I do not own Phoenix Wright.

Miles Edgeworth quietly shut his briefcase. He was a quiet man, unlike Phoenix Wright, who tried to be quiet but often failed. Of course, he paled in comparison to individuals like Larry. What was it that Wright always says?... when something smells, it's usually the Butz? Yes, that is right, Edgeworth thought, impressed that he remembered the phrase.

Edgeworth undid his cravat, folded it neatly, and sat down at his desk. He rested his forehead in his palm, frustrated. He lost another case today, and worse, he had helped Phoenix win. What kind of prosecutor was he turning out to be? He picked up a file on his desk, and half-heartedly flipped through it, but then set it back down on the table. What was the point?

There was a knock at the door. "What is it?" Edgeworth asked, irritated. He usually liked to be left alone after cases, win or lose. Why didn't the secretary just call first? Edgeworth looked up at the clock; it was almost nine thirty. No one but security and a few workaholics would be left in the building.

The door opened a slightly. "It's uh… me." Phoenix said, looking a little nervous. Edgeworth sighed.

"Fine, Wright. Come in," Edgeworth said, and got up to make some tea so that he would at least look busy, instead of just brooding about his loss like a child.

Phoenix stood awkwardly near the desk. "You did well in court today."

Edgeworth snorted. "Well? I lost! What are you playing at, Wright? Do you need another favor?"

Phoenix swallowed. "Well, no."

Edgeworth set down the teacup so hard that it spilled on the desk. He winced inwardly, but was glad it didn't reach his papers. "Then why are you here? You've won cases against me before; why do you need to rub it in my face now? You've seen me at my lowest, there isn't a need to see it again."

Phoenix slammed his hand on the desk, rather like he had that morning in court. "I haven't come here to do anything of that sort! What do you take me for?"

"…I see," Edgeworth said, slightly embarrassed, and felt stupid. He looked at Phoenix's face, so open and free of judgment. A face that only looked worried, despite the fact that he had just been yelled at. Edgeworth put his hand down on top of Phoenix's. "Wright. I'm… I'm sorry," Edgeworth muttered, and Phoenix blushed.

"E-edgeworth?" He stuttered. "I've never heard you-"

Just as Phoenix began speaking, the floor moved underneath their feet. Edgeworth' eye's grew wide, and the color drained quickly from his face. His knees buckled from under him, and he somehow ended up under the desk. He heard Phoenix fall also, hitting himself on the top of the desk. At this moment in time, Edgeworth couldn't afford to care. He could only wait for the shaking to stop.

Finally, nearly a minute and a half later, it did. Edgeworth continued to crouch in a ball under the desk, waiting for the aftershocks. When they didn't come after about five minutes, Edgeworth raised his head up from his knees.

His office was a mess. All the ridiculous items he had received from that old windbag had fallen to the ground and broken. His entire tea set was smashed. Even the frame on the wall had fallen to the ground, leaving glass everywhere (and wrinkling the suit!). Edgeworth looked up at the window, and sighed in relief that it was not broken, at least. Edgeworth also noted that the overhead light was flickering, giving the room an eerie feel.

"Edgeworth?!" Suddenly, Phoenix's voice rang throughout the room. In his terror, Edgeworth had completely forgotten he was there.

"I'm here, Wright," he said testily, trying to hide his fear. He knew the aftershocks would happen any second now. His fingers dug into his knees, but the slight pain was a welcome distraction.

Phoenix crawled from the front of the desk to the back, where Edgeworth was. His forehead was split on the left side, and there was a mild amount of blood on his forehead.

"Wright, really." Edgeworth said, surprising himself by his carefree tone. "You're going to get blood on the carpet."

Phoenix rolled his eyes. "You can't honestly mean that."

"I do. If I had given you tea, as I had intended, then you would have spilt that all over the carpet too."

"I'm not Maya! I'm perfectly capable of holding cups of tea!" Phoenix sat down next to Edgeworth, but left the "bubble of comfort" that Edgeworth liked to have around his person. At least he can do something right, Edgeworth thought.

"Don't you remember the time we went to Tres Bien?"

"Edgeworth, that was Gumshoe's fault-"

"Then why did it end up on my Crav…" Edgeworth' voice quivered when the first aftershock set in. It was a short set, about five seconds long, but it was enough to make Edgeworth start shaking again.

"It's all right, Edgeworth," Phoenix said soothingly. Edgeworth realized, with a start, that Phoenix had touched his back. He felt his hand close gently around his shoulder, and it was Edgeworth's turn to blush. He was grateful that he was facing away from Phoenix.

Then, Edgeworth pulled away. "I'm not a child, Wright, and you- you still have blood on your jacket," Edgeworth began to snap, but was deterred by the mess on Phoenix's lapel.

Phoenix looked down. "Um, that would be because my forehead is bleeding. And weren't you complaining before that I was going to get it on your carpet?"

Before he knew it, Edgeworth was on his knees, fiddling with Phoenix's jacket. "Honestly, Wright. Can't you even dress yourself properly? This is missing a button!" He held the lapel between his thumb and his pinky, looking disgusted.

"I couldn't afford a new one! I spent the money from the last win on a new computer!" Phoenix began to loosen his tie.

"What are you doing?" Edgeworth demanded.

Phoenix rolled his eyes again. "I'm making myself more comfortable. Since we just had a 6.0 earthquake, I don't think anyone will mind if I'm in business casual."

"Fine." Edgeworth said, and leaned against the desk. "Go and see if anyone in the hall is hurt, Wright."

"What am I, your servant?" Phoenix mumbled, but was already on his feet. Edgeworth heard him fumble with the door.

"Um, Edgeworth?"

"What is it, Wright?"

"We are stuck. Something must have fallen on the other side of the door. I can't even budge it." He heard Phoenix bang the door a few times. "Is anyone out there? We're stuck!" As Phoenix yelled, the lights, which had been flickering for some time, finally went out.

"Great." Edgeworth said, but his heart began to pound loudly in his chest, and his palms to sweat. He swallowed, trying to keep himself from freaking out again. The shaking has stopped, for now… just calm down.

Phoenix sat down next to him again, surprising Edgeworth. "We're not going to run out of air, Edgeworth. Even if we have to stay here for awhile, we're going to be fine. We won't lose any sanity that we haven't already lost." Edgeworth was shocked when he felt Phoenix brush a hair from his face. Phoenix pulled his hand away when he felt Edgeworth stiffen. "Sorry. I know you don't like to be touched." Phoenix muttered.

"Wright, didn't you have something to tell me earlier?" Edgeworth stammered, trying to change the subject.

"…No," Phoenix said under his breathe.

"Why did you come here in the first place?" Edgeworth demanded. He slammed his fist down on the carpet. "I know you aren't mean spirited, so you couldn't have wanted to make me feel worse. What was it? Another favor? A tattletale about one of my other prosecutors? Spit it out, Wright!"

Phoenix grabbed Edgeworth's face, and gently kissed him. Phoenix pulled back just as quickly as he had gone for the kiss. "Edgeworth, I'm so sorry, that really wasn't what I came here to do," Phoenix said, blushing. "I came in to ask you about an older case, but now I've made an idiot of myself."

"Who said you made an idiot out of yourself?" Edgeworth snapped, looking at Phoenix. "Who said that I didn't enjoy that?"

Now Phoenix turned to look at him, puzzled, but with a hint of a smile tugging at his lips. "Edgeworth…" he said quietly, as he had so many times before, but this time there was a little more softness in his voice. As he reached out to touch Edgeworth, the second aftershock shook the room.

Phoenix pulled the prosecutor into his arms. "It's okay, Edgeworth," Phoenix said as the last tremor ebbed away.

"How can you do this? I'm pathetic. I've been reduced to a shaking ball, like a scared puppy!" Edgeworth angrily said, although he gripped Phoenix's shirt tighter.

"Edgeworth-"

"It's Miles, Wright. For god sakes, call me Miles."

"Okay, Miles," Phoenix said, stroking Edgeworth' hair. "Just stay here. I'll keep you safe. If there are more aftershocks, you can hold me as tightly as you need to." Phoenix spoke quietly.

Edgeworth felt himself relax, if only by a tiny bit. He scooted closer to Phoenix, and laid his head on his shoulder. He reached for Phoenix's hand. "For as long as I need?" Edgeworth asked, almost inaudibly.

Phoenix squeezed his hand. "For as long as you need."