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Trucy Enigmar comes into the Law Offices considerably late. Despite the time, she seems as hyper as ever, skipped in, her eyes brightened. Almost too bright. Miles knows that look. It is the same look that took over his eyes the years during Phoenix’s time in hiding. Hope, fragile like glass, slowly broken apart.
“…Greetings, Miss Enigmar.”
“Hiya, Mister Edgeworth!” Trucy plops into the seat opposite of Miles, a wide grin on her face.
“There’s something we need to talk about.” Miles starts.
Trucy seems unfazed. He isn’t sure if he should think of that as a good thing or not. “About my papa, right?”
Children can be quite intuitive sometimes, Miles admits. “That’s correct. It’s been two weeks since he’s disappeared, and you…should start considering future prospects on…” Goodness, this is hard to say. “Whatever the case, I did some calling around. I heard you have no living relatives.”
Trucy opens her mouth, and then closes it. She gives a little nod.
Miles closes his eyes and takes a small breath. He’s been rehearsing this in front of the mirror for ages. He’s earned the approval of everyone important to him that yes, this was the good idea – why were the words stuck in his throat?
“Uh…Mister Edgeworth?”
“I want to know if you’d like to stay with me for a while.” Miles blurts. This is not what he practiced. “That is, only if you’d like. It’s all your decision, really, I mean, I don’t want you to get stuck in an orphanage. I have an adequate household and-“
“Sure!” Trucy grinned. “It’s only until Papa comes back, right?”
(…If he comes back.)
Miles fully processes her answer. This girl wants to live with him. He looks at Trucy through different eyes – the eyes of a caretaker, a guardian. (A father).
He could live with that.
“Of course. And if you ever think of my living conditions as inadequate, I can help you find another place to stay.”
“…Papa said I could trust you.” Trucy admits. “I trust you. If I stay with you…you’ll be my family, right?”
Family. Miles is sure he will burst.
“Uhm…Mr. Attorney…”
“You can call me Miles, if you’d like. Or…” He paused, gathering confidence. “…You can call me Papa, if you’d like. No pressure, but if it would make you feel better – “
“Okay, Papa!” That was quick. Trucy tapped a rhythm with her feet, though she didn’t look impatient. “Papa, if I move with you, I have to switch schools, right?”
“That’s right.”
“Alright then!” Trucy smiled. “By the way, your office looks super boring. A lot of color can go a long way, you know?”
Miles looked around in his office. To be honest, Trucy was right – there was only, like, one houseplant. The rest of it was some variation of brown. “I suppose.”
“Oh, and Papa? You got fired from your job, right? Well, don’t you worry one bit! I’ll work twice as hard. We’ll make it through this, me and you.” Trucy looked far too excited at the prospect of working.
“Say, Miss Enigmar…”
“Oh, you can call me Trucy, Papa. You’re my Papa now, right?”
“Ah.” Miles was never getting used to that. “Yes. Well, Trucy, how old are you?”
“Eight!” Trucy answered immediately. “And three months! But don’t let appearances deceive you, Papa.” She smirked mischievously. “I’m a super talented worker-performer! Stick with me, and you’ll be fine!”
Words of comfort from an eight year old. Wonderful. Still, Miles couldn’t help but smile back. “Thank you very much, Trucy. I don’t know how I would handle otherwise.”
Trucy laughed.
Miles is a father. He can see why Gregory was always so protective of him, now.
——
“Come on, Miles, it’ll be fine – “
These words do nothing to make Miles feel better. He straightens his bowtie for at least the hundredth time while also frantically trying to calm down, to no success. Next to him, Phoenix doesn’t seem quite as worried, just swinging his legs on Miles’ bed with a playful smile on his face.
“You’ve known your father since you were born, he’s not just going to cast Trucy away. I don’t think it’s even possible to not like a girl like that anyway. You saw how she warmed up to me so easily.”
“You say that as if you couldn’t stop grinning at her.”
“What can I say? Her swagless charms captivated me.”
Miles laughed. “Of course.”
“And the same will happen for your father.”
Miles readjusts his bowtie one last time – it has been perfect for the last hour, but he finds some comfort in cleaning himself up – and sighs, sitting next to his boyfriend, who rests his head on his shoulder. “I hope…”
--
Gregory arrives at the house early. It’s a rare occasion, arriving before the expected time, but he decides this is a special enough occasion to grace his prescence a few minutes earlier. He chuckles at the thought, walking up to Miles’ house and ringing the doorbell.
As he waits for someone to answer, he’s deep in thought for a moment. Miles has a daughter. The thought warms him up inside, which is certainly comforting what with the freezing weather. He didn’t even think it was possible for Japanifornia, he muses as he looks at the falling snow.
Okay, back to the topic at hand, Gregory. He was practically going to be a grandfather. It was a nice thought, if not how much it sent the point home how old he was.
“Father.”
Gregory turns, facing Miles Edgeworth. The defense attorney is wearing casual clothes – dark brown sweater, his reading glasses – and by his side, clutching his leg like she would fall without it – was an adorable little girl with eyes as round as quarters.
“Miles. It’s nice to see you.” Gregory tips his hat politely, even though there’s no need around his son. Miles welcomes him inside, and as he does so, he sees the girl run into the living room frantically. There’s a few voices inside. “Is Phoenix with you?”
“That’s correct.” Miles’ boyfriend – Phoenix Wright, Gregory remembered him from elementary years – visited often.
Gregory nods. “Alright then. Her name is Trucy, isn’t it?”
“That’s correct.” Miles repeats. He takes Gregory’s jacket – he doesn’t complain much, he’s learned to stop resisting his son’s kind nature – and hangs it up. “We should probably get into the living room.”
Gregory gave Miles a quick hug. “We should.”
And the two walk down the hallway. Phoenix is chattering with Trucy about who knows what, but they both stop as the two men enter. “Hey, darling.” Phoenix says in a downright seductive voice. Trucy gags – Gregory approves of this reaction.
“We saw each other, like, three minutes ago, Wright.”
“Ouch. Wright treatment. Am I so undeserving of your love?”
“Yes. Next question.”
Phoenix dramatically gasps. “How dare – “
Trucy’s voice speaks up right next to Gregory – she seems to have materialized there a while ago. “Can we leave? I don’t want to listen to them flirting.”
Gregory can’t help it. He laughs. “Of course, dear.” She’s so short compared to him – he is taller then his son, after all. Just an adorable little thing. The two walk to the dining table, sitting down. Miles casts a faint, nervous glance at Gregory, who simply sighs. When was Miles going to realize this isn’t the first time he’s ever talked to a child?
“You’re Papa’s Papa, right?”
Gregory blinked. She was already calling Miles Papa? “Ah – yes. I am.”
“Can I call you Grandpa, then?”
“You may.”
Trucy brightened. “Yay!”
Gregory smiled. He had often heard faint, short complaints about how hyper Trucy could be sometimes through Miles – maybe he should just learn some people skills, the man. This girl was quite pleasing to be around.
“Hey, Grandpa?”
Oof. Gregory was getting old, wasn’t he? “Yes?”
“Why don’t you have a special someone?”
Gregory blinked. “I did, once. How else would I have had Miles?”
“You need a partner to have a baby?” Trucy raised an eyebrow, and Gregory quickly diverted. He was not getting into this conversation with a what – 8 year old?
“Well – let’s just say it’s complicated, dear.” Gregory said. “And yes, I did have a partner. Melinda, wonderful woman. Unfortunately, she died in a car accident prior to our wedding. Miles was only one and a half, so he doesn’t have much memories of her.”
“Aw! That’s sad.” Trucy pouted.
It was, Gregory admits, though the grief wasn’t near as bad as back then. Now, when he thought of her, he could only recall their happiest memories together. Laughing in a field, the date night when they both happened to bring proposal rings, and about a hundred different hugs and kisses like stars across the sky of his memories.
“Well, Grandpa, Papa says that sometimes he’s busy and Mister Wright is also busy so sometimes you’ll have to babysit me.”
“I have no problems with that.”
Trucy smiled. “Papa and Mister Wright won’t let me, so can we make a tomato smoothie?”
Gregory gives Trucy his most strict stare, the one he had refined over his years of raising Miles. “Absolutely not, dear.”
Trucy huffs. “Meanie.”
“…We don’t have near enough tomatoes yet.”
“Haha, I knew you were cooler than them!”
--
“Miles, you seriously need to stop stressing.”
Miles gripped his hair in his hands. He knew Phoenix was right. Stressing was going to do nothing but harm matters, and when he was about to ask Trucy if he wanted to legally become his daughter, messing up would probably not be the best way to do it in any shape or form.
He looked at the clock tick by. He and Trucy’s outing was only in thirty minutes, and he hadn’t even come up with a speech, or at the very least gathered the confidence in the first place. Maybe he should do this some other day. Maybe he should delay this forever because he thinks he might just die on the spot if Trucy looked at him and said she didn’t love him enough to become his daughter.
No, stop being silly, Miles. She wouldn’t do it like that. She was much too nice. Instead, her smile would waver just a bit. That was what she did when she was bugged, but wouldn’t admit it. With her soft, playful voice she would say: “I don’t really want to, Papa.” Or maybe not even Papa: “I don’t really want to, Mister Edgeworth.”
God, no, not that. He had gotten too used to the rpescence of this wonderful girl in his life: Back to formality might be what kills him.
“You’re delving back into the what ifs, aren’t you?” Phoenix teased.
“Why are you even here? Don’t you have a trial going on soon?”
“Actually, it’s a 30 minute recess right now.”
“You’re going to be late.”
“For my wonderful boyfriend, it’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make.” Phoenix sighs long-sufferingly. Miles forgot his stress for a moment, staring incredulously at his boyfriend.
“…So what’s the case about?”
“Meh, nothing interesting. Gun with only the defendant’s fingerprints found on it, shot in the forehead, hardly a speck of other evidence found on scene. I don’t doubt there are more layers to this, but the defendant does seem pretty darn guilty so far, so…”
“Huh. You think you’ll win?”
“Maybe. If I do or if I don’t, I don’t really care either way. The case is so open and shut that the defendant got a district attorney ,anyway, and he’s complete rubbish. I’m practically doing his cross-examining for him. In a perfect way, of course,”
“Modest as ever, I see.”
“Guilty as charged, just like the defendant hopefully. Hey, you should get going now.”
He should. He should. He exhales, stands up, and goes to the living room to bring Trucy to what he hopes won’t be a disaster dinner.
--
“Sure.”
Miles blinks. Trucy’s answer seems so casual, what with the light tone she said it and the way she continued inhaling the salmon platter after. “You’re my papa anyway. It’ll just make it official, right?”
Miles makes a choked sound. This was such a life changing decision, and Trucy hadn’t even looked up from her food. “A – Are you sure?”
“Of course!” Trucy smiled. “I love you, Papa. I want to be with you forever!”
“Oh, darling…” Miles can hear his voice faltering. He’s going to cry, he just knows it. Trucy really is a magician. She makes this seem so natural. “…I love you too, dear. I really do.”
They both return to their food, and the evening carries on. It’s as if nothing has changed, which somehow makes the moment all the more perfect.
--
The first time Trucy calls Phoenix ‘Daddy’ was during one of the most normal nights in existence. Just the four of them drinking hot chocolate around a campfire, welcoming the warmth. Miles’ father – somehow the most alert of them all– is talking to Phoenix about one of his new cases. Trucy is huddled by Miles’ side, half asleep. She lets out a long yawn, readjusts, and collapses against Miles’ much larger body once more.
Miles looks at the tv on top of the campfire. It’s been playing Steel Samurai season four for the past two hours, though he doubts anyone is paying attention. Even he’s having trouble following along, though that may be because he’s already memorized the entire plot.
“Evil Magistrate! Your reign of terror ends now!”
“Gnrgk –“
He gave a very small smile to himself. Then, he turns to Phoenix and Gregory – Phoenix isn’t dressed in his full Renaissance ensemble, instead just a normal black t shirt and black shorts.
“I think your theory is mostly correct, Phoenix.”
“Really? Neat.”
“But – what if the second knife was placed there by the accomplice? He was revealed to have been wanting to betray the killer all this time, anyway. He could’ve done it just to pin it on him.”
“…Oh.” Phoenix wilted. “You’re right..”
“Haha…you’re so bad at your job, Daddy…” Trucy mumbled to herself. Then, not realizing what she just said, she fell asleep. All three heads turned to her.
Phoenix stared ahead into space, and then he started sobbing. He put his knees up to his chest and he started quietly crying into his arms, and Miles placed a hand on his back. He understood. Phoenix – he had never had a family. His only parent was killed and he was an only child orphan. Miles couldn’t even imagine being that lonely – friends and lovers came and went, but family was always guaranteed to stay.
Trucy will stay. Miles is glad.
—
Daddy – Uncle Phoenix – usualy comes over on Friday nights and a few hours while Trucy is at school. It’s a set routine, and Trucy knows both his parents don’t want her knowing that sometimes Phoenix comes over far late into the night. Much later than Trucy’s bedtime.
Usually, it’s after Kristoph visits. Kristoph – Trucy doesn’t really like him. He’s all smiles and his words are like snakes, weaving around the conversation to hit right where it hurts. Then, he carries on like nothing has happened. He does not care about Papa, no matter what he might say. Trucy wants to protect Papa, but what can she do? She is just a child, even if she’s a super intelligent magician one.
Kristoph visited that night. They had a bottle of grape juice – at least, that’s what Papa calls it, but the scent of alcohol reeks – and Kristoph leaned in and said something that made Papa red. More then he already had from the alcohol, anyway. Then, Papa had brushed it off with a little wave of the hand. She’s seen him do that before, mainly when Trucy asked if they had enough money. It was a movement she didn’t really like. Not at all.
Kristoph left after one hour. He always left after exactly one hour. He would usually shake Papa’s hand and leave, but this time he leaned in and did that thing that Phoenix would do to Papa. Kissing, she thinks it was called? On the cheek. And Papa flinched back but didn’t say anything, and Kristoph left after that.
…She thought kissing was only reserved for family. She didn’t want Kristoph to become family.
Then, Daddy comes through the door. Talks about his job with big legal terms that Trucy has given up understanding a while ago. They talk in hushed whispers for a moment. Papa doesn’t seem to tell Daddy what happened with Kristoph because Daddy doesn’t seem angry, and Daddy is defensive of Papa. She assumes, anyway.
The two kiss once. On the lips. Light and playful, but Papa’s eyes widen and he flinches back with a yelp. It scares Trucy so much she gasps. Then, in a rush to hide, she steps back, and her foot lands on an old board and it creaks long and painful.
She dives into her bed, into her covers. Fear claws through her skin, but after a while, the only sound that is made is her door being closed. She can still smell the alcohol when she goes to sleep, and she hears a single creaking of a door being closed.
Distantly, she wonders if Daddy was staying the night over.
—
“Maya, numbers are on the refigerator, and she’s allergic to celery – “
“I know this, Edgey, I’ve babysitted for your daughter over a hundred times – “
“Alright, well what if I’m just immensely worried about where i’m going?”
Maya laughs, clapping her hands together. “Miles Edgeworth, you’re probably the world’s best defense attorney to ever grace the earth you’re presence. If you don’t pass the bar, it’ll be a war crime.”
Trucy is a bit taller now, and she claps her hands together, a crude imitation of what Maya was doing. “Aunt Maya’s right! Your dee-duction skills are unmatched!”
Miles chuckles as he grabs his coat. “If you say so.” He hopes so. He really does. His life, a disbarred father, is an enjoyable one – but the thought of investigating, picking apart witness testimonies, going against a line of skilled prosecutors – goodness, he wants nothing more.
“Where’s Daddy and Grandpa?” Trucy asks.
“Both at the bar already to see me off.” Miles answers. “They wanted to be there personally, apparently.”
“Sap.” Trucy scoffs, amused.
“I wholeheartedly agree, dear.” Miles says with a smile. “Behave for Aunt Maya, okay?”
Trucy and Maya give each other a look that can mean nothing good, but Trucy still grins and nods. And with that, Miles leaves for his opportunity to get his old life back.
—
The email arrives at 5:57 PM on a Tuesday. It’s just Gregory and Miles in the house – Trucy and Phoenix are at the park – but the moment Gregory sees Miles passed out on the floor from shock he calls them and they arrive instantly. By then, Miles has come to. They gather around his computer, waiting with bated breath.
“If Papa doesn’t get in I’m killing someone.”
“I’ll help you with that. I’m a prosecutor, I know how to make an unsolvable crime scene.” Phoenix agrees.
“Maybe an icicle as the murder weapon,” Gregory muses, and Miles opens the email. He barely reads all the fancy legal text, and his eyes land on –
Passed the bar.
Passed the bar.
Miles can feel nothing in that moment but pure joy. He stares ahead in space as his family cheers around him. He can faintly see Phoenix start crying, and he does too. They all cry. They all cry for a future that has been taken from the ashes. They cry because Miles Edgeworth is an official defense attorney. They cry because this has finally happened, the thing they’ve wanted all this time. It’s wonderful, it’s beautiful, it’s amazing.
He is so, so happy. He is a defense attorney. He might be able to go against Phoenix, and now he will have so many others by his side. Hardships – which could compare to his disbarrment? He would push through as he has done through the past. This is perfect. This is so, so perfect.
“I love you, Papa.” Trucy whispers through her faint cries. She is happy for her father – her father – and Miles laughs.
“I love you, too.”