Today, we have Ky and Drew enter the scene. And while I'm definitely going to be avoiding two-pagers for the most part through this chapter, this one really needed it, I felt. Nowhere felt like a good place to cut off. So for now, enjoy this one.
But there's a lot to talk about regarding these two. Firstly, it was up in the air regarding whether or not Drew would even attend prom. He was worried about how things would look to his classmates if he showed up to prom with another boy, tux and all, and the chance of Ky being in boy mode tonight was always a possibility. All that said, of course he was going to attend. This is getting a little meta, but the whole point of this chapter is that I wanted everyone there. So, just as Ky describes, they assumed they were in girl mode and figured it couldn't hurt to invite Drew after all at this point.
Of course, now we see Ky in a dress and deeply regretting it. It's been mentioned repeatedly throughout the story - and especially leading up to prom - that Ky has no control over their gender and how feels most correct to them at any given time. It's not something they can just predict. Therefore, this was almost an inevitability. If Ky had arrived in a tux tonight, there was always the chance they'd feel wrong with that too. So, what now? I'll say as much as that I promise this chapter won't be just Ky suffering the whole time. Nobody wants that for them. But I can't go into any further detail just yet. Please bear with me for now and read on.
As per usual, regarding outfits:
Drew's tux is probably one of the most standard. Black suit. White shirt. Only color being his tie, which I like to think he didn't pick out. There was never a scene planned for this or anything, but I always imagined that behind the scenes, his mother probably tried to insist on a wholly pink tux for him 'cause it makes him look like "such a sweet gentleman". Drew though, would just worry about how that looks to the other guys (as he does) and he goes for the plainest black tux he could find. The pink tie remains as probably a bit of a compromise between them. In hindsight, that probably should've been a scene; that sounds cute.
Ky's dress changed a lot, and was probably the one most recently still seeing changes. Even as far as their silhouette on the chapter cover not quite matching up with what they're wearing right now. Some earlier designs were just a bit too similar to other dresses worn this chapter. But I wanted Ky's dress to stand out, as though excitedly picked out as something they were really looking forward to wearing at one point...
Anyway, there's a lot to notice from looking at the other characters too, as we start seeing the first signs of a bit of drama this time (while still trying to keep it a little lighthearted). So where will things go from here?
Are Rudy and Ky close enough in size to switch outfits? I could just see Ruby rocking that dress, though seeing the same dress on a different not-quite familiar girl could be quite confusing for other students (not the least for Holly *LOL*)
Colette has made it pretty clear that he does not want to exchange clothes with Rudy, though, because hes not ready to come out. Ky on the other hand doesnt care as much about what people think.
Exactly what I was thinking... Ruby (in the webcomic) would look stunning in that dress. And you know what else would be cool to see? How about Drew, all on his own accord with nobody prompting, approaches Rudy to ask about doing the clothing swap for Ky. This would show that Drew is finally learning... and thinking about Ky's feelings. The girls together ought to have plenty of makeup with them in their purses to really make Ruby look outstanding.
This Ruby (me***) would not look so good in such a dress style since I cannot do open shoulders without looking hideous. Gotta have sleeves that cover my shoulders and at least upper arms, Sigh. I have to buy a nice dress to wear to a fancy awards presentation ceremony I'm attending in Hollywood California in a couple weeks and not having much luck findingbthe right dress, everything that really looks good on me in every other way, fitting well around my bust, waistline, and hips/thighs/butt to accentuate my curves really nicely.....unfortunately also exposes too much shoulder which completely ruins everything. I'd like to find something in green too, since the ceremony is being held on St. Patrick's Day.
(*** my birth middlename was Rudy so I blatantly stole Ruby as my new firstname and Ruth is my middlename. I've already completed legal name change too)
Given that we are assured that Ky will not spend the whole evening suffering, a change of clothes seems likely. Drew is much taller than Ky, so the two could probably not switch outfits, same even more for Gavin. This leaves Rudy. Clothes would probably not be a problem, shoes might. Ruby would look good in the dress, ditto Ky in the tux. Indeed Ruby is very convincing as a girl, ditto Ky as a boy. So the only two people (other than the group) who might notice anything are Fara (who would not be rude and get pronouns wrong) and Holly (whom no one would believe). Ky could worry about the effect on Drew, which is a nice place for a bit of character development.
Poor Ky. *pulls Drew aside* "Time to activate plan Alpha-Z 54 ER Omega!" (Basically just have Ky and Drew switch clothes. I think Drew could learn a bit how Ky feels to better understand them, and Ky can feel more comfortable.)
Potential problems:
1] Drew's friends: "Drew is confirmed gey" and are jerks to him until they die.
2] Drew gets hit on by more people than just Ruby!Rudy
3] Reality ensues - Ky and Drew don't have matching or close clothing sizes.
Those are all good points but honestly I think Drew needs to stop worrying about what his friends think at this point, and if he truly cares about how Ky feels then he would know they would feel a lot happier in a tux that doesn’t fit than a dress that dose.
That assumes that Ky would feel good in a Tux right now. As has been pointed out to me by others, its possible that Ky is not in either boy or girl mode. So any highly gendered clothing might be problematic.
Wait I’m a bit confused, didn’t Ky and Drew have a bit of a falling out? I didn’t think they were really on speaking terms, unless I missed a page where they talked it out or somthing.
I hope you dont mind me adding on to your comment, but I'm a little confused, too. Does Ky not want to wear their dress because they woke up in girl mode but then wanted to be in boy mode as the day went on, or do they just hate the dress?
Ky was in girl mode and loved the dress right until the check-in to the prom, then it flipped. And as I understood it, while Ky really didn't like Drew's antics last time, they still do like him as a person and thus can look it over, at least for now.
Oof, I had this happen to me the other day. (And another time last summer during an event.) Thankfully, for the former case, it was much lower stakes and close to home, so it wasn't bad to manage. But this is never fun, especially in this case. Poor Ky indeed.
Holly will deduce on her own that Ky is feeling depressed and confused because they are gender fluid and are currently in the wrong mode for a dress. Holly will amaze everyone by being cool with it, and by knowing what being gender fluid is.
Deduce? Holly? I don't see that happening at all. ;-) That said, I can totally see her being cool with it, if for some reason the situation is clarified for her.
I know that feeling. I’ve gotten to the point that I usually need to bring a binder in my bag, especially to hectic events. It helps to have a change of close, I hate when I switch at the drop of a hat. One moment your fine and dandy, next your wondering “what the fuck isnon my chest?”
Oooo! Oooo! Oooo! I just had a brainstorm, or maybe a brainfart, or something...
Dig this scenario: Rudy and Ky do swap outfits just in time before some other teachers or school officials show up unexpectedly for some strange reason, and they do a quick scan over the guest list and spot check a few names. Calling out "Ryan Flaherty", Ky in a tux raises hand and pretends to be Ryan for a bit until they've checked a couple more students and leave satisfied
Not exactly related but this made me think of faculty calling out the name Ryan. They've probably had subsitute teachers or such, or even just the first class with each of their teachers, or in any kind of anouncement or a student seeing a register for any number of reasons. If students hear the name Ryan Flaherty but Rain gives the whole 'persistent typo' thing, someone's gonna figure her out. With a whole school of kids who are consistently paranoid that everyone is gay or trans and a danger to society, someone will come up with this theory, if only as a joke initially.
I had a friend who wasn’t out to their sister. She was coming to visit at them at college, they said they would be cool with introducing us to her. However, that would mean deadnaming them, and getting outed by association was also a risk. And let me tell you, we are all super flaming, really queer and really out. Especially me, came out a year and a half ago and was NOT going back In the closet.
Felt really bad, but we all backed out and said we couldn’t make it that day. Wasn’t gonna risk outing them, and we were not going to put ourselves back undercover.
Is this the first time Ana and Ky have met?
Yeah, Holly's seen Ky a few times now, in fact, but I guess that hasn't clicked.
Ana has not met Ky yet to my memory. She might know they're a friend to the rest of the group, but she just learned about that fluidity right now.
This Ruby (me***) would not look so good in such a dress style since I cannot do open shoulders without looking hideous. Gotta have sleeves that cover my shoulders and at least upper arms, Sigh. I have to buy a nice dress to wear to a fancy awards presentation ceremony I'm attending in Hollywood California in a couple weeks and not having much luck findingbthe right dress, everything that really looks good on me in every other way, fitting well around my bust, waistline, and hips/thighs/butt to accentuate my curves really nicely.....unfortunately also exposes too much shoulder which completely ruins everything. I'd like to find something in green too, since the ceremony is being held on St. Patrick's Day.
(*** my birth middlename was Rudy so I blatantly stole Ruby as my new firstname and Ruth is my middlename. I've already completed legal name change too)
1] Drew's friends: "Drew is confirmed gey" and are jerks to him until they die.
2] Drew gets hit on by more people than just Ruby!Rudy
3] Reality ensues - Ky and Drew don't have matching or close clothing sizes.
BOOM
Boy mode.
Sometimes it happens like that.
Dig this scenario: Rudy and Ky do swap outfits just in time before some other teachers or school officials show up unexpectedly for some strange reason, and they do a quick scan over the guest list and spot check a few names. Calling out "Ryan Flaherty", Ky in a tux raises hand and pretends to be Ryan for a bit until they've checked a couple more students and leave satisfied
Working out great. I hope it doesn't wear on her.
Felt really bad, but we all backed out and said we couldn’t make it that day. Wasn’t gonna risk outing them, and we were not going to put ourselves back undercover.