This cute little drabble is set just after T&T.
Edgeworth should have known this was a bad idea. All he had wanted to do was buy his groceries for the week, but somehow Phoenix had managed to convince him to take him along since he also needed to do some shopping. Apparently, this also meant both Maya and Pearl had to come too ('how could I leave the two of them of their own? Plus, they love shopping with me' had been Phoenix's rather flimsy excuse). So, the four of them crammed into Edgeworth's car and headed towards the store.
"An adventure with all four of us, how exciting!" Pearl giggled.
"We're only going to the store, Pearly" Maya pointed out, nudging her shoulder against her cousin's.
"But still, it's going to be fun" Pearl beamed and Maya couldn't help but laugh at her excitement. Even Edgeworth couldn't stop the smile that spread across his lips at the 8 year old's happiness at something as simple as going grocery shopping.
"See, I told you it wouldn't be that bad" Phoenix whispered over to Edgeworth when he noticed him smiling. After a few minutes of driving in circles around the car park, Edgeworth finally found a space (thanks to Maya's keen eyes) and the four of them entered the store. Everything seemed to be going perfectly fine as Edgeworth picked up a basket and they began making their way through the aisles... until they reached the candy aisle. Naturally, Pearl was the first to run over and stare longingly at rows of candy bars and sweets. Edgeworth turned to see Maya running after her and assumed she was going to make sure her cousin wasn't going to get lost on her own. So, he turned back and resumed his shopping. Only when he went to ask Phoenix something nearly 10 minutes later did he notice that none of the people he had arrived with appeared to be anywhere in sight.
"Wright? Maya? Pearl? Anyone?" Edgeworth called out, looking up and down the aisle but no reply came from them. Frowning, he began searching the store. He had walked around almost the entire place before he finally found them.
"There you are. Why did you all dis- what are you all looking at?" Edgeworth tilted his head in confusion. His eyes slowly followed Phoenix's eye line and came to rest on one of the biggest candy bars he had ever seen. This was when he realised he had found the three of them in the candy aisle.
"Can we buy it?" Pearls asked wistfully.
"Yeah, we promise to share it," Maya said a little louder.
"Please Edgeworth" Phoenix pouted and Edgeworth had to do a double take. He flicked his head towards them to see they were no longer looking at the candy bar but rather at him. He spluttered slightly at their longing expressions, having absolutely no idea what to say. He took a deep breath and gave all three of them his best 'Demon Prosecutor' glare. He managed to last roughly 15 seconds before Pearl smiled brightly at him and he immediately caved in.
"Fine, I'll buy it for you" Edgeworth sighed, rolling his eyes.
"Yay!" Maya and Pearl squealed together. It took both him and Phoenix to carry it and once they finally made it to the tills, the cashier watched Maya and Pearl giggle with a frown on her face.
"I'll be paying," Edgeworth said.
"Of course you will, " she said slightly distastefully, looking him up and down. Edgeworth paid no attention to her, paid for the candy bar, and managed to get it into the back of his car without too much difficulty.
"Thank you, Mr Edgeworth!" Pearl beamed and hugged him. Edgeworth froze in place, unsure of what to do. Eventually, he tentatively wrapped an arm around her small frame and lightly returned the embrace. Pearl offered him one final smile before climbing into the back of the car. Edgeworth shook his head, a soft smile forming on his lips as he too slipped into the car. For most of the way back, Maya and Pearl chatted happily to each other but Phoenix and Edgeworth remained quiet. Then, just as Edgeworth was parking outside Phoenix's apartment block, Phoenix turned to his friend.
"They've been wanting it for weeks but I just couldn't afford it" Phoenix admitted quietly.
"So that's why you wanted to come shopping with me?" Edgeworth replied in an equally quiet voice.
"Sorry" Phoenix sighed, looking away slightly ashamed.
"Don't worry about it" Edgeworth smiled and Phoenix stared at him in shock for a moment before returning the smile.
"Thank you" Phoenix whispered as he opened the car door and got out. The three of them waved Edgeworth goodbye as they stood outside Phoenix's apartment building, Phoenix and Maya holding onto the giant candy bar. Edgeworth had never considered himself the type of person who would deal well with having a family. But as he looked back at his friends as he drove away and saw their smiling faces, he decided that assumption may not have been entirely true.