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Klavier thought it was frankly ridiculous that they were still holding proceedings in the same courthouse that got bombed a day before. The bomb disposal team had assured him numerous times that it was safe but that’s what they said when they allowed a bomb into the halls of justice in the first place. His hair would likely smell like rubble for weeks now.
He felt a slight pang of shame over his more selfish worries when a woman, a police officer, was dead. Yet here he was worried about his hair.
He headed to the courtroom he was assigned for the day, a simple theft charge open and shut. As he strutted through the halls he made sure to keep his back straight and an easygoing smile plastered on his mouth. You never know when a fan may appear from around the corner. As he continued the cloying burnt smell got stronger and stronger until a wave of it passed in front of him. Alongside it passed Apollo and the new lawyer at his practice, Fraulein Cykes.
Apollo was different. He wore a blue jacket draped across his shoulders, tattered on the ends, bandages covered both his arms and his right eye. He could tell in an instant that he was caught up in the explosion, and clearly he had been one of the injured. He carried himself differently too, more gravitas, his eye betrayed a certain determination.
Klavier felt himself swallow. An involuntary response. He stared at him for a moment, thoughtlessly voyeuristic. Despite it all this was a good look for him. If he lost the dress shirt and tie they could probably go on stage together, if he weren’t retired. He felt himself start to flush as he imagined it. How far did the bandages run up his arms? How low did his vest really sit? He shook himself out of that train of thought, it wasn’t appropriate to think that way. Not only that but Apollo looked like this because he was injured.
A fresh concern hit him, how badly had Apollo been hurt? They told him all the injuries were minor but what did that even mean? His eye was bandaged over, did he get shrapnel in it? Would he be able to see out of it again? If not, how would he do his perceptions in court? Worry after worry hit him and just as he was about to walk over to ask if he was okay the two of them entered the defendant’s lobby.
He wanted to enter and ask if he was okay. Express his concern, show how much it mattered to him that he was hurt. Klavier felt the urge to take care of him but he pushed it down. Not only would that be needlessly unprofessional, and likely unwanted, but showing this treatment to Apollo and none of the other victims wouldn’t bode well for him.
So he continued on to the courtroom he was stationed in.
Klavier returned to the halls of the courthouse with one more victory on his record and with some unexpected free time. The defendant had chosen to waive his right to lawyer citing the dark age of law as evidence that they were all corrupt. He was consequently declared guilty in record time.
He decided to head to the gallery for the trial that Apollo was working on, but behind the bench he only saw Wright and Cykes. He left a little disappointed and decided it was probably for the best, now he had a chance to catch up on the work he’d been putting off. He walked towards the exit more than a little dejected until once again the smell of rubble rushed past him, this time far faster and far louder. A stretcher. Paramedics spoke harsh words in hushed tones as they continued forward. Had they failed to find a victim in the rubble? That’s impossible. Edgeworth had ensured that everyone was accounted for.
He craned his neck to see who was on the stretcher and felt his blood go cold. It was Apollo. He was fine not an hour ago. How could that possibly be? It must have been his injuries, they must have been more extensive than he had thought. He looked around seeing Cykes comfort a vaguely familiar looking girl who was weeping openly and Wright looked on at the paramedics with a stony expression.
Klavier made up his mind at that moment. He followed the paramedics out to the front with an even stride and as they loaded Apollo into an ambulance he started up his bike to make chase. He pursued it until they reached the hospital Apollo ended up at, but he couldn’t follow them into the staff entrance so he rounded to the front and sat in the waiting room.
He realized he had no idea when Apollo would be fit for visitors so he sat as close to the reception as possible and kept an ear out for his name, hoping his emergency contact would arrive soon. The girl at the front desk noticed him immediately, unfortunately she seemed to be the shyer sort of fan that preferred to stare in awe from a distance. Her gaze constantly flitting back over to him made him regret staring at Apollo earlier far more than he already did. After two hours he thought it strange that no one had come to ask about him, so he took it upon himself.
“Hello Fraulein.”
“Oh my god you’re Klavier Gavin, and you’re talking to me.” she squealed.
“A fan I see.” He smiled.
“Huge, I have all your albums on CD and vinyl!”
“Ach thank you for the support Fraulein.”
“When is your next release happening? I’m so excited.”
“Unfortunately I have decided to hang up the mantle, but if you still want to see me perform you’re more than welcome to watch my trials ja?”
She sighed sadly at his answer.
“Fraulein, I have a question for you. Is Apollo Justice ready for visitation yet?”
She looked at him surprised as if only just remembering she was on the clock.
“Oh my god so sorry! He seems to be stable so I don’t see any problem with you going to see him, we’ve actually been trying to get in touch with his emergency contact for a while now.”
“Really, perhaps I can try talking to them?”
Klavier suggested. Though the only person he could think of was Wright and he already knew Apollo was injured.
“Well if you know an alternate number for a Clay Terran I’d love to hear it.”
Klavier had no idea who that was.
“Sorry Fraulein, I’ve never heard that name before, if you could just tell me Justice’s room number I’ll be off to see him ja?”
“Of course, it’s 225!” She chirped.
He hesitated before taking off to see him, detouring to a small shop and buying a bouquet of sunflowers before returning to the receptionist's desk. She stared at him as he left walking up the stairs to get to the room. Counting up to 225 he pushed open the door.
He felt himself calm hearing the stable beep of the heart monitor hooked up to Apollo. He looked so peaceful, sleeping there. Klavier put the flowers next to his bed and sat in one of the visitor’s chairs and watched him. The rhythm of his chest moving up and down hypnotizing him. He almost wished he had brought a guitar to riff something off it, but he wouldn’t risk waking him up. Instead he found himself humming softly, thinking of lyrics that remained unsung.
Occasionally Apollo would murmur something softly he wasn’t sure what each one was but he definitely caught “Clay,” a few times and possibly “Dhurke”. He supposed Clay must’ve been Clay Terran. He wondered why he couldn’t be reached by the hospital staff.
Eventually his mutterings grew in frequency and Apollo opened his eyes. Klavier stood and walked to his bedside, he felt the sunlight through the window on his face as he leaned toward the bed. He brushed one of out his horns out of his face.
“Forehead.” He said softly, relieved and achingly sweet.
“Prosecutor Gavin?” He asked, confusion evident.
“Ja Herr Forehead, it’s me.” He confirmed with an almost musical lilt.
Apollo sat up in his bed abruptly and moved back.
“What happened? And what are you doing here?”
That stung Klavier, just a bit. Of course from Apollo’s perspective it made no sense why he would be here.
“You succumbed to your injuries in the explosion and were taken to the hospital. I’m here because I followed the ambulance to make sure you were okay.”
“Well to start I’m pretty sure prosecutors aren’t who they’re referring to when they call lawyers ambulance chasers. And what do you mean I succumbed to my injuries, I succumbed to some scrapes on my arms?”
Apollo eyed him suspiciously and Klavier stood dumbfounded.
“What about your eye?”
“That had nothing to do with the explosion.” He said flatly. “Seriously Prosecutor Gavin what’s going on?”
“I don’t actually know, I only saw you getting carried away by some paramedics.”
“And you decided to follow me, why?”
Apollo briefly clutched his bracelet as he asked before remembering the bandage over his eye and taking a breath.
“I was worried.” He answered simply.
Apollo looked at him suspiciously.
“You were worried enough about a random defence attorney to take time out of your schedule to follow an ambulance to the hospital and wait for me to wake up.”
“You’re not some random defence attorney.” Was all he could say.
“Then what am I?”
Klavier bit his lip. That act alone would stop most fangirls in their tracks. Apollo continued staring at him coldly, completely unphased. He seemed himself again, and Klavier again found himself staring at Apollo, his eye was steely and the blue of his jacket was a really good colour on him. He was surprised they didn’t take it off him.
“I’m waiting.”
“I think I owe you…” Klavier started.
“You… what?”
“You’re the one who found the truth about my first trial, and put away mein bruder.”
Apollo looked caught off guard by that answer. Seeming surprised before softening some.
“We did that together… and besides, I’m pretty sure that was mostly because of Mr. Wright planned it that way.”
“Still Herr Forehead, I think I owe you a great debt. So forgive me for worrying, okay?”
“I’d consider it repaid if you stopped calling me Herr Forehead.” He deadpanned.
“That’s never going to happen, Herr Forehead.”
Apollo frowned but with a bit more geniality than before. Klavier took the opportunity to take his hand.
“Are you sure you’re alright?”
Apollo swiftly took his hand back and pushed him away with a smile.
“I’m not one of your fangirls and I feel fine.”
Klavier hid his disappointment with a slight laugh and a warm smile the same way had 100 times before. It was a reflex at this point, he hadn’t even realized he was doing it. He backed away from the bed and started to pace the room.
“If you insist. In that case do you want me to call your emergency contact? The receptionist told me his name was Clay Terran ja?”
Apollo’s entire demeanor changed when he said the name. His face turned icy and his muscles visibly stiffened. He didn’t respond right away and a fog came behind his eye. Klavier stopped walking.
“N-No, don’t bother.”
“Why is he even your emergency contact if he won’t come when the hospital called. He has no clue how serious this is and he's still dodging the calls-” Klavier began to rant before being cut off.
“Stop! Please just stop!” Apollo shouted.
Klavier did, instantly. Suddenly he was filled with uncertainty and his stomach began to turn. He shouldn’t have done that.
“I’m sorry, I overstepped.” He stated the obvious.
Apollo was trembling now, the confident man from two minutes ago was completely gone.
“Herr Forehead, I didn’t- I am sorry. It’s just-” He tried a few times before settling on. “You aren’t okay are you.”
“I told you that I am.” He insisted with more animosity than last time.
“If he’s done something to you you can tell me. I have experience with-”
“God just drop it! He’s dead okay!”
“What?” Klavier asked with growing horror.
“The other day he was killed, I haven’t had a chance to change my emergency contact yet okay?”
“What about your parents?”
Apollo didn’t look at him, and that was answer enough. Klavier swallowed and started to fiddle at the cuffs of his sleeves.
“I see. I ahh I know how that is, mine- mine are gone as well.”
“Did you ever really get to know them?”
Klavier shook his head.
“They died when I was young, he is the closest thing to a parent I’ve ever really had.” He sighed. “I think he’s actually still my emergency contact as well… I should change that.”
A stretch of silence followed, tense and unyielding. Finally Apollo spoke.
“Who’re you gonna make your new one?”
Klavier hesitated. Who would he make his new one, he had genuinely no idea.
“Maybe Herr Edgeworth… that way he’ll know immediately if I can’t come in to work.”
“The Chief Prosecutor!” Apollo’s chords of steel were back. “Isn’t he really busy, all the time?”
“Yes but he’s also something of a mentor to me and I don’t know who else I would choose. What about you?”
“I really don’t have any ideas to be honest. I might just keep it as Clay.”
“What about Herr Wright? Surely he’d be willing, I get the sense that he really cares for you.”
Apollo bristled.
“I don’t know…”
Apollo trailed off, emotions too complex to put into words on the tip of his tongue, but unable to escape his mouth.
“You can talk to me, you know, Forehead.”
“It’s just…I don’t know if I can trust anyone right now. Not Athena, not Mr. Wright I’m not even sure I can trust Trucy.”
“You can trust me.” Klavier spoke before he could stop himself.
Apollo looked up at him. His eye started soft and appreciative before hardening. Slowly he raised his hands to his face and removed the bandage over his eye. Klavier prepared himself for a gory sight only to discover it was completely intact. He sputtered for a moment before calming.
“Why are you here, prosecutor Gavin?”
“Because I’m worried about you.” He answered honestly.
Apollo hummed, seemingly satisfied with his honesty.
“I can trust you. Thank you. I-” He hiccuped before lowering his head into his hands.
He took a few breaths like that trying to calm himself. Unsure, Klavier put a hand on his back, hoping to offer some comfort. This time Apollo didn’t shrink away from his touch.
“I hate it, I hate it so much. I want to be able to trust them so badly but I can’t silence these doubts in my head.” Apollo shuttered.
“Then maybe you should pursue them… just to make sure they’re false.” Klavier suggested.
“You think? Would that make me a bad person?”
“Of course not Forehead, everyone has doubts… I wish that I had more. That I pursued them more.”
Apollo nodded. He firmed up and once more became the model of determination. Klavier found himself staring again. It wasn’t just that Apollo looked hot wearing a jacket and bandages. It was the steadiness,the determination. He was like a rock in a stream. Klavier found his lips parted as he watched Apollo.
“Prosecutor Gavin?” Apollo asked.
“I- sorry. I just got a bit distracted.”
Apollo looked around trying to see the cause.
“By what?”
Klavier nearly said that it was nothing, he nearly waved it off. That may have even been the smarter move. But he remembered, he promised Apollo that he was trustworthy and if he lied Apollo would see right through him.
“By you.” He answered hesitantly.
“Me?”
Klavier nodded.
“What does that mean?” He raised an eyebrow.
Klavier flushed.
“It means that this is a really good look for you Herr Forehead.”
“Very funny Prosecutor Gavin.”
“What if I wasn’t joking.”
Apollo gave a wry smile and Klavier bit his tongue and looked away.
“Oh my god you weren’t joking…” He began to laugh uncontrollably. “I look like a total mess right now, and you…” He paused, realizing the gravity of the situation. “Holy shit.”
Klavier felt his mouth go dry. He shoved his hands in his pockets and forced a relaxed smile looking up away from Apollo’s penetrating gaze.
“How long?” Was all Apollo said, he didn’t need to specify what he meant.
“A while.” He said before amending. “Since you got Tobeye not guilty.”
He heard Apollo take a sharp breath of air.
“I don’t know how long it’s been for me…” He trailed off.
Klavier looked down to see Apollo had turned his determined stare towards him.
“You what?” Klavier asked.
“I think I’ve kinda been in denial for a while now but when we were talking I thought… Prosecutor Gavin really has my back, and he kinda always has. So yeah.”
Klavier felt his breath hitch and his heart skip a beat. He smiled wide and laughed a little in relief before returning Apollo’s gaze.
“So then would you want to…” He trailed off.
“How are you the hopeless one? I thought the lead singer of the Gavinners was a notorious flirt?”
“I’m only nervous when it matters Forehead.” His voice was low, deliberately sultry.
Apollo chuckled at the line, leaving Klavier slightly embarrassed.
“See, my Gavinner charms don’t even work on you.” I like that about you, he left out.
Apollo shrugged and he became more serious.
“I have a lot going on right now but, maybe we can do lunch afterwards?” he suggested.
“Ach let me give you my number then.”
Apollo handed him his phone and Klavier entered his phone number and set the ringtone for his calls to Guilty Love.
“Thank you Prosecutor Gavin.” He hesitated. “Probably a bit too formal for me to keep calling you that huh? But I can’t just call you Gavin…” He trailed off his face cloudy, the reason for that was apparent to them both.
“How about just Klavier, ja?”
“Klavier it is.”
At that Apollo put the bandage back over his eye and got up to find a nurse, Klavier tried to tell him to just ring the call button but he insisted he was fine and could handle it. He stood out of earshot allowing Apollo some privacy before returning to his side when he signed the discharge paperwork. When he got to the bottom of the stack he tapped the clipboard trying to get Klaviers attention.
It was an emergency contact form, his name and number were the only ones on it.
“Is that alright, I’ll probably add Mr. Wright eventually if I can manage to disprove my doubts but for right now?”
“Ach ja of course that’s alright actually…” Klavier headed to the reception desk to get a form of his own, he proudly showed Apollo his matching paper, phone number still blank.
Apollo gladly took it and scribbled down his cell number followed by the landline connected to Wright Anything Agency.
“Now we’re square. I’ll see you later for that date alright?”
Klavier nodded and Apollo left the hospital, his coat and bandages flowing in the wind. Klavier couldn’t help but hope he showed up to lunch like that as well.