Fighting Hesitance
Franziska quickly left the crime scene of the case she was assigned to, leaving Gumshoe there to take care of the case wrap up, feeling much too flustered and confused to stay. She usually stayed until the last moment, not leaving one thing to chance, but this time was different. She'd never had to investigate a crime scene and build a case while her stomach did flips or when she felt her face flushing at a simple look from that man.
Scruffy...what a fool. She thought in sarcasm, pulling her coat tighter around herself as she stalked to her car.
But wait, it wasn't even her coat, it was his.
This is all nonsense...I don't even know why I'm wasting time thinking about that or him. she thought stubbornly, remotely unlocking her car and swiftly getting in.
At first she didn't realize where she was driving, but quickly she figure out that she was headed to Miles Edgeworth's apartment.
The "that" she didn't want to think about was the kiss she and Gumshoe ended up sharing after he'd given her his coat to wear. Even she could not deny how nice it felt when he'd gently wrapped the coat around her...and then his arms. Before she could think much more, she shook her head to displace the thoughts.
Finally she arrived at Miles' apartment and she quickly made her way to his door. She knocked loudly, somehow hoping he'd be able to solve her problem.
Miles Edgeworth sat in his favourite chair with a distant look on his face. One arm was wrapped around himself, and the other would often lift so his fingers could ghost over slightly parted lips. In his mind, he was somewhere else. He was against a wall, his lips against those of that attorney, his heart racing... He knew where this was going...
A knock at the door startled him out of his reverie. After a moment, he stood up quickly and straightened his clothes. He has expected to see a man - a certain man - when he opened the door, but instead he saw someone who could be best described as his "older sister".
"Franziska. I didn't expect to see you tonight. ...Won't you come in?"
It wasn't difficult to see that she was out of sorts. He wondered what could have happened with her.
Franziska stepped inside without a word to him, still too absorbed with her own problems to notice the tiny smile that was on Miles' face when he opened the door for her. When she was inside, she began to pace a little, the hug and kiss she and Gumshoe shared playing over and over in her mind, confusing her more and more with the feelings the memory inspired in her.
"This is all foolish!" she said more to herself than Miles, almost forgetting he was in the room as well.
This behavior was unusual, even for Franziska, who regularly called people and things foolish when she got mad. The mood was completely different; Miles had only seen it a few times before. He remembered the times she had confided in him, and the other times when she had shut everyone out.
At least she came to me this time, Miles thought.
The reason for her sudden appearance was still unclear, though.
"Was it cold out tonight?" Miles asked, suddenly noticing the coat she was wearing.
Miles' voice suddenly brought her stormy eyes to his, making her suddenly feel embarrassed that she'd come to talk with him about this topic at all. But who else did she have than her "little brother"?
"Yes." she answered simply, breaking eye contact with him, feeling strangely vulnerable all of a sudden.
"You've taken a liking to that coat," Miles said.
He let her have the physical space she needed, but carefully prodded at the issue. In response, she unconsciously gripped tightly to the coat as she put her arms protectively around herself.
"What, this dirty old trenchcoat? What foolishness." Franziska replied, but her voice hardly carrying the bite it usually did when she spoke of Gumshoe with Miles.
There was a knowing expression on his face. He couldn't keep a small smile from it.
"This isn't the first time you've worn it."
Franziska knew that it would be futile to act as if this trenchcoat wasn't significant to her, so she jumped straight into what she wanted to say before she lost the nerve.
"Scruffy is extremely foolish to keep this piece of trash. He requires a new one."
"Are you going to take him shopping?" Miles asked, sounding amused.
At this comment from Miles, and especially in the teasing way he said it, she snapped in reply, "Don't be a fool. What makes you think I'd want to be seen in public with him?"
But as soon as she said that, she blushed as a scene of her self and Gumshoe shopping together for a coat came to mind. She shook her head, still refusing to meet Miles' eyes.
"I think...that something happened tonight," Miles said in a gentle tone, his eyes conveying a serious sympathy. Maybe he was pushing it too much, but he felt that deep inside, she wanted to talk about it. Gumshoe of all people...
Franziska wanted to be annoyed at him for prying, but she couldn't really. She'd actually wanted to talk about the confusing things she'd been feeling, but she just wasn't sure how, especially with the way she was taught to deny all of her passions for the sake of perfection when she was growing up.
Still not looking at Miles she said, sounding just a little ashamed, "Yes...it was my foolish mistake."
"Why don't you sit down? I'll get us some tea," Miles said. He hoped that he could move past what they were taught by von Karma and open up more to each other.
She sat on the couch Miles motioned to, and silently waited for Miles' return.
I couldn't possibly...be in love with that fool, could I? Franziska thought in shock, the sudden rush of feeling that came with the thought answering her question well enough.
Miles came back and placed a tea cup in front of her. "I seem to remember that this was one of your favourites." He sat on the couch with her and sipped at his own tea, content to wait in silence.
Franziska did not reply to that, but she picked up the cup he offered her and breathed in the scent of the tea in it, this act calming her slightly. After taking a big sip, she set down the cup, biting her lip in nervousness, wondering how to start.
"I used to think he was such a pitiful creature, with no direction and purpose...but now...I don't know what changed, but something did. Over time I saw how much he genuinely cared about other people, and always did what I asked of him, no matter what it was. I saw that he actually cared for me...even when I did nothing but inform him of his foolish ways and whip him into shape. I have to be a fool to...to feel something...for that...that man."
"You may be a fool, Franziska, but... it's all right. I... I understand, somewhat. It's... natural... to feel things for other people, even feelings such as that. Even for people you never thought you'd look upon again."
Miles didn't notice that he was smiling.
But Franziska caught the smile on his face, and so she narrowed her eyes and asked suspiciously, "What has you in such a happy mood, Miles Edgeworth?"
"I-It's not--- We're discussing your issue at the moment." He looked away with pink cheeks and then took a long sip of tea.
Franziska was glad for the unexpected distraction from her own situation, so a smirk like she was onto something good in court came to her face and she said, "Not so fast, little brother. I demand to know why you are in this mood."
"Is it so rare to see a smile on my face?" Miles asked, his hands out as he shrugged and shook his head.
"In such a situation? Yes it is." Franziska said, the smirk not leaving her face, raising an eyebrow in a teasing fashion at Miles.
"Hmph." Miles drank more tea.
"This wouldn't have anything to do with a certain Mr. Phoenix Wright, now would it?" Franziska said, her smirk growing larger, knowing she was probably right.
Miles' cup trembled as he placed it in his saucer. His intake of breath was quick and he avoided her eyes.
This reaction from Miles caused her to chuckle just slightly and she continued in the same tone, "So I was correct."
Giving Miles a meaningful look, her tone turned a little serious, saying, "Tell me, little brother. Do you not think these feelings are foolish? The way they interfere with logic and reason, do they not make us more inefficient as prosecutors...and as people?"
"When you truly understand, Franziska, you will know that these feelings can complete us." His gaze settled somewhere far away.
Franziska thought deeply about what Miles said, deciding that perhaps it was true, even if it seemed to be a naive and foolishly optimistic thought.
"Hmmm..." She replied slowly.
"You will experience something new and amazing... even if it is Detective Gumshoe we're talking about." He smirked. "You can fall in love. The only one who will hold you back now is yourself."
Franziska thought a moment more and then suddenly stood up, saying, "I should go now. I have somewhere...somewhere I should be."
After Miles gave her a nod and got up from his seat as well, the whip wielding prosecutor quickly made her way to the door. Miles followed behind her to let her out, not knowing where she was going, but having suspicions about the destination she had in mind. She waited for Miles to open the door for her, suddenly feeling that strange rush once again. This was quite an unusual feeling to become accustomed to, but with the way it lightened her usually cynical spirit, she figured it was something she was willing to try. Stepping aside to let her pass, Miles stood by the door to see her out.
Making her way through the door, drawing the coat close around her once again, she said briskly, "Good bye, Miles Edgeworth."
And thank you…she thought to herself, feeling much too awkward to voice it.
But from the understanding look in Miles' eyes, she could tell he already knew.
"Good night…and good luck, Franziska." a small smile gracing his lips as he spoke.
With a nod she was off, ready for whatever this new found love may throw at her. In any case, if there was a problem, her whip was always at the ready.