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When he was a kid, he learned that Miles Edgeworth was not his soulmate.
Phoenix had asked him about his soulmate out of curiosity because that's what every kid does. They don't know any better, don't know that it's not really something you ask someone you just met.
But Miles just looks at him with a straight face and says the words that haunt him forever.
"I don't have one."
Phoenix wants to ask so many questions, but it's time to go, so they split, going down different streets.
It doesn't take long for them to actually split down different paths in their life either.
-
The next time they meet, Phoenix is dead-set on saving him.
There's no if's, and's, or but's about it. He's done all of this because he knows that this isn't the Miles he knew as a kid. It's weird, a little unhealthy, the way he obsesses over him and the kid that he used to be, but he can't be bothered to do anything else.
He's here because he has to be.
No other questions about it.
When Miles looks at him with that straight face, he knows that his friend is still in there, somewhere.
He just has to pull him out.
-
"Wait, is Edgeworth your soulmate?" Maya says, "Because there's no way that you-- you'd only do this sort of thing for a soulmate, right?"
Phoenix just laughs. "What? I don't know. I've never met anyone with a matching mark, and besides, I--"
I don't understand love, not really.
None of my previous relationships have worked because I keep falling out of love?
I've been in love, but it's so fickle to me that I'm starting to get the feeling that it's not really what love is.
I can't get past the infatutation stage. I just fall out of love.
"I just know this is the right thing to do." Phoenix nods his head, getting filled with determination again. "I just have to. I have to save Miles Edgeworth."
Maya just watches him curiously.
-
"Why?" Is what Miles asks him at first. "Why would you do this? After all this time, after years of ignoring you, you still did this for me?"
"Why wouldn't I?"
"Are you doing this because--" Miles pulls away, his face scrunching up. "I told you, I don't-- we can't be soulmates, Wright."
"What is up with everyone and telling me that?" Phoenix narrows his eyes. "I'm not doing this because I think I'm obligated to. I'm not doing this because I think we're soulmates. I'm doing this because--"
Because what?
"Because everyone deserves to be saved." And that's the truth. "I knew it wasn't you. You deserved to be helped. That's all."
Miles looks at him for a few moments.
At first, Phoenix wonders if they'll kiss. Then, he's worried that they will.
Am I prepared for love? Do I-- Do I need to be loved like that? Do I want to be loved like that?
Then Miles just walks away.
-
"Thank you for coming," Phoenix says from his hospital bed. "You didn't have to."
"Larry told me you were dying." He looks away. "... I thought I'd drop by."
Huh, Phoenix thinks to himself as his friend goes through the details of the situation. He does care about me.
-
They're both important to each other, but in what ways?
Phoenix doesn't know where to start.
Does he love him? He doesn't know if that's the right word, but he thinks of Miles as family. The two's lives are so intertwined, it's almost like they're soulmates, but...
Miles' blank skin and the strange symbol on the back of Phoenix's shoulder seem to tell him otherwise.
But they do this little dance anyway, because what are you supposed to say? I love you, but I don't. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, but not in that way. I want to love you, but I---
can't.
-
Maya keeps asking if he's going to find someone or die old and alone.
Why does it have to be one or the other?
-
"There's something special between the two of you, isn't there?" Klavier asks offhandedly. He's strangely good at that, just like-- "Do you like him?"
"I mean, I like him. He's a good friend."
"Herr Wright, that's not what I mean."
"I don't like him like that." He shakes his head. "Not romantically."
"That's also not what I mean." Klavier tilts his head. "The two of you can be special to each other, and not necessarily be romantic. Wouldn't you say?"
And Phoenix's world falls apart.
-
How are you supposed to ask someone about something like this?
Hey, can we be special to each other, forever?
Hey, is it alright if we live together and do things together, but not be dating, per se?
Is it alright if I want to kiss you, but not do anything more than that?
Is it alright if--
If I love you?
-
"Hey, you don't mind that I invited Papa, do you?"
Phoenix stills. "Papa?"
"Yeah, you know. Mr. Edgeworth!"
"You're--- he's Papa?"
Trucy frowns. "Yeah. He's Papa. And you're Daddy."
"But we're not..." He swallows. "We're not dating."
"That doesn't matter. You can still co-parent, right?" Trucy winks. "Plus, you two are sort of platonically dating already, wouldn't you say?"
-
"Are we platonically dating?" Phoenix busts through the door of Miles' office.
"Aren't you supposed to be at work?" Miles says dryly, glancing up from his desk.
"Never mind that," Phoenix brushes it off. "Are we? Because everyone seems that we are, and I guess we could be, but I'd just like to know. And if we aren't, I kind of would like to be."
Miles looks at him funny. "... You know that I won't ever develop romantic feelings for you, right?"
"Well, that's-- that's fine, I wasn't expecting that anyway," Phoenix laughs. "I haven't dated since college, and you know how well that turned out."
"I just want you to know that--" Miles looks around, nervously. "That I might not fulfill your expectations, because you're... and I..."
Phoenix shakes his head. "I want to platonically date you. Or something like that. I want to spend my forever with you. I don't want to romantically like you. We can kiss if you want, because kissing is nice to me, but we don't have to!"
"Wright, you're--" He hisses. "Quiet down, the whole office can hear you."
"I don't care!" Phoenix slams his hands on Miles' desk, getting all up in his personal space. "I just want you to know that I don't care! I don't expect anything from you. And you meet all my expectations already! I won't be disappointed because you're you. I'm excited because you're you!"
"Wright..."
"I like you because you're you, Miles!" Phoenix takes in a deep breath. "You're special to me, and you'll always be special to me."
Miles visibly takes in a sharp breath.
"So, please, let me know if these feelings are shared," Phoenix says quickly, his voice giving out from screaming. "Please," he echoes again, this time quieter.
"You're special to me, too." Miles clears his throat. "We can talk more about this later, but I-- I share your sentiment. Go back to work, Wright."
"Okay. Thank you, Miles."
Miles clears his throat again. "That applies to you as well."
Phoenix can't see, but he hears the shuffling of footsteps at the doorway.
"You need to teach these prosecutors what privacy means."
Miles tsks. "And you need to get back to work." He reaches up and presses a small kiss to Phoenix's nose. "Now, go. I'll see you after work."
Phoenix's heart soars. "It's a date! A platonic date with the Chief Prosecutor!"
Miles rolls his eyes as Phoenix prances away.