Work Text:
Title: Role Model
Category: Phoenix Wright
Rating: T
Pairing: Athena Cykes/Simon Blackquill, Franziska von Karma/ Larry Butz, and Miles Edgeworth/Phoenix Wright
Summaary:: 28 year old Franziska von Karma reflects upon a memory she had when she was 19 about a 12 year old girl who looked up to her as a role model for her determination and how fast she became a prosecutor. Franziska sees her again and she realizes that the former 12 year old girl is now her role model as well.
Disclaimer: I do not owe any rights for this franchise.
Author’s Note: Now I know Franziska von Karma with Larry Butz is a weird couple and at first I just needed a pairing that Phoenix would be surprised about it. However, the more I thought about it, it made sense to me. Franziska von Karma is this very high profile lady who needs to always be in control, something in which a lot of men don’t like that she dated however Larry wouldn’t mind it because I can see him needing someone to control him and after a while, he has more self-control. Now with Larry, I can see him doing things on impulse which causes Franziska to get mad but after a while, I can see her loosening up a bit. Now, with Franziska being the successor of her father, there is a lot of eyes watching her so dating Larry who is not only her brother’s friend but also her brother’s boyfriend (in this story) friend as well, she wants to keep it a secret allowing her to have something that belongs to her.
So please enjoy!
~~Story Begins~~
“You foolishly foolish fool of a foolishly fool!” a female voice yelled followed by the cracks made by a could be heard by the people passing by the High Prosecutor’s office. “Only a foolish fool with a foolish dream can think of doing something as foolishly foolish as cleaning out those who are foolish enough to follow in my father’s footsteps from this place is obviously a fool if they don’t ask for my help in cleaning out this office!”
Inside the High Prosecutor’s Office, a twenty-seven year old Franziska von Karma stood in front of High Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth. Franziska’s aqua blue hair was closer to the length it was when she was thirteen, her skin was pale from all the time she spend investigating INTERPOL cases and prosecuting in court, her grey eyes watched her whip come back which she caught in her left hand, the outfit she wore when she first arrived in America to get revenge against Phoenix Wright for beating her little brother, hadn’t really changed. She still wore the long sleeved shirts with the blue cufflinks that matched her hair, the black vest was gone but was replaced with a darker blue vest that had black buttons which were buttoned up, the vest always led people’s eyes to her neck where a white cravat used to be but in its place is was a black choker with a light blue sapphire gem was dangling, a gift from an ex-boyfriend that Miles will never know about. She still wore a black skirt but it was a tad longer, black tights covered her legs were shiny high heels in the style that she usually wears.
High Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth was a thirty-six year old man with natural greyish hair that apparently a lot of females (and his boyfriend) find attractive, his steel grey eyes were wide in shock as he attempted to avoid the chair while remaining in his chair (which wasn’t working so good for him), his magenta outfit hasn’t changed over the years including the white cravat, “Franziska stop! That’s some greeting there. Glad to see you haven’t changed.”
“Is that all you are worried about?” Franziska asked wrapping her whip around her black gloved hand, “You are a fool, much like that your boyfriend of yours. I just offered you my help, my cute brother.”
“In cleaning out of the offices or prosecuting?” Miles asked.
“Why both, of course,” she replied cracking her whip against his desk. “Who's better suited to ensure that those who only care about getting a guilty verdict get kicked out of their offices and job here? I’ve certainly learned my lesson and no longer practice the ruthless lessons Father taught us.”
“Very well, shall we get you on office set up then?” Milles asked standing up. “We have plenty of empty offices.”
They walked out into the hallway and went down one flight of stairs when they saw a nineteen year old girl with red hair pulled into a side pony that went towards her hip was closing a door to a prosecutor’s office, she turned and walked down the stairs, her yellow jacket matched her yellow skirt, her white tights blended in with her white boots.
“Miles, who is she?” Franziska asked recognizing the red hair from eight years ago back in Europe. It isn’t very often that someone who has red almost orange hair crosses one path.
“Ms. Athena Cykes,” Miles responding. He pulled out his pocketwatch and checked the time, “She usually doesn’t leave this early.”
Franziska smirked, “She must be on a case then. Is my old office open?”
“Yes, I believe so. Would you like it?” Miles asked putting his pocketwatch back into his pocket. “Don’t answer that, it was a stupid question.”
Franziska took no time off before jumping into cases and helping Miles sort out the prosecutors, she hadn’t seen Ms. Cykes back in the office since her first day back but she figured it was due to the cases and investigations.
She smiled a little as she stirred her tea at an outside bistro as she she thought about the first time she met Ms. Cykes.
~~Flash Back~~
“Um,” a tentative voice asked from behind a nineteen year old Franziska, “E-excuse me, Ms. Von Karma. I know you are super busy but can I borrow a moment of your time?”
Franziska turned around to look at the person sigh thinking it was another child sent to her by their parents to tell her horrible things about her father. It’s hard to make a name for oneself when they have a father like hers and to live under the von Karma name, She saw a twelve year old Athena Cykes wearing a pink shirt with white skirt.
Once Athena looked up to see Franziska looking at her, she could hear the impatience, the sorrow, the regret, and the sadness in Franziska’s heart. Athena didn’t say anything about that through. She holded it a folded up piece of paper with Franziska’s name written on it.
“Y-you don’t have to take it but I would be honored if you did. I-I always wanted to say thank you,” Athena spoke.
“You fool, I don’t even know you, why are you thanking me?”
Athena looked up in surprise, there was happiness in her heart at being thank and she truly didn’t mean what she said. “For being my role model, that was an easy question. Your determination to become a prosecutor at such a young age, it gives me hope that I can join the legal world soon. I’ve only been in Europe for a year but I’m making good progress to take my bar exam by the time I turn seventeen. When I think it’s getting hard and impossible I look towards you and another important person to me to help me through it. You give me a lot of motivation just by your own, but the other important person gives me a purpose to follow through.”
“Let me see the paper,” Franziska said holding her hand out which Athena gave to her happily and smiled. “Just keep studying and focus on your goal, I know you can do it. I would be happy to be your mentor but I’m afraid I’m busy investigating a smuggler ring. What is your name?”
“It’s Athena Cykes and it’s okay. I know how busy you are. I am just so happy to be able to thank you in person.”
~~End Flashback~~
“Ms. von Karma?” a voice spoke bringing Franziska back to the present. She looked to the side and saw Athena standing there, a white shirt with a light blue tie were what completed the outfit in the front and a blue faced smiling necklace. “It really is you! I highly doubt you remember me.”
“Nonsense, Ms. Cykes,” Franziska said smiling upon seeing the surprised look on Athena’s face, she didn’t even notice that the blue face had turned yellow with a different expression. “Please call me Franziska. I’ve seen you at the office so you passed the exam.”
“Yes and just in time to,” Athena shook her head. “If I can call you Franziska than you must call me Athena.”
“Very well, Athena. I’ve seen you at the office once through.”
“Oh, well, I have been busy and I’ve been having trouble there. I don’t want to get anyone in trouble so I’m avoiding them,” Athena replied sadly. Her cell phone started to ring, she looked at the ID and ignored the call. “I better get going, I have a crime scene to investigate.”
Later that afternoon, Franziska was walking through the hall when she saw a man with black ragged hair in a loose pony, a white fringe in his bangs that covered his black eyes even though he was glaring at nothing in particular as he stood outside in the halal, a phone held up to his ears, a white shirt with a black tie provided a bit of relief from the summer heat. “Foolish girl, pick up.”
Franziska cracked her whip at him causing him to turn his head towards her with a snarl, “You should be prepping for a case. Miles does not pay for you to be on the phone.”
“Franziska, is there anyone who you will not whip?” Miles asked as he was following her through the hallway, they were on their way to get a lunch and to talk over the case that had been bugging both of them. “Prosecutor Blackquill is one of the best and he’s on a break.”
“Yes, there is one person who I respect enough and she’s not even a fool,” Franziska replied crossing her arms as Simon put his phone back in his pocket. “Surely he can’t be that good, I have never heard of him. However, I shall see him perform in court for myself.”
“And who might you be then,” Blackquill asked.
“You foolish fool of a foolishly foolish fool!” Franziska yelled cracking her whip at him one more time only for it to get cut in half. “What? How dare you?”
“That’s enough,” Miles said. “Franziska von Karma this is Simon Blackquill. Simon Blackquill this is my adapted younger -
“Older!” Franziska said interrupting Miles who just continued.
“Sister, Franziska von Karma. Her father took me under his wing when my own father was murdered,” Miles finished. “Now the both of you be nice, now! He’s already be evaluated, Franziska.”
“Fine, but if I see him slacking off than I am going to make sure he understands his place,” she said.
“Heh heh,” Simon laughed. “You won’t be able to teach me anything that the prison hasn’t.”
Both prosecutors could tell that they weren’t going to get along with each other and are going to be avoiding each other for the best of the workplace.
The next time that Franziska saw Athena and Simon, it was in the courtroom, a week later and at different times. She was facing against Phoenix Wright and his assistant today was Athena Cykes. Needless to say, Athena looked surprised upon seeing her as Phoenix was. She cracked her whip like she always did but never once did she direct it towards Athena and was completely fascinated and intrigued by Widget and the use of analytical psychology.
‘I’m going to have to ask Miles why he let such a talented young lawyer escape his gasp. She could have been - could still be - a fine prosecutor’ Franziska thought as she exited the courtroom after suffering another defeat by Phoenix Wright.
She saw Athena leaving the defendant lobby followed by their client and Phoenix Wright, “Athena,” she called out causing the defense to look at her, “First name basis with one of my associates?” Phoenix asked rubbing his chin.
“Like it’s your foolish business,” Franziska replied. “Since I now know that Athena is a defense lawyer, it explains as to why I haven’t seen her in the office so I would like to invite her to come into my office to talk. There’s a couple of cases in which I think her skills in analytical psychology will help.”
“I would love to assist you, Franziska, but I’m not best suited for it. Prosecutor Blackquill is more of an expert on that,” Athena replied.
“Liar,” Phoenix whispered under his breath.
“That foolish fool that even more foolish than Mr. Wright,” she growled clenching her arms, “He’s cut one of my whips up plus I would much rather prefer your company.”
“I would love to you then that is if it’s okay with you, Mr. Wright?” Athena asked hopefully turning around and looking at her boss with puppy blue eyes and had her hands up towards her chin, clasped together.
“How can I say no to that face?” Phoenix said sighing. “I will be fine with it as long as it’s not against our cases. If you don’t mind me asking, why are you so excited?”
“She’s my role model, one of the major people who kept me determine to study hard,” Athena replied happily. “It’s like a dream come true.”
“My office is 518, come by tomorrow afternoon,” she said walking away only to freeze up and snarl upon seeing Prosecutor Blackquill talking to Prosecutor Godot at the top of the stairs.
“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do on your lunch date!” Phoenix said as Athena left the courthouse. “I expect a picture of what he looks like!”
Franziska spun around so fast and started using her whip against him, “You are dating my brother, you foolish fool!” She didn’t see the way Prosecutor Blackquill tense up or watch Athena leave.
The next afternoon, when Athena came to visit she brought a cooler that had the ingredients to make a sandwich along with some water bottles this way they could eat without having to leave her office when they got done with the reports that Franziska wanted Athena to work on. Athena had to do a psychology report and Franziska had her explain her reasoning behind it, trying to learn on what to look for before they took a break.
“So, who did you go on a date with yesterday?” Franziska asked curiously.
“Oh! It wasn’t a date! It was that I had a meeting to help explain why my ex-boyfriend’s sister shouldn’t be considered a danger to society. It just needs to be kept a secret from him especially since I want nothing to do with him.”
“Tsk, I just learned about this analytical psychology and I know you are lying, “Franziska said waving her finger at her, “You want a relationship with him again.”
“I do but,” Athena sighed, “I didn’t want him to feel- and I quote- “trapped” or want him to “feel obligated to be in a relationship” with me. So I broke it off with him and have been avoiding him since.”
“Would it surprise you that I too miss one of my many ex-boyfriends, Larry Butz, to be exact.”
“Isn’t that Mr. Wright’s and Mr. Edgeworth’s best friend?” Athena gasped.
“Yes, the reason as to why they shall never know who gave me this choker,” Franziska smiled.
“I won’t tell,” Athena said excitedly.
“You are a lot more emotional then you were years ago, why is that?”
“Oh, well, when I first met and thanked you, it had only been a year since I lost my mother and saw an innocent man go to prison. I was so focused on my studies and trying to get over my fear of courtrooms that I didn’t much time to have any friends, experiences, or the time to show my emotions! Is-is it a problem?”
“Not at all, it’s quite refreshing actually. It brings life back into the offices,” the prosecutor chuckled. “It was quite boring, I was getting tired of having the same conversations with the same people everyday. Anyway you should be getting back to Mr. Wright, that fool is foolishly foolish lost without you there, I’m sure of that.”
“Thanks Franziska,” Athena smiled grabbing the mostly empty container. “If you need my help at anytime -unless the Wright and Co Everything Agency - is the defense, then just ask.”
Franziska realized that she had actually found a friend who wasn’t looking for gossip, she had told Athena the one secret that Larry knew as well. She had trust in Athena to keep her word and sighed, “She didn’t tell me who her ex-boyfriend.”
Franziska always seem to see Prosecutor Blackquill giving commands to his hawk or on his phone trying to call someone, she ignored him and he ignored her, which worked for them. Athena would always be happy to come over and while her brother didn’t say anything about it, she knew that he saw the friendship blooming between the two ladies, and Franziska kept waiting for him to ask the question, ‘Why doesn’t she get whipped?’, but it has never came.
Franziska just got done watching what appeared to be an inspiring young prosecutor use forged evidence many times and she walked out of the courtroom gallery to be in the courthouse lobby and halls. She was walking towards the upstairs bench when she heard voices arguing from below. She sighed and went to go investigate it.
‘Don’t these fools know that arguing should be done in the courtroom by professionals or in the private of their homes,’ Franziska thought.
When she reached the stairs, a hand on the railing, Athena walked out into her view, her arms crossed and Widget having the red angry face, “You’re the one who wanted out of the relationship so I broke it off for you. So tell me, have you found someone better than me yet?”
“You insufferable child,” Prosecutor Blackquill voice rang out.
“That’s all I am to you isn’t?” Athena asked turning around to face the direction Franziska assumed Blackquill was in. “A child!” Blackquill finally came into view as Athena kept talking, “It is,, isn’t it?”
“Would you be quiet so I could talk?” Simon growled.
“Ten minutes, ten minutes after you said, ‘I’m tired of feeling obligated to be in a relationship,’ ten minutes for you to realize what you said, to see the pain in within me after those words left your mouth. Ten minutes before I broke off the relationship for you! You had ten minutes to explain but you stayed silent and acted like I wasn’t there! Why should you explain it to me now?” Athena yelled.
He grabbed one of her wrists and pulled her against him, she started hitting his chest with her other hand until he grabbed her wrist and placing them both in one of his hands. “Foolish girl, it you would quit avoiding me like you have been then maybe we wouldn’t be having this conversation!”
“Then start talking Simon because I’m tired of this and you cannot back out of it!” Just then, Simon’s phone started to ring causing Athena to get snippy, “Oh, I guess you can. Go ahead and answer it Simon, I always did come last didn’t I? You did it all the times we were on our dates and lunches, what’s stopping you now? Surely it can’t be me because I have never stopped you before. Besides, we both know that your older sister wouldn’t approve of us, since she still firmly believes I killed my mother!”
Simon growled something into her ear before pulling his phone out and answering it. Franziska watched as Simon’s eyes went white for a second, his expression for surprise, at what was being said on the phone to where he released her after hanging up. “Somehow, Aura got out today and she wants me to pick her up.”
“So go,” Athena said angrily. “No sense having to worry about me.”
“Athena,” Simon spoke as she brushed past him and left the courthouse leaving Simon alone with the still unnoticed Franziska. He threw his phone at the wall, surprising it didn’t break, and glared at it on the floor. “Damnit, why do I have to keep screwing things up? Even with your sensitive hearing, you can’t hear how much I miss you, how sorry I am, can you Athena?”
Franziska stood there and watched as he picked his phone up and left, “Interesting, perhaps, I should play a little bit of matchmaking. Athena did that with me so I might as well pay the favor.”
When Simon came into work, he was not in the best of moods and even through due to the upcoming thunderstorm that they were declaring would be terrible, he needed to get away from his sister. He had took his older sister to his and - no just Athena’s - apartment even though the sweet landlord told Simon that Athena gave him the apartment on the day that she broke up with him due to his stupidity, and leave it to Aura to scrutinize everything that was bare. So when opened his office door, he was not pleased to see Ms. von Karma sitting in his chair or looking at a picture that he kept hidden in his desk drawer.
“Can I assist you with something von Karma-dono,” he asked fingers twitching to grab his sword.
“I’m guessing you’re the person in the black clothing of this drawing,” Franziska spoke. “Now it makes sense since I know now who the third person in my own drawing is.” She placed the picture down on the desk, “Ms. Cykes really is special, isn’t she?”
“Yes, now why are you in my office?”
“Seven years it took her to become a lawyer, something in which it took me thirteen years, my father would have loved knowing that I became a lawyer at eleven but I needed two extra years, something in which he wasn’t pleased with,” Franziska said finally looking up at Simon, “I have a job for you.”
“I don’t know if you haven’t noticed, but I am not someone who can boss around,” Simon stated.
“Even if it means that a fool who let someone like Ms. Cykes foolishly slip through their foolish fingers might get another chance at having her back? We both know that she isn’t one to hold grudges once someone explains themselves, don’t we?” Franziska asked hiting her hand with her riding crop. “You know, we are supposed to have a terrible thunderstorm today and it could start anytime soon. I need these cases delivered to Ms. Cykes,” she motioned her riding crop in the direction where a small stack of cases were at in the corner of his desk, his eyes followed the motion before looking back at the intruder sitting behind his desk.
“Why are you asking me?”
“I really am thankful that I did not bring my otherwise I would be attacking you. Only a foolish fool wouldn’t understand the opportunity to-”
“I’m not denying your task,” Simon interrupted trying to read Franziska. “What I am asking is why are you asking me and not drop it off yourself? I don’t have her new address.”
“My boyfriend is planning a surprise night in and since Ms. Cykes help get us back together. I am returning the favor back to her. She misses you quite badly, but I know you see it too, that no matter what was said between the fight the two of you had, that she would still take care of you. Yes, I overheard your fight yesterday at the courthouse and even I -a novice at this psychology stuff - could tell she was baiting you to answer the phone.” Franziska placed her elbows on his desk and rested her chin on top of them, “Ms. Cykes is expecting the case files and I told her that someone who she knows will drop them off. So, are you going to do this little favor for me?”
“Yes, but one more question, why are you helping me?”
“I’m not. I’m helping her. I’m tired of seeing my first, true, loyal friend have a broken heart even though she is trying so hard to move on, she just can’t. She is my best friend who I can have fun with without worrying about work talk. She knows my secrets that even Miles don’t know and I know all of her secrets that not even my hopefully soon-to-be niece doesn’t know about. Franziska pushed a little piece of paper towards the edge of his desk, “While I maybe Ms. Cykes role model, she just so happens to be mine now. Which us both have one thing in common with each other.”
“Athena,” Simon said grabbing the paper and looking at it.
“Exactly, but if you break her heart again,” Franziska said standing up, “I will use my whole entire collection of whips on you.”
She started to walk out of the office and stopped at the door frame, “Oh, I told Miles that it would be okay if you didn’t come into work tomorrow. Now it is time for me to head towards my boyfriend’s house, I wonder what he has planned.” She than left smiling, she was sure this plan of hers would go without a hitch. Athena wasn’t expecting anyone tonight after all.
When Simon was halfway to Athena’s apartment (at least according to his phone’s GPS), it started to drizzle lightly and the thunder could be heard in the distance, when he was only a mile away, did the heavens open up and started pouring water on everything in sight, Simon was completely drenched and soaked by the time he made it to Athena’s apartment door on the second floor. Water was dripping from everywhere and he was already sniffling. He knocked on the door before looking down at his black suitcase that not only held Athena’s documents but his as well.
The door opened and he saw Athena look completely surprised upon seeing him, she was wearing a black tank top that was promoting some band and red athletic shorts that she’ll never run in. Simon couldn’t possibly understand as to why she was self-conscious about her legs with all the running she does, and he loves looking at them, much to her embarrassment.
“Simon?” she asked forgetting all about the formalities that she had bestowed upon him this last week, he would’ve loved appreciating his first name being called by her again, but he was trying not to sneeze. “What are you doing here?”
“Von-von-achoo!” Simon sneezed quickly covering his mouth and groaned. He hated his sneezes, he always sounds like a little mouse squeaking when he does sneeze.
“Come in and start taking your clothing off, I’ll go get you some towels and see if I have any of your clothing here, which I doubt,” Athena said stepping aside to let him enter. Once he was inside, she shut the door and locked it before leaving to another room.
He looked around the apartment and noticed that it seemed as bares as his. The light brown sofa that he knew wasn’t Athena’s choice but the earlier residents must have left it behind, a metal TV tray was in front of the couch that had papers on it, there was no TV or computer, there was nothing that screamed ‘Athena’s home’ much like how his has nothing that screams ‘Simon’s home’.
He noticed that he was shivering and put the briefcase on the floor, when he stood back up, a white towel with the ‘Pink Princess’ on it was tossed at his face, and then hands were on him taking his coat off. “You big dummy! I told you to take your clothes off!”
“Athena, stop,” Simon said getting the towel out of his face, “I’ll be going home here soon.”
“Like hell you are!” Athena almost screeched. “Can you not hear how bad it is raining outside?” A loud boom of thunder that usually sent Athena to the closest person to her to hold onto them sounded and Simon saw Athena jumped, her hands going up to cover her ears like she does when she’s alone but stopped. “Nope, you are staying here until the storm passes. Now strip, dry yourself off, then put these on,” she threw some clothing at him. “I’ll go make you some hot chocolate. Just...just holler when you are done.”
Simon watched her head towards what he assumed was the kitchen. He started to take his clothes off and dry himself off. He knew he had a cold due to his sniffling nose and constant sneezing fits, but he was more concerned about Athena and her ears than he was himself. He put the clothing on and raised an eyebrow, “So this is where they disappeared too,” he mused. He was wearing a black shirt where the sleeves covered parts of his shoulders and black jogging pants.
He grabbed another one of the dry towels she had gave him to use and started to dry his hair as he walked in what he assumed was the kitchen.
Athena was sitting on the counter playing with her trustworthy elastic that kept her red hair in her side pony, leaving the hair to freely cascade down her shoulders and back. She seemed like she was looking at weather maps and radars on Widget whom he could see was charging, it explained as to why he wasn’t around her neck.
“Is the storm about to let up soon?” Simon asked causing her to look up.
“No, actually it seemed to stop right above us for now. So we are going to be having this weather for quite a while until it decides to move and even then it looks terrible. It seems like we are going to be having this type of weather for a couple of days, I don’t think any place is going to open, not even the court of law.” She shut Widget off and sat him on the counter, “So...what brought you here? Actually, how did you get my address?”
“As I was trying to say before I sneezed,” Simon spoke as she got down from the counter to get the kettle that started whistling, “von Karma-dono had asked me to drop off some files. She said you expected them today.”
Athena turned around and handed her current companion a black mug, “I was expecting files from her, yes, but not today due to the weather.” She sighed. Simon sneezed again and started cough, at least he was getting sick with someone who he trusted nearby. “Go sit down on the couch and drink the hot chocolate. I’ll bring in some blankets and cold medicine.”
Simon groaned wanting to actually have a conversation with her and hope that she’ll take him back after breaking thing up with her current boyfriend, of course. He sat on the couch and quietly took sips of his warm drink. He looked over at the TV tray and blinked seeing his sister’s name on the file. He knew he shouldn’t take a peek but he was family. There was a sticky note that had three laboratories with the words, ‘Needs interview before accepting’ under them. As he skimmed the case file, he quickly realize that Athena was the one who got his sister free and proved that she wasn’t a danger to society and since the Space Center refuses to let his sister work there again, Athena was trying to find her a new job.
“You know you shouldn’t be looking through my files, you might get fired. I have never looked through yours,” Athena spoke from behind giving him the cold medicine. “Take this, it’s nighttime so you’ll be asleep soon but it does help.” Simon looked over at her she sat next to him. “I wasn’t going to tell you.”
“I figured,” he said taking the cold medicine followed by a sip of his drink, “You forgot the blankets.”
“It’s on the back of the couch,” she replied gathering her files and putting them on the floor neatly. “I didn’t want them to get knocked off.” Simon grabbed the blanket and wrapped it loosely around him. “What? No cuddles?”
“You have a boyfriend and from the way you asked, sounds like you want me to cuddle you to death,” Simon chuckled seeing the blush appearing on her cheeks.
“Why does everyone thing that I have a boyfriend?” Athena asked.
“Wright-dono,” Simon started to explain, “that one day at the courthouse-”
“Oh? That?” Athena said surprised now figuring it out. “I was meeting with the prosecution and police chief about getting Aura free.”
Athena blinked and Simon had wrapped the blanket around her, pulling her close and nuzzling her neck. They both knew that nobody would believe them if they told people that Simon Blackquill - the ex-convict, the Twisted Samurai - was a nuzzling, cuddling person when he was sick. “This doesn’t feel like it’s your home,” Simon mumbled feeling the nighttime medicine kick in and making him drowsy.
“It’s kind of hard to when you have a paranoid neighbor across the hall,” Athena said hearing the drowsiness in his voice, his heart was wanting to keep awake, but there was something in his heart that she’s been healing, an emotion she remember hearing before, but was unsure of what it was. It sounded sad and alone. She let out a soft smile as his breathing evening out, knowing that he was asleep. She wiggled her way out of his gasp and proceeded to do little things around her apartment to make life easier for him during his temporarily stay.
When Simon woke up many hours later, he reached out to pull Athena closer but to no avail so he opened his eyes and looked around. The first thing he noticed was that another table tray was set up with his briefcase on top of it and opened. Upon closer inspection, the cases that he brought over for Athena were taken out but his was still in there. His eyes then he noticed a hook on the wall that he didn’t notice before and his clothes were hanging up. He slowly got up from the couch and went to explore for Athena. He just stood up when the door was opened quickly and slammed shut. He turned his head to see Athena leaning against her door rolling her eyes as she locked the door. “Oh! You’re finally awake! How are you feeling?”
“A lot better, where did you go?” he asked.
“Oh, I went to let in some other residents who got locked out due to the paranoid neighbor I mentioned earlier,” she said. “You will be trapped here with me for a while. The sidewalk and street is about flooded. You might want to let Aura know.”
“Paranoid neighbor?” Simon asked as his eyes followed her movements.
“Any sudden sound, new people, even guests, new changes,” Athena listed as she sat on the couch, Simon following her lead, “he’ll fight it all the way through claiming that we are changing the hierarchy of life. He’s even paranoid that babies are going to eat him alive.”
“He sounds pleasant,” Simon remarked sarcastically. Then he thought about it, “Oh, what fun I would have if he showed up in court during one my cases.”
“Ha ha, that’s only the beginning, he claims he’s the God of his own religion and expects us all to bow down before him, I have lost count of how many times I had to throw him away from me. He’s a creep.”
“Even more fun for me,” Simon mused. “I should prosecute him for attempted assault on you and whoever he tried to attack.”
A knocking sounded on her door and a voice was heard, “Athena, who are you talking to? Is it someone threatening our way of life?”
“Shh,” Athena said leaning over and placing a finger on Simon’s lip who had them opened to make a comment, “He will go away.”
Simon stared at her as she removed her finger as the knocking stopped and the person left, “Come back home with me,” he said pulling Athena onto his lap with ease and snuggling her. Just because he said he was feeling better doesn’t mean he’s no longer sick. “Please, give me another chance because of what I said wasn’t directed towards you.”
“If it wasn’t supposed to be directed towards me, then who was it directed too?” Athena asked.
“Me.”
“Huh?” Athena asked. The she let out an ‘oof’ as the much taller than her prosecutor rested his head unexpectedly onto her stomach and nuzzled her stomach. “It was directed towards you?”
“Consider it a man thing, plus having the stigma of being an ex-convict following me around, my pride and psychology got in the way.”
“I’m still confused, Simon,” Athena said. His heart was calling out to her, the pain, the loneliness,the sadness, everything was calling out to her and Simon wasn’t trying to hide it like he usually does.
“You would make me explain it.”
“Sorry that I am not a genius over this, you and Mother were.”
“I knew I wasn’t the best boyfriend to you and I let a rare moment of weakness slip into my heart. I do fall under stereotypes of a mon but also as my status as an ex-convict. When I said ‘I don’t want to feel trap’ I actually was thinking over how I felt like I was trapping you from those around your age. I already took so much of your life away and I just kept taking more. The statement that I made about feeling obligated wasn’t directed towards you either. I honestly thought you were feeling obligated to be in a relationship with me so that I can try to have a normal life again.”
“You attacked me because you were insecure of my feelings for you, the feelings that I have told you everyday since we started dating the first time in which you ignored but we both know there was authenticity in them. You doubted me?” Athena asked getting slightly angry. “I should have been the one doubting you! I didn’t, however!”
“Well, when you put it that way, yes. There would be times when you didn’t show up for our dates,” Simon started to say but his hair was tugged, he looked up at her only to felt a sting across his cheek. “What was that for?”
“You jerk! I did show up for the dates, you always thought it was the next day or next week so you never showed up, or when you actually did have time and the correct day to show up to a date, you had to take a phone call. Only once did I cancel a date and that was because my ears were so sensitive that day that even hearing the vibrations of my phone going off felt like a jackhammer was inside of my ears.”
“If you would have listened to me completely,” Simon said making his face eye levels with her, “then you would know that I started to take you for granted. Strange to say since you saved me from death when you didn’t have too.”
“Simon-”
“Silence!” he bellowed like he would in court but then started coughing, “When I saw you in court, for some reason my life seemed brighter, less lonely. It only grew each time we fought in court, then we were both found innocent of our accused murders and life was different. I was free and the past was clear. I wasn’t used to being free but you took your time to help me get accustomed to it, and even had me become your roommate all before you asked out on an official date. Something about knowing that you was mine seems to make me sleep better, feel better everyday.”
“Short version - you was depressed, fell in love with me but was too afraid to say anything about it, agreed to be my boyfriend, relationship helped with your depression due to my sunny and bright attitude, then started having doubts upon realizing how terrible you was treating me, indirectly attacking me, but you didn’t take into the account that I would break things off because I know that you DESERVE -” she emphasised the word ‘deserve’ by poking him harshly on his chest, “happiness, even though you don’t think you do. Am I correct so far?”
“Yes but I was giving -”
“So after a couple of days, your depression came back, and you slowly figured out that since I wasn’t there to brighten your day, that I wasn’t there to tell you that someone loved you everyday, that your own heart would literally be beating your brain for saying such stupid things to me and causing the best thing in your life to walk away, and that’s why you wish to be my boyfriend again.”
“I was giving you the details,” Simon stated.
“I’m not like my mother, or your sister, or you Simon, I prefer short explanations,” Athena chuckled.
“So...will you give me another chance, will you move back into your apartment that you shared with me?” Simon asked.
“Two conditions,” Athena said, “Don’t take as many phone calls as you did before and remember -program them into your phone’s calendar for all I care - our dates, please.”
“If that is all the princess requires of me,” Simon said, “then yes.”
“Don’t call me that,” Athena smiled. “However, you should get some more sleep. It is getting late, I mean it like going past eleven at night.”
“What about you?” Simon asked reluctantly letting Athena get off of his lap only to sit down next to him again.
“I’ll continue working on the psychology reports Franziska asked me to work on,” she replied. “Besides, I’m not the one who is sick.”
Simon pulled her towards him awkwardly, her head was now resting against his chest and he had his arms around her body tightly, she wasn’t going to be able to wiggle her way out of this like she did when he went asleep earlier. He let out another sneeze temporarily letting of of her with one of his arms to cover his sneeze before wrapping it back around her. “I hate being sick.”
“I know you do, you big baby,” Athena smiled as SImon kept cuddling her. She gave up on getting her work done.
Three days later, Phoenix had received an early morning phone call from Athena who sounded sick while Miles received two phone calls; one from Simon, and one from Franziska both calling in sick. He chuckled to himself, Franziska hardly calls in sick unless one person is involved. He just hopes that his friend kept the engagement ring he brought before Franziska broke it off, not wanting to deal with a long-distance relationship as she tracked down a smuggling ring.
“So,” Phoenix said stirring his coffee while Trucy ate her waffles, “do you think Athena and Simon got back together?”
Trucy looked up hopefully, she hated seeing her friend carrying a heartbreak like she had or always crying when Athena thought she was the only one in the office. Miles answered, “Yes, but that isn’t the most important relationship status we are dealing with here.”
“It’s not?” Trucy asked always loving to share relationship gossip to share with Maya and Pearl.
“Who else got back together that we know?” Phoenix asked finally taking a sip of his coffee.
“Franziska and Larry,” Miles said. He honestly wasn’t expecting Phoenix to spit out his coffee out in surprise. “Really Phoenix? Did you not know they were dating before? It was obvious, I mean Larry isn’t exactly someone to stay single for long and he was ‘single’ for two years.”
No, I did not! They didn’t say anything about it!”
“That’s because you need to pay attention to the signs,” Miles said. “They wanted it to be kept a secret. It truly is a miracle that you even got the hint of my subtle flirtations.”
“But daddy didn’t Miles. Mr. Gumshoe practically broke down our office down and announced it quite loudly in the agency,” Trucy said giggling seeing the heated glare from Miles to Phoenix.
“Heh, heh,” Phoenix said nervously. “I can explain.”
“I hope you can but when you do, I would like Franziska and Ms. Cykes to be there so I can have confirmation that you aren’t bluffing your way through it,” Miles said not even lowering the intensity of his glare.
‘Well, I’m screwed,’ Phoenix thought. ‘Maybe I can buy him tickets to the new Steel Samurai movie to lower my punishment.’
The End.