#Are there Roman/Stewy fics?? when Stewy tells him he did good and he's still so desperate for anyone's approval. while Stewy is selfish. hm

[overbearingstruggles]

Claire! Omfg what was that finale? Like god damn it Shiv! (My friend said that she’s a mirror of her mother, unhappy ceo wife) Roman just losing his marbles and I really thought Kendall was gonna off himself.

Ah so true! Bringing a kid directly into what she grew up in, being cold and seemingly out of touch with her own feelings, knifing family at the last second to give her husband a leg up. Woof. I will be excited to read smart people's takes about it because emotionally it's so easy to view Shiv as villainous after blatantly backstabbing. Caroline still not actually not prioritizing them in her final scene. Fucking dumbass big head Tom really makes sense with the way men be failing up huh? Mr. Servitude.

We all fully snot nose ugly cried at the sibs re-team even knowing it was going to crash, right? But the sweet scenes are just so sweet when we get them.

At this point, Colin is guarding Kendall from himself. I love the slow walk to the water, the tease of this man throwing himself in. Gag.

Roman got a lifetime of shit to work out with his crossed wires but he's okay. I feel so okay with this for him because being outside is what he needs. And being the aware one to tell Kendall they're bullshit, his little smirk, he fucking knows it. It's always been a game and he finally gets to stop playing. The tease of an empty chair next to him had me chanting for Gerri even though I knew that would be too cheesy for this show.

I'm heartbroken for Connor because he actually was winning in the ways you hope to win in this show. Had his functional partner, best friend and the most accepting relationship with alive & dead Logan, but he and Willa going back to a long distance relationship? Damn let the man have it!!

[loveandthings11]

How Deep My Love Goes, Chapter 12

Read on AO3 Ch 1 Ch 2 Ch 3 Ch 4 Ch 5 Ch 6 Ch 7 Ch 8 Ch 9 Ch 10 Ch 11

Fic Summary: A Kenrava-focused fix-it alongside canon 💗

Chapter Summary: SEASON 2 ERA! Roman makes his decision. Kendall and Stewy kick off the business media frenzy around the hostile takeover. Kendall works on saving Vaulter against all odds. Rava and Kendall take a trip to her parents’ house. Featuring Kendall in glasses!

New Year's Day

In here, it’s surreal.

Kendall looks over at his suit jacket flung over the armchair, Brioni pants wrinkled on the floor. He sees Rava’s messy hair draped over her peaceful face, lipstick smeared the way he wanted it. A pile of blue silk is by the door because it wasn’t staying on past the click of the lock. A news broadcast comes over the radio and he turns it off. He doesn’t need to hear it- there’s no news bigger than what he did yesterday.

Outside, Logan’s calling him a druggie. Shiv’s rolling her eyes as “insane,” “unhinged,” spill out of her lips and Tom nods at everything he hears. Outside, Roman’s pacing nervously, Tabitha’s pouring Bailey’s in her coffee and watching him decide his future. Greg’s looking around, plotting, deciding nothing and waiting for the next possibility to walk in. Marcia’s shaking her head, Connor’s condemning his little brother for the loss of family harmony that wasn’t really there. Outside, they’re waiting.

But in here, Kendall is a king. It’s New Year’s Day and no one can touch him. His birthright is coming. He’s never loved the sunrise so much.

The door knocker thunks on the heavy wooden door and Kendall gets up to answer it because kings don’t hide. Roman’s right there when he pulls it partially open like Austerlitz deja vu.

“So, I kind of have to talk to you,” Roman starts.

Kendall glances back at Rava, still asleep, and steps outside the door, closing it quietly behind him and turning to look skeptically at his brother. He’s feeling generous enough to give him a chance to explain what happened.

“Uh, yeah, I guess you do have to talk to me. Where were you last night?” Kendall asks. Roman’s reluctant and rubs the back of his head.

“I was talking to Dad, okay?”

Kendall smiles into the scoff, like he knew it.

“Right. Okay. Yeah, you know what, bro, not everyone’s cut out for this. So don’t worry about it. I’m sure Dad will find a nice little cage for you at the studio again.”

Roman rolls his eyes and tries not to take the bait.

“Maybe I can tell you some shit you didn’t already know, can you consider that?” Kendall stays quiet against his instinct and Roman sighs. “Look. I don’t think it’s outside the realm of possibility that you will crash and burn, because, I mean-“ he gestures at Kendall. “-you’re you.”

“That’s not going to happen. Do you have a point?” Kendall replies evenly. It won’t take much to tip things into being overwhelming and he wants to focus on the good parts of this day.

“Fucking- obviously,” Roman says, irritated. He continues slowly. “How would you feel about me, maybe, giving you some information- when I deem it’s good for me- and maybe just generally not totally fucking you?”

“Wow. That’s a really great deal for nobody,” Kendall says. “I told you before, Dad’s going to do nothing for you like he did nothing for me. Dude, I had an actual job at Waystar and he did what he did. I mean, what- what do you think he’s going to do to you?”

“I don’t fucking know, Ken, but I don’t want to kill him like you do.”

He feels the barb’s intended pain and really wishes Roman wouldn’t think that.

“What- how do you not understand how much I didn’t want to do this?” he asks incredulously. He shakes his head and tries to connect in a more gentle, intense way, looking right into Roman’s eyes. “I didn’t. But it’s happening. And I am taking over. Dad’s time is ending. You can still hop on the lifeboat. Heading to dry land, bro.”

“Well, maybe stop this attempt at poetry and listen to me. This can help you. Look, I planned the vote with you, I actually- puke- agree with certain parts of your vision-“

“Because my vision is fucking good-“ Kendall interjects.

“-And buying stations to indoctrinate some local tinfoil hat fucks is not the- the- thing. But I am not risking my life for a ‘lifeboat’ made of, like, popsicle sticks and your childhood dreams. So, take it or leave it. I might save you by telling you valuable shit.”

“Or you might try to sink me.”

“If you annoy me. Which is highly likely, I’m just being honest.”

Kendall rubs his forehead.

“Negotiating against yourself. Good luck out there. Well, I’m obviously not going to tell you anything. You’re asking to be a double agent. I don’t even- who does that? Honestly, I can get information from other sources.” Kendall remembers his talk with Greg last night, his bumbling blackmail that Kendall found both amusing and concerning. But he knows Greg’s loyalty will go to the highest bidder. If he buys it, it’s his. With Roman it’s more complicated.

Roman tries a new, genuine appeal.

“This…” Roman gestures between them, “this has been nice. Like, is there a way where it doesn’t have to be… you know?”

Kendall feels torn. It has been nice. He’d missed Roman when he’d been in LA, and they hardly see each other even when they’re both in New York.

“You know I wanted you on board,” Kendall says with disappointment. He remembers that it’s not only his choice. “I think you’re being wishy washy, but I’m pretty sure Stewy and Sandy will have stronger language than that to describe it.”

Roman raises his eyebrows and looks down and away. It makes Kendall feel achy and want to change his mind.

“Okay. Open offer.” Roman gives him an unreadable look before turning and walking toward the dining room for breakfast.

The slight bump of the wood when Kendall closes the door upon re-entering the bedroom makes Rava stir.

“Mmm. What are you doing? Come back.” She’s never liked that he gets up before her and he’s spent most weekend mornings of his adult life as a pillow for an extra hour or two. It’s always been his time to secretly send Saturday and Sunday work emails, but he doesn’t think he can even pretend to want to lie down now. He’s vibrating with energy, conflict, worries, excitement. He goes to sit on the bed and brushes her hair off her face. She softly holds his hand with both of hers and he smiles at how sweet she is when she’s still half-asleep.

“You want to get breakfast?” he asks quietly. “Come with me. Not here, we’ll go somewhere.”

“Mmhmm.” She opens her eyes and squints at him. “Okay. Are the kids up?”

“I don’t know, I just got up myself.”

“Okay.” She sits up with the sheet loose around her and he suddenly needs to be close and scoops her toward him for a comforting hug. It’s going to be okay. She’s still sleepy and melts into him easily for a minute as he breathes in her scent. She rolls out of bed and he admires her bare skin as she walks around looking for the robe she’d brought. “Where is that robe..?” she asks.

“I’m not telling you,” he replies, eyes not leaving her body.

“Okay. Great, thank you,” she smiles sarcastically and nods along before spotting the robe and wrapping it around herself.

After throwing on a pair of dark jeans and a beige sweater and looking effortlessly chic, Rava goes into the kids’ room and Kendall gets ready to sneak past the sure-to-be-awkward breakfast to find something in town before flying home.

……

The kids sleep in a back bedroom of the jet while Rava dozes with her head on Kendall’s shoulder. Jet lag, post-wedding exhaustion, and hangovers are winning this day for everyone else. Kendall puts his arm around her and silently practices his talking points for the news appearances he and Stewy will be flooded with once they’re back in the city. Stewy smirks at his phone as he texts and sips coffee with his soft leather loafers up on a footstool and blankets draped over him on his reclined seat. Roman had declared that he was going with Tabitha on Logan’s jet because Dad said so, so it’s just the three of them. Stewy looks up and nods at Kendall’s notecards.

“You ready?” Stewy whispers to Kendall. “PGN first.” Kendall nods seriously. “So what’s up with your brother?” Stewy inquires, keeping his voice down. “He pass out in a bathroom with his dick in his hand?”

“Uh, he went to talk to Dad. He came to me this morning and offered to inform on him, but obviously he’s just doing Dad’s bidding now,” Kendall reports a little emotionlessly.

Stewy’s eyes widen and he tilts his head with a slight look of disbelief.

“He got stuck, huh? Cool, Sandy’s gonna love that. It’ll look great for me that I vouched for him. Fucker.”

“Yeah. I know. I told him we’re not gonna talk to him.”

Stewy considers and crosses his legs, taking a bite of the croissant on the table next to him.

“You know what? Tell him we’ll take his information.”

Kendall perks up a bit.

“…yeah?”

Kendall picks up his phone, glad that someone else also thinks it’s a good plan to stay in touch.

“Yeah. But Ken,” Stewy says in his relaxed warning tone. “Don’t tell him anything."

“I won’t.”

After a nap and more quiet prep on the long flight back to New York, Kendall and Stewy meet back up at the entrance to PGN. The weather is getting quite chilly now but they don’t even notice as they go inside. They walk together onto the news floor when the elevator doors open, both in dark suits and feeling exactly as psyched as they’d always imagined they would be.

“Fucking… PGN. Hope they let me out alive,” Kendall chuckles. It’s not even close to his first time on TV, but it’s his first time doing it purely for his own business interests, and it’s certainly his first time on the rival network. He feels a bit untethered. Unleashed.

“Don’t worry. It’s the perfect first stop. We’ll be taken care of,” Stewy says knowingly as they make it into the labyrinth of a studio.

They approach the cameras via a long, dark hallway. The doorway shines blindingly bright light down the center. He fidgets with his notecards as they forge ahead in the weird spotlight.

The light is overwhelming all around them once they get inside. The makeup artists swarm and suddenly powder puffs and combs and chatter surround them both as they sit down in director’s chairs. A stylish and nervous-looking thirty-something PGN producer scurries over and tucks her light brown hair behind her ear as she smiles at Stewy. His eyes are instantly glued to hers. He gives her a serene smile back and Kendall can see her blush a bit.

“Stewy, I’m so glad you’re here,” she says sweetly. “I mean, we all are.” She extends her hand to Kendall. “You’re Kendall! Hi, I’m Lena,” she introduces herself, only briefly taking her eyes off Stewy’s face.

“Hey, yeah. Nice to meet you.”

“You too.”

“Ken, Lena’s here to make you seem like you know almost as much as me,” Stewy says smoothly. Lena giggles and Stewy twinkles at her. “She’s brilliant. Taught me everything I know about looking incredible on TV.”

Lena looks pleased and flustered for a second as she reaches back to check the claw clip in her hair.

“Oh, well, you’re a natural.” She gives him a pretty smile and gazes at him again for a second too long before forcing her attention back to the task at hand. “Um, so, I have some talking points for you both from your PR team.” She pulls some printed sheets from her tote bag and hands them to Kendall and Stewy. “Normally we wouldn’t do this, but, you know.” She drops her eyes after such a clear flirty moment. “I’ll let you go over them, and I’ll be right over here if you have any questions. About filming,” she clarifies. “I can’t answer questions about your PR. Obviously,” she laughs a little breathlessly. She turns to walk away and almost trips over a cable before going to stand with the other members of her team on the other side of the room and gazing over not-so-subtly.

Stewy watches her go as his eyes wander from the floor to her hair. Kendall looks over at him.

“Okay. Had to hit PGN first,” he smirks.

“You and your precious optics know this is where we have to start.” Stewy smiles a little. “But, yeah, it helps to have a supportive environment.”

“Uh-huh.” Kendall smiles and feels a pang of missing Rava.

“Anka was too freaked out by everything, you know? Who throws sex parties with severe anxiety issues? Lena’s… you know.”

“Yeah. Very chill,” Kendall deadpans. “She might have a heart attack if she overhears this conversation.”

“She’s like that every time she talks to me. It’s funny. She takes five minutes to type a sentence in a text,” Stewy shrugs. Kendall decides not to point out that Stewy could only know that if he watches the three dots for five minutes.

“Basket cases are your thing,” Kendall chuckles.

“That’s true, Ken, I do like spending time with disastrous people,” Stewy smiles pointedly. “It emphasizes to others how together I am.”

Kendall nods, playing along. It is a little nerve-wracking to think about the high expectations that everyone watching will have of him. Right now, maybe twenty people know what’s going on. In five minutes, it’ll be millions.

“Right. Hang on a second.” Kendall gets up and pulls his phone out of his pocket. He dials Rava and is glad to hear her voice.

“Hey! How’s the interview prep?” she asks.

“Hey. Good,” he confirms. “We’re about to go on. You watching?”

“Of course,” she replies. She’s a little apprehensive about the whole thing. Logan isn’t nice when he’s threatened.

“Good. Good. Hey, tonight can we just do takeout and hideout?”

“Yes. That sounds so good.” She pauses and he's quiet. “You okay? Worried about this?” She’s always advised him to think about the incoming peacefulness after the big event to calm jitters.

“Uh, kind of,” he admits. “I dunno. It’s great but it’s also, like… this makes it real.”

“There you go,” Rava smiles. “It is real.”

“Yeah. Fuck.”

A man wearing a headset pops his head into the side room.

“Two minutes!” he says.

“Thank you,” Kendall answers. “Okay, time to go. Time to make it fuckin’ happen.”

“Good luck!”

Kendall puts his phone in his pocket, walks back into the space and sits down next to Stewy at the desk set. The lights go down around the set and they look at each other in a moment of pure exhilaration. Memories flash through their minds of being seventeen and sneaking liquor in the Roys’ sprawling gardens while discussing their plans to take over the world.

A voice comes from the dark and everyone else goes quiet. Kendall closes his eyes for a second.

“Okay, we’re live in three, two….”

The on-air light lights up.

It’s a new world.

“I’m here with Kendall Roy, former Waystar Royco executive and son of current CEO Logan Roy, and Stewy Hosseini, partner at Maesbury Capital,” the reporter begins. “Kendall, we’ll start with you. You must feel strongly about this to go up against your father this way. What made you do it?”

Kendall focuses every bit of his energy on his response, breathes in, and lets the words he’s been repeating in his mind free.

“My father is a brilliant businessman. A true legend. And what he’s built here is unlike any other corporation in the world. His legacy can never be tarnished. In fact, one of the reasons Stewy and I decided to do this is to preserve it. The old ways of doing things are not viable in today’s world, and I can’t allow the firm to stay still when there’s a race all around it. I have always been of the mind that we need to move forward in order to shepherd Waystar Royco into the new era. I believe our focus on moving more deeply into the tech sector is critical to the success of the company moving forward and I am confident that I am the right person to lead us into the future as CEO.”

“Thank you. It must be an exciting moment for you. But how are things between you and your father?” she asks, clearly even more interested in this answer.

Kendall smiles, but it flickers. He knows this is the part everyone is listening to most closely.

“Uh, you know.” He keeps smiling uneasily into it. “They’re- we’re good. This is just the way things are, business-wise.”

“Great. And Stewy-“

Kendall practically blacks out in his mind while Stewy gets into the financial details. They’re really doing it.

About an hour and a half later, Kendall walks into the apartment and breathes it in for a moment. He’s back and it’s all under way. He walks down the hall toward the family room and Rava, who beckons him over to the couch.

He opens his arms and smiles for a minute on the other side of the room.

“How fucking amazing is this?” he says.

“It actually is,” she says honestly. She can’t believe he’s finally taken a bold step against Logan.

They’re both feeling exhausted after a weekend full of exertion, and he flops down on the couch next to her and nuzzles into her neck for a minute. She smells like fresh conditioner and light perfume.

“What a day you’ve had,” she smiles as he lets himself fall into her lap and she runs her fingers through his hair.

“Yeah. Can’t believe it.” He means it. Things have begun to feel vividly real. His phone buzzes and he pulls it from his pocket and takes a look.

“Text from Roman,” he says. “They’re all at the Hamptons house.” He pauses and feels a bit left out even though he knows it would make no sense for him to be there right now. Before he can say anything else, his phone vibrates again and he almost laughs out loud at the next message.

“Shiv?! Rav, Dad’s having individual meetings and he just called in Shiv. For what? Political advice? Is Roman making this shit up? She said she’s with Gil. She changed her mind already? Well, she’s already fucked herself if she’s going back and forth, politics to business. Dad won’t go for that, right?”

He sits up and stares at his phone.

“Well, you don’t know what he’s thinking. Trying to read his mind isn’t going to work here,” Rava says. “Don’t drive yourself crazy. I’m sure it’s nothing.”

He sighs quietly to himself and realizes that Dad actually is picking a new him this time. It’s just what he’d previously feared with Roman, only now it’s worse. It's Shiv, who is so inexperienced that she might believe Dad would pick someone with no experience. It doesn’t matter, he reminds himself, because he’s going to claim his rightful place. There is no new him.   

But he pictures Shiv in Dad’s Summer Palace office all the same.

He stews over the image for a few minutes. He feels jealous and protective of his little sister at once and struggles to remember to focus his energy on his own plans. A few minutes after Rava goes to have a snack, his phone rings. His skin prickles and his heart races when he sees Dad on his screen. He looks around a bit wildly at first, wondering where Rava is and realizing there’s not enough time. Instinct takes over and he answers it.

“Dad?” he manages.

“Kendall.” Logan’s voice is calm and almost eerily pleasant. “How is it out there in the cold?”

“It’s-“ he tries to speak. “You-you know, Dad, I didn’t want to do what I did- I-“

“I’ve been getting a lot of advice,” Logan starts smoothly, slowly. “Laird… Shiv… anyone with the stones to try to stand up to me tells me I should sell.”

The confusion is clouding Kendall’s previously sharpened mind.

“Uh-huh?”

“I was wondering- what do you think?”

Kendall thinks he can hear electricity crackle.

“Uh- what- what do you mean-“

“Well, you’ve been inside for a while. What do you think I should do?” The mind games are overwhelming.

“W- what is this, a joke? I don’t- Dad, we shouldn’t even be talking-“

“Enough. It was a good move. Now it’s time to come back in.” Kendall can barely believe what he’s hearing.

“What- so you can keep things exactly the same and never do what you promised?” He shakes his head. “No.”

“Oh, cut your self-righteous shit,” Logan thunders. Kendall is intimidated into silence. “We’re gonna fight this. And I want you by my side. The deal is, if you can stop Sandy and Stewy, then I will make you the next chief executive of the firm, like we planned. You’re the one, son.”

Shock reverberates through Kendall’s body. He struggles to collect his thoughts, to breathe properly. When was his last breath? Has it been too long? He suddenly inhales and tries to summon his own words to Roman earlier this morning.

“It- it wasn’t true when you said it before. For eighteen months. For fucking- thirty-two years, you said it, and you took it back.”

“You made a mistake, Ken. With Vaulter. This is my company. I have the right.” Kendall thinks he should argue, then decides against it. But he can’t help himself.

“Vaulter was a solid buy. But sure. You have the right. So why should I believe this?” Part of him is yearning against his will for a definite answer he knows Logan would never give.

“Because now, we’ve got eyes on us. The news fucks, the shareholders. Thanks to you,” Logan grumbles. “Thing is, you know both sides, you have the years." Well, no fucking kidding, Kendall thinks. “This is rare. But you have leverage. Let’s get back to work,” Logan says. Kendall can practically feel the steamrolling and tries to keep himself upright.

He realizes his dad may not trust Roman. Roman knows what was going on with Kendall’s side too, but Logan wants to hear it from Kendall. His head is swirling with thoughts. Is he on speaker? Is everyone listening and waiting to laugh if he says yes? He knows it’s stronger to end the call right now. But… the office. The chair. The respect, the head of the boardroom. The authority, the job, the usefulness. The fulfillment. He nervously grabs the edge of the couch cushion he’s sitting on.

He’s dying to say yes. But even in the face of all the temptation, he knows it could only end in humiliation if he went back. His dad would think of all kinds of ways to make him pay, all kinds of tests, a round of boar on the floor where he’s the only one begging for scraps. Rava’s disappointment, Stewy’s disdain... he can’t do it.

“Dad- I- I really wish I could trust you. I mean, you know I… I just- I can’t.”

Logan’s anger is almost as scary on the phone as it is in person.

“But you can trust Sandy, enemy of this family your whole life? And Stewy, who wouldn’t even go against me in your little board vote? But not me. Not the one who’s given you everything you’ve ever had. Is that right?”

Kendall’s heart is pounding. It’s terrifying, but he’s steeling himself.

“Yes, Dad. I wanted to believe you. But after everything the last couple of months, I can’t.” He takes a deep breath. “This is on my terms now.”

Logan’s voice turns violent. “I’ll grind you into dust. You’ll be nothing. You’ll finally realize it.”

Kendall tries to keep the words out, but they crash around him in waves for a terrible moment. He remembers every late night spent working, the entire year in Shanghai spent doing everything he could to make long-distance work with Rava, the times defending his kids from Logan’s derision, all to be treated like this. He feels the habitual need to remind himself of the good moments too, but hearing what his dad just said makes him stop himself. The fury, the threats, the derogatory comments about his recovery, his family, his strategies. His whole being. He leaves his body for a moment to say it.

“You’re a fuckin’ beast.”

Kendall hangs up and drops his phone onto the couch cushion. His hands are shaking and he knows his voice probably was, too. He nervously walks into the kitchen to find Rava and she tilts her head in a question when she sees him.

“Dad called,” he breathes. “He’s going to fight. But so are we.”

……

That night, they lie in bed in the dark. Blackout curtains have made it velvety dark in their room. They don’t always use the blackouts, but Kendall pressed the button to close them tonight. Rava looks expectantly at the spot she can feel him lying, wondering why he's so far. She reaches her arm out and feels for his head, lightly patting its crown.

“Hey,” she says softly. “What’s going on in here?”

She can hear him open his mouth and exhale.

“Do you think- this is dumb, but, do you think he even likes me? Like, as a person?” He pauses and hesitantly adds, “I don’t think he does.”

“Oh… Ken, of course he does.” She doesn’t know if Logan is capable of liking anyone, but he’s always been pretty obsessed with his son.

“No, I mean, well, thank you for- for saying that but like, really? If someone asked him what my good qualities were, what would he even say?”

“You have so many. You’re kind, you’re creative, you get inspired all the time-“

“But-” he shakes his head in a bit of embarrassment at this incredibly vulnerable moment. He’s glad it’s dark. “But he doesn’t like any of those things.”

“He never leaves you alone,” she says. “Just today, even when, from his perspective, you’ve been trying to destroy him for the last couple of months.”

“That’s not-“

“I know. But from his perspective,” she continues. “He tries to keep you leashed to him all the time. He always has.”

“But that’s like… sick,” Kendall replies uncertainly. “Yeah? That’s weird. People have told me that’s weird.”

They’ve talked about this before, but it’s been a few years. She remembers this kind of talk with less fondness than many of their other conversations.

“Yes. It’s weird. I mean, he isn’t normal or healthy. Obviously,” she lets out a mirthless chuckle. “But as much as he is capable of liking someone, I think he likes you.” Kendall is quiet, which is what he does when he sort of disagrees but doesn’t know how to argue. “He must like that you tend see the future in business.”

“I’m not sure that’s true.” Kendall wrings his hands at the thought of Vaulter being in his father’s power.

“It is! When have you ever been wrong about what direction to go in?” He’s quiet again, this time because there’s no counterargument. “You can’t argue that he likes that you have a sense of things!”

He can’t cheer for himself.

“I have a feeling he likes that quality more in other people than he likes it in me.” He lies there thinking of the people who don’t like him. The Canadians, the Vaulter staff, the art people… Roman? Shiv? He doesn’t say anything else but Rava can feel it.

The depth of his insecurity shouldn’t surprise her anymore, but it breaks her heart a little when it becomes so clear. She moves closer to him and lays her hand on his chest. She wants to tell him the validation from his father doesn’t matter, but she thinks when she’s said something for nearly two decades and it hasn’t sunk in, it might be time to give him what he wants instead of what he needs. Tonight, she can tell him a good truth instead of a hard one.

“You know he sees you as competition. Who else does he ever go toe-to-toe with? Hmm? And there is nothing your dad likes more than a completely insane business competition.”

She feels the vibration of a smile from him.

“Well, I can’t argue with that.”

“Yeah!” She says more cheerfully, grateful that her point landed. “You give him what he really wants. I actually think you might be the one person who doesn’t bore him.”

He considers that.

“I just… feel… this is going to ensure that he’ll never really trust me again. Like, I used to be his go-to. For everything.” Remembering the good moments he'd held off before makes him want to call Logan and tell him he wants to come back.

“I know," Rava says. "Don't forget what he did though-“ she uses a softer tone- “the takeover wasn’t the thing that changed his mind. He made the decision when he took back the announcement. And he did fire you. All i'm saying is you're not losing a close relationship right now. At the very least, you know he respects this."

He says nothing while he thinks over all of her ideas. He hears how negative he’s being and brings up something positive so she won’t think he’s a wet blanket.

“I guess… it’s true, he’s never accused me of boring him.”

“See? There you go. Come here.” She reaches for him and he rolls into her arms. She's glad it’s over and that she’s partially scrubbed the negative thoughts from his head for the night. His forehead rests on her shoulder as he wonders whether he should try to say what the even deeper problem is.

“It’s kind of fucking… hollow even if we win, though. If he never gives it to me, you know… if he never thought I could do it.”

His words float in the darkness for a moment.

“It would still be achieving what you’ve always wanted.”

“Well. You know, there were kind of two parts to what I wanted.”

“Yeah,” she says a little sadly.

“I- I know you think it shouldn’t matter,” he says hesitantly.

“I just wish it didn’t matter,” Rava says. They go quiet as she drapes her arm over him.

He’s had parts of this conversation with her and others over the years, with varying degrees of empathy reflected back. But this part has always been where no one could come with him, where no one hears him, no one understands.

…….

A few days later, Roman saunters up behind Kendall and Rava as they walk through the amusement park keeping an eye on Sophie and her friends at her birthday party.

“I’m here as a spy, in case you were wondering,” Roman announces. “Just here to check out whether Dad has anything to worry about. Obviously he doesn’t with this fucker in charge!” he adds loudly.

Rava shoots him a look.

“Dude,” Kendall sighs. The kids are here.

“Can we talk about what Sandy’s thinking the next steps are?” Roman asks impatiently.

“I’m here to enjoy my daughter’s birthday party. We’ll talk later.” Kendall glances at Rava for her approval. She’s glad to hear it even though she knows his head is full of strategy.

Sophie runs over and flings her arms around Kendall’s waist. He squeezes her and meets her eyes as she looks up at him.

“Can we make the wagon go faster?” she asks him. Kendall looks at the ride attendant as he adjusts his scarf. It’s getting colder outside.

“Is that possible?” he inquires. Rava leans in to talk to the attendant.

“No, no.” She looks at Sophie. “Honey, let’s stay safe, okay? We’re going to keep all the rides at their normal speeds.”

Sophie pouts for a moment and runs back to her friends. Rava follows to keep an eye on things and Roman smirks at Kendall.

“So, it must be fun to have no authority at home, no authority at work, you’re killin’ it!”

“You don’t understand responsibility,” Kendall replies dully.

“Nope, never been for me. I do understand having a personality though, which you have clearly lost!” He points at his brother for emphasis and is disappointed by his lack of reaction. “Hey, do you think Sophie thinks it’s weird that her grandpa isn’t at her birthday party?”

“Why, because he’s been so involved in his grandchildren’s lives before this?” Kendall almost smiles.

Roman snickers a little regretfully and they share a moment of dry humor.

“You know Shiv and Tom are here, keeping their distance.” Roman jerks his head behind him and to the left. Kendall looks alarmed.

“Uh, what? No. Is that- I mean, is she cool right now? What’s the deal with her and Dad?”

“I don’t fucking know, Tom’s here to be a freak and look at what he doesn’t have to deal with anymore because Firecrotch got him promoted to run the most important branch of the company,” Roman scoffs. Kendall glances back and calms down. They can’t do anything here.

“Well- I mean, it’s not really surprising that Tom’s at ATN now. Like… that figures.”

Roman’s eyes dance.

“Because he understands our ‘agricultural viewers?’” he says mockingly.

“Because he might actually believe some of that shit.”

“I believe that shit,” Roman says sardonically.

“You shouldn’t tell people that,” Kendall shoots back.

They are both glad for Connor’s interruption.

“Hey, hey! It's the traitor son," he says sarcastically. Roman snickers and Kendall grimaces. "Kenny, I got Sophie a few books I think she’d like to read. Counteract some of that propaganda they’re teaching her at Chapin.”

“Uh-huh. Okay, thanks Con,” Kendall says, letting it go. Roman jumps in.

“Do you think, maybe, you’re seen as susceptible to conspiracies because people see a weirdo living in the desert-“

“Oh, Romey, I love when you express your love for me,” Connor ruffles Roman’s hair and Roman makes a face as Connor walks away. Kendall stares over at Shiv and Tom, now joined by Greg.

“So… Greg talked to me at the wedding,” he starts slowly to gauge Roman’s reaction. He takes a deep breath. “I think he’s got something on Waystar.”

“What? For real? Like what?”

“I dunno- something with cruises. Maybe wolf pack stuff?”

A pained look crosses Roman’s face and he smooths his button-down under his coat.

“He doesn’t know shit.”

“I- I think he does, actually. He might have paperwork. I’m just saying, keep an eye on him, okay?” Kendall suggests.

“Blech. I don’t want to look at him. But fine.” Roman and Kendall both pause to watch Greg from afar.

“Uh, hey, can we be real for a second? Like, just sibs for a sec?” Kendall starts.

“That’s gonna be a no, but you’re going to say whatever overthought nonsense you have anyway.”

“Would you work at Waystar if not for Dad?” Kendall asks.

“Actually, I’d be the most highly-paid gigolo in the country and would laugh at your paltry c-suite millions. Or, like, your mailroom paychecks, which is much more accurately where you’d be without Dad.”

Kendall sighs.

“So, no,” Kendall prompts.

“No. What? I don’t know. Maybe. Who gives a shit? Who’s asking?”

“Me, dude. Relax. It’s not a trick.”

“So, what, you would work here without Dad?” Roman asks defensively.

“Honestly, yeah,” Kendall answers. “I think I’m good at it.”

“I think that’s up for debate.“

“Well, it’s not.” Kendall wishes he could ask Roman if Logan has ever mentioned his abilities, but he knows it would result in mockery instead of actual information. He drops the subject, but he knows Roman gets what it’s like to want Dad’s love and respect- Roman is even willing to spend his time doing a job he doesn’t care about in order to try to gain it- and that knowledge lightens the weight on his shoulders a bit.

…….

Kendall’s phone beeps and interrupts his call with Stewy. He checks and it’s Roman’s name.

“The fucking- informant is calling again,” he almost chuckles.

“Be careful, Ken,” Stewy warns before ending the call.

Kendall switches to the new call and hears that Roman’s voice is hushed and tense.

“Ken, Dad is deciding what to do about Vaulter right now.” He nervously paces around the hallway by the waiting area outside Logan’s office.

“What- what do you mean, like he might kill it?”

“He’s torturing me with questions about you and Sandy and Stewy.”

“Okay. Well, I’m sorry to hear that, but no one made you go back to him… what- what about Vaulter?”

“He doesn’t fucking like it but he could save it?” He brushes his hand along the back of the leather couch and then waves his arm around with his next sentence. “I don’t fucking know, you’re the one who threw all our pretty, pretty money at something for Dad’s approval-“

“Vaulter was a solid business decision. And you don’t care about Dad’s approval? Secretly calling me. Taking his shit. Okay.” He decides saving Vaulter is more important than making his point and refocuses. “Well, look, I think Dad is wrong, and Vaulter deserves a chance. I mean, yeah, Lawrence probably inflated their numbers, so, hire some accounting consultants, send them over, show your face. Be the hero.” He hates the idea of Roman looking like the savior for his company, but he hates the idea of losing it more.

“Or I could lay off two hundred people and triumphantly march back to my ivory tower. Maybe I could hire them to build me a new ivory tower. What’s minimum wage now, like 600K?”

“Or you should listen to me because I know the full situation and actually want to build something there.”

“Riiiight, you’re so selfless and altruistic. So inspiring,” Roman says. “Seriously, 600K, can you imagine trying to live on that?” Kendall ignores him.

“Dude. This is for you, too. When you’re COO, you’ll be glad you have their content and their interface, their readers. Trust me on this.” Roman asked what to do, but he doesn’t always like getting what he wants. “So- does he want you to go in? See Lawrence?”

“Of course he does. Tomorrow at 11:00.”

“Are you-? Don’t make me look like an asshole, man. You can save this.” Kendall squirms at the thought of Roman in his territory, making disgusting jokes and talking shit about him.

“Don’t worry about me meeting with him, I’m much more charming and likable than you,” Roman says drily. Kendall rolls his eyes and wonders why Lawrence doesn’t like him.  “Okay, back to being the only son Daddy loves!”

Roman hangs up and Kendall drums his fingers on the arm of the chair and gets up to find Rava.

“Hey,” he calls into the great room. “I think Dad might be doing something insane. He wants to shut down Vaulter, our only chance into the twenty-first century… eighteen years late, but, you know, it’s Dad.”

“Can you save it?” she asks as he enters the room and sits down.

“Uh, well. I don’t know. He’s got Roman on it tomorrow. He wouldn’t tell me if he’s going to destroy it. I worked on that acquisition for months!” He throws his hand up exasperatedly.

“Well, don’t just let him take it down then. Go with him and stop him!”

“Dad would never allow that, so-“

“You know, you don’t have to worry about what your dad would allow anymore.” He thinks for a second. “It’s going to be your company, isn’t it? Are you going to let the current CEO shutter a valuable asset that you’ll need when you take over? Would you let that happen with any other acquisition?”

He gives her a little smile.

“I missed this,” he says. “You’re always right.”

He goes to sit next to her and leans in to kiss her. Her hand brushes the back of his head and he puts his forehead on hers for a second, reconnecting after the energy given to everything else.

“How’s your day going?” he asks. “Has work improved much?”

She slumps into the couch and leans against him.

“Not really,” she answers drearily. “It’s all so shrouded in darkness. I can’t believe there are companies that operate like this.” She shakes her head. “I don’t know how you work in this world.”

He tries not to take the comment personally.

“Well… Waystar doesn’t do shit like steal wages and kidnapping or whatever.”

She raises her eyebrows and his voice gets a defensive tone.

“Not now. Not while I’ve worked there, Rav, you know that.”

“Yeah. I’m-“ she sighs. “Sorry- I don’t know. I feel bad failing at this. If this guy never comes home, it’s because I couldn’t find him. If there’s no justice for all these workers… I guess I just wish I were a better lawyer.”

Kendall never hears her express doubt in herself. It takes him a second to process and respond.

“Hey, that’s not fair to you. You’re going to figure this out. I’ll try whatever I can to help. And-“ he hesitates. “Would it be so bad to ask Robert?”

“Oh, so you don’t have to call your dad when you have a business problem, but I have to call my step-dad?” she gently mocks.

“Okay. I mean, sure, obviously I get it, but he probably knows someone.”

“From his Wall Street acquisition world? They wouldn’t know about this.”

“I dunno, maybe he knows someone who does.”

She shrugs.

“I’ll think about it.”

……

Lawrence looks worriedly at Kendall.

“It’s all for real, man,” Lawrence asserts. “You made a good decision buying us, I mean, from your perspective. I’ll do what it takes to keep it going.” He pauses. “What do you honestly think is going to happen here?”

“I’m of the opinion Dad can be persuaded he’s making a mistake,” Kendall says intensely. Roman looks at him warily. He’s not sure what the right answer is and Kendall can tell. “But you gotta work with me. Okay? Trust me.”

Lawrence nods like he knows it’s not up to him and Kendall walks up toward the front of balcony area of the Vaulter floor, overlooking all the people below, and begins his speech. Roman stands behind Kendall and zones out his words while he observes the expressions on all the workers’ faces. They’re not loving it but they also have no choice.

“Vaulter is the future of this company,” Kendall’s saying. Roman glances at Lawrence and he catches him. Roman gives an awkward nod and lets out a silent sigh. Kendall’s eyes flit to Roman for some support in the cold room. Roman makes a subtle face at him and Kendall gets back on track.

“If I fuck this up, I’m done forever,” he announces to the crowd. Roman fights the urge to cheer and get a laugh. He wonders how Kendall can possibly be so sincere saying such a dramatic sentence. Vaulter’s not the only game in town, Roman thinks. Another one would come along. Kendall’s winding it down now.

“Tough times. All pull together. Trust. Trust me. Any questions?” Roman can practically hear the crickets. Kendall steps down from the chair, a little shaken at the negative reception. Low chatter resumes in the room and Roman gives Kendall a sardonic smirk.

“Wow, they fucking love you here, you were definitely the right choice to make that speech. Then again, I’m still cool and they all hate you more than ever, so-“

“I’m saving their fucking jobs,” Kendall mutters. Roman giggles and walks away. Even if it’s the right thing, he doesn’t want to make it easy. “You understand that’s what this is, right?” Kendall calls after his brother. “I’m serious.” He catches up to Roman. “You want to strategize tonight? We have a lot of work to do. Obviously you’ll have to send me some shit so I can do it from home since I can’t be here normally. But-“

“I’m actually having a dinner party tonight that you’re not invited to, so-“

“What?”

Roman looks annoyingly satisfied at Kendall’s confusion.

“Yeah, Tabs and I are having Shiv and Tom to dinner.” Kendall feels a flash of envy and disappointment not to be included with Rava in a couples’ dinner party for his siblings.

“Uh, okay.” He tries to justify. “Well, you- you can’t be seen with me anyway, so.”

“You know Dad’s going to know you came here today and that we were seen together.” The justification dissolves and Kendall shrugs it off and tries to put a teflon wall around himself, allowing his eyes to get a little darker.

“Tell him I went rogue.”

……

Kendall squishes into his favorite armchair in the family room, glancing at the fireplace while he idly listens to Stewy complain over the phone.

“When were you going to consult with me on making a speech to all of Vaulter, Ken?” he asks, clearly annoyed. “How does that look? How am I supposed to explain this?”

“It’s going to look like I’m taking over this company and care what happens to it. It makes sense.”

“You standing with Roman the ‘loyal son’ and speaking from a joint perspective. That makes sense?”

“Yes. It does. I can’t trust Roman to take care of things. Dad leans toward killing it. If Roman feels the heat, he’ll fold. He’d fire them all tomorrow if he thought it would get him a pat on the head.”

Stewy sighs.

“This isn’t your favorite kind of, like, nice, pleasant acquisition where you have lunch and discuss your joint business dreams.” Stewy tries to sound authoritative but he smiles a little at the vast difference in how he and Kendall do business. “Not to sound like your dad,” he shudders, “but this is war. It cannot look like you might still be talking to him or your brother. No more of this.”

“You know we need Vaulter, Stew.”

“Figure it out without being buddy-buddy with the fucking enemy. I don’t want to be destroyed on CNBC tomorrow and I’m sick of being questioned by Sandy. You still need him, don’t forget that.”

“Yeah.”

“Okay. Bye.”

Kendall goes back to looking over the piles of Vaulter documents in front of him and slips on his glasses. He only wears them when it’s absolutely necessary, but Rava loves when she catches a glimpse. She steps into the doorway, head tilted and subtle smile on her face as she watches him focus. He looks up and takes the glasses off.

“Hi,” he says.

“Oh, you’re so cute in those, put them back on,” she says as she walks closer.

“No.”

“Well, you never know when you're cute.” He looks down and tries not to smile. “See, right now.” She steps between his chair and the desk, leaning back against it as she surveys him, and puts the glasses back on him. “Sexy econ professor," she laughs. "Tell me about the stock market.”

He laughs and shakes his head. She tucks her hair behind her ears and leans over him.

“How’s the New York Stock Exchange?” she whispers.

He looks down her open blouse.

“Uh, pretty hot. I'm the professor? Okay. I'll teach you. Waystar is actually doing better than I-”

“Ooh, I heard those Waystar guys are rich,” she purrs in his ear. He takes off the glasses again and puts them down.

“You heard right,” he says, completely straight-faced this time as he pulls her into his lap for a sexy kiss. “All the diamonds you want if you come to office hours.”

“And if I want time?” She smiles into his lips and swats in the direction of his laptop. He reaches over and closes it.

“Probably more than you want,” he chuckles.

“Good. Well, Mom and Robert are expecting us at 7:00, so… we should go in a few minutes. So much better than a stupid dinner party with your siblings all night,” she says in a light tone as she stands up, knowing the party is bothering him enough that he insisted they go to her parents’ house this very weekend. He nods, wondering again why Roman and Shiv don’t hang out with him more. He remembers Roman essentially saying he liked being close to him a few days ago and feels guilty for letting him dangle in that conversation while he was mad. He wonders if that’s the real reason he wasn’t invited.

“Yeah. Let me just-“

“Don’t make me explain to him why we’re late, come onnnn.” She pulls him up playfully and he extricates himself before putting his hands on her upper arms and looking into her eyes.

“I will be done in ten minutes,” he promises.

“Ha! Sure you will. Just remember this trip was your idea, so if we’re late, you are dealing with any and all fallout.”

“Okay. I could be almost done by now. I’ll be out in-“

“Ten minutes,” they say in unison. Rava smiles and walks out.

……..

When the heavy wooden door of the elegant stone Greenwich home swings open, Kendall is immediately enveloped in Rava’s mom’s arms, squished in with Rava and the kids behind them and feeling the stress being squeezed away. Years of memories flood back in in the best way, of his first happy Christmas with Rava’s family at age 23, the time a year later when Rava had run into the house ahead of him squealing to her mom about her new engagement ring, the first time they brought both kids to visit and swelled with pride. This house has been a sweet escape for Kendall his whole adult life. Every time Logan had hurt his pride or his self-esteem, he had found himself again with the other side of his family. He closes his eyes for a few moments, taking in the kindness and calm of the house he had missed for the last three years.

When Cheryl finally lets go, she puts her hand on Kendall’s face.

“Look at you. You’re still thirty. Men have it so easy,” she laughs with Rava and he shakes his head. She grabs him again and pats his back. “Ohhh, I missed you.” She looks at her daughter and grandchildren. “He’s such a good hugger. I almost forgot how cute he is.” Rava and Kendall smile.

“It’s true,” Rava agrees.

“Okay,” he laughs at the way he'd forgotten they compliment him like he isn't there. “Thank you, I missed you, too. I’m so glad to be back. Seriously, you have no idea.” Cheryl pats his hand and turns her attention to Sophie and Iverson.

“My babies! You’re getting so big,” she coos.

“Grandma!” Sophie excitedly jumps up and down and Iverson smiles.

“Come eat!” Cheryl beckons to the dining room and takes the kids’ hands as she leads them to the kitchen. Kendall and Rava head in to find Rava’s stepdad setting his glass at his place. Robert seems even taller than he usually does in his own home, authority and confidence emanating from him in a similar yet less menacing way as Logan.

“Sweetheart,” he says to Rava, coming over to kiss her cheek. “Good you’re here for the weekend.” He turns to Kendall. “Ken, son!” he booms. “Get over here.” Kendall's glad to hear that he's still considered family but his heart beats a little faster as he walks over for what feels like a bit of a test. “I hear you’ve got it all together these days,” Robert says, glancing down his nose as he commends and warns at once.

“That’s right,” Kendall affirms, a little tension creeping up as he worries he hasn’t been accepted back in. “Here to stay,” he adds, trying to sound confident. Robert lingers in eye contact for exactly two seconds before moving on.

“That’s what we like to hear!” He claps him on the back and Kendall breathes a sigh of relief. “Now let’s hear every detail of this fucking bear hug. It’s daring. I like that. Cheryl, do we have something besides scotch and wine in this house?”

“Oh, it’s fine-“ Kendall starts.

“Well, of course we do,” Cheryl rolls her eyes as she glides back in, already ready with Perrier and French grapefruit soda. The kids trail her and sit down at their places. She musses Robert’s hair as she passes him and sets the bottles in the middle of the table. “Divina made the most incredible cedar plank salmon for tonight, it’ll blow your mind.”

“It smells great,” Rava says.

“And mac ’n’ cheese for my adorable grandchildren,” she continues. The kids dig in as soon as the cook places the food on the table.

“So! Let’s hear it. Taking on the titan, huh?” Robert asks.

“Uh, yeah, well- it- it obviously was not my ideal plan, but it’s pretty much necessary. My dad-“ he sighs. “It’s just- time for the new generation to take over.”

“True enough, some of us know when to retire! Someone’s got to keep the golf clubs in business. Now for the good stuff- Vaulter!” Kendall knew the M&A lawyer would want all the juicy details about the acquisition.

“My dad wants it gone- I hear,” Kendall starts. “I guess he wants to sell but, you know, if things go right, he won’t be in charge for much longer, so I’m planning to save it. It’s hard from the outside, but I won’t be outside for long.”

“You gave a speech I hear,” Robert smirks.

“That got out, huh?” Kendall asks a little nervously. “Well, I did, yeah. They need to know where we stand. Can’t have them unionizing, it’s for their own good. Dad would shut that down so fast. But we’re gonna have an amazing company culture, like, they’re going to be bragging to their friends about how incredible things are for them. They think they have it good now with a few ping-pong tables. Just wait til I have a chance to do things right. The guys on twelve in our building are pumped about all the changes I made happen. Even the breakfast food. They actually specifically told me so.”

Rava smiles to herself. She likes when the passion spills out of the buttoned-up persona he keeps up.

“Mmhmm. I do see you at the helm,” Robert looks him over and nods approvingly. Rava knows what it means for Kendall to hear that.

“Thank you." He looks genuinely touched and Rava wonders if he's heard that at all since the position was offered to him a year and a half ago.

“Rava!” Robert calls. “Let’s hear some good case news.” Kendall glances at her uneasily.

“You probably should have done me first,” she says jokingly while still accidentally managing to come off as preemptively defensive toward him. “Well,” she begins, “the case I’m still working on is- a unique challenge. Some international corporate stuff. But it’s going all right,” she fibs.

“Nothing you can’t figure out if you put real effort in,” he says. She wonders if she’s being too sensitive or if the implication that she isn’t trying was really there. “What’s wrong with it?” he asks. She gives him a look like he should know better than to ask for case details and he rolls his eyes. “I’ll sign whatever you need, just spill it,” he orders. Kendall watches her dissolve a little as she glances down at the table and gives in and he grimaces for a moment. It doesn’t occur to him that this is what she’s watched happen to him all their lives.

“Um, well, the resorts don’t keep very clear paperwork- I’m sure that’s not an accident- and they make it pretty difficult to get it. I need evidence of settlements for past wage theft whisteblowers to prove this is a pattern of behavior.” She blinks and avoids Robert’s eyes. “But they operate out of these remote island places and it’s been hard to get in touch with anyone in management to get the evidence I need…?” She hates that she probably sounds like she’s not working hard enough. “And I’ve subpoenaed but, obviously, that doesn’t work if everyone’s MIA.” She takes a long sip of her chardonnay, dreading the response.

“Well, if you can’t figure it out yourself, you should grab that Gerri Kellman for a consult,” Robert asserts. Rava’s shoulders tense up. “If Waystar’s still running, it’s because she’s kept ‘em all out of prison,” he laughs. “No offense, Ken.”

“Uh…” Kendall starts. “Well, I, you know, to a point, I agree,” he says, hoping to keep things smooth and take the unwanted attention off of Rava and the case. “There have been some problems with some bad actors within the company. I’m going to affect a lot of change in the culture when I’m CEO. The culture that my dad has allowed is actually toxic. And I’m coming to change that.” He looks at Rava. “But, Rava wouldn’t talk to Gerri while we’re in the middle of this- that would be a disaster.” He looks back at Robert and she feels queasy. “But I’m sure between the two of us, we could get a list of some fuckin’ superstars she could talk to, yeah?”

“You said a bad word!” Sophie cries, looking up from her dinner.

“Oh, sh- uh, yeah. Sorry, Soph.” Sophie goes back to eating and not paying attention.

Normally Rava would laugh at Sophie’s occasional tendency to chastise her dad about little things, but this time, she’s caught on something else. She’d almost forgotten that she’d called Gerri at all in all the chaos of the last few days and hadn’t gotten around to mentioning the conversation to Kendall. Now she thinks she’d better not.

“Mmhmm,” Robert responds. “I’ll get a list going of people you can consult with.”

“I mean, it’s going fine, but- sure.” Rava nods with a tight smile to her stepdad. “Thank you,” she adds. She doesn’t mind when Kendall offers to help because she knows how happy it makes him to feel useful and needed. But when Robert helps, she worries that it comes from doubt rather than encouragement. But either way, in this particular situation, she knows she needs it.

Later that evening, Kendall comes back into their guest bedroom from brushing his teeth and enjoys the low golden light coming from one of the Tiffany lamps on the nightstand by Rava. She watches him and thinks he looks physically lighter on his feet after the compliments and encouragement he got tonight. She feels a bit flattened herself. She slides her hands over her face and makes a mental note to say extra nice things to the kids tomorrow. Being criticized really messes people up, she thinks, considering Kendall’s and her different but related experiences. He sits down on the side of the bed and drops his button-up off his shoulders. Rava reaches up from her position lying in bed and traces her fingers from one freckle to the next on his back. She wants to be close.

“I love these,” she says. They’re peacefully quiet for a moment as she continues. “You’re getting them checked every year though, right?”

He chuckles.

“Yes. You’re so my wife.” She smiles and keeps gently rubbing her fingers over his back as he closes his eyes.

“That feels so nice.” He drops his head back and leans back into her touch.

“Don’t put anything else on,” she whispers.

He nods before turning to lie down right next to her and pull her close into a tight hug. He feels solid, warm, safe. She tucks her head into the crook of his neck and relaxes, relishing how soft his skin is there.

“Mmm, you are a good hugger,” she whispers. “I love you.”

“I love you,” he smiles. “I’m so glad we’re here.” He slides his hands up the back of her t-shirt.

“Feel better?” she asks.

“I’m about to,” he mumbles into her skin as he rolls her on top of him.

“We’ll have to be quiet,” she says mischievously.

He gives her a cocky smile.

“Yeah? Good luck with that.”

Chapter 13 💗

[chaithetics]

AAHHHHH WJDIEKDKWLW THIS WAS THE CUTEST CHAPTER EVER!!! 😭😭😭🥰🥰🥰😍😍😍😭😭😭😭

helloo bestie how are you? i'm curious anon who missed kendall's birthday chapter because i was so busy but hey lucky i'm here today because i really missed reading porce and stewy <333 (about that chapter: i still can't believe in the audacity of a random man hitting on porce with stewy literally next to her BUT not everyone has a husband like hers so it wasn't a concern try again!!! and kendall being an asshole what a surprise..)

but let's talk about now and how it was so beautiful and so cute and how i never want to get pregnant or have kids but i felt like i had just given birth and i liked it lol a baby with stewy hosseini? PLEASE I clearly and totally could change my beliefs for this 🥺 roman being.. roman, i confess i laughed because he's such an idiot but it was so real i'm sure he would actually say it in the show lmao and imagining him making that same joke when jonathan was bigger, at a dinner like "I think you old enough to know the truth" and everyone please don't 🤦🏻‍♀🙄 logan showing some love?? omg?? for a baby?? but lol I know it's real because I've seen people who don't have a good relationship with their parents but parents just love their grandchildren, guilt? I don't know but at least it wasn't bad and shiv, yes no one expected her to show up or send a card and I'm sure she was mad for not giving her first grandchild to logan but whatever, at my house we don't care about her!! and finally CONNOR IS THE BEST BROTHER, I love him and I'm happy to know he's going to be a great big uncle <33 anywayyy, sorry for so many words but I don't know how to sum it up and I like to praise when I really like something ahjxsisk aaand watching this chapter of jonathan's birth i was curious to know more about tillie <3 her parents planning her, did it "accidentally" happen or was she planned? finding out it's a girl, telling jonathan he's going to be a big brother, telling his family.. 😭🥰😭🥰 ok enough hahaha congratulations on another amazing chapter and have a great sunday! <333

OMG THANK YOU SO MUCH, YOU'RE SO, SO, SO, SWEET!!!! I LOVE YOU!

Hello lovely curious Nonnie! I'm a little bit tired and sore with period pain. How are you?! Hey, missing Kendall'a birthday just means that you got a 2 for 1 special for fic reading haha! Aw that's so sweet that you missed them!

This is so sweet and honestly same! 🤣 I've never gone through that and I personally don't plan to so I was googling random stuff to make sure what I knew was true. I've been to hospital before and know what that's like but I have no idea what it's like being in a hospital for childbirth, let alone at what would be a fancy, super private hospital. Buy Stewy and Jonathan are cuties, I can confirm.

Aw, I'm glad it made you laugh! Like you said, it feels like a very gross Roman thing to say. I like to try and make the characters as realistic to the show as possible and I've gotten a bit of positive feedback on that about Roman which I really appreciate. I hadn't even thought about that! I feel like he'd maybe something like that when he's a young toddler so he's verbal but wouldn't get it/remember it. But it would be more of a joke he'd just tell adults about (going to give him some emotional maturity points there lol).

Yes! That's what I was thinking of! There's definitely a phenomenon of abusive parents being much nicer to their grandchildren in comparison to how they treated their children. I don't know if there's a term for it, I'm sure there is one in psychology? But anyway I think that very much applies to Logan. Also I don't know if I'd say it's Logan sharing love and if so it's definitely not a genuine or healthy love. We know there's the thing about the bloodline and how Logan feels about that and is with Sophie and Iverson. I think that him showing up was solely for like confirmed proof that his bloodline "had been passed down" and that's what Porce had done "good" of and why he thanked her. We know Logan doesn't view his children as serious people and he doesn't take any of them seriously from the very first episode. There's this whole thing going on about all of his sons being failures and something being wrong with them and then Shiv always being held back by her gender. I think in a way he's also hoping for grandchildren as like a reset/worthy successors.

No haha. Nobody expected that from Shiv. Tom would organise a gift basket that he put far too much thought in with an interesting card and Shiv would lift her hand to just sign her name with an eye roll. I think she'd look down on it and see it as Porce sealing her fate as nothing but a mother and wife (similar with Caroline). Connor is nuts but he's a very sweet older brother, he'll be the most doting uncle and his nephew and niece will adore him!

Don't apologise! These asks with questions are such a nice change and breath of air from the asks with requests, which I'm so grateful for but are definitely a bit overwhelming at times. This also really touches me to know people care about my work so much that they think about it and take the time to come up with questions and send them to me. I love it and I'm always happy to answer any questions!!!! Thank you! I adore you so much!

These are such great questions! I think I'll explore them more in another fic similar to this Jonathan one but for Tillie! Thank you for those ideas! I think she'd maybe be "casually planned", is that a term?! But Jonathan would be close to a few years old and they'd think now wouldn't be a bad time to have another so they wouldn't be putting pressure on it but it wouldn't necessarily be an accident. If that makes sense? I think telling Jonathan could be sweet and quite funny. Despite being good at sharing and a polite little man he's used to being an only child and because his cousins are all older he doesn't quite get pregnancy etc. I think they'd have to explain it to him a few times and read some books to him on that. I could also see something silly happening like his uncle Connor asks him if he's excited to meet his baby sister and Jonathan innocently says it's not a sister but an alien in his mum's tummy and Roman finds that absolutely hilarious and makes some more affair jokes. But when Jonathan meets his younger sister he's very happy and excited!

Thank you so much lovely! When i posted that it was that late that I think it was technically Succession Monday for me already haha! I hope you had a great Succession Sunday and Monday! Thank you so much for the praise and questions, I adore you and will start writing those Tillie questions into a proper fic soon, so thank you!!! Thank you so much Curious Nonnie, you're the best! 💗

[banthacakes]

Just mainlined s2 of succession and IN PREPARATION for next week, have some thoughts:

Shiv and Ken both sleep with people in Willa's play. That's three of four siblings involved in the Willa situation - is this on purpose? SURELY

(I love Willa A Lot, and things I love about her are how I think she's truly neutral in all of this except for how she's changing, see also throwing an iPad over the side of the boat) (I also love her hair)

Stewy is going to get back involved with Kendall (SURELY, that is a bromance for a lifetime) (very homo)

I have become completely obsessed with Gerri and Roman, leave me alone (do not leave me alone, I love them), and I think they're BOTH gonna turn out to be serious about this thing. I don't think they'd actually do as the Germans do but honestly everyone is wild so who knows

Why did Shiv even marry Tom? He's respectable but he's not, like, that respectable. I know she's the Ivanka Trump in this situation but idk

Okay but i DO think that Tom loves Shiv. That scene in their little beach cove?! So good! I had feelings! I love that for all of us

There is nOTHING I love more than 'I need to negotiate a bit of a Gregxit' and Greg, Tom is going to be so betrayed and I can't wait for him to throw things

Safe Room, where Tom is throwing things at Greg? They are such a horrible love story and I love them

My FACE when the special conference call happened, there's nothing like knowing a thing is going to happen but being compLETely unprepared

It is a weird feeling to go between Harriet Walter in Succession to Harriet Walter in Ted Lasso, if you want a good time and some whiplash.

Now have some fic I loved (they are all set post s2 finale):

True Blue - Tom remembered a time when he coveted opportunities for advancement like it was something to be won. Nowadays, they flew around like shrapnel in a war zone. Or potatoes in a terrifying game of Hot Potato. (Tom/Greg)

Next of Kin - “We’re, uh, together, by the way,” Kendall says. The statement hangs between them like a particularly difficult riddle he wants her to unscramble. He sounds clinically insane. “Dating. That’s the story. In case anyone asks.”

Jess has the grace to not look alarmed. “Got it. I’ll tell Out Magazine no when they call.” (Kendall/Stewy, me laughing a lot)

evacuation strategies for a yacht on fire - They get married on a Monday morning, and Roman knows nobody will buy it, but he’s still gonna swear on his life it was Gerri’s idea. (Gerri/Roman)

ok thanks call me