Phoenix tore through his closet trying to find something that would be suitable on a date for Miles. Well, it technically wasn't a date. He was just going over to his house to eat, so maybe it was better to go with something casual. But not as casual as his hoodie and sweatpants. That was probably too casual for Miles.

I wonder if Miles even owns sweatpants. He doesn't seem like the type to. I bet his casual is the same thing he always wears only without the jacket.

Apollo and Trucy were busying themselves on the bed with a pillow fight as he struggled.

"Apollo, what do you think is nice to wear when you're going to spend time with a friend that has a lot more money than you?"

As Apollo turned to answer his question, he was smacked off the bed with a pillow by Trucy "ACK!"

"Sorry Polly but you can't stop in the middle of a pillow fight." She grinned triumphantly. "I win!"

He shook his head looking over at him. "Umm, I wouldn't really know. The only kid I know that's rich is Klavier and he wears ugly expensive clothes. I prefer my regular clothes."

"Klavi is our friend! And he says you don't have style Polly. I like his sunglasses. Daddy can I have a pair of sunglasses to match my jacket?"

"Of course you can."

Apollo rolled his eyes turning to look back at Phoenix. "You're going out? But you never go out besides work."

"Yes, I'm going out tonight with a friend."

Trucy made a slight face. "Why can't your friend come over here instead, like when Uncle Larry comes by?"

He wasn't surprised at their apprehension to him going out. According to Apollo, when he was eight and Trucy was three, their parents left them home with a babysitter to go to dinner and they never came back. The police couldn't locate or contact them so they went to the orphanage where they stayed for three years. They worried every time he left the house, which was a rational fear considering what happened to them.

"Who's going to cook dinner and take care of us?" Apollo protested.

"Maya is going to come over and don't worry, I know she can't cook. I'm gonna leave you some money for pizza. And I promise I'll be home when you guys wake up in the morning. You can text me using Maya's phone if you want to okay? And I'll call to check in to make sure Maya isn't letting you guys stay up too late."

"Yay pizza!" Trucy cheered.

Apollo smiled and nodded. "Okay. Are you going out with that guy that came by yesterday?"

Trucy smiled. "The man in the purple suit? It has ruffles like my dress!"

Phoenix laughed ruffling both of their hair. "Yes I'm going to hang out with him. His name is Miles Edgeworth."

"He seems a bit…stuffy." Apollo admitted.

"Well, yes he is. But he keeps me and Larry in line…err well me in line at least. We've been friends since we were nine."

"Then how come we haven't met him?"

"He's been out of the country." And he has no idea who you guys are.

Just when Trucy was about to bombard him with more questions, he heard the front door shut. "Yo, Nick!"

Trucy squealed and quickly ran out the room to meet Maya as Phoenix sighed in relief, grateful for the distraction while he went back to his closet. Apollo however, stayed in the room.

"So Mr. Edgeworth is just a friend?" Apollo asked.

"Yeah buddy, just a normal friend."

Apollo studied him for a minute. "Objection! You're lying. And I have the evidence to prove it. Every time you mention his name your eye twitches and you're fussing over what to wear. You've never done that with any of your other friends."

Damnit. This kid has been watching too many of my trials. He smiled. "Alright, so he's a special friend and I haven't seen him in awhile. So I want to make a good impression. He's always kind of picked on me for never being very mature. So I wanted to show him that I'm more mature than he might remember."

Apollo smiled walking over to the closet. "Then you'll want the blue slacks and the button down shirt. No hoodie."

"Thanks buddy."

Once he was dressed, he and Apollo came out to the living room to greet Maya.

"Daddy let me brush your hair!" Trucy smiled running over with her magician hat, pulling out a red hair brush.

He nodded at her sitting on the couch so she could climb up behind him.

"You actually look nice Nick. Apollo must have helped you." Maya grinned.

"Your words of encouragement are too much Maya."

"Between babysitting, all the helpful advice I give you and being your legal assistant, you should really start to pay me, Nick."

"With all the money you cost me weekly in food and other strange things; I couldn't afford to pay you even if I wanted to." He complained, giving Trucy a kiss on the cheek, and Apollo a kiss on the forehead, which he wiped away.

"Okay guys, you'll be in bed when I get back but I'll see you in the morning."


Miles rubbed his chin as he eyed his dining room table. He wanted it to feel personal, but not too personal. It had been a year since him and Phoenix last saw one another. Candles? No, that's probably too personal. He didn't want to make him nervous. It needed to be intimate, but casual. A nice tablecloth would probably good enough. Phoenix Wright was never a picky one.

The only thing left to do was to get dressed for the occasion. This was something he was never really good at.

Hmm, what exactly would be casual enough for this? Miles decided to lose the ruffle shirt for a more traditional button down white shirt that didn't grab much attention and a pair of black slacks. He looked over as Pesu, the gold/white Border collie laid lazily on the couch.

"Our old friend Phoenix is coming by to visit us tonight Pesu." He smiled petting the dog behind the ears. "Though I'm sure he'll be late, he always is."

Just as Miles predicted, the food got to his house before Phoenix did, so he took the liberty of getting the plates and a bottle of wine while he waited. Five minutes later a knock at his door.

"I'm so sorry, I'm late. It took me forever to get a taxi." Phoenix grinned sheepishly as he walked inside.

"Hmph, that's why you should invest in a license Wright." He mumbled, taking in the other man's appearance. Hmmm he actually looks really good tonight. Ugh, I haven't even had a drink yet and I'm already having such thoughts.

"Yeah I probably should now that I have ki… err...will be coming to see you more often and you live across town." Jeez Wright, try not to spill the beans as soon as you walk into the door. "But even if I could pass that test, I doubt I'd be able to afford a car anytime soon."

Miles smirked. "Still taking cases for free?"

"No! I just need more prominent clients like you and Mr. Powers who can afford to pay me." He laughed. "Smells like the food already got here." Phoenix took a moment to look around, not much had change since the last time he was in this house. Everything was quiet, neat and expensive looking. God I can just imagine Trucy's toys all over the place and Apollo breaking something wrestling with Clay. Edgeworth would lose his mind. Knock it off, don't go thinking that far ahead or you'll chicken out, again.

He smiled walking over to the dog petting her on the head. "Hey Pesu. I see you're just as lazy as ever."

"She's exhausted from trying to knock me over when I came home." Miles remarked, walking into the dining room.

"You look nice. It's been awhile since I've seen you without ruffles." Phoenix smirked.

"Yes well, I thought tonight would be a good time to dress down." He admitted, sitting down at the table.

"I'd ask you how your trip went, but since I spoke you to so much, I know everything you did."

Miles nodded picking up his fork. "And you know how I hate when things get repetitive. How long has Maya been back?"

"Six months and she hasn't been convicted of a murder yet. I think it's a personal record." Phoenix laughed.

He chuckled in return. "Yes, it seems like you two manage to get into trouble twice as fast when you're together. Did she come to help you on a case?"

"…..yes." Again, it wasn't a total lie. There was a case he was working on at the time, but it was probably the phone call at 3am telling her he was a father that prompted her to come from home so quickly.

Maybe if Miles hadn't been so nervous himself about the topic he wanted to bring up, he would have noticed how panicked Phoenix seemed answering that question. Enough small talk, just get it over with. It took you a year to work up the nerve for this, don't let seeing him take that all away.

"I need to tell you something." They said at the same time.

"You first." Phoenix quickly added.

Miles sighed pinching the bridge of his nose. "Alright. As you already know I'm not….particularly good with matters of the heart and I know it's been awhile since we've spoken about this. Mostly because I've spent months dodging the topic but I want to talk about it now. If that's alright with you?"

Phoenix nodded, staring at him intensely. Ngh. Don't stare at me like that Wright! I'm not about to confess to a crime. Well, let's hope not anyway.

"I-I there have been feelings I've been juggling with since we first met again. The trials were good distractions but those feelings never went away. No matter how much I tried to ignore them. I missed you, a lot in the years we were apart. You mention how much that class trial meant to you, but it meant a great deal to me as well. I never had friends who were...okay with me being the way I am. A 'stick in the mud' I think Larry always said. And because I had to move, I lost that and I've never been able to replace you with someone. I'm not really sure where this will go or how good I will be at it but…."

He tilted his head staring at him amusingly. "You're rambling, a lot. It's a little funny. Why don't you just cut right to it, Miles?"

Miles glared at him before letting out an exasperated sigh. "Sorry. I suppose I'm asking if you'd consider….being a constant companion of mine?"

It was hard for Phoenix not to grin with how disturbed and uncomfortable Miles looked. "Only you could put it like that. You're lucky I'm an expert at Edgeworth-isms by now. Was that so hard?"

"Extremely. So your response?" He asked, getting up from the table.

Phoenix had gotten up as well, moving closer to him. "I think you already know what it might be. I've kinda been chasing after you for over a year." He whispered, leaning in to kiss him softly. Miles returned the kiss before pulling away.

"Always just throwing yourself at me Wright. Have a little dignity." He smirked. "Wait, what was it you wanted to tell me?"

The other man blinked a bit. What the hell am I thinking? I'll just tell him now. Miles, I have kids. He looked up at Miles who was staring back at him, with the softest expression he'd probably ever see. "Miles, I have…..been really looking forward to you coming back." Way to chicken out Wright…