Chapter Text
"True intimacy is a state in which nothing exists between two people; no space, no inhibitions and no lies."
“So it was Mr Engarde all along!” Maya smiled, with no small amount of relief and joy after her rescue from Shelly de Killer. Phoenix and Miles were with her, though they were in no rush to go home, either.
“Indeed,” Miles nodded, “He said it was part of his aftercare service, to ensure his client didn’t go down for the murder. Valuing trust above all else.”
“Wait. A-a-aftercare?!” Phoenix blurted out, a little too loudly in the quiet of the Criminal Affairs department office, “Wh- What the heck is ‘aftercare’?”
Maya just stared at him, confused. Miles Edgeworth, however, looked positively horrified.
“You… you mean you don’t know what aftercare is?”
“What? No!” Phoenix insisted, “I didn’t even know it was a thing.”
“Whaaat? Nick? You’ve not heard of aftercare before?!”
If Phoenix’s face wasn’t red before, it was certainly on fire now. “No. Am I supposed to?”
Miles just sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, and Phoenix wilted. “Wright…”
Phoenix frowned. “It’s gonna be something stupidly obvious, isn’t it?” he asked.
“Uhhh, kinda,” Maya said. Not really wanting to be the one to explain things. Fortunately, Miles stepped in to take that role.
“It is the support or advice offered to a customer following the purchase of a product or service,” Miles told him. “In this case, after an assassination is completed to ensure the client won’t be at risk of prosecution.”
“Ohhhhh,” Phoenix said, realisation dawning in his head. It certainly wasn’t the first time he’d felt stupid and sure as Hell wouldn’t be the last. “I thought it was some kinda sex thing.”
Maya glanced up at Edgeworth and giggled when she saw the light blush on his cheeks.
“I… I suppose it can also be a sex thing,” he conceded, “If indeed one practices good BDSM etiquette.”
Phoenix blinked at that. “Wait. There’s BDSM etiquette?”
“Of course there is, Wright. There are etiquette rules for most things. That included.”
“Oh,” Phoenix fell quiet for a moment, mind running over all of his previous experiences in such practices and quickly realised none of them had included anything resembling ‘aftercare’. “Really? Because in my experience with that…”
“Wait,” Miles stopped him from even finishing that sentence, “Wright, please tell me you have at least experienced something resembling aftercare after…” Miles caught himself, quickly remembering where they were and who might be listening and cleared his throat to compose himself, “That.”
“Uhhhh…” Phoenix gave the prosecutor a rather sheepish smile and rubbed the back of his neck in a vain effort to distract from the obvious lie he was about to tell, “Yes?”
“Oh, good Lord,” Miles sighed, once again this time covering his face with his hand, “You haven’t, have you?”
“Wow, Edgeworth, you always see right through me, huh?”
“I just know when you are attempting to bluff your way through something and that was the worst I have ever seen from you.”
“Wow, Nick…” Maya said, trailing off because she wasn’t even sure what she could say to that. What did anyone say to that?
“I just…” Miles sighed again, his steely gaze meeting Wright’s once more, “Very well, Wright, I shall endeavour to fix this. I refuse to continue to let you go through life having no idea what aftercare is. You will come by my apartment after we are done here. I will educate you on the matter personally.”
Phoenix swallowed thickly, the feeling of anticipation already starting to build inside him. “Y-Yes, Sir.”
“Good,” Miles answered, “I shall see you at 9pm, then.”
“Y-yeah…. Got it.”
And with that, Edgeworth left. Phoenix watched him go, sure his heart would break free of his chest and follow him out.
Maya just smirked at him. “Ohhhhhh, hot date with Mr. Edgeworth tonight then, huh Nick?”
Phoenix groaned. “I’m not ever gonna live this one down, am I?”
“Nope,” she smirked, “Never.”
“Great.”
. . .
Standing in front of Miles’ front door that evening, 9pm sharp, Phoenix had no idea what to expect. Miles was always one to throw him curveballs and make him nervous, especially in court, but this was a whole different case of nerves. He took another deep breath.
Okay, Phoenix, you can do this. I’m sure it won’t be anything new. The guy probably just has a whole powerpoint with dictionary definitions and stuff. Knowing Miles.
After another few moments of trying to screw together whatever courage he could from the bottom of his nearly empty barrel, he knocked the door.
Miles did not take much time in answering. Opening the door with a smile. “Ah, perfect, you’re right on time. Do come in.”
Phoenix obeyed, taking off his jacket and sitting on the sofa while Miles poured him a cup of tea from the pot already on the coffee table.
“Have some tea.”
“Oh, thanks. Mm, still warm.”
“Yes,” Miles smiled at him again, and Phoenix was glad he was already sitting down because his knees were already weak at the sight of that smile. The one Miles usually reserved for when they were alone. “I had a feeling you’d be punctual.”
Phoenix chuckled, “Well, your tone said you meant business, so I figured I better be on time for once.”
“Yes, I can see why you’d get that impression,” Miles told him.
“So how’re we doing this?” Phoenix asked him, “Are you gonna explain how it all works, or?”
“Hm?” Miles looked up from pouring his own tea and sat drinking it, “Oh, right. Well, I did have something else planned, if you are amenable. I did hear you learn things best through practical demonstrations…”
“Wait, what?” Phoenix asked. Still confused. It took a little while for Phoenix to realise what Miles was even suggesting, let alone process it. But eventually the lightbulb did click on. “Oh. Ohhhh.”
“Well, say something, Wright.” Edgeworth snapped, bringing him back to the present moment. “Are you amenable or not?”
Phoenix swallowed in an attempt to clear his throat, finding his voice shaky. “Oh… Oh I’m definitely amenable to that. If… uh… if that’s what you’re actually suggesting and not just pulling my leg.”
Miles carefully set down his cup and saucer. “Wright, you know I never make jokes. Least of all about this. Or you.”
Or you.
The words echoed around Phoenix’s head again and again. They reached down his throat and nearly took his breath. “Or me?”
“Yes,” Miles told him, “It is partly why I wish to actually show you what aftercare is. I cannot believe you have been treated so poorly and I need you to know how things are supposed to be in a healthy exchange where trust is actually valued.”
Not for the first time, Phoenix thought back on Dahlia and his other lovers. All of whom had asked his trust and abused it.
“Trust?” he echoed.
“Yes, trust,” Miles answered, “One that goes both ways. A trust that no boundaries will be broken and no harm will intentionally come to either partner.”
Phoenix was lost in his own thoughts for a while, but a warmth on his hand brought him back to the present.
“Wright,” Miles’ voice was gentle beside him, a steady hand on his, “I would never allow myself to hurt you, you know that. In fact, I could never forgive myself if I did.”
“Miles…”
“Because I know I haven’t been the best partner in the world and I know I’m not worthy, but… if you trust me…”
Phoenix could only stare at him. Unable to believe Miles Edgeworth of all people was the one asking such a stupid question.
“Do you trust me, Wright?”
All at once the cloud over his thoughts began to clear, until there was nothing else but Miles asking for his trust, and the knowledge the man would not abuse it as so many others had.
“Are you kidding? Of course I trust you.” His fingers closed around Miles’ and carefully locked their fingers together. “There’s nobody in the world I trust more.”
“Phoenix….”
Miles didn’t get the chance to say much more, because Phoenix was already pressing their lips together, capturing him in a kiss so deep there was no hope of escape. Though Miles was happy to drown in it. His fingers were already finding their way into Wright’s dark hair as they kissed. Only parting for air when they were near-breathless.
“Wow,” Phoenix grinned.
“I believe that’s my line,” Miles corrected him with a smirk, “Though I suppose we ought to move this elsewhere. For the sake of your back if nothing else.”
“I… yeah, good idea.”
Miles nodded. “Excellent. Come then, let us step into my office.”
. . .
Phoenix whistled when he saw the large office space, impressed as he always was by Miles’ taste in furniture. “Wow.”
“Impressive, isn’t it?” Miles asked rhetorically from the doorway.
“Well, yeah,” Phoenix told him, “I’ve always said you have excellent taste in furniture.”
“Indeed,” Miles smiled, “Though I suppose we ought to get down to some business, wouldn’t you say?”
Phoenix could only nod as Miles walked over to a set of drawers and opened one, searching the contents.
“How do you feel about a leash?” Miles asked, “Or a collar?”
“A leash?” Phoenix echoed.
Miles turned around with the items in hand and immediately took in the sight of one beet-red-in-the-face Phoenix Wright,, who was wearing the biggest grin Miles had ever seen in his life.
Miles cleared his throat. “Very well, I shall take that as an affirmative. I believe we can work with this.”
Promptly closing the drawer, Miles turned his full attention back to Phoenix. “Now, before we begin, there are some important matters we need to discuss.”
“Uh-oh, like what?”
“Well,” Miles began, “First of all we should discuss boundaries, and decide upon a safeword to halt proceedings in case one of us feels the need to.”
“Oh.”
Phoenix glanced away quickly. It was yet another thing he’d never done before.
“It should be something simple to say, and mutually agreed,” Miles continued. “And ideally not associated with any strong memories, to prevent any trauma that could occur.”
“Yeah, good thinking,” Phoenix agreed, “Um, maybe we should pick some kind of fruit? Like an apple or something.”
Miles looked thoughtful. “Yes, that will work. Apple it is then,” he said.“Now, any hard boundaries I need to know of?”
“I…” Phoenix looked away again, mind running back over the past, “Just nothing that will damage me or cause too much pain. And definitely no strangling me.”
Miles nodded, “Of course,” he agreed, “I wish this to be a pleasant experience for you. I will not hurt you if I can help it.”
Phoenix smiled warmly at him, and he returned it. Giving the man a quick kiss as a promise. After the moment passed, however, a devilish smile graced his lips as he held up the collar and leash. “Now, onto business?”
Phoenix swallowed again, already feeling the thumping of his heart in his chest. That all too familiar feeling of anticipation tingling the base of his spine as he looked at Miles and the hunger in those grey eyes.
“Onto business,” Phoenix echoed. His heart once again a wild animal trapped inside the cage of his ribs, desperate for escape, bashing against the bone bars.