Day 23: Sun Room, Evening Shift

[high_prosecutor]

Miles Edgeworth had quietly snuck off to a corner of the cafeteria during lunch, avoiding making conversations. He knew other people would probably lecture him later or accuse him of avoiding them, but that hadn't been true at all. He'd just wanted some time to work quietly by himself for a while

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[offduty]

Usually, Reno would’ve crashed on a couch somewhere, but with the burns on his back, it probably wasn’t a good idea to lean against anything.

He found a chair by a table instead and rested his chin in one hand while idly twirling a pen in the other. He’d noticed that he never felt quite as tired as he should’ve, considering all the nights he spent running around awake. He passed it off as another Only At Landel’s mystery effect. He’d learned not to ask questions with the Turks, but he was starting to not even question things period here.

The Sun Room was almost empty, with the exception of a few patients (and was that a cat?) He stared absently at the area in front of him, letting his mind wander at will-although a part of him kept alert. Just in case Sephiroth decided to take a seat beside him or something.

[lustful_thing]

"I believe the standard course of action is actually dragon slaying," Lust said, chuckling a bit. "But I've yet to see any dragons in this place - though they could be hiding. I wouldn't be surprised." And she truly wouldn't be.

"Though normally I'm quite capable of slaying my own dragons."

[gotahunch]

"Hey, I didn't sign up for dragons. Fair maidens these days." Cliff laughed and rested his chin on his arms. Dragons. He hadn't even thought of those showing up. Now there would be one lurking somewhere just to spite the two of them.

"I know." He replied to her latter comment. Lust was fair but she was no damsel in distress. It was part of the reason he liked her so much. Still... "You alright?"

[lustful_thing]

"What can I say?" Lust shrugged, playfully. "We're a demanding lot."

And then the playfulness dropped, and she nodded, looking down at her hands. She didn't need to pretend much. Envy had indeed violated her, though not physically. He had shaken her to her very core, stripping her of the things that made her her. She didn't need to pretend to look shaken and wounded and full of seething anger and hate.

"I'll be fine," she said, watching her hands. "I simply had a difficult night."

[gotahunch]

Cliff's concern grew as he watched her. It was hard to shake Lust and that made it so much worse.

He shifted the chair closer to her and draped an arm over her shoulders. It was what he did for Mirage, because sometimes he just didn't know what to say. "Do you mind?" He kept his tone a little light at the offer, just in case she wanted to brush him off. "I'm afraid I'm only good for rescues. Some knight, huh?"

[lustful_thing]

"It's fine, Cliff." Lust simply shook her head. "It's over and done with and I'm more concerned with warning others. And that they take my warnings." Though she had a good many reasons for that. And not many of them were altruistic.

She wasn't used to this, this normal human comfort. It was awkward, to say the least. But she didn't push him away.

[gotahunch]

"So warn me." Cliff replied. "What is this Envy guy?"

He didn't know if he was pushing it but if she really wanted people to know, he figured he could help. The fun new surprises every shift were wearing him out. First there had been seeing her in the wheelchair, then that whole conversation... He couldn't help but feel concerned. Then something else hit him. "...And, have you seen Haruhi around lately?"

[lustful_thing]

"Envy is a homunculus, like I was when I first came here." Lust folded her hands in her lap. "He's very old, very strong, and very temperamental. He has no regard for human life, and he cares for nothing. He's very, very dangerous. Anyone else from my world can tell you the same - even those who have no love for me. He killed the boy, Edward Elric, and Mustang's friend, Hughes. Simply because he wanted to in one case, and simply because he was ordered to in the second. He has caused the downfall of civilizations, countless deaths, war, terror... and he has no remorse."

She knew a good deal of that herself, filled in the rest from what the Elric boys had told her.

As for Haruhi...

"No, but I often go for long periods of time without seeing people."

[gotahunch]

He'd heard something about Hughes dieing but it was just unsettling to hear Lust say it like that. "He and the Head Doctor should have a play date." Cliff replied. "I'll see what I can do about spreading that around."

He nodded at her comment about Haruhi. That made sense, but he was still worried. Hadn't he been planning to teach her a little self defense? He didn't think she would have waited this long to catch him. "Huh. No wonder you never have time for a date."

[lustful_thing]

"I imagine they'd get along splendidly," Lust said, with a snort. "But yes, I'd appreciate that. Envy is manipulative and dangerous, and very good at hiding both." At least she knew the people that she trusted and had allied herself with would take heed. The rest... well, she had done what she could.

"My time seems to be in constant demand." Which she could understand. It was no secret how long she'd been here and how much she knew. Everyone wanted to ask her questions.

[gotahunch]

"Aren't we all." Cliff murmured, almost to himself. The day must have really drained him, and his head shot up a little as soon as he realized what he'd said. "Sorry. I don't mean that like..."

He really didn't know what he meant it like. Maybe it was universal. But he realized that his mind had jumped to the message on the bulletin, and he was almost sure it had come from Hughes. Lust's intentions might not be pure, but he'd never believed that or she wouldn't be human.

He trusted her. He'd just put his foot in his mouth.

"It's been a long day."