Muse! Brian and his wife that he just met a month ago.
He texts Tim with no context like “Making dinner. Come at 7.” Which has Tim confused because Brian never cooks and when they hang out it’s always at the pub.
Tim knows that Brian basically took the cabin for himself, but it didn’t bother him much because he didn’t use it unless they were planning to fish or something together. He shows up at seven on the dot, and when he walks into the kitchen, his jaw drops.
There is a whole ass woman. In a soft night gown, face glowing with a ring on her finger. You introduce yourself, and he genuinely freezes. It’s not that he doesn’t trust Hoodie, but they’ve been toeing the edge of insanity for years. Had Brian finally snapped? Had he Stockholmed some poor civilian?
It’s clear you live here. You’re in pajamas and barefoot, playing house with Hoodie of all people. Brian “Vulnerability is Weakness” Thomas. Yet he looks so happy. Comfortable with hugging you from behind, cheerfully talking about how cozy you fit into his life.
He is jarringly content.
And that has Tim unnerved.
Brian barely smiled most days- like really smiled. Seeing his friend laugh so openly with you on his arm was uncanny, and Tim debated whether or not to find a moment to ask if you needed help.
Once again. He trusted Brian- but he also knew that killing people can weigh on your psyche.
He’s sitting at the table mentally going through a list of topics to bring up with Hoodie in private. Break him in gently, you know?
Tim understands it gets hard, lonely- god if he didn’t understand that. Yet this was wrong. They still had morals, and the image of Brian waging psychological warfare on you to get you into this role had his stomach uneasy.
He pulls Hoodie to the side after dinner, nudging him with a tense look. Tim mumbles about how they got together, carefully treading into the territory of “Hey, did you kidnap your wife?” But every time Brian answers, he somehow becomes more lost.
Brian is so enthusiastic as he explains, it throws Tim off. Apparently you broke in. And that was a good thing. And then Brian basically force fed you wine. Which was also a good thing.
And then you got married.
And now you were living with him.
And you wanted this.
By the time Masky leaves, he’s still questioning how this happened. He’s worried about Brian and you. He’s sitting in his truck debating the ethics of your marriage.
You’re evidently unwell and obviously needed support- latching onto Brian for it. Is it not wrong to say that Hoodie should’ve redirected you? But at the same time, Hoodie wasn’t exactly sound of mind either.
Was it still taking advantage of your mental state if the perpetrator was equally as unstable? Was it bad if you picked the ring on your own volition? Did this still count as kidnapping or was it just a spontaneous marriage?
You seemed happy. Brian seemed happy. So perhaps you did belong together. And about half a pack of smokes later, Tim’s next question is just as head-aching.
