Chapter 1: The Hangover
A loud groan came from the living room. Of course, Zak didn't care. He was too busy sleeping. It was 4 AM. What do you expect? The groan sounded again. Zak shuffled a bit, but didn't wake up. Suddenly, the sound of loud gagging woke Zak up. "What the hell..?" Zak got up, looking around groggily. 'What in the name of magic was that noise?' He yawned and stretched, then put on his slippers. "Hey Val? You alright?" The older magician asked as he walked to his partner's room. He knocked on the door. No answer. "Val?" Zak walked into the room, but Valant wasn't in there. 'Huh… that's strange.' Zak suddenly heard the gagging sound again, followed by puking. 'Oh god… Valant?' Zak walked into the living room, finding the younger magician covered with his cape like a blanket. The guy looked like he'd seen better days. The carpet area between Valant and the coffee table was covered in puke. And, he looked greener than a pear. "Valant? Are you okay?" Valant looked up at Zak, glaring. "Do I look ok, you as-" Valant coughed, throwing up on Zak's slippers. He groaned, looking down at the puke on his older partner's slippers. "S-sorry, Zak… I-I didn't mean too…" Zak smiled at his sick friend. "It's fine, Val. Why're ya so sick anyway?" Valant groaned again, letting out a hiccup. "I'm not sick, Zak. I just have a huge hangover.." Zak chuckled, rolling his eyes. "Of course you do, Val. Now I remember… We were having our usual drinking contest." Valant nodded. "Yeah, I remember… I passed out after like, 10 bottles of beer." Zak smirked, lightly patting Valant on the back. "It was actually 7, Val. I stopped drinking when you passed out." Val raised an eyebrow. "How come?" Zak sighed. "Because I didn't want a hangover too, you moron. Even with my high as fuck alcohol tolerance." Valant lightly smiled. "More like you felt pity on me, Zakko." Zak glared at his partner, starting to lightly blush. "Pity?! Of course not! Why would I fee-." "Then why the hell are you blushing, partner?" Valant smirked at his friend, who was blushing even more. "F-fuck off, would ya?" Zak sighed, looking down at his feet. "Whatever.. I should probably clean this up before Magnifi and Thalassa come back. Wanna help?" Valant sat up, but turned a deeper shade of green when he did so. "I don't feel so good all of a sudden…" Zak smiled sympathetically at his younger friend. "Well, I wouldn't either in your state. C'mon Val. Let's get you to bed." Valant crossed his arms like a child. "But Zaaaak. It's only 5:15 AM." Zak then sat next to his partner, rubbing the yellow magician's back. "I know that, Val." He paused. "Hey Valant?" Valant looked up at his red clad friend. "What's up?" "You remember the first ever party we went to? And I mean an actual party. Like one with drinks and loud music and crazy shit like that." Valant nodded. "Yeah.. I was a college freshman and you were a senior. I remember that." Valant sighed as he thought back to those days. 'Good times those were.'
"Shadi… Aren't I a bit young to be here?" The younger man tugged at Shadi's pants. "Shut up, Kevin! If you keep running your mouth, they'll know you're too young!" Kevin nodded, looking around nervously. "Man, this place is packed." Shadi nodded. "Well, this is one of the biggest clubs in town. Of course it's packed. Now come on, I'm thirsty." Kevin nodded, walking after the older man towards the bar. "Ey Kev. Want anything to eat?" Kevin nodded, feeling his stomach start to rumble. "Can I have some nachos?" Shadi nodded. "Want anything to drink?" Kevin grinned. "A milkshake!" The bartender raised an eyebrow. "A...milkshake? What the hell is this kid thinking, ordering a milkshake?" Shadi chuckled nervously. "He means champagne." The bartender glared at them, leading Shadi to nervously chuckle." Hehehehe, uh, excuse us." Shadi led Kevin outside, glaring at him. "Kevin. This is a bar. You're lucky enough the bartender knows us well enough to not tell on you for being underage. But ordering a milkshake? What are you, 12?" Kevin crossed his arms, grumbling. "18, actually.. But, I like milkshakes!" Shadi sighed. "Kevin, I know you like milkshakes. But this is a BAR. As in, like, a place with drinks and music and stripper poles." Kevin raised an eyebrow at his older friend. "What?" "Well, not stripper poles. This isn't a strip club." Shadi chuckled. 'You're WAAAAY too young to go to a strip club.' Kevin tilted his head. "What's a strip club?" Shadi patted Kevin on the shoulder, starting to sweat. "That's…. a story for when you're my age." Kevin grumbled. "But you're 21.." Shadi rolled his eyes. "You'll be 21 in 3 years, you moron." Kevin continued to grumble, "Whatever… Can we just go in?" The older man sighed, nodding. Then the two went inside. Shadi led Kevin back to the bar, where the two ordered their drinks and food. "And I'll have champagne, please." The bartender smirked. "There we go." He then scoffed. "Nearly said a milkshake.. Almost exposed yourself, Kev." The bartender left, returning in minutes with 2 mugs of whiskey for Shadi and a bottle of champagne for Kevin. Kevin took a sip of the champagne. "T-this is good, Shadi! I really like it!" Shadi smirked, ruffling the younger man's hair. "I knew ya would. Hey, want a sip of my whiskey? I got another mug." Kevin nodded, downing the mug in a few quick gulps. Shadi chuckled. "Easy Kev… Don't wantcha getting… drunk. Oh no." Kevin hiccupped, smiling up at Shadi. "Wooooooooow, Shaaadi! T-that was... d-deeeliciousssh!" Shadi immediately facepalmed as he looked at his younger friend. 'Oh boy… He's drunk. That's not good. He's not even old enough to drink.' The bartender turned to Shadi, sharing his thoughts. "Dude, you should probably get him home… At this point, he might get arrested for drinking and being underage.." Shadi nodded, noticing Kevin had disappeared. "Kevin? Where are you?" Suddenly, Shadi heard a loud hiccup, noticing the freshman talking to some ladies. 'He's gonna fuck it up… I just know it.' Despite his drunken state, the younger man actually was doing well. Surprised, Shadi walked up to his friend. "Heeeeey Shadi! These… p-pretty ladieeesh think I-I'm c-c-cute!" Shadi raised an eyebrow, looking at them. "Well, he is kinda cute, I'll admit it." One said, looking at her shorter friend. "He seems to be a bit underage to be drinking though." The shortest one said, looking at the skinniest. "So he's a bit rebellious, eh? How adorable." The three giggled, smirking at Shadi, who started to lightly blush. "Heh, yeah… Anyway, c'mon Kevin. We have to get outta here before the cops come." Kevin giggled, letting out a light burp as he leaned on Shadi. "Buuuut… I waaanna ssshtay heeeere.. with th-theeem." He drunkenly nodded to the girls, who waved back, giggling at the drunken freshman. Shadi sighed. '5 seconds.. That's all it should take…' Kevin hiccupped again. "Ssssshaaadiii, I looove you…" Shadi lightly blushed again, looking away from his younger friend. 'Yeesh, j-just how drunk are you..?' Kevin let out a loud giggle, before falling asleep on Shadi. 'Yup. 5 seconds.' Shadi looked at his passed out friend, nervous for the hangover he was gonna receive in the morning. The older man sighed, putting Kevin on his back to piggyback him. "Come on, little buddy… Let's get back to our dorm." Shadi waved to the ladies and the bartender, and then headed out.
"Yeah... Those were some good times, weren't they Val?" No answer came from the younger magician. "V-Valant?" Zak looked around, only to find his friend slumped down next to him, snoring heavily. Zak smirked, chuckling to himself. "Of course you fell asleep, Val. You lazy piece of shit, you." Valant let out a long yawn, starting to drool. Zak sighed, wiping the drool off of his sleeping friend. He then casually picked him up. He looked at the face of his sleeping partner, watching as his mouth moved with every snore. "Aww, you look cute when you sleep." Zak grinned, giving Valant a kiss on the cheek for the hell of it. Zak's grin grew when a big blush formed on his partner's cheeks. "Yep. Definitely cute." Valant yawned again, hiccupping in his sleep. Zak decided to start carrying his partner in a bridal style, instead of carrying him like a cat, finally standing up. "How about NOW we get you to bed, Val?" He looked over at the clock, which read about 6 AM. 'That is pretty early to get to sleep...' Zak looked down at Valant, who was sleeping soundly. 'But… it's better to get him to bed, just in case he gets sick again.' Valant suddenly turned towards Zak, giving the older magician a hug. "I…loveyu, Zak…" Zak paused at that, looking down at the now smiling Valant. "Heh, I love you too, you gay bean." Zak walked towards Valant's room, thinking about Thalassa for a bit. 'But, Valant's always been into girls… Could he be bisexual? Not that anything's wrong with that. Plus, Thalassa is rather cute. Even if she is bossy.' Zak sighed, holding Valant closer to him. "Maybe he was always gay and was just pretending to like girls to hide it from me.' Zak sighed again, giving Valant another kiss, but on the opposite cheek. 'But Val… I'd never judge you… Gay, straight or both, you're still my best friend and partner.' After a few minutes, Zak carried the sleepy Valant to his room, laying him on the bed. Valant immediately curled up, hugging a bunny who happened to be lying on the bed with him. 'Heh. Of course Cuddlesworth is here. After all, he does live up to his name in that he loves to be cuddled.' Zak tucked his partner into his bed, kissing him directly on the lips before he left. "Goodnight, my King of Hearts." Valant let out a loud snore, his cheeks turning a rather rosy red. Zak chuckled at the snore as he walked off, careful not to make any loud noises to wake the younger man up. Zak then walked towards the living room, letting out a heavy sigh. "Welp. Looks like I have some work to do before Magnifi and Thalassa come home." Before he did though, he cleaned the puke off of his slippers, put them in the washing machine, then replaced them with a small pair of boots. "Now that that's taken care of… Looks like I got a carpet to clean."
(Author's Note: Yeah, hi. This is my first story on , so sorry if the layout is a little weird. Anyway, here's some minor info about Friendly Rivals. First off, SPOILERS FOR APOLLO JUSTICE. Do not read this story if you have not beaten AJ:AA. Second off, Valant being called Kevin before he got his stage name is a headcanon of mine. His real name is not officially known. Third off, when a sentence is in 'single quotes', the person is thinking, while when in "double quotes", they're talking. Fourth off, when a paragraph is in bold, that means it's a flashback. There might not be many flashback scenes, but if there is one, it'll be in bold. Finally, this story does not take place in an AU of Ace Attorney. All events in this story are probably not canon, save events such as Thalassa marrying Zak or Zak getting killed by Kristoph. Enjoy your life, and this story!)