Chapter Text
Apollo wasn't sure how he got dragged into the case.
One moment he's getting some muffins, the next he's accepting a request and dragging himself and his muffin to the crime scene.
He had mixed feelings about this.
On the one hand, it was a nice respite from the mind bogglingly stressful week he'd had. He could spend a few days ignoring the soulmate problem and bury himself in proving his client's innocence and maneuvering the odd twists and turns of Japanafornia's courts.
On the other, the entire soulmate situation made it worse.
Namely because said soulmate was suddenly assigned to this case and had practically shoved Payne aside into a taxi as soon as he arrived, and said soulmate didn't seem to get that the scene of a murder wasn't the best place to ask someone on a date.
"Liebling, bitte," He heard from behind him, a small tug on his sleeve near to his elbow. He ignored it as the blonde continues. "I just want to get to know you, ja?" Apollo could hear the pout and feel the puppy eyes boring into his head. "Bitte, have dinner with me this evening,"
Apollo rolled his eyes, muttering for a nearby investigator to catalog some evidently for him as he examined the scene.
Klavier reluctantly followed suit, asking questions of the team on scene when appropriate and gathered his evidence, but his mind was barely focused on the case, and he'd take every opportunity to talk to Apollo and invite the short man to dinner, finding that he had difficulty explaining that he wished to apologize.
The man in red really did mess with his brain.
He was glad Ema wasn't on scene, otherwise he'd be sporting a few bruises on his noggin by the time he'd bothered Apollo the first time.
As it stood, he'd extended the invitation 7 times over the course of 45 minutes, and investigation usually lasted at least 2 hours.
When Klavier opened his mouth to flirt and request Apollo's presence again, the man finally snapped and dragged him a little ways from the scene, apologizing to the officers with a quick explanation of "Teaching this for about professionalism for once in his life" which made the blonde laugh because he knew for a fact that the officer in question was a fan of his and this didn't mind Klavier's attempts to woo his soulmate. In fact, he likely relished the fact he had a front row seat.
In the end, Apollo did scold him about asking him out on a murder scene and Klavier only half payed attention, too busy memorising the way Apollo's lips shaped each sound that came out of his mouth to notice much less care.
This case was infuriating.
This trial was grating.
Apollo had one more regret, and it was choosing to be a lawyer of all things.
Really, why did he think this would be a good idea?
Gavin had been flirting for half the trial, throwing impressive arguments Apollo's way and dissecting each of his own as much and as fervently as Apollo did, which he could respect on a fundamental level.
But this was Klavier, and his respect for the man as a prosecutor was balanced by his annoyance at the man as a person and soulmate.
He figures out the true murder weapon, a yellow cast iron tea pot with pressed flower details. Quite lovely when not used for murder.
What does Klavier say?
"Such deductive reasoning from a talented attorney. I am impressed Herr Forehead, I would never have guessed. What would you say to dinner at 7, to discuss methods of reasoning?"
He wasn't even trying to be subtle.
Apollo tears apart the motive Klavier provided?
"Ach, so honest with words! Are you this harsh in private?"
Apollo interacts with the defense bench?
"Never thought I would see the day I was jealous of a desk, but ach, here we are,"
Apollo's eyes even glance in Klavier's direction.
"Herr Justice, bitte, meet my eyes for once, please?"
But what really broke the camel's back was when they had just returned for the second day, and Apollo asked the exhausted looking prosecutor if he was okay.
-------German--------
"God you're so beautiful. I mean, I knew my soulmate was going to be beautiful but you're something far more. Living up to your name, you know? I can't believe how amazing you are, I couldn't sleep I was so excited to see you again and now that you're in front of me I am not sure what to do," he babbled in response, rubbing his eye as he finished, tired and possibly removing tears. "And you're smart and talented and I shouldn't say this in court but-"
Apollo had had enough.
"SHUT IT,"
Klavier froze, his face heating up. "What?"
Apollo pinched the bridge of his nose, annoyed. "Look, we can talk when this trial is over, okay? My client is innocent and I really just want to finish this," he shook his head, glaring at his soulmate and finding his stomach twisting in knots.
The man looked so much like his brother. On the surface, he had the same eyes, only a little more friendly. Same hair done the same way, although perhaps a shade or two off. Identical posture when he wasn't hitting on Apollo....
It was a bit much.
He refrained from wearing his shades most of the time, but when he did the way he pushed them up evoked the same feeling of anticipation and dread Kristoph's had.
Would he help? Would he tear apart his argument?
He could never tell.
Klavier was oblivious to Apollo's internal strife, not seeming to realize that he was causing such distress for something he could hardly help.
Sure, his manner of dress differentiated the two, and sure he had more of a tan than the elder Gavin, but those subconscious and habitual similarities could easily overpower the glaring differences.
"Darling, I just want to say I'm sorry," Klavier said, quietly.
Apollo perked up at that. "Sorry?"
Klavier nods. "Yes. I didn't think my actions over the last week through and it's ruined everything. I'm sorry,"
"Prosecutor Gavin, I'm glad for the apology,"
The blonde perked up at that. "Yes?"
"But we are still in the middle of a murder trial,"
"Dinner afterwards?"
Apollo sighed, pinching the bridge of his now. "Let's finish the trial, then we can talk, alright?" He felt a wave of exhaustion and nasuea as he switched back to English, glaring at the rockstar as he explained that Prosecutor Gavin said something unexpected and they had to resolve it.
-------German End---------
"I have no idea what the defense and prosecution talked about but I will take your word for it!" The judge answered, shrugging his old shoulders and stroking his bushy beard. "Prosecutor Gavin? The case thus far?"
The race was back on.