Drabble+: Realization

[strangetomato]

Prompt: Realization
Characters: Frances Worthington, Beau Broke
Wordcount: 700
Imagecount: 14
Warnings: language, if you consider "ass" a naughty word

This ended up being as much about Beau as it was about Frances, if not more, but sometimes you just get inspired.







"So, yeah, I've been buying those dreamcatchers from this old man in the trailer park for years," Beau said.




"Makoto St. Julien. He makes them. He was always over visiting Mom, and he gave me one of them for my childhood transition, and another for my teen transition. It was around that time that we were in serious financial trouble, with the twins in school too, so I looked into selling them. It turns out that they're worth a lot of money if you sell them to the right people. A LOT of money. So now I sell them to rich people and tourists at an exorbitant price, and give a cut to Makoto, though he insists I keep most of it."

"I think we probably have a few of those in the guest room at home, actually," Frances nodded.




"I'll bet you do. Sims just eat that stuff up. Yeah, they love anything "authentic", folksy, and salt of the earth, especially if it has some connection to ancient cultures."

Frances marveled at Beau's ability to understand people and their desires, and then use that knowledge to manipulate them. And fair enough, he figured. Why not?

"So anyway...," Beau continued, "That's the deal with the dreamcatchers." They chatted some more about their childhoods, and how different they were from each other, and how difficult it was for them, of all people, to grow up in that situation. It was a typical college conversation. Feeling bolder than usual, Frances was the first to bring up "the gay thing."




"Do you ever get that question? You know the one... when did you realize you were gay?"

"Yeah, of course."

"I hate that."

"Well, I'm sure they're just curious."




"Maybe, but nobody ever asks a straight person that. And I also don't even know. I didn't wake up one day and decide I was gay. I'm not sure of the exact moment I realized it. It was sort of always there... well, as far as anyone knows about their sexuality as a child."

"Yeah, exactly."

"My mother probably knew more than I did," he continued, "She always seemed so worried about me, that I was behaving in ways that weren't normal for a boy."




"Yeah, Mom probably felt that way at times too," Beau said, "but I think she probably just thought I was sensitive. She never said anything about it, anyway. I think she liked that I was interested in the things she did around the house. She liked the company. Dustin, my brother, was the one who picked up on it more than anyone, I think, and he tried to toughen me up. I suppose it worked too, to an extent. Yeah, It didn't make me any less gay, but at least I'm not a wuss, right?"




Frances started to laugh. It was one of those things that got funnier and funnier the more you laughed at it.

"Now I can kick your ass and stare at it too." Beau howled with laugher. "Well, hardly. Can you imagine me in a fight? Yeah, my bones would snap like toothpicks. But I'm tough enough. I'm no Dustin, but I can handle myself."




Once they caught their breath, Frances continued. "So did you have one of those moments of realization?"

"Yeah, actually, I did."

"Really? When did you figure it out?"




"In the air."

"What?"




"Yeah, I was being swung around through the air over Dirk Dreamer's head.




"One of Dustin's friends - very attractive guy. And I was fascinated with him. I thought it was just a sort of jealousy at first, like I wanted to BE him, but then that one day when he was carrying on and swinging me around...




"I was just soaring through the air, and it was so thrilling."

"I imagine that soaring through the air is always thrilling."

"Yeah, but it wasn't just that. It was the fact that he was paying attention to me. I had a crush on him. He was swinging me around and suddenly all I could think was, 'This is why I don't like girls.'"




Beau paused, and had a moment of uncharacteristic self-consciousness. "Pretty silly, huh?"




"Not at all."








 

Comments

[dothesmustle.livejournal.com]

:DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!

I've missed seeing Frances! I love the swinging interaction, so cute. Man, there are so many interactions, I have yet to see with Apartment Life. I heard you can play Peek-a-boo with toddlers, too. *squee*

I love all of these short drabbles you post. They make me happy. :]

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Ummm, do you like it? :P

I've missed Frances too, which is why this drabble worked it's way ahead of the chapter update in my creative queue. I have a big installment lined up for him soon. One of the parts of chapter 27 will be all about Frances.

The peek-a-boo is really cute. I used it for a part of the next chapter. Hooray for new animations! It's fun to find places to work them in.

Thanks. I like doing them. Sometimes the chapters are just too big. I like doing short little snippets too. I'll proably continue to do that with drabbles and challenges. I like how I can just do a scene and not worry about connecting it to a larger narrative flow.

[smjoshsims.livejournal.com]

Gosh, that last line just about KILLED me, ST. This was way to cute. I can really understand where their coming from being a gay teen myself, and I really liker the way you wrote it- especially the line:

"...well, as far as anyone knows about their sexuality as a child."

That is very, very true. I think this is my favorite drabbles, although I'm still waiting for the one with Frances' mother. ;)

[smjoshsims.livejournal.com]

*too, I fail at spelling when I'm excited. (Not in that way, though I imagine it would be hard to splell when you're ~excited~ as well.)

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Thanks. :) The thing I like about the last line is that it really shows how confident Frances is becoming about himself. He's turned this corner where he's done with feeling bad like he's not normal and not worthy in the eyes of his family. But we'll see more about that later...

It's nice to get the thumbs up from someone who'd know far better than me. I'm working on secondhand experience (being neither a man nor someone who identifies as gay), and I hope I do it justice, but sometimes I worry if I'm missing the mark. My BFF (who actually wanted to be listed in my wedding program as "BFF of the bride" - LOL) has given me a lot of material to work with when I'm writing about gay guys, since he's the king of TMI, and I grew up with him, so I witnessed what he went through. But in the end, it's writing something that you don't really know. Then again, I'm not a straight male who gets really bombed and sleeps around all the time either, so it's just a part of writing, I guess. Well, you know what I mean.. in any case, I like to try to do a character justice. I'm really glad you liked it.

By the way, I like how you call me ST. I feel all special. :P

[music-simbol.livejournal.com]

*squees like a crazy fangirl*

This was so cute!!! *squees some more* It's nice to see into Beau's history like this on the side, so that when we do see him in the story, we have more info to go on. When do we get to see Frances' moment of realization? :D

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I like that about the drabbles too. I'm obsessed with adding character details anyway, and often end up stuffing them into the chapters, so this gives me an opportunity to add more without worrying about it being relevant to the chapter at hand. Some drabbles end up in the chapter anyway, but it's nice to just have them there as extra info too.

Frances said that he didn't really have a "moment." It was more of a gradual thing for him, where he thought he always knew.

Or are you talking about another sort of realization? ;)

[simfinite.livejournal.com]

This drabble blew me away! I love all the angles you used for the caps where Beau was being swung away by Dirk.

There's such chemistry between these two, and kudos to you for creating that, because regardless of what NL's chemistry system might think, this game alone doesn't know much about chemistry.

Also - Beau is a very agreeable guy! 7 of his lines started with the word, "yeah". 8 if the count the "so, yeah" at the beginning. LOL. I'm way to observant sometimes. XD

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Thank you. That swinging animation is so great, so I wanted to emphasize it to the best of my ability. I really like playing with angles. *hearts the camera mod*

They don't have bad chemistry according to the game, either, but I agree with you. Chemistry betwen characters is more important than just the game chemistry for me, and I think these two would get on well together like that. I'm glad it comes across. :)

Oooh, I'm glad you picked up on that. That's just part of the way Beau speaks. He says "yeah" as a sort of filler, like "ummm", "like", "err", and things like that. Part of that is him being agreeable and ultra positive, though, for sure (following his How To Wim Friends and Influence Sims approach *snicker*). He's chatty, and just fills the silence with words, or just sounds when words fail, where Frances is pretty abrupt, and thinks carefully about his choice of words.

[simgarooop.livejournal.com]

I love to read the "back story" of your characters!

I enjoyed a lot how you described Frances family and it´s dynamics a few chapters ago, so I was curious to see if it was similar to Beau's, at least regarding their sexual orientation.

Beau's "realization" was adorable! So it seems like his first crush was not Alex Goth, as I thought. That's a part of Beau's past I'm also curious about.

Thanks for sharing! :)

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

I'm having fun just playing with the characters in Pleasantview, since it helps me to develop more of the details of the backstory. :) You know I'm a sucker for backstory. If I ever do a SST interview (and my number might actually come up one of these days, but it seems like it never will), I laugh at the idea of answering the question, "do you create backstories for your characters?" :P I create backstories for EVERYTHING. It might be my favourite hobby.

There's so much more I could say about the Worthingtons too, but I think I'll save the rest for Charlotte's wedding, aka the sim wedding event of the century. She's marrying Malcolm Landgraab, so you know it'll be extravagant. That's a lot of money to throw around. I'm seriously going to have so much fun doing that. And siblings like Edie and and Frances get dragged along against their better judgement. (I'm having flashbacks of my own wedding, where bridemaid sisters changed out of their dresses and into their much cooler clothes for the reception.)

Beau and Frances had pretty different backgrounds in a number of ways: the presence of their mother, their siblings (males vs. females), their friends, and the financial situation. Neither of them was openly gay growing up, but Beau had Lucy, even though his family didn't know (and still doesn't). Frances, similarly, had Edie, who confided in him early on, when she saw an ally in him.

No, Alexander wasn't his first crush, but he was definitely his first love. :) Alex loved him too, as a friend, but he wasn't interested in him in a sexual way, and that caused some difficulty between them.

[leskuh.livejournal.com]

This is adorable! I love all the backstory bits and just... Frances and Beau RELATING about being gay and I'm so glad that Frances has found someone to talk to. Not just Edie.

I loved the playground scene. Especially the picture with Angela and Dustin in the background. They all just look so cute and teenagery.

And I love how Frances is evolving. He's starting to open up and ask questions. Instead of completely crumbling and folding in on himself, he's really blossoming. I'm so excited for him.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Having someone to relate to is a very good thing for Frances. It's fun to create the backstories too, of course.

I love how the teens actually hang out on the playground. That's even what the interaction is called.

Frances is definitely becoming more confident in himself, and trying to open himself up to new experiences. Meeting someone like Beau, who is both like him and very unlike him, really helps him to step outside his comfort zone.

[themorganlegacy.livejournal.com]

I love it! This drabble was just perfect, and now I'm even more excited for the next chapter.

(... did I ever get around to posting in your latest update about how I could not stop reading this story once I got started, and how I love so much about it and am totally shipping several couples [and one trio] and how I'm dying for you to update? Because I totally meant to, and now I can't actually remember if I did or not.)

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the kind words. :) It's great to hear you've enjoyed it so far. I should have another chapter update ready soon. I'm aiming to post it tonight, if all goes well.

[meetme2theriver.livejournal.com]

Eee. :D I've missed your writing. This was fun and cute, loved those shots from Beau's past in Pleasantview. Man, I want to install AL... *sulks*

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Thanks. This was one of those things that just got into my brain and I had to get it out before I moved on (since I really wanted to show off that new interaction too). I could have written it and put it aside for an upcoming chapter, but nahhh... why not just post it?

AL is good (I just typed "Al" - LOL). I'm really enjoying it in so many different ways. It has great items and Bodyshop content, and the new animations are great. Not to mention the whole apartment thing itself is a nice addition too.

[muslemura.livejournal.com]

Wow! You're really making good use of the camera mod! The pictures of Beau in the air almost made my tummy tingle :P

Oh and Frances, I don't know if it's Beau, Edie, the run ins he's had with Tank (and Ripp) or the haircut, but I love that he seems to be coming into his own (is that the right phrase? My English is a little borked today. I need my coffee). Blossoming. It's written very delicately and believable.

The inclusion of the dream catcher 'feature' made me smile too :)

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Thanks. It's fun to play around with the camera mod. I feel like I'm improving my framing and angles with it. Now, I just need to get some more of the film conventions down... I've been reading up on that stuff.

Frances has gone through a lot lately, and he's learned a thing or two along the way, and is really using it to his advantage now. I think your phrase summed it up perfectly... he's blossoming.

Heheh. I was really hoping someone would get my nod to the dreamcatcher thing. Beau actually does make money by exploiting the rising value of the dreamcatchers in the game, so I wanted it to be part of the story too. ;)

[bondchick-nett.livejournal.com]

OH MY GOD! O_O;;;;; That's just so... RIDICULOUSLY TOUCHING!

♥

*has a goofy grin on my face that just wont go away now*

Not that I'd want it to. ^_^

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Thank you. :) Glad you liked it.

[soniabigcheese.livejournal.com]

That was beautiful. Beau's presence and influence is really rubbing off on Frances. He now has a whole new outlook on life, with a fresh new confidence.....
....or was it there all along, he just suppressed it out of lack of confidence?
I have to admit though, Dirk is cute and quite good looking in his own right. And as far as I know, he's the only teen male from Pleasantview who doesn't grow up looking weird. *cue Dustin with those piggy, too-close-together eyes, and Alex Goth with that 'gormless' expression*.

It's sweet how they both feel comfortable in each other's company. It's just a matter of time before Frances opens up to Beau.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Thanks. They get on well together, don't they? Frances has been working on his confidence by himself lately, but Beau is surely a good influence there too. His energy is infectious, and he lures Frances out of his shell.

I agree. Dirk's a great looking sim. I don't mind Dustin so much, but Alexander is... ehhh. Meh, even.

*snicker* Gormless is such a great word.

You might be right about that, considering that Beau is on a bit of a mission there. ;)

[ikichi.livejournal.com]

Oh this was adorable! I loved the shots with Dirk and Beau (and seriously, Dirk is hot enough to make anyone switch teams). :D

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Thanks. That's such a great new interaction.

Yeah, Dirk's not hard on the eyes, is he? ;)

[vega-pleiades.livejournal.com]

I find it interesting how gay people tend to flock together, especially in really closeknit communities. My ex-gf and I dated because we were the only girls in theatre that liked other girls.

My point is that sometimes gay people go out just because they're each others only choices.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

That's very true, isn't it? Especially in a small community, there might not be a whole lot of other options to choose from. Sometimes there aren't any options at all.

Many people end up together because of their proximity, and it's even more likely to happen with someone who's gay.

[80sfiend.livejournal.com]

EEEKK!!! They are just TOO cute together. I love it. :) Gah seriously they are awesome. :)

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Thanks. :)

[madame-ugly.livejournal.com]

Before I forget again, I just need to say I really like Beau as a fortune sim. That little hint of. . .ruthlessness?. . .in him is nice.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I like that "ruthless" side too, since it's not actually being used for nefarious purposes in Beau's case, like some other fortune sims we know. *glances at Circe* Beau isn't going to completely step on anyone either, but he does have the balls to wheel and deal his way into success in business (he's going to need it, since his LTW is to have 5 top level businesses and I do intend to achieve it).

It also made sense to me that he'd become a fortune sim, given his poor upbringing. Dustin's a fortune sim too, I think, though I get confused and think he's knowledge sometimes, and I think that's what I gave him as a secondary. Beau's secondary is family.

[amaryssobellus.livejournal.com]

:D Nice! Aww, I love that Frances has found someone to bond with and maybe more?

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

*snicker* I saw that "and maybe more..."

Perhaps, perhaps...

[eiou123.livejournal.com]

This was awesome! I can really relate to the things that happened to Beau, The first crush and the "realization moment" but for me it was more of admitting that I was gay rather than realizing it. =D

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I'm glad it had the ring of truth for you.

So, for you, you suspected it for a while before you actually fully accepted it? I guess when you're raised to expect things to go a certain way (in most cases, kids are raised in a very hetero framework), it would be difficult to grasp that it isn't the case for you, especially as a child. It could even be possible to feel that way before you even knew much about what gay actually meant.

[catladymeow.livejournal.com]

Oh! How did I miss this when it was posted? It's great! I love how it fleshes out the relationship between Beau and Frances more.

[fireflys-locket.livejournal.com]

Aw, that was sweet. I like them. ^_^