Work Text:
April 19, 2022, 2:37 AM
Wright Anything Agency
The moon doesn’t show up in the sky tonight.
It’s hidden deep behind a multitude of grey clouds. Menacing and terrifying grey clouds.
I think a storm is coming. I don’t particularly mind, but I hope it won’t wake Trucy up. The poor girl has it tough, with school and her magic shows. I want her to get a proper rest.
Like any good parent would, right?
I snort. Yeah, a good parent… As if I were one.
The bottle of so-called “grape juice ” -let’s get real, it’s some cheap wine that rubs your stomach down- is mocking me on the coffee table.
“ You, a good parent? You can’t even take care of yourself properly! Look at you, not shaved, walking in that hobo attire, not even having a proper job! You useless, pathetic buffoon- ”
[Steel Samurai ringtone]
I sigh and just extend the arm to grab my phone: there’s only one person who would call me that late in the night -or early in the morning?- and checking the contact info appearing on the screen rules in my favour.
“ Yeah, Phoenix Wright speaking. ”
“ I trust you’ve been well, Wright? ” the voice says on the other end, making a smile creep on my face.
“ Let’s say I hold on. How about you, Edgeworth? ”
“ I am probably better than you right now… Your voice sounds horrible. Have you been drinking? Were you drinking? ”
“ ... ”
He sighs on the other end of the phone. Yeah, I know, I’m a disappointment to everyone, even to you.
“ Wright, you know I am not judging you and I will never . I just worry about your health, physical and mental. ”
“ Yeah, yeah, I know… ”
“ ... I suppose you are home? ”
“ Yep. ”
“ Is Trucy asleep? ”
“ Been for a good couple of hours, yeah. Why? Wanna face cam? ”
“ I was thinking it would be, let’s say preferrable, to continue this conversation face to face. I am back in Los Angeles for a month and I happen to have landed just an hour ago. I am in front of the agency: would you please let me in? ”
I don’t even take the time to bid goodbye as I hang up and stand up abruptly, the sudden movement and the aftereffect of the alcohol making me dizzy for a second. But screw that. Edgeworth is on the other end of my door, when I need him the most.
I run towards it and open it violently.
He is standing there, his silver hair a bit unkempt, but his magenta suit still as impeccable as ever. He is smiling a bit but his eyes look very tired. Guess the jetlag doesn’t do him good…
“ Edgeworth… ” I manage to say, my voice softer than I wanted it to be.
“ Wright… It’s good to see you again. ”
I open my arms and he comes for a hug. No words are needed, at this point: just a gaze and we know what the other needs or wants.
We stay there for some time, seconds or minutes, doesn’t really matter. We just enjoy each other’s warmth after being apart for so long. It’s been six months already: he keeps on going back and forth from the US to Europe to study the legal systems out there. He comes back almost every 3 months, for a week. But some pretty serious cases involving Interpol made him stayed longer that time.
And it is pretty unbearable.
At least to me.
And I like to think he feels the same way.
I finally untighten my grip on him and try my best to show him a smile. Must be far from convincing, because his frown grows deeper and he pinches my nose.
“ You look horrible, Wright. ”
“ Yeah, well, don’t really have time to keep myself fresh and clean. ”
“ I do not care the slightest about your appearance, Wright. I am talking about your whole demeanor: you look terribly tired, your eyes do not shine anymore and your skin is pale as death. Do you even eat properly? ”
“ ... Come inside: I don’t wanna have this chat on my agency’s threshold. ”
I let him enter, take his luggage and close the door behind us. He knows the place by heart, now, so he casually walks to the sofa and sits on it, gently tapping the place beside him. I wanted to make him some tea, but turns out he’d rather talk.
And I comply. Because one, I am too tired to argue; two, I need that conversation; and three, I can’t refuse him anything. As I sit down, he opens his arms and smiles gently.
“ Come here, Phoenix. Tell me everything. ”
That’s all it takes for me to finally let go: I hug him like there’s no tomorrow, I bury my face in his chest and I cry. I cry pools of tears; the sobs are uncontrollable. His hands are caressing my back, he keeps on whispering some sweet “ It’s okay, it’s okay ”. My heart is pounding, just like his. Our heartbeats match.
Screw that Kristoph, for real: without his menace around, maybe we would already be together with Miles.
But we both know we can’t.
We both know it, and we both accept it. It is hard, and we know that this ambiguity between us, these feelings left unsaid for our sake, is eating us alive. We know it, and honestly, at times, it is impossible for us to restrain.
I can’t remember all the kisses we shared when I went to Europe to help him in his investigations.
I can’t count the number of confessions we’ve made: that one time he told me he would be there for me until we die, that evening I said that I love men in magenta suits, that call we made where he finished his speech by “ I would not mind being called Miles Wright ”, etc, etc.
I can’t forget the nights we spent together, never promising love to each other by words, but letting our bodies make the promises.
But despite all the difficulties, this, this thing I have with Miles is what keeps me going. What makes it bearable. What makes me hold on in spite of the depression crawling and the alcoholism not being too far.
If he wasn’t there, I would probably not be there anymore.
“ One day, you will be free of all this, Phoenix. One day, you will get your life back and I will be there when it happens. One day, we will finally be all reunited and start a brand new chapter of life. Together. I promise, Phoenix: we will get through this and when the time comes, we will be together. ”
His voice is a whisper. His fingers are gentle on my skin -because yes, his hands are now under my hoodie- and his heart is slowly lulling me into a peaceful sleep.
Before succumbing to slumber, I crumple his shirt and murmur:
“ Thank you, Miles. Without you, I would probably be dead somewhere. Thank you… You can’t imagine how much I value what we have, and how impatient I am to finally get my life back on track. Because I want a future with us, together , with Trucy. And I will fight for it, with all I have… ”
A kiss is left on my forehead and I blush.
“ We will fight for it together, then. Because I wish for the same thing, my promised. ”