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For the first time in a while, Phoenix was down to some knee-length grey shorts and a thin black tank top, both of which were old and too small for him as their colours had faded and they clung around his figure, defining his shape more vividly. He looked at himself in the bathroom mirror, first examining the wiry stubble dotted around his chin as he rubbed the coarse bristles. His pushed-back spiky hair maintained its meticulous form, bar a few stray hairs falling to the front of his face which he brushed away instinctively. His hands then moved down to feel his own neck, following the lump that travelled downwards as he swallowed, a soft stinging being felt inside his throat as he did.
***
“Here, it should help.” A voice chimed from behind Phoenix as he was rubbing his neck in thought. Behind him, an elegant man with well-groomed grey bangs appeared, handing him a warm mug
“Oh, thanks Edgeworth, what is this?” Phoenix asked, examining the translucent and slightly yellow hot liquid in the mug
“It’s a soothing tea, for your throat. I assume the scars from swallowing glass are causing you irritation?” Edgeworth asked, trying to be comforting as a blade of judgement was cutting through his voice slightly, which Phoenix didn’t blame him for. He did swallow glass, which he knew had poison in it prior.
“Ah, yeah, they do this sometimes. It’s just where the scars are disturbed, never lasts too long.” Phoenix thought aloud as he took a sip of the piping hot tea, feeling the heat travel all the way down to his stomach. Edgeworth grunted disapprovingly as he leaned in closer to Phoenix.
“Sometimes is still less than preferable, Wright. You should see a doctor, they might be able to help with a more permanent solution than me handing you cups of tea.” Phoenix took another hearty swig of the hot tea, it had a fruity yet acidic aftertaste to it.
“I’ll consider it. Although, I am really enjoying the tea.” Phoenix chuckled lightly as Edgeworth dramatically rolled his eyes.
“If it keeps you happy, I guess I’ll keep making it.” Edgeworth cooed slightly, stroking the back of his hand against Phoenix’s throat gently.
***
Phoenix swallowed the painful lump gathering in his throat, which scratched him like a razor blade as it went down as he swallowed the memories with it. His hand then drifted downward towards his torso as he gingerly rolled up his vest, revealing shrivelled patches of burn scars, the skin almost folding in on itself as it glowed a brutal red under his touch
“My my, Wright. Those hoodies do you no justice.” A silky smooth voice called from behind him as Kristoph emerged from the shadows. His platinum blonde hair was meticulously styled and lay elegantly on his shoulder, complimenting his velvety purple suit.
“You flatter me Kristoph.” Phoenix replied flatly, his eyes not moving from the mirror as he continued to look at his scars
“Really, such toned legs, arms and torso? All hidden by your choice in casual wear? I’m impressed.” Kristoph took a step closer to Phoenix, lowering his hand down to Phoenix’s torso as he rest his bejewelled hand against Phoenix’s, his thumb reaching over to stroke Phoenix’s skin.
“It’s from years of riding a bike to work, I guess.” Phoenix tried to shrug Kristoph off, but he didn’t move
“The burn seems to be healing well. You talked about it as if it was as brutal as the day you got it.” Kristoph thought aloud as Phoenix gave him an apathetic shrug.
“What else could you be hiding from me, Wright?” Kristoph whispered into Phoenix’s ear, setting Phoenix’s nerves on edge as the smell of his cologne filled Phoenix’s lungs with every breath he took.
***
Fear and anticipation building, Phoenix rolled his shirt up for the first time since he fell through Dusky Bridge. And, there were his burns. They stretched all across his skin, blistering and pulsing. His hand quivering, he lightly touched one on his side, recoiling in shock as a jolt of pain shot through his body. He blinked back bitter tears as he couldn’t tear his gaze away from them.
“You’re doing yourself no favours just looking and prodding at them Wright.” Edgeworth yelled from the other room, startling Phoenix
“How did you even know?!” Phoenix yelled back in disbelief as Edgeworth poked his head around the bathroom door, a smug look on his face
“You are predictable as always, Wright.” Edgeworth said as he leant over Phoenix’s shoulder, looking in the mirror with him at the burns
“I can’t stand to look at them.” Phoenix sighed
“Then don’t.” Edgeworth scoffed
“But I- I can’t! I just can’t help but stare at it.” Phoenix trailed off as he refocused his attention onto the large, blistering burns on his side. Edgeworth sighed, placing his hand onto Phoenix’s and gently removing it from the burn
“There exists creams which can help in soothing burns, you know.” Edgeworth muttered comfortingly
“Yeah, I know. But it’ll always be there, a reminder of everything that happened.” Phoenix mumbled soddenly as he rolled his shirt back down. Edgeworth hummed in thought for a moment
“Do you regret it?”
“What?”
“Do you regret what you did? Running over the bridge?” Phoenix digested Edgeworth’s words for a moment in silence before answering
“No.”
“And if you were put in that situation again, would you act any differently?” Edgeworth’s unblinking eyes were now solely trained on Phoenix’s face as he paused again to think
“…no. I’d do it again, probably.” Phoenix thought aloud, his solemn tone lightening somewhat
“Then these burns aren’t a bad thing, they’re a reminder of the kind of man you are. A caring, loyal and admittedly stupid one.” Edgeworth teased lightly as Phoenix feigned annoyance
“Besides.” Edgeworth continued. “There are other aspects of your physique which are much more aesthetically appealing than your burns.”
“Oh? Could I get some examples?” Phoenix sang, batting his eyelashes
“Your generally muscular build, gorgeous eyes, foolish smile, I could go on.” Edgeworth smirked, caressing Phoenix’s cheek
“Please do.” Phoenix replied coyly, grinning ear to ear
***
Phoenix grimaced as Kristoph caressed the side of his cheek, moving his hand down to his chin as he ran his thumb along Phoenix’s bottom lip. He leaned closer, towering over Phoenix as he brought Phoenix’s face closer to his own
“You have breathtaking eyes, Wright. The blue and the brown, why ever did you hide them?” Kristoph inquired, his soothing voice echoing in the room around them as Phoenix’s words became caught in his throat, scratching his scars as they struggled to escape his lips.
“Well, they aren’t normal. Didn’t want to stick out too much.” Phoenix replied, making Kristoph giggle lightly
“Not stick out? You? Maybe right now you don’t, but in your prime you weren’t hard to find in a crowd.” Kristoph joked, luring a laugh out of Phoenix
“You’re hardly very conspicuous yourself.”
“I can be when I need to be.”
***
Eyes squeezed shut, Phoenix sat in embarrassing silence, waiting for Edgeworth’s signal.
“This is all a bit dramatic, isn’t it?” Edgeworth grumbled as Phoenix heard him approach
“But it’s important.” Phoenix replied, his eyes still tightly sealed
“That fails to change how over the top this whole ritual is.”
“You make it sound like I’m summoning a demon over here, Edgeworth.” Phoenix chuckled, still with his eyes closed
“You’re the one exaggerating here.” Edgeworth sighed, before taking in a sharp breath.
“Open them Wright.” Edgeworth said as Phoenix took a shaky breath, before opening his eyes to meet Edgeworth’s misty grey ones. Edgeworth’s expression was flat and unchanging as usual as he stared directly at Phoenix for a moment.
“I still fail to see what all the fuss was about.” Edgeworth said bluntly as Phoenix began to gawk at him.
“Well, I hid my real eye colour from everyone for years, and you’re the first person to see it.”
“As flattering and sentimental as that is, it is also technically incorrect as I imagine your parents actually saw them before me.” Edgeworth added, before he stared somehow deeper into Phoenix’s eyes.
“They’re delightful, Wright. Why ever did you hide them?” Edgeworth smiled at him, his eyes softening as he did. Phoenix felt his entire body relax under Edgeworth’s smile
“I thought they were weird, you know? Mismatched eyes aren’t particularly normal so I wore contacts as a kid. By the time I reached the courtroom I was worried about appearing professional and being taken seriously, so I continued to hide them.” Phoenix said as Edgeworth let out a long sigh
“Realistically, your eyes are on the more ‘normal’ side of things in the courtroom, or need I remind you of the usually colourful nature of the prosecution?” Edgeworth smirked slightly
“You make a fair point. Still, won’t people notice if my eyes change, like the judge?”
“His honour is not the most observant of people, I’m sure it won’t be an issue.” Edgeworth chucked, lifting his hand to being Phoenix’s face closer to his.
“You trying to get a closer look, Edgeworth?” Phoenix joked, leaning in closer
“Oh, something like that.” Edgeworth jested, bringing Phoenix’s lips closer to his own
***
Phoenix’s entire body jolted forward as he felt the warmth of Kristoph’s lips collide sensually with his neck. His fragrant, lavender cologne invaded the crevices of his lungs, sharpening every breath he took.
“I am so glad I met you, Phoenix. You’re one of the best things to ever happen to me.” Kristoph lied as he rest his chin on Phoenix’s shoulder, whispering sweet nothings into his ear.
“I’m glad I met you too, Kristoph.” Phoenix whispered back, looking anywhere but at the shoulder Kristoph was perched on as he giggled into Phoenix’s neck.
“I could spend an eternity, just the two of us like this.” Kristoph cooed, his hand slipping to the other side of Phoenix’s head to stroke his hair
“You want me as I am now?” Phoenix asked, confused
“Yes.” Kristoph hissed. “This version of you is perfect.”
“Not me with my badge then?” Phoenix tested, finally turning his head to look into Kristoph’s misty eyes
“No, you don’t need it.
***
Miles smiled gently down onto Phoenix, pulling the cowlick developing in his hair forward, twirling it around his finger and then releasing it to shoot back to its natural position. He repeated this process for a while, watching blissfully at how the warm sun cracking through the window hit the angles on Phoenix’s face.
“You could just sit forever and mess with my hair, couldn’t you?” Phoenix mumbled, drifting slightly towards sleep.
“I never see you so relaxed, usually whenever we meet we are both incredibly stressed with work.” Miles sighed, pushing himself upwards from his reclined position. “I feel as if I owe you both thanks and apologies, Phoenix.”
“What for?” Phoenix asked, more awake than before
“Thank you for being in my life and saving me. Had you not came back into my life, it’s likely I’d be dead right now.” Miles admitted
“Miles-“
“And my apologies, for my aggressive disposition towards you in the beginning. Had I been ‘successful’, you’d be dead right now.” Miles thought glumly
“Miles, you don’t need to apologise, I’ve already forgiven you. And you don’t need to thank me, I’d do it all again in a heartbeat.” Phoenix said softly, shuffling closer to Miles to snuggle his nose into his neck
“I’m glad I got to meet you again, Phoenix. You’ve truly been one of the greatest things to happen to me. I want to be by your side, always.”
“Even when I’m in this state?” Phoenix yawned
“In any state you may find yourself in.” Miles chuckled
***
In any state you may find yourself in
Phoenix turned his head to the side, the gentle rays of sunlight licking against Kristoph’s tan skin. His eyes were closed and a light whistle was escaping from his nose. Phoenix lay for a moment, watching Kristoph’s chest rise and fall rhythmically before gingerly raising himself from the bed, slipping out from under Kristoph’s arms as he began to grumble tiredly
“Mmm, where you going?” Kristoph mumbled into his pillow
“Just getting ready for work.”
“‘-should’ve woke me.” Kristoph lulled, failing to lift his head off of the pillow as it landed with a slight bounce.
“You looked so peaceful. And you’ve been exhausted lately.”
“Being a defense attorney’s tiring work. Be glad you don’t have to do it anymore.” Phoenix froze for a moment, biting his tongue before steering himself away from the bed, closing the bedroom door silently behind him as he went
In any state you may find yourself in
For the first time in a while, Phoenix let himself scroll through his contacts, landing on the ‘E’ section. His breath caught in his chest, his thumb hovering over the call button, Phoenix stood. He looked up to the closed door, then back down to his phone. Hands shaking, he pressed the call button and held the phone to his ear, listening to it ring out
It rang once
Twice
Thrice
Four times
He sighed, defeated as he removed the phone from his ear and went to hang up
“Phoenix?” A quiet voice echoed from the phone. Phoenix almost let the phone slip straight through his fingers as he scrambled to bring the phone back up to his ear
“Miles?” Phoenix asked tentatively, not daring to believe it
“It’s me. I- Phoenix-“
“Miles-“
The two men fell into silence, listening to the crackled breathing coming from the phone speakers in the absence of words.
“Where have you been? I’ve been so worried? How are you? What’s going on Phoenix?” Miles threw his questions at Phoenix as Phoenix could do nothing but stand there, still and silent.
“… I’m sorry, Miles. I really am sorry.” Phoenix sobbed lightly into his phone speaker
“Phoenix, what’s going on? You haven’t contacted me in months.”
“I just, I can’t face you right now. You won’t like me how I am now.”
“I hate to repeat myself, but I’m happy with you, any state y-
“-you may find yourself in. I know, I know. I just-“ Phoenix felt his breath catch in his throat as from behind the closed bedroom door, movement and creaking floorboards were heard
“Phoenix? Phoenix just talk to me, please!” Miles pleaded from the other side of the phone as Phoenix watched the bedroom door in horror
“I’m sorry Miles. It was a mistake calling you. Things are too different now.” Phoenix sighed, trying to ignore Miles’ cries of protest as he hung up the phone. The bedroom door finally swung open, a groggy defense attorney with meticulous golden hair emerging from behind it.
“Who were you on the phone to just there?” Kristoph asked mid-yawn
“Oh, just someone who had the wrong number. They won’t be calling again, don’t worry.“ Phoenix forced a smile as Kristoph drifted into the kitchen, following him. Again, he hovered over the ‘E’ contact, his thumb almost touching the block button. He reached for a teabag, eyes still firmly planted onto the block button before he ripped his thumb away and slipped his phone into his pocket.
“That fruit tea you’re so fond of drinking never seems to suit you at all, seems too high brow for you.” Kristoph scoffed, rustling Phoenix’s hair as he appeared behind his shoulder
“It tastes nice and is soothing for the throat.” Phoenix said as he flicked the kettle on, the robotic sound of machinery working and water boiling deafening anyone in the kitchen. Kristoph shrugged, slinking tiredly to the kitchen table as Phoenix stared at the lone teabag in his mug
“I… I really like the tea.” He whispered to himself remorsefully.