Archive of Our Own ^beta

Rules had always been what had defined love, for Franziska. It didn't matter what type, and it didn't matter to who it was for; there was a pattern to stick to, rules to follow, for it, and thus it was manageable.

With her papa, it had been a reward system. She had to earn his affection, and equally earn the right to give it back. Manfred von Karma had never been an especially affectionate man, but if she performed well, in school, in a trial, in being perfect in general, he would offer her his praise. That was not a difficult system to understand, and thus it was one she understood.

Whether or not it was healthy was another matter. Miles had told her it was most certainly not. She believed him, but it could not be a system that she would look down on. She'd learnt how to play it to her liking from a young age, and if she wanted more, she knew the way she had to outwardly present herself to receive it.

Her relationship with Miles was just as governed by rules regardless – though these ones unspoken. Miles never told her to behave a certain way around him like her papa had, but she and him still had… rituals that they had to dance through whenever they spoke. They were close, and what they shared was undoubtedly love, but that had always been expressed through subtle actions or compliments veiled behind challenges or derisive words. They had a system; they were not direct with each other.

Sometimes, Franziska wondered if Miles knew that was the case, however. If he hadn't noticed the lines they always followed with each other. They'd both gone through their share of big changes recently, but the rules had never changed.

And then she wasn't exactly close to many others, not to the point of loving them like she did her little brother, or had her papa. She seemed to have been assimilated into the foolish circles of Mile Edgeworth and that Phoenix Wright, but she was still warming up to most of them. She was still giving herself time to learnt their rules before she let herself get too close.

Perhaps there had always been one other exception, though. Maya Fey.

Through no action of her part, Franziska had come into frequent contact with the other girl – or no, Maya Fey was the same age as her, and had proved her capability enough to surely be more respectfully described a woman – as she had sought her out after the incident at Hazakura Temple. She hadn't the slightest clue why, but Maya Fey claimed it was because she was 'Cool', and 'Classy'. Foolish reasons, of course, but there was only so much resistance she could give, and Maya Fey had not been deterred.

She supposed they'd be considered friends. Or, more accurately, they had been considered friends, despite Franziska's efforts to keep her distance, but they had grown closer nonetheless. Maya Fey was no Miles Edgeworth, but the short time they'd spent together did not stop Maya from becoming a confidant of sorts, for Franziska. Their routine was different, but Franziska had liked the system she'd found with Maya Fey.

That had been forced to change when Maya Fey had asked her out, but she hadn't… minded, as such.

Maya was special to her! They were similar in ways she would never care to break the rules to admit, but she found solace in someone as chained down by legacy as herself. Maya handled the weight of her family legacy very differently to how Franziska did, but she found herself taking insight from that regardless. She was changing around Maya – losing the image of herself she'd always had to hold up around her papa – but she also felt just as much like herself, if not more, than ever before.

That had sounded like romance to her. Curiosity regarding Maya must have been feelings for her, and when Maya had asked her to be her girlfriend, she'd had no reason to say no. She liked Maya Fey. She wanted to be closer to her.

A romantic relationship would surely come with new rules, but Franziska was adept at learning those. And Maya Fey seemed to be a woman who knew what she wanted as much as Franziska herself – she believed that Maya would be able to establish them for their partnership just as much as she had with their friendship.

It had been a sweet moment, when it happened. Entirely unexpected, but though Franziska didn't typically like surprises, one she was sure to remember.

She couldn't remember exactly what they'd been talking about before.

"Franziska," Maya had said, and that had been something of an immediate oddity – she had used no nickname, "Got a question for you,"

They hadn't even been in the same country, at the time, just on the phone to each other. Franziska had thought Maya had sounded entirely casual, at the time, but in hindsight, she'd quite clearly been nervous.

"Then ask away. You need not announce that," she'd replied, a small laugh just barely concealed.

"I was stalling a little," Maya's tinny chuckle had come through the line, "It's… We've been getting really close, Fran, and… Would you like to go out with me sometime? When you're back in the country,"

She'd been caught off guard.

"Go out… romantically?" she'd clarified.

"Yeah! Be girlfriends, if you'd like,"

She hadn't had a reason to say no. She'd been curious, enough to give it a try; she wanted to prove she could, as well, she supposed.

"I would like that, Maya Fey,"

"Sweet! Score!" Maya had cheered, "You gonna drop the 'Fey' if we're dating, though?"

"I still address my little brother by his full name. Do not push your luck," she'd scoffed.

She was coming to think of Maya as just Maya now though, regardless.

Having a girlfriend was novel – exciting. Something she had that Miles Edgeworth didn't have. It made her feel accomplished, even if she did not fully understand why.

Perhaps the why was part of the rules.

///

Maya came out to her first. She supposed it would be good to be candid, when starting a relationship, so she appreciated it.

They were on video call, this time. Personally, Franziska did not see the point of it; she did not need to see Maya to understand her, nor to appreciate her. It could be a romantic thing, however. It could be that Maya needed – or perhaps even simply just wanted – to see her. She obliged her girlfriend because she saw no reason not to, and because that was something surely a perfect girlfriend would do.

And she was not about to stop striving for perfection.

"Hey, so, just wanted to let you know about something," Maya Fey started, just as casual as when she'd first asked Franziska out.

Franziska frowned, "Have you been arrested again?"

"What?" Maya paused, before snorting in laughter, "I'm pretty sure they haven't upgraded a 'one call', to a 'one facetime', Franzy. I'm not in jail!"

"I am abroad," she explained, "Perhaps they had updated the system in my absence. And it is not as though I have been arrested before regardless, Maya Fey,"

"What's that? Admitting you don't know something?"

She pulled a face.

"Did you not say you have something to tell me?"

Maya reigned herself back in and settled down, "Yeah, I do. It's not a bad thing, but if we're going to date, then I really should let you know," she paused, likely attempting to gauge Franziska's reaction thus far – Franziska had not given much away, however. She was careful to have her face resting neutrally. "I'm ace,"

She had a feeling that was not Maya Fey calling herself 'cool'. Yet it was not any kind of slang that she could remember hearing before.

It would be bad to admit to her new girlfriend that she did not know what was being confessed to her, yes? She would have to goad Maya into explaining.

"I see," carefully, she nodded.

Maya broke out laughing, "Oh, you don't know what that means, do you?"

"What?" Franziska snapped, "I–" she caught herself and bristled, "What gave it away?"

"Well, we're on facetime, Fran," she grinned, "I can read your expression like this… And I've seen a lot of bluffs, in my time,"

She wrinkled her nose, "Yes, I do suppose you have… You'll have to forgive my inexperience in this matter. Explain, Maya,"

"I'm asexual. Uhm… I don't know if you know what that means either, but…"

"I've… heard of it before," slowly, she replied.

The term sounded familiar, but it was not one she could list a definition for. Not unless Maya was calling herself some kind of self-reproducing entity, but Franziska doubted that could be the case. The Fey family drama had been aired out in court enough for her to suspect differently.

"I don't experience sexual attraction. Still romantic and aesthetic attraction! So I still know I like you! But I don't want sex. I'm not averse to it, so maybe if you wanted to, but it's just not something I'm interested in,"

"Oh," Franziska felt herself relax slightly, "That is… There is a word for that? Interesting," she made sure to give her girlfriend a smile, hopefully reassuring, "Don't worry, Maya Fey, that does not bother me in the slightest. I had not even thought ahead to…" she trailed off, pulling a face.

Maya seemed to find something in her reaction amusing, as she chuckled fondly.

"Huh, you know what, that actually felt pretty good to say," she noted, "I mean, I've told Nick before and stuff, but… That was more of a spur of the moment I needed to tell someone, you know? There wasn't really anyone else… Before you, that is,"

Franziska hadn't exactly come out to anyone, as it were, before. She wasn't sure she'd especially thought of labels – she was who she was, and she hadn't seen the point in finding a word for that before. Miles was aware that she liked girls. She'd never given him a label for that, however. There had been no explaining any term, like this.

Additionally… Having had a moment to digest this information, Franziska reached a conclusion of what Maya had been implying.

"You realised after your sister had passed?"

"Yeah… I just hadn't thought about it before, so it only came to me after… It didn't seem worth getting Pearly to channel her for, and I mean… I feel like it would be difficult to explain something I don't feel to someone who hasn't gotten a chance to see if they experience it yet, either. And with how my aunt was with her, there is no chance she already knows," Maya explained.

"I will be happy to listen to you, Maya Fey, any time," proudly, she declared.

That was something a good partner should offer, yes?

Franziska had never been big on romance novels or the like in the past, but she'd attempted to do some research on the matter after Maya had asked her out. To set an idea of the way that she would be expected to behave. She could shape that model around herself and Maya later.

Of course, she did genuinely enjoy Maya Fey's company, and did like to talk with her, anyway. Perhaps a promise of 'any time' would be a bit excessive for how she really felt, but it was what it was that she should be there for Maya whenever needed, if they were going to be together. Was that not what romance had to be? Two people supporting each other no matter what? That one person who was always here for you, because they were 'the one', the special one.

"Aw, Fran…" Maya's expression softened, "I'm happy to lend an ear back to you, too. And don't worry about time differences too much, either," she gained a mischievous look, "Between the amount of late nights I've pulled with Nick, and everything that's going on in the village right now, there's a good chance I'll be up anyway!"

"Of course that foolish fool would keep you up," she scoffed, "Though worry not, Maya Fey, you do not seem to need more 'beauty sleep' to appear beautiful,"

Maya let out a laugh in what seemed to be shock, and a blush set in on her face, "You too, Franzy, you too,"

She smiled thinly. The compliment had been received well, it seemed. Objectively, she did believe Maya Fey to be pretty. She wasn't sure she had much more to elaborate on the matter with, however. Maya looked nice, though she wasn't entirely certain how that was supposed to make her more or less likely to want to date her. If Maya had the appearance of someone else, it likely wouldn't matter to her, so long as Maya still behaved like Maya. She understood that people enjoyed being told they looked good, though.

"You flatter me," she said.

She wondered how much Maya meant what she said. Franziska understood that she was an attractive woman, but the attention she put into her appearance was to curate a strict image, not to invoke desire of any kind. A von Karma dressed themself ornately, to perfection – that was why she cared for her appearance.

"Better get used to it," Maya winked.

She smirked, "You forget, I am used to praise, Maya Fey,"

"Okay, okay, Ms 'Prodigy'," her partner grinned daringly.

"Is this why you insisted on using the video camera too?" she mused.

"Not entirely," Maya shrugged, "But you know, it helps,"

If Maya liked to see her, then Franziska had no issue with that. It would be even better for when they were able to see each other in person.

///

She did some research on asexuality, after her talk with Maya. She wanted to be informed – she had been treating to the topic with the dedication she would to one she would need to be prepared to talk about in court – about the topic for her girlfriend. Would Maya be impressed by her understanding?

Or perhaps that would already be expected of Franziska, perfect prodigy that she was supposed to be. Perhaps it was already simply expected of one's partner.

Whatever the case, she certainly found her research worthwhile. It was… interesting; much of what she read rang true for herself, too.

She'd never particularly been able to picture herself wanting sex. That had been previously been put down to her lack of interest in matters outside of her prosecuting during her teenage years, for Franziska. Why would she be thinking about such things through anything other than an objective lens, where she may have to understand that want as a motive for court?

It simply didn't appeal to her at all.

She was fine at a comfortable distance from Maya, not concerning herself with… the other associations of romantic relationships, especially long-term ones. It was fortunate, then, that she was already aware that sex would not be a milestone Maya wanted to reach, either.

Some things started to make sense after her research. Why she'd never quite understood her peers ogling each other, why she'd never wanted the kind of relationship her papa had said she'd be able to have one day – and not just because he'd likely intended for her to have one with a man, she just simply wouldn't want anything close to what he'd had with her mother – why she'd never felt connected to her body in any kind of way of attraction. Simply put, why she'd never cared about any of that, and why she'd perhaps had some kind of superiority over the general populous who did.

Franziska supposed she ought to inform Maya. She pulled out her phone, having become very set on her epiphany, before hesitating – unusual for her, she knew.

Maya would not believe that she was copying her, would she? That Franziska had only now decided to even consider labels just because she wanted to be like her partner?

No, no, of course not – that was a foolish thought. Maya Fey had to know that she was Franziska von Karma, and that she would always forge her own path. She didn't need Maya, or some internet articles, to tell her who to be; she'd simply made a new discovery about herself. Maya was… empathetic. She would understand.

And she was the one who had set the precedent for communicating about asexuality being important.

Maya Fey

[Today, 13:42]

 

Maya Fey.

 

woaaahhhhh fran hey!!!!!

thought u were at work

 

You're not busy, are you?

And please, must you type like that?

 

lmao

still not fixing it :p

and its fine

what's up???

 

I have been using my break to research asexuality for you.

 

oh???/??/??

 

It had led me to the realisation that I am asexual too.

I know that you said this was 'no big deal' but I wished to still inform you.

 

heeyyyyyyyyy!! happy for you! <3

we can be ace4ace ahgkggjghggkljhh

 

What?

 

dw internet thing

 

I do understand how to use the internet, Maya Fey.

I am not a fool. How do you suppose I did my research?

 

not doubting u! just the wrong side of the tinernet for you me thinks

its a good thing!!

glad to have helped haha

 

I hope you are aware that I came upon this realisation independently to our relationship, other than in my researching it for you.

 

i wouldnt have assumed otherwise!!

seriously, fran, i am really happy for you

see? i even typed that out a little nicer for you! :)

u free to call later? if u want to

 

I will be available this evening. Will that suffice?

 

sick that works

gimme a ring when ur around!!

its a slow day here -_-

 

I'm sorry to hear it. I will be with you when I can.

 

no rush!

and dw about me. boredom isnt goin to kill me haha

 

But it is a terrible vice.

 

so true

 

I shall talk to you later then, Maya.

 

cya later!!!! <3

have a good rest of the day!!

i'll probably gobother nick ahahaahahah

She realised afterwards that she hadn't addressed Maya by her full name. It had just slipped out, as she sent that final message. She supposed she could go back and edit it, but Maya already hadn't pushed her by commenting on it. Perhaps she was content to leave it as was.

Maya reiterated her statements on the phone later, about being genuinely happy for Franziska, about being pleased to have helped Franziska come to her realisation, and about how perfect this was for the two of them. Perhaps she was right – it was some fortune that she and Maya were two similar kinds of asexual who had had found each other, and had stuck with each other.

She was fortunate that Maya had persisted with her, then.

She was fortunate to be the one Maya wanted to be with. Although… Did she really feel that? She appreciated Maya immensely, and she enjoyed their relationship, but it was a fact that the novelty was beginning to wear off, and there was only so much further she wanted to take things.

Where did she want to take things? Relationship milestones often included, as she understood, sex – something neither she nor Maya had any interest in, clearly – and marriage. Franziska wasn't certain that she was interested in that, either.

Her papa had told her that she'd get married one day, informed her of the financial and legal benefits of such an act, set it up as a good thing in her future, but she'd never seen the appeal. The law was a powerful tool, but she was a prosecutor – she knew it was easily moulded and bent regardless. So why did she need it to declare that she enjoyed being with someone?

Looking back… She'd always feared being alone at her own wedding. Her partner had always been faceless, never someone she could place because she didn't want to be up there with someone, and who was close enough to Franziska von Karma to want to attend her wedding? Even now, if one day she and Maya did get that close, who would she invite? Miles Edgeworth, she supposed, and his band of misfits, but the scenario in her mind was still just her alone there with her little brother.

Such an idea was a long way off, anyway. Perhaps she'd change her mind after deepening her relationship with Maya.

She hadn't known that this relationship was something she'd wanted before, after all, but now she was most certainly happy to have it.

///

She started noticing the cracks in her own seams upon returning to America, where she was able to meet with Maya in person.

They were staying in the city together; Franziska had made it clear that she would come up to Kurain Village, if Maya wanted her to, but just that she wouldn't be able to stay for as long. Technically, she was in the country for business, and it wouldn't do to spend too much time off, even if it was for Maya. Maya had insisted on coming down to the city to meet with her, however. Perhaps she wanted a change in scenery.

It was nice to be near Miles Edgeworth too, she supposed. She was rather enjoying being able to drop by in person to antagonise him. From the amusement in his glares – likely not obvious to most, but Franziska had known Miles since he was a child – she thought he was too.

Maya asked her out on a proper date, whilst they were both together, and to Franziska's utter shock and horror, she was nervous. Nervous. Her, Franziska von Karma, nervous because she would be going out to dinner with her girlfriend? Her girlfriend of several months? It was ridiculous!

She was being extremely foolish. A foolish fool whose foolishness could rival even the great tomfoolery of those fools Miles Edgeworth and Phoenix Wright.

Something about the ordeal was making her uncomfortable, however. It wasn't Maya, as she had been enjoying her girlfriend's presence quite easily during her stay so far, and it wasn't the location – she'd picked it out herself. She couldn't make sense of it, so she was quite content to label it as simple foolishness, and ignore it.

Maya seemed so happy at the restaurant with her. Franziska, however, was finding it stifling. She typically enjoyed a spot of fine dining, the kind her papa had raised her to be familiar with, but this meal was… disconcerting. It felt strange to be on a public romantic outing with her girlfriend, and she knew that wasn't because she was embarrassed to be with Maya. She'd been quite happy to show Maya off to everyone – Miles Edgeworth most certainly included – before this.

They returned to Franziska's hotel afterwards, where Maya insisted on them watching some inane samurai show together. It was the same one Miles Edgeworth was obsessed with, but liked to pretended that he was not obsessed with. She didn't think she could have cared much less about it before, but watching it with Maya it was sort of… cosy.

She enjoyed Maya Fey's rambling commentary about character arcs, and queer coding, and social commentary. She laughed at Maya Fey's snarky comments about the characters clearly being in love, or needing the creators to just admit that they were definitely queer. And she was happy curled up by Maya Fey's side, their hands together under the blanket, closer to any other person physically than she had been in years.

She had to ask herself – was this love? The kind Maya was talking about being on display in the show?

That uncomfortable feeling had been leaving, but then she'd realised how close her face had gotten to Maya's, and she'd noticed the way Maya was watching her, and she'd known what had been surely about to happen. She kept her eyes on the screen, and pretended not to notice. She knew how to put up a good act – preferred to be authentically Franziska von Karma, but knew that sometimes a smarmy smirk could be played up for just the perfect effect.

She didn't want to kiss Maya. It hit her in that moment quite how strongly she did not want to kiss Maya.

That was such a normal romantic gesture, as she understood, but it just seemed so clearly uncomfortable, messy – she'd even go so far as to say repulsive. It wouldn't be a passionate display of affection and love, and it would be a sloppy attempt to fake something she was not feeling. Why should that have to be love any more than what she already had?

Perhaps this was just the extent of her asexuality, in which case, she really ought to bring it up with Maya, but for now… Was it selfish to just prefer letting the moment last? She didn't think Maya would mind too terribly.

They continued watching together for another hour or so, discomfort beginning to be once more forgotten, until Maya had to leave. She had her own place to stay in the city, and Franziska's room was only intended for one – she hadn't thought they'd need it for more.

That light was still sparkling in Maya's eyes as she stood just before the doorway. It was dark outside, but through the crack of light coming in from the hallway, and from the street light outside, she could still make out her girlfriend's face just fine. Objectively, she supposed it looked pretty like this. Like the kind of thing someone might paint. She felt an odd sense of pride for making Maya smile like that.

"Hey, uhm, before I go…" Maya shifted on the spot, and the dread came back in a whole wave as Franziska deduced what she was likely about to ask, "Could I kiss you?"

It was nice that she'd asked. Franziska could appreciate that, at least.

"Ah, Maya…" she hesitated. Clearly, she did not want to, but if this was a rule she ought to follow Maya's lead on… No, no, that was extremely foolish; she would redefine the rules herself, if she had to. She had never been a stranger to doing what she wanted, even if that did not earn her many friends.

Maya smiled softly, "You don't have to say yes,"

"I do not know if I want to. Ever," she admitted, "It does not seem appealing to me. I hadn't put much thought into it beforehand, rather foolishly of me, but I came to realise tonight… I am sorry, Maya Fey,"

"Hey, I don't mind. It's no big deal,"

"Is it not?" sharply, she asked.

"I mean, no…?" Maya blinked, "I'm not about to force you to step over your boundaries. And it's no deal breaker! I'm not here with you just for a kiss,"

"But you wanted to. Does this not upset you?"

"I guess, if anything, I'm a little disappointed? But I don't need you to be able to say yes to me. I really don't mind. It's fine, Fran! As long as you're comfortable!"

Maya Fey had a tendency to put on a brave face for others. She'd known this since Hazakura Temple. Phoenix Wright had been jokingly told her that Maya had been doing it for Franziska, back then. It seemed that now, that was quite possibly coming true.

"And what of you?"

"Huh? Oh, listen, I'm not just saying this – I really do mean it. I… I asked you out because I like you, Franziska, and I already knew going in that we'd probably be mostly long-distance anyway, so not many opportunities for kisses. It's not that big a change, and I'm more just happy we could get this sorted early!"

"I…" she held her expression steadfastly, "Thank you, Maya,"

"No problem, Fran, no problem," she chuckled, "Could I trouble you for a hug instead, though?"

Franziska sighed and offered her arm to Maya, who wrapped it around her midriff cheerily.

"You're the only one who could get this from me," mirth clear in her tone, she noted.

"Not even your brother?"

"Please," she scoffed, "He's even more reserved about physical affection than I am,"

"Oh, yeah, that tracks," her girlfriend snickered.

She laughed along a little, but her mind was somewhere else.

At least the embrace was still nice.

///

But it wasn't just that one incident, was it?

She was just only now noticing so many of these things, because she was finally able to share the same space with Maya. And she was noticing because so many normal things were putting her on edge. She'd lived in stressful situations before, and she knew how she dealt with teetering over the edge a bit, but this was… different. What kind of anger was she supposed to respond with when it really was only herself that she was infuriated with?

Oh, she was no stranger to feelings of inadequacy and self-loathing, but there was always a sort of competitiveness to that. Even if she despised herself for what she couldn't be, there was always someone that she was trying to imitate then, wasn't there? Anger was easy to direct at them.

If she hated herself for not being what her papa was, or what he wanted her to be, then she would rise to the challenge of at least trumping Miles Edgeworth, and scorn him and her papa for leaving her with such feelings.

If she hated the vulnerability she felt after Shi-Long Lang used her to buy their foolish little rag-tag team more time, then she would let him know her fury for it, and deny it all vehemently.

And if she hated feeling so alone, so pitifully alone after she'd been left to realise that she had no strong to connections to rely on, at age eighteen, with her papa in prison, little brother missing, mother long dead, extended family on no contact, and with no social circle to speak of, then she blamed those who had left her – those had left her in a position to be alone because it was just as much them who had walked away as her.

But then… If she hated that she couldn't enjoy the so-called notions of love that came with the kind of relationship she had with Maya Fey, who was she to blame? It was not Maya's fault that she was being foolish, because unlike in every other scenario that she had just listed, Franziska could not even determine what the issue was. She enjoyed her time with Maya just as much as ever, but she couldn't enjoy the relationship when it expected her to do much more than hold hands with the woman she was told she was supposed to love, or to give more to Maya than just her time to watch silly children's programmes, or buy gifts when she saw something that made her think of her partner.

So who was she supposed to anger at? She wanted it to be Maya Fey, but that just felt even more miserable than stewing over it all.

It would be so easy to say she was feeling terrible because Maya Fey had forced this relationship on her, and that Maya Fey had begun to push the boundaries of it, but that was not fair. She had been so excited by this very same relationship for those same two reasons – Maya had given it to her, and Maya had wanted to expand their boundaries from 'friends' to 'girlfriends'.

She felt as though she loved Maya, but so clearly not in the way that she was supposed to. It felt wrong, ingenuine, to even say those words to Maya, because they didn't capture that feeling at all well. If she told her girlfriend that she loved her, then the expectation was that she meant romantically, that she wanted to take Maya out with her, and stay by her side, and be that special one, and kiss her. That was wrong; it wasn't how she felt at all.

She cared about Maya as someone who was inciting change in her, and allowing her to try new things. To have some semblance of a social circle, and feel as though she was mending her relationships – not being left alone. In that sense, she would admit that she loved Maya Fey on the same pain of death that she'd admit she loved Miles Edgeworth, or that she had loved her papa. She needed Maya close the same way she needed Miles close, but she also knew it wasn't that she thought of Maya as that kind of family. Maya was still her partner, and that identity meant a lot to her.

She looked into it, of course. She was a prosecutor – already primed to research that which concerned her as though she may need to build a case upon it.

First was a further look into asexuality, but that couldn't yield any results of experiences quite covering her own. There were still, of course, similarities, and stories similar to hers that could be gratifying, but it wasn't in these stories that she found what she was looking for. Rather, it was only after she branched out more to something she supposed she hadn't wanted to even consider, previously – hadn't wanted to admit to.

It was in the words of aromantic experiences that Franziska could relate, and she hadn't the faintest clue what to do about that. It didn't feel good to read articles about different identities under the aromantic umbrella and find familiar points in them, because she couldn't find solace in finally being able to properly relate. There was a certain validation in seeing her experiences mirrored in someone else, but how was she supposed to feel that excitement Maya had said she'd gotten talking about being asexual, when these stories felt like they were telling her she wasn't meant to be in a relationship with Maya at all?

From her research, it wasn't that she hadn't read anything about people on the aromantic spectrum still being in a relationship, but it was that she had entered hers under the pretence of experiencing romantic love for Maya. That was what she was supposed to be feeling for her girlfriend, she assumed. But that wasn't it; she'd already determined that. She liked the relationship, and she liked her fondness for Maya, but didn't Maya deserve someone who could reciprocate her own type of love back? That had surely been what she thought she'd been getting…

She couldn't be… perfect for Maya Fey if she didn't feel what was expected. Perhaps she would be more comfortable with that if she'd had a chance to express that before they had become as close as they had.

It would be cruel to not inform Maya Fey of her realisation post-haste – not to steal Miles Edgeworth's foolish phrase – and yet she found herself reluctant to do so. She would only be in America for a short while longer, and it would be nice to spend the rest of the time she had with Maya as they had been, for both of them.

Franziska… didn't want this to be something Maya Fey broke up with her over, since she wanted to remain close with Maya, but she could also already understand why Maya would. She was quite clearly out of her depth in such a relationship that they had.

She did what she was adept at; wearing her confidence as her shield, and continuing to follow the footsteps of someone who was perfect for the role they had.

///

Most infuriatingly, it was that scruffy detective who first noticed that something was bothering her – meaning not only was she apparently being more overt than she'd have liked about her realisation, but also that she needed to give him some kind of excuse, or otherwise scare him off.

He'd been hanging back when she was quite sure she'd sent him off to get some actual work done, so she'd gone to chew him out for it.

"Oh, sorry, Ms von Karma," he winced, "You just seemed a little off today, is all,"

"Off?" she scoffed, "I am perfectly fine, Scruffy,"

Her whip hand twitched, and she was quite close to using it – a detail she was sure was not lost on him. He grew visibly more tense, but did not yet back off. She supposed she could give him some credit for having some semblance of a backbone.

"I didn't mean to suggest anything by it!" hastily, he corrected.

"Good, because nothing is wrong," airily, she repeated.

But he wasn't leaving.

"Well, uh, I was going to see Mr Edgeworth later today anyway, so I thought–"

"I do not need Miles Edgeworth to come by and coddle me!" violently, she hissed, striking him on the shoulder with her whip – if her words didn't get through, then that surely would.

Knowing Miles, he likely wouldn't attempt to 'coddle' her anyway, but with the scruffy detective's plan, she assumed that was the intention. No, he'd just give her an awkward phone call, with a 'Franziska, ah, you do know that we can… talk, yes?' as if that wasn't harshly breaking their established routine. That one time at the airport was a fluke, the exception.

"Of course, sir!" nervously, he responded.

"Then get on with the investigation!" ill-temperedly, she huffed, "I see no reason for you to stand around, wasting time,"

"R-Right… I'll report back later…"

He trudged off miserably, and quite honestly, she almost felt a little bad for him. Almost, and only for once. Simply because she supposed he had been right; she was bothered, and if that was interrupting her work, she really should do something about it. She couldn't have her cases run any less than perfectly because she was being foolish with nerves about her relationship.

She still couldn't quite bring herself to simply approach Maya with her concerns, however. She wasn't even certain that she had come to terms enough with her findings to present them yet. Or so she was insisting to herself.

Perhaps it would be nice to have some kind of outlet for all that was happening. But then… There would only be one person that she could go to for something like that, and… She was not really about to go to see Miles Edgeworth herself, was she?

They didn't talk about things like this. They really didn't. But… She could concede that maybe they… could. Miles had at least been a little more open since he'd come back from his stint of pretending to be dead, and they were certainly closer than they'd been in years, at this point.

…Hadn't she used to tell Miles everything? As a young child, of course, but when had that changed? When had those rules become a different routine entirely?

She pulled an irritated face, and resigned herself to stopping by her little brother's office, later.

///

If Miles Edgeworth was busy, then he would just have to make time for her, she decided, just outside his door. Surely that was his duty as a sibling, was it not? She had sat through his ramblings about foolish TV programmes, and foolish childhood friends, and foolish defence attorneys, for her entire life, so he could owe her this much.

It was easier to consider this an exchange than a breach of their routine.

"Miles Edgeworth, you will cease whatever foolish business you are attending to and make time for me," she announced, striding in with a confidence she wasn't certain she had, for once, and placing herself on his sofa.

"Franziska…" he muttered, wearily, shuffling some paper in front of him to the side, "Always a pleasure,"

"I'll pretend I did not hear that," she sniffed.

"Yes, of course," Miles sighed, "What can I help you with? Detective Gumshoe did mention that you might be in contact,"

She straightened herself up indignantly, "He said what? I told him, in no uncertain terms, that I most certainly did not want him or you involved,"

"And yet here you are, in my office," dryly, he remarked.

"Unimportant!" she dismissed, "You would do well to listen to that fool less,"

He scrutinised her for a moment. Franziska didn't dare imagine what kind of nonsense he could be theorising about her – especially not with the rubbish that detective had surely fed him.

"If… there was something upsetting you, Franziska, I'd rather you just be out with it. We surely don't have to dance around an issue,"

She raised an eyebrow, "Is that not what we always do?"

It had been like this for years; why was he suggesting otherwise?

"I believe we've both moved past the need for that," Miles said, as if it really were as simple as that.

"Fine, then," she glared at him, before beginning bluntly, "Tell me about romantic love then, Miles Edgeworth,"

"Wh-what!?" he stammered, already so clearly flustered. She took great pleasure in having caught him off-guard as such.

"You wished for us to 'not dance around the issue'," she shrugged smugly.

"…Is this about Ms Fey?"

"I don't–" Franziska cut herself off, "That is not important. I simply need… some perspective,"

He leant forward, massaging his forehead, "I feel I'm hardly the best person to ask about this, Franziska,"

"No, but it's rather hard to explain something to yourself that you don't seem to feel,"

"Hm?" he looked back up at her, "You don't feel…? Ah. Are congratulations in order?"

"What?" she frowned.

He returned her expression, "I had thought it was customary to congratulate someone upon them coming out,"

"I don't particularly care for such pleasantries," harshly, she replied, "And I would not be here if I just wanted to hear them,"

"No, I'd imagine not," Miles conceded, "I still do not feel as though I understand what you're asking of me here, however,"

"I am questioning whether I even feel romantic love, and yet I am currently in a romantic relationship," bluntly, she answered.

Perhaps she was being foolish to have come here at all. She hardly expected Miles Edgeworth to have good advice.

"Should you not be talking to the one you're in a relationship with, Franziska? If you wish to break up with Ms Fey, then–"

"But I don't!" she snapped, "I do not want this to end the relationship,"

He looked bewildered, an expression she would have taken great pleasure in landing on him, under normal circumstances.

"Is there an issue, then…?" carefully, he asked.

"Will this not offend Maya Fey?" she reasoned.

"Offend her? I'm afraid I don't follow,"

Impatiently, she sighed, "Don't you think that she'd be upset for me to suddenly reveal that I do not feel for her what she thinks I do, or even that I should?"

Miles was silent for a moment, but he thankfully didn't seem as lost as he could be.

"Have you ever implied to her that what you feel is romantic?"

She scoffed, "I have been dating her for months,"

"You told me she sounded casual, when she asked you,"

"Yes, but once more, Miles Edgeworth, that was months ago. That excuse should have surely worn off long since,"

"You're making assumptions," he noted.

"Why would I need advice if I wasn't making them?" severely, she returned.

"I don't know what I can tell you about relationships, Franziska. You may note that you are the one in one, not me,"

Perhaps if he grew a spine and half a brain, that wouldn't be the case, but this was neither the time nor the place for pointing that out. Besides, considering what she was in his office to talk about, Franziska hardly thought making assumptions about the nature of Miles's feelings for Phoenix Wright was appropriate.

"Then why are you still attempting to help me?" dryly, she said.

"I do wish you well," he sighed, "And I would like to assist in that, but I don't know how much more I can offer you than this – if you're worried about hurting Ms Fey, you'd be better talking to her now, before it really does get out of this supposed range of assuming the relationship cannot be casual,"

"I don't want it to change," plainly, she stated.

"So you would not be happy if Ms Fey started pushing for more because she was not aware that you did not want that?"

This felt patronising. She stared angrily at the floor.

"Franziska,"

"No, I would not be happy!" irritably, she huffed, "Is that what you want to hear?"

"I think it may be what you need to,"

She'd spent a lot of time not being happy, and he had to know that.

"I would not be happy if she ended our relationship over this," playing the part of the contrarian to save face, she remarked.

"And yet in the long term…"

He looked so smug, like he knew he'd already won this particular argument.

And maybe he had. If Miles wasn't telling her to end things with Maya over her lack of romantic feelings, he likely didn't see it as a problem necessarily, so then perhaps Maya would… share some of that opinion. This would be better for the both of them in the long run. And since when did Franziska von Karma run from her problems? She would much rather confront them directly.

"I've had just about enough of you, Miles Edgeworth," haughtily, she announced, standing up as she spoke.

"So you often claim," flatly, he said.

"I have more important matters to attend to,"

"Franziska–"

She had reached the doorway, and once striding through it, she turned back to give him a smirk.

"I would rather like to see my girlfriend,"

She didn't stay to see a reaction, but he had to know that that was as close to a true thank you as he was getting.

///

Franziska had asked Maya over to her room, and eager as ever, Maya had gotten there sharpish. Well, she supposed this was a holiday of sorts for Maya – perhaps she really had nothing better to do.

"And here I thought you'd be at work for the rest of the day!" cheerily, Maya greeted, kicking her shoes off.

"I'd be in an early grave waiting around all day for those fools," she scoffed, "And besides… I needed to speak to you, Maya,"

"Huh?" her partner turned to her, confusion evident, "Did something happen?"

"Nothing new," she stated, truthfully.

She led Maya over to the bed, where they'd watched that samurai show together, and perched on the end of it with her.

"What's up?"

"I…" don't hesitate, not now, "I have come to another realisation, and have been informed that I would be prudent to be upfront about it,"

"Oh, yeah?" Maya replied, and her curiosity was evident. If she was apprehensive, she was doing a good job of hiding it. "Don't leave me in suspense now, then!"

"I see little point in stalling at this juncture, anyway," she stated.

"Is that statement not stalling in itself?" cheekily, Maya asked.

"Unimportant," she huffed, "Maya, I… As you have said to me before, I do not think that what I am about to tell you is a bad thing, nor do I think it should have to change our relationship, but it would not be fair to leave you uninformed, should you choose to want change because of it,"

Maya blinked, slowly, "Uhm, okay. Is this anything about being ace? It is okay if something about that's changed,"

"Not quite," she shook her head, "I came to be aware recently that my idea of 'love' is perhaps… different, to most. What I enjoy about it is different, how I care to proceed with it is different, and how I feel it is different. I did more of my own research, and from what I can tell, it seems to me that I may fall on the aromantic spectrum, and that what I feel may not be… romantic love, at all,"

She expected to look over at Maya and see disappointment, hurt, anything that would come from the type of assumption similar to what Miles Edgeworth had made after she revealed that.

Maya's expression was soft. Sympathetic…?

Franziska reeled back – did she even need sympathy? Wasn't she the one putting Maya in a difficult position?

"Hey, you said you don't think this has to change anything, right? Explain to me what's going on, Fran,"

"I have always appreciated having you as a girlfriend, Maya Fey. I do like having someone close to me like you are – someone I may imitate some aspects of a traditional relationship with. I realised that there are many parts of a traditional relationship that I do not enjoy however, and those seem to be some of the more intimate parts. What most would typically call romantic,"

"Oh, have I been pushing your boundaries?" Maya bit her lip, "I don't… I'm sorry if I have,"

"I've told you where I am uncomfortable," curtly, she explained, "But if I think ahead to what would likely be expected of us… I do not want that. I wouldn't want to get married, or exist to be devoted to you, or have to express my feelings as passion,"

Maya snorted, "Not sure how much marriage would be in the cards anyway, considering how traditional some of the village elders can be. And…" she took Franziska's hand and squeezed it, "I don't mind, Fran. I really don't. You said you don't want things to change… And I don't either. I don't need you to change how you behave around me to be happy,"

"Make no mistake, Maya, I do l–" she caught herself, "Appreciate you, but that is not romantic in nature. I value you as a partner, but that is…. different, I suppose. Does this not bother you?"

"You remember when I told you I was ace?"

"Yes, of course I do,"

"It's like that, right? You didn't know that you were ace too, then, but you didn't snap at me for asking for something non-traditional about our relationship," she said, "I hope it doesn't make you uncomfortable to know, but I do love you, Fran. Uhm, romantically. You make me happy doing stuff like this with me, though, so I don't need you to be able to say it back!"

It didn't feel strange to hear Maya admit such things. She'd assumed already that Maya did love her, hadn't she? And then the affirmation at the end was… What she'd so desperately wanted to hear, wasn't it?

"Maya Fey…" she deflated slightly, "I… Thank you,"

"Of course!" Maya smiled, bright as ever, "I want to keep things going with you, as long as that is what you still want,"

"It is," she nodded, "I have told you already – I like what we have,"

"Just one thing," her partner noted.

"What?" sharply, she asked.

"If I do start pressing at your boundaries accidentally, please tell me, Franziska. Seriously, I won't mind. I'd feel worse about unknowingly doing it repeatedly than if you just told me to stop immediately. Like uhm… When I asked about kissing,"

"I've been told I am adept at being blunt," she commented, with a hint of a smirk.

"And yet what was that you said earlier about being 'informed' it was best to be quick about telling me?" slyly, Maya grinned, "Who told you that, then?"

Adamantly, she looked away, willing herself not to flush in embarrassment.

"…Miles Edgeworth,"

Maya burst out laughing, "No way, seriously? Damn, he has more emotional intelligence than I think I gave him credit for,"

"He's just a hypocrite, is all," she huffed, "Capable of occasionally giving out good advice, but incapable of acting on it himself, typically,"

"Guess I'm proud of both of you, then,"

"What does that mean?"

"Well, he gave out some of his rare good advice, and you actually acted on it, right? Probably hard to drop the pride and take the help, huh?" Maya nudged her.

"Scruffy informed me that I seemed to be moping," she wrinkled her nose, "And I really did not want to deal with him hanging around poking his nose in, either,"

"Poor Gumshoe," Maya lamented, "He's too good to us,"

"He would do well to learn his lesson," she muttered.

"I'll thank him for you," Maya decided.

"If you must," Franziska rolled her eyes, "I wouldn't try to stop you, of all people,"

"And why's that?"

Earlier, it perhaps might have been out of a desire to please Maya, but now… She felt much back up to her typical levels of confidence.

"You're much too stubborn," she sniffed, 'It would be futile. And I have little desire to stop you, regardless – what sympathy you choose to give Scruffy doesn't change much for me,"

"What if I get him to start sticking up for himself?"

"Not happening," firmly, she answered, "You'd sooner get Miles Edgeworth to admit he needs him,"

"And what about you?"

"What about me?"

"Getting you to admit he's useful, silly!" Maya laughed, leaning against her.

They were physically close again, but there was no sense of discomfort. Franziska could be content in knowing that she enjoyed this, and also that Maya didn't need anything more from her.

"Even less likely,"

"Oh, haha…" Maya paused, "This is… alright, yeah?"

Franziska gave her most genuine smile, "I promised I would tell you, if it was not,"

The rules had been redefined, this time by her own playbook.