July 27, 12:17PM
Wright Anything Agency
Apollo Justice had never seen Klavier Gavin sad. Sure, he had his diva moments due to his perfectionist nature, and he lost his cool when (understandably) his brother was again accused of murder, but sad? Even after his brother's plans and wrongdoings were all unmasked, he looked at his brother with disappointment, hurt, and anger, but sadness… Sadness was something else. Or maybe broken was the right word.
He'd become somewhat friends with the prosecutor. It certainly paled in comparison to the tales that his mentor, Phoenix Wright would tell him about the nightmarish prosecutors that he'd faced during his early years as a lawyer.
But Klavier had always helped him out in his cases. On some level he felt a little inadequate at the thought of needing help from the prosecution, who, by all means was supposed to be an "enemy" of sorts. Yet it was refreshing to have someone who was actually trying to figure out the truth – Klavier was right: there shouldn't be any sides when it came to justice and uncovering the truth.
He'd even given up the Gavinners in order to focus more on his prosecuting career (and Apollo could've sworn heard her the cries of a million crushed fangirls that day).
So when he received the news that Kristoph Gavin's execution had been carried out, his mind immediately traveled to the rock-and-roll prosecutor. He wondered how he was handling the news. Even though his brother was a certifiable psychopath by all means, the fact remained that they were still brothers. They'd grown up together, after all.
He wondered if he should reach out to him. Probably not. He was probably doing alright.
"Apollo?"
Apollo jumped out of his thoughts at the sight of a bright yellow form appearing in front of his vision. He sat up at his messy desk – actually, all of their desks were messy – and looked up into the face of his fellow defense attorney, Athena Cykes, the one who told him the news after he arrived in the morning.
"You've been sitting there looking straight ahead for almost thirty minutes," she said. She tilted her head upwards thoughtfully. "I thought there was something on my face," she added. Their desks were across from each other. "But then I went to check, and that wasn't it."
"I'm fine, Athena," he said, giving her his best smile.
"You know I studied psychology, right?" she said knowingly.
"You never miss out on the chance to remind me," he couldn't help but quip jokingly.
She flashed him a smile, and he imagined a Kodak "ding" sound when she did so. "Not to mention that I think I know you well enough to understand when something's bothering you – widget or not," she added. He smiled internally. He was grateful for that. "So, what's on your mind?"
Apollo sighed. "I was just thinking about what you told me earlier. Kristoph Gavin's execution."
"Right. He was your mentor before Mr. Wright, wasn't he?" Athena's voice softened a bit.
Apollo nodded. Oh, right. Apollo had almost forgotten so much had happened since then, yet he couldn't deny that Kristoph had at one point been the one to teach him what it meant to be a lawyer. Although looking back, it wasn't always the cleanest methods, but there was a point when Apollo looked up to Kristoph. He imagined it was far worse for Klavier, whether he wanted to admit it or not.
"And Klavier's brother."
Athena nodded. He'd told her the stories of what happened before she arrived on the team. She couldn't believe that Kristoph had gone to such lengths, and all because of one Phoenix Wright and superiority complex. Honestly, she couldn't believe a lot of the things that Phoenix and Apollo had gone through.
"Why don't give him a call to see how he's doing?"
"I did. He didn't answer," Apollo admitted.
"Well. Only one thing to do," Athena said, slamming her hand down on his desk out of sheer enthusiasm. Apollo jumped.
"Ach, I'm right here, Athena," he told her.
"You should go visit him!" Athena declared.
"I don't know if that's such a good idea…" Apollo said. After all, they hadn't exactly spoken much or interacted with one another outside of some sort of trial that they were both involved in. Matters of the family should stay just that…right?
Athena huffed, and he could see her spurt of anger as widget turned red to reflect it. "He's helped you out so much, Apollo. And he helped me out when I defended Junie. Even if he turns you away at the door, you should at least go try."
Apollo was half-concerned that she might actually hit him if he hesitated or refused again. "O-Okay."
"And with a little more enthusiasm than that!" Her eyes flared up.
Leave to Athena to always know what to say to get him moving. "Ah, sorry!" He lifted up his hands in defense, then smiled. "You're right. You're right." He stood up. "Thanks, Athena."
Widget turned a bright green and Athena beamed at him. "That's what I'm here for."
"Well…I appreciate it. A lot," he said, his cheeks turning slightly red as he did so. He hoped that she didn't notice – or at the very least that she wouldn't mention it.
"Don't worry, you can show me how much you appreciate me later." Her tone was entirely too suggestive for Apollo's blush to go away completely, but he knew what she really meant by her statement.
Apollo groaned. "Not another race around the park."
She slammed her fist into the open palm of her other hand with a bright yet competitive smile. "Hey! I was tired after cleaning the toilet so much, so you had an unfair advantage!"
What about the other three times? He wanted to say. He'd grown quite accustomed to her competitive spirit. Even though it made him groan half the time, she wouldn't be Athena without it.
"Okay, anyways, I have to go do some squats to get ready. Out with you," Athena told him. "I would go with you, but I'm meeting up with Simon later. Adjusting to the world again, and all. Today I'm taking him to Eldoon's Noodles," she said with a bright smile.
"He's out of prison and you want torture him already?" Apollo couldn't help but quip. Before Athena could flare up in one of her spurts of anger again, Apollo quickly laughed. "Kidding, kidding. I should get going though. If Mr. Wright comes back, just tell him that I went to the Prosecutor's Office," Apollo told her. Even though he'd worked with him for so long, it still didn't seem right to call him Phoenix. He'd heard that his former assistant called him Nick, but it just didn't roll off the tongue for him.
Athena tsk'd at him. "Apollo, your head must really be in the clouds. Didn't you hear him yesterday? He and Trucy said that they were going up to visit the new Master of Kurain at Kurain Village and would be back tomorrow," she wagged her finger at him.
"Oh right. That spirit channeling stuff, right?" Apollo rubbed the back of his head. Some of it was still a little hard to wrap his mind around, but then again, he had a magical bracelet, Athena had a magical device, and Trucy had magic panties. Short of pigs flying, anything was possible at this point.
Athena nodded. "His former assistant is apparently the new master." She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "And I detected an overwhelming amount of happiness from Mr. Wright when he said that he was going up to visit her."
"Nothing strange there. I mean, they haven't seen each other in a while. I'm sure he's excited to see her again," Apollo said. "She did used to be his assistant."
"No, it was a bit more than that."
"What do you mean?"
Athena gave him a knowing look. Finally, it dawned on him as to what she was hinting it. "No way, Mr. Wright? I've never even… No way, Athena. Not Mr. Wright."
"Well, he was reading some letter, and when I asked him about it, he clammed up, and I could practically hear his heart pounding through his chest. Not to mention he was blushing like a schoolgirl on prom night. Doesn't take psychology to come to a conclusion," Athena said matter-of-factly, placing her hands on her hips.
"Phoenix Wright, blushing?" Apollo said in disbelief. "Do people over thirty blush?"
Athena sighed a sigh that could rival Solomon Starbuck. "You're hopeless, Apollo," Athena said. Evidently sarcasm was lost on her this time. "I bet he was one of those cool, suave types in college."
"I wouldn't go nearly that far," Apollo said with a short laugh.
They exchanged glances, then Athena finally relented and laughed as well. "I suppose you're right."
They had a cozy little set-up, the three of them. Sometimes, Apollo wondered what these days would be like if Kristoph had won and he stayed with Gavin Law Offices. It didn't matter much now, Apollo thought. Kristoph was gone, and the dark age of the law was over.
July 27, 12:43PM
Prosecutor's Office
Kristoph Gavin has been executed.
The words rang clearly in Klavier's mind as an old photograph fumbled in his hands. It had been folded and thrown somewhere in the midst of Klavier's desk clutter. He hadn't even remembered it was there, but through some cruel twist of fate, he found it while rummaging through his desk drawers for a slip of paper he needed for a case that he'd just finished up. He still hadn't found the slip of paper, either.
In the photo, Kristoph was twelve years old, and Klavier was a mere five. Kristoph had just gotten his first pair of glasses, and Klavier, who wanted nothing more at that age than to be just like his older brother, had tried to grab them off of his face while their parents were trying to snap a photo. Klavier had a huge mischievous smile on his face as he lunged for his brother, who had a mixture of shock and awe as the picture snapped in the middle of him fumbling backwards. Off to the side was Katrina, his youngest sister, who was still an infant, sitting up in a diaper and crying her heart out (most likely out of hunger).
But those days were gone now. The brother that he knew had died a long time ago. Still, there was always a part of him that wanted his brother to return to him; not only that, but he foolishly believed it. At the final trial where he was put away for good, Klavier was able to keep it together, but nobody saw the breakdown he experienced once he'd made his way back to his home. He could only keep his cool for so long. And he was convinced that he was doing alright, he'd gotten through the trial where his mentor at the Themis Legal Academy was murdered.
And it took only a single sentence this morning to unravel him.
There was no chance of his brother ever returning to the way that he was before his twisted sense of justice and law had taken over his entire being. No. Kristoph was never coming back.
He could still picture the shock on his brother's face when Klavier began to help Herr Forehead in that final trial. Kristoph even said that he disappointed him. As much as Klavier didn't want to believe it, though, he knew that his brother was guilty. He'd caused Herr Wright to lose his attorney's badge, and for what? Not only that, but he allowed his own younger brother's first case to be won due to sheer forgery. It wasn't supposed to be like that. A part of him wanted to resent Zak Gramarye for not simply hiring his older brother for the trial that cost Herr Wright his badge, but he knew that that wasn't right. Maybe the person to blame was himself for not seeing the truth earlier. For not trying to save his brother earlier. He'd gotten too caught up in the Gavinners. Klavier often wondered if there would always be a part of him that would blame himself.
After their parents died, it was just the three of them for a long time. He supposed that he would have to tell Katrina now of what happened. She was still off in South Africa fulfilling her duties in the Peace Corps. It was hard to get ahold of her, but all he'd managed to tell her was that Kristoph had gotten into a bit of trouble. But her stint in South Africa was coming to an end soon, and he would have to deal with the fact that he hadn't told her everything about what happened.
Klavier stared at the photo, wondering why he didn't see the signs sooner.
He was startled by a knock at his office door. Five knocks, each one louder than the last.
"Ja?" He called, tossing the photo back into the drawer and shutting it.
In walked Apollo Justice himself, with a look of determination and sympathy evident in his both his face and in his walk.
"Ah, Herr Forehead, what brings you here?" Klavier said lightly, tossing him a signature smile.
Apollo made his way over to Klavier's desk, stepping over books and papers strewn about. You know, you could clean up a little here, Apollo thought to himself.
"Ha ha, I believe this is the pot calling the kettle black, Herr Forehead," Klavier said, taking note of Apollo's disapproving gaze at Klaveri's somewhat messy office.
"I guess you got me there," Apollo said with a laugh.
"So, why are you here?" Klavier said again. "Don't tell me you are going to be the defense attorney on my next case and are looking for information," Klavier said, amusement laced into his voice. He tapped on one of the folders atop his desk: the next case that he was supposed to be looking at after wrapping up his previous one.
"Ha, not exactly," Apollo said. His smiled dimmed. "I…I heard. About Kristoph."
Klavier felt himself tense up – an instinctive gut reaction. He tried to untense himself, to no avail. Klavier forced a noise out of his mouth that he imagined sounded like a laugh. The reality was some sort of high-pitched, breathy noise that sounded like he'd just gotten punched in the gut. Fitting, really. "Yes, well, death sentences do tend to be carried out, Herr Forehead. Our justice system isn't that lax," Klavier said. The amusement that was usually in his voice wasn't the same.
Apollo didn't need Athena there to sense the discord in Klavier's voice. Yet, he didn't really know what to say to him. What do you say to someone who's brother was a murderous, paranoid psychopath who seemed to lack any sort of remorse for his actions? I'm sorry for your loss? No, he couldn't say that. Somehow it didn't seem like enough.
"I'm sorry for your loss," Apollo blurted out, cringing on the inside.
Klavier laughed bitterly ironic laugh. "My brother has been a loss to me since I was seventeen," Klavier said, unable to keep the solemnness out of his tone. Apollo nodded grimly. Phoenix Wright's disbarment. Of course, that's when everything changed. "Is that why you came here, Herr Forehead? To offer your condolences?" Klavier said, cutting into Apollo's thoughts.
Apollo rubbed the back of his neck. "I…I guess so."
"Well, I appreciate it, but that's not necessary," Klavier pointed out. Too many people had already tried to do that as he walked throughout the office. Somehow, the news had spread like wildfire in such a short amount of time. The Chief Prosecutor even asked him if he wanted to take the day off. "My brother was a murderer," he said, as if that would explain all of his conflicting emotions away.
"But he was still your brother," Apollo said.
Klavier, for once, had nothing to say. He hadn't even gone to visit his brother during his time in prison. He had an excuse when Kristoph was in solitary, but he wasn't there the entire time. Every week, Klavier would tell himself that he would go visit, but then he never followed through on it. He couldn't see his brother like that. It would've only riddled him with nightmares on how he could've saved him from the dark road that Kristoph chose to walk down.
"You shouldn't blame yourself, you know," Apollo suddenly said. "Kristoph made his own decisions.
"I'll keep that in mind," Klavier said shortly. Apollo knew that he'd just hit upon a sensitive subject, and rightfully so.
A few seconds of silence passed, and Apollo wondered if he should just go ahead and leave. He wanted to help out his friend, but he wasn't exactly sure how.
"You know, Herr Wright came up to me after the trial was finished," Klavier started.
"H-he did?" Apollo said. He hadn't heard anything like that from Phoenix or Trucy.
"He told me about a prosecutor that he wanted to save, and someone told him that the best way to save him was to make him confront his crimes head on," Klavier said.
Apollo wracked his brain trying to remember who it could've been. After all, he followed Phoenix Wright's cases so much when he was a kid. It all seemed so long ago.
"Maybe I thought that this was the best way to save him," Klavier added. "Although, he's dead now, so I don't think it matters anymore." Klavier tilted his head to the side thoughtfully. "Some people can't be saved."
Apollo didn't want to believe that. And in a sense, Klavier didn't either. He wanted somebody tell him that that wasn't true; but at the same time he didn't, because it would only lead to more guilt.
"I think…People have to want to be saved, on some level," Apollo finally said. "If not, then there really isn't anything that you or I or anyone else could do. At the end of the day, each person makes their own decisions, no matter what anyone else says."
"I see. Herr Philosopher," Klavier lightly joked. Apollo managed to chuckle. "My brother, my mentor, my friend and former bandmate, either dead or in prison," he noted, referring to Constance Courte and Daryan Crescend. "This is not a lucky profession. For any of us," he said. Phoenix Wright had his fair share of tragedies and troubles, and everyone knew about the case with Athena Cykes. Even his boss, Edgeworth – everyone in the legal world knew about DL-6, even all these years later, it was a case often brought up at Themis Legal Academy.
Apollo nodded. "I think it's more life than luck. And I think it makes us human. And it makes us stronger. Mr. Wright always tells us that the worst times are when lawyers force their biggest smiles."
"Faked smiles don't seem very effective, Herr Forehead."
Apollo pressed his lips together in a taut line. "You know, I…lost my best friend a few months ago," Apollo started. "When we were kids, we would always stand tall and yell 'I'm fine!' whenever we were feeling down, and eventually we would end up laughing and we'd actually start to feel like it was true." He smiled sadly at the memory of his dear friend.
"Faked smiles nor false words," Klavier said wax poetically. He didn't see the benefit in it. "Though I'm glad it helped you and your friend get through the times."
"If you do it enough times, it starts to take effect," Apollo persisted. "You're fine."
"I appreciate that, Herr Forehead, but I'm not interested in men. Sorry to disappoint."
"Wha-no!" Apollo shook his head furiously. "That's not what-"
Klavier laughed. "Just a joke. I know you have eyes for Fraulein Cykes."
Apollo could feel his face turning red again. "What? I-I don't…I mean…why are we talking about this?" Apollo deflected.
"Just a bit of humor to lighten the mood," Klavier said with a smile. "It's kind of my thing."
"Not cool," Apollo muttered. "And see, you did laugh," Apollo pointed out.
"I suppose you're right, there, Herr Forehead," Klavier admitted with a short chuckle.
"You should try it," Apollo insisted.
"I think not, Herr Forehead."
"You're Klavier Gavin and you're fine!" Apollo yelled, causing Klavier to jump slightly from being startled.
"Ah, I see the Chords of Steel are still active," he said. "Some things never change," he said with a smile.
"Come on. I'm Apollo Justice…and I'm fine!" Apollo said. "Just try it."
"You won't give up, will you?"
"I'm a defense attorney who was mentored by Phoenix Wright. What do you think?" Apollo joked with a smile.
Klavier sighed. He could humor his friend. It was the least he could do. After all, he did come all this way to see how he was doing. "I'm Klavier Gavin…and I'm fine."
"I'm Apollo Justice and I'm fine!" Apollo said with ten times more volume. The look in his eyes made it clear that Klavier's lackluster 'I'm fine' wasn't sufficient for Apollo.
"I'm Klavier Gavin…" He looked at Apollo once more, who looked at him with an expectant and determined smile. "And I'm fine!" he said, his loud voice resonating throughout the room. Oddly enough, there was something cathartic about it. He felt something lift up off of his shoulders, and he realized that it might be just someone else lifting the weight off with him.
"See! You're fine!" Apollo said with an encouraging smile. "That could challenge my Chords of Steel," he added.
"Ha," Klavier chuckled. "I've had practice. Yelling at thousands of fans and all." His smile softened a bit. "Thank you, Herr Justice," he said.
Apollo nodded with a smile. "You've helped me out a lot since I've started out as a lawyer, when you didn't have to."
"There are no enemies amongst those who are determined to justly seek out the truth, ja?" Klavier said.
"Ja…I mean…Yeah," Apollo said. He was so impressionable sometimes.
Klavier chuckled to himself. There was still a lot that he had to deal with. He had to break the news to Katrina, who would either hate him for not telling her sooner so she could take emergency leave and visit, or break down into tears – or both. That was only going to make it harder for him to recover normally. And of course, he had to actually believe the words that Apollo had him say. He had to actually feel fine. But his friend's words had some truth to it. Somehow, it felt like everything would be fine, eventually. He just had to get to that point.
Klavier, my brother…I'm sorry I couldn't save you. But I wish that you wanted to save yourself. I wish you'd given up your need to be perfect and your superiority complex. I wish you'd gone back to being our brother; to being the defense attorney that I looked up to and eagerly awaited the day we would face off in court, brother against brother. But I'll be fine. I promise, I'll choose to remember you as you were, before you changed for the worst. Auf Wiedersehen, mein Bruder.
AN: This is meant to be a standalone fic, but I ended up loving it so much and writing a lot more to be discovered with these characters, implied relationships and including a little sister for Klavier, so I may continue this in the future. We'll see. Hope you enjoyed it! :)