I was given a list of prompts with the challenge to write 100 drabbles, each no more than 600 words long. I chose to do things a little differently: instead of one pairing, I'm writing for four of my favorite ones, and attempting to make all the drabbles interconnected and chronological. I'm also picking them at random - shuffled up all the prompt words in a box to make sure. (This is why each chapter has a random number in parentheses as well.)
The summary/title may change as the fic evolves, depending on where the prompts guide me. I have a general idea but can't get too specific for obvious reasons. Also, updates will probably be slow, as I'm cycling my drabbles through each pairing as well as not doing this every day. I'm posting each as a separate story for ease of reading, but they're all in a series if you feel inclined to check the others.
This fic in particular was meant as a personal challenge: I love both these characters, and like their pairing a lot in theory, but have never attempted to write for them as I really wasn't sure how to make them work. I also wanted to write from Klavier's POV, which I haven't yet, and provide a different perspective of Phoenix than I typically do. Hopefully this all comes together well!
Vongole adores Klavier.
It's terrible. He's never been an animal person; Klavier feels guilty every day, when he's greeted at his door with an exuberant dog, and all he wants to do is play guitar in peace. He'll let her out to play in the backyard, and sometimes even forget she's out there until she starts barking to be let back in. She's never mad at him, though. Not even when he shuts her out of his bedroom at night only to find her curled out directly outside in the hallway the next morning, or stays out late and arrives home hours after she usually would have gone out.
He'd installed a doggie door after the third time, but it doesn't ease the guilt.
Klavier knows he's not being fair to her: Vongole is a sweet dog, an innocent creature who has lost her best friend and only has him as a poor replacement. Kristoph was a fantastic pet owner – he'd play with her for hours, took her on long walks every day, fed and groomed her on a clear schedule, and judging by her habit of lurking, let her sleep on the end of his bed. She's fully trained, so it's not like Klavier even has much to do – but every time he sees her, all he can think about is his brother. Kristoph's kindness, his sincere joy at this animal, and – it would be so much easier, if Klavier could pretend his brother was simply evil.
Some days, he'll take her on a walk. It's more a private self-punishment than the reward the dog clearly sees it as. Klavier finds it difficult to even paste on a smile those days, and usually that's the easiest mask in his repertoire. Playing fetch is entirely impossible.
Running into Phoenix Wright makes the punishment feel a lot less private.
Vongole barks when she sees him, wags her tail wildly and tugs gently on the leash until Klavier relents and allows her to lead him forward.
"Oh, sweetheart," Wright says, in a kind and open voice Klavier cannot remember ever hearing from him. "I've missed you too. Okay, sit! Shake! Oh, good girl. Hi, Kris."
Glancing up at Klavier abruptly, the lawyer's eyes widen – both flinch. They stare at each other for a long moment.
"…You know, I once defended a client with a cat," Wright says eventually, not bothering with a greeting. "He was guilty. I don't know where Shoe went."
"I couldn't leave her."
"You don't have to keep her. It's… brave of you."
Klavier's throat feels dry. He looks down; Vongole grins up at him.
"Hey," Phoenix says. "I think he'd be really happy. He adored her."
When Klavier looks up again, the lawyer's gaze is far-off, someplace sad and sweet.
"He does. He asks after her often, still," Klavier says, around a lump in his throat.
If Phoenix is surprised to learn that Klavier is still in contact with his brother, he doesn't let it show.
"If you ever want a dogsitter," he offers instead, voice quiet, too understanding. He doesn't linger after, just shoots Klavier a pained smile and gives Vongole a kiss before turning to go.
Klavier thinks about taking him up on it. He thinks about that for a long time, walking Vongole around the park. Thinks about Phoenix shaking her paw, calling him Kris.
It would be so much easier if he could pretend Kristoph was solely evil. But knowing Phoenix Wright, of all people, remembers otherwise… that helps.
He makes sure to throw a stick for her a few times before heading home.
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