"look, sir! look!" beaming, he points to the hawk currently roosting on his shoulder, "i think he likes me!" taka studies him for a second... and then promptly bites his ear. "YEE - IIPE -- !!"
@trustjustice // UNPROMPTED.
Simon hadn't known this bumbling fool all that long, but he'd felt like he knew this man way too long already. Everything about the man annoyed the ever-loving bloody piss out of the Twisted Samurai. The way he carried himself, always spoke and laughed too loud, had way too much energy all the time-- he was too much. Just.. too much.
At the same time, however ... Simon was troubled. He couldn't deny that the man was good for a few things no matter how much he wanted to -- and one such thing was that he treated him ... like a person.
Not many people did that these days.
For good reason, too -- who would think that someone as twisted and lost a cause as Simon Blackquill, harbinger of the so-called dark age of the law, would be worth treating like a person? Certainly not Simon himself. He'd grown accustomed to the cold way that many people treated him, looked at him like he was some sort of unsightly beast with his unsightly appearance; gaunt pale skin, a frighteningly tall posture, tear scars that were starting to grow worryingly long, hair that settled between his shoulder blades in length, always matted and hiding his eyes. Though he was only freshly 24, he looked so much older with how much Prison had changed him.
Bizarrely, Bobby was never frightened.
No, he never was. The man couldn't place why; Fulbright was such a mystery to him in every way. Never giving up on him, always taking the mean things he said in stride, never showing any fear -- honestly, Simon really thought the poor sap must be brain damaged to not be afraid of him.
Honestly.. he really hadn't realized just how much he took for granted all the things he did for him. Take him out to lunch outings, coming to spend time if he thought he needed company, feeding him more than just the slop they called Prison Cafeteria Food so that he could 'get some meat on his bones!', and most importantly..... helping to save this little bird Simon rescued.
When Simon had smuggled that injured baby bird into his cell, he hadn't expected him to make it. The little scamp defied all odds by managing to heal from its injuries anyways, but he couldn't exactly keep up feeding it so well -- not as well as he'd like, anyways, without help. He was SO certain that if that Fool had caught him in the act of taking care of it, he'd make him release it or turn it over to some rescue animal center, because "it'd be the just thing to do!" .... .. so imagine his surprise when the detective, having caught him redhanded, instead.... helped him? He'd started to pick up bird-care books. Did research on what kind of bird this was. Arranged for Simon to be able to sneak more time with it, because "it wouldn't be just to separate you two when you've bonded!" and so much more. Why was he even doing this? The former prosecutor didn't know. Honestly, he keeps waiting for the other shoe to drop even now, but it never does.
He earnestly, honestly wants to help him.
Even now, as they sat outside at some picnic table at Gourd Lake, he was doing everything in his power to help him and his bird feel more at home.
Simon still didn't trust him so easily.
.. That said ..
Taka had settled on Bobby's shoulder to try and get closer to him. It was the first time the young hawk had even tried to do so on anyone else other than Blackquill, which came as a surprise to both of them. Simon hesitantly encouraged it-- this guy may be a totally annoying buffoon, but he was good with animals. He knew he wouldn't hurt Taka.
When the bird finally seemed to get comfortable, he eagerly pointed at how the bird roosted on him ...
....
only for Taka to lean over and PECK him. The yowl that ensued got a barked laughter out of Simon -- a devillish grin, happy to see that he'd faced some penance for his annoyingly optimistic hubris. He crosses his arms, shackles clattering gently as he does so; leaning back, a stray feather idly rolls between his lips.
Taka nipping people was nothing new, but it was really amusing that he waited to perch on him before doing so. The hawk didn't even stop trying to peck, either; pulling at Bobby's stray hairs, it was clear he was curious about SOMETHING with his hair. Maybe it was the stupid amount of gel he used, or the smell of his cologne that caught his interest. Who's to really say?
All Simon knows is, he's pretty darn amused.
"Hah! I suppose he does. Fancy that."