"A formal event. How long has it been since the last time I was invited to one?" Phoenix thinks, "Not that I particularly enjoy them… I always feel dumb with the fancy-talking people. But someone that belongs here… Is prosecutor Gavin."
He looks towards Klavier, who's happily talking and laughing with the other guests. His golden locks and energy shine with an almost blinding light.
"I wonder how he can stay so radiant after all that happened… I guess it's nice to see."
A few seconds pass, and Klavier finishes talking to the others. He spends a moment distracted, thinking about what to do, and then spots Phoenix across the room. His blank expression changes to his trademark smile, and Phoenix waves weakly as the other man approaches him.
"Hey, Herr Wright. Mind to stop staring and ask for the autograph already?" he says teasingly.
"How long did I stare at him?!" Phoenix thinks, embarrassed.
"I just spaced out for a second," he replies, shrugging indifferently, "Although, I'd like an autograph… for my daughter. She's a big fan of yours."
"Alright then. Do you want me to write the autograph on your hand?" he says with a big grin, to gauge his reaction.
Phoenix raises a brow, then says, "Uhh, no, thanks."
"Okay, how about your chest?" he asks with an ever bigger smile, finding his confusion amusing.
Phoenix looks at him with wide eyes, taken aback.
"Uhhhh, just write it down in a napkin." His voice breaks from his usual laid-back tone a little, coming out flustered.
"Was he flirting with me? We’d have to go to at least six parties before that, if I don’t break his face for his daring first, that is."
"Seems like a good deal. Let’s see if you can go to six parties without thinking out loud."
Phoenix cringes, with his face reddening. "I really need to work on that…"
Then, he watches Klavier close as he takes a napkin from the buffet table, noticing how he writes every G as the one in the Gavinners logo. He smiles a little.
"God, how do you even stand yourself?" Phoenix murmurs with amusement, "Polly told me you're eccentric, but I'm still surprised."
"That's funny, Herr Forehead told me the same thing about you."
Klavier parts the napkin in half. He gives both halves to Phoenix, one with the autograph for Trucy, and the other, with his number.
"What's this?" he says, glancing at the latter.
"Now that the smoke has cleared, I don't see why we shouldn't be friends. It's true that you… haven't been a lawyer in a while." He looks away. "But you still have the knack, ja? It'd be interesting to hear your perspective when I need an alternate view on a case! If you're okay with that."
"I can't help you beat Apollo, that'd be a conflict of interest… But I believe that's not what you're looking for."
"Ah, so you called my bluff. Of course I'm not asking for your assistance to win, that's not what matters anyway," he says with his eyes still on the wall.
"I thought so. Tell me then, what do you want?"
"Um. Well…" He plays with his rings, hesitating. "I'd hate to break the atmosphere we have here. But as you may have guessed, I want to get rid of all the lies I've been told, and the version of you I knew is one, you know? I used to think you were a wicked man, but…"
"So it's about your brother?" he murmurs, dissapointed.
"…No. Excuse me. What I'm trying to say is that, leaving the lies aside…" He meets his gaze again. "All I know about you, right now, is that you fought for the truth. You wanted to help others! I think we're similar in that way. It's simple. All this time, there was a great barrier stopping me from truly meeting… you, so…"
"You want to, now that we're right in front of each other without anything in the way. Yeah, I get it." He smiles. "I've to admit I'm curious about you myself. Everyone seems to love you."
"Heh." He smiles proudly, thinking I hope you will too. "Everyone—well, not everyone—Herr Edgeworth and Detective Skye seem to love you too. Herr Forehead seems to not hate you that much."
"How incredibly flattering," he says flatly, "I should give you my number too. Um…"
Phoenix turns towards the table to look for a napkin the way Klavier did, but Klavier taps on his shoulder and shows him his closed hand.
"Somebody's gonna write on someone's hand one way or another," Klavier says, laughing awkwardly.
Phoenix chuckles.
"Well, if you insist…"
Phoenix holds his hand steady and writes down his number with Klavier's pen. Phoenix's thumb is on Klavier's knuckles, and his fingers are on his closed palm, touching Klavier's. The realization makes him blush and hold his breath ever so slightly, and the glint in Klavier's blue eyes shows that's exactly what he was expecting.
"…There you go." He lets go of his hand and gives him his pen back.
"Thanks."
Immediately after, Klavier takes out his phone and adds his number to his list of contacts, reading from Phoenix's sloppy writing. The whole hand thing was completely unnecessary… he looks back at Phoenix with a smirk.
"The first of six parties without you breaking my face for flirting with you. I'm telling you, it's hard to turn the score on its head when you're already losing." Klavier winks, and Phoenix's heart convulses.
"W-well… One thing you should know about me is that turning the game on its head is my specialty."
"That's true. Until next time, Herr Wright."
"See you, rock boy."
As he watches him leave, Phoenix thinks he still wants to break his face, but in a completely different way. He shakes his head, surprised by the image his own mind created.
" Kissing, Phoenix. What you're thinking about is kissing," he muses, and decides he should stop just standing there, and go have fun as well.