Chapter 2: The Game

"Ey Val. How about a little poker game with me?" Zak looked up at his younger partner, who was currently busy playing on his DS. "Poker? But Zak…" Zak interrupted him. "Oh shush, Valant. You're the second best poker player in the Troupe." Valant sighed, a small smirk on his face. "Yeah, I know that, but you're the best. And you've never lost since your brother beat ya. And that was a long time ago." Zak rolled his eyes, letting out a lighthearted chuckle. "Well, you could at least try to beat me. Come on, I'll go easy on you." Valant crossed his arms. "Even going easy on me, you still beat me." Zak sighed. "Come on, Val. Just one game?" Valant sighed, putting his DS down. "Fine… But only ONE. I'm about to catch Palkia…" The younger man got up, following the older one to their living room table. "Alrighty Valant. I'll let you shuffle this time." Zak handed the deck to Valant, who raised an eyebrow. "And why should I trust you? Usually when I shuffle, you immediately get the best hand and I get a bunch of twos.." Zak chuckled, patting Valant on the head. "Well, it won't be like that this time, I promise." Valant took the deck, shuffling it nervously. He kept glancing up at Zak, expecting some kind of rude remark or something, but all Zak did was just watch in silence. 'Maybe, he's plotting my poker demise or something…' Valant eventually finished shuffling, handing Zak and himself 2 cards, leaving 3 out on the table, and the deck next to it. "I bet $1 to start." Zak placed one buck on the table, looking up at Valant. "Wanna fold?" Valant looked at his cards, then at the 3 cards in front of him. 'Well, so far, I have one pair… Maybe I should wait a bit.' Valant shook his head, taking out a 5. "Nah, in fact, I'll raise the bet to $6!" Zak chuckled at his partner. "Raising the bet so early, ey? Hmph, your ego will be your downfall, Valant." Valant showed an egotistical smirk to his friend as Zak placed down the fourth card. 'Let's see… 2 Aces, 2 5's… That's enough for a 2 pair.' He looked up at Zak, who placed another dollar. 'That's weird… He usually would've folded by now..' Valant placed another dollar as well, leading Zak to place the 5th card, and a buck, down: an Ace of Hearts. Valant immediately grinned, forgetting about poker faces for a second. "I fold!" Valant placed down his full house, revealing the Aces of Club, Diamond, and Heart respectively, and the two fives. Zak sighed, placing down his cards: The Ace of Spade, and a King of Clubs. "Congrats Val. You won." Valant paused for a minute, letting those 4 words sink in. It's a phrase he hadn't heard Zak say for a while. Or at all, to be honest. 'I-I won?' "I WON!" Valant let out a happy squeal, giggling to himself as he continued to chant. "I won, I won I wooon! I finally beat Zak at a poker gaaaaame!" Immediately, Roger and Thalassa peeked their heads out from their respective rooms. "Did I hear Vally say he won a poker game?" Roger asked, surprised. "Against Zak of all people?" Zak nodded, grinning at the younger magician. "That he did." Roger gasped, running towards Valant. "Vally! Wait! Tell me all about it!" Thalassa on the other hand, smirked at Zak. She said nothing until Roger and Valant were well out of the room. "So? Let me guess? He cheated?" Zak shook his head. "Nope. He won. No tricks, no gimmicks" Zak walked off, leaving Thalassa alone for a second. "My bracelet reacted to that." Zak paused, turning around to his wife with a small smirk on his face. "I can't hide anything from you, can I?" Thalassa giggled, shaking her head. "Not with the bracelet, no. So, he did cheat after all?" Zak shook his head again. "Nah, I just let him win." Thalassa raised an eyebrow. "You did… what?" "I let him win, that's what." Zak walked over to the couch, scooting over to make room for Thalassa, who sat down right next to him. "Why'd you let him win, anyway?" Zak shrugged, looking at his younger wife. "I dunno. I just felt like letting him win for once." Thalassa smirked. "Oooor, maybe you felt pity on him losing all the time? Zak immediately blushed. "I-I did not! I just…. wanted him to win something, that's all! I mean, the guy hasn't really won much growing up." Thalassa snickered at Zak, giving her husband a small kiss on the cheek. "Aww, but honey…. you're blushing." Zak looked away, crossing his arms. 'Oh god, I am.. But, shit, I can't just admit that.' Thalassa sighed at her tsundere husband, getting up. "Well, you can continue to be like that. I'm going to make dinner." She walked away, leaving Zak to sulk. Meanwhile in another room, Valant was currently explaining his poker victory to the newest Gramarye, Roger Retinz. His stage name was Mr. Reus, a suggested stage name by Valant because he would rather not be called "Something" Gramarye. "And so that, Rogie, is how I won the poker game against Zak." Roger looked up at him in awe, a huge smile on his face. "Wow, Vally… That's amazing! I thought no one could beat Zak at poker…" Valant shook his head. "Well, nobody but me, of course. After all, I am the greatest at everything." Roger giggled. "Even cooking?" Valant paused, blushing for a minute. "Well, besides cooking." Roger raised an eyebrow. "What about waking up late? Don't you have narcolepsy or something?" Valant sweatdropped. "Yeah, I do, don't I? Ok, besides cooking and waking up late." Roger then grinned. "And don't forget talking to Thal-" "Ok, I ALAKAGET IT, ROGER!" Roger backed away, sniffling. "I-I didn't mean to upset you, Vally.." Valant looked at the young magician, immediately wanting to take it back. 'Shit, he's such a crybaby… But, I did yell at him. Poor kid..' Valant bent down, rather low due to Roger's small height, to give Roger a small hug. "I'm sorry, Rogie… I didn't mean to yell at you." Roger sniffled, smiling up at Valant. "It's okay.. I know you didn't mean it." After Valant let him go, Roger smiled up at the way older man. "Well, I'm gonna watch some Pokemon. Wanna join me?" Valant nodded, heading into the living room with Roger. A loud snore filled the room immediately. "What was that, Vally?" Valant shrugged, as the snore sounded again. "I dunno. But it sounds like a snore." Roger walked closer to the two couches. "It's coming from the TV couch…" Valant and Roger walked up to said TV couch, finding Zak flopped on the couch, snoring loudly. Valant chuckled, looking at his older partner. "Oh, it's just Zak. Snoring like a wood chipper.." Roger snickered. "He's snoring really loud…" Valant sweatdropped again, patting Roger. "That's exactly what I said, but as a simile.." Roger raised an eyebrow. "What's a simile?" Valant facepalmed, while Roger looked at him with a confused glance. "Well, how are we supposed to watch TV with Zak hogging the couch?" Valant looked at the couch. "There seems to be enough room for one of us. How about you take the other couch, while I sit with Zak?" Roger shrugged. "Suit yourself." Valant scooted in next to the sleeping magician, who seemed to not notice Valant's presence. Roger grabbed the remote before sitting down, turning to Cartoon Network, where Pokemon was being shown. "Hehe, the Sinnoh series is the best one!" Valant watched, along with Roger, being careful not to disturb Zak as he slept. About 45 or so minutes in of watching TV, Valant started to feel a bit sluggish. 'Maybe it's because Zak is sleeping next to me?' He looked over at Zak, who was now leaning on him. Valant chuckled, lightly kissing Zak's cheek. If Roger wasn't busy watching TV, he would've made a huge ass deal about it. 15 more minutes later, Valant let out a yawn, falling asleep as well. Zak, who leaned back onto the couch at that very moment, fluttered awake. "Val? Is that you?" He said sleepily, noticing the younger man on top of him, specifically, on his stomach. Zak smiled, wrapping one arm around the younger magician. He then fell back asleep, leaving Valant to rest his head on his arms like a cat. "Hey Valant, you o- Oh… aww…" Roger looked at the sleeping partners, giggling to himself. "Aww, they're so cute! I can't wait to show them this when they wake up!" He giggled evilly, taking out his phone and recording them. "Wait until Thalassa sees… Oooh, or even Magnifi!" Roger continued to giggle evilly, leaving the two older men to sleep. "Enjoy your little nap, you two… Enjoy it while you can…"


(Well, alrighty then! Ok, first off, I know Roger isn't listed as a character, but I needed some way to continue the plot. Tbh, I might not even use Magnifi in the story, ignoring minor cameos. Yeah, I might just replace him with Roger. But I'll think about it. Now, as for the ending part with the timestamps; I know I could've used a timeskip, but it just felt awkward. Also, this part of the story takes place a year and a few months after Thalassa and Zak got married. I know that technically means Zak is cheating on Thalassa, but shush. I don't know how many chapters exactly this fanfiction will have, but I do have an idea for the final chapter. I won't spoil, obviously, but I will say that it takes place in the present. When I say present, I don't mean our present 2017, I mean current Ace Attorney present 2028. It'll be a sad one, that's for sure. Now I have to go. I've said too much. Enjoy!)