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It doesn’t take Klavier long to fall in love in with Apollo.
How could it it?
Apollo is...everything.
Funny. Oblivious. Dorky. Kindhearted. Sarcastic. Adorable. Infuriating. Ridiculous. Smart.
Klavier has three languages with which to describe Apollo but none of them could ever do so adequately. He is just so uniquely...Apollo. Klavier could dedicate his entire life to inventing a language that might be able to truly convey his feelings, and it still wouldn’t be enough. There is something about Apollo that Klavier could never describe in the way he wanted to.
But it is as if he’d been formed from the very core of the planet.
All four elements united in one being.
His physique had been grown from the unmoving strength of the earth. Bones moulded from rocks in the soil. Limbs sculpted from the toughest oak trees. He was solid. Grounded. Safe and familiar. Cultivated by the firm hand of Demeter.
His grace was spun from the gentle threads of the air. Movements elegant and precise. Steps light but self-assured. He carried himself on the wind. Peaceful. Calming. Nurtured by the watchful eye of Aeolus.
His mind had been fabricated from the cleansing coolness of water. Thoughts hurried and out of control at times. Steadfast and benevolent at others. He kept himself afloat on the drifting currents. Mollifying. Extraordinary. Nourished by the sharp intellect of Poseidon.
His heart was forged from the smothering ashes of fire. Passion for justice alight and burning bright. Eyes sparking with the embers of determination. He protected others with a steady flame. Dangerous. Beautiful. Stoked by the unwavering care of Hephaestus.
Even that wasn’t enough though.
Klavier lets himself fall in love.
Embraces the way Apollo makes him feel with open arms, accepting anything that‘s thrown his way. Just being near Apollo is a privilege. A joy. An honour.
Still not the right words.
Klavier doesn’t get butterflies around Apollo. There are dragons in his stomach, heating his up his insides in a way that is pleasantly warm that Klavier would never dream of complaining.
Cotton wool in his head. Fireworks behind his eyelids. Honey in his bloodstream.
Good metaphors, yes. But not quite right.
Being in love with Apollo never feels smothering. Or like Klavier needs to act on his feelings. He’s content to just exist in the same time and place as Apollo. Sure, being able to kiss and hold Apollo after a long trial would be wonderful. But being able to leave the courtroom and be greeted by the defence attorney’s inevitably smug grin? That was equally incredible.
So Klavier loves Apollo from a distance and it’s fine. It’s nice? It’s good? Warm? Pleasant? Superb?
Not exactly that. But close.
Ema notices because of course she does. She may not particularly like Klavier but she’s surprisingly perceptive when it comes to his emotions. Snackoos are thrown at his head but he doesn’t really care, not when Klavier can see that Apollo is trying to hide a smile at the sight.
Later on, Ema sidles up next to Klavier and gestures subtly to Apollo with an eyebrow raise and abrupt crunching sound. She asks if he plans to do anything about his ‘massive fuck-off crush’ as she so elegantly puts it. Is he going to? No probably not. He says as much and Ema sighs. But she isn’t surprised. She gives him an awkward pat on the arm and moves away quickly. Goes back to her actual job.
Klavier goes back to sneaking glances at Apollo.
One of the police officers at the crime scene calls him over.
He misses the way Apollo sneaks glances back.
-*-
Seeing Apollo is court is...beautiful. He’s so determined to prove his client’s innocence. Klavier has never seen magma in person before, but he’s fairly certain that it’s made of the same ferocity, heat, and fire that can be found in Apollo’s eyes. Or thrumming through his veins.
Trucy has to nudge him several times whenever he hangs out with the Wright Anything Agency, as he has a tendency to zone out and stare at Apollo for perhaps too long. She actually has a gift for perception, so Klavier’s not exactly surprised that she can tell how head over heels in love with Apollo he is. Not that it matters apparently, as Trucy reveals that he is ‘so obvious that someone on the moon could see it’ when he lets her paint his nails one night.
He prefer talking about his crush on Apollo than talking about the way he flinches when he first sees the nail polish bottle.
Trucy doesn’t comment on it though. Instead she tells Klavier what the Wright Anything Agency got up to that day, and tries to a hide a grin at the way his face lights up when she mentions that Apollo did something dorky.
She decides it’s not her place to mention Apollo’s ten minute rant about Klavier’s nose twitch before a sneeze, and the way he laughs quietly at Phoenix’s awful dad jokes. Hopefully they’d figure something out soon though because damn were those two oblivious.
Miles catches Klavier muttering seemingly random words under his breath when they’re both staying late in the Prosecutors’ Building one night. Adjectives huh?
Stunning?
Breathtaking?
Eclipsing?
Gorgeous?
Yes. But no.
Klavier blushes bright red when Miles asks him what he’s muttering about. But he can’t bring himself to lie. It’s not like he’s embarrassed by liking Apollo. Quite the opposite. He’d shout it from the rooftops if he could.
It doesn’t matter either way, as Miles isn’t one to judge. At least not when it comes to romantic endeavours. When Klavier asks him what he means, he just gives him a rare but warm smile and mumbles something to himself about ‘idiotic Phoenix Wright’.
Klavier goes back to coming up with adjectives.
-*-
It’s mid morning when Klavier walks into his office a few weeks later. Quite nice weather but nothing to get overly excited about. His motorbike would stay dry at least.
There’s a piece of lined paper on his desk.
In Apollo’s handwriting.
Klavier only picks it up once he’s sure he’s calm enough.
The page is covered in writing. No not writing exactly. Just words. Loads of different words stretched out across the paper. Looping around each other. Weaving through the printed lines. Sprawling across the header. They’re all...adjectives?
Charming
Sweet
Captivating
Alluring
Nerdy
Talented
Amazing
Klavier
His name is underlined. Does this mean-
The door behind him opens and...oh... Wow.
Apollo is there. Smiling. Blushing. Determined. Radiant.
“Hi.”
Klavier might collapse.
“Hi.”
Apollo glances at the desk.
“Did you read it?”
“Ja. It’s... wow. Danke, Apollo.”
“I started it once I realised I was crushing on you really hard.”
Klavier’s not stupid. He knew what the paper meant when he read through it. But hearing Apollo confess his feelings so casually makes him weak. And removes a weight from his chest he didn’t even realise was there. But Apollo isn’t finished talking.
“Every time I thought something about you, y’know like ‘oh my god he’s breathtaking’, I wrote it down on there.”
Then Apollo flushes red suddenly and looks away.
“I was worried I’d run out of room. Luckily I can make my handwriting pretty small.”
Klavier is across the room and directly in front of Apollo before he realises he’s even moved.
He takes Apollo’s hands in his.
He can do this.
“Apollo.” He breathes. Good start.
“Liebling. Schatz. Liebe. Süsser. Hase.”
Apollo raises an eyebrow.
“I’ll need translations.”
Klavier shakes his head fondly.
“Later.”
Then he squeezes Apollo’s hands a little and rests his forehead against the top of Apollo’s head.
“I have loved you for forever. But you are indescribable. I tried to come up with the perfect word to encompass you but it’s impossible. Liebling, you are out of this world.”
Apollo’s eyes narrow and stares at Klavier with...determination? Klavier needs to learn not to question the will power that Apollo faces everything with.
“Klavier. Kiss me.”
So he does.
It doesn’t take Klavier long to fall in love with Apollo.
How could it it?
Apollo is everything.