Chapter Text
“And cut! That’s a wrap for today, guys.”
Gina sighed, slipping her hat off. It got so stuffy in the studio—and her role was absolutely infuriating.
“Blimey, they’ve got me doing me accent all backwards!” Gina huffed. “What is wiv the script this time around?”
“Well, you aren’t from the 20th century, Gina.” Susato had also just walked off set.
She glared at her co-star. “What’s that meant t'mean? I was born 20XX, that's barely ‘fore you.” Somehow, Sustato looked deeply concerned at that. Before either of them could get another word out, though, a small girl approached.
“Oh, Iris! Did you know they’re shooting this movie entirely on film? Susato clasped her hands together with a smile.
The girl only shrugged. “I think all movies get filmed, Susie.” She turned to Gina next. “Ginny, Ryuunosuke got trapped in the wardrobe again—you have to come see!”
“Left ‘im? Or did you put him in there?”
“Hey! He really just got himself locked in there this time, I swear.”
“This time?!” Susato gasped. Truly, their youngest coworker was one to be feared. She was a bit older now than when the first Great Ace Attorney movie got filmed, and now she’d entered a bit of a pre-teen phase while working on the second. “Gina, we’d better go help at once!”
The three were quick to run off of the set without even changing out of their costumes, no doubt much to the crew’s chagrin. And one call to the fire department later (Ryuunosuke was well and truly stuck this time, and oddly uncooperative), Susato and Gina found themselves alone in the parking lot.
“Ah, is that Barok over there?” Susato asked. Gina suspected she felt the awkwardness that lingered in the air whenever the two of them were alone too; she wasn’t ever sure how much looking at Susato was appropriate.
“Hey, Barok! C'mere!” Gina waved, flapping her arms about in the air.
He sighed, and walked over towards the girls. “You’re both still in costume.”
“Oh dear,” Susato said. “I expect they won’t want us back in there now, though. And it is a cute outfit.”
“Do a spin.” Barok held a hand to his chin, very seriously watching Susato twirl around. “You’re right, those are good colors on you.”
“I figgered you’d ‘ave seen the whole costume already, Barok.” Gina said. “Ain’t you been on set with us all month?”
“I… Don’t like to think about the movie.”
“Ah… You’re playing a rather unsympathetic role, I guess.” Susato frowned. A beat passed.
Susato then pulled a menu out of nowhere. “Anyways, for dinner, I was thinking we should all go out to this new place together. Iris said you didn’t have any plans tonight—well, she said no plans ever—, and you don’t seem to be in any rush, Barok.”
‘Gee, thanks, Iris. ’ And if Gina had any hope of spending a little time alone with Susato, awkward or not, that hope was dashed. Not that she didn’t enjoy Barok’s company… He was just a bit of a large presence.
Gina stepped between both her co-stars and linked arms with them, already walking at a breakneck speed. “‘ight, let’s get a move on, then.”
...Though, ten minutes later, Gina was regretting leaving in her costume already—scratch that, she was regretting ever acting in boots with such a heel. “Ugh. Barok, ‘arry me, won’t you?”
“I’m… going to have to pass.” He furrowed his brow. “Ew.”
“I think she said carry, Mr. van Zieks.” Susato laughed. “And you don’t really seem her type.”
Getting a little too defensive, or perhaps brave, Gina crossed her arms. “Well—what d’you fink my type would be anyways, Sooze?”
Susato dramatically put a hand to her chin and looked skywards. “Money, probably.”
Barok and Susato had a grand old laugh at that. Gina had to admit it was a bit funny, too—if she had a million dollars she’d buy a limousine and not need to be walking in the first place. “I fink we’d get to dinner a lot faster if you just ‘arried me, Barok.”
“Please, god, pronounce the c.” Barok sighed. “I’m not going to carry you, or otherwise.”
“Well, I could try if you’d like, Gina!” Susato grinned. “Come here.”
Gina complied; it was as good an idea as any, and she had seen Susato’s strength in action before. Though it was shocking just how easily Susato managed to scoop her into her arms and haul her up behind her neck. She counted her blessings that it was a fireman’s carry, meaning her friend couldn’t see the blush spreading over her face.
Barok definitely could, though, and he was definitely judging. Gina poked her tongue out at him.
“Wow, Barok, is this how you always see the world up there?” She asked.
“Very funny. But even now I’m still far taller than you.” He laughed. Susato put a hand on her hip and whipped around to scold him, swinging Gina around violently. Susato could literally lift her with one arm—holy shit. Gina put her head in her hands. This was how Gina Lestrade was going to spontaneously combust, this was it.
“I’m gonna die.” She complained.
“We all will, one day,” said Barok, nodding sagely.
Susato frowned. “You’ve been reading too much into your role, Mr. van Zieks.”
Dinner the previous night had been uneventful, although Gina did end up having the guts to demand Susato carry her back out of the restaurant. It was rather interesting to be hoisted up in the air and used to call for a cab.
“I still can’t Adam and Eve it.” Gina played with a coin in her hand, waiting to see how long it’d take Susato to notice she’d been robbed. “I mean, why would Kazuma go in the wardrobe with Ryuunosuke in the first place?”
“Yeah… I guess if you’re going to make out at work, there aren’t many other good options!”
Gina stared her down.
“I mean—well, it’s not like I’ve thought about it!” Susato crossed her arms. “But looking at it, logically.”
“So, ‘ave you figured anyfing else out ‘logically’?” Gina asked. “Like, if I was gonna skip a day o’ work, how ‘o I slip under the radar?”
“Gina!” Susato sighed. “What would you even skip work for in the first place?”
She grinned. “Ta go heavenly bliss someone, ‘course.”
Susato took a moment to work out the slang, then laughed, and Gina couldn’t help imagining if the two of them slipped away from the studio to go out somewhere. They’d been good friends since the first movie they were in together, of course, but they hadn’t gotten to hang out that much—they had to be in movies, after all.
Gina was just about to say something else (though she wasn’t certain what), when the director announced it was time for lunch.
He looked like he was going to pass out if he didn’t go eat, so Gina approached him. “Mr. Sholmes, are you a’wright?”
“How could I possibly be a Wright, Ms. Lestrade, when my parents named me Herlock Sholmes ?!” He buried his head in his hands. “They had no reason to do that to me.”
“I fink Sherlock was copyrighted.” Gina laughed, a little nervously—Sholmes had been in shambles ever since the public found out that, no, the credits weren’t a joke and that, yes, he was actually named Herlock Sholmes.
Gina hesitantly gave him a few pats on the back. “Well, the rest of us are headed to lunch, are you coming?”
Mr. Sholmes looked back up at her. “Lunch is right now? Well, why didn’t you say so?”
Gina scratched her chin. “You announced it, Mr Sholmes.”