Sorry for this kind of late update. I was busy with my exams.
So, this is the last chapter of the fic. I really, really enjoyed writting this and I hope you enjoyed reading it just as much. I'd like to thank all those who left a comment or alerted/favorited the story and, of course, the fact it is complete doesn't mean more reviews aren't welcome!
Chapter 4
Shall we dance?
Franziska took a quick look at the full body mirror before she went to open the door. She fixed a few stray strands of hair and smiled with satisfaction as she pulled the door open.
Behind it stood Miles Edgeworth who was nervously fiddling with a big bouquet of flowers he held with both hands. Franziska thought her heart would stop beating right then and there. Miles had always been handsome but he was unbearably so that day.
He was smartly dressed with a black tuxedo, same colored vest and a white shirt. On his neck stood the obligatory cravat, though, he seemed to have taken extra care of it since it looked… frillier? A small red rose stood on his lapel and his hair was carefully groomed but kept at its usual style. Lastly, he had put on some cologne that smelt way too good and he had that tiny, cracked smile which she found adorable. Franziska felt like swooning.
"Here." He said and offered her the bouquet which contained pink gladioluses. "The same color all of them." He then teased her.
She rolled her eyes and called him a fool but she was actually touched. Roses were among her favorite flowers and she appreciated his choice of red ones despite how clichéd it was to offer them to the one you loved.
She placed them inside a nearby vase. The vase was already occupied by other flowers but, since she had nowhere else to put them right now, it would have to do. She then turned to Miles who was still standing at the doorway, staring at her.
"What?" she asked him and put a hand on her hip.
"You look stunning." Miles simply said, making her blush.
Franziska had indeed made sure she looked her best that night. She had put on only a little bit of makeup which, though, was all she needed to light up her face and picked her favorite dress to wear that night. In other words, the dress she looked best in. Royal blue in color, it reached to her knees and was rather plain with its only decoration being a black belt matching with her black high heels and same colored thigh-highs. However, Miles noticed that the belt was rather unusual. It looked suspiciously like a snake and, a closer look, confirmed his thoughts. It actually was her whip but she had somehow stylized it so that it looked like a nice belt which she could remove anytime and lash at the fools around her.
He smirked only to receive an angry look from his lover. "Why are you grinning like an idiot?"
He composed himself again. "Nothing. Are you ready?"
"I need to put on some perfume and some jewelry."
The male prosecutor came in and waited for her as she moved to her room to add the finishing touches. She returned with a silver necklace, studded with sapphires, similar earrings and a similar bracelet.
Once she stepped into the room, Miles walked to her and hid his face in her neck, breathing heavily. "What kind of perfume is that? It's lovely!"
He started lavishing her neck with kisses and his hands unintentionally moved towards her body.
"Stop it, Miles!" Franziska objected. She was concerned that, if he continued, they would end up not going to that party since she too had wanted to tackle him to the ground from the moment she had opened her door. "Later." She, though, added as she grabbed her purse and headed out of her home.
Miles smirked and followed her, hoping they'd get back soon.
The party to celebrate thirty successful years of the Police Department's operation would take place in the Gatewater Hotel. Frankly, Franziska was impressed that the Chief of Police had made such a good choice. She was expecting something a lot less classy.
"Truth is," Miles said once the German prosecutor expressed her surprise, "that the Gatewater Hotel offers a discount to the Police Department since last year as thanks for their help in… in 'that' case." He continued and stole a glance at Franziska, expecting a violent reaction.
The woman's face twitched but she remained calm otherwise. "It all makes sense now. I highly doubt those fools would have chosen such a place had it not been for the discount."
Once they arrived, Miles parked his car and rushed to open Franziska's door.
"Miles Edgeworth, I don't remember ever telling you that I'm incapable of opening doors on my own." She glared at him and made a move to grab her whip. Sometimes, she had no idea what she was supposed to do with him. On one hand, she didn't like his overly gentlemanly behavior for she thought of it as stupid and unnecessary. On the other hand, she realized that she liked the feeling of someone taking care of her in a way no one else had before and, probably, no one ever would.
"I never said you are." He smiled and bowed, offering his hand to her.
Franziska sighed, understanding there was no way she could change Miles' ways and took his hand in her own. The older prosecutor locked his sports car and they moved towards the hotel's entrance.
Franziska threw a look to the red car and turned to Miles. "I do not consent in you moving around in such a car. It's extremely showy and all it's good for is being a woman magnet."
"Said the one who moves around in a limousine." Miles replied but never lost his smile. He and Franziska had started having these small petty arguments lately. They never led to fighting or shouting or them getting remotely close to being angry with each other. They reminded him of when they were children and argued like that all the time. Somehow, these memories had ended up being some of the most pleasant ones he had from his years as a kid.
"Yes but, a woman in a flashy car does not attract men. A man on the other hand…"
Miles snickered, finally understanding what her problem was. "Is there a reason you suddenly decided to feel jealous? We had none of that before."
Franziska punched him at the arm for daring to say she was jealous as they entered the hotel's ball room. However, as soon as they stepped in, Franziska grabbed Miles arm in a fierce, possessive way and urged him to walk faster.
"What's going on, Franziska?" asked Miles, trying to keep up with her pacing which was extremely fast for someone on high heels.
"Are you really that dim, Miles Edgeworth?" she spat from between clenched teeth. "Can you not see that more than half the women in here are staring at you in the same way a starving man would stare at a delicious loaf of bread?"
Edgeworth at first blinked in surprise before he burst into laughter and wrapped an arm around her waist lovingly. "Frankly, I couldn't care less about what other women might think of me. I never cared and I'm not going to now, especially since you're standing right here beside me."
"Still, it's annoying." She insisted but Miles words had apparently worked their magic and calmed her down.
"I know, Franziska, and I can tell you that the same number of men are currently drooling over you, making me feel tempted to deliver a punch at some stomachs but, as you can see, I'm staying as civilized as I can."
Their conversation was interrupted by an all too familiar voice. "Hey! Mister Edgeworth, Miss von Karma! I didn't think you'd come!"
The pair turned around to be greeted by detective Gumshoe, the one who had actually invited them to the party. Since it was the precinct who organized all that, prosecutors weren't invited. The members of the force, though, were free to invite as many friends as they wanted be it policemen, lawyers or pilots so, Miles and Franziska were asked to attend by the good detective.
"Mark my word, Scruffy, we wouldn't have thought twice to come here had the precinct not done its best to organize a decent party. We felt like rewarding the Chief by gracing you with our presence." Said Franziska in her usual cocky manner.
"I see that you haven't changed at all, sir." Gumshoe said, glancing at Miles' arm around her waist.
Edgeworth had to wonder why the detective would think their relationship would change her so much she would stop torturing the police officers. Sure, she had changed a bit but, only when she was around him. He had changed as well but, again, only when he was around her. After all, Dick Gumshoe was wrong to want to be treated differently. Franziska's constant whippings and insults to the detective and all of her subordinates were, actually, her way of showing her affection. A very absurd way but, it was the truth.
"And what is that supposed to mean?" she raised an eyebrow and laid a hand on her belt, signifying the presence of her whip.
"Um… nothing, nothing." Said Gumshoe, looking even more disheartened than before. He, though, straightened the old, black coat he was wearing (apparently, his wardrobe was seriously lacking in terms of formal clothing because Gumshoe was merely wearing a black and white version of his usual attire) and spoke. "You can come sit at our table, if you want. The others are here too!"
Miles didn't know how to react to that statement. He shuddered at the thought of having to endure the wackiness of his friends for the entire night but, he also felt a strange warmth when he was with them. It was nice to feel loved even if that love came from the most obnoxious people. After all, he thanked whatever force had brought Franziska in his life, despite her being the most whip-happy person he had ever met. He wouldn't change her for the world.
At Gumshoe's and Maggey's table sat Wright and his two medium friends, in their usual happy-go-lucky mood. Phoenix was dressed in a tuxedo but the two girls, ever oblivious to the world's dressing habits, were wearing robes as always though these looked like formal ones with nice flower patterns. Lastly, Maggey was looking good in her pink dress.
The couple was greeted with smiles and loud voices as they took a seat and the group resumed their conversation, laughing at the top of their lungs, teasing each other and discussing about all and nothing.
Franziska and Miles mostly remained silent, popping in only every now and then to make a comment. They simply stood there, enjoying the feeling of being part of such a crazy group despite the fact they would never, ever admit to said group how much they appreciated their company and how strangely at home they felt with them.
Franziska's hand crept into Miles from below the table, and they laced their fingers smiling briefly at each other before looking away once more. The German prosecutor began examining the decoration of the room.
Truth is it was a bit too flashy even for someone like her what with all the gold and silver on the walls. However, she appreciated the fact that the overall design was well-thought out while the service was excellent. The ball room in particular, had the tables aligned in such a way that the dance floor was the center of attention without making the dancers feel uncomfortable from having too much eyes looking at them. Also, there was a live band playing music fitting for actual ballroom dancing instead of some obnoxiously loud speakers playing whatever ear-bleeding music could be heard at night clubs. She appreciated good music a lot since it could always calm her down and help her enjoy herself, no matter how horrible everything else might be.
Miles followed her gaze and had an idea. He stood up, her hand still in his and bowed his torso, placing a kiss at the back of her hand. "Shall we dance?"
The others' attention turned to the two of them, curiously.
Franziska felt a blush creeping at her cheeks. Why was she feeling shy all of a sudden? "It's been years since I last took lessons…" she tried to plead her case.
"Don't tell me you don't practice at weekends when you're all alone." Miles flashed a disarming smile and was amused to see her very faint blush now become apparent. He had guessed so because he too exercised his dancing skills during the lonely hours in his home.
"You two can dance?" Wright asked, clearly surprised. He had never expected them to have other interests aside from prosecuting.
"Of course." Franziska replied indignantly. "My Papa made sure we also exercised our bodies –they are part of being perfect after all- and since he considered the vast majority of sporting activities rather crude, he decided we should take on dancing lessons. For your information, we can dance every single ballroom dance out there." She then added proudly.
"We'd love to see you dance, then!" Maya chirped, clapping her hands excitedly.
Miles raised her eyebrows questioningly at Franziska and she finally gave in. He led her to the dance floor and they started dancing at the slow rhythm of the waltz that was currently playing.
"He was holding her hand all the time, Mister Nick!" Pearl happily informed the attorney as her eyes moved from Phoenix to Maya and back, as if she was insinuating they should do the same.
Phoenix decided to pretend he didn't get what the little girl meant by saying that was only normal since they were together. Only he was actually surprised they would publicly show some affection even in such a simple way. It appeared he didn't know the two of them as well as he had thought he did. He looked at the couple who was swirling elegantly among other pairs. They were good. There were plenty of others who seemed to have basic knowledge of the dance but the prosecutors' skill was really shining through. It was easy to tell that they had gone through years of practice compared to those dancing around them and, above all, they seemed to be enjoying themselves and each others close company.
The song ended and Miles and Franziska had already attracted the sights of some viewers. Then, the band started playing a tango tune and the pair adjusted their positions accordingly.
Franziska thoroughly relished this experienced and she hadn't expected to like it so much. Yes, she had danced with Miles before but, that was when they were kids and weren't as good at it as they were now. Moreover, she could now appreciate his gentle but confident movements and how they cooperated perfectly and succeeded in executing even the most complex evolutions and how he was strong enough to lift her effortlessly.
But most of all, she appreciated how she saw this dance as a means to enjoy herself when, during her childhood, the stress of performing perfectly prevented her from letting herself go. Now, she found out she could block everyone else outside and merely lose herself in Miles' grey eyes, his intoxicating aroma and the way their bodies moved together. She realized she was smiling and he was smiling too.
Soon, smiling turned to laughing as he swirled her around and then pulled her to himself, their bodies colliding forcefully as she leaned on his chest with her back and he wrapped his arms around her, the two of them moving like that for a moment before Franziska turned to face him once more. This dance was something between playing and loving to them.
As the song came to an end, Franziska was leaning back with one leg curled around Miles', his left arm preventing her from falling on the ground and his right slowly tracing her thigh. Pretty much all of the attendants burst into applause but, the prosecutors couldn't care less about it at the moment. They were both panting heavily and their hearts were racing and it wasn't just from exhaustion.
Their faces were inches away and they could feel each others' breath wash over them. Miles felt the strong urge to kiss these luscious lips which stood so close to his but, he wasn't sure Franziska would want him to in front of so many people. They still weren't fully comfortable with big crowds.
However, said lips curled in a mischievous smirk and they approached his ear. "Shall we go somewhere less noisy?" she inquired in a deep voice that made something inside Miles growl contentedly. The passionate dancing had worked its magic and now they both felt the need to withdraw themselves even for a bit.
"We shall." He took her by the hand and they managed to sneak away unnoticed.
"Miss von Karma and Mister Edgeworth are good, aren't they?" Maggey commented.
"Yeah, that was one fierce tango." Gumshoe said and grinned.
"Surprisingly so." Nick added. "But, where are they, now? I kind of lost them when they finished dancing and they seem to have disappeared all of a sudden."
Nobody had an answer to that so Phoenix stood up in order to find them. You don't just stun everyone with your dancing skills and then leave. Of course, they could have as well left to use the facilities but it had already been a few minutes since he had last seen them so he doubted it. Normally, he would just let them be but, he was worried his friends might have a problem or something. They would always say goodbye when it was time for them to leave, no matter what might have happened.
The attorney failed to locate them anywhere inside the room and was starting to wonder where they could have gone to when it dawned on him just where they might be. He moved to the corridor that led out of the room and saw them, feeling a sweat drop trickle down his head as his lips formed an understanding but slightly exasperated grin.
The two prosecutors were all over each other, as Miles had cornered Franziska at the wall with his arms lying on the wall beside her head as if he wanted to prevent her from escaping. With their bodies tightly pressed and Franziska's hands running through Edgeworth's hair forcefully, it appeared they were engaged in a rather passionate kiss.
Wright looked at them and had to admit they were good for each other. They seemed fully happy together and, if that kiss was enough evidence, they had strong feelings towards their partner. He also considered it a good sign they had opened up a bit since they had become a couple. Their personalities appeared to match and Phoenix couldn't help but think they would make an excellent prosecuting team. Of course, his next reaction was to gulp. Oh, he would never want to face these two together.
Wright decided it was time for him to leave them alone when Miles moved from ravaging Franziska's lips to licking and biting her neck, jawline and ears. Thankfully, Franziska was enjoying this so much she kept her eyes closed as she threw her head backward. If she had spotted Nick, the attorney wouldn't have lived to tell the tale of this small make out.
With a devious smirk, Wright turned around and left, thinking of ways he and his friends would tease the two prosecutors once they were done.
Franziska used her key to get into Miles' house. It had been a few weeks since they had exchanged keys and there had been frequent visits after that. Of course, they didn't like going to each other's home uninvited but they at least knew that, if they needed something from their lover, they could freely go find them.
As the woman walked in the living room, she found Miles playing with Pess, his golden retriever. The hyper active dog had pushed his owner to the floor and was now assaulting his face with licks.
Franziska couldn't help but smile as she watched the scene, enjoying the sound of Miles' laughter. His dog always made the solemn prosecutor act like a little child something Franziska found endearing.
Once the dog noticed her presence, he barked happily wagging his tail furiously and moved away from Miles only to come and jump around her, threatening to throw her down as well.
Franziska chuckled as she tried to avoid the furry menace. In the meantime, Miles had stood up with a smile, and he kindly chastised his pet. "Pess, stop trying to pounce Franziska. I'm the one who's supposed to do that."
And he immediately made his words come true as he embraced her with such force, they both tumbled to the ground, laughing in merriment. They started rolling from left to right, wrestling playfully with each other and trying to be the first to place a kiss on their partner.
At the end, Miles was the one to pin Franziska down after quite a fierce battle which had left them out of breath. He nudged his face on hers but he didn't kiss her immediately as he wanted to do. Instead, he caressed her face with his hand, and looked deep into her eyes. Their relationship was moving along greatly and he had found himself wanting more and more. He realized that, even though he passed the biggest part of the day with her, he wished to have her with him all the day. No, all the week or all the month. Heck, all his life was more appropriate but he wasn't sure he should say that to her right now. He wasn't confident enough yet.
He was sure he would be able to let her know soon, though, because he had realized just how much she meant to him. Ever since she had waltzed in his life, she had been affecting him in all kinds of ways. With her, he felt truly happy and it seemed to him that when she was around, it was as if he was given the chance to relive the childhood he was denied; so light-hearted and carefree she made him feel. He really hoped with all his heart she felt the same for him and he wanted to slowly find out whether she did or not.
"Franny…" he started and Franziska stared at him incredulous, blinking in surprised. They only called each other with a nickname very, very rarely; as rarely as they used affectionate pet names for one another. As such they knew that, once one of them used the other's nickname, they wanted to say something serious. Miles took her hand and squeezed it, entwining their fingers. "Would you like to come live with me?"
Franziska smile softly. "Yes." She replied and they kissed tenderly.
Pess approached them and whined, disappointed that the two humans had completely forgotten about him. Franziska and Miles broke the kiss in order to laugh and pet the dog, as if to assure him they weren't ignoring him. Their eyes quickly met again, though, and they smiled. At last, it seemed like their troubles would come to an end and their lives were taking a turn for the better. It was as if that night in the von Karma mansion had made the pieces fall into place. Perfectly into place.