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"I'm home," Miles announces softly yet firmly as he closes the front door behind him. Setting down his briefcase, he can hear a weak mumble of agreement coming from somewhere inside the house. Phoenix, he thinks to himself, because Trucy wasn't here, and if she was here, she would definitely yell back something about a new magic trick or an exciting new fact that she learned that day.
Miles hangs his coat on the rack and moves further into the house. Almost immediately, he can see his husband, coiled up on the couch. Papers surrounding him, he looks both frustrated and confused.
Miles can't blame him. When Phoenix first picked up the case, they had discussed it and agreed that there was more to the case than meets the eye. They both knew it would get to this point.
And he feels exactly the same way.
As Chief Prosecutor, he doesn't take cases often, but when he does, they're often high-profile. As such, they're often exhausting cases that drain the very lifeforce out of him. Wrapping up the case that day was quite the handful.
"Welcome home, honey," Phoenix mumbles weakly. "Normally, I'd offer you tea, but... any chance you could make some coffee for me?"
Miles chuckles despite himself. It's so domestic, but he knew that when he married "that foolish defense attorney" as Franziska would put it. It's obvious where this was going to lead.
"Of course," Miles replies, moving towards the kitchen.
As he absentmindedly makes the coffee exactly how Phoenix wants it, he lets his mind drift off. Marriage was daunting at first, but now that they've settled into married life, it feels like the most natural thing in the world.
He steps back out, coffee in hand, and wonders how he got so lucky.
"Ugh, thanks, babe," Phoenix mutters, reaching up to grab the cup. Looking up from the papers for the first time, he gives Miles a small grin. "How was your case?"
"It ended well. The truth was discovered and the real culprit was found."
Phoenix lets out a small sigh. "I'm glad." He picks up a few papers from the couch to make room for Miles to sit next to him.
"Thanks to you, with your few tips, too," Miles sighs, sitting down on the couch next to Phoenix, his own cup of tea in hand. "How is yours going?"
He gets a sigh from that.
"Honestly? Pretty horribly." Phoenix puts his head in his hands. "The truth is always so hard to find. It's always in the last place you look."
Miles closes his eyes, taking a sip of his tea. "Well, that's pretty logical."
Phoenix lets out a small laugh. "Because you find it in the last place you look?"
Miles nods. "But I know you'll figure it out."
"Will I?"
Miles looks at him with deadpan eyes. "I'm not joking. You are one of the most brilliant people I've ever met."
Phoenix gives him a small, weak smile.
Miles returns it.
Phoenix gestures to himself vaguely "I know you must be exhausted. I'll be working, but you can rest here with me."
Miles feels his eyes drooping. That's probably for the best, actually.
"Mmm," he mumbles, leaning his head on Phoenix's shoulder. "Figure it out?"
Phoenix sighs, looking down at the papers. "Hopefully soon. I'm getting exhausted from going through everyth--... wait."
Miles blinks, sitting back up. "Hm?"
Phoenix gapes at the papers in his hand. "This is it."
"What?"
"The last thing that can prove my client innocent!"
Miles' eyes widens. "You--"
"I picked up papers so you could sit, and it was here the whole time!" A burst of energy shoots through Phoenix. "You were the answer!"
"Me?"
"Well, you came home and made my day better, and helped me solve the case, so..."
Miles rolls his eyes. "Unbelievable."
Phoenix relaxes into the couch, feeling the energy leave him and his exhaustion take over. "I'm tired. It's been a long day."
"It has." Miles leans his head on Phoenix's shoulder again. "You deserve a break."
"So do you."
"Those aren't contradicting statements."
Phoenix doesn't argue this time, just goes quiet and leans back into Miles. "Mmm... right."
They sit in silence, relaxing. The papers will figure themselves out later. Miles is sure the half-finished cup of tea and the barely-touched cup of coffee is going to go cold, but none of that matters right now.
Miles whispers, "I love you."
"I love you, too," Phoenix responds, letting sleep take him and his husband away.