day 7: growing old together (I am bullshitting on gumshoe's part ive only played through 2-1)

fou times people reflected on their relationship and it was a big deal, and one time it wasn't. 

I.

Maya Fey was not a gambling woman, but she would bet her family's entire heritage on the guess that Miles Edgeworth and Phoenix Wright had some unresolved issues. Hell, look up 'sexual tension' in the dictionary, and you'd probably just find a transcript of one of their court cases!

Which made it all the more frustrating that no one would tell her what the hell had gone on between them.

Sometimes she just wanted to grab the nearest person (who was usually Nick, unfortunately) and shake them vigorously, then point them in the direction of Nick and Edgeworth and let their looks speak for themselves.

(Seriously, Edgeworth looked at Nick like he was drowning and Nick was the only thing that could save him. It was weird, especially when they were in the middle of court and she was the only one that noticed.)

There were a lot of things she thought that she was the only one that noticed, like how the lines in Edgeworth's brow would soften whenever he was around Nick, he would only smile around Nick (she'd asked Gumshoe), and - also from Gumshoe - he was constantly muttering Nick's (last) name when he thought no one was around.

This was made weirder by the fact that he "tried" (heavy air quotes here) to act like he hated Nick. Even weirder was the fact that he seemed to buy it. Like, Nick. This man blushing while telling you that you give him "unnecessary feelings" is not a symptom of hate.

She wasn't sure how she felt about Mr. Miles Edgeworth, to be honest. He was pretty cruel in court, but during the State v. Edgeworth trials, he'd seemed smaller. More broken. He'd been nice to her then, but she wondered what it had cost him.

So when he walked into the Wright and Co. offices after his trials, Maya was so surprised she almost dropped her limited edition Pink Princess cup.

She hurriedly set her cup down, and ran around the desk to greet him. "Uh, h-hi, Mr. Edgeworth! Do you need legal services?" She paused, and tilted her head to the side. "Again?"

He flushed slightly, and said, "Er, no, not this time. I'm here to give something to Wright. I've already given a similar one to Gumshoe, but I need to drop this off."

"Oh! He's 'out on the town' with Gumshoe and Larry and everyone celebrating your verdict. I wasn't allowed to come because I'm a minor. I can take it, though."

Maya noticed the way he looked off into the distance and his entire demeanor softened - complete with soft smile, this man was so far gone for Nick - the moment she mentioned the verdict. It was honestly kind of gross.

"Uh, Mr. Edgeworth?" she asked, interrupting his daydreaming, and snapping his eyes back to her. "I can take it, and give it to him once he's back! What is it, by the way?"

He took it out, and she saw that it was a letter. He was in the process of handing it to her when it fell open and she saw the words, "-dead, but I actually am off to Germany-" and he hurriedly snatched it back. He seemed flustered and she tried to grab for it but ended up bumping her cup, which fell over and spilled hot chocolate all over the desk.

She managed to grab a corner of the letter but he held onto it enough that she managed to tug it out of his hand and then drop it, right into the spreading puddle of hot chocolate.

They both froze, watching it sink into the chocolate goo and be rendered unreadable. After a few seconds, Edgeworth unfroze and grabbed for the letter, but it was too late. He only was able to pull out  a corner, which held the words "Dear Phoenix" and nothing more.

Edgeworth's face crumpled and Maya thought he was about to cry, but he actually just released a shuddering sigh and stood up, blinking heavily - which was worse, in a way.

He stared morosely at the puddle and said, "I suppose this was for the best. I don't deserve him anyway." in a cracked, broken voice.

He turned and left, leaving her to clean up the mess. She just stood, watching him go as hot chocolate slowly spread around her shoes.

Oh mothers above, she thought. What have I done?

+++

II.

Dick Gumshoe had worked under Miles Edgeworth for 6 years, and he'd been happy the whole time.

(Well, almost.)

Mr. Edgeworth, though, always seemed unhappy. He glowered at everyone, and he never showed mercy or compassion to any defense attorney he came across. He would get angry whenever Gumshoe oversteeped his tea or was a little late on paperwork.

Defense attorneys and other detectives were sometimes extra cruel to him when they discovered that he was friends with Mr. Edgeworth, because he was widely disliked in the legal and criminal world.

This all changed when he was dealt his first loss at the hands of a rookie on his second case, with the real killer being a witness he'd called himself. The fact that said rookie was his childhood friend didn't help either.

Mr. Edgeworth was understandably upset. He told Mr. Wright ("Just call me Phoenix!" he'd said) that Phoenix gave him "unnecessary feelings," which were "unease and uncertainty." Gumshoe supposed that upending one's entire system of belief could do that to them.

Gumshoe was glad Mr. Edgeworth and Phoenix had managed to be such good friends, so even he was surprised when Mr. Edgeworth left for Europe without a word to anyone except him.

Mr. Edgeworth left him a letter, about a page, detailing what his plan was and what to do in case anyone began asking about where he'd went. There was also information on how to keep the office in working order, pay the rent, and all in all keep things in order while Mr. Edgeworth was gone.

This meant Gumshoe's salary was fixed at a relatively high level, so he was very happy with the whole arrangement. He was even happier when the letter mentioned that a similar one had been left for Phoenix, so they could keep in touch.

Gumshoe was glad Mr. Edgeworth had finally found a friend other than him. He needed it.

This meant that he was confused when Phoenix stopped showing up to work for months after they found the note on Mr. Edgeworth's desk (Miles Edgeworth chooses death.). Didn't he know that it was theatrical? Mr. Edgeworth had said so in his letter to Gumshoe.

Phoenix went through the five stages of grief during that year, with his only help being Maya, Lana, and Gumshoe himself. Gumshoe didn't know what to do, so he kept a mild distance.

Eventually, he just shut down and left the room whenever someone mentioned Mr. Edgeworth's name. Gumshoe was concerned, but chalked it up to him not liking Germany or something similar.

The four of them settled back into a normal rhythm,  Phoenix taking cases and the other three helping in any way they could. Somewhere around a year later, he received a letter from Mr. Edgeworth saying that he would return within a week and to make preparations for his return.

Gumshoe jumped into action, cleaning his office, contacting the Chief Prosecutor to let them know ("warn them" would be a better term) and in general return things back to their pre-gap year state.

Mr. Edgeworth happened to return in the middle of the Engarde case. Phoenix, Maya, Ms. Von Karma, and Gumshoe were outside the courthouse discussing a case. Gumshoe saw Mr. Edgeworth's red sports car pull up, but he was facing the street so no one else had seen him yet.

Mr. Edgeworth got out of the car and walked up to Gumshoe, thanking him for taking care of the office and promising a salary raise. Gumshoe grinned and he turned to Ms. Von Karma, but the grin fell when Gumdhoe's eyes flicked to Phoenix.

The man looked aghast, and that was quite possibly the understatement of the century. He looked like his entire world was crashing down around his ears, and Maya looked similar if less extreme, until she seemed to realize something.

Phoenix starred at Mr. Edgeworth until the prosecutor turned to him. They looked at each other for a few seconds, until Phoenix slowly raised his pointer finger at Mr. Edgeworth and hissed, "You." 

Gumshoe hadn't known it was possible to pack so much revulsion, hate, and betrayal into a single syllable, but Phoenix was a man of many talents, apparently.

Mr. Edgeworth flinched imperceptibly and said, "Me." Phoenix wasn't paying attention, though, as he was looking around the circle at everyone else's lack of reaction.

"You knew?" he said, pointing at Gumshoe.Gumshoe rubbed the back of his neck and said, "He left me a letter, pal. He told me about the fact that he was going to Germany, and it said he'd left a matching one for you."

Not even pausing to glare at Mr. Edgeworth, he turned to Maya and spat, "You knew?"

She seemed to shrink and said,"I didn't realize I knew. Just after the State v. Edgeworth trials, while you guys were out partying, he came by to drop off a letter. I accidentally saw a snippet that said something like '-dead, but actually going to Germany,-' but we both accidentally dropped it into hot chocolate and it dissolved. Edgeworth said something like, 'it's for the best, I don't deserve him anyway' and left." She began to tear up. "I-I'm sorry, Nick. I didn't mean-"

He seemed to soften a little, a marginal fraction of the fight going out of him. "You're okay, Maya. It's not you. It's him." And the angry emotion cocktail was back!

He turned to Ms. Von Karma, and said, "You- actually I'm not even surprised. You're just like that." She gave a small harrumph and he turned back to Mr. Edgeworth.

"And we are going to talk about why the fuck you thought it was okay to go to Germany for a year!" Phoenix grabbed Mr. Edgeworth's arm and began dragging him back into the courtroom. Gumshoe and the other two watched them go.

Maya and Ms. Von Karma eventually left, before Gumshoe realized he'd left something in his seat while watching the earlier trial, so he ran back inside to grab it. He quietly stepped through the seats, but once he was at his, he looked over to see Mr. Edgeworth and Phoenix arguing.

"What the hell, Edgeworth?" Phoenix was yelling.

"I apologize, Wright." Mr. Edgeworth said stiffly. "I needed to grow as both a person and a prosecutor."

"That's very nice, but you let me think you were dead for a fucking year!" Phoenix was pacing now. Mr. Edgeworth seemed cool and detached, but Gumshoe knew him well enough to know that he was scared- something unusual for the "demon prosecutor." 

"Language, Wright." Mr. Edgeworth chided, seemingly out of habit, before shrinking slightly as Phoenix's head snaps to him.

"Language, you say? How about you communicate using your fucking language? I know this is a crazy idea, but maybe tell me before you decide to fake your death?" Phoenix had tears forming in the corners of his eyes.

"I had to do this, Wright. I needed to grow. For you," Mr. Edgeworth said, voice small and vulnerable on the last one.

"Oh yeah? For me?" Phoenix said, marching up to Mr. Edgeworth. He grabbed the prosecutor's shirt, and spoke-yelled, "I wish you'd never come back from the dead in the first place!"

They both froze, then Phoenix sighed and rested his forehead against Mr. Edgeworth's. Mr. Edgeworth's arms moved instinctively to wrap around him, and they both calmed slightly.

Phoenix muttered something, and Gumshoe took that as his cue to leave. He grabbed his keychain from his chair and quietly slipped out.

Man, Mr. Edgeworth would kill me if he found out I was there.

+++

III.

Louis Scholz had seen a lot, in his decade of legal work.

One thing he hadn't seen, though, was the Demon Prosecutor coming to a German prosecutor's office and begging for a job.

Being the Chief Prosecutor of Berlin meant he had to meet all potential new hires. He sat at a desk, hands folded, across from one of the most feared legal minds of their generation, and all he saw was a tired man.

Hm, he thought idly as Miles Edgeworth prepared to speak. He seems smaller than the American papers would have had me believe. Less confrontational too.

"I have come, Herr Scholz," he said, in German, "to ask for a job at your firm. I understand my reputation may precede me, but I wish to learn in a less corrupt legal system than the States'."

Louis hummed, considering before he responded. He picked up the man's resume, scanning it before looking back at the prosecutor in front of him. "Your achievements speak for themselves, Miles." he said in German. The man's facial expression changed slightly, and Louis wondered how often he was called by his first name. 

"You have only three losses, all to the same man, curiously enough-" Miles' face fell, and Louis wondered again what his relationship to this Phoenix Wright was. "-so I have only one question for you," he said, setting down the stack of papers. "Why?"

"Why what?" Miles asked, confused. 

"Why did you become a lawyer? Why do you practice law today?" Louis asked, keeping his tone mild even as the curiosity strained to break out.

Miles fell silent, clearly surprised by the question. He took a few seconds to consider, before carefully responding with, "I began to practice law because my father told me to. Recently, that reason changed. I now practice law to find the truth."

Louis smiled. "And is the reason of this drastic change one Phoenix Wright?"

Miles flushed, and he began to stutter out a response before Louis silenced him by extending a hand. "You may just make a great prosecutor yet, Miles Edgeworth. Welcome to the Prosecutor's office, Berlin location."

Miles smiled and shook his hand. I meant what I said, son. I'll make you into a hero if it's the last thing I do.

Louis would have expected a bit more hesitation from the legendary Demon Prosecutor, but the man threw himself into his work. He trained under Louis day in and day out, taking any case he was given - even ones that other Americans would consider 'below them.'

His legal career started rocky, but he eventually got his 'legal legs' and began building a name for himself. Soon, the name 'Miles Edgeworth' was spoken not with disgust or pity, but with impression and reverence. The man himself was turning more humble by the day, making Louis prouder and prouder of him.

One thing he'd noticed, though, was that whenever Miles was stuck on a case, he'd mutter, "What would that man do?" or something of the sort. Louis had asked around, and no one knew who 'that man' was. Once, Louis caught him muttering, "I must think like that man, that defense attorney with no peer."

Louis planned to ask him, but Miles was always busy and so was Louis, so they didn't have time to talk by the time Miles left. He left a note on his desk detailing his resignation, and Louis didn't admit it, but he was sad to see his protege go.

Miles reappeared a year and a half later, a much happier and well-adjusted person. Louis immediately rehired him, and he mentioned that he now had a therapist and Louis had to resist the temptation of grinning so hard his face hurt.

Eventually, Miles spilled one of his 'that man' lines, and Louis just had to ask. "So, Miles." The man looked up from his desk, looking at Louis sitting in a chair in the corner of his office. "Who's 'that man?'"

"Er, um," Miles stuttered, blushing. "I, uh..." Louis tipped his head back and cackled. "You're so eloquent, Miles. I suppose this is how you became a lawyer?" The blushing and stuttering got worse. "You react so well under pressure, Miles!"

Louis finally decided to take pity on the young man. He walked over and clapped him on the shoulder, calming him down before something occurred to him. "Wait. Hold on one minute. Is it that Phoenix Wright guy?"

Miles slumps on to his desk, and Louis knows he's hit the mark. Then he looks at the picture Miles keeps on his desk, the one he always sighs longingly at. The one Louis and everyone else assumed was of a parent, or a boyfriend (don't give Louis that look - have you seen Miles?), or something.

It's of Phoenix Wright.

Louis starts laughing, and he can't stop. He's cackling on the floor of his subordinate's office instead of working on a case. Miles is just leaning face-down on his desk, and Louis can't. Stop. Laughing.

Eventually, he manages to wheeze out, "Sorry. Sorry, Miles. I'm not laughing at you. I'm laughing at... I have no idea, actually." He straightened up, and  patted Miles on the shoulder. "We should get back to work. I'm gonna... go find a case. Bye!"

Miles makes a mmrph sound against the desk as Louis twirls out of the door and walks, whistling, back to his office. Louis grinned so much his face hurt that night, but he was just so proud. His boy had fallen in love!

(Even if said boy didn't know it yet.)

Miles disappeared a few months later, leaving a note on his desk that said, That man fell 40 feet from a burning bridge into a rock-lined river. I will be visiting him for the next few days, so take as much PTO as needed. I chartered a private jet, so I will be back as soon as possible.

Louis makes a mental note to get the number of this Phoenix Wright whenever Miles gets back. 

Oh, he hopes he gets invited to the wedding.

+++

IV.

Trucy Wright loves her Daddy. He's always nice to her, he always has time to see her magic tricks (even when they fail), and he has the nicest friends.

Ms. Maya likes to take her to stores, and buy her whatever she wants! She says it's Daddy's money that they're using, but Trucy doesn't believe her. Her Daddy can't afford that much nice stuff, which is why she always gets something for him whenever she's with Ms. Maya.

Ms. Maya also introduces her to her cousin Pearl! Pearl is very nice and a little shy. She doesn't know the English language that well yet, but Trucy is happy to help! She spends a lot of time with Pearl in her room helping her with English, and they are very good friends so far!

Mr. Larry will babysit her occasionally, when Daddy or Uncle Miles aren't at the house. He's lots of fun because he takes her to PG-13 movies even though she's only 12. He's not allowed to stay overnight with her anymore after he let her blow a hole in the kitchen roof with a science experiment, but she can still do experiments at his house!

Mr. Gumshoe (no one will tell her his first name, although Daddy has been stopped from doing so by Uncle Miles several times) lets her ride on his shoulders since Daddy says she's too big for doing that with him. She often gets babysat by him when Daddy and Uncle Miles need to quickly run into work, and he likes to watch Disney movies with her and Pearl.

Uncle Miles is her favorite grownup other than her Daddy, though. He likes to bake cookies with her, and when he tucks her in at night he kisses her on the forehead. Daddy says that he doesn't live here, but she knows better. The last time he slept at his apartment was a month ago, and her and Daddy's apartment only has two beds and one of them is hers.

Pearl says that Daddy (she calls him Nick) and Ms. Maya (she calls her Mystic Maya) are "special someones" and that Uncle Miles is just Daddy's friend, but Trucy disagrees. Friends don't constantly fall asleep hugging each other as the three of them watch a movie or hold hands for hours or share a bed (at least according to her friend Stephanie).

Ms. Maya will sometimes look at the two of them and give Trucy a look like, Can you believe these idiots? and Trucy will nod back with her seriousest look. They need to get it together and get together!

So one day when Daddy is at work, she asks Uncle Miles, "Uncle Miles, do you love Daddy?"

Uncle Miles choked, spitting out the water he'd been drinking. Trucy solemnly patted him on the back until he managed to cough out, "I'm sorry, what?"

"I asked if you love Daddy!" she chirped, peering up at him. 

He blushed and set down his water on the kitchen counter they were both standing in front of. "Er, why do you ask?" Trucy doesn't have to be good at reading people (though she is) to know that Uncle Miles is doing one of his tells right now - running a finger across his prosecutor's pin.

She can't reach the top of his head, so she reaches up and pokes him in the chest. "Because I want the answer, silly! Now spill." She pulled her finger back and crossed her arms, glaring lightly at Uncle Miles as he refused to meet her eyes.

"Er, well, sweetie, I, ah..." He tried to move around her and exit the kitchen, but she moved in front of him and he stepped back. "This isn't a very appropriate conversation topic or one that pertains to you." His face was still resolutely red.

"I beg to differ!" she said, using one of the fancy phrases she'd learned from him. "I think it very much 'pertains to me' since it's my Daddy you're in love with!"

"Trucy!" he admonished. "These claims have no basis in fact and you know this."

"I rather think they do!" she said, rising in volume. "You hold his hand all the time, you live here, you share a bed."

She saw the realization on his face as he realized she had a point. "T-that doesn't mean I'm in love with him! Symptoms do not make the disease, Trucy."

She gives him a look. "Fine, fine, yes, I'm hopelessly in love with your father and he doesn't reciprocate. Happy now?" She let him walk past her and flop onto the couch, and stood next to him.

"What makes you think Daddy doesn't reciprocate?" she asked, cocking her head. He groaned, covering his face with his hands. 

"Trucy, I love you and your good intentions. But have you seen my past? I sentenced hundreds of innocents to death, I let him think I was dead for a year- wait, I shouldn't be telling a child this. This conversation is over." he said through his palms, before lowering them away from him face.

"Uncle Miles. You just admitted to raising a child with him. Do you need any more of a tell than that?" He looked at her quizzically. "You admitted that you love me. Which, y'know, I love you too. But also..." She spread her palms out, and he looked a combination of embarrassed and touched.

"Trucy. Thank you for trying to solve my romantic issues, but now is not the time. You can talk to me in six years, how about that." he said, looking for the remote.

"If you're still not together in six years, you'll probably need my help!" she harrumphed before turning and walking around the coffee table. She flopped onto the couch next to him and he thumbed through the menus before putting on a cooking show, one of the ones they liked to watch together.

You wouldn't have known it from looking at her, but her mind was racing to think of scenarios to get her dads to confess.

How am I stuck with the two densest men on the face of the Earth?

+++

+1

Franziska is surrounded by fools. And her brother is about to marry one.

"You what?!" she screams into the phone, starling Maya, who is watching Steel Samurai on the couch.

"You okay, Fran?" she asks. Franziska waves a hand at her and she shrugs, before turning back to her foolish cartoon.

"I'm marrying Phoenix, Franziska. I do not know why you are surprised." She is shocked!

"How dare you get involved with that foolish fool of a fool!" she yells, hopping down from the stool she is sitting on and beginning to pace. "He does not deserve you, kleiner bruder!"

"Fran." he says softly, stopping her mid-pace. "I know you never liked the idea of us dating, but I do want you at my wedding. Miss Fey is already coming - she is my husband's Maid of Honor - but I would like you to be mine."

He continues rambling - something about his proteges being the other groomsmen and bridesmaids on his side - but she is not listening, for she is too busy trying to wipe these pesky tears out of her eyes.

"Danke." she says, in far too small a voice for a Von Karma. He stops abruptly, and she can imagine that he is blinking in surprise on his side of the line.

She hears him smile, somehow. "I knew you would come around eventually, große schwester."

There is a commotion on his side of the line, and she takes the opportunity to sit down on the couch next to her partner, who flashes her a smile before going back to her Samurai-induced trance.

She hears something like, "Hi Phoenix, yes, I am calling Franziska, fine, say hello-" and then there's another commotion, and she hears the defense's voice saying, "Hi Franziska!"

Franziska rolled her eyes before responding, "Good morning, blödel."

"What?" Phoenix said over the line, and she heard Miles say, "She's calling you a fool, but in German. That's not nice, Fran."

She abruptly snorted, bringing a red-nailed hand to her mouth. "Oh, hush, you sentimental fool. Marriage. Pah."

"Okay, Mrs. Scrooge." Phoenix remarked dryly, causing her and Miles to both laugh.

"Well," Miles said warmly, causing her to smile. "we should go. Oh, one more thing..."

"Hm?" she said, checking her nails.

"We'd like you to plan the wedding."

Her hand is to her mouth again, but now it's because she's tearing up again. This behavior is terribly unfitting of a Von Karma, but she can't stop. The tears are spilling, and Maya is looking concerned, but she can't stop.

"I will." she managed to push out with her terribly weak vocal chords. "It would be an honor."

Maya seems relieved that these are happy tears, and squeezes her hand. She can hear Miles and Phoenix smile over the phone, and then Phoenix says, "Great. Meet us at 3pm tomorrow at the coffee shop near our house and we can get talking?"

She nodded before realizing they couldn't see her, and then said, "I will put it in my calendar."

"Cool! See you then!" Phoenix said cheerfully before ending the call.

"What was that?" Maya asked, cocking her head as Franziska put the phone back into her pocket. 

"Oh, kleiner bruder called and asked me to be his maid of honor and plan the wedding." she remarks, causing Maya to grin happily.

"We're gonna be maids of honors together!" she squealed, clutching both of Franziska's hands in hers. Franziska smiled, and thought, Who knew life would come to this?

~

The wedding is a splendid affair, dark blues, whites, and gold accents adorning the field her brother and brother-in-law chose. The chairs look like they're ornate glass carvings, and she spared no expense on the catering.

Phoenix walked up to her, hands fidgeting. Miles was the one who was going to be walking down the aisle, so she was stuck with this fool until the ceremony started in about half an hour.

"It looks good, Fran," he said, looking around the field. She rolled her eyes, but the smile on her face was evidence that she was proud of the compliment.

"Don't call me that. But yes, I do think this is some of my better work." she preened.

"'Better work?' Don't be ridiculous. This is one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen, Franzi," he replied, bumping shoulders with her. She scoffed, but in reality she was becoming mildly fond of the fool. If her brother liked him, then maybe she could too.

"I do want to say," he looked at her expectantly, "I think you and my brother are, to use the common phrase, 'good together.'" He looked extremely touched, raising a hand to his chest. 

A casual observer would not think that this statement was anything special, but from Franziska it was a great concession. Phoenix was so happy that he hugged her, and she smiled.

"Get off me, Wright." she said after a few seconds, pushing him off her.

"What? That's not very swell of you, Franzi," he said, wagging a finger at her in a slightly too camp manner.

"Fuck off," she retorted eloquently as Miles walked up. Phoenix gasped dramatically and fell backward, causing her brother to scramble forward and catch him.

"Miles, I thought I wasn't supposed to see you before the wedding!" he exclaimed. Miles' white suit and light blue tie complimented Phoenix's light blue suit and white tie in a way that made them look like a blue and white yin and yang, which Franziska was rather proud of.

Miles gave him a look that made Phoenix chuckle. "To hell with tradition. We're two men getting married in our thirties, we've already fucked tradition enough today. Why not go the extra mile?"

"You and Franzi over here have got to rein in your pottymouths." Phoenix commented, pointing his thumb at her.

"Please. I do it in front of Trucy and Pearl, I'm not doing it on my fucking wedding day." Franziska laughs, and walks over to join them.

"This is how he manages his anxiety, blödel." she replied as she stopped in front of them.

"Oh please. On my wedding day?" Phoenix asked in a fake hurt voice. She scoffed and replied, "Absolutely on your wedding day. Old habits, right?"

"Stop bickering, you two." Miles said, stepping between them and putting a hand on each of their chests, pushing them apart. Phoenix stuck out his tongue at him and he just chuckled.

"I do have to go prepare for the whole walking-down-the-aisle bit now, so I shall be off. Do not die."

Phoenix waved, and Miles turned to leave. Phoenix looked at her, and said with a sparkle in his eyes, "New beginnings, right?'

~

Miles was walked down the aisle by that fool Louis, though Franziska would admit she liked him.

He stopped in front of the priest (Larry, apparently he'd acquired the ability to officiate weddings somewhere over the last decade) and held hands with Phoenix as Trucy skipped down the aisle behind Athena, who was scattering petals all over the guests.

Their vows were simple, poetic things about holding each other through the highs and lows, and by the time Larry said, "You may now kiss the groom, dude!" there wasn't a dry eye in the room.

Some of her best work indeed.

and that brings narumitsu week 2024 to a close! thanks for seeing me through this whole project. (and yeah I know this doesn't really  fit the prompt but I tried)