Phoenix hasn't decided what to say to Edgeworth - it still feels overly familiar to call him Miles - now that he has his phone number or even if he wants to use it - that's a lie, of course he wants to - before they get swept up in another case. For three days, his life is consumed by poking around another crime scene and bluffing his heart out in court.

Phoenix, Maya, and Pearl are on their way out of the courthouse for their traditional post-trial celebration, when they run into Edgeworth, presumably on the way to get his unnecessarily fancy car from the garage. Phoenix's step falters, torn between hiding and trying to act casual, when Maya makes the decision for him.

"Mr. Edgeworth!" she shouts, waving and jumping up and down.

"Miss Fey," Edgeworth approaches and greets her cordially, but his gaze keeps flickering over to Phoenix.

Phoenix awkwardly rubs the back of his neck as he racks his brains for something half-way intelligent to say, internally lamenting that it wasn't this hard figuring out what to say in court.

Maya, of course, takes matters into her own hands. "You should join us for burgers, Nick's treat!"

At that, Phoenix has to protest, "Wait a minute, I'm sure Edgeworth has places to be and doesn't want to go anywhere near a greasy burger joint."

"Oh come on, Nick, who doesn't like burgers? And he's not so stuck up any more, right Edgey?"

"I have eaten a burger before, Wright," Edgeworth says pointedly, because this is apparently Phoenix's fault now.

Phoenix throws up his hands. "Fine, you can come with us if you want, but don't say I didn't warn you."

Apparently there's no pleasing Edgeworth, because that just causes his eyes to narrow even further. "If you don't want me to come…"

"Don't mind Nick, he's just grumpy because he doesn't have any taste," Maya says.

But Edgeworth's eyes don't leave Phoenix, waiting for an answer.

"No," Phoenix says finally, putting an awkward hand on Edgeworth's shoulder for good measure, "of course you can come, but it really is just a burger place."

"Yes, I have been informed," Edgeworth says drily.

Phoenix notices a little more trepidation as they arrive at the bus stop and Phoenix wonders if Edgeworth regrets joining them as a grungy, old city bus rolls up. He hesitates at the door, but he doesn't protest when Maya pushes him inside. With a little help from her and the exasperated driver, he buys all of their tickets before Phoenix even has the chance to get on.

Impossibly, Edgeworth looks even more out of place at the burger place, standing grimly in line at the counter in his wine red suit complete with ruffles, surrounded by brightly colored plastic and a complete lack of atmosphere.

"You don't have to," Phoenix insists when Edgeworth pulls out his wallet again. "It's the least I can do."

"Nonsense," Edgeworth says, and Phoenix doesn't even have the chance to get out his own wallet before it's all done and paid for.

"This is when you say 'Thank you', Nick," Maya says as they all step away from the counter to find a booth while they wait.

"Thank you, Wright," Edgeworth says quietly, with an ironic smile.

"See! Even Edgey's got it!"

"What are you thanking me for?" Phoenix sputters. To appease Maya, he adds, "Thanks, Edgeworth."

"Thank you, Mr. Edgeworth," Pearl says.

"You're welcome, Miss Fey," Edgeworth says.

They find a table just in time for the cashier to call out their order. Phoenix goes with Maya to get the food, and they return to find Edgeworth and Pearl sitting across from each other with perfectly straight posture on the bright, plastic-coated benches. Maya slides in next to Pearl with one tray and Phoenix sits next to Edgeworth, feeling like this couldn't get any more surreal.

Maya grabs the biggest burger, the smallest is a kid's burger for Pearl, and even Edgeworth got a hamburger at Maya's recommendation. Phoenix contents himself with a chicken sandwich.

Phoenix has barely had a chance to take a bite when Maya exclaims through a mouthful, "What are you doing?"

Phoenix follows her gaze and can't help but ask, "Edgeworth… are you eating a burger with a fork and knife?"

"Yes, what else would I do?"

"That's not how you eat a burger!" Maya protests, aghast.

"Mr. Edgeworth's way does seem neater," Pearl says, uncertainly eyeing her own burger that now has a nibble in the side.

Maya shakes her head. "It's unnatural. Like those robots the Nickel Samurai was fighting in the last episode. … I still can't believe the Nickel Samurai would hire an assassin to kill the Jammin' Ninja! At least there's still the second Pink Princess movie to look forward to."

Phoenix can't blame Maya for neglecting to mention her own abduction. "I can't believe they convinced Will Powers to play the Pink Princess again," he says instead, forgetting that he's outnumbered.

Edgeworth immediately says, "He brings a remarkable amount of depth to the role."

"See!" Maya exclaims like she's won. "I keep trying to get Nick to watch it, but he's boring and doesn't get it!"

"You can't expect someone like Wright to have refined tastes."

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" Phoenix demands. "This is still about that ridiculous samurai show, isn't it?"

"Mr. Nick, you should be more like Mr. Edgeworth and show more interest in the things Mystic Maya likes," Pearl says.

"You too, Pearl?" Phoenix's head falls into his hands.

"Pearl is right, you know." He can hear Maya's grin.

"I have a copy of the first Steel Samurai movie…" Edgeworth says haltingly. "You're all welcome to come over to watch it… If you want…"

"Yes!" Maya crows. "You're not getting out of it this time, Nick!"

Phoenix sighs. "Fine."

But for all of his grumbling, Phoenix is secretly grateful, especially when Edgeworth catches his eye with a pleased, bordering on smug, half smile.

Phoenix has never been in Edgeworth's apartment before, but it's about what he would have expected; ridiculously huge, richly decorated in burgundy and gold just like his office, and just as sparse with personal touches. Maya immediately slips off her shoes on the mat and pulls Pearl inside with her to explore before Phoenix has the chance to protest.

Phoenix is left to apologize to Edgeworth as he takes off his own shoes, "Sorry, though in my defense, I'm not sure what else you expected, inviting them in."

Edgeworth shrugs, lingering by the mat. He's hardly dressed for a movie night, but he looks a lot more casual without the wine-colored jacket or ruffles around his neck, even though he's still wearing a waistcoat on top of his dress shirt. Not that Phoenix is one to talk in his usual courtroom suit, and Phoenix almost laughs as he lets Edgworth take his royal blue jacket, so that they match again.

Haltingly, Edgeworth says, "I'm glad you could come… Phoenix."

Oh yeah, they're not in the courtroom any more, but Phoenix's reply still comes out clunky, "Sure, thanks for the invite, Miles."

By the time Phoenix gets the words out, Miles is already halfway across the room, motioning for Phoenix to follow after Maya and Pearl, and he hurries to catch up. Miles leads the way into a living room that's about the size of Phoenix's whole apartment. Maya has taken over the plush sofa, while Pearl is staring at the shelves that line the walls, weighed down by an admittedly impressive collection of books.

With some prodding from Phoenix, Maya reluctantly scoots aside to make space for all of them - even Miles joins them on the sofa, though Phoenix catches him briefly eyeing the chair next to it. Maya tears open the bag of popcorn they picked up on the way, and Miles starts the movie.

Phoenix tries to pay attention, he really does. Miles, Maya, and even Pearl seem captivated, but for some reason those samurai shows just don't hold Phoenix's interest like they did when he was a kid. It's nice though, squished between Miles and Pearl, comfortable in a familiar, friendly sort of way.

...

Phoenix drifts back into awareness to the sound of the Steel Samurai ending theme, his head heavy against something warm and soft, so he doesn't particularly want to move.

"Did Nick really fall asleep?" he hears Maya say, aghast, but not quite surprised. "But it's a classic!"

Edgeworth- no, Miles's low voice rumbles against Phoenix's ear and he can almost feel Miles's breath across his cheek. "He just has no taste."

Phoenix considers protesting, but then he would have to move, and Pearl beats him to it, "This is your chance, Mystic Maya! It's like sleeping beauty; you have to wake him with a kiss!"

"What?" Maya exclaims. "N-No way! Nick's hardly some sleeping beauty!"

Out of the corner of his eye, Phoenix sees something that looks suspiciously like a blush spreading across Miles's cheeks, and he feels his own face heating up too.

"I'm awake, I'm awake," he says, pushing himself reluctantly upright, off Miles's shoulder.

Miles avoids meeting his eyes and Pearl pouts.

"Sorry, Nick," Maya says, though she doesn't sound too sorry. "I may have called you my knight in shining blue armor once, and I guess it stuck."

"You have saved all of us at one time or another," Miles acknowledges, still looking away.

After that, they inevitably watch a few more favorite episodes of Steel Samurai and Pink Princess, with Maya and Miles eagerly filling Phoenix and Pearl in on the necessary background. Phoenix tries to keep up and at least Pearl seems appropriately entranced. At the end of the evening, Phoenix finds himself reluctant to leave, even with Pearl and Maya yawning on either side of him as Miles sees them out.

"Are you sure you're okay taking the bus at this hour?" Miles asks skeptically. "I can drive you…"

"We'll be fine," Phoenix insists, caught somewhere between bemusement and amusement. "We were out later investigating for the last trial."

"I accept no liability if anything happens to you."

"I'll text you when we get home," Phoenix reassures him.

Phoenix is mostly joking, but Miles seems to genuinely appreciate it, and there's a warmth to his expression as he sees them off that makes Phoenix's heart soar.

Before they even get all the way down to the street, Maya nudges Phoenix in the side, apparently not so tired after all. "So… you and Mr. Edgeworth, huh?"

"W-what about Mi- Edgeworth and I?" Phoenix sputters back, trying to sound indifferent and completely failing.

"You can't fool me! When are you going to make a move? Ask him out?"

"E-Excuse me!"

"Come on, Nick!" Maya ticks the evidence off on her fingers. "For one, you don't think I didn't hear that you almost just called him Miles! Also, you fell asleep on his shoulder for like the whole movie and neither of you complained, you both just blushed like schoolgirls. And you should have seen the way you were looking at each other while you were leaving! I'm disappointed you didn't kiss him right there!"

"We're taking things slow," Phoenix protests. "It's not like we've been in touch much over the past 15 years."

"Oh come on!" Maya cuts the exclamation short as her eyes widen with dawning realization. "Taking what slow? … Does that mean what I think it means?"

Phoenix can only stammer in response and no coherent words materialize.

Maya slaps him on the shoulder hard enough to sting. "Good for you, Nick! How long have you been together? Why did you tell me sooner? I have to hear all the deets!"

Phoenix resists the urge to roll his eyes. "I don't even know if we're together exactly… He just dropped by after the Mat Engarde trial…"

"Nick, you sly dog! While Peal and I were sleeping in the other room, no less!"

"We didn't do anything! He just kissed me and then fled. I don't know what he thought-"

Phoenix is interrupted by a sharp, painful punch in his side. "How could you do that to Mystic Maya?" Pearl cries, and refuses to take another step toward the bus stop.

"Wait, Pearls…" Phoenix tries, but he's way out of his depth.

Maya kneels down in front of her cousin and takes one of her little hands. "Pearly, it's okay, Nick and I really aren't like that. He's like a brother to me, like Mia, or you. I'm just happy that Nick and Mr. Edgeworth have finally stopped dancing around each other like idiots."

Pearl's fist stays clenched at her side. "B-but! Mr. Nick is your prince charming in shining armor! He would do anything for you! I-if he leaves, w-what will we do?" She's on the verge of tears.

Phoenix kneels down in front of her, next to Maya, and cautiously takes her other hand. "I'm not going anywhere, Pearls, I promise, no matter what happens with Miles. It's like Maya said, you're both like family to me."

Pearl gives a hiccoughing sob, but lets Phoenix and Maya lead her to the bus stop so they can finally go home.