#op spawned a new headcanon in my brain

[conquerthenight]

Good theory, but I raise you this:

Maxim is also trans and at the age of 42 is still desperate to prove himself a real man. His identity is the most open secret to ever open secret. He goes through life trying to shake off the fact that he wasn’t actually born male and ends up throwing himself into the depths of toxic masculinity as a result. The narrator says the line about being ‘a sort of boy’ and Maxim’s gaydar (trans-dar?) goes off. His “wife” is just like him and now he just has to wait for “her” to realize it for “her”self. Inquest happens, fire happens, all that jazz. The narrator starts raiding Maxim’s wardrobe when he’s not looking. “She” wants to know what it’s like to wear men’s clothes. “She” secretly does this for a while, always putting the clothes back before Maxim realizes anything was missing. Then one day while the de Winters are jaunting around Europe the narrator has an a-ha moment. They’re lying in bed together. It’s 3 am. The narrator shakes Maxim awake. He asks “her” why the hell “she” woke him up at this hour. “Maxim, I think I’m a man” the narrator says. Maxim just laughs. “You thought I didn’t know?” He asks the narrator, before saying “I was a woman once, long ago. I was just waiting for you to discover you were the same way”. He starts buying the narrator masculine clothing. Narrator goes through the usual ‘baby trans figuring out how to dress’ phase. Maxim cringes a few times but is still supportive, he was in his spouse’s shoes once. But there’s one glaring problem, the narrator CANNOT figure out a new name. Cut to the de Winters devouring baby name books, family archives, the works, and eventually a name sticks. The narrator, being an absolute nerd, had chosen the name Darcy after the character of Pride and Prejudice fame.

The de Winters are now a t4t couple.

The narrator of Rebecca is a trans icon..

I'm convinced that's part of what's going on here. We never learn their name-- possibly due to them not wanting to deadname themselves, or not wanting to out themselves, or not finding a name that suits them. The whole story is about them struggling with living in the shadow of Maxim's first wife, struggling to live up to this perfect ideal of femininity. Struggling with womanhood. Body image issues galore.

And then they literally say this direct quote to their actual husband:

"I don't want you to love me. I won't ask impossible things. I'll be your friend and your companion. A sort of boy. I don't ever want more than that."

[viperwhispered]

Gotta throw Malleus in for the character ask meme with the recent madness goin on 😇 (Never apologize forda feral brainworms, oomfie) ++and maybe Deuce? iirc he was kinda high up on your character sorter thingie

Hasdfs I still keep on forgetting this is your main, one day I'll learn. One day.

Ty for the ask! Let's see here

Malleus

First impression

Cool mysterious dude with horns and things, and that voice? Sing me up.

He was also the one whose hand I took back when I first started playing.

I'd seen some fanart of him before playing so had some awareness of him, but didn't know much.

Impression now

Well, there sure is more nuance now, lol.

I do enjoy the duality of Malleus's apparent regality / maturity, and then those moments when you realize that he may be over a hundred years old but he's so totally a (sulky) teenager still.

It's definitely kinda tragic, thinking of just how isolated he has been, and always a delight when he gets to experience new things. (Like, remembering that moment in Firelit Sky when he's sitting in the car all pensive because he's taking in the experience of being in a car for the first time.)

And all the things he does with such good intentions (his dorm vignette, book 7), but with just abysmal execution.

There's just something endearing about how op he is in many ways, yet clueless in others.

Plus gotta love it when he sees fit to get playful / snarky.

He may have lost the top spot to Jamil but he is still my bias, too.

I mean, a dragon? How could I not love him.

Favorite moment

I have a feeling that vignette with Malleus taking Roaring Drago to Deuce for repairs will always have a special spot in my heart. I think it was one of the first stories where I started to see behind the first impressions I had of Malleus and grasp more of what's going on with him.

Idea for a story

I mean, there's the current madness that might or might not spawn something. (Can't believe I'm actually considering canon x canon things too, this is new, lol.) Otherwise I've not really thought of writing for him. I've got this snippet of a protective bff Malleus that I might use somewhere, though I did use parts of it here.

Unpopular opinion

Not sure if this is unpopular exactly, but while the jokes about Malleus not knowing this is not an otome game are funny, I personally read his in-game interactions with Yuu as being platonic.

But also like one can read these things in so many different ways so it's not like it bothers me much either way.

Favorite relationship

Can I say the whole Diasomnia family? Because I wanna say the whole Diasomnia family.

Lilia, if I have to pick and choose, because I just recently saw snippets of their Beanfest fight and I just loved the vibe.

Favorite headcanon

Uhhh headcanons are always the point where I screech to a halt because like idk I feel like I just try to stick to canon or plausible interpretations most of the time.

Tho I do always love art that makes Malleus look more obviously non-human.

Deuce

First impression

Trying to rack my brains ngl. Iirc, it took me a while to warm up to both Deuce and Ace (the bickering during Dwarfs' Mine didn't help). Though I think Deuce started off more favorable with at least trying to be sensible and behave himself (until the delinquent stuff came out from the left field).

Impression now

What a sweet, earnest boy. He's trying so hard and loves his mum unashamedly and I love him for it, even if he can be a bit of a silly goober.

(And yes, looks like he was rank 4 on the sorter.)

Favorite moment

Whenever he pulls through for us, like the end of book 4 (even if it was kinda unsuccessful, but they both sure tried), or worrying about us during book 6. Just, what a sweetheart.

Idea for a story

Nothing that I've been planning, but I certainly could do some more expanded friendship exploration for Emi even if Emi might end up looking kinda bad / haughty in the process, oof.

Unpopular opinion

I don't know if I've followed the fandom at large enough to know what the popular opinions even are, tbh. I mean, we all agree he's a sweetheart, right? Even if he's a bit of a knucklehead (affectionate).

Favorite relationship

Call me basic but I do love the friendship group with Prefect, Grim, Ace and Deuce. Took a while to grow on me, sure, but by now they're such a respite from all the everything that tends to go down in the main story.

Favorite headcanon

Alas, I am drawing a blank here 😔

(ask game in question here)