i still haven't found what i'm looking for

Out of everything Apollo thought and felt about Klavier, he had exactly two opinions he would never, ever voice out loud. Number one: Klavier had grown on him. It wasn’t exactly Klavier himself who had changed Apollo’s mind; it was more like he’d met so many insufferable people afterward that they made Klavier seem like an angel in comparison. Apollo could appreciate that Klavier was capable, honest, respectable, though he did like to stir up unnecessary drama during court proceedings if he was bored enough.

Number two: he found Klavier exceedingly attractive and excessively friendly. Apollo didn’t know what to do about either of those things or the fact that he thought such things to begin with. They were acquaintances, barely friends at most, and he had no interest in changing that. Really, he didn’t.

That is, until he was struck on the head by a guilty witness. Again.

He stirred slowly at the sound of beeps and clicks and whirs and hums. It was too loud, too overwhelming, too painful for his sensitive ears to handle. Beneath his splayed fingers, he felt scratchy sheets and a firm mattress. Lightly brushing up against his arms were railings that kept him from falling out of bed. He felt heavy somehow, like his insides had been replaced with rocks. His head pounded, knock-knock-knock against the sides of his temples, a rhythm that pulsated too erratically for his liking.

Groaning, Apollo tried to lift his hands up to cover his ears, but his movements were sluggish, clumsy. One hand flopped uselessly over the edge of the mattress, while the other banged against the railing. He jolted upright with a stifled gasp. “Ow!”

There was a screech of a chair being pushed aside, then, one hand on his shoulder and another on his mid-back, slowly guiding him down onto the bed. “Ach - careful there, Apollo. Don’t get up too quickly.”

Apollo blinked. Through the bright whites of his surroundings, all he could see directly above him was a pair of blue eyes. “Wh…”

“I’ll go get your doctor.” Both hands were on his shoulders now, giving him a gentle, reassuring squeeze. “It’s good to see you’re awake. I mean it, don’t move, ja?”

Ja? Apollo thought, confused. It took him a moment to place the accent and the blue eyes. Oh, that’s gotta be Klavier.

The next couple of hours were something of a blur as Apollo was thoroughly examined and questioned by a few different medical professionals. Thankfully, it didn’t take long for him to remember why he was in a hospital in the first place - he’d been cross-examining a witness just a few hours ago, the person he was certain was the true criminal. They lost it when Apollo and Athena cornered them, then bolted from the witness stand. When they tried to stop them, they hit Apollo over the head with a globe, one of the incriminating pieces of evidence. Apollo’s doctor did not appreciate his “weight of the world” joke. Klavier thought it was funny.

“You’re incredibly lucky you have no signs of lasting physical or neurological damage, young man,” the doctor had said, going on to tell him that all he had was a concussion to keep an eye on and some stitches that would have to be removed next week. He also insisted Apollo stay overnight for monitoring and take at least a week off before returning to work.

“But - m-my case, I-I have to - ” Apollo spluttered.

“Please don’t work yourself up too much, Mr. Justice,” the doctor said, more sympathetically now. “We’ve been told your colleagues are wrapping things up for you. With Mr. Gavin here to keep them updated on your condition, I’m sure they’ll be coming by soon.”

Once the doctor left, Klavier returned to his chair by Apollo’s bedside. “You certainly know how to scare us, Forehead. How do these things keep happening to you?”

“My kingdom for a normal trial,” Apollo said forlornly. “Hey, uh - thanks for staying with me, Klavier. This would be ten times worse if I was completely alone.”

Klavier looked at him curiously. “...keine Sorge,” he said slowly.

Apollo rolled onto his side. “That chair doesn’t look very comfortable. You wanna sit with me instead?”

“Ah - would that not be too cramped for you?” Klavier asked, taken aback. Still, Apollo shuffled over to make room for him. Klavier hesitated for a moment before obeying, wondering if Apollo was not-so-secretly looking for some comfort. He wasn’t sure if Apollo was a tactile person; the most physical contact they’d ever had was a handshake, after all.

Apollo frowned when Klavier sat on the very edge of the mattress, his hip pressed against the bed railing. “I don’t bite,” Apollo huffed, tugging on Klavier’s arm. “C’mon, just lie down already!”

Klavier was yanked down onto the mattress before he could blink. They were now lying side-by-side, with Klavier’s head on the pillow and Apollo’s head somewhere near Klavier’s chest. “Uh, Apollo, what are you - ”

“Much better,” Apollo said, pleased. He snuggled in close, his head tucked underneath Klavier’s chin. He let out an exhale of contentment, smiling for the first time since he’d woken up. “I get that you’re worried, and I appreciate it and all, but I’m not delicate, Klav. And you know I’ve survived worse than a hit on the head.”

“Wh - what are you doing?” Klavier exclaimed, absolutely flabbergasted. The urgency in his voice had Apollo’s smile twisting into another frown.

“Uh...cuddling?” Apollo said slowly. “What’s wrong?”

“But we don’t - ”

“I didn’t think you’d be the one getting all weird about PDA in a hospital,” Apollo mused. “We’re not even doing anything, y’know...strange. I just wanna have some time together before everyone else gets here.”

And then, Apollo kissed him. His lips were dry and cracked, his breath somewhat stale, but he kissed with intention, with affection that Klavier didn’t know he was capable of. When Klavier didn’t reciprocate, too shocked to move, Apollo pulled away. His eyes were wide, slightly wet with worry.

“Hey...Klav,” Apollo said softly, cupping Klavier’s jaw. “I-I’m pretty shaken up, too, but I mean it, I-I’m fine. Please, just - just relax, okay? You’re scaring me a little.”

“You kissed me,” Klavier said stupidly.

Apollo raised an eyebrow. “...yes? Am I not s’posed to kiss my boyfriend or something?”

Now it was Klavier who felt like he’d been hit on the head. He stared at Apollo dumbfoundedly, his mouth hanging open for far too long before snapping it shut with an audible click. “Nein, i-it’s fine, it’s just, ah. I haven’t gone to the bathroom since the trial, so I’ll be right back, ja?” He didn’t wait for Apollo’s response. Instead, he practically sprinted out of the room to look for the doctor, his heartbeat drumming rapidly against his ribcage.

“Mr. Gavin?” Klavier turned to see him standing outside of another patient’s private room. “Is everything alright?”

Klavier let out a pained laugh. “Herr Doktor, this is going to sound stupid, but...is it possible that Apollo’s memories could have been...changed when he was hit on the head?”

“Changed?” The doctor hummed thoughtfully. “I suppose, but none of our tests indicated memory loss or brain damage. Is he forgetting things?”

“Not forgetting things, nein. Remembering things that aren’t true,” Klavier said, his voice hollow. “He...he thinks I’m his boyfriend.”

The doctor’s brow furrowed. “Well, that’s...specific. Were you in a relationship before?”

“Nein, never,” Klavier said. The pang in his chest was getting increasingly hard to ignore.

“Have you...discussed the possibility of being in a relationship? Perhaps that’s where he’s getting confused,” the doctor suggested. Klavier’s heart sank even further.

“Nothing like that, nein,” Klavier replied, stuffing his clenched fists into his pockets. “Should we be...worried, Herr Doktor?”

“I can’t answer that without further testing,” the doctor replied diplomatically. “I’ll get started on those requisitions now, but in the meantime, I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to play along for a little bit. Don’t confuse him or correct him yet, and we’ll see if he comes to the right conclusions on his own. A little short-term confusion is understandable after the head trauma he’s experienced, but anything more might be a sign of a bigger problem.”

“I see,” Klavier said, letting out a shaky breath. “Danke for your help. I better go back inside, then.”

“I’ll come by to check on him soon,” the doctor promised. “It’s going to be alright, Mr. Gavin.”

Klavier let himself back into Apollo’s room, feelings of anxiety and dread settling deep into his bones. Apollo was sitting upright now, arms folded across his chest, eyes narrowed. “That was quick. Bathroom must be close by, huh?”

“Apollo, I…” Klavier took a deep breath. He knew nothing good came out of lying to him, but nothing good was going to come out of admitting what was really wrong, either. “It’s just…I needed a moment. It’s been overwhelming for me, being in a hospital, seeing you hurt, but...that’s not what’s important. What’s important is that you need support, and I failed to be here for you. I’m sorry.”

Apollo visibly swallowed. Then, his irritated expression completely melted away. “Sheesh, you really know how to freak me out, Klavier. But...I get it. Listen, if you wanna leave for a bit so you can clear your mind or something, I - ”

“Nein,” Klavier said firmly. “Don’t worry about me, ja? I’m fine now. I’m not the one who was hit over the head. Again.”

Apollo laughed. “Sounds like the beginning of a long, extremely unfunny joke, right?” He then gestured for Klavier to come closer. “C’mere, I still wanna cuddle. Don’t tell anyone I said that out loud.”

A smile spread across Klavier’s face despite himself. “Your secret’s safe with me.” He climbed back into Apollo’s bed, his smile faltering when Apollo immediately curled back into his side. To Apollo, apparently, this felt completely natural; to Klavier, it felt completely foreign. “Better?”

“Oh, I’ve definitely been better,” Apollo said dryly. “But...yeah. Much better.” Klavier hoped Apollo couldn’t hear him trying - and failing - to clear the lump in his throat.

Despite appearances, Klavier liked to think he lived his life simply. He liked knowing what he liked and what he didn’t like, which people he wanted in his life and which people he didn’t particularly care for. He didn’t want to waste time musing about “what ifs” and “what could have beens”, yet ended up doing it more often than he would have liked.

It was easy for Klavier to blame these trains of thought on precisely three people: Kristoph, Daryan, and Apollo. He tried not to think about Kristoph and Daryan too much if he could help it. Apollo, on the other hand, was almost always a welcome distraction - emphasis on the word “almost”.

“Mon Dieu!” The volume of Athena’s voice nearly rivaled Apollo’s. “What do you mean, ‘he thinks I’m his - ’”

“Bitte, keep it down,” Klavier pleaded. He and the other members of the Wright Anything Agency were standing right outside of Apollo’s private room; there was no telling what he would be able to hear. “And it’s exactly how it sounds, I’m afraid.”

Athena stared at him for a beat. Then, she burst into laughter, startling a nurse that was walking nearby. Phoenix, on the other hand, managed to stop himself from joining in. “What did the doctors say?” he asked.

“They’ve done additional testing since then, but no one’s been able to figure out how or why Apollo is...confused,” Klavier said carefully, his lip curling in distaste. “For now, we’re to pretend it’s true. It seems to be the only thing he’s misremembered, after all.”

Phoenix hummed. “Strange. When I was hit over the head, I practically forgot everything, but I certainly didn’t misremember things. Apollo, on the other hand…” He shook his head. “Well, there’s no point in speculating when even the doctors aren’t sure. Thanks for your help, Prosecutor Gavin. I’m sure he’ll be back to normal soon.” He paused. “Come on, Athena. It’s not that funny, is it?”

“N-no, boss, of course not,” Athena said, coughing sharply as she finally managed to stop snickering. She then turned to look at Trucy, who’d been unusually quiet the entire time, her eyes fixated on her brother’s door. “Trucy?”

“Memories are a real tragic thing in our family, aren’t they?” she murmured, chewing her bottom lip fretfully. “Mom...Apollo…”

Phoenix’s face softened. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, squeezing sympathetically. “You ready to see him, or do you want to wait out here for a little bit?”

“No,” Trucy said firmly, clenching her fists. “I-I’m ready, I swear!”

Klavier settled into a chair across the hallway from Apollo’s room while the others went inside, still silently thinking over everything that had happened in the last five hours. His stomach rumbled, reminding him that he hadn’t eaten since before the trial, but he was too stressed out to be hungry. Moments later, the door opened. Athena’s head popped out. “Apollo wants you,” she chirped. Her phrasing made Klavier’s heart skip a beat.

“Are you sure? I’d hate to intrude,” Klavier said, hesitant.

“Oui, oui, pull up a chair,” Athena insisted, opening the door further. Nodding, Klavier got to his feet and went inside. Trucy was sitting on the foot of Apollo’s bed, while Phoenix was in the chair Klavier had been in, recalling the details of how the rest of the trial had gone.

Apollo looked up at the sound of Klavier’s footsteps, biting back a smile. “Hey, stranger. Why were you hanging outside like a stray cat?”

“I thought you might have had enough of me,” Klavier said lightly, grabbing another chair from the corner of the room while Athena went to sit beside Trucy. After a moment’s hesitation, he brought it over to the opposite side of the bed, across from Phoenix.

“Oh, I’m well past that point,” Apollo teased. “Anyway, Mr. Wright was just saying he and Athena got my client acquitted - obviously. So...sucks to be you, I guess.”

“I think you’re mistaking my philosophy with that of another prosecutor’s,” Klavier chuckled, relaxing slightly. At least Apollo wasn’t initiating physical contact this time; it felt wrong somehow. Though he supposed, misremembered relationships or not, Apollo wouldn’t be the type to show affection in front of others. That is, if Klavier indulged his imagination for too long. “I’m glad the right person was found guilty. That’s all that matters to me.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Apollo said, rolling his eyes. His gaze then went to Trucy, who still seemed subdued. “Truce?”

“Sorry!” Trucy squeaked, startled. “I just...I hate seeing you get hurt, Polly. And if you ask me, it happens way too often!”

“I’m starting to think we need to keep you bubble-wrapped,” Phoenix said jokingly, though there was a shine of paternal-like concern in his eyes. “It’s like you’re trying to beat my record of case-related injuries.”

“Haven’t fallen off a burning bridge yet,” Apollo replied. He then took Trucy’s hands, squeezing them tight. “I-I’m fine, Trucy. Sorry for worrying you. Just...nature of the job, I guess.”

“That’s what cops usually say, not lawyers!” Trucy protested. “At least all your tests and stuff came back okay. Repeated head injuries are bad for you, y’know.”

“You don’t say,” Apollo said dryly. “Hey, speaking of, do you guys know why they requisitioned more tests after they said I was clear? They wouldn’t tell me if something was up.”

Trucy and Athena exchanged nervous glances; Klavier could feel Phoenix’s eyes on him, but he didn’t dare move a muscle. “There’s a good chance it’s just a precaution,” Phoenix said carefully. “After all, they’re still releasing you in the morning, right?”

“I guess so,” Apollo relented. The look in his eyes suggested he wasn’t satisfied with the answer, but he was going to let it go all the same. “I’m going home with you, right, Klav?” Athena choked, then began coughing profusely. Trucy gave her a hearty thump on the back, trying not to giggle herself.

“Ah, me?” Klavier feigned ignorance, fussing with his bangs so he wouldn’t have to look Apollo’s way. “Were you not just saying you’ve had enough of me?”

“I don’t, um…” Apollo fiddled with the ends of his bedsheet. “...I just think it’d be nice to, uh. Not be home alone for a bit.” Everyone’s eyes widened, surprised.

Klavier opened his mouth, then shut it again. A moment passed before he spoke. “Ja, natürlich. There’s always room for you at my place, Apollo.”

Apollo cleared his throat. “Good,” he said, grinning. “That’s...that’s good.” He turned back to Phoenix. “So how did Prosecutor Edgeworth end up filling in for Klavier, anyway? I would’ve thought he’d be way too busy to show up for a last-minute trial!”

“I called in a favor,” Phoenix shrugged. “He’s surprisingly easy to convince if he’s in the right mood.”

“More like Mr. Edgeworth would never say no to you, boss,” Athena teased, elbowing him.

“Wh - wait a second, now,” Phoenix protested, embarrassed.

Klavier sat back and watched in silence as the others took turns poking fun, having nothing to contribute himself (aside from that one time he’d caught Edgeworth staring wistfully at the keychain he kept on his attaché case, not that he wanted his boss knowing that he’d seen). His heart ached at their familiarity, how warm they were with one another. It had never been like that with his family when Kristoph was around, and his bandmates usually resorted to harsh ribbing, bordering on actual insults. But here, even though Apollo had been away for a while, it was like he’d never left.

After an hour or so, the other members of the Wright Anything Agency got up from their seats, ready to leave. “I’m so hungry,” Athena moaned, clutching her stomach. “The cafeteria here is très terrible!” The wo-o-orst, Widget agreed.

“Are you coming with us, Mr. Gavin?” Trucy asked as she put on her jacket. “We’re gonna get ramen!”

Klavier hesitated. “I think I’ll stay here for a little bit longer, but danke for the invitation,” he said. His stomach growled in protest.

“You sure?” Phoenix said, chuckling. “You sound pretty hungry there.”

“I have some leftovers that need attention, and I’d rather not let them go to waste,” Klavier lied easily. “But really, danke. Maybe another time, ja?”

After they left, Apollo and Klavier were alone again. It was darker, quieter now. “You lied.” Klavier turned to look at Apollo, surprised. “I guess you couldn’t exactly say you just didn't wanna hang out with them, huh?”

“What if…” Klavier sat on the edge of Apollo’s bed. “...I just wanted a bit more time with you?”

Apollo snorted. “You’re awful. But at least that felt like the truth.” He then leaned back so he could yawn and stretch. “Still, I-I know things between you and Mr. Wright are awkward and all, but it’d be nice if you spent more time with the others, since we’re...involved.”

“You actually want me to get to know them better?” Klavier asked, trying not to think of Apollo’s implications, untrue as they were.

“Not too much better,” Apollo warned. “I’m not asking you to be best friends or whatever, it’s just...you seem...lonely.”

Klavier blinked, surprised. He wasn't sure where the observation had come from. “I do?”

“I never see you with anyone except, like, your colleagues, your manager that one time…” Apollo shrugged, pulling his knees into his chest. “I just didn’t think I was the social butterfly of this relationship.”

“There’s...something about you that draws people to you, I think,” Klavier commented, shuffling closer. “It’s not...charisma or attractiveness, exactly - ”

“Thanks,” Apollo said wryly.

“ - it’s something that I don’t think anyone can name,” Klavier murmured, his voice low. He watched Apollo’s face for his reaction; he always loved how expressive Apollo was, how unintentionally open he was with his emotions when he was trying his best not to be.

Apollo stared at him. Then, he lightly punched Klavier in the arm. “You really think you can bat your eyelashes and change the subject on me, huh? Fine, we don’t have to talk about this now.” He yawned again, louder this time. “Actually, I really don’t wanna talk about this now, I’m exhausted. But we are gonna talk about it later, okay?”

“Ja, fine,” Klavier agreed. Without warning, Apollo leaned in to peck him chastely on the mouth, too quickly for Klavier to respond. When Apollo moved in again, Klavier readied himself, only for them to be interrupted by a loud grr from somewhere below. “...ach.”

“I think that’s as good a sign as any that you really should get outta here,” Apollo said, pulling away with a laugh. “Go, eat. Seriously, don’t stay here on my behalf, I’m fine. We’ll be together all day tomorrow, anyway.”

Klavier’s heart sank. “...right. I’ll get out of your hair, then. Sleep well, ja?” He stood, then paused, silently panicking when he realized Apollo was probably expecting something. After a beat, he leaned down, dropping a kiss onto Apollo's forehead. “Gute Nacht, Apollo.”

Apollo rewarded him with a satisfied smile. “G’night, Klavier. Get home safe!”

Nearly everything Apollo had said over the course of the six-plus hours they’d been together echoed in Klavier’s head as he carried on with his evening. While ordering Chinese takeout, he thought of the first time Apollo had called him “Klavier” instead of “Gavin”. When he sat down on his couch with a container of yi mein in his lap and a random movie playing on his TV, he remembered how pleasant it had been when they’d cuddled. And when he crawled into bed, he wondered how Apollo noticed how lonely he could be.

And finally, ten minutes after his head had hit the pillow, Klavier suddenly remembered his apartment was in no state for his not-boyfriend to see. He sat up. “Scheiße,” he said to his empty bedroom. “I need to clean.”

Apollo was practically bouncing up and down in the passenger’s seat when he got into Klavier’s car the next morning. If Klavier didn’t know any better, he would’ve thought Apollo was on some particularly strong pain medication. “You seem energetic for someone who had to sleep in a hospital bed,” he commented.

“I’m energetic for someone who no longer has to sleep in a hospital bed,” Apollo corrected. “Besides, I’m also looking forward to having food I actually wanna eat.”

“Which would be…” Klavier lifted a hand from the steering wheel, motioning for him to elaborate.

Apollo hummed, thinking. “Well, it’s still kinda early, so...brunch?”

“By brunch, do you mean mimosas or dim sum?” Klavier said wryly.

Apollo’s eyes lit up. “...egg custard buns?”

“Dim sum it is,” Klavier chuckled. He set his car’s GPS unit, then pulled out of the hospital parking lot and onto the road, keeping his stereo volume low so that the morning radio was a mere pleasant hum. “Well, it’s good to see you in such high spirits. I thought you were going to be anxious all night.”

“Oh, I, um...I was.” Apollo’s expression faltered; he tucked his hands between his knees. “It’s not like anyone likes staying in hospitals. They’re kinda...nerve-wracking. But I-I’m fine now, really! I get to spend the day with you, which is great, since I don’t remember the last time we got to hang out.” His brow furrowed in brief confusion. Klavier had to force himself not to take his eyes off the road to look at Apollo’s face.

“Neither do I,” Klavier said, which technically wasn’t a lie. “Though I do have some work to do once we get back to my place, so you’ll have to entertain yourself for a couple hours. Maybe have a nice long bath or something, ja?”

“That sounds amazing,” Apollo said, yawning and stretching luxuriously. “And then we could, I dunno. Watch TV and take a nap together or something. Just relax.”

Klavier shivered. “...I’d like that.”

After they’d secured a table tucked away in a cozy corner of Klavier’s favorite dim sum restaurant, Apollo went right to the menu, while Klavier glanced around warily in the hopes that no one would recognize him. He had taken his usual precautions - his long hair was pulled up in a messy topknot, he was wearing an oversized hoodie and jeans and no makeup, and he’d used an American accent when requesting a table - but there was still a chance they wouldn’t work. It was especially risky with Apollo being the way he was; the last thing Klavier needed was mass Twitter speculation about his current relationship status.

“Klav?” Klavier startled at the feeling of Apollo’s foot brushing against his. “Hey, are you okay? You seem kinda...spaced out.”

“Ah, sorry,” Klavier said, chuckling awkwardly. “I’m just making sure no one recognizes me. I think my ‘disguise’ is working.”

“You do look different without all the rockstar glam,” Apollo conceded, turning back to his menu. “Have you ever thought about changing your look, now that you’re not in a band anymore? Or are you too committed to the whole Euro-rock thing?”

“I might cut my hair again.” Klavier then blinked, taken aback at what had come out of his own mouth. He hadn’t mentioned the idea to anyone, not even his parents. “I look younger with it shorter, ja?”

“Depends on how you style it, I guess,” Apollo shrugged, running his fingers through his own hair. “It’s like how I let mine grow out in Khura’in so I’d look a little older. Made my clients take me more seriously.”

“Why did you cut it?” Klavier asked.

Apollo shot him a weird look. “Uh...didn’t I already tell you before? I know California’s not the hottest place in the world, but I still didn’t wanna deal with long, sweaty hair on a daily basis. I don’t know how you do it!”

“I must have...forgotten,” Klavier said slowly, busying himself with his menu. He was really starting to worry now; all of Apollo’s latest test results had come up with nothing, and his doctor had nothing else to offer. However, it was obvious Apollo didn’t just think Klavier was his boyfriend - he had a whole relationship built up in his head, made of conversations and memories that never happened. “So, what do you want to order?”

“Everything?” Apollo offered, chuckling. The smile on his face was so warm and so open that it almost made Klavier feel better about the situation. Almost. “Every bun, at least - barbeque pork, egg custard, black sesame - oh, and we should get chive dumplings, har gow, siu mai...but no chicken feet, please.”

“Nein, that’s not my favorite, either,” Klavier said, smiling back. “Egg tarts as well, ja? Might as well go all out on dessert.”

“Then we’re also getting sponge cake,” Apollo insisted. “Wait, I can’t forget about…”

Ten minutes later, they finally placed their order after an extensive back-and-forth that had nearly turned into a full-blown argument. Their server had looked at them dubiously - they’d ordered enough for five people, after all - but said nothing and left to take their order to the kitchen. Apollo sipped his warm tea, humming happily. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in such a good mood, Forehead.”

“Hey, I-I’m not a total buzzkill!” Apollo protested. “I can be...happy.”

“You don’t sound convinced,” Klavier replied, resting his chin in his hands. He had to admit, as uncomfortable as he was with Apollo’s confusion, it did give them a chance to talk for longer than they usually did outside of court. “Are you...happy, Apollo?”

“Huh? That’s a weird question,” Apollo said, frowning. “If you mean in general...yeah, I’m happy. Right now...I’m fine. Better than I would’ve been if...if I’d gone home to an empty apartment. Alone.”

Klavier’s expression softened. “Well, I’m glad I could keep you company, though I can’t promise I’ll be available all week.”

“All week?” Apollo asked. “What do you mean?”

“Did they not tell you not to go back to work until your stitches are out?” Klavier reminded him. “Ach, don’t tell me you’re planning to defy your doctor’s orders.”

“I dunno, I - I get restless when I don’t have something to do, okay?” Apollo said defensively. “But you’re right, I should just plant myself on my couch for six days and attempt to make a dent in my video game backlog before giving up and messing around on YouTube for ten hours straight.” He then looked at Klavier imploringly. Klavier had never seen him make such a face before; it unnerved him. “You’re not...completely unavailable, are you? ‘Cos it’d be nice to hang out again, obviously.”

“Obviously,” Klavier echoed. “Did you have something in mind?”

“Nothing big,” Apollo reassured him. “Just, we could go get drinks, maybe see a movie...stave off my boredom.”

“Is that all I’m good for?” Klavier teased, leaning across the table. “I’m here for your entertainment, is that it?”

To his surprise, Apollo also moved closer, his eyes sparkling with a hint of something dangerously flirtatious. “...something like that. But you haven’t complained yet.” Klavier felt his heart seize in his throat. Before he could respond, Apollo was already leaning back, his gaze shifting elsewhere. “Though if you aren’t free, that’s fine, too. I’ll just spend some quality time with Mikeko instead.”

Klavier cocked his head in confusion. “Mikeko?”

Apollo glanced back at him with a raised eyebrow. “...uh, yeah, my cat. Klavier, are you sure you’re not the one who hit his head?”

Klavier opened his mouth, then closed it. He so desperately wanted to tell him, to explain everything, but he knew it wasn’t the right time or place. “Sorry, I...I’m a bit tired,” he hedged, awkwardly raking his fingers through his bangs. “I forgot to clean my apartment until it was already late, so I went to bed around...ach, two-ish.”

“Oh.” Apollo frowned. “You didn’t have to do that, I don’t care if your place is messy.”

“Well, I do, so.” Klavier cleared his throat. “What kind of host would I be if I left my literal dirty laundry lying around?”

“Funny,” Apollo said wryly. “But you’re not a host, you’re my boyfriend.” He reached across the table so he could tangle his fingers with Klavier’s. “It’s not like I’m gonna run away screaming ‘cos you have dishes in the sink.”

“I know,” Klavier murmured. Without thinking twice, he brought Apollo’s hand up to his mouth, then brushed a kiss across his knuckles. Apollo rolled his eyes with a sort of unfamiliar fondness that made Klavier’s chest ache. He wasn’t sure how he was going to make it through the rest of the day.

They arrived at Klavier’s apartment feeling full and drowsy and ready to collapse into bed. Klavier headed into the kitchen so he could put their leftovers in the fridge, stopping halfway when he realized Apollo wouldn’t know what to do. He couldn’t imagine Apollo wouldn’t figure it out immediately, the fact that he’d never been here before, that he had no clue what the apartment even looked like. And yet, when Klavier turned on his heel to check, Apollo didn’t seem confused at all, taking off his jacket and shoes before making a beeline for Klavier’s couch like it was an old friend.

“Ah,” Apollo sighed, sinking his entire body into the leather with an exaggerated groan of satisfaction. He was lying on his stomach, his limbs sprawled outwards. “Now this is a couch.”

“Ja, Forehead,” Klavier said teasingly, relieved. “And that thing by your feet is a pillow, and beside you is the coffee table - ”

“Asshole,” Apollo muttered, grinning nonetheless. He reluctantly peeled himself off so he could stand back up and stretch. “I should really go take that bath you were talking about before I get too comfy. Let me guess, you have fancy oils or bath bombs or something?”

“Let me show you where I keep them,” Klavier said, gesturing for Apollo to follow. He noticed Apollo looking around curiously, as if it were finally dawning on him that he was in an unfamiliar place, though he still said nothing as he trailed after Klavier. Once they reached the ensuite bathroom, Klavier opened one of the cabinets, where he kept his supplies. “Here, take whatever you’d like.”

Apollo tugged gently on Klavier’s elbow to bring him closer, then pressed a kiss of gratitude to his cheek. Klavier felt his skin tingle where Apollo’s lips had been. “Thanks, babe. I’ll come find you after I’m done.”

“Er...ja,” Klavier stammered, his mind momentarily going blank. He’d never thought of Apollo as a nicknamer, given his habit of calling everyone “mister” and “miss”; hearing “babe” slip so easily from his mouth was entirely unexpected. “Keep your phone close by, will you? I’ll text if you’re not out in half an hour or so, just in case you fall asleep in the tub.”

“Got it,” Apollo nodded. He was already rummaging through Klavier’s impressive selection of bath oils, clearly unfazed by his casual show of affection. Klavier, on the other hand, left the bathroom feeling rather dizzy. He wasn’t sure if he was going to be able to concentrate long enough to finish his paperwork.

Around thirty minutes later, Klavier was set up on the floor of his living room, laptop and documents spread across his coffee table. Usually, he worked in his home office, but he figured it would be better to be somewhere Apollo was familiar with, rather than risk him finally realizing something was wrong. He’d gotten in touch with Apollo’s doctor about twenty minutes ago, and he’d asked Klavier to keep up the charade for just a little longer.

“If he’s still confused by tomorrow, we’ll bring him in for more tests,” the doctor had promised. “For now, ease him into it, but again, don’t lead him to it. See if he figures it out.”

Sighing, Klavier set his pen down so he could massage his temples. Saying he was conflicted was an understatement. It was no secret he had feelings for Apollo; everyone but Apollo himself had figured it out ages ago. Still, Apollo’s warmth and affection felt all wrong, like it was coming from someone else, from someone who wasn’t actually him. Flirting with him was harmless, but kissing and cuddling felt questionable. On the other hand, Klavier didn’t want to tip Apollo off by being too detached, either. No matter what he did, Klavier felt like he was walking on a tightrope no thicker than a single thread.

He peeked through his fingers at the sound of his phone vibrating on the coffee table. Apollo had texted him from the bathroom: Forgot to bring a change of clothes in here, can you grab something for me? Chuckling softly, Klavier replied, ja, i’ll be right there.

A few minutes later, Klavier was knocking on the bathroom door, t-shirt and sweatpants in hand. “Come in!” Apollo called. Klavier headed inside, only to nearly trip over his own feet at the sight before him. “Wh-whoa! Klav, be careful!”

“Ach - ” Klavier managed to regain his footing, though his face was still burning with embarrassment. “Sorry, I - I wasn’t expecting you to be...naked.”

Apollo was sitting on the edge of the bathtub while the water slowly drained away, drying himself off with a big, fluffy towel. Though he hadn’t washed his hair - he had to be mindful of his stitches and bandages, after all - he still had droplets of water clinging to his bare skin, reflecting the sunlight streaming in from the huge window behind him. To Klavier, it looked like he was glowing.

“I asked you to bring me clothes and you weren’t expecting me to be naked?” Apollo said dubiously, standing up. Klavier immediately averted his eyes right before the towel slipped off of Apollo’s lap. “...Klavier, seriously, what’s going on with you? You’re not usually this...well, awkward.”

“It’s been a long twenty-four hours,” Klavier said with a strained smile, holding out his clothes for Apollo to take. Apollo snatched them up and quickly got dressed, letting out an irritated exhale as he did. “Are you planning to take a nap now?”

“No,” Apollo said sharply, his tone much harsher than before. Klavier winced. “I don’t wanna mess up my sleep schedule, so I’ll just...hang out somewhere until you’re done.”

“I have a TV in my bedroom,” Klavier offered. “But I don’t mind if you want to be out in the living room with me, I have noise-canceling headphones - ”

“Bedroom it is,” Apollo grunted, pushing past Klavier and heading straight for the door. Klavier let out a quiet groan, then followed him into the other room. Apollo was already sitting on the foot of Klavier’s bed, fiddling with the television remote. He was making a clear effort to not look Klavier in the eye.

“Text me if you need me, ja?” Klavier dropped a gentle kiss onto Apollo’s forehead. “And sleep if you have to, liebe, don’t fight it.”

Apollo managed a small smile. “I don’t remember the last time you called me that.” That’s because I never have, Klavier thought, heart sinking once more. He said nothing, merely squeezing Apollo’s shoulder before heading back out into the living room, where his work was waiting for him.

Another hour went by, then another. Klavier managed to get all of his work done, all of the paperwork he’d been putting off so he could set up meetings with his new record label, not that anyone knew he was working on his music again. He hadn’t heard a peep from Apollo, but he’d received text messages from Trucy, Athena, and Ema, all asking how Apollo was doing. His conversation with Ema in particular had been a little...blunt, to say the least.

trucy told me what happened
i almost feel sorry for you
emphasis on “almost”

always a pleasure talking to you, fräulein
i can really count on you to lift my spirits and boost my ego

seriously though, what are you gonna do??

scheiße if i know

Klavier got up from his living room floor, stretching luxuriously, then wandered down the hallway and into his bedroom, curious to see what Apollo was up to. He could hear an afternoon talk show playing at a low volume, something he didn’t expect to be Apollo’s type of entertainment. His confusion was quickly cleared up when he saw Apollo had fallen asleep on top of the duvet, hands pillowed beneath his cheek, legs tucked neatly underneath him. Klavier’s heart melted at the sight.

He tiptoed towards the bed and carefully lifted one side of the covers so he could drape them over Apollo’s sleeping form. Despite Klavier’s caution, Apollo still stirred instantly. “Wh-what - oh, Klav, i-it’s - ” he paused to yawn “ - it’s you. Crap, did I fall asleep?”

“Go back to sleep, liebe,” Klavier murmured, grabbing a pillow for him. “You have a whole week to fix your sleep schedule, just rest for now.”

“Only if you join me,” Apollo said, smiling sleepily. All his anger from earlier seemed to have dissipated for the time being. “Er - if you’re done working, that is.”

“I am, but I still have work in the morning,” Klavier reminded him. “I can’t afford to have a midday nap, as much as I’d like to.”

“Then…” Apollo shuffled around for a moment so he could properly get under the covers. “...can you at least sit with me for a sec? I-I wanna talk to you about something.”

“Er...ja, sure.” Klavier turned off the television, then got into bed, nervous for what was to come. Apollo moved closer so he could rest his head against Klavier’s stomach, his arms loosely draped across Klavier’s lap. Klavier’s breath hitched. “What is it? Are you feeling okay?”

“I’m fine,” Apollo promised. “It’s just, after you left earlier, I realized...I-I wasn’t being fair to you. I might be the one who got hurt, but...I should know by now that...the people who care about me are gonna be worried. And...and I get that you’re trying to keep it together so you don’t stress me out, but sometimes, you’re just gonna...slip. And that’s okay.” His smile was even softer now. “I’m sorry, Klav. I shouldn't have been pissed at you when you did nothing wrong. You’re stressed, too, and I gotta understand that.” 

Klavier instinctively wrapped an arm around Apollo’s shoulders, rubbing his back reassuringly. “Keine Sorge, Apollo, it’s fine. I think we’re both a little more sensitive than usual, that’s all. Still...danke schön for apologizing.”

“Of course.” Apollo pressed a kiss to Klavier’s stomach. The intimacy of the gesture surprised Klavier, though thankfully, he managed to stop himself before he reacted this time. “I know I can be an asshole, but I don’t wanna be that much of an asshole.”

Klavier laughed. “You’re...a little blunt, I’ll admit. But as long as you have good intentions and know when you’ve overstepped, I don’t mind.”

“Road to hell and all that,” Apollo mumbled, his face now half-buried against Klavier’s chest. He seemed close to dozing off again. “So, what were you working on?”

“Just paperwork, nothing special.” Klavier was fighting the urge to run his fingers through Apollo’s hair. “I had a lot to catch up on.”

“Really? You?” Apollo asked. “But you’re one of the most - I dunno, organized people I know. Like, you’re always on top of everything.”

Klavier blinked. “Do you really think that?”

“You make it look so easy, too,” Apollo huffed. “Sheesh, you drove me insane back when we first met. Walked me through my arguments and right into your stupid traps. ‘Oh, Herr Forehead, when did I ever say Machi is blind - ’”

“Ach, your imitation of my accent is borderline offensive,” Klavier chuckled, pinching his arm playfully.

“ - so I don’t know how I fell in love with you, but it happened anyway,” Apollo finished, rolling his eyes good-naturedly. Suddenly, it felt like Apollo had reached into Klavier’s chest and wrapped his fingers around his heart. “Really, though, how did you fall behind?”

“I - ah - ” Klavier quickly regained his composure before Apollo could grow suspicious again. “I had meetings with my new record label. For my...upcoming solo career.”

Apollo’s eyes widened; he sat up. “Really? Klavier, that’s amazing!”

“Ja?” Klavier asked skeptically.

“What, did you think I wasn’t gonna support you?” Apollo teased, nudging him. “Look, I still can’t stand, like, ninety-five percent of the Gavinners’ catalog, but I think you’re talented, so...if you’re still passionate about music, then I’m glad you’re going for it again. If it makes you happy, it makes you happy, right?”

Klavier had to bite his lip to stop himself from smiling too much. “You’re sehr süß, Forehead. It’s nice to have you on my side for a change.”

“Standing on opposite sides of a courtroom doesn’t make us enemies,” Apollo reminded him, sinking back down, his head resting on Klavier’s shoulder this time. “Just...situational rivals. Conditional colleagues, even.”

Klavier hummed, reaching over to pat Apollo’s hand. “Is that how you describe us to other people, hm? Conditional colleagues? How...unromantic.”

“Quiet, you,” Apollo mumbled into Klavier’s shoulder. He was clearly drifting off, again. “I can be romantic. I just don’t wax poetic about you like your fans do whenever you have a new photoshoot or something.”

“You pay close attention to my media appearances, do you?” Klavier grinned. “Don’t tell me you have a secret stan account - ”

“I’m gonna kick you out of your own damn bed in a second, just you wait,” Apollo threatened, poking Klaver in the leg. He then settled back down with a relaxed sigh. “By the way - and this isn’t related at all, I just thought of it just now - you know what’s weird? Mom called earlier to ask how I was doing, if she could come over to see me. I said, y’know, ‘I’m better, but you’ll have to visit tomorrow, I’m staying with my boyfriend today’...and she said, ‘who?’.” 

“Ah.” Klavier’s mouth twisted. “...odd.”

“I asked her if she was having memory lapses again, but she swears, I never told her I had a boyfriend.” Apollo went quiet for a moment, thinking. “But, I mean...I must’ve, right? Why wouldn’t I? It’s not like I’m going around, telling the whole world, but...she’s - she’s my mom!”

“I wouldn’t know if you’d said anything of the sort,” Klavier said, as diplomatically as he could. His eyes briefly wandered down to Apollo’s bracelet. “I haven’t had the chance to talk with her all that much since you reunited.”

“Really?” Apollo asked. “Huh...that’s weird, too. You knew her before I did!”

“But ultimately, she means much more to you and Trucy,” Klavier pointed out. “Anyway, don’t worry so much, liebe. You’re going to lose all your hair if you stress out too much, and then you’re going to be nothing but forehead. Just go back to sleep for a little while longer, ja? I’ll make dinner in the meantime.”

“You really have just the one joke, don’t you?” Apollo huffed, scrunching his nose in distaste. He reluctantly detangled himself from Klavier, then settled down onto a pillow, his eyes struggling to stay open. “Ugh. I really did wanna hang out today, but instead, I’m just...sleeping the day away.”

“I know I make wunderschön company, but you really do need to rest. It hasn’t even been twenty-four hours yet,” Klavier said, rubbing Apollo’s shoulder. “Did you take your medicine?” Apollo grunted his affirmation, his face half-smushed against the pillow. “Good. Schlaf gut, schatzi.” All he got in response was an undignified sleep snort. Chuckling, Klavier got to his feet and left the bedroom, feeling considerably better than he’d felt when he entered it.

It was nearly six-thirty when Apollo woke up again, this time to the smell of something absolutely incredible. He nearly tripped trying to get out of bed - Klavier’s sheets were much heavier than his own, not to mention the fact he'd snagged his toe on the corner of the rug beneath him - and stumbled out into the main living area, where Klavier was tending to a pot on the stove. He turned at the sound of Apollo’s footsteps. “Guten Morgen, sleepyhead,” he said. “How are you feeling?”

“Groggy as hell.” Apollo managed to hoist himself onto one of the kitchen barstools without falling over. “Naps always sound like a good idea until you wake up from ‘em.”

“I know what you mean,” Klavier remarked, turning his attention back to the stove. “The number of shows I’ve had to perform while half-asleep or hungover, achtung. I felt like an embarrassment to my profession.”

“I’m sure it wasn’t that bad,” Apollo said, yawning. “So, what’s for dinner? Smells amazing.”

“Soup.” Klavier lifted the ladle so Apollo could see. “Or, to be more specific, chicken spaetzle soup. I know you’re not sick, exactly, but I figured we’d stick with comfort food, ja? I also have our dim sum leftovers warming in the oven. Are you hungry?”

Apollo perked up, nodding eagerly. “Ridiculously so, considering how much we ate earlier. And…” He frowned somewhat. “...I didn’t know you could cook. For some reason, when you said you were gonna make dinner, I pictured, like...frozen pizza and tater tots.”

“Ach,” Klavier protested, laughing. “I’ll have you know, my parents insisted on teaching me how to cook when I was a child.”

“Huh...I had no idea,” Apollo admitted. “Meanwhile, I burned my cup noodles the other day, so I guess I’ll shut up now.”

Klavier carefully scooped a ladleful of soup, then took it over to Apollo, bringing it up to his mouth. “Nein, don’t shut up just yet. Tell me if it needs more salt first, bitte.”

Apollo took a cautious sip. His eyes then grew comically wide. “...whoa. That’s really good!”

“Ach, you don’t have to act so surprised,” Klavier protested, laughing. “I know you enjoy deflating my ego, but surely you can compliment me without the backhandedness just this once?”

“Nope,” Apollo smirked, taking the ladle out of Klavier’s hands so he could finish the rest.

“Well, at least I take that to mean it’s ready,” Klavier sighed, shaking his head fondly. He turned off the stove element, then went to grab some bowls. “Help yourself to whatever drink you’d like from the fridge.” Once Apollo finished rolling his eyes at Klavier’s extensive selection of kombucha, because of course, he poured himself a glass of water, then took a seat at the dining table. “Das Essen ist angerichtet!”

They ate in companionable silence for the next few minutes, the only sounds in the apartment coming from their spoons scraping against the sides of their bowls. Klavier was especially pleased by how much Apollo seemed to enjoy his homemade soup. “Mind if I grab more?” Apollo asked once he’d finished.

“Keine Sorge,” Klavier replied, chuckling. “Take the whole pot home with you, if you’d like.”

“Are you sure?” At Klavier’s nod, Apollo’s face brightened. “Thanks, babe. It’s been a while since I’ve had anything homemade.”

“Were you serious about burning your cup noodles?” Klavier asked, ignoring the pet name as best he could. “Because I can teach you how to cook.”

“Sounds like a productive date night,” Apollo said, his back to Klavier as he portioned out another bowl of soup. He then paused. “When was the last time we hung out, anyway, just you and me? ‘Cos I remember us getting drinks with Ema and Kay, but…”

“We had that one case, you know, with the - ” Klavier gestured aimlessly “ - the farm animals. We almost spent the whole night at the precinct, going over evidence together. Danke Gott we didn’t have to spend the night on the farm, or we would’ve smelled like scheisse instead of dust.”

“No, yeah, I remember that. We learned way more about eggshells than I ever thought possible,” Apollo said wryly. “But that’s not a date, that’s just work. Damn, it must’ve been a while if even you can’t remember! We should really fix that.”

“I...really didn’t think you’d be the ‘date’ type,” Klavier commented as Apollo returned to the table.

“I told you, I-I can be romantic,” Apollo said defensively. He sighed, his shoulders slumping forward. “Sometimes, I think I was...I dunno. Too busy to feel lonely in Khura’in. But other times, I felt kinda...empty. And it’s not like I was totally alone, I just...it wasn’t the same as being here.” He cleared his throat. “Anyway, a-all I’m saying is, I missed spending time with people I care about. Which obviously includes you.”

“I’m, ah...I’m glad I made the cut,” Klavier said, his heart thumping pathetically. “If I can convince Herr Edgeworth to give me a day off this week, I’ll teach you how to cook some basic meals, ich verspreche.”

“Sounds fun...and useful,” Apollo replied, grinning. “Honestly, I could do without the vast majority of my current sodium intake.”

“And now you have me worried about your nutrition,” Klavier teased. “But let’s tackle your health issues one at a time, ja?”

Once they finished dinner, Klavier sent Apollo out of the kitchen despite Apollo’s pleas to help him wash the dishes. As much as Klavier liked the idea of playing house with Apollo, he needed a moment to breathe and think about what he was going to do. After all, if Apollo’s memories were still muddled by tomorrow morning, Klavier definitely needed to call Apollo’s doctor again. Inevitably, they were going to have to tell Apollo why he needed more medical tests. The thought of how Apollo was going to react - with embarrassment, anger, even fear - made Klavier more worried than ever.

He briefly looked up from the sink to glance across the room, where Apollo was currently sprawled across the couch, idly scrolling through something on his phone. Despite the bandages on his head and the dark circles underneath his eyes, Apollo looked fine - happy, even. Klavier’s face momentarily softened at the sight of him, at the warmth in his eyes and the serenity in his smile. He had no clue something was very, very wrong.

Apollo seemed to sense Klavier’s eyes on him; he lifted his head to meet his gaze. “Something wrong?”

“Just lost in thought,” Klavier said, sucking in a breath. “What are you up to over there, liebe?”

“Texting Mr. Wright,” Apollo replied, turning back to his phone. “He’s been looking after Mikeko for me, and I made him promise to keep Trucy from using Mik in tonight’s magic show. The last thing I need is for my cat to turn into a flock of doves or whatever.”

“Has he been successful so far?” Klavier asked, trying not to laugh.

“Let’s just say that as much as I like being here, I’ll be glad to take Mik home with me tomorrow,” Apollo snorted, shaking his head. “I still can’t believe you forgot about him. How did that happen?” Klavier shrugged helplessly, unsure of how to respond in a way that wouldn’t sound suspicious. “Oh, well. Weird.”

After Klavier finished the dishes, he went to join Apollo on the couch. To his surprise - or maybe not to his surprise; at this point, he was expecting the unexpected - Apollo immediately tucked himself into Klavier’s side, his cheek pressed against Klavier’s shoulder. He smelled of lavender oil and chicken soup. “Comfortable, are you?” Klavier commented. “Do you want to watch a movie or something?”

Apollo hummed noncommittally, grabbing the blanket that was draped over the back of the couch and draping it over both of their laps. “Dunno. I don’t wanna watch anything specific, but maybe we could just...leave the TV on? Hang out for a while?”

“Ja, sure.” Klavier reached for the remote, flipping through a few channels before landing on some random movie. He then settled back against the couch cushions, only to become very aware of the fact that Apollo had slipped one of his hands underneath Klavier’s t-shirt, his fingers splayed across Klavier’s stomach. “...Apollo?”

“Is this okay?” Apollo asked. He looked more uncertain than he did a moment ago. “I’m not trying to - if you don’t want me to - ”

“If you’re trying to use me as a personal heater, by all means, go ahead,” Klavier said, heart thumping wildly. “But if you’re looking for more...I don’t think now is the time, ja?”

“Oh, no, definitely not!” Apollo reassured him. “I just wanted to...y’know, touch you. Even with me staying here, we haven’t been together pretty much all day, so I thought we could cuddle. You’re warm.”

Klavier shuffled around awkwardly until they found a more comfortable position. The two of them were now half-lying on the couch with Apollo on top, his fingers warm against Klavier’s bare skin. The casualness, the intimacy of his touch, was striking. Klavier never would’ve guessed Apollo was the tactile type, and yet, here he was, idly tapping his fingers against the side of Klavier’s waist while they watched a movie that neither of them actually cared about.

“Someone’s stiff.”

Klavier blinked. “What?”

Apollo snorted, faintly amused. “Your entire body, Klavier, not your - anyway, you look tenser than me before a trial, and that’s saying something. You okay?”

Klavier glanced down at himself, only to realize Apollo was right. His arms were pinned to his sides, his legs ramrod straight down the length of the couch. He was even holding his neck at an awkward angle so his head wouldn’t be too close to Apollo’s. Klavier shifted both of his legs so his knees were on either side of Apollo’s hips, loosely draping his arms around Apollo’s midsection. “Better?”

“Marginally.” Apollo’s eyes flickered upwards to meet Klavier’s. Then, he leaned in to kiss him. His lips were dry, though they tasted sweet, like the last black sesame bun he’d had during dinner. Klavier kissed him back, rearranging his arms slightly so he could hold Apollo’s waist, fingers pressed into his sides. This seemed to spur Apollo on; he deepened the kiss, lips parting slightly. Before Klavier could respond in kind, Apollo pulled away, then moved back in so he could start pressing kisses along the crook of Klavier’s jaw. “I meant what I said yesterday,” he said between kisses. “I get that you’re worried, but I’m fine, seriously. Hell, this wasn’t even as bad as last time!”

“I don’t like that there was a ‘last time’ or a ‘this time’,” Klavier said wryly. “Maybe Herr Wright was onto something when he said we should keep you bubble-wrapped.”

“Hey.” Apollo pulled back for a moment, frowning. “Don’t condescend to me, alright? You do enough of that in court.”

Klavier nodded, feeling chastised. “You’re right, liebe, I’m sorry. It’s just...we all care about you, and you seem to get hurt more often than most, and...but ja, I’ll shut up now. I swear.”

“Good.” Apollo resumed his affections, continuing to press warm, lingering kisses along the length of Klavier’s neck, moving dangerously close to his collarbone. His hands were now on Klavier’s chest, fingers splayed across the width of his pecs. Klavier could feel the heat of Apollo’s hands through the thin fabric of his t-shirt. “Still...thanks, by the way. I don’t think I’ve actually said that yet.”

“Danke...for...what?” Klavier’s thoughts were getting increasingly muddled.

“For looking out for me, of course,” Apollo said, smiling softly. “And...you know I’d do the same for you, right? Though I, um, don’t exactly have a cozy apartment and home-cooked meals to offer.” He nuzzled into Klavier’s neck with a pleased hum. “Just...me, myself, and I. Assuming you’re okay with that.”

“Of course I am,” Klavier said, quicker and sharper than he’d meant to. Apollo sat up abruptly, staring at Klavier, a storm of emotions brewing in his eyes. While Klavier usually loved Apollo’s eyes, how warm they were, how expressive they could be, all they were doing now was making him nervous. “...Apollo?”

“I’m, uh.” Apollo cleared his throat. “Actually, I’m kinda tired. I-I’m gonna go to bed now, if that’s...fine with you.”

Klavier frowned. “You don’t need my permission, but - are you alright? You sound - ”

“I said I was tired,” Apollo snapped, climbing off Klavier with an irritated huff. “And what d’you mean, am I alright? What about you?!”

Klavier sat up, too, apprehensive. “What about me?”

He expected Apollo to raise his voice again, to fight back. After all, he’d been sending Apollo mixed signals all day; he couldn’t blame him for being frustrated. Instead, Apollo’s expression quickly went from anger to resignation. “...never mind. G’night, Gavin.”

“Apollo…” But Apollo brushed him off, disappearing down the hallway and shutting himself in the ensuite bathroom. Klavier stared after him, dumbfounded, then dropped his head in his hands. At that moment, it felt like the only thing he could do was let out a weary, disheartened sigh.

Thirty minutes had passed by the time Klavier slipped into his bedroom with the hope that Apollo was feeling better, or at least, well enough to talk things through. Instead, he found Apollo sitting upright in bed, completely awake, staring off into the distance at nothing. He startled at the sound of the door. “Oh!...Klavier.”

“We don’t have to talk about it now if you’re not ready,” Klavier said gently. “But let’s not go to bed angry, ja?”

Sighing, Apollo drew his knees up against his chest, eyes fixated on the sheets loosely draped over his feet. “I’m not...mad, exactly. I mean, I am, but...it’s just that I, uh. I think I finally know what’s going on with you. Took me long enough, right? I feel stupid for not seeing it before. All this evidence, and I didn't piece it together until just now.”

Klavier felt as if his heart had dropped straight through to the floor. He swallowed thickly, taking a seat on the foot of his bed. “Piece together what?”

“As I was sitting here, y’know, thinking about everything that’s happened since yesterday…” Apollo shook his head. “It all makes sense.”

“Talk to me, bitte,” Klavier said, though he wasn’t sure if he was going to like what he was about to hear. “What does?”

“Well…” Apollo took in a deep inhale. “...you act weird whenever I touch you or kiss you. I literally had to ask you to touch me. When you saw me naked, you were almost...I dunno. Too freaked out to look at me.”

“That’s - ach, that’s not - ”

“You didn’t remember the fact that I have a cat or that I grew my hair out in Khura’in,” Apollo continued, louder now. “You haven’t talked to my mom in ages even though you’re friends, and she had no idea you were my boyfriend. Neither of us can remember the last time we spent time together outside of work and group stuff.”

“Ja, but - ”

“I had no idea you were working on new music, or that you know how to cook, or that you wanted to cut your hair, and...and our text message history, I looked at it earlier before I asked you to bring me some clothes, and it’s just - we go days without talking to each other, and most of it is just work crap!” Apollo’s voice cracked. “It’s like - like we don’t even know each other!”

“Apollo - ”

“Don’t ‘Apollo’ me,” Apollo hissed, eyes narrowed. “Admit it, Gavin. Don’t bullshit me. You were going to break up with me, weren’t you?”

Klavier went still. “...what?”

“For a good musician, you’re a bad actor,” Apollo said bitterly. “Why didn’t you say something earlier? If you don’t...if you don't care about me anymore, if I did something that changed how you feel, then...I-I...I wanna hear it. None of this ‘dancing around the subject’ crap. I...I get enough of that from everyone else in my life, and I’m sick of it.”

“That’s - that’s not what’s going on here, ich verspreche,” Klavier insisted. He moved closer, taking both of Apollo's hands in his. Thankfully, Apollo didn’t pull away. “I really am sorry for hurting you, but...there’s more to this than you think. Bitte, hear me out, and...if you’re still mad at me afterwards, I understand.”

“...fine.” Apollo exhaled shakily. “Fine, but just get to the point, okay? Just say you don’t - that you don’t love me anymore, a-and I...I…” His eyes were wet now, but he was trying his best not to cry. Klavier’s heart ached for him; he knew now what he had to do.

“Apollo,” Klavier said gently, squeezing Apollo’s hands in reassurance. “Tell me...how did we get together?”

“Huh?” Apollo’s brow furrowed. “That’s - we obviously...we...well, you must've…or maybe I said...no, but...” Then, it seemed to dawn on him all at once. He quickly withdrew his hands like he’d been burned; his eyes widened in realization. “Oh...oh my god.”

“Do you understand now?” Klavier asked, smiling sadly.

“I - shit,” Apollo breathed. “You can't be serious, I - did I...did I just make up our entire relationship?!”

“I think so,” Klavier murmured. “Apollo, what do you - ”

“I made out with you in a hospital bed,” Apollo moaned, horrified, burying his face against his knees. “I talked about going on dates, I-I called you babe, I…oh god, you saw my - ”

“I really didn't see anything,” Klavier interrupted swiftly, though judging by Apollo’s groan of despair, it didn't exactly make him feel any better. “You don’t have to be embarrassed, Apollo, it’s okay. You had a traumatizing experience, I was the first person you saw when you woke up...you misremembered. Misunderstood. Simple as that, ja?”

“...right. Simple as that,” Apollo echoed, lifting his head to peek at Klavier. “But why the hell didn’t you say something from the start?!”

Klavier smiled ruefully. “I panicked. Went to find your doktor, asked him if this was expected, if we should do something...he told me to go along with it and see if you’d figure it out for yourself. And you sort of did, in the end. If you hadn’t, I would’ve told you anyway, and brought you back to the hospital for more tests.”

“...ah.” Apollo’s voice didn’t sound like it belonged to him; it was hollow, flat. “Well, uh. Any objections to me crawling under the covers and never coming out?”

“Achtung, I’m serious, it’s fine,” Klavier chuckled. “Stay, sleep, go home in the morning. We don’t have to talk about this again if you don’t want to. I’m just glad you’re okay.”

Several emotions seemed to cross Apollo’s face at once as he continued to process what had happened. As for Klavier, he felt a sense of relief, accompanied by a touch of sadness, as selfish as it seemed. “...I’m sorry, Gavin.”

Klavier frowned, confused. “Entschuldigung? What for?”

“Well, I kinda forced myself on you, didn’t I?” Apollo muttered remorsefully. “You didn’t want me sticking my tongue down your throat or my hands up your shirt...but you still went along with it. Doctor’s orders in a messed-up way, I guess, but...I’m still sorry all the same.”

“It’s okay,” Klavier repeated; he was starting to sound like a broken record. At least his heartbeat had finally calmed down after feeling like he’d been on a rollercoaster all day. “I knew what I agreed to, and you were sehr nett about it. To be honest, I felt more uncomfortable on your behalf than mine, you know?” He smirked slightly. “I might be the perfekt boyfriend, but I wasn’t yours. Not really.”

“I guess.” Apollo still looked conflicted, though he seemed too exhausted to push further.

Klavier stood, smoothing out the creases in his sweatpants. He wasn’t sure what to say. “So...are you still going to bed early?”

“Uh, I’m pretty awake at the moment,” Apollo said with a self-deprecating grimace. “But wait, I-I’m not taking your bed! I’ll go sleep on the couch or something.”

“Nein, I insist, take the bed,” Klavier protested. “I’ll set up in the guest bedroom for the night. Text me if you need anything, ja? And don’t forget your medication.” He shot Apollo what he hoped was a reassuring smile, then turned to leave the bedroom. Somehow, it felt as if an entire weight had been lifted off his shoulders and pushed deep into his chest at the same time.

“I - wait, hold it!”

Klavier turned back instantly, alarmed by the sudden urgency in Apollo’s voice. “What’s wrong?”

“Well, I - this probably isn’t the right time to talk about it, but…” Apollo then shook his head. “No, never mind. G’night, Gavin.”

“What is it?” Klavier pressed, sitting back down. “To be honest, I’m a bit too alert, myself. So just tell me, bitte.”

“I…” Apollo hesitated. “...I, uh. I don’t think it’s ‘cos you were the first person I saw.”

“You mean...there’s another reason why you thought we were together?” Klavier said carefully, his heart racing once more.

“It makes sense,” Apollo said, more to himself than to Klavier. “All the things that I...I could’ve sworn we knew about each other, the stuff I ‘remembered’, it’s because…” He swallowed, then lifted his head to look Klavier right in the eye, his brows furrowed in determination. “I realized something while I was in Khura’in. About...you.”

“I don’t follow,” Klavier admitted. “What do you mean?”

“Ugh, I can’t believe I’m doing this,” Apollo muttered. “But since I’ve already embarrassed myself this badly, I might as well go all the way.”

“Apollo,” Klavier said firmly, though not unkindly. “Seriously, what are you talking about?”

“Right, so...when I first started working in Khura’in, there was this period of time where...I started doubting that I could do what I stayed behind to do. I had too many clients and not enough hours, and I was stressed and overwhelmed a-and homesick, and...I thought about how much I missed everyone,” Apollo admitted. “Somehow, ‘everyone’ included you.”

“You...missed me,” Klavier said slowly.

“It’s, um. It’s not just that.” Apollo’s smile was apprehensive, nervous and hopeful in equal measure. “I...loved you. Er, make that present tense.”

Klavier’s breath hitched. “...what?”

“I love you, okay? Don’t - ugh,” Apollo groaned, sounding very much like he was already regretting what he’d done. “Long story short, I was homesick, I realized I missed you, then I realized I had - y’know, feelings for you - and then...and I’m not saying this happened all the time, I-I’m not obsessed with you, okay, but I had the occasional...dream. About us. Where we were…”

“Intimate?” Klavier suggested teasingly, though his playful tone was ruined by the strain in his voice, by how much he wanted to explode with pent-up emotion - or maybe faint from happiness, whichever was more dramatic; he suspected Apollo wouldn’t appreciate either reaction.

“Together, you asshole,” Apollo huffed, elbowing him. “They weren’t big, dramatic dreams. It was basically just you and me, talking and hanging out and doing nothing, really. And they felt...real. So when I got knocked on the head…” He gestured aimlessly, then let out a long, well-deserved exhale. “So...there. I think I’m gonna spend my remaining six days off packing my bags so I can move back to Khura’in permanently, if you don’t mind.”

“Achtung, I do mind.” Before Apollo could react, Klavier was pulling him in for a hug, his face buried in the crook of Apollo’s neck. “I would miss you too much, liebling.”

Apollo went still. “...Klavier?”

“I love you, too,” Klavier murmured, his mouth ghosting across Apollo’s skin, his voice barely above a whisper. “Mein Gott, ich bin bis über beide Ohren verliebt.”

“Run that last one by me again?” Apollo said dryly, letting out a laugh of disbelief. “Wait, a-are you serious?” In lieu of answering, Klavier simply kissed him. This time, it was Apollo who hesitated, stunned, before wrapping his arms around Klavier and kissing him back with more enthusiasm than either of them thought possible. Eventually, they started to exchange slower, gentler kisses, their fingers tangled in each other’s hair. Apollo then tugged slightly, intending to pull Klavier and himself down onto the mattress, when suddenly - thump. “Ow!”

“Ach - ” Klavier pulled away, startled. “Really, Forehead? Honestly, the bubble-wrap suggestion might not be as condescending as you think.”

“I’m fine, thanks for asking,” Apollo grouched, gingerly touching the back of his head. “Seriously, how many times can I hit my head and embarrass myself in the span of two days?”

“Let me check your bandages,” Klavier offered, patting Apollo’s hip. Sighing, Apollo turned, wincing slightly when Klavier peeled them back to look. “No blood, no bumps. You’re okay, liebe. Just unlucky, clearly.”

“Don’t I know it,” Apollo drawled, biting back a grin. “So...now what?”

Chuckling, Klavier leaned back in to kiss him briefly. “Now, I’m going to go shower and wash up. You keep the bed nice and warm for me. And then I want to hear more about these dreams of yours.” He tilted his head slightly, his lips brushing against Apollo’s ear; he delighted at the way Apollo shivered with pleasure. “Because I don’t believe you when you say we were never intimate.”

Apollo smirked. “...‘dreams where we were together’ has more than one meaning, y’know.” He then leaned back against the headboard with a mischievous spark in his eyes. “Enjoy your shower.”

“Believe me, I will.” Klavier squeezed Apollo’s hip before getting up again, disappearing into the ensuite bathroom. Apollo let out a quiet, almost delirious laugh as he settled back down into the sheets. Having spent a good portion of his day in Klavier’s impossibly comfortable bed, he was starting to think he’d never be satisfied with his own ever again.

Twenty minutes later, Apollo lifted his head from his pillow to see Klavier sitting on the foot of the bed, wearing sweatpants and a thin t-shirt that clung to his still-damp skin in a way that Apollo found especially appealing. It was even more appealing now that he’d given himself permission to openly appreciate it. “...Klav?”

“For someone who keeps insisting he isn’t tired, you seem to be falling asleep quite a bit,” Klavier remarked, moving closer so he could brush Apollo’s hair out of his eyes. “We should turn in for the night, ja?"

“It’s barely - ” Apollo paused to yawn “ - barely eight. Besides, I wanna have at least one conversation today where I actually know what's going on. Would be a nice change of pace.”

Klavier’s expression softened. “Fair enough. I can only imagine how you’re feeling right now.”

“Still mostly embarrassed.” Apollo shuffled over so Klavier could join him. “...and a little anxious. I mean, I’m hoping that’s all there was. I don’t wanna find out days from now - or worse - that I misremembered something else!”

“If it makes you feel any better, the others said you seemed completely fine otherwise,” Klavier offered. “They’ve been asking me about you all day, you know. Should I let them know you’re okay, or do you want to do it?”

Apollo smiled gratefully. “If you could text ‘em for me, that would be amazing, thanks. Too tired to mash buttons right now.” He half-slumped against Klavier’s shoulder, warm and content beneath the thick duvet; the faint smell of Klavier’s lavender-scented shampoo was making him drowsy. “So they’ve been bugging you, huh?”

“Not bugging me, nein, they’re obviously worried about you. As am I,” Klavier added while he proceeded to text Trucy, Athena, and Ema the good news. “Besides, you accidentally made a good point yesterday. I should get to know them better, now that we’re...what was the word you used, baby?...‘involved’.”

Apollo snorted, burying his face against Klavier’s chest in mild embarrassment, though really, he’d already hit his peak levels of mortification long ago. “Can we just ignore everything I’ve said and done in the last twenty-four hours, please? Pause, hit rewind, press play when you get back to the part where we were in court. Preferably before I got hit on the head.”

“Hm, preferably.” Klavier tenderly kissed Apollo on the forehead, then tucked his phone away. They sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes, the only sounds in the room being their steady, quiet breaths and the rustling of Klavier’s bedsheets. “...maybe I am a little lonely.”

Apollo sat up, concerned. “Klavier?”

“But...I also think I have more than you think,” Klavier continued, smiling. “So don’t worry about me, ja?”

Apollo stared at him for a beat. Then, he shook his head. “Cryptic as ever,” he said, sighing and settling back down. “But at least I know what I’m getting myself into. And I’m gonna worry about you anyway, if you don’t mind.” A curious expression crossed his face, seemingly at the words that had come out of his own mouth.

“What is it?” Klavier asked.

“Nothing, it’s just - ” Apollo shrugged. “In my, y’know, my dreams...I was the one doing most of the talking since I couldn’t just make up a backstory for you. I told you about my family, my life in Khura’in, all these...these things I don’t really tell anyone. It felt...safe, I guess. Like I had finally found someone I could trust with...hell, everything, even if it was just in my head.”

“I see,” Klavier hummed, squeezing Apollo’s hand. “I’d like to be that someone, if you’d let me.”

“And since ‘you’ couldn’t really talk, you mostly just smiled and nodded and listened,” Apollo continued, snorting slightly at the cheesiness of Klavier’s last remark. “So...there’s a lot about you that I still don’t know. Stuff that I wanna know. You know?”

“I think I do know,” Klavier teased.

“Shut up,” Apollo grouched, nudging him. “I mean it, Klav, I have a list. Not written down or whatever, just in my mind, but it’s, like. The stupidest list of twenty questions you’ll ever see.”

“Doubtful, but it might be too early for me to call it,” Klavier said, smirking; he was really enjoying himself now. “Care to give me some examples?”

“Oh, the usual.” Now it was Apollo’s turn to smirk. “Is your accent real, is your name actually Klavier, how the hell does your hair actually work - ”

“You’re one to talk, Herr Horn Head,” Klavier said, playfully ruffling Apollo’s unstyled bangs. Apollo swatted him away with a huff. “How much hair gel do you go through in a week? How often do you lose your voice? Is it true that you have a secret stash of manga in your desk?”

“What - who - Trucy,” Apollo groaned. “Yeah, well - why do you have more guitars than chairs in your office? Who told you tinted glasses were still cool? And why does your accent get stronger whenever someone questions its legitimacy?” Apollo’s eyes were sparkling with mirth. “Two can play at this game, babe.”

“You say that, but it was you who cast the first stone, liebe,” Klavier reminded him, his pulse thrilling at the affectionate nickname. “Achtung, I feel attacked.”

“As you should. And hey, you asked!” Apollo retorted, grinning playfully. He then moved closer so that he was half-laying on top of Klavier, who was still sitting up, his chest against Klavier’s stomach, his hips between Klavier’s legs; he looked up at him with an admiring smile. “So, am I getting any answers tonight or what?”

Klavier let out an exasperatedly fond sigh. “And now I know what I’m getting myself into, I see. Fine, fine - to answer your first three questions: ja, nein, I have this custom-made curling iron and I use a lot of - ”

“Wait, wait, wait - you can’t just say nein and not expect me to object - Klavier, what the actual hell is your actual name - ”

The following afternoon - because really, who could expect Apollo to wait an entire week - he walked into the Wright Anything Agency, yawning profusely and trying his best not to pick at his stitches. Everyone immediately jumped out of their seats at the sight of him, completely and utterly shocked.

“Apollo!” Trucy scolded, furrowing her brow at him. “You’re not s'posed to be here! You should be in bed, resting! Did you even sleep okay at Mr. Gavin’s last night? You look so...so tired!”

“Volume...please,” Apollo mumbled, yawning again and collapsing into his desk chair. “I’m just here to say hi, I swear. You don’t have to look at me like that, all of you. And yeah, I slept okay. Kl - Gavin’s got a nice place, I’ll give him that much.” Granted, it was a half-truth; he hadn’t ended up sleeping much during the night, given that he and Klavier had ended up staying awake for another four hours, just talking. Still, he wouldn’t have wanted things to go any other way. Well, mostly - he could’ve done without pretty much everything else that happened.

“I’m kicking you out of here in an hour, tops, alright? You stick around any longer than that, and you're gonna try cleaning the place from top to bottom. I know you, Apollo,” Phoenix warned with a good-natured chuckle. “I don’t understand it, but I know you. And it’s good to see you on your feet. How are you feeling?”

“Tired, a little sore...embarrassed,” Apollo admitted. “Can we pretend I never...y’know...yesterday?”

“Oh! You mean how you were totally, miraculously fine, except for the part where you thought Prosecutor Gavin was dein Freund?” Athena chirped. Oops, Widget added helpfully.

“Obviously, I…” Apollo hesitated. For some reason, a strange urge was stirring in his chest, an urge spurred on by one of the many things he and Klavier had talked about last night. “...obviously, I, uh. I know Prosecutor Gavin is my boyfriend. Why wouldn’t I?”

Trucy went pale. “Oh, no. Polly, are you confused again?”

“No, I’m, er.” Apollo chuckled awkwardly. “I-I’m pretty confident this time. You can ask Klavier yourself if you want.” The office fell silent for a moment, so silent that all they heard was the hitch of Apollo’s breath. Then, Trucy and Athena seemed to explode all at once.

“Mein Gott, das ist großartig - ”

“Are you serious?! Polly, how - ”

“Ooh, I bet it was so romantic - ”

“Hah, this is great! Now Ema owes me ten dollars - ”

“Trucy, Athena,” Phoenix sighed, sounding very much like the weary father he often ended up having to be. “Let Apollo breathe, will you? And Trucy - please, no more placing monetary bets on your brother’s love life, alright? I know you make more than I do, but you have to stop spending money like water, for my poor wallet’s sake.”

“Aw, but Daddy - ”

“No buts,” Phoenix said firmly.

“ - we also have bets placed on you and Mr. Edgeworth, so what’s the difference?” Trucy asked matter-of-factly, as if Phoenix was already supposed to be aware of it. Now it was his turn to go pale.

“Who is we?!” Phoenix spluttered.

“Don’t look at me,” Apollo said, holding up his hands defensively. “I’m about as interested in your love life as you are in cleaning this office, Mr. Wright.” Phoenix leveled him with a rare death glare, though the effect was ruined by the pure panic in his eyes.

“Oh, you know - me, Athena, Ema, Pearly, Aunt Maya, Aunt Franziska, Uncle Gumshoe, Mr. Lang - ”

“Lang?! Are you kidding me - ”

“The judge wanted to join, but he says his wife won’t let him gamble,” Athena added, sighing forlornly like it was some great loss. “I asked Simon once, and he said something super Simon-like. You know, like, ‘sod off, how dare you bother me with such mundane matters’, and then he slipped me twenty dollars for ‘lunch’ - ”

“Oh,” Phoenix said weakly, slumping onto his desk. “Oh, god.”

Snorting, Apollo turned to his phone while the other members of the Wright Anything Agency quickly delved into total chaos. He had a text message he wanted to send before deciding whether he wanted to get involved in their madness.

Looks like we won’t be having dinner with my co-workers anytime soon, Mr. Wright’s having a crisis
New idea: you, me, and my mom for lunch tomorrow?

a crisis? should i ask?
and ja that sounds wunderbar, just give me a time and place so i can mark it in my calendar

No, you really shouldn’t
And sure, let me work out the details with Mom and I’ll get back to you

perfekt!
see you tonight at my place...and in my dreams

Is it too late to dump you?

ich liebe dich auch, baby