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In hindsight, a teddy bear fair should have been a sign that everything was about to go to shit. Phoenix took a look at a big, fluffy bear with the sentence "bear with me" engraved in its belly and shivered, the worst omen floating over him.
"It's so cute, isn't it, Mr. Nick?" Pearl said.
"And we still have bear-ly seen it all!" Maya joked.
Phoenix had flashbacks of a terrible case the year before, a time when he'd been in a hotel and had been subjected to a bunch of bad bear jokes.
"Are you two hungry? I am," Phoenix pushed Maya and Pearls away from the teddy bear.
"Well, I'm always hungry, Nick!" Maya said. "Especially if there are burgers involved... but are you trying to get us away from the bear?"
"Why would you, Mr. Nick? He's going to get lonely!" Pearl complained.
"It's giving me the creeps!" Phoenix admitted.
"Aw, you're such a buzzkill," Maya teased him. "Why don't you go buy us some food, then? Pearl and I want to check more of this bear exhibition!"
"I don't know—" Phoenix hesitated. Remembering that case where Juan Corrida had died was making him remember what happened to Maya during that case.
"C'mon, Nick, we'll be fine. I'm an adult now, you know!"
"And I'll be taking care of Mystic Maya!" Pearl added.
"Hey, I said I was an adult!" Maya puffed her cheeks.
Phoenix sighed. He was probably being a little dramatic. The bear exhibit (honestly, how was this his actual life?) was full of people and Maya wasn't a child. Plus, Pearl was more than responsible enough for the both of them. And there were no actual signs that anything bad was going to happen to them.
"Okay, I'll see you in a bit," he accepted.
He turned around and went towards the cafeteria, wondering what kind of sandwiches they would have. On his next turn, a weird smell got to him, something sweet... Before he could wonder what that was, someone grabbed him from behind and pressed a soaked cloth against his mouth. The sweet smell went right up his nostrils before he could even start to put up a fight against the mysterious aggressor, and everything started blurring.
At least he felt justified in his worried behavior before he started losing his conscience. It just turned out that Maya wasn't the kidnapping victim that time.
* * *
Phoenix opened his eyes and groaned, his head stinging like hell. He straightened up, elbow on what seemed to be a padded surface. He blinked to take his surroundings in, and everything started falling back into place. He scratched the back of his neck, sitting up and looking around. He seemed to be in a normal room, sitting in a king sized bed. But the moment he looked at the bed, his heart jumped, because there was something else laying there.
"Edgeworth!" he called, putting a hand on the man's shoulder.
The prosecutor groaned and Phoenix sighed in relief. He waited patiently for Edgeworth to open his eyes and sit up, exactly like Phoenix did moments before, taking in his surroundings.
"Wright?" he asked, confused. He scanned the room. "Where are we?"
"No idea," Phoenix said. "You alright?"
"Brilliant," Edgeworth scoffed. "I just love being abducted from my office building and waking up god-knows-where."
"You don't have to be sarcastic about it," Phoenix replied. "In case you didn't notice, I was abducted too."
"Of course," Edgeworth looked him up and down, and with some difficulty he said: "Apologies."
"Look at you, making progress," Phoenix teased. Edgeworth's cheeks gained a rosy color. "Anyway, let's get out of here, shall we?"
He went to the only door in the room, but as expected, it was locked. There was no other way in and out, as far as Phoenix knew, since there seemed to be no windows. The only thing in the room, apart from the bed, was a monitor and... wait, was that a small camera?
As if knowing Phoenix was looking at it (which was very possible, since, you know, spy camera), the TV turned on. On the other side appeared the last face Phoenix wanted to see after the un-bear-able exhibit.
"You!?" he couldn't help saying.
"Oh, my, if it isn't my useless ex-lawyer," Matt Engarde said, with a smirk. "I wasn't expecting to see you so soon."
"That's my line," Phoenix complained. "Weren't you in prison?"
"Thanks to the trap that YOU set up for me," Engarde pointed out, a flash of vileness shining in his eyes. "But apparently my good behavior made them release me early. Isn't that a joke?" he laughed without humor. "You know what's waiting for me out here, man! I'm a dead man!"
"You were the one who betrayed de Killer," Phoenix said.
"Shut up!" Engarde barked, moving his hair away from his face. "I need to go back to prison as soon as possible, so I thought, how do I do that? Of course, any crime would suffice, really, but what better than REVENGE."
"I don't like where this is going..." Phoenix muttered.
"Surprise! So welcome, welcome to the place where I finally get my revenge on you, spiky-head."
"What’s everyone’s problem with my hair?" Phoenix muttered. Pushing that thought aside, he replied: "You got through a lot of trouble to just kill me."
"Oh, but I'm not going to kill you," Engarde said, suddenly adopting his nice persona. "I'm not a killer, man! You know this, since you were, you know, my lawyer? No, I'm not going to kill you, I'm going to destroy you in a different way. Both of you, actually."
"What does Edgeworth have to do with any of this?" Phoenix asked. "It's between you and me."
"What kind of idiot do you think I am?" Engarde moved his hair away again, an ill smile spreading on his lips. "That man is the prosecutor who helped you during that case. I know you're friends, also. I'm very good at knowing stuff."
"Enough with this nonsense," Edgeworth took his mentioning as a cue to join the conversation. He walked towards Phoenix. "Release us, right now."
Engarde loudly laughed at that. Phoenix went ahead and tried to knock down the door, but only succeeded in making his shoulder ache and Engarde laugh harder. Whatever that door was made off, it wasn't easy to break.
"It's not going to be that easy, guys," Engarde mocked them. "But sure, go ahead, dance for me."
"What do you want?" Phoenix finally snapped at him.
"Easy. I want to ruin your lives," Engarde admitted. "At first I thought about killing you, but that wouldn't be fun, would it? So I thought of killing your friend and letting you suffer. But, you know, cliché."
"Get to the point," Phoenix said through gritted teeth, not liking the threat against Edgeworth one bit. The former actor shook his head, amused.
"I'm going to destroy your reputation instead. I was a celebrity after all, I know the power of fame and a good public image," Engarde paused, savouring his words. "That way, even when I go back to jail, your life would be ruined. That's why, if you want to leave this place, you two are going to have sex."
“I beg you pardon?” Edgeworth let out.
Phoenix eyes darted towards Edgeworth. He shared the sentiment, but he was partial to some other way of expressing it, something more along the lines of What the fuck!?
Also, he was not going to think about a situation involving him, Edgeworth, and sex. Nope, not going there.
"You heard me," Engarde smiled innocently, luckily distracting Phoenix from his thoughts. "Isn't it a great revenge? You'd both be too humiliated to keep going on with your life once the police watches this video. And even if that doesn't work, I'll ruin your friendship anyway. There, a parfait vengeance."
"I can't believe I have to say this, but," Phoenix took a breath. "No."
"Exactly," Edgeworth seconded him. "Why would we go along with that nonsensical plan of yours?"
"Oh, that's too bad," Engarde said. He brushed his hair aside and suddenly a gun appeared on the ceiling, pointing at them. Both Phoenix and Edgeworth startled. "I can always go with the boring murder plan."
"Okay," Phoenix said, not really sure what he was going to follow that with, but definitely wanting to cool off the tension. "There's no need for that. We'll, huh, we'll talk about it."
He turned around and grabbed Edgeworth by the shoulder, in a futile attempt to conceal their conversation from the man who was spying on them.
"Okay, how do we get out of here?" Phoenix whispered.
"Wright, please," Edgeworth scoffed. "I'm the Head Prosecutor. Gumshoe is probably leading the police here as we speak."
"Maya will also look for me," Phoenix felt the need to add.
"I feel like we can—," Edgeworth put a hand on his chest, looking for something inside his pockets. "Of course, I don't have my phone with me."
"Hold on," Phoenix also started looking into his pockets.
Behind them, Engarde chuckled. "Did you really think I'd leave your phones with you to call for help and be traceable? I'm not an idiot!"
"Oh, but you are," Phoenix muttered. He put a hand over his mouth to whisper to Edgeworth. "He's using a spy camera, that's how we found Maya last time. Gumshoe can trace it."
Edgeworth nodded. "So, what do we do now?"
"I guess... buy some time?" Phoenix said, which ended up sounding more like a question.
"Enough chit-chat!" Engarde exclaimed, and suddenly there was a gunshot. Phoenix and Edgeworth both startled, but the gun was pointing to the wall. "Next time it'll be a real shot, so get on with it. Take off your clothes, I want to be able to see everything."
"Edgeworth... I don't think he's bluffing," Phoenix whispered.
Edgeworth sighed. "Okay. Then let's buy some time, like you said."
To Phoenix’s surprise, he started undoing his jabot. It was just a tiny thing, but it made Phoenix's mind suddenly run a hundred miles per hour. Where they actually going to go along with Matt's demands? What if Gumshoe didn't find them on time? What would they do, then?
"Stop looking at me," Edgeworth hissed. He tossed the jabot to the floor, appearing as calm and collected as ever, but Phoenix was pretty sure his cheeks were rosier than normal. "It's not that big of a deal, is it? Just pretend we're changing in a locker room if it makes you feel better."
"Right, sure, a locker room," Phoenix repeated. His eyes darted momentarily to Engarde, who seemed pretty amused, and with no intentions to shoot anyone anymore. Phoenix finally decided to loosen his own necktie, then take the thing off completely and toss it on the floor. He moved in deliberate slow movements, keeping in mind the goal was to waste as much time as possible.
After the necktie came the jacket, which ended up on the floor as well. The next step would be the shirt, but that seemed like a threshold he didn't really want to cross. He felt an impulse to glance at Edgeworth, but he willed himself not to. What if Edgeworth was more undressed than he was? Phoenix's heart beat faster. Would that be a good thing or a bad thing? A bad thing, definitely!
No matter if sometimes, maybe more than occasionally, Phoenix had let his mind wander around fantasies involving Edgeworth that ranged between a shared picnic at the park and passionate love making at the courtroom. There was a big difference between a hypothetical fantasy to explore only in the privacy of one’s mind, reality and whatever the hell this was. This situation was just shitty in any way possible.
He ended up deciding that the next safest step would be to take off his shoes. People took off their shoes to step inside houses or temples, so it wasn't weird, right? He naturally moved towards the bed to sit, since it would be easier that way. He was half way into undoing his shoelaces when his brain fully registered the situation. Edgeworth and him, on both sides of a bed, undressing. So much for a locker room kind of situation.
Don’t think about that, Phoenix told himself. To avoid the awkwardness, he just focused on getting off his shoes, then his socks. Then he realized with panic that there were no more safe clothing items to take off.
“Come on, keep going,” Engarde intervened, seeing his hesitance.
Phoenix couldn’t help but look at Edgeworth, finally. The prosecutor seemed to be in a similar state than himself. Somehow, seeing him without his jabot and purple jacket felt incredibly wrong… but also his shirt did a great job to outline his toned muscles.
“Do I need to shoot one of you?” Engarde threatened.
“Jeez, we’re on it!” Phoenix replied, eyes darting to the monitor again.
Avoiding to look back at Edgeworth, he started undoing the buttons of his shirt. He could hear movement behind him, telling him that Edgeworth was doing the same, and he couldn’t help but blush.
Don’t think about it, just undress slowly while Gumshoe comes to rescue us, Phoenix thought. But his shirt came off, and then his pants had to go after that. With a gulp, he slowly pushed his boxers down his legs, until they were discarded along with every other garment he’d been wearing.
Phoenix shivered, suddenly noticing the air against his bare skin. Or his bear skin, as Maya would say. He chuckled, because he was clearly losing it. His former client was seeing him naked, his best friend maybe-crush was getting naked alongside him but not for a good reason, and Gumshoe still hadn’t arrived.
Phoenix didn’t dare look at Edgeworth, so he directed his gaze towards the TV. Engarde seemed to be having a great time, and he kept egging them on:
“Go on, whores, show time!”
Phoenix took some air, realizing there was no way out. He carefully climbed up the bed and, finally, looked at Edgeworth. The prosecutor looked as good as always, and yes, he was completely naked as well. Phoenix could help the quick take in of… everything, all the exposed skin and perfection, but he immediately willed himself to look up. He could feel his dick slightly twitch and he grimaced, because he was not going to get hard in this situation.
He had to look Edgeworth in the face at some point, though, and as they approached each other he finally gathered the courage to do so. Their eyes met and he was surprised by finding a similar uncertainty to the one he was feeling in Edgeworth’s eyes. Somehow knowing the guy wasn’t made of stone helped Phoenix relax a little.
“Well, this is… unfortunate,” Edgeworth said.
Phoenix snorted. “That’s one way to put it,” he let out. Then he cleared his throat. “So… this is happening, huh?”
“I believe we have no choice,” Edgeworth nodded.
Phoenix’s eyes darted towards Edgeworth’s lips and he suddenly felt the urge to kiss him. After all, that would be the tamest thing they could do while still holding out for Gumshoe, right? But also, a tiny part of Phoenix felt like that was the logical thing to do when presented with the facts, which were, he had a naked Edgeworth in bed with him.
It felt as if it was happening to someone else, somehow, but it was undoubtedly Phoenix’s hand that ended up on Edgeworth’s cheek.
“Okay, so… I’m gonna…” Phoenix didn’t end the sentence, but the way he was still looking at Edgeworth’s lips, it was pretty obvious what he was going to say. He could see Edgeworth’s eyes opening with panic, but the prosecutor gulped and then nodded, as if it wasn’t that big of a deal.
Yep, right. Just two bros casually making out while a murderer watched them.
Phoenix bit his lower lip, undeciding, but he could hear Engarde loudly clearing his throat, so he went for it. His lips met Edgeworth’s for the first time, and he couldn’t help closing his eyes to feel the softness of the other man. He knew Engarde was getting impatient, though, so he pressed again, moving to leave a kiss in the corner of Edgeworth’s mouth only to fully kiss his lips again, longer that time.
Their breaths mixed and Phoenix inhaled, his pulse quickening inevitably at the closeness of this man who he’d always thought off limits, a friendship too newly recovered to threaten it in any way. None of that mattered right now, because Edgeworth’s lips were so slightly parted and Phoenix wasn’t strong enough to pass that opportunity. His tongue slipped into Edgeworth’s mouth and the prosecutor gasped in surprise, but he didn’t pull away. Their kiss turned more real, more heated, more demanding. Phoenix actually got lost on it, momentarily forgetting the context. There was just Edgeworth’s warm body against his and their tongues, wet and hot and demanding…
“Oh, shit, are you enjoying this?” Engarde said, making them both stop in surprise. “Oh my god, mr. Lawyer guy, you’re fully hard! That’s amazing!”
Phoenix looked down while Engarde kept laughing, and sure, he did get hard. His face flushed, he couldn’t believe how easy it had been for his body to betray him. He’d even forgotten… oh god.
“I’m so sorry,” he blurted.
“That’s quite… okay,” Edgeworth reassured him. He seemed to be making efforts to not look.
“It’s not though,” Phoenix rubbed his face. “None of this is okay.”
Not only was he being pressured into this, Edgeworth was probably going to hate him for it, and also he now knew that Phoenix was attracted to him. Yep, Phoenix was starting to see how Engarde had thought this a good revenge, because he just wanted the earth to swallow him.
“Hey, look at me,” Edgeworth said, grabbing Phoenix’s wrists. Phoenix startled at the touch, especially in this situation, but he let Edgeworth push his hands off his face. “It’s not your fault.”
Phoenix nodded, surprised at how Edgeworth was able to stay calm in this situation.
“That’s it, it’s my fault!” Engarde chimed in. “And I’m going to kill you if you don’t fuck already. So get on with it already, you whores!”
Phoenix shivered, hating the reminder that Engarde was watching every single interaction.
“We’re… on it,” he managed to reply. “Isn’t this kinda enough?”
Engarde laughed again. “No way, touching and making out is just frat party stuff, I want you to have full intercourse!”
Phoenix was dreading that he would say that. But also… what the Hell? Should he have gone to more frat parties in his college days?
Engarde continued: “I was even nice enough to leave you lube under the pillow.”
Phoenix and Edgeworth both gaped at that, and Phoenix’s curiosity ended up getting the best of him. He lifted the pillow and, lo and behold, there was a bottle of lube in there. He felt his face going fully red at the implications.
“Um…” Phoenix mumbled. “Gumshoe… is not coming, is he?”
“It doesn’t seem like he’d be on time,” Edgeworth agreed.
“Well, fuck,” Phoenix let out.
“Yep, that’s exactly what you should be doing,” Engarde ordered them. “Come on, start prepping.”
They could hear the sound of the gun moving to better point at them. Phoenix felt a cold sweat.
“So… this is really happening,” he said.
“Get on with it,” Edgeworth demanded. Phoenix wasn’t fooled in the slightest by his persona, he could notice his lower lip trembling. “I would… hate to see you get shot.”
Well, fuck, again. Now he wanted to hug Edgeworth, but he wasn’t sure about the etiquette of doing so in this situation. So, he numbly reached for the lube and poured some of it on his fingers. Edgeworth took the clue and repositioned himself, resting his weight in his elbows as he parted his legs to give Phoenix space.
And, oh boy, did Phoenix’s brain short-circuit right then. How much he’d like to be able to enjoy the gift that was Edgeworth opening his legs for him, how much did he wish they were alone in Phoenix’s apartment. His dick reacted, though, and Phoenix felt a sting of guilt because he knew, even if everything else went to shit, he’d have this blessed image engraved in his brain forever.
Hesitantly, he moved his fingers to press over Edgeworth’s entrance. The prosecutor exhaled, closing his eyes as if to brace himself. Phoenix bit back a Is this okay? because obviously it was not, this was not okay and his hopes for Gumshoe to save them in time were fading away.
So, instead, he said. “I’m going to… yeah.”
Edgeworth nodded, so Phoenix pushed a finger in. He could only bury like half of it, and Edgeworth made a discomfort noise, so he paused.
“Does it hurt?” he asked. Edgeworth had been so quick to get into this role that Phoenix had just assumed… but what if Edgeworth had never done this? Oh god, that was a new and terrifying possibility.
“Ever so slightly,” Edgeworth admitted, which probably meant yes. “I know I should relax, but…”
His eyes darted towards the TV, so Phoenix moved his body forward to block it from Edgeworth’s view.
“Just… focus on me?” he wanted to reassure Edgeworth, but it came like a question instead. Edgeworth’s eyes moved to his, and Phoenix had only seen him this vulnerable once. He repeated, more confidently: “Focus on me.”
Edgeworth nodded and took some slow breaths. Phoenix then tried to move his finger inside him, slowly opening him, marvelling at how his movements became easier every second. Edgeworth closed his eyes again, but he looked relaxed, his cheeks flushed and his lips slightly parted…
Phoenix was pretty sure he was going to hell at this point, but that was another image that had engraved itself inside his brain forever.
To distract himself from it, and to make the situation easier for Edgeworth, he leaned forward and started kissing Edgeworth’s skin again. Not demanding like before, just softly pressing against Edgeworth’s cheek, and lips, and neck… The prosecutor did open his eyes to look at him, but either he didn’t mind or he decided to ignore it, because he didn’t say anything and just closed his eyes again.
Phoenix was focused now, working a second finger inside Edgeworth, revelling in the quick breaths that started leaving the prosecutor’s lips, matching the rhythm of Phoenix’s own heart. He was so focused he almost startled when Engarde talked again.
“Oh, shit, now the other guy is also into it!” Phoenix noticed it then, a hardness against his stomach. Engarde chuckled. “This is priceless! So embarrassing!”
Phoenix lifted his head to look at Edgeworth, but the prosecutor avoided his gaze, blushing more intensely.
“Are you really…?”
“Shut up, Wright,” Edgeworth cut him before he could mouth off, thankfully.
Also, right then, Phoenix seemed to find a spot that made Edgeworth actually moan. He looked at Phoenix as if daring him to say something, but Phoenix’s only thought was making Edgeworth moan again. So he pressed the same spot, making Edgeworth writhe under him.
“E-enough,” Edgeworth commanded, as full of dignity as always, but Phoenix could never not hear the way his voice faltered because of him, of his fingers. “Get on with it, let’s get this over with.”
“Are you telling me to fuck you?” Phoenix gasped.
If looks could kill, he’d be a dead man for letting that sentence slip between his lips. Edgeworth frowned, but Phoenix’s brain could not separate that from the fact that his fingers were still inside him and he was blushing.
“If you…” Edgeworth looked away, sighed, and started over. “If you get me off like this, we wouldn’t have met the demands now, would we?”
Phoenix slowly retreated his fingers, his brain still fixated in the words get me off like this. His brain was being pulled everywhere at the same time, and he didn’t know if he wanted to kiss Edgeworth, fuck him, kill Engarde for making this gorgeous man suffer, or just go die in embarrassment for how much he was going to revisit this images in the shower if he got out of this alive.
Of course, Engarde’s annoying voice had to remind them he was watching.
“Amazing, he just basically asked to get fucked in the ass. And I got it on camera. His life is over, for sure.”
“Don’t listen to him,” Phoenix whispered.
“I know,” Edgeworth said, meeting his eyes.
Even though they knew what was going to happen next, or maybe because they knew, they kept looking at each other’s eyes. Phoenix positioned himself with one hand and held Edgeworth’s leg with the other, carefully sliding in. They both seem to hold their breath, an instant that seemed to change everything and nothing at the same time. Phoenix pushed forward, sliding completely inside Edgeworth until they both groaned.
“You okay?” Phoenix breathed.
“I— guess. Yes,” Edgeworth replied in the same breathed tone, as if they could break the moment otherwise.
“Don’t lie,” Phoenix asked him.
“I didn’t,” Edgeworth said. “Yes, this whole situation is horrible, but,” he placed a hand over Phoenix’s on the mattress. “At least it’s you.”
“Oh my god,” Engarde mocked them. “That is so corny. This footage is gold.”
“For fucks—” Phoenix started, but he stopped himself. It was better to ignore Engarde and, instead, focus on Edgeworth; so gorgeous and naked and below him and taking Phoenix inside him so well.
Phoenix moved slowly first, but soon he found himself settling into a quicker rhythm. It was impossible for him to act as if he wasn’t enjoying this anymore, and apparently Edgeworth was in the same state as him. Their breaths combined as their forehead touched, both of them panting and moaning, Edgeworth even moving his hips to chase Phoenix every time he moved out of him.
“Phoenix,” Edgeworth said, intertwining their fingers, and it was his voice saying Phoenix's actual name, and not Wright, which threw the lawyer unexpectedly over the edge. He came with one last moan, not fully getting out of Edgeworth, filling him with most of his cum. He had half the mind to feel guilty about that when he came down from his orgasm, with the other half just being amazed at the fact that Edgeworth had come with him, and his stomach was now stained with his own semen.
Phoenix moved back slowly, getting out of Edgeworth completely. As he was contemplating the amazing image that was post-orgasm Edgeworth covered in cum, suddenly his brain had a sad thought. Please, don’t make him hate me after this.
He didn’t know what to say, Edgeworth was silent and damn Matt Engarde started clapping. He wanted to yell “are you happy now?” to the TV, but knew that wouldn’t help his relationship with Edgeworth at all. So, Phoenix cleaned himself as best as he could with the sheets and silently started dressing up.
Minutes later, a loud barging noise coming from the TV made both Phoenix and Edgeworth look at it.
“Matt Engarde, you’re under arrest for kidnapping Phoenix Wright and Miles Edgeworth!”
Phoenix sighed, Gumshoe’s voice immediately putting him at ease. The guy was clumsy and forgetful, sure, but he was an amazing detective and friend. Phoenix had never doubted he would eventually find them.
“Finally!” Engarde exclaimed as they were dragging him away. “Don’t let me out next time, you damn idiots!”
“What the hell, is he happy to be arrested?” the officer aprehending him asked, confused.
Engarde turned around one last time, to look at the screen. To look at Phoenix. “Goodbye, lawyer guy, prosecutor guy! Enjoy your forever ruined relationship!”
Then he disappeared from the screen, his laugh still coming through the speakers.
Someone opened the door to Phoenix’s and Edgeworth’s room then, letting them out. The next moments happened in a blur. They were taken to the police station, given some cocoa that Edgeworth of course refused (insisting instead that he should be working with the police). Phoenix was asked to give testimony of what happened, which he did, omitting a ton of details. Luckily Gumshoe didn’t press him.
The detective did try to watch the footage Engarde had taken, which made Phoenix almost jump to stop him. However, Gumshoe only watched 5 seconds of it before blushing furiously and immediately destroying the tape himself. Which… probably illegal, but Phoenix wasn’t going to complain.
When they told Phoenix he could finally go home and that Maya had come to pick him up, Phoenix was feeling so exhausted that there was nothing he would love more than going home.
Well, except for one thing.
“Can I speak to prosecutor Edgeworth first?”
Turned out Edgeworth was, indeed, already working on the case against Matt Engarde, because of course he was. Phoenix walked to his office and, after knocking and receiving the standard “come in,” he let himself inside the office.
“Oh. Wright,” Edgeworth said upon seeing him, trying to sound casual and failing spectacularly.
“Edgeworth. You look like shit,” Phoenix let out. “You should rest.”
“I could say the same to you.”
“I just wanted—” Phoenix started, but he closed his mouth again.
He didn’t know what he wanted to say anyway. Do you hate me? was too dreadful of a question to ask. Plus, now that he was standing here, and even after everything… He gulped, daring to look up, to Edgeworth. Yeah, the prosecutor did seem uncomfortable, but there was not a spark of hate in his eyes. Thank goodness.
“I wanted to say... he wasn’t right,” Phoenix finally said. Edgeworth raised an eyebrow, so Phoenix kept going. “About our relationship being ruined forever. I mean… it surely is awkward as hell right now.”
Edgeworth snorted. “That’s one way to put it.”
“Yeah, but… I don’t know. Maybe we could get over it?” Phoenix hoped. “After lots of sleep and hot chocolate.”
“I’ll stick with tea,” Edgeworth retorted, and Phoenix sighed because if Edgeworth could answer naturally like that, then there was hope. “But… yes, I think you are correct.”
“And also, you know, since now you know,” Phoenix made a vague gesture with his hand, covering the two of them. “I was wondering if, maybe, sometime, in the future…”
“I do not know anything, Wright,” Edgeworth cut him. “So you’re going to have to be more specific about this. Maybe tomorrow, over dinner.”
Phoenix heart double jumped at that. “Right, tomorrow. Sure. Okay.”
They both avoided each other’s gazes again. So… still awkward as fuck. But… they had a dinner date to talk about this. That had to be the right step, wasn’t it?
“So… see you,” Phoenix let out, backing down towards the door. “Make sure to, you know, rest.”
“I will, Wright,” Edgeworth said, softly, before returning his attention to his documents.
Phoenix stopped, one foot outside the office, and looked back at Edgeworth.
“Phoenix,” he said.
“What?” Edgeworth’s eyes darted up, blinking.
“You called me Phoenix. Before.”
Edgeworth blushed profusely and Phoenix feared he’d just put his foot inside his mouth again, but, to his surprise, the prosecutor just cleared his throat and said:
“Alright. See you tomorrow, Phoenix.”
Phoenix closed the door behind him, feeling weirdly giddy and light. The future didn’t seem so bleak after all… but for now, at least twelve hours of sleep were of the essence.