Post by mystifyingoracle on Jan 19, 2021 23:54:50 GMT -5
YOU JUST BEAT THIS WOMAN’S SIGNIFICANT OTHER FOR HIS BELT. AND SHE JUST LOST HERS TO A PERSON WHO WAS YOUR ROOMMATE UNTIL LAST MONTH. YOU REALLY THINK SHE WANTS TO TALK WITH YOU?
Seated on the steps that overlooked the green expanse of Druid Hill Park Pool No. 2, Silvio ground a Dum-Dum stick between his teeth, making a face.
INDULGING IN A LITTLE NOBLESSE OBLIGE, GOOD KING SILVIO?
He wanted to protest, rankling at the label, but it wasn’t entirely untrue. If he was going to be a face of the company, he needed to actually know the company. That meant knowing the people that comprised it. How were they doing? What did they want out of their time here? What were his responsibilities as far as helping them get there? He had his own little coterie of people he was close to, but he needed to reach out to those he didn’t know as well.
No better time than the present.
No better person to begin with than the woman who embodied Carnage’s bleeding, brutal spirit.
And that person was slowly making her way towards where Silvio sat. The invitation to join him here was unexpected to say the least. She didn't mind it, really. Sometimes it was nice to get out and visit areas she hadn't visited within her own hometown. But she'd be lying if she didn't feel a little awkward, considering what happened at Ultimate Carnage for both her and Ken.
She shook her head, dispelling the thoughts as she stepped up to her peer, her hands in her pockets and her hood up over her head - doing her best to keep the chill out.
"Fancy meeting you here," she said, forcing a smile onto her face, pulling skin apart in places it shouldn't. Her cheek still hurt where the new UV champ punched a hole during their match, but she smiled nonetheless.
Contrastingly, Silvio looked fresh as a daisy. It was something more people were starting to notice - his ability to bounce back from his matches with an almost unnatural swiftness. He needed to be more careful about it, but he’d have to figure out how. No need to clue anyone in on anything weird in his life.
Well.
Weirder than what it already was, anyway.
Spotting her, he got to his feet, beaming.
“Hey! It’s good to see you. Thanks for coming out - I wasn’t sure if you wanted a little more time before you laid eyes on anything or anyone work-related.”
He shrugged.
“Barring the one exception, of course.”
Expression melting into one of contrition spiked with embarrassment, his shoulders curled in a little.
“By the way - I want to apologize if I cracked open the lid on yours and Ken’s relationship. I’m really sorry. With the way you two were interacting in public, I kinda figured it was a foregone conclusion kinda thing. I’m so sorry if I disturbed your privacy.”
She shrugged her shoulders in response. "I'm not too good at hiding how I feel about things, maybe you haven't noticed." She finishes with a chuckle. "It's all good though, I'm not worried about it. Consequences of working in the public eye."
Nodding, he dug in his pockets for a moment, taking out a handful of Jolly Ranchers and unwrapping one for himself before offering another to Kyra.
“It’s weird how things change. Never used to have people recognize me on the street before.” He clicked the hard candy against his teeth thoughtfully. “Should ask Ax for some pointers on maintaining my privacy in all this.” The rock star had had his own run ins with paparazzi before, and they tended not to end with a good deal of grace. “But, anyway, I wanted to see how you were doing.” Looking sheepish again, he said, “A lot has happened and I wanted to touch bases. We can stay here - figured I’d give the art installation they got set up a gander.” He nodded to the swimming pool filled with a grassy lawn, surrounded by concrete in shades of red and orange, lined with gleaming, azure glass tiles, the blue, skeletal remains of a diving board, access ladder, and life guard’s chair perched along its edges. “But if you want, we can go grab a coffee or something.”
Grabbing a Jolly Rancher from his hand, she nodded. "No, no.. You're fine. I'm good with whatever. It's nice to be out for a bit, whatever we do," Kyra replied, looking around. "Admittedly, I ain't well versed in all this... but oh well." She unwrapped the candy and popped it in her mouth.
“In talking about stuff going on?” He smiled ruefully. “It seems like talking about your feelings isn’t something most folks in the business are super keen about.” He nodded for her to follow, starting down the steps toward the poolside. “I just figured...if I’m gonna do this...be in this position...I should know about how the folks at Carnage are doing. What they want. Try and help them if I can and they want me to.”
She listened to him, nodding along as he spoke - and when he finished she reflected for a few moments, unsure of how to respond. Finally she cleared her throat and spoke. "I mean, that's… admirable. Real admirable. And to be honest, I don't know how good a reception you'll get, but I wish you luck in this endeavor. If you can break through to any of these.. well, you know what they are, then all the more power to you."
He grinned. “Uh huh. Well, this is my first shot. How’m I doing so far?”
She shrugged again. "I'm not an easy customer, plus you did beat my boyfriend to become what you are right now… But you're doing alright. I'm not sure what you want me to tell you though."
“Ken didn’t get to the top by accident,” Silvio said. “If he’s got it in his head to take this off me or anybody else who might come by it, I don’t doubt his capability.” He’d had to tap the folks he’d been in the ring with before to come up with a repertoire capable of carrying him through the match. He still remembered Ken coming back at him with that Widowmaker. On top of regretting every decision he’d made in his life that led to him getting that Widowmaker, he’d thought things were done for their match then and there. The conviction in the formerly Godly One’s eyes was unmistakable and bordered on homicidal. Not in any unhinged way, mind you - it was entirely composed and methodical. Which, to Silvio, really just made it that much more dangerous. “And...I mean, speaking of living your life in public, over the past couple of months, I’ve seen you put through the wringer emotionally and physically, and I don’t really see much of a support network to help you through it. I’ve seen people doing a lot of hand-wringing and saying they’re trying to help you, but...have any of them asked you what that would look like? What would be meaningful for you?”
"Just one," she replied, glancing over in his direction. "And that's why I love him. Among other things. He's made it clear, even when we were at each other's throats that I was more important than I was made to believe."
He nodded, brow knit, considering. It wasn’t really fair to just expect somebody to open up and make themselves vulnerable while you were sitting pretty and safe in your own ivory tower. “I get that. It’s easy for people to say you’re important, but then when it comes to acting on their words, it’s a totally different story. Sometimes it’s like you’re supposed to understand that...they were never going to, and it was foolish of you to have those kinds of expectations.” He made a little gesture with one hand. “You grow up with people that have substance abuse issues, you get used to that kind of prioritizing.”
Kyra nodded, taking a few seconds to look at the man she was walking with, finally sighing. "I get that too. Not in the same way, but my dad, well let's just say he's the reason I'm really good at taking a beating. Growing up believing that you are as worthless as he said, and finding out that putting trust in other people doesn't really net you much better results.. it fucks with your head."
She paused as they continued walking, a thoughtful look on her face. "Ken's the only person who's told me I mean something to him... and has truly proven it through his actions."
As Kyra described her relationship with her father, Silvio felt a hot little burst of righteousness pop in his thoughts like a firecracker.
Lordy, did anyone in the company have a decent relationship with their old man?
“I’d like to help expand that circle of people,” Silvio said. “If you’re okay with that, of course. Everybody here’s got aspirations and different ways to feel safe and happy.” He fiddled with one of the empty candy wrappers in his pocket, giving an embarrassed half-smile. “I’m usually at my best when I’m free to be creative and have a...well…” He snorted, shaking his head. “You’re gonna laugh. But I grew up in a crappy household, and I kinda idolized the families on TV. Everything always seemed so perfect and wholesome. I like having a cozy place to go back to at the end of the day and somebody to share it with. I’m not great at being alone. I like having something or someone steady I can always turn to.”
"That makes sense. It's just funny to see how differently people come out of shitty situations. I feel like the way you handled it is a lot healthier than the way I did." She shakes her head and looks down at her feet as she walks. "Once I got out of there, I was alone for years. Didn't think, or rather I didn't want to trust anyone. It took a long time to realize that I don't have to be alone."
Silvio watched Kyra as he listened, studying her expression and body language; defensive even now.
“That’s important. You never know how much you need a community until you gain one. Or lose one. I was pretty lucky in having non-blood family members looking out for me.” He shook his head, smirking. “Even when I was at my dumbest. It takes courage to finally let yourself trust somebody.”
Pieces were starting to fall together now; how and why Kyra and Ken got caught in each other’s orbit. The roots of Kyra’s in-ring intensity. It was the gladiatorial equivalent of a vividly colored creature whose brilliance warned of poison beneath the beauty.
"Yeah," Kyra replied quietly, her eyes focusing away from her companion and out at the scene around her. "I have my days, I guess. But Adina kinda changed me, having her makes me wanna be more trusting but it also makes me wanna keep everyone away." She finished with a chuckle, shaking her head.
She wasn't sure she made sense, but it was nice to have a conversation with someone else who saw past her hard exterior.
Silvio brightened, smiling.
“Your little one, yeah? I can totally understand that.” He held up his hands as if they were scales weighing something. “On the one hand, you want a world that’s OK to trust in. That would be the world that you’d want for your child. On the other hand, you know that’s not exactly the world we live in, and you want to keep that away from the people you love.”
Dropping his hands, he shrugs. “But the only way to make that better, more trusting world is to be willing to trust in the first place. And being the person to take off their armor and set down their weapon? That’s...a unique kind of bravery. It’s one of the hardest to live.”
"One I've had the hardest time living." Kyra said, shaking her head. If not for her kid, God only knows where she'd be. Her rough upbringing flashes through her mind all while she tries to maintain her stoic demeanor. "All you can do is try, I guess."
“It’s all anyone can ask you to do.”
He raises a brow.
“So, with an eye on business...what are you wanting out of Carnage? What do you wanna try for there?”
She shrugged her shoulders.
"All I wanted was to prove I could be the UV champ. I did that. As long as I've been here, no ones ever believed I could actually succeed.. even when I owned the place.. No one thought I could be the boss and well, I proved them right." She sighed. "I've just been trying to prove that I can stand up alongside the best and hold my own."
Silvio looked genuinely surprised.
“You don’t think you’ve done that?”
"Part of me doesn't. As dumb as that sounds. Part of me believes I'll never actually prove anything to anyone."
Silvio paused, eyes flicking upward for a moment before meeting Kyra’s again.
“You know, you defended the title enough to get a re-match. Think about the people you fought - I seem to recall they weren’t slouches. You don’t really lose that often, Kyra. Even when you have, you put everything into those matches. I’m willing to bet there’s not a person who's fought you that didn’t feel it for at least a week afterward.”
...hold my own.
Christ, no wonder Jack’s trust fund stunt hit so hard.
“People can choose to disregard you at their peril,” Silvio said, shaking his head. “In my experience, the last thing you should ever do is bet against the folks who have to clean up the damage other people leave in their wake.”
He snorted, raising a brow.
“Can’t help but notice a lot of those people who naysay’d you couldn’t seem to bear staying in the kitchen once it started getting hot. Whatever reasons, excuses, or lack thereof they may have, the outcome is the same. They’re gone.” He nodded to her. “You’re still here. Out of all of them, you proved you could hold your own.”
Kyra cracked a small smile. "I'll give you this. You've got an interesting way of putting things. Maybe you're right."
She paused, thinking about his words - letting them sink in.
"It's hard to move myself past all the bullshit I've dealt with in the last year, let alone the entirety of my life. But you're right. I just, I don't know what more I wanna accomplish. I'm content for the first time in a long time, you know? I don't know where I wanna go from here. I wish I had a better answer for you, but I appreciate the effort you put into it."
Silvio smiled. “Hey, if you’re feeling content, that’s good. I think that’s a sign you feel you accomplished a goal. I get the feeling you won’t rest on your laurels, though. You and Ken…” He raised a brow. “Have you guys ever considered tagging before?”
She nodded.
"We have. We probably will, eventually. Who knows what the future holds?"
“All the more reason,” Silvio said, smiling wider, “to venture forth and find out.” Clicking the last little bit of his candy against his teeth, he nodded to her. “If you change your mind - if there’s anything you want to go for at Carnage that I can help you with - let me know. I want to try and make the most of this, and I feel like part of that is helping out folks on the roster with meeting their goals.”
She returned his smile, albeit not to the level of enthusiasm her counterpart is exuding. “I’m sure you will make the most of it. As for me? For the first time in a while, I feel like I actually have a future to look forward to. I’ll figure it out, or rather we’ll figure it out, together... Wherever that takes us I think I’ll be happy regardless.”
Her phone beeped and she pulled it out of her pocket, reading the message quickly and shoving the phone back into the confines of her pocket, chuckling.
“Yeah, I think I’ll be happy with whatever happens. But hey, I gotta get back. God only knows what Ken and Adina have done to my condo by now.”
She stopped and turned, extending a hand to Silvio.
“It was nice talking with you, and regardless of the fact you took that title from my man.. If you need anything - advice or whatever.. Let me know.”
Eyes widening briefly, Silvio shook her hand, beaming.
“Thanks! I’ll probably take you up on that. Pretty sure the fastest way for me to lose a title is assuming I already know everything about how to keep it. If you ever need advice from the resident spoopy boy or need somebody to draw a picture on you so hard it won’t come off, I’m your guy.”
"And I might take you up on that someday." She shrugged. "Never know. Take care of yourself. I'm sure you'll do fine."
With that Kyra nodded and walked off in the direction she came.
Watching her go for a moment, Silvio fiddled with a few empty candy wrappers in his pockets before having a seat on the bench overlooking the art installation.
“One down,” he mused. And he didn’t even get punched in the face!
You had to relish the little victories.
Hopefully the rest of his visits would be blessedly free of him getting a shot to the moneymaker. Sighing, he angled his head back, staring skyward.
“...God, my job is weird.”