madimpossibledreamer

Main Points:
Ace Attorney AU
Rating: G?
Word Count: 729

Summary: Errands for Gumshoe are never easy.
Very light (referenced) Apollo/Klavier, Edgeworth/Wright, Gumshoe/Maggie referenced this chapter
Next, he has to go pick up Gumshoe’s present. The man takes one look at him and nods. “The antenna and the red clothes. Just as the detective described you. Okay, sign on the line so we’ve got some record of the pick up.” He’s not sure whether he should continue to be insulted, or whether he should feel resigned to it by now.

Still, he does as asked. He’s handed a large box that’s a bit much for him to get all the way back to Edgeworth’s house, which happens to be where the detective is staying since he got kicked out of his apartment, but the storekeeper doesn’t offer to carry it or anything. Either he thinks Apollo’s got it, which is clearly contradicted by the evidence of the witness’s own eyes which clearly means the witness is an imbecile if that’s the case, or he doesn’t want to carry it. In that case, Apollo would like to think the guy’s just lazy. He doesn’t want to think anyone’s malicious, not this close to the holidays. He’s aware of Von Karma, but still. There’s only so much he can take of his own cynicism.

He staggers a little ways down the street, wondering whether Gumshoe’s bought a large block of stone or something, before deciding enough is enough. He’s proud and doesn’t want to take help, but right now he’s freezing and in the mood to get everything done as soon as possible, which won’t really be soon but he can hope and not scoff at his own hopes. He ducks into the nearby café and sets the present down, teeth chattering.

His wallet’s a little threadbare at the moment, but it is ridiculously cold right now. It’s early, yeah, but it still shouldn’t be this cold. He has no problem with snow, or cold, but he’d be surprised if it was above twenty right now, which is kind of weird and maybe he needs to call Klavier, just in case it’s something that the demon hunter can find and handle. On the other hand, Klavier’s probably noticed if it’s anything to worry about, so it’s really not necessary. He’ll be a lot more broke if he ends up getting hypothermia or freezing his fingers off out there, and a delay like that would really hurt his chances to finish everything today. If he hadn’t had to cross town to get the thing, he might consider just dropping it off at the police station. Gumshoe has a car, even if it doesn’t work particularly well and he’s a terrifying driver. He’s not sure why he has to end up being the one to pick it up.

He ends up calling a cab. The driver’s a little chatty, but at least he’s friendly and willing to help, even though Apollo falls asleep in the back seat, still clutching the present.

It’s easy enough to get in the residence, since he knows where the spare key is kept. He’d feel a little more awkward about this if the house doesn’t serve as a kind of second workplace more often than not. He’s not sure which is Gumshoe’s room, and practically nobody’s home to tell him where to leave it. Trucy’s home, but he’s kind of hesitant about interrupting her during the middle of a magic trick practice when the sounds of mini explosions are coming from her room. In the end, he winds up putting the present beneath the tree in the enormous living room. Since the two will end up attending the party, leaving it there isn’t really that much of a stretch.

He hesitates. He doesn’t like taking things from the Edgeworth-Wright kitchen, even though he knows technically he’s been invited to do so by practically everybody. Maybe he’s more like his boyfriend than he thought. Still, the promise of warmth is a little too great, and he’s soon stirring a cup of hot cocoa, adding a few marshmallows in at the end. Usually he’s a coffee guy, but there’s just something about the winter.

Just as he takes a sip, his phone begins to ring. Starting guiltily, he answers it quickly. It’s Maggie. “Help me, please! It’s an emergency, and I don’t know who else to ask!” He stifles a groan, but it’s not like he can just turn away and not help.

“Okay, what happened?"