Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, its characters and settings, are property of Capcom, and are being used here without permission. This fic will eventually have adult rated male/male content.

Part 1 takes place just after case 5.

Steady Inhale

Part 1/4

It wasn't that he was hiding out, Detective Gumshoe assured himself. He was in plain sight, after all--sitting on the steps of the courthouse, the collar of his coat pulled up around his neck. It was chilly even for February, and the warm vapor of his breath made each small puff of cigarette smoke that much more visible. He hadn't smoked in a long time, and the sharp taste brought him back years. Back to when he was an officer and before, walking up these steps for the first time.

I'll go back, soon's I finish this cigarette, he told himself. By now the sun was going down, coloring the empty courthouse a vibrant orange. An hour ago it had been a bustle of activities, with reporters and civilians swarming to get a look at the famous Damon Gant being led away in handcuffs. By morning the papers would be full of photos of his dull, accepting grin, of Lana Skye embracing her young sister next to the patrol cars, of Phoenix Wright accepting handshakes from officers and cityfolk alike. There wouldn't be any pictures of a scruffy ex-detective hanging back from the commotion, but that was just as well. He wasn't so good with attention anyway.

In fact, if he waited long enough only the night shift would be left at the station, and he'd be able to poke in and clear out his desk without any trouble at all. It would be hard enough without having all his friends and fellow officers giving their condolences. As soon as he finished his smoke…

"Detective?"

Gumshoe winced a little at having been discovered, but when he glanced up his sheepish grin was replaced quickly with a look of surprise. "Mr. Edgeworth! What are you…"

He started to get up, but Edgeworth waved for him not to bother. "What are you still doing here?"

"Um…" Gumshoe scratched the back of his neck, swinging his cigarette to the corner of his mouth with his tongue. "Just, er, taking a breather, Sir. Been a long day."

"It has," Edgeworth agreed. "But I thought you'd be back at the station by now."

Gumshoe shrugged slightly. "Yeah, well... What about you, Mr. Edgeworth?" He chuckled. "Were you hiding out, too?"

Edgeworth glanced away, and before Gumshoe could regret having potentially offended him, he gave his overcoat a tug and sat down next to him on the step. Gumshoe was still trying to think of something to say when Edgeworth reached out, plucking the cigarette out of his mouth.

"Mr. Edgeworth…?" Gumshoe watched, surprised, as the prosecutor took in a slow breath of smoke. "I didn't know you smoked…."

"I don't," Edgeworth replied easily. There was something sophisticated in even the way he held his cigarette—pinched gently between two fingers, his hand slightly curved. It couldn't have been his first, whatever he said.

Gumshoe tried to relax, though he couldn't help but feel anxious; it wasn't like Edgeworth to act so casually around him. "Are you, um…" He drew his feet up a step, resting his elbows on bent knees. "Is there something I can do for you, Mr. Edgeworth?"

Edgeworth stared straight ahead, his eyes going a little vacant, as Gumshoe had sometimes seen when the man was deep in thought. "Not really," he answered after a long, silent moment. He sounded tired.

"Mr. Edgeworth…." Gumshoe shifted slightly and clasped his hands together to keep from fidgeting. His own termination left his mind as he watched the younger man take another drag off his cigarette. Edgeworth looked…exhausted, in a way Gumshoe couldn't remember having seen before. Though his broad shoulders were stiff with the perfect posture he always had, he was almost unnaturally still as if measuring every low breath. Maybe it was only a moment of weakness that had permitted Miles Edgeworth to sit next to him that evening, but it was a chance he'd been waiting for, possibly the last one he had.

"I'm sorry," Gumshoe blurted out, his hands tightening around each other. He lowered his eyes. "I've…wanted to tell ya that for a while. I'm sorry."

Edgeworth tilted his head slightly, but Gumshoe didn't glance back to see if he was really looking at him. "You don't have to apologize, Detective. I knew I was going to lose today."

"You…what?" Gumshoe frowned. "Wait, that's not what I…"

"I never believed Miss Skye was capable of murder," Edgeworth assured, though his voice still sounded flat with fatigue. "But I had to do my job, just like you." He paused a moment. "You're going to be reinstated, you know. Since it was Gant that fired you."

"I…" This time Gumshoe did look up, and he started again when he found himself staring right into Edgeworth's cool gray eyes. "I am?" he said dumbly.

"Of course. We wouldn't have solved the case without you."

"But…"

Gumshoe started to say more but then Edgeworth reached out, pushing the cigarette back into place in the corner of his mouth. The brief, unexpected contact of coarse fingertips against his lower lip made him flinch. "Don't worry, Detective," Edgeworth told him. "You're not going anywhere." He started to push to his feet.

Gumshoe blinked. "No, wait—" He grabbed Edgeworth's sleeve to tug him back, forgetting his own strength--Edgeworth dropped back onto the stair with a quiet "oof" and shot him a glare. Though Gumshoe grimaced apologetically, he was a little glad to see some life back in the prosecutor's eyes. "I'm sorry. You…didn't let me finish, Sir."

Edgeworth watched him, waiting. It was more than a little intimidating. "What I meant was…sorry," Gumshoe tried again. "These last couple'a months…you've had a rough time 'cause'a me."

Edgeworth frowned slightly; he didn't seem to notice that Gumshoe was still holding his arm. "What do you mean?"

"I mean…those cases you lost…" Gumshoe ducked his head, and continued quickly before Edgeworth could get mad. "They were my fault, weren't they? If we were better police…if I was a better detective, then you…wouldn't have been accusing the wrong guy in the first place."

Edgeworth didn't reply, and the silence started to make Gumshoe anxious again. "Especially when you…were being accused…." Gumshoe sagged guiltily. "I knew it wasn't you, pal. But I couldn't figure it out. All this time we've just been passing everythin' off to you, and Mr. von Karma, and…putting it all on your shoulders…"

A cold hand fell over his, sending a chill up the length of his arm. Edgeworth was…smiling, faintly, his eyes half lidded and distant again. The almost pained expression made Gumshoe's chest feel hollow. "It's all right, Detective," he said quietly. He peeled Gumshoe's broad hand gently off his arm and this time made it to his feet. "We've…all been pretty foolish, haven't we? If not for Phoenix Wright…"

Edgeworth trailed off; all the vagaries in his behavior were sharpening that pit of uncertainty in Gumshoe's gut into honest concern. He didn't like how still everything suddenly felt. Gulping, he stood up as well. "Sir…?"

Edgeworth took a deep breath as if having decided something. When he turned, Gumshoe was relieved for a moment by the strength in his expression. Until he spoke: "Detective Gumshoe. It's been a pleasure working with you."

"A…huh?" Gumshoe faltered over a response, and when Edgeworth held out his hand, he couldn't think of anything to do but shake it. "Um, of course, Sir…"

"Goodbye, Detective." Edgeworth's hand clenched once before he let go. Then he was turning away, tightening his overcoat as he continued on down the courthouse steps, toward the parking lot.

Gumshoe shoved his hands in his pockets, worrying what was left of his cigarette between his lips as he watched the man leave. He was still feeling confused over the whole encounter, and so he didn't think to offer any words or try to stop him again. He simply waited until Edgeworth drove away before heading to his own car.

It wasn't until the next morning, when Mr. Payne brought the note to the police station, that he regretted it.