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“Prosecutor Gavin? It’s Edgeworth. I hope you don’t mind me calling to check up on you,” Edgeworth said, voice echoing through Klavier’s empty apartment. “You haven’t been to work recently, and I just wanted to make sure everything was okay...” he continued. “I know you and Mr. Justice were close, so if you ever need to talk, well, I’m here,” he said. “Just... call me if you need anything, okay?” He said.
Klavier didn’t bother to move when the machine beeped, signifying that Edgeworth had hung up. He didn’t have the energy to move. It had been a week since Apollo had decided to stay in Khura’in and two days since Apollo had packed up to move to Khura’in. Two days since Klavier said goodbye to the love of his life.
‘I should have said something...’ he thought as tears welled up in his eyes again. ‘Anything,’ he thought as he rolled over and buried his head in his pillow and just wailed.
He knew Apollo was going to change the world while he was in Khura’in. He was there to change the legal system. To help make sure that innocent people were not punished. To save lives.
But god did it hurt. It hurt so much.
He knew Apollo was meant for greater things, but watching him turn and walk towards security with all his things... it took every fiber of his being to not burst into tears in public. He was sure that at least Trucy realized that his quick exit wasn’t because someone had recognized him.
Klavier hadn’t expected it to hit him this hard. He had expected to be sad, yeah, but this... he wasn’t even this upset when Kristoph and Daryan were convicted. The amount of regret he felt was almost crushing.
‘I should have told him,’ he thought. ‘I should have at least tried,’ he thought.
He loved Apollo. He loved Apollo so much it hurt. But he was scared. Despite wanting to tell him time and time again, Klavier had never built up the courage. And now... it was too late.
‘He’s halfway across the world,’ Klavier thought as his sobs turned into silent tears. ‘He’s doing amazing things,’ he thought. ‘I should be proud of him...’ he thought as he sat up and buried his head in his hands.
He was being selfish, he knew he was. But no matter how much he tried to be happy for Apollo, he couldn’t help but wish he had never left. It hurt so much.
He had lost his chance to tell Apollo he loved him and that thought alone was destroying him. He had so many opportunities to tell Apollo he loved him and he just... never did.
He rubbed his eyes as he stared up at the ceiling. There was no use beating himself up over this. He had lost his chance to tell Apollo he loved him and that was that.
Rolling out of bed, Klavier shuffled out of his room. He needed to call Edgeworth back. That was his first priority. ‘Deep breaths. Force your voice to stay still,’ he thought as he made his way to the house phone.
Taking a deep breath, the rockstar prosecutor grabbed the phone, fingers trembling as he called his boss back.
“Prosecutor’s office, Chief Prosecutor Edgeworth speaking,” Edgeworth said, voice curt. Klavier took another deep breath.
“Hey, Herr Edgeworth,” Klavier started.
“Prosecutor Gavin,” Edgeworth said, tone changing completely. “It’s good to hear from you,” he said. “How are you feeling?” He asked. Klavier bit the inside of his cheek.
“To borrow a line from our favorite defense attorney, I’m f-fine,” he said, wincing as his voice cracked. “I’ve just been a bit under the weather recently,” he lied quickly. “I should be back in the office in a few days,” he said. Edgeworth was silent.
“Prosecutor Gavin...” he started before pausing. “I... just take all the time you need, okay?” He said eventually. “I know Mr. Justice’s move was abrupt, and I know you two were close,” he said. “So take all the time you need,” he said.
“Herr Edgeworth, I appreciate it, but-“
“Please, Klavier,” Edgeworth said, causing Klavier to pause. Edgeworth never called anyone by their first names. Not Phoenix, not Franziska, and definitely not his subordinates.
“... okay,” Klavier said after a moment of silence. He knew that it was no use arguing with Edgeworth, not when he seemed so genuinely worried about him.
“Thank you,” Edgeworth said. “Please, don’t hesitate to call me if you need anything,” he said.
“I won’t,” Klavier lied as he glanced away. Mumbling a goodbye to his boss, he hung up the phone and slumped against the counter, burying his head in his hands as tears welled up in his eyes again.
‘Gott, I’m so pathetic...’ he thought as he tried to ignore the aching in his chest. His mind kept replaying the moment he turned and walked towards security, an excited smile on his face. It was the first time Apollo had smiled like that since Clay died, and it was when he was leaving.
‘He’s going to be happy there,’ he thought as he slowly picked his head up from his his hands. ‘Just because you love him doesn’t mean he should have stayed,’ he thought as he tried to blink away the tears.
‘I should have said something,’ he thought again. “I sh-should have just said it...” he whispered to himself, voice breaking as tears started rolling down his cheeks again.
Swallowing the lump in his throat, Klavier slowly turned away from the phone. He shuffled back to his room, picking up his cellphone before he started towards his recording studio. He needed to play something. Let it all out. Just like he always did when he was upset.
Grabbing one of his acoustic guitars, he paused at the entrance of the studio. Scrubbing the tears off of his cheeks, he grabbed a pick from the recording bench and walked into the recording studio.
He wasn’t going to write something new. He couldn’t bring himself to focus enough for that. He was just going to play. He slipped the guitar strap around his body before he pulled out his phone and set it on his music stand, breath hitching as the photo of Apollo he had as his lock screen lit up.
Squeezing his eyes shut, Klavier but his bottom lip, trying to stop the tears rolling down his cheeks. ‘Just play,’ he thought as he grabbed his pick from the stand, accidentally knocking his phone off, sending it sailing to the floor. He didn’t bother picking it up, completely unaware that the screen lit up as someone called him. The phone fell to the ground with a clatter, accidentally accepting the call before his phone could so much as start to ring.
Letting instinct take over, Klavier’s fingers started moving on their own as he started playing one of the first songs he had ever learned how to play.
“I c-can see it in your eyes that you are restless~” he sang, voice cracking at the beginning as he fell into another world. “The time has come for you to leave~” he sang.
“It's so hard to let you go~” he continued, voice strengthening slightly. “But in this life I know you have to be who you were made to be~” he sang, images of Apollo in court flashing in his eyes.
“As you step out on the road I'll say a prayer~” Klavier continued as the image of Apollo walking away flashed through his mind. “So that in my heart you always will be there~” he sang as tears started to roll down his cheeks, causing him to take a deep, shuddering breath.
“This is not goodbye~” he sang, more tears rolling down his cheeks. “I know we'll m-meet again, so let your life begin 'cause this is not goodbye~” he sang, voice cracking.
“It's just 'I-I love you' to take with y-you until you're home again~” he continued, voice cracking again as more tears rolled down his cheeks. An image of Apollo smiling at him popped in his mind, causing his breath to hitch as he tried to steady himself.
“The stirring in your soul has left you wondering~” Klavier sang, voice steadying. “Should you stay or turn around~?” He sang. “Well, just remember that your dreams, they are a promise~” he continued.
“Th-that you were made to change the world~” he sang, voice cracking yet again as he pictured Apollo sitting there, helping rebuild the legal system. “So don't let fear stop you now, 'cause this is not goodbye~” he sang.
“I know we'll meet again~” he continued. “So let your life begin 'cause this is not goodbye~” he sang. “It's just 'I l-love you' to take with you until you're h-home again~” he continued, voice cracking even more as he fought the urge to break down into sobs.
“Oh~” Klavier sang. “I know the brightest star above, was created by the one who l-loved more than we’ll ever know~” he sang. “To guide you when you’re lost~” he sang.
“What started as a still small voice is raging now and your only choice is to f-follow who you are, so follow who you are~!” He sang, voice rising as more tears rolled down his cheeks. “‘cause th-this is not goodbye~” he continued.
“I know we'll meet again, s-so let your life begin~!” He sang, not even noticing the voice cracks anymore. “‘cause th-this is not goodbye~” he sang. “It’s just ‘I-I love you’ to take with you until you’re home~” he continued.
“It’s just ‘I l-love you’ to take with you until you’re home~” Klavier repeated, voice a little bit louder than the first time. “It’s just ‘I love you’ to take with you until you’re home~!” He cried, voice raw with emotion as he held out the last word, voice wobbling as he raised his head and sang to the ceiling, an image of Apollo flashing in his mind.
“A-again~” he sang, voice trembling as he lowered his head. His fingers trembling as he played the last few chords, letting the song fade away and letting himself come back into reality.
Opening his eyes, Klavier just stared at the glass for a second before he slowly reached up to try to scrub the tears from his face. It didn’t work, and before he could really stop himself, he broke down into sobs again.
He was completely unaware that, on the opposite side of the world, Apollo was lying in bed, sobbing alongside Klavier as he hung up the phone.