Author's note:
Happy New Year my fellow readers! May 2016 bring you joy, laughter, success and plenty of love. Also, it's my birthday and I'm spreading double the cheer with an update! It's longer than usual; hope you guys like it.
This chapter takes place after AJ:AA, before PW:DD.
Review response:
Oushi - Thank you and I'm glad you love my fanfic so far! Also, it's heartening to know that I've helped with your Apollo/Phoenix fix ;)
20 Kisses: Hero Worship
by Dark Interval
Sixth Kiss: New Year
"10 ways to confess to your crush. Number one: be sensitive and patient; there's no need to rush true love – phfft! Yeah right, try one year on for size. How's that for patient?"
Phoenix scrolled down to the next one.
"A sure way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Prepare his favorite foods and butter him up for your confession."
He smashed his head repeatedly against the keyboard.
Well that was completely useless – the only foods he knew how to prepare were instant noodles. Although Apollo wasn't a picky eater, he seriously doubted instant noodles qualified as romantic. Besides, it wasn't healthy and the last thing he needed was Apollo to accuse him for being cheap again.
He pushed back his chair with a heavy sigh and sprawled across his messy desk. A few law books and case folders slid off and crashed noisily onto the floor, but Phoenix paid them no heed. He was too busy feeling depressed to worry if the G's got mixed with the F's. Besides, he wasn't a lawyer anymore. All this stuff was mainly Apollo's… meh, let the kid sort them out later.
The thought of said defense attorney made him groan. Geez, why did falling in love have to be so complicated? He didn't ask for it. It just sort of, kind of, spontaneously happened. And of all people cupid's arrow decided to point at, it just had to be one egoistic, loudmouth Apollo Justice – unwitting apprentice, occasional errand boy (though that role was becoming increasingly frequent now with Trucy bossing him around), and 100% male.
Now, don't get him wrong: he was pretty impartial towards the whole gender discourse. It was just that the only romantic relationship he had been involved in to date, was with Dahlia – or was it Iris? Argh, details. But whatever the case, he assumed he was straight, so one could only imagine his shock when fast-forward 13 years later, he realised he was in fact bisexual. Or was Apollo a special case? He certainly didn't remember feeling attracted to any other guy before...
Oddly enough, it all started after Apollo punched him eight months ago for giving him that false evidence. And no, it wasn't because the kid hit him too hard and did something to his brain. Apollo had punched him because he felt angry; betrayed; because he had believed in Phoenix and had the utmost faith in him when the whole world didn't. It showed how much Apollo truly cared and somehow he had managed to screw that up. That realisation literally hit him and he hadn't been able to get Apollo off his mind ever since.
When the kid began working at the 'Wright Talent Agency', he thought having him around more often would alleviate all the confusion he felt in his heart. Boy, was he wrong. Apollo's daily presence made things worse, and it really didn't help when he found out that his apprentice harbored a secret not-so-secret obsession towards him in the form of old magazine and newspaper clippings, interviews, and photographs of varying sizes plastered across his bedroom walls. A small, perverted and hopeful part of Phoenix wondered if the kid secretly fapped to him at night, but Apollo always carried himself as purely asexual, so Phoenix simply shrugged it off as the pervasive effects of teenage idolization.
When it finally occurred to Phoenix that his feelings weren't going anywhere and that they were indeed real, if not growing, he made the earth-shattering decision to confess. Unfortunately, that was almost a year ago and progress was… negatory. Initially, it was the nerves. After that, until this very day, had been non-stop interruptions – the untimely, the missed opportunities, and the completely bat-shit crazy random (last Tuesday, just when he was about to confess in his own office, a crane smashed through the window and he was immediately rushed to the nearest hospital). Point is, it was like the whole universe was against him and Phoenix didn't know if it was because he was upsetting the very balance of the cosmos with his love interest, or if he was plain unlucky.
Which brought him to where he was now: reading blog posts and articles written by over-enthusiastic, idyllic romantics with the questionable propensity for bullshit. But he was desperate.
Phoenix's eyes wandered to the calendar on his desk. Technically, it was Apollo who used it: he would mark out certain dates and fill in important meetings and reminders along with their respective timings. If Phoenix was the heart of this agency, then Apollo was… well, every other thing that wasn't the heart that was vital in keeping the body functioning. 1st January of next year was already circled in red. Today was 31st December. If he didn't confess his feelings by the end of this evening, he would have to start all over again for a whole other year. That thought made him a little sad, but for an entirely different reason.
'How long has it been since I fell in love with you?' he always wondered to himself whenever his gaze landed on Apollo: of him laughing, grinning, shouting, stressing out, just being him. As the seasons went by, his feelings for the young lawyer only grew as did his efforts. It was the middle of spring when they first met – April 20th. Now, it was snowing outside. He wondered if Apollo ever noticed.
"Number three: if all else fails, try a change of scenery –"
"Hey, Mr. Wright!"
"AHHHHHHHHH!"
Phoenix slammed the laptop shut in his panic and the power kind of died. Oh great, now he needed to work double shift at the bar to pay it off. Maybe he could borrow some cash from Apollo… when he wasn't looking.
Apollo gave his boss a weird stare as he cocked his head to the side. There were shopping bags in his hands (he was made to run some errands at the grocer's earlier) and when he spoke, his words got muffled from the thick blue scarf around his neck.
"I was standing here for a whole minute," he said with laughing eyes and they quickly glanced at the desk. "You looked so intense. What were you reading?"
"Um… Uh…" Phoenix's eyes darted about frantically only to land on Charlie. "... Plants," he finished lamely.
Apollo's eyebrows rose in surprise. "I didn't know you liked plants, Mr. Wright." Then he flashed him a wide, cheerful grin. "Guess I'll make a note of that in the Journal of Justice!"
Phoenix's heart skipped a beat.
"Uh... ah... oh yeah," he coughed nervously, "was there something you needed to talk to me about?"
The grin shifted into a look of exasperation. "You can't be serious. I came to tell you to get changed – we're going to the theme park today, remember? You're not that old yet."
Phoenix's eyes bulged (he completely ignored that 'old' comment). Theme park? In the middle of winter? How the heck did he agree to that in the first place?!
"Trucy's already ready."
"But it's freezing! And did you look outside?" He presented the window like it was the most obvious magic trick in the world. "You see that? It's snow!"
Apollo sighed, "Mr. Wright…"
"Snow – he continued to gesture at the window like he thought Apollo was some sort of retard – SNOW."
A vein in Apollo's head throbbed dangerously. "I can see that!" he yelled. Gods, Phoenix was so annoying.
"Do I have to?" came the predictable whine followed by the usual sulking.
"Mr. Wright, this is your daughter we're talking about. You promised."
"Fine, fine... give me five minutes," he said with a resigned sigh as he dragged his feet to his bedroom to change.
'Hm, maybe a trip to the theme park would help,' he mused; after all, the article did mention a change in scenery.
Throwing open his closet, Phoenix did a quick scan of his wardrobe only to blanch. Seriously? Didn't he have any warm clothing apart from his old hoodie? Oh well, looks like he needed to go shopping soon. He pulled it on along with the beanie Trucy had made for him and gave his reflection a good once over. Not exactly the most stylish getup to confess to your crush, but he supposed it was better than freezing to death… hm, maybe he could salvage his situation somehow. He stepped back into the office and called for his apprentice.
"Hey, Apollo! Could I borrow a coat? And a pair of gloves? And some thermal? Oh, and $200 for our tickets?"
"WHAT?! You cheapskate!"
The protest was so loud, it literally rocked the walls of the 'Wright Talent Agency'. While Apollo practically roasted him with a barrage of complaints and admonishments – to be more responsible, to stop being lazy, to learn to do things for himself, to quit being such a mooch – Phoenix pulled the beanie over his ears in both shame and to drown out the kid's insanely loud voice. At this rate, he would surely go deaf before hitting 40. Gah, so much for turning over a new leaf…
"Daddy, hurry! I wanna ride all the roller coasters before the snow gets too heavy!"
All color drained from Phoenix's face. The last time he came to Gatewater Land with Maya and Pearl and sat one roller coaster with the girls, his face had turned all shades of green and he never left the toilet for the entire afternoon. He had immediately concluded that thrill rides weren't his thing and that humans would live a lot longer if their feet remained firmly planted on the ground.
"Sweetie, do you have to ride all of them?" Then he quickly corrected himself, "Do you have to ride any of them? Why not the gondolas? They can be pretty intense too… if you row fast enough… and use your imagination…"
Trucy crossed her arms and released a loud, exasperated huff. Honestly, her daddy could be so lame, and the things he said and the boring stuff he liked to do made him resemble an old man so much, she often forgot he was only 33 years old! Maybe this was why she didn't have a mummy after so long.
"But daddy, only old people ride those!"
"Hey, I object to that! I like boat rides and I'm not old… besides, aren't you too old to ride the kids coaster in 'Wild, Wild West'?"
"Ooo!" Trucy pouted and looked to Apollo who stood next to her. "Help me out here, Polly!"
"Don't you dare, Apollo!"
Said man sighed; why did he even bother? In terms of identifying the real kid between Phoenix and Trucy, he honestly couldn't tell. Both father and daughter were the same… even when it came to their maturity level and mutual dependence on him.
"Look, I already paid for our tickets –"
"What?! Daddy! You said you got it this time!"
"I did! … I covered the arrangements. That counts, right?"
"– so we might as well ride or not ride whatever we want and everyone's happy, alright?"
Apollo paused to shoot the pair a wry stare. These tickets (unwillingly) came out of his own savings and they bloody well enjoyed themselves or he was going to personally serve up a hot, scalding plate of Justice to the very cheapskate responsible for making his account balance bleed into the red.
"Mr. Wright, let Trucy on her own. She's 15 years old and she's got her own phone – if anything, she'll call you. Trucy, stop bullying your da-"
But she wasn't listening.
"Look, look! A magic show! I must catch that! Maybe they need another magician!"
And she shot off like a rocket towards the nearby circus tent, leaving a speechless Apollo and Phoenix in the dust. Kids and their relatively short attention spans. Apollo ran his fingers through his hair with a sigh. So much for being the voice of authority around here.
"Um… Apollo?" Phoenix fidgeted nervously, suddenly struck with the realisation that they were alone together. "What do we do now?"
He shrugged noncommittally. "Anything we want, I suppose – he smiled – What do you want to do, Mr. Wright?"
'Apollo's asking me?' Phoenix blushed before quickly turning his face away to hide his embarrassment and exhilaration. 'Maybe… maybe I can do this.'
"W-Well…"
"Hey, it's not a bad fit, sir!" Apollo interrupted, observing his boss' clothes with a satisfied smirk. "I was worried they'd be too small for you. Seems like you're not as big as I thought."
Was that an indirect jab at his lifestyle or something? Phoenix fingered the collar of his coat with a thoughtful pout. It was a black wool coat with a stylish, dramatic cut and ended just above the knees of his jeans; a pair of grey mittens warmed his hands; and a bright red muffler wound snug around his neck. For someone who complained so much about his inefficiency, Apollo spent an awful long time dressing him up. He remembered feeling like a doll back in the office.
'Guess his fashion sense is a lot better than mine…'
Suddenly, Apollo was right up at his face and Phoenix was unable to control the blush on his cheeks from spreading. The way the young lawyer was scrutinizing him made him feel like an inexperienced witness on the witness stand and he felt about ready to blurt out his guilt even though he had nothing to be remotely guilty about.
"Um… what? What's wrong?"
He prayed his face hadn't turned redder.
"Huh?" Apollo blinked momentarily before shaking his head with a laugh. "Oh, no, nothing – his eyes were shining – it's just that I noticed you shaved."
"Oh." Phoenix lowered his gaze and unconsciously touched his face. "Does it look weird or something?"
"No, no! Not at all!" It was Apollo's turn to feel flustered as he flailed his arms in defense. "It's just – it's a good look for you, sir! Makes you look five years younger!"
"I would appreciate you not calling me 'sir' though," answered Phoenix with a grimace. "Kind of defeats the whole 'five years younger' compliment. Plus, we've known each other for almost a year now. Just Phoenix or Nick is fine, ok?"
"Ok, Mr. Phoenix!"
Phoenix sighed. He supposed it was a start. Returning his attention to Apollo, he noticed the kid was still staring at him intently, a thoughtful frown across his brow.
"What now?" he asked.
"I don't know… Something's a little off – ah!" Apollo reached over to pluck the beanie off Phoenix's head, freeing his trademark spiky hair. Apollo's fingers ran over his scalp as he combed through Phoenix's hair and if Phoenix were a cat, he would've purred.
"There – he tucked away a stray strand that flopped forward – Handsome."
Phoenix turned so red, his face could very well warm the whole of Gatewater Land all winter. He tucked his cheeks behind the wool of his muffler in a bid to conceal his embarrassment. Fortunately, the thing was so red by default, Apollo couldn't tell the difference between it and his face. He noticed that Apollo was smiling at him – that brilliant, dorky grin of his that never failed to light up any room, and Phoenix thought he looked remarkably charming.
His heart raced. 'I can do this… I can do this!'
"A-Apollo? There's something I've been… Uh… m-meaning to t-t-tell you…"
The brunette folded his arms and cocked his head to the side.
"What's that, Mr. Wright?"
Phoenix was shaking so hard, his brain a jumbled mess that he didn't even notice Apollo had reverted to calling him by his old title. His hands were clammy and his chest felt tight as he struggled to get his voice box working again. Goddammit, why was this so hard?
"Apollo, I… I…"
"You…?"
Say it!
He clenched his hands, scrunched his eyes shut and took a deep breath.
"I really like –!"
"POLLY!"
Phoenix's eyes flew open. No way!
Trucy charged in and practically crashed into Apollo, nearly knocking the both of them over. The elder winced and pushed her away.
"Trucy, what in the world–!"
"I kind of accidentally made the magician disappear –"
"What do you mean 'kind of accidentally'?!"
"So, let's ride the roller coasters! You're going to sit them all with me, Polly! That way, daddy won't freak out so much."
"Huh?! But –"
She dragged him away before he could finish protesting and a red-faced Phoenix watched them go, utterly dumbstruck.
Phoenix: Are you ok?
Trucy: Daddy, I'm fine. You just asked two minutes ago. Besides, Polly's with me.
Phoenix: And he's just as reckless!
Trucy: And you need to loosen up!
Phoenix: Well yeah, but –
Trucy: It's our turn now! Talk to you later bye!
Phoenix pocketed his cell phone with a sigh. Oh well, at least the kids were having fun… but now he was feeling left out. At first, he was half-tempted to join them, but the memory of his first and last roller coaster ride quickly changed all of that. He tried to convince himself that he was just concerned and protective over Trucy's well-being, but deep down he knew it was only an excuse for his extreme boredom and disappointment. Dammit, he had been so close! And foiled by his own daughter at that!
Walking past the concession stand, he kicked aside a crushed soda can with a pout. Now what was he going to do? He supposed he could try winning something for either Apollo or Trucy, but then again, he wasn't really good at theme park games. Or saying something as simple as three particular words it seemed. Fudge, couldn't he do anything right?
"Nick? Hey, Nick!"
He looked up at the sound of that vaguely familiar voice. It was slightly deeper than he last remembered, but there was no mistaking it. They had worked together once upon a time and there was no forgetting her penchant for science. Plus that top-knot was a dead giveaway.
"Ema…?"
Said woman stopped snacking immediately and flashed him a wide, enthusiastic smile and for a moment, Phoenix found himself staring at a 16-year-old girl instead of a lovely grown woman. She acted so unlike the grumpy detective Apollo and Trucy often complained about. Then again, this was how Phoenix always remembered her and call him sentimental, but the nostalgia really warmed his heart and made him smile. The last he saw her was at Kristoph's trial under the new jury system. He didn't get the chance to catch up with her then, but he remembered observing how much she had matured and accomplished for herself since her sister's trial all those years ago. Even though she failed in her dream of becoming a forensic scientist and became a detective instead, he couldn't be more proud.
… Gosh, he felt old.
"It's been awhile, Nick," she said with a smirk. "What are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same thing."
"Oh, you know – she placed her rose-tinted glasses over her eyes – science. And work," she replied mysteriously with a wink.
Before Phoenix could ask if a murder had occurred (nothing could surprise him anymore) and if the hopeless suspect needed Apollo as his defense attorney, Ema shamelessly resumed her snacking, alternating between a bag of (fast-depleting) snackoos and fresh popcorn. Absently, he wondered if she was really on the job or if she had conveniently slipped away to the snack stand on the pretense of investigating.
"Police work?"
"Oh – munch, munch – you could say that."
There was that cryptic response again. Phoenix decided that if Ema wasn't feeling inclined to share, then he didn't want to know. Suddenly, he had a thought.
"Hey, Ema? Could I ask you a ques -"
"Quiet, please. It's snack time." And then she resumed stuffing her face.
Phoenix grimaced. That couldn't be healthy; and also proved to be rather annoying.
"Ema, I'm serious! Let's say you like someone…" he ventured tentatively. "How would you conclude if he or she likes you back? Scientifically."
"Huh? That's a weird question, even from you, Nick."
"J-Just humor me, ok?"
Ema stopped snacking and furrowed her brows in thought.
"... Body heat," she concluded.
"Excuse me?"
"Body heat," she repeated, this time with finality. "Lots of body heat. It'll be hot. Really hot. Also, sparks."
All words failed Phoenix by this point, so he chose to gawk at her instead. What the hell kind of answer was that?!
Just then, Ema's phone rang and she hurried to answer it.
"Detective Skye speaking! … Yeah. Uh huh… I'm not slacking! I already did – but it's snack time! … yeah, yeah, whatever... Argh, ok, fine." She hung up and turned to regard Phoenix apologetically. "Sorry, Nick, I gotta go – duty calls!"
"Was that your boss?"
"Something like that." She gave him a parting salute. "Later!"
Phoenix watched her go as he thought long and hard about what she said.
Wandering about aimlessly at a large theme park was exhausting, so Phoenix decided to pass the time by plopping his butt on the stadium benches and do absolutely nothing at all. This sucked – he knew this was a theme park and he ought to have fun, but try as he might, he simply couldn't. Apollo's phone was constantly engaged, Trucy never picked up her calls, the temperature was beginning to drop and he still hadn't confessed his feelings to his one-year crush. That online article was a load of baloney – a change of scenery, his foot!
Suddenly, the shrill chords of an electric guitar blared in his ear and he jumped right out of his seat screaming bloody murder.
WHAT THE HELL?!
"Ah, Herr Wright! Having a case of winter blues, ja?"
Oh no.
Hesitantly, he raised his head from the ground and squinted up at the tall figure standing proudly before him. That long platinum blonde hair and German accent was unmistakable, along with the guy's killer fashion sense. Klavier smiled down at him kindly as he offered him a hand.
"I didn't scare you, did I?" he asked with a low chuckle to which Phoenix responded with an indignant pout.
"N-No! … I was just looking for my pen."
Klavier shot him a knowing smirk, "Perhaps Herr Wright needs to look for a better excuse?"
"Shut up!"
Phoenix took his hand and the blonde helped him to his feet. After dusting himself off, he observed the young prosecutor's attire and guitar strapped to his front with a curious frown. Strange, he remembered a teary-eyed Trucy bawling to him that the Gavinners had disbanded after that whole cocoon smuggling fiasco, so why did Prosecutor Gavin look like he was getting ready to – well, rock?
"Last time, you said you were quitting music to focus on prosecuting," said Phoenix with an accusatory frown. "Are you now quitting prosecuting to focus on your music?"
Klavier shook his head with a laugh.
"Herr Forehead would like that, ja? Nein, it's just a one-off thing. Tonight, we'll be putting on a special performance by request."
"We?"
Klavier turned and pointed at the stage, specifically at a certain blonde pianist at the keys. The kid removed his shades and waved at them enthusiastically. Phoenix found himself hesitantly waving back. Seriously, what's with all these familiar faces today?
"Herr Tobaye and I are just about done setting up. All that's left is one final sound-check and we're ready to rock!" He paused in strumming his invisible air-guitar to wink at a bemused Phoenix. "You're welcome to watch the show, Herr Wright. I'll even save you a special front row seat."
Phoenix raised his hands with a nervous laugh. "T-Thanks! I'll… uh… think about it."
Then he paused, recalling his current predicament. Wait a minute, he didn't need no cheesy online advice column to solve his problems – Prosecutor Gavin was right here. In front of him. Talking to him. This ex-rockstar had gazillions of fangirls (he still did, he bet) and Trucy herself used to refer to him as a prince… maybe he could offer some solid tips to help improve his nonexistent love life. Or at the very least, tell him what in the world he was doing wrong.
"Hey, Prosecutor Gavin? You're good with matters of the heart…"
Klavier's eyes twinkled in mischief. "Oh? Having trouble with a certain Fraulein, Herr Wright?"
Phoenix stuttered, "Well - Actually - "
"Or… a Herr, perhaps?"
It was spoken with a devilish smirk and a suggestive wink. Phoenix blushed and Klavier knew he struck gold. He ushered the older male to have a seat and slid right next to him. And then, without so much of a care for personal boundaries or normal standards of propriety, he casually wrapped an arm around Phoenix's shoulders and pulled the flustering ex-attorney towards him.
"First," he instructed, "you gaze deep into his eyes, so that you have all his attention and he has all of yours."
Klavier's alluring blue eyes shone mysteriously, sexily under the winter's light and Phoenix gulped as he desperately fought down his embarrassment. Woah… Prosecutor Gavin hadn't said anything romantic yet and it already felt so intense. If this was a scene in a drama, there would definitely be saxophones playing in the background, also candlelight.
'He really is an expert in love.'
"And then?" Phoenix breathed innocently with the slightest hint of excitement.
Klavier's gaze and tone turned sensual. "Then, you make contact – he held Phoenix's chin gently with his free hand – so that he can feel the electricity."
Those long, slender fingers upon his icy flesh radiated so much heat that Phoenix almost forgot the sting of frostbite. He had been shivering from the winter winds before, but not anymore. Now, it felt warm and he was starting to feel a little dizzy. It was the same fuzzy feeling he experienced whenever Apollo smiled at him or touched his hand. His eyelids began to droop from the pleasure, like he was under the younger man's spell. Klavier leaned in and Phoenix welcomed his warmth.
"Are you well, Herr Wright?" he breathed upon his lips.
"Y-Yeah…"
What were they talking about again? Ah, yes, Apollo. Apollo…
"What next, Prosecutor Gavin?"
Klavier smirked and with a thumb and forefinger, tilted Phoenix's chin to angle it appropriately to his own lips. There was an opportunistic glint in his eyes, which completely sailed clear over Phoenix's head.
"You lean in slowly…"
He closed the gap.
"Breathe upon his lips…"
He blew a teasing puff of smoke against full, parted pink lips and Phoenix let out a soft, involuntary moan.
"And then…"
His heart hammered in anticipation. "Yeah…?"
All of a sudden, Klavier jumped back and with his guitar in hand, struck a dramatic pose complete with the glare from a spotlight courtesy of Machi on stage.
"Achtung, baby! And then you whip out your instrument of love and profess your undying devotion in a passionate, fiery, heart-stopping serenade!"
He immediately began playing and the stadium practically rocked from the electric guitar's earth-shattering screeching of the opening notes of "Guilty Love". Phoenix covered his ears and fled as far away from the stadium as possible. It was heart-stopping, alright, but for a totally different reason.
'I'm deaf. I'm definitely deaf.'
Between Apollo's voice and Klavier's music, he didn't which one was worse. Phoenix stuck a finger in each ear, swiveled them around for a bit, before pulling them out. Argh, they were still ringing; he could barely make out the sounds of his own surroundings –
BANG!
'I stand corrected.'
Perhaps he had been too busy fleeing the guitar's general range of sound because he only just realised he was currently at the game booths – the shooting gallery to be more precise. Maybe this was as good an indication as any to be a good father and win some toys for Trucy. However, when he drew nearer, the sight of the very person standing there, toy rifle in hand, that telltale purple-and-pink striped sweater and her long wavy blue hair blowing in the wind, immediately made Phoenix choke.
"Vera?!"
She was the last person he thought he'd see. What the hell was Vera Misham doing here? What was she even doing outside her home? And was it him, or was everyone here today?
The young artist jumped at the sound of her name and turned wide, fearful eyes to the source of that yell, but upon noticing an awestruck, gaping Phoenix, she stopped to smile sweetly at him, almost relieved. She placed the toy gun on the counter. Phoenix stood before her and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. Right, Vera wasn't exactly a renown conversationalist; he supposed he ought to be the gentleman here.
"I'm sorry if I startled you. I didn't mean to."
She smiled again and shook her head in a pleasant gesture. At least she seemed like she was doing well, what with her father's passing and all. He returned her smile with a sincere one of his own.
"I'm glad you're here, Vera. That you're out of your home and enjoying yourself. Did you come alone? What are you doing here anyway?"
She turned to stare at something in the distance. Phoenix followed her gaze.
"Are you trying to win that prize?" He indicated at the giant white stuffed bunny with a red ribbon hanging at the far end of the shooting gallery. Vera nodded frantically, eyes shining.
"Wish I could win it for you, but I'm terrible at these games," he said with a sheepish laugh. "Sorry."
That smile remained as she shook her head again. He really wished she would talk. Things were getting awkward fast. He found his gaze returning to the white bunny and was immediately struck by how much it reminded him of a certain adorable, hot-blooded defense attorney whom he simply couldn't get out of his mind.
"Um… This is going to sound really weird and stupid, but I'm running low on ideas and I'm desperately trying to tell someone how I feel about them before the day's over – he stared at her pleadingly – you wouldn't happen to have any suggestions, would you?"
Vera blinked at him dumbly for a few seconds, before reaching for her sketch pad and began frantically sketching away. Phoenix waited patiently, but it didn't take her long to finish and when she was done, she turned the pad around to reveal a drawing of Apollo's twin signature hair spikes, an unassuming smile plastered across her face.
He blushed, stuttering, "Y-Yeah… that's him."
But how did she know?
She flipped the page and proceeded to draw something else; then, she showed it to him – it was a large heart. For some reason, Phoenix found himself staring at that heart a little longer than necessary. Love? Did he really love Apollo? All this while he considered the whole thing to be a simple crush. Though as the days went by, especially today, he was beginning to realize it wasn't that simple anymore – his feelings towards Apollo weren't that simple. Did he love his unwitting apprentice? Yes. He didn't know. Maybe.
"So… Any idea what he'd like? What I can give him?"
She sketched in his single loose strand of hair next to Apollo's spikes. Phoenix nodded. Vera began flipping through the pages and sketched upon them all like a mad woman. Her eyes shone with a blazing conviction he had never seen before and admittedly, it made him rather nervous. Was this what people referred to as 'artistic flow'?
Finally, she stopped and presented her masterpiece with a proud, dazzling smile that could light up the whole of Gatewater Land. As she bent the corners of her sketch pad and flipped through the pages, Phoenix realised to his utmost mortification, that it was a manga; and not just any manga, but a questionably M-rated one. It featured Apollo's twin hair spikes taking turns brutally penetrating his own helpless spike over and over. There were also lewd speech bubbles all over the pages. And the entire thing was animated.
Oh… My… God.
Phoenix fought to pry the sketch pad out of Vera's protesting hands, his face the reddest it had been all day.
Tossing the sketch pad into the nearest trash bin, Phoenix slumped onto a bench and buried his face in his hands miserably. Urgh, what was he going to do? The darkening skies reflected his mood and he was feeling increasingly less motivated. He pushed back his sleeve to check his watch – 9 pm: the day was almost over. At least it finally stopped snowing.
Just when he thought about giving up, he felt a presence loom over him and heard a voice he had been dying to hear all day. The newcomer chuckled.
"Either you tried sitting a roller coaster on your own, or you rowed a gondola and got seasick."
"Apollo?" Phoenix inclined his head to meet the teasing gaze of the young attorney. As always, he radiated a boyish charm that he found both attractive and incredibly endearing. "And where have you been? I've been trying to contact you all day! And where's Trucy?"
"Sorry, I was mostly... compromised – he offered a cup of hot cocoa – Here."
Phoenix blinked at the steaming drink in surprise. Even when preoccupied he thought about me? He accepted the paper cup gratefully; it warmed his hands and he took a tentative sip. Thankfully, the light blush on his cheeks could be easily excused for pleasure from the cocoa's heat. Apollo took a seat next to him and sipped from his own cup.
"Oh, Trucy's in the restroom by the way. She's been in there for a while."
"Is she ok?"
"Too many thrill rides and way too much cotton candy."
"Ah."
A comfortable silence lapsed between them and they sat with their knees just barely touching each other. The streetlamps and park lights were already lit; festive music sailed through the air from the theme park's various speakers and they could see the ferris wheel in the distance. The scene was enchanting, the mood heart-warming and it reminded Phoenix of the recent Christmas celebration they shared in the office. It was his and Trucy's first Christmas with Apollo and despite the few hiccups along the way like the oven exploding, the tree catching fire and Apollo's very own set of specially ordered magic boxers getting lost in the mail (he was honestly ok with not receiving any presents this year), Trucy had proclaimed it was the best Christmas ever and he couldn't agree more. Having Apollo around always made any celebration all the more magical, like it was complete; like it was where he should be.
"Say, Apollo," he began all of a sudden, "you should consider staying on in the 'Wright Talent Agency'."
Apollo shot him a bemused stare. "What are you talking about? I'm already working there, aren't I?"
"No, I mean more like… family."
"Family?" he echoed in honest surprise, before averting his eyes in embarrassment. If this was another one of his boss' teasings, he'd honestly sock him. "Are you serious? Do you really think… that is… I never had… I mean – he met Phoenix's kind gaze – really, sir?"
"I do."
Apollo smiled; his eyes were shining. He turned to fully face Phoenix himself, nursing his drink in his hands. In all honesty, he'd wanted the same thing too, but asking would've been presumptuous, not to mention incredibly embarrassing. And knowing his boss, he'd probably store that information for future blackmailing purposes. Phoenix was annoying that way.
"So, do I start calling you 'dad' now?"
"Please don't."
He laughed. "Fine, fine…" Then a sudden thought occurred to him. "You know, I never sat a single calm ride all day."
"And I never sat a single ride all day," Phoenix countered a tad glumly to which Apollo stared in shock.
"Seriously?" He paused in consideration. "Well… you love those gondolas, right? Since I'm free now, we could sit it together. I can even row for the both of us, Mr. Wright! What do you say?"
Phoenix smiled beautifully at Apollo's enthusiasm. "I'd like that."
"Then it's a date!"
That particular expression caused him to choke on his drink. If only his apprentice wasn't so dense. Phoenix placed his drink aside and turned to face Apollo's expectant stare. He figured now was as good a time as any to come clean with his feelings, but his hands were shaking again.
"Apollo, there's been something I've been meaning to say to you. For almost a year now."
"Oh right. You were going to tell me something before Trucy dragged me off." He folded his arms and flashed his boss a wide, unsuspecting grin. It was bright and eager, and it filled Phoenix's heart with a sense of dread.
"So, what is it?"
Phoenix opened his mouth, but to his horror, no sound came out. No, not again. Panic quickly seeped into his features and it didn't go unnoticed by Apollo, who regarded him with trepidation.
"Mr. Wright?"
Now or never, Phoenix.
"Apollo, I… I…" He felt like he was going to faint. "I - !"
"Mr. Wright, are you ok? You're all red and you're hyperventilating…" Apollo placed a comforting hand on his shoulder while the other flew to his chest. "Your heart's racing like crazy! I'm calling the park medics-"
"No!" His hand shot out and grasped Apollo's shoulder to hold him in place. "I'm fine… I can do this."
"That's the spirit, sir! You're fine, and I'll be fine. I can handle anything! Just let the truth out!"
Goodness, if only Apollo knew what he was saying. Well, here went everything.
"Apollo, the thing is – I really like y-"
Brrrrrrring!
OH FOR THE LOVE OF –
Apollo accepted the call and raised his cell phone to his ear.
"Hello, this is Justice! … Alright, I'll be right over. Just don't touch anything until I'm – ok... OK… Bye."
He hung up and gazed at Phoenix apologetically.
"Sorry, Mr. Wright, but we're going to have to take a rain check on that boat ride."
"Who was it?" asked Phoenix, but in all honesty he didn't really care. He was simply keeping up with appearances because he knew if he didn't at least try to be polite, he'd explode and quite possibly take the whole theme park along with him.
"Let's just say there's been some... technical difficulties."
What, did Apollo and/or Trucy break some of the rides? If so, he sincerely hoped neither of them tagged him by association.
"Mr. Wright, I…"
Phoenix sighed, "Go. I'll wait."
Apollo flashed him a grateful smile. "Thanks! I'll be right back. I promise." Then he added as an afterthought, "Don't go anywhere."
Shooting his idol one last apologetic stare, he took off, leaving Phoenix alone to wallow in his self-pity once more. However, he tried to be a little positive this time: Apollo did say he'd be back; he just had to wait a little bit longer. And maybe he could try again later. He pictured that boat ride with Apollo in his mind: just the two of them in a single gondola out on the open waters, far away from land – alone, undisturbed, romantic, void of distractions, maybe sharing a kiss or two – and smiled dreamily to himself. Yeah, it'll all be worth it in the end.
Just then, he felt his cell phone vibrate and he fished it out of his coat pocket. It was a text from Trucy and he opened it.
'Daddy… can you come pick me up? I don't feel so good and I wanna go home…'
Upon reading that message, Phoenix felt two things: concern and disappointment. Concerned obviously because she was his daughter and his protective, fatherly instincts kicked into overdrive and screamed at him to freakin' carry her home immediately. Fuck the ferry timings; he'd drive it himself if he had to. But also disappointed because that would mean giving up his date with Apollo and blowing his chances of confessing his feelings by the end of this evening and by extension, by the end of this year.
The final decision was a no-brainer really.
Phoenix: Ok, sweetie, just hang in there. When we get home, I'll make you some hot chicken stew.
Trucy: Yay! You're the best daddy!
Phoenix: Haha! Ok, where do I come rescue you?
Trucy: At the entrance by the lake.
He took off like lightning and left his cup of hot cocoa unfinished.
'Where are you?'
That was probably the 7th message he sent her and still he received no reply. He had reached the entrance at record time and wandered up and down along the giant lake for the past two hours. At first, he thought he would wait and give Trucy some time to make her way here, considering she was ill and all. However, when minutes dragged into hours, he got worried. That was when he alternated between messaging and calling, but whenever he got through, the line would immediately cut before it could even ring. Then, he really panicked.
What if something bad happened to her? Did she faint somewhere? Maybe her phone was just acting up… or maybe she got kidnapped and her kidnapper had her phone on them!? It was just like that time with Maya. Was it Shelly de Killer? Phoenix suddenly remembered that Ema was on duty at the vicinity and immediately freaked.
"P-Police. Need to call the police."
But he received a reply before he could do just that.
'I'm here.'
Phoenix instantly felt himself deflate in relief.
Phoenix: Thank goodness! You had me so worried! Why didn't you answer my messages or pick up my calls? What took you so long?! 2 hours?!
Trucy: Hehe! Sorry, daddy, I got a little distracted…
Phoenix: You could have told me! I rushed over, you know?
Trucy: So, you didn't wait like you were told?
Phoenix paused abruptly, frowning at Trucy's latest reply. Well that was the strangest thing he read all day. He shook his head and quickly typed his response.
Phoenix: What are you… never mind. Not important. Where are you now?
Trucy: Turn around.
Phoenix did just that and was overcome with immense surprise and confusion when it was one Apollo Justice he met instead of his daughter.
"Surprise!"
"Ehhhh?!"
He looked at his phone, at Apollo's smug and amused smirk, then back to his phone. He even checked his contacts in case he messed up Apollo and Trucy's numbers. He looked so hopelessly lost, Apollo could practically see a thousand and one question marks flying around his head. And then, when all else failed to make sense, Phoenix went with the most logical conclusion his poor, tired brain could fathom at a time like this.
"Ah, I get it, you got to her first. Ok, ok… so where is she? Is she alright?"
"There was never a Trucy, Mr. Wright," said Apollo mysteriously as he flashed said girl's sky blue cell phone with a little Mr. Hat key-chain dangling off it. He pocketed the phone and approached his idol.
"And you were right about one thing," he continued, stopping in front of Phoenix with a smirk, "calling you 'dad', or rather, daddy, is just plain weird."
Phoenix was too stunned to speak. But did that mean – What did it – About that – And then that – Huh?
Taking pity on the poor, confused older male, Apollo decided to be less cryptic. He reached out and held Phoenix's mitten-clad hands with his own gloved ones, tenderly, affectionately and Phoenix blushed behind his muffler. He could do it now. His own crush was practically gifting him this opportunity and he had screwed up so many times, failing now would probably give him the best indication to drop everything and give up on this silly plan for good.
"Um… Apollo? I… I…"
He hated himself. It wasn't very manly, but he honestly felt like curling into a ball and crying. It was always like this. Whenever he thought he could actually say it, he got tongue-tied and ended up painfully mute. But he refused to give up now. He loved Apollo so much, he couldn't.
"I… I really…"
He felt a finger against his lips. Apollo was smiling at him, his lips sexy and inviting and his eyes warm and full of love. He let out a low chuckle.
"I know," he murmured and withdrew his finger, never once taking his knowing eyes off Phoenix. "It's almost midnight. Count down with me, would you?"
Phoenix's eyes darted to the theme park's clock tower in the distance. It was 11.59 pm and the second hand was rapidly ticking away. When he returned his curious gaze to Apollo, the latter's eyes simply screamed 'Trust me!' and Phoenix found himself giving in to both Apollo and his mounting curiosity.
"Uh… O-Ok… 10."
"9," Apollo followed after him.
"8."
"7."
"6."
"5 – Apollo pressed a button on his cell phone and raised it to his ear – keep counting, Mr. Wright."
Phoenix stammered, "4…"
"Hey, it's Justice."
"3."
"I just want to thank you guys for everything."
"2."
"Alright, team…"
"1."
"Now!"
The clock chimed 12 and on cue, an enchanting piano and guitar serenade played through the theme park speakers. The melody carried through the wintry air, soft, gentle and beautiful like silk, and if Phoenix were to close his eyes, he could have easily pictured snow dancing around them. Apollo cupped his ear and whispered into it, and Phoenix automatically leaned in with innocent interest.
"Look up."
He inclined his head and no sooner than he did that, a brilliant display of fireworks exploded across the midnight sky in bursts of color. Some looked like shooting stars, others soared like rockets. The fireworks went off according to the tune and timing of the live music and Phoenix was taken by the sheer beauty of the performance and moment. It was wonderful, so amazingly wonderful he was speechless. And just then, forged out of the sparks, an image of two sets of very familiar hair spikes appeared, followed by a sequence of red fireworks that shot into the air to surround them in the shape of a large heart. Phoenix felt tears gather in his eyes and covered his mouth with his hand to stifle his surprise. He understood perfectly.
"Do you like it?" said Apollo with a gentle voice.
"H-How?" Was all he managed.
"Honestly, when you saw my calendar this morning, I got worried," Apollo replied a tad guiltily. "That's why I tried to distract you – I didn't want you to turn my efforts around and ruin your own surprise."
He planned all this from the start.
"Well, I'm surprised, alright."
Apollo nervously took his idol's free hand between his own. It tickled Phoenix to note that the kid's face was glowing redder than a hot iron poker.
"M-Mr. Wright, I like you."
Phoenix's heart pounded a tattoo against his chest and he felt his world stop.
What?
"I've always liked you. And as crazy as this might sound, I liked you before I even met you…"
All this time…
"I just have one thing to ask you though."
When a blushing and emotional Phoenix blinked at him curiously, Apollo indicated at the fireworks display. As if on cue, the words 'Will you go out with me?' appeared in brilliant sparks and Phoenix shook. Oh my God. He sniffed and blinked back his tears. He knew he ought to feel embarrassed, what with the display plastered vividly across the sky for all park-goers to see, but strangely, he didn't – or rather, the surreality of the moment prevented him from doing so.
'All this… just to tell me he likes me?'
His tears fell like stars, soaking the mitten-clad hand which was still pressed over his mouth. Over a dozen things raced through his mind; he couldn't find the right words to express his joy, so he simply smiled and settled for nodding his head fervently instead. The look on Apollo's face resembled a child's on Christmas morning.
"R-Really?! I'm glad, sir!"
"Shh! Apollo, not so loud… and I told you not to call me 'sir'."
"Sorry."
All around them, couples, friends and families alike stopped to admire the magical spectacle, but in Phoenix's world, only Apollo existed and nothing else. He moved to lean against the railings, watching as the waters below reflected the fireworks in the sky, creating a dual, almost seamless masterpiece. Absently, he realised it would normally snow all night and was touched that Apollo took special precautions to check and ensure it wouldn't at this particular time.
"You planned all of this?" he asked.
"Yeah… It blew a massive hole in my bank account – Apollo flashed him an endearing smile – but it was worth it."
"Apollo…"
What could he say? The kid really went all out with a bang. He was touched and hopelessly smitten.
"I called in a few favors," Apollo continued proudly, "old clients; friends. People who want us to be happy."
"Like Ema?"
"Argh, don't remind me," he began his rampage. "For a detective, she almost gave it all away! Also, you wouldn't believe how difficult it is to get a permit from the police to light up a bunch of fireworks. Thankfully, the Kitakis offered to help 'speed up' the process – don't worry, it's all legal. And Trucy misplaced her magic panties halfway into the day and we almost didn't have any fireworks. And Vera claimed she needed more practice with the images, so I had to order more. Plus, I had to fly Machi all the way from Borginia and that cost a friggin' bomb. And Prosecutor Gavin was so - "
Unable to help himself, Phoenix leaned in to place chaste kiss on Apollo's cheek. The latter's eyes widened comically, blushing, and Phoenix giggled.
"Thank you."
It was spoken with so much love and honesty, it drew forth a dreamy smile from Apollo. He held onto Phoenix's hand tighter and the older squeezed his back.
"Oh yeah! I got this for you," Apollo suddenly remembered, thrusting said object into Phoenix's hands.
"It's a… plant," he observed lamely.
"Yeah! I got it just before we got on the ferry. You love houseplants, right? I noted it down in the Journal of Justice!"
Apollo looked so pleased with himself, Phoenix didn't have the heart to turn his gift down. Or tell him the truth that he had only said he was interested in plants because he didn't want Apollo to find out he was actually reading girly romance articles. Nevertheless, it was a sweet gesture.
"Thanks. It's nice to know that Charlie finally has a friend," said Phoenix with a sentimental smile. "So, what does he look like to you?"
"Hmm… I'd say a 'Cornelius'."
"Really?" He laughed. "Ok, Cornelius it is! Let's look after them together."
"Alright."
As they watched the fireworks go off together, Phoenix was overcome with a sudden conviction. Truth be told, it had been on his mind for a while now. All he needed was the right push.
And now, he had it.
"Hey, Apollo, I was thinking of renaming the place. How does the 'Wright Anything Agency' sound?"
"Sir…?"
Phoenix turned to regard his crush-turned-boyfriend with a mysterious smirk.
"I've been studying in my free time. Thinking of re-taking that bar exam…"
Apollo's heart skipped a beat. 'Wait a minute, is he saying what I think he's saying?'
"I think… I think I'm ready to practice law again – I'm not afraid anymore. And when I get my badge back, we could run the agency together – as partners." With shy yet hopeful eyes, Phoenix lowered his voice into a tentative whisper, "Wait for me?"
OH, HELL YES.
As the music and fireworks reached its grand finale above their heads, Apollo shot his idol a dazzling grin, one that was beautifully returned. Yes – it was definitely going to be an amazing year ahead. They could both feel it.
"Happy New Year, Mr. Wright."
"Happy New Year, Apollo."
Apollo grabbed his boss by his muffler and gently pulled him in for a soft kiss. When he felt Phoenix respond eagerly in kind, he smiled against his lips. He couldn't wait for his Comeback King.
Author's note:
Something fluffy to kick-start the new year. I went with something sentimental by featuring AJ:AA characters to show how much time has passed. New Years' is a time of reflection and cherishing what you have, so I tried to portray that. Also, if Apollo really went about confessing his love to Phoenix, this is how I imagined it.
For those interested, the playlist for this one shot collection is available for listening on my profile!