Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Apollo wasn’t quite sure what he expected when they pulled up to the venue.

Maybe something grandiose – a football stadium filled with thousands of screaming teenage girls who would faint if glanced at by the man himself. Or an extravagant lightshow, where a massive beam would display the letter G in the clouds as if they were calling Batman. He rolled his eyes at the thought alone. He would rather be found dead than in such a crowd.

No, instead, they found themselves at a much smaller building. Sure, a row was queued up, which consisted mostly of teen girls, but there was no extravagant lightshow – outside the building, at least. Only a lit up façade that displayed in bold, black letters:

KLAVIER GAVIN – SOLO INLAND TOUR

SOLD OUT

There was one thing he hadn’t been wrong about, though. Two squealing girls were next to him in Chief Prosecutor Edgeworth’s gaudy, red car. If he hadn’t been deaf before that moment, he sure was now on both ears, as the radio had blasted old Gavinners songs and Trucy and Athena were singing along with all the power vested in them.

This entire night was going to make him feel very out of place.

Not only was he the retainer for two teenage fangirls – Holy Mother love them both -  and was being dropped off by both parents of the Wright household, the actual culprit of this situation had granted the three of them backstage access. He had no idea whether he should thank Klavier or hold him accountable, so he settled on both.

He hadn’t fully understood it, either. He figured he kept his… interest in Klavier’s music career rather hidden, and Apollo found it hard to believe he had put so much effort in finding out about it. And it wasn’t like the two of them were that close either. Sure, they found themselves regularly facing off in court, and it wasn’t so long ago they had added coffee afterwards to the equation. But that wasn’t enough reason to actually grant him a valid reason to gain backstage access.

He had been thinking about it ever since Klavier had handed him the tickets when they were waiting for their order at a café. Here, Herr Forehead, he had said, giving him a smile and a wink. Congrats on closing that case.

Apollo had looked at him, dumbfounded, and had refused to accept it, but Klavier insisted. Something about how he wanted him to be there for the first show of his inland solo tour. Which brought them to this moment in time – his boss had stepped out of his husband’s car and opened the door on Trucy’s side, who practically launched herself out of the vehicle.

Without giving him any chance to move, Athena already started pushing him in his side, with her foot no less. Her hands were occupied by an extremely large bouquet of flowers, though Apollo didn’t think that was a good enough excuse. “Come on! We’re going to be late!” She exclaimed.

He felt Trucy’s hands around his forearm, yanking it (and therefore practically dislocating it) to get him to move. “Yeah! C’mon ‘Pollo, look at the number of people, we gotta GO!”

Was this really what his evening was going to be like? They did know they could just go in through the back door, right? They didn’t actually have to queue up for anything. He recalled explaining that.

“Jeez! You’re not even giving me a chance to move,” he recoiled, the last words of his sentence turning into a grumble as he forced his way out of the car. He straightened his outfit (removing the dusty footprint now apparent on his side) and dodged out the way as Athena shot out the car behind him.

Mr Wright gave him a knowing, tired glance, paired with a half-smile before he turned to Trucy. “Now, Trucy, you know what we agreed upon, right?”

Trucy moved impatiently, bouncing in place. She spoke in an exaggerated voice of annoyance he remembered from his own time as a teen. “Yes, we’ve been over this a million times, Daddy.” She stuck a finger in the air, putting on a face that was supposed to be wise-looking. Apollo chuckled. “Stay near Athena and Apollo, don’t wander off alone, don’t accept drinks from strangers, keep wallets and phones in hard-to-reach places, and most importantly, have fun.”

Wright ruffled through her hair. “Exactly. We’ll be here to pick you up. Now, go say bye to Papa.” And like that, Trucy dove back in the car, this time the front seat.

Apollo fondly watched the exchange between the two, but snapped out of his thoughts when his boss turned to him. Wright scratched the back of his neck, and Apollo didn’t need Athena’s powers to know that he was antsier than he should be. “Now, I have full faith in you, but please make sure-“

“Don’t worry, Mr Wright!” Athena interrupted, flashing him a bright smile and a peace sign. “We’ll make sure nothing happens. After all, we got Apollo watching over us!”

Apollo blinked a few times and lifted a brow as she gave her a quick glance. “Uh, yeah, I won’t lose her out of my sight. Don’t worry – We’ll be fine!” He gave him a reassuring smile.

Mr. Wright smiled, and gave him a nod. Trucy had now managed to crawl out of the car, and was standing with the three of them. “Well then, I trust you. Don’t forget to have fun yourself, Apollo. Call when you need to be picked up.” He sat back down again, closed the door, and with the sound of a roaring engine, the red car was gone.

“Now then, let’s find that back door,” Apollo muttered, mostly to himself, as he eyed through the crowd. The two girls quickly were lost into conversation, one he had no intention of following, as he squinted his eyes to try and find where they needed to enter. Klavier had said something about a side entrance…

He took his phone out of his pocket, flashing brightly compared to his surroundings, as he found the directions Klavier had texted him. It was accompanied by several other useless messages and the occasional selfie he wanted advice on (Apollo had no idea why he should decide what is “Insta-worthy”, he hadn’t touched his account in years), but after a fair bit of scrolling he had found it. He ushered Trucy and Athena to follow him, and with his phone in his hand, he led them into a side alley, labelled “side entrance”. Creative.

He showed the security guard, who was easily twice his size, the tickets Klavier had given him, and after not a lot of hassle, he opened the door. A separate person – a young woman with a headset,  showed up and directed them through the hall, to a small room labelled ‘Klavier Gavin’. His eyes lingered on the improvised nameplate for a bit, and habitually his hand traced the grooves on his bracelet.

Apollo knew they couldn’t see Klavier before the show, as he would be too busy doing whatever rock stars do before a show. He wondered what he felt like right now. Was he nervous in there? It was hard to believe – the man radiated confidence Apollo only wished he could have, and it wasn’t like this was his first time on stage. Excited, perhaps? It seemed like a thrilling experience to see thousands of your fans watch you perform.

One he could never handle, no, no. But Klavier…

He pushed away the thought as she saw the woman take the oversized bouquet from Athena, promising to keep it backstage until the show was done. Athena showed her a big smile and gave her thanks as they continued walking.

She let the three of them to near the stage, where several technicians were setting up the show. She opened the gate to the front row, placing them smack-dab next to the podium. From here, he was almost sure he could jump on the podium himself.

Apollo glanced around the venue. If he had to describe it with one word, it would be humble. It wasn’t as big as he had expected – it was a rather private hall, with a small stage. The back of it was decorated with a dark magenta fabric, displaying a white logo of a K and a G linked together. Though Apollo could see some resemblance of the old Gavinners logo in this one, it somehow felt.. fresh. Something new.

The lights lined around the podium shimmered a pleasant, reddish pink, hueing the black stage beautifully. In the back of the podium sat a small band; he could see drums, a bass guitar, and two other guitars. In the middle of the podium stood a microphone. A stool and an acoustic guitar were propped to the side.

Despite the fact that it was sold out, it was clear that the room wasn’t used to its full capacity. When the crowds settled, a large section of the floor was still exposed.

It all felt incredibly intimate.

He let his eyes tear away from his surroundings, and glanced over to his companions. Trucy had a sparkle in her eyes as she took in everything, probably taking some mental notes for her own performances. Athena was popping in some earbuds, which reminded him to do the same. He tapped Trucy’s shoulder, who quickly caught on and followed his actions.

It didn’t take long before the lights dimmed and applause started erupting from around them. His heart beat in his throat, as it usually did when it was pumped full of adrenaline, when familiar music started playing.

When the lights flashed on, a feeling welled up in his chest.

Klavier had practically spawned on the stage, as sound around him erupted. He was dressed in black skinny jeans, paired with an even, dark magenta blouse. Around his neck was a silver, chain necklace that reflected the light. His hair was tied back in a ponytail – something he’d started to do more often after Apollo had complimented him on it once.

The concert opened up with a few familiar, upbeat Gavinner songs that got the crowd roaring – and hell, he found himself singing along to some of them at some point. Say what you want about his cocky attitude, but Apollo would admit that Klavier was a darn good performer. He, was running on stage with his electric guitar, playing several riffs that went too fast for Apollo’s eyes to follow. He practically ran from side to side multiple times, dancing, clapping his hands, and singing, sometimes even all at once.

Whatever he was doing, it was working -  Athena and Trucy were dancing around them screaming along to the lyrics harder than they were in the car, and around them, multiple people were dancing, clapping, and yelling.

It stayed like this for a good part of the show, and while Apollo didn’t dance (he didn’t count Athena and Trucy taking his hands and moving them as dancing) he did find himself screaming along to most songs. He was really enjoying himself, and when the song ended and the applause picked up, he joined in and cheered.

Then, Klavier scooped a water bottle from the ground, taking a big chug of water, and tossing it away again. He unbuttoned one whole button – causing a roar of screams from the crowd – and a massive eye-roll from Apollo. Even Athena was screaming next to him, for some reason. Don’t feed it, Athena.  “My my, what a good audience you are!” he breathlessly spoke in the microphone, followed by loud applause. “Let’s cool down a bit, ja? Let’s talk a little.”

He walked away from the microphone, and grabbed the high stool from behind him, which he placed behind the mic. He took the acoustic guitar on his lap, and sat down. The lights dimmed more, creating a single spot on Klavier. He reached behind him, and in a single swoop, he removed his hairband, which he tossed on the ground. His platinum hair fell over his shoulders in waves, framing his face.

Apollo’s breath temporarily stopped. Perhaps it was the light, the atmosphere, or the adrenaline, but he swore he felt his heart skip a bit just there.

“Well, I am so happy all of you can be a part of kickstarting my solo career. Seriously, that means a lot to me, thank you.”

He could hear someone scream “We love you Klavier!” from the back of the crowd for a bit, which caused a laugh to erupt from Klavier.

“And I love you too!”

Jeez.

“So since we are turning over a new leaf, it’s only fitting we sing a song never heard before, ja?” Before he could properly finish his sentence, the crowd around him turned into chaos. He waited with speaking until the crowd calmed down again. “Now, I have been working very hard on this song, so please be kind to me. It's very personal, and I put a lot of my feelings into it. This is for your ears only.”

Klavier looked through the crowd as he said that, his eyes scanning the front rows, and settled as soon as he was looking directly at him. It seemed like something was lingering on Klaviers tongue, but he closed his mouth and gave them a quick smile.

Instantly, Apollo’s bracelet tightened. His hand found it, and he frowned. He bit the inside of his cheek.

There was no time to linger on it, as Klavier started strumming. A beautiful, calm melody emerged from the instrument, which was a complete 180 from anything he had played up until now. The acoustic guitar sung through the sky, accompanied but not overpowered by extra instruments behind him.

It was like the concert was flipped upside down. He lost track of his surroundings for a moment.

He intently focused on Klavier, trying to find the source of the tinge in his bracelet. Klavier had now lost eye contact with the crowd, staring down at his own, calloused fingers as he strummed his guitar delicately, as if any movement could break the strings. His other hand moved methodically to form chords, like he had practised this until he could do it in his sleep. One of his leather boots tapped the rhythm, while the other was resting on the horizontal bar of the stool, prepped up and supporting his instrument. His platinum hair was loosely tucked behind his ear, revealing a couple of piercings that reflected the spotlight. His skin shone from a light layer of sweat, and he could see Klavier’s Adam’s apple move while he swallowed. The muscles of his jaw clenched and his lips parted for a moment, releasing a shaky breath.

There was no mistaking it – Klavier was nervous.

There was something about this image that captivated Apollo. He looked vulnerable and emotional. This wasn’t a side he had ever seen from Klavier, ever. For as long as he had known, Klavier was the flashy stereotype of a rock star, making witty remarks and jabs about Apollo’s height, much to his dismay. One who lived for the fame and attention of everyone around him – heck, he pretended to play the guitar in court. Only someone with an ego as big as the weight on Atlas’ shoulder would do such a thing.

This, however, was a totally different man.

He had never looked this handsome before, had he?

And then, he began singing.

Klavier’s smooth, low voice blended perfectly with the melody he had set up for himself, and his words were carefully sung. They rippled through the air, almost creating an echo in this hall – the entire audience respected the artist’s request and silently stood around. Though that was the least of Apollo’s thoughts right now.

Klavier was singing a love song. Now, that wasn’t something new – most of his songs were love songs to some degree, but there was something different about this one. Where the other songs were often supported by a strong beat and flashy declarations of love, often paired with extravagant dates and descriptions of nightly.... affairs , this was something else entirely.

No – where the others had screamed massive productions and radio hits, this was calm and elegant, and much more reminiscent of his collaboration with Lumiroir.

Apollo had always loved Lumiroir’s music. It was something about it that soothed him. Her melodies almost bore an ethereal sense to him, which wasn’t something he usually gravitated towards. Yet her music made him calm, gave him a chance to stop his ever-racing thoughts at night, as if she was directly speaking to him.

It was clear that Klavier had looked at her work and took some elements from it. What he had created almost had the same effect on him. He felt time sort of stop around him, the sounds vibrating within him. His heartbeat followed the rhythm of the song, the acoustics of the guitar tickled his skin and gave him goosebumps.

However, the keyword here was almost. No – Klavier brought something else in this song that didn’t necessarily calm him down.

Instead, he felt... entranced.

The lyrics he sang were about love, but were far more sincere than anything that had ever come out of Klavier’s mouth, ever. He described restless nights thinking about someone, the insecurities of confessing, putting on a smile regardless and just pretending it was all okay. Even if it really wasn’t.

And that wouldn’t even have caught his attention that much. When Klavier started singing the bridge, the music welled up, picking up speed slightly, and the lyrics he sung with full conviction became more direct. He was describing brief situations that were familiar to him. Something about getting coffee after work...?

Apollo’s eyes widened for a second. His body forced all the air out of his lungs. For a second, he felt like he had been knocked off his feet, like someone had swung a wooden beam directly in his guts.

Was this...?

There was no way. They were friends, right? They had been for a while now. There was no way that he – one of the most-renowned prosecutors of his age, one who had put his own boss out of a job for seven years, heck, a worldwide famous rock star, would...?

Klavier ended the bridge, swapping back to an alternate chorus. All instruments stopped playing – it was just Klavier’s voice now, which created an echo throughout the hall, reverberating and adding a new layer to his own voice

When Klavier sang his final note – a long, low one - he had found Apollo again, and for some reason, a flash of surprise showed on his face. Then, a fond smile that reached his eyes - something he hadn’t seen that often and for some reason set his chest ablaze - formed on his lips, and he turned himself to the crowd again.

He had no idea where the time had gone, as the song ended on a final chord. Loud applause emerged from around him, though it never got through to his system. Instead, the sound seemed to numb down in his brain, as his mind was racing a million miles a second.

He must be imagining things, but the way he had presented everything made him feel like he was the only one in the crowd for a bit. For a millisecond, he wondered if that was the point of it all. Had he done this on purpose? Was it all a coincidence? It had to be, right? It wasn’t like he had never considered it, but he just thought that...

It wasn’t the spotlights that made him see Klavier in a different light, and it was messing with his brain. Not only that – his heart was beating a mile in his chest, his face was feeling warm, and he was sure he had forgotten how to breathe-

He snapped out of his thoughts when he felt someone heavily shake his arm. All the sounds of the crowd flooded over him, and suddenly, he felt overwhelmed.

“Apollo? Apollo, are you okay?” Trucy said, practically putting her entire face in front of his. She waved one of his hands in front of his face.

He blinked a couple of times, before he made eye contact with Trucy again.

Next to her stood Athena, who had put a hand on his shoulder and gave him a smug look. Whatever she had picked on, Apollo was cursing the gods for it. He settled his eyes on Trucy again. “Y-yeah, I’m fine, why do you ask?”

“Well, you’re uh… You’re crying.”

One of his hands made it up to his cheek, and lo and behold, his face felt damp.

“Uh… Well-“

His stammering was interrupted by Klavier, who now continued to speak. “Thank you! Ah, well you have heard it here first!” he put his guitar in the stand, jumped up from his stool, and kicked it back. “Now we all had some time to slow down and catch our breaths, let’s rock on!”

The crowd responded with enthusiasm, and just like that, the concert continued.

The rest of the concert consisted of newer songs that were part of Klavier’s solo debut album, so they weren’t ones he was personally familiar with. However, he hadn’t strayed away from the pop-rock nature of his songs. And while Apollo was sure they sounded good, he couldn’t keep his attention.

The show had ended on a happy note, and while the crowd had begged for more, Klavier now disappeared off the stage and the lights had turned on. The woman from before showed up and led them backstage again as the rest of the crowds started oozing out the front gates. Trucy and Athena were talking up a storm in the meantime, discussing the new album or the setlist or whatnot.

Suddenly, he was glad he had brought the two along. They could keep each other busy at least, which meant he could be lost in thought without any problem whatsoever.

The woman from earlier seemed to interpret it differently, though. She glanced at Apollo, recognised he wasn’t lost in conversation, and handed the extravagant bouquet to him. He absentmindedly thanked her, and within a few minutes they found themselves in front of Klavier’s room. She knocked on the door, said they were there, and left.

Apollo absentmindedly leaned against the wall, ignoring the sight of Athena whispering something in Trucy’s ear, as his heart raced a mile in his chest. No matter how much he thought about the concert, it didn’t actually make the situation any easier. They stood there waiting for a while.

He didn’t have much time to reflect on it as the door of Klavier’s room opened. He jumped, looking at the man in the doorway.

He had changed out his outfit, now sporting a simple, white t-shirt that hugged his body flatteringly and some black jeans. His hair was tied back once again. Apollo swallowed, fumbling with the edge of some of the wrapping. “Ah! Fräuleins, Herr Forehead!” He said, sporting a big smile as he opened the door wider. “Good you could make it!” His eyes darted around the company before his eyes fell on Apollo.

He could feel his bracelet jitter for a bit, and he had known the man too well to immediately find him twisting the ring on his right index with his thumb. He opened his mouth to speak, but it seemed Trucy beat him to it.

“Hi Klavier! Congrats on your first show!” she gave him a wide smile as she walked in.

“Thank you! I take it you liked it?” Trucy nodded in response, and walked in the room.

Immediately, she was followed by Athena, who looked around the room with big eyes. “Ahh, so this is what the backstage area of a rock star looks like!” She stood in the middle of the room for a bit. “Looks cool!”

Apollo hadn’t realised he hadn’t moved, so when Klavier addressed him by name, he almost jolted back to reality. “Are those for me?” He spoke, giving him a smug grin.

“Ah- Uh, yeah. Here.” He set a step forward and handed him the bouquet, refraining from making eye contact for too long.  “It wasn’t my idea, you should thank those two instead. But... Congrats.”

Klavier smiled, taking the bouquet. He suddenly realised that Klavier’s cheeks were pink -from the concert, he presumed. He had been running around an awful lot on stage, after all.

“Well, that doesn’t matter, does it?” He gave him a quick wink, and signalled him to come in. Apollo followed suit and awkwardly sat down on the sofa propped in the middle of the room. “Danke, all three of you.” The man himself found a spot to put the flowers in. “So, what did you think?”

Without any hesitation, Athena spoke. “You were so good! Seriously, I’ve always enjoyed your music, but you’re very different live!” She stroked her fingers through her ginger hair as she talked.

“Your setlist was really nice,” Trucy nodded in agreement. It was clear she spoke from experience. “I loved the blend of the old and new, it somehow... worked?”

“Ja, I wanted to do something different this time around. Freshen it up a bit. It was hard to stray away from the smoke machines, though.” Klavier shook his head dramatically.

Athena jumped up, which practically moved the entire couch. Could she ever sit still? “Wait WHAT? Why didn’t you use those?” Which kickstarted an entire, longwinded conversation Apollo couldn’t follow.

Instead, his eyes found Klavier. The man sat in front of him suddenly looked different to him. While he was practically made for the spotlight, this wound-down version of him was one he had recognised more often after trials. He had one of his ankles resting on his knee, his hand fumbling with the cuffs of his jeans.

Yet when his eyes found Klavier’s, he could see a trail of exhaustion. Perhaps it was the traces of eyeliner that made it appear like he had bags under his blue eyes, or maybe he was tired from the concert.

He tried to swallow the lump in his throat. Was he supposed to say anything? What if he was wrong? What if it was all an exaggeration? He could’ve been wrong – Klavier’s social circle was big, so it could very well be anyone else, and it was actually rather selfish of him to think-

The thought practically vapourised when Klavier turned his attention to him. “What about you? Did you- Did you like the show?”

Apollo nodded. “Yeah, it was- it was really nice.” He said, clearing his throat. “I liked the new song. It was different from the other... stuff.” Was it alright to say that?

He had never seen such a bright smile on Klavier’s face. It showed practically all his teeth, and created a sparkle in his eye. “Really? It was way out of my comfort zone, so I was scared that it wouldn’t be received well. Fans come to expect stuff, you know.”

Apollo gave him a slight nod, as he was temporarily unable to find words. Which was confusing to him. It was Klavier, for fuck’s sake, why couldn’t he-

“Well, nice is a little understatement, don’t you think?” Trucy interjected, nudging Apollo in his side. “Since you-“

“Anyways!” Apollo spoke over her hurriedly. Some things were better left unsaid, and he could feel his face heating up. He wasn’t prepared to deal with a smug Gavin for the rest of his career (and possibly his life). “Where did you get the idea from?”

“Ah,” Klavier breathlessly said, “It just came to me one night. I had some inspiration, I suppose. You have to branch out from time to time, ja?” He looked to the side, and for a moment Apollo had the feeling he was avoiding eye contact. Absentmindedly, he continued. “Got to reach a wider public and such...”

It stayed quiet after that for a moment, and Apollo had chosen a part of the wall to focus on for the duration. His eye caught a couple of old posters and stickers, presumably left by previous artists, though it wasn’t hard to notice the amount of old Gavinners stickers, which were coloured and withered. Klavier’s new logo was perched somewhere on the side, covering one of the few empty spots. “What’s up with that?” He curiously said.

Klavier looked behind him. “Ah! That is a trinket wall. Performers love to leave a mark. Actually, this was the first actual venue the Gavinners had ever booked. Found it fitting to return to the roots.”

He hummed in understanding, and next to him, Athena stood up and walked closer. She started inspecting the different stickers. “Woah, there are some really popular bands on here!” she exclaimed.

“I’ve left one of my stickers here too!” Trucy said, who now also jumped up. She skipped to the wall, and pointed out a blue hat sticker.

From there on, a comfortable conversation erupted about Trucy’s own performance, as well as several bands that had been here prior. Trucy and Klavier ended up talking technicalities about performing, while Athena made the occasional remark and asked a couple of questions that both performers were more than welcome to answer. Apollo was happy to just listen along – the most experience he had with performing was due to Trucy and often involved him getting tied up, locked up and both disappearing and reappearing, so he felt he wasn’t really qualified to answer these questions, either.

Additionally, he was trying to sort out the whirlwind of thoughts raging through his brain, which took a lot of effort on its own. What if he had been singing about him? What would Apollo do then?

He couldn’t really say he minded that thought, though it was so fresh and unfamiliar to him that it really took some getting used to. Sure – he had never denied the fact that Klavier was an attractive man, but his showy exterior just got in the way at times. It just... wasn’t something he was a fan of.

It was the moments that side wasn’t visible – the days they went getting coffee, for example – he found himself happy to be around Klavier. Behind all that lurked someone else, and the more he had gotten to know him, the more he had found himself looking forward to meeting him.

But now this concert came around, and it was like his entire inner regulation centre was putting things in a new perspective. This new, sensitive side of Klavier was actually endearing to him, and it changed how he looked at the man sitting in front of him. His voice was soothing suddenly, calming, and when Apollo looked at Klavier’s calloused hands, he found himself wondering what the hands of a guitarist would feel like.

Would he actually... mind if Klavier was singing about someone else?

His gut churned. He bit his lip.

Hm.

After a while, Apollo found himself calling Mr Wright when Trucy was propped up on the couch, looking like she was ready to fall asleep. Athena, too, seemed to crash at some point, and lay with her head off the couch, upside down, while her legs were supported by the backrest. How that was comfortable, was beyond him.

Thus, it didn’t take very long for Mr Wright to text that he was waiting outside. “Seems our ride is here,” Apollo said, ready to type a message they were on their ways.

Trucy, who had closed her eyes to “temporarily rest them”, hummed and nodded. “Aww, but I was having fun...” she sleepily mumbled. She sat up and stretched her muscles, yawning.

Athena, too, stood up. “Well, guess I’ll let Simon know I’ll be home soon,” she said, taking her phone out. “Thank you once again, Klav. I had an amazing night!”

“Good to hear,” he replied. He could hear the traces of tiredness in his voice, too. “See you in court?”

“ ’Betcha!” Athena grinned, put a hand on Trucy’s back, and started walking to the door.

Apollo followed behind, and Trucy were already making their way down the hallway when he left the room. Klavier leaned against the doorpost, giving him a smile. “Do I need to walk with you to the car?”

He turned around for a moment, facing the prosecutor and shook his head. “Nah. I’ll be okay.” He looked at the two girls, who didn’t seem to realise Apollo wasn’t following. “It’s not that far.” And it wouldn’t surprise me if Mr Edgeworth rammed his car inside the venue, he wanted to add.

He fumbled with his hands. “I don’t know how to thank you,” he said.

“I don’t need any,” Klavier responded, almost offended. “Perhaps pay for coffee next time.” He winked. “Nein, I’m joking.”

Apollo wasn’t sure what to do with that. He looked at his hands. “I noticed you were nervous tonight,” he stated. “When you sung your... new song.”

“I was,” Klavier responded softly. “As I said, a different type of song the crowd is not used to-“

“You’re lying.”

Apollo met his eyes again, and Klavier looked positively startled at his tone.

Klavier remained quiet for a bit, his expression settling a bit. “What is it you want me to say, then?” His voice was practically a whisper.

He hadn’t thought about that. His mind was mush, and he wasn’t even sure why. He kind of wanted to hear the truth – get it over with, get the words out. But at the same time, the fear of it all now started to settle. Did he really want to know...?

Suddenly, as if his body had decided for him, he stepped closer. His hand grabbed his white t-shirt, and he closed the distance, letting his lips softly kiss the corner of Klavier’s mouth. He wasn’t quite sure what he was aiming for, or if it was a knee-jerk reaction from Klavier that had landed that place, but it was too late now anyway.

His heart started beating in his throat, and he could feel himself heating up. He stepped back again, though the gap wasn’t as big as it was before.

He swallowed the lump in his throat while he started walking away. “I- uh.. I’ll see you,” he spoke, turning on his heels.

When he heard no response from Klavier, he quickly met his eyes, and was met with what he could only describe as a frozen expression. His fingers had found its way to the spot Apollo had ki- touched with his lips, and a shaky smile was on his face.

Apollo quickly glanced him a smile, before he practically beelined down the hall to meet up with his friends.

And when he finally crashed in his own bed deep in the night, suddenly realising what he had done, and while he was projecting millions of scenarios in his head, they all got soothed when a single message from Klavier lit up his phone.

Klavier Gavin [Received: 2.13 AM]: Coffee on Monday? <3

Chapter Text

 Apollo spent most of his Saturday morning hunched over his stack of paperwork, trying his best to avoid thinking of the... interaction last night.

The message was so incredibly direct, but vague at the same time. Klavier didn’t shy away from using emoticons in his normal speech, but it couldn’t be a coincidence that he used a heart now, right? And it wouldn’t be entirely out of character either for Klavier to insinuate it to be a date.

But at the same time, Klavier would’ve just outright asked him out on a date, instead of going for something they did on a regular basis. He at least knew him that well. Klavier was a flashy man, he wouldn’t hesitate with saying something like that... right?

Apollo had no idea what to do with it, so he decided to just toss his phone to the side for a bit and get his mind out of the gutter. He mentally apologised to the man - he really didn’t mean to be rude about it or keep him in the dark, but he just needed to sort things out.

He should be doing something useful instead, and the work that followed that criterium, he had been procrastinating all week. That usefulness only happened to be the most boring thing in existence, though, and, it didn’t extinguish the thoughts completely. Mr Wright would have his head if he let his files pile up anymore.

Now there were two things he was worrying about. Curses.

Around lunch, he found himself taking a forced break. Mikeko graced him with her presence by jumping on top of his paperwork and screaming loudly for food as if she hadn’t gotten any for at least two years. He let out a groan and decided it was time for coffee, anyway. This was why he preferred working at home – cats were a valid excuse for a break.

He looked at the sky from his window, lost in thought for a moment. He wasn’t even sure why he hadn’t responded to Klavier yet. Everything in him just was unsure of what to do. Which was something he’d grown used to in his profession, but not in his normal life. He glanced at the text again.

It was so simple, and it would take him approximately two seconds to respond. But he just couldn’t. Instead, he found himself clicking the chat away.

His screen flashed suddenly, and his ringtone filled the room. Nahyuta was calling him-

Oh fuck, Nahyuta was calling him.

He completely forgot.

He immediately answered and was about to profusely apologise, but his brother instantly talked over him.

“Hello, my sweet, sweet baby brother. Now, I do wonder in what layer of Hell you are to forget our plans.” His low and eloquent voice was tainted with a hint of amusement. “Unlike you, my schedule tends to be rather busy.”

That was a lie. Nahyuta loved sitting on his ass. Apollo had it far busier, and that was a fact; he only needed to look at their chat history. The amount of messages he could send in the span of a minute was incredible. “It is very unlike your punctual self to be late, too. For a moment I presumed you had gotten a heart attack. Perhaps a car crash? Goodness, I do not want to think of the possibilities.”

Despite that, Apollo got the point. “No need to worry, Yuta, I’ll be with you in five. I just forgot the time is all. I’ve had a stack of paperwork to get through.“

He heard an audible, dramatic gasp. He rolled his eyes. “I’m rather offended you would forget me of all people. Here I was, suffering through the hallways of the supermarket to assemble the most perfect of lunches for you, in the morning rush no less. Then I was in the kitchen for the remainder of the day, yet it’s been a whole ten minutes and the rice is getting cold. All for you, might I add! And then you just tell me you have forgotten me in an instant? Perhaps I had miscalculated. I rejected a most pleasing afternoon with my boyfriend for you, dear brother.”

He could see the image in front of him; his brother, the dying swan, sprawled out on his pristine sofa, acting as if him being late would surely bring forth the apocalypse. He repressed a chuckle. Yuta was a drama queen through and through, and it was hard to take him seriously. Although he also knew Nahyuta never should be taken very seriously in the first place.  “There’s been a lot on my mind, I’ll explain later.”

“Well, I will be delighted to hear what has been tainting your mind. Oh – let me guess. You have another impossible case that Barbed Head has set you up with? Perhaps there’s some drama at the office? No – I would’ve heard about it from Simon, since he never shuts up about dear Athena as is. Or perhaps-”

“Seems he’s rubbing off on you, since you don’t seem to shut up either,” he said, not even attempting to hide the smugness in his voice. For someone who wanted Apollo to teleport to his front door, he was distracting him an awful lot.

He could hear a laugh from the other side, but quickly, his tone shifted. “In all due fairness, are you alright? Or must we place our little get-together to another date? Should I call the cavalry and start to worry about you? I can also bring the food to your place, you must only say so.”

Apollo smiled. “No- no. I’m okay – it’s just been an... eventful few days. The distraction would be very nice, actually. I need to get out of the house.”

“Ah, well in that case, I shall see you soon.”

He got ready at a rapid tempo, gave Mikeko a couple of forced kisses to purposefully disrupt her sleep, and off he was.

Nahyuta’s apartment, luckily, was just a few blocks over, so it didn’t take him long to arrive.  He rang the doorbell, and within a few seconds, the buzz indicated the lobby to the building was open.

Of course, his apartment was at the top floor, so Apollo stood in the elevator for a bit, waiting until the horror height device took him up. Which – as this was quite the gigantic building – took a decent while. This was why it was way better to be lower to the ground, and it was absolutely not because heights made him queasy. It was just far more practical.

Nahyuta had already opened the front door to his large and spacious living quarters, and was leaning against the doorpost with crossed arms. His green eyes were focused on the elevator, so when it opened, Apollo immediately made eye contact with him. Yuta pretended to look cross with him, but he could recognise the hint of amusement in his eyes. “Well, if it isn’t my brother,” he chided. He brought up his wrist dramatically, looking at his non-existent watch. He clicked with his tongue. “That marks seventeen minutes. I thought you said it would only take five?”

“Did you really miss me so much you’re counting down the minutes?” he responded, giving his brother a smile.

Yuta stepped away from the door frame to let him in. “I thought it to be common knowledge I value my time with you, my dear brother.” He dramatically shook his head.  “Besides, I have not seen you all week. I can proudly say I have missed you. You look exhausted, are you sure you are alright?

Between all the flair, there always was a hint of sincerity. Apollo smiled, looking up to meet his eyes. “Yeah, I am okay, thanks for worrying.”

“It is only my job. Now, please come in.”

As soon as he set foot in the apartment, he was instantly greeted with a delicious smell, and it was only then he fully realised he hadn’t eaten breakfast. Apollo couldn’t help but feel nostalgic – it reminded it of the food their parents made regularly for them. “It smells really good in here. Can I do anything to help?”

“I have got it under control, Apollo, but next time, you could try coming on time.” Yuta sent him a smirk. “Whatever is on your mind must be absolutely horrific for you to lack punctuality.” he sighed, shaking his head. “So sit down, I will warm up the food again.”

He found a spot at Nahyuta’s white, marbled cooking island that also served as a bar, as he watched him work his kitchen. Despite the fact he was a spoiled brat, Yuta had actually undertaken cooking as a hobby, that is – when he wasn’t lazy. Food was a pretty big thing in Khura’inese culture, after all, and if there was anything Yuta loved, it was his heritage.

“For how long are you going to remind me of today?” Apollo muttered, putting his phone on the table. Weird. Klavier hadn’t texted him yet. He normally would have by now.

Nahyuta turned around, giving him a slight smile. “Hmm, possibly a few months. Until you are so absolutely sick of it that the annoyance would come out of your cute button nose.”

“You’re the most horrible person I know, and you know who I have faced in court.”

“Aw, I’ll take that as a compliment. Possibly the kindest thing you have ever said to me.” Yuta quickly stuck out his tongue when he was met with a stare from Apollo. He turned to stir his dish.

It didn’t take long for Nahyuta to start talking about some prosecutor gossip. They properly caught up, talking about each others’ work week extensively. Apparently Yuta had taken a case that was quite interesting, and he had managed to pull off the win. Apollo wasn’t surprised – he was awfully perceptive, and a quick thinker at that. He was quite a menace in court; the sweat started forming on his forehead as soon as he even thought about facing him. He congratulated his brother, who gave him a kind smile in return as he placed cutlery and a filled plate in front of him. It looked and smelled absolutely delicious, but he impatiently waited until Nahyuta also took his seat and they had done their prayers.

When they started eating, Apollo told him about his week. It fluctuated a bit from his usual routine – he rounded off a case, procrastinated on paperwork, and worked as an assistant on Athena’s first big case.

Nahyuta hummed. “Ah, I seem to have heard something of the matter. Apparently she was quite nervous.”

“Yeah,” Apollo nodded. “It was a big one, but she did amazing. I barely needed to help her. The most I did was calm her nerves, really.” He grinned, flattening the horns on his head sheepishly. “Honestly, I was more terrified that prosecutor Blackquill was actually in the audience and breathing down my neck. I thought he would kill me if I even messed up a little bit.”

“Mmhmm, he can be quite the imposing figure, indeed. I would not put it beyond him.” Nahyuta stuck some more food in his mouth, though that didn’t hide the fond smile that crept on his face. He closed his eyes, probably relishing in the thought of his boyfriend. How Yuta could fall for that man, was beyond Apollo. Then again, his own taste would probably be frowned upon, too. “Though he would have a stern word with me if he would lash out at you. He did not, did he?” He opened one of his striking, green eyes.

“Oh, not at all,” Apollo responded, awkwardly grinning as he waved his hands. “He actually complimented me.” It was a muttered compliment and was only vaguely positive, but it was a compliment no less.

“Well, look at that.”

“This is really good, by the way.” He shoved another bite in his mouth.

“I know, right? To be expected, of course, but thank you regardless.“

Ass.

A comfortable silence fell in the apartment, where they were just enjoying their food for a while.

Apollo took a sip of his water. After he swallowed, he cleared his throat. “Yuta, can I ask you for some... advice?”

This caused his brother to jerk his head to look at him. He put a hand on his heart, his mouth an ‘o’. “I thought the day would never come. Apollo, sweetheart, what of my infinite wisdom could you possibly require?”      

“Remember how I had that concert of Klavier?” His voice trembled unexpectedly when the name passed over his lips. One of Nahyuta’s eyebrows shot up, and his green eyes showed an emotion Apollo couldn’t quite explain.

“That was yesterday, no?” Apollo nodded. “What about it? Did something occur?”

That was one way to put it. “Eh... something like that?” He swallowed, looking away. “I... might have kissed Klavier-“

“HA!”

“Huh?

“That insufferable brat owes me twenty-five dollars!”

Nahyuta shot up from his stool and ran to the other side of his kitchen to grab his phone. He was practically dancing in his own kitchen. He stopped in front of Apollo and shook him.

“...What?”

“I had full faith in you and you absolutely delivered. You are the best yet the only brother I have!” Nahyuta let go of him and sat down again, his face buried in his phone.

Apollo fell silent for a bit, and his forehead wrinkled. “Excuse me.”

There was a frantic smile on his face, who was texting someone at a rapid speed. “Do not mind me, I just have to inquire someone who owes me money. Continue.”

“Wait, wait, hold on,” Apollo resetted his thoughts for a bit. “Slow down. What’s going on?”

Nahyuta dramatically sighed. “I obviously betted money on you and Klavier.”

He jerked backwards, and could feel his face flush. “You did WHAT?!”

“Oh come on, my dear brother. Are you truly surprised?”

“Uh- Yeah, I happen to be pretty fucking surprised you’d bet money on me!” he snapped. “And if it was just me, that would be different, but Klavier?  Klavier and I haven’t been romantically involved in the slightest.” He crossed his arms. “And then I’m not even talking about the fact that you think I  would make the first move?!”

Nahyuta tutted him. “Ah, but here is the thing – you did in fact kiss him. So by that notion, you most definitely are romantically involved, and it has been leading up to this for a while. So do not pretend those coffee outings are not dates.” He tossed his phone in front of him, now devoting his full attention to Apollo. He leaned his face on his hands. “Now, you have my undivided attention. Tell me everything.”

Apollo never knew what it was like to strangle someone, but he was very eager to find out now. The urge to drag his brother off his chair by his braid and suffocate him was definitely there. “I think we should go back for a second and talk about the fact you are betting money on me.”

“I think we shouldn’t. There’s not much more to be said, regardless. I, the best brother to ever bless this planet, had full faith in you, while Simon-dear felt that German mess of a man would initiate any form of romantic advances. I, however, am superior to my boyfriend in every way, as evidenced by the fact you made the first move and kissed him which I predicted flawlessly. Now do explain.” His insufferable brother scooted closer. “I must know as many details as possible.”

He really shouldn’t be surprised at this so instead, he sighed and explained what happened. Nahyuta listened closely, nodding along.

When he was done, Nahyuta stood up and started making coffee. “Dearest brother, that is quite the story. However, it seems you perfectly have this situation under control. Just text him about a date and you will be set.”

“Well, that’s the thing,” Apollo started, glancing at his phone again. “He sort of did that? I think?”

“Well, that sounds awfully vague, yet does make your job quite a bit easier,” he responded. “What exactly did he say?”

Apollo showed his brother the message he had received. Yuta frowned for a bit, bringing his hand up to his chin. “Hm, I do agree that to be awfully vague indeed. However, the use of the heart seems reminiscent enough of romantic implications, so I believe this to be correctly interpreted as a date.”

He really didn’t like that wording. “But isn’t the fact that it has to be interpreted already vague enough? Klavier would be the kind to be direct about things like this... right?”

“Well, if you happen to be unsure, why not ask for clarification?” Nahyuta shrugged and took the fresh coffee from under the machine, and placed it down in front of Apollo. He shot his older brother a quick thanks, who nodded as a response.

Now and that was the problem of it all. Asking about clarification meant that it was out there that Apollo really wouldn’t mind for this to be a date. Or at least, he thought so.

He’d been thinking about it all night, trying his best to sort out his thoughts. Perhaps he’d made up his mind when he actually kissed Klavier. But Klavier was an incredibly sweet guy, and anyone would be blessed to have him as a partner. But he wasn’t actually in love with him. He just really disliked the idea of anyone else dating Klavier. Which was strange – Apollo wanted him to be happy, of course, so if that other person would make him happy... That should be good, right?

Then again, he had just assumed the song was about him, while it could’ve been about literally anyone. So it was all a shot in the dark.

He sipped his coffee. “I’m not sure if I actually like him,” he confessed, barely audible.

Yuta grabbed his own coffee from the machine. “What, why not? Next to work, he is the only thing you talk about.” He leaned on the counter, instead of sitting down.

“That’s an exaggeration.”

“No, it happens to be true. Holy Mother, I know more about Klavier than I do about my own back – wait, that’s a lie. I happen to know myself quite well.” Apollo rolled his eyes. Did he really talk that much about his colleague? That couldn’t be true, right?

It was like Yuta read his mind. “Apollo, dear, I happen to know how people fall in love. I can see it in your eyes – you are absolutely smitten with him. You think that it is something else for a long time, perhaps a sense of loneliness or just a mere friendship, or perhaps that the person in question is so ridiculous that you cannot not think about him. Yet suddenly something shifts and you cannot get your mind away from them. It happened to me, and is currently happening to you too.” Yuta’s booped his nose, before he graciously grabbed the two empty plates and put them in his dishwasher.

Apollo remained silent at that. It was true that was essentially how his brother ended up dating the love child of a skunk and a grizzly bear. But that didn’t mean the same thing was happening to Apollo... right?

It wasn’t like he felt butterflies or electricity shoot through his veins around Klavier, but he did love his company. In fact – he was already looking forward to that Monday. “But aren’t you supposed to go absolutely insane when seeing them?”

“Whatever could you possibly mean?”

“Like...” He looked at his coffee, which was poured in an ornate cup. “I don’t know, feel like your heart will explode out of your chest? Have electricity run through your veins?”

Yuta let out a laugh, and put a hand on his shoulder. “My dearest brother, life isn’t a fan fiction, nor a romantic movie.” Apollo looked up, and he was almost surprised to find his brother looking genuinely compassionate. “No relationship in existence starts off with butterflies and roses. More often than not, it starts off ugly and messy. Love takes work. Believe me, sometimes it takes as much work as a full-time occupation. Being merely interested in someone is the start, and it can only flourish from there.”

Apollo let out a laugh, followed by a smile that quickly turned sour. “But how do I know this is the right thing to do? What if it’s a mistake?”

His brother sat down next to him again. “Well, if it is a mistake – lesson learnt. You cannot avoid making mistakes your whole life, now can you? You do not seem so hesitant about making mistakes in court, so why here?”

Apollo gave him a look. “Yuta, you were doing so well pretending to be a good person.”

“You say that as if I have failed. I am merely announcing the truth.” His brother gave him an insufferable smirk. “Though I do understand.  You two have become rather good friends, have you not?”

Apollo simply nodded in response. “I don’t... I don’t want to lose that.”

“The fact that the two of you are friends, is indication enough,” Yuta stated. Apollo frowned. “It means you two can work this out regardless. And if you so happen to make a mistake on this front, I can not see a single outcome where Gavin would not be understanding. Perhaps I do not know the man the same way you do, but I do know him as a colleague. And if he does not happen to respect that, it was not meant to be.”

“Are you sure?” he asked with a small voice.

“I have never been more sure in my life.”

Apollo let those words sink in for a bit. He brought the cup to his lip, and slurped his coffee. Nahyuta’s brew was really good. “I just know so little about him,” he muttered, refusing to make eye contact. “He barely talks about himself. We mostly talk about cases and his career. He always asks about me and how I am, and of course I just answer him, but I have no clue what’s going on in his personal life. And when I do ask him, he steers it back to me. How do I know what I get myself into?”

“Apollo, you absolute buffoon. That’s why people go on dates.” Nahyuta almost whined as he spoke. “Hence why you should confirm the fact that this is very much a date. And just ask him whatever you want to know. Or ask him why he is avoiding answering you, if he attempts to dodge it. It is that simple.”

The thought of texting Klavier now was scary.  He wanted to do it right, and he wasn’t quite sure what that meant. “I’ll let him know soon,” he decided. He would force himself to get a message out by tomorrow. That would give him plenty of time to think.

“That seems like a good plan. And of course – I shall contact you on Monday after your little endeavour. No – perhaps I shall phone you Tuesday afternoon. You never know.” Nahyuta winked, and Apollo could feel his cheeks flush. “Perhaps the two of you hit it off.”

“Nahyuta, I will cut off your hair in your sleep.”

His brother gasped dramatically, and for a second, he seemed genuinely offended. “You would not dare commit such a vile act of treason.”

Apollo grinned. Always got him.

He spent the remainder of the day hanging out with his brother. Despite the fact that his mind was trying to concoct the perfect message to send, he ended up having a really good time. It had been a while since the two of them had properly hung out, after all - Both of their lives had grown pretty busy with their respective work, and if Apollo was honest, he kind of missed days like these where they could just chill and do nothing. However, duty called more often than not. It only served to make days like these more special to him.

Apollo left Nahyuta’s place later at night. Their hangout session was extended a fair bit, since both of them had nowhere to be, anyway. When prosecutor Blackquill knocked on the door, though, he saw the perfect opportunity to leave. He had no interest in third-wheeling.

He unlocked his apartment door, and found a purring calico cat brushing at his feet. He lifted Mikeko off the ground and put her on his shoulder, where she gracefully stayed as he made his way through his place. After grabbing a glass of water, he deemed it time to go to bed.

Nahyuta had been right – when he stared at his reflection, an exhausted Apollo stared back. Holy Mother, had it all taken that much of a toll on him?

He took a quick shower and threw on some pyjamas, scrolling on social media for a while until the world had nothing new to say.

Then, he went back to staring at that message over and over again. Right, he was just going to have to do this. It was almost a full day after everything.

He figured it to be best to first outline everything he wanted to say, and then later polish it so he didn’t sound like an idiot.

He started typing.

To: Klavier Gavin: Hey, I’m sorry I didn’t text you earlier. I hope I didn’t worry you? That’d suck. I was a little overwhelmed by everything that happened, and I just needed some time away from it all I guess. Which isn’t personal, I’m just not so good with these things. I’ve never had a rock star write a song about me, haha. At least I think it was about me? I could see myself in the song at least. If not I am SO sorry for kissing you please forget about it. I’ve been thinking about it a lot. About that whole evening, I mean. It was nice but I hope I didn’t confuse u...? There’s a lot I want to say and ask (the same for you too I think?) but I think we shouldn’t talk about it like this, maybe. So... how does 2 pm sound? On Monday, of course. I mean, I have time tomorrow as well. Anything to get me out of doing paperwork, but idk what your schedule is like. I wouldn’t mind it being a date btw. Actually I think I’d like it that way. If if you want that, if not pretend I didn’t say anything. Sorry if this wakes you up, you’ve been looking tired lately so u need the sleep. Have.. a good evening? Morning? Time? Whenever you read this? Just, let me know? But don’t feel forced to! Really, it’s okay!

He read over the message a couple of times, and frowned for a bit. That message was kind of horrendous. He wanted to move his finger down to the delete button.

It was then his insufferable roommate bumped his head against his hand, forcing his thumb on the ‘send’ button. She purred almost tauntingly.

“MIKEKO!”

He jerked upwards, which sent his flying across the room. He felt panic building in his stomach.

Holy Mother be with him. He was heaving.

Oh shit, it had really sent.

fuck.

FUCK.

There was always the chance Klavier’s phone conveniently was broken  - right?

Right?!