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“Alright, we’re here!”
Trucy burst out of the car with an excited yell and ran to explore the site: an open space in the middle of a forest. The place they would be camping for the next few days.
Wright got out of the passenger’s side of the car just as Athena got out of the driver’s side. Apollo had already gotten out and was chasing after Trucy, demanding she get back there and carry her own luggage.
“Thanks for driving us, Athena,” Wright smiled. “It must be hard being one of the only two people in the office who have a license.”
Athena closed the car door. “Oh, it’s no big deal Mr. Wright! I like being the designated driver!”
“I’m surprised you didn't get lost. Remember that one time you got lost trying to pick me up from the airport?”
Athena bristled, “Hey, that was one time! And I didn’t get lost, I went to the wrong airport!”
“ Pollyyyyyyyy , stop pulling!”
Athena and Phoenix looked at each other with a sheepish grin as the two half-siblings continued to bicker in the background, any oncoming argument about Athena’s ability with directions forgotten.
When everyone had carried their own luggage out of the car and placed it on a picnic table, Wright started to unload the tent.
Just then, Trucy jumped up in between Apollo and Athena and tugged on their shirts.
“Polly, Athena! Come see this!”
“Trucy, we have to help Mr. Wright with the tent. Or do you want to sleep on the dirt?” Apollo shook Trucy’s grip off of him.
“It’s fine, I don’t need any help,” Wright said without looking at them, instead focusing on unpacking the tent parts.
Athena fiddled with her earring, looking unsure. “Are you sure, Boss? Didn’t you say you’ve never gone camping before?”
Wright shooed her and Apollo away. He had a smug smile on his face. “As I said, it’s fine. Just watch and learn, kids.”
Apollo rolled his eyes and muttered something about how “he’s literally 24,” but Athena simply gave her boss a smile and shot him a peace sign.
“Thanks, Boss!” Athena said. The young attorney then grabbed Apollo’s arm and ran off with Trucy, poor Apollo being dragged behind her.
Trucy led the two lawyers to a part of the forest that was relatively near the campsite. The magician pulled back a couple of bushes to reveal a river in the middle of a clearing.
“Woah.” Athena’s eyes were wide. She stood at the edge of the river and peeked into the water. She could see her reflection peeking back out at her. “It’s so clear!”
“I know, right? The river and this view are so pretty and peaceful!” Trucy smiled while lightly bouncing on the balls of her feet. “Maybe this river runs into a lake or something and we can go swimming in it.”
“That’s a great idea!”
Someone, however, didn’t seem all too enthusiastic.
“What’s wrong, Apollo? Don’t like rivers?” Athena nudged him in the shoulder with her elbow.
Apollo, who was previously staring at the river with a blank, far-away expression, suddenly snapped to alert. He gave her an annoyed frown. His arms were crossed, like he was hugging himself, although it was very subtle. “No, I don’t hate rivers! I just… can’t really swim.”
Before Athena could say anything to that, Trucy, who wasn’t listening in the first place, interrupted.
“Hey, we can climb over that log and go on that side! I think I see a flower field over there!” She pointed at the part of the clearing on the other side of the river.
The magician was already moving towards the log, so Athena grabbed Apollo’s hand and chased after her. Athena noted that his palms were very sweaty.
“Trucy, be careful! You don’t wanna slip and fall,” Athena yelled out as she watched the magician walk or, more accurately, run carelessly across the log.
Trucy didn’t pay Athena any mind, however, and safely jumped off the log and onto the other side. She whipped around and posed dramatically. “ Voilà ! Your turn!”
Athena let go of Apollo’s hand as she stepped up to cross the bridge. She didn’t notice it, but Apollo’s hand lingered on hers for a few moments longer, like he didn’t want her to let go.
The lawyer was much more careful when she crossed the log, slowly putting on foot in front of the other, like she was walking across a tightrope. She flashed a peace sign at Apollo when she also safely crossed.
“Ok, your turn, Polly!” Trucy waved over at Apollo.
That’s when Athena noticed Apollo’s expression. He looked downright terrified . His eyes were locked onto the river below him, which wasn’t raging but certainly lively, as he rubbed his arms. He looked like he was shaking.
Even though he looked like he was on the verge of a panic attack, he still stepped up onto the log. He took shaky step after shaky step, holding his arms out on either side to keep balance. His knees threatened to buckle under him, almost making him fall off, but he managed to stay on.
He had made it about halfway across the log by that point. He took a step... and let out a sudden yelp.
His foot had slipped off on a particularly wet part of the log, and it launched Apollo into the water.
“Apollo!” Athena and Trucy exclaimed in unison as they watched Apollo float down the river.
Apollo thrashed and flailed, clearly panicking and trying desperately to swim to shore, but it was no use. He could barely keep his head above the water.
“Go get Daddy!” Trucy frantically ordered Athena before she sprinted down the riverside in pursuit of Apollo.
Athena didn’t need to be told twice. She ran towards the campsite.
________
Phoenix emerged from the water with a gasp before he collapsed onto the riverside back-first. Apollo flopped onto the older man’s stomach.
“Daddy, are you ok? Is Polly ok?” Trucy asked with a worried expression.
“I’m okay, babygirl,” Phoenix smiled up at his daughter. “I’m just getting too old for this.”
Apollo woke up with a gasp and then proceeded to cough up the water in his lungs. His chest heaved as he inhaled oxygen like he was a dehydrated person drinking water in a desert. Phoenix sat up so he could better support Apollo as Trucy draped a beach towel she had brought from the campsite over Apollo’s shoulders.
After he finished coughing out his lungs, Apollo promptly burst out sobbing. He wrapped his arms around Phoenix tightly and buried his face in the other’s shirt.
That, of course, got Athena started. She also burst out crying and hugged Apollo’s side. Tears also fell from Trucy’s eyes, but they were silent. She hugged Apollo’s other side.
Phoenix wrapped his own larger, warmer arms around the boy as well. He noticed that Apollo was shivering. Whether from fear or because he was cold Phoenix wasn’t sure. Probably both.
“Ssshhh, it’s okay, Apollo. You’re okay, you’re okay,” Phoenix murmured as he patted Apollo’s back. “You’re okay, I’m right here.”
“P…a,” Apollo sniffed and hiccuped.
“Papa? You want papa?” Phoenix asked. When he felt Apollo nod he said, “Alright. I’ll call papa for you.”
Phoenix released his hold of Apollo so he could dig around in his pocket for his phone, but Apollo whimpered, shook his head, and tightened his hug, signifying that he didn’t want Wright to stop holding him.
The older lawyer chuckled, “Buddy, I can’t tell Papa to come get you if I don’t get my phone. I have to let go for a sec.”
Apollo only whined and shook his head again in response.
Wright sighed, “Alright, fine. Truce, can you get my phone and call Prosecutor Gavin for me?”
With a sniff, Trucy dug her father’s phone out of her pocket and pushed a few buttons on it before holding it up towards her father’s face to talk on speakerphone.
“Ja, Gavin. Ich bin’s.”
“Hey, Prosecutor Gavin. I, uh… I have someone here who needs you to come get them. It’s Apollo.”
“Apollo? What happened?”
“So we went camping, and while I was setting up the tent he, Athena, and Trucy were out exploring, and he fell in a nearby river.”
“Ernsthaft?! Oh mein Gott, I’ll be right there!”
*Click!*
Wright sighed as the call ended and Trucy put his phone back in his pocket. He patted Apollo’s back a few times as he gave a fake gasp. “Didja hear that? Papa’s on his way. He’s coming to get ya.”
Apollo didn’t say anything, just sniffed and nuzzled more into Wright's shirt, but Phoenix thought he was happy.
The four waited for Klavier’s arrival in silence, until Athena suddenly piped up.
“‘M sorry,” she sniffed and rubbed her eyes. “Shouldn’t have dragged Polly to cross tha’ river.”
“It’s okay, Athena, you didn’t know,” Phoenix tried to assure her.
Athena shook her head. “But I saw… he was scared. ’S my fault.”
Trucy interjected, “No, it’s my fault. I forced you and Apollo to cross it in the first place.” She looked down somberly, and a new batch of tears welled in her eyes.
“Hey, it’s nobody’s fault, okay?” Phoenix interrupted before the two girls could say anything more. “We all make mistakes, and accidents happen. For next time, though, if we notice somebody is scared of something, we shouldn’t drag them along to do it, okay?”
The two girls nodded in understanding. Just then, a man burst through the bushes.
“Prosecutor Gavin!” Trucy exclaimed.
Indeed, it was Klavier, having just arrived to pick up Apollo. He was panting, probably from running all the way down the riverbank trying to find them. He had mud on his shoes and leaves and sticks stuck in his hair.
Phoenix got up with a grunt, joints cracking and popping, and handed Apollo to Klavier.
Upon seeing Klavier, a new batch of tears burst from Apollo, and he latched onto his caregiver like a koala. “Papaaaaaaaaaaa!”
“Ooh, mein liebling, armes ding…” Klavier said as he lightly bounced Apollo in his arms. He then turned to Phoenix. “He fell in the river?”
Phoenix nodded, “Yeah, that’s what Athena said. They were crossing a log that ran over the river, and Apollo slipped off.”
“Oooh, es tut mir leid…” Klavier had turned his attention back to Apollo. “We’ll go home and take a nice, warm bath, ja?”
The five all walked back to the campsite. Klavier’s motorcycle was parked right next to Athena’s car.
“I guess we’ll see you later,” Klavier chuckled.
Phoenix gave a chuckle back, “Yeah, I guess so.” He rubbed Apollo’s head a few times. “I’ll see you later, okay, buddy?”
Trucy and Athena shuffled over to say their goodbyes as well. “Bye, ‘Pollo.” Athena hugged Apollo from the back. “‘M sorry you fell. Hope ‘ou feel better soon.”
Once Athena was done hugging Apollo, Trucy took her place. “Bye, Polly. I’m sorry I made you explore the river with me… I’ll make it up to you, I promise!”
Klavier sat down on his motorcycle after placing Apollo on the seat behind him. Apollo already re-attached himself to Klavier’s back.
“Bis später, Herr Wright, fräuleins.”
With a final wave goodbye, Klavier drove away.
________
“Wir sind zu Hause!”
Klavier awkwardly opened the front door to his house with one hand. His other hand was full with carrying Apollo.
A figure emerged from the darkness, the sound of small feet pitter-pattering on the wood flooring following it. Vongole greeted them at the door, her tail wagging happily and her tongue lolling out of her mouth. Klavier smiled and patted her head upon seeing her.
The rockstar walked through his house and bedroom and into his bathroom. He turned on the faucet to the tub, and while he waited for it to fill up, he grabbed some shampoo, body wash, and bubble bath solution.
After turning off the water, Klavier set Apollo down on the floor next to the tub and leaned down to match his height. “Hey, Schnucki, can you get undressed and into the tub for me? I’ll be right outside, I just wanna give you some privacy.”
Apollo nodded and rubbed at his eyes. His face was blotchy and his eyes were puffy from crying. It hurt Klavier’s heart to see.
Klavier closed the door to the bathroom as he waited for Apollo to get into the tub. He also quickly fed Vongole before running back to the bathroom.
The rockstar smiled when he saw Apollo in the tub. He held the bubble bath solution for Apollo to see. “A bath of just plain water is boring. Let’s make this a fun bath, ja?”
Apollo watched his caregiver silently as he poured the bubble bath solution in. Klavier then turned on the faucet, and the two watched the plain water turn into a soft, bubbly forest.
Apollo’s eyes were wide as he swatted and played with the bubbles. Klavier smiled, grabbed a handful of bubbles, and placed it on Apollo’s head. The rockstar laughed when Apollo looked up at his bubble hat, prompting Apollo to laugh with him. Apollo grabbed a fistful of bubbles and placed it on Klavier’s head.
“Why thank you, now I have an amazing bubble hat as well,” Klavier displayed his bubble hat dramatically. He also cautiously hovered a hand near the hat, preparing to catch any bubble that fell off. Apollo giggled.
The two played with the bubbles for a while, but they eventually stopped so Klavier could wash Apollo’s hair. Apollo washed his body himself.
Klavier wrapped Apollo in a big, fluffy towel before leading the other to his bedroom, where Apollo changed into one of Klavier’s Gavineers hoodies and a pair of old, gray sweatpants.
Apollo yawned and leaned against Klavier’s side. He looked one second away from falling asleep. Klavier would have put Apollo to bed right away, if he didn’t hear the other’s stomach growl.
He knew that Apollo would probably only eat like two bites of a full dinner if he gave him one, so Klavier sat Apollo down on the couch and walked into the kitchen.
“Let’s have a bottle before we go to bed, ja?”
Klavier grabbed a measuring glass, milk, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and vanilla. Apollo loved gingerbread angel milk!
The prosecutor mixed all the ingredients together before popping the measuring glass into the microwave. He took the glass out when the microwave beeped and poured its contents into a red baby bottle.
Klavier handed Apollo the drink and joined him on the couch. He turned the TV on as Apollo snuggled up into Klavier’s side before nursing from the bottle in a smooth, steady rhythm.
As soon as Apollo was done with the bottle, he fell asleep. Klavier turned off the TV, set the bottle on the coffee table to clean later, grabbed Apollo, and walked into the bedroom. Vongole, of course, followed them and snuggled against the footboard of the bed. He tucked Apollo in before changing and getting into bed as well.
The rockstar spooned Apollo, wrapping his arms around the other’s midsection. He gave him a kiss on the head.
“Goodnight, Liebling. I love you.”