Work Text:
It's lonely around here. Anyone want to hear a story about Gregory? (You're gonna whether you want to or not.)
...............
Alright! Here's one...
I got in so easy as Mr. Edgeworth's assistant when I was a young boy 'cus Gregory and I were acquainted before.
Since I was 15-or-so, I would never miss a criminal trial if I could help it.
And back in the day-- those trials were long! None of this "three day" nonsense.
E veryone was really hungry after a trial day, so I just kinda happened to end up eating at the same little restaurant that a few other lawyers and jury members did, too.
I guess Mr. Edgeworth must've noticed the bouncy, excited little kid on the days when I attended his trials, because eventually he came up to me when I was eating one day, asked if he could take a seat, and did so when I stammered out: "Y-yeah, go ahead!"
He ended up making small talk with me, which he wasn't really good at, and we finally got to the topic of law, and how he'd see me a lot at the courthouse.
This was when things got less awkward for me. I was coming out of my shell talking about something I loved!
I told him all about how I really wanted to be a defense lawyer. I wanted to save people, protect them if they needed protecting. I was never the strongest guy, so I never thought I'd be able to help much before an arrest was made, so the best option was "after" the arrest.
I don't know why I was obsessed with the idea to the point that I was, but I digress.
Anyway. Mr. Edgeworth didn't smile much. I could tell from the crease in his brow. But I could also tell that he was interested in listening, and at that point, I was gonna run my mouth anyway.
After I'd breathed every last thing I could remember since my pre-teens about my interest in law, and every little minor detail in-between, he said "ah", and nodded. And drank his water. And then he told me, knowing more than I could've known at the time:
"Ray, I want you to keep that strong feeling of yours close to your heart and I want you to protect it. You have to protect yourself to protect others, you understand?"
I'd never forget those words. Never.
Now, obviously, I said: "Yeah, of course!" ...
But, man, I was still just a kid at that point. I didn't really get it. And he must've known that from the way I was carrying myself, because the next few times we caught each other at the same restaurant, he'd come over to my table and go over all the gritty-- and boring-- aspects of his cases.
It was an eye-opening moment for me, honestly... but every day he'd say something along the lines of:
"I wouldn't change this profession for the world."
And I guess that's what cemented the idea in my mind that I also wasn't going to change my mind for the world.
....
Ah, I've been talking for a while, right? I'll wrap it up, now.
Eventually my auntie came around to grab me from the restaurant one night, which she didn't usually do. I took the bus! But on this night, she met Gregory.
I introduced them, explained my living situation with her, my aunt and I shared a joke that made us laugh in the same way (which Mr. Edgeworth was amazed by,) and finally, we said our goodbyes and left. That was still when I was 15, mind you.
Afterwards, Gregory kinda ended-up as a family friend-- even if I didn't have a whole lot of family to befriend. We'd go out for lunch or breakfast even when I couldn't make a trial, and sometimes Gregory would drive me home on a rainy or snowy day.
I met his family, too.
Miles. Little Miles. We ended up bonding over cartoons, and that's probably when Mr. Edgeworth knew he wasn't gonna get rid of me so easy.
When I turned 17, he told me I could start acting as his assistant at Edgeworth Law Offices.
That was the best thing I'd heard, that birthday. I was bouncing around everywhere, yelling about how I was gonna be an assistant to "the" Gregory Edgeworth. The folks in the neighborhood were proud of me. We were a tight-knit group. I even got a notebook-- "The" notebook, from my old next door neighbor.
Anyway, I started a few months later. I won't get into it all right now, but... I guess I just think about how none of this would've been possible if he hadn't sat down with me, that day.
....
What a great guy. I miss him.