#she’s cute and kind and nurturing and strong and ruthless | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

itsclydebitches · 3 years ago

Note

A preview for the Roman Neo book came out. Did you read it? I didn't but I want to hear your thoughts on it.

I just read it now!

The preview gave us the first chapter and the initial interaction of the second, flipflopping between Neo and Roman's stories, much like BTD. I think Neo's chapter has more to discuss in it, so I'll focus mostly on that.

We're not actually seeing things through her perspective (theoretically — more on that below), but rather Trivia's, a girl turning eight the next day. The chapter covers her playing a game of silent tag with Neo after her mom and dad have gone to bed, accidentally breaking a vase and getting in trouble for it. Some of it is cute — I like the image of a young Neo playing games, including the floor is lava, and that she's presented as Trivia's "imaginary friend" — but the rest is a pretty standard RWBY setup. Honestly, Trivia's life feels like a carbon copy of the Schnee's. Her family is clearly quite rich, what with the Mistral oriental rug they're jumping onto, the expensive vase she breaks, a mound of birthday presents waiting, etc. Her father is some kind of politician, a member of the Vale City Council, and he tries to justify his explosive anger with how hard his work is, things he puts up with for his family. Trivia sees his "barely controlled anger" that later turns to "rage." He holds her upside down after pulling her from beneath the couch (her first instinct is to hide) and shakes her a bit before dropping her. Then he vaguely orders one of the women in the room to clean the mess up before going back to bed. Trivia's mother, meanwhile, is the more nurturing figure, but who inevitably gives in to her husband's temper. Her pushes for leniency fall on deaf ears and later, when Trivia still won't speak when they're alone, she flinches, gets mad, and leaves Trivia alone, repeating her husband's order to clean up this mess. She's kinder, but isn't able to control her husband's cruelty and, inevitably, feeds into it.

Sound like any other family dynamics we've seen?

The father — Jimmy — gets a side of ableism with his generally implied abuse. Interestingly, Trivia is mute with her father telling her to "speak up for yourself" (implying she physically can speak, but struggles emotionally to do so) and her mom, as said, eventually grows frustrated too and leaves when Trivia won't talk to her. I will say that I like that the text includes a communication board, even if both parents clearly don't like Trivia using it, and her muteness certainly introduces an unexpected dynamic. It's unlikely that we have two mute characters who just happen to have become friends (with one sneaking into the house and managing to hide from the parents behind a pile of presents for this whole conversation), so my assumption is that Trivia is Neo. Neo, as a young girl, is born Trivia to rich parents (the family portrait on the book's cover) and imagines herself up a playmate named "Neopolitan." Neo is just like Trivia — they're both mute, the text describes them mirroring each other while playing, they're both wearing fancy dresses, Trivia instinctively knows what Neo is "saying" — but she's better, more acrobatic, more confident, more rebellious... everything a sheltered, probably abused girl would want to be. In time, Trivia gains that skill and confidence (floor is lava makes good acrobatic practice!) and rebrands herself as her own imaginary friend. Interestingly, her mother (with brown eyes) flinches when Trivia makes eye contact with her, which one might do if your kid has mismatched eyes and you dislike that for some reason, such as it not being "normal," as they discuss in regards to her muteness. Brown hair and eye, a pink eye... and the last name Vanille. Ta da, with brown, pink, and white — chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla —you get the name Neopolitan, which Trivia eventually takes on as her real name from then on. (The sweets based name might also be a subconscious homage to her kinder parent — the mom's name is Carmel). We see at the end of the chapter that Trivia is giving in to "Neopolitan's" rebellious nature, grounding the smashed vase into dust, smearing blood on the couch, and leaving the room without cleaning anything up as she was told. All of this makes far more sense if we don't read the girls as two people, but one, with Trivia slowing coming into the personality she's imagined for herself.

I like the setup so far. Yes, it has its potentials for pitfalls in how Neo's mutism and "imaginary friend" is handled, but so far the only thing I dislike is the Schnee 2.0 dynamic, which just feels redundant. I got excited for a moment when the communication board came out, thinking that these might be good parents (good adults!) helping their kid communicate however she's most comfortable... but no. Sigh.

Roman, meanwhile, is a lot more straightforward and... it's fine? Not as engaging as the questions that Neo's chapter raises, but solid. We learn that he's 18 (presumably making him a decade older than Neo then) and that he moved to Mistral about a year ago. He's living on the streets and trying not to freeze or starve to death, camping outside a nightclub to find drunk victims to rob. The part of his chapter we get shows him stealing a man's wallet, pretending to give it back, and then threatening him so he gives up his coat and gloves instead (since the guy blew all his money at the club — the main attraction apparently uses her semblance to lure people in). We end with Roman breaking the man's knee anyway, despite his cooperation. It's precisely the sort of ruthless, street-thug, but obsessed with looking good while he does it (the coat is apparently very fine) that we would expect of Roman.

Detail I really liked? Roman apparently spent a long time practicing twirling his cane in front of a mirror — lol. Detail I didn't like? The night club performer whose semblance was “one of those special abilities some people had that often seemed like magic." How does one semblance seem like magic compared to others that apparently don't? They're all insane abilities?? This franchise still has no good distinction between the two.

Myers also flipflops between strong and weak writing a lot. We've got the strong "[The wealthy] held their noses so high, they didn’t notice what was right under them” when Roman robs the guy of his wallet, followed by the terrible "Have you ever wondered what it feels like to be a punching bag?" when he's trying to threaten him. It's a mixed bag. But I will say that these excerpts feel far, far stronger than what I was reading in BTD. Honestly, reading that I kept wondering why so many in the fandom loved his work, but if what I've read of Roman Holiday is consistent across the book and if that's closer to the quality of ATF, I can much better understand the interest. BTD may have been the fluke among three novels, rather than the rule. Which is great!

#rwby #mymetas

28 notes · View notes

dirtyrottenraskel · 4 years ago

Text

my take on yueki's personalities

yue

notes / personality

cocky (but also like understated confidence - r e g a l af)

kind of a nerd

maybe a little entitled, and a little bratty and suki loves to indulge her or to rile her up depending on her mood

books

seems soft but made of steel

strong sense of duty

socially intelligent - can be manipulative and suki (the dork) thinks it is so hot

aloof queen bee typa beat

supportive, both in ur day to day and in going after your big moral life goals

deep water - steady and powerful, often underestimated

untold depths, private yet surprisingly nurturing - master of deflecting away from herself

political nerd - well read, and when she has someone she trusts not to take advantage of her, she goes OFF

distrusting of most people, has been used and ignored and underestimated her whole life

patient - homegirl knows how to play the long game

excellent at pai sho / chess

she and suki have epic battles of wits - dif types of strategy but both are really into it and get a little too competitive (multiple board games have had to be replaced over the years)

loves travel bc wasn’t allowed to much, esp when she was sick

was super repressed growing up - never let her be herself or really have any sort of independence

used to sneak out and wander around in rebellion and casually sabotage plans and decisions she didn’t agree with

introverted, many opinions but keeps them to herself, discreet but well spoken

weaponizes secrets and information - doesn’t often use it but...she could

definitlyyyyy worries and overthinks and re-evaluates - worries ab social politics a lot

obsessive about picking things - wants it to be perfect

shes growing into her confidence as a leader

prefers quite intimate places

incredibly romantic

classic lit

planner for the future - visionary

kind / sweet / gentle - yes, but that’s also her “front” to a degree (seriously, i feel like she gets painted as so sweet and submissive and one dimensional by the fandom a lot of times and it freakin kills me)

INFJ-T (The Advocate) ((yes this is from 16p which i know is not super accurate but u can still catch her overall vibes from it ya know)

Creative/insightful/principled/compassionate/altruistic

sensitive/reluctant to open up/perfectionist/prone to burnout/not a fan of the ordinary

friendships / relationships

(<> indicates that they’re one of her best friends)

sokka - puppy love crushes, laugh ab it now, get into deep late night talks about responsibilities and leading, water tribe culture, prank wars (no one believes sokka when he says yue is a mean prank master (expect suki comes to see it in action lol))

katara - <> badass women friendship, totally would go to matches and protests together, tough girl shit, waterbending practice/duels - start of cautious, but then get rough in a good way bc they trust each other, they do water tribe food adventures together

toph - indulges her chaos, bonding over stupid royal upbringings, odd yet weirdly endearing pair

zuko - both sort of standoffish gay royals, but once they come to see that they are friends - take up similar spaces though, so only hang out in a group or rarely by themselves, they do hang out at like political parties and stuff when they get more comfortable together

aang - <> he has an impressive world view, yue is super studied and well read, so she and aang nerd out over past cultures together, and also their peace keeping nature, they have tea together often - usually after she and katara wipe the floor w/ each other

clothing / aesthetic:

blues and pale colors

classy and understated wealth

like those cute feminine button down shirts

dresses

like cold weather classy

complicated braids

sort of soft girl aesthetic?

pleated skirts !!!

i feel like she would wear ethically sourced fur (i don’t wear fur but idk how to get it in an ethical way - maybe it’s just fake??)

knit sweaters and skinny jeans and heeled ankle boots

light academia !!!

hella funky earrings - to mark her native pride and also cuz gay

from my readings, tattoos have a lot of cultural significance for Inuit women, and so i feel like yue would totally have some (when she comes of age ofc)

suki

notes / personality

extroverted

also very strategic

more spontaneous tho - will totally calculate the odds in a spilt second in her head and then just go for it

like still a careful planner, but willing to say fuck it, yolo if it seems right

reflects on her mistakes, but more in like a healthy way - unless it was a leadership mistake, then it eats her up inside - worries more ab keeping her girls safe and making the right call

likes lively places

total bashful romantic

manages the present and the short term - realist

loves to do lists

a little punch happy - loves to make violent threats, but also does it out of excitement and she’s just a really physical person tbh

steady, can come off as stubborn and abrasive but she really just wants what’s best for everyone she loves

harsh on herself and worries about her girls a lot

always ends up in the oddest situations

totally would kick someone’s ass for being racist/sexist/homophobic/etc

dedicated to her training and her regime

not a great cook, but she can manage

would drink monsters

has a weird relationship with femininity - took her awhile to reconcile strength and toughness and being assertive and aggressive with also wanting to feel pretty and feminine and embracing being a girl and how those things can coincide and amplify each other

abandonment issues - parents absent/dead

was imprisoned - obvi she had several almost successful escape attempts, but she got really close to breaking

was incredibly independent really early, grew up really fast and tries to make up for that now by sometimes being reckless

tough/assertive/woman of action

dry sense of humor/sarcastic - not good at nickname/pun humor tho

practical/dedicated/strong-willed/direct/honest/reliable/loyal/patient

stubborn/judgmental/difficult to relax/difficulty expressing emotions/too selfless

friendships / relationships

(<> indicates that they’re one of her best friends)

sokka - <> man they’re like platonic soulmates - she beat him up, and now they spar all the time, totally funny and crack jokes all the time, go skating together, they do shitty art together, and then show their lovers after zuko and yue come back from their high society mixers, broke her out of prison, m/f friendship !!!

katara - also sparring buddies (suki will throw down at any literally moment (and tbh so will katara)), not close but will hang in a group - go to each other for advice

toph - <> listen these two wreak havoc together, they help each other out a lot, i feel like they’re shopping buddies (similar enough style to frequent the same shops) toph knows suki won’t judge her for wanting to feel pretty and suki knows toph will be honest, they are both blunt sarcastic assholes and get along like a house on fire

zuko - <> shows zuko how to like,,,enjoy things (and how to let go of some of that pressure to be always right and the adult and in charge bc they were raised with so much responsibility on their shoulders even tho they were just kids)? she is also super protective of him (once she trusts him), one of the only ppl who can match suki fully in hand to hand combat, both do the Disappointed Parent Look when the group falls into chaos, but by themselves, the two of them end up in hijinks

aang- suki enjoys his optimism and they’re just chill bros, they love exploring abandoned placed together

clothing / aesthetic

sporty and skater mixed

ripped jeans, crewnecks, vans

green and yellow and dark red

gym clothes/athleisure - lifting style gym clothes - cut off t-shirts and bike shorts

skirts too, likes to play into femininity

she’s a gold jewelry kinda girl - but stuff that won’t hinder her movements

necklaces that end in the hollow of her throat & occasionally rings

definitely cuffs all of her jeans (it’s just bisexual culture ya know)

so many crop tops - some came like that, some were more of a diy project

yueki’s relationship!!!

nerd/jock solidarity

feel the burden of responsibility and the weight on their shoulders

they create a safe space between them, full of trust and warmth and vulnerability

yue will read suki sappy passages from poetry books while suki polishes her fans

they slow dance in the kitchen a lot

they get good at ordering takeout - and they have some weird decision making process that only they understand - bc neither of them are great cooks

yue would feel jealous of suki and sokka, if it weren’t for how stupid in love sokka was with zuko and yue can see that suki really only has eyes for her

yue is taller than suki and it amuses her to no end to pick suki up and carry her away from a fight (we all know suki could get away if she wanted to, but when ur hot tall sexy gf throws u over her shoulder,,,,,,u don’t complain)

joke they’ve adopted kataang and zukka, bc they’re all dummies, but in reality every last one of them is stupid LMAO

they love to do each other’s hair and it’s like super intimate and really cute

sometimes it’s these epic elaborate hairstyles and then at other times, they try to see how many ponytails they can fit on suki’s head and how many little braid yue can do

they travel EVERYWHERE

since yue is royalty and suki is her body guard,,,, well i mean, they totally have to see these kingdoms they are doing trade deals with in person

it helps that they're friends with a lot of them

they stay over in everything from camping so they can stargaze to ritzy hotels with hot tubs in the bathroom

yue gives suki rocks she finds on all their travels and suki lines them up on their mantle around the pictures of them in increasingly weird locations

suki loves guarding yue’s meetings bc she gets to watch her absolutely rip a new one into misogynistic old men and it never fails to bring her joy

While yue doesn’t love getting attacked, the ruthless efficiency suki defends her with is like,,,,,stupid attractive

#wow this got long #this is a mix of modern au and canon verse headcanons #but yeah #let these girls have more dimension than just soft uwu gfs #esp yue #yueki #headcanon #atla #yue #suki #yue x suki #wlw #zukka #kataang #sapphic

38 notes · View notes

chickensarentcheap · 5 years ago

Text

I Found- Chapter 16

I wasn’t going to post this tonight, but there’s a lot of Ovi in it for @c-a-v-a-l-r-y

Also tagging: @alievans007 and @hemmyworthy

No warnings

Ovi is out the front door and sprinting for the car before Tyler even manages to get both feet on the ground. Stumbling backwards when the kid catches him off guard: both of those skinny arms wrapping around his upper torso and embracing him tightly.

“Easy there, mate,” he gives a soft chuckle, both embarrassed and startled by the kid's outward show of affection. “Easy.”

He imagines that there's a huge sense of relief now that he's there to help; Ovi trusts him and knows that he'll stop at nothing to keep him safe. He had proven his worth in that department when he'd found a way to get the kid to safety despite knowing the job was well and truly fucked. But there's probably also the sheer joy of just being able to see him in person. His own two eyes able to see for themselves that Tyler was indeed healthy. That he's truly alive and well and right there under his fingertips. Not bloodied and battered back on that bridge telling him to run for the helicopter. How he'd watched with relief when Tyler rallied back and d towards them, only to be shot in the neck. And the last 'in person' memory the kid had of him was seeing him collapsed on the sidewalk, Esme holding him while he lying. Ovi had been rushed to safety before finding out that Tyler had somehow miraculously survived and was in the hospital, struggling to hold on. That he'd be transferred to a facility in Australia when...and if...he was ever stable enough.

Tyler is effectively the only true father figure that the kid has. The one that Ovi calls when he gets better than expected grades or a the highest marks in the class on a test. The one he talks to about girls and his struggles to actually get the balls to interact with them. Who he chats about sports with. Who he confides in when it comes to his hopes and his dreams and wishes for his future. He's terrified of becoming his father. Of being forced to take over the 'family business'. He isn't that kind of person: ruthless, sinister, evil. He is a good kid with a good heart and a bright future. And Tyler had taken it upon himself to make sure things stayed that way. In the past, Saju had attempted to fill that role but had failed miserably. Yes, he'd been protective and strong and had been willing to lay his life on the line for the kid, but he'd never been fatherly. He'd become nothing more than hired help. Never nurturing or encouraging. Never understanding that sometimes a kid just needed to be a kid.

Tyler returns the hug; one hand on the back of Ovi's head, holding it against his shoulder. He can feel the kid's body shuddering against him and the tears through his shirt. And he's taken back to that moment at Gaspar's. When Ovi had clung to him on the stairs, horrified by what he had done. Watching the life drain out of the man that he'd just shot to save Tyler's life and, essentially, his own. He'd been emotionally and physically spent from the day he'd been through. And all he'd wanted to do was go home.

“Christ, mate...” he holds Ovi at arm's length, tousling that unruly dark hair and gently slapping him on the cheek. “...look how bloody big you've gotten. Like you've shot up a whole foot.”

“All grown up,” Esme agrees, and the kid embraces her tightly, a smile on her face as she take his face in her hands. “...you're making me feel really, really old right now,” she says, as her own tears sparkle in her eyes.

There's a genuine affection she feels for that kid. Perhaps her motherly instincts kicking in. But Tyler had even seen it back then, when she'd met up with them at that warehouse. The way she would get him talking about random things to take his mind off of their situation, how she'd smile at him and reach out and take his hand when he was struggling, how she'd reassure him that everything was going to be okay. Even if deep down, she wasn't sure if she believed it herself.

“I'm so so glad you guys are here. I'm so happy to see you,” he manages. That lower lip quivering before he breaks down again. And she takes him into her arms once more, cradling and comforting the way any mother would a child in pain.

Tyler knows that the kid hasn't felt that in a long time: a mother's love, concern, and affection. She well and truly does care for that kid. And seeing the depth of that love and care even makes him emotional and he clears his throat noisily and reaches into the backseat of the car.

“Oh my goodness!” Ovi's entire demeanour immediately changes when he sees the baby carrier now in Tyler's hand . That boyish sparkle in his eyes returning as they widen, a smile spreading across across his face. “Look at her! Look how cute she is!” and he's now beside Tyler, bravely reaching for the baby. Gentle and curious hands exploring; touching tiny feet and, stroking impossibly small fingers, running a finger tip over a silky smooth cheek. “Look how tiny you are,” he breathes. “How can anyone be this tiny?” he wonders aloud, and then smiles at Tyler. “She's even cuter in person. She's so small! How does anything so small come from someone as big as you?!”

“Got her mom's genes I guess, mate.”

“She looks just like you though! It's kind of creepy actually. Not creepy in a bad way. But creepy in like, a wow kind of way. It's so weird. She's like your little twin. She's got your eyes and your nose and your mouth and even yours ear It's freaky.”

“You trying to say my kid's ugly, kid?” Tyler chides, and Ovi's eyes widen as he take his question seriously.

“No! No! She's cute! So very cute. Not that I'm saying you're cute or anything like that because that would be really weird.”

“I don't know whether to be relieved or flattered that you're not attracted to me.”

“He's just yanking your chain,” Esme assures Ovi “And he hears it everywhere we go. From everyone we meet. How she looks just like him. I'm the one that that had the all day sickness and got fat and gross, but by all means, have the child look exactly like the person who put in five minutes of minimal effort at the very beginning.”

“Five minutes,” Tyler scoffs. “And minimal effort? What the...”

“I'm just saying,” she teases, and stands on her tip toes to press a kiss to his cheek. “Here...” she curls her fingers around the handle of the baby carrier. “...she's probably hungry and needs a change. You boys catch up.”

“We'll be in in a bit.” he says, pecking her cheek, softly and playfully tapping his palm against her ass as she goes, Jason and the other members of the team following close behind. Frowning, eyes narrowing, when that kid from Louisiana has the goddamn nerve to place a hand on the small of Esme's back as he escorts her inside.

To the average eye, it would be nothing more than a gentlemanly gesture. To Tyler it's a threat.

“You two make me so happy,” Ovi gushes. Oblivious to the tension. “I'm glad that you stayed together. She kind of scared me, you know, when I first met her. When she came to the warehouse to help us. I didn't understand how someone that looks like her could be so brave. I wondered how she couldn't be scared to to come to our aid. With all that was happening and the people after us, she still showed up. She could have just left. And she didn't. That's real bad ass.”

“She's the real bad ass of the family, mate. And that's what she does. That's her thing. She sacrifices herself for the people she loves.”

“Well I'm glad she does. I'm glad she wasn't too scared to help us. I'm glad she showed up that day.”

“So am I. But don't let her fool you. She was scared. We all were.”

“Even you?”

Tyler nods. “Even me.”

“Well I'm just glad that that two of you are together. She probably keeps you in line and out of trouble.”

“Trust me kid, I'm more scared of her than she is of me. Want to really see her go off? Wait until I leave the toilet seat up or dirty socks on the floor. That's when she really loses it.”

Ovi laughs at that, then suddenly grows quiet again. His face sullen, hands shoved in the pockets of his jeans. “I'm just really glad you're here.”

There tears come again. Scalding. Bitter. A lost and lonely little boy stuck in an almost grown man's body.

It's Tyler who makes the first move this time. Wrapping both arms around the boy. Pulling him close. Like a father.

“I'm here, mate,” he assures her. “I'm here.”

***

The Mahajan's army of hired help has gone out of their way to make everyone feel welcome. Each assigned their own bedroom within that sprawling mansion; fresh, rich lines on the beds, small gifts and notes of appreciation left on pillows., a seemingly endless buffet of food and drink. The maids hover over them throughout dinner. Filling plates despite protestations of someone being full, making sure that drinks were topped off, that anything they wanted was immediately supplied. It was surreal to Tyler. Living like that. He'd always been used to an unassuming and simple life. Spending those bachelor days between his first and second marriage in his rundown shack. Content with living off the land. Being alone. His dog and chicken his only sources of companionship.

Bathroom chicken, Esme had called it. And still referred to it as such when the subject was brought up. And he can still see the both quizzical and amused look that had come over her face when she'd seen his rather unconventional roommate. The day that she'd been suddenly dropped into his life when Nik had brought her along to discuss the Dhaka job. She'd pushed her sunglasses up onto her head, a smirk tugging at her lips, and it was the first time she ever spoke or turned those dark eyes on him.

“There's a chicken in your bathroom.”

A few days later, she'd brought up it in a conversation and coined the nickname Bathroom Chicken.

It stuck.

He sometimes misses that old life. That rundown but familiar little shack. The peace and quiet that came with being out in the middle of nowhere. But he wouldn't trade his new existence. The comfort and security that comes with having someone to love and love you back. With having someone other than himself to take care of. Being a husband and a father again hadn't been in his plans back then, but now they were very much the two most important roles in his life.

“I want to hold her,” Ovi says, addressing the older Indian woman that lingers in the corner, her body swaying side by side as she hums to the baby in her arms. Mahajan Senior had hired someone to help with the child care; promising that she was kind and caring and had decades of experience caring for youngsters. Esme had been skeptical at first when a strange woman with broken English immediately approached her and gestured for her to hand over the baby. It was hard to trust a stranger with your own well being, never mind with the care of your child. Especially your first. “It's my turn. I haven't got to hold her yet. I want to hold her. I'm Uncle Ovi, after all.”

Tyler grins at that. Uncle Ovi. The kid already considering himself a part of their little family.

The woman moves forward, speaking in Hindi as she instructs him on to properly hold an infant. He's awkward at first; nervous, surprised at how light she actually is, maybe even worried that he might hurt her. But then that little body snuggles into his chest and he smiles, settling back in his chair.

“I think she likes me,” he's over the moon about it. He's never been around babies before. He's an only child and doesn't have friends with younger siblings of kids of their own. And his face is as bright and glowing as a kid on Christmas morning that just discovered his biggest wish under the tree. “She's not scared of me. She's really light. And really soft. I like the way she smells.”

“She won't smell so good in about an hour,” Tyler says. “Trust me. You'll be surprised how rank something that looks like her can actually be.”

“He's only upset because he has competition for the stinkiest ass in the ass,” Esme chides, and digs a playful elbow into her husband's side, and then places her hand on his stomach and rests her head against his shoulder.

The help begins clamouring around them. Never speaking as they clear away dishes and cutlery, spiriting them away to the kitchen with promises of coffee and dessert. For several minutes no one speaks, relaxing in the comfortable silence. Their bellies full and their bodies weary from the long day of travel. The only sounds in the room the ticking of a clock on the wall and the soft cooing noises that the baby makes, smiling up at Ovi, her fist tightly closed around one of his fingers.

“Have you heard anything new?” Jason speaks up, addressing the kid, and Tyler sees how Ovi's body immediately tenses and his eyes darken. And he's tempted to just reach across the table and slap the ever loving shit out of the other man. He sure as hell didn't know how to read situations well. How to adjust your approach based on someone's mental state and current level of calm.

Tyler speaks up “We've got lots of time to talk about that. We just got here. No need to rush into it.”

“We're not here on a social call,” the younger man retorts. “We're here on business. For a job. And...”

“We're here because Ovi asked to come here,” Tyler interjects, and he feels his wife's hand tighten on the front of his t-shirt, her body shifting uncomfortably beside him. That head no longer on his shoulder as she sits up straight in her chair. “This isn't a job that is only going to take a couple of days or even a couple of weeks. So relax, mate. We just got here.”

“Why don't you relax.”

The reply isn't a suggestion, it's an order. And his jaw clenches and his eyes narrow, and he would have gotten up right there and then and just beaten the shit out of the kid, but his wife has laid a hand on his knee and is squeezing as hard as she can.

“I want to hear about the girl,” Esme changes the flow of the conversation, bringing down the level of tension. “Tyler says there's a girl at school you like, Ovi.”

His eyes widen, and Tyler can almost see a blush creeping into his cheeks.

“You told her that?” Ovi is mortified “I can't believe you told her that.”

“In his defence, I sort of dragged it out of him,” Esme says. “I remember you telling me about a girl. When we were in the warehouse and I was asking you about school and friends. You mentioned that there was a girl you liked. Is it the same one?”

He nods in confirmation.

“So what's the hold up? From what you told me, she seemed pretty interested back then. And if she's still hanging in there after all this time...”

“I don't know if she likes me,” he laments. “Sometimes I think she does and then sometimes I think she doesn't. I catch her staring at me a lot. Smiling. Sometimes she acts like she wants to come up to talk to me and then changes her mind.”

“That's how it all starts mate,” Tyler grins. “Run away while you still can. They're trouble. The whole lot of them.”

Esme frowns, then retaliates: grabbing a hold of that bit of extra fat that sits at the top of the hips and pinching as hard as she can.

“See what I mean?” he addresses Ovi. “It starts out good. They smile at you. They bat their eyelashes at you. Laugh at your jokes no matter how stupid they are. And they hook you. With how cute they are and how good they smell. And by the time you realize what a heap of shit you're in, you can't get away. You don't want to get away.”

“I have ways of killing you in your sleep,” Esme informs him. “I could do away with you and not one person in this room would squeal on me.”

Across the room, Jason makes a snide comment about how it might be the best thing to ever happen.

“Yeah, you'd like that wouldn't you mate,” Tyler smirks. “Something tells me you wouldn't mind being the one that actually gets to do it.”

“What's her name?” Esme is anxious to get the conversation back on track. “The girl.”

“Priya,” Ovi says, and his smile broadens. “And she's so pretty. Even prettier than her name. “

“So what are you waiting for?” she inquires. “It sounds like she's into you. And why wouldn't she be? You're handsome, smart, funny, talented. Any girl would be lucky to have you.”

“She makes me nervous,” he confesses. “So very nervous.”

“That's when you know it's a good thing. When you feel that way. Do you get butterflies when you think about her? Or when she smiles at you?”

His eyes narrow, confused. “Butterflies?”

“Does your stomach do funny things. Flip flop around and stuff like that. Do you get that when she smiles at you or when you think about her?”

A long, slow grin. “Yeah...” he shyly admits. “...I do.”

“Those butterflies are the best,” Esme declares. “I still get them all the time.”

Tyler can't help but smile at that. Especially when she takes his hand and squeezes.

“You should ask her out. She sounds like she's into you. What's the issue?”

“I'm too shy,” he moans. “I get too nervous around her. I'm afraid I'll say something stupid and embarrass myself.”

“We all do that, mate,” Tyler says. “All us guys when it comes to a beautiful woman. I still say stupid shit and make a fool out of myself.”

“He does,” Esme nods. “All the time. You only know one side of Tyler. You don't know the sides that I do. You don't know what a total cornball he can be. He even has a romantic side.”

“Easy now,” Tyler chuckles. “Let's keep some things need to know. I have a reputation to uphold.”

“He has a total soft side,” Esme continues. “He acts like he's hard ass all the time, but he's not. He could give you pointers. I bet he could get you brave enough to ask Priya out. Just don't let him teach you any of his pick up lines. They border on sexual harassment. You'd probably get punched in the throat for using them. But he can teach you to be more confident. He''s more a man of action. And you know what they say. About actions speaking louder than words.”

The talk gradually turns to sports. World events. Entertainment. As the minutes tick by, the room begins to empty. The security team excusing them for their hourly rounds. Each has a different area to patrol; spots to man through the night and into the morning.

Tyler is tired; jet lag is sinking in, all the trouble spots in his battered body aching at the same time. Yet he can't shut his mind off. He can't quiet the whispers that tell him that there's a threat closer than a lot of them actually realize. And he is now only half listening to the conversation going on around him. Eyes riveted on the mug clasped in his hand, thumb repeatedly brushing against the porcelain.

Esme yawns beside him, then gives his hand a squeeze and stands up. “I'm wiped. I'm going to have a really hot bath and go to bed. You boys keep talking. You have a lot of catching up to do.”

Her hands comes to rest on Tyler's shoulders, fingers kneading at the tight and aching muscles. Then he tips his head back to look at her and she drop a kiss on his lips. “I'll be up soon,” he tells her.

“Take your time,” she combs her fingers through his hair, presses her lips to his forehead, then moves to take the baby from Ovi.

“Do I really have to give her up?” he moans. “I don't want to give her up just yet.”

“There's lots of time to hold her.” she assures him, and takes Amelia from his arms. “We're not going anywhere. It's late. Little Miss needs her beauty sleep.”

Ovi bids her a goodnight. Tyler just smiles, watching her until she disappears from the room.

“You're lucky,” Ovi says. “You got a second chance at a life. You've got someone that loves you. You made a baby. I hope you realize how lucky you are.”

“Sometimes I don't, mate,” he admits. “There's lots of times where I need to be reminded.”

He realizes that has to change.

****

He'd fallen asleep in the arm chair in the living room. As they night grew longer and there seemed to be slowing down in the conversation, he and Ovi had moved to another room while the cleaning staff got to their tasks. Despite the worry and the stress surrounding him, Ovi was full of exuberance; confident that this nightmare would soon to be over now that the one person he truly trusted had come to his aid. So instead of focusing on the threats and the fear, the kid excitedly told tales of school; the teachers he liked or disliked, gossip about those who were considered the popular kids, hopes he had for upcoming tests and ideas for projects. Tyler had remained silent the entire time; letting the words just flow from the kid's mouth. Pleased that Ovi was already feeling more secure. Which no immediate fears of the future and the trouble that was brewing around him. And while he had no set in stone plans for his future, one thing was certain: he did not want to remain in India. He'd already been researching schools. United States, Canada, Australia, and he was fully planning on getting as far away from home as possible.

Eventually he had nodded off, curled up in a fetal position on the couch. Tyler had gotten up long enough to turn the lights off, returning to that arm chair; planning on sticking around long enough just to make sure the kid wouldn't suddenly wake up and panic if he didn't find Tyler close by. Only he had falling asleep himself; jet lagged and weary, a sitting position helping to alleviate the pain in his back and shoulder.

Not his eyes snap open; woken the sound of Ovi muttering in his sleep and the soft footfalls in the hallway, leading towards them. His brain quickly orientating himself with his surroundings; the Mahajan's elaborate furniture, the feel of the wool carpet under his bare feet, the moonlight streaming through the wall to wall windows that look out into the expansive backward. He can see the solar lights that mark a perimeter around the in ground pool, and the two guards stationed in the rear ward doing their patrols. No sign of trouble. Just a quiet, unassuming night, a soft breeze floating on the air. And as the footsteps draw closer, he eyes his handgun on the side table next to the chair. Weighing the situation; there was no sign of trouble or panic outside. The guards were alive and well. The alarm settings were armed. The chances of it being an intruder were highly unlikely, and he doubted word of his arrival had even been spread about Dhaka yet.

“Tyler?” Esme's soft voice from the hallway.

“In here,” he says, and moments later she's padding into the room with the baby in her arms. “Everything okay?”

“She woke up for a feed and now she's decided she doesn't want to go back to sleep,” her voice is tired, and she releases a loud, long yawn that hides in her elbow. “You guys alright?”

“Yeah, the kid just talked my ear off and we both ended up falling asleep. Give her to me,” he holds his arms out and she gently places the baby into them. He settles his infant against him; her stomach against his torso and her head on his shoulder, one of his hands on her back.

“I woke up and you hadn't come to bed yet,” Esme says. “I was worried that something might have happened. Or that you...”

“I already said I wouldn't take off,” he sternly reminds her, then gives her a smile and reaches for her hand, pulling her towards him.

She settles beside him; effectively fitting that five foot three between him and the arm of the chair, both legs slung over his thighs. Placing a hand on the back of her head, he gently draws her down into him, her face nestling into the spot between his neck and his shoulder. And she gives another loud yawn and rubs her cheek against him.

“What time is it?” he asks, and she reaches onto the side table to check his phone. “Three fifteen.”

“Am?” he has no idea why he even asks. It's damn obvious. Just a brain trying to run on very little sleep, he supposes. Mixed in with the slight fogginess that comes with the withdrawal he experiences if he doesn't stick to a med schedule

She ignores the faux pas, and placing the phone back on the table, curls an around around his neck and presses a kiss to his cheek.

For a while neither of them speak. Their eyes closed, listening to the sounds of the crickets chirping outside and the baby's soft breathing as she finally dozes off.

“It's sad,” Esme suddenly says, and his eyes snap open again. The tip of her nose pressed against the side of his neck, breath warm and sweet against his skin.

“What is?”

“That people can have so much yet really have nothing at all.”

“How you mean?”

“Look at this place. Look how incredible it is. It's big and it's beautiful and comes with everything you could possibly want. A massive back yard, a pool, it's own theatre room and gym,, a sauna. From the outside looking in it's pretty amazing and it would be easy to be envious of whoever lives like this. Yet when you walk inside, you feel...nothing. It feels empty. As if no one lives here at all.”

He nods as he considers her words. “Well really, it's just the kid here. The staff is here, but they're not here, here.”

“I just find it so tragic. That people can have so much and have nothing all at the same time. Here's the kid who has been abandoned by his father and has strangers taking care of him. There's no one here that actually cares about him. There's no one he can talk to about school or get homework help from, no one he can go to with a broken heart. He's surrounded by people, yet he is completely alone. And that breaks my heart.”

“It is,” he agrees, and running a hand over her hair, presses a kiss to her forehead.

“As nice as this place is, as beautiful as it is, I would still pick that little shack of yours over it any day of the week.”

“Yeah?” he grins. “Even with the chicken?”

She grins against him.

“Even with the chicken.”

****

“We can't leave him here, Tyler,” she says sometime later, just as he was beginning to find sleep once again. “When this is all over. We just can't. This place is just going to drag him down. It's going to eat away from him and it's going to it's going to break him down and he's going to start looking for what he's not getting at home. And you know as well as I do that things like that never end well. When you feel abandoned and you'll settle for any kind of love and compassion you can find.”

“He's a smart kid. He has a good head on his shoulders.”

“This will never be fully over for him if he stays here. You said it yourself: one Asif dies, another ten step up to take his place. If he stays here, he will never be truly safe. Just like we can never go back home. And that's why we can't leave him here. We just can't.”

“So what do we do with him? We can't just throw him on a plane with us and take him away from here. He still has a father. Technically.”

“A father who doesn't care about him,” she points out. “If you cared about your kid, you wouldn't put them in such a shitty mess to begin with. How does a father do that? Choose a life like that over protecting and nurturing their own child?”

“Same kind of father who kills people for a living, I suppose.”

“Don't even compare the two. You kill people in the pursuit of helping other people. Ovi's dad kills people because he's an evil bastard. There's a huge difference.”

“Still not something I want my daughter finding out about me when she grows up.” It's a sobering thought. What the tiny baby nestled against his chest will be like when she is Ovi's age. He's not entirely sure that he would want her to know the ugly truth of his past.

“You should go and talk to him,” she suggests.

“Who?”

“Ovi's dad.”

“Why the hell would I go and talk to him? Why would he even want to see me?”

“You're the man who saved his son. Why wouldn't he want to see you?”

“Maybe I could ask him where the fuck the rest of my money is.”

“It wasn't about the money and you know it. At least not at the end.”

She was right. Somewhere along the line, the Dhaka job had went from mercenary work to mercy work. The money hadn't mattered in the grand scheme of things. All that had mattered was getting that kid home. As if making sure Ovi was safe and sound was Tyler's way of achieving absolution for the mistakes of his past.

“What would I say to him?”

“You could start with, 'hey,I'm the guy that got shot in the throat and nearly bled to death while bringing your son back to you, you grateful fuck'.”

Tyler grins. “Tell me how you really feel.”

“Tell him that his son deserves better. That his son deserves to have a future. That he deserves a family. People that will love him. Support him. Nurture him. Someone that will help him become a good man that helps people instead of hurting them. I mean, he must have at least some shred of humanity left, right? Some inkling of compassion you can exploit. I can't imagine him being that evil where he doesn't have at least ounce of love for his own child.”

“People like him aren't human, love. They aren't like you and I. They feel nothing.”

“But it's at least worth a try, right? You could go there and see if he'd be willing to see you. It doesn't hurt to go there and see what happens. “

“And say what? I'm here to take your kid? I don't know where yet, but he's coming along any way. And are you really being serious about this? You want the kid to come and stay with us?”

“He trusts us. He loves us. Especially you. He would follow you to the ends of the earth.”

“We have our own family. We have a baby. We want more babies. Do we really want to add a teenager into all of that?”

“Not just any teenager, Tyler . This isn't just some teenager. This is Ovi. And he deserves to know what it feels like to be wanted. To be loved.”

Sighing heavily, he closes his eyes and leans his head against the back of the chair. His arm around her, thumb stroking her shoulder.

“He needs you, Tyler. And I think in some way, you need him too.”

“Maybe,” he says. “But it doesn't mean I'm what's good for him.”

“You're already an amazing father to your own kid. What would stop you from being an amazing father to him?” she rests her chin on his shoulder and looks at him, her fingertips grazing along the shorn hair at the nape of his neck. “Promise me you'll at least think about it That you won't just leave the kid here when this is all over. Don't abandon him like his father did. Promise me you won't do that.”

Sliding his hand up to her shoulder, he kisses her. Short and soft and sweet.

“I promise.”

#i found #tyler rake #tyler rake fan fiction #tyler rake fan fic #extraction

18 notes · View notes