A/N.: Hey there! There has been some time since I had this fic on my mind, so I have decided to finally write it and share it to see what people thinks about it. It's about Ace Attorney, one of my strongest passions, and about Klema, which is one of my supreme OTPs.
First of all, I wanted to say that this is my first time writing a fic in English, so please be comprehensive with me -/3/- XD You may find (no, actually you sure will find) lots of mistakes, some clumsy grammar and maybe strange choices of words. English is not my native language, but I was hoping to give it a try, because I love languages and it's useful to practise. This way, any writing tip or correction you want to share with me, please feel free to tell me. Also, any feedback and opinion about the plot will be more than welcome ^^
Thank you very much for reading and hope you like it! :3
(…)
It had been quite a nice day. Busy, perhaps. Not that it wasn't usual, though. However, Ema knew something for sure: "Tomorrow is going to be even greater." Neither scientifically speaking, nor the power of science. She just… Knew.
She felt somehow strange at that moment, because there had been long since she last went home by bus. Now she was used to be driven home, but she didn't have any option left. Lots of work, actually, that was the reason why she was returning home that late. Even so, she couldn't care less, because she had her headphones on, a great song playing directly in her ears, taking lots of nice memories back to her.
'"13 Years Hard Time for Love"...', she whispered to herself, her head resting on the window while she was looking at the city lights of the night. '...It has been almost 13 years, certainly. Hard times… Maybe. Love? Actually, yes.'
Then, she softly smiled, looking at her right hand, while a song the whole world believed she hated was playing. If she only could see herself! She wasn't acting like she normally did, her head was literally over the moon. She felt completely peaceful, her heart suddenly filled with happiness. Lots of memories were back, being brought by the voice of that someone, who was singing love words just for her. Well, yes, truth is that he actually wasn't singing especially for her. But now, she felt that he was. Because she knew that now he only sang love songs for her.
And, of course, as a good detective, she had the perfect evidence to back up that assertion.
Before she knew it, his voice stopped on the player, and so the bus finished the trip it was supposed to do. All of a sudden, Ema woke up of her living dream and noticed she had arrived. Consequently, she took all of her belongings (her bag, her well-known Snackoos, of course, that hadn't changed and wasn't going to change, and also her headphones and music player) and went out. With an everlasting smile on her face, she started walking, thinking. "Tomorrow… Is going to be tomorrow… Time passes faster than I've ever thought."
After she had walked a short path, Ema found herself in front of a huge and pleasant house: home, sweet home. Its vision made her sigh: "Also almost 13 years since I moved here… Into this foppish house.", she thought, a grin appearing in her expression. "But now it's my foppish home. And I think I never wanted to see that bad that foppish human being…"
The idea made her look in her pure white scientific coat's pocket in order to find the keys, which she finally did. But, even if the key fit perfectly, the door wouldn't open that easily. That was when Ema finally remembered. So being stupid was contagious after all! She had completely forgotten about the fingerprint detection device that she herself had installed some time ago. "Definitely, this is not me today.", she thought, shaking her head and pressing her finger against the detection screen, which shortly after found a coincidence and let the door to finally be opened. Before taking her hand away from the screen, she looked at it once more. That tiny object around her ring finger was as bright as the first day, that day 13 years ago…
The door opened as Ema went inside. And there it was. Home, sweet home. More or less…
The deep silence that surrounded the outside of the manor became completely extinct in the inside: there was rock music playing loudly, while noisy footsteps crossed the living room over and over. Everything was a total chaos, and it looked like a tornado had untidied even the most insignificant thing: clothes on the sofa, books and pens on the floor, a box of cookies behind the TV, and… Was that Ema's favourite necklace what was hanging from the lamp?! She was about to inquire how on Earth it ended there, until she noticed a disquieting smell: something like a burned cake.
"Can't I really leave this place without you creating this huge mess?!", she intended to yell, but, once she saw them again, every shred of bad temper vanished on thin air. Again those memories were back to her. They were really affecting Ema, because she didn't use to smile that often. She just sighed, with a crooked, tiny smile.
"There she goes...", Ema thought, "...acting as a rockstar again."
'Wake me up when my sentence ends!', sang a young, blonde girl, standing up on the table while holding a brush as a microphone. 'Hey, papa! I'm singing one of your songs! Forget about that brat of my bruder and look at me!'
"...And now, he's complaining"
'Mind your own business, sis!' a little brown-haired boy retorted, with a pair of test tubes on both of his hands. 'I have to conduct this important experiment, and I just need the right liquid!'
"And finally, him. The king of fops to the rescue..." Ema whispered ironically.
'Ja, schatz, and that's why I'm looking after him.' a blonde man mediated, a smile on his face that only made him even more attractive than he actually was… if that was possible. 'Don't want the house to explode, nein?'
'Nein, but my song is better than his childish experiments!'
'That's not true! You'll see, you conceited!' the little child continued, while he was staring at both test tubes at the same time. 'Was it the red one or the blue one?'
Ema was the only one that was missing on that funny scene, so she finally came in, giving some sign of her presence.
'...It's the blue one, Emanuel.' Ema answered, sarcastically.
'Ah, thanks, mommy.'
It was after the kid had added the well-known blue liquid to the mix he already had when the whole family noticed that she was, at long last, back.
'Mommy!' the boy screamed, running to her.
'Mama! Hallo!' as she jumped back to the floor from the top of the table, the girl greeted her too.
'Hello, you little living nightmares.' Ema said, resting her right knee on the floor to hug her daughter and son.
The two children hugged their mother warmly, and so did her. It just reminded her how much she loved both of them, even if they could drive her crazy, which they actually did often. But nothing of that was important. What was was the fact that those children were the persons whom she loved most in the world, no matter what.
And well, there was also someone else that fitted that description… No matter how hard it was for her to admit it.
'Ah, welcome back, mein liebe.'
The one that had just talked also came near her. That was the dream of almost every girl or woman: that that particular man approached them in order to hug them. But no, that wasn't going to happen, as he was already married, married to Ema, his "liebe". The platinum blonde, long and perfectly done hair, the soft, tanned skin, the pair of the most beautiful blue eyes made him incredibly handsome. It was like his name was "Perfection". But no, it wasn't, even if his name was very popular. Born and raised in Germany, fair prosecutor during the day, successful rock singer during the night, the man that stole Ema's heart, her husband and the father of her children: that was him, Klavier Gavin. The man whom Ema loved the most… and also the last man on Earth she imagined at first as her husband. But the truth is that he was… And she couldn't be happier than she was with him.
...Actually, she could.
'...Don't "mein liebe" me, you fop.' she stopped Klavier from giving her a gentle kiss, putting her finger over his lips. 'So you really can control the situation here, "nein"? So, can you tell me what are my clothes doing all over the floor?'
'Hey, hey, liebe, take it easy!', Klavier smiled, looking at her directly. 'Didn't I tell you before you do the most interesting questions? But the most interesting about them is that there's no need to look for an answer, 'kay?'
What was funny is that both of them were smiling while looking at each other, even if it looked like there was going to be the greatest of arguments about the house's chaos. That wouldn't happen that way if it was whatever other day in the year, probably…
'...That was me, mama.' whispered the blonde girlie with innocence. 'I wanted to look like a real rockstar, like Papa, but you know how mad he gets when somebody comes near his wardrobe… So I borrowed yours instead. I'm really pretty, nein?'
'Oh yeah, of course you are, Klavia, my dear.' Ema answered with irony in her tone of voice. 'But was it necessary to take all of my clothes?'
'Ja! Trying all the clothes and making a mess of them is what all rockstars do!'
As it could be seen, the older daughter was definitely her father's clone. Her name was Klavia Gavin, and was eleven years old. Since she was very little, she developed a great ability for talking in German, which she learned from her dad. Her dream was to become a famous rockstar as Klavier was, which seemed obvious because of her outfit: platinum blonde hair with natural dark brown highlights, shiny, blue eyes, dark skin and a great and premature talent for music.
'I see, I see, sorry for questioning you, my dear little rockstar. But… Didn't know you liked those cookies, Klavia.' Ema pointed at the box of cookies that was behind the TV, and then turned to the little kid.
'Ahm… No, that wasn't Sis, mommy…' he shyly started to speak. 'That was me, I'm sorry… But it's actually your fault! Why did you hide the Snackoos away from me?! That's not fair! What was I supposed to eat instead?'
And then he crossed his arms as he crooked his mouth while complaining. He was Klavier and Ema's younger son, Emanuel Gavin, who was already eight years old. Unlike his sister Klavia, whom he fought a lot constantly, he was more similar to Ema, his mother. He had light brown hair, green bluish eyes and fairer skin than his father and sister. His (not so) secret talent was science, and he really enjoyed mixing coloured liquids as if he was a professional… Even if that put his parents in alert all the time, just in case. He was always wearing a special white coat just as his mother, which she made for him some time ago.
'So now I'm the one being accused, right?', Ema inquired, raising an eyebrow.
'...Yep!' both children answered, a shameless smile on their faces.
'And since I'm a prosecutor, I'm nobody to deny that assertion, Fräulein Judge' Klavier joined the grouping joke.
Suddenly, Klavier's laughing stopped at once. Ema's icy glare was now pointing at him.
'Didn't say I was done, you glimmerous fop of a husband.' Her falsely sweet smile told Klavier that he wasn't going to get out of the hook that easily. 'Dunno if you remember, 'cause maybe your foppish brain has already melted, but the perfume I got from you at Christmas didn't smell like burned cake. Meaning of that…?'
'...Hey!' Klavier's sarcastic smile suddenly vanished. '...The cake! I…!'
'Don't tell me you forgot, Papa!', Klavia screamed. 'Oh, you are so irresponsible, ja! I even told you to watch out, but of course, you didn't listen to me…!'
'You liar, Klavia!', Emanuel interrupted. 'You also forgot! And it was your fault we didn't listen the oven ring, 'cause you had the music so loud!'
'You don't know a single thing about rock music, you idiot!'
'Hey, you circus troupe! Enough.'
Ema's voice eclipsed the rest. The kids, that were about to start a fight, again, stopped and looked at their mother, eyes wide open. Even Klavier froze. ...That was the Fräulein he knew all along.
'I don't really mind who started this chaos. Actually, I prefer not to know.' she asserted, shaking her head. 'But now, I'm going upstairs, I'm leaving my things, I'm having a bath… And when I'm coming down again, I don't wanna see a SINGLE shred of disorder around here. Understood?'
Klavia and Emanuel finally agreed on something, and that was that tidying what was impossible to tidy wasn't fun at all. They started complaining in a very childish way, but Ema knew a pair of tricks to "motivate" them. Searching in her bag, he got a spray with an illegible name on the label, which pointed at them.
'I was asking if you understood, Klavia, Emanuel. Well? Did you?'
'...T-That scary-looking liquid!' Emanuel gasped.
'...Ja, sir! I mean, Mama! We understood loud and clear!'
And both of them ran through the living room and started grabbing random objects and putting them on their right place. The family's father looked around, and smiled again.
'Ah, ja, much better! Cute kinder, aren't they, liebe?'
But Ema's bag still had more doohickeys of her inside. When Klavier dared to approach his smiling face to hers, she showed him a little bottle with a red liquid on it. The prosecutor, even if he was smart, wasn't famous for his chemistry skills, so he had no idea of what that was… But he could expect anything from his beloved wife.
'...Merbromin.', she said, with a malicious smile. 'Its scientific name is dibromohydroxymercurifluorescein. As I know your foppish brain doesn't understand, you only need to know something, my dear: ...It's a biological dye. It'll make your hair look as red as your blood… Honey.'
When she pronounced the word 'hair', Klavier knew he had to run away.
'A-Achtung, liebe! Not my hair, nein! G-Get that scientific whatever of yours away from my hair!' he screamed dramatically, protecting his blonde hair with his arms, while laughing.
'Okay then, sweetheart. Now you're going to the kitchen and you aren't leaving until you've cooked something that my immune system can survive to. 'Cause you told me you could control the situation while I was arriving, right? So, consider I haven't returned yet from the office while I'm having a bath.', and she ended with a blink of the eye. 'Otherwise, I'll think you love your hair more than you love me… Glimmerous fop.'
'Actually, I've spent more years with my hair, liebe.' Klavier joked, caressing his platinum blonde braid.
No more words were necessary. Ema just looked to the stairs and searched again for the merbromin in her bag, a threatening, killing smile being drawn in her mouth.
'...J-Ja, ja, I know! I'm going, liebe. 'Cause you're what I love the most and you deserve the best.' and he kissed her softly in the cheek. 'Enjoy that bath. As you know, I've everything under control.'
Klavier returned her the blink of the eye and left for the kitchen. And then, once he was gone, she got a little key from the bag where she was supposed to take the red-liquid container.
'...What was he so scared about? Just going to take this key…'.
As she started to laugh with her own joke/threat, she stared at the shining object, storing it again in her bag. Not now, that wasn't the moment. Maybe later.
Leaving her messy but wonderful family behind in the living room, Ema finally went upstairs and had a relaxing bath. The day had been busier than she had thought at the very beginning, she checked that out when she felt the hot water effect in her skin. Now, she could think about all the things she had been thinking the whole day while taking a long, deep breath. Suddenly, after a while, she felt in peace.
Completely calm, Ema went downstairs, hoping that, at least, her shoes could touch the floor and not her own clothes. She found a great surprise when discovering that everything was on its right place, just as she had asked for. Actually she was able to see some pieces of furniture that she didn't know she had. In the middle of the room, there was the table, with a pure white tablecloth on it, four dishes made from a good-quality ceramic and the most clean glasses.
'Ah, you're back, Mommy.' Emanuel greeted her. 'Welcome to the most elegant dinner you have had in awhile. Come and…'
He couldn't finish his sentence, as his sister gave him a strong slap on the back of his neck.
'I was supposed to say that, Bruder! You silly!' Klavia looked annoyed.
'No, YOU were supposed to shut it for a while!'
As the two siblings started to fight (again), Ema put her best "daily routine" expression in her face. It was shortly after than someone mediated to put an end to the discussion.
'C'mon, kinder, don't fight anymore!'
Klavier went out of the kitchen with a pair of trays on his hands while telling the children to stop, which they obediently did. Ema was impressed: it looked like, when he was given a second chance, the glimmerous fop was actually able to keep everything under control.
'Please, sit down, liebe.' Klavier told her politely, as he leaded her to the chair. 'And enjoy the dinner I've gladly prepared you.'
With that luxurious presentation, Ema expected something like risotto, some kind or pasta or even foie toasts… Or, as it was Klavier's invention, nothing of the sort. ...And she hit the jackpot with her last deduction. When her foppish husband uncovered the dinner, she found a pair of ham pizzas, which had carefully been ordered by phone.
'Wow. Amazing.' Ema said sarcastically. 'Looks like you really sweated a lot while preparing dinner, huh, Klavier?'
'Especially for you, liebe.', and he couldn't keep the laughter anymore.
Nor could Klavia and Emanuel, which also took a seat on the table.
'Hey, Mommy. Didn't you say that it's scientifically proven that pizzas stimulate the happiness hormone?', explained Emanuel.
'Ja, and you also told me they were good for having soft skin!' continued Klavia, caressing her hair in a similar way her father did.
'Oh, did I? Well, if that's the case… There's no need to further wait, right?' with a great smile full of happiness, Ema finally sat at the table, and inaugurated the dinner time. 'The last one's getting the smaller slice!' she screamed, in a childish way.
'That's Daddy!', pointed Emanuel, laughing out loud.
'Ja, he was pretty busy doing his hair that he got last position!', said Klavia, who was particularly enjoying the scene.
'That's cheating, you naughty kinder. ...So what if I did?'
There had been a long time since Ema hadn't laughed that hard. Her laughing could be heard at all the house (and it wasn't precisely small, by the way.) She was enjoying every second as a child, or a extremely happy woman, would do.
And Klavier didn't need anything else to feel the happiest man on Earth.
(...)
Unfortunately, a pair of pizzas, no matter how delicious they are, don't last forever. After a great time together, the Gavin family ended dinner, but even so, they went to the sofa and got comfortable to spend a little more time between laughings and smiles (that was, of course, after having cleaned everything, under Ema's orders.) That way, they sat and the 'party' continued.
'And you know what did the boy say out loud, huh, huh?!'
Emanuel was standing in front of them, and decided to explain a joke to amuse his family. He seemed very excited while telling it, searching his parents and sister's attention. Following his line, Ema was about to inquire what did that boy say in the end, but Klavia spoiled it.
'"Oh, no! How didn't I notice I had left home without wearing pants?!"', she finished the joke, bored. 'C'mon, Bruder, that joke is older that Papa's ability for doing his hair!'
'Give me a rest already, okay?' Klavier interrupted, laughing.
But Emanuel wasn't pleased at all with his sister's intervention.
'Why did you tell them?! I was about to explain it myself!' the boy retorted, angrily. 'You always want to be protagonist, so quit it, sis! Can't you shut it for once in your life?!'
'Klavia, that wasn't right.' Ema said, in a softer voice. 'Come on, let your brother finish one joke. Do you another one, sweetie?'
After his mother's sentence, Emanuel felt better and explained another joke, and this time, Klavia let him finish. He seemed so pleased with that, and even if it wasn't the funniest of jokes in the world, Klavier and Ema laughed with him and gave him a round of applause.
'Now me, now me, ja!' Klavia jumped out of the sofa and started running to a nearby room.
'...As always, of course. The vanidous Klavia again!' Emanuel complained.
'You mean 'glimmerous', right?' Ema corrected him, looking maliciously at her husband.
'You're also mistaken, liebe. Glimmerous has another meaning, actually.' He told her, blinking her an eye.
Their discussion couldn't progress further, as Klavia returned with an electric guitar with her.
'Come on, Papa, let's sing that song you told me before, ja!' she proposed, excitedly. 'So, Klavier, to the klavier!'
Ema thought that was funny, as her husband's name meant 'piano' in his native language, German. It made her think about both father and daughter's talent for music, which they shared. While Klavia was preparing to play the guitar, Klavier went to the piano and had a seat near it.
'Sehr gut, Herrs and Fräuleins!' the little girl announced. 'Now we're playing a song which is called…'
Klavia had to stop because she heard some notes playing from the piano before she even said nothing. When she turned back, she saw her father, playing by himself a song that she didn't know… Which was actually strange, as she knew his full discography.
'Papa? What's that? That's not the song we sang earlier!'
Ema, too, seemed surprised about that. For once in a while, Klavia and her father hadn't agreed on what music were they playing together.
'Huh? Ah, hoppla, meine kleine Prinzessin.' Klavier finally seemed to be back to Earth, as he was acting with impulsivity. 'Just felt like… Improvising a little. What were you telling me?'
The rest of the family were completely astonished because of the father's behaviour, but they decided not to pay attention to that and go on with the song. Klavia played the guitar and sang while Klavier played the piano and also sang some parts of the song. Both of them had special and beautiful voices, and they were really good together.
At the end, even Emanuel decided to forgive his big sister's ego and clapped.
'Yay! That was great!' he said, a great smile on his face.
'Danke, Junge.' Klavier replied, while Klavia was storing her guitar, caressing his son's fair hair. 'Glad our audience liked it.'
When he was saying that, he was also referring to his wife: Ema had a gorgeous smile on her face… And he could guess why.
However, the night was still young in everybody's eyes, and so the children were willing to do some more funny activities… Until Ema saw the clock.
'My goodness!' she yelled, surprised. 'It's half past eleven and tomorrow you have to go to school!'
'Wow, you're right, Fräulein!' Klavier retorted, taking the hint. 'Time literally flies…'
'Klavia, Emanuel, go brush your teeth and then to bed, It's so late!' their mother ordered, pointing to the stairs with her finger.
Of course, that wasn't going to be that simple, especially when the two siblings were having that great time.
'No way, Mommy! We're having so much fun! Why do we have to go to sleep? That sucks!'
'For once, Emanuel's right, ja! Can't we stay just a little more, Mama? Please, please!'
Klavier looked at them, amused. 'They're only little kinder.', he thought. That was when Ema drove her glare to him, searching for his fatherly help. So, he decided to demonstrate that he could be a cool but also a strict father.
'Come on, kinder, enough complaining, ja?' he told them, trying to sound decisive, but smiling either way. 'Mama's right, it's late and you've school tomorrow, so don't disobey her and go to sleep, okay?'
'What?!' Emanuel seemed disappointed. 'I thought you were on our side, Daddy!'
'Ja! Me too!' Klavia accused him, raising an eyebrow. 'Thought you were cool, Papa!'
So the glimmerous fop could be actually responsible, thought Ema. It was a little unfair that the kids had put the blame on him, in her opinion, so now she decided to help him out… For that they were a couple: because they were able to help each other on "harsh times".
'Okay, then. If you want to stay awake, you can do it.' she conceded, with a sweet smile that hid her true intentions.
'Mama, please don't…! Huh? You serious?'
'We can stay awake a little more? Oh really?'
Both Klavia and Emanuel seemed very pleased… Which they weren't shortly after, when Ema, being sure she had caught their attention, approached Klavier and put her arms around his neck, while playing with his hair. As a natural reaction, Klavier also wrapped her waist with his own arms, starting to deduce what actually was his wife's goal with the little kids.
'Of course you can…' started Ema, and then made her voice sound sickeningly sweet as she was hugging Klavier. 'If you don't interrupt both your father and me, as it's our "Loving Moment", so we will be hugging each other, caressing each other's hair… And also kissing. A lot of romantic kisses, actually. Right, liebe?' Whenever Ema talked in German, that meant she was just kidding, as she actually was. She was holding her laughter.
'Ah, ja, of course we are, liebe. 'Cause we're really in love with each other, nein?'
As Klavier's lips were getting nearer Ema's, Klavia and Emanuel's expression was becoming more and more scared, until they couldn't stand that unpleasant situation anymore.
'Goodnight, you two, AND GOODBYE!', they screamed, and started running towards the stairs. 'I'm brushing my teeth first! Hey, no, no way! I said it first! That's not fair!'
When they were actually off of the scene, their parents literally burst into tears of laughter.
'These kinder of mine…!' Klavier smiled gently.
'Yeah, they're so, so adorable…' Ema continued, while standing up of the sofa. 'C'mon, you too. Time to sleep.'
'No way, Fräulein, you're not getting out that easily!' he replied, taking her of the wrist and getting her near of him again. 'I still want that "Loving Moment" of ours, meine liebe.' he whispered in her ear, looking at her with those wonderful eyes that would make every woman on Earth fall in love.
The laughter Ema thought had become extinct just a moment ago returned to her, especially when Klavier intended to kiss her on the lips, she stopped him, putting a finger on his lips.
'...Keep dreaming, you fop.' she told him sarcastically, blinking an eye while starting walking towards the stairs.
Klavier watched her walk, a sincere smile being drawn in his face while doing so.
'...Definitely, the Fräulein I know and I love.'
And so, he walked upstairs, joining the rest of his family.
(…)
Finally, it looked like Klavia had won the fight and was the first one that had brushed her teeth, and had Emanuel complaining. That was why she was the first one that entered her room and prepared herself to sleep, while the parents did so and the little boy brushed his teeth… 'Even if it's already too late', he thought.
Secretly, without Klavier noticing, Ema put her hand in her bag, that was on her bedside table, and searched for that little key with her fingers. However, she didn't take it out. Not yet.
She was already wearing her pyjamas, and Klavier was about to change clothes too, because, of course, he needed a lot of time when it was some activity related to personal care or look. ...Typically foppish. That was when Ema saw Emanuel finally going to his room, and she called him in.
'Wait a moment, my boy.' she told him. 'Don't you forget something before going to sleep?'
'You mean…?' it seemed like he had understood.
'Klavier, before going to sleep…' Ema asked her husband. 'Could you go to the kitchen with Emanuel and give him the medicine to treat his cold? He's supposed to have it before going to sleep.'
'Ah, ja, sure.' he agreed, and leaded the boy downstairs. 'And how exactly did you catch a cold, Junge?'
'Searching for some liquid in the fridge… For about half an hour. I thought it was supposed to freeze before.' He explained his father, a little ashamed.
And then, father and son leaded towards the kitchen, leaving Ema alone in the room. When she had looked around and was sure that there was nobody in there, she grabbed the little key out of her bag and ran near the wardrobe. In a rush, she took a lot of clothes and put them apart in the bed, staying in front of an empty wardrobe. But… Was that actually true?
Half-closing her eyes, Ema looked for a little keyhole in the wooden wall in the bottom of the wardrobe. When she found it, she put the little key there and turned it. With a single 'clack', the wall opened, as it actually was a wardrobe with interior storage system. There, she only kept a single dress, but it wasn't any dress…
'...So there it is. ...It's really dressy.' she whispered to herself, with an innocent smile on her face.
Taking it with the utmost care, Ema put it in front of her, without taking off the hanger, and looked in the large-sized mirror. Her smile immediately became greater. It was a gorgeous and elegant long, jade-green dress, matching the colour of her eyes, and had been made especially for wearing it in a very special occasion. She knew what was that special occasion. And so, she smiled even a little more.
...But every shred of her smile vanished on thin air when she saw somebody's reflection in the mirror, that was looking at her, eyes wide open. Ema suddenly gasped and turned around.
'Wow, Mama! That's a really beautiful dress, ja! I'm jealous!'
'K-Klavia!' Ema screamed. 'W-What are you doing here?!'
'I was in bed, but I wanted to tell Papa and you goodnight. And then I found you with that incredible dress! It's so, so pretty! It sure looks great on you, Mama!'
'Shhht.' her mother hissed, hiding the dress again and putting order to the mess she had created with the clothes. 'Thanks, sweetheart, but… Your father mustn't know a single thing about this, 'kay?'
'He mustn't know? But why? I'm positive he'd think that you look so pretty with it on, ja.' Klavia said, smiling happily to the thought.
'Because… Because it's a surprise.' Ema replied silently. 'I wanted to surprise him, because… Tomorrow, it's our thirteenth wedding anniversary.'
During the deep silence that was created after that, Ema suddenly blushed and Klavia showed a shiny smile in her face. She seemed happy with the news.
'Aw, that's so cute, Mama!' Klavia exclaimed. 'So you both love each other so much, even after these thirteen years, nein?'
'...Yeah, of course we do, honey.' Ema replied, a warm look in her eyes. 'And that's why your dad mustn't know about this. You won't tell him , right?'
'Of course nein, Mama! My lips are sealed!'
'Good girl.' her mother smiled proudly.
'But hey, now that we talk about Papa. Where's he?'
'Your father? In the kitchen, giving your brother his medicine.'
...And perhaps something else. Actually, that was it.
(...)
Meanwhile Ema and Klavia talked in the first one's room, the two men of the family were in the kitchen, solving the medicine issue, and taking advantage of the timing to have a little chat.
'Come on, Junge. Drink it.' Klavier told his son, while holding a spoon filled with a reddish liquid.
'Agh, it has a terrible flavour, Daddy!' Emanuel complained.
'Ja, I know, that's why you have to study a lot and make the flavour better when you become a scientist. But if you have a cold, you'll not be able to.'
'...'Kay…' And finally, he swallowed all of the syrup. '...Yuck!'
'Sehr gut, Junge. Now you sure will get better.' his dad greeted him, caressing the little boy's hair.
When his father did so, Emanuel noticed (he remembered, actually) that Klavier had the habit of wearing lots of different rings on almost all of his fingers. That time wasn't an exception, as Klavier hadn't got dressed for going to sleep yet.
'Hey, Daddy. Can I ask you something?'
'Ja, of course. What is it, Junge?' he asked the boy, looking at him directly.
'I was wondering… Why you're always wearing that many rings?' Emanuel inquired, childishly. 'You know, it has to be strange to feel that you have that many rings in both of your hands… Scientifically speaking.'
Klavier stared kindly at him, amused, and started to laugh.
'Why indeed. No reason in particular, actually. Just like it, I suppose. Also, they look nice with my habitual rock outfit, don't you agree?'
'Yeah, sure.' he nodded. 'So that's why. It just came to mind. I've thought that I've always seen you with that many rings in your hands.'
Corroborating the kid's assertion, Klavier showed him both of his hands. That day in particular, he was wearing one ring in each finger.
'Wow, you have all of your fingers full!'
'Ja, looks like it. You see this one?' Klavier pointed at the ring that was on his left thumb. 'That was a present from a good friend. It has circle and a star in the middle, you see?'
'I do.'
'And this one in the right index was given to me when I won first prize in a music festival. It has the shape of a musical note.' the German kept on explaining. 'And that one there was from…'
Every ring had a fascinating story behind it, and so were their shapes. Almost everyone had a bizarre shape: one with the shape of a bird, another one with an intricate triangle…With that much singularity, Emanuel only had one more question left.
'So, Daddy…' he asked. 'Of all of them, what's your favourite ring?'
Klavier couldn't say he had expected that question, but smiled at it. Then, he took a long look at both of his hands, especially in every ring he had on, one by one. Finally, he drove all of his attention to one in particular, and knew crystal clear that one was the answer.
'My favourite ring… Is this one here.'
And then he pointed to a ring in his right hand. Its particularity was that it had such a simple design: just a golden hoop, and that was all. Any other looked much flashier. But that simple one was Klavier's final answer.
'This one, Daddy? But why? There's nothing that attracts attention about that particular one…'
His son's response powerfully caught Klavier's attention. He assimilated it and started to laugh innocently, a great smile on his face.
'Ja, maybe it is, Junge. But I like it more than I like any other. And I wouldn't get rid of it no matter what, nein.' he answered, smiling.
'I see… But why the laughing? Did I say something funny?' his annoyed expression was very similar to his mother's.
'Hoppla, Emanuel. It's just that… You know that I'm pretty famous and that I know a lot of famous people, ja?'
'Ja… I mean, yes, of course I know. But what has that to do with this?'
'There was a wonderful day in my life, some time ago… When I fell in love with your Mama. Back then, she wasn't a forensic detective, as she is nowadays, but a simple Fräulein Detective. Moreover, she despised me more than everyone else in the Earth.'
'...I don't see that that's pretty different from now, you know?'
'But I deeply fell in love with her, ja. And it seems that, finally, she also fell in love with me, too. That's why I asked her to marry me.' Klavier explained, a big smile in his mouth when remembering all of those reminiscences. '...You know what a lot of famous people I knew back then told me when they knew I was about to marry your Mama?'
'...What?' Emanuel was very surprised for hearing that story, but wanted to know further.
'"This one, Klavier? But why? There's nothing that attracts attention about that particular one…"' Klavier told him, trying to imitate his voice.
That really affected Emanuel, as his expression showed.
'B-But that's completely absurd! I-If you loved her, then what does that matter?!'
'...That's what I thought, too. And I keep thinking about it today. That's why I paid no attention to them, and married your Mama, with all the joy I had in my heart.' While saying that, Klavier showed his right hand again, more particularly, the ring that he had pointed as his absolute favourite one. 'When we got married, your Mama gave me this ring. A very simplistic one. One that doesn't particularly catch the attention. ...Just like her. She's not an ostentatious woman… But I love her either way. Actually, I love her more than I love nobody else… Well, and also you and your schwester, of course.' he clarified, hugging his son. 'That's why this is my favourite ring. Because your Mama gave it to me. And she's also my favourite one.'
When his father ended his story, Emanuel was looking at him, his eyes wide open. But then, a smile came to his face.
'W-What a cute story, Daddy!', he exclaimed.
'...Ja. And tomorrow, there will have been thirteen years since we got married, y'know? It's a very special day. ...And I want to surprise her.' Klavier said, looking to the ceiling while smiling in a funny way.
'I'm sure you're both having a great day tomorrow, Daddy.'
'...Hope so, Junge.' Klavier smiled back at him while saying that.
After that chit-chat, it was time for them to finally go to bed. As Emanuel started giving signs that said he was sleepy, Klavier grabbed him in his arms and carried him upstairs. Before arriving at his own room, however, Klavier looked carefully at her wedding ring again. And then, with the greatest of smiles, he gently kissed it.
'...Ja. Hope tomorrow will be a great day.'
(...)
'...Yes. Hope tomorrow will be a great day.'
While saying so, Ema was kissing the single ring she had on her hands. It was nothing like herself, as it was a quite big ring with an intricate, modern design and had a shiny purple jewel in the middle.
'Is that your wedding ring, Mama?' asked Klavia, that was sitting on her lap.
'Yeah. The only one I wear, actually. I'm not very fond of rings. But I wouldn't take this off no matter what.'
'It reminds me a lot of Papa, ja.' she observed. 'I mean, it's a pretty ring, but it's super showy for a wedding ring. Also, the jewel is purple, and Papa likes a lot that colour. It's… bizarre, maybe, and a little exaggerated. But that doesn't mean it isn't beautiful!'
'Actually, it was meant to be a ring that fitted your father's personality.' Ema told her, with a crooked smile. 'I would have never chosen a ring like this. And he would have never chosen the wedding ring he wears, either. That way, we gave each other a ring that was very similar to ourselves. It's like "having the other person with you" via the ring. You get it?'
'How romantic, ja!' exclaimed an excited Klavia. 'Hope that you have the greatest of days tomorrow, Mama!'
Suddenly, the blonde girl felt completely silent when she heard the doorknob moving. Of course, it was her father, carrying her brother in his arms.
'Ah, Klavia, you here, Schatz.' Klavier greeted her. 'Weren't you in bed?'
'...She forgot to say goodnight, and came here. Actually, she was waiting for you.' Ema covered for her, as she was in a shock.
'Really? Gute Nacht to you too, meine kleine Fräulein.' he told Klavia sweetly.
'Gute Nacht, Papa. Gute Nacht, Mama.'
'Goodnight, my dear.' Ema whispered to her, smiling back.
As Klavier went to Emanuel's room to let him rest in his bed, Ema went to Klavia's for covering her in her bed and wishing her goodnight again while kissing her in the forehead. When the girl was already asleep, she left the place and headed towards hers, waiting for her husband to arrive.
But then again, something caught her attention and made her stop.
In the corridor, there was a big commemorative photo of the couple the day they married. Klavier was wearing a black, amazing and impeccable suit, his long platinum blonde hair perfectly done, and Ema had a cute and precious long white dress on, with a tiara and a veil on her head and a bouquet of flowers on her hand. Both husband and wife were smiling and holding hands.
Ema stared at the picture for a long time. Suddenly, she let herself get lost on the memories that it had brought back. The day of her wedding, one of the most perfect days of all her life. Now, almost thirteen years after that, she hoped that the next day could be also perfect.
'I still remember that day, when I married…'
'The prettiest Fräulein on Earth.'
When Ema turned around her head, she saw Klavier getting nearer her, with a great smile on his face. Then, he grabbed her hand and leaded her until they hugged warmly in front of the picture.
'...I was about to say 'that glimmerous fop', but whatever.' she laughed.
'You can laugh at me as much as you want, liebe.' Klavier whispered directly in her ear. 'I already know that you love me so much.'
'Of course you do. You are a prosecutor. And knowing the truth is your job.'
After hearing that assertion, Klavier approached her even more and gently kissed his wife, with affection. Ema let herself to be kissed, hugging her husband by the neck more deeply.
'Let's go to sleep, shall we?' Ema proposed. 'It's a little late, and tomorrow we have work to do.'
'Ja, guess you're right.' Klavier agreed. 'And I still have to have a shower.'
She sighed in a funny way while entering the room. What was the only fop on Earth that was having a shower that late at night? He, of course.
Ema was already ready, so she lay on the bed while waiting Klavier to finish his shower. Knowing him, she knew he could still spend a lot more time, so she took her music player off of her bag and put her headphones on. She searched for that song again. "13 Years Hard Time for Love." It had been 13 years since she learned to appreciate that song. Her husband's voice pierced her ears painlessly, and soon she let herself to be bewitched by the music, which make her smile… Again.
A (long) while after, Klavier was finally ready, too. Ema took her headphones off and listened to his voice instead. The live version was even better.
'Ah, what a day.' he retorted, lying in the bed and covering himself with the blanket. 'Don't you agree, liebe?'
'Talk about yourself, who returned home at your hour, riding your motorbike comfortably.' she answered, raising sarcastically an eyebrow.
'Ja, guess you're right. How was everything there at forensics?'
'As always, I guess. But tomorrow we have to go the the office. Paperwork, y'know. The same as always. You have some trial?'
'Ja. Facing Herr Forehead. As always.'
'Yeah…'
It was funny how they were talking about things that were supposed to happen 'as always', when the next day wasn't supposed to be 'as always', but special.
'So, guess it's time to sleep. Gute Nacht, Fräu…'
'Klavier…' she interrupted him, talking softly to him.
'Ja, liebe?'
'You… You remember, right? About tomorrow…'
He gently put a finger on her lips, smiling to her.
'Of course ja, meine liebe. I remember perfectly.' and he blinked an eye.
'...Okay then. Glad you do.' she answered, smiling. 'Goodnight, Klavier.'
'Gute Nacht, liebe.'
And so they kissed and turned the light off. Ema got comfortable on her bed and closed her eyes, smiling and dreaming about the next day being as perfect as she wanted. Klavier also closed his eyes and patiently waited for the next day to arrive… Wishing that it was as perfect as he wanted.
(…)
So this is the first chapter! (Actually, it's more like an introduction, but whatever XD) I have some more chapters already ready, but I will wait a little to see what you think about the fanfic. Even so, I will try to update as often as I'm able to.
Please let me know if I should modify the chapter's length. I think this one was a little long, but I didn't want to end incomplete, in order to properly present the plot. Also, as I said before, any feedback and constructive critics are and will always be welcome.
Thank you very much for reading! :D
