Repaying the Favor (Ace Attorney KlavierxApollo, sick Apollo)

[Hachimitsu Tea]

Thanks to everyone who read my previous fic! ❤️ Someone requested a continuation in which Apollo catches Klavier's cold, so here we are! This is the first half, and I plan to have the second half up soon. Enjoy~

 

Apollo Justice was an early riser. There wasn’t any particular reason for it, really; it was just how his body worked. Even if he didn’t set an alarm, he was typically up at 6 AM, and even on his days off, it was quite unusual for him to sleep past 8. Phoenix wasn’t aware of the waking and sleeping schedule his junior partner kept, but he did know that it was unusual that he beat Apollo to the office, and even more unusual that Apollo was late.

 

He was concerned, therefore, when 9 AM, the time their office opened for business, came and went and there was still no sign of Apollo… Or, that’s how Apollo would have supposed the events leading up to the call he received from his boss had gone if he had been in any shape to be thinking coherently, anyway. As it was, the noise he made into the phone when it rang far too loudly in his ear that morning barely sounded human.

 

“...’Lo?” he croaked, snuffling sleepily without fully opening his eyes.

 

“...Apollo? Is that you?” Phoenix asked from the other end of the line, sounding dismayed.

 

“Bister Wright…?” Apollo said hazily. He rubbed his slightly crusty, burning eyes on the ball of his hand. “What tibe is it…?”

 

“It’s a little past 9:30, kiddo,” Phoenix said, his voice taking on a sympathetic dad tone. “I was getting worried about you. Normally you beat me to the office. You alright?”

 

“D… dide thirty?” Apollo forced his vision to focus on the digital clock at his bedside. Phoenix was right; it was almost 9:45. He was nearly 45 minutes late for work. A sick, panicked feeling rose in his stomach. He’d never been late for work before. Never. Whatever other failings he had, he’d always taken pride in his punctuality and professionalism. “I’b so sorry, I’ll…” He broke off, coughing harshly, only thinking mid-way through his little fit to turn his head away from the microphone. “I’ll be there id a few bidutes, I just… ahh… S-sorry, let be get ready. I bust’ve forgotted to set by alarb last dight…?”

 

“Hold it, Apollo,” Phoenix said quickly, interrupting Apollo’s hoarse rambling. “You sound… rough. Are you feeling alright?”

 

“I’b fide,” Apollo lied reflexively, wiping his nose on the back of his arm as he struggled to push himself out of bed. “I’b really sorry I oversl-- hehh...HUHJISHOO!! HUHJISHHUH!! ...Ugh…”

 

“You don’t sound fine at all,” Phoenix said, clearly not buying it. “In fact, you sound awful. Are you running a fever?”

 

“I’b… I dod’t kdow,” Apollo mumbled, dabbing at his dripping nose with a handful of tissues. The sneezes had knocked him back onto the bed and left him even more exhausted than he already had been. He tried to force himself to his feet again through sheer willpower, but his head was spinning so badly. “It’s dothi’g to worry about, I cad be at the office by a little after ted.”

 

Phoenix sighed. “Look, just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. We don’t have a case right now so it’s just going to be clerical stuff today. Athena and I can handle it. You rest and take care of that cold so it doesn’t turn into something worse.”

 

“I-it’s dot a cold,” Apollo tried to insist stubbornly, his cheeks flushing. “Just sobe bordi’g allergies… probably.”

 

“Objection,” Phoenix said flatly. “You already admitted that you might have a fever. You must be in bad shape if you forgot that already. Just take some medicine and go back to bed, and I better not see you in here until at least Monday. This is why I provide paid sick leave, now use it.”

 

Apollo swallowed hard, his shoulders slumping as shame settled in. He couldn’t believe he’d just blatantly lied to his boss about something like this, but he hated being coddled or pitied. His whole life had taught him that nothing, nothing was free, not even the affection of a parental figure, and those who went easy on themselves fell behind and ended up with nothing. “I-I’b sorry… I’ll bake it up dext week…”

 

Phoenix, whose voice had been stern just a moment ago, softened. “Sick leave doesn’t have to be made up. I don’t know how your previous boss did things, but I don’t roll like that. Seriously, don’t worry about it and just take it easy for a few days, ok?”

 

Apollo pinched his itchy nose between his thumb and forefinger and rubbed it, hardly noticing the wet, squelching sound it made. “...Ok…” he mumbled. “Sorry…”

 

“It’s fine, don’t worry about it,” Phoenix said. “Have a good rest, ok? And call if you--”

 

“UHJISHOO!! HUHJISHUNNN!!” Apollo interrupted loudly.

 

“--need anything, bless you,” Phoenix finished. Apollo could hear the sympathetic smile in his voice and it made him blush brilliantly.

 

“S-S’cuse be… a’d thagks,” Apollo rasped.

 

He ended the call and sighed, finally able to blow his nose properly now that he was alone. Well, that had been a disaster. The only thing he hated more than being sick was when people found out that he was sick. Phoenix was probably already telling Athena and Trucy, but Apollo couldn’t really hold that against him when Phoenix didn’t know how he felt about this. Talk about embarrassing. Well, it had happened, and it was too late to change it now. The best thing he could do was go to sleep and try to forget it. Maybe he’d have the strength to go to the convenience store around the corner and buy some medicine and a simple meal when he woke up.

 

Apollo gave a congested attempt at a sniffle as he heaved himself out of bed to get a glass of water before he went to sleep. His whole body ached and shivered as he padded across the cheap carpet. As much as he hated the thought of anyone else finding out he was sick, his cramped, shabby apartment seemed so empty right now, and it made him long for some company.

 

You could call Prosecutor Gavin, an intrusive voice piped up from the back of his feverish mind. He owes you for taking care of him last week, and even more for giving you this crappy cold.

 

Apollo’s cheeks warmed as he took a glass from the cupboard and filled it with water and ice cubes. Before he could stop himself, a torrent of memories from the time he’d spent looking after Klavier flooded his head. It hadn’t been much, really, not enough that he had any business calling in favors from him.

 

Still, he flipped open his phone and arrowed down through his contacts as he dragged himself back to bed. Klavier’s personal cell phone number was recorded there. The strangeness of this fact sunk in as Apollo sat shakily on the edge of his bed and set his glass of water on the bedside table. He, Apollo “Nobody” Justice, had the personal number for a multiple platinum-album-selling rock star and elite prosecutor. Stranger than that was the fact that, conceivably, he could push the talk button, have a brief conversation, and Klavier would at least stop by with some food and medicine after he finished with work. The thought of not having to go out later was a tempting one, but…

 

Apollo shook his aching head slowly. There were too many drawbacks, not the least of which was that he’d have to let Klavier, unfairly beautiful, heart-poundingly cool, irritatingly flirtatious, filthy stinking rich Klavier see him looking like hot garbage, and lay eyes on his shamefully old, rundown apartment in this sketchy neighborhood. That was out of the question. Apollo’s thumb lingered on the call button as he stared blankly into space, his head filled with the thought of muddled but curiously warm thoughts of his courtroom rival.

 

He didn’t notice the tickle developing in his sinuses until it was too late to do anything about it.

 

“H-hehhhJISHOO!! HUHJISHUHH!!” Apollo’s fingers tightened reflexively around his phone as he sneezed helplessly into the air. “HADJISHOO!! Hehh… huuu… HERJISHUHH!!”

 

He dropped his phone on the bed and scrambled for some tissues for his freely streaming nose. How was it that the more he sneezed, the worse the tickle got?

 

“HADJISHOO!! HADJISHHHH!!” They were so forceful that he felt like passing out, in spite of the fact that he was already sitting. He rubbed his nose furiously through the tissues as he geared up for me. “HAJASHUHHH!! HADJISHUHHH!! HERJISHUHHH!! ADJISHHH!! Hehh… hghh… huuu… ughh…”

 

After a few more false starts, the tickle retreated at last, becoming a faintly annoying buzz in the back of his sinuses again. Heart pounding in his ears after his intense sneezes, Apollo blew his nose like a mucky trumpet. God, did he ever feel awful. Trying to soothe the stinging of his raw throat, Apollo took a shaky gulp of his water.

 

As the spinning of his head began to calm, he noticed something that made it feel as though the bottom had dropped out of his stomach. Apparently in the midst of his sneezing fit, he’d accidentally pushed the talk button, and had started a call with Klavier. The timer showed that they’d been connected for about 43 seconds, which would have been long enough for the prosecutor to overhear at least part of his fit. His insides filling with sheer molten panic, Apollo hurriedly ended the call.

 

Oh god, how could he have let that happened? What had he been thinking, pulling up Klavier’s number like that? How could he have been so stupid as to tempt fate? Maybe he hadn’t heard. He could have gotten incredibly lucky. Maybe Klavier had been in the middle of talking to someone else in person when he’d answered his phone and hadn’t immediately put it to his ear, and had therefore missed it.

 

What little color was left in Apollo’s face drained completely as his phone began to ring. The display on the outside informed him that it was Klavier calling him back. Shit, shit, shit! Apollo smothered the phone with his pillow, refusing to answer it.

 

Klavier tried him back no less than 3 times before he seemingly gave up. By the time the phone quit ringing, Apollo was white as a sheet and shaking. Please God, if you’re real, please let him not have heard me…! He couldn’t imagine how this could be the case, but it was the only meager defense he had from this terrible embarrassment hanging over his head. The seconds ticked by, and with every beat of silence, Apollo’s heartbeat slowly regained something like its normal rhythm. What could Klavier do if he refused to answer his phone, after all? It wasn’t like he knew where Apollo lived. And Apollo wouldn’t have to face him until at least Monday, at the very earliest. By that time, Klavier probably would have forgotten all about it.

 

The longer Apollo stayed awake, the more times he shot himself in the foot, it seemed. Perhaps it was better for his pride if he just went to sleep for awhile and stayed far away from his phone. Still feeling dizzy from his fever and humiliation, Apollo burrowed under his blankets, turned his back on his phone and drifted off into a fitful sleep.

[SpookyBoi]

Ahhhhhh Apollo's such a nerd!!! I love it, and I can't wait to see the next part. Thank you for writing this!!!!  

[Guest]

 *Eva fainted, she screamed like a fangirl too much*

 I love this! Like, sick Apollo is my life! You never fail to impress me, the way you write the spellings, Apollo being embarrassed because he doesn't want anyone noticing he's sick, his reaction when he accidentally called Klavier, everything is perfect!

2 hours ago, Hachimitsu Tea said:

The only thing he hated more than being sick was when people found out that he was sick

Seriously, this is something Apollo would think, it really felt like him!

 

2 hours ago, Hachimitsu Tea said:

Klavier tried him back no less than 3 times before he seemingly gave up

Apollo, answer him, don't leave him hanging!  He's worried about you and you know it.

 I'll be waiting for the next part, I know it will be as great as the first one! 

[Dye]

//LOUD SCREAMING

 

APOLLO JUSTICE ASK HIM FOR HELP COME ON YOU DUMB BOYYYYY

[Hachimitsu Tea]

 

It was roughly 2 hours later that Apollo was woken from a deep sleep by the sound of a loud knock at his door. He pried his eyelids apart grudgingly. Callie, his cat, had curled up beside him, no doubt attracted by his feverish warmth, but he looked startled by the knock on the door as well. Being forced from sleep made him realize just how liberating that sleep had been; he’d hardly been aware of his various aches and pains until the knocking had disturbed him. Even unconsciousness hadn’t been enough to make him blind to his congestion and dry mouth, though. He’d drooled all over his pillow, and his throat felt like it had swollen from his snoring. Apollo coughed and took a painful gulp of the water that sat on his bedside table.

His visitor knocked again, louder this time. Apollo groaned raspily and forced himself upright, causing Callie to stretch luxuriously and vacate the bed as well. His whole body was covered in an unpleasant film of feverish sweat, yet when the blanket fell off his shoulders as he sat up, Apollo found himself shivering. Clutching the sweat-damp blanket around himself, Apollo wobbled to his feet. The person outside his door knocked more insistently.

“Cobi’g, jeez…” Apollo grumbled.

He snuffled stuffily as he unlocked the door and opened it slowly. The man who’d come to call on him blinked at him in surprise, but Apollo didn’t notice; he was too busy squinting in the sun. The dazzling rays blinded him and sent a tingling zing right to his nose. Apollo gasped sharply as he was hopelessly overcome with a tickle and ducked hurriedly into his blanket.

“HADJUSHOO!! ADJUSHOO!! Huhh… huhhJISHUHH!! HAJJISHUHH!!”

“Gesundheit!” His visitor said sympathetically. Strong, gentle hands reached out and steadied him by his shoulders as he continued to hitch. “Steady, Herr Forehead. I’ve got you…”

“UHJUSHUHH!! HUJUSHOO!!”

Apollo stumbled on the threshold of his door and bumped clumsily against the man’s broad chest. If his guest was bothered by it, he didn’t let on. In fact, his arms wrapped around him, holding him gently so he didn’t trip.

“HIJISHUHH!! HIRJISHUHH!!”

“Gesundheit!” the man said again quietly, rubbing his back. “Are you alright?”

Apollo wiped his nose on the inside of his blanket. With his visitor’s body now blocking the sun from sight, Apollo was able to stop sneezing and focus on the identity of the man holding him.

“P… Prosecutor… Gavid…?” he asked dazedly.

“Ja, the very same,” Klavier confirmed. “Here, let’s go inside, shall we? The sun seems to be bothering that cute little nose of yours.”

Apollo, too dazed and miserable to even consider objecting, allowed himself to be guided inside, and the door shut behind them. There was a crinkling noise as Klavier set a pair of plastic bags he’d brought with him carefully on the floor. 

"How... How did you kdow where I live?" he asked hazily.

Klavier gave him a little smile. "I called your office after you refused to answer my call. Fraulein Magician was quite helpful. She said that you weren't in today, but suggested that I give you a visit and offered your address. It seemed like a good idea considering that accidental call from you earlier. Armes ding… you were sneezing so hard…”

Apollo clenched his fists self consciously. He wanted to be mad at Trucy for squealing on him but he found that he was nowhere near as upset as he thought he would be. He noticed then that Klavier was watching him. Apollo sniffled and shifted nervously under his gaze.

“Not feeling well, hmm?” Klavier asked sympathetically. 

“I… I’b fide…” Apollo croaked. It was a pathetic lie and they both knew it, but the thought of being honest with Klavier was just so embarrassing. If he was honest with him about this, then what other embarrassing things would he have to be honest with him about? You’re ridiculously attractive, and I like you a lot more than I let on, his brain supplied helpfully. I think about you all the time. Apollo’s cheeks burned and his head spun at the mere thought of it.

“...I think we both know that’s not true,” Klavier said softly. “Come now, Herr Forehead; you’re a seeker after the truth. Lies are unbecoming of you.”

Apollo sniffled and bit his lip. Klavier’s hand was resting on his back, gentle and supportive. It rubbed his aching muscles lightly as he hesitated. He was flooded with the desire to crumble against Klavier’s chest and just submit himself to a massage, or whatever other embarrassing fussing Klavier had in mind. Apollo felt his ears and the back of his neck going red.

“I didd’t wadt… you to see be like this… Or how I live…” Apollo breathed. “By place bust look like a trash heap to you. I bust look like trash right dow.”

If Apollo had looked up to examine Klavier’s expression, he would have found a look of mild surprise on the prosecutor’s face. After a moment, he felt the hand on his back applying gentle pressure, urging him forward. Apollo gulped, ignoring his sore throat’s protest, and shuffled forward a half step, his pounding head dipping forward self consciously to rest on Klavier’s chest.  Klavier’s hand continued to rub his back soothingly.

“Money doesn’t grow on trees, ja? We all have to live within our means, whatever those may be,” Klavier pointed out gently. “And I’ve seen how hard and honestly you work. There’s no shame in that.”

Apollo sniffled thickly and shivered. How was he supposed to continue resisting Klavier’s charm when he never seemed to stop being charming? It frustrated him and yet he was so tired of fighting it. The more he got to know Klavier, the more Apollo realized that Klavier wasn’t the posturing jackass he’d thought he was. Well, ok, sometimes he could be a bit of a diva, and his rockstar persona made Apollo roll his eyes, but now he knew that there was a real person behind it. A person who was kind and honest and hardworking. Being with him made Apollo feel good. Maybe it would be ok if he just let himself fall…

Klavier was shifting closer to him now, subtly, as if afraid of scaring him off. Another little shiver ran through Apollo as he allowed Klavier to hold him closer.

“And though I didn’t realize my opinion on your personal appearance was so important to you,” Klavier practically purred in his ear, “I promise you, I’ve never once thought you were anything but adorable. If you don’t believe me, ask the wind. I’ll be riding on it.”

“What does that eved bead?” Apollo demanded weakly, hiding how flustered he was behind a veneer of exasperation. 

Klavier just laughed softly at the way Apollo bristled and his ears and neck flushed. Apollo could feel Klavier’s warm breath caressing his already feverishly hot skin and it made him shiver yet again.

“Now that we’ve cleared up your misconceptions…” Klavier murmured, “perhaps it’s time for a bit of honesty from you at last? After all, did you not demand the same from me when I was under the weather last week? Tell me, Herr Forehead, how are you feeling?”

Apollo’s breath caught in his throat and his head swam at the intimacy of all this, but Klavier was right; he had insisted on Klavier turning off his rockstar persona, on Klavier being truthful with him about how he felt and what he needed. Apollo had been unfair to think he deserved to be exempt from being honest with him now that the tables were turned. He swallowed painfully.

“...T… terrible…” Apollo admitted shyly.

“Oh, liebchen…” Klavier squeezed him gently, rubbing his back some more. “Es tut mir leid, I’m sorry for giving you this awful cold… Have you got a fever?”

“...Haved’t checked,” he croaked. 

Klavier pulled away slightly and cupped Apollo’s cheek. The metal of Klavier’s rings felt pleasantly cool against Apollo’s skin and his eyes slipped closed as the prosecutor checked his temperature.

“Mm, you’re burning up,” Klavier noted sadly. “No wonder you feel terrible…”

“D… dod’t blabe yourself too buch…” Apollo mumbled, avoiding Klavier’s sympathetic gaze, “I thought I’d be ok. I bead, I dod’t get sick that ofted so I figured I didd’t have buch to worry about whed we were… you kdow… whed you got all cuddly with be od your couch last week…”

Apollo willed the image of Klavier resting against him on his couch as they watched movies together not to flash across his mind as he mentioned it. He had enough things to be embarrassed over right now without that.

“That’s very sweet of you, Herr Forehead,” Klavier said, stroking his cheeks with his thumbs as he continued to hold Apollo’s face in his hands. “But I insist on cleaning up the mess I made.”

Apollo tried to sniffle stuffily and twitched his nose. “Y-you bight have a differedt ki’d of bess to clead up if you… huhhh… d-dod’t let go of be… I thigk… I’b godda s-sdee--ee--eze…!”

Klavier quickly released Apollo and tugged the blanket he was swathed in up over the defense attorney’s mouth and nose. He rubbed Apollo’s nose gently through the cloth. Apollo hitched sharply, and let out a hoarse, explosive “AJASHHH!! HAJASHUHH!! HUHJASHOO!!”

“Gesundheit!” Klavier said sympathetically. “All done?”

Apollo held up a finger shakily as he hitched some more. Klavier rubbed his nose through the blanket again. “HURJUSHOO!! HUJUSHHH!! Ughhh…” 

Forgetting the cloth was his blanket and not a handkerchief, Apollo blew his nose wetly into it, then froze, looking horrified. Klavier laughed. 

“No need to worry,” he assured him. “I’ll wash it for you. In fact, why don’t I start a bath for you and then I can wash all your sheets. With a fever like that, I’m sure you were sweating buckets.”

Apollo reddened deeply. “I-I couldd’t let you do that! It’s disgusti’g!”

“Come now, I said I was going to clean up the mess I made, and I meant it,” Klavier insisted. “It’s my fault you caught this cold, now just submit yourself to being spoiled rotten, ja? Besides, you did the same for me last week.”

“Y… yeah but… that was…” Apollo trailed off awkwardly, not having any real argument against it. Klavier seemed to understand this because he continued.

“I brought lunch and medicine, too.” He crouched down and picked up the two plastic bags he’d brought with him at last. “Do you want your bath first or later?”

Apollo looked nervously down at the floor. “F… first, I guess. If that’s ok.”

“Na klar!” Klavier said, snapping his fingers. “You put these in the fridge and I’ll get the bath started.”

Klavier handed Apollo the sack with the styrofoam boxes containing their lunches. Apollo put them in the fridge. He expected Klavier to go start the bath right away, but when he closed the fridge and turned back around, Klavier was right behind him. Apollo barely had time to register the faint dusting of pink on the prosecutor’s cheeks before he leaned in, pushed back Apollo’s unstyled bangs and planted a soft kiss on his burning forehead. Apollo went red as a cherry.

“Don’t worry, Schatz,” Klavier said. “We’ll have you back on your feet in no time.”

Apollo, finding that his throat suddenly didn’t work, just internally combusted in silence as Klavier treated him to one more forehead kiss, then stalked off toward the bathroom to get carry out his task.
 

 

Thank you to everyone who read and commented ❤️ It's really encouraging to see people say that they enjoyed what I've written, and suggestions are always welcome.

Edited August 2, 2018 by Hachimitsu Tea

[Guest]

I swear I don't have words to describe this perfection, it's so beautiful and their mutual attraction to each other makes me smile like an idiot!

31 minutes ago, Hachimitsu Tea said:

“I was afraid that might be the case when I got that accidental call from you earlier. Armes ding… you were sneezing so hard…”

 I don't know why this is my favorite line. I just love. It! ❤️

 Your Ace Attorney fanfics are so well-written and enjoyable that everytime I get a notification from you I squeak  I hope we see more from you.

[Dye]

MMMMMMMMMYES THIS THE GOOD SHIT HELL YEAH HELL YEAH HELL YEAH HELL YEAH HELL YEAH ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[shadows45]

Normally don't read a lot of fanfics but may have to change my ways after reading this one. ^^

[SpookyBoi]

 

On 8/2/2018 at 7:21 AM, Hachimitsu Tea said:

Klavier gave him a little smile. "I called your office after you refused to answer my call. Fraulein Magician was quite helpful. She said that you weren't in today, but suggested that I give you a visit and offered your address

Lol Trucy ratted you out Polly, just let Klavier love you!!!