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When Miles walked into Pizza Hut at eleven PM the last thing he expected to see was his courtroom rival behind the counter. It was nearly empty besides the defense attorney. The way he was hunched over the counter reminded him of the face he made when Miles bested him in court, Miles couldn’t help but smile at the image, but the spark of passion didn’t return to his eyes. He stayed hunched over. If Miles didn’t know any better you could have told him it was an imposter, but he still had his iconic spikes and deep brown eyes. There was an awkward pause as Miles contemplated what to do. It hit him that he had spent much too long in the doorway staring at Phoenix, but his eyes were still downcast. He looked utterly bored. If there was a way of making this much less awkward Miles didn’t know it. Must have been in that magical book of how to socialize Miles never read. He decided to just go up to the counter and stand there hoping Phoenix would notice.
“Welcome to Pizza Hut. I’m Phoenix. What would you like?” Phoenix recited. It was so robotic compared to the usual passion the man oozed. Miles couldn’t help but frown.
“Um, Yes.” Miles cleared his throat. Phoenix’s head shot-up. The man looked mortified. Miles almost wanted to console him.
“Edgeworth?!” Phoenix's face was quickly turning red, “oh god. This is not how I wanted you to learn about this.”
“It was certainly a… surprise,”
“I actually preferred you never know,” Phoenix locked onto Miles’ eyes. Miles never understood how he could always look people in the eyes when embarrassed. If it weren’t for his complexion Miles would almost think he wasn’t flustered at all, “and now you're analyzing me.” The relaxed atmosphere almost made Miles forget how intuitive Phoenix could be. His eyes came alive as he caught Miles. They were a light like he had just solved a particularly difficult contradiction. It was almost magical the way they glowed.
“Oh,” it seems Miles had become lost in Phoenix’s eyes once more
.
“Edgeworth, you really need to stop staring at my eyes,” He snorted, “If I didn’t know any better I would think you like them.”
“Wright, stop being ridiculous!” It was Miles’ turn to flush. Phoenix was now trying to shift the conversation, not that Miles was surprised. It was Phoenix's nature to turn things around on him.
Phoenix looked Miles straight in the eyes, “See, you can meet my eyes.” Phoenix looked much more relaxed with control of the situation. There was the ghost of that iconic courtroom smile. It took all of Miles’ self control to not look away. His cheeks were heating up under Phoenix’s gaze. So intense, but so beautiful. He didn’t know how anyone could call his glare piercing when Phoenix was right there.
“Aww, you flatter me,” Phoenix broke eye contact. His body posture had completely shifted, he had gone from rigid to relaxed in the matter of minutes, “What type of pizza do you want Edgeworth? If you're looking for something five star you’ve come to the wrong place.”
Miles attempted to ignore how Phoenix’s laugh made him feel as he brushed off the earlier comments and tried to compose himself, “I promised a young prosecutor that if she did all of her case work, that I would buy her lunch. She finished much later than twelve, but a promise is a promise, and I am nothing if not a man of my word.”
“That’s nice that you're buying her dinner,” Phoenix looked down to the touch screen below him, “What did she want?”
“She wanted a large pizza, garlic knots, and a two liter of diet pepsi.”
“She planning to eat that herself?” Phoenix laughed.
“God, I hope not. She would be sick to her stomach, and we're low on prosecutors already.” Miles suppressed a smile at the small chuckle the defense attorney let out.
“I’m so glad you care for her well being Edgeworth…” Phoenix teased trailing off, “want to make that a combo?”
“What?”
“I’m making it into a combo for you. It’ll be cheaper. Do you want anything for yourself?”
“Is there anything you recommend?”
“I like the breadsticks,” Phoenix pointed behind him to a large menu, “You’ve probably had better, but they're great for the price.”
“Okay, I’ll have some breadsticks.”
“That’ll be 20 dollars.”
Miles pulled out his debit card, he tried not to visibly slump, “It was nice seeing you Wright.”
“I can wait with you after I hand off the order. I was just about to get off work for the night,” The words rush out of Phoenix’s mouth. They stare at each other for a minute before Miles decides to break their silence.
“Well if you’re getting off work, I could order you something else.” Miles tried to sound casual. He was thrilled. He never got much time with Phoenix. For being best friends they never spent much time together outside of court. That was obvious from the fact that he never knew Phoenix had a side job. This was an opportunity to know more about his secret life as a Pizza Hut employee.
“This is my chance to get myself a large supreme pizza. I’m usually the one paying,” If Phoenix knew Miles’ plan he didn’t let on, he just laughed, “That will be thirteen bucks.”
“You were just talking about how strange it was to eat an entire large pizza. Why on earth would you do the same thing?” Miles swiped his card once more.
“I’m in my twenties. It’s supposed to be the prime of my life! Plus…” Time paused for a minute on Phoenix, as he gave an award winning smile. God, how Miles loved that smile. The way his eyes crinkled. Those eyes that held so many secrets, so much emotion. They were a window into another world. How it showed the dimples on his cheeks like they were a secret. They were his secret. Just in that moment, only to be unlocked by a true Phoenix Wright smile, “I’ve got you to share it with.” How on earth could Miles say no?
Miles had never had Pizza Hut pizza before, but it had to be at least decent by the way Phoenix was demolishing it. It was disgusting, but Miles couldn’t help his small laugh. If this was anyone else Miles may have left, but this was Phoenix so of course he had managed to make his savagery charming. After finishing his third slice of pizza, Phoenix looked up, “Are you not going to eat any?”
“Of course I’m going to eat some I was just distracted by the monster inhaling pizza in front of me,” The look of confusion on Phoenix’s face was almost comical, “I’m talking about you Wright.”
“Oh…” Phoenix did a double take, “Hey! I had a long day!”
“I’m sure you have.” Miles decided to go for the bread sticks next to the pizza. Phoenix did look exhausted upon closer inspection. His uniform was messy, and there was a single spiked hair hanging right in front of his face. Miles didn’t know why Phoenix would pick-up a second job, if it tired him out so much.
“No matter how tired I am, I have to do this. I would love to go home and take a nap after getting out of the office,” Phoenix sighed. Then Miles could see Phoenix. The real Phoenix, not the brave face he puts on for the world. The exhausted twenty-something who was forced into growing-up just a bit too soon. They have that in common. It’s strange to think that Phoenix was a prodigy too. He got his badge at twenty-three, and he would have gotten it much earlier if he hadn’t spent three years on an art degree. Not only that, but he had no one like himself to fall back on, “but I don’t have much of a choice. I need to pay the bills for the office and my apartment. I also need to keep Maya happy, it would be easier if it weren’t for the fact that I can’t get many clients.”
“Why? You have such an amazing track record of getting people justice.”
“Most people would rather not have an attorney who is known to stress clients with unpredictable trials. I’m usually a last resort. On top of that, I’m paying for Maya to get therapy. I also have to pay off a couple medical bills. Student loans too…,” Phoenix put on a hollow smile, “I would not recommend changing your major that far into college.” Miles saw the man in front of him. It suddenly hit him how much responsibility had been thrown at Phoenix out of nowhere.
“If you need help I-”
“No, Miles its really fine! It’s just nice to have something to eat. I didn’t get a chance to eat before coming here, so thanks for the free meal,” When Phoenix met Miles’ gaze it nearly broke him. He was so tired, but when his eyes locked with his there was an intense emotion burning behind those eyes. Miles wanted to know what it was.
“I don’t have to pay for much! I could just help with groceries for a month, or a week if that makes you more comfortable.”
Phoenix was about to open his mouth, but Miles interrupted, “I insist.”
Phoenix finally relaxed, “Yeah, It might give me enough wiggle room to get a coffee machine for the office. I always wanted one,” Phoenix still looked nervous. He looked embarrassed, “Look. When I was just starting out, everything was looking fine. It looked so easy, but I’m no business man. I don’t mind working at Pizza Hut. The manager is nice, it's out of the way so nobody,” he looked to Miles, “well...most people. Can’t find out. I’m not mad about it. I’m just upset that things didn’t go exactly as I planned.” Miles felt like he was facing a fork in the road. He didn’t know how to continue with this conversation. The last thing he wanted to do was make Phoenix uncomfortable, but this was uncharted territory, “God, Miles I’m so sorr-”
“Phoenix, it’s okay,” The words fell out of him. It felt like the right thing to say, “Life certainly didn’t go as I planned,” Miles tried to meet Phoenix’s intense gaze, “but, those paths weren’t for me.”
“I love being a defense attorney!”
“I know,” Miles laughed as he made himself a slice of this greasy monstrosity, “I know. I’m saying that there are bumps in the road. You're facing one. Honestly, I think it's admirable that you work so hard to keep you and Maya afloat. I couldn’t imagine doing all of that at once. You are one of the smartest, most kind people in the world Phoenix, don’t be embarrassed, because you work at Pizza Hut,” When Miles looked up he least expected to see Phoenix with tears running down his cheeks. His nose was running. It would be disgusting if it weren’t for the fact it was so god damn endearing.
“Thank you Miles,” Phoenix looked so open in that moment. Those eyes were glassy and full of tears, but there were the crinkles in the corners. His cheeks were tear stained, but had the dimples hidden from the world, “God, can I hug you?” Miles responded by moving to Phoenix’s side of the table. He wasn’t one for hugs, but as Phoenix Wright enveloped him, he thought he might be. Miles could feel all of his emotions. He caught a glimpse into the mind of Phoenix Wright. For a second Miles forgot about everything else, it was just him and this man in an embrace.
“Sorry, It just felt nice to get that off my chest. I just kinda felt like a failure, but its nice to have some reassurance,” Phoenix broke off the hug just a moment too soon, “especially from a friend.”
“Well of course,” Miles tried to suppress the feeling in his stomach as Phoenix said friend, “It’s really nothing.”
“Thanks for the food and listening,” Phoenix started picking up the napkins, “It was real nice of you Edgeworth.”
“You looked tired,”
“and grocery money.,” Phoenix walked to the trash can, “Is that still on the table?”
“Of course,”
“and…if it's not too much trouble,” Phoenix broke out something Miles knew all too well, his puppy dog eyes, “a ride home? The bus gets really nasty this time of night and-”
Miles thought to the pile of paperwork on his desk. He could get it done tomorrow, and, not that he would admit, it he was exhausted too.
“Thanks,” Phoenix picked up the other pizza box beside them, “Is that prosecutor going to mind if her pizza was cold?”
“It was her fault for turning it in late,” Miles scoffed. He couldn’t help the feeling he got when Phoenix cracked a smile.
As they sat in the car Miles watched Phoenix. He laid his head on the window and relaxed. The street lamps highlighted his features. His drowsy smile was apparent. When he turned to face Miles he looked so open and happy. Happy to just be here with Miles. Miles realised that he was happy to have put the other in a good mood. His stomach lurched as he realised that he was in love with him. He was in love with Phoenix Wright. This man would be the death of Miles he was sure.