An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Fandom: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Rating: Mature (Maybe too mild for an M rating but ???)
Relationships: Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard
Length: 1,601
Summary:
Soulmate AU — It is impossible to lie to your soulmate.
Neil Josten has survived his whole life giving lies. Andrew Minyard survives by blunt truth.
A/N: Here is my gift for Darya @ashrelfury for the @aftgexchange. This isn’t very wintry but this is my first time writing a soulmate au, so it ended up becoming more of an exploration of the soulmate aspect. I hope you enjoy.
Title: The eight gates
Genre: Friendship & Romance
Pairing: Gai. M & Kakashi. H
Summary: Might Gai has used the gates through the thickest battles and not without hard work has he acquired such a technique, but the gates reflect more than his impressive work ethic, they reflect his life. Moments.
Words: 3,782
A/N: This is for mitarashi8 since I said I would write some Kakagai (and was in need of it myself) but quite frankly I didn’t think I’d spend this much time nor was it ever supposed to be this long... Here is the cute art they did for the trade!
It’s also on AO3 and FF.net
One: The Gate of Opening
All of Gai’s admiration and awe centred on the tallest, the strongest, and the kindest man: his father. Even with all the remarks and sneers behind his father’s back, he did not think less of his father – if anything, his disgust was aimed at the people behind the sneers. Gai would have loved to show those horrid locals how utterly wrong they were. Might Dai was not just some middle-aged Genin. Sure, only an hour ago Gai had been biting his lip that he would have to remain a Genin for the rest of his days and the Chunin exams would prove Gai was not as worthy as the rest of his peers…
No, what Gai wanted to prove was how much more his father was than some rank. Might Dai had a forbidden technique reserved to protect the village. If he could, Gai would drag them to the secretive hushes of the Konoha forests, where his father stood hands on hips with a grin at explaining a technique. A forbidden technique. Just from hearing the explanation of such a forbidden technique, Gai could feel himself becoming stronger. He could envision the strength it would bring.
Dai placed his hand on his son’s shoulder, channelling his expectations through him but not too much to burden those young shoulders. “I know you will be able to unlock the gates.” Gai gave a firm nod and watched his father move away from him and brought the forbidden technique to life. Watching in awe of promise, his father clench his hands and within ten minutes of watching his father scream with pain and relief. Might Dai was glowing green.
“Okay, Gai, my boy, it is your turn to focus.” Dai kept the green sweat escaping his body not daring to close the gates lest he collapsed in front of his son. “Remember the first gate is located in the brain.”
Before Gai could swallow himself in training, thoughts of the Chunin exams no longer consumed him to submission to trepidation. Instead Gai felt he would become stronger for once he honed the eight gates he would be able to face that Hatake boy with confidence that he had grown.
--
Two: The Gate of Healing
One week had passed since Gai had seen his rival. The first few days Gai had been training his new founded style of taijutsu: one that was akin to his father’s yet exceptionally different. Beating and surpassing the quota brought a high that numbed the blooded pale hands and an urge to spar against something more real than old bark. His newly appointed rival, Kakashi Hatake, could not pass an offer.
From that thought alone the young boy spent the week forcing locks to shatter and break on the entries to the Hatake household. Normally, Gai had no trouble sneaking in through an open window in the hot summer or a broken latch in the winter but double layering of locks and a coating of ninjutsu wordlessly screamed at him to leave. Stubborn as he was with his training Gai could only use brute force – unfortunately fingers were the only thing broken.
It had been Ebisu’s whispers of Konoha’s White Fang that had halted Gai’s feet from entering the Hatake grounds. Staring at the house he had so often barged in to surprise and challenge his rival, Gai could not take another step not solely from Ebisu’s sympathy but from his father’s words of respect.
“Kakashi!” Gai bellowed his small lungs to the house, both hoping his rival was not lost inside the house that was too large for one boy but also that he was there to hear him. Gai slapped his arms to his sides letting the sound resound for a second before bowing to the house. Nothing was said from the young boy replacing loud words with the deep bow. Time had lengthened as Gai faced the floor filling his sight with the gravel but his ears for the house. Just before he shifted to stand up straight his muscles pricked sensing movement inside the house. It took one second of hope for hastiness to sweep over him, dashing to the front door and locating the techniques his father had taught him.
Dai, his own father, had reprimanded him into using the eight gates in times of protection and need. Of course he had respected Kakashi’s space with thanks to Ebisu – space he kept despite the initial chance of clinging to the boy in a one-sided rivalry.
Compared to the fool-hearted thoughtless dash to the locks, the plan that followed would be a calm one. Coming face to face with Kakashi would be met in silence at first from shock and awe at Gai’s demolition of Jonin traps but it would dissipate when Gai would stand in front of the boy holding a book (whether he had been reading it was Kakashi’s knowledge) as if he had not trapped himself in his own home. Then Gai would pay his respects.
But that was the last thing Kakashi had wanted.
Yet, he needed.
--
Three: The Gate of Life
“Gai, I’m fine.” Kakashi forcing his voice to sound light. “Get out.”
Puberty favoured Gai’s religiousness to training enriching a stature that could easily block the entrance way – in just a few years muscle would add to build. Standing bold in front of his friend he did not deter under the eye Kakashi had been glaring at since Gai had obstructed his rival’s path. “Not until you go to bed.” Gai puffed his chest, expanding his size to what he could hope for in the future.
Kakashi mixed a sigh with a groan at his uninvited guest. "I rested at the hospital," Kakashi said trying to push reason onto the adamant look before him, yet the black eyes boring into him did not (would not) concede to the calls of being fine. The past spoke louder than the tired words of Kakashi. Once before Gai had moved from the door and had told his rival to be careful, bidding him a safe night only to find him lying on the red tiles of the bathroom, unchecked and a stitched wound pulled in irritation. Once had been enough.
"You just came back from a tough mission and I would not be surprised if you were to be called out again. You need to rest, rival." Gai said, taking a step forward. Unable to coax a response from his masked rival Gai grew a smile on his lips and added in a half-hearted whine that it would be unfair to challenge a tired Kakashi. From the mention of another challenge thrusted as another contract unsigned for (then again when had he signed for a Might Gai to be at his every turn), Kakashi slumped his shoulders. Maybe, the challenges had fitted into their lives a few years back when the two fought in the chunin exams just as the developing children they were but with their adolescence peaking the challenges felt misplaced. Then again, Gai’s persistence stuck a warmth bubbling in Kakashi’s stomach.
Hormones…
“I’m not leaving.” Gai said, bringing Kakashi’s attention forth. Proving his persistence to aid Kakashi to health, Gai walked past his rival and turned to face him once he centred himself in Kakashi’s apartment. His face pulled in a smug sure that Kakashi was powerless. The relentless smile certainly pushed Kakashi into submission for the reason Gai’s presence was tiring.
At the first sight of the eye roll, Gai headed straight for the single clearing the books and clothes, littering the sheets, to occupy the chair on the other side of the room. In the quick clean-up Kakashi dragged himself to his room and dumped himself on the bed. If Gai’s smiles had not drained him then the springs in his mattress sunk with his weight.
Gai laughed as Kakashi kicked his sandals off and flopped on the sheets. “You gotta’ go under the sheets to sleep, Kakashi.” Gai said tugging at the sheets and forcing Kakashi to roll to the wall before blanketing lethargic limbs. Limbs that if Kakashi had not thrown his dirtied grey vest in the drawers could not be identified as tools for the ANBU squad.
Watching white hair droop to the pillow blending with the fabric left Gai to think of the next stage in allowing Kakashi to rest, to sleep. Stories. Tales of morals flooded Gai of the memories of the rituals of bedtime he had with his father. Whilst most nights he had laid awake with visions of heroes, he still had nights where his young self slipped easily into dreams of his father’s words. The idea was too great to pass upon and Gai had voiced his thoughts on telling a great story before he had chosen which tale to tell. Of course, Kakashi frowned stating his age as though it would deter Gai. He followed with a voiced amalgam of lame appreciation and full dismissal of Gai's tales but his protests fell on ears unwilling to listen to anything other than the tales of the gates used in the previous mission. Kakashi sighed for the final time that night and left his ears open for Gai to ease him into sleep.
--
Four: The Gate of Pain
In the training grounds where the trees were abused by the flurry of kicks and the assault of punches Gai was undergoing his regular training, surpassing the day’s quota within two hours whilst increasing the workload to heavy breathing. Sweat dripped enough for his hair to stick to his forehead and the green spandex he was fond of rubbed around his crotch and underarms – not that the discomfort deterred him from his training. It was the same as usual.
Moving from the religious focus on his core muscles, Gai moved to settling his technique. He kept his focus on the counts of his fists contacting the bark of a worn tree, swinging power from his hips perfecting the basic punches held as the foundation of his moves. Granted that Gai had a high focus on his moves he still kept conscious of the world around him – if Gai had lost awareness he promised himself to hand his jacket back to the Hokage – and with enough awareness of the man strolling pass.
“Rival!” Gai called, following his roundhouse kick to turn and face the Jonin. “Have you come to join me in my most vigorous training?” He flashed a wide grin regaining his breath.
Before Gai could dash to his friend Kakashi held his hand up, “Sorry, Gai, I have to help an old lady with her shopping.”
“How courteous of you!” Gai shouted, shooting his thumb up in his signature pose.
Kakashi nodded, ducking his head to walk off. Gai watched Kakashi’s feet, out of habit from his training, following the way Kakashi dragged his feet. The ground dusted his sandals but the light walk from stealth training left no prints behind. It concerned Gai – his face creasing with thoughts already abandoning training. Years training with and fighting Kakashi’s sharigan had grown him accustomed to the Jonin’s moves and techniques, reflecting the unguarded thoughts of his friend. Unlike the face one’s gait was harder to mask.
“Kakashi!” Gai called jogging up to his friend.
Kakashi waved a hand mistaking his friend’s call as his bidding a farewell, until he felt the strong hand on his shoulder. Under the pull that forced him to meeting Gai’s creased face, Kakashi asked “What is it, Gai?”
Gai looked at the unbalanced stance. “You look tired, rival.”
Kakashi hummed. He looked to the worn trees taking in the rough marks before flicking his eye back to Gai whose face still glittered in the sweat of work. Black hair stuck to the hard lines of Gai’s face revelling in the ethic the Jonin treasured. “I guess it was just watching you train.”
Gai forced a laugh placing both his hands on his shoulders and squeezed. Kakashi stiffened under his hands loosening only when Gai ran his hands to rub the tops of his biceps. He offered his smile, though not as wide as the grin he used before but just as strong in his heart, asking Kakashi if he needed to unwind. In response, Kakashi’s shoulders slumped further, his feet seemingly sinking into the ground under the weight of himself. He questioned Gai’s neglect to his training but the inquiring was laughed off in Gai’s hearty laugh.
“I have the perfect remedy!” Gai beamed, hooking his arm round his friend. Touching Kakashi’s upper half whilst staring down at his feet in the hopes they no longer faced towards the edges of Konoha. Their placement had shuffled ever so slightly contemplating the schedule for the day for the silent Jonin. Gai held onto the sharp shoulders of his friend, concern not withering. If Kakashi wanted – needed – to see the memorial stone Gai hoped he would not mind his company.
He leaned in by Kakashi’s ear as if he would whisper but his volume did not change as he spoke into Kakashi’s ear, “Don’t fear words, Kakashi.”
“Maybe if you didn’t speak so loud.” Kakashi tilted his head away from the hot breath though he did not move enough for their closeness to distance.
Gai laughed and let his slimmer friend lead the way, watching their feet and feeling the rise and fall of shoulders.
--
Five: The Gate of Limit
Promises were the treasures Gai ensured he followed and kept. Restrictions never came especially not with age and time; if it was four years ago when he promised Kakashi he would join him and his ninken in a lap around the village – since he rarely walked and trained with the ninken alone. Yet, it was not simply the mundane promises he made but those dear to his large heart consuming him in the overwhelming importance of a smile.
His heart burned and thumped, sitting on one of the benches hidden in the shadows of the night near the hospital, for his student at the promises of a too close future. His heartfelt wishes for Lee weighed down broad shoulders enough that it would take a puffed chest of inhaling to mask the thoughts plastering his body. The few deep breaths allowed him to distract thoughts of the daunting future for his student with thanks to the man crouched in front of him, gloved hands on green knees.
“Gai,” Kakashi’s spoke flatly, a tone Gai thought was deserving. The look from the one black eye spoke words of concern though Gai was unsure if it was for himself or for his student. “You didn’t expect him to sit in the hospital, waiting for his leg to heal, when you storm out of the hospital after the medics have only looked over you once.”
Gai creeping his hands from his thighs to touch the tips of Kakashi’s fingers as he spoke, “I don’t expect him to sit still.” Eye contact with his friend wavered to the side before looking back intently in that one eye. “He will get better.”
Kakashi replied in silence – left Gai to listen to his masked breathing. The silence unnerved Kakashi in the presence of Gai whose mouth ran in bellows and commitment to noise. Voice loud enough for himself to solidify the promises furrowing into a deep brow. He pressed his on Gai’s knees with no intention to leave his unusually quiet friend.
“I wasn’t wrong to teach him the gates.” Gai said, his voice low, and clenched his hands brushing his fingers away from Kakashi’s.
Kakashi stood up, dug his hands in his pockets and stared down at Gai. “Of course not, you encouraged him.”
Gai shot to stand on his feet. Sandals touching sandals. Glowering brow setting on the one scolding eye staring. Silence fell edged differently than before, seeping deeper, thicker, into their throats. The dark sky shadowed the clenched jaw but not the growls of thought towards Kakashi, his friend, his partner.
--
Six: The Gate of View
An open palm facing Gai’s waiting (but not patient) frown halted the Jonin before any assault could be made to break the necks of the readied guards below. The bulky men almost beckoned a challenge of strength. Not only did their stance and stature outwardly promised Gai a worthy match but the briefing from Tsunade had ensured their strength was of equal value to the dirty trades inside the building. It would be a simple two Jonin mission of breaking and entering.
Four minutes passed before Kakashi shifted onto his left foot and flicked his hand to the right without looking back to make sure his signal had been received. In the next seconds that passed Gai had jumped from the branches landing softly, despite his weight, behind the guards and bearing a grin and a grunt as he swung at the first guard. Too easy. In just another three minutes of blocks and flurries of kicks the two guards were no longer breathing underneath Gai’s strong grip. Above him he focused on the chakra signatures.
Numbers had grown.
Gai left the unmoving guards, not looking at the vanquished but straight ahead as though he could see the flashes of white hair and not because he could sense the familiar chakra. Jumping through the branches needed the dexterity of keeping light weight on wood but the heftiness to push against them to reach the flashed fight between the trees. Kakashi was amongst them. Outnumbered.
Inhale. Exhale. Repeat.
The gates unlocked blessing his speed to catch sight of his partner with the heterochromatic eyes following and countering the onslaught of attacks. Gai followed Kakashi’s feet, watched them for tactics before stepping into the flurry as his worthy partner.
Gai could not recall when he had stopped relying on instinct to attack the shadows in his peripherals. Animalistic instincts were replaced in his trust to the panting man pressed up against his hot back. Behind him he had given his blind spots to Kakashi and in return Gai took his, using their distinct differences in style to combat those blind spots. Unlike machines they slipped – though rarely. On occasion Gai would be too fast but only too fast that Kakashi had not been prepared to match speed; likewise Kakashi would disappear before Gai had blinked but covered the distance in the second after.
--
Seven: The Gate of Wonder
The gates quenched a thirst but stayed parched for the final gate. More often than not it was tempting, too tempting, to bypass the seventh gate and unlock the final gate in a flurry of green. After all, Gai needed very little focus to slides the keys from the first gate to the seventh in a matter of seconds. During the days when he had to adjust his techniques to accompany the growth spurts, Gai had ensured that his most precious and strongest technique checked the boxes. His teenage years had been spent ensuring his reach to the seventh gate took ease. Training paid off as the Sublime Green Beast was a name that forded enemies to spit whilst the civilians thanked the ranks (although there was still the thin layer of apprehension).
Years it had taken for Gai to acquire and perfect the gates but it took moments to make the enemy quiver at his strength. Some fights left him with smile and the simplest of trips back to Konoha whilst some, like the one he had the fortune of striking, left him drained – enough so he felt his back melting into the rocky ground beneath him. His back pressed against the floor in the post-gate exhaustion.
The uncomfortable ground contrasted the soft sights spread to bless Gai’s eyesight with. If his sensory functions took the ground too harshly the clouds above made a blanket to sooth him in his exhaustion.
Intruding his vision of the skies above him, the sweating face of Kakashi broke the post-battle serenity but the new image that filled his black eyes was not less beautiful. The smell that wafted was the unpleasantness of blood and dirt but the all too familiar warmth of Kakashi filled stronger. Sweat stagnated between them with thanks to the proximity closed by Kakashi leaning over him.
Filled for taking in his partner’s scratched face Gai followed the dirt and blood smudging the pale face, unseen by many, and traced the jawline with his eyes. The seventh gate would not allow for his finger to brush the untanned pale skin. No longer was the technique forbidden but the contact of skin to skin was forbidden lest he ruined the beauty of the moment. Wanted Kakashi to stoop his head closer… closer…
And he did.
The beauty ruined with a burning kiss: a kiss broken before it had either had initiated any pressure. “KAKASHI!” Gai screamed, scrunching his face where eyebrows almost drowned eyelids. Cursing Kakashi loudly and hating the contact he wanted.
“I told you not to rush in.” Kakashi said before taking his hand off his partner, blessing Gai comfort. "Now stop staring. It's not the first time."
Gai coughed the rough fight from his throat.
--
Eight: The Gate of Death
Whom could be more fitting than Might Gai to take down the man threatening under the moon? No shinobi alive. Strength was an admirable trait and when such a trait enriched the enemy Gai fumed in determination – more so as he clutched his arm, cautiously watching the one man before the world.
Of course, the seven gates had only landed one attack on the seemingly immortal body; it was why Kakashi dismissed the idea of taijutsu, eager to find another solution. Gai already had the solution and it was taijutsu. The solution rattled at his inner core ready to drive himself into damage and the colour red.
Unlike the many plans he bellowed before Kakashi in his wide grin and confidence, Gai stood back-turned ready to assure his student and his partner that taijutsu was the solution. The only solution they had. Reassuring his student came first, the youth of determination could not be lost on Lee. Gai waited for a nod from the boy but came to be satisfied with a shallow sob and clenched fists ready to aid if needed. Behind Gai’s back the hardest eyes were set upon him but he made no contact with them, just a look in the direction of his partner. His large back was for Kakashi’s to watch, to guard, to protect but for the finale Gai would be guarding Kakashi’s.
“Gai…” Kakashi said, not calling out to his partner just letting his voice reach.
01 + 02: Chocolate + In the snowGenre: Romance, FluffWords: 908A/N: wow… it’s been a while (3 months) since I’ve written narumitsu. Spent a long time because of that reason. Anyway thank you, Effy.
Phoenix dug his hands deeper into his coat pockets, enough to feel the stitches, and pushed his shoulders up to reach his pink ears. Thankfully, the wind was absent, more so thanks to the three story building that would have blocked a sneaky chill: Phoenix’s fear that it would slide down his collar was relieved.
Behind him the door creaked open and he heard the fluent German conversing; the language was unusually familiar yet Phoenix only understood the farewell as the door closed. Phoenix shifted his eyes to the prosecutor shivering as he braced the winter chill.
Phoenix needed one look to see the creases in Edgeworth’s forehead to imagine how his investigation had gone. “No good?”
Before he could get a response, Edgeworth turned away from the building and the people that had caused such a deep frown. Following after Edgeworth, Phoenix took the stone steps amusing himself in stepping in the footprints he had made previously. Unlike Edgeworth he gave a little jump to hear the crunch underneath his feet.
Once they had left and gained a fair distance from the family home, Edgeworth finally gave his reply, “He was useless and what he did say was just a repetition of himself.” His exhale fogged the air around his mouth, which Phoenix could not help but be fascinated with as Edgeworth’s warm breath dissipated into the air as soon it left pale lips.
Breaking his gaze on dry lips, Phoenix looked into grey eyes hoping to melt the frost that was beginning to settle. Helping with Edgeworth’s work was no mindless chore but it often left him with more time spent with a stubborn and peeved Edgeworth. “Hey, you know hot cocoa always cheers me and Truce right up,” Phoenix offered his best smile despite the cold sinking into his cheeks. “Plus, this temperature might cause my immune system to act up.”
Edgeworth glanced at his partner for a second before returning them to the white frosty city around them. “You just want to visit the café that witness was gushing over.”
Phoenix shrugged, “What can I say, it must be good if she was willing to translate for me. But you look sour, well more than usual, and I guess you need a little sweet.” If he were himself a few years back he would have nudged the stiff arm net to him and bothered him until he acquiesced. Fortunately, Edgeworth had grown around Phoenix and needed no physical teases (at least not as many in earlier years).
“Would you like to head back to the car or walk another fifteen minutes?”
Whilst the warmth of the car heater would have been the only pleasure he needed, Phoenix preferred hearing the crunch of white under their boots and watching Edgeworth’s breath.
= = =
Twenty minutes later, the popular chocolatier café had welcomed the prestigious lawyer and the unemployed man with two hot chocolates, a chocolate swirl cake and a two free samples of a new product. The two men were seated in the rare seats by the window fortunately thanks to the two pensioners taking their leave. Their conversation the cold continued in the warmth of the café.
“Sorry, I couldn’t use the magatama today but my German is practically non-existent.” Phoenix angled the large slice of cake perfectly between them and sliced his fork into the soft cake.
Edgeworth took his fork grazing the layers. He then spoke, “I do appreciate your help, Wright.”
“But?“ Phoenix sighed. "It sounds like you are gonna’ follow it with a ‘but’…”
“No objections. I was sincere.” Edgeworth said, shaking his head. Whilst he spoke, he waited for Phoenix to take a big piece of the cake, “You fly a ridiculous amount of hours to aid me. Somehow you manage to time it perfectly at my busiest periods. The ease is… nice.”
Scoffing such delicate cake was rich but Edgeworth’s words struck sweeter. Phoenix swallowed. “Then you appreciate this then?” Phoenix half-asked, already knowing the positive answer.
Edgeworth nodded his appreciation with upturned lips – the most and the richest Phoenix could get. His eyes were creased but despite the crow-feet wrinkles he seemed younger. No, he looked a little brighter. Just as he admired the illusion of youth they half-closed with a sigh. “Can you not eat like a slob? You have chocolate smeared across your face.”
Phoenix licked his lips tasting the delicious cake once more.
His action, however, was received with another sigh and a tissue offered to him. “Wright, don’t lick your lips. They will chap easily when you go outside.”
To please the man focused on appearance and norms, Phoenix wiped his mouth with the clean tissue. “How selfish.” Phoenix said, hiding his smirk by wiping the chocolate that no longer resided around his mouth.
“Selfish?” Edgeworth asked with slightly raised eyebrows.
Phoenix propped his head on his hand before pressing his thumb on his lower lip, “You just don’t want to kiss my chapped lips because they will make you uncomfortable.”
Edgeworth closed his eyes, tired, “I’ve known you long enough to not be embarrassed by your quick teases.” His words were clear. However, Phoenix simply smirked as he watched Edgeworth’s hands bringing the cup to his lips which conveniently covered the tinting cheeks (that was definitely not pink from the cold anymore).
Phoenix ran his thumb across his lip just as Edgeworth opened his eyes.
Send me a pairing and a line of dialogue and I’ll write a drabble
Requested by: tiptaptap
Prompt: “Please, put it DOWN.”
Pairing: Phoenix/Miles
Words: 1,060
A/N: It’s long and it’s barely shippy…?
—
Miles sighed; it was one of his rare days off, where he was free of the Prosecutor’s building. However, instead of sitting at home reading last year’s homicidal report or a marathon of the extended version of a film, from a certain franchise, he had been dragged to Phoenix’s favourite bar.
“Are you seriously not having any more?” Phoenix asked, sliding off the stool ready to head over to bar.
“You could have one more to drink,” Phoenix offered. He carried on after the stern frown Miles gave, “It’s not too fun being the only one drinking.”
Miles did not give in to Phoenix’s, barely pleading, soft eyes – although they did hit one artery in his heart. “You let me buy the drinks so I’ve had my one unit of alcohol consumption. If you wanted someone to drink with you should’ve called Larry.”
Phoenix nodded, “I won’t force you. If you didn’t drive here I could’ve loosened you up a bit.”
Miles had no response to Phoenix’s utterance except wanting to ask what he would get out of “loosening” him up. Was it for Miles, the once demon prosecutor, to embarrass himself? He guessed not, at least not a motive from Phoenix.
Before Miles could ask simply, “What do you mean?” Phoenix was already at the bar buying another round of drinks: one alcoholic beverage and a simple glass of juice. Miles waited patiently watching as Phoenix laughed at the bar attendant who had seemed to tease him about something. It was the same as last time Phoenix had dragged him out to be sociable.
This time, however, Miles did not feel so out of place in the bar that Phoenix was so familiar with and he kept eye contact with his friend who was walking to their table trying to carry two glasses and a bottle.
Reaching the table and exhaling at not dropping the drinks Phoenix smiled, “Here you go.”
“Thank you,” Miles took the cold drink.
Taking a sip, he looked over the rim at Phoenix who was watching him. Phoenix had an unreadable expression on his face and he could only guess by the open smile and those relaxed (awful) eyebrows, that Phoenix was at least happy in his company – and he was too.
“I guess it’s just me drinking tonight.” Phoenix laughed and took his drink.
“The only one drinking alcohol,” Miles said.
—
Only two hours later, Miles was outside half-carrying an apologising Phoenix on his shoulders towards his car.
The two lawyers had been shifting through topics naturally that Miles was feeling comfortable despite the stool with one shorter leg he sat on. Both had forgotten their surroundings when they took it in turns with the teasing and banter. Phoenix took great pride in the many times he had managed to make Miles smile – even if said man denied it. The only time they were aware they were not the only two in the bar, was when they took turns to buy rounds.
Miles sighed. He had noticed Phoenix’s speech had started to slow to rounds ago but had thought he had a better handle of liquor.
“Wright, I think you’ve had enough.” Miles stared at the man who was leaning too much on the table. He tried to take the half-full bottle of beer – that Phoenix hadn’t bothered pouring into a pitcher – but Phoenix moved faster than his drunken state should have allowed him.
Triumphant, Phoenix turned away from grey eyes raising the bottle of beer up to down the rest of the bottle.
“Please, put it DOWN.” Miles did not like raising his voice outside of the courtroom, but his patience was wearing thin. The stubbornness Phoenix decided to have towards the bottle was placed to his lips, trying to get the last sips. With Phoenix’s refusal persisting, as the bottle still did not reside on the table next to the other two glasses that needed to be cleared, Miles pulled on the fingers gripping the bottle.
“Wright,” Miles glared using more force than he ever need to for his friend. “Put the bottle down. You’ve had enough.”
The more Phoenix pulled and tightened his grip, the more irritated Miles became. He hadn’t wanted to look after his friend but Phoenix’s child-like need to hold onto the bottle, as though the prying hands were of a thief, had needed attention. When he finally pulled the bottle from his friend’s grip, the bottle was empty and there was a stupid cocky grin playing on Phoenix’s face.
Irksome was the least descriptive term Miles could explain Phoenix’s actions. The blue eyes still grinning at him did not hinder that description and he especially did not like how his stomach felt watching his drunk friend. “Let’s go, Wright.”
“Fine.” Phoenix sighed, shuffling off his seat.
If not for the looks of the other customers, the sober man may have felt he still had some dignity when Phoenix fell on him after trying to get off the stool. He took note of how heavy Phoenix was. They certainly weren’t the children all those years ago.
—
Finally reaching his car, Miles had to take much effort in propping his adult friend against the door and let him into the car. Phoenix smiled before he ducked into the car and fumbled with the seatbelt.
“Here,” Miles leant over buckling him in.
“Thanks, Edgeworth.” Phoenix’s voice slurred slightly. “I’m sorry for being incapable of even walking.”
Miles could only suppress the smile into a smirk, “It’s fine. Apart from your inability to walk and stubbornness to let go of a drink–“ at that Phoenix groaned “–It’s been a good night.”
“Glad to hear,” Phoenix smiled with both his lips and his half-closed eyes.
For some reason, it was only then that Miles realised how close Phoenix’s smile was to his own. He was still leaning over with one hand was still holding the buckle of the seat belt and the other holding the back of the chair. Biting on his upper lip, Miles pulled back and slammed the passenger door shut.
He took his time walking round the back of the car to the driver’s seat. However, once inside he did his best to reach Phoenix’s apartment as quickly as possible.
It was his day off and he was supposed to spend that time alone…
Genre: Friendship
Characters: Phoenix & Maya
Summary: It's cold, a week before Christmas and all they have to do is power through the work for a well deserved break; if that was what they did...
Harsh artificial light flicked on to brighten the unlit office, such light streamed underneath the lawyer’s door asking for attention. Phoenix Wright, whose head had found an unorthodox pillow made of courtroom applications and witness testimonies, groaned from the intruding light. It was laughing at the paperwork that had yet to be signed and filed. When his own door swung open and he thanked he did not have to deal with harsh lighting, he greeted his partner with a lazy nod.
“Nick?”
“Don’t,” Phoenix held his rubbing his forehead.
With a moment of watching the lawyer wake from a nap, he really didn’t deserve, Maya laughed. She leaned over the desk to pull a sticky note stuck to his cheek. Phoenix frowned at the papers he had given up on then to the clock reading five past five.
“Does this really need to be done for tomorrow,” Phoenix sighed.
“Yeah, but that’s why your most fantastic, and might I add beautiful, assistant is here!” Maya grinned trying to brighten the lawyer’s mood. Phoenix rolled his eyes which let a breath of relief out of the medium. “Seriously, Nick, I’ll help you on your last minute filing.”
“Thanks, Maya.”
Maya retreated into the next room to spin into the room on her chair, pushing herself to sit in front of the desk. Phoenix handed her an unopened envelope – though she ignored the angry letters of ‘due’ stamped in blood red. Mentally straining were the papers for the two that was in their habitual state of powering through a deadline that had already passed.
“Want to go out for dinner?” Maya asked after scrawling dates in their diary for the new year.
“After,” Phoenix did not bother to look up as his eyes bore into the fine print.
“You can’t even read. No, tell me what the past five sentences were talking about.” When Phoenix lost all his memory of the past minute he had been reading, Maya gave a shrug as though her point was proven. It was.
“Fine,” Phoenix desisted his work dropping the biro. “But we have to be quick. We still have all of this to do.” He slapped the top of a large pile of bulked envelopes, letters, bills, and other documents. Although they should have taken note that over the past two hours they had ridden half of the original pile; in fact the completed filing that needed to be done was waiting eagerly in the other room.
Phoenix stood up first but Maya was dressed in her long drape coat whilst Phoenix slipped into his trench coat. The two of them wrapped up in scarves and gloves ready to bare the icy wind that was outside the door. Maya chuckled at the many layers upon the spiky haired lawyer making him look more ridiculous in an old red scarf.
“Three hamburger meals, a cheeseburger meal, and two colas.” The cashier called out to the small group of people waiting for their processed food.
“Yep!” Maya shouted more enthusiastically than was socially accepted as far as food enthusiasm went. Maya grabbed the tray before leading Phoenix to an empty table by one of the radiators. Internally, Maya blessed Phoenix’s luck for nabbing them such a place as something about the pair had made the table’s previous owners leave – more importantly with haste as their rubbish still laid on the table.
Table cleared and brushing the crumbs off the chair, the two sat down. Maya picked a hamburger meal and gave it to her colleague before digging into her own meal with the brightest of smiles. Phoenix sighed at the amount of food the teenager had ordered but he could hardly blame her; she had travelled to and from Kurain to make sure Pearl would arrive safely in the village.
“Is Pearls alright?” Phoenix asked.
“Yeah, though she wanted to be with us a bit longer,” Maya shoved a couple of fries into her mouth. “Especially now it’s a week ‘til Christmas.”
“Ha, yeah but we could always spend Christmas together, again,” Phoenix recalled his last Christmas with Maya. Although that Christmas period had mainly been focused on Edgeworth’s case the ignorant time him and Maya had shared in the office eating leftovers had been peaceful.
“Pearly would love that,” Maya brightened, the light topic of speaking of her cousin was well received. “I bought some cool Steel Samurai Christmas merchandise. They were limited offer so we could hang them around the office!”
“I have an apartment of my own you can plant bombs in,” Phoenix suggested a more appropriate place to hang the childish decorations. He would rather not wait for clients to turn up at the office with decorations not pulled down and it looking as though it was run by children. It would probably look cute if the girls were to do up the drab office.
Conversation seemed to flow easily between the two. The days where they could simply become gluttonous (more often than not in Maya’s case) and swindle by lazy talks of anything that was of interest, were relaxing. It was no wonder that when a case did appear they were thrown into a hectic three days of investigation that they could hardly breathe.
Phoenix groaned however at the remembering of what lay back in the office for the two of them. How many times had he seen Mia go through the same amount of work in a six hours whilst he would take three days on half the amount was beyond him: maybe it was due to lack of experience. Either way there was no way the legal documents would be ready for the next day let alone for them to be in a period of calm for Christmas…
“I think we should head back and finish the paperwork waiting for us,” Phoenix voiced his annoyance.
Maya nodded but they didn't leave her favourite burger restaurant until she ordered another milkshake.
Exiting the franchise restaurant, the two headed straight to their office. Their pace increasing as to warm themselves with the science of movement for after all each step was that bit closer to their slightly warmer office.
With their mouths distracting them with another subject of another popular superhero shown on a channel Phoenix had never heard of, their legs quickened. It was almost a match to Maya’s love of fictional characters that they walked to. Clearly absorbed, or more like distracted, with the stories Phoenix stumbled on a crack in the pavement. Instinct only told him to grab the closest support. Albeit his instinct to save himself was strong grabbing Maya who was not the best support he could have used. In hindsight, however, he probably would not have chosen to grab onto the slim arm that only slowed the time it took to hit the ground.
“Nick, look!” Maya ragged her arm away from Phoenix, letting him stumble back in an attempt to stand, and pointed at the many posters plastered on the fence. Phoenix did as was told and looked at the bright posters mainly of a pink magician with long weird hair. The man on the gaudy poster was unfamiliar to the lawyer but as he looked at the bright eyes of the teen next to him, he was sure this man was a new buzz in the shifting trends.
“This is?”
“Maximillion Galatica: winner of the Entertainment World’s Grand Prix!” Maya’s eyes sparkled it almost blinded him. If the posters were not two dimensional, Phoenix would bet on the fact she would want to be sucked into the world of the magician and would never leave.
Maya stared at him eagerly her finger ever so subtly pointing to the dates of the Berry Big Circus. “Why don’t we ask Pearls to come and the three of us can watch his last show?” Phoenix suggested though it was more the uncomfortable stare Maya was giving him.
“Oh yes!” Maya clapped her hands with excitement. “Pearly would love that!”
“We won’t be going though, if we don’t finish the work…”
“Let’s get going then!” Maya grabbed Phoenix’s gloved hand leading them in the direction of the office.
