Becoming Defiant •• OneRepublic {3}

Taking a Punch

Ryan's P.O.V.

A few days after Ryan was handed the photos of a young, happier Ramona - those of which he still didn't give to her - he'd come face-to-face with another problem he wasn't sure he even had the energy to argue about.

While he didn't want to be involved in more Rebel plans, he'd begun to feel oddly left out of things over the few days following his anger at Cherry and his role as only a "voice." While he didn't want to be involved, the insult was taken further when he'd actually found out they had been making plans without him.

He looked for Ramona, usually done with her combat lessons at that time, and walked into another room to find, instead of his fiancée, Daryl, Cherry, Glenn, Johana, Eddie, and Drew discussing plans. It was sure they were discussing it, too, because they'd said words like "President" and "evacuate." It was of the mission Daryl mentioned, a conversation only so intense that "the voice of the rebellion" could surely stand to miss it.

Eddie caught Ryan's eye first. Ryan noticed his expression held surprise and a hint of guilt all at once, and Ryan boiled. Especially as Daryl noticed this and turned around, his plans coming to a halt at his lips.

"Ryan!" He exclaimed. His excitement was fake. Ryan grew angrier with him by the second.

"Where's Ramona?" He asked. He decided to move right past the issue. He didn't have the energy to argue, even though a familiar rage pumped through warm blood.

"I don't know." Daryl shrugged.

"Well, she said she was going to start training in combat with you."

"She did mention that the other day, but also requested that she start out with Simon. She should be in the training room, if you didn't check. Just down---"

"I know where it is."

Ryan turned around before any more could be said. He wasn't sure if they could tell his anger was there, and almost wanted them to. He wanted them to say something - more so Daryl. But he did not.

Yet when Ryan reached the threshold of the door, nearly in the hallway, he stopped. He felt the need to say something.

Ryan turned his head, and as he expected, Daryl had already turned around to continue his talk without a care about who he called "the voice."

"Daryl." Ryan loudly called through the room. Daryl turned to him, as did the others. He blinked, "Yes?"

"Even though I'm just 'a voice' here, it would still be nice to be asked about plan discussions."

Then Ryan stepped past the threshold and did not look back.

⇺⊕⇻

"You can hit me even if I have tits and a vagina, you know."

"Please don't talk about vaginas, Ramona. I hate them."

"So hit me. Stop being such a vagina."

"How is calling someone a woman's genitals insulting?"

"They're delicate."

"Okay, I'm not delicate."

"Then hit me. I'm getting bored."

Ryan walked into the room holding back his laughter, a feeling he found himself both relieved and surprised to be having. Ahead of him, in the middle of the room, was a boxing area of adequate size. His fiancée and her friend stood in the middle, facing each other with their fists up and in boxing wraps.

Simon was the first to see him, then Ramona looked over. Her face lit up at the sight of him, or at least there was a different look in her eyes. Ryan felt a feeling in his stomach that he hadn't in a while - butterflies. How funny.