A Quiet Night

April 21st

Phoenix Wright's Apartment

It's a quiet night. The day has been slow burning and rather uneventful, lackadaisical at best. The weather wasn't interesting, it was timid enough for just about anything. No dogs have been barking, no sirens have been blaring, and going into this quiet night, things have been very relaxed all around.

Which suits Phoenix Wright just fine.

He's intentionally tried to keep things this way the last few weeks. His last trial took a toll on him, emotionally and even physically. It was the first time he ever questioned what being a defense attorney really means to him, and whether or not it's something he should even keep doing. Sure, it always seemed like he was doing right by others. He always felt that way even during the hardest cases. Then Matt Engarde changed that. Matt Engarde put him to the ultimate test.

He would never admit it out loud to anyone, but he took a lot of pride in his shortly lived undefeated streak. Every single one of his clients were acquitted up until that fateful trial. Larry Butz, Max Galactica, Maggey Byrde, even his lifelong friend and former rival Miles Edgeworth. They were all cases that meant the world to him. However, looking back, he realizes which cases meant the most to him. The two cases where he desperately and firmly believed that his defendant was truly innocent.

The cases surrounding the fate of Maya Fey.

Twice she took the stand being falsely accused of murder. And both times Phoenix knew more than anything she couldn't have possibly done such heinous things. Those trials ended in celebration, though. Like he was known to do, he found the contradictions and fought for the truth until there was no doubt left in anyone's minds. Maya Fey was free, and she was allowed to live happily as Phoenix's friend and assistant.

Sadly… It hasn't been so easy to do that following the Engarde trial. While she wasn't the one to stand trial, she was still forced into being a prisoner by the wicked Shelly De Killer. Starved and locked away, she was used as a hostage to ensure Engarde's acquittal. And even though her friend was able to fight for the best possible outcome to that treacherous case, it still came at a heavy cost.

So yeah, a quiet night after all that is just fine for Phoenix. And it's just right for Maya. Especially when the only thing to be heard is a certain magical ice princess singing her favorite song.

"Let it snow. Let it snow!" she sings as she circles around her icy castle in the middle of a magical winter tundra. She certainly is beautiful, and her voice is absolutely astonishing to hear. However, after seeing the same scene about six times in the last four days, it's snowflakey splendor has lost some of its magic. At least for Phoenix and Maya.

They'll watch it six more times if they have to though, because Eliza the Ice Princess just so happens to be the new favorite princess movie of their beloved child friend Pearl. And in the last few days that she has stayed with Phoenix and Maya, all she's wanted to do is escape into the world of the magical ice princess. On this quiet night, however; she just got so darn sleepy halfway through the movie. She couldn't help but fall asleep right on the arm of Mr. Nick.

He waited this whole song to make sure she's really asleep though. He didn't want to risk waking her and keeping her from a perfect night's dreams full of fairy tale princess wonder. Only after the song is over does he turn to her, checking to see that she's sound asleep. Like an angel, she rests peacefully against him. It brings a smile to his face to see her so peaceful, so safe and sound with him and Maya.

Then he faces her, the other most important person in his life. She doesn't notice him at first, but it doesn't stop him from watching her for a few seconds. In this short window of time, he studies her face, seeing every tell tale it has to offer with the blue light of a television screen flashing against her. In a crazy way, the bored expression it offers is cause for relief. It shows him that she too is safe and sound tonight. The worst thing she has to worry about being the idea of watching this movie any more than she already has. That's the first thing he notices, anyway.

The second thing, just as she realizes she's being watched, is just how beautiful she really is. It's a comforting feeling to remember this at first, but when her grey eyes meet his, he feels his heart almost skip a beat. She seems surprised too when their gazes match, like he just captured her in her most vulnerable moment. They stare just a second longer though, these strange emotions whelming them.

Then, they start to laugh. Not a lot, not loudly, but just a little. Just enough to remind each other what kind of special friendship they share.

It gets quiet again as they look away from one another, their cheeks warmer than before. Maya looks to the side, and so does Phoenix until he remembers the nine year old girl snoozing on his arm. That same smile from before returns to him as he very carefully begins to unbury his arm from under her. "She's out," he simply says, his smile on the verge of another small laugh.

Maya then looks to her too, and her own lips grin with the same comforted spirit. "Yeah. She must've been tired."

It's all she really knows to say. There wasn't much else going on tonight, after all. It's all she needs to say though, and it's enough to make Phoenix happy as he starts to cradle his arms around her little cousin. "I'll go put her to bed real quick," he tells her, making sure to add the real quick so she knows he'll be back.

He didn't expect anything in return, but he's quite satisfied with the smug side smile she offers him in response. "What, you don't want to miss the rest of Eliza?"

He just chuckles. "I've only seen it six times."

With that, Maya watches as he leaves the room to take Pearl to her bed. It's only until they are out of sight that she's able to sigh, as if to linger with the silence that has overcome the room. She closes her eyes for a moment to relax with it, to enjoy the peaceful nature of Nick's dimly lit apartment. Yes, she could have gone home tonight. She could have gone home the last few nights. But something about being here these past few days with him has made things easier. It's made things feel safe.

It's gotten better since the horrible experience she had with De Killer. While the first few days after the trial weren't so easy, time has helped heal some of her wounds. It's also helped that she's had so much love and support from her friends she's made over the last two years. Maggey has been nice enough to check in a few times, and so has Regina Berry. Moe the Clown and Max Galactica even dropped by to give her flowers one day. Granted, Max had to be a show off and make them appear from thin air… and Moe's squirted water on her.

Detective Gumshoe has checked in more than once and hasn't been shy about sharing food, and even Mr. Edgeworth has been sure to check up on her, even if it's just by asking about her when he talks to Nick on the phone. Yeah, she's had it pretty good, and it's all pretty much thanks to Nick. It's a thought that brings relief to her mind… and warmth to her heart.

It isn't long before he returns to the living room, a tired yet glad aura to him as he slowly makes his way to rejoin her on the couch. "She's getting heavy," he jokes regarding Pearl, which earns a little laugh from Maya.

"She's a growing girl," she simply responds. "She has to eat, you know?"

"Must be a Kurain thing," Nick teases, and Maya just playfully swats at him as he brings himself to the far right set of the sofa, a comfortable space separating them.

A different kind of silence follows. Yes, it's still a calming silence, but there's something almost tangibly tense staticking the air. When Pearl was here, they didn't feel it. When the movie was on, they couldn't notice. But now that it's just the two of them alone here on this couch… it's impossible to ignore.

Phoenix Wright is no stranger to a cold sweat. While he doesn't feel like grabbing a towel as if he's in the courtroom at this moment, he still feels his brow getting a little moist and his throat getting a little tight. He isn't even able to look towards Maya like he used to be able to. Heck, she used to just be Mia's kid sister.

So much has changed since their first time meeting, though. Since then, Maya has proven herself to not only be an incredibly valuable ally, but to be a strong woman in her own right. She's endured so much, and she's always come out stronger than before. It always amazes Phoenix to experience this alongside her, but after the Engarde trail, it's almost too humbling.

And Maya has noticed something different about him. He jokes around more. He's tried watching her shows and eating at her favorite restaurants. Heck, she even convinced him to stop cleaning so much and relax more. It's not just those things that have made her feel welcome though. It's how he looks after Pearl, how he looks after her. Not like a sidekick, not like Mia's little sister; but like a partner. A friend.

Finally he's able to look at her, but only once he feels her eyes watching him. He freezes at first, almost like he's in the movie with Eliza. But once he sees her inviting smile, he doesn't feel so tense. In fact, the freezing feelings melt away for a comforting warmth.

"She really loves you, you know?" Maya tells him, catching him slightly off guard. It takes a moment for his mind to register what she means by that, but once it does, he thinks about his own feelings towards little Pearls.

There's a thousand things he could say about her. About how she means everything to him. About how he cares for her like his own family. Instead, he just returns Maya's smile with one of his own. "Well, I'd hope so. Because I really love her too."

She doesn't respond with words. Really, she just doesn't know what else to say. She already knew he felt that way, and he already knows Pearl looks up to him too. Really, she just wanted to say it to make it all the more real. To let it out from somewhere hidden. It's a good feeling to say something so deeply personal, and it makes her heart flutter. Even more to think that Nick must feel the same way with how quiet he gets too.

It's not like before where the quietness is intimidating. No, it's more like a calm before the storm, like they were able to break through ice to find somewhere sunny. There's so many places they can go from here; some big, some small. It doesn't matter much to Maya though. She's just happy to be here with her friend.

Of course Phoenix feels the same way. Heck, if they said nothing for the rest of the night to each other, that wouldn't even be bad. However, he doesn't want to end things so soon. Things are good, yeah. But they can be even better. So rather than subverting back to silence, he decides to open a door for new conversation. Really, he just wants to keep her company.

"Oh, so I saw this thing online for a wrestling show coming to town. It looked like it would be right up your alley," he remembers. Maybe it was Gumshoe who brought it up. He can't even remember where. It doesn't matter much either way, what really matters is the way Maya lights up hearing that.

"Oh? Like big time rasslin'?"

"Yeah! These dudes look Will Powers' size!" Phoenix answers with matching enthusiasm, and Maya just smirks her signature smirk.

"Well, I do love big men in spandex."

He just laughs. "It would give us something to do, at least. And it would be a nice change of pace from ice princess musicals."

Maya scoots a little closer to give him a breath of her smugness. "I think you secretly like them. You wish you were an ice princess too, don't you Nick?"

In a way, her getting closer makes him nervous. In another… it's nice. "The secret is out, I guess."

She backs off just a little bit, ebbing on her playfulness in favor of matching the sincerity of his eyes. In them, she sees something she can truly trust. She can see that this man really cares for her, and that he just wants her to be happy. There aren't many people she can think of who have met her with such affection, and that makes her appreciate him that much more. So much that it almost hurts.

That's when she feels something a little scary blossom in her chest. Almost like the unspoken thing she said about Pearl, she wants to free something else from deep down inside. Her face tells Phoenix long before her words do, but before he can ask about it, she speaks up in a quiet, timid voice. "Can- Can I tell you something, Nick?"

He isn't sure what she'll say. Maybe it's good, surely it's good. Even so, he can't help but feel his chest tighten a little. "Sure. What is it?"

She almost has enough time to second guess herself, but she bravely nips that in the bud fast enough to just say what she wants to say. "Well… I just wanted to say thank you."

While he wasn't sure what to really expect, he certainly didn't anticipate those words. They don't bother him, no. They just make him curious. Curious in a way he doesn't often feel. "For what?"

With just a little trepidation, Maya continues. "You know… for everything."

For only a moment, there's a pause between them. A small window for them to breathe in this new feeling coming over them. Again, Maya almost steps back. She almost gives in to fear. But she doesn't. Just like Nick does in his court cases, she puts faith in herself, and she lets him know everything she has inside.

"I know I haven't been the best company these last few weeks. It's been hard for me. But you've been really great about being patient with me and giving me space. And I know Pearl really appreciates you, too."

While she didn't say a lot, she feels an enormous weight freeing from her shoulders as those words leave her lips. She still isn't able to look Nick directly into his eyes at first, but there's this inviting energy to him that pulls her back like a magnet. And in a way that is not at all surprising but somehow still exciting, he smiles at what she said.

"It's no problem, Maya. You know I would do anything for her. And the same goes for you."

His words are simple. At the same time, he feels so much power behind them. Like it's just the perfect thing she needed to hear. Judging from the warm smile she offers in return, maybe it was.

"You're a really special guy, Nick. I hope you know that," she says, the compassion strong in her eyes.

Once again, quiet falls over the apartment. This time, they don't turn away. They keep looking into each other's gaze, sharing this powerful synergy between them. If their friendship had any obstacles to overcome, they've hurdled over them with perfect 10s. Any shakes or shivers they had have gone away, exchanged for the stillness of silent tranquility.

They just keep staring at each other for a little while, their smiles brightening as their cheeks pinken. In Maya's eyes, Phoenix sees a familiar mirth, an almost childlike wonder that he's come to know and love. And in Nick's eyes, Maya finds a trustworthy, heroic soul. Someone to keep watching over her and being there every step of the way. Yes, their friendship is certainly stronger than ever.

Nothing can last forever though, and such is the case for this emotionally charged mutual gaze. It's Maya who breaks away first, only because a powerful yawn suddenly comes to her. "UWAAAAAAH! Shoot!" she chuckles after letting it belly out.

Phoenix just laughs. "Jeez. You gonna make it?"

"Maybe not," Maya jokes back. As much as she'd enjoy keeping Phoenix company all night, her body simply won't allow it. The sixth viewing of Eliza was easily the most tiring. "I think I'm gonna go to bed, actually. Eliza really wears you out with all that singing."

It was bound to happen sooner than later, so Phoenix tries not to grow too sullen about it. Heck, he should probably get some shut-eye himself. "Don't worry, I'm sure Pearl will want to watch it again tomorrow," he simply says, expecting her to just say good night and head off to sleep.

However, there's a pause from her. She isn't so quick to get up and leave. Instead, she looks to him once again, still smiling, but with a more serene tone to her. He isn't so sure what to make of this new demeanor, but he does welcome it. It makes him feel… nice.

Then, she leans closer. It's so sudden, it makes his heart jolt and his eyes widen. She closes her eyes, and ever so carefully, she brings her lips to his cheek. They only stay there for a second or so, but it burns so much more slowly for Phoenix as she leans back to look to him again, her hand lingering on his face.

She doesn't get excited. No, she just smiles that same quiet smile, her glossy eyes unfaltering in meeting his. "Good night, Nick."

Frozen, he's only able to wear the surprise on his sleeve. It isn't until she's already standing up to leave the couch that he's able to snap out of this trance of his. He watches her slowly step her feet over the carpet into the hallway, but she doesn't just leave him. No, she stops one more time, looking back with that wonderful smile she's adorned on this quiet evening.

He isn't sure what this means, what the kiss was for or what she was trying to say with it. All he knows for sure is that he loves the way she smiles right now, and if she ever wanted to kiss him again… that wouldn't be so bad.

Finally, he's able to speak, and he simply tells her with a smile of his own, "Good night, Maya."

With that, she turns to walk away. She'll go to her room to catch a good night's sleep, free from all the troubles and fears that have plagued her mind these last few weeks. Pearl will do the same, dreams of princesses and fairy tales warming her heart through the resting night. As for Phoenix? Well, he may not be able to fall asleep so easily now with new feelings to consider. His mind is always racing, and this just gives him more to think about with the passing time.

As he looks to his window for a view of the outside world though, the calming darkness greeting him with a horizon of shining stars, he's able to reach one conclusion with absolute certainty. He's come to love quiet nights like these.

THE END

Hey everyone. Thanks so much for reading this! I know it wasn't much, but I wanted to do something to get back into writing, and I'm super into Ace Attorney and some of its ships lately. Mainly this one lol.

I hope to try and churn out some more stories for the fandom, but either way, I thank you all for checking this out. Much love :)