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Phoenix knew he had to take the case.
One would imagine that, in this day and age, passing a same-sex marriage law would be a no-brainer—in fact, it should’ve been done ages ago. Unfortunately, everything in the country had to go through the Bar Association, a professional body of lawyers and judges that had ties with everyone and everything. And most of its members were, to put it nicely, not nice .
On two different occasions, a trial for the passing of a same-sex marriage and adoption rights law had been held, in which a defense lawyer and a prosecutor—who were not chosen by members of the board but rather volunteered—argued against or for its legalization. Much to the dismay of citizens who were members of the LGBTQ+ community or allies, the prosecution won, both times.
Thankfully, many politicians and influential lawyers were still pushing for another retrial and, finally, five years after the previous one, the board had agreed to it. The very moment the news was out, Phoenix volunteered to be the defense lawyer before anybody else could. For a reason that he couldn’t quite admit to himself yet, it was imperative that the law went into effect at last.
The day of the trial arrived as quick as a wink. Phoenix hadn’t taken any cases in three weeks, only focusing on preparing for it. He barely went out, only ate junk food, and spent countless sleepless nights reading articles and gathering people’s stories and testimonies that could be used as evidence of sorts.
When he set foot in the courthouse lobby at 9:30A.M, the hunger and lack of sleep that he had willingly chosen to ignore for weeks caught up on him at once. Phoenix thought he was going to faint, so he put his hand against a wall to support himself and try to regain balance.
“Nick! Now’s not the time to faint!” Maya reprimanded him.
“Right, sorry for the inconvenience.” Phoenix sighed as he leaned fully against the wall.
“Do you want a hamburger? Or maybe a hotdog? There’s a stand right outside the courthouse.”
“I’ve been eating just hamburgers for days because you can’t cook, Maya, so no, I won’t be eating any more for the time being.”
“You should’ve cooked your own food, then!” Maya crossed her arms.
“I asked you to cook for us because I was preparing for the trial. You know, the extremely important one that’s going to start in half an hour.” replied Phoenix, visibly pissed off.
Maya hung her head low, and Phoenix looked to his left only to see something that almost took him out for good. Standing on the opposite side of the lobby was Edgeworth, who was supposed to be studying in Europe at that moment. This greatly concerned Phoenix, because if Edgeworth had come back specifically for a trial, then that must mean…
“Oh! That guy looks a lot like Mr. Edgeworth!” Maya said.
“That’s because it is obviously him.” Phoenix sighed, his gaze still fixed on the prosecutor. “How could that be anybody else? That suit he always wears is… unmistakably loud .”
“Hey, Mr. Edgeworth!” yelled Maya from across the lobby, before Phoenix could stop her.
The prosecutor turned immediately, clearly startled by Maya’s scream, and began walking towards her and Phoenix. The latter was still dizzy, now more than before, though he tried to play it cool by leaning with his back against the wall and putting his hands in his pockets.
“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Edgeworth said once he was in front of them.
A ghost would’ve been less scary than spotting you here on the day of the gay marriage trial , Phoenix thought.
“Long time no see, Edgeworth.”
The prosecutor raised an eyebrow. “We saw each other just last month, Wright. When you fell from a burning bridge and I was tricked into playing defense attorney while you were at the hospital. Remember?”
Phoenix remembered, obviously, he just didn’t know how to small talk at that moment. He wished Edgeworth wasn’t so cutting sometimes.
“Um, are you mad at me?” Phoenix asked.
“What? No. You already asked me that a dozen times back then. Quit dwelling on it.”
“You’re acting like you are, though,” Phoenix pointed out.
“I’m merely jet-lagged,” refuted Edgeworth, as he adjusted his cravat.
“Why are you back so soon, anyway?” interfered Maya.
“Yes, why are you back so soon?” repeated Phoenix, because he actually had been meaning to ask just that, but his brain was fried and his hundreds of trains of thought were crashing against each other and burning.
“Oh, that… I came back because of this trial, of course,” the prosecutor replied.
Just as he had feared. Phoenix felt his stomach sink. He didn’t know Edgeworth was so against the same-sex marriage law that he’d volunteer as a prosecutor for this retrial. Phoenix had always had so much respect for him, despite always standing on opposite sides of a courtroom, so it felt like a slap in the face. However, he also understood that this was Edgeworth’s job and, if the prosecutor won this trial too, he’d have something else to add to his almost impeccable record.
“I guessed so. See you later in the courtroom, then,” Phoenix muttered, and he began to walk in the opposite direction of the door to said courtroom. He needed a breather.
“I don’t follow.” Edgeworth looked truly dumbfounded.
“You came back because you volunteered to be a prosecutor today.” Phoenix stated, stopping dead on his tracks but not turning to face him and Maya.
“What?! No.” Edgeworth seemed extremely offended. “I came back to cheer on you. And to see how everything turns out in person, that is.”
“Cheer on me?”
“The outcome of today’s trial is a very important matter—I mean, for numerous people in this country. All eyes are on you now, Wright,” the prosecutor explained, and he smiled faintly.
“That’s right!” Maya nodded. “But everything will go smoothly. After all, Nick volunteered immediately, and he’s been preparing for the trial ever since.”
“So I heard. Gumshoe called me to tell me that you were first in line when the news about the trial came out. Frankly, I didn’t know you felt so, um, strongly about this matter,” Edgeworth said, as if Phoenix hadn’t changed his career path just to have a chance to talk to him again after well over a decade.
“So, any idea who the prosecutor might be today?” Phoenix quickly changed topics.
“I’ve been told it’s Winston Payne. No one else wanted to do it, being a second retrial and all. Every other prosecutor was extremely busy handling more difficult cases, so Mr. Payne had to bite the bullet in the end,” replied Edgeworth.
“Speak of the devil,” whispered Maya.
The three of them turned around as Winston Payne walked into the lobby. Phoenix noticed everybody looking at the man like he had a Kick me sign on his back, not to mention that the prosecutor himself seemed extremely unsure about the whole thing. The country had become more progressive those past five years, and it truly showed. That boded well for the defense.
“The trial starts in a few minutes,” Edgeworth pointed out.
“Yes. We should get going,” nodded Phoenix.
“This all falls in your capable hands now. Good luck,” said Edgeworth, avoiding looking directly at him, but smiling warmly nonetheless.
“Thanks, Edgeworth. Let’s go, Maya.”
All members of the Bar Association were sitting in the jury box. The trial would be presided by The Judge, the same one that had handed verdicts in literally every case Phoenix had been a part of. Winston Payne seemed more focused and ready than minutes before in the lobby, which worried Phoenix. The trial hadn’t even started yet and he was already sweating bullets.
The Judge slammed his gavel three times.
“Court is now in session.” The Judge nodded. “This is the second retrial for the approval of a same-sex marriage law, if I’m not wrong.”
“The defense is ready, Your Honor,” Phoenix stated, firmly.
“Hold your horses, Mr. Wright. I was going to say that this is the second retrial, so I presume there’s not much we can discuss that hasn’t been discussed before. I suppose this is going to be a pretty short trial,” added The Judge.
“Indeed, Your Honor,” agreed Payne.
“I wouldn’t be so sure, Your Honor. There’s something this trial has that the previous ones lacked,” smirked Phoenix.
“And what would that be?” asked The Judge, raising his eyebrows.
“Me, of course.”
“Hah! Don’t think your gigantic ego alone will help you win this trial, Mr. Wright,” scoffed Payne.
The judge slammed his gavel once.
“That’s enough. Prosecution, your opening statement, please.”
“I’m sure we all have better things to do today, so I’ll be brief. This is the second retrial for a law that isn’t even needed. Homosexuals are no longer looked down on in this country—in fact, they have the exact same rights as the rest of us. Granted, they cannot get legally married, but what does it matter? They can just live as a couple, and that should be enough,” said Payne.
“This guy stinks,” muttered Maya from her spot behind the defense’s table.
“Objection! ” Phoenix yelled. “You just said, and I quote, ‘They have the exact same rights as the rest of us’ , followed by ‘They cannot get legally married’ . I hope I don’t have to point out to the prosecution how these statements contradict each other.”
“Marriage and divorce are considered rights,” nodded The Judge, like everyone else didn’t know that already.
“Why do they need that right, though?” Payne insisted.
“Why do heterosexuals need it? Everybody could just live as a couple,” Phoenix sent the question right back at him.
“Well… It’s not that we need it, it’s just something that exists. But it wouldn’t matter if, uh, nobody could get married anymore, that’s what I’m saying. It’s not a necessity like food or water.”
“Seems like the trial to pass a same-sex marriage law has become a trial to abolish all marriages,” laughed Phoenix.
“That’s not what I’m saying! The defense is nitpicking, Your Honor,” complained Payne.
“I think Mr. Wright has a point,” The Judge shook his head.
“Nick, this is your chance! The Judge is on our side!” said Maya.
Phoenix slammed the table for dramatic effect. “Your Honor! If a man and a woman can walk down the aisle, I say two men or two women should be allowed to, also. What difference does it make, if you look past prejudices?”
“Well-” Payne began to say.
“Hold on a second,” The Judge interrupted him, “I have a doubt. Let’s say two men or two women get married, which last name would they use?”
“Pardon?” Payne muttered.
“When a man and a woman tie the knot, the lady often takes her husband’s last name. I don’t see how a same-sex couple would go about this,” continued The Judge.
“They could each keep their last names, like some heterosexual couples also do. Or, maybe one of them takes the other’s last name, just because they like it more?” Phoenix proposed.
“So… Let’s see if I understand. Say you get married to a man, Mr. Wright, and he takes your last name. Would there be two Mr. Wright's? That seems confusing,” The Judge shook his head again.
“Confusing indeed, Your Honor,” intervened Payne.
“I… What?” Phoenix was at a loss for words.
“Wouldn’t you and your husband’s legal documents be at risk of getting mixed up, or something?”
“I don’t even have a husband,” Phoenix muttered.
“You could have one if this law gets passed. And your documents could get mixed up with his,” said The Judge, refusing to give up that argument for some reason.
“We wouldn’t have the same name, though. Or birth date, just to mention a couple things. We’d only bear the same last name. My documents have never gotten mixed up with some random person’s who also happens to bear the last name ‘Wright’, so…”
“Fair enough,” agreed The Judge.
“He’s so easily persuaded,” sighed Maya.
“With this cleared up, I don’t see why we should extend this trial further,” said Phoenix.
“Not so fast,” smirked Payne, “Who would propose?”
“I’m sorry?”
“The man is usually the one who gets on one knee and asks for the woman’s hand in marriage. If there’s two men or two women, which one of them proposes?” added Payne.
“Objection! Genuinely, how does that matter? That doesn’t even have anything to do with this law,” Phoenix was getting fed up.
“I proposed to my wife by putting the ring at the bottom of a glass of champagne. I thought she would see it before drinking, but she chugged it all up at once. Swallowed it. I had to buy a new one,” reminisced The Judge.
“Was she… okay?” asked Payne.
“I ate an entire necklace once, I’m sure she was fine. Can we-?” Phoenix attempted to change topics.
“Oh, yes. I remember that. Frankly, Mr. Wright, I don’t know how you lived to tell the tale,” said The Judge.
“How is any of this relevant? None of that proposal thing matters!” yelled Phoenix.
“Objection! ” Payne refuted. “You don’t expect the Bar Association to pass a law before having scrutinized every if and but , do you, Mr. Wright?”
The Judge nodded solemnly. “Mr. Payne is correct. Honestly, I’m not fully satisfied with the answers you’ve provided so far, Mr. Wright. There will be a ten minute recess, and I hope once we’re back the prosecution will bring up more interesting points, and the defense will have appropriate and definitive responses to them.”
“Hold it! ” Phoenix yelled.
“Something the matter, Mr. Wright?” The Judge looked surprised.
“There’s no need for a recess, Your Honor. I will provide the answers you want right now.” Phoenix put his hands on his hips. “I believe the ‘last name’ debate has been settled. Now, moving on to the ‘proposals’ issue. If the possibility of one of the persons in a same-sex relationship, no matter their gender, getting on one knee and proposing doesn’t satisfy you, I suggest a more exciting idea—a double proposal.”
“What are you going on about?” asked Maya.
“I’m taking a new approach. I’m trying to, somehow, make The Judge and the jury excited about the idea of same-sex marriage. I have to make this interesting.”
“Elaborate,” demanded The Judge.
“Of course, Your Honor. Picture yourself enjoying a walk through the park on a warm spring day, and you spot, let’s say, two women strolling hand in hand a few steps ahead of you. Suddenly, one of them gets down on one knee and pulls out a ring and a rose bouquet. Everyone around stops and gasps, excited to see a proposal take place. But, hold on a minute, what’s that?”
“What’s what ?” The Judge inquired, bemused.
“It’s the other woman, also pulling out a ring and a rose bouquet,” smirked Phoenix.
“Two rings and two rose bouquets?” wanted to make clear The Judge.
“Exactly. And now everyone has gathered around and is cheering, because, what’s more exciting than one proposal? Two proposals. At the same time.”
Whispers could be heard coming from both the jury box and the gallery. The Judge slammed his gavel three times.
“Order! I will have order! I must admit, Mr. Wright makes a good point. Two proposals are even better than one.”
“Your Honor, I don’t think all same-sex proposals would be like th-,” tried to say Payne.
“I consider this topic pretty much settled. Does the prosecution wish to make a different point?”
“I, uh… Yes, Your Honor. What about children? They are the future of our nation—no, of the entire world . Our generation needs people to take over the important jobs and matters once we’re gone, so I’ll go as far as to say that children are the most important thing we have, as a society. A same-sex couples cannot bear kids of their own. How about that?” Payne stated, looking smug.
“Well, there are heterosexual couples who also cannot have kids, and others that don’t wish to,” replied Phoenix.
“I ask the defense doesn’t focus on a small minority.”
The Judge silently nodded at Payne’s request.
“Fine.” Phoenix slammed the table again. “I won’t. But I’d like to show the prosecution something, since he’s so concerned about the future of all the children in our country.”
“Go ahead,” said Payne.
Phoenix took out a piece of paper and pointed at an infographic in it. “As of today, there are over 70,000 children in foster care in this country. Kids that heterosexual couples brought into this world, and that, clearly, other heterosexual couples are not adopting. Unfortunately, being in the foster system, these children have a smaller chance of succeeding in getting into college or finding a good job, since they lack the proper support of a family unit.”
“Your point, Mr. Wright?” The Judge asked.
“We could kill two birds with one stone and let married same-sex couples adopt these kids, since, clearly, nobody else is going to do it. That way, not only they’ll grow up in a loving household, they’ll also have more opportunities to climb the ladder and fill the job positions the prosecution is so worried about,” suggested Phoenix. “According to this recent study in which a hundred same-sex couples were interviewed, over half of them expressed their desire to raise kids. Legalize same-sex marriage and adoption rights, and let them give a future to the children that heterosexual couples didn’t want.”
Silence fell upon the courtroom. The Judge sat with his eyes closed, deep in thought.
“But, uh- How will we know that a homosexual couple is as fit to raise a child as a heterosexual one?” Payne raised his voice.
“That’s just plain old homophobia, I’m afraid, Mr. Payne,” Phoenix shook his head in disagreement.
“Personally, I’ve heard all I needed to hear. I see no reason to drag this trial any longer. Being a jury trial, however, I cannot hand a verdict myself. The Bar Association will get to discussing the facts and evidence presented and will agree on a verdict briefly.” The Judge slammed his gavel just once. “This trial is over.”
Phoenix stumbled out of the courtroom and into the lobby. Maya was walking alongside him with a worried look on her face, despite the seemingly positive reaction of The Judge.
“I’m gonna pass out.”
“You can’t give up now, Nick, it’s almost over! And The Judge was so impressed. They will rule in our favor, for sure,” Maya tried to cheer him up.
“I don’t know why, but I’ve had this knot in my stomach for the past three weeks, and it’s getting even worse now,” murmured Phoenix, once again leaning against the wall.
“Wright? Maya? How did it go?” Edgeworth swiftly covered the distance between them and the corner of the lobby he was standing in.
“Great! Just give him a minute, he’s tired,” replied Maya.
Phoenix fanned himself with the last paper he had presented as evidence, earning him a concerned look from Edgeworth. Suddenly, Franziska appeared behind him, holding her signature brown whip with both hands.
“Franziska! I didn’t know you were here too!” Maya looked shocked.
“I’m just here to keep watch on my little brother. Also, to check if the foolish fools of the Bar Association finally pass this law,” she spoke, nonchalantly.
“Do I have good news for you, then,” Maya smiled, “Nick did amazing. They’re discussing the verdict now, but I’ll bet the hamburger stand outside the courthouse that it will go through this time!”
“Stop talking about food, please,” Phoenix begged.
“You’re green in the face, Phoenix Wright,” Franziska pointed out.
“You should sit down. I’ll go with you,” Edgeworth offered.
He and Phoenix found a bench outside the courthouse and the latter wished he could just lay down on it and take a much needed nap. They both sat in silence for a minute or two. The sidewalk outside the courthouse was bustling and all the chattering and the walking around of other attorneys was making him ever dizzier.
“Congratulations,” Edgeworth mumbled out of nowhere.
“What?”
“The trial went great, right? That is what Maya said.”
“Oh, yes, I guess so. Sorry, I didn’t even thank you for coming all the way here to support me.” Phoenix apologized. “I’ve never felt so stressed out in my life. Honestly, I’ve been a nervous wreck for the past three weeks.”
“This trial seems… really important to you.”
“It is. That’s why I volunteered to be the defense. I just can’t put my finger on why quite yet.”
“I see,” Edgeworth said under his breath.
“By the way, I forgot to ask you something,” Phoenix remembered.
“And that is…?”
“Why is this trial so important to you ?”
“What do you mean?” Edgeworth inquired.
“It’s a long flight from Europe. If you wanted to say some words of support to me, you could’ve called. Not that I don’t want you here, I just think it’s odd.”
Edgeworth was looking straight ahead, having somehow avoided making eye contact that entire conversation. “You are dense.”
“What? You are dense,” argued Phoenix.
Edgeworth paid no mind to that and was now looking down, staring at a little plant that was growing between the cracks on the sidewalk.
“I mean it,” Phoenix continued, as he took off his attorney’s badge and handed it to the prosecutor.
“You’ve shown me your badge so many times, I think I’ve seen it more than my own at this point,” Edgeworth teased him, “What do you want me to do with it, walk into a courtroom and pretend to be you again?”
“You know why I got it, right? My attorney’s badge,” Phoenix asked.
“Yes,” the prosecutor muttered.
“Exactly. You are dense.”
Right as Phoenix was saying this, Maya came out of the courthouse out of breath, running towards the both of them.
“Nick! They’ve decided already! Let’s go!” she screamed, joyfully yet impatiently.
Franziska appeared behind her, though she wasn’t running, just walking fast. “You fool! What kind of foolish fool leaves the courthouse when they’re about to hand down a verdict? Don’t make me whip you, Phoenix Wright.”
Maya grabbed Phoenix by the arm and practically dragged him back into the courthouse. The latter glanced at Edgeworth as this was happening, who, in return, smiled warmly as he looked up at the defense attorney at last.
“Miles Edgeworth, go back inside, now. It’s hot out here,” Phoenix heard Franziska say, before he and Maya left them behind.
“The defense and the prosecution have been summoned back into this courtroom to hear the final verdict.” The Judge spoke.
Phoenix stared at Payne, who looked like he didn’t care about the outcome at all. He, on the other hand, was shaking like a terrified wet cat under a rainstorm. Maya reached towards him and rested her hand on his forearm, which calmed him immediately.
“The jury has unanimously decided, mostly for the sake of not having to do another retrial five years down the road, to pass the same-sex marriage and adoption rights law,” The Judge nodded solemnly one last time.
Maya jumped and hugged Phoenix, who was standing completely still, a clear look of disbelief on his face. He wanted to hug Maya back. He wanted to cry. He wanted to stride into the lobby and grab Edgeworth and-
“Oh, you’re smiling!” Maya pointed out, “Finally.”
When the both of them came out of the courtroom, Edgeworth was gripping Franziska’s arm in a way that surely had to hurt.
“So?” the latter asked.
“It’s going to be legalized!” Maya shouted.
Edgeworth let go of Franziska’s arm. He physically relaxed and his gaze softened. Phoenix understood then that he hadn’t been the only one who had lost sleep over the outcome of the trial.
“Wonderful. At last! Now, let’s get going. My brother made a lunch reservation last night,” Franziska hurried them.
“I’m so hungry,” commented Maya.
“I’m so shocked to hear that,” Phoenix teased her.
“Where are we going to eat, Mr. Edgeworth?” Maya ignored him.
“If I recall correctly, the restaurant is called Très Bien.”
Phoenix and Maya physically recoiled, yet neither of them argued. It was a day to celebrate, and if they had to do so at Très Bien, then so be it.
“Where’s your car parked?” Franziska asked Edgeworth.
“In, uh- I seem to have forgotten, sorry. Take the keys and look for it, please. I’d like to talk to Wright alone for a second, so if you two don’t mind getting ahead…” Edgeworth replied, as he handed Franziska his car keys.
“Fine. But don’t make us wait too long, I’m starving,” Maya reminded them.
Phoenix and Edgeworth walked out of the courthouse side by side. As they passed the same bench they had sat on before, they noticed a small group of people waving LGBTQ+ flags on the opposite sidewalk—the news must’ve gotten out already. Phoenix looked at the prosecutor, who was smiling. He had never seen Edgeworth smile so much in one day.
“Why are you staring, Wright?”
“Why did you want us to stay behind, Edgeworth?” Phoenix smirked.
“Hmph.”
“What do you mean ‘hmph’ ?!”
Edgeworth crossed his arms. “I’ve been thinking about what you said earlier. You thanked me for taking a flight back here just to cheer on you, however, um…”
“Yes?” Phoenix tried to encourage him.
“However, I don’t think I’ve ever told you how grateful I am that you became a lawyer for my sake,” the prosecutor continued, “You have stuck by me during my worst times. When I had convinced myself that I was alone, you kept showing up for me. So, when last month I said that you saved me, I want you to know that I meant it.”
Phoenix kept his eyes fixed on Edgeworth, trying to hide the fact that he was once again sweating bullets like back during the trial, though he was now a different kind of nervous.
“I know that you meant it, but I’m glad to hear it, anyway,” he said. “I’m relieved, not gonna lie. I thought you were going to hate me forever when I showed up after all those years. I was scared you’d want nothing to do with me.”
“That’s foolish,” Edgeworth whispered.
“You sound like Franziska,” Phoenix commented, which made the prosecutor laugh a little.
They kept walking forward side by side, and Phoenix couldn’t help but notice that their steps were synchronized. He had spent years chasing after Edgeworth, and he had finally caught up to him. He allowed himself to breathe and forget about all the voicemails he had left, and the letters that were always returned to sender. It was okay now.
“My flight leaves tomorrow morning,” Edgeworth said. “How about dinner tonight?”
“Us two?” Phoenix asked.
“Yes.”
“Of course. You pay, though.”
“Why? No.” Edgeworth protested.
“That’s not how you refuse after you’re asked to pay. You wanna know what I always say?”
“I think I might have the slightest idea already.”
“So say it,” Phoenix prompted him.
Edgeworth sighed and shook his head softly.
“Objection! ”