Lyre: One of the most underrated pairings IMO. I apologize if my bad writing ruins it, or if they appear out of character. BTW, I added some pop culture references. See if you can spot them. Reviews are much appreciated, but please don't bash me or the shipping. I separated it into several chapters for convenience.
A Date to Remember
Chapter One: No means Yes
Romantic chick flicks are and have been Athena Cykes' guilty pleasure for years. The drama, the tear jerkers, and kissing in the rain - yeah; she loved them. And when she overheard a prosecutor say that the movie adaptation of another one of Nicolas Zapps' best selling romance novels, A Date to Remember, came out yesterday afternoon, Athena just had to watch it.
Granted, she never read one of Zapps' books (nor did she even watch the trailer for A Date to Remember). But she knew that any movie adaptation of a Nicolas Zapps novel is bound to be the best romantic film of the year. In fact, Tanning Chatham was going to be the actor playing the guy again. The red headed attorney could already feel her estrogens screaming in joy as she muttered to herself, "I want - no - I NEED to see this movie."
However, this was a lot easier to imagine than actually do. Sadly, she realized that she had no intention of watching a romantic movie alone. The fear of being in a movie theater where virtually all of the couples are taunting her and her nonexistent boyfriend was enough for her to avoid theaters in general...
Well, Athena could just do what normal people do and wait until the DVD comes out... But that's several months away from now; she doesn't have the patience to wait for it. You see, she would normally watch these kinds of films alone in her room or at the office when the boss is currently in a trial and everyone else was out doing something. However, this is a Nicolas Zapps movie we're talking about. This is a big deal.
Still, she wasn't quite comfortable going alone, "Guess I should ask someone to come along with me."
Oh wait... No one's in the office right now.
Trucy was in court, helping her dad out with a trial, so she's out of the list.
Even if Mr. Wright was here, Athena knew that asking her boss to watch a Nicolas Zapps movie with her is nothing short of inappropriate. And even if he wasn't her boss, he was already a taken man.
As for Junie, she was currently out of the country. And if Athena wasn't mistaken, she hates Nicolas Zapp with a passion; therefore, watching this movie with her would be counterproductive.
Pearl would be a bit of a hassle, because Athena would have to explain certain "things" too awkward to discuss in public. Plus, she is all the way in Kurain village. It would be too much to ask for her to come watch a movie that Athena's not even sure the sheltered channeler would even like.
"That's just about everyone I can think of." Rather defeated by the fact that everyone, that isn't her, was out and about, the young attorney couldn't help but sigh in disappointment, "At this point, I should just go ahead, all by myself, and try to endure the kissing couples around me -"
"Hey, Athena," A very loud and familiar voice came from behind the office door, followed by a series of knocks, "Can you please let me in?"
"Just a second." She quickly shuffled to the door and opened it, "Oh, hey."
Standing in front of her was her fellow co-worker and superior, Apollo Justice. He was completely soaked head to toe. His fine red waistcoat had dirt crusted on it. His pants fared no better as they were dirty and caked with mud, "Hey."
"Huh. That's weird. It wasn't raining today or yesterday, so why are you drenched?"
"Someone who needed to learn to be aware of his surroundings drove right through a puddle." He walked into the office and wiped the excess water off his face, "I ended up in the splash zone."
"Well that sucks. I hope that guy falls into a pool or something." Athena quickly ran to the bathroom, fetching a towel for the older co-worker, "Dry yourself off. You know the boss doesn't like it when the office gets wet and dirty."
"I know." Apollo wrapped the towel around his neck, then tried drying his wet hair, "At this point, I think I should just take a shower..."
"And a change of clothes." The younger defense attorney pointed at him, "Your clothes are caked with mud."
"Why, thank you, miss obvious." Apollo sneered with sarcasm.
"Why, thank you, princess crabby." Athena mocked him with a vexed retort, but she wasn't angry. She could hear the discord of anger coming from his heart. Besides, getting your best suit soaked and dirty is an understandable reason to get mad. The redhead chuffed and looked at Apollo, "Do you even have any extra clothes within reach?"
"Yeah. I have some tucked under the towel rack."
"What a random place to put it in."
"I didn't want Trucy to find it. I've seen the tricks she could do." Apollo walked into the bathroom, closing the door behind him, "I'll be out in a few minutes."
"Okay." Athena nodded, then sat down on the sofa, 'I'll wait until he gets out of the shower before I head out to the theater -' Her inner monologue paused at the word "theater". She took a few seconds to process the last thing she said (or thought) before the young attorney shocked herself with an epiphany or something akin to one, '... Theater... Theater... Apollo... Wait a minute...'
It seemed as if she just had a eureka moment, "I got it!" How could she have been so blind? She couldn't believe she even overlooked the one person that could definitely (and hopefully) go to the movie theater with her, "I should ask Apollo to come with me!"
"Ask me for what?" Speak of the devil. Looks like Apollo was already out of the shower - dressed casually in a red light jacket over a white shirt and denim jeans; hair dried and all gelled up perfectly, "I heard you say my name just now."
Wow, that was fast. "Jesus Christ, Apollo... How the hell could you be done that quickly?"
"Well... Unlike you, I don't take a million years when I shower." Apollo shrugged, "But seriously, you said my name. What's up?"
"Hmm..." Athena hummed as she began thinking about how she should ask Apollo to come with her to see A Date to Remember without sounding too awkward.
She took a deep breath and said what was on her mind, "See, there's this movie called A Date to Remember by my favorite novelist Nicolas Zapps - okay I never read a single one of Zapps' books; I didn't even watch the trailer, but I heard the critics said that it was a must see movie. Also, the movie adaptations of Zapps' books are always trés bien, and they hold a special place in my heart. I really really really really want to watch it in theaters, and it's been years since I went to one - but I don't want to go alone. That's why I was wondering if you could come with me to the movie theater this afternoon - no - not like for a date. I just don't want to watch it alone, and I just want a companion of some sort, so can you PLEASE, PRETTY PLEASE come with me to the movie theater? I'll pay for your ticket, so PLEEEEAAASE?"
"..." Okay. That was a lot of information to process, but Apollo got the gist of what his younger co-worker had rambled on about, "... Is it a romantic movie?"
"... Yeah."
"Does one of the so called 'hot' guys of Hollywood, like Chris Oak, Chris Stevens, Chris Handsworth, or Tyler Lather play the main character?"
"Close. Tanning Chatham."
"And is the girl being played by someone like Mandy Siegfried?"
"Yes... I think..."
"And is it about lovey dovey love between some guy and girl on this 'love at first sight' mentality?"
"Absolutely!"
"Then, no... No thanks..." Apollo shook his head, "It's not my kind of movie. I prefer crime mysteries, fast paced action -"
"Guy movies?"
"Yes. And unless you are going to watch a movie along the lines of The Revengers, War Trek, Revenge of the Lawyers, or Ford Lawyer I'm going to have to decline your offer. Sorry Athena." Apollo sighed.
"... Please?" Athena was just about ready to start begging on her knees, "I need someone to come along with me."
"No... Sorry..."
"Please?"
"Wait until the DVD comes out."
"I caaaaaaan't..." Athena began stomping her foot on the ground like a toddler, "That's several months from now."
Apollo sighed - hand firmly planted on his face and thought to himself, 'This is going nowhere.' He could already feel an incoming migraine, "Just watch it online or something."
"I don't trust those kinds of websites. My computer got a virus after I downloaded Titanic from this torrent site."
"Ugh." Athena's temper tantrum was starting to irritate Apollo, "If you really want to watch the movie, but can't wait for the DVD or download it, then you should just go alone."
"I don't want to..."
Now this was starting to irritate the already frustrated defense attorney even more, "Then I guess you just have to ask someone else. How about Blackquill?"
"Simon is in a different state - Nevada, specifically. He's currently the prosecutor for a murder trial in Vegas."
"Vegas? Really? ... Then what about Juniper?"
"Junie's in an entirely different continent. She's all the way in Europe. I think she's in Slovakia or somewhere near there. Maybe Borginia... She's doing some sort of foreign exchange program."
"..." Apollo sighed once more before he patted Athena on the shoulder, "Look, I know you're dying to see that movie, but I'm not. Not even close. I hate to burst your bubble, but I don't like chick flicks. I can't watch something so mind-numbing and cheesy."
"..." Athena was silent, "..." This was straight up frustrating for the young attorney. I mean, really... How could Apollo be so cold hearted? He owes her. Especially when he accused her for killing Clay Terran several months ago, along with the whole phantom shenanigans... Then again, he did sincerely apologize for accusing her. But a good friend should go to the movies without a second thought, right? So why can't Apollo just go with her?
"YOU'RE A LAME FRIEND." Widget blurted out Athena's inner thought, scowling, "AND YOU'RE TOO MUCH OF A WUSS TO WATCH A CHICK FLICK."
Normally, Athena would get angry at widget for blabbing out her inner dialog. However, she wanted Apollo to know how angry she was with him declining.
"APOLLO IS A WUSS AND IS TOO AFRAID TO BE SEEN WATCHING A CHICK FLICK. SISSY SISSY SISSY." Widget began to glow red, "YOU ARE A SISSY, APOLLO JUSTICE. YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING BETWEEN YOUR LEGS, AND YOU'RE SHORT, BECAUSE YOU ARE A MIDGET PU -"
"Alright! Alright! I'll go with you!" Apollo agreed reluctantly, "Just please stop the verbal abuse."
"Yay~" Athena grinned happily. She didn't expect Apollo to give up that easily - especially from simply getting nagged at by Widget, "Thank you, Apollo."
Apollo nodded in defeat - disgruntled by how he was forced to make a pact with his junior defense attorney, "I'll watch the movie with you, but I'm not paying for this."
"Oh don't worry. I'll pay for the both of us." She giggled rather condescendingly, "I know you're too poor to even cough up a single penny -"
"Do you want me to go with you or not?" Apollo sneered, arms akimbo. His glare aimed right at his younger co-worker and thinking to himself, 'I have a good amount of money in the bank, thank you very much.'
"Fine, fine, fine... Jeesh... I was just joking with you."
Yeah, "joking"... Giving a half hearted sarcastic nod felt like the only option for Apollo to respond to his redhead younger co-worker's jest, "Uhuh..."
Athena would have normally raised an eyebrow to Apollo's sarcasm, but she was just elated to have someone come with her to the movie theater - be he a deadpan snarker or not, "Thank you, Apollo."
He didn't look very pleased, "Yeah... You're welcome. What time does the movie start, anyway?"
"Uhm..." Athena checked the clock, "The best time we can get is the one that starts six hours from now, so 6 PM."
"Alright, alright." Defeated by the junior defense attorney (and Widget), Apollo gave a crestfallen sigh, "I'll meet you there at quarter to five. That theater gets crowded real easy, so we'll go early just in case. Oh, and don't be late - and don't make me wait for you."
"Got it!" The redhead smiled in enthusiastic glee. Finally, she can watch a Nicolas Zapps movie with someone - albeit, that someone is Apollo... But hey, at least she wasn't going to go alone.
Lyre: I will be posting the second chapter when I finish it. Sorry for going a bit too heavy on the dialog.