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"Her name's Trucy."
"And you're going to adopt her."
Phoenix breathed slowly, listening to his partner wait on the other end of the telephone, before resuming. "Her father hasn't been gone for long. Until he comes back I'll look after her and-"
"Wright." It was nice, it suddenly occurred to Phoenix, that such a blunt use of his surname no longer invoked images of courtroom failures and rejection, but that of banter and bickering and Sunday afternoon laziness. Of course, at least at this moment, Edgeworth was not thinking of such kind things. "Enigmar isn't coming back."
"No," said Phoenix quietly. Even though she was asleep and half a world away from Miles, he couldn't help but worry Trucy might overhear such talk. "But I don't want to be so harsh so soon."
More quiet breathing.
"You always did have such an undue closeness with your clients." Edgeworth's voice was closed, tight, and Phoenix could tell he was struggling with emotion again.
"She's only eight years old."
"I wasn't criticising you." The words come fast from Edgeworth, and even over the phone Phoenix could tell his partner was standing stiffly. "Naturally, you'd need something aside from your - ah - talent in the courtroom to guarantee all your successes."
Phoenix gave a breathy laugh. Even after beginning this strange and fractured romance, the two were still determined to establish their legal dominance over each other.
"But I'm glad you operate the way you do, no matter how ridiculously sentimental it may seem to those of us who can manage to make a living out of law."
"Pro-bono has saved many a hide," Phoenix joked.
"I'm trying to tell you I approve of your motives," said Miles rather abruptly. "I doubt Miss Trucy could do any better by way of a loving parent."
"But?"
"But… As you just said, pro-bono has saved many a hide. But that does not include yours."
"Oh."
Phoenix had to admit, his financial situation had been weighing heavily on his mind ever since he'd first brought Trucy back to his apartment. He could get by on his own but children had so many needs. Phoenix didn't even know how school fees worked, not to mention the fact that they were always growing out of clothes and eating everything in sight.
"I'm not letting her end up in some endless cycle of foster homes," said Phoenix. "Or… worse."
Miles was dead silent across the Atlantic, and Phoenix felt his heart fall under the same weight that always arrived whenever he thought about how much his partner had been through.
"Exactly." Edgeworth's voice was distant. "I want her to stay with you."
"But-"
"So I will provide the money."
Out of all the things Phoenix had anticipated in explaining to his long-distance partner that he would be adopting a felon's daughter out of the blue, this was not one of them. If anything, he had been bracing for a breakup, or a serious argument in the very least. Not…
"Phoenix? Is everything alright?"
"Yeah, I'm… Wow." Phoenix ran a hand through his spikes, drooping against the back of the couch. "Are you sure about this? Children are really expensive."
"Of course I want to help you," said Miles. "I'm offering this because children are so expensive, you know I… Did you really think I would leave you and some poor child without any assistance when I could give it so freely?"
"Miles, I would never think ill of you," Phoenix said quietly. "But I am rushing into this, I was expecting some kind of reprimand for basically stealing a child."
"Please don't phrase it like that on the adoption papers," said Edgeworth. "And this isn't something I'm going to hold against you. I know that this wasn't really your fault, it was thrust on you suddenly. I just want everything to work out for everyone involved."
"I love you," Phoenix sighed.
"I love you, too," said Miles, and Phoenix ached with the static in the phone, with the immense distance between them.
"I miss you so much." Phoenix very rarely got overly emotional, thankfully he'd grown out of crying after Dahlia, but moments like these, with everything seemingly perfect and at ease but Miles for some reason so many countries away, always set his eyes stinging.
"It's only been a couple of weeks," said Edgeworth, but beneath his teasing Phoenix could hear the strain of emotion. "I'll be home soon. Next month."
"Twenty-four days."
With little to do and the depression of losing his badge slowly drawing in, Phoenix had spent days frantically searching for things to do. One such day he'd sat down and carefully marked in all the days Miles had appointments out of the country, leaving all those which remained highlighted in green, in the hope that perhaps Edgeworth might make it home for them. It seemed a bit pathetic when he thought about it, but the office seemed to quiet, so empty. He had to do something.
"Can I meet her then?"
"Wait, Trucy?"
"Yes," said Miles. "I know I'm not exactly good with children but I would like her to think of me as more than just her father's faceless ATM."
"ATMs usually don't give me blowjobs."
"Wright..."
Phoenix threw back his head in laughter, belatedly realising he should keep it down while Trucy slept. "Yes, yes of course you can meet her. I would love for her to know you, she should have at least one positive father figure eventually."
"Phoenix?"
"Yes?"
"Are you going to tell her about our relationship?" Miles asked.
"Of course I am, how else would I introduce you?" laughed Phoenix. "Why wouldn't I tell her?"
There was silence on the other end of the phone.
"Miles, she's eight. She's not going to have a problem with us or anything." Phoenix sighed. "Sorry I laughed earlier. I know this is still hard for you sometimes. I promise you, though, this is going to work. She's a lovely kid, a bit feisty at times but I don't reckon there's a genuinely cruel bone in her body. She's going to love you, I just know it."
"Thank you Phoenix," said Edgeworth. "You're entirely too good to me."
There's a peace between them as the two simply listen to each other breathe, Phoenix wishing for nothing more than to hold his partner, to run his fingers through that pale hair and to fall asleep in his warm embrace.
"I'm afraid I have to be in court in half an hour and I really have to leave," said Edgeworth eventually, the regret in his voice tangible. "I'll call you tonight, tomorrow for you."
"Good luck today," said Phoenix. "If things get hard for you, just remember to stall the trial by proposing something ridiculous."
"Like cross-examining the parrot?"
"Bingo," said Phoenix. "See you in twenty-four days."
"See you then. You and Trucy."
"I love you, Miles."
"And I love you."
Miles was never comfortable on aeroplanes, neither physically nor mentally, but this flight was particularly bad. Not only was there mild turbulence constantly bringing his thoughts to earthquakes, and not only were the damned iFly logos everywhere reminding him of a less than enjoyable flight, but his thoughts were also absolutely overwhelmed with who would be waiting for him at LAX. Despite how he liked to mock Phoenix's impatience , Miles really was eager to see his partner again. Having been unable to console him in person during the loss of his badge had been unbearable, and although Phoenix was clearly putting on a brave face for his new daughter, Edgeworth knew him too well to pretend he really was ok. And then there was the aforementioned daughter herself.
Miles really had no idea how to act around children. Kay had assured him he hadn't been too terrible when he'd met her as a child, but that was hardly reassuring. He didn't want to be "not terrible" with Trucy, he wanted to be both a parental figure and a friend, a source of comfort and stability in what was likely going to be the hardest time of her life. Poor girl, so suddenly ripped from her home and family; a young magician alone in this insane world of Japanifornian legal politics.
Another bout of turbulence shook the plane and Edgeworth's gut clenched so hard he lost sight for a moment.
He had to get this right.
The plane eventually made it to the ground in one piece, and Edgeworth discovered that the one thing worse than the shaky landing he just endured: the wait to get to through customs. Thank goodness for dual citizenship, at least.
With all his anxieties fermenting during the wait, he was practically a nervous wreck by the time he made it through to the arrivals gate. He'd never thought it could be hard to find Wright in a crowd, but all the faces around him were blurring into one, he was pretty sure he was dehydrated from the flight, his suitcase kept tripping over its own broken wheel, there was some lady with an incredibly annoying accent yacking into a mobile right next to his ear-
"Miles."
Oh. There he was.
Phoenix Wright, his usually spiky hair more relaxed than Miles was used to seeing it, dressed in a lazy tracksuit instead of the suit he now had no excuse to wear, and probably Miles' favourite sight in the world.
"Phoenix."
Phoenix wasted no time, his palms cupping Miles' face and fingers stroking wisps of grey hair as he kissed him, gentle and tender. Miles wanted nothing more than to deepen the kiss, to stay locked with Phoenix for eons, but they were in the middle of an airport and there was an eight year old staring at them with cheerful interest.
"Welcome home," smiled Phoenix as he withdrew far too soon.
"It's so good to be back," Miles said, before turning to the young girl in the magician's cloak standing at his feet. "And it is an absolute pleasure to meet you, Miss Trucy."
He received a wide grin in reply, the young girl sticking out her hand for what turned out to be a surprisingly firm handshake.
"Nice to meet you, Mr Edgeworth."
"You can call me Miles, if you like," he said on impulse, suddenly wondering if there was something she should be calling him instead. Surely there was no way he could suddenly thrust another parental figure on her so soon, even if he was her new father's partner.
This was turning out to be even harder than he had anticipated.
"Okie dokie, Miles," she grinned. "Do you want to meet Mr Hat?"
"Pardon me?"
"Hey Truce, why don't we save the tricks for home?" said Phoenix. "Don't want to give all these people a show they haven't paid for."
"Good thinking, Daddy," said Trucy, giving her father a wink. Even though he'd been helping Phoenix throughout the entire adoption process, Edgeworth still found it extremely odd to see Wright in a parental context. The only thing stranger was imagining himself in this scenario.
"Daddy says you were working in Germany," said Trucy as the trio made their way towards the taxi rank.
"That's correct."
"That's really cool! My real daddy used to do shows all over the world!" She jumped with excitement and Miles noticed a stray clump of dove feathers fall from her cape in the process. "When I grow up I'm going to be a magician, too! And I'll travel all over the world! And then I'll come visit you in Germany!"
"Ah, hopefully by the time you're old enough to be a world famous magician I won't have to work overseas any more," said Miles , receiving a sad smile from Phoenix in reply.
"Okay then," said Trucy as she climbed into a taxi, "I'll be sure to do a lot of shows here as well."
"That's very thoughtful of you."
It was surprising, Miles thought, just how genuine her affection seemed to be. There was no way children were this kind back when he was a child, Phoenix's brutal class trial was enough to prove that. Maybe she was just a very good actor. After all, she had been raised by a street performing criminal.
"Can I show him one little trick, Daddy, please?" Trucy asked, halfway into their ride home.
"Nothing with live animals," said Phoenix, catching Miles' eye with a wink. "I'm sure the driver wouldn't appreciate that."
"Fair enough," said Trucy.
With a clap of her hands, a full deck of cards appeared in her palm.
"Pick a card, Miles!"
Wondering just how she managed to hide cards up her sleeves when she wasn't wearing any, Edgeworth duly picked from the middle of the deck. The three of hearts.
"Got it memorised?"
"I do."
"Great!" With another clap from Trucy, the card immediately vanished from Miles' hands, leaving him completely astonished. Perhaps it was Phoenix who had clapped, and as Miles blinked Trucy had taken the card from him? No, there was no way she could work that fast.
"You really are quite talented at this."
"Wow, you're an easy customer!" she grinned. "We've only just begun!"
For the rest of the drive she never let him rest, pulling his card out of his ear, hiding it in his suit pockets, turning an ordinary deck into fifty-two threes of hearts and then somehow turning the original card into a nickel.
"Well I can't say I've seen that one before," was all Miles could say when presented with the coin, setting Trucy into a burst of giggles.
"Come on Miles," Trucy cried as she burst from the taxi outside the Wrights' apartment building. "You can have some of the cookies Daddy and I made yesterday!"
"Don't go too far!" Miles called. "I still have to get my suitcase."
But Phoenix just waved a hand at him, already pulling Miles' suitcase along, as Trucy grabbed his hand and started towing him towards the apartment. She really was a strong child.
She was chattering away about baking with her father when they crossed the Wrights' threshold, and Miles immediately lost track of the conversation. The last time he had been here, Phoenix was still a lawyer, Trucy had been living with her biological family, and Miles had only been thinking of his career. He shouldn't have gone to Munich, he should have stayed with Phoenix, if he had been here everything would've been fine…
"Miles?" Phoenix's hand was on his shoulder, his voice quiet and concerned.
"I left..." Miles whispered, before being pulled into a hug. "Left you when you needed me most."
"It's not your fault," said Phoenix, his hands warm around Miles' middle. "Something happened behind the scenes, I… I think there's something bigger going on."
"I'll help you fix this. You'll get your badge back, I promise."
He withdrew from the embrace, but not without first running his hands through Wright's hair. He'd missed those spikes.
"Do you want some cookies, Miles?" Trucy asked from the kitchen doorway. "They've got chocolate in them."
"Of course, Miss Trucy," he replied. "But only if you promise to show me how to turn them into nickels."
"Sorry," said Trucy, picking a cookie from the plate she was holding. "This one's a dime."
Miles hadn't laughed in months, certainly not in the two since he last left LA, but there was something about Trucy that kept him in a good mood for the rest of the day. He sat with the Wrights on their lumpy couch, eating more cookies than he probably would under other circumstances, leaning against Phoenix as he played with grey hair and watched Trucy prove herself to be one of the greatest magicians in the city.
"Aw gee, how did that get there?" Mr Hat whined as Trucy pulled a live dove from the puppet's mouth. "No wonder everything's been tasting like chicken lately."
There really was something incredible about this child, something more than her ability to make the now-empty cookie platter disappear into a garish pair of bloomers. She was just so happy, so eager to hear Miles' thoughts on her magic tricks and to cuddle up with both him and her father on the couch. He just hoped he was making a similarly positive impression.
"So what were you doing in Germany?" Trucy asked around a mouthful of noodles at what apparently counted as dinner in the Wright household.
"Oh, I…" Miles thought for a moment. "It's rather difficult to explain. Suffice to stay, I have been studying how the legal systems of different countries operate."
"Yeah, but like how?" said Trucy. "Daddy says you and he had all sorts of cool cases together, didn't you do something cool like that case where Aunt Maya got kidnapped?"
"That was decidedly un-cool, Truce," said Phoenix. "In fact it was very scary."
"But it's cool now," said Trucy. "You got an assassin to work on the side of justice!"
"I'm afraid nothing like that happened in Germany," said Miles. "At least not while I was there last. I was actually just observing some very standard trials - I've been trying to avoid the more bizarre cases. It's hard to find a solid basis for a good legal system when you just look at outlier examples."
"So do you want to change the legal system here, then?" asked Trucy. "Is that what you're looking for?"
"Eventually… yes," said Edgeworth. "Like I said, it would be quite hard for anyone outside the legal world to understand, much less…" Trucy's face began to fall in preparation for the patronisation. "…Much less someone who's already so focused on her studies in magic."
Trucy grinned. "So you're gonna help Daddy be a lawyer again, then?"
"Of course," Edgeworth said immediately, and Phoenix's hand came to rest on his thigh. "But you have to understand, that could take a long time…"
"I know," smiled Trucy. "Daddy talks about it a lot."
Miles felt his heart plummet again - he really should have been here, Phoenix did not deserve to go through this alone.
"But at least in the meantime," said Trucy. "I can get to know you better!"
Miles smiled at her, handing over his nigh-untouched bowl of noodles for her to finish off. "I would like that very much."
Miles curled closer into Phoenix's hold, running his fingers slowly across the warmth of his partner's back as Phoenix planted slow, loving kisses into his neck. He sighed before Phoenix's mouth returned to his own, and Phoenix rolled over, sitting Miles on top of him.
"I hope you're not thinking of going another round," Miles murmured, stroking Phoenix's chest. "Even once is bad enough with your daughter in the house."
"I hadn't seen you in two months," Phoenix replied, just as quiet. "You wouldn't have been so cruel as to deny me a proper reunion, would you?"
"It might have been funny," said Miles. "Just to see you squirm."
"I'm pretty sure you got plenty of that regardless," smiled Phoenix , stroking Miles' bare thighs as he chuckled.
"I'm sorry it's been so long," Miles said once his laughter had died down. "I should have come home earlier, I…"
"Don’t," Phoenix whispered. "Please, the last thing I want is for this to hurt you too. I know how many people you were working with, how much you were doing, I never expected you to drop everything and run home."
"I wanted to," said Miles. "I couldn't focus on anything I was doing, I was probably useless to the others, all I wanted was to get home to you, to make sure you were okay."
"I'll be alright." Phoenix's voice was barely audible.
"This isn't permanent, I promise," said Miles. "You'll be a lawyer again soon."
Phoenix just stayed silent, relaxing into Edgeworth's touch. Miles sighed, moving to lie entwined with his partner once more.
"At least one good thing came out of this, though," Phoenix said eventually.
"Your brilliant daughter?"
Phoenix hummed in agreement, and then laughed. "I can see she wasted no time in getting you twisted around her little finger."
"I knew she was acting," Miles said quietly.
"Of course she's acting, her father just abandoned her," said Phoenix. "She isn't this happy normally. But she is when she wants someone to like her."
"What did you tell her to make her so eager to get on my good side?" asked Miles, brushing a stray hair from Phoenix's face. "I hope you didn't promise her anything ridiculous."
"Only her own private plane," said Phoenix, grinning even through Miles' nudge to the ribs. "I think she just knows how much I care about you, that's all. She's remarkably good at reading other's emotions."
"And yet she chooses to cover her own misery with feigned happiness," said Miles. "That could be a problem for her later in life."
"I do talk about it with her sometimes, how it feels not to have her father around anymore," Phoenix replied, absently tracing patterns onto Miles' side with his finger. "But I don't want to overwhelm her just yet. I don't think she'd take it well if I suddenly declare that her father's gone forever, without any proof. Still, I'm quite surprised with how well she's taken everything that's happened in stride."
"Are you falling for her act, too?" Miles asked.
"I could be. Although I have to wonder if a life in a travelling magician's troupe has made her more adaptable and accepting of change than being say-"
"A defence attorney's son?" Miles asked, and Phoenix let out a sheepish laugh.
"I can't help worrying about you, you know," he smiled. "Are you handling all this okay? It must be stirring up some unwelcome memories."
"I'll be alright," said Miles, smiling as Phoenix took his hand. "I'm… I'm going to make this as easy as possible for her."
"Are you falling for her act, too?" grinned Phoenix, planting a kiss on Miles' fingers.
"Almost certainly."
Despite having an apartment of his own in LA, Edgeworth spent the majority of the next few weeks at the Wright residence. But with Phoenix unemployed and Trucy on a break from school while the legalities of the adoption were sorted, it was for Edgeworth far more like a holiday than a homecoming. Trucy performed endless magic tricks for him, even teaching him to perform a few simple card tricks himself. Most of her repertoire was easily figured out, but there were still some tricks Edgeworth just could not comprehend.
"When she makes things 'disappear' into her magical underwear," he said to Wright one night. "What is she actually doing?"
"Beats me," said Phoenix. "Everything turns up eventually, though."
"But that doesn't make any sense." Miles huffed and rolled onto his back.
"Of course it doesn't," smiled Phoenix. "It's Trucy."
And he was right, Miles came to find. There were some things about her he just could not comprehend, but her cheerful confidence somehow convinced him not to mind too greatly. He'd never liked being kept in the dark, but Trucy Wright made it seem, well, magic. It did give him a minor stroke when she vanished a stack of prosecuting evidence for half an hour, and no matter how she softened her act over time, he was never reassured that she was really processing her emotions properly, but that would come with time.
And he'd be there to help her.
The thought came to him abruptly as he watched her stir a bowl of some batter, pretending to focus on his paperwork. He was due back in Europe in less than a fortnight, but after that he'd be home again, back and forward for as long as it took, and waiting for him in the middle of it all would be the Wrights. Trucy had slipped so easily into his life in these few weeks, and now it was suddenly impossible to imagine her growing up without him. He wanted to help her, and no longer out of some fear of history repeating itself.
She deserved better, he realised.
The paperwork could wait and, placing it aside, Miles made his way into the kitchen.
"What are we making today?" he asked, and she grinned.
The day of his departure to Prague arrived with cruel speed. It seemed to Edgeworth that he'd only been back in the country for a matter of days before he had to leave again, and despite their cheerful send off at the airport, he could tell the Wrights were just as reluctant to see him go.
"Come back soon?" Phoenix whispered as the two embraced at the gates.
"Thirty-two days," he replied.
Phoenix just nodded, and gave him a final kiss.
"While you're gone I'll work on some new tricks!" said Trucy, hands on her hips. "You can be their debut audience!"
"I would be honoured," said Miles, before finding himself suddenly wrapped in a tight hug.
He looked to Phoenix for some sort of guidance, but found only one of his partner's big puppy-grins. Miles settled with just stroking her hair as he promised quietly he would be home as soon as possible.
Even though the flight was almost completely free of turbulence, Edgeworth couldn't help but think it was endlessly worse than the last. Maybe one of these days he could bring the Wrights along… Phoenix, he knew, hadn't seen anything of Europe and he was sure Trucy would appreciate a holiday.
His mind was forced to other, more immediate, matters as he landed, and for the rest of the day he was pushed around by various legal authorities, getting clearance to attend this closed trial and being briefed on that murder victim. He didn't have a moment to himself until he collapsed into his hotel room at nearly midnight. Pulling his pyjamas from the well-used suitcase, Edgeworth barely registered something falling from the folds of fabric to the floor. It was only when he stepped on it by accident that he actually turned to look at it.
A three of hearts.
And even though he was exhausted, even though he had so much left to do that night and a full day in the morning, Miles picked up his phone.
Like father, like daughter, it seemed. The Wrights were practically addictive.