Work Text:
Miles sat himself down on the chair, struggling not to squirm in his seat. His hands clasped together as he tapped his feet against the polished floor, waiting.
It wasn't that he hasn't been to the detention centre before, because that'd be the quite opposite. He has been on both sides, both as a prosecutor and as a defendant. None of which had been a significance of an experience, only that he could've been in jail right now, hadn't it been for phoenix defending him on that one fateful day.
The heavy door cracked open with a low screech and in came a fairly tall figure, shoulders hunched and head lowered as he shuffled over to his seat. Miles straightened up as he slumped in his chair, his whole attention on the man sitting at the other side of the glass.
"Hello, apollo." The young attorney seemed to shrink into himself even more at the mention of his name. "Papa." He mumbled in a sort of greeting, his hand clutching at his bracelet. Miles felt a pang of protectiveness wash over him as he leaned in to take a better look at his adopted son.
"How are you feeling?" Apollo made a resigned noise, adjusting the golden band around his wrist. The dim light of the lightbulb shining down on him set shadows on his face and now the dark circles under his eyes stood out even more than before.
He looked exhausted, and miles knew he hadn't gotten a wink of sleep. He didn't either, no one could after what happened last night.
"I'm fine." He twitched under the prosecutor's gaze, lips set into a thin line. Before miles could object to the obvious lie Apollo was speaking again, refusing to meet miles' eyes.
"Why are you here?" He asked wearily, his shoulders tense. Miles frowned. Did he really not expect him to come here, or try anything to save him from the meaningless accusation?
"I thought that would be obvious." He said carefully, watching the younger man for a reaction.
"I'm here to find the truth." Apollo paused, lifting his gaze to meet the other man's eyes. He looked pained, his eyes held so much pain and sorrow that it was hard to look at them. That boy resembled his other dad, somehow open with his emotions but closed off enough to hide his pain.
And this event seemed to take too much toll on him to show his pain this openly, brown eyes swimming with raw emotions he had no control over.
Miles himself was in pain too, but he was better in hiding it. He had to, he had to be strong for his children. Their children.
"Don't you think i was the one who-" his voice cracked at the end and Apollo cut himself short, face pale as he relieved the last night's events. Miles could almost see the images flashing before the attorney's eyes, cold and unforgiving. His heart sunk in his stomach, because both him and this boy shared the same tragedy now. He knew how it felt and he never wished it upon anybody else, especially his own son.
It was a heavy weight to bear, thinking you've murdered your own father. Miles bore that weight for fifteen years, letting it crush him into a shell of a man who sought for nothing but guilty verdicts. No matter if the defendant was innocent or not.
Miles would never let this attorney sitting before him suffer the way he did, because he knew the truth. He knew Apollo was innocent. And to make sure everyone would know, he'd took the case.
"Don't be absurd." Miles said firmly, though his voice came softer than he intended to. Apollo looked surprised at the man's words, fingers twitching on his bracelet. Miles didn't even gave him the time to doubt himself,
"I'm quite certain of your innocence. And i am about to prove that." Apollo's lips twitched, wrapping his arms around himself as he leaned back against his chair with a tired sigh. He still looked doubtful, but miles could see a hint of hope in his posture too.
"Tell me what happened." Apollo looked away, a shadow falling over his face.
"I don't really remember anything." He murmured, eyes dull and unfocused as if dwelling somewhere else. Miles nodded, encouraging him to continue.
"I got back to the office around midnight because I had something to discuss with dad, but strangely when I got there the door was open and the lights were out." Miles kept his eyes on his son, eyes watching intently as he talked.
"The moment I set foot in the place i felt something-" Apollo furrowed his brows, his fingers unclenching from his bracelet to lift up at a spot on his neck.
"It felt warm in here." Apollo's hand went to his chin in a thoughtful manner, his sorrow forgotten for a mere second to remember what happened. Thoughts forced their way into miles' mind but he pushed them away, returning his attention to apollo.
"I don't know exactly what happened, maybe I passed out or something like that." Apollo closed his eyes, pain returning to his exhausted features.
"When I woke up," the attorney swallowed, his hands shaking as he struggled with his overwhelming emotions.
"I was on the floor, leaning against the wall." His words came out in a thumble, and he covered his face with his hands, letting his body tremble with guilt and misery.
"I had a knife in my hands and my clothes and the tip of that...thing was all bloody-." Apollo shook even harder and as closed off the prosecutor was, he suddenly had this urge to give this boy a hug. It wasn't like they didn't do that before, just the two were really awkward at the same time.
"And when I got up and started to look around, told myself to breathe…" his voice came out muffled from beneath his hands, crumpled from the tragedy the universe shoved him into.
"I found him behind his desk." Suddenly all the emotions from the attorney's voice was gone, replaced with a dullness that made miles' lungs constrict in his chest. He lifted his head from his hands, eyes red rimmed as he ran a hand down his face.
"If it wasn't for the blood that pooled beneath his chair i would've thought he fell asleep." He couldn't get any paler, miles thought distractedly. He hadn't realized his own breaths coming out in short, quiet intakes of air, his hand clutching at his arm so hard to tear through the material at any moment.
It was as if he heard the news for the first time, despite the fact that he himself found the body of his beloved in the office, left off to die in his own blood. He remembered the metallic stench of blood, lingering in the air and whispering of death.
Apollo wore the same expression when miles found him next to the older attorney, eyes wide and face blanched as he silently begged the man to wake up, to open his eyes.
Phoenix looked peaceful at that moment, long lashes more visible against his ashen skin and a dry trail of blood came from the corner of his lips. His limp form hunched over the desk, his head resting against his crossed arms on the wooden surface. Apollo was right. If it wasn't for all that blood, miles would have thought he had fallen asleep again, which wasn't a rare occurrence. His blood was a stark opposition against his blue suit, and miles wondered if it was the same when phoenix found the body of his mentor leaning against one of those walls.
It wasn't, miles clenched his jaw. It wasn't the same.Phoenix lost a mentor that night, but last night miles lost a piece of himself. He felt a bile raise up his throat and forced it back down. How did this happen in one night?
He had to fix this. Everything was on his shoulders, his alone. And he didn't intend to let his family down, especially not like this.
Not when everything they built up went up in flames in only one single night.
He shoved his emotions to the back of his mind. Miles needed to think rationally, if he wanted to save their son from this. He knew phoenix would agree with him, wherever he was.
"That knife." Apollo grimaced at the mention of that, but kept eye contact.
"What about it?"
"They found your finger prints on it." Miles paused, feeling the suspense towering over him as he let the gears in his mind whirr back to life.
"Along with another set of unidentified fingerprints, detective skye is looking into them as we speak." At this point miles was sure Apollo would break his bracelet with the way he held on to it.
"I'm not surprised…" He murmured, his brow furrowed into a frown.
"But there was one thing weird about it." Miles arched a brow in response. "And what is that?"
"I held it in my right hand." Apollo said nervously, shifting in his chair. Miles froze.
There it was. That was an evidence he could use.
"You are left-handed, correct?"
"Yes." Miles shook his head. "I believe as an attorney you can spot the contradiction yourself, apollo." Apollo shrugged half-heartedly, a bit of hesitance in his actions. "I can never be sure." Miles let out a sigh. Apollo was one of the most stubborn people he met in his life, and if he believed in something, it took a while to prove him otherwise. He forced himself to let it go for now, and grappled for the next question.
"You told me you felt something on your neck, correct?" Apollo nodded jerkily, a note of confusion in his voice when he spoke up.
"Yes." he grimaced, rubbing the back of his neck.
"It was like a prick. I don't remember what happened after that. " Miles frowned, doubt blossoming in his chest as gears turned inside his head. Slowly he reached a conclusion, as heavy as a brick as it hit him. Apollo still looked confused at the look of utter shock on his adopted father's features, tilting his head to the side.
"I believe I've came to a conclusion." Miles said, unable to hold off the weak note of excitement from his tone. Apollo arched a brow, disbelief glittering in his eyes as he stared at the man.
"Really?" Miles' eyes softened before he could stop it. "Of course." He replied gently, lips curling up into a reassuring half-smile.
"I know everything I needed, now." He paused, and before he could have the time to regret it pressed his palm against the glass, eyes firm.
"Do not lose hope." Apollo was caught off guard at the action, but soon his expression morphed into weak smile as he himself pressed his hand on the glass where miles' rested.
"I won't." He promised, as the guard led him out of the room, and miles watched him until he was out of sight.
I won't let you down. He vowed silently as he walked to the exit, and for a moment he could see a pair of brilliant blue eyes, shining with determination. Those were the same words that foolish lawyer uttered out right after miles agreed for phoenix to defend him.
Phoenix promised him once and kept his word. Miles intended to do the same.
-----------
The judge pounded his gavel, and that noise never seemed so dreadful to him before. The last time he felt such a thing was when he faced off against phoenix for the first time and oh what a fool he was if he thought he could win that case. He remembered the burning sense of defeat, the distinct buzz in his head. It all gathered up and shaped into dread, which seemed to get harder and harder to push away.
It wasn't pretty, losing his perfect record. He didn't really accept the fact that instant, because von karma taught him the first priority would be the verdict. And his record.
But the moment he stood behind that defendant stand, phoenix showed him how it was to seek the truth. Having a perfect record wasn't that.
And since then, miles didn't cared about his record anymore. He sought for the truth and if that'd be earned by helping his rival get his client a not guilty verdict, then so be it.
The chief prosecutor and the turnabout terror, the unstoppable duo. They solved many cases together, shining light on the truth with what they had. Evidence was everything and with a bit of their wits and the testimonies, the truth would be revealed. It was almost like a dance, and this time, they clicked into place like they had to. And no one stepped on another's foot.
One of the reasons for that would be the very existence of that foolish attorney himself.
Miles never saw an attorney defend like phoenix wright defended his client in court. He could break apart a witness' amazing testimony and reveal the lies without breaking a sweat. It had to be something about the way his blue eyes lit up whenever he got the whole image of the truth, bright with excitement and determination.
Miles was a fool. He took those moments for granted. He'd been so occupied with the thrill of each trial he took against his husband that he foolishly thought life may let them have this.
He failed to get a bloody verdict. Failed to avenge the love of his life. To protect their son. Miles' hands clenched into fists.
From the defendant seat Apollo justice gave him a helpless look, his hands clenching and unclenching on his lap. He already doubted himself enough, and this case wasn't helping at all.
At least he tried to stay strong, for his own sake and for the sake of the man that was like a father to him. Yet all their attempts had failed, and athena looked this close to jump over the bench and sucker punch the witness in the face. Widget had flicked red a long time ago, matching the dark look on her face.
That's it? A voice asked in amidst the chaos and miles grit his teeth, willing the voice to quiet down.
I let him down, didn't i? Seemed like he failed silence it.
And now they were going to take Apollo to jail because of something he didn't do. He dared himself to glance at the man sitting on the defendant chair. Apollo seemed to have accepted this fact, a crooked, bitter smile on his lips.
So he waited with an aching heart for the verdict, but something stopped the judge from doing so. Just like always.
The doors were thrown open and miles whipped back to the source of noise, slightly irritated.
However, that look didn't stick for a long time.
"Hold it!"
All eyes were on the figure standing at the door before the courtroom erupted into gasps, and miles couldn't help but stare with widened eyes. His heart slammed on his rib cages, threatening to rip itself out at any moment.
At the doorway stood phoenix wright in his white and blue glory, index finger stretched out with a confident smirk on his face.
"I think you forgot one thing, your honor." Miles blinked once. Twice.
Phoenix didn't disappeared before his eyes like he expected to. He wondered if he should laugh or cry, and at the end he did none of that. He just stared.
Of course that didn't change the fact that phoenix wright was dead, but for now he was here. Right Here.
Athena was the first one who snapped out of her stupor, a nervous smile on her face. "Your honor." The judge turned his shocked gaze to the young attorney, confusion evident in his face.
"The defence would like to call it's witness." Athena glanced back at her boss, pain flickering across her features for a bare moment. "Who was also the victim." The previous witness gaped at the lawyer, her face as white as a sheet as she raised a shaking finger at phoenix.
"Y-you!" Phoenix caught the look on the woman's face immediately, giving her a sarcastic smile. "I suppose you didn't expect to see me this soon, huh?" She went at last three shades paler at those words.
Apollo had been staring at his other dad with an unreadable expression on his face, though miles swore he could see the confusion and guilt battling for dominance in his eyes.
The judge slammed his gavel, silencing the crowd once again as he recovered from the shock. "Very well, you shall proceed with your testimony." Miles didn't really expect anything else from the judge, the man did witness a spirit of a murderous woman letting go of a certain spirit medium's body before.
"Witness, please state your name and profession." Miles forced himself to say, though he was almost sure phoenix noticed the strain in his voice. His eyes softened for a moment, before his professional facade came back on as he turned back to the judge.
"Phoenix wright. I'm a defence attorney." Phoenix paused, "or was." Miles flinched at that. Apollo looked a little pale, clenching his jaw.
With a heavy sigh the dead attorney started, his hands resting on the wooden witness stand. "I think it was around midnight, I stayed over late at night since me and Apollo were supposed to meet at the office over a case." He frowned, lips tugged down at the corners.
"I heard the door open, and it couldn't be anyone but Apollo so I thought nothing of it." Phoenix let out a defeated sigh, his shoulders hunching as a shadow crossed over his features. "Should've Known. That person was too quiet and careful with their steps than Apollo would." Phoenix ran a hand through his hair, a thoughtful glint in his eyes as he stared off into space.
"I was stabbed before I even knew it and in self defence I managed to pull out the knife and stab them in the arm when they were distracted." Phoenix clenched his jaw, expression twisted in desperation and worry.
The judge raised a brow, looking rather confused at the moment. "You pulled out the same knife out of your body and stabbed them?" Phoenix rubbed the back of his neck, a sheepish smile on his face.
"Well...yeah?" He frowned, turning his gaze to the side. "That person was too busy with their speech about how much they were waiting for this moment or something so i took my chance." The attorney sighed, tapping his fingers against the wooden stand.
"I'm no doctor but i'm sure that'd leave a mark. At the left shoulder." The judge seemed to be thinking for a moment,
"Do you have evidence to prove your claim?" Miles decided to step in, shaking his head with his signature smirk on his face.
"Your honour, the knife's handle bore the fingerprints of two people. Apollo justice and phoenix wright, which proves the witness' claim." He glanced at Apollo, who was silent at the moment, watching with wary eyes. Phoenix, sensing that he could continue with his testimony spoke up, an unreadable expression on his face.
"I couldn't do anything about it, but the last thing I remembered was a feminine voice." Apollo stared back at his mentor, the confused look on his face giving way to horror.
"No…" he stumbled backwards, his hands shaking as he shifted his gaze to the ground, eyes far, far away. Miles took note of it right away, giving him a worried frown. He walked over, watching as the younger attorney shivered, hugging his arms.
"Apollo?" Dull, brown eyes snapped up to him, filled with fear as he took a shaky breath.
"Are you alright?" Apollo closed his eyes, his grip tightening on his arms. "I-" he exhaled sharply.
"Mr gavin- they have a sister." Miles furrowed his brows. "Yes, I'm aware. She'd comitted suicide years ago." Apollo's hands clenched into fists, his eyes opening to stare right back into his father's eyes.
"That- that was all fake!" Now all eyes were on the attorney at the defendant stand, Apollo didn't seem to care.
"She's still alive!" The courtroom went silent. Miles felt the cold sense of dread crawl up into his back as the words sunk in.
Grey eyes flickered to the blond woman standing at the corner of the courtroom, and suddenly it was as if he'd been dunked into a pot of boiling water. Those cold eyes, the familiar sense of discomfort whenever she was present…
That was all the traits kristoph gavin possessed. A jolt of shock went over him.
"I guess we met again." Phoenix's lips curled up into a menacing smirk, cold blue eyes locked on the woman. Strangely, he didn't look surprised at all, as if…
As if he already knew, Miles realized. He wanted the others to find out themselves because no one would ever believe his story, unless they'd see it with their own eyes.
Miles had many crazy cases himself, but even miles would find it hard to believe the sister of a mad attorney who tried to ruin phoenix's life once walked up to his office and killed him.
And don't even mention the small fact that she attempted to frame their son.
"Krista gavin." The courtroom broke into a fit of excited murmurs, which was once again silenced by the judge's gavel.
"Witness," the judge's eyes were slightly wide from shock. "What are you intending to say?" Phoenix crossed his arms, shaking his head. It was overwhelming how his demeanor resembled miles' at that moment. Seemed like all those years they spent together, it wasn't just phoenix rubbing off miles and making him be a little more positive from time to time.
"It appears miss poster is actually krista gavin," miles spoke up absentmindedly, tapping his index finger against his arm. He might sound calm and cold at the moment, but on the inside he was as baffled as their little audience.
"You don't have any evidence to prove that." Came gavin's voice from beside the witness stand, a sickening smile on her face that creepily resembled her brother's. Phoenix seemed unaffected by it, however, returning her smile.
"Actually, I do." His eyes hardened. "do you really think after all those years I spent defending people, i would make such a rookie mistake to claim something without evidence?" Gavin's smile wavered a bit as she grit her teeth, glowering at the attorney.
"I've heard all about you from my brother, wright." She sneered, her fingernails biting into her pale skin. "You're well known for bluffing your way through any case of yours." Phoenix levelled her a blank look, the same look a mother would give her child when it did something inappropriate.
"I don't need to bluff to prove who you are." Gavin looked a bit pale again, though the sweet smile on her face was yet to go away.
"I find that hard to believe."
"Actually, you better believe that." A new voice called out, and everyone turned to the source of the voice. There stood klavier gavin, who was standing up from his seat on the gallery.
Apollo was the most surprised to see the prosecutor here, it seemed. Miles scoffed to himself. As protective they were of their children, miles could tell klavier truly loved their son. And apollo would be a fool if he thought a stupid accusation of murder would make klavier leave him.
"Don't think i'd sit down and let you frame my boyfriend for the murder of his own vater just because you're my 'sister'." There was something different in klavier's tone, something cold and venomous he hadn't heard from the upbeat and laid back prosecutor before.
"...so are you confirming the fact that this woman is your sister, who was declared dead years ago?" The judge asked, looking rather overwhelmed. Miles would be overwhelmed too, this case was a little...too much. With the victim himself testifying and the discovery of the fact that long dead sister of the gavins was actually alive…
-This case really was something else.
A malicious laugh broke the silence and all eyes turned to the imposter. Her head was lowered, her blond hair blocking her eyes from the view. Miles didn't like the aura surrounding her at all.
"Alright, i confess." She looked up at the prosecutor, her lips twitching as she dragged a hand through her hair.
"I'm krista gavin." She tilted her head, her cold gaze unwavering on miles. He'd be unnerved, if that wasn't a skill he also happened to possess.
There had been one little difference, though. Her gaze held a hint of insanity that was something beyond the glint in her oldest brother's eyes.
Something more hateful, promising of murder and chaos. Miles grit his teeth. This woman had something up her sleeve, and he didn't intend to let her get away.
"But there is one little problem here." Gavin flicked her gaze to inspect her fingernails, a rather calm smile on her face.
"You don't have the evidence to prove your foolish claims about me murdering that spiky twink over there." She pointed at the attorney at the witness stand, her lips quirking up by a fraction.
Miles didn't even need to glance over at the defence bench to see their reactions, the desperate rustling of paper told him enough. His chest grew tight as he slammed his fist on the desk, letting his mind wander to all the possibilities.
Think, he told himself, tapping away his thoughts against his arm. What kind of evidence proves miss gavin is the culprit? His finger twitched against his arm as it slowly cleared up for him, a crystal clear image in his mind as he slammed his palm on his bench with a smirk on his face.
"Actually you're wrong, miss gavin." He wagged his finger in an almost chiding manner, levelling the woman a cold look.
"I'd have never thought some mastermind such as you would forget something rather...simple." phoenix grinned, and that was the first time that day he could see a glimmer of hope in Apollo's eyes.
"Have you forgotten about mr wright's testimony? He claimed that he left a mark on the culprit's shoulder." Miles tilted his head, letting himself enjoy the defeat ghosting her features.
"The defense demands for the witness to show us her shoulder!" Athena slammed her hand on the bench, eyes lit up with enthusiasm.
She held their stare for a moment before letting out a dry laugh, reaching for her shoulder. Perhaps she could finally see that she couldn't get away with this.
Without another word krista pulled away the cloth covering her shoulder, revealing a mass of bloody bandages. She tore off the dirty bandages without a care and revealed a deep wound, dirty and swollen.
The gallery burst into a fit of chatter and murmurs, and for the first time miles didn't mind it.
-----------
Miles didn't even registered it when the judge pounded his gavel down for the last time, as they all waited with bated breath for the judge to speak up.
It didn't happen much that the court would fall this silent out of sudden, but today was an exception. He didn't have the skill of miss cykes in reading people's emotions but even miles could feel the nerves radiating from the court.
Miles had to admit he felt a twinge of worry in himself too as he met Phoenix's eyes from across the court. And in a split second it faded away when phoenix smiled, his blue eyes softening as he met his gaze.
"The court now pronounces krista gavin guilty." The judge announced, leaving no room for argument as the courtroom burst into a shower of confetti. People were cheering, but all miles cared about was to walk over to his family.
They all were silent as they made their way to the defendant lobby, and that was when miles could have a better look at his husband.
Nothing changed about him, and if miles didn't know any better he'd have thought this man was still alive. Yet even in his death phoenix wright managed to look so lively, talking with his daughter with an affectionate glint in his eyes.
He lifted a hand to brush her hair out of her face and the light caught on the golden band on his finger, making it glow. Miles glanced down at the ring on his own finger, his heart aching as he clutched it close to his chest.
Phoenix murmured something in his daughter's ear, making her eyes light up with a mix of joy and melancholy as she pulled him into one last hug.
After that phoenix made his way for the rather tense attorney standing in a corner and without a word wrapped his arms around him. Apollo stiffened up for a brief moment before melting into the embrace, clutching at the back of his coat as if he wished to never let go.
Miles could see the tremble in his body, the cracks slowly crawling up on his perfect dam. He'd been staying strong for a long time, and with his father holding him like that he broke. His body shook even harder and phoenix just stood there, resting his head on his son's head and rubbing his back until the tears would dry. Until Apollo could compose himself again, and pretend he never had an emotional breakdown that day.
"Take care of yourself, promise me." Miles swore he heard his voice crack at some point as he gripped Apollo's shoulders, eyes firmly trained on the younger attorney.
"I promise." Apollo whispered, his voice shaky as he mustered a weak smile.
Satisfied, phoenix finally turned to miles. Before miles could even realize their bodies collided with each other, phoenix's arms tightly secured around his neck. Carefully miles lifted up his arms to place them around the small of his back, burying his head against his dark hair. His heart threatened to jump out of his rib cages, because this couldn't be real.
He wasn't really given the chance to say goodbye to his husband. And if this was a blessing or a curse, he'd never know.
"I'm sorry i can't kiss you." Phoenix muttered, his arms tightening around him and miles closed his eyes, allowing himself to have this moment. Because this would be the last time he'd be able to hold this man in his arms.
Out of nowhere his mind registered what phoenix meant to say, this body wasn't his so he had to be careful with his actions. He opened his eyes.
"Miss fey channeled you?" Phoenix let out a breathy chuckle, his chest rumbling with his laughter. "Yeah. She saw the way you guys were about to mess up the whole thing so she gave me a call." Miles' lips twitched up into a smile as he pulled his husband closer, his hands trembling.
"I don't know what to do without you." He blurted out without a second thought, his voice cracking at the end. Even the thought of it hurt too much for him to handle, it felt like the pain was tearing him apart until there'd be nothing left. Nothing of the chief prosecutor. There'd be no miles edgeworth left off either.
"You're not losing me." Phoenix whispered against his ear before pulling away to look at miles in the eyes. He reached out to cup miles' face, and miles swore he was about the crack at the tenderness that simple gesture held. He melted into the touch.
"I'm always with you, miles." Phoenix smiled, but it fell as soon as it came. He frowned as he thumbed away a tear, and that was when miles realized he was crying. His hand slipped up to rest on phoenix's-the one resting on his cheek as he turned and pressed a kiss against his husband's palm.
"Talk to me. I'll be listening, alright?" Miles could only nod, taking in the sight of him for the last time all while he tried to get himself back together.
"I love you." Phoenix mumbled, his breath ghosting against his lips as he smiled back at his husband with an affectionate gaze. "I love you so much. Never forget that." Miles' hand shook as he reached down and pushed a stray lock of black hair out of phoenix's face.
"I love you too." His smile was blinding as he left maya fey's body, leaving a woman with a smaller frame stumbling in its place. She dusted herself off, giving miles a questioning look.
"How did it go?" Miles smiled knowingly to himself, reaching up to adjust his glasses.
"Well, i must say," he glanced to the side, and for a moment he caught a glimpse of a thrilling smile and a pair of blue eyes.
"That was a rather odd case."