"Just come out and say it Apollo."
"The truth is I really like you Athena. I've...had feelings for you for months. I just...thought I had lost my chance after I accused you for murder."
"Yes...that was a bit awkward, but I was never mad. Like I told you after that trial. I was moved that you wanted to trust me so bad. And you were hurting."
"And...you?"
"I've had a crush on you since the first time I met you, Apollo Justice. Well, after you managed to get from under the cop I threw at you." She laughed softly.
"You...you really mean that? I mean I'm..."
"Just kiss me already, Pollo"
"O-Okay..." He licked his lips moving in slowly.
"When you stole away the keys, my heart held on to so tight."
"...why are you singing the Guitar's Serenade?"
Apollo groaned rolling over to grab his phone off the nightstand. "Hello."
"Pollo! What took you so long to answer the phone? And why do you sound so tired?"
It took a few moments for the voice to register in his head. "Athena?" He quickly sat up in bed running his hand through his messy, drooping hair. "Hey, what's up?"
"You sound like you're still in bed! I've been awake for almost two hours."
"Well normally I try not to be productive on Saturday..."
Athena let out an exaggerated sigh into his ear. "Well, we'll be there in half an hour so make sure that you're ready. Even though I have always wondered what your hair looks like in the morning."
Apollo could feel his cheeks heating up. "I've gotta go, see you soon." He hung up before giving her a chance to respond and quickly got out of bed. Or at least he attempted to. It would have been much easier had he not been tangled in the sheets. After a five minute battle, he managed to free himself by tumbling out of bed. The last thing he wanted was the girl he had a crush on to see what he looked like in the morning.
With a quick shower out of the way, he got dressed and got to work fixing his hair. He had just finished getting his two signature spikes to stand up when his doorbell rang.
This is it. You're going to have a nice day with Athena and tell her how you feel without having any time to second guess yourself. I'm Apollo Justice and I'm fine!
He grabbed his jacket off the wall and opened the door.
"Guten Tag, Herr Forehead." Klavier grinned, brushing his bangs out of his face, giving him a wink.
Apollo blinked. "Klavier?"
"Glad to see you are finally awake. Must have been up all night trading texts with the fraulein?" He smirked nudging him. "Achtung! Let's go already. Herr Jailbird isn't very patient I'm afraid."
As he was being pulling out of his apartment but the slightly aggressive German prosecutor, he managed to rewind what Athena said on the phone. I was so busy worrying about her seeing my bed hair that I didn't focus on the word "we"
"Hey Apollo, Klavier insisted on going up to get you."
Klavier grinned. "Ach, I'm busted. I wanted to be the first one to see how Forehead looks in the morning."
Apollo shook his head shoving Klavier away from him. "You freak." He turned back to Athena. "You didn't mention other people...or what exactly we were doing when we were texting last night."
Athena tugged playfully on her ponytail. "Yeah, I know. It's just we already had plans when I got your message and thought it would be fun. Is that okay?"
He wasn't as excited as he had been when he woke up. A day with Blackquill and Klavier definitely sounded like more work than fun but it wasn't as if he could avoid Simon forever. If anything ever did happen with Athena, something told him Simon and that bird would never be very far away.
"No, no. It's fine. We can all hang out together."
She squealed, pulling him into the backseat of Klavier's car. "Yay! I knew you wouldn't mind. We're going car shopping with Simon. You uh...may want to put your seatbelt on ASAP."
He gave her a nervous look as he quickly strapped himself in. "Why?"
Klavier slid into the front passenger seat. "Because it's been awhile since Herr Jailbird has operated a vehicle and the fraulein is a tad bit nervous."
"Wait...you mean he hasn't driven in seven years!? Didn't he have to retake the driving test or something?"
"Lucky for him, he had an eight year license so he got out of prison right before it was about to expire, all he had to do was repay the fee and take a new picture."
Simon snorted. "These things haven't changed much; it's like riding a bike. You don't forget it."
Apollo looked over at Athena who gave him a weak smiled and shrugged, gripping tighter onto her seatbelt.
"This is the life ja, Herr Jailbird? It's like we're taking our kids to soccer practice." He smirked making a gesture to the backseat.
Athena rolled her eyes. "Oh shut up, Klav!"
While the two bickered back and forth throughout the remainder of the ride, Apollo lost himself in his own thoughts. I can't tell Athena that I like her now, not with Klavier and Simon here. But this doesn't have to be a complete loss. Now I can see for myself if there's anything going on between the two of them.
"SILENCE! Enough of your bickering. We've arrived at our destination." Simon growled.
Athena got out of the car tugging Apollo by the arm nearly choking him with the seatbelt. "A-TH-EN...A"
"Oops, sorry Pollo. Hurry up and come with me to look at all the cars!"
Apollo groaned rubbing his neck as he got out of the car looking around the lot. "These are some really...flashy cars."
"You're not kidding. Some of these cars cost more than we'll probably make all year Pollo."
"Ach, the life of a defense attorney is rough." Klavier smiled teasing the front of his hair a bit.
"Hmph, rockstar-dono is the one who picked out this place."
"Because a rock star prosecutor deserves a rock star ride, ja? Besides, it'll put that severance pay they gave you for your wrongful conviction to good use. Now, let's go Herr Jailbird, these defense attorney's will be no use to us here, they can't drive."
Simon raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? Athena is just barely legal enough, but what is your excuse Justice-dono."
Apollo rubbed the back of his neck. "Oh well...money is pretty tight at the agency and I like riding my bike to work, its good exercise!"
"That's right! Health and fitness is how we do it at the Wright Anything Agency. I bet Apollo would get up with me at six in the morning for my weekend runs, right?"
"Oh, well..."
"Taka accompanies you. You do not need me there as well."
"ACHTUNG! Enough of that. The melodies of those magnificent engines are calling to us. Might I suggest you go German?"
Athena rolled her eyes as she watched them walk away. "Ugh, such jerks! I'm starting to think it's something they serve down at the prosecutor's office." She turned and smiled to him. "Don't worry about them. I like that you bike to work."
Apollo blinked as he felt his face heating up. "Haha, it's nothing really. It helps me clear my head and as long as it's not snowing, it's not too bad."
"Don't worry, if the weather is ever bad, I'll just force Simon to drive us both to work."
He smiled a bit and slid his hands into his sweater pockets. Klavier and Simon were all the way on the other side of the lot. Maybe now would be a good time to tell her. It's not really how I envisioned it but we're alone at least. "Um, Athena? There's something I wanted to ask you..."
"What is it Apollo?"
"W-well, I just wanted to say that you've been a really great friend to me and I really needed that after everything that happened last year. I guess what I'm trying to say is I l-"
"Wait, do you hear something?"
He raised an eyebrow at her. "Huh? No I don't hear anything?"
Athena frowned a bit. "That's strange. I could have sworn I heard something. It sounded familiar too. Oh well, back to what you were saying?"
"Okay. Athena, I really like..."
"You seriously don't hear that screeching? It sorta sounds like..."
"What scree..." Just then Apollo felt something slam into his head. "AHH WHAT IS IT?!"
"It's Taka!" Athena smiled reaching up to pet the bird. "Hey Taka, did you come looking for Simon?"
"I'm glad he's here and all but do you think you could please get him off my head?!" Taka screeched tugging on the two pieces of Apollo's hair. "Hey! Knock it off."
"Stay still so I can get him off." She ordered, holding her arm out for Taka to perch on. "That's just his way of showing you that he likes you."
"By sinking his claws into my scalp? I don't think I want to be shown that kind of love. He actually let's you hold him? How much time do you spend with Prosecutor Blackquill?"
"Oh, well...I see him often outside of work. Speaking of Simon, he'll probably be happy to see you here. Let's go find him and Klavier."
Apollo frowned a bit as his bracelet tinged on his arm a bit. Seemed like there was more to that response than Athena let on but it was probably best to not bring it up now. He followed her over to where the prosecutors were, though with Taka keeping an eye on him, made sure to keep a reasonable distance.
"Your taste in transportation is hideous." Simon mumbled.
"But if you get a convertible, Herr Feathers can perch onto the passenger seat and ride with you." Klavier suggested.
"Hmmm...No, no that is ridiculous!" He scoffed shaking his head.
Athena straightened Taka's scarf before letting him fly over to Simon's shoulder. "Maybe Taka can help you pick something."
"You can't be serious..." Apollo mumbled looking at her.
"Fraulein, are you implying a hawk is more helpful than I am?"
"Yes!" The three of them answered in unison.
"Hmph. My heart, you all hurt it very much. Maybe you are just too picky for your own good."
"Look at this one, Simon! It just screams dark and brooding prosecutor." She grinned tugging him by the arm.
"Must you drag? You could simply point out the direction you wish to take me in..."
Klavier smirked sliding over next to Apollo throwing his arm around him. "Just the two of us again mein Forehead."
Apollo blushed pushing him away. "Ugh, I wish you'd stop doing that."
"That's no fun for me though. How are things going with your crush?"
He rubbed the back of his neck, sighing. "Let's just say there was a minor interruption. I didn't get a chance to tell her yet."
"Well you better hurry up. Love waits for no man, not even myself."
He glanced back over at Athena and Simon who were trying out a black car while Taka sat on the hood. "Can I ask you something? Do you think something is going on between those two?"
Klavier raised an eyebrow. "Something like what?"
"You know...something romantic."
He looked at him. "Well...wait." He gasped. "You mean your crush is..."
Apollo sighed. "Yeah, it's Athena. I was just wondering if you had heard anything. Not that I believe rumors or anything!"
Klavier bit his lip. Now this would be a problem. On the one hand Apollo was his friend and he always thought him and Athena were cute together since first seeing the pair back at Themis Academy. However, he spent the past few months helping Simon keep tabs on anyone that showed any type of romantic interest in Athena. If he somehow encouraged Apollo and Blackquill found out, surely he'd be hawk dinner.
"I don't think you have anything to worry about. They're close, ja but in a much more sibling way. Like you and Fraulein Trucy."
"Apollo, Klavier! You have to come over and see this car, it's amazing!" Athena yelled, hanging out of the sunroof waving at them.
Klavier chuckled as the pair made their way over to the car. "She's beautiful and sleek. I should have guessed you would go for black."
Simon smirked. "Some of us don't like to stick out like hideous purple plums."
"Well time to go pay for this baby. Klavier should go inside with you, Simon. There's a chance he could get you a discount because he's a famous rock star."
Apollo groaned as Klavier grinned running his fingers through his bangs. "At least someone properly appreciates my fame. Something tells me that Herr Forehead will be very useful in the negotiation process however, so let's all go close this deal."
