#felikel

- To set the scene for Felikel: instead of Gabriel getting taken by Cornelio, Gabriel was too scared to face him so he just exposed Maikel's hiding spot and Maikel was so hurt and betrayed. Gabriel got adopted by Renee and Kate instead and also tried to save Maikel (like how Maikel tried to save Gabriel in the OG timeline) but Gabriel also wasn't successful.

- Maikel was raised by Cornelio to act like Gabriel. To be as clever, to be as selfish, and to be cruel. However, Maikel only resented him. So in his free time, Maikel would just expand his own knowledge as a way to escape. He was forced to kill, exploit, and witness the horrible things that Cornelio did to people. Eventually, Maikel became bored and jaded with Cornelio.

- When Cornelio attended the same gala as the Potenza's, Felicia was there with her father. Much like in the original timelime, Felicia had been feeling suicidal for a while and was about to jump out the window when Maikel saw her and stopped her. Maikel gave her a reason to live and that reason was revenge. Maikel wanted to find Gabriel and kill him for his betrayal, for the fact he KILLED their family, and when Felicia heard about how his anger was the only thing keeping him alive...She looked at her unfaithful father who RUINED her life and decided that she couldn't die. It wouldn't be fair that she ended it all and her father could just replace her with another child. He ruined so many lives already, she couldn't let him live.

- They danced the night away and introduced their "fathers" to each other, making sure that they managed to make an alliance with each other, and then they planned the deaths of their fathers. They framed Caterina and sent her to prison but then she went missing (aka, they gave her money to run away and start a new life completely and she took the opportunity). Since then, Felicia's goal has been to reclaim the entire Potenza empire for herself and Maikel's goal has been to find Gabriel and kill him for his selfishness and cowardice.

- James-Dean has been a detective for a while for the GCPD, Harvey still became Two-Face but instead of joining him, James-Dean decided that he wanted to be a detective and pick up where his dad left off. *In this world, I can SO see Martha and Tommy being an evil villain couple so his best friends being Gabriel and Thomasin* and he has a little private investigator HQ operating in Gotham with Gabriel and Thomasin. Gabriel is a little shady and dishonest but he has a good heart (even if he can be easily distracted by a pretty face) and Thomasin is absolutely reckless and crazy but they go way back as childhood friends. Anyways, I STILL THINK JAMES-DEAN AND FELICIA WOULD MEET DURING THE POTO ARC. Before that, someone has been framing Gabriel for various crimes and because Gabriel has been detained and is busy dealing with court and the media, it's up to James-Dean and Thomasin to try and clear his name but spoiler alert, Maikel is the one framing Gabriel because he wants to make sure Gabriel spends the rest of his life rotting for Maikel's crimes the same way he left Maikel to deal with Cornelio.

- BUT RAAAH, JAMES-DEAN BEING CASTED AS THE PHANTOM AND HE DOES FALL IN LOVE WITH FELICIA, but unlike the canon James-Dean, he's heartbroken but respectful of the fact that she has a boyfriend. However, he can't stop the way that he feels for her because she's so innocent in his eyes. She tragically lost her father and her mother, her family isn't supportive of her dreams of being an actress, and her boyfriend has been mistreating her. Ignoring her, being more callous and cold to her. What he doesn't know is that Felicia knows EXACTLY who he is and his reputation as a detective and she's distracting him so that Maikel can carry on with his plan. But when James-Dean genuinely seems to care about her well-being, about her pain and suffering, then Felicia starts to actually starts to feel bad but she still is deeply in love with Maikel and she promised him that he would get his revenge by any means.

- Meanwhile, Maikel just committing and pining all of these crimes on Gabriel and evading the ENTIRE Batfamily because he doesn't need powers to be untouchable (unlike actual Gabriel) and he's literally just so smart that he's having so much fun reminding his Gabriel of his sins and mistakes. But then James-Dean fighting him when he's not performing and actually getting close to unraveling the mystery and actually fights Maikel but Maikel has a mask on and manages to escape and James-Dean is all: "WHO ARE YOU? AND WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS!?" and Maikel just stops running and he looks over his shoulder at him: "That's the question...isn't it?~" before he throws a smoke bomb and dissapears.

- AND LIKE, Felicia starts getting "targeted" by this masked figure as well so that James-Dean is torn between protecting her and clearing Gabriel's name. But like, I can actually see him and Ramone being friends in this AU and Ramone is still a crime boss but he'll give James-Dean tidbits of information but when he sees that James-Dean sweet "angelic" crush is hanging around some unsavory and shady characters, James-Dean becomes more suspicious of her.

- EVENTUALLY, HE FIGURES OUT THAT MAIKEL IS GABRIEL'S LONG LOST TWIN AND GABRIEL JUST FACING OFF WITH HIM AND HE'S ALL: "M-Maikel, you're still alive?" and Maikel glares at him: "How could I die knowing YOU'RE still breathing?" and Gabriel, who can't believe that his once kind and caring and always sees the good in people twin could have so much hatred in his eyes, just says: "How could you?" and Maikel just laughs bitterly: "BECAUSE YOU KILLED OUR FAMILY! BECAUSE YOU MADE ME PAY FOR YOUR SINS. I could've just killed you but that wouldn't be as fun. No. I WANTED you locked up for life, so you'd be forced to think about nothing else but how YOU DESTROYED YOUR OWN GODDAMN FAMILY." and Gabriel says: "Maikel...I'm so sorry." and Maikel just lets the police handcuff him and he's all: "Oh, you will be. Because this isn't over." and James-Dean just guiding him to the car and is all: "Actually, it is. Because you're going away for a long time, Maikel." and Maikel just smiles at James-Dean and is all: "I don't think so. I have a play to catch tommorrow.~"

- And like, Felicia just asking James-Dean if he's alright before their final showing of Phantom of the Opera and he just looks her up and down and says: "Felicia...I know you haven't been honest with me. I don't know what you're hiding but...its not too late to change." and Felicia just staring at him before she smiles softly: "...Jay, you're very sweet...I'll miss singing with you." and James-Dean frowns because she's declining his invitation to help her reform (he would have an "I can fix her" complex, I KNOW HE WOULD-) but when he's out on stage with her, he holds her closer to his body as they dance. He stares at her with sad pleading puppy dog eyes as she stares back at him with remorseful ones, and their voices together are so powerful and melodic. Maikel is sitting in the most luxurious and expensive box seats and he's just staring at them intently. His Felicia, of course, always looks so beautiful to him on stage but then his eyes wander to James-Dean and his heart swells. It was so exciting to face off against him with wits, he'd never felt such a rush before, and he just sighs to himself when he sees that Felicia's gaze has become oddly tender towards him too: "Oh, Detective~ What are you doing to us?"

- At the end, James-Dean seeing Maikel backstage talking in front of Felicia and he's all: "YOU! What are you doing here-" and Maikel smiles: "Ah, Detective Dean! I was delivering flowers for my shining sliver star~" and Felicia smiles softly at Maikel and looks at James-Dean with a weak smile. James-Dean just staring between the two in shock as the dots connect and he stares at Felicia: "You...the funding for his crimes, all of those gangsters he recruited, and all of those corrupt police officers who tried to frame Gabriel...You made her do it-" but Felicia says: "I did it for him. I'll admit, I was very surprised when I found out my Maikel was captured. Never has anyone outsmarted him before so I do believe a congratulations is in order." and Maikel chuckles and hands James-Dean a bouquet and is all: "Speaking of, I got these for you as well. Phenomenal acting, by the way. I was never a huge Phantom sympathizer but I'll admit, you had me swooning~" and James-Dean just glares at tosses the bouquet to the side and he glared at Maikel, who just has that soft smile before he looks at Felicia: "...Was it all a lie?" and Felicia shakes her head: "No...not all of it was...Not when I was with you." and Felicia plucks two roses from her bouquet, one purple and one dark blue one, and she clips them to James-Dean coat as he silently glares at her and smiles: "We still have unfinished bussiness left in Gotham. More than just Gabriel." and Maikel just offers his arm to Felicia, and she takes it, and he looks at James-Dean: "I can't wait for our next game, Detective. When you see Gabriel, tell him to sleep with one eye open...and if you want to meet up sooner, I sure as hell wouldn't be opposed." and Felicia rolls her eyes as Maikel chuckles. Meanwhile, James-Dean frowns as he plucks the two roses from his jacket and he just stares back at them.

RAAAG, PREDACON POTENZA'S FJWJFJEJB

She tends to Maikel's eye and she just scolds him: "I'm used to it, Maikel. I don't let it bother me because I could care less about what stupid men think of me." and Maikel frowns and grabs her wrist as she puts ice on his black eye and says: "It might not bother you but it bothered me. No one deserves to be talked about like that...especially you." and Felicia just feels her face getting hot and Maikel realizes he touched her so he softly apologizes and says he was out of line for that but then Felicia smiles shyly at him: "You're too sweet, Maikel."

Or one day, they're walking out walking and Felicia keeps looking at Maikel'd hand and she wants to grab it so she has one finger stick out but then she pulls back because she decides that she doesn't want to overstep her boundaries because maybe he was just being a nice friend. But then Maikel notices this (he's a detective, of course) and he reaches for her hand. Her eyes widen and she looks at him and he gives her the sweetest smile.

Maikel: "It's getting busy. I wouldn't want to lose you in a crowd of people...not that I could, you always stand out to me." and Felicia feels her face get warm and hot and she coughs and tries to SALVAGE HER PRIDE BECAUSE SHE CAN'T BE OUTRIZZED.

Felicia: "Where did this charming side come from, Mr. Montoya?~"

And Maikel chuckles and shrugs: "I wasn't trying to be charming I just...I just like you."

and like, HE IS SO HONEST AND BLUNT WITH HER THAT IT MAKES HER SO CONFUSED AND FLUSTERED BUT ALSO HAPPY. And when she comes home, she looks dreamy and dazed as she sinks in her bed and looks up at her ceiling and sighs lovingly.

Also, she totally has little Polaroid photos of Maikel and she puts them by her mirror so when he's the Question and she invites him in her room to talk, Maikel noticing she has photos of him and Felicia is all: "A-ah! That's so embarrassing, ignore those!"

The Question: "He your boyfriend or something, dollface?~"

and Felicia just looking at the ground and she just plays with the hem of her night gown.

MEANWHILE, MAIKEL GOT ADOPTED BY A RICH LESBIAN AND ENDED UP BEING A LOT MORE FAMOUS (not Wayne famous but the media is so fascinated by him because he's so 'mysterious') THAN HE EVER EXPECTED TO BE AND THEN FELL IN LOVE WITH FELICIA, WHOSE RELATED TO THE RICHEST CRIME FAMILY IN THE WORLD. And like, it adds onto his survivor's guilt because he KNOWS he's living Gabriel's dream and that he's living the life he always wanted.

Like when Kate and Renee do magazine photo shoots or something for the Gotham Paper and Maikel is in them, he doesn't even see himself, he sees what GABRIEL should've been. And if he could, he would've switched their lives in a heartbeat, and that he is really emotionally mature when it comes to other people but he genuinely did not like himself for the longest time and actually clings to his Question persona because he feels like its his only escape from the reality of his life.

His hair used to be messy and unkept because why take care of himself if he didn't even like himself? He is so self-sacrificing towards his friends and villains, almost like he's looking for someone to die for because he feels guilty for all the people who died for him. His father, his mother, his older brother, Gabriel, his aunt- It's just all too much. So when he stops Felicia from jumping out the window, she changes the way he thinks about himself.

So when Felicia entered a ballroom, she would immediately sense the eyes of men on her. Men who saw her beauty, money, and prestige and saw her as prize. A trophy to be won. If they managed to win her heart, they would gain EVERYTHING. And it was exaughsting to Felicia, having men come up to her and never truly seeing her as a person but as something to be won, something to have, something to make theirs. Then Maikel comes in. He's awkward and he doesn't seem to have ulterior motives when he approaches her, he honestly seems pretty lonely and out of place so she entertains him with some conversation.

After that, whenever he sees her, he very much approaches her to talk to her. Felicia didn't use to say much because Potenza daughters are told that they should be seen, not heard. So when he talks and engages in conversation, she politely nods along to the strange stuff he says and gives short and direct answers but one day, he asks: "So what's your opinion? Would you prefer to be burned alive or drowned to death?" and Felicia just blinking at him but she smiles: "Drowned to death. I think I'd look like a macabre yet hauntingly beautiful corpse." and Maikel is all: "Interesting-" and he just talks on and on and asks her opinion on strange things but she doesn't mind.

And one day, him just being chased by some mafia guys and he knows they won't fuck with Felicia because of her family so when she's declining dances from men who are trying to make her fall for them, Maikel just cutting in between her and them and is all: "Felicia, life or death situation right now, would you mind dancing with me?" and she looks over his shoulder and sees the men chasing after him and she looks at his desperate face before she sighs and pulls him towards her and onto the dance floor.

and Chase is all: "I believe him." and Kana shrugs because she doesn't care but Shayan is all: "Yeah, no, he's definetly lying. The phone thing makes sense but this is definetly a case of an imaginary girlfriend."

Martha: "Maikel isn't the type to lie, though."

Shayan: "Have YOU seen her?"

Martha: "...No. I just found out today along with the rest of you."

Shayan: "Point made."

and like, whenever they ask details about her, Maikel is all: "Oh, well I found out she was a Potenza so I can never bring her back over here because I'm not sure where her loyalties lie." and they're all: "riiiight. Okay." and Kennedy is all: "Yeah, I'm with Shayan on this one. The Potenza women are HOT but they also care about their reputation." and Minako agrees: "Yeah, I grew up with them. Sadie hates Maikel and Felicia is more attracted to musicians and we all remember how karaoke night went with Maikel."

Rosario: "Yeah, that was ABSOLUTELY jarring to watch."

So whenever he talks about Felicia, they're all: "Yeah, sure, okay, buddy-" but then Felicia betrays Amias and she introduces herself because she's going to be working for them for a while and everyone is baffled because WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE WAS ACTUALLY TELLING THE TRUTH AND LANDED A POTENZA??? ESPECIALLY ONE WHOSE RELATIVELY WELL ADJUSTED AND DECENT.

Elazar: "I always believed you, Maikel."

Maikel: "Thanks, Elazar."

Kyler: "MIKEY, I have to apologize. I was not familiar with your game until now~"

Felicia: "Because even if he is strange, he is a brave man who always comes to my rescue. Meanwhile, you leave me behind like a coward!" and Maikel literally just wanting to scream the truth but then that might escalate the situation so he doesn't really know what to say and Felicia is all: "I didn't want to break up with you but I thought you were different. Genuine. But you're just like every other man in my life, leaving me behind when I'm no longer convient." and Maikel wants to tell her that that is NOT true but he doesn't want to risk his identity.

BUT ALSO, HE TELLS MARTHA and she's all: "Aw, she fell in love with you again. That's kind of cute."

Maikel: "SHE BROKE UP WITH ME. FOR ME."

And like, he's ranting to Carrie about the whole thing and he's all: "HE'S NOT EVEN THAT COOL. LIKE, HE'S LITERALLY JUST A LOSER...AND HE DOESN'T EVEN HAVE A FACE, HE CAN'T GIVE HER KISSES. Ugh, what does she see in him!?"

Carrie: "You're talking about yourself."

Maikel: "I KNOW. I HATE ME."

But they do get back together and then timeskip forward and Felicia just remembering that and she's all: "...Maikel Angel Montoya, you jerk, you could've just told me your identity back then! I made a complete fool of myself! YOUR MOTHER LAUGHED AT ME." and she pouts and he just nervously smiles and is all: "I'm sorry, mi vida, I just didn't think it was the right time..."

Felicia: "A lot of the problems we had back then could've been totally avoided if you told me the truth!"

Maikel: "Amias was using you to trap the Question, who we established is ME, and I didn't know who you'd choose between the two of us!"

Felicia: "That...is a damn good point. I'm sorry for yelling."