Chapter Text
Two years.
It had been two years since Mia had passed away. The memories still haunted Phoenix – how he should have been there to protect her that day. But he knew that there was no use dwelling on it, because Mia wouldn’t want that. Mia would want Phoenix to continue her legacy – to utilize her teachings in a way fit to the Fey name and have no shortage of compassion in doing so.
Phoenix looked over at Maya, to his left, as they walked to the court room. She was reviewing the case files for the Mask De Masque case, a focused look on her face.
Mia’s little sister.
In his mind, Phoenix had to do everything he could to protect her, for Mia’s sake. Because if Mia were here, she would be looking out for her kid sister.
Phoenix wondered about it all the time – the things Mia would be doing if she were still alive today. She would be excelling at her job as a lawyer – her drive and skills rivalling even that of Miles (and, don’t tell him, but Phoenix knew she beat him in terms of compassion). She would be a wonderful sister to Maya and support her in her journey towards becoming the Master of the Kurain Channeling Technique. She would be here with Phoenix, teaching him everything she knew and helping him as a friend.
She would be a sister, a mentor, and…
Phoenix paused.
A girlfriend.
It had come across once or twice that Mia had had a boyfriend. When she and Phoenix met to study the law and discuss related topics, there would be times when her phone would buzz, and she would hastily grab her phone with an almost desperate look on her face. Sometimes she would even rush off without so much of a word. It really puzzled Phoenix – the fact that something could make Mia look so worried and desperate at a moment’s notice. He could never forget the look on her face when he asked her what the calls were about; he remembered how she paused, and pursed her lips together. How her eyebrows were knit together in frustration and her eyes gleamed with sadness.
“I’m waiting for someone,” She had said, her voice sorrowful. “To come back to me.”
She had been waiting for a little over a year, for him to wake up from his comatose state. Sometimes men would flirt with her, and with an unwavering face, she would say, “Sorry, I have someone special waiting for me.” As if there was no doubt in her mind that he would come back to her.
Phoenix wondered who the lucky guy was – a guy so special that someone as beautiful, intelligent, and kind as Mia would wait so longingly for.
He remembered when he went to her apartment, and saw pictures of them together on her desk. A tall man, skin tan like mocha and hair black as the night. He was… handsome. In the photograph, he was carrying Mia in his arms, Mia’s arm up in the air in glee and her other arm wrapped snuggly around his neck. Their smiles were as bright as the afternoon sun. Phoenix didn’t think he had ever seen Mia look quite so happy, in the year that he had met her.
“He’s handsome, right?” Mia had asked, smiling sadly. Her eyes were downcast in a mixture of longing and anguish. “…I miss him.”
Sometimes she even gushed about how she hoped he would propose to her one day, when he woke up. And when Phoenix scanned the pictures in her room, he knew that they were in love. In the way that the man would look at Mia, his smile exuding joy whenever Mia was happy. It was evident that he treated her right – with how her cheeks became rosy when Phoenix teased her about him, or how brightly she would smile when reiterating an old, loving memory of him. The way her voice perked up when she answered phone calls from the hospital – so hopeful for a miracle.
Sadly, Phoenix never did get to meet him. He would offer to accompany Mia to the hospital, but she always declined.
“I want you to meet him when he’s awake.” She had said, her smile not reaching her eyes. “He doesn’t look quite the same anymore.”
When Mia passed away, Phoenix didn’t even think about her comatose boyfriend. All he thought about was himself – how he could have done things differently, how he could have saved her. He was overcome with grief and sadness, sharing the pain with Maya and Pearls. But it had never occurred to him that someday, the person who loved her the most might wake up and find her dead.
I wonder if he’s okay. Phoenix thought. He remembered his smile in the photographs, how happy he had made Mia – and how there was no way it was unreciprocated. And if Phoenix had gone through so much pain after Mia’s death… he couldn’t imagine how painful it must be for the man.
If he ever wakes up… Phoenix thought. I want to help him.
But, alas, the last time he had seen the photo of him and Mia was over two years ago. And the man’s appearance was already long faded in his memory…
“Nick?”
Maya’s voice pulled him out of his thoughts. Her head was tilted to the side, eyes staring at him quizzically for a response. “You ok?”
Phoenix shook his head quickly. “Y-Yeah, I’m alright.” He answered, smiling sheepishly. “I was just, thinking about some things.”
“You better not be thinking about that Desiree lady!” Pearls yelled angrily, punching Phoenix’s side with such ferocity that he jumped to the side.
He wasn’t, in fact, thinking about Desiree – but he didn’t want to bring the mood down by mentioning Mia again.
He didn’t want to mention that he was thinking about those Mia left behind.