Work Text:
Simon had been busy. So very, extremely busy. After being released from prison, there were a lot of things to do.
The most important thing he had to do was get an apartment. He needed to live somewhere. After a few nights of sleeping on Athena's couch, he got his living situation sorted out. His apartment was small, and a bit bland in all honesty, but at least he had a place to stay.
Then of course, there was work. Chief Prosecutor Edgeworth wanted him to take paid time off, of course. He had just been through a lot and probably needed to rest. Simon was taking none of it. He started taking cases again immediately.
On top of all this, he had met the real Bobby Fulbright. Bobby had been taken hostage in his own home a year ago, and was only rescued during Athena's trial. Luckily, Bobby was recovering mentally and physically. He had cuts and bruises, and he was very malnourished, but he was healing. And mentally, he may have been scared and even a bit incoherent and unbelieving when the police first found him, he was doing surprisingly well for someone who was taken hostage. He was let out of the hospital about a week after being found, though he started regularly seeing a therapist and had to be kept on an eating schedule.
Simon wasn't quite sure how to feel about Bobby. He and the Phantom were obviously different. Bobby's eyes shined ten times brighter, his smile a hundred times more sincere. Bobby had passions for things that the phantom didn't even try to mimic. He loved to crochet, he loved justice, and he had a really good relationship with his mom.
Bobby apparently used to call his mom every day after work, and he said his least favorite part about being hostage was that he couldn't talk to his mom anymore. He knew the phantom didn't call her, and he worried about her getting lonely.
Simon had met her briefly, when she came to visit her son. The resemblance between them was uncanny. Simon didn't understand the relationship between Bobby and his mom. Nobody had cared for Simon when he was young.
Simon had done a lot in the past two weeks.
Simon had been visiting Athena when she asked a very unprompted question.
"So, when's your housewarming party going to be?"
Simon hasn't considered this. He wasn't one for parties, and his apartment wasn't even all that extravagant! Why should he have a whole party for something that didn't matter? He told Athena as much.
"I don't see a point in having one."
"Don't see a point?! Are you kidding me?! This is something to celebrate Simon! You have to have a housewarming party. Its not just about the house, it's about your freedom!"
Simon wasn't fully convinced, but with all the nagging Athena did, he would be soon.
The party was small and unimportant, much like the home it celebrated. It was more of a get-together than a party. The only people there were Simon, Athena, Bobby, and for some inexplicable reason, Klavier.
The four had plenty of fun together, drinking (Simon drank tea), and playing party games (Simon only watched). Eventually the party died down, and by died down I mean Klavier left, leaving Simon, Athena, and Bobby to chat.
As his friends chatted away, Simon zoned out. He thought about his life. Things were starting to slow down. He wasn't as busy, and now he had tine to just think. This all felt like a big dream.
Simon thought he'd never see Athena again when he was convicted. They'd been as close as siblings before, but she never visited him in prison.
And Bobby, oh Bobby. When the phantom had acted as Bobby, Simon had sort of admired a few of his traits. His need for justice, his persistent smiles. But in a way, Simon knew it was all fake. The phantom's eyes were dead, soulless. His smile was fake and scary in a way.
But Bobby, real, actual Bobby, was so real. So full of emotion. His eyes sparkled with life, he talked about the things he loved so passionately. Simon felt a way about him that he couldn't quite describe, like nothing he'd ever felt before.
Gosh, Simon was lucky. Having people who cared about him, who loved him. Who he loved. It was something he hadn't felt in a long time. He hadn't felt anything for such a long time. Sadness, happiness, love. It was all rushing to him.
Athena noticed Simon zoning out. "You okay?"
Simon startled out of his trance, stuttering, "Oh, I'm f-fine."
But Athena could tell, Simon was not fine. Not only did his voice reek of emotions, but he never stuttered! He couldn't be fine.
Bobby noticed too. Simon internally cursed himself for letting his guard down for a minute. He was a better liar than this, but right now his talent was nowhere to be seen. He felt safer around Athena and Bobby. Damn safety!
"Simon, I think Athena's right. I know we haven't been friends for long, but you don't seem okay right now..."
Simon started to feel emotional. It was the classic dilemma of being overwhelmed with feeling but keeping it inside until some ne'er-do-well asks if you're okay, and only then starting to cry.
Fuck, Simon is crying, huh?
Athena and Bobby immediately scooch closer to him. "Are you okay? What's wrong? What are you feeling?"
Simon didn't know the answer to any of the questions they asked him. He couldn't properly articulate what he felt, so he just kept crying. He hated to admit it, but it felt amazing. He hadn't cried in so long. At some point, he'd become numb. But now, in the safety and comfort of his own home with the people he loved the most, he could finally let some walls down.
He felt two pairs of arms wrap him into a double sided hug. He leaned into it. He hadn't been hugged in so long, he didn't even care about keeping on a persona anymore.
"It's okay Simon. All three of us have been through a lot, but it's ok now," came Athena's comforting voice. "We can finally leave this all in the past and move on, start new lives for ourselves okay? It's okay Simon, it's..." Now she started to tear up too. She hugged Simon tighter.
Bobby watched, still hugging Simon's other side. "Athena's right. We can start a new chapter. And I really hope that in that new chapter, you and I can get to know each other even better, okay?" Watching Simon cry started making Bobby's eyes water up a bit, too.
And there they were. Three teary eyed friends, on a couch together. It may seem sad now, but from that moment on, everything really was okay.