Breathe, Mister Armando

Phoenix was exhausted.

Understandably so, that is. The defence attorney had been put through severe emotional and physical turmoil the past few days. Sure, the end result of all his hard work was a Not Guilty verdict, but it wasn't enough.

He felt his heart clench with the pain of somethingsomethingsomething (he didn't want to know what it was) at the sight of the familiar masked man being led away by chains.

I'm responsible for that.

Phoenix knew, knew that something was off about that man. The sly grin that would emerge on his face in court, the one that suggested that oh, he wasn't simply grinning at Phoenix's antics, there was something much more.

He hadn't had any proof (and wasn't that the concrete currency of the world of law?) and Phoenix was forced to push the thoughts away, pretending like there wasn't a secret hidden in that smirk; those somehow perfectly lined pearls.

Pretending like there wasn't a secret in the mask, the red mask (when surely there was).

Phoenix was tempted to ask Maya what there was behind the mask. He couldn't fathom the thought of seeing the prosecutor's eyes, if only because of the fear of what he would see.

What would be hidden in the windows to his soul? Would there be a void, a void so deep he would drown in the suffocating blackness and the guilt and the sorrow—

Stop.

Eyes stinging, Phoenix held tense wrists to his closed eyes, breathing fast, because now wasn't the time to cry, because it wasn't all over.

Not for Phoenix, anyway.

He felt a soft touch on his shoulder, and he looked up with as flat a look as he could manage (please don't let the pain show through) and found Maya's inquisitive eyes probing him.

"I need to see him."

Who said that?

Phoenix, surprised at the concrete sound of his own voice widened his eyes. Had he said that?

Maya looked equally baffled, knotting her eyebrows together.

"Iris can wait," Phoenix continued, however voice weaker than the first time.

But he needed to do this for Mia, right?

(Phoenix's heart was too big and reached out too far, and Maya and him both knew it.)

-x-

In the Detention Center once again.

Phoenix supposed he should be used to the dreary atmosphere, haunting echoes of cries of the damned sounding throughout (Phoenix swore they were always there).

Even Maya—who was always all sunshine grins and happily creased eyes—had her face downcast. She was hurt too, and she didn't have to bother to hide it around Phoenix.

"I would say I'm surprised—but I'm really not."

Phoenix snapped his head up so fast he was sure something should've broken—and for the first time, stared straight into the eyes of Diego Armando.

His own copper orbs widened at the sight, and a look closer found that the eyes were a light, light grey. Perhaps it wasn't Diego Armando after all.

"Oh, um..." Phoenix shook his head, aware he was making himself look like an idiot (but you always do that, said a voice in his head). "Hello, Mr. Armando. Is... it alright if I call you that?"

Godot cracked a grin and seemed like he was suppressing snickers.

He was shattered, undoubtedly, and Phoenix was right—the void in his eyes was deep, just like his coffee (ironically enough) but it was all so much lighter.

Like he was battered and bruised from the storm, but it was finally over.

"Why not, Trite?" Godot—no, Diego accepted. (Of course he didn't drop the nickname—old habits die hard.)

A sudden silence passed between them, and Maya discreetly moved closer to Phoenix, clinging to him like a life support. She didn't have much left, and at the sight of the man had done so much for her, and more importantly, behinds bars—

The dams broke open.

"I - I'm so, so, sorry!" Maya had collapsed into the fabric of Phoenix's shirt, and her eyes tightened at her own cowardice—not that there was anything she could do about it. Her sobs were wet and fast paced and the sound of it broke Phoenix's heart.

The defence attorney wrapped his arms around her, looking away. He didn't expect Diego to say anything—how could he?

"Kitten, don't cry."

It was a shock to Phoenix and Maya both at what they heard, and they immediately looked up and blinked rapidly, as if making sure they heard him right.

"Seriously—your sister will have my ass beat if she finds out I made you cry!" Diego mused, mouth stretching into a grin.

Phoenix's jaw hit the floor, Maya looked up hesitantly with red rimmed eyes.

There was a silence.

And then she laughed.

The sound was heaven in the depressing atmosphere, and both men didn't bother to suppress a smile.

He... he made her laugh.

"Listen, I don't want you both here feeling sorry for me. I'm not going to deny the sorrow I feel—I feel plenty of it, too much, even. But it doesn't matter anymore. It's all over."

The two sitting across from him listened intently, eyes trained only on the turquoise-clad man before them.

"This doesn't have to be depressing. We don't have to let this effect the rest of our lives. Of course, Ki—Miss Fey, I can't say the same for you. I'm quite well aware a mere apology will never account for what I did..." He paused, gauging the reaction of Maya.

"I've been putting things behind me since I was a kid. It's just like you said, Mr. Armando." Maya smiled, and it was beautiful—as cheesy at it was, it was a rainbow in the middle of the morgue-like atmosphere of the Center.

That's the Maya we all know.

"Also, Trite, if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to see your little friend, Pearl. She let me see Mia again." His expression softened, and Phoenix noticed how his eyes deepened with an utmost look of... affection.

"Of course." Phoenix couldn't help but grin. Diego Armando turned out to be a refreshing change from everything from the past few days, and despite all the drama and revelations and tragedy, the man stood as strong as his coffee (and Phoenix would know).

"Besides, don't worry too much. I'll see you on the other side soon."

"Wait, what?" Maya piped up beside Phoenix.

"I'm breaking out."

Silence.

"Ha! You should've seen the looks on your faces. No, but seriously, I've got past connections that can pull a few strings for me to shorten my sentence." He stopped, considered something and then grinned with a hint of humour. "Even so, joining Mia wouldn't be so bad."

He talks about it so casually. Geez.

For a contented moment, they all laughed together.

Most likely Diego Armando wasn't as content as he let on, but he was relieved from a burden - and that was all it took for him to be ready to start again.

He, in a way, had shown Phoenix a light he had never seen before. Not quite pushing the past behind, but not stuck in it either. Just learning to live in the moment while acknowledging the past, learning to accept that you're human.

Thank you, Mister Armando.

As if reading his mind, Diego looked over at Phoenix once again, starting, "Thank you, Wright."

'Cause it's a tragedy and it'll only bring you down,
Now I don't know what to be without you around.

And we know it's never simple, never easy,

But I have to breathe without you.

A/N: So... the sophistication of the Taylor Swift song fitting with this fic may cause you doubt me as a human being, but I thought it was quite fitting. Please review if you are going to favorite, just say anything I don't mind please review! :)