Epilogue

~o~

A bevy of celebrations followed what became known in the media as the Kracked-Karma trial. (A name that was chosen in extremely poor taste, but there was no accounting for tabloid sensationalism.)

First, for Phoenix's exoneration.

Second, when his death certificate was finally revoked.

Third, when he was officially reinstated to California Bar.

Fourth, when Miles and Phoenix came out as an 'official' couple, to absolutely no one's surprise. It wouldn't have actually warranted a party, if Larry hadn't insisted. Truth be told, they wouldn't have 'come out' at all if Miles had anything to do with it.

As things began to settle, Miles' fear that Phoenix would become emotionally codependent upon him dimmed. If anything, the chief prosecutor was the one who needed emotional reassurance every time Phoenix flew out to Germany to aid the police with their criminal investigation. And when he went to visit and check on Niko at the posh asylum she was situated in. And when he decided to make peace with Friedrich von Karma, as the pair came to an uneasy understanding. And when Phoenix randomly turned up with a random law student he found in Germany on one trip and declared her his new protégée.

Meanwhile, while he wasn't exactly working as a prosecutor, Phoenix was prosecutor-adjacent. Not needing to work for money thanks to the substantial settlements that came from the von Karma family, Phoenix seemed to settle on the role of 'consultant', drifting in and out of Miles' workplace to take on whatever case took his fancy. Sometimes on the side of the defendant.

Miles gave up on trying to pin the man down. Phoenix Wright was simply going to do what he wanted to do. Besides, he supposed that it was just as well that Phoenix wasn't actually his subordinate in reality.

In the bedroom... well. Ahem.

What really took the cake took place nearly a year later. When Phoenix marched him to some mysterious location in town, and then surprised him with a brand new sign etched over a glass doorway.

WRIGHT ANYTHING AGENCY

Miles gaped at it in horror. "Wha-" he floundered, trying to find the words. "Wright! What the hell is this?!" he demanded, rounding on his lover. "You have a law office now?!"

Cheerfully, Phoenix held up a finger, "Noooot really a law office. Kind of a law office." At Miles' look he amended, "Okay fine, it's a law office. But I can handle it this time, don't worry! C'mon, take a look." The prosecutor was unwillingly shuffled into the space, where he found Phoenix's newest associate, Athena Cykes, hard at work unpacking.

"Hiya boss! Good morning Mr. Edgeworth!" the young redhaired lady declared, immediately making herself scarce.

Miles stood in the empty space, unhappily taking in the vastness of it. He didn't even want to think about how much of Wright's settlement money this took to set up. "It's going to be criminal law, then?" he asked dryly, not at all liking the idea of all the conflicts of interest that were now going to arise at his office.

Wright at least had the grace to look abashed. "Well... it is my specialty," he replied sheepishly. At Miles' glare, he took his hands, giving him a nearly pleading look. "Oh c'mon, Miles. You see the way that the Law is now. It's totally stilted now. Ever since you've taken over, prosecution's become sexy again." Miles snorted at the utterly transparent flattery. "The other side needs a boost. You know I'm the right man for the job."

Miles looked Phoenix over. His dear, sweet, insufferable, infuriating Phoenix Wright. The only man who had ever been any kind of match for him. The man who had weathered the trial of a lifetime and managed to come through relatively unscathed. The lawyer who had found his own two feet again and was striding towards a future that, while he might not enthusiastically agree with, he would always give his respect and support.

Eventually, Miles released a sigh. "It looks nice," he said, knowing the meaningless platitude would mean the world to the other man. Phoenix gave a cheer, happily taking Miles' hand to drag him hither and tither to show off all the little details he was proud of. Now that he had a moment to mull the details over, this new shift in reality, Miles supposed that he could see Wright's point. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but he had the sensation for quite some time now that something was fundamentally wrong with the state of the Law.

Did Phoenix somehow sense that too subconsciously? Was that what spurred this move?

His footsteps slowed, his stationary form tugging Phoenix's attention back to him. "Wright," he spoke, using the name that indicated he was all business. Wright responded in kind, his expression turning serious as he turned his full attention to his lover. "...We need to talk about Simon Blackquill."