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The look Kristoph gives Klavier is one he’s seen before, both as a boy then as a teenager and now as an adult. Someone tattled. “Klavier.”
“Kristoph.”
“Mind taking a seat?”
The younger Gavin sighs but does as he’s told. Lets himself get comfortable while he still can. It isn’t difficult; Kristoph’s office, a windowless room with bookshelves lining the wall behind a beautiful mahogany desk, has some plush seating. It’s a little too comfortable to be honest. Klavier imagines Kristoph’s chair offers more support than this one does. Were Kristoph not in his way Klavier might consider stealing it, like a child, and propping his feet up on the desk.
Kristoph turns his back to Klavier, returning a stack of books to their shelves while Klavier waits. “Were you cleaning them?” he asks, hoping to fill the silence.
Kristoph looks at him, confused. Blinks a couple times, letting it dawn upon himself Klavier spoke, and cradles a leather bound book to his chest. “Hmm? Oh, no, no. The shelves are new. I’m only putting the books back. I have been lazy, I’m afraid to say.”
He’s distracted, quick to get back to what he was doing. “I’ll only be a minute,” Kristoph promises.
Kristoph has not changed very much, Klavier realizes. He still obsesses over organization, still favors expensive nail polish—there’s a bottle on the desk Klavier considers toying with—and still wears those silly ribbon neckties. Better, at least, than Edgeworth’s cravat. Klavier prefers a more modern look himself. Only occasionally donning a suit and decorating himself with jewelry, which includes piercing select body parts; that is Klavier’s preferred style.
People say they look so much alike, only they don’t. Kristoph is of a stronger build, with wide shoulders and square features. Klavier’s features are softer, his build not as square and skin too tan. Good cheekbones and similar noses aside they are remarkably different.
Long blond hair, falling in a twist over their left shoulders, is the biggest thing the brothers have in common. Physically.
“I’m beginning to think you did not call me here because you missed me.” Klavier smiles, ever pleasant, at Kristoph’s resulting frown.
Kristoph finishes with the books and takes his seat, crossing one leg over the other and folding his hands in his lap. “You kept your Euro rock accent?” he asks. “How exotic.”
“Danke.”
The smile Kristoph gives Klavier is anything but nice. “It’s nice to see you in such good spirits,” he continues, “considering you had a hit put out on you, just days ago. You bounce back remarkably well.”
“You can thank Herr Wright for that, as he has so graciously called off the hit—on both me and you.” This catches Kristoph’s interest. Klavier holds a hand up, relishing in the fact Kristoph stays quiet, and continues, any pretense of a merry mood dropped. “Don’t toy with me, Kristoph. You are too smart to anger the Dons and not know about it. Buying off Herr Wright’s police force, really? What have you been up to while I was away?”
“Must I really remind you?” It is a rhetorical question. Still, Kristoph makes Klavier wait for the answer, pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose to draw out time. “You know I find Wright and Edgeworth… unnecessary.”
“So you’ve been encroaching on their territory.”
“I’ve been expanding my operation. Our operation, rather.” He narrows his eyes, startlingly vibrant in their color. “You are still with me, aren’t you? I know we have not been very close these past few years, but this is as much for me as it is for you.” He smiles, pained, and Klavier returns the gesture.
“I’m with you, brother. Us against the world, ja?”He curses his voice for wavering, but Kristoph doesn’t comment. Only nods. Klavier quickly regains himself. “I do not think we should anger Herr Wright and Herr Edgeworth. If you do not back off now we will come under even more fire. Please, leave Wright’s police force alone. We can expand in other ways. He has already agreed to no more bloodshed—”
“—provided I give him his room, yes?”
Klavier nods.
“So be it.”
“Really?” Klavier blurts out, wide eyed and undignified. “I—thank you, Kristoph, for being so reasonable.”
The elder Gavin laughs. “What did you expect? I am not one for unnecessary violence. Besides,” he adds, “I have something else I wish to focus on. When I—sorry, we—succeed, we will have acquired a very pretty piece of property. One that neither Wright nor Edgeworth, or anyone else for that matter, has claim to.”
“You have my interest. But first,” Klavier stands, mouth curling into a grin, “I seem to remember you promising me lunch. Or were you just toying with me?”
Kristoph rises too and shakes his head. “I will take you out for lunch.” Rounding the desk, Kristoph leads Klavier out into the narrow hall. Before they get any further, however, Klavier stops him.
“Who told you about the hit?”
“Daryan. He thought you weren’t man enough to confront me, apparently, and said so in a far less polite manner.”
“How kind of him,” Klavier says dryly. Kristoph chuckles.
“To be fair, it did take you nearly a week. Why wait so long?”
“Because you were so busy! And I had some things to do, myself.”
“Such as seducing strangers?”
Pouting, Klavier stuffs his hands in his pockets. “One time!”
“That I know of. Aww…” Kristoph moves to ruffle Klavier’s hair. The latter ducks away just in time. “Look, you’re blushing. So you can feel shame.”
“Am not,” Klavier growls, brushing past his brother.
Kristoph doesn’t see it, but there’s a smile on his brother’s face. I’ve missed this, Klavier thinks. I’ve missed him.
“Kristoph?”
“Yes, Klavier?”
“Promise me you’ll talk to me after lunch. About everything. I want to be able to help you. In this, in everything.”
“Of course, Klavier. We are equals now, I hope you know.”
“Ja,” he says, “of course.”