Fanfic: Best of the Kinkmeme - Whip/Love
Derp derp, I've been meaning to do this for awhile; the deal with this is I'm gonna take my five favourite/most well-received fills from the Phoenix Wright Kinkmeme, polish them up, then post them here and eventually link it to the GS comm. Just because I do really enjoy these, and they deserve to have that extra level of sheen that my write-it-then-post method in the kinkmeme rarely gets.
Our first fic is, naturellement, Whip/Love. It's the longest thing I ever wrote for the meme, at a whopping seven parts, and probably got the most squeals out of anything. I took a pass-through for spelling and grammar stuff, fixed a few phrasing things, added and took away, so hopefully it's better now!
...and it's weird. Reading this? Even after all this time, Phoenix/Franziska is still up there in my top five OTPs. Hurr. ♥
Title: Whip/Love
By: neutraltwin
Rating: PG
Fandom: Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney/Gyakuten Saiban
Characters: Phoenix/Franziska, Edgeworth, Maya, Hannah
Warning: Nothing!
Disclaimer: Don't own Phoenix Wright et al, bla bla.
Phoenix von Karma. Stop that. Franziska Wright. Stop that. Phoenix Wright-von Karma and Franziska von Karma-Wrig-- Gott verdammt, stop that!
Franziska snapped her book closed with a frustrated noise, massaging the bridge of her nose with one gloved hand. Even when he wasn't intruding on her investigation scenes and blindly attempting to wear down her perfect cases in court, that foolish fool of a fool Phoenix Wright was still on her mind. With his foolishy endearing smile, and his gentle eyes, and the way he was so considerate and...
"Argh!" she shouted, hurling her book against the wall. She stewed in her frustration for all of three seconds before standing up, stalking out of her office. She needed to whip something, or talk to Miles, or anything to get her mind off that foolishly wonderful fool.
Secretaries, policemen, and even other prosecutors quickly made themselves scarce as Franziska's darkened expression made itself apparent throughout the hallways, the young prosecutor storming her way towards Edgeworth's office. It was common knowledge by now that whoever got in the way of Prosecutor von Karma while she was irritated would be getting intimate with the first-aid kit very soon afterwards. You'd have to be, well, a foolishly foolish fool to get in her way. Even the longsuffering Detective Gumshoe didn't have luck that bad.
Phoenix, however, did. Franziska found the doorknob of Edgeworth's office suddenly rushing towards her as she approached Phoenix more concerned with waving back at Edgeworth as he exited than watching where he was going; the end result of this was a resounding smack as Franziska’s face sharply contacted the door. The prosecutor let out a cry of pain, stumbling backwards.
Phoenix and Edgeworth were by her side instantly, the defense attorney stammering apologies as Edgeworth shoved him away to check for injuries. Franziska winced, holding her nose as she attempted to sit up, ignoring the protests of Miles that she lay down and attempt to stem the bleeding. A minute passed, Phoenix standing in front of the siblings awkwardly, before Edgeworth declared the situation safe and helped Franziska up, glaring daggers at the defense attorney.
"She should be fine." he said, shooting a glance at Phoenix. "Don't you have anything to say, Wright?"
Phoenix swallowed, then nodded. Even with all the abuse she'd put him through, even if he'd done it accidentally, he still felt bad. Hurting someone was not the right way to go about things, and doing it on accident to a girl was just unthinkable.
"I'm so sorry about that, Franziska. I-I didn't realise you were there, and the door opens outwards, so..."
Franziska made a low noise of irritation, her head whipping up to glare at him. Her whip tightened in her hands, lashing out quicker than Phoenix could react and catching him full across the face.
"Fool!" she shouted, as the lawyer staggered backwards. "How dare you strike a von Karma with a foolish door!"
Phoenix clutched his face as Franziska glared him down, preparing to whip him again. What kind of foolish fool would foolishly open a door without checking that someone was...sheisse, was he bleeding?
In the future, she would blame her recent injury for what she did next; Franziska bolted to his side, pulling his hands away from his face and stammering frantic apologies. Oh my god, she'd hurt him, she hadn't meant to make him bleed, sheisse, sheisse, sheisse!
"Mein gott, I'm so sorry!" she cried, gloved hands reaching up to wipe the blood away. "I didn't mean to strike you that hard! Are you okay? I was just..."
Franziska trailed off as she noticed everyone was staring at her. And that Miles appeared to have his mouth hanging open. And that Phoenix Wright was looking at her with a surprised expression on his face, slowly morphing into a foolishly lopsided smile. And that Miles' secretary had her hands over her mouth, eyes practically bulging out of her foolish little head.
With timing born of a von Karma upbringing, Franziska turned and strode back to her office, face burning a very becoming shade of red.
~~
Back in her office, Franziska steamed. A von Karma did not suffer indignities like this! First she could not get the foolish lawyer out of her mind, then like some sort of parlour trick, there he was, throwing doors in her face like some sort of large, wooden piece of evidence. He had struck her, and she had struck him back. It was simple as that.
...though his was by accident, a small voice within her protested. That door has injured many in its time. And he had apologised straight away, taken all the blame onto himself. He was right by your side, touching your shoulder, telling you how sorry he was and how he'd make it up to you and your shoulder did still feel rather warm where his hand had been and--
Franziska slammed both fists against the table, causing a lance of pain to shoot across her face. She winced, hissing Germanic curses, and tried to calm herself. You are a von Karma, and von Karmas do not overreact. He deserved it. Any foolish fool of an adorable fool who cared about everyone so verdammt much deserved a lash.
Why, then, had she gone straight to him when she'd seen that trickle of blood? A moment's assessment had shown it was nothing too bad; a mere dribble of the stuff which she’d had cause to flow freely on many other foolish fools. The slightest of injuries. But for some reason, she had felt awful as soon as she saw it. Since when did she regret her actions? Since when did a von Karma do anything they did not mean?
You care about him.
No! She shook her head at the small, quiet thought, clutching at her shoulder. That could not be it. He was simply another lawyer to be crushed beneath her heel. That was all. It was just...ah. A...momentary lapse in judgement. Yes. That was what it was. A lapse. Nothing that could not be avoided in future engagements. Stupid, foolish man.
A series of four knocks, perfectly timed, sounded on her door, and she looked up as Miles Edgeworth entered; the only one who could be allowed such an act. No-one else. Certainly not.
"Yes?" she said. Edgeworth proffered a bottle of painkillers to her, which she blinked at for a moment before taking with a curt nod.
"Thank you, little brother." she said, popping the cap open and flicking her gaze back up to him. "Is that all?"
Miles stared at her for a long moment before responding. He had always been able to read her, not to the degree of Father, but enough to know what she was thinking. Sheisse, he couldn't tell that she was...no, that was absurd. Pure foolishness.
"If you wish to press charges..." he said, slowly and carefully. Franziska waved a hand to stop him, downing a single pill. A von Karma needed no more than one. Any other pain could be crushed by sheer force of will.
"That will not be necessary, little brother. I believe he has learned his lesson."
Miles didn't look convinced, stepping forward to stand at the opposite side of her desk, regarding her critically.
"Are you alright, Franziska? That was quite a blow."
She simply smirked, feeling her previous confusion fade; ah, but these things worked wonderfully. She propped one arm up on her desk, waggling a finger at her fellow prosecutor.
"I am perfectly alright, Miles. Thank you for your concern." she said. "Perhaps you should be worrying more about your tacky fool of a rival."
She wasn't concerned about him. She didn't want to know how he was doing. She didn't. Stupid, foolish man with his care and concern and strong hands. Miles looked her over once more - the damage seemed superficial, give it some time and she would recover - then nodded.
"Very well. Take care, Franziska." he said, exiting the room.
Franziska leaned back in her chair, giving a slight sigh. Yes, she was fine; the painkiller was working admirably, and nothing felt broken. It was simply a blow.
It was five minutes before she realised she was still holding her shoulder where Phoenix Wright had touched her.
~~
Franziska found herself unable to concentrate the next day, a combination of the dull ache across her nose and thoughts of yesterday making any proper work an impossibility. Words blurred on the papers in front of her, she found herself unable to recall the simplest of legal terms, and her attempts to check up on that foolish Scruffy were met with disgustingly earnest pleas to her - passed on from Miles, of course - to 'go home and get some rest, pal'. A quick lash in front of his feet had stopped those pleas; she had meant to hit his ankles, but her aim appeared to be off. It worried her for a moment, but she quickly brushed it away; it was a simple miscalculation, nothing more. A whip was all finesse and detail, after all, and the throbbing in her head was so insistent that she decided to simply take a half-day and go home around noon. A small period of rest would be in order, first. One needs their full attention to...focus...
Muffled voices came from outside her door at 2:30, causing her to jerk her head sharply upwards; she had not fallen asleep. She had simply closed her eyes and lost track of the time. Only a fool would fall asleep at their desk. Her ears strained to catch the voices as she stood, stalking towards the door to give them a piece of her mind. It sounded like another woman, fairly young, and a nervous-sounding man. She flung the door open, shouting before she bothered to look at who was out there.
"Which one of you foolish fools is making such a foolish racket while I am trying to w--"
Her tirade trailed off abruptly as her eyes caught up with her temper; Phoenix Wright was standing there, looking heartily embarrassed, with Maya Fey at his side, grinning her usual foolish grin. Nothing out of the ordinary, although usually they were distracting Miles instead of her. Perhaps they needed her input on a case, the dull-witted fools that they were.
Although the bouqet of flowers in Phoenix Wright's hand would certainly suggest otherwise. Maya nudged an elbow into Phoenix's ribs, causing a pained hiss from the attorney; the spirit medium jerked her head forward towards Franziska, the pair lasping into a silent conversation of exasperated nods and looks before Phoenix stepped forward, offering the bouquet to her.
"I'm really, really sorry about yesterday, Fran-- Prosecutor von Karma." Phoenix said; sheisse, why did he have to stare right at her like that? "It was a stupid mistake, and I feel terrible about it. Hopefully this'll...make it up to you a little."
Franziska stared for a moment, willing her cheeks not to colour, unable to find any words now. Silence held for a minute, Phoenix's cheeks slowly growing pinker to match her own, until Maya finally broke down into a fit of giggles.
"Geez, Franziska, just take them already! They'll wilt if you stare at them for any longer!"
The moment broke and Franziska regained control of her faculties,snatching the flowers out of Phoenix's hand. One curt nod was given before she began walking briskly back to her desk to collect her things.
"Thank you." Franziska said, filing the papers she would need into her briefcase. "I appreciate the sentiment."
Phoenix grinned - such a stupid, foolishly sentimental grin - and rubbed the back of his neck as Franziska swept past him, heading down the hallway. The clop of sandals and the thud of cheap dress shoes told him that the pair were following her, quickly falling into step beside her.
"See, Nick?" Maya teased, leaning over to look at Phoenix from the other side of her. "I told you she'd like them!"
"Ahaha...really?" Phoenix grinned, turning to look at her face; did he really have to walk so close to her? "Do you?"
"Yes." she said, clutching the stems in her free hand. "Now, I am just about to go home for the day, so I shall have to take my leave."
"...at 2:30?" Phoenix said, blinking. "Edgeworth says you usually stay until dark."
"Yes, well." Franziska replied, pushing the button for the elevator. "Due to my injuries, I have decided to heed my brother's advice and take a half-day off to recover."
The look of guilt across Phoenix's face could have melted an iceberg; Franziska stepped into the elevator, Phoenix and Maya halting on the other side of the threshold.
"Oh, o-okay." Phoenix said, rubbing at his neck again. "Well, I've got some stuff to go over with Edgeworth for the Shino case...so I guess we'll see you later?"
"I suppose." she said, all unconcerned nonchalance as the doors slid shut, blocking out the foolish attorney and his foolish assistant from view. "Goodbye."
Franziska allowed herself three full minutes, enough to get inside her car and check there was no-one else in the parking lot, before letting out a high-pitched noise of happiness for almost a full minute, beating her feet against the floor and smelling the flowers clasped in her hands. It took five red lights and a foolish fool of a fool who dared to cut her off at the intersection before the smile left her face.
Only a fool does such things in public, after all.
~~
Time passed. The flowers wilted. A few fitful days of sleep brought Franziska’s injury down to a faint red mark across her nose, and before she knew it, it was gone. A glance at her calendar caused a faint shock of realisation one day; it had been a week since she had been struck, her health completely restored, the status quo all but returned to normal.
Except, of course, that the gott verdammt defense attorney was still in her head.
Her apartment was as spotless as one would expect, a pair of maids doing their jobs silently and efficiently each day; Franziska was not one to notice such low work on most occasions, but they were reliable, and she appreciated that. She decided, as she sat in the deckchair on her balcony, book in her hand and glass of wine on the small, tasteful glass table beside her, that they deserved a raise this year. One should always commend good, steady work, after all.
The insistent ringing of her telephone broke the peaceful silence; Franziska made an irritated noise, set the glass down, and crossed the apartment at her usual brisk stride to snatch up the phone.
“Prosecutor Franziska von Karma speaking.” she said, crisp and efficient.
“Hello, Franziska.” said a faintly amused voice on the end of the line. Her shoulders relaxed slightly; ah, it was just him. A smirk played on her lips as she took a seat at the kitchen counter.
“Miles.” she said. “What is so important that you could not wait until tomorrow to tell me?”
A reserved chuckle on the other end, full of good humour. “Considering it is a matter concerning tonight, I’m sure you’ll forgive me.”
“Oh?” she replied, sitting straighter. “What is it?”
“I was simply wondering if you had any plans for dinner tonight. If it is not too much trouble, I would request the pleasure of your company at LaFlamme tonight.”
Her smile played wider; her little brother, always the gentleman. She allowed herself to stretch her arm out, feigning nonchalance as she inspected her fingernails.
“It is very late-notice to be asking me to dinner, Miles. Usually, one should make such a request at least a week in advance.”
Another laugh at the other end of the line; she had nothing to do tonight, and they both knew it. Even when they did not see each other, their timetables revolved around one another, each prosecuting and collaborating in a strange sort of harmony. Everyone said they worked well together, and she certainly could not bring herself to refute such a simple claim of truth.
“Is that a yes or a no, Franziska?” Miles asked, the smirk evident in his voice.
Franziska gave a mock-sigh, smiling despite herself. “Very well. What time?”
“Seven. I shall leave your name at the door.”
“Mm. I shall see you soon, then.”
“Indeed. Oh, and Franziska…?”
“Yes?”
“Leave the whip at home.”
That earned him a laugh, short and genuine. “Very well, little brother.” she smiled. “See you soon.”
A murmured goodbye on the other end of the line and the call ended, Franziska standing and placing the phone on the other end of the receiver. A glance at the clock, and then herself; she was still largely in her work clothes, shoes and other accoutrements discarded by the door, but she had enough time to shower, change, and be ready to arrive there in time. One shouldn’t keep family waiting, after all.
~ ~ ~
Miles closed his phone with a snap, glancing at Phoenix and Maya as they stubbornly continued to stare at him with those expectant, gaping expressions. He gave a curt nod, the faintest of smirks on his face.
“She’ll be there.” he said. Phoenix and Maya grinned wide, the spirit medium breaking out into a cheer; Edgeworth folded his arms, chuckling. “It would be best if you started to get ready immediately. We only have two hours to prepare.”
“Y-you’re right!” Phoenix said, eyes widening. “C’mon, Maya, we’ve gotta dress up!”
Miles opened his phone again, dialling another number as Phoenix and Maya bustled off to put on the clothes he had purchased for them. The phone rang once, twice, and was picked up by a hesitant, stammering voice.
“Yes, LaFlamme? My name is Miles Edgeworth. I’d like to book a table for four for tonight. Seven PM.”
A pause, and a stuttering refusal. Miles smiled, glancing towards the adjoining door.
“Tell your chef that Phoenix Wright and Maya Fey will be dining with us. I’m sure she can make some room for old friends.”
~~
Franziska was on time, of course, the light tinkling of the piano as she entered LaFlamme causing her to tap her foot lightly as she waited for the maitre’d. It had been quite awhile since she dined with Miles, she realised, but his taste was still impeccable; this was the most successful restaurant in the Los Angeles area these days, with the reputation of the chef’s fiery temper and exquisite cuisine propelling it even further into stardom. These allegations were entirely true, however, so Franziska could hardly fault them for that. The only thing wrong was that the fool of a maitre’d was keeping her waiting.
Soon enough, a young man in a suit - his nametag read ‘Barley’, she noted, a foolish boy playing man - returned to his position, smiling nervously at Franziska’s steely glare. Suddenly, Franziska saw the wisdom in Miles’ request to leave her whip at home; beginning a meal with the assault of this shivering man would not be appropriate.
“Franziska von Karma.” she snapped, hand planted firmly on her hip. “I will be dining with Miles Edgeworth tonight.”
The man nodded, gesturing for her to enter; Franziska strode past him, eyes ranging around the room. A flash of magenta caught her eye, nestled away in a corner booth. Odd. Why would Miles not wish to sit in the centre? No matter; Franziska walked briskly over, trailing the maitre’d behind her in stammering apologies and explanations of their specials today.
The reason for Miles’ reserved seating was soon made apparent as she approached the booth; Phoenix Wright and Maya Fey were sitting with him, clad in finer clothes than she knew they could afford; Miss Fey in a flowing purple dress, Phoenix Wright in a simple black tuxedo and dark blue tie. Her eyes narrowed, staring daggers at Miles, who simply raised his glass of wine to her in greeting.
“Franziska, thank you for joining us.” Edgeworth smiled. “Do sit down.”
“What is this foolishness, little brother?” Franziska hissed. “I was led to believe that we would be dining alone.”
“Is that so?” Edgeworth replied, a smirk flitting across his face. “If I recall correctly, I asked for your company at dinner. Nothing was said about any other company. As it is, I happen to also have the pleasure of dining with Miss Fey and Wright tonight. We believed it to be rude to leave him as a third wheel, so naturally…I thought of you.”
A hiss of breath and Franziska relented; he was lying, of course, but there was nothing there to take offense to, nothing to whip someone like Miles Edgeworth over. Curse her foolish brother. She slid into the booth, opposite Phoenix; Miles and Miss Fey were already sitting opposite one another, exchanging oddly private smiles. Surely they weren’t…no, that was foolish. Almost as foolish as having that odd flutter in her chest as Phoenix smiled at her across the table.
Maya was the first one to break the silence, clapping her hands together gleefully as Miles poured Franziska a glass of wine.
“Isn’t this great? A real double date!” she said, beaming. “I’ve always wanted to go on one.”
Franziska shot a glance at Miles, who stared back coolly over the rim of his glass; surely the girl was simply being foolish. This was not a…oh, sheisse. She was on a double date. A double date with Phoenix Wright. And he was sitting there, sipping his wine carefully, making appreciate noises that showed the foolish fool had absolutely no idea what he was doing and gott verdammt why wouldn’t her heart stop thumping. She reached one hand up to her chest, taking a breath, before deciding to cover her mouth and what was absolutely not nervousness with a long draught of wine.
Now it suddenly became clear why Miles had asked her to leave the whip at home. She took another drink, calming herself; this was nothing to be worried about. It was almost laughable. A double date, really, such an outmoded thing of foolishness. She was simply having dinner with her little brother and two of his friends. Nothing more.
…perhaps another glass of wine would be in order.
The meal, much to Franziska’s surprise, went very well; two glasses of wine calmed her nerves admirably, allowing her to regain her usual confidence and poise. Conversation was passed over the table as they ate, Miles and herself running logical rings around Phoenix, as usual, and Miss Fey chipping in at times with oddly insightful comments. Franziska found herself beginning to relax, even gaining a strange sense of elation; she would never admit it to herself, but being able to glance up and see Phoenix Wright looking at her, causing him to start and glance guiltily away, was a quiet thrill of the sort she had never had cause to experience before.
In fact, aside from a brief spat with the chef after Miles had instructed a passing waiter to tell her that the fillet was overcooked - and Franziska had to admire her spirit, storming out of the kitchen throwing phrases like ‘garlic-guzzling butterbrain’ with remarkable speed and vehemency right in Miles’ face - Franziska decided that it was, in fact, a very enjoyable evening. Not, perhaps, what she had expected from her first date - if one could call it that, but the wine settling pleasantly in her stomach slid propriety away like hot butter - but enjoyable nonetheless.
Miles and Maya made their excuses after the meal, slipping away with quiet talk of their foolish children’s television show and shooting smirking glances over their shoulders, leaving her alone on the sidewalk with Phoenix Wright almost before she was aware what was happening. A small shiver went through her; as divine as her outfit was, it did not keep the night air out. Her hands briefly reached to her arms, rubbing them, before a large weight settled onto her back. She looked up, blinking surprise, to see Phoenix putting his coat around her shoulders with that same foolishly lopsided grin on his face.
“You, uh, looked kinda cold.” he said, scruffing at his neck. “I figured you could use it more than I could.”
Franziska stayed silent, the event slowly processing through her brain. Entertainment had been scarce in her childhood, but she was aware this was a gentlemanly gesture, the sort that rarely happened in real life. Phoenix Wright had just given her his coat, and now he was leaning forward slightly at her side, looking at her curiously.
“…Franziska?”
It was a surprise to both of them when she clutched him by his lapels, spinning him up against the wall and kissing him with a ferociousness she usually reserved for crushing foolish opponents in court. She realised, as his squeaks of protest melted into acceptance, then pleasure, that her first kiss and first date had been on the same night. That she was kissing a foolish, foolish man right in the middle of the street.
But that was alright. A von Karma was perfect in everything.
Even in love.
~~
Next one up...when I feel like it. Herp.
Also: mayathemystic came baaaaack ♥
Our first fic is, naturellement, Whip/Love. It's the longest thing I ever wrote for the meme, at a whopping seven parts, and probably got the most squeals out of anything. I took a pass-through for spelling and grammar stuff, fixed a few phrasing things, added and took away, so hopefully it's better now!
...and it's weird. Reading this? Even after all this time, Phoenix/Franziska is still up there in my top five OTPs. Hurr. ♥
Title: Whip/Love
By: neutraltwin
Rating: PG
Fandom: Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney/Gyakuten Saiban
Characters: Phoenix/Franziska, Edgeworth, Maya, Hannah
Warning: Nothing!
Disclaimer: Don't own Phoenix Wright et al, bla bla.
Phoenix von Karma. Stop that. Franziska Wright. Stop that. Phoenix Wright-von Karma and Franziska von Karma-Wrig-- Gott verdammt, stop that!
Franziska snapped her book closed with a frustrated noise, massaging the bridge of her nose with one gloved hand. Even when he wasn't intruding on her investigation scenes and blindly attempting to wear down her perfect cases in court, that foolish fool of a fool Phoenix Wright was still on her mind. With his foolishy endearing smile, and his gentle eyes, and the way he was so considerate and...
"Argh!" she shouted, hurling her book against the wall. She stewed in her frustration for all of three seconds before standing up, stalking out of her office. She needed to whip something, or talk to Miles, or anything to get her mind off that foolishly wonderful fool.
Secretaries, policemen, and even other prosecutors quickly made themselves scarce as Franziska's darkened expression made itself apparent throughout the hallways, the young prosecutor storming her way towards Edgeworth's office. It was common knowledge by now that whoever got in the way of Prosecutor von Karma while she was irritated would be getting intimate with the first-aid kit very soon afterwards. You'd have to be, well, a foolishly foolish fool to get in her way. Even the longsuffering Detective Gumshoe didn't have luck that bad.
Phoenix, however, did. Franziska found the doorknob of Edgeworth's office suddenly rushing towards her as she approached Phoenix more concerned with waving back at Edgeworth as he exited than watching where he was going; the end result of this was a resounding smack as Franziska’s face sharply contacted the door. The prosecutor let out a cry of pain, stumbling backwards.
Phoenix and Edgeworth were by her side instantly, the defense attorney stammering apologies as Edgeworth shoved him away to check for injuries. Franziska winced, holding her nose as she attempted to sit up, ignoring the protests of Miles that she lay down and attempt to stem the bleeding. A minute passed, Phoenix standing in front of the siblings awkwardly, before Edgeworth declared the situation safe and helped Franziska up, glaring daggers at the defense attorney.
"She should be fine." he said, shooting a glance at Phoenix. "Don't you have anything to say, Wright?"
Phoenix swallowed, then nodded. Even with all the abuse she'd put him through, even if he'd done it accidentally, he still felt bad. Hurting someone was not the right way to go about things, and doing it on accident to a girl was just unthinkable.
"I'm so sorry about that, Franziska. I-I didn't realise you were there, and the door opens outwards, so..."
Franziska made a low noise of irritation, her head whipping up to glare at him. Her whip tightened in her hands, lashing out quicker than Phoenix could react and catching him full across the face.
"Fool!" she shouted, as the lawyer staggered backwards. "How dare you strike a von Karma with a foolish door!"
Phoenix clutched his face as Franziska glared him down, preparing to whip him again. What kind of foolish fool would foolishly open a door without checking that someone was...sheisse, was he bleeding?
In the future, she would blame her recent injury for what she did next; Franziska bolted to his side, pulling his hands away from his face and stammering frantic apologies. Oh my god, she'd hurt him, she hadn't meant to make him bleed, sheisse, sheisse, sheisse!
"Mein gott, I'm so sorry!" she cried, gloved hands reaching up to wipe the blood away. "I didn't mean to strike you that hard! Are you okay? I was just..."
Franziska trailed off as she noticed everyone was staring at her. And that Miles appeared to have his mouth hanging open. And that Phoenix Wright was looking at her with a surprised expression on his face, slowly morphing into a foolishly lopsided smile. And that Miles' secretary had her hands over her mouth, eyes practically bulging out of her foolish little head.
With timing born of a von Karma upbringing, Franziska turned and strode back to her office, face burning a very becoming shade of red.
~~
Back in her office, Franziska steamed. A von Karma did not suffer indignities like this! First she could not get the foolish lawyer out of her mind, then like some sort of parlour trick, there he was, throwing doors in her face like some sort of large, wooden piece of evidence. He had struck her, and she had struck him back. It was simple as that.
...though his was by accident, a small voice within her protested. That door has injured many in its time. And he had apologised straight away, taken all the blame onto himself. He was right by your side, touching your shoulder, telling you how sorry he was and how he'd make it up to you and your shoulder did still feel rather warm where his hand had been and--
Franziska slammed both fists against the table, causing a lance of pain to shoot across her face. She winced, hissing Germanic curses, and tried to calm herself. You are a von Karma, and von Karmas do not overreact. He deserved it. Any foolish fool of an adorable fool who cared about everyone so verdammt much deserved a lash.
Why, then, had she gone straight to him when she'd seen that trickle of blood? A moment's assessment had shown it was nothing too bad; a mere dribble of the stuff which she’d had cause to flow freely on many other foolish fools. The slightest of injuries. But for some reason, she had felt awful as soon as she saw it. Since when did she regret her actions? Since when did a von Karma do anything they did not mean?
You care about him.
No! She shook her head at the small, quiet thought, clutching at her shoulder. That could not be it. He was simply another lawyer to be crushed beneath her heel. That was all. It was just...ah. A...momentary lapse in judgement. Yes. That was what it was. A lapse. Nothing that could not be avoided in future engagements. Stupid, foolish man.
A series of four knocks, perfectly timed, sounded on her door, and she looked up as Miles Edgeworth entered; the only one who could be allowed such an act. No-one else. Certainly not.
"Yes?" she said. Edgeworth proffered a bottle of painkillers to her, which she blinked at for a moment before taking with a curt nod.
"Thank you, little brother." she said, popping the cap open and flicking her gaze back up to him. "Is that all?"
Miles stared at her for a long moment before responding. He had always been able to read her, not to the degree of Father, but enough to know what she was thinking. Sheisse, he couldn't tell that she was...no, that was absurd. Pure foolishness.
"If you wish to press charges..." he said, slowly and carefully. Franziska waved a hand to stop him, downing a single pill. A von Karma needed no more than one. Any other pain could be crushed by sheer force of will.
"That will not be necessary, little brother. I believe he has learned his lesson."
Miles didn't look convinced, stepping forward to stand at the opposite side of her desk, regarding her critically.
"Are you alright, Franziska? That was quite a blow."
She simply smirked, feeling her previous confusion fade; ah, but these things worked wonderfully. She propped one arm up on her desk, waggling a finger at her fellow prosecutor.
"I am perfectly alright, Miles. Thank you for your concern." she said. "Perhaps you should be worrying more about your tacky fool of a rival."
She wasn't concerned about him. She didn't want to know how he was doing. She didn't. Stupid, foolish man with his care and concern and strong hands. Miles looked her over once more - the damage seemed superficial, give it some time and she would recover - then nodded.
"Very well. Take care, Franziska." he said, exiting the room.
Franziska leaned back in her chair, giving a slight sigh. Yes, she was fine; the painkiller was working admirably, and nothing felt broken. It was simply a blow.
It was five minutes before she realised she was still holding her shoulder where Phoenix Wright had touched her.
~~
Franziska found herself unable to concentrate the next day, a combination of the dull ache across her nose and thoughts of yesterday making any proper work an impossibility. Words blurred on the papers in front of her, she found herself unable to recall the simplest of legal terms, and her attempts to check up on that foolish Scruffy were met with disgustingly earnest pleas to her - passed on from Miles, of course - to 'go home and get some rest, pal'. A quick lash in front of his feet had stopped those pleas; she had meant to hit his ankles, but her aim appeared to be off. It worried her for a moment, but she quickly brushed it away; it was a simple miscalculation, nothing more. A whip was all finesse and detail, after all, and the throbbing in her head was so insistent that she decided to simply take a half-day and go home around noon. A small period of rest would be in order, first. One needs their full attention to...focus...
Muffled voices came from outside her door at 2:30, causing her to jerk her head sharply upwards; she had not fallen asleep. She had simply closed her eyes and lost track of the time. Only a fool would fall asleep at their desk. Her ears strained to catch the voices as she stood, stalking towards the door to give them a piece of her mind. It sounded like another woman, fairly young, and a nervous-sounding man. She flung the door open, shouting before she bothered to look at who was out there.
"Which one of you foolish fools is making such a foolish racket while I am trying to w--"
Her tirade trailed off abruptly as her eyes caught up with her temper; Phoenix Wright was standing there, looking heartily embarrassed, with Maya Fey at his side, grinning her usual foolish grin. Nothing out of the ordinary, although usually they were distracting Miles instead of her. Perhaps they needed her input on a case, the dull-witted fools that they were.
Although the bouqet of flowers in Phoenix Wright's hand would certainly suggest otherwise. Maya nudged an elbow into Phoenix's ribs, causing a pained hiss from the attorney; the spirit medium jerked her head forward towards Franziska, the pair lasping into a silent conversation of exasperated nods and looks before Phoenix stepped forward, offering the bouquet to her.
"I'm really, really sorry about yesterday, Fran-- Prosecutor von Karma." Phoenix said; sheisse, why did he have to stare right at her like that? "It was a stupid mistake, and I feel terrible about it. Hopefully this'll...make it up to you a little."
Franziska stared for a moment, willing her cheeks not to colour, unable to find any words now. Silence held for a minute, Phoenix's cheeks slowly growing pinker to match her own, until Maya finally broke down into a fit of giggles.
"Geez, Franziska, just take them already! They'll wilt if you stare at them for any longer!"
The moment broke and Franziska regained control of her faculties,snatching the flowers out of Phoenix's hand. One curt nod was given before she began walking briskly back to her desk to collect her things.
"Thank you." Franziska said, filing the papers she would need into her briefcase. "I appreciate the sentiment."
Phoenix grinned - such a stupid, foolishly sentimental grin - and rubbed the back of his neck as Franziska swept past him, heading down the hallway. The clop of sandals and the thud of cheap dress shoes told him that the pair were following her, quickly falling into step beside her.
"See, Nick?" Maya teased, leaning over to look at Phoenix from the other side of her. "I told you she'd like them!"
"Ahaha...really?" Phoenix grinned, turning to look at her face; did he really have to walk so close to her? "Do you?"
"Yes." she said, clutching the stems in her free hand. "Now, I am just about to go home for the day, so I shall have to take my leave."
"...at 2:30?" Phoenix said, blinking. "Edgeworth says you usually stay until dark."
"Yes, well." Franziska replied, pushing the button for the elevator. "Due to my injuries, I have decided to heed my brother's advice and take a half-day off to recover."
The look of guilt across Phoenix's face could have melted an iceberg; Franziska stepped into the elevator, Phoenix and Maya halting on the other side of the threshold.
"Oh, o-okay." Phoenix said, rubbing at his neck again. "Well, I've got some stuff to go over with Edgeworth for the Shino case...so I guess we'll see you later?"
"I suppose." she said, all unconcerned nonchalance as the doors slid shut, blocking out the foolish attorney and his foolish assistant from view. "Goodbye."
Franziska allowed herself three full minutes, enough to get inside her car and check there was no-one else in the parking lot, before letting out a high-pitched noise of happiness for almost a full minute, beating her feet against the floor and smelling the flowers clasped in her hands. It took five red lights and a foolish fool of a fool who dared to cut her off at the intersection before the smile left her face.
Only a fool does such things in public, after all.
~~
Time passed. The flowers wilted. A few fitful days of sleep brought Franziska’s injury down to a faint red mark across her nose, and before she knew it, it was gone. A glance at her calendar caused a faint shock of realisation one day; it had been a week since she had been struck, her health completely restored, the status quo all but returned to normal.
Except, of course, that the gott verdammt defense attorney was still in her head.
Her apartment was as spotless as one would expect, a pair of maids doing their jobs silently and efficiently each day; Franziska was not one to notice such low work on most occasions, but they were reliable, and she appreciated that. She decided, as she sat in the deckchair on her balcony, book in her hand and glass of wine on the small, tasteful glass table beside her, that they deserved a raise this year. One should always commend good, steady work, after all.
The insistent ringing of her telephone broke the peaceful silence; Franziska made an irritated noise, set the glass down, and crossed the apartment at her usual brisk stride to snatch up the phone.
“Prosecutor Franziska von Karma speaking.” she said, crisp and efficient.
“Hello, Franziska.” said a faintly amused voice on the end of the line. Her shoulders relaxed slightly; ah, it was just him. A smirk played on her lips as she took a seat at the kitchen counter.
“Miles.” she said. “What is so important that you could not wait until tomorrow to tell me?”
A reserved chuckle on the other end, full of good humour. “Considering it is a matter concerning tonight, I’m sure you’ll forgive me.”
“Oh?” she replied, sitting straighter. “What is it?”
“I was simply wondering if you had any plans for dinner tonight. If it is not too much trouble, I would request the pleasure of your company at LaFlamme tonight.”
Her smile played wider; her little brother, always the gentleman. She allowed herself to stretch her arm out, feigning nonchalance as she inspected her fingernails.
“It is very late-notice to be asking me to dinner, Miles. Usually, one should make such a request at least a week in advance.”
Another laugh at the other end of the line; she had nothing to do tonight, and they both knew it. Even when they did not see each other, their timetables revolved around one another, each prosecuting and collaborating in a strange sort of harmony. Everyone said they worked well together, and she certainly could not bring herself to refute such a simple claim of truth.
“Is that a yes or a no, Franziska?” Miles asked, the smirk evident in his voice.
Franziska gave a mock-sigh, smiling despite herself. “Very well. What time?”
“Seven. I shall leave your name at the door.”
“Mm. I shall see you soon, then.”
“Indeed. Oh, and Franziska…?”
“Yes?”
“Leave the whip at home.”
That earned him a laugh, short and genuine. “Very well, little brother.” she smiled. “See you soon.”
A murmured goodbye on the other end of the line and the call ended, Franziska standing and placing the phone on the other end of the receiver. A glance at the clock, and then herself; she was still largely in her work clothes, shoes and other accoutrements discarded by the door, but she had enough time to shower, change, and be ready to arrive there in time. One shouldn’t keep family waiting, after all.
~ ~ ~
Miles closed his phone with a snap, glancing at Phoenix and Maya as they stubbornly continued to stare at him with those expectant, gaping expressions. He gave a curt nod, the faintest of smirks on his face.
“She’ll be there.” he said. Phoenix and Maya grinned wide, the spirit medium breaking out into a cheer; Edgeworth folded his arms, chuckling. “It would be best if you started to get ready immediately. We only have two hours to prepare.”
“Y-you’re right!” Phoenix said, eyes widening. “C’mon, Maya, we’ve gotta dress up!”
Miles opened his phone again, dialling another number as Phoenix and Maya bustled off to put on the clothes he had purchased for them. The phone rang once, twice, and was picked up by a hesitant, stammering voice.
“Yes, LaFlamme? My name is Miles Edgeworth. I’d like to book a table for four for tonight. Seven PM.”
A pause, and a stuttering refusal. Miles smiled, glancing towards the adjoining door.
“Tell your chef that Phoenix Wright and Maya Fey will be dining with us. I’m sure she can make some room for old friends.”
~~
Franziska was on time, of course, the light tinkling of the piano as she entered LaFlamme causing her to tap her foot lightly as she waited for the maitre’d. It had been quite awhile since she dined with Miles, she realised, but his taste was still impeccable; this was the most successful restaurant in the Los Angeles area these days, with the reputation of the chef’s fiery temper and exquisite cuisine propelling it even further into stardom. These allegations were entirely true, however, so Franziska could hardly fault them for that. The only thing wrong was that the fool of a maitre’d was keeping her waiting.
Soon enough, a young man in a suit - his nametag read ‘Barley’, she noted, a foolish boy playing man - returned to his position, smiling nervously at Franziska’s steely glare. Suddenly, Franziska saw the wisdom in Miles’ request to leave her whip at home; beginning a meal with the assault of this shivering man would not be appropriate.
“Franziska von Karma.” she snapped, hand planted firmly on her hip. “I will be dining with Miles Edgeworth tonight.”
The man nodded, gesturing for her to enter; Franziska strode past him, eyes ranging around the room. A flash of magenta caught her eye, nestled away in a corner booth. Odd. Why would Miles not wish to sit in the centre? No matter; Franziska walked briskly over, trailing the maitre’d behind her in stammering apologies and explanations of their specials today.
The reason for Miles’ reserved seating was soon made apparent as she approached the booth; Phoenix Wright and Maya Fey were sitting with him, clad in finer clothes than she knew they could afford; Miss Fey in a flowing purple dress, Phoenix Wright in a simple black tuxedo and dark blue tie. Her eyes narrowed, staring daggers at Miles, who simply raised his glass of wine to her in greeting.
“Franziska, thank you for joining us.” Edgeworth smiled. “Do sit down.”
“What is this foolishness, little brother?” Franziska hissed. “I was led to believe that we would be dining alone.”
“Is that so?” Edgeworth replied, a smirk flitting across his face. “If I recall correctly, I asked for your company at dinner. Nothing was said about any other company. As it is, I happen to also have the pleasure of dining with Miss Fey and Wright tonight. We believed it to be rude to leave him as a third wheel, so naturally…I thought of you.”
A hiss of breath and Franziska relented; he was lying, of course, but there was nothing there to take offense to, nothing to whip someone like Miles Edgeworth over. Curse her foolish brother. She slid into the booth, opposite Phoenix; Miles and Miss Fey were already sitting opposite one another, exchanging oddly private smiles. Surely they weren’t…no, that was foolish. Almost as foolish as having that odd flutter in her chest as Phoenix smiled at her across the table.
Maya was the first one to break the silence, clapping her hands together gleefully as Miles poured Franziska a glass of wine.
“Isn’t this great? A real double date!” she said, beaming. “I’ve always wanted to go on one.”
Franziska shot a glance at Miles, who stared back coolly over the rim of his glass; surely the girl was simply being foolish. This was not a…oh, sheisse. She was on a double date. A double date with Phoenix Wright. And he was sitting there, sipping his wine carefully, making appreciate noises that showed the foolish fool had absolutely no idea what he was doing and gott verdammt why wouldn’t her heart stop thumping. She reached one hand up to her chest, taking a breath, before deciding to cover her mouth and what was absolutely not nervousness with a long draught of wine.
Now it suddenly became clear why Miles had asked her to leave the whip at home. She took another drink, calming herself; this was nothing to be worried about. It was almost laughable. A double date, really, such an outmoded thing of foolishness. She was simply having dinner with her little brother and two of his friends. Nothing more.
…perhaps another glass of wine would be in order.
The meal, much to Franziska’s surprise, went very well; two glasses of wine calmed her nerves admirably, allowing her to regain her usual confidence and poise. Conversation was passed over the table as they ate, Miles and herself running logical rings around Phoenix, as usual, and Miss Fey chipping in at times with oddly insightful comments. Franziska found herself beginning to relax, even gaining a strange sense of elation; she would never admit it to herself, but being able to glance up and see Phoenix Wright looking at her, causing him to start and glance guiltily away, was a quiet thrill of the sort she had never had cause to experience before.
In fact, aside from a brief spat with the chef after Miles had instructed a passing waiter to tell her that the fillet was overcooked - and Franziska had to admire her spirit, storming out of the kitchen throwing phrases like ‘garlic-guzzling butterbrain’ with remarkable speed and vehemency right in Miles’ face - Franziska decided that it was, in fact, a very enjoyable evening. Not, perhaps, what she had expected from her first date - if one could call it that, but the wine settling pleasantly in her stomach slid propriety away like hot butter - but enjoyable nonetheless.
Miles and Maya made their excuses after the meal, slipping away with quiet talk of their foolish children’s television show and shooting smirking glances over their shoulders, leaving her alone on the sidewalk with Phoenix Wright almost before she was aware what was happening. A small shiver went through her; as divine as her outfit was, it did not keep the night air out. Her hands briefly reached to her arms, rubbing them, before a large weight settled onto her back. She looked up, blinking surprise, to see Phoenix putting his coat around her shoulders with that same foolishly lopsided grin on his face.
“You, uh, looked kinda cold.” he said, scruffing at his neck. “I figured you could use it more than I could.”
Franziska stayed silent, the event slowly processing through her brain. Entertainment had been scarce in her childhood, but she was aware this was a gentlemanly gesture, the sort that rarely happened in real life. Phoenix Wright had just given her his coat, and now he was leaning forward slightly at her side, looking at her curiously.
“…Franziska?”
It was a surprise to both of them when she clutched him by his lapels, spinning him up against the wall and kissing him with a ferociousness she usually reserved for crushing foolish opponents in court. She realised, as his squeaks of protest melted into acceptance, then pleasure, that her first kiss and first date had been on the same night. That she was kissing a foolish, foolish man right in the middle of the street.
But that was alright. A von Karma was perfect in everything.
Even in love.
~~
Next one up...when I feel like it. Herp.
Also: mayathemystic came baaaaack ♥