Lovestruck Romeo, sings the streets a serenade

[cheapblusuits.livejournal.com]

Who: cheapblusuits  and smilegonnakillu , as well as miniworth  and justicepuns  being the best ninjas ever.
Where: Smack dab in the middle on Route 30/31, but slowly progresses towards Violet City. Probably.
When: November 9th, in the early evening (5:00 or so?)
Summary: After sneaking out of Violet four days ago (namely, on the 5th) with only his bag, two of his Pokémon and the clothes on his back, Phoenix Wright finally meets Dahlia Hawthorne face to face. Be prepared for a lot of wibbling, manipulation, and dramatic irony. Miles and Apollo have also followed him from Violet, as well, but neither Phoenix nor Dahlia are aware of this.
Rating: PGish. Depends on how sick you feel reading Dahlia's posts, mmkay. ALSO UH, SPOILERS FOR THE FIRST CASE OF TRIAL AND TRIBULATIONS.
Log: 

The feeling wasnt unlike what one would feel when they're about to embark on their first date.

Phoenix had a feeling this was probably NOT a good thing; he was 25, not 15, and it wasn't as if he should be excited about this. Which he wasn't, just...nervous. Incredibly nervous. And scared.

He hadn't told anybody he was leaving. There was a flash of guilt and he sighed, digging his hands into his pockets and continuing to trudge forward across the grass, thinking back to his friends that were probably worried sick about him back in the city. Larry, Edgeworth, Trucy, Maya...but he knew that, if he'd breathed a word of what he was planning to any of them, they would have stopped him in his tracks. You can't do this, they would have said. This is stupid. You can't do this alone.

...they were probably right.

He hadn't seen Dahlia in four years. When she'd been arrested, he'd been too much of a wreck to attend her seperate trial -- and, afterwards, he'd been too much of a coward to visit her in jail. What if she'd been lonely, he thought, glancing up at the sky that was being lightly tinted by the beginnings of evening, a trickling orange bleeding out over his head. What if she'd been lonely?

Maybe he was trying to prove something, setting off on his own like this. He'd been told so many times that what had happened all those years ago wasn't his fault, but just because people said it...didn't make it true. He felt guilty for not protecting her enough, even if she had been in the fault. He felt guilty for not visiting her in the four years since, and felt guilty for trying to forget when he wasn' even completely gone yet. And more than anything, he felt guilty for whatever he did that had made Dahlia hate him.

Even if it was the fact that he'd done nothing that had made her hate him.

...it was all very confusing, and Phoenix didn't want to get a thobbing headache right before he met up with his ex-girlfriend. Pausing at their meeting spot -- a large, low-branched tree smack dab in the middle of the route -- he gestured for his two companions to come to him.

He'd decided to only bring Butch and Pidge on his trip. If something...did end up happening, something that made his stomach churn and his hands sweat with fear and unease, he would need someone to send the message back to Violet. Hence, the Pidgeotto. And Butch...well, he was Butch. The Quagsire could never be persuaded to stay behind, and so come he had. Phoenix had appreciated the company, too.

"Alright, you two." He kneeled down so that he was eye level with Butch, who had paused next to him and was looking up at his trainer with a quizzical expression. Pidge, who had swooped down with a loud "Piii!" when he'd called, hovered near Butch's head, also tilting her head as if to ask him a question. "Pidge, I want you to stay hidden. I--no, don't give me that look, I told you this before we left -- I need you to be able to fly back to Violet and warn the others if..." He dwindled into brooding silence, apprehension beginning to make his hands shake -- but Phoenix quickly shook it off and turned to Butch, after Pidge's objectionable squawks had tapered into resentful consent.

"Butch, just...stick close to me, alright?" He rubbed the Quagsire's head affectionately, and recieved a fond "Quaa!" in return. "I don't want you to get hurt."

"Qua quagsire. Si sire."

"Good to hear." Another grin.

...slowly, he straightened up, gesturing for Pidge to go into hiding as he leaned back against the tree, his loyal starter taking up a laxidasial position next to him. After a flurry of feathers and several loud chirps, the Pidgeotto was nowhere to be seen, and...it was quiet. But for the incessant backgroud music, that is.

And Phoenix waited.

[ooc; What is verbose. AHAHA. S-sorry I talk too much. And apologies for typos, I suck at proofreading my own shit.]

Comments

[smilegonnakillu.livejournal.com]

He was so easy to read. She could tell that there was a range of emotions running through him. And if she had been working him right over the last few days, love would be one of those emotions.

"Oh Feenie," she said as she finally reached him. "You didn't have to meet me out here. I was going to come find you in Violet City! But I suppose it doesn't matter now. I'm just glad to see that you're alright."

A small blush appeared on her face as she took another step closer to the lawyer. Playing Phoenix was just too easy, even if it wasn't actually her doing the seducing the majority of the time.

"I'm also glad that we're finally together again."

oh my god this is so twisted

[cheapblusuits.livejournal.com]

Part of it was certainly due to Dahlia's acting, of course. But...larger an influence were the remnants of that trial, still so elusive and confusing in Phoenix's mind. He never had closure, never had the chance to ask Dahlia why, why, if that had truly been her on the witness stand, if it had truly been her saying those things...

"I didn't want you to travel by yourself," he murmured, still looking at anywhere but at Dahlia. "It's...sometimes it's not safe. _{Those ledges...}"

When Dahlia steps closer, he stays still, finally forcing his gaze back to her, conflict in his eyes as part of him is urging him to RUN, RUN, but the logical side of his brain had always been trumped by his feelings, always his feelings.

And his feelings were telling him that what happened at home didn't matter. This was Johto. A whole new world, with new people and new experiences and maybe this Dahlia was pure, untainted. He would never know unless he tried...right?

Besides, playing along might just be his safest option. At least that part of his mind was shouting loud enough for him to hear.

...he nods. It had been so long since he'd seen her, and despite everything, he could say this truthfully; "I missed you."

Quiet, almost a whisper.

I love it so much~

[smilegonnakillu.livejournal.com]

"Oh, you're so sweet. Daphne has kept me safe...but I wouldn't mind having you around to protect me either."

Hook. Line. And sinker. For the moment, she had him in her grasp. All she needed to do was gain his confidence and loyalty back and things would go according to plan.

"I've missed you too. It's so lonely on these roads. I'm happy to have my Pokemon as company but I've missed having the company of another person."

Oh god me too. IT IS MY CAFFINE.

[cheapblusuits.livejournal.com]

Urrrrk. Phoenix glances to the side once more, this time out of embarassment rather than awkwrdness, beginning to blush, just a bit. He's matured a lot since his college days, and now, even simple words of affection can make him light up like a fire hydrant. "W-well, as long as make it back to Violet safetly."

At the lonely comment, he nods with understanding. He'd travelling for three days all by his lonesome, and needless to say, he'd enjoyed some company after he'd reached Cherrygrove.

He hands, previously situated in his pockets, worm their way out and hover by his sides, futzing with the fabric of his navy pants. Maybe he wants to hug her? He isn't quite sure himself, really.

_{[ooc; Ah, also! When do you think would be a good time for Stalker and Co. to hop in to this? I was thinking after Phoenix's next comment, not this one, but the one after. :3]}

<3

[smilegonnakillu.livejournal.com]

"I'm sure we'll have no problem as long as we're traveling together."

She should tell by his body language that he was tense and torn between something. This could be the crucial point needed to win him over completely. Shyly, she closed the distance between them and brought her hands to rest gently on his chest. After a moment of standing there in silence, she looked up at him with a charming smile on her face.

"I love you so much, Feenie."

And with that, she leaned on her toes and placed a soft kiss on his lips. The kiss didn't need to be forceful or demanding. Dahlia had learned over the years that gentle actions and a caring face won people over very easily.

♥!

[cheapblusuits.livejournal.com]

Another nod. Phoenix wasn't usually this quiet, but as wrapped up as he was in his own thoughts, this was only natural.

And as she stepped closer, he thought, Can I trust her?

...he shouldn't.

He shouldn't trust her, not after what she did, not after what she said and what she shattered and what she ruined.

He shouldn't be feeling so goddamn happy to hear those words he knew he shouldn't trust, yet he still did anyway.

And suddenly his arms reach up to wrap around her middle back, clutching her like a drowning man to a lifesaver as he gently kissed her back.

He'd missed her so much.

Being the awkward, PDA wary proper adult that he was, it's only a moment before Phoenix pulls away, still holding Dahlia close and feeling embarasment color his face with a light flush. He didn't want her to see him embarassed like this -- so he drops his head to her shoulder, his grip tightening, just a bit.

"Dahlia..." the name ghosted past his lips before he could stop it, and a prickle of something tinged the corners of his eyes and he scrwwed them shut, willing himself not to cry. Don't cry, don't cry.

[smilegonnakillu.livejournal.com]

Dahlia wraps her arms around him as he places his head on her shoulder. This simple action from the man convinced Dahlia that she had won this battle. It really wasn't hard to break down a man and make him into a sniveling lump of flesh.

But that part only worked more to her advantage.

"There there Feenie," she whispered into his ear. "We're together now. Everything will be alright."

[cheapblusuits.livejournal.com]

Maybe, somewhere dark and deep and cynical, somewhere in a little corner of his mind he never listens to, he knows that this isn't a good idea. His sirens should be going off; Phoenix liked to think he had pretty good intuition, especially as of late. Hadn't he made it his policy to only defend innocent clients? He needed that, that gut feeling that would tell him if he could trust someone or not.

But that little part of him was quiet. Subdued. He couldn't rely on that to help him now, not when his turmoil of feelings had taken him up in full sway.

His grip loosens, only enough to let him raise his head and take a small step back. He knows he's blushing, and he selfconsiously looks away, a bit of a smile -- a sardonic grin, almost -- quirks the sides of his mouth and he mutters, "Yeah. Yeah, it will."

It'll be alright.

Phoenix knew that. He would make it alright, one way or another. He wouldn't let this pain hurt anyone else.

[smilegonnakillu.livejournal.com]

Dahlia brought her hand up to cup the side of Phoneix's face and tilted his head so he was looking at her. Gently, she caressed his cheek with her thumb. She could feel the slight heat of his skin from his blush under her hand.

"It's getting dark, Feenie. Perhaps we should stop and make camp for the night? It's probably dangerous wandering these roads at night."

[cheapblusuits.livejournal.com]

He takes a moment to close his eyes, let himself, for an instant, drift to someplace where the only thing he can feel is that gentle touch, that soft caress, unladen with fear and worry and fear. A few seconds of bliss, before he sighs wearily and, begrudgingly, brings himself back to the not-so-pleasent reality to nod in agreement at Dahlia's question.

"Yeah. You can't see where you're going at all, even with a flashlight." Phoenix backs away from her completely, hands, no longer having a home, retreating back into his pockets as he glances around for a suitable place to pitch camp. Maybe near that batch of trees a little ways away? He could have sworn he saw them move, though...

[smilegonnakillu.livejournal.com]

Dahlia giggled softly at the comment, as if what Phoenix said was slightly humorous. Both of her hands returned to supporting her umbrella and she watched Phoneix closely to see what his next move was. She would let him figure out where they would stay the night.

"Do you have a good place in mind, Feenie?"

where the hell did this go gdfjhfj S-SORRY

[cheapblusuits.livejournal.com]

...he could have sworn those bushes had moved. He narrowed his eyes, both curious and a little wary, but instead of saying anything, he just shrugged. He wouldn't want to alarm Dahlia, after all.

...not to say that he wasn't a bit curious.

"Well, that grove of trees over there doesn't look half bad." He pointed towards them, grinning a bit. "What do you think?"

Butch, for his part, voiced his agreement with a loud

Tis fine~

[smilegonnakillu.livejournal.com]

"It looks like a nice spot to me."

She would rather not have to camp out in the wild, but she hardly had a choice in the matter. The nearest inn was still a few days away and there didn't seem to be any roadside rest areas anywhere.

Dahlia had noticed a sound coming from the area that Phoenix was pointing at, but it could have been many things. She had come across many wild Pokemon hiding in the bushes while traveling. She wasn't too concerned about what it could be.

After all, she was probably the most dangerous thing out there.