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Phoenix didn’t hear the knock. Typically he would, but as he tugged on his jacket and tripped over the mess in his bedroom with a soft swear, it had slipped his mind completely. He really needed to clean up, but exhaustion had sunk its ugly teeth into him and he lacked the motivation.
“Ah- sorry, I was looking for a Mr. Phoenix Wright.”
His eyes widened, heart skipping a beat as he recognized the voice that reached into his bedroom. No, no it couldn’t be, did his daughter open the door-?! In a flash, he burst out of his room, nearly tripping again in his gentle panic to get into the living room, instincts screaming danger.
But as he stood in the entry, his brown and blue mixmatched eyes locking with a pair of soft, grayish purple, he would feel oddly.. safer.
And then the guilt came crashing down. When was the last time he had called? Opened a letter from the man instead of shamefully ignoring them? He didn’t know, he had no idea the hell Phoenix had been through- at least that’s what he figured, after all he tried so hard to keep it from him, he didn’t want to be a failure to Edgeworth, he didn’t want-
“Wright?”
He blinked, anxiety and shame crawling it’s way up his throat, finding himself unable to address Edgeworth directly. Instead, his gaze would slip downwards to the little girl who had answered the door, Trucy looking at him with a gaze of confusion and gentle concern.
“Baby, what have I told you about opening the door for strangers?”
He asked softly, crouching down to her as a soft smile would cross his face, a look that promised she wasn’t in trouble but that this was serious. She would giggle and run towards him, jumping into his arms and causing him to nearly lose balance as he caught her. With a chuckle, he would stand and let all of the worries and demons release their grip on him for a moment, delight sparking deep in his soul as he held his daughter tight and spun around with her for a moment before setting her down, placing his hands on her shoulders.
“Go finish getting ready for the park okay?”
“Okay Daddy!”
And off she went. He would watch until her bedroom door shut- but he knew she hadn’t left it on the other side, her curiosity could rival his at times, but there was no harm in her listening in. He would turn to the man in the doorway, his smile slipping off of his face as he saw the other’s bewildered gaze, the darkness wrapping around his shoulders and dragging him back down as he turned to join him at the door. Only way out of the dark was through, Phoenix, he could do this..
Yet. As Edgeworth looked at him so softly, a gaze he couldn’t entirely read but one he took as worry and pity, he felt himself faltering and panicking at the sudden vulnerability of the situation.
“.. What happened..?”
“What does it look like?”
The venom came out of him before he could stop it, guilt and shame working together to try and push Edgeworth away, but that was much harder physically. Especially when Edgeworth’s gaze would harden and immediately go unreadable as he was stone faced. Had the reaction hurt him that badly? As the other crossed his arms, Phoenix slipped his hands into his own pockets and allowed his shoulders and gaze to relax, his poker skills coming into play as he matched the other’s blank expression.
“Who was the girl?”
“My daughter. Her name is Trucy. What are you doing here?”
That seemed to make Edgeworth falter for a second. Anxiety clawed his way up his throat, magatama suddenly feeling heavy against his chest as he stared at the man, silent prayers cycling in his head.
“You stopped answering my phone calls. And the letters.”
A fact. The magatama was no use to that, and Phoenix knew it. Did Edgeworth remember it too? Was he picking and choosing his words carefully to avoid it?
“I was busy.”
“Clearly.”
He wanted to scream, to shut the door in Edgeworth’s face, to cry or vomit or something as the grief started anew- but he would look over as he heard the door opening again, Trucy hopping out of her room adorned in her proper red performance outfit. She never went anywhere without it, and for a moment as she looked up at him with a proud smile, he forgot everything else.
“I’m ready Daddy!”
Right. The park. He would turn back to Edgeworth, his hand easily slipping from his pocket as he heard Trucy run up, and squeezing softly as he felt her gloved hand slip into his own.
“We were just on our way out, if you don’t mind.”
“Can he come too?”
The question threw him off guard, and clearly it threw Edgeworth off too. He would look at Trucy for a moment, but as she looked up at him with a familiar sparkle in his eyes, he would understand. She was reading something he couldn’t see just as she did for him at the club at times, and she had never been wrong once. Clearly, even though she didn’t know what was going on, it was good to have Edgeworth tag along. He would turn his gaze to the man instead.
"I- I sure can."
Just like that, it was settled, both of them so easily bending to the little girl as she would giggle and excitedly drag Phoenix out of the door, him just barely managing to shut it behind them. Off down the road they went, Trucy hopping over the lines and cracks in the sidewalk, Edgeworth walking stiffly at his side. He was aware of the grey gaze on him, but he didn't react to it outwardly, after all he already knew he looked like a wreck. The darker circles under his eyes, the mess that was his messy and spiky hair that he hadn't even bothered to brush other than using his hands this morning, the sweats, jacket, and black tank.. He hadn't even shaved in the last two weeks and he knew there was visible scruff at least. What a disgrace was Phoenix Wright, no longer standing confident and tall, but sunken and lost.
He was so lost in his thoughts that he would struggle to blink back to awareness as he realized Trucy and Edgeworth were doing the talking now, his gaze flickering over to the pair. She was beaming up at him, a surprised and slightly nervous smile on Edgeworth's own face as he tried to navigate how exactly to talk to the little girl. So far, she was just excitedly telling him about how old she was, how school was going, what they planned to do at the park..
They arrived quicker than they'd realize, Trucy perking up and giggling at the plastic jungle gym, excitement coming off of her in waves- though Phoenix's breath would catch as he saw the other people there today. The group would come to a halt, Trucy slightly stepping behind him as his eyes would scan the area carefully for a few seconds, then he was crouching down and giving her a gentle smile to reassure her that it was safe.
"Alright! We’re here. Are you ready to go play?"
“Wait!!”
Phoenix would perk up, eyes wide as she would dramatically turn to Edgeworth, pointing a gloved hand up at him as he cape would flare behind her, a determined gaze on her face. Phoenix, catching the hint, would chuckle and stand with an amused look on his face.
“Are you ready to be amazed by the great and powerful Trucy?”
“.. Okay.”
Phoenix would chuckle again at the other’s unsure tone, watching as Trucy would open her side pouch, pulling out a red deck of cards confidently and begin shuffling them. After a moment, Edgeworth was presented with the options, the little girl’s eyes sparkling with delight. Phoenix would watch for a moment as the other would hesitate before carefully pulling out a card, the six of spades. She would bring her hand up to knock her hat down over her eyes as he would hold it, pulling a golden pen from her bag as well and offering it to him.
“Can I get your autograph on that too, please?”
He’d smile as he heard Edgeworth chuckle softly at that, taking the pen and signing his name on the card before he would give it back. Then, as Trucy would offer the spread deck again, he would place it back in a random spot. She would beam and push the hat back up to uncover her eyes, looking down at the cards and beginning to shuffle them once more.
“Prepare your mind, it’s about to be blown!”
She would declare as she pressed all the cards together back into a stack, and then pulled off the top card, proudly presenting it. The eight of spades. Phoenix would snort, his hand coming up to hide his mouth.
“Is this your card?”
Though, as she would see Edgeworth’s reaction, she would turn it over to look at it with a hum, noting the lack of signature and putting it back into the deck, on the bottom this time.
“Perhaps not.. What about this one?”
She would pull another card from the deck, the five of hearts this time. This, too, lacked the signature. She would turn it around and look at it, smiling and shrugging her shoulders as she put it back. Phoenix would laugh into his hand softly. Then she would suddenly perk up and gasp, hitting her hat and sticking her tongue out, as if she was scolding herself.
“Whoops! How could I possibly forget? Could you do me the favor of checking your pocket for me?”
Phoenix would beam as he turned to Edgeworth, looking at the other’s bewildered expression before watching as they would reach into their pocket- eyes widening and sparkling as he pulled out their card, signature and all to confirm that yes, it was theirs. Trucy would giggle and take her hat off, presenting it to Edgeworth with a big grin.
“And could you place it in here for me?”
After a moment of Edgeworth studying over the card again, he would nod and deposit it into the hat, to which Trucy would rub her hand around the rim, before giving the bottom of it a firm wack. In a matter of seconds, a pure white dove would suddenly burst free from the hat, startled from the impact as it would fly up into the air, a dazzling gold on the tips of its wings the same color as the pen and a smudge on its chest that looked suspiciously like a spade.
Phoenix would laugh as Edgeworth would slightly recoil, watching as the other watched the dove fly around in a quick circle before vanishing into a nearby tree, out of sight safely between the branches. He seemed lost in his head with amazement, giving Phoenix time to happily ruffle his daughter’s hair and crouch down to her again, eyes sparkling with pride.
“That’s my magical girl! Go wow the kids on the playground for me, okay?”
This would not do. Trucy's eyes would widen before she was giving him one of her biggest pouts yet, big blue eyes looking at him with a thinly veiled disappointment as she would clench her hands in fists.
"But you always come play with me!!"
That was right.. Phoenix would hesitate for just a moment before making a big dramatic sigh, his hand coming up to rub his chin in fake thought as he looked away.
"Ah darn, you're right! Though, Daddy thinks this conversation he's supposed to have is gonna be an important one. What are we supposed to do..."
Then he would blink, making a big dramatic gasp that would make Trucy giggle as he turned back to her, grinning as he rubbed his hands together.
"I know who can solve this for us! Where's our dear friend Mr. Hat?"
He would stand, bringing his hand up to his eyebrows to shade his eyes from the sun as he made a show of looking around. His gaze would inevitably find Edgeworth's, who was looking gently amused and thoroughly bewildered by the entire interaction- but Phoenix would smirk as he watched that expression shift to one of a startled amazement at the sound of metal clicking and wood creaking. He would turn back, now greeted with a much bigger wooden puppet, his daughter's hat having been stolen and placed upon his own head.
"Ah, Mr. Wright! How wonderful to see you again."
And to that, the puppet would stick it's hand out, to which Phoenix would take it and give it a few good shakes, smiling as if he was greeting an old friend and not just a puppet.
"Mr. Hat! How delightful to see you too. You see, I have to have an important conversation with our guest here! Could you do me a favor and play with Trucy while I'm a little preoccupied? I'll be able to join you two momentarily!"
"Why certainly! Let us conquer the playground, Trucy dahling!"
Trucy would squeal and laugh, her hands clapping at the interaction between the two as she would watch, before she was running off towards the other children, Mr. Hat in tow. Phoenix would watch them both go for a long moment, pride and a gentle fondness in his gaze as she would start to climb the stairs to get into the play equipment.
Then, after a moment of making sure she was being safely watched by other parents as well, and that she was getting along with the other children, he would turn to look at Edgeworth himself, his smile not fading as easily this time as the other gazed at him.
"What the hell was that?"
"She's a magician. Mr. Hat is one of her best tricks yet."
Affection and pride dripped from his tone at this reveal, the most positive sound that had come from Phoenix yet so far. Clearly, Trucy meant a lot to him. With that, he would turn, leading the way to a table that was near the park but somewhat away from the other parents, his gaze once again looking around the park- though this time it wasn't a false show to look for a person that didn't exist. He would sit, gaze leveling on Edgeworth as the man would sit down across from him. They'd sink back into the seriousness of the moment, and though he knew Edgeworth was looking at him like they were friendly rivals on two sides of a courtroom, he couldn't keep himself from gazing at the other as a danger, a shady opponent he couldn't tell apart from the same blurred faces he would always see at the poker table.
"Wright-"
"Did anyone send you here for me or Trucy?"
He would cut the other off, the previous love and care he had shown around his daughter gone in an instant, replaced with something harder and more protective, his hand coming up to gently hold over where his magatama was hidden underneath his shirt. Phoenix would ignore the other's surprised and confused expression, only narrowing his eyes.
".. what? No, I-"
"Do you know Kristoph in any way?"
Phoenix would continue as he didn't see any chains appearing, his hand slightly tightening his grip as Edgeworth would blink at him, seeming a bit more nervous and confused as he would look at Phoenix.
"No."
He would exhale steadily as the world stayed in focus, no chains in sight. Edgeworth was telling the truth, he was safe to talk to and it would be okay.
"Who is Kristoph, Wright? What would lead you to ask me something like that?"
"It doesn't matter."
"Of course it does! Clearly if you're worried about yours and your daughter's safety then something is wrong. Is there-"
"Drop it, Edgeworth."
He would sigh tiredly and relax his grip on the magatama, leaning onto the table and crossing his arms, looking away to instead watch the playground instead, eyes immediately finding Trucy again and watching to ensure that she was still safe and okay. A silence would fill the air between them for a few moments before Edgeworth would speak again, his voice softer and more gentle this time, a tone that made Phoenix want to yell, to kick out and to hide away at home from the shame that clawed up his throat.
"What happened?"
"What do you mean? I adopted a daughter, I moved into a house instead of an apartment so I lost your letters, I've just been busy, Edgeworth."
He left a lot of things unsaid. I presented forged evidence like an idiot. I lost my license. I've isolated myself from everyone, not just you, so please don't take it personally. I started gambling to bring money in since nowhere else will hire me. I'm being harassed and stalked. I'm being loved by someone who isn't you, though I wish it was. Another silence rang out between them, and he knew that Edgeworth wasn't an idiot. They'd known each other too long, too closely. Though Phoenix could shut down all he wanted, Edgeworth could always see when he wasn't being entirely truthful. He would flinch as he felt the other's hand on his, skin prickling with unease as he would look over to their connected hands.
"What are you running from?"
Myself, he wanted to snap. Everyone's disappointment in me.
"Nothing."
Was what came out instead, his gaze leveling evenly with Edgeworth's as he would chuckle softly in a slow exhale, looking at the other with a soft reassuring smile and a gentle gaze of appreciation.
"I know I look rough but it's not that bad. I love Trucy, she brings a light to my life, but the downside of having a kid is that you just get busy sometimes. I'm sorry I moved without telling you, life has been pretty crazy, but you have my new address now. You can send letters and postcards to this one."
He wasn't sure if that reassured Edgeworth, though as it made the prosecutor back off, he assumed it didn't really matter either way. With enough regret to sink him into the bottom of the ocean, he would pull his hand away from Edgeworth's, skin prickling and buzzing with the disgust of being touched, though he didn't show it on his face and instead held his own arms.
"Phoenix. If things get bad, you do understand that I will be here for you, right?"
They lived in Germany right now, a whole nine hour time difference. They had a job to do, a life to live away from him. They had people who cared in a place that they called home, family and friends and security and familiarity. Phoenix knew that he couldn't do that to them, he couldn't expect them to drop everything they knew for an issue that was entirely his fault. He couldn't drag them down with him. For lawyers, the worst of times are when you have to force your biggest smiles. That's what Mia taught him. But even as grief and shame threatened to overwhelm him at the reminder that he wasn't a lawyer anymore and he had disgraced everything Mia had taught him in the first place, he would smile at Edgeworth and nod.
"I know. Thank you."
"Do you promise?"
"What?"
The question would catch him off guard. He would blink with surprise as he looked at the other, feeling vaguely like a kid on the playground again, with his best friend Miles looking at him with big soft grey eyes, asking the other to promise that he would be careful with the book he had borrowed from him.
"Do you promise, that if you need me, you'll come to me?"
A heavy stone sank into Phoenix's gut as he stared at the other, feeling utterly cornered for a moment. Of course he couldn't promise that. If he did, he knew he'd be unable to let Edgeworth leave again. He was drowning in a lake of his own making, yet still, here he was being offered a hand, a lifeline out of the mess he was stuck in. The light that came from the other was blinding, and the lie filled with black ink threatened to choke up as it bubbled out of his throat and dripped from his lips like poison as he turned away from it.
"I promise."