Risenfromash: Don't worry more Franny stuff is coming and we are seeing the light at the end of this tunnel called Obsession Betrayed…thank goodness. This has been a real challenge because I really like Joshua ( I did create him after all)….

EPISODE 16

PART VIII

Miles and Josh were lying on the sofa together naked.

Josh kissed Miles on the cheek. "Hun, how could I have been your first? Every other gay guy insane?"

Miles laughed. "Well, not everyone is as liberated as you are, Josh."

"It's the twenty-first century and being gay is as old as time. There's nothing to be ashamed of. So, really you never…."

"No." Miles said it with a finality that indicated to Josh that he didn't want to discuss the topic further. And this only made Joshua more curious.

"You never even made out with a guy before me?"

"I tried once. Franziska set me up."

Josh nodded. "So why didn't it work out?"

"Because I didn't want to cheat on her. I kept thinking about her."

Josh almost fell off the couch. "Wait a sec. She set you up with a guy while you were together? I thought you meant before."

"No, we were together."

Josh narrowed his eyes and pondered this. "She picked out the guy didn't she?"

"Yes." Miles groaned. This was the last thing he wanted to be talking about especially with his boyfriend.

"Is it someone I know? Was it that one file clerk…what's his name?"

Miles rolled his eyes. Joshua was such a gossip hound sometimes. "No. It's no one you know. It was an old friend of her's she had come visit from Zheng Fa."

"Wait, wait." Joshua put up his hand to indicate the incoming information was more than he could handle. "She shipped in a guy for you because she was worried you were unhappy…or missing something. Is that it?"

"Pretty much."

"Dude, that girl really loves you."

"Loved me. Yes, until she slept with some other guy because I guess she thinks phone sex is less appealing than cheating." Joshua had no idea how to respond to this comment and he desperately wanted to hear more about this "hook up" Franziska had attempted to orchestrate for her brother. The more he learned about Edgeworth's life the more it seemed like it should be a made for TV miniseries.

"And you couldn't do it with him?"

"No. He was very nice, but I'd just met him. I didn't love him and Franziska was alone. It didn't seem right."

Joshua understood that there was an immense and complex history between the perfect prosecutors, one he would probably never be able to comprehend, but he knew one thing for sure. The two siblings had been very much in love with one another. It made him kind of sad to see how they were now.

"Miles, have you talked to her?"

"Of course."

"No, I don't mean shit at the courthouse. I mean talked to her about the two of you."

"We're over. You don't need to worry." Edgeworth wrapped his arms more tightly around Joshua.

"Miles, the two of you need to talk to one another not just point fingers at each other and stomp off."

Miles wondered how Josh knew with such confidence that was what he had done.

"Don't act like I'm the only one. You still have feelings for Greg and I know he called you yesterday while I was in the shower." Miles tone was unusually defensive. "I heard you talking to him. So don't make out like I'm using you or something. We're both on the rebound."

"Hun," Josh looked at Miles kindly and spoke gently despite his lover's anger. "I don't think that, but I think you need come closure. I know me and Greg are over because we've talked like a hundred times about getting back together and its bred total disaster. We're sure now."

"I am sure." Miles said his jaw set tightly his lips turning white with the pressure.

"Miles, she slept with somebody else. Shit happens."

"She could have had some goddamn restraint." Miles tone was venomous. Josh shook his head. Edgeworth was something else.

"She's not leaving your life so you need to try to resolve this. For God's sake, she's your sister. Which by the way is pretty damn fucked up. No matter what you say."

Miles groaned. How had he gone from making love to Joshua to talking about Franziska?

"You don't talk to her. I'm calling this off." Josh stood up and pulled on his underwear.

Miles sat up and looked at Josh with a mix of shock and anger. How dare he presume to tell him what to do? Joshua didn't understand anything about Franziska and how intoxicating she was. He didn't understand how Miles fought to never be around her so he wouldn't again be sucked into her, forced to forgive her and worship her yet again.

"Look, Ometers. I'm falling for you big time and I don't need another heartbreak so you figure out how the hell you feel about Franziska before I won't let you get away."

"I have no feelings for her. She's a woman. Isn't it obvious that I-"

Josh laughed, "That's the lamest excuse I have ever heard! Miles, gay guys who shack up with women in order to feel normal or blend in, choose normal women. Women who want families and stuff like that, not whip-toting bossy princesses. Hell, you didn't even tell people you were together and, besides, you're not that insecure. No, it was love…and I'm afraid it still is."

Miles grumbled. Why did Josh insist on making things difficult? "Why are you doing this?"

"Because I love you. If we're together I really want to know you want to be with me…and I want mansion privileges. I'm having to live in a crappy one bedroom apartment and I can't even hang out at your place."

"Fine. I'll talk to Franziska, but I swear we're over."

Josh shook his head as he walked to the kitchen to get them a snack. "I wish I believed that, Miles. I really do."