ledbythewind | [Voice/Action]

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[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

[He's talking about BOOBS AND ASS, dude - neither of which Richard is packin in. As far as Sanji's concerned, Richard still doesn't qualify.]

Exactly! You get the picture.

[He would take that as a compliment if he knew... probably.]

And if a man were to wear a dress for whatever reason?

[His first inclination is to insist that's just weird; what men do in their own time is their own damn business, but it certainly isn't masculine. But perhaps Luceti has tempered some of that knee-jerk reaction. Sounding almost put-off, he replies:]

Depends on the reason. But it usually isn't something masculine guys just do for the hell of it.

[... well. Though Richard is careful to keep his voice as neutral as possible, Sanji might be able to pick up on the slight disappointment to his tone.]

... of course. Clothing is one of the most obvious identifiers of sex, after all.

[... Just. Going to private this. For a second.

Because really Richard. Subtle or not, you sound like a kicked puppy.]

... Is it that big of a problem?

Do you really think I'm that pretty?

[Well, there you go. It was one thing when they were both drunk out of their minds (Richard can't even remember the details of that night anyway), but to have SANJI of all people calling him pretty, well... Ginko notwithstanding, Sanji is one of the straightest guys Richard knows.]

[--]

[Richard, you can't just throw questions like that around without warning; you'll hurt someone.

But clearly this has been weighing on his friend's mind to some degree. It's the only reason Sanji doesn't employ some serious backpedaling techniques. But he does grimace a little and glance to the side, all too embarrassed by the forwardness]

-- Well, so what if I do?! You got a problem with it?

[It is not his fault Richard has that fine of a bone structure and pretty hair and awesome legs. And he's confident enough in his sexuality to admit when another dude is hot.

-- Er. Confident enough.]

No, it isn't that. While I'm flattered that you find me pretty, it's just... I'm not sure that's what I want to be.

[Because "pretty" is usually associated with being feminine, which is usually associated with being gay, or at least that's how he understands things. Right now, he doesn't feel very comfortable with that part of himself.]

...

You wanna be masculine instead. [He. Doesn't really know what to say to that. Oh, he has his thoughts, but frankly speaking, none of them are encouraging]

Yes.

[There's no point in lying, because he knows Sanji will just see right through it anyway.]

[... Hoo boy]

Richard, I don't think shitty chest hair or extra muscles are gonna help you out in this case. [And to be fair, Sanji does pause and try to narrow down any technique that might help, only to come up relatively blank]

Is this even necessary? I thought you were comfortable being you.

[Let's be honest: there isn't really much of anything that could help Richard in that department, because as Sanji has already realized, Richard has a far too delicate build to be able to pull off manly even if he tried.]

I was. Or rather, I thought I was. I've just been lying to myself.

Hn... Oi, wait a second. Is it masculine you wanna be? Or just to like women?

There's a pretty big difference between 'em. [At least in Sanji's experiences. Oh sure, there tends to be a correlation between masculinity and straightness, but Sanji can remember a few times on the Baratie where that notion was thrown out the window.]

Not that much of a difference in my world. That's why I asked what I did, to find out if it was the same in other worlds as well.

[Feminine guys are kind of a rarity in Ephinea. There aren't even that many with long hair like his, much less ones who are quite as flamboyant as he is.]

Does this have anything to do with you being a king?

[That draws a tiny laugh from Richard, both impressed and incredulous at the same time.]

You really do know how to catch someone off guard, don't you?

[A shrug]

You're in a worse position than most people when it comes to this sort of thing. [Ruling a kingdom comes with many, many expectations - some innately difficult for a gay man.]

I'm gonna assume simply changing the rules won't get your far.

Just changing the rules won't change how people feel about the topic in general. I can't just order them to accept something like that. Not even a king can command someone to feel a certain way.

[Ironically, this isn't the first time he's said that very thing to Sanji.]

...

I know it's not what you wanna hear, but I don't think trying to shove yourself into that kind of shitty skin will work.

Maybe you can find a girl who understands your position, and you two can work out an understanding. [Have kids together, continue the blood-line, but seek out their own romantic lifestyles]

You aren't the first to make that suggestion, you know. Isamu has already told me the same thing.

[If only it really were that easy. But he couldn't ask a woman to do that for him, condemn her to a loveless marriage just for the sake of producing heirs. It wouldn't be right.]

[Sanji seems less than surprised Isamu made the same suggestion. He sighs a little, however, as Richard's tone is proof enough the king doesn't think there's anything to gain by considering it.

Not that Sanji exactly likes the idea of saddling a woman in a favorless position, either.]

There just isn't gonna be an easy solution no matter how you slice this shit.

I know.

[And he sighs too. Oh, does he ever know. There isn't an easy solution to the other reason this is bothering him, either.]

Perhaps... I'm not suited to be king after all.

O-oi now!

That's a different issue all together. Liking men doesn't mean you don't have what it takes to rule a country.

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