detective could not help but feel sad that she had decided to withdraw her hand, but he forced himself to play it cool; after all, it was her right to do so, even though the thought of being able to hold her hand longer excited him.

"Yeah, that sounds good."

His lips formed a smile as he said those words and he felt himself relax, actually managing to take his mind off his worries for once.

"But don't worry 'bout all that, I think it's nice to discuss these things, and I really do mean that." He added with a nod as he took another swig of his beer.

And so the evening went on.

As time passed, the two of them exchanged smiles and jokes, their voices echoing around them, bouncing off the glasses and bottles in their hands. They were fully rid of worries, their conversation leading them to chat about anything and everything, but always light-heartedly. Over the course of the evening, [Y/N] ordered a second drink, then a third, which motivated Gumshoe to do the same; but while the alcohol in his veins seemed to barely affect him, it was undeniable she was becoming a little tipsy. And with it, all her inhibitions seemed to have vanished from her body.

She leaned forward and rested her chin on the palm of her hand, her elbow set on the table.

"Say, Gummy, while we're on the topic of food, are you getting a little hungry?" She asked him with a tipsy smile. "I sure am..."

He looked at her with a big grin, taking in her change in demeanor, noticing a hint of flirtatiousness in her voice.

"Actually... yeah, me too, now that ya mention it." He answered with a warm chuckle. "Should we order somethin'?"

"I just... don't want to have to buy something, though..." She let out with a sigh, her eyes slowly closing. "I've already spent enough money on our drinks as it is, I don't really feel like spending more on food."

She opened her eyes back and stared down at her almost empty glass.

"But I do feel like eating something..." She whispered to herself.

She had a point about not wanting to spend more money, Gumshoe knew it; but in his current state, he did not care anymore and only wanted more of that good feeling, more time with her, more time together with no worries.

"Oh, I know all 'bout that feeling." He said with a grin. "I can pay, [Y/N]."

The young woman could not help but laugh aloud at his words, her saddened expression disappearing completely from her face.

"You? Paying? With what money?" She rhetorically asked between two laughs.

As she heard herself speak, she realized just then the inappropriate tone and rudeness of her words, both of which had been completely unintentional. Her wide grin diminished as a feeling of shame invaded her from within.

"Uh, I mean... Sorry, Gummy, I... I didn't mean it like that, my words came out much worse than I wanted them to..." She apologized with embarrassment. "It's just... we both know Edgeworth really underpays you, and I know your salary doesn't... really allow you to afford as much as mine can..."

She avoided his eyes completely, too ashamed of herself to confront his gaze.

"That's why I decided to be the one to pay for all the drinks tonight... and I'd feel terrible having to ask you to pay for food."

The silence did not last long, as it was soon broken by a hearty laugh, accompanied by a sign of the hand.

"It's okay, [Y/N]." He told her in a reassuring tone. "I promise I didn't take it as badly as ya think. It ain't like you said anything bad anyway. I mean, you're right, I don't earn enough to make that kinda decision with my money. But don't sweat it, I don't mind paying, 'specially if it means I can spend more time with you."

Her eyes immediately rose to meet his as her heart ached ever so slightly in her chest.

"Gummy..." She let out softly, her eyebrows a little furrowed.

As she looked back down at her hands on the table, she felt as though she could have cried, most likely a cause of the alcohol in her veins that accentuated her emotions.

God, I feel so goddamn stupid... She thought to herself as she squeezed her eyes shut. What the hell was I thinking, saying this out loud? He must think I'm so mean, now...

However, after a few seconds of sulking in silence, a sudden idea crossed her mind out of the blue.

"Hey..." She hesitantly started, catching Gumshoe's attention. "... Maybe, instead of either one of us buying something, we could... head back to my place together, and eat dinner there?"

"Huh? Head back to your place?" He repeated as he tilted his head. "You want us to go to your apartment to eat and not order somethin'?"

His curiosity was now piqued, his thoughts racing until he could not suppress a smirk, his imagination suddenly starting to run wild.

"I mean, let's be honest here for a second..." She started as she gestured her hands around. "You're going to take me back home anyway, right? It's—"

She put her sentence on hold for a brief moment, the time for her to reach for her phone and check the time.

"... 10:14 PM, right now, so it's dark out, I'm wearing heels, and I'm tipsy. Knowing you and your gentlemanly ways, you'd never in a million years let me walk back home on my own. My apartment's not far from here, it's only a solid 10 minutes on foot, so you'd walk me there."

She stopped talking, but only to rest both of her elbows on the table and place her chin on the palms of her hands, as she looked at him with a hint of playfulness inside her eyes.

"... In that case, what's the harm in me inviting you in?" She asked him. "You'd be there already, you know?"

He could not help but chuckle as he gave it some thought: she was right, he never would have let her walk by herself, especially this late at night, especially in the state she was in.

"Huh, I guess you're right..." He said as he raised a playful eyebrow. "That makes a whole lotta sense, actually."

"Great, it's decided!" [Y/N] exclaimed enthusiastically. "Well, let's go, then!"

Not wanting to waste a single second, she grabbed her purse and got up from her chair, though not without swaying just slightly to the side. With a grin, she stood in front of him and reached for one of his arms.

"C'mon, just gulp down what's left of your beer and we'll be good to go." She told him in a motivational tone of voice, both of her hands wrapped around his forearm.

"Okay, okay! I'm drinkin' up, okay?" He said with a chuckle before finishing his drink. "Sheesh, the pressure's on, I wasn't ready for this amount of stress."

He stood up from the table and held her arm, his cheeks turning a dark pink: with her standing so close to him, he simply could not control his physical reactions. With the thought of having to head off to her place and dine with her, his heart began to pick up the pace, beating even faster than it had earlier.

The two of them made their way across the bar until they reached the front doors: but as they pushed them open and stepped outside, [Y/N] was greeted with the cold evening air, spreading chills over her bare arms and shoulders.

Her smile quickly left her face to be replaced with an expression of discomfort, all while her hands rubbed her arms vigorously.

"God, it's a little cold tonight..." She sighed. "The temperature must've gone down super quickly, it wasn't this cold when we walked in just a few hours ago..."

Gumshoe's expression immediately changed the instant he saw the uncomfortable look on her face. And as soon as he saw her rub her arms in an attempt to keep herself warm, something snapped within him; in a sense, it was instinctual, as if his body was telling him what to do.

Without hesitation, he removed his coat and promptly draped it over her shoulders.

"Here, have my coat."

Upon seeing his warm smile and feeling the weight of his large coat on her shoulders, her eyes opened wide and her face turned a crimson red.

"G-Gummy..." She muttered shyly while looking down at herself.

His trench coat was twice her size, her arms now completely hidden underneath the sleeves, and a strong smell began to surround her: the aroma of cologne, along with hints of coffee, mixed in with a very familiar scent, warm and reassuring. She was like draped in a sensation of comfort, no longer feeling the cold reaching her.

Now once again overcome with emotions, she looked up at him and met with his affectionate eyes.

"... Thank you." She simply told him, too shy to say any more.

He stared down at her with a gentle grin.

God, she looks really adorable in my coat.

In fact, she looked incredibly small, almost fragile wearing it, the fabric most likely too heavy and stiff for her stature. But he was glad to see wearing it made her feel better; it was the least he could do.

"You don't have to thank me."

"In any case, we should get going now." She stated, trying her hardest to sound nonchalant. "I'll lead the way."

For roughly ten minutes, the two of them walked side by side, supporting each other physically when needed, as they chit-chatted casually, until they finally arrived at [Y/N]'s apartment building; once there, they stopped in front of her door and she dived her hand inside her purse in search of the key.

"Here we are." She declared as she inserted the key into the lock.

She pushed the door open and stepped in, after which she made room for Gumshoe to enter the hallway.

"It's not the most luxurious or spacious place out there, but it's where I live. Please, don't hesitate to make yourself at home."

He followed her around with a smile while analyzing his surroundings: it really was not all that extraordinary, as she had stated, but it was not a terrible place either. It was nice, cozy, and provided enough space for the both of them to move around freely.

"It's nice enough, pal. Nothin' you should be embarrassed about." He reassured her. "And don't you worry, I am most definitely plannin' on making myself at home, ya don't gotta tell me twice."

With a chuckle, she went to close and lock the front door behind them, after which she set her purse down on the small table in the hallway. But, just as she entered the living room, just as she was about to take her heels off, she looked down at herself and her eyes fell to his green trench coat, still resting over her shoulders.

"... Now that we're inside and all warm, I guess I don't need your coat anymore..." She slowly said, looking up at him mid-sentence.

Her cheeks turned a soft shade of pink, and that she knew was caused by neither the temperature nor the alcohol: with a shy smile, she stared back down at the coat and clung tightly onto it.

"... I know I should hand it back to you, now... But I won't lie, I really like wearing it. It's all big... and warm... like you..."

She spoke without thinking, a silly smile plastered on her face, the alcohol in her veins taking over her speech. The words caught Gumshoe off guard and made his cheeks turn a strong pink hue, but a gentle smile started forming on his lips the more he thought about her comment: he found it more than a little endearing to hear her call him "big" and "warm". He began to wonder if her straightforward attitude was due to the alcohol coursing through her, or if it was something else. Either way, he did not mind it one bit.

"... Y'know, ya can keep it if you want." He smiled. "... Ya look pretty cute in it anyway."

"No, no." She promptly followed stubbornly, shaking her head. "I have to give it back to you, it's yours. It's your trench coat, and I'm no thief. I wouldn't want you to arrest and handcuff me for stealing it from you."

She could tell her words did not make much sense, her brain capacities suddenly reduced by at least half, it seemed, but it mattered little to her: she felt safe, around him, in the comfort of her own home, enough to let herself go.

She took a step towards him, their bodies now only an inch from one another, and removed the green trench coat from her shoulders. Then, clumsily, she leaned forward and did her best to put it over his own.

"Here." She said softly.

Surprise struck him when he watched her get so close to him, and when he watched her clumsy movements: as she attempted to place the coat over his shoulders, he ended up having to help her do it. Just as it fell over his figure, he felt her fingers slightly brush against his arm, and she did not even move back. She stared up into his brown eyes, and the close proximity between them made her heart beat at a million miles; neither of them dared move, both of their faces ranging from pink to red as they stared into each other's gazes.

He was so close to her. His face was only inches away from her own. He could hear her breathing. He could feel her warmth. The scene was overwhelming. He could not help but lean in closer to her, his skin feeling incredibly hot.

There was a sense of anxious affection in his eyes, and a sense of longing passion in hers. And she decided it was about time she would finally put this longing to rest.

Without a second thought, she grabbed Gumshoe's orange tie and pulled on it, the knot loose enough not to strangle him, but her grip strong enough to bring his face down: enough for her to lean in and kiss him.

The moment their lips met, she let out a soft, instinctive sigh against his mouth, while her other hand came to rest on his chest. It all felt so good, so passionate, so heavenly.

Her actions took him by surprise, but his body reacted immediately: as soon as her lips touched his, his arms wrapped around her, holding her tight. His body was on fire, and his heart was beating at twice the usual pace; he felt incredible, as if his entire life had been completely fulfilled in that one, single action. He held her tight, pulling her closer and closer against him. He never wanted to let the moment go.

The feeling of his strong, warm hands on her waist and sides triggered something within her, a sensation of sheer craving. Slowly, her body began to back up, her movements somewhat clumsy and wavering due to her tipsy state, her legs moving on their own, until her back hit the nearest wall: there, trapped between the wall and him, his body pinning hers against it, she felt small and weak under his silhouette, but in the best way possible. Blindly, as her lips were still kissing his, she took off her heels in haste, her height reduced by a few inches, before she raised her right leg against his body, her bare skin sliding against the fabric of his pants until it reached and stopped at his waist.

He was almost light-headed, his blood pumping through his veins as he slowly pushed her leg forward before gently grabbing the back of her knees, raising both of her feet above the ground so that she was completely against the wall. The heat inside of him was intense.

He knew he should not stop. Not now.

Upon feeling him effortlessly lift her body off the ground, she sighed against his lips once more. She tightly wrapped both of her legs around his waist in hopes of finding balance and support as his hands held her thighs; whether unconsciously or deliberately, his fingers began to progressively roll her skirt up her legs while his palms pressed against her skin. Whichever it was, it was enough to make her pull away from his lips.

"Dick—" She breathed out instinctively, her eyes still closed as she rested the back of her head against the wall, her neck almost fully outstretched.

His grip on her legs tightened, his hands continuing to roll her skirt, up, and up, and up. His fingers were on her bare legs, and his lips touched her neck; with every second that passed, he wanted to kiss and touch more and more of her. There was nothing holding him back. His lips found their way to her neck at the same time as her arms circled his, her palms holding onto the back of his head with a passion, her fingers caressing his hair: the sensation of his stubble against her delicate skin was intoxicating, the friction rough and prickly as his mouth kissed and nibbled.

"Dick..." She repeated in a whisper. "... Let's take this to the bedroom."

His head was spinning with passion as his fingers continued to caress her skin, now running through the ends of her hair. With her arms around him, he could feel every little movement she made, every little breath she took, and it all sent chills down his spine. His heart wanted her, and so did his body.

"Let's." He nodded in agreement.

His hands traveled from her thighs to her behind, a gesture that caught her off-guard until she understood it was for him to cling onto her as he pulled her off the wall; with very little effort, he secured the young woman into his embrace as he began to walk, his strength impressive though not surprising.

As the two approached [Y/N]'s room, her legs still tightly wrapped around his body, she tugged at his tie once more, in an attempt to make him stop walking, just as his feet reached the doorway.

"Hey, hey! No shoes inside the bedroom, mister." She told him with a teasing smile as she pointed down at his feet.

The way she had stopped him in his tracks, in such a flirty manner made Gumshoe chuckle; he had to admit he enjoyed seeing her take charge.

"Alright, alright. Hold on—"

He stopped walking, still carrying her in his arms, and promptly took off his shoes.

"There." He told her with a smile. "Happy now?"

"Yes, thank you." She replied before leaning in and gently kissing his cheek as a token of her gratitude.

As he stepped into the bedroom, her eyes fell on her own hands, both of which were still holding his tie, and she flushed upon letting go of it.

"Hey, by the way... Hum, sorry for pulling on your tie like that, for the second time..." She started, slightly embarrassed. "I hope it's not hurting you or anything. And I hope it doesn't bother you, like, turn you off... I don't know if you're maybe... into it or if it's actually not your type of thing..."

He chuckled wholeheartedly.

"If I was turned off by a cute 'n' hot girl constantly pulling on my tie, there'd be somethin' wrong with me. I kinda liked it, actually. You don't really gotta ask about any of those things, anyway. If you enjoy it and I'm not uncomfortable with it, feel free to do whatever ya want. Do me a favor and don't hold back."

Her eyes opened slightly wider as she stared at him, at the spark of desire in his gaze.

"... Fuck, it's really sexy when you say stuff like this."

The second the words left her mouth, she realized a little too late she had blurted out her thoughts instead of having kept them inside her head. She stared at him, her entire face feeling as though it had been set on fire.

"... I meant to think that and not say it out loud, but you know what? You deserve to hear it. You're incredibly sexy and the way you look into my eyes while you flirt with me is very hot, and I really want you right now." She blurted out in one single breath.

"[Y/N]... I really want you too..." He said after a few seconds of silence, his voice husky.

The warmth of his breath as he said those words bounced off her skin, their faces so close to one another, and she did not hesitate a single second before closing what little distance remained as she made her lips meet his once more. She closed her eyes while her hands moved to his chest, while his legs began to walk again, in the direction of her bed, only a foot or two away from them.

Her eyes were still closed when she felt him lean forward and put her down on the mattress, her back coming in contact with the soft sheets; as he did so, they had no choice but to break their kiss and pull away. There, he stood before her, positioned between her open legs, his figure towering over her in a way that matched the look in his eyes: in a way that made her hold her breath and rendered her speechless. He stared down at her, at her body lying over the bed, at her messy hair surrounding her head, until his eyes met hers, and silence filled the entire room: he felt his breath catching in his throat, completely lost in her gaze. For a few seconds, as their stares locked, she remained quiet, and so did he; then, without saying a word, while still lying down on her back, she reached for the hem of her top and pulled it up with both of her hands. In a swift second, it went over her head and was tossed on the pillows.

With her upper body now only covered with her bra, shielding her breasts from his view, she breathed heavily while staring at his lower body, her gaze falling on his belt. His blood boiled in his veins, his thoughts became a lot less tame, his desire slowly grew stronger: understanding well the meaning behind her eyes, he slowly undid his belt, pulling it out of the loops. As he let it fall to the ground, a burning sensation quickly spread throughout his body. She watched him remove his belt in silence, his eyes devouring hers as his hands went to work around his waist. That simple sight was enough to arouse her, a certain warmth taking over her and making her close her legs on instinct.

She could not hold herself back any longer: she rose on the bed, just slightly, enough to reach his tie and grab it yet once more, her hand dragging his entire body closer to hers. With her free hand, she held his right shoulder and sensually slid his black suit off, which prompted him to remove it altogether. Then, still as sensually, she slowly loosened his tie and removed it from around his neck, letting it drop on the floor beside the bed. Her touch was electrifying, sending waves of pleasure all through his body, and he, too could no longer hold back: with a loud grunt, he pushed her legs apart and crawled on top of her, his breath catching in his throat. A quiet noise escaped her lips upon feeling his hands on her thighs, his fingers holding them in place as he opened her legs; she closed her eyes and let him take the lead, take full control of the situation and her body. Slowly, his palms went up her skin until they reached her sides, just above her waist, and just below her bra.

Just as she opened her eyes back, she saw him lean forward and soon felt his lips on her neck again, which made her sigh multiple times as her back arched slightly. His hands traveled further upwards and slid behind her back, his touch possessive. Her body was simply too sweet for him, too soft to the touch, and with her limbs snaked around him at every single moment, his need continued to expand: a part of him wanted to take things slow, but the other had already been deprived of her touch for far too long.

As he bit the lower half of her neck, his right hand coming to rest beside her body on the mattress, she moved her hands down to his neck, her palms grabbing the collar of his dress shirt; her fingers began unbuttoning it, the sheer thought of his bare chest against her driving her crazy. Eventually, his shirt dropped from his body with the help of her hands, exposing his torso and stomach. It did not take long before [Y/N]'s hands roamed his chest: now that it was bare, her fingertips could explore every curve, touch every line, feel every muscle. And it was paradise. Nothing could have made that moment better.

Gumshoe left a trail of shivers behind him as he traveled across her skin; the feeling of his palms slowly caressing her hips through the fabric of her skirt, the sensation of his fingers firmly holding her thighs as he pushed them open, the burning warmth and overwhelming strength of his hand muscles on her skin. It all felt amazing. Her mouth exhaled heavy breaths as her hands moved to his back, her arms circling his wide upper body as best as she could. And she opened her eyes halfway, just enough to stare inside his.

As he lay there, on top of her, he reached for the hem of her skirt, gently grabbing it: for a few seconds, he looked at it, at her legs underneath, before slowly pulling the skirt off her body. She watched his fingers fumble with the zipper of her skirt as he opened it, she watched his palms grab the fabric as he slid it down her legs, she watched the desire appear in his gaze as her underwear got exposed for his eyes to see. She lay on her back, only partially covered, and her heart rate accelerated greatly while her face grew red. She had done that before, and yet, she could not help but feel vulnerable, feel slightly insecure about her own body: because no other man before had ever meant so much to her as he did.

He looked down into her eyes, then down at her body.

"... You're so gorgeous, I don't even know what to say..."

His voice was slightly wavering, but not due to the alcohol or the exhaustion. It was his heart that spoke up.

"Your body under mine, your skin so soft, your form so pretty... This feels like a dream, right now... I might have to pinch myself to make sure this is really happening."

Her body twitched by reflex when she felt his murmurs on her skin, goosebumps spreading over the surface of her body as a result. Yet, they felt so incredibly good: hearing him compliment her, compliment her body in such a passionate and heartfelt way made her feel desired and desirable. It showed her how much he truly loved her.

"This is real, Dick... As real as my feelings for you." She softly said with a sigh, resting one of her hands on the back of his head, her fingertips gently brushing his hair.

Leaning toward her face, just as covered in blush as his, his lips drew a faint, though loving smile.

"I know you know by now, but I think I still need to say that I love you."

His voice was hoarse and shaken, and with good reason.

"And I love you so damn much... Every single part of you." He whispered against her lips. "And I can't believe I finally get to do this with you tonight..."

His words left her holding her breath, his voice dripping with sensuality and desire. He no longer seemed like the clumsy and confused detective she had been used to knowing: now, in that bed with her, his flesh against hers, he was a confident and assertive man, and that only further fueled her craving for him.

Unable to articulate words in response, she simply stared into his eyes. And when she did, she read his emotions clearly. No more doubts. No more second thoughts.

"... [Y/N], I want to feel you." He spoke, his voice quiet, but strong.

Holding his face with both hands, she left a delicate kiss on his lips.

"I'm all yours, Dick."

[sapphire-wine]

[ask-apollojustice]

weekend at trucy's 🫶

[queenoftheantz]

Fashionably late, I arrive with a lukewarm tea in one hand, and my Secret Samol gift in the other!

Allow me to present ECLECTIC ATTORNEY- a fan adventure!

My recipient (Biorenewologist/iamnotathing, platform unknown) asked for a Ace Attorney style case for Eclectic, and I did my best to deliver! This is a REAL visual novel game that YOU CAN PLAY!

You do NOT need to have listened to Palisade to solve the mystery, all clues are given to you in the game. However, there will be mild spoilers, like characters/appearances that appear later in the season. It is not canon compliant, Blue Channel crew that never met will be hanging out!

If you have never listened to Friends at the table or Palisade, the character interactions (and there's lots of those) might not be as entertaining for you.

You can play the game here: https://myrdrottningen.itch.io/eclectic-attorney

Warning! This is a MURDER mystery, and will include things like: Blood, death, mentions and depiction of the aftermath of gun violence, murder

Have fun! c:

[doctorsiren]

I also drew this a while ago but I think Miles kept the bear from the Engarde case