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"Can I count on you to be here tomorrow night, Phoenix Wright? Say, 6:30 to one? Our customers are eager to see your talent."
Phoenix hesitated for a moment, turning his head and looking in the direction of the room where Trucy lay asleep just inside, keeping his phone close to his ear.
"Of course I'll be there. I won't disappoint," he answered, turning back and nodding to himself.
"Good, good. I'll see you then."
"Goodnight—"
Before he knew it, his boss had already hung up the phone. Sighing, he slipped it back into the pocket of his sweater, where his hands stayed as he made his way to the couch in his dim living room, illuminated only by the light from the kitchen.
It was the first time they had ever asked for him that late, and to stay at the club for that long. A bit of anxiety creeped its way into Phoenix's gut at the thought: this could only mean there was a particularly important client they wanted him to impress.
Still, there were larger things to worry about. Almost guiltily, he looked back at the door to Trucy's room once again. She was definitely too young to be left alone at night for that long, but she was also too young for Phoenix to take her with him, unless her magic tricks somehow also applied to winning poker games. He almost grinned to himself at the thought.
Yet that was not an option, at least not until she was older, and Phoenix did not have much of a choice. There was nothing he liked about leaving her alone for the night, in general. There was no doubt in his mind that she was a very bright girl, and she could eat and put herself to bed just fine, but something wouldn't ever sit right with him, especially not so soon after adopting her. Of course he wouldn't just disappear, but given her history, he wanted to try his best to make the transition as smooth as possible for her.
The nature of his job did not help with this, and he suspected this would be one of many late nights. He could only hope she knew how much he loved her already, and that he would never, ever abandon her. But…he definitely could not afford a babysitter. Not if he wanted to eat something other than instant ramen for the next few weeks.
That meant he'd have to ask for a favor. The issue now was…who?
Immediately, in a situation like this, he would normally go to Maya. She spent a lot of time with Pearl, after all, and so Phoenix knew she was good with children Trucy's age. However, he knew she was busy in Kurain. He'd love to see her again, and he knew Trucy would love her too, but he felt bad interrupting her training to make her come all the way down there for just a night.
Then who else, if not Maya? Children did tend to like Gumshoe, but he was a detective. He could be on call, he could have to leave her too, and he would probably already be working tomorrow night, anyway. Additionally, in the back of Phoenix's mind, he wasn't sure if he totally trusted him not to somehow burn the entire apartment complex down, either.
Larry? …Over his dead body.
Kristoph Gavin, the one defense attorney who voted against his disbarment? He was a seemingly kind enough man, and they had been speaking on and off for a while now, but Phoenix had his suspicions about him. There was something off about the way Kristoph spoke to him, though he couldn't put his finger on what was wrong quite yet. He'd have to look into his background more before he could trust him with his daughter. Who else was a viable candidate, though? He pulled his phone back out of his pocket, scrolling through his saved phone numbers.
…Edgeworth?
Fuck.
No. No, that wasn't necessary. He'd find someone else. He'd work something out. It would be fine. He definitely didn't need to go so far as to ask Edgeworth for help with something like this. It was practically an admittance of defeat! He knew he had told Phoenix to ask for help if he needed it, but…no. He couldn't. What if he laughed at him? He didn't need to call. It would be fine.
His phone stared back at him, daring him. All it would take was the press of a button.
Phoenix sighed in resignation. Who was he kidding? He couldn't do this alone, and he couldn't just skip work. He had just told his boss he'd be there, after all, and he needed the money to put food on the table for Trucy if nothing else. If Edgeworth was his only option, if there was no other way than to call him, then so be it.
Reluctantly, he dialed the number and pressed the phone to his ear as he listened to it ring, half of him hoping Edgeworth wouldn't pick up, and the other half hoping he would.
"Hello?" At last, Edgeworth's voice came through the speaker, sounding somewhat tired. Phoenix hoped he hadn't woken him up.
"Hey, Edgeworth."
"Wright? Are you okay?" Now, worry laced his voice. The last time someone called Edgeworth this late at night, he was led to believe Phoenix had fallen to his death.
"Yeah, I'm fine, but—"
"Is Trucy alright?"
"…Yeah. About her—"
"What about her?"
"She's fine, she's fine! I just…I have work tomorrow night," Phoenix began. He thought he heard Edgeworth sigh to himself on the other end, relieved the two were alright.
"Yes?"
"And…she can't be alone. It's not the kind of job I can really take her to." He swallowed, before lowering his voice. "If you catch my drift."
Quite a long pause followed, and Phoenix pulled the phone away from his ear to ensure Edgeworth hadn't hung up already. His brow furrowed in confusion when it showed that someone was still on the other line, and so he lifted his phone to his ear once again.
"Edgeworth?"
"Wright. I understand money's tight right now, but you don't need to go so far as to sell yourself. I can lend you money if you're truly that destitute," Edgeworth offered, his voice lowered in return.
"…What?" Phoenix squinted, incredibly confused by his response.
"Are you not…?"
"Wait. Oh my god, no. No, Edgeworth, nothing like that!" he defended, wondering how his mind had even bothered to go there in the first place. He supposed he could've been clearer with his wording, though…
"Oh. Well, that's a relief." Another pause, as Edgeworth contemplated whether or not he wanted to know the truth. "What is it, then?"
"It's poker. In the basement of the Borscht Bowl Club."
"Ah." So that's what Phoenix had been up to since his disbarment. Gambling. The thought of it caused Edgeworth to frown to himself.
"So you see why I can't take her with me. Truth is…" Now came the big question. Edgeworth had been a great help to him and a wonderful listener when everything happened, but having to admit that Phoenix actually needed the help he offered became harder for him by the second. "I can't afford a babysitter. And I don't know who else to ask." He paused, running a hand through his hair to brace himself. "God, this is embarrassing. But, would you, maybe, be able to stay with Trucy tomorrow evening?"
At this, Edgeworth went silent again, which Phoenix took to mean he was considering the request.
Miles would do anything for Phoenix. He had made that very clear to him when he was first disbarred. Still, he couldn't help but worry about how fit he was for this request in particular. While Phoenix had told him a lot about her over the phone, this would be the first time he'd actually meet Trucy, and while he was alright with children, he was never anyone's first choice when it came to finding a babysitter. The trust Phoenix placed in him was more than he had in himself, and he was unsure if he was entirely deserving of it.
"Wright, are you sure? I'm not very accustomed to caring for children her age," he told Phoenix. It wasn't so much that he was trying to avoid doing this for him. Truthfully, he didn't mind it in the slightest. It was simply a bit of a strange request to ask of someone like Miles, and if there was anyone better to ask to care for his daughter, he preferred Phoenix go to them instead. This anxiety must have shown in Miles's voice, as Phoenix only doubled down when he spoke again.
"You're the only one I can trust with this. Would you rather I called up Larry?" The certainty in his voice startled Miles just a bit, but admittedly, the thought of Phoenix trusting Miles this much with his child above everyone else had encouraged him, and so he had his answer.
"Oh, lord, no. Good point. Of course I'll do it, Wright," he decided, hearing Phoenix sigh in relief on the other end.
"Thank you so much. I can try to pay you, if you want—"
"Absolutely not. It'd be a delight to take care of your daughter." A smile crossed Miles's face at the thought of finally getting to meet Trucy. Perhaps he had no reason to be as nervous as he was, especially if Phoenix thought he was fit for the job.
"…Great. I'll see you tomorrow. My place at 6?"
"I'll be there. Goodnight, Wright."
"Night, Edgeworth. Thanks again." Three short beeps then signalled that Edgeworth had hung up the phone, and Phoenix sighed once again, glad that he had secured someone to watch Trucy, and even more glad that the embarrassment of asking was less than he had expected. Edgeworth was known for being reliable, after all, and he was a man of his word when it came to offering to help others in their hour of need, at least in Phoenix's experience.
A weight now having been lifted off his shoulders, he stood up from the couch, finally deciding it was time for bed.
~~~
Right as the clock struck six, a firm knock sounded at the Wrights' door. Phoenix opening it, with Trucy in tow, revealed a perfectly punctual Edgeworth standing just outside.
"Edgeworth, hey! Thanks for coming." Phoenix grinned at the sight, beyond grateful that Edgeworth was able to make time for this. Trucy stood silently behind him, eyeing Edgeworth carefully.
"Hello, Wright." Edgeworth gave him a soft smile in return, before lowering his gaze to Trucy behind Phoenix and giving her a gentle wave.
"Come in, come in! I've got everything all set up," Phoenix said, gesturing to him to enter. Trucy watched the two curiously as Edgeworth removed his shoes and overcoat, and then awaited further instruction from Phoenix, glancing around at the somewhat messy living room.
The two chatted idly for a bit, as Phoenix asked how the drive over was. Trucy did not care for this conversation and so had stopped listening, up until the point where the conversation shifted to Edgeworth's work. Suddenly, recognition flashed across her face, and she decided to chime in.
"Hey, mister, are you the prosecutor Daddy always talks about?" she asked excitedly, grinning up at Edgeworth (exactly like Phoenix, though they had only been living together for a few weeks by this point).
Phoenix and Edgeworth shared a look at this, a sheepish grin on Phoenix's face and a raised eyebrow on Edgeworth's. Nevertheless, he knelt down to meet Trucy's eye level to answer.
"I suppose I am. My name is Miles Edgeworth. I'll be staying with you tonight while your father is at work," he explained, extending his hand to her.
Eagerly, and still smiling, she shook his hand. "I'm Trucy Wright! Nice to meet you!"
"You as well. I've heard many good things about you, Miss Wright."
"Really? Daddy, you didn't tell me I was famous!" At this, Phoenix only chuckled. "Do you wanna see some of my tricks?" she asked as she turned back to Edgeworth, still gripping his hand tightly.
He nodded. "Once your father has shown me around, of course," he said, standing back up and turning to Phoenix expectantly, whose eyes widened as he checked his watch.
"Uh, yeah, alright. So," he began, as he walked through the apartment, both Edgeworth and Trucy following closely behind. "That's my room, that's Trucy's room, and that's the bathroom. Balcony's that way, and I think you saw the kitchen on the way in."
Edgeworth nodded, and at his confirmation, Phoenix walked back out to the living room, gesturing to the TV. "I've recorded a few movies and episodes of her favorite shows in case you want to watch anything. And, of course, there's always practicing her repertoire for you," he said with a light chuckle.
Now nearly running late, he quickly made his way towards the front door, throwing his sweater and hat on as he gave his last few tips.
"Here's an extra key, just in case. Bedtime is 8:30. Truce, don't forget to shower."
"Alright, Daddy!" His foot in the door, he quickly enveloped her in a hug, and with another quick thank-you to Edgeworth, he was gone before either of them knew it.
Silence filled the apartment, and Trucy only looked up at Miles expectantly, who was deep in thought, processing what Phoenix had just told him.
There was one thing he seemed to have forgotten, and that was what exactly Miles was to feed Trucy should she get hungry. He supposed it made sense for Phoenix to be so scatterbrained, especially since he was already running a bit late, but he doubted she had had dinner, and wasn't sure if he should trust the eight year old with her diet.
"Trucy, have you had dinner yet?" he asked.
"Nope!" Just as he suspected. At this, he decided to head to the kitchen as Trucy followed.
"Alright. Let's see what we have here, then."
Opening and closing cabinets, drawers, and even the fridge and freezer revealed much too much junk food for a child her age, too much even for an adult Phoenix's age. Miles supposed it made sense, as he was well aware Phoenix's financial situation had never been excellent, but this was no way for a young lady to eat. He would cook something for her and leave the leftovers for Phoenix, there was no doubt about it. He refused to have it any other way. However, there were very little usable ingredients in the kitchen, most edible matter consisting of instant ramen or various kinds of unhealthy snacks.
If he wanted Trucy to eat well, the two of them would have to buy something first. Luckily, she seemed to be the type of child that was on-board with any adventure.
"Trucy, how would you like to go grocery shopping with me? I'd like to get something to cook for you," he explained, ideas of what to make already swirling around in his mind.
"Ooh, that sounds fun! Let's go!" Excitedly, she ran towards the door to slip her shoes on, and waited loyally for Miles to follow, who took her hand as he locked the door behind him.
Though he could generally be trusted to keep a child alive, Miles Edgeworth had never particularly wanted children, at least not until he was a bit more stable mentally. And yet, shopping for dinner with Trucy Wright was the most fun he had ever had in a grocery store. She had a way of making the world around her a lot brighter, despite what may have happened to her in the past, he noticed. It explained why Phoenix spoke of her so highly, at the very least.
As a surprise for Phoenix, and as proof he didn't simply run off with his child, he pulled out his phone in one of the store aisles to take a blurry selfie of him and Trucy. Miles himself had a relatively neutral expression on his face, while Trucy gave the camera a wide grin, and he sent the picture to Phoenix with the message "I know you’re busy, but I thought you should know I’ve taken the liberty of cooking dinner for both you and Trucy. Leftovers will be in the fridge". He hoped he'd appreciate it when he got the chance to see it.
Dinner went smoothly once they got back from the store, as Miles had decided to make pasta primavera (omitting the vegetables Trucy disliked). The smell reminded him of his early childhood, from before his father died, and merely the act of letting Trucy help with the cooking reminded him of this time as well, as he remembered his father had done much the same with him.
After they had already eaten and Miles had washed the dishes and packaged up the rest for Phoenix later, the two stood together out on the apartment's balcony, with Trucy looking curiously down at the rest of the city below. It was a warm evening for late April, and so Miles believed getting some fresh air was in order after they ate.
The balcony didn't seem to get much use, likely due to the weather not having fully warmed up yet. Still, there was a small round table and two outdoor chairs, so Miles took a seat, carefully watching Trucy as well as the setting sun.
"I was wondering, Mr. Edgeworth," Trucy started, turning around to look at Miles.
"Just Edgeworth is fine."
At this, she walked over and took the other seat next to him. "Okay! I was wondering, Edgeworth," She said his name with the same intonation as Phoenix did, he noticed. "…How do you and Daddy know each other?"
A loaded question. Miles cleared his throat as he thought of how to best describe their relationship to someone so young. "He is a very dear childhood friend," he eventually settled on, looking out at the city from where he sat.
"So you've been friends for a long time, then?"
"Yes. Almost for our entire lives."
"Wow!" Trucy exclaimed, causing Miles to chuckle.
"I know. I'm very lucky to have someone like him in my life. Your father is a great man, Trucy."
"I think he's lucky to have someone like you too, Edgeworth," she said, nodding to herself as if to prove her point.
"Why do you say that?"
"Well, even though I haven't known you for very long, I know Daddy always gets happier when he talks about you."
Miles paused, just barely stifling a smile at the thought. "…Really."
"Yeah! He always talks about how great you are and how much you've helped him since he lost his job," she said, kicking her legs back and forth under the table.
"I'm always happy to assist him. That goes for you as well." This prompted a grateful smile from Trucy before she continued.
"I think…he misses you. So I'm glad you're here, Edgeworth," she admitted, looking down at her lap. "It can be hard for me to see him so sad when he thinks I'm not looking. I know he tries to be brave for me, but it doesn't always work. You help a lot, I think."
Miles took a moment to respond, turning what she had said over and over in his mind. Hearing her open up to him like this only made him relieved that he had gotten the chance to spend this time with her. Though it hadn't been long since Phoenix's disbarment, the two had clearly been through quite a lot already. Part of him wondered how Trucy managed to stay so positive despite everything that had happened to her, young as she was.
"I'm sorry you've both been sad, but I can promise you that it won't be like this forever, Trucy. Things can and will get better. They always do," he said, leaning over to look her in the eye. She seemed to appreciate this, beginnings of a frown turning back into her usual bright smile.
"That's right! Thanks for reminding me!"
"Always. I'm also very glad I had the opportunity to meet you tonight. You've been nothing short of a delight," he pointed out.
At this, Trucy giggled. "Thank you! I'm glad I got to meet you too, Edgeworth."
Miles then stood up, noticing a chill in the air now that the sun had set, and Trucy followed suit. They settled back on the living room couch together, where Miles caught a glimpse of the time from the clock on the cable box.
"7:55. I'm afraid it's about time for you to shower and go to bed," he mentioned.
"But I'm having so much fun with you!" Trucy protested.
"I'm glad you are, but a young lady like you needs to get a good amount of sleep every night. We wouldn't want you to be tired in school tomorrow, would we?" Miles explained, meeting her eyes and offering an apologetic half-smile.
Trucy sighed to herself, supposing his reasoning was sound enough. "Alright. Tell Daddy I said goodnight when he gets back, okay?" she requested, before slipping off of the couch and making her way to the bathroom.
"Of course."
~~~
The night became much lonelier once Trucy was settled in her room less than an hour later, already asleep. Once Miles was sure she was alright, after briefly checking on her, he walked back out to the balcony and leaned over the railing, unbothered by the cold wind blowing through his hair.
Wistfully, he looked down at the city below, unable to help but wonder where Phoenix was, and what exactly he was doing. Miles had barely heard of the Borscht Bowl Club before, much less the happenings in its basement, and frankly, the entire thing worried him.
He had done his fair share of investigation into smuggling rings, and he knew this wasn't nearly the same, but knowing that Phoenix had turned to gambling as an alternative to practicing law left him with a bad feeling in his gut that something might happen to him eventually, whether that was a fight or worse.
Now, he shivered in the wind, and thought of how hurriedly Phoenix had left the apartment. Seeing him put on merely a sweater and a beanie as he left for work, instead of the blue suit Miles knew he still owned, just made his disbarment feel all the more real. This, unfortunately, seemed to be Phoenix's life now. Miles simply hoped they would be able to find who set him up as soon as possible, to get him the justice he deserved. Maybe then he would retake the bar, and only then would the light return to his eyes, Miles thought.
Anxiety creeped its way deeper and deeper into Miles's gut, and his first thought was to go for a walk, but he refused to leave Trucy alone, especially as he was already somewhat worried about Phoenix (though he'd have to be waterboarded to admit that little fact).
Instead, he returned inside and stood in the living room, glancing around at the furniture and the various personal effects left lying around by the Wrights. Sweaters, shoes, toys, discarded drawings, books…if he was being entirely honest, the place was a bit of a mess. Not that he blamed Phoenix, and certainly not Trucy, but it most definitely needed a cleaning before it got any worse.
He started with hanging up any errant jackets, and pairing and lining up their shoes where he assumed they belonged near the door. Then, he decided to continue with organizing the items left lying around on the couch and coffee table as well as on the floor, meticulously stacking books and taking the time to set up a scene with Trucy's toys for her to see the next day.
The bathroom was next, as he had noticed cleaning supplies in there earlier. Nearly everything was sparkling by the time he was done with it, and satisfied with his work, he wondered where to go next.
The door to Phoenix's room stared him down as considered what else needed cleaning. He didn't dare go near there in his cleaning spree, however, somewhat afraid of what he would find, afraid of what he would be reminded of, if he were to see that blue suit hanging in his closet that he had come to adore so much on him. On top of that, he felt he'd only be intruding, even if all he did was make the bed.
The kitchen was a wonderful distraction. He had already done the dishes earlier, but the counter could use a good wipe-down, as did the sink, the microwave, the stove…it was reasonable to say that Miles was beginning to get a little carried away, as cleaning gave him something to think about that wasn't Phoenix.
Before he knew it, hours had passed, still with no word from Phoenix that he was on the way home. Logically, Miles knew that he was probably fine, just busy, but being called into work this late at night, doing what he did for a living? He had to admit that none of it sat right with him, even if Phoenix wasn't truly gambling in that basement.
Deciding his cleaning was complete, he settled on the couch with a book, in a holding pattern as he almost desperately waited for the sound of a key in the door.
12:59.
1:04.
1:10.
1:22.
The clock taunted him more and more every time he looked, and so he tried not to. Finally, as it struck 1:25 on the dot, a key turned in the door, revealing none other than a tired-looking Phoenix Wright, relieved to see Miles there as he came through the door.
"Hey." He looked around for a bit, blinking. Everything was fine, yes, but something was different about the living room. More…organized? He knew Trucy hadn't done that.
"You're late," Miles said, closing his book and setting it on the table, awaiting an explanation.
"Yeah, sorry. A client wanted to talk to me afterwards. Took a while to get out of the conversation," he responded, taking off his beanie and sweater and hanging them up where they belonged.
"Trucy has been asleep for a few hours now, as per your instructions. Did you get my message?" Miles stood up, dusting himself off, and waited expectantly for an answer.
At the question, Phoenix grabbed at his phone in his pocket, remembering it suddenly. "Oh! Yes, I saw that. Cute picture. …And thanks for cooking."
"You're quite welcome. I wasn't sure when you'd be back, so leftovers are in the fridge."
"Great." Now, Phoenix wandered into the kitchen, and Miles followed.
Something was different about the kitchen as well. Everything was spotless, and so unless he or Trucy had developed a habit of sleepwalking, he couldn't find a good explanation for how this had happened. Slowly, he turned to Edgeworth, looking him up and down.
"Edgeworth. Did you…clean?" he asked incredulously. Edgeworth nodded in response, before a slightly remorseful look crossed his face.
"I apologize if it was out of line. I was unsure of what to do with myself after Trucy went to bed."
"No, no, that's amazing. Thank you."
"You're welcome."
A quiet moment passed as Phoenix removed a container from the fridge and poured out a portion of the food inside for himself into a bowl, before putting it in the microwave. He turned back to Miles, leaning against the counter and crossing his arms as he waited.
"God, I feel bad. Are you sure you don't want me to pay you for this?" he asked.
Edgeworth seemed mildly annoyed at the question. "Wright, please. Do you see the situation you're in?" His voice and expression softened a bit, but it was clear he wasn't any less serious. "I don't want to hear you ask me that again."
Phoenix shrugged. He had a good point. He wasn't sure if he could afford to pay Edgeworth back equally for what he had done for him, anyway. "…If you insist."
After another moment of silence, Phoenix jumped at the beep of the microwave, the sound startling him out of his thoughts. He eagerly took the bowl out and began eating as he stood while Edgeworth simply looked on.
"Damn, this is good."
"Glad you like it. Trucy enjoyed it as well."
More comfortable silence passed as Phoenix ate, but after a few minutes, Edgeworth became unsure of what to do with himself, awkwardly adjusting his shirt and glancing around the kitchen at any spots he may have missed. Phoenix then looked up from his food and into his eyes suddenly, a grateful smile on his face.
"I think I could kiss you for this, Edgeworth," he said, earnestly, before continuing to eat.
This caused Miles to lose his composure completely, stammering and tripping over his words before he could choke a remotely coherent sentence out. "I beg your pardon?"
Phoenix stopped as well, seemingly registering what had just happened, and had much the same experience trying to find the right words. "Uh, um, I mean— sorry." Sorry was all he could manage to say for the moment, almost completely blindsided by his own boldness. "Might've had a little wine. Didn't mean to say that…out loud," he excused lamely as he laughed at himself, causing Miles to visibly relax, though his facial expression was hard to read.
"…I see," he said, quietly chuckling along with Phoenix, almost in relief, before they fell quiet.
Silence that was previously comfortable soon turned uncertain, almost anxious, as neither man knew what to do from this point further. Miles was unsure if Phoenix had really meant what he said, or if he was simply expressing his gratitude in an odd way. In turn, Phoenix was unsure if he had made Miles uncomfortable with his accidental suggestion.
Unable to take the silence any further, Miles cleared his throat and decided to break it, changing the topic to the babysitting he had just done.
"Well, Trucy was a joy to stay with for the evening. Should you ever need my services again, I will never be too busy for her or for you, Wright," he said, not quite meeting Phoenix's eyes.
"Good to know. And, for what it's worth, it's nice to see you again, Edgeworth," Phoenix nodded in return, still unable to totally read the somewhat contemplative look on Miles's face in between sentences.
"You as well, Wright,"
For the final time that night, silence fell once more, and was once more broken by Miles, who pointedly straightened out his shirt as he spoke.
"If there's nothing else you need, I should be on my way now."
"Right. Yeah." At this, Phoenix set the now-empty bowl down on the counter, and began to walk Miles to the front door, where he returned the spare key Phoenix had given him.
"Thanks again for coming by," Phoenix mentioned as Miles opened the door to let himself out.
"Of course, Wright. Sleep well," he responded, and with a click of the door and footsteps becoming quieter, he was gone.
God. What were they going to do about each other?
Phoenix sighed to himself as he leaned against the door, relieved the tenseness of the situation had been lifted, but undoubtedly feeling a bit empty in Miles's absence. It seemed from the photo he sent and from what Miles had told him that he and Trucy had a wonderful time together, and he was sure Trucy would tell him in great detail the next morning over breakfast.
Looking out at his now sparkling-clean apartment, he smiled to himself. Why had he even been nervous to ask him to come by in the first place? It was Edgeworth. Of course he'd pull something like this for a simple babysitting job.
He couldn't help but think about the fact that it had been a while since their last meeting. If he ever got the guts to ask for something like this again, Phoenix was sure that Trucy wouldn't mind having him around more often. Now that he thought about it, neither would he.