Chapter Text
Miles Edgeworth wasn't particularly good with children. They didn't think logically, they were loud and jumped around too much.
His own childhood had come to an abrupt end when he was nine years old. The time before that seemed too far away. A very distant past that he didn't like to visit often, as it came attached with painful memories. The only child he had interacted with in any capacity was Franziska, but she could not have been considered normal. She had always very much acted like a tiny adult, rather than a child.
He wouldn't say that he was afraid of children, but he never really knew how to talk or behave around them. He tended to feel awkward and strange and preferred to avoid their company whenever possible.
So when he entered Wright’s former office-turned-home after another anxiety filled emergency flight from Germany and saw a little girl glued to his friend’s leg he stopped dead in his tracks.
“Wright, who's that?” He said instead of a greeting. The whole scene was completely absurd.
Wright had foregone the suit and wore a horrible combination of sweatpants and hoodie. His hair was greasy and decidedly spike-free. There were dark bags under his eyes, and he peered warily at Miles, as if he expected him to vanish at a moment’s notice.
The girl clinging to him wore something like a pink magician’s outfit, complete with a cape and top hat. She had brown hair and stared at Miles with piercing blue eyes as if she could look deep into his soul.
“Are you coming inside or not Edgeworth?”
Wright’s words broke him out of his reverie. He cleared his throat. “Thank you, Wright.” He said and stepped over the threshold.
***
Trucy eyed the pink, ruffly man cautiously from behind her new daddy. She had not been with this new daddy for long, but she already knew he was somebody she could trust. This new man was... strange. She couldn't quite place his tells.
He seemed cold and stern, but something was bubbling underneath. Something Trucy couldn't put her finger on. She didn't like it when she couldn't read someone. It felt like someone was holding their hands over her eyes or ears and she wasn't able to gather all the information she needed to make sense of the person.
When he sat down on their couch and daddy asked her to leave them alone for a while Trucy went to hide behind the door to her room. She left it open a tiny crack so she could hear the men talk.
“What brings you here, Edgeworth?” Daddy asked.
“I heard what happened. Did you honestly believe I'd stay away? I hope you know me better than that.” The pink man said.
Trucy fidgeted. She wanted to see what they were doing, but she couldn’t open the door without being spotted. So she stayed put and listened harder.
***
Wright looked at him with a stony expression. “Maybe I didn't want you here in the first place,” he said coldly.
Miles’ heart sank. On the way here all he could think of was how to help Wright out of this tight spot and get him his badge back as soon as possible. He didn't know what he had expected to find, but it certainly wasn’t a man hidden behind a brick wall with a young child in tow.
“Wright, whoever did that to you must not get away with it. Let me help.”
To his frustration Wright shook his head. “What's done is done. This is my life now. I don't have time for regrets. I need to look out for Trucy too.”
“Trucy? Is that the name of the little girl?” Miles asked.
“Yes. Trucy Enigmar, my last client's daughter. She doesn't have anyone, Edgeworth. I spent the last week trying to find her family. There is no one. I can't just abandon her to the system. I thought you of all people would understand that.” Wright glared at him.
Miles took a sharp breath, those words hit hard. He knew very well what it was like to lose everything and having to live with strangers. Still... “This is a big decision. Are you sure this is what you want to do? After knowing her for only a week?”
“I've never been so sure about anything in my life.” Wright clenched his fists. “You can either be supportive or you can leave again Edgeworth. There's no middle ground. This little girl is the only reason I have to keep going. I need her as much as she needs me.”
Miles stared at the man for a long time. Was it really a good idea to bring a child into this mess? Wright didn't give the impression that he was able to look after himself, let alone an eight-year-old. “You don't even have a job!” Is what burst out of him in the end.
Wright closed his eyes and sighed deeply. “I do have somewhere I can start soon. And Mia owned this office outright, so since I gave up the apartment living costs went down significantly. I've got this under control. Trust me, Edgeworth.” He opened his eyes and pierced Miles with a stare.
Miles couldn't quite make sense of the emotions churning inside him. He had come here to offer his help. A very specific kind of help if he was honest with himself. The fact that Wright refused what he offered and asked for something very different instead didn't sit right with him. On the other hand, what could he really do if the other refused him?
In the end he relented - against his better judgement. “Alright. Tell me what I can do to help.”
Wright deflated and collapsed back against the back of the couch. “Thank you.”
***
The next day Mr. Ruffles was gone. It was Saturday. There was no rush to get to school, so she waited for daddy to wake up and make waffles for breakfast. She waited a little longer, until he had his coffee and then she pounced. “So, daddy, who was that man yesterday?”
“Edgeworth?” Daddy asked.
Ah, yeah, that was his name. She nodded.
“He's an old friend. I know he comes across as a bit odd, but he's a good man. Someone you can trust.”
She took another bite out of her waffle. “How old?”
“We met at school and became best friends. But then his father died, and he had to move away. It took quite some time before we met again.” It wasn't a lie, but daddy wasn't telling her everything either.
“Why is he so cold and stiff? He looks like he ate a broom.” Trucy giggled.
“The man who took him in wasn't exactly doing a great job. Quite the opposite really. Edgeworth had a very bad time and still hasn't fully recovered. Though he is doing a lot better these days.” Again, no lies but not the whole truth either.
“Daddy, you're not telling me everything.”
Daddy sighed. “I know sugarplum and I am sorry about that. But it's not my story to tell. Maybe you can ask Edgeworth when we see him next.”
Trucy cocked her head and thought about that. Well, she got some information at least. “When will he come over again?” She asked.
“That won't be for a while, I guess. He has to go back to Europe soon. On Monday he will help me with the paperwork to get your adoption sorted out, but you will be in school when he's here. After that - I have no idea.”
She sipped her hot chocolate and nodded. One day she would track down the elusive Mr. Edgeworth and find out what was going on with him. Until then she just had to be patient and hope that daddy was right about him.