Chapter Text
After what felt like ages the car stopped and Asuki turned back towards him.
“Well here’s the stop kiddo”
Apollo walked in what looked like a fairly seedy maifaesque building- in reality it was a secret front for their newly opened bakery business, “the eclair you can’t refuse”. Following a family problem involving the chairman of the gang’s son where Artemis had performed some...favours… the family had decided to “go legitimate”. Artemis was one of the few privy to this fact after becoming involved as a consultant during a legal case. He’d declined any kind of formal position at first- the last thing he needed or wanted was connections with a mob organisation, however ex-mob it might be.
However he had a suspicion that, behind whatever shady dealings he chose not to think about, the Kitaki’s were decent people. So when he needed to disappear from the world at large he took them up on their offer.
He walked past a couple more guards and pushed through the big steel doors with ferocious looking knockers of some kind of animal he didn’t recognise. The grand hall was a peculiar sight: large stone and wooden pillars from a different era adorned with swirling dragons and misty mountains. Various memorabilia and what Artemis hoped weren’t cases full of arms competed for attention with kitchen equipment and unwrapped pastry décor.
A bread mixer sat on-top of a vicious looking crate marked “EYES ONLY” and Artemis thought that was rather emblematic of the whole thing.
“Yo!” a voice called out from somewhere within the house.
The unmistakably 1950’s era godfather-esque voice belonged to one “Big Wins” winfred kitaki. His accent was another in the long line of questions Artemis had about the kitaki family. Where they mafia? Yakuza? Something else entirely?
Before he could finish the thought something hit him with the force of an unstoppable freight truck, knocking him off his feet instantly.
The smell was like nothing he had ever smelt before- pink and fluffy, cavity inducing from the scent alone, and yet with a rich, dark, tangy undercurrent. He hadn’t smelled something so good since- well actually he’d never smelled something so good. He instinctively walked towards it, stepping through the furniture in the main hall to one of the exits.
“Hello pal” the bossman spoke, his back turned to him. His hand looked like it was brandishing a knife but he couldn’t make it out quite clearly- the lighting in the back of the room was a bit spotty.
“My wife and I have been working on a few things” The voice continued withanother sharp move of the hand and a quick thrust downwards.
“And we’ve… well we’ve decided after all you’ve done…”
He moved out of the shadows towards Artemis, holding something in his hand. Artemis’ heart began to beat faster. Maybe this wasn’t such a good-
“It’s time you get your just desserts”
A perfectly made chocolate eclair stood before him on a plate with pink and white patterns. Artemis.... wasn't really sure what to say.
“Uh..." He spoke dumbly.
"...I thought you wanted to become a muffin baker?”
Silence.
After what felt like ages he gestured towards the food and Artemis happily began to eat.
“Of course but after some thought… why stop there?” Winfred started.
“There’s more than enough transferable capital between muffin making and other baked goods… provided we manage to finish cornering the muffin market with our considerable manpower we have the grounds to build a brand name…”
Artemis continued munching away, smearing chocolate over his face.
“and turn our humble muffin business into a baked goods extravaganza…”
It seemed like there was less dissonance between organised crime and the baking market than he’d thought.
“Whaddya think? Lot of it’s Wocky’s idea- smart kid he’s making up for lost time pretty qui-“
His faced betrayed no sign of emotion as he noticed Artemis, face covered in chocolate and cream filling. Artemis looked up at him as if he’d been caught eating out of the cookie jar in the middle of the night.
A heavy hand slapped his back and he heard a familiar cackle.
“I guess that’s a good sign then!” laughed Plum Kitaki, the equally as, if not more, intimidating wife to Mr. Kitaki. Her affection was… intense but he slept like a log knowing that if anyone tried to cross him they’d have to deal with her first.
Winfred smiled and took the finished plate back to the kitchen. Artemis took the time to swallow and compose himself.
“There’s a couple caveats with anti-trust laws and maybe accusations of… hostile takeover… depending on how you go about it but it can definitely be done”
“He’s finally putting that big forehead to use!” Plum laughed again and frowned looking at his ugly ball-cap, as if disappointed not to see the magnanimous object. She took off the cap and two ‘horns’ immediately sprung out from underneath
“That’s better” she mused as she continued to walk around going about her business.
Winfred emerged from the back of the kitchen, apron-less and with a carton of cigarettes in his hand.
“Hey kid- why don’t you step outside with me for a moment.”
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The two walked outside into the cold evening air.
“You smoke?” the big man asked.
Artemis grabbed a cigarette from him, and held it out while winfred lit it. He tried taking a puff and despite his best attempt to hold it in he sputtered out moments later, coughing and hacking.
It tasted, bitter, acrid, and awful. Not to mention he probably didn’t actually inhale any of it anyway.
Winfred chuckled and began to smoke.
“So… Artemis Injustice huh? That’s what you stuck with?”
“Uh. Yeah. Best I could do in the timeframe I was given.”
He laughed and shook his head.
“Goddamn munchkin”
Winfred took another drag. Horns honked in the distance and the sounds of everyday life seemed farther away for the two, if only for a moment. It was crisp but Artemis felt warm in familiar company- something he hadn’t had much of lately.
“Ya know kid… despite what the missus says I can see you’ve got a heart of iron somewhere in the there. It’s definitely buried under a lot of schlock but it’s there. Right time, right place. You’d be a force to be reckoned with.”
“You think so? Thanks I guess.” Artemis said, not exactly sure how to respond.
Winfred shrugged.
“So… what I’m wondering is why someone like you is hiding and on the run under a completely new identity?”
“I just… needed a change of pace” Artemis responded.
“Nah I don’t buy it”
He was right and Artemis knew he saw through him. He kicked his feet in the snow for a bit while thinking of a response.
“You know... the word… ecstasy… originally comes from the greek word ekstasis… which meant to be outside one’s self.”
“And?” Winfred asked.
“Sometimes it’s just easier not to have to be you. As lonely as it can be here sometimes… I don’t have to be Apollo Justice for a little while… and that’s alright for now I guess.”
“Still not gonna tell me what happened?”
Artemis smiled playfully.
“As my own representative I claim Attorney-Client privilege”
Winfred chuckled again. There were sides to the kid that continued to surprise him. He took another drag and watched the smoke dissipate in front of him.
“Y’know kid… everybody needs somebody. Sometimes we… can’t see what’s best for us on our own… if it weren’t for my son and, well... I guess... you… I never would’ve left the family business”
“Maybe.” Artemis conceded.
“Well if you’re looking to do more than… mope around there’s a bar I can recommend- there’s a bartender there called Sam who works on the weekends. Let him know I sent ya. He’ll take care of you. Might even meet someone”
“Maybe a cute girlfriend if you ever got the stones to ask one out!” Plum yelled from inside and Winfred laughed at Artemis’s expense.
“I appreciate it alot Winfred- everything. Anything else I can do for ya?” Artemis continued after he was done cringing.
“Nah if anything we owe ya kid.”
Artemis leaned against the way and relaxed, thinking about the joke Plum made. He couldn’t deny there was a space in his heart for someone- but the reality was he was exhausted and had more than enough to worry about as is. Working up the nerve, looking nice, that was all a bit too much right now.
However if a gorgeous popstar like the one from the tv were to come, sit down in his lap, and ask him nicely he’d consider it. He chuckled to himself at the thought.
Of course, such a thing would never happen.