okay idk if u do part 2s by request cus im very new here with asks and stuff, but i like read all ur works bro and they're soooo good. no genuinely u are such a talented writer im so happy i found u. its totally okay if u dont want to but i was wondering if u could do a part 2 of mariposa? i find the concept of sofia becoming a stripper to manage her finances and life after rafe kicked her out soooo interesting bcus it truly makes me think of the amount of privilege rafe has been swathed in since birth to ask a woman to quit her job, make her financially dependent on you, and then kick her out and cut her off while UR in a different country without any sort of communication. but he's also rafe and acts on instinct sooo... but yes like i feel like a pt 2 could be so interesting. like if sof continues to work at the club, violence breaks out bcus it is so common for men to be violent to women that work in sw, esp women in alr struggling situations (not a creep!! just super into angst) and either rafe happens to be there and tries helping her which leads him to believe this is his knight in shining armor moment and sof will just come running back, or sofia calls him willingly, that needy part of her coming out. either way just thoughts and u have the best creative interpretations, but its just so unfortunate that women in struggling situations (esp when its cause by a man) have to resort to this stuff, and at the end of the day when rafe said sof was "whoring herself out" while he actively CAUSED her to be stuck in this situation made me so mad!! i just want him to suffer a little more, sofia's just sooo sweet for this. holy word dump i wont even be mad if u dont read this but i just wanted to lyk i adore ur writing sm
Ahhhh THANK YOU!! You're too kind!! I appreciate this sm :) <3 !!
And yes it's totally okay. I literally asked if anyone wanted a continuation of my one-shot fics a couple weeks back so this is perfect! And you must be a mind reader because I was thinking about mariposa too! Me and a mutual were discussing it not long ago!
And YES. You get it. The financial aspect of their relationship is fascinating to me. I think that's what pushed me to write the fic, because I think Rafe would only really grasp the disparity between them in a context like that. Where she's left the Country Club (which still holds a modicum of social respectability) and is working as a stripper at a very different type of club. Like him finally realising she's a pogue pogue...I don't think he fully grasps that about her. Like with Barry, he's a drug dealer, so Rafe's always cognisant of it. So when he sees Sofia on that stage, he's finally having that pin drop moment, where he views her as a hustler, partaking in the typical ‘indelicate’ work he'd usually associate with pogues (drugs, sex work...).
i feel like a pt 2 could be so interesting. like if sof continues to work at the club, violence breaks out bcus it is so common for men to be violent to women that work in sw, esp women in alr struggling situations (not a creep!! just super into angst) and either rafe happens to be there and tries helping her which leads him to believe this is his knight in shining armor moment and sof will just come running back, or sofia calls him willingly, that needy part of her coming out.
Arghhhh see I'm conflcted with this. I was wary about depecting sw like that. I tried doing my research (reading a bunch of reddit posts from people in the field [strippers, club owners etc..]), and I don't want Sofia to suffer needlessly/gratuitously as a stripper. Like the main source of her distress was Rafe, not any of the girls, or the owner, or the customers. I wanted her to be safe, and have her do it all on her terms, yk? And mariposa (butterfly) symbolising her transformation from the lack of agency she had in her relationship with Rafe, to something more real and authentic to her. So having Rafe come and ‘save’ her and her eating it right up (though very on brand for both) seems to undo what the first part of the story set out to achieve.
but its just so unfortunate that women in struggling situations (esp when its cause by a man) have to resort to this stuff, and at the end of the day when rafe said sof was "whoring herself out" while he actively CAUSED her to be stuck in this situation made me so mad!! i just want him to suffer a little more, sofia's just sooo sweet for this.
Exactlyyyy. When I was thinking of part 2 ideas, Rafe wasn't really involved in it. I kinda wanted to have Sofia thrive as a stripper, making bag and trying to get over Rafe either by hooking up with the owner/one of the girls (maybe Barry). But basically have her stand on her own two feet and give her a little happy ending of sorts. And then maybe her and Rafe could slowly reconcile, but again, on her terms.
But your version of events seems more realistic tbf. Idk... like what you said about Sofia calling him willingly, that needy part of her coming out, is so on point. But when I wrote their conversation in the strip club parking lot, I wanted it to be a turning point for both ig, where they finally shed the pretences they wear with one another and let each other go, knowing that neither of them were truly ready for commiment. But still leaving space for a future that isn't stifling and unrealistic and have it be more open and hopeful…yk?
The more I'm talking about it, the less I wanna write a part 2 lowkey...Because even though they don't get together, it still feels promising and cathartic and overall relieving for both of them. At least to me. Though the endings of both their perspectives are quite bleak and dismal…BUT in the grand scheme of things, they’re no longer punch drunk on this highly romanticised puppy love, so much so they’ve lost all reason and rationality. That idealism is stripped back, and they’re both finally raw and honest with each other. That was my intention at least.
But I throughly enjoyed reading your thoughts about it! Made my day :) !! And ofc I'd read this. Someone finding something I wrote interesting and worthy of discussion is the best feeling ever!
And here’s a Pinterest board I made for the fic if you’re interested!
turnnoffyourmind
prguitarman
ellievsbear
andulkaphoto
theartofmadeline
areudirty
origamiaround
pixelskylines
snowghoul