Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It wasn’t until the plane touched down that Apollo Justice finally relinquished his death grip on the armrests on either side of him, fingers numb with the exertion. He felt the plane lurching to a stop, his entire body pitching forward with the inertia of the giant death machine as he let out a shaky breath.

“You alright, Apollo?” Athena asked him for the twentieth time as the plane started to taxi toward the gate. “I think I still have some gum left over.”

“I don’t need any gum,” Apollo snapped, before a face leaned into the gap between them.

“Ach, if that is a general offer, I wouldn’t mind a piece, Fräulein.”

“Sure thing, Prosecutor Gavin!” She tossed him a piece and he caught it easily, flashed her a trademarked smile before glancing back toward Apollo.

“Feeling better, Herr Forehead?” he asked. “If you’re still scared I could hold your hand until we disembark.”

“Ha ha,” Apollo muttered, glaring daggers. “I think I’ll be fine, Prosecutor Gavin.”

He gave another grin, before disappearing back to his seat. Athena giggled, though she quickly put on a straight face as the glare turned on her. 

“Something funny?” he asked.

“Not at all!” Athena replied, reaching down to grab her carry on.

He sighed, leaning his head back. “I knew this was a bad idea…”

“A vacation?” Apollo asked.

“Yeah! You know what a vacation is, right Polly?”

“Of course I know what a vacation is,” he snapped, as Trucy made herself comfortable on the couch.

“Well, it’s been kinda crazy recently, so daddy and Mr. Edgeworth were talking about a trip anyway,” she explained. “And then we found this nice condo place with a bunch of rooms and we thought, hey! If we brought along everybody, it would be way cheaper, you know?”

“Ah, I get it, I’m saving you guys money,” he said, crossing his arms. “And here I thought you were being nice.”

“Come on, Polly, when is the last time you took a break?” Trucy asked. “And when are you going to get another opportunity like this? A beach vacation? A pool? It’s not like you could afford this place without splitting the cost.” She looked at him expectantly, smiling wide. And he knew in his heart that this was already a lost battle.

“I’ll...think about it,” he said in defeat, feeling his hair wilt.

“Yay! I’ll tell daddy you’re in!” She said.

“Wh—Hey—!”

“Oh, and there might be enough room for you to invite one friend if you want. So let me know who you’re going to invite.”

“Jeez, what kind of place are you getting?” Apollo said. “I already said I was a maybe, alright?”

“Well, then, Mr. Maybe, start making a list of friends you’d want to invite,” she retorted, hopping up. “I’ll give you all the details later!” And she skipped off with a twirl of her cape.

Apollo sat there for a moment, suddenly feeling a cold pit in his stomach. “Right...friends…”

The plane pulled to a stop, and the lights overhead flicked on. As it did, Simon Blackquill’s head shot up with a grunt, elbowing Athena off her other armrest. He blinked a few times, looking disoriented. “Have we arrived?”

“Yup!” Athena said. “Only seven hours later.”

“Only seven?” Apollo asked. “We were at the airport for two hours. The drive to the airport was at least another hour. I’ve been up since five in the morning.” He rubbed his face. “I am going to be so jet lagged.”

“Our luggage will be at carousel 8,” Miles Edgeworth announced from somewhere to the group’s left. Apollo tried to look over, but Blackquill chose that moment to stand, almost smashing his head into the ceiling and cursing quietly under his breath. “We can discuss our plans further once all of our belongings have been accounted for.”

“Sounds good, Herr Edgeworth,” Klavier replied, also having to duck a bit as he climbed to his feet.

Apollo looked up at him, smirking a bit. “So how was flying coach for once, Prosecutor Gavin?”

“Ach, I’d forgotten that regular seats are three to a row,” he said with a smile, flipping his bangs. “Not that I can complain with meeting some new faces every now and then.”

Apollo’s smirk fell to a scowl as he glanced toward the two starstruck young women sitting besides him. Klavier laughed, leaning in. “I promised an autograph if they let me keep a low profile.”

“Of course you did,” Apollo muttered, rolling his eyes as he grabbed his backpack and slung it over his shoulder.

Klavier had been Trucy’s idea. Most of her friends had been busy, and so had Apollo’s (or at least that was his excuse). The point was, she’d offered a spot to Klavier. “Since he’s both our friends, we can share him!”

“I’m not his friend!” Apollo had protested, but once again, it had fallen on deaf ears. And now here he was, stuck on a trip he barely wanted to go on with Trucy, his two coworkers, and several prosecutors that hated his guts.

He made his way into the aisle, ignoring Klavier as he helped the two girls pull their bags down from the overhead bin. “Ach, Herr Forehead, do you need any help getting your bag down?”

Apollo gritted his teeth a second, shoving forward to get past the Wrights to give him a decent buffer between him and Klavier. As Mr. Wright’s suitcase dropped to the floor behind him, Apollo took a deep breath.

I’m not going to let Klavier Gavin ruin my vacation, he told himself, readjusting his backpack as the crowd began inching forward to freedom. I’ll show him. I’ll find a way to one-up him, just you wait…

///

The carousel jerked to a crawl as Phoenix stumbled his way over, yawning as he flopped against a large pillar. He cracked his neck as the first of the suitcases began to appear, moving down the conveyor belt.

He watched as the suitcases passed by, trying to remember what all the suitcases looked like. He saw a Gavinner’s logo passing by, and almost went for it before a young girl jogged over and grabbed it. He sighed, leaning his head back again.

“Ah, Herr Wright.”

Speak of the devil. He looked over at Klavier, who had finally made his way over. “Prosecutor Gavin,” he greeted. “Haven’t seen your suitcase yet.”

“Ah, yes, I suppose that’s good,” Klavier replied. He looked just as put together as ever for someone who had been traveling for 8+ hours, though definitely toned down for Klavier Gavin. “I was hoping to speak to Herr Edgeworth, did you see which way he went?”

“He’s over renting a car,” Phoenix replied, motioning back a ways. “Trucy should be with him if you need a landmark.”

Klavier chuckled. “I suppose that will make it easier,” he said, pulling out his phone. “Though if he’s getting the car now I suppose it makes enough sense to just order our ride now, ja?”

“Probably,” Phoenix agreed, as a family passed by arguing.

“They were inside a plane!” the woman was shouting. “How did this even happen?”

“Relax, honey, it’s only the things in the outer pocket that got wet.”

Phoenix sat up, feeling his stomach sinking. Wet? The suitcases? “Oh no.”

“Hmm?” Klavier looked over, as Phoenix started toward the carousel. “Is there something the matter, Herr Wright?”

Suitcase. Suitcase. Where is…? He started walking against the current, scanning for his suitcase, squeezing past a couple of college kids and an older woman, until—

“There!” Phoenix dove forward, grabbing at his suitcase and pulling it from the conveyor belt, quickly patting the fabric.

Wet. The suitcase was damp to the touch. Soaked, almost. He cursed quietly, scrambling for his front pocket. He grabbed the hat inside, unfurling it. Please be alright, please be alright, please be alright…

The velvet box inside was dry. He ran his hand over it quickly, trying to find any sign of discoloration, before letting out a breath. Safe. Thank god. What would he have done if he needed another box…?

“...Is everything alright, Herr Wright—?”

“ACK!” Phoenix jumped, almost flinging the box before he shoved it into his pocket. “What—What—What are you talking about, everything is fine here,” he stammered, heart racing as Klavier blinked at him.

“Nothing important is ruined, is it?”

“No, no, everything is fine,” he said, sure he was sweating. “Ah, but, uh, could you help me find the other suitcases? I think that one is Trucy’s.”

“Ja, of course!” And Klavier turned, jogging off to grab the sparkly suitcase going around the corner.

Phoenix let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding. He reached into his pocket, running his thumb over the small velvet box one more time. As long as that was safe… 

“So what do you think?” Phoenix asked Trucy as Edgeworth pulled into the parking lot.

“It’s bigger than I thought it’d be,” Trucy said, nose pressed to the window. “And look at those flowers!” She looked back over at him. “Do you know where the pool is?”

“I believe it’s ocean-side,” Edgeworth answered, pulling into a spot. “Look, you can see it through that passage.”

“Oooo, you’re right, there it is. Oh! And look, there’s everyone else!” Trucy pushed the door open as the car shut off, jogging over toward the others.

Phoenix smiled as he got up, glancing back at Edgeworth. “Thanks for this, by the way, I don’t know if I said that already.”

Edgeworth snorted. “You say that as if I’m doing this solely for your sake. I can think of a few people who will enjoy this break from all their hard work.”

Phoenix raised an eyebrow as Edgeworth grabbed at a suitcase full almost entirely of work Edgeworth was guaranteed to be buried in by tomorrow. “You’re right, my mistake, you’re doing this all for Trucy.”

“T-That…” Edgeworth looked embarrassed for a moment, before clearing his throat. “Don’t twist my words, Wright.”

“Well, I for one plan on enjoying our first family vacation,” Phoenix said, grabbing his and Trucy’s suitcases, and Edgeworth paused.

“Family vacation, huh…” he repeated, a small smile at the corners of his mouth. “Yes, I suppose so.”

Phoenix’s heart leapt a moment. He stared at Edgeworth, mind slowing to a halt, trying to think of a response. Before he could though, he was interrupted by a “Hey! Mr. Wright! The keys!”

Phoenix turned, tossing the keys. They bounced off of Apollo’s head, and Athena grabbed them out of the air and started jogging towards a set of stairs. 

“Ow, hey!”

“Fourth floor!” Phoenix called to her as the others started after her, lugging their suitcases. And he took a breath. Day one. All he had to do was make sure this week went perfectly. How hard could that be…?

“Mr. Wright?”

“Hmm?” Phoenix looked up as he pulled off his shoes, to find a nervous Athena and the angriest Apollo he’d seen in a long time standing in the entranceway of the condo. “Yeah?”

“How many rooms did you say this place had?”

“......uh oh…….”

Chapter Text

“Are you sure? Maybe there’s a door in that laundry room that we’re not seeing—”

“Mr. Wright,” Athena interrupted, “I have checked multiple times. We have three bedrooms. Total. No secret rooms, no hidden trap doors. Three rooms.”

“W-Well—”

“Doubles?! Doubles?! Are you kidding me?!” Apollo’s voice rang sharply out as he passed through the bedrooms again.

Athena winced. “Oh, yeah, and that too,” she said.

“That—This can’t be right,” Phoenix said. “It was supposed to be four rooms. And at least five beds—”

“Well, you might want to redo the math on that, Mr. Wright,” Apollo snapped, crossing the room back to the master bedroom.

It was a nice condo. Tiled floor, a section of the wall that was mostly mirror. A large screen television across from a set of couches. A small kitchen and smaller dining room table. It was the perfect little getaway, a home away from home.

Perfect. Except for one little miscalculation.

The sound of a glass door opening. Edgeworth stepped inside from the small balcony, flipping his phone closed and sighing. “Well, I suppose I could start with the good news, if you all would prefer.”

Athena grimaced at the resignation in his voice. “Do we prefer?” she asked.

“We did indeed order a condo with four rooms,” he said. “So they will be partially refunding us.”

“Partially refunding?!” came a strangled scream from somewhere.

“Yes, well, the bad news of course is that they are filled up,” Edgeworth continued. “So it is unlikely that they’ll be able to transfer us to more acceptable quarters.”

Apollo let out a muffled scream. Athena winced again. “Apollo, I think your chords of steel are going to make me deaf.”

Apollo stormed back into the main room. “Sorry. Sorry. I just. Ugh…” He rubbed his hand over his face.

“This isn’t the end of the world,” Athena said firmly, hands falling to her hips as she looked around. “We’ll just...have to double up!”

“Double up,” Apollo repeated skeptically. “They’re double beds. And there’s three of them.”

There was a loud thud. Everyone turned, as Simon Blackquill tossed a throw pillow back onto the pullout couch. “Four of them,” he corrected.

Athena grinned. “Perfecto! So all we have to do is decide who’s going to share and who gets the—”

“This one is mine.”

Athena paused. “Wh...Simon you can’t just decide without—”

“Do any of you wish to sleep here with me?”

The room was silent as Blackquill glared at everyone in turn. “...Hmph. As I thought.” And he turned and began to make his bed.

Athena sighed. “Well, I guess that settles that.”

“Spoilsport,” Widget muttered.

Edgeworth pinched the bridge of his nose. “Good grief. Seeing as this has nothing to do with me or Wright, I shall take my leave.” And he reached down for his suitcase and walked off to the largest bedroom.

Trucy bounced up and down. “Ooh! Does this mean I get to room with Athena?” she asked. “Oh my gosh, we need to stay up all night watching movies—”

“Wait a second, wait a second, where does that leave me?!”

Klavier laughed. “Ach, well, I certainly don’t mind sharing with you, Herr Forehead,” he said, slinging and arm over his shoulder, and Apollo bristled.

“Why him?! Why can’t I…?” He looked around desperately.

Trucy frowned. “Well, I already called dibs on Athena,” she said.

“And I think I called dibs on my boyfriend,” Phoenix added with a grin.

“W...W-Well…” He looked toward Blackquill. “...you sure you want the couch, Prosecutor Blackquill? I mean it’s probably super uncomfortable, I wouldn’t mind trading—”

“Justice-dono.” Blackquill’s voice came out as a low, threatening rumble, “I, under no circumstances, will be sharing a room with anyone.” He looked up, eyes locking onto Apollo’s. “Have I made myself clear?”

Apollo wilted. “...crystal…”

Klavier laughed. “Come on, Herr Forehead, if you really need, I’m sure we could scrounge up an air mattress for you, ja?” And he pulled a rather sullen Apollo along toward a bedroom.

“This is going to be so much fun!” Trucy said, grabbing her suitcase and running to the final room. “Oh, and we got one with a little balcony! And we should check out the pool before we go to bed.” And then she was gone.

Athena stood there for a moment, grabbing the handle of her suitcase. “...so, uh. Not as much of a waste of time as you thought it’d be, huh?” she asked, forcing a smile.

Simon had already laid back in his bed, hands behind his head. His eyes flicked toward her. “Hmph. Now what gave you that idea?”

Athena frowned. “Well, I mean, you got your own room. That’s a plus.”

“Ah, I see. Clearly we are in the best timeline. O frabjous day, callooh, callay.”

“...you don’t have to be an ass…” Widget muttered, before Athena covered him with her hand.

“You know, vacations are much more relaxing if you at least try to enjoy them.”

“Enlightening. I will keep that in mind as I continue to not enjoy myself.”

“Simon.”

He let out a deep, resigned sigh, full of the exhaustion that always tinged the edge of his voice when he spoke. “My apologies. I am very weary from our travels, if you could leave me alone for a while.”

Athena watched him for a moment as he closed his eyes and made himself comfortable, feeling a barrier already forming around him. Maybe this would be harder than she thought. “Alright, uh. Feel better then.” And ignoring the dull blue of Widget on her chest, she carted herself and her belongings off toward her room.

///

“So I like how you decided I would be the one on an air mattress if we found one,” Apollo’s muffled voice called out from somewhere outside the bathroom.

Klavier paused from arranging his hair care products to chuckle. “Ah, sorry, Herr Forehead,” he called back, setting down the final bottle and striding out to find Apollo face-down on the bed in the rather snug room they would be sharing. “I had assumed you were volunteering.”

He groaned a bit, crossing his arms under his face. “Ugh, I’m too tired for this.”

Klavier stood there a moment, looking down at the young man sprawled on the bed. It seemed he’d pulled open his suitcase and pulled out a single pair of flip flops and nothing else. Klavier couldn’t help but smile, turning toward his own bag to begin unpacking, humming quietly.

“You know, Herr Forehead, I’m not against sharing the bed,” he tried after a minute or two.

Apollo’s head lifted, sending Klavier a tired scowl. “Is that right,” he muttered.

“It’s only a big deal if you make it one, ja?” He leaned back, falling into a sitting position with his back to the bed, just next to Apollo’s leg. “After all, I don’t particularly want to sleep on the floor, and my intuition is telling me you don’t either.”

“...I mean, no, but…”

Klavier leaned his head back. “If you’re that against it, I’m sure we can build a pillow wall.”

Apollo sighed, rolling over onto his back, almost kicking Klavier in the face. “Alright, fine. But don’t...don’t make it weird.”

Klavier gave a wolfish grin. “Weird?” he repeated. “Whatever could you mean, Herr Forehead?” Apollo fixed him with another glare, and Klavier laughed. “It’s a joke, Herr Forehead, I won’t make it weird.”

“You sure about that?”

“I swear on my honor as a prosecutor,” Klavier said, hand over his heart.

Apollo’s eyes narrowed, but he simply grumbled, head falling back onto the comforter. “I can’t decide if that’s comforting or not.”

Klavier sighed a bit, shaking his head and turning to search for some extra pillows.

“A vacation, Fraulein?”

Trucy had already made herself comfortable in his office chair, playing a couple of notes on the armrest keyboard. “Uh huh! We’re going to have some extra rooms, especially since Apollo isn’t inviting any of his friends.”

“Ach, Herr Forehead as well?” Klavier asked, reaching over and plinking out some accompaniment to Trucy’s Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. “Sounds like quite the scene. If only I weren’t so busy…”

“Aw, come on, Mr. Gavin,” Trucy said, pouting a bit at him. “It’s a vacation! You’re supposed to take one when you’re too busy.”

Klavier laughed. “Well, if the winds of fate can find it in them to blow our way, I would love to join you all on your trip.”

“I see,” Trucy said, looking a bit disappointed as she hopped up. “Darn. And here I thought saying Apollo was going would sweeten the deal.”

Klavier blinked. “...hmm?”

“I just figured it’d be nice to spend some extra time with Apollo, you know?” And she gave him a wink.

“I—Fraulein, I think you may have the wrong idea,” he said quickly, but she laughed.

“Oh, don’t worry about it, Mr. Gavin,” she said. “Buuuuut, if you change your mind, I’m sure Apollo would like to have a friend along on the trip.” She paused, fixing him with a surprisingly shrewd look. “I think he could use a friend.”

“I...ja, I’ll think about it,” he laughed, shaking his head as she disappeared out the door with a smile and a flourish.

Well, it seemed Trucy had been right about one thing, at least. He was certainly going to be spending a lot more time with Apollo on this trip. Though he’d hoped her hints had implied Apollo would be happy to have him along.

He walked out into the living room, scanning around for a linen closet. “Herr Blackquill, any chance you have a spare pillow in my time of need—?”

He caught the couch cushion as a reflex as Blackquill flung it at his face without so much as looking up. “If you’re hoping to smother Justice-dono in his sleep, just have the decency to use a different pillow.”

“...ja, of course,” Klavier replied, tucking the cushion under his arm. “Erm, sleep well?”

“Thank you, I won’t.”

Klavier nodded, and ducked back into the bedroom. Best not to deal with Blackquill when he was in such a foul mood. “Alright, I think I have enough to build a decent barrier, if you could move over.”

Apollo didn’t move. Or react in any way. Klavier paused, setting the cushion down at his feet. “Err, Herr Forehead?”

He was still face down on the middle of the bed, arms crossed and head buried between them. And his breathing had slowed down to deep, even sighs.

Klavier stared at him a moment. “I was gone for two minutes. You haven’t even gotten changed yet, how are you asleep?” No reaction. He strode over, plopping the cushion down onto the young man’s back and crossing his arms on top. “Herr Forehead, I can’t exactly set this up if you’re taking up the entire bed.”

Apollo grumbled again, face turning, and yup, he was asleep. Sound asleep, by the look of it. Eyes shut, cheek smooshed into his arm. Klavier couldn’t help but smile.

He was smitten. Had been for a while now. He couldn’t pinpoint the moment he’d noticed, but every once in a while a reminder would come to sucker punch him in the stomach. A laugh, a scowl, a shout of “I’m Fine” and suddenly Klavier was left in a daze. Apollo’s voice was like a warm blanket, his smile was like a break of sunshine after weeks of rain. He was safety and warmth and also sprawled across the bed they were being forced to share, which was considerably less ideal.

Klavier grabbed a few more pillows he’d collected, tossing them onto the bed. Sharing a bed with Apollo Justice. If only it were by choice. If only he’d found a way to sweep him off his feet before all this. Maybe if he’d been able to sit next to him on the flight, comfort him during the turbulence. Or convinced him to come to dinner any of the times he’d asked before then. Or if he'd met Apollo before Kristoph had. Then perhaps Apollo would’ve actually invited him along. Perhaps he would’ve loved to fall into bed with him, to sleep in each other's arms, to…

With a sigh, Klavier grabbed another pillow and swatted at Apollo’s head. Apollo made a noise between a groan and a whine, nose scrunching up as he opened an eye. “Whaaaat?”

“Ach, I'm sorry, I thought I was supposed to be putting some pillows here,” Klavier said, smiling as he nudged Apollo out of the way. “If you’re that tired, at least sleep on your own side.”

“Mmmph, fine,” Apollo grunted, rolling and squirming his way to one of the pillows. “G’night.”

“Gute nacht,” Klavier replied, plopping down onto his side of the bed as he stacked the rest of the pillows between them.

He was hopelessly in love. Helplessly in love. Uselessly in love. And if there was ever a time he could get this stubborn little man to fall for him, it was this trip. He took a deep breath as he rolled onto his back.

This had to be it. If Apollo didn’t fall for him on a romantic beach vacation, what hope could Klavier possibly have? This was his chance, and he was not going to waste it. He would make his intentions known before the week was up, or die trying. And with that thought, he rolled over and shut his eyes.

Chapter Text

“...already?”

“Hmm?” Edgeworth looked up from his computer at the sound of Phoenix’s voice. “What was that?”

Phoenix was still in bed, face buried in a pillow, blanket draped across his hips. His hair was messy and unkempt, spikes starting to poke out in odd directions. Sunlight had already peeked through the blinds, lighting Phoenix’s bare back with a soft glow.

“You’re working already,” Phoenix mumbled, voice rough with sleep. 

It wasn’t quite a question, but Edgeworth nodded anyway. “Yes, I figured I’d check my emails.”

“What time…? Six thirty?” He lifted his head. “You’re going to start working at six thirty, Miles?”

“I’m not working,” Edgeworth snapped. “I’m simply checking my emails.”

“And how long have you been checking your emails?”

“That…” He frowned at the clock. “...is none of your business.”

Phoenix groaned, planting his face back into his pillow. “It’s too early for this.”

“Then go back to sleep,” Edgeworth replied, closing his computer and standing up. “I’ll check my emails on the balcony.”

“Miiiiiiles,” Phoenix groaned. “Come on, come back to bed…”

Edgeworth rolled his eyes, tucking his laptop under an arm and walking over. He leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to Phoenix’s head. “I’ll be on the balcony if you need me.”

Phoenix’s grumble was unintelligible, but he seemed to settle back into bed, so Edgeworth strode out. He shut the door behind him with as soft a click he could muster, and turned toward the balcony. Then he paused.

The main balcony was facing the ocean. Concrete floor, metal railings, several lawn chairs and a small garden table. Roomy enough for a few people if one were so inclined. This was fortunate, as Edgeworth could see a figure through the blinds, sitting at the table.

Edgeworth frowned, sparing a glance toward the empty pullout couch to his left. Then he reached over and pulled open the glass door, squeezing out onto the balcony.

Blackquill glanced up at him. “Edgeworth-dono,” he greeted.

“Good morning. You’re up rather early.”

“Says the pot to the kettle,”  Blackquill replied, as Edgeworth sat down.

“Touché.” He set his laptop in his lap.

Simon Blackquill was not the sort of person Edgeworth had expected to find common ground with, back when he’d first met him at the prison. A murderer, a criminal, a dangerous creature behind the reinforced glass, clearly ready to lash out at any moment. And yet, even back then, Edgeworth couldn’t help but feel there was something more to this man watching him with dead-eyed contempt.

Now, with Blackquill’s exoneration already behind them, Edgeworth couldn’t help feeling a sense of kinship with the man. He was a private person, much like Edgeworth was, and he kept to himself. He'd proven himself a hard worker, as well as a good man, underneath his veneer of cold, calculating criminal he projected even in his freedom. And while he wasn’t a relaxing presence necessarily, the two of them did seem to share an appreciation for the quiet, contemplative silences that the others so lacked.

And so the two of them sat in silence for a while, Edgeworth going through the emails he had missed, Blackquill watching the ocean. It was already pleasantly warm outside, even so early in the morning. The sound of the ocean was a distant roar, and Edgeworth allowed himself a moment to simply shut his eyes and listen.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

“Ack!” Edgeworth jumped, almost knocking his laptop from his lap. He turned, furiously.

Athena Cykes stood at the glass door wearing a tank top and a messy ponytail, waving frantically. As Edgeworth and Blackquill looked, she began pantomiming something. Finger walking, tree pose, pointing at them, thumbs up. She looked expectantly at the two of them.

“...what on earth…?”

“I believe she is asking us to join her for yoga on the beach,” Blackquill responded.

Edgeworth looked at him. “You understood that?!”

“Hmph. Unfortunately, I have grown fluent in ignoramus.” Blackquill shook his head at her, making a shooing motion, and she huffed a bit, before turning an eye toward Edgeworth. 

Edgeworth paled. “W-What do I do?” he stammered.

“I suppose it depends,” Blackquill replied, smirking. “Perhaps you should do a headstand to prove you've already finished you morning exercise.”

“I think I will pass on that.” He looked back to Athena, mouthing a firm, ‘No thank you.’ She huffed again, making a few more gestures, a muscle flex, another point, something akin to fainting, and then marched off. “...and what did that mean, dare I ask?”

“I believe she is accusing us of being out of shape,” he replied, turning to settle back in his seat.

“I see,” Edgeworth said, watching as Athena grabbed a towel, a pair of flip flops, and left. Turning, he reopened his computer. “Well, I suppose she at least has the right idea.”

“You are out of shape then, Edgeworth-dono?”

“Wh—That is not what I—No,” Edgeworth snapped. “My shape is perfectly in order, thank you. I simply mean we should have some sort of plan for what we shall be doing these next few days. Can't just sit around a house with nothing to do, now, can we?”

“Ah. Well, in that case I wish you luck,” Blackquill replied, glancing over the railing as Athena stepped into view several stories below them, jogging toward the gate that separated the condominium from the public beach. “...no running by the pool!" he called. Athena ignored him.

As Edgeworth opened up an excel sheet, he asked, “Is there anything you wish to do on this trip?”

“...why ask me?” Blackquill asked. “I doubt there’s anything around here I would care for.”

“Well, at the very least, I feel like any of your suggestions would be more fiscally manageable than say Gavin or Trucy,” Edgeworth replied, as he started charting out the days. “And Ms. Cykes seems the type to suggest more...high energy activities.”

“Hmph. Agreed,” he said, squinting toward the figure in yellow setting up on the beach in the distance. “I feel as though she mentioned zip lining at one point.”

Edgeworth tried not to make a face at that. “Well, if we want to make the most of this trip, we’ll need to keep at least some sort of schedule,” he said, marking off the late-night hours that he was planning to spend asleep. “Dinners need to be reserved, activities need to be scheduled around the weather, that sort of thing.”

“Is that so,” Blackquill murmured.

“I’m sure we’ll need to block out some time to sit on the beach of course,” Edgeworth mused, highlighting a few hours in the morning. “That is generally the main purpose of a vacation like this, yes?”

“...I wouldn’t know,” Blackquill replied, eyes drifting down toward his wrists.

Edgeworth paused his typing, feeling his stomach sink. “...ah, yes, I suppose you haven’t vacationed recently,” he said, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. “My apologies.”

Blackquill snorted. “I take no offense, Edgeworth-dono,” he replied, glancing up at him. “I was not much of a vacationer before my stint in the klink, either. Always seemed a bit too much work to relax.”

Edgeworth chuckled at that. “Is that so?” he said. “Well, I suppose we have that in common. Von Karmas were not really designed for time off.”

“Really, I would never have guessed.”

"Yes, travel was never really relaxing until Wright and Trucy began tagging along. Even then..." He frowned to himself. "Hmm. I guess I haven't really 'vacationed' in a long time either."

Blackquill nodded, leaning back to get comfortable in his seat. “I suppose I should be grateful to be able to travel again," he mused. "It has been a long time since I was free to even leave my cell, let alone cross state lines. I barely remembered just how vast the oceans are."

Edgeworth nodded, shutting his computer again. "Well, we're happy to have you along for the trip, even if you don't have any destinations in mind."

"...happy, huh..." Blackquill repeated under his breath.

"Hmm?"

Another tap on the window. Both men turned to see a sleepy-headed Trucy waving to them. Edgeworth let himself smile, motioning her over, and she pulled the glass door open. “Hello!”

“The little lass is up early,” Blackquill said. “I hope Cykes-dono didn’t wake you.”

“No, I was up,” she said, plopping down in a chair between them and kicking her legs. “I’m just so excited, I couldn’t sleep. We were looking up things to do last night, and there’s a place that sells color-changing nail polish. Oh!” She sat up, eyes gleaming. “What color do you two want?”

“I’m—Wh—Pardon?” Edgeworth managed, as Trucy pulled out a phone.

“Here, I’ll look up what colors they have,” she continued as if he hadn’t spoken. “There’s a ton of options.”

“I think I will pass on that,” Blackquill told her.

“Aw, you sure? I think there’s a sparkly black one.”

“And what color does it change to, pray tell?”

A grin broke across her face as she looked up from the phone. “What color would you want it to change to?”

“I think I will pass,” he repeated, though there was a faint hint of amusement to his eyes. “Lest I ruin your hard work by drawing my blade and ruining my nails.”

It never ceased to amaze Edgeworth how easily Trucy Wright could insert herself into someone’s life. He’d been, well, not against it, but certainly shocked and dismayed when suddenly Phoenix Wright had introduced him to his new daughter all those years ago. Phoenix Wright, a father? Phoenix Wright, caring for a small human who depended on him? Phoenix Wright, starting a family and moving on with his life? Moving on without him?

But then Trucy had smiled up at him, showed him her missing tooth, and pulled a quarter from behind his ear, and he understood instantly.

“We need to go shopping today,” Trucy continued, drawing Edgeworth back from his thoughts.

“Yes, you’re absolutely correct,” he said, reaching into his pajama pocket where he’d stored his organizer. “We should get some food for lunches, and some tea. Perhaps some water bottles for the beach.”

“What?” Trucy cocked her head a moment, before snapping her finger. “Oh, no, I meant at that shopping plaza down the street! But you’re right, we do need to get food. I guess you and Daddy could do that. Oo!” She leaned over, swiping Edgeworth’s organizer and pen, before quickly writing a few suggestions down. Ice cream, frosted flakes, popsicles.

“Has Wright never taught you about proper nutrition?” Edgeworth asked, as Trucy continued to scribble.

“I figure that’s what you’re here for, Mr. Edgeworth,” she said, smiling at him, shutting the organizer and offering it over. “Besides, this isn’t everything, just the stuff you’re going to forget to write down!”

Edgeworth swiped it out of her hands, frowning down at her. “Hmm, and I wonder why Ice Cream and Popsicles weren’t on the forefront of my mind,” he muttered. “Prosecutor Blackquill, did you have any necessities to add?”

“...Is Cykes-dono teaching a yoga class?”

“What?” Edgeworth turned, following Blackquill’s line of sight, and, sure enough, it seemed Athena had drawn a crowd, all following her lead. “Oh...that...hmm…”

“Yeah, it kinda looks like it, huh?” Trucy said, giggling a bit.

Blackquill rubbed at his temples a moment. “I shall never understand extroverts,” he said, standing up. “Edgeworth-dono, if you could add a bottle of gin to your grocery list, I would be forever in your debt.” And he swept back into the building.

Trucy crossed her legs onto her chair. “Oh yeah, maybe add some of Daddy’s grape juice if you’re getting drinks,” she said.

“Ah, I suppose so,” he said, jotting that down.

“...So, Mr. Edgeworth…”

He froze on the i. “...Trucy,” he replied cautiously, peering over his glasses. He knew that voice. That was a 'Trucy is up to something' voice.

“Any big plans for this trip?” she asked, scraping her chair across the concrete to lean her arm on the table, looking up expectantly at him.

“I...Not...I didn’t…” He coughed, already feeling his ears redden. “I’m not sure what you’re referring to, but nothing has been...set in stone quite yet. Err, vacation plans, that is.”

“Well, if you and Daddy ever need some private time, I’m known to be very distracting at times,” she said, very seriously.

“I…” He adjusted his glasses nervously, feeling her eyes on him. “I appreciate your concern, but I don’t think that will be necessary.”

“Well, just say the word and I can make everyone else disappear for you.”

“Don’t—I’m begging you not to word it that way,” he said, and Trucy laughed.

“If you say so, Pa—Mr. Edgeworth, I mean,” she said quickly.

They both sat there for a moment, Edgeworth’s mouth pressed into a hard line as Trucy looked up at him. She was doing this on purpose, and he knew it. But, well, she couldn’t know about…

No, of course she didn’t. How could she? What a ridiculous thought.

There was a ding as another email appeared. He turned, clicking it open and sighing. ‘Hi Mr. Edgeworth it’s Sebastian again sorry about the last email I figured it out but now I lost the keys to that filing cabinet and…’

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Well. I suppose it’s time to get ready for the day.”

“You got it, Mr. Edgeworth,” Trucy said, hopping up. “I’ll go wake up Daddy, Polly, and Mr. Gavin.”

Chapter Text

Apollo blinked awake in the dim light of the morning, pillow folded over his head like an oversized hood. For a moment, he felt disoriented. He wasn’t in his bed. He wasn’t in his apartment. And he sure as heck wasn’t asleep at his desk. So where…?

He rolled over, and was immediately greeted with his answer. Namely, Klavier Gavin, sound asleep, hugging one of the barrier pillows in his arms, leg draped across the bed just underneath where Apollo had curled up for the night. His hair had come out of its usual braid, framing his face, and Apollo felt a weird swoop in his stomach, along with a flash of annoyance. Of course, of course Mr. Perfect had to still look like a rock star in bed.

Hmm, nope, don’t like that thought.

He rolled over quickly, ignoring the sudden warmth in his face, feeling weirdly anxious that Klavier would wake up any second. Why did it matter? He didn’t care. But the idea of Klavier seeing him looking at him while he was asleep was unsettling. It felt...intimate? Was that the word? Seeing a man while he was asleep next to him. Besides, it was Klavier Gavin, he was sure to find a way to make fun of him for it.

Apollo sat there a moment, hugging his knees to his chest. Why did being this close make him so anxious? He hadn’t cared so much last night. Not that there were any thoughts happening last night, but still.

Klavier shifted slightly, groaning softly. Apollo risked another glance back. He’d tightened his grip on the pillow, burying his face into it. Maybe Apollo could take an embarrassing picture of him? But no, even if that didn’t feel like an invasion of privacy, taking a photo of the most photogenic man on the planet wouldn’t exactly give him an edge in this little rivalry. It would probably just go viral for being a shirtless picture of Klavier Gavin—

Wait, was Klavier shirtless?! Why was he shirtless?!

“...see something you like, Herr Forehead?”

“ACK!” With a thud, Apollo vaulted backwards off the bed.

“...Herr Forehead?” Klavier’s head peaked over the edge of the bed, not looking quite awake.

“Fine! I’m fine. Everything’s fine.”

“Are you two okay in there?” came Trucy’s muffled voice through the door.

“I’m fine!” Apollo shouted again, ignoring Klavier’s shit-eating grin as he sat up. “Perfectly fine.”

“...Are you naked or can I come in?”

“Why would I be naked?!”

The door swung inward. “Well, you never know,” she admonished, hands on her hips.

“Fortunately for you, Fraulein, someone hasn’t even removed his clothes from the airport,” Klavier said, crossing his arms to rest his chin.

“Ew, Apollo, that’s gross.”

“Hey, shut up, I was tired.” He rubbed his eyes. “Do you need something?”

“Yeah, when Athena gets inside, we’re going shopping!”

Klavier perked up. “Oo, I hope I’m included in that invitation, ja?”

“Of course!”

Apollo groaned, head settling against a side table. Great. Perfect. Shopping with a fabulously wealthy rockstar. Things were already off to a great start.

///

Once, years ago, Simon Blackquill had been proud to consider himself the antithesis of summer. He was an indoor kind of person, after all. He’d never cared for vacations, or sun, or...fun. Swimming, traveling, heat.

“Okay, guys, what about this one?”

...Shopping…

“It appears to have…pockets,” he replied, frowning at the floral sundress Athena had put on. She immediately scowled at him.

“I know about the pockets, Simon, I meant how does it look?” she asked, spreading her arms out.

“...it looks like it…has pockets,” he repeated.

“Ugh.” Athena rounded on Apollo. “Fine. Second opinion. Apollo?”

“Hmm?” Apollo looked up from his phone. “What?”

Athena motioned to herself. “Thoughts?”

“...on the pockets?”

“Oh my god you two are useless,” she groaned, as Apollo looked between them.

“What, isn’t that what you were talking about?!”

“Ugh.” She threw up her hands, turning. “Trucy, please, I need you!”

“One second, I’m almost done!” Trucy called from somewhere in the back of the store.

Blackquill sighed a bit, tucking his hands into his own pockets. He was already starting to sweat in his coat, and his hair wasn’t doing him any favors, either. Perhaps it was his hubris for agreeing to leave his apartment. Perhaps it was a sign he should’ve wasted away in the klink years ago. Why was he even here?

“Wait, so were you guys not talking about pockets?” Apollo whispered. Blackquill blinked, looking over, and Apollo stiffened. “Err, never mind, sorry.”

“Ach, what are you two just standing here in the entrance for?” came a voice from behind them. Blackquill quickly shifted away, keeping his back to a rack of clothing as Klavier Gavin swooped in, putting an arm around Apollo’s shoulders and thankfully missing Blackquill’s. “Nothing here has caught your eyes?”

“What the hell are you wearing?!” Apollo asked, as all eyes drifted up to the large sunhat that Klavier had tucked his hair into.

“It’s my clever disguise, Herr Forehead,” Klavier replied, shooting him a grin, grabbing his sunglasses and peaking over the top. “What, you don’t think my International Man of Mystery schtick is sexy?”

“Are you out of your mind? You look like a gardener.”

Klavier laughed. “A sexy gardener, I’m sure.”

Blackquill watched in silence as the two continued their back and forth for a minute or so, Klavier leaning in to let the brim of his hat prod Apollo's head until he attempted to snatch it off. He doubted he was meant to be included in this conversation. He doubted he had anything to add if he was.

“I can’t help but notice none of you have bought anything,” Klavier said, finally sparing Blackquill a glance as he readjusted the hat.

“Perhaps this may come as a surprise to you, but pastel is not usually a part of my ensemble,” Blackquill said dryly, motioning toward the clothes around him.

Klavier glanced over toward a mint-green, polka-dotted bathing suit on display next to Blackquill. “Ach, but is now not the perfect time to try something new?” he asked, spreading his arms out. “You’re on vacation! No one here knows you. Why not shake it up a bit?”

“Oh, what, you want Prosecutor Blackquill to try the ‘sexy gardener’ look?”

“What was that, Justice-dono?”

Apollo’s face immediately drained of all color. “I-I mean, uh, not that, I mean you don’t have to, I wasn’t suggesting—wait, uh, not that you couldn’t do it, or, no, I mean that—shoot—”

“Justice-dono, if you value your tongue, I would stop flapping it so out in the open,” Blackquill hissed, and Apollo shut his mouth with a clack.

Klavier looked like his grin would split his face in two. “Well, Herr Blackquill, as Time’s sexiest man of the year, I’d be happy to help another star learn to shine if you ever need any pointers.”

Blackquill narrowed his eyes, but before he could retort, Trucy and Athena had reappeared. “Okay, what about this one?” Athena asked, hand on her hips.

“Why that looks lovely on you, Fraulein!” Klavier said, turning with his trademark grin. “And I love that pattern.”

“Why thank you, Prosecutor Gavin,” Athena said, clapping her hands together. “I’m glad someone here knows how to compliment a lady.”

“And it sure isn’t those two,” Widget added.

“Oh, oh, what about me!” Trucy asked, doing a little twirl in her powder blue coverup.

Blackquill watched as the four of them talked, brows remaining furrowed. Apollo, Athena, and the littlest Wright could easily be mistaken as family with how effortlessly they got along. And Klavier Gavin, obnoxious scoundrel though he was, was nonetheless charming and charismatic. He was easy to speak to, easy to let your guard down around were Blackquill a more trusting man.

So why, again, was Blackquill here?

He stood there for another minute, as the others continued to chat and laugh. Trucy had found a large bracelet reminiscent of Apollo’s, and Athena was helping Klavier look at some pink-tinted aviator sunglasses, and Blackquill edged his way out of the door and back into a wall oppressive heat.

The outcrop of roofing overhead at least gave some shade, but he could see the haze appearing over the blacktop parking lot just in front of him, wavering in the midday sun. Throngs of people strode in every direction, all beachgoers in bathing suits or families or couples or college kids with bags of clothes and souvenirs and ice cream and drinks. Blackquill sighed, pulling out a small water bottle he'd stowed in his pocket and taking a swig.

Two girls emerged from another clothing boutique a few doors away, giggling and linking arms. They both paused as they made eye contact with him, faces fading to shock and dismay as they quickly passed him by, avoiding eye contact like the plague. A beat, one whispered something, and they erupted into peals of laughter once more.

Blackquill scowled, glancing around for something else to bide his time. He took a few steps off a ways, peeking around a corner toward the center of the shopping plaza, where it was just as crowded. There were a bunch of odd little stores set throughout this sprawling maze of a plaza. Restaurants, tacky gift shops, a crowded bar of some sort. Many clothing stores, full of overpriced strips of fabric and cheap jewelry. He knew there was a path somewhere nearby that led to the beach, though where that was he could only guess.

His eyes turned toward the sky. Half of him wanted to scan for Taka, but he knew that was folly. Taka had been unable to come with him on the plane. Just another slap in the face on this little ‘vacation’ of his. What even possessed him to come here, he wondered.

“Simon? Oh, there you are.”

He looked back, toward Athena, who had emerged from the store with a bag on her arm. “What are you doing out here?” she asked.

“I thought the fresh air preferable to the overwhelming stench of perfume,” he replied.

“Oh, I didn’t even notice it,” she replied, glancing back at the boutique. “Sorry.”

Blackquill managed a smirk. “For what? It would hardly be fair to the rest of us were your nose as sharp as your ears.”

“Well, Trucy and the boys are finishing up their purchases, where should we go next?”

“I don’t know, it all seems so...enrapturing.”

“Well gee, don’t sound too excited,” Athena muttered. “Come on, Simon, there has to be something around here you’d like to look at.” She fixed him with an intense frown. “What do you want to do?”

He understood, of course, what she was doing. She was reaching out to him. She always was. Trying to give him footing. Trying to pull him out from under the water, just as she had done before.

“I doubt that,” he told her.

Give up, he told her.

“Well, no harm in looking at least,” she replied.

No thank you, she replied.

He sighed, as she marched off a bit down the sidewalk. He wasn’t sure if he was relieved or annoyed. Maybe both. Neither seemed an appropriate response.

“What about that one?”

“Which one?” he asked, as she pointed at a final store that barely looked attached to the rest of the plaza.

“That one. See the statue in the window?”

And there was one. A skull, made of some sort of polished obsidian. Blackquill blinked for a moment.  “...What in the bloody hell is that supposed to be?”

Athena did not answer him. In fact, as he asked the question, he realized she had already crossed the plaza.

“Wh—Athena,” he snapped irritably.

“Come on, let’s check it out!” she called back.

“Hurry up, slowpoke!” Widget added.

He stood there, brows knitted together, before dragging himself after her. He could hear a call of “Herr Blackquill?” behind him, but he ignored it and simply walked into the building. Let them follow if they must, he didn’t care.

The inside was dimly lit. Cool, which was a relief. Whatever this place was, it appeared to specialize in gemstones. There was an amethyst geode almost as large as he was off to the side, boasting an equally sizable price tag. Jewelry adorned the shelves, along with stones labeled with healing properties and wooden statues of inscrutable shapes.

Still not necessarily his aesthetics, but certainly closer than the last store.

“I’ve got it!”

Blackquill shut his eyes for a moment. “And what might ‘it’ be, dare I ask?” he asked, turning to find Athena with her hands behind her back.

“I have found the perfect ‘Simon’ themed knick knack,” she announced proudly, Widget glowing green on her chest. “You can thank me later.”

“I can, though my interest in doing so is not particularly strong—”

“Tah dah!” And from behind her back, she pulled out a small figurine of black polished stone, bearing the shape of a diving bird of prey.

Blackquill paused, staring down at it. It was small, maybe the size of a half-dollar. Its claws were extended. There weren’t enough details to determine its species, though osprey seemed a likely guess given their proximity to water. It was well crafted, smooth. Athena dropped it into his hand.

“Well, am I good at this or what?” she said. “You can name him Taka Jr.!”

Why was he here?

He stared at the figurine for a moment, rubbing his thumb along the side. It was smooth, unbroken, almost silky to the touch. For a split second, he felt a flare of revulsion. At the figurine, at Athena, at himself. What was he doing? Who was he trying to fool? Why was he here?

“I suppose I could, had I any interest,” he muttered.

He could see Athena’s smile fade, just a bit. The door behind him opened with a jingle. “Athena, where did you—Holy cow that rock is huge!”

Athena swallowed, before peering around Blackquill’s body. “Over here,” she called, flagging the rest of the group over with a smile.

Blackquill stepped out of the way so she could wave over her real friends.

Give up, he told her.

This time, she did not answer.

Chapter Text

“Alright, who here’s ready for the beach?” Phoenix called loudly. “And by that, I mean who wants to help bring our stuff down to the beach?”

There were a few groans, as the group began unloading their shopping bags into their respective rooms. “I hate to say it, but I think I’m already sunburnt,” Athena groaned, poking at her shoulder.

“Aw, come on, where’s all that youthful energy gone?” Phoenix asked, hoisting a large tent onto a cart they had rented. “Someone’s gotta help me out here, I can’t get all of these down by myself. Gavin, how about you? Blackquill?”

Klavier perked up a bit. “I would be happy to help, Herr Wright,” he replied, immediately scooping up a few chairs.

“I would not,” Blackquill told him, though he grabbed a few bags anyway.

After a bit of corralling, Phoenix was able to get the last two defense attorneys in on it as well (“Hey, I can lift just as much as Prosecutor Gavin, watch this!” ). As Athena and Apollo filed out, Apollo dragging the cart behind him, Phoenix grinned at Trucy. “Get anything good?”

“Nah, just a new swimsuit,” Trucy said, tossing the last of the sunscreen into a mesh bag. “Did anything exciting happen at the grocery store?”

“Why would anything exciting happen at the grocery store?” Phoenix asked.

“Daddy, have I not taught you anything?” Trucy replied. “You can make any trip an adventure if you try hard enough.”

Phoenix chuckled. “I suppose you’re right.”

“Speaking of which, I heard it’s going to be nice out tonight,” Trucy told him. “A perfect time to go on a walk with Mr. Edgeworth, right?”

Phoenix paused. “Hmm?”

“And there’s a cute little boardwalk not that far from here,” she continued. “A perfect place to go on a walk with Mr. Edgeworth, riiiiight?”

“...is that right,” Phoenix said, suddenly feeling the cold sweat on the back of his neck.

“It's really pretty after dark. I’m sure it would be a great place to plan a very Special Evening if you wanted…”

“W-Where did this come from all of a sudden?” Phoenix asked.

Trucy simply smiled at him. “I know you’re not much for planning,” was all she replied, turning and walking out the front door.

Phoenix watched as the door shut with a thud. Of course Trucy knew. It wasn’t like he was trying to keep it from Trucy, she always knew the moment he was hiding something. And it wasn’t like he’d never discussed it with her, he’d asked her thoughts on the subject once before. But he had hoped it could come as at least a bit of a surprise.

He sighed, shaking his head as he grabbed the last couple of chairs off the floor and nudged the door open with his elbow. It was true, he wasn’t much for planning. He had ideas, of course, but nothing set in stone. He’d figured he could make it up as he went.

A boardwalk. A romantic walk at sunset. Now there was an idea…

///

“...are you sure you don’t want any help there, Herr Forehead—?”

“—I’M FINE!” Apollo gasped, dragging the cart another foot through the sand. “SHUT UP.”

“Ja, but I mean, I have a free hand,” Klavier told him, setting down his bag. “Two in just a minute. I really would be happy to help—”

“I GOT THIS,” Apollo rasped. He dragged the cart another foot. His face had turned red. He looked a bit like he may pass out.

Klavier sighed, smiling and shaking his head. “What about you, Herr Blackquill? Do you and the Fraulein need any help?”

Athena and Blackquill had already grabbed the tent off of Apollo’s cart, and had been trying to set it up for several minutes. Athena looked over at him as they both attempted to pull open the contraption. “Ooo, yeah, grazie. Can you grab another end? I think we need it pulled in one more direction.”

“Of course!” He made his way over, grabbing a third side and pulling. Finally, the canopy seemed to fully unfold. They wrangled it a bit longer, extending three of the poles.

“Okay, Simon, do you have the twisty bit?”

Simon scowled at her. “The twisty bit?” he repeated.

“Y-Yeah, you know. The...the…the dongle! The thingy! The—you know what I’m talking about.”

He sighed. “Should I be upset that I do?” he asked, grabbing a bag off the ground and removing a ground stake.

There was a thud as Apollo finally collapsed in the shade of the tent, groaning loudly. Blackquill scowled at him, squatting down to secure the pole. “Justice-dono, if you’re really content to simply be a layabout, could you at least lie on that last leg?”

“Ugh, fine,” Apollo managed, pulling himself up just enough to secure the last leg of the tent.

It took maybe another ten minutes to finish setting up, and another five before the stragglers arrived. Edgeworth, who had been organizing the refrigerator at the condo, inspected their handiwork for a minute, but once he decided it was to his liking, he unfolded his chair and pulled out a dense-looking book and some prescription sunglasses.

“You’re not swimming, Herr Edgeworth?” Klavier asked, pulling off his shirt and folding it.

Edgeworth glanced up. “I think I’ll be fine here, thank you,” he replied. “I’d rather not burn my skin on day one.”

Klavier laughed, nodding and glancing around. Speaking of that… “Say, Herr Forehead, do you need any help getting your back?” he asked, grabbing a bottle of sunscreen lotion out of the bag near where Blackquill was setting up his own chair.

Apollo had also pulled off the t-shirt he’d been wearing, leaving himself in a pair of (of course) bright red swim trunks. If it were anyone else, Klavier might’ve thought it a bit loud, but it was Apollo Justice, so of course he looked good in it. And getting to see Apollo’s bare torso wasn’t too bad either.

Apollo glanced over. “I-I think I’ll be okay,” he said.

“Are you sure?” Klavier asked. “I know how hard it is to get your back, I’d be happy to ACK—”

He jumped maybe a foot in the air, lotion going flying as he spun around. Blackquill lowered a spray bottle of sunscreen, stone faced. “I’m happy to get your back, Gavin-dono. I know how hard it is to—”

“Fine, fine, I get it,” Klavier muttered, glaring at him as Apollo choked on his laughter. Blackquill simply smirked, setting his new toy into the cupholder on his chair. Klavier shut his eyes, taking a calming breath. “Do you need sunscreen help then, Herr Blackquill?”

“Do I look like I need sunscreen help, Gavin-dono?” Blackquill asked, motioning to the full-length coat he was still wearing.

“You’re…not changing?” Klavier asked.

“I do not know what I did to make you think I enjoy swimming, but I am deeply sorry for misleading you.”

“Simon, you’re going to get heat stroke in that,” Athena told him, taking a sip of water as Trucy finished retying her suit straps for her. “At least take off the coat.”

“I know how to care for my own body, thank you,” he said, taking the spray bottle and spraying her stomach.

She yelped, choking and spilling the water. “Simon!”

“Athena.”

“Oh, oh, me next!” Trucy said, turning around and lifting her hair. Blackquill blinked at her, eyebrows furrowing, but sprayed her back. She squealed. “Oo that is cold!”

“Is Prosecutor Blackquill in charge of sunscreen now?” Phoenix asked. “Think you could help a guy out?”

“I thought Gavin-dono was the one offering,” Blackquill countered quickly, beginning to look uncomfortable with all the attention he was getting. “Gavin-dono, why don’t you get Wright-dono’s back?”

“Ah, this is not exactly what I—” Before he could finish, Blackquill had tossed him the sunscreen. He caught it easily, and sighed to himself. “...Herr Wright, if you would?”

“Oh, thanks Gavin.”

Another sigh as he sprayed Phoenix’s back. This wasn’t exactly what he’d been going for. He glanced over toward Apollo, who was attempting to spray his own back with a stubborn pout on his face.

“Come on, Mr. Gavin, are you coming?”

“Hmm?” he glanced toward Trucy, who was holding up a frisbee with an expectant smile. “Ach, of course, Fraulein, I’d love to.”

“Yay! You too, Apollo, hurry up!” she said, attempting to hang the frisbee on his hair.

“Wh—Cut that out, I’m coming.” He grabbed the frisbee and angrily threw it toward the water, Trucy running after it with an indignant ‘Hey!’

“So, Herr Forehead,” Klavier tried, scooting up next to him as he tossed the sunscreen back into Blackquill’s bag, “that suit looks good on you.”

“Huh?” Apollo glanced down at himself. “Oh, uh, yeah. I don’t go swimming a lot, I probably got this in high school.” He tugged at the elastic, letting it snap back into place as he looked over at Klavier. “I see you’re...branded, as always.”

Klavier laughed, glancing down at his own bathing suit, purple with silver trimming and his signature G on one side. “Ja, perks of having your own merch, you get a lot of it for free.” He leaned in a bit. “Of course, if you wanted any, I’m sure I could find you a Gavinners t-shirt in your size. Discounted, of course.”

“I think I’ll pass,” Apollo said, rolling his eyes and looking off toward the ocean. “Come on, let’s, uh, you know. Go get wet. Or. Uh.” He made a face. “I mean…y-you know what I mean.”

He let out a chuckle. “Certainly,” he replied.

There had to be an easier way to do this, Klavier thought to himself as Apollo hurried off toward the water in front of him. How did he usually do this? Wasn’t it usually as easy as a bit of flirting and the rest just sort of clicking into place?

“Hey, uh, Prosecutor Gavin, you doing frisbee with us?” Apollo called, interrupting his thoughts. “Or, uh, playing frisbee? Frisbee-ing? Hey Trucy, what verb do you OW!”

“Whoops.” Trucy covered her mouth as Apollo scrambled after the frisbee that had just hit him square in the forehead. “Sorry!”

“You better be! That hurt!” He hurled it back.

She ducked under it. “Apollo, don’t frisbee me that hard,” she told him, hands on her hips.

“Even if that was the word, you are definitely using it wrong.”

Klavier waded into the water, grabbing the frisbee. “I'm sure it's fine, Herr Forehead, let her have her fun."

“Thanks Mr. Gavin!” Trucy said, smiling at him and bouncing on her feet.

They threw the frisbee around, chatting aimlessly about whatever popped into Trucy's mind. Music, magic, favorite type of crustacean, somehow she was able to turn any topic into an engaging conversation. Within a few minutes, even Apollo's sour face had relaxed into a small smile, as he started trying to do trick shots and trick catches. It didn't last long, as Klavier caught most of the trick shots and the scowl returned, but it was nice to see while it lasted.

Eventually, Trucy turned her smile toward Klavier. “Soo, Mr. Gavin, what would you say your love language is?”

Klavier blinked as he grabbed the frisbee out of the air. “My what now?” he asked.

“Isn’t is German?” Apollo called.

Klavier grinned, throwing the frisbee his way. “Ja, he’s right, it is German.”

“No, not that!” she said, as Apollo splashed into the water after it. “You’ve never taken one of those love language quizzes?”

“Come on, Trucy, you really think a guy like him has time for those silly quizzes?” Apollo asked, shaking the water out of his face, bangs plastered to his forehead. “I mean, look at him, why would Mr. Rockstar need any romance help?”

“Ach, you’d be surprised, Herr Forehead,” Klavier said, suddenly acutely aware of exactly what Trucy was doing. “Even I have my off days in the romance department.”

Trucy gasped. “Really? Even you, Mr. Gavin?”

He laughed even as he side-eyed her, caught between annoyance and amusement. She was always full of surprises, that Fraulein Wright. Quick-witted, clever, a force to be reckoned with at all times. Perhaps he should’ve learned by now to be more careful around her. “Yes, even me, Fraulein,” he replied, shaking his head.

“Really?” Apollo muttered skeptically, pushing his spikes back into place as best he could. “What, can’t choose between some supermodels or something?”

“That’s a bit presumptuous, isn’t it?” Klavier asked, raising an eyebrow. “You think I exclusively date supermodels?”

“...oh. Uh. Well.” Apollo suddenly looked sheepish, rubbing his head. “I-I mean, you know, like...all these famous people are always dating pretty people and…I-I mean, come on, haven’t you ever watched TMZ?” And he threw the frisbee toward Trucy.

Klavier laughed. “Ach, well, I’ll have you know keeping my day job helps me stay a little more grounded than most,” he told him. “Besides, I’m not sure if supermodels are necessarily my type.”

“Ooo, what is your type, Mr Gavin?”

Klavier froze. The frisbee splashed into the water in front of him. Damn it all, didn't he just tell himself to be more careful? “I, ah, that is…” How forward was too forward here? Maybe it was time to just go for it. “...I suppose I do have a thing for short brunettes.” He said, grinning toward Apollo.

Trucy gasped. “Polly, I think Mr. Gavin has a crush on me!”

“Well, if he does, then I am legally obligated to kill him.”

“Wha—Nein! Nein nein nein no that is—No, that is not what I meant,” Klavier said quickly as Apollo glared daggers at him. “I assure you, no. You're lovely, Fraulein. But no.”

“Aw darn,” Trucy said, smiling as she snapped her fingers.

Klavier sighed, running a hand through his bangs. “You are very good at keeping me on my toes, Fraulein. Nein, there’s plenty more to it than just that, it’s just what came to mind first.”

“Well, what else?” she asked innocently, eyes wide.

Klavier considered it for a moment, glancing around, at the water, at the beach, at Athena attempting to teach Phoenix to juggle a soccer ball. To be sure, there were certainly a lot of things he admired about Apollo. He was cute, he was kind. He was smart. He was… “I like people who are fun to argue with.”

Apollo wrinkled his nose. “How is that fun?” he asked.

“What, you’re trying to tell me you don’t enjoy the back and forth of an argument, Herr Contrarian?” Klavier asked, shooting him a smile. “I figured you of all people would understand me. Why else did you become an attorney?”

“I-I’m just saying, it’s a weird thing to enjoy,” Apollo shot back quickly, crossing his arms. “How do you have fun arguing with someone?”

“I mean, not all arguments are made equal,” Klavier shot back, laughing. “Sometimes it is fun to simply sit back and debate with someone who you trust. It's not like I can't think of people who are not fun to argue with. After all, there’re always people who go for the throat immediately, like Fraulein Detective or my b—”

He cut himself off.

Apollo and Trucy both paused, Apollo lowering the frisbee slightly. After a moment, he said softly, “Yeah, he…doesn’t seem like he’d be fun to argue with.”

“...ja,” Klavier managed, suddenly feeling their eyes boring into him in the ensuing silence. Why did he say that?! After an eternity, he cleared his throat. “...A-Ach, well, anyway—”

“Oh my gosh!” Trucy suddenly started splashing through the water. “Daddy what did you do to Athena?!”

“Wh—?” Klavier and Apollo turned, seeing a panicked Phoenix running toward a fallen Athena as a soccer ball bounced off toward the water.

“Athena?!” Apollo called. “You good?”

Athena sat up. Her nose was gushing blood. She gave a thumbs up.

“Oh my god, alright, let’s go check on her,” he said, dragging himself back toward the shore after Trucy.

Klavier let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding as the two splashed off without him. Well that had backfired spectacularly. He sighed, shutting his eyes as the ocean roared gently around him, taking a calming breath before following the others back to shore.

Chapter Text

“A boardwalk?” Edgeworth repeated skeptically, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah!” Phoenix said, taking a sip of water, not quite making eye contact as he leaned on the balcony railing. “Just a short drive from here. I read about it online. It sounded cute.”

“Cute,” Edgeworth repeated, arms still crossed as he leaned back in his chair. “That seems more like a Trucy sort of thing than mine, don’t you think, Wright?”

He’d sprung it on him earlier, once they’d gotten Athena’s nose to stop gushing blood. A little romantic walk, just the two of them, on some boardwalk near a lighthouse. A chance to take a stroll out in the muggy heat, surrounded by insects and strangers. “And that seems rather out of our way for a walk, doesn’t it?”

“Well sure,” Phoenix said. “But think about it. We still need to pick up dinner, right? So we take everyone’s orders, head over, and get a bit of time to ourselves! Then, once the dinner is ready, we come back here and eat. See? Not so inconvenient now, huh?”

Edgeworth rolled his eyes. “It’s still rather inconvenient, in my opinion,” he retorted. “Aren’t there plenty of closer restaurants? Or, and perhaps you haven’t heard of this, but certain restaurants have this wonderful new feature called ‘delivery’.”

“Oh please, you really want a pizza delivered?” Phoenix asked, grinning at him.

“If it’s high enough quality, then I’d welcome the possibility.”

The sliding door opened. “The two of you will be happy to know that Cykes-dono shows no sign of concussion.”

“Oh, uh, thanks Blackquill,” Phoenix said, giving him a smile.

“However, I cannot guarantee your own safety should you make a repeat performance of your soccer skills, Wright-dono.”

The smile faded. “I-I said I was sorry,” he stammered.

“And I’m sure you will be,” Blackquill said gravely, eyes fixed on Phoenix’s. Phoenix laughed nervously.

“Well, then, perhaps we should head inside, Wright?” Edgeworth said, trying and failing to hide his smirk. “We could ask the others their thoughts on dinner.”

“Yeah, yeah…”

Phoenix pouted a bit as the three of them reentered the living room. Athena was sprawled across the loveseat, head back, nose full of cotton. She gave them a cheery wave. “!Buenas tardes!”

“How’re you feeling?” Phoenix asked.

“Better,” she replied. “Come on guys, it was just a nosebleed.”

“I think I was able to get most of the blood off her swimsuit, but I don’t know if it’s salvageable,” Apollo said, putting another round of hand sanitizer on his hands.

“Well, if not, I’d be happy to help you find a replacement when we shop next, Fraulein,” Klavier added.

“Aw, you guys are sweet.”

“Anyway, you guys make any headway on dinner?” Apollo asked, sitting down on the arm of the couch.

“Well, I was thinking me and Edgeworth could go pick something up for you guys.”

“I see you’re already volunteering me to be your driver,” Edgeworth said, crossing his arms.

Klavier laughed. “Well, I feel as though you volunteered yourself, being one of maybe two people with a driver’s license here,” he told him. “That being said, Herr Wright, if you need me to drive you instead, I certainly wouldn’t—”

“No!”

There was a pause, as everyone glanced over at Phoenix. Phoenix quickly cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck. “No, I-I mean, uh, that won’t be necessary, thank you.”

“If...If you say so, Herr Wright,” Klavier said, smile suddenly looking just a bit more uncertain than it had before. “I certainly don’t mind holding down the fort here, either.”

“I-I—Yeah, thanks Gavin,” Phoenix said. “But, uh, yeah, here, any thoughts on these restaurants?”

Alright, Phoenix was up to something. Edgeworth could feel it. He watched Phoenix closely, as the group began looking through the different restaurants. There were options of course, on what he was hiding. He needed to ask for a favor. He put Edgeworth’s favorite cravat in the wash with some red socks. He had some new wild ‘change the entire legal system’ idea he needed help implementing. But there was something going on. The only question was, what? 

“Yes, you’re right, Cykes-dono, please, enlighten me on how exactly they would do endless crab legs to go, I beg of you.”

“I’m just saying, if they were to set up some sort of Crab Subscription Service, then it still counts as endless, wouldn’t it—?”

“I mean I guess, but the whole point of endless crab legs is to limit it by how many people overestimate how much they can eat, what exactly is the point of a subscription—?”

“Alright, I think we’ve gotten off topic,” Phoenix interrupted quickly, pulling the phone out of Apollo’s hands. “We don’t need that many crab legs, let’s just move on to a different restaurant.”

“Ach, but Herr Wright,” Klavier cried, “you haven’t even asked Herr Edgeworth if he had any interest in endless crab legs—”

“Absolutely not,” Edgeworth snapped, glaring at Klavier, who simply laughed in response. “Even if it wasn’t disgusting, it’s impossible to actually make it worth your time and money.”

“Only if you’re a coward,” Widget chirped. Athena jumped, covering Widget with her hand.

“Can we please just order?” Phoenix begged.

It took a full thirty minutes for them to finally settle on a restaurant. It took another ten to settle on their food. An extra five of convincing Trucy not to get the spiciest item on the menu. But finally, Phoenix and Edgeworth were off, down the road, following their GPS through a maze of trees and roundabouts until they arrived at a crowded pier, full of shops and people.

“Hmm. I guess it’s still pretty bright out, huh?” Phoenix asked, hopping out the passenger side door.

“It is summer, after all,” Edgeworth replied. “I wouldn’t be surprised if we had another three hours of light.”

“...yeah, that’s fair,” Phoenix muttered, sounding almost disappointed. “Well. We still have a bit before the food is ready for pickup.”

“Yes, and remind me again why we left so early?” Edgeworth replied, raising an eyebrow at him as they started off through the parking lot.

“Come on, don’t you want a bit of alone time before we get the food? You know, just you and me?”

“Do we not get that in our room at the condo?”

“Not when Blackquill’s headboard is against our wall we don’t.”

“Hmm.” He frowned at that. “I suppose that’s fair.”

“Come on! Let’s at least walk around a bit,” Phoenix said, grabbing his hand. “I think there’s a lighthouse past that building.”

“I see…” He did seem awfully excited, all things considered. Edgeworth wasn’t imagining that, right? He was up to something.

The two walked off toward a sizable lighthouse at the far end of the plaza, past a small playground and the rows of clothing shops and ice cream. It was indeed a cute boardwalk, with a small boat dock not too far from where they were. There were string lights on the weathered handrails, and benches every couple of yards for people to simply take in the view.

Phoenix continued to chat aimlessly as they went, pointing out various knick-knacks in the windows.

“What do you think, think I could pull that off?”

“Whoa, look at that crazy hat.”

“Think we’d be able to ship any furniture home?”

“So, Wright, I feel as though you have something to say to me,” Edgeworth interrupted, after the seventh exclamation of “Oh look at that one.”

Phoenix froze, before scratching at his neck with a nervous grin. “What? What makes you say that?”

“You think after two and a half decades of knowing each other I wouldn’t pick up on...whatever this is?” he asked, waving a hand. “I figure you have to have something you wish to share with all that nervous energy.”

“A-Ah, uh. Right.” Phoenix cleared his throat. Opened his mouth. Cleared his throat again. “Right. Well, uh. Listen, I’ve been thinking a lot lately…”

“Really? Now that would be quite the announcement.”

“Miles.”

Edgeworth allowed himself a smirk at Phoenix’s scowl. “My apologies. Do go on.”

Phoenix sighed, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Well—”

A phone went off. They both jumped, before Edgeworth felt through his pockets. “Ah, that seems to be mine, if you’ll excuse me for just a moment.”

“Oh, uh, no problem…”

He pulled out his phone, answering as Phoenix slumped against a nearby wall. “Hello? This is Edgeworth.”

“Hi Mr. Edgeworth!” came the reedy voice on the other line. “It’s me! Um. Hi! How is your vacation going?”

“Mr. Debeste, I believe we spoke earlier about you not contacting me unless there was an emergency?” Edgeworth replied, already feeling a migraine coming.

“Oh. U-Uh, yes, that’s right,” Sebastian stammered.

“...Well? Is there an emergency?”

“Oh, uh, well, no I mean, I’m handling things fine here, there is no problem at all whatsoever!”

Edgeworth stood there a moment, brows knitted together. “...I see. How odd of you to call when there are no problems to report,” he replied. “Is that all you wanted...?”

Sebastian made a noise. “...well okay, maybe there’s like a tinsy problem, maybe, and it’s just a little bit time sensitive and I thought I should just call you and—”

“Sebastian, why are you calling me?”

“I, uh...I think I locked your keys in your office.”

Edgeworth blinked. “...Mr. Debeste. You understand that I am not a locksmith, correct? Can’t you simply contact the guard station?”

“...I got my pant leg stuck in the door.”

Inhale. Exhale. “...of course you did.” Resisting the urge to simply hang up, he rubbed his temple and sighed. “Shall I call Kay to free you?”

“...could you do that, Mr. Edgeworth?”

“I will call her posthaste.”

“Oh but everything else is going so great, don’t you worry—!”

Edgeworth hung up.

Phoenix was tapping his foot on the floor, watching. “Oh, you’re done?” he asked, brightening up.

“No, give me a moment,” he muttered, dialing a new number as Phoenix wilted again. After a few rings, a chipper voice answered.

“Mr. Edgeworth! Hey! How’s life going on your tropical beach vacation? Have you bought me a souvenir yet?”

“My vacation is going fine. Kay, if you could—”

“If you need any pointers for gift ideas, I’d be happy to help you out. I have more than a few ideas.”

He shut his eyes, resisting the urge to audibly groan. “You say ‘help me out’ as if you aren’t trying to extort me,” he muttered. “Listen, Kay, could you do me a favor—?”

“Alright, I’m going to need something with a treasure chest on it,” Kay continued. “You know, just a little one. It doesn’t have to be expensive of course, not that I’d complain if—”

“Kay.”

Kay stopped.

“Kay, listen to me. I need you to do me a favor. How adept are you at picking locks?”

He could almost see the grin breaking across her face. “Oo, I like where this is going. Where do you need me to break into?”

“I don’t need you to break into anywhere,” he snapped quickly. “I simply need someone to go open the door to my office for Mr. Debeste.”

“Well, I’m always happy to do a favor for a friend,” Kay told him. “Especially since that friend is getting me a souvenir from his tropical beach vacation…?”

“Yes, yes, fine, I will find you a souvenir,” he replied.

“...a treasure-themed souvenir—?”

“Yes, a treasure-themed souvenir,” he said, and he swore he could hear a quiet ‘Yessss’. “Now could you please get a move on?”

“You got it, Mr. Edgeworth.” With a click, she was gone.

He sighed, slipping the phone back into his pocket. Phoenix’s foot was tapping harder now. “All good? Problem solved?”

“For the most part,” Edgeworth replied. “I’m now tasked with finding a ‘treasure-themed souvenir’, but I doubt that will take more than a few minutes in one of these tacky little gift shops.”

Phoenix chuckled. “R-Right, great…”

Edgeworth looked at him for a moment, raising an eyebrow. “...you were saying something, Wright?”

“Y-Yeah. Yeah! Uh.” He swung his arms a bit. “Yeah. I was, uh...here, let’s go over toward that lighthouse.”

“...if you say so,” Edgeworth replied, following after him.

Phoenix had stuck his hand in his pocket as they walked, taking a few deep breaths. “You know, uh...we’ve been together for a while,” he said after a few moments.

“...yes, it has been almost thirty minutes in fact.”

“Wh…” Phoenix blinked. “No. No, I mean, like, you know. Together-together.”

“Yes, thank you for the reduplication, very succinct,” Edgeworth told him. “Are you referring to our relationship, perhaps?”

“Y-Yeah! That. You know, we’ve been in a relationship for a bit and…” Phoenix shut his eyes. “Damn it, Phoenix, and you had this whole speech thought out.”

“Pardon?”

He wheeled around, grabbing Edgeworth’s hand. “...Miles Edgeworth since the first moment I saw you I thought you were the most—”

A phone went off. They both jumped. Edgeworth patted his pockets, sighing again. “Ah, sorry, Wright, could you give me a moment?”

Phoenix deflated. “...sure, go ahead.”

He pulled out his phone again. “Hello, this is Edgeworth—”

“YOU HAVE DISGRACED THE VON KARMA NAME FOR THE LAST TIME, MILES EDGEWORTH.”

He winced, pulling the phone back a little. “Franziska?”

“Debeste?! You put Sebastian Debeste in charge of the prosecutor’s office in your absence?!” she screamed at him. He could even hear a whip crack through the receiver. “Have you no shame?! No honor?!”

“That’s what you’re upset about?” Edgeworth asked. “He’s barely even doing anything, just some managerial—”

“How dare you try to defend your decision, Miles Edgeworth,” she hissed, as Phoenix draped himself listlessly over the railing nearby. “You thought to put that empty-headed little prosecutor in charge of me?! Me?! Franziska von Karma?!”

“Well, to be fair, I had no idea you were in the country,” Edgeworth replied, fixing his glasses. “What was I supposed to do? Put one of the Paynes in charge? I didn't exactly have a variety of options.”

He could almost see her lip curl in disgust. “...noted,” she said. “However, my previous statements still stand. You are a disgrace to the von Karma name, and I will not stand for it.”

“Yes, yes, well, I shall keep your feedback in mind moving forward,” he told her flatly. “But please send any other complaints through the proper channels and I will get back to them in the future.”

“You will rue the day that you were born, Miles Edgeworth.” And she hung up.

He sighed again, shaking his head as he pulled away his phone. “Wonderful.”

“You done?” Phoenix asked, still contorted over a railing. “You finished? No more conference calls?”

“I’d hardly call that a conference call,” he replied. “Now, I believe you were saying something?”

Phoenix straightened up. “Miles ever since the first time I saw you I thought you were GOD DAMN IT—”

“Wright!” Edgeworth snapped, as he quickly fished his phone from his pocket again. He frowned at the number flashing on the screen, before recognition set up. “Ah, I believe this is our food.”

“...Is it,” Phoenix mumbled, slumped against the railing again. “How wonderful.”

Edgeworth shook his head, trying not to laugh at the dramatics. “We’ll talk later, Wright,” he said.

///

They arrived back at the condo, food in tow, previous conversation already forgotten, at least by one of them. They ate and chatted, and laughed. Phoenix laughed along with them, pushing aside any disappointment. It was the wrong time, clearly. This was a sign.

He needed a better plan, that was all. He needed time to think. And as he undressed for the night, tossing his clothes into a crumpled heap on the ground, he began to scheme once again.

Chapter Text

The sun had only just begun to peak through the blinds as Athena Cykes tiptoed out into the living room, shutting the door behind her as quietly as she could. As she turned, she heard the sound of someone in the kitchenette. She glanced around, eyes catching the empty pullout couch, before moving as quietly as she could toward the noise, feet padding against the tile. “Hey, Simon, did you sleep well?”

“...hmm?” Miles Edgeworth’s head snapped up from the coffee machine he’d been tinkering with. “Ah, Ms. Cykes, I didn’t hear you come in.”

“...oh.” Alright, not who she was expecting. “Good morning, Mr. Edgeworth.”

“Good morning,” he greeted, crossing his arms. “I don’t suppose you understand how to work this contraption? Normally, I would heat my water in a teapot, but it hardly seems polite to make so much noise at six thirty in the morning.”

“Uh, sure, here, let me look.” She sidled up next to him, squinting at the instructions printed on the side of the coffee maker. “It looks like that top button will just give you hot water if you fill the filter up.”

“Ah, is that right…?”

As Edgeworth continued to prod at the machine, Athena turned around, straining her head to look toward the balcony. Empty. “...did Simon already leave?”

“Hmm?” Edgeworth looked over, following her line of sight. “Ah. Yes, I suppose he must have at some point,” he said. “Why?”

“No, no reason. I just was wondering.”

“I see…” Finally the hot water began to pour, and Edgeworth leaned back, still looking deep in thought.

Athena watched him a moment, as he started sorting through several boxes of tea leaves. Had she ever really gotten the chance just to chat with Mr. Edgeworth before? She couldn’t remember. He was always so busy, even when stopping by the agency. In fact, she wasn’t sure she’d ever even seen him dressed down before this trip. It was odd to see him without his usual ruffles. Even odder not to see him in the midst of some work emergency.

“I believe there’s enough for another cup, if you have any interest, Ms. Cykes.”

“Hmm?” She hadn’t even noticed he’d turned his attention her way. “Oh, sure, thanks Mr. Edgeworth!” 

He held out another cup of steaming water. “Which would you like? I have black and green teas, oolong, ceylon, several miscellaneous herbal mixes…”

“Uh…” She looked over at the options. They were, of course, all the same. Crushed leaves in tins. Slightly different colors and compositions, but all crushed leaves. “I think I trust your judgement.”

“I see. Black it is, then,” he said, already starting to prepare the tea leaves in some sort of strainer. “I see you haven’t started up your yoga class yet.”

Athena laughed. “Oh, yeah, I think there’s an actual beach yoga class somewhere, and they just sort of thought it was me. I made $50 in tips though!” She grabbed the mug as he handed it to her, swishing it around. “But yeah, I figure I may need a day to recover.”

“Ah.” Edgeworth took a sip. “Well, let me apologize again for Wright’s...behavior…”

“Huh? Oh! No no no, not—That—Don’t worry about that!” she said, waving a hand quickly. “That was my fault anyway, I should’ve been paying more attention.” She shook her head, taking a sip. “Who would’ve thought he was that bad atOWOWOW HOT!”

“Wh—Ms. Cykes,” Edgeworth snapped as Athena waved a hand at her own mouth. “What are you doing? Don’t just start drinking it immediately.”

She blew at the tea. “But yeah, I’m fine. Still ready and raring to go!”

“If you insist,” he said, raising a skeptical eyebrow at her peace sign.

“So what’s on the agenda for today?”

At that, Edgeworth rolled his eyes. “Oh, you think I’ve been able to wrangle anyone into a definitive plan yet?” he asked. “I’ve never known a set of people more allergic to structure than the lot of you.”

“Weeeeell, if you need some suggestions,” and Athena tapped Widget, bringing up a small screen, “I have plenty of ideas.”

“...does that...thing have internet access?”

“That ‘thing’ is called Widget,” she replied. “And Widget can do a lot of things.”

The door opened. Both heads snapped over, as Blackquill paused in the doorway. “...you are throwing a party without me, I see,” he muttered.

“You’re welcome to join us,” Athena said.

“Is that so? I think I will pass on that.”

Athena huffed at him as he strode past, looking back at the list she’d stored on Widget’s screen, all the ideas and places she'd been excited to see. Then a thought occurred to her. She turned, unable to hide her smile. “Oh Simon~?”

He paused at the door to the balcony. “...oh Cykes-dono,” he returned suspiciously.

“What are your thoughts on visiting a bird sanctuary?”

He froze, hand on the door handle. Quietly, so quiet Athena almost missed it, he whispered, “...damn it.”

“So, what do you think?”

Apollo almost crumpled out of the car, knocking into a sleepy looking Trucy. “Think of what?” he asked irritably. “The trees? The heat? The rental car?”

She’d only managed to get five of them. Klavier had needed to do his hair, and Phoenix had only mysteriously said he had some ‘planning’ to do. But Athena, Apollo, Trucy, Blackquill, and Edgeworth had all piled into the car as the sun slowly started to lift in the sky, heading down the road to a wildlife preserve Athena had found while Googling around the week prior.

The parking lot was surrounded by densely packed trees, shading them from the slowly heating sky. The air was already thick, as Athena began marching off toward the dirt path ahead of them.

“Well, we’re not there yet,” she told Apollo, still half asleep by the look of it. “No need for such harsh judgements.”

Apollo yawned, rubbing at his eyes. “Then why ask my opinion? Why did we have to get here so early again…?”

“I doubt this place will be tolerable by mid-afternoon, Justice-dono,” Blackquill replied, craning his neck upward to inspect the treetops. “Though if you wish to test that theory out, I’m sure we would be happy to leave you behind.”

“Uh, no thanks.”

“Are you sure? I knew a man in the klink who survived in the wilderness for three years before his capture—”

“Less talking, more walking,” Widget interrupted, making Athena jump.

“Widget!”

“I suppose Ms. Cykes’s necklace is right,” Edgeworth said, not looking the most pleased to be there as he trudged toward Athena. “The sooner we start this venture, the sooner we can finish.”

“Aw, come on, where’s everyone’s sense of adventure?” Trucy asked, already starting to perk up as she looped her arm with Apollo’s and started forward. “This is going to be fun!”

“How do you people have so much energy?” Apollo asked, yawning again as she pulled him along. “I’m going to need a nap after this.”

“And I think I may need to do a load of laundry already,” Edgeworth added, his glasses beginning to fog up in the humidity. He pulled uncomfortably at his polo as Trucy linked arms with him too. “How is it already so...sticky out here? Good grief...”

“So what do you think we’re going to see out here?” Trucy asked, tugging the two along as they started down the dirt path toward Athena, breaking from the trees and into the morning sun. “You think we’ll find any alligators?”

Apollo scoffed. “If there were alligators out here why would they let pedestrians just wander—?”

“No, no, I’m pretty sure there are alligators out here,” Athena told him, spinning to walk backwards. “We just have to keep an eye out.”

“What?! Why would there be alligators out here?”

“Why wouldn’t there be alligators here, Justice-dono?” Blackquill asked, smirking at him. “We are the ones traipsing through their habitat, aren’t we?”

“W-Well—”

“I want to see an alligator!” Trucy said, finally letting go of her quarries and skipping ahead.

Athena smiled, even as Apollo and Edgeworth groaned. She knew this would be a hit, even if a few stragglers were hemming and hawing. She risked a glance toward the most curmudgeonly of the group. Blackquill was walking with his head tilted back, scanning the treeline, searching the horizon, eyes brighter than Athena had seen in a while. For a moment, their eyes met, and immediately Blackquill’s eyes narrowed.

“Do you need something, Cykes-dono?”

“Nah,” she replied, grinning. “Having fun, Simon?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he replied, with just a hint of embarrassment as he turned away.

“...I told you so,” Widget chirped.

He rolled his eyes. “Watch where you're walking,” he muttered, slinking off farther down the path, trying to look dower, though after only a second his eyes flashed toward the treeline, and he was lost in thought once again.

The group of them trudged on down the dirt road, chatting and complaining as they went, until the sounds of birds began to filter through the air. As they rounded a bend in the road, Athena stopped in her tracks, as several tired bodies ran into her back.

There were trees ahead of them, surrounded by water and marshy-looking plants. And the trees themselves, instead of being covered in leaves, were littered with hundreds of birds, all different sizes and shapes and colors, squawking and flitting from branch to branch.

They all stared for a few moments in silence, until Trucy spoke up, eyes wide. “Whoa. That’s a lot of them.”

“Yeah, jeez,” Apollo said, shielding his eyes as another one sailed overhead. “What is that one? It’s huge!”

“That is a great blue heron,” Blackquill said, watching as it disappeared along the treeline. “I believe it’s one of the larger herons in the area, if memory serves me.”

“You just memorize bird sizes?” Apollo asked. When Blackquill glared at him, he stiffened. “I-I mean, uh. Never mind. Birds are cool. Haha.”

“Do not patronize me, Justice-dono.”

“Patronize? Who said anything about patronizing?” Apollo squeaked.

Blackquill just scowled at him, tucking his hands in his pockets as he started ahead. Apollo sighed, wilting a bit as he stepped over toward Athena. “Why do I even bother talking to him?”

“Wh—Apollo,” Athena protested, stomach knotting.

“What?” He looked over toward Blackquill’s back as he stalked away. “It’s not like he’s ever been happy to hear anything I’ve ever said.” And he shrugged, walking off a ways to look toward the water again.

Athena sighed, glancing toward Blackquill as well. He was watching something circling up above, shielding his eyes from the sun.

Simon Blackquill was a loner. He was aloof. And mean. And he was deeply lonely. Athena could feel it in her bones every time he spoke. His body was free from its chains, but his heart was still shackled. Yet every time she reached for him, he’d pull away, farther into his own pain and anger.

Athena swallowed, taking a deep, calming breath, before walking over. “What’re you looking at?” she asked him.

His eyes flicked toward her momentarily, before returning to the sky. “...I have been trying to find an osprey,” he said, motioning up with his head. “I was wondering if that were one.”

She looked up at it. “Yeah, it might be,” she agreed.

“I didn’t realize you were an expert in bird identification, Cykes-dono.”

“You’re allowed to call me Athena, you know,” Athena said, and Blackquill’s eyebrows knitted again.

“...Pardon?”

“You keep going out of your way to call me Cykes-dono," she explained, putting her hands on her hips. "Except you keep forgetting. Then you correct yourself, and start calling me Cykes-dono again. But you can call me Athena. You know, since we’re friends.”

“Is that right,” he said flatly. “I feel as though you have jumped through quite a few hoops to come to your conclusions, Cykes-dono.”

Athena scowled up at him. Half of her wanted to believe him. Be done with it. They weren’t friends, and Blackquill was a lost cause. But there was so much turmoil in his heart, even as he rebuffed her. Anger. Anxiety. Frustration. Fear. Why fear? That one always got her. Why fear? What was he always so afraid of?

“Well, I assumed we had to at least be friends if you agreed to go on vacation with us,” she countered. “I mean, if you hated everyone here that much, why would you come?”

“A question I have asked myself since we arrived,” he replied without skipping a beat. “It boggles the mind, really.”

Athena raised an eyebrow at him. “Do you hate me, Simon?”

He paused. She could see him trying to form an answer, opening and closing his mouth, hesitating at every try. “...I understand your strange sense of obligation, but do you really think the others want me here?” he finally asked, turning to look at her. “I am not exactly what you would call ‘the life of the party’.”

“W-Well, Mr. Edgeworth seems to like you,” she tried.

Blackquill raised an eyebrow at her. “Edgeworth-dono? He is my superior. His appreciation extends as far as I can be useful.”

“Well, what about Prosecutor Gavin?”

“Ah, yes, the pretty-boy rockstar. Why would he care one way or another about my presence, other than a mutual disgust?”

“Apollo then.”

A scoff. “Justice-dono? You’re going to argue that Justice-dono enjoys my presence.”

She hesitated. “Well, okay, fine, but it’s not like you’ve ever given Apollo a reason to like you,” she said. “You have to admit you're kind of an asshole to him every chance you get.”

“I see. We have reached an agreement then,” Blackquill said flatly.

“Wh—No!” She glared at him. “I’m just saying, if you give these people around you a chance, maybe they’ll surprise you.”

“I've never been one for surprises.”

“They don't hate you as much as you think they do,” Athena continued. “And I don’t think you hate the people here nearly as much as you think you do. If you could just make an effort—”

“Ah, a mind reader, I see,” Blackquill replied, smirking down at her as he crossed his arms. “I met one of those in the klink. Funny that, though, he was always so good at saying the things his audience wanted to hear. Once he knew what to say, he’d have the masses eating out of his hands. Tell me, Cykes-dono, who is your audience? Because there is only one person I can see who has fallen for this nonsense.”

“You know, if you could take your head out of your own ass for five seconds—”

Athena quickly grabbed Widget, muffling the rest of the sentence. “Why are you so stubborn?” she snapped.

“Probably for the same reason you think I ever needed your input,” Blackquill snapped back.

“Ugh. You know what? Fine! Never mind.” And she turned and stormed off.

Apollo, Trucy, and Edgeworth were gathered as close to the edge of the water as they could, watching something intently. Edgeworth had pulled out a pair of binoculars.

“So what is it? Is it an alligator?”

“It’s not an alligator! It’s probably just a rock or something, right Prosecutor Edgeworth?”

“C’mon, Apollo, why are you so sure it’s just a rock?”

“Good news,” Edgeworth said, lowering the binoculars. “You are both wrong. It appears to be a log with a turtle on it.”

“What?!”

“No way!”

Apollo took the binoculars as Edgeworth offered them, standing on his tiptoes as he glared toward the shape in the water. Trucy turned, seeing Athena walking toward them. “Hey Athena, we found a turtle—” She cut herself off, face falling. “Athena, what’s wrong?”

“Hmm?” Oh dear, she was making a scary face, wasn’t she. “Wrong? Nothing’s wrong! I’m great! ¡Muy bueno!” She made a peace sign, ignoring the deep red glow at her chest. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

Trucy stared at her a moment, concern written all over her face. “R-Right…”

They stood there for a moment, Athena trying desperately hard to take a few more calming breaths. After Widget had faded to a reasonable color, she clapped her hands. “So! Trucy, I heard it might rain on and off the next few days, do you want to try out that nail polish I bought?”

Trucy immediately perked up a bit. “Yeah, that sounds great!” she said, bouncing on her toes. “What color do you think you want to do?”

“I’m not sure. I think that light blue one would look so cute on you though.”

“Really? I think that was my favorite, we should do ours the same color!”

The two of them chatted like that for a bit, Athena slowly relaxing her body. But every time Blackquill passed in her periphery, her jaw clenched again. She glared for a second, but Blackquill didn't even spare her a glance, eyes fixed on the ground in front of him.

Stop looking at him, she told herself, huffing and turning away again. Stop thinking about him. He no longer exists. He is a figment of my imagination.

“I think if it’s too bad tomorrow I can pull out the big guns,” Trucy told her, drawing her away from her thoughts as they walked farther down the muddy path along the bank of the water. “I brought the best of the best when it comes to rainy day games.”

“Somehow, that makes me worried,” Apollo told her, stepping into line next to Athena.

“You probably should be,” Edgeworth said, attempting to readjust his binoculars as he walked behind them. “Depending on the game, things can get a bit...rowdy for my liking.”

Athena couldn't help but smile at that. “Rowdy how?”

“Hmm. Well, competition can get heated. That, and certain members of the Wright family enjoy adding their own...rules to these games.” And he side-eyed Trucy, who giggled.

“I’m not the only one who does it.”

“Yes, but his rules don’t tend to lead to bodily harm, do they?”

“Only once,” Trucy protested with a sheepish smile.

“Once is more than enough.”

Apollo made a face. “You know what? I think I’ll pass on game night.”

A gasp. “Apollo! You can’t pass on game night!”

“Why not? Listen, Trucy, bodily harm isn’t exactly my speeaAAUGH!”

An elbow collided with Athena’s ribcage, sending her stumbling back into Trucy. She gasped, wind almost knocked clean out of her, before turning to see Apollo being lifted into the air from below the armpits.

Apollo yelped, looking around. “Prosecutor Blackquill?! What the f—?!”

“Hello my friends,” Blackquill announced in a slow, strained, panic-stricken voice. “Please excuse the intrusion, my compatriots and I are going to take Three. Very Calm. Steps backward now.”

“...huh?”

Slowly, every pair of eyes drifted down. And directly under where Apollo’s feet would have been were two long, thin reptilian creatures. Each was about a foot long, black with yellow bands down its back and tail, with their mouths open, unmoving.

Apollo blanched. “A-A-Are those—?!”

“Very. Calm,” Blackquill hissed again, slowly taking a step back. “Are you capable of calm, Justice-dono? We are staying. Very. Calm.”

“C-Calm,” Athena repeated, scanning the ground as she leaned back. “Y-Yeah, we can handle calm.” Nearby was another one, half in the mud. It was looking at her.

Trucy’s eyes were wide. “...does anyone see the mother?” she whispered.

“Trucy why would you say that to me no I don’t see the mother— ”

“Justice-dono!”

Apollo shut his mouth.

“If it helps, I don’t see the mother from here,” Edgeworth said calmly from behind them, though the panic in his voice was loud and clear in Athena’s ears. “I think you should be alright…?”

After a few more steps back, Blackquill lowered Apollo to the ground, letting out a shaky breath. Apollo’s knees buckled for a moment, and Trucy grabbed him.

“Apollo, are you alright?! You almost lost your toes!”

“I-I’m fine,” came the dazed response. “Everything is fine.”

“Wow.” Trucy looked past him, toward the collection of baby alligators that had yet to move from their spots in the sun. “Wait ‘til daddy hears about this! Wait, let me take some pictures.”

“I worry that might just give him a heart attack,” Edgeworth said, pulling Trucy back by the shoulder. “Are you alright, Trucy?”

“Trucy?! I was the one who almost stepped on one!”

Edgeworth raised an eyebrow at Apollo. “Yes, that is true. At least Prosecutor Blackquill seemed to have that handled, didn’t he.”

They turned, but Blackquill had already moved away toward the opposite treeline, back to the group as he inspected a tree, arms crossed tightly.

“U-Uh...thanks, Prosecutor Blackquill...?” Apollo called.

“Do not mention it,” Blackquill said, not looking up. “And I mean that in the most literal sense.”

“R-Right…”

Athena looked between the two of them, at Apollo's confusion, at Blackquill looking as intently as he could at a spider web. After a second, she walked over toward Blackquill. She could almost see him bristle as she approached.

“Uh, nice save,” she tried, edging up next to him.

“Was I unclear about the ‘not mentioning it’ part?” he asked, still not turning. “Because I know for a fact that you are not hard of hearing.”

A grin creeped its way onto her face. “Why are you embarrassed? You really helped us out—”

“I am not embarrassed,” he snapped, clearly embarrassed. “I simply had no interest in a hospital trip on my ‘relaxing vacation’.” He glared at her. “What, are you going to pathologize that now? Is it time for your psychological analysis? Please, Cykes-dono, tell me all about my own thoughts and feelings, I beg of you.”

She sighed, shaking her head. “...For someone who goes out of his way to be mean to people, you sure do care a lot more than you want to let on.”

“Why does it matter to you?” he snapped.

“Because it matters to you.”

For once, his snarky retort seemed to die on his lips, anger ebbing into confusion. “That...fails to answer my question,” he muttered after a moment.

Athena simply pursed her lips. “Well how's this. You thought you were a lost cause last time, too. Back in prison I mean. Even though nobody else wanted to give up. Even though you didn't want to give up. Not really.” When he didn't answer, she turned, fixing him with a firm look. “No one here wants you to fail, you know. Are you really not willing to try?”

He stared down at her, stonefaced. He glanced toward the others. Trucy and Apollo immediately spun around like they hadn’t been looking, whistling as Edgeworth raised an eyebrow at the two of them.

“......I will...think about it.”

“...well, it’s a start,” Widget mumbled.

Chapter Text

“Alright, uh, Prosecutor Gavin? Can you...explain to me what we’re doing again?”

The crowd at the bar had already spilled out into the plaza by the time they had arrived. There was music playing somewhere, not something so loud and bassy as to shake one down to their core, but pleasantly upbeat nonetheless. It seemed to be the most crowded place in the plaza, even so early into the afternoon.

Klavier turned, grinning. “Achtung, are you two ready to rock and roll?”

“No.”

“I have to agree with Justice-dono for once,” Blackquill said, arms crossed as several college students stumbled past him, laughing. “Why are we here exactly?”

Klavier looked over his two companions, shaking his head. “Well, I heard this place was a lively one,” he said. “And I believe the two of you are the only ones who drink, ja?”

“...I guess that’s true,” Apollo said, frowning. “Or, wait, does Chief Prosecutor Edgeworth drink at all? I know Mr. Wright doesn’t really drink much anymore, but I’ve never actually paid attention to…”

“Well I cannot imagine Edgeworth-dono to be much of a day drinker, if anything,” Blackquill replied. “Though why you decided Justice-dono and I are day drinkers is far beyond my clearly inferior intellect.”

Klavier laughed. He had to admit, he had not actually expected Simon Blackquill to agree to this little venture of his when he’d suggested it to the group. Apollo, sure, he figured he could convince him along, maybe offer a free drink or two. But Blackquill? Not in a million years.

Well, not that he minded. This was supposed to be a fun little excursion. Just something where they could have fun, relax, maybe give Klavier the chance to impress his compatriots by fronting the bill. By dinner, he was sure to have the both of them in a good mood. Well, no, maybe not Blackquill, but Apollo at the very least.

“Well, Herr Edgeworth said we have a few hours to ourselves before we go to dinner,” he told the others. “We have nowhere to be, nothing to do. Why not have a time of it? Do something fun!”

“Fun…” Blackquill repeated skeptically. “Right…”

Klavier and Blackquill squeezed through the front doors, Klavier giving a polite smile to a server running past with a tray of wings. Fortunately, his oversized baseball cap seemed to be doing the trick, no one had given him a second glance. Though perhaps that was because everyone was too busy staring at the large, brooding man beside him to pay any attention.

“ID, please?”

“Huh?”

Klavier and Blackquill both paused, looking back as Apollo stopped short, an employee stepping in front of him.

“What? Hey, you didn’t card them—”

“ID, please,” she repeated firmly.

Apollo grumbled, digging out his wallet and handing her an ID. She frowned at it. Frowned at him. Frowned back at the ID. Back at him. Squinted.

Klavier tried not to laugh at the fury slowly growing on Apollo’s face, before leaning in. “If it helps, I can vouch for our little friend here, ja?”

“Little?!” Apollo protested.

The woman looked skeptically between the two of them, before sighing. “Everything...appears to be in order.”

“Thank you,” Apollo snapped, swiping his ID back and marching into the bar after Klavier and Blackquill. “I do not look that young.”

Blackquill raised an eyebrow. “Well, you bare a striking resemblance to the world’s tallest infant, but I suppose that's not that young.”

Apollo grumbled something else, pushing his way to the front.

The three of them pushed further through the crowd toward the bar as Klavier grabbed a menu. Blackquill glanced around at the drinking around him. “...are you...sure these concoctions even have alcohol, Gavin-dono?” he asked, as a girl chugged a gigantic smoothie-looking drink. “That looks to be more 'over-priced gas station slushie' than daiquiri.”

Klavier looked around, then toward the menu in his hand. “Not to worry, Herr Blackquill, I can assure you this is a bar,” he said, holding out the menu.

Blackquill glanced at it. Then he did a double take. “Does that say one hundred and ninety proof?!”

Klavier grinned. “Hmm, does it? I hadn’t noticed.”

“They temper it with something, I hope,” Blackquill muttered, flipping it over to the back with a scowl. “I am not looking to get blackout drunk here.”

“What? What?” Apollo was standing on his tiptoes, trying to look over Blackquill’s shoulder with a frown. “Is that a lot of proof?”

Blackquill and Klavier froze. They both turned. “...Herr Forehead, you...have drank before, ja?”

“Wh…” Apollo’s ears turned red. “W-W-Well yeah, I mean, of course,” he said quickly. “I just. You know. I don’t usually…I don't have a ton of people to go bar hopping with or anything, I just stick to hard ciders and stuff. Why do I need to know what the numbers mean?”

“Hmph.” Blackquill handed him the menu. “Well, in that case, take whatever cider you’re used to drinking and multiply it by…let us say ten,” he said. “Then you would be about halfway to the strength of whatever they’re using for these...monstrosities.”

“...ah,” Apollo said, blinking at the drink list. “R-Right. Woof.”

“Well, if you aren’t much of a drinker, perhaps you should stick with something a little less strong,” Klavier said with a laugh, putting an arm over his shoulder. “There are other drinks on the menu, after all. Maybe get a few pretzels, too? My treat of c—”

“What, you don’t think I can handle it?!” Apollo snapped suddenly, glaring up toward Klavier, eyes flashing.

Klavier blinked. “Hmm? Nein, that isn’t what I—”

“I can handle whatever you guys get, easy,” he shouted, shoving Klavier’s arm off of him. “Hell, I could drink the strongest thing on the menu, no problem!”

He frowned. “Err, Herr Forehead that’s not what I—”

“Here, watch this!” And Apollo turned and shoved his way over to the bar.

Klavier stared at him for a moment. Maybe this wasn’t quite how he was hoping this would go…

“Prosecutor Blackquill!!!”

The three of them stumbled to a stop, Apollo already coming close to slipping out of Klavier’s steadying grasp. Blackquill sighed, turning. “Yes, Justice-dono—”

“Prosec—Prosecutor Blackquill.”

“Yes, Justice-dono?” he repeated.

Apollo was swaying on his feet, back and forth. He reached out, grabbing onto Blackquill’s arm. “Prosecutor Blackquill—”

“What?” He snapped, pulling out of his grasp. “What do you want, you irritating—?”

“You gotta...you gotta...watch out.” Apollo pointed frantically. “You gotta watch out. You’re gonna...hit your head on that tree.”

Blackquill and Klavier looked at each other. They looked toward the aforementioned tree. “...you mean that one?” Klavier asked, trying not to laugh. “The one ten yards away from us? We’re not even near it yet—”

“NO!” Apollo shouted, making the other two flinch. “Its...Its branch is in the sidewalk. And—And—And look how tall Prosecutor Blackquell is.”

“...Blackquill.”

“He’s gonna hit his head!” Apollo shouted again, starting to look distressed. “You gotta be careful.”

They’d spent the better part of two hours at that bar, drinking, chatting. It had been fun. At first, at least. Drinking their drinks, eating bar food, debating the legality of ordering a to-go drink. Even Blackquill had eased up on his usual silent, brooding demeanor as the afternoon went on. Soon, with a little bit of prompting, he was going into long tangents on the differences between raptor diets and samurai swords and the time travel mechanics in whatever the hell Kingdom Hearts was.

Apollo, too, had eased up on his sour appearance after a while. Soon, he was smiling and laughing along with Klavier’s jokes. And then smiling and laughing along with his own, slowly-deteriorating jokes. And then really just a giggling mess at nothing in particular, getting louder and more belligerent, and Klavier was reminded of the warnings from high school health class.

‘Warning One: Do not drink on an empty stomach.’

Blackquill sighed, walking forward and ducking his way under the branch. “There. Does that satisfy you, Justice-dono?”

“Well. You still gotta be careful,” Apollo told him, slowly pitching forward until Klavier grabbed a shoulder to steady him again. “You’re gonna...fall. Into the tree. Riiiiight into the tree.”

‘Warning Two: Shorter, smaller people had a tendency to get hit harder by drinking.’

“Alright, let’s get you back to the condo, then, Herr Forehead.”

Apollo looked up at him. Then he sat up, almost falling the other way. “PROSECUTOR GAVIN!”

“Jesus Chr—Apollo Justice, I am directly next to you,” Klavier snapped. “What do you need?”

“You’re...You’re really tall.”

Klavier stared at him for a second. Then he took a deep breath. “Herr Forehead, I am not going to hit the tree—”

“You’re gonna hit the tree,” Apollo told him, grabbing at his shirt.

“I am not going to hit the tree.”

“How do you know?!”

‘Warning Three: If you don’t drink very often, alcohol may hit you harder than you expect.’

“Alright, we’re going under the branch together, how about that, Herr Forehead?” Klavier said, calmly guiding Apollo down the sidewalk as Blackquill watched in fascination, leaning on one end of the branch. “That way, no one hits the tree branch.”

“I’m not gonna hit the tree,” Apollo told him. Then he leaned in close, like he was about to tell him a secret. “I’m reEEAAally short.”

Klavier barked a startled laugh at that. “Oh, really? I hadn’t noticed.”

“As much as I hate to say it, this is fascinating to watch,” Blackquill said, leaning on the tree branch as Apollo and Klavier ducked underneath it. “Ah careful, Justice-dono, he’s going to hit his head!”

“Prosecutor Gavin be careful!!” Apollo grabbed him, somehow pulling Klavier into the tree.

“Ow! Herr Blackquill!” Klavier snapped, as Blackquill laughed, slapping the tree branch under him.

“Whoops,” he said with a crooked grin. “I am deeply sorry, Gavin-dono.”

“Oh, you look it.” Klavier sighed, brushing at his bangs, and the small welt forming beneath. “This wasn’t...exactly how I was hoping this trip would go,” he said quietly.

“And how was it supposed to go, Gavin-dono?”

“Well, I mean, drinking with friends, sure, but I wasn’t trying to get him...” He waved a hand. “I just wanted to have a fun time, get him in a good mood, not wasted.”

Blackquill snorted, looking over Klavier’s shoulder. “What precisely do you mean, clearly that is normal behavior for him.”

“Hmm—?”

“SIR PLEASE BE CAREFUL OF THAT TREE!”

“Oh Gott—” Klavier stumbled over, grabbing Apollo away from a startled looking man. “Sorry! Sorry! I am so sorry, please ignore him.”

“But he’s gonna hit that tree!” Apollo protested as Klavier dragged him off.

Klavier pulled him along for a while, wishing that his senses didn’t feel so warped from his own drinking. Everything felt just a bit off-kilter, a bit fuzzy. Clearly not to the extent that Apollo was feeling, of course, but still.

Blackquill walked beside the two of them, making no move to help steer Apollo in the right direction. He seemed to be faring better than the both of them, although every once in a while, Klavier would see him pause to steady himself out of the corner of his eye. They wound their way around the rest of the plaza, past a small fountain and down the street, Klavier and Blackquill being careful to keep Apollo away from the road.

They made it back to the condominium and up the stairs. Apollo continued to get more incoherent as they approached the door.

“Hhhhhey Prosecturor Blackquell, wanna hear a joke?”

“No. Why do you keep saying Blackquell—?”

“What do—What do you—What do you say to Prosterdcutor Gavin when he has to go tooooooo the bathroom.”

Blackquill sighed. “I’m not sure. What do I say to ‘Prosterdcutor Gavin’ when he has to go to the bathroom?”

“...You're-a-Peein’.”

“God damn it—Gavin-dono if I were to simply cut him down now do you think any of them would still defend me in court?”

“I wouldn’t risk it, you know how touchy they get about murder.” Klavier finally got the lock open on his third try, and he pushed open the door.

Athena and Trucy looked up from the couch as they walked in. Athena waved. “Hi guys! How was the—?”

“EVERYTHING’S FINE I AM STONE COLD SOBER B A Y B E E .”

“Is this hell?” Blackquill asked. “Am I in hell?”

“I am so deeply sorry, Fraulein,” Klavier said, as Athena doubled over, grabbing her ears with a look like she was going into shock.

“Apollo,” Trucy said, standing up. “What is wrong with you?”

“Hey Apollo,” Phoenix called, peeking his head out of his bedroom as he toweled off his hair, “what have we talked about using our inside voices—”

“I’m Fiiiiiiine,” Apollo told him. “I’m quiet! Look!” And he shut his mouth, trying to do a zipping motion and just jabbing his face with his thumb.

Phoenix blinked, sending a confused glance toward Klavier and Blackquill. “Is he...alright?”

“I...Ja, he’s err…”

“Did you not just hear the man?” Blackquill asked, smirking. “He’s ‘Fiiiiiiine’.”

Athena snorted. “What on earth was that voice, Apollo isn’t a muppet.”

“Hmph. Could have fooled me. Why did you put away my bed?”

As Blackquill began attempting to pull out his bed, Phoenix tossed his towel somewhere behind him and glanced over at Apollo and Klavier again, eyebrows raised. Klavier gave a sheepish smile, brushing back his bangs. “I think Herr Forehead may have gone a bit overboard on the drinking,” he said, as Apollo walked over and started attempting to help Blackquill with the couch.

Phoenix frowned at Apollo. “You know, it is getting close to when we were thinking we’d head to dinner.”

“No, I—I am aware of that,” Klavier replied, as Apollo dropped part of the bed on Blackquill’s foot.

Phoenix scratched his chin. “...Do you think he’ll be...okay by then?”

“I suppose that depends on your definition of okay,” Blackquill gritted, sitting down to massage his foot. “Walk in a straight line? No. Cease to be a nuisance? Also no.”

“But I’m fine, guys,” Apollo said, suddenly face down and starfished across Blackquill’s bed. “I’mmmmm gonna eat some popped corn shrimp.”

Klavier watched him for a moment. “I...perhaps it would be better for me to stay here and keep an eye on him,” he suggested weakly.

Phoenix frowned at him. “You sure about that, Gavin?”

“Ach, well, I suppose this is at least partially my fault,” he replied with a sigh and a smile. “It’s only fair I reap the consequences.”

Phoenix nodded, chuckling a bit and walking over to the fridge. “I guess that’s fair. Maybe just put him to bed immediately. Grab him some painkillers for when he wakes up with what I assume is going to be the worst hangover of his life.”

A snort. “Ja, that’s fair—”

“Wait!”

Klavier jumped, as Phoenix rounded on him. “What, what's wrong?”

“I forgot to do my concerned father figure schtick.”

“Your...what?”

Phoenix suddenly leaned in close. “No funny business, alright Gavin?” he said darkly, eyes flashing.

“Wh—No!” Klavier said, horrified. “Of course not! I—”

“Nah, don’t worry about it,” Phoenix said with a laugh as Klavier continued to stare at him. “It’s just an obligation at this point.” He grinned. “Plus, if you were lying, I’m sure one of the girls would’ve spoken up by now.”

“He sounds sincere,” Athena agreed, attempting to fish her fallen phone from beneath the pullout couch.

“No problems here!” Trucy added, smiling sweetly at Klavier with a rather intense look in her eye.

Klavier let out a weak chuckle. “Ach, yes, I suppose I would not have much luck pulling the wool over any of your eyes,” he said. “But nein, I promise to make sure Herr Forehead goes to bed safely.”

As the others gathered their wallets and headed out the door, Klavier pulled Apollo to his feet. “Well, how are you feeling, mein freund?”

“I’m fiiiiiine,” Apollo said again, flopping against Klavier’s arm. “Lookame, I’m great.”

Edgeworth paused in the doorway. “Err, perhaps call if you need anything,” he said.

Klavier chuckled. “Of course, Herr Edgeworth.”

He disappeared, and Phoenix’s head popped back into view. “Please don’t.”

A blink. “...what?”

“I-I mean, if you need us, yeah call Edgeworth, no worries. But I am begging you not to need us.” There was a desperation in his eyes.

“I...of course, Herr Wright.”

Phoenix gave him a thumbs up, and disappeared once again.

“Bye Mr. Wright!” Apollo shouted, waving hard enough to almost knock him both of them over.

“Herr Forehead, maybe take a moment to calm down—”

“It’sss kinda cold in here huh,” Apollo muttered, looking around. “We should...change the thermostat.”

“We should not do that, actually,” Klavier said, grabbing Apollo’s shoulders and maneuvering him toward their room. Good lord, it had been a while since he’d been out drinking with friends, what did he usually do for this? Coffee? Charcoal? Should he just sit on Apollo until he slept it off? He remembered doing that for Daryan once, but he couldn’t remember if that was because Klavier was just as drunk. At least Apollo didn’t seem to be in any physical danger.

“You’re kinda warm.”

“Hmm—?” Suddenly Apollo was leaning his whole body against him, and Klavier froze entirely. “Uhhhhh, Herr Forehead—”

“Why do you get to be so warm?” Apollo bemoaned against Klavier’s shoulder. “S’not fair. You get to be...hot and you get to be... smart and you get to be cool and pretty...”

Klavier couldn’t help the laugh that escaped his mouth despite the heart attack he was sure he was experiencing. “I certainly am all of those,” he agreed, slowly prying Apollo away. “And you get to be incredibly drunk.”

“Yeah but that one sucks,” Apollo muttered. “You’re so cooooool, and I’m just...me.”

“And what’s wrong with—?”

THUNK

Apollo hit the doorway with a yelp, and Klavier winced. “Whoops! Sorry.”

“OwwWWwwww.”

“Sorry, I’m sorry.” He navigated the both of them into the bedroom. “You alright there?”

“You did that on purpose.” Apollo sniffled a bit.

“Of course not.”

“Why do you hate me?”

“I don’t hate you.”

“Yeah you do!” Apollo protested. “You hate my guts. You think I’m awkward and—and stupid and ugly and...queasy…”

“...what?” Klavier frowned, pausing to look at Apollo. “What are you talking about? I don’t—?”

Apollo suddenly made a strange face. He pulled away, stumbling quickly toward the door. Klavier jumped, trying to grab at him. “Herr Forehead—?!”

He bolted into the bathroom. Klavier heard a gagging noise as the door slammed. “Ah.” Klavier winced. “Alright, queasy. Queasy was the important one to focus on.” He stood there for a minute, debating what to do. “I’ll...bring you some water. Does that sound alright?” Apollo didn’t answer. “...alright, uh, be right back…”

He turned back toward the kitchenette, heading over to the cabinet to find a glass. After filling it with water, he headed back. “Are you alright in there? Could I come in?”

“...’m sorry for ruining your dinner,” Apollo sniffled miserably.

Klavier sighed. “I wasn’t particularly hungry,” he replied, nudging the door open. Apollo was sitting on the floor, cross-legged, looking pathetic. Setting the cup on the counter just next to Apollo’s head, Klavier plopped down onto the edge of the tub. “...do you need...a change of clothes?” he asked gently.

Apollo thought about it for a moment, before giving a miserable nod.

Klavier nodded along. “I will do that. Maybe it’s time for you to go lie down. Once your stomach settles, I can grab you some cheerios or something.”

“Do you hate me?”

Klavier blinked. “No, I—No. Nein. I just told you, the door thing was an accident.”

“Mmmmmmm,” Apollo scowled at him. “I’m...too drunk to tell if you’re lying.”

“I’m—Why would I—Really, what are you talking about?!” Klavier protested. “Why on earth would I hate you?”

“I don’t knowwwww,” Apollo said, crossing his arm and leaning his face against the wall. “I guess I broke your band an’ put your brother in jail. Is that why you hate me?”

“W-Wh…” Suddenly it felt like a weight crushing his lungs. “Apollo, I couldn’t hate you for that.”

“Mmmm…” Apollo grabbed his bracelet, looking at him closely, though his eyes weren’t quite focused. “...nope, still got nothin’...”

“Ah.” Klavier suddenly felt very small. He watched Apollo lean his head back again. “I’m going to bring you something to change into, how’s that?”

“...okay…”

Klavier plopped a bottle of painkillers onto the bedside table as Apollo began to snore softly, face pressed into his pillow. It had taken some coaxing, but after about an hour, he’d gotten Apollo to change into an oversized t-shirt and lay down. 

Well, this could have gone better, he thought to himself, trudging out into the main room. Forget confessing, how was he supposed to convince Apollo that he didn’t hate his guts? Did Apollo really think Klavier hated him?

He paused, realizing he’d been pacing, stopping in front of the laundry machines shoved off into their own little corner of the condo. Maybe he should just do Apollo’s laundry for him? Would that be weird?

He opened the machine, scowling at the clothes inside. It looked like someone had been doing their laundry and forgotten about it. Maybe he should move that to the drier before anything else. Come to think of it, when was the last time he did his own laundry over dry cleaning? He grabbed a handful, tossing it into the other machine.

Thump

“...hmm?” Klavier looked down as something bounced off the edge of the washing machine and onto his foot. It was small. A velvet box. Was it in someone’s pocket? He knelt down, scooping it up and popping it open.

“...oh no…”

///

“Uh, Wright? Is everything alright?”

Phoenix had frozen in the middle of the sidewalk as the group of them stood in front of the ice cream shoppe the group had stopped at, hand shoved into his pocket, face suddenly draining of color. Edgeworth frowned in confusion as Phoenix felt through the other pocket, his back pockets. “Wright?”

“...oh no…”

Chapter Text

“Cykes-dono.”

“Hmm?” Athena had already gotten one foot into a sandal when she paused, glancing up at a rather tired-looking Blackquill standing over her, arms crossed. “Oh, good morning,” she yawned. “How’d you sleep?”

“I haven’t slept in seven years.”

“Uh. Right.” She shook her head. “Well, um, what’s up? Need something?”

Blackquill frowned a moment, as if debating, before sighing. “Can you please make Gavin-dono stop pacing on the balcony?”

“What?” She frowned, glancing over Blackquill’s shoulder. There was indeed someone on the balcony, pacing back and forth. “Why?”

“It is grating on my nerves,” Blackquill muttered. “I feel as though I am watching one of my old cellmates pace the room.”

“I mean, can’t you ask him to stop?”

“Hmph.” Blackquill crossed his arms. “He seemed distracted, which usually means he wants a sympathetic ear for ten minutes to an hour. And sympathy is...not my forte, as it were.” A glance toward the balcony. “...nor is patience.”

Athena laughed. “...I guess that’s fair. Then sure, I can go check on him for you.”

“Just as long as he stops pacing,” Blackquill muttered, rubbing his temples as Athena kicked off the sandal. “It is beginning to give me vertigo.”

Athena crossed the room, pulling open the glass door. As she did, Klavier jumped, shoving something into his pocket and turning with a smile. “Ach, guten morgen, Fraulein!”

There was strain in his voice under his usual smooth demeanor. Worry. Frustration.

“Guten morgen,” she greeted, shutting the door behind her. “You’re up early.”

Klavier laughed. “Well, a certain someone’s snoring made sleeping a bit tougher than I would’ve liked.”

“Ah.” She nodded, snorting at the memory Apollo stumbling in the previous evening. “How’s he doing by the way?”

“Well, his stomach has settled at least,” Klavier muttered, smile fading into a grimace. “I left him some painkillers and water for what I can only assume will be the most horrible hangover of his life.” He sighed, shaking his head. “Hopefully he will be better after a bit more rest.”

There was a different sort of anxiety in his voice as he mentioned Apollo. Something sadder. Disappointed. Maybe a hint of guilt. “Well, don’t feel too bad about it,” she told him. “I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

He looked a bit surprised by that, but chuckled. “I suppose you’re right,” he said lightly, thumbs slipping into his pockets. Then Klavier stopped, looking confused as he glanced down, as if he’d forgotten he’d put something in there. He seemed to recall something, pulling his hands out. “Ach, well, I should probably start getting ready for the day—”

“Is something else bothering you?”

He paused, blinked at her. “Now whatever gave you that idea, Fraulein?” he said, flashing her a dazzling smile.

“Well,” she said, putting her hands on her hips, “you did hide something in your pocket when I came out here.”

He stared at her for a moment. “...oh?”

“Plus you sound kind of…” She frowned, thinking. “I mean, not upset exactly, but flustered for sure. Something’s bothering you. I thought it might be Apollo-related at first, but now I’m not so sure.”

Klavier looked her over for a moment, surprised, before laughing, shaking his head. “First Fraulein Wright, now Fraulein Cykes. How are you all so gosh darn perceptive?” Then he frowned again, debating something in his head. “Well, Fraulein, how good are you at keeping secrets?”

She perked up. “I am very good at keeping secrets,” she said, clapping her hands together and leaning in. “What kind of secrets am I keeping?”

“Well…” And he reached into his pocket, fishing out a small velvet box. He popped open the lid.

The ring inside was dazzling. A small diamond ring with a thin gold band. Elegant, gleaming in the light of the rising sun.

Athena stared. And stared. And then she clapped her hands to her mouth. “Oh my god congratulations!!!”

Klavier frowned. “...err, pardon me?”

“I can’t believe it!” she gushed. “I didn’t know you two were together, let alone this far along in your relationship. Oh wow, when are you proposing?! Apollo better make me best man. This is fantastique!”

“P-Pro—Best ma—Fraulein, I think you may have gotten the wrong idea,” Klavier stammered, shutting the box. “I am not proposing to—You think this is for Apollo?!”

“Oh.” Her hands lowered. “...so you and Apollo aren’t together?”

A laugh. A sharp laugh, hiding a tinge of disappointment and frustration. “No, I guarantee we are not together,” he replied.

She wilted. Got it. “Well, you can’t exactly blame me for the confusion,” she huffed. “I mean, you’re the one with the engagement ring. Who’s it for then?”

“For? From? I have absolutely no idea.” He tossed the box in the air a few times. “I found it on the floor last night, and I have no idea whose it is.”

“Oh.” He certainly sounded distressed by that. “Well, I mean, there aren’t exactly a ton of options.”

“Ja, I’m aware,” he said, smiling again. “I’ve ruled out most of our compatriots. Fraulein Trucy is a bit too young, and I don’t believe you, Herr Blackquill, or Herr Forehead are currently seeing anyone…?”

“Well, at the very least, I know I’m not,” she said. “And even if the other two were, why would either of them bring a ring without bringing along the person they were going to—” She gasped. “You don’t think THEY’RE secretly—?!”

“Good lord, please never voice that out loud again,” Klavier snapped, suddenly twenty times more distressed. “Nein, I am positive it’s at least Herr Wright or Herr Edgeworth.”

“Right, that makes more sense,” she said with a nod, quickly shoving away the image of Apollo proposing to Simon to some far recess of her mind. “Well, I guess that makes it easier for us, huh.”

“Does it?!” Klavier asked, waving his arms. “How exactly am I supposed to find out whose it is?”

Athena cocked her head. “You...can’t just ask?”

Another laugh. “Ask what? ‘Oh, Herr Edgeworth, did you lose an engagement ring? No? Well, whoopsie daisy, I just ruined somebody’s proposal!’” He ran a hand through his hair again, already starting to pace. “Do you understand how screwed I would be if I messed up either of them trying to propose? It’s already taken me the better part of a decade to win Herr Edgeworth over. And Herr Wright still detests me!”

Athena blinked. “He does?!”

“I can’t just hold onto this thing indefinitely,” Klavier continued, leaning dramatically on the balcony. “Yet I can’t just ask them if they lost an engagement ring! I mean, can you imagine if I got it wrong?” He slid down the balcony to the ground, head leaning against the metal rails.

“Wow, yeah, that is a toughie,” Athena muttered, brows creasing, tapping at her earring. 

“I’ve been thinking in circles all night about it,” he muttered, rubbing at his temples. “And yet I can’t make any headway.” He sent her a glance. “You wouldn't happen to have any ideas, do you?”

“Not really...” She frowned, mulling it over. Poor Prosecutor Gavin, she could tell he was really struggling here. Was there really nothing she could do to help him out? “...Say Prosecutor Gavin. Do you know what I do when I need to think?”

“Alright, so first, let’s start with a downward dog.”

Klavier raised an eyebrow at her, attempting to smooth out his beach towel with his foot. “Ach, yes, I certainly know what that means,” he joked.

Athena set down her speakers as the first song on her yoga playlist started up, filling the air with the sound of steel drums. She spun around, stretching her arms over her head. “You don’t do yoga a lot, Prosecutor Gavin?”

“It’s never been at the top of my list,” he replied, swinging his own arms to loosen them up. “I’ve taken a pilates class before though. Those are practically the same, ja?”

“Well, I guess they’re similar, at least.” She leaned down, placing her hands on her own towel. “I guess just follow my lead, in that case.”

He chuckled a bit, leaning down to copy her. “Alright, I don’t see how this helps me, but I’ll do it.”

“Just hush,” she said. “Close your eyes. Clear your mind. Let all your worries drift away as you breath iiiin…and out.”

A snort. “Ach, I see, I guess ‘forget about it’ is one solution.”

“What did I just say about hushing?”

He laughed again, making a zipping motion over his lips.

Athena led the two of them through a couple of stretches, arms up, warrior one, tree pose, whatever she could think of. Simple ones, focusing on breathing. “Now just let go of all the tension in your shoulders.”

“If I...do that I think I may...hurt myself,” Klavier managed, doing some sort of modified plank Athena had not instructed him to do.

She frowned at him for a second. “Err...what are you doing?”

He quickly hopped his feet forward, stumbling to a standing position. “Copying you, of course, Fraulein,” he said, flipping his hair. “Why do you ask?”

Athena tried not to laugh as she hopped her legs apart and started reaching for her toes. “I see. Good job. Keep it up.”

Klavier quickly followed suit. “...I’m beginning to worry you just wanted a yoga partner,” he told her with a quirk of an eyebrow. “Because I'm not really sure how helpful this is going to be.”

“Now, take a deep breath,” she interrupted, as if he hadn't said anything.

He laughed to himself, before taking a deep breath.

“Now...let’s take a step back and look at your problems with an open mind.” She turned to a warrior one pose. “What is your problem right now, Prosecutor Gavin?”

“...Well, I have a ring burning a hole in my pocket and no one to give it to, ja?” Klavier frowned, still trying to readjust his stance to match Athena’s. “A bit of a predicament.”

“Good. Now, what is the worst thing that could happen?” she asked. “The absolute worst possible scenario.”

“Uh.” Klavier looked confused at that statement, lowering his arms for a moment. “I...hmm. I suppose the worst thing that could happen is Herr Edgeworth firing me for ruining his proposal.”

She nodded. “Perfect.”

“Is it—?!”

“And what is the likelihood of that happening?” she asked, switching legs. “And no exaggerating. Honest answer. Do you really think Prosecutor Edgeworth is going to fire you?”

“Fraulein, I’m not so sure—”

“You’re not answering the question.”

He sighed as he continued stretching. “I suppose it’s not the most likely outcome,” he admitted. “Though I’m not fond of the idea of getting either of them to detest me any more than necessary. Better for everyone involved, ja?”

She nodded again. “Alright, so let’s come at this from a different angle. You have two people to try to get info from. Who is the safer option to get wrong?”

“...Fraulein, what are you doing?”

“Hmm?” Athena blinked down at him. “What do you mean?”

“I just...Why are you doing a headstand?”

Another blink. “Oh. Whoops, sorry.” She flipped back over, almost losing her balance. “I didn’t even notice I was doing that. I always do this when I’m doing yoga. I could show you how to do it if you want.”

“That is fine, I think I will pass on that offer,” he replied, wincing at the thought of it. “I prefer seeing the world right side up.” He glanced off toward the water, mouth pressing into a hard line. “...who is the safer option to get wrong…?” he repeated to himself. “Well. I don’t like the idea of making Herr Wright hate me more than he already does, but I do interact with him considerably less…”

“Well, I’ve found that having a plan for the worst-case scenario always helps me feel more in control of any given situation,” she told him, punching her own hand. “That way, if things go south, then you’re ready for it!”

He looked at her for a moment, a thoughtful frown on his face as he nodded. “I suppose that’s reasonable,” he said, allowing himself a smile. “...huh.”

“What?” Athena asked.

“I just...wasn’t expecting to actually...feel better? Or, not better, just. A bit more relaxed about the whole thing.”

Athena laughed at that. “See? I’m not completely making this stuff up, huh?”

“Thank you, Fraulein,” he said, hands falling to his hips. “Now all that’s left is actually thinking of a plan.”

Athena grinned. “Well, if you need any help with that, I—”

Suddenly the steel drums interrupted with what sounded like an electric guitar solo. Athena and Klavier both jumped, turning. “W-What the hell?!”

“I didn’t realize AC/DC was a part of your relaxing yoga playlist,” Klavier said, grinning as Athena marched over to her phone.

“Thunderstruck? What the hell is that? I didn’t put this in here,” she grumbled as she removed the song from the playlist. “I swear, Apollo plays the stupidest pranks sometimes.” As the sound of steel drums picked back up, she spun on her heels. “Now, uh, what were we talking about?”

“I believe you were going to offer to help me figure out who this ring belongs to?” Klavier replied. “Which, if I’m being honest, I’m not against having an extra head to work with. If you don’t mind, of course.”

Athena perked up, eyes bright as she put her phone down. “Excelente! Then let’s get to work.”

///

Blackquill watched as Athena set her phone back down, and she and Klavier resuming yoga off in the distance. He sighed as he glanced back down at his own phone, logged into Athena’s music account. Maybe he should play something a little more on the nose? Singing in the Rain? Rain Sounds to Relax To? Or maybe he could just find something obnoxious from his playlist of unlistenable metal music and annoy them back inside.

The wind picked up for a moment around him, whipping his hair into his face, which he quickly brushed away. Well, at the least, they’d probably figure it out once the heavens opened up around them in approximately twenty minutes.

He leaned back in his seat, blinking heavily a few times while smothering a yawn. While not the worst sleep he’d ever had, sleeping here wasn’t what he would call pleasant. A few times, waking in the night as he so often did, he found himself disoriented enough to think he was back in his cell. That the past however many months were a dream. Even just thinking about it left a pit deep in his stomach.

At the least, he had yet to wake up thinking he was at his own execution again. He could only imagine Athena’s reaction if he caused some sort of ruckus in the middle of the night. And he really did not want to deal with that.

More wind blew past. The sky overhead was growing overcast already. With a sigh, Blackquill pulled himself to his feet and cracked his neck. It was too late to try to nap, not that sleep had been coming to him out here on the balcony. As he turned to step inside, he paused, hand falling still on the handle.

There was something, no, someone sticking out from under his bed, ass in the air. He could see the light of a flashlight dancing in the shadows of his bed as the figure squirmed a bit. Blackquill stared for a moment, frowning, unsure of how to react. Finally, he pulled open the door and cleared his throat. “Do you need something, Wright-dono?”

“ACK!” A thud. A groan. Phoenix Wright scrambled backward, head popping out from under the bed as he rubbed what would probably be a lump fairly soon. “Blackquill!” he greeted, as Blackquill hefted the door shut behind him. “I didn’t see you out there.”

“Is that right?” he muttered, crossing his arms. “I didn’t realize the underside of my cot to be so interesting.”

“O-Oh. Uh. Right.” Phoenix sighed, still sitting on the floor. “Sorry, I...thought maybe I dropped something under the couch. Uh…” He tugged at his collar. “Any chance you’ve seen...anything strange around here recently?”

“I have, actually,” Blackquill replied. “In fact, only this morning did I find a strange older man crawling about beneath my bed. Quite strange, to be sure.”

“Older?! I’m not that much older than you,” Phoenix protested.

“Ah. Well that certainly makes it less strange,” Blackquill replied. “In that case, no, I have not seen anything of note underfoot, other than yourself.”

A sigh, as Phoenix picked himself up. “Great. That’s helpful.”

“I was not put on this planet to be helpful.”

Phoenix laughed at that. “Really?” he asked, grinning up at him. “ Then what were you put on this planet for?”

“I can only assume to be a nuisance to all who interact with me.”

Another snort, shaking his head and plopping onto the bed. “I see. I’ll keep that in mind next time I need a favor then.”

...this man saved Blackquill’s life.

Sometimes that just sort of hit him, out of nowhere. He owed this stranger a life debt. Two, were he to count Athena. A man he knew nothing about, whom he had never spoken to more than what was required of him in court. And he had saved his life.

Why? What did he even know about this man? He was outed as a fraud and stripped of his license. Next Blackquill knew, the man was defending an orca in a court of law. There was an eight year gap in the meantime, and lord knows what happened then.

Past that, the man was an enigma. Confusing, contradicting. At least the other attorneys were straightforward to understand. Athena’s hyper-empathy and Gavin’s constant search for distraction. Miles Edgeworth was only won over with honesty and results. Apollo Justice was simply anxious and desperate for validation. They were simple. Easy to follow. Even Trucy’s motivations seemed easy enough to comprehend. But Phoenix Wright, Phoenix Wright was a strange blank, a collection of question marks on a crumpled piece of paper.

Blackquill scowled a bit as he considered that, as Phoenix started to scan the floor again, brows creasing. With a sigh, he strode over. “What precisely are you searching for?” he asked, standing over the man and crossing his arms. “I could...look around for it, if you need.”

“...really?” The shock was clear on Phoenix’s face. Blackquill couldn’t help but roll his eyes at it.

“Well, seeing as you are desperate enough to climb under my bed, it seems to be the safest option for all involved.”

“Ah.” Shaking his head, Phoenix folded his hands on his lap. “I just...how good are you at keeping secrets?”

Blackquill looked at him. He looked at his wrists. He looked back at him. “...Apparently I am very good at keeping secrets.”

“...right. Sorry. Forgot.”

“Hmph. As long as one of us is able to.”

Phoenix sighed, rubbing at his neck. “It’s...a jewelry box. About yea big.” He held up his fingers. “Small. Square. Black. Velvet. You know the kind.”

“Ah.” Blackquill nodded, realization setting in. “I think I may see the problem.”

“Yeah…” Another sigh. “I’m more worried that I dropped it on the way to dinner last night. But, uh, if you DO see it, please let me know. And don’t tell Edgeworth! Or Trucy. Especially Trucy.” A frown. “Don’t tell Apollo either, he’s horrible at keeping secrets.”

“Ah, yes, you know how I love to gossip with Justice-dono and your teenage daughter.” When Phoenix narrowed his eyes, Blackquill waved a dismissive hand. “Yes, fine, my lips are sealed.”

Phoenix relaxed a bit. “Alright, thanks Blackquill,” he said, standing up. “I guess Athena’s right, you’re not such a bad guy.”

“...Why did you save me?”

“Hmm?”

They both stood there a moment, even Blackquill shocked into silence at his own question. “I just...I don’t think I understand,” he finally said, hoping to cover the shock. “You were under no obligation, other than saving Ath—Cykes-dono.”

“I mean, sure, but I wasn’t going to lie for her,” Phoenix said, raising an eyebrow. “Or you.”

“But why? Why go so far out of your way for a stranger?” Blackquill pressed. “It makes no sense to me.”

“What, did you want to spend the rest of your life in jail?” Phoenix asked, no heat behind the question, just a genuine curiosity. “I’d think it was a win-win for you.”

“That does not answer my question,” Blackquill snapped, not sure why he felt so frustrated all of a sudden. “I am...happy to still be here. But I did not ask for your help. Nor Athena’s, but at least her sense of obligation makes sense to me. All the other pieces fit into place when I consider them, except for you, Wright-dono. Why did you do what you did?”

Phoenix thought it over for a moment, rubbing his chin. “Well...I mean, I had an obligation to Athena,” he said with a shrug. “I knew she was innocent, and she knew you were innocent. I couldn’t exactly ignore either of those facts just because it’d be easier, you know?” When Blackquill didn’t reply, Phoenix glanced over. “Well, the point is, at the end of the day, my job was to find the truth, and you didn’t do it. I just had to trust both me and Athena were right about that.”

Blackquill stared at him for what felt like a solid minute. He was sure he was supposed to say something, but he wasn’t sure what.

Suddenly, the door opened. In stepped Miles Edgeworth, carrying a grocery bag, Trucy Wright, carrying an umbrella, and the drenched forms of Athena Cykes and Klavier Gavin, also carrying groceries. “Ah, Wright, could you bring these two dry towels before they track water into the hallway?”

Phoenix burst out laughing as he looked over. “Did you find two stray cats in the rain?”

“Ha ha, very funny, boss,” Athena muttered, shivering as she rubbed her arms. Her bangs were plastered to her face. “Wow the AC is cold in here.”

“How was learning to touch your toes, Gavin-dono?” Blackquill called out, unable to hide the smirk at the other’s bedraggled state. “Were you successful?”

Klavier scowled at the statement. “I’m glad at least someone is having fun, Herr Blackquill,” he replied, squeezing out his hair on the front mat.

The smirk fell away. Fun…?

He watched as Phoenix threw two towels at the two at the door. Athena grabbed one before it hit her in the face, as Klavier scrambled for his own. Athena huffed at Phoenix and Phoenix laughed. They all looked so...comfortable. Relaxed. Blackquill sat down, watching as the other two jogged off toward their own rooms, as Phoenix walked over to his daughter and boyfriend to help with the extra groceries.

Why did it look so effortless when they did it? Why did it look so effortless when they lived their lives? He was supposed to be thankful that he was here, but he just felt frustrated. Angry. Confused. He was given a second chance at life, and he didn’t even know how to live it anymore.

What was he doing here?

He shut his eyes for a moment, breathing in. Breathing out. Waiting for something to finally click into place. And the world continued on around him.

Chapter Text

Hangovers were like twenty migraines stacked on top of each other, Apollo decided to himself as he lay in bed with the palms of his hands pressed firmly into his eye sockets. Even now that the water and pain killers had finally kicked in, and he’d been able to down a bowl of dry cheerios, his head just felt weirdly foggy. Like the headache was still there, only he couldn’t feel it behind a cloud of something else. A fog. No, wait, he already said fog, shit.

The door to the bathroom opened, and Klavier stepped out. He was fully dressed, hair already perfectly coiffed, looking like he had stepped off the cover of some teen magazine the way that he always did. When their eyes met, Klavier smiled.

“Ah, the dead rises!”

“Ugghh, please don’t shout, the headache will come back.”

The smile turned sheepish. “Ah, of course, my apologies, Herr Forehead,” he said, stepping over, hands on his hips. “Do you need anything? More painkillers? Water? I’d be happy to grab some for you.”

“I’m not a toddler,” Apollo muttered, forcing himself to a sitting position, rubbing at his stinging eyes. “I can take care of myself. And I’m fine, anyway, just...tired.”

God, he’d said some dumb shit to Klavier, hadn’t he? He could barely remember exactly what, just that it had been embarrassing and inappropriate, and Klavier had been unreasonably kind to him while he threw up in the bathroom and ruined the rest of his evening.

Suddenly, Apollo felt the bed dip down next to him. He jumped a little, looking up as Klavier sat down beside Apollo. “...Hey,” Klavier said.

“...err...hey,” Apollo replied, blinking a few times. What was going on? Why did Klavier look nervous?

“I just...last night, when we were talking…”

Oh god, what did he say to him?! Oh god. “L-Listen, okay, whatever I said, I probably didn’t mean it—”

“Do you really think that I hate you?”

He paused, protests drying on his lips. “...huh?”

“I-I mean, you seemed very...confident that I hated you,” Klavier told him with a frown. “Which I don’t, I’d like to add. I like you quite a bit. Do you...Did you really think that I didn't?”

“N-No, I mean, of course I-I never thought...really?” Apollo looked at him for a moment, trying to understand what was happening, but a gear somewhere in his brain had jammed leaving his brain empty. “You don’t?”

“Ja, really.” Their eyes met, and there was an intensity to Klavier’s that Apollo hadn’t been expecting. “I don’t think I could hate you if I tried,” he said quietly. A hand reached forward and rested on Apollo’s knee. “Honestly, Apollo I—”

Knock knock “Apollo! Mr. Gavin! Are you in there?”

Klavier jumped, turning toward the door. “Ah, Fraulein!” he called, demeanor shifting completely as he pulled his hand back in his lap. “Do you need something?”

“We’re getting game night set up!” Trucy called through the door. “Did you want to join?”

“I would love that,” he replied. “Though I cannot speak for everyone in here…” He sent a questioning look toward Apollo.

“Huh?” It took a moment for his brain to catch up with the conversation. “...Oh! Oh. Yeah! That’s. Fine. I just have to, uh, you know. Shower and all that.”

“We can always start without you!” Trucy called.

“Yeah, uh, sure, you do that.”

“Alright see you in a sec!” He could hear her skip off.

The two of them sat there in silence. Apollo could hear his heartbeat in his ears. He sat there on the bed, brain completely ceasing all function. Finally, Klavier cleared his throat. “I will, ah. I will let you get to it, ja? The uh. The showering, I mean.”

“O-Oh. Uh. Yeah, yeah that.” Apollo coughed. “Yeah, I should. Do that. Now.”

“Ja.” Klavier nodded, playing with his bangs for a moment. “I’ll see you in a little bit, then.” And he stood up, and walked right out the door.

...what just happened?

Apollo sat there for about a minute, just blinking. What was that?! What just happened?! What was Klavier about to say?! 'Honestly' what?! What just happened?!?!

He pulled himself out of the bed. Klavier didn’t hate him? That...no, that didn’t track. Klavier hated his guts. Klavier was always making fun of him, and...right? Wasn’t he? Or. Had Apollo really misinterpreted everything?

He stood in the doorway of the bathroom for a second, just trying to process it all. Was Klavier doing a long con? But why would he though? What is the point of a con like that? Klavier wasn’t that much of an asshole, right? Why would he even lie about that? Could he lie about that? Sure Apollo's bracelet didn’t quite react to EVERY lie that passed in front of him, but this seemed like kind of a big one to miss, right?

He rubbed his bracelet a moment, before slipping it off his wrist and pulling his shirt off. Soon, the hot water was pounding at the muscles in his back and neck, and he shut his eyes, breathing in the steam.

He felt like Klavier had been about to say something important. But what? What could that sentence possibly have ended with? Honestly, Apollo, I…

He sighed, mulling it over. Honestly, Apollo, I don’t really give a shit. Grammatically correct, but that didn’t seem to match the intensity with which he said it. Honestly, Apollo, I hate you way less than that. Still hate you, but—no that doesn’t even work, why would he be so adamant about saying he didn’t hate him then?

He reached through Klavier’s cluster of hair care products until he found his own sad shampoo crammed into the back, lying upside down to get the last dregs to the bottom.

Honestly, Apollo, I am worried about you. That could be it, maybe. Worried about what though? It wasn’t like they were...well, no, were they friends? Apollo paused, shampoo half lathered into his hair. He’d always thought Klavier hated him. What had Klavier thought? Were they friends? Rivals? Acquaintances? Strangers?

And what would Klavier be worried about? It’s not like he knew the state of Apollo’s personal life. It’s not like Klavier had seen his broom-closet of an apartment. It wasn’t like they’d really had that much time to just chat between the two of them, for Apollo to let anything slip about himself that would worry the prosecutor that much. And would Klavier worry about him anyway, even with a reason to? Apollo doubted he cared about him that much.

His mind wandered in circles for a while thereafter, trying to find some sort of puzzle piece to fit, but none came to him. Finally, he shut off the water, head starting to hurt again from his thoughts running wild. As he did, he thought he caught the sound of shouting from the living room. Game night off to a good start already, he guessed. He grabbed his towel as he hopped out of the shower, toweling himself off as quickly as he could. Soon, he was dressed and dried and ready to take on the day, with just a quick adjustment of his damp hair and some hairspray.

As he stepped into the doorway, the shouting began to morph into something intelligible.

“Will you stop throwing those at me—?!”

“—no, no, jump you dummkopf—!”

“—as the samurai of yore, I shall not be defeated by the likes of—”

“—can somebody please just tell me which one I am?!”

Apollo peaked around the corner. The group of them were in front of the television, all playing some sort of video game Apollo couldn’t quite see. From the looks on their faces, Blackquill appeared to be winning handily, Phoenix was a close second, and everyone else was floundering.

“Mr. Edgeworth, I thought you were Pikachu,” Athena said, frowning at the screen.

“Which one is Pikachu? Is it the little space man?”

“N-No, you died like five minutes ago.”

“...ah, that explains why the controls are so unresponsive.” He set his controller down angrily and stood up. As he turned to leave, he caught sight of Apollo. “Ah, Justice, I didn’t see you come in.”

“O-Oh, Chief Prosecutor Edgeworth sir, hello!” Why was this man so intimidating? He knew all logic dictated he wasn’t angry at him, but even just having the man look at him was absolutely terrifying sometimes. He knew anyone who was in love with Mr. Wright had to be an okay guy (and have the patience of a saint), but Miles Edgeworth was still the Chief Prosecutor, and very rich and powerful and did he mention scary? He had to have mentioned scary.

“You’ve fully recovered, then?” Edgeworth asked him, passing by as he strode over to the kitchenette. “If you need to get something in your stomach, I was just about to prepare myself a sandwich.”

“O-Oh, uh, no I’m okay. I’m not that hungry.” Apollo’s stomach immediately protested.

Edgeworth raised an eyebrow. Then he opened the fridge, pulling out some food. “Here. Just take what you need.”

Apollo nodded awkwardly, as Edgeworth pulled out a few knives. He couldn’t believe he got drunk in front of the Chief Prosecutor. His coworkers, sure, he’s embarrassed himself plenty. Klavier and Blackquill, sure, he was pretty sure he knew where he stood with them. But Chief Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth? Restructuring the entire prosecutor’s office from the ground up Miles Edgeworth? Dedicating his life to destroy deceit and corruption at every turn Miles Edgeworth? Disgusting. Apollo was ashamed of himself.

“Mustard?”

“O-Oh, uh, sure.” Apollo walked over, grabbing the whole wheat bread and jar of mustard as Edgeworth offered them up. “I, uh...I’m really sorry for my behavior last night. It was inappropriate a-and…”

“Hmm?” Edgeworth side-eyed him, pausing. “Well, you’re on vacation, I can’t exactly call being drunk and loud ‘inappropriate’ given the setting,” he said. “I was more concerned about you stumbling off the balcony than anything else.”

“...O-Oh. Uh. Right. Okay.”

Suddenly, there was shouting. Both Edgeworth and Apollo jumped, heads snapping up as the group in front of the TV exploded. Blackquill had stood to his feet, fists raised high over his head as the character on screen spun their sword in triumph. Phoenix was cursing angrily as Trucy tried to console him. Athena was cheering, Klavier was sulking. Apollo found himself smiling at the scene.

“It’s odd, I was not planning to get used to this.”

“Hmm?” Apollo looked over toward Edgeworth. He had folded his arms together leaning on the counter with an almost soft look. “What do you mean?”

“Trucy had wanted to bring everyone along,” he said. “I don’t think Wright or I were particularly fond of the idea at first, to be perfectly frank. But a vacation like this certainly does have its charms.”

“I guess…” Apollo looked over at the others. Klavier glanced over their way with a scowl. Then he perked up, giving a little wave and a smile. Apollo gave an awkward nod, forcing a smile. 

“Well, at least things have settled into place since that first day,” Edgeworth said. “As long as we don't have any other emergencies.”

There was a crack of lighting. The sound of an explosion. And the lights went out.

“...why do I even say these things?”

Arguing broke out around the TV, as the group of them scrambled toward the game console. Edgeworth sighed. “Well, that changes our dinner plans,” he mused, glancing toward the fridge. “And we just bought all those ingredients…”

Apollo sighed, as Trucy grabbed up her game and shut it off. “Alright, since we’re still low on batteries, let’s find something else to play!” she called. “And don’t think I don’t see you over there, Polly! You’re going to play with us!”

“Uh, sorry, no can do, I’m very busy,” he replied, opening the mustard. “Way too busy. Soooo busy.”

“Just bring your sandwich over here,” she replied. “You too, Mr. Edgeworth.”

Edgeworth sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I don’t suppose you have any tips for saying no to Trucy?”

“Me? God no.”

“Well, let’s get to it then.” He grabbed his plate and walked off. Apollo sighed, slapping some bread onto his sandwich, shoving the rest of the ingredients into the fridge, and hurrying after Edgeworth.

They had gathered on the remade couch, Trucy stacking various odds and ends onto the coffee table. “So we have some card games, some board games…we also have all of daddy’s weird word games.”

Phoenix (who seemed like he'd been really distracted the past few days actually) perked up immediately. “Hey Apollo, what are you bringing to my picnic?”

“No,” Apollo said quickly.

Trucy gasped. “We could play Never Have I Ever again!”

“NO,” Apollo said, quicker.

“Isn’t that a drinking game?” Klavier asked.

“Not the way Trucy plays it,” Athena told him.

“Yeah, she just uses it as an excuse to bring up as many embarrassing hyper-specific stories as she physically can,” Apollo muttered.

Blackquill raised an eyebrow. “...such as?”

“Oo!” Trucy perked up. “Stuff like ‘Never have I ever laughed so hard at my own joke that I choked on my own spit and threw up in a Menchies parking lot.”

Athena laughed. “Oh! Or never have I ever crashed the only car I’ve ever driven because I was listening to the hit 1986 song Get Metsmerized.”

Phoenix grinned. “Never have I ever set off the fire alarms, put cold water into hot grease and then let thirty-two house flies into my apartment—”

“NO NEVER HAVE I EVER!”

Athena, Trucy and Phoenix started cackling, even as Apollo glared at them with all the hate he could muster. Even Blackquill looked like he was struggling not to crack a smile. Apollo could feel his ears burning, as he started rifling through the boxes on the table. “Come on, there’s got to be something worth playing here…” He paused, one name sticking out to him. “Truth or Dare Jenga?”

“Truth or Dare Jenga it is!”

“Wh—No that’s not what I—” But Trucy had already grabbed the box and dumped out its contents. “Trucy, I don’t want to play—”

“Come on! Sit down!”

Apollo took a deep sigh, walking over and sitting down on the arm of the couch beside Trucy. Klavier, who was seated on the floor next to him, smiled up. “Well hey there. How are you feeling?”

“Uh, fine. How, uh, how are you?” What are you doing, why are you asking him that?!

“Alles gut,” Klavier replied with a small laugh, flipping his bangs.

Apollo nodded, turning back to his sandwich. Under any other circumstances, Apollo would assume he was being made fun of. But suddenly, everything was different. Did he really not hate him? Was he really not making fun of him? What was Klavier trying to say earlier?!

“Alright! So the rules are simple,” Trucy said, as she started stacking a large pile of randomly colored wooden blocks. “We have a bunch of jenga blocks from a bunch of jenga games. Some of them have truth prompts on them, some of them have dares. If you need to skip, then you have to grab another block. Buuuut, if you knock over the tower, then you have to answer to 'The Collective'.”

Klavier blinked. “I’m sorry, what?”

“You have to do either a truth or a dare that everyone else comes up with,” Edgeworth told him flatly, with the tired look of someone who had answered to 'The Collective' many times prior. He leaned back in his chair. “I hope you don’t mind me sitting this one out.”

“Mr. Edgeworth! You have to play!” Trucy cried, turning toward him. “You can’t just sit out of Truth or Dare Jenga!”

“Trucy…” But she stared at him, eyes wide, looking genuinely hurt, and Edgeworth’s eyebrow twitched. “Trucy, I know what you’re doing, and it won’t work this time.” She didn’t move. “I don’t want to play. You can have plenty of fun without me.”  Her lower lip trembled. “...alright, fine.”

“Yay!” She was all smiles once again, turning. “So who wants to go first!”

No one answered. Of course no one answered. Why would anyone answer? She turned slowly, looking at each of them in turn. “...oh Apollo~?”

“No.”

“Come on, don’t be a spoilsport.”

“Why don’t you go first?” Apollo retorted. “You know. Set an example. Show everyone what you’re made of.”

“Okay, okay,” Trucy said, turning and effortlessly grabbing a block. “‘What is the most expensive thing you have ever stolen?’ Well, the hearts of everyone here, of course!”

Phoenix immediately narrowed his eyes. “...I don’t think that—”

“And maybe me and my other daddy got out of paying for a couple hundred dollars worth of school lunches, but I don’t know if that counts as stealing exactly.”

“No, that would count," Edgeworth said, and Apollo could've sworn he saw his eye twitch.

Trucy laughed, plopping down next to Apollo. “Okay, Polly, you’re up! Go get 'em.”

Apollo scowled. He guessed that wasn’t so bad, as far as truths or dares went. Maybe this wouldn’t be so embarrassing. He reached out and carefully pulled out another block. “Alright, uh, ‘sit in the lap of the...person to...your…’uh...”

There was a long silence. Apollo slowly looked up. Trucy was trying not to giggle. “...to your what, Apollo?”

Apollo took a deep breath, in and out. “‘Sit in the lap of the person to your right until your next turn,’” he read flatly. A few people laughed quietly. Apollo slowly looked to his right.

Klavier seemed startled, but quickly shook that off as he looked toward Apollo. “Well, Herr Forehead, you’re always welcome to sit on my lap,” he said, laughing and crossing his legs with an eyebrow wiggle.

“...do I have to?” Apollo asked.

“Well, you could always grab another block,” Athena told him, also grinning ear to ear. “I’m sure you won’t knock down the tower.”

“Yeah, well, the next block will probably be more embarrassing.” He sighed, hopping to his feet and awkwardly sitting himself on Klavier’s leg. “Whatever, let’s just keep going, alright? Prosecutor Gavin, you’re up.”

For a moment, Klavier didn’t move. Apollo glanced over, and for a second, he would’ve sworn Klavier was staring at him like a deer in headlights. But then the easy smile was back. “You don’t have to sit all the way over there, Herr Forehead, there’s plenty of room—”

“Just shut up and grab a block,” Apollo snapped, feeling his face already heating up. God, he was not going to live this down, was he?

Klavier laughed, shifting his weight to lean forward. Suddenly, Apollo was acutely aware of how close together they were. Klavier’s chest brushed against Apollo’s shoulder, and Apollo felt his stomach twist. Wow this was weird. He swallowed, watching Klavier sizing up the tower, slowly tapping at one of the blocks. Why couldn’t Klavier just knock the whole tower down now, get it over with?

Wait.

A thought crossed Apollo’s mind. He sat up a bit. Then, he found himself grinning. “Oh, wow, I sure am tired today!” he announced loudly, with the fakest yawn he could muster. He stretched his arms in an exaggerated fashion. Then, he calmly swung an arm down at Klavier’s arm.

Klavier yelped, letting go of the block before he knocked the tower down. “What the—What are you doing?!” he snapped, glaring at Apollo.

“What do you mean?” Apollo asked, trying to smother his laugh. He could hear the others snickering around him. “I’m just sooooooo tired today. Wow. I can’t believe how tired I am right now.”

Athena was doubled over in her own seat, covering her mouth. Phoenix was smiling ear to ear. Klavier just gave them all dirty looks. “I think this counts as cheating,” he said, reaching toward the tower again.

Apollo gave another yawn. “Oh, wow! Golly Gee, I am just soooo tired—”

“Apollo Justice!”

Apollo had swatted at his arm again, and Klavier looked at him like he might just strangle him. Apollo just grinned at him. “What’s wrong?”

“Oh, wow, Apollo, you sure seem tired,” Athena said.

“Maybe you need to take a nap,” Phoenix added.

“Or drink some coffee!” Trucy chimed in. “That always helps Daddy!” 

“You are all bad people,” Klavier muttered darkly. He looked back toward the Jenga tower. As he readied himself, he sent Apollo another pointed look.

Apollo just smiled sweetly back at him. “Is something wrong, Prosecutor Gavin?”

Klavier stared at him for a moment. Then even he broke out laughing. “Ach, alright, I see how it is,” he said, grinning, shaking his head. “If that’s how you want to play it.”

“Huh—?”

Suddenly Klavier’s arm shot out, wrapping around Apollo's midsection and pinning his arms at his sides, other arm shooting out toward the half-drawn block. Apollo shouted, trying to squirm out of Klavier’s grip, attempting to knee his arm as Klavier half wrestled him, almost throwing Apollo to the ground as he finally snatched the block free with a triumphant shout.

“Ja baby!”

“Come on, no fair!”

Klavier was laughing, falling backward against the wall behind him with a soft oof, as Apollo tried to scowl at him, but found himself laughing too, arms still pinned at his side as he half fell on the other man. After a second, someone cleared their throat. Apollo and Klavier both froze.

“Are you two finished with this horrible mating ritual?” Blackquill asked, raising an eyebrow. “I am beginning to feel ill.”

Suddenly, Apollo was acutely aware of how close Klavier Gavin was. Or how close Apollo was to him. Apollo scrambled back a bit, falling onto his back with a yelp. Even Klavier seemed startled, before bursting into laughter once again. “Ach, you alright down there, Herr Forehead? You look a bit out of sorts.”

“Fine. Fine. Uh. Yeah. I like it better down here, actually.”

Klavier smiled, looking down at the block in his hand. “Now let’s see. ‘Talk about your first kiss,’ is it?”

Apollo groaned a bit, still lying on his back. “Oh, I’m sure this will be good.”

“Apollo, if you don’t do your dare, then you technically forfeit,” Trucy called. Apollo scowled, grumbling and flopping a leg across Klavier’s lap.

“Well, she was very pretty,” Klavier said, nodding at the memory, resting an elbow on Apollo's leg. “A few years older than I was at the time. Also a performer. It was at a battle of the bands, actually. Pre-Gavinners, of course, we hadn’t fully filled out our ranks by then.”

Trucy gasped. “There was a Pre-Gavinners band?”

“Ja, there was. Though there was a reason we didn’t take off until the Gavinners,” Klavier added lightly. “We weren’t really…”

“Good?”

Klavier’s smile disappeared. “Cohesive was the word I was looking for, but thank you for that suggestion, Herr Justice,” he muttered at Apollo’s cheeky grin. “But, anyway, she was stunning, and I was a very stupid teenager. I honestly thought it was love at first sight.” He chuckled to himself. “Unfortunately, her boyfriend was not of the same mind.”

Athena gasped. “Prosecutor Gavin!”

“W-Well, in my defense, I did not know that she had a boyfriend,” he countered quickly, holding his hands up. “At least not until after he tried to break my jaw. But, well, she was a very good kisser, and I was, as I have mentioned, a very stupid teenager. All in all, wasn’t the worst evening of my life.”

“Oh my god,” Apollo muttered.

Klavier laughed, glancing down at him. “Oh? I’m sorry, do you have a better first kiss story to tell, Herr Forehead?”

“Wh—No I—That doesn’t—Shut up!” Apollo stammered, feeling his face heat up.

“Alright, if Apollo loses he has to tell his first kiss story!” Athena announced.

“WHAT NO SHUT UP.”

“It’s settled then!” Klavier said. “So, who’s going next?”

There was a pause. All eyes turned toward Simon Blackquill, sitting in a nearby chair with his arms folded. Blackquill blinked. “...no.”

“Aw, come on Simon,” Athena said, tossing a pillow at his knee. “You have to participate.”

“Do I? I was unaware,” he replied. 

“It’s okay, Athena,” Trucy said. “I don’t mind if Mr. Blackquill is too nervous to play Jenga.”

Blackquill paused, raising an eyebrow at her. “...yes, well, the little lass doesn’t seem to mind—”

“You’re right, Trucy,” Athena replied, a grin slowly stretching across her face. “I guess if Prosecutor Blackquill is too worried about truth or dare, we can’t exactly fault him for it.”

Another paused. Blackquill slowly looked toward her. “...I see. That is—”

“Well, not everyone is brave enough to play these kinds of games,” Trucy said with a nod. “It sure takes someone with a lot of courage to—”

“I know exactly what mind games you both are playing,” Blackquill interrupted. “Do you really think my pride is fragile enough to be hurt by your schoolyard taunts? I am—I am an adult man. With a job.”

“Oh wow, Simon, you sure sound upset,” Athena said, hand to her chest. “Is something the matter?”

“It’s okay, Mr. Blackquill, no one is mad at you for chickening out of Truth or Dare Jenga,” Trucy added with a smile.

“You two are merciless,” Phoenix said, trying to choke back a laugh. Blackquill looked around with murder in his eyes.

“Fine, we’ll compromise,” Athena said. “I will draw for him.”

“A compromise involves agreement from both parties—”

Athena had already grabbed a block, whipping it around with an exaggerated flourish. “Ahem! 'Describe your most embarrassing romantic encounter'.”

There was a long pause. Everyone turned toward Blackquill. His face remained impassive. “Oh, you thought I was going to participate now?” he asked. “I can't imagine why you'd think so.”

“Come on, Simon, you have to tell us.”

“You have to tell us, Mr. Blackquill.”

He continued to sit there, not moving, a look of contempt etched into his face. Finally, Trucy sighed. “Well, I guess we’ll just have to compromise on this one too,” she decided.

That gave Blackquill pause. “What does—?”

“Alright, so let's tell the story of Mr. Blackquill’s most embarrassing romantic encounter!” Trucy said. “As written and performed by eeeeeeeveryone else here.”

Blackquill blanched. “Excuse m—?!”

“So once upon a time,” Trucy interrupted, “Simon Blackquill had fallen in love with a beeaauutiful mermaid.” She turned. “Quick, who wants to be the mermaid. We need a mermaid and a Mr. Blackquill.”

“I think Gavin should be the mermaid,” Phoenix called. “He’s got the hair and the singing voice.”

“No one is being a mermaid!” Blackquill snapped. Apollo was surprised to see his face had actually started to turn red. “There are no mermaids!”

“I want to be~ where the people are~” Klavier suddenly sang. 

Athena clutched her heart. “Oh Mermaid-dono—!”

“Fine! Fine I will...gah!” Blackquill grabbed his head. “If I talk will you cease your disgusting mockery of my personal life?” When every pair of eyes turned his way expectantly, he shifted in his seat, pressing his face into his hands. “I...hmph.”

“Siiiiiiiimon—”

“Let me think for three seconds you banshee,” he snapped, as Athena burst out laughing. “I...hm.” An odd look crossed his face as he thought. “...romantic encounter,” he repeated to himself. “It has been a very long time since I’ve had any encounter I would deem...romantic.” A frown. “Or embarrassing I suppose.”

“So you don’t have any encounters to talk about?” Phoenix asked, scratching his chin, and Blackquill scoffed.

“Encounters I have had plenty,” he shot back. “It’s the romance part that stumps me.” He mulled it over for a while. “Well. I suppose I once got the hiccups while in the midst of—” He froze. He glanced toward Trucy. “...hmm, no, I cannot tell that story…” A pause. “...nor that story. Nor…”

“Can we please just keep going,” Edgeworth asked, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I think we’ve humiliated Blackquill enough, and I’d rather finish sometime in this century.”

The game continued on rather uneventfully for a bit. Athena talked about the last time she peed her pants, Phoenix had to perform one of Trucy’s magic tricks, Edgeworth had to tell everyone who in the room he’d like to kiss the most. (“If it’s not me, I think we have to break up.” “Wright, even as a joke, who else would I even say?!”)

By the time it had come back to Trucy, Apollo had sat back up, sitting gingerly on Klavier’s leg. This was weird, right? It was weird. God, why did this make him feel so anxious? After all, Klavier didn’t hate him, apparently, so it shouldn’t be so weird. Or did that make it weirder? If Klavier hated him, maybe this would be easier. He wouldn’t care nearly as much.

He glanced over toward Klavier, and their eyes met a moment. Klavier also jumped slightly, looking almost nervous for a split second, before he smiled. “Afternoon.”

“Hiya.” Was Apollo sweating? Why was he sweating? “Sorry, uh, if this isn’t comfortable.”

“Ach, I promise I don’t mind,” Klavier said, leaning in a bit. “You’re welcome to make yourself comfortable.”

“R-Right.” What would even be comfortable at this point?

“...Apollo?”

“Huh?” He turned. All eyes were on him. “W-W-What? What’re you looking at?”

“It’s your turn, I believe,” Edgeworth said with a raised eyebrow.

“Or are you having too much fun over there,” Phoenix teased.

“No. What? Shut up.” Apollo scowled turning back toward the pile. It wasn’t quite so rickety yet. That was good. He could handle that. He reached over.

“Oh wow, I sure am tired all of a sudden.” Suddenly, Klavier reached over and prodded Apollo’s sides.

Apollo squeaked, jumping. “Hey!!”

“Ach, what was that noise you just made?” Klavier asked, eyes practically sparkling. “You aren’t ticklish, are you Herr Forehead?” When Apollo glared at him, he just shook his head. “Sorry, I had to do it at least once. Go ahead.”

Apollo sighed. “Yeah yeah, I guess I deserved that,” he muttered, reaching out and grabbing another block. “‘Who do I have a crush on.’ Not applicable. Next.” And he plopped his block on top of the tower with a clack and crossed his arms.

There was a pause. Apollo frowned. “...what?”

“Eh, it’s nothing,” Phoenix said, laughing a bit and raising an eyebrow.

Edgeworth blinked, looking confused. “Wait, Justice, you don’t have to keep—”

“Shh, let him figure it out on his own,” Phoenix whispered loudly.

Apollo raised an eyebrow, settling back in his spot on Klavier’s lap. What was their problem? “You taking your turn, Prosecutor Gavin?”

There was a pause. Klavier didn’t move. Apollo glanced over his shoulder. “...err, Prosecutor Gavin?”

“Hmm?” Klavier blinked, as if drawn from his thoughts. “O-Oh! Sorry, I...ja. Sorry. My turn.” He sent Apollo a stern look. “No interference this time, ja?”

“Eh, we’ll see how I’m feeling.”

“You are a menace.”

They played for a while, the group of them, as the rain continued to pelt the window outside. As dares began to pile on top of each other, the game continued to grow more chaotic. Soon, Klavier was speaking in a halting southern accent, and Edgeworth was wearing Trucy’s hat and cape. Blackquill was singing shaky serenades of Beatles songs to Athena. And Phoenix somehow managed to grab just about every truth block in the stack.

Every round, on Apollo’s turn, Edgeworth would cough. “Err, Justice, you know you’ve had your turn a few times already, right?”

“Uh. Right?” Apollo would just cock his head, trying not to fall off Klavier's lap as he reached for the next block.

Edgeworth would sigh. “...Right. Never mind.”

As the game went on, Apollo could feel himself relaxing. Eventually, he barely even noticed he was sitting in Klavier’s lap. He was so desensitized it barely even clocked when he had leaned back against Klavier’s chest, and Klavier had started resting his head on Apollo’s shoulder as he grabbed Jenga blocks. Maybe it was the foggy brain, or the tired body, but it was kind of comfortable in a way.

Soon, the blocks began to wobble. The skeleton of a tower seemed to sway at even the lightest touch. Apollo felt his stomach sinking as his turn grew closer and closer.

“...which, you know, I wouldn’t call it a bad date in the technical sense, but I guess with the hindsight of ‘she wasn’t actually my girlfriend and was also trying to kill me’, I’m willing to put it on the lower end of dates I’ve had.”

“Well that’s horrifying.”

“No need to be jealous, we’ve had some shitty dates too,” Phoenix told him, and Edgeworth rolled his eyes, slowly grabbing another block.

Apollo held his breath. Fall. Fall. Come on.

The block came free. Apollo cursed quietly under his breath, as Edgeworth looked at the block. “Call the person you have a crush on.”

Phoenix gave an exaggerated gasp. “Oooo, Miles has a crush on someone~.”

“Just for that, I’m calling someone else.”

“What?! No!”

Trucy grabbed her own block as Edgeworth and Phoenix continued to bicker, fighting over Edgeworth’s phone. “Swap an article of clothing with someone else. Hmm…” She frowned, thinking, before removing her hair tie. “Mr. Blackquill, do you want my scrunchie?”

“No.”

“Come on, it’s blue!”

“And that changes my answer why?”

“Well, you’d look really pretty in it!”

“That is a baldfaced lie.”

“Come on, you have so much pretty hair.”

Blackquill raised an eyebrow, before brushing a hand through his own dry, dense, tangled hair. “You’re correct on the quantity but not on the quality.”

“Oh mein Gott,” Klavier said, making a face. “What on earth did you do to your hair anyway?”

“...today or in general?”

Oh, good, they were distracted too. Apollo slowly leaned forward as Klavier, Trucy, and Blackquill argued. If anyone was going to try to mess him up, it would be now (anyone specifically being Klavier Gavin). But so long as they all were distracted…

He reached toward the top of the tower, slowly pressing a few blocks, trying to decide if one was loose, as the distractions continued around him. Phoenix had taken Edgeworth’s phone, and Athena was offering up her own hair tie to Trucy, and Klavier was trying to explain to Blackquill something about hair care products. Finally, Apollo found one. He grinned, slowly inching it out, feeling the tower wobble.

“When’s the last time you’ve even cut your hair?”

“What does it matter, Gavin-dono, it’s not being cut any time soon.”

“I’d be happy to help you with your split ends.”

“Gavin-dono, if you come anywhere near me with a pair of scissors—”

Blackquill turned. His knee hit the table. And the Jenga tower crumbled.

There was a pause. No one moved. Least of all Apollo, still holding his final Jenga piece. He felt the blood drain from his face. “...T-That wasn’t my fault.”

“Oh Apollo~”

“That wasn’t my fault!” Apollo shouted, as Trucy’s grin split across her face. “If anyone should get the penalty, it’s Prosecutor Blackquill.”

“That’s true,” Athena said, tapping her earring as she thought. “Simon was the one who technically knocked over the tower.”

“Wait just a goddamn minute,” Blackquill snapped. “That was hardly my fault. Besides, how can you say with certainty that my hit was the one that did it? Maybe it was already about to come down in Justice-dono’s grubby little hands.”

“Grubby?! What’s so grubby about my hands? And that tower was perfectly still until you sabotaged me!”

“Hmm.” Athena pursed her lips. “Any thoughts, boss? You’re good at being a tiebreaker.”

Phoenix scratched his chin. “Well, it was Blackquill’s fault, but Apollo was the one trying to get the block…” He grinned. “How about they both take the penalty!”

“What?!”

“Wright-dono you wretched, traitorous—”

“Yay!” Trucy bounced as she pulled her hair back into a ponytail. “Now we get to find a punishment for them both!”

“Well, we already decided on Apollo’s punishment earlier,” Athena called out.

Apollo felt his face turn bright red. “Wait! Wait, I didn’t agree to that—”

“You could always tell him he has to sit in Gavin’s lap the rest of the night,” Phoenix called out, and Edgeworth scoffed.

“Oh, and you don’t think he will if no one points it out to him?”

Apollo blinked. “Huh?”

Sit in the lap of the person to your right until your next turn…

“Aw god damn it!” Apollo scrambled forward off of Klavier’s lap, landing on his face and flipping over. Klavier burst out laughing. 

“Nein, come back my little blanket, my legs were so warm!”

“You knew, didn’t you!” Apollo snapped furiously, sitting up, and Klavier wilted a bit under the glare.

“W-Well, to be fair, I forgot until Herr Edgeworth pointed it out,” he said nervously. “And I wasn’t really sure how to bring it up—”

“You asshole!” He could feel his face burning. “You could’ve mentioned something.”

At the least, Klavier did manage to look a bit ashamed of himself. “A-Ach, sorry, Herr Forehead. Won’t happen again.”

“So Apollo,” Athena said, drawing him from his thoughts. “I think you have a Truth you have to share with us.”

Apollo’s glare faded into a grimace, and he swore he could feel his face getting redder. “Do I have to?”

“So tell us aaaaaaaall about your first kiss,” Trucy said in a sing-song voice.

“I-I...I don’t...uh…” Had his face passed red and gone to purple? “I-I mean, do I really…?”

“Yup!” Athena chimed, and suddenly her hand shot out and grabbed the back of Blackquill’s coat as he slowly began inching his way toward the front door. “And don’t think we’re not paying attention to you too, buster.”

He glared at her. “This is asinine. Justice-dono is the only one who should take a penalty here. Perhaps he should take two, in fact.”

“W-W-W-What?! I’m not taking two!!”

“But what should we do with you?” Athena mused, looking Blackquill over. “There has to be something…”

“Let me do Herr Blackquill’s hair.”

Everyone froze. They all turned toward Klavier, face suddenly quite grim. “Please. I’m begging you. You have so much hair, and it looks like the consistency of straw.”

“What?!”

Trucy gasped, covering her mouth. “Oh. My. God. Mr. Gavin can give Mr. Blackquill a makeover!!”

Blackquill inhaled sharply, face going white. “Are you all daft?! I am not letting that foppish pretty-boy dandy anywhere near my head—”

“I love it,” Athena whispered. “It’s perfect.”

“No, it’s not!” Blackquill snapped.

“Come on, Herr Blackquill, I promise I won’t do too much to it,” Klavier said. “Probably just some conditioner, maybe something to smooth it, and I suppose if I could find the right skin tone I could help with those circles under your eyes—”

“And that isn’t ‘too much’, Gavin-dono?”

Klavier laughed. “If I do something you dislike, you have my permission to kick my ass. How’s that, mein freund?”

Blackquill narrowed his eyes. “...how about if you do something I dislike, I have your permission to cut your ridiculous hair clean off your body.”

“Deal.”

“Wh—Simon!” Athena protested, but Klavier laughed her off.

“Do not worry your pretty little head, Fraulein, I think I'll be fine,” he said with a wave. “Now I believe we were busy embarrassing Herr Forehead?”

“Hey!”

“I’m sorry, Herr Forehead,” Klavier said, grinning toward Apollo and flipping his bangs, “but I’m very curious about your first kiss now.”

“Great. Cool. Wow.” Apollo swallowed. All eyes were on him again. “R-Right, uh, the thing is...um…I-I don’t...I don’t have any...great stories...”

“I mean, you only really need the one, ja?” Klavier said with a laugh. When Apollo didn’t react, he paused. “...Herr Forehead?”

He squeezed his eyes shut. “I...don’t...have one,” Apollo mumbled.

“I’m...sorry? What did you—?”

“I don’t have one! I don’t have one, alright?!” Apollo stood up, rounding on Klavier. “Guess what, Mr. Rockstar, people like me don’t get fun kissing stories like pretty people do.”

Klavier stared at him. “Wh...Apollo—?”

“You happy now?” he shouted, rounding on the others. Trucy was staring at him, all mirth fading from her face. Athena, too, had shrunk a bit. Phoenix was wincing, Edgeworth’s brows were knitted. Blackquill’s face remained impassable. “Hooray, we did it! We solved the mystery! Nobody has ever wanted to kiss Apollo! You going to laugh about it now? Huh?”

“A-Apollo that’s not—”

“Whatever, what does it matter? It's fine, I don't care,” Apollo interrupted Klavier, crossing his arms tightly, face still burning, and worse than that, his eyes were starting to sting a bit. “I’m going back to bed.”

“Ach, wait—”

Apollo turned in a huff, stalking into his room and slamming the door behind him.

Chapter Text

“So, Herr Blackquill, if you could take a seat on the lip of the bathtub.”

Klavier stood in the doorway a moment, as Simon Blackquill stood awkwardly in the middle of the bathroom, looking a bit like he’d rather claw his way through the door than do what he was told. However, since that seemed to be his default reaction to being told to do anything, Klavier didn’t take it too personally.

It had been a few hours since the Jenga debacle. They’d ordered pizza, as Edgeworth's cooking plans had gone out the window, and the lights had come back on part way through dinner. It had been a bit more subdued than the last few meals Klavier had on this trip, but good nonetheless.

Apollo had not joined them, of course. He had stayed shut in their room, ignoring everyone when the pizza arrived. 

Shoving that line of thought away for another day, he shut the door and squeezed over to the other end of the room to start looking through his many haircare products. Even just a cursory glance at Simon Blackquill’s head told him he was going to need quite a bit of conditioner to undo the years of damage that the prison shampoo must have done to the poor man’s scalp. More so than just one day of coerced makeovers. The man’s hair was dry as bone. Tangled too, now that Klavier had managed to give it a closer look. Even just trying to imagine what that hair would feel like on his own head made him shudder.

He made a few selections, gathering the shampoos and conditioners, and turning to find Blackquill had finally seated himself on the tub. Although... “Err, Herr Blackquill, it might be easier if you were facing the other way, if you could—”

“No.”

They looked at each other a moment, Blackquill’s face hard as he sat facing out of the tub. Klavier sighed. “Alright, let me put some towels on the floor then,” he decided, grabbing a few towels and tossing them in the direction of Blackquill’s feet. This was going to be messy, wasn’t it.

He frowned as he gathered his materials into his arms. Maybe he shouldn’t have volunteered himself to do this. ‘Let me take Herr Blackquill to the spa’ he could’ve just as easily said. ‘Let me purchase Blackquill some moisturizer.’ Really, he could’ve said anything else and reached the same results. But nein, here he was, awkwardly stepping into the bathtub so that he could drench an ex-convict’s head with water.

Well, maybe it was a blessing in disguise. Being busy was better than having to sit and think about, well, the rest of the day’s events.

At the least, he seemed to be faring better than Blackquill, who tensed up as soon as Klavier stepped behind him. His hands had grabbed onto his knees and turned white already. His eyes tracked Klavier’s movements very carefully.

“Ach, you really don’t need to worry,” Klavier told him with a laugh. “I already told you I didn’t bring any scissors.”

“Hmph.” His face remained impassable.

“...Although you really should trim these split ends, your hair would—”

“My blade would sever your hand from your wrist the instant you tried it.”

Klavier laughed, not expecting any other possible reaction. “Alright, well, I will keep that in mind,” he said, grabbing the shower head off of the wall. “Now, if you could take off your coat.”

“Absolutely not.”

Klavier paused. “Ach, I see, good idea, your coat can soak up the water before it hits the ground. Very good thinking, Herr Blackquill.”

“What are—?”

He turned the water on, sending a jet of cold water directly into the back of Blackquill’s head. He made a strangled noise, springing forward and almost tripping face first into the counter and spinning, grabbing a can of hairspray like he was about to brain Klavier with it. He stood there a moment, as Klavier aimed the spray down. “Everything alright, mein freund?”

“You smarmy, irritating, worthless waste of flesh and bone—”

“Ja, ja, you will cut me down where I stand, now if you could sit back down? And untie your hair, it will make the process go much faster.”

They stared each other down for a moment, Klavier simply raising an eyebrow with a grin. He could see the perplexion in Blackquill’s eyes at someone who didn’t seem particularly intimidated by his usual bluster (which to be fair, they were in a building with quite a few lawyers, hard to be intimidated). Finally, Blackquill turned and sat back down, undoing his hair then pulling off his now-soaked jacket and throwing it to the floor.

Blackquill’s hair was creased where the hair had been tied, which was somewhat disturbing. However, that was an expected disturbing. What Klavier hadn’t been expecting were the scars stretching across the man’s arms. Rough marks where the shackles had gripped his wrists. Several distinctly talon-looking marks on his forearms, perhaps from training mishaps with his pet bird. A few burn marks as well, and Klavier couldn’t help but remember the Themis case, the first one he’d seen where Blackquill had been tasered. There were many others that Klavier could only guess at, lining his arms, a few at his neck. Some looked like burns, some looked like cuts. He could even see a few peaking from beneath Blackquill's black undershirt, leaving him wondering how many more remained hidden out of sight.

Klavier glanced curiously at them a moment, though he went back to adjusting the spray nozzle when he felt Blackquill bristle at the look. “Alright, we’ll probably have to put something in to untangle...all of this before I can do anything else.”

“Do what you will,” Blackquill muttered, eyes still trained on Klavier as he reached down and grabbed some conditioner.

Klavier worked in silence for a while, attempting to work out the many, many knots in Blackquill’s hair with a large-toothed comb he had for just such disasters. As he worked, he frowned to himself. Sure, he understood that there were people in the world who didn’t care so much about their appearance. That was understandable. But this? This was just excessive. He’d be worried the man hadn’t washed it at all if it wasn’t so clearly damaged from some sort of industrial strength hair dryer.

After finally undoing some knots, and working a decent amount of conditioner into Blackquill’s hair, Klavier leaned back to inspect his handiwork. “There we are. That wasn’t so hard, was it?”

“The only difficult part was not slicing you open,” Blackquill gritted through his teeth.

A laugh. “Oh, I was talking to myself, not to worry, Herr Blackquill.”

He narrowed his eyes. “I see. Well, how wonderful that I did not cause you nearly as much strife as you thought.”

“I was just worried you’d damaged your hair beyond repair,” Klavier replied, grabbing his phone to set a timer. “I’m sure we’ll have it recovered in no time.”

“You’re not worried that I will take your place as the pretty one at the office?” Blackquill asked dryly, allowing himself a smirk.

Klavier grinned at him. “There’s plenty of room in the spotlight, Herr Blackquill,” he said, sitting down beside him. “Enough for two pretty ones.”

The smirk faded. “Nothing phases you, does it?” he muttered, rolling his eyes. “Always a parry for every thrust.”

“Ach, maybe you’re just not trying hard enough,” Klavier replied with a laugh.

Blackquill glanced at him, hair still slick with conditioner. “Of course I'm not,” he said. “But it seemed cruel to simply make fun of your bizarre infatuation with Justice-dono directly out the gate.”

Klavier paused. Alright, maybe he shouldn’t have challenged him. “Ah, uh...what do you mean, Herr Blackquill—?”

“Oh, you’re going to play dumb?” Blackquill shot back, raising an eyebrow. “It’s not like you have made your advances toward the man subtle. The only person oblivious to the matter is the master of oblivion himself.”

Klavier laughed nervously. “Ach, well—”

“Such a shame that you just publicly humiliated him just now,” Blackquill continued, making direct eye contact in the mirror. “That certainly will make it hard for you to seduce him.”

“T-That wasn’t—”

“Such a tragedy,” he continued, face unchanging. “And you had been making so much progress before this point. All that time and energy wasted now. And here I thought the two of you were made for each other—”

“Alright! I get it!” Klavier snapped, good mood now completely gone. “Thank you for the reminder.”

“Your blade is sharp, but your stance is weak,” Blackquill replied. “Never challenge me again.”

Klavier grunted, scowling at him. Then he sighed, head falling into his hands. “I did screw that up royally, didn’t I.”

“Agreed.”

“I wasn’t trying to embarrass him,” Klavier told him. “I mean, sure, I enjoy flustering him, but I didn’t want to actually upset him.” He rubbed a hand over his face. “Do you think he hates me?”

“Yes.”

“Why am I even talking to you?”

“You locked me in the bathroom with you, Gavin-dono, you tell me.”

Klavier groaned, leaning back. “Well, there has to be a way to make it up to him.”

“I am sure.”

Klavier sat there for a moment, staring at the ceiling. “...say, Herr Blackquill, you know how people think.”

“...pardon?”

“You and Fraulein Cykes, you both have all that psychology stuff figured out, ja? Help me out with this,” he said, turning to face Blackquill. “I need to get Herr Forehead back on my good side. How do I do that?”

Blackquill slowly turned toward him, incredulity written all over his face. “You’re...asking me? For advice on an interpersonal relationship?”

“...Ja.”

Blackquill sort of opened and closed his mouth a few times. “Alright, perhaps I should repeat that for you. You. Klavier Gavin. Are asking me. Simon Blackquill. For advice. On an interpersonal relationship. One of a romantic nature.”

“...correct.”

“...why?”

“What do you mean, why?” Klavier snapped. “Do you think I’d be asking you if I had any other bright ideas?” He leaned in. “You really have nothing? I thought you knew all about how the brain works.”

“I certainly know more than most,” Blackquill snapped, looking deeply uncomfortable. “But I promise you that there is nothing in my repertoire that would be of any help in this endeavor, and that is a guarantee.”

“Come on, I’m sure you can at least think of something.”

Blackquill sighed, rubbing at his temples. “I...You...You could always...I don’t know, pay everyone here to agree to pretend you were dating the entire time and just gaslight him into a relationship.”

A beat. “Alright, that is literally the singular worst piece of advice I have ever received.”

“An honor I will receive wholeheartedly.”

Klavier’s alarm went off. Both of them jumped, Blackquill spinning as if to hit the source of the noise before recalling what it was. Klavier chuckled a bit at that, standing up. “You are very jumpy sometimes, Herr Blackquill.”

“...have you ever been shived before, Gavin-dono?”

He paused. “...nein?”

“Seldom have I met a men in the klink who was not jumpy,” he murmured, a finger tracing one of his larger scars. “None that lasted more than a few weeks in any case.”

“...ah.” Klavier stood there a moment, before reaching over to where he’d set his phone down. “Well, I'll try not to startle you anymore.”

Blackquill watched him as he started hitting buttons on his phone. “Dare I ask why you think I’d have more insight into this little...problem that you are facing?”

Klavier paused a moment, staring down at his phone as the buzzing stopped. “...I don’t know,” he admitted. “I mean, I’ve done everything the same as I have before. It’s always been so easy, but...well, I suppose Apollo is very...different from anyone else I have ever been with before.”

“Well, he certainly is different.”

Klavier paused, raising an eyebrow at Blackquill with a scowl. Blackquill smirked back. “Sorry. Continue.”

“Well. The point is, my usual, ah, ‘methodology’ has failed me,” Klavier said, frowning and stepping back into the tub to turn the nozzle back on. “And I am so...so very lost on what to do.” He let the water heat up this time, before dousing Blackquill. “Hmm. Your hair looks better already.”

“If I look in the mirror at the end of this and you’ve styled my hair to match your ridiculous little braid, I will shave your entire head.”

Klavier laughed, trying to imagine Blackquill matching his hairstyle. “You say that, but genuinely, I think you could pull it off.”

“Pull your hair off of your head? An interesting proposition, but I’m willing to try it.”

“Well, at the least, your hair is looking better.” He shut the water off, motioning toward the mirror.

Blackquill looked over. His hair was soaked, but it had at least lost the quality of a bundle of wire. It was smoother, shinier, softer maybe? Klavier grinned at the man’s reflection, who simply scowled at him. “...I look like a drowned rat.”

“You are a very negative man,” Klavier told him, smile fading to a small pout. “Ah well, this will look much better once it is all dried, ja?”

“Oh, of course, I trust your judgement implicitly,” Blackquill muttered as insincerely as he could, glowering as Klavier grabbed the hair dryer and began to adjust the diffuser at the end. “I am sure soon my beautiful locks will rival even yours.”

“You know,” Klavier told him, “looking good isn’t just about hair care and makeup, as much as I enjoy them.”

“Oh? Were insincere smiles and opening my shirt buttons also a requirement?” Blackquill replied.

“What makes you think my smiles are insincere?” Klavier asked with a laugh. “You seem to have a lower opinion of me than even the cruelest of music critics. Not that I mind, I can handle a negative opinion or two.” He flipped the dryer on for a moment, testing out the diffuser. “But nein, I’m just saying, you are not an unattractive man, Herr Blackquill.”

Blackquill made a face. “...you are...coming onto me now?”

“Wh—No,” Klavier said quickly, shutting off the dryer. “I’m not—No. This isn’t about personal attraction. I’m just trying to say, you have a lot of very nice features. A nice jaw, broad shoulders, sharp wit. I'm sure you could have all the ladies swooning if you really wanted them to.”

Blackquill snorted. “Ah, so you are saying it’s my ‘personality’ that prevents me from reaching your level?”

“Nein, not at all,” Klavier said quickly. “I’m worried it’s more a matter of confidence.”

Blackquill actually laughed at that, slapping his knee. “Oh? You’re accusing me of having a confidence problem? And what leg do you have to stand on, Gavin-dono? You seem far more the coward than I.”

That made Klavier pause. “In what way?” he asked with a frown.

“Tell me, Gavin-dono, in all of your plotting and scheming, why have you not simply professed your affections toward Justice-dono?”

He froze. “...what do you mean? I’ve done plenty to—”

“Oh, I’ve seen you preen and prance about like a peacock,” Blackquill replied. “All in an effort to get Justice-dono to fall into your arms like some swooning damsel. Now tell me, Gavin-dono, why is it so important that he falls for your advances first?”

Klavier blinked. “T-That—”

“Or perhaps you’re afraid to come at it head on for fear of being rejected,” Blackquill interrupted. “If you can get him to admit to it before you, then you’re never in any real danger. Suddenly it all falls into place so effortlessly, and you never really risk anything, you never open yourself up to any real rejection or heartache, just like every other 'intimate' relationship you've encountered in your life.”

The silence was deafening. It filled the room. Nothing moved for a moment. Klavier could see Blackquill glance up at him, but Klavier was still, holding the hairdryer aloft. He opened his mouth a few times, trying to find his voice, but nothing really came out. 

“...err...Gavin-dono?” Blackquill tried after a moment, brows creasing.

“Y-You know what, your...your hair looks fine,” Klavier said, setting down the hairdryer and sitting down on the closed toilet seat. “You, ah...you look fine already, go ahead and just let it air dry.”

Blackquill sat where he was for a moment. “...I...suspect I may have crossed a line,” he said cautiously.

“Nein, no, you’re...you’re correct, I just…” He tapped his fingers against the counter. “No, you’re correct,” he repeated softly. “I...don’t worry about it, your hair looks fine now. You’re more than welcome to leave.”

Blackquill watched him for another moment, looking unsure of how to react. Then he stood up, walking to the door. Klavier could hear the door handle turn.

“...confound it all.”

“Hmm—?”

Blackquill was back at the edge of the tub, sitting down with a scowl as Klavier looked questioningly up at him. “Fine. You want to talk? Let us talk.”

“Wh—Huh—What are you—?” Klavier sat up in confusion. “Herr Blackquill, you don’t need to—”

“Silence. Do you want my advice or not?”

Klavier sat there a moment, feeling his own mouth hanging open like a fish. Finally he shook his head. “Are you… Are you offering actual advice?”

Blackquill rolled his eyes. “No, I’m going to tell you some Freudian bull about you wanting to marry your own mother yes I am offering you actual advice.”

“Why?”

Blackquill actually winced. “I...that is…” He hesitated, groaned slightly, rubbed an eye. “Cykes-dono is rubbing off on me it seems,” he muttered after a moment. “As ridiculous as it sounds, I can just feel that she’d be cross if I just left without at least saying at least something of use.”

Klavier found himself chuckling at that. “Oh? Is Fraulein Cykes your conscience now?”

Blackquill wrinkled his nose. “Hmph. Is that what you call it? Disgusting.” He crossed his arms, letting them sit on his knees as he sat forward. “Now. As I have stated previously, I am not the person to go for with romantic problems, and I do not plan on becoming that person. What I am good at is picking apart other people and throwing their own insecurities back into their faces.”

“Clearly.”

“I’m not done talking.”

Klavier managed a weak laugh, leaning back in his seat as Blackquill scowled. “My apologies, continue.”

“The point that I am trying to make, before being so rudely interrupted, is that if you continue to wildly swing your blade without making an attempt to examine why your advances seem to backfire constantly, your blade will never strike true. You must..." He hesitated, trying to find the words. "You must...understand what it is that is holding you back if you ever want to accomplish anything in your short, sad existence.”

“I was with you until the end there,” Klavier said, though he still found himself smiling.

“...as I have said, I am not good at giving advice,” Blackquill muttered.

“Nein, what you say is perfectly reasonable,” he said, playing with the end of his braid. “...I suppose I’m mostly just...terrified of a no. And it's not like I've never heard a no before, or never had a relationship fall apart, but...but Apollo is different. I've..." He sighed to himself, spinning a ring on his finger. "I've had many romantic relationships before, but never with anyone like Apollo. Apollo is...one of the few people left in my life who makes me feel…” He paused. “...hmm. I don’t actually know how to describe it…”

“Do you need me to start naming adjectives for you?” Blackquill asked dryly. “Happy. Sad. Anxious. Aroused.”

“Safe,” Klavier decided. “He makes me feel safe. And I don’t want to lose that.”

Blackquill paused, looking closely at him. “...I see.” After a moment, he shrugged. “Well, my thoughts on the matter still stand. Not that I am any expert on...introspection, or...honesty, but...”

“What? You’re not?” When Blackquill glared, Klavier laughed. “Ach, I’m sorry, I thought I deserved at least one pot shot.”

A sigh. “Yes, yes, I get it, I lash out at people too easily.”

“Ach, see, that sounded both honest and introspective.”

“And I will make sure it never happens again,” Blackquill replied. “Well. Take my hypocritical advice if you so choose.”

“...I might do that,” Klavier said, more to himself than for Blackquill’s benefit.

There was a long pause as the two sat there, both lost in their own heads for a bit.

“...You want to finish with my hair.”

“I do. I do want to finish with your hair.”

Blackquill gave a deep sigh, leaning forward. “Fine, have at it, you heathen.”

“Well, I think you clean up rather nicely, Herr Blackquill.”

It had taken quite a bit of cajoling, but he’d finished doing Blackquill’s hair without incident. He’d even convinced him to allow Klavier the chance to put on some makeup around his eyes, just enough to soften the bruise-like shadows.

Blackquill was frowning at himself in the mirror, eyebrows creased, face sullen. His hair was still loose down his back, which was exceedingly odd to look at, but at least looking at it no longer physically hurt, so there was a plus.

“Well, you have certainly...succeeded at something,” Blackquill muttered.

“So do I get to keep my hair, Herr Blackquill?”

Blackquill glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. “...for now.”

“I will take that as a success.” He walked off, finally pulling open the bathroom door. “Well, you are free to go, then.”

“...right...”

They strode out of the bathroom, and out into the living room. Edgeworth was sitting on the couch, reading some legal documents in one hand, and stroking Phoenix’s head in his lap with the other. Phoenix appeared to be asleep, one arm resting on the coffee table, while Athena and Trucy painted each nail a new color.

Both of them looked up as the two entered the room. Athena grinned. “Oh, Simon, your hair looks so nice now.”

Blackquill hesitated, unable to quite make heads or tails of the compliment, before simply shrugging with a ‘Hmph.’

“Well now you need to get your nails done, Blackquill,” Phoenix said, not even opening his eyes. “Really complete the new look.”

“Absolutely not,” Blackquill shot back, as Trucy gasped. “I have to draw the line somewhere.”

“What about you, Prosecutor Gavin?” Athena called, holding up a bottle. “Want to try some? We have your shade of purple.”

For a split second, it was a bottle of Ariadoney nail polish in her hand, and his heart stopped. “N-Nein, nail polish isn’t really my thing,” he said with a laugh, shaking the image out of his head. “But, uh, thank you for the offer.”

“...oh, uh, okay,” Athena said, face falling for a second into one of confusion.

Klavier watched as Blackquill sat back in his chair off to the side of the room. The girls went back to painting Phoenix’s nails. Edgeworth had yet to even look up from his work. It was a very homey picture. Klavier almost felt completely at ease, watching quietly for a few moments.

If only they weren’t missing one straggler.

“...so, uh, any sign of Herr Forehead?” he asked lightly, making his way over to the fridge.

Trucy and Athena both paused what they were doing. “No, he’s still in his room,” Trucy said, looking guiltily over toward the door.

“I think he’s watching a movie,” Athena added, tilting her head to listen.

Phoenix opened an eye. “Don’t worry too hard, Gavin, he probably just needs a bit of time to stew.”

“Ja…” He frowned for a moment. Then, taking a breath, he grabbed a paper plate from the nearby kitchen counter. “Which pizza does he like?”

“He usually goes for veggie,” Trucy replied. “Are you going to run him some?”

Klavier fished out the veggie pizza. “I should go make sure he doesn’t starve to death out of pure stubbornness.”

“If you make a mess, you pay the deposit,” Edgeworth said, not even sparing a glance.

Klavier laughed. “I’ll keep that in mind, Herr Edgeworth.”

He made his way to the door, trying to ignore the bubbling anxiety in his stomach as he gently pushed it open. It was dark inside. The sun hadn’t fully set yet, but it was cloudy enough outside that it still took Klavier’s eyes several seconds to adjust.

Apollo was lying in the bed, holding his phone, the screen illuminating his face as cheery music played from the speakers. He glanced up at the door opening, before rolling onto his side to face the far wall.

“I, ah, brought you some pizza,” Klavier said, forcing his 100 watt smile. “I heard you like veggie.”

“...m’not hungry.”

The smile fell away at that. “...you’ve eaten five cheerios and half a turkey sandwich.”

“So?” He shrugged a bit in the darkness. “It’s fine, don’t worry about it. I’m fine.”

Klavier stood there for a moment. “...I am sorry,” he said finally. “For...embarrassing you.”

“Really, don’t worry about it,” Apollo snapped, not even looking back. “It’s fine. I basically had a temper tantrum about—about kissing. It’s literally the stupidest thing in the world. It’s not like you knew. Or Trucy or Athena. I'm the idiot here. Don't...don't worry about it.”

Klavier stood there for a bit, as the video on Apollo’s phone screen continued to play. There were a million things he wanted to say, but none felt right. After a moment, he walked over and set down the pizza on the bedside table. “...Apollo, I…” I love you. I think you’re amazing. I want to kiss you. “I don’t have a lot of friends.”

There was a pause. Finally, Apollo stopped the video, looking over. “...huh?!”

Klavier opened and closed his mouth. Why did I just say that?! “I...I don’t have a lot of people left in my life.” The words started pouring out. “Certainly no one like you. No one genuine and smart and kind and…” This was not going at all like he’d planned in his head. He could feel Apollo staring at him. In horror? In anger? “You are someone I care about,” he continued. “Quite a bit. You...You saved me, Apollo. And maybe you don’t even realize it but you...you’ve saved me a thousand times over. And yes I enjoy teasing you, but I’d never want to actually do something that would...you know, hurt you. Make you feel bad. You’re...I mean...You’re amazing. And even hurting you as an accident feels horrible.”

There was a long pause. Klavier couldn’t even bring himself to look up at Apollo. “Well, seeing as that was not at all what I came in here to say, I think I will take my leave now before I embarrass myself any further—”

“Do you want to watch Mulan?”

Klavier froze. “...huh?”

“T-The good one,” Apollo said quickly. He held up his phone as if to prove his point. “Uh. The singing one.” When Klavier didn’t respond, Apollo coughed. “I-I just mean like...you know, there’s room. Here. If you. Uh.” Another pause. “I-It’s your room too. But uh you don’t have to if you don't want, I just thought—”

“Nein, I...I would love to.”

Apollo looked at him for a moment, before quickly scooting over on the bed, leaning back against the bedframe as Klavier sat down next to him. “I didn’t get very far,” Apollo said, hitting a few buttons. “I can rewind it…”

It looked a bit like Apollo was halfway through, but Klavier didn’t comment on that. Instead, he said, “Did you really think that I hated you?”

“...I-I mean, yeah,” Apollo said with a shrug. “I...thought it was obvious.”

“...did you hate me back?”

Apollo considered it a moment, staring at the screen. “...I mean…” He sighed. “I mean I tried. It didn’t work out that great, but I tried.”

“...I guess that’s good.”

Apollo pulled up his knees, setting the phone there. Klavier leaned in, and their arms brushed against each other.

“Ach, sorry—”

“It’s fine. It’s a really tiny screen.”

Klavier glanced over. Apollo was staring pointedly at the screen, mouth pressed into a hard line. Cautiously, Klavier settled back in, letting their arms touch again. Apollo glanced back a second, and back to the screen. “...can I have that pizza now?”

Klavier smiled. “Of course.”

And the two watched the movie in a comfortable silence as the light outside faded completely.

Chapter Text

Edgeworth woke up at five thirty on the dot, as he always did on weekdays. He blinked a few times in the gray light of the morning filtering through the window, shifting slightly with a small grunt. Phoenix, sleeping soundly next to him, shifted a bit too, arm wrapping tighter around Edgeworth’s waist.

He’d meant to get up immediately. It was morning, after all. He had probably missed at least twenty emails. He had work piling up even now, he was quite sure. But somehow, looking at Phoenix in the quiet hours of the morning always managed to take a bit more of his time than he meant it too. He looked so peaceful like that, eyes shut, just a hint of stubble on his jaw. If only Edgeworth had managed to perfect such a peaceful slumber.

But no, Edgeworth was an early riser, and as he had yet to perfect the art of answering emails on his cellular device, he eventually had to pry Phoenix’s arm from his midsection, gently laying it back on the mattress.

Phoenix scrunched up his face a bit. “...Miiiles…”

“Go back to bed, Wright,” he said gently, leaning over to press a kiss to the man’s temple.

“But it’s too cooold.”

“Then put some pants on. It isn’t my fault you’re trying to sleep in the nude.”

“...yeah it is.”

Edgeworth paused. “...Go back to bed,” he repeated firmly.

Phoenix grumbled a bit, burying his face into Edgeworth’s pillow and sighing. It only took a few moments before his breathing evened out once again. Edgeworth rolled his eyes, pressing another kiss to Phoenix’s shoulder for good measure and heading off to gather his things.

It was still dark in the living room, though for once Blackquill was still lying on his own pullout bed. He glanced over as Edgeworth walked past with his work computer, just giving a slight nod of acknowledgement, before sitting up, cracking his neck, and pulling himself out of bed and toward the restroom.

After only a few more minutes Edgeworth was standing at the kitchen counter, booting up his computer as the instant coffee machine started pouring out hot water. It wasn’t the best way to make his tea, but at least he could make tea without waking the entire building, so he was willing to call it a win.

As he predicted, he had missed quite a few emails since last he checked. A good chunk were from Sebastian Debeste, who had the unfortunate habit of sending a panicked email, figuring out the answer to his problem immediately, and then sending a panicked follow up email apologizing for the first email. There were a few others, from people of various import across the legal world. Messages from the chief prosecutor one district over whom he’d been working with on some policy reforms. One from Winston Payne, about some tax error on his paycheck. Several newsletters he always promised he’d read but ended up deleting as soon as he read the subject line.

He started through them one by one.

‘Thank you for your reply. Unfortunately I am out of the office until next week and cannot attend a meeting in person.’

‘You are indeed correct, I will forward your email to someone who can make that change to your W-4.’

‘Thank you for your diligence, Mr. Debeste, but please just leave the papers on my desk where it was requested of you. I do not need a new organization system, intuitive or not.’

“Mr. Edgeworth?”

“Hmm?” He looked up to find Athena Cykes frowning at him. 

“Is everything alright?”

“Yes, of course,” he replied. “Why wouldn’t it be.”

“Well, your hot water looks like it cooled down already…”

He turned. She was right, his drink had already reached room temperature. “...ah. You are correct. Thank you, Ms. Cykes.”

“Yeah, no problem.” She watched, stretching her arms as Edgeworth opened the side of the machine, pouring the water back in and placing his cup back. “Trucy’s sleeping in. Anyone else up?”

“Blackquill is in the bathroom,” Edgeworth told her. “Wright fell back asleep, and I haven’t heard anything from Gavin or Justice since last evening.”

“Mm, makes sense,” she said with a yawn. “Well, I guess I have time to get some exercise first.”

“Yes, the weather seems clear today, so you shouldn’t suffer any more unexpected deluges.” He crossed his arms. “Though I’m still surprised you hadn’t noticed the storm rolling in yesterday.”

“Yeah,” she muttered. “Well, we were busy.” She nudged her flip flops right side up. Then, suddenly, she froze. “...Mr. Wright is still asleep.”

“...hm?” Edgeworth frowned at her. “Oh, um, yes.”

He could almost see the gears spinning in her brain. She looked toward Edgeworth’s bedroom. She looked toward Klavier and Apollo’s bedroom. Then she turned and sidled up against the counter. “So Mr. Edgeworth! How has your vacation been going?”

Edgeworth paused. He glanced over. There was a large, Cheshire-cat smile across Athena’s face, and a spark in her eyes. “I’m...sorry?”

“I’m just wondering,” she said, draping herself across the counter. “I know you were sort of stressed getting organized on day one, but has everything gotten, you know, organized?”

He frowned at her for a moment. This felt like prying. It wasn’t a prying question, but it felt like prying. Athena Cykes was up to something, and the fact that she was doing it with such an innocuous question was deeply concerning.

“I...I suppose it could be better,” he said cautiously, tapping on his laptop. “But things seem to have calmed down at least.

“I see, I see.” Athena was nodding along, eyes still bright and excited. He could see the gears continuing to turn, though he couldn’t say why. “Hey Mr. Edgeworth! Do you want to come help me get breakfast for everyone?”

///

Day four. It was day four.

Phoenix opened his eyes in the dingy gray of the morning filtering through the blinds. He’d been here for four days with nothing to show for it. No marriage proposal. No ring. Not even an Edgeworth to snuggle with in the wee hours of the morning.

He sighed, rolling over to stare forlornly at the ceiling. “Some vacation,” he muttered to himself, rubbing his face. Even game night hadn’t really done enough to shake the funk he felt deep in his bones.

A yawn, and he forced himself into a sitting position. It was clear outside, as far as he could see. Maybe a good day to comb the beach? After all, he’d already combed the entire condo, and made a few laps around the outside hallway while ‘waiting for the pizza man’, and called the front office, and called every restaurant they’d been to, and…

“Why do I always have the worst luck,” he muttered, pulling himself out of bed and searching around for something to wear.

Blackquill was in the living room, still sitting on his bed, doing what looked like a book of Sudokus. He glanced up as Phoenix stepped into view. Phoenix gave him a half smile. “Good morning.”

“Is it?”

Phoenix paused. “I mean, it’s definitely morning.”

“Well, apparently that’s ‘good’ to hear.”

Phoenix sighed. “...why do I even talk to you?”

“I am supposedly beautiful now, everyone wishes to talk to me,” Blackquill replied with no emotion. “Also, that is sarcasm, do not give Gavin-dono any indication that I am enjoying myself, because I am not.”

Phoenix snorted, as Blackquill ‘hmphed’ and returned to his Sudoku. “Got it. My lips are sealed.” He glanced around the room for a moment, taking in the view before realizing something was missing. “Do you know where Edgeworth is?”

“Cykes-dono mentioned something about breakfast,” Blackquill said. “She then told me to wink at Gavin-dono in a conspicuous manner.”

“...why?”

“I decided long before to stop asking questions,” Blackquill replied, glancing over. “But I can only assume she is attempting to seduce your future husband and ruin your relationship.”

There was a pause. They sort of stared at each other for a moment.

“No one understands my humor,” Blackquill muttered darkly. “Leave me be. I am very busy with my numbers.”

Phoenix burst out laughing, as another door opened. Both men glanced up to see a sleepy Klavier Gavin in the doorway, hair loose at his shoulders. “Good morning.”

“That’s a bit presumptuous,” Blackquill replied.

Klavier ignored the jab, letting the door shut behind him. “Your hair looks good, mein freund.”

“Ah, then I shall wash it in the chlorinated pool next I get the chance,” he shot back, as Klavier made his way over. Then Klavier tossed something into his lap, and Blackquill scowled. “And what might this be, dare I ask?”

“I realized I had some extra shampoo. Consider it a gift. Don't want to ruin all my hard work at your next shower, after all.”

“I am not your personal pet project, Gavin-dono.”

“Of course not,” Klavier said with a knowing nod.

As Phoenix watched them, he stretched. “Well, while we wait for Edgeworth and Athena, anyone want to head down to the beach?”

“Of course. If you need help setting—I’m sorry, wait, Herr Edgeworth and Athena?” Klavier repeated.

“Oh. Uh.” Blackquill cleared his throat. “Yes. Cykes-dono and Edgeworth-dono went to bring us breakfast.” And he gave the most aggressively deliberate wink Phoenix had ever seen.

“...oh. Ah, r-right.” Klavier suddenly looked a bit worried, glancing between Phoenix and Blackquill.

“So that’s a no for the beach?” Phoenix asked.

Klavier paused, brows knitted together a moment. Then he nodded slowly. “Nein, let’s go to the beach,” he said, and he flashed that rockstar smile.

///

“So, you’ve never had a beignet, Mr. Edgeworth?”

They’d hopped into the rental car, Athena already adjusting the passenger seat as she sat, and headed off down the road. It was early enough that the roads were mostly empty, though they passed a few people here and there.

“It hasn’t come up,” Edgeworth replied, pulling into the roundabout. “Fried dough covered in powdered sugar is not exactly my ideal breakfast.”

“Oo, so you’re more of a ‘savory breakfast’ kind of guy then, Mr. Edgeworth?”

He rolled his eyes at that. “I’m more of a ‘breakfast tea’ kind of person, if you must know.”

Athena gasped. “But breakfast is the most important meal of the day!”

“...right.” A sigh. “Well, I’m sure Trucy at least will be elated to get her first sugar high first thing in the morning.”

They pulled into a small shopping plaza about a minute away from the condo. It was a quaint little area, a few shops and restaurants, a grocery story, a building still under construction.

“So there’s the place with the endless crab legs,” Athena pointed out.

“Ah, well thank god we found it,” Edgeworth muttered.

“Oh and I think that place had some good potential replacement bathing suits for the one Mr. Wright ruined.”

“Sounds reasonable enough, if you wish to stop there before we get back.”

Eventually, he found some parking. Athena hopped out of her seat. “There it is!” she said, pointing to the tiny cafe on the corner. “I heard this place had really good beignets.”

“I’ll have to take your word for it,” he said, pulling the car into park and quickly getting out of the car.

It was promising to be a beautiful day. Clear skies, warm sun, enough wind to prevent the air from stagnating over the asphalt. Maybe he could finally finish his book by that afternoon, once this little detour was finished.

The cafe itself was a cozy, cute little add-on at the end of the block of buildings, with outdoor seating and a line that actually stretched back several storefronts. Good food or not, the place was certainly popular. Hopefully that bode well for the quality, but it certainly didn’t bode well for getting back to the condo in a timely manner.

“So have you lost anything recently?”

Edgeworth paused. “...I’m sorry?”

“You know.”

They stood there a moment. Athena failed to elaborate. “I’m… N-Not that I’m aware of. Should I be looking through my personal possessions, Ms. Cykes?”

“Nah, don’t worry about it.”

Now Edgeworth was confused. Crossing his arms, he looked toward her. “Did you find something of interest, perchance?”

“Noooo, don’t worry so hard, Mr. Edgeworth. It was just a question.”

“Well now I’m incredibly worried,” Edgeworth replied, stepping into the line outside the cafe. “You sound as if you found something of import.”

“What? No. I think you’re overthinking this, Mr. Edgeworth,” she insisted, hands falling to her hips. “If you haven’t lost anything, then you haven’t lost anything.”

“Why on earth would you be asking if I lost anything if you haven’t found anything you suspect to be lost?” Edgeworth snapped.

“I just want to make sure that you have all of your possessions!” She replied with a bright smile. “What kind of co-vacationer would I be if I didn’t check up on my boss’s boyfriend’s possessions occasionally?”

Edgeworth narrowed his eyes, adjusting his glasses as he stared down the young lady in front of him. She already turned toward the building, standing on her tiptoes to try to view the interior.

Lost anything. Lost anything. Had he lost anything? Edgeworth frowned to himself. He was organized, sure, but he hadn’t taken the time to organize and document all his possessions since their arrival. He certainly hadn’t noticed anything of importance disappear. Well, at the least, he hadn’t brought anything particularly expensive save for...for...

He froze in place. The line moved ahead without him, Athena skimming through a menu posted on the wall. He felt a cold sweat break out on his neck.

Alright, he needed to figure out what Athena had discovered, and he needed to know now.

///

“Alright, on the count of three. One. Two. Three!”

Phoenix, Blackquill, Apollo, and Klavier all took a step back, each pulling one tent pole as the canvas in the middle unfurled. After a few seconds of maneuvering, Trucy scooted underneath, grabbing a ground stake and driving it into the sand as quickly as she could.

“Ach, much easier!” Klavier said, stepping back with a grin to inspect their handiwork. “Much easier with four people.”

“Five people,” Trucy protested, holding up another ground stake.

“My apologies, five people,” he corrected with a nod. “We could never have done it without your help.”

“Aw, thank you, Mr. Gavin,” Trucy said sweetly, finishing and then half-crawling her way to Phoenix’s spot. 

Phoenix laughed, letting go and taking a step back as well. “How were you doing it last time?”

“Well, we only had the benefit of three people working on the tent the last time,” Blackquill said, attempting to raise the canvas high enough to give Trucy some more maneuverability. “Three-and-a-half, were you to count Justice-dono’s poor performance.”

“Hey, I helped,” Apollo said, crossing his arm. “I brought the tent out, didn’t I?”

“Ah, yes, and what a feat that was.”

Apollo sighed, as Trucy finally finished securing the tent. “I’m thinking today is a sandcastle day,” she decided. “Who’s with me?”

“Sure, I’m down,” Apollo said with a shrug.

“Anyone else? Daddy? Mr. Gavin? Mr. Blackquill?”

“I-I don’t know, all that bending over might hurt my back,” Phoenix said, edging back to glance around. No signs of a black box lying out in the open. Maybe he could sneak over and check with the lifeguard?

“You’re not that old, daddy,” Trucy interrupted his thoughts, hands on her hips.

“You know, I think I’m going to sit this one out too, Fraulein,” Klavier said quickly, flashing her a smile. “But thank you.”

“Aw.” She pouted a moment, before glancing over toward Blackquill.

Blackquill stared her down a moment. “...I am uninterested,” he said. “I am not much for architecture. Or...creativity.”

“But you are quite strong!” Klavier chimed in. “You could always help them transport the sand, ja?”

“Why are you volunteering me? Do you think we are friends now? Because let me assure you—”

“Wait! Mr. Blackquill, hold up your arm.”

Blackquill blinked. He held up his arm. “Why, dare I—?”

Trucy ran and jumped, grabbing onto Blackquill’s bicep. He jumped a bit, flinching back like he was going to punch her away, but held off, simply letting her dangle from his arm for a few moments. “Let. Go.”

She let go, landing softly on the sand. “Perfect! You can help us move the sand!”

“I never agreed to—”

She twirled, and with a flourish handed him a plastic shovel and a large bucket. “Tah dah!”

“As I said, I have not agreed...to...where did…?” Blackquill paused, frowning at the bucket being shoved into his hands. “...when did you grab this?”

“A magician never reveals her secrets,” Trucy said with a grin. “Now come on!”

She ushered him forward. Blackquill sent Klavier a dirty look, and Klavier grinned. “Would you rather stay here and discuss haircare?”

He sighed, and turned to trudge after Trucy. “Fine, I will assist you, but once you have your sand…”

Phoenix laughed, watching as the three made their way down to the water. “I will never understand how she does it.”

“I don’t think anyone can,” Klavier said.

The two stood there in the shade for a moment. Neither spoke. Neither moved. It was an uncomfortable pause. “...I’m going to set up the chairs.”

“Ja, let me help you, Herr Wright.”

“Sure.”

The two of them set the chairs out, scattered beneath the shade of the tent, each one a different size and shape. They worked in silence, but setting up chairs was not a very difficult task, and soon they were both standing there, looking over their handiwork, neither one wanting to break the silence first.

“These are very nice chairs,” Klavier commented. “I like the fabric.”

“Thanks. Edgeworth got them from some camping store.”

“Ah.”

Another pause.

Why was talking with Klavier so difficult? He knew Klavier, the man usually never shut up around other people. Hell, usually Phoenix at least could come up with some sort of topic of conversation. But when it was just the two of them, all conversation ground to a halt.

Klavier finally sat down, attempting to set up the footrest on one of the chairs. Phoenix watched a moment, debating if he should sit down or find something else to do, until movement at the shoreline caught Phoenix’s eye. He glanced over, toward a man with a metal detector, walking slowly, pocket bulging. 

Now that’s promising. Phoenix perked up. “I’m going to be right back.”

“Hmm?” Klavier frowned at him, but Phoenix was already past the shade of the tent, belining toward the man. “Herr Wright…?”

“Excuse me!” Phoenix called to the man, jogging over. “Excuse me, I’ve been trying to find something on the beach here for the past couple of days. Have you found any jewelry?”

“Mm?” The man grunted, looking up. He was an older fellow, with tanned skin and sun bleached hair. “Uh, what kinda jewelry?”

A sigh. “Specifically an engagement ring,” he said, glancing around. No one appeared to be listening in, but Klavier was watching curiously from a distance. “Maybe still in a box?”

“An engagement ring, eh?” The man laughed. “Well, that ain’t great to hear. How’d ya drop a whole engagement ring?”

“Did you find it or not?” Phoenix snapped.

A snort. “Not yet. Haven’t combed this area too much though.”

Phoenix wilted. “Right. Right…” He tapped his foot a second, frowning to himself. “Could I...borrow that?”

“The metal detector?” He shrugged. “Eh, sure, I guess if an engagement’s on the line. You know how to use this thing?”

Phoenix laughed at that, Manfred von Karma’s panicked face rising unbidden in his head. “Oh yeah, don’t worry about me.”

“Don’t be thinking you’re takin’ this thing home,” the man said sternly, handing him the metal detector. “And give that back when ya finish.”

Phoenix nodded, as the man trudged back a ways toward the rentable beach chairs near one of the neighboring hotels. He turned, trudging back a bit as he fiddled with the dial.

“I didn’t know you were into scavenging, Herr Wright.”

“Huh?” Phoenix looked up as Klavier stepped up next to him, inspecting the metal detector. Phoenix chuckled a bit. “Oh, uh, yeah, I just…”

Should I tell him? Phoenix wondered. I mean, I already told Blackquill. And Klavier’s a smart guy, maybe he’d have some ideas.

“...I was thinking of picking up a new hobby,” he lied. “You ever used a metal detector, Gavin?”

“Nein, I can’t say I have.”

Phoenix turned, holding up the device. “Well, first, see this switch here…?”

They messed around with the metal detector for a while, Phoenix showing off all the little tricks he’d learned on the few cases where Gumshoe had let him borrow his ‘secret weapon’. Klavier seemed to take to it quickly, somehow able to find twice as much as Phoenix every time Phoenix handed it off. 

“Ach, I think I might have found something else.”

Phoenix glanced over the man’s shoulder, not sure if he should be excited or annoyed. “Yeah? What’d you find?”

“Hmm.” Klavier felt around for a moment, before picking up a watch, coated in sand. “...ah, gut! More garbage!”

...Klavier was supposed to go down when Kristoph had. At least, that was the original narrative in Phoenix's head. The two men who conspired to ruin his life and reputation. The Gavin brothers, calculating, manipulative men who had no regard for the truth, only their own status. That was the story Phoenix had lived out for seven years.

He’d investigated, of course. He’d found all the connections, tied all the strings together. He’d found the nail polish in Vera Misham’s home. He’d met with Zak Gramarye. He’s spoken to everyone involved. Everything slowly fell into place, to get to the truth, to damn the true culprits. The only piece that never fit perfectly was Klavier Gavin.

Until he saw Apollo’s trials play out. Until he realized how the final puzzle piece truly fit. And as Phoenix sat back and watched his handiwork, Klavier stood tall as the world crumbled around him...

“I wonder if this watch still works,” Klavier mused, flipping the thing over in his hands and drawing Phoenix back to reality.

Phoenix laughed. “I mean, you shouldn’t call it garbage if it still works,” Phoenix told him, as Klavier attempted to tap the sand out of the crevices.

“Ach, did you want to keep it then?”

“Nah, I’m fine.”

Klavier nodded, tossing it in the air. “Maybe I can give it to the lifeguard,” he said. “Someone could be looking for it, ja?”

Right! People might give the lifeguard lost items! He’d almost forgotten. “That’s a great idea, I’ll go with you.”

Phoenix and Klavier headed off in the direction of the lifeguard tower, Klavier whistling a tune just on the cusp of familiar as he pocketed the watch. Phoenix frowned. It didn’t sound like a Gavinner’s tune, not that he was an expert on that subject.

“...you’re making a bit of a face, Herr Wright.”

“Oh.” Was he? “Sorry, that song just sounds familiar.”

“Really?” Klavier raised an eyebrow. “It’s an old German nursery rhyme. It just gets stuck in my head from time to time. I didn’t know you were familiar.”

Phoenix frowned. “Really? Weird, where have I…?”

“What is that song you keep humming? Want me to try playing it on the piano?”

“Oh please, you think I want you butchering nursery rhymes on the piano, Wright? Just ignore me, I always get this song stuck in my head…”

“...So how’s your vacation been going, Gavin?” he said quickly, ignoring the cold sweat on his neck.

Klavier grinned. “I’ve been having a wonderful time,” he said. “And danke for being willing to let me tag along. I know I probably wasn’t your first choice of guests.”

“Nah, of course everyone’s happy to have you,” Phoenix said, glancing back a ways toward Apollo, Trucy and Blackquill, still attempting to pile wet sand into some sort of wall fortification.

“But how is your vacation going?” Klavier asked. “Has everything been going...well?”

Phoenix chuckled. What a question. “I mean, it’s not like I haven’t been enjoying myself,” he said.

Klavier cocked his head at that. “Well, that’s certainly not a ringing endorsement.”

“Well…” He frowned, scratching his chin. “...I mean, I guess I can’t complain too much as long as everyone else is having a good time.”

“But you’re not?” Klavier asked curiously.

“I never said that,” Phoenix countered quickly. “I just...we’ve had a few pitfalls here and there, that’s all.”

“Well, none of us fault you for the room mistake,” Klavier said.

Phoenix snorted at that, giving him a sidelong glance. “Oh, I’m sure you’re fine with how things panned out in that department.”

Klavier stiffened. “Wh—I—Ah…” He cleared his throat. “Whatever could you mean, Herr Wright?”

“Ah, don’t worry about it,” Phoenix said, grinning as they both stole a glance toward Apollo, who was setting up his phone in one of the buckets. “I mean, I’m sleeping with my rival prosecutor. Can’t exactly judge you.”

Klavier choked out a laugh, as they finally reached the lifeguard toward. “Herr Wright, I can assure you we’re not…”

“Excuse me!” Phoenix called up to the lifeguard, trying not to laugh. “If we found something on the ground, do you guys have a lost and found or something?”

“Sure,” she said, glancing down. “Just set it on that little ledge there.”

Phoenix glanced down. There were a few plastic toys, a phone, a book that was drying with its spine open. “...so if someone lost something, is this where people would bring it?”

The woman shrugged. “I mean, if they bother bringing it here, then yeah. Why, you looking for something?”

“...wait, did you lose something, Herr Wright?”

“No.” Why are you lying, Phoenix?! “Well, I guess back to my treasure hunt!” He turned, as Klavier wilted a bit.

“Ach, I see…”

They walked back toward their own beach setup in silence, Phoenix trying not to stew in disappointment. It was a longshot, anyway, that his ring would just magically appear in the lost and found. It’d be a little too perfect.

///

“I really do think one box will suffice, Ms. Cykes—”

“No way!” Athena was already pouting at him, Widget flashing red. “There’s no way one box is going to be enough for seven people. I mean, have you ever seen Mr. Wright eat?!”

“I have seen my boyfriend eat before, thank you very much,” Edgeworth snapped, pulling out his wallet and turning to the cashier. “One box, please.”

“Stingy…”

Edgeworth paused, frowning at Athena as she quickly clamped a hand over her necklace. “Sorry,” she said quickly.

“...One box,” he repeated, turning back to the cashier, who simply laughed and hit a few buttons.

The two of them moved to the side of the cramped little cafe, Athena chattering along as they found space to wait for Edgeworth’s name to be called. “I can’t help but notice you haven’t been swimming yet, Mr. Edgeworth.”

“Is that right?”

“Well, I mean, we have a private pool and a public beach, we don’t exactly have a lack of places to dip your feet in.”

Athena Cykes had something secret in her possession. How had she even gotten it? He’d put it so securely into his suitcase he hadn’t even wanted to risk looking at it. No, no, he was jumping to conclusions. He didn’t have any real evidence of anything, and that simply wouldn’t do.

As Athena continued to chat with him, or maybe at him, Edgeworth went over everything he knew in his head.

Coming at it logically, there wasn’t much reason for her to ask about a missing item unless she was trying to return something. That was simple. The issue came about with the secrecy. There were not very many items that required the kind of discretion she was exhibiting. Something that had to be kept a secret from someone. And with that factor in place, how many other things could she be talking about?

Yet, how had she found it? He had buried it so deeply into his bag that he hadn't even pulled it out. He'd secured it inside of pockets within pockets, hidden away from the world, and particularly from the prying eyes of the world's nosiest defense attorney. Had it come out when he was removing clothes? Had it come loose on the airplane? Was he overthinking this?

Now of course, there was an easy solution to this. He could ask her directly. That would open him up to a lot of questions, he was sure, given Athena’s excitability.  He'd have no way of backing out of his decision (not that he wanted to back out). And someone would have expectations for him. Did he really want that? To open himself up to scrutiny from a stranger?

“Edgeworth!”

“Oo!” Athena jogged over to the counter, grabbing a large styrofoam box. “Perfect! Think we have time to buy a bathing suit, or should we go back? I don't want it to get cold before we get back to the others...maybe I should eat one now...”

He should ask directly. Of course he should. It wasn’t like this whole situation wasn’t terrifying enough without the possibility of a missing ring to top it all off like a poisoned cherry.

But maybe he should simply wait until he was back in his room? He’d have the chance to check on his hiding place, settle the whole thing. Then he’d be left to his own devices once again and never have to worry again.

After all, telling someone, it made the whole thing all too real.

“Hey Mr. Edgeworth?”

He looked up. Athena appeared to be trying to dust a large amount of powdered sugar from her shirt. “Hmm? Ms. Cykes, you, uh…”

“Can we just pop into the shop next door?”

“Oh. Yes, that’s. That’s perfectly fine.”

“Here.” She handed him the box as they walked to a shop full of bathing suits. “Can you hold this? I don’t think we can bring food in.”

I can’t imagine why, he thought to himself, glancing at the powdered sugar on her shirt. “I suppose so, but please don’t make this too long.” The box radiated a pleasant warmth. He was almost tempted to eat something if he didn’t know the contents of the container. Athena grinned and disappeared through the door.

He’d thought about proposing to Phoenix Wright for a long time. Longer than Edgeworth would care to admit. Long before they truly got together. If he were honest, he’d daydreamed about those playground marriage games on the playground as a child, long after any child reasonably should be playing such childish games.

It had taken a long time for them to get to this point. He’d tried to forget Phoenix existed for fifteen years of his life. When Phoenix had come stumbling back into his life, Edgeworth’s entire world upended, multiple times over. It had been terrifying. Confusing. Warm. He’d tried to ignore the feelings, the light that was Phoenix’s smile, all of this happiness he still didn’t quite feel like he deserved, and for a while, it worked. Then it didn’t, and his life was upended again.

Edgeworth loved Phoenix. And just when their relationship had begun to evolve into something more, Phoenix Wright lost his job, became a father, befriended Kristoph Gavin, and spiraled off into a darkness that Edgeworth could barely handle.

Edgeworth sighed, glancing at the storefront beside him. He could see Athena holding up various bathing suits in front of a mirror, a pout on her lips. He could see other patrons, a family with a young boy purchasing plastic shovels, a young couple holding up large plastic sunglasses. He could also see his own face, reflected in the glass. There was a crease between his eyebrows. His mouth was pressed into a hard line. His eyes were sharp and tired all at once, and there was a touch of sweat at the tip of his nose.

Phoenix had been his guiding light through the deep darkness Edgeworth had been in for those fifteen years. He couldn’t help but wonder if he’d been the same for Phoenix. If he’d done half as much for Phoenix as Phoenix had for him.

Miles Edgeworth was a man in love. In a lot of ways, that still terrified him. Because loving someone meant you had to let them love you back, which was something new then and felt just as new now. But Miles Edgeworth was not the same man he was when Phoenix Wright had stumbled his way into his life all those years ago. He was older, wiser. He knew now that Phoenix made him happy, and he would do anything to make Phoenix happy in return. He wanted to be in Phoenix’s life. He wanted to be a part of Phoenix’s life.

The door swung open. “Alright! I think we should be good to go!”

Athena had a bag over her shoulder. She was smiling brightly, already striding back toward the rental car. And Edgeworth’s mind was already made up. “Say Ms. Cykes…”

///

“...so how have things been with Herr Edgeworth?”

“Hmm?” Phoenix glanced over, raising an eyebrow as he flipped the metal detector back on. “Uh, fine? What do you mean?”

“Oh, nothing in particular. I just...hmm…” Klavier frowned to himself. “Ach, this is why I wanted to be the one to talk to Herr Edgeworth...”

“What was that?”

“Nein, nothing!” Klavier grinned at him, flipping his bangs. “I just like to talk, mostly. You know me.”

“...right…” Phoenix looked at him for a moment, suddenly feeling like something was up. He frowned for a moment, metal detector buzzing quietly in his hand. “...something bothering you, Gavin?”

“Nein, not at all!” he chimed.

The Psyche-Lock immediately ground into view.

Phoenix blinked at him for a moment. “...right. Okay,” he replied, as the chains receded. That was an odd reaction. Phoenix wasn’t even the one asking prying questions.

Phoenix frowned as they made their way back to the tent. He could see Apollo reaching into the bucket to play more music. Trucy was creating a moat, and Blackquill was attempting to stack several sandcastles on top of each other.

Something about Edgeworth. Klavier had said something about Edgeworth. Did Klavier know something about Edgeworth that Phoenix didn't? What was he hiding? But he didn’t exactly have a ton of evidence. Did he really care enough to go digging around through Klavier Gavin's personal shit?

The metal detector went off again, and Klavier paused, kneeling down to squint through the sand. “Now what is this one…?” he murmured. Then, “...a ring?”

“What?!” Phoenix practically threw the metal detector down, snatching the ring as Klavier reached for it.

It was small. Too small. Silver, with a swirling pattern around the edge. A toe ring, maybe? Phoenix groaned, falling back onto his ass. Why? Why must the world get his hopes up?

“You are looking for something.”

Phoenix glanced over. Klavier was crouching next to him, eyes wide in excitement. “Uh. No. Just, uh. You know, what if it was expensive? We could’ve gotten some money out of it or something—”

“Have you lost anything important recently, Herr Wright?”

He paused. There was something...knowing about Klavier’s face. Not smug or anything. Excited? Giddy? Why would Klavier be so…

...so...

“...have you found anything important recently, Gavin?”

Suddenly Klavier was on his feet, grinning ear to ear. “It was you!” he exclaimed. “Ach, das ist wunderbar! And here I’d been so worried.”

“You found the ring?” Phoenix asked, finding Klavier’s grin infectious.

“Ja I found the ring!” Klavier said. “I think it ran through the wash once, but it’s still safe and sound in my suitcase.”

“Oh my god, Gavin, you are a lifesaver!” Phoenix said, half tempted to hug the man. This was amazing! Why hadn’t he thought to ask Klavier earlier?

...Okay, no, he knew why, but still!

“You’re the best, Gavin,” Phoenix said, reaching over and patting Klavier’s shoulder. “If there’s anything I can do to make it up to you…”

“Nein, that’s really not necessary.”

“You sure?” Phoenix asked. “I mean, you’re basically saving my vacation, it’s the least I can do.”

“Really, I am just happy it’s being returned safe and sound,” Klavier said, nodding. “I really don’t need anything.”

“Okay, well, if you think of anything—”

“Do you need help proposing?”

“...huh?”

Phoenix frowned over, but Klavier was already continuing. “I was the go-to for most of my friends if they needed a lady serenaded,” he said, grinning and wiggling his eyebrow. “I even brought my guitar along, just in case.”

“Wha—”

“Or I think there are a few fancy restaurants with a piano in the foyer around,” Klavier continued. “I’m sure we could easily pay off the player for the chance to sneak in there and play something for Herr Edgeworth.”

“N-No!” Phoenix said quickly, feeling all the blood draining from his face as he pulled himself to his feet. “No, no, I can guarantee that Edgeworth would not appreciate being serenaded in public. Particularly by someone who works for him.”

“Hmm.” Klavier frowned at that. “Ach, I suppose you’re right. He doesn’t seem the type.” He considered it for a moment, hands on his hips. “Well, I’m sure there are plenty of other ways I could be of help—”

“No,” Phoenix interrupted quickly, as Klavier pouted slightly. “Really, I don’t need any help proposing. It—I want it to be a private thing. You know. Just him and me. Privately.” Phoenix glanced off toward the water. “I want it to be special that way.”

Klavier smiled softly. “...I see,” he said. “Ja, I suppose that sounds better than anything I could’ve come up with.” Then a thought seemed to pass his mind. “Oh, but in that case, I could very easily distract the others. Get you some of that alone time.”

Phoenix sighed. He really wasn’t going to let this go, was he? “I-I’ll think about it,” he said firmly. “I’m sure Trucy would also be happy to be a distraction too, so I don’t think you need to worry too hard.”

“I see...”

Klavier finally seemed placated, and Phoenix felt himself relax a touch. “So, uh, think we could run and get the ring—?”

“Oh, but would you need anyone to perform at your wedding?”

“No!” Alright, now Phoenix was starting to get annoyed. “I—Gavin I really don’t need any help,” he snapped.

“A-Alright, alright,” Klavier said, laughing a bit and holding up his hands. “Just thought I would offer.”

“Why is it that I asked about repaying you and every single suggestion has been trying to force one of your musical numbers on my love life?” Phoenix asked, though he found himself laughing too. “I figured you were going to ask about Apollo or something.”

Klavier shook his head, still grinning. “Well, I simply thought it’d be nice to actually do something helpful for you for a change.”

“What, you don’t think saving my marriage proposal is enough of a…” Phoenix frowned. “...for a change?” he repeated.

A beat. “...Perhaps we should return this metal detector,” Klavier said, straightening his back and grabbing the machine out of Phoenix’s hand. “Since we don’t seem to need it anymore. Here, I can run over for you.”

Phoenix frowned at him for a moment. “I don’t blame you, you know.”

Klavier flashed a smile. “For what, Herr Wright?”

“I think you know what I’m talking about.”

“Nein, not particularly,” Klavier replied with a shrug.

Phoenix raised an eyebrow. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, when I thought you were responsible I wasn’t happy with you, but—”

“Herr Wright, we don’t have to have this discussion,” Klavier said lightly.

Phoenix frowned for a moment, watching as Klavier walked off and approached the older gentleman to hand off the metal detector. He was never sure how to behave around Klavier. Not since the beginning and not after Kristoph’s arrest. And even now, now that he knew Klavier was not Kristoph, not really like Kristoph, just as much a victim of Kristoph as Phoenix was, sometimes it was hard not to feel like he was talking with his old “friend” at the Borscht Bowl Club like he had so often for seven years.

Had Phoenix ever really talked with Klavier before? Not just passing conversations, but in general. Had they ever really been friendly? No, Klavier had always been perfectly kind to him since their initial trial. Had Phoenix ever done anything nice for Klavier before...?

Klavier made his way back over, looking cheery, thumbs in the pockets of his swim trunks. “Well, then, if you’d like I can run you the ring now.”

“...Hey Klavier, do you know the Steel Samurai theme song?”

Klavier paused. “...I’m sorry?”

“The Steel Samurai,” Phoenix said. “It’s a tv show. There’s this samurai guy who fight crime—”

“Nein, I know what the Steel Samurai is, I just...why do you ask?” Klavier asked, frowning at him.

Phoenix rubbed at his neck. “Well, if you can find a way to make a romantic-sounding arrangement of the Steel Samurai theme, I will...consider letting you play at my wedding.”

Klavier perked up immediately. “Really?!”

“Consider,” Phoenix repeated. “Not a guarantee. Just, you know. A possibility.”

“Of course, Herr Wright.” Then, “Wait, why the Steel Samurai? You’re a fan?”

“I mean I’m not...err…” Suddenly he was sweating. How likely was Edgeworth to kill him if he told Klavier? “J-Just don’t ask questions. Do you think you could do it or not?”

Klavier laughed, brushing at his bangs with a grin. “Write a romantic arrangement of the theme song of a children’s TV show? Child’s play, Herr Wright.”

Phoenix laughed too. “Thanks Klavier, I appreciate it.”

///

“I can’t believe I left my phone at the condo,” Athena said, plopping into her seat and placing the box on the dashboard. "I guess I'll just have to wait until we get there."

“Well, I’m sure it will be fine until we get back,” Edgeworth said, grabbing his seatbelt. “And again, I cannot thank you enough, Ms. Cykes.”

“Of course!” she said. “Oh man, I cannot wait until we get back. Prosecutor Gavin is going to be so excited…”

Chapter Text

Athena almost bounced out of the car as Edgeworth finally found an open parking space at the condo. She scrambled through the door as soon as she could get it unlocked, and started jogging toward the stairs. “I’ll go get Prosecutor Gavin!” she called over her shoulders.

“Good to hear,” Edgeworth said, raising an eyebrow as she ascended the twisting staircase.

She made it to the fourth floor, running over to the door of their room as her hand skimmed the railing. It was a gorgeous day, she was glad the hallway was still technically outside. If only their place wasn’t so cold all the time, moving between the condo and the scorching heat of the beach always threw her off.

She quickly unlocked the door and slipped inside. “Hey guys, we got breakfast!”

There was no answer. She frowned, glancing around, before spying a note on the refrigerator. ‘At The Beach’

“Well darn,” she said. The door opened behind her and she turned. “Mr. Edgeworth, they’re already at the beach.”

“I see,” Edgeworth replied. “What a tragedy, how will we ever find them.”

Athena wilted a bit. “...no need to be mean about it…”

“My apologies,” Edgeworth replied, setting down the box of beignets and readjusting his glasses. “Go put on a bathing suit, I’ll meet you out here. We can walk down to the beach together.”

“Sure thing, Mr. Edgeworth!”

Athena ran into her room, tossing her new suit into the “wash” pile and digging through the “not wash” pile until she found something suitable. A sky blue top, a black bottom. She changed quickly, giving herself a quick once over in the mirror before grabbing a bag of sunblock and making her way back out.

Edgeworth was wearing swim trunks and what looked like one of Phoenix’s old college t-shirts, neither of which looked particularly natural on the man. He had on what looked to be a pair of prescription sunglasses, and had a thick hardcover book tucked under one arm. Glancing at the title, it looked to be something law-adjacent and decidedly nonfiction. He had also pulled out a large handful of napkins, and as they made eye contact, he motioned toward the box of beignets with his head.

“Shall we be going then?”

“Of course!”

As they stepped out, Athena couldn't help but start asking questions. “So when are you planning on proposing?”

Edgeworth paused in locking the door. “...there’s a French restaurant nearby that specializes in seafood. Since it is expensive, I was planning to tell Wright that we should use it as an excuse for date night,” he said, as the lock clicked. “I figured the usual style is to put it in a glass of champagne, correct? It seemed like the silly sort of gesture he would...appreciate.”

“Aw, that’s cute,” Athena gushes, as Edgeworth ducked his head down, the back of his neck reddening.

“I assume I don’t need to ask for your discretion, Ms. Cykes?”

“Of course!” she said. “I’d never want to ruin such a sweet proposal.” She smiled, tugging at her hair as they walked to the stairwell. “You...you always sound so happy when you talk about him. You know that?”

“D-Do I?” Edgeworth sputtered, walking ahead of her.

“Well, I guess I’d hope so if you’re ready to propose,” she said. “Probably better than if he just made you angry all the time.”

“Oh, don’t you worry, he does that as well.”

They reached the bottom floor. Athena fell in step next to Edgeworth. “I can’t believe they went to the beach without me,” she huffed. “They know how much I love the beach.”

“Oh? You’d rather they wait for you?” Edgeworth asked. “We were gone for quite a while.”

“Yeah, like barely an hour.” It was crowded as they walked out from the little tunnel that led to the pool. They stepped around a boy who was loudly hyping himself up to jump in the deep end. “I think it would’ve been at least polite to wait.”

“Well then, you should let them know,” Edgeworth muttered with an eyeroll, passing an outdoor shower and making his way over to the gate. “You remember the gate code, correct?”

“Oui! No need to worry about me.”

They spotted their tent immediately as they stepped onto the sand. It was halfway down the beach, swaying in the ocean breeze. Phoenix appeared to be napping on a towel in the shade. Farther down, Athena could see Trucy and Klavier, standing beside a large sand wall, loudly singing into a pair of plastic shovels. Within the sand wall was Blackquill and Apollo, both attempting to catch something in a net.

Athena grinned, walking over and into the shade of the tent. “Hiya Mr. Wright, we bought breakfast!”

Phoenix cracked open an eye, sitting up. “Oh, neat, thanks, Athena. Set it on that towel over there.”

“How are you back to sleep already?” Edgeworth asked, crossing his arms and frowning down at his boyfriend.

“Oh, hey Edgeworth.” And Phoenix grinned at him, almost looking giddy. “Long time no see!”

“I saw you several hours ago,” Edgeworth replied.

“Yeah, well, I’m needy,” Phoenix replied, hopping up and pecking Edgeworth on the cheek. Edgeworth flushed red.

“W-Wright, we’re in public!”

Phoenix laughed. Athena couldn’t help but laugh along. “You sound like you’re in a good mood all of a sudden, boss.”

“I am in a good mood all of a sudden,” he replied, slipping an arm around Edgeworth’s waist. “Besides, how can I not be when listening to the relaxing sounds of the ocean.”

“Yo, I'll tell you what I want, what I really, really want!”

“So tell me what you want, what you really, really want!”

“OH GOD IT’S ON MY FOOT!”

“CEASE YOUR BLITHERING FOR THREE SECONDS!” Blackquill swung the net at Apollo’s foot and he screamed and fell backward into the ditch around their sand fortress.

“So relaxing.”

Edgeworth rolled his eyes once more, as Trucy and Klavier continued to scream-sing and Blackquill continued to try to shoo an increasingly aggravated sand crab out of their sand fortress. “...quite.”

Athena giggled, watching Edgeworth and Phoenix leaning against each other for a few moments. They really did seem so happy together, their voices just filled with warmth and trust. She wondered what their wedding was going to be like. Probably beautiful. She was giddy just thinking about it.

However, first she had to make sure the wedding actually happened.

She walked off a ways, toward the others. She couldn’t see where the music was coming from, but it had switched to what sounded like a Gavinner’s song, as Klavier and Trucy continued to shout-sing the music. It seemed Klavier was on the harmony part, while Trucy sang the lead vocals, which weren’t always in her range, but every time her voice went too low and cracked the two would start laughing.

Athena grinned, watching for a few moments, before calling out, “Oh Prosecutor Gavin~?”

Klavier paused, glancing over and perking up. “Ah, Fraulein!”

“Athena!” Trucy grinned. “Come on, we’re doing beach karaoke!”

“Actually, could you give me a moment, Fraulein?”

“Aw,” Trucy pouted, as Klavier set his ‘microphone’ into the sand. “But who’s going to do my backup vocals now?”

“I’m sure you can convince Herr Forehead or Herr Blackquill.”

“Mm…” She seemed unconvinced, glancing over as Apollo and Blackquill inspected the crab in Blackquill's net.

“Hmm, if only Taka were here, I’m sure he would enjoy the snack.”

“Aw, don’t hurt the thing. Just put it down somewhere.”

“...if you insist, Justice-dono.”

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOT HERE—AGH JESUS FU—”

“So Fraulein!” Klavier said, walking over and slinging an arm over Athena’s shoulders as Apollo fell back into the ditch. “I suspect we both have some good news, ja?”

“Ja!” she replied. “I guess you got the chance to talk to Mr. Wright?”

“I did indeed,” he told her, walking the two of them away from Trucy’s prying ears. “I think we had a good talk, all things considered.”

“Oh, that’s good to hear too!” she said. “I think me and Mr. Edgeworth had a nice talk as well.”

“That’s wonderful to hear,” Klavier replied with a warm smile. “Well, I’m glad we were able to get everything figured out. And danke for your help.”

“Of course!” she replied. “Always happy to help a friend in need.”

“I suppose all that’s left is to get the ring to Herr Wright while Herr Edgeworth is distracted, ja?”

“Yeah we should get the ring to—” She froze. “...wait.”

Klavier paused, almost knocking Athena over before he realized she’d stopped walking. “Hmm? Is something the matter?”

“...Isn’t...I-Isn’t the ring Mr. Edgeworth’s?”

“......what?”

They stood there staring at each other blankly for what felt like twenty years. Then Klavier grabbed Athena’s shoulders.

“Fraulein Cykes what did you do?”

“W-W-W-Wait,” Athena stammered, eyes wide. “W-Wait, wait, wait, but—”

“Fraulein Cykes what have you done to me?”

“N-No! No, it—But Mr. Edgeworth said the ring was his!”

“And so did Herr Wright!” Klavier said, the panic spiking in his voice making Athena wince. “Fraulein, how am I supposed to return the ring to both of them?! I can’t return the same ring to both of them!”

“N-No, you can’t.”

Klavier sighed, rubbing his hands over his face. “Well, I suppose my job as a Prosecutor was fun while it lasted. Maybe I can become a judge on a game show.”

“You’re not going to get fired,” Athena said firmly.

“Oh, nein, I’m probably going to have a heart attack long before any firing happens,” he told her with a crooked smile and a hand wave. “Have you ever seen Herr Edgeworth mad? It is not fun, let me tell you!”

“You’re not going to have a heart attack either,” Athena told him.

“Well, this is a fine mess,” he muttered, ignoring her, head leaned back.

Athena sighed. “I’m sorry, this is my fault.”

Klavier paused. “...you know what? Ja! It is!” He rounded on her, scowling. “What were you thinking?! I thought I was going to speak to Herr Edgeworth and YOU would talk to Herr Wright.”

“I—W-Well, I saw an opportunity!” Athena said quickly. “I-I thought I could help get some more information for you.”

He groaned, head falling back. “Nein, no, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be angry at you,” he managed, though there was still an edge of frustration as he said it. “You were just trying to help.” A deep sigh. “...I don’t suppose you have any other bright ideas, then, Fraulein?”

Athena frowned. Well, she had to do something to make it up to him. But what? She glanced over toward the others. Phoenix and Edgeworth were still under the tent. Edgeworth had cracked open his book, and Phoenix was rubbing sunscreen on his boyfriend’s back, mouth full of beignet. They both seemed in good moods, likely from the promise of getting their rings back.

“...I think I have an idea.”

Klavier perked up. “Ja? Lay it on me.”

She turned. “Mr. Edgeworth was surprised that his ring had been lost,” she said. “He told me he had no idea how it fell out of his bag. What about Mr. Wright?”

“Mr. Wright was combing the beach with a metal detector,” Klavier replied. “I believe he had been looking around for several days.”

Grinning, Athena nodded. “Perfect. So!” She grabbed Klavier’s arm. “All we have to do is steal Mr. Edgeworth’s ring!”

Klavier blinked. “...what?!”

“Think about it!” She turned. “Mr. Wright lost a ring, so the one you found had to be his! Mr. Edgeworth is way too meticulous about that sort of thing. So! If we need another ring to return, then we just need to find the other ring! Then you can return Mr. Wright’s ring to Mr. Wright, and you can return Mr. Edgeworth’s ring to Mr. Edgeworth and neither of them will know about the other ring! Boom! Marriage saved!”

Klavier stared at her for a moment. Then he burst into laughter, doubling forward. “Oh mein Gott, that is the most devious thing I have ever heard.”

“Desperate times call for desperate measures,” Athena told him firmly. “Now let’s go.”

“Wait!” Klavier grabbed her shoulder as she turned to walk off, still chuckling. “Wait, wait, I have a few concerns.”

“Such as?”

“Well, concern one: do you even know where this mysterious other ring might be?”

Athena bit her lip. “Well. He hid it in his suitcase somewhere, right? He couldn’t have taken it out or else Mr. Wright might’ve seen it!”

“Oh! Oh, I see, so we’re going to sneak into mein and your bosses’ bedroom and rifle through their belongings? That is your ingenious plan?”

“Desperate times, Prosecutor Gavin.”

He groaned. “Alright, well, concern two, what exactly is the plan if either of them decides to, I don’t know, get something from their bedroom? Go to the bathroom? Something that may get us caught?”

“Oh, don’t worry. That’s the easy part.”

“Is it?!” Klavier asked, as Athena marched off.

Trucy had pulled Apollo over for her beach karaoke it seemed. The two of them were messing with the music blasting from the bucket beside them. “I’m not singing a Gavinner’s song, Trucy, I have to have a line somewhere.”

“Trucy!” Athena called, and Trucy perked up.

“Athena! Did you want to sing too!”

Athena jogged the rest of the way over, and put a hand on Trucy’s shoulder. “Code purple.”

Trucy blinked. Then she grinned from ear to ear. “You got it.”

Apollo made a face. “What? What are you two talking about—?”

“So who here wants to see a magic show!” Trucy turned, eyes sparkling in excitement. “Oh Daddy! Mr. Edgeworth! I think I’m going to need some lovely assistants.”

Suddenly the group was abuzz, Trucy running to the tent, Apollo jogging after her in confusion, Blackquill pausing his sand castle-ing to raise an eyebrow at the commotion.

Athena turned. “C’mon let’s go.”

Klavier frowned. “What exactly did you do?”

“I asked Trucy to make a distraction,” Athena told him, slowly edging her way toward the condo while no one was looking their way. “She’s usually down for it as long as I tell her what’s up later.”

“R...Right,” Klavier said, cracking a smile at that. “Why code purple?”

“Well, it’s a mixture of code red and code blue.”

“...If Herr Edgeworth is code red, then what’s the code for distracting Herr Forehead?”

“Oh, that’s also code red, it’s just based on context clues.”

“I see.” Klavier put his hands on his hips. “Well, I guess I don’t get to be code purple then?”

“You’re code silver.” She pointed to her chest. “You know, because of all the bling.”

Klavier laughed at that. “Ah, good to know you’re all prepared to distract me at the drop of a hat.”

Athena stiffened. “O-Oh, uh, I mean, it’s not like—We don’t just—We haven’t—”

“Nein, nein, I’m happy to remain in the dark on this,” Klavier said, waving her off as he reached the gate to the building and began typing out the code.

They made their way quietly back through the pool area, Athena’s mind churning at several miles an hour. This wouldn’t be too hard, right? How well could Edgeworth have hidden that ring? He was only hiding it from Phoenix Wright, one of the least observant people on the planet (at least while not investigating). He had to have put it in one of his bags.

“Fraulein watch your footing.”

Athena jumped, almost tripping over a lost pair of goggles, before Klavier grabbed her elbow and steadied her. “Thanks Prosecutor Gavin!”

“Ach, Fraulein, you are trying to talk me into stealing from my boss, the least you could do is pretend to be on a first name basis with me.”

She blinked, before grinning. “Sure thing, Klavier.”

“There, much better.” They entered the elevator together. It always smelled bad in that elevator, something chemically and strong. Not gasoline, but maybe gasoline adjacent? But no one else seemed to mind it, or even notice it, save for Edgeworth who always made a beeline toward the stairs, so Athena opted not to complain.

Klavier leaned back against the wall as the elevator rumbled upward. “Now Fraulein.”

“If you get to be Klavier I get to be Athena.”

“Fraulein Athena,” Klavier amended, grinning at Athena’s immediate frown. “I think I still have a few concerns about this...plan of yours.”

“Like what?” The door dinged and opened. They stepped out and started off toward their door. A large bird flew past in the trees in the distance and Athena made a mental note to mention it to Simon. “Trucy is pretty good at being distracting, they’ll probably be occupied for a while.”

“Well, sure, I trust Fraulein Wright is an expert at keeping her father and father-to-be well and distracted,” he replied. “But, ah, am I really the only person between the two of us who has some...potential hang-ups about rifling through our bosses’ bedroom?”

“I mean, we’re doing it for a good cause.” Athena reached the room first, quickly unlocking the door and ushering Klavier inside. “We have to make sure we don’t ruin their proposals.”

Klavier shut the door. “Alright, and now that we are not out in the open, has it not crossed your mind that if he spent a lot of money on this ring, this ‘act of charity’ you are offering me becomes a literal felony?”

Athena froze. “...h-how much does it need to be for it to be a felony again?”

“It’s a state thing,” Klavier replied smoothly. “I think the low end is five hundred dollars.”

“You think this ring is five hundred dollars?”

“I have no idea what this ring is going to be worth!” Klavier said. “Unlike what both you and Herr Edgeworth seem to think, I have not seen this ring! For all I know, it could be upwards of several thousand!”

Athena paused, considering that. “I-I mean, it’s not like we’re stealing it stealing it.”

“Nein, we are in fact just stealing it the once,” Klavier replied. Then, “Wait, no, you are the one stealing it, I haven’t agreed to any of this yet.”

“Yeah but then we’re returning it!”

“That doesn’t change any level of legality here.” Klavier sighed.

“W-Well, I mean, I don’t think Mr. Edgeworth would take us to court.”

“You maybe not, but Herr Edgeworth barely likes me as it is. I’m sure actually doing something wrong would be my own grave.”

“B-But that—”

“Fraulein, really, I don’t need you to fix this for me,” Klavier said, not unkindly. “I just need a few minutes to figure out my story before Herr Reaper comes a knocking.”

“B-But…” Athena glanced around the room. “But, I mean, I don’t want you to—This is my fault, I was the one who told Mr. Edgeworth.”

“And I feel like you are taking this whole situation worse than I am,” Klavier replied with a chuckle. “The only person who’s going to be angry at me is Herr Wright. I don’t even need to mention your help at all! He won’t even know you were involved.” The grin faded a bit. “...it’s probably for the best, I doubt there’s anything I can do to salvage this situation.”

That still didn’t sit right with her. “...let’s at least check,” Athena insisted, marching back toward the back bedroom where Phoenix and Edgeworth were staying. “A-And if we can’t find it then we can...find something else we can do.”

“Fraulein, really, I don’t think…”

They both stepped into the main bedroom of the condo. And they both paused.

The bed was made neatly, which Athena could only guess was Edgeworth’s doing over Phoenix’s. It was a nice room, cream colored walls and a walnut dresser, a painting of a beach, a large mirror.

There were also several bags and suitcases resting on the floor. Multiple. Two large travel suitcases. A black backpack. A duffle bag. A briefcase. All closed.

Athena stared at them a second. Klavier nudged her, grinning. “So which of these belongs to Herr Edgeworth, Fraulein?”

“Uhhhhhhhhh…”

“Or do you intend to rifle through all of them?” Klavier asked. “Because if you find any underwear I may gouge my eyes out.”

Athena frowned for a moment, walking through the room, inspecting the various bags, before huffing, turning, and plopping down on the bed. “Well shoot.”

“Oh?” Klavier sighed a bit, still smiling. “You have finally decided that this is a bad idea? That we should probably call it quits?”

“No, but...I mean…” She leaned forward. “...okay, if any of them are messy inside, it belongs to Mr. Wright...and if it’s neatly folded…”

“Fraulein.” Klavier stood over her, leaning in. “Really, I think you are more hung up on this than I am.” He considered it for a moment. “Though I suppose that is weirdly helping me stay calm, so thank you.”

“Bitte.” She huffed a bit. “But still, maybe if we—”

“Fraulein, you’re going to dig both of us into a far deeper hole,” Klavier interrupted, turning to plop down next to her, almost bouncing her clean off the bed. “Ja, we both messed up Herr Wright’s proposal—”

“No, I messed up Herr Wright’s proposal,” Athena replied glumly, flopping onto her back. “You saved it! I’m the one that decided to open my big mouth and say something to Mr. Edgeworth while you were actually solving the problem.”

“Athena’s a blabbermouth,” Widget added.

Klavier sighed. “Fraulein Athena, really, Herr Wright and Herr Edgeworth never liked me very much to begin with. This is not going to affect my standing in any way. And if you are worried about yourself, I am perfectly fine taking all of the heat myself.” He smiled down at her, patting her knee. “I am grateful for you going so far out of your way to help me, but this is my problem.”

“Do they really hate you that much?” Athena asked with a frown. “I never really got that impression.”

Klavier blinked at her for a moment. Then he laughed. “You, ah, do know why Herr Wright lost his badge for seven years, ja?”

“Oh yeah, uh, some idiot framed him for forgery or something, right?”

There was a long pause. For a second, a gear jammed in Athena’s head. Then she gasped, sitting up. “Prosecutor Gavin, were you the idiot?!”

“N...N-Nein, no, I...” An odd look passed over his face. “I don’t actually know how to answer that,” he said, eyes going distant. Then he shook his head. “Well, I didn’t do any framing, at the least, if that was your concern. I suppose I was just the last few nails in the coffin.”

It took all of Athena’s self control not to wince as he talked. “...oh,” she said. A second, then, “Are… H-Hey, are you okay?”

“Hmm?” Klavier cocked his head, glancing sidelong at her. “Ja? Of course I am.” He flashed that rockstar smile. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

She hesitated, hand automatically drifting toward Widget. “That’s...a lot of discord in your voice.”

“...A lot of what?”

But she had already brought up Widget’s screen. “What do you mean by ‘last nails in the coffin?’”

“...uh…” Klavier frowned at the image now floating in front of Athena. “...why am I on that screen? Was ist…?”

“You’re not the one who framed Mr. Wright, but you’re really upset about being the last nail in the coffin,” she explained, motioning to the red and blue faces glowing brightly on the screen.

Klavier laughed at that. “I mean, wouldn’t you be?” he asked, waving her off. “He’s Herr Wright. The literal epitome of justice and integrity. No one wants to be known as the person who wrongfully ruined his life and reputation for seven years.”

Athena considered him a moment, mulling over his words. “I guess I’d be sad and worried and upset. But why angry?”

That gave him pause. “...angry? Angry at what?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” Athena replied with a shrug. “That’s just what the Mood Matrix is picking up.” She motioned to the screen, to the red face flashing in the corner near the distressed Klavier Gavin on the screen, pointing his objection finger toward Phoenix Wright.

Klavier stared at the image too, eyes focused yet far away. “I feel as though we have gotten very off topic from my ring problem,” he finally said, waving a hand through the screen and causing it to fizzle. “Let’s just apologize to Herr Edgeworth and Herr Wright and get it over with, ja?”

“But what if we haven’t?”

He blinked. “...haven’t what?” he asked.

She frowned at him. “Gotten off topic. I think this is very on topic, if the discord in your heart is anything to go by.”

“The discord in…?” Klavier’s mouth had twisted firmly into a scowl. “I’m afraid I don’t follow, Fraulein.”

Athena spun to face him, crossing her legs. “I think this is bigger than just their proposals. This is an emotions thing! All the fear and worry and guilt, it doesn’t have anything to do with their proposal, it’s a part of something way bigger.”

“Fraulein, please stop.”

Athena froze. His voice was sharp. And scared. It occurred to her just then what she was doing. “...Sorry,” she said, glancing back down at the screen floating in front of her face. “I...I shouldn’t be forcing this sort of conversation on you.” She hit a few buttons, and the screen flickered and disappeared. “I just...I want to help, you know? But everything I do to help has just backfired so badly, so I thought, hey! Here’s the thing I’m actually good at! I can actually help! But I’ll stop trying to help now before I make it any worse.”

Klavier chuckled a bit at that, finally relaxing. “Well. I can’t stay mad at an apology like that.” He nudged her with his elbow. “It doesn’t do to make the Frauleins cry!”

“I’m not crying,” she replied quickly.

“Achtung, I think we should head back to the beach,” Klavier told her, standing up. “Before the others start to worry where we are.”

“Yeah, you're probably right,” Athena said, hopping to her feet as well.

“And Fraulein Athena,” Klavier added, and she glanced up. “Don’t sell yourself short. You’ve been very helpful.”

Athena grinned. “Aw, thank you Klavier,” she said. “...and, um, hey, if you ever DO want to talk about whatever it is that's bothering you—”

The door to the condo slammed open. Both of them froze.

“Oh my gosh I am so so so so sorry—”

“Come on, let’s at least get him to the couch.”

“I am not an invalid, I can walk thirty feet to my bed—”

There was a crash of something falling over, and another cacophony of voices as Simon Blackquill let loose a stream of profanity.

Athena and Klavier looked at each other. “...Oh mein gott.”

“Ay dios mio.”

“We are in my bosses bedroom.”

“Oh my god, what are they going to think if they see us here?!”

“W-We should probably hide or something, ja?” Klavier seemed unsure, glancing around the room.

Athena swallowed. “W-Well hopefully they won’t need to come in here, right…?”

A thud just outside the door, as someone collapsed into the couch. “Wright, could you grab the first aid kit?”

“Sure, you put it in our room, right?”

“Okay, time to hide!”

Klavier and Athena split off, frantically looking for a hiding place. After a second, Athena dove under the bed, wedging herself just behind one of the suitcases. Klavier quickly slipped into the bathroom and out of sight.

The door opened. Athena held her breath, listening as the footfalls got closer. The suitcase in front of her shifted. “...where in our room exactly?”

“Check the bathroom.”

“Shit.”

Athena jumped, grabbing Widget, but fortunately Phoenix had taken that time to let the suitcase close with a loud flop and jog into the adjacent room. Athena held her breath, waiting for the pin to drop.

A long pause. She could hear the others just outside the door, all talking.

“I’m so sorry Mr. Blackquill I didn’t know you had overheated so bad I promise I’ll never do it again.”

“Here, you should probably drink this.” A pause, and the sound of someone drinking something. “... oh wow, gee, thanks, Justice-dono, you’re the best. Why you’re very welcome, Prosecutor Blackquill, always happy to help. You’re so kind and smart and thoughtful, I should probably stop sending my bird to attack your face. Aw, thank you, Prosecutor Blackquill, that’s so very nice of you.”

“Justice-dono, I survived seven years of prison, and I will happily double that number if it means shutting you up permanently.”

“Found it!”

The door to the bathroom slammed open again, and Phoenix jogged out and back into the living room. Athena let out the breath she’d been holding, face hitting the carpet beneath her.

The conversation outside continued for a while, all sort of overlapping, lots of emotions ringing through the air. Some worry, some guilt, one very annoyed voice poking through occasionally.

“…Hmph. Why do you feel the need to crowd around me, I am not on my deathbed.”

“You sure you’re good, Blackquill?” Phoenix asked.

“And why on earth wouldn’t I be?!” Blackquill snapped irritably. “I simply tripped and scraped myself, it’s hardly a cause for concern. Justice-dono remove your hand from your bracelet or so help me I will sever it from your wrist. ”

“Aw come on, I didn’t even say anything!”

Oh god please hurry up and leave, Athena thought desperately, squirming a bit to look toward the door.

“Well, so long as you aren’t experiencing heat stroke I suppose we can let it alone,” Edgeworth mused.

“Yeah. And hey, maybe we could get Klavier to play some relaxing music for you!” Phoenix suggested with a laugh. "Would that make you feel better?"

“Oh no, I have had enough of that irritating homunculus for one lifetime.”

“...say, where is Klavier anyway?”

Athena’s heart stopped.

“...hmm, you’re right,” Edgeworth said. “That’s odd, I was hoping to speak with him.”

“Yeah, that’s weird.”

“Hey, I think we lost Athena too.”

Apollo, shut up, shut up right now...

As if on cue, Trucy gasped. “Oh no! Daddy! We need to go pack up the tent before the wind blows it away!”

“What?" Phoenix sounded confused. "The wind wasn’t that strong.”

“Yeah, but I left out all my magic stuff, what if that blows away! Beach wind is very strong, you know.”

“I-Is it?”

“Come on, Daddy, we have to hurry! And you too Mr. Edgeworth, Daddy can’t grab everything by himself. What if his back gives out?”

“Hmm. True. Fine, we will be right back then.”

She heard the three of them shuffle off. After a moment, Apollo coughed nervously. “S-So, uh, just you and me, huh, Prosecutor Blackquill?”

There was a low noise, much like a growl.

“...w-w-wait for me, guys, I can help with the tent!”

And Apollo scurried away, and within seconds, the door to the condo slammed shut.

Athena groaned again. “...oh my goddddddd…”

“Are they gone?” Klavier whisper-shouted.

“I-I think so,” Athena whisper-shouted back. She wiggled a bit, forcing herself from beneath the bed. Hopefully the rug burn on her stomach would disappear soon.

Klavier leaned out from the bathroom, looking frazzled. “I...genuinely can’t believe that worked, but can we please get out of here?”

“S-Sure,” Athena said quickly, and Klavier shook his head.

“I swear, one of you Wright children will be the death of me.”

“Wright children? He’s not our dad,” Athena said, as Klavier laughed, heading to the door. Then Athena stiffened. “Oh, wait, Klavier I think—”

“Oh.” Klavier had opened the door and froze. “Err...Guten Morgen, Herr Blackquill.”

“Why you all insist on telling me my morning is going well is beyond me,” Blackquill muttered. “I would ask what the two of you are doing in Edgeworth-dono’s bedroom, but I don’t actually care.”

Athena peaked out. Blackquill was sitting on his pullout couch looking deeply unhappy. There was a rather large band-aid plastered to his cheek, and his jacket was nowhere to be seen, his roughly scarred arms crossed tightly in front of his chest. “...you good, Simon?”

“Clearly I have never felt better,” he replied flatly.

“...what happened?”

He glared her way. “The little lass decided I had to be a part of her... performance …” He leaned his head back against the wall. “I may have...overheated slightly and...lost my footing while attempting to dissuade her.”

“Oh my god, Simon, you fainted?!”

“I lost my footing!” he snapped quickly. “It was hot! I was dehydrated! It doesn’t—I don’t have to explain myself to the likes of you, get out of my sight. Or do you wish for me to mention your strange little escapade to Wright-dono and Edgeworth-dono?”

“N-No no, that’s fine! We’ll leave you alone haha!”

The two of them edged their way past a seething Blackquill and toward their respective rooms, the doors facing each other in a tiny hallway on the other end of the living room. In front of the doors, they paused.

“I suppose I just have to suck it up and explain the mistake to Herr Edgeworth,” Klavier said with a sigh.

“...do you need moral support?”

He considered it a moment. “Well, need is a strong word, but I certainly wouldn’t mind it,” he told her with a warm smile.

She nodded. Then, “Oh, uh. You don’t have to talk to me about it, but um. If you ever do want to talk to someone, even just to vent, I’m always happy to listen.”

He paused, glancing her over. “I...danke. For the offer,” he said. “But, it’s...it’s over and done with already. I was…” He hesitated a moment, as if debating if he should even keep talking, before he continued. “I was tricked by someone I trusted, and did something I regretted. The person responsible has faced justice. It’s all in the past, and I much prefer looking forward, ja?”

Athena frowned. The words themselves made sense, but… “You sound angrier that you fell for it than at the person who did the tricking.”

Klavier blinked. “...hmm?”

“Oh, uh, nothing, sorry.” Athena cleared her throat. “Just, um. You’re a very nice person, and everyone I know speaks very highly of you, so, um…no one else sounds like they’re angry. At you.”

Klavier stared blankly at her a moment, brows pinched in confusion.

The door opened. Suddenly there was chatter, as Phoenix, Edgeworth, Trucy and Apollo all began piling into the building once more. “Don’t dawdle, I don’t want any insects getting inside,” Edgeworth was snapping, and Apollo stumbled into sight with several bags draped over his shoulders. He glanced over and stopped. “Hey, where the hell have you two been?!” he snapped, letting the bags fall to the floor with a thud. “We could’ve used the help carrying your stuff up from the beach.”

“Ach, sorry, Herr Forehead, we were a bit busy.”

“Busy? With what?” he asked, scowling pointedly, and Klavier laughed.

“Well that’d be a secret.”

“Gavin!” Edgeworth marched into view. “There you are. Do you have a moment? I have…” He glanced over his shoulder, likely toward the Wrights. “...work things to discuss with you.”

“Achtung! I always have time for you, Herr Edgeworth.”

Edgeworth raised a skeptical eyebrow, but walked over, giving Athena a nod as the two stepped into Klavier’s room.

Apollo was still frowning toward Athena. “Where exactly were you guys?”

“I’ll tell you later!” Athena said, grinning, watching Klavier and Edgeworth talking quietly in her periphery.

“Aw, come on, what are you talking about?”

“It’s a secret!” she said.

“I’m sorry, Herr Edgeworth, there was a bit of a miscommunication…”

“When the heck have you been so buddy-buddy with Prosecutor Gavin?” Apollo asked, crossing his arms.

“What? We’ve been best friends since forever, what’re you talking about!”

“Ja, see, I did find a ring, but it turns out it…”

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Klavier freeze. She glanced over to see him sit up, eyes suddenly bright with his hands tucked in his pockets. “You see, Herr Edgeworth, I did find a ring!” he said, and he pulled something out of his pocket.

“...Hey, what are you looking at?” Apollo suddenly peaked his head around the corner, and Athena jumped.

“Hey! Excuse me! What do you think you’re doing?!” And she grabbed him and started shuffling him away. “You can’t just eavesdrop on people, Apollo.”

“Oh and you weren’t? And what are you smiling about?”

After a few moments, Klavier and Edgeworth exited the room, Klavier grinning and flipping something round and shiny in his hand, Edgeworth looking a combination of frustrated and embarrassed. Edgeworth paused, seeing Apollo and Athena bickering, before sighing. “If you’ll excuse me, I have to go through my personal items.”

“Of course, Herr Edgeworth! And I’m very sorry, please don’t worry about anything.”

He sighed. “A-And please don’t mention anything—”

“Of course! Discretion is my middle name.” Klavier winked at him with a grin. “I figured you must’ve seen it on my tax documents at some point, ja?”

“Right,” Edgeworth muttered, though he seemed placated.

“...and if you need any help—”

“I think that I can handle myself, thank you.” And Edgeworth quickly ducked toward his own bedroom.

Klavier sighed, grinning at Apollo and Athena. Apollo raised an eyebrow. “Come on, what’s going on? What is that?”

“What, this?” Klavier tossed it again, catching it on his palm and holding it out. “Just a ring I found with Herr Wright earlier.” He stepped forward, slinging an arm over Apollo’s shoulders and leaning in. “Perhaps you’d like it, Herr Forehead?”

“What? No. Why would I want the trash you found on the ground?” Apollo asked, face turning red.

Klavier laughed, tossing it again and leaning away. “...or perhaps you’d like this, Athena?”

“...huh?” Athena frowned. “Me? Why?”

“A gift!” Klavier said with a grin. “For...For all of your help.” He held it up. “I really do appreciate everything you’ve done for me the past few days. Truly.”

A smile slowly grew across Athena’s face. “Aw, that’s so sweet, thanks.”

“Ach, but maybe we should wash this first,” he said, frowning over the ring in his hand. “I think it’s a toe ring…? Maybe it’d be better just to throw it out actually.”

“No, it’s a friendship ring now and I need it.” Athena snatched the ring out of Klavier’s hand. “It’s just a bit of a fixer upper!”

Klavier laughed. “Sorry I suggested that then, Fraulein.”

“What are you people even talking about?!” Apollo snapped. “Helped with what?!”

“I just told you, it’s a secret!” Athena told him with a wink.

“Ja, we can’t tell you, Herr Forehead.” And Klavier winked too.

“You two suck.”

Athena and Klavier looked at each other. And then they burst out laughing.

Phoenix finally wandered over, trying to get Klavier’s attention, and Klavier perked up. “Well, I think that’s my cue.”

“Break a leg!” Athena replied, and Klavier walked off, looking lighter than he had in days.

Chapter Text

“Now who’s helping me with dinner?”

There was a long, pronounced silence as suddenly six pairs of eyes turned pointedly away from Miles Edgeworth as he began setting out several cutting boards. Edgeworth looked over the group of them calmly. “...well, I don’t plan on doing everything entirely by myself.”

“Well, we all know how good a cook Apollo is,” Phoenix piped up, and Apollo immediately bristled.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he snapped, setting down the cards he’d been attempting to shuffle. “I’m a great cook!”

“Ah, a volunteer then.”

Apollo froze. “O-O-Oh no, that’s not—I didn’t—”

“Mr. Justice.”

Apollo winced. “....a-alright, sure, I’d be happy to help, Chief Prosecutor Edgeworth sir.” And he marched over with a nervous, slightly manic smile.

They’d settled in for an uneventful afternoon. Phoenix and Klavier had spent quite a while chatting about work, and law, both seeming to be in strangely good spirits since only the day before. Athena, Trucy and Apollo had spent a few hours in the pool (or at least Athena and Trucy had gone in the pool, and Apollo had just sort of sulked with a hard cider on a pool chair), and had been attempting to play some sort of card game around the table a moment ago. The only person who had yet to move was Blackquill, lying in his pullout couch with a damp towel over his face. 

Edgeworth crossed his arms as Apollo walked over. “Any other takers?” he asked.

“Am I still banned from cooking with Edgeworth?” Phoenix asked Trucy as he sat down in Apollo’s empty seat, grabbing the deck of cards and shuffling it himself.

“Yes! Absolutely!” Trucy replied firmly, frowning at him, and Phoenix laughed.

Edgeworth couldn’t help but smile as well, shaking his head. “Sorry, Wright, but I believe your employer has spoken.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“Dare I ask why you and Mr. Edgeworth aren't allowed to cook together?” Athena asked, raising an eyebrow as Phoenix started dealing.

Phoenix grinned. “Well, we tend to, uh, have disagreements when we cook together.”

“Well, if you would just clean up after yourself, we wouldn't get into these disagreements,” Edgeworth snapped, and Athena laughed.

“Why do I need to clean up while I cook?” Phoenix shot back, laughing along. “We can straighten things out afterward. It's way easier than trying to put everything away mid-recipe.”

“You can't let a spill just sit on the counter, Wright! It's unhygienic!”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever you say.” Phoenix grinned at him, and Edgeworth found whatever fight he had left drain out of him.

There was always something about Phoenix’s smile that always left Edgeworth breathless. The toothy grin when he thought he was being funny or clever. The confident smirk he flaunted when he made a discovery in court. The gentle smile when it was just the two of them, lying together late at night. It was like seeing the sun rise on a quiet morning. Like the first rain after a drought. Like—

“So, uh, Mr. Edgeworth, what exactly do you want me to be doing?”

Edgeworth blinked out of his reprieve, quickly looking over to Apollo, who was holding a cutting board and looking lost. “Ah. Yes, if you could slice those tomatoes for me first, I was thinking we could have a caprese salad as a side.”

Suddenly Klavier had pulled up a chair next to the kitchenette, eyes bright. “Ach, well, I certainly can’t miss this,” he said, sitting down backwards on the chair, watching as Apollo started washing off tomatoes.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Apollo asked, just as Edgeworth said, “Ah, another volunteer then.”

Klavier laughed. “My apologies, Herr Edgeworth, but I’m not really much of a cook.”

“Nonsense, you know how to boil water, don’t you?”

Klavier paused, smile fading. “W...Well, I guess technically, but—”

“Good. Then go get the pasta water started.”

The two of them just looked at each other for a moment, Edgeworth remaining stony-faced. Eventually, Klavier cleared his throat. “I...you are serious, Herr Edgeworth…?”

“Oh? I didn’t realize I was known for my sense of humor, Herr Gavin,” Edgeworth replied, pulling out a large pot and a skillet. “Now if you’d please fill this with water.”

Klavier looked between the two of them in shock. Apollo looked almost giddy, drying the tomatoes. “You heard the man, Prosecutor Gavin. Go get us some pasta water.”

“...well alright.” Klavier hopped up, giving the two of them a grin. “Achtung, let’s rock and roll!”

“It’s water, Gavin, it’s not rocket science.”

Klavier laughed again, grabbing the pot and walking it over to the sink.

Edgeworth grabbed a second cutting board and began mincing some garlic. It was rather nice to have a quiet evening like this, cooking food and listening as Phoenix and the girls started a game of Uno.

He hadn’t truly learned to cook for himself until long after Phoenix Wright had come back into his life. He knew the basics of course, and could follow a recipe decently enough, but for most of his adult life, he’d been perfectly content with simply buying pre-made food from the grocery store, or else finding a nice restaurant to pick up from. He was a very busy man, after all, even before rising to Chief Prosecutor. Cooking, cleaning, really anything non-work related had not really been encouraged under his von Karma tutelage. Hire someone to clean, pay someone to cook. You are much too busy. Prosecuting is much too important for such menial tasks.

Even once he’d unlearned much of von Karma’s teachings, it had taken him a while to pick up any sort of hobbies. Or any free time, really. His early days of prosecuting had sort of blurred together into one unending work day, if he were honest with himself. Go to work. Go home and work. His only solace had been the television, letting it play in the background until he had stumbled upon the Steel Samurai. Then it was just Edgeworth and the Steel Samurai, every night, until the need to sleep caused the words of the case files to blur together.

Past that, he'd had no friends, and no real need for such. He lived alone, worked alone, ate alone, pouring over whatever work he had from earlier in the day, and would go to sleep, not feeling content, but too exhausted to feel much of anything.

Now that he thought back on it, it wasn't until Phoenix stumbled back into his life that Edgeworth began to even care about anything other than prosecuting. And it really wasn’t until he and Phoenix began to go out that he’d picked up the habit of cooking dinner at least once a week. Not that Phoenix was a bad cook, mind you, but it was nice to make something for him. For Trucy too. For his…

For his family?

He paused, having finished mincing several garlic cloves, blinking. For his family. For Phoenix and Trucy. His family. His soon-to-be husband. His soon-to-be daughter. They were a family. Not just in name, but soon, legally as well.

He looked back up, back toward Phoenix and Trucy and Athena. They were arguing and laughing good naturedly as they played their cards as quickly as they could. Phoenix had an Uno, and Athena played a draw five, and suddenly they were all shouting over each other. And Edgeworth allowed himself a small smile, feeling a familiar warmth blooming in his chest. A family…

“Herr Edgeworth...could you...move to your...left…?”

“Hmm?” Edgeworth looked over. Then he almost had a heart attack. “Gavin what the hell are you doing?!”

Klavier frowned at him, looking deep in concentration as he slowly moved his several gallons of water from the sink to the stovetop, a small trail of water dripping with each step. “Uh, I am still starting the water, ja? Or should I start on something else?”

“You can’t just—That’s not—Gavin I need you to pour out at least a third of that before you kill someone,” Edgeworth snapped, turning and grabbing a paper towel. “You don’t fill a pot up to the brim.”

Klavier blinked, glancing down at the pot. “...Oh.” Then he scowled, slowly inching himself back toward the sink. “Well that would’ve been...useful information...a minute ago…” he grunted.

Apollo glanced up, snickering. “Come on, Prosecutor Gavin, it’s not rocket science.”

“APOLLO JUSTICE WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!”

Apollo screamed, jumping and dropping both knife and tomato, managing to stop both from tumbling to the floor with his arm. “What?! What’d I do?! Aw man, that’s a lot of tomato juice…”

“Are you trying to mangle your own hand?!” Edgeworth snapped at him, marching over. “Or that tomato?! Have you ever held a knife before?! Why are you even using that knife?!”

“W-W-What’s wrong with the knife?” Apollo asked, picking the knife back up.

“Well, first of all, that is absolutely not the sort of knife to cut a tomato with,” Edgeworth told him, ignoring as Klavier laughed behind him at the sink. “Second of all, if you hold the tomato like that while cutting, you are going to saw off every one of your fingers.”

“Oh, no, it’s not his ‘objection’ hand, is it?” Trucy called from the kitchen table, sitting up on her knees to look. Phoenix and Athena, too, were looking over in concern.

“Shut up!” Apollo snapped back, face bright red. “I’m fine! I wasn’t going to cut off my fingers.”

“Well likely not, you’re using a butter knife to cut a tomato, but you still certainly could’ve mangled your own hand,” Edgeworth snapped, crossing his arms.

“...Herr Edgeworth?” Klavier had gotten the pot to the stovetop, and was now holding a lighter he’d found in a drawer. “Is now a bad time to ask how to turn on the stove?”

Edgeworth stared at him. “...has no one ever explained kitchen safety to either of you?!” he snapped.

Apollo and Klavier both looked at each other.

“...evidently not,” Edgeworth muttered, before sighing, shaking his head. “Really, of all the ridiculous… Kitchen safety was the first thing my father taught me before I ever even—”

He froze. Or maybe time froze, as everyone else in the room seemed to have frozen at the same time. The card game stopped. Apollo and Klavier paused. Even Blackquill seemed to have stiffened slightly.

Edgeworth stood there a moment, shocked at himself for even having brought up the topic in the first place. But after a moment, he shook it off, coughing. “Well, erm, the point I was trying to make was that kitchen safety is important,” he said. “My...father taught me as much as a child.”

“...that...sounds nice,” Apollo mumbled after a moment, glancing down at the tomato.

Edgeworth raised an eyebrow. “...What does? Kitchen safety?”

He flushed immediately. “Wh—Oh, no, I, uh, just meant...you know…” He rubbed his arm, wilting a bit. “…having a……father……”

They all sat there a moment, no one wanting to break the silence. Edgeworth frowned around at the lot of them. At Apollo, at Klavier. At Athena, Trucy and Phoenix. At Blackquill.

He knew Trucy had lost her father young, long before he’d even passed away. Abandoned so long ago, too young to fully understand why, only that her mother and father had both disappeared from her life.

Athena, well, Edgeworth had grown intimate with the tragedy of her life. The pain of losing your only parent. The lingering fear that it was somehow your fault. The wish to do them proud. Yes, he was certainly familiar with Athena’s story.

Apollo he barely knew, only the little details Phoenix had shared with him occasionally. A young man with no family to speak of, who had stumbled his way accidentally into Phoenix’s life. An angry young man desperate for the connection he never had.

Then there was Klavier, and Edgeworth could only guess at the sort of life, the sort of childhood one had with a man like Kristoph Gavin taking a central role. Klavier never talked about his family, not even when prompted, and Edgeworth could only guess at the pain he kept buried just below the surface.

Even Phoenix and Blackquill. He vaguely recalled seeing Phoenix’s parents as a child, but the man was loath to talk about them. And Blackquill, well, Edgeworth could barely recall him even talking about his life before prison, let alone his home life. He barely even spoke of his own sister, and that relationship had been strained as it was.

Miles Edgeworth stood there for a long moment, looking over the lot of them. There they were, a bunch of orphans and lost souls, brought together by, what, fate? No, not fate, Edgeworth hated that word, fate. Just a coincidence, then? Or perhaps it was only a matter of time before they found each other. A lonely collection, no real family to call their own, making their own family against all odds.

Family. There was that thought again. All of them had lost it in some capacity. And yet, here they were. Here. Together, so far from where they all started. A new family of sorts, a fledgling family. Not just him and Phoenix and Trucy. A family. Klavier Gavin, and Athena Cykes, and Apollo, even Blackquill. Not to mention Franziska, Kay, and Sebastian. None of them were bound by blood, but bound by something else. Loss, and death, and hope.

“S-Sorry, uh, let’s just get back to cooking,” Apollo mumbled, finally pulling them all from their own thoughts. “Just hand me a regular knife.”

Edgeworth blinked for a moment, before sighing deeply, crossing his arms. “...Alright, well, seeing as none of you seem to have any idea what you are doing, I think it’s as fine a time as any to go over the basics of kitchen safety.”

“O-Oh, no, Mr. Edgeworth, you don’t have to do that—”

“Evidently I do,” Edgeworth replied, grabbing the knife from Apollo and setting it aside. “Or would you prefer me simply drive you to the hospital when you finally remove your hands?”

“W-Wouldn’t it be just the one hand?” There was a pause. Edgeworth raised an eyebrow. “...point taken.”

Edgeworth smirked at that, before turning, noticing several more people had paused what they were doing to watch. “Anyone else wish to join in?”

“We’re all listening, Mr. Edgeworth,” Trucy said with a giggle. Athena was also watching, head tilted curiously. Blackquill had rolled to face away from them, but something about it told Edgeworth he was listening. And Phoenix was smiling that soft, warm smile that never failed to make Edgeworth's heart stutter, just for a moment.

“Yes, well. Good.” Edgeworth shut his eyes. For just a split second, he was seven years old. His father was making dinner, smiling warmly as he demonstrated all of the steps to his curious son. “Now first, let us go over the different kinds of knives and their uses…”

Chapter Text

The dinner turned out great, if Apollo did say so himself.

Particularly the caprese salad. Not that he was bragging, of course, but for his first time making a caprese salad, it was pretty good. Very evenly cut tomatoes. Very fancily drizzled balsamic vinegar. And the basil? Oh yeah, put on that mozzarella dead center, baby!

Of course, Klavier was quick to point out that he was central to the making of the pasta, but it wasn’t like he’d done all that much, so really, Apollo was far more integral to their dinner’s success than Klavier was, thank you very much. After all, what was a dinner without a side dish? Not that Apollo ever made side dishes usually, but...no, he was getting off track, the point was, he basically saved the entire dinner.

“Oh this is doing nothing for my acid reflux,” Phoenix muttered, grabbing up several empty plates. “But good job you guys, it all turned out great.”

Apollo grinned, rubbing at his head. “Oh, uh thanks Mr. Wright.”

“Yeah, and the sauce was fantastico!” Athena added, taking one more bite of spaghetti as Widget flashed green on her chest. “I think it was just as good as when I was in Italy. Did you make it from scratch, Mr. Edgeworth?”

“Well, I did use a recipe,” Edgeworth told her. “But the sauce was entirely homemade, if that was your question.”

“Wow, I’ve never even tried to make the sauce homemade,” Athena mused. “Maybe I should start cooking more.”

Apollo shifted a bit in his seat. “I-I think the salad turned out pretty good too—”

“Edgeworth likes making most things himself,” Phoenix told Athena. “I’m worried next time he’s going to try to make the pasta himself.”

“Oh my god, that sounds amazing though!” Athena gushed. “Maybe I should try to make homemade noodles.”

“Hmph, then I will ensure the paramedics are on high alert,” Blackquill muttered, sipping at his water with a smug look as Widget flashed red.

“...y-you know I also cut the mozzarella myself—”

“You know, everything was pretty good,” Trucy said, leaning forward in her seat. “But you know what would make it better…?”

Phoenix glanced over toward Trucy, raising an eyebrow. “...is this the part you suggest dessert—?”

“Ice cream!”

“Ugh, never mind,” Apollo mumbled to himself, resting his chin on the table.

It took a bit of persuading (and possibly a bit of bribery on Blackquill’s part), but eventually, the seven of them headed out, down the road toward the nearby shopping plaza. Apollo scowled as they walked, hands in his pockets. It was already getting dark out, but fortunately the path toward the plaza was well-lit. They walked along the street, occasionally meandering into the scratchy crabgrass as a car passed by, until they reached the sidewalk, curving around the roundabout toward the beach and the cluster of buildings at the far end.

“You’ll like this place, Polly,” Trucy told Apollo, bouncing on her feet as she fell in step next to him. “It’s super cute! And the ice cream was so good.”

“Yeah, well, we’ll see,” Apollo told her, sidestepping some running children. “I have very discerning ice cream tastes.”

“You’re just picky,” Athena called from behind him, and he scowled at her.

“I am not,” he said. “I just know good ice cream when I see it. Or, uh, taste it.”

“Aw, come on, Apollo.” Suddenly Phoenix wrapped an arm around Apollo’s shoulders, practically putting him in a headlock and almost knocking him over. “Where’s that positivity you’re known for, hmm?”

“Since when am I known for—? Mr. Wright, get off,” he snapped, attempting to pull himself free.

Phoenix just kept laughing, continuing to pull Apollo off balance as they made their way down the sidewalk, past a bunch of children playing in a small public park and several families dragging wagons of beach supplies toward a parking lot. He only let go of Apollo when he had to duck underneath a large tree branch jutting out into the sidewalk.

“You seem like you’re in a good mood,” Apollo muttered, attempting to fix his hair as Phoenix straightened up on the other side.

“Well yeah,” Phoenix said, still grinning ear to ear, leaning back on the branch. “I’m on a vacation with my friends, family, and the love of my life. Why shouldn’t I be in a good mood?”

Apollo raised an eyebrow. “Okay, but you’re in a really good mood,” he said.

Phoenix’s smile softened. “Well. I’m just happy to be here is all. Why do I need a reason?”

Apollo felt his bracelet tighten as Phoenix tucked his hands into his pockets. “...right.”

“...Herr Forehead, look out for that tree!”

Apollo blinked. “...huh?”

“Yes, Justice-dono, be careful, you are going to hit your head.”

“...what are you two talking about?” Apollo asked, ducking under the branch and scurrying after Phoenix, ignoring as Klavier and Blackquill snickered behind him.

It was true, everyone seemed in a very good mood. Too good of a mood. A suspiciously good mood. Phoenix in particular was humming a bit as they entered the ice cream shop, reaching over and grabbing Edgeworth’s hand, swinging it back and forth until Edgeworth shook him off with a scowl.

“Really, Wright, we’re in public.”

“Aw, but I thought you liked me.” He leaned in with an exaggerated pout. “Don’t you like me anymore, Miles?”

“Don’t be silly,” Edgeworth muttered, face flushing. “Of course I like you, you mess of a man.” Phoenix grinned at that, leaning in closer until Edgeworth rolled his eyes and pecked his cheek.

There was whispering behind Apollo. He glanced over his shoulder, frowning. Klavier and Athena were whispering something to each other, looking over at Phoenix and Edgeworth. Those two sure were chummy all of a sudden, too, huh? Where did that come from? They barely even knew each other a week ago.

“What are you two whispering about?” he asked.

Athena and Klavier both paused, looking over at him. Athena grinned. “Oh, just placing our bets,” she said.

“Bets? Bets on what?”

“Ach, Herr Forehead!” Klavier exclaimed, hand on his chest in faux shock. “How could you ask us something like that?”

“Ja, it’s a secret, remember?” Athena said, copying Klavier with a grin.

“...right…” He turned back ahead, scowling again as the two laughed.

Soon he had his ice cream cone, standing off to the side as the others continued to chat and enjoy themselves. At one point, Phoenix put an arm over Edgeworth’s shoulder to sway the two of them to the music playing in the store, before pulling Trucy into the dance as well. Klavier and Athena continued to gossip and giggle amongst themselves, their blue, overfilled cups gripped tightly in their hands.

Apollo tucked a thumb into his pocket, nibbling at his Rocky Road sullenly. Of course, clearly everyone was leaving him out of the loop for some reason. Not surprising, that was often how these things went. Apollo was the antithesis of fun, and he sure as hell wasn’t great at keeping secrets. Still, though, didn’t stop him from feeling a bit left out.

What was so gosh darn secretive that Klavier and Athena couldn’t tell Apollo anyway? It had to be something juicy, right? Or did they just want to hang something over Apollo’s head? Watch him squirm. That was always a laugh for people, huh?

“Wright, what on earth has gotten into you?!”

Apollo glanced over again. The song had changed, and Phoenix was attempting to do some sort of Twist with an uncooperative Edgeworth. “Oooo I wanna dance with somebody!” he sang.

Edgeworth tried uselessly to pull his wrists away, clearly trying to force down a smile. “You absolute buffoon—”

“I wanna feel the ^heat with somebody!”

Klavier whispered something else to Athena, who burst into giggles and nodded at him. Apollo scowled again. So was it something about Phoenix’s good mood? Or maybe it was just about the concept of love in general.

...wait.

His face scrunched up. Oh no, no way. That couldn’t...Gross, Athena was eighteen! That was way too young for Klavier. Although, didn’t most famous rock star types eventually turn out to be some sort of creepazoid who would date a barely legal teenage girl?

No, but he was Klavier . He was always so nice, and smart, and honest, and couldn’t secretly be going out with a teenage girl, right? Right?! And Athena, Athena was smart enough not to fall for some twenty something ex-rock star who she definitely should NOT be going out with because she was still a teenager and holy hell everything about this line of thinking was absolutely horrifying.

Apollo stood there rooted to the spot, thoughts running in circles, trying to figure out if he’d greatly misjudged both his coworker and his newfound friend. But he would’ve noticed something like that, right? He glanced their way again. Trucy had joined them, and Klavier and Athena had given her their cherries in exchange for a sample of her ice cream. They were all smiling. They all looked happy, standing together like that.

Athena was awfully pretty. And smart. And exceptionally kind, and caring, and vibrant. It would make sense for people to love her, after all. And Klavier Gavin was basically an international sex-icon, on top of being one of those prodigy types. And smart, kind, pretty people always found their way to each other eventually, leaving people like Apollo behind in the dust. So maybe it did make sense…? Man, why did imagining his friends being happy make him just as queasy?

Maybe he should ask directly? He looked over toward the two again, stomach twisting unpleasantly. He probably should just ask directly. But what if they laughed at him? Made fun of him? Oh Apollo. Are you really that dense that you never noticed? Or maybe, Oh Apollo, what are you talking about? Do you really not know us at all? Why are you such an idiot? Or even, Oh Apollo, I get that no one’s ever loved you, so you’d never really understand love if it bit you in the ass—

He shook that last one away quickly. That was stupid. He was overreacting. He was always overreacting. Maybe there was someone else he could ask about this. Someone who might know something. But who would know anything?

He glanced around. Normally this was an Athena conversation, but he couldn’t exactly talk to Athena about Athena. Trucy maybe, but he just knew the moment he started prying into someone else’s love life, he’d never hear the end of it. Especially if he was wrong, she’d probably make fun of him forever. Phoenix, too, would probably find the whole situation silly, tease him mercilessly about it. And Edgeworth, universally known as the World’s Most Unapproachable Man™, Apollo was pretty sure he’d die before being able to just casually gossip with the man about their coworkers. But there was no one else he could go to. Except maybe…

He saw movement out of the corner of his eye. A figure in black, just outside the building, leaning against the wall.

...no. No, he couldn’t ask him about it. Though...well, Blackquill was a smart guy. And he was very familiar with all the psychology mumbo jumbo Athena knew about. AND he knew Athena better than most people too. Maybe Apollo could pick his brain? See if he had anything to offer?

Unless of course Blackquill just cut out his tongue for even trying to talk to him. Which was a real possibility.

He hesitated a second, debating in silence, before taking a deep breath and pushing the door open.

Blackquill was leaning only a few feet from the door, a spoon in his mouth, looking lost in thought. He glanced over toward Apollo for a moment as the door jingled, but made no other indication he’d seen him.

“Uh...heya Prosecutor Blackquill.”

Blackquill removed the spoon from his mouth, glancing over again. “...Do you need something?” he asked flatly.

“N-No.” Then, “Err, yes. Sort of? Uh, it’s not that important, I just thought I could ask you something.”

“...so you wish to waste my time for your amusement,” Blackquill said, grabbing another spoonful of the surprisingly colorful concoction in his surprisingly colorful cup. “Well, I suppose that is not out of the ordinary, most of what comes out of your mouth is inane drivel. Though why you are directing it toward me is another matter entirely.”

“W-Well, I mean, I just thought, you know, you know Athena more than anybody...”

Blackquill scoffed at that. “I knew Athena more than most people,” he corrected. “However, Athena was a child I lost contact with for the majority of a decade. I know overall quite little about this mysterious figure known as Cykes-dono who has forced herself into my life.”

“Known as…? You do realize you’re literally the only person who calls her that, right?”

Blackquill paused, sending Apollo a glare. Apollo immediately stiffened and took another large bite of his ice cream. After a moment, Blackquill sighed. “What do you want, Justice-dono? And be quick about it.”

He quickly swallowed. “W-Well, um...I guess Athena and Prosecutor Gavin have gotten really close all of a sudden,” he explained, already regretting everything he was doing. “And she trusts you a lot, so I...I thought you might know if they were like…secretly dating or something?”

Blackquill immediately choked on his ice cream, before coughing and shoving his spoon into his cup. “W-What?!”

“S-Sorry! Sorry. Are you alright?”

He thumped his own chest a few times. “I am...deeply concerned for your sanity, though your blade has always been duller than most.”

“A-Ah,” Apollo said, feeling his shoulders relax a bit. “So you don’t think they are, then, right?”

“That would be...quite the turn around,” Blackquill muttered, glancing back at them through the window.

“...right. Right okay. That’s...good,” Apollo said with a nod, feeling way more relieved than he had any right to feel. Well, of course he was relieved, why wouldn't he be?

“...although…”

Apollo froze. He glanced up toward Blackquill. “...although?” he repeated.

Blackquill had a smirk on his face, and there was a mischievous glint to his eyes. “I do suppose they have become quite close recently,” he told Apollo, tapping his spoon on the rim of his cup. “There really is no way for us to disprove such a concern, is there?”

“W...W-Well, yeah, but—”

“Why, in fact, it was only early today I saw the two of them sneaking their way out of a bedroom,” Blackquill continued, looking quite pleased at the horror on Apollo’s face. “What could that mean for your little theory, I wonder?”

“N-N-No way!” he said. “You’re making that up.”

“Oh? And here I thought you were an expert at finding lies.”

Apollo immediately grabbed his bracelet. That was true, wouldn’t his bracelet have reacted to that?! Did that really mean—?!

“Oh and look, now they are passionately kissing right behind you.”

“What?!” Apollo spun around. Then he screamed, as Klavier’s face was about an inch away from him.

Blackquill burst out laughing, slapping his leg as Apollo fell on his ass. “I may need to apologize to Cykes-dono, perhaps this wretched trip was worth something.”

“What on earth are the two of you talking about?” Klavier asked as he straightened up, also laughing. “Herr Blackquill, what are you telling the poor thing?”

“Lies, mostly.” He looked over, face suddenly turning stony. “Gavin-dono, are you entering into a romantic relationship with Athena Cykes?”

Klavier blinked. “...what? No. What are you talking about?!”

“Ah, correct answer.” Blackquill took another bite of ice cream, looking satisfied.

“You people all suck,” Apollo muttered, scowling between the two of them as he stood up. “I almost lost my ice cream.” He attempted to dab at his shirt with a napkin.

“Sorry, Herr Forehead,” Klavier said, reaching over to help dust him off. “And Herr Blackquill, why on earth would you think that I was in a relationship with Fraulein Athena?”

Blackquill rolled his eyes. “Ask that imbecile,” he replied, leaning back against the wall. “I happen to have a fully functioning frontal lobe.”

Apollo flushed bright red, as Klavier sent him an odd look. “I-I just thought, you know…I mean, Athena is very pretty, and...”

Klavier’s eyes sparkled. “...you weren’t jealous, were you, Herr Forehead?” he teased, leaning in a bit.

“What?! Ew, no, she’s eighteen!”

“...ah.” Klavier’s eyes dimmed slightly, as Blackquill snorted into his cup. “Well, never mind then.”

Apollo sighed, taking another bite. Of course he wasn’t jealous. He did feel...awfully relieved though, all things considered. For Athena, of course, but also the idea of Klavier… He shook that thought off. “So, uh, you need something, Prosecutor Gavin?”

“Ach, I’ve been sampling all the different ice cream flavors,” he said, reaching over, attempting to steal a spoonful of Apollo’s ice cream before Apollo swatted him away. “And I couldn’t help but notice that the two of you were nowhere to be found.”

“Oh, yes, I’m sure you noticed that both of us were absent,” Blackquill replied, raising an eyebrow. “I know how invested you are in the both of us.”

“Ach, I'm hurt, of course I noticed you were gone, Herr Blackquill,” Klavier told him. “After all, I need to sample everyone’s ice cream just to...be...fair...” Suddenly Klavier’s face fell. “...wh...where did…?”

Immediately Blackquill was smirking again. “...something the matter, Gavin-dono?”

“Where did you...why does your ice cream have a completely different brand name on it?”

“I have no idea what you are talking about,” Blackquill deadpanned, taking another bite.

Klavier stared at him. “Herr Blackquill did you go to a completely different ice cream shop?”

“Hmph, when is the last time you had your vision checked?”

Apollo blinked, looking down at the cup in Blackquill’s hand, only now noticing the name of a completely different ice cream store name printed on the side. Or, wait, “...what the hell? Is that even ice cream?!”

“Perhaps the heat is getting to the both of you. I've never seen anything more clearly ice cream in my entire life.”

As Klavier and Apollo frowned at Blackquill, the door behind them opened with a jingle. Out skipped Trucy, followed by her father, flanked by Edgeworth and Athena. “Oh there you all are,” Trucy said.

“We were thinking we should walk home along the beach,” Athena said. “You guys up for that?”

“Ja, that sounds lovely, fraulein!”

The group of them walked off, through the sprawling shopping plaza toward the ocean. The closer to the ocean they got, the darker it got. Apollo pulled out his phone to turn on his flashlight, and Blackquill immediately snapped at him, something about ‘protecting the health and safety of the sea turtles’ and Apollo shoved it back into his pocket, leaving them in almost total darkness, save for the moon shining overhead.

As they stepped onto the sand, Athena turned. “Did you guys see that shaved ice stall on the way over here? We should absolutely try that one next time.”

“Yes, we should do that,” Blackquill replied, taking another bite of his shaved ice before tossing the empty cup into a trashcan.

“Seriously, though, why? What's the point?” Apollo asked him, as Athena walked off.

“What do you mean?” Blackquill side-eyed him. “Really, why do all of you blackguards come to me for help and advice in the first place? My only two skills are law and psychological warfare.”

Klavier laughed at that. “Psychological warfare? That’s a bit of an exaggeration, isn’t it?”

Blackquill paused, looking toward Klavier, eyes narrowed. Then he turned. “Justice-dono, I will give you five dollars if you can fit the entire length of your ice cream cone into your mouth right now.”

Apollo blinked, glancing down at the cone in his hand. “Uh, sure? Okay, I don’t get why that’s psychological warfare—”

“Herr Forehead I will give you six dollars to ignore everything Herr Blackquill says to you for the next hour.”

“Hmm? What is this?” Blackquill said, fishing his wallet out of his pocket. “Seven whole dollars? How fortuitous.”

“Herr Forehead I have ten dollars on me right now. Please ignore anything he says, I beg of you.”

“Okay, seriously, what is wrong with you two?!” Apollo interrupted, looking between the two of them. Blackquill’s smirk was back, and Klavier seemed almost flustered. “It’s not even that big of an ice cream cone.”

“Yes, you’re right, I’m sure fitting the full length into your mouth right now would hardly be a challenge. Perhaps if you could find something else to fit into your—”

“Herr Blackquill.”

Alright, Apollo definitely seemed to be missing something. He glanced between the two of them and his own mostly melted ice cream cone. What part of this was psychological warfare? At the very least, Klavier seemed distressed, so it must’ve been working. “Uh, Prosecutor Gavin, if you really want a bite of my ice cream that badly you’re welcome to try some.”

Both men froze. Both men turned to look at him, faces going slack. Then Blackquill barked out a laugh, startling both of them. “Alright, I think I should step away from this conversation before one of you simply trips and falls on your own dulled blade,” he said, turning and walking away. “But good luck to you, Gavin-dono. You seem to need it.”

“Ja, ja,” Klavier muttered, finishing his ice cream with a sullen pout and heading off toward a nearby trash can.

“...weirdos,” Apollo muttered, taking another bite. Was Klavier really that put off by the ice cream thing? “...but really, Prosecutor Gavin, I don’t mind if you wanted to try a bite.”

Klavier paused, before grinning toward Apollo. “That’s sweet,” he said. “I did just throw out my spoon, though, so—”

“Of course it’s sweet, it’s Rocky Road.” A pause. Klavier blinked at him for a moment, face going blank. “...Y-You’re allowed to laugh if you—No but, uh, you can take a bite.” Apollo quickly held out the cone toward him, feeling his face warming. “As long as you don’t secretly have mono or something.”

A beat. Suddenly the smile was back, but it was softer this time. Warmer. “...You’re sweet,” he said, putting an arm over Apollo’s shoulders as they walked.

“Oh, uh—” Stop talking about Rocky Road stop talking about Rocky Road “—it’s probably all the ice cream.” DAMN IT.

At least Klavier laughed at the joke this time, before grabbing the top of the cone, leaning in, and taking a quick bite. “Achtung, I knew I chose the wrong flavor,” he said around the mouthful.

“Y-Yeah, this place was pretty good I guess,” Apollo mumbled, feeling flustered. Why was he feeling so flustered? Wow, Klavier was very close to him right now, huh? “The Rocky Road was good at least. We should probably walk faster, everyone else is getting kind of far ahead.”

“We’ll catch up to them eventually,” Klavier replied smoothly. “Besides, it’s so nice out, I don’t mind taking my time.”

“Oh...uh, alright,” Apollo managed.

“And look how clear the stars are,” Klavier added, nudging him with his hip, and Apollo’s eyes immediately snapped toward the sky.

The sky was strikingly clear. Clearer than he’d seen it in a long time. And the sky was littered with stars. Thousands of them. There was a haze over the ocean, the faintest glow of pale gray, and Apollo’s breath caught in his chest with the realization that he was probably looking at the Milky Way. He could see a million constellations, not just the handful he could see on a dark Los Angeles evening, but the entire constellations, the creatures that people saw thousands of years ago when naming the stars. And over the ocean, he could see for miles and miles.

Apollo stared for a moment. His chest felt tight. Numb. Cold. When was the last time he’d been out to see the stars on a clear night? God, sometimes he forgot how beautiful the night sky was. He forgot how…

“...Herr Forehead?”

“H-Huh?” Apollo’s eyes snapped back down to earth. “What? Sorry, what were you saying?”

Klavier chuckled. “Nothing important. Just commenting on how...beautiful the evening was, ja?”

“J-Ja—Err, yeah, real nice.” They’d stopped walking. Or Apollo had stopped walking and Klavier had followed suit.

“...not that it’s the only beautiful thing out here tonight.”

Apollo blinked, frowning, before glancing around. “Oh, uh. Yeah, I guess the beach is nice too...?” When he looked back, Klavier was staring at him. He bristled slightly. “What?”

“Herr Forehead, you really do not know how to take a compliment, do you?”

“...a what?” Apollo furrowed his brows. “What are you talking about?”

“I was trying to give you a compliment,” Klavier said, frowning. “But they really all roll off you like water, don’t they?”

“...a compliment…?” Not that it’s the only beautiful thing out here tonight… “...Wha…? Why?!”

“W-Why am I complimenting you?” Klavier repeated. “Why do I need a reason? Is it that hard to imagine I just enjoy your company and wanted to let you know?”

“...uh...y...yes…” Apollo said slowly. “Yeah, a bit.” Beautiful? That was a bit of a stretch, wasn't it? Or maybe Klavier was fishing for compliments.

“Ach, no wonder you thought I hated you,” Klavier murmured, face falling for a moment, before shaking his head. “Well, I guess I just need to give you compliments more often then, mein freund.”

“Uh, you really don’t need to—”

“Oh Herr Forehead~!” Klavier suddenly started singing, resting his cheek against the top of Apollo’s head, leaning his full weight against him. “My dear Herr Forehead~ Shining as bright as the North Star.”

“Ack, I don’t need a—Will you cut that—Why are you pointing at Venus?!”

Klavier paused from motioning to the sky, sitting back up. “...is that...not the North Star?”

Apollo stared at him. Then he burst out laughing. “You think that’s North?! Are you crazy?!”

Klavier chuckled sheepishly. “Sorry, I’m not very good with stars—”

“The ocean is literally to our left, why the hell would the North Star be anywhere NEAR there right now?!” Apollo managed between cackles. “You know which direction the ocean is, right?”

“I-I see,” Klavier said, laughing too. “Well then, Herr Astronom, where is the North Star?”

“Well, considering North is behind us,” and Apollo turned, “the Little Dipper has to be— Yeah, there it is.”

“Where?”

“Right uh,” Apollo frowned, pointing, though clearly Klavier couldn’t follow his line of sight. He turned, grabbing Klavier’s shoulder and pulling him down to eye level, pressing their cheeks together and pointing. “There. You see the Big Dipper? You gotta follow the edge of the cup and you’ll find the North Star. See it?”

Klavier didn’t respond. Or move. Apollo pulled away to glance over, and Klavier turned toward him, an odd look on his face. “...danke,” he said eventually, voice sounding slightly strained, but he was smiling, so Apollo probably hadn’t offended him. “I did not realize you were such an expert.”

“Y-Yeah,” Apollo said with a sheepish grin, rubbing his head. “Well, we found an app a while ago that tells you all the constellations. Not that we have to use it for that anymore, but me and Clay usually use it to keep track of the ISS so we can—”

Both of them seemed to realize what he’d said at the exact same time, stopping where they were. Apollo stood there a moment, ignoring the way everything went numb again.

“...Come on. We should go.”

“Herr Forehead?”

Apollo turned, shoving the last of his ice cream into his mouth and wiping his hand on his pants. “C’mon, hurry up. We’ll never catch up to everyone like this.”

“Apollo, wait—”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Apollo snapped before Klavier could say anything else. “Let’s just get going. It's fine. I'm fine.”

He started off, pulling himself out of Klavier’s hold, feeling his face burning, feeling slightly queasy. Klavier caught up to him with a few strides. “I-I’m sorry,” he said. “I shouldn’t have brought it up.”

“Sorry?!” Apollo snapped, rounding on him, almost colliding with him. “Why the hell should you be sorry?! It’s—It’s just the stars! I-I like the stars! I like talking about the stars! It’s practically my favorite thing on the planet, talking about stars! Why the hell should that be a problem?!”

“Apollo…?” Klavier looked concerned, but Apollo continued on.

“This is my favorite thing!” Apollo was shouting. Why was he shouting? “I-I love stargazing! Why the hell do I need to dance around it?! Why does—Why do I—” His voice cracked. His eyes were starting to sting. “W-Why do I...Why do I have to lose that too? Why can’t I just have this one thing left? I don’t—I don’t have anything else and my best friend is dead and everyone else is doing great and feeling great and I can’t even—I can’t even look up without—” Another crack. It turned into a little sob. “...without…”

Oh god, he was crying now, full on crying, shit. He turned away, feeling his face burning harder, and trying desperately to wipe at his face and dang it his hands were sticky and he felt like an idiot, crying in front of Klavier when they were just chatting about literally nothing and—

“Apollo.” Klavier’s hand was on his shoulder. “Apollo…?”

“I don’t...have a lot of friends either,” Apollo managed. “Trucy said I should invite someone to come with me on this stupid trip and I couldn’t even come up with one person and...sorry, it’s fine, I’m fine, we don’t have to talk about this, I...you were in such a good mood and...shit, why am I even crying?”

“...because you miss someone you loved?” Klavier suggested. “I can’t blame you for crying, it’s...certainly a feeling I’m familiar with.”

Apollo winced. “...right. Sorry.”

Klavier’s hand immediately tightened around Apollo’s shoulder. “The decisions the people around me made have nothing to do with you,” Klavier replied firmly. “I don’t blame you in the slightest. I just meant you don’t need to feel bad about mourning someone. Not in front of me.”

“Y-Yeah but I just...” Apollo rubbed uselessly at his face again. “God, this is so stupid, I can’t even look up without turning into a mess. And everyone is having so much fun on this stupid trip and I can’t even do that without ruining it for everyone.”

“You’re not ruining my trip,” Klavier interrupted quickly, eyebrows shooting up.

“You don’t have to pretend,” Apollo said, shaking his head. “Come on, I freaked out about a Jenga game. I got worked up over convincing myself my friends were happy. I don’t have any friends or family because I’m unpleasant to be around. You…” He caught himself, taking a shaky breath. “You don’t need to sit around and listen to me complain,” he finished. “J-Just go catch up with the others. I’m sure they’re going to play more games or something fun...don’t let me ruin your—”

Klavier’s hand brushed against Apollo’s cheek, just for a moment. Both of them froze. Quickly, Klavier drew his hand back, as if he were just as surprised by the action as Apollo was. “Ach, sorry,” he said smoothly, running a hand through his own bangs. “Reflex.”

“...R-Reflex?!” Apollo stared at him for a moment. Then suddenly he burst out laughing, startling even himself, choking it through the ugly sobs still slipping out. “W-What the hell kind of a reflex is that?!”

“Ach, well, I just sort of react when I see a pretty face in distress,” Klavier joked.

A beat, as Apollo processed that, still giggling like a maniac. “Y-Yeah, well, I’m not one of your swooning Frauleins,” Apollo managed. “You don’t get to wink and suddenly everything’s a-okay.”

“Nein, of course not,” Klavier said, sending Apollo a wink anyway, and Apollo found himself laughing harder and harder by the second, despite the shaky breath and the sniffly nose.

“God, I look like an idiot, don't I?”

“Nein, never,” Klavier replied. He flexed his hand slightly, looking almost like he wanted to reach out again if Apollo didn’t know any better. “...would a hug help in this situation?”

“You don’t—You don’t have to do that, I’m not that good at hugs,” Apollo replied quickly, gulping a bit until his breathing evened out. “I-I never know what to do with my hands—”

“Ach, that was not my question,” Klavier interrupted with a frown. “I don’t care if you’re any good at hugs, would it make you feel any better?”

Apollo hesitated a moment, trying to process what Klavier was saying. But without even really meaning to, he found himself leaning forward, and then Klavier’s arms were around him, and Klavier was warm and solid, and Apollo shut his eyes and took a few more ragged breaths and just started crying again.

They stood there for a while, Klavier holding Apollo against his chest, gently rubbing Apollo's back until his breathing began to even out into something manageable, until his senses returned and he realized this was actually even more mortifying than the crying from only a minute ago. He swallowed, awkwardly reaching up to pat at Klavier’s back. Was that a thing you did during hugs? “...w-we should probably go catch up with everyone else,” he said.

“Ja, we probably should.”

Neither of them moved. Apollo swallowed, before pushing at Klavier’s chest. Klavier immediately released him, stepping back, and Apollo turned away. He probably looked ridiculous, face red and splotchy, nose probably snotty. And Apollo didn’t really want to explain to everyone why he looked like a mess. He knew Athena would know instantly, and this was not a conversation he wanted to run through again. He’d rather fall into a hole and disappear forever.

“...Herr Forehead?”

“Hmm?”

Klavier had glanced off toward the horizon, mouth a thin line. “It...It wouldn’t fix anything, and you can certainly say no, but...if you ever need someone to stargaze with you, I’d be happy to join you.”

Apollo froze, eyes going wide. “What?! No, you really don’t have to do that, I...I’m probably just going to start crying again or something.”

“I don’t mind that,” Klavier replied. “Unless you just don't want to. But if you did want some company...”

Apollo just continued to stare at him. Suddenly his eyes were prickling again, and he wiped them quickly with his palm. But this time, at the very least, his chest wasn’t hurting as he did it. “That...I guess that doesn’t sound...so bad.”

Klavier smiled at him. Apollo quickly turned away, stomach suddenly twisting up for some odd reason. After a second, he pointed toward the ocean. “...do you see that flickering star over there? The reddish one? That, uh...that’s Scorpius’s head. Or uh. Scorpio. You know, the star sign.”

Klavier glanced over where Apollo was pointing. “Achtung! Is this your subtle way of asking me for my star sign, Herr Forehead?”

“Wha—No!” Apollo shouted, and Klavier laughed, giving him another wink and a grin. And despite himself, Apollo found himself grinning back.

And the two of them began to walk as they talked together, though they wouldn’t arrive back at the condo for at least another hour.

Chapter Text

Phoenix jolted awake with a strangled gasp.

He sat there a moment, eyes wide, heart threatening to pound out of his chest, breath coming in short bursts. It took a few seconds to recollect his thoughts. He was in a bed. He was in a bed, and Edgeworth was asleep beside him, hands folded over his chest. He was, most importantly, not on a bridge, falling to his death. He was also not being pushed off the bridge by Dahlia Hawthorne. Or...Or wait, was it Kristoph? He shut his eyes again, trying to recall, though the more he tried to recall the more their memories overlapped, and really, it didn’t matter that much which person it was, as it was not real in the slightest.

He sat up slowly. Fortunately, Edgeworth was still fast asleep, head lulled to the side as he breathed slowly, in and out. That was good, Phoenix certainly didn’t want to wake him up for this sort of nonsense.

It was rare now. Rarer than Edgeworth’s occasional nightmares, at least. But still, every once in a while, a memory would rear its ugly head, and Phoenix would wake in a cold sweat. At least this time he didn’t fall out of the bed. Then he’d just be panicked and sore.

The bridge dream was a fairly common dream. Not the worst of his nightmares, but unpleasant nonetheless. More often, he was in court, and nonsense from previous trials would start to filter through and overlap. Presenting the diary page to Shelly de Killer while Manfred von Karma screamed bloody murder. Things like that.

At least it wasn’t Miles Edgeworth chooses death. Those were the worst of them.

Phoenix sighed at that, cracking his neck. Maybe it was all the sugar before bed. That tended to cause nightmares, right? He sent a glance toward Edgeworth again, just to check, but he seemed to be sleeping soundly, face smooth of the usual worry lines that creased his brow in the day. Phoenix reached over, gently brushing some of Edgeworth’s bangs out of his face, watching the gentle rise and fall of his chest. Asleep, alive, with Phoenix, that was all he could ever hope for he supposed.

Phoenix sighed again, swallowing, and wow was his throat dry. Maybe another side effect of the ice cream? He frowned, debating for a second if it was worth it, before slowly easing himself from the bed. Glancing toward Edgeworth’s still form, he began slowly tiptoeing across the floor. It wasn’t as creaky as Phoenix’s apartment, thank god, and he made it to the door without disturbing Edgeworth’s sleep. Better to let him rest than bother him. He didn’t want to worry the man.

He stepped into the living room, blinking in the darkness. Another gentle step, and then his leg collided with the pull out couch.

“Ffffff—” He fell forward, grabbing the arm of the couch with one hand and his leg with the other. “...sorry,” he whispered quickly.

There was no answer. For a moment, Phoenix assumed Blackquill had slept through it. Then his eyes finally began to focus, and he blinked, frowning at the empty pile of pillows and blanket. “...huh?”

Phoenix steadied himself and glanced around. It was pitch black inside, save for a small digital clock nearby reading One AM. Outside, it was just as dark. But as Phoenix squinted, he could see the slightest hint of movement on the balcony.

Weird, he thought to himself, limping carefully around Blackquill’s empty bed toward the kitchenette. He poured himself a glass of water and downed the entire thing in one go, sighing in relief at the sensation. Wow, he was parched. Maybe this time he should hold to the no desserts before bed rule Trucy always wheedled him out of.

One he finished, he set the glass in the sink, rubbing his eye with his palm as he started back toward his room. He made it all the way to the door before he hesitated. A second, and he glanced back toward the balcony.

What was Blackquill doing up anyway? He'd seemed in a decent enough mood before they all headed to bed, but it was awfully late for stargazing. He watched for a moment, but couldn’t make much out, other than the occasional movement. After a few seconds of debate, he sighed, frowning, and turned, grabbing the handle to the balcony.

Blackquill’s head shot up as he heard the door open. “Ah, Wright-dono!” he said cheerily, saluting with a large, dark bottle in hand. “Here to be my Taka for the evening?”

“...uh.” Cheery seemed a bit out of place on Blackquill. Or maybe cheery wasn’t the right word, something felt...off about his expression. Not happy, exactly, just sort of manic. Phoenix stepped through the door anyway. “What exactly does that entail?”

“Well, really, you just need to scream if I stumble too close to a ledge or open flame,” he said, taking another deep swig. “Past that, unless you wish to unlock the power of flight, I doubt you could ever truly replace the majesty of my feathered companion.”

“Uh, right.”

“Though you have the general shape correct,” Blackquill told him, motioning to his own hair as he swayed just a bit. “Were it dark enough, I think you’d bear a striking resemblance.”

Phoenix blinked at him for a moment, slowly beginning to piece together what the problem was. “...right,” he repeated, slowly sitting down on one of the chairs. “Say, uh, what’cha got there?”

“Ah, I had requested of your lover a bottle of gin several days prior,” he said, leaning back and kicking his feet up onto the table. “I’d considered asking for sake, but I doubt grocery store sake is going to get the job done.”

Phoenix nodded along slowly, rubbing his neck. “Oh, uh yeah… Which job is that again?”

“Oh, getting me piss drunk, what else?” Blackquill replied, spilling a bit of drink as if to emphasize his point. “Perhaps not as strong as that fruity swill Gavin-dono got us the other day, but certainly more convenient at this time of night.” He grinned at Phoenix, holding out the bottle. “Would you care for a sip?”

Oh, okay, he was wasted. That explained it. “No, I’m fine,” Phoenix said quickly, letting out a nervous chuckle.

“Ah, alcohol is not your vice of choice then, Wright-dono?” Blackquill asked, gently shaking it in his direction. “Or perhaps it is. I care very little either way.” He took another deep swig.

Phoenix frowned at him. “...how much of that have you drunk already?”

Blackquill frowned at that, holding the bottle up to his eye and shaking it with a loud swish. “...hmph. Enough? Or maybe not. Who’s to say?”

Phoenix frowned a moment, before stretching out his hand. Blackquill smirked, handing over the large bottle, and Phoenix put it to his mouth, pretending to take a drink, wincing at the sharp smell of booze before setting it on his other side. “So, uh, what’re you doing up so late?” he asked.

Blackquill eyed him a second, glancing down at the bottle now out of his reach. “I thought that were obvious,” he replied. “Drinking. Making merry. Why else would one drink alone in the wee hours of the morning?”

The world lurched. Phoenix jumped, as the Psyche-locks ground their way into view, wrapping themselves around Blackquill. Phoenix blinked for a moment, hand going to his pocket before he realized abruptly that he didn’t have a pocket. He glanced back toward the window to his bedroom. Close enough to see, not close enough to use. Unfortunate.

“What, dropped another wedding ring, Wright-dono? How many blokes were you planning to propose to?”

Phoenix frowned a moment, before remembering. “Oh! Uh, no, actually Klavier found it for me.”

“Oh? Well, bully for you then.” He leaned his head back, cracking his neck. “Let us take a drink! To good fortune, and true love and whatnot.”

“Err, I think maybe we should hold off on the drinking for a bit,” Phoenix suggested, nudging the bottle a bit further, and Blackquill glared at him.

“So you are cutting me off,” he muttered, looking almost affronted.

Phoenix coughed nervously. “Well, you seem pretty drunk already,” he replied.

Blackquill looked him over for a moment, before letting out a sigh. “Ah, you’re right, I should save it for another night of revelry. How could I have been so foolish?”

“...is something wrong, Blackquill?”

Blackquill snorted at that. “And what brings you out so late, Wright-dono?” he asked, as if Phoenix hadn’t said anything. “You never struck me as the type to enjoy the wee hours of the morning.”

Phoenix considered him a moment. Blackquill always looked a bit haggard, but there was something darker to his sunken eyes. Even with the manic energy, he looked exhausted. “No, you’re right on that,” Phoenix said eventually. “I just...bad dream. Didn’t want to bother Edgeworth with it. You know how it is.”

Blackquill narrowed his eyes. “...do I?” he asked.

“...couldn’t sleep either?” Phoenix asked.

“I forgot you and your little agency are known for your prying,” he mused. “Well, I have nothing of interest to share with you, you...guttersnipe.”

“Guttersnipe? That’s a new one.”

Blackquill glared a moment. Then suddenly he blew some sort of raspberry, falling back in his chair. “...I don’t know what that word means, I am very drunk.”

Phoenix blinked, before bursting out laughing. “Well, you certainly sounded convincing.”

“What were you dreaming about?”

Phoenix paused at that, smile falling away. Blackquill was looking at him, arms crossed. “...What, are you going to do some sort of dream analysis on me?”

Blackquill barked out a laugh. “Ah yes, the very real art of dream analysis,” he said. “A very real and very legitimate form of psychological analysis, made by a very real and very respected psychologist. Yes, I will be happy to analyze your dreams for you. Tell me your secrets, Wright-dono. Let me interpret the inner machinations of your mind.”

Phoenix raised an eyebrow. There was a mischievous glint in Blackquill's eye that he absolutely didn't trust. “...I was on a bridge.”

“Ah, a bridge. I believe that means you are gay.”

Phoenix almost choked on his own spit. “Are you twelve?!”

“Oh? You are questioning my psychological expertise, Wright-dono?” Blackquill asked, nodding sagely. “I have studied Freud very carefully, I know exactly what your dreams mean.”

“Well, first of all, I’m bisexual, so feel free to jot that down.”

“Go on, then, tell me more of this dream of yours,” Blackquill interrupted.

Wow, he was really drunk, huh? “I was running across Dusky Bridge while it was on fire,” Phoenix told him, settling back into his chair. “I think...I think Dahlia pushed me off. Except she was definitely Kristoph at one point too, we were at trial right before the bridge…” He frowned, shook his head. “I mean, it wasn’t pleasant, but it wasn’t exactly coherent either. I woke up when I died, and that was it.”

“Well, according to Freud, who we all know was a legitimate psychologist and not simply a repellant bastard, clearly you are repressing something unspeakable.”

“Repressing what exactly?” Phoenix asked skeptically. “It’s not like any of that information is new to me. I fell off a bridge and both of those people have tried to see me dead in one form or another.”

Blackquill opened his mouth to continue, but paused, smug grin falling away into a look of confusion. “...You...fell off a bridge?”

Phoenix blinked, then laughed out loud. “Oh, you didn’t know about that one?” he asked. “It was one of the crazier trials I’ve had. I guess it’s not as ‘famous’ as the parrot thing, huh?”

“Ah, yes, nor the disbarment.”

Phoenix froze. “...n-nor the disbarment,” he agreed weakly, suddenly feeling himself deflate a bit. “God, I guess I was best known for that for a while, huh?”

“Well, I was most well known for murdering Dr. Cykes, so I have no room to judge,” Blackquill said. “I probably still am. I think it was my greatest claim to fame, to be sure.”

“I mean, you’ve had other claims to fame since then, right?” Phoenix told him. “I mean you helped stop an international spy. That’s something, right? Stopped the dark age of the law and all that?”

“I spent more time as a prisoner than I ever have as a prosecutor.”

Phoenix froze for a moment. Blackquill said it so quietly, Phoenix almost didn’t catch it. They both mulled that thought over for a moment. “...I was a pianist longer than I’ve been a defense attorney,” he murmured. “I...Hmm. Sometimes I forget that.”

“Have you ever dreamt about flying?”

“...uh…” Where did that come from? “What?”

“Flying,” Blackquill repeated, and Phoenix could’ve sworn there was something desperate in Blackquill’s eyes as he said it. “Have you ever dreamt about flying?”

It was a weird question, but there was something about the intensity of it that made the hairs on his neck rise. “Uh, n...no? Can’t say that I have.”

“There was—There was a man in the klink who told me he could teach me how to fly.”

“...oh?” There was something here he was missing. A piece of the puzzle that was just out of reach. “A-And, uh, how did that go for you?”

Blackquill snorted derisively. “...he taught me how to fly, obviously. Far easier than I thought it would be.”

Phoenix stared at him a moment, trying to form a sentence other than another, “Oh…?” until he cleared his throat. “That…”

“You sound skeptical,” Blackquill replied. “I was skeptical at first too. Called the man daft. But he proved me wrong in the end, didn’t he?” and he laughed.

He had to be trying to mess with him, right? This was a joke? He knew the man was drunk, but this was a bit extreme even for Blackquill. “Are you trying to tell me he flew away or something?” Phoenix tried eventually.

“That he did,” Blackquill said. “Flew right off. None of the prison guard knew what to make of it. A man escaped prison from right under their noses. Even Fool Bright was flabbergasted. Or maybe he wasn’t! Who was that I was talking to? There’s a fun thought to unpack! Do you think I ever met the man, Wright-dono?”

“What—”

“The fools wouldn’t even tell me he’d escaped!” Blackquill was shouting through his uproarious laughter. “Very insistent on that. They wanted to hide the truth from me! Kept insisting it was a suicide. Didn’t they understand? He wasn’t dead, he was free.”

And the missing puzzle piece clicked into place. “Blackquill—”

“I was supposed to be dead by now.”

“I-I’m sorry?”

“I was supposed to be dead,” Blackquill repeated with a sharp, manic laugh, not looking at him, standing up so fast he almost knocked over his chair. “That was the plan. I was to sacrifice my life for Athena Cykes, protecting Dr. Cykes’s most beloved treasure, not having to deal with all this...this…”

“...living?” Phoenix suggested.

“There was an end goal,” Blackquill continued on, angrily smacking the table as if Phoenix hadn’t said anything. “And now that deadline was wretched away from me and I’m left here spinning my wheels, pretending like the clock hadn’t run out on me years ago, pretending like the clock wasn’t smashed into bits and could run again.”

“You still have time left,” Phoenix interrupted. “Just because you lost seven years—”

“Oh and what do you know?!” Blackquill spat. “What did you get out of your ‘time off’, hmm? A daughter, a lover, an agency? You have your gaggle of fledgeling little professionals who all think the stars shine out your arse and I get to wake up every night with a noose pulling around my throat or poison injecting into my veins wondering why I was even spared if this were all I would have on the other side, how is our suffering in any way comparable?”

Phoenix bristled. “Time off?! It wasn’t like I was on a goddamn vacation—” He cut himself off quickly, wincing, shaking his head. “I’m not playing trauma olympics with you, Blackquill. That’s not fair for either of us.”

Blackquill glared a moment longer, but didn’t seem to have a response to that. Eventually, he broke eye contact, sending a glare toward the horizon.

Phoenix looked at the man sitting in front of him, trying to decide what to say. “...is that what you were dreaming about? Why you’re out here?”

“Piss off.”

“I’m not judging you,” Phoenix replied quickly. “I just...your life isn’t over, you know? Just because you were hurt doesn’t mean you’re never going to be happy—”

“WHEN?!” Blackquill rounded on him. The chair clattered to the floor this time. “WHEN am I going to be happy, Wright-dono?! Because I’ve been waiting! Am I not supposed to be happy yet?!”

“Blackquill—”

“I am here!” Blackquill shouted, throwing his arms out. “In a beautiful place, surrounded by people who have offered me nothing but kindness and compassion, and I don’t feel a goddamn thing! Is this not when I’m supposed to be better?! Is this not when I finally feel safe?! Is this where I finally find this happiness I’m supposed to be searching for?!”

“You—”

“Tell me, Wright-dono, when do I get better?!” he bellowed, grabbing the scruff of Phoenix’s shirt and wrenching him upright. “When does it magically go away?! When am I happy again, hmm?! Tell me! Tell me, just tell me a day! A time! Give me some kind of end date! I’m getting tired of waiting, just tell me!”

“I’ve dreamt about flying too.”

Finally, Blackquill stopped short, his next words dying in his mouth.

Phoenix stood there, staring back at him. After a second, he calmly removed Blackquill’s hand from his shirt. “You know, I get living through seven years of depression,” he said slowly. “What I don’t get is how you lasted this long without the kind of people I’ve had around me.” When Blackquill narrowed his eyes, Phoenix shrugged. “When I was at the worst of it, I wasn’t exactly the greatest person to be around. I drank a lot of, uh, grape juice, and treated a lot of people poorly. I lashed out. I was angry and hurt, and I wanted someone else to feel that way too. But a lot of them stuck around anyway. And I don’t know if I could’ve made it to the other side without them.”

“Is that pity I hear in your voice?” Blackquill practically snarled.

“No. Not pity. I just…” Phoenix considered the man standing in front of him. His gaunt face and twisted glare. A glare full of frustration and pain. A glare he'd seen many times before. “...I've been on both sides of this conversation, you know? And none of us would've made it here without being given a chance. Might as well pay it forward.”

Blackquill didn’t answer him. After a moment, Phoenix cracked his back, reaching down and grabbing the mostly empty bottle of gin. “Well, it’s getting late. We should probably both try to get some sleep.”

“Seven years is a long time.” Blackquill’s voice was quiet.

Phoenix stopped. “...yeah, I know.”

Blackquill stood there a moment, eyes distant and tired and angry. Phoenix looked back at him, pulling open the door. “I don’t have an end date for you, Blackquill. I didn’t have one for myself.” He forced up a smile. “But if I made it this far, I’m willing to hold out hope for you.”

Wordlessly, Blackquill walked into the condo, shoving past Phoenix.

Phoenix steadied himself a moment, before striding in after him, walking over to the kitchenette to put the gin in the...fridge…? Was that where gin went? Well, whatever, into the fridge it went. He let it close with a soft thump, ignoring the way his hands were shaking, and started off toward his bedroom. Blackquill had already buried himself in blankets out of sight. Phoenix slipped past him, more carefully this time, and into his own room.

Edgeworth was sitting up, looking groggy as Phoenix shut the door behind him. “Hey, sorry, I didn’t wake you up, did I?” Phoenix asked softly.

Edgeworth shook his head, rubbing his eye. “Where on earth were you? It’s almost two in the morning.”

“Just getting some water.” Phoenix pulled his clothes back off, climbing into bed as Edgeworth settled back onto his pillow. Then, after a moment of debate, he reached out, wrapping his arms around Edgeworth’s midsection and pulling the other man close. Edgeworth grunted, looking over with a confused frown, in time for Phoenix to press their lips together, gently carding his fingers through Edgeworth’s hair.

Edgeworth raised an eyebrow, but kissed him back, settling himself against Phoenix. “What has gotten into you?” he murmured.

“Have I ever thanked you?”

Edgeworth’s brows furrowed. “For what, exactly?”

Phoenix shook his head. “For being here. For loving me. For...I don’t know how I would’ve gotten here without you, Miles. God, I...”

A look of understanding passed over Edgeworth’s face as Phoenix spoke. He sighed softly, readjusting himself and pressing another kiss to Phoenix’s mouth, stroking a hand over Phoenix’s cheek. “Don’t be ridiculous, Phoenix,” he murmured back. “I’ve only ever done what you would’ve done for me. Or rather, what you’ve already done for me.” And he smiled.

There was a moment that Phoenix considered proposing right then and there. Instead, he cupped Edgeworth’s face with his hand, pulling him even closer, kissing him again, and again, hoping beyond hope that Edgeworth could feel even a fraction of how desperately Phoenix loved him, because maybe, just maybe, that would be enough.

///

There was a crash as a wave smashed into the shoreline, spraying the air with a mist of salt and water. Everything else was silent as Klavier and Apollo stared up at the millions of stars littering the sky above.

Klavier breathed deep, taking in the sounds and the smell. The air was clean, cleaner than back home in LA. It was a mild night, not too hot, not too cold. The perfect night to spend with someone you loved.

Klavier risked a glance toward his companion. Apollo was sitting in the sand, knees drawn to his chest, his deep brown eyes wide and reflecting the starry night sky. He looked beautiful like that, Klavier thought. He watched him a moment, until Apollo glanced his way.

“...what?” Apollo asked.

“I love you.”

Apollo just stared at him another moment. “...no you don’t.”

“Do you think I’m lying?” Klavier asked, cocking his head.

Apollo just shook his head. “I don’t think you know what that means.”

“I could show you.”

Apollo didn’t respond. Klavier swallowed, before reaching out. He brushed a hand over Apollo’s cheek, and Apollo’s eyes fluttered shut, leaning his face into the touch. At that, Klavier took a breath, leaning in.

“So what makes you think you deserve this happy ending?”

He wasn’t surprised to hear the voice. Maybe he should have been. He sighed, pausing before he could even touch his lips to Apollo's. “What do you want, Kristoph?”

“Oh, no, please don’t mind me,” Kristoph replied smoothly. “Please, go on, weren’t you about to finally get that ‘happily ever after’ you so desperately want?”

Klavier turned. There was Kristoph, sitting beside him, looking more amused than anything else. “What do you want?” Klavier repeated. “I’m busy.”

“I can see that,” Kristoph replied, smirking, waving a dismissive hand. “Please, don’t let me interrupt you.”

Klavier glared at him for a moment, before turning. Then he blinked at the empty space beside him.

“Oh, hmm, where did Justice go?” Kristoph asked, cocking his head. “Odd.”

“What do you want?” Klavier repeated again, eyes lingering on the empty space where Apollo had been sitting.

“I’m just curious as to how your happy ending is going,” Kristoph replied lightly. “Is it everything you ever wanted it to be? Have you found all that love and acceptance that you so desperately crave, now that you’ve forced me out of your life? Or perhaps not.”

Klavier turned toward Kristoph. “I’m doing just fine without you, if you must know,” he shot back.

“Really? And how long do you think you can keep that charade up?”

“Shut up.”

Kristoph laughed. “Do you think they want you here?” he asked. “Any of them? Wright, Edgeworth, Justice, have you really convinced yourself any of them could ever want you here?”

“I said shut up,” Klavier snapped.

“Really, after everything you’ve done, what on earth makes you think you deserve to be here, anyway?” It was Phoenix talking in Kristoph’s voice, hands tucked into the front pocket of his hoodie. Klavier felt his stomach lurch. “You can’t just pretend like you haven’t done anything wrong.”

“I-I didn’t—”

“Didn’t what?” Phoenix asked with a good natured laugh. “Didn’t ruin my life? You don’t need to lie to me, Gavin. I know more than anyone what you’ve done.”

Klavier was on his feet. “But I...I-It wasn’t my—”

“Wasn’t your fault?” Edgeworth asked, standing in front of him, arms crossed, tapping his finger with a scowl. “But you were the one who pulled the trigger. Why does it matter who loaded the gun?” At that, Edgeworth tapped a finger to his head with a sardonic smirk. “Really, you could at least try to take some responsibility for your actions, Gavin. Do you really think you deserve to be here with us?”

“But I—”

Something smacked Klavier’s face. He winced. The world around him was dark. He couldn’t breathe. Apollo was standing in front of him, face blank, eyes focused on Klavier’s. Klavier’s breath caught. “Apollo?”

Apollo didn’t respond. They were standing in the ocean. The sky above them was black. Klavier felt the icy water lapping at his ankles.

“Apollo,” he tried again. He took a step forward. Apollo took a step back. They stood there a moment, staring at each other. “Apollo.”

“What?” Apollo shrunk back a bit, apprehension on his face. “What do you want?”

“It wasn’t my fault,” Klavier said. “It wasn’t my fault. I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Do you really believe that?” His voice was so soft he barely heard it.

“I…” There was a correct answer. What was the correct answer? “Apollo don’t…don’t go, I…”

“Why not?”

He took another step. Apollo took another step back. Something hit Klavier’s face again. “I love you.”

“No you don’t.”

“Nein, Apollo.” He stumbled forward. The splashing was louder. “Please.”

“What does someone like you know about love?”

“Apollo!” He grabbed Apollo’s shoulders. Apollo yelped, yanking himself out of his grip. Klavier stumbled forward, almost falling onto his face. His reflection stared up at him. And then his reflection began to laugh, and laugh, and laugh, adjusting his glasses, face twisting, and suddenly the water was rising, and then he was underwater, and Apollo was gone, and he couldn’t breathe, and something was hitting his face and he couldn’t move and he couldn’t scream and

then suddenly Klavier’s eyes shot open. It was dark. He was in bed. And, most importantly, Apollo Justice was hanging over him, rapidly slapping his cheek and whispering, “Klavier Klavier wake up come on Klavier.”

Klavier gasped, grabbing Apollo’s wrist. Apollo squeaked, flinching back a second, and Klavier stared at him, heart pounding. He took a few gulps of air, trying to process anything he was looking at, until— “Apollo?”

Apollo didn’t move for a second. Then he let out a breath. “Phew. Okay, you’re awake this time,” he said, flopping sideways onto the barrier pillow with a quiet thump. “Okay. Okay, that’s good.”

“Wh...What?”

Apollo blinked at him, face half buried in pillow. “You, uh...Sorry, I—You were having a nightmare I think, and I kind of panicked.”

Klavier swallowed. After a moment, he sat up numbly, as Apollo kept talking.

“I couldn’t sleep, and then I noticed you were saying something, and I thought you were awake, but you looked like you were freaking out and I kept trying to wake you up and…”

Hands shaking, Klavier fumbled with the lamp, wincing as the light hit his eyes. He looked around, eyes catching a large dresser mirror across the room. His reflection looked back at him, hair in disarray, eyes wide. His own reflection. The side of his face was slightly red, likely from where Apollo had been hitting him.

He reached up, gently prodding the spot. It stung a little as he did, and Apollo winced. “Sorry. Uh. Again, I panicked.”

Klavier blinked. And then he started giggling. And then it morphed into full blown laughter, and he doubled forward, almost choking on it as Apollo stared at him in horror. “I-It wasn’t that funny!” he protested.

“Nein, it’s hilarious!” he gasped, rubbing at his stinging eyes a bit. “Thank you, for waking me up.”

Apollo blinked. “Oh. Uh. You’re not mad?” Then, “Wha—Hey, are you okay?!”

“Fantastisch,” Klavier replied, flopping backwards onto his pillow, away from whatever the hell his reflection was supposed to look like. “Wunderbar.”

“D-Do you need a hug?”

Both of them froze. Immediately Apollo flushed. “Err, sorry, never mind, I just—You don’t have to, I just thought since you offered last time—”

Klavier grabbed him without thinking and crushed Apollo against his chest, wrapping his arms around the other man and burying his face against the top of Apollo’s hair. Apollo made a startled noise, and Klavier took a few shaky breaths, breathing in the scent of Apollo’s cheap shampoo, feeling the ratty fabric of Apollo’s oversized t-shirt against his bare chest, and he shut his eyes. He could feel his own heartbeat still pounding loudly in his ribcage, and maybe that was Apollo’s heartbeat pounding along in time with his.

“O-Oh, uh, okay, we’re doing this,” Apollo mumbled, shifting awkwardly, squeezing his arms around Klavier’s waist and stiffly pulling him into a hug of his own. “Right. C-Cool, okay.” He swallowed, one hand swatting roughly at Klavier’s back, the same way he’d done only that evening, making Klavier chuckle softly. “...Sorry, I’m not that good at this,” he said softly. “I-If this isn’t actually helping at all I can stop—”

“Nein don’t go.” It came out in a rush, before he winced, and corrected himself. “I mean, you’re very helpful, Herr Forehead.”

“...oh...okay, good, glad to help.” Apollo nodded, his face brushing against Klavier’s shoulder. “Just let me know when you want me to stop.”

“Of course,” Klavier murmured, as Apollo shifted a bit, trying to get himself comfortable. 

“Whatever happened, it, uh...you know, it probably wasn’t actually your fault.”

Klavier’s eyebrows shot up. “What?”

“You, uh, when you were talking...I-I didn’t catch most of it,” Apollo said. “But...you know, you’re a really great person under all of that rockstar glimmer, and I know you’re a good guy, and...shit, you’re way better at this comforting stuff than I am.”

He shook his head slightly. “Nein, not at all.”

“I just...what I'm trying to say is you're a great guy, and, uh, you know...man, I wish I was better at this. You...You deserve to be happy, Klavi—Err—I—Prosecutor Gavin.”

That word. There was that word. Deserve. Klavier felt his chest clench. “You are far too kind to me.”

“I’m a perfectly normal amount of kind,” Apollo shot back. Then, “Listen, asshole, if you can listen to me cry about nothing for ten minutes I can—”

He looked up as he said it, as if he’d forgotten that Klavier’s face was in his hair. Their noses brushed against each other, and they both froze. Klavier’s breath caught in his throat.

They were so close. Apollo stared at him, eyes wide, mouth barely half an inch from Klavier’s, whatever he’d been saying cutting short. He was so close, he could feel Apollo’s startled gasp against his own lips, feel his heartbeat stutter faster, all Klavier had to do was lean in and—

“WE SHOULD GO TO BED.”

Apollo’s head snapped down, almost colliding with Klavier’s nose if he didn’t jerk back in time. “...what?”

“C-C-Come on, let’s—You left the lamp on, we should—It’s really late, and you need to get some sleep.” Apollo’s face was pressed into the crook of Klavier’s neck. He could feel every word on his skin. Klavier sat there, unable to move, or even think straight, heart pounding again but for a different reason. After a second, Apollo said, “You know what, I can do it, no worries.”

“Wh—”

Apollo suddenly leaned over Klavier, their chests pressed together, fumbling for the light switch as Klavier lay back in shock, feeling every shift on top of him like electricity shooting through his body. Then the lamp shut off, submerging both of them in darkness. “Okay, good night, sweet dreams, see you in the morning.”

“Apol—”

Apollo flopped back down where he’d been earlier. Namely, back against the crook of Klavier’s neck. Klavier felt his heart stop immediately. Apollo was still for a moment, before squirming again, putting his arms snuggly around Klavier’s waist and settling back into place. His face felt warm against Klavier’s skin.

Klavier turned a bit, looking down at Apollo, trying to process what was happening. I love you, I love you, I love you. “Herr Forehead?” he tried.

Apollo didn’t move. Or breathe. Or make any sort of indication that he heard him. Klavier would almost think he’d fallen asleep immediately, if he couldn’t feel Apollo’s heartbeat hammering against him. Or maybe that was his own heartbeat.

Klavier slowly shifted, wrapping an arm back around Apollo. As his eyes slowly adjusted, he could see Apollo’s own eyes squeezed shut tight, face scrunched up like he was trying to force himself to sleep. Klavier smiled in wonder.

You deserve to be happy.

He stared down at Apollo, letting those words echo in his head. He deserved to be happy. Apollo wanted him to be happy. So much so he was trying to comfort him like this, awkward hug and all.

Slowly, Apollo's face began to relax, his breathing began to even out. Soon, Apollo had fallen back to sleep, his breath tickling Klavier's neck. Klavier swallowed.

"I love you." He whispered it so softly he wasn't even sure he'd said it out loud. Apollo didn’t react of course. Klavier took a deep breath, shutting his own eyes. Tomorrow, he decided. I will tell him tomorrow. And with that, he finally let himself drift off to sleep.

Chapter Text

Tap tap tap tap tap tap tap “ATHENA.”

Well. Athena would recognize that inability to whisper properly anywhere. She groaned slightly, opening her eye a crack and stretching her arms. “Wha…?”

“Mmthena,” Trucy mumbled from somewhere to her right. “I think Apollo’s looking for you.”

Athena sat up, rubbing her eye and yawning. “What makes you say that?”

They’d gotten the bed sharing down pat. Trucy got all the blankets and Athena got the sheets tangled up at her feet. Trucy curled into a tiny ball and Athena got to wake up completely diagonal, body flopped outward like a starfish. Perfect equilibrium. It wasn’t ideal, but they made it work.

Trucy herself had raised her head, also yawning. “You’re right. Probably just my imagination.”

“ATHENA!”

“I’m coming, hold your horses,” Athena whisper-shouted toward the door, slowly pulling herself to her feet.

They’d stayed up a bit later than they’d meant to last night. They’d made it back at a reasonable hour once they finished their ice cream run, or at least most of them had. They’d settled in for a movie in the living room, preventing Blackquill from simply going to bed to ignore them. It’d been fun. After that, Trucy and Athena stayed up for a while, chatting about friends and crushes and school. Talking about maybe going shopping with Juniper and Pearl, and even Jinxie if her work schedule allowed it. 

So Athena was a little tired that morning, sue her.

They of course spent quite a bit of that time debating what Apollo and Klavier had been up to, alone on the beach at night. Apollo had gone straight to bed when they got back, but Klavier had stayed for the tail end of The Steel Samurai: The Movie, asking what he’d missed and laughing coyly when pressed for details of his walk.

Speaking of which, maybe that’s what Apollo wanted to chat about? Did he have some gossip to share? Perking up, she pulled the door open. “Good morning—”

“Athena I need to talk to you right now.” 

Apollo was standing there, wide eyed, wearing an oversized GYAXA t-shirt and a pair of basketball shorts. His hair was messy and unbrushed, and his face was flushed red.

The sheer panic in Apollo’s voice almost completely blindsided her. “Whoa, Apollo, are you alright—?”

“NO I’m NOT alright!”

“Okay! Okay, jeez, don’t shout,” Athena told him, grabbing his arm and pulling him into the room, shutting the door softly behind him. “Alright, let’s talk. What’s up?”

“W-Wait, no, not here!” Apollo protested immediately.

“What? Why not?”

“Yeah, why not?” Trucy asked, flopping onto her knees.

Apollo looked her way like a deer in headlights. She simply smiled sweetly back at him. “Am I not allowed to know?” she asked.

Apollo’s eyes were wide. “N-No, I—Trucy, don’t worry about it. It’s just, you know, uh, law...related,” he stammered.

“Apollo, you know you can’t lie to my face like that,” Trucy replied, pretending to look offended. “Unless…” And then she leaned in, a conspiratorial smile spreading across her face. “Apollo, are you going to tell Athena about your date last night?”

“My WHAT?!”

Athena winced. “Apollo!”

“What?! What date?! I didn’t—That wasn’t—I wasn’t on a date!” he stammered.

“So you’re not here to talk to Athena about Mr. Gavin?”

There was a pause. Athena looked between the two of them, from Trucy to Apollo. Slowly, she grinned. “Apollo~?”

“You know what! Never mind!”

“Oh, Apollo!” Athena grabbed his arm. “Of course I’ll talk to you about your date with Klavier~!”

“IT WASN’T A DATE!”

The door slammed open. All three of them screamed. There in the doorway, face white, eyes sunken and bloodshot, was Simon Blackquill. “Athena.”

“S-Simon?!”

“Muzzle him, murder him, or take him outside. I do not. Care. Which.” And he slammed the door back shut.

Athena blinked a few times, ears ringing slightly, both from the door and from the sheer rage in his voice. “...Ooooookay. He seems like he’s in a bad mood.”

“W-We should probably go outside.” Trucy had shrunken in on herself a bit with a sheepish grin.

“Probably. Apollo is very loud.”

“I AM N—I am not,” Apollo whisper-shouted, though it still came out as about the volume of a regular person’s voice.

“Come on.”

The three of them quietly tiptoed out. For a moment, they debated using the balcony, but that involved passing Blackquill’s bed, and that just seemed like a recipe for more disaster now that he had reburied himself in blankets. Instead, they all grabbed some flip flops and headed out the front door.

“Maybe we should change out of our pajamas?” Apollo muttered, adjusting the strings on his shorts.

“Nah, don’t worry about it,” Athena said, glancing down at her own rumpled pjs. “Let’s just hang out by the pool. I don’t think anyone’s even up yet, who’s going to judge us?”

“Though if you want to duck back in your room and change, we won’t stop you,” Trucy added.

“Hmm, yeah, I guess I could just sneak back into my r—” He froze, hand on the door handle, a thought clearly occurring to him. “Nope. Nope, never mind, to the pool!”

Alright, definitely about Klavier. Athena grinned as Apollo made a beeline toward the stairs. “So what do you think happened on their date?” she whispered to Trucy.

Trucy didn’t answer. She was frowning, hand where her broach usually clipped to her cape, looking vaguely down over the railing as Apollo dashed out of sight. Athena frowned. “...err, Trucy?”

“Hmm?” Her head shot up. “What? Sorry.”

“You good?”

She brightened up immediately. “Yup! Just thinking. Come on, let’s go dip our toes in the water.” And she hopped down the stairs after Apollo.

“...okay,” Athena murmured. What was that about, she wondered.

As it turned out, the pool wasn’t technically open. There was a man with some sort of pressurized hose cleaning the entire area around the pool, blasting away the leaves and other detritus from nearby. The three of them walked their way over to a small table near the tunnel leading toward the elevators.

“I personally think we should jump in anyway,” Trucy told them, and Apollo made a face.

“First of all, you are in your pajamas. Second off, there is a man who works here standing twenty feet away from us. Third of all, there’s probably cleaner in the pool or something.” He crossed his arms. “Besides, there’s no lifeguards or anything, and if you start drowning, Athena’s going to be the only one who can actually go in and get you.”

“What is with you and pools?” Athena asked with a laugh. “I saw you go into the ocean just fine.”

“Yeah, and did you see how deep in I went?” Apollo snapped. “Listen, if it’s hip-height or higher, I’m not touching it.”

“You’re so weird, Polly,” Trucy said. “So I guess you and Mr. Gavin weren’t going swimming together last night, huh?”

“Are you crazy?! You can’t go swimming in the ocean at night!”

“Aw, don’t be a spoil sport,” Athena said. “I personally think going on a night swim would be really romantic. Just the two of you, in the water, aloooone—”

“STOP SAYING ROMANTIC WE WEREN’T ON A DATE!”

Athena and Trucy cackled at Apollo’s scarlet face. “Sorry, sorry,” Athena said. “So, uh, what did you need to talk to me about.”

Apollo immediately stiffened. “...w-w-w-well...uh…” Suddenly he was looking anywhere but at his companions. “You see, the thing is…”

Trucy gasped, covering her mouth. “It IS about your date Mr. Gavin, isn’t it!”

“It still wasn’t a date!” Apollo snapped again, face beat red. “It has nothing to do with the date! Which didn’t happen!”

“But it DOES have to do with Mr. Gavin,” Trucy replied, grinning from ear to ear.

“No I just...I don’t…I…” His face fell into his hands. “...I...I...IthinkIalmostkissedProsecutorGavin.”

Athena frowned, tilting her head. “I’m sorry? Could you repeat that—?”

“I think I almost kissed Prosecutor Gavin.”

There was a pause. None of them moved. And then Trucy squealed. “Oh my god, that’s amazing—”

“No it isn’t!” Apollo shouted. “It’s bad! It’s bad and it was a bad idea and I have to share a bed with him! How am I supposed to share a bed with him if we almost KISSED?!”

Discord. Sharp and strident against Athena’s ears. Athena winced immediately, sitting up straight in her chair. What was that? Why was there discord in his voice? She wasn't just imagining that right? There was nothing else indicating that this was different than his usual brand of anxious. He didn't look upset. He didn't look in pain.

Could she be just imagining it?

“So you almost kissing Klavier is a bad thing?” she tried, cocking her head as she continued to listen closely.

“YEAH!” Apollo put his face in his hands again, doubling over. “Ohhhh my god, why did I even do that?!” Then his head whipped up. “You don’t think he realized, do you?! Shit, what if he realized?! Oh my god how am I even going to be able to look him in the eye today?”

“Apollo,” and Trucy huffed, hands on her hips. “What are you talking about?! This is the best possible scenario!”

“How?!” Apollo snapped, looking like he may very well explode any moment. “What part of this scenario is good?!”

“Well, now you can go out with Mr. Gavin!”

Apollo looked a bit like Trucy had just driven a freight train into his house. “I can WHAT?!”

Athena held up a hand, trying to choke down her laughter at Apollo's horrified face. “Hold on, Trucy.” And she scooted her chair to face Apollo. “Okay. Apollo. Let’s take it back a sec. What exactly happened last night?”

“I…W-Well, I already told you it wasn’t a date last night,” Apollo said, crossing his arms tightly. “We just got distracted talking about the stars, before I...well, no, that had nothing to do with it.”

“What didn’t?” Trucy asked, looking for all the world like she was unwrapping presents on Christmas day.

“Nothing!” he snapped. “I just...he was...I was embarrassing myself, and he was really nice about it. Way nicer than he had any right to be anyway. But the point is, I was exhausted when we got back, so I went to bed and passed out. And when I woke up…” The scowl relaxed a moment, a shadow passing over his face. “...I think he was having a nightmare maybe? And he seemed so upset, even after I managed to wake him up, and...he’d been so good at making me feel better, and I just wanted him to be alright too.”

“So you wanted to kiss him to make him feel better?” Athena asked curiously.

“No, I just offered t—” Apollo froze, something clicking into place in his brain. “...oh my god, no, I...agh, I can’t believe I did any of that!” Suddenly his face was in his hands. “Oh my god, wait, I can’t believe I did ANY of that, what is wrong with me?!”

“What?! What?! What’d you do?!” Trucy was almost bouncing in excitement.

“I, uh...offered him a hug…? And uh...”

Trucy and Athena sat up, looking at each other. “Apollo,” Athena tried slowly, a grin slowly spreading across her face, “did you, I don’t know, snuggle with Klavier Gavin last night?”

Apollo didn’t move. Then he groaned, shrinking in his seat. “Ohhhh my god,” he mumbled. “I just, I didn’t want him to be upset anymore, and I didn’t know what else to do, and I mean it helped me when I was upset so I just thought…”

“...wait, when were you upset?” Athena asked.

“...never mind, shut up.”

“Is that when you tried to kiss him?” Trucy asked, eyes sparkling. “While the two of you were cuddling?”

“No! Or, I mean, not immediately,” Apollo snapped, face scarlet. “I wasn’t trying to, I just wanted to make him feel better. Except at one point, our faces were really close and I…” He winced, shaking his head. “Well whatever, I didn’t kiss him, and nothing else happened, and we both fell back asleep, and…” Another look crossed his face. Shock. Horror. “...oh my god, did we stay like that all night?!”

“Like what?” Athena asked, and Trucy squealed.

“Wait, you two cuddled all night?!” she asked.

“Oh my god, we were like that all night,” Apollo groaned to himself, face thumping onto the table. “What is wrong with me?! Why did I do that?!”

“So that’s why you came to talk about it?” Athena supplied. “Because you slept with Prosecutor Gavin and almost kissed him?”

“Don’t word it like that!” Apollo snapped. “I didn’t, you know, sleep with him, I just...uh…” He made a face. “...slept...with him UGH NEVER MIND there is no way to word this better.”

“Well,” Trucy said, nodding sagely, “I guess the date wasn’t very exciting, but this more than makes up for that, huh?”

“Oh absolutely!” Athena agreed with a grin.

“...what am I going to do…?” Apollo moaned into the table.

“What do you mean ‘what are you going to do?!’” Trucy snapped, hopping to her feet and looming over Apollo. “You have to ask him out now!”

“EXCUSE ME?!” Apollo’s head snapped up. “I absolutely do not!”

“Why not?” Trucy asked, bouncing on her toes. “You wanted to kiss him, didn’t you? And the two of you snuggled all night. Plus, you already went on a romantic, starlit beach walk yesterday. All you have to do is make it official!”

“None of those mean anything!” Apollo protested, sitting up. “We hung out a bit because Prosecutor Gavin just walks too slow! And I mean, just because I gave him a cheer-up hug, or, or, or whatever the hell it was I did—”

“Polly, did he cuddle you back?” Trucy asked.

Apollo froze. Athena choked back some more laughter as Apollo did some frantic mental math in his head. “Oh wow, it’s like watching a nuclear reactor melt down in real time,” she said.

“See?” Trucy said. “It’s perfect. Now all you have to do is finally ask him out!”

“Trucy.” Apollo stood up and grabbed Trucy’s shoulders, forcing her feet flat on the ground. “I am not asking out Klavier Gavin. Period.”

Discord. Sharper now. It was like a knife in the chest. Athena perked up, wincing again. This time she knew she wasn't imagining it. “Apollo?”

“Maybe I just need to switch rooms,” Apollo muttered to himself, ignoring the dirty look Trucy was giving him. “Think there’s enough room on the balcony to sleep out there for a few nights? Then I just have to never talk to Prosecutor Gavin again in my entire life. Seems simple enough.”

It was getting louder. It was almost painful to listen to. Something was wrong, and Athena couldn’t even tell what was causing it. There was something underneath Apollo’s words, and Apollo’s heart was crying out in agony. “Hey Apollo,” she tried again.

“You can’t just cut Mr. Gavin out of your life, Apollo,” Trucy huffed, frowning at him.

“Why not? The logistics don’t seem that hard,” Apollo snapped, plopping back into his chair. “I just need to quit my job and move to Antarctica.”

“Apollo!”

“What?” Apollo finally looked over. Then he groaned. “Athena, put the Mood Matrix away.”

“Sorry,” she said, “but is there something wrong? You just sound...upset.” 

“Yeah, well, I’d probably be less upset if you guys stopped trying to get me to go make an ass out of myself in front of a guy who clearly doesn’t have any real interest in me,” Apollo snapped. “I mean, It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to work out why asking him out is a bad—”

“Objection!”

Athena and Apollo both paused. Trucy grinned. “I’ve always wanted to try that out.”

“What is it, Trucy?” Apollo groaned.

“Well, there’s a clear contradiction in the witness’s statements!” she chimed, sitting down. “Of course Mr. Gavin wants to date you!”

“...huh?!” Apollo made a face like he’d just swallowed a lemon. “Are you crazy? No he doesn’t.”

“Do I need to pull out receipts?” Trucy asked. “Of course he wants to date you. Why do you think he wanted to walk on the beach with you?”

“Because he wanted to steal my ice cream,” Apollo countered.

“Why do you think he’s always so touchy feely with you?”

“Because that’s how he is with everybody!” Apollo protested. “I saw him doing that with Athena the other day.”

“Well that’s just because we’re best friends now,” Athena said with a laugh, not taking her eyes off the Mood Matrix.

“Apollo, didn’t you notice him repeatedly offering to put sunscreen on your back?”

“Yeah, and he also offered that to Mr. Wright, so clearly you’re out of your mind.”

“That is not at all the same!” Trucy said, throwing up her hands. “Oh my gosh, how do you not see it?! He held you in his arms all night! You can’t just tell me that doesn’t mean anything!”

“But it doesn’t mean anything!” Apollo snapped back angrily. “There’s nothing between me and Prosecutor Gavin! He’s just a nice guy who’s a little too touchy feely sometimes. I don’t want to go out with him, and he has absolutely no interest in me. And even if he did want to—” He cut himself off. “No, I’m not going to even entertain that thought! You’re being ridiculous—”

“There!”

Apollo jumped, spinning in his seat toward Athena. “What?!” he snapped.

“I…” Athena stared at the blinking face in front of her, eyes wide. “...I think I found an emotion that’s out of place.”

“...huh?!” Apollo made a face. “What are you talking about?”

“Ooo!” Trucy ducked over behind Athena, grinning. “See Apollo? Look! When you talk about the possibility of Mr. Gavin liking you, you get a green smiley face!”

“I-I do not!” Apollo protested flushing red again.

“See? You do like Mr. Gavin,” Trucy gushed, grinning ear to ear. “Now all you have to do is actually ask him out—”

“Trucy, that’s not the emotion I have a problem with.”

Trucy froze. Apollo froze. “...it’s...not?” they both said, faces falling to confusion as they looked back at the screen.

“Yeah, I mean, look.” Athena turned, showing both of them the screen as she flipped through the last couple of statements Apollo made. “See? Isn’t that kind of odd?”

“...what do you mean?” Trucy asked, frowning at the image in front of her. “I don’t see anything weird.”

“Yeah, honestly? Me neither,” Apollo said, brows drawn together. “And I’m the one you’re trying to psychoanalyze.”

“I’m talking about this one.” She flipped through to the beginning, pointing to the blue face. “Fear and sadness. Look at this.”

I don’t want to go out with him, and he has absolutely no interest in me…

“Well, that makes sense, though,” Trucy said. “If Apollo does like Mr. Gavin, then of course he’d be sad if Mr. Gavin didn’t like him back.”

“No, I’d just be anxious about embarrassing myself in public,” Apollo snapped. “Anyone would be—”

“So why does this happen?” Athena clicked to the next statement. Apollo and Trucy both paused, looking back down.

And even if he did want to…

“Apollo, why are you so much more terrified of Klavier reciprocating?”

The blue glow on the bottom of the screen had almost tripled in size. Apollo and Trucy both stared at it for a moment. Slowly, Trucy looked up toward him. “...Apollo?”

“I…” His face had paled slightly. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Apollo?”

“I’m not—I’m not afraid of anything,” he snapped. “I...Your Mood Matrix is probably just broken.”

“That’s not how that works and you know it.” Athena shut off the screen, turning to face Apollo. “Why are you that terrified of Klavier liking you back?”

“I’m not!” Apollo protested, shrinking back. “And he doesn’t! So it’s a moot point anyway!”

Slowly, Athena felt a realization sinking in. “All this time I thought you just didn’t realize,” she murmured. “But it’s more than that. It’s a willful ignorance. You’re afraid of believing it, so you just don't.”

“I’m not ignoring anything!” Apollo was glaring now. “It doesn’t matter! Just drop it!”

“Yes it does,” Athena protested.

“No it doesn’t!”

“Apollo, if there’s something actually wrong—”

“There isn’t!”

“—then I want to help you!” She leaned forward. “Apollo, I can hear in your heart that something is wrong.”

“But there's not! There isn't anything wrong! I don’t want him to like me!” Apollo shouted. “I don’t want—I don’t want whatever this is supposed to be, alright? Klavier Gavin doesn’t like me that way. And if he did, he’s not serious. And if he’s serious, that doesn’t magically mean it’s going to work out.”

“Why not?” Trucy asked. “Do you really not think two people loving each other is enough?”

He barked out a laugh suddenly, something panicked and frantic and very un-Apollo, making both of them jump. “Klavier doesn’t love me!” He said incredulously, standing up, rounding on Trucy. “I don’t know what the hell this is, but it’s not love! People don’t just fall in love with me, Trucy, they pretend, and then they get bored and—” He cut himself off, looking almost shocked at what he just said.

Athena’s shoulders went slack. “...bored?” she repeated incredulously. “You think Klavier is going to get bored of you?”

“Apollo,” Trucy protested, “people don’t just get bored of other people—”

“YES THEY DO!” Apollo’s hands were shaking as he waved them. “Don’t you get it?! They do! They get bored all the time! They take you in, and they tell you they want you, and they tell you they’ll love you, and the moment you get to be too much they throw you out like garbage! And—And do you know how much worse it is when you think they love you?! When you feel like you can love them back?! When you let yourself believe for one goddamn second that they actually wanted you in the first place and then the moment they realize you’re never going to be worth it they just dump you right back into foster care and—”

They froze. All three of them. For a second, no one even breathed. “W-Why am...Why am I talking about foster care?” Apollo whispered, looking horrified.

“...because I don’t think this actually has anything to do with Klavier Gavin,” Athena replied slowly, eyes wide.

“No, please don’t make me talk about this,” Apollo said suddenly, stepping back. “Please, I don’t want to talk about this anymore. Klavier doesn’t love me, and I don’t want him to. I don't...I've had enough for one lifetime. I'm not going to pretend he loves me and wait around until he proves me otherwise.”

“Well I love you, Apollo.”

Athena and Apollo both froze. Apollo looked over toward Trucy. “...what?”

“I love you.” There was a fierceness in Trucy’s voice Athena hadn’t expected as she stood up. “I don’t care about Mr. Gavin, because if he doesn’t actually love you then I’ll love you enough for the both of us.”

“Trucy…?” Apollo looked a bit like she’d sucker punched him in the gut. “Y-You don’t have to—”

“I don’t have to do anything,” she interrupted. “Apollo, do you really think after everything we’ve been through I couldn’t love you? You’re like the brother I’ve always wanted. You’re smart, and sweet, and you have the best reactions to all of my tricks out of everybody I know. You’re one of my best friends, and I am never going to get bored of you.” And she grinned at him, hand on her hip. “So there.”

Apollo gaped at her, eyes wide. His breathing hitched slightly. “Trucy…”

“Apollo.” Athena stood up too, and he looked over. “I don’t know exactly what made you think that we don’t all love you, but we do. I love you, Trucy loves you, pretty sure Mr. Wright loves you too.”

“That’s not—”

“I don’t know Klavier that well,” Athena interrupted, “so I can’t say for certain if he loves you. But at the end of the day, no matter what happens, you’re going to have us. Me and Trucy. Mr. Wright. We’re—We’re your family now, Apollo, whether you realize it or not. We...” A thought crossed her mind. She reached out, taking Apollo’s hand. He jumped, looking confused as she placed his palm over the bracelet hanging loosely off his other wrist. “It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks about you, Apollo. It doesn't matter who else cares. Because we care. We’re with you for the long haul. And we are never going to get bored of you. I promise.”

He stared blankly between them for a few moments, hand still resting on his bracelet. Then he made a noise, sort of between a laugh and a sob, and suddenly his arms were around the both of them, and he was choking a sob onto their shoulders.

“A-Apollo?” Athena yelped.

“Y-Y-You guys—You guys suck,” Apollo sniffled. “Making me cry...damn it…”

“...aw, Apollo,” Athena suddenly found herself choking up too, reaching out to pull her two friends into a tight hug as well.

Trucy giggled, eyes looking a little watery as she joined in. “Sorry, Polly.”

“You should be.” Apollo sniffled again.

The three of them stood there like that for at least a minute, until Apollo’s breathing evened out. Eventually he pulled away, wiping at his snotty nose, looking embarrassed. “S-Sorry,” he mumbled.

“Don’t be,” Athena replied, wiping her eyes. “I just wish I said something sooner.”

“Yeah,” Trucy said, pulling a tissue from somewhere and handing it to Apollo.

Apollo nodded a moment. Then he stiffened. “Oh! Wait! Uh. I didn’t, uh...” He reddened, looking embarrassed. “I-I didn’t...actually...um...I…I-I love you guys too…” He gave a weak laugh, rubbing his head shyly. “Sorry. Should’ve...said that earlier.”

“Aw, it’s okay, Apollo, we knew,” Athena said, and Apollo scowled at her.

“Still though, I should’ve actually said it out loud or something…” He wiped his face again, sighing. “Sorry, uh, I think I got us off topic.”

“Well, not really,” Athena replied with a shrug. “If this was what was actually upsetting you, I'd much rather talk about this.”

“I guess.” Apollo frowned. “But, uh, I mean, I'm still really not sure what to do about the Prosecutor Gavin situation.”

“Well,” and Athena frowned to herself, thinking, “I guess the first thing you need to address is what this whole situation means for you. I mean, do you like him?”

Apollo thought on it for a moment. “I...don’t know,” he admitted, and it wasn’t a great response, but the discord was gone, much to Athena’s relief. “It’s not like I’ve ever been in a relationship before. I don’t know what it's supposed to feel like. I don't think I’d even know how to talk to him about it.”

“Well, you just need someone to teach you the basics,” Trucy told him with a nod, plopping back into her chair.

“Excuse me? And what do either of you know about dating?” Apollo snapped.

“Hey,” Athena protested, flushing angrily. “I’ve been on more dates than you have, buster!”

“Well, that doesn’t mean you know anything,” Apollo said quickly.

Trucy laughed, shaking her head. “Not us, silly. I’m talking about Daddy! He’s got a boyfriend after all.”

“What?! No, I’m not talking to Mr. Wright about this!” Apollo protested.

“Not talking to me about what?”

Immediately, three pairs of eyes snapped upward. A curious face peaked over a balcony overhead, eating a spoonful of cereal.

“Mr. Wright?!” Apollo squeaked.

“Whoa, boss, how long have you been there?” Athena called up.

“Just got here,” he said. “You all good down there? I saw some hugging.”

“Hi Daddy!” Trucy called. “Polly’s having boy troubles.”

“Oh no, boy troubles?” Phoenix replied, taking another bite.

“Say Mr. Wright, do you have any romance tips for Apollo?” Athena called up.

“Oh, all sorts,” he replied. “Hang on, I’ll be down in just a sec.”

“What?! No! Mr. Wright you don’t have to—”

“Don’t you worry, Apollo, I’m on my way,” Phoenix called, standing up.

“NO MR. WRIGHT THAT’S NOT NECESSARY—”

Phoenix disappeared over the railing. Apollo groaned, wilting, rubbing a hand over his face. “I need to hide.”

“Aw, but I’m sure Mr. Wright will have all sorts of dating advice!” Athena said. “Especially since me and Trucy clearly know so little about dating.”

“You’re doing this to hurt me, aren’t you,” Apollo hissed.

“What? Of course not!” Athena replied, grinning ear to ear. “After all, I clearly can’t help you with your dating problem, since I know absolutely nothing about dating—”

“Alright, whatever! I’m going to go bury my head in the sand for a bit.”

“Good luck Apollo~!” Athena called, waving him off with a grin. He made a rude gesture her way, storming off to the gate leading out to the beach. As he disappeared past some large bushes, Athena sighed. “So, do you think it’s going to work out?”

Trucy didn’t reply. Athena paused, glancing her way. Her smile had faded a bit as Apollo disappeared. “...Trucy?”

“I never realized he felt that way,” Trucy murmured. “Like we didn’t love him.”

Athena winced, wilting a bit. “W-Well...if anyone should’ve noticed, it should’ve been me,” she countered, tapping Widget’s face. “But I didn’t, so you shouldn’t feel bad about it either.”

“I feel like I had this whole vacation planned out in my head,” Trucy said. “But it’s really not going at all like I thought it would.” She looked over toward Athena. “Do you think everyone’s having fun?”

“Fun?” Athena repeated. “Yeah, why wouldn’t they be?”

She sighed. “I don’t know. I just...I just wanted to make everyone happy, you know?” She looked back toward where Apollo had disappeared. “Apollo deserves to be happy. And Mr. Gavin too. Daddy and Mr. Edgeworth. You.” A frown. “...Mr. Blackquill.”

Athena smiled. “Well, you make us happy plenty,” she replied.

Trucy laughed slightly at that, before pausing. “...do you think Mr. Blackquill hates me?”

“Huh?!” Where did that one come from? “I don’t think so. Why would he?”

“I made him faint yesterday when I was doing magic for everybody.”

Oh. Right. Athena had forgotten all about that. She hadn’t been there, after all. “I really don’t think he holds it against you,” she said quickly.

“I know you’re worried about him.”

Athena froze. “Huh?!”

“You are, aren't you?” Trucy said, looking up at her intently. “That's why you invited him to come, because he's been struggling since he left prison. So I was trying to help you out, help Mr. Blackquill feel better, but I feel like I made it worse.” A sigh. “He's the only one I don't know how to cheer up.”

Athena stared at her in shock for a moment. She hadn’t even realized Trucy had been thinking about this. How long had she known? Slowly, Athena found herself smiling. “Well, if anyone can help me cheer Simon up, it’d be you.”

Trucy smiled back at that. “Really?”

“Hey guys, you lose Apollo already?” Phoenix had stepped into view, still carrying a bowl of cereal.

“Sorry, boss! He’s on the beach!” Athena called, and Phoenix saluted her with his bowl, before turning and walking off.

Athena sat there a moment, watching Phoenix walking away, letting the gears start to turn in her head. “...You know what? Let’s do it!”

Trucy blinked. “Do what?”

“Let’s cheer Simon up!” Athena said. “Together! If anyone can help me do it, it’s you!”

Trucy smiled again, wider this time. “You really think so?”

“I know so.” Athena grinned, punching her palm. “Alright, Operation Make Simon Have Fun begins now.”

Chapter Text

Apollo splashed into the water up to his ankles, scowling, dipping his hand into the water and wiping it uselessly at his sure to be red, splotchy face. God, he must look like a mess again. Why did he keep crying on this stupid trip? Weren’t vacations supposed to be relaxing? Well, that’s what he got for believing he was capable of the emotion, he guessed.

The water was calm. It was low tide, meaning the water had receded quite a ways, lapping at his feet gently. The beach was almost empty, too, leaving sand stretching in every direction. In the distance he could see an off-leash dog sprinting back and forth, diving into the water after a tennis ball. On his other side was an older couple, holding hands and walking along the water’s edge. Other than that, it was eerily quiet. Too early for partying college kids and screaming children. Just Apollo Justice, alone with his thoughts.

He glanced down at the water. Every few moments, he could almost see his reflection on the surface, twisting in the ripples like someone was crumpling a photo of himself.

What was he doing? He wasn’t sure. Half of him wanted to walk forward into the ocean and just disappear before Phoenix could find him. The other half of him was a bit too preoccupied trying to replay that conversation he just had.

Well I love you Apollo.

He looked down at the bracelet on his wrist. Love, huh? He couldn’t even remember the last time someone had said they loved him. Maybe Clay, he’d say it occasionally. But past that. Past that…

God, why did he feel choked up again. He smacked his own face. “Stop it,” he mumbled. This wasn’t something to cry about. Man, he felt so silly. Why was the idea that they actually gave a shit about him so overwhelming? Trucy and Athena and Phoenix and Klavier—

“Nope.” He quickly smacked his own face again, harder this time, enough to knock some sense into himself. Not Klavier, he had no idea about Klavier. For all he knew, he was working himself up over nothing.

Why are you so much more terrified of Klavier reciprocating?

Why was he? But he wasn’t terrified, he just… Klavier. Klavier Klavier Klavier. Could Klavier love him too? No, he was getting ahead of himself. Just because Trucy and Athena loved him didn’t mean he could start making assumptions about other people in his life. They were exceptions. They were Trucy and Athena, the two most loving people on the planet. Klavier was…

What was Klavier? He was intimidatingly attractive. He was cocky and dramatic and intelligent and confident. He was everything Apollo wasn’t. And yet, the teasing always gave way to genuine kindness and compassion when it came down to it. Apollo hadn’t realized how nice it was before. How nice it was when Klavier laughed and smiled and joked with him. How nice it was when Klavier held him, how warm and gentle and “AGH WHAT AM I DOING?!”

“So boy troubles, huh?”

“ACK!” Apollo jumped, turning, as Phoenix ate another spoonful of cereal. “Mr. Wright!”

“Apollo.”

“What are—I-I don’t—I’m not having boy troubles,” Apollo stammered, as Phoenix nodded, just continuing to eat.

“Sure you don’t.”

They stood there a moment in silence, listening to the soft churning of the ocean.

“...Mr. Wright I am so screwed.”

“There we go,” Phoenix said with a grin. “So, what sort of boy troubles?”

“I don’t know. All of them!”

“All of the boy troubles?” Phoenix whistled. “That’s a lot of boy troubles.”

“Stop saying boy troubles.”

“No.”

Phoenix laughed as Apollo’s face fell into his hands, positive he was turning beet red. “Mr. Wright if you’re just here to laugh at me then I don’t need your input.”

“Well, I am certainly here to laugh at you,” Phoenix said, and Apollo groaned. “But seeing as I somehow have an actual long-term relationship, I might have a few actual pointers if you need them.”

“Pointers for what?!” Apollo snapped. “I don’t even know what I’m doing. I don’t even know how I’m supposed to feel about any of this! I don’t—I just—UGH!” He threw up his hands. “I don’t even know if Klavier LIKES me, hell, I don’t even know if I like Klavier!”

“Hmm. Well, do you trust Klavier?”

Apollo froze. “...huh?!”

“Do you trust Klavier,” Phoenix repeated, and now there was a weird gleam in his eye, something serious as he looked Apollo over, raising an eyebrow.

“Do I…?” Apollo stared at him, trying to think. Did he trust Klavier? Well, yes, Klavier was one of the best prosecutors around. Not just in a ‘Oh this guy is good at his job’ kind of way, but Klavier was honest. Klavier was a good man. He was always searching for the truth, for justice, just like Apollo was. Honestly, it was always a bit of a relief to see him on the other side of the bench.

“...sure I guess,” Apollo mumbled with a shrug. “I mean, if Chief Prosecutor Edgeworth trusts him, then I don’t see why I wouldn’t—”

“I’m not talking about the courtroom,” Phoenix interrupted.

“...huh?”

He leaned his head in, almost conspiratorially. “You know he’s a good guy, a good prosecutor. But do you trust him?”

Frowning, Apollo crossed his arms. What did Phoenix mean by that? Trust him? Trust him to do what? He racked his brain, trying to understand, trying to think.

What would it mean to trust Klavier? Not just in court, but in everyday life? Was he supposed to trust that Klavier wasn’t making fun of him? Trust that Klavier cared about him? Trust. What did trust even really mean anyway? He scowled a bit at that, shutting his eyes.

For a moment, Apollo was eight years old, the words 'This isn't forever, right?' still on his lips as his new caseworker walked him into his new foster home. For a moment, he was fifteen, and a girl was asking him out for the first time, her and her friends howling with derisive laughter. For a moment, he was twenty-two, and his mentor stood on the stand, the words 'Et tu, Justice?' still ringing in his ears.

For a moment, he and Klavier were standing together on the beach again. Apollo was making a fool of himself, crying like an idiot. And then Klavier was holding him anyway. Klavier was holding him tightly, a hand rubbing soothing circles on his back, and his arms felt so safe, and so warm, and—

“How did you know you loved him?”

The words slipped out without him meaning to, and Apollo immediately froze, hand clamping over his mouth. “I-I-I mean—Sorry, Mr. Wright you don’t have to—”

“How did I know I was in love with Miles?” Phoenix repeated, frowning curiously.

“No, I mean, yes, but you don’t have to—”

“I think it was when I realized I trusted him.”

Apollo’s mouth clamped shut again.

Phoenix stood there, thinking, tapping his spoon into his empty bowl, already looking lost in thought. “...yeah, I think that was it,” he murmured. “After everything we’d been through, after everything we’d done for each other, I...I trusted him.”

The words lingered for a moment, before Apollo sighed deeply, breaking the silence. “...this is nuts,” he mumbled. “What am I doing? I don’t even know if he likes me. I'm probably just working myself up over nothing.”

Phoenix chuckled. “I guess you could be,” he said. “That’s part of the trust thing, too.”

“Oh! Good! Glad to hear it,” Apollo snapped, before squatting down to poke a finger through the wet sand. “I didn’t even think I wanted to trust Klavier until this trip,” he mumbled. “I thought he hated my guts. And now I don’t even think I’ll be able to look him in the eye anymore.” Groaning again, he smacked a hand through the water with a loud splash. “This is so stupid, why can’t we just go back to how it was a day ago…?”

Phoenix smirked at that, nodding, glancing over his shoulder toward the condo behind them. “So what exactly are you planning on doing?”

“I…” What was he supposed to do? Talk to Klavier about it? Flee to Antarctica? Kiss the man? Wait, no, not that last one, was he crazy?! He straightened back up. “I don’t know. What do you think I should do, Mr. Wright?”

“Well, I think you should probably come up with something fast at least.”

“Huh?”

“Herr Wright! Herr Forehead!”

“AGH!” Apollo yelped and dove behind Phoenix, making the man jump, almost dropping his bowl.

“Wh—What are you doing?!”

“Hiding!”

Phoenix laughed. “He greeted you by name, you know, I think he knows you’re here.”

“You don’t know that!” Apollo snapped. “Tell him I was a figment of his imagination!”

“Apollo.”

“I’m sorry! I don’t know! Do something!”

“Herr Wright!” Klavier greeted brightly, crunching through the sand. “Ach, is Herr Forehead alright back there?”

“...No,” Phoenix replied. “He, uh...died.”

There was a long pause. Apollo smacked his face.

“He...died,” Klavier repeated slowly.

“...yup. Fishing accident. Very tragic.”

“I see,” Klavier said. 

There was another pause. “...a fishing accident twenty years ago.”

“Right,” Klavier said. “Good to know. And who is that standing behind you?”

Phoenix glanced over his shoulder. “...Listen, Klavier, could you give us, uh, twenty minutes?”

“Oh?” Klavier sounded confused. “I...Ja, of course, Herr Wright.”

“...actually, could you take my bowl back to the condo?”

Apollo groaned, rubbing a hand down his face, but Klavier simply laughed. “Achtung, I suppose that’s one way to get rid of me.” There was a slight clatter as Phoenix handed off his bowl. “I will be right back then. And, ah, good luck, if that is...applicable.”

“Thanks, it is.” And Apollo could hear the soft padding of his footsteps retreating. Finally, Apollo stepped out, rounding on Phoenix.

“I died?!”

“Hey, you didn’t give me a lot to go on.”

“You’re Phoenix Wright! The Turnabout King, the guy known for bluffing his way through court! And you told him that I died?!”

“Come on, Apollo, I bought you twenty minutes, I don’t know if you want to waste it on this,” Phoenix said, forcing down more laughter. “Now come on, what’s your plan here?”

Apollo groaned, glancing back toward the condo, as Klavier finally opened the gate and stepped through toward the private pool, disappearing from sight. “I don’t know, drowning in the ocean sounds appealing right about now.”

“Ah I see,” Phoenix said with a sagely nod. “Going to try to pull a Sandlot , huh? You might want to wait until Klavier is back to give you mouth-to-mouth—”

“That’s not what I meant,” Apollo snapped, flushing.

“Well, in that case, it sounds like you’re back to the drawing board—”

“How did you do it?”

Apollo winced again the moment the words were out of his mouth. Why was he asking all these stupid questions? Phoenix was his Boss. His Mentor. Nothing more than that. But Phoenix replied anyway. “What do you mean?”

“I-I-I mean, you know. How did you...get together? Ask him out? Not that you have to share.”

An oddly thoughtful look passed over Phoenix's face as Apollo spoke. “Which time?”

Apollo blinked. “Wha—Which time what?”

Now it seemed it was Phoenix’s turn to look startled. “Oh. Uh. I mean…” He cleared his throat, pulling on the collar of his ratty Ivy U t-shirt. “Well, me and Edgeworth had a few starts and stops, you know?”

“...you what?!” Apollo spun back toward him, eyes wide. “What are you talking about?! It’s you and Prosecutor Edgeworth! You guys are practically soul mates!” Phoenix burst out laughing immediately, and Apollo flushed, realizing what he just said to his boss and coughed. “Sorry, uh never mind.”

“So what, you don’t think we’ve had some rough patches?” Phoenix asked lightly, although there was something in the way he shifted his feet that made Apollo’s bracelet twitch. Not like he was lying, but like he was nervous. “I mean, we’ve had some hiccups along the way, just like any couple.”

“No way,” Apollo breathed. “That...but I mean, it’s you two! You two are legendary together, not just as a couple but—”

“The first time I told Miles I loved him, it was when he was trying to get me to go out with my ex-girlfriend.”

Apollo froze. “...your what?”

“She still loved me,” Phoenix said, not even looking at Apollo anymore, just staring out at the ocean. “And honestly, I think I still loved her. Maybe I still love her, at least a little bit. I think she still has an important piece of me at least.”

Frowning, Apollo crossed his arms. “Wait, so you were in love with this other girl but you told Prosecutor Edgeworth you were in love with him?”

“Well, I loved her, but I don’t think I could ever trust her again,” Phoenix said simply. “That relationship was never going to be what it needed to be. But Miles. I loved Miles and I trusted Miles." There was a soft smile on his face as he said it. "Miles... He was everything to me. He was my best friend, my confidant, my partner. He was beautiful and frustrating and being with him made me a better person. I couldn’t imagine life without him, and I didn’t want to. And then…”

There was a pause. “...Yeah?” Apollo pressed.

“...and then Kristoph Gavin entered my life.”

Apollo’s heart sank. “...oh.”

Phoenix shook his head a bit at that, smirking at the dismay in Apollo’s voice. “...it got...complicated after that,” he said, reaching down, plucking a small seashell off the ground. “I was disbarred, and then I was a single father. Suddenly I was struggling to make ends meet and keep my head above water. Everything I'd worked for, everything Edgeworth had helped me achieve, all gone in an instant. And Kristoph...well…” 

A dark look passed his face, and Apollo swallowed. “Y-You don’t have to tell me about that stuff, Mr. Wright,” he told him quickly. “Not if you don’t want to.”

He looked surprised a moment, as if he'd forgotten Apollo was even then, before glancing his way with a sheepish smile. “Ah, but hey, it’s all in the past,” he said, nudging Apollo with his elbow, tucking his hands into his pockets. “Edgeworth and I are doing better than ever now.”

“...yeah…” Still, he had looked so sad for a moment. Apollo frowned, remembering the Phoenix he'd met the first time. Unshaven, exhausted, bitter.

“...I love him, Apollo,” Phoenix murmured suddenly. “I love him a lot.”

“Oh, uh, I can tell,” Apollo replied quickly, cocking a grin at that.

“And if you’re really meant to be, the people who love you will stick with you, even in the hard times.” Phoenix suddenly fixed Apollo with a look. “Sometimes, you just have to trust that.”

Apollo paused, grin falling away, mouth open to say, well, something. Anything. But he really had no response to that. Phoenix smiled wryly at him for a moment. Then he paused, eyes meeting something over Apollo’s shoulder. “Hey, that was not twenty minutes!”

“Ach, sorry!” Klavier called, and Apollo’s blood froze. “I’m just bringing out the tent for Herr Edgeworth, don’t mind me!” Apollo glanced over his shoulder to see Klavier dragging the cart of beach stuff off a ways, past a lifeguard tower and finally letting the handle drop into the sand.

Phoenix frowned. “Well. Maybe that’s my cue.”

“Your what?” But Phoenix was already walking away. Apollo jumped. “W-Wait, Mr. Wright?!”

“I think I’ve done just about everything I could.”

“What?! You didn’t DO anything!” Apollo protested, chasing after him. “You can’t just leave me!”

“Sink or swim time, Apollo! Sink or swim.”

“Mr. Wright!” But Phoenix’s legs were much longer than Apollo’s and he was having trouble keeping up, and eventually he stumbled to a stop as Phoenix walked away from him. “Fine! Screw you, I don’t need you!”

“That’s the spirit!”

Apollo kicked some sand in his direction, before turning. Klavier was yards off, unfolding some beach chairs. He was wearing a loose Gavinner’s t-shirt and his hair was pulled through the back of a baseball cap of some sort. God, even dressed down he was somehow insanely attractive.

What was he doing? What was Apollo possibly going to accomplish here? He swallowed. This was a bad idea. Klavier probably wasn't even trying to ask him out. Maybe he should just leave. He should just walk away right now. Pretend none of this ever happened. Pretend everything was normal.

And if you’re really meant to be, the people who love you will stick with you, even in the hard times. Sometimes, you just have to trust that.

Apollo swallowed again. He took a breath. “I’m Apollo Justice, and I’m fine!” he announced to no one but himself, before setting his jaw and marching forward.

///

How was Klavier supposed to set this up anyway? It wasn’t like he could get the tent open by himself. He frowned down at the dilemma in front of him, before searching through the rest of the cart. Maybe there was something else he could set up. A crumpled volleyball net. Several soccer balls. Was this Cornhole? Why did they have Cornhole? Who in their right mind saw a Cornhole game and thought, ‘Yes I would like to have this for myself’?

He scowled a bit, before deciding he'd rather just give up. After all, he had far more important things to worry about than beach setup.

He'd had the whole thing planned out in his head by now. He'd ran through it all a hundred times. No beating around the bush this time. No flirtatious smiles, no hints. He was going to say it this time. Point blank. Out loud. 'Apollo Justice, I am in love with you.' The words that would finally make his intentions clear. The words that would finally sweep Apollo Justice off his feet.

Well. Hopefully. Maybe. Perhaps that was a bit too direct. A confession of love before a first date? Should he soften it, perhaps? 'Apollo Justice, will you go on a date with me?' There, that was still clear, right? No room for misinterpretation there. He could take Apollo out for a night on the town. Wine him and dine him. Maybe take him on another beach walk, kiss him there.

Great, why was he rewriting the script now? He'd been so confident about it three seconds ago. Hell, he'd been ready to say it the moment Apollo woke up in his arms. Well, he would've if only Apollo had actually been in his arms when Klavier woke up. Actually, perhaps that was better too, a love confession first thing in the morning might very well have scared him off. Besides, at the end of the day, the time and place hardly mattered. All that mattered was the words. All that mattered was—

“Ahem.”

Klavier's head snapped up. There was Apollo Justice, standing a few feet back by the empty lifeguard tower. Klavier felt his stomach swoop. Apollo’s hair was down, leaving his hair horns dangling in his face. His hair looks so soft like that, and his oversized shirt hung awkwardly on his frame, and he looked adorable. “Herr Forehead.”

“Um, uh, hey.” Apollo coughed again. He leaned back against the lifeguard tower, with the look of someone attempting to look casual and failing spectacularly.

Klavier found himself smiling, walking over and leaning against the wooden tower himself, standing over Apollo who immediately went still. “Guten Morgen. It’s been far too long.”

“It’s been like an hour.”

“And that is far too long,” Klavier said, grinning down at him.

“...right.”

Apollo looked nervous. It wasn’t hard to tell, he was a very easy person to read. He was shifting from foot to foot, pointedly avoiding eye contact, fists balled at his side. It seemed strange. After all, Klavier was the one who was supposed to be nervous, right? Klavier frowned at him a moment, wondering if he should maybe say something. But no, he was getting off track. Klavier forced the smile back up, taking a calming breath.

“...Ach, well—”

“Anyway—”

They both froze. Klavier coughed slightly. “Oh, err, sorry, go on.”

“No.”

Silence. Apollo looked straight ahead, shoulders hunched, mouth pressed into a thin line.

“...okay?” Klavier managed after a moment, feeling the smile fading ever so slightly. “Ah, in that case, do you mind if I say something?”

Apollo quickly shook his head. “Go ahead.”

“...Herr Forehead, are you feeling alright?” he asked cautiously. “You look...ill.”

“I’m fine!” Apollo shouted suddenly. “I’m fine here, nothing to worry about. Uh. Go on, what were you saying?”

Klavier winced at the voice spike. Alright, clearly there was something wrong here, though Klavier could only guess at what. He could see Apollo glance his way occasionally, trying to pretend like he wasn’t. Why did Apollo seem so distressed all of the sudden? Was it Klavier?

Had last night made Apollo uncomfortable?

Klavier froze, heart sinking quickly. Could that be the problem? It wasn’t like anything else had happened since the previous night, Apollo had slipped out of Klavier’s grasp before he’d even woken up. They hadn’t spoken all morning, Apollo had been nowhere to be found until Blackquill had angrily pointed him in the right direction.

Klavier swallowed, suddenly feeling a bit ill himself. Was Apollo upset? It wasn’t even like Klavier had initiated it, had Apollo felt pressured to comfort him? Was he overthinking this?

“Uh, Prosecutor Gavin?”

Apollo’s voice immediately jolted Klavier back into the presence. He grinned at him, hoping the concern didn’t show on his face. “Ja?”

“You uh...I thought you maybe wanted to say something,” Apollo said. “Since you came out here and all.” He made a face. “Oh, wait, I guess you could’ve been out here looking for Mr. Wright…”

“Oh, ja, nein, you’re right,” he replied quickly, brushing at the bangs in his face. “Ja, I was looking for you. I just wanted to…um…”

What did Klavier want to do? Hell, what did Klavier want? He wanted...well, he wanted to kiss Apollo Justice until he felt lightheaded, for starters. He wanted to seduce this ridiculous little man standing in front of him, sweep him off his feet. He wanted so many things.

But how many of those things mattered if Apollo didn't want it?

“...I wanted to thank you.”

Apollo immediately frowned. “Huh?” Finally their eyes met. “For what?”

“For, um…” And Klavier smiled. “For being my friend, I suppose. For...being in my life. It really means a lot to me. Danke.”

“...oh.” Apollo was looking at him now, mouthing hanging open slightly. “Oh. Uh. You’re welcome. I’m, uh...you too.”

Klavier smiled at that. “Ach, well, I’m glad to hear that.” And he pushed himself up from his lean against the lifeguard tower. “Well, we should probably go get the Frauleins if we want any hope of setting up the tent—”

“That’s it?”

“...hmm?” Klavier frowned, head snapping over. “What’s it?”

Apollo was still leaning against the wood of the tower, staring at him. “That—That’s all you wanted to say to me?”

And as Klavier opened his mouth, he realized, yes, that really was it. That was everything. Because Apollo was amazing, and wonderful, and above all, Apollo was Klavier’s friend . And it occurred to him, right then, that being Apollo’s friend, that having Apollo in his life, that was not something he was willing to risk for anything.

Herr Blackquill was right. I am a coward. Klavier laughed weakly. “Ja, that’s it,” he replied with a smile. “That’s all I want. Sorry to concern you.”

“...oh.” Apollo frowned down at his bracelet, an odd look on his face. He looked almost...disappointed? Certainly confused.

Klavier chuckled at the scrunched up look on his face, flopping back against the wood of the lifeguard tower. “Why? Did you want me to say something else?”

“No, I just—Trucy and Athena thought you wanted to ask me out.”

A pause. It took a moment for either of them to react. Apollo immediately stiffened, hand clamping over his mouth. “I-I-I mean—Not that—I wasn’t—”

“They what?!” White hot panic shooting through his gut. Of course, of course they would say something.

“Y-Yeah,” Apollo stammered, laughing nervously. “I mean, I told them it was stupid, but—hey, it wasn’t like I believed them or anything, don’t worry about that.”

“Ja, I—” This conversation was going way too fast for Klavier. “...stupid? You didn't—What?”

“Yeah, it—Sorry, we don’t have to talk about this,” Apollo quickly told him, suddenly sitting up straight, shoulders tensed as he backed off. “It’s stupid, it was a stupid idea. Don’t worry about it. It’s fine.”

“Wait a second!” Klavier shot forward, grabbing his wrist, and Apollo stopped short in his retreat. “Herr Forehead. Apollo.”

“I would’ve talked you out of it!” Apollo protested, as if that were Klavier’s concern. “Really, it doesn’t matter. Just forget I said anything.”

“Talked me out of...? Wait, Apollo, what are you talking about.”

“W-Well, it was a stupid idea,” Apollo mumbled. “You wouldn't want to ask me out anyway, even if you did want to, you—you really wouldn't want to, you know? I'm not, uh, I don't think you'd...”

Klavier knew he was staring, but he couldn't bring himself to stop. “Apollo, did you...want me to ask you out?”

“Wh—No!” Apollo snapped.

Suddenly, Apollo’s bracelet tensed. Both of them jumped, eyes snapping down to Klavier’s grip of Apollo’s wrist. Immediately, Apollo yanked his hand away, face flushing, grabbing his bracelet with his other hand. His eyes were focused on the sand beneath their feet. “It...It doesn’t matter anyway,” Apollo repeated softly. “Sorry. I...I’m just going to head inside.”

“Apollo.”

Apollo flinched. “...yeah?”

Klavier felt his breath catching a moment. “...I do have one more thing to say to you, actually.”

Wincing harder, Apollo glanced up at him. And he looked nervous again. And it occurred to Klavier, right then, the answer he’d been searching for.

“Apollo, I want you to be happy.”

A blink. Another blink. Suddenly, Apollo’s brows drew together. “You what?”

“I want you to be happy,” Klavier said, and he was smiling as he said it. “I don’t care about anything else. I want you to be happy. I—” He swallowed. “I want to make you happy, Apollo. I don’t care what it is. If you..." He leaned in, and Apollo finally glanced up, meeting his gaze. "If you wanted me to kiss you, I’d do it in a heartbeat. If you wanted me to order a plane ticket and leave right now, I’d do that too. I don’t care what it is, I’d do it if it meant I could make you happy.”

They stared at each other a moment, neither one of them breathing. And then, “...why?!”

A pause. “...wh...why?” Klavier repeated, eyebrows shooting up. “What do you mean, why?”

“I just...I don’t…” Apollo rubbed his head with a nervous, confused little smile. “...why?”

“Because you make me happy,” Klavier told him, stepping an inch closer. “Because you’re the most amazing person who ever stumbled their way into my life. Because I…” Klavier hesitated. He took a breath, and reached forward, letting his hand brush lightly against Apollo’s cheek. “Because I’m in love with you.”

Everything went silent. Apollo stared at him blankly, eyes wide. Quickly, Klavier drew his hand away. “Ah, but if you don’t—”

Apollo grabbed his shirt and yanked him into a kiss.

Time froze. It was like all the air had been punched from his lungs. Klavier stood there, wide eyed, heart stopping abruptly in his chest, and then just as suddenly, Apollo pulled away.

“Sorry,” he said, face red. “I, uh...did I jump the gun on that?”

Klavier blinked. Then he surged forward, grabbing Apollo’s shoulders and pressing their lips back together. Apollo made a startled noise, before leaning in, and Klavier’s stomach swooped, and he let his hands weave their way into Apollo’s hair, pressing him close, angling his head to kiss him harder and—

“Ahem.”

They both jumped, Apollo yanking himself back. Dazed, Klavier looked up, toward a rather disgruntled looking lifeguard standing a few feet off. “Hey, uh, do you mind?”

“Wh…” Klavier looked around. There they were, still leaning against the lifeguard tower. There were more people on the beach now, families and college kids and whoever else. A few were looking their way, eyes wide. And most notably, Phoenix, Trucy and Athena, halfway through setting up the tent, were staring openly.

For a moment, none of them moved. Then, Phoenix wolf whistled, and Apollo’s face almost turned purple.

“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU—SHUT UP, WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT?!” he shouted, storming off toward the group as Trucy and Athena started cheering. Klavier burst out laughing, managing a small apology to the disgruntled looking lifeguard as he stepped out of the way, feeling lightheaded. Trucy hugged Apollo and started jumping up and down and Apollo shouted some more, and Klavier thought maybe he could fly right then and there.

Apollo was still shouting and sputtering angrily as Klavier approached the group. Phoenix had reached over and clapped him on the shoulder.

“Well, always happy to help, Apollo—”

“YOU DON’T GET CREDIT FOR SHIT!” Apollo shouted, and Klavier laughed again, reaching over and nudging Apollo’s side. Apollo spun around. “WHAT?! Oh! Oh. Uh.” The anger on his face evaporated. “Oh. Um...hiya.”

“Hiya,” Klavier repeated, grinning ear to ear.

“I’m, uh. I should help get the tent set up,” he said, pointing awkwardly toward the half-pitched tent. “We can, uh...we can...talk after. If you wanted.”

“I would love to.”

“...Cool, good talk.” Apollo patted Klavier’s arm and spun around, marching toward the tent as Athena burst out laughing. Klavier laughed too, still feeling lightheaded and dizzy, watching as Apollo started scrambling for the tent poles. For a moment, he shut his eyes. He could still feel Apollo’s lips against his own, chapped and hesitant and real and he’d kissed Apollo. Hell, Apollo had kissed him.

“Hey Klavier, help a guy out, will you?”

He opened his eyes. “Of course, Herr Wright!” he called back, and he walked over, smile never once dropping from his face.

Chapter Text

“Alright, thank you for your assistance,” Edgeworth said, sitting himself down at the edge of his bed and adjusting his collar in the mirror. “In that case, we will arrive promptly at 7:45 pm. I expect my the seating arrangements will be adjusted accordingly—”

“Y-Yes, of course, sir,” the hostess repeated again. “We’ll be sure to have everything prepared to your expectations tonight.”

“Excellent. Goodbye.” And finally he hung up, feeling a swell of relief and satisfaction.

Tonight. He would propose to Phoenix tonight. He’d scheduled their night out, made all the preparations, spoken to all the right people. Now all he had to do was finally follow through and the deal would be done.

He looked over his reflection in the mirror. Polos weren’t really his thing, but a vacation demanded a certain level of casual. Though the reviews of this restaurant seemed to imply a certain amount of dress code. Perhaps he needed something more? Had Phoenix even packed anything business casual? Well, they’d just have to deal with that later.

Edgeworth sighed, pulling himself to his feet. He wondered if Klavier had gotten the tent set up yet, grabbing a cloth from his bedside table to clean off his glasses. Once he was satisfied, he stood up, cracked his neck, and strode out of the bedroom.

Blackquill was sitting in bed, knees drawn to his chest, drinking a glass of water and looking bedraggled. He looked up, giving a nod. “Your phone call went well?”

“Yes,” Edgeworth replied. “Have you seen Wright anywhere?”

“He left a while ago,” Blackquill replied. “Something about,” and he made a face, “boy troubles.”

“Yes, well—” Edgeworth froze. “...I’m sorry, what?!”

“I have no answers for you, Edgeworth-dono,” Blackquill replied, taking another sip.

“...I see.” Edgeworth frowned, shaking his head. “Considering it’s Wright, I’m sure it’s deeply unimportant.” He made his way around Blackquill’s bed, glancing around. “Is everyone at the beach already?”

“I will die before I make an effort to keep track of any of your schedules,” Blackquill replied smoothly.

Edgeworth paused, raising an eyebrow at that. “Well, then, you will be greatly distressed to hear that Wright and I will not be joining you all for dinner.”

“Hmph. Then for my continued survival, I shall not retain any of that information.”

Edgeworth snorted, glancing out the window toward the beach. Was that the tent in the distance? It was hard to tell from the angle they were at. “Well, I’m sure the others will be able to plan accordingly. Were there still leftovers from last night?” Without waiting for an answer, he crossed the room to the fridge, pulling it open, and then frowning. “Prosecutor Blackquill, why on earth is your alcohol on top of the spaghetti sauce?”

Blackquill didn’t respond. Edgeworth glanced over, only to see him facing the other direction, before sighing, grabbing the bottle and setting it on firmer ground. Of all the strange, obstinate behaviors—

“Wright-dono is a good man.”

He froze. “Pardon?”

“He…” Blackquill still wasn’t looking his way, sitting on his bed and facing the glass door. “He is a good man. I...thought I should mention it.”

Well, that was not what Edgeworth was expecting. He shut the door to the fridge, frowning at Blackquill's back. “I...not that I disagree with you, but what brought that on?”

“I have naught else to say on the subject.” Blackquill took another swig of water, or at least Edgeworth hoped it was water, and flopped onto his pillow.

Edgeworth sighed, though he allowed himself a small smile. “Well, I’m sure he would appreciate you saying so,” he replied, unable to keep the fondness from his voice. “I’ll be sure to let him know.”

“That is unnecessary,” Blackquill muttered quickly. “It simply came to mind is all.”

Edgeworth snorted, shaking his head. They both sat in silence for a few moments after that, Edgeworth letting his eyes drift toward his reflection in the window past Blackquill’s head.

There he stood, in a polo and khaki shorts. Vacation Wear at its finest. Ten years ago, he would’ve rather swallowed his prosecutor’s badge than be in public in anything less than his finest suit. But the Edgeworth of ten years ago was a very different man. The Edgeworth of ten years ago had yet to fall in love, had yet to find his own path, had yet to find his new family. Hell, the Edgeworth of ten years ago still thought himself a murderer.

God, what would that Edgeworth think of him now? What would he think of any of this? Chief Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth. Top of his field, and yet couldn’t care less about status and prestige. A man hopelessly in love with his childhood best friend. A man on a relaxing vacation with coworkers. A man seriously preparing himself to spend the rest of his life as a part of this family.

And to think, he would’ve missed all of this if Phoenix hadn’t shown up in court all those years ago.

“He is a good man,” Edgeworth agreed softly. “I’m...very lucky to have him in my life.”

Blackquill glanced over. There was an odd look on his face, like he wanted to say something more. However, as his mouth opened, the door burst open. Suddenly the room was filled with chatter.

“I can’t believe you did it Polly, that was so cute—”

“—you have to hurry up so you can spend some more quality time with Klavier—”

“ALRIGHT BOTH OF YOU GIVE IT A REST,” Apollo shouted, marching past Athena and Trucy, face burning red.

Blackquill winced at the noise. “Oh thank god, here I thought I earned a quiet morning,” he muttered, grabbing a small bottle of what looked to be painkillers off his bedside table.

Edgeworth glanced over as well, scowling. “And what has you all so excited today?”

“Polly’s got a boyfriend~!” Trucy called out in a sing-song voice, and Apollo flushed even redder.

“Stop that!” he shouted. “I-I do not. Besides, we haven’t even talked about it, it could just be a one-time thing, or...”

“Polly’s got an as-yet-undefined relationship~!” Athena sang, and Apollo threw up his hands.

“Alright, I’m getting changed!” And he stormed off to his own bedroom, slamming the door behind him as Trucy and Athena laughed.

Edgeworth watched in amusement, shaking his head as Blackquill flopped back into his bed out of the corner of his eye. “An eventful morning, then?”

“Very,” Athena told him. “But who knows? There’s still time for more events.”

“Yeah!” Trucy said. “We still have so many things to do before we go home. We haven’t broken out the volleyball or the cornhole or gone mini golfing or ziplining.”

“Nor has anyone drowned in the pool or been stung by jellyfish,” Blackquill replied flatly. “Yes, there's still much to check off the vacation list.”

Immediately, both girls’ eyes snapped toward Blackquill. He froze, glancing over. “...what?” he snapped, bristling slightly.

“Simon, I can’t believe you! Still lying in bed on such a gorgeous day!” Athena said, hands on her hips.

“...what?”

“Yeah!” Trucy said. “It’s not like we’re going to be on vacation forever, we need to have fun while we still can!”

And then Athena rounded on Edgeworth. “You too, Mr. Edgeworth!” 

He blinked at her. “Err, pardon?”

“You’ve barely done anything!” Athena said, waving her arms. “You haven’t even gone swimming once!”

“Oh?” He frowned, crossing his arms. “I’m not particularly fond of swimming.”

“Why does that matter?”

“Wh...Why wouldn’t that matter?” Edgeworth asked, as Athena and Trucy began cajoling a disgruntled looking Blackquill out of bed. “Ms. Cykes. Ms. Cykes, why wouldn't that matter?!”

“Come on!” Athena said, and that was that.

Soon the five of them, Blackquill, Athena, Trucy, Apollo, and Edgeworth were making their way to the beach. Apollo was still grumbling, and Blackquill did not seem to be faring any better.

“So,” Trucy chimed, skipping down the first couple of steps, “we still need to get a bunch of stuff done before we leave. What does everyone want to do today?

“I don’t know,” Apollo mumbled. “Maybe I could fake my own death.”

“If you need someone to pretend to murder you, I'd hardly mind another stint in the klink right about now.”

“I understand the two of you are joking, but as the one person who has done so before, I can assure you disappearing is the last thing you should do in this situation,” Edgeworth interrupted.

“...wait, you did what?”

“Err, never mind,” Edgeworth replied quickly. “Forget I said anything.”

Apollo made a noise halfway between a raspberry and a sigh, and Athena nudged him. “Really, he already kissed you. Why are you still so nervous?”

“Personality flaw.”

Blackquill actually snorted at that, and Edgeworth simply shook his head. “As loathe as I am to say it, being direct may be your best option here, Justice,” Edgeworth told him. “Unless you wish to traumatize the poor man.”

“...no,” Apollo mumbled. “No, you’re right, I should be direct.”

“Good. He is one of my best prosecutors after all.”

“Oh, does that mean the position is open if Justice-dono traumatizes him?”

Edgeworth rolled his eyes and shooed Blackquill and the others off. They started down before him, though Edgeworth paused at the edge of the stairwell. Once again, the Edgeworth of so long ago flitted through his mind. A man so scared of love and commitment he was willing to risk everything he loved to run away to Germany. If only someone had told him off all those years ago, though he doubted that Edgeworth would’ve heeded their advice. How could he have known that this horrible, terrible ordeal of allowing someone to love him would end up being the greatest decision of his life?

“...you don’t think it’s just a one time thing though, right?”

Edgeworth raised an eyebrow at that, glancing down at Apollo. He’d paused several steps down, hand gripping the railing tightly. Edgeworth stepped around him, frowning at the look on Apollo’s face. “...it does get less terrifying,” he found himself saying before he could stop himself.

Apollo glanced up at him, both shocked and skeptical and still vaguely terrified, though Apollo always looked slightly terrified when Edgeworth addressed him. “Oh, uh, does it?”

“Yes,” he said, and then he smirked. “Not by much though.”

“Oh. Great.” Apollo wilted. “What’s the point then?”

He paused, smirk falling away for a moment. “...it is worth it, in the end,” he murmured. “Of that I can assure you.”

Apollo made a face, but Edgeworth turned and continued on before he could catch anything else. After a moment, he heard a telltale “I’M FINE,” from behind him, and Apollo clattered down the stairs after him.

They made it back to the beach quickly after that, Apollo muttering reassurances under his breath. Phoenix and Klavier seemed to be attempting to volley some sort of ball back and forth while they waited, though neither seemed particularly good at it. Klavier caught sight of them first, breaking into another grin. “Ach, guten morgen everyone—”

“HEY KLAVIER ARE WE BOYFRIENDS NOW?”

“...huh?” 

THWACK

Klavier hit the sand face-first, the ball suddenly bouncing away toward the water.

“Aw shoot—”

“Mr. Wright, not again!” Athena shouted, as Phoenix and Apollo rushed over toward a disoriented Klavier, laughing on the ground and shaking sand out of his hair.

“...well at least he was direct about it,” Edgeworth murmured, as Blackquill coughed into his hand, trying not to look amused. “Wright, please stop maiming the children.”

“Sorry!” he called, as he and Apollo pulled Klavier to his feet. “I think that wasn’t my fault this time though.”

“Sorry. Sorry. I. Uh.” Apollo turned around. “Hey Prosecutor Blackquill can you actually kill me?”

“Hmph, and put you out of your misery? But I was just beginning to enjoy myself.”

As Edgeworth rolled his eyes, Phoenix rubbed his neck sheepishly, turning toward the now sand-covered prosecutor. “Sorry about that, Klavier,” he said, and Klavier laughed.

“Well, I was never the sporty-type anyway,” he replied. “But I guess it’s only fair punishment for forgetting to ask Herr Forehead out properly , ja?”

“For what?” Klavier slid an arm around Apollo’s waist, and Apollo made a startled yelp as Klavier pulled him close.

Phoenix laughed, walking over to Edgeworth. “So how’s your morning going?” he asked, pressing his grin against Edgeworth’s cheek, ignoring as Edgeworth swatted him lightly. “Because mine has been real eventful, let me tell you.”

“I see,” Edgeworth replied, glancing toward the others, toward Klavier pressing a kiss to a startled Apollo’s temple, to Athena and Trucy whispering conspiratorially while Blackquill watched them suspiciously. “Well, I regret to inform you that you will continue to be busy for the rest of the evening as well.” When Phoenix just cocked his head, Miles smirked. “I happened to reserve a spot at the nicest restaurant in town for the evening,” he explained. “I hope you’ve packed something at least presentable, by the way.”

Phoenix raised his eyebrows. “Oh. Uh, tonight?”

“No, a week from now, yes, tonight, Wright, why do you think I used the words ‘this evening’?”

“Oh. Right.” Phoenix coughed, a strange look overtaking his face. A grim, out-of-place determination. “Perfect.”

Athena gasped. “Oo it’s date night tonight~?” she asked, eyes sparkling with excitement, before immediately clamping her mouth shut at Edgeworth’s glare. “I mean awwww dang, I can’t believe you guys are going to miss the endless crab legs, oh well, have a nice date.”

“Why are you so obsessed with those dismembered crustaceans—?”

“Yes, well, thank you for the well wishes, Ms. Cykes,” Edgeworth interrupted Blackquill, crossing his arms. “I’m sure you will have a good time in our absence.”

“Yeah,” Phoenix said vaguely. “Have fun getting crabs.”

“Don’t say it like that.”

Soon after that, everything was a whirlwind of activities. Games were being played, and won, and lost. Oceans were being splashed through. Athena seemed particularly emphatic about wringing as much fun as they could from their last days of vacation. Which Edgeworth could understand, at least somewhat, as they'd really spend so much of it simply spending time on the beach. Still, though, from frisbee football to wakeboarding to beach charades, it was a little much. When they finally stopped for lunch (oh good lord it was only lunchtime?!) Edgeworth collapsed into the orange beach chair, wiping uselessly at the sweat on his brow.

“What, you’re done already?” Athena asked him. “We haven’t even set up the sand curling!”

“Or the cornhole!” Trucy called.

“Ooo, cornhole first, never mind.”

“I think I may need a moment,” Edgeworth replied, pulling a book from his beach bag and fanning himself with it.

“Need me to bring out something to eat?” Phoenix asked, pulling a water bottle from the cooler and pressing it against the side of Edgeworth’s neck.

Edgeworth sighed, leaning against the cool of the bottle and letting his eyes shut. “Well, if you did, I certainly wouldn’t complain.”

Phoenix chuckled, pressing a kiss to the top of Edgeworth’s head and dropping the water bottle into his lap. “Be right back then.”

“Okay, me and Polly vs. Athena and Mr. Blackquill!” Trucy announced, spinning on her heels.

“If you think you can get me to join your ridiculous little beanbag game—”

“Aw, come on, Simon,” Athena said, suddenly shoving him off.

The group split off, Phoenix walking off toward the condo, the others heading to set up another game. How any of them still had energy was beyond Edgeworth, but at least he seemed to be excluded. That was fine by him, maybe he could get some work done before—

“So, Herr Edgeworth, big plans tonight, ja?”

Oh. He pulled his head upright, glancing over toward Klavier, seating himself on a towel in the sun and grinning his way. “...indeed,” he replied cautiously, raising an eyebrow.

Klavier seemed in an especially good mood, though Edgeworth could guess at the source of said mood rather easily. Not that it was hard to catch Klavier in a good mood, of course. Actually, it was rather difficult to catch Klavier in a bad mood, save for the occasional dramatics. All things considered, Klavier was a very easy going man, very likeable. And Edgeworth would know, he’d tried very hard not to like him for quite some time, to no avail. He was almost disappointed in himself at how relieved he was to find Klavier innocent of any wrongdoing after all that time.

“That is exciting, ja?” Klavier continued on, stretching his legs forward. “If the restaurant has a piano, I’d be happy to help set the mood for you—”

“That is entirely unnecessary,” Edgeworth snapped quickly at Klavier’s eyebrow wiggle. “I think I can handle my own proposal fine myself, thank you.”

“Ach, of course,” Klavier replied, flopping onto his back, stretching out like a plant that needed as much sunlight as possible. “...are you excited then?”

Edgeworth frowned. What an odd question to ask. And yet, he wasn’t even sure how to respond to that. “I...suppose so,” he replied hesitantly.

Klavier cocked his head. “You aren’t sure if you are excited?”

“Well, on the one hand, it doesn’t quite feel real yet,” he explained, crossing his arms. “And yet, at the same time, I can’t imagine married life to be wholly different than what we have now, save for the taxes and joint bank account.” He frowned to himself. “Aside from that, we already live together, not to mention I am already well integrated into his...into our…” a pause, “...family.”

Klavier’s eyebrows shot to his hairline. “That’s it?” he asked. “That’s all you’ve been thinking about? Herr Edgeworth, what about the wedding? The reception? Celebrating the union of your love with all of your friends and family?”

Edgeworth made a face. “I...suppose that’s true,” he admitted. “However, a wedding is a day. A marriage is much longer than that.”

Klavier laughed, shaking his head. “You lack imagination, Herr Edgeworth,” he said, and Edgeworth scowled pointedly. “So you aren’t nervous at all then?”

He hesitated at that one as well. “...well, I don’t know if I can say that.”

“He is going to say yes, let me assure you.”

A scoff. “Oh? You don’t think I’m perfectly aware of that?” he asked, and Klavier chuckled.

“I see, I see,” he replied. “Then what could you possibly be nervous about?”

Edgeworth shut his eyes, frowning. He could almost see Phoenix smiling at him, an image burned into his mind for years now. Phoenix’s smile was always so warm, so open. It always reached his eyes, that was the part that Edgeworth liked most about it.

“He’s a good man.”

“...agreed,” Klavier told him, sitting back up. “But I think that’s obvious to most people by this point.”

“Yes, but…” he frowned harder. “...I love that man more than anything. I’ve never been more confident about anything in my entire life. And I know that he loves me as well.” Klavier nodded along, but before he could speak, Edgeworth continued. “And yet, sometimes I worry that I’m not as...expressive about it as he is.”

“...expressive?”

“I know that Phoenix Wright is the man I want to spend the rest of my life with. And therefore, I want this proposal to really show that.” He opened his bottle, sipping at it. “Wright deserves the world, but I’m not really one for...romantic gestures.”

“...really?” Klavier asked flatly. When Edgeworth instantly glared at him, he grinned. “If it makes any difference, I think saying the words ‘Phoenix Wright is the man I want to spend the rest of my life with’ out loud counts as a romantic gesture.”

Edgeworth raised an eyebrow. “...does it?”

“Well, maybe not to me, but if you said it to Herr Wright I think it would be just as effective.”

“But it’s not particularly romantic,” Edgeworth told him. “It’s simply a statement of fact.”

“Herr Edgeworth, that’s what makes it romantic!” Klavier exclaimed, sitting back up. “How can you possibly say you're not good at romance?”

Edgeworth huffed. “I feel as though you’re missing the point,” he insisted. “The point I’m trying to make is that I want to ensure Wright knows how dearly I care for him. Ergo, I want this proposal to go smoothly tonight.” Klavier was laughing now, and Edgeworth leaned forward in his seat. “And just what is so funny?!”

“Entschuldigung,” Klavier apologized, “I’m just remembering a story I heard a while ago.”

“Oh? And what sort of story is that?” Edgeworth replied, narrowing his eyes.

“Achtung! Just a story about a prosecutor who chartered a private jet to visit a dear friend of his in the hospital.” Klavier brushed at his bangs. “The height of romance, ja?”

“Wh—That was an entirely different situation,” he snapped, feeling his face flush. “Wright was injured! It was imperative that I arrived promptly, and I certainly didn’t have enough free time to waste at an airport of all places.”

“Well ja, of course not!” Klavier said. “After all, the love of your life had fallen into a river.”

“I wasn’t—That doesn’t—This was well before Wright and I entered a relationship proper,” Edgeworth told him sternly. And then, “Don’t you roll your eyes at me, Gavin!”

“I’m sorry, Herr Edgeworth,” Klavier teased, “but you are hardly making your point with these counterarguments.”

“I don’t know why I even bother with you,” Edgeworth muttered, and Klavier readjusted himself on the towel, turning toward him.

“Herr Edgeworth, as a man who made so much of his living dedicated to writing music about ridiculous romantic gestures, I can assure you that you’re doing better than most.”

“Yes, yes, if you say so,” Edgeworth replied, rolling his eyes, though maybe he felt just a touch better. “Still, though, I’d like this evening to be meaningful.”

Klavier was giving him a look, almost smug, and Edgeworth raised an eyebrow. 

“...do you perhaps have something to say to me, Herr Gavin?”

“Nein, I was just thinking that the two of you really are made for each other.”

Edgeworth frowned, but before he could respond, a shadow passed over Klavier.

“Gavin-dono, hold this for me, will you?”

“Wh—”

Blackquill's coat landed directly on top of Klavier's face, and Klavier screamed, suddenly on his feet coughing and sputtering as he threw it onto the sand. “HERR BLACKQUILL!”

“Hmm, is something the matter—?”

“I cannot believe—Ugh it was covered in your sweat— !” Klavier looked furious for once, grabbing up the coat, balling it up, and throwing it back at Blackquill, who looked smug, if a bit naked without his usual garb. “I am not your coat rack! Ack, I think I got it in my mouth.”

“Oh no, did I mess up your hair?” Blackquill replied, not looking sorry at all. “If it helps, I met a hairdresser in the klink once, if you need recommendations—”

“I do not, in fact!”

The sounds of the beach filtered back in, as if Edgeworth had completely forgotten where he was. Apollo, Trucy, and Athena were cackling, and Klavier was letting loose a string of German profanity as Blackquill hung his coat on the tent. Only a moment later, Phoenix was by his side, holding out a sandwich and plopping into a chair next to him. “Hey, did I miss anything?”

Edgeworth looked his way. And he smiled softly. Excitement. It hadn’t really felt real before now, but maybe that was this feeling bubbling into his stomach. “No, not at all.”

Chapter Text

“Okay, and you guys sure you’ll be able to hold down the fort without us?” Phoenix asked again, and Athena frowned at him.

“Are we really that untrustworthy?” she asked, hands on her hips. “Really, Mr. Wright, we’re fine. Have fun, enjoy your date.”

“Well, if there’s an emergency, you know our numbers—”

“Jeez, Mr. Wright, why are you so twitchy today?” Apollo muttered with a scowl. “It's not like your date is going to take that long.”

“Aw, relax, Apollo, he’s just nervous.”

“Why would Mr. Wright be—?”

“A-ANYWAY,” Phoenix interrupted, turning to glance toward Edgeworth, still tying his shoes in the entryway, “don’t break anything, don't steal anything, and NO murders.” He turned, pointing at each of them in turn. “I’m not having a working vacation, got it?”

“I make no promises,” Blackquill replied, as Trucy giggled and skipped over.

“You got it, Daddy. Have a nice dinner.” She gave him a quick hug, and whispered, “And make sure I can start calling him Papa Edgeworth by the time you get home.”

“Wh—Truce...!”

A laugh, a kiss on the cheek, and then she stepped back. “Bye Daddy!”

“Hurry up, Wright, if your lollygagging makes us late—”

“I’m coming, I’m coming.” Phoenix glanced in the mirror, adjusting his shirt one more time, and followed Edgeworth out of the condo.

There were certain kinds of restaurants that Phoenix Wright avoided like the plague. Usually it was high end, upscale places. The ones where every meal was the cost of three-to-five bowls of Eldoon’s Noodles. The ones that used words like Meuniere and served things like Escargot.

If only Miles Edgeworth wasn’t a food snob, maybe Phoenix Wright could enjoy his Eldoon's Noodles in peace.

“Reservation for Miles Edgeworth,” Edgeworth said, with the confidence of someone who absolutely belonged in an upscale setting like this.

“Yup,” Phoenix added, with the air of someone who absolutely did not.

The restaurant was gorgeous. There was a white painted wooden archway out front, and string lights hung criss-cross above the front patio. It was crowded too, some people dressed to the nines, others wearing Hawaiian shirts and khakis, though still able to look the part of ‘wealthy patron to a French Restaurant at an expensive vacation destination.’

Phoenix shifted his feet, thankful he had scraped enough together to look ‘presentable’ as Edgeworth put it. He had on ‘loafers’ and his pants were ‘pressed.’ Hopefully he looked the part half as good as Edgeworth did, though Edgeworth was incredibly handsome in just about anything. He looked incredibly handsome now, actually.

The hostess nodded, quickly looking through her notes. “Ah, yes, Miles Edgeworth, here you are,” she said. “Come with me.”

“I trust all of my specifications have been met?”

“But of course,” she replied smoothly, already walking off around a corner and beckoning them along.

Edgeworth nodded approvingly and started walking, Phoenix trailing behind him and looking around at the decorations. It was very beach themed, but in an expensive way rather than looking tacky. Phoenix was half afraid to touch anything.

“Here you are, sir,” the hostess said, stopping in front of a small table off to the side.

“Thank you,” Edgeworth replied. “Could you direct me toward the lavatories? I’d like to wash my hands before anything else.”

“Of course,” she replied. “It’s just through there, past the door to the kitchen.”

Edgeworth thanked her again, heading off. As the hostess turned to leave, Phoenix sat up. “Oh, uh, o-one second.”

“Hmm?” She turned. “Oh, of course. Do you need something, sir?”

“Yeah! Uh. Err.” He glanced toward where Edgeworth had disappeared. “...Okay. So, let’s say hypothetically someone was thinking about proposing…”

The woman blinked a moment, before perking up. “...o-oh! Oh, oh, yes, we certainly have that happen at least once a week. Were you…?”

“Yeah! Yeah, great, so uh, how do they usually do that, exactly?” Phoenix asked, tugging at his collar. “Before dinner? After dinner? Mid-dinner?”

She laughed good naturedly. “Oh, I don’t think there’s much of a script for these sorts of things. Sometimes people just bring it up naturally, or—”

“Okay but what’s the most popular?” Phoenix asked quickly, scanning for that silver hair. “What usually works the best, you know?”

A frown, as she mulled it over. “I suppose if you’re looking for something creative, a lot of people put it as a decoration with their dessert, or in their partner’s champagne or—”

“There! That one! Champagne!” Phoenix turned toward her. “Could someone on the staff put something in a champagne glass? Edgeworth loves champagne.”

“Of course. Here, I can let your waiter know now, and get everything prepared.”

“Sounds perfect. Thank you so much, you’re a life saver.” He quickly slipped her the ring box, feeling a weight off his shoulders as he did.

“We’re always happy to help,” she said, turning and walking off.

Phoenix let out a breath, running a hand through his hair, before catching sight of Edgeworth in the corner of his eye. He looked back up, in time to see Edgeworth stop the hostess he’d been speaking to a moment ago. She paused, smiling politely as he asked her something. And then, well, whatever he was asking seemed to be a bit of a tall order considering the momentary look of shock on her face. She stammered something, glancing back toward Phoenix, and Phoenix turned, grabbing the napkin and smoothing it onto his lap, pretending like he hadn’t been paying attention. Hopefully Edgeworth wasn’t complaining about the restrooms or something.

A few moments later and Edgeworth had returned to his seat. “So, I’m thinking we should get some form of appetizer first and foremost.”

“Mmhmm, sure,” Phoenix said, looking around for the menu. “...is this just printer paper?”

“Yes, I believe they handwrite the menu each day,” Edgeworth told him, grabbing up his own menu. “Most of what is served each day is up to the discretion of the chef.”

“Ah, I see, I see, fancy,” Phoenix mused. “...Handwriting isn’t the most legible though, it almost looks like that costs…” He paused. He squinted. He felt the blood drain from his face. “Wait is that a four? Is everything forty dollars?!”

Edgeworth scoffed. “Don’t be ridiculous, Wright, most of your options are closer to the mid thirties.”

“Miles—!”

“All of which I will happily pay for,” Edgeworth said smoothly. “I am the one who brought you here after all.”

“Well sure but you didn’t tell me there was nothing in my price range,” Phoenix muttered. “I’m not trying to bleed you dry here.”

Chuckling to himself, Edgeworth reached across the table, grabbing Phoenix’s hand and squeezing. “Really, don’t work yourself up over it, I’m happy to pay for you.”

“But—”

“Phoenix.”

Phoenix froze. Something about Edgeworth saying his first name always caught him off guard, always sent a flutter of butterflies cascading through his stomach. Probably why he mostly used it to win arguments.

“...fine, okay, but I’ll pay for the drinks,” Phoenix told him sullenly.

“That—” He hesitated for a moment, brows creasing. “...If...you insist, I suppose.”

“I do,” Phoenix shot back, scanning over the appetizers.

It was always easy conversation between the two of them, and tonight was no different. Bantering back and forth, Phoenix laughing, Edgeworth perpetually crossed between annoyed and amused. 

After Edgeworth’s eighth attempt of correcting Phoenix’s pronunciation of bourguignonne (“Really, Wright, there aren’t even that many ‘g’s in it.”) their server appeared. “Hello! Welcome. My name is Marcus, and I’ll be serving you tonight. Have you had the chance to look over your menu yet?”

“Yes, actually, we’d like to place our appetizer orders before we decide on our meals, if that’s alright. Just the charcuterie board.” He glanced toward Phoenix over his glasses. “Unless someone actually wanted the Escargot a la Bourguignonne, given how fascinated they are with its pronunciation.”

“Ugh.” Phoenix made a face as Edgeworth smirked. “Come on, you don’t even like escargot, why would I want it.”

“It’s settled, then, just a charcuterie board.”

“Oh!” Phoenix turned, as if he’d only just thought of something, “You know what? I think this is an occasion for some champagne.”

The waiter perked up a bit, a knowing-if-nervous look in his eye. “Ah, yes, I can certainly—”

“H-Hold on, Wright,” Edgeworth said quickly. “Perhaps we should save the champagne for dessert.”

“Huh?” Phoenix frowned. “Dessert? Why would you drink champagne as a dessert? Or are you just trying to get out of buying me some of this cheesecake?”

“W-Well, plenty of people drink champagne with dessert,” Edgeworth countered.

“Really? Who does that?”

Marcus the waiter shifted. “I-I’ve, uh, seen both if that helps—”

“It does not,” Edgeworth snapped, and Phoenix laughed.

“Come on, Edgeworth, relax. I don’t think having champagne before AND after dinner is going to make or break our date.”

“I…” He hesitated again, frowning in concern. “...yes. Yes, you’re right. Champagne it is then.”

Marcus the waiter sighed. “Perfect. Okay, so that’s a bottle of champagne and two glasses then?”

“Oh, no, I don’t drink.”

A pause. For a moment, Phoenix thought he had imagined it, but no, Edgeworth and the waiter had both frozen entirely. Phoenix blinked, looking between the two of them. “...uh, Edgeworth?”

“You...don’t drink,” Edgeworth repeated weakly. His face had turned ashen. “You don’t drink, of course you don’t drink. How did I forget that you don’t drink?!”

“Wh—Hey, Edgeworth, relax, it’s fine, I’m not offended,” Phoenix told him quickly. “It’s not like I stopped drinking that long ago. I was just going to drink water anyway—”

“Why would you offer to purchase drinks you wouldn’t even want?!”

“Oh, huh, I guess that’s true,” Phoenix mused. “I mean, I figured it’d be cheaper since I’d only be buying for one—”

“Yes, yes, of course,” Edgeworth managed.

“...so that’s...one glass?” Marcus the waiter asked cautiously.

“Yes. Yes, one glass is fine,” he replied, rubbing his temple. “I...Yes, one glass.”

He nodded, quickly making a note in his notepad and scurrying off. Immediately, Edgeworth stood up.

“I-I will be right back.”

“Huh? Oh, sure thing,” Phoenix replied, watching Edgeworth make a hasty retreat. Bathroom again? he thought curiously, frowning back down at the menu. Wow, he forgot how many fish there were in the world. He didn’t think he’d even eaten half of these before. What exactly did swordfish taste like anyway? If only they had some calamari here, that’d be good.

Edgeworth was back several minutes later, looking a little flustered as he sat back down. “Have you decided on your meal yet?”

“Yeah, I was looking at this tuna steak in a peanut sauce.”

“Is that so?” Edgeworth peered at the menu, adjusting his glasses. “You are aware that it will taste nothing like your usual canned tuna fish, correct?”

“O-Of course I know that,” Phoenix lied immediately, setting his menu down. “What about you, know what you want?”

“Hmm, well, as much as I enjoy a good salmon, I should probably stick with the locally caught options…”

They chatted a bit more as Edgeworth deliberated over the menu. He seemed a bit tense all of a sudden, which struck Phoenix as odd. Occasionally, Phoenix would gently brush Edgeworth’s leg with his foot, making him start. He’d glance up each time, eyes softening slightly, before turning back toward the menu.

Eventually, Marcus the waiter reappeared, carrying a large wooden board covered in assorted cheeses, meats, nuts, and fruit, and Oh yeah, that’s what a charcuterie board is!

“Here you are,” he said, placing the board down, before setting down a thin flute, or whatever the word was for tiny champagne glasses, in front of Edgeworth’s seat.

“Oh, great, hey Edgeworth let’s make a toast!”

“Wright, please, can we at least place our dinner orders first?” Edgeworth shot back.

“O-Oh, right,” he said, craning his head a bit, trying to get a look at the glass. Was the ring in there? He couldn’t quite make it out.

Edgeworth and Phoenix placed their orders, Phoenix’s entire body buzzing in excitement and also terror and also more excitement. He ran through the speech in his head at lightspeed, fiddling with his napkin, grabbing a cracker off the charcuterie board.

As Marcus the waiter slipped out of sight, Phoenix turned, picking up his water. “So, a toast!” he declared again, and Edgeworth rolled his eyes.

“Is it bad luck to toast with water, or am I remembering that incorrectly?”

“Mm, you’re probably thinking of something else,” he replied. “Come on, let’s toast.”

“Toast to what, if I may ask?”

“Ah, you know. Good health? Long lives?” A grin. “Great sex—?”

“Wright.”

He couldn’t help but laugh at the scandalized look on Edgeworth’s face. “Well, you know, the usual stuff you toast to. Come on!”

He rolled his eyes, grabbing his drink and holding it up. “Yes, yes, fine, let’s—”

His voice cut off. For a moment Edgeworth froze where he was. Phoenix’s breath caught. Was this it? Had he seen—?

“Yes! Well! A toast then!” Suddenly Edgeworth’s voice was much too loud. He readjusted his grip on his drink quickly, coughing and clinking it against Phoenix’s water glass. “Yes, a toast, to us, and to our wonderful vacation.” And then he suddenly gulped down half of the champagne.

“Wh—Edgeworth?!” Phoenix set his water back down. “Are, uh, are you good—?”

“Yes!” Edgeworth replied a bit too quickly. “This is just, erm, such good champagne. What brand did you get?”

“...oh, huh, wait, I don’t actually know, I just sort of said champagne—”

“Well we will have to ask, won’t we.” Edgeworth took another gulp. Then he winced, coughed, grabbed up his napkin and coughed into that.

Phoenix jumped a bit, suddenly incredibly concerned. “Whoa, Edgeworth, you alright—?”

“Fine! Yes. I am fine,” he replied, frantically folding his napkin and putting it into his lap. “Yes, I just...drank too quickly. Nothing to concern yourself with.”

“...Oh.” Phoenix’s eyes flitted toward Edgeworth’s glass. Empty. No ring in sight. “...Oh.”

Oh god, had Edgeworth swallowed the ring? Or had the ring even made it to the drink? Had him not wanting a drink gotten the waiter mixed up? Or them getting champagne for dessert? His mind was churning a million miles an hour.

“We should inquire about it,” Edgeworth said. “The champagne, I mean.”

“Yes. Yes we should!” Phoenix stood abruptly. “Actually, hey, why don’t I do that right now?!”

“Ah. Y-Yes, of course! You should do that.”

“I should!”

“Indeed.”

“Yup.”

They both looked at each other a moment. Phoenix coughed. “Uh, be right back.” And he turned and rushed off.

There were some other servers making their way through the restaurant, carrying trays of fish and salad and what looked to be a large rack of lamb. It took a minute of searching before he was able to pick out their waiter. “H-Hey! Hey, uh, Marcus!”

The man paused, looking confused a moment before recognition painted his face. “Oh! Hello, sir, is there any—”

“The ring, do you still have the ring?”

“The...uh…” His face drained of color. “I-I’m sorry?”

“Do you have the ring I gave you guys?” Phoenix asked, heart pounding out of his chest. “Please tell me you have the ring I gave you guys.”

“Oh, that, uh…” His face screwed up, as if trying to do some mental math. Then, “Y...Yes? Yes. Yes, I...think so?”

“You think so?!”

“Sorry, yes, I do have the ring,” Marcus the waiter replied, sounding a bit more confident. “Sorry, it’s—I’m trying to keep track of a lot of...things.”

“Okay. Okay,” Phoenix said, letting out a breath. “Okay, good. Uh, alright, you were going to put it in the later champagne then, right?”

“Yes, the—” He frowned. “W-Wait, I thought this was supposed to go with your dessert?”

“Huh?” Phoenix frowned. “What?” Did I say dessert? “Okay, sorry, scratch that, just put it in the dessert champagne glass. Does that work?”

“Oh? Uh.” He seemed almost unsure, like he was trying to remember something. “R-Right, okay, no dessert, just the dessert champagne.”

“Right. Okay, perfect, thank you so much.” He paused. “...though I might still order dessert.”

“Hmm?”

“Err, never mind, sorry, don’t want to confuse you.”

“Oh, uh, of course—”

But Phoenix was already gone, jogging back toward their table before almost colliding with a waitress and deciding he should probably walk instead. Edgeworth was clutching his napkin, looking deep in thought as he toyed with it. “Hey Edgeworth—”

“Wright!” Edgeworth shoved something into his pocket. “Did you find the champagne brand?”

Shit. “Y...Yes.” He plopped into his seat.

“...are you going to share with the class, perhaps?”

“...I already forgot it.”

“Of course you did.” Edgeworth sighed, shaking his head. “Well, it’s fine. We can ask again when the waiter returns.”

“Mmhmm.” Alright, so a new plan. As long as Edgeworth hadn’t swallowed the ring, things were still on track. Things were going great. Things were going fine. Things were—

“You clean up well, Wright.”

“Huh?”

His head snapped up. Edgeworth was looking him over. He looked a bit calmer now than he had before, a small smile on his face. “I don’t think I mentioned it earlier.”

“...o-oh.” He laughed a bit at that, rubbing at his neck, feeling his face flush. “Thanks. I’d say the same to you, but I don’t think it counts as cleaning up when you always look this good.”

He got a chuckle in response. “Is that so?” he said, leaning in slightly. “Well, well, Mr. Wright, as they say, flattery gets you everywhere.”

Phoenix found himself laughing. “What are you talking about, where exactly is this flattery supposed to be getting me? You're already paying for dinner.”

“Wright I am trying to be nice for once, the least you could do is play along.”

The two of them laughed at that, Phoenix shaking his head. The conversation started back up after that, not quite as animated as it had been earlier. Occasionally one or the other would trail off, lost in thought for a moment before restarting the conversation. The words Phoenix wanted to say kept cycling through his head on loop. His skin felt like it was buzzing.

“Say, Wright.”

“Hmm?” They’d both trailed off again, into a companionable silence, and Edgeworth broke it first. His brows were drawn together, frowning, tapping a finger on the table. Phoenix raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms over the table. “Something up, Edgeworth?”

He looked apprehensive. “...Wright,” he said. Then, “Phoenix.”

Phoenix perked up. His first name again? “Yeah?”

“I...love you.”

A beat. Phoenix snorted. “Well yeah? You’ve, uh, mentioned that before.”

“W-Well, yes, certainly,” Edgeworth replied, flustering slightly. “I...simply thought it important to mention it again.”

“Well, I’m happy to hear that,” Phoenix said, leaning back in his seat. “What’s the occasion?”

He shifted a bit, taking a breath. “...actually, Wright, I wanted to—” 

There was a small clatter, and both of them jumped as a plate was set down in front of Edgeworth. “Here you are,” Marcus the waiter said, setting a second plate in front of Phoenix.

“R-Right, thank you,” Edgeworth murmured, looking oddly disappointed.

The food, of course, was amazing, though he expected nothing less from a restaurant picked by Chief Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth himself. Plus tuna steaks were much better than canned tuna, as it turned out. And Edgeworth’s meal was amazing too, some fish name he hadn’t heard of before in a strange fruity sauce. Phoenix managed to snag a couple of bites before Edgeworth reprimanded him, angrily demanding a bite of Phoenix’s if only to complain about his distaste for tuna.

The meal went quickly, thank goodness, and soon Phoenix was leaning back in his chair, groaning. “Wow, that was fantastic. I feel like I overate…”

“I kept telling you we can easily save the leftovers,” Edgeworth snapped back, before quickly slapping Phoenix’s hand away from his remaining food. “And cut that out, you’ll make yourself sick.”

“Come on, Edgeworth, I think I have room for a little more.”

“You are a monster,” Edgeworth replied. “A blight upon humanity.”

“Aw, don’t be like that.”

Marcus the waiter reappeared at their table. “So how was everything?” he asked brightly. “Did you save any room for dessert?”

“Oh yeah,” Phoenix said. “We need to get dessert! And Edgeworth, you wanted another glass of champagne, right?”

“Hmm.” Edgeworth parsed his lips. “Actually, I think you were right, Wright, the one glass was probably enough.”

“...huh?”

“Yes, I think I’m quite full,” he mused, oblivious to Phoenix's dawning horror. “But if you still wanted to risk some cheesecake, I’m certainly not against—”

“Wait, Edgeworth, come on, you sure you don’t want some more champagne?” Phoenix asked quickly, exchanging glances with the rather put upon looking waiter. “It’s date night! You have to get more champagne on date night.”

“You say that as if I weren’t going to be the only one drinking,” Edgeworth replied, looking a bit bemused. “Really, Wright, you don’t need to keep purchasing me alcohol—”

“How about a dessert then?!” Phoenix grabbed up the menu from Marcus the waiter, scanning through for something that Edgeworth might like. “There’s gotta be something on here you’d want, right?”

“Wright, you know I’m not really one for desserts—”

“But you like some desserts, right? Bread pudding? That’s an Edgeworth kind of dessert, right?”

“What has gotten into you today?” Edgeworth asked, finger tapping against his arm. “Just order your cheesecake. Honestly, I don’t need anything else—”

“Just look at the menu,” Phoenix begged. “You really don’t want anything?! There’s got to be something you’d want—”

“Fine! Good lord, I will have a coffee then,” Edgeworth snapped finally, glaring down over the menu. “Does that satisfy you, Wright?”

“Right. Right, okay, coffee! You can—You can do coffee, right?”

The waiter balked. “Oh, uh...coffee?”

“Yes. Coffee,” Phoenix repeated intently. “Can. You. Do. Coffee?”

“I-I can...certainly...uh…” He looked wildly between the two of them. “...yes. Yes of course. Coffee it is.”

“Great!” Phoenix’s shoulders sagged in relief as Marcus the waiter retreated. He turned back toward Edgeworth, then froze, seeing the intense look of scrutiny on his face. “...What?”

“You didn’t order your cheesecake.”

“...aw damn it,” Phoenix muttered, and Edgeworth shook his head.

“Well, I’m certain the mistake wouldn’t have happened had you simply ordered for yourself rather than demand I purchase a coffee of all things,” he said, leaning in. “Really, Wright, what has gotten into you?”

Phoenix swallowed, quickly racking his brain for an excuse. “I...I wanted to get you something,” he said. “Since you’re paying for the expensive stuff I thought I could pay you back this way, you know? You deserve so much, so this was the least I could do.”

That seemed to work. His annoyance immediately faded to surprise, then turned soft, affectionate. “Wright…” he murmured.

“I know you like taking me out to wine and dine me,” Phoenix said, smiling, “but I want to do nice things for you too, you know?”

Edgeworth searched his face for a moment. Then he reached across the table. Phoenix blinked at his outstretched palm for a moment, before reaching out and taking it with his own. “Wright,” Edgeworth murmured, reaching out with his other hand to start tracing shapes on Phoenix’s hand. “Actually… Yes, I think I want to say something to you now, if you’d be willing to spare me a moment.”

“Oh.” That was a turn for the unexpected. Not wholly unwanted, of course, just unexpected. “Of course. Something wrong?”

“Not at all,” Edgeworth replied. “I’ve just been...thinking a lot.”

“...mmhmm.”

Edgeworth stared at Phoenix’s hand a moment longer, before looking up. “Phoenix.”

“...that’s the third Phoenix today, I’m starting to worry,” Phoenix joked.

“I love you more than I ever thought I could love anyone in my entire life.”

Well, that shut him up. Phoenix stared at Edgeworth a moment, all jokes withering on his lips.

Edgeworth soldiered on. “You have changed my life in more ways than seemed possible,” he murmured. “Not just in the courtroom, but outside as well. You are…” His grip tightened on Phoenix’s hand. “You are a good man. No. You are, without a doubt, the greatest man I have ever met. You bring light and love and life with you wherever you go, and every person you meet, you somehow help them become the greatest possible person they could be. You...You have made me the man I am today. Or, I suppose the man I am today wouldn’t even be here without your love and guidance. Phoenix, you are everything to me.”

Phoenix gaped at him, eyes wide, air somehow squeezed from his lungs. “...o-oh,” he managed. “Wow.”

“...and that’s why…”

“Huh?” 

Edgeworth stood up, still gripping Phoenix’s hand. “That...That is why I would like to ask you something.”

“...Huh?!”

And suddenly, Edgeworth was kneeling next to him, reaching into his pocket, drawing something out. “Phoenix Wright. Will you—?”

“No.”

Edgeworth froze. “...what?”

“No, no, wait, hold on a second!” And Phoenix scrambled to his feet, almost knocking over his chair. “Hold on, get up!”

“Get—What—?” Phoenix grabbed Edgeworth from under the armpits, hauling him to his feet. “Wright, what on earth—?!”

“Miles Edgeworth, I have been rehearsing this for months and you are not taking this from me!” And Phoenix dropped to one knee. “Miles Edgeworth, from the moment I first met you—”

“Oh my god.”

“No, shut up!” Phoenix snapped, and Edgeworth started laughing.

“Oh my god,” he said, pinching the bridge of his nose and yet still laughing. “Of course. Of course you’re doing this.”

“Miles Edgeworth!” Phoenix interrupted louder, even as Edgeworth started practically choking on his muffled laughter. “From the moment I first met you, I knew that you were special.”

“Wright,” Edgeworth interrupted, a hand over his face. “Wright, you understand my answer is already yes, right? I'm literally holding an engagement ring.”

“Yes, but you already got to do your entire speech,” Phoenix snapped furiously. “I haven’t even gotten to the parts where I call you the love of my life, so clearly you need to just hold off and wait to make an informed decision—Hey, Marcus!”

Marcus the waiter froze, holding a tray with a coffee on it. He looked like a deer in headlights. Phoenix waved him over. “I changed my mind, give me back the ring.”

“I—But I already put it in the coffee?”

“...you what?!” Phoenix was back on his feet as Marcus the waiter gingerly put the coffee on the table. “Why did you put it IN the coffee?!”

“I-I thought that’s what you wanted me to do with it, right?”

Phoenix sighed deeply, looking from the waiter to Edgeworth to the cup, snatching the coffee from the table.

“Wright—”

“Godot, wherever you are, give me strength.”

“Wh—?!” Phoenix shut his eyes and took a deep drink, ignoring Edgeworth's protests until he swatted his arm. “Wright there is a spoon on the tray, please, just do that instead of hurting yourself.”

Phoenix paused, wincing at the scalding coffee. “Oh.” A beat. He scrambled for the spoon, fishing through the dark liquid until he heard a scrape, before finally unearthing a small silver ring. “There we go!” He set the coffee down, wiping off the ring with his napkin and turning. “Alright, let’s try this again. Miles Edgeworth—”

“Wait is that my ring?!”

They both stood there a moment. Phoenix slowly looked down, down at the small silver band resting in his hand. Just as slowly he looked over toward Edgeworth’s hand, opening to reveal another ring. A slightly more familiar ring.

They stood there a moment, looking from one ring to the other. After a moment, Phoenix sighed, slipping the ring in his hand onto his own finger. “Alright, from the top.”

“Wright, you are the most ridiculous—”

“Miles Edgeworth,” Phoenix interrupted, “I love you. I love you so much. I had this whole speech planned out about it, but apparently the universe is telling me I should just skip ahead to the relevant parts.” He settled back onto one knee, grabbing Edgeworth’s hand and looking up into his eyes. “Miles, will you marry me?”

Edgeworth looked at him, eyebrows raised. And then, with a huff, he removed his hand from Phoenix’s. “Absolutely not,” he snapped, taking the ring he’d still been holding and slipping it onto his own finger. “You haven’t even accepted my proposal, and you expect me to simply jump on board with yours?”

“What?” Phoenix frowned, before shooting back to his feet, frowning. “Aw come on, Edgeworth, don’t be stubborn about this.”

“Stubborn? How am I being stubborn about this?” Edgeworth snapped. “After all, I proposed to you first.”

“Objection!” Phoenix grinned, hands on his hips. “You didn’t actually ask me anything.”

“Wh…?” Edgeworth paused, frowning, replaying the conversation in his head before groaning, head falling back. “Well, that’s hardly my fault, you interrupted me!”

“Still, that means I asked you first,” Phoenix said, grinning from ear to ear. “That means you have to say yes to me first.”

“You clearly already understood what I was attempting to say, Wright, now we’re just arguing semantics.”

“Should I leave?” Marcus the waiter asked.

Two heads snapped his way. They’d completely forgotten about him, standing there with his tray, looking a bit frightened. “...the check, if you would,” Edgeworth replied. Marcus nodded and scurried off.

Phoenix sighed. “Alright, fine. A compromise, then.”

Edgeworth narrowed his eyes. “And what sort of compromise do you have in mind?”

“We say yes at the same time,” Phoenix said. “What do you think?”

Edgeworth narrowed his eyes. Then with a groan, he grabbed the front of Phoenix’s shirt. “This is ridiculous.”

“Wh—”

Edgeworth pulled him in and kissed him soundly on the mouth. With a startled laugh, Phoenix grinned into the kiss, before letting his lips move against Edgeworth’s as he wrapped his arms around him, pulling him as close as the laws of physics would allow. Edgeworth's lips were always so soft and inviting, and Phoenix could kiss him forever and never grow tired of it. And he did, kissing him tenderly, feeling Edgeworth smiling back into the kiss, until the roaring in his ears suddenly became comprehensible as applause, and Phoenix suddenly pulled himself back.

The room was clapping and laughing. It seemed they’d gotten most of the other patron’s attention with all the noise they’d been making. Edgeworth stiffened, looking mortified, face red, stepping back just as suddenly as Phoenix did and pinching the bridge of his nose. “Oh good grief,” he muttered. “Now look what you made me do.”

“Oh I made you do that?” Phoenix asked with a dopey, lopsided grin, plopping back down in his chair. “That was my fault?”

“Certainly,” Edgeworth replied, sitting down as well, waving his arm awkwardly as the cheering died down into the usual chatter and bustle of the restaurant. “I swear…” He shook his head, trying so hard to look annoyed if only he could fight that affectionate smile off of his lips.

“So, is that a yes?” Phoenix teased, as Edgeworth rolled his eyes and settled back into his seat.

“I will think about it,” he replied with a coy grin, before freezing. “Hmm? What is...?”

Phoenix cocked his head. “Something up?”

“I think I felt my phone going off.”

Phoenix laughed immediately, feeling a well of relief as Edgeworth scrambled through his pockets. “Why are you at your most popular when I'm trying to propose to you?”

Edgeworth looked confused a moment, before snorting, finally drawing out his phone, glancing at the screen. Then suddenly his expression sharpened.

Phoenix paused. “Err, something wrong?” he asked.

“Wright, have you missed any calls?”

“Hmm? Uh, no, I don’t think…” He dug into his pocket, pulling out his phone.

Apollo Justice (3 Missed Calls)

Phoenix blinked. He met Edgeworth’s eyes. Wordlessly, he held up his own phone.

Klavier Gavin (2 Missed Calls)

For a moment, neither moved. Then both turned toward their phones, redialing.

It seemed Apollo picked up first. “Mr. Wright!”

“Apollo?” Phoenix responded. “Hey. Is something up?”

“Yeah, uh, hey, remember how you said to call in an emergency?”

Chapter Text

“Okay, and you guys sure you’ll be able to hold down the fort without us?”

“Are we really that untrustworthy?” Athena asked pointedly, hands on her hips as Phoenix continued to fret with his shirt in the mirror. “Really, Mr. Wright, we’re fine. Have fun, enjoy your date.”

“A-Anyway, don’t break anything,” Phoenix said. “And NO murders.” He turned, pointing at each of them in turn. “I’m not having a working vacation, got it?”

“I make no promises,” Blackquill replied. Athena sent him a pointed scowl at that, and he raised an eyebrow at her. “What?”

“Nothing.”

Silence. Blackquill frowned. “What?” he asked again.

“Nothing.” She narrowed her eyes at him. He just stared back, brows drawn together, looking more and more confused by the second as she seethed. Oh you are going to have fun today buster, just you wait...

“Hurry up, Wright, if your lollygagging makes us late—”

“I’m coming, I’m coming.” And with that, Phoenix and Edgeworth disappeared into the night air. Or afternoon air. Or late evening air, whichever it was.

As soon as they were gone, Athena spun on her heels, clapping her hands together. “Okay, everyone, so who’s up for mini golf!”

Apollo groaned, flopping back against the wall. “Can we please just take a break?” he moaned. “We’ve been doing things all day, my legs hurt.”

“No,” Athena snapped, rounding on him. “Come on Apollo, it’s a vacation! Vacations were made to do stuff!”

“No they weren’t!” Apollo retorted. “Vacations were made for resting! Relaxing! Lying in bed and not moving for twenty-four hours.”

“And making out with your new boyfriend,” Trucy chimed.

“And making out with my new boyfrie—Wh—Trucy!”

“Achtung, that certainly sounds like my kind of vacation,” Klavier said, grinning wolfishly at Apollo, who looked a bit like he was overheating all of the sudden.

“Oh, uh, I, uh, uh—”

“Well it doesn’t sound like my kind of vacation,” Athena shot back. “I want to do things! Have fun! Experience new adventures! Not sit around and make out with Apollo’s new boyfriend.”

“W-W-Well you’re not invited!” Apollo snapped. Then, “...I feel like we’ve gotten off topic.”

“I can’t believe you guys,” Athena said, looking around at the lot of them with a pout. “Trying to weasel out of doing anything on such a gorgeous day. We still have so many things we could do! We can rent bikes or go shopping or walk through another nature preserve or zipline or—”

“Costs money, costs money, don’t want to, costs money,” Apollo muttered, and Athena glared at him.

“Mini golf.”

“Better than real golf but still sucks.”

“Swimming?”

“I mean, sure, have fun without me then.”

“Fraulein,” Klavier interrupted, shaking his head with a fond smile, “perhaps we should take a quick breather? We have been doing quite a lot, and we should probably start thinking about dinner soon.”

“Oh don’t you worry your pretty little head, Klavier, I already have a plan for dinner.”

He immediately laughed at that. “You do?” he asked, as she quickly started pulling up a restaurant on Widget’s screen.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Blackquill sit up, eyes narrowing. “Cykes-dono if you say endless crab legs—”

“We are getting endless crab legs!” And she slammed her hand down on the counter, a platter of crab legs materializing digitally in the air. “Come on! When are we ever going to have the chance to eat this much crab again?”

“Hopefully never,” Apollo said. “Come on, Athena, you know it’s just a scam.”

“It’s not a scam if you’re not a coward!” She shot back. “Come on, who’s with me?!”

“Yeah!” Trucy cheered, twirling toward Athena. “Come on, it’s going to be so much fun! Here, Athena, show them the menu.”

“But of course~!” And the crab legs disappeared, replaced with a wall of text. “We found the perfect restaurant. They have games and music and a little ice cream parlor—”

Apollo groaned a bit, rubbing at his exhausted face. “Can’t we just order in for once? Please?”

“Of course not,” Trucy told him with a pout. “Besides, if we stay here, we miss out on the games and live music! Plus…” And she glanced toward Klavier. “I heard sometimes they’ll even let guests do some karaoke.”

“Well I certainly can’t turn that down,” Klavier replied immediately, and Apollo rounded on him.

“Hell yeah you can!” he snapped. “What happened to going incognito, huh?”

“Achtung! I understand, but I cannot pass up the chance to serenade mein Herr Forehead, now can I?”

“You can’t pass what up?” And Klavier leaned in real close, wiggling his eyebrows, making Apollo’s face flush red. “W-W-Wait, uh, that, I, uh…”

“...Are we going to be dealing with this for the foreseeable future?” Blackquill asked, looking at the two of them in disgust. “I would like to know in advance if I should simply gouge my eyes out.”

“Is that a hint of jealousy I detect in your voice, Herr Blackquill?”

“Hmph. Disgusting.” Blackquill walked over toward Athena, frowning over her shoulder as she pulled up the menu. Then suddenly he was crossing his arms, resting them on top of her head, and leaning most of his body weight on her spine. Athena yelped, almost falling over. “Ow! Hey! Simon!”

“What?” he asked, sounding smug, making sure his chin dug into the top of her head as he spoke. “Is something the matter?”

“Yeah! Get off!”

“Hmm so many food options. I just cannot decide what I want.” He tapped a finger on her head a few times, as if deep in thought. Furiously, she elbowed him, trying to find somewhere soft to hit until he stepped back. “Fine, I will take an order of the shrimp fried rice.”

“I’m not your waitress,” Athena pouted, scowling at him. “Why are you telling me?”

“So that you can bring me my order,” he replied. “Why else do I keep any of you around?”

Immediately, Athena froze. “Wait, Simon, you can’t just bail on us.”

“Oh? Can’t I?” Blackquill asked dryly. “Because it seems rather easy to do, all things considered. Why, look, I appear to be doing it right now.” And he flopped backward onto the pullout couch. “For something you claim to be beyond the bounds of physical limitations, it seems quite simple to ‘bail’ on you.”

“Simon, you can’t just sit here for several hours all by yourself,” Athena snapped.

“Why not? I did it for seven years.”

“Wh—Yeah?! Exactly?!” She waved her arms a bit. “You can literally do anything you want now! Why would you spend it—?”

“Anything I want?” Blackquill replied, smirking. “In that case, I shall while away the hours pouring Gavin-dono’s hair product down the drain.”

“You most certainly will not,” Klavier said, head snapping up from its two inches from Apollo’s. “Those are expensive I’ll have you know.”

“Athena,” Trucy whispered quickly. “Maybe we should change tactics a bit, hmm?”

“Oh?” Athena glanced over.

She smiled. “Listen, I know a thing or two about dealing with uncooperative grumps, trust me.”

“What are you looking at me for?” Apollo muttered under his breath, as Trucy turned on her heels and marched over toward Blackquill.

Blackquill glanced up at her from his spot on his bed, arms crossed on his chest. “...do you need something?”

“Mr. Blackquill,” Trucy said, sitting down next to him, “please come with us. It’s just not going to be the same without you.” And she whipped out the puppy eyes, lower lip trembling slightly. Athena snorted, covering her mouth.

“Well I can agree with that point,” Blackquill replied smoothly. “Yet why you think that’s an argument in your favor is beyond me.”

Trucy’s puppy eyes fell to a regular pout, and Apollo sighed. “Come on, Trucy, if the guy wants to sulk all day, let him.”

“Okay fine!” And Trucy crossed her arms. “Then I’ll just have to stay and hang out with Mr. Blackquill.”

“Okay no, no no no we’re not doing that.” Apollo grabbed her shoulder. “First off, on principle I can’t let you just hang out with a thirty year old man you barely know by yourself.”

“I’m not—” BLackquill froze. For a moment, there was horror in his eyes. “...Damn it all, I am almost thirty.”

“Come on, Trucy, you’re being ridiculous, let’s just go—”

“I’ll stay with Simon too!” Athena decided, walking over and sitting down on Blackquill’s other side, much to Apollo’s chagrin. “You two can just have a date. That sounds fun, right?”

Klavier perked up. “Ach, I’m not against that idea.”

“We’re not going on a date to an all-you-can-eat crab buffet that neither of us even want to go to!” Apollo snapped at him. “Come on, guys, let’s just leave Prosecutor Blackquill and get dinner.”

“I’m not going to let Simon sit here all day by himself,” Athena said. “Trucy, how about you go with the boys.”

“Aw, but I want us to all stick together,” Trucy protested. “A family dinner is no fun with only three of us.”

Blackquill stood up suddenly. Athena and Trucy jumped, looking up in tandem. “Uh, Simon?”

He ignored her, walking over toward where Apollo and Klavier were standing. Both frowned, stepping back as he shoved past. “Err, Herr Blackquill? Are you feeling alright?” Klavier asked, as Blackquill walked up to the full length mirror on the back wall.

Blackquill stared at himself a moment, brows drawn together, an odd, searching look in his eye. Athena hopped up, walking over and peaking into Blackquill’s reflection, cocking her head. Then she found herself grinning up at him. “Siiiiiimon, are you embarrassed because you’re getting old?” she teased, reaching over and poking his cheek.

“...seven years is a long time.”

“...Huh?”

“Fine. Dinner. We should...dinner,” Blackquill muttered, turning and shoving Athena away, trudging toward the door. She blinked after him, Widget murmuring a quiet “uhhhhhh?” as Trucy hopped up too.

“Yay! Okay, let’s go get dinner!”

“...shoot, why did I talk you guys into this when I still don’t want to go?” Apollo mumbled, grabbing his flip flops off the ground.

“It’s alright, Herr Forehead, we can have our date tomorrow.” Klavier leaned in and kissed Apollo’s forehead, and Apollo froze.

“Oh, uh, right, okay, cool. Great. Awesome.”

“Polly’s got a boyfriend~!” Trucy chimed again, and Apollo scowled at her, face still burning red.

“That is way less effective when it’s just an objective fact.”

“OoooooOooo,” Trucy slipped on her shoes and dashed to the door. “I call shotgun!”

They piled into the rental car, Athena pulling up the address for Klavier. It was another short drive, though Trucy still decided it was worth playing a Gavinner’s album as they drove. Apollo pouted a bit, pressed against the door of the car while he complained about the music and the heat and not getting to sit up front with his boyfriend. Athena was squished into the middle seat, folding herself as small as she could go, occasionally glancing to the side toward Blackquill, staring out the window deep in thought.

The restaurant was crowded when they finally arrived. No, scratch that, the entire plaza was crowded. It was a lively place. There were shops nearby, and there was a large patio beside the restaurant full of tables, with a small outdoor stage where an older gentleman was singing Jimmy Buffet covers. Past that were some games set up by a some palm trees, a giant Jenga tower and Connect Four.

Trucy gasped, turning toward Apollo. “Polly, let’s play Jenga!”

“No!”

Klavier laughed at that, glancing over toward Athena as the two started to squabble. “I’ll go put our name in, ja?”

“Good idea,” she replied. As Klavier disappeared into the restaurant, she glanced over toward Blackquill.

There was exhaustion in his dulled eyes as he stared at the treeline ahead of him. His arms hung loosely at his side, though his shoulders were tensed. And the bags under his eyes were darker than Athena had seen since the day he left prison. Maybe staying up late with that movie hadn’t been that good of an idea.

She strode up to him as he sighed, rubbing a hand over his face, before he seemed to catch her out of the corner of his eye and jumped, spinning toward her like he was about to draw a sword. A pause, and his shoulders relaxed. “Stop sneaking up on me, lest I rend your head from your shoulders.”

She snorted. “I wasn’t sneaking.”

He narrowed his eyes, as if he didn’t believe her, turning back toward the trees. “No sign of anything worth discussing, if that was your intention.”

“How are you feeling?”

He rolled his eyes. “Aside from the usual existential dread that plagues my life? Horrid. Next question.”

She sighed, hand on her hip. “If you hate being here that much, we could find something you’d like to do after dinner.”

“Hmph.” He crossed his arms, “Such as?”

“What do you mean ‘such as?’ I’m literally asking you what you want to do,” Athena said. “I can’t just come up with ideas for you. You have to have something you want to try while we’re still out here.”

“Yeah, Mr. Blackquill—”

He made a noise, spinning like he was about to strike someone, stopping short when he saw it was Trucy. “Stop that,” he snapped under his breath, rubbing one eye with his thumb.

“Come on, is there really nothing you want to do?” Trucy asked him, doing her best puppy eyes as she leaned in.

Athena snorted again, though Blackquill seemed unperturbed by her antics, leaning away slightly. “Nothing at all,” he replied.

“Well, don’t worry,” Trucy told him, reaching out to pat his arm until he pulled it away. “I’m very good at thinking of fun things to do.”

“I have the strangest suspicion that our definitions of fun differ.”

“I don’t know if you even have a definition of fun,” Apollo mumbled, before quickly looking away when Blackquill glared at him. “I, uh, what? Who said that?”

“Who indeed,” Blackquill muttered. “Not to worry, Justice-dono, I’m sure they will fall to my blade soon enough.”

“Herr Blackquill, don’t bully mein Herr Forehead,” Klavier said, walking over and slinging an arm over Apollo’s shoulders, who jumped in surprise.

It seemed it would be another twenty minutes before they would be seated. The group of them chattered and laughed as they waited, managing one round of Large Jenga and a few rounds of Connect Four. Or most of them did at least. Blackquill would humor them every few minutes, but never indulged them for very long.

“Come on, Simon, where’s your competitive spirit?” Athena snapped as he dropped another Connect Four piece into a random spot, ignoring the three Athena had stacked on top of each other at the center.

“This sucks!” Widget added angrily.

He fixed her with a cold look. “I could just be terrible at this game.”

“Ugh.” She placed her winning piece and crossed her arms. “It’s no fun if you just throw the match every time.”

“It wasn’t going to be fun either way. Better to end with a mercy killing and save us all the trouble.”

“We should go swimming tonight,” Trucy interrupted, hitting a button and letting all the pieces spill out over the brick floor of the patio. “Mr. Blackquill, do you know any pool games?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Pool games?” he repeated.

“Yeah! You know. Pool games! Like Marco Polo? Or pool tag.” She grinned, leaning in conspiratorially. “It’s like regular tag, but in a pool.”

“...fascinating.”

“Trucy, leave him alone,” Apollo mumbled, stacking the pieces by color. “Why would he have any pool games?”

“Well, just because you hate swimming doesn’t mean everyone does,” Trucy retorted. “I bet he has all sorts of new pool games we could try.”

“Ah, yes, all sorts of pool games,” Blackquill muttered flatly. “You are correct, I picked up many pool games in the klink. A place well known for its pool games.”

Klavier laughed at that, thumbs in the belt loops of his black jeans. “I feel like she may have been referencing some pre-prison pool time, ja?” he said. “I’m sure you’ve been to a pool at least once in your life before now.”

He hesitated at that, glancing off. “Pre-prison,” he repeated quietly. His voice was soft, and sad, but that edge to it was sharper. Athena perked up at that, but before she could say anything, he shrugged and continued on. “Well, aside from Aura’s attempts to drown me on occasion, nothing comes to mind.”

“That’s not a game,” Apollo countered immediately. “That’s assault.”

“Well, in her defense, the game would only begin once I shoved her into a pool,” he replied with a smirk.

“...Oh, so you’ve always been like this.”

The smirk fell away as Blackquill sent a glare toward Apollo. “...care to elaborate on that, Justice-dono?”

“...n…no,” Apollo replied slowly, taking a step back.

Athena frowned at them for a moment, at Blackquill’s exhausted scowl. After a moment, she cleared her throat. “Oh come on, you’ve always been kind of like that,” she told him, nudging his arm with her elbow.

“I have no idea what you mean,” Blackquill replied, pulling his arm out of her reach.

“Come on, you loved bothering Aura. You did it literally all the time when I was a kid, remember? Especially when my mother was involved.”

“That—”

“Achtung! I just realized.” Klavier perked up, leaning in with a grin. “Fraulein Athena, you’ve known Herr Blackquill for a long time, ja? Surely you have some embarrassing stories about him to share.”

“Oh, I have plenty,” Athena said, perking up.

Blackquill scowled pointedly at her. “No you do not.”

“Oh come on, what about the animal song?”

Blackquill immediately made a face like he’d swallowed a lemon. Apollo looked between the two of them. “I’m sorry, the what?” he asked.

“Oh, the animal song?” Athena asked. “Have I not told you about the animal song?”

“Cykes-dono, if you value your hide—”

“I was in dance class for like a month, and the preschoolers were always practicing to the worst song when Simon came to pick me up afterward.” She cleared her throat. “‘I’m a cow~! I go Moo Moo Moo. Moo Moo Moo—”

“Cykes-dono.”

“Moo Moo Moo! I’m a cow~! I go Moo Moo Moo—”

“Alright, Fraulein, that is the worst possible song,” Klavier laughed. “Please stop.”

“Oh it was the worst!” Athena agreed with a grin. “If I didn’t hate dance class so much, I’m pretty sure Simon would’ve made me stop himself. Or dismantle the speakers with a sword.”

“Athena.” Blackquill was starting to look annoyed.

“But yeah, he was always around after he started working with my mother,” she said, nudging Blackquill with her elbow. “And he was always just a big ol’ sweetheart. It was kind of like having a brother.”

“I—” For a split second, Klavier’s smile faded, before he shook it off. “Ach, I can’t believe Herr Blackquill was a sweetheart once,” he teased. “I'm not sure I can imagine it.”

“I can.” She grabbed Blackquill’s arm, swinging it back and forth. “Simon used to be a big old teddy bear—”

“LET GO.”

She did. The area went silent around them. She could feel dozens of eyes on them, including Klavier, Apollo, and Trucy. Blackquill refused to look at her. “...Gavin-dono, how much longer on our table?”

“Err...” He blinked. “I can go ask…?”

“Do that.” And Blackquill stepped away.

“...what the hell was that about?!” Apollo asked, crossing his arms, scowling at Blackquill’s back as Athena shook her head. She almost felt dizzy, the discord in his voice still ringing uncomfortably in her ears.

“H-Hey, guys, want to see a trick I’ve been working on?” Trucy interrupted quickly, a deck of cards suddenly in her hands.

In only a few minutes, Klavier returned, waving them over toward the restaurant with a grin. And as they entered, Athena’s ears were hit with a cacophony of noise.

Once upon a time, crowds were unbearable. A million thoughts and feelings pelting her from all angles, a million celebrations and arguments and breakups worming their way through Athena’s ears. And though she was much better at keeping a grip on herself, sometimes even now the sound of people's hearts would get overwhelming.

There was music playing overhead inside the dimly lit interior of the restaurant. The singer’s voice was warm and passionate and joyful, singing cheerily about the ocean.

There was a family just inside the doors. The children were shouting and shrieking and jumping on the chairs, midway through a sugar high. The wife begged them to stop while the husband’s voice seethed in rage.

The hostess smiled brightly at them, but her voice gave away her exhaustion. She sounded on the verge of tears as she led them toward a table, her smile a bit too strained.

Simon Blackquill snapped at Apollo as Apollo stepped on his foot, and his voice was like sandpaper, the edges fraying with anger and discord. Apollo shouted a startled apology.

A hand on her arm. Athena started, turned. Trucy was asking her a question. Trucy was asking her another question. Trucy leaned in, asking a new question, frowning, and Athena suddenly came back to herself.

“O-Oh, yeah, uh huh,” she replied, as if she had any idea what Trucy had been saying, and Trucy nodded, smiling in relief.

“Okay, perfect!”

“M-Mmhmm!” And she grabbed the nearest chair, sitting down. Wow, it’d been a while since she’d gotten that overwhelmed just from walking through a crowd, huh? She took a few breaths to ground herself and watched her companions collect around the table. Blackquill sat down next to her, a pronounced scowl on his face. Klavier sat on his right, followed by Apollo. Trucy sat down between Apollo and Athena, chattering away, keeping an eye on Blackquill as she did.

“They have so much seafood here, I can’t decide what I want.”

“Come on, Trucy, you and I both know exactly what you’re going to order.”

Her head snapped up toward Apollo. “Wanna bet?”

“No, because then you’ll change your order out of spite and I like my money in my wallet where it belongs, thank you.” He waved a hand at her pout, leaning his cheek on his other hand. “Come on, just order the spiciest thing on the menu and eat most of it cold for breakfast like you always do.”

“Spoilsport.” And she stuck out her tongue.

Athena laughed. Sometimes she forgot the two of them weren’t related, with how close Apollo and Trucy were. Listening to them bicker and argue as if they’d known each other their whole lives, and not just a few years. It felt like they were a unit. Apollo and Trucy, practically brother and sister.

She watched them a moment, before her eyes slowly drifted to her right. Simon Blackquill was stirring his water with a straw, face stony. “So what are you getting, Simon?”

“A migraine, if you must know.”

“...ah.” He continued to stir his water, round and round, not even sparing her a sideways glance. 

“What have you got there, Athena?”

Athena paused, frowning, scribbling harder and covering the paper with her arm. “Wait, not yet.”

Simon frowned at her, cocking his head. “What, am I not allowed to see?”

“Nooooo, just give me a minute.” She stuck out her tongue, scribbling harder. Finally, she smiled. “There.” And she hopped to her feet, tossing aside the black crayon. “Do you want to see it, Simon?”

“Hmph.” He gave an exaggerated pout, crossing his arms. “I don’t know, after you were so mean to me just moments ago…”

“Simoooon…”

“Fine, fine, hand it here.”

And she held it out with a proud puff of her chest. “I drew a picture of you! See?”

He blinked at it for a moment, face going slack as he stared at the paper in his hands. “You...You what?”

“See?” And she tugged him down a bit to point at the paper. “That’s you right there. And that’s a sword! And you’re fighting crime, since you’re a prosecutor and all.” She smiled shyly, tugging on her hair. “I-It’s...not very good, is it…”

“Not good?!” And Simon grinned at her, holding up the drawing. “I think it’s a fine likeness, wouldn’t you say?”

She watched him a moment longer. He still didn’t look her way. The water swirled in his glass, round and around, and Athena sighed, turning back forward.

“Oh, Mr. Blackquill, what’s your favorite seafood?”

Blackquill glanced over toward Trucy, pausing his stirring. “What does it matter?”

“I’m just curious,” Trucy replied, kicking her legs a bit. “Polly only ever gets popcorn shrimp so it’s boring to share with him.”

“What’s wrong with popcorn shrimp?” Apollo demanded.

“It’s like chicken nuggets for shrimp! That’s so boring!”

“Oh, so you wished to steal from me then, little lass,” Blackquill muttered with a tired half-smirk. “But I would not cross blades with me halfheartedly if you wish to keep your head.”

“Oh no, you’re getting popcorn shrimp too?!”

Blackquill paused, face falling. “...wh...what part of that statement…?” A shake of his head. “No matter, I have no interest in sharing.”

The flare of discord that was always at the edges of his voice had dulled down. Not absent, but not as dizzying in intensity as it had been earlier. That was good. Athena gave Trucy a sidelong smile before turning to her own menu.

Make Simon Blackquill enjoy himself. Where was one supposed to start with a tall order like that? He seemed so unshakable in his lifelong quest to never truly enjoy himself. A restaurant full of games and seafood and family most of all, and here he was, sulking with his water.

No. Sulking wasn’t the right word. It wasn’t sulking, if the discord in his heart was anything to go by. There was something deeper to it. He was hurt. Upset. Angry. His pain always festering just below the surface.

Was it the age comment? It wasn’t like twenty-eight was particularly old. She looked back over toward Blackquill, who was now slowly tearing the edges off of his napkin. He looked so different than he had when she was a child. His eyes were sunken and tired. His skin was pale, papery. His hair was long and tangled, though not as scraggly as it had been at the start of their trip. But the biggest change was the fact that he never smiled anymore. Not really. The occasional smirks and sneers never reached his eyes. His laugh always had a sharp edge. Sometimes he was almost unrecognizable.

Seven years is a long time…

“And what about you, Fraulein Athena?”

It took a moment for the words to register, but her head snapped up toward Klavier across the table. “Huh? What? Did you say something, Klavier?”

“Were you getting a drink?” he asked, smiling. “I’m willing to pay for at least one drink for everyone.”

“Stop offering drinks to children,” Blackquill told him with a scowl, and Klavier laughed.

“Non-alcoholic, Herr Blackquill, really, what kind of person do you take me for?”

“I want a Shirley Temple!” Trucy decided.

“Oh, shoot, I also kind of want a Shirley Temple,” Apollo said, grabbing up a drink menu.

“That’d be great, thanks so much Klavier.” She scooped up her menu, glancing over some of the fancy lemonades, before shooting to Simon, “By the way, I’m not a child, just so you know.”

Blackquill raised an eyebrow at her. “Hmph. You certainly could have fooled me.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?!” she snapped.

“Is the statement that obtuse? I am continuing to call you a child,” he said, and she turned toward him, slamming a hand on the table.

“I am an eighteen-year-old woman.”

“An oxymoron if I’ve ever heard one.”

“I mean he’s got you there, Athena,” Apollo muttered, sipping at his water, and Athena glared at him.

“Oh, like you’re the pinnacle of maturity,” she snapped.

“‘Oh Klavier, are we boyfriends now~?’” Widget added in a mocking voice, and Apollo choked on his water.

“And I’ll have you know, I happen to be very mature and adult,” Athena continued, turning back toward Blackquill, who was watching Apollo cough and choke with a satisfied smirk. “I have a career and everything.”

“Do you now? I hadn’t noticed,” Blackquill replied, not even sparing her a glance as Klavier patted Apollo’s back a few times.

“Well how do you think you got out of prison?”

A pause. Blackquill’s grip on his water tightened. “Perhaps this is all just a vivid dream. I’ve heard you can have the most vivid of hallucinations in the moments before the executioner’s axe falls.”

Silence. None of them moved for a moment.

“Oh?” Blackquill murmured, glancing around, looking almost smug. “I’m sorry, did I interrupt you all? Weren’t we having a fun dinner?”

“Mr. Blackquill, do you like magic?” Trucy interrupted quickly, a smile on her face despite the hint of worry in her voice. “I don’t think you’ve ever come to any of my magic shows.”

“Other than that spectacle on the beach? No, I have not.”

“That doesn’t count,” Trucy told him. “I can do way better magic when I have time to prepare a little. That was practically a warmup!”

“Yeah,” Apollo added. “She can do some crazy stuff, it’s terrifying.”

“Excuse me, I believe the word you were looking for was ‘awe inspiring’,” Trucy replied with an exaggerated pout.

“Sure. Just replace the word awe with terror and we’re good to go.”

“The point is,” Trucy continued, pointedly ignoring Apollo’s snicker, “you are hereby invited to all future Magical Girl Trucy shows. I’ll even let you in for free if you want.”

“What?! Why does he get free tickets and I don’t?!”

Blackquill frowned at her, looking a bit put out. “...I will...keep that in mind,” he replied slowly.

Trucy pouted again at his less-than-enthused response. She leaned over toward Athena. “Hmm, he’s a tougher nut to crack than Polly was.”

“Yeah,” Athena sighed, crossing her arms on the table. She blew her bangs out of her face, glancing over at the man. “He wasn’t always like this...” she muttered quietly. “He used to be so...nice…”

“If you’re going to gossip about me, can you please do it without the eye contact?” Blackquill replied with a scowl.

“No,” Athena replied, making harder eye contact with him.

“Do you have something to say to me, then, little girl?”

“You know what? I do have something to say to you,” Athena snapped, slapping her hands on the table.

“Hello!” The waitress practically materialized between Athena and Blackquill, making both of them jump. “My name is Rosie and I’ll be serving you today. Can I interest you in any drinks?”

“Ja, drinks would be wonderful right about now,” Klavier said, his million-watt smile splitting his face and flipping to the drink menu. “Herr Blackquill, Fraulein Athena, were either of you getting anything?”

“R-Right! Right.” Athena grabbed the menu up, quickly placing her order. The room around them continued to hum with noise and excitement, but the five of them were silent, all in their own little worlds, until Trucy turned to chat with Klavier across the table. Athena shut her eyes for a moment, not listening to the words, but listening to the emotions as the tensions eased. Klavier and Trucy were good at that, Athena had found. Easing tensions. Relaxing people. After a moment, even Apollo joined in the conversation.

Blackquill stayed quiet, because of course he did. When Athena opened her eyes, he was watching her, stoney-faced. “What?” she asked.

“...Nothing.” And he turned away again, as her face fell, just a bit.

“Now Herr Forehead, let’s say, hypothetically someone was to serenade you?” Klavier was saying across the table, and Apollo gave him a skeptical look.

“Alright, and let’s say hypothetically I never speak to that someone again.”

“Ach, you haven’t even let me finish the question.”

“I know what the question is, Klavier.”

Trucy grabbed Apollo’s arm. “But Polly, how can you turn down being serenaded by Klavier Gavin?!”

“You do understand the moment people catch wind of Klavier Gavin just hanging out here the paparazzi is going to have a field day with us, right?”

Klavier grinned at him, readjusting today’s ‘clever disguise’, a few pieces of stray hair poking out from under the hat. “Ja, ja, I suppose that’s a fair point.” And he leaned in. “I suppose you’ll just have to serenade me then, hmm?”

“I have to what?!”

“Oooo Polly you absolutely have to serenade Mr. Gavin!”

“No I do not!”

“Herr Blackquill, do you sing at all?” Klavier asked, taking a sip of his drink as Apollo crossed his arms.

“Hmph. Do I look like I sing?” he asked. “And I am not serenading you either.”

Several peals of laughter rang out around the table. Athena found herself smiling too. “Aw, don’t sell yourself short, Simon, you have a lovely singing voice.”

“Achtung! If that’s the case then I need Herr Blackquill to serenade me.”

“Why do you need someone to—hey wait hold on, why does Blackquill—”

“I don’t sing,” Blackquill interrupted a sputtering Apollo, turning an eye toward Athena. “I don’t know what you are thinking of, but I do not sing.”

“Aw but you loved singing,” Athena said. “You sang all the time, remember? What was that one you taught me? Zankoku na...?”

“Wh—That—” Dawning horror suddenly crossed Blackquill’s face. “How do you…?! No, I haven’t the slightest clue what you are referring to.”

“No, no, you used to sing it all the time.”

“I suspect you’ve lost what little sanity remains in that head of yours—”

“Didn’t it go something like…?” And Athena started humming.

“Athena.”

“Something, somethi~ing, something something blah blah blah…” Athena sang, and Apollo choked on his drink.

“Is—Wait—Wait—” Apollo coughed through a giggle. “Is that—Is that the opening for Evengelion—?!”

“Justice-dono one more word and I skin you alive.”

Apollo shoved his knuckles into his mouth, doubling over through more coughs and giggles, Klavier and Trucy exchanging clueless glances. “Err, Herr Forehead are you okay?”

“WhywouldyouteachachildtheEvengeliontheme???”

“Herr Forehead are you crying?!”

Apollo’s head hit the table, shoulders still shaking as Klavier gave his back a few pats. Blackquill glowered at him, before turning that glare toward Athena. She gave him a sheepish smile. “What?”

“Stop that.”

“But you had such a nice voice,” Athena insisted. “You don’t have to be embarrassed—”

“I’m not embarrassed, I just want you to cease your yammering for once in your life.”

Athena laughed at that. “Don’t worry, guys, I have plenty more embarrassing Simon stories.”

“Athena—”

“Do you remember that time we got that robot stuck in the trash chute?” Athena asked him.

“Athena I'm serious—”

“Or when you used to take my mother’s sword and swing it around?”

“That isn't what—”

“You loved stuff like that," she said. "Don't you remember? You always used to—”

“THAT WASN'T ME!”

His fists slammed into the table. The table jolted, several water glasses clattering over. The room around them went silent for a moment, several eyes turning their way. 

“That wasn't me," Simon said, hands shaking. "That man you are so constantly talking about? That wasn't me. That’s not me. That was a memory. A ghost. Simon Blackquill died seven years ago. He’s gone. He’s dead. He cried himself to sleep every goddamn night so I smothered him in his sleep. There. Are you happy now?”

Time stopped. For a good moment, nothing moved. No one breathed. Everyone stared at him, eyes wide. Eventually, the noise of the other tables had slowly started filtering back through Athena’s ears. Happy and sad and tired and excited, overtaking the echo of Simon Blackquill’s discordant voice echoing in her ears.

“S-So, uh, what was everyone ordering?” Trucy piped up suddenly, grabbing a napkin to dab at Apollo’s spilled water. “I know Athena wanted the crab legs—”

“I need air.” Blackquill stood to his feet.

“Wait, Simon—”

And he swept out the door.

The four of them sat there in silence. Klavier shifted a bit, spinning a ring on his finger, looking a bit thrown off. “...are you alright, Fraulein? If you want I could go and check on him for you—”

“N-No, I...I can do it. I’ll do it. I should do it.”

“Athena—”

“I can talk to him,” Athena repeated.

“Athena, he clearly doesn’t want you to check on him,” Apollo said, flapping his arm as he tried to air it dry. “Just let him blow off some steam or something.”

“We can’t just ignore him, Apollo,” Trucy protested.

“Why not?” Apollo muttered. “Honestly, you guys are way nicer to him than he deserves. Have you noticed he’s constantly shitty to all of us literally all the time? Or am I the only one who’s noticed?”

Athena rounded on him. “That’s not fair, you barely know him.”

“Oh and you do?”

“Excuse me—?!”

“Stop that,” Klavier interrupted quickly. “Both of you. Bitte.”

Apollo huffed, crossing his arms. Trucy looked over at him, hands balled in front of her chest. “He’s part of this family now too,” she said softly.

“Is he though?” Apollo asked. “He doesn’t seem to give a shit about us.”

Athena slammed her hands on the table, standing abruptly. “I’m going to check on him!”

“Athena—”

She turned and stormed off, Widget glowing a seething red on her chest as she wound her way through the crowd of people milling throughout the restaurant. That wasn’t fair. This wasn’t fair. This wasn’t right. What did Apollo know anyway?

She reached the doorway, stepping out of the restaurant. The sun was starting to set, painting the sky a brilliant smear of pinks and purples. It was still hot, muggy in a way that punched the air out of Athena’s lungs. She took a deep breath, glancing around for that familiar black coat. It was still crowded. There was still beachy music playing nearby on what sounded like a marimba. And there, standing by himself near the parking lot, was Simon Blackquill, back to the crowd and the music and the laughter, hunched forward, leaning against a tree, his face in his hand.

Simon Blackquill died seven years ago. He’s gone. He’s dead.

He somehow always looked smaller than she remembered. Of all the things that had changed, that was the first thing she noticed all those month ago when she saw him in court. Thinner. Gaunter. Like a strong wind could blow him over. Like he was running on fumes all this time. But he was safe now. He was free. Why couldn’t she get that through to him?

Silently, she approached his back. He hadn’t moved since she stepped out of that restaurant. He was still right there. Why couldn’t she reach him? Was she not trying hard enough? She reached forward.

He let out a strangled noise the instant her fingers touched his shoulder. He spun, hand shooting out, grabbing her wrist, hand raised like he was going to attack her. A look of panic, then confusion, then shock, and he let go. “W-What did—When did you—?!”

“Simon?”

“What are you doing out here?!” he snapped, face ashen as he took a quick step back.

“I...Are you okay?”

“Wh…” He stared at her like she’d grown two heads, before grunting and crossing his arms. “What do you mean? Am I not the epitome of good health and cheer.”

“No.”

He paused, looking startled at the frankness. “That—I—” He shook his head, taking another step back. “Athena, go inside and eat your blasted crustaceans. You will be all the happier for it”

“No.”

He glared at her. “Athena.”

“No, I won’t!” she snapped. “Not without you, Simon. Please, I-I just want to help—"

“When have I ever asked for your help?!” he snapped. “You are the one who inserted herself into my life, not the other way around. I don’t need you, Athena.”

It was like a punch in the gut. She stood there a moment, taking a few deep, steadying breaths. “I...I’m not just abandoning you,” she finally retorted. “You’re—You’re my family, Simon, y-you’re all I have left—”

“I AM NOT PART OF YOUR GODDAMN FAMILY.”

The world went silent. They stood there, frozen in time, the words hanging there between them.

“Listen to me. That pathetic little man is gone. It doesn’t matter how you dig, and how you beg, the man you knew can never come back. Don’t you understand that, Athena? There’s nothing left of him! There’s nothing left of me!”

“T-That's not—”

“Does that upset you?!” He was shouting now, mocking, hands trembling as he spoke. “Does that hurt?! That he’s never coming back?! That all that’s left is this twisted little husk, this shambling corpse?! Because you won’t find anything else here, Athena. That is all you’re ever going to get for the rest of our miserable lives. Now stop searching and leave me be.”

“But I—”

“I. Do not. Need you. Athena.” He said it quietly, but she stopped. And for a moment, Athena couldn’t tell what it was that made her feel so sick. And then it hit her.

The discord was gone.

“...t-then why?” It came out as barely a whisper. Then, “Why? Why?! What was the point of coming out here, huh?!”

“There was no point,” he replied.

“Why are you here?!” she was shouting now, grabbing the front of his coat, trying to shake him to no avail. “Why did you agree to come all the way out here if you didn’t care?!”

“A question I have been asking since day one,” he said simply. “A question soon to be rectified if I can find myself some plane tickets.”

“So that’s it?” she whispered. “You’re just giving up? Just giving up on your friends and family? On being happy? You're done?!”

“Are you quite finished, Cykes-dono?”

He sounded so tired. Athena stared at him. And stared. And she felt her grip go slack. Calmly, Blackquill took one more step back, pulling his coat from her hands.

“Feel free to let the others know of my intentions.” And without another word, he turned and walked off into the slowly darkening evening.

She stood there for a while. And a while more. The sun was starting to disappear now, and she just stood there. The chattering around her continued, laughter and arguments and love and anger and sadness and she could barely think straight, or breathe, and a figure stepped up next to her.

“Alright so we drew straws to decide who checks to see if you died and—Athena?!” Apollo stopped, eyes going wide. “Athena?! What’s wrong?! What happened?!”

She turned. And then she choked on a small sob. “Apollo…”

“Oh my god what did he do, where is he, I swear I am going to kick his ass—”

“C-Can we just go home?”

Apollo frowned at that. “W-What? But, I—Didn’t you want crab legs and—”

“I don’t care,” she said. “I don’t care. I just want to go home. I don’t care about any of this. I just want to leave. I don’t care.”

“I..” Apollo blinked a few times. “O-Okay, I’ll...yeah, I’ll go get the others—Actually I can just text them, uh, here, Athena, let’s sit down a sec, yeah, come on...”

He grabbed her arm and guided her to a little brick half-wall nearby, sitting her down and quickly shooting a text. Eventually, Trucy and Klavier joined them. Klavier said something about paying for everything they’d already eaten. Trucy handed her a to-go cup of lemonade. They were all talking to her, asking what happened, but the words weren’t filtering though, just the confusion and the worry and the shock and Athena stood up.

“Can we just go?” she interrupted, and they all went silent. “Please?”

“Uh, yeah, right, come on guys,” Apollo said, hopping to his feet as well. “Let’s just stop at a fast food joint on the way home and be done with it.”

“Ja, of course, my treat,” Klavier replied. “Should we...where did Herr Blackquill go? Shouldn’t we drive him home too?”

“What does it matter?” Athena mumbled. “What does any of this matter anyway?”

They all looked at her.

“...alright but seriously, I am going to murder Prosecutor Blackquill.”

“Herr Forehead you’re not helping.”

“So?!”

“Athena,” Trucy tried softly.

“He’s going back home,” she said. “He’s leaving. It doesn’t matter anymore. It never mattered. Can't we just go?”

The others paused, sending each other glances. “...sure,” Klavier said. “Let’s go.”

The drive back to the condo was made in silence. Athena stared out the window, wiping at her face with the palm of her hand, ignoring as they stopped to buy some burgers and shakes. As they stepped out of the car, Apollo leaned over. “Okay, uh, Athena, you didn’t actually say anything but I know you like the strawberry shakes so we got you strawberry.”

“Mm.” And Athena walked toward the stairs.

She made her way up quickly, trying to ignore the voices of her friends filtering in from below.

“No seriously I’m going to break his nose next time I see him—”

“Herr Forehead I know you’re upset but this is not helping anyone.”

“Why?! Why do you guys want to defend him so bad anyway? He just broke Athena! You know, the one person who still cares about him?”

“Apollo that is not fair!”

She reached the top and headed to the door. She was starting to get a headache now. The others were all arguing now. Apollo was angry and Klavier was frustrated and Trucy sounded frightened and she opened the door and shut it and took a deep breath.

She kicked off her flip flops. It was quiet inside. Phoenix and Edgeworth were still at dinner. Were they having a nice time? What did it matter? Blackquill’s pullout couch was still out and unmade, and Athena gritted her teeth, wiping at her face again.

The door behind her opened, and the others were still arguing.

“—y should we?! I don’t give a shit about him.”

“He is still our friend Herr Forehead, I’d like to at least know he’s safe wherever he went.”

“Oh he’s your friend? Honestly you guys care way more than he ever would.”

“Apollo.”

“Can you guys please stop fighting?” Trucy begged weakly.

“Ugh, should we call Herr Edgeworth?” Klavier muttered. “I don’t think he'll be happy if we interrupt him tonight…”

“Oh god, you think they're going to be upset at us for Prosecutor Blackquill ditching us, do you?”

“Ach I don’t know,” Klavier groaned. “Maybe I should just call Herr Blackquill again.”

“Oh please, if he didn’t answer five minutes ago what makes you think he’s going to answer now?”

Athena turned and walked into her room. She heard a pause, before the arguing started back up, like a million tiny hammers in her ears. She walked over and flopped onto the bed, pulling the pillow over her face to no avail. Their voices swirled through her head, still ringing loud and clear as they all continued arguing, Apollo and Klavier, Trucy occasionally chiming in. The noise of a door opening and closing. More arguing.

I do not need you, Athena.

She shut her eyes, taking a breath. In and out. It did nothing for the strange clench of her chest, but at least she could do it. In and out. Breathe in and out.

“Apollo, bitte, I understand you’re angry—”

“Well yeah I’m angry! Why aren’t you angry?! You should be angry!”

“Apollo.”

“I'm just saying, why the hell do I have to be the angry one? And Trucy—”

A beat.

“...err, Trucy?”

The sound of someone shifting outside. “...Fraulein?” Klavier’s voice called. Then, “Did she run to the bathroom?”

“N-No, the door is open, uh...maybe she went to bed?”

Athena blinked. She sat up, looking around at the empty room. That was...wait. She hopped out of the bed, quickly making her way over to the door.

“Ja, that’s probably it, should we check on them—?”

“Trucy isn’t in here,” Athena told them, opening the door.

Klavier and Apollo looked at her. “M-Maybe she’s in the other bathroom?” Apollo suggested. “The one in Mr. Wright’s room?”

“Err, Fraulein?” Klavier called, walking over to the other door. “Fraulein, did you go to the bathroom?”

“Or maybe she’s on the balcony,” Apollo muttered, climbing over Blackquill’s bed to peak out the back window.

Athena glanced around. It wasn’t a big condo. There were only three bedrooms. Two bathrooms. The laundry room didn't even have a door, it was just sort of shoved behind the kitchenette.

“She’s not in her vater’s room,” Klavier called out.

“Or on the balcony,” Apollo responded.

The three of them stood there a second, exchanging glances.

“Hahahaha she’s probably just, uh...you know...in the pool?” Athena suggested

“Is the pool still open?” Klavier asked, and Apollo opened the balcony door again, peaking down toward the pool.

“I-I don’t think so,” he told them.

Another long, heavy pause.

“...This is fine,” Apollo said loudly. “Everything’s fine. Don’t panic.”

“I-I’m not panicking,” Athena told him. “If anyone’s panicking it’s you—”

“I’M NOT PANICKING.” Apollo turned. “Did we leave her at the restaurant? Maybe she’s still at the restaurant.”

“Apollo she came in with us, she’s not at the restaurant.”

“Achtung!” Klavier grinned, pulling out his phone. “There is an obvious solution to our problems, ja?”

“Ja—Yeah—That’s right, duh!” Apollo crossed his arms, grinning as Klavier dialed. “She probably just stepped outside. Let’s just call her and—”

A phone began to chime from nearby. Everyone froze. Slowly, three pairs of eyes trailed toward the kitchen counter, where a small, sparkly blue phone was ringing.

“......Alright, I think it’s time to panic.”

Chapter Text

“Alright, now can someone here please explain to me how precisely you LOSE an ENTIRE CHILD?”

Phoenix watched as each of the remaining children wilted under Edgeworth’s furious gaze, all exchanging nervous looks. “I-I’m sure she can’t have gone too far,” Klavier replied, and Edgeworth pinched his nose.

“Of course not, but that's hardly the issue here, is it? First Blackquill wanders off and now…”

“Edgeworth,” Phoenix said, and Edgeworth turned his direction, still glowering.

“Fine, fine, you deal with them. Let me think for a moment.”

As Edgeworth stepped off to pace through the front entrance of the condo, Phoenix sighed, hands falling to his hips. “Alright. Let’s start off with what happened.”

“Well, Herr Blackquill left before we could have dinner,” Klavier explained calmly, leaning back in his seat, twisting his ring on his finger as he thought. For once, the mirth in his face was absent. “Fraulein Athena asked if we could return to the condo. Fraulein Wright definitely entered with us, and at some point, she left.”

“I can’t believe we didn’t notice her.” Apollo was pacing in a circle as well, head in his hands. “I didn’t even hear her leave! When did she leave? How long has she been gone?!”

“I don’t know.” Athena’s eyes were puffy. She looked a bit ill, sitting at the foot of Blackquill’s bed, tapping her earring. “I think I might’ve heard someone go through the door at one point, but I didn’t register it as strange until you mentioned Trucy was gone.”

“Aaaaaaagggghhhhh.” Apollo groaned, smacking himself in the face. “I’m so stupid, how did I not notice ?!”

“Herr Forehead, please, I was just as distracted as you,” Klavier replied, standing up and grabbing Apollo’s shoulder.

“Nnnnnggghhhh.” He paused a moment, before turning abruptly. “No. It’s fine. This is fine. She’s probably just taking a walk on the beach! Nothing could’ve happened to her!”

Athena winced. “Y-Yeah, that’s the spirit…?” she said. “She probably just wanted some air.”

“Probably,” Phoenix agreed, rubbing his chin, doing his best to ignore the panic bubbling in his stomach. “I’ll still like to look around for her though, if you guys don’t mind. Maybe we could just pop outside and look around?”

“R-Right. Right. Yeah! She couldn’t have gone far,” Apollo said.

“I’d imagine not.” Suddenly Edgeworth was standing at Phoenix’s side. “As far as I can tell, she didn't even grab her shoes. With no phone or money, it’s not like she could travel particularly far even if she wanted to.”

“Yeah. Yeah! She couldn’t have gone anywhere. Unless she was kidnapped or something.”

A pause.

“BUT THE ODDS OF THAT HAPPENING ARE ASTRONOMICALLY LOW RIGHT GUYS HAHAHA—”

“Mr. Justice!” Apollo’s mouth snapped shut. Edgeworth sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Aside from the fact that we have zero evidence of foul play, the odds of someone breaking into one of these rooms, grabbing a capable young woman like Trucy without anyone noticing, and exiting with her is incredibly low.”

“Yeah! Exactly what I said!” Apollo shouted, looking three inches away from freaking out right then and there. “She probably just wanted some fresh air after a shitty dinner. A-And absolutely nothing happened to her once she got outside—”

“So should we look around then, boss?” Athena interrupted quickly, punching her fist into her hand with a shaky-looking grin. “We’ll find her in no time!”

Phoenix looked at her a moment. She more than anyone looked like she was hanging by a thread. After a moment, he said, “Well, sure, but we probably should have someone stay here in case she comes back.”

Athena blinked. “That’s fair,” she murmured. Then, “Oh! Wait, let’s just leave her a note! So if she gets back while we’re out she can call us! Then all of us can help!”

“I...Yeah that works too,” Phoenix admitted, as Athena jogged into her room, coming back out with a torn piece of paper and some tape.

“Alright, come on, let’s get going!”

Phoenix sighed, glancing around. “Alright. How’s this? Edgeworth, you take the car and drive around a bit, see if she’s somewhere within walking distance. When you’re done, you can hang out here in case Trucy comes back. The rest of us can check the beach.” He turned. “Apollo, Klavier, you two can go left and split up at that little path leading inland. Athena and I can head right. That sound like a good plan?”

“Ja, I think it makes sense enough,” Klavier replied. “We can call each other if we find anything.”

Edgeworth nodded. “Agreed. I will be on my way then.” And without another word, he turned and walked out into the night air.

Phoenix watched the door close behind him, sighing to himself. So much for celebrating their engagement or something. He motioned his head to the others. “Come on, let’s go.”

Apollo still looked a bit ill as he strode out the door. “I can’t believe I didn’t even see her leave,” he was saying again. “What kind of idiot…?”

“We were all distracted, Herr Forehead,” Klavier replied again, putting a hand on his shoulder. “And I’m sure we’ll find her in no time flat.”

He groaned a bit, not looking convinced, but leaning into the touch with a scowl.

As they stepped out into the darkening evening, Athena charged ahead toward the stairs. “Alright, let’s go! Andele! Schnell! Hurry up!”

“...is she alright?” Phoenix whispered to Klavier as they followed after her.

“She’s...better than she was an hour ago, ja?”

“...right.”

They made their way down, through the pool area, past the outdoor showers and the gate. The sun had already sunk on the horizon. The sky was starting to fill with stars, and the night air was slowly starting to cool. As they reached the sand, Apollo kicked off his flip flops and scooped them up. “Alright, let’s get going.” He rounded on the others. “You all have your phones, right?”

“Ja.”

“Yup.”

“Uh huh.”

“Good.” He turned the other way. “Alright, come on, Prosec—Err.” He blinked, frowning. “...Klavier.”

Klavier snorted at that. “Ja, of course.”

The two walked off. As they did, Klavier reached out, grabbing Apollo’s hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. Apollo sighed, glancing down at their conjoined hands before continuing to march forward, dragging the two of them past the nearby lifeguard chair and down the beach.

Despite everything, Phoenix smiled, just for a moment. Then he turned, taking a deep, steadying breath. “Alright, we need to get going too.”

“Huh huh,” Athena said. Then, “Don’t worry boss, we’ll find her in no time.”

He smiled again at her as they started off. It was true, Trucy had certainly been in more dire straits than this one, even just within the last year. Especially within the last year. It was far too early to panic.

That, of course, did nothing to stop the panic still bubbling in his gut. Still, the worst of times are when lawyers have to force their biggest smiles and all that. He forced the smile. “Thanks, Athena.”

“Of course!” Athena took a deep breath, marching ahead, shouting, “Trucy! Where are you?!”

“...hey Athena.”

“Hmm?” She turned to look. “What’s up, boss?”

“...are you alright?”

She paused. The confidence on her face disappeared, just for a moment, before she shook her head and forced the grin back onto her face. “What do you mean? Why wouldn’t I be?”

He hesitated. He’d only gotten bits and pieces out of Apollo on the phone earlier, but… “I just...I heard Blackquill left after you two fought.”

She winced immediately. “I-It...It wasn’t a fight,” she told him. “I just...I thought we were having fun, and he wasn’t. So he left.”

“...What does that mean?”

She huffed, blowing up at her bangs. “I-I was trying to make him feel better,” she said. “A-And I didn’t notice that I was making it worse, and he…” She trailed off, rubbing her arm. “...he told me he doesn’t want me in his life, and that he’s leaving.” A shaky laugh. “See? Not much to talk about, is there? Pretty cut and dry.”

Phoenix raised an eyebrow. “Well, I wouldn’t say that. After all, you still haven’t answered my question.”

“Right, uh. W-What was the question again?”

“Are you alright?”

She cringed again, grip tightening on her arm as her walking slowed. “I...I-I messed up so bad, Boss,” she whispered, the confidence in her eyes finally draining. “I ruined everything, and now he’s gone. So, uh, no, not really.”

“...Ah,” Phoenix said, slowing next to her. “I’m, uh, sorry to hear that.”

“...I’m scared, Mr. Wright.”

He cocked his head. “Scared? Scared of what?”

She laughed, a single sharp, shaky laugh. “I-I just… What if that was it?” she said. “What if that was my last chance to get him back and I ruined it? What if that was my last chance to save him? What if something happens now? Or nothing? What if nothing happens and he’s just left to suffer forever and I just have to live with the fact that there's nothing I can ever do that will actually help him? O-Or what if—what if he—” Her voice cracked.

“Athena…”

“I just want him to be okay, you know?” she said. “He’s in so much pain constantly, and I can’t reach him no matter what I do. I’ve been trying everything I can, and sometimes I think it’s working and then suddenly I find out all I’ve been doing is hurting him worse and...and…” She took a deep breath, in and out. “I-I don’t want to lose him, Mr. Wright. He’s all I have left from my family. I just…I just...I want him back,” she said softly. “I-I want to help him, and I don’t know how...”

Phoenix sighed, as Athena quickly wiped at her eyes. There had to be something to say to this, right?

“I’m sorry,” she apologized after a moment. “We shouldn’t get distracted, come on.”

“Do you want to help him or do you want him back?”

Athena froze in place. “Huh?” she said, looking up at him. “What do you mean by that?”

“Err, sorry, just spitballing here,” Phoenix said. “I just...I feel like you have a lot of expectations for what happens next, and how to help him and what you need to do. But what’s most important to you here? Helping him or getting him back?”

Athena stared at him a moment, before dropping her gaze to the sand. “...I…” Her hand fell to her side. “I guess I thought those were the same thing…”

They walked in silence for a bit after that. Athena looked deep in thought as they went.

“...no wonder he hates me.”

“I doubt he hates you.”

“He does though.” She said it quietly, Phoenix almost didn't hear. “I’m always making things worse for him. Nothing I do is helping him, just driving him away.”

A shrug. “Well, it's not too late to apologize and try to do better,” Phoenix said. “You guys are family, after all.”

She flinched. “Family, huh...? Simon doesn’t seem to think so.”

Phoenix considered that for a moment, rubbing his chin. “Well. I don’t have all the answers,” he told her. “But if I had to guess, you’re not past the point of no return just yet.” He let his hand fall to his side, before thinking on it and reaching out, mussing Athena’s hair a bit the way he would do with Trucy sometimes. “You care about him, right? I'm sure he knows that, at the very least.”

They were quiet for a moment, alone with the sound of the ocean roaring around them. “...hey Boss?”

“Hmm?”

She looked up at him, a small, watery smile on her face. “...I’m glad we ran into each other in Europe.”

A chuckle. “Me too,” he said. “Now let’s go find Trucy.”

“You got it!”

///

See, the biggest problem at this very moment was the fact that Apollo had been wiped out long before they even went to dinner that night. His legs ached, his eyes were dry. If he wasn’t three inches from a full blown anxiety attack, he’d probably be sound asleep.

God did he want to be asleep right now.

“TRUUUUUCY!”

Apollo’s voice echoed around the dunes, Klavier wincing a bit next to him. “Herr Forehead—”

“Sorry! Sorry. I can stop if you want.”

“Nein, just give me a warning so I can cover my ears next time.” Klavier nudged him with a grin. “It wouldn’t do for this to be what damages my ears, ja?”

“Ha ha,” Apollo muttered.

Klavier’s smile turned sympathetic. He squeezed their conjoined hands again. “I know you’re worried, schatz.”

“I mean I shouldn’t be,” Apollo muttered. “It’s Trucy, she’s always fine. I swear, if this is her idea of a prank I’m going to strangle her." He pulled his hand away, crossing his arms tightly. "That’s probably what’s happening anway. Trucy’s fine.” A pause. “She’s fine, right?”

“Herr Forehead—”

“I know, I know.” He ran a finger through his hair. “I just…”

“You worry,” Klavier supplied.

“...I worry,” Apollo agreed. “She may be the most self-sufficient teenager on the planet, but she’s still a kid, you know? And she’s still my responsibility.”

“Certainly,” Klavier replied, reaching out and gently rubbing Apollo’s shoulder.

Apollo sighed, shutting his eyes, leaning against Klavier for a moment, trying to calm himself. “I just...hate the idea that something happened because I wasn’t paying attention, you know?” A sigh. “‘Like the brother I always wanted,’ huh? Some brother I am...”

There was a pause. For a moment, it didn’t click what he’d just said. Then he stiffened, turning. “I-I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean—”

“Nein, no need to apologize,” Klavier interrupted, flashing that rockstar grin even as Apollo felt his bracelet tighten ever so slightly. “It’s all water under the bridge.”

“Is it?” Apollo asked. “I still don’t want to, like...I mean...you know…”

Klavier chuckled. “What, rub it in?”

“Rub it in, remind you, make you feel bad, y-you know. All of that.”

“Ach, well, not all family is created equal,” Klavier said. “You don’t need to tiptoe around it. I’ll be fine.” Then he hesitated a moment. “...and if it’s any consolation, I think you make a good brother for the Fraulein.”

Apollo swallowed “...Oh yeah?” he murmured, sighing as they started off again.

"I...can't imagine Kristoph being this worried about me if I ran off," he said. "He'd be far more concerned with how 'inconvenient' it was. How 'embarrassing' it was for him."

“...that...certainly sounds like him,” Apollo murmured softly. After a moment, he leaned his head back against Klavier’s shoulder. “...I’m glad we all found each other, at least,” he said. “Trucy, you, Athena...even Mr. Wright and Mr. Edgeworth… Oh uh but don’t tell Mr. Wright or he’ll never stop making fun of m—”

Klavier stopped walking, and Apollo almost fell over, yelping as he caught himself. “Hey! What—? Klavier?”

Klavier was staring at him, an odd expression on his face. Apollo frowned. “...uh. What? What’s wrong, why are you looking at me like that?”

Slowly, a smile spread across Klavier’s face. “Nein, I’m just...I’m glad we found each other too.”

“Oh. Uh.” Suddenly Apollo was feeling self-conscious. He coughed, turning away and tugging at his collar. “R-Right, well, no use talking about it if we still can’t find Trucy.”

"Ja, of course." Klavier put an arm around Apollo's shoulders, starting forward. Apollo took another deep breath, before he felt a vibration.

"Hey, uh, Klavier, your phone went off."

"Hmm?" Klavier quickly reached into his pocket pulling up his phone.

"Did someone text? Did they find Trucy?!”

Klavier glanced at the screen. “Nein, just social media,” he muttered, poking the screen with a frown. Apollo could see several notifications on the screen, from various social media accounts, likes and comments and dms. Klavier stared at the screen for a moment, scrolling through everything, before humming, opening the phone and flipping to his text messages.

Apollo frowned over the screen as he scrolled through his contacts, before groaning. “Really...?”

“He might answer,” Klavier replied, shooting Blackquill another quick text. “Better to have more eyes out, right?”

“Yeah yeah, sure” Apollo mumbled.

Klavier shot him a skeptical look. “You really think he wouldn’t care?”

“Prosecutor Blackquill? Not in particular,” he replied, glancing ahead. It was dark, but there were still a few people out and about, especially at the path leading up toward the shopping plaza just on the other side of the sand dunes. “What was it Mr. Wright said? We should split up here?”

“Ja, I believe so. I’ll head up and ask around, you walk farther down the beach?”

“Sounds good.” 

“Achtung! I almost forgot.” Klavier grabbed Apollo’s shoulder, grinning almost conspiratorially.

"H-Huh? What, what's wrong—?"

“...you’re fine, Apollo.”

Apollo blinked in shock. And then, “Wh—Hey! You can’t just steal my line like that!” he snapped with an indignant huff.

“Oh? Were you going to—?”

“I’M APOLLO JUSTICE AND I’M FINE!” And Apollo swung around, ignoring the several concerned bystanders suddenly looking their way. “I’ll be back with Trucy before you can blink! Just watch me.” And he started off down the beach.

Chapter Text

“Well now, Prosecutor Blackquill, if you’re really serious about becoming a productive member of society—”

“Which I am not. Really, Fool Bright, you are the only one who's suggested—”

“—then never fear, for I am here to help you every step of the way.”

Blackquill groaned, rubbing a hand over his face, letting the cuff on his other wrist tap against the table as obnoxiously as he could. “Fool Bright, as ‘thankful’ as I am for the offer—”

“Oh, you’re very welcome!”

“...ah yes, sarcasm glides right off of you, my mistake.” He let his other cuff scrape against the table. “Fool Bright, I am a man standing on the precipice of his death. What motivation could I have to possible become a ‘productive member of society,’ as it were?”

“Hmm.” The detective pursed his lips, frowning like the void within his skull had a working brain capable of any sort of rational thought, before his face lit up like a lightbulb. “Well, Prosecutor Blackquill, I happen think you are a much better person than you let on.”

“...the fact that it took you so long to assert such trollop makes me hesitant to—”

“No, no, I have a good eye for these kinds of things,” Fulbright insisted, slapping the metal table himself, almost attempting to give Blackquill’s arrhythmical tapping some sense of beat. “Why else would you agree to take up prosecuting again if not for your exemplary sense of justice?”

“I have my own agenda, if you truly must know. Believe you me, Fool Bright, were it not for these chains, I would’ve cut you down where you stood long ago, justice be damned.”

“No no no, I can just tell,” Fulbright responded confidently, grinning brightly at him. “Not to worry, Prosecutor Blackquill, I am here to help you in any way that I can. We’ll have you a well-adjusted member of society in no time.”

“A well-adjusted m...Fool Bright, what exactly are you expecting to result from this?!” he snapped, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I’m a dead man walking, in a very literal sense. And a ruthless murderer, no less. What good is this talk of adjusting me to a society that I will never rejoin?”

“Don’t talk like that, sir,” Fulbright said seriously, patting Blackquill’s arm, much to his chagrin. “I haven’t given up hope on you yet!”

Hope. Hope? Suddenly, Blackquill found his hands trembling. “Hope for what?!” he shouted, standing to his feet only to almost fall over, his chains pulling taught before he reached his full height. “What hope do I have left, you worthless imbecile?! I’m never going to be some well-adjusted member of society. I’m never going to be anything. And do you know why I know?”

“Not at all!”

“Because this...Because this is a memory.” He said it so softly, he wasn't even sure he'd spoken aloud. “I know what happens next.”

Fulbright raised an eyebrow, silence enveloping the room. “...a what?”

“Even when I’m free. Even when I live. None of it mattered, did it? I’m still just a dead man clinging uselessly to life.”

They stared at each other a moment longer, Blackquill suddenly feeling all the anger draining out of him. “Who were you, anyway?” he asked, leaning in. “I still wonder. Was your belief in me ever genuine? Or was that all a lie too?” He found himself laughing, despite everything. “Was the fool killed because he believed in me, or did he only believe in me because you killed him? Well?! Which is it, Fool Bright?!”

Fulbright’s face suddenly went impassive, an apathetic blank. “Hmm. I suppose we'll never really know, will we?” And the man drew out a small switch, the switch to the tasers hidden in Blackquill’s shackles. And silently, he pressed the button.

Blackquill sat up with a jolt. He blinked a few times, gasping, trying to piece together where he was. The sun had set since he’d shut his eyes, leaving the area around him near pitch black. The roar of the ocean hit his ears, and the briny scent of the ocean filled his lungs.

A sigh. Perhaps sitting down for a moment hadn’t been the clever idea he thought it was. Nor was staying up the previous night to drink himself into a stupor. The tide was coming in, lapping at the toes of his boots when only moments ago it had been off a ways in the distance. He rubbed at his stinging eyes, hands still trembling, before glancing around for his phone. Where had…? Ah, there. He scooped it up, wiping off the sand.

Several missed calls. Klavier Gavin, Miles Edgeworth. A few texts. He scrolled through, not really reading any of it. Nothing from Athena. He should be happy about that. Or maybe he shouldn’t. Or maybe he wasn’t capable of feeling anything at all.

Another sigh, as he opened the phone. He’d been midway through purchasing plane tickets when he sat down to rest his blasted eyes. It looked like the website had timed out on him. He wondered idly if that meant he was going to have to take a later flight. He’d already missed his chance for the earliest redeye, what were the chances of a flight past eleven pm? Midnight? What time even was it? Did it matter? It wasn’t as if he could return to the others now, tail between his legs like a mangy dog.

I don’t need you, Athena.

I’m not part of your goddamn family.

He let the phone fall onto his knees, breathing in the salty air as he shut his eyes again. What was he doing? Why did he come out here? Why come all this way to remind himself that he was a hollow shell of a man? Why work so hard to prove himself an empty, bleeding husk, rivaling only the cicada shell that called itself Bobby Fulbright and told him he had a chance of...of…

Of what, exactly? What had he been promised anyway? Hope? Redemption? Justice? A valued member of society? Someone who could give something back to the world he had 'betrayed?' Well he did give back. He gave and he gave, and chopped all of the parts of himself off to make room for this festering blister that called itself by his old name and poisoned the world around him. He shut his eyes, still feeling heavy. God, he wanted to sleep. And sleep and sleep. And maybe in his dreams he could fly away from here.

…Hope, huh?

The roar of the ocean continued on, loud and uncaring. Nothing else stirred in the ocean breeze. No happy families playing in the water. No college kids drinking and laughing in the sand. No one was there, no one would notice were Blackquill to sink into the inky blackness of the sea and turn to foam. How did that old story go again? The little mermaid learned how to love and gained a soul by throwing herself to the sea, wasn't it? It was so long ago since he read that bedtime story to Athena.

Athena...

She'd cried so hard at the end of the Little Mermaid. The Mermaid had deserved to be happy. But she was happy in the end, wasn't she? She loved the prince, giving up her own life rather than sacrifice his. But Athena had only cried harder. They all could've been happy together, she'd insisted. It wasn't right. It wasn't fair. Athena had always cared so much about things like that.

Don’t you remember how things used to be, Simon? Athena's voice rang in his head like a taunt. Don't you remember what you used to be, Simon?

What did it matter what he remembered? What did he want to remember for? He couldn’t pretend to be someone he wasn’t, even if he wanted to.

Even if he wanted to…

For a moment, he didn’t even realize how tightly he’d been gripping his knees. Even if he wanted to...even if he wanted to… But he was never going to be the person he was before. No matter the lies the Phantom dangled in front of him. No matter the things Athena remembered. Simon Blackquill was dead and gone. What use was it wishing for him back?

“Excuse me, sir, uh, have you seen a girl around here? She’s about yea high and aw god damn it.”

“...hmm?” Blackquill looked up.

There stood Apollo Justice, hair looking a bit tousled, scowl looking as pronounced as ever. And Blackquill couldn’t help but groan back. “Ah, Justice-dono, what an unpleasant surprise.”

“Yeah yeah, whatever,” Apollo muttered, crossing his arms. “What are you doing here? I figured you’d be on a plane home at this point.”

“If you must know, I have yet to complete my struggles on this...blasted ticket-purchasing website,” Blackquill shot back, waving his phone uselessly. “And what are you doing, wandering the beach like a vagrant in the night?”

“What am I...what?” Apollo raised an eyebrow. “I thought Prosec—Err, Klavier...” He frowned. “Wow, I need to get used to that. I thought Klavier texted you.”

“...oh. Did he?” Blackquill pulled up his phone again, opening his texts.

Is everything alright, mein freund? You and Athena have been gone for a while

Do you need a ride?

If you are leaving, you may want to inform Herr Edgeworth when you arrive home in LA

Blackquill rolled his eyes, scrolling to the bottom.

Fraulein Wright isn’t with you is she? We haven’t seen her.

If you’re still nearby, could you look around for her? We'd greatly appreciate it

He blinked. “...so you lost a child.”

“Shut up!” Apollo snapped. “Have you seen her or not?”

“I haven’t seen much of anything out here,” Blackquill replied, and Apollo groaned.

“Ugh, great! Cool.” He rubbed at his face. “Why on earth do I find you before I find Trucy?”

“My deepest apologies,” Blackquill said flatly, as Apollo started off.

“How much farther does the beach go?”

“What, you think I’m some sort of cartographer?” Blackquill muttered. “I haven’t the foggiest notion. Go measure it yourself.”

“Ugh, why do I even bother?” Apollo marched past him, along the edge of the water rolling in and out, teeth gritted. “Have a nice flight.”

Blackquill sat there for a few moments, watching the red-clad figure stalk away. Trucy Wright, gone missing. That was exceedingly odd. But it wasn't his business, he supposed. Trucy Wright was a stranger as much as anyone else on this trip with him. He barely knew her. Not that it was hard to know her. She was just like the others. Kind, cheerful, far too willing to allow a person like Simon Blackquill exist in her proximity. Maybe with an extra hint of flair.

Well, it wasn't any of Blackquill's business, that much he knew for certain. She had plenty of other people to worry about her. Might as well worry about himself for once. He turned back to his phone, exing out of the text messages, pulling up the ticket website again. This was the better idea, of course, and he knew it. There was no reason for him to stay here. It was time to go home. To give up. To shut his eyes. To go to sleep. God did he want to sleep.

God, did he want to...sleep…

…

…

“...just a bunch of rocks. No, I don’t think she’d be able to get past it with no shoes on. I know I couldn’t…” Blackquill’s head snapped up again, blinking away the sleep that had crept back up on him without his notice. Apollo was already walking back, phone to his ear, looking exhausted. He was limping ever so slightly. “What? Wait, I’ve been walking for how long?!” He groaned, lowering the phone for a second. “Alright, alright, well, I’m on my way back. Huh?” He scowled. “Fine, sure. I’ll be back in...” He checked his wrist, before seeming to remember he didn't have a watch and huffing. “I don’t know, don’t wait up for me.” And he hung up.

“...No luck, then, Justice-dono?”

“Nope.” Apollo kept walking, wincing a bit, bending over to fix his flip flop. “Ow…”

“You injured yourself?”

“I’m fine,” Apollo muttered. “The shore gets rocky over there.”

“...So you injured yourself.”

“Fine, sure, I injured myself,” Apollo snapped back at him. “Anything else you want to know?! My social security number?!”

Blackquill raised an eyebrow. “You should rinse it off before it gets infected.”

Apollo paused, glancing down at the nearby water. “...you’re trying to mess with me,” he replied. “That’s just going to hurt.”

“Perhaps.”

They stared each other down a moment. Apollo narrowed his eyes, jaw clenching. His eyes darted from Blackquill’s face to the water, to his foot, back to Blackquill’s face. Then he turned and stepped his foot into the water.

There was a pause. Then Apollo screamed and jumped back, doubling over in the sand with a string of curse words. Blackquill laughed, slapping his leg. “Something the matter, Justice-dono?”

Apollo didn’t answer. There was a pause, as Blackquill’s smirk faded. “...Justice-dono?”

“God damn it…” Apollo muttered, hitting the heels of his palms to his head. “Damn it damn it damn it.”

“Justice-dono—”

“I’M FINE!” Suddenly Apollo was on his feet, breathing a little shaky. “I’m fine. Everything’s fine, Trucy is fine, nothing is wrong at all.”

“Justice-d—”

“Shut up. I’m fine.” He did not look fine, but Blackquill decided not to comment on that. “I’m going back to the condo. Maybe I missed her on my way down…”

“She’s been missing for a while then?” Blackquill asked.

“What do you care?”

Blackquill narrowed his eyes at that. “I cannot help but notice how frantically you are flailing about your blade,” he said. “Are you hoping to seem intimidating?”

“Not in particular, I just don’t like you.”

They looked at each other for a moment, Blackquill blinking in surprise. Not unexpected, but normally Apollo wasn’t quite this blunt about it. It was usually couched in sarcasm, followed by a nervous apology. “...I...see.”

Finally, Apollo sighed, turning the other way. “Well, have a good trip home I guess, Prosecutor Blackquill.”

“...if you insist…” He watched as Apollo trudged past, frowning. He wasn't used to Apollo Justice being quite this snappy. He must've been quite worried about the girl. That made sense, of course, she didn't seem the type to just run off with no reason.

But then again, what reason would she have to disappear? There had to be some impetus for it. He sat there for a few moments, thinking, before shaking his head. This was ridiculous. He had no reason to care. He didn't care for any of his companions. Better to leave now. Cut out the rot before it spread.

...why was there such a pit in his stomach then? He didn't care about them. Not Trucy, not Apollo. Not Klavier or Edgeworth or Phoenix. And certainly not...

Out of the corner of his eye, Blackquill saw Apollo pause near a lifeguard station, leaning against it, wincing and fixing his sandal again. Blackquill turned to watch. He watched the man take a few deep, calming breaths. Then, sighing to himself, Blackquill finally stood to his feet, feeling his knees crack as he started over.

Apollo had knocked his head against the wood, leaning his weight against it until he caught Blackquill out of the corner of his eye and jumped, spinning around. “Jeez, do you need to sneak up on me?”

“I was making no effort to conceal myself,” Blackquill replied. “You’re simply a dullard.”

Apollo rolled his eyes, dropping his sandal back into the sand and slipping it on. “Oh. Good to hear. Do you want something?”

“When did you last see the little lass?”

Apollo narrowed his eyes. “Why do you care?” he asked again, jutting out his chin defiantly.

Why did he care? “I have several hours to waste before I’m rid of you all," Blackquill replied with a shrug. "It only seemed reasonable to fill it with something productive.”

“Oh, so you suddenly want to be helpful?”

Blackquill turned toward him, glancing down. “...and do you have a problem with such an arrangement, Justice-dono?”

Whatever protest Apollo had died on his lips as he abruptly remembered that Blackquill was very large and intimidating. He coughed, turning. “F-Fine, okay. Sure. I guess that’s...fine.”

“You speak as if I was asking permission.” And Blackquill started off down the beach. Apollo made a noise, stumbling after him, kicking up sand at the back of Blackquill’s legs.

“So I ask again: when did you last see her?”

“...ugh, I don’t know,” Apollo finally answered, wilting. “What time is it, anyway?” He pulled out his phone, wincing. “Jeez, how is it almost midnight?! No wonder my legs hurt.”

“A while, then, I take it.”

“...man, it doesn’t make any sense,” Apollo murmured. “Where could she have gone? She wouldn’t just run off for no reason, right? I mean...”

“Did you perhaps give her a reason?” Blackquill replied, and Apollo immediately glared at him. “...I am not trying to be facetious. There has to be some sort of explanation that could explain her departure, unless you claim she was a victim of spontaneous combustion.”

“...oh yeah?” Apollo muttered. “Glad to hear you have so many ideas after running off and ditching us.”

Blackquill glanced at him. “...Do you have something to say to me perhaps, Justice-dono—?”

“Yeah, you know what?!” Apollo rounded on him. “I do have something to say to you!”

“Really? Do go on.”

Apollo paused, a flicker of fear on his face as Blackquill leaned in, before he swallowed. “N-Never mind,” he muttered, tucking his hands into his pockets. “Let’s just get back to the condo. Maybe everyone else can figure out a better idea than just wandering around the beach.”

“Hmph.” Blackquill huffed. “Well, I will accompany you as far as the condo, at the least.”

Apollo stopped where he was. “What, you’re not even going to come inside?" He asked. "You can relax, put your feet up, maybe, I don't know, apologize to Athena for making her cry?”

He could feel his jaw clench as he side-eyed Apollo, pausing as well. “...as flattering as your opinion of me is, I have no intentions of doing anything of the sort.”

“Wh—You—” He could see Apollo’s teeth grinding. “You can’t just—That’s not—”

“Ah, how I missed your gibbering, you’re right, perhaps I should stick around.”

“You know what? What the hell is your problem?!” Apollo snapped, suddenly stepping in front of Blackquill and stopping. Blackquill caught himself before he simply bulldozed over the man.

“I seem to have a dull-witted defense attorney standing in my way, if that’s what you were referring to—”

“All Athena has ever wanted to do is help you, and all you do is walk all over everyone around you.”

Blackquill’s hands clenched at his sides. “I am well aware of Athena's intentions—”

“Then what the hell is your problem?!” Apollo had drawn himself up to his full height, with all the fury of a small dog that had forgotten momentarily it was a small dog. “I don’t know what the hell you said to her—”

“Then clearly your uninformed opinion is not relevant.”

“That—You—” Apollo’s fists were shaking at his side. “What the hell is wrong with you, how can you just treat everyone who’s ever given a shit about you like that?! Mr. Edgeworth risked his career to help you! Mr. Wright practically got his badge back because Mr. Edgeworth asked him to save you!!”

“I am well aware of—”

“Hell, even Klavier thinks you're secretly some great guy who gives a shit about us! Not that you’ve ever done ANYTHING nice to him or anyone else on the goddamn planet to make him think so.”

“Justice-dono, I don’t know what point you think your—”

“And that’s not even accounting for how much Athena has done for you! You know! Because she cares about your miserable ass?! Because she thinks of you as family?!”

He winced at that one. “Justice-dono—”

“All Athena has ever wanted to do is help you out!” Apollo was shouting. “Don’t you get it? She became a lawyer for your sake! She dedicated her life to saving you—”

“THAT’S THE PROBLEM YOU BLITHERING IDIOT!” Blackquill’s hand shot forward, grabbing Apollo’s collar and yanking him almost clean off his feet. “Don’t you think I know that?! Athena wants to help. Athena wants to help! Of course she goddamn wants to help, she always wants to help, she wants to help and help she charted her ENTIRE GODDAMN LIFE to helping me, and she’s going to keep doing it, and she’s going to keep saving me and saving me and saving me and I am NEVER GOING TO GET BETTER!”

He stopped. Apollo stood there, frozen in shock, still being lifted almost off the ground, and Blackquill slowly let him slip back to the sand below. “I am...I am never going to get better,” he said. His hands were shaking. “I am never going to get better, Justice-dono. And she is going to keep helping and keep helping and I am going to slowly kill her. I'm going to kill all of you.”

Apollo didn’t move. “...Prosecutor Blackquill—?”

He snarled, and shoved Apollo away from him. He stumbled, falling on his ass in shock. “What does it matter? Leave me be,” he muttered. “Tell the others I’m a lost cause. Be done with it.”

“So what, you’re just going to destroy your entire relationship because you’re scared?”

Blackquill froze. “...what did you say to me, Justice-dono?”

“Do you really think that any of this is actually going to save anyone in the long run?” Apollo snapped, climbing to his knees. “Especially Athena. I mean, if you really believe that, you’re either an idiot, a coward, or you never cared about her in the first place.”

“I GAVE SEVEN YEARS OF MY LIFE FOR HER!” Blackquill bellowed.

Apollo flinched, but held steady. “A-An idiot then,” he replied weakly.

They stared at each other for a moment, Apollo swallowing, wincing like Blackquill was going to strike him. After a moment, Blackquill shoved past him, sending him stumbling back a few steps. “Come on, then, I thought we were looking for the girl.”

“...o-oh. Right. Yeah.”

For a moment, neither of them moved. Then, without a word, they turned and started off down the beach.

It was silent as they walked, save for the crash of the ocean and the wind in Blackquill’s ears. Neither of them spoke, or looked at each other.

...or no. That wasn’t quite right. Blackquill didn’t look his way, but he could feel Apollo’s eyes on him every couple of minutes. He gritted his teeth, trying to ignore it. After all, he was supposed to be looking for a missing girl.

Where would she be, anyway? There weren’t exactly hiding places on the beach. And the tide was coming in, meaning there was that much less ground to cover. There were barely any beachgoers at this time of night. A single jogger, running at the water’s edge. A mother and son stargazing by the dunes. A group of college kids around a makeshift campfire, which Blackquill promptly walked through, kicking sand into the fire and putting it out.

“H-Hey—”

“No open flames on the beach,” Blackquill growled, glaring at the one who’d spoken up, who clammed up immediately.

It was slow going, but they kept walking. Clouds drifted above their heads, not enough to threaten a rain storm, but enough to occasionally blot out the full moon Blackquill was using in lieu of a flashlight. It was hard enough to see where they were going, let alone tell how close they were to their destination. It was probably a lost cause, anyway. From what he knew of Trucy Wright, if she wanted to go unfound, she would stay that way.

It felt like the walked for hours, but truthfully it must've been an hour at most. Blackquill rubbed at his eyes, glancing around. They must be getting close to the condo by now anyway, right? There were so many buildings peeking out from behind the dunes, looking identical in the dark. Rows of lit windows, of various hotels and timeshares and whatever else.

“HEY PROSECUTOR BLACKQUILL!”

Blackquill winced, stopping short as Apollo suddenly stepped in front of him. “...Why is it your shrieking cuts deeper than any blade—?”

“Do you want to know what I do when I’m anxious?”

A blink. Another blink. “...no, and I am deeply upset by the idea you think I would want to hear such tripe—”

“I just take a deep breath, and I holler at the top of my lungs,” and Apollo turned toward the water and shouted, “I’M APOLLO JUSTICE AND I’M FINE!”

Blackquill opened his mouth. Closed his mouth. Opened his mouth again. “That...Wh...Justice-dono, and I mean this with every ounce of sincerity within my blackened heart, that is the stupidest thing I have ever heard.”

“N-Now you try.”

“...excuse me?!”

Apollo’s hands were on his hips. “Uh. Y-You know. ‘I’m Simon Blackquill, and I’m fine.’”

“Y...You want me...to scream at the ocean,” Blackquill repeated slowly, staring at Apollo’s nervous laugh.

“I mean not like...I-I just meant, you know, uh, putting the thought out into the ether and all—”

“Justice-dono, and I say this with no exaggeration, but I would rather perish.”

“You could at least try it,” Apollo replied. “It’s not like it’d do any harm.”

“Oh, is that right?” Blackquill crossed his arms. “And tell me, what possible benefit do I gain from screaming nonsensical lies at the ocean?”

“It's not a lie," Apollo told him. "I-I mean, it doesn't have to be true, exactly, but that doesn't make it a lie. You know?"

“I am not—What?! What are you jabbering on about, you addlepated moron?”

Apollo’s face scrunched into a scowl. “It was just a suggestion. No need to be mean about it.”

“And what makes you think I have any want of your suggestions?”

“W-Well…” He hesitated, shifting his feet a bit, glancing away. “I just...it...never occurred to me that you were just as scared as I am.”

“...Wh…” Blackquill could only stare in shock for a moment. Then, he shook his head. “I am not having such conversions with you.”

“Wh—Hey!” Blackquill had shoved past, but Apollo seemed determined to stand in his way, scuttling backward to block his path. “Fine then, you can modify it,” he snapped. “I’m Simon Blackquill and I’m going to be fine.”

“Modifications are not going to solve the problems I am having with this scenario, Justice-dono.”

“I’m Simon Blackquill and I want to be fine.”

“Cease this nonsensical prattling before I actually commit murder.”

“You don’t even have to believe it,” Apollo told him, walking backwards through the sand. “You don't have to believe it in the moment. You just have to want it, you know?”

“That is the—”

There was movement out of the corner of Blackquill’s eye. His eyes snapped toward it.

“Fine, okay, maybe you can just think it?” Apollo was saying, pressing a finger to his forehead. “I don’t know, I’m just sort of spitballing here—”

“Justice-dono, shut your trap for a moment.”

“You know you don’t have to be an asshole about it, I was just making a suggestion—”

“That’s not what I—” Blackquill groaned, his hand shooting forward, grabbing the top of Apollo’s head and spinning him around.

“Ow, hey, what the—?!”

“Look.”

And they both looked, toward a figure standing at the edge of the water. It was a small figure, silhouetted in the dark. The figure knelt down, splashing their hands through the water, and then wiping at their face. Then, the figure stood back up, spinning on their toes and walk back to a nearby lifeguard tower, climbing up the stairs, and hopping into the seat. As soon as they did, they practically disappeared from view, invisible in the darkness.

The two of them stared. And stared. Almost at once, their eyes drifted right. Nearby was a small path through the sand dunes, leading to a familiar-looking gate. Leading to…

“...Are you KIDDING ME?!”

Blackquill winced, glancing down as Apollo stormed away, up toward the lifeguard tower. The figure at the top jumped too, a head poking out of the shadows to look there way. “...Polly?”

“YOU WERE RIGHT OUTSIDE THIS WHOLE TIME?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!”

Trucy Wright blinked at him, eyes wide, looking confused. “What? What are you talking about?”

“Trucy.” Apollo pinched the bridge of his nose. “Trucy. Have you been here this whole time?”

“Yeah? Why, were you trying to find me?” She glanced around, eyes catching Blackquill as he approached the two of him, immediately brightening. “Oh! Mr. Blackquill, you’re back! That’s great!”

“Trucy.” 

“Hmm?”

It was hard to tell in the dark, but Apollo’s face seemed to have flushed as red as his signature suit. “Do you have any idea how worried we’ve been?!”

Trucy’s face fell. “Worried?”

“I—Wh—You—I’m—” He looked like he wanted to strangle someone, sputtering uselessly, waving his arms. “YES! WORRIED! DON’T LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT, WE’VE BEEN WORRIED SICK!”

“I was told you had disappeared under mysterious circumstances,” Blackquill told her. “Justice-dono here has been beside himself.”

“YES! YES I HAVE!”

Trucy continued to look confused, glancing between the two of them. “Okay? So why didn’t you just text me or something?”

There was a long, long, deeply long pause, as they stared at her. Slowly, Trucy’s hands drifted to her pockets. “......whoopsie.”

“WHOOPSIE?!” Apollo’s face had gone from red to purple. “I THOUGHT YOU WERE MURDERED AND BURIED IN A SHALLOW GRAVE AND ALL YOU’VE GOT IS WHOOPSIE?!”

“W-Well it’s not like I forgot my phone on purpose,” Trucy replied with a meek smile, and Apollo groaned.

“Goddamn it—Trucy get down here,” he snapped.

“...are you going to keep yelling at me?”

“I might!” He waved his arms again, looking about a few seconds from simply combusting. “What are you even doing out here? Why did you run off without saying anything?”

Trucy hesitated, just for a moment. “I just wanted some fresh air, is all,” she said with a shrug. “Then I think I fell asleep. It’s not that big of a deal.”

And Apollo froze immediately. His hand shot to his bracelet, fury suddenly turning to apprehension as his shoulders fell. “...Trucy...?”

Blackquill frowned, watching him. He never understood this odd power of his, but he'd certainly seen it in action before. He'd thought it only happened in court, but come to think of it, he'd never seen the man without his bracelet on his wrist. And if Trucy was lying...

“Anyway, we should go inside,” Trucy said brightly, climbing up out of the seat toward the wooden steps down. “If you're worried, I can only imagine how daddy and Mr. Edgeworth are feeling.”

“Trucy, what’s wrong?”

She smiled at him, pausing on the first step. “What do you mean, Polly?”

“Trucy, what’s wrong?” Apollo pressed. “Why were you out here?”

“Nothing was wrong. I needed some air, and then I fell asleep for a bit—”

“Trucy, you can’t just lie to my face like that,” Apollo said, holding up his arm. “You know that, right?”

Blackquill felt his brows drawing together as the girl shrank in on herself ever so slightly. There was hesitance in her eyes as she glanced away. “W-Well—”

“Justice-dono.”

Both of them glanced up, startled at the interruption. “What?”

“...Could you step away for a moment?”

Apollo straightened up indignantly. “Excuse me?! What are you—”

“Just give me one moment,” Blackquill replied. “Go inform the others that you have found the girl.”

“Wh—But—I—”

“I'm sorry, but do you carry with you years of psychological study?” He smirked, tapping at his head. “I think not.”

Apollo looked between the two of them for a moment, before throwing up his hands with a shout. Then he turned, making an ‘I’m watching you’ gesture toward Blackquill, walking backwards toward the gate farther up the beach.

There was a pause, as Blackquill and Trucy looked toward each other.

“Um...did you want to talk, Mr. Blackquill?”

“No, but you didn’t want to speak with Justice-dono, so I thought I’d buy you a few moments to collect yourself.”

“...ah.”

Neither of them spoke for a moment, Trucy still standing several feet above Blackquill's head.

“...You didn’t have to do that.”

“I don’t have to do many of the things I do.” Blackquill crossed his arms, turning around to lean his back against the lifeguard tower. “Was your concern particular to Justice-dono?”

“Huh?”

“Is this something you wanted to keep from Justice-dono?” Blackquill asked. “Or is it something else?” When she didn’t answer, he glanced back at her. “You are not obligated to say so, but I’ve been told I am good at...keeping secrets, as it were.”

Trucy drew her knees to her chest, looking up at the moon rather than Blackquill. “N-No, I...there wasn’t anything in particular,” she finally replied. “I just...I wasn’t feeling good, so I went outside. I didn’t mean to worry everyone.”

Blackquill turned to look at the moon as well, deciding not to answer that. It was clear she wasn’t telling the whole truth, but he had no interest in pressing the girl further. Better to wait and see if she offered information on her own.

“...Do you think everyone’s mad at me?”

“I wouldn't know,” Blackquill replied.

“I...didn’t mean to make everything worse,” she said softly. “Everyone was so upset, and there wasn't anything I could do, but I made everyone so upset...”

Blackquill found himself smirking. “Hmph, I think you give yourself too much credit there. Judging from Justice-dono's contempt, I'm likely the one who set off that bad mood in the first place.”

“I just...I just wanted to make everyone happy,” she said, sitting back down, feet dangling near Blackquill's head. “That was why I wanted to go on this trip. I could give Daddy and Mr. Edgeworth the perfect chance to propose to each other. I could help Polly finally make friends and be happy, and Athena and you could reconnect. And then you and Athena got into a fight, and then Apollo and Mr. Gavin were fighting, and they were going to interrupt Daddy’s date and ruin the proposal, and I-I just...everything was falling apart again, but they weren't listening, and I couldn’t breathe, and…so I went outside to get some air.” She had drawn her knees to her chest. “...I couldn't do anything else, anyway.”

Blackquill’s smirk fell away, sending her another quick glance. She’d grabbed onto the broach clipped to her shirt with one hand, and her breathing had stuttered a little bit. For a moment, he recalled seeing something similar several months ago, when Athena had a panic attack in the courtroom.

“...I see.”

She shook her head, smiling at him. “I guess I’m going to have to do something to make it up to everyone,” she said. “Hopefully they won’t be too upset. Maybe I should make a performance out of it.” She turned toward him, bright-eyed again, and suddenly, Blackquill couldn't help but wonder how often this mask went up. “What do you think? Maybe I could appear in the middle of the room in a huge puff of smoke! That'd be a good trick, huh? Would you want to help me out? I think you'd make a lovely assistant.”

“Why did you say ‘again’?”

“Hmm?” She had already started climbing to her feet again. “What?”

“Again. Things were falling apart again.” He tapped his head, raising an eyebrow. “Seemed an odd turn of phrase. I couldn't help but notice it.”

“Oh. Uh. Well…” She stood there at the top of the lifeguard tower a moment, the smile faultering.

“Well. Don’t feel compelled to tell me anything,” Blackquill told her. “I am simply an outside observer. I am not privy to the private goings-on of your life, and I have no need to be. However, should you need, I’m sure your little family will be more than happy to listen to your—”

“No.”

He blinked, raising an eyebrow at her. “Pardon?”

She’d sat back down, hands on her knees. “I’m okay,” she told him. “They always have so much else to worry about, I don’t want to make them have to worry about me, too. That’d be just silly.”

“...A most perplexing sentiment, to be sure.” He rubbed at his chin with a frown. “You do not think they are worried about you already?”

“W-Well…” She hesitated again, glancing up over the back of the lifeguard chair. Blackquill followed her line of vision toward Apollo, standing back toward the gate, watching them closely. He perked up when they looked over, raising an eyebrow and giving Trucy a questioning thumbs up. She smiled, held up a finger, and Apollo sighed, leaning back to lean on a wooden post before yelping and swatting at something.

“You see? Justice-dono is positively beside himself.”

“I think there’s just a spider on his shirt.”

“Irrelevant.”

“Well, I don’t want him to worry any more about me,” Trucy said, finally climbing down the wooden ladder to the sand below. “I should go back inside.”

“You do not trust your little family of yours to assist you?”

“...family can be a lot more fragile than you think.”

She said it so quietly, Blackquill almost didn’t hear her. He paused, jaw clenching. “That…” What was there to say to that? He frowned at this downtrodden little girl, suddenly feeling cold. “...I…”

“Hmm?” Trucy looked up questioningly at him, and he glanced away.

“...I think...family is made of stronger stuff than you may think,” he told her quietly. “Especially yours. I’m sure they will be there for you if you truly need them.”

“.......Is that so~?”

“Hmm—?” He looked up, but she had already twirled to a stop in front of him, a bright smile on her face.

“So you agree you should come inside with me then?”

Blackquill blinked at the sudden change in demeanor. “...I what?”

“Family is made of stronger stuff than you think,” she repeated, bouncing on her feet as she smiled up at him. “So just because you and Athena were fighting, you both still care about each other. So you should come back inside and make up with her!”

“That—What—I—” For the first time in years, Blackquill was at a complete loss of words. “What are you—That is—Athena has nothing to do with this conversation.”

“But you and Athena are family,” Trucy said sternly, fixing him with a hard glare. “And family is made of stronger stuff than you’d think.”

“...you…” Realization slowly set up. “...you tricksy little cur, you—you—”

“What’s wrong, Mr. Blackquill?” And Trucy batted her eyelashes innocently up at him.

Blackquill took a deep, calming breath, rubbing his eye with his thumb, trying to regain his bearings. Good god, how had he lost control of the tide of battle so quickly? “Athena is not my family,” he finally replied.

“Yes she is.”

“She is not.”

“Yes she is~.”

“This back and forth is meaningless, child.”

“Come on, I met your big sister, you were like five seconds away from becoming her actual uncle.”

“Wh—That—I—You—That has nothing to do with me,” he snapped, feeling his face redden at that statement. “Aura shaking up with my mentor has no bearing on the case at hand.”

“Maybe it wouldn't if you didn’t give up everything just to save Athena,” Trucy replied. “You care about her, and she cares about you. You’re just as much a part of Athena’s family as I am. You’re—You’re like my estranged cousin!”

“I am nothing of the sort,” Blackquill insisted furiously. “You listen here, I loved Athena and Metis Cykes like they were my own blood. But Athena and I are practically strangers now. It doesn't matter who we were or what our lives were like. Simon Blackquill died seven years ago, and Athena Cykes is no longer the little girl he met. We are strangers and nothing more.”

“So family isn’t that strong.”

He froze. “What?”

Trucy’s eyes bore into him, her hands balled at her side. There was no hint of the mirth from only thirty seconds prior. “So you can just abandon your family, but I should believe mine will always be there for me?” she said softly. “You can't just tell me things are going to be alright and prove me wrong in the same sentence. Family can fall apart at any second. Just like you and Athena. Just like Athena and Aura. Just like my old family. Or are you going to keep telling me I’m wrong?”

She said it calmly, like she was simply commenting on the weather, but he could see that hint of fear in her eyes as she stared up at him. There was fear in that question. And suddenly he was left wondering, which parts of this were ploy, and which parts were genuine? He opened his mouth to reply, but no words formed. What was he supposed to say to that?

Family could fall apart. Blood relatives or no, there were never any true guarantees. He knew this more than anyone. He'd watched Aura fall apart because of him, and he'd shut Athena out of his life he'd thought for good. He'd thought, truly thought, that Athena must have accidentally killed her mother. What was he doing, trying to reassure this girl of anything?

Yet still. He'd seen them all go through trial by fire and come out the other side. He'd seen things almost truly fall apart. And they dragged each other through it. They'd come out the other side. Battered and bruised, but alive. Together.

And they'd brought Blackquill along with them. Damn it all, they'd dragged Blackquill along with them, kicking and screaming the entire time, hadn't they? Pulled him from the depths and hit reset on the clock counting down on his death. Phoenix Wright and Miles Edgeworth. And Athena.

And Athena...

Finally, he let out a deep sigh, leaning back against the wood of the lifeguard tower. “...Alright. Fine.”

“...Hmm?”

Trucy looked confused as Blackquill glanced over at her, allowing himself a small smirk. “Your blade is sharper than it looks. You have certainly made your point quite succinctly, little cousin of mine.”

“Wh…” She hesitated a moment, the sternness on her face giving way to surprise. “What do you…?”

“I concede your point,” Blackquill told her. “Athena is still my family. I have no standing in this argument, as I am a coward who would…” he glanced over his shoulder toward the condo, toward Apollo Justice, sitting cross legged in the sand, beginning to nod off, “...who would destroy my entire relationship out of fear and naught else.” He fixed his stern gaze on her. “But you are not some Atlas, carrying their wellbeing on your back by yourself. If I have learned anything in this past year, these people would never let you do such a thing.”

Trucy didn’t look convinced, and Blackquill motioned to her. “Come. You should go inside and rest.”

“But what about you?”

He hesitated at that, and her hands fell to her hips. “It’s probably too late to get on a plane anyway,” she told him. “You can't just run away now, unless you want to sleep on the lifeguard chair.” Her lips pursed. “Although it was really comfy.”

Another deep sigh. “Outmaneuvered by a child,” he muttered, shaking his head. “Fine. Yes. I will...come inside at least. For now.”

“Yay!” And Trucy's face lit up like a Christmas tree. And for the first time since they'd begun to talk, he had a feeling this smile was genuine. “Alright. We should hurry up and go inside then. What do you think, should I appear in a puff of smoke?”

Continuing to shake his head, he turned back toward the condo as Trucy began to skip ahead, bouncing up toward Apollo, who had almost completely fallen asleep. His head jerked up as she walked over, and he scrambled to his feet.

“You done? You good?”

“Yup!” Trucy grinned up at him. “Me and Mr. Blackquill are cousins now.”

“...uh, okay?”

Trucy’s arms swung at her side a moment. Then she threw her arms around Apollo’s midsection in a tight hug. He jumped, looking down at her. “Huh—Wha—?”

“Sorry for worrying you, Apollo,” she said softly.

Apollo pursed his lips, glancing between Trucy and Blackquill, before wrapping his arms around the girl in an awkward hug. “Okay, well, pull that stunt again and I’m handcuffing you to my arm.”

“Oooo, I always love a handcuff escape trick.”

Apollo grumbled something, as Trucy let go, twirling toward the condo. “Come on, you two, let’s go inside. I'm tired.”

“Oh, you're tired—?” Apollo froze. “Wait, Prosecutor Blackquill is coming too?!”

“Is that a problem, Justice-dono?”

The two of them looked at each other a moment, Apollo's face rather stony for once. “...no.”

“You two have to get along now,” Trucy admonished. “If me and Mr. Blackquill are cousins, that makes you his cousin too.”

“That’s not how that works,” Apollo protested as Trucy started off through the gates and toward the condo. 

Snorting to himself, Blackquill pushed past Apollo, through the gates. “Well, shall we be off—?”

“Hey Prosecutor Blackquill.”

He paused, glancing back. “...Yes?”

Apollo was standing there, just inside the gate, rubbing his arm, fixing Blackquill with a cold stare. “...I don’t like you.”

He blinked. Then he laughed, slapping his leg. “Is that right, Justice-dono.”

“Yeah, well, I just—I wanted to let you know I still think you’re worth saving.”

The smile disappeared instantly. “...what?”

“Err, I just meant...you're an asshole. But you're still, um, a good person. Under it. Probably. And um...ah, never mind.” Apollo walked past him quickly, not making any form of eye contact as he started past the outdoor showers and pool. “Come on, let’s go inside? Please? I’m so tired...”

Blackquill didn’t answer as Apollo dragged himself after Trucy, bouncing on her feet as she waited for the elevator. He stood there, rooted to the spot for a long, solid moment, until the ding of the elevator echoed through the empty poolside patio. Blackquill hesitated one more time. Was he really going back? Would they even still want him back? Did he even want to go back?

You can modify it. 'I’m Simon Blackquill and I want to be fine.'

He froze, Apollo Justice's voice ringing in his ears. "...damn it all, I am not making that a thing," he muttered furiously, finally starting after them, stepping into the elevator as Apollo pressed the button for their floor and shutting his eyes as the door closed behind him.

///

“Trucy!”

As soon as the smoke from her entrance had cleared, Phoenix had scooped Trucy into a hug, practically lifting her off the ground. Edgeworth, too, rushed over, relief washing over his face as the two started chatting across the way.

“Hi everyone!” Trucy said. “Sorry I'm back so late.”

“Trucy Wright, where on earth have you been?!”

Athena sighed softly, watching the two immediately begin to fuss over Trucy, giving Klavier a tired smile as he plopped down next to her seat on the pullout couch.

“You look about ready to pass out, Fraulein.”

“Yeah, well, it is getting pretty late,” Athena murmured, watching as Apollo followed in after Trucy, shouting something about 'I told you no magic!' before glancing toward Klavier. “You seem like you’re doing fine though.”

“Ach, comes with being a musician,” Klavier replied, brushing at his bangs with a grin. “Many late nights performing and traveling, ja? But I think I’m ready for bed too right about now.”

“Oh, I’ll bet,” Athena teased. “Now that Apollo’s back you’re ready for bed, huh?”

Klavier laughed at that. “Fraulein, I don’t think—”

“Oh, Blackquill!”

Athena and Klavier stiffened, Athena’s head snapping up. Blackquill stood in the doorway, awkwardly hanging back a ways. He looked over everyone’s faces, catching sight of Athena and quickly glancing away.

“I heard you’d decided to leave,” Phoenix said, rubbing his chin. “You thinking of staying, or did it occur to you that you left all of your things here?”

“I…” Blackquill frowned, crossing his arms.

“If your flight is late, you are more than welcome to remain here for the time being,” Edgeworth told him.

“Yes, that...well…” He hesitated a moment. “I...apologize for leaving without warning. If...If you all would rather I leave…”

“Simon?”

He winced, glancing over toward Athena as she stood up. “Cyk—” A cough. “......A-Athena.”

She stared at him for a moment. His voice sounded so small. She made her way over, jaw tight. Phoenix and Edgeworth glanced at each other, stepping aside as she strode up.

Blackquill watched her approach, still not quite making eye contact. “I suppose I owe you some form of an apolog—”

Without thinking, she threw herself forward, wrapping her arms around his midsection. He grunted, arms falling to his sides, suddenly looking confused. “...What are you—?!”

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, feeling herself already starting to choke up. “I’m sorry. You don’t have to be the same Simon I knew. I won’t push you like that again. Please don’t go, you don’t have to leave, Simon. I don’t need you to be anything, I just want you to stay.”

He stood there stiffly, staring down at her in shock. After a moment, Edgeworth cleared his throat. “Yes, well, you’re welcome to stay here with us as long as you like, if you’ve perhaps changed your mind on your ill-advised departure.”

“Yeah, feel free to stick around as long as you’d like,” Phoenix said, leaning back, hands in his pockets. “I'm certainly not going to stop you.” 

“Probably easier than trying to pack your bags now, ja?” Klavier added brightly.

Blackquill slowly looked around the room at all the faces looking at him, looking more confused than anything else, before he grunted, putting a hand on top of Athena’s head, slowly prying her off of him. “Fine,” he muttered, his tired voice thick with relief. “I seem to have no choice in the matter, I...might as well stay.”

The room flooded with voices after that, but Athena was suddenly far too tired to hear them, the tension in her shoulders since Blackquill had stormed off suddenly draining away. Trucy was talking excitedly to her right. Apollo was complaining despite the relief in his voice. Klavier was upbeat as he slid an arm around Apollo’s waist. Phoenix turned toward Trucy, speaking sternly as she wilted into a sheepish smile.

Blackquill’s hand still rested atop Athena’s head firmly as the group around them chattered. Athena stood there, a crooked smile on her face. For a moment, she was eleven again, Blackquill ruffling her hair. But she wasn’t eleven anymore, and Blackquill was still there. Still there.

“Alright, can we go to bed now?” Apollo’s voice filtered through her head just by virtue of it being the loudest in the room. She glanced over as he flopped sleepily against Klavier. “I think I want to sleep for twenty-four hours.”

“I wouldn’t mind getting some sleep,” Klavier agreed, putting his head on top of Apollo’s and wrapping his arms around him. “I think I’ve had enough excitement for the evening.”

“Don’t you mean morning?” Phoenix asked, glancing at the clock.

“Alright, well, we will discuss this tomorrow then, young lady,” Edgeworth said, frowning down at Trucy, who gave a little giggle, sticking out her tongue.

“Okay. Sorry for worrying you so much, Mr. Edgeworth.” She perked up. “...or should I say Papa Edgeworth?”

Edgeworth froze, glancing down at his hand, face flushing. “...r-right, we...let us discuss that tomorrow as well.”

Phoenix grinned, grabbing Edgeworth’s hand, wishing everyone a good night as he pulled him off to their bedroom. Klavier laughed, pulling Apollo along toward their room and disappearing from sight.

“Good night, Mr. Blackquill,” Trucy said, swinging her arms as she headed off toward the bathroom. She paused at the doorway. “...and welcome to the family.”

“Piss off, you little heathen,” Blackquill muttered as she disappeared from sight.

It was now just Athena and Blackquill, standing there by the entranceway of the condo. He removed his hand from her head, crossing his arms again. Athena smoothed her hair back down from where he had been ruffling it. “...I’m glad you're back,” she said.

“...I stand by my statement of earlier.”

She paused where she was, glancing up at his stern face. “Which one?”

“The...I don’t…” He grimaced, but his voice was stern. Hesitant, but no discord. “I don’t need you. Or. Hmph.” He considered her a moment, as she watched him carefully. “No. I should reword it. I don’t… I don’t want to...I don’t need you to fix this. Fix me. I can't make you do more for me than you already have, Athena.”

“Oh what, like you haven't done anything for me?”

He shook his head. “That shouldn't be what this is about,” he said. “I don't want you to have to do anything for me.”

“Well tough luck, buster,” Athena snapped. “You don't get to decide when I care about you. Because I do, and nothing you say is going to make me change my mind about that.” She paused a moment. “T-Though if you need me to lay off a bit, I can do that too.”

“Right, right,” he muttered.

“And besides, you don’t need to be fixed,” Athena replied, and Blackquill paused, frowning at her. “I don’t want to fix you. I like you the way you are. I just want...I just want you to be happy, you know?” She gave him a grin. “I’m not giving up on that yet, no matter what happens. So don’t you either, okay?”

He stared at her. And stared, and stared. Then he turned away, covering his face with his hand, taking a deep breath. And another deep breath. Athena’s smile faded, leaning in to look at him. “Simon? You okay?”

“.......thank you, Athena.”

She could hear so many things unspoken, just in those three simple words. And she smiled again, reaching out and patting his arm. “Good night, Simon. I’ll see you in the morning.” And she turned and walked off toward her own bedroom.

Chapter Text

“Wright?”

“...Mmm?” Phoenix blinked a few times in the early morning light. The sun had hit that perfect angle to squeeze through the blinds and shine directly into his face, forcing him to squint. Edgeworth was still in bed with him as he drifted into consciousness, their limbs tangled together, their noses barely inches apart. Phoenix shifted a bit, turning away to stifle a yawn. “What’s up?”

“I just realized, you still haven’t given me that speech.”

He paused, brain slowly beginning to churn to life. Then he chuckled, shaking his head. “Oh? You’re finally ready to accept my proposal?” he teased.

“Well not unless you can convince me with this little speech of yours,” Edgeworth replied, as Phoenix pulled him closer. “I can’t go into such a life changing decision without having all the evidence presented, now, can I?”

“You’re right, you’re right.” Phoenix pressed a kiss to Edgeworth’s forehead. “And knowing I am deeply in love with you is not nearly enough evidence, huh?”

“You’re going to have to try harder than that if you want to win me over, Wright.”

He laughed against Edgeworth’s skin, before sighing. “Alright, um, give me a second to remember.”

“Oh? Is it not memorized? I must say, I am shocked.”

“Miles I swear to god.” As Edgeworth snorted, Phoenix pulled back a bit, just enough to really look at the man’s face. Edgeworth really did look so different from that man he’d challenged in court all those years ago. Gone was that lost, bitter, hurting young man who lashed out at him at every turn. Before him was a new man, an older man. A softer man. His eyes were gentler. Kinder. Warmer.

“Miles Edgeworth. From the moment I first met you, I think I knew there was something different about you. Something special.”

“Ah, more flattery then?” Edgeworth murmured. “I suppose that’s a start.”

“Well, I mean, you did save me. How could I not think you were the most amazing person on the planet?” He smiled softly. “But, I mean, there was more to it than that. I mean, Larry had also stepped up to defend me in that trial. You were both my best friends, my favorite people on the planet. But Larry never made my stomach flip flop the way you did, even as a kid. Larry’s smile never turned me to mush. Larry never—”

“Alright, can we please stop discussing Larry in your big romantic proposal? I’m starting to feel ill.”

“Shoot. You’re right. Sorry. No more Larry.” He pressed a kiss to Edgeworth’s lips, ignoring his little huff. “But I’ve been in love with you since I was too young to understand what it was, and somehow you make me fall even more in love with you every single day.”

“Hmm, is that so?” Edgeworth murmured, fingers trailing along Phoenix’s side with a smirk.

“Of course.” Phoenix chuckled. “I mean, look at you. You’re—You’re amazing. Smartest person I know. Handsome. Brave. Confident. Stubborn. Mean.”

“Was that last one also a compliment?”

“Stop interrupting me.” He paused a moment, giving Edgeworth a pointed look, until he was sure he could speak again. “I love you so much,” he continued on, reaching out, pressing their foreheads together, Edgeworth still smirking and rolling his eyes. “You said I made you the person you are today, but you’ve changed me back just as much. And I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to grow old with you. I want to wake up with you every morning and know that you’re mine.”

“You do know that we live together already, correct?” Edgeworth interrupted again. “We were already planning to do most of that anyway. A marriage certificate is hardly going to change that situation.”

“Well yeah, but now we’re going to have some legal documentation proving it, and I know how much legal documents turn you on.”

“Wright.”

“Anyway,” he interrupted quickly, laughing at the scowl on Edgeworth’s face. He reached down, grabbing Edgeworth’s hand, bringing it to his lips. “Marry me?”

“Hmm.” Edgeworth’s mouth was pressed into a thin line, clearly trying to think of something snarky to say in response. Finally, he sighed gently, shutting his eyes. “Well, I suppose other than you spending a minute to talk about Larry Butz of all people, that was an acceptable proposal. I’ll have to think on it very carefully.”

“You just have to nitpick, don’t you.” Phoenix poked Edgeworth’s stomach. “I’m trying to be nice to you for once.”

“Well I wouldn’t have to nitpick if you did it right the first time.” He crossed his arms. “I suppose if you were to submit your request in writing I’d have to consider it. In triplicate, naturally, I’m not an animal.”

“You’re the worst.”

They both chuckled, as Edgeworth leaned back in for another lazy kiss, and another, and another. “I suppose it’s a good thing you love me anyway,” Edgeworth said, a smile in his eyes. “Otherwise this whole marriage proposal thing would be intolerable.”

“Damn straight.” Another kiss.

He could feel Edgeworth continue to smirk against his lips as he murmured, “Now we just need some legal documentation to seal the deal.”

Phoenix grinned back, before wincing as the sunlight caught his eyes again. He lifted his head, cracking his neck. “So, what do you think? Should we get up? Get ready for the day?”

Edgeworth frowned at that, glancing around the room. Phoenix could see his eyes catch on the small suitcase he carried his work computer in. For a moment, he seemed to be considering it. Then he let out a sigh. “...I suppose a few more minutes couldn’t hurt,” he mused, hands sliding around Phoenix’s waist, and Phoenix couldn’t help but laugh into the next kiss.

///

There were a solid thirty seconds of consciousness where Klavier couldn’t quite place the weight that had settled on top of him, until Apollo shifted in his sleep, face pressed firmly into the crook of Klavier’s neck.

Klavier’s eyes shot open. He was lying in the bed they’d been sharing since day one, a leg sprawled over the pillows they’d been using as a barrier for the entire trip. It was light out through the blinds, bathing the room a dull gray. Apollo was in his arms, half draped on top of Klavier’s body, snoring softly, completely dead to the world.

Klavier shifted slightly, craning to look down as Apollo shifted in response, making himself comfortable. He’d barely gotten into his pajamas before passing out the night before, using Klavier as his pillow and conking out. Klavier would’ve found it hilarious, as well as adorable, if he hadn’t passed out almost as quickly. But alas, it had been a long and exhausting evening, and Klavier had been just as tired as Apollo.

But now it was morning, and Klavier was awake. He was awake, and Apollo was still there, sleeping soundly in his arms. Klavier found himself grinning at the sight, shutting his eyes, pressing his face to the top of Apollo’s head. Apollo was there, and this was real. He’d kissed Apollo Justice yesterday, and Apollo Justice had kissed him back. And now here he was, with Apollo in his bed, using Klavier as a pillow. It was amazing, exhilarating, maybe slightly terrifying. 

Why was that? He couldn’t remember feeling this about any relationship he’d been in, but everything felt so different with Apollo. Everything always felt different with Apollo. Different and complicated, and wonderful and strange. It was like all the scripts Klavier had learned over the years had been rewritten, tossed out, turned on their heads.

Actually, come to think of it, how many times had Klavier ever just...slept with someone like this? Not slept with, just fallen asleep together. It hadn’t been sexy, or even particularly romantic. Apollo had been tired and just wanted Klavier there in the bed with him. He wasn’t getting anything out of the arrangement, just sleeping with Klavier pulled close. Why did that somehow feel more intimate than anything Klavier had ever done before this?

Apollo shifted again, his face scrunching up. Grumbling, he lifted his head, which knocked into Klavier’s jaw. Klavier snorted, pulling back as Apollo grunted, wincing and looking up. “Whahuh?”

“Guten morgen, Schatzi.”

It seemed to take Apollo a few moments to process what Klavier said, or how close their faces were. When it seemed to click, Apollo’s face flushed crimson. He made a noise, leaning back in surprise, sputtering a bit, before managing a “W-What’re you looking at?”

Klavier let out a laugh. “What kind of a question is that?!”

After a second, Apollo seemed to realize the absurdity of the statement. He glanced down at the spot on Klavier’s bare chest he’d been sleeping on only moments prior. “Oh, uh…”

“After all, I’ve only got eyes for you, baby.”

“Wh......shut up.” He buried his face against Klavier’s shoulder, and Klavier laughed again, shaking his head. As he opened his mouth to say something, Apollo murmured, “Is this...okay?”

“Hmm?” Klavier blinked. “Is what okay?”

“I...I didn’t keep you up or anything, did I?” Apollo asked, glancing up at him. “I didn’t...I mean, this doesn’t look that comfortable for you. Like we don’t have to, uh...lay like this if you don’t want to.”

Klavier stared at him a moment. Why did something as small as that make his stomach swoop again? Realizing Apollo was waiting on an answer, he coughed, forcing one of his trademark smiles onto his face. “Achtung. I’m very comfortable, what are you talking about?”

“...if you say so,” he muttered, not looking convinced, and Klavier found his smile softening. He reached forward, running a hand along Apollo’s back, and Apollo jumped a bit. “W-Wha…?”

“How could I not be comfortable with such a considerate boyfriend?” Klavier said.

Apollo stared at him a moment, an odd look on his face. “......huh.”

Klavier raised an eyebrow, letting his hand rest on the small of Apollo’s back. “Ja? What’s wrong?”

“So...all of it was real?” Apollo asked. “All of that flirting and...you know. You weren’t just making fun of me?”

“Of course it was real,” Klavier replied, frowning immediately. “I would never say something I didn’t mean. Especially something like that.” And with a split second of debate, he reached up, letting his fingertips brush against Apollo’s cheek. “Especially to you.”

“And...And this is…” He frantically waved his hand between the two of them. “This is real? We’re...I-I don’t know, dating? I guess?”

“I’d like us to be, yes,” Klavier said, laughing at the look of befuddlement on Apollo’s face. “Is it really that unbelievable to you?”

“It just...literally never crossed my mind,” Apollo mumbled, rubbing at his head with a nervous little smile. “So then…” His brows creased suddenly, pressing a finger to his forehead. “So we can just...kiss whenever we want then?”

Immediately, Klavier’s smile turned wolfish. “Ja, of course,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows, hand settling back on Apollo’s back. “I’m all yours baby, any time you—”

And Apollo cupped his face in his hands and kissed him, and Klavier froze. 

The kiss was nothing like the one from yesterday. It was soft, and gentle, and sweet, and Klavier felt his brain short circuit entirely. He lay there, too startled to move, or react, or even reciprocate, eyes wide as Apollo’s lips moved against his, slowly, tentatively. After a moment, Apollo pulled back, hands still cupping Klavier’s cheeks. He was staring intently at Klavier, as if trying to memorize every detail of his face in that exact moment. 

The two of them stared at each other like that, for what felt both like years and a split second all in one. Then Apollo stiffened, face flushing, before scrambling backward out of the bed.

“Apoll—”

“I should—I’ve got to—I mean I—I need to brush my teeth before you hog the bathroom for an hour.” A cough. Apollo rubbed at his head again, with a weak laugh. “Uh. Yeah. Be right back.” He turned, walking directly into the door before realizing it was a pull door, then slipping out of sight with a string of curses.

Klavier watched him leave in a stunned silence, mouth agape. He felt lightheaded. Dizzy. Without even realizing it, he’d reached up and touched his own lips. Slowly, he sat up, propping himself up with his elbow.

Apollo had kissed him. He’d kissed him and it had been warm, and gentle, and sweet. How many times had Klavier been kissed like that? It wasn’t fiery or passionate, made in the heat of the moment, all clattering of tongue and teeth. Hell, Apollo had seemed almost cautious about it. It was barely a kiss. But he’d kissed him, and held Klavier’s face in his hands like some precious object, and…

...were Klavier’s eyes stinging? He scowled, rubbing at them quickly. What a silly thing to feel so worked up over. Quickly, he sat up, feet settling to the floor as he stretched his arms above his head. He could faintly hear the sound of running water, of Apollo panic-brushing his teeth, and he smiled to himself, shutting his eyes.

How many love songs had he written without really knowing what love was? Maybe he’d have to start writing some new ones...

///

“Listen, you really don’t have to pay me—”

“Don’t worry about it,” the man insisted again, holding out a twenty dollar bill toward Athena. “That was one of the better yoga classes I’ve had.”

“But I’m not a yoga teacher,” Athena told him again, as several other people began to gather up their towels and wander off. “Really, I don’t need the money.”

“Well, professional or not, I wasn’t joking about this being one of the better classes I’ve had.” He put the money directly into Athena’s hand this time, smiling and walking off.

A sigh and a smile as Athena shook her head, tossing the twenty into her bag along with her water bottle and towel, as well as a few other tips she’d been given. The sun was fully in the sky now, hanging lazily over the ocean, and Athena shut her eyes for a moment, letting it warm her face.

Today felt like it was going to be a good day.

She turned, pulling her straw-weave bag over her shoulder and headed back up the beach to the little gate separating the condo from the public beach. There was a man with a pressure hose spraying down the concrete just inside, and Athena gave him a little wave as she passed, bare feet padding quickly across the puddles. She strode up toward the elevator before thinking better of it, turning and making her way up the stairwell.

As she passed the third floor, there was a flutter out of the corner of her eye. She froze, head snapping toward the movement. For a moment, her breath caught in her chest. Then she turned, about to sprint the rest of the way before she thought better of it, walking gingerly up the stairs. Once she reached the right floor, she glanced back out again over the railing. Then carefully, she turned, took one step, two, and then made a mad dash toward the door to the condo.

Frantically unlocking the door, she stumbled into the freezing interior, throwing her bag down and quickly scanning the room, and, “Simon!”

Blackquill jumped. He’d been standing by the foot of his bed, looking deep in thought, brows creased. At Athena’s voice, he startled, rounding on her. “Wh—How long have you been there?!”

“Three seconds. Come on, we need to go outside right now.”

“What?” He scowled as she ran over, grabbing his arm and pulling him toward the door. “Unhand me, what are you doing?!”

“Simon, we need to go outside now.”

“Move it!!” Widget added frantically.

He looked unconvinced, but followed anyway, wrenching his arm from her hands. “Fine, no need for such theatrics. I need a moment for my shoes—”

“No time for shoes!” Athena protested. “Come on! Oh.” She’d already turned the handle before she froze. “Wait, uh, but we need to be quiet about it.”

Now he looked deeply confused. Cautiously, he stepped outside into the muggy heat of the morning, letting Athena step past him and tiptoe over to the railing. “...should I be concerned?” he asked, sidling up next to her. “Are you under attack?”

“Look down.”

And he did.

Down below them, only a few yards away, was an osprey, sitting atop a tree, a large fish in its talons. Athena could see Blackquill instantly freeze, eyes going wide. He stood there for a moment, not moving or breathing. Slowly, he folded his arms along the railing, leaning down to rest his chin and watch, and Athena tried not to laugh.

“You look like a kid in a candy store.”

There was a moment where he seemed caught between watching the osprey and glaring at Athena. “I’m sure I could find plenty of jabs at your personality and appearance were I not so magnanimous,” he muttered.

“It wasn’t an insult.” She poked at him a bit, and he swatted her off, harrumphing as he did. The osprey began attempting to eat the fish, and Athena turned away so she wouldn’t have to watch. “So, has this trip finally been worth it yet?”

“Are you looking to exalt in your victory? Because I have no interest in admitting to anything.”

“You just did,” she replied. “You just said victory.”

“I said nothing of the sort and you have no proof.” He looked back down, settling himself against the railing again. “I...suppose we will all return home soon.”

It was quiet. A slight tinge of melancholy, a hint of relief. “Seems like it,” Athena replied, nodding. “...Bet you’re excited to have Taka back.”

“Certainly. My shoulder feels naked without my bosom buzzard by my side.” As Athena shook her head, Blackquill settled back onto the railing. “...Yes, I will be happy to return home.”

Athena’s smile faltered. “...a-ah.”

“...And yet...I do feel I will miss this time I’ve spent away.” As Athena perked up, he smirked her way. “After all, where else shall I see Apollo Justice almost get consumed by an alligator?”

“Simon!” But Athena laughed anyway, shaking her head.

“Perhaps I shall take him to the zoo,” he mused, crossing his arms.

The two of them sat there in a companionable silence for a while, listening to the rustling of the osprey below. Eventually, Blackquill cleared his throat. “...Hoy, Athe—Err, Cykes-don—” He hesitated a moment. “...you there.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Athena.”

“...Athena,” he conceded. “Have today’s plans already been made? I have yet to speak to anyone else since the previous evening.”

“...nope.” And she grinned at him. “Why, is there something you wanted to do?”

“Nothing in particular,” he replied, ducking his head. “I simply… If you wish to drag me around for more of your nonsense as usual, I would like to be prepared ahead of time. That is all.”

“Oh, that’s all, is it?” she asked, grinning at the slight hopeful lilt of his voice. “That’s all?”

“You are already making me regret my query.”

“Well, since you’re so excited to find something to do—”

“Ah I see you are actively trying making it worse—”

“—I think everyone can help find something fun!” She clasped her hands. “Ooo, maybe we can go shopping again! Or finally try out that little mini golf place. OH!” She grabbed Blackquill’s shoulders. “Siiiiiimon~!”

Blackquill narrowed his eyes. “...perhaps if I simply ignore her, she will leave. What do you think, my feathered friend?” he asked the osprey, who didn’t react.

“Since I didn’t get my endless crab legs yesterday, I think you’re going to have to make it up to me.”

He raised an eyebrow. “...by purchasing you endless crab legs?”

“By purchasing us endless crab legs,” Athena corrected. “And then seeing who can eat more of said crab legs.”

He groaned, head hanging forward. “You will be the death of me, and yet here you are, relishing in my misfortune.”

“It’s the spirit of competition, Simon!”

“No chickening out now!” Widget chirped.

There was the rustle of wings, and the osprey erupted into the sky. They both turned, watching it shoot upward, fish still dangling from its talons. It wheeled overhead, before disappearing out of sight past a cluster of nearby trees.

“...You know, I’ve always wanted to fly,” Athena said, smiling as the osprey disappeared. “Wouldn’t that be amazing, soaring through the air, wind in your face? No wonder it’s always the number one superpower people wish they had. And then you’d never have to deal with traffic again!” She tapped at her earring. “I wonder if I’d be able to give people rides that way? What do you think, would you want me to fly you around?”

Blackquill didn’t answer her for a moment, face impassive as he stared at her. She felt her grin fade. “...What? What’s wrong?”

And then Blackquill made a noise, leaning on the railing, and it took a moment for Athena to register it as laughter. “Not a thing, Athena,” he said. And his voice, tinged with sadness and pain as it always was, had given way to something else. Something amused, and relieved, and almost hopeful. He turned away. “Come, let us see if anyone else has roused yet.”

Athena smiled at his back as he started off. It wasn’t the same, and it never would be. But it was something wonderful nonetheless. “...sounds good to me.”

///

“So Herr Edgeworth! Herr Wright!”

Suddenly, Klavier was standing between Phoenix and Edgeworth, grinning that rockstar grin as he leaned on the back of Edgeworth's canvas chair as it was set down in the sand. Phoenix paused, swallowing the half of a granola bar in his mouth as Trucy sprayed way too much sunscreen onto his back. “Something up, Klavier? You need something?”

“We sure do,” Athena said, suddenly sliding into view on Edgeworth's other side, eyes bright.

“Ah, Ms. Cykes as well?” Edgeworth said, screwing the top of his thermos back on as he sat down. “To what do we owe the pleasure?”

“Well, we couldn’t help but notice the two of you have picked up some new...jewelry, ja?” Klavier held up a hand, pointing to his finger with a conspiratorial grin.

Apollo, still half asleep with a water bottle half in his mouth, glanced over. “...what, did they get their ears pierced…?” Several pairs of eyes turned toward him. “...what?”

“...Truly your powers of perception are beyond compare,” Blackquill muttered from nearby, still attempting to wrangle the final tent stake into the sand.

“Well, anyway,” Athena turned back toward Edgeworth, “we’ve been wondering, which of you proposed first!”

“Just out of morbid curiosity of course,” Klavier said, brushing at his bangs. “No monetary bets involved of course.”

“You two were betting on us?!” Phoenix asked.

“Wait,” and Edgeworth turned around entirely, “you knew about Wright’s proposal as well?”

“Wait a second you two knew about EDGEWORTH proposing?!”

“Aw come on, you guys,” Trucy teased, twirling the sunscreen in her hand like an ill-shaped baton, “everyone knew you two were proposing to each other.”

“...Wait, Mr. Wright and Mr. Edgeworth are engaged?!”

Everyone turned to look at Apollo. “...almost everyone,” Trucy corrected.

“Oh, well excuse me!” Apollo huffed, crossing his arms. “Sorry for not paying attention to my boss’s hands.”

“But you haven’t answered the question,” Athena continued, turning back toward Edgeworth. “Who proposed first? I have to know.”

Phoenix chuckled. “Is it not obvious?” And then, in unison with Edgeworth, “I did.”

Klavier and Athena blinked, faces falling. “...huh?”

“Wh—Wright, we’ve been over this, I proposed to you first!”

“Nope, not having you weasel your way out of this one. I actually proposed first and you know it.”

“You’re trying to argue a technicality. My proposal started first, ergo, my proposal came first. This is not up for debate.”

“Sure you started first, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't count as a proposal until you actually propose. Eretofore, I proposed first.”

“Doesn’t count?! I think it counts perfectly well, thank you. And Eretofore isn't a word!”

“...Should we leave?” Apollo asked, taking another sullen sip of water.

“Probably,” Trucy told him with a giggle. “They’ll have to tire each other out eventually.” She looped her arms through Klavier’s and Athena’s tugging them away quickly. “Come on, let’s go!”

///

There was a jingle overhead as Edgeworth stepped out of the small gift shop, Kay’s bribery gift tucked safely away into the little plastic bag the cashier had stuffed it into. It was still stiflingly hot outside. There were some strange stalls scattered about just outside the rows of stores clustered into the sprawling shopping plaza. A frozen ice stall, some kites, one of those weird ‘Every letter is a beach themed photo’ things that people bought for tacky beach houses.

He glanced around at the other stores, looking for any familiar faces or for anything to catch his eye. He was never much of a gift-giver. Did he need to purchase anything for anyone else? Neither Gumshoe nor Sebastian had requested anything of him, and Franziska would likely turn her nose at anything he offered her. And if he even considered purchasing something for Lang, he’d need to purchase at least a hundred copies for his men. Maybe just the one snowglobe was enough.

He turned a corner and paused, seeing two familiar figures standing side by side, both piled high with at least twelve shopping bags apiece. He could hear them talking.

“Do you think anyone would notice if I just snuck back to the condo?”

“Justice-dono, you could be struck down by a serial killer and I wouldn’t notice until your funeral.”

“Gee thanks.”

“Blackquill. Justice. There you are.”

Two faces turned his way. “Edgeworth-dono, your shopping has been successful?”

“Theoretically,” Edgeworth replied. “So long as this snowglobe makes it home in one piece. And yourselves? Your trip seems to be…” He eyed the brightly colored bags, “...productive as well.”

Apollo sighed, holding up one arm. “Trucy.” Other arm. “Klavier.” He inclined his head toward the bags in Blackquill’s arms. “Athena.” Another nod to a bag looped around Apollo’s ankle. “Mr. Wright.”

“...Ah.”

“At least your own shopping has been fruitful,” Blackquill said. “Wright-dono has gone to reserve us a table at the restaurant just beyond that crossing there.”

“Ah, I see.” Edgeworth adjusted his glasses, glancing across the way toward another cluster of buildings. “I suppose it is starting to get to that time of day.”

“...Edgeworth-dono.”

Edgeworth and Apollo looked over toward Blackquill, staring off down an adjacent path. “Do you need something, Blackquill?”

He was frowning intently, deep in thought. “...I have thanked you before for freeing me from my shackles, right?”

Edgeworth perked up a bit at that, raising an eyebrow. “I… Yes, certainly,” he replied. “And no need to do it again, I am just happy to have you out of prison.” Adjusting his glasses, he added, “As Chief Prosecutor, I am always happy to ensure the health and safety of those working under me.”

“Ah, yes.” Blackquill met his eyes. “Would you perhaps be willing to save me from my new prison then?”

“...Wh…?” Before Edgeworth could even formulate a question, Blackquill held up the several cutesy bags dangling from his arms.

“I beg of you, Edgeworth-dono. Set me free.”

Edgeworth almost cracked a smile, but managed to keep a straight face. “...I suspect these may be of differing matters of importance,” he said instead, crossing his arms, hoping he looked stern.

“You can’t just pass Athena’s stuff off on the Chief Prosecutor,” Apollo said. “I’m sure he has much more important things than—”

“Ah, never mind, I see Justice-dono has volunteered.”

“Huh?!”

Suddenly Blackquill dumped the bags into Apollo’s arms, almost knocking him completely over. “So grateful for your offer, Justice-dono, keep this up and perhaps I will stop Taka from pecking your eyes out occasionally.”

“I never agreed to this—”

“So very grateful.” Blackquill turned, walking off, as Apollo stumbled back.

Edgeworth quickly grabbed his shoulder, preventing him from simply falling to the concrete. He frowned over toward Blackquill’s receding back. “Dare I ask what you’re doing with this newfound freedom, Prosecutor Blackquill?”

Blackquill paused, glancing back over his shoulder. His eyes had gone distant, a frown on his face. “...I…” He hesitated a moment, searching for the words. “...I suspect I’ve been squandering this freedom of mine,” he replied finally, a hand brushing against his wrist. “Our time here is limited. I simply thought it time I take advantage of it at least once before the end.”

“...is that a metaphor?” Apollo called. “Or do you mean literally?”

“Certainly.” And without another word, Blackquill turned and stalked off.

“That wasn’t a yes or no question!” Apollo was calling after him, tipping the other way before Edgeworth steadied him again. A huff, as Apollo regained his balance. “I don’t get him.”

Edgeworth sighed to himself, glancing toward where Blackquill had disappeared. He hadn’t realized there was a knot in his stomach this entire time until it began to ease, just in that moment. “I think Blackquill is going to be alright,” he murmured to himself, and Apollo raised an eyebrow.

“He’s six foot two and jacked, why wouldn’t he be?” A pause. Slowly Edgeworth turned his gaze toward Apollo, and Apollo stiffened. “I-I mean, uh, you know, I just, I’m sure he’ll be fine too! Haha! Yeah.”

“...No, you’re right, what was I thinking,” Edgeworth muttered flatly, grabbing a few bags out of Apollo’s hands and glancing up. He saw Phoenix just outside the restaurant across the street, sending a wave in his direction, and Edgeworth smiled.

///

“Okay, we need at least one group photo!”

Groans went around the table. Athena forced her head up from the table toward Trucy, looking a bit ill as she did. “Why do you suggest that AFTER I kill myself with crab meat?”

“Oh, so you’ve given up already?” Blackquill muttered, also looking a bit worse for wear as he cracked open another crab leg. “Pathetic. I’m disappointed.”

“Can it.”

“Come on, we have to get at least one picture!” Trucy begged, turning toward Phoenix. “We’ve barely taken any this entire trip! Please Daddy?”

“Come on, Truce, you know I don’t look good in photos…”

The puppy eyes turned on immediately, and Phoenix winced, already starting to break. “...Well…”

“Wright, we are not taking a group photo,” Edgeworth snapped, folding his credit card into the check and handing it to the waitress. “We are in a dimly lit restaurant, I’m pretty sure Ms. Cykes is inches from death...”

“I’m perfectly fine, thank y—” She winced, swallowing.

“...inches from death,” Edgeworth repeated, crossing his arms, finger tapping. “And besides, I hardly care to take a photo in my casual clothes—”

“But Mr. Edgeworth!” And Trucy turned her wide eyes toward him. “This is going to be our first dinner together since Daddy proposed! We have to document the moment!”

“Okay, so why can’t it just be you, Mr. Wright, and Prosecutor Edgeworth?” Apollo asked, popping the final popcorn shrimp into his mouth. “I can take the picture if you want—”

“But I want to remember this trip forever,” Trucy insisted, spinning around to pout at him. “I want to remember all of this! I want to remember you and Mr. Gavin getting together and Mr. Blackquill admitting he’s my cousin now—”

“You cannot prove that,” Blackquill interrupted, ignoring the confused look on Athena’s face.

“And I see you literally every day,” Apollo replied. “I’m not going anywhere. Why do you need a reminder?”

“Achtung! Where’s all of your sense of sentimentalism?” Klavier said. “You don’t want a memento of our time here on the waves? Where love and friendship was found and forged?”

“...What?”

“I agree with the Fraulein,” Klavier continued, looping an arm around Apollo’s head and pulling him almost out of his chair. “We need to commemorate our time here!”

“You don’t get to vote! You’re the most photogenic man on the planet!”

“Aw, Schatzi, that’s so sweet.”

“Wh—No it isn’t! Shut up!”

“Okay, that’s two votes yes and five abstains, so I think that’s the majority,” Trucy announced.

“That’s not how that works!” Apollo protested, but Trucy was already hopping to her feet.

“Come on! Come on! There was a pretty tree just outside, let’s get a picture!”

Soon the group of them had made their way outside. Trucy was right, just outside the restaurant was an old, gnarled tree, one branch hanging almost directly across the sidewalk, at an awkward angle that made you have to duck beneath it.

“Oh no, Justice-dono, be careful of that branch.”

“Don’t worry, Herr Forehead, I’ll protect you from hitting your head.”

“Why do you two keep—Did I miss something?!”

“Okay, everyone has to pose,” Trucy said, shoving everyone together, smiling wide as she scurried over toward a nearby pedestrian with her phone. Phoenix laughed, slipping an arm around Edgeworth’s waist. Edgeworth sighed, crossing his arms even as he leaned in. Klavier wrapped himself around Apollo, resting a chin on his head, and Apollo swallowed, leaning back against Klavier. Athena grinned with her trademark peace sign, nudging Blackquill until he gave some sort of a smile. In seconds, Trucy was back, bouncing up next to her father, who reached out and pulled her over. “Okay, now everyone, say cheese~!”

///

So today’s the day you’re coming home, right?

yeah!!!! oh my gosh im so excited to see you i have so much to tell you

im at the airport right now

Oh yay it sounds like you had fun! Usually our vacations are just going to sit under a waterfall and meditating

You absolutely need to tell me EVERYTHING

Also I can’t believe you haven’t sent any pictures yet >:(

But yeah, did everything go okay?

Trucy paused, staring blearily at the screen of her phone as the noises of the early morning airport filtered in around her. After a moment, she risked a glance up, looking around at the others.

Klavier and Apollo were sitting across from her. Klavier was texting as well, a hat pulled low on his head, and Apollo looked dead tired from how early they’d woken up to drive to the airport. He kept risking glances toward Klavier out of the corner of his eyes, before swallowing, steeling himself, and flopping against Klavier’s side. Klavier paused, glancing up, smiling, quickly shifting to wrap his arm around Apollo and letting him get comfortable as Apollo settled up against Klavier and shut his eyes.

Just beside them, Athena and Blackquill were arguing in low voices, both looking considerably more awake. It didn’t seem like a particularly heated argument, and after a moment, Athena reached into a side pocket on her bag, pulling out a tiny figurine, a bird of prey diving. She held it out to him with a look of grim determination, and he stared at it. Then he sighed, rubbing at his temple, reaching into his coat pocket and drawing out an almost identical figurine, looking a bit embarrassed as he tossed her a crumpled receipt. Athena covered her mouth, before the laughter burst through anyway. Blackquill looked somehow caught between laughing and glaring, snatching the bird from Athena’s outstretched palm and pocketing them both.

Next to Trucy were Phoenix and Edgeworth. Edgeworth had pulled out his laptop, already working hard despite the early hour. Phoenix, meanwhile, looked half dead, blinking slowly, head lolling forward. He nodded off for a moment, before his head snapped back up. Edgeworth jumped, looking over, sighing affectionately, before he reached over and intertwined their hands. He pulled Phoenix’s hand to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to the ring gleaming on his finger. Phoenix flushed, a dopey grin spreading across his face as he leaned in to capture Edgeworth’s mouth in another kiss, before leaning his head on Edgeworth’s shoulder to watch him return to his work.

Trucy smiled, feeling warmth bubbling in her stomach. Her phone vibrated in her hand, and she looked back down. It was Pearl again, asking if she’d already gotten on the plane. Trucy huffed a laugh, leaning against her father as she unlocked her phone to type out a quick reply.

it was everything i could’ve wanted and more.