Dislaimer: Don't own Phoenix Wright. Sigh…

A/N: I have no Live Journal account, so I suppose I'm kinda confessing about my anon-ness here. Originally for the PW Kink Meme, this is written in response to this request:

"Miles tries to awkwardly get Phoenix and Iris involved romantically (or more than they already are, whatever). Phoenix eventually awkwardly tells Miles his feelings. Yes, this is fluff, and NO, I REGRET NOTHING."

Beware: much fluff ahead and cute slash :)

---

.:A Crushing Sort of Perfection:.

It wasn't a hard thing to miss.

She had such a beautiful voice, a delicate figure with a gentle touch and the sweetest disposition. From a damaged past, she had somehow developed softness and selflessness. That shy, welcoming smile was hypnotising. It all made her an almost angelic woman.

Or sickening. Depends which way you want to look at it.

Those shy glances across the room, those small, quaint little blushes on her features; they just oozed the fact that her perfection was reserved for one particular man.

Oh yes, she hadeverythingthat man could want.

It really wasn't a hard thing to miss that they belonged together.

She had everything Miles didn't have. Basically, everything he couldn't stand.

He wouldn't be seen dead with that sickly sweet smile plastered on his face, his voice weary and rough from the strain of court. Any softness had been frozen, his damaged past taking a different effect upon his soul in the form of hardening his heart. His features were chiselled and worn, no youthful glow, no warm feeling or pleasant greetings remaining.

There was nothing Miles could offer him. He had been a coward all those years ago not to make contact. He had no romantic history with him, unlike her. He wasn't a celestial image that suited the other man so well and, well, he was a man. Even his very gender was against him.

He had nothing.

She had everything. Including his heart.

It wasn't a hard thing to miss that she was the perfect companion for the defence attorney, and it wasn't until now that Miles realised just how much he loathed perfection.

But, the other man deserved perfection. If Miles truly felt for him, then he would let him be happy. He wasn't about to get in the way of perfection because of his own stupid fantasies.

So all he had to do was help this couple and he'd be free. All Miles had to do was get Iris and Phoenix to be romantically involved so that he could finally give up on the spine tingling sensation that Wright inflicted.

He'd just have to be a man and ignore his jealousy.

This is for the best. This is for the best. This is for the best.

The mantra, no mattered how many times it was repeated, was no more honest than the last time it was said.

But Miles could pretend for the sake of Wright's happiness.

This was going to be for the best.

He cleared his throat and picked up the receiver, hesitating another second, before finally dialling the number of the florists down the road.

---

It was ironic, really.

Phoenix had always known that she would never have tried to kill him. His infatuated self in college would have yearned for this moment - the moment that proved his beloved Dollie innocent of her treachery and made her voice her true feelings. Iris was everything he thought her to be, after all, and his college self would have happily leapt back into the relationship of perfection and mush.

Her soft appearance was everything he would have dreamt for, and her personality was well matched to his own kindness. She had feelings for him and they had such a memorable and happy history. Well, mostly happy.

She had everything - and yet, she had nothing he wanted.

The ringing of the phone made him jump up from his slouched position on his office chair and scramble for the receiver.

Iris was calling him to thank him for the flowers. To tell him that the white chocolate coated strawberries had tasted great. How did he find out they were her favourites?

Phoenix was stumped.

"What flowers?"

"Why, the lovely bunch of Louisiana Irises you sent me."

"… I sent you some woman's eyeballs?!"

She giggled sweetly across the line.

"The flowers, Feenie. The purple Irises."

So, they weren't tulips or sunflowers.

They were the only two plants he could recognise.

They said their goodbyes, Phoenix not wanting to push the matter considering she was happy. That was all that counted, at least.

Though he wished he knew who the true benefactor was. He wanted to set them straight. Iris may have been perfect, but he didn't want perfection.

Perfection seemed boring to him.

Instead, he had fallen for someone a whole lot more interesting and challenging, someone who could give him everything she couldn't.

He blushed at his thoughts, thinking how stupid it sounded to him, but it was true.

Phoenix shook his head and laughed, before turning back to his computer, thoughts lingering but pushed aside.

---

Miles slumped back in his chair and rubbed his temples. Staring down at the paper in front of him, he sighed. Writing poetry for someone in someone else's voice was no easy task.

He knew that Stage One had worked out just as planned. His 'spy' Bikini back at the temple more than willing to tell him Iris' reaction to the flowers and chocolate he had sent under Wright's name; she had blushed red and rang Wright to thank him almost straight away.

He tried to smile about it, he really did. It was for the happiness of his childhood friend - someone he hoped could still be classed as a close friend.

Miles frowned. The more he thought about it, the more he found that he couldn't be inclined to like that outcome. Wright with someone else, Wright just as a close friend…

Damn, he should be feeling happy that she was pleased with the gifts, not being selfish and moping about it! Jealousy didn't have a place in what he was doing for the pair.

Get a grip, Miles. This is for the best, he'd be a lot happier with her, and he'd never want me in the first place. It's a fool's fantasy, better left in my dreams.

Looking back at what he had written, and being incredibly dissatisfied with the result, Miles decided there was only one way to do this. It needed to be real, it needed to have feelings behind it, and he needed to do his absolute best for Wright.

---

Peering over Phoenix's shoulder, Maya gasped and squealed loudly at what she read. Phoenix jumped and knocked his coffee over before turning to glare at her for interrupting his privacy. However, he was surprised to see stars in her eyes and her hands clasped together.

"Awh, Nick, that's so elegant and… breathtaking! Who knew Iris was so good at poetry?"

Phoenix looked back down at the thick, magnolia paper in his hand and frowned. "Yeah…"

The more he read it, the more he felt that something wasn't quite right about it. His Dollie back in college had indeed studied poetry

Well, if it could be classed as poetry. More like a load of sentences about a mid-life crisis thrown together.

But this… This was such a deep display of feelings. Even without a loud declaration of 'I love you' or 'You're the most beautiful thing to happen to me', the subtle poetry explained what Phoenix had done for the poet and the poet's shocking revelations of feeling something for him against their will. It was sad, almost, and Phoenix couldn't help but feel this wasn't something Iris could achieve. She seemed the shy type, indeed, but this was more distinguished than cute or feminine.

Perhaps he was over thinking it, but it really didn't seem that Iris had written this at all.

"Hey, it's no use staring at the spilt coffee, Nick. It's not going to clean itself up, y'know!" Maya cheerfully reminded him before bouncing off back to staring at the television.

Gee, thanks for the help, Maya. It's great to see you're so mature and accept responsibility for your own mistakes.

Phoenix sighed and pushed the paper to one side, before grabbing a tissue to clean up the spilt liquid, all the while wondering if his hunch was correct.

---

Wanting to know Phoenix's reaction to the poetry meant that Miles would have to directly investigate on the situation. He knew Phoenix too well to have thought he would express his emotions out loud. Also, to create the next step of the relationship between Phoenix and Iris, they needed Miles' interruption.

That was why he stood there, hand poised in front of the door to Phoenix's apartment, ready to knock.

So why was he hesitating?

Just say hello, tell him about the reservations, congratulate him on his new partner, and leave. Simple. Easy. Nothing to get awkward about.

Instincts took over and he knocked on the door, waiting a few moments until a scuffling inside was heard and the door was flung back.

Miles opened his mouth to say something to the man in front of him, but quickly shut it when nothing came out.

…And there goes the plan.

"What?" Phoenix probed, after a whole minute's silence with the other man simply staring at him.

It really wasn't fair. His blue eyes and dark hair, his relaxed pose and amused look - they were all so Wright.

"Wright… I… reservation… it's something I… you and I… I mean her… well…"

Damn it all.

"One word at a time. Try to stick to three syllables and you'll be fine," Phoenix said cheekily, folding his arms and leaning against the door frame.

Miles scowled at Phoenix's slight twitching of the lips as he fought down the urge to laugh.

"Here," he said, thrusting a piece of paper into Phoenix's chest. "It's for you; I have no use for it with my single lifestyle."

She's a lucky woman. How can he render me speechless with a simple look?

No! Stop it! Jealousy had no place in what you're doing; it's for the best…

Phoenix took the paper from Miles' hand and read it, his eyes widening.

"Edgeworth… This is…" He looked up with a genuine smile on his face.

Miles had to look away for fear of doing something he really shouldn't. "Just take the bloody thing. I hope you and Miss. Hawthorne enjoy the night for two."

He turned to leave, before feeling a hand on his shoulder that sent sparks off throughout his body and forced him back around.

"What's Iris got to do with anything? I thought this was…" Phoenix looked at Miles' confused face and blushed. "…Never mind."

"You thought what?" Miles asked, slightly irritated and definitely feeling awkward with Phoenix's hand lying on his shoulder.

"Well…" Phoenix laughed nervously and withdrew his hand to rub the back of his neck. "This is gonna sound really stupid, but I thought it was for us two."

Phoenix thought that Miles had been inviting him out to dine with him?

"What foolish notions made you think that?" Miles snapped back.

Phoenix lowered his eyes to the floor. "Yeah, I know. It was stupid. Just… forget it." He held out the paper with the reservation details on it. "I can't take this, Edgeworth."

Miles looked down at the paper, and then back up at Phoenix.

"An acquaintance of mine gave it to me. It'd be rude to turn it down simply because I have no romantic interests."

Phoenix visually flinched, but didn't take back his hand. Miles sighed.

"I'm sure Iris would appreciate the setting for you tw--"

"There is no 'us two'," Phoenix cut in quickly, raising his head and lowering his hand. "There may have been a long time ago, but she's re-entered my life too late for me to simply pick up that relationship again."

"If you tried, I'm sur--"

"I don't want to try."

Miles was starting to get impatient. He had done and emotionally gone through so much to get these two together. Iris suited Phoenix so ridiculously well, and now Phoenix was going to be immature and shy about it all?

Over my dead body!

He met Phoenix's eyes with an annoyed glare.

"Look, Wright, I suggest you stop skirting around the situation and simply confess your feelings or your relationship with her isn't going to go anywhere."

"That's the point, Edgeworth!" Phoenix exclaimed. "I don't like her that way!" He took a deep breath to steady his voice and shuffled his feet slightly. "If you want the whole truth, I actually like someone else."

"But you and Iris…"

Realising he was protesting too much for Iris' case, Miles quickly shut his mouth.

Phoenix sighed and ran a hand over his hair.

"I was hoping you of all people would understand. She may have confessed she felt deeply for me - in fact, it was so obvious that it seems someone else has being trying to get us together as well - but the truth is, I can't love her."

"You two work well together," Miles replied. This was tearing him up, but Phoenix and Iris needed to get together. Otherwise, he didn't have a clue what he was going to do about his unrequited feelings.

"It wouldn't work at all, Edgeworth. I feel too strongly for someone else, someone who may not want me like she does, but they are..." He paused, probably remembering it was only Miles was talking to. "Forget it. It's complicated."

Miles closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose. This wasn't going as planned.

"Fine. Take whoever you want, Wright, but as your…" He paused a moment. "As a friend, I recommend you and Iris make quite the couple."

"As a friend…" Phoenix repeated softly, his face relaxing.

There was a long pause where neither man wanted to move or speak, each with so much to say but no courage to say it.

"I… err… I'll only accept this reservation if you… um… just - just let me do one thing…"

Miles quirked an eyebrow as Phoenix turned the paper over in his hands, seemingly nervous. His silence was a sign for Phoenix to continue.

"Will you let me… Will you be the one to go with me?"

Miles visibly twitched and he swore his stomach turned over a couple of times.

Yes! Will I ever!

"Wright, it's a chance for a romantic evening with your partner, not a depressing meeting with a 'stick-in-the-mud' like me," he retaliated, mouth on override.

"Right, sorry, it was me being stupid again wasn't it?" Phoenix said, flushed and not being able to stand still on the spot, preferring to hop from one foot to the other.

Miles shook his head and turned to leave again, only to be stopped again. He was getting quite tired of the scenery of the dingy corridor by now, and he simply wanted to leave. Why wouldn't he just let him leave!?

"Don't go, please."

"I only came to--"

"Edgeworth, there's a reason I didn't want to take Iris. There's a reason I wanted to take you instead."

Miles stared back at Phoenix.

He can't mean what I think – what I want- him to mean…

Can he?

"There is?"

"I'd rather be with you."

Simple enough.

Miles felt his mouth turn dry.

"…With me."

Phoenix sighed and ran his hand over his hair again.

"Yes. With you. I… I like spending time with you." He shrugged. "I dunno why, but I suppose I just like seeing your… imperfections."

"Don't be ridiculous, no one can like imperfections," Miles snapped. "They're there to be improved on, to be erased, Wright."

"But it's human to see you climbing twelve floors of stairs when you can simply take the elevator, and sometimes a bit funny…"

"I don't see how anyone can admire someone stupid enough to crawl into a ball and cry like a two year old all because of a harmless earthquake," Miles scoffed, folding his arms away from Wright.

He wondered where the attorney was going with this.

Phoenix chuckled under his breath.

"I can't keep lying to Iris, or keep thinking I can put up with the supposed 'romance' between us." He looked Miles in the eye. "Truth is…I've fallen for you, Edgeworth."

Miles lost all signs of calmness and felt his eyes widen in surprise at the serious look on Phoenix's face. He blinked.

I must be imagining things.

"Did you just say that you've 'fallen' for me? And not referring to tipping over the carpet to get to the door or anything?"

"How the hell did you know I tripped over my rug?" Phoenix asked.

Great concentration levels there, Wright.

"Never mind that, answer the question!" Miles felt his pulse race into triple figures and his hands start to shake.

"I… I might have," Phoenix shifted his eyes to stare at the elevator door before he sighed resignedly. "Fine, yes, I said it. I like you as more than a friend and I think I have deeper feelings for you, Miles Edgeworth."

Miles was once again shocked into silence. "But… but how can you say that? I'm…"

"Close to me, handsome, understanding, a true friend and, by all means, not the least bit sickeningly sweet."

"I'm acold bastard, Wright."

Phoenix shrugged again and put the hand with the reservation details in it on Miles' shoulder. "Do I look like I care? If you're trying to dissuade me, it's not going to work. Even if you're rejecting me here, it's not going to stop any of these feelings I have for you."

He placed his other hand on Miles' cheek, softly, before forcing a small smile as Miles did nothing to resist.

Hesitantly, Miles opened his mouth to speak. "Iris… I tried to hook the two of you up because you fitted so well together."

Phoenix laughed. "I thought something fishy was going on. But, Edgeworth, she's part of my past. You're my future, and I want to be yours."

Oh so cliché, but oh so wanted.

"That wasn't in the calculations, Wright. You were never supposed to like me back," Miles said slyly.

It seemed Phoenix realised that was the best confession he was going to get. He smiled and leaned in to place his lips on Miles'. After a few seconds, before Miles could even react, Phoenix pulled away.

"Strange... I think I used the same line on Iris when we first started dating," he pondered, bringing one hand down to Miles' waist.

Oh, very romantic, Wright.

Miles, high from the kiss, couldn't bring himself to be angry. Instead, he wanted more of that wonderful feeling. Before the defence attorney could say anything damming, Miles shut him up with a replying kiss, and enjoyed the feeling of Phoenix responding. He lightly slid his tongue against Mile's lips and they deepened the kiss, Miles resting his hands on Phoenix's back.

It was the single happiest moment of his life, bar none. Not that that required a great deal of effort, but knowing Phoenix wanted him and not perfection - even after being taught about how perfection was the answer to everything - it was perfect.

Breaking the kiss, Phoenix removed his hands from Miles and grinned.

"I guess I'll be seeing you on Saturday at the restaurant, then?"

Miles felt the corners of his lips twitch upwards slightly. "How can I resist after that display?" He did his best to look annoyed. "Why didn't you do that in the first place, Wright?"

Phoenix laughed. "Because lawyers have to learn the hard way," he replied. "Speaking of which, I loved the poem."

Miles gave in – he just had to smile at that one.

I could get used to this type of learning.

It was for the best, after all.

.:Fin:.