Twist of Fate

Chapter 10 (TW): The Last Time

Kristoph manipulates Apollo to come to the office, where he is berated and beaten for not showing up to work. Afterward, Apollo calls Klavier to pick him up. Klavier takes Apollo to his house and takes care of the brunet (cleaning and wrapping up his wounds, making sure he feels safe, etc). Before going to bed, the prosecutor decides to play the song he tried to play for him the night of the concert, a song he wrote for Apollo. While playing, Klavier reflects on the evolution of his feelings towards the man sitting in front of him since he had first laid eyes on him. By the time the song ends, Apollo is crying and when asked what is wrong promptly kisses Klavier after announcing he's gay.

Apollo felt weak at the sound of Mr. Gavin's voice. They weren't even in the same room and Apollo was trembling just from his voice. Even after the progress he had made, it was tossed the moment Mr. Gavin turned his ugly gaze back to him.

"S-sir...?"

"Did you not hear me?" he snapped. "We need to talk Justice. I think I demand an explanation as to why you haven't been showing up to work these last few days. Not only that, but there have been rumors you are working for Phoenix Wright. You are lucky I haven't fired you yet."

Apollo tried to speak, to say something to defend himself, anything. But he couldn't. His famous "Chords of Steel" were failing him. Apollo couldn't think of a single thing to say.

"I expect you in my office within the hour, am I clear?" Mr. Gavin didn't need to say the threat for Apollo to hear it. There would be hell to pay if he was late.

"Y-yes sir..."

So here Apollo was, halfway across town with only two minutes to spare before Mr. Gavin's imposed deadline. He didn't even know why he came. Apollo knew what was going to happen and that he could have just gone back to Mr. Edgeworth's. At the thought of disobeying the older man made an image of purple shards mixed with red flash across his mind and Apollo knew he was powerless against him.

Apollo knocked on the door and heard an "Enter" from within. He silently walked in, keeping his head down. He couldn't look at Mr. Gavin, he couldn't without thinking about everyone who had been trying to protect him. It made Apollo feel sick to his stomach, like he was betraying them.

"Good of you to finally show up, Justice," Mr. Gavin hissed. Apollo could hear him stand and start to walk over with slow footsteps."You have a lot of explaining to do."

"S-sir.... They were just..." Mr. Gavin slipped his fingers under his chin and forced his chin up. Apollo wanted to flinch away from the fury in those blue eyes but the hand on his chin refused to let go.

"You've missed almost a week of work," he growled. "No call, no shows. When I called to make sure my employee wasn't dead, I found out I was blocked. Worst of all..." The hand on his chin tightened suddenly, drawing a pained noise from Apollo as well as blood. "I find out that you've taken a job at a failing agency and have moved. Care to explain?"

Before Apollo could answer, his chin was let go. He opened his eyes only for a flash of purple crossed his gaze and his skull exploded into pain. Apollo fell to the floor in a daze, unsure of what happened. It was only when he looked up to see Mr. Gavin standing over him with a piece of a purple lamp that Apollo realized what had happened.

"Did you really think that you could get away from me?" he snarled. "Did you really think you could escape my wrath? You're nothing without me! I gave you everything! You were just a greenhorn when I took you in! And all you've done is deny me at every turn!"

Apollo knew this was bad. Mr. Gavin was livid, more livid than Apollo had ever seen him, even more so than the night after Mr. Wright's trial. He had no idea what Mr. Gavin was capable of. Apollo was terrified for his life as he was forced to look into those ice-blue eyes. Mr. Gavin had already killed someone once, what would stop him from killing his own protege?