Work Text:
The main object of this legislation is to provide a clear and consistent code of conduct for the two parties involved.
Prohibition on Physical Touch Outside the Home
No physical contact shall occur between the two parties outside of their residential dwelling. This includes:
1) all forms of hugging, kissing or caressing
2) resting a hand on the other party’s person for an extended period of time.
3) adjusting the clothing or hair of the other party.
This does not include:
1) social gatherings with a majority attendance of close friends and relatives – i.e Thanksgiving, birthdays, funerals, weddings, etc.
2) occasions causing immediate emotional distress, such as earthquakes.
3) any other occasion agreed upon by both parties.
4) yes, fine, if one of us is in physical danger the other can touch them to save their life. You are being ridiculous, Wright, but I will put it down if it makes you feel better.
5) uhhh, I think you’ll find that you’re the one being ridiculous, but I appreciate you letting me contribute.
The courthouse is lively, noisy. Shoes squeak on polished floors. Conversations bounce and echo off intimidating architecture. Phoenix thinks – no he knows – he hears a familiar voice, and he turns towards it on instinct. Chief Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth is at the end of the hall. He stands relaxed, in a way neither of them thought possible ten years ago, with one hand on his hip and the other gesturing as he speaks to a detective. Phoenix gets Athena’s attention, motions towards the man on the other side of the room; she rolls her eyes but nudges him with her shoulder in encouragement.
There is four feet of distance between them when he stops.
“Wright,” Miles says, the words tinted with mild surprise. As if he hadn’t just watched him approach with greedy eyes hidden behind his glasses. “Are you coming or going?”
“Just arrived. We’re in courtroom 3.” He’ll get brownie points later for ignoring the innuendo. “Will you be on this side of town for lunch?”
Miles checks his watch. Morning sunlight glints off his wedding ring and makes Phoenix glow with happiness. He feels it beaming out of him in the way he smiles and bounces on the balls of his feet.
“Yes, there’s no way this meeting will end early. Same place as usual?”
“Sounds good. Catch ya later, Edgeworth.”
Ok, maybe just one brownie point.
Professional Conduct
Both parties must use due diligence regarding the workplace. This includes:
1) protecting the privacy of all clients.
2) no collusion or sharing of evidence.
3) recusing a case if the other party is assigned to it.
4) State office supplies must never be used for The Wright Anything Agency purposes.
5) yes, this includes that time Trucy used the printer in the Chief Prosecutor’s Office for her flyers.
6) no, I’m not angry she used all the ink – I don’t even pay for – it’s the principle of the thing!
An allowance will be made when one party or a mutual loved one has been framed for murder, or kidnapped, or held hostage. See: Explanatory Notes.
Miles likes the coffee shop two blocks away from the courthouse; Phoenix doesn’t care that much – he’ll be the first to admit he doesn’t have the same refinement of taste as his husband – so it’s where they go when they meet up on a work day. He sees a flash of burgundy behind a newspaper and the grin that spreads across his face is wide and unfettered. Miles dips the paper down to take a sip of tea and gives him that soft look, the one where he tilts his head and has half a smile, as if looking directly at Phoenix would be too intense to bear.
“Afternoon,” he says as he tosses his satchel under the table. There’s a cold glass of water waiting for him and he drinks it, thirsty from the sun and the walk. “How was your meeting?”
“Satisfactory. How was the trial?”
“It’s still going,” he scratches the back of his neck. He wants to tell Miles everything that’s happened so far, all the twists and turns that have already spun the case around and around. It’s too soon, though, and Phoenix is still trying to work it all out for himself; he can’t afford to say the wrong thing and put Miles in an awkward position, as much as he loves working through the logic with the other man. “I’ll let you know when we’ve won.”
The smile comes back, with a faint huff of laughter. “I hope you have evidence to support all that confidence.”
Phoenix wags his finger in a fair imitation of Miles. “Tsk, tsk. It wouldn’t be very ethical for the defense to divulge such information to the prosecution, now would it.”
Miles rustles his newspaper eloquently.
Private Conduct
Private conduct may refer to activities which occur:
1) in the shared residential dwelling of Miles Edgeworth and Phoenix Wright
or,
2) in a sufficiently secure location
or,
3) in a place that I’m pretty sure is private, at least for as long as we need it to be.
4) I am not adding that.
5) Why not? Remember the change room at the tailor’s? Or my desk?
6) Your office has a door and can therefore be considered a secure location.
7) Objection: we didn’t lock the door, and Apollo was out there with a client.
8) …
9) Sustained.
Phoenix waits for Miles to put down his briefcase and remove his coat, and then he pounces; their lips meet, part in a sloppy-comfortable way, finesse and experimentation fallen to the wayside after years of kissing. They know each other, now, and what they like and it’s this: Miles’ tongue filling his mouth and the scrape of teeth on his lip; a hand clutching his hair and pulling his head to the side, to the exact angle Miles wants. Dull and sharp pain together, and not enough air, but he refuses to break the kiss. It takes a yank of his hair, and a hand on his chest pushing back, to get Phoenix to finally stop and breathe. He gulps in oxygen, head spinning and lips buzzing.
Miles looks dazed. Amused, as well. “Are we having dinner first?”
Phoenix shakes his head. His fingers are already working at the cravat; it’s a delicate task, and he’s practiced it enough times he can do it with his eyes closed. “After the day we had, you’re lucky I’m not tearing this suit off you.”
“Please don’t. The thread is extremely hard to find, and Pess tried to eat a button last time.”
Enforcement and Compliance
If it is reasonably suspected that one party has contravened this code of conduct, the other party may:
1) Wright, this is completely unnecessary. I trust you.
2) I know, but this is important. It isn’t just about our careers. It’s about making you comfortable and having clear boundaries so that -
3) – would you stop typing and come to bed already.
Miles has his head in Phoenix’s lap, propped up with a pillow. In ten minutes, he’ll get up and go to his office to finish his work for the evening, but right now he’s content to have Phoenix’s hands stroke his hair as they watch the news. It’s hypnotic, the way his fingers comb through it, how his thumb brushes along his temple and curves around his eyebrow.
“Is this OK?” Phoenix asks when he uses the back of his knuckles to stroke his neck.
“A little firmer, if you could.”
His husband drops a kiss on to his head and he changes the pressure of his hand. Miles sighs deeply and lets the last of the day’s tension relax, finally.