Another change in Act 1 to Act 2 Kaden: he's alwats been muscular, as a knight, but in Act 2 he's more broad thanks to taking better care of himself. Like outside of Florence, Act 2 Kaden has is good. He's happier, he has his hobbies, e has friends - Act 1 Kaden literally could never. Act 2 Kaden kinda developed an "old man soul" which i find so funny. He likes to bake, has taken up knitting, and is generally very practical minded. Does this make him old: no. I am aware of that. Is it funny to me though: yes. The audio clip of the girl guessing the guys age and being so wrong is him and Corin( i'll get to them later). Mind you, Act 2 Kaden is 27 and Corin is 22. Corin literally met Kaden when he was 22. And yet.
Another thing with Act 2 Kaden is that he still kinda looks scary. He's very stern and firm, he takes his job seriously, even when he knows he rather not be fighting. But he's a lot more relaxed compared to his younger self. Act 1 Kaden was alwats sharp, always alert and on edge- eager to prove himself,a bit of a try hard. But now? Despite his heartache, he mellowed out. He's more sure of himself, now that he's more aware of himself. So despite how intimidating he looks, he is honestly pleasant to talk to. He's still a little awkward, but honestly thats the charm. He's also really earnest, or at least tries to be. Despite not wanting to carry a sword, he does still deeply want to protect others.
.....Oh right his friends.
Mel: His first real friend after Florence. Mel saw him at a tavern down on his luck at the end of Act 1, and despite not really liking the guy bc of how he used to act, decided to just lend him an ear. Ever since then they've become best friends! Pretty much Kaden's second in command. She's very chill, often to balance out Kaden's seriousness and practicality, but can be a bit of a flirt. A teeny tiny bit. They love teasing the likes of Kaden and Corin.
Penelope Aka Penny: This isn't super duper concrete, but the gist is this: she comes from a noble family, possible a mafia esc one, and despite everything, she decided to become a knight bc it looked fun. She's bubbly and sweet, and always calls Kaden Boss. Kaden has tried to correct her into using "Captain", with no success. She also insists you call her Penny.
Corin: So the backstory here is that when Corin was....17? Kaden saved their life when traveling with Florence. Since then, Corin essentially thought Kaden was the coolest person ever and wanted to become Just Like Him. Literally went from their hometown to the training academy just to be like him. Next thing they know, their the newest member of Kaden's little squad. Corin is, essentially, a slighly more reckless Act 1 Kaden, which Kaden recognizes and is actively trying to better socialize them ( somewhat failing, Mel n Penny has it covered though). They are kinda judgy, and gets flustered when a preconceived notion of theirs gets proven wrong......which is a lot. While they still think Kaden is So Fucking Cool, they can't help but be disappointed that he's kinda boring. As in Corin thought Kaden was this cool badass half demon who trains all day and eats monsters for breakfast. Not the guy who makes them treats and knits them a scarf and scolds them for training too hard and in general be a cutie patootie despite the rbf. If it wasn't obvious, they're the baby of the group ( they are 22 years old. I might change this).
Mel and Penny are both around the same age as Kaden ( maybe Penny is older?), and Corin, like I said, is the youngest. They're all knights that are in a lil squad of their own, but they're all friends :) They all trust and respect Kaden deeply, as he does with them! The only one who isn't taller than him is Penny. One final note:
Mel: " Aye, Captain" -> professional-ish. Very chill, tone depends on the subject but is generally friendly/teasing
Penny: " You got it, Boss!" -> she will never ever call him captain. If she calls him captain something is deeply wrong. If your imagining that one meme. Yes. Anyway, she says this, and almost everything, with the same level of enthusiasm.
Corin: " Yes, Captain!" -> said with deep conviction and seriousness...so Act 1 Kaden. Gradually tones it down.
Kaden ( edgy knight....god i haven't used that title for a minute) has really short hair in Act 1. Mainly at the behest of his dad ingraining in his head that having short hair is always beneficial to combat- less likely to be grabbed, ignoring the helmet. Kaden lived by thie up till he was an adult. Traveling with Florence has literally opened his world view and he is, for once, not under his father's scrutiny and can think for himself. Its a somewhat slow process but in that journey he starts to just. Think about what he really wants. And part of that is realizing he wouldn't mind growing out his hair actually. Fast forward to act 2, he's 27, and his hair is barely past his shoulders. Right towards the middle of his neck- that's his ideal length. The front of his hair is tied back into a half up half down style thats only really changed for different events. He likes his hair like this. He doesn't want it super long like Florence's but having it long enough just makes him happier.
Going back to his shorter hair in Act 1, Florence likes to stroke his hair- its oddly soft, despite the spikes. Kaden honestly just feels relaxed when this happens and it surprises the both of them. Like a gosh darn cat. This is how Kaden realizes he is very touch starved lmao.
Rare oc fic, takes place years after the main plot of RGAG. Everyone is in their.....30s?40s? Their old man yaoi now/hj
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" You kept your sword" Florence murmurs, seeing the weapon hanging from the wall. Tall enough to be a symbol, low enough for easy each. Just in case. That's what Florence thinks anyway, " Still sharp too," he turns to Kaden, " When do you have to sharpen it?"
Kaden, wiping clean yet another glass, shrugs, " Never hurts to be prepared," he inspects it, squinting at its angles before nodding to himself, " Though really its not as often, given how busy this place can be. But better a sharp sword than a dull one," He places the cup away with a sigh. Florence smiles slightly - still ever so methodical that one.
" Do you still fight?" He asks, walking over towards the front table, " If you keep it sharp,"
" Nope," Kaden replies, even popping the p, " Well, unless you count handling some rowdy guest. But nothing that would warrant a sword,"
Florence hums in response, and the two stand there in comfortable silence. The tavern is empty right now, not even the usual drunkard is lingering here ( Well there *was* but Galurk offered to bring the poor sap home). Kaden was cleaning up and Florence.....well what is he doing? He should find a place to sleep, make a non commital attempt to plan his next location ( he never does, not unless he's with a certain party). And yet he can't seem to bring himself to move. The tavern-cafe is warm, something Florence knows will be fleeting once he sets out again. Maybe he's just savoring it. Maybe-
" And you?"
Florence blinks, only now realizing Kaden is looking at him. He tries not to flush.
"Hm?"
" Do you still fight,"
Florence blinks again. Then laughs.
" Kaden, i'm a vagabond by trade- of course I fight,". Kaden's face shifts a little, still neutral, but Florence knows theres a smugness to it. Before he could rebuttal anything Kaden was going to throw against him, Kaden beats him to the punch.
"Really? Last I checked, you were very good at running away as fast as you can," he leans in his hand, resting his cheek on his palm," Didn't realize you were a fighter,"
" Oh, ha ha" Florence pouts, " You say that as if I didn't save your ass several times now,"
Instead of growing embarrassed by Florence's brilliant logic and groveling for forgiveness, Kaden laughs. Its deep, as always, but lighter than the last time he heard it. So much lighter. And for a moment, Florence wishes to be selfish, to keep that laugh for himself, to be the only person to hear it. And then he remembers where he is. And then he remembers who Kaden is now, who he is now. And then he sees the shining wedding band on Kaden's finger.
He laughs with Kaden, pushing the frustration of a crush that should be gone at the back of his mind, with a lock and key.
" Seriously, though...." Kaden starts again, calming himself, " If you're always fighting, then surely you deserve some rest?"
Florence snorts, " What do you think i've been doing all day?"
" Well, yes, but-"
"I'm back!" Galurks voice, as gentle as he tries to be, rings throughout the empty tavern, " Poor man was a clinger. And a bit away from the tavern so....oh! Florence, you're still here!" The man said, not unkindly. If Florence knew better, the man seemed happy about that fact. He was always a kind soul, Florence muses.
But he is still here, isn't he? The two probably would like some space after the day today. He should....probably get going.
" I am! But its getting late so-"
" Oh! No, no, I didn't mean you weren't welcome!" Galurk says quickly, " You can stay as long as you want, really,"
Gods above did Kaden get lucky. A man who could probably crush him in half and would be so sweet about it. Lucky bastard. Ahem.
" You're really sweet, Galurk, but I wouldn't want to intrude-"
" You won't. " Kaden speaks up now. His eyes bore into Florence's, " You won't." He says again, more stern, and Florence tries really really hard not to squirm.
"I-" he pauses, hoping to the gods his ears aren't exposing him right now, " If you're worried about me sleeping outside, I've been traveling for years now and honestly its a little insulting that you think-"
"*Florence*" Kaden sighs heavily, pinching the bridge of his noise like he used to all those years ago. A nostalgic urge to grin at annoying him washes through him. He doesn't though, " We're inviting you to stay over."
Eh?
Florence blinks. Many times. Looks to Galurk who merely nods, then back to Kaden, who is raising a very unimpressed eyebrow. Florence points to himself. Kaden gives him a tired nod.
Florence: ......I'm....I'm not a child. I can help-
Amara: You act like one.
Florence:
Amara: Furthermore, your magic is still unstable, so I cannot hold you as reliable.
Florence: .......I'm trying.....
Amara: And yet you do not produce effective results at this time. So it is the most logical conclusion to keep you here out of danger, while I handle the threat. Do you object to this?
Amara - So this will be 100% new to y'all but long story short: Her creator wanted a daughter, but didn't want to deal with all the fleshy bits nor the process of raising a baby so she made Amara a young adult. All of this was an attempt to no longer be lonely with building a family out of the thing she knows best- machines. Mind you, Amara was supposed to be a weapon of the kjngdom. And then she died before Amara could fully come into consciousness. And Amara rejects the notion of her being her creator's daughter bc why would she. She's a Robot.
Florence - I'm realizing most if not all of this is new to y'all so bare with me. Florence's parents used to be the heroes that fought against darkness and now currently run the kingdom. Florence mom specifically is a Chosen One, with ger husband being the og prince of the kingdom before running away to find her ( prophecies and whatnot). They genuinely do love each other, they are each other's best friend....but they don't actually love each other romantically. They thought they did but uh. They don't! And that becomes a very awkward thing to realize when you have two kids and a kingdom that knows you as the couple that fought against darkness and saved the world. Even more awkward when the two just haven't talked about it, bc they both fear of losing each other, which just caused a distance in their relationship. Even more awkward when that awkwardness and distance effects how Florence grew up, seeing this rift and closing in on himself bc of it. Which THEN caused this overall distant, awkward but loving relationship he has with his parents.
It's funny how this isn't even all of it for these two. When it comes to their relationship with Kaden's dad its. Not great. Bc Kaden's dad sucks. He made Florence's mom very uncomfortable with his infatuation and possessiveness, made Florence's dad uncomfortable with his mindset of them "competing " for Florence's mom favor. His temper is not fun to deal with. And they were very concerned when he showed up one day with a baby. So why is he still around. Why do they walk on eggshells around him when they have the power to just kick him out. 1) They all trauma bonded together. Kaden's dad was part of thar group who helped save the world and thus, they went through so much shit together. Despite everything they called each other friends, and sometimes Kaden's dad really did show that softer, less shitty side of him that the other two kinda latches onto. 2) Kaden's dad is a symbol of good will. A demon who fought against his own to save the world. I feel like. If the king and queen showed any real animosity towards the guy, or didn't give him his fair dues ( bc again, he helped save the world) that symbol ain't gonna mean shit, and they all know how important that is so. They just grin and bear it and hope things don't go up in flames. Which also means just not taking Kaden away when they both know that his dad is not suited to be a father. To put all of this yapping into shorter terms: They are afraid of rocking the boat. In terms of their own relationship, in terms of their relationship with a guy they don't fully like, they just want to keep the peace. I don't fully blame them, they were young when the world they knew only became about fighting to survive. I don't blame them for wanting a peaceful solution. But man they aren't even happy. And the effect they have on those around them is very clear.
Kaden- I kinda already highlighted why Kaden's dad sucks but in the specific aspect of being a father....he Sucks. I think the best way to put it is harsh projection. Kaden grew up with the philosophy that if you aren't useful to anything, you mean nothing. To him, being useful means providing strength. Providing strength means being a soldier. And thats what he is. A soldier. Before meeting Florence's parents and after. So you take all of that,and force feed it into a son you honestly didn't even want but saw as an opportunity to one up your rival ( but to also serve, bc thats all you've ever known) when said son is of the age to hold a sword (very young). But before that very cruel and rigorous training, the very early years of Kaden's life was done by the kitchen staff, bc his dad got annoyed with his crying and neediness as a baby. It was that small time frame of his life where Kaden was actually allowed to be a kid, to love and be loved. Its where he got his love for baking! And it was fine until his dad came back for him to train to become a soldier, much like his father. It was through this cruel training that Kaden's soft heart had to harden, that the cruelty that his father puts him through was a mean of building character, and that his father not showing any love or affection towards him is simply because he isn't strong enough, and that he has to prove he is strong to be worthy of his father's love. Little does he know, he will never get that. So yeah. Kaden's dad Sucks.
Perci is an outlier bc i haven't fully figured out how gods/the divine work in this world. I just got the vague Light and Darkness going on.
I haven't talked about my ocs here for a while....I dunno what to say though. Oh wait okay.
The robot girl and Angel Guy cast has names now. I don't remember if I ever posted them so.
Robot Girl ->Amara: The first created robot, meant to be a weapon of the kingdom before her creator got attached, desiring for a daughter. Amara wakes up to a destroyed cabin and her Creator dead. Her goal is to understand the emotions that her creator put in her, for whatever reason. She is very blunt, practical minded, and does not see the point of having emotions as a weapon. Still, her curiosity of the matter becons her, and it becomes more and more apparent she is more human than she wishes to be.
Angel Guy ->Perci: A fallen angel that does not want to believe he has fallen. Optimistic and emotional, Perci has made it his mission to help Amara understand her emotions. Though it's quickly made apparent that he doesn't understand them either, following the moral code of what was taught to him rather than the complexity of emotions. He sees Amara as his way to get back into heaven ( or whatever i end up calling it),though he'd be hurt if it was pointed out ( his intentions aren't malicious is what i'm saying)
Elf Prince ->Florence ( place holder name): The elf prince of a kingdom once shrouded in darkness. His parents where thd heros that saved the world from unending darkness, his mother wielding the sword that ended it all. He is expected to rule after his father, but unfortunate, Florence is very lazy, much rather stay inside his room sleeping than do his responsibilities. He isn't a good prince, and he is well aware of this fact. However, despite his slacker attitude,he is against giving the thrown up, as it would be then placed onto his brother. Florence, for his cowardice and laziness, does not want his little brother to be burdened with the throne. He wants his brother to be as free as he can be, changing the world in ways he can't. Its because of this conviction, when his father essentially tells him to go outside to receive the missing living weapon of the kjngdom with the edgy knight that's too serious that it annoys him, less the court will demand for his removal of the throne- well. He has now choice now, does he?
Edgy Knight -> Kaden: The son of a demon turned hero during the quest to bring light back into the world. His father is not a pleasant person, not when he was journeying with Florence's parents, and not after. His father instilled to him since he was able to comprehend words that is purpose in life was be strong. Be strong so you have a use to others, be strong so you know you belong. Kaden's life has been riden with strict training regiment, hurtful words and a desire to just make his father proud of him. Kaden is a rather serious man, maybe too serious, always training and pushing his limit,never taking time for anyone or anything, just so he doesn't disappoint his father. So even when he is tasked to accompany the prince to receive the missing weapon, the prince who is painfully annoying and is an insult to anyone who puts effort into anything- he grits his teeth, and does what he's told. He is not going to like it though.
Aaaaand. Yeah! That's them. Looooots of thoughts about them so who knows, I might talk about them again.
