madimpossibledreamer

        It’s not long until Polnareff gets him playing the game on his own, mostly because yeah, he actually is a gamer at heart, and also he has a ridiculous crush on the owner of the voice which Polnareff finds hilarious.  He’ll be lucky if he stops hearing about that before he dies.  And at least Polnareff’s shifts have been overscheduled for a bit, mostly because the Frenchman has a bad habit of calling in sick once too often.
        He’s gotten to level 9, so he’s gotten through the starting districts of Mikage-cho and has begun to not feel like quite such a beginner.  He’s having difficulties deciding between whether he wants to wield a sword or staff, but is leaning toward staff if only so he can be different from his friend.  Plus, when he rolled really well on a rare sword even if it was a beginning sword the Frenchman hadn’t stopped whining for a few hours, and it’s hard enough to stop that from happening on a regular basis as it is.
        Polnareff gets on long enough to introduce the two (with an innuendo; Kakyoin’s just glad that there’s no facecam so Star can’t see the tips of his ears blushing): “Hey, this is my friend; he’s a virgin at MMORPGS, so take it easy with him, okay?”  He winks at Kakyoin and leaves the room, throwing stuff into his basic pillowcase that he takes to work every day, swearing at that, too.  Kakyoin breathes in quietly as he adjusts the mike and tries to remind himself that he’s the responsible adult of the two roommates and shouldn’t hurl objects at someone even if they’re freaking immature.
        There’s an expectant silence, and Kakyoin feels his heart hammering away in his rib cage, before the guy speaks.  “So, Midori.  And you’re a…Herald.  How’d you end up with a loser friend like that useless Cavalier?”
        Kakyoin nearly doesn’t respond.  He’s got the worst case of butterflies.  He did enough reading on classes and the rest of the game so he doesn’t look like a complete idiot when he plays (ignoring Polnareff who swears no one needs manuals ever).  But on the other hand, this is a guy he really wants to impress and he has to start somewhere, so he responds.  He doesn’t really have the time to think out how he’s gonna say this.  “Probably the same way I’m hoping to become friends with you?”
        That bark of laughter is the single greatest thing he’s heard in his life.

Phoenix Wright was a man of many surprises.  Edgeworth certainly hadn’t expected him to be so thorough, nor to choose the activities he had.  Caroling was an activity that was…well, more old-fashioned, more ‘upper class’, than he would have thought Wright was aware.  At least Larry had declined to show up, since he thought caroling would be ‘lame’ and was busy with his new girlfriend anyway.  If it hadn’t been so depressing, Maya had admitted she’d been considering a betting pool on the next time a girlfriend would end with Larry on trial for murder once more.  Edgeworth believed the less time spent thinking about Larry, the better.

It’d been a long time since he’d allowed himself to sing in public, and it was remarkable that he was still fairly good.  Phoenix, again, was unexpected, with a large vocal range, an enthusiasm (which was more expected), and at least some actual knowledge of music (which was astonishing, considering the idiocies he’d perpetrated on Gregory Edgeworth’s piano).  Maya was…well, she had enthusiasm and managed to not be utterly discordant.  With all the chanting back in Kurain, you’d have thought she would have learned more, but then, she was very good at not paying attention when she was bored.  Pearls was amazing even though she did not know all the words, or indeed many of them.  Gumshoe was awful until it was suggested that he should provide backup tones, rather than trying to sing the songs themselves.  Maggie, as was suspected, was a decent singer, though walking between houses was as dangerous for her as was anything else, really.

Ice skating.  He found himself getting annoyed, frustrated, even angry, but Maya and Phoenix managed to calm him down, and once he actually was calm it came back to him.  Childhood memories, even a very similar smile and “Stop showing off, Miles!” when he skimmed past with ease as Wright is still trying to get away from the side of the rink properly.

The day of Christmas shopping is the worst.  He half suspects that it’s mostly for Phoenix’s benefit and the man hadn’t known what to buy him.  Still, he puts up with it for Wright’s sake, because the man had been patient and helpful enough before now.  Larry shows up (Edgeworth is half convinced the words ‘free food’ summon the man like some sort of arcane ritual), and Maya’s certainly not complaining about stopping at random food carts herself.  Halfway through, Phoenix notices how overwhelmed he is by the crowds, and buys him a decent cup of coffee and leaves him in the half-deserted food court.  It’s a gesture Edgeworth appreciates.

There’s apparently a cookie decorating contest later, and Phoenix is babbling something about a gingerbread house court competition between prosecutors, judges, defense attorneys, bailiffs, anyone else involved in the courtroom (for which Edgeworth’s already considering recreating the courtroom, if it really is going to happen, because simple houses are nothing but mundane, ordinary) when he returns, filling in the silence with comforting noise.  Edgeworth would be utterly unsurprised that a snowball fight is scheduled for later, and is startled by the smile that appears on his face.  By his friend’s expression, Phoenix is shocked too.

“What?”

“Thank you for this.  You’re managing another turnabout, it seems.”  Phoenix has relaxed upon seeing that he wasn’t aware of the specifics, even though he knew something was happening.  And it’s more relaxing personally, not having to pretend anymore.

                Phoenix smiles.  “You're welcome, Miles.”

                It’s early in the late-December stage that Edgeworth begins suspecting something’s going on.  Phoenix walks in and nearly changes the channel.  (He hasn’t learned the pattern yet, but he’ll get enough evidence shortly.)

                “I’m watching that,” Miles states in a growl, barely looking up from his laptop.  He’s exhausted, but doesn’t want to fall asleep.  Nightmares are even worse when there are others in the house.  With Maya on the other side of the house, and not even all the time, he’d gotten to the point concealing it wasn’t an issue, but Wright often saw more than he was anyone supposed.

                “Sorry.”  Phoenix is taken back, probably because it’s been a while since Edgeworth has been that rude.

                Miles is tired.  Tired of the month, already, tired of this, this weakness that he can’t seem to shake no matter how hard he tries.

                He massages his forehead.  “It’s all right.”  It’s the Steel Samurai Christmas Special.  It’s both one of his favorite and least favorite episodes.  The first couple were all right, but this one feels personal on a level that never fails to touch his heart even as it puts him on edge.  The nemesis has banned celebrations that are suspiciously Christmas-like, despite the timeframe.  The Steel Samurai is pulled into helping out the village and celebrating in secret.  Even the good hearted hero is a little impatient, finding this a waste of his time, until he gets to see the joy on the faces of the children.  This episode is one of a few (in the latest season) that has the music of a famous musician, Klavier Gavin (whoever that is).

                Phoenix joins him cautiously on the couch, earning a slight smile.  “Von Karma is the real life version of the Evil Magistrate,” Edgeworth states, refusing to look at his friend.  “I identify, perhaps a little much sometimes, but it helps to see that someone else has overcome, so I may do so as well.”  He knows that Phoenix will be looking for all the similarities now, but if he’d just kept that a secret, well, that would hardly have helped either.

                Phoenix opens his mouth to comment, but a crash interrupts him, and he blushes a little, looking utterly sheepish.  “Gumshoe mentioned something about moving things around.  Maybe I should go check on him, make sure nothing’s broken.”

                “Phoenix, would you do me the honor of not lying to me?  Thank you.”

                The guilt mixes with fondness on Wright’s face, and he spares a goofy grin before running off at top speed.