Work Text:
The Interpol office was too bright for Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth. A cold cup of tea sat forgotten at the edge of the desk next to the chaotic arrangement of files and photographs. This Interpol case was time sensitive, and only one missed connection or unchecked detail, could lead their suspect to disappear before he was even arrested. Edgeworth was acutely aware of the clock and how little room there was for error, even as Shi-Long’s careless stacking of important files threatened to collapse the entire desk. Luckily, Edgeworth was always meticulous in his investigations. This case would surely not be a challenge.
Edgeworth sat at the desk, the piles of papers around him almost toppling due to the haphazardly way that Shi-Long Lang had stacked them. Shi-Long himself was perched on the edge of the desk, his long legs crossed over, his exposed chest up close to Edgeworth's face as he read the paper in Edgeworth's hands. Working with Shi-Long proved difficult at the best of times, and today he was outright distracting. As the pair of them discussed the ongoing Interpol case that Edgeworth had once again, unfortunately been dragged into, Edgeworth felt his thoughts drifting back to Phoenix, alone at their home, and Valentine's day just tomorrow.
Edgeworth shook his head, tearing his eyes away from Shi-Long's muscular bare chest as he forced himself to focus as the pair sifted through timelines and jurisdictions, tracing movements across borders and motives. The complex case refused to line up neatly. Shi-Long kept circling the same inconsistencies, testing Edgeworth’s patience. Usually Edgeworth was focused and logical, but today of all days his mind was fixed on his handsome husband, waiting at home for him.
Whilst Shi-Long examined the case file for what felt like the thousandth time, Edgeworth glanced at his phone. It was getting late, and the flight he'd booked to go home would be departing in just an hour. It seemed unlikely that he'd be able to make it home for their Valentine's date. He checked his messages- of course, Wright had spammed him with silly little thoughts, ranging from small updates on his work, a photo of his lunch, all the way to asking how the Interpol case was proceeding. Edgeworth knew this wasn't a serious query- the case was highly confidential.
He needed to get Wright out of his head and finish this case quickly. Edgeworth quickly messaged back, straightforwardly explaining that he was still working on it, and that their Valentine's date may have to wait. There was no time to feel guilty- Phoenix Wright, an ace attorney himself would obviously understand that work came first. He hesitated after sending the first message. There was no room for indulgence this time, and he should be clear with the facts. He wondered if Wright would think he was a failure- the case being delayed did not fit in with Edgeworth's perfectionist standards.
Edgeworth stared at the screen afterward, thumb hovering, then added a second message before he could talk himself out of it. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he put his phone back into his briefcase and picked up a piece of evidence to inspect it again. He needed to get this case done, but his mind was on the look of disappointment he knew would be on Phoenix's face.
Phoenix sat on the sofa, grape juice in hand. Hearing his phone buzz, he jumped up and grabbed it from the coffee table.
[23:00]♡Miles♡: Good evening Wright. My work is progressing slower than anticipated. There may be a delay in my return.
Phoenix's heart sank as he read the message. Valentine's Day was tomorrow. Of course, it was just another day and he shouldn't really feel this bad. He read the message again and smiled slightly as he sat back on the sofa, knowing that Miles was thinking about him.
Alone on Valentine's Day. Apollo was busy with his boyfriend Klavier on tour and obviously Trucy wouldn't want to spend it with her daddy instead of her girlfriend. Phoenix sighed, taking a swig of the grape juice. It tasted more sour than before.
Phoenix replied, insisting it was fine. He meant it. Mostly. After all, this wasn't their first missed holiday.
His phone buzzed again.
[23:02]♡Miles♡: I miss you.
[18:05] Phoenix Wright: Take care, Miles. I can't wait to see you. Hurry up and come home ♡♡♡♡
Shi-Long watched as Edgeworth read his husband's message, his glasses on the edge of his nose.
"No wonder this case is taking so long," Shi-Long remarked. "Especially with you spending so much time procrastinating."
"Maybe if you covered up, we'd have finished this by now." Edgeworth commented, pushing his glasses up before putting his phone back into his briefcase.
Shi-Long smirked. "Oh, am I distracting you, Prosecutor Edgeworth?"
"Of course not." Edgeworth rolled his eyes, his cheeks flushing slightly. "You're an experienced investigator. However, it seems instead of doing your job correctly, you're too busy flaunting yourself. Ridiculous. You can barely handle this evidence correctly."
"I seem to remember you liking it when I handled your evidence." Shi-Long leant forward, his shirt falling even more open as he uncrossed his long legs, his fangs glinting under the light as he smiled.
Edgeworth coughed, his ears turning bright red. "Don't you have anything better to do? The sooner we finish this case, the sooner we can leave."
Tilting his head, Shi-Long pouted slightly. He picked up another piece of evidence, his eyes scanning the document. "I remember when you used to like spending time with me." His eyes flickered from the paper back onto Edgeworth. "Seems that's changed."
There had been a time when Shi-Long's closeness had been easy during those late nights. But those blurred lines were no longer welcome, and Edgeworth and Shi-Long's relationship was long in the past. His husband was his present.
"I can tolerate your presence for this case." Edgeworth kept his eyes fixed on the file open on the desk in front of him. "You requested my help, and as an esteemed international prosecutor, I was obliged to assist you."
Shi-Long let out a quiet laugh at Edgeworth's attempt at drawing a line between them, putting the document back on top of the stacked pile of papers. He leant over to the other side of the desk, brushing past Edgeworth and grabbed a red pen. He turned and grinned at Edgeworth.
"Lighten up, Mr Prosecutor. After all, we're stuck here for the next few hours. We could make the most of it…"
Edgeworth ignored the thinly veiled flirt and the sly wink that followed. Shi-Long knew he was exceedingly handsome. And yes, at some point in the past, there may have been… feelings there. Purely physical on his side. But, Edgeworth had his lifelong crush as his husband now. Nobody was more imperfectly perfect than Phoenix Wright. God, he missed him so much. Edgeworth thought about Wright at home alone, probably slouched on the sofa, his dark hair messy, no shirt on…
Edgeworth shook his head. There was no time to get distracted by either his husband or his colleague's inappropriate choice of work attire. He would handle this case and be home in time for their Valentine's date. Wright had always accepted that for Edgeworth, work came first. Was that fair? The realisation that Wright never complained weighed heavy on Edgeworth's mind.
[17:03]♡Miles♡: The case is finally progressing. I anticipate that I will be able to catch a flight this evening. I apologise again for this delay.
Phoenix put his phone back on the side of the kitchen. Standing in a pink apron, he was putting the finishing touches to a heart shaped cake that he'd spent most of the day baking. He sighed as he walked over to the sink to wash his hands. Work always came first for Miles. This time, the case had been delayed more than once. And surely with two dedicated investigators on the case… Phoenix swallowed his bitter thoughts about Miles spending most of Valentine's Day without him, but with Edgeworth's ex-boyfriend Shi-Long Lang. Phoenix trusted Miles more than anything. He knew that Miles wouldn't be susceptible to Mr Lang's seductive ways anymore. Yet, that didn't stop Phoenix from his increasingly jealous thoughts spiralling around his brain. Shi-Long was obviously attractive and ridiculously confident. Phoenix had seen some of the photos that Miles had been sent by him over the years, and the images of Shi-Long's bare muscular body (and other parts of his body) were almost burned permanently into Phoenix's brain.
But the thought of Shi-Long Lang in a state of undress made Phoenix's imagination run wild. He knew how sexy Edgeworth looked wearing nothing but his cravat. The thought of Shi-Long and Miles' tangled bodies, sweaty and hot, gave Phoenix almost equally intense feelings of both jealousy and arousal.
Phoenix exhaled slowly, pressing his palms flat against the counter until the sour feeling dulled. This was his problem, not Miles'. Trust didn’t stop his body from reacting, though and Phoenix knew he'd have to calm himself down. After emerging from the bedroom some time later, he went back to fixing the cake as if those thoughts had never entered his mind.
[12:35- 2 missed calls from Wright.]
After continuously reviewing the evidence of the case for hours, Edgeworth had finally had a chance to look at his phone. He had spent the whole night working with Shi-Long, his only source of stimulation the copious amount of tea he'd consumed. He sighed as he saw the notifications on his phone, his hands trembling slightly from fatigue.
"Well, I think that's us done, Mr Edgeworth." Shi-Long stretched his arms above his head, his shirt pulling at his broad chest. "I couldn't have done it without you, as much as I hate to admit it."
Edgeworth only hummed in acknowledgment.
"So…" Shi-Long's seductive smirk was back. "How about a catch up? It's been a while since we spent some personal time together."
Edgeworth stood and neatened up the stacks of files on the desk. He frowned, the signature wrinkle between his brows especially prominent. "Investigator Lang, we have a lot of loose ends to tidy. Don't relax now. We should finish the investigation properly, and write this up correctly."
Shi-Long laughed. "Well, of course. But we've been awake for almost 24 hours. And the next flight home must be a few hours away…" He leant a hand on the desk, leaning in towards Edgeworth.
"I've arranged to leave shortly," Edgeworth replied flatly, not meeting Shi-Long Lang's intense eye contact. "I'll finish the paperwork tomorrow. Please send it over, you know the address."
Shi-Long's eyes followed Edgeworth as he placed the remaining documents in the file. After straightening his cravat, Edgeworth attempted to stifle a yawn. If Shi-Long made any additional comments, Edgeworth didn't hear them. The lack of sleep was making him feel faint, yet he pushed through it for one reason only.
Phoenix woke to the sound of keys rusting in the front door.
Edgeworth was on their doorstep, exhausted, coat still wrinkled from his long flight home. Phoenix stood in the hallway, his chest bare, wearing nothing but his boxers as his husband suddenly burst out excuses, stuttering over his words.
"Wright, I…I apologise, I should have worked harder." Edgeworth's brow furrowed as he hesitated on the threshold. His eyes met Phoenix's as he closed the door behind him. Was Phoenix upset? Angry? Understanding? He tried to read his expression as Phoenix stared back at him, his dark hair messy from sleep.
"Oh, I should have brought flowers or somethi-"
Before Miles had a chance to finish, Phoenix's lips met his, interrupting his apologies, his arms pulling Edgeworth into a tight embrace. Edgeworth froze for a second, surprised, then leant into the familiar feeling of Wright's warm body.
"It was worth suffering a few hours in a cramped, tiny seat, just to see you." Miles stated after the kiss, his arms tightening around Phoenix's shoulders.
Phoenix's mouth dropped open."You flew economy?"
"The next available business class flight was not for another 7 hours. I made a logical decision to fly economy class so I could…"
Phoenix pulled back with wide eyes. This man, Miles Edgeworth, had spent however many hours in an economy class seat just to come home as quickly as possible, just to see him? Pulling him tighter, he pressed his lips against Miles' neck. His breath tickled against Edgeworth as he mumbled.
"I'm so lucky to have you."
Edgeworth blushed as he stopped talking mid sentence, his face heating up. His gorgeous husband was basically naked, pressing himself up against him before he'd even taken his shoes off. He exhaled, and closed his eyes as Phoenix circled his arms more securely around Miles' slender waist, bringing him even closer.
Edgeworth replied, his voice cracking. "So, you forgive me?"
"Miles," Phoenix ceased kissing his husband's neck, pushing him back slightly to face him. "All that matters is that you're here now."
All the time apart and the smell of Phoenix, his hands pressing him so close and his leg between Edgeworth's was causing Miles' brain to stop functioning. He knew for a fact that Phoenix could feel his body responding as his wandering hands slid around Miles' slender waist again. Phoenix's lips pressed onto Edgeworth's neck again, his hot breath causing his cheeks to flush again.
"You must be tired from the long flight, and…I don't want to wear you out more." Phoenix exhaled, his hands gripping tighter onto Miles' waist. He nuzzled into Miles' neck again, his teasing words barely audible as he whispered more into Miles' ear. Edgeworth froze and Phoenix pulled back, his grin dangerously smug. Clenching his jaw, Edgeworth frowned, but Phoenix's playful suggestions had clearly had their desired effect.
"Do you want to eat cake?" Phoenix whispered, his breath brushing against Edgeworth's jaw.
Edgeworth's eyes widened. "What? Usually you're the one who…"
Phoenix laughed, his hand moving from Edgeworth's waist to hold his hand. His fingers brushed Miles' palm as he tugged.
"I made you something." Phoenix reluctantly pulled away, still holding Miles' hand and nodding his head towards their kitchen.
After Miles had removed his coat and shoes, he followed Phoenix into the kitchen. Phoenix was still shirtless, his bare chest flushed as he leant casually against the counter, entirely pleased with himself, as his remaining piece of clothing had been removed.
"Wright. Please put some clothes on." Edgeworth requested sternly, despite the heat creeping up his neck again.
Phoenix answered him with a wide grin. He winked as he grabbed the pink apron that was hanging behind the door. "One step ahead of you."
Phoenix Wright, wearing nothing but a pink frilly apron.
Edgeworth stopped, his breath catching. He adjusted his glasses and turned his head away to preserve a shred of dignity as he spluttered. “That is not what I meant and you know it.” Those words came out of his mouth, but the faintest hint of a blush betrayed him. Of course, he was still peeking out of the corner of his eye. "You are insufferable, Phoenix Wright."
"And you love it, Miles Edgeworth." Phoenix turned deliberately slowly to open the fridge and take out the cake.
Edgeworth tried as hard as he could to fix his gaze on the cake that was in Phoenix's hands, but unfortunately his eyes immediately focused on the other cake in the room. He adjusted his glasses again and coughed, his face now scarlet.
"You are completely inappropriate." Edgeworth's voice was strained.
Phoenix placed the heart shaped cake down on the counter carefully. “Careful… I spent so long on this. I’d hate for you to rush it, or make a mess.” He tapped his fingers on the counter, a slow, teasing smile curling his lips. “I’ll decide when you get to taste it.”
Edgeworth was determined not to let Phoenix win. "You might be convincing in a courtroom, Wright. Still, you won't gain a victory against me." He reached a finger out, scooping some icing from the top of the cake. Reaching towards Phoenix, he stretched his finger out. At the last second, he smiled and brought his finger to his own lips, his pink tongue peeking out as he licked the icing off seductively.
Phoenix's mouth dropped open. Edgeworth watched as Wright's brain appeared to short-circuit in real time.
"I think we need an updated autopsy report." Edgeworth's usually stern expression had a hint of smug satisfaction. "I appear to have killed my husband."
Phoenix leaned back against the counter, his pulse racing. "No objections here. But the court requires some more evidence." His eyes were fixed on Edgeworth's mouth as Phoenix stretched his arm out, scooping up more icing and reaching it towards Miles. As Miles enveloped his mouth over Phoenix's finger, Phoenix's eyes widened again.
"You're going to get a guilty verdict if you carry on behaving this way, Prosecutor."
Later into the night, despite his outright guilty behaviour, Edgeworth would continue to insist that he was innocent. Phoenix would let him believe that. And, with a verdict the couple both believed to be a victory, the Valentine's Day case was closed.