#danteheadcanon

[blueheartedmayor]

I'm having a moment where I swore I wrote a headcanon post and can't find it, so I'm going to write it again.

On this blog, neither Damien uses a cane for mobility purposes.

For Damien Brooks (W.KM), it was a common fashion accessory for those in the upper class in the 1920s. Furthermore, it was gifted to him shortly after he won the election to help mask his nervous fidgeting. In that way, it's used as a prop, and an extension of his hand when in the right company. He has been known to bap friends on the head with it.

Dante does not have it in the modern day.

As for Damien Truman (the modern anomaly), he shouldn't have it at all. He's aware of the connection between a cane and accessibility. However, it's sentimental. It was a gift from his late grandfather as an in-joke. When Damien was a boy, he was known for stealing his grandfather's walking cane when trying to make decisions, as though implementing a "What would he do?" approach. He only carries it when he's working, as though it is part of the 'uniform'.

[seasidefanasties]

Héctor and Dante for the headcanons meme?

Hooooo boy here wego 

Héctor

Headcanon A (realistic):  Héctor is just a teeny bit near-sighted,though of course he’s never going to admit it to anyone or submit to the factthat he just MIGHT need corrective lenses of some kind. He’s pretty good at hidingit during his living years, but he gets super annoyed when it carries over intothe Land of the Dead (because really??? all of his other problems eventually getfixed but his bad eyesight is the one thing that remains, he sees how it is),and it takes him squinting at the newspaper or a shoe order written down on apiece of paper one too many times for Imelda to have to rope him into wearinglenses of some sort. But he insists on getting the cool and fashionable kind,because darn it he doesn’t want to look MORE like the old man that he reallyis. 

Headcanon B (not realistic but hilarious): I have a bunch of these so it was toughto narrow it down to one, but  Héctor is just….constantly baffled overthe technology that he missed out on when he was dead, not really understandingcellphones or memes or anything (the first time he saw a television he may havetried to bust it open in an absolute panic because IMELDA THERE’S PEOPLETRAPPED INSIDE WE HAVE TO GET THEM OUT). Once he actually grows accustomedenough to memes and the like though, he and Miguel pull them CONSTANTLY. Hetakes any opportunity he can to quote Vines, even the really obscure ones thatonly a handful of people would actually understand him referencing. The one Dayof the Dead that he visits and he and Miguel decide to try out the “whatare thooooooooooooooooooose” memes with everyone is the day that Imelda almostgets him kicked out of the house again.

Headcanon C (heart-wrenching):  Héctor absolutely gets nightmares afterthe events of the movie, and no small amount of trauma over the fact that hisbest friend actually poisoned him. He gets extremely leery about anyone outside of the family serving him food or drink that he didn’t outright see them prepare in front of him- even though logically he knows that poison can’t technically harm him anymore, the residual fear is still there. He constantly gets nightmares about Imelda and Coco being just out of his reach as he falls through a platform of marigold petals, the words of Ernesto’s toast ringing in his ears, Miguel falling with Pepita nowhere in sight to stop him - or a twisted combination of all three. Héctor also has minor claustrophobia for some unknown reason, and he’ll never really understand why he gets so uncomfortable in small and enclosed spaces (it’s because Ernesto threw him into a shallow grave and buried him while he was still alive but already unconscious, but he’s probably better off not knowing that fact).  

Headcanon D- (not canon, but I will take hammer and FIX canon): Héctor, apart from being close to Miguel and Socorro for quite obvious reasons, also follows Rosa’s progress quite fondly.  He dabbled in the violin a bit before he died and it pleases him to see another member of the Rivera family picking it up so readily, and when she plays with Miguel on Day of the Dead he can often be found loudly cheering for her in the background. Her sass at such a young age also reminds him more than a bit of how Imelda was in her youth- tough, but with a softer center if you bother to look closer, and caring for her family more than anything else. If anyone asks he’ll tell them that he doesn’t have a favorite relative within the family, but he definitely has a soft spot for Rosa. 

Dante

Headcanon A: Dante isn’t nearly as dumb as he looks.  He’s lived on the streets for longer than Miguel’s been alive, and no one quite knows just how old the dog is- part of him secretly being an alebrije is that he has an extended lifespan, or so I like to believe- and he does have some degree of street smarts. Although basic commands may confuse him, it’s more due to his nature as a hound than anything- hounds tend to be notoriously hard to train, in part because they get so hyper-focused on anything BUT what you’re trying to teach them and in part because you need to prove that there’s actually a point to what you’re asking them to do, some end goal that they need to achieve. When it comes to survival skills, however, the Xolo’s more experienced than people would give him credit for. He’s a pretty easy-going dog in general, but he has been in his fair share of territorial disputes with the other feral dogs living in Santa Cecilia, and when push comes to shove he’s actually a fairly decent fighter. 

Headcanon B: Dante absolutely sleeps in the ‘roaching’ position of greyhounds- on his back, legs up in the air, sometimes with his tongue hanging out the side of his mouth or his lips rolled back to expose some part of his teeth. It’s led to constant comments of “is your perro actually a zombie, Miguel”, that the young Rivera has had to defend him against, but the truth is that the Xolo is just a bit too bony to be comfortable resting on his stomach like a normal dog- on his side or back is where it’s at, as far as he’s concerned. He also absolutely does not howl in his sleep and whoever claims otherwise is a dirty liar.  

Headcanon C: I honestly don’t have much in the way of sad headcanons for Dante (because he’s a good puppo and he deserves happiness), but I like to imagine that he was pretty shaken up by Miguel’s angry statement that he was just a dumb dog. Here he’s been trying to do his duties as a spirit guide and help lead the boy to his true family all night, and Miguel is dismissing him. He almost gets so distraught over it that he debates leaving the Land of the Dead for a while, debates just leaving the boy to his own devices if that’s what Miguel really wants- but a sixth sense tells him to go back and look for his boy, leading up to him discovering them in the sinkhole within the movie. Good thing he’s not quite smart enough to dwell on the horrific implications of what could have happened had he actually gone back to the land of the living.

Headcanon D: Dante can absolutely pass between the two worlds anytime he wants as an alebrije- he’s really supposed to only pass into the living world in the case of emergencies, but the Xolo dog’s never been one to rigidly follow the rules of what he’s supposed to be doing as a spirit guide, and he often pops over just to check on Miguel and cheer the boy up if he’s feeling down. Sometimes he’s able to rope Pepita into coming along with him on these trips. Most of the time she politely declines (as politely as a giant winged jaguar can decline anything, anyway).  

[blueheartedmayor]

You know, there's something rather sad about W.KM-era Damien being so unused to seeing love in his life that his only real 'references' are novels he's read over the years.

It's worse when you realise that, unlike his parents, he's a romantic at heart. He simply isn't used to experiencing it in his day-to-day life.

Love is... like a sort of rebellion, in a way.

[blueheartedmayor]

WKM!Headcanon

A topic I've written about a dozen times before (and told people about a dozen more times) is that Damien spent nearly his whole life being a pawn. From being treated as an adult at a young age, to an unfair repaying of university loans, little interest or care was given to his actual wellbeing and happiness. His entire life was moulded on what his parents wanted, not him.

He hates law, yet he was forced to attend a top university to study it. He decided that if he had to do this, he would work for those who needed it most.

When this shifted to being curious about politics, he was pushed into it by his parents, thinking that they'd finally have influence over the city - and he refused their money and their 'help'. It meant he was punished heavily. He was working far too many hours at his father's law firm, repaying the loan, and having to fund his campaign by himself. One could even speculate that his legal trouble was his father using him as a scapegoat in revenge.

Why do I bring all this up?

I mention all of this because being Mayor has given Damien the most freedom he's ever had - more than he even had in university. He's finally living in a place that isn't under the thumb of his family, he's got an income that isn't being snatched away... And he can actually take breaks. That's a luxury he missed the most.

What this means is: if your character is friendly with him comes by City Hall and asks him to go for a walk, get something to drink, or sit on the couch and chat for a while; he'll do it. Sometimes, he would pretend that his arm is being twisted, or that he doesn't really want to take a break because he has so many fascinating and interesting political documents to read but, gosh, they're leaving him with no choice (sarcasm). He's the man that if he is due to finish at four, and you arrive at five minutes past four, he has GONE HOME so you'd better run to find him!

[blueheartedmayor]

Sometimes, I think it's nice to remind the dash of how charming W.KM Damien sounds if he is allowed to sing.

(And how bittersweet it is that he wasn't allowed to pursue his love of music as a youth professionally.)

[blueheartedmayor]

In less angsty news, I think one big thing to note about the W.KM Damien is that he is a little silly. He has spent a good portion of his life being friends with Mark and William. He might be the "goody two shoes" of the trio and tries to avoid trouble, their dramatic antics did brush off on him.

In a way, this playful side, with that little hint of light mischief, is an unrecognised symbol of rebellion. What makes this work even better is that he can keep a straight face, if he so chooses.

[blueheartedmayor]

Dante might have powers linked to shadows, and the ability to use them as 'shortcuts' due to his ghostly connections, but that's as far as it goes. He doesn't have a void. He honestly thinks the concept is ridiculous. If he wanted to be left alone he'd go back into the mountains.

However, he does have a place to retreat where barely anyone can find him: a little house in a community of monsters and ghouls. It isn't quite a "dark and empty void", but it's a home away from home.

[blueheartedmayor]

Did you know?

Dante hates his long hair. He hates having it out. He hates how it falls forward and how he keeps brushing the shorter strands aside.

But... it's a necessity. It means that if he looks in the mirror, he sees a different person there. If he had short, neat hair, he'd only see the reflection of the man whose life was taken far too soon. He would feel nothing but grief and despair, the mourning he hasn't been able to properly do because he's not mentally ready for it yet.

Long hair, facial hair he can't fully shave off due to his injury, and a large, humiliating scar... None of these pieces are things that Dante wants, yet the less he reminds himself of Damien, the better.

[blueheartedmayor]

If you see this, you are obliged to share something your muse is terrible at in an everyday setting.

Nothing angsty!!

[blueheartedmayor]

I know we all imagine the prim and proper Mayor being all mature and respectable as he shares his mantra of life during various election campaign speeches, to motivate others when they are troubled, and to keep himself focused on the future now that he's gotten some sort of independence in his life after a stifled upbringing....

But please imagine him saying "Life is Ours to Choose" while doing things like claiming the entire couch for himself or taking the last dessert. In other words: Life is ours to choose and I wish to do something nice for myself.

[blueheartedmayor]

Headcanon Change: WKM!Damien/Dante

In my quest to try and showcase that the WKM!Damien and the modern!Damien are different people, I've decided to take a self-indulgent plunge and change a headcanon:

Dante's singing voice claim is now J.osh G.roban.

I've already written about how Damien would have become an opera singer if he had the choice, and I think he would have been a tenor who could cover baritone. As it turns out, this is exactly Josh's range.

As an example:

Of course, there are songs sung by P.eter H.ollens that will still apply to me linking them to Dante. That's not changing.

[blueheartedmayor]

Dante, when he was human, was used to being on show. From being the heir constantly paraded at social gatherings from when he was five years old, to studying law in university, to running for election and being a public figure.

However, it was rare for him to be caught performing.

The mayoral residence had a gramophone that had been gifted. The technology of playing records was still fairly new, but it didn't stop Damien from enjoying it.

Sometimes, if the staff who worked there were lucky, they would hear him singing along when the room was closed and he thought he was alone. They would wonder why he wasn't on stage. Sometimes, if they were very lucky, it would last long enough for others to hear it.

None of them ever commented on it, of course, except the butler who would often catch Damien humming to himself. Like many things in the troubled young man's life, they kept locked up as a vow of secrecy and loyalty to the mayor who had such a bad hand dealt despite his class.

He would only 'perform' in front of his closest friends, and after heavy persuasion/begging from Mark. It is said it was something spectacular to behold, especially from one who was not allowed to be fully classically trained.

[blueheartedmayor]

Did you know?

Dante was treated like an adult ever since he was a child by his family. They were fixed in their view that the concept of "childhood" was one that didn't exist - it is a fairly modern concept - and so he was treated as a mini adult. A lot of things children do and experience are things he didn't do.... unless they were beneficial.

For instance. He only learned how to ride a bike because he was too young to drive. And how else can he get to his after-school classes if he can't drive?

[blueheartedmayor]

The only positive I can gleam from being woken over five times by a wandering, lamenting cat is that I think this is how Dante normally feels.

He's got trauma-based insomnia. While people are vulnerable while they sleep, his mind pushes it further to link sleep with losing part of himself if he's not careful. Since he's also technically a ghost possessing a body rather than a soul inhabiting a body, he can rest. But in most cases, his mind wakes him up before he can fall too deeply asleep. Usually, you'll find him physically resting rather than trying to sleep.

When I draw Dante, I make the areas around his eyes darker. That's not makeup. He doesn't wear any. That's purely sleep deprivation.

His exhaustion is a weariness, that sensation that presses down on his shoulders. It doesn't make him cranky, nor does it affect his functioning day-to-day. He's used to it. By default, he's preserving energy when people meet him, and the aches he feels gives him further reason to keep slow (assuming nothing confrontational happens). He can barely remember what being well-rested actually feels like. Without the luxury of somewhere he can safely hide away and properly rest without any interference (intentional or accidental), along with survival instincts, he's doomed. Plus, he doesn't have any sort of pocket Void. When Dante appeared there to meet the viewer, it was actually the "edge of the story".

Add to this his chronic pain, and you get an entity that is fairly weak in terms of physical stamina. If he exerts himself too much, he could literally end up bedridden.

So why is he the villain? This particular Damien is literally not built for it, largely due to the life he was forced to live. Unfortunately, the intended villain of the timeline never died due to a surprise arrival.

[blueheartedmayor]

Good morning.

Please consider the fact that you would not get WKM!Damien onto a boat larger than a little rowboat if you could pay him.

He'd even consider a plane over it, which was absurdly expensive, incredibly risky, and slower than the train.

He was nervous about large bodies of water because of articles he had read over the years.

And then consider how he plummeted through the ice in the icy hellscape. Now, Dante can't even look at a pond without feeling uncomfortable.

[blueheartedmayor]

WKM Headcanon: The 60-40

You know... I realised I never actually wrote this here, despite thinking I did.

So, remember how I always say that WKM!Damien (ie Dante) has horrible parents? This is the perfect example of it.

As you ought to know by know, Damien does not want to be a lawyer. He hates it, and has opposed it for years. Unfortunately, he's literally been bred for this path and he has no choice in the matter. Everything he has been tutored in was specially to have him mingle amongst the upper class as a well-respected lawyer to continue the family name and the family tradition.

But attending a university course he hated wasn't enough. As part of "growing up", his parents expected him to REPAY them for funding his education, ASAP. And so, the 60-40 was established.

The 60% was financial. He worked in the family law firm and had a large chunk taken out of his wages. He lived at home because he literally couldn't afford to move out. This left him completely trapped under his parents' thumb.

The 40% was unpaid overtime. Two evenings a week, he worked an extra three hours, for a total of six hours a week. Alternatively, he would work the entire of one work day in the weekend.

Unsurprisingly, he was prone to getting sick from sheer exhaustion. But he had to keep pushing. By the time he was running for Mayor, he had saved up enough to pay them off in one fell swoop so they couldn't hold that against him.

But Ash, you might ask, why did Damien not just drop out anyway?

Well, I say, because Damien would have had to pay the full amount regardless.