So, I'm working on Briar's short story (hopefully it'll be done tonight or tomorrow), but I thought I'd share what young Briar looked like. Before the bleached hair and more androgynous look and all :)

(My phone won't let me post the actual picture, so here's the link-)

Revan and Briar about to bond over changing their hair colors

You know, if they ever get close enough for that

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Honestly, the more we go on, the more I feel like Briar and Revan could actually be an amazingly funny duo if they were to ever become friends.

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Anyways- Great neka

Now I'm left wondering why Briar changed their look haha

Absolutely, they could be great friends!

That is, if Revan would, like, actually let Briar in. Oh, and if he stopped being toxic toward Nico, who Briar is increadibly protective over.

If those problems got fixed, though, great duo for sure! XD

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Haha, yeahhhhh, wellll-

It's angsty for sure, you know, falls under the "this is what people want me to look like because it's what they find attractive/beautiful, so I'll change it to better fit peoples standards" umbrella, lmao

To be fair though, it isn't as angsty as some other "alterations" Briar made, especially since they ended up actually liking the blond, lol

Haha, yeah, those problems would definitely throw a wrench into them bonding lol

Briar and Revan forced to team up to sneak onto enemy ship and steal data? Briar because they can change their appearance and Revan because 'Businessman knows how to do business things' haha-

Or them being forced to team up while saving Nico and Briar getting to see an insanely different side of Revan who is unwilling to let another person he cares about die.

Both situations would end up being hilarious and angsty and amazing, for sure.

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What are some of the other 'alterations'?

I need the angst, haha

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Briar and Revan will eventually become buddies and help each other with their hair colors. Up until Revan finally heals enough to allow his natural black (and slightly graying) hair to come back.

The first one could happen for sure! And it would be very fun, haha

The second one won't happen though, purely because Briar will be forced to stay back from the rescue with everyone assuming/believing that it was them who got Nico captured in the first place. Lmao

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Well, most of them are just a shit-ton of self-harm, but there was a period where Briar did intentionally starve themselves as well... They're mostly recovered from that, so nothing nearly as bad as Gen'ya, but there are periods when they get particularly stressed or confused about who they're supposed to be where this comes back again temporarily. They wore contacts for a while before basically getting scolded for it by their father. There was also a particularly bad period when they wore very revealing, feminine clothes for... certain people-

They've also made attempts at making their skin lighter with makeup.

Those are most of the physical alterations, though the mental ones are actually worse.

They constantly shift their behavior based on what those around them want, something that they're a little better about now, but still struggle with. There are periods where they go completely mute, especially after someone openly admits to finding them annoying... At one point they actually did various things to attempt making their voice less 'annoying' or even force themselves to stop speaking altogether... Eating soap after "excessive ranting", trying to teach themselves to pitch their voice up and down drastically on command, and even trying things like drinking excessively hot things, taking large amounts of medicines that are known to dry out vocal cords (and almost ODing in the process-), they even debated cutting out their tongue at one point (though they luckily decided against it with the logic that being unable to respond to people at all would also be bad), and a few other tactics. They refuse to take sides, which I've mentioned before, and kind of just stopped making up their own opinions at all.

Oh, right, their name. That changed several times too, actually. Before landing on the name Briar, they went by their deadname, and then after going by Briar for a little bit while Cam was still alive, Cam's death ended in Briar meeting their new "friend group" (who the short story is about) who gave Briar several "names" (not really names, more like insults or dehumanizing... er... titles? Kinda like Khorne for Aries in the arena, I guess, that their "friend group"... gang... gave them, truly believing them to be their actual name)

The name Briar was actually given to them by Cam, who helped them pick it out when Briar first came out as nonbinary to him, which is really the only reason they were able to at least partially cling to it after (kind of) joining their "friend group" after Cam's death.

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Yesss, bleach buddies! XD

Also, I'm realizing I will definitly have to get the short story to you tomorrow rather than tonight with how late it already is and how much more I need to actually write-

Yesss- Revan teaching Briar business tactics while being extremely nonchalant about it. Just- When they get back Briar is so happy about it and bragging and ranting meanwhile Revan just hands over what they got and then goes back to doing his work, downplaying absolutely everything that went into getting the data while still trying to let Briar have their moment. Subtly.

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Oooo, lovely angst.

Can't wait to see it all play out. It'll be great and angsty for sure.

I will say, most of the time, the arena didn't really use Khorne except for as a stage name. Or in certain moments here and there. Usually, they tried to stray from using names or any kind of identifying title. Just 'it'. Except for when the Doctor's involved, then the stage name was almost always in use, for reasons.

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Yessss!

I kind of feel like Briar and Revan are going to be similar to Revan and Monta, only without the relationship aspect. Or, at the very least, Revan will lean towards a similar style of friendship with Briar as he'd had with Monta. Aka, them being close and caring and helping each other with identity, but then them also being incredibly volatile and reactive and honestly at least a bit toxic.

That's alright, take all the time you need

That idea is so adorable, honestly. And not Nico totally shooting Revan a knowing, grateful, and slightly smug glance because they know damn well what just happened XD

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Ohhh, okay, I see, yes, that makes sense. And, yes, much angst that will be very fun to play out, lol

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Honestly, yes, I can see them being very similar to Revan and Monta. I think they'll be great eventually, and, honestly, they'll probably get paired up a lot on missions for the exact reasons you stated earlier, lmao

Yes, the idea is very adorable. Revan totally ignoring the glance Nico shoots him and refuses to admit to anything. You know, as always.

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Haha, yep.

Ooo, should I do a short story from the Doctors POV? Like, of the scenario I mentioned earlier. Just so we can have some angst and wholesomeness in the complicated mix.

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Haha, great, great. Not Revan about to start slipping into everything he'd been doing back then. Mhm. Totally not. He totally won't end up bringing drugs and/or other stuff because that's like, one of the major things from Monta and Revan, and given how similar Briar and Revan are, obviously the room is being read correctly. Mhmmm.