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Phoenix stares in dismay at his candy stash, the jar sitting in the middle of the kitchen counter, completely empty. There's a note beside it, bless Maya, with just the words 'Thanks Nick' on it. And a smiley face from Pearly. Phoenix isn't even surprised, and he questions why he expected a single candy to be left over. It is Halloween after all, and everyone's had their fun trick-or-treating with the exception of Phoenix's wallet. Oh well.
He hears footsteps behind him, and then a sigh. It's Miles, as exasperated by the empty jar as Phoenix. Miles surprisingly has a sweet tooth, and his partner may have aided in the emptying of the jar by pressing candy into his hand over the course of the day, so he has no right looking this exasperated, he thinks. Miles shuffles over and makes a cup of tea, and Phoenix simply stretches. It's almost 1 AM, with the streets finally dying down and people heading to sleep. The full moon peeks out behind a tree, and the wind blows some dry leaves onto the window. It makes him smile.
He's just glad he got out of that dreadful toilet-paper zombie outfit or whatever that was. Trucy'd had a lot of fun splattering ketchup onto it to make it seem bloody, which made everything sticky (and made Maya likely to randomly lick his shirt occasionally). Sometimes he wonders if Maya's really human. Trucy, Maya and Pearls are currently out with the rest of the WAA, probably at some spooky mansion or to experience "3 AM at Halloween". Whatever that "spooky hour" means.
Miles has long since taken off his vampire teeth, and the worst part was that he just wore his courtroom suit and looked like a perfect vampire. Phoenix can't help but be a little bitter at that, but also a little awed. And it's pretty attractive, if he's being honest.
"So, what's this 3 AM thing all about," Miles asks, still sipping his tea.
"Dunno, it's a Halloween thing," He replies, collapsing into a couch like a man twice his age. "Basically means they're gonna consume even more sugar, go crazy and come home at like 5 AM, and then regret the entirety of tomorrow."
"Ah." He sears himself carefully on the couch beside him. "Sounds... exciting."
"Maybe. Hey Miles, let's have our own 3AM thing and visit a graveyard or something, just to prove we're not boring."
"Nngh. Sounds rather childish."
Phoenix grins at him. "Yeah sure Mister Vampire, bleh bleh bleh,"
"We do not say bleh b- okay fine Phoenix. Fine."
Phoenix cackles, doubling over on the couch. "I KNEW you had way too much fun watching Hotel Transylvania!" "Shut up, Wright. Shut up."
And that's how they go on a leisurely 2 AM stroll to the nearest graveyard, nodding to the late trick-or-treaters in various forms of spookiness. (All of the vampires greeted them with a "bleh, bleh bleh", much to Edgeworth's annoyance.)
When they finally arrive, it's deserted, and Miles is glad he brought a flashlight. The moon hangs over them, no clouds in sight, and the trees sway with the cool wind, dropping leaves every so often on the gravestones. "Trucy would call this the perfect Halloween aesthetic," Phoenix says, stretching again. Miles 'hmm's in response, taking it all in. "Why on earth I decided to spend Halloween, or any day really, with all of you is beyond me," Miles says, groaning as he remembers how hyperactive everyone was. He'd never celebrated Halloween before, and all of a sudden he was thrust into the WAA full of weird costumes. A witch Trucy, a Cruella de Vil Maya for some reason, an adorable ghost Pearly, an angel/devil Athena, a zombie Apollo (of course) and a weird zombie-vampire cross Klavier. Gumshoe had.. attempted the skeleton costume, and it was more cuddly than anything.
Phoenix glances down at his watch. "Well it's 3 AM, magic time," he says, and Miles chuckles. "Magic time," he replies, resting his head on Phoenix's shoulder. The sight of a graveyard makes Miles' thoughts veer in a certain direction, and Phoenix senses it too.
"You know, he'd be proud of you," He says, staring up at the moon. For once, Miles doesn't doubt it. He takes out the picture of his father that's always hidden in his wallet, and smiles. "Yes, I think he would."
The wind whistles past them. "I am," it says, into the darkness, and Miles smiles softly. "I think he is. Proud of us."
The moonlight glints across the stones and the grass, and makes their faces shine. Miles closes his eyes, and he can picture his father. He looks exactly how Miles remembers him, down to the crinkle of his eyes and the turned up collar. It hits him that he's never been this happy before. He belongs here, with Phoenix and their unruly crew, groaning at them getting a sugar rush and staring at the empty jar of candy, Trucy's proud face grinning at them as if she performed a disappearing trick that wasn't her eating most of them, Maya looking on proudly, Apollo just as exasperated as them.
It feels like a family.
Phoenix pulls Miles closer.