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10:32 PM
Apollo didn’t know why he was there, in the first place.
A house party at some kind of rockstar’s big apartment. He didn’t even know whose party that was.
He just knew there was too much alcohol, the music was too loud, people were way too drunk, touchy, or a mix of both, and the only reason he even agreed to contemplate the idea of coming there had just ditched him in favor of other friends from his university.
Apollo was annoyed.
He hated parties, especially those kinds of parties.
He wasn’t even old enough to drink, being barely 19 years old, so he was relying on water to get hydrated, because he was a law student and he had no intention of breaking that law in particular for a stupid rich guy’s house party.
But there was a problem with being a very bored wallflower who was spending the evening drinking water and texting on the phone.
And the problem was… he really, really, REALLY had to go to the restroom.
It wouldn’t have been that big of a problem in normal circumstances, but that was a house party that had started two hours before, so… obviously… every isolated room was occupied by people hooking up, including the three bathrooms.
After almost bumping into a couple making out, actually bumping into a threesome, and mistaking for a bathroom the master bedroom, with another couple doing the do that even tried to invite him in, too intoxicated to realize who he even was, Apollo knocked on the last door hoping to find some relief at last, and already pondering to call a Uber to get out of there and go back to the campus.
“Sorry, it’s occupied” came the voice from the other side of the door. It had a strong German accent.
Apollo sighed.
“For how long?” he asked.
At least the person inside he had answered, others hadn’t been that kind.
“…probably forever” the voice responded. It sounded like the person was right behind the door.
He really thought he could last that much? Pretty confident, huh?
Unless he wasn’t hooking up with someone.
But what other reasons there were to lock himself inside a bathroom at a party?
“Really? Forever? You are never ever going to exit this room?” Apollo asked, sarcastic and irritated.
He only needed like, two minutes, at most! His bladder was screaming! Too much water was not good for people!
“There are two other bathrooms, you should check those out. They are way better than this one, and even bigger. The one near the living room even has a rose-scented freshener” the voice informed him.
Apollo rolled his eyes.
“Yeah, and that’s probably the reason there is a line of like, four or five couples waiting to hook up there in particular. Pretty famous place” he explained, sarcastic.
Apollo heard a snicker from the other side of the door.
“Roses sure are romantic. You should go there too,” still, he didn’t open the door.
“I’m not looking for romance! I just need to pee! If you have the time to chat, you have the time to let me use the bathroom for two minutes. I’m sure your partner won’t mind!” Apollo insisted, tapping the door a little.
“I’m… I’m not… I’m alone in this bathroom” the voice admitted, like it was a very private thing to confess.
Apollo didn’t care.
“So opening up to a friend in need is not going to hurt, isn’t it?”
There was silence for a while.
“I promise I won’t call the cops on you for whatever drug you may be using, this time. I really just need to relieve myself! Come on!” Apollo insisted, beating on the door a couple times.
“I don’t do drugs! I’m severely against it! I’m a prosecutor!” The voice objected, opening the door and giving Apollo an offended look.
The voice turned out to belong to a pretty handsome young man, with blonde hair tied up in a messy man-bun, many jewels, especially rings and piercings, and tight rockstar-like clothes, pretty messy themselves, too.
He was also wearing make-up, but it was smudged, especially the eyeliner.
He definitely didn’t look like a prosecutor.
But he looked like he had been crying up until mere minutes before, because his eyes were very red.
That, or he was smoking weed.
Why would anybody lock himself in a bathroom to cry at a party?
Yeah… he was probably smoking weed.
Apollo decided to not judge him for now, and took advantage of the fact the door was now open to enter the room.
The guy closed the door again, and waited.
Apollo waited, too.
A couple of seconds passed…
“Uh… get out?” then Apollo motioned him to leave him alone.
He wasn’t going to pee in front of a stranger.
“Huh?” The handsome stranger tilted his head, confused.
“Ever heard of privacy?!” Apollo insisted, pointing at the door.
The man snickered.
“Really?” he looked pretty amused.
Apollo shot him a serious and very annoyed look.
“Oh… really… okay…” the amusement died out, and the stranger looked around, pretty troubled “…look, if I get out now I’m done for. What about I stay here, but I close my eyes and don’t look? A good compromise, ja?” He proposed, covering his eyes with his hands and turning around.
Apollo wanted to object but he couldn’t waste any more time, so at last, he sighed and accepted the compromise.
He did his thing, embarrassment high, but managed to ignore the presence mere meters away, and after he was done he went to wash his hands in the sink, happy to be finally free.
The man was still covering his eyes.
At least he was fair.
…and he probably had no reason to watch people in the bathroom, especially if those people were as insignificant as Apollo.
Good for Apollo, anyway…
“Are you done?” asked the man, searching for permission to look again.
“Yeah… I’ll go out in a minute and leave you at… whatever you are doing in a bathroom during a party” Apollo promised, searching for a towel.
“That one is clean” the man pointed at one.
Apollo took it.
He was pretty informed about that house. Maybe he was a frequent visitor.
“By the way… can you please not tell anyone you saw me here, if you can?” The man asked in embarrassment, before Apollo could exit the door.
“I don’t even know who you are. And I don’t know anybody here. Rest assured, there is no reason for me to say anything” Apollo shrugged, and put a hand on the handle.
“You don’t know… who I am?” Asked the stranger, surprised.
Apollo turned around and looked at him.
…nope. Never saw that guy in his life.
He would have remembered.
“Should I?” He asked, hoping he wasn’t anyone important. He frankly doubted he was actually a prosecutor, but if he was, Apollo could have maybe become his rival in the future. It was better to know people in the legal field.
But he looked more like a failed rockstar than anything else.
Unless he was…
“No… I mean… I… never saw you around here, before. Who invited you?” The guy asked, curious. It wasn’t like he was accusing Apollo of something, but Apollo got a bit defensive.
He wasn’t, after all, officially invited.
But hey, if that man wanted to go to the house owner and snitch on him, he would have had to exit the bathroom first, and it didn’t look like he wanted to do that anytime soon.
“A friend… of a friend… of a friend… of a friend of someone who knows whoever lives here. Frankly, I didn’t want to come. I just know this is some kind of rockstar’s house. But I promised my friend I was going to accompany him, and… he totally ditched me after, like, five minutes? I’m gonna kill him when we get home” Apollo leaned on the door, and snorted loudly, admitting his annoyance.
He loved Clay like he was a brother… and that meant he also hated him when he pulled those stunts.
‘You need to exit your comfort zone’ he would say.
Yeah… that wasn’t exiting the comfort zone. That was going on another planet from his comfort zone.
…Clay loved going to other planets, so it was very much like him to suggest things like that.
“I must say, seeing someone like you in a place like this is pretty refreshing,” the man smiled a bit, eyeing Apollo from head to toe with an undefinable look.
Apollo found himself blushing a bit. He wasn’t used to being checked out by people, especially if they were attractive.
He averted his gaze, and looked around the room.
It was a very nice bathroom. No rose-scented fresheners in sight, but still pretty nifty. It was also soundproof, and the loud music from the outside could be barely heard.
“And I envy the fact that you found such a nice and cozy place to hide in. I wish I could do the same too” he commented without thinking, searching for something nice to say before going out.
But, to be fair, he was a bit jealous.
That was a great place to hide in.
Unless someone wanted to go to the bathroom. But, to be fair, there were other two places to visit.
And flower pots around the house.
Whoever the owner was, he was definitely going to find bad surprises, the next day.
“You want to stay here?” The proposal caught Apollo completely off-guard.
He looked again at the man, who was the one averting his eyes now. He started to fidget a bit with his bangs.
“I’m not looking for anything with anyone!” Apollo was quick to make things clear.
The stranger looked at him like he was crazy, and blushed a little.
“Was? No! I wasn’t… me neither. I only proposed because you look like you need a place to hide. That’s all” he backtracked… literally… and almost fell inside the bathtub.
Apollo blushed more, but even though the embarrassment was almost physically hurting him, the idea of having a quiet place to hide in for the rest of the night wasn’t too bad.
And the bathroom wasn’t even that small. In two they could live comfortably.
Ah, rich people!
“Okay, I guess…” he accepted the proposal, took the phone from his pocket, and went to the toilet to sit on it… while it was closed, of course.
The stranger was surprised, and smiled a little.
“Cool, make yourself at home” he entered the bathtub, and took airpods, to listen to some music.
Apollo sent a message to Clay, but his friend didn’t respond, and didn’t even read it.
That was going to be a long, long night.
11:17 PM
Hiding in a bathroom during a party was pathetic.
Hiding in a bathroom with a stranger at a house party was downright awkward. Especially if they stayed in complete silence.
But Apollo had no intention of ever speaking with the man, unless he was going to start a conversation.
He was too out of his element, at the moment.
After many embarrassing minutes of complete silence, in which Apollo did his best to pretend he was alone in the room, and fidgeted with his phone, bored, the aforementioned stranger got out from the bathtub, took off his airpods, and put them in a charger on the side of the sink.
Apollo glanced at him while he was doing that operation, but quickly averted his eyes when the man turned towards him.
He hoped he hadn’t blushed too much.
But there wasn’t much else to do.
Maybe he just had to call an Uber and go home. It would have been better for everyone.
“It’s a good thing I had the charger at hand. There are not many things to do inside a bathroom” the man turned to Apollo, smiling awkwardly and attempting to strike a conversation.
“Yeah… my phone is almost dead” Apollo admitted, grumbly.
The man approached him, and looked at his phone.
Apollo stiffened, and blushed more.
“Sorry, I don’t have a charger for that model, but if you need to contact someone I can lend you mine” he proposed, kindly.
“Ah…uh… don’t worry about it. I’ll just… turn it off for now and check it once in a while. Clay probably won’t answer me at least for an hour, anyway…” he mumbled, trying not to show his complete lack of confidence.
He had never found himself closed in a bathroom with a complete stranger, before, and it was more surreal than he expected it to be, especially now that he was even talking to him.
“Clay... I suppose he’s the friend of a friend of a friend of a friend of someone who knows m… the owner of the house, right?” the man backed away and sat on the edge of the bathtub. He looked like he wanted to continue talking.
Better than being bored, right?
“Yes… he’s my best friend, roommate, and annoyance” he nodded, but didn’t give too many details. That person, after all, was a complete stranger.
“He must be pretty adventurous if he managed to bring someone like you in a place like this” the man supposed, with a smirk.
“Adventurous is an euphemism. He wants to become an astronaut. And he will be. He’s very amazing! …and very annoying” Apollo talked more than he wanted to, but the person in front of him seemed friendly and easy to talk to… it wasn’t necessarily a good thing.
“An astronaut, that’s very cool. What about you? Do you also want to be an astronaut like your friend?” the man asked, looking very interested in Apollo’s life, but not in a suspicious way.
Still… Apollo wasn’t a trusting person.
“Are you really a prosecutor?” he asked, eyeing him up with suspicion.
The man tilted his head, confused by the sudden change in attitude.
“Yes, I am… I didn’t prosecute many cases, though” he nodded, but looked a bit nervous.
“You don’t look like a prosecutor” Apollo admitted.
The man chuckled.
“And why’s that?”
“You look like a failed rockstar”
For a moment, the man looked incredulous.
Apollo kinda regretted having been so direct, but when he was in an unfamiliar situation, he tended to be rude.
“It wasn’t an insult, just an observation” he tried to defend his last statement.
After a couple seconds, however, the man burst out laughing.
“You are such a peculiar person” he didn’t seem offended at all, but mostly amused and intrigued, like he had never met someone as blunt as Apollo “How does a real prosecutor look?” he asked, leaning towards Apollo with a smirk.
Apollo thought about it for a while. To be perfectly honest, the prosecutors he knew better were as weird as the person in front of him, if not weirder. Von Karma used a whip in court, almost everyone he knew about had been arrested at some point, and most of them were eventually convicted, including the strange coffee-lover Godot and the teaser-wielding older von Karma. Others were… annoyingly ordinary, like the Paynes.
“Well… I suppose like Miles Edgeworth” Apollo finally managed to think of a perfectly acceptable and cool-headed prosecutor.
“Ja… he’s a swell guy. And how does a not-failed rockstar look?” he asked then, in a provocative tone.
“I suppose they wouldn’t hide in a bathroom during a house party” Apollo answered very fast, challenging him.
The man raised his hands in surrender.
“I suppose you are right… so… you didn’t answer me. Do you also want to be an astronaut?” the man changed the subject. He didn’t seem to really want to talk about the reason he was hiding in a bathroom.
Apollo decided to concede and answer.
After all, it wasn’t like the information could be used against him.
“No way I’m leaving the planet… I’m actually studying law” he admitted.
“I knew it!” the man exclaimed in a victorious tone, snapping his fingers “I mean… normal people don’t know about Prosecutor Edgeworth. You must be a law fanatic… although you don’t know me, and that’s a bummer” he explained his sudden enthusiasm.
“Probably because you didn’t do anything noteworthy” Apollo quickly jumped up to defend his expertise in lawyers.
“Or Edge-worthy” the man winked at him.
Apollo stayed silent for a moment.
Then he stood up, and went for the door.
Nope!
He wasn’t staying there after that terrible pun.
The chaos of the party was preferable.
“Aww, come on! That was a good one!” the man objected, laughing out loud.
And the problem was… it was a good pun… okay, no, it was a terrible pun, and Apollo hated it with burning passion, but it had been a bit funny, and Apollo kinda liked it.
What kind of person likes such stupid puns?!
“Look! I’m staying here only because I hate that party more!” he made things clear, and sat down again, arms crossed.
“Okay, okay… party-pooper… so… what branch of law school?” the man resumed the conversation, interested.
“I want to become a defense attorney” Apollo admitted, but his eyes started to sparkle thinking about his lifelong dream.
“Ow, so you are going to be my rival, Herr… what’s your name again?” the man asked.
Oh, right. They didn’t introduce themselves.
Apollo pondered if it was a good idea to tell him his name, but, after all, it wasn’t a secret or information the man could use against him.
They could have, maybe, become rivals, in court.
Collegues, in general.
Maybe even friends…
…if he was actually a prosecutor, something Apollo was still not completely convinced about.
Well… whatever…
“Apollo… Justice” he unconsciously offered his hand, as he always did when exchanging greetings.
The man took it and squeezed it tightly.
His skin was very soft, yet his fingertips were a bit calloused.
“Klavier Gavin” he finally told Apollo his name.
A name that did, indeed, sound familiar.
“Gavin?” Apollo asked, withdrawing his hand and looking at him in confusion.
The man looked worried.
“Ja? So… do you know me, after all?” he tried to play it cool, but he sounded very embarrassed at the prospect.
And a bit sad.
“Gavin… Gavin… it DOES sound familiar, to be fair…” Apollo tried to focus and regain his memories.
Then it came to him.
“Gavin, right! Are you perhaps a relative of Kristoph Gavin, the defense attorney?!” he asked, excited.
Klavier looked dumbfounded.
“Ja… he’s my… brother…” he was completely caught off guard, and seemed a little jealous that Apollo knew his brother and not him.
But also relieved.
“No way! I want to go to his law office for my apprenticeship! He’s one of the best in the country!” Apollo started to fanboy.
“I see… I can… put in a good word, if you want” Klavier proposed, encouraging but also pretty amused. It seemed like he was finding Apollo very endearing.
But Apollo was quick to shake his head.
“No! I don’t want to be recommended! I want to succeed with my own means!” he objected.
It wasn’t the whole truth, but after knowing he was inside a bathroom with the brother of his future employer (luckily) he didn’t want to offend him anymore… at least not too much.
“…and you don’t want my brother to know you met me at a party inside a bathroom” Klavier, however, figured it out.
Apollo was silent for a couple of seconds, looking for a way out.
Then he nodded.
“Yeah… terrible advertising” he admitted.
Klavier let out a chuckle.
“Ja, you are right. I promise I won’t tell him anything, nor anyone else, for that matter” he put a hand on his heart.
Apollo decided to comply.
“And I promise I won’t tell anyone that you were here, either” he did the same.
Klavier seemed satisfied.
He looked around the room, searching for something to do to pass the time.
He went back to Apollo.
“So… what exams are you preparing?” he asked, curious “I might help in some way” he proposed then, encouraging.
Apollo perked up, interested in the proposal.
“Really?!” that was a very productive way to spend the time.
11:57 PM
“So… give me the definition of a crime malum prohibitum and malum in se” Klavier asked, pretending to be a professor he also had while he was in law school.
His interpretation was Oscar-worthy.
And the reason was that he was interrogating Apollo to test his knowledge.
A pretty peculiar activity to do at midnight, inside a bathroom, during a party. But Apollo wasn’t complaining.
“Malum prohibitum refers to a crime that is so because there is a rule against it, while malum in se means that a crime is bad in itself, like a murder, an act of thievery, things like that” Apollo answered with ease.
“Good job!” Klavier complimented him with a wink, out of character.
“Ah! It was so easy!”
Apollo felt really proud.
That Klavier wasn’t that bad, after all.
Then a terrible doubt came into his mind.
“Wait… did you just ask me all questions taken from Legally Blonde?!” He asked, finding out why everything seemed so familiar.
“What? Me? Of course I… did… yeah… you got me” he laughed out loud, and Apollo threw him the toilet paper, annoyed.
“Are you even an actual prosecutor?!” he accused him, for the umpteenth time.
“I am, I swear! I just found the opportunity too juicy. I didn’t expect you to know Legally Blonde” Klavier defended himself, putting the toilet paper on the shelf to make sure it wouldn’t get dirty.
“Who doesn’t?!” Apollo rolled his eyes. Legally Blonde was a must for every aspiring lawyer.
“My boyfriend hates that…” Klavier interrupted himself, and his laughter died down.
He looked sad. His eyes watered a bit.
Oh… so he had been crying before Apollo knocked.
And Apollo could kinda figure out what had happened.
Still… it wasn’t his business, so he didn’t comment on the slip of tongue.
“Ex… boyfriend…” Klavier corrected, in a whisper.
Oh… he was persevering…
Apollo didn’t know what to say.
He wasn’t good at reassuring people, especially regarding romantic matters.
He had had like… two relationship in his whole life, that had lasted very little.
And one of those had been in elementary school, to a girl… so yeah, no, it didn’t count at all.
“I don’t even know if I can actually refer to him as my ex-boyfriend… I mean… for me he was, but he said we were just ‘messing around’… I thought we had established things clearly, though…” Klavier continued, and started to get a bit worked up.
Oh…
Ohhhh…
He wanted to vent.
Dang it! Apollo had no idea how to treat the situation…
But Klavier had helped him study, albeit with Legally Blonde references, so Apollo kinda owed him a bit.
“You wanna talk about it?” he proposed, not very confidently.
“Yes please! I’m so heartbroken about that” Klavier jumped at the opportunity.
Oh man…
That was so not Apollo’s business.
“Go on…” he still encouraged Klavier to talk.
“So… we work together, kinda… he’s a detective, and we also have this other thing going on… music thing… nothing important, anyway… he was my best friend. And he’s still my best friend, I guess… I don’t have many friends… so, we start to see each other more, and then, one day, things kinda escalate… and we start seeing each other in a different way… and I’m like ‘We are together, right?’ and he’s like ‘Of course’, and we are official… well, not official, because it’s a pretty secret relationship for reasons, but still, it’s official and exclusive for us, or, well, for me, but… he still flirts around a lot, and I think it’s because of our public image, but… two days ago I found him… with someone else… intimately…” Klavier’s voice trailed off, and he started to cry again.
Apollo… didn’t understand a thing.
He was trying to wrap his head around the story, but… it didn’t make any sense to him.
Maybe he didn’t have enough puzzle pieces, maybe Klavier had told everything too fast and not very clearly, or perhaps Apollo was just too unfamiliar with that world to truly understand it.
One thing, though, he understood.
“Wait… he cheated on you?!” he asked, offended on Klavier’s behalf.
He hated cheating, and couldn’t really understand it.
Maybe it was his abandonment issues talking, but the idea of his future partner breaking his trust in any way was unacceptable and triggering.
Klavier started to cry louder.
“I thought so, but I’m not sure about that, anymore!” he answered, taking a handkerchief and blowing his nose “He said he never agreed to be exclusive and told me that we are expected to have an open relationship. It’s just what our people do! But it’s not… I have nothing against polyamorous relationships, but… shouldn’t there be rules, and boundaries?” he asked, his voice broken.
“Of course! I’m not an expert on open relationships, or… relationships in general, but one thing I know, and it’s that if he never asked or told you about his flings, that’s definitely cheating, especially if you were officially together!” Apollo was starting to get worked up.
That boyfriend seemed like a total scumbag.
“But… I mean… I never said anything about his flirting in public, maybe he thought I was okay with that… but seeing him with someone else hurt me so much! And when I confronted him he said I was exaggerating and that maybe we were better off as just friends if I was going to act like a jealous and possessive fangirl, and that…” Klavier continued the tale, and Apollo stood up, incredulous.
“He WHAT?!” he asked, with his chords of steel, surprising Klavier a lot.
“He… said I was exaggerating…” Klavier started to repeat, but Apollo stopped him.
“No, don’t tell me again. I don’t want to hear it. I already suffer from high blood pressure” he took a deep breath.
Klavier was looking at him with confusion and a hint of expectation.
“So… he cheated on you, insulted you, and put the blame on you, and left you… like… HE left YOU, and not the other way around?!” Apollo recapped the fact, walking back and forth.
“Kind of… yeah?” Klavier nodded, in a low voice.
“Well… you dodged a bullet. This guy… he sounds awful. And I think you are better off without him in your life!” Apollo exclaimed with utmost confidence.
“I don’t know… I’m not a saint… I’m probably at fault too” Klavier lowered his head, and started to fidget with his rings.
Apollo approached him, and tried to look him in the eye.
“Look, Klavier… I don’t know you that well. I don’t know him, and I have no idea what kind of music job requires people to have open relationships or whatnot, but if you are here, doubting everything, and he’s out there without a worry in the world… I think your faults are less” he comforted him.
“Well… sometimes the guilty do repent and reflect on themselves” Klavier objected.
Apollo sighed.
“Fine… what are you guilty of? Did you cheat on him?” Apollo asked.
“No, I didn’t even flirt with people while we were together!” Klavier looked disgusted at the idea.
“Did you hit him?”
“No!” Klavier looked horrified at the possibility.
“Scream at him?”
“…no, unless we count when we were int…” Klavier’s cheeks turned a bit red.
“No, those don’t count! I’m talking angry screams” Apollo blushed profusely.
“Then no…” Klavier shook his head.
“What did you do when you found him with another person?” Apollo continued, curious about the possible answer and checking closely Klavier’s reaction.
Maybe he had caused a scene (justifiably so) and that’s why his boyfriend accused him of… all that.
Apollo wasn’t going to judge him. He would have probably used his chords of steel to reprimand him publicly. At the very least.
“Well… I said ‘Sorry I interrupted’ and I fled the room” Klavier looked pretty embarrassed at the thought.
Apollo looked at him in surprise.
But Klavier did sound completely sincere.
“…really?” he asked, still unconvinced.
He didn’t look like he was so passive.
Still… he WAS hiding in a bathroom at a party, so maybe he had some self-confidence issues.
“I didn’t know what to do” Klavier insisted that version, justifying himself like his reaction had been completely unacceptable.
…in some ways… it was.
“How long were you together?” was Apollo getting too involved and nosy? Probably. But he didn’t care.
“We started a year ago… but we went official six months ago”
“WHAT?!” this much?!
His only real actual relationship had lasted two months. And if he had cheated on Apollo after that much time together, he would have thrown a fit!
“It’s… complicated” Klavier’s voice was becoming more like a whisper.
Apollo decided not to ask more about that.
“Did you ditch him when you were somewhere together? Like at a party, or you didn’t give him enough attention, or… I don’t know” he continued his interrogation. He was good practice for when he was going to be a real attorney.
He hoped he didn’t sound like he was interrogating Klavier, though.
…he totally was, wasn’t he?
Klavier didn’t seem to mind too much, anyway.
“Not really? I mean, we never actually went on dates, unless we count here or… I mean, at our houses. I tend to be pretty affectionate, but he didn’t like me to be too clingy, so I tended to let him be free, and hang around with other people too” Klavier answered.
“Are you sure you were in an actual relationship?” Apollo asked, even more confused now that he knew more details.
…that was probably a rude way of addressing the topic, but he was so confused!
Klavier sighed.
“Told you… I’m at fault” he misinterpreted Apollo’s question.
“I’m not saying that, I just think… look, I’m really the last person who can give romantic advice, but… it seems like you wanted very different things, and for him, this wasn’t a real relationship. Not the way it was for you. But I still find him at fault, because he led you to believe it was, just to keep you in his grasp” Apollo hazarded a theory.
Klavier looked hurt.
“You really think this is what happened?” he was lost.
“I’m not a therapist… but I did have a couple of psychology exams. Anyway… you are better off without him, and the least at fault, in my opinion”
“Well… I did ditch him, today! That’s why I hid in the bathroom” Klavier tried to find a justification for his ex-boyfriend and supposed best friend.
“You came here with him?!” Apollo shot him an incredulous look.
“I told you, we are still kinda best friends! It’s complicated!” Klavier lamented, taking his head in his hands.
Apollo was seized by a doubt.
“Wait… why exactly did you hide in the bathroom?” he asked.
Something had to have happened for someone as feisty as Klavier to decide he was going to spend an entire party inside a bathroom. If he was only sad about his ex he wouldn’t have come at all.
Klavier hesitated.
Apollo pierced at him with his big eyes.
“…I found him with someone else in the master bedroom and this kinda hurt me” Klavier admitted, voice so low on volume Apollo barely heard him.
And it would have been better he hadn’t heard him at all.
“Are you serious?!” how could anyone stay friend with someone so awful?!
“Hey, he’s not cheating, we are not together anymore” Klavier defended him.
Apollo had to drop the subject, or things could have escalated.
But he couldn’t help shaking his head.
“This is so messed up!”
“I told you it was complicated, and you don’t know anything about him or me” Klavier started to get defensive, and shot Apollo a glare.
He had every right to be offended, since Apollo was probably crossing major boundaries.
But it wasn’t like Apollo asked to be in that position!
Whatever…
Better drop it once and for all, and not get between a complicated relationship.
“You know what? You are right! I’m just a stranger in a bathroom during a party. So if you don’t want my opinion on the matter, don’t ask” Apollo crossed his arms, and closed the conversation, turning away from the prosecutor and looking around the bathroom, searching for something else to do.
0:37 AM
“You like music?” asked Klavier, timidly.
After the whole ‘ex-boyfriend’ terrible conversation, Apollo had been quiet, solving a sudoku that he had found beside the toilet.
He looked up, and noticed Klavier had recovered the airpods, now completely recharged.
“I don’t know… what music?” he asked, suspicious, putting the sudoku aside.
“Well… rock, pop, ballads, musicals… I have a bit of everything, but I suppose you like classical music or something” Klavier offered an airpod like it was a white flag.
Apollo wasn’t angry at him. After all, it was he who got too unnecessarily invested in that stranger’s past relationship.
It wasn’t any of his business.
He took the airpod.
“I have a pretty particular taste, but I’m open to trying new things. Just this once” he offered, getting closer to him.
Klavier had entered the bathtub again, and was lying down there as if it was a bed.
A pretty hard bed, but wide enough to be quite comfortable.
Apollo just kneeled down right outside, and leaned over to the edges.
“What about musical songs?” Klavier asked, getting closer too.
There was no need. Those were airpods, not headphones with wires. Still, it came natural to get closer to each other.
“Musicals? Let me guess… Legally Blonde?” Apollo rolled his eyes, but smiled a bit.
It was nice that Klavier was searching for something that Apollo could like. He had no reason to, but he was still trying to find common ground between them. He was a nice person.
Or maybe he was just very lonely.
Apollo was lonely too, so it was a nice sensation to feel included a bit.
“Gay or European is basically my theme song” Klavier chuckled.
Apollo let out a laugh.
“Yeah, I can see that. I’m just gay, not European, unfortunately, but I like that s…” Apollo interrupted himself the moment he realized what he had just said, and paled.
Had he just admitted his sexuality to a total stranger?!
With this nonchalance?!
That wasn’t like him at all!
It’s not like it was a secret, but Apollo was a private person. He didn’t just go around telling his affairs to strangers inside bathrooms. Especially regarding his sexuality.
What if now Klavier was going to think Apollo said that because he wanted to hit on him or something?! He HAD got a little worked up because of the whole boyfriend discussion. Apollo didn’t want things to become unnecessarily tense because of his slip of the tongue.
Klavier looked at him, a bit confused by his sudden panic attack.
His eyes became reassuring, but he didn’t let Apollo notice that he had noticed the panic attack.
“I’m actually pan and European, but I don’t let that tiny detail stop me. And I was also singing Michael in the Bathroom before you knocked on the door, so it’s not like I have only one theme song. Do you have a favorite musical song?” he asked, like Apollo had said nothing wrong. Not even completely acknowledging what Apollo had said.
And that managed to ease the tension a bit.
It was just chit-chat. Nothing to worry about.
Apollo thought about the question, trying to answer as fast as he could to completely erase sexuality discussions from his mind.
“Stupid with love?” he answered, before he could actually ponder with attention what he was going to say.
He bumped his head on the edge of the bathtub, feeling very very stupid, and not just with love, with everything.
Why say such a misleading song?!
Why couldn’t he just say something cliché, like Wait for it from Hamilton, or a Disney song?!
“A classic. Are you good at math?” asked Klavier, amused, still not commenting on the possible meaning of a love song chosen in that context.
“Not really, but, like… it’s an inside joke, okay? My roommate, he had a mean girls phase, and he makes fun of me because I’m stupid with love, and he’s smart with the math, so we kinda form the song. He’s also stupid with love, but that’s not important, I… can you just play any song and let it go?” Apollo was so red he probably became also ginger, because the redness of his entire body had probably affected his hair.
With each word, he felt like he was digging his own grave more and more.
Klavier managed to not laugh out loud, and didn’t comment further.
After some seconds, a song started to play.
The last song Apollo expected to hear.
“ The snow glows white on the mountain tonight
Not a footprint to be seen…”
Apollo looked at Klavier, who was biting his lip to stop himself from laughing.
“Are you serious?” he asked, pointing at the airpod.
“You told me to Let it Go” Klavier shrugged.
The song continued.
“ Couldn't keep it in, heaven knows I tried”
And at that exact moment, they both burst out laughing. A hearty laugh, probably too much for the simple, stupid thing that had just happened, but liberating.
Really liberating.
Something, in their relationship, switched.
They weren’t strangers anymore.
Apollo could confidently say they were acquaintances.
“That was perfect!” he admitted, wiping away a few tears from laughing too much.
“I couldn’t help myself, I had to” Klavier did the same “By the way… I love mean girls… and I’m also pretty stupid with love, as you know” Klavier reassured Apollo he hadn’t made a fool out of himself, and smiled sincerely.
“I wouldn’t say stupid. I’d say… hopelessly devoted… to the wrong person” Apollo tried to make another musical reference.
Klavier’s smile widened.
Music was definitely his language.
“Oh, what do you know about love?” Klavier pitched the chorus from a musical-exclusive Frozen song.
“Not much to be fair, I’m waiting on a miracle” Apollo cited Encanto’s song.
“Good for you…” Dear Evan Hansen “…I’m sure you’re gonna get this right…” Frozen 2 eliminated song.
“I’m not throwing away my shot…” Hamilton “Someone in the crowd could be the one we are waiting for…” La La Land
“Maybe I was meant to be yours” Heathers
Oh… shoot!
That was getting too intense.
When did they get so close to each other?
“Don’t lose your head!” Apollo withdrew, pretending to be jokingly annoyed, but actually pretty nervous.
“Okay, you win” Klavier raised his hands in surrender, stepping back in turn.
“Sorry, I don’t know that song” Apollo admitted, feeling a bit less… whatever he was feeling.
Anyway, the air became less thick.
And Apollo’s heart rate lowered, too.
“It’s not a song, but after the Six reference I’m crowning you king of this musical battle. So… here’s to the fools who dream!” Klavier raised his phone as if it was a glass, and cited La La Land.
Apollo felt immediately less stiff.
But he couldn’t help but think that those musical references, especially Klavier’s last one before Apollo’s win… had looked a bit like… flirting.
Nah, Apollo was just tired.
It was past midnight, after all.
“Since you won, you can chose the next song” Klavier offered his phone with perfect internet connection.
Apollo smiled mischievously.
“You are gonna regret that. We are listening to some very strange things!” he promised… no, he threatened.
1:25 AM
“So… I’m a real person, male, pretty tall but not known for my height, not an actor, nor a musician, an athlete?” Apollo asked, very confused.
At the moment they were both inside the bathtub, facing each other, and they were playing a game.
With Klavier’s eyeliner, they had written names in each other’s foreheads, and were trying to guess the name the other had chosen.
“Nope, but I can tell you it’s a long name, and your forehead is so spacious I managed to write it entirely” Klavier admired his work.
Ever since they had written the names, Klavier had been joking about Apollo’s forehead.
In normal circumstances, Apollo would have been extremely offended, but for some reason he was finding the mockery quite endearing.
Maybe because Klavier had a gift for making him feel at ease. Maybe because it was very late. Maybe Apollo had been inside the bathroom for so long he was developing a Stockholm Syndrome.
Anyway, he pretended to be offended, and jokingly shoved him away.
“My forehead is normal! Your turn”
“Yeah… so… I’m a female, not a real person, so I’m a character, and I’m a good singer, and you can see me on television. Mmmmm… Am I blonde?” Klavier asked, after making a quick recap of his character.
“Kinda” Apollo didn’t know how to answer. She was blonde, but not only blonde.
“What do you mean ‘kinda’?!”
“Let’s say the name on your forehead is blonde” Apollo answered, cryptically.
“That’s not helping!” Klavier pouted like a child. He was so cute!
…what are you thinking, Apollo?!
“It’s actually great help if you figure it out. My turn… Am I famous?” he tried to focus on the game. He was competitive, he had to win.
“You are known, but not necessarily famous?” Klavier seemed troubled.
Mmm, known but not famous meant he was someone only people in the field would know. Maybe someone working behind the scenes. But how could Apollo possibly know…
“Do I know myself?” he asked, dubious.
It would have been really unfair if Klavier had used some obscure person Apollo didn’t know. Like the house owner or something.
“Hey, it’s my turn… my name is blonde, mmmm… and I’m not always blonde… but if my name is blonde, then I may have more than one name… what’s my job?” after a quick logic trip, Klavier seemed close to the answer.
No!!
“It’s not a yes/no question” Apollo corrected him.
“Fine, fine… do I work in entertainment?” Klavier got more specific.
Apollo nodded.
“Yeah, you do. Do I know myself?” Apollo was ready to declare the game rigged and start again.
“I know for a fact you do. We talked about you before” Klavier gave him a big hint, with a wink.
Oh… nice.
OH! NICE!
“Really? Am I the professor?!” Apollo guessed. A real person, male, tall but not too much, known but not famous, and they did talk about him. It was perfect!
Klavier chuckled.
“Nope. Am I a teen?” he asked.
Apollo was disappointed, but he knew he was close.
“Yes. I’m not the professor, huh? Still… I’m in the legal field?” he asked.
They talked about two major topics, after all: Musicals and lawyers. And he wasn’t an actor or musician.
“Yes. I’m from a TV Series that’s pretty old?” Klavier was getting so close it seemed like he actually already knew but was stalling to give Apollo a chance to guess before him.
“Kinda old, not much. 2000s. Do I have weird hair?” Apollo still answered truthfully, and then thought about every lawyer he knew.
“…I suppose you do. They are a bit peculiar. Disney Channel?”
“Yes… Am I Phoenix Wright?” Apollo guessed, pretty confident. He definitely had weird and peculiar hair. And he was his favorite defense attorney.
Until he was disbarred.
But Apollo was sure it wasn’t his fault. They had set him up!
Klavier frowned at hearing his name, and shook his head.
“…no, not him. Do I have a double identity?” he asked.
That answer was gonna give it away to Klavier.
Apollo had to guess his name once and for all if he wanted to win.
Someone in the legal field they had talked about with peculiar hair… wait…
“You do. I’m Miles Edgeworth?” he asked, confidently.
Klavier nodded.
“Yup. And I’m Hannah Montana, right?” he guessed his own name. Apollo nodded, proud to have won, but happy Klavier had guessed, too.
“I should have known I was Edgeworth. It’s not that long of a name. It would fit in any forehead” he stood up and look at himself in the mirror. The handwriting was a bit smudged, but very elegant.
“Wouldn’t fit in mine. Hannah Montana! I loved that show” Klavier, on the contrary, stayed inside the bathtub and checked the writing with his phone, smiling while tracing the letters written very badly.
“Figured you’d love that. That’s why I chose it” Apollo smiled, proudly, and Klavier looked at him with fondness.
The moment was interrupted by the sound of a stomach growling.
They looked at each other, both blushing a bit.
“My fault. I haven’t eaten anything all day” Klavier was the one to break the silence and take the blame, even though Apollo was pretty sure his stomach was in the same state.
“Mood. I’ve only drunk water ever since I came here… I’m actually getting a bit thirsty again” he admitted, coming closer to the sink.
“I wouldn’t drink that water if I were you” Klavier suggested.
Apollo hesitated.
“Why?” he asked, confused.
“It’s not good. I promise. If you don’t want to spend the entire night in the bathroom, I would leave the water alone” Klavier proved to be extremely well-informed about that house.
Apollo snickered.
“I’m already spending the entire night inside a bathroom” he pointed out.
“Yeah, well… I meant another thing” Klavier pointed at the toilet.
Apollo backed away from the sink.
“Didn’t rich people have like a personal branded water reserve?” he complained, taking some water but only using it to wash off Miles Edgeworth’s name. The eyeliner was waterproof, unfortunately.
“Not this rich person” Klavier shrugged. His stomach growled again.
“You don’t happen to have a water bottle or something?” Apollo asked, hopeful.
Klavier shook his head.
“Snacks?” Apollo tried again.
Klavier shook his head.
“…make-up remover?” Apollo tried for the last time, pointing at his forehead.
Klavier shook his head.
There were some seconds of silence, the music from the hall seemed louder than ever.
“I think your forehead is great with that smudged eyeliner. It compliments your eyes” Klavier smiled innocently.
Apollo sighed.
“Whatever, it’s not like people will even notice me while I take something to eat” he got his jacket from the stall he had left it in, and put it on.
“Oh? You’re going?” Klavier seemed surprised.
“I’m gonna grab something to eat, and to drink… how old are you?” Apollo looked at Klavier, suspicious.
“21, but I don’t want anything alcoholic. Just water is fine, or soda. Maybe with caffeine” Klavier placed his order, happily.
“What do you want to eat?” Apollo asked, mentally writing down the information.
“Whatever is fine. But for you, I suggest the little sandwiches with olives and tuna… those are great” he suggested, proving himself to be also pretty informed about that party’s menu.
“Olives and tuna… not caviar?” Apollo asked, sarcastically.
“Nah, just Klavier” the man in the bathtub answered, with a smirk.
Apollo glared at him.
“I’m not coming back! Farewell!” he threatened, before exiting the room.
The last thing he heard was a melodic laugh coming from inside.
Then… he was alone again.
2:08 AM
It took longer than Apollo wanted, but at least he was keeping himself busy.
But to be honest, he’d rather stay with Klavier, than right there, foraging for food.
After all… it wasn’t that bad hanging out in a bathroom, with the right company.
Not that he was actually befriending that weird, sad man, but for a night… he was good company.
Great company.
…yeah, he was probably befriending that weird, sad man, because even though it hadn’t been that much since he exited the shared bathroom, he was already missing him.
He managed to grab two non-alcoholic drinks, and some snacks, including two sandwiches with olive and tuna, and he was just about to go back there, when someone shoved him aside, almost making him drop his supplies.
“Watch where you step” he mumbled, regaining his balance.
The man heard him, and turned towards him.
“Who are you?” he asked, suspicious.
Dang it! Was he the house owner?!
He did look like a rockstar, with his weird shark-like hair, and the leather suit.
He was also very drunk, and… he was the one Apollo saw inside the master bedroom he had mistook for the bathroom, at the start of the evening.
Wait… could he be…?
Nah, Apollo couldn’t be this unlucky!
“I’m…” Apollo hesitated, he didn’t know how to answer.
“Whatever, I don’t care. Have you seen Klav?” the man quickly lost interest in him, and said the last name Apollo expected to hear.
Or rather, a nickname.
But it was clear who the man was referring to.
Outside, it sounded so much different than inside the bathroom.
Apollo was quick to shake his head.
“Nope,” he pretended he didn’t even know the guy, and tried to flee the scene.
The guy, who was probably the infamous Klavier’s ex, let out a pretty vulgar swear word.
“I’ve been looking everywhere for him! I hope he’s not moping like a sissy” he complained, passing Apollo and looking around for the man.
Apollo was enraged, but managed to pretend he was fine and just went to the bathroom, making sure he wasn’t being followed.
He knocked quietly.
“Sorry, it’s occupied” came a sad voice from inside.
“It’s me” Apollo announced himself, then mentally slapped himself in the head.
It wasn’t like Klavier could recognize his voice by that simple “It’s me”. He had to be more precise.
But before he could correct himself and tell his name, the door opened, and Klavier quickly let him enter, closing the door right behind them.
“You came back!” Klavier smiled widely.
“Of course. Sorry it took so long, it was super chaotic outside” Apollo entered and looked around for a hygienic enough place to put the food on.
“It’s okay, I… thought you… went away with your friend” Klavier admitted, playing with his bangs nervously.
“Ah! I wish!” Apollo had now given up on the possibility Clay was going to contact him and leave the party with him. That backstabber!
“Oh… if you need to call an Uber, I can…” Klavier offered, looking pretty disappointed.
Apollo realized how his comment could have been interpreted.
“No! I… it’s not like that, I don’t… I… I like staying here, with you” he admitted, and it was difficult for him. His entire face became as red as a tomato.
“Oh… eh… nice… I mean… I also like staying here… with you” Klavier smiled, and his smile was the most attractive thing Apollo had witnessed in his life.
…what did he just think?!
It was too late, his mind was completely messed up!
He couldn’t think that stranger met a few hours before was attractive, and cute, and super nice, and… kissable…
NOPE! It was just too late! That was the reason for his strange thoughts.
Apollo had to change the subject and talk only about nice and acceptable things.
“So… I… brought some food… including those sandwiches, and… I think I saw your ex, he’s looking for you…” the last sentence came completely unwarranted.
Apollo facepalmed.
Klavier paled.
“What?!” he asked, surprised.
“I… bumped into him, he almost made me fall, but I digress… he was looking for you, and he…” Apollo pondered if it was the case to add what he had said behind Klavier’s back, but in the end, he decided to keep it to himself.
He had already meddled too much. He didn’t know Klavier, he didn’t know his ex, he had no right to get involved.
“…he’s looking for you...” he just repeated, shrugging.
“He never looks for me when we are… can you describe him?” Klavier was startled and unconvinced by the sudden information.
“Ugly… I mean… he wasn’t ugly, but his hair is pretty ugly, like this big gelled thing…” Apollo mimicked the form of the hair with his hands, trying not to show his evident aversion towards the man he had the misfortune of meeting briefly.
He wasn’t jealous, by the way.
He couldn’t be jealous.
Jealous of what, after all? Of the fact he had terrible hair? Terrible fashion sense? A terrible, horrible personality? He was the ex-boyfriend and best friend of such a special person like Klavier?!
There was no reason to be jealous of him.
“…and he had a tacky leather suit, with a shark-like design… so old-fashioned… and also earrings and rings just like yours, in a way. Those were fine. He was tall” Apollo concluded his description, trying at the end to be more unbiased.
“It was him… did he say something?” Klavier looked hopeful.
Apollo hesitated.
And Klavier’s smile died down.
“Nothing nice, am I right?” he supposed, resigned.
Apollo nodded, timidly, confirming he had, indeed, said not nice things.
Klavier sighed, and went back to the bathtub.
“I’m sorry” Apollo was feeling guilty. He didn’t want to hurt Klavier, especially since it wasn’t his business to get between ex-lovers. He didn’t know anything about them.
Still… if at first knowing Klavier’s bad romance had been irritating, now he was sad on his behalf. He wanted Klavier to be happy. He was such a nice person.
At least from what Apollo could see.
He wasn’t good with people, but Klavier seemed so genuine in his emotions. And they had so much fun in those hours.
“Hey, it’s not your fault he’s a… I told you, it’s complicated” Klavier hinted at a sad smile, and took his drink.
Apollo approached him.
“You know I’m stupid with love, and I admit this is none of my business. But I think love should be simple, and it should make someone happy, not sad and feeling like they’re not enough” he risked his opinion, in a whisper.
Klavier’s smile widened a bit.
“Ja, it should…” he admitted, looking intently at Apollo.
“But… if you want to talk to him…” Apollo started to offer his support, even though the idea of staying in that room alone, without Klavier, was gloomy.
“I have no intention of seeing him, right now. I don’t… I really don’t want to. Not today” Klavier shook his head and interrupted Apollo before he could continue speaking.
Good, since Apollo had no idea how to continue the sentence he had started.
But he felt very reassured by the answer, and hinted a smile.
“So… what do you want to eat?” he asked, pointing at the many options.
“I think I’ll take a…” Klavier started to choose, cheered up, but a violent knock on the door stopped him mid-sentence.
Both him and Apollo turned towards the door, startled.
During the night, a few people had come knocking, but no one had ever been this vehement, yet.
“Klav! Are you in there?!” came a voice from the other side of the door, before either of them could answer.
Apollo noticed out of the corner of his eye that Klavier had visibly jumped.
He decided to take matters in his own hands, and help his bathroom companion.
“NO! It’s occupied, go away!” he answered, trying to sound as drunk and as threatening as possible, to discourage Klavier’s ex to insist.
“Open up! I want to check! I’ve searched everywhere and this is the last place!” Klavier’s ex wasn’t threatened in the slightest, and raised his voice.
Was he going to break down the door, think Apollo and Klavier were having a fling?!
Well… it wasn’t something he could get angry at! He and Klavier had broken up, after all.
Still, Apollo didn’t want to get involved, and, most of all, he didn’t want Klavier to get hurt, physically and emotionally.
He challenged the annoying drunk person he had never been and never would have been, making a loud voice.
“Look, buddy, I’m taking a dump! You think I’d do that with company?! Get lost!” he sent him away, blushing terribly at what he was saying.
So embarrassing!
But it was for the greater good.
And he acted splendidly.
“Whatever! I thought he was here. Fu…” after swearing a bit, the ex went off.
Apollo breathed a sigh of relief.
“Geez, aggressive much?!” he turned towards Klavier, and noticed he was trembling a bit, his hands on his mouth, and he looked very pale and scared.
Apollo realized in horror that whatever the two had going on hadn’t only been a terrible one-sided relationship, but it was probably borderline abusive.
His stomach clenched, and he wanted to just hug Klavier and promise him everything was going to get better.
But he was a stranger… an acquaintance at most, and it would have been a breach of boundaries to get too close, especially now that Klavier was triggered.
So he just took a step in his direction, and took a sandwich.
“Olive and tuna, right?” he offered, with his kindest voice.
Klavier blinked like he had just woken up from a nightmare, and turned towards him, startled.
He tried to smile.
“Ja… you must try it, it’s the best” he tried to play it cool.
“We’ll see” Apollo took one and gave the other to Klavier. Then he entered the bathtub, and sat on the opposite side from the man, who couldn’t stop looking at him.
He took a bite, trying to ignore the stare, and was actually pretty surprised.
“It’s good?” he admitted, taking another, bigger, bite.
“Told you, it’s the best!” Klavier ate too.
They devoured almost every snack, and drank water and soda.
After a while, while Apollo was recounting some old story involving a can of soda he had kicked and had accidentally landed on Clay’s face right before a date, when they were in middle school, Klavier interrupted him.
“Thank you Apollo” he murmured, with a serious and honest tone, like he was saying something extremely heartfelt.
Apollo did feel his heart beating faster after that, but tried to play it cool.
“For entertaining you with my amazing storytelling?” he joked, hoping with all his heart he hadn’t blushed too much.
“Also, but… thank you for everything regarding Daryan” Klavier explained, looking at him straight in the eye.
Apollo averted his gaze.
He was definitely blushing. He could feel it.
And he hated that.
“It was nothing, really” he tried to shoo it off, like it was no big deal. And really, it wasn’t a big deal.
Apollo could have done so much more.
“It was a lot. I’m… thankful for everything you are doing for me this evening” Klavier insisted, shifting his position to be closer to Apollo.
Apollo didn’t know what to say.
So he just stared at Klavier while he came closer… and closer… and…
“You want the cake left?” Apollo offered, handing in his direction his plate with half a piece of cake, and the last delicious biscuit.
Oh my god, Apollo! Could you be more stupid than that?! That was a heartfelt moment! Klavier was pouring his heart out, and you are offering A HALF PIECE OF CAKE?!
Klavier looked taken aback, but didn’t comment further, and accepted the change of the subject.
“Not a fan of raisins… but I’ll gladly take the last biscuit” he took on a playful attitude, and stole the last biscuit from Apollo’s plate, quickly withdrawing, leaving Apollo completely disoriented.
“Wait, what?! My cookie!” Apollo tried to get his sweet back, but Klavier fought valiantly to keep possession of it.
“Hey, you offered” he tried to complain.
“I offered the cake, not the cookie!” Apollo objected, with his best future-lawyer tone.
They fought a bit for the cookie, battling in that small space.
“You took the last sandwich” Klavier pointed out.
“I was the one that went out to get food”
“And I’m the one that suggested the best dishes”
In the end, the space was too small, the bathtub was slippery, and Apollo ended up on top of Klavier, making him fall lying down inside the tub.
“Sorry! Did you bump your head?” Apollo asked, worried.
“Don’t worry, I’m totally fine!” Klavier reassured him.
“Good… I mean… Too bad! You evil cookie-thief!” realizing he was fine Apollo returned to war, and tried to take the biscuit.
In the end, Klavier broke it in half and ate one of the halves.
“Good compromise, ja?” he winked at Apollo, who took the other with a scoff.
“You are unfair” he complained, eating it.
“And you are on top of me” Klavier pointed out.
Apollo blushed, realizing the ambiguous position. It had felt so natural, he really didn’t pay it any mind.
But… how could it feel so natural, when Apollo had never been in that position with anyone?!
But it was… Klavier was… they were… it felt… like they were two pieces of a puzzle that worked perfectly together.
…Stockholm syndrome, definitely!
Or the lateness of the night!
Or any other reason.
Apollo had to keep his walls thick and impenetrable.
“Sorry, I’ll…” he started to move away, but Klavier stopped him, taking his hand.
“I wasn’t complaining…” he whispered.
…dang it.
It was so hard to withdraw when Klavier was looking at him with that fondness.
Apollo found himself wondering.
Would Klavier’s lips be soft? They looked soft. And he would probably taste like the cookie he had just eaten. His hand was warm, and not sweaty at all, contrary to Apollo’s. But Klavier didn’t seem to mind that.
And Apollo found himself also wandering, getting closer, just a little bit, but still enough.
For a moment, everything was still.
Even the party seemed less loud, on the other side of the door.
But that moment ended before things could progress, when someone knocked on that door, startling both of them.
“Sorry, it’s occupied,” they said in unison, blushing when they realized that it did indeed sound like they were in the middle of… oh my god!
Apollo was quick to actually move away, and whoever was on the other side of the door didn’t object, and just left them there.
“Uhm… so… I think I haven’t finished that sudoku…” Apollo exited the bathtub, and took the game he had left near the toilet, trying to find something to do to pass the time.
“Ja, and I’m… I… I’ll clean this mess” Klavier started to tidy up the small room.
Apollo had noticed he was quite the perfectionist.
But it was better if he didn’t notice other things, anymore.
…why was he even still there?!
2:46 AM
Apollo was so tired he could have just fallen asleep any moment.
But he was trying to keep his eyes open by doing some light exercises with Klavier, copying a video on the latter’s phone.
“You are so lucky you had the charger” Apollo mumbled, thinking about his own phone, that had died half an hour before, while he was checking for new messages.
And no new messages had come.
“You need to borrow mine?” asked Klavier, stopping the video and approaching Apollo like he was going to pass out any moment.
…it was probably possible.
“It’s okay… I don’t need it” he refused the offer, and went to rinse his face in the sink.
He wasn’t used to staying up this late. Especially not outside, in a bathroom, at a party, with a stranger.
His only all-nighters had happened because of study, or because Clay needed help.
“You sure you don’t want to call an Uber and go home?” Klavier suggested, worried, and checking the time.
“I’m fine…” Apollo shrugged, and went inside the bathtub, too tired to continue exercising.
Klavier followed him, and sat down beside him.
They weren’t using the bathtub as a bed, but as a couch, so they were sat inside with their backs on the border, and legs sticking out.
They were also comfortably next to each other.
“Let’s talk about something, so I won’t fall asleep,” asked Apollo, set on staying awake.
The reason was unknown even to him.
But he wanted to keep talking to Klavier.
“What do you want to talk about?” Klavier humored him, but he wasn’t very keen on continuing the charade.
“Dunno… things… sleep…” Apollo tried his best to keep his eyes open, but his lids felt heavy.
“You sound drunk” Klavier joked, putting a hand behind his head to make sure he wouldn’t bump it carelessly.
“No… I don’t drink. Too young!” Apollo objected, yawning.
“How old are you?” Klavier asked, curious.
“Nineteen… my neck hurts a bit” he complained, searching for a better place to lay his head on.
“Here…” Klavier accompanied his head, and put it on something soft and comfortable.
Apollo realized too late that something was Klavier’s lap.
Normally, he would have grumbled and moved away, but at the moment he was feeling so at peace and relaxed he decided to let it slide.
“Didn’t know you also part-timed as a cushion” he made fun of him, chuckling at his own joke.
“I’m a man of many talents… but seriously, Apollo, don’t you want me to call you an Uber so that you can go home? You look exhausted” Klavier insisted, and started to gently caress his hair, in an affectionate and casual manner, like he wasn’t even thinking about it, and just came naturally to him.
Apollo liked that.
He was feeling so comfy.
“Don’t wanna… you’ll be alone” he mumbled, closing his eyes, and enjoying the moment.
It was so surreal, he felt like he was already sleeping.
“You’d stay here for the entire night, just to keep me company?” Klavier sounded sarcastic.
“Of course” Apollo, however, was certain of his intentions.
After a couple of seconds of silence, Klavier spoke again, this time a bit uncertain. The movement of his hands followed his feelings, and became more hesitant.
“Why?” he asked, in a whisper.
It took a while for Apollo to respond.
To be honest, he didn’t know either.
He had no reason to.
Clay was probably already home by now, or he wouldn’t have minded Apollo going back. It was too late for him, and he knew.
And Apollo certainly couldn’t just stay there indefinitely, he had to get out at some point, and it was better to go out sooner rather than later. He didn’t want to spend the entire night there.
But he also didn’t want to just get out and leave Klavier alone.
And he didn’t want to burst the complicity bubble that was keeping them so nice and cozy, inside the bathroom. He felt that if he was going out, everything between them would just reset, and Apollo was liking whatever they had going on, be it Stockholm Syndrome or whatnot.
“I just… we started this together, it would feel like I’m betraying you if I left you alone,” he told Klavier the first thing that came to his mind.
His eyes were so heavy, his head so in the clouds.
And Klavier’s lap was so, so comfortable.
He didn’t want to think too much and risk disclosing his deepest feelings.
Feelings he didn’t even completely comprehend.
“You seem pretty loyal, it’s such a rarity in my life” Klavier noted, with a hint of melancholy.
“Mmmm, I’m not loyal, but fair. I’m the Justice, after all,” Apollo objected, and shifted a bit in Klavier’s lap to find an even more comfortable position.
Klavier stopped caressing Apollo’s hair. Apollo could feel his whole body stiffening.
“I… don’t think this is actually a good idea” he mumbled.
“What isn’t?” Apollo got confused, and tried to open his eyes.
He failed, and opened only one, a little bit.
He found Klavier staring at a distant point, his cheeks very red.
“It’s just… it’s starting to become a little difficult, for me…” Klavier admitted, hesitation clear in his voice.
Apollo’s heart started to beat faster.
With great difficulty, he managed to raise his arm, and poke Klavier’s cheek, to obtain his attention.
“What is?” he asked, softly.
Klavier turned to look at him, and Apollo smiled, innocently.
“It’s… I…” Klavier’s voice cracked, and after a couple more seconds, he averted is eyes, and shook his head, almost imperceptibly.
He had just decided to drop the subject.
“It’s really, really hard to not doodle on your big forehead” he joked, poking at Apollo’s head.
Apollo groaned, annoyed, and took Klavier’s arm on his own to stop the playful torture.
“Nope. Won’t allow it” he announced, solemnly.
“Fine, I will control myself… can you give my arm back?” Klavier gave up rather quickly.
“It’s mine, now!” Apollo squeezed it tighter.
“You are going to be the death of me” Klavier’s complaint was so quiet Apollo barely heard it, so he didn’t comment on it.
“What about you?” he asked, a thought suddenly coming into his mind.
“What about me?” Klavier was confused.
“Why don’t you… go home? You shouldn’t wait for that ugly and bad, bad man” Apollo was more clear with his question, and insulted Klavier’s ex because it was a thing he really wanted to do.
“Come on, he’s not that ugly” Klavier tried to object, but his voice was weak.
“To each his own, but he’s ugly. You are so handsome and nice and romantic. He’s ugly and rude. I really can’t understand why you like it” Apollo shook his head, and started to fidget with Klavier’s arm and hand, like it was a toy.
“Stop that, Apollo…” the arm’s owner whispered.
Apollo didn’t know if he was referring to the hand-playing or the words, and stopped both, to not make him uncomfortable.
“Why don’t you go home?” he asked again, still holding on to Klavier’s arm, but not tightly enough to prevent him from freeing himself.
He wasn’t attempting to do so, though.
“I… can’t… I’ll probably stay here until morning” Klavier shrugged.
“Okay… I’ll stay here too, then.. but you need the keep me awake” Apollo closed his eyes again, incapable of keeping them open longer.
“I don’t think I will” Klavier refused, his tone betraying amusement for the situation.
“Evil…” Apollo muttered.
“I am. But it’s nice pretending I’m not for a night…” Klavier’s words were confusing, and he started humming a slow and sweet song, that made Apollo even more relaxed and sleepy than he already was.
He wasn’t the type to sleep in front of strangers (more precisely, on their laps, in this context) but he was feeling so at peace, he passed out in less than a minute.
3:32 AM
“Apollo… you need to wake up” a gentle voice shook him awake, and Apollo jolted up, surprised and disoriented.
Where was he? Who was the one shaking him? What was going on?!
“Clay?!” he asked, while his mind was rebuffing and regaining his past memories.
“Yes… well… not, not me. But he’s outside, looking for you” Klavier informed him, and looking at his handsome face, Apollo remembered everything.
The party, the bathroom, the snacks and the meaningful conversations.
Also the cuddling… the kinda cuddling.
Apollo’s face flushed red, and he tried to remember exactly what he had said and done. It felt like a dream.
God, he hoped it had been a dream.
Apollo wasn’t like that!
…not that he was complaining, dream or not.
It had been so nice…
“Wait… Clay?” he asked, surprised “What time is it?” he looked around for a clock.
“Summertime” Klavier answered, in tune with a song Apollo knew too well.
“It’s our vacation…” he continued the lyric, with a smile.
But he quickly snapped back to attention.
“It’s not the time to sing High School Musical… what happened while I was asleep?” Apollo asked, rubbing his eyes.
“Nothing much… I also napped a bit, then I listened to some music, ignored my ex-boyfriend, and… your roommate is waiting for you on the other side of the door” Klavier explained briefly.
“Clay is still here? At this hour?” Apollo was surprised. Usually, Clay was pretty strict about his sleep routine. He expected him to be already back at home.
“He was worried, so I told him you were sleeping here, and agreed to wait. Actually, at first he was threatening to break down the door. He was afraid I was keeping you hostage. But I managed to calm him down” Klavier seemed amused at the thought, and a bit sad.
He was, in general, a bit sad.
Or maybe melancholic was the right word.
Apollo was also pretty sad too.
He was happy Clay was there to pick him up, but at the same time, he’d rather stay there a bit more, with Klavier.
He took his belongings scattered around the room, made sure nothing was missing, and then he approached the door.
“So… this is it…” he turned around towards Klavier. Under that light, it seemed like his eyes were a bit wet.
It was probably a suggestion.
“This is it… you’ll finally sleep in a comfy bed” Klavier smiled, and tried to maintain an upbeat attitude.
“Not really… the campus’ beds are awful” Apollo shook his head.
“Worse than a hard bathtub?” Klavier pointed at the bed Apollo had used until that moment.
“Worse than your lap…” Apollo blushed at the thought, and put a hand on his mouth, embarrassed by having said that thing out loud.
Klavier ignored his comment, but his cheeks became a bit red, too.
“Thank you again for this night. It was the best night I’ve spent in this house” Klavier poked his forehead, and smiled fondly.
“I bet it was the only night you spent here” Apollo mumbled, rolling his eyes, and trying not to blush more.
He failed.
“I promise I’m a… frequent visitor” Klavier answered cryptically.
“It was also the best party I went to… and the only one… and I won’t go to a party anymore, but it was… a nice experience. I had fun” Apollo tried to compliment him too, but he sounded more awkward than he wanted to be.
Klavier offered his hand.
“Have a good night, Apollo” he wished him.
Apollo wondered if it was the case to shake his hand and call it a day… night… whatever it was.
But he hesitated.
It didn’t feel right.
The night couldn’t end like that, with so many unsaid things.
Apollo was probably never going to see Klavier again.
And even though he hated being impulsive, he should have lived the moment, sometimes.
That was the best occasion.
‘You need to exit your comfort zone’.
Maybe it wasn’t a bad suggestion, after all.
That bathroom was a safe zone where Apollo could risk being bolder.
So he ignored Klavier’s hand, got closer to him, and stood on his toes to kiss him on the cheek.
He missed horribly, and ended up brushing his lips.
His entire body was shocked by feelings, and he felt his mouth going dry while waiting for Klavier to push him away.
Klavier, however, didn’t push him away.
He actually brought him closer, and kissed him back.
And it was pure perfection.
After five hours of tiptoeing around each other like a synchronized dance, flirting, talking, joking around and helping each other like they were a team, a squad, a couple, that kiss was the perfect end to the whole ordeal.
And Apollo couldn’t help but think it was also an inevitable arrival point after everything that happened, and he couldn’t have been happier about the result.
It wasn’t long, but still intense, and when they separated, they still lingered close to each other, trying to let go of that emotion as late as possible.
But eventually, they had to let go.
“Have a nice night” Apollo whispered, patting Klavier on the shoulder, and offering a dorky smile.
“See you around” Klavier opened the door for him, making sure no one on the other side could hear or see him.
Before Apollo could answer, however, the reality came crashing down on him, when Clay took his arm and dragged him outside, checking his condition.
The door closed behind him, and Apollo was officially out.
Out of that dream, far from Klavier, and back to the reality of his life, where his best friend was worried and the party was still going strong.
“Where were you all this time?! I was worried sick! I went back to campus thinking you were already sleeping, but you weren’t there. And I came back, and… what were you doing inside a bathroom with a weird person?!” Clay started to interrogate him, and Apollo shoved him away, heading for the front door.
“What did you think I was doing?! I was hiding, of course. And I fell asleep” Apollo justified himself, avoiding telling the details.
Those were his and only his to know.
Well… his and Klavier’s.
“You should have told me!” Clay complained. They had gone out, and were searching for the Uber Clay had called to get them home.
“I told you! I sent you hundreds of messages!” Apollo crossed his arms “I told you I was in the bathroom”
They entered the Uber, but continued arguing.
“But you got out at some point, right? I mean, an hour and a half ago I knocked on the door, searching for you before going back to campus, and inside was a couple hooking up. That’s why I thought you were back home already!” Clay explained.
Apollo flushed red.
“Wait… you weren’t hooking up with some stranger, weren’t you?” Clay noticed his blush, and shot him a surprised look.
Apollo did his best to appear completely stone-faced.
“Of course I wasn’t. Who do you take me for? You probably misheard. Anyway… how was your night after you cruelly ditched me?” he tried to change the subject.
Clay looked at him a little more, before deciding to give him the benefit of the doubt and drop the subject.
“It was very cool! I chatted with many interesting people, ate nice things, fought with a flat earther, and met every member of the band” he smiled, recalling the night, and not even pretending to be sorry for having left Apollo alone.
Apollo rolled his eyes.
“Oh, well… except for Klavier” Clay added, and Apollo’s heart skipped a bit.
“Klavier?!” he asked, surprised.
Clay shot him a confused look.
“Yeah, Klavier Gavin, the leader of the Gavinners. That was his house, but for some reason no one has seen him all night” he explained, shrugging.
“Leader of the Gavinners?!” Apollo asked, surprised, almost scandalized.
Wasn’t he a prosecutor?! Apollo had figured out he was probably a member of a band, but he expected some indie rookies or something, not famous at all!
“Yeah… the Gavinners… my favorite band? Internationally known and idols of teens around the world… Is everything okay, Apollo? Why are you so worked up?” Clay asked, suspicious.
Of course, Apollo couldn’t admit he spent the entire night with the leader of Clay’s favorite band hiding inside a bathroom. He had promised Klavier he was going to be discreet.
And now… he was finally realizing why.
Everything was falling into place.
Klavier’s fear of going out, his familiarity with the house, his relationship with his ex-boyfriend (okay, that was still complicated, but if they were both members of a famous band, Apollo could get why it was hard to just stop seeing each other completely), his suspicion when he first saw Apollo, who was an uninvited guest at his house.
But other than that… Apollo had just kissed a famous rockstar!
Oh my god!
“I’m not worked up… I’m just… I forgot about that band, that’s all” he tried to justify his surprise to Clay, but his voice was trembling a bit. His hands were sweaty.
Everything seemed so different outside the bathroom.
“I still don’t know how could someone forget the name of the most famous band in the city! They are so cool! I can’t believe we managed to go to one of their parties. They are so exclusive!” Clay sighed, dreamily.
Apollo felt even worse.
The situation was even more surreal than he had anticipated.
“Yeah… I suppose” he mumbled, trying to sound cool but in the middle of a panic attack.
“Did you enjoy yourself inside the bathroom?” Clay asked, curious.
Apollo’s first answer would have been “No! I hated that!” just to shut Clay up. And the sense of dread he was feeling at the moment wasn’t helping.
But, all things considered, he couldn’t lie to himself.
It had been nice.
And Klavier had been sweet, and caring, and fun.
Apollo sighed.
“Awesome party, I’m so glad I came” he responded, sarcastic.
But he was actually honest.
And smiled, thinking about the inside joke only he and Klavier would have guessed.
A stupid yet accurate Be More Chill reference.
After all, he shouldn’t think too much about Klavier’s real identity.
It wasn’t like Apollo was going to meet him again, right?
And the nice night was going to be a perfect last memory.