Tadao heard the front door open.
"Hiiiiiii~~!" he heard Alicia squeal as she greeted the person (or people) who entered the house. "How was the game?"
"The damn Timberwolves lost," Tadao heard a deep, masculine voice drawl. There was the sound of the front door closing, followed by a collection of footsteps approaching the greatroom. "That bum Finelli can't hit a ball to save his life." The source of the voice, a tall, stocky canid man, hair tousled, coat tawny like Kiersey's. As he spoke, he looked down, watching where he was placing his son's duffle bag, near the entrance of the room, seemingly without notice of Tadao. "Not only that, the…" He trailed off, eyes landing on Tadao who was sitting innocently at the breakfast bar.
Playing it cool, pretending nothing's wrong, Alicia walked around her ex husband into the greatroom, entering the kitchen. Out of the corner of her eyes, she could see that her ex was death-staring the Venomian like he was witnessing the blasted ghosts of Christmas past.
"How's the ice cream?" Alicia asked, trying her best at acting nonchalant as she opened
"Uh…" Tadao's eyes darted between his host and the gentleman who entered the house, not knowing if he should even speak.
"You're… Alicia, you're kidding me." The man sounded somewhere between disdainful and incredulous.
Heralding introductions, Alicia said, "Tadao, meet Derek. Derek, Tadao."
Oh dear, Tadao thought, seeing the canid man looking at him as though he were some wretched monster, corrupting the very space around him with his mere presence. Despite the Cornerian government's attempts to shield him from these kinds of people, he occasionally met individuals like this. People who hadn't gotten over The Wars, even though they ended a decade ago. However, Tadao knew he could not lash out back at this man, that would only confirm his prejudices. No, he needed to be better than this man. More honorable. More in control of his emotions. He was held to a different standard from these people because of his social status.
Remaining seated and forcing a smile, Tadao formally introduced himself. "My name is Tadao Samorin. Alicia has taken me in. I am…" He paused, noticing Derek's face screw into something like he'd caught a whiff of a bad fart and utter contempt. "Well, I am trying to adjust to my new life on Corneria. I do not wish for any trouble… I merely wish to learn how to live a productive and full life on this planet."
"...Who the fuck said you could talk to me, you snake-skinned sack of dogshit?"
"-Okay!" Alicia said approaching Derek before this situation turned into a shitshow. "Okay, so, uh… I'll be seeing you next week? You drive safe, okay?" She tried her best to smile earnestly, though the tension she felt made it so fake that her face nearly cracked down the middle like cheap pottery.
Derek was unmoved by her attempt to ease the tension and get him to leave. "The hell are you thinking, Alicia? Why do you have this low-life scum here? Around my kids, no less?"
Alicia tried to be civil. She pointed towards the foyer. "...Derek? Go home."
By this time, Kiersey had descended the stairs to get something to drink. But she'd heard the disturbance, raised vocals, and hid around the corner in the alcove of the second staircase on the opposite side of the greatroom. Everyone had temporarily, inadvertently, forgotten the presence of Maxwell, Derek and Alicia's special needs son, who stood off to the side of his father, unable to hear what was going on, but still felt the tension of the situation in his whole body. He could sense his father's hostility and his mother's uneasiness, and looked on with concern.
Tadao hung back, still sitting at the counter stool, surprised that Derek actually let him state his case, despite the fact that he couldn't have cared less if he tried. Even so, that was something of an improvement compared to other encounters with hostile Cornerians since arriving. Most people wouldn't let him get a word in edgewise to explain himself. However, when Derek finally responded, it was about what Tadao expected. He was somewhat used to it now: the hatred, the ignorance. If there were any obstacles to successfully making it here, this would be at the top of the list. He considered adding his two cents into the exchange to point out that this was Alicia's home, and she was entitled to invite whomever she pleased. But Tadao knew that would just aggravate the already sticky situation, so he chose to keep quiet and observe.
An argument erupted, shouting at this point. Derek launched into a tirade about "shit Venomians" around his kids, how he fought a whole-ass war against them, how could she bring one around knowing all of that? Alicia reproached, explaining that the war ended ten years ago, while she understands his perspective, he needs to understand that she has a different one, his feelings and hers are completely separate, and he has no clout in her household, you don't like it, don't let the door hit you on the way out.
Tadao held his temper… For now. But he wasn't sure how long he could put up with this. It made him slightly afraid, wondering when might be the moment he'd snap, and end up in jail alongside other Venomians who could not adjust. No one would care how much he wanted a normal life on Corneria once he landed behind bars, that is for certain. Every Venomian who went to jail was a violent extremist until proven otherwise.
Finding no technical fault in her argument, Derek had no choice but to resort to assorted character slurs, while Alicia kept it calm and carefully explained to him what an idiot he was being right now, not that she was particularly surprised.
"Alicia, I've had comrades die because of bastards like him!" Derek said, pointing directly at Tadao's face. "You have no idea what scum like him put us through, and now you're inviting them in?"
Closing her eyes, Alicia massaged her temple, feeling a tension headache forming. She explained honestly: "Right. I have no idea what you went through. That is a fair assessment, Derek. Ironically, I don't know what Tadao has experienced either. But here's the thing: you both fought in the wars, you both have seen shit most people should see, you both had people die on you. So if anything, you're the one who should know what he's going through, Derek."
"You're not seriously going to come at me with this special snowflake 'We Are The Universe' magical fairy dust bullshit, are you?"
Alicia continued. "-Okay so what, are you better than him? You-"
"Yes. I am," Derek answered flippantly.
"Yeah, okay… So you're better than him because of all that you've lost and experienced… Meanwhile, he fought in the same war, and lost and experienced shit too. That being said, he can decide he's better than you, according to that logic. In my 'special snowflake' opinion, the only difference is that you had something of substance to return to. In any event, still: take a ticket and get your ass in line!"
"Oh my fucking god…" Derek facepalmed. Turning around, he walked over to his son's bag and picked it up. "I'm taking my son."
"-No ya not," Alicia retorted, arms crossed. "You'll take him next weekend. That was the custody agreement. I get weekdays, you get the weekends."
"Alicia, I'm not doing this with you right now-"
"Yeahyeahokaywhateverthat'sfine, but... you're gonna be doing it on today, so drop my son's bag and leave, Derek."
This time, they actually paid attention to their son, who looked as though he were on the verge of tears and/or a nervous breakdown. He didn't like this at all.
Walking around the counter to him, Alicia embraced her child, letting her maternal instincts kick in. Her son didn't need this right now. "Shh, shh, it's alright," Alicia cooed, stroking his shaggy brown hair.
Derek stared at his ex wife as he comforted their son. Tadao could have sworn he saw a guilt flash across the man's countenance. "...Alicia, move. I'm taking Maxwell."
Alicia looked at him, up and down like he was short. Raising her hand to point towards the foyer, she said resolutely: "Out."
"Move, Alicia," Derek said, abruptly shoving the woman to the side.
"Hands OFF!"
In a split second, the exchange turned into a shoving match, which then led to hands flying. They literally started scuffing in the middle of the greatroom next to the dining table.
"Dad. DAD!" Kiersey sprang from her hiding spot into the fray, trying to wedge herself between her scrapping parents and push them away from each other.
Derek was vaguely aware that he'd lifted his elbow, catching it against something blunt and firm. He couldn't call exactly what happened in that moment, but it was confirmed when Alicia stumbled backward, eyes scrunched closed, gripping her face.
Alicia removed her hands. Palms and fingers wet with a deep, red liquid, more of it dripping from her nose and onto her vest.
Tadao saw the blood dripping from his sponsor's face. Pushing the bowl away and jumping up from his seat, Tadao stepped forward, ready to end the situation himself, but it stopped almost as immediately as it began.
Derek looked as though he were a deer in the high beams, while Alicia matched that look with one of complete and utter resolution across her face. She purposefully wiped the blood from her hands onto her sweater vest, knowing she'd simply wash it in a few minutes to keep it from staining… Crossing her arms, she stared at Derek, expectantly.
"...Alicia, I-"
That was when she suddenly decided she didn't want to hear it, averting her gaze away from him, raising her hand to his face with very much 'Talk To The Hand' realness.
"...I'm sorr-"
She abruptly raised her hand closer, again stopping him from speaking. She then extended her index finger, motioning towards him, not so much as pointing. Turning back to him, she admonished him: "...Derek, you are… So. Pitiful."
Tadao could have sworn that the man flinched as if Alicia's words literally injured him.
"Dude, you're so pitiful." Crossing her arms, Alicia shook her head like the low-down, dirty shame this was. "Leave."
Derek looked around at everyone. Kiersey wouldn't meet his eyes. Tadao looked on in bewilderment. The man was almost a foot taller than everyone in the room, but Tadao could see that he felt an inch tall right now. Biting his bottom lip, Derek slowly backed away from everyone, edging towards the foyer, before turning around to officially leave. Everyone left listened as the front door opened and closed, and they waited, listening for the sound of Derek's truck starting up and driving away.
Tadao sighed, relieved that he needed not intervene, seeing Alicia had diffused the situation in her own manner. He suspected now that if he'd have stepped in, that might have aggravated the situation, maybe triggering some kind of fight reflex in Derek, given his prejudices.
Alicia also heaved a big, slow sigh, turning to Tadao. She smiled disappointedly. "...So, yeah. You just met Derek. My ex-husband."
"...I think I can see why he is your ex," was Tadao's rejoinder.
