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Phoenix was working late again, that's no surprise. His fingers fumbled through pages and pages of case files. He sighs and sets them down, rubbing his tired eyes. Normally Maya would be here to help him but she's away to do her training. Phoenix was alone.
A hesitant knock interrupted his search, and Phoenix looked up to see Miles Edgeworth standing in the doorway. The presence of Miles Edgeworth cast a solemn air over the room.
He wasn't expecting to see him here so late. And with some suitcases sat beside the doors entrance.
"Phoenix," Miles began, his voice tinged with a hint of urgency, "we need to talk."
Phoenix's heart clenched at the gravity of Miles' words. Is it about the case? Did he do something wrong?....Or was it about-
Swallowing the lump in his throat, Phoenix nodded, his voice barely above a whisper. "Alright, Miles. Let's talk."
Miles stepped into the room, his piercing gaze fixed on Phoenix, silently demanding clarity. It made Phoenix's heart race, with worry and with something else. Miles stands behind one of the chairs opposite Phoenix's desk. He refused to sit. Something was troubling him. Phoenix sat up to attention. Before he could ask, Miles spoke.
"I've been offered a position overseas," Miles stated, his words sounding almost...sad. "It's an opportunity I cannot ignore."
Phoenix felt the weight of those words settle like lead in his chest. "When... when are you leaving?" he managed to choke out.
The words came out more shaky than he anticipated.
"Tonight," Miles replied, his tone betraying a hint of regret. "I've already made arrangements."
The air between them grew heavy with the weight of unspoken words, the tension palpable as Phoenix struggled to find his voice.
"Then I won't have much time to..." Phoenix scratched the back of his head, trying to find the words.
"Time to what? I'll have plenty of time overseas, I'll be there for a few years"
"Y-Years!"
"Yes, years. Keep up, Wright."
"Miles, I..." Phoenix began, his words stumbling over each other in a desperate attempt to articulate the turmoil within him. "I've been... confused. About us. About how I feel."
Silence. Miles was waiting for Phoenix to continue talking. It made him nervous.
"Well I did want more time to think about it but now I have no time. And I'm not sure on if I'll see you again like last time. We only met because of a case...And I-"
Miles' brow furrowed in confusion, a flicker of impatience crossing his features. "Phoenix, get to the point," he urged, his voice cutting through the haze of Phoenix's rambling thoughts. Taking a deep breath, Phoenix forced himself to meet Miles' unwavering gaze. "I love you, Miles," he confessed, the words hanging in the air like a whispered prayer.
"When did you start feeling this way, Phoenix?" Miles asked, his voice soft yet insistent. He moved swiftly to finally sit down in that seat.
"And why didn't you say anything sooner?". Phoenix hesitated, his mind racing to find the right words to convey years of confusion and denial. When did it actually start? Of course Miles Edgeworth would want to get to the bottom of it.
"I... I've been wrestling with these feelings for a long time, Miles," he confessed, his voice trembling slightly. "But I was scared. Scared of losing our friendship, scared of what it meant to admit... to admit that I love you."
Miles listened in silence, his eyes never leaving Phoenix's face, as if trying to unravel the others emotions. Though the eye contact was stressing Phoenix out a bit.
But seeing you on the brink of leaving again, it made me realize that I couldn't keep hiding from the truth."
Phoenix continued, his words spilling out in a rush. "I couldn't let you go without telling you how I feel."
Miles's expression softened, a wistful smile playing at the corners of his lips. "Phoenix, it's understandable. We've both been navigating our own paths, trying to make sense of our feelings."
A sudden wave of panic washed over him. "Wait, Miles," he interjected, his voice trembling with uncertainty. "Do you... do you even feel the same way? And I... I don't even know if you're into men..."
The words hung in the air, heavy with the weight of Phoenix's insecurities. He felt exposed, vulnerable in a way he hadn't felt in years. He started to fidget at his desk.
"....You could write me letters."
"Huh??"
Their eyes meet. Miles glanced away rather quickly before shrugging and adjusting his blazer, perhaps for a distraction.
"I will not disappear off the face of the Earth, Wright. You make it sound like you'll never see me again.
"Well, you do have a track record of disappearing and not staying in contact."
Miles flinches. Ouch!
"I am...aware...of that"
Phoenix blinks, suddenly confused. Why mention letters? "What about my confession? You don't need to accept it or anything, I just wanted to get it off my chest"
Silence. Again. Phoenix felt like he was being suffocated. Miles takes a deep breath and that's when Phoenix starts to regret his confession. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have unloaded that on yo-"
I'm gay, Wright"
"WHAT?"
"Don't sound so surprised..."
Phoenix gripped his desk and tried to hide his surprise, though it's pretty clear. His mouth went dry and he goes quiet. For once, Miles was the one to break the silence.
"...I didn't know that you were into men too, Phoenix"
"I'm urm...bisexual"
"Well that's the whole 'coming out' out of the way. Now we move onto feelings"
"Miles, it's okay. We don't have to talk about it, go get your flight"
"No"
"No?"
"No," Miles repeated, his voice firm yet tinged with vulnerability. "I don't want to leave things unsaid between us, Phoenix. Not anymore."
Phoenix felt a mix of relief and apprehension wash over him. "But... what about your flight? Your opportunity overseas?"
Miles shook his head, his gaze unwavering. "It can wait. What's important right now is us, and the truth that you've finally laid bare."
Phoenix swallowed the lump in his throat, his heart pounding with a mixture of fear and hope. "So... what now?"
Miles stood up, moving around to Phoenix's side, looming over him. He places his hands on the chair arms and leans down.
"Now, we explore this... this thing between us." he said softly, his eyes searching Phoenix's for any sign of hesitation.
"And how do we do that?"
"God, you are clueless, Phoenix"
"H-Huh?"
"I love you too...I tried telling you during my court case but we had a lot going on"
Miles' words hung in the air, filling the room with a weight that seemed to press down on Phoenix's chest. He couldn't believe what he was hearing—Miles, his longtime friend and occasional rival, admitting his feelings so openly.
"You do?" Phoenix repeated, his voice barely above a whisper, his mind struggling to comprehend the sudden turn of events.
Miles nodded, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Yes, Phoenix. I do."
A rush of emotion flooded through Phoenix, a mixture of disbelief, relief, and overwhelming joy. He felt as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders, replaced by a warmth that spread through his entire being.
"I... I don't know what to say," Phoenix admitted, his voice trembling with emotion. "I never imagined..."
Miles reached out, gently cupping Phoenix's face in his hands, his touch sending shivers down Phoenix's spine. "You don't have to say anything," Miles said softly, his gaze locked with Phoenix's. "Just... be with me."
And in that moment, as their eyes met and their hearts beat as one, Phoenix knew that their journey was just beginning. They had faced uncertainty and doubt, but now they stood on the threshold of a new chapter, united by the bond of their shared love.
With a trembling hand, Phoenix reached up to caress Miles' cheek, his touch a silent promise of his own. "I'm with you, Miles," he whispered, his voice filled with conviction. "Always."