Chapter Text
Franziska Von Karma had, according to people other than herself, issues. And if she cared to listen longer than that, and not just whip till they’re bleeding them for the insult, she’d learn that it was emotional issues.
Well, she’d show them just how competent she could be.
Abruptly, one day when simply chatting with one Miss Maya Fey, she was hit with a profound and deeply disturbing realization. She had a massive crush on the young woman.
And she was behaving perfectly normally and rationally about it.
You could tell, because she was currently sitting down with her hands pulling and tugging at her hair as violin music blasted loud enough to turn someone deaf in a vain attempt to try to drown out her own feelings.
A crush. A crush.
What a childish foolish thing.
Franziska didn't need a foolish romantic relationship. The idea alone was foolish. What would people think if they learned the great prodigy prosecutor Von Karma had such a weakness to her?
She had only been prosecuting for nearly five years and had been a teenager for all of them. Respect was something she clawed at to keep.
Her father, the late prosecutor Manfred Von Karma, to which Franziska owed part of her prestige to, didn't have that problem. Nobody would ever dare think he was weak for having a wife. He was well respected and feared with a long career. It was expected that he’d have one.
He didn't deserve that respect. He didn't have the right to sully the Von Karma name after building it up for years. he didn't have the right to defame and frame her little brother for-
Never mind. She shouldn't even spare that disgrace a thought. He didn't deserve that. But on the topic of her little brother… it was clear to Franziska he couldn't functionally help but at least he could provide solace.
She rang the doorbell to his apartment and waited for a second as the sounds of a barking dog echoed within.
The door opened to a familiar gray-haired glowering face.
“You could have given me a bit of a warning.” Miles Edgeworth sighed, although he seemed put together and fully dressed.
Franziska let out a noncommittal hum and pushed past him into his apartment.
“What brings you here Franziska?” he asked, closing the door behind her.
Franziska opted to pet the dog that had trotted over to her instead of answering. After receiving a look from Miles she sighed, and sitting down on his couch, responded:
“I have… feelings. Romantic ones. For someone.” she forced out her words stilted as if it hurt to say them.
Miles looked struck. He looked from side to side clearly trying to parse together her sentence as if she was speaking in riddles.
“Franziska… I can't… help you with that.” he responded bemused.
“I knew that, you nitwit! That much would be obvious to even the most blind of fools!” she snapped, cracking her whip and causing the dog to run away at the sound.
“Why then, pray tell, are you in my apartment?” he asked dryly.
Franziska cracked her whip again and Miles sighed and nodded as if she had responded with words and not a silent threat.
“Listen little brother-” Miles had learned long long ago it was pointless to protest that he was, in fact, roughly 7 years older than her so he said nothing. “I’m not as pathetic and hopeless as you are, so I am going to confess these feelings within three days. Understand?”
Miles nodded and then he opened his mouth again before he could say anything Franziska cut in.
“Choose your next words carefully.” she warned her voice as cool and sharp as an icicle.
Miles seemed to mull over this for a second before asking his question.
“Could you tell me something about them?” he asked, as if carefully choosing how to probe a witness.
Franziska also sat in silent thought for a moment.
“She is… shorter than me.”
“Ah well, that certainly narrows things down.” he said without thinking. Or perhaps just thinking out loud and forgetting…
“Ngh!”
He was lashed across the shoulder and chest with brutal strength from Franziska as she carried through with her threat.
“I’ll have you know Miles Edgeworth-” her accent was starting to show as it always did when she was angry. “I am one inch below the average height for a woman my age!”
Miles backed up considerably to avoid being in whipping range anymore, still blinking and gritting his teeth.
The dog, who had wandered away when the whip started to be cracked and used, came back upon hearing Franziska’s distress, walking up to where she was sitting.
“Did you train her to do this?” she asked stiffly and failing to bite back a smile as the dog laid down its head on her lap. She started stroking its soft fur.
“Pess was being trained as a therapy dog by her previous owner. I just finished her training.” Miles said, massaging his body where it was lashed.
Franziska just kept petting Pess. Silently, she thanked the dog for taking care of her brother.
Miles walked closer to squintingly look at the wall clock above.
“Ah, you can stay as long as you need of course, but Phoenix Wright is coming over at 6.”
Franziska got up so quickly you’d think the couch had spontaneously turned molten hot. She power walked and brushed past her now probably bruised brother.
“No, I think I’ll be taking my leave now. Goodbye Miles.” she said shortly.
“Do you really despise him so intensely?” Miles scoffed, crossing his arms. “Just for wounding your pride?”
“I simply have said all I need to say. But just so you know, your relationship will not have my blessing now or ever.” she said shortly and snipply.
“Ngh- it's not like that! We just- I- wh-” he struggled until he was cut off from his floundering.
“Really you could learn a bit about bluffing from him though.” she said, scoffing “Goodbye Miles Edgeworth.”
She shut the door behind her.
Three days passed and true to her word Franziska shot a message to the object of her affections.
FVK: Ms. Fey, are you working today?
Fey: nah I’m just training a bit.
FVK: Would you be available if I came by at say, 5:30?
Fey: ? yeah whats up? do u need smth?
FVK: I would just like to talk with you.
Fey: ominous.
Fey: k come over whenever :D
And so, gripping her whip tightly, she sat on the train to Kurain village ignoring odd looks from the other train passengers.
When she arrived she felt awkward and out of place and tried to get to Maya as fast as she could.
Maya clapped her hands together in satisfaction upon noticing Franziska’s presence.
“Hey! Hope that train ride wasn't too long for you!” she said smiling. “How are things?”
“Fine enough. Currently I’m working on a case that's lasting a bit too long for my liking. The fool will lose of course, but it's just a waste of everyone's time” she replied sighing, a finger on her temple
“Oh? What’s it on?” Maya asked curiously
“Domestic abuse. It's very messy.”
Franziska’s mind wandered to all the complexities of sentences for domestic battery. Often they varied from state to state which didn't help the confusion already evident in her mind from adjusting from germany’s laws to this states laws.
“You sure have recovered quickly.” Maya said. If you followed her gaze it was clear that she was staring thoughtfully at Franziska’s shoulder
“I could say the same for you.” she replied gripping onto said shoulder somewhat subconsciously. “Being kidnapped isn't an easy experience.”
“Neither is being shot, you know.” Maya said in a tone Franziska had never heard before. It was something close to… Seriousness? Sadness?
“I am still recovering. That doesn't mean I should take any more time off than I need to.”
“Man, you're stubborn. I guess that's admirable though.”
Mentally, a part of Franziska’s brain (that sounded suspiciously similar to her late father) was chastising her for the warm feeling that had spread through her chest at hearing the Fey call her admirable. Of course she knew she was admirable. She was a prodigy! What did it matter what the young Fey thought of her?
“May I talk to you about something?” she blurted out. Normally she had a bit more patience for small talk, but today was not a day where she could dance around what she wanted to say.
“Sure, go on ahead!” Maya said sounding curious as she looked up at her expectantly.
Panic overtook her for a second. This seemed to be happening too fast. When was something going to go wrong? When was she going to mess up? She should have drawn it out more. That would make it hurt less.
“I…” she trailed off and mentally cursed herself. She’d never had a problem of losing her voice before.
“It's ok! Take your time!”
Franziska was filled with irrational anger at this for a moment. Like the patience she showed was a deadly insult. But she shook it off and after taking a deep breath she forced out what she wanted to say.
“I have a crush on you. That is all.” she said curtly, her voice small and resisting an urge to run and hide like a little girl.
Silence. Maya slowly blinked.
“A-are you serious?”
“Do you know me as someone who makes jokes, Ms. Fey?” she asked, her voice somewhat scathing.
And then… Maya laughed.
It started as just a giggle that grew into a chuckle and then into laughter so hard she couldn't stay upright. It got to the point where she was doubled over and Franziska could not see her face, just the shaking of her body that indicated she was still laughing.
“I did not come here to be mocked.” she said, her voice as bitter and venomous as poison. “If you’ll excuse me I-”
“Are you serious, Franziska Von Karma…?” Maya asked again, straightening back up. Her face was flaming pink and there were tears coming out of her eyes.
The mockery was something straight out of her nightmares, where she’d stand surrounded by people twice her age laughing all around. Who let the little girl in the courtroom? She’d try to protest that she was a Von Karma and the laughter would double. A Von Karma? As if. She’d look to her papa, his face indifferently staring through her.
“Strong, serious, smart, and ever prideful, Ms. Franziska Von Karma has the same feelings as me, a dorky spirit medium has for her?”
Franziska sat in shocked silence. Then she gritted her teeth.
“No, are you serious Maya Fey? You about scared the soul out of my body!” she growled, baring her teeth. She lashed the floor with her whip so hard, part of the wood fractured.
“Sorry, sorry!” Maya laughed trying to wipe her tears away.
“Never doing that again. I’m such a brainless fool.” she mutters under her breath.
“What was that?” Maya asked, cocking her head.
“Nothing relevant. Just musings.” she dismissed waving away with her hands.
“Also, ms. Von Karma…” Maya said her voice turning low and grave for a moment, arms tucked close to her. “I’m genuinely sorry for reacting like that. I-I just didn't know how to respond.”
“I forgive you, Fey. I won't judge you for… your emotional gut reaction.”
“Still. I’ll make it up for you. I promise.” Maya assured putting a hand on Franziska’s clasped ones
Franziska felt for a moment as if all functioning in her body had stopped working and apparently this was obvious to Maya as she smirked and let go.
“So… Ms. Von Karma…” She changed the subject. “Does this mean I can finally call you by your first name?” Maya had her hands clasped together in front of her face in excitement .
“I suppose that would be alright.” Franziska acquitted.
“Alright Franziska! Are you free next sunday and if so…” Maya had a wide grin on her face. “Could you take me out to dinner? Restaurant of your choosing?”
“Rather unorthodox way of asking someone out.” Franziska snarked shooting a small but genuine smile back
“Hey, it's your payback for breaking the floor!” she said beaming. “And it's a date! Perfectly efficient wouldn't you say?”
“You’re perfect.”
Maya stuttered and sputtered nothing but nonsense coming out of her mouth as her cheeks turned red. Something equivalent to the noise a teakettle makes came from her as she held her face in her hands.
Franziska smirked.
“Payback Fey. A Von Karma never loses.”