Figurative language is fun and Spot is a cool character to explore. Please read the end notes!
Regal: befitting or resembling a king
He wears leadership like it was made for him.
Anyone who sees him standing there in the sun, with his mantle woven from golden threads and embroidered in vibrant colors that display striking designs, his shoulders squared and head held high, is immediately struck through with fear and respect. There's nothing else to feel when you see the raw, calculated strength that thrums through every part of him, the power he clutches in his hand. When you look at him, you're fully aware that he knows the weight of it just as he knows the streets of his domain, the shadowed alleys and bristling people. He's carried it since he was fourteen years old, but he's known how to use it to its fullest potential since the day he was born.
There's a beauty in the exchange of power between a good king and his people. They faithfully pledge some freedoms, some time, some work, and in turn he says, "I'll use it for you. I'll give it back to you." As easy as it is to break that promise, just as it's been broken over and over throughout history, he doesn't abuse power he's been given.
Yes, that boy shines golden like a beacon. His kingdom rallies behind him and raises him up so people for miles around can see until for many of the children and young men of New York, Spot Conlon becomes synonymous with Brooklyn. They learn to fear him and his legacy. They learn how one kid took a city and transformed it into an organized and efficient machine in just a month.
He carries the weight of his crown well, too. It's made of the lives of dozens of other kids, but if he feels the strain at all, he never lets it show. It's like the blood staining his hands that he never tries to wash off so that everyone, including himself, can see it right there, plain as day. Anyone can feel guilt, but not many can live in the contradictory state of not regretting your crime, but still respecting the life you've taken.
This, this is how he'll go down in history: there'll be a framed portrait of a stoic leader dressed in exquisite garments, with a simple crown made of solid gold and deep eyes like a tapestry that all reconcile perfectly with his dignified posture. In his hand, he holds a scepter, heavy with power.
You can doubt that he cares for other people. You can call him dangerous, and you can envy him, but one thing's for sure: this is his place.
The other day in art class we were going over the concept of critiquing and making a little guideline on it, which I thought could be applied to reviews here! A lot of times, I struggle to come up with something concrete and/or substantial to say about a fic I read, and I thought I'd start using it. Click over to my profile to find a copy of the guideline thing that I adjusted a little bit for written works.
I'm working on a longer story about Jack's dad, which you can expect to see in the next week or so.
Lastly, to the person that asked: in the wing au, Katherine doesn't have wings. She was one of the characters I was on the fence about, but I ultimately decided to keep her as she is because it works well with the way she starts seeing a new side of the world when she meets the newsies.
That's all. I hope you're having a good day!