Hot Chocolate and Peppermint Pt.III

Chapter Three: This Savage Song




“So what do you think, Justice?” Klavier said after he finished singing to Apollo through their video chat. “Did you like the song?”

“Well, Mr. Gavin,” Nahyuta had been listening at the door to Apollo's office and decided to make his presence known. “You have a wonderful live singing voice.”

Apollo started in his seat as he turned and glowered at the prosecutor.  

“Nahyuta!” Apollo and Klavier cried at the same time. The braided prosecutor grinned as he entered the office and stood beside the red attorney.  

“What are you doing here?” Apollo asked.

“Do forgive me for eves-dropping. Hello Mr. Gavin.” Nahyuta waved as he bent to look in the camera.  Klavier grinned and waved back.

“ 'Allo Prosecutor Sahdmadhi,” Klavier waved back.  “Thank you for the compliment and I suppose I can forgive you this time.” He winked as he brushed a stray hair behind his ear.  Apollo smiled like a little school boy at Klavier's messy hair.

“You should sing acoustic more often.”

“Ah...well, I-I'm not really comfortable singing acoustically.

“Hm, well, acoustic suits you it seems.”  Nahyuta hummed.

Klavier nodded.

“Did you need something, Nahyuta?”  Apollo asked, fidgeting in his chair.  He hated that the  braided prosecutor caught him video-chatting with Klavier on office hours. However, because of the time difference, early mornings for Apollo translated to late evenings for Klavier and were the only time they had together.

“I wanted to hand you the file for the last qualified defense attorney along with the last case we need to look over together.”

“The...last?” A mix of emotions passed over Apollo's face so fast, Nahyuta couldn't read them all.

Klavier tried to casually not listen to their conversation, but he couldn't help himself.  The last case...which meant Apollo could come home soon...

'No, Klavier, don't get your hopes up.  You know they come crashing down every time. Are you prepared for this crash?  Are you prepared for Apollo to tell you that he isn't ready for you? That he isn't ready to come home?'

Klavier drew in a sharp breath, trying desperately to drown the little voice of doubt that sprouted after confessing his feeling for Apollo three years ago.

“Apollo, I should let you two discuss what you need to.  Call me later, please?”

Apollo turned to his monitor and flinched at the look on Klavier's face.  It was a mix of hope and concern. The thing that struck him the most was the sadness in his ocean-blue eyes.  Apollo hadn't seen that sadness for a long time and he wanted nothing more than to comfort Klavier. But he was afraid.  What if he didn't want Apollo around anymore now that his singing career could be taking off again.  The song that Klavier had just sung to him was an extra that didn't make the producers approval for his new album which was set to be released in a week.

Apollo sighed as they said their goodbyes.

“I apologize, Apollo,” Nahyuta's voice brought the attorney back from his reverie. “I feel a lot of tension in your goodbyes.  Are you two not getting along?”

Apollo scrubbed his face before looking up at the prosecutor. Nahyuta always had an odd way of calming any room he entered and he was grateful for that now.

“Please, sit.  I should be the one apologizing.  I shouldn't be talking with Klavier on office hours.  It's just the time change and everything, my early morning and late evenings are the only chances we have to video chat.”

“I can imagine this distance has put a lot of strain on your relationship.”

“It doesn't help, that's for sure,” Apollo rubbed the back of his neck.

“This should be good news then! After we interview this last attorney and go over these case notes, your time here is done. You can go back to California...”  Nahyuta tapped the manilla folder as he spoke.  The look in Apollo's eyes made him hesitate. “Unless you don't want to go back to California?”

“I-I...Yes, of course I want to go back.  But what about you? Do you not want me here anymore? Would I just be a burden here for you?”

Nahyuta's eyebrows shot up.

“A burden? Is that what you think of yourself, Apollo?  You have a very frighteningly low opinion of yourself.  You are hardly a burden.  You have helped me in more ways than I can ever repay. And of course I want you to stay.  There is so much more we can learn from each other. But that is selfish of me.  You deserve all the happiness in the world, Apollo Justice.  I hope you know that.”

Apollo gaped at the beautiful prosecutor.

“I-I don't know what to say...” Apollo stammered.  His mind was racing.

“Tell me that you will think long and hard about any decision you make.  And promise me you will put your own happiness first. Klavier loves you very much. But you already know that.”  Nahyuta stood.  “I promised to meet Detective Skye for lunch so I must take my leave for now. Feel free to join if you like. I will call when I am done to discuss these files.”

Apollo watched as Nahyuta walked silently to his office door and paused.

“I can't imagine what it's like having someone love you so much that they call you everyday.”  He flashed a small, but sad smile at Apollo before walking away.

'What the hell am I supposed to do?'

Apollo thought to himself and sighed deeply.   He supposed for now he should follow Nahyuta to lunch.




“The...last?”  Ema said a half hour later as they all sat at their favorite cafe at the edge of town.  She blinked down at the file folder that Apollo placed in front of her.  They watched as her hand hovered over, waiting for her to open the file.

A waiter appeared briskly to take their drink order, breaking the tension.

“I don't understand,” Nahyuta said after the waiter left. “Why aren't you two more excited  for this to be the last attorney and the last cold case we walk through?  I mean I know both of you volunteered for all of this, but after this, you can go back home, to California.”

Ema and Apollo exchanged glances before Ema spoke.

“For me, this whole trip has been a once in a lifetime experience.  I've gained more knowledge from the two years I've been here than I did in any of my schools in Europe or the States.” She paused and sighed as she played with the corner of the folder.  “I guess I'm not ready to be done. I thought I would hate all of this, but I've enjoyed myself so much.  Even when we couldn't get a win for our clients, I still gained some valuable knowledge and life experience.”

“So you would stay, even though the Chief Prosecutor has a position open for you?”

“Wait,” Apollo interjected. “Chief Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth has a position open for you?  When did this happen and why didn't you tell me?”

“Well, I was going to tell you over lunch today,” Ema smiled awkwardly.  “I only found out this morning and I told Nahyuta and he suggested we celebrate over lunch.  But, I...I don't know...I'm not sure what I want.”

Apollo furrowed his brow at the woman as he placed a hand on her forearm.  

“Ema, you have been dying for a position at his office.  Ever since I met you in People Park on our first case together, you've been lamenting about it.”

Ema only nodded.  

“I didn't think this would cause such an emotional response.  I am sorry.”  Nahyuta said.

“Wait,” Ema blurted out to Apollo.  “Don't tell me you are having second thoughts about going back to California? You have Klavier to go back home to.  An actual human being that loves you and will keep you warm at nights.  I have a plant and a secure job.  And I'm not even sure the plant is still alive.”

“I know.  It's just that, he's got a new album dropping next week and if his solo career is as popular as the Gavinners was, he's not going to be home.  He's going to be touring and reveling in the success of his album.”

“Yeah, but he's not gonna tour right away, you'll have some time together.”

“I just...”

Ema slammed her fist on the table. Nahyuta flinched and ducked his head at the people at the nearby tables that were staring.

“Apollo Justice! You were just telling me to follow my dreams, and here you are hemming and hawing about whether you should go back to your boyfriend. You two have been through too much not to be happy with each other.  I swear if you don't move back to California and if you break Klavier's heart, I will never work or speak to you again.”  Ema stood and gathered her things.
“I will work on this last case with you .  But that's it.  E-mail me the details, Nahyuta, I will look them over later.”

And she stormed off.  

Apollo stood and called after her but she didn't stop.

“Dammit.” Apollo sat and brushed his spikes back in frustration.

“I am sorry, Apollo.” Nahyuta placed a hand on his arm.






Klavier went through his morning routine in a daze.  Maybe he was right to listen to that little voice of doubt. He had thought they were fine; he would admit to not calling Apollo or meeting their Skype chats.  But Apollo had to understand that he was busy with the new album and such, at least he hoped Apollo understood. Maybe he was just playing along, keeping in touch with him, because he was lonely.

No, no that couldn't be it.  The last kiss they shared at the airport before Apollo flew back to Khura'in was so full of love and emotion, Klavier almost begged Apollo to stay.  But he knew how much being in Khura'in meant to him and to Nahyuta. And maybe that was it.  Maybe Apollo had found a place where he had family and he was finally comfortable.  He also had a permanent home over there if he wanted to stay.  His future was secure, but did it include Klavier?  Klavier was starting to think it didn't.

“Gavin-dono are you going to daydream your morning away, or are you going to do some actual work?”   Simon Blackquill asked as he leaned against the door frame.

“Oh, sorry,” Klavier started. “Herr Blackquill I didn't see you there.  What can I do for you?”

“I was checking up on you because you haven't bothered me today.  I was looking forward to congratulating you on your new album coming up.”  Simon pushed away from the door frame to walk up to Klavier's desk.  He leaned over to get Klavier to look him in the eye.  “What is wrong, Gavin-dono? I sense a lot of tension.”

“It's nothing, Simon, thank you for your concern.”  Klavier shuffled the papers on his desk to avoid eye contact.

“SILENCE!”  Simon yelled as he grabbed Klavier's chin and forced him to make eye contact.  “There is something most definitely wrong.  You haven't spoken any German and your hair....there's something different about it.”

“Simon, please, you're hurting me.”

Simon let go of his chin.  

“Fine, have lunch with me and we can talk about it.”

“Thank you, but I am fine.” Klavier turned his attention to his laptop.

Simon sat on the edge of the others desk as he grabbed a pen and started flipping it between his fingers.

“Klavier, we are prosecutors.  We can spot lies from a hundred miles away. Now, we can play this game, or you can have lunch with me and tell me what is wrong.”

“No, besides, it's not lunch-...oh...it's eleven.  How is it eleven already?”  Klavier said as he checked the time on the corner of his screen.  He slammed his laptop closed. “Ugh! Fine, I will have lunch with you, Simon.”

“Thank you, Gavin-dono.”



“Your hair isn't down!” Simon said as he snapped his fingers and pointed at Klavier's man-bun.  “That's what's different!”

It was forty-five minutes later and they were eating outside at a nearby cafe.  Klavier looked up from his phone and frowned at Simon.

“Why are you so cheery all of a sudden?  It's weird not to hear you threatening someone or kicking small puppies.”

Simon placed his hand on his heart in mock disappointment.

“I kick small puppies?  What kind of a monster do you think I am, Gavin-dono?”

“I've just never seen you in a good mood, that's all.”  Klavier looked down at his phone.  He wasn't sure what he was waiting or looking for.

“Listen Klavier, I could tell there was something wrong the minute you passed my office walking to yours.   You didn't have your usual spring in your step.  So, what's troubling you?”  Simon asked before he took a bite of his sandwich.  

Klavier sighed.  “I'm just having trouble navigating this long-distance relationship I have with Apollo.  I have some pretty strong feelings for him and I'm pretty sure he feels the same.”  Klavier explained, picking at his own sandwich.

Simon grunted around his sandwich and gestured for Klavier to go on.

“I was chatting with Apollo last night and he received the file for his last cold case.  He didn't have the reaction I was thinking he would have.”

Simon furrowed his brow.  “What reaction did you expect him to have?”

Klavier took a drink of water before continuing.

“I expected him to be happier, you know, overjoyed at the fact that his last case is coming up and he can go home.” He sighed.  “I guess he's found a good place in Khura'in.”

“Did you ask him about it?”  

“We haven't talked since last night and won't have a chance until tomorrow.”

“Well, you should email him or something.  You definitely need to talk to him about it.  Maybe you misunderstood his reaction.”

“Ja, maybe,”  Klavier ran his finger around the rim of his glass, deep in thought.

“Listen to me, Gavin-dono. Dwelling on it and moping around, is gonna do you no good. Have you thought about going over there and staying with him for a couple weeks?”

“We have talked about that.  But both of us have been so busy that there wouldn't be any time for us to be together.”

“Klavier,” Simon clenched his fist, getting his frustrations in check.  “He has his last case coming up. You have what – three weeks-”

“Five weeks until I go on tour.”

“Five weeks.  Get off your ass and spend two of those in Khura'in.”

“But I have press and photo shoots-”

“Sounds to me like you don't want to go over and spend time with Apollo.” Simon interjected, the look in his eyes becoming dark.

“How can you say that? I love Apollo. I would spend the rest of my life with him if I could.”

“Then stop making excuses and do it Klavier!  I know you love your music, and your prosecuting career.  But you are going to have to make sacrifices if you love Apollo just as much.”

Klavier gaped at Simon.

'How could I be so stupid?' Klavier thought as he placed his face in his hands. 'I've been drowning myself in my work, so afraid that Apollo is going to tell me that he doesn't love me. I can't believe I've let my insecurities get the best of me.'

“Uh, Klavier? I didn't mean to say that you didn't love him-”  Simon was never any good at comforting people.  Course, he wasn't good at giving advice either.

“It's okay, Simon.  I needed to hear that.” Klavier said after wiping his face.  “You are right.  I am making any excuse because I'm afraid that I'll find out that Apollo doesn't love me.   I need to go to Khura'in, and soon.”