Not So Jolly Christmas

"Uh huh..." Clyde listened to Carmen and nodded along as he learned that Boxing was a big part of Puerto Rico. Well, he kind of knew that more less that but what he didn't know was Army's backstory and it sort of reminded Clyde of his own past. He, for better or worse, was always starting and gets into fights back home and Bonnie was usually there for him in the aftermath.

He had to suppress a gag at acknowledging that he and that muscle head were similar. Clyde was silent as Carmen smiled back at him, making him stare back at his bloody shoes, frowning at them. No, they weren't the same. Clyde was a different person these days because of Her.

"That's cool I guess... I mean... Fightin' you at the time was the best thing ta' happen ta' me... Though I can't say I'd be thrilled ta' have my ribs all busted up again." He said with a light chuckle, recalling that great match fondly.

"...You prolly shouldn't be too hard on 'em. Sure the fans love me but I gotta real screwed up reputation among the roster, he prolly thought I was here ta' start trouble or uh... Try ta' get in your pants 'er somethin'. I dunno." Clyde muttered with a shaky sigh afterwards, finding it hard to calm down. Mentally torn between a dependency on a cigarette and just taking a deep breath.

Carmen's smiled dropped into a look of barely surpressed surprise at Clyde's words. Maybe even a blush.That was no small amount of pride he was throwing her way, and she wasn't quite sure how to take it. It had been a great match, definitely the best she'd had against any man on the roster, and one of the best bouts she'd had in any type of ring. The fans had been lukewarm to her style before, but after Clyde, they'd slowly started to come to her side. She'd gone against one of the biggest names in the company and managed to hold her own. They had to respect that.

"Best thing, huh? That's, ah...that's good to know. Wrestling you was the first time I really felt like a wrestler and not just a boxer with some throws mixed in, so...feeling's kind of mutual. Even won a match without using a punch a little while ago. Would not have done that before you." She shared in his chuckle and tried hard to look like the twenty-nine year old woman she was and not the giddy schoolgirl she currently felt like. "And don't worry, got it all planned out. Next time, I'm all about the head trauma. Been working on the Bow and Arrow hold, too, so your spine might get bent. But ribs? Nah, I'll lay off them."

She saw Clyde shaking and stepped forward to put her hand on his shoulder, borrowing her mother's calming look. "Army knows nothing's going to happen, he just likes to play the Big Brother routine, sometimes. We'll fight, lock horns for a week or two, then everything'll be back to normal. Familia."

Carmen brought her hand down and gave him a pat on the back, trying to help him ease up. "You know how it is, right? Same way with you and Bonnie?"

"Heh. Nahh..." Clyde grinned at Carmen's compliment after initially being impressed with her being able to win a match without throwing a punch. Though he found himself a little relived she'd lay off ribs, he wasn't too thrilled about having his spine and skull rearranged, but it wasn't anything he feared or couldn't handle.

Feeling Carmen's hand on his shoulder, Clyde twitched before turning his to face her, seeing this calming, motherly stare that he had missed, it eased him greatly and he smiled back at Carmen warmly.

He then awkwardly nodded along with Carmen's description of her bother and their relationship, making the blonde note that he and Army were more alike than he thought, in addition to the similarities between their 'big' sisters.

"The exact same... Although sometimes... She can lose her cool too and I gotta be there for. I mean, I think I lose my head the most and she's there to keep my cool. But when something gets her going like... Eh." Clyde though of the two women who made Bonnie lose her head and felt angry just thinking about them. "Man... It's like I get more mature or somethin' just ta' calm her down. Its weird."

Carmen could tell there were a lot of thing bubbling under the boiling cauldron that was Clyde's life. Old rivalries, deep hates, fueds that had probably been going on long before she'd ever set foot in the AFW, with more complications than she could ever guess. It made her wish she could do more to help. The poor guy seemed so alone, sometimes.

"Eh, got my bad moments, too. Army's good for a laugh when I need him, if nothing else." She shrugged it off and thought back to some of her worst times, pausing for a moment. "Maybe more. Like, I remember when I first came out to my parents. Things..." She sighed. "Things got rough. But Army stuck with me. He's a doofus, but he's always accepted me as I am. Can't say that about my whole family." Carmen bit her lip and had a slow nod, looking down at her own shoes, now. "Never thanked him for that. Should."

She threw her hand up and waved it off as she took a step away from Clyde, giving him a little space. "Anyway, we're both blessed. Or, lucky, I guess. We've got good siblings. And friends." Her smile returned with the last part. "This stuff with Melissa and whatever else you're going through...you know I've got your back. You need an extra pair of fists, let me know."

Clyde nodded along with everything Carmen had to say and for a while, it seemed like both siblings, though Carmen moreso, were good natured and that maybe Clyde stumbled onto Army at the wrong time and place. But then Carmen reminded Clyde of Melissa and everything went blank as he recalled everything the roses had done to him. Apperently Carmen had seen it. And Clyde knew Army found it hilarious.

"...Thanks Carmen." He said sternly, looking forward as he slowly began to scowl. Eventually he'd stand up and look to her.

"Ya know... Yer brother's a real fuckin' dick. At least YOU offered ta' help! He... He just thought it was funny!" Clyde spat, still carrying the wounds to his pride.

"Dammit. I come up in here 'cause I'm a lil fucked up right now and your big ass brother wants to take my head off! It's like goddamn I can't go NOWHERE without someone' out ta' fuck with me! I-I'm... I'm tired, man. I'm... No fuck this!" He shouted as he started to storm out of the gym with red eyes, like something had snapped.

Fuck. Apparently Carmen had struck a nerve.

Really, she should have known better. She was no psychologist, but it didn't take an advanced degree to see that Clyde was not in the most stable frame of mind at the moment and that, maybe, steering his currently chaotic thought processes towards the more volatile aspects of his life wasn't the wisest idea. She gave herself a mental kick in the ass as he started to walk away, right after she made a note to give Army a literal kick in the ass the next time she saw him for being such a douche.

Regardless, the fuse was lit, and all Carmen could do now was try to contain the damage. She didn't like that look in Clyde's eye. It was the look of a man who was about to do something he might regret for the rest of his life, and she didn't like the thought that letting him go might mean the next time she saw him would be on the morning news. It could be nothing. He could be going home to sleep it off. But...

"Mierda." She cursed under her breath and pushed off the apron, hurrying her steps to catch up with him. "Clyde, what's wrong? Where you going?"

Clyde stormed through the doors and stomped out onto the sidewalk and didn't turn around until Carmen caught up with him, revealing a pair of reddened, brown eyes full of anger on a face that quivered with broken pride.

"My life and family keep gettin' fucked with! Nobody in this stupid island is leaving them... or Me... Alone! And I lost her! That's what's wrong!!" He snapped angrily with watery eyes as he thought of Bonnie, Duffy and Mercy. Not even bothering to explain who the 'Her' was referring to. "I AIN'T no damn whippin' boy and I ain't weak, ah'right!?!? I didn't come here to be a bitch!" He shouted before turning around sharply, taking a deep but shaky breath, starting to calm down, which was enough for him to realize he was yelling at Carmen. Probably one of the few friends he had.


"...I'm... Sorry..." He confessed. "It ain't nuthin' you did... But I'm goin' home, man... If yer brother wants to fight me so bad, I'll oblige. But I'm tired of fightin' now. It's Christmas..." He said solemnly before walking off.

"Thanks fer the help..."

Carmen stayed quiet as Clyde vented, and when he finally turned around and saw her, she was still standing there. Hands at her side. Eyebrows furrowed with worry. Just listening. Maybe that was what he needed more than anything, though she hated that it had to be like that. She wanted to do more, she wanted to help take the load off his shoulders, but that didn't seem to be the way he wanted to play it out. Stubborn. Him and her brother. Some men just had to be men.

Not that she would even know where to start with his girl troubles. The crap just kept piling up in Clyde's life.

"The door's open anytime, man." She gave him a wave as he strolled away. "Merry Christmas."

Carmen watched him walk off until he was out of sight, then looked up and took a long, deep breath of the cold night air, wondering if there was anyone looking down at her. Or Clyde. Or any of the crazy shit that was going on in their lives.

"Wrestling. Wow." She rubbed her nose and stepped back in the gym.