Archive of Our Own ^beta

As much as Apollo liked to complain and put up a front, aside from being not-so-lovingly tortured as her magic show assistant, he loved spending time with Trucy. She was the little sister he never had, and then, of course, turned out to be the little sister he never knew he had. They teased each other, protected each other, loved each other, without fail. While she didn’t accompany him on cases as much as she used to, now that she was in college, they spent as much time together as they possibly could.

That being said, Apollo wasn’t a fan of being told to babysit her while Phoenix was away.

“Uh, she’s nineteen, Mr. Wright. I don’t think she needs adult supervision. She...is an adult,” Apollo had pointed out.

“Yes, but - ”

“I know, I know, she’ll ‘always be your baby girl’, I heard you the first dozen times,” Apollo had grumbled. “I’m not getting out of this, am I?”

And so, Apollo stayed at the Wright house to keep her company while Phoenix accompanied Chief Prosecutor Edgeworth on a week-long trip out of the country. He’d claimed it was to observe a series of high-profile trials in Europe - “there might be a serial killer, Apollo!” he’d proclaimed - but Apollo had a feeling there was more to it, not that he wanted to think about what they were actually doing. There was only so much about his boss’s private life that he wanted to know. Actually, there was almost next to nothing that he wanted to know, but that was beside the point.

“You know, it’s like we’re having a week-long sleepover, Polly!” The two of them were sprawled across two air mattresses laid side-by-side in the living room at Trucy’s insistence. Apollo had expected her to stay in her bedroom while he was on the couch, but she was never one for following expectations. She had also prepared a wide array of snacks and queued up a long list of movies to watch. “This is gonna be so much fun.”

“Trucy, I still have a trial in the morning,” he reminded her.

“Can I at least paint your nails?”

“Toenails only. You can do my fingernails after the trial’s over, no one’s going to take my objections seriously otherwise.”

She brightened. “Deal!”

Trucy got to work on painting both of their toenails with bright red nail polish, not unlike the color of Apollo’s signature suit. They chatted about Trucy’s classes and magic shows, Apollo’s cases and clients, along with the occasional mention of their mother and her rehabilitation. It was times like these where Apollo was grateful for the quieter moments in life, the moments where he wasn’t dealing with eccentric prosecutors, impossible cases and even more impossible clients, or the occasional rebel uprising. It was just him, his little sister, and a laughably bad legal drama playing in the background that neither of them were paying attention to.

While their second coat of nail polish was drying, Trucy’s text notification sounded. She practically dived to snatch up her phone as if she’d expected Apollo to steal it, her cheeks reddening when she read the message. A giddy smile blossomed across her face, one that Apollo knew would make Phoenix nervous. “Who’re you talking to?” he asked.

“Oh, i-it’s Pearl,” Trucy said, her voice quivering uncharacteristically. “She wants to make plans to celebrate after our midterms are over.” Apollo continued to watch her curiously; he’d never seen her so nervous before. After tapping out her reply, Trucy tucked her phone away, then averted her gaze. “Um, Apollo?”

“Yeah?”

“I...I think I have feelings for Pearl,” she confessed, scrunching up her fists in her lap. “I don’t know when or why or how...or maybe I’ve always liked her, but...I don’t know what to do.”

Apollo moved closer, his gaze gentle. “You’re one of the most confident people I know, Trucy. What’s got you so confused this time?”

“I’ve never felt this way before, so I’m not sure where to go from here,” Trucy admitted. She sank into his side, resting her head on his shoulder, careful not to jostle their freshly-painted toes. “What if I tell her and she doesn’t feel the same way? Or she feels weird about me liking her? It could completely ruin our friendship!”

“You’ve been friends with Pearl ever since Mr. Wright adopted you, so there’s no way that could happen, even if she doesn’t reciprocate,” Apollo reasoned. “I get that you’re scared, and you don’t have to do or say anything right away. But when you feel ready, you should tell her.”

Trucy nodded, then hummed for a moment. “How did you do it?”

Apollo frowned. “Huh? How did I do what?”

“Or did he confess first? I gotta admit, that seems more likely,” Trucy added with a giggle. “I mean, you’re one of the most secretive people I know, and he’s totally the type to say it first. It must’ve been so romantic!”

“...I have no clue what you’re talking about.” Apollo furrowed his brow in confusion. “What did I do - or not do - and who is this ‘he’?”

Trucy huffed. “Your boyfriend, Apollo! How did you guys get together? Did you ask him first, or did he ask you? You never did tell me.”

“What?! I-I don’t have a boyfriend!” Apollo spluttered.

“Of course you do! You think you’ve been hiding it from everyone, but you aren’t doing a very good job,” Trucy said matter-of-factly. “Come on, Apollo, help me out here. Maybe if you tell me how you and Mr. Gavin got together, then I can figure out how to talk to Pearl!”

For a moment, Apollo felt as if he’d stepped into some alternate dimension, suffered a concussion, or was experiencing a weirdly realistic nightmare. That, or he’d inhaled too much acetone fumes. “...why the hell do you think I’m dating Prosecutor Gavin?!”

“You don’t have to pretend anymore,” Trucy insisted, her expression souring. “I’m your sister, you’re supposed to tell me these things!”

“There’s nothing to talk about! I-I’m not dating Gavin!” Apollo’s voice was nearing high-pitched hysteria. “Trucy, listen to me, perceive the truth or whatever, I’m not lying to you. I don’t have a boyfriend, and if I did, Gavin is the absolute last person I would date.”

With an annoyed sigh, Trucy sprawled across the air mattress, staring up at the ceiling almost longingly. “Fine, I guess I’ll figure out what to do by myself.”

“Hey, I…” Apollo squeezed her shoulder. “...I wanna help you, I really do. But I don’t have any experience with this kind of stuff. I-I don’t know where you got the idea that I’m in a secret relationship with Gavin, because I’m really not, but...if you still want my help…”

“Of course I do.” Trucy’s face softened. She clasped her hand over Apollo’s, holding him there. “I’m sorry, Polly, I didn’t mean to get all upset. I’m not mad at you or anything, I just...I really thought you were together. Are you sure that nothing’s going on?”

“Prosecutor Gavin, can you please tell Trucy that you’re not my boyfriend?”

Klavier blinked. When he was confronted by the Gramarye siblings in the courthouse lobby not ten minutes after Apollo’s client had been acquitted, he hadn’t exactly been expecting...well, this. “Er, fräulein, have you been reading those trashy magazines again?”

“That’s not a no,” Trucy sing-songed.

Apollo threw his hands up in the air. “Gavin!”

“Ach, Herr Forehead, there’s no need to shout. I can hear you just fine,” Klavier said with a laugh. “Nein, Trucy, I’m not his boyfriend. I must admit, I’m curious about where you got the idea. Not a day goes by where the tabloids don’t assume I’m dating whoever I’m standing next to. The pains of being famous, as I’m sure you understand.”

“Oh, I don’t think I’m famous enough to get my picture taken in public just yet,” Trucy said with a modest giggle. “And I dunno, it just seemed like you and Apollo were - ” She was then interrupted by her own ringtone. Judging by the blush that rapidly blossomed across her cheeks when she checked her caller ID, Apollo knew exactly who it was. “Hold on, I have to - ”

“I’ll wait here, go on,” Apollo encouraged, smiling. With a grateful smile, Trucy left to find a quiet spot so she could answer it. Only then did Apollo realize it left him standing alone with Klavier, who apparently wasn’t in any rush to leave.

“Does the idea bother you that much?”

Apollo looked up at him. “Huh?”

“The idea of me being your boyfriend, does it bother you that much?” Klavier pressed.

“Well, the idea of people thinking I’m dating anyone when I’m not is what bothers me,” Apollo said. “It’s nothing personal, Prosecutor Gavin.”

“Are you sure? You always seem disappointed to see me. I’d imagine rumors of you dating someone you dislike is more frustrating than the average misunderstanding,” Klavier reasoned. His tone was nonchalant, but there was something apprehensive about his expression.

Apollo’s frown deepened. “I mean, I know I’m not always the warmest person, b-but I don’t hate you or anything. You just drive me insane with the - you know, the air guitar and the gratuitous German and don’t get me started on your pseudo-accent - ”

“I don’t think I asked for a laundry list of character flaws, but danke anyways,” Klavier said, a look of relief crossing his face. “And what a glowing review - ‘you don’t hate me or anything’. I should feel so lucky.”

“Sarcasm sounds weird when you do it,” Apollo said, shuddering. “I think I prefer it when you straight-up tell me I’ve lost my mind in court.”

“It’s impossible to follow the trains of thought that travel through that vast forehead of yours,” Klavier replied with a smirk. “You’re getting better, though. In our earlier trials together, your conclusions were sound, but your arguments lacked finesse, not to mention style.”

“Yeah, yeah, so I don’t have a weird gimmick like everyone at the prosecutor’s office,” Apollo retorted. “A good lawyer shouldn’t need some shtick to get their points across. Just the right evidence and the right logic.”

“Now you sound like my boss,” Klavier laughed. “Speaking of, you should come by the prosecutor’s building sometime. See how the other half live.”

Apollo faltered. “Is...is that an invitation?”

Before Klavier could answer, Trucy returned with a glow about her, a spring in her step. A mischievous glint seemed to shine in her eyes when she realized he was still there. “What did I miss?” she asked.

“Your brother claims he’s above courtroom antics, despite his love for shouting, desk slamming, and finger-pointing.” Apollo glared but decided it wasn’t worth arguing against. He’d already beaten Klavier once today, he wasn’t about to take a chance on a second round. “Good phone call, fräulein?”

“Oh! Yeah, i-it was,” Trucy said, her blush returning. “Are you ready to head back to the office, Apollo?”

“Before you do - Herr Forehead, it was an invitation, so you’re welcome to drop by,” Klavier added, smiling easily. Trucy raised an eyebrow.

“I’ll, um, I’ll think about it,” Apollo said slowly. He could practically hear the gears turning in Trucy’s brain already.

“Fantastisch,” Klavier beamed. “I look forward to it.”

Apollo and Trucy had barely taken two steps out of the courthouse before she rounded on him. “Hey, what was that all about? Did you guys just make a date?”

“Trucy, what did I just prove,” Apollo groaned. “Come on, let’s go.”

“That’s not a no,” she repeated with a gleeful giggle, though she followed him nonetheless.

In hindsight, Apollo should have known better. There were some things in life that seemed to persist no matter how hard he tried to make sure they didn’t: people making fun of his hair, people making fun of his enthusiasm, people making fun of him in general, and now, people thinking he was dating Klavier.

Ever since her promotion to forensics, Ema had become more passionate and outgoing compared to how she’d been when they first met. Apollo no longer had to tiptoe around her in fear of being on the receiving end of her Snackoo wrath, and found that they actually had a lot in common. It soon led to them having a fruitful friendship that was mostly based on trading snark, wit, and snacks. She often dropped by the agency when they both had some downtime to chat. It was during one such conversation that Apollo was asked a question he thought he would never be asked.

“I hope this isn’t weirdly invasive of me, but honestly, I’m super curious - for scientific reasons, of course. What’s it like dating Gavin?”

Apollo promptly choked on his mouthful of tea. “E-Ema! Not you, too!”

She frowned. “Huh? What do you mean by that?”

“Gavin is not my boyfriend,” Apollo insisted. “You’re the second person to think that he is, and I have no clue why.”

“Really? Are you sure?” Ema’s brows knitted together. “I could’ve sworn you two were together but weren’t telling anyone about it. It seems like the type of thing you’d do, anyway. I know I’d be embarrassed if I was dating someone that insufferable.”

“Hey, I like complaining about Gavin as much as you do, but I’m not doing that to cover anything up,” Apollo said. “Seriously, what made you think we were dating? Nothing’s changed.”

“I wouldn’t say that,” Ema said defensively, cocking her head to think. “When we came back from Khura’in, you seemed more relaxed around him. Like you were on better terms.”

“I think my experiences in Khura’in gave me a new appreciation for being back home,” Apollo mused. “After being part of a legal revolution and getting overwhelmed with work, being here and living a relatively ordinary life feels like a relief. So, compared to all that...I guess Gavin’s not so bad after all.”

“That makes sense,” Ema agreed. “But it’s not just you, there’s something about Gavin, too.”

“What about him?” Apollo set down his mug to avoid another spit take.

“We were at a crime scene together last week and he wouldn’t stop bothering me while I was running analysis on the victim’s shoes. Really fascinating stuff, actually - we found pebble remnants from Africa in the soles and traces of dust from Australia on the shoelaces!” Ema’s eyes lit up in the way that other people’s eyes looked when talking about their children’s accomplishments or a particularly good hamburger.

“Ema,” Apollo said flatly.

“Oh, right. Anyway, since I thought you guys were dating, I made a little joke about how he must’ve been disappointed that you weren’t the defense on that particular case,” Ema recalled. “And then, totally unprompted, he told me you were busy with looking after Trucy and the office until Mr. Wright got back, and you were planning on visiting your mom in a couple weeks, and...well, it just seemed like the kind of stuff a boyfriend might say. It was...domestic, you know?”

“Th-that seems like a stretch!” Apollo exclaimed.

“Oh, and to be honest, seeing you two in court again reminded me of Mr. Wright and Mr. Edgeworth.” Ema’s cheeks reddened, a rare display of embarrassment considering her usual unflappable attitude. “I first met them when I was sixteen, and even though I was in a really crazy place at the time, I could tell that something was going on. I saw the same thing in you and Gavin, as much as I didn’t want to. Personally, I think you could do way better. You should find yourself a guy more simmerous and less glimmerous.”

“You’ve said that before,” Apollo said weakly, though his mind was already racing with the revelation that he and Klavier looked like a couple. One mistaken assumption was a mere coincidence, but two assumptions were already starting to look like a pattern, the kind of pattern he wanted to put a stop to before it was too late. “I bet you’re relieved that I’m not dating him, then.”

“Oh, sure. I didn’t think he’d be your type, but I have to admit, I thought you might be good for him.” Ema then popped a Snackoo in her mouth as if she hadn’t just said something that completely shattered Apollo’s worldview.

“What?!” Apollo had only just picked up his mug again and now slammed it down on the coffee table in shock, splashing tea all over his hand. He barely noticed the burning sensation on his skin.

“You’re a decent guy, Apollo,” Ema shrugged. “If anyone could keep Gavin in check, it’d be you. But on the other hand, I’m pretty sure he’d make you lose your mind in the process. I’m pretty sure anyone would, trying to deflate an ego that big.”

A weird little thought began to wriggle its way into Apollo’s brain - what would dating Klavier be like? He was certainly worth looking at, Apollo could admit that much. Tall, pretty, with that easygoing smile of his. Personality-wise, he was smart, friendly, honest, with a strong sense of morality. Then there were the character traits that were far less desirable - his narcissism, his overconfidence, his love of drama and complexity. Apollo supposed they weren’t the worst qualities in the world; he’d met many witnesses who were astronomically more self-obsessed than Klavier to the point of cartoonishness. Having a little bit of pride, especially when it was well-deserved, was hardly a relationship dealbreaker.

Apollo shivered. Where the hell am I going with this?! he thought wildly, hoping Ema hadn’t noticed his mental trip down a road he didn’t want to be on. Who cares what dating Gavin would be like - it’s not like it’s happening!

“You okay?” Ema peered at him inquisitively. Her expression was unsettlingly similar to how she looked when examining a corpse. “Sheesh, I didn’t think talking about Gavin was going to give you an existential crisis.”

“I-I’m fine!” Apollo stammered. “Hey, uh, tell me about those shoes with the, er, dust.”

Ema continued to eye him suspiciously, though the temptation to switch topics was too great for her to press on. “First things first, let me give you a little context about the murder itself…”

“Apollo, you mind texting your boyfriend to ask if the power is still out at the prosecutor’s office? Edgeworth hasn’t replied in over an hour, so I just wanna make sure nothing else is happening.”

There was a sudden loud, ear-splitting squeak. Phoenix looked up from his desk to see Apollo had almost fallen out of his chair. “M-Mr. Wright, he’s not - ”

“There’s a power outage at the prosecutor’s office? Aw, c'est dommage!” Athena was lounging on the couch without a care in the world, playing around with Widget’s displays. Phoenix had decided to go easy on her ever since his return from overseas, given how she’d had four clients in the past week alone. Apollo couldn’t recall a time in which such courtesy had ever been extended to him.

“ - he’s not my boyfriend!” Apollo finished with an incredulous shout. “Besides, why can’t Athena text Blackquill instead?”

“Simon has visitation with his sister today, so he’s got the day off,” Athena replied, sitting up to look at them over the back of the couch. “And the fact you knew we were talking about Prosecutor Gavin without mentioning his name really says something, doncha think?”

Still grumbling - mostly to himself, since it was clear no one in his life listened to him at this point - Apollo reached for his phone, scrolled to the contact marked Piano Man, and began to type.

Heard there was a power outage at the prosecutor’s office, everything okay? Mr. Wright’s panicking about your boss going silent

A response followed a mere thirty seconds later.

He’s on the phone with the power company, no need to worry

“They’re okay, Mr. Edgeworth’s just busy dealing with the power company,” Apollo said, looking up from his phone.

Athena smirked triumphantly. “Wow, he sure responded fast.” Are you on his speed-dial, too? Widget chirped.

“Listen, I - ” Apollo’s phone then went off again.

We just got orders to take the rest of the day off. Herr Edgeworth is also shaking his head at his cell phone. Your boss?

I think Mr. Wright texted him at least 50 times?? I lost count after 10

I fear for any future partners he might have, though I think we already know who he has in mind

Then good luck to both of us, we’re gonna need it

“You’re smiling at your phone, Apollo,” Athena sing-songed, poking him mercilessly in the arm. He hadn’t even noticed her get up from the couch. “Still talking to Prosecutor Gavin, huh?”

“Why does everyone keep thinking I’m dating Gavin?!” Apollo exclaimed, nudging her out of the way. “First Trucy, then Ema, now you two?”

“Apollo, if this is about you feeling like you have to hide your relationship with him because you’re worried about the ethics of facing each other in court - ”

“Mr. Wright, you are literally the last person I want to hear this from.” Apollo groaned into his hands, wondering if he needed to replace the sleeve of crackers in his desk drawer with a hefty bottle of aspirin instead. He’d never experienced so many metaphorical and literal headaches in a row before. “I’m not hiding a relationship with Gavin. I’m not hiding a relationship, period! Seriously, ask Trucy.”

Trucy poked her head in from the other room, where she’d been working on a new cape for Mr. Hat. “Ask Trucy what?”

“Is Apollo dating Prosecutor Gavin?” Athena demanded.

“Well…” Trucy hedged.

Apollo turned to Phoenix. “Is it too late to quit?”

Phoenix blinked. “Your job?”

Apollo shook his head. “Being your daughter’s brother.”

Trucy huffed. “Now’s not the time for jokes, Apollo! I’m obviously not the only one who thinks something is going on between you and Mr. Gavin.”

Because Klavier had the worst timing in the world, Apollo’s phone pinged once more. He was almost afraid to check it.

Now that my afternoon is free, how about yours? I could use some help

You sure can, but you’re gonna have to be more specific

Very funny, did you come up with that one on your own? Meet me at criminal affairs in an hour, Herr Edgeworth wants me to pull and sort evidence from some potentially related cold cases. I was going to go this weekend but I might as well head over and do it now

Since when do prosecutors get stuck with admin work?

I’d rather poke around the evidence room than the toilet, danke very much

“You’re smiling again,” Athena accused. Apollo couldn’t even defend himself this time.

It still surprised Apollo whenever he thought about how prominent Trucy was becoming in the performing world, now that she had a permanent residence at Penrose Theatre. While it wasn’t quite Las Vegas, she had become prolific enough that she was featured semi-regularly on television and had posters plastered all over bus stops and train stations. She ran into the occasional fan every now and then during college classes and investigations, wanting a photo and an autograph. Apollo still refused to be a cog in her machine - he could be a good brother without putting himself in harm’s way, after all - but he was immensely proud of her, and did his best to be at every single show.

He really, really didn’t think things could escalate there, of all places.

A little over a month later, Apollo was sitting at the vanity in Trucy’s dressing room while she signed autographs in the doorway. She was surrounded by teenagers in homemade capes and thrifted top hats, starry-eyed and talking over each other in excitement. He thought nothing of it, having seen such crowds before. Then, one of them spotted Apollo over Trucy’s shoulder and let out an astonished cry.

“Is that Klavier Gavin’s boyfriend?!”

“Hah!” Trucy shouted triumphantly, startling the group. “Oh, sorry! I didn’t mean to yell in your faces like that.” She then turned to smile smugly at her brother. “Did you hear that, Apollo? They recognize you!”

“Don’t,” Apollo said flatly, making his way over to join them. “Hey, um, I’m not his boyfriend, I’m just his colleague. Maybe you’ve seen us mentioned in the news together? Like, about court cases and stuff.”

There was another cry of surprise from the opposite end of the hallway. Everyone’s heads turned to see Klavier walking towards them with two bouquets of flowers in his arms. He was poorly disguised, wearing a hoodie in his signature purple, with a pair of sunglasses that barely hid the intense blues of his eyes.

“Guten tag, Gramaryes,” Klavier called as the crowd parted to let him through. He held out the flowers in offering, roses for Trucy and sunflowers for Apollo. “I finished my paperwork early, so I thought I’d drop by and watch. You were as phenomenal as ever, but I’ll admit, I was hoping you would get Herr Forehead up there with you.”

“Gavin!” Apollo hissed, but the impressionable teenagers had already started to whisper among themselves.

“You’ll be making a costume for him someday, ja?” Klavier continued, unbothered. “I expect it to be as loud as he is.”

“You got it!” Trucy beamed, pulling him in for a quick hug. “Hey, why don’t you and Polly wait inside while I finish up here?”

“Is it too late to object?” Apollo grumbled. Before he could stop him, Klavier had taken him by the wrist and was leading him inside, shutting the door firmly behind them. “Whoa, h-hey!”

“Speculation is speculation, but if we linger outside for too long, we’re just adding more fuel to the fire, wouldn’t you agree?” Klavier collapsed onto the couch, one arm draped over the back and one leg hiked up over the armrest like he’d lived here his whole life. Apollo made a point of not observing how tight his pants looked when he was lying in such a position. “In all seriousness, why haven’t you been performing with her lately?”

“And risk my life? No thanks, I get enough abuse in court as it is,” Apollo snorted, settling back down in his seat. “Let me guess, Trucy invited you to have dinner with us after tonight’s show.”

“I was promised salty noodles and sweet buns if I made it tonight,” Klavier said. “I could hardly say no to such an invitation.”

“You’re not on some fad diet or strict workout routine?” Apollo asked. At Klavier’s perplexed expression, Apollo gestured at him. “Y’know, because you look like...that.”

“What exactly is ‘that’, Forehead?” Klavier teased.

“Not stepping into that trap,” Apollo retorted.

Still smirking, Klavier settled down, tilting his head back and closing his eyes. Apollo bit down on his bottom lip to stop himself from staring at Klavier’s exposed neck. “It’s always worth a little deviation from my usual plans to hang out with you two.” Apollo felt heat rising in his cheeks; he almost felt bad for all the times he’d badmouthed Klavier to...well, everyone, Klavier himself included. “So I see people are still getting to you over our non-existent relationship.”

“Is no one else doing the same to you? Although I guess you have it worse since it’s happening with everyone who’s ever been seen with you, like you said,” Apollo reasoned. “I don’t get it. Sure, I don’t find you as unbearable as I did before - ” Klavier opened his mouth to protest “ - but that doesn’t mean we’re together!”

“People believe what they want to believe,” Klavier hummed. “The more you protest, the more it seems like you’re covering something up. I hardly ever respond to rumors unless they’re harmful or slanderous.”

“Like what?”

“Like my position at the prosecutor’s office was bought by my brother, not earned. Or that Daryan’s arrest was orchestrated by me so I could sever ties with the other Gavinners’ members and start my solo career without our breakup being solely my fault.” Klavier fell silent for a moment. “Rumors about who I’m dating or how much money I’m making don’t matter to me. Not unless they’re implying I’m doing something illegal or immoral. Why waste my breath? No need to worry about the things I don’t have to.”

“I wish I could do the same,” Apollo admitted. “I get stressed about that stuff so easily.”

“You don’t say,” Klavier chuckled. Apollo glared at him.

“I don’t know, it just...it feels like I still have something to prove. That I have to set the record straight.” Apollo’s expression sobered. “I want clients to hire me because I’m good at my job, not because I’m Mr. Wright’s protégé or Trucy’s brother or - hell, or your boyfriend.”

Klavier turned to look at him, his smile gentler now. “I get it. You want an honest, professional reputation. No association with the rockstar prosecutor and his messy personal history.” When Apollo moved to interject, Klavier continued, “I know you weren’t taking a jab at me, Forehead, it was just an observation. I think you’d be better off with someone with less baggage, in any case.”

Then, inexplicably, for the first time in ages, Apollo’s bracelet tensed.

“...what?” Apollo asked slowly.

“I think, hypothetically, you should date someone who isn’t me,” Klavier said, somewhat confused. The bracelet’s grip was now like a vice. “Someone a little less...complicated, you know? Certainly not someone who’s as famous. You would hate it. The attention, the rumors, I can tell it would drive you crazy.”

“I…you…”

“Hey, who’s ready for Eldoon’s?” Trucy burst through the door, startling them both. “I’m super hungry!”

Klavier stood, plastering on a tight smile. “Hungry enough for extra eggs?”

Grinning, Trucy took the seat beside Apollo, swinging her legs beneath her. “I like the way you think, Mr. Gavin. Don’t you, Apollo?”

“Um...sure,” Apollo said pathetically, staring at Klavier. For some reason, Klavier suddenly seemed unable to look at him at all.

Three-day trials were the bane of Apollo’s existence, considering how mentally and emotionally taxing they could be. More often than not, he found himself on the verge of tears by the time they were over, whether it was about the case itself or how hard he’d fought. Getting his client acquitted was always worth it, but sometimes, the toll it took on him had Apollo questioning whether that was really true.

“Justice-dono.” Apollo looked up from where he’d been slumped over the defense bench to see Simon and Athena hovering over him. Athena had been his co-counsel and looked as exhausted as he felt, while Simon, their opposition, was as difficult to read as ever. “You need rest.”

“Thanks, Prosecutor Blackquill, I had no idea,” Apollo drawled, shaking himself and moving to pack up his things.

“There’s no need to be smart with me,” Simon replied, his mouth twitching irritably. “Now that this trial is at its end, I suggest that neither of you take on any cases for at least a few days. You’ve clearly exhausted your mental acuity.”

“Let me drive you home,” Athena offered.

“Don’t be daft,” Simon interjected. His frown deepened even further. “You’re just as tired, Athena. Let me drive you both.”

And so, Apollo found himself in the backseat of Simon’s car - and how strange it was to realize Simon had something as mundane as a car when Apollo had imagined him with an armor-clad horse or something equally as archaic - with Athena dozing off on his shoulder. He began nodding off as well, barely stirring when Simon stopped to drop Athena off at her place. Then, Simon woke him outside of an apartment building that wasn’t his.

“Hey, uh, I really do appreciate your help and all, but this isn’t my apartment,” Apollo said.

“I’m fully aware of that,” Simon huffed. “In your lethargic state, I figured it would be best to bring you to Gavin-dono’s apartment instead of leaving you to your own devices.”

Apollo stared at him. “What.”

“I called ahead, of course,” Simon continued, ignoring him. “I never thought he would be a particularly considerate partner, but apparently he’s already started making dinner for you.”

“Oh my god,” Apollo groaned. “Not you, too! Look, I know you don’t really care one way or the other, but Gavin isn’t my boyfriend.”

“Try as you might, but you can’t fool me, Justice-dono.” Simon’s smirk was oddly disconcerting. “He speaks fondly of you all the time. During meetings, in casual conversation...it’s like he can’t stop talking about you.”

“That’s uh...something.” Apollo grabbed his bag and slung it over his shoulder. “Well, um, if he went to all that effort, I should at least stay for dinner. Thanks again for the ride, Prosecutor Blackquill. And, er, maybe you could tell me what he’s said about me sometime?”

“Must I?” Simon sighed, though he looked pleased at the same time. “Fine, but only when we see each other next. I have no interest in meeting up solely for idle chit-chat.” He then paused, carefully debating his next words. “...do you really mean to say you aren’t his boyfriend?”

“I’m leaving,” Apollo said loudly, practically stomping up the walkway and into the building.

A few minutes later, Apollo was greeted by a sight he never thought he’d see - Klavier Gavin, rockstar prosecutor, wearing an apron that said Kiss Me, I’m German. He silently wondered whether to comment, then thought better of it. The longer he stared, the more distracted he was by the unnecessarily tight t-shirt Klavier was wearing underneath. “Herr Forehead, I was half-expecting you to turn right around and leave,” Klavier remarked.

“Oh, I’m still considering it,” Apollo snarked.

Laughing, Klavier stepped aside so Apollo could cross the threshold. “You’re welcome to shower before dinner, by the way. I’ve laid out my smallest clothes in the guest ensuite, though they still might be too big for you.”

“You’ve got a backhanded sense of hospitality, you know that?” Still, Apollo made his way through the apartment to the guest bedroom. He’d never been to Klavier’s apartment before; it was a penthouse unit with sleek furnishings and floor-to-ceiling windows that reminded him of Klavier’s office. Everything seemed impeccably clean, expensive, and somewhat impersonal.

After he showered and changed - Klavier’s t-shirt and sweatpants were admittedly loose on Apollo’s smaller frame - he went into the kitchen and settled onto a barstool to watch Klavier finish cooking. To Apollo’s surprise, he seemed to know exactly what he was doing. “I always pictured you in a huge mansion with a bunch of hired help for some reason,” Apollo commented.

“Ah, this apartment is more than good enough for just me,” Klavier replied, turning off the stove. “Besides, I always imagined myself designing and building the perfect house with my future partner someday.”

“Oh.” Apollo squirmed a little in his seat. “How, uh, domestic of you.”

“Speaking of domestic…” Klavier finally turned around and set a full plate of food in front of Apollo, the tantalizing smell wafting underneath his nose. “Das Essen ist angerichtet!”

Apollo took a tentative first bite, his eyes widening in surprise at how much he liked it. Pleased, Klavier began to eat from his own plate as well, bent over the kitchen island counter while still wearing the apron, no less. After a few minutes of companionable silence, Apollo couldn’t help himself. “So...Blackquill thinks we’re dating, too.”

“Achtung, really?” Klavier clicked his tongue. “I could have sworn I’d told him otherwise.”

Apollo’s bracelet twitched. He glanced at it, frowning. “Um...sure,” he said carefully. “Well, like you said, I guess it doesn’t matter at this point. It’s not harmful or slanderous, just, uh, incorrect.”

Klavier nodded; he seemed strangely relieved. “Ja, Forehead. Exactly. Nothing to worry about.”

An hour later, Apollo practically had to drag his feet across the apartment to the guest bedroom, yawning profusely and rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. He could sense Klavier hovering behind him. “You don’t have to shadow me, I’m not completely dead on my feet,” Apollo protested.

“I know, I just - I heard all about your case from Herr Blackquill. It seemed...heavy,” Klavier hedged. “You’re not thinking of taking up another client soon, right?”

“What is with prosecutors trying to parent me today?” Apollo muttered to himself. “Yeah, I’ll probably spend the rest of the week hanging around the office and helping with paperwork. Or knowing Mr. Wright, the toilet.” He paused. “Thanks, by the way. For dinner, and letting me stay here. I don’t think I’ve actually said that yet.”

“Bitte schön,” Klavier replied, his smile relaxing. “You can stay for a couple more nights if you’d like. I’ve got some old arrest reports I wouldn’t mind a second opinion on, and there’s a Law & Order marathon going on tomorrow that can keep us company.”

“O-oh, no, that’s okay,” Apollo said a little too quickly. “I don’t wanna overstay my welcome. Besides, it’d be adding fuel to the fire.” At Klavier’s confusion, he added, “Y’know, because me staying at your apartment looks like...well, like something else.”

“It always surprises me that you seem to care more about what people think than I do. You would think the reverse,” Klavier murmured, his voice so quiet that it seemed like he hadn’t meant to say it out loud. “Fair enough. Gute Nacht, then.”

He then turned and walked into his own bedroom, closing the door firmly behind him. Apollo was left standing there, staring after him, wondering if somehow, he’d said the wrong thing.

“C’mon, Apollo, if we don’t hurry, Pearly will start wondering where we are!”

“I don’t think she’s gonna panic if we’re two minutes late because I wanted to lock my bike,” Apollo grumbled.

It was the day after he’d stayed at Klavier’s apartment, and his so-called first day off from work had turned into him being dragged around the city by Trucy. He’d spent the morning on her college campus, waiting around in the library while she finished her lectures. Then, they’d taken their bikes to the train station so they could pick up Pearl and have lunch together.

Apollo wasn’t exactly sure why Trucy had wanted him to join them when they usually had lunch alone, but he had his suspicions. He also had to admit, he was curious about how Trucy acted around Pearl these days, given her unusual bouts of blushing and stuttering whenever she was mentioned in conversation. It was sweet, really, to see her so enamored with someone, but he also hoped she’d make a move soon, for everyone’s sake.

“A-poll-o!” Trucy whined, loud enough that a few pedestrians nearby turned to look at them.

They finally made their way onto the train platform a few minutes later, their little spat forgotten, where Pearl was waiting dutifully on one of the benches. A smile blossomed across her face when she saw them. “Hello Trucy, Mr. Apollo!” she chirped, getting to her feet and bowing. “It’s nice to see you again.”

“Good to see you too, Pearl,” Apollo replied, smiling back. “I guess you must be pretty used to taking the train by now, huh?”

“Yes, definitely!” Pearl said, nodding. “I used to visit Mr. Nick and Trucy all the time so I could keep their spirits up and help clean the office. Trucy always left her magic props lying around everywhere, and Mr. Nick can be kind of clumsy.”

“I’m pretty sure neither of those things have changed,” Apollo chuckled. Pearl fell into step beside them, and the three of them began walking out of the station and to the marketplace across the street. Apollo then glanced over at Trucy, who hadn’t said a word since Pearl had joined them. “Hey, Trucy, what do you want to eat?”

“Oh! Um, last week, Pearly said she wanted to try the dumpling stand,” Trucy mused.

“Are you sure? I thought you wanted ramen,” Pearl asked.

“I-I’m okay with dumplings. More than okay, even!” Trucy exclaimed, her face reddening when she realized how loud her voice had gotten. Oh boy, Apollo thought, watching her amusedly. She’s got it bad. Shouting, stuttering, getting all worked up...she’s almost acting like...like me. Oh, no.

Once they got their food and found a table, they began to eat, their conversation ceasing in favor of the sound of chopsticks and spoons clinking together. Then, came the question Apollo really, really should have seen coming, especially from Pearl, of all people.

“So, Mr. Apollo, is it true you have a special someone?”

Apollo nearly choked on a mouthful of hot broth. “A sp-special someone?”

“Yes! Your special someone, your soulmate, your true love,” Pearl said, a dreamy look crossing her face. “I used to think Mr. Nick and Mystic Maya were each other’s special someones...only, I know now that Mr. Nick’s special someone might be Mr. Edgeworth instead.”

“I think everyone can agree on that,” Apollo muttered under his breath. “Um, no, Pearl, I’m not seeing anyone right now.”

“Really?” Pearl looked disappointed. “But I saw your picture in the newspaper the other day. You were with that prosecutor...um, the one with the blond hair? The article said it was taken at one of Trucy’s shows by a fan. He was giving you flowers and everything! Isn’t that a gesture of true love?”

Apollo clenched his fists underneath the table, silently reminding himself that Pearl was just curious. Unlike the others, she had no ulterior motive for asking. “Prosecutor Gavin isn’t my boyfriend, he was just bringing flowers for both me and Trucy. You can give flowers to anyone, not just your, er, true love.”

“So he brought you flowers as your friend, then. How kind of him,” Pearl commented. “Do you want him to be your special someone?”

“No, no, we’re just friends. Barely friends, even,” Apollo added, hastily reaching for another dumpling in hopes he could just stuff it in his mouth and bring the conversation to an end. It slipped right out of his chopsticks and landed back in the steamer basket with a plop.

“That’s a lie and you know it, Polly,” Trucy retorted. She turned to Pearl. “Apollo stayed at Mr. Gavin’s apartment last night. He was super tired after his last case, so Mr. Gavin made him dinner and took care of him and everything!”

“Oh, that sounds so nice,” Pearl gushed. “I think cooking is a great way to show your love for someone! It’s why I like to make treats for Mystic Maya and all my friends, especially because I’m much better at making food than making art. I tried drawing a picture of me and Mystic Maya once, and she thought it was from the youngest trainee at Kurain Village.” Her hair drooped somewhat. “She’s only seven.”

Despite her intense fixation on romance, Apollo couldn’t help but smile. Pearl really was sweet and well-intentioned; he could see why Trucy adored her so much. “Do you have a, uh, special someone you want to bring flowers to and cook for, Pearl?”

Pearl’s eyes widened. Apollo could feel Trucy tensing beside him. “Um, no, not really. Not at the moment! But there might be someone I’d like to be with.”

“That’s great,” Apollo said with an encouraging smile. “Well, maybe you can tell them someday.”

“I’d be a little scared to say anything,” Pearl admitted. “But you’re right, Mr. Apollo. I shouldn’t be scared!”

Trucy seemed to snap out of her stupor, her curiosity surpassing her anxiety. “Do I know them, Pearly? Is it someone at school?”

“Yes?” Pearl squeaked. “Um...I would rather not talk about this anymore, if that’s okay.”

“Oh.” Trucy softened. “Oh, I’m sorry, Pearl, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.” She reached over to clasp her hands over one of Pearl’s, then interlaced their fingers and squeezed. Pearl lifted her head to meet Trucy’s eyes, her gaze far more apprehensive. “Don’t worry - you don’t have to tell me a thing! Not until you want to, and only if you want to.”

“Thank you, Trucy,” Pearl said quietly, her smile returning.

Apollo averted his gaze, feeling like he was intruding on something private, something he wasn’t meant to see. He reached for his phone so he could send off a text. When he looked up, Trucy and Pearl were chatting happily again as if nothing had happened, still holding hands as if they’d forgotten they were doing so. Apollo smiled, then silently took the last dumpling. The reply came just as he was taking his final bite.

You free next week? I wanna drop by your office and see if you finally got yourself an actual desk

Pick a day and I’ll make sure I’m around, as long as you swear not to insult my interior design acumen again

No promises here unless you let me try that massage chair

Achtung, I have two massage chairs now! The new one synchronizes the sound of waves with the rhythm of your breathing

Why are you like this

Another week went by before Apollo made good on his word and visited the prosecutor’s building. He was there far less frequently compared to his co-workers and wasn’t as familiar with his surroundings. By the time he reached the twelfth floor, he was nearly ten minutes late to meet Klavier in his office.

Upon stepping off the elevator, he heard two familiar voices at the other end of the hall, one ambiguously German and one vaguely British (Apollo never could quite make sense of where exactly Chief Prosecutor Edgeworth’s accent came from). Apollo lingered by the elevator doors, not wanting to interrupt what seemed like an important conversation.

“Don’t concern yourself with anything either of the Paynes have to say, Prosecutor Gavin,” Edgeworth said. “The goal of the prosecutor’s office, our goal as prosecutors, is not to maintain a perfect win record, but to discover the truth. The only perfection we should be concerned with is our professional conduct.”

“I understand,” Klavier replied, somewhat cowed. “I didn’t mean to cause trouble, Herr Edgeworth, my apologies. I just - ach, I hate when they feel the need to badmouth others without reason. We’re all just doing our jobs here, ja? And yet, they always turn it into a personal attack.”

“I can sympathize with your protectiveness,” Edgeworth said, his expression softening. “I’ve especially been defensive of those who aren’t there to defend themselves. There have been many who badmouthed Wright in front of me during his disbarment, and as you can imagine, it didn’t end well for them.”

Klavier faltered. At times, he almost forgot it had technically been him who made it happen. “I can imagine,” he echoed.

“Anyway, don’t let me keep you. I’m sure Mr. Justice will be here soon,” Edgeworth continued. “I don’t mind you having your boyfriend coming to visit during work hours, but don’t let him distract you from your work, alright? And, er...do keep things professional while you’re in your office, if you get my meaning.”

Apollo had to bite his lip to stop himself from snorting. Here we go again, he thought. He couldn’t help but feel a weird sense of relief knowing that Klavier was on the receiving end of people’s misunderstandings, too. It was strange that Edgeworth, as logic-driven as he was, had assumed wrong, but at least Klavier was there to set things straight.

Only, the correction never came.

“Ah, don’t worry,” Klavier said with an embarrassed laugh. “Apollo isn’t the type. I only want to show him around the building since he’s never here.” Apollo’s eyes widened in surprise. What?

“I figured as much,” Edgeworth replied, clearing his throat. “Have a good day then, Prosecutor Gavin.”

“Danke, you too,” Klavier said with a warm smile, turning to wave Edgeworth off as he left for his own office. Meanwhile, Apollo’s head was still spinning in shock at what he’d just witnessed. He reached for his phone and, with trembling fingers, began to type out a message.

Something came up at the office so I have to head back, sorry

Apollo watched Klavier’s face light up at the sound of his text notification, only for his expression to sour when he read the message. He looked...disappointed, maybe even a little sad.

No worries, hope everything’s okay. Another time, ja?

When Apollo couldn’t find it in himself to answer, Klavier turned and shut himself inside his office with a strange sense of finality. Swallowing, Apollo went back into the elevator and pressed the button for the lobby, his heart seemingly sinking the whole way back down.

“Polly?...Polly?...hello, earth to Apollo!” Apollo jolted upright, nearly toppling a bowl of popcorn in the process. A chorus of stifled giggles followed, with Trucy leaning over to affectionately tap him on the forehead. “Wow, you really zoned out there. You okay?”

It took Apollo a moment to remember where he was - back at the Wright household, once again sprawled out across the air mattresses that had been set up in the living room. This time, he and Trucy were joined by Athena and Ema for a Forensic Files marathon (Ema’s idea, naturally) and a nail painting session. Apollo still had chipped polish on his toes despite it being weeks since Trucy had last done them.

“I-I’m fine, you were saying something?” Apollo asked.

“We were talking about Pearly’s visit to the agency earlier today and how Trucy got su-u-uper nervous,” Athena chirped with a teasing grin. “I didn’t know your voice could shake like that!”

“Hey, don’t make fun of me,” Trucy protested, pouting. “It’s just...oh, she looked extra pretty today. She had her hair down, with the little braid in the front...plus, she brought me homemade magatama bread! How else was I supposed to react?”

“Like a normal human being would around their best friend?” Ema guessed. “You stuttered so much, I thought you were temporarily possessed by Apollo.”

“H-hey!” Apollo exclaimed.

“Case in point,” Ema deadpanned, gesturing at him with her nail polish brush. “You need to do something soon before she figures it out for herself, you know. Hang out with her like you always do, and ask her to be your girlfriend. What’s the worst that could happen?”

“What do you mean? There’s so much that could go wrong!” Trucy cried. “Pearly’s so sweet and considerate and polite...even if she does say yes, what if she’s only doing it to make me happy?”

“But isn’t she driven by the whole concept of true love? I would think she’d be pretty particular about her own,” Athena reasoned. “I don’t think she would say yes unless she was absolutely sure that she would be muy contenta, too!”

“I don’t wanna think about her saying yes or no,” Trucy said, shuddering. “Can we talk about something else now? Like...how Apollo’s love life is going instead of mine?”

“Hey, no, let’s not,” Apollo interjected, but it was too late.

“Hypothesis - let’s say you aren’t dating Gavin,” Ema said loudly, a mischievous glint in her eye. “What kind of guy are you into?”

“I bet he won’t answer, I’ve never ever heard Apollo talk about boys,” Trucy huffed.

“Apollo doesn’t talk about anything,” Athena bemoaned. Then, her eyes seemed to light up, too. “You think we can wrestle it outta him?”

“No, no wrestling, please,” Apollo protested, knowing very well that Athena meant it literally. “Can’t we go back to talking about Trucy?” At his sister’s panicked expression, one that he’d never seen on her before, he deflated. “Fine, um...I like...smart….guys?”

All three girls groaned simultaneously. “You’re even more of a buzzkill than I am,” Ema complained, bouncing a Snackoo off his forehead. “Come on, details! Think of it as us gathering evidence to make a case for any future boyfriends of yours.”

“I don’t know, I don’t think about these things!” Apollo exclaimed. “I mean...I guess I’d be into someone with similar interests in law and government.” He paused. “It’d be even better if they also worked in a similar field, so we’d have a lot to talk about. It’d be kind of hard for me to talk about work with someone who’s like, an athlete or a chef or something, you know?”

“Sure, that makes sense,” Athena nodded.

“And, uh...we’d probably also need to have the same sense of humor, or we wouldn’t be able to communicate very well,” Apollo continued. “Someone who can keep up with my sarcasm, but also someone relatively blunt. Not mean or anything, just straightforward. Oh, and someone who’s not afraid of speaking up or standing up to other people. Confident, charismatic.”

“I’m writing this down,” Ema declared, rummaging through her bag for a notepad, completely disregarding her still-wet nail polish.

Apollo glared at her, though he couldn’t help but carry on. “And I’m more the type to stay in than go out, since I’m already so busy with work and all, so they’d have to enjoy hanging out at home and not really doing much of anything. We would...I dunno, watch movies or cook together to relax.”

Trucy peered at him curiously. “Are you okay, Apollo? I think that’s the most you’ve ever said about yourself, ever!”

He felt his face grow hot. “Hey, I-I’m not a completely closed book.”

“Well, I think it all sounded really sweet,” Athena said with an encouraging smile. “Who knew you were so domestic, Apollo?”

“Domestic, huh?” Apollo echoed. And so-o-o romantic, Widget added helpfully, much to Apollo’s dismay.

“I know someone in forensics who might fit your description,” Ema offered. Apollo was surprised she hadn’t drawn up a police sketch at this point. “He DMs for a group of his co-workers on Saturday nights and goes all out on making snacks for everyone. I don’t know if he’s into guys, but I could ask around.”

“O-oh, I’m good, thanks,” Apollo said with an awkward laugh. “I think I’d rather get to know someone before actually dating them, anyway. If we went straight into dating...I-I don’t know, it’d be a lot of pressure.”

“You sure know how to take the fun out of an investigation,” Ema sighed, though she pocketed her notepad regardless. “Okay, so who wants to hear about the body we recovered from the gas explosion last night?”

Later that night, Apollo and Trucy stood side-by-side in the bathroom as they brushed their teeth, with Ema and Athena long asleep in the living room. “Thanks, Apollo.”

“Huh? For what?”

“For playing along.” Trucy paused to rinse her mouth, then glanced up at him through the mirror’s reflection. “It’s just...oh, I don’t know, it just seems like everyone thinks I’ve got this...this unstoppable confidence, like I can never be worried about anything. But I worry all the time! About you, about Daddy, about Mom, about school, about my show and my friends and - ” She paused to take a breath. “I know I’m being silly about Pearl and that I should just talk to her, but...it’s hard, and...I get to be scared like everyone else, right?”

“Of course you do,” Apollo said, softening. “And...I’m sorry if we made you feel like you couldn’t. It caught us off guard to see you so pessimistic about something, but...I know that’s no excuse.”

“No, no, it’s okay,” Trucy insisted. “You weren’t being mean about it or anything.”

“But you still felt bad, and that’s on us.” Apollo rinsed his mouth out as well, then leaned against the counter to look at her. “Look, you’re not being silly about Pearl. I can tell you really like her, and I know she can be kind of shy. You take all the time you need for both of you to feel ready, okay?”

“I will,” Trucy said, smiling faintly. “I can do it, I know I can! It’s just gonna take me a little while.”

“There you go,” Apollo replied, smiling as well.

Trucy then reached over to prod him playfully in the arm. “You know, I never expected you to have so much to say about what kind of guy you’d be into.”

“Neither did I,” Apollo admitted. “I didn’t really think about it, I just…”

“...thought about someone in particular?” Trucy suggested.

“N-no, of course not,” Apollo stammered.

“It sure seemed like you were,” Trucy teased, turning to leave the bathroom. “Who knows? Maybe we’ll both be with the people we want soon enough!”

Apollo briefly glanced at his own reflection in the mirror. “Yeah...maybe,” he said quietly, mostly to himself, before leaving and turning off the light.

Breathe, Apollo, he thought to himself, slowly unfurling his clenched fists. He’d left welts in his palms from how tightly he’d been holding them. Trial’s done - now comes the hard part.

With another trial under his belt, Apollo was standing at the defense bench alone while he packed his things, having sent Trucy on her way early to help Athena with her afternoon investigation. It hadn’t been his hardest case by any means, but he was more distracted than usual, given who was at the prosecution bench across from him.

“Good show, Herr Forehead,” Klavier said lightly. “I never would have spotted the pattern in the license plates if you hadn’t pointed it out.”

“I’m surprised you didn’t,” Apollo commented, turning to face him. “You seemed kinda off today, actually. Is everything okay?”

“Just a little preoccupied, nothing worth mentioning,” Klavier replied.

Apollo nodded, going quiet for a moment. “Hey, so, uh, why didn’t you tell Chief Prosecutor Edgeworth that I wasn’t your boyfriend?”

Klavier went still. “...what?”

“That day at the prosecutor’s office...well, I was there,” Apollo admitted. “I heard you talking to him, and he called me your boyfriend. You didn’t correct him. In fact, you even went along with what he said.” He leaned against the defense bench with his arms folded tightly across his chest. “Why?”

“Wh...where’s your proof?” Klavier stammered. He looked pale, a word Apollo had never associated with him until now.

“We may be standing in court, but the trial’s long over, Prosecutor Gavin,” Apollo said evenly, hoping he didn’t sound as nervous as he felt. “This whole time, you’ve been telling me not to pay attention to rumors that don’t matter, and for the most part, I agree with you. But that’s not why you didn’t want me correcting people about our relationship.”

“Then why? Tell me why,” Klavier demanded, his jaw clenched tight.

“Because…” Apollo inhaled slowly. “...because you want people to think we’re together. Because you want it to be true.”

Klavier’s shoulders slumped in defeat. “...ja, you’re right. You’ve figured me out.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Apollo asked. “You lied to me, to our friends and colleagues - ”

“What would be the point in telling you what I want when you clearly don’t want the same thing?” Klavier interrupted, causing Apollo to reel back in shock. He’d only heard Klavier sound this upset once before, and he never wanted to relive that trial ever again. “You can barely stand me, Apollo. You’ve turned down almost every attempt I’ve made to get closer to you. Why would I tell you about my feelings when it would do nothing but create even more distance between us?”

Apollo’s arms dropped to his side in astonishment. “But...I told you before, I don’t hate you at all. I mean, sure, you like to make trials more complicated than they have to be so you won’t get bored, your aftershave is so strong I can smell it from here, you’re not fooling anyone with that accent no matter how much you think you can, and you take more pride in your skincare routine than anyone I’ve ever met - ”

“Ah, here we go,” Klavier groaned. “I don’t need to hear this again, really - ”

“ - but you’re also pretty thoughtful, you’re a surprisingly good listener, your cooking isn’t half-bad, and I...I kind of find the fake accent weirdly hot, so.” Apollo shrugged. “Who said we don’t want the same thing?”

“...Apollo?” Klavier said slowly, hopefully.

“This might be a really bad idea, but we’re here, a-and we have...feelings, so, let’s, uh. Let’s do this.” Apollo finally exhaled. “...I think I’m losing my voice. Trials take a lot out of me.”

Klavier laughed, loud and warm and happy. “Well, we can’t have that, can we?”

And suddenly, in a few quick strides, Klavier had crossed the courtroom and was pressing Apollo up against the defense bench, kissing him so intently and so sweetly that Apollo felt all the tension in his body simply melt away. Apollo wrapped his arms around Klavier’s waist, pulling him in closer. Klavier responded in kind by picking Apollo up by the backside and setting him down on the defense bench without breaking the kiss.

Apollo let out a startled cry. “Whoa, whoa, okay, didn’t think you were going to do that!”

“Is it strange I think about doing that whenever we’re in court together?” Klavier murmured, pressing a kiss against the crook of his jaw.

“Great, now I’m gonna be thinking about it,” Apollo mumbled, tangling his fingers in Klavier’s hair and pulling him closer, kissing him again. Klavier ran his hands down Apollo’s thighs, then hooked Apollo’s knees around his hips, drawing him in tight. Moments later, Apollo pulled away. “Wait, w-we shouldn’t be doing this in here!”

“Doing what? What do you think we’re doing?” Klavier was practically purring.

“Don’t,” Apollo warned, untangling himself from Klavier’s embrace so he could get down from the bench. “Let’s not get banned from the courthouse, okay? We kinda need to be here.”

“Not right now, we don’t,” Klavier said, watching Apollo fondly as he finished packing his bag. “Do you have anywhere you need to be?”

A smile spread across Apollo’s face before he could stop himself. “Not really. You, uh, you have something in mind?”

“I have some ideas,” Klavier hummed, leaning in closer.

“Ach - will you hold still for me, baby? You’re going to smudge your nails.”

“Can you at least scratch my nose? It’s been bothering me for a couple of minutes now.”

With a soft laugh, Klavier lifted his free hand to gently scratch the end of Apollo’s nose. “Better?”

“Marginally,” Apollo snarked, curling further into Klavier’s chest. “Continue.”

It was another week in which Mr. Wright had taken off with Mr. Edgeworth on a not-couple’s trip - this time, just a few states over instead of a different continent altogether - and Apollo was left “in charge” of Trucy, though everyone knew it was her who was in charge of him. He was becoming so familiar with their house, he was starting to remember where they kept their cutlery.

Trucy had decided to take advantage of the mostly-empty house and invite Athena and Ema over again for another sleepover, now marathoning Unsolved Mysteries at Athena’s request. This time, there was a new addition to their group that Apollo couldn’t help but feel nervous about.

“You have such big hands,” Klavier observed admiringly, running his thumb across the length of Apollo’s fingers. “You would think your fingernails would be more spacious than they really are.”

“Are you seriously criticizing the lack of real estate on my fingernails?” Apollo said dubiously. “You’re so weird, Klav.”

“You know what’s weird?” Ema popped a Snackoo into her mouth. “Sitting here and witnessing you two being...cute.”

“I’m a little weirded out myself,” Apollo remarked, rolling his eyes goodnaturedly when Klavier leaned down to kiss him on the nose. “Great, you made me itchy again.”

“There’s no winning with you, is there, schatz?” Klavier sighed. “I’m done, in any case. What do you think?”

Athena shuffled closer for a better look. “Hey, you’ve got a pretty steady hand there, Prosecutor Gavin!”

“Before the Gavinners became world-renowned, I used to do my own hair, makeup, and nails before every show,” Klavier explained, pleased. “I even convinced Herr Blackquill to let me do his nails once.”

“What?! This is the first I’m hearing of this,” Athena exclaimed.

“What’d I miss?” The others turned to see Trucy walking into the living room from the kitchen, expertly balancing two enormous bowls of popcorn in one arm and a cloth box full of sheet masks in the other.

“Apparently, Gavin’s painted Blackquill’s nails before,” Ema said. “Somehow, that might be the weirdest thing I’ve heard all day, and I was overseeing a drug bust at a preschool this morning.”

“Forget Unsolved Mysteries, I wanna hear about that!” Athena demanded, though she was quickly distracted once again when Trucy set down the box of sheet masks, rummaging through them eagerly in search of the perfect one.

“Wait, fräulein, can you pass me an aloe mask before you get ahead of yourself?” Klavier asked. “Apollo gets rashes from almost every other kind.”

“Wow, I feel like you already know more about Apollo than I do,” Trucy commented, grinning. “You know, I always wondered if we might have matching birthmarks. Do you know if he’s got one on his - ”

“What were you saying about a drug bust, Ema?” Apollo said loudly. Klavier let out a fond chuckle, moving to sit behind Apollo, reaching around to rub Apollo’s stomach reassuringly. Apollo huffed, but settled down in his arms regardless, accepting the sheet mask that Athena held out to him.

“If you were going to say ‘inner thigh’, then ja, he does,” Klavier replied.

Trucy beamed. Apollo shot him a murderous glare. “Traitor.”

“He also has one on his - ”

A text notification rang out. “Wait, hold that thought!” Trucy reached for her phone, her expression quickly souring when she saw who had messaged her. “Never mind, it’s just Daddy.”

“Are you mad at Mr. Wright or something?” Ema asked.

“He won’t let Pearl stay over while he’s away anymore,” Trucy said with a dejected sigh.

“That seems a little irrational, doesn’t it?” Klavier said, frowning. “It’s not like you have a history of being irresponsible, what’s the point of keeping your girlfriend from you?”

“That’s what I said to him, too!” Trucy exclaimed, nodding in enthusiastic agreement. “Daddy and I even got into a fight before he left because I told him it didn’t feel like he trusted me. Even Mr. Edgeworth was on my side and said Daddy was being too overprotective!”

“Mr. Wright’s definitely getting an earful from me when he gets back,” Athena declared, pounding her fist into her hand, not unlike a gavel. “He’s okay with Apollo sleeping over at Klavier’s place every night, but not Pearl staying here with you? It’s unjust!”

“Uh, not that I agree with Mr. Wright or anything, but he’s Trucy's dad, not - ”

“It really is!” Trucy cried, even louder this time. Apollo slumped back against Klavier in defeat, knowing he wasn’t going to get a word in edgewise. Klavier patted him on the thigh consolingly. “Besides, Pearly and I only just started dating, it’s not like we’re doing anything physical yet. We wanna take things slow, especially since it’s our first-ever relationship.”

“By the way, I don’t think Gavin or I have heard the story about how you finally got Pearl to be your girlfriend yet,” Ema said, nudging Klavier a little harder than she’d intended - or maybe exactly as hard as she’d intended, it was difficult to say.

“Oh, I love telling this story,” Trucy said, brightening. “So a couple days ago, after my criminology lecture, Pearl and I had lunch together. I had it all planned out - I asked her to make lunchboxes for us, like how she used to do for me and Daddy when he was unemployed, and we went to Vitamin Square to eat, since it was where we had our very first playdate when we were little. I even asked Prosecutor Blackquill to help buy me some manju buns, because I know they’re her favorite! We sort of just...talked about stuff like we always do, and then…” Trucy’s smile grew impossibly soft. “...I asked her to be my girlfriend. She got all red and embarrassed, and then I got super nervous, but then she said yes.”

“That’s so sweet,” Klavier remarked. “Perfectly low-key.”

“It really was...perfect,” Trucy said, her cheeks growing warm at the memory. “She even kissed me on the train platform, right before she left. We’ve got our first official date planned  for next weekend!”

“I knew it was going to work out if you did it exactly as I said! The scientific method is never wrong,” Ema said with a triumphant grin. Apollo bit his tongue to stop himself from asking her what was so ‘scientific’ about any of it. “I’m so happy for you, Trucy.”

“Thanks,” Trucy giggled. “So Klavier, it’s your turn. Since Apollo won’t tell me how you two got together and all, I wanna hear it from you!”

“As much as I’d like to return the favor, I adore him too much to risk his wrath,” Klavier chuckled, pressing a kiss to Apollo’s shoulder for good measure. “If he doesn’t want people to know, then there’s nothing I can do, ja?”

“Aw, that’s no fun,” Trucy pouted. The smirk on Apollo’s face was far too satisfactory for her liking. She had the feeling if she wasn’t going to hear the story now, she was never going to hear it, ever.

After a few more hours of Unsolved Mysteries and sheet masks, the conversation began to wind down as everyone became drowsy. Trucy and Athena went to wash the dishes in the kitchen, while Ema eventually wandered in to help, mostly out of boredom. “I hope for everyone’s sake that you and Pearl aren’t as lovey-dovey as those two,” she shuddered, nodding in the direction of the living room. “I had to get out of there. They were making me more nauseous than the smell of burnt flesh!”

“Really? I didn’t think Apollo would be as affectionate as Klavier,” Athena commented.

“Take a look for yourself,” Ema replied, stepping back so Trucy and Athena could see.

Klavier was sitting the way he’d been all night, on one of the air mattresses with his back against the couch, a blanket draped loosely over his lap. This time, Apollo was underneath the blanket, too, half-laying on top of him with their chests pressed together. One arm was around Klavier’s waist, while his other hand was playing with the ends of Klavier’s hair. Their gazes were fixated on each other, their eyes shining with sleepy warmth.

“Are you sure I can’t convince you to take tomorrow off, liebling?” Klavier murmured quietly. “You still haven’t visited my office like you’d promised.”

“Make your argument, then,” Apollo replied.

“For one thing, you would get to spend more time with me, which I think is never a bad thing,” Klavier said, smiling winningly. Apollo merely gestured for him to go on. “...and you could finally try my new massage chair?”

“Better,” Apollo amended. “Please tell me you have an actual chair in there.”

“Well…”

“Why am I not surprised?” Apollo sighed. Regardless, he leaned closer to kiss him, his lips barely brushing Klavier’s, who let out a soft breath of anticipation in return. “Maybe we should both take tomorrow off to go furniture shopping instead. I can’t have a boyfriend who thinks that speakers, two massage chairs, and thousands’ of dollars worth of guitars make an acceptable office, after all.”

“Hundreds of thousands,” Klavier mumbled against Apollo’s mouth. He silenced Apollo’s groan of mild disgust by deepening the kiss, his fingers digging into the soft fabric of the hoodie Apollo was wearing - his hoodie, to be exact - so he could pull him closer. Apollo slid his hands into Klavier’s hair, a pleased smile slowly spreading across his face.

The girls turned away to give them some privacy. Ema shook her head in feigned irritation, though Trucy and Athena suspected she was happier for them than she would ever admit. “I can’t believe they’re sucking face over buying Gavin a new chair,” Ema sighed. “Remind me to never go to IKEA with them. I don’t wanna know what happens if they get lost in the bedroom section.”

“C’mon, Ema, they’re sehr süß,” Athena giggled. “And to think Apollo denied his feelings for so long - look how happy he is now!”

Trucy stifled a laugh of her own, not wanting to interrupt them. “Well, that’s my brother for you. I don’t think either of us would be in relationships if he wasn’t so stubborn in the first place!”

“What do you mean by that?” Ema asked.

Trucy’s returning grin was disturbingly devious. “Oh, it’s a long story. You wanna hear it?”