A Flighty Affair (Chapter 9)
Aug. 6th, 2014 10:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
athenablackquillAthena was nervously brushing her hair when she heard a knock on the door. She set the brush down and took one last look in the mirror. Memories of a quick kiss in a grocery store brought color to her cheeks and she quickly turned, adjusting herself, and made her way to the door, picking up her purse as she went.
"Right on time," she said, swinging the door open. Her mouth opened slightly as she took the sight of him in. Simon wore a double-breasted peak lapel tuxedo, with cufflinks featuring the Blackquill insignia. The most surprising thing, however, would be the light blue tie Simon was wearing.
"Is it... too much?" Simon asked nervously, noticing Athena's blush when she noticed the tie.
"No," she responded, smiling. She reached over and pulled the tie out so she could examine it closer. "It's really, really cute," she said, resisting the urge to pull on his tie to pull their lips together again. She put the tie back in its place and smiled at him.
SImon shifted his weight anxiously. He couldn't help but notice how beautiful Athena looked, in her strapless dress, with the ribbon the same color as his. Simon chuckled. It's almost like we're going to prom. Simon stopped when his eyes made their way to Athena's collarbone, however. At first it was in order to admire the curves along her neck and chest, but quickly he noticed something he hadn't seen in a long time.
"Athena, is that..." he asked, reaching out to fondle her necklace.
Athena smiled more gently now. "Yes... I didn't know if you'd remember it."
"Your mother gave this to you on your eighth birthday. It was before she made Widget, and before the earring was made. I thought you had lost this..."
"Well, I had, for a long time," Athena responded, meeting his hand with hers and moving it down by their waists. She walked out of her door and closed it behind her, locking it. "One day, the clasp broke. Aura offered to fix it for me, and then I didn't see it for a long time. It wasn't until I went back to the Cosmos Space Center that she realized she'd never given it back, so after she was put into prison, she told me where to find it."
Simon laughed as they made their way outside, to where a black car was waiting for them. "I still... find it a bit awkward you two have become fast friends."
"We used to be good friends, all of us, you know?" Athena squeezed Simon's hand as he used the other to open the car door for her. "Thank you," she said, getting into the car.
"Troye Druzey, right?" a familiar voice came from the front of the car. The speaker did not quite pronounce the restaurant's name correctly, but it was still obvious what he said.
"Gumshoe?" Athena laughed.
"I... apologize. I have not yet purchased a vehicle, so Gumshoe was kind enough to offer to drive us." Simon was clearly embarrassed about this, but Athena shrugged.
"It works for me!" she said happily, trying to make Simon feel more comfortable. It was a little weird, but certainly not the weirdest thing that had ever happened to her. After all, she was going out on a date with her mom's former apprentice who recently got out of prison and owns a hawk who hates her. Definitely not the weirdest thing that's happened to her, even within the past few days.
Still, the ride was silent, as it was awkward to be too close to one another with Gumshoe driving and babbling along about how much he appreciated the two of them getting together and how it was wonderful Edgeworth and Wright were able to figure out the whole Phantom thing. He made mention that things were getting weird with the Phantom in the detention cell but it was nothing he couldn't handle, no-sir-ee. Things were under control. And now that they weren't using the Paynes as often in cases anymore, mistrials were happening less, and really Edgeworth should consider letting them go completely, but he understands that first Edgeworth would want to find suitable replacements, and man does that guy have high standards. Athena nodded along politely as Gumshoe talked about his first date with Maggey and how that was a disaster but of course Maggey is a wonderful woman and understood that things were probably going to get weird, what with the two of them being kind of clumsy. Right, pal? Of course. And after this he'd have to head home to Missile, who has just been such a good dog lately--
"Gumshoe," Simon finally interrupted. "We are here. Thank you so much for the ride," he said through gritted teeth. Maybe I should have asked Edgeworth-dono instead. That would have probably been more awkward, somehow.
"Thanks Gumshoe!" Athena called as Simon opened the door for her and she exited the car. Gumshoe waved happily and drove off after reminding Simon he could call at any time and either he or Maggey would be there to pick him up. "He's so cute," Athena said, giggling.
"Cute is a word, I suppose, though not one I would assign to him." Simon frowned. "In any case, I will get us our seats." Together, they walked arm in arm into Troye Druzey.
The inside of the restaurant appeared out of a fairytale, with clapboarded windows and fake ivy crawling up the brick walls. Red curtains with gold details draped across the corners of the rooms, and candlelit chandeliers illuminated the wooden floors and charming tables.
"This... is way different than I expected..." Athena said, adding when she saw who she thought might be the manager, "--but in a good way! It's really pretty."
"Ah, yes, we get this a lot, beautiful woman," the man cheerfully explained. "Simon!" The man clapped his hands together and walked up to Simon, grabbing his right hand and shaking it violently. "I am glad you and beautiful lady were able to come! Yes, sit, I get you best seats in the house!"
"This stunning woman is Athena Cykes, Aleksei. Athena, this is Aleksei, owner of Troye Druzey. Athena tells me you have wonderful Pelmeni." Simon nodded, smiling.
"Athena, you have had pelmeni here?"
Athena blushed slightly. "O-oh, no. I've had it before, I just heard it was really good from Mr. Edgeworth. I've never been here before..."
"Ah yes, Mr. Miles. Yes he is good man. Here is seat, please, let me seat beautiful Athena. You have lovely bracelet, Athena. Did Simon give this to you?" When Athena nodded, Aleksei tapped his head knowingly. "Simon is a man with taste, I say all the time! Beautiful jewelry for beautiful woman." Aleksei seated Athena and drew out a notepad. "Will you both be having Pelmeni?"
"I will," Athena said, and Simon nodded.
"I am willing to try it, yes. Would it also be possible to get some ptichye moloko for dessert? I would like Athena to try it."
"Of course! And I will bring wine, yes?" After Simon nodded, Aleksei left them to talk.
"What is ptichye moloko?" Athena asked after he was out of earshot.
Simon sighed. "Ah, well this is embarrassing for me, but it's called 'Bird's Milk Cake.' It's a type of sponge cake."
Athena clapped her hands together under her chin. "That sounds delicious! Sponge cake is actually my favorite!"
Simon smiled and looked at the table nervously. "I remember." Athena had had sponge cake for the last birthday she'd had before Metis had been murdered. Simon had always promised himself that should he get out, he'd buy her some. He hadn't had a chance until now to do so, however.
Athena blushed and stared intently at the table as well. "That's... really cute."
This is going to be wonderful, she thought to herself as she glanced back up at Simon. This is going to be so much fun.
"Right on time," she said, swinging the door open. Her mouth opened slightly as she took the sight of him in. Simon wore a double-breasted peak lapel tuxedo, with cufflinks featuring the Blackquill insignia. The most surprising thing, however, would be the light blue tie Simon was wearing.
"Is it... too much?" Simon asked nervously, noticing Athena's blush when she noticed the tie.
"No," she responded, smiling. She reached over and pulled the tie out so she could examine it closer. "It's really, really cute," she said, resisting the urge to pull on his tie to pull their lips together again. She put the tie back in its place and smiled at him.
SImon shifted his weight anxiously. He couldn't help but notice how beautiful Athena looked, in her strapless dress, with the ribbon the same color as his. Simon chuckled. It's almost like we're going to prom. Simon stopped when his eyes made their way to Athena's collarbone, however. At first it was in order to admire the curves along her neck and chest, but quickly he noticed something he hadn't seen in a long time.
"Athena, is that..." he asked, reaching out to fondle her necklace.
Athena smiled more gently now. "Yes... I didn't know if you'd remember it."
"Your mother gave this to you on your eighth birthday. It was before she made Widget, and before the earring was made. I thought you had lost this..."
"Well, I had, for a long time," Athena responded, meeting his hand with hers and moving it down by their waists. She walked out of her door and closed it behind her, locking it. "One day, the clasp broke. Aura offered to fix it for me, and then I didn't see it for a long time. It wasn't until I went back to the Cosmos Space Center that she realized she'd never given it back, so after she was put into prison, she told me where to find it."
Simon laughed as they made their way outside, to where a black car was waiting for them. "I still... find it a bit awkward you two have become fast friends."
"We used to be good friends, all of us, you know?" Athena squeezed Simon's hand as he used the other to open the car door for her. "Thank you," she said, getting into the car.
"Troye Druzey, right?" a familiar voice came from the front of the car. The speaker did not quite pronounce the restaurant's name correctly, but it was still obvious what he said.
"Gumshoe?" Athena laughed.
"I... apologize. I have not yet purchased a vehicle, so Gumshoe was kind enough to offer to drive us." Simon was clearly embarrassed about this, but Athena shrugged.
"It works for me!" she said happily, trying to make Simon feel more comfortable. It was a little weird, but certainly not the weirdest thing that had ever happened to her. After all, she was going out on a date with her mom's former apprentice who recently got out of prison and owns a hawk who hates her. Definitely not the weirdest thing that's happened to her, even within the past few days.
Still, the ride was silent, as it was awkward to be too close to one another with Gumshoe driving and babbling along about how much he appreciated the two of them getting together and how it was wonderful Edgeworth and Wright were able to figure out the whole Phantom thing. He made mention that things were getting weird with the Phantom in the detention cell but it was nothing he couldn't handle, no-sir-ee. Things were under control. And now that they weren't using the Paynes as often in cases anymore, mistrials were happening less, and really Edgeworth should consider letting them go completely, but he understands that first Edgeworth would want to find suitable replacements, and man does that guy have high standards. Athena nodded along politely as Gumshoe talked about his first date with Maggey and how that was a disaster but of course Maggey is a wonderful woman and understood that things were probably going to get weird, what with the two of them being kind of clumsy. Right, pal? Of course. And after this he'd have to head home to Missile, who has just been such a good dog lately--
"Gumshoe," Simon finally interrupted. "We are here. Thank you so much for the ride," he said through gritted teeth. Maybe I should have asked Edgeworth-dono instead. That would have probably been more awkward, somehow.
"Thanks Gumshoe!" Athena called as Simon opened the door for her and she exited the car. Gumshoe waved happily and drove off after reminding Simon he could call at any time and either he or Maggey would be there to pick him up. "He's so cute," Athena said, giggling.
"Cute is a word, I suppose, though not one I would assign to him." Simon frowned. "In any case, I will get us our seats." Together, they walked arm in arm into Troye Druzey.
The inside of the restaurant appeared out of a fairytale, with clapboarded windows and fake ivy crawling up the brick walls. Red curtains with gold details draped across the corners of the rooms, and candlelit chandeliers illuminated the wooden floors and charming tables.
"This... is way different than I expected..." Athena said, adding when she saw who she thought might be the manager, "--but in a good way! It's really pretty."
"Ah, yes, we get this a lot, beautiful woman," the man cheerfully explained. "Simon!" The man clapped his hands together and walked up to Simon, grabbing his right hand and shaking it violently. "I am glad you and beautiful lady were able to come! Yes, sit, I get you best seats in the house!"
"This stunning woman is Athena Cykes, Aleksei. Athena, this is Aleksei, owner of Troye Druzey. Athena tells me you have wonderful Pelmeni." Simon nodded, smiling.
"Athena, you have had pelmeni here?"
Athena blushed slightly. "O-oh, no. I've had it before, I just heard it was really good from Mr. Edgeworth. I've never been here before..."
"Ah yes, Mr. Miles. Yes he is good man. Here is seat, please, let me seat beautiful Athena. You have lovely bracelet, Athena. Did Simon give this to you?" When Athena nodded, Aleksei tapped his head knowingly. "Simon is a man with taste, I say all the time! Beautiful jewelry for beautiful woman." Aleksei seated Athena and drew out a notepad. "Will you both be having Pelmeni?"
"I will," Athena said, and Simon nodded.
"I am willing to try it, yes. Would it also be possible to get some ptichye moloko for dessert? I would like Athena to try it."
"Of course! And I will bring wine, yes?" After Simon nodded, Aleksei left them to talk.
"What is ptichye moloko?" Athena asked after he was out of earshot.
Simon sighed. "Ah, well this is embarrassing for me, but it's called 'Bird's Milk Cake.' It's a type of sponge cake."
Athena clapped her hands together under her chin. "That sounds delicious! Sponge cake is actually my favorite!"
Simon smiled and looked at the table nervously. "I remember." Athena had had sponge cake for the last birthday she'd had before Metis had been murdered. Simon had always promised himself that should he get out, he'd buy her some. He hadn't had a chance until now to do so, however.
Athena blushed and stared intently at the table as well. "That's... really cute."
This is going to be wonderful, she thought to herself as she glanced back up at Simon. This is going to be so much fun.
