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He really wasn’t sure why the two of them started this routine in their life. If Phoenix could remember fully, he bet it was after a long night of cheap booze in a college dorm when one of them suggested it. And it just came from there.
The minute the hospital cleared him to leave after the Dahlia trial. Larry was there waiting to take him out to eat, having apparently broken up with his girlfriend to stay by his friend’s side the entire time. It wasn’t until a week or so later that Phoenix learned the whole story from the girlfriend who felt guilty for her reaction. Apparently she was convinced Larry was lying about his best friend being in the hospital.
Larry never did give her another chance though, which to this throw surprised Phoenix, but he let it go, thankful he had a good friend more than anything else.
But when Larry’s next girlfriend broke up with him, having been cheating on him, he showed up at Phoenix’s room that night with some cheap takeout. It was not much, but a college student could only do so much. It was what really started the tradition.
After every breakup? Every hard exam?
After Mia’s death? After Miles’ suicide attempt? After Maya leaving? After Dahlia’s execution?
After Cindy’s death? After Larry getting fired from KB Security? After Elise’s death?
The tradition had been that every time one knew the other needed them, they would go out together to eat out, spend time together, and just breathe a moment.
Looking back at it, Phoenix realized how much it evolved too from originally just being takeout, booze, and a marathon of a terrible TV show. It was actually after Phoenix spent the night in jail, after Mia’s death and everything tied to that that Larry showed up the next day. Maya had been cleaning when he showed up, screaming for Nick and taking him away.
Somehow Larry got some money to take them both to a nice restaurant for the evening. Learning the positive side of the case, that Phoenix now had his own law office was a reason to celebrate Larry had said as they both enjoyed their meal. They spoke about little things, Larry’s struggles with the death of Cindy but also him accepting it to move on, Phoenix’s focus on trying to move past it all to a new future. It was nice. Somber, but hopeful.
And then as they got to the car, Larry surprised Phoenix again with a kiss on the lips before opening the door for him. “For good luck!” he said, and Phoenix numbly nodded, getting into his seat. As the drive progressed, he took time to think how it felt, as he smiled.
Arriving at the Wright and Co. Offices, Larry put the car in pause as he smiled, only to get caught off guard himself as Nick gave him a kiss back. “For the future.”
He did not realize that Maya saw, and he had to explain that he had no true answer at the time. They were close, that was it.
It had evolved again after Miles’ suicide attempt. Maya had just left and Ema also had left. It was empty. It was painfully empty.
He did not have any cases, and no one had reached out for his help. He had savings, he was set for a few weeks, but he had no energy when the door opened, making him realize he forgot to lock his apartment door. He had gotten too much into the habit of leaving it unlocked for Maya who forgot her keys all the time.
“Hey, you there Nick?” Larry was quiet. He was never this quiet.
It was cheap takeout this time, like it had been before, and cheap booze. Larry found some show he started playing as they ate, though Nick realized how slow he had been eating, and how much the food tasted like just dirt.
He forced it down though, and even if he barely was aware of what was going on, he was aware when he felt himself getting moved. The couch was large enough for two adults sure, Larry having grabbed him to position him into a little spoon position, the normally loud man holding his best friend in his arms as they laid there. It was after a while like that when the tears finally left his eyes.
He woke up the next morning to his phone ringing, a potential client. He reached for the phone, before realizing his arm was caught in another. The smell was familiar, and then he realized, it was Larry. He must have fallen asleep like that. He smiled as he slowly moved his arm to answer the phone.
“Wright and Co., this is Phoenix, how many I help you?”
It wasn’t too difficult from what he heard. Nothing that was going to trial, just wanting to get legal advice. A time was scheduled for the afternoon as he felt Larry stir.
They ended up having breakfast together, Phoenix making them both coffee before he had to get ready for his day.
“You got a client?”
“Yeah, nothing too complicated it sounds though, which is good. I… I don’t think I am ready to go back to the courtroom right now.”
“Yea. I get it. But hey, I’ll come by later this week to hear about it? I got a job lined up!” Breakfast finished without much, Larry offering to drive him to the office.
When they drove up, Phoenix turned to undo his seatbelt when Larry got his attention. “Hey, Nick?”
He looked up in time for Larry to give him a kiss on the lips, before smiling. “Good luck with your client, tell me how it goes later?” He smiled before giving Larry a kiss back.
“You too. Tell me how the job goes? Friday work?”
It just became a routine then.
Every time something major happened, often bad with how both of their lucks went, they’d just know.
When one needed the other, they’d meet up to lay down and watch movies or shows together, sleep in each other’s arms, and wake up for breakfast.
Breakfast always ended with them going to work, or somewhere together, sharing a kiss, and agreeing to talk about their days later.
Even when Larry got his girlfriends, it still was their routine. He had a girlfriend when Dahlia was executed and still showed up for Nick.
He did not have a girlfriend when Elise died, but he instead had an entire family. It was also the first time that they finally had to discuss it with everyone, including Miles.
“I was not aware that Larry was your… partner, Wright.” The tone screamed of judgment, but Phoenix knew. It was not judging the possibility of him having a male partner, it was the possibility of it being Larry.
Which was just as rude. “Penning a suicide note and vacationing to Europe does that, Edgeworth.” Was it colder than needed, yes. But it needed be said that way. “Larry is our best friend, and has always been an amazing guy.”
“I… I don’t disagree. I am sorry, that sounded, rude of me.”
“We’re not together. Or, if we are it never was something we discussed.” And that was the truth. It never had been discussed between them. It just kind of happened.
“You’re not a couple?” Miles said, seeming confused. “But I saw you two kissing earlier, and even discussing talking about how his therapist appointment goes?”
Phoenix did not really have the energy at the moment, but he still gestured for them to sit down together. “It just kind of happened, and it is okay. Whatever he and I are, we just are. He’s straight, remember?”
“I beg your pardon, Wright; however, a straight man would not show that much love in a kiss.”
“Have you asked him what we are?”
“...No.”
“Maybe do that next time. Didn’t you accuse me of loving too easily and being a naive imbecile not even a year ago?”
“...I am sorry for what I said.”
With that the conversation ended for a time. But it did sit on Phoenix’s mind.
What were they truly? Did it matter?
It was later Phoenix realized that Larry had not mentioned a girlfriend since Elise had died, not even trying for one.
Then came the morning that Larry came screaming in to get Phoenix’s attention about Miles losing his badge. About the Committee, and about a corrupt judge who was threatening both Miles and his uncle Ray.
They both reached out to Miles, and he responded curtly.
Then a few days later everything apparently collapsed on itself. Miles got his license back after taking down a corrupt Committee, having solved his father’s final case that caused his death. So many different dominoes fell into place.
And, Phoenix, Pearl, and Maya looked up to the sound of a door opening as both Larry and Miles walked in for breakfast, the latter quite confused.
“I brought Miles!”
“I see that, is everything okay?” Him and Maya worked to make an extra portion of breakfast, before Phoenix prepared the electric kettle Maya bought him for tea.
“There have been… a lot of complications. With Debeste’s arrest and the dissolution of the PIC, the entire legal world of Los Angeles is in turmoil. I have been working with a few trusted prosecutors to resolve some of the complications, including reviewing those cases of prosecutor’s that lost their badges.”
“That sounds like a lot, how bad does the corruption go?”
“Oh it’s scary Nick! That one pretty lady, Justine? She’s a judge in on it! And she threatened that one guy, Ray with them too. He’s a lawyer?”
“Indeed. The Bar Association appears to have ties to the PIC, and be as corrupt too. There is… a lot of investigating going on.” For the first time, Nick truly looked at Miles since he walked in, seeing how tired he was. “Larry here felt I should come get breakfast with you before my meeting. I assure you though if it is a problem, Detective Gumsh-”
“No problem at all Mr. Edgeworth!” The sound of Maya caught them all off as the small family was placing food in plates. “Here you go!”
As food was divided, tea poured for some and coffee for others, a comfortable silence filled the room, everyone seeming to just take a moment to be at peace before a long day.
As Maya and Pearl left early for their day of work, the three childhood friends also started to prepare themselves. “Wr- Phoenix, please be careful too. I fear that the PIC’s allies in the Bar may target you soon.”
“I’ll be careful, and if I get any strange calls will tell you, but you do the same with us. Keep us informed okay?”
“Will do, gentlemen, I bid you adieu,” but before he could leave, he felt himself caught off guard as Nick stepped forward, giving him a kiss on the cheek. Not the lips like he did with Larry, but close enough. “Pa-Pardon?!”
“For good luck, let us know how it goes later, okay?” Nick smiled as Larry immediately followed up, kissing the paler man on the other cheek.
“Like Nick said! We’re here for you!”
That night, Nick received a text message as he was preparing to close up, the contents being from Miles and bringing a smile to his lips.
M.Edgeworth: “I understand now what you mean, and thank you.”
Phoenix just smiled and sent a heart emoticon in response as his phone rang from Maya telling him she brought food for the three of them.
Something told him that it would become more common to have breakfast for five he suspected.
Except apparently Miles brought two with him, Phoenix another one, and Larry suggesting they get a bigger house for their family when Phoenix brought another two home.