Rising Uncertainty

Just Friends?

Phoenix smiled to himself as he watched Miles fumble with his tv remote. The other man seemed oddly nervous, but Phoenix didn't want to pry since Miles had brushed it off. He noticed that Miles also seemed distracted, but decided to not bring that up at all. The last thing he wanted was to upset Miles again. They were finally making progress again and Phoenix felt like they were finally able to just be friends for once. Nothing pressuring them to keep secrets from one another and nothing bothering them about work. Just friends hanging out.

"Wright," Miles waved his hand in front of Phoenix's face. "I wanted to know if... If you actually enjoy my presence?"

Miles seemed to be carefully forming his sentences as to not let something slip.

"Of course- and you can just say 'hanging out.' It isn't that bad to use modern lingo," Phoenix teased, sticking the tip of his tongue out between his teeth. He looked at Miles apprehensive expression and sighed gently. "But, yeah. I do. I really like hanging out with you. Sure, we were friends when we were kids, but this is different. This is us starting over and getting to know one another again. It's always so fun for me when you're around. Every now and then, the kid I knew shines through. It makes me happy."

Miles stared at him for a moment before finally smiling.

"I enjoy being around you as well," he said quietly. There was almost something sad about the way he said it, but Phoenix couldn't figure out what. "I really do. I know that I can be a bit much or hard headed at times, but it is never because I do not want to speak with you."

"I'm glad. Sometimes I get worried," Phoenix joked. He wanted to cheer him up a bit. "I thought that I pissed you off or something."

"Oh, you most certainly do piss me off," Miles laughed lightly. "But you always bounce back and make it right."

"At least I have that going for me."

Phoenix looked at the tv and realized Miles had never gotten it to turn on. He knew for a fact that this man owned a tv and knew how to turn one on. That's when Phoenix realized he had forgotten to replace the batteries in the remote. Maybe Miles wouldn't bring it up.

"I never could get the tv on. Maybe the remote is broken." Shit.

"Oh, ahaha," Phoenix awkwardly grabbed the remote and popped the back off. He grabbed new batteries and switched them out. "Here."

"You've got to be kidding me. And here I thought that I was going mad or that your remote had been broken!" Miles looked at Phoenix before laughing quietly. "You certainly are something else, Phoenix Wright."

"Yeah yeah, laugh it up," Phoenix said with a small laugh. "I'll be sure to find things messed up at your place when I'm invited over."

"Oh dear, I'm afraid not. What makes you assume I'm willing to invite you to my place? I think yours is far more cozy," Miles smiled lightly as he spoke. "Besides, I don't think you'd like it there."

"Is it that or are you afraid I'll break something."

"It's both, Wright."

They both laughed and continued to chat far into the night, neither one paying attention to the time or their own bodies requests for sleep. They were enjoying each other's company and, to them, that's all that mattered. Sleep could wait. Something like this didn't happen with the two often and neither wanted to end it with something as repetitive and common as sleep.

Eventually, however, it had to end. Phoenix couldn't force his eyes open any longer and Miles had been drifting off for a solid five minutes now. He jolted every now and then as if to stay awake and talk, but Phoenix new he had to let the guy rest.

Phoenix looked at the clock and sighed.

"It's one in the morning," he said. "We should get some sleep."

Miles just smiled and nodded as Phoenix got up and went to his room.

"Goodnight, Phoenix."

———

Phoenix grumbled as he woke up. He felt heavy and exhausted. Maybe he shouldn't have stayed up so late.

He yawned before getting out of bed and heading to the living room. He had expected Miles to be awake, but he was wrong. The other man was still peacefully asleep on the couch.

"How do you sleep gracefully?" Phoenix muttered. He just shook his head and headed to the kitchen to start brewing himself a pot of coffee. Everything was so quiet and peaceful this morning.

The only sound in the apartment was the pot of coffee brewing and the occasional bird from outside. It was almost the perfect morning.

He glanced at Miles on the couch again and smiled. He could get used to this.