PoT: Mirror Writing: Ripple

[branchandroot]

Fic post from my archive.

Ripple

The day after the events of "Twist", Ryouma tries to sort out his thoughts. Drama With Slight Romance, I-3

Ryouma snorted a laugh. If he ever admitted to Momo that his protective streak made Ryouma feel better, he'd be doomed. Probably for life. Momo would never again believe Ryouma was serious when he grumbled or swatted Momo away.

Comments

[aishuu.livejournal.com]

One of these days you and I will have a nice, long chat and sic into each other about characters and motivations. I think it would be FASCINATING, since I agree with you on 90 percent - it's the other 10 percent that gets me going. ^_~

I like Nanjirou. I'll preface this with that. I also like different interpretations.

I believe Nanjirou never grew up. I have the opinion that there's flashes of maturity, and these are when he manages to provide a bit of guidance, but most of Ryoma's structure was probably provided by his mother. Really, I think Ryoma probably views Nanjirou more as an older brother figure.

I do like how you tinted this with Tezuka as a surrogate. That is something I definately see - either as a mentor or as a father figure. Tezuka and Ryoma have a lot in common, and I can more easily see Ryoma going to Tezuka for advice than to Nanjirou (especially if Ryoma is ghei ghei ghei). Tezuka would listen - Nanjirou seems incapable of it.

Nanjirou does have his good points, but I won't get into that with you since it's going to be talking to a wall. ^_~

The second graph struck me right here " First the game with Whatshisname" as excellent Ryoma characterization - Ryoma, unlike Fuji, genuinely would forget. Ryoma has an amazing amount of tunnel vision, and he would erase people from his mind who he deigns unimportant.

[branchandroot]

*snugs* Character chats are good! I babble quite a bit, on that score, in my personal journal. *considers* Are you signed on more often as Aishuu or as risingtides? I could friend you as Aishuu, too, if you'd like to listen to me go on about characters and motives.

Anyway! Ideas! Especially about Ryouma's mom, since I want to bring that up in a later story. Ryouma's family is, by traditional standards, rather odd, but if we consider Nanjirou more a sibling than a parent, it suggests a few other things. One is that his mother is filling a lot more of a father's role; she seems to be the main breadwinner, and the parent who is out-of-house the vast majority of the time. Nanako seems to act as the traditional mother, present, giving emotional support and guidance. It's like a traditional family, only... offset. Which actually could fit Ryouma's personality pretty well.

Hm. Now you're making me wonder whether I should let Ryouma come to terms by thinking of it like that, himself...

[risingtides.livejournal.com]

I have you friended as risingtides, and I have checked your ravenwoodii account a time or too... maybe I'll go at you... ^_~ Sometime... aishuu is my RL account and I'm trying to shift it more and more out of fandom - tenipuri, at least. The PROBLEM is that I don't actually log into RT that often... it's more of a place for me to bookmark.

I did a rant a while ago about how AMERICAN Ryoma is - he seems Japanese as well, but there's this strange blend of culture to him. I think that's part of the problem.

Rinko is definitely a key in his development - and absentee parent. Really, his father is more important to him, in being raised. The parental roles have been reversed. Rinko, the breadwinner who is never seen, and Nanjiroh, the stay at home... and since Nanjiroh doesn't seem to DO anything (except probably a string of part-time jobs to keep himself busy.... I have the feeling the Echizens are very well off... probably from a combination of Nanjiroh's earnings that were invested well, some family wealth, and Rinko's job), he falls more into an older brother role. Nanako is the "housewife."

[branchandroot]

All good, I'll make sure RT is in the right filters, then. ^_^V

I caught that post, I think. It would make sense if Ryouma got his on-again-off-again acculturation from his mother. He can be, really, pretty proper for his current situation, but only when he thinks it's worth it. With his team, for instance. The whole idea that he can pick and choose when to use which set of manners seems like something that fits with what little we know of his mother.