Monday DE: It's Been A Hard Day's Night...

[splash_of_blue]

Afternoon, everyone, and welcome to Day #63784 of lockdown.

Today's DE: Is there a difference between your character's 'work persona' and the person they are when they're off the clock? Do they have different versions of themselves for different situations/people they know? Why or why not?

Comments

[skyhigh_seance]

For Klaus, no, because dude has never had a separation from work/RL personalities. Thanks dad.

For Cecil... yeeees? Ish. In the beginning, there's a definite difference between 'The Voice of Night Vale' and 'Cecil Palmer' - one is very calm and controlled and the other has all the emotional stability of a drunk pug. As time goes on, unless shit is truly hitting the fan, Cecil tends to let more and more of his RL personality leak onto the airwaves. He also gains some (some) emotional stability (eventually).

For Jonathan, definitely. At least in the beginning, before work becomes less 'work' and 'oh shit my only connection to actual people and stopgap against the end of the world'. Jonathan Sims, Archivist is very professional and stern and proper (or alternately paranoid AF, Jon, Jonny, Jonathan, what are you doing?), Jon Sims is a bit of a nerd and likes cats and is quick with snarky commentary. The line blurs pretty quickly once he starts relaxing hs guard.

[configuration_birdwatcher]

While they come from very different circumstances, Bastion's answer is nearly identical to Klaus's.

[silveraspen]

... yes. Yes, there is. See icon.

(It's mostly true for my other characters too, and I can elaborate if/as desired!)

[splash_of_blue]

Molly says: D: Bucky. Or words to that effect.

[silveraspen]

Bucky says that Molly has seen him in his "off mode," so why should she complain?

[cute_bruiser]

Molly: [facepalming]

(aka 'If I had a month I couldn't totally analyse the residual trauma in that.' Not least because... tactful she isn't. She tries! Just, frequently not... well.)

[silveraspen]

Bucky: [suspicious] this isn’t going to involve more glitter, is it?

[cute_bruiser]

*winning and INCREDIBLY INNOCENT, DEFINITELY NOT TEASING smile* ...Would you like it to?

[splash_of_blue]

Sam at work in his world is always a little vague, a little hard to pin down, because he always tries to avoid actually lying about who he is/his past but he still needs to fit in. When he goes back to Hell he's more forceful, more in charge - closer to who he'd be if he was raised as a Prince of Time, because he needs to be in charge and he can't reveal any perceived vulnerability. In Milliways he's much closer to his authentic self: impish, wry and self-deprecating.

Molly with her powers on is still essentially herself, but there's something harder and colder that comes with invulnerability: she's more likely to use quippy one-liners, she's more easily angered, and she cares a little less. It's the difference between the funny, caring, sisterly woman she is most of the time and the side of her that REALLY enjoys a fight. I also think that when she's in 'cape' mode, even if she doesn't (yet) have her powers on, she's somehow more... noticeable, more present, than she is off-duty -- there's a story about Marilyn Monroe walking with a friend through NYC, completely unnoticed, until the friend commented on how nobody seemed to recognise her. Marilyn said "Oh, you want to see Her?" and suddenly they were surrounded by fans. Molly as Arsenal the superhero is very much like that - impossible to ignore, entirely by design. She wants you to be paying attention to her because you can't hurt her, and therefore might not notice her teammates and/or the people she wants to protect.

[childofrebellion]

For Cassian, so much yes, I've actually written fics about it: The Face They See and Hiding in Plain Sight. One of the reasons I find Cassian so fascinating is the various masks he wears and how until the movie, probably Kay is one of the few people to know more the real Cassian.

Quentin, also yes, when he's being in the formal world of court, he's correct and every inch a pureblood Fae, but with Toby and at home, he's more relaxed and a teen.

Charles, another yes, he's very reserved and careful about how he opens up, while the differences between his two faces isn't great, its still there.

Sameth, not really, in theory, he tries to have a prince face, but he's not very good at it.

Moist, everything about him is focused on not being who he is and he's constantly changing for his mark.

Demeter, nope, what you see is what you get with her and she rarely goes full Goddess.

Will S., when the fight was going on in Sherwood, yes, being an outlaw meant being more and not showing he had a family he cared for.

William, not as much, he's pretty much himself all the time.

Tumnus, also himself all the time.

Ivan, yes, he does, he knows how to be the proper Barrayaran and while who he is isn't that complicated, there are sides of himself he doesn't show.

[inlovewithwords]

Lois: hahahaha she tries but nope. Nope.

R2-D2: Nope.

Anakin: Nnnnoooot entirely. I think those extremely close to him get something a little different (Padme for certain-sure, Obi-wan and Ahsoka get a little more of something when off the battlefield ahsoka plz just hug him.) But for defensive reasons he... keeps up the mask. A lot.
Vader: Luke starts getting a very different side of him, in subtle or not so subtle ways.

Derius: Definitely, though not to the same extent as SOMEBODY WHO WILL GET THEIR OWN FUCKING TAG later when I have time. He's much more reserved and a bit more sardonic and careful, and a little more "I'll be flexible if you convince me but also I'm the one who owns the room" when he's in formal Princeps(/First Lord) mode, and way more abrupt and direct and certain when in officer/commander-of-Legion mode. Foreign negotiating, he'll be a little more open and himself but with a lot of care in what he says.

And then there's friends and family. He varies depending on closeness, but he's quieter and a little more wry and sometimes shy and bookish, and honestly a little too serious for his own good. But he smiles more easily for them and generally is just able to... relax the other faces he has to wear. And just be the nerdy big brother and friend (and eventually husband and father). (Modulo any specific power dynamics.)