everything i am is a lie

[madimpossibledreamer]

EDIT: I was going to tag it on Ao3 as 'well at least Kristoph hasn't killed anyone in this AU' and then it hit me that as the Mentor of the Assassins he probably has a higher body count than canon
also yes, they absolutely could probably use Kristoph in the Animus instead.  so explicitly in this version it's because Klavier is the expendable piano-boy.  rather than the implicit thing in mainline AC.

Main Points:
Ace Attorney/Assassin's Creed
Summary: Klavier is the man they're shoving in the Animus.  Apollo is the grumpy historian.
Word Count: 500
Rating: Gen
Pairing: Klavier/Apollo mutual crush
Apollo's "Klavier is too pretty how dare he" is never not funny

 

         “Rings don’t work for an Assassin,” he hisses, they know this, even for the lazy runaway brother of the Mentor he should know this, and the stupid pretty blond who named himself after a Piano laughs, a little pretty laugh.
         “Ja, ja.” The German grates, too, much like the rest of the ridiculous man’s ridiculous, far-too pretty existence. “There’s a reason, I assure you. A good one, even.” He takes a deep breath and settles himself all casual-like on Apollo’s desk and seriously back off Gavin. “Eins, the most convincing—they’re grounding. They are not, as you say, Assassin-like, so the fact that I am wearing them…”
         Apollo’s brain latches on to that with a fervor it almost trips over itself slotting the fact into place. “It cuts down on the Bleeding Effect. I suppose that’s why the shitty German.”
         “We were originally from Deutschland, Stirni. We fled...well, I supposed it to be mein Bruder’s paranoia again, but knowing what I know now…” the usually cheerful blond frowns. Before this, Apollo would have said he preferred the younger Gavin to take this seriously, but seeing this now something unpleasant curls in Apollo’s chest. “...Probably Templars,” he spits, accent edging ever so-slightly toward Spanish, if only for those words. “He ordered me never to speak another word in German, to lose any trace of accent, but—ja, just as you say, my rebellion seems to have been worth the struggle, here.” Ruthlessly practical, and a good reason why Kristoph had been one of the longest-lived Mentors in recent history, but damn, that had to hurt.
         “Second?” he asks, raising an eyebrow, trying not to show any sign that this is getting to him.
        “Zwei, well. I joke about my looks, but...I’m aware. I am what is considered conventionally attractive, nein? Real spies look nothing like me, because even with a hood, I am not what you would call ‘inconspicuous’.” He gestures casually at Apollo. “I, of course, consider you attractive, but you’re also far more capable of actually being invisible, going ‘unnoticed’. Perhaps it is this competence which is part of the appeal.” He shrugs, like Apollo’s not having a mini panic attack about his attractive coworker—if that—casually discussing his ‘appeal’. “So I must use other methods. Misdirection mostly.”
         That...actually makes perfect sense. Hippie artist living off the grid sorta vibe, why he traveled so much, why he played shitty music in even shittier bars for just enough to keep off the streets.
         Seriously, Apollo has heard the guy sing, sometimes, when he thinks the rest of them aren’t listening in. There’s talent, only he’s so good at concealing it you wouldn’t know it. “Just don’t flash them in my eyes when I’m trying to concentrate on work,” he states dismissively, with as even a tone as he can manage, turning back to his workstation like he doesn’t care.
         Which is a lie, and unfortunately Klavier seems to have some idea of that, because his answering smile is blinding.