Chapter Text
It happens right after Mia’s first trial with Phoenix as her co-counsel.
Maybe she could have caught on sooner, but she was still riding the high of trouncing that smarmy Winston Payne - again. She’s lenient enough after the win to let Phoenix man the front desk by himself. He’s earned it after his stellar job catching the crucial contradiction in the witness’ testimony - although they really has to work on his “Objection!” voice.
In any case, Mia is happily looking up specialty fertilizer - Charley’s been drooping, but they didn’t have the spare cash to do anything about it until now - when Miles Edgeworth walks in to her office.
Mia freezes. What the hell is he doing here? She resigns herself to greeting with him with basic civility - though if he does that stupid finger-waggle, Mia can not be held responsible for her actions - but Phoenix beats her to the punch.
“Welcome to Fey & Co. Law Offices! How can I help you?”
Edgeworth turns his casually smug face towards Phoenix - and stops. And stares.
Oh, hell no.
“Sir? Can I help you?” Phoenix parrots, confused.
Edgeworth blinks, then physically shakes his shock away. “Perhaps,” he drawls, looking Phoenix up and down.
Mia is at his side in a flash. “Edgeworth. What are you doing here?” she demands.
Edgeworth’s gaze flicks over to her, cool and collected once again. This is familiar territory. “…I believe you have the files on the Jones case? Prosecutor Von Karma would like to review them.”
Mia grits her teeth. She highly doubted Von Karma needed to review a case he’d already won - this was likely just some sort of power play, a way to remind her of his perfect record. “Phoenix. Grab him the files.”
Edgeworth looks at her sharply, and she meets his gaze unflinchingly. Like hell is she going to leave them alone so Edgeworth can seduce her protégé with his dastardly prosecutor tricks!
“Okay, Chief!” Phoenix chirps, oblivious to the tension in the room. He heads off to sort through the stacks of records in the backroom, humming a short, annoyingly catchy tune to himself. Mia realizes with a sinking feeling that it’ll probably take a while for him to find the files in question - she never did get around to making an organization system for them - which means she’s stuck here, with him.
She looks at Edgeworth appraisingly. At first glance, he looks the same as he had at the Fawles trial - but there are small differences. Not in his appearance, but his mannerisms. He hasn’t crossed his arms once, in what used to be his default stance. Instead, he was clutching his arm and had his eyes trained on the ground - strange, the boy wonder looked almost nervous.
Edgeworth cleared his throat, and opened his mouth to speak - then closed it again. Mia stares at him. She realizes with a start, that she’s never actually heard him address her as anything but “novice bimbo” …and looking at the restless man in front of her, she doubted she would be getting a repeat performance of that.
Maybe he doesn’t even know my name, she realizes, with a hint of glee. So he doesn’t know how to start a conversation here.
Mia should really put the guy out of his misery and say something. But hey, she reflects, he’d arguably made her squirm enough in the Fawles trial to justify a lifetime of payback.
She watches the show, amused.
Edgeworth clears his throat again. “I trust you’ve been well?”
She raises her eyebrows. “Very well, thank you,” she drawls back, with the slightest hint of a posh accent.
Edgeworth scowls. “Who was that man you sent to get the files?” he asks bluntly.
“A future defense attorney. A very talented future defense attorney,” Mia shoots back.
Edgeworth doesn’t rise to the bait, Mia notes with grudging respect.
“Named…?” he prompts.
Well, it’s not as if Phoenix won’t loudly announce his full name and social security number if he asks him himself.
“Phoenix Wright. And I’m Mia Fey,” she adds as an after thought. Edgeworth flushes as she reveals she knows how little he knows, then nods.
He hesitates, as if carefully deciding what to say. “He’s very…pink,” he offers lamely.
You’re one to talk!
“Chief! Got the files!”
Phoenix waves a manila folder in the air proudly as he runs over, then skids to a stop as he takes them in. Mia realizes with a start that she’s got her hands braced on her desk, and she’s leaning over Edgeworth as he fidgets like a lying witness.
“Umm…is everything okay?” he asks tentatively.
Mia shoots him a smile. “Peachy,” she says brightly, snatching the file out of his hand and shoving it at Edgeworth. He grabs it with a surprises grunt.
“Goodbye, Mr. Edgeworth,” she chirps.
“Actually, Miss Fey, if you would allow me the honor of properly introducing myself to your employee?” Edgeworth asks calmly.
Mia scowls. She shouldn’t have told him her name! But it’s too late now, Edgeworth is offering his hand to Phoenix with a confident smile. “Miles Edgeworth, international prosecutor. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Phoenix.”
They are not on a first-name basis! But Phoenix of course, fails to call him on it, simply beaming and clasping his hand…with both of his? What was the kid doing?
“It’s nice to meet you too! I can’t believe you’ve heard of me.”
“Miss Fey told me a little about you while you were in the back,” Edgeworth responds smoothly, leaning in to Phoenix casually.
“Oh, that makes sense. I feel like I should have heard of you before, though! Aren’t you a little young to be a prosecutor?” Phoenix wonders.
“I am a prodigy. I passed the bar at 20,” Edgeworth says, honest to god puffing out his chest as he says it. Mia doesn’t even try to disguise it as she rolls her eyes.
Phoenix’s eyes are wide with awe. “Wow! That’s incredible…” he says breathlessly. “I’m studying to become a lawyer right now, but I can’t imagine doing it that young!”
Mia frowns. “Phoenix was an excellent co-counsel at today’s trial,” she interjects. “He’s a genius. In a few years, he’ll be the best defense attorney the world has to offer.”
“Chief!” Phoenix looks overwhelmed at her words. Mia wonders if she’s really been so sparing with her praise, if he’s so shocked to hear it now. She resolves to tell him how well he’s doing more often.
“It’s true,” she says mildly. And it is, although she admittedly did call him a genius in part to gauge Edgeworth’s reaction. He would surely get annoyed at his title of “Boy Genius” being handed to someone else right in front of him.
But Edgeworth just looked - unsure. His lips were quirked, as if he was trying to smile but couldn’t remember how. There was an unmistakable look of growing fondness in his eyes as he looked at Phoenix.
Okay, maybe this wasn’t just about stringing poor Phoenix along and toying with his feelings - maybe likening his intentions to Dahlia’s had been a little hasty on her part. But still, Miles Edgeworth, experiencing an Emotion besides arrogance or disdain? It was hard to believe - and Mia wasn’t going to let this awkward, too-often cruel man stumble his way through figuring out romance, breaking Phoenix’s already shattered heart in the process.
Mia realized with a start that Phoenix and Edgeworth were still holding hands.
“I think it’s time you left, Edgeworth,” she said firmly.
Phoenix looked shocked at her rude, curt comment, but Edgeworth just looked resigned.
“Mia!” Phoenix cried.
Edgeworth gently extricated his hand from his grasp. “I believe I do have to leave now. Thank you for the file, Miss Fey. Phoenix…I do not doubt we will meet again. All of us,” he added hastily.
He bowed awkwardly. Mia stared. Bright red, Edgeworth shuffled out of the office.
Mia will give credit where it’s due. At least Phoenix waited until Edgeworth left to sigh dreamily.
She still rounded on him instantly. “Really? Him?”
Phoenix just smiled dopily at her. “Chief, I think I just met my soulmate!”
Mia groaned and sank into her chair.