#it makes it sound like phoenix wants to get married and edgeworth thinks marriage is a sham and they've had many an argument about this :')

[isitdonproof]

"You should never underestimate the power of love"

[velvees-archive]

Some post-SOJ DLC case thoughts about Edgeworth, his opinion on marriage, and by extension, love.

…and how, at the very center of this discussion is one Phoenix Wright.

Contains spoilers from 3-5, 6-5 and 6-DLC

As if the subtext wasn’t enough.

I wanted to share some thoughts about the DLC case and Edgeworth's insistence on remaining unwed, which, from what I've seen, is a commonly employed gotcha moment against NaruMitsu (because all relationships must end in marriage, right? /lh). Don’t get me wrong, I don’t really mind. I just…didn’t find the dialogue exchange very damning.

Coming off 6-5, where Edgeworth says this,

I saw the DLC as an extension of Edgeworth's sentimentality, this time directed at Phoenix’s romantic prospects.

To make my stance clear, I don’t think Edgeworth is blind to romantic overtures; he just doesn’t care about them very much. As in, Edgeworth is largely unaffected by and uninterested in matters of the heart (with a concession that he is obtuse when it comes to people expressing interest in him, unless they're Wendy Oldbag over the top about it). But even if you feel he's terrible at sensing romantic tension, my argument still stands. Edgeworth doesn’t care about romance, and we never really see him prying into anyone’s romantic relationships…

…with the exception to this being Phoenix Wright’s.

From Bridge to the Turnabout:

Sorry for the janky screenshots. I didn't didn't take 3-5 pics on my Switch so I had to search for YouTube clips. Let the record show I actually really enjoy Feenris PLUS I love angst, so this interaction was…chef’s kiss.

Assuming Edgeworth doesn't care about romance but he can understand romantic signaling, this is already pretty condemning. Why are you poking around Phoenix's business if you're so uninterested in love? Surely, there are bigger fish to fry, like investigating the Inner Temple Garden because the clues found could be vital to catching the victim's murderer?

Assuming Edgeworth sucks at detecting any romantic undertones, the implications are even worse. You're telling me the guy who doesn't know the first thing about romance somehow clocked Phoenix and Iris's chemistry this quickly? How? For what reason were you able to catch it? How attuned are you to Phoenix's personal affairs?

Now, shifting back to the DLC case, we have this lovely interaction when you show Miles the wedding chapel pamphlet:

Something to note with Phoenix’s “W-Wait. You’re not thinking about finally settling down and getting married, are you?” is that the screen flashes and we hear the damage sound after the “W-Wait."

Once again, Miles inquires about Phoenix's love life, this time after Phoenix asks about his. I've analyzed my fair share of Miles Edgeworth dialogue, and I don't think he pingpongs questions just to make conversation (see: “Say something, Wright. I’m not good at small talk.”). This leads me to believe he was genuinely curious and (subtly) trying to fish for information. And why would that be the case?

My overarching point is this: Edgeworth isn’t as obtuse about romance as everyone makes him out to be (both in-universe and from a fandom perspective), which makes his mentioning marriage plans around Phoenix even more suspicious. The way the scene reads to me is that Edgeworth, in Phoenix’s company and swept away by the intimate atmosphere, lets his interest in Phoenix Wright slip through the cracks once Phoenix shows him the pamphlet. It's sentimental of him and it surfaces—once again—while he's investigating a case. At risk of sounding repetitive, there are bigger fish to fry.

It'd be less suspicious if Phoenix had similar conversations with other cast members he shows the pamphlet to, but it never gets to be this personal, even when he presents it to Maya, his best friend.

Good news if you feel otherwise about my “Edgeworth isn’t that obtuse” headcanon though, because should you believe he is actually just that clueless, you now have to contend with this:

If Miles can’t pick up on all things love, why is he so attuned to Wright’s (and to my knowledge, only Wright’s) romantic prospects in particular?

So yeah. Checkmate, I guess. Edgeworth might not be interested in marriage or love, but he’s definitely interested in Phoenix’s partners, or lack thereof. Take that how you will.

[notactivehereanymorebye]

I see you selfship with Eugene, who is canonically in a relationship and is married. Sorry in advance if that sounded insensitive, but since I also felt the same way with one of the characters in a show I like, I was thinking if selfshipping with someone who is in a relationship is okay, or are there any limitations to it?

hello! no it's not insensitive, that's just a fact! :-) my first order of business here is to let you know that there's no "right" way to self ship, the narrative is yours now and you can do whatever you want! there are no rules!

for me personally though, i love having f/os who are in canon relationships or who have implied crushes on other characters! i know i'm a really big outlier in the community in that regard, as most people i've seen really don't like it when that happens, but i think it's so much fun! because you know what that means? i get to be a homewrecker! the drama is palpable

in eugene's case, i see him as a gay man in denial about his identity, which is why he ended up with rapunzel in the first place. he meets me while he and rapunzel are still together, and through our progressing relationship realizes his identity and eventually leaves her. (although, i think their breakup was a private affair, and that they engaged in what was essentially a lavender marriage. this also opens the door for cassunzel so i'm having the time of my life)

i also wanna use this ask as an excuse to talk about another one of my faaaavorite examples of twisting a canon relationship into my narrative, which is like... what i did with wrightworth :-) i have been having so much fun self inserting into ace attorney, and i know when a lot of people self ship with phoenix and edgeworth they opt to essentially erase wrightworth's existence. if it makes them happy that's fine! ultimately self shipping should be about helping yourself and making you feel good. personally though i feel that erasing their feelings for each other is disingenuous and denies them a lot of things that were very formative for their personages!

in the case of my edgeworth x Me au, phoenix and edgeworth don't get together simply because they both acknowledge that despite their attraction to each other, it isn't something that they'd want to pursue, especially not in the long term. edgeworth chose me over phoenix for a myriad of complicated reasons. in choosing me, though, his feelings for phoenix didn't just magically disappear, and that's ok! because people can be in relationships, and have feelings for people other than their partner. so long as they don't cheat/consider cheating it doesn't devalue their existing relationship. staying loyal even if you're tempted to deviate will really only strengthen your bond, especially if you're able to be open to your significant other about what you're dealing with. edgeworth loves me, and he loves phoenix, but his relationship with me is something he wouldn't ever want to sacrifice especially when considering the many things about phoenix he truly would not want to deal with on an intimate level.

basically like. phoenix wright tries to vent to me, his therapist, about how his crush picked another guy over him but i am the other guy and i made out with his crush right before coming to our appointment. this is only a very brief summation of that whole situation but i think it's very fun.

this is long and messy but i hope i answered your question adequately lol, the tldr is that there are really so many ways to self ship with a character who already has an established relationship/romantic interest! literally just have fun with it, there are no rules or limits outside of your own boundaries and imagination! :-)

[milk-addicc]

I like the wedding convo between narumitsu in the dlc but Phoenix reply " no plan here for now even if I wanted to..." makes me confused. It sounds like Phoenix really wants to marry but still didn't find the right one... what do you think?

there’s two way of viewing this convo.

1. Phoenix have an interest in marriage, whether he really wants to or just have a slight interest is pretty vague but he at least “wants to” but got no plans. Which can very well just means no one fit his quota yet nor he just hasn’t tried dating anyone since Dahlia/Iris. He wants to marry but he hasn’t found “the one” to settle with yet.

2. If you use narumitsu lense on this, you can see this as Phoenix thinking twice about it since Edgeworth have no intentions in doing marriages, aka, probably not wanting to do marriages for now which then followed with his inner dialogue confirming to himself, even though it has nothing to do with the case. i think its interesting that Phoenix was curious about Edgeworth’s stance in marriages, its as if he’s putting a mental note or something haha-

in any case, my actual view on this is both. 

in a literal and in-game canon view its pretty simple, Phoenix has interest in getting married but has no one yet.

but for funsies and pairing narumitsu however, i’d say that he secretly wants to marry him but “aw man Edgeworth’s not into marriage, thats fine i guess i respect his decision and view even tho we’re in the middle of a case and i sorta i want to oh well no plans for now i guess” lol.

[dei-lab-assistant]

Fake Marriage part 7

It’s the last day of your “honeymoon” and you and Edgeworth are planning nothing more than a calming walk and a fancy dinner. Unfortunately, several individuals will spend the evening throwing a wrench into these simple plans, and the first of them is a certain tabloid photographer...

Word count: 1049

The grounds were well kept and surrounded by a tall brick wall, which was covered with ivy and morning glories. You and Edgeworth walked through the hedge maze and around a pond with koi fish, periodically holding hands since you were supposedly on your honeymoon, (and you had already figured out hand holding during your “dating” period.) In the end, the two of you arrived at a multilevel fountain, where you stopped to talk. In the nearby bushes, Edgeworth spotted a hidden photographer with bushy red hair named Lotta Hart; he discreetly shared her location with you via pointing. In response to the discovery of a known tabloid employee, the two of you sat on top of the round steps leading up to the fountain, while you leaned against his shoulder and tried to look comfortable and relaxed, (this was something you had worked out during your “engagement” phase.)

“I just caught myself thinking about how nice it would be to go home tomorrow, but then I remembered I’m moving in with you.” You spoke softly in the hopes Lotta would be unable to make out your words.

“I had one of the bedrooms with the most windows set aside for you, but you can choose a different one if you would prefer it.” His answer was even softer.

“That sounds pretty good to me. I’m sure Trucy and Pearl have done a great job moving my stuff in our absence.” You sat upright and turned to look at him. “You did move out the nice furniture, right? I don’t want to destroy any of your expensive possessions.”

“Everything should be sturdy enough to withstand you sitting on it.” Edgeworth knew the sort of woman he had fake married; you may be better at acting grown up these days, but your childish side still tells you to sit on desks, put your shoes on the furniture, and tip back in your chair. It’s one of the reasons you like working for Phoenix—the atmosphere at the Wright Anything Agency is casual and comfortable; they’re like a family, and most days poor Apollo is the only one who bothers to trying to act like a responsible adult.

“Good,” you placed your head back on his shoulder. “We still have to work out the details of our living arrangement, but I’m sure we’ll figure out something decent.”

Edgeworth adjusted his cravat, “I’ve done my best to make the appropriate preparations.”

“Huh, I honestly haven’t given it much thought.”

“Typical.”

You knew what he meant, but wanted to hear him elaborate, “What’s typical?”

“You live every day making it up as you go along. I don’t know how you do it.”

“True enough. That’s probably why you’re a rich and famous Chief Prosecutor and I’m an underpaid private eye at the Wright Anything Agency.”

“Do you regret your decisions?” It sounded like a serious inquiry.

“All I ever wanted was to live life on my own terms. And I’ve done that. So no—no regrets.”

“Oh come on!” a heavily southern voice exclaimed from the bushes, and Lotta Hart’s irritated face popped out. “You two gonna just keep yammerin’ away like a couple of friends or start actin’ like a couple of newlyweds?”

You had no intention of letting her get away with those words, so you scooched down a few steps and argued with her. “First of all, friendship is awesome, and you shouldn’t belittle it just because it makes for boring photos.”

“Easy for you to say, borin’ pictures won’t pay my rent!” She brandished her large camera at you as she spoke and moved further out of the bush. “I need some real romantic lookin’ photos of y’all to go with the article Nicole’s writin’, or it won’t sell.”

“Secondly,” you resumed your frustrated rant, “what we were doing just now was plenty romantic!”

“My scoop needs pictures that are real romantic lookin’, and if they can inspire feelings of torrid passion when the reader looks at ‘em—all the better!” Now she had moved entirely into the open. “Y’all looked like a couple of elementary students pretendin’ to be in love.”

“You do know we’re both in our thirties, right?”

Lotta stood up, “Oh for Pete’s sake, you two’re hopeless. I mean, I always knew that Mr. Prosecutor over there was straight laced, but I thought you’d be more of a free spirit when it came to love. ‘Specially since I talked to the cleaning staff, an’ they told me how much time you two’ve spent in your room together. So when I saw you out on the grounds, I figured you’d be regular lovebirds.”

You stood up as well, using the moment to figure out all the implications of what she had said—but when you did, you felt yourself blushing. “You think the whole time we were in our room we were…” Turning around to look at Edgeworth, you saw he was busy with a very elegant facepalm of embarrassment.

“Ms. Hart,” he stood up, “I believe you have no legal right to be here. Therefore, I would suggest you leave my bride alone before I’m forced to call resort security to remove you.”

“All right, all right, I get the message.” Lotta began to collect her belongings from their hiding places in the nearby shrubbery. “You’d think as far back as we go the two of you would be willing to invite me to your wedding, or at least be willing to pose for me during the honeymoon.”

“Didn’t you falsely testify in court that you witnessed Mr. Edgeworth commit murder?” you asked, raising your eyebrows.

“Well, I may’ve been the worst witness ever, but I’ve also been helpful.”

“I don’t know about helpful, but you’re certainly not the worst witness ever, trust me.”

Lotta hoisted a heavy camera bag and slung it over one shoulder, “I’ll be seeing you two,” she called back with a little wave as she walked away.

“Yeah, you probably will.” You sighed before turning to Edgeworth, “‘Leave my bride alone?’”

“I thought it would be appropriate considering the situation.”

“Yeah, I’m impressed, actually. This undercover stuff is hard.” You intentionally took his hand, “Dinner?”

He nodded, and the two of you headed back, never guessing what waited in the shadows of the evening.

[bifuriouslyqueer]

#it makes it sound like phoenix wants to get married and edgeworth thinks marriage is a sham and they've had many an argument about this :')

^YES^

"You should never underestimate the power of love"