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It was a week exactly before Simon's twenty-eighth birthday and Bobby was genuinely freaking out. He really wanted to buy Simon a thoughtful, useful gift, but everything he could possibly think of was against prison rules.
First, he thought of clothes. Bobby learned how to crochet as a young child. His mom loved crochet and she wanted him to learn as well. So usually, when he didn't know what to get someone, he'd make them a sweater or a scarf. Something nice and homemade, but not too expensive or difficult. However, two problems arose. One: Simon had to stay in his prison uniform unless it was for a trial, and two: Simon probably wouldn't wear anything Bobby made anyways.
So next, he thought of food. Bobby couldn't think of anyone who didn't like food. Even if they were picky, everyone Bobby has met has liked some kind of food. It keeps people alive! Food however, was also against prison rules. They didn't want prisoners eating anything that didn't come out of the cafeteria, and while Bobby thought it was unfair that Simon had to abide by these rules despite his innocence, he also didn't want to break any rules.
Bobby thought maybe a book would be nice, but he had already tried that before! He couldn't find out what kind of books Simon liked no matter how hard he tried. He wanted to get his favorite prosecutor something that he would really truly enjoy.
So now the poor detective was having an entire inner conflict over this. He needed to show Simon that he cared about him. He was the only person who could do this! Simon didn't get visitors very often, and the other prison staff was much crueler. He needed Simon to have a good birthday this year, and he had no idea how to make it happen. He could make Simon a card of course, but that was a card. Cards went alongside presents, not all by themselves.
Now usually, if this happened, which is very rare since Bobby can usually find something to get, he'd just give the person some money or a gift card. But how would Simon use money in prison? He couldn't! So Bobby internal conflict continued on throughout the work day.
Almost every day after work, Bobby would call his mom. She always gave good advice, and she was the most reliable person he knew. Bobby was extremely grateful to have such a good home life.
Bobby's father had left when he was young. His mom had raised him by herself, and he couldn't thank her enough. She was a good mother. She was fun to be around, nice, accepting, and very comforting. She never yelled, never fought. Bobby understood now that he had practically won the lottery in terms of parents.
So, after work that day, Bobby called his mother. She already knew a lot about Simon. Bobby talked about him a lot, in a very admiring tone, so she could tell he must've been a good guy. The phone rang thrice before Bobby's mother, Margaret, picked up the phone.
"Hey sweetie! What's up? How was work today?" Margaret was always interested in how her son was doing. He always had nice stories to tell her, even if they were mundane. He'd often detail what him and Simon did together that day, as well as what shenanigans he had gotten up to. Not just cases he investigated, but how he saved a cat from a tree or helped an old woman carry her groceries.
"I had an alright day mom. I found a stray puppy and took him to the shelter today. He was so cute! Me and Simon didn't do much today. He doesn't have a case right now," Margaret noticed how her son's voice got a bit more contemplative when he mentioned Simon.
"That's nice dear. How is Simon doing? Is he getting along alright? I know prison can be a brutal place," she said, clearly trying to coax more out of Bobby.
"Simon's his same old self. Well, I guess he'll be his same older self soon. It's nearly his birthday," Bobby replied, sounding less excited than expected about Simon's birthday. Then a he asked a question that explained everything.
"Momma, when you really... Care, about someone. How do you figure out what to get them for their birthday? I mean, I can't give him a traditional gift. Everything I can think of would either be against the law or Simon just wouldn't like it!"
Margaret thought for a moment. "Well, when the law is involved, first you've got to think about everything that I you possibly could give him, and then rule everything out one by one. Then, eventually, you'll find something."
Bobby considered his mother's advice. She was right, he supposed. She was rarely ever wrong. He thanked her for the advice and they continued to talk for a while longer. Bobby asked his mom about her day. He loved her stories. By the time he hung up, it was time for him to go to sleep. He'd think more about Simon's gift tomorrow.
The problem continued to weigh on Bobby's mind until a few days later. He was at the craft store picking up some construction paper. Today was confetti cutting day! Every Sunday, him and his mentor, detective Dick Gumshoe, would get together and cut up little pieces of confetti to throw at trials. This week it was Bobby turn to buy the paper.
He was about to walk out of the paper isle and go to the register when something caught his eye. A box filled to the brim with origami paper. It was the last one on the shelf. He picked it up, looked at the back to see what kinds of paper were inside. The box contain ten different colors and patterns of origami paper, as well as a little guide book to demonstrate some things to make. There were fifty sheets of each color and pattern, making five hundred sheets in total. It was perfect.
Simon loved Japanese culture, and paper was the one thing that the prison would allow. It couldn't be used to escape or as a very useful weapon. Bobby knew, this was the present he'd been looking for.
It was the night before Simon's birthday and Bobby was making preparations. He had made Simon a card (store bought cards were tacky), wrote something thoughtful inside before getting everyone within a thirty mile radius to.sign it, and wrapped Simon's gift. Everything was ready. Still, Bobby almost couldn't sleep, he was so excited!
Simon meant so much to him. He wasn't your average criminal, he wasn't a criminal at all! He fought on the side of justice, Bobby knew it! It wasn't just that though. Deep down, Simon had a heart of pure gold. He put on an act all the time, but that's all it was. An act. The real Simon, the Simon who went to prison just to help his niece stay out, the Simon who may act like he doesn't care for anyone when in reality he'd take a bullet for those he cares about. That was the Simon that Bobby admired so very much.
Simon didn't wake up that morning, he hadn't slept in the first place. Instead he stayed up all night thinking, his 'favorite' pastime.
He knew today was his birthday, but to him, that didn't mean anything. He wasn't going to get any special treatment from anyone and he knew that. He'd be lucky if his sister came to see him at all.
So he wasn't excited. There was, however, one person he didn't account for. Fool Bright. Of course he would know what today was, of course. Fool Bright came to his cell early that morning, with a card and present tucked under his arm.
And of course, the first words he said were, "Happy birthday Simon! I'm so sorry I couldn't bring you a cupcake, but that would be against prison rules. I'm sorry! Everyone deserves a cupcake on their birthday, especially somebody like you."
Fool Bright brought him a card and, somehow, a gift, and he had the gall to apologize? Simon vocalized none of this, but he was happy that someone brought him something. He kept a frown locked onto his face, but deep down he knew how his heart lit up with joy. Stupid, he scolded himself.
"Whatever. I don't know why you bothered getting me anything. Don't you have anyone better to be buying things for? You talk about your mother quite admirably, why not but her something?" Simon said instead of what he really felt. He'd become somewhat of an impulsive liar during his years in prison. He had a mask to uphold.
"I'll hear none of that now Simon! Today is your day. It's not an inconvenience to me," Fool Bright replied wholeheartedly, shoving the gift and card at Simon.
The card said 'In Justice We Trust!' on the front, and inside were the signatures of too many people for Simon to count. Prosecutor Gavin, Phoenix Wright, Athena, some words from Bobby's mother that Bobby had written for her, Detective Gumshoe, the chief prosecutor himself, some random old lady who Fool Bright apparently carried groceries for, etc. There was also a long paragraph from Fool Bright himself about how 'Simon, you're so important to me and I hope you realize how many people care about you' and things of that nature. Simon was embarrassed at how much the card seemed to warm his heart.
The gift had Simon curious. What could Bobby possibly be giving him? It couldn't be contraband, because Bobby was a goody two shoes, so what the hell was it?
Simon slowly opened the gift to find ten stacks of origami paper, each stack a different color. The different colored stacks were stacked again on top of each other to create a mega stack of origami paper.
Simon tried to ignore the feeling of his heartbeat going quicker, but he couldn't. The paper took him back, deep in his memories.
When Athena was just barely ten, she loved all kinds of arts and crafts. She'd make everyone paintings, drawings, sometimes Juniper would help her knit. But what she loved the most was origami. Her mother would buy her origami paper, and she'd turn it into the most intricate little things. Flowers, envelopes, stars, mini present boxes, fans, etc.
That particular night, the night before the UR-1 launch, Simon stayed at the space center deep into the night. Athena was making little origami stars to put all around the space center, but it wasn't a one person project. Not just Simon, but Metis, Ponco, Clonco, and Clay had all stayed at the space center all night helping Athena make her little stars. The space center looked extra nice the next morning.
It was one of Simon's fondest memories. He didn't mean to remember it now, that memory in particular always made him emotional. He hated when his emotions slipped.
Simon didn't even realize the tears streaming down his face until Bobby was sitting on the floor next to him apologizing.
"Ah! I'm so sorry Simon! I didn't know you didn't like origami! Goodness, you must really hate it if it's enough to make you cry! I'm sorry!" The detective apologized frantically.
"Bobby," Simon interrupted, startling Bobby beyond belief. Simon never called him anything other than 'Fool Bright'. "I-I... I love it. Thank you Bobby."
The two of them sat together making paper crafts together for far longer than Simon had ever planned to.