I’ve been thinking about narumitsu coming up with excuses to hold hands lately
Babies holding hands as they cross the street because it’s dangerous, or grabbing onto each other so they don’t get separated on a field trip, or one of them (probably Phoenix, sorry baby) forgets his gloves inside and it’s freezing but they don’t want to lose a single second of recess going back inside to get them!
And then as they get older, Phoenix and Miles shaking hands after getting the verdict for DL-6, and maybe they’re both holding on for a little too long, staring a little too long, and breaking away with an awkward cough
or Phoenix pushing his way through the crowd after Matt Engarde’s verdict, carrying Pearl in one arm and holding Miles’ hand in the other because he can’t risk them getting separated and Miles is the one with a car and a tendency to speed so he’s the one—
or Miles clasping Phoenix’s hand between his own in the hospital because lord, he’s freezing, trembling uncontrollably and really, it’s only because Phoenix is trying to give him something so of course he has to take his hand—
and gently pulling Phoenix’s hand away from his spiky hair, on the verge of tearing it out, coaching him to regulate his breathing. Holding Miles’ hand through a particularly rough patch of turbulence. Taking Miles’ hand while they walk on the streets of whatever country he’s flown them out to, because he’s holding Trucy’s hand on the other side and they need to be balanced, can’t get separated,
quietly, quietly, joining pinkies in the front row of one of Trucy’s shows. quietly, quietly, tugging on sleeves just to ask to slip around a corner for close whispered words and warm cheeks that almost touch. quietly, quietly, letting their hands rest just beside each other as they both hold on to the grocery store cart, and it’s awkward because they weren’t made for two men of their stature to push it at once, but it really doesn’t matter all that much.
And (taking a page out of Rendevok’s book, love you) one of them (probably Phoenix, sorry baby) forgets his gloves again, and Miles carefully taking his hand, pulling him close, and warming his hands up as best as he can
and taking Phoenix’s hand, trying to steady it (which doesn’t help at all because they’re both shaking), glancing up at him and he’s got this wobbly excited smile on his face and Miles can’t help but snort, which doesn’t help the shaking hands but someone clears their throat and they both take a steadying breath, and Miles gently coaxes the ring onto Phoenix’s finger, and they smile