Sincerely, Clay.

Chapter One.

Apollo walked up the steps of the three-story town house, knowing the door would be unlocked. He placed his bag down on the bench beside the front door, bending down to take off his shoes knowing it drove Clay crazy when he dragged his muddy feet through the pristine hallways.

The pattering of small feet made Apollo smile and turn to face down the hallway. Mikeko meowed when Apollo scratched him behind his ear before picking him up and holding him in his arms like a baby. "Where's your dad, hm?" He asked, rubbing the cat's multi-coloured fur. "Meow." Mikeko responded. "What a surprise." Apollo chuckled to himself.

Two flights of stairs had Apollo breathless, but it was worth it because at the end he leaned against the doorframe of the office he shared with Clay, watching his love type away on his computer with their large Samoyed, Marshmallow, sitting on his lap. Nirvana's 'Unplugged in New York.' Playing softly from the four-foot tall speaker in the corner of the room, making the atmosphere cozy and relaxing.

Apollo gently put Mikeko down on the carpeted floor and walked over to his lover, wrapping his arms around his neck with his chin resting on his messy hair. "You're home." Clay observed, shooing Marsh off of his lap. Apollo just hummed and closed his eyes, breathing in the scent of green apples that Clay always seemed to smell like.

Clay slowly turned around to face Apollo who sighed and sat on his lap, resting his head on Clay's shoulder. "How was work?" Clay asked as he intertwined their fingers. "It was okay. I think Edgeworth's sleeping on the couch again." Apollo shrugged and loosened his tie. Clay laughed at his comment and kissed his temple. "You ever think Nick is overdramatic?" Apollo shrugged again. "Maybe? He's good at his job so I don't question him." Clay nodded and kicked his feet off of the ground making the chair spin around.

"Clay." Apollo laughed as Clay spun the chair around faster. "Stop, we're going to fall over!" He screamed. But Clay didn't stop and he went faster until they did fall over. Clay had his arms around Apollo's body making sure he didn't get any of the impact. "I told you so." Apollo huffed. "Lighten up Pollo." Clay managed between giggles.

Clay stood up and held out his hand which Apollo took. "We should go out." Apollo looked at the younger man with raised eyebrows. "Why?" He asked, looking at Clay like he was insane. "We don't go out anymore we're always too busy." Clay sighed. "You're going somewhere tomorrow aren't you?" Clay looked at his boyfriend sadly. "Yeah I kind of need to do something alone."

"Oh okay. Well um, I've been meaning to meet up with Sebastian and Hugh do you want to see if they want to go out with us?" Clay sat on the question for a second. "Yeah, that sounds nice." He kissed Apollos cheek and put the chair upright again. "Okay I'll call Sebastian you get ready!" Apollo exclaimed like all of his previous negative feelings had evaporated. Clay didn't really mind though, his mind preoccupied with what he was doing the next day. It had to be done and if Apollo knew? He wouldn't let him.

Clay walked down to the second level of the house where he and Apollo's bedroom resides. He went to his closet, searching for something somewhat decent that wasn't his work uniform. Near the very back was a pair of plain black jeans, a black denim jacket and a white shirt that Apollo got him for Christmas one year that says 'I ❤️ space' on the front. Marsh waddled into the room and sat directly beside Clay like he too was checking on his choice of clothing. "You have no right to judge me dog, you don't wear clothes." Clay shook his head.

Marsh whined and pawed at Clays leg. "What?" Clay asked. Marsh tilted his head to the right. "I don't like lying to him everyone knows that, but I have to do this or I won't be able to start a new chapter in my life with him." Clay tugged on his clean clothes and threw his old ones into a stray laundry basket in the corner of the room.

"Clay are you ready? Sebastian and Hugh are outside!" Apollo called from what Clay was assuming the front door. "One second!" He called back and ushered himself and the dog out of the room. "Let's go." Apollo grinned and closed door behind them after they said goodbye to Marsh and Mikeko. Apollo skipped down to the car that was parked on the curb and got in the back seat where Clay could see Sebastian.

Clay got into the passenger seat and sent a nod to Hugh who was driving. "Turn the radio on!" Sebastian eagerly jumped up and down in his seat.  Clay reached forward and turned on the radio maybe even slightly regretting so when Lady Gaga's 'Born This Way.' Came flooding through the cars speakers.  Sebastian and Apollo started yelling the words at the top of their lungs making Hugh laugh and Clay shake his head fondly.

Halfway through the song Clay took out his phone and took a picture of Apollo. He was smiling from ear to ear, looking like he was having the time of his life and if he could, Clay would have frozen time then and there to keep that happiness in a perfect little bubble away from all the bad in the world.