Archive of Our Own

“Good morning, Wright.”

Phoenix grumbled. A phone call from Miles Edgeworth wasn’t exactly unexpected at this hour--after all, it was only a little after 9am--but it was a Saturday and Phoenix had been looking forward to sleeping in. Still, he had some sort of a soft spot for his longtime friend and rival, and if Edgeworth needed to tell him something urgent enough to call, the least he could do was answer him.

“G’morning, Edgeworth. Bright and early, I see,” Phoenix replied, stifling a yawn.

“Did I wake you?” Edgeworth sounded somewhat...concerned.

“No, no,” Phoenix lied. “It’s all good. What’s up?”

“Nothing particularly urgent,” Edgeworth responded. Phoenix rolled his eyes. Of course, Edgeworth just thought that 9am on a Saturday was a perfectly normal time to call him up for a chat. Edgeworth continued, “But I did want to ask you for something. A...favor, if you will.”

Phoenix’s mind raced. What could Edgeworth want from him? Does he need Phoenix to look at a case? Run an errand? Be his date to an event? Well, maybe the last one was wishful thinking. But Edgeworth had been known to throw curveballs in the past...

Edgeworth must have noticed Phoenix pause and jumped back in. “Anyway, I’m going out of town on Monday for a weeklong conference, and my usual dogsitter just cancelled on me. I know this is last minute, but could you watch Pess for the week?”

“Uh--” Phoenix started, knowing he should say something. “Sure, I guess? What’s involved?”

“It shouldn’t be terribly hard. Pess is a very easygoing dog. She gets along well with people. And her care isn’t that difficult either; just feeding and walks twice a day, brushing every other day, and the occasional enrichment time.”

Phoenix swallowed. Walks twice a day? And what the hell was enrichment time? Knowing Edgeworth, he cared for Pess as much as he did himself, which was to say, very much. That dog was spoiled. Phoenix grew anxious; he knew Edgeworth treasured his dog and that if anything happened to her, Edgeworth would have him serve a life sentence. But he would do anything for Edgeworth. Sure, he had only ever interacted with Pess in Edgeworth’s presence, but he was great with dogs. It shouldn’t be that hard. And Edgeworth would be very appreciative. 

“Okay,” he responded. “Yeah, that’s not too terrible. When were you planning on dropping her off?”

Edgeworth exhaled, a cross between a scoff and...a laugh? “Very funny, Wright. I’m expecting you to stay at my apartment during the week. You may use my guest bedroom.” 

Phoenix went pale. He had been to Edgeworth’s house plenty of times before, of course, but never overnight and never alone. The thought of it worried him immensely--so much to break! --but he had to admit that there was something in the proposition that excited him. Unfettered access to the home of Miles Edgeworth...

Edgeworth went on. “My flight leaves early Monday morning; I’ll have Gumshoe drop off a set of keys at your office during the day. There will be instructions and anything you may need on the counter in the kitchen. And you’re welcome to help yourself to any food or other amenities you’d like.”

“Wow. Okay. Thanks.” Phoenix was too dumbstruck at the situation to form a better reply.

“No, thank you, Wright. This is an immense help to me, especially so last minute. I owe you one.”

“Of course. Don’t mention it. Hope you...have a great trip!” 

“Thank you, Wright. And as always, I’m just a phone call away if you ever need me.” Why did Edgeworth sound so...tender? Phoenix must have been imagining it.

“Great. I’ll let you know if anything comes up. Have a good one, Edgeworth.”

Phoenix hung up and flopped back onto the bed, staring at the ceiling. Ahead of him lay a whole week of staying at Edgeworth’s house and taking care of his dog. The gravity of the situation wasn’t lost on him: Edgeworth loved Pess more than life itself, and the fact that he was trusting Phoenix (a man who always seemed to get caught up in murder plots) with her really said a lot about how he viewed Phoenix. There were a million ways Phoenix could mess this up. But, if the odds were in his favor and everything went smoothly...Edgeworth did sound incredibly grateful.

It was one week. Phoenix loved dogs. How hard could it be?

Monday arrived sooner than Phoenix had hoped. And sure enough, Gumshoe did swing by with an envelope. He gave Phoenix an suspicious look--though the envelope was opaque, the telltale jingle of the keys made its contents known. Phoenix connected the dots. “I’m dogsitting. For Edgeworth. Since he’s gone this week. That’s why I need the keys. He wanted me to stay at his place,” he said quickly, hand coming up to rub the back of his neck sheepishly.

Gumshoe shrugged his shoulders. “Means a lot, knowing how much Mr. Edgeworth loves that dog. He seemed real excited to have me give them to you, though. And then he got all embarrassed. Wonder what that was about.”

Phoenix felt his face turn hot. What did any of that mean? Luckily, Gumshoe turned to leave. “Well, have fun,” he called over his shoulder. “And let me know if you want to meet up. I can bring Missile, we can have the dogs play together. Mr. Edgeworth doesn’t usually like to have Pess play with him--ol’ Missile can get a little rough--but I can tell that they’re just having fun. See you around, pal!”

Phoenix stood and stared at the door for a few moments after Gumshoe left, mouth agape. Eventually, he turned to the envelope in his hand, opening it to pick up the keys. They looked, well, like keys. There were two: one for the doorknob and one for the deadbolt, Phoenix assumed, and a blue plastic key cover distinguished one from the other. He put the keys in his pocket and continued on with his workday, anticipation mounting for that evening.

Once 5 o’clock came around, Phoenix left the office and biked the short trip to Edgeworth’s townhouse. The neighborhood was way nicer than Phoenix’s, but the houses were more or less unassuming. Edgeworth lived on a quiet side street lined with trees. Phoenix had always liked the area. He knew he could never afford to live there on his own, but it was nice to live vicariously at Edgeworth’s place for the week.

As soon as Phoenix put the key in the lock, he heard a scramble of paws coming up to the other side of the door. But when he opened the door, he was met with a series of loud barks that shocked him so much he dropped his duffel bag of clothes. “Hey, hey! Pess, it’s me! Phoenix! Hey!” he tried, picking up the bag before Pess could get to it. “Shh, shh! It’s just me!” But the barking did not stop.

That was weird. Pess never barked at Phoenix before. In fact, she was always sweet, nuzzling his legs and begging for belly rubs. Was that just because Edgeworth was also there? “What’s up?” he asked, trying to see if there was anything in particular that was distressing her, other than himself. God, she was loud . 

He felt a buzzing in his pocket. A text from Edgeworth.

I assume you’ve made it to the house okay?

He fired off a quick reply.

Yeah, got in fine. Pess won’t stop barking, though--maybe she thinks I’m an intruder?

Three dots appeared almost immediately. 

Oh dear. I feared that would happen. She usually responds to a whistle, and the word “quiet.”

Let me know if that doesn’t work.

Phoenix shrugged. Worth a shot. “Pess,” he called out to the still-barking dog. He whistled. That did seem to get her attention. “Quiet!” he declaimed. “Quiet.” As if by magic, Pess calmed down, sulking away to the living room, giving him a wary look. He responded to Edgeworth.

Crisis averted. That seemed to do the trick. Any other commands I should know?

The usual ones, “off,” “down,” “no,” etc. She knows quite a few tricks, as well, but she may not trust you well enough to perform them, if she greeted you with barking.

Phoenix grimaced.

I’ll work on it. How was your flight, and the conference so far?

Tiring. I’ll report back later. Let me know if you need anything else--I left a few things for you in the fridge. Feel free to take what you like.

Phoenix smiled, and something warm washed over him. Then, another text from Edgeworth:

Thank you again, Wright, for helping me out.

He sighed and sent off a quick reply, moving into the kitchen. As promised, there was a typed up instruction sheet on the counter, along with Pess’ food, treats, leashes, and toys. Everything was explained very thoroughly, which put Phoenix at ease: it was just like Edgeworth to have prepared everything just the way he wanted it. Perhaps this week wouldn’t be so difficult after all.

Remembering Edgeworth’s text, he went over to the fridge and looked inside. He was greeted with glass storage containers filled with all sorts of delicious looking things, each labeled with their contents and the date they should be eaten by: Kale Salad, Pork Dumplings, Salmon Fillets, Mushroom Gnocchi, Berry Trifle... did Edgeworth make all of this for him? There was no way. He knew Edgeworth tended to cook a lot when he was stressed, but there was no way he did all of this in a few days’ time and just for Phoenix. No, some of them must have been there beforehand. But as long as it was all there now, there was no use in letting any of it go to waste. Phoenix shrugged and took out a container labeled Brown Butter Pumpkin Ravioli and emptied it onto a plate to microwave.

No doubt smelling the food, Pess wandered back into the kitchen, expecting her dinner. Right, I should feed her, Phoenix thought. He glanced over the instructions Miles had left: 

Dinner: two scoops of Royal Canin dry food with one eyedropper of Vitamin serum. As always, replenish water bowl if low.

How did Edgeworth manage to make his dogsitting instructions as snarky as he was? Phoenix shook his head and went to work assembling Pess’ bowl, setting it down on the mat provided. He reached out to her to give her a reassuring head scratch, but she recoiled and growled at him. Not a great sign. But once he backed away from the food dish, she seemed more interested in that than him, and ate contentedly. She still looked at Phoenix with watchful eyes, but at least she was no longer barking, so he considered it a win. 

After he finished his dinner, Phoenix took his bag to the guest room and showered. Edgeworth had provided some small shampoos and soaps in the bathroom, and though Phoenix felt the urge to wisecrack at the man keeping his house like a hotel, there was a part of him that almost...melted. Why was Edgeworth being so considerate?

Phoenix shook his head. No, it was merely polite to keep a few toiletries in your guest room for when you have visitors, in case they forget anything. Phoenix wouldn’t know, as he only lived in a one-bedroom apartment. Still, that combined with the food in the fridge…no. He was reading too much into it

Full with a delicious meal and warm from the hot shower, Phoenix felt a wave of tiredness overcome him, and he sank into the soft bed faster than he would have liked to admit. It was nice, staying at Edgeworth’s place, eating Edgeworth’s cooking, taking care of Edgeworth’s dog... I could get used to this, Phoenix found himself thinking, too tired to even catch himself. And before he knew it, he was fast asleep.

Phoenix was awoken far earlier than he’d have liked by the sound of scratching and whining at the door. After his eyes adjusted to the half light and he remembered where he was-- Edgeworth’s house, right. Damn.-- he glanced over to the clock on the beside table. 6:28am. He rolled back over, willing himself to fall asleep again for another few hours before work. The pillows smelled like eucalyptus and pine, a fresh scent that Phoenix had always associated with Edgeworth. He smiled contentedly into them.

A particularly loud whine at the door snapped him out of his stupor. 

Shit, the dog! 

Phoenix bolted upright and ran to the door. Pess was on the other side, looking up at him with an expectant, annoyed look. She turned and headed in the direction of the front door. 

Fuck, I forgot to take her out last night. Hopefully she didn’t have an accident...I’d be dead in an instant. 

He scrambled into a pair of pants and a tshirt and grabbed the leash on the kitchen counter. Pess was unusually willing to let him attach the leash to her collar. She must’ve really had to go. She practically pulled him out of the door and he stumbled a second before closing the door behind him. 

In that moment, he realized two things:

One, that Edgeworth’s front door automatically locked.

And two, that he did not have his keys, wallet, or phone with him at the moment. He merely had the clothes on his back and one very impatient borzoi.

Fuck fuck fuck. That’s it. I’m a dead man.

Pess whined at him again. Oh well, I’ll walk her and when I come back I’ll figure out what to do. 

He took Pess on a short walk around the neighborhood. He noticed that no one was out and about, and very few lights were on in the surrounding houses. After all, it was incredibly early in the morning. Phoenix shivered as a sense of mounting dread began to creep into him. After about twenty minutes, Pess stopped herself and turned around, evidently done with the walk. Upon returning to Edgeworth’s, Phoenix tried the door again: still locked. He looked around the entrance, trying to see if Edgeworth had hidden a key anywhere nearby. He checked under the mat, in and around the planters, and above the doorframe: no dice.

Think like Edgeworth, Phoenix thought to himself. If I were Miles Edgeworth, where would I hide a spare key? 

He mused on it for a moment, Pess looking up at him with increasing impatience. 

He wouldn’t, idiot. He’s Miles Edgeworth, why would he need to hide a spare key?

Phoenix moved on to Plan B. He tried every window on the front and back of the house. None of them budged even an inch. He walked around to the back of the house--all the windows and the back door were locked as well, of course. He tied Pess up to one of the patio chairs out back. She gave him a look of annoyance, but ultimately lied down in a nearby patch of growing sun.

Phoenix surveyed his options:

• Break a window and climb in. Not preferable, since Edgeworth would definitely kill me. I could say it was an accident or that someone broke in, but he’d want more details and he’d probably figure out I was lying. Plus, I’d be dealing with a broken window for the rest of the week and I don’t really have the money to have it replaced.

• Ask the neighbors around if anyone has a spare key. My mom gave her good neighbor friend a spare key to our house. Maybe Edgeworth did so too? Knowing him, though, it’s unlikely. Plus it’s still so early, and the neighborhood seems so quiet.

• Go someplace I could get more help. I don’t have the key to my bike lock, so I’d have to walk. It’s about a thirty minute walk to the office, and thirty more from there to my apartment. Not that I have the keys to either on me right now. No one’s in the office today except me, too.

• Perish on the spot.

Phoenix sat down on the stoop, holding his head in his hands. He was truly, royally fucked. He walked around back once more, trying to look for anything that might help him. There was an air conditioning unit in one of the windows next to the back door. A-ha! Phoenix thought, incredibly relieved. He went over to it and tried to move the unit. It wouldn’t budge. Same with the window above it. Goddamnit. 

He fiddled with it some more, glad that Pess couldn’t talk and so she couldn’t rat him out to Edgeworth. After a few moments of jiggling, Phoenix discovered that while he couldn’t move the AC out of the window, he could move it to the side. There were plastic panels on each side of the unit, accordion-style to compensate for the difference in width between the window and the AC unit. Phoenix managed to push the unit all the way to one side. He noticed that the plastic panel was a bit old and brittle, and sure enough, one prod caused it to split along one of the accordion seams.

It was unfortunate that it broke, but it was much easier to fix or explain than a broken window. And though the gap was only about a square foot, it was a start. Phoenix reached his arm inside the gap as far as he could go, getting a feel for what was within his reach. Luckily, the window with the AC was right next to the back door. He felt around blindly towards the door, and eventually found the knob. The positioning was definitely awkward, as the gap was quite low to the ground and the angle to the doorknob was less than comfortable. He reached as far as he could to the deadbolt latch above the knob, his fingers just barely reaching it. After a few attempts, he got it to twist and he opened the door. 

Relief flooded Phoenix’s body, and he slumped back on the ground. Oh my God, I’m alive. Well, I’m still dead once Edgeworth finds out, but I’ve got four days to either fix it or come up with a convincing story. But I’m alive.

He untied Pess from the patio chair and let her in. She trotted back in the house like nothing was wrong, going to her food bowl for her breakfast. Phoenix filled the bowl and returned to the guest room, picking up his phone. 7:34am. Not terrible. He quickly dialed.

“Nick? What’s...it’s so early .” Maya’s voice on the other side sounded groggy. He had clearly woken her up.

“Hey, Maya, sorry. I just, uh, went through something crazy and I needed to talk to someone.” He returned to the kitchen to brew a cup of coffee. “Remember how I told you I’m dogsitting for Edgeworth this week?”

“Yeah. What happened? Did you kill the dog?”

Phoenix rolled his eyes. “No, Pess is fine. I hope. She seems fine.” He looked towards the living room, where Pess had curled up on the carpet and resumed her nap.

“So what did you do?”

Phoenix began rooting around in the cabinets for coffee supplies, phone tucked between his shoulder and his ear. “I, uh, I locked myself out. And sort of had to break my way back in.”

“Nick…” Maya would have yelled at him, but it was obvious she was too tired to do anything but let out a disappointed sigh. Phoenix was grateful for that. “How did that happen?”

“Well, see, Maya, I was so tired from last night that I forgot to take Pess out for her nightly walk, and so she woke me up this morning needing to out. Like really early. So I scrambled and took her out, and I didn’t take anything else with me. And then I discovered Edgeworth’s front door automatically locks.” He set the kettle on the stove for a pour-over. Edgeworth didn’t even drink coffee and yet he kept the snobbiest coffee-brewing method around.

“How did you forget to take her out? You gotta be more responsible. This is Edgeworth’s dog we’re talking about.” Even through the sleepiness in her voice, Phoenix could hear the exasperation.

“I don’t know! I was going to, but the food Edgeworth left for me was so good and the shower was so relaxing and the soaps he provided had lavender in them, and I just...passed out, I guess.”

“Wait, Nick. What was that?” Maya’s voice sounded much more alert. “The food he left for you? The soaps he provided?”

Phoenix felt his face turn red. “Yeah, uh, he left me all of this food in his fridge. Really nice stuff, too, and a lot of it. He said to help myself.” He rubbed the back of his neck anxiously. “And then there was a bunch of nice soaps and shampoos and stuff in his guest bathroom. Like it was a hotel.”

“Huh. That’s...interesting. Very considerate of Edgeworth to go through all that trouble. The food’s homemade?” There was a recognizable twinge of jealousy in her voice, Phoenix noted. Definitely having to do with the food.

“Looks like it.” He opened the fridge again, looking for something suitable for breakfast. He found a tub of plain Greek yogurt, to which he added a banana and some granola and honey from the pantry. “Hope he’s not trying to poison me,” he chuckled.

“With what? Dumbass?” Maya giggled.

“Maybe so, considering I did lock myself out first thing this morning.”

“Nah, you’re already too much of a dumbass, Nick. There’d be no need to make you even worse.”

“Very funny.” Phoenix rolled his eyes. “Oh, and there was also this other weird thing that Gumshoe told me. When he came by to drop off the keys yesterday.”

“What was that?”

“He said that Edgeworth looked... excited to have him give me the keys. But then he got all embarrassed? I don’t know. It’s not like Edgeworth to get embarrassed.”

“You’re right. That is weird.”

“He’s also been like, super nice to me over text. When I came home last night, Pess wouldn’t stop barking, so I texted him for advice, and he was really considerate. He let me know that I should reach out if there’s anything I need, and he thanked me again for doing this.”

“Well, maybe he … ” Maya trailed off, laughing to herself. “Nevermind.” 

“What?” Phoenix pressed.

“Nevermind! I guess he’s just really grateful that you’re doing this for him. You’re doing him a huge favor, especially so last minute,” Maya mused.

“Guess so.” He wondered what Maya was going to say before she stopped herself.

“So how did you get back in? After you locked yourself out.”

Phoenix turned red again. “Well, I looked for a spare key, but it’s Edgeworth, so I couldn’t find one. Tried the windows, too, and the back door. All locked. I considered asking the neighbors, but the street was so quiet and it was so early. I even thought about going to the office or back home, but it’s a long walk and I literally had nothing on me except Pess.”

“Yikes. I couldn’t even imagine what I’d do...probably break a window or something.”

“Yeah, I thought about that, too, but again, it’s Edgeworth. He’d kill me.” 

Maya hummed in agreement. “So what did you do?”

“I, uh, I went around back, and I saw that there was an AC in one of the windows. And while it wouldn’t come out, I could slide it to the side and stick my hand in the gap. I did break the plastic side-panel-thing, but I’ll figure out how to fix that. But from there I could put my hand through and unlock the back door.”

“Jesus, Nick. You really are a dumbass.”

“I know. Can’t believe Edgeworth trusts me with staying in his house and taking care of his dog. Evidently, he shouldn’t have.”

“Well, he definitely sees something in you.”

Phoenix wondered what she meant by that, but before he could ask she let out a loud yawn. “Well,” she continued, “thank you for your lovely story. Good luck with the rest of the week. Try not to break and enter anymore. Keep me posted. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have another hour of sleep to get back to.”

Phoenix said his goodbyes and finished his breakfast. Once he was done washing up, he returned to the scene of his crime to assess the damage. He wondered if he could spin it as some sort of accident: “Oh, I was going to turn on the AC, when I slipped on one of Pess’ toys on the floor, and my hand went through the plastic-divider-thing!” He shook his head, certain that Miles wouldn’t buy it. He resolved to figure out how to replace or repair it. Gumshoe could help--he could be handy, sometimes--but bringing in an accomplice (especially one that could never lie to Edgeworth) seemed like more trouble than it was worth. Phoenix sighed. This was going to be a long week.

Phoenix returned to Edgeworth’s place later that evening to find Pess completely uninterested in him. Well, I was hoping for a more affectionate dog, but at least she’s not growling or barking, he thought to himself. She did, however, perk her head up as she heard Phoenix prepare her dinner. Phoenix selected a container labeled Chicken Piccata from the refrigerator for his own meal. It was, as everything had been before it, incredibly delicious. He thought about asking Edgeworth for the recipe, but figured he’d never be able to replicate it himself. He’d just have to find a way to get Edgeworth to cook for him more.

Once finished, he took Pess out for her evening walk and then settled on the living room sofa to watch TV. Uninterested in anything playing at the moment, he decided to peruse Edgeworth’s bookshelves instead. Mostly legal and history books, but a decent selection of fiction as well, both classics and some contemporary ones. Phoenix’s eyes wandered over the shelves, pausing at the few mementos Edgeworth had placed there: a framed photo of him at his law school graduation (he looked cold and sad, Phoenix remarked. Shouldn’t he be excited, or proud?), another of him and his father when he was younger. A Steel Samurai figurine, smaller than the one in his office, but just as ornate. A picture of Pess as a puppy, her tiny head dwarfed by a giant bone next to her.

And over in the corner, almost hidden from view, was a photo that Phoenix recognized. It was the one Lotta Hart had taken of them after he won Edgeworth’s case and got von Karma convicted. Phoenix smiled. He’d never really looked at the photo that closely before; the heartbreak of what soon followed that case caused him to put his own copy of the picture deep in a drawer, too painful to look at. As he picked up the frame to study it better in the light, he heard a soft thud. Something had been leaning on the back of the frame--a small, leather-bound book, Phoenix discovered.

His eyes went wide as he thumbed through the pages and realized they were handwritten. In Edgeworth’s script. Edgeworth keeps...a diary? Phoenix thought to himself, almost smiling at the fact. He moved to shut the book, embarrassed at trespassing. But something written inside caught his eye: the sentence I’ve been in love with him as long as I can remember.

Phoenix felt faint. He immediately snapped the diary closed and hid it behind the pictureframe, moving to sit on the couch as far away from it as possible. He didn’t know what to think. Edgeworth...is in love? If he were anybody else, some other person who knew Edgeworth, he would laugh. Would think it was impossible. But because he was Phoenix Wright, the man who had been pining after Edgeworth for years, he felt like he was going to vomit. His life was over.

Edgeworth is in love with someone else.

He wanted to leave right there and then, pack his things and go home and get as far away from Miles Edgeworth as he could. But he knew he couldn’t; he had made a promise to his friend, and Phoenix never went back on his promises. Instead, he curled up on the couch and focused on his breathing. He felt his eyes begin to well up, and a few slow tears fell down his cheeks. 

All this time…“as long as I can remember”...all this time he’s been in love with someone else, and I’ve just dedicated my entire life to being with him, being near him, all in the hopes that maybe, just maybe he’d love me back. But he doesn’t. And even worse, he loves someone else! Always the fucking bridesmaid, Phoenix. Never the fucking bride.

He let himself cry for a bit, knowing it was good to get it out. Pess must have sensed his change in emotion, as she looked up from where she was lying and padded over to him. Phoenix was too upset to notice. She laid down on the floor, under where he was lying on the couch. She did give off a sort of comforting presence, however, and Phoenix found himself soon drifting off to sleep.

The rest of the week passed fairly uneventfully. Phoenix did his duties as dogsitter diligently, the heartbreak he experienced that night eventually fading to a dull ache in his chest. He did his best to distract himself, but he couldn’t help it that everything reminded him of Edgeworth. After all, he was in Edgeworth’s house, eating food Edgeworth made, taking care of Edgeworth’s dog. Phoenix thought he deserved some sort of medal. “Friend of the Year” or something like that, for all he’d done for a man he now knew would never love him.

He considered calling up Maya and explaining everything to her, but even the thought of having to say the words out loud: “Edgeworth is in love with someone else,” was too much for him to bear. He’d tell her eventually, once he had dealt with it himself for a while.

Pess continued to mostly ignore him, which Phoenix didn’t mind. She, of course, reminded him of Edgeworth, and she was the reason he was here in Edgeworth’s house in the first place and was able to find the diary. He cursed himself for snooping, knowing that prying eyes find things they don’t want to see, but he also figured that it was better for him to have found out like this. This way, he didn’t have to hear it from Edgeworth himself, or worse, to confess his own feelings to be met with a resounding rejection.

By the time Friday finally rolled around, Phoenix was exhausted and ready to be done with this entire ordeal. He knew Edgeworth’s flight would be getting in late, and the man had told Phoenix that he could feed and walk Pess in the evening, but after that he could go back to his own apartment for the night. Even though he knew he wouldn’t be seeing Edgeworth, the knowledge of his proximity was enough to make him feel even worse than he had been.

He was just packing up his things to head out, in fact, when something strange happened. First, the room began to shake. Earthquake, Phoenix thought. Good thing Edgeworth isn’t here, I guess. It seemed to be fairly strong; the furniture rattled and some of the picture frames on the bookshelf fell over.

Phoenix then heard a jangling noise and quick shuffling of paws on hardwood floor as Pess rushed up to him, something in her mouth. Phoenix crouched down and took it from her: a bottle of pills, prescribed to Edgeworth. Huh. These must be for anxiety attacks, he remarked. I guess Pess must act as a sort of therapy dog, too. He sat down on the couch, looking at the bottle. He peered around for her.

Pess had disappeared again, but quickly came back with something else in her mouth. It was smaller, and swung back and forth, glinting in the light. She jumped up on the couch and dropped the item in his lap, and then proceeded to lay her weight on him, almost pushing him over. Must be some kind of grounding technique. It does feel nice, he mused.

He turned his attention to the shiny object that lay in his lap. A locket? Phoenix thought, eyeing it thoroughly and examining it carefully. The initials M.E. were engraved on the front in fancy script. Phoenix didn’t take Edgeworth to be a jewelry person; perhaps it was a family heirloom from a relative who shared the same first initial. He wondered what might be inside, stomach sinking at the thought that it was Edgeworth’s secret love. It must have been. After all, why would Pess know to bring the locket after an earthquake? It had to be something that calmed Edgeworth down. 

A bitter feeling rose up in him. Perhaps it was mere curiosity, or maybe it was more out of spite, but Phoenix had to see what was in the heart-shaped locket. He fiddled with it, trying to figure out how it worked. After what felt like an eternity struggling with the mechanism, the locket popped open. 

Phoenix’s eyes widened. He was looking at two photos: on the left side was a picture of himself and Edgeworth from fourth grade, arms around each other’s shoulders, all smiles. He knew that photo, he had his own copy at his parents’ house. He knew the photo well enough to know that Larry was also in it, but here, he had been cropped out.

But what struck him the most was what was on the right side. It was a photo of Phoenix. Just Phoenix. And it was a photo he had never seen before. He must have been in the middle of laughing, his eyes all squinty and his mouth open in a large smile. It was unmistakably him. He probably didn’t even know that the picture was being taken at the time. Phoenix wondered where this photo came from, and how Edgeworth got it.

The gravity of the situation hit him soon after. This was Edgeworth’s locket --it was in his house and had his initials engraved on the front. And it was something that calmed him down when he had panic attacks. Phoenix knew that Edgeworth was in love with someone. He had already inferred that whoever was in the locket was who Edgeworth was in love with. And that person was...him?

“As long as I can remember,” huh? Fourth grade is certainly a long time. 

He snapped the locket closed and buried it in the pocket of his sweatpants. He ran over to where the diary was hidden, searching for the page he had seen before. It didn’t take long to find it, considering it was the most recent entry. He found the sentence he previously read: I’ve been in love with him as long as I can remember. Right at the end of the page.

He turned the page and read on. It was right there, written in Edgeworth’s neat, loopy handwriting: And I know I’ve needed to tell him since he defended me in court. But I’ve always held back, afraid to mess up the friendship we’ve built over the last few years. I’d give anything to be with Phoenix; it feels as if the Universe has pulled us back together so many times because it is meant to be. Still, something holds me back. I’m working up the courage, though. Maybe someday I’ll do it.

Phoenix’s head reeled, seeing his name, his first name written in Edgeworth’s--no, Miles’ --own hand. He flipped back a few pages, trying to find the date of the entry. A few weeks ago. Suddenly, everything seemed to fit into place: the excitement Gumshoe mentioned at giving him his house keys, and his immediate embarrassment. The meals. The soaps. The concerned tone and repeated offers to reach out if he needed anything at all. There had been something nagging him about all of that, something he realized Maya had picked up on too. He knew Miles, he knew that this was how he was. This was how he showed him he loved him.

For the second time that week, Phoenix felt tears brimming in his eyes and falling down his cheeks. But this time, they were tears of joy. He was overcome with emotion. He sat back down on the couch, Pess immediately jumping in his lap and licking all over his face. He couldn’t believe it. He laughed. 

This whole week, I’ve been sulking around thinking he was in love with someone else...when I could have just read the very next sentence and discovered it was ME the entire time.

I’m such a dumbass.

It was a little after one in the morning when Miles returned to his apartment, expecting it to be completely dark and empty, save for a sleeping Pess. He was surprised, then, to find the lights were still on. He didn’t think Phoenix was dumb enough to leave them on when he left, and a glance at the console table showed that his set of keys were still there. He was confused; after all, he had told Phoenix that he could leave after giving Pess her evening meal and walk. Why was he still here? Was something wrong? Miles placed his own pair of keys--distinguished from Phoenix’s with a red plastic key cover on the deadbolt key--in the catch-all beside them and made his way into the living room, taking off his coat.

On the couch, in front of him, was Phoenix, stretched out and fast asleep. Pess had been cuddling with him, but at the sound of Miles’ return she had gotten up and trotted eagerly towards him. He gave her a few affectionate ear scratches before returning his attention to the defense attorney sleeping on the couch. Miles’ heart fluttered--Phoenix looked so peaceful, so serene, so adorable, with one hand under his cheek and another across his waist, where Pess had been. His chest rose and fell gently with every breath, and Miles’ cheeks reddened as he caught a glimpse of bare torso peeking out from where Phoenix’s t-shirt had ridden up. 

It would be such a shame to wake him, Miles commented to himself. But that couch cannot be good for his back. Setting down his things, Miles carefully padded over to the sleeping Phoenix and tucked one arm under his shoulder and the other behind his knees, lifting slowly. Phoenix stirred a bit, mortifying Miles at the thought of him waking up to being held so tenderly by his friend. But Phoenix soon relaxed into his arms, and Miles had to suppress a small sigh of affection.

Perhaps it was Miles’ own tiredness after a long travel day, or Phoenix being heavier than expected, or some other ulterior motive, but instead of taking him to the guest room, Miles brought him to his own bed. He carefully laid the defense attorney down, taking care to pull the duvet up over his sleeping form. Phoenix shuffled a bit at the change of location, but eventually stilled, none the wiser. Miles got himself ready for bed and crawled in delicately on the other side. He looked at Phoenix in the dim light of the room, barely making out his profile, a few rumpled spikes shooting off at an angle. 

Miles hesitated. How am I going to explain this in the morning? he realized, suddenly overcome with embarrassment. But he glanced back towards the sleeping Phoenix, who had since moved closer to him by a few inches, his leg now touching Miles’. He felt a wash of warm, tender feelings flood his heart. He leaned forward and pressed a soft, silent kiss to Phoenix’s forehead.

Maybe this is the courage I need. 

Phoenix woke up to an unfamiliar light filtering through his eyelids, and he shifted uncomfortably. What had happened last night? It took him a second to recall: there had been an earthquake, Pess had brought him a locket with his photo in it, and he confirmed in Miles’ diary that he was in love with him. And then...he resolved to stay up until Miles got home to ask him about it, but he must have fallen asleep. And now…

Phoenix slowly opened his eyes. Across from him lay Miles himself, asleep and with his face turned towards him. He looked more beautiful than ever, his brow completely unfurrowed and relaxed, his mouth slightly open and lips pursed...Phoenix could almost… No. He wouldn’t like that. He has no idea I know.

The weirdness of the situation struck him. How did he get here? He must have fallen asleep on the couch and Miles must’ve taken him back to his room. But why his room, and not the guest room? That was uncharacteristically bold of him. What was he planning?

Phoenix sat up, rubbing his bleary eyes. He took in the room: the walls were a calming shade of light gray. There was a small desk in the corner, definitely not as ostentatious as the one in Miles’ office. A large painting hung on one of the walls, and Phoenix recalled from his art student days that it looked to be a Rothko. How very Miles, he remarked with a small smile. Phoenix inferred that the two doors must have led to the hallway and the attached bathroom. He started to move towards the bathroom, when he heard a rustling behind him and a sharp intake of breath.

Phoenix slowly turned his head towards the source of the noise, to find a very red Miles. “Um, hi. Good morning,” he said, cracking a smile. “I must have fallen asleep on the couch. Thanks for, uh, moving me.”

Miles nodded. “Of course,” he replied, voice coming out a little groggy with sleep. “I, uh, couldn’t make it to guest room. My apologies.”

Phoenix didn’t need to have his magatama on him to know that wasn’t the entire truth, and he laughed to himself. “No need,” he shrugged. “Your bed is comfy.” He noticed Miles crack an almost imperceptible smile. “How was the conference?”

Miles looked at him with something resembling incredulity. There was one hell of an elephant in the room. “...Fine. Do you, ah, want coffee, or anything?”

“Sure, I guess. That’d be nice.”

They headed to the kitchen, Phoenix smirking at Miles’ silk pajamas. He was surprised the man didn’t have a sleep cravat, or at the very least a stocking cap. It would have made the picture even more perfect. Miles set the kettle on to boil for coffee and tea, and began pulling out the necessary materials. “I take it your week with Pess went well? After the initial barking crisis, of course.”

“Yeah, it was...great,” he replied, silently recalling his morning spent locked out of the house. “We got along fine. No complaints.”

“And the house was suitable for you, as well? I see you’ve eaten quite a lot of what was in the fridge,” Miles remarked with a smirk.

“Oh, yeah, it was all very wonderful. The food, too. Did you make all of that yourself?”

Miles nodded, smiling to himself and turning just a touch redder as he poured the boiling water. “I’m glad you liked it.”

The two fell into a thin but comfortable silence. Phoenix watched Miles as he moved around the kitchen, pulling out various things for a light breakfast. He seemed so relaxed, and the whole situation felt so...normal. Comfortable. Phoenix liked the way the sunlight streaming in through the window above the sink hit the side of Miles’ face as he worked at the stove, cracking a few eggs into a pan for a quick omelette. Was Miles even... humming? He seemed so happy. Phoenix felt it too. Even Pess wandered into the kitchen, and Phoenix got up to feed her. She seemed much more affectionate towards him, too.

They ate breakfast at a leisurely pace, Miles relating to Phoenix everything he had learned at the conference, and remarking more than once that he wished Phoenix could have been there with him. Phoenix watched and listened with rapt attention, forcing himself to focus on what Miles was saying and not get distracted by the way Miles’ eyes sparkled as he talked about his week, his gesticulations, his expressiveness. Lord, he had it bad.

They were cleaning up the remains of breakfast when Phoenix couldn’t take it anymore. The domesticity and comfort of the whole morning was almost too unbearable with the weight of what he knew. “Listen, Edgeworth--Miles,” he started, as Miles finished rinsing dishes and turned off the tap. Miles turned around slowly at the sound of his first name, heart rate quickening.

“Something happened last night. Before you came back,” Phoenix continued, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible. 

"An earthquake. Around 7pm. I get alerts on my phone,” Miles replied. He felt a sort of somatic anxiety bubble up inside him at the thought, but it was nothing compared to the anxiety he already was feeling. Why had Phoenix used his first name?

“Right. Everything was fine, it wasn’t that bad. But, uh…” Phoenix trailed off, before remembering he was still in the same clothes as the night before. He fidgeted around in his pocket, hands closing on the locket, cool in his hand. “Pess kinda ‘went into action,’ though, and, um, she brought me...this.” He presented the locket, palm up, to Miles.

Miles instantly recognized it, and his heart leapt into his throat, face on fire. Damn it. He really had raised too good of a dog. He was afraid something like this would happen. “Well, yes. You see,” he began, “it’s been in the family--”

His explanation was cut short as Phoenix moved towards him in a quick step and captured his lips in a kiss. Miles tensed up for a moment, caught completely off guard, until he felt Phoenix’s strong hands around his waist. He began to relax into the kiss when Phoenix pulled away. “Sorry,” Phoenix whispered. “I know I should have let you explain yourself, but...I thought it’d be easier for me to just make my thoughts on the matter known, for the record.”

Miles swallowed. “So...you...know?” he breathed. Phoenix nodded in response, hands never straying from Miles’ waist. “And you...feel…” He looked so hopeful, so... loving. Miles brought his hands to either side of Phoenix’s face and leaned in to kiss him again, opening his mouth slightly and feeling Phoenix’s tongue over his lip. 

Phoenix grabbed him tighter and pushed him back so he was pinned against the counter. Miles weaved his hands up through Phoenix’s hair, relishing in the quiet moan that it elicited from the defense attorney. Phoenix began peppering kisses up his jaw and towards his ear. “You have no idea,” he whispered, breath ghosting over the shell of Miles’ ear, “how much I have always loved you. You’re so gorgeous, and I just…” he trailed off, pressing his forehead to Miles’. He let out a quiet laugh. “I just can’t believe that this is actually happening.”

Miles smiled. “Me neither.” He felt something nudge his knee, and he looked down to find Pess wedging herself between them. He sighed. “I should probably walk her. She’s got that look when she needs to go to the bathroom.”

“Don’t forget your keys,” Phoenix responded, lightheartedly. 

Miles looked at him with confusion. “Why would I forget my keys?”

Phoenix turned red. “No reason! Just a...stupid joke. That’s it,” he said quickly. Miles narrowed his eyes but decided not to press it and went to get dressed. “Hey, Miles,” he called out after him, “I think I’m gonna head out. Gotta make sure my apartment hasn’t burned down this week.”

Miles turned back, a hint of resigned disappointment in his eyes. “Very well. Thank you again for taking care of Pess.”

“Don’t mention it. I had a great time,” he laughed, shooting Miles a knowing look. “Listen, do you want to get dinner tomorrow? Or Monday. Or whenever, really. I know you’re busy. I just think it could be good to...you know, talk about things. If you’d like.”

Miles nodded. “I’d like that very much. How about I pick you up tomorrow at eight?”

Phoenix blushed. “Sounds perfect.” He went back to the living room to gather his things. Miles came back, dressed casually but sharply, and went to get the leash to take Pess out. “Hey, Miles?” Phoenix called after him. “Where do you want me to leave the keys?”

Miles poked his head out of the kitchen. “The keys? Keep them. I had them made for you.”

Phoenix pressed the keys to his heart, mouth agape. Wow. Forward, he thought. “Okay, then,” he replied, “but I guess I should give this back to you.” He walked over and handed back the locket. Miles looked at him for a moment, as if this was all some sort of joke and he was going to snap out of it at any moment. But Phoenix merely smiled, and softly kissed Miles’ cheek. “See you tomorrow, my love,” he said softly, picking up his things and heading out the door.

Miles stared at the door, still reeling from everything that had happened that morning. He looked down at the locket and brought it up to his lips.

See you tomorrow.