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THE ONE WHERE AN APOLOGY IS ISSUED
Franziska sighed as she lowered her phone. This was the place where she'd arranged to meet with Scruffy: a small cafe not far from the district courthouse. It had been some years since she'd last been to Los Angeles as her work now took her all over the world. More consultant than lawyer these days, Franziska could not help but have a certain nostalgia for those years past, even if she had been younger and angrier back then.
Time had changed her. Not for the better or the worse; she was just... different, now, or at least that was how she liked to think about it.
She had been seated at a small table with a sensible floral arrangement placed in a vase at the centre. Franziska had always despised those places that never left enough room for one to comfortably peruse the menu. What did she feel like drinking? Was this a situation that called for coffee, or for something stronger?
Franziska's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door opening.
Time had changed her. Not for the better or the worse; she was just... different, now, or at least that was how she liked to think about it.
She had been seated at a small table with a sensible floral arrangement placed in a vase at the centre. Franziska had always despised those places that never left enough room for one to comfortably peruse the menu. What did she feel like drinking? Was this a situation that called for coffee, or for something stronger?
Franziska's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door opening.
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With a sweeping motion, she gestures to the room around them. "Do you know why I invited you to meet me here today?"
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"Um... I don't really know for sure. I thought it would be for some kinda case, or to tell me that I messed up at something..." What else could it be?
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"I wanted to apologi--"
It's at that very moment that their waiter returns, carrying a tray with their drinks carefully balanced atop.
"Two coffees with cream?" he asks, before starting to set the cups down.
Franziska glares at him, slamming a fist gently against the table. "Can't you see we're in the middle of something?"
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He's ready to listen with intent - and then their drinks arrive. Despite Franziska's outburst, Gumshoe chimes in with a simple, "Thanks, pal!" to the waiter. Then, to try to calm down the prosecutor. "At- at least now we got our drinks, Miss Von Karma!"
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Trying to be a better person was truly tiring, and if it wasn't for the fact that Franziska von Karma simply had to be the best at everything she did, she wasn't sure she would even bother at all.
She takes a deep breath, placing her hands on either side of her cup, looking more at her coffee than the detective across the table when she speaks. "Indeed. I should be grateful." Her coffee is too hot to drink immediately, and she grimaces as she gingerly removes her hands.
Finally looking Gumshoe in the eyes, she continues. She had started speaking, after all, and she did not simply give up. "What I was saying is I want to apologise for my past behaviour towards you. I was--"
Anything that can come after that sentence simply sounds like an excuse, so Franziska forgoes it. Instead, she says, "You do not deserve to be treated that way by anyone, do you understand?"
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"...M-Miss... Miss Von Karma...!" he manages to gasp. And then he goes on, surprised. "You really think that? But... I messed up on a whole bunch of investigations in the past. I- I'm sure I deserve a lot of it!" He's gotten so used to his treatment that it's hard to accept... even if it still warms his heart.
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She places her cup back down on her table to wait for it to cool further.
"Do you need me to make it clearer for you?"
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Gumshoe then looks back up at her, looking warm yet confused. "I guess I could use some clarifications. So when you say that the way you treated me in the past was wrong, you mean... like the whole whipping thing, right?" He says with an uncertain scratch of his head. There's a lot she could theoretically be apologizing for, and he feels like he should narrow it down while he processes this whole concept.
I see he's going to make her work for it :,)
The way he asks, however, makes her feel that there is more she could (should!) apologise for, but she can't quite pinpoint it at the moment, which is bothersome indeed.
"Perfection is not a goal, but a journey. I am perfect in every way," she reiterates, fingers tightening around the handle of her cup with more intensity than she intends, "and that extends to knowing, perfectly, when I have acted poorly in the past."
It's never easy with him
and now they're just validating each other... pure...
"You deserve praise when you do good work."
It really is like patting a dog, she feels.
yes good!
"I do?" He questions it for a moment, and then he goes on. "Yeah, you're right, sir! I do!! Thank you, Miss Von Karma!!" Then, he deflates slightly as he scratches at his head. "But y'know, I do still mess up sometimes. And that's still not good either! I have to do my best, to help make sure that the perfect prosecutor has the perfect case, after all!!"
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"Never fear, when you err, I will reprimand you." She drains the rest of her coffee and sets it down on the table with a loud thump.
"Sternly."
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"...That's fine by me, sir. And I'll take your lessons to heart!" He tugs at the lapels of his trenchoat. "You're lookin' at a brand new Gumshoe! From now on, I'm never making the same mistake twice!" He hopes.
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She gestures at his coffee cup. "Would you like another?"
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He shakes his head gently at her offer and pats at his mug. "No thanks, sir! I should be good with just this one. ...But I appreciate the offer!! You're a kinder and more generous person than I ever imagined, Miss Von Karma!"
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"I'll get the bill," she says, waving their waiter over.
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"Are you sure about that, sir?" He asks, just to make sure. "That's awful nice!"
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The waiter scurries over with their bill, still eyeing Franziska warily, and she promptly removes her credit card from her wallet and places it on the tray.
"See? All done."
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Regardless, his gratitude shines in his smile.
"Awww... Thank you so much, Miss Von Karma!! I owe ya one!"
and then gumshoe wakes up. IT WAS ALL A DREAM.
And even though Gumshoe's best might not be anywhere as good as Franziska's, he could try, and as long as there was improvement, Franziska would be satisfied.
That would be his luck!!
Now, he begins to feel truly inspired by her.
i mean, it would still be a very pleasant dream, SO
No need for Scruffy to know how much their coffees cost, after all.
She dusts herself off as begins to stand up.
"It was good to see you again," she says, finding that she actually means it.
Very true...!
Even now, he's still surprised that Franziska could be pleased to see him. But he won't dwell on it. Instead he rises to his feet and salutes her.
"Thank you, Miss Von Karma!! I'm happy to see you again too, sir!" It would be a wonder if anyone in the cafe did not notice his loud display.
it would help if i actually used a smiling icon oops
"Until we meet again," she continues, with a small incline of the ahead, acknowledging the detective's salute.
Second time's the charm! Iconic
"Until then... take care, Miss Von Karma!" He just remains there, grinning like a buffoon.
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"Take care."
That had been a successful meeting indeed.