Prompt: OP wants an m/f relationship where neither of them gives a SHIT about gender roles. the girl can fix a car without blinking an eye, and she always kills the spiders. the guy cooks and cleans in a frilly apron and looks fab, and fuck what anybody else has to say about it. when they dance, the girl spins the guy and dips him. and they're just really happy and in love, with no time for your nonsense prescribed gender roles.
It's nearly four months into their relationship when Ema thinks to ask why Klavier was ever interested in her in the first place. It's not that she feels unworthy of him in the least - frankly, he's damn lucky he ever wore her down - but more that she isn't sure what about her made him want to put in the effort in the first place. He spent years wooing her in the face of unrelenting hostility, after all. She's pretty, and smart, but so are a lot of other people. There are even a few other girls who won't take any of his rockstar shit either, so it's not like that was the real reason.
"Ah, Fraulein," he sighs happily when she poses the question. "I still remember it like it was yesterday. We were at that crime scene in the woods, and a hideous beast attacked me! You saved my life. How could I not fall for you?"
"...I've never saved your life," Ema says. "What beast? I don't remember this at all."
"You wouldn't," her boyfriend scoffs admiringly, if that's possible. "Still, I'll never forget. There I was, standing over the remains of poor Hy Carr. Soundless, the creature descended towards my oblivious head. Stealthily, it prepared to strike -"
"Wait a sec," Ema interjects. "Are you talking about that time I brushed a spider off your hair?"
"Fearlessly!" Klavier gushes. "In that moment, you were my hero!"
Ema snorts. Sure, she can remember the way he jumped two feet into the air and shrieked, and even how he clung to her side until they emerged safely onto the side of the highway again, but at the time the incident had been more of a minor annoyance than anything else. The spider wasn't even that big.
Still, in the rose-tinted lens of loving hindsight... the thought of Klavier getting a crush after that is kind of cute.
"It was just a spider," she says anyway, but she's smiling.
-xxx-
Two weeks later, Klavier cancels a date because his motorcycle's broken down.
"She's dead, Jim," he pouts audibly down the phone. Though his words are joking, he sounds genuinely distressed. "I don't know what's wrong, it was driving just fine yesterday... Now I need to take her in to the shop, and I'm sure I'll be out a ride for at least a week while they work."
He sighs.
And Ema knows that Klavier is insanely rich, so it's not like he can't afford whatever exorbitant fees he gets saddled with, and actually he's probably even got a good maintenance plan too, but she grew up on more limited means and the thought of taking a vehicle in without making any attempt at fixing it yourself just - rankles. It's instinctive. So often the issue is something painfully simple, and certainly it can't hurt to at least take a look.
Besides, it's been a busy week and, well, it'd be nice not to cancel the date over this.
"Hold that thought," she orders, "and call me a cab, would you? I'll come over and see what I can do. If it's simple enough, we can probably still make dinner."
Klavier has all the necessary tools in his garage. It's all neatly organized and he has no idea what any of it is. Apparently, he bought everything in one go when he got the bike, then put it away and never thought about it again. He's kind of a hopeless human being. Ema makes sure to tell him this as she begins checking over the bike.
"Well, I meant to learn, but this kind of stuff just doesn't interest me," he says, sitting on a tool chest and watching Ema replace the sparkplugs. "It's so technical, and boring, and there are professionals who will do it for me, so why bother?"
"Because it'll save you time and money, that's why," Ema sighs. "Look. I've figured out your issue. It took me ten minutes. You have spark plugs right here in your garage. It's so much easier."
"Do you know what is even easier than that?" Klavier asks. He holds out his hands, and when she takes them, pulls her in to stand between his legs. He grins devilishly, brushing a bit of hair out of her face. "Getting you to do it for me."
"Ugh, I'm not your personal mechanic, fop," Ema groans.
"Sure you are," he purrs, and leans up to kiss her chin. Then her cheek. He twirls her hair in his fingers, leans in to her ear, and whispers, "Bitte?"
"Shut up," she hisses, and shoves at his shoulder. He just darts back in with a kiss to her nose, this time, asks again, widening his eyes imploringly.
"Please, please," he mutters with each little kiss, letting her feel the grin curving his lips against her skin. He wraps his feet around her legs, trapping her against him, and leans in closer to kiss her again, drawls out another long 'biiiiitte' against her throat.
"Ugh, fine," she giggles eventually, and Klavier cheers, sits up to kiss her lips hard. She catches him there, kisses him back, draws it out slow and long and a little bit hot - enough that he's breathing hard when she pulls her head back.
"I'm giving you a crash course on basic maintenance, though," Ema tells him firmly, poking a finger into his chest. "And you will listen."
"Certainly. I won't retain, though," Klavier admits shamelessly, and pulls her in again.
She rolls her eyes, but doesn't stop kissing him.
-xxx-
"Ema my love, my heart, I never thought I would say this... but you disgust me."
Klavier is standing in the middle of Ema's living room, wielding a fluffy duster in one hand, and a vacuum cleaner in the other. He is wearing nothing but a short pink bathrobe with ruffly bits on the hem. He's got dust in his hair, and something dark is smeared against his left leg.
It's not exactly what Ema expected to walk into when she gave him her keys this morning... but.
"Damn," she says. She steps fully into the room and does a slow turn. "Damn," she repeats, appreciatively.
Even the ceiling is spotless.
"I had intended to make us dinner," Klavier scolds, bringing her attention back to him. "But when I saw the state of this place - verdammt! How can you live in that?"
"I dunno," Ema shrugs. "Pretty easily?"
He shudders. The motion draws her attention to the sharp v of his chest under the robe, and Ema can feel herself smiling slowly.
"No," Klavier snaps, catching the look. "No, pay attention. Your bathroom violated healthcodes, I am sure of it. This is important!"
"Sure, I agree," Ema says. The pink is a very pretty color on him, especially with the way his face flushes when he gets so vehement. She drifts closer. "Hey, thanks for cleaning up."
"Listen, will you? You should clean at least once a week!"
"Eh," Ema says. She puts her fingers on the knot of his robe and grins up at him. "Personally, I like it filthy."
My girlfriend the Schwein," Klavier sighs - but his voice is low, now, pupils dilating. He lets go of the vaccuum cleaner.
"Oink, oink," Ema says agreeably, and unties his robe. He's just wearing boxers underneath, and she slides her hands down to his hips, tucks her thumbs under his waistband.
"Disgusting," he says. Leans down anyway.
"Hm, maybe you should clean me off then?" she hums. Reaches down a little further to grab his ass, making him jolt up pleasantly against her.
"Ugh," Klavier says, with great feeling. He drops the duster.
She's laughing as he kisses her, and he nips at her lips in punishment. Tugs her off toward the shower.
Soon, she's moaning instead.
-xxx-
The next morning he serves her breakfast in bed: pancakes, eggs, and bacon. He delivers it on a tray she's pretty sure she didn't own yesterday, with a glass of orange juice and a mug of coffee and even a little flower in a tiny vase.
He's got that frilly robe on again, and a soft smile, and Ema's heart is fit to burst.
"Am I allowed to ignore all this food and debauch you?" she begs sleepily, and he flushes.
"No," he grins, and leans in to slot a piece of bacon into her mouth. He kisses her forehead, and then sits back on the edge of the bed. "Finish your breakfast first."
"God, you're so cruel," Ema groans, and reaches for the coffee.
-xxx-
His face lights up when she invites him to the annual police ball, and he's visibly excited every time she sees him for the rest of the week. The day of, he turns up early with a bouquet that would put most gardens to shame. He's in a brand new suit undoubtedly tailor-made for the occasion.
Klavier praises her dress and lovingly wraps his jacket around her shoulders so she won't get cold on the road, leads her in on his arm, and procures glasses of wine and cheese plates for both of them immediately upon entry. He's charming and warm and schmoozes like a pro with all her coworkers, though it's unnecessary since everyone already knows and loves him there. Still, apparently this event is a real joy to him, and Ema is glad that she didn't throw her ticket away this year. She doesn't hate the ball or anything, but fancy dress and all that goes with it isn't usually her cup of tea. And she'd quickly get tired of it if Klavier acted like this all the time... but once in a while is nice.
"Hey," she says an hour or so into the event, and nudges her chin towards the dance floor. Couples are swaying around to a gentle waltz. "Wanna get in on that?"
"...Yes, but I don't know how," he responds after a moment.
"What, all that shimmying on stage didn't prepare you for dancing with actual people?" she snorts, and he rolls his eyes.
"If there were 'shimmying' music playing, then I'd show you how wrong you are," Klavier retorts. "But ballroom, I admit to being unfamiliar with."
"Well," Ema gets up and holds out a hand. "I guess I'll lead then."
Klavier's smile up at her is slow and just happy.
"Please do," he says, and lets her pull him to his feet and out to the middle of the dance floor.
Ema positions his left hand on her shoulder and takes his right into her left. She tucks her right hand behind his back and guides him through the steps of a basic waltz slowly and clearly. He takes to it quickly - no stumbling, follows the press of her hand and step of her foot easily. He watches her face, and only twice steps on her feet.
"You're a pretty quick study," Ema murmurs. The song is nearing the end, and Klavier's smiling, and the wine is warm in her veins, so - without any warning, she pushes him into a spin.
Klavier goes with it easily, laughing, and when she reels him back in he's warm and bright in her arms.
"That was fun," he says, eyes glittering.
The song is ending. Ema slides her right foot out a bit, grins up at him, and whispers, "Lean back."
He does - not correctly, but not exactly terribly, either, and the joy on his face is well worth the impulse. Klavier tilts his head back and laughs at the room upside down, and when Ema tugs him back up on the final notes he twists straight into a kiss.
"Geliebte," he sighs as their lips slowly part. His low voice sends a shiver down Ema's spine, and her eyelids flutter low.
"Shut up, fop," she whispers right back, and leans up into him. "Kiss me again."
"I will happily obey your command," he says, because he likes to sound dashing and likes it even more when she gets impatient with it - but her grumpy retort doesn't even get all the way out of her lips before it's muffled down to a pleased little hum under another soft kiss, so. That's alright.
Another song starts. Neither of them move.