ledbythewind | [Voice/Action]

Entry tags:

[Voice/Action]

[Ah, Valentine's Day. The one experiment a year Richard hates most, for a variety of reasons. Granted, this year wasn't TOO terrible, as he was spared the unfortunate fate of falling in love with anyone under the effects of the experiment... but that didn't stop other people from from falling in love/lust with HIM, much to his dismay. And that's left him with many things to think about, as have some of the reactions to the experiment that he's seen from other people. Which leads him to ponder...]

Indulge my curiosity: what sorts of things are considered traditionally "masculine" where you come from?

[A bit later on, Richard will head out of the house on a shopping trip to All Passions and the item store, where he can be found looking for a new wardrobe and a few other things, probably as a result of some of the answers he received to his question. After picking out a bunch of things to take home with him, he chooses something new to wear home as well: cargo pants, combat boots, and a leather motorcycle jacket, because all of those things are super-masculine, right? Alas, on someone with the approximate build of a toothpick and delicate features like Richard has, the end result is a bit ridiculous, but don't tell him that. (Or do, your choice.) He can't quite bring himself to cut his hair - he's still far too proud of it - so instead he opts to pull it back into a ponytail.

There. Much better, in his eyes. Now the question is, what will his friends and housemates think of this?]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[... okay, that is not exactly a positive reaction, unless Isamu is so overwhelmed by the awesomeness of Richard's new outfit that he can't even find words for it. Let's go with that option.]

What do you think?

Right now I'm desperately hoping you ran into a dying biker hobo on the road and are emulating his outfit only as per his final wishes.

Because any other excuse is going to fall flat.

I beg your pardon?

[Bikers don't exist in his world, dude. You will either have to spell it out for him or use another metaphor. BUT IT'S STILL RUDE.]

I'm saying the look doesn't fit you, man. At all.

[Wait...]

This doesn't have anything to do with that journal entry you made earlier, does it? Because if you'll let me know who recommended that to you, I'll be sure to leave something extra smelly on their doorstep.

Edited 2013-03-07 07:17 (UTC)

You saw that?

[Of course he did, Richard. It was public, and you know that.]

Actually, I found this particular ensemble in a magazine I picked up from the store.

[Setting his bags down, Richard reaches into one of them, fishes around for a moment, and pulls out... yes, that is indeed a copy of Playboy. He opens it up and flips through it for a few moments before he finds a particular advertisement, which he then holds out to show Isamu.

It's worth noting that the guy in said advertisement has two very scantily-clad ladies hanging off of him.]

[More staring.

Richard. Please.

Isamu ends up pinching the bridge of his nose as he tries and fails to remain patient with his friend.]

Okay, I'm going to accept that this is a very elaborate prank you're pulling on me. Well played, Richard. Well played.

[But instead of responding with a laugh and an "I got you!" the way he normally would if it really were a prank, Richard looks... almost hurt? Not happy, at the very least.]

Is it so hard for you to believe that I could want to try something different for a change?

Edited (I'm not allowed to tag at 5:30 AM anymore) 2013-03-07 16:21 (UTC)

[Oh god, he's serious.]

...No.

But you need a better advisory committee. For real.

Is this outfit truly that bad? I thought that a magazine such as this one would be a good resource for determining what is considered manly in at least some worlds...

[THERE'S PORN IN HERE, MAN. You don't get much more straight than that.]

[NOT TRUE. There's plenty of gay porn out there too!]

Let me put it this way...

There are some people out there who might be able to pull off this look. You are not one of them.

[... and now he wilts somewhat. He'd been hoping that it wasn't the case, but this is exactly what he'd been afraid of.]

... because I'm not masculine enough.

Why is that such a big deal?

[Isamu shrugs, still making a bit of a face at the outfit. No, he's not going to try and argue that in the slightest.]

You are who you are, even if you're a little... flamboyant. People like you for who you are. If you try to be someone else, things just end up weird.

[Oh Isamu. Richard appreciates the attempt to cheer him up, really he does, but the issue is far more complicated than just that. He doesn't even feel comfortable explaining the whole thing for multiple reasons.]

It's a big deal because I can't be who I am back in our world. It isn't allowed, certainly not for the king. I have responsibilities that I must carry out regardless of my own feelings on the matter.

[This is partially true, at least.]

[The teen flaps his arms at his sides in a helpless and questioning gesture.]

Yeah, we've been over this.

But are you the king or aren't you? Don't you make the rules?

It isn't that simple. Being the king doesn't mean I have the power to just do whatever I want.

[Because the country and the people come first, always.]

But this is just a rule that involves you or the ruling family, right? It's not like you're oppressing anyone.

[At this point, Richard really doesn't feel like having this whole discussion again. He's already feeling more than a bit hurt by both the conversations he's had with those who responded to his question and Isamu's reaction to his new outfit.]

My world doesn't consider it acceptable.

[Isamu shrugs.] And mine is only slowly starting to get used to it being a thing - even though it's been a thing since forever.

You can't change who you are, and you shouldn't have to.

[Richard shakes his head.]

Even if that were true, it would require the entire world to change its way of thinking instead. It's been hard enough just to get the three countries to agree on things as simple as shipping routes.

I bet you anything you're not the first king who's had this problem.

Don't try and be some big tough guy. Just stay the way you are. I guess if you have to pretend to like girls, then do so. Marry a girl who's in on it and doesn't care. Then you can each do your own thing on the side.

You're not even there right now. You're here. Just... [He gestures at the outfit, making a face.] Don't try to be this. This isn't you.

The way I am...

[He thinks about this for a moment, then shakes his head.]

The way I am isn't fine, not when it causes trouble for you and Asbel and everyone else. Weren't you the one who said that I should talk to someone about things?

[Naoki had said the same thing, after all, as had Sanji and Asbel. One person he can ignore, but when all of them are making the same suggestion...]

Yeah, definitely. That works for a lot of people.

...Talking to just me about things all the time is likely to get you into more trouble than anything.

[Even he will admit this.]

[It's probably true. While Richard can recognize that much, it still stings a little. Isamu is one of the only people he trusts enough to share things with.]

Because you don't know when not to share your opinion on subjects?

I don't have an off switch, man. I'm telling you.

I think I would be worried about you if you did.

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]