Be My Friend
Ch. 3

Disclaimer and notes: I own nothing, just had an idea of how character interactions could have gone in "Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright" and went with it.

The guest room only had a twin bed, so Phoenix let Maya have her privacy and took the living room couch for himself. Layton provided him with a pillow and a pair of blankets, and he fell asleep somewhere around 11:00 p.m. The two blankets were invaluable as he stripped to his skivvies to sleep, keeping him wrapped in a pocket of warmth for the whole night. He slept restlessly despite this, his hip digging into a bump on the couch that at one point, when he rolled over, turned out to be the television remote.

That is how Phoenix found himself awake at 6:30 a.m., television remote in hand and blankets wrapped around his hips, watching the news when Professor Layton came in. "Phoenix? Did I wake you?"

For the second time that night, Phoenix nearly jolted off the couch. "Wha-! No! Not at all, I accidentally turned the TV on- Layton come see this! It's been on the news all morning!"

Layton, already dressed and ready for the day, crossed his arms over the back of the couch and leaned over to watch. Phoenix obligingly turned up the volume for him.

Labyrinthia was under investigation. The police had gone to the scene even as Phoenix and company were being interrogated. Every officer that went in came out saying the citizens were glowingly happy and content to stay. Within an hour, those same officers would demand to go back and rescue the hostages. With new information from "recent escapees"- "That would undoubtedly be us that they are referring to," Layton mused- the next wave of officers went in with oxygen tanks and gas masks. Without the hypnotic effects of the gas upon them, the officers were able to give civilians a dosage of uncontaminated air. The townspeople would near-unanimously ask for asylum, and within five hours the entire village was completely overtaken by police.

The news showed the same reel of boats bringing villagers back from the island in groups of 5 to 8, some dressed in the robes of the Shades and others in plain medieval garb. All wrapped in blankets, all looking shell-shocked. Familiar faces, every one, from the Vigilantes to a small family with children hanging by their feet, Cecil and Petal cowering between their parents. According to the news announcer, the scientist behind the project, one Mr. Arthur Cantabella, was now wanted for police questioning on the heinous violation of human rights.

The news shifted to a local matter, and Phoenix and Layton simply sat in silence for a while, taking it all in.

"Think they'll be taken care of?" Phoenix asked, hands gripped tight to the remote.

Layton nodded. "They'll be in the finest care possible, I am sure of it."

Both men took a long, deep breath. Layton politely kept his gaze on the television. "I apologize, Phoenix, but in my haste to see the news I intruded upon your privacy. If you like, you may change in my bedroom."

He did need to get dressed, didn't he? Phoenix took a moment and just stretched, getting the kink out of his side from the remote control. "Oh, right, clothes. Sorry. I'll get dressed." Phoenix gave Layton a quick look-over and chuckled to himself. "Don't suppose you have a shirt I can borrow?" The question was more to get Layton to smile, which thankfully it did in a very small way. The man was a good head smaller than him without his hat. Phoenix would never make it into any of his clothes, even temporarily.

Layton met his eyes. "Indeed, I believe out first stop today shall be picking up your and Ms. Fey's clothes from your hotel."

"First stop? What's the second one?"

"Ah-ah-ah, that is a surprise." Layton tugged at the brim of his top hat. "One that, I assure you, does not involve heights."

Breakfast was full English from a diner that Layton and Luke didn't call a diner but a caff? Cafe? Maya inhaled hers and ate the half of Nick's that he was too full to finish and almost ate the half of Layton's that he left on his plate as he took a phone call and then finally fell back asleep in the car while Phoenix and Layton went into the hotel to retrieve their "lost" luggage. The hotel lobby television had the latest on Labyrinthia: thanks to the help of an anonymous contributor- Layton was smiling again- the police had found Cantabella's hideout and finally had him in police custody. His daughter and her legal guardian were taken into police custody and following a panic attack, Espella Cantabella was admitted to the hospital. Phoenix swallowed hard and almost left without his bags.

Back to the house to shower and change into clean clothes. Maya and Phoenix's civvies were not too unlike their courtwear; Maya put on a fresh kimono while Phoenix picked out a well-worn-to-softness blue suit, leaving his attorney's badge tucked into his luggage. Waiting for Maya to finish up her hair, Phoenix told stories about wire taps and coffee drinkers, lost loves and the sisters who loved them, and little Pearl who would just love Luke, he was sure of it. The little man was flustered all the way to the car.

It was a bit of a drive, mostly because of heavy traffic and bikers weaving in and out of bus lanes. Layton played with the radio until he found a news station. The victims of Labyrinthia were just now well enough to begin their testimony about their lives there. No running water, no electricity, communal ovens and inexperienced butchers selling questionable meat. No one ever remembered going to a proper doctor, leaving most of the mothers of young children completely unable to remember giving birth to them. Several victims told of their identities being completely overwritten. Singers became judges, artists became drunkards, students became knights...

With a look around the car, Layton turned the radio back to a music station and spent the rest of the drive in casual conversation, this time telling stories of giant monsters and hidden civilizations. Maya triggered an interesting discussion about whether her village counted as a hidden civilization, but alas, it ended before it could reach a satisfying conclusion. A short time afterwards had the car pulling up outside of a chilling sort of theme park. Not honestly chilling, no, a haunted house of quality sort of chilling. The kind of chilling carefully crafted with actors in suits and colored corn syrup, the kind that spoke more to tourists than terror. Maya stared in amazement out the window while Luke nearly leaped out of the car before it could park. "LONDON DUNGEON LONDON DUNGEON!"

"You brought us to a fake dungeon." Phoenix wasn't sure how to respond, but laughter was just winning out over disbelief and annoyance. "Weren't we just at one?"

Layton did not seem bothered in the slightest, helping Phoenix out of the car with a tug of his hand. "Luke has been wanting to come here for quite some time now."

"It's got the new Tyrant ride this year!" He cheered to Maya. "Brian Blessed is Henry VII, and Jack the Ripper's gonna try to chop us up and there's a haunted boat ride and you can take a photo in the dungeon-!"

"Nick this sounds like the ultimate haunted house!" Maya squealed. "We gotta go! Can we can we?"

"I'm not the one that drove the car, Maya!" Phoenix pointed out. "Ask Professor Layton!"

"Gather 'round, children." Layton waved Maya and Luke to his side and deposited a little wallet in each of their hands. "I'm going to be dropping the two of you off here while Mr. Wright and I attend to business elsewhere."

"Wait, Nick's not coming? NICK!" Maya stomped in a huff. "You weenie! You don't get to chicken out on us!"

Phoenix replied with a groan. "How can I chicken out of something I didn't know we were going to do? I don't see you giving Layton a hard time for not going!"

"YOU wanna try back-sassing him?!"

Layton half-laughed, half cleared his throat. "I do admit that I did not inform Mr. Wright of our destination. That being said, Mr. Wright, would you like to-"

"NO."

Luke stuffed his little wallet into his shirt pocket. "You'll be coming to pick us up later, then?"

"In about two and a half hours, yes. Spend your money wisely, now." Layton gave Luke the littlest of pats on the head. "Get good and scared for me."

Phoenix spoke simply. "Maya, don't spend all your money right off the bat, and for Pete's sake don't spend Luke's!"

"I'm hurt that you think so little of my budgeting skills, Nick," Maya fake-pouted. "I'm really good with money!"

"Just not my money."

"Exactly!"

"You little-"

"Come along, Phoenix!" Layton called for him, and Phoenix could have sworn that was the first time he'd ever heard the professor really raise his voice. "We can't hold up the children!"

Maya and Luke dove into line hand-in-hand, ready to be scared, and Layton linked an arm around Phoenix's elbow to walk him back to the car. It struck him dizzy for a split second, the casual intimacy of the gesture, and one thought lead to another one very quickly.

"So..." Phoenix chuckled to himself. "Where are we going on our 'business elsewhere'?"

Layton answered easily. "The London Aquarium."

A quiet couple of hours at the aquarium with a deep-voiced professor on his arm? This "business elsewhere" was shaping up to be quite the romantic little evening. Although, Phoenix thought to himself, he's probably just being a gentleman. So much of flirting and polite behavior overlapped, and the arm was probably just Layton being... European. Would it be rude to ask for clarification? Probably. Maybe an indirect question, then.

"Thanks for everything so far, Layton." Phoenix sat down in the front passenger seat for the first time since he got to London and goodness it felt good to have legroom. "Mind if I pay for lunch?"

Layton didn't look at him right away, busy shifting into gear and merging into traffic. "Would you mind too terribly if we ate at the aquarium? I have such fond memories..."

"Not at all!" Although eating at aquariums was usually a pricy affair... still, it proved that this wasn't a date, otherwise Layton would have insisted on paying. Phoenix backpedaled in his mind. Wait, but Layton had already payed for everything else. Did this mean he considered him enough of a friend to not insist on paying, making this a date?

Damn it, he was supposed to grow out of these thoughts once he turned 21, wasn't he? That's how 21 worked; legally allowed to drink, fully an adult, no more thinking like a rom com. He looked out the window to distract himself only to find the two of them in another traffic jam. Did London traffic ever move? Like, ever? And he thought Los Angeles was bad, this is why he didn't have a car.

A hand brushed against his, and Phoenix took it automatically without thinking about who it belonged to. "Oh! Layton, sorry, zoned out for a minute there."

Layton nodded understandingly. "Nothing too troubling, I hope?"

"Naah, just..." Don't be a rom com don't be a rom com, he chanted to himself. "I really like spending time with you. I'm glad we're gonna get to do something that's just the two of us."

Layton laughed a laugh that was mostly muffle and smirk, one that came from his chest and ended before it his his mouth. "Even if it starts and ends in horrible traffic."

Phoenix shook his head. "Whatever it is we wind up doing, if I'm doing it with you, I'm happy."

There, right there, spreading over his cheeks, was a blush. Layton concentrated very intently on driving after that, but Phoenix caught it and maybe he was blushing too, because Layton glanced his way from the side and went red all over again about halfway to the aquarium.

Maybe it was normal to think in rom com, even into your...

"Professor Layton, how old are you?"

Layton had to think about it, which Phoenix found a little odd. "35."

The 25-year-old Phoenix's mind boggled a little.

"Do I not look it?"

"Not at all! You might sound it, though. How did someone shorter than me get a voice as deep as yours?"

Layton went red all over again, and his smile stretched a little wider over his cheeks.

The aquarium didn't feel like a rom com, thank goodness. It did feel like the aquariums Phoenix went to as a kid. Instead of his mom and dad holding his hands, it was Layton standing close to his shoulder and challenging him to puzzles to find where the camouflaged fish were hiding. It was a slow crawl on the peoplemover through a glass tunnel in the shark tank. It was Phoenix daring Layton to pick up a shore crab, which he did without flinching, of course, and that made him very popular with all the small children very quickly. It was a quick lunch at the canteen, which made Phoenix laugh, because there must have been a Death Star canteen, yeah? Where the Stormtroopers could just chill and hang out and have penne a la arabiatta, which made Layton laugh hard enough to cover his mouth so he wouldn't lose the food in it. They both swapped stories and little facts they knew back and forth, and nothing ever got as intimate as it did in the car. Layton probably liked it that way, and Phoenix couldn't blame him at all.

By the time they were driving back to pick up Luke and Maya, Phoenix did a little mental math and found that it really didn't feel much like a date at all. It was the kind of day he could remember having with Doug or Larry when he was growing up, just him and his friends knocking shoulders and swapping jokes. But where he'd had a semester to get to know Doug and nearly a lifetime with Larry, he'd only had a few days of quality time with Layton.

He made an executive decision and decided he didn't really care either way. He knew how he felt towards the professor. He felt a lightness in his chest when they spoke and a warmth when they held hands, definitely, and he could admire the sheer cool factor the man had. But he didn't feel an overwhelming desire to kiss him, at least not yet, and that instant attraction wasn't there like it had been for Dahlia. Maybe that was just the adventure talking. Rescue romance and all that movie stuff.

Still, Layton must have felt a little of the same thing. Phoenix laid a hand over Layton's and squeezed, just for the sake of it. Layton's hand stiffened against the gearshift and the blush rushed back over his cheeks. Phoenix's heart fluttered. Yeah, at least a little.

Maya and Luke came back with stories and stories and stories and too many souvenirs, and by the time they made it back to Layton's home, it was raining very heavily, and there was a man standing outside. A man in a cravat.

"Edgeworth?!" Phoenix stepped around Layton to meet Edgeworth at the professor's front steps, covered as he was by a massive black umbrella. Layton fell in step behind him to keep his own umbrella over Phoenix's head, with Maya and Luke bringing up the rear. "How did you know where I was?"

"Deductive reasoning and sources at the police station." Edgeworth glowered out at him from under a shielding frame of bangs and eyebrows. "Your cell phone is off, I take it?"

"It is? Battery must have died, sorry."

"Indeed. I don't have much time to spare, I only have a question that needs an immediate answer. Arthur Cantabella has requested that you defend him once his case goes to the courts. Do you accept his case?"

Phoenix didn't think. The answer just came, even and final. "No."