Chapter Text
Apollo held the files under his arm tighter, trying his best to keep his face stoic. Professional. The student in front of him seemed determined on trying to make his job harder in every way possible.
"Y-you are a virgin?" Why was this a topic of discussion again? "Uhm…" He tried, feeling like mentioning Nick's recently imprisoned ex-girlfriend was awkward at best. Not much time had passed since they charged her at court with multiple serial-murders, including Nick's.
Phoenix's big bright eyes fell to the floor, quickly getting at what Justice was trying to say. "We didn't talk much outside of seeing each other at the cafeteria or around uni."
"I-i see… But, why are you asking me about this again…?"
"You had girlfriends before, yeah? You have experience."
"Ha haha…" Apollo felt his face heat up at the insistence of the law student.
After defending the young Wright on trial, Apollo felt bad about him being left on his own. Thus, he had offered Nick help with getting started on his lawyer career.
An assistant would come handy for his growing agency after all. Yet, the new kid proved to test his patience to a new level.
"Don't be coy about it! How did you do it?! I'm taller than you!" Wright pointed down at his boss forehead.
"What does that have to do with anything! Get back to your books!!" Apollo yelled back.
As usual, he was never sure how Nick managed to get him upset to easily. Perhaps it was his own fault as the boss for letting it slide so often.
"…I will when you tell me how you do it." Something in the way Wright worded himself kept Apollo on edge.
He usually caught the younger man staring at him when he thought he couldn't see him. And at times, Apollo sensed an eagerness from Nick to follow his instructions that felt a bit… over done.
It was common for this sort of admiration to arise from a student, Apollo had thought at first, but with time the lawyer only noticed Wright's admiration turning more and more into an intense, looming, puppy-crush.
Even Trucy, Apollo's sister, started giving him funny looks ever since the first time she saw the two men waiting for her at the exit of one of her shows.
According to Phoenix, he had nothing better to do that day and trailed after Apollo once he learned about him routinely going to see his magician's sister shows.
Still, Apollo tried his best to ignore his new employee's advances. As a new firm, there was a fear of his name quickly falling into disgrace if he couldn't prove his skills at court. Yet trying to keep any semblance of seriousness around the agency deemed impossible around Nick.
"There's no secret to meeting women! Just be nice!?" He answered, his voice louder than he intended.
"Liar!" Nick doubled down, stepping closer to him.
"Do you even talk to girls?" Apollo cocked his head sideways. "Regular friends, who are girls?"
"W-well…"
"There you have it. If you don't want to work today, Just leave the office Nick. I'm really busy-"
Phoenix jumped in front of him, Apollo's face hitting the younger man's chest and his papers scattering on the floor.
"Mr. Justice…" Wright whispered. His face flush. "Y-you are not listening!"
God, Justice keep yourself together.
"Last month, I saw you with one of your dates."
Apollo froze, papers forgotten.
"You date men too."
"Nick-"
"No! You didn't tell me!" He yelled, on the brink of tears "I told you about Edgeworth..."
"And I told you I'd help you reach him! What's the problem?" Apollo said calmly, he had gotten used to his assistant getting easily teary eyed.
The first time he saw him like this he worried, but as he got to know Nick a bit better, it was something Apollo learned to expect. He would say he even started to find it endearing, how boldly Phoenix wore his heart on his sleeve.
"You act like you are so much older, but you just got your title a bit earlier than me, you know? It doesn't make you all that smarter. Heck, you are not even 25."
Apollo raised an eyebrow at him.
Wright only stepped closer, facing him off. "You think you are so above me, acting all serious! Prove it then! That you are so much better than me!"
Justice tried to make sense of what Phoenix wanted, why did he bring up his last hook up? How did he even learned about it? Pictures of him kissing the hand of his night-time lover getting of the car suddenly made him feel shy, thinking Phoenix may have seen that...
"I don't have to prove anything to you."
"Of course you'd say that… You cowar-AACK!"
Apollo found himself pulling Wright against the nearest wall without even thinking. "Don't call me that!"
"Hah… Make me then!" Phoenix couldn't help smiling. Apollo squinted, trying to figure out what the deal was with him. Was he… blushing?
"Phoenix…"
"Please…" Nick whined. His eyes wet.
Apollo didn't move. It was making feel really bad how much this crush had been affecting Nick. What was worse, Phoenix opened a box Apollo had been desperately trying to keep away from him. Yes, Phoenix was sweet and earnest, and he often acted in ways that had Apollo bitting his tongue and trying to think of anything else that wasn't telling him so. But he was also used to going out with men who were older, languid and knew how not to get attached.
The idea of somehow playing with Nick's delicate burning heart pulled at Justice own strings….
He felt even worse now, knowing Nick was even less experienced than he imagined. To be asking that Justice take the innocence of those dark beautiful eyes….
"If you keep staring, does it mean you like this?" Nick said as he pressed his head into Apollo's hand.
Apollo let go of him as if burned, his cheeks bright red.
"I-I don't think you know what you are asking for, Nick. I-uhm." God he sucked at this kind of thing. "I don't tend to do relationships that much, You know? It… It looks like you are looking for something more serious."
"Well, you never know... We are already doing lots of relationship things together Mr. Justice."
Oh, he was not going to listen to him, was he. Justice licked his lips, not sure on how to bring Nick back to earth.
"I call up guys on grinder to fuck around without even knowing our names. It's not…not a romantic thing- w-what are you doing!?"
Nick had started calmly taking off his new coat and undoing his pink tie while Apollo spoke.
By the time Nick reached the buttons of his shirt, Justice realized he should be the one trying to stop him.
"I don't want to hear you talk about it, I want you to show it to me."
Apollo couldn't stop looking at Nick's exposed neck. He forced his eyes closed, a sense of guilt coming over him.
"W-Weren't you waiting to meet that guy you like?… What made you change your mind? I wouldn't think you'd be interested in-"
"An old man fucker?" The way Nick said that had Justice stopping himself from scolding him like a child. "Hehe. I'm not sure… I saw you walking with that guy down the street and... you looked so charmed. Like he was really that beautiful to you. I couldn't stop thinking about it. I… wish Dahlia would have looked at me like that. It was fun when she told me what to do, but things were always a bit... cold. Or on some weird days it was as if I frightened her."
Phoenix voice got sadder as he went on. It made Apollo think that he may be taking Nick for granted. After all, he had also gone through some heart breaks and hang ups and he had gotten over them eventually... yeah?
"Look…"
Nick stared back at him with huge eyes full of hope and dreams.
"W-we can try something. But I don't want you to compromise with me. Yeah? You'll find better romance elsewhere."
Phoenix nodded enthusiastically, making Apollo sweat under his collar.