Chapter Text
Miles Edgeworth didn't know what to think of the old man that came to their house sometimes.
Apparently, he was one of father's work friends, although the man seemed really angry that father would call them "friends". He didn't seem to enjoy anything he and father did together like Miles did with Phoenix (and sometimes Larry. But Larry was insufferable if Phoenix wasn't there), but he continually shows up for tea while discussing legal jargon Miles doesn't quite understand yet.
If he got too close, sometimes the man would question him about his legal knowledge, and would nod in what Miles hoped was approval when he was able to answer. His questions were more complicated than Eddie's, but they were more fun to think about.
However, his glare was scary and the sound of his cane against the hardwood floor made Miles nervous. He knew it was childish to find him scary! He generally liked adults more than his own peers, but he just couldn't get comfortable around the man.
But he was the only one father really invited over often, besides Eddie, but it makes sense Eddie is here often because he works with his father. But from what Franziska told him, Mr. von Karma was a prosecutor! The enemy! It made no sense to Miles that father would want him over all the time, and Franziska didn't seem to get it either, and she told him as much during one such visit.
"What's so great about your papa that my papa wants to spend more time with him than me, huh?!" She asked him, sniffling like she was on the verge of tears.
"Well, adults like to talk with other adults sometimes," Miles responded, recalling a conversation his father had with him when he was four. Miles remembered being sad that father didn't play with him all the time, or read his legal books for him every night. But he told him it was because adults needed to talk to other adults, and children need to talk to other children. He also said work made it hard, but that's unrelated. "It's not personal, is what my father says. That's why we are supposed to keep each other company instead."
"But your company is inferior!!" Franziska cried, throwing Miles' Signal Samurai figurine he got from Phoenix for his birthday. "I want papa to pay more attention to me! He doesn't tell me how smart I am as much as he used to, and it's your papa's fault!"
Miles wanted to get mad at her for throwing his favourite toy (and one of his only ones), but he held back. Father told him Franziska was.. what was it again?
"Emotionally immature," his father's voice echoed in his mind. Yes, that was right. Franziska was really smart when it came to law, and Miles liked it when she was in a good mood, because they once sat for hours discussing a cold case in one of his father's files, and it was like he'd never had anyone his age who understood him more. She was also apparently good at math and science and most of the academic subjects. But she wasn't very good at being nice, and sometimes got in trouble for throwing things at students or insulting them one too many times.
Father told Miles that because of this, and because he was older, that he needed to set an example for her whenever she gets upset, by being calm and collected and not escalating.
Miles quietly snatched the toy from the ground, briefly inspecting it for damage (there was none, thank goodness) before setting it behind him where Franziska couldn't reach. "I don't know, Franziska!" He responded, a little less calmly than he intended. He didn't know why, but he got really riled up whenever she got angry. "I don't get why my father hangs out with yours either! He's a prosecutor but mine's a defense attorney, they should hate each other!"
"Yeah! My papa hates defense attorneys! He is above them all, and crushes each and every one in court like a bug!" Franziska yelled, pumping both her fists into the air. "He does not settle for foolish things like 'friendship' with foolish people who foolishly defend foolish criminals!"
"So why are they even friends??" Miles asked, more to himself, bewildered.
"No! Miles Edgeworth!" Franziska punched Miles' arm repeatedly. With her baby hands it didn't hurt so much, but it was annoying. "Foolish reasoning from the foolish mouth of a foolishly foolish fool who foolishly attempts to fool me! My papa is perfect! He would never fall for the foolish attempts to weaken him, especially not from the lowest of the low: the defense attorney! Friendship is weakness, and my papa is not weak! Do you understand that?!"
"I never understand you!" Miles shouted back, pushing Franziska off of him and sending her tumbling backward. As she fell, her head hit the corner of a law book they left lying around. Franziska burst out crying, clutching the back of her head.
"Oh, oh no-" Miles reached out to help Franziska up, "are you okay?!"
"GET AWAY FROM ME!!" Franziska slapping his hand away. "I DON'T -hic- WANT YOUR HELP!"
Miles knew a losing battle when he saw one. He yelled for his father and Mr. von Karma for help, which led to the end of that meeting. The next time they came over, Franziska refused to acknowledge the incident and seemed to pretend like nothing ever happened. That was preferable for Miles.
However, Mr. von Karma also often came around without Franziska in tow. "She's studying" or "she's doing homework" were often the explanations Miles got on those days. Miles would suddenly feel inadequate and run off to do the same. He was older, so he needed to be even better than Franziska!
As Miles ran off to his room, Gregory chuckled. "I'm so happy he and Fran get along," he says to Manfred.
"Her name is Franziska," Manfred reminded him for the upteenth time. He despised the familiarity with which Gregory addressed his daughter, it made something inside of him jump as though he were in danger. In a sense, he was - he didn't remember when he became so familiar with the defense attorney, but he knows he's already become too sidetracked.
Initially he agreed to all of this to prove a point to Gregory about Franziska being far better than his child, but then his daughter seemed to really enjoy her time with Miles. No other child had a similar intellectual ability to his daughter, so naturally Franziska doesn't bother with anyone in her kindergarten class. As much as he hated to admit it, Gregory may have been right to suggest that they test one another. It is likely good for children to hang out with their peers and discuss their interests with one another. Although Gregory is a strange character, his child seems to really be one worthy of the company of a von Karma.
A shame his father was such a pain in the neck.
Miles heard all of this as he stopped outside of the room, considering getting a snack before rushing off to study. He really hadn't meant to eavesdrop! Mr. von Karma told him that was extremely rude the first time he got caught listening in on them.
Miles forfeited the idea of a snack, and slowly tiptoed up the stairs to his bedroom. As he sat down at his desk and opened the law book he was reading through for the first time, he considered his relationship with Franziska and how it compared to his father and Mr. von Karma's.
Maybe his father wanted to challenge himself in the practice of law, the same way Miles and Franziska challenged each other? But that's not right, his father had many intellectual talks with his defense attorney peers, and he faced off against prosecutors in court all the time! There was no reason for him to challenge himself further. Besides, he and von Karma rarely talked about law things. His father seemed more about talking to him about his family, his hobbies, what tea he likes best.
Maybe his father just... likes von Karma.
His mind thinks of his classmate Cassie drawing her two moms a family portrait in class for Mother's Day. If it were possible to have two moms, then surely it is possible to have two dads? Is his father wanting to date Mr. von Karma? Are they already dating and father didn't tell him? Is Franziska his new sister, and that's the real reason they want them to hang out?
He'll be sure to ask father when Mr. von Karma goes home.