"You Are To Be My Bride."

Mood. *platonic only*

🌀🌀

Many moons ago, I wrote this post about one of, if not my favorite, ship in the Ace Attorney series. That being Klavier Gavin/Ema Skye, a.k.a Klema. At the time, I said in the tags of the post that I would probably revisit it and add things that I didn't include at the time. Looking at it again, I would say that my feelings remain largely the same... so maybe it's time to add those extra thoughts to the post:

Give me post-AJ Ema and Klavier spending time together at work where they’re more cordial at first. Where it’s awkward because she doesn’t want to say anything insensitive because he’s Been Through A Lot Lately. And he’s polite too but he notices the tension between them, and neither of them know how to get past it. He doesn't want to be treated like glass, and she doesn't want to rub salt in the wound. Then one day he can’t help but make a joke at her expense and she snaps back with a snarky retort. It’s a shift back into familiar territory, but it’s with a new foundation of mutual civility and consideration for each other.

Give me an Ema who realizes that she knows what it’s like to have been deceived by an older sibling who you were supposed to trust implicitly. So even if she finds his attitude utterly grating most days, she can never bring herself to hate Klavier for the mistakes he made when he was younger when he was acting on the advice of someone he trusted. Even if she could salvage a relationship with her sister in the end, it does not erase the years of uncertainty and loneliness or the lingering doubts.

Give me a Klavier who starts paying attention to how his own attitude could rub someone the wrong way, and how his own standard of perfection and success is not necessarily shared by all. He considers how disheartening it must have been for his colleague (and now maybe work friend?) to fail to realize her own childhood dream, despite her best efforts. He had once made a disparaging remark about the forensics experts and how as a detective, Ema has even more authority, so shouldn’t she be more grateful for that? When he remembers the brief pause in her reaction, the hurt and dismay in her eyes that quickly gave way to outrage and the outburst that had followed, he apologizes to her for making the remark in the first place. Maybe he's surprised when she forgives him (and maybe so is she).

Give me a Klavier who feels he has to atone not just for his own mistakes but for those of his brother. It's enough for Ema to see that maybe there is goodness in him. There is a man who wants to do better and be better.

Give me these work friends bringing coffee to each other and sharing stories over them while they're working. Give me a Klavier and Ema that start to spend time together outside work and finding each other to be great company, actually. Making time for each other in their lives to the point where they are a welcome and expected presence. Where it just hasn’t been a regular day if Klavier doesn’t make a lightly flirtatious or self-aggrandizing remark or if Ema doesn’t bring him back down to earth.

Give me a Klavier that encourages Ema to follow her dreams, to try again and again until she has what she wants. Who, if he could, would move heaven and earth to make her dreams come true, but he knows how much sweeter that accomplishment feels when it's earned through one's own merit. Klavier who stops to consider why he would feel that way, why he would want to do that for her.

Give me Ema who's so so happy when she gets the news. Ema Skye, Forensic Investigator. Doesn't it just roll off the tongue? She thinks so, and she's bursting to tell the world. Give me an Ema who finds Klavier and wants to celebrate with him because he's been supporting her through her renewed efforts, and maybe a small part of her still wants to gloat. Give me Ema, whose insides warm when Klavier gives her the brightest and most sincere smile she's seen from him. She must have seen him smile like that before, but here it takes her breath away.

Give me Klavier and Ema suddenly with mixed feelings. Unable to shake the realization that they might not work together anymore. This is a good thing... right?

Give me a Klavier and Ema with tension, but this time it's the tension that comes with unspoken feelings. Feelings that they can't even fully admit to themselves. Of course he's happy to see her achieve her professional dream, so why is he worried that she'll never want to be around him again now that they don't have to be? Meanwhile, she can't pretend that he's still just the 'glimmerous fop' she once couldn't stand. He is still that glimmerous fop she can't stand... sometimes. He is also much more than that, and that 'much more' is what she has come to admire and miss in him.

Give me a Klavier and Ema that try to fight their feelings at first. Maybe there's embarrassment because 'ew, are you even supposed to have crushes when you're 25?'. But at some point it just grows and grows until there is no hiding the stolen glances or lingering touches. Someone has to eventually make the first move. There is awkwardness as there always is when you're in uncharted territory, but they want to go through it together.

Give me a Klavier and Ema filling their shared moments with banter in one minute, and then with companionable silence in the next. Give me a Klavier and Ema who root for each other, tease each other, and still drive each other crazy. Who somehow couldn't get away from the other. A Klavier and Ema who don't want to be apart from each other.

Give me Klema.

Sigma X !GN Reader

YEP, GUESS WHO JUST CRANKED OUT 1K WORDS IN LIKE TWO HOURS?? Fair warning, not much romance here, but I tried. ;-;

*~~*

His heels clicked as he walked down the hallway, glancing occasionally into the rooms with a tilt of his head to perform any final inspections.

Opening the door at the end, he barely stumbled into his office from exhaustion. Sigma knew he still had paperwork to file, lying on his desk in stacks, so he began the excruciating walk, just ready to get the day over with.

…Until a polite cough came from the entrance.

From you, who was stationed near the door as the guard for his office. He whipped his head around, giving an embarrassed chuckle before beginning:

“Ah.. good evening. I had to come later than usual," He explained, staring at you curiously. “Er, I believe another guard should have come for the night shift, yes..?”

“I took it,’’ You answered smoothly. “They had some family work to attend to. I apologise for not informing you earlier, this came into my attention quite recently.”

His brows furrowed. “Why not give the shift to—?”

“The guards you normally trust are either on vacation, or general leaves. I was the only one available, so..”

He shook his head. “You shouldn't overwork yourself, though.”

You gave a polite smile. “Please, don't worry about me.”

Seeing as you wouldn't budge, Sigma sighed and just walked over to his desk, flopping down onto his chair to begin. But, instead of providing his entire focus into the paperwork, his thoughts ranged from any errors to schedule delays to now you.

How come the night shift guard hadn't informed him of their situation, and that they could not work tonight? Sigma would have been fine without a guard for the night. But instead, they informed you to cover.

Scribbling his signature onto a document, he placed it onto a pile of papers before moving on to the next from the stack.

Had the guards been overworked?

Indeed, his usual guards had been on leaves; he'd memorized all the details by heart—the casino and his employees as extension were his family, after all.

He glanced up from the paperwork, moving his gaze to you.

“I insist again, you should—”

“I’m fine, sir.” Your hands move to your handgun. “Your safety is the priority.”

He dragged his eyes back onto the file, running his fingers through his silver-lilac hair. “It’s.. really rare to need such protection, especially this late into the day. I must emphasize, your pay won't be affected if you leave. Of course, you'll be compensated with overtime wages if—”

“It’s not the money,” You interrupted quietly. “I.. just want to, y’know?”

His hand slowly left his hair, his eyes blinking in confusion as you two locked stares. “What..?”

Shifting on your feet, you looked at the floor. “...Yeah.”

His brows furrowed as he tried to figure out this puzzle you'd just presented over to him. You'd work the night shift just ‘cause?

From what he knew, you lived in the casino permanently as he did, which was unlike the rest of the employees, who had families and homes in actual countries. There wasn't much in your file referencing to your past, and while that was intriguing, he never questioned it to avoid making you uncomfortable. Heaven knows how awkward he feels when someone asks him of such.

Slowly, you rose through the ranks and he gave you the duty to guard his office along with a few other trusted members.

“...Why don't you take vacations?” He asked, his tone quiet, matching yours.

Your head snapped to him, and you took a few seconds before responding: “I do take holidays, don't I?”

“Not in the way others do,” He murmured, suddenly gaining confidence. “They leave the casino to visit their friends and family in the countries below, but you…”

“...don't really have anyone,” You finished his sentence. Taking in his shocked expression, you explained, “Down there, I mean.”

Sigma slowly stood from his office chair, his eyes still widened. “What do you mean you have no one?”

“Just a combination of.. coincidental events, leaving me with no direct family.” You rubbed your temple. “It has its upsides though, right? Not having to take vacations to visit them..?”

“Everyone wants a place they can call a home!” He moved around the desk, his coat swaying as he walked over.

“You’re right.”

Hearing you, his steps faltered.

“...Like how you call the casino home, so do I.”

He straightened, fixing his gaze on you. He tried to find words to answer, but found none.

You gave a small smile. “Everyone has different stories as to why they're where they are; I’m sure you do too. But the place I now find myself in? I couldn't be more grateful. Especially for a manager that is so regularly concerned for the well-being of his employees.”

Slowly lowering his gaze from you onto the floor, he swallowed before answering, “...Why wouldn't I?”

You laughed slightly, making him stare back in confusion. “Managers usually don't care that much. You're really appreciated for all the work you do around, actually. Hell, we’re all concerned for you.”

“R..” He slowly began walking again. “Really?”

You closed your eyes, sighing. “Of cou—”

Your breath hitched as you felt arms wrapping around your torso. His scent, a lavender cologne, enveloped your senses as you tried to understand the sudden contact.

Slowly, your arms encircled his neck, and you felt him burying his face onto your head, his hands trembling as he squeezed you further.

“I.. I appreciate you all too. This casino.. it's my home, like you,” He mumbled into your hair.

Your eyes widened, and you couldn't help but smile.

“But please, retire to your room.” He pulled back just enough to give a determined look into your eyes.

“...Fine.” You looked back, your grip on his shoulders steady. “But you'll have to leave too.”

“H-huh..?” He tilted his head.

“Get some sleep, sir.” You smiled a little wider.

He blinked, turning his head to look back at his desk, glancing at the files. Then he fixed his gaze back at you, and gave a genuine laugh.

“Ah, fine.”

Trucy will say literally anything and then follow it up with "But I'm just a girl! A little itty bitty girl! And it's my birthday! You wouldn't be mean to a little birthday girl, would you?"

REACHED MY 100 KUDOS MILESTONE!!! YIPPEEEEEEEEE

Kristoph is so mom tbh I feel like men with mommy issues scurry to him like rats

My husband (Ao3) came back from war (1h maintenance) just to die of a heart attack (Error 500)

WOOOO first adena/mak fic on ao3!!! a canon divergent fic in which adena didn't die :))))

lowkey poetic writing sickfics while being sick myself