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Varying Degrees of Sexuality	By : ladylaguna Category: +M through R > Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Views: 3053 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: Phoenix Wright and all related characters © Capcom. This story was not written for profit; entertainment only.

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Hello all! I'm not new to the series but I am new to the fandom. I have recently become obsessed with this pairing and feel that there is a distinct lack of it. The only way I know to remedy such a situation is to contribute! So here is a little story I cooked up. I hope that it's acceptable; the number of quality writers is this fandom is intimidating!
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With the rampant corruption going on in Criminal Affairs and the Prosecutor’s Office, City Hall finally came down hard on law enforcement. The Chief of Criminal Affairs was one of the first to go. His replacement pushed his men hard and let them all know that no man’s job was safe.
So Edgeworth showed little surprise on the day he received a summons to the Chief’s new enclosed office. All of the dirty dealings went down in there. Just as he arrived at the door, Gumshoe emerged. His normal “kicked puppy” expression had been sharpened into something much more profound. And while Edgeworth expected to at least be greeted by the Detective, the larger man passed by without a word—or even eye contact.
Miles entered the Chief’s office and took a seat.
“You’re being assigned a new partner,” the Chief informed him. Edgeworth merely nodded, inscrutable as always. Had Gumshoe been canned? “He’s a young hotshot from the Midwest. Immaculate record. You’ll love him.”
“Thank you,” Edgeworth replied. Never one for small talk, he rose and excused himself. When he reached the door, however, something compelled him to turn back. “Is Detective Gumshoe…?”
“No longer a Detective,” the Chief replied tersely. “Back on the street. He’s lucky to still have a job—though his case resolutions were quite satisfactory—no small thanks to being partnered with you, I imagine. Unfortunately, his mistakes were difficult to overlook.”
So he still had a job as a patrolman. “I see.” With another curt nod, Miles thanked the Chief and left.
Silence seemed to reign in the halls as Miles made his way back to his office. Did everyone else know what had happened? Not seeing Gumshoe’s ragged trenchcoat or hearing his overenthusiastic chatter every morning would be strange.
Miles stepped into his bright—suddenly, a bit too bright—office and looked around. What a great thing! After nearly a decade, he was finally free of Gumshoe! This was all he had ever wanted!
…wasn’t it?
…if so, then why didn’t he feel any sense of relief?
* * * * * * * * *
Miles felt Gumshoe’s absence almost immediately. The janitor cleaned his office fine enough, he supposed, but she always left things in disarray. No thought for Edgeworth’s belongings at all. The morning that he entered his office to find a piece of Steel Samurai’s armor chipped, he confronted her.
“I didn’t think it was a big deal,” the woman said, smacking her gum as she glared back at Edgeworth with equal virulence. “It’s just a toy and all.”
Miles could only grind his teeth in impotent fury. He didn’t control her salary, after all. Though he did send a strongly worded message to her supervisor.
On the scene, where it really counted, Miles encountered difficulties as well. His new partner was indeed a hotshot, who felt that Edgeworth need not approve his every activity. In addition, he failed to deal well with the victims’ families… or the suspects. Gumshoe possessed a disarming sort of humanity that both Miles and his new partner lacked. Almost no one cooperated with the two of them right away. Did Wright have to deal with this nonsense on a daily basis??
The more Miles thought about it, the more he realized that Gumshoe’s assets had complimented Miles better than he ever realized. Where Miles was aloof, Gumshoe was open. Gumshoe was empathetic, enthusiastic, optimistic. He made victims’ loved ones feel at ease, he pursued the truth tenaciously, and he was good for bouncing ideas off of when Edgeworth couldn’t quite piece together a string of logic. For all the mistakes he made, he improved Miles’ working life in numerous ways. Trying to slog through cases with his egotistical new partner often took twice as long. On one occasion, a suspect even slipped through their fingers while they argued about how to approach his questioning.
Edgeworth supposed he had no choice but to adjust. However, he still wondered about Gumshoe. Did he enjoy his new—old—job? Did he miss Edgeworth as much as Edgeworth missed him? Did Edgeworth just admit to himself that he missed the big oaf? He couldn’t very well just waltz into the station and inquire about him. And Gumshoe had to give up his cell phone when he’d been demoted, so Edgeworth couldn’t call him. Stopping by his apartment seemed a little… creepy. And the complex he lived in reeked anyway.
Two months passed. One evening, Edgeworth found himself walking back to his car from a crime scene; the investigation drew him several blocks away.
Past the line of unmarked squad cards sat a cruiser. A group of children stood on the sidewalk beside it. An officer towered over them all, wagging a finger at one child who looked particularly chastised.
Edgeworth knew that figure immediately. Gumshoe! He crossed the street, drawing closer to the group.
“—now, they’re investigatin’ a crime here… and if you try to sneak into the lot again, I’m gonna arrest ya!”
A chorus of tiny “We’re sorry, Officer Gumshoe”s rose from the crowd.
“It’s gettin’ late. You all should go home an’ eat dinner, ok?” He threw up his beefy arms and they scattered. Those arms struck Edgeworth suddenly, sticking out of the short sleeves of his blue uniform… They were fuzzy, and the dark edge of a driver’s tan betrayed just how he thrust his arm out of the car as he drove. Edgeworth supposed he always noticed strange little details like this because of his job…
“Keeping the perimeter sealed, I see,” Edgeworth called out as he sidled up alongside the car. Gumshoe jumped, turning to take Edgeworth in with wide eyes.
“Y-yes, sir. The kids—they were trying to get past the squad cars…”
“I see that.” A soft smile played over Miles’ features. He couldn’t help himself; just like old times already… though he felt awkward in doing so, as usual. “Well done.”
The smile seemed to throw Gumshoe off even moreso. He leaned back against the driver’s door somewhat, knuckles knocking softly on the paneling. “Thank you, Mr. Edgeworth.” He swallowed heavily. “Welp, gotta get back to work now…”
He was going to leave Edgeworth in the dust, just like that? “—wait—“
Gumshoe stopped short, his fingers on the door handle.
“Would you like to… meet for dinner? Catch up a little?” Miles told himself he simply felt curious.
Chewing on the inside of his lip, Gumshoe replied, “Well… I would… but my shift doesn’t end until eight, and…”
“…that’s fine. I can meet you then.” Gumshoe still hesitated. Miles now felt like the lug was being contrary, and resolved to make him agree. “My treat.”
Free food did the trick. Jaw going slightly slack, Gumshoe replied, “I… I couldn’t ask you to…”
“I insist,” Edgeworth pushed, shoving his hands in his pockets. “8:30, at that new restaurant on the corner of Sixth and Main.” Not a place that Miles would normally go to, but Gumshoe wouldn’t fit in at any of those. “It’s casual, so you can wear your uniform if you’d like.”
And Edgeworth departed then, feeling a strange sense of victory.
* * * * *
Gumshoe stumbled in at about 8:50, just as Miles finished his first glass of wine. He knew that Gumshoe would be late so he took the liberty of loosening himself up a bit. What gave him this mad idea, anyway? Never would he have invited Gumshoe out to dinner before…
“Sorry I’m late, Mr. Edgeworth,” Gumshoe stuttered as he lumped heavily into the seat across from Miles at the small table. “I… I got a little lost…”
“I assumed that was the case,” Edgeworth replied, his voice a bit lower and more silken. “I ordered some wine. …for me. And some beer for you.”
Gumshoe’s eyes widened as the waitress plunked a glass down in front of him and handed him a menu. After she left, the larger man stared longingly at it for a moment. Finally, peeking over the top of it, he murmured, “You don’t have to… do this, Mr. Edgeworth… I don’t feel like I should…”
Immediately falling back into his normal exasperation for the man, Miles replied, “What are you talking about? Now that I’m not your superior, is my company not tolerable?”
“N-no sir! That’s not--!” He flapped the plastic pages desperately. “I just meant… you don’t have ta… feel bad for me or anything… I mean, I’m doing alright. I’m actually making more money now than I made as a detective!”
He laughed sheepishly and Miles pursed his lips. “That’s good to hear. I was… curious.” Avoiding eye contact by looking over the menu he’d already nearly memorized, Edgeworth continued, “But don’t kid yourself by thinking I feel… SORRY for you or anything. I was… merely curious.” How many times would he say that?
Of course, Gumshoe liked to twist Edgeworth’s words. “Were you… worried about me, sir?”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” But he didn’t deny it and thankfully the waitress came to take their orders. Gumshoe infuriated the Prosecutor by ordering the cheapest thing on the menu. Once the young woman had gone, unfortunately, Gumshoe hadn’t forgotten the conversation.
“I, uh…” He scratched the back of his head. “I admit I was pretty worried about you, too. Followed you home in the squad car when I could.” He fiddled with the corner of his napkin, bashful. “Maggey says she’s got the worst luck in the world… but your luck is a lot worse!” Another laugh.
All this time Edgeworth had been wondering about the man, and he’d been stalking him? Edgeworth felt a bit of anger… and then a bit more anger because he didn’t feel enough anger initially. There was a tiny bud of relief in the pit of his stomach that the anger refused to extinguish.
“Aw, man… you’re angry with me, aren’t ya? I’m… I’m really sorry. I know you wanted to get rid of me, but that new guy… I don’t like him, he’s real snotty to everybody…”
“Get rid of you?” Edgeworth finally looked up, blinking at Gumshoe in the low light. “I… well, maybe at times I entertained the idea…” When the man’s shoulders just continued sinking, Edgeworth continued, “…but I didn’t have anything to do with your demotion.” The wine pushed him to add, “In fact… I much prefer YOU as a partner.”
Gumshoe’s face lit up immediately. “I believe you, Mr. Edgeworth sir! I know you… I know you wouldn’t just say that. It… it makes me feel so much better, sir. So much…”
The former detective knew Miles all too well, and it made him somewhat uncomfortable. As a result, he resolved to find out more about Gumshoe. For the rest of the meal, he grilled the man on his new job, his life, and everything in-between. Gumshoe answered gladly, of course—all he ever wanted to do was tell Edgeworth about himself. It seemed that street work suited Gumshoe so much better. With his amiable nature and tendency to jump right into action, Edgeworth wondered why he ever thought to become a Homocide Detective instead.
“So, how is Ms. Byrde doing, anyway?”
“Oh, ah… I haven’t talked to her in a while. I hope she’s doing good…”
Blinking, Miles replied, “I thought that… the two of you… had a thing or… or something…” Was he wrong? He was never wrong. The way Gumshoe fawned over Maggey was obvious…
“We did, for a little bit.” Looking down, Gumshoe cleared his throat. “But she didn’t like how… dedicated I was to my job.”
“But… she used to be a police officer. She didn’t understand?”
Gumshoe took a long drink of his beer. He was only on his second glass but his cheeks were so flushed already. “No. I mean, yeah. But no… Uh…” Pushing a piece of broccoli around on his plate, he shook his head.
Edgeworth could see the gears turning in that thick skull of his and finally waved the subject away. “I don’t need to know the details.” He assumed that he never knew about Gumshoe’s relationship because he had never been interested; but, in fact, Gumshoe would have likely told him anyway. Something about the whole affair had instead compelled the man to keep things to himself, and Edgeworth respected that boundary.
For once, Gumshoe struggled to change the subject. “You know… I saw a real nice chess set the other day, in a store window… And I missed playing with you… I think I was getting pretty good! Someday I bet I coulda beaten you…”
A grin twisted over Edgeworth’s features and he snorted. “I highly doubt that, Gumshoe.” Tapping his finger on the table, he quirked his head a bit. “Though I miss having a regular opponent, I admit. Perhaps you can come over for a game sometime.”
“M-me? Come over? To your place?” As if Edgeworth were a prince or something.
Lip curling, the Prosecutor wiped his mouth and pushed his plate forward. “Yes. You know how to get THERE, don’t you? Come over on Friday. We can have dinner and play a game or two.” Or four, considering how quickly Edgeworth normally bested Gumshoe.
“A… alright, Mr. Edgeworth…”
* * * * * * *
Edgeworth spent the next few days in profound confusion. Why did he invite Gumshoe to his home? The wine, maybe? But he’d only partaken in two glasses. Those damn puppy dog eyes melted Miles’ resolve at every turn. Stupid oaf, thinking Miles orchestrated his demotion. He’d tolerated the man for all these years, hadn’t he? Miles only needed his own abilities to win cases, the person he partnered with mattered not. Soon enough, Gumshoe would understand. Even if Miles did not, for his current partner still frustrated him on a daily basis. Maybe that was the nature of the beast, and no matter who he worked with—Gumshoe or otherwise—he would spend every day simmering in frustration. Did Wright want to throttle the little mystic on a regular basis as well?
The night arrived and Miles rose from his couch at the sound of three hesitant knocks on his front door. Never mind his doorbell! Definitely Gumshoe.
When Miles opened the door, he found the man standing on his stoop wearing his old detective coat, a surprisingly nice shirt and slacks. Gumshoe even took the initiative to shine his shoes, though some of the scuffs still showed. “Welcome,” Miles replied, ushering him in a bit awkwardly. Miles didn’t often entertain visitors at his home, after all.
Gumshoe’s eyes grew large as he looked around at Edgeworth’s dwelling. His apartment could fit into Miles’ foyer alone, and was as richly decorated as his office… Tapestries and fine mahogany furniture throughout.
A large, fluffy, well-manicured dog came trotting into the room, sniffing around the hem of Gumshoe’s coat. The man made a soft sound of delight, kneeling down to scratch its head. “This must be Pess, huh?”
Blushing, Edgeworth replied, “How did you know about Pess…?”
“When I cleaned your office… sometimes I’d see notes on your desk. Reminders for vet appointments or groomers and stuff.” He smiled up at the Prosecutor. “Pess lives better ‘n’ I do, I think!”
“Well… It’s only responsible to care for an animal if you take ownership of it,” Edgeworth replied tersely, avoiding Gumshoe’s eyes. Truthfully, Miles lavished the animal with every luxury he himself enjoyed, and then some.
Satisfied with the presence of this man in his home, though not fond of his aggressive scratching, Pess wagged his tail a few times and returned to his rightful place atop a soft pillow in the living room. Like owner, like pet… Pess didn’t seem prone to excessive emotional demonstration.
“Maybe sometime I can bring Missile over and they can play!” Gumshoe cried happily, getting back to his feet. Edgeworth narrowed his eyes, looking up at the other man. Never would he subject his Pess to such a corrupting influence.
“You forgot to take off your cap,” Miles observed, leaving the former subject behind.
“Huh?”
Drawing closer, Edgeworth pointed upward. When Gumshoe merely blinked in reply, he sighed and reached up, taking hold of the bill of Gumshoe’s police hat. For a moment their eyes met, and Gumshoe’s face turned crimson.
That smell suddenly drifted into Edgeworth’s nostrils: cheap soap and cologne, and the slightly musty tinge of that trenchcoat. His stomach jerked slightly. An aroma he didn’t realize he missed until just now. “Your… police cap. You forgot to take it off.” Quickly, he pulled it off and stepped away, offering it to Gumshoe.
“Oh… I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t wanna make you wait, so I hurried and changed after I got off work…” Miles took his coat as well, hanging it beside the door. Gumshoe’s shirt sat a bit too tightly in the shoulders, but it flattered his figure rather well. Why did Miles notice these things?? And why was Gumshoe still blushing and staring at the floor?
“You didn’t have to change,” Miles replied, leading Gumshoe into the living room. A chess board and some hors d'oeuvres sat in waiting. He turned to look at the detective, gesturing toward a seat. The two of them played the “you first” game for a moment until Miles grew frustrated and they finally sat down together, across from one another.
As the night progressed, Edgeworth surprisingly began to enjoy himself. Without the pressures of work to set his nerves on edge, he could take Gumshoe’s naiveté in stride. And they had known each other for nearly a decade, after all… Gumshoe knew all of Miles’ quirks… They talked like old friends.
Soon the clock chimed almost midnight, and Edgeworth yawned. “I guess I should get going, huh?” Gumshoe laughed, shifting forward on the couch. They had moved there, situated with a cushion between each other, Gumshoe’s arm draped casually over the back. With a groan, he rose to his feet and stretched. “Man, I feel like I just got here…”
“Mm… yes… perhaps we should do this again soon.” Miles rose as well, fetching Gumshoe’s coat and hat.
As he took them, Dick grinned, his eyes lighting up a little. “I’d love that, sir. I… I… Um, I meet a lot of people out on the street but you know… it’s not the same as working with you. After, ah, me and Maggey broke up and I got demoted, I decided maybe I was better off alone.”
Gumshoe definitely should go home, as the bit of wine had pushed him into “too much sharing” mode, his cheeks flushed. But Edgeworth indulged him. “Don’t speak with such finality, Gumshoe… You broke up before your demotion? Your hours are more set now, aren’t they? Perhaps you should try to reconcile with Ms. Byrde.”
“I… I can’t do that,” Gumshoe replied softly, his shoulders sinking as he pushed his hat into place. “I’ve ruined everything beyond fixing.”
“Truly?” Edgeworth quirked a brow. “The two of you are equally accident-prone, I can’t believe she wouldn’t forgive your transgressions.”
Shaking his head, Gumshoe replied, “It wasn’t just a… little trancession.” Edgeworth thought to correct him, but he was already barreling forward. “I told her I’d fix stuff. I’d scale back my hours at work and make her feel important. Like she deserved. Right? So… ah… we were making love afterward… She forgave me and all… and then I did somethin’ really stupid.”
Not that Gumshoe doing something stupid surprised Edgeworth at all. Crossing his arms, he listened intently.
Humiliated, Gumshoe looked at the floor. “I called out someone else’s name.” Fiddling with his coat that he had yet to don, he murmured, “It’s just that we had been talking about that person earlier, you know? And the names start with the same letter--! I wasn’t fantasizing about him or nothin’—“
Gumshoe stopped, making that face he always did when he divulged way too much information. Edgeworth’s eyes went wide. Taking in a soft breath, Edgeworth plied, “So, not only did you call out someone else’s name… but the name of a man…” Chewing on his lip, Edgeworth couldn’t help but ask, “Are you… bisexual, Gumshoe?”
“Huh?” the man looked up, confused out of his own misery.
“Bisexual. Interested in both sexes…? Or was it just a silly mistake?”
“It was just a silly mistake! I… I ain’t never been with a man or anything.”
Edgeworth wondered if Gumshoe considered it, however. Being attracted to one of his coworkers did not bode well in such a testosterone-fueled workplace. “You don’t think… that is why you were demoted, do you? Do you think Maggey told the person that was the subject of your… mistake? Or it got out some other way?”
Shaking his head emphatically, Gumshoe replied, “No way, I’m absolutely sure about that.”
“THINK DEEPLY about this, Gumshoe.” Edgeworth’s glare bored into the larger man and he shrank slightly. Feeling guilty, the Prosecutor shook his head. “Being gay… can be difficult in any career… But in one such as law enforcement, when the public is always scrutinizing you…” Sighing softly, Edgeworth looked to the side. “I can speak from experience.”
Like most things, this fact didn’t sink in for a moment. But Gumshoe finally squeaked, “You, sir…? I had no idea…!” Maybe he did… but was too polite and loyal to say anything. Edgeworth wasn’t stupid, he’d heard the rumors that flew around.
“Well… it’s not as if I’ve had any time for that sort of thing. My job keeps me rather busy.” And he’d yet to find anyone that he could stand long enough to pursue a relationship with… or vice versa.
“Have you ever…” More fidgeting. Gumshoe couldn’t stop staring at the ground. “…been with a man, sir?”
“Oh, yes. Hmmnh, not an ARMY of them or anything, but a few. I’ve had invitations from women as well… I made an attempt, but I don’t feel much attraction toward the opposite sex… Unfortunately.”
“Can’t get it up at all? Or… do you sometimes get it up when you think about them?”
Grinning, Edgeworth finally looked up. “These are rather penetrating questions, Gumshoe. Especially for one such as you.” But of course Gumshoe would never reveal what was really on his mind. When he decided not to share something, getting the truth out of him took a great deal of coercion. “I don’t think that I’ve ever fantasized about a woman, no. If that’s what you’re asking. Since my youth I’ve found my eye wandering toward young men, and that’s where it stayed.” He gestured outward. “But fantasizing about a man doesn’t necessarily make you gay. There are varying degrees of sexuality, you know. Being attracted to only one man, or a couple of them, is more normal than you probably realize.”
Drawing a great breath, Gumshoe finally smiled, eyes shining slightly. “You’re so smart, Mr. Edgeworth. You always know the right things to say.” He finally put on his coat, reaching to pat Edgeworth on the arm. “I won’t tell anyone about you, I promise. All of this is between you an’ me… right?”
Grinning crookedly, Miles nodded. “Right. I won’t tell anyone about your little… mistake.” Not that anyone would care if he did. “Why don’t you come back next week? We can talk some more.”
“I’d love that, Mr. Edgeworth. I’ll be here at the same time.” He bade the Prosecutor goodnight and took his leave.
As Edgeworth shut and locked the door, the color suddenly drained from his face. Maggey was angry that Gumshoe spent so much time at work. The incident in question occurred before his demotion. What did Gumshoe spend so much extra time doing? Cleaning Miles’ office, putting in extra hours on investigations with Miles, serving Miles tea, fetching files for him. Who else could they have been discussing?
Miles’ name shared the same first letter with Maggey’s.
Was this the reason why Edgeworth never heard about the whole messy situation? Had Gumshoe cried out his name during sex? Impossible!
The way their eyes met. The way Gumshoe blushed when Edgeworth grabbed his hat.
…Impossible!
But Miles was never wrong.
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Varying Degrees of Sexuality