So…um-….HYPOTHETICALLY….if your Harley had a child or had adopted a child in the past how would he treat them? How is he as a father figure?
OOOH that's a very interesting question! Me and @paranoidnatrix have an AU we call Britpunk and there our Sawyers raise our Quinns together (and Sawyers have known each other since childhood, otherwise my Sawyer is too mentally wrecked to be a father figure)
So, here are some of Sawyer's traits as a father figure in the AU
•He's a pretty cold but honest parent most of the time. He would never go out of his way to comfort Quinn, instead just listing facts to him that might calm him down. So, Harley does care, just not in a warm sentimental way. He has pretty high expectations of his child which definitely does some damage to Quinn's mental health. He also believes that his kids, like himself and his husband, are superior to others by default, so anytime Quinn complains about bullying he'll just say "They're less than you in every way, why do you even bother listening to them?" (and will pay a visit to the school of course).
•On the other hand, surprisingly, as a father he occasionally vibes more childish than even as a teen 😭 Say, if the kids and the other Harley wanna go somewhere together but he wants to cuddle with his husband, nobody's going anywhere (unless the other Harley insists). Or if there's the last tasty treat in the fridge that the kids might want or probably even bought themselves with their pocket money but he wants it, the kids get no treat.
Harley had to "grow up" too early and as a kid had a lot of responsibilities a kid shouldn't have. So now that he's in a comfy period of his life his psyche sort of makes up for that. And just as he hadn't learned how to properly hold a pen until like 13 y.o., he didn't get to learn some social things so he probably just doesn't know some aspects of a normal parent behavior.
•As a follow-up to the previous point, Harley straight up doesn't see his flaws as a parent because he only ever knew really abusive parents, and the fact that he's better than them makes him the perfect father in his eyes. He's the kind of parent to think buying his kids clothes, food, etc. and not beating them up makes him a saint :"D
But he does become a slightly better parent overtime, because he genuinely cares for his kids and, luckily, he isn't the kind of parent to want the kids to undergo the same struggles he did when he was their age. He does expect Quinns to be slightly too mature for their age, giving them lessons on how everyone is a potential traitor, but he does so out of genuine love, protecting them from what he had to go through. And if he sees his kid struggling with the same thing that he's experienced once, he'll try to help.
•Wanted to elaborate on Sawyer expecting his kids to be too mature. Sometimes it's just lessons about backstabbers, but other times the only thing he can say to Quinn crying about not feeling at home is "it's a good thing, you can't lose home if you've never had one". Interestingly, although Sawyer wholeheartedly believes this philosophy to be healthy, he himself does have a home in this AU (his family) which he wouldn't be ready to lose.
•Still a certified yapper! Enjoys explaining things to Quinns and will encourage them to have scientific discussions, ask complex questions. Not only to train their minds (but obvi that too) but also because he just loves to yap about complex topics, whether it's medicine or philosophy. I think it's his favorite way to bond with the kids. Saying "I love you and I think you're becoming a great and intelligent person"? That's some Elliot Ludwig bullshit! How about we discuss RNA mutations or some literature symbolism instead.
Something like that! Thank you sm for the question and the wait!!!
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