I don't know if anyone's done this, but I went to a Beatles tribute concert last night and couldn't help making a connection between the song 'Hey Jude' and Miles Edgeworth. Which got me thinking on who 'her' could be. And then it came to me, and this was born!
Disclainer: I do not own Ace Attorney, or any of its characters. Nor do I own the Beatles (or I'd be minted)
"Put that down, Wright."
Edgeworth's words startled the young defence attorney, who almost dropped the radio he'd lifted off of one of the prosecutor's shelves. Phoenix sent a glare in the prosecutor's general direction – noting that, as always, Edgeworth seemed to have known what he was doing without even having to look up from his work – and gently placed the radio back in its correct place.
"I was just trying to figure out how to work it."
Edgeworth paused in his writing, re-read the paragraph he'd just penned to make sure there were no spelling errors, then continued, still not looking up.
"It's not rocket science, Wright. Try the 'on' button."
Phoenix forced himself to roll his eyes – forced, because his immediate reaction otherwise would have been to stick his tongue out at the prosecutor.
Which would be pretty childish. Not that I care, but Edgeworth would go all scolding teacher on me.
The defence attorney looked closer at the device, his fingers running over the various buttons before coming to one with a symbol – a circle with a vertical line through it.
Oh. That on button.
A small click, and then classical music filled the room – somewhere midway through Toccata and Fugue in D minor, Phoenix thought. Edgeworth did look up when Phoenix voiced this aloud.
"I wouldn't have thought you to recognise one of Bach's works, Wright."
Phoenix shrugged.
"Just because I look like a dope sometimes doesn't mean I am one. I happen to know a bit about classical music."
Okay, so I can recognise about three pieces, tops, and this one I only know because of that guy's ringtone in that one case. He doesn't need to know that.
He looked back at the radio as Edgeworth concentrated back on his paperwork. There was a few moments in all that could be heard was the scratching of Edgeworth's expensive fountain pen and the notes of the music, and then Edgeworth sighed in annoyance as the music degenerated into static.
"Wright, what are you doing?"
Phoenix's tongue was sticking out in concentration, as he very gently moved the slider on top of the radio to try and tune in to his preferred station.
"Imma trying to get some decent music on."
Edgeworth sighed again, the annoyance more evident this time.
"Wright, I am not about to listen to tasteless pap in my office when I'm trying to work. Kindly change the station back to the classical-"
Too late. Phoenix laughed in triumph as he reached the frequency he wanted and folded his arms, grinning down at the radio. Edgeworth looked up in surprise as the lyrics carried around the room.
Take a sad song, and make it better
Remember, to let her into your heart,
Then you can start, to make it better
Phoenix grinned across at the prosecutor, who smirked in spite of himself.
"I take it back. It appears you do have taste after all."
Phoenix grinned – Yes! Score one for Ace Attorney: Phoenix Wright! – and stood back, murmuring the lyrics under his breath.
"You know Edgeworth, this song reminds me of you."
"Really."
That one word, spoken with almost a snort of disbelief, came from the magenta-clad man who had once again gone back to his paperwork. Phoenix didn't let that deter him, however.
"Yep. I just think of you whenever I hear it. I don't see why you won't come out with us when any of us ask you along to our meal or something. And I really don't see why you don't go out with anyone."
The way he emphasised the 'anyone' made it obvious who Phoenix was referring to.
A sigh and more pen scratching.
"Wright, unlike you, I'm a busy man. I have no time for social calls."
Phoenix snorted, taking a few steps toward the silver-haired man.
"Bull."
And then, as the next verse started, Phoenix started to sing along. Edgeworth almost blotted the paper in surprise, and looked up to see the defence attorney looking right at him as he sang.
"Anytime you feel the pain, Hey Jude, refrain,
Don't carry the world up on your shoulder.
For well you know that it's a fool,
That plays it cool by making his world a little colder."
Edgeworth was hardly aware of his jaw hanging slightly open – had he fully known, he would have shut it at once – but he was almost shocked. Phoenix had a surprisingly good tenor voice, and every note was right on pitch, almost exactly how it was being sung on the radio.
But of course, the logical part of his mind noted, he trained to be an actor before he went into law. He probably had voice coaching.
Even so, it was pleasant to listen to – even if Phoenix was giving him a very meaningful look as he sung the lyrics.
"Hey Jude, don't let me down,
You have found her, now go and get her!
Remember to let her into your heart,
Then you can start to make it better."
Edgeworth sighed under his breath, but more sad than annoyed this time. As pleasant as it was to listen to Phoenix's voice, he knew what message his friend was trying to get across.
"Wright-"
"-it out, let it in,
You're waiting for someone to perform with.
And don't you know that it's just you-"
"Wright."
"-you'll do, the movements you need-"
"Wright!"
Phoenix stopped singing, the music carrying on without him. He looked at his friend expectantly. Edgeworth put down his pen, and after a minute looked up.
"Look, Wright, I know what you're trying to say. And it's not going to happen."
He silenced his friend's protests by holding up a hand.
"It's not that easy, or straightforward, Wright. There's a lot of things to take into account."
Phoenix raised one eyebrow.
"There is in every relationship, Miles. The trick is to balance it all."
Edgeworth chuckled, shaking his head.
"It could never work out. We're similar…but still, we're too different. And she's so young compared to me."
Phoenix opened his mouth, probably to say that that didn't matter so much in this day and age, but Edgeworth cut across him.
"And to top it all off, she's my sister. Quite apart from the legal implications, I've grown up with her, seen her from practically a baby to who she is now. It…it would be too weird."
Phoenix felt his lips twitch at the sound of Edgeworth using a word like 'weird' – surely there had to be a word much longer and posher that meant the same thing? – but then he just shook his head.
"I don't understand you, Miles Edgeworth. Everyone can see it. Why can't you?"
Edgeworth glanced down at his hands, unable to trust himself to keep that gaze much longer. Fighting the faint blush that appeared on his cheeks, he suddenly looked back up.
Bluffing. I could bluff. If Phoenix can get away with it in court, why can't I now?
"Has it ever occurred to you, Wright, that I might have romantic feelings for someone other than Franziska von Karma?"
By the widening of the man's eyes, it hadn't.
Phoenix sat down hard on the pink couch, looking fairly stunned. Edgeworth returned to his work, a small smirk on his face. Both had been given something to think about.
As the last few words of 'Hey Jude' faded to nothing, Edgeworth glanced over at Phoenix. The man was looking determined now, clearly wracking his brain for someone whom Edgeworth could've possibly fallen in love with. Edgeworth wasn't sure to feel amused or scared about what answer he could come up with. If Phoenix's tales of the investigation of his second case were true, he might guess that Edgeworth was in love with Maximillion Galactica or someone equally random.
It wasn't until he glanced back over his last paragraph, the sound of Phoenix softly singing 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds' in his ears, that he noticed he'd written the words 'Hey Jude' and 'Franziska' in the middle of his report. The resultant curse made Phoenix glance up and receive a glare.
Damn you, Wright. Now I have to start again! Foolish infatuations…
The 'case' Wright refers to when talking about Toccata and Fugue (which I originally misspelled as 'Taco-ta'. Damn I want some tacos) is 2-1, where the background music to Phoenix's nightmare and Richard Wellington's ringtone is that particular piece. It is also one of the very few I can identify. I know sooo much about the things I write about (!)
Hmm, I prefer P/E but I'm pretty proud of how this came out.
