“For the most part, I’ve liked doing the challenges for fun but this one… I don’t have the stomach for the ‘noms’ options. Can you give me a ‘truth’ question or something for this?” Juni asked, pulling a face as they stared at the table of various foods.
“What? You saying you ain’t never had gator before? That’s a bit of a delicacy if I do say so myself.” Rodrigue responded, a smile creasing his face as he looked at the other person across from him. “But if you are feeling like you want to ask nicely, I guess there is a question I have been... intrigued by wanting to find out the answer to recently.” He followed up, adopting somewhat more of a serious disposition as he worked his way around to the question. “Are you still in that relationship? Or how long did it end before you came here. The one Emmie was going off about.”
“Please, just call me Astrid. I’m not here in any medical capacity, I don’t think anyone would want that considering my specialty,” Astrid chuckled, trying to make a little bit of a joke as she grabbed the pink paint, “Well this is my signature color, so I figure it might make this all easier. I don’t think that anyone likes talking about their flaws,” she admitted, “You know, there’s a nice spot down the beach if you want to do it there. You just have to promise not to get any paint on the sweet potatoes that are still growing.”
“Mademoiselle, I was born and raised in Louisiana, if I were to damage some sweet potatoes, I think I’d probably wind up being disowned.” He responded, a small chuckle escaping his lips as he grabbed the paint and was ready to follow her. “After you, Mademoiselle.”
“It’’s true!” she said when Rodrigue chuckled, “My mom tried to put me in a ballet class when I was a kid…it was soo bad. My butt was bruised for like a month!” Juni lightly shook her head at the recollection and instinctively gripped his forearm when he held her arm. “Soo what new things are you learning?” they asked, head lolling to one side while looking up at him. The terms of endearment flowed so easily from his lips that it was hard for Juni not to be drawn to them, even though somewhere in the back of their mind, they suspected that this was just Rodrigue’s way and nothing more. “Have you now? Weeeeell that’s really nice to hear. I don’t think I’ve had that said to me before. Not here anyway.” Her shoulders rose and fell while she momentarily stopped her attempts to dance and just looked up at Rodrigue. “Soo… is that all we’re gonna do? Think about each other?”
“Well that certainly sounds very frustrating. Though I have met at least a couple of people who enjoyed having bruises on the butt. Though typically that’s a very different context.” He mused, a slight chuckle escaping his lips as he continued to watch the woman. “Well I’m trying to learn things about everyone here. Especially one specific person.” He teased slightly, leaning slightly closer. But he had to make sure to pay attention. It wouldn’t be fair to either of them if he were to make a move currently. “Tonight... in the state you’re currently in? With the drinks you’ve already had? Unfortunately, we will have to keep thinking tonight. However, no one can determine what tomorrow will bring. Because I do want to do more than just thinking about you.”
Rodrigue had not been particularly sure about accepting this task, as he knew he wasn’t the best in the world at identifying his own flaws. And the ones he did have well... he didn’t really like admitting to them. Lots of people hated them. And lots of people hated him, and he knew that. Probably because of those flaws that he had. But he had to deal with that. And right now he had to show those flaws and admit to them. This was not going to be all that fun was it.
“Ah, Astrid, the good Dr. Zhang. A pleasure.” The cajun man offered as he noticed his partner for the task approaching. “I was leaning towards taking some of the crimson, for old time’s sake. Yourself?” He asked, trying to be as non-chalant as possible, even if he was extremely terrified in the moment.
Riley shrugged a little. “I suppose you can. But there’s not much on the island to begin with. There’s only so much good you can make out of it, honestly.” He was still getting used to things, but he already missed the ease of going to the market whenever he needed food. “I think a lot of people here think they can persuade the producers to give in and give them something. But I don’t think that’s worked out for them. By all means, you can give it a shot. Just let me know how it goes for you.”
Rodrigue shrugged in response. “I think a lot of it is just a mindset thing. Find the good in the little things, and eventually the bigger things will wind up working out.” He answered with a small smile. “Sometimes all you need is to bide your time until the right moment to strike.”
Juni turned after having apologized and their lips split into a toothy grin upon realizing they’d bumped into Rodrigue. After hearing his polite decline, she briefly pouted, only to end up chuckling. “I can’t dance either! My center of gravity’s always been…well…off-center since….um…forever really.” Mildly swaying on their feet once they stopped dancing to chat–because really, the chances of multi-tasking well right now was not in their favor–they pointed to themself, “Mmmhm! Filled that punch card maany times, maaaany years ago. Gotta life-long membership to the clumsy club ‘m afraid.” And after lifting their glass to their lips for another sip and licking cocktail remnants from their lips, they gripped his forearm with their free hand, looked him right in his eyes and murmured, “And for the recorrrd, your age doesn’t bother me.” Juni shook their head a little while still gazing up at Rodrigue, further affirming their own statement. “Mm-mm, nope,” their lips popped on the ‘p’ before adding, “In faaact, after we first met. And then when we talked the other night, I’ve thought about you a lot, Mister LeBeau.”
Rodrigue couldn’t help but chuckle in response to the other person’s answer. “Well thank you sugah, but we all can deal with learning some new things, don’t you agree?” The billionaire responded with a slight smile before placing his hand on the other person’s arm, to try and help steady them slightly as they continued to move slightly erratically. “That is very good to know. But let’s make sure you stay safe, alright gorgeous?” He tried to keep the smile that was attempting to creep onto his face off of his lips. He didn’t do particularly well. “I’m glad to hear you’re thinking of me though. I’ve been thinking of you quite a lot as well.”
“That…must be exhausting,” they wondered, lips still turned down. “To have to be okay all of the time.” His time growing up sounded so heartbreaking but the more they listened to Rodrigue and comment on how things had been confusing for them and they hadn’t understood the response others had from him, the more Juniper wondered more about him. “Oh! No, I didn’t mean anything about lying or manipulating.” They thought about how to explain a bit differently for a moment, and then, while maintaining their usual calm, conversational tone said, “I think, if you want to get to know Raj, an apology would go a long way to start. And you could start by getting to know him with asking more surface level questions, like the things he likes to do, what he does for a living now, what he likes to do for fun. Those kinds of questions are great for starting out to get to know anyone. I don’t know if he would have a problem answering questions like that. Most people don’t.” Juni really was trying to be careful not to speak for Raj but she felt like she could glean that much off of him to where she could try to explain to Rodrigue. “But sometimes, asking a person certain things about themselves right away, or at all…well… it raises their defenses. It might be hard to talk about, not because they’re a liar or a manipulator but because it brings up hurt for them. Or regret. Or shame. Or fear. Fear’s usually the big one. Sometimes talking about ourselves is uncomfortable because it leaves us vulnerable, and most people aren’t comfortable in being vulnerable, least of all with people who don’t know them yet. It leaves them open to be judged, or ridiculed, or put down.” Glancing at Rodrigue, she quietly but remindfully murmured, “Like… reducing someone to just a felon while comparing yourself as respected in society.”
“I guess. You get used to it.” The man replied, a small shrug of his shoulders emphasizing as he took a longer breathe and stared up into the sky, trying to get his bearings for a moment. “But it doesn’t make it much easier.” As the conversation drifted back to the way his conversation with Raj had gone, the tall man released a heavy sigh. “I question people a lot. If I can analyze them, find out what they’re likely to do, then I know how to treat them. Physical violence isn’t a... it’s not something someone can or should be capable of threatening lightly.” The whole scene rewound back in front of his eyes. It had been quick. Almost immediate. There hadn’t been time for analysis in the moment so maybe now was the time. “I don’t react well to threats. And I doubt I ever will. I remember once, in high school, this... popular guy. Jock kid. I tried to help him out with a question from class and he threatened to beat me up. Maybe you’re right, maybe it was just.. defensiveness.” Rodrigue looked back up into the sky. You could say he was searching for guidance though it wasn’t like he believed he would find any there. “If I say something mean out of fear of physical violence, how does that count less than someone threatening me out of their own personal fear? What I said was rude, sure. But after a while... after a while you stop taking threats lightly. Not all of us have that luxury anymore. Or really... ever did.”
Juniper danced a little bit to the music on the yacht’s designated dance floor. The three hours had passed and Juni was halfway through their third cocktail. Being the lightweight that they were, they were definitely feeling the effects. Wearing the dino costume hadn’t been all that bad but they foudn themselves really wanting a drink and ended up waiting until there wasn’t a plastic window in front of their face to do it. Their half-gone mojito teetered back and forth inside the cylindrical glass as they shook their shoulders and hips while their head bobbed to the beat of the music. The head bobbing while drunk did nothing to help their lack of coordination, however and they stumbled a bit. “Oop!” they squeaked out, bumping into someone and as they stumbled backwards, they slurred, “Sorry, sorry, sorry! While you’re here though…wanna daaaance?”
Rodrigue was just standing there, off to the edge of the dance floor, nursing the gin and tonic in his hand as he watched the others having fun. It wasn’t... particularly his scene. But he had someone he wanted an eye on in there. And he wanted to enjoy the night and the booze while he had it. Who knew when he would get some again, sadly. When the person he was watching lost their balance though, he immediately stepped forward, trying to desperately reach forward to steady them but just too late as they ran right into them, back to chest. “No, no, it’s perfectly fine chér.” At the offer though, the man quirked a slight eyebrow. “You know, I would be interested in nearly anything you offer but... I am a terrible dancer. Too much leg I think. You wouldn’t want an old man like me cramping your style.”
“You want me to guess his answers? I’ll give it a shot. Don’t expect much.”
Who is your celebrity crush? “He said he was attracted to me once, and everyone says I look like John Wick so... Keanu Reeves.”
What is your favorite color? “Green? Seems good for a robin hood esque figure.”
What are 2 of your favorite hobbies? “Not a clue, but he seems relatively young, presumably video games? and he has a daughter, so probably spending time with her.”
What do you do for a living/what is your occupation? “He is currently a bartender.”
Fill in the blank: “I am one of the world’s best ____” “Watchers.”
Fill in the blank: “I am one of the world’s worst ____” "Reactors to people who ask about his past.”
It’s your night to pick a movie. Will you pick something action-packed, laugh out loud funny, or something in the family-feelgood genre? "Seems like a superhero fan, Action?”
About what range is the number of shoe pairs you own: around 10, 20-30, 40-50, or 60+? "Around 10?”
When it comes to fashion, are you more about wearing what looks good or wearing what feels comfortable? “What feels comfortable”
About how long does it usually take you to get ready to go out: 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 1 hour, or >1 hour? “10 minutes”
What cuisine is your favorite? “Italian is always a good bet.”
Are you almost always early, late, or on time to events? “Almost always early.”
What is your favorite season in the year? “We will say, Fall.”
Which metal do you prefer: gold, silver or rose gold? “Silver, he presumably thinks gold is too pretentious.”
Are you more of a homebody or are you full of wanderlust? “He is presumably a homebody.”
Where do you rank on the competitive scale: not at all, only for fun things, or competitive about most things? “Competitive about most things”
Are you more logical and methodical (left brained) or creative and artistic (right brained)? “Creative and Artistic”
When sleeping, do you consider yourself a bed and blanket hog? “Yes”
If you could have a private music performance, what 1 band or artist would you have perform? “I have not a clue. Someone he respects as a good person. Nickelback are good people, from my music industry contacts. Definitely not Travis Scott.”
Which version of shower singer are you: I don’t, I might if a song’s stuck in my head, or just about every shower is my own private concert. “I will guess only if a song is stuck in his head.”
“All the time?” they asked in response to him saying he had to be okay. Their frown returned though, hearing that it sounded like this wasn’t exactly a new type of exchange for Rodrigue. And they listened to him while watching how he responded as well. It really seemed to bother Rodrigue and it, admittedly saddened Juniper to hear what he was saying. For a little while after, they said nothing and just processed what he told them. But soon they turned their head and glanced up at the sky, “I can’t speak for Raj, but… I think when it’s something that’s a sensitive subject, it’s just harder to talk about. Some things… well, they just aren’t easy to discuss because it might feel like recalling it is reliving it. He could be trying to keep that part of his past behind him. I don’t know all of his story, but… can I give you something to consider?” Juniper looked to him again, keeping her voice gentle, “It may have gone over better if you had approached him differently, asking him if he would talk about it, and giving him the opportunity not to talk about it if he didn’t want to.”
“All the time. When I was a kid, I was alone cuz I was weird, different, not like the other kids. Maybe it’s cause I liked chess or I just got some stuff faster than them. I don’t know. They just all hated me. Then in high school, college, even as an adult, I just am never like other people. It’s like... it’s like everyone has this code they all understand, and they can all tell exactly what people mean by what they say and the way they say it and their body language and I just... can’t. It’s all confusing and it doesn’t make sense.” Rodrigue admitted. He didn’t typically talk to people about this. Why would he? Not like anyone would take him seriously. Most of them assumed he just got anything he wanted whenever he wanted it. Why would socializing be any different right. “I can’t go in for all that lying, manipulative stuff though. I just... I just asked a simple question. That was all I was curious about. I just wanted to know more and he lost his mind. It would be like me asking you so why did you get into science. It was just a question to learn more. I don’t get why people hide so much of themselves all the time. It’s like he thinks I’m out to use it against him.”
When he accepted her company, Juniper moved closer and took a seat beside him on the ground, legs crossed. She looked to him and listened to him, her brows raising when he apologized to her. Her head shook. “You didn’t offend me. Not entirely. I feel bad for Raj, and I hope he’ll be okay, but I hope you will be too.” Hands resting in their lap, they thought about what he said with a small frown. “‘Hate’ is a pretty strong word, and I don’t think that’s true. I think most people are probably surprised at what just happened.” They tucked their lips in for a moment and then asked with some caution in their voice, “What you said to Raj…about just wanting to know about his past… was that really all you were trying to do?”
Rodrigue just stayed there, staring forward for a minute before he even could consider responding. He just didn’t want to hurt people but even seemed hurt no matter what he did. “I have to be okay. People get mad at me all the time for things I say or questions I ask. They have since I was a kid.” When they asked the question though, he got frustrated and pressed the back of his head into the tree. Not hard. But he needed the pressure. “Yeah of course, why would I be trying to get anything else? I was just curious. He was interesting so I asked a question. I didn’t think he would get mad. I don’t get why people get mad at me. It’s like no matter what happens when I’m talking to people I piss them off. Like I’m speaking a different language. Probably doesn’t help that English isn’t actually my first language. But even in French it’s the same. Every time it feels like I’m trying to communicate with someone who can’t even hear me.”
Juniper had been stunned, to say the least, about everything that transpired between Rodrigue and Raj. They wanted to say something before it elevated to the level that it had but they were paralyzed in the moment from watching it all. When Khamani stepped in and pulled Raj away, the act seemed to snap Juni out of the frozen state they’d been in. Their eyes darted between Raj and Rodrigue. Even though they didn’t know Rodrigue well yet, there was something about him that tugged at their heart. They couldn’t quite explain it. A plan to talk with Raj later–as in, when they knew he wasn’t fresh off of being provoked–was forming, but they watched Rodrigue stalk off in the opposite direction. It wasn’t a surprise to them that murmurs had already begun once both men were far apart from one another, but Juniper decided to go after Rodrigue.
Approaching with caution, Juniper followed from a distance and frowned upon hearing what he said. Taking a small breath in, they then replied in a low voice, “Well, I don’t know you all that well yet, but… I’d like to try to get to know you better. Is it alright if I sit with you?”
Rodrigue looked up at the person who had followed him, not even aware he had been followed until the other spoke. Taking a deep breath, he offered a nod. “Yeah you can sit down.” He stated before going back to looking out over the various people. He wondered what they were thinking now, what they all thought of him. Probably they all thought he was a dick. Maybe he was. But not like he could change any of their minds now.
Leaning back against the tree, he turned his head slightly so he could look at the person sitting with him. Juni had been nice. “I’m sorry if I’ve ever offended you or anything like that.” He offered, trying to find a way to know if he had hurt them before. “No one down there even knows me and they all probably hate me now.”
Rodrigue’s eyes darted up towards the producer. A heavy sigh escaped the man before he turned back towards the camera. Another deep breath. Maybe he wouldn’t even talk.
“I do not understand why that question set him off.”
“How do you know I wasn’t asking about the person you were flirting with immediately upon showing up?” Chad, or Luis, or Manuel or whatever asked, a small smirk dancing behind the camera.
“Because this is a business where drama sells. You were asking about both. If I had started by talking about Juni, I would be painted as someone without a care for what happened with Raj. Now you will paint me as someone who just was attempting to seduce and discard the first person I met on the island. It’s okay, I understand you want to have a villain.” The CEO responded, still not smiling in his reaction to the statement. “So what is the next question you have?”
“Why’d you just ask him out of nowhere like that?”
“I have always thought being direct was better than beating around until something is forced out of someone. I do not want to be manipulative in that way. I assumed, since it was brought up publicly already, that it would make it easier that I just asked. I wanted his side of the story, as the host is not always the most reliable storyteller. I would expect the same if he was to ask about the cars we had to recall or the failed launch of a product. I just would answer and explain. Maybe I do not understand the way these people’s emotions and social cues work.”
“Are you going to apologize?”
“If he wants me to, I can apologize for the misunderstanding. I do not think he wants me to though. I think he too wants a villain to oppose. Are we finished?”
“Yeah I think we got enough.”
“Merci. If anyone needs me, I’m going for a ro-day.”
Rodrigue had been reeling ever since the beach incident. He was genuinely confused as to how Raj had reacted the way he had, and suddenly he was being painted as the bad guy. He had just asked a question, trying to understand more about the man. How was he supposed to know the man would take it so poorly? It was just confusing all around. So he found himself walking towards the only spot he knew he could be alone. There had been a tree he had quickly grown used to sitting and leaning against when the pressures of all the social aspects of the show were getting to him. Which admittedly, was more and more common. Everyone was expected to talk a certain way, to interact in a particular way, and he just couldn’t read it. He didn’t pick up on the social cues that everyone expected him to. He just couldn’t. What was he supposed to do to fix that? Not like he had many real friends at home. Everything was just based on what he had. So there the Cajun man sat, staring out over the beach and the other competitors. As isolated as he felt most of the time. Just like standing in the office and watching over the skyline of San Francisco.
“No one has ever liked me. Why should I assume they would start now?”
“And what makes you think that just should be open to conversation? What if I was framed, or was convicted on one of those stupid laws that shouldn’t even be laws anymore?” Raj started, getting angrier at how calm the man was, “Or you know plea deals let a lot of violent crimes sentences drop pretty severely, maybe I’m just lulling you all into a false sense of security so I can violently murder you all in your sleep. So are you sure that’s a can of worms that you want to open? Because I think that you should mind your own fucking business.” he was yelling, it was the exact opposite of what Raj had been hoping to do - give the bad boy edit that he was sure the producers had been craving from him. “Or you know, don’t, and you can have a broken nose. Your choice.”
“Really, mon amis? Physical threats? Yeah, I’m just a tech CEO, I don’t fight too much no more, but if you can’t tell by the fucking accent, I was born just outside New Orleans. First job I ever got, I was bartending on Bourbon Street. You think I can’t handle myself cause I got bodyguards now?’ Rodrigue stood up to his full height, looking down at the shorter man. Leaning down slightly, he looked into his eyes. “You trying to break my nose don’t scare me. You wanna threaten to put a little grisgris on me, that don’t scare me. You actually punch me? You touch the things that are mine? We’ll see how well courts like a felon, punching a respected member of society on television. I wonder just how much I could take you for. Because I pay my lawyers to be the best, bougre. And they is.” He had never raised his voice. It had just stayed quiet, and monotone. This wasn’t an angry lash out. It was a statement of fact. Rodrigue had the power here, and he knew it. “I just asked a simple question, trying to kill time. But I guess you don’t like that talk.”
Raj really couldn’t care what people thought of him - considering what he had done he knew that there were plenty of people who were happy to paint him as a villain, but the segue into that exact topic took Raj by surprise. Especially since he hadn’t even had an actual conversation with the man until now. “Excuse me?” he asked, almost immediately getting defensive. While he had known that eventually he would have to have this conversation he had hoped that it wouldn’t be this blunt. “What’s it matter to you?”
Rodrigue was surprised by the man’s reaction. It had just been a simple question. They had all been there and heard about the reactions, so of course someone would discuss it? And wasn’t it better to discuss it with the man in question rather than discussing it behind his back? “I just mean you committed a crime, were caught, and went to prison for it, yes?” Had there possibly been some sort of miscommunication due to the accent or his general manner of speaking. He knew the Cajuns were sometimes considered to be a bit... difficult to understand. “Is no matter to me, just was having a charrer.”
