Great Ace Attorney 2 spoilers ahead (Professor Case)
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Klimt had made it a habit of carrying little Iris around in his arms whenever they were travelling somewhere, to a point where he lifted her onto his arms even for the shortest walks. When Klimt didn't have his arms free, Iris was allowed to ride on his shoulders, holding on to his head to keep from falling off, but this resulted in his hairstyle's timely demise.
Some might think that Lady van Zieks would scold either of them for their childish behaviour that was unbecoming of high aristocracy, but if anything, she helped her daughter with the creation of new hairstyles for her husband by running her fingers through his hair at any opportunity as well.
This was the reason for Klimt's dishevelled hair when he and his family stood at the docks and looked over the river Thames, where a steamship was slowly approaching the haven to anchor and let its passengers on land. Rather, Klimt craned his neck so much that Iris, who was quite literally standing on top of his feet and holding on to her father's hands to keep her balance, tilted her head back to look up to him in growing curiosity and then followed his gaze to the approaching ship before looking back at her mother at their side. Lady van Zieks caught her eyes and lifted a hand to her mouth to stifle a giggle, which brought a smile to little Iris' lips as well.
Klimt's heart skipped a beat when he finally caught sight of the familiar figure walking along the railing in the crowd and followed him with his eyes, his grip tightening around surprised Iris' hands enough to make her stand still and actively look out too.
Genshin Asōgi looked as stunning as on the day he had departed back home six years ago. He still moved with the same self-assured gait of an honourable man as he walked along the ship's railing in conversation with somebody who Klimt could not see, and he had not lost the sharpness of his features to the years like other men his age do. And when their eyes met, Klimt's memory didn't betray him about the brilliance of Genshin's smile, which mirrored the joy on Klimt's face with its brightness.
"Is that him, papa? Is that man over there your friend?" Iris asked, pulling at Klimt's hand to get his attention, and pointed a finger into the crowd that was disembarking the ship. Gently, Klimt pushed her arm down and reminded her that it was rude to point fingers at people.
By the time he looked up again, Genshin had reached them, and at his side walked a young man whose resemblance to Genshin was so uncanny that it caught Klimt off guard.
"It is wonderful to see you again. Lord van Zieks, Lady Baskerville." Genshin stopped in front of them, his characteristic white hair tie fluttering in the wind behind him, and his son's red hachimaki did the same. "May I introduce, my son, Kazuma Asōgi."
"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I've heard a lot about you, my lord, my lady." Kazuma inclined his head in greeting, seemingly indifferent to Klimt's obvious speechlessness.
"Oh, my." Klimt blinked, eyes still jumping between their faces and comparing the obviously shared features to find the little differences that set the two Asōgis apart. Only from up close could he discern the signs of Genshin's advanced age. In fact, it looked as if parts of Genshin's white hair tie had stolen into his hair unnoticed, streaking its dominant black with lines of white here and there. Around the strong lineaments of Genshin's face, wrinkles of Genshin's good nature had nested and came forward more prominently whenever he smiled.
"Amazing!" Klimt exclaimed for a loss for better words to vocalise his thoughts and let go of Iris' hands to lift his own to his heart.
"Klimt rendered speechless is only something you would be able to do, Genshin, even after all these years." Gracefully, Lady van Zieks stepped forward and, in French fashion, closed Genshin into the semblance of a hug and pressed two hinted-at kisses left and right of Genshin's cheeks as greeting.
She briefly extended her hand to Kazuma and gifted him one of her charming smiles that had broken the hearts of many English bachelors and gentlemen before. "The pleasure is all ours. Also, a small correction if you please, just a formality. It's Lady van Zieks now, not Baskerville anymore. However, I would much prefer it if we could return to the intimacy we had before you left for Japan."
Following Genshin's affirmation, Lady van Zieks grabbed Klimt by the elbow and turned him to the side to draw attention to Iris, who, during this exchange, had pressed against Klimt's leg in an effort to hide herself against her father. "This is our lovely daughter, Iris van Zieks. Iris, darling, say hello to our dear friends."
"Hello, mister." Shyly, Iris extended a hand, not quite daring to leave the safety of her father's immediate proximity. Genshin crouched before he reached out and gingerly took Iris' hand for a handshake.
"It's nice to meet you, dear Iris," Genshin said, and Iris turned as pink as her hair and hid her face in her father's coat, clinging to it as if for support under the shared laughter of the moved adults.
The situation was enough to snap Klimt out of his daze. When Genshin straightened up again, Klimt unceremoniously wrapped his arms around Genshin and pulled him into a hard embrace. Apart from all the little, visual changes Klimt had noticed, Genshin still smelled like a warm hearth in winter like Klimt remembered and immediately filled Klimt with a sense of safety that he still knew vividly from darker, past days.
"I missed you." Klimt tightened his embrace for a breath and then let go, taking a small step back to restore some distance. However, he didn't lower his arms from Genshin's shoulders but instead studied the look from earnest eyes and the fond smile that played around Genshin's lips from up close. What a beautiful soul this man was! It never ceased to amaze Klimt.
"You had me worried at first," Genshin answered easily in a conversational tone that still carried a hint of privacy. That Klimt picked up on it naturally, he didn't know whether to ascribe to the nature of their relationship or to habits as prosecutor. "When I disembarked, you looked as if you've seen a ghost."
"That would never do!"
Genshin laughed at the exclamation, his shoulders quaking slightly under Klimt's hands. Together, they shifted, and Klimt remembered himself and the public situation they were in. He let go of Genshin with a clearing of the throat and finally offered Kazuma his hand to shake with a smile that had grown apologetic at its corners.
"I've heard a lot about you. It's a joy to finally make your acquaintance personally, Mister Asōgi."
The young lad, who had been watching their interaction with the same silent grace that was characteristic of his father, took the offered hand and shook it, his grip tight and warm like his father's. Klimt could feel the same kind of callouses on the sword hand as well.
"Kazuma is fine, Lord van Zieks."
"As is Klimt, please."
"Now that formalities are out of the way, do the gentlemen feel hungry?" Lady van Zieks stepped closer to her husband with unchanged smile and closed her hands around torn Iris standing there to coax her away from her father, with little success. "I know a nice café down the street. We can continue our exchange there."
"That would be delightful," Genshin said with another breath-taking smile.