Chapter Text
“You know,” Klavier pointed to a nearby oak tree, “I have never seen this color moss before.” They were practically surrounded by oak trees in the brush of the mountain trail, the only thing separating them from the forest being a thin dirt path. The moss of that particular tree was a soft blue covered with forest specks and gunk, like grimy cotton candy. “It must be a rare species.”
“...Huh,” was all Apollo said.
“...If I ate it, perhaps it would stop my heart. Ah, there’s a song idea in there!”
“...Hm.” That was the only noise he made. He didn’t even stop hiking.
Drat. He thought. Nothing, still.
Apollo and Klavier were hiking. Nearly silent hiking. Apollo barely spoke, with grunts of exhaustion and heavy breathing being pretty much the only noises he made. Apollo was very worn out for the guy who wanted to go hiking to begin with, and even more for the one who refused to stop for even a minute.
Klavier had been trying to start a conversation for the last 30 minutes, with basically no success. After firing off as many natural conversation starters he could think of, and switching to the unnatural conversation starters when those ran out, he was now down to his emergency arsenal; doing and saying stupid things on purpose. He’d hoped he’d get at least an annoyed reaction out of Apollo which he could start a conversation from, but he had nothing, and he was running out of stupid things to say.
Achtung, what’s even left? I’ve already asked about the moss, and the trees, and the little squirrels, and the-
Klavier smacked his head into a low tree branch because he wasn’t paying attention.
“Ach!”
“...Hm?” Apollo turned around and saw his boyfriend frowning and rubbing his forehead.
“This stupid path!” He whined, “I can’t see anything from down here!”
The dirt path was thin enough that they couldn’t stand next to each other while walking comfortably. They had to make the trek in a vertical line, with Klavier hiking behind Apollo. The natural shadows made it hard for him to see everything.
“...Oh.” It took Apollo a second to register what happened. “Do you want to switch?”
Klavier saw an opportunity and smiled.
“...Nien, I couldn’t switch. I like the view from behind too much~” he said, overtly flirtatious, hoping to see Apollo get flustered. His face will turn adorably red and he’ll shout at me. He thought. I’ll tease him, he’ll play along, and we’ll naturally start a conversation! Come on!
“...Ok.” Apollo kept walking.
…Really? Not even awful flirting? The dirt path stopped at a rocky staircase. Klavier climbed up with Apollo. Nothing works…I…might as well give up… He begrudgingly prepared to be uncomfortable for the next half hour.
It was almost always uncomfortable to be alone with his thoughts.
He’d hated it, ever since he was a child. He’d inevitably, often quickly, trap himself with unpleasant thoughts about his parents, his partners and exes, and his brother. Almost always his brother, in some awful, uncomfortable way. Klavier almost refused to shut up, to be alone with himself for any waking moment, just out of fear. If he was left alone, he’d be trapped in his head, forced to question for the millionth time whether anyone really loved him.
Well… He thought to himself, glancing up at the man ahead of him. Until I met you, Herr Forehead.
That changed when he met Apollo, simply because he knew he loved him. It’d taken him so long to believe Apollo was genuine, but once he did, those doubtful thoughts gradually appeared less and less. It became easier to believe others too, once he believed Apollo. Whether they’d been long-time friends or strangers, Apollo made him believe that they cared about him, just because Klavier was a person, and he deserved love for that and that alone.
Being alone in his head was uncomfortable. Those thoughts still lingered at the back of his mind, and occasionally, whispered to him again, asking awful, anxious questions. They were there whenever he felt vulnerable or alone, and they’d never fully leave.
But he didn’t hate them anymore. Being alone was much better now, and it was because of Apollo.
“...You alright, Klav?” Apollo called, “You stopped moving.”
“...I’m alright. Just thinking.” Klavier supposed being uncomfortable for a while wouldn’t be the worst thing.
“Well, get moving, then! We’re losing time…” Apollo started hiking up the stone steps. Klavier shrugged.
“Whatever you say, Herr Forehead.”
Apollo turned back around immediately and squinted at him.
“...How did I earn such an intense stare?”
“...I thought you stopped calling me that stupid name,” he huffed.
“...And why would you ever think that~?” Klav asked. Perhaps he wouldn’t need to be uncomfortable after all.
“Because you haven’t called me that all week!”
“And you let your guard down? You disappoint me, Schatz!” Klavier laughed, “The week’s not over yet!”
“Ugh, whatever,” Apollo groaned, going back to hiking. Klavier hopped up the steps and continued to taunt his favorite little defense attorney.
“Herr Forehead, how could you think I’d give up that name? It describes you so well!”
“Shut up!” Apollo stomped up the steps and Klavier followed.
“Why would I ever give up that name, really?”
“We’ve been dating for 4 years! Normal couples give up on stupid nicknames by now!”
Klavier stopped.
“What!?” Apollo huffed.
“...I hadn’t realized it’d been that long.”
Apollo stopped too.
“Um…it has.” His eyebrows furrowed, uncomfortable. “I know I was in Khura’in for half of it, but it’s been 4 years…”
“I’m just surprised you remembered and I didn’t. You hardly remember your own birthday.”
“Shut it, I’ve just, um,” he stumbled through his words, “…I’ve been thinking about it a lot…” Apollo looked away and started hiking faster to shut down the conversation; Klavier wasn’t going to let him go that easy.
“I don’t care how long it’s been.” Klavier quickly hopped up the steps, swiftly catching up. “I’m going to call you pet names until I’m old and gray~”
“‘Mr. Forehead’ isn’t a pet name,” he muttered. Klavier quickly slipped by and caught him off guard. “H-Hey!”
“I think it is.” Klavier swiveled around on one foot, playfully. “And you love it when I call you that.”
“Be careful!” Apollo shouted.
“No objection?” Klavier struck a pose and pointed on the stone step. “So you do love it~”
“You could fall! A-And, no, I don’t!”
“Ach, I see right through you!” Klavier started to strum the strings of an invisible guitar with his eyes closed. “You’re really a terrible liar, Herr-”
The movement caused the single loose stone that Klavier had the misfortune of stepping on to wiggle and fall, taking Klavier down with it.
“A-Ack!” He yelped, falling swiftly, straight into Apollo. He was worried they’d crash, but Apollo caught him in his arms with a surprising, confident ease.
“I warned you, you idiot!” Apollo held him securely in place with strong arms. Lucky for Klav, his face was locked against Apollo’s firm chest. “You ok?”
“...Danke. I am now.” Apollo slowly tipped Klavier back up. Even on his feet, Klav still kept his arms wrapped around him. “How could I not be, in such a warm embrace? May I?”
“...Oh. Sure.”
Klavier softly squeezed his arm and smiled.
“I love how much you’ve been working out. You look cool; and good.”
“W-Whatever,” he stuttered with a blush. Klavier squeezed his arm again.
“It feels even better~”
“Can you stop with the obnoxious flirting?” He muttered and broke away from Klavier’s arms. “We need to get going again, we might miss it!”
“Ah,” the prosecutor shrugged, “I know you love me.”
“...Yeah.”
Klav stared at him. Apollo looked back with a little smile.
“...Yeah, I do.”
The moment didn’t last nearly as long as Klav wished it could. Apollo turned around and went back to hiking up the steps. He didn’t talk, wanting to be alone in his head for one reason or another.
Klavier decided to leave him alone, just this once.
…………………………………
Apollo didn’t speak for another 30 minutes. He remained lost in thought until the two reached their destination: the small summit of the little mountain.
“Oh thank God,” he muttered and stumbled over to the metal railing surrounding the viewing platform. Klavier strolled over to him, coolly leaning against the rails that protected them from falling down the rocky cliffs and into the valleys below.
He quietly realized the point of the hiking trip as soon as he saw the sky.
The heavens above were cast with an orange glaze as warm as a lover’s embrace. The towering, billowing clouds were given soft, pinkish-purple underbellies. The horizon blushed a fiery red as the sun slowly dipped down, reaching from the stars, just to kiss it.
The little summit had a perfect view of the sunset.
Klavier didn’t reach for his phone because a picture could never do the image justice. Not even human memory was pure enough to perfectly capture its beauty and maintain it forever. He felt the only way he could fully appreciate it is through a song.
On instinct, he started humming a melody and threw cool, foppish lyrics around in his head to see what stuck. He had so much fun musically waxing poetic about the sky, he almost missed Apollo staring at him.
He was still leaning over the railing. It looked like he was doing it unconsciously.
“...Enjoying the view, Herr Forehead~?” Klavier would never pass up such a golden opportunity to tease him.
“Hm…wait, huh?” Apollo shook himself awake. “What were you saying again?”
“I appreciate your admiration, Schatz,” He smiled, “But you're missing out on another incredible view. This beauty disappears once night falls, but you can see me anytime. Wait ‘till tonight to gawk, ja~?”
Apollo blankly stared at him until he was hit with sudden realization.
“T-That’s not what I was doing!” he stammered, blushing instantly. Klavier blew him a kiss. “Shut up!”
“There’s no need to deny it, Herr Forehead,” he laughed, “I love it when you’re starstruck by the mere sight of me.”
“Objection!” Apollo pointed his finger, accusingly. “You have no proof that’s what happened! There’s plenty of other reasons why-”
“Objection!” Klavier matched Apollo, playing along. “I’d love to hear that reason, since you’ve been stealing glances at me all week! Don’t think I haven’t caught you, Herr Forehead!”
Apollo shut up immediately. Klavier stepped closer to him and leaned down with a smile.
“Well? The prosecution would like to hear the defendant explain himself.”
“Uh…” Apollo avoided eye contact and fiddled with his bracelet. “...I plead the fifth.” Klavier teasingly raised an eyebrow.
“And the defendant is aware of how guilty that makes him look, ja?”
“W-Whatever,” he huffed.
“Then I’m afraid the prosecution must find you guilty! You’re sentenced to a night in my embrace, with no chance for parole!” Klavier flirtatiously beckoned to him. “Come here, receive your punishment!”
Apollo sat still. He stared and said, “Babe, the prosecution can’t give out verdicts.”
“Ach,” Klavier softly laughed, “You’re no fun.” As he went quiet, Klavier found himself naturally staring back at the sky, drinking in its beauty. Apollo just watched him.
“...Do you like it?” He eventually asked, hopeful.
“Are you kidding, Liebling?” Klavier sighed, “I love it. It’s so romantic…”
Apollo mumbled something to himself with relief, and looked back at the sky for the first time since they got there. He saw that the sun was just beginning to disappear over the horizon.
He closed his eyes. He took a deep breath.
After a full minute, Apollo said, “...You really changed my life, you know.”
“...What?” Klavier wasn’t expecting that.
“Genuinely. I was a completely different person when we met, Klav. I was a completely different lawyer.” He swallowed, trying to avoid eye contact. “I mean, your brother mentored me…”
Klavier froze.
“And…and I really believed everything he told me. Not just about law, or court, but…about justice. I believed it. All of it.” He swallowed again. “...I’d still believe him, if I hadn’t meant you.”
“W-Where is this coming from?” Klavier forced himself to laugh out of discomfort. Apollo didn’t stop.
“You were the opposite of what he told me you’d be. From what prosecutors and court had to be. You all were! I mean, Trucy, Ema, Mr. Wright…you were all completely different from what I thought you had to be…” He fiddled with his bracelet. “Which made me realize…um…maybe I didn’t have to be that way either…”
Apollo’s voice was uncomfortably, painfully honest, even more than it always was. He must have been carrying this with him for years, which Klavier didn’t even want to consider.
“I’m so happy I met you all, but especially you,” he said, his voice starting to struggle, “I-If I hadn’t met you, I wouldn’t have changed, and I…”
“Schatz,” Klavier warned.
“I…” Apollo ignored him. “...I really think I would’ve been just like him.”
“Schatz!”
“I mean it, Klav! If you weren’t there, I-”
“Don’t say that! You’re nothing like him!”
Apollo went quiet and Klavier pulled him into a tight hug.
“If you were anything like him, you wouldn’t have changed.” He buried his face in his boyfriend’s hair.
“...Never say that again,” he whispered. He never wanted to hear that again. Klavier never wanted to hear the man he loved so dearly compare himself to the man who hurt him so much.
They held each other silently until Apollo spoke up.
“...Sorry…” He broke away from the hug and looked at the ground. “I just meant that I appreciate you. You really mean a lot to me.”
Klavier smiled, still uncomfortable.
“I know, Herr Forehead.”
“...I don’t know if you do.” Apollo looked up at him with a newfound confidence.
“...Excuse me?” He frowned.
Apollo just stared into his eyes.
“You were always there for me, no matter what. When we were in court, when I had to rebuild a legal system, when Dhurke…w-when Clay…”
He shook his head but didn’t let himself stop.
“You were there. Even when I was in Khura’in, you visited, you were on the phone, anything, whenever I needed you. Do you even know how much that means to me?”
Klavier was struck speechless. How could he respond to such…sincerity?
“...I-I didn’t,” he sputtered, “I didn’t know at all…” He hadn’t even considered it.
How could he, when Apollo meant so much to him? Apollo made him believe that his loved ones weren’t out to get him, that he wasn’t a thing to be manipulated and used, that he could safely love at all. Apollo made him realize that love didn’t have to hurt like it always did for him before.
Apollo meant the world to him. How could Klav even mean half as much?
“...Apollo Justice, I love you,” he admitted, almost helplessly, “I love you with all of my heart…”
Apollo’s smile made him feel like he’d melt.
“I love you too, Klav,” he said so softly, “I really love you.”
Klavier believed him. He trusted him.
When was the last time he could cherish such a feeling?
He softly clutched Apollo’s hands and pulled him closer, but surprisingly, Apollo broke away.
“So…” He glanced over at the sun, which had almost completely faded over the horizon. “You’re probably wondering why I brought you here.”
Of course. Their anniversary was months ago and Klavier’s birthday was half a year away. But he’d much rather flirt with Apollo over questioning such a wonderful moment.
“Oh,” he chuckled, regaining his confidence, “Did you not bring me here out of the kindness of your heart?”
“Well, I…wait, what!? No!” he genuinely answered, “I’m not gonna hike up a mountain just to…oh.”
Klavier laughed and Apollo pouted.
“...Stupid rhetorical questions…” he grumbled.
“You must forgive me, Herr Forehead. You’re just too fun to tease.” He winked, trying to pull Apollo into a hug, but once again, he broke out of it.
“Look! What I’m trying to say is…um…” He noticed the sky darkened and stopped. The sun had completely set. He sighed, disappointed. “...I got you a ring.”
Klavier laughed again, closing his eyes.
“Another ring?” He sang, “But I have so many, Schatz!” He reached out to playfully tug on his boyfriend’s hair horns, only to find nothing but air. When he opened his eyes, Apollo was gone from his line of sight. He was on the ground, kneeling.
Kneeling on one knee.
“Well, I was hoping you could make room for this one.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a little square box. “I already gave my whole… spiel earlier, so I guess I’ll just ask.”
Klavier stood still, his confidence slipping away. This couldn’t be real.
“...Ahem,” Apollo cleared his throat, “Klavier. Will you accept this ring…”
This was too good to be true. This had to be a dream.
“...Would you be willing to accept this,” he continued, awkwardly but reliably, having practiced it over and over, “...and make me so happy…”
Klavier reached out to him, almost unconsciously. He touched his face, making Apollo look up at him with a small, genuine smile.
“...Even happier than I already am…”
His face was warm. This was real. This was all real.
Apollo opened the box, revealing a ring that sparkled with the light of the stars.
“...Klavier Gavin…will you marry me?”
“...Y-Yes…” Klavier dropped to his knees without thinking. “...Ja, of course I will…” Apollo, with the same awkward, happy, genuine smile, leaned close and slipped the ring on Klavier’s right ring finger. Like a switch, it suddenly made Klav’s brain start working again.
“I was hoping you’d-” Apollo started, before Klavier leaped into his arms, “Ack!”
“Apollo… oh, Apollo!” He squeezed him as tight as he could, pressed him against the dirt path, stroked his flustered face, sighing, “oh, Apollo Justice!” He kissed him, and kissed him, and kissed him, his face, neck, lips, over and over and over again.
“K-Klav,” Apollo sputtered, “I-I can’t breathe!”
“Apollo,” he cooed, kissing him more, “Apollo!” He squeezed him even tighter somehow, held him even closer, started rolling around in the dirt while cradling him in his arms. Klavier had no idea he was capable of making such a joyful squeal, like he used to hear at concerts, but there was no other way to describe the noise coming out of his mouth when he tried to speak. How could he not? He trusted that Apollo loved him for so long, and he was right. He believed in him for so long, and he was right to believe in him, and words alone could never describe how happy he was, and-
“Aw, Klav…don’t cry.” Apollo reached up to wipe away the tears streaming down Klavier’s face. He hadn’t even realized he was crying, but he melted in Apollo’s arms anyway.
“Apollo…” he softly whimpered into his ear, still kissing his neck, “Apollo Justice…” The cool, confident, rockstar prosecutor had been reduced to a blubbering mess. He could barely speak. There was dirt in his hair. He was whimpering, crying in his boyfriend’s arms-
His fiance’s arms. The arms of his future husband.
Klavier started crying harder.
Apollo wiped his tears with one hand and ran his fingers through Klavier’s soft hair with the other. It was his favorite way to comfort him. He let him cry, cradling Klavier in his arms under the watch of the starry night sky.
“You’re staining my shirt, you doofus.” Apollo could barely pretend to be annoyed. He wasn’t going to complain about hearing his fiance (He could get used to saying that) whimper his name over and over.
Klavier nuzzled up against his chest, muttering his name and nonsense in German until, eventually, he regained the ability to speak English.
“...What a perfect proposal,” he slowly sighed.
“...I guess,” Apollo muttered under his breath. Klavier leaned up and locked eyes with him.
“It was perfect,” he said again, with a smile. Apollo looked to the side, embarrassed.
“Well, I was supposed to give you the ring at sunset, because I thought you’d like a ring at sunset, but…um…I talk too much, I guess-”
“Ach! Shut up!” Klavier gently caressed his face. “It was perfect to me. Kiss me, now!”
And with no other option, Apollo did just that.
…………………………………
After what felt like a blissful eternity, the two finally got up off the ground. Klavier stood near the railing, gazing at his wedding ring (If he thought about it too hard, he’d start crying again). Its gem was small, and it clearly wasn’t made of diamond, but it still sparkled beautifully under the stars.
“Ach, perfect,” he cooed, “everything was perfect! I’m going to remember this night for the rest of my life.”
“Wait! But I’m not done,” Apollo bluntly stated behind him. Klavier turned around.
“Excuse me?”
“There was one more thing I wanted to show you.” He motioned for Klavier to come closer.
“...What more could you possibly-?” Once he was close enough, Apollo gently grabbed under his legs and hoisted him up into his arms.
“Surprise, I guess,” he chuckled. He was carrying him, bridal style.
“...Is this why you were-?”
“Working out? Yeah.” Apollo would’ve confidently refastened his tie if his hands were free. “Athena trained me, so I told her about this. And Trucy! And…uh…I kind of told everyone…”
Klavier just stared into his eyes.
“What? I know too many people we work with! They would’ve been mad…”
Klavier didn’t say anything. He just watched Apollo with a smile.
“...I’m surprised they all kept it secret, honestly. I was worried Prosecutor Blackquill would tell you or something, just to mess with me…”
Instead of responding, Klavier fiddled with Apollo’s hair horns, a dreamy look in his eye.
“Look,” Apollo grumbled, “If you want me to put you down, just tell me!”
“Nien, Schatz, I love this! I’m simply waiting for you to take me away!” He happily curled up against the nape of Apollo’s neck.
“Eh?”
“Carry me down the mountain,” he cooed, “Whisk me away. Whenever you’re ready, Liebling~”
“Oh…uh. I don’t think I’m strong enough to…”
Klavier started softly kissing him again.
“...Oh, Apollo Justice…” he whispered.
“...Um…” He went quiet while Klavier gently caressed him, whispering something in his ear.
"...Mein Ehemann…Mein Mann…”
Apollo had no idea what it meant, but it worked on him completely.
“N-Nevermind,” he muttered, “I can take you down…” Klavier threw his arms around his fiance’s neck and snuggled up close to him while Apollo tried to make his way down the dirt path.
…………………………………
Apollo hadn’t considered the faulty logistics of hiking back down the mountain at night, but it was especially tough while carrying someone built like Klavier. He awkwardly held his phone in one hand (So awkward, he was worried he’d drop it at any second) and used its flashlight to try and see ahead of him. It barely worked and he almost tripped over 3 different tree roots.
Klavier, without a care in the world, gazed at his ring with a dreamy smile.
“I’m glad you like it,” Apollo grunted, struggling down the mountain, “It cost me an arm and a leg. I’m gonna be cleaning up Mr. Wright’s office for the next decade.”
“I love it,” he sighed, “thank you very much, Herr Forehead!”
Apollo stopped in his tracks.
“What?” Klav asked.
“...You’re still going to call me that?”
“Why would I stop?”
“We’re engaged now!”
“And why would that stop me?”
Klavier met Apollo’s bewildered stare with a grin.
Eventually, Apollo broke into a smile.
“...You’re so weird, you know that?” He couldn’t help but laugh. Klavier wished he could hear that laugh every day for the rest of his life. “You’re really never gonna stop calling me that, huh?”
“Never,” Klavier grinned, “Not until we are old and gray.”