forget about life for a while [closed]

[tidesnpc]

Characters: Anyone on the Convoy
Content: This is the closest thing to an Amicus party the Convoy will have. Anyone who wants to drink to celebrate the holiday is more than welcome, but drowning your sorrows is all right, too.
Setting: The Convoy's mess hall
Time: Amicus, evening and into the night
Warnings: Alcohol use, plus whatever the

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[find_my_truth]

Souji didn't normally drink, the time he'd taken more then a social sip countable on one hand. But... the last 24 hours made drinking seem more and more attractive.

He wasn't drunk, and common sense was making him take it slow, but perhaps he was leaning against the mess hall wall a little more then a man with complete control of his balance.

[edge_of_honor]

Under different circumstances Edgeworth would have all ready been here with a glass in hand. This might be strange to some; he wasn't a social person by any means, and, unless one was unfortunate enough to witness his darker moods over a year ago, few would suspect that he used to be the sort of man who would hide from his problems behind a bottle. Current events, though, were enough to make any man lapse back into nasty habits.

However, there were now other things on his mind: namely, the sudden appearance of Hisoka Kurosaki and his own cousin, Souji Seta. His old junior officer's message had sent him in a near panic, and as soon as he was done on the journal, he rushed through the ship in search of them. After no sign of Souji elsewhere, he slowly made his way into the mess hall. Would he be here?

Yes, yes he was. Nerves nearly stopped Edgeworth in his tracks, but not for long. He took a deep breath, clenched his fist, and took long, slow strides towards him.

[find_my_truth]

He didn't notice his cousin at first, more then content to hold up the wall and look like he'd aged 10 years in half as many days. But when he did spot the man approaching he froze, staring long and hard. Something wasn't connecting in his mind-- Edgeworth was supposed to be on a diplomatic ship right now, right? No, it wasn't that exactly that was making his brain buzz.

Oh, it was the lack of a certain part of his cousin's body. That made sense.

Souji just kept staring at Edgeworth like gull about to be hit by a rudder. "Miles..?"

[edge_of_honor]

Edgeworth froze in his tracks and stared right back at him. His throat went dry and his blood ran cold, and his mind, now blank, panicked to find something, anything to say.

"Souji, I-"

He stopped himself mid-sentence. Something wasn't right. Souji looked dazed, confused, and-

That's when it hit him: Souji was drunk. Were it anyone else, he would have recognized the signs instantly, but he never expected to see him like this. Edgeworth sighed and hung his head low.

"Sit down," he said, his voice muted and dull. "We need to talk."

[find_my_truth]

And likewise, if it was anyone else Souji would have fought the order, demanding answers. But between the booze and a childhood looking up to this man Souji could only sit with a dull thump.

He placed the glass on the table, then hid his face in his hands.

[edge_of_honor]

While Souji sat down Edgeworth went to grab a glass of water. While he felt a twinge of sympathy (or was it empathy?), it wasn't what either of them needed. As soon as he got the glass, he sat next to Souji and waited for him to settle in.

"Souji," he started, his voice firm and clear, "I need you to look at me. Can you do that?"

[find_my_truth]

Souji peeked through his fingers before dropping his hands and nodding. "I'm... not that far gone Miles. You need to start talking." Even dulled by alcohol his eyes still held a determined sharpness to them.

[edge_of_honor]

Normally, Edgeworth would have shot back with some sharp remark, but now was not the time or the place. For now, he was simply grateful that they could hold a coherent conversation.

"First," he said, "I need to know everything you know."

[find_my_truth]

"What I know?" His voice was bitter and cutting, almost insulted. "Last I heard you were on a diplomatic mission... damn it I knew something was wrong. Were you even on that ship at all?"

With a half snarl he slapped a hand onto the table, making the glass shake.

[edge_of_honor]

Edgeworth flinched, eyes wide, but composed himself quickly enough. Souji's anger and frustration was understandable; justified, even. However, as harsh as it may have seemed, he couldn't answer his questions. Not just yet.

"Before I can say," he replied, his gaze steady and his voice as firm and serious as ever,"I need you to tell me something that only you and I would know."

[find_my_truth]

Silence. Souji couldn't think of anything to say to that-- not due to not knowing anything secret between them. That was easy. But the fact that Miles was insinuating that that he might not be who he said he was. That his own cousin wasn't sure.

Any question as to why didn't seem important right then. Anger and grief from what he'd seen before coming to the Convoy mixed with the booze in his blood, making it boil. And when he couldn't think of what to say he said nothing.

Punching his crippled cousin in the nose instead.

[edge_of_honor]

Edgeworth yelled out in both shock and pain, and he made a desperate grab for the table as his chair teetered back. Thankfully, he didn't topple over; that's one indignity that he'd be spared.

"What the hell?!"

He winced in pain and, as soon as he was balanced, he covered his nose immediately. While he doubted he punched it hard enough to break it, it was painful nonetheless, and he could feel a trickle of blood run down against his skin.

[find_my_truth]

Souji ignored the burning in his eyes as he barked out his answer-- "Three years ago I spent an entire night at your apartment after you got sloshed. You threw up on my shoes. And you better have a damn good reason why you asked that."

He winced, hissing and pinching his nose before sitting. Yelling hurt, and he didn't want to do it, no matter how angry he was... something awful had happened to Edgeworth, and here he was snarling and hissing at him like a toddler having a tantrum.

[edge_of_honor]

"The person on that mission isn't me," he said bluntly as he glared back at Souji. The nasal tone his voice took on, however, killed the intended effect. "I have no idea who he is, or how he was able to take my place for so long. So, forgive me if I'm a bit jumpy."

[find_my_truth]

He stared at Miles for awhile, understanding rising in his eyes. "I... I knew it. Minato-senpai was right.." Souji shook his head, angry still, but obviously no longer at his cousin.

"For how long?"

[edge_of_honor]

He regretted his harsh words once he saw the look in Souji's eyes. This wasn't how it was supposed to be at all. He had wanted to explain what had happened to him, but most of all, he wanted to make sure that Souji was, above all, safe. Instead, they sniped at each other like angry, petulant children. How could they face this threat if they couldn't even talk about it without jumping at each others' throats?

Edgeworth sighed and lowered his head. Now humbled, he said, "Since the end of November, at least."