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By now, it was Phoenix’s reflex to immediately investigate upon entering an area of interest. And rude as it may be, he shuffled around the room examining every nook and cranny, poking and prodding. (Never know what you might find, right?) Evidence… of something. Something he could present to his reflection and unlock the truth locked in his heart. Something to convince himself that his friend’s heart understood and longed for him in return.
Tap. Nothing under the rug.
Tap. Dust on TV console. Unexpected. Phoenix wiped his finger carelessly on his thigh.
Poke. Nothing noteworthy on the coffee table, except some letterhead stationary with silver foil detailing. (How Edgeworth, Esq…)
Prod. Books. Tons of books. Books for miles. It was truly a lawyer’s abode. Phoenix had a lot of books at his office, too, but now that he thought of it, they were almost all Mia’s.
Tap— “Wright. If you so much as smudge that figurine, you’ll find that you’re just as breakable.” Miles entered behind him, with a tray of two steaming mugs of coffee and some fancy snacks.
“Heh. Sorry, Edgeworth,” Phoenix laughed nervously as he set the Steel Samurai figure back in its proper position on the bookshelf. “Nice place you got here.”
“Yes, well I don’t spend much time at home even since returning from overseas, but for what little respite I can get, it may as well be something I can enjoy. Take your coffee.” Miles leaned closer to him and offered the tray.
Phoenix stepped close to take a mug with two hands. Just a little closer and the heat could have fogged Miles’ glasses. “Thanks. Thought you were a tea guy. Wouldn’t dream you’d keep coffee grounds around.”
Setting the tray down, Miles made himself comfortable. “I have more grounds than you do for getting your client’s charges dropped. We’ll need these and a few more cups if we’ll make any progress on dealing with this predicament. You’re lucky I have some time to freelance before I rejoin the prosecutor’s office. If the DA gets wind of this, he’ll put up an extra tough fight.”
Phoenix took a seat on the couch at a slightly less than respectable distance. “Yeah, emphasis on the free, please! It’s been rough taking on all these civil and employment cases. So much paperwork. But now this criminal case on top of everything else,” Phoenix sighed deeply and took a swig of the burning hot coffee. Part of him wished they were drinking wine instead. What were they really doing here, getting comfortable in Miles’ apartment? “Well, I’m ready for a fight. Having your aid for a few weeks is definitely…” Phoenix brightened and flashed a smile at Miles before continuing, “an edge worth fighting for. It puts me miles ahead of the district attorney.” (Heh, even he’s gotta love that one.)
Miles stiffened and deadpanned, “How pedestrian.”
Phoenix felt inexplicable confidence swelling inside of him as he blurted, “No, Edgeworth, I prefer to commute by bike.” (Well, out loud it sounded ten times more lame.) Miles scoffed, shaking his head in disappointment and reaching for a macaron. He found solace in the tiny sweet and was probably wishing he was alone. The longer Miles sat in silence, the more Phoenix wanted some wine to hide behind. Having done quite the opposite of breaking the ice, Phoenix opted to get down to business. With Miles’ patience likely running low, Phoenix explained, “Anyway, before my client got charged with corporate espionage and murder, I was working with him on the termination of his employment contract. Was supposed to be a quick turnaround, so I could pay for Trucy’s new Thing-A-Ma-Bob deluxe. All he was trying to do was quit his programming job and exit his contract with severance.”
“What was the reason he gave for resigning?”
“That he didn’t get a raise.”
Miles chuckled and covered his mouth, lest it turn into a full on laugh. “I am going to have to give you that one. That one was actually good.”
Phoenix scrunched up his nose in confusion and spoke slowly, “I’m not sure I understand what you’re talking about.”
“A raise, arrays— programming… never mind,” Miles sighed, holding his face as if cross examining an exasperating witness. “It never ceases to amaze and frustrate me how you stumble your way into genius.” He shook his head again before releasing any leftover tension and let out a laugh. A real, full laugh. It was a rare moment of pure joy that reached his eyes and softened his brow.
Phoenix felt his heart soar. The handsome, genuine smile on Miles’ face caught him off-guard and caused him to spill some coffee on his sleeve. “Ssssshhhhh,” Phoenix hissed in pain, “Where, ow, ow, ow, can I wash my hands?” Miles pointed towards the hallway, his eyes laughing at Phoenix’s clumsiness.
When he finished cleaning up, Phoenix opened the door of the restroom to see Miles engrossed in a document. He took the opportunity to be nosy and peered down the hallway in the hopes he might see more of Miles’ private life. Lucky for him, Miles’ bedroom door was wide open. Knowing he only had a few moments to glean insights from the scene, he focused on a toppled laundry basket. “Briefs…” (Oh shit, he’d said that out loud.)
“I’m sorry?”
“Uh, uh, uh— legal briefs. They’re in my uh, beefcake. I mean— my briefcase! It’s under, under, where is— oh god, no, not underwear—”
“It seems you’ve briefly lost your mind. I don’t think you need me to point out the contradiction that you do not have a briefcase with you. What is…?” Miles followed Phoenix’s telling gaze to the hallway. “Ngoh— that basket keeps falling! Careless of me to leave my door open, but I’d prefer it if you didn’t gawk at my articles of clothing, Wright. And yes, as you have so astutely observed, I wear briefs. Not a statistical anomaly.”
Phoenix meekly shuffled back to his seat although he longed to dive out the window instead. “Aha— let’s just pretend that didn’t happen. You know my mouth sometimes runs ahead of me.”
“Which part? Snooping my room or your interest in my undergarments? Honestly, I’d rather forget your attempt at banter. If you’re so interested in either, you could have just asked.”
Phoenix’s mouth dropped, “Wait, what do you mean?”
Miles shrugged and took another bite of a macaron in his mouth. The red strawberry filling distracted Phoenix momentarily. Phoenix would have liked to think it was his charm that had loosened Miles up, but it must’ve been the sweets. Sweets always soothed Miles, ever since their school days. “I don’t have a reason to deny you a tour of my room. I am quite a hospitable host, after all. Although, perhaps you are implying something else entirely… I wouldn’t see a reason to deny you for that either. I’d be rather open to it. Have been for many years. I’m not sure why you’re so shocked.”
“Uhh— hold on. Are you saying I could have just said, ‘Hey, Edgeworth, can I see your room and maybe you in your underwear?’ And you would have just… agreed?” Miles nodded. “Instead of all… all this time of trying to get in to your good graces, charm you a little, work on our friendship— hell, even after persevering through law school just meet you in court…”
Miles was messing with the buttons on his shirt’s cuffs and started rolling up his sleeves, throwing Phoenix even more off guard. That bastard. Miles smugly interrupted, “The courtroom is not for courting, Wright. Maybe they should have called you the Roundabout Terror.” (Awful. Awful.) Phoenix opened his mouth to retaliate, but Miles cut him off, “You can continue to press me here, but I suggest we proceed now to my room for that ‘tour’ with minimal words, lest we say more things we both are ashamed of. Don’t act so surprised. You’ve known how I feel, but have been too scared to do anything about it.”
Phoenix nodded intensely as he all but pulled Edgeworth towards the hallway. “Guh—I hate it when you’re right.” They froze. A moment of silence passed between them before Edgeworth grimaced at a closed fist. Phoenix stared at Miles with a sly grin. “Hah. You don’t need to say it. I know you thought it.” Miles looked at him with a defeated face, and that was all Phoenix needed to see to know that Miles’ heart resonated with his.
No. You’re Wright.