A/N: I wrote this completely on a whim; I really have no idea where it came from. Just a short, cute little ficlet, with just a tad of Phoenix/Edgeworth. Because I think they're adorable. (:

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Firefly

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"Hey Nick, did you know that when a firefly lands on you, you'll fall in love with the next person you talk to?"

Phoenix raised his eyebrows skeptically. "Where did you hear that?"

"Pearly told me!" Maya stated matter-of-factly. "She said she read it somewhere. And it's true!"

"Well if Pearls told you, it must be true," Phoenix concluded, smiling lightly at the thought of the young girl.

Maya scowled, placing her hands on her hips. Her indignant expression, though cute, was not entirely convincing. "Oh, come on, Nick. Where's your sense of childlike innocence?" she asked.

"It died. Along with any hope of you ever growing up."

With a huff, the girl spun around and began to march off in the direction of the train station. "I'll see you tomorrow, you non-believer!" she called over her shoulder, and Phoenix watched her go, amused. It was hard to believe that Maya was eighteen years old; many of her actions mimicked those of her eight year old cousin, Pearl. Though Phoenix had to admit that, despite everything they put him through on a daily basis, he was quite fond of both of the girls.

Turning to face the doors of his office building, the defense attorney reached into his pocket and withdrew a set of keys. It had been a relatively easy day at Wright and Co. Law Offices; he had just wrapped up a fairly short case the day before, and the following day merely required a lot of post-trial paperwork to do. Maya had even helped out a little by filing (as opposed to simply providing 'essential moral support,' as she called it), and Phoenix was glad to be locking up, the stress of court temporarily off his shoulders.

Twisting the key and pulling it out of the lock, he paused before retreating to the path that led home. It was a pleasant night. The air was warm, accompanied by a soft breeze and a clear sky. The streetlamps glowed dimly overhead, lighting the way for late travelers. The stars also provided a brightness of their own. And every now and then, the golden flicker of a firefly would appear, then extinguish, only to appear again in another location. Phoenix smiled as he turned around.

"Good evening, Wright."

The unexpected greeting had caught him off-guard, causing Phoenix to jump. Blinking in surprise, he focused on the figure in front of him. "Edgeworth! You startled me," he admitted with an embarrassed smile, lifting a hand to rub nervously at the back of his neck. He hadn't expected to meet anyone on his way home at this hour. Especially not Edgeworth. "What are you doing here?"

"Here," was the laconic response, accompanied by a business-like expression (though Phoenix swore he saw the hint of a smile vanish from the prosecutor's lips). Extending his hand, Edgeworth pushed a stack of papers into Phoenix's grasp, quickly withdrawing as soon as the documents were out of his possesion.

"What's this?" Phoenix asked curiously, riffling through the pages without really reading any of them. He glanced up at Edgeworth, who simply regarded him casually.

"Records of yesterday's trial," he explained, voice taking on a reserved tone that Phoenix couldn't help but pick up on. He felt a little guilty; he had defeated the prosecution in a dominating performance the day before. And though Edgeworth appeared apathetic, Phoenix knew that the man took each loss to heart. "They were delivered to the prosecution's office by mistake. They belong to the defense."

Phoenix took a last look through the files, then shifted his gaze upward toward Edgeworth. "Thank you," he offered, smiling lightly. "I appreciate it."

Edgeworth nodded concisely, beginning to turn in order to take his leave. "Farewell, Wright." As Phoenix watched him retreat, a small grin found its way onto his face as something caught his eye. Just before the older man had reached his car, Phoenix stopped him.

"Wait!" he called, pausing as Edgeworth turned around to regard him with a questioning look. Phoenix stared for a moment in silence, and couldn't help but notice the small sigh breathed from the other.

"What is it?" asked the prosecutor, stormy eyes focusing on his rival.

The grin faded from Phoenix's face, dissolving into a slight smile. "Nothing. Sorry," he quickly replied, pretending to peruse the papers once more. "Goodnight, Edgeworth."

But as the man turned to leave once more, Phoenix couldn't help but grin as a little golden light flickered on the back of Edgeworth's shoulder.