Completely different, Yet so alike.
By Spadework2

It was early afternoon on a grey and dark day. The streets were starting to fill with people, mostly parents taking their kids home from school and workers that were lucky enough to clock off earlier than the rest of the Nine till Fivers. Watching the swathes of people filling the street was a lone, middle aged man leaning against a wall near a café opposite a school. The man was dressed smartly, a maroon suit and a cravat, only spoilt by the long brown coat draped over him for warmth and he had long hair that almost reached his shoulders. The man looked at his watch for the umpteenth time.

'He's late...' Thought Miles. He lifted his head up towards the sky and sighed in annoyance, watching as his breath crystallised in the cold air. This caused his body to shiver almost uncontrollably so he stuffed his hands into his pockets to keep them warm.
'Damn it Miles,' He thought to himself, 'when did you become so old?'

The question was only a half joking dig made by his consciousness but it did give him a serious thought to mull over. Where did his life go? It only seemed like yesterday that he was preparing for his very first trial as a young prodigy. And now? Now he was an older and wiser man outside waiting in the cold weather due to somebody's lateness.
He chuckled gently to himself and lowered his head hoping that something will grab his attention and distract him from this depressing thought process. In front of him two people were walking hand in hand up the road. A father and a young boy. The boy was tugging his exhausted looking dad further and further up the road with large smiles plastered over both of their faces. Watching the scene suddenly tugged a distant memory in the furthest edges in Miles' mind that he thought he had lost forever...

A young Miles Edgeworth was sat on a low wall outside, his head propped up with his open hand with a small scowl etched onto his face. His friends had left with their parents ages ago leaving him on his own. Miles looked again at his watch. He didn't really understand what all the hands exactly meant on his watch, but he knew the big hand had moved far enough away from the twelve which meant that his dad was running late.

Miles sighed and then started to kick the floor in boredom. His Dad might get angry that his brand new shoes might get ruined due to this, but Miles reasoned that it would be his dad's fault anyway as he did this due to him being late. Yeah, that's right, it would all be dad's fault at the end of the day.

Miles was soon distracted from his new game when a familiar spectacled man came running through the gate. He smiled at Miles while walking towards him, a smile that he was trying his best not to return.

"Hi Miles. How was your day?" said Gregory sounding slightly out of breath.

Miles leapt off of the wall and looked up at his father while maintaining his scowl. "You're late."

Gregory looked shocked for a millisecond before scratching the back of his head. "Yeah I guess I am. Sorry. Had a big case today."

"A big case?" said Miles trying to keep his amazement out of his voice. "How big?"

Gregory smiled a little and folded his arms knowing that his son was impressed by what he was doing. "The biggest." As Miles was mouthing a 'wow', Gregory lowered himself until he was eye level with his son. He then outstretched his arms. "Am I forgiven?"

Miles' scowl crumpled under the emotional pressure as he smiled and walked into his father hug. "I guess I can forgive you." he said as he enjoyed his fathers embrace for a few seconds. "You big idiot."

Gregory leant backwards and looked at his sons mischievous face. "Hey," he muttered while chuckling, "I don't think I deserve that."

As the two clasped hands and started to walk out of the school Miles spoke up. "Uh-huh. Yes you do for being so late."

Gregory pushed up his glasses with his other hand. "Okay, I guess you got me there." He then looked down at his son. "So how was your day?"

Miles shrugged. "It was okay I guess. The school work was easy as usual."

Gregory raised an eyebrow. "Er...good... I guess. How's your friends?"

Miles smiled. "Phoenix is okay as usual. He showed me how to draw a bird in art today. Larry is still an idiot."

Gregory almost choked as he almost tried to suppress a laugh. He then put on the most serious face he could muster. "Now Miles, you shouldn't say such things about your friends. It might come back to bite you in the butt."

"But.." Miles tried to interject but his father interrupted him.

"But nothing." Gregory then smiled. "And anyway, he can't be that much of an idiot if you became friends with him, hmm?"

Miles paused and thought back to when he helped support Phoenix during the classroom trial a few months back. He did help defend an innocent person, but Miles did have a few theories about what actually happened back then...

"I guess you're right. He is a good friend." Said Miles. 'Most of the time.' Thought Miles privately to himself.

Gregory nodded to himself. "Good. Great defence attorneys always know what type of people to place their trust into."

"R-Really!" shouted Miles ecstatically.

"Of course. Which is great if you are hoping to be like your old man and become one." Gregory said failing to keep the pride out of his tone.

"No." said Miles causing Gregory to almost trip over. Miles let go of his hand and stood opposite him. "Of course I want to be a defence attorney but I don't want to be exactly like you." Miles turned around and looked up to the sky. "I want to be the coolest defence attorney in the world. I want to have fast cars, be famous, have loads of money and have the best clothes." Miles then spun around to face his dad again. Gregory looked stunned his mouth hanging slightly open. He then started chuckling. Slowly at first, then progressively getting louder. Miles looked confused. "Er...dad?"

Gregory wiped his eyes and calmed down. "So you think you can do better than me huh?"

Miles looked scared as his father walked slowly towards him. "Er...well...yes...er...no...maybe?"

Gregory stopped and looked down at his babbling son for a few seconds. He then pulled him into a hug, shocking Miles. "I hope you do. I look forward to seeing that day my son."

Miles was dragged out of the past when he felt somebody's hand invading his back pocket unsuccessfully. He smiled as he quickly swung his hand backwards to grab the the intruders arm. He turned around and looked down at the young nervous looking boy. "You're late," causing the boy to flush a little "Gregory."

The boy looked up and nervously smiled. The 8 year old boy in a smart school uniform and shorts. The boy, that other people have affectionately pointed out, is the carbon copy of his younger self. His son. "Hi dad." said the boy.

Miles folded his arms and tapped his arm with his index finger as a small smile grew on his face. "Twenty minutes must be a new record. In detention were we?"

The boy shot backwards with a disgusted look on his face. "N-no. I was helping clean the classroom."

Miles smiled, a little bit of pride filling his soul. "Good." He then reached inside pocket and pulled out a Samurai Chocolate Bar. "I guess you'll be wanting this then?" The boy's green eyes lit up and he nodded enthusiastically. Miles slightly tilted his head. "Although I don't exactly approve of the way you tried to get it. Riffling through my back pockets like some kind of thief." Miles sighed. "You remind me far too much of your mother."

The boy gulped and clasped his hands together. "I'm sorry. I thought...I mean...y'know..."

Miles chuckled. "Here." He gently tossed the candy treat to Gregory who fumbled to catch it. The boy smiled brightly.

"Thanks dad!" he managed to mumble before tearing open the wrapping with his teeth. Miles held out his hand to the young boy.

"Shall we get going before the weather turns bad?" Gregory, who's mouth was full of chocolate, just nodded as he grabbed the prosecutors hand. Miles would have cringed years ago at the personal contact. But... becoming a father had changed him. He doesn't know how he managed years ago without these brief but fantastic moments with his flesh and blood. They made his life light up in an unexpected way. If he could go back, he wouldn't change this for the world.

They walked in silence with Miles enjoying the warmth from his sons hand in this cold and miserable weather. It was Gregory that broke the silence. "So where's Mom then?"

Miles smiled. "On a business trip. She will be gone for a couple of days." He winked at Gregory. "I guess we'll be looking after ourselves for awhile."

The young boy looked up at his father, confused. "But... what will we do for food?"

Miles scowled although not seriously. "I can cook Greg."

Gregory looked shocked. "You can? Since when?"

Miles chuckled loudly. "I'm not completely useless without your mother."

"...that's not what she says..." muttered the small boy.

"I'll remember to tell her that you told me that when she gets back." Said Miles jokingly.

Gregory narrowed his eyes. "You wouldn't dare."

The pair paused and stared each other down for a few seconds using glares that only Edgeworths could use before breaking into laughter. "No I guess I wouldn't. She might hurt me as well." As they continued walking, Miles asked another question. "How was school?"

"It was all right I guess..." replied Gregory before his eyes widened in realisation. "Wait!" he said drawing the attention of his father. The boy pulled out a small and neatly folded piece of paper from his pocket. As he unfolded it, he shoved into Miles hand. Miles inspected it and saw that it was a drawing of himself with his arm outstretched. Miles raised an eyebrow. "Is this..."

"It's you." finished Gregory. "We were asked to draw one of our parents. I drew you even though that thing around your neck is hard to draw...what is it called?"

Miles tugged at it unconsciously. "A cravat."

"Yeah that's it." said Gregory clicking his fingers. Miles looked down at the drawing again and smiled.

"Well, it's very good. I think you might have a talent for it." Miles cringed slightly. He was so bad at complementing people. It always sounded so forced. However, his son didn't seem to think so.

"R-Really!" Miles nodded. "Awesome!" Miles smiled as his son made his way towards home with more of a spring in his step. "How was your day at work dad? Put away any more bad guys?"

Miles smiled to himself. "One or two."

Gregory spun around. "Did you defeat the other lawyer?"

"The defence attorney? Actually, he was quite good. I believe his name was Mr Just-" Mile paused as he noticed something. "Gregory?"

The boy looked confused at the sudden change in tone. "Er...Yes dad?" Miles motioned him to come closer with his finger. Gregory, slowly and cautiously, did so. Miles smiled as crouched down to eye level with him.

"How did you manage to miss your face while eating?" he said with a small smile while pointing at the chocolate mark on the side of the boys cheek.

The boy flushed a little. "Well...eh..."

Miles sighed as he fished in his pockets for a handkerchief. He found none, of course. Miles then removed his cravat and licked the end of it. "Here." He said and proceeded to rub the mark away.

Gregory struggled a little. "Dad! Not in the street."

Miles shook his head. "It's either this, or looking like a moron who can't feed himself properly." The boy mumbled to himself as Miles finished up. "There done." Miles then sighed and looked at his slightly ruined cravat. Smiling, he tied it around his sons neck as he raised an eyebrow. He then stood up. It was entirely far too big for him and he had to cover up the escaping chuckle from his mouth with his hand. "There. Now you look smart."

Gregory pouted and looked down at the invasive piece of fashion that his father placed upon him. "It looks dumb."

"Dumb?" repeated Miles.

"Yeah. Dumb. I kinda look like you."

Miles tilted his head. "And there is something wrong with looking like me?"

"Yeah, I don't want to be like you." Miles shot back in shock. That... stung, more than it should. He then closed his eyes.

Gregory looked up. "Yeah. I'm going to be much better than you..." he sentence trailed off at the end when he saw that his dad was quiet...well more quiet than usual. Gregory cringed as he realised what he said. "Er...dad...I'm sor-" Before he finished his apology, he realised his dad was chuckling. It was quiet at first but then got louder and louder and other people started to give him odd looks as they were passing in the street. "Er...dad?"

Miles wiped his eyes and looked down at his son. "Nothing. It's nothing. Just...reminded me of something." Miles walked up to Gregory and tousled his hair. "I hope you do get better than me. I can't wait to see that my son."

As he looked down as his younger lookalike, he couldn't help thinking. 'I see now father. I see what you were laughing at. No matter how much we try not to be like our parents, no matter how different our lives are, we still take a part of them with us. And that little part becomes one with us. And all we can do is hope that our kids live better than us. I will live long enough to see him grow up. I promise that much at least.'

Thunder rumbled through the air above the two making them both look into the sky instantaneously. "I guess that's our cue to hurry up home." Miles held out his hand to his son who took it. They both smiled at each other as they walked down the street.

"Dad?"

"Yes?"

"Can we make a cake for mom for when she gets back?"

"No."

"How about a large banner? I can do it! I'll just get the paints and glitter and glue and..."

"A cake will be fine."

After this Gregory laughed, slowly followed by his father with Miles hoping that his son didn't grow up too quickly.

Not yet at least.

For Fathers Day.
For another one-shot, please check out 'My Father's Last Days.'

Cover Image by androidgirl