#without sacrificing cool moments from riz and gorgug

[deconstructthesoup]

I know I initially thought Thistlecaster for the Leverage AU (because, honestly, there's gotta be one romantic relationship in the crew, the romantic relationships in Leverage are one of my favorite parts), but honestly... Fabadaine might be where it's at.

Because there's Adaine, who was manipulated into being the world's perfect thief so her parents could profit, whose deep fascination and interest in history was warped and twisted until all she saw were artifacts that she could swipe, who had to deal with her parents leaving her to rot when she got caught after she'd sacrificed her entire childhood for their sake. And she picked herself up, told herself "never again," and taught herself to be wholly self-reliant, made sure that her past would always be a mystery, to be unpredictable and unknowable so that she could never be caught. Always the first one to leave, always the first one to betray, don't get stuck and don't slow down.

And then there's Fabian, who's been in the world of thieves his entire life, who almost certainly heard whispers of how the Abernant family really got all of their money, and who forged his entire criminal career off of two things---his family, and reading people. Knowing that going by "Seacaster" would always make people think of his father first, he changed his surname to his stepsister's, and they became legends together. He cherishes the fact that his mother taught him and Fig everything she knew, and he's honed his mind so he can pick up on everything about a person. Even someone with walls as high as Adaine's, even someone who's carefully crafted herself as an enigma, even someone who can't allow herself to let someone in... and yet, he himself hides behind a shifting array of masks, and it's so very rare that he lets someone see the truth.

The thief who had to leave her sister behind, and the grifter who wouldn't do anything without his sister. The oracle who became the best in her field to spite everything her family taught her, and the performer who became the best in his field to honor everything his family taught him. The career criminals who hide themselves from the world in two vastly different ways, but have, against all odds, found someone new who accepts the person underneath the mask.

I dunno, man, I... I think this is something.

[thevalleyisjolly]

Just kidding, what about Riz?

My goblin son!  Thank you so much!

favorite thing about them

How much he cares about his friends, and how he tries to express his love for others!  That whole conversation with his dad, where Pok talks about people’s different ways of showing love and how Riz’s friends and family knew that the way he showed his love for them was through his work-  ouch, stab me right in the heart why don’t you, Brennan Lee Mulligan and Brian Murphy?

least favorite thing about them

Sorry Riz, I get that your mom was a cop and you love her and want to support her, but all cops are bastards.  But Sklonda’s quitting the police force now, thank you Brennan Lee Mulligan, so feel free to go absolutely feral on them now!

favorite line

[to Baron]

“You’re wrong.  I have, I love my parents.  I don’t need to be like them, they love me.  Kristen sacrificed herself to save me.  She could’ve cured herself, but she cured me instead.  Yeah, I love my friends, and they love me. ...I’m the little shrimp of this crew.”

brOTP

Riz and Adaine!  Does it need explaining?

OTP

Very partial to Riz/Fabian, also very partial to Riz/Fabian/Gorgug (yes, I am LIVING for the upcoming Roll20 oneshot)

nOTP

I don’t think I really feel strongly against any Riz ship?

random headcanon

While normally focused on his work to the exclusion of all else, he can be lured away for a movie night by putting on an action/spy film with lots of stunts and cool slow motion.  It’s his one weak point, and once the Bad Kids find out, they exploit this without mercy.

unpopular opinion

I think Riz can be a lot more confident than he’s sometimes seen as?  Like yes, there’s a part of him that struggles with articulating his thoughts and feelings in a way that people will understand him, but especially after Sophomore Year, I don’t think he’s as afraid and conflicted of those feelings as he’s sometimes seen.  Relating to my favourite line above, but I think his experience in the Nightmare Forest was a really important moment in him understanding and accepting himself, and I think that in future relationships, platonic, romantic, or what have you, he may not have as much life experience, but he’ll have a lot more self-confidence than I think he gets credit for.

song i associate with them

I just realized I don’t have a particular song I associate with Riz, but off the top of my head, Your Heart Will Lead You Home from the Tigger Movie gives me big Sophomore Year vibes.

favorite picture of them

I really like Riz’s Senior Year design by @eurekq!  He just looks so dapper and the subtle details are amazing, the way his pose changes that little bit from happy-nervous as a freshman to happy-relaxed-confident in senior year?  That’s some pretty great character development there!