Chapter Text
March 29, 10:21 PM
Phoenix Wright's Living Room
Maya is getting sick of Nick. Which is maybe a little mean to say, considering he saved her life, but he has taken on the affect of a sad puppy. This is partly due to her kidnapping, but mostly, she knows, it is due to a certain prosecutor being back.
However, Nick is Nick, and he doesn’t want to examine that. He instead directs his mopey energy towards doting over Maya post her kidnapping. Some of it is nice, she can’t lie, like when he brings back burgers after work along with a rented DVD of Maya’s favorite Steel Samurai movie. He even remembers to get extra extra pickles on the side for all three burgers, even though he finds them slimy. That night, Maya can almost forget about what had happened, as she snuggles up with Nick and Pearly on the couch. Almost.
She wakes up in a cold sweat, screaming.
Pearly startles awake and starts crying.
Phoenix, who can sleep through an earthquake, finally opens his eyes to the chaos. Immediately confused, he takes a second to assess the situation. Finding that there isn’t any physical danger, he turns his attention onto Maya, still screaming.
“Hey, hey, it’s okay. We’re at my place. I’m here, Pearls is here. On my gross red couch that definitely has seen better days. The TV is still on, it started replaying the movie. We’re at the part when the Steel Samurai is going through his training montage. You can hear the epic, inspirational music playing. There’s still a faint smell of burgers, from dinner.”
Nick is trying to ground her, something he has learned from a “How to Parent a Traumatized Teen” book he had picked up from a Goodwill. Which is well and all, but she doesn’t really love the moniker of “Traumatized Teen.”
Although, maybe his technique is working, as she has become acutely aware of the fact that she is in Nick’s safe, single bedroom apartment as opposed to Shelly de Killer’s creepy murder basement.
“Yeah,” she sighs. She absent-mindedly fiddles with a leftover pickle.
Nick turns his attention to pacifying Pearly, who still hasn’t gotten a full night’s sleep since Maya’s kidnapping. Maya’s heart goes out for the younger girl, who has basically attached herself to Maya’s hip.
“Hey Maya,” Nick begins slowly, after convincing Pearl to go back to sleep. Maya knows what comes next can’t be good. “Have you thought about talking to someone about your… ” He tapers off, trying to choose his next word carefully. Maya doesn’t give him the chance.
“My kidnapping? You can say that, Nick.”
Nick hesitates, considering the word. Maya shoots him an impatient look, leaving him no choice but to continue. “Your kidnapping, then. Would you want me to set something up or…?”
This is not the first time they’ve had this conversation. Nick keeps trying to bring this up. Maya knows he means well, but she also knows that they can’t afford this. She doesn’t think her talking to some shrink who doesn’t understand would help with anything either.
“Thanks, Nick, but I’m fine.”
“Objec– I mean,” Nick clears his throat, clearly trying to keep his court jargon out of this. “I don’t know if you are, though. I mean,” he waves his arm around in her direction. “The nightmares aren’t exactly helping your case.”
He means well, she knows he does, but he doesn’t understand. He doesn’t get that every time Maya starts to feel stable, a memory of that cold, dark basement pulls the rug out from under her. That when she laughs—her bright cheerful laugh that can put anyone at ease—the loneliness chokes her out instead. He doesn’t understand that all this fear stems from one person, who is still walking free, while Maya remains chained in that basement. She’s scared that she’ll never leave.
“Listen, they’re just dreams, I know that, you know that, we all know that. I’m doing great otherwise, so don’t worry about it.” Maya pauses, a mischievous smile crossing her face. “You know what will make me feel better?” Poor Nick looks at her with so much hope, that there is something he can do to fix everything. “Get burgers again tomorrow night. We can go out and Pearly and I can enjoy the play area.”
“You can’t solve your problems with burgers, Maya.”
He’s pushing further this time. Maya doesn’t like it. She pushes back.
“You can’t solve your problems by solving mine, Nick,” she responds, playfully, although she means every word of it. She knows that he’s been avoiding Edgeworth since the prosecutor came back.
Nick goes silent and Maya knows she’s hit the mark. She stands up, stretching lightly, before disappearing into Nick’s bedroom to grab a blanket and pillow. Pearly is fast asleep, and the last train has already left. There’s no way they’re making it back to Kurain Village tonight.
Nick is still lost in thought when Maya returns with her favorite Steel Samurai comforter, the one Mia had gotten her for her 15th birthday. It had previously lived in her sister’s nice, two bedroom apartment. Whenever Maya stayed over, she was welcomed with a soft bed, silk sheets, and this blanket, as well as posters of Maya’s favorite bands and, of course, the Steel Samurai. Even though Maya didn’t visit often, Mia made sure that the bedroom could be Maya’s home.
In comparison, Nick’s place hasn’t been customized with Maya in mind. It is a one bedroom apartment, definitely intended to be someone’s bachelor pad. Which makes sense, as Nick had intended to live here by himself. There would have been no way for him to anticipate one girl moving in, let alone two.
Still, this place feels far more like home than Kurain Village, or even Mia’s place. Maya knows it inside out. She knows which parts of the floor will creak if you step on them; which parts of the rug are stained, and why; where the vents direct cool air (a very helpful thing to know when it is summer in California).
Maya even knows which burners work and don’t work, despite never having cooked a meal for herself. She found that out, incidentally, when she was trying to make s’mores in the middle of winter. It had worked, so long as you left out the part where Maya forgot to turn off the stove and almost burned down the place.
She also knows that the muted red couch that Nick is ruminating on used to be a bright red. She tries not to think about that part.
“Hey Nick,” she calls out. He jumps a little, jerked out of his thoughts. “You should head to bed, too.”
He looks at her for a second, his eyebrows knitted together in worry. Maya wants to tell him that if he continues on like that, he’ll get premature wrinkles, but decides against it. She’s worried it’ll remind him of Edgeworth.
Nick eventually stands up. “You’re right. Good night, Maya.”
Not giving her the chance to respond, he heads to his bedroom, closing the door. He never closes the door, so he is definitely pissed at her.
“Good night, Nick,” Maya says to herself.
~
March 30, 7:55 AM
Phoenix Wright’s Living Room
The next morning, Maya wakes up to the smell of bacon frying. She groans at the thought of being awake, the nightmares having plagued her for most of the night, but sits up regardless.
Pearly is sitting at the dining table, happily coloring. That explains why she hasn’t woken Maya up—she’s been busy. Maya gets up, leaving her blanket and pillow in a heap on the floor.
“Whatcha doing?” she asks, creeping up behind her cousin.
Pearly turns around, a huge smile filling her face the second she sees Maya’s face. “Mystic Maya, you’re awake!” she exclaims. Abandoning her drawing, she gives Maya a hug, which Maya happily reciprocates. “Are you feeling better?” she asks cautiously.
Her little cousin had been privy to Maya’s outburst last night. Maya had hoped that the young girl would chalk it up to being a bad dream. Well, perhaps it was time to deflect and distract.
“Right as rain, Pearly, I just had a dream that a monster had eaten me.” To this, Maya stretches out her arms, monstrously. She engulfs her cousin in an evil hug, earning a shriek of laughter.
“No! Not a monster.”
“I’m going to gobble you up! Just like the monster did me.”
The laughter brings out Phoenix, who is wearing an apron that says “Hi Hungry. I’m Dad.” Maya had gifted it to him after he took Pearly in. It had felt fitting. He hasn’t had a chance to shape his spikes, so they are instead swept back by a pink bunny headband, one of Maya’s, but more often used by Nick.
“I didn’t wake you, did I? I tried to be a little quieter this morning, you needed the sleep.” Nick chuckles, combing the back of his head with his hand.
“No, don’t worry. I am well-rested and ready to head back to Kurain Village.” She flexes her bicep to convince him. “We’ll be out of your spikes before you get back today.”
“Hold it! Do you have anything pressing in Kurain Village?” or are you leaving because I made you uncomfortable last night? Maya hears the unspoken question.
“Umm, yeah, there are a couple of rituals that Pearly and I have to attend to. Standing under waterfalls and stuff.”
It’s a poor lie to begin with, and Nick, who has the Magatama (damn you, Pearly, for charging it up for him) is far from fooled.
“Maya…” Nick glances at Pearly, hesitant to say anything with her there.
Pearly, who has been sitting quietly up until now, jumps up. “Ohh, is this one of those private moments that Mystic Maya and Mr. Nick have? I'll finish coloring in the bedroom.” Pearly leaves with her art supplies, leaving the two of them alone. Fuck. Maya’s buffer is gone.
Nick sighs. “One day we really have to convince her that we’re not dating.”
“Tell me about it,” Maya mutters. She loves Nick, but she could never date him. He’s not her type. Not to mention the age gap.
They stand in an awkward silence, Nick unsure of how to start, and Maya not wanting to start. It is only the smell of smoke that sets the two of them into action.
“The bacon!” Maya cries out.
“Air out the kitchen!”
The ace attorney and spirit medium/soon to be head of the Fey clan scramble to keep the smoke from setting off the fire alarms. A false alarm could cost them, and that would mean no burgers for a month. Maya can’t have that.
Nick turns off the stove and rushes to get the pan outside to the balcony, Maya chasing him with a baking tray to dissipate the smoky trail, both of them coughing frantically. Pearly doesn’t come out despite the racket, showcasing her commitment to her ship. Maya worries for the day she discovers fandom culture.
Maya and Nick stand on the balcony, catching their breath. The fire alarm hasn’t gone off, a win for both of them.
“Listen,” huff, “Maya,” puff. Nick draws in a huge breath. “I just wanted to say that you can stay. I won’t bring up therapy again. We can even go to Burger Palace tonight.”
“Really?” Maya lights up.
“Yes, I worry about you," Phoenix concedes. "But you’re an adult. If you aren’t ready to talk, you don’t have to talk. Just promise me two things.”
“Sure, whatever you want.” The promise of burgers has made Maya much more open.
“One, if you ever do want to talk to someone, let me know. I know we’re low on cash, but I will do anything to make sure you are okay, okay?”
Maya doesn’t love this type of talk from Nick, even if it comes from a good place. She remembers that he once ate a poisoned glass bottle for a woman that he loved, so she knows he means it when he says anything.
She bites her lip, but doesn’t press it. “Okay… What’s the second thing?”
“A lot of people helped you out at the trial.”
“I’ve already said thank you for that.”
“To me, yes. But not to Gumshoe or the others.”
“Is this coming from one of your parenting books? What is this, a gratitude world tour?”
Nick clears his throat. “Regardless—”
“Ah hah! So it is from one of the books.”
“Not entirely,” Nick protests. “They said that thinking about the good people in the world can help stop focusing on the bad or something like that. I just think it’ll be nice if you talk to those who helped. Especially Gumshoe, perhaps you should take him out for a meal.”
Maya rolls her eyes. “Fine. So there’s Gumshoe, who else?”
“Will Powers, he gave us a helpful newspaper clipping. Lotta, one of her pictures helped us figure out that the guitar case contained the Nickel Samurai costume. Franziska von Karma, although last I heard, she’s abroad. Oldbag, maybe, although I feel like she hindered us more…”
Nick continues to rattle down a list of people who helped, but Maya stops listening after Franziska is mentioned. She didn’t know that Franziska had helped, she hadn’t seen her at the after party.
“Hold it.” Some of his influence has slipped in. “Nick. Did you say Franziska von Karma?”
Nick looks at her, confused, before slapping his forehead in understanding. “Oh yeah, I kind of forgot that you didn’t see her, she left before I saw you again. You were so haggard that it slipped my mind.
“What did she do? Wasn’t Edgeworth the prosecutor for the case?”
“Not originally.” He goes outside to check on the pan. Maya follows. “Right before the first day of trials, she was shot by de Killer, which was when Edgeworth took over. When Gumshoe crashed his car, she was the one who retrieved the goods.”
“Wait, Gumshoe crashed his car to retrieve the evidence?”
Nick’s face takes on a guilty look. “I hadn’t meant to tell you that,” he admits, fluffing up the spikes of his hair with his hand. “He’s fine, though.”
“What about Franziska? She was shot.”
Nick shrugs. He starts walking back inside, pan in hand. “I mean, she certainly seemed fine. She whipped me a couple of times after the trial, so I imagine the surgery went well.”
“I guess…” Maya turns on the sink. Nick places the pan under.
“Well anyway. I think you can skip the others, so long as you hit up Gumshoe, Adrian, Will, and…” Nick struggles to get the name out. “Edgeworth.”
Despite Maya’s concerns about the number of people injured to save her, she can’t pass up this opportunity. “Ohhh. So that’s what this is about. You want me to check in on Edgeworth.”
“Objection! That’s not what’s important. What’s important is that you remember that there are people in your corner.”
“This is quite the elaborate scheme, Nick,” Maya giggles. “Second only to you going through law school because he looked a little sad.”
“I—wha—objection! That’s not what this is about.”
Nick turns a bright shade of red. He sputters like an engine, conjuring up the image of a fire truck and sending Maya into a fit of laughter.
“Fine, fine,” Maya says, in between wheezes. “I’ll do the whole gratitude thing so you can check in on your situationship.”
“He is not my situationship,” Nick objects, scrubbing the pan furiously. Maya’s laughter doesn’t end.
“Whatever you say, Nickie boy, whatever you say.”
In an uncharacteristically childish manner, Nick sticks his tongue out at Maya, which means she’s correct in her analysis.
Eventually, Nick kicks Maya out, leaving her to her raucous guffaws, choosing instead to finish making breakfast (sans bacon). He plates up some white bread and scrambled eggs for Maya and Pearly, placing them on the table before knocking on the bedroom door to get the young medium.
“Pearls, breakfast is ready.”
Maya’s laughs have more or less subsided by now, so she returns inside. Pearly comes out with a completed drawing, presenting it to her cousin.
“Mystic Maya, this is for you!”
It is a picture of a purple bunny with long black hair, and a blue bunny with spiky black hair, engulfed in a heart. Pearly is not subtle in her hints.
“Thank you, Pearly, I love it. Although, don’t you think there should be one more bunny in the heart?”
Pearly shakes her head, no. “This heart is for bunnies in love,” she explains.
Maya thinks about whether she wants to open that can of worms and—nope, she doesn’t. Maybe one day, especially if Nick finally figures out his feelings for Edgeworth, they could explain it to the young girl, but for now it was easier to let her believe what she wanted to. It wasn’t harming anyone. Except occasionally when they’re at the police station, and Pearly insinuates a romantic connection, drawing concerned looks from those who know Maya and Nick. There have been multiple times when someone has taken Maya to the side and asked her if Nick was taking advantage of her, which, of course, isn’t the case, if anything Maya is taking advantage of Nick’s kindness. Besides that, Pearly’s shipping is relatively harmless.
“They’re lovely, Pearly,” she decides. “By the way, is it okay if we delay our return to Kurain Village this week?”
Pearl lights up, clearly thrilled by the prospect. As studious as the young girl is, the thrills of modern life are not lost on her, and every day spent in the city is exciting for her. “I don’t mind,” she announces, her legs swinging happily back and forth.
Nick appears with his own plate. “I can set up the air mattress tonight,” he offers. “So, you don’t have to sleep on the ground or the couch.” He takes a seat next to Pearl.
“Nah, it’s okay, I can sleep anywhere. Trust me, I’ve had experience in it.” Maya doesn’t necessarily mean the kidnapping, as she has also been known to fall asleep under frozen waterfalls, mid-prayer, in the Wright and Co. office, etc., but Nick falls silent anyway. She appreciates that he doesn’t probe, this time.
“Pearls, Maya is going to run a couple of errands today, so it’s going to be just you and me at the office today.”
Pearly looks shocked. “Mystic Maya is running errands?” The little medium leans down and whispers loudly to Nick. “Is that something she can do?”
Nick takes Pearly’s concern very seriously. “I’m not sure, but I guess we’ll find out today.”
“I can hear you,” Maya complains, although she is glad that the conversation has moved past the awkwardness. “I don’t need to know how to run errands, Nick is here for a reason. In a pinch, I can also call Gumshoe.”
Laughter fills the table, and the rest of breakfast finishes up easily. A couple minutes later, Nick’s eyes catch the clock, and he jumps up, realizing he is beyond late. Pearly also gets up to get ready to leave with Nick. Maya waits around lazily for them to head out. Only once they say their goodbyes and the door clicks shut does Maya make the move to get dressed. She finds a fresh pair of her robes in the bathroom, one that she left behind last time she was here. Nick washed it, and while he didn’t fold it so much as he threw it into the cupboard, Maya appreciates the thought.
She sections off a bit of hair to pull into a top knot and leaves the rest loose. Her beads are still stuck in her hair from the night before—they’ve certainly tangled themselves into her hair, but they look alright, so she keeps them in. She’ll get Nick to help her pull them out of her hair tonight. That just leaves putting on her necklace and bracelets. She had enough thought to take those off last night, at least, and she finds them kept neatly on the counter, courtesy of either Nick or Pearly. Probably Pearly, now that she thinks of it, as her younger cousin is the neat freak of the three of them.
Maya looks in the mirror, looking for traces of the stress she feels but, no, she looks just like herself. Even though she hasn’t slept well since the kidnapping, it doesn’t show on her face, a trait she shared with Mia. Which is good, considering she has signed herself up to go talk to a bunch of people that know what happened to her. Nick is hard to brush off, but they should be a breeze.
Maya grabs the spare key and heads out, ready for the start of her gratitude world tour.