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“Ich liebe dich.” The first time Phoenix heard Miles Edgeworth say it was after the trial he was accused for. He came up to him and shook his hand. “Thank you.”
At the moment, Nick assumed that he just gave him a translation. So he just smiled and said “You’re welcome.”
--
“It would have been better if you stayed dead!” Phoenix didn’t really mean a lot of what he was saying. He was glad, when he looks back, that Edgeworth didn’t take it very seriously.
“Your hatred is pretty unhealthy, not to mention one-sided,” Edgeworth was smirking.
“What are you doing here?” Nick asked.
“I’m here to share what I’ve learned in the past year.”
And he did. The truth was what he learned, and what Nick learned as well. And Nick also learned another thing. It’s that he trusted Edgeworth.
“I trust you,” Edgeworth said after the trial. Maya was saved, and everyone was okay. The true culprit was found, and most importantly the truth was found. Maya was enjoying some burgers that she desperately craved.
“Thank you for helping,” Nick said.
“Of course.” Edgeworth smiled. Nick opened his arms asking for a hug. Edgeworth let him. “Ich liebe dich. I missed you.”
“I missed you, too.” Nick just wanted to cry in relief. His friends were back. Maya was safe. Edgeworth wasn’t dead. He was so happy.
--
“Nick, I gotta tell you something,” Maya said one time.
“What’s up?”
“Gumshoe tells me again and again, when we talk, that Edgeworth thinks about you a lot.”
Nick raised his eyebrow. “Oh really? Do you know specifics?”
Maya squinted her eyes with a gleam. “Yeah I do!” Nick leaned more towards Maya to get the tea. “He talks about you all the time, and sometimes he says this German phrase.”
“What is it?”
“Well, Gumshoe can’t speak German, so it’s weird how he said it, but eventually I learned what it meant.”
“How’d you do that?”
“Well, if you go on Google Translate, there is an option to speak and I got him to speak the phrase on my phone. Again, terrible accent, but we somehow got it.”
“What does it mean? What is it?”
“If you just listened to me, I’d be able to finish my story,” Maya said, crossing her arms.
Nick backed down, putting his hands up in surrender. “Go ahead.”
Maya took a deep breath. “He says something like, ‘Ich diede ich’? Or something like that. Here’s the thing. It means ‘I love you,’” Maya said. Nick blinked. “He’s saying ‘I love you’ in German about you.” Nick’s face heated up. He has had a crush on Edgeworth for a while – Maya knew – and he just kept it to himself because he wasn’t sure Edgeworth felt the same. But this seemed like a sure thing.
“Neat.” That’s all Nick could say.
--
Nick had to stay in a hospital. When his friend was in terrible danger. How could it come to this? He had to do something.
“I’m glad to see you’re alright,” Edgeworth said. He came to visit Nick in the hospital from overseas. “You know, not dead.”
“It’s great to know that someone you care for isn’t dead, right?” Nick said in jest.
“At least I had to grieve for only 14 hours. I’m lucky.” Suddenly Edgeworth face turned serious and sad. “Wright. I am so glad to see you alive.” He takes Nick’s hand. He puts it to his face. “Ich liebe dich. I was so worried for you.”
Nick blushed. This was the first time he heard Edgeworth say that out loud after finding out what it meant. “Thank you. I love you, too.”
“…!” Edgeworth gasped. “I-I… you knew what I was saying?” He seemed a little embarrassed.
“Well, with the help of Gumshoe and Maya.”
“Gumshoe,” Edgeworth said under his breath. He turned back to Nick. “You don’t… you…”
“I love you. I have for a long time. I’m glad you feel the same way.” Nick smiled.
“Wright,” Edgeworth breathed. “Wright Wright. I… I love you, it’s true. You saved me, how couldn’t I?”
“S...saved you?”
“Wright, I want to help you in any way I can. With the shock of hearing about your death, I am so relieved that you’re alive. I was worried I didn’t have a chance to tell you a translation. I wanted to tell you, I really did, but I was afraid.”
“This is a lot to confess.”
“I trust you, and again, I love you. Emotions are hard for me to process and understand, but I understand this feeling for you, Wright. Not all of them, but this one. I trust you and I love you.”
“Edgeworth…” Nick sighed. “Miles, I want to kiss you,” Nick just said. He saw Edgeworth blush a little.
Edgeworth tittered. “I would if you weren’t sick,” he said, giving Nick a small smile. He looked so tired.
“Ah, maybe next time.”
“Next time.”
--
It’s the end of the trial. They finally found the truth. Nick gives Maya a big hug. He can’t take Maya being in danger all the time anymore.
They have a big celebration feast. Nick isn’t too sick anymore, and Maya is safe and sound. Nick and Edgeworth decide to go for a short walk downtown. It’s about to be darker, as it’s getting late. Nick has successfully made Edgeworth hold hands with him.
“I’m glad it’s finally over,” Nick says.
“I am, too.”
“Thank you for your help, Edgeworth.”
“You’re welcome, Wright.”
They look into each other’s eyes, and stop walking. Edgeworth leans towards Nick and gives him a kiss on the cheek. Nick blushes.
“Ha.” Nick embarrassingly scratches the back of his head. “Wanna go out?”
“On a date? Yes.”
“Cool,” Nick laughs.
“Ich liebe dich. I love you.”
“I love you, too.”