Work Text:
I have just landed in Los Angeles.
A reply came within minutes, in typical Maya Fey fashion.
was this meant for me?
Franziska huffed down at the screen. Had that not been clear? She did not say as much, however. She had learned, since she and Maya Fey had become…acquainted, on several fleeting occasions, that one did not gain wilful company with irritable remarks. The few times their paths had crossed in the last year, she had been forced to bite her tongue more times than she had done her entire life prior.
Yes.
thinking of me on the flight over?;)
Don’t be crass.
Franziska waited several minutes for a response, but none came. She scowled down at her screen, and then at the next unfortunate passer-by who caught her eye. Then, she swallowed her pride.
Yes. I’d like to see you.
This received an instant reply.
ur cute
where are you staying?
I have a room at the Fan Palm hotel.
fancy! i’ll come over on one condition
And what is that?
we can get room service
Well I’m sure you don’t want me to cook for you again.
Maya, in reply, sent a string of small yellow laughing faces, which Franziska wasn’t even sure her own phone’s keyboard could access. She had certainly never had a correspondence in which she would need to use them.
Still, although she was cranky, and jetlagged, and ready to gouge out the eyes of the next TSA worker that tried to confiscate her whip, there was some comfort in knowing that someone was waiting for her on the other side. For the first time, though, that person wasn’t Miles, and she wasn’t quite sure how to feel about that. Of course he was going to pick her up, bring her to her hotel and insist that she should have cut costs by staying with him at the Gatewater—but then (after staying for a coffee or two) he would return to his new life, and she would be left alone. Thinking about Maya Fey.
They had slept together a total of seven times, over the course of the last year: the first time in Franziska’s office during a long stretch of stay in Los Angeles, and the second later that week, after a rather successful dinner date. But then Maya Fey had had to return to Kurain, and shortly after, Franziska had had to tend to some business at Interpol. The third time had been over the holidays, when they’d both, by coincidence, ended up at the same Christmas party, she dragged by Miles, and Maya voluntarily, she assumed.
Incident four was no coincidence; Franziska had been thinking about her, and the way Maya liked to push her against the wall and make her cry for a god she didn’t quite believe in, so when she found out she would be home from Kurain to visit Phoenix Wright and his daughter, Franziska may have pushed her quarterly visit to Los Angeles forward by a week (or month) or two to catch her. She told her brother it was due to a scheduling conflict, and he couldn’t prove otherwise.
Times five six and seven happened in the span of one night, three months prior, when Maya had texted her at 11pm, asking if she was up. She had expected something to be wrong, when the Fey girl had arrived at her hotel at such a late hour, but to the contrary, it seemed that she had been thinking about Franziska. Franziska had been angry for all of two seconds, and then Maya had kissed her with reckless abandon and slotted her thigh between her legs, and it was as forgotten as the paperwork she had been doing before she got the text.
So why waste time, waiting around for number eight to happen by chance when they were both finally in the same city at the same time again?
When Maya Fey arrived at the door of her hotel room and regarded Franziska for the first time in months, Franziska felt a nervous thrum in her skin that she wasn’t quite used to. Maya’s hair was slightly longer, whereas Franziska’s had only gotten shorter, her choppy bob barely grazing her earlobes and the nape of her neck buzzed short.
“Nice ‘do!” Maya grinned, batting her eyelashes in the foolish way she always did around Franziska. Franziska loathed the way it made her pulse stutter.
“Thank you,” Franziska said curtly, unsure where to put her hands.
Truth be told, this was the first time she had had an ‘encounter’ with Maya Fey that hadn’t been clouded with alcohol, sleep deprivation, or spontaneous and overwhelming lust. It was just the two of them, alone, in the quiet, sober and unaroused. Maya shut the door behind her, dropping her purse on the floor before snaking her arms around Franziska’s neck.
“Is this okay?”
Franziska nodded mutely.
One thing she had learned was that Maya liked to kiss, and she liked to kiss Franziska a lot. When Franziska had invited her over for dinner at her Airbnb, at which she’d served burnt pasta and the most expensive wine she could find at the 7-Eleven down the block, Maya had greeted her with a bright smile and a soft, lingering peck, and Franziska didn’t stop thinking about it until she could have it again.
Maya kissed her now, and Franziska couldn’t help but lean into it, to breathe her in, and think about what something like this might mean if they were both different people.
“How long are you in town for?” Maya asked then, combing her fingers through the shortest part of Franziska’s hair.
Franziska leaned into it, closing her eyes and feeling the stress of travel seep from her bones. When she opened her eyes, Maya was gazing at her intently.
“A week,” Franziska replied. “Maybe two.”
It was intimate in a way Franziska had never experienced before, too intimate for it to be excusable, and yet despite the way the close, unfiltered contact made her want to squirm, she could only fall further into it. It was like a disease.
Maya kissed her again, and just as Franziska expected her to kiss deeper, and claw the jacket from her body and moan into her open mouth, Maya pulled away, right at arms-length, and grinned.
“I changed my mind,” she said then, a playful smile tilting her lips. “I wanna go out.”
Franziska frowned. “Out where?”
Maya shrugged nonchalantly. “I dunno? There’s a bar at the hotel, right? We could get drinks there?”
Franziska tutted. “I am jetlagged, and exhausted, and I took a Xanax before my flight. I do not think…going for drinks…would suit me, right now.”
“I’ve heard a xannie before a glass of wine can make things interesting,” Maya said, winking.
When Franziska continued to stare at her with a flat look, Maya huffed. “C’mon! You’re not in town for that long and I—” her face softened, “I wanna make the most of it while you’re here, I guess. I wanna show you a good time in LA, Frannie, lord knows you need one.”
Franziska cursed herself for not being able to say no to her.
Being a Saturday night, the hotel bar was particularly busy, so much so that they could only find two seats by the bar. Franziska stuck to her usual whiskey-on-the-rocks, something her father had taught to do in the name of earning respect. She didn’t necessarily enjoy them, but they were straightforward, and she never felt foolish ordering one. Maya, on the other hand, ordered something called a “Pornstar Martini”, which was actually quite fitting (and unfortunately quite nice, when she made Franziska try it).
The piano player in the lounge manoeuvred seamlessly from one melody to another, leaving no room for applause, or even a water-break. Maya looked at their surroundings, then, eyeing up the businessmen, and women in silk skirts and blouses and dresses. Even Franziska could acknowledge that the two of them were underdressed—Maya in her usual spirit medium robes, and she in her reliable business formalwear. She had debated on whether to wear something a little…nicer, or to apply a darker shade of lipstick, before realizing how stupid she would look. She was glad that she hadn’t, now. Maya hadn’t made much of an effort either.
“Everyone here looks like they go to wine tastings,” Maya said.
“I go to wine tastings,” Franziska replied pointedly.
Maya snorted and shook her head. “Of course you do.” She giggled into her empty glass, before ordering two more drinks from the bartender. She turned her attention to Franziska again. “I can’t believe I’m seeing someone whose favourite colour is grey.”
Were they seeing each other?
Franziska held her breath, and then evened it out. “Grey is a perfectly acceptable favourite colour. It goes with everything.”
“It’s boring.”
“It’s sophisticated.”
Maya rolled her eyes.
“Fine,” Franziska said, narrowing her eyes. “What is yours?”
Maya leaned forward and squinted right back. “I don’t believe you care.”
“I don’t. But I would like to hear your defence of whatever tacky abomination you choose.”
Maya regarded her, before smiling into the fresh glass of whatever she had just received from the bartender. “I like blue.”
“Why?”
Maya quirked her eyebrow. “Can’t it be enough to like to look at it?”
“Not really, but I doubt arguing with you is going to convince you otherwise.”
“I’m so glad we understand each other,” Maya simpered, before grinning cheekily.
One drink became two quite quickly, Maya’s hand resting on her knee, and just as she was about to suggest they go back to the room, Maya’s phone buzzed, vibrating the entire bar counter. Maya glanced down at the Caller ID, before sighing.
“Sorry, I have to take this, I’ll tell him I’m busy,” Maya sighed, lifting the phone to her ear. “’Sup, Nick!” She paused for a moment to listen. “Sorry, I can’t, I’m not feeling well…..No, I—listen, I told you yesterday I had a headache, remember?.....I did……..That’s the tv.”
Franziska supressed a smirk, and Maya kicked her in the shin, clamping her own grin down.
“Why would I be lying, what would I have to lie about? Oh yeah, you caught me Nick, I’m lying about being sick right now just to get out of my favourite pastime, drinking with my friends. You really foiled my plans.”
Franziska’s own phone pinged, and she glanced down at the notification on her lock screen.
Miles Edgeworth: On the off chance that you aren’t already…
She unlocked her phone to read the rest.
On the off chance that you aren’t already asleep, myself and some others are having a few drinks at Flannagan’s bar, and would like to extend the invitation to you, if you’re interested.
It was forward of her brother to text her out of the blue, never mind invite her to a bar. She could only assume he was already a drink or two deep.
“Okay fine! Fine! I was lying, cos I’m already out! Jesus Christ, what if I actually was sick, though? You are so pushy sometimes!.....No, I can’t…..Because I’m on a date…….I am not bringing my date to Flannagan’s, Nick, I don’t really think centuries-old beer mats and piss-stained booth covers are a massive turn-on these days.”
She shot a sheepish look at Franziska and sighed. “Okay, okay okay, I’ll try make an appearance, some time tonight. But I can’t guarantee it, capiche? Okay. See you later.”
She dropped her phone down onto the bar before cringing at Franziska. “So about that…”
“I don’t know why you insist on keeping that Phoenix Wright around,” Franziska tutted.
“I know,” Maya groaned, burying her face in her hands, “he’s been dragging me everywhere lately.” She threw back the rest of her drink. “I’m pretty sure he’s afraid of being alone with your brother in case they sleep together.”
On the numerous previous occasions that Maya had brought up Miles’ fondness for the opposing counsel (which in its own rite was abhorrent to Franziska), specifically the nature of their sexual relationship (or lack thereof) she had learned that expressing her disgust surrounding the topic did not deter Maya. Rather, it only seemed to encourage her. Now, she swallowed her repulsion, opting for curiosity instead.
“I did not know they were sleeping together.”
Maya snorted. “That’s because they’re not. They finally bit the bullet and went on a few dates, but…you know how it is, when it’s been a while. Especially if it’s someone you really like.”
“No,” Franziska replied. “I cannot say I’ve found myself in that situation.”
Maya quirked a smile at her. “Can’t say I envy you. So, what, you’ve never been in love? Or you have, but you never got to have sex with them?”
That was the question of the hour, indeed. Franziska’s sex-life, much like every other aspect of her life, was done in a procedural fashion. Upon coming of age, she took the initiative to experiment with both a man and a woman alike, both securing her confidence in her sexual identity so that she wouldn’t have to waste any time or energy pondering it, and ensuring that she had thoroughly experienced her youth so that she wouldn’t harbour any future resentment towards the considerable workload she had ahead of her. That had been four years ago, however, and until Maya, that had been the extent of her sexual exploits.
As for love…well. She was a very busy woman.
“Liking people is not one of my strongest assets,” she replied curtly.
Maya let out a low whistle. “I know I did not hear you admit you’re not perfect at something. Did you spike my drink?”
Franziska rolled her eyes. Though she would never tell a soul, sometimes she wondered if things would have been easier for her, had she learned to tolerate others at a younger age. If she would be happier, surrounded by her peers, much like Miles was. That said, after actually spending time with her peers she was always content with her life as it was.
Maya continued, “Well I, for one, hate the whole dating-thing. Like, in the early days, when you don’t know what’s okay to say and do or not, and things are all awkward, and you don’t know when the right time to sleep with them is, or if it’ll even be good—” she shuddered. “It’s awful.”
Franziska frowned. Maya caught her expression and immediately backtracked.
“I mean obviously I’m not having an awful time with you, but then again, we’re not really doing the whole traditional-dating-thing, are we? If anything we’re doing it backwards.”
This was not the first time that evening that Maya had insinuated that their relationship was no longer strictly-sexual, but Franziska’s face burned, all the same. They had never actually discussed it, but Franziska supposed it was the only logical conclusion, given that they were having drinks together and talking right now, rather than in the bedroom (although she did hope that that part was coming soon).
“And anyway,” Maya continued, “unlike you, I’m not able to sleep with people I don’t like, even a little bit.”
There was no bite to her words, and Franziska assumed she was prodding fun at her constant assertion that she found Maya irritating. The alcohol was beginning to loosen her limbs, and although she registered its effect on her inhibitions vaguely at the back of her mind, she couldn’t stop the lopsided smile from spreading on her face with the admission that Maya liked her. She didn’t really want to think about why her stomach had fluttered so wildly, just then. Probably the Xanax.
That said, there was also the chance that Maya was currently sleeping with other women. And that was fine. They enjoyed each other’s company, that much had been established, but they were in no way exclusive, and certainly not in a relationship. They could kiss each other, and have sex with one another, and make each other laugh and get drinks at a hotel bar, without being in a relationship, so really, it made no difference to Franziska who Maya chose to spend her time with when she was not around. At the very most, Maya Fey was valuable to her as the occasional source of tension-relief, more than anything else—
“Are there others?”
Oh god, that was her voice.
Maya tilted her head with a quirked smile. “Others…?” Then, realization danced into her bright eyes, and Franziska downed the rest of her drink. “Are you asking me if I’m seeing anyone else?”
Franziska swore off alcohol for the rest of her life.
“Don’t be foolish,” Franziska muttered into her empty glass. “What care would I have for that sort of information?”
Maya Fey’s smile was unrelenting. “You’re a terrible liar. And I haven’t had a lot of time for dating, to be honest.”
Franziska blinked at her.
“Just you,” Maya clarified, her smile softening.
Franziska’s chest constricted again in a way that made her both panicked and light-headed. Maybe it was just the drink hitting quickly. Maybe that smile just had a narcotic sort of effect on her. Maybe it was the actual narcotics in her system.
“I see,” she said, and cleared her throat awkwardly. “Likewise.”
Maya snorted. Her phone buzzed again, and she glanced down at it, before huffing in frustration. “This fucking—ugh…” She scooped up her phone and turned it off, before turning apologetically to Franziska.
“I might actually have to go. He’s in super-crisis mode right now and as much as he’s annoying me he is my best friend.”
Franziska was starting to question if she had been spiked, because somehow she could not find it in herself to be angry at Maya in the slightest.
“That’s alright,” Franziska said. “Although you’re a much better friend than he deserves.”
Maya punched her playfully on the shoulder. “You are such a bitch! Do you talk about me like that when I’m not around?”
“Oh I speak of you much worse.”
“You sweettalk me too much,” Maya cooed. “Any chance you have a secret deep appreciation for centuries-old beer mats and piss-stained booth covers?”
“I thought that kind of romance was reserved for your date tonight,” Franziska taunted.
Maya guffawed, her cheeks flushing. It amazed Franziska to no end how so many different sides of Maya Fey existed, and how quickly and subtly she could switch up the one she was presenting to the world. Franziska quite enjoyed the one she could make blush.
“Shut up,” Maya said, “this is so a date and you know it. But it’s okay, I’m not expecting you to come or anything, I know you probably wouldn’t want the others in our business.”
“I suppose I could come along, for a while,” Franziska began slowly, averting her own eyes from Maya’s rapidly-widening ones. “Miles invited me also, so it would not be conspicuous if I arrived alongside you. Although I can’t say I’ll hold the same patience for the others as I do you.”
Maya was positively beaming at her. Then, she leaned over and captured Franziska’s lips with her own. It was over before Franziska could really register that their display of affection was entirely public, but not before she could lean into the kiss, lean into Maya, every cell in her skin fluttering with warmth. It was funny: she had always assumed that she was different, that she was somehow exempt from the type of desire that made others weak, and here she was, chasing Maya for another kiss. Weak was exactly how she felt, but slowly, she was learning to be alright with that. Especially if this was her reward.
After a moment or two, Maya leaned back in her seat, grinning at Franziska with pink cheeks and even pinker lips. “Are you sure, though? You know you don’t have to come.”
Franziska’s face burned, and she hoped it wasn’t showing on her skin. “I’ll go, if you’ll have me.”
“Oh, I’ll have you later, don’t worry about that,” Maya said, wiggling her eyebrows. “Seriously, we can stay for like, an hour, and then we are going straight back to the room, cool with you?”
Franziska cursed Phoenix Wright and her smitten brother.
Then, she beckoned the bartender over and said, “You may charge our drinks to room 527 under Von Karma.”
When she stood to gather her things, Maya was staring at her, eyebrows raised and her grin shark-like. “Scratch that,” she said, “we’re staying for 30 minutes tops and then we are going straight back to the room.”
Flannagan’s was crowded, given that it was a weekend, but upon entering, her brother spotted them and beckoned them over, having already secured a table for them. Maya grinned luminously, shucking off her coat and draping it over the back of the booth, while the rest of the table greeted her.
“What’s up?” she offered, gesturing towards Franziska. “Look who I ran into outside!”
Franziska was thankful that Maya seemed just as keen as she was to maintain their privacy. She didn’t need borderline-strangers knowing that she wasn’t entirely inhumane. It would ruin her reputation.
“Heyyy you made it!” Wright cheered, raising his glass to her. “What happened to your date?”
“Since when do you go on dates and not text me about them?” the young detective girl affronted as Maya slid into the booth. Franziska knew her from past cases, she was sure, but if she could help it she tried to erase those who held no value or interest to her from her mind, once the work was done.
Franziska slotted herself between Maya and Miles who, interestingly, was not sitting beside Wright.
“I didn’t expect you to come,” her brother said lowly, upon her arrival. “It’s quite out of character for you.”
This was true. Franziska could not think of an excuse for that, other than the truth.
“Alright?” she said, staring at him uneasily. “I do not know what you wish me to say about that. Here I am.”
He examined her expression, which was quickly turning into a scowl, before he shrugged and turned back to the conversation at hand.
“First of all, Nick,” Maya was announcing, having reverted back to a face that Franziska was most familiar with, “I told you I wasn’t bringing my date to this dump, so I had to bail on her—which I resent you for, by the way, because we were having a really good time before you dragged me here.”
The base of her heel met Franziska’s foot under the table, igniting the warmth under her skin again. Maya turned to the detective girl. “And second of all, I’m calling bullshit on that one, Ema, because I saw on your Instagram story last week that you were on a date and I heard jack shit about that one, so consider that custom null and void!”
Ema Skye, that was it. She was a friend of Maya’s, but that was all Franziska cared to know about her, unless they were to meet again on the job.
Ema Skye’s jaw dropped open in offense. “It wasn’t a date, we’re just work friends!”
Maya hummed. “Sure.” She turned to the rest of the table. “Have you guys been here long?”
Apollo Justice shook his head, as did Detective Gumshoe. At least his face was one that Franziska was quite familiar with, although she was sure she would prefer differently.
“Not really,” Justice said, “Mr Wright called me to come here like an hour ago. To be honest I was expecting a crime scene.”
Wright frowned. “What happened to wanting to hang out with your ol’ mentor?”
“I do, but I’m also getting, like, six hours of sleep a week now.”
“Well I, for one, am always down to get drinks,” Ema Skye announced. “In fact, next round’s on me!”
Franziska was not always superb at deciphering the emotions of others, but one look at her brother’s face made it blatantly obvious that their invitation was not his idea, nor his preference. She had not been inclined to believe Maya about the situation at hand earlier, but perhaps she had been correct.
Well, that was not Franziska’s problem. She had more pressing matters to be concerned with than her brother’s romantic life. Like her own romantic life.
Ema Skye bought a round of drinks, followed by Miles. Detective Gumshoe offered the sentiment, but his wage had been docked on so many occasions that he could no longer afford that kind of spending. She and Maya had already had several drinks before they’d arrived, so by the time Maya bought everyone a round of tequila shots, Franziska wasn’t sure how she was still sitting upright. She couldn’t be entirely sure that she was, given how her head was swimming.
Maya, on the other hand, held her alcohol quite well, although she was becoming more boisterous by the minute. Even more distressingly, she was giggling, and hiccupping, and slurring her words, and Franziska had caught herself leaning into her on multiple occasions just to be closer to that laugh and that smile, and what’s worse was that Maya always leaned back, like it was the most natural and pleasant thing in the world. Had she been a woman with less willpower, she might have disregarded her inhibitions entirely and kissed Maya right then and there, or at the very least tucked herself under her arm for the night. Instead, she sat there, yearning and suffering, waiting until no one was looking so that Maya could rub her foot against Franziska’s leg.
“I don’t do…shots,” Franziska muttered, when Maya handed her a tequila shot. “Much less cheap tequila.”
“Can’t be much worse than the straight whiskey you drink, you monster,” Maya said, then cleared her throat. “That you told me about—that I saw you drink earlier. Here.”
Franziska concealed a snicker, trying so desperately not to be endeared, because no one was even paying enough attention to them for the situation to need correcting. Wright had finally slid into the booth to speak to her brother more intimately, a drunken flush across his face as they shut everyone else out from their conversation. Franziska didn’t care much for manners, but even she knew that that was rude. Gumshoe, Justice, and Skye were heavily involved in a discussion surrounding…something called Skee-Ball.
“It’s not that bad,” Maya said, “you lick salt first and then chase it with lime so it doesn’t hit as hard. Look, I’ll go first.” She grabbed the shot glass and her eyes met Franziska’s. “Gotta make eye contact when you cheers, for good luck,” she explained, clinking her shot glass against hers on the table. Then she poured a strip of salt onto the back of her hand, placing a lime slice next to it. Franziska watched as she dragged her tongue across the salt on her skin, gaze locked, and the way Maya’s eyes sparkled like she knew exactly how she looked right now gave Franziska flashbacks that she would rather not have, in a room full of people. Maya threw back the shot like it was water, before jamming the lime slice in her mouth and grinning. “Your turn!”
Franziska’s attempt at taking the shot was much less sensual, and quite pathetic, frankly. The whole table erupted into laughter as she gagged, screwing her eyes shut and coughing into her elbow, and Maya’s hand rubbing the small of her back, supposedly encouraging her to stop coughing, was doing nothing but worsening her condition.
“Are you feeling unwell?” Maya asked her, a little too loudly.
“No, I just—”
“Here, you should go to the bathroom, just in case.”
Before Franziska could even register that she was standing, she was being dragged to the bathroom by a staggering Maya. It was empty; Franziska wasn’t surprised—she could understand why no one would come in here by choice.
“I don’t feel sick,” Franziska protested in confusion, leaning against the sink counter, which was unreasonably pooling with water.
“I know, doofus,” Maya grinned, leaning in to kiss her. “I was just looking for an excuse to be alone with you.”
Franziska hummed against her lips, wrapping her arms around Maya’s neck and breathing her in. The last time she had wanted to kiss Maya this much, the evening Franziska cooked for her, she had been satiated once she’d gotten what she wanted. Her tolerance must be getting higher, though, because it wasn’t enough anymore. Even after their lips separated, and they breathed against one another with foolish smiles, returning to the table before anyone came to check on them, all Franziska could do was look for another opportunity to feel Maya’s skin on hers. A slap on the shoulder in good humour, or a brushing of hands while passing a glass along. The interlocking of their pinky fingers under the table. Franziska might have scolded herself for letting herself get this close, might have heard her father scold her instead, had she been less intoxicated. Instead, all she could do is think, with utter simplicity and a quietness she had not felt in a very long time, I really like Maya Fey.
They stayed longer than intended; Gumshoe was the first to call it, because he had a family, or something, to return home to. The others agreed that they, too, should be getting home, and when Franziska stood to leave, her brother glanced up at her.
“Would you like me to share a cab with you?”
It was almost laughable, how much he obviously did not want her to say yes. He looked quite comfortable where he was, next to Wright.
She quirked a smile at him. “I’ll be quite alright. Goodnight, Miles. Wright,” she nodded.
“Bye, Franziska,” Wright called, looking as though he was going to fall sleep.
“We’ll stay on for a bit, but text me when you’re home safe.”
Franziska was not going to do that. She did not do that kind of thing with her brother, but she appreciated the sentiment.
The chill of night air was sobering, but not sobering enough to stop her from curling into Maya for warmth, after watching all of Maya’s peers say their goodbyes and climb into their ubers.
“Sorry we ended up staying so long,” Maya murmured into her ear, before placing a kiss on it. She stuck her hand out for a cab, but it drove by. Franziska watched her sigh and call an uber instead.
“It was not…awful,” Franziska admitted, because it was true, and Maya Fey deserved credit where credit was due. She had knack for making things tolerable. “Although I continue to question the company you keep.”
“Including your brother?”
“Especially my brother,” Franziska insisted. “He has been insufferably docile, lately, like Phoenix Wright’s personal lap dog.”
When she glanced up at Maya, there was a broad grin on her face. “I think they’re sweet,” she said. “I think you’re sweet. I like it when you do that thing when you’re an asshole to everyone but me.”
Franziska wasn’t sure how to respond without sounding dim-witted, so she kissed Maya instead.
The uber ride to the hotel was not that long, but Maya still somehow managed to doze off on Franziska’s shoulder on the way. They were both equally unstable on their feet, and so they kept each other steady on the way to the room, Maya laughing and peppering her neck with little kisses every now and then. Once inside, Maya shucked off her jacket and purse, dropping them to the floor and yawning.
Franziska grabbed two bottles of water from the mini fridge and set them down beside the bed. The pressing need to sleep with Maya had settled somewhere in between her last two drinks, and more urgently now came the need to sleep for fourteen hours. She wasn’t sure if any of her button down pyjamas would fit Maya’s chest, as it was certainly bigger than her own, so instead she handed her a large t-shirt and a pair of flannel bottoms. Then, she went into the bathroom to try her best at her skincare routine.
When she re-entered the bedroom, Maya was seemingly unconscious, having chugged half of the water in her bottle and dressed herself in Franziska’s t-shirt, leaving her legs bare. Franziska got into her own pyjamas, turning the lights off in the room and getting under the covers of the bed. To her surprise, Maya climbed under alongside her.
“Hey, Fran?” she whispered.
“Yes?” she whispered back bemusedly.
“I think I’m too tired to have sex right now.”
Franziska did not conceal her snort. “Me too.”
Maya grinned, her eyes still closed. “You have the best laugh.” A lock of hair flopped onto her face, and Franziska tucked it behind her ear.
“Can I say something else?” Maya said, her voice dropping. “And you tell me what you think?”
Franziska’s gut fluttered with nerves. Next to her father, Maya was the only one who could make it do that, but this time it was not entirely unpleasant. "Go ahead."
“I really like you, and I really like spending time with you, not just in a sex-kinda-way.” She fell silent, and Franziska realized that she was waiting for her to give some sort of feedback. Franziska swallowed down the hesitation that bubbled up in her throat.
“I really like you too,” she whispered.
Maya gave a sleepy smile. “I don’t wanna ruin this by moving too quickly and changing too much too soon but…I won’t date anyone else if you won’t.”
That…was something that Franziska could definitely agree to. The hesitation-bubble that she was trying so hard to force down, popped. “I would like that very much.”
“Cool,” Maya whispered, before snuggling up into Franziska’s body and breathing a content sigh. “Tomorrow morning can we order room service?”
“Sure.”
“’Cos I’m really craving pancakes. And we can watch Suits as well if you want. Have you seen it? It’s about lawyers.”
“No.”
“Oh. Well I’m on season three, right now, but I can watch it from the start with you if you want.”
“I do not mind watching whatever episode you’re on,” Franziska said, her own words surprising her.
She realized it was true, though. Although watching something without context or prior knowledge of its plot generally frustrated her, she found herself willing to inconvenience herself for the sake of pleasing Maya, and not even caring in the slightest. In fact, the idea of curling up next to her on the couch, eating pancakes and watching her reactions to whatever terrible show she loved, sounded like a pretty good way to spend a Sunday.
“You’re the best,” Maya said, punctuating her words with a kiss to the collarbone.
Maybe in the morning, Franziska would feel embarrassed by the way she had acted tonight, or even angry at herself for getting this close. Disappointed in herself, for being weak, maybe. Right now, though, she was looking forward to waking up next to Maya Fey, and she could make her peace with that.