[TRIGGER WARNING: HOMOPHOBIC SLURS, VIOLENT HATE SPEECH AGAINST LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY]

Wright and I had decided that the first course of action would be to talk to the defendant. I needed to know if he had seen anything. Even the tiniest detail could help us in this case. We stepped into the detention center and I couldn't help but notice the purposeful foot between us. I longed more than anything to bridge that gap and hold his hand, but no I have to be 'professional'. We sat side by side in the detention center, Aiden sitting in front of us behind the glass. It was very clear he had been crying and hadn't slept at all. He looked like a wreck. 

"T-Thank you so much for your help today, Mr. Wright...but uh...why is Prosecutor Edgeworth here?"

Wright smiled, "Edgeworth and I are partners. Don't worry he'll help us through this case."

"Indeed. Mr. Craim, on the night of the murder, did you see anything? Anything at all that could help us?"

Aiden shook his head, "It was dark, all I saw was a dark figure coming up behind Matt and hitting him. Everything else is a blur honestly."

"I see. Do you think that the woman who testified today is our suspect?"

"No. She's far to small for that. It was someone big and buff. Bigger than Matt." Aiden suddenly stood, slamming his hands on the desk part of the divider, "But I didn't kill him, sir! Please believe me! Matty was my soul mate! Everything without him is...so cold...so so dark. I'm never going to see another color again..."

Aiden slumped down and began to sob. I cast a worried glance over at Wright. I couldn't even imagine. A world without Phoenix to color it? I think I'd die. I couldn't even fathom the pain of waking up every day to black and white, knowing the one who once made your world so beautiful is dead. I shuttered and squeezed my eyes shut. I no longer wanted to think of a world without Phoenix Wright.

"Come on, Miles," Phoenix whispered, "We aren't getting anything more out of him." 

I nodded and followed him numbly out of the detention center. Our next stop was to see Miss Sybill Haruki. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Miss Sybill is still in questioning. We should be able to talk to her though..." I briefed Wright on the ride to the precinct, "Now would be a great time for those bluffing skills though."

Wright nodded, "You got it, boss."

He winked at me and I felt my whole face heat up. Unable to think of a proper response, I sat in silence until we reached the station. I could hear Miss Haruki screaming at the detectives before we had even reached the questioning room. Goddamn, she has a short fuse. I just prayed Gumshoe wasn't in there. His poor heart couldn't take someone screaming at him like that. 

"I had nothing to do with the murder! That little fag thinks they could get away with anything!! If you're 'such a good detective' you'll make sure he burns!!"

Miss. Haruki's eyes flashed when she saw Wright and me. 

"Awe look, it's the spiky headed dumbass and his stupid prosecutor buddy. What the hell do want!?"

"We need you to tell us where your boyfriend is"

"Fuck off! I don't know where he went. He fled before the cops showed."

"And why did he do that? Only the guilty flee."

Phoenix growled, slamming his hand down on the table. 

"Enough of this! Miss. Haruki we know you did it."

This shot a bullet right through her confidence and her angry face fell 

"What?? I did it?"

"Yes. We have concrete evidence that you where the one who committed the murder. You also have a clear alibi. All we need is your boyfriend's testimony to remove any speck of doubt from the judge's mind that you were the one who did it. Tell us where he is."   

Her voice was filled with fear, "N-No! I didn't kill that man! Ask my boyfriend he'll tell you I'm innocent."

I had to admit I was impressed. Did Wright use bluffing like this often? It was like he had spun a trap and Miss Haruki fell right in.

"We can't ask your boyfriend if we don't know where or even who he is."

She sighed, slumping down in her seat. "His name is Sean. Sean Levit. He's laying low at a friends place outside of town."

I nodded to the detective, "Get that address, I need that man in court tomorrow." 

The detective nodded and we left.  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We had barely done anything today but I felt exhausted. My mind swam as I tried my best to focus on the road. The thought that someone had murdered an innocent man simply because he had been walking in the forest with someone of the same sex. I just needed to get home. 

My attention turned to the boy sitting next to me. My boyfriend. My stomach lurched. Would someone kill me or Phoenix simply because we loved each other? Actually, who knows if we loved each other; he had never said 'I love you. Though to be fair neither had I. I felt my face heat up as he looked at me.

"Hey, Miles?"

"Yes?" My voice seemed strained like I was holding back tears. 

"You wouldn't mind dropping me off at my office would you?"

"Actually, Do you think you could stay with me tonight?"

"Miles, we have court tomorrow. What about-"

"Please? I don't want to be alone." I felt ashamed. It was like I was begging for his company. I kept my eyes trained straight ahead. 

I could hear his voice soften, "Yeah, of course, I'll stay with you." 

I simply nodded and said nothing the rest of the way home. When we got to my house, Phoenix coaxed me out of my work clothes and into pajamas. He gently led me to the bed and pulled me into an embrace. His hands trialed down my back and I rested my head on his shoulder, breathing in his scent. 

"Thank you, Phoenix," I mumbled softly, not looking up.

"Of course, Miles. I love you."

"What?" I looked up at him in surprise.

"I said, 'I lo-"

I never gave him a chance to finish before my lips were on his. A sudden passion ran through me as I kissed him, my hands wandering down his chest. Phoenix's hands gently squeezed my waist as he rolled us over so he was on top of me. We pulled away, both breathing heavily.

"I love you too."

He pulled me back into the kiss and no other words where spoken until the end of the night.