Manager 'Verse

[madimpossibledreamer]

Things I hate: phones
waiting for phone calls
argh

Main Points:
Ace Attorney AU
Chapter Summary: During college, Apollo ends up as Klavier's manager.  Bits and pieces I'm probably never going to finish, plus a couple extra notes I saved under manageer_verse.  Dunno.
Word Count: 1449
Rating: Teen (this is ace attorney so murder is a thing also kristoph kris is also a thing that exists and makes everything dark)
Note: Apollo Justice spoilers.

             “—choosing ein Manager mein age to get me to behave…” 
             “well, clearly nothing else is working!”
             Apollo’s marching in before he can think twice about it.  “I need the money, and you need to stop acting like a spoiled brat.”
             The star stares at him, open-mouthed, completely caught off guard.  The woman is too, but chuckles after a moment or two.  “I like him.  He’ll keep you in line.”

             “Wait!  Runt!”  Apollo didn’t bother turning.  If Klavier wanted him to come back, he could come tell Apollo himself so that he could get a real good kick in the face.  And possibly other more sensitive parts of the body.  “Manager!”  He walked faster.  “Apollo,” the man finally gave in and ran up, grabbing Apollo’s arm.
             The cold look in Justice’s eyes made no secret about what would happen if Daryan didn’t let go in the next second.  Despite that, he didn’t give in, which almost—almost—earned Apollo’s respect.  Enough for him to listen, anyway.
             “The diva doesn’t know what he’s doing.  Could you at least forgive him for being an idiot?”  Apollo didn’t bother changing his expression, and Daryan sighed heavily.  “Okay, I’m going to tell you something.  He’s not going to like me for it, but whatever, he can hate me, because I’m not letting him do this to himself.  I know I can tell you because you like the few others of us in the world who are sane don’t like his dick of a brother.”  The smile was almost predatory.  As much as Apollo hated being short, it was occasionally useful, like not being attacked by a shark’s head of a pompadour.  “I’ve been saying for years that guy’s nothing but trouble.  And it’s true, which I’ve always known, but this time the world knows.  He was arrested last night for murder.”
             “What?”  At least that was enough to shock him out of his cold fury.  “Klavier didn’t mention—”
             “Yeah, no, he wouldn’t have.  His brother called him from jail to tell him the news.  I don’t know what he said, but I can guess, since Edgeworth’s going to be the prosecutor on the case.  He was probably telling the diva all about how you had been assigned to just get close to him so they can frame the douche.  Stuff like that.  Filling his head with poisonous lies and Klavier just laps them all up like they’re milk.”
             Apollo clenches his fists, and his urge to storm off disappears.  He can’t leave his friend in this condition, even if he is being blamed for things he didn’t do.
             “Me either, kid.”

             “Let me go!”  Klavier is seething, practically frothing at the mouth, and Apollo has the sudden fitting and horrible image of Klavier as a trained attack dog, let go from his leash.
             “And let you kill some woman, just because she slighted your brother?  Whether or not it’s true, I’m not going to let you do that.”
             Apollo doesn’t have to have his weird mind-reading powers to see when his words sink in.  Klavier turns white as a sheet, blue eyes still angry but now full of guilt, fear, regret, horror.  He abruptly sits on the table behind him, which earns a grumpy lecture from the old lawyer with the briefcase that the younger Gavin can’t hear.  He doesn’t respond to his brother’s insinuations and subtle insults (that he was protecting his brother who’s not entirely of sound mind, that the rages sometimes occur), and is only roused out of the stupor when the Judge speaks to him directly.
             “I am sorry for my actions.  It has been a very trying week.  It will not happen again, Herr Judge.”  It’s honest and polite and truly repentant, and it’s the voice of a man whose heart is breaking.  And from that point on, he’s practically a statue.

They do get together and date for a while.  Eventually, Apollo quits to pursue his law career, and while Klavier mopes (and ends up sending lots of postcards), he blesses the move.  (Without the job, Apollo wouldn’t even have been able to afford it.)

             Apollo just beats his first case against Payne and runs into Ema who’s complaining about Klavier.  He drags her off to see Klavier.
             “Okay, you two are going to get along.  Klavier, you will stop teasing her as much.  Ema, you’ll stop complaining about people who are lazy and actually do something about that test you didn’t pass.  We all have issues and we’re all adults who can work through these things.  Or else.  Are we clear?”
             Ema didn’t even know they knew each other.
             “Well, you’re a knight now.”
             “A knight?”
             “Protecting those who cannot defend themselves, Herr Forehead.”  Klavier winks.  And is grinning like there’s an inside joke that Apollo should be getting, but isn’t, and the younger Gavin isn’t at all annoyed about that…
             “That’s what that song is about?!”  He’s practically bellowing at the top of his lungs, but he’s a little surprised, that’s all.  And more than a little mortified, but there’s no way he’s blushing as red as his new suit.
             “I’m pleased you’re paying attention to meine Karriere,” Klavier responds, and begins humming a tune that is far too catchy for its own good, and that Apollo instantly recognizes as Squire of Justice.
             At least it’s not Atroquinine, My Love.
             “Your new stuff sucks.”  It’s not exactly what he meant to say, but it earns a guffaw and a more honest, quiet Klavier that Ema’s probably never seen.
             “Ja, well, we got popular.  I’m not even sure how.  I mean, ja, all of us have talent, but.  Our Manager, while good, is not quite up to filling in her predecessor’s shoes.”  Apollo shifts, but doesn’t interrupt.  “Und who would have thought, so many interested in the law.”
             “I’m sure most of them just think you’re hot,” Apollo states flatly and tries to pretend like he’d actually meant to say that, too.
             The smile he gets in return is genuine and maybe just the tiniest bit goofy.  “Danke.”
             “Bitte,” Apollo responds automatically and gets a widening smile in return.  “Uh, hey, didn’t we interrupt you in the middle of something?”
             Ema’s probably never seen ‘the fop’ flustered, either, but she gets to see that too as suddenly there’s a flurry of papers and then Klavier’s blushing.  It’s hard to make the tanned man flush, but it’s happened.  He knows better than to pretend this didn’t happen, either, that he didn’t just attempt to be cool and fail.  He’s still embarrassed, but warm, and…
             And for once, the shadow of Kristoph seems far away and that makes Apollo’s heart melt.  Just a little.  Klavier’s doing better.  What more could he ask?
             He fiddles with the fringe of his hair, still smiling, and asks, “Do you have time for a victory dinner, to celebrate your skills as a lawyer?”
             “I didn’t mention I won.”
             “You were going up against one of the Paynes.  Not to speak poorly about a co-worker, but you are hardly one of their usual opponents.  I sometimes wonder,” the prosecutor lowers his voice, sounding amused and mischievous, and Apollo despite himself leans forward to hear, “…whether they aren’t kept on as a sort of barrier for those without skill.”
             Apollo snorts and shakes his head.  “It’s paperwork week at the office which will probably involve me doing most of the work because Edgeworth will be too busy dealing with a whining Wright.  But I’ll see what I can make time for.”

             (clay) "It's been forever since we've talked!  You're going to have to do a lot of groveling to get back on my good side."
             "I can deal with that."  Apollo's smiling.  "I have some time off this Saturday, how about that?"
             "It's going to take more than one outing, Apollo."
             "It'll be fine, old friend."

             "Okay, you're not allowed to embarrass me, okay?  Act cool."
             "I should be saying that."
             "I mean it, Clay."

             He enters the doors and sees a familiar blond unicorn's twist.  It's more casual clothes, but Apollo recognizes his rival and heads in that direction.
             Clay's eyes are probably bugging out of his head, but Apollo does his best to act normally.  "Ready to go, Klavier?"
             "Ja, baby."
             "You know Klavier Gavin??"
             "Ja, and now that you know I know Herr Justice, perhaps some of the lyrics may ring some bells."
             "Wait, you had songs written about you by Klavier Gavin?!?  Apollo!  Which ones?"  He's practically begging by this point.
             "Nein, that would ruin the fun."
             "Not Atroquinine, My Love.  That's about my poor love life.  Und some think it is the most Romantic thing they have heard."