Not the Time or Place

[madimpossibledreamer]

Main Points:
Ace Attorney AU
Chapter Summary: Apollo needs Klavier to stop.  Follow-up to Be Real With Me.
Word Count: 444
Rating: Teen
Note: Apollo Justice and Dual Destinies spoilers.

          “All right.  Athena, you stay here.  Klavier, you’re coming with me.”  Klavier comes along willingly enough, even though he’s dragging him not-so-gently.  Once they’re alone enough Apollo stops, dropping the blond’s arm and putting his hands on his hips.  “Okay, this has to stop.  Seriously, I’m not into Athena, so you can stop being jealous.  I even like you back, heaven knows why, so knock it off.”
          The blink and sudden, still silence says the prosecutor’s having a little trouble processing.  Apollo waits patiently.  Well, he’s tapping his foot, but it’s mostly because they don’t have time for Klavier to be a diva if he’s got to bring Athena up to speed, never mind his own suspicions of the Wright Anything Agency’s newest lawyer.  “…You’re saying you know of my feelings, and reciprocate them, and haven’t mentioned such, and yet you’re angry at me?”  the former rock star finally asks, faintly.
          “Not…”  Apollo sighs.  “Not at you, persay.  I’m a little…frustrated.  I’ve known you liked me since, uh, the thing with the MASON system, and suspected since longer, and figured out I felt the same way pretty quickly, but.  It never felt like the right time, you know?  It’s not the right time now, either, but if I don’t clarify you’re going to keep being a drama queen at Athena and we have to investigate now.  Usually I don’t mind you being, well, you at a crime scene, but you’re usually pretty good about not letting that get in the way.”
          A smile appears, small but radiant.  “Ja.  I suppose, much as I’d like to finish this conversation, we ought to get to that work you love so much, Schatzi?”
          “Yeah—but we should have this talk.  At the victory dinner once we win, maybe?”  This isn’t a good time, or a good thing to leave hanging, but they’ve agreed to talk, and it’s not like there isn’t urgent work that has to be done, or this is going to be a short conversation.  Neither of those things are true.
          Klavier throws back his head and laughs, and it’s genuine, which is a bit of a surprise—but then, the prosecutor had noticed Apollo preferred him to be honest with his feelings, especially after Apollo had told him so right to his face.  The defense lawyer reminds himself to breathe, because he hadn’t been expecting that to get him.  “You’re so confident—but then, that is one of the things that draws me to you, Schatzi.”  He bows and gestures for Apollo to go first, and Apollo smiles internally, maybe a little giddy and possibly smug, because that’s the ‘old-school romantic’ he’d been promised.