When somebody loves you...

[attorneyatlol]

[Things at Wright & Co have been quiet since Maya's been needed in Kurain more often. When it's especially bad, Phoenix likes to fill the silence with music, sometimes classics like Sinatra, Tony Bennett, and Ella Fitzgerald (or "old fart music", as Maya would say, giving him a teasing look). Now happens to be one such time.

"All of Me" is currently streaming from his computer speakers. With his back to the door, he stands at the filing cabinet, attempting to organize his backlog of files as he taps his foot in time with the beat. Occasionally he hums or sings along, usually painfully out of key.]

Comments

[attorneyatlol]

[But if you let me love you
It's for sure I'm gonna love you
All the way

The lyrics strike a chord with Phoenix, one he's far from ready to give voice to, but it's there: strong and sharp and completely undeniable. He exhales softly and allows himself a moment to wonder if Edgeworth feels it, too, before quickly reining in that train of thought.

All too soon, the warm, unguarded look has faded, its tight hold on Phoenix broken. He pulls back enough to meet Edgeworth's curious gaze with one of his own, until it dawns on him that he was likely caught staring. He smiles sheepishly and gives a slight shrug, probably felt more than seen, as warmth colors his face.]

[samuraiprosecutor]

[Edgeworth is too distracted by Wright's expression to feel what he's feeling. It isn't often he sees him like this, so contemplative, and never is that look directed at him, as he feels it is now. It's extremely perplexing.]

[Eventually Wright shrugs very slightly and his face flushes. Edgeworth waits for the Wax Philosophical Phoenix Wright Power Hour that often follows those looks, but he is disappointed. Whatever he was thinking about, he doesn't seem interested in sharing. Under other circumstances Edgeworth might have pushed for answers. He almost does, in fact, but something tells him perhaps this isn't for him to hear. If Wright wanted him to know, he would undoubtedly tell him. Ordinarily the man can't keep his mouth shut.]

[Finally he shrugs in response, a smoothly elegant gesture, and rests his forehead against Wright's, still swaying.] I should be getting back to work...soon.

[But not just yet.]

[attorneyatlol]

[Phoenix mentally releases a sigh of relief, having feared he ruined the moment by making Edgeworth self-conscious or something. Smile softening, he allows his eyes to slip shut again and comfortably nuzzles his forehead against the other man's.]

Mm... soon.

[But not yet, his thoughts echo.

The instruments pick up volume and intensity as the song nears its end. Phoenix softly hums along with the final lyrics.

So if you'll let me love you
It's for sure I'm gonna love you
All the way
All the way]

[samuraiprosecutor]

[So if you'll let me love you
It's for sure I'm gonna love you]

[Miles closes his eyes after Phoenix, reducing his world to the other man's warmth and the swelling of violins. The firm body in his arms is an anchor, something he will always be able to hold onto when the world drops out from under him.]

[All the way]

[He suspects Phoenix is incapable of loving with only a fraction of his heart. As much as Miles is loathe to admit it, the same could be said of him. His life has been guided by all-encompassing love from the very beginning. It has taken him to the darkest of places. Never again, he told himself, unaware that love was already festering again in his tired heart. He would love only justice, true justice, for that could not hurt him or lead him astray.]

[But Wright would not leave, and Miles could not leave, and the love that festered in his heart grew to consume him, body and soul. When all was said and done, he had no regrets, for he found that Phoenix Wright was the only thing in the world as reliable as truth. Loving him was inevitable.]

[All the way]

[Miles drags himself out of his unexpected reverie, a little surprised at the route his thoughts are taking. Is this why Wright loves these sappy old love songs?]

[attorneyatlol]

[As the song reaches its conclusion, Phoenix is loath to end the moment. His swaying may have slowed to a stop, but his loose hold on Edgeworth stubbornly remains, even as a much jazzier Tony Bennett song takes over the brief silence.

Eventually he opens his eyes and pulls back a little, enough to give Edgeworth a small smile laden with affection and contentment.]

[samuraiprosecutor]

[Edgeworth pulls back and opens his eyes when he realizes they've stopped. He finds Phoenix smiling in a way that hurts his heart, it's so beautiful. A smile crosses his own lips too, genuine but tinged with a trace of melancholy, then he leans forward to press a gentle kiss on Phoenix's forehead, one hand raising to briefly run through his spiky hair (which has no right to be that soft given the way it looks).]

If I don't leave now I'll never be done in time for dinner. [His smile warms.] What a tragedy that would be.

[attorneyatlol]

[Phoenix whines unbecomingly, but he knows he can't hold Edgeworth hostage here forever, much as he'd like to. With a put upon sigh, he pulls away like it's the hardest thing he's been asked to do in years.]

I guess...

[samuraiprosecutor]

[The display is almost childish. Edgeworth finds it far more charming than he should.]

The sooner I leave the sooner I can be back. Surely you can't object to a few hours when we have the whole holiday weekend ahead of us.

[He pauses, considering, then...] Would you like to...stay with me all weekend?

[attorneyatlol]

[I can object all I want, Phoenix is about to counter, but he's thrown off by Edgeworth's next words. He blinks, surprised by the offer, and then that surprise quickly turns into a broad smile, all attempts to play at annoyance completely abandoned.]

Yeah... Yeah, I think I'd really like that, actually.

[samuraiprosecutor]

[His doubts (and he had many of them) are all chased away by that radiant smile. Excitement and nervousness and yes, even love, all swell in his chest. Briefly his smile grows until his face doesn't seem to know what to do with it and it awkwardly rises and falls for a moment until he wrangles it back into some semblance of normalcy.]

All right. I can drop you off at your office on Tuesday morning. Don't forget your suit.

[attorneyatlol]

Er... yeah. I won't. [Better put that on the mental checklist, he decides.

His smile widens at the candid look on Edgeworth's face, but he finds he has to rein in his amusement when the man's lips twitch uncertainly, as if afraid they might crack under the pressure. He's sure his laughter wouldn't be appreciated at a time like this...

Fortunately, the look also conjure up that warm, unguarded smile Edgeworth displayed only minutes ago, and Phoenix warms at the thought, suddenly overcome by that deep ache all over again.

Without warning, he leans forward and places a brief but firm kiss against Edgeworth's lips and then pulls away slowly, smile still in place.]

I'm glad you came by.

[samuraiprosecutor]

[His instinct by now is to warm into a kiss instead of freeze or pull away. Unfortunately Phoenix's lips are gone before he can muster a proper response, leaving Miles looking for a moment like he was knocked for a loop. Finally he smiles again, soft and barely noticeable unless you know what to look for.]

You know...so am I. [There's a trace of surprise and wonder in the words. Reluctantly he releases Wright's soft spikes and his warm back and pulls away, breaking their contact completely.]

[attorneyatlol]

[Regrettably letting him pull away (and just barely resisting the urge to whine about it again), he rolls his eyes at the hint of wonder in the man's voice and gently teases:]

Maybe that means you should do it more often.

[samuraiprosecutor]

Don't get carried away, Wright.

[He's sounding more like himself, though there's still a longing in his eyes as he puts some distance between them. Instinctively he smooths down his shirt and suit jacket, removing wrinkles that aren't visible if they are there.]

I'll be by as soon as I finish. Probably about three hours. I trust you'll be ready by then? [He cocks an eyebrow in warning.] I'll text you when I'm on my way.

[attorneyatlol]

[Back to business as usual, Phoenix notes with a fond sort of resignation. He cocks an eyebrow.]

What happened to calling first? [Or are you just that eager to see me, his teasing tone says.]

[samuraiprosecutor]

Ah. Well... Texting is quicker. [Maybe, his dismissive tone doesn't say, but it's there all the same. He hesitates, places one more slightly awkward kiss on Wright's cheek, and heads for the door.]

Until then.

[attorneyatlol]

[Phoenix smirks, not buying that for a second but willing to let it go. The man himself, on the other hand...

Before Edgeworth makes it too far, Phoenix grabs him by the sleeve of his jacket and gently pulls him in for a proper, longer kiss, putting all the feelings the past few minutes have left him with into it (and perhaps a promise for more later).]

[samuraiprosecutor]

[Edgeworth mmhmphs into the surprise kiss then relaxes into it. One arm wraps around Phoenix's waist, the other raising to muss his hair. The kiss warms until all of Miles' love and devotion are represented within.]

[Finally he pulls away and looks at his partner with half-lidded eyes, wearing a smile that can only be described as shy.] I'll hurry.

[attorneyatlol]

[Phoenix is wearing a similar expression, though his smile is more foolishly dreamy than anything. He nods slightly.]

See you then.

[samuraiprosecutor]

[That expression makes his heart flutter.]

[Stop that, he tells himself. You're not a lovesick teenager, for god's sake. ...You're just lovesick.]

Until then. Again. [And he leaves as quietly as he came in.]

[attorneyatlol]

[Phoenix leans against the edge of his desk again, watching the space Edgeworth occupied for several moments with the same, stupid smile on his face, until Bing Crosby's deep voice finally snaps him out of his reverie. Shaking his head at himself, he rounds the desk and settles down at his computer, intent on getting at least a little more work done before Edgeworth picks him up later. Not more than a few minutes pass, though, when he finds himself staring, unseeing, at the screen, as "How Deep is the Ocean" conjures up sappy imagery that sends him off on a tangential, daydreaming spiral.

Well, he reasons as he sits back and spins his chair a little, he did make a pretty big dent in his filing today... That's surely earned him a few hours of further procrastination.

That settled, he turns up the volume on his speakers and reclines further in his chair, grinning up at the ceiling and thinking of dinner and dancing and a long weekend spent with a man he never would've imagined making him feel this way a few years ago. Life is funny, he thinks; unpredictable and complicated, too.

But it's good right now. It's very, very good.]