Authors note: I don't own the Ace Attorney series nor anything else written in here.
It was painful, really. My manager told me to distance myself from them, to disown them. I couldn't even visit them, they said. My own brother, my best friend. I lost everyone in such a short space of time, I was still in not-so-visible distress. And they expected me to just carry on, keep going. It... was rather senseless of them, ja? I tried my best to act normally, the repeated grins, the numerous cases I won or lost. It didn't matter to me, any more. I had to alienate two of the people I was closest to, and gradually, I began to stay away from others as well. I didn't want that pain to come back. I pretended to be my normal self, but that is what it was, an act. I couldn't even play concerts any more, now that Daryan had gone. But on orders, I had to keep the same. So I tried. No-one really noticed, except for perhaps Herr Forehead, but he soon forgot if he suddenly became flustered.
Not being able to cope with it, I guess. That's what was wrong. But when you have to pretend the two people you rely on the most never existed, that's when you start alienating other people as well.
Apollo froze as his back hit the wall. Glancing to the sides, he couldn't see any visible escape route. He turned back to warily watch as the prosecutor caught up with him.
"Now, Herr Forehead. Tell me what you meant by that." He grinned, planting his hands either side of Apollo so he couldn't run.
"N-Nothing. It was nothing." He answered quickly.
"Yes it was, it was something about me. I heard my name, Herr Forehead..." Apollo watched as Klavier leaned a little closer, panic starting to set in.
"I was just telling T-Trucy about something, n-now let me go!" Apollo tried to duck under his arms, only resulting in Klavier grabbing him in some sort of bear-hug, their faces way too close for Apollo's comfort.
"Hey! Wh-what are you doing, that's too close!" Apollo started to squeak as he neared the end of the sentence, and he doubted that his words would have an effect. But to his surprise, Klavier let go, his face seemingly blank, with a little of what looked like pain.
He's right... What am I doing? It's only going to happen again, and again...
By this time Klavier had made it over to the sofa, and almost fell onto it, holding his head in his hands.
"P-Prosecutor Gavin...! Are you okay?" Apollo ran over, stopping just short of the sofa when he realised that the German was shaking slightly. He gently tapped him on the shoulder. "Hey, what's wrong?" No response. "Come on, you can trust me!"
"I thought I could trust them too." Klavier didn't really move as he spoke. After a second, Apollo realised who he meant.
"But-"
"The two people I thought I knew the best have been locked up, Herr Forehead!" Klavier looked up angrily for a second, before dropping his head back into his hands. For a second, Apollo thought he had seen tears in his eyes, and realised how lonely Klavier must have felt. He cautiously sat down on the sofa next to him, and bit his lip. Klavier didn't move. Apollo sighed, and gently reached an arm around his shoulders.
"...Sorry..."
"...Ach, it's not really your fault..."
"W-Well..." Apollo thought of something comforting to say for a second, but his mind drew a blank. "I think that... Because you knew them so well, they could hide it from you... I mean, they knew how to hide it. But for someone who didn't know them, maybe they could see it. I... I'm not sure." Apollo trailed off as Klavier looked up and gave a small smile.
"And they can't fool your eyes, ja?"
"Wha? T-That's not what-" Apollo was interrupted as he suddenly found himself being pulled into a hug by Klavier. "Wha..." They sat there for a minute in silence, before Klavier spoke.
"...You're not going to leave as well, Herr Justice?" Apollo couldn't decide what was more surprising, the tone of his voice or the fact he referred to him without using the word forehead.
"Ah, um... W-Well, I'll try..." He said, realising he sounded slightly confused. Klavier laughed.
"That's toll."
Because I don't want to lose you as well.