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mastertengen · 2 months

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In The Lap Of Luxury

Fandom: Ace Attorney.

Category: F/M.

Relationship: Dick Gumshoe x Female Reader.

Type: One shot.

Words: 10,056.

Summary: On most days, [Y/N] knows she can count on her best friend Maya to come through for her, whatever it is she needs help with, through whatever means necessary… and it would seem that includes pushing her to confess her awkward feelings to Dick.

Chronology: Any game.

With a deep, heavy nose exhale, I grabbed the knob and turned it, opening the door to the office wide; I was tired, both emotionally and physically, and all I wanted at that instant, all I needed was the comfort of Phoenix's sofa. But as I silently made my way through the room, I noticed Maya was there, sitting in the very center of the couch, a hamburger in her hands.

"Oh, hey Maya." I said with a weakened smile as I turned to her.

"Hi, [Y/N]!" She exclaimed in return. "Hey, you look kinda sad... You want some of my burger? I bet that'll cheer you right up!"

"Heh, that's nice of you to offer, but no, thank you." I replied with a slow head shake, still smiling. "A few burger bites honestly aren't enough to bring my mood back up right now... I'd rather let you savor it all."

I looked down at her for a second before I gestured with my head slightly, pointing to her body with my chin.

"But, do you think I could join you on the sofa? I'm dying to rest up."

"Sure." She answered with a nod and a smile.

She proceeded to scoot over to the side a little, to make more room for me.

"Now, sit down! You can't expect me to leave my best friend standing all alone like that!"

"You're so sweet, cutie." I told her with a genuinely affectionate smile, her sheer and simple presence enough to already make me feel slightly better. "But, actually, you didn't have to move. I was thinking I'd lie down over you, if you don't mind that. That lap of yours looks real comfy and I was hoping I could rest my head there."

I took the time to ask her, but I already knew what her answer would be: Maya and I were very close friends who never feared sharing things with one another, including physical proximity, as we were both fond of hugs and never bothered by PDA.

"Ohoho... Is someone getting touchy?" She said teasingly with a sly grin. "But seriously, yeah, come on in, get comfy. I was actually expecting you to say that, considering how down you seem to be. I'll even cuddle with you if you want, since you're so cute."

Maya started to shift a bit, turning herself to the side to leave me more space to lie down on her lap comfortably.

"Thanks, you really are the best best friend anyone could have." I told her as I walked closer to the couch.

I lay down across the seats, my legs dangling over one of the armrests a little as the back of my head found Maya's lap: upon feeling it slowly sink into her warm legs, I closed my eyes and sighed out of relaxation.

"This feels good... Your lap always feels so relaxing..." I said softly. "I didn't expect to see you here at the office when I decided to head in, but I'm actually so glad you are. I kinda need comfort right about now, and I know for a fact your comfort is the best I could have hoped for."

Maya smirked as she bit into her hamburger, before she smiled warmly.

"You're welcome, cutie pie." She said in a soft, comforting tone. "I'm always glad to provide, it's the least I can do for my favorite girl in the world. But... why the sad face, though? You can tell me if something's happened."

I opened my eyes upon hearing her question, then gently sighed once more.

"Well... Can I tell you a secret?" I asked her as I looked up at her face above me.

She paused briefly, her mouth full of hamburger and her eyebrows raised; there was an expression of curiosity on her face as she looked right down at me.

"Of course, what's on your mind?" She asked me in return, an adorable smile on her face.

I kept quiet for a moment, lying still on my back as my eyes turned to the white ceiling high above my head, my gaze lost in nothingness.

"... I have feelings for Detective Gumshoe." I bluntly confessed in one breath, finally breaking the silence in the room.

Maya's head jolted back in genuine surprise as I revealed my secret.

"Gumshoe!?" She exclaimed with her mouth wide open in disbelief, almost dropping her hamburger in the process. "Why, you never said a thing!"

The young girl tried her best to calm down, though she could barely manage to control herself.

"Wait, does Gumshoe know?" She suddenly asked.

"No, no, of course he doesn't, no, that's precisely what the problem is, Maya..." I muttered as I covered my face with both of my hands. "That man is so dense, there's no way on Earth he could ever know simply from the way I behave around him, he doesn't pick up on anything... But at the same time, I'm not brave enough to be straightforward and tell him how I feel..."

I moved my fingers away from my mouth but kept them on my cheeks, which were now pink with blush.

"... So no, he doesn't know." I said with a sigh. "He probably doesn't have a single clue about how both my mind and my body get all tense when he's around me..."

Maya's mouth dropped open even more as I described my love story, and then she started to giggle.

"Oh, [Y/N]... This is priceless, really..." She said with a smile, her body shaking a little. "And I don't mean to laugh, but Gumshoe, of all people? Why him? Isn't he really dull-witted and clumsy?"

"Maya, please..." I said in an ashamed tone, my palms still covering my blushing cheeks. "I know it's true, but you don't have to state things like that..."

I finally removed my hands from my face, allowing me to open my eyes and look back up at Maya, a teasing grin on her face mixed with an expression of genuine confusion.

"Yes, Gumshoe is a little goofy... A little stupid at times, even... and he can be a bit of a mess, sometimes... but I love him, for who he is." I said sincerely. "I love him for his kindness, for his honesty, for his optimism, for his cheerfulness, for his generosity, for his silly humor, for his cute laugh, for his precious smile, and for-... well, for his physique, too..."

Maya chuckled and looked away as she tried not to laugh even harder.

"What do you mean, 'for his physique, too'?" She asked, her curiosity clearly getting the better of her. "Do you mean that you think he's hot and sexy?"

Her voice was progressively getting higher- and higher-pitched the longer she talked.

"Ohoho! [Y/N], is my best friend a pervert!?" She exclaimed teasingly.

"N-No I'm not- Shut up, Maya-" I stuttered slightly out of embarrassment.

I moved on her lap and turned my body to the side, my face now close to her stomach as I closed my eyes shut; for a few seconds, I did not say a word, the only sound in the room that of Maya giggling while she finished her hamburger.

"... He is hot and sexy... I don't just think it." I eventually said in a whisper as I pouted. "He's strong and muscular, with broad shoulders, a wide chest, toned legs, big hands, a square jaw, arms that must feel so warm to be into..."

"And I bet you're already picturing those hands on your body, aren't ya, you sneaky girl?" Maya teased me as she kept laughing. "And what about those big muscles of his? Do you already imagine him carrying you in his arms like a prince carrying a princess in those old Disney movies? And that broad chest, can you imagine your head resting right on top of those big pecs, [Y/N]? What a wonderful place to be, isn't it?"

I felt my entire body overheat as I curled up into a ball on her lap, my face growing entirely red from embarrassment and shame.

"M-Maya!" I awkwardly exclaimed while I turned around, restless.

But no matter how much I would protest, the truth was that she was right: my mind was filled with images of Dick, images I had already envisioned countless times before, images that were practically stored inside my brain.

"Hahaha! I bet you imagine all these things every time you see him!" Maya exclaimed as she kept on teasing me with a mischievous grin.

With her hamburger now finished and her hands free, she raised her arm and used her right index finger to poke my cheek, making me blush more in the process.

"And I bet you can imagine feeling those big, strong muscles of his hugging your body from the rear, and feeling his powerful, manly hands groping you in just the right places, as he whispers all kinds of steamy, naughty words right in your ear..."

I listened to her words without uttering a single one of my own, my embarrassment and racing thoughts preventing me from forming sentences; and as the pictures she painted in my mind became more and more suggestive, I simply could not help but feel a tingling sensation all over my body, my imagination running wild with lewd images.

"Ahaa, what's this?" Maya asked after noticing my reaction. "Could it be you like the way that sounds? That's not so bad, [Y/N], I won't judge... After all, what kind of girl wouldn't feel giddy at the thought of being caressed like that? What a naughty girl you are..."

She let out a giggle and raised her hand, poking me once again.

"Well, you should probably try to forget all this naughty stuff, or else you'll get too excited..." She said as she started to calm down a little. "How about we go back to talking about normal things, hm?"

"... Yes, please..." I replied in a quiet voice still filled with embarrassment. "Normal things..."

I progressively removed my hands from my face completely, revealing to Maya how much I was blushing and how awkward the look in my eyes was. I stared up at her smiling face, her expression playful and her eyes sparkling.

"I'm sorry for being all... like that." I started as I slightly motioned with my hands. "It's just... I can't help it, y'know? Gumshoe does that to me, and it's kind of a hard feeling to fight..."

"Don't feel bad, [Y/N]!" Maya exclaimed, her tone swaying between sincerity and amusement. "I mean, I can't blame you. Gumshoe is hot in his own way... I guess...? He may not have any brains, but he's totally a hunky, sexy man, especially as a detective, with that stylish trenchcoat of his."

"Hey, what have I told you about making comments about his intellect?" I said with a pout as my eyebrows furrowed. "Don't talk about him like he's a complete moron with no brain cells whatsoever, that's just mean and such an exaggeration... Besides, I've told you, I'm not just attracted to his body- I mean, yes, I do find him handsome, but there's so much more than just that, I love him as a human being, for everything that he is... y'know?"

"Alright, alright, I get it, he's your true love, your knight in shining armor, you'll always love him, you'll die for him, yadda yadda yadda..." She said sarcastically. "But then, why haven't you told him how you really feel yet? You said it yourself, he's totally incapable of recognizing the signs you give him... So why not simply say the big words out loud?"

"You say 'simply', but it's really far from simple, Maya..." I told her while I lowered my eyes.

I watched my hands gently fidget with my fingers as I took a deep breath, feelings of uncertainty and sorrow invading my mind from within.

"... I'm too scared to tell him I love him... too scared of rejection." I admitted with a sigh. "If I confess to him and he doesn't reciprocate my feelings- which I'm sure is what would happen, our friendship would be completely ruined... and it'd make working with him a real pain in the ass, since we would both be really awkward around each other from that point on..."

"C'mon, [Y/N], you two are already really good friends, so even if he does reject you, I'm sure nothing would change in your relationship." She said with a smile, trying to be reassuring. "But seriously... I refuse to believe he doesn't like you back, even if just a little. Are you really telling me there isn't even a single sign that he's into you? I mean, I see the way he looks at you, the way he talks to you... I see the way you two act around each other. So I'd say there's definitely some chemistry there!"

"He has chemistry with everyone, Maya... in one way or another." I started in a quiet voice, my cheeks slightly rosy. "I've never really noticed any difference in the way he looks at me compared to how he looks at everyone else... He's kind to everyone, it's just in his genes."

I continued to stare at my hands, at my fingers twisting around each other as I felt the blush on my cheeks intensify.

"... Though, I'll admit, when it comes to working criminal cases, he tends to agree to share information with me more easily than with you or Phoenix, even though I'm also part of the defense..." I said in a shy tone. "But I'm sure he has his own reasons..."

"Maybe he only shares information with you because he's more comfortable around you... or maybe because he knows you'll keep it all to yourself, while if he told Phoenix, he'd probably blab that to everyone in five seconds." She said jokingly. "But seriously, [Y/N]... He's always hanging around you, even outside of work, and he always acts very gentlemanly towards you, you can even see in his eyes that he cares about you. Do you truly not think there's something there?"

For a moment, silence came to settle in the office, neither of us saying a word, until I breathed a heavy sigh and brought my hands back to my face.

"Ughhh... I just don't know..." I let out in a desperate tone.

As I lay with my head still resting on Maya's lap, I closed my eyes and sought refuge in my mind, going back to being silent for a few more seconds.

"... You know, Maya, you're my best friend, and I adore you." I spoke up suddenly. "But right about now, I just wish I-"

I cut my sentence short upon feeling shyness and embarrassment take over me, my eyes widening while my skin reddened.

"... I just wish I could be lying on his lap..." I admitted with shame.

For a moment, Maya did not say anything in return, leaving the room quiet, and leaving me to wonder whether I had maybe said too much; or, worse, offended my best friend in some way.

"... Well, who says we can't make that happen?" She suddenly said in a surprisingly enthusiastic tone.

Her rhetorical question made me remove my hands from my face, and when I looked up at hers, I could see somewhat of a mischievous smile shaping her lips, her fists on her hips: I knew her well enough to know she had something in mind.

"What do you mean?" I inquired with a hint of suspicion.

"I mean, what if..."

She let the end of her question hang in the air for suspense while she reached for something inside her kimono, which turned out to be her phone.

"... I was to give Gumshoe a little call and get him to come here to the office right now?" She finished with a smirk, not even waiting for my response to start pressing buttons on her phone.

"M-Maya, no, wait-" I mumbled as I tried reaching for her hands.

But I was too slow for her: by the time I had already risen on the sofa from my lying position, Maya had already finished dialing Dick's number and brought the phone up to her right ear, a wide smile displayed on her face as she stared at me.

"... Detective Gumshoe? Yes, it's Maya Fey!" She exclaimed. "Hey, listen, I know it's kinda outta nowhere, but I was wondering if you'd be interested in swinging by Phoenix's office at the agency to... discuss the current case we're all working on! I mean, why not, right?"

It was clear as day, by the look on her face that she was enjoying herself, enjoying playing with my emotions as I watched, powerless.

"... Oh, it's going to be your lunch break right now? Well... you're in luck! 'Cause there's food here, plenty enough for you... food you wouldn't have to pay for... free food..."

After a second or two, she slightly pushed the phone away from her ear and leaned closer to me.

"He's thinking about it..." She whispered with a nod.

But before she could give him any time to actually consider the offer, she placed the phone back against her ear and cleared her throat.

"Oh, and... [Y/N]'s here with me, too." She said as she sent me a teasing wink. "... You'll come? Awesome! See you in a bit then! Bye!"

And with that, she hung up and stuffed her phone back inside her kimono, her lips pursed into a proud grin.

"... Maya, what have you done?" I said as I covered my face with my palms, my entire face red with embarrassment.

"I've done wonders." She replied, still grinning widely. "I've gotten you some nice quality time with your favorite detective."

An awkward silence permeated the room for a few seconds, until she turned to me and sighed with exaggerated exasperation.

"Oh, c'mon! What's wrong? You wanted him, didn't you?" She asked playfully, though with an ounce of seriousness.

"But after everything you and I said... After all the teasing you've made me sit through... I'm not gonna be able to look at him without... without blushing like a mess and stumbling on my words!" I exclaimed with shame. "I'm not gonna be able to talk to him without thinking of... and picturing all the dirty things you told me..."

"Is that such a bad thing?" She asked with a mischievous smile. "You're cute when you blush, and I'm sure you could use all that sweet awkwardness to your advantage..."

"Besides, you lied to him!" I continued without acknowledging her comments. "You told him we have food for lunch here, but we don't! We've got nothing to eat at the office!"

The two of us looked into each other's eyes as we both remained silent, Maya blinking a few times.

"... Shoot, you're right." She said in a slightly panicked tone.

She had barely finished speaking when she got up from the sofa and sprung on her feet, making her way to the door and out of the office.

"Well, I'm off to buy all three of us lunch, then!" She declared enthusiastically.

"You? Buy? With what money?"

"Yours." She answered with a wink as she pulled a wallet out of her kimono.

A wallet that looked suspiciously like mine.

"Hey, wait a minute!" I exclaimed as I frantically searched my pockets. "How did you-"

But before I could even finish my sentence, Maya had already walked out of the room and closed the door behind her, leaving me alone in the office.

"Maya, c'mon!" I called out to her, though I knew she was already too far gone to hear me. "Don't just leave me here on my own!"

And yet, there I was.

After a solid minute of solitude, my phone buzzed and on the screen appeared a text from my supposed best friend.

I closed my eyes and sighed heavily as I finished reading her series of texts.

"Goddamn it Maya..." I whispered to myself.

There was nothing I could do but wait; wait for her to come back, wait for Dick to arrive, wait for the stress to build up inside me. So, that was what I did. Reluctantly, I set my phone down beside me on the sofa and adjusted my body so that my side was against the right armrest. And I waited. In silence. My patience growing thinner and thinner with each minute passing. More and more thoughts flooding my mind as what felt like an eternity went by.

Until a knock on the door broke the silence oppressing me, a singular knock that both ended my misery and made it ten times worse.

There's no way this is Maya... I thought to myself. I haven't really kept track of time since she left, but it definitely hasn't been 30 minutes...

Before I had time to even turn around, the knock was quickly followed by the sound of the door opening wide, and my heart rate picked up at light speed.

"Heya, pals!" Dick's voice echoed behind me, his tone as enthusiastic as always.

"Good afternoon, Detective." I said with much less eagerness than him, my smile forced and my cheeks pink.

As he made his way to the center of the room, his eyes looked down at me and his brow furrowed.

"Maya's not here?" He asked with his head slightly tilted.

"Well- She's the one who called you earlier, and as you can probably see, there's also no food here..." I started in an awkward tone. "She promised you food for lunch but the truth is, she's on her way to go buy us food right now... So we just have to wait for her to come back..."

A short moment of silence settled between the two of us, and I was utterly too embarrassed to bring myself to look into his eyes.

"Oh... Alright then." He simply said.

"Sorry..." I let out in a soft whisper.

"Hey now, there's no need for ya to apologize, pal." He told me in an attempt to comfort me. "I can wait for her to come back, I don't mind. We'll be keeping each other company in the meantime, hm?"

I watched his lips shape into a warm smile as he buried his hands in the pockets of his trenchcoat, my gaze shy and as discreet as could be.

"And we can always start discussing the case without her, y'know? If anything that'd prolly be better, there are some things too confidential for her to know..."

He reached for the back of his head with his right hand as he chuckled, a low, affectionate chuckle that almost made me hold my breath.

"So anyway, don't sweat it out, alright, pal?" He said reassuringly.

"... Yeah..." I replied timidly with a slight nod. "... Thanks."

While still smiling, Dick approached the sofa opposite the one I was sitting on; the sofa whose existence I had quite frankly completely forgotten about since I had entered the office. And, somehow, seeing him not sit beside me, body against body, thigh against thigh, so close to each other on a single couch filled me to the brim with both relief and frustration.

"Now then, the case..." He started as he rested his back against the sofa. "Who's that second witness you and Wright paid a visit to yesterday, again?"

He asked me his question nonchalantly, as if completely unbothered by my reaction he seemingly did not pick up on, by my thoughts he thankfully did not have access to.

"Oh, right, you weren't there yesterday when we met up with him because it was so late in the evening." I said almost as to remind myself. "Well, Phoenix told me he'd let you know a few things about him and how our interrogation went, but knowing him and his dedication to the whole defense versus prosecution quarrel, I bet he hasn't actually told you much."

"He most certainly hasn't." He responded with a chuckle. "He did drop by the precinct this morning, but he didn't mention it to me at all, actually."With his legs slightly spread apart, each of his hands rested atop his knees, his palms hugging the fabric of his pants and his fingers relaxed.

"Not even a single mention?" I asked with a hint of surprise. "Maybe he simply forgot altogether, most things tend to slip his mind these days... Well, in any case, the witness had-"

I suddenly cut myself short, words no longer capable of slipping through my lips, as my eyes inexplicably went back to looking at his hands, as if on their own, as if out of instinct. And now that they had seen his hands, they were all I could see, all I could think of: his big, strong, manly hands, as Maya had described them to me. And the things she had said to tease me came back to haunt me.

I shifted on the sofa as I tried to look away, feeling my cheeks redden from the thought of Dick's hands on my body, feeling me up and down sensually, a thought that now clouded all others.

"Hum, s-so, Phoenix and I went to the, uh, crime scene yesterday... evening... a-and we saw the witness on the way, since he works there... but, um, you already k-know that..." I started as I awkwardly tumbled and stumbled on all of my words. "He's, hum, the victim's brother... y-younger brother..."

I had more to say, but all I could do at that moment was continue to stare at his hands on his lap as I prayed to God he would not notice what my eyes were looking at.

"Hm... Interesting." He said while nodding, showing no signs whatsoever of having picked up on my behavior, which was for the better, considering the situation. "So what about him?"

"W-Well..."

I took a short moment to clear my throat in an attempt to put a stop to my stammering, though the task seemed arduous, given the thoughts that were floating through my head.

"As you already know, he, hum, first showed up out of the blue during the first day of the trial, and his appearance and testimony are... actually what led to it being extended to another day. So, as you can probably imagine, Phoenix and I had some questions to ask him regarding what he possibly knows about the case as a whole. But, well... he wasn't actually all that, uh, cooperative, and he was very vague with his answers... We both think it's... kind of suspicious."

"So lemme get this straight..." He started as he tilted his head to the side, a focused expression in his eyes. "He was suspicious during his first testimony, right? As in, he was hiding stuff? And now you're tellin' me he still acted shifty during your encounter yesterday, like he still couldn't tell you everything? Yeah, if you ask me, that's not just suspicious, that sounds really damn suspicious."

"And that's not all." I started as I got up from the sofa. "Yesterday, after we were done interrogating him, he gave us something before leaving, a piece of evidence that should supposedly help us in our investigation... according to him."

As I said those words, I made my way to Phoenix's desk in one corner of the room, going around it to access the drawers; pulling open the top one, I extracted from it a thin security bag containing said evidence.

"But if you ask me, I think it's actually a red herring." I added as I stared down at the object in my hands. "I don't know why, and I can't explain why, but I just have a feeling he's trying to throw us off by giving us this..."

"And just what exactly is this 'piece of evidence' he gave ya?" He asked me while tilting his head, remaining seated on the couch but turning around to look at me. "And what's your reason exactly to be so skeptical about it?"

"See for yourself." I answered as I walked back to him, back to the two sofas, the bag in hand.

Once standing in front of him, I opened my palm and revealed to his eyes the evidence that was a locket necklace. But as he reached for it, as his fingers touched the plastic, both my body and my mind suddenly froze.

Oh no. Not again.

Just as I had finally managed to rid my brain of any thoughts involving Dick's hands, my eyes were now looking down at every other part of him: his right arm, raised towards me, his muscles concealed by his clothes yet still somewhat discernible, his large torso, slowly rising and falling with each breath he took, his legs, slightly spread open, not enough to be inappropriate but still enough for my thoughts to run wild, and that look on his face, that stare in his eyes.

And there I stood. In front of him. Motionless. Flushed. Silent. Still holding onto one end of the evidence bag, despite his fingers holding onto the other.

"... Hum, ya alright pal?" He asked me with a slight chuckle, one that expressed both amusement and confusion.

While his gaze never left mine for even a second, he seemed to not be perceiving what was happening between the two of us, and that, frankly, was for the better; but when he eventually took notice of how much I was blushing, his smile turned into a frown.

"Wait, you're not sick or somethin', are you?" He now asked me with audible concern. "You're lookin' a lil too beet red for it to just be room temperature..."

With that remark, I finally snapped back to reality and gulped before clearing my throat.

"N-No- I'm... I'm fine... don't worry." I struggled to say as I shook my head.

Without looking into his eyes, my head turned to the side, I let go of the evidence bag, leaving it in Dick's hand.

"I-It's probably just the hunger getting to me..." I said in an attempt to save myself.

This is so embarrassing. I thought to myself as I closed my eyes. Our interactions sometimes happen to be awkward, most of the time due to how flustered I can get around him, but this... this is just plain pathetic, I'm making such a fool of myself...

"Ha, I know the feeling, pal!"

While my eyes were still closed, I suddenly felt both of his hands land on my shoulders, which prompted me to quickly turn my gaze back to him.

"I know you're impatiently waiting for Maya to return with our food, but you gotta hang in there, [Y/N]." He told me with a beaming smile, a sparkle in his eyes. "I'd hate to see you starve on my watch."

I felt my body temperature rise exponentially as his hands gripped my shoulders without too much pressure, though enough to hold me in place; as I looked back into his eyes, my heart beating so furiously in my chest it hurt.

"I mean, can you imagine the amount of paperwork I'd have to fill to report a dead pal on duty?" He jokingly said while laughing.

"Haha... ha... yeah..." I let out as I awkwardly forced myself to laugh with him. "B-But seriously, Gumshoe, I'm alright... thanks for worrying about me, t-though..."

It was still incredibly hard for me to look him in the eyes when all I could think about were his hands on my shoulders: so hard, in fact, I had to divert my eyes slightly, and my gaze fell upon the evidence bag he had set down to his left on the sofa. Without a word, he stared at me for a moment, his eyes partially squinted and his head ever so slightly tilted, as if analyzing my behavior, as if he did not fully believe me.

"Hmm... You say that, but it don't change the fact you're still lookin' a little red..." He said with lingering concern.

Another moment of silence ensued, during which he was visibly deep in thought, the turning gears of his mind almost visible to the naked eye; until a gentle smile then appeared on his face after a minute or so, his eyes still locked into mine.

"... Y'know what, pal? I think you should probably sit down." He told me with a soft nod while he patted the seat on the couch to his right. "Even if ya say you're fine and all that, I'd say you still need to take a seat. You really look like you could use it, honestly."

My eyes opened wide right then and there; something Dick must have surely interpreted as yet another sign of my "sicken" state. In fact, I could feel that redness on my face he had mentioned intensify as I quickly raked my brain for something to say in response, a slight sense of panic growing inside me.

I can't sit next to him- I just can't do it- But it's not like I've never done it before- I mean, c'mon it's literally just sitting down beside him- I've sat next to him before, a shit ton of times- How is that hard? How is now any different? Except it is different- All I can think about right now is my discussion with Maya and my feelings for him-

But before I could utter even a single word in protest, I felt his remaining hand on my right shoulder strengthen its grasp, as if trying to move my body.

"C'mon, come here!"

Upon hearing these enthusiastically spoken words, I suddenly felt my upper body be pulled down and towards him: somehow, with the strength of only one hand, he was able to bring me close to him, guiding me to his right on the sofa. Flushed and speechless, I let him sit me down without a glance or a word.

"There ya go, [Y/N]." He said with a warm smile I caught in the corner of my eye while his left hand finally let go of my shoulder now that we were side by side.

His body was now right beside mine, his presence overwhelming on the couch that seemed oddly small all of a sudden, as if it had not been made for a man of his physique, his broad stature taking up all the space around me.

And still, I remained silent, unable to find anything to say. I was no longer hesitating between these mixed feelings of frustration and relief from earlier: now that it had been done, now that I was sitting next to him, I knew relief was what I should have felt. Because there now was nothing I could do, nothing I could feel but my heart pounding in my chest louder than a hundred drums combined.

"... So!" He suddenly spoke up amidst the quietness as he turned to his left and picked the security bag back up. "I don't believe you actually told me what this new piece of evidence is about, pal."

The sound of his voice reached my ears and finally snapped me back to reality, back to the topic at hand, back to the investigation I had completely forgotten about for a moment.

"Oh, hum, right-" I started embarrassingly as I cleared my throat gently. "Sorry about all that..."

I shifted in my seat a little as I finally found the courage to turn my head to him, although my eyes stopped at his hand before they could reach his face.

"So, as I told you, the witness gave this to Phoenix and me yesterday, supposedly because it's linked to the case... The thing is, all he was willing to tell us was that it belonged to his sister. Other than that, we have no idea what its connection to the case is exactly or where he got it. Did he pick it up off her corpse? Or did he find it in her personal belongings? Who knows?"

"I see..." He simply said to both me and himself as he opened the bag and pulled the locket out of it. "If he just gave it to you without any context or explanation, it's fair you think it's suspicious."

"And that's not all." I added as I pointed at the necklace with my right index finger. "The weirdest part is that the locket, while clearly meant to hold a picture, is actually empty... As if whatever was once contained in it had been taken out... for whatever reason."

"Well, it's obvious he's purposefully omitting some pretty crucial details, here..."

"Yeah, that's for certain." I said in agreement as I sighed. "But what exactly... That I do not know. And neither does Phoenix."

With yet another sigh, I closed my eyes and let my head fall backward, leaving it on the headrest of the sofa, my neck outstretched.

"... God, I'm stumped." I let out in a defeated voice, my eyes still closed. "I hate this feeling of hitting a dead end... especially with a case like this one. I hate to say it because we've only been investigating it for a short while, but I can't wait for it to end already..."

"Mhm... It's only been a few days, pal... Give us some time and we'll solve this case in a jiffy." I heard him say in a soft and confident tone. "I wouldn't worry about a dead end, we got our minds and our hearts set on figuring this one out, and I just know we'll get there eventually. And we'll do it together... Trust me on this one, pal."

I listened to him, to the sound of his calming voice, of his reassuring and comforting words erasing my doubts and uncertainty, while his kindness made my heart beat just a little faster.

Despite starting to grow physically tired, I opened my eyes and turned my head to my left, my neck still resting against the sofa, and looked up at Dick's face: as if telepathically, he mirrored my movements and his eyes stared into mine.

"... Thank you, Dick." I said with sincerity and affection, and only a tinge of shyness. "Really."

"No problem, pal." The detective responded with a chuckle as he shifted his body ever so slightly closer to mine on the couch, his voice carrying a hint of tenderness that matched the look in his eyes. "But you don't gotta thank me, I'm only doin' my duty as your friend... That's what I'm here for."

I lost myself in his smile, warm and soothing, and I knew right then and there it was the moment.

Now's the time. I have to make a move. The conversation is slowly developing away from the topic of the case... I have the perfect opening.

With a quiet gulp, my gaze still intertwined with his, my heart picking up the pace, I scooted closer to him myself.

I'm sick of being shy: I know he's often blind to most of my advances, but there comes a point when I simply have to make him see things clearly... and it would seem I've just reached it.

With that thought in mind and no spoken words, I closed my eyes and let my head gently fall on his right shoulder, the fabric of his trench coat coming in soft contact with my hair.

Even though I had no way of seeing his expression on his face, I could still perceive his reaction to my gesture; I felt his body jolt lightly and his limbs stiffen upon placing my head against his shoulder, at the same time as a gentle, almost inaudible gasp slipped through his lips and reached my ears.

Although I may have seemed nonchalant and collected on the outside, my heart kept skipping beats inside my chest, the heat emanating from his body making me lightheaded. And I could also hear his, both of our hearts thumping in synchronization, both of our breathing steadily increasing in intensity.

"... Um... [Y/N]?" He suddenly spoke up in a slightly trembling and quiet voice, as if he did not want to ruin that moment of intimacy.

"Do... Do you mind?" I asked him just as quietly, trying as best as I could to sound confident in my actions despite my transpiring apprehension.

"U-Um... No... not at all..." He answered nervously, not making any effort to try and hide the stress in his voice. "I j-just... I didn't expect it..."

"Sorry..." I said with a gentle, awkward chuckle. "I didn't mean to startle you... I'm just... really tired."

Slowly, I opened my eyes and stared down at Dick's lower body, at his legs on the sofa, his hands resting on his lap.

"As you know, it was pretty late in the evening yesterday when I accompanied Phoenix to the crime scene... and even later when I got back home. I couldn't fall asleep until late, and this morning I had to get up early... so I haven't had much sleep, to be honest with you. So... I'm feeling a little exhausted... and I suppose I kind of wanted a pillow for my head."

"Oh... R-Right." He said in return, slightly stuttering. "And I s'pose you thought I'd make a comfortable pillow... right?"

"W-Well, you're the only other person here..." I replied with a hint of embarrassment. "... And... you really are comfortable, Dick... your shoulder feels really warm and soft, actually..."

"R-Really?" He asked with an awkward chuckle of his own. "I'm flattered... pal."

I smiled to myself; a smile he could not see, but which I was sure would have been a pleasing sight for his eyes.

For a brief moment, silence reigned between us, neither of us saying a word nor making a sound. I closed my eyes again, savoring that moment with every fiber of my being, until I opened them back and cleared my throat gently.

"Dick, is it... is it okay if I..."

Without bothering to even finish my question, I subtly snuggled closer to him and grabbed his right arm with both of mine, wrapping them around his limb while my head remained on his shoulder.

Once again, I could feel his entire body stiffen as I moved closer to him and wrapped my hands around his arm, along with his breathing audibly quickening.

"Y-Yeah... You can, [Y/N]..." He said in a soft and quiet voice, not even trying to mask the nervousness he was feeling.

"Are you sure?" I anxiously asked him as I began to loosen my grip on his arm, sensing the hesitation in his tone. "I can let go if you're uncomfortable... if you don't want me... this close to you."

"N-No!" He promptly exclaimed. "Um, I mean- It's... It's fine, I don't really mind..."

I heard him take a deep breath above my head before I saw his left hand fidget on his lap.

"I don't really know how I'm supposed to say this, [Y/N], or even if I should say it, but... I kinda like it, actually..."

I held my breath for a moment, feeling my chest stop rising as the realization hit me that maybe, just maybe, his feelings were not so far from mine after all.

"... You do?" I softly asked him while I strengthened my grasp around his arm.

"Y-Yeah... I do, [Y/N]..." He confessed. "You feel nice on my shoulder, and... I dunno, I just feel like... There's something nice and comforting between us, something that just feels right, y'know? And... I just like it... I like feeling this comfort with you."

"Dick..." I whispered to myself under my breath.

I needed to take a moment to process his words, to let my mind quiet down and my body cool off after having heard him say such wholesome and beautiful things, things I had never thought I would have ever heard him say.

And once I had gotten a bit calmer, I pressed my cheek against his shoulder and gulped quietly.

"... Why haven't you ever said anything before, then?" I asked, my tone bittersweet.

"What... What do you mean?"

Letting go of his right arm just ever so slightly, I raised my head from his shoulder and turned to him: this time, without an ounce of hesitation, I stared up into his hazel eyes and did not back down.

"This isn't the first time... something like this has happened, Dick. I mean, sure, yes, we've never... really been this close to one another before... but I've sat close to you, I've... touched your arms, your hands, I've spoken softly to you. I've complimented you, too, tons of times... whether mentally or physically. And yet..."

Feeling my cheeks redden the longer I spoke, I paused to take a breath, though without looking away from his face.

"... Yet today is the first and only day you're actually expressing yourself in return..."

"Because I'm an idiot, okay?" He almost immediately responded, his voice no longer as light and soft, now carrying a heavy sense of resentment and frustration towards himself. "I've been too... dense, blind, and stupid to really pick up on any of these things."

"Don't say that." I promptly told him as I tugged at his arm tighter, a frown covering my lips while my eyebrows furrowed. "Please, Dick, don't say such things... You're not an idiot, you're not stupid..."

I slowly shook my head as I spoke, desperately hoping for him to look back into my eyes, his gaze now avoiding mine.

"I don't blame you, for not having said anything before, I'm not angry."

While my left hand still held his arm in place, the other slowly went up his sleeve, making its way to his shoulder.

"And that's because I know you. I know the man you are, a man who... doesn't always feel comfortable sharing his emotions and expressing his feelings. You're not the type to say things, you do them. You don't voice your affection... you tend to show it instead."

For a moment, he did not answer; but while his gaze was still avoiding mine, I finally saw his expression soften, the frustration and self-resentment now long gone from his face.

"... Are ya tryin' to make me cry?" He asked softly, a hint of humor to his tone.

"No- No, please don't cry." I answered in a pleading voice with an affectionate smile. "That'd be the last thing I'd want to see right now..."

I stopped my right hand just below his shoulder, my palm against the sleeve of his trench coat, sensing my heartbeat quicken as I felt his muscles underneath.

"... All I'm trying to do is understand why today is different. Why... why you've never shown much before and even less so said anything before... while you're being more open with me today than you've ever been before..."

And along with the pounding in my chest came the red hue on my face.

"Oh- Don't get me wrong, I'm not... I'm not complaining... not in the slightest." I continued, more shyly. "But... hearing you say there's something nice between us and that you like feeling this comfort with me... I never thought I'd ever get to hear you say such things."

"Well... To be honest, I'm kinda surprised myself I've even had the guts to say all this stuff out loud just then..." He confessed with a tender chuckle and a brief shrug. "Especially since... there's always so much going through my mind when I'm around you and especially right now, like, a ton more things I'm thinking about..."

"Things like what?" I softly asked him as I stared at his face, admiring his features.

"Things like how cute your face looks right now with that blush on your cheeks... How soft your hair feels... How comfortable it feels to rest my arm alongside yours... How badly I wanna get even closer to you and wrap my arms 'round you and hold you real tight... How much I wanna kiss you... Things I really should just shut up about, actually-" He blurted out, the words coming out of his mouth quicker than he intended them to.

I fell utterly silent, my eyes wide open, my lips slightly parted, my face flushed, my chest no longer moving as I had started holding my breath altogether; I could think of nothing to say, my mind a complete blur as Dick's words sent my brain into overdrive, leaving me too stunned and shy to even move.

Eventually, seeing I was not reacting at all, he finally turned his head to me and stared back at me. And as my eyes met his, I could read in them a sweetness, a profound sincerity: just what I needed to clear the fog over my thoughts.

Not without apprehension and one deep gulp, I inched my right hand up to his shoulder at last and leaned ever so closer to him, our faces only a few inches away from one another.

"... Why don't you?" I asked him in a murmur, in a tone that came out much more sensual than I would have liked. "Do all these things you want to do so bad, I mean..."

He looked back at me for a moment, silent, seemingly debating mentally on what the best course of action was; once his decision made, his eyes slowly drifted downward to my hand on his shoulder, his gaze intense.

"... Well..." He started confidently, though nervousness could be heard.

Instead of continuing his sentence, he slowly turned on the sofa to face me and reached for my lower body with his arms, wrapping them around my waist and sides, just as he had fantasized.

My pulse skyrocketed and my breath hitched as I felt myself being pulled into his embrace, bringing me ever so closer to him. With the way the two of us were sitting beside each other, I had no choice but to throw my legs up and over his own, leaving them to lie over his lap while both of my hands found their way to his shoulders: the sensation of finding myself in his arms was indescribable, feelings of warmth, comfort, and safety quickly overwhelming me in the best of ways.

And in my eyes, a glimmer of love I could see appear in his.

I saw the spark of affection in his gaze and, although it was somewhat sudden, the smile it brought to my face was genuine and not one I could restrain.

Slowly, the detective squeezed me slightly tighter from around my waist then gently placed his right hand on the back of my head, his thumb starting to tenderly caress my hair; and as he did so, I watched him lean forward with determination, bringing his face right in front of mine, so close I could feel his hot breath on my cheeks.

"[Y/N]..." He murmured as his eyes moved from mine to my mouth.

I felt my breath catch in my throat and closed my eyes shut as I finally found myself entirely enclosed by him. Though I could not see it, I could feel Dick slowly moving his left hand up to my neck, cupping my face with his palm and slightly tilting it; just as much as I could feel him press his lips onto mine, creating a sudden and intense rush of passion within my body, a feeling I never wanted to relinquish.

While still in the dark, I brought one of my hands up to his face, my palm rubbing against the rough skin of his cheek and skin; the other left his shoulder, falling to his chest, my fingers gently scraping his shirt, almost as if they wanted to slither their way through the fabric.

I willingly pulled away from him, but only for a very brief instant, only to let my breath mix with his as our mouths remained an inch apart.

"I love you." I promptly murmured in a heavy pant, my eyes still closed.

And with those three words, I brought my lips back against his.

It seemed as though my sweet words had triggered a reaction in him that pushed him to pull me even tighter into his embrace, the sensations of yearning and desire reaching an all-time high inside both of us. The moment my lips returned to his, I heard a slight groan escape his throat, a sound that excited me to no end, as both of our breathing became a rhythm that seemed to match the beating of our chests.

"I love you, too." He whispered into my lips, his words barely audible.

And I now understood exactly what my confession had triggered in him, as his made me go through the same reaction

The longer it all lasted, the more I wanted of it; his large mouth against mine, his strong hands holding my body, his heavy breath in my ears, his burning touch all over my skin. But we inevitably had to pull away from each other after a short while, giving me the time to catch my breath as I kept my eyes closed, my face still close to his, my body still partly sitting over his on the sofa.

For a moment, we remained that way, the two of us in close proximity while both of our breathing slowed down, until Dick only then released his grasp on me, though he kept one arm loosely around my waist.

"... [Y/N], w-was I... did I act too fast?" He stuttered slightly, awkwardness and nervousness clearly present in his voice. "I-I'm sorry, I couldn't... help myself..."

At last, I opened my eyes upon hearing his apology and was faced with the sight of his other hand holding the nape of his neck, his head slightly down as an expression of guilt and uncertainty invaded his facial features, his thick eyebrows furrowed and his lips frowning.

With a warm smile, my hands returned to his chest and I pressed my palms against his shirt once more as I leaned forward, trying to catch his gaze.

"Hey, hey, why are you sorry?" I asked in an attempt to comfort him. "Dick, that was perfect. The kissing, the embrace, everything. It was all wonderful."

He stared back at me and let out a silent chuckle, his face now displaying relief and tenderness.

"A-Are ya sure?" He asked me softly. "I've, uh, never really done this before, so... so I've no idea if I did things right or not..."

"Yes, I'm sure." I answered him sincerely with a gentle chuckle of my own. "You did things very right, don't worry."

I tilted my head just a little as I brought one of my hands up to his jawline while I stared into his eyes, still smiling.

"Don't you think the same? Did it not feel perfect for you?"

"It did- It felt great... and perfect." He promptly replied, still slightly embarrassed, while his gaze met mine. "But... ya gotta understand, [Y/N]. Being around you all the time, an' being so close to you constantly... i-it makes me feel things, and then my brain gets all stupid around you, and..."

His voice trailed off as his gaze turned downward.

"Hehe, that's alright, I don't mind a little stupid." I teasingly said as I giggled lightly. "I'm flattered to hear I make you 'feel things', Dick... but there's truly no reason for you to be so nervous and awkward around me... especially now. Now that we both know how we feel, there's no need for us to have doubts and hesitate. And I know it's easier said than done, but I'm sure you'll get used to it, and so will your brain."

I could easily tell from his body language that he had needed to hear my affectionate and reassuring words.

"Yeah, you're probably right... I mean, I already know how I feel 'bout you, and now I know how ya feel about me too... There shouldn't really be anything for me to worry about, now should there? I guess I just need to get more confident around you, is all."

"Exactly!" I exclaimed enthusiastically. "Now that's the Dick Gumshoe I know and love."

As I laughed softly, I moved my second hand from his chest, joining the other on his face, both of my palms now lovingly holding both of his cheeks.

"Y'know [Y/N]... I may have to kiss you again right now, just to prove how exactly confident I'm startin' to feel." He joked with his tone now filled with playfulness.

"Hmm... Well, I'm right here." I said with a seductive smile as I leaned even closer to him, my body almost fully on his lap. "Why don't you just go ahead and show me?"

He chuckled warmly as he watched me move closer to him, his gaze wandering down to my lips for a moment before looking right into my eyes once more; he brought his head down again and covered my lips with his, this time not breaking apart until we would both be breathless.

Or, at least, until the door of the office suddenly opened wide, the unexpected sound startling both of us.

"Hey guys, I'm back with our lunch! Sorry it took me so long, hopefully you're not starving, hehe!"

Finding ourselves caught red-handed, the loud bang of the door drove us both to pull away from one another, jolting back from our passionate kiss as we let out a collective gasp.

I promptly turned around on the sofa, my eyes wide open and my cheeks red, only to see a grinning Maya standing in the doorway, her expression both amused and shocked.

"W-Well, this is awkward..." Dick muttered under his breath while he stared at the young girl, his voice filled with embarrassment.

"M-Maya, I-"

"You don't have to say anything, [Y/N]." She cut me off with a smirk. "I see you two have made good use of that nice quality time together..."

With a devilish giggle, she began making her way to us, a plastic bag full of food in her right hand.

"... Although I can't say I'm seeing your head on his lap." She added with a slight pout, as if disappointed. "Oh, but it's alright, you're practically sitting on it, that's good enough."

Upon hearing her teasing remark, I looked down at myself and realized I had indeed not yet moved from my position over Dick's legs: I immediately stopped holding him and slid back into my seat on the couch next to him, my eyes still shy and my face still flushed.

"W-Whatever..."

Watching her approach us and take a seat on the sofa opposite the one we were sitting on, I cleared my throat and turned my attention to the bag in her hand.

"Anyway, tell us what you bought us and let's just eat already." I said in an attempt to alleviate the awkwardness reigning in the air of the room.

Maya chuckled as she set the bag down on the table between the two sofas, her eyes shifting from me to Dick and back to me again, that teasing smile still etched on her lips.

"Nice change of subject there." She answered playfully, obviously still amused by the situation. "... Anyway, don't you worry, I bought plenty of good stuff."

As she said those words, she took various meals, drinks, and snacks from the bag, which she then presented in front of us, allowing us to pick which ones we wished to eat.

"Thanks, Maya." I said sincerely, a gentle smile on my lips. "This all looks really delicious... and, to be honest, I was getting pretty hungry."

Grabbing one of the meals and bringing it closer to me, I then paused: I turned my head to my left and stared into Dick's eyes, before I lovingly smiled at him in silence. And he stared right back.

Despite his expression quickly growing shy, his gaze did not falter from mine as his eyes took in my face, my smile, my red cheeks; all things that now seemed to have so much more meaning to him.

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