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After the incident the first night in the motel, the trip started going smoother. The two men fought quite a bit,more specifically, Klavier would make a comment so the defense attorney would turn redder than his old vest or the prosecutor would make some driving maneuver that might have been okay in Europe, but was definitely illegal in the states and the younger man would make good use of his Chords of Steel. Overall it was fun. The two had stopped for food, gas, and sleep, but not much else. Klavier seemed to have a destination in mind that he was not sharing with his companion.
When they pulled into a small parking lot, Apollo was confused. The place looked more like an apartment office building than any sort of shop or public attraction. There were no big signs, no advertisements on the street, the lawn was perfectly tailored and the trees were trimmed so they framed the building nicely. It almost felt like an invasion to enter the building. He almost asked to sit in the car before they finally got to the door and the lawyer saw the small open sign hanging above the name of the store which was displayed proudly at the entrance. It seemed the place was indeed open to the public despite how quaint it looked.
The inside was just as quaint as the out. There was a well-lit front room and a door that led to where the guitars must have been kept. He fiddled nervously with a button on his sleeve. He didn't know anything about guitars, save for the basics, like the fact it had 6 strings.
"What are we doing here?" He asked, biting the inside of his lip.
Klavier grinned as if he had been waiting for the question since they pulled into the parking lot, "I'm glad you asked, Herr Forehead! This is my favorite place in all of the states: The Music Store. I used to come here all the time with my band," the singers face fell slightly as he realized what he had said but continued on anyway, "so I figured it would be fun to come visit, ja? We said we would try to get to know each other more." As he finished speaking, Klavier rang the bell on the desk to call someone to let them into the rooms with all of the
The younger man examined the room, the sound of the bell resounding louder than expected. "It's a nice place," he said with certainty. "You and your band came here?"
"Ja, ja. I get all of my guitars here. It's never too busy so I have the freedom to play as I please" The prosecutor smiled as he spoke, leaning against the counter. "They don't sell anything without strings so, it was usually only me, Dayren and Brett. Every once in a while if someone recognized us we would put on a small show for them."
It was bittersweet thinking about Dayren, after what he learned about his bandmember. The two had made so many great memories together and at one point Klavier probably would have said he was more like a brother than his flesh and blood. It was fitting. Both of his brothers betrayed him, and he had the honor of putting them behind bars.
A new voice pulled the musician out of that train of thought, "Hello, Mr. Gavin."
Klavier turned around and smiled at the newcomer, "Ah, Frauline Owner. It's nice to see you!" He grabbed her hand and brushed his lips against her knuckles before she pushed him away.
"How many times have I told you to not treat me like one of your preteen fans, you Glimmerous Fop" shaking her head, the owner finally turned to look at the man accompaning Klavier's, "and who is this?"
"This is Herr Forehea-"
"Apollo Justice." He cut off Klaviar for the sake of his own dignity. "I'm a, I'm a lawyer?" His tone was full of uncertainty, because at this point he wasn't sure. The woman smiled and shook his hand.
"Owen Air." She smiled. "The name's after my father, they really wanted a boy." She had lavender hair pulled into a short ponytail, and her body was covered in art. Apollo shook her hand gratefully.
"Thank you. Your shop is really nice." She smiled in response, before opening the door to the back.
"Have fun." She gave Klavier a short wave before disappearing in the back.
"Glimmerous Fop?" Apollo was quick to question.
"One of my lovely band mates informed her of the nickname a certain detective has for me. I like to think that at least Frauline Owner uses it affectionately."
Klavier led his companion into the first room. Three of the walls were covered in guitars, while the fourth had a rack of various sheet music. The musician turned to face Apollo with his back to the instruments and gave the man his trademarked smile, "Welcome to my home away from home!"
Apollo let his eyes scan the walls before returning to Klavier's grin. It seemed more genuine than some of the other smiles Apollo had seen cross the musician's face. "Neat! Uh," He paused for a second, embarrassed, "I know nothing about guitars." He finally admitted. He was sure if this room caught fire, it'd be an expensive tragedy, but he didn't know why. What was so special about wood and some strings?
He let his eyes sweep the room again, this time with a little more focus. Each wall held staggered instruments, various brand names placed above the various acoustic instruments. This store was a specialty one, then? There was a couch and several bar stools placed around the room, and Klavier's boots would click against the light hardwood floor. He couldn't help but wonder if this was it.
He awkwardly hovered near the entrance, not entirely sure what to do. He might have been sweating nervously, or the ac was out. Maybe both. He gave a quick sigh. Fiddled with his sleeve. Took another quick glance around. Glanced back to Klaviar.
“Well come in then. You aren't going to learn anything standing out there, Herr Forehead.” The musician gave him an expectant look.
"I can stand wherever I want to. I could even sit." Was the response he got before the younger man planted himself in the couch as if to prove a point.
“You’re going to have to move eventually, unless you just want to stay here the whole time. Seems rather boring, especially for someone who claims to know nothing about guitars.” Mockery laced Klavier's voice. He did not want to admit that he was disappointed that the defense attorney was always so, well, defensive. The musician wanted to make this enjoyable for both of them, though he wouldn't admit that out loud. Apollo had already made up his mind that the singer was never genuine.
The blonde decided that his companion would have fun whether he wanted to or not. He grabbed a black Martin from the wall and sat down on a stool by the couch, resting the guitar properly on his thigh. Running his fingers across all 6 strings, the musician was happy to hear that the instrument was still in tune despite the heat in the building at the time. After playing a few chords to get used to the feel of having a guitar in his hand again, Klavier finally had to decide on a song to play. Anything by his own band was out. That was due to piss the younger man off and at the moment, that was not his goal.
It took a moment before he settled on an old song, something much softer and brought out the sound of the acoustic. Starting quietly and slowly raising the volume, the musician began playing the introduction. He let the sound of the strings meld and sing in harmony, slightly losing himself in his own world while letting his muscle memory take over. When it was time for the vocals, the man could not help but to sing.
“Let's say sunshine for everyone
But as far as I can remember
We've been migratory animals
Living under changing weather”
Klavier smiled as the words passes his lips, the song always brought a calm over him, and even gave him a drop of hope.
“Someday we will foresee obstacles
Through the blizzard, through the blizzard
Today we will sell our uniform
Live together, live together”
The singer continued the song all the way through, not returning to reality until the last note faded out. It was that moment that for once it was his turn to flush red rather than his companion. He had forgotten for just a moment that he had company. It wasn’t normal for him to play like this in front of anyone. The musician could never do that for show, too much of himself was let out. All he could for that moment however was hope that Apollo did not laugh at him.
Sothat's why guitars were so expensive. Apollo sat slack-jawed, marveling at the music coming from Klaviar and the instrument. He'd almost forgotten how hot the room was. It was like every piece in a puzzle falling together, and it wasn't just sound. It wasn't anything like the Gavinners crap that he insisted on playing, no, this was music. This was art. Klaviar had poured himself onto the fretboard and it showed.
It took Apollo a solid second to realize Klaviar was staring at him like a deer in the headlights. He quickly glanced away, scowling at himself for losing his focus like he did. For staring like a lovestruck idiot. For the blush that was slowly climbing to his cheeks and it wasn't because of the lack of air conditioning. He glanced back to Klaviar, who still looked rather startled. Maybe he hadn't noticed Apollo's staring? Maybe he was in a trance of his own. The moment stretched on, and Apollo mentally smacked himself. Say something, idiot!
"That was pretty amazing." His voice pierced the silence.
“I-” the musician started but then closed his mouth again trying to find the words, “Thank you.”
For the first time during the trip, Apollo honestly felt like it might work out. Even though he knew it would not be forever, maybe it would be worth it. Soon enough Klavier’s walls went back up and he was exuberantly showing him around the shop, explaining the different guitars to him and the different ways that they could be played. As they moved from room to room, the younger man got an idea of how big the place really was. It seemed like an endless maze of guitars and other weird stringed instruments.
In one of the last rooms they entered, what looked to be just a very small guitar caught the defense attorney’s eyes. “They make guitars this small?” He questioned gazing up at the instruments, not brave enough to take them from the wall. When the rock star did not reply, Apollo turned to see if his question was heard, but he was met with Klavier doubled over laughing silently, to the extent that he even sat down on one of the stools. “What’s so funny?” Apollo demanded, his face turned red embarrassed by the idea that the blonde was laughing at him.
“That’s not a guitar,” the musician managed to choke out, slowly composing himself.
The younger man huffed, “then what is it?”
“It’s a ukulele.” Klavier walked over to where his companion was and pulled one down, strumming the instrument to produce a distinct sound from that of a guitar.
“How was I supposed to know that.”
“Sorry, sorry. You would not. You see, not only is a ukulele much smaller, it only has four strings rather than six” The musician was hit with a brilliant idea, “here, hold it”
The younger man looked incredulous as if certain the other was just preparing to mock him more.
“Hold it, bitte. It is not any cruel joke,” Klavier pushed, holding out the ukulele again.
This time the younger man took it, grabbing it harshly by the neck.
“Gentle, Herr Forehead! You don't want to strangle her” The musician chided.
“Take it back then” Apollo barked out, obviously still upset about being laughed at.
“Nein, hold her, just take care” The blonde moved the instrument to the proper position and continued, “Use your forearm to support her and you can rest her neck in your other arm.” He adjusted the man's posture slightly, “that's good.”
The defense attorney bristled slightly at being positioned like a doll, but moved anyway if for nothing more than curiosities sake. His eyebrows furrowed, “why do you keep calling it a girl?”
“Ah, well, because she is to be caressed and treasured like a lover as you play,” Klavier might have continued but the other man cut him off for the second time that day.
“I’m gay” Apollo stated loudly, which caused the musician to recoil slightly with confusion at the sudden confession. The younger man’s anger boiled slightly, misinterpreting the other man’s actions, “Do you have a problem with that?”
“Nein, Herr Forehead, just confused as to the purpose of your outburst? Would you rather I refer to the ukulele as a him instead?”
The defense attorney stammered, his anger left with no purpose.
“If there is no more to that, then let’s continue.”
Their time continued like that as Klavier showed his companion how to strum and taught him a couple basic chords. Apollo would get stressed and yell about some things or loudly question why he was being forced to do this, but continued on anyway.
Not too long after the younger man was able to play the open strings and two chords. The musician instructed him to play in a certain sequence and just repeat that. Once he fell comfortably into that rhythm, Klavier picked a guitar off the wall and strummed a basic pattern that melded well with the sound the defense attorney made. Apollo’s eyes lit up as he heard the two instruments together and stopped out of surprise that he was contributing to that beautiful sound.
All that the defense attorney had ever experienced with music was being too small to comfortably play many stringed instruments and the only sound he could make from a flute or anything that required air flow was a scratching screech. He did not even want to bring up the memories of trying to sing, but playing with Klavier, he made something that sounded nice.
“Why did you stop?” The question cut brought Apollo back down to Earth.
“My fingers kinda hurt,” was the best excuse he could come up with. The rock star accepted it and put the guitar back in it’s rightful place.
“Did you enjoy it at least?”
Apollo nodded.
Klavier grinned.
The two left not long after that, but not before the rockstar bought the ukulele for the younger man.
Apollo was confident that this would work out somehow.