[Earthquake][Scene] Two visits from Armando...
Miles: *It's a quiet day at Eldoon's clinic, the only sound the regular step of nurses in the corridors, the squeaking of the meal trolley. Then, slowly, a hum rises in the hallway.*
Miles: *an audible if slightly tuneless voice comes from the doorway of Edgeworth's room, slowly rising in volume* ...nanana like I doooo... If it's a crime then I'm guilty... guilty of loving youuu...
Diego: *Diego Armando enters Edgeworth's room moments after pocketing his cellphone, having left Pearl in Adrian Andrews' room. When he hears the singing, he stops in his tracks in the doorway, pausing to listen for a second* Edgeworth?
Miles: *eyes closed, one headphone in, he doesn't seem to have heard. His voice is low and hoarse.* Maybe I'm wrong, dreaming of you~ Dreaming the lonely night through~
Miles: If it's a crime then I'm guilty... Guilty of dreaming of you. *there's a weary small smile on his face*
Diego: *steps around slowly - he doesn't quite see the headphone, as it's in the ear on the opposite side of Edgeworth's head. He steps to the foot of Edgeworth's bed, glancing at the charts left there - he's not well-versed enough to understand much, but he's been on enough painkillers to see that Edgeworth has control over his own dosage and is apparently doped out of his mind* Edgeworth!
Miles: *starts slightly, and inclines his head rather slowly to face his guest. He draws his left arm up to his right ear to remove the headphone and blinks blearily at Armando*
Diego: *too late - the coffee he was holding (as he is always holding) is dashed in Edgeworth's face, though it is mercifully at room temperature* Wake up a minute.
Miles: Oh... augh... what the? *frowns irritably and stiffens up, pressing his fingertips gently to the fresh dressing on his shoulder, then his face* What are you...? Just had surgery...!
Diego: *steps over to Edgeworth and pats his cheek roughly, to get his attention, raising his voice slightly* I'll come back when they switch your meds. Take it easy. *sets his free hand in his pocket and strolls out* Nurse, get in here! This man is covered in coffee. What kind of operation are you running, here?
Miles: *stares after him, in no way able to comprehend what has happened at all. He wipes his face clumsily, and then looks at the lukewarm coffee on his hand with a baffled expression*
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Diego: *it is the afternoon of July the 24th when Diego Armando steps into Edgeworth's room again, coffee in hand, grin painted plainly on his face - he knocks on the door as he's stepping in* Housekeeping.
Miles: *looks up, switching off the episode of Law and Order he'd been watching* It's taken you long enough. I called for new towels hours ago.
Diego: Ha! You're fresh out of luck, and we're fresh out of service. *hooks his foot on the leg of the chair in the corner of the room and kicks it lazily to be next to Edgeworth's bed before taking his seat, crossing one leg over the other* So how are you mending?
Miles: Well enough. I have some sort of range of movement back with my right arm, now that they've put the bone back together. Though I may have trouble getting through metal detectors from here on out. *slides a finger gently along his mended collarbone, a slight raised edge visible under the thin skin*
Diego: Huh. *leans over to get a good look* Pin in there, I take it? So the bone's going to be mending around it?
Miles: *looks off toward the window, then glances back at Armando* It's a bit more extensive than that, more like several pins and a strip of metal keeping it all straight. It won't be coming out. A pin wouldn't react too badly, but with this I'll just slowly come to be intimately familiar with being told to step aside and having a wand wielded at me.
Diego: Oh boo hoo, now you'll have to take thirty extra seconds to get onto your private chartered jets. *sits back and sips from his coffee, grinning* When are you getting back to work?
Miles: Hmm, better be middle of next week. I'd like to wait until I'm more physically capable, but I'm going mad here. *stretches his arm behind his head, with a forced casualness in his manner* Besides that, I hate to think what Klavier Gavin is doing. He's probably already knocked out the walls between my office and his to give himself an extra-large office.
Diego: He and your sister both, from what I hear. There is a marble fountain where your desk used to be.
Miles: *cocks an eyebrow* Well, it sounds tasteful, at least.
Diego: The center piece of the fountain is Mick Jagger. *sips from his coffee; it's not clear if he's joking or not* Regardless. Any other plans for when you get out? Your woman is losing her mind.
Miles: *sighs, combing his fingers through his bangs* I know. I'll make it up to her, somehow. So far we've decided to take a trip.
Diego: You should rub her feet.
Miles: Rub her... feet? *stares at Armando with a flat expression on his face* Not that I don't appreciate the advice, but I don't see exactly what you're driving at... Not to mention that such a thing might be a bit difficult with just one hand. *flutters his fingers at his guest*
Diego: *puts his own hands up, palms splayed* Hey, I'm just saying. She really likes it. Really likes it.
Miles: *he blinks for a moment, uncomprehending, and then his face becomes more intent, searching. He leans slightly forward, cursing the impenetrability of the other man's visor* Are you trying to tell me you... gave my girlfriend a foot massage?
Diego: Amongst other things.
Miles: *his fist clenches and his eyes narrow* Ah. Ah. I see. *he takes a deep breath, closes his eyes, and shakes out his hand. There's a faint thread of strain apparent in his voice as he asks* More practice for your future career?
Diego: Hm? No. I gave her a free one in exchange for her hooking me up with some blind dates. A proper exchange, mutually beneficial; a bird picking the crocodile's teeth. *sips from his coffee* Would you like to learn a bit?
Miles: *he's clearly conflicted for a moment and his fist clenches again briefly, but he puts a few moments of thought into it and calms down, if only slightly. Grudgingly,* I suppose.
Diego: Oh, calm down. *sips* You act like I seduced her. it was a footrub. *another, longer sip* But if you like, I will teach you how to bring your woman to orgasm by taking her pinky toe between your second and third knuckles.
Miles: *snappishly* I'm quite aware it's irration- *pauses, looks curiously at Armando* ...what? *dubiously* That's obviously some sort of hyperbole...
Diego: Yeah? Brace yourself. I won't go all the way. *reaches down and grabs Edgeworth's foot*
Miles: *doubtful smirk. Flatly* Be gentle, I'm not sound.
Diego: *slides the chair around to take the foot in his other hand, too - and then he slips back into the Armando Foot Rub Form, and what runs up Edgeworth's leg is the most intense sensation he's felt since being put on morphine - though it's not an unpleasant one*
Miles: *his leg twitches and he clenches the side of the bed. The look on his face is shocked and distant* Ah, what the...? *his shoulders tense painfully as goosebumps go up his back* All right, that's enough!
Diego: *lets go immediately, sliding the chair back up to the side of Edgeworth as if nothing happened* Believe me, yet?
Miles: I'm back to being angry you touched my girlfriend, if that's what you mean. *he gives Armando an off-balance scowl. Grudgingly,* Although... It would be a useful skill to have.
Diego: *his tone turns serious, reprimanding* You've never bothered to rub her feet before, have you?
Miles: Bah. She never made any indication that she needed it and my interests lie elsewhere. *thoughtfully* Though I suppose I should have inferred. She does wear heels day in and day out.
Diego: *slaps Edgeworth across the chest with the back of his right hand*
Miles: Ah-! *he gasps airily and then forces his expression level. It doesn't hurt nearly so much as it would have a week ago, but his voice still comes out close to a grunt* ...Yes?
Diego: *leans in close, holding up his pinky in front of Edgeworth's face* The detective has erogenous spots bigger around than the tip of my finger on the bottom of both of her feet. She nearly took my head off when I touched them. Would have been nice for you to know that before now, huh?
Miles: You... *stares at Armando for a few seconds. Beyond his surprise, there is a very small sparkle of amusement in his eyes* It... would have... Of course. I would have appreciated knowing it when I had two usable hands, at the very least.
Diego: Good. I'm glad you're in agreement. *sips languidly* Though you can also use your tongue in a pinch, you know.
Miles: Hmm. Good advice. All right, then. I'm sure she'll appreciate it. *he looks distant and almost a bit businesslike, but the calculating expression on his face is cut with amusement and anticipation* If it goes well, I'll find some way to thank you.
Diego: Feh. No worries - once you're out of bed I'll show you the ropes, then it will mean something. Until that point.... anything I can get you?
Miles: No, I have everything I need, except those fresh towels. *faint smirk* I am a bit surprised you came all the way out here just to see me, at this point. Wouldn't it have been more convenient to come when Adrian Andrews was still here? *lifts a glass of water from the tray on his other side and sips it, looking sidelong at Armando*
Diego: I was here. *sips* I gave you some coffee.
Miles: ...
Diego: *sip*
Miles: *slow blink* Oh. Oh.
Diego: Mmhmm. I hope the nurse cleaned you up.
Miles: Not sure. I was quite out of it. *narrows his eyes* Any excuse to throw coffee on me, eh?
Diego: You were delirious. At first I thought you were having a seizure. *sips* I'll take that as a yes.
Miles: *irritably* Morphine certainly is a double-edged sword. I tried to lighten it up when I thought people would be visiting, but it seems my strategy wasn't foolproof. What was I doing?
Diego: You were singing. We need not go into what; no man should be made to relive his nightmares.
Miles: *groans, pressing his fingers to his forehead* Well, that's just fine. I'm sure it could have been worse. Or... was worse. I've had enough experience with narcotics for one lifetime at least, at this point.
Diego: You know... *sips* I don't know if you've given thought to it, but there have already been responses to your paper. I was reading a few earlier.
Miles: *perks up immediately* Really? I haven't had a chance to look, or the concentration to comprehend for that matter. What are they saying?
Diego: Vile, vile things.
Miles: Hah! *takes another sip of his water and puts it down* I expected it to be an unpopular opinion, especially given the response in my journal.
Diego: Gavin's indicative of the norm, you know. People don't believe they're fit to serve on a jury - that the professionals should handle it. They fear reprisal from criminals. They fears their own biases. They fear daring to speak out.
Miles: Well, if he wasn't, then we wouldn't have gotten rid of juries in the first place. *scoffs* They just don't understand the system, how it was done. Naturally that's to be expected after so many years. Some concessions would have to be made to assuage their fears, of course.
Diego: *a flinch, a glint in the light of his visor* Then you might as well not try to implement it at all.
Miles: *tilts his head* What do you mean by that?
Diego: A jury system is all or nothing, Edgeworth - the power of nullification is absolute or nonexistent. There is no middle ground.
Miles: *coolly* I beg to differ on that point, there is always the ability of a higher court to overturn a case that's been nullified. Besides that, these things take time. There's no place for revolution in a justice system that's expected to continue functioning through a change.
Diego: You say that - but the reimplementation of the jury system in its original form would be nothing compared to what it took to eliminate it.
Miles: It's been years, but not that many years, Armando. *he squares his shoulders* The social and political forces that did eliminate it are still present in some form, and that force is what is resisting the change back. People don't like taking steps backward, even if a step backward is the right way to go. You have to slowly loop back around. If ever we get back to a jury system, it won't be exactly the same as what was in effect when we were children.
Diego: Ha! You talk of being children, but- *stops, looking at Edgeworth and licking his lips* Come to think, this may not be appropriate talk for while you are recovering.
Miles: No? *looks vaguely disappointed* I suppose it would be better with the research at my hands, come to think of it. Shall we have this discussion another time, then?
Diego: A fine idea. *pulls back his sleeve to look at his watch* I should be heading out anyway - I have a client to drop in on.
Miles: Thank you for your visit. I'll recover quickly, so that we can debate this more in-depth.
Diego: First, I will teach you how to properly please a woman, Edgeworth. *grins as he rises, sliding his chair back into place with a sweep of his foot* But once that's finished with, we will continue this. *turns to step out* Count on it.
Miles: *his mouth tightens* Mph. Goodbye, Armando.
Diego: Take it easy, Edgeworth. I'll send in a nurse with those towels. *then he's gone*
Miles: *with a bitter twist to his lip he flicks the television back on, mumbling something angrily under his breath*