Teen omi: Today Haru stubbed his toe at a table and instead of screaming in pain he just said, "this was unpleasant". I liked it more when he was emotional.
Oh I absolutely LOVE these two! Very underrated dynamic!
(These headcanons include Narumitsu, and the last one heavily involves Franmaya, so if that’s not your cup of tea then no worries!)
Realistic Headcanon:
They can get very competitive if the opportunity presents itself.
At first, Phoenix is terrified of Franziska (and for good reason). He wants nothing to do with her and her obsession with perfection. But as time goes by, and circumstances toughen up Phoenix and soften Franziska, the two find themselves on a more equal wavelength. Sure, Phoenix is still more likely to let things go before they go too far, but otherwise? You had better not be in the same room as the two of them when a bet is on the line.
(More Headcanons Below!)
Unrealistic (but Hilarious) Headcanon):
Franziska’s whip is practically a part of her body at this point. Get on her bad side? The whip is out faster than you can blink.
And slightly unrelated, but I do headcanon that Franziska is so skilled with using her whip that she is able to hold back enough to prevent devastating harm. For example, while she does use her whip on literally anyone who crosses or annoys her (including Phoenix, of course), she doesn’t lash them so hard that they bleed, or are in excruciating pain. She’s able to hold back enough that it feels like a particularly painful slap, or even a punch when aimed a certain way, and the only markings left by the whip would be a bruise or a thin, red mark reminiscent of a sunburn that would fade away after a day or two.
Nevertheless, that whip still hurts like a bitch, and Phoenix has been a reoccurring victim of its wrath. In the years following the Engarde case, Phoenix’s mere presence infuriates Franziska, serving as a reminder of her first failure. Franziska does eventually warm up to Phoenix, but it takes a long time, and in the meantime Phoenix knows to expect a crack and a sting of pain whenever he sees the blue-haired prosecutor. And maybe Franziska does derive some satisfaction whenever he sees Phoenix flinch at her presence (who are we kidding, she totally does).
But then, something unexpected happens.
It’s many years after the two first met. Perhaps Phoenix even has Trucy now, who Franziska absolutely adores. But fools will be fools, and even after developing a begrudging fondness for this man her brother is so besotted for, Phoenix will undoubtedly spout some nonsense that has Franzisia gnashing her teeth and reaching for her whip.
Except when the whip descends and Phoenix instinctively recoils, his eyes widen. Not in pain, but in surprise.
Because the whip didn’t hurt him.
Phoenix had been whipped so much that he developed some kind of tolerance against the pain. Perhaps the constant lashes (as well as the other physical abuse he endured throughout his years as a defense attorney) helped him literally develop a thicker skin. Or maybe he’s so used to the pain that his brain just doesn’t register it as pain anymore.
He turns to Franziska, who looks just as shocked as he is. He realizes his mistake and tries to fake the pain, but it’s too late. Franziska sees right through him.
Her whip no longer works on Phoenix. He has secured another complete victory over her.
Because Franziska can’t whip him harder. Any harder, and she might actually cut him. She tries to whip him several times in a row, but it doesn’t change anything, and she’s quick to realize that continuing to whip him would only make it hurt less in the long run.
So to this day, Phoenix remains the only person that Franziska never whips. At first, Franziska’s subordinates believe that it’s because Franziska is afraid of him. That’s disproven soon enough, because Franziska has discovered other methods of intimidation that work perfectly fine on the thick-skinned attorney, much to Phoenix’s chagrin.
Maybe it would have been better if the whip still hurt…
Heart-Crushing and Awful Headcanon:
So… Phoenix and Franziska during the seven year gap.
In my headcanon, Miles was there. There is absolutely no question about that. Miles just about dropped everything to catch the first flight back to Japanifornia as soon as he heard the news, and even took some time off (which was absolutely unheard of for the prosecutor) to help Phoenix and his new daughter get to a place where they were stable. And even after this, when Miles returned to his job and occasionally needed to work abroad, he still regularly checked in with Phoenix and offered both emotional and financial support whenever it was needed.
Now, Franziska is a bit of a different story.
When she first heard the news, she was furious. How could that foolish defense attorney do something so unbelievably foolish!? Sure, Phoenix had done his fair share of stupid things, and his courtroom tactics are chaotic enough to belong in a circus, but to forge evidence? And against a rookie!? What was he thinking!?
Phoenix received many calls within the week of his disbarment, well-wishes and reassurances from friends (and even a few former clients) that help ground the former lawyer and give him the strength to keep going. Franziska wasn’t among those who called.
Eventually, Franziska received a call of her own from Miles. Of course, it’s about Phoenix. As soon as the man’s name left Mile’s lips, Franziska was off. She was absolutely fuming, ranting with a biting tone about a lack of brains and an even bigger lack of honor, about how foolish Phoenix was to even attempt something so stupid, and how she is an even bigger fool to have ever been bested by such a shameful excuse for a defense attorney.
And then Miles told her the truth, and her blood ran cold.
…The call Phoenix received a few weeks after his disbarment was a surprise, the caller even more so. Franziska’s words were as sharp as ever, and if Phoenix wasn’t already feeling so numb from the aftershock of everything that happened, he may have even flinched. But years of friendship with Miles had taught Phoenix how to see the care and concern behind the scolding, and he found himself smiling despite himself (and feeling glad that Franziska wasn’t there in person to see it, since he would no doubt receive a whipping).
Whenever Franziska overhears a subordinate or colleague badmouthing the disgraced attorney, they are quick to face the wrath of her whip. She was foolish enough to believe the same farce that lost Phoenix his badge, but she will not make the same mistake again.
Unrealistic Headcanon That Will Probably Never Happen:
Psst. Hey. Can I interest you in some… Franmaya?
So here Franziska is, lamenting over her foolish crush on that foolish (but admittedly beautiful) spirit medium. And that spirit medium happens to be best friends with a certain foolish defense attorney. The two are so close that they are practically siblings.
Which is obviously a huge problem for Franziska, who has historically not gotten along with Phoenix. But if she wants to have even a chance with Maya, she needs to develop an amicable relationship with the people she cares about.
She probably starts with Pearl, who takes… a while to warm up to her (I have some headcanons about the two of them that you can read here if you’d like!) She may even visit Khurain village and spend some time with the nuns and mediums, learning all she can about the history and culture Maya grew up with. The spirit mediums warm up to Franziska quickly, admiring her spirit and her dedication to learning, which is another victory for the prosecutor.
But she’s stalling, and she knows it. So she grits her teeth, takes a deep breath, and gives Phoenix a call.
Now, Franziska still scares Phoenix, there’s no doubt about that. But she scares him the same way Miles occasionally scares him, where Phoenix knows that he’s in deep trouble if he ever gets on Miles’ bad side, but also knows Miles enough to where he can see the cracks behind his mean, hardened persona.
And Phoenix isn’t stupid. He sees the way that Franziska looks at Maya, as much as she thinks she’s getting away with it, and he’s heard enough of Maya’s gushing to know that Franziska’s feelings are requited. But that doesn’t mean he can’t have a little fun. I mean, come on, when else would he get another opportunity like this, when Franziska is bending over backwards to get on his good side, despite how much she hates every moment? He’s spent enough time with Miles to know when to stop and when to keep prodding.
But he’s not heartless. He eventually gives Franziska his blessing (not that she needs it, he’s quick to clarify) and encourages her in her romantic pursuits. And it all works out, because whenever Maya is also in the same room as the two of them, Franziska seems to soften up ever so slightly, which means less ire directed Phoenix’s way. Really, it’s a win for everyone involved.
Thanks so much for the ask! Hope I did these two justice (pun intended!)
Send Me a Character or Relationship (Platonic or Romantic) and I’ll Give You Some Headcanons!
