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The fact that Phoenix coerces him away from a mountain of paperwork to join him for dinner at their favorite Thai restaurant doesn’t strike him as odd. Miles had ordered his pumpkin curry and Phoenix had ordered his drunken noodles and nothing about it is out of place until he looks up and sees a dopier than usual smitten look on his partner's face.
He raises an eyebrow and gives Phoenix a small smile. “Something on your mind?” he asks.
“Mm, not much,” Phoenix mumbles, still looking at him with that expression, eyes sparkling like he’s in on a secret that Miles doesn’t know yet. “Though, I should say happy anniversary.”
The warm and fond feelings that have been simmering happily in Miles’ chest disappear, replaced instead by icy darts of horror and guilt. He swears he can feel himself go pale as he lays his fork down.
His brain sorts through his mental list of the important dates in their relationship and finds himself coming up short. There are still three months until they reach the anniversary of them becoming a couple. It’s nowhere near Christmas or the day that Phoenix was reinstated. How could he have forgotten something so important?
“Phoenix … Phoenix, I’m so sorry. I’ve been so wrapped up with work and …” he stops suddenly.
Phoenix has reached across the table and placed a warm hand on top of his now shaking one. “Miles, calm down. You didn’t forget anything!” Phoenix is nothing but warm smiles and reassurance as he gives Miles’ hand a squeeze.
“Honestly, I had forgotten what today was until I was cleaning out some old file cabinets earlier today,” Phoenix continues.
The panic in Miles’ chest begins to fade away, his pulse slowly coming down from its rapid fire pace. “And just what day is today, then?” He manages to eke out, reaching his free hand to take a sip of water.
Phoenix’s own free hand reaches up to rub at the back of his neck. He looks away a tad bashfully. “Well, I found an old journal I used to keep and, if little me had his dates right, then today was the day you defended me in our class trial.”
Miles couldn’t hide the surprise on his face if he tried. He knows now, just how much that trial meant to Phoenix and how it was a huge reason he eventually became the brilliant, caring, tenacious … frustrating but oh so challenging and engaging, lawyer that he is today. Letting out a sigh, Miles shakes his head and finally smiles in return.
“Is that so?”
“Sure is, I wrote it in blue marker and everything. ‘Miles stood up for me! He is going to be an amazing lawyer someday!’” Phoenix recites. “Except I spelled lawyer as ‘loyer.’ Take that as you will.”
Miles chuckles. “Little did you know you’d be the one defending people.”
Phoenix shrugs. “And if you hadn’t been the first to defend me and be on my side, it may have never happened.”
It’s such a weighted thing to say and Miles feels such an uncharacteristic sort of maudlin fondness swell up in him, that he dares to make a bit of a public spectacle of himself by raising Phoenix’s hand to his lips to brush a kiss to his knuckles.
“And now here you are on my side as well,” he says softly, watching as Phoenix quickly blinks his eyes. There’s a tale-tell wetness to them. And as sentimental as the moment is, Miles doesn’t want to see him cry. “I’d say that makes for the best legal fee I’ve ever received,” he jokes.
It works. Phoenix laughs a little wetly. “I’d gladly pay it again.”