"That was going too far, Raven."
Raven's nose wrinkled and she pushed her plate over to Qrow.
Tai was primed to go off on another of one of his foolish tangents about Talon being a child and living out a normal childhood. The others might not have been as vocal about it, Summer, Qrow, and Glynda all around their kitchen and dining room but they were all on his side. She couldn't say she expected it from Qrow but then again, he'd always been eager to indulge in all the kingdoms had to offer, good or bad.
She'd never understand what was normal about the people here burying their head in the sand and pretending like they were safe.
"Anything could've happened out there. What if-"
"Nothing was going to happen." Raven said with a roll of her eyes. They were all acting like she'd sent Talon out there on his own. Worse, they treated him like something he wasn't. "If you saw what we did, you'd think twice about babying him. He isn't like any of the brats born behind those damn walls."
"That doesn't mean you go throwing him to Grimm. Even if he's talented-"
"Its not just talent. Talon has the mind and instinct for combat." Raven said, glaring up at him from across the table. All this time and he still couldn't see what she did. "I'm giving him what he needs and making sure he can put all that to use before something else forces him to…or you smother it out of him." Raven muttered the last bit.
"And how would you know he needs any of this? He could-"
"Alright you two." Summer said, hands placed at the center of the table. "What's done is done."
"I can't believe you either, Summer. Or you." Tai said, his pointless anger turned to Summer and Glynda both. "Why would you go along with that?"
"I mean, I was against it too, but you know how Raven is. If she's decided to do something with Talon it's going to happen, there's no stopping that. I figured we might as well be there." Summer said, rubbing the back of her neck, her eyes falling away from Tai. "Besides…I don't think it was that bad of idea anymore."
"What?" Tai voiced both their surprise, Raven's brow leaping up.
With as much as Summer gushed over Talon, annoyingly so, she was always trying to get her to ease up when it came to training him. This was the first time she did anything along the lines of agreeing with her methods.
"You should've seen him take down those beowolves. We taught him a lot but the way he fought…" Summer sighed, still staring down at the table. "The eyes, the neck, the back of the knees. The second Raven tossed him a weapon he disabled them and went for the vitals. Heck, he was doing that without a weapon. I know he's been reading up on Grimm but to actually do stuff like that in his first real fight? Raven hasn't even been teaching him to fight like that."
"I'm inclined to agree with Raven's assessment as well." Glynda said from her place along the counters, scroll set aside, what she seen no doubt reported to Ozpin. They might've all attended Beacon together, Glynda their upperclassmen, and worked for the same old bastard, but she was the only one here Raven didn't trust.
Glynda had taken a liking to Talon, semblance used to train with him at his request whenever Summer brought her, but Ozpin's orders would always come first. That's how it'd always been with her.
She put far too much trust in the one who held so much over their heads.
"To fight like that with or without direction requires something you would not find in just any child. While I would not go as far as her or necessarily share the same reasoning, gifted children tend to have special needs. To ignore that would be negligent."
"Negligent?" Tai questioned, voice raised. No matter how laid back he tended to be, talking about Talon could easily rouse that fire he always had him. Raven preferred seeing that in his eyes rather than dealing with all his nagging.
"I did not mean to imply you were doing anything of the sort." Glynda quickly corrected herself. "I say that only to admit that Raven's…parenting may not be completely problematic for a child like Talon."
Raven clicked her tongue. Her parenting as they like to put it only came about after Talon asked for it himself and yet they all acted as though she forced him into it. He could walk away whenever he wanted, give up on all of it. He was still young, so she'd allow him that much.
Once he was older, thinking of striking out on his own, that was when she originally planned on training him. He would have no choice then.
"Qrow?" Tai questioned, looking at him.
Qrow, the only one eating what was left of their shared dinner, looked up from his plate glancing around. He always liked to sit these things out but didn't have that choice now.
"The kid was playing games and reading books when we got back. If they didn't tell us, we wouldn't have even known he faced a Grimm today." Qrow said, leaning back in his chair. "I'm sure we all have different definitions of normal. Whatever they are, I'm also pretty sure Talon doesn't fit them." Qrow finished with a shrug.
How about that? All the grief they'd given her and they were finally on their way to seeing what she saw.
Tai took a deep breath, an even deeper exhale leaving him. "I know Talon is different, but this isn't about being normal. He's just fine the way he is." Tai said, looking between them. "If all we do is train him and teach him about Grimm, what is he going to think we expect of him?" His eyes settled on Raven last, gaze locked with hers. "I just-I just don't want to pressure him into anything. Is it so wrong that I don't want him believing his only choice is to live the way we do? That he has to put his life on the line and be a huntsman?"
Nobody said anything.
Thinking that there was any reality where Talon didn't end up fighting was foolish.
But Raven could never fault Tai for his hopes. He'd been raised behind these walls after all and that came with things she'd never understood or agree with.
What was best for Talon was never something they'd agree on.
XOXO
Raven coughed, beating back more dry heaving as bits of her saliva and what little she ate last night fell into the toilet. She pulled herself away from it, the back of her head pressed against the bathroom's walls.
She was supposed to be overseeing Talon's morning training not dealing with this shit.
Cold hand brought to her forehead, she wiped away bits of sweat.
She had only herself to blame though. All the arguing with Tai had only led to longer nights. It was bound to happen soon or later. Knowing Talon, he was probably already outside anyways, always ready to start training with or without her.
"Here." Raven craned her head back down. Talon stood in the doorway, water and some extra towels in hand.
"You should be training."
"With you." He said, stepping in, the glass and towels raised higher.
Cheeky brat. Raven thought while gesturing towards the sink. He placed them down on the counter then turned.
"Come here." Raven ordered before he could leave. He did as he was told and she grabbed his arm, pulling him into her lap, pressing her chin down into his messily tied hair.
She would never argue against some of the criticisms others readily launched about her parenting. She'd never wanted to be one. Talon was more than likely the result of a reckless night of celebratory drinking after a successful mission.
A mistake.
"You still have vomit on you." Talon complained.
"And now you have some in your hair." She said.
"You're nasty."
She chuckled into his hair.
These days he complained plenty and insulted her in ways he never did to the others but as much as he ran his once quiet mouth, he never tried to get away from her. He didn't try to tell her to change or relax like the others were always go on about all these years. Even now, despite his disgust, Talon didn't try to move away.
"Talon." Raven said. "What do you want?"
"What do I want?"
"In the future, when you're older. What do you want to do?" Raven questioned.
"I don't know." He said, shrugging against her. "I guess I just want to be strong enough to do whatever I want."
Raven chuckled again. It was childish but there was an understanding in those innocent words. An understanding that most chose to ignore or foolishly believed to be a lie.
Power dictated everything a person could do in this cruel world.
The both of them understood that.
Raven tightened her arms around him. This might've been the first time she ever hugged him.
He was a mistake. The best mistake she ever made.
She might not be much of mother, but she would never tell him that or let him think that's what he was.
Maybe having another child wouldn't be so bad.
With any luck they'd be more like Tai. He would never say it, but Talon's oddities had gone against the ideas he had for himself when it came to what parenthood would be like. He'd adjusted to and loved Talon, there was no questioning that, but it would never change one simple fact.
Talon hadn't been and was gradually shifting further away from what Tai wanted the more time he spent with her.
She wasn't willing to give up that time but maybe this other child would be different.
"You'll have to be strong enough to make sure your sibling can do the same." Raven muttered. Talon nodded. Of course that was his reaction to what others would consider life changing news.
Raven began to laugh only to find herself heaving, vomit spilling out.
"Ewww! Come on, mom." Talon whined.
She only found herself laughing more as his small hands came up, pushing at her face, unable to get out of her hold despite all his training.
No matter what happened or how he turned out, this weird little brat was hers.
XOXO
(A/N: Naturally, as this is from Raven's point of view, its easier to feel like her actions are justified or that she's a better person than she actually is. I'll leave it up to all of you to decide whether or not she actually is a good person, at least in respect to Talon and her family, but keep in mind that all answers have their merits. I don't intend on ignoring some of the thing's she's done in the show but naturally, Talon being around has an affect on her.
I especially enjoyed this chapter though. Something very wholesome about someone who struggles to show any positivity due to her upbringing and personality feeling things so deeply about people and how she goes about showing it. Without her internal monologue, it was never quite clear how much Talon meant to her or her thoughts on his obviously unusual aspects. I don't think its much of a surprise that while Raven knows that its strange for a child to be like him, she doesn't care to truly question it, rather leaning into all its benefits.
Oh, by the by, Yang is coming along before the childhood arc is over. Only a few chapters after that it should be wrapped up then we hit a time skip to jump to the next.)