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When Phoenix was born his parents couldn’t see his mark until he was almost 2 years old. He could fully open his hands by a year but still the mark was too tiny to see but as he grew up the mark grew with him.
Phoenix didn’t see Miles' soulmark. He knew of Miles Edgeworth even though they never shared a class together. Most kids knew of him, the smart kid who wore suits and ties, and carried a stuffed full backpack. Even when Phoenix and Miles finally had a class together they didn’t really know each other. They knew the basics, but that came with being in the same class for a year. It wasn’t until the end of 4th grade they became friends.
~
Even though the rest of the class had left Phoenix was still in the classroom. Curled up against the back wall still crying. The only other person still in the room was Miles. He walked up to the other boy’s curled up body, waiting until he calmed down a little. When Phoenix finally did, Miles went to put his hand on his shoulder but thought better of it and sat down in front of Phoenix.
“I know I often say words the other kids don’t fully understand. But I want you to know I’m being honest so..” Phoenix looked up, his cheeks a little red. When Miles saw he had Phoenix’s attention he put one finger up for him. “Pinky promise?” Miles said as he leaned in a little closer to the boy.
Phoenix reached out to take Miles' finger not remembering his mark. When they did touch a small shock went through the boys. Miles' first thought was that Phoenix had shocked him, and before he could pull his finger away Phoenix leaned in and gently held Miles’ wrist.
Phoenix scooted so he was sitting next to Miles and looked at Miles’ left pinky finger. After a second Miles looked too and his eyes widened in shock. Then he looked at Phoenix's right pinky finger.
On Miles was a pencil with a dull end, and on Phoenix was a notebook with incomprehensible words on it.
After a moment of silence Phoenix was the first to speak up. “I’m gonna guess it was sharp before?” “And I assume the notebook was empty?” Miles responded.
~
They spent a lot of time together after that. Miles had summer school so he couldn’t spend a lot of time with Phoenix but when school started again he was lucky enough to have class with Phoenix again (and Larry)
At recess they would play with Larry and after school Miles would ask his dad if he could stay to play with Phoenix. He asked every day so at some point his dad would only show up just to make sure he had a good day, after that he would leave and wait for his son to come home on his own. Phoenix lived close to the school so his parents would let him stay behind as long as he was home before sun set.
When the other kids started going home the boys would meet up under the playground and would wrap their pinky fingers together before Phoenix would run off dragging Miles with him. The boys would run to the river and lay there together just talking and letting their pinkys touch.
~
It had been a year at this point from when they started.. Well whatever this was. Dating wasn’t the right word. But just saying best friends wasn’t right either. But the boys are young and don’t care about that right now all that they know is that it's nice to have someone who was your match.
Phoenix would leave his bag at the school but Miles would bring his bag with him, so even though Miles liked his work neat he would let Phoenix draw in the edges of his notebook. Phoenix was good at drawing and Miles would cuddle up next to him as he drew. He wouldn’t be looking at the paper but at Phoenix’s mixed coloured eyes. Once and a while the sun would shine just right and Miles could see the drawings in the reflection of his blue eye.
~
Today Phoenix had brought his own sketchbook. He sat with it resting on his knees leaning over it. Miles was laying on his back in the grass. It was quite the whole time. Usually Phoenix would start the conversion and with Phoenix not taking Miles didn’t know how too. So he layed back and listened to the sound of pencil on paper.
“Nick… Nick.. Nick~” That finally made the boy's head pop up “Yeah Miles?” Phoenix said as Miles sat up. “The sun's starting to set. We need to start heading home.” He looked out over the lake, the orange in the sky matching his brown eye. “Oh…. Just give me a minute.. Two minutes”.
Miles crossed his arm. “Well? Which is it?” Phoenix was quiet for a second before he answered. “Three minutes?” That got a small chuckle out of Miles “Minute and a half.” “Minute and a half AND you count?” “Deal”
Miles let the time pass, counting in his head till he got near the end and leaned into the other boy. “Ten… Nine… Eight.. Seven..Six.. Fiivve..” As Miles counted down he leaned in more and more crowding Phoenix. “Four~” He was leaning over the sketchbook trying to get a look “Thhhree” Phoenix curled in a little to keep Miles back “Ttttwwwoooo”
Phoenix looked up waiting for Miles to say ‘one’ but all he did was stare at him. When Phoenix realised Miles was giving him more time he looked back into his sketchbook. Mile thought that he would use the bonus time to rush but instead he kept slow and small pencil marks until he was done.
“There” When Phoenix said that Miles tried to lean over him to finally see what he had been working on this whole time. “No, no. Not yet.” Miles leaned back when Phoenix said that. He watched as Phoenix gently wiggled the page back and forth to pull it out.
“Damn it!”
The words shocked Miles for a moment before he heard the hurt in the other boy's voice. Phoenix just kept his head down and pulled the rest of the page out, and when he was done he put his sketchbook to the side and started crying into his knees.
“Hey.. Hey” Miles leaned in over Phoenix not touching him “It’s okay Nick..” “It's not.. I worked so hard on it.. And.. and I ripped it.” Miles looked at the paper in Phoenix’s hand. There was a chuck of paper missing at the bottom of the page.
Before Miles could say anything Phoenix flipped over the page to show the drawing and Miles felt his heart stop.
It was a drawing of him. In the drawing his head was tilled up and his eyes a little down. Phoenix had perfectly drawn Miles from the shoulders up, and the rip didn’t even touch the drawing.
“Nick.. The drawing is amazing! It isn’t even damaged. You don’t need to cry.” Miles went to wipe his tears away but Phoenix moved his hand away. “That’s not the point.. It's ruined.. I.. I wanted to make something perfect for you cuz I know that's how you like things.. But now..” Miles gently took the drawing and wrapped his arms around Phoenix. “Nick the drawing could have a rip right down the middle and it would still be perfect”
Phoenix sniffled before he looked up, eyes a little red. “You.. promises” Miles didn't even pause to think of an answer. “Of course! Here..” Miles backed up a little and put his finger up showing the dull pencil on the inside of his left pinky.
After a moment Phoenix showed the image of the notebook on his pinky still sniffling, but with a smile on his face as he looked at his soulmate.