Not that oc, the other one. Remember Josephine? The romantic rival that swoops in out of nowhere, hitting all of Heartbeat's insecurities and doesn't beat around the bush about her intentions towards Metron? Yeah that one.
I had a thought. Not sure if I'll pursue it for real but i need it in writing so it doesn't get lost. I never decided where she's from, just that it's an alien planet, far away, and that she learned of Metron's intellect so sought him out.
But what if her desire for him is more than that? What if, at least at first, her drive is also a primal hunger? Metron would give anything to know the secrets of the universe, and Josephine might understand that willingness and drive better than anyone. She comes from a race where certaim peopls value knowledge above all else, and eat others to gain it. But it's a form of lust and love. A weird bit of fucked-upedness from the outside looking in, but theres a whole process and courtship to it. Not so seedy as it sounds (ie its not just vore omg 😅 but it is still very much like sketch as hell for everyone else not of this race like lets be real).
So anyway Metron of course knows this from the get-go about her culture but does he tell Heartbeat? Fucking no! He does not! And so a big fucking mix up occurs when Heartbeat becomes increasingly paranoid about this woman because 1) Heartbeat's jealousy starts rising and her own feelings for Metron get harder to deny, which is mortifying. And 2) she's pretty goddamn sure Josephine is trying Kill and Eat Metron?!? He is in Actual Danger???!!! But hes so goddamn nonchalant and carrying on as usual and letting her lean all on him and keep touching his shoulders and things like that and it's making Heartbeat crazy. (Typical jealous fare)
Until of course the whole thing comes to a head. Anyway, eventually smoke clears and after things get taken care of and loose ends are tied up, Metron explains he knew all along and was being careful enough but needed knowledge from her as well. So Heartbeat is BIG MAD that he didnt tell her that whole time and is now acting like everything is fine and went as planned. She wants to slap him, but the experience has made her realize more about how she feels. But she also feels like slapping him just to slap him. So two things. Two things she feels.
Um and i guess thats all ive got on this right now. I feel like theres another piece of this im forgetting. But yeah. Basically, Josephine wants to eat Metron's brains and steal his knowledge. Because she loves him.
The best way I can describe this little tangent of a story is that its like romcom trope central, but in a weird mashup way. The elevator pitch is My Fair Lady if Henry Higgins (but academically smarter and not a crackpot) had Hannibal Lecter (but an alien lady) as a peer and admirer who was for some reason really into him, and Eliza (Heartbeat) was looking around nervously like "am i the only one seeing that this is a problem" 😐
But quick otp thought first. Exploring a bit of jealousy.
What if on one of their episodic adventures they encounter someone who immediately and overtly shows attraction to metron. Unthinkable. Nobody would see that coming. Maybe a woman who is all the things Heartbeat is not. Older and more mature, unafraid to express her attraction, knows exactly who she is and is comfortable and confident, and most of all is extremely intelligent. Perhaps that's why theyre interacting with her. Maybe Metron sought her out to help solve some problem.
Anyway, he cares so little about romance that all her flirting is lost on him, but that also means he doesn't shut her down or stop her come ons, much to Heartbeat's frustration. So she gets upset because she has to sit there and watch this happen. And of course this woman is clever. She clocks Heartbeat right away, and wedges herself between Metron and Heartbeat, even to the point of offering to travel with him permanently. So what's Heartbeat to do? Feeling inferior, watching this guy she doesn't even know why she likes get taken away by someone who is all that she lacks. Hard times. A real Jolene situation yknow?
But through the course of things, Heartbeat would end up being integral to solving the problem in some way this other woman could not. Something where Heartbeat's perspective and care ends up saving the day. And even with her own self doubts, shes the one Metron chooses in the end regardless. He respects Heartbeat for solving the thing that needed solving, but he would have never abandoned her for this other person either way. For Metron it was never any question, but does he say that before everything is already over and done? Of course not lol. So they go on their way just the two of them, and Heartbeat understands more about how Metron feels about her after this. And bc of that she gains some confidence in herself as she is.
And maybe Metron internally files all this away to ponder over later. Or perhaps he'll put Heartbeat on the spot and point blank ask her why she was jealous. Could go a number of ways. But yeah the whole thing helps Heartbeat realize her feelings for Metron better.
Ive got three characters right now. Didnt mean to have more than one. Actually, didnt mean to even have any! But it's been fun. I sort of feel bad that Heartbeat is in some ways the most bland of all of them. Probably because she was my first and the other two are newer with more potential. I know its completely normal to change things for OCs but I like the canon we've got going and it feels weird to re-do things.
Meanwhile, Heartbreak and Josephine feel so much more fun and vibrant. Maybe theyre just plain more interesting concept-wise and thats the crux of it. Since theyre not developed, Josephine has the ability to look and be anything right now as long as the main motivations are there. And Heartbreak is of course a variant of Heartbeat, so some is already prescribed. But she's going to be all kinds of things Heartbeat isn't, a realization of the negative or suppressed traits she has, someone who is done with living with inhibitions or putting up with things. So yeah, sometimes I tend to want to think about them instead of Heartbeat. Like HB's the vanilla version and the others have so much flavor. Dont get me wrong, I love vanilla. But the others can be so interesting.
I'm at the point where I have so many miscellaneous posts about my OC, I need a way to organize them all for quick reference, so here it is.
This will be linked in my pinned post. Future edits will be to reorganize into story order rather than chronological, and maybe add emojis to tag with certain themes. But for now it's all in one place, which is certainly better than before.
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Key
📖 - Fic snippet, draft, informal writing
💬 - Answering prompts
💔 - About Heartbreak
💚 - About Josephine
🎵 - Music by me
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Heartbeat and Metron - Text Posts
3/11/25 - Daily struggles, eating and bathing
2/22/25 - What if Metron loses his gem
2/9/25 - 📖 HB goes to a Supertown ball
2/1/25 - 📖 Metron blows up his life
1/19/25 - 📖 HB and Metron bodyswap
1/17/25 - Elevator pitch
1/12/25 - 📖 HB drunk confession
1/4/25 - 📖💬 HB shown to her room short ask
8/30/24 - One line text post that Metron should make HB a costume
8/28/24 - They need a beach episode
8/2/24 - 📖 Two parter where HB gets inflicted with pain without physical touch
8/1/24 - Expressing the need for Metron to avenge HB but then deny it later
7/19/24 - Their dynamics when it comes to lectures and bickering
7/12/24 - Minor thought about their symbolism
6/1/24 - Leading into arc three, HB is gone and Metron is alone
5/31/24 - After arc three, a "what if" for gods existing if you believe in them
4/26/24 - Discussion of what HB is looking for, what she'll find, and new goals that arise
3/22/24 - Short musing on Metron not getting why HB wants to return to her old life
3/8/24 - 💬 HB, Metron & the trolley problem ask
3/8/24 - 💬 Three part ask about physicality, cooking and splitting up
3/8/24 - 💬 Two part ask about strays and gifts
3/5/24 - HB should "complete" Metron
3/1/24 - Discussing the moment right before she goes back to her life
2/7/24 - 💬 Answers for Character Development Questions for Couples
1/17/24 - Story idea for Metron "harvesting" the Mother Box
12/23/23 - 📖 The nebula
10/14/23 - Comparing to My Fair Lady
10/13/23 - Inspirations for how Metron interacts with HB, kinda
10/10/23 - 💬 Answers for Ask Game for Ships
10/8/23 - HB's story is "problematic"
9/17/23 - Where HB is staying, and calling it "home"
9/15/23 - A variety of thoughts about insulting the Mobius Chair, being with a god, not visiting Earth, and looking past asshole behavior
9/9/23 - Discussion of their relationship and how they aren't defined by romantic love
5/30/23 - Metron uncovers HB's pre-abduction backstory
Okay so the other day i asked about Xudar but i guess maybe there's really not much info on it besides it being a place where people valued science and arts, utopia style. Like, do we think Tomar Re and Tomar Tu's personalities were fitting representations of the Xudarian? I mean besides their exemplary courage and will.
Im trying to find a good origin for Josephine, but still not sure if the bird aliens are it? I could certainly adapt the very loose character design and change her name to something like Chosè Fin (still pronounced as Josephine). But im hesitant to write about what i dont know, plus then if i go this route i really gotta brush up on GL lore. 😅
Or should i make her from a totally new made up place? It saves me from learning deep lore, but it also means i gotta do at least a little world building. And that sounds like work lol.
Or maybe she keeps her origins secret so i dont gotta explain shit!
Alright more of the Jolene scenario for Metron and Heartbeat.
I think instead of them seeking her out, she shows up on New Genesis with the express intent to become part of Metron's life. She's a disruption, she's inserting herself, she's showing up offering him a puzzle he can't resist. And it's bc she already has preconceived notions about who he is and what he's about. She's enamored with his intellect, and is projecting greatness onto him. She's also beyond genius level and treats anyone who can't keep up as lesser beings. So she shows up, says she needs help with a thing, and of course Metron's curiosity is piqued so he accepts. Then she spends the next however long getting in his business and attempting to push Heartbeat out.
Love how this means i have a new OC. Didnt mean to. And as much as she serves to be a very upsetting point of turmoil for Heartbeat, I think this other woman will grow from the experience as well. She will see in the end that you cant demand the admiration of another just bc you think yourself the height of some ideal. And she will learn to respect someone like Heartbeat even if she doesnt get what Metron sees in her. Through the disillusionment of expectation vs reality of how the whole thing plays out, she will accept her loss and concede to Heartbeat. And maybe someday we'll encounter her again. Perhaps as a true ally in a time of need?
So anyway, ive got a new character to play with. Gonna have to figure out a name that isnt quite as on the nose as Jolene ;)
