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The sun rose from the east every day.
Miles knew this, all vampires knew this. Every day, the moon dipped under the horizon and the sun would take its place in the sky. Soon, it’d bathe the world in warm dangerous light, scorching anything in its sight. The cool glow of the moonlight had to end at some point, and the sun would rise to greet the world with its burning rays. Ever since Miles was a child, he was told to stay away from the sun, that it was dangerous, that it could kill him.
But as he sat in the living room, with Phoenix—a human—sitting and having a drink with him, Miles wondered what it was like. Humans didn’t have to worry about the sun’s dangerous hot rays, in fact they basked in it. So carefree under the daylight, laughing and running around, taking in the rays of the sun like it couldn’t kill. Miles couldn’t ever imagine a life like that.
“What is it like, Wright?” Miles asked him. “The sun, what does it feel like?”
“Hmmm!” Phoenix hummed in thought. “Well, it feels warm. I mean, duh. But it feels warm in a nice way, y’know? Like a fluffy blanket in winter.”
“I see…”
“Our worlds are so different, it’s always eye-opening talking to you.” Phoenix said, smiling a little.
“Yes, it is. I can’t imagine going out in the sun.” Miles said, then adding as he took a sip of his blood. “I’ve never even seen the sun rise.”
Phoenix stared at him. “No.”
“…What?” Miles raised a brow at him.
“Have you never like, had an all-nighter?”
“An all-dayer. And no. Because it’ll kill me.”
“Alright, that’s it.” Phoenix said, growing determined. “I’m showing you a sunrise.”
“You…are?” Miles raised a brow. “Pray tell, can you control time?”
“Nope, but I can stay here until the sun rises.” Phoenix said, checking his watch. “Which is in around two hours.” He then glared at Miles. “So you better stay awake.”
Miles scoffed. “Fine. But it’ll be a waste of time.”
“Well, good thing you’re a vampire. You have like, centuries of living.”
The hours passed by rather quickly, the two talking away the minutes, though Phoenix swatted him awake every time Miles almost slept. Before he knew it, Phoenix was leading him away to a window that faced the east. The two hid behind a thick curtain, and Phoenix shot Miles a smile before he pulled the curtain back, enough to show him the horizon outside, but not too much that Miles would be hit by the light. Miles saw his first sunrise, as he looked out of the window.
It was beautiful.
The sky was slowly pinkening with warm light, bathing the world in a soft glow. Miles had always been taught that the sun was burning, scorching, would kill everything in its path. But right now, it looked so…gentle, tender almost. It kissed the horizon like a mother comforting their child after a nightmare. Miles had never seen anything like it, couldn’t believe that he used to be terrified of it.
His gaze flickered to Phoenix.
He looked so beautiful in the sunlight, his eyes reflecting every color of the light. The sun illuminated his features, made him glow like he was in the spotlight of the long play that was Miles’ life. He loved Phoenix, felt for him feelings he found unnecessary and yet so absolutely necessary at the same time. Like the light of the world transitioning from hot sunshine to cool moonlight, Miles’ feelings shifted for this man as they spent more and more time with each other.
In quiet moments of the night, he yearned for the warmth of his embrace, even though warmth was and had always been the last thing that a vampire had ever wanted.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Phoenix said with a smile.
Yes.
You’re beautiful.
“It’s…the most gorgeous thing I’ve ever seen.” Miles murmured, his gaze flickering to Phoenix. “Like you.”
Phoenix looked at him in surprise. “Like me?”
“Yes, like you…”
There was so much that Miles wanted to say, so much that he wasn’t supposed to say. They were different, they lived in completely separate worlds. A fish could love a bird, but did that mean they could ever be together? A vampire and a human, just the thought of it was absurd. What would people say? Every doubt that Miles, and the world, ever had about the warmth of his love played simultaneously in his mind. Telling him, reminding him, that they just couldn’t be.
You’re a vampire, he’s a human.
Did it matter?
Being with him would be difficult.
But that never stopped love, did it?
This’ll only end in disaster.
Did it have to?
Why can’t they just love each other?
“Wright, I…” Miles stared into the depths of Phoenix’s eyes, fiery with determination yet soft with affection, and he continued. “You…show me new things every day. I love it…like I love you.”
“Edgeworth…” Phoenix looked overjoyed. “I love you too.”
“But…what will people say?”
“Does it matter?” Phoenix asked, his voice barely a whisper. “Does it matter what other people think about our love?”
“Right now, it doesn’t.” Miles said. “It will later, but right now…I only care about you.”
Phoenix smiled. “And I’ll be there both times.”
“…And that’s all I could ever want.” Miles replied, smiling back.
He leaned in, capturing Phoenix’s lips in a kiss. Warmth was foreign to him, he used to be terrified of it.
But he wasn’t now, in the warm embrace of a man he loved and who loved him too.