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“Edgeworth, I need your help.”
When you have one Phoenix Wright asking for help after being disbarred from the law, a friend like Miles Edgeworth will usually expect favours like…who knows, taking care of his daughter for the night while he needs to work? Or being asked to help an ex-client (or the accursed Butz) who needs help with a new case since Phoenix cannot be seen defending anyone officially in the courtroom now?
“…I beg your pardon?”
Definitely not something like this.
“I said, I need your help to pretend to be Trucy’s second parent. Can you do that?”
Miles has half the temptation to just hang up the phone and take a short nap on his office couch – because he highly suspects he’s dreaming right now.
His phone vibrates again seconds after he was done with the first step.
Help me.
Miles thinks he’s still dreaming.
Please.
Is Phoenix really begging?
My Darling.
Miles almost crushes the phone in his hand. But he remembers that Phoenix can’t afford to pay him back for a replacement, so he succeeds in holding back on that.
Instead he calls back.
“W-W-What was that?! Wright?!”
“…Pfft. Did you just stutter, Edgeworth?”
He has the audacity to laugh?!
“Just tell me what is going on, Wright. Before I lose my patience.”
“Of course, honey.”
Edgeworth’s phone did not survive this time. (And no, he is far too kind to ask poor Phoenix to compensate him even though it’s his fault.)
The child care service wants some proof that they’re in a relationship since they do not have a marriage certificate to back their marital union. So Phoenix one-sidedly thinks it’s okay to just cling himself onto Miles while trying to sweet talk the social worker.
“I’m sorry, can we make this quick? My dearest here is actually rather busy; he has a case in court in the afternoon.”
Miles may or may have not accidentally squeezed with too much strength when he grabs Phoenix’s hip as a reaction for the arm around his waist. Phoenix yelps.
How does Phoenix know he is due for court in the afternoon? On second thought, Miles does not want to know. He’s more concerned with something else.
Did Phoenix just call him—
“Mr. Wright? Is something the matter?”
“I-I’m fine!”
The social worker keeps staring at Phoenix who keeps smiling while holding Miles. She notices the red flushes on his face. She notices the locations of the hands from both men. Both Ms. Social worker and Miles clear their throats while looking away out of embarrassment.
“I guess everything’s in order then. I’ll check things out again in three months; will that arrangement be good for you too, Mr. Wright?”
“Of course.”
Phoenix sees her out once all the papers have been signed. Miles sits by the couch and table to drink the tea he has prepared for all three of them.
“Sorry, sweetheart. I guess I’ll be needing you here again in three months.”
Sweetheart chokes on the tea he was swallowing.
“Aww, someone’s still not used to the pet names?”
“W-Wright!”
“Relax, handsome,” Phoenix sits beside and places a hand on Miles’ back. “I’ve told you before we need to be convincing, right?”
“S-She’s not here anymore!” Miles may or may not have regretted looking up too fast to argue back at Phoenix, his eyes widened after noticing how close their faces have become. “What are you doing?!”
“…”
“…Wright?” Edgeworth swallows, but soon realises that Phoenix has also frozen on the spot, eyes widened as well. Is Phoenix just as surprised at their current position and proximity as well?
Is he just imagining things, or is Phoenix blushing again?
Is he just imagining things, or are their faces getting closer?
Is he just imagining things, or are their lips getting closer?
“Wrigh—”
The theme song of Steel Samurai comes at the right time. The two men jump and separate. Miles quickly picks up his new phone while Phoenix pulls down his beanie and looks away.
“…I need to leave now. The court is about to start,” Miles quickly explains once he ends the call.
“…Okay.”
Phoenix sees him off at the entrance of the Wright Talent Agency. He smiles as he waves him goodbye, as if nothing strange has happened between them.
“Good luck in your trial, cupcake!”
Miles almost hurls the suitcase in his hand towards the man at the door in astonishment. He manages to hold back because he concludes he cannot afford to break another necessity of his because of Phoenix. (And the pianist will shamelessly take no responsibility at all.)
Meanwhile, Phoenix closes the door and sits back on the couch, Miles’ reactions to the pet names he’s been persistently calling on him flashes through his mind repeatedly. He covers his mouth and heavily flushed face thinking how cute Miles was moments ago.
He’s definitely not going to stop now. (He may or may not have other motives too.)
Three months pass rather quickly, but Miles is beginning to lose his mind and patience.
Would you like to come over tonight? Trucy’s excited to see you too, baby.
Maya’s coming to town to visit tomorrow. Will you like to meet her too, dearie?
I’m free tonight. Do you want to have dinner, pumpkin?
Can I come over tonight, mein Schatz? To talk about tomorrow’s social visit.
Goodness, when did Phoenix learn to use pet names in the German language?
Wait, that is not important, Miles decides. He needs to tell Phoenix he needs to stop with…whatever this is. It has been rather obvious that the ex-lawyer is just doing this purely just to mess with him. He is just doing this out for fun. Nothing special is going on between them and Phoenix had no special intention in mind. Nothing special will happen.
Miles’ chest tightens. He feels increasingly more irritated with that last thought. (He doesn’t know why.)
“No more pet names, that’s all I’m asking.”
“…and why not?”
“I see no need for it at all; not when you’re just doing it to rile me up for absolutely no reason at all.”
“You think I’m just doing this to mess with you?”
“Is there any other reasons why you’re purposely using weird names on me?”
“…”
Miles stares at Phoenix as the latter goes silent. Phoenix looks away, seemingly contemplating on what he should say next.
The silence continues. Phoenix raises a hand to place on his forehead as he takes a deep sigh. His hand clenches on his beanie for a moment before he removes the headgear and places softly on the table they were sitting at in Miles’ apartment. The disbarred lawyer takes another deep breath.
Is Phoenix actually nervous?
“Edgeworth, I…” Miles blinks as he begins to notice from his friend certain anomalies. He has a finger lightly scratching at his cheek. He’s biting his own lips.
Phoenix is nervous. Miles is rather surprised. He had thought Phoenix has grown far too easy-going and passive for the past few years after he had lost his badge. He had the impression that nothing can ever made Phoenix scared and nervous anymore now that he doesn’t stand in the court with unpredictable and unfathomable defendants and witnesses and abusive prosecutors.
Miles smiles as he watches the other man. He figures that somewhere inside the layer of aloofness, the skittish, careless and impulsively kind-hearted Phoenix that he knows is still there. It is a rather huge relief knowing that.
But it still doesn’t explain the sudden silence from Phoenix. So Miles waits patiently for an answer.
No words come though. Instead, Miles jumps when Phoenix suddenly stands up, and then walks across to stop in front of the prosecutor.
“Wright?”
He almost swings an arm towards Phoenix out of instinct when his shoulders are suddenly grabbed and Miles is turned to face the other man.
“Wright, what—”
“I’m sorry, Edgeworth,” grey eyes widen upon those words, the prosecutor staring at the lowered head in front of him, unable to see Phoenix’s face, making him unable to use logic to decipher what is going on. “You’re right. I did use those pet names just to make fun of you. To be honest, your reactions were far too amusing for me to stop.”
…Oh.
So Miles is right.
Phoenix has been only using those flirty names just to mess him up.
There is really no special reason behind.
Miles’ chest tightens. His stomach doesn’t feel well. His heart beats far too fast for his comfort. He wants Phoenix to stop touching him. He wants to leave here right now, as quick as he can.
Before he says or does something he will regret.
But the hands on his shoulders push in further.
“Release me, Wright.”
“Wait, Edgeworth. Just hear me until the end.”
Phoenix takes another deep breath. Miles glares at the man refusing to let him go.
“Speak up, Wright.” Miles is losing his patience. Any more seconds of this nonsense he’s really going to—
“Okay, yes. Like you said, I did it only to rile you up, but!” grey eyes widen again, because this time wide and determined onyx eyes has come close, very close, to his face. “Only at the start. I swear it’s different now!”
“…different how?” Miles glares again. If this is another attempt from Phoenix to mock him and his feelings again he swears that he is going to—
“Like this.”
Grey eyes widen once again, this time because he has lips pressed on his own. Just a little while. Until an extremely flushed and embarrassed Phoenix quickly pulls back after that.
“Because I love you…”
Miles freezes. He stops breathing temporarily. His heart beats a lot faster this time. His face feels hot.
Did Phoenix just do what he had thought that he had done and say what he had thought he had just said that he loves—
“…idiot.”
Miles growls as he grabs Phoenix’s sweater, pulling him back for another kiss because the first one had definitely felt far too short for his taste.
Phoenix stays and repeatedly calls him an idiot for almost the whole night. (Whenever he’s not moaning his name, that is.)
Phoenix is trying to prepare tea for four in the kitchen while Miles is helping Trucy in her homework. The social worker is on the way; it is important to show that Trucy’s education is being taken care of while she is with Phoenix after all.
The doorbell rings shortly after. Trucy volunteers to go to the door while Miles helps Phoenix to prepare the beverages.
“Is everything in place?” the prosecutor stands behind Phoenix as the latter places the pot and cups in the tray, getting ready to bring them to the dining table.
“Of course, sweetheart,” Phoenix replies to his boyfriend, his smile hinting pride and tease as he emphasises on the last word.
Instead of being all flustered like he had always reacted for the past three months however, Miles smiles back as he tenderly wraps his arms around the waist in front, placing a chaste kiss on the temple before he hovers his lips to the other’s ear.
“Good boy.”
It is fortunate that Phoenix has not lifted off the tray from the kitchen counter when Miles had whispered those words – the social worker absolutely does not need to see that and he doesn’t think he can afford to pay back to Miles for the expensive-looking tea ware.
“Daddy! Stop making out with Uncle Miles and come here already!” nor does Trucy, and the social worker absolutely does not need to see that his daughter knows whenever her father is being inappropriate with another adult at home.
“Shall we?” and Phoenix may or may not regret having Miles here right now, seeing how the prosecutor scoffs and smirks at his natural blushes as he walks away first.
“…idiot.”
(Who is he kidding, he’ll never regret it.)