Chapter Text
Apollo Justice had made a name for himself over the years. He didn’t quite think he’d surpassed Phoenix Wright’s legacy, nor did he particularly feel the need to, but he was proud of himself nonetheless. He’d served hundreds of individuals, granting them the justice they needed - they deserved, rather. It was a proud accomplishment, especially being an omega and making monumental waves in the justice system for all.
While tensions in the world had risen from secondary gender rivalries, creating more and more hate crimes stemming from laws handling previously loose-acceptance of alpha behaviors, Apollo had only gained from such tensions. He stood for omegas, betas, and alphas alike, aiding in finding the truth behind murders and seemingly unsolvable hate crimes. It was something he loved, finding the true culprits and putting the right person behind bars.
He wondered if Klavier Gavin would be proud of him, too.
Apollo rubbed his chest at the thought as he sat at his desk, his eyes wandering over piles of cases that had his name scribbled on them. Across the room, Athena and Phoenix were equally as swamped, with their own monstrous case files leaving them groaning at their desks in quiet solidarity. Apollo looked back down at the file he had open, of a murdered omega - a motive stemming from jealousy and a possible secret love affair. He sighed as he scanned through the documents, pictured evidence leaving him tired as he carefully lifted some of the paperwork to reveal the recent autopsy report.
He hated that he’d grown weary of fighting in court as of late. While he went against brilliant prosecutors, and not so brilliant ones, he desperately missed his old friend. Klavier Gavin’s quick wit and snappy responses had always left Apollo on the edge of his seat, ready to counteract the other’s evidence with his own. It was always a battle of wits, leaving the entire court to the whims of their arguments. Klavier knew how to put on a show and Apollo knew how to perform against him just as equally.
Apollo absently rubbed his forehead. He’d been thinking about Klavier a lot lately.
The door opened to the office, the attorneys’ sign that it was closing hours soon. With Trucy’s arrival to the office, Phoenix would leave to return to his husband with Trucy and Athena would follow. Apollo would do the same, stuffing his cases into his briefcase and preparing to make his way home, but today, Trucy had made her way to Apollo’s desk first.
Apollo looked up at her as she held up a magazine. His eyes scanned over the bent back cover to the headline the younger Wright gestured to. His heart thumped to life in his chest.
“Polly, look! Klavier’s back!”
Apollo couldn’t stop himself from leaning in, his eyes wide as he looked over Klavier’s figure - clearly tugging along a suitcase at the local airport. The date on the article suggested this was today, perhaps this morning. Apollo stands then, forgetting his briefcase and paperwork to run out of the office without an explanation.
He knows he needn’t give one. It was a surprise to no one how Apollo had felt after all these years in Klavier’s absence.
It took him years to try and track the alpha in their time apart. He’d scanned through numerous fan accounts and tabloids regarding Klavier’s adventures, but even fans had noticed the German rockstar’s presence had been fading. Like a man in hiding, the alpha had purposefully remained secretive as he traveled, releasing songs here and there on his website to ensure the world he was still alive. Sometimes he’d do an interview, but Apollo would learn that he’d never stay in that same city once the interview was over. It was like he was running away - away from him.
Apollo ran all the way to the alpha’s old apartment. All this time, Klavier had never sold the flat, which gave Apollo the hope that he’d return one day. He pressed the elevator button once he’d made his way inside the building, his heart skipping beats as he tapped his foot and impatiently awaited the elevator’s presence. It couldn’t come fast enough, and he was soon standing alone inside its confines, his mind reeling with what he’d say to the other when he finally saw him.
How long had he waited for this moment?
He stood in front of Klavier’s door then, for a brief second, before he knocked on it confidently. No, he wouldn’t back out this time. He needed to know the truth. He needed to know Klavier Gavin finally returned home.
The door opens, and Klavier Gavin stood before him with a shocked expression. It only lasted a moment before eyes moved over Apollo’s figure. Apollo knew he’d benefitted from the years, having exchanged his vest with a blazer like his mentor. Even his scent had softened, but he still felt self-conscious in front of the alpha. All his confidence seemed to drain the moment he stood in front of Klavier, like a schoolboy before his crush.
The first thing that hits Apollo is Klavier’s scent. It’s smoother and warmer than it was, leaving his belly warm. And it wasn’t currently tainted with another omega’s scent - something that left Apollo entirely too hopeful. There was a lack of mate mark anywhere on the alpha’s neck, exposed from the alpha’s cut hair - reminiscent of when he was a teenager. Klavier also sported glasses, much like his brother had all those years ago, but they were different, refined. The alpha looked older, sporting a less gaudy chain necklace, but without the Gavinner’s symbol at the end.
Klavier Gavin was different and it struck Apollo that he wasn’t the only one who had grown in these past few years.
“Herr Justice, guten tag.” Klavier looks at him with those soft blue eyes, and Apollo loses the air in his lungs. He’s winded, and for once in his life, he has no idea what to say next. He’d practiced for years what to say when given this opportunity again, about how he’d confess, about how he’d apologize, but it all left him as Klavier looked at him with a teasing smile. “Would you like to come in?”
“Y-Yes.” Apollo swallowed hard as the other stepped back and gestured for him to enter. Apollo did so, unbuttoning his blazer in hopes it would let him breathe easier. He felt his heart thump as he looked around the living room. Nothing much had changed since Apollo had been there last, save for the few boxes that littered some of the corners of the room.
“Es tut mir leid, I would have cleaned up a bit more if I had known you were coming.” Klavier commented as he shut the door behind them. “Would you like something to drink? Tea? Wine, maybe?”
“Wine, huh?” Apollo smirks at the other who shrugs. “You haven’t changed at all.”
“What can I say? I stick to what I know.” Klavier smirked loosely at him. “Well?”
“Wine works.” Apollo watched the alpha chuckle before he padded over to the kitchen to grab the glasses. Apollo watched him curiously, his mind wandering as he watched the other’s arms flex when he opened the wine bottle easily.
He thought back to Phoenix’s words all those years ago, about how he knew Edgeworth was his fated mate. About how even after years of being separated, the moment he saw Edgeworth, it was like coming home. Apollo finally felt at home. Surrounded by Klavier’s rich scent, reminding him of when they would be seated on this very couch when he was an intern, sipping wine and bantering over the plot of the Steel Samurai show. He remembered when they would lean in close, a kiss just barely between them, before something would interrupt them. Apollo would think about it for the entirety of the night, wondering if he should have closed the gap, but always remained wildly bashful the next time the opportunity presented itself.
Klavier walks over and placed a glass in front of Apollo, clutching his own as he seated himself.
“So, Herr Justice,” It doesn’t escape Apollo’s attention that Klavier sits across from him despite the large couch that Apollo has nestled into. Apollo intertwines his fingers and leans forward, watching Klavier adjust his glasses before smiling at him, “I hear you’ve made quite the name for yourself.”
“You’ve heard that?” Apollo’s cheeks heat slightly before he’s laughing shyly. “I didn’t think you’d kept up with my work.”
“Of course I did.” Klavier laughs, “I quite liked your last case - I take it you took a few pages from Herr Wright’s book on interviewing parrots?”
“It was quite the case.” Apollo smiled warmly, staring at Klavier intently. The alpha was beautiful, handsome, just like before. Even with shorter hair, blond locks seemed to sway over his ears. Blue eyes were still soft, clear, and Apollo could feel his stomach warming.
“But you still caught the culprit and saved your defendant.” Klavier hummed, “I had expected nothing less.”
“You’re teasing me.”
“Not in the slightest, Herr Justice. I think you’ve become an even more brilliant attorney since we last worked together.” Klavier sipped his wine, his eyes sparkling with something reminiscent of their past. Apollo felt his blush deepen.
“Really now, if I knew any better, I really would think you haven’t changed at all.”
“Only a bit.” Klavier chuckled, leaning back in his seat. “All the traveling really does well to open your mind.”
“I’ve noticed. You weren’t very active with the media.” Apollo felt embarrassed to admit he’d kept up with the former prosecution attorney, but Klavier’s expression emphasized his warm amusement at the information.
“I see I wasn’t the only one who missed my old rival.” Klavier took another sip of his wine and Apollo didn’t miss the way the other’s eyes looked him over. “And time has treated you well, my friend.”
Apollo’s heart beat harder to the praise, and he could feel the true intention of him visiting press against his thoughts. He cleared his throat.
“Klavier, can I ask you a question?” The alpha gestured for him to continue. “It may seem silly but - do you still believe in fated mates?”
“No more than I still believe in horoscopes or astrology.” Klavier’s voice was somehow darker, colder - a sudden shift leaving Apollo surprised. Even his scent had gone bitter, that smooth texture somehow stiff and icy. Apollo stiffened at the change, even his bracelet squeezing at the way Klavier seemed to twitch, before Klavier suddenly relaxed- a forced move. “Why, Herr Justice, have Fraulein Wright’s beloved tabloids finally rubbed off on you after all these years?”
“Well, no,” Apollo swallowed, “I just - it was something you had believed in before you’d left.”
“It was, wasn’t it?” Klavier stood then, grabbing his glass before walking to the kitchen to wash it out. Apollo watched hesitantly, feeling guilt weigh in his stomach at the other’s sudden shift in mood.
“You don’t believe in them anymore?”
“Why are you asking me such a thing in the first place?” Klavier placed the cleaned mug in a dish rack, his back still turned to Apollo. “Don’t tell me you believe that somehow we’re fated mates, after all this time? And that’s why you decided to suddenly pay me a visit?”
Apollo swallowed hard.
“Because that would be an awfully painful path to go down, ja?” Klavier’s voice was cold, and Apollo swore, for a moment, that when the alpha turned to look at him, he saw Kristoph.
“Klavier.” Apollo couldn’t fight the sudden anxiety that pushed him to want to leave. Somehow, this felt dangerous.
“Herr Justice, would you like something else to drink? You’ve barely touched your wine.” Klavier was prickly, and Apollo was already missing the flirtatious tone the other had just earlier.
“No, I’m - I’m alright.” Apollo felt guilt weigh in his stomach like a rock. But something made him push past it - he’d waited too long for this. “Klavier, have you given up on me?”
“I think you should leave, Herr Justice.” Klavier faces him fully from the kitchen. “You probably have cases to research, and I certainly have my own errands I must finish with my return.”
“That’s not an answer to my question.”
“Bitte, I’d suggest you take my suggestion.” Klavier’s voice was genuinely dangerous then, and Apollo felt his omega instincts flare in response. His bracelet was tight enough to hurt, which made just a part of him doubt Klavier’s true intent to hurt. But he felt himself fidgeting out of nervousness, something he hadn’t felt even in court for years.
Apollo finally swallowed and stood up, nodding. He turned to the door, but didn’t miss the way Klavier remained in the kitchen, not seeing him out. Apollo looked at the other as he put his hand on the doorknob, his mind reeling with the way Klavier stared at him, awaiting for him to leave.
“This was fun, Herr Justice. I hope we can do this again.” Klavier’s smile was tight. “Auf Wiedersehen.”
“Klav, I’m...I’m sorry.” Apollo whispered quietly before opening the door. He shut it quietly behind him, but not before he heard the last words from Klavier, forcing him to stand stiffly in front of the alpha’s closed door with hot tears suddenly running down his face.
“It’s a bit too late for that, isn’t it, liebling?”
Apollo forced himself to start walking, his body protesting every movement as he left the apartment building. That was supposed to go differently. He was supposed to confess his feelings and Klavier was supposed to say he loved him back, and they were supposed to catch up on the years they missed.
He supposed he deserved this, after everything he’d put the alpha through. But he’d been foolish, putting off something he needed for something he wanted - believing those emotions would hinder his progress as an ace attorney. It wasn’t until he lost Klavier that he realized just how important the alpha was in his life. He couldn’t give up now, not when the alpha was finally back in his life.
Apollo stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, turning back to look at Klavier’s building with a newfound sense of determination. He swore to himself all these years that if Klavier Gavin ever returned, he’d win him over again, no matter what it took.
It wasn’t often that omegas courted alphas, but Apollo Justice was sure that Klavier Gavin was his fated mate. And he knew, deep down, Klavier believed the same. The alpha had no other reason to read over Apollo’s cases, or allow him to visit, unless he knew, deep down, that it was the truth. That neither could truly be without the other for long. Fate brought them back together every time.
Apollo clenched his fists and took a deep breath in.
“Klavier Gavin, I’ll make you fall in love with me again.” Apollo swore to himself. “Just you wait.”
Apollo had learned that Klavier Gavin was returning to the prosecution almost immediately. Word had spread like wildfire, and the media had been entirely entranced. It was exciting news for everyone, both from the prosecution and defense offices. Trucy wasted no time in asking Apollo what his plans were with Klavier, and how to get him back. It was no mystery to either of them that it would be a difficult task, and Apollo knew he’d have to ride to the challenge. How long had Klavier waited for him, serenading him and courting him for years with a younger, far more naive Apollo brushing the other off.
No, this would not be an easy task. But Apollo wasn’t a young, early-twenties omega anymore. He’d matured, he’d learned, and he knew exactly what he wanted now.
And he certainly wasn’t going to let Klavier Gavin get away a second time.
So he found himself purposefully watching for any case Klavier was on - and attempting to take each case. At first, the prosecutor seemed to wait on purpose for the defense attorney to be decided before he even remotely looked at the case. It was a tricky game, and Apollo knew the other attorney was purposefully avoiding him. Like a game of cat and mouse, Apollo had to play his cards right, and with a helpful pull of strings, he was able to switch with a defense attorney to face off with Klavier in a murder trial.
News hadn’t yet reached the prosecutor, thanks to Apollo’s request for said information to remain under secrecy.
It’s not until he’s standing at the crime scene, watching the door before one prosecutor slowly made his way inside, that his first step in the plan is put into motion.
Klavier looks at him, his eyebrows immediately furrowing before he tries to look at the paperwork in his hands. He’s clearly trying to determine if he’s in the right location, and Apollo walks up to him confidently.
“Prosecutor Gavin, you’re on this case?”
“Ja...I believe so.” Klavier’s voice reflects his disbelief as he looks at Apollo once again. “I wasn’t aware you were...on this case as well.”
“I was asked to step in.” Apollo lied, watching the prosecutor narrow his eyes slightly. It was clear he didn’t believe the omega, but he made no move to call the other out.
“I see.” Klavier grumbled softly. “Well, it shall be quite the trial, ja?”
“I believe so.” Apollo smiled, but the hint of pain in his chest left him unsteady. Back when these things really did happen out of coincidence, Klavier would have a quick line of stating that Apollo was just trying to spend time with him. Sometimes he’d even suggest going on a date afterwards when (if) Apollo lost, or even as a “consolation prize” for Klavier.
Now, the prosecutor left a very decent gap between them at all times. If Apollo entered one room, Klavier made sure to go into another. It felt oddly surreal, being the one moving to invade the other’s space or commenting on Klavier’s movements. Klavier caught on very quickly, unsurprisingly, but when Apollo thought the other would finally just give up, like he always did when they were younger, Klavier instead turned to him with a defeated smirk when they stood outside after their scene investigation.
“I see what you’re doing here, Herr Justice.” Klavier finally folded his arms over his chest. “And I’d suggest you find another to court.”
“Unfortunately, that won’t be happening.” Apollo stood his ground, his eyes locked on Klavier's. “I’m not backing down this time.”
“And what has changed, exactly, in your feelings for me after all this time?” Klavier placed his hands on his hips, leaning down like he used to. Apollo’s heart lurched, and he felt like he was twenty-four years old all over again. “Perhaps you haven’t been as forthcoming with your feelings for others when the opportunities presented themselves and you think I’m the safe option, having returned, ja?”
Apollo knew Klavier was provoking him. He narrowed his eyes.
“You won’t be surprised to know that I haven’t pursued anyone during your absence.”
“I find that very easy to believe.” Klavier smirked before standing straight. “Work always came first, ja?”
Apollo felt that dagger stab right through his chest. He winced, and Klavier took the moment of weakness to brush through his bangs with his fingers and turn away.
“Good luck at the trial tomorrow, Herr Justice.” Klavier called out as he walked away, leaving the omega to stew in his own rage.
He knew this wouldn’t be easy, but did it have to be so painful?