Hey! I hope you're having a good day! I'm Emma, and I just finished reading "Red Eyes." I had such a great time reading it. The way Lightray remembered Orion’s hidden self and treated that vulnerable moment with kindness was beautifully handled, especially the contrast between Orion’s feared appearance and the lonely child behind it. The emotional connection between them felt sincere, and the ending gave their bond a warm sense of understanding.
Can I ask, what inspired you to explore Lightray being the first person to see and accept Orion’s true face?
Thanks so much for writing this!
Hello Emma!! Thank you for your lovely words, I'm glad you enjoyed it! It wasn't really much, I just got inspired by Orion (2026) by Ngozi Ukazu. Lightray mentioned how he caught glimpses of Orion's true face. Since Mother Box is what's crafting the new face, I was wondering how long Orion was on New Genesis with his true face, and then I went from there.
Lightray's very neutral about his reaction to Orion's true face. It's not "Oh I like you despite your face being 'monstrous'" or "I think you're handsome regardless". It's more, "this is your face, it shows the battles you've endured, your origins, you're still Orion, my friend". I feel like everything is about beauty or the lack of it, but the best thing we can all do is be neutral about features. Orion doesn't need falsities, he needs truth and open acceptance.
I think for a person born in New Genesis where everyone is supposed to be conventionally beautiful, Orion's true face would capture his attention in its own way. It also felt like Orion believed Lightray would not be close to him if he knew his true face from the start, but I don't think that's the case. Hence, "Red Eyes". Eyes are windows to the soul and I like to think his eyes remain the same regardless of the face, and that is what hooked Lightray; the eyes, the truth, the unchanging parts.
I hope that, explains some things, though I felt like I rambled.
Thanks again for the ask!! Have a nice day!