Chapter Text
A light knock on the door. Phoenix Wright doesn't get very many visitors nowadays, but even then he figures he could've guessed that it was Edgeworth on the other side. He's been coming by on a semi-regular basis. Sometimes it's just to talk, sometimes he'll help with chores or prepare a meal for him and his daughter. Today seems to be no different.
"Oh, hello Trucy. Is your father home? I brought some ice cream with me." Edgeworth toys with the handles of a plastic bag in his hand. "Hi Mr. Edgeworth! Daddy's just resting his legs. Injury keeps flaring up… come in!".
Edgeworth sets the bag of groceries down on the counter, pushing aside a couple of dirty dishes and takeaway boxes to make room. "Phoenix?" Edgeworth calls out. "It's me" he says, as if there was ever a question. Edgeworth would like to think that if the situation were different, this would be a rather domestic thing to do. Coming back home to a family after a long day at work, placing a set of keys on the counter as he made his way to embrace a spouse. He curses his past self for never saying anything, maybe things wouldn't have gotten so... extreme.
Phoenix lays on the couch like a sack of potatoes, flipping through shopping channels. He doesn't look particularly entertained, but the TV is loud enough that it acts as a barrier for any unwanted thoughts. His shift at the Borscht Bowl Club isn't for a few hours and while there is other work to be done, Phoenix seems to be finding it particularly harder than usual to stay on top of chores. Edgeworth places himself next to him, legs closed and hands on his knees, sitting politely.
Phoenix Wright used to be a household name. A defense attorney who built his career from the ground up, with a particular skill for turning even the most impossible cases on their heads, saving the unfortunate in the process. He saved Edgeworth a good couple of times too. Any person who follows the news knew a surface level knowledge on the Gourd Lake case from a couple years back. A case no other defense attorney was willing to touch with a ten foot pole, "lawyer repellent". But even then, Phoenix had saved Edgeworth countless times over. He's the reason Edgeworth is the man he is today.
For about the first four years of his career and even before that during his studies, Edgeworth listened to Von Karma's words like scripture. He internalized the bleak mindset his mentor helped to cultivate, that well and truly anyone could be capable of wrongdoing. And if that was the case then he'd be justified in trying to get every defendant found guilty, by any means necessary. It was only once Phoenix came along that things started changing. For a brief moment, Edgeworth considered becoming a defense attorney himself, but chose against it. "For the truth" he told anyone that asked him why, but that on its own wouldn't really be the truth. It was also because of, and ultimately for, Phoenix.
Edgeworth looks over to the man beside him. His eyes are half lidded, dull. His spark has seemingly faded out, like a tired light bulb. To see someone you admire and cherish, someone with such a strong will and determination, fall from grace so terribly...it's enough to make Edgeworth's heart ache.
The pair stay still for a while, the only noise being another tele-salesman overenthusiastically trying to sell junk to some poor schmuck coming from the TV (and Trucy doing her best to sneakily eat some of the ice cream on the counter). There's a stiffness in the air, a tension they can't seem to break out of. The gap between Edgeworth and Phoenix’s general quality of life had always been apparent. The first case they handled together, Edgeworth drove up to the courthouse in an obnoxiously red sports car, while Phoenix was busy bolting his bike to the railing close by. But nowadays, that gap seems to only grow bigger. Edgeworth's never held money over Phoenix's head, he's always tried to lend a hand where possible (Phoenix would try to push against it, but saying no to Miles was…hard). And still, such a difference only served to push the wedge deeper down the middle.
Edgeworth clears his throat to speak. He's not quite settled on what it is he'll say, but he hopes that whatever he comes up with is enough to inspire a conversation.
“Court hasn't been the same since you left…” Edgeworth lets the sentence leave him, he wishes he could take it back at the last second. He's never been good at handling embarrassment. Phoenix slowly turns, finally facing him. His face is tired, dark circles under his eyes and an unmaintained growing stubble. Edgeworth wishes he could do something, anything to lessen the burden. If only he'd talk.
“What do you mean?” Phoenix’s voice trails off. He sounds hoarse, as if he'd just woken up from a rough nap. “Have you come to gloat about your latest win or something?” He lets out a strained laugh, as if he was trying to sell the illusion of finding humor in their respective situations, but maybe it was all for show. Edgeworth doesn't seem to respond too kindly, pursing his lips together.
Silence again. Phoenix starts to think that maybe all the effort he put into becoming friends with Edgeworth once more must've been snatched away along with that badge. He sighs and turns back to the TV.
“How's the um.. leg injury treating you?” Edgeworth tries a different conversation starter in hopes Phoenix will talk a bit more this time. He carries the curse of having to try, to reach out time and time again. If Phoenix won’t do it, and if Edgeworth still feels so inclined to keep him in his life, then he’ll have to learn to be a bit more brave and come up with a couple more creative opening lines in hopes that one of them will take every now and again. Torture fit for a man who never really learned how to make friends by himself.
Phoenix mumbles something that sounds like “Don’t worry yourself too much” as if he’d rather not burden Edgeworth any further. If Phoenix has ever been anything, it’s self-sacrificing. He grew up on the south side of things, on a small farm with his mum. Mama Wright raised him well, or to the best of her abilities all things considered. She taught him to be kind and sweet early on, that people can always learn from their mistakes and to forgive. During his childhood, and all the way into him moving to the big city for college, Phoenix learned to internalize what his mum taught him. He did his best to be mindful, to help wherever possible, maybe to a fault. He's known Edgeworth for long enough to know how troubled he can be, the last thing he’d want to do is add more weight on his shoulders. He’ll bear the pain on his own, protect Edgeworth where he can despite the situation he finds himself in.
The conversation dies down once more and Edgeworth figures he should have expected that much. He can imagine a little referee marking the second strike down on a squeaky chalkboard as he reconsiders trying to reach out for a third time. Phoenix isn’t making it any easier. He’s always held such a power over him, since he first saw his face in court. Haunted by memories of grade school, he misses how much kinder he used to be. He had unlocked memories that Edgeworth had hid away behind chains. It was never easy. And just as Edgeworth was warming up to the idea of having Phoenix around a bit closer, he loses his badge and transforms into a stranger who just happens to have Wright’s face on. Even then he still holds a sort of power. Letting Edgeworth believe their friendship exists amongst the cards on the table as Phoenix calls the shots. Closing himself off, ending conversations prematurely, letting Edgeworth run after him like a horse with a carrot on a stick.
“I wish you’d talk a little more” Edgeworth says meekly. “I wish you’d open up to me, even for a bit. Shutting yourself off like this isn’t healthy at all, let me try to help…”
“Edgeworth… I-” He’s interrupted.
“Miles. Please. You've known me long enough, you can drop the formalities.”
Phoenix's eyes open wide. He looks like confused prey, deer in the headlights. He's quiet for a bit.
“...Miles. You don't mean that, do you? You don't have to be so sweet to me all the time. You can tell me the truth.”
Phoenix looks away once more, Edgeworth thinks he won't look at him again, and in truth he wouldn't blame him.
“I’m not strong enough. Not for me, let alone anyone else. I can’t worry you with things I should be able to handle on my own. I'm sorry but I can't be there for you.” Voice deadpan, clear, rude.
“That's okay Phoenix, just let me be there for you at least. You know I don't mind, I've said time and time again-”
“No, Edgeworth. Don't get involved. Not like this, not ever. You don’t know anything about my situation, don't stick your nose where it doesn't belong.”
He spoke to him like a stranger.
“You’re the last person I want getting tangled into this mess” Phoenix’s voice shakes but his determination stands unwavering.
The silence between them settles back in, the tele-salesman breaks the quiet as his voice leaves the TV. Phoenix turns his legs away from Edgeworth, his body language speaking volumes in place of his words.
Edgeworth sighs. “...I miss you, Wright.” He bares himself to Phoenix, the most vulnerable he's been in months. “You’ve changed so much..”
Phoenix chuckles vindictively, as if to say that was an easy observation to make. He keeps his head turned away.
“You haven't changed at all, Edgeworth.”
Edgeworth stops to think about where he’d heard those words before. A lifetime ago, maybe close to five years. They stand in such stark contrast to their former selves you could almost laugh. Way back when, Edgeworth was the one shutting people off and turning poor Phoenix away. He’d hoped he had atoned for his misdeeds enough, but with Phoenix surrounding himself in walls, he thinks there might still be a bit more breaking through to do. Maybe if it had been anybody else, they would have given up by now. Luckily enough, Miles Edgeworth isn’t just anybody, especially not with all that experience under his belt. He’s cracked even the toughest criminals, bringing them to justice using his insight and logic. He thinks maybe he should switch his approach with Phoenix all the same.
With a quick head turn, Edgeworth is able to deduce that maybe the… visual clutter (putting it nicely) wouldn’t do anyone much good. A breath of fresh air and a change of scenery always help lighten up the mood, and Phoenix was long overdue a nice change of pace. Edgeworth places both his hands down on the couch, one against either side as he supports himself to slowly stand up. He takes the initiative once more, ‘third…or maybe fourth time’s a charm’ he hopes.
“Phoenix..” He clears his throat. “Would you like to join me for a coffee run? My treat..”
Phoenix looks up to Edgeworth from his sunken seat. The expression he has on is hard to decipher, Edgeworth should’ve expected that much from a professional poker player. He tries to explain himself further to fill the silence he’s been left in.
“I normally head out for a coffee or tea at this hour, and I thought maybe leaving the apartment would do you good..”
It would do them both good.
Phoenix huffs in response (he can’t really get himself to genuinely say no).
“I’m not fully saying yes but um…what about Trucy?”
Trucy pipes up at the sound of her name, the outside of her mouth stained with what one can only assume to be the very last of the ice cream Edgeworth bought. “I’m a big girl Mr. Edgeworth! You and daddy can go for coffee and I can stay home alone!” She ends her sentence with a big smile and an eager thumbs up. Phoenix laughs at her response, it sounds a bit like a content hum.
“I’ll handle it” Edgeworth finally replies. He gives Phoenix a look that seems to say ‘let yourself lean on me’.
Thankfully, Kay Faraday is significantly more tech savvy than Edgeworth, what with learning to use Yatagaratsu tech all on her own. She had set up a convenient group chat around the time Edgeworth had been reinstated as a prosecutor; himself, Kay, Franziska, Gumshoe, and Sebastian. They had been in touch since, with Kay sending all sorts of wacky little jokes and pictures, and Sebastian kindly (though not humbly) updating the team on his prosecutorial journey. Edgeworth sends over a quick message;
[Are any of you available at the moment? Reply asap.]
Kay: [edgey you are like the only man ever to text grammatically correct]
Kay: [whats the emergency]
Kay: [nerd]
[At Wright’s place, can you drop by and distract Trucy for a bit?]
[And I’d appreciate it if you were nicer next time.]
Franziska: [you at phoenix wright’s place… typical]
Kay: [YA ITS ALL HE EVER TALKS ABOUT]
Kay: [EXCEPT FOR LIKE. STEEL SAMURAI]
Kay: [edgey and mr wright sitting on a treee]
[Please don’t call me that.]
Gumshoe: [yeah kay i dont think you should tease edgeworth about his boyfriend like that]
[Gumshoe I’d be careful if I were you. Your salary is still very much in my hands.]
Gumshoe : [ :( ]
Sebastian: [wow mr edgeworth i didnt know you had a boyfriend]
[HE IS NOT MY BOYFRIEND]
[Can we please get back to the original topic?]
[PLEASE]
Franziska: [i am free atm if u wish]
Franziska: [im only doing this to hang out with little trucy]
Kay: [i’ll come too!!!]
With Franziska and Kay settled in to babysit Trucy, Edgeworth looks over to Phoenix hoping to receive some form of confirmation that he’s ready to head out. He stands silent, his face reserved. A far cry from the younger and easily excitable Wright that Edgeworth had once objected to. He subtly points his hand to the door, suggesting they head out soon. Phoenix nods his head ‘yes’ and grabs a set of keys off his kitchen counter, following Edgeworth outside.
...to be continued