Chapter Text
Phoenix stood on the curb, holding a wet waterlogged newspaper over his head. He sometimes read the paper, or sometimes used it as an excuse when he forgot an umbrella back at the agency. He called out, “It’s raining really hard could I maybe get a ride?”
The owner of the red sports car had pulled over, and rolled down the window a crack. Inside, the person in the driver’s seat’s grey eyes regarded Phoenix with a puzzled and irritated glance. Sighing deeply Edgeworth shook his head and mumbled, “Very well… But you’re going to get the bill for any water damage to the seat.
Phoenix twitched a corner of his mouth up and managed a grateful nod. “Okay, fair enough…”
He heard the snap of the electronic lock pop open after he ran around the car to the passenger side. Removing his briefcase he opened the door and folded the soggy paper to toss on the floor. Once he got in he dropped the paper on the floor mat and clambered inside, tossing his briefcase at his feet. He slammed the door only to have Edgeworth glare at him.
“Don't slam… Never mind. Just put on your safety belt…”
“Sheesh Edgeworth, I know that much, even though I don't drive or ride in cars much,” Phoenix shot back as he clipped the seatbelt into place. It had an adjustable well on the wall that he fiddled with so it was at the right height.
“There is a lack of safety restraints on bicycles. Judging from the lack of such, I assume you were going to wait for the bus?” Edgeworth asked.
“I missed the 4:30, and the next one isn't till 5:00,” Phoenix explained, shivering a bit. His suit sleeves were a shade darker thanks to being wet from holding the newspaper over his head. The only part of him visibly not wet was his collar, tie, and white shirt, and his hair.
“Typical…” Muttered Edgeworth, though he secretly hid the fact he was a bit concerned that it was chilly outside. A ripe breeding ground for germs, and a cold. Something Phoenix was at risk for and was miserable when he caught them.
Waggling his finger the prosecutor asked, “Don't you even have the sense to bring an umbrella?”
“I loaned mine to my client,” Phoenix explained, shrugging.
“I certainly hope they reimburse you for it, considering you won yet again,” Edgeworth quipped, turning on the radio before he pulled away from the curb. That black raincoat he wore was barely even wet.
Typical Wright, loaning out his umbrella and going without. It reminded him of a day years ago when both of them stood in the rain after he'd run back home. Larry later came by with umbrellas for both of them, but what happened afterwards was a memory he'd rather file away under f for forget again.
“Well, it was a used one I bought on the street a few weeks ago anyway,” Phoenix said with a shrug.
“And what about your umbrella before that?” Edgeworth asked, face fixed on the road in front of them. The hum of e engine was soothing like the sound of a dryer at the laundromat so Phoenix settled down and leaned his head back in the comfortable leather seat.
“Loaned it to Maya, because she left hers in Kurain village,” he explained, shutting his eyes for a moment. His fingers wandered down to the side of the seat and pressed one of the buttons. Behind his lower back the seat arched out a bit.
“Huh, didn't realize that button did that,” he mumbled, opening his eyes.
“Good grief, don't mess with the lumbar support, unless you know what you're doing, Wright,” Edgeworth scolded.
“Hold it, I was just looking for the seat back lever…” Phoenix argued.
“That button is to the immediate rear, and mind you don't press it too hard or… Stop!” Edgeworth protested, seeing his rival drop out of sight.
“They go back that far?” Phoenix gasped, from a prone position. “What, don't tell me you take naps in here so you don't ruin your sofa?”
“Wright, put the seat back up before I pull over and do it for you,” Edgeworth gritted, rolling his eyes.
“Which button again?” Phoenix asked, causing Edgeworth to question why he agreed to offer the other a ride again. “Nope, that's not it….”
“Hold it! Don't press anything else! Just stay there,” Edgeworth snapped, hearing the seat go up and down. He quickly squinted through the windshield wipers moving back and forth to see if there was a place suitable. Fortunately there was metered parking so he moved into the slot.
The break made a clicking sound that reflected his sudden frustration. Honestly he dealt with gumshoe all day, having to deal with wright on top of that was getting on his last nerve. Reaching over both seats he felt for the offending button and pressed it. In the process his arm brushed over Wright's lap, still moist with rainwater. Phoenix wriggled a bit, peering down at the warm body leaning over his.
“You see what I mean, Edgeworth? I couldn't figure out which button, and labeling them is useless because I can't see down on that side….” Phoenix argued.
“You could have asked me, wright,” mumbled Edgeworth, finding the wrong button for a second that lowered the seat. His grey haired head pressed against Phoenix’s chest.
“See it's not that easy. Guess you don't have many passengers in this car, huh?” Phoenix quipped once Edgeworth found the correct button. For a minute or so Edgeworth kept his arm in place so his head now rested against Phoenix’s upper arm.
“Don't be ridiculous Wright. Is that position suitable for relaxing without overdoing it?”
“Fine by me,” Phoenix murmured wriggling a bit. Edgeworth’s body was a bit warm and the weight of it was welcome so he missed it when the prosecutor returned to his regular upright position.
“Next time, do not hesitate to ask. You could have broken the mechanism, Wright,” the prosecutor scolded.
“Objection! I'm not that careless, Edgeworth,” the defense attorney protested.
“Knowing your penchant for damaging technology, since you are incomparable with it,” Edgeworth commented.
Phoenix interrupted, “The word is incompatible, Edgeworth…”
“I said that,” scoffed Edgeworth.
“Well either way, thanks for the complement,” Phoenix said as he beamed.
Edgeworth blushed a slight pink and grumbled, “You're welcome, Wright. You are hardly comparable to a fine piece of machinery like this… You are one of a kind…”
Unsure of what he’d just heard, Phoenix shivered for a different reason. He forced himself to peer out the side window at the blurry traffic passing by. His body missed the presence of his friend’s only a minute or so ago. It had to be his body chilled form the dampness of his soaked suit. Against his legs he felt delicious heat. Thankfully Edgeworth turned up the setting just then since his hand retreated from the climate controls. Underneath his bottom he could feel warmth too. Glancing over at the middle of the car he saw two temperatures appearing in digital blue.
“Huh, climate control, warmed seats… is there anything this car CAN’T do?” he joked. “Does it make your coffee and wake you up?”
“Hardly. I don’t drink coffee unless I require a sufficient jolt of caffeine, when tea will suffice. Pess usually serves as my alarm clock since I do not wait for the last minute to climb out of bed after hitting the snooze button,” smirked Edgeworth.
“Objection! That was just the one time, and when DID Maya tell you that?” Phoenix asked, glaring at him.
Adjusting the tempo of the wipers Edgeworth turned on the defogger another notch as well. Was it Phoenix’s imagination or was the rain growing worse? They soon reached the crossroads for turning off to his apartment complex when he saw flashing orange lights and caution signs. Edgeworth pulled to a slow crawl behind the line of cars already gathered. Flickering red and blue lights accompanied by a siren blared past.
“What the heck,” Phoenix mumbled, sitting upright in the seat.
“It seems as if we have been delayed,” Edgeworth murmured, turning on the radio. Both listened to the traffic report come on after the classical music eagerly.
“Delays on Main Street due to the creek flooding are making emergency crews block off access. Residents in those blocks are encouraged to find somewhere else drier due to the risk of further flooding… affected areas are Locust, Mariposa, and the People Park apartments… South 15th block and 17th block…”
Phoenix frowned hearing his street read off. He shook his head mumbling, “Where the heck am I going to stay? Gatewater? My office?”
“It would not be safe to continue,” murmured Edgeworth, shaking his head. He lay his arm across the seat behind Phoenix’s head and flipped the car into reverse. Slowly he backed up and turned around in the nearest street as half the other cars in traffic were.
“Hold it, where are you going?” asked Phoenix, shivering a bit despite the heat blasting on his lower legs and lap.
“Your apartment is in the vicinity of a flooded street, and in your current condition with a lack of umbrella I am loathe to allow you to walk to your place of residence, Wright,” Edgeworth said as he waggled a finger.
“You aren’t going to put me up in a hotel, are you?” Phoenix mumbled.
“Knowing your current financial situation that would hardly be prudent. My home would be a more ideal place to wait out the storm and provide you with dry clothing so you can wait for your own clothing to dry…” he suggested.
“Well, if it won’t put you out, Edgeworth, and if you’re not going to send it to dry cleaning and send me a bill,” Phoenix teased. “I guess I can’t refuse. I know if the situation was reversed you could crash on my sofa…”
Edgeworth lifted a brow and murmured, “Doubtless it would have its own story to tell of the number of times you subjected it to take out…”
“Objection, that was from Maya and my college days,” Phoenix interrupted, glaring at him. “And I don’t eat take out every night. I DO know how to cook real food…”
“I will refute that statement if I see evidence to the contrary,” said Edgeworth.
“Pfft, you would say that,” Phoenix chuckled, with a shake of his head. They drove out the main street a ways through the city and into the suburbs. Phoenix listened to the classical music station on the way as he closed his eyes and relaxed to the hum of the engine and the sound of the rain pelting the car all around.
***
The three car garage and the passage into the side kitchen area was what he had expected, but he was stopped just inside the door so Edgeworth could remove his coat, and take Phoenix’s soaked blazer and briefcase. He hung the wet jacket on a hanger to drip over tile, and pointed to the floor.
“Shoes off… and follow me. You’re soaked to the bone, Wright,” he grumbled, glaring at the attorney. The sound of barking unnerved Phoenix, and he saw Edgeworth motion him to follow him through the kitchen to a small bathroom on the first floor. By small it was only small in the fact it didn’t have a shower but a large sink and vanity with a toilet.
“I shall return with a change of clothes. Sit there and don’t go anywhere else,” Edgeworth directed in the same voice that he addressed his companion animal in the other room.
“I’m not going to shed on the furniture like your dog,” Phoenix quipped, rolling his eyes.
Edgeworth vanished into the hallways, and Phoenix heard the sounds of a dog whimpering and barking accompanied by the sound of Edgeworth calling out commands. A knock at the door came a few minutes later and he saw Edgeworth holding a set of neatly folded clothes. Instead of a T shirt and sweats like he’d offer Edgeworth he saw a pair of tan pants and a polo shirt with thin black stripes.
“Here, I suggest you change into these whilst I make some tea to warm you up. And mind you put on the slippers and socks,” Edgeworth quickly instructed. Phoenix noticed he’d removed his outer blazer so he was in vest and shirtsleeves.
“I know, I know,” Phoenix chuckled, accepting the clothes. “But you sure you don’t have just a pair of sweats or shorts… I don’t need…”
“Just get changed, Wright,” sighed Edgeworth shaking his head as he shoved the clothes into Phoenix’s arms and slammed the door.