A/N: I do not own Miles Edgeworth, Phoenix Wright or Trucy Wright; they belong to CAPCOM. The plot, however, is mine. :) Miles is sick in bed at home, feeling very miserable. Phoenix and Trucy want to help him feel better so Trucy hatches a plan that her father agrees to help her with.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
I'm more like Miles when I'm sick. LOL! I HATE being sick; it annoys me.
Hope you enjoy!
The title is a pun and it fits this story perfectly, I think. :)
Rated K, Family/Drama, male/male relationships, Phoenix x Edgeworth
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
November 19th
Home of Phoenix Wright and Miles Edgeworth
Master Bedroom
5 P.M.
Miles stared blearily at the black comforter border, sniffling, dabbing the sides of his nose with delicate touches and trying not to upset the teak wood tray which lay across his middle, sturdy legs lying on either side of him, with a steaming mug of tea resting on top of it, a box of kleenex lying off to the right.
He coughed, trying to control a painful spasm than raced down his back, irritating his congested chest. He'd had this miserable chest cold for two weeks now and it seemed that it had only gotten worse in the interim if the myriad of body aches, exhaustion and sniffles he suffered through were any indication.
Bloody cold. Miles sneezed, his eyes scrunching shut before he opened them again, looking blearily out at the room, his fingers fumbling to grab the tissue that lay on the bed next to him. Bloody nuisance.
Phoenix had stayed home to take care of him for the past week and a half, taking a much needed vacation from the daily grind of work. His beloved husband was a cheerful caretaker unlike the surly patient, who was more grouchy and prickly than he normally was but, despite this, Miles appreciated both the love and tender care that his husband showered upon him.
Thank heaven I have him, he thought, blowing his nose and coughing, another painful spasm racing through his chest. I really appreciate all he's done for me and i can't imagine anyone else having the temerity that he has in putting up with me. He couldn't help but chuckle at that one.
He also thought of their seven-year-old adopted daughter, Trucy. She'd insisted on helping her father take care of him, despite his rather feeble protests, and he couldn't repress a smile when he thought of her. She was a wonderful child; he knew that she had her moments when she was quarrelsome and testy-what child didn't?-but on the whole, she was a wonderful daughter and he doted on her as she did on him.
I'm also glad to have her as well. I can't imagine my life without either of them in it. He coughed slightly again, his hand slowly reaching out for the steaming mug of hot lemon tea that lay on the tray in front of him, his fingers slowly curving around the handle. Although I am sorry that I was so brusque with her earlier today. He sighed with regret. I have to think of a way to make it up to her. Perhaps when i'm feeling better we can take a trip to the museum and go out for ice cream afterward?
He picked it up, inhaling the delicious citrusy scent and took a tentative sip, his eyes closing in pleasure at the sweet honey flavor that burst out over his tongue.
Wonderful.
Miles closed his eyes briefly before opening them again, feeling the warmth of the hot tea spreading through him as he settled back down onto the pillows. Cradling the mug carefully in his hands.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
6:30 P.M.
"Daddy?" Trucy's tentative voice broke the silence. She and her father were in the kitchen by the sink, Phoenix washing the dishes and she drying them with a black cotton towel.
"Yes, pumpkin?" Phoenix turned his head to look at her, his arms elbow deep in hot, soapy water. He didn't miss the quiver in her voice nor her troubled expression and wondered what the matter could be.
"Is something wrong, honey?" he asked, his brow furrowing in concern. He knew full well that something was on her mind-and he had a pretty good idea what, now that he thought about it-but he wanted her to tell him so he waited patiently for her to comport herself enough to speak. A tentative silence filled the room for a few minutes before she took a deep breath, squaring her shoulders.
Is Papa Miles angry with me?" It came out in a rush, her eyes filling with tears, clutching the towel close to her chest.
Phoenix's eyebrow rose. "No, he isn't sweetheart."
"Then... " She paused a moment. "Then...why did he snap at me earlier today?" Her voice quavered.
Phoenix remembered the incident that had occurred earlier that day: Trucy had come into their bedroom with her father when he brought Miles' lunch to him. She'd brought along one of Miles' favorite books to try and cheer him up but it had backfired dramatically when she'd accidentally woken him up and he was pretty terse with her. Phoenix knew that he hadn't much sleep the night before and his temper was ragged and frayed so he wasn't surprised when he'd snapped although he really wished that he hadn't.
He also knew well that he was sorry for his brusque response and he wanted to reassure Trucy of this. "Honey, he isn't angry with you; he's not feeling well and that sometimes makes people snap at those they love."
"So he's really not mad at me?" Trucy looked squarely at her father, her eyes looking at him hopefully.
"I can assure you that he isn't." Phoenix paused a moment, his brow furrowing. "Think of it this way: do you remember how you felt when you had the flu last year?"
She made a face, remembering well how miserable and churlish she had felt. "Yes. I felt awful and it really made me feel crabby."
"And what did you do when someone tried to talk to you?"
"I... was angry and crabby and I..." She stopped, realization dawning on her, Phoenix nodding in approval.
"That's how Papa Miles feels, honey; he has a bad cold and is feeling pretty miserable which makes him more short-tempered than he normally is."
She considered this in silence for a moment, chewing her bottom lip thoughtfully as she dried a ceramic plate that Phoenix had rinsed and handed to her. ""That makes sense." She paused again. "Would it be okay if I did something nice for him?"
Phoenix smiled broadly. "Of course, sweetheart. Papa Miles would love it and it would go a long way to making him feel better."
A wide grin broke out over Trucy's face as she outlined the plan to Phoenix who immediately agreed and told her that he would help her put her plan into action later on that night.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
7:30 P.M.
Miles woke to the sound of his cellphone ringing on the small table next to his side of the bed and he blearily reached over to pick it up, his eyes narrowing as he pressed the "talk" button.
"Hello?" His voice was groggy and cross.
"Hi Papa Miles!"
What the...?!
"Trucy?" He turned over onto his back, lifting himself up out of the bed slightly.
"Yes Papa Miles! It's me!"
"Trucy what on earth are you doing calling me?" His eyes flickered over to the bedroom door.
"Well, Daddy said that you weren't feeling good so I wanted to do something to help make you feel better!"
Miles growled under his breath. I should have known that Phoenix was somehow involved with this."Trucy, honey, where are-?"
"Look out the window, Papa Miles!"
What?
Miles' head lifted off the pillow and, with some difficulty, turned toward the large window across the room that looked out over the back yard. He drew in a deep breath when he saw Phoenix and Trucy standing outside, waving at him, infectious smiles on their faces.
He lifted a tentative hand in response, his dark grey eyes widening when he saw the snowmen that they had built: one with some spiky locks who obviously was Phoenix, wearing a blue scarf around its neck; one that was a little smaller in the middle with a red toque and red scarf around its neck that was Trucy and he gasped when he saw the last snowman who stood on the smaller snowman's right, sharp snowy bangs hanging to either side of its head with a magenta scarf around its neck.
Oh, Trucy... His eyes filled with tears of joy when he saw this.
"Do you like it, Papa Miles?"
Miles took a deep breath. "Yes, honey; I love it."His heart swelled with pride. "Thank you."
"I'm so glad! Daddy helped me make the snowmen and I hope that makes you feel better!"
You have no idea how much better I feel...thanks to you both.
"It does make me feel better, sweetheart."
And it truly did. He always mentioned how much he enjoyed going out into the backyard to make snowmen with both Trucy and Phoenix after the first snows came and it was something that they had done together as a family ever since their marriage four years earlier.
"I'm glad! Get well soon, Papa Miles!"
"Thank you, Trucy. I will."
An infectious smile spread out over Miles' face as he settled back down onto the bed, pulling up the comforter to his chin and snuggling deep underneath the covers, his heart full of love for both his husband and daughter, reflecting once more how happy he was that he had both of them in his life.
Truly, I am the luckiest of men.
.:FIN:.