ataraxionlogs | I'm a little teapot short and stout

CHARACTERS: Annie Sawyer and Miles Edgeworth
LOCATION: The kitchens
WARNINGS: There is going to be an indecent proposal
SUMMARY: ...that indecent proposal is "would you like a cuppa"
NOTES: T

[He'd be speaking to this young woman even if he didn't have an ulterior motive. She'd wanted information about the ship at large, and so it was his duty to provide information about the ship at large; no matter that he might feel ill-tempered, misanthropic, anything, he still was obligated to help out the passengers on the ship - particularly the new ones - in any way he could.

But the ulterior motives were there. The ulterior motives had been there, in her hand. Tea. Proper tea, properly cured, not the weak stuff he plucked from the gardens and, inevitably, misprepared - no - real tea, black tea, fermented and roasted...

Of course he just wanted to help her. But there was nothing outright wrong with...getting a few benefits.

So he waits for the young woman in the kitchen, arms crossed, frowning slightly - looking a bit intimidating, but hopefully not too much so. He wants to seem serious, but he most certainly doesn't want to scare her off.]

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[Oh my gosh, Edgeworth, why so cute? She gives another smile]

He's my best friend. He gets into moods, it's nothing to worry about.

[He clears his throat to banish the last of his embarrassment, then gives her a worried look.]

You're certain? Because I don't want to find him - in a bad state.

What-

What do you know?

[Now she's trying to be subtle, as if it's possible with Annie. People see through her like she's glass]

[All he'd meant is he didn't want to find the man having killed himself - but that's a stronger reaction than he was expecting. He watches her for just a heartbeat, and then shakes his head.]

Only a little bit. A touch about some of the difficulties he's faced.

Difficul-

Which difficulties?

[Mitchell what did you say?]

[It's a blatant lie. He lowers his head and says - ]

Forgive me, ma'am. I don't know that I'm precisely at liberty to say. But you can help manage the situation?

Yes but I can't very well help if you don't tell me-

What did he say to you?

Is he all right? Sometimes he worries, you know, he doesn't tell me-

[It's like she's channeling George, and she has to stop herself. She manages, breathing in good and deep]

Er.

Sorry.

I don't know if he's all right.

[Mitchell had told Edgeworth nothing at all. All that Edgeworth had gleaned came from guesses - it seemed like Mitchell had been involved in some crime and consequently hated those who would perpetrate crimes...something of the sort. That's all he knows.

So better to gloss over all that bit about what did he say to you in favor of that last bit.]

He doesn't tell you what?

[She goes quiet for a minute. There are things she can't say.]

Well, if I knew, then I wouldn't wonder.

Understandable.

[Edgeworth watches her carefully.]

Do you think he's a threat?

[Threat is open-ended enough that it can be interpreted one of a number of ways. A threat to himself, a threat to others - it might prompt her in the right direction without giving away the fact that Edgeworth knows nothing.]

A threat-

No, Mitchell's not-

Has he threatened someone?

[Curious.]

Not to my knowledge, ma'am. I merely worry. You understand why.

You worry because he hasn't threatened someone?

[This is not a puzzle, this is just confusion.]

I worry because of the things he's said.

Because he's been cranky and likely said something about-

[And now she puts on her best Mitchell voice]

"There's just no point to being here."

In essence, yes.

Oh.

[Well.]

He's all right.

You're certain? You've not been here long.

Yes, I'm certain.

[He's just being Mitchell.]

Then I'll content myself. My concern truly is whether he will be a danger.

Well, I could take care of him for you! So you don't have to worry. And then once in a while we could meet and have tea like this and you can rest assured that Mitchell is well in hand.

[Tea is her only leverage to keep the authorities from getting on Mitchell's back]