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The doorbell rings once, then a dozen times in rapid fire.
Miles Edgeworth has a vague idea who that would be. Only one would ring the doorbell a thousand times, as Phoenix would ring it once, then a slow interval up to three times, then a shout before he starts trying to break the door.
“Phoenix, I assure you that I’m not kidnapped, I merely fell asleep.” Miles once opened the door, with Phoenix’s leg ready to kick open their brand new wooden door.
“You never know these days…” Phoenix rubs the back of his neck sheepishly. At least he has the decency to look ashamed.
“Where is your key?” Miles would always ask, even though he knows the answer.
“....Erm.” Phoenix looks away.
Of course, he had lost it. Probably due to a crazy series of misfortunes, one with finding a new client presumably.
Kay would break into the window instead of ringing the doorbell like a normal person.
“It’s cooler this way, Mr. Edgeworth!” Kay exclaimed.
“Refrain from window climbing, please. This is the second floor.” Miles sighed. He was sure that Kay didn’t comply with any safety procedures when breaking into people’s houses.
Trucy would break in even with the ownership of the key to ‘test her lock picking skills’, then give him a heart attack with her surprise entrance. Sometimes, even with tricks on hand.
“Surprise!” Trucy squealed, confetti exploding all over the room. Miles almost dropped his favorite limited edition mug and spilled his drink all over the vinyl floor.
Sebastian would ring it once, then call him on the phone.
“Mr. Edgeworth, I’m at your door!” Sebastian said proudly, and it’s always a welcome change from everyone’s antics.
Gumshoe also has the keys to the house. However, he still rings the doorbell once even if he’s sure that no one is at home. At those days, he would only learn of the detective’s presence when the house suddenly was thoroughly cleaned. Miles wonders where he gets the time, considering that Gumshoe is busy with twins and is about to receive his doctorate soon.
“Er... Do we need to pay Gumshoe extra for this?” Phoenix had once said, amazed by the cleanliness he has probably never witnessed in his life looking at the state of his agency’s office.
Franziska knocks thrice, then doorbells once, and whips him for making her wait.
“You should have known about my presence before I knocked the first time!” Franziska yelled, brandishing her whip. Miles could only sigh. She completely refused to receive any keys in the first place.
Those were only examples of people who frequent the house, and this person who is continuously ringing the doorbell is one of them.
Miles opens the door with a twist of the knob.
“Maya,” he greets her. “To what do I owe the favor?” Miles asks, before he is rudely shoved backwards. She then grabs his arm, suddenly bolting through his house at a frighteningly quick speed. The door slams behind them, so at least, he needn’t worry about a robbery.
“Quick! To your balcony!” Maya hurries, dragging Miles towards the stairs and through various doors.
He seriously wonders what kind of training spirit mediums do, because Maya has this unnatural strength that Pearl also displays. Maybe she’ll even start breaking out of jail herself with her bare hands, the guards will surely help her as well. She has become quite popular in the detention center, unfortunately. That was something she had told him during a steel samurai marathon watch just recently. It wasn’t that surprising considering her record.
She stops after reaching the balcony, the cold chill of a February night hitting him, leaving him shivering. He is in his usual attire, only coming home from a day of work, minus his outer coat that he hung in the usual rack near his door.
“Where’s your glasses?” Maya shrieks. Miles did take them off for a while, the eye strain getting to him. Maybe he should get a new prescription soon, his optometrist surely wouldn’t be happy with the amount of legal documents he has been reading lately.
She leaves him all alone on the balcony, wondering why she is acting so strangely. Miles tries to look over the balcony, squinting at the blobs that he was sure weren't part of his garden.
“No signal yet! We can’t start!” A familiar voice rang out.
“Shut up, Apollo! You’re so loud!” Another, different voice as well.
“You too, Athena! Do you know how loud you shriek!?”
Miles pinches the bridge of his nose. He now knows exactly who the people in his garden are.
“Found it!” Maya exclaims behind him, he turns to the woman who then shoves his glasses haphazardly into his face. He blinks, and when he opens his eyes, he could only make out a blur of Maya waving a thumbs up to the people outside and dashed downstairs.
Miles, with his glasses, can finally see the details that he couldn’t see before.
Namely, Phoenix in the middle of a band of his apprentices plus Trucy. Phoenix is sitting on a stool, hands resting on a piano keyboard, Athena with a whole drum set, Apollo with the acoustic guitar and Maya, who has safely run down, now holding an electric guitar. They all had microphone stands for each instrument and decent lighting, to which he presumes Trucy set up, seeing as she is adjusting some of them at the moment.
“What’s this all about?” Miles asks, bewildered, he has a lot of questions to ask. Primarily, how did this even come to fruition? As far as he’s aware, they were preparing for an important case.
“I’m serenading you, obviously.” Phoenix winks, his voice echoing through the microphone.
Are Miles’ ears malfunctioning with old age? He is only barely reaching his 40s, so that reasoning doesn’t sound right. A serenade?
“I wasn’t aware you knew how to sing. Do I need to worry about my ear drums bursting?” Miles teases, slipping back to the easy banter after being momentarily taken aback.
“I’ll woo you, for sure.” Phoenix huffs proudly. Apparently the man does have a hidden talent, as this doesn’t sound like a bluff.
“Aren’t I not?” Miles takes out something below his cravat, a chain with a ring sporting a dainty pink jewel in the middle, one matching Phoenix’s blue jewel. It glints with the moonlight as he points at it. Like Phoenix, he keeps his in a chain around his neck, close to their hearts.
“Woo-ed harder then.” Phoenix smiles with the sight, hand grasping his own ring. He taps the microphone, clears his throat and starts.
His hands gracefully play a tune on the piano, showing the massive improvement of his skill the moment the prodigy, Franziska von Karma, discovered his horrible piano skills. She claimed it was a disgrace to music, and ensured that he would learn a lesson. It seems like she had successfully whipped him to shape after all.
Apollo starts playing his acoustic guitar, its tune soft like a lullaby. Phoenix takes a breath, and starts singing.
Humawak ka sa’kin, sundan aking himig
(Hold onto me, follow my melody)
Miles is genuinely surprised with how Phoenix sings so well. As he had feared, his face slowly starts to warm up, enthralled with the melody.
He isn’t confident enough in the slightest that his face wouldn’t be able to be seen, as even his ring was easily shown just a few moments ago. He tries to hide half his face with a hand, leaning on the railing.
'Wag nang magtago, ′di naman magbabago
(Don't hide anymore, It's not gonna change)
With what he can see, Phoenix is simply enjoying his flustered state. Miles usually expresses his emotions with the same face others have considered as arrogant, but somehow, blushing comes easy.
Phoenix uses that information to his advantage often.
'Di kailangang sabihin, walang dapat gawin
(You don't have to say it, there's nothing to do)
Maya starts with her electric guitar, as soft as Apollo’s playing.
Phoenix knows fully well the effect he has on this poor prosecutor, especially to one that traveled to various countries. With traveling, especially for work, it is crucial to understand the language of the country, a part of experiencing the different cultures to understand the legal side of it better.
And one language in particular, is Filipino. One language that Phoenix knows very well considering he has Filipino roots somewhere in his blood. Perhaps that’s why he’s good at singing, as stereotypical as that sounds.
Oh, aking bituin, ikaw ang hiling
(Oh, my stars, you're my wish)
He could almost relive that moment, the moment where it starts.
“Thanks to you, I am saddled with unnecessary… feelings.” Miles looked away, clutching his arm. Here he is, faced by a past he wished forgotten, flipping his world and breaking everything that he learned and knew.
“Unnecessary feelings?”
“Yes. Unease… and uncertainty.” What is being a prosecutor all about? Perfection and victory? If he were to be wrong, then what has he been doing his entire life?
“Aren’t those kind of necessary?”
He was unaware at the time how that was simply the start to everything. A step closer to the light when he didn’t know he was shrouded deep in darkness.
'Wag mong pigilan, hayaan mong kusa
(Don't stop it, just let it be)
“Huh? Isn't it obvious? I'm going to prove that Miles Edgeworth is innocent.” Phoenix said, momentarily pausing from browsing through his court record.
“What are you talking about, pal! He just admitted to it! He confessed that he did it! In court!” Gumshoe exclaimed. Miles did, in front of everyone, object when Phoenix worked so hard to prove him innocent.
“I'm sorry, Edgeworth. But I don't believe in your ‘nightmare.’” Phoenix turned to him, his eyes firm with conviction, almost boring into his soul.
“What!?” Miles said, bewildered and confused, why is he so sure of it?
“It's just a dream. It's not real.” Phoenix continues, “The truth is right here in this Court Record. In any case, tighten your belts. The real fight is just beginning. I'll prove you're innocent. Trust me.”
And Miles did.
Confetti fell from the sky, as the not-guilty verdict rang out in court. However, all that Miles Edgeworth could see was that dazzling smile directed at him, making his heart skip a beat. Miles couldn’t help but return a small smile of his own.
Humawak ka sa ′kin, sundin ang damdamin
(Hold onto me, follow your feelings)
“I am not letting you defend anyone.” Miles said quietly to the man in the hospital bed. “Not in that condition.” Not when I almost lost you.
“Trust me.” Phoenix says in the same way as he did back then, only this time with a whisper. His fingers curled tighter on Miles’ coat. Desperation. He didn’t need to be desperate at all. All he needed was to ask.
Miles Edgeworth left that hospital with a badge, a rock, and a purpose.
Oh, sumama ka sa ′kin, at tayo ay
(Oh, come with me and we will)
Miles snaps back to reality, away from the past and Phoenix is now standing, holding the microphone with one hand. He looks gorgeous under the lights, his blue suit almost glowing. That shade of blue that would always remind Miles of home.
Sasayaw sa kulog at ulan, iikutin ang tala at buwan
(Dance to the thunder and rain, go around the sun and the moon)
Athena starts with the drums, the beat joining in with the other instruments. The faint sound of a piano rings out, somehow while he was lost in a daze, Trucy replaced Phoenix’s place. Their daughter is as talented as ever.
Miles finds himself smiling, swaying to the music.
Habang tayo ay naliligaw, pakinggan ang puso, 'wag nang bibitaw
(While we're lost, listen your heart, don't ever let go)
′Wag nang magtagu-taguan, kita naman sa liwanag ng buwan
(Let's not play hide 'n seek, we're visible in the moonlight)
Phoenix places a hand on his chest, making motions that Miles finds a little embarrassing. But with all his exaggerated gestures, Phoenix never took his sight off him. What used to be a quiet, cold February night is now filled with overflowing love delivered through an angelic voice, one that Miles could hear so clearly. This song is for him, and him only.
Ang lihim na pagtingin, kailan aaminin?
(The secret look, when to confess)
This is the man he married. Someone he will spend forever with, and he knows that every second of that forever will be precious.
Ang ihip ng hangin, dinadala ka sa 'kin
(The blow of the wind, carrying you to me)
The piano starts once more, with a slow beat of the drum. He remembers that day that he sat in that fourth grade classroom. Phoenix knows a lot more about those days, a simple act of showing righteous justice that snowballed to what they are today.
Parang nakaplano pero ′di sigurado
(It might've been planned but we're not sure)
Phoenix believes in fate very well, and maybe Miles does too. There will be no what-ifs, because in every universe, they’ll find each other, souls intertwined in more ways than one.
Nakaw mong tingin, sa 'yo lang hihimbing
(Steal of your sight, will only sleep with you)
Ikaw at ako ang nasa likod ng mga ulap
(Just you and I behind the clouds)
There is no Miles Edgeworth without Phoenix Wright, and so is the opposite. They only have eyes for each other, and even if not, you cannot deny how they live for each other.
′Wag mong pigilan ('wag mong pigilan), hayaan mong kusa
(Don't stop it (don't stop it), just let it be)
Humawak ka sa 'kin (hayaan mong kusa), sundin ang damdamin (sundin ang damdamin)
(Hold onto me (just let it be), follow your feelings (follow your feelings))
Oh, sumama ka sa ′kin, at tayo ay
(Oh, come with me and we will)
At one point, Miles had stopped covering his face. If his appearance were to be described, he would be compared to a lovesick maiden. He could only admire the view on his balcony, eyes only to his husband. His silly husband who wants to court him. It’s quite effective, seeing as he continuously falls in love over and over.
Miles wants to marry this man again and again, as many times they are permitted to do so.
Sasayaw sa kulog at ulan, iikutin ang tala at buwan
(Dance to the thunder and rain, go around the sun and the moon)
Habang tayo ay naliligaw, pakinggan ang puso, ′wag nang bibitaw
(While we're lost, listen your heart, don't ever let go)
Somehow, in his lovestruck state, Miles noticed the truck Trucy suddenly pulled up with. She was no longer playing the piano, and it's quite hard to miss, as it is a huge truck. A huge truck, in his garden, specifically. He would need to scold her about safety later, as he wasn’t in the mood to do so.
If he was in the right mind and wasn’t captured by this siren call, he would realize that maybe that was the plan all along. A reckless plan that he would have never allowed if it weren’t for the distraction.
'Wag nang magtagu-taguan, kita naman sa liwanag ng buwan
(Let's not play hide 'n seek, we're visible in the moonlight)
Ang lihim na pagtingin, kailan aaminin?
(The secret look, when to confess)
As it approaches closer, Miles notices that the truck looks almost like a firetruck actually. Its ladder slowly extends to the balcony, reaching right where Miles is.
This has Trucy’s fingerprints all over it, but Miles cannot help but almost laugh with how incredulous it is. Speaking of the devil, she personally climbs up the ladder, with a smile on her face to escort him down.
He has a hunch on what they want him to do, and he lets her lead the way. This is simply one of the ridiculous acts from the two that he has learned to enjoy, to worry later, existing in the present first.
It’s as if the height didn’t matter in the face of love. Even when the ladder slowly drops them down, Miles didn’t pay any attention to anything. All he could see was Phoenix, and his bright eyes waiting for him, a microphone on hand.
′Wag mong pigilan, hayaan mong kusa
(Don't stop it, just let it be)
Humawak ka sa 'kin, sundin ang damdamin (sundin ang damdamin)
(Hold onto me, follow your feelings)
Oh, sumama ka sa ′kin, at tayo ay
(Oh, come with me and we will)
When Miles hops off safely to the ground, Phoenix offers a hand out.
Phoenix’s eyes glint with the light, telling him something that his heart understands even without words.
Miles could only crinkle his eyes in delight, taking the offer.
Sasayaw sa kulog at ulan, iikutin ang tala at buwan
(Dance to the thunder and rain, go around the sun and the moon)
Habang tayo ay naliligaw, pakinggan ang puso, 'wag nang bibitaw
(While we're lost, listen your heart, don't ever let go)
Phoenix and Miles dances without a care in the world, randomly spinning at times but mostly holding the other close.
Their heart beats loudly in sync, joining the music, as they look at each other eye to eye.
′Wag nang magtagu-taguan, kita naman sa liwanag ng buwan
(Let's not play hide 'n seek, we're visible in the moonlight)
Ang lihim na pagtingin (ang lihim), kailan aaminin?
(The secret look (the secret), when to confess?)
(Kailan sasabihin? Kailan aaminin?)
(When to say? When to confess?)
(Kailan sasabihin?) Kailan aaminin?
(When to say? When to confess?)
Phoenix ends the song, fully embracing Miles. The music fades out as they slowly pull apart, but not too far, staring at each other’s eyes like it’s their whole world.
“I did pretty well, didn’t I?” Phoenix smirks. “Are you woo-ed yet?” Phoenix puts his forehead against Miles’. If eyes were to be the window of the soul, their souls have been captured over and over by the other.
“As I said, I have been ‘woo-ed’ for a very long time. Maybe even longer.” Miles whispers. His hand touches Phoenix’s ring, holding it.
Before Phoenix could respond, Miles captures his lips into a kiss, a soft, light one, because Phoenix already knows the depths of their love, and that a mere kiss cannot show it well. They separate with small smiles and love in their eyes, a whisper of ‘I love yous’ that needn't be spoken out.
It was a great night. An unforgettable moonlit serenade.