#Gramarye!verse

[penny-nichols]

Hello yes i am a huge fan of these two fandoms and i would LOVE to hear about your ideas on AA characters as spiderpeople

(I’m assuming for this that it would all be AA characters from different dimensions that are all the same except a different character is a spiderperson and there’s not all the spidermen running around doing law) Well, I think there would OBVIOUSLY be the Steel Samuraiderman. Steel Spiderrman. Steel Spider. Phoenix would be Spider-Attorney I think. Post-disbarrment he still wanted to practice law so he just did it with a spider mask on and a cardboard badge and NO ONE NOTICED. (Mask would cover the definitive features like what the Apollo Justice character designers did regarding giving Phoenix the beanie) Edgeworth would be the Spider Prosecutor. Like the demon prosecutor but he’s spiders. Turnabout Goodbyes happens because Robert Hammond is found drowned and wrapped in web and Edgeworth’s secret identity is unveiled and he’s obviously the main suspect but MVK just managed to copy his webshooters. Maya.... See the obvious answer of what to call her is Ghost Spider but I’m pretty sure Gwen uses that (main experience with Gwen was Spiderverse and I don’t think they use that name in the movie but I’ve heard it to refer to her)? I mean there are multiple characters in the spiderverse who are  spider-man but still. Spidert Medium. The Feys are all born with ghost powers AND spider powers. From this verse Dahlia would be an evil spiderperson named Spiderlily Troupe Gramarye but it’s Troupe Spider-man. They’re all spiderpeople. Including Trucy (and Apollo). I’d say Magnifi did some experimentation on himself that passed down genetically through Thalassa and from there to Trucy/Apollo. Zak and Valant were given the same experimental serum that Magnifi gave to himself. Maybe Roger Retinz too in this case. ....Spinneret. That’s Larry Spiderperson because the Spinneret is on the back of a spider like a but...z... (and he didn’t want to be called Abdomen). People keep thinking he’s a female hero because they think he’s Spinnerette and he has to be like “no it ends at the first T I am a manly man I promissseeeeeeee”

....That’s the main Ideas I have rn but I just imagined Clay Terrantula. Obviously that would be the best friend of Arachne Justice

[badsleeptwins]

Shine, part six

Sorry for the wait. Was working on a fic for the R76 bigbang. Now back to magica!au kid!fic.

++++++++++

Jack dresses Jesse in one of Gabe’s shirts, a long sleeved button up in a deep burgundy that’s more than big enough to work as a night shift for the boy. He’s trying to detangle and maybe trim Jesse’s mess of hair when Gabe returns. He approves of the color on Jesse, and then shows the meager options in bolts of cloth he picked up in the general store. Jesse is good enough to stay still for Jack and is equally as good for Gabe when he takes a measuring tape from his travel sewing kit and sizes up the boy. Gabe gets to work on a rough cut and pins together shapes for a shirt, a pair of slacks, and a pair of underpants. He sits by an open window, where the afternoon light is best, and starts stitching. As soon as Jack claims he’s done all he can for the boy’s hair to make him presentable, Jesse clambers up onto the back of Gabe’s chair to sit in the sun with him and watch his hands. He’s a ball of curiosity, now that he seems to have found some comfort with Jack and Gabe, and has taken to asking as many questions as he can about everything. “Where we goin, again?” “To Port Gibraltar.” “How we gettin there?” “By train.” “I like trains. How long’s it gonna take?” “About three days.” “Is Port Gribbler a big place?” “Port Gibraltar is a Capital city. It’s a very big city.” “With lotsa peoples?” “Thousands of people.” “You stitch all yer clothes, too?” “I have a machine at home that makes it faster, but yes, I do sew Jack’s and my own clothes.” Jack tries to read, but he finds the sight of the small boy practically curled around Gabe’s head as he sits on the back of the comfy chair amusing. Jesse has a difficult time sitting still, being a growing boy full of energy, but Gabe is as patient with him as he is with his sewing. As the afternoon progresses, so does the sun across the sky, shifting the angle of its light through the window. Jack watches curiously as Jesse abandons his perch on the back of the chair to follow it. First, moving to sit on the armrest beside Gabe, then to the ottoman Gabe rests his feet on, then to patch of evening sunshine at Jack’s feet. Jack doesn’t think the room to be that chilled, but the boy is used to lounging in the warmth of the sun, if their couple of visits to the barn were anything to go by. Considering how eagerly he got into the hot bath, the child probably absorbs heat. If that is the case, he isn’t a Catalyst class like Gabe, who needed a reagent. Perhaps he is a Dynamo class Mage, needing to charge his conjuration like a battery? A visit to the Conservatory will clear things up, Jack knows. They have their dinner delivered to their room from the nearby tavern. It’s a hearty stew with crusty bread, something that warms from the inside out. Jesse picks around all the vegetables to eat the meat and sops up the broth. It takes come cajoling before Gabe is able to get Jesse to eat the potatoes and carrots, but the boy still won’t eat the peas or onion. The adults count it as a win and make sure Jesse gets his fill of bread. By bedtime, Gabe has underpants and pants made for Jesse, but is still working on his shirt. A trundle pulls out from under the foot of the bed, complete with mattress and bedding, to give Jesse his own place to sleep. Yawning and rubbing his eyes, Jesse stubbornly claims he isn’t tired. “We are,” Jack says, folding and putting away his and Gabe’s clothes from the day. “It’s been a long day for us. We’ll sleep, but maybe you’ll like to enjoy your warm blankets?” It’s enough to convince Jesse to be tucked in for the night. Gabe and Jack climb into the bed, and before Gabe can draw the lights out from the lamps, Jack cups his face and gives him a goodnight kiss. It’s tender and slow, easily comminucating all his feelings for his friend and partner, leaving Gabe practically melting and Jack feeling breathless. They aren’t used to the affronted squawk and little eyes peering at them from the foot of the bed. “Yuck, you share cooties?!” “There’s nothing wrong with sharing cooties,” Gabe says defiantly. “I love Jack’s cooties.” “I love Gabe’s cooties, too,” Jack says, his arm curling possessively around Gabe. “Just wait until you find someone you’ll want to share your cooties with.” They could barely see his face, but by the scrunch of his eyes, they can tell he’s making a childishly disgusted face. “I don’t have cooties!” Gabe curls into Jack’s side, playfully pressing chaste kisses into whatever bare skin he can reach. Jack smiles and kisses Gabe’s forehead. “You will, one day,” Jack says. “You will and won’t even remember why you thought it was so gross.” Jesse pops up enough over the foot of the bed to give them a raspberry before ducking back down and settling in bed. Gabe takes it as a sign to put the lights out, drawing the fire from the wicks without even leaving the bed. It’s not long after that they can hear Jesse’s soft breaths deepen in sleep. Jack is used to the heat Gabe puts off in his sleep, loves wrapping him up in his arms on winter nights, but in warmer nights, even Jack overheats. It’s not unusual for him to throw the covers off and roll away, only to wake up chilled and roll back into Gabe’s side As he rolls back over that night, there’s a warm little lump between him and Gabe. “We have a little heat parasite,” Gabe chuckles when he realizes Jack is awake. “So, you’ve noticed it, too. Should we move him back to his bed?” Jack asks, sitting up. Gabe sighs. “I’ve already tried. He wormed his way back in as soon as I dozed off.” “Well...” Jack pulls the blankets up and tucks them around Jesse, “lets try not to squish him.” Leaning over Jesse, Gabe gives Jack a sloppy, misaimed kiss in the dark, getting him on the chin. They settle back down to sleep, with Jesse cradled between them.

[ylissebian]

im on a kick redrawing some of my really old aa art lately

[thedetectiveofinaba]

Naoto’s whole mood during April 19, 2019

“OK hold it, what on Earth just happened. The victim ordered a killing because he didn’t want to die on natural causes, the prosecution nor defense was the best due to uncooperative witnesses/defendants, inexperience and surprising turn of events, a forgery was used (which is definitely a trap, it was too obvious for blind eye), and the defendant DISAPPEARED like a cloud of smoke in thin air. This whole case and details are screwed up and was a farce from start to finish. Nobody gained anything from this and should be remembered as the how NOT to court trial.”

[foolinblue]

“Trucy, darling, I know you mean well, but... you don’t need to worry about my ‘love life’, and give me always two tickets for your shows and all that. I’m perfectly fine as I am. You understand that?”

@gramarye-heiress

[fembutchboygirl]

I would like one "hear why All Alone is a Klavier Gavin song" please

OKAY OKAY OKAY so i'm assuming you've listened to the song, if you haven't listen to it before reading. Or not. But it's a very good song

First off, I should state that one of the most heart-breaking-soul-crushing-pain-bearing aspects of klavier to me is the fact that he really is all alone after the events of aa4. Think about it: who does Apollo, for example, have to rely on when things go wrong? He has Trucy, he has Clay (prior to his death), he has Mr. Wright to an extent — even if he's unconventional with his affection to say the least — and after aa4 he also has Athena. On the other hand, who does Klavier have? He lost his brother, he lost his best friend, he lost the rest of the band after they separated. The game never mentions any family aside from Kristoph. Some people (like me) think him and Ema are good friends, but to be honest, it doesn't look like the closest of friendships judging by canon's (lacking) evidence. Is anyone waiting for him when he goes home? Does anyone offer him a shoulder to cry on or an ear to listen to his troubles? I think Apollo and the others would certainly be willing to. I think Klavier wouldn't be willing to ask.

That said, I see now that this is going to be pretty long, so the actual analysis is under the cut.

I would like to say: this is so cringe. I definitely think too much about this. Good. Now read on:

The song focuses on three characters: the singer/"i" (Klavier), the listener/"you" (Kristoph), and the doll/"she" (Apollo). The singer talks about the doll they found that reminds them of the listener, who left the singer behind in some way. This obviously matches up with Klavier missing Kristoph, who used his little brother and went to jail, leaving him all alone. (I'm not gonna use the entirety of the song for this post, only the highlights. And all the screenshots have the transcript in alt text)

This is the first verse. We start strong with some mentioned klapollo, but the most important parts are the last four verses: as Kristoph's former student, Apollo reminds Klavier of his brother, but not necessarily the bad parts. Klavier did use to love Kristoph, and he most likely hadn't been a bad older brother to him, or else he wouldn't have been so shaken by his ties to the Gramarye and Misham cases.

If you haven't listened to the song, the brackets are a second, non-singing voice, likely supposed to be the listener. This one is not as forward but I wanted to include it, because it makes me think of Kristoph's dismissiveness of Klavier and his choices. Think back: when has Kristoph ever expressed anything but disapproval or indifference towards Klavier's actions, except when he was manipulating him into disbarring Phoenix?

This one's pretty simple: we have the classic sun allegory that immediately makes any song about Apollo or klapollo. We have Kristoph telling Klavier to drop the german gimmick and speak english. We have Klavier fantasizing about Apollo reciprocating his feelings.

Apollo reminds Klavier so much of Kristoph, the good Kristoph, the one he thought he knew before everything. And that scares him, because he knows it's not the same, but what if it is? He's afraid to hold on too tight to Apollo and losing him as a result. The higher you fly, the harder the fall, and Klavier's already hit the floor twice.

That's basically it! This song gives me brain damage in a good way. Glad to be able to give you all part of that brain damage <3 love to you guys!

[bevioletskies]

call it magic (when i’m next to you) [chapter one]

summary: As the long-lost grandson of the illustrious Gramarye family, Apollo already knew his life was going to change for the better and for the worse. After spending his formative years on the run, adjusting to his new place in magical high society was never going to be easy. It’s only when he finds himself locked in a metaphorical - and sometimes literal - dance with Klavier Gavin, both his potential suitor and the bane of his existence, does he realize just how complicated things are about to become.

word count: 3,022

a/n: This fic is a magical ‘verse set in the regency era, where some artistic liberties are taken with the time period to accommodate the story and the magic lore. Most of the details of how this ‘verse works is explained in the fic, but I’ve made an explainer that also includes some image links to characters’ familiars, which can be found here.

Spoiler warning for minor plot points and character relationships in Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney and other games, including Investigations and Chronicles. Fic title is from the song Magic by Coldplay.

preview:

“Oh, Mother - we simply must tell Apollo of tomorrow night!” Trucy cried, her eyes shining with delight. “There are so many preparations to be made and so little time to make them.”

“Tomorrow night?” Apollo said curiously. “Grandfather made no mention of such a thing.”

“Your grandfather intends to host a ball at Gramarye Park as a way of formally introducing you to society,” Thalassa explained, her cheeks somewhat flushed with apparent embarrassment. “Believe me, love, I told him it was far too soon, that you needed time to settle in and get your bearings, but Magnifi Gramarye is nothing if not...persistent, to put it kindly. Seeing as you’re his oldest grandchild and of marriageable age, I can only imagine that all of his energies will be spent seeking out your future wife tomorrow night, no matter what any of us do or say.”

Apollo cleared his throat. “...future husband, Mother, i-if it pleases you.”

Thalassa’s eyes widened slightly. “Oh! Of course, darling, forgive me, I should not have presumed such a thing. Well, had you not been raised alongside Prince Nahyuta, your grandfather would have hastened to make the match. But worry not, for there is an abundance of young men of fine upbringing that he would be all too happy to introduce you to.”

“Lord van Zieks the younger is still unwed,” Trucy added unhelpfully before Apollo could interject, as if he had the first idea of who she was speaking of. “But there’s talk of him having deep-seated affections for an old university friend of his, one his family would never let him marry. Perhaps you would have better luck with Lord Blackquill or one of the Lord Gavins!”

Thalassa chuckled, affectionately pinching her daughter’s cheek. “Lord Simon of Hawkstone, you say? He can be gracious and well-spoken, of course, but rather brusque all the same; I should like to see Apollo wed someone who shares his sense of humor.” Her eyes softened then as she cupped Apollo’s face once more. “You should know that your father and I shared many laughs in our brief time together. Not a day goes by where I don’t think of him.”

“I do hope my presence doesn’t disturb you, Mother,” Apollo said softly, having finally found his voice. “I-I would hate to remind you of a love long lost.”

“Only in the very best of ways,” Thalassa murmured, kissing his temples with a feather-light touch.

(read on ao3)

[aptlyattorney]

REALLY   LONG  CHARACTER  SURVEY .

RULES. repost ,   don’t  reblog !    tag 10 !    good  luck !

TAGGED. 

BASICS.

FULL  NAME : Apollo Justice  NICKNAME :  Polly, pollo, red pepper, polly polly oxenfree, shortman, little devil, horned man, HISTORICAL  CONNECTION? :  with Roman/ Greek gods? Not much. Doesn’t even have his own lyre. It’s sad. AGE : 24 BIRTHDAY : 09/17 ETHNIC  GROUP :  I had a sit down session with a few other people and it was agreed Greek lineage since his father’s name is Jove, and Thalassa is a greek name as well. NATIONALITY :  American.   LANGUAGE / S : English. Relearning Nepali. SEXUAL  ORIENTATION :  bisexual ROMANTIC  ORIENTATION : Bi-romantic RELATIONSHIP  STATUS :  Single! (verse dependent. May or may not have an alien in his life on discord) CLASS : Middle class.  Law school does not pay for itself. HOME  TOWN / AREA :  An abandoned mountain shack. CURRENT  HOME : L.A. Studio apartment. PROFESSION : Lawyer!

PHYSICAL.

HAIR : brown EYES : brown FACE : Baby faced.  It is a crime he doesn’t have dimples. His nose is small, and his forehead is unfortunately accentuated by him gelling back his hair.  Klavier has a bigger forehead than he does. TATTOOS :  A tattoo of the constellation Aries. HEIGHT : 5′2” BUILD :  Thin, building small amounts of muscle, and a six pack if he inhales really deeply. USUAL HAIR STYLE : Gelled back, save for those two little spikes that refuse to go down. FACE LOOK :  He looks younger than he should for his age. Gets confused for a kid next to Trucy. USUAL  CLOTHING :  Off work means very, very casual.  The hoodie is a blessing with how warm it is, because he doesn’t have a lot of body heat. Never expect to see him in anything less than his best while at work. PSYCHOLOGY. FEAR / S :  Water. Drowning.  Fire, for reasons unknown to himself prior to SOJ. Heights. Falling.  ASPIRATION / S :  He wants to run his own office one day, with his name on it.  Also have muscles worth bragging about, and the ability to play guitar. POSITIVE  TRAITS : Diligent, Book Smart, Perceptive, mostly patient, supportive, NEGATIVE  TRAITS :  Dumb socially, cynical,  short tempered. Loud. Absentminded MBTI : ISFJ ZODIAC : Virgo TEMPERAMENT : Can be sweet and even sentimental. Very easy to trick. A little gullible. ANIMALS : Rabbits. Cats VICE / S : Television. Manga. GHOSTS ? : No thank you. AFTERLIFE ? : sure? REINCARNATION ? : sure?! ALIENS ? :  Yes. He didn’t watch seasons of Doctor Who to not be prepared for them! POLITICAL  ALIGNMENT : Very cautious about bills and laws, and when to speak up about them. Independent? ECONOMIC  PREFERENCE : He wants to be able to live in a place where his cat can have a room too, and to spoil his beloved feline. Also, having money to eat somewhere nice twice a month is good. SOCIOPOLITICAL  POSITION : middle class EDUCATION  LEVEL : Completed law school!

FAMILY.

FATHER :  Jove Justice ( Deceased) New dad: @thegrapesdepression​ Phoenix Wright MOTHER: Thalassa Gramarye SIBLINGS : Trucy Wright (half)  Nayuta Sadmadhi (adoptive) EXTENDED  FAMILY :  Datz Are’bal

FAVOURITES.

BOOK : Uhhhhhhhhhh Almost any manga with action, gore or adventure is good.  Didn’t like  Fahrenheit 451. 5  SONGS :  This one,  This one, this one,  this one, and this one. HOLIDAY : They make him feel lonely before he found his family. Now he likes Christmas. MONTH :  August SEASON : Summer. But not agonizing hot summers. PLACE : The park,  under a tree. WEATHER :  Sunny TASTE / S : Sour things. Salty things. Loves those super sour warhead candies. FEEL / S :  Soft wool.  Velvet. Smooth silk ties. ANIMAL / S :  Rabbits. Cats. NUMBER : 21. COLOR :   Red! Crimson shades are good.

EXTRA. TALENTS : Arguing. Guessing other people’s Zodiac alignments. BAD AT :  Swimming. TURN  ONS :  Confidence. Pet names he approves of quietly. TURN  OFFS :  Too much, too fast. Pestering. HOBBIES : reading manga. Pretending to learn how to cook to save money AESTHETIC : paperwork.  Summer days. Best Dressed awards.  Fidgeting. QUOTES :“ I’m Apollo Justice, and I’m fine!”

MUN QUESTIONS.

Q1 :   if  you  could  write  your  character  your  way  in  their  own  movie ,   what  would  it  be  called ,  what  style  would  it  be  filmed  in ,  and  what  would  it  be  about ?       A1 : It would be called Apollo’s Justice and it would give the most satisfying ending I could think of where he makes his own legacy and isn’t discounted in the process, all while embracing his found family and adoptive family.  At least one implied scene where he kisses his love interest but it’s treated very privately, as sacred as he feels it should be. ... Anime style? Good quality anime.

Q2 :  what  would  their  soundtrack / score  sound  like ?         A2 :  We already have that!

Q3 :   why  did  you  start  writing  this  character ?   A3 :  I have always had characters that are strongly aligned with justice, and lawfully good.  I had the cowboy, and Reinhardt from overwatch, and I always enjoyed how they were written.  Also my multimuse blog that included Luigi failed, so when I found the Ace Attorney fandom as I left it when I was a kid,  I gravitated back, caught up with the games, met the fandom and just... plopped down. 

Q4 :  what  first  attracted  you  to  this  character ? A4 :  His design. How he acts in game. His dumb little blush.  His dynamic with other characters, it was just inescapable.

Q5 :  describe  the  biggest  thing  you  dislike  about  your  muse.         A5 :  He’s really not the brightest bulb at times. Sometimes I worry if I make him too dumb or obtuse.

Q6 :  what  do  you  have  in  common  with  your  muse ?       A6 : Work oriented.  Loyal to a fault. A little bit flustered at times.

Q7 :   how  does  your  muse  feel  about  you ?         A7 :  We’ve agreed that as long as  he’s allowed time to rest, recover, and recoup after strenuous events, that he won’t leave. I’ve had muses leave me because I didn’t listen to their three R’s, dear ocs that are on permanent vacation.

Q8 :   what  characters  does  your  muse  have  interesting  interactions with ?   A8 : Most everyone here.  I owe my thanks to @bloodxhound, @guilty-love @kagoshou @tactful-kind-daedra @thievinggentleman  @theothervonkarmagirl @temsikfates @kamipyre @edgelord-dl6   @solarguided​ and  so many more blogs that came, wrote with me and developed Apollo with me to where he is. All of you have brought so much to the table,  and  I never have enough words to thank you, or to give properly. I may not be able to plot properly at times or respond with decent  story, but I am so grateful you are all here. Huge shout out to @thegrapesdepression .  I can never do enough to write the best stories with you, or on discord. Love you, buddy.

Q9 :   what  gives  you  inspiration  to  write  your  muse ?       A9 :  Everyone mentioned above.

Q10 :  how  long  did  this  take  you  to  complete ?       A10 : Two hours? I give short answers.

[rangerlink]

hmmmmmmm thought too hard about the parallels between Phoenix giving Apollo fake evidence via Trucy and Kristoph giving Phoenix fake evidence via Trucy and how the main difference is Phoenix doesn’t want to ruin Apollo’s career and also the fact that the fifth ace was forged just kind of doesn’t come up after Kristoph mentions it, so Apollo goes to work with Phoenix, and basically:

AU where Kristoph does that with Phoenix. like iirc Misham didn’t actually know who hired him? so AU where Kristoph doesn’t manage to ruin Phoenix’s career but he does still take a chunk out of his reputation to the point that nobody is going to hire him

and so Kristoph, very kindly, offers that Phoenix could come work at Kristoph’s law office, not forever of course! just as a way for his reputation to recover...

...which of course means that Kristoph controls which cases Phoenix takes, can make sure he never takes anything too high profile, and idk exactly how law offices work in the aa verse (or... in the real world lol) but i’m pretty sure this would give Kristoph some measure of control over how much Phoenix gets paid as well? i think Kristoph would like that

which also means that Phoenix and Apollo would both potentially be working at Gavin Law Offices at the same time which has so much potential

plus would this make it easier or harder for Phoenix to get the influence to do the jury system? easier because he’s more connected to the legal world, harder because Kristoph can keep a closer eye on him and also his connection to the legal world is through Kristoph?

and what would Zak Gramarye do in this AU when he came back... Phoenix doesn’t have a poker career for him to ruin or a convenient private room at his workplace to meet in... so would Kristoph be unaware that he’s back??

I Am Thinking About It

[hychlorions]

Idk if you're still looking for aa songs but Slip Away by Mumford and Sons has HUGE aa1 narumitsu vibes. Or it fits for disbarment Phoenix era if you, like me, like to imagine Edgeworth stuck around for the fallout of the Gramarye trial

HELP !!! IT FITS BOTH NARUMITSU ERAS. especially emotional about that edgeworth sticking around during the 7 year-gap but that's because i was rereading a fic like that last night. i was already nodding along right from the first verse but "you're not yourself / i know you better than you" really sealed the deal for me

[badsleeptwins]

Wintertide

A holiday treat for Ashe. A look into the future for Jesse, from the story Shine. A magical!au with now teen!Jesse and his R76 dads, and a side of pre-McHanzo. He’s growing up well in the hands of his adopted family. Warnings for mentions of murder, mentions of a character being held by controlling family members.

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The sun dawns weakly over a horizon covered in white, the faint rose gold of it barely leaving a tinge of color in the cupola where he makes his bed. The small wood stove in his room below is steadily feeding a radiant heat around him, meaning either Jack or Ana are already awake and put more wood on for him. Piled under the softest wool blankets in the whole Coven, Jesse can’t seem to get himself out of bed.

He loves his home at the Watch Tower, where the years have been endlessly good to him. His only grievances are the short rainy seasons of early summer and the long, harsh winters. Though, honestly, Jesse is the only one to find it harsh. The air is sharply cold and snow clouds hover in the skies for days before dumping their load or petering off without so much as a flurry. The days grow shorter, and as the sun lingers less and less, Jesse finds himself chilled and miserably feeble.

Any other day in any other season, Jesse is up with the sun and the first to greet the others of the house. It takes a great gathering of nerve and an insistent hunger to pull him from his nest of wool and flannels in winter. He climbs down the ladder from his cupola and gathers up clothing from his drawers quickly, moving to stand as close to his wood stove as possible as he takes off his pajamas to pull on his longjohns, his denims, and a flannel shirt. He doubles up with wool socks and drapes a small blanket around his shoulders before he steps out of his quarters.

She must have been keeping an eye out for him, because Ana is waiting for Jesse at the bottom of the back staircase with a mug of near scalding coffee for warming his hands and a kiss on his forehead. He has the reflexes to hold his mug up and away as Fareeha barrels into him with a squawk of, “Happy Wintertide, brother Jesse!” It’s early for the child to be up, but it is a holiday she’s been excited over for weeks.

The three of them move into the kitchen for breakfast, and are greeted by Reinhardt singing carols of stars on snowy nights and sleigh bells jingling under lantern light as he mans the stove. He’s produced an impressive pile of honey cakes so far, and in the process of making more. They’ll have more than enough for any visitors that may come by for the holiday, even with the appetites of growning boys like Jesse, Genji, and Winston, who will snack on them all day.

Fareeha joins in with Reinhardt as she scrambles up her chair at the table, singing misheard lyrics as she tucks back into her own buttered and syrup soaked cakes. Torbjörn takes up percussion by tapping his spoon and fork against mugs and plates. Winston and Genji sing with full mouths, laughing as they’re scolded by Angela for being gross. Jack smiles indulgently, humming quietly as he eats, with Gabe, awake hours earlier than he’s used to, leaning against his shoulder and giving a sleepy smile.

There’s an unspoken rule between Jack and Jesse in the winter months, that no matter where they sat, Gabe would sit between them. Gabe was a living furnace that Jack had lived with for so long, so he didn’t handle the cold quite so well. Jesse needed the warmth to make up for the lack of sunshine, and Gabe’s presence was very much welcome. Gabe finds himself sandwiched between them at every turn and takes it in stride.

Jesse joins them at the long kitchen table, and takes his usual seat at the open space on Gabe’s other side. Reinhardt sets a plate before him, stacked with a healthy helping of honey cakes, and Jesse covers them in syrup. They’re fluffy and sweet, but Jesse eats enough for them to sit like cement in his stomach. Between the cakes and the coffee and sitting in range of Gabe’s personal space, he’s warmed from the inside out and finally ready to take on the day.

When everyone is at a point where they’ve had their fill, Fareeha stands on her chair and begins directing the clean up detail. Reinhardt finally sits to eat as the rest of the Coven washes the dishes and packs away leftovers. As they finish each of their duties, everyone migrates into the parlor, where Gabe puts fresh logs in the fireplace and lights them with a lazy flick of his fingers. When they’ve all gathered and made themselves comfortable, Jack takes his place in front of the fireplace to the sound of cheers. He shakes his head in amusement as he shushes them, the boys clamoring louder for it.

Once there is quiet, Jack tells the story of The Longest Night, the appearance of the first Mage. In a time long ago, on the shortest day of the year, a snowstorm blotted out the sun, leaving everything in twilight. A band of travelers were lost in the wilderness with the whiteout conditions and feared they would die if they could not find shelter by nightfall. One traveler begged the heavens, pleaded to the stars hidden beyond the snow filled clouds to give her the answer that would free them from the blizzard. She thought she was not heard, but as she sighed in disappointment, the clouds parted for her. Above, the night sky shined with stars and the travelers used them to find their way to the nearest town, their heroine leading the way to exhale and chase away the storm. It’s morning by the time they arrive, but they are safe and sound, the heavens having given what they needed to survive.

As the tale comes to a close, Jack picks up his gift from the pile that filled the corner. “And so, we give to each other something needed on the shortest day, in hopes that we will be able to make it through the longest night…”

Starting the chain, Jack hands the wrapped box to Winston, who opens it to find notebooks of graph-lined paper. Winston finds his gift and gives it to Genji, in it a polish perfectly suited for dragonscales. Genji passes Gabe a box with a small rainbow in spools of thread. It’s Torbjorn that has the gift for Jesse: wool lined leather gloves, with a stitch so fine, Torbjorn must have talked Gabe into making them. The fit is perfect and Jesse will wear them the rest of winter if he can get away with it. Jesse’s gift to give this year is to Fareeha, and she squeals in glee as she unwraps a small stack of books about birds of prey.

The last present is always for Jack, and in a tradition started by Gabe, the gift is always a gag or prank of some sort. This year, Ana is the one to present a present to Jack, though the box has Gabe’s name listed as the recipient. Both Gabe and Jack nearly laugh themselves sick when Jack pulls out a leash, complete with a collar and tags that hold Gabe’s name.

“Do you think they’ll let you wear this on the Council Floor?” Jack asks with a leer before he peels off into laughter again.

“Maybe if someone else holds the leash,” Gabe snorts. “I’m sure Director Petras would love the illusion that he had some sort of control over me.”

Jack sits with Gabe on the loveseat and gently cups Gabe’s face with his hands. “No one controls a wildfire.”

It’s Gabe that leans in to Jack for a kiss. “No, but I let you contain me freely,” he says.

Jesse joins in the chorus of younger voices calling their display of affection gross, but inside he aches. He knows he growing up now that cooties don’t seem quite so bad anymore, he just hasn’t let anyone know that yet. He dreams of being a strong, confident man much like Gabe and Jack, but he also dreams having a love like theirs, too. A love that is open and beautiful, that stands defiant in the face of all those against them. He dreams of raven hair and dark eyes, of blue and gold dragonscale.

The next few hours are lazy until the Vishkar arrives. Jesse’s in the kitchen for another honey cake and cup of coffee when the knock comes at the door. The Vishkar stays long enough for Reinhardt and Jack to sort out the messages and make sure that no other household has mistakenly slipped in, and leaves with a large bundle of honey cakes for his troubles. The mail is passed out to each recipient, the boys all scrambling to see who’s cared enough to send them good cheer.

Jesse whoops as Jack puts three letters into his hands and he rips his gloves off to tear into the envelopes. He opens a card of Wintertide greetings from the Crusaders, Reinhardt’s birth Clan. The jovial bunch had taken a shine to little Jesse years ago, on his first trip to the Mage Council halls, and they message Jesse often and ask Reinhardt about Jesse regularly. The second letter is well wishes from the Sherrif in Mesa, who Jesse learned was kin to Jack and the reason Jack and Gabe came out to find him all those years ago. He’s been so thankful of her interference in his life, knowing he probably wouldn’t have made it here without her. He hopes she receives the message he sent for the holiday in return.

The third letter is unexpected, a real mystery. At first, Jesse has no idea who it’s from, as there’s no return address and no real signature, just an… -H. Before he even has a chance to read it, Genji is pushing into his personal space to see. It dawns on Jesse in just that moment who -H might be, and yanks the letter away.

“Oh, is that from an admirer?” the Dragon Mage asks slyly.

If it is who he thinks it is, he can’t let Genji see. Jesse shoves him away and tries to leave. He all but crashes into Gabe, who is sturdy and quick enough to keep the boy on his feet. He takes one look at Jesse’s face, probably red as a tomato by the heat Jesse feels in his cheeks, and lets him go. Gabe will probably distract Genji to give Jesse a little time, but Gabe will come looking for him later.

He climbs up into his nest in the cupola, the light of the high noon winter sun shining bright in the clear sky, making a glow as it pours through the windows onto Jesse. Jesse reads the whole thing and rereads it again.

Dearest Sun, I hope this finds you well, even as the shortest days are here. Think of longer days, when we might meet again, to help make it through. I do. Yours, -H

Hanzo. Jesse knows it’s Hanzo.

His heart hammers in his chest and he shoves the letter under his pillows. He wants to see Hanzo, too, but he doesn’t know how to take those words. Are they friendly, or more so? Does Hanzo maybe feel the same way as Jesse? Would they ever have a chance with the Shimada Clan controlling everything Hanzo does? Could it just be that Hanzo wants to know how Genji is doing? Jesse smothers himself with a pillow and yells his frustration into it.

He’s thinking of rereading the letter again when there’s a knock on his door below. After giving a halfhearted call of admittance, Jesse sees Gabe’s head peeking above the ladder. He takes a moment to eye Jesse, probably gauging his mood, before he grumbles.

“Up too early. Nap time.”

Jesse groans. “Aww, no. If you nap here, Jack’ll come looking, and I ain’t got the room for both of ya’ll.”

Frowning, Gabe narrows his eyes at Jesse. “That was never a problem before.”

“I ain’t as small as I ustah be!”

“No, but you’re kind of gangly still…” Gabe disappears for a moment, only to come back up with a thermos of tea and a plate with a bastardized ham sandwich, using honey cakes for bread. Jesse knows a peace offering when he sees one and lets Gabe join him, but he still sighs in exasperation for good measure. He is a teenager, after all, and has an image to cultivate.

Gabe gets comfortable at the foot of Jesse’s makeshift bed and already it’s warmer in there with his presence. He crosses his arms over his chest and leans back against the frame of a window, closing his eyes for just a moment. Jesse waits for either soft snores or the third degree.

“So, Genji thinks you have a secret admirer.”

No snoring, then. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to push’em,” Jesse says, fiddling with the edge of a blanket.

“When next you see him, you should tell him that. Why did do it, though?”

Jesse thinks of the letter under the pillow, of the two brothers ripped apart by their own birth Clan. He thinks of Genji’s pain and anger, of Hanzo’s regret and confinement. Uncovering the letter, he smooths out the wrinkled page against his thigh and hands it to Gabe. He watches as Gabe’s eyebrows shoot up to his hairline.

“I think it’s Hanzo. Didn’t want Genji to see, iffin it was…”

Gabe reads it over again before handing it back. “He courting you?” he bluntly asks.

Jesse sputters an indignant, “N-no!” He knows his face is going red, though.

“You thinking of courting him?” Gabe asks with a tilt of his head, reading Jesse like a book.

Jesse folds the message neatly and tucks it back under a pillow, avoiding looking at Gabe all the while. Finally he sighs, sitting back again a window slowing fogging over with the heat of a Fire Mage furnace, and turns his eyes to Gabe. “I like him well enough… but… Genji… his Clan… And I don’t right know if that’s juss… Hanzo needing a friend or him really being sweet on me, y’know?”

Gabe makes a sound of sympathetic agreement. “I’m proud of you for at least trying to keep your head over your heart.”

“But it’s so confusing, Gabe,” Jesse says, running a weary hand over his face. “My head knows what’s right, but my heart don’t wanna listen. No matter how much I try saying it won’t work, my heart… juss wants to see him smile. It’s like sunshine…” And they both know how much Jesse actually needs sunshine.

They sit in silence for a few moments before Gabe sighs, a smoky trail lifting from his lips. “I actually hate that story Jack tells every year,” he says, voice low. “He never tells about how everyone was so terrified of her that they later slaughtered the Mage in her sleep. Or how she wasn’t really the first Mage, there were others before her, but history has erased them.”

Jesse cringes. “I never much liked it before because it was a story about snow. That’s right terrible, Gabe.”

“I understand why he tells it, though,” Gabe says. “It has themes of looking for answers to make things better, rising up when all is lost, and sharing what you can when others are in need. Do what you have to to make it through the longest night, to see what’s on the other side… Jack and I wouldn’t be here without the ideas behind that story. You wouldn’t be here.”

Nodding, Jesse understands that. If Jack’s cousin, the Sherrif out there on The Mesa, hadn’t thought to call Jack to help Jesse, who knows where Jesse would be right now.

“To be honest, love is kinda the same way,” Gabe goes on, patting Jesse’s knee reassuringly. “You’re young, so it’s always going to feel like every person you fall for is the one. But, Jesse, if you’re willing to work the other person’s affections, they’re trying hard the same for yours, they can be the one. You both should talk. If Hanzo wants more than your friendship, and you want more from Hanzo… Then, do what you have to do to see the other side. Just keep in mind, his Clan will not be kind to you. They’ll be even crueler to Hanzo.”

Jesse swallows and nods. The Shimada Clan were cruel enough to try killing Genji for the formation of his magic, rather than just abandoning him. Hanzo was the heir to the Clan’s leader, and was being forced into the mold; anything that could get in the way would definitely be dealt with. There was a lot for Jesse to think about.

His thoughts were quickly broken by a knock at his door.

“He’s too old for sleepovers, Jack!” Gabe whines pathetically.

The door quietly opens and shuts, Jack showing up on the ladder a moment later. “Nonsense. He’s still gangly. We’ll just have to squeeze in a bit tighter.”

The windows of the cupola have fogged up enough that Jesse couldn’t even see the afternoon sun turning the sky to gold. “No, no way! You will not nap up here!” he shouts, laughing as he defends what space he has for himself.

Gabe topples over, tackling Jesse into the bedding and giving Jack enough room to sit at the top of the ladder. “Our boy is growing up, Jack. We’ve got to stop him, before he’s too strong!”

Jack leans onto Gabe, putting more weight onto Jesse, who’s howling with laughter even as he’s being flattened. “Quick, we’ll squish him back down to size.”

They’re all three laughing, and Jesse is sure the sound of it is carrying through the large house. Before long, Fareeha or Genji and Winston will come barging in to see what’s so amusing. Until then, Jesse is going to let himself be hugged and fussed over by these two men, the closest he’s ever had to parents. These two men who found him all alone in an abandoned barn, desperately wishing for a way home when he had no answers of his own. His own longest night brought him here, giving Jesse the chance to see the other side, and he’s never been more grateful. Or more willing to look forward to the end of another long night.

[krokonoko]

Ten favorite characters from 10 different fandoms.

Tagged by the one and only @seraphtrevs!

going with a couple different characters than usual this time cuz I feel like I always pick the same ones >>

1) Breaking Bad - Gus Fring

2) Better Call Saul - IDK!! Lalo?? Nacho??? Probably???

3) Lord of the Rings - Boromir

4)  Narcos: Mexico - Isabella Bautista 

5) Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse - Miles Morales 

6) The Good the Bad and the Ugly - Blondie

7) The Last of Us 2 - Abby Anderson

8) Legend of Korra - Asami Sato

9) Kipo - Jamack

10) Ace Attorney - Trucy Gramarye

tagging whoever feels like doing this 💕

[setaripendragon]

Apologies for vanishing again~ ^^” August has been a Hell Month for me, cause I managed, somehow, to break my ankle at the beginning of the month, and let me tell you, that has been an Adventure (and not the good kind). Writing is just not a thing I want to do when I’m having multiple-panic-attacks days alongside eight-hours-in-the-hospital days (the two are not unrelated). And spiffing up my writing for posting is even futher down my list of priorities, so, it maybe another month or so before I get any new writing posted (but! I’m pretty sure I do have a whole completed fic ready for editing and posting once I’m ready to get stuck back in =D)

That being said, I did get a creative itch after a couple of weeks of not touching my writing, so I started digging into some plotting/research I’d been putting off for the sequel to my Charmed AU, The Last Charmed One. (For those of you who remember that/are hoping for the sequel, I have about half of it fully written, but things didn’t go exactly to plan, so I had to re-adjust the entire second half of the plot to compensate... Which I have now done! =D And unless I go nuts at some point between now and then, I’m thinking I’m going to make finishing it my NaNo project this year, so... -fingers crossed-? =D)

Anyway, all this is a prelude to the fact that, in jiggling my plot about, I re-encountered a note I’d made about the... mechanics of the Charmed power in my ‘verse. And this may end up being spoilers somewhere down the line of this series (like... I think it might be part of the plot for book... seven? eight? Something like that...), but given that I have no real guarantee that I’m ever going to get that far, I figured I could throw it into the void now anyway?

Random Charmed/Gramarye backstory ahead (with bonus spell!):

So, in the Gramarye ‘verse, I actually have a whole headcanon about Melinda Warren and her coven. Melinda was special in her own right, not just as the magical matriarch of the Charmed lineage. She was... somewhat like Wyatt? In that she was exceptionally powerful and that gave her a sort of magical ‘right to rule’ in magical circles? She had a coven of a handful of other uniquely powerful witches, and they, you know, fought evil together.

And then some of them get outed as witches and there are hangings and drownings and burnings, and obviosly, Melinda is one of them, and as she’s being tied to the stake, she has that vision of Prue, Piper, and Phoebe. She doesn’t foresee them being ~Charmed~, just that her line will continue, and at some point in the far distant future, her daughter’s daughter’s (ad nauseum) daughters will exist. Her daughter will survive, her sacrifice will be worth it.

And in that moment, she accepts her death; she owns it, she gives it power.

“It is possible to cast a curse that will survive after your death, but it takes a great deal of power, and knowledge of the arcane powers of the world, and an acceptance of your own death that most mortals can never achieve. Most such curses that succeed and last are cast just before or at the moment of death, when it becomes inevitable, and the mortal body releases its desire to survive. Most know that life is magic, but few can truly appreciate that death has its own magic, too. To cast a death curse, one must use the power of their own death, of all death, to fuel it, instead of the magic of their life. You understand?” - The Last Charmed One, Chapter 19

Melinda obviously already did something similar with her curse on Matthew, but that wasn’t a proper death curse, it was just the first two components; an incredible amount of power, and a deep knowledge of how magic works (and tying her spell to an object, that helps with permanence, too). But here is where she casts her real death curse. And this week, I finally actually wrote out the spell she whispered to herself as they started the fire (the first two verses are not mine, I took them from the first episode, which took them from the poem The Witch’s Creed, iirc?):

Hear now the words of the Witches, The secrets we hid in the night, When dark was our destiny's path, That now we bring forth into light.

The world has no right now to know it, And the worlds beyond will tell naught, The oldest of Gods are invoked here, A Great Work of magic is wrought.

By your hands shall I die in flames, But by my words my kind shall live, My line will continue unbroken, To my daughters this gift I now give.

As nature we flourish and wither, As the moon shall we wax and wane, But as time adds rings to the trees, So too our magics grow and gain.

Daughter to daughter it be passed, Untill we are fully prepared, Blessed be the number of three, And the bond of sisterhood shared.

Willing I give my life to thee, And by the threefold law be armed, My daughter's daughters ever on, Cursed my blood be not, but Charmed.

[bindingties]

If they say you’re the devil, a demon in the flesh By my blood, I’m the same and will bear the fate you left

(( If the antagonist verse represents Klavier’s resentment toward his brother reaching a fever pitch and drowning out the desire for praise and love from his brother, then it would make sense to have a verse at the other extreme. ))

Despite every instance of suffocating control Kristoph could exert, Klavier desperately held out hope of hearing Kris’s pride and hearing it come from somewhere genuine rather than the words appearing distant or performative.  That need grew more and more intense and eventually entangled itself in Klavier’s perfectionism.

Resentment or anger became a personal flaw - an meager excuse for failure - without Kristoph actually having to say a word.

When he was accepted into Themis and asked which course he would take, Klavier chose the defense attorney course.

He still met and grew close to Constance Courte, who started picking up Klavier’s worsening perfectionism and desire for approval and tried her best to help.  Ultimately, though, she only slowed the spiral the slightest bit.

Klavier graduated and became a defense attorney at 17, joining the Gavin Law Offices.  

I honestly have no fucking clue of the Zak Gramarye trial works, but I’m saying things shake out similarly enough to canon, I can only do so much.  I will also leave up in the air how much Klav is actually involved?  I want to default to Kris being so paranoid that he wouldn’t ask Klav to do anything any more suspicious than in canon where he tells Klav about Drew Misham.  But, like, if a Kris wants to play more with an accomplice then, at this point, Klav would do anything asked.

When Nick started coming around, Klavier tended to keep his distance, not really liking how piercing Nick’s gaze could get.  He got along better with Apollo, though, and tended to be a bit brighter and closer to his canon personality when around him.  

Which, of course, meant that Klavier demanded that he get to see Apollo’s first trial as the defense team leader.  And then he could only watch helplessly as his brother was led away in handcuffs.  He bolted from the courtroom immediately afterward, thus missing Wright & Apollo’s conversation.  When Apollo came to the offices later, Klavier told him in no uncertain terms that he was fired.

Klavier couldn’t accept the verdict, couldn’t accept the ace, and tried endlessly to get Kris’s consent to ask for a retrial, but never received it.  Klavier took the refusal as an indication that Kristoph didn’t trust him and so resolved to work even harder to prove himself worthy of being his defense attorney.

Eventually, Klavier caught wind that Nick was investigating the Zak Gramarye case and, likewise, heard of Drew Misham’s murder and test of the Jurist System.  Not trusting Wright at all, he performed his own side investigation and pieced together at whom the finger would be pointed for Drew’s murder.  Sensing that this would be his last chance, he visited his brother in prison once more.  On the way, he strategically greased a few palms.

He came not with a request but a demand that they switch places, trusting in his brother’s innocence but unable to face the possible risk of a “wrong” verdict.  When Wright visited Solitary Cell 13 to inquire once more regarding “Shadi Smith’s” murder, he spoke not to Kristoph, but Klavier.

Interestingly enough, however, the question of the motive to murder “Shadi Smith” caused Klavier to manifest black psyche-locks.  

Therefore, Klavier was the one called to the witness stand and he impersonated his brother perfectly.  Except a tiny detail.  Klavier’s hand has no scar.  Something impossible for someone focusing not to notice.

In this verse, while Klavier knows how to play guitar, he never actively pursued music and he dropped the hobby in an attempt to have more time to study and prove himself.  He’s usually seen smiling, but it is muted and small.  Overall, he exudes an aura of pure exhaustion and is rather lonely.  He sacrificed having a social life in his impossible pursuit of the perfect praise - at a certain point his mind became so toxic that, even if Kris were to praise him, he wouldn’t accept it as genuine, internally arguing that some tiny bit of inflection meant that it was pitying or otherwise false.

[thekitsune]

Say hello to the Phoenix/Maya Twins! Kana and Nia Fey-Wright! As you can tell, spiky hair is genetic...it’s just more noticeable in one child ehehe ^^

So Kana is their son and he enjoys dressing like his mother. He has an ability that will be revealed in my Ace Attorney fic (they will be in it after awhile as it takes place from the Gramarye case to SOJ era).

Nia is their daughter. She wants to be like her dad even going so far as to wear a fake badge (to Phoenix’s annoyance tanks to a certain case...). Plus her older sister gave her her own magician’s hat (she offered Kana one but he didn’t want to mess his spiky strand up so he rarely wears it).

I’ll be working on their personalities more as I go along, but I do know that Kana is the calmer twin thanks to Pearl’s influence while Nia is rather mischievous (she loves pranking Apollo with Athena and Trucy). While the two are quite different in terms of goals, they work well together when they team up.

I know they might not look it (as I’m not the best artist), but they are about 6-7 in this picture as this is them around the SOJ-era.

I hope you all like my additions to the Wright Anything Agency Family ^^ at least for my fic’s verse :)

Also @ganonlady I was wondering what you think about my Phoenix/Maya Twins as I know you e designed your own Phoenix/Maya kids ^^

[bevioletskies]

call it magic (when i’m next to you) [chapter three]

summary: As the long-lost grandson of the illustrious Gramarye family, Apollo already knew his life was going to change for the better and for the worse. After spending his formative years on the run, adjusting to his new place in magical high society was never going to be easy. It’s only when he finds himself locked in a metaphorical - and sometimes literal - dance with Klavier Gavin, both his potential suitor and the bane of his existence, does he realize just how complicated things are about to become.

word count: 4,267

a/n: This fic is a magical ‘verse set in the regency era, where some artistic liberties are taken with the time period to accommodate the story and the magic lore. Most of the details of how this ‘verse works is explained in the fic, but I’ve made an explainer that also includes some image links to characters’ familiars, which can be found here.

Spoiler warning for minor plot points and character relationships in Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney and other games, including Investigations and Chronicles. Fic title is from the song Magic by Coldplay.

preview:

“Speaking of the heart...has anyone caught your attention so far, darling? Perhaps someone we should arrange for you to meet in a more intimate setting?”

“Lord van Zieks and Lord Blackquill are quite terrifying, not to mention twice my size,” Apollo said darkly. “Trucy introduced me to some lesser nobles as well, though none seemed to see me as a person, merely a means to an end, the end being marrying into the Gramarye name. While I understand their motivations, I-I don’t want any part in fulfilling their desires.”

“Duly noted,” Thalassa said, lifting a hand from his shoulder so she could tenderly cup his face. “Gramarye...a blessing and a curse, isn’t it? A burden you have been free of, until now.”

“Don’t let it trouble you, Mother,” Apollo reassured her. “If you worry that bringing me home was the right decision…” He then trailed off, unable to say the words, not when Thalassa’s unwavering gaze had turned piercing. Despite her gentle nature, there was no mistaking a Gramarye’s eyes - and there was no sense in lying to them, either. Apollo cleared his throat rather ashamedly, no longer able to look at her face. “...I-I’m eternally grateful for the hospitality you’ve shown me, e-even when I’ve been impudent in return.”

“Impudent?” Thalassa’s hand returned to his shoulder, firmer now. “You’ve been thrust into a world you knew nothing about, love. Quite honestly, I think you’ve behaved quite admirably. That is to say...” She hesitated. “...aside from your...curious interaction with Lord Klavier earlier.”

“Oh.” Apollo’s cheeks flushed with further embarrassment. “You...you witnessed that, did you?”

“Of course,” Thalassa replied, chuckling softly. “It’s natural for me to take a keen interest in who my future son-in-law may be, yes? So when he approached you, I couldn’t help but anticipate the nature of your first encounter, only to watch him slink away just moments after like a scolded child. May I ask what happened?”

“What happened is that Lord Klavier is arrogant, meddlesome, and proud,” Apollo said, his tone sharper than intended. “I’ve never met a man with such an air of self-importance before; he may have had good intentions, but spoiled them immediately with his poor execution. Is he really that revered by his contemporaries with a disposition like his? Or is he so powerful as to have cast a beguiling spell over the entire country since the day he was born?”

“Goodness,” Thalassa exclaimed, stunned. “You’ve made up your mind about him, then? If he were to take interest in you…”

“I shall laugh in his face, shake his hand, and wish him the best of luck,” Apollo replied, holding his head high. “Then later, when I eventually meet my end, I will ask my maker why they condemned me to such a horrible fate.”

(read on ao3)