ok i just read something and i gotta yap in response so. there are some ways fuyuhiko will never talk to peko
like it's a subtle thing but he will never swear at her. as in, he'll never address her with a swear word. the worst insult he ever calls her is idiot. and that... well just look at the context of the line itself. the stakes could not be higher, she's just refused his orders for her to flee and told him she has her own plans she's going to carry out. she's just locked herself onto a path which ends with her death. and this is the most scathing word he can muster
fuyuhiko does not talk to peko like he does the rest of his classmates. even if he's keeping his facade up. if you replay the 2-1 trial, you realise that he is fully trying to defend her from being accused as the murderer, whilst trying to maintain his facade of not giving a shit, and, well... this line really illustrates it
he's flinging swears constantly at the others, and yet... that girl. and otherwise, it's mostly just "you", "she" and "her", the eye of the storm compared to how he addresses everyone else around them. i honestly love this line. subtle peko and fuyuhiko interactions in the 2-1 trial which can only be noticed on a replay, i love you
so yeah. unless they're despairs, lay off the swears
ok i just read something and i gotta yap in response so. there are some ways fuyuhiko will never talk to peko
like it's a subtle thing but he will never swear at her. as in, he'll never address her with a swear word. the worst insult he ever calls her is idiot. and that... well just look at the context of the line itself. the stakes could not be higher, she's just refused his orders for her to flee and told him she has her own plans she's going to carry out. she's just locked herself onto a path which ends with her death. and this is the most scathing word he can muster
fuyuhiko does not talk to peko like he does the rest of his classmates. even if he's keeping his facade up. if you replay the 2-1 trial, you realise that he is fully trying to defend her from being accused as the murderer, whilst trying to maintain his facade of not giving a shit, and, well... this line really illustrates it
he's flinging swears constantly at the others, and yet... that girl. and otherwise, it's mostly just "you", "she" and "her", the eye of the storm compared to how he addresses everyone else around them. i honestly love this line. subtle peko and fuyuhiko interactions in the 2-1 trial which can only be noticed on a replay, i love you
so yeah. unless they're despairs, lay off the swears
I wonder how many “Tim stared at the gun, slowly turning the barrel to his painted face” fics there are
I wonder how many people have imagined Bruce not only watching his son wield a gun (iykyk) but to turn it on himself as he realizes that he can’t shoulder what being a loved one of batman means
here is my messy explanation of the Montoya family dynamics
Note: A lot of this is Kel-centric. I will mention non-canon characters created by @zipsunz because it fits :)
Small trigger warnings for toxic family dynamics, emotional neglect, and lightly implied racism.
Larger trigger warning for mentions of suicide, depression, homophobia, and religious pressure/trauma
Also if you want my source uhh im making shit up for my own enjoyment 😋 because that’s how interacting with media works… dldr, im honestly stretching so far just to squeeze out as much angst as possible, idc about mischaracterization when the characters are barely established in-game (Kel and Hero’s parents) who knows maybe this will become smt when I get motivation.
Rest of post under cut!
Background: in spring of 1986, Elena and Miguel Montoya emigrated out of Colombia. On New Years, 1987; their first son Henry was born. Three years later in 1990, their second son Kelsey was born.
“Better son” debate
Over the years, Henry proved to be very intellectually proficient. What he lacked in athleticism, he made up for in advanced classes and straight A’s at a young age. By grade 4, he was in an advanced mathematics program that would allow him to take Algebra in grade 7. Proud did not express how Elena and Miguel felt about their son; their son who would one day be Dr. Henry Montoya. Hero was as close to the All American Boy they would get. In a town that would disrespect their heritage, Hero commanded respect just by being himself, by being charming, intelligent, helpful and caring.
On the other hand, Kel advanced at a slower pace compared to Hero. He was completely average in school. Straight B’s, high C’s, low A’s. He was on the “normal” advancement track in all classes. What made him stand out was his talent and passion for Basketball. Throughout his time in middle school and high school, he always captained the team. This did not impress his parents as much. While they were glad one of their sons was an athlete, they didn’t respect Kel’s commitment to basketball as much as they did Hero’s to his studies. In their eyes, He was only half of the ideal son, athletic, energetic, and persistent. The comparisons were drawn clearly.
A recurring theme was for Elena and Miguel to show up to the yearly award ceremonies for Hero’s grade, but not Kel’s.
Emotions/“Be a man”
Hero was the more emotional of the two children. This was the only aspect of his personality that his parents did not favor him over Kel for. Hero was more prone to becoming deeply emotional over situations than Kel was. He cried more during sad movies, and articulated his need for comfort more clearly than Kel. This lead to the occasional reprimand from his father, but they rarely overshadowed the moment.
Kel in the other hand, was able to dilute his own emotions with humor. (a habit he got from his father) Any distressing emotion was very quickly turned into a joke to make himself appear put together. Kel’s primary emotions as a child were Happiness and Anger, as he grew up with a slight temper. This meant he was exempt from “Man up” comments. Kel prided himself often in being more of a man than Hero; playfully calling the older boy a sissy for his fears, and lightly teasing him for his more feminine interests.
The incident
(at some point I just start rambling about dog pack but hushhh I won’t really get to fit it anywhere else ok. This is the Kel centric part)
Mari’s suicide was a major turning point for some of these dynamics. Hero’s depression wasn’t something his parents really understood, and they offered him empty platitudes rather than honest help. Many of Hero’s responsibilities were pushed onto Kel.
Initially, Kel was in a very disturbed state following the incident. Neither mention it, but Kel knows damn well Hero heard him cry and comfort himself to sleep many nights.
Now, what Aubrey wasn’t aware of (and what we don’t get told as the player) was how much pain Kel was initially in. She knew he grieved, but she thought he got over it too fast. In reality, what helped Kel begin to heal after 5 months of barely masked grief, was when a boy from his basketball team (chance) wished him a late happy birthday when they were walking home from practice (he had found out recently that Kel’s birthday was passed). Touched by this, Kel suddenly burst into tears on the porch (they’d gone to Chance’s house because he had cookies to give to Kel which reminded him way too much of Mari) and they sat on the porch swing as Kel vented about everything that had happened between bites of cookie. Chance was definitely horrified, but saw the opportunity to make a friend feel better. On a whim, Chance gathered the rest of the team, and told them that Kel hadn’t gotten to celebrate his big 13; to the horror of his friends. Determined to correct this terrible oversight, they all pitched in to get a small cake from the bakery, and celebrated his birthday properly at Chance’s house.
This is what allowed Kel to find hope and begin coping more constructively. It was a small but defining moment that made him feel loved for the first time in a while. Of course, his grief was not linear, and he would suffer lows and more issues that his friends helped him through.
Overall, the way Kel felt about the incident was a bit of resignation. He felt that no one wanted to rebuild the good of the past, and that he wasn’t wanted either. He accepted the circumstances first, and Mari’s death after.
(ok im done sharing my blurb on how Kel reacted and was able to cope anyways back to the real shit)
How they feel
for “after the argument” sections, see this post for the og headcanon that explains this
Elena, before the arguement
Elena loves both her sons, but feels that Hero is more capable and easier to be around than Kel. She both dreamed and dreaded the day Hero went to college. She has very low expectations of Kel because she simply doesn’t believe in him that much. Despite this, she repeatedly shows love towards both sons, even if it’s imbalanced
Elena, after the argument
She was disappointed in Kel for turning out this way, and tried to convince him that it was a phase numerous times and reached out to him asking he turn to god.
Miguel, before the argument
Miguel loves both his sons, though he respects them very differently. He respects Hero’s booksmarts and determination, but find his emotions to be childish (except for in the case of Mari’s suicide). Hero receives sparse but meaningful “I love you” moments from their father, who despite having the capacity to be playful, is rather quiet about his affection. Notably, he hasn’t directly told Kel he loves him since the boy was 11. While he respects Kel’s athleticism and masculinity, he still sees Kel as his slightly immature son.
Miguel, after the argument
Miguel became thoroughly disgusted with Kel. He didn’t want a moment of justification, and refused to accept his son unless he chose to be with a woman. Following Hero’s interference, he dragged both boys to the church, demanding an exorcism in his blind fury. The pastor refused.
Hero, before the argument
Hero loves their parents deeply. His entire life, they’ve always loved and praised him and it made him happy to be their ideal son. Due to this, he sometimes fails to see their fault, and doesn’t realize how poorly they treat Kel. Try as he might, he’s not perfect, and even excuses their behavior sometimes, unaware of the damage it really does to Kel.
Hero, after the argument
Hero thoroughly resented his mother and father (more so his father) for their actions, only keeping contact to see Sally. He no longer tolerated the mistreatment Kel faced and didn’t goce his parents more than baseline respect.
Kel, before the argument
Kel had very mixed feelings about his family throughout his entire life. He loves his parents but wished they engaged him more, he loves Hero but is deeply envious of him, and he recognizes somewhat absently that he isn’t being treated well, but doesn’t know how to feel about it, considering they do love him.
Kel, after the argument
Kel absolutely despised both of his parents after the argument, and felt a lot closer to Hero. the two had a long talk about their childhood which lead to Hero apologizing for “not being the Hero you needed until today.”. The argument made things between them a lot better.
Notably, Kel is still a Christian, refusing to let the harmful beliefs of his parents drive him away from a faith that made him feel secure. Though it is difficult to step into the Faraway church if he ever chooses to visit (He only visits to see Mari’s grave twice a year)
Sally
Sally grew up mostly without her brothers. She has vague, half-conscious memories of them from when she was around 3. Her most prominent memory was feeling scared during “the argument” when she was 4 and a half, and being held by Sunny. She learned very young never to ask about Kel unless she was talking to Hero (who she seldom saw as he had gone low contact after Kel was cut off). As she grew older, Hero told her more, and she began to resent their parents for doing that to Kel. Sally also struggled with them, as she was a lot like Kel in many ways. Out of all the Montoya Children, Sally has had the most straightforward relationship with her parents and brothers: She has always loved her brothers, and she has hated her parents since she was 12.
Far post-game dynamics
Sally officially cut ties to their parents at 16. She had become exasperated with their illogical, hateful behavior. Aubrey, Basil, and Polly (who had stayed in Faraway under Hero’s request to keep an eye on Sally) helped her run away, sending her to Kim and Vance temporarily as they set up a living situation in the city where Sunny, Kel and Hero already lived. Once that was settled, Sally moved in with Kel, who obtained custody over her. Elena and Miguel are left with nothing.
good lord that was long. shit this is just my postgame AU now. uh. hop on?
if I haven’t made it clear I’m a slut for Kel Angst here’s some more sad (and super long) headcanons about this guy
do note that some of these may seem like far stretches from canon, and that is the point! some of these are post-canon and should not be considered my interpretation of the canon material on Kel, but rather a creative exploration of the future. Consider the postgame headcanons my postgame au if you’d like!
for more explanation as to why/how Kel’s parents treat him, see this post
TW: General Omori Trigger warnings, Self-Harm, Disordered eating, slight suicidal thoughts, smoking, and homophobic disownment/general homophobia because this takes place in a religious town in the 2000s ok
content under cut!
Kel doesn’t know how to ask for emotional support, so literally all of his friends have seen him have a mental breakdown at some point because he literally couldn’t take it anymore.
He has, over many years, suppressed memories where he felt unloved or deeply upset. Sunny’s revelation pf the truth brought back some of those memories (as the incident was tied to many of those moments) and Kel was noticeably colder to his parents with minimal explanation (Hero chalked it up to him being upset about the truth, but that couldn’t be more wrong. The two things are unrelated.)
Kel always visits Mari’s grave to talk about things going on in his life. Sometimes (especially when he was 12-13) he would ask Mari why she did it, venting about how her death caused so much change. He constantly felt guilty for blaming her, but the wounds were still raw
Following the truth and Sunny leaving, Kel felt depressed. Despite having helped Hero with his own depression after the incident, Kel’s behavior was met with more chastisement and less attention because it was “not as bad” (Kel’s depression wasn’t crippling but it was genuinely affecting him)
Kel has a mild anxious-avoidant attachment style towards Sunny when they begin dating. He is perfectly fine with Sunny being emotionally close, but doesn’t want to be vulnerable in that way (He has some ingrained masculinity issues). He has also suppressed his emotions so significantly that Sunny doesn’t even suspect that he’s not okay.
Kel has very mixed feelings towards Hero. While he doesn’t let it show, he feels a lot of underlying envy towards him. He also feels a bit upset that Hero still defends their parents’ imbalanced treatment of them to his face. (Hero only defended them up until the summer incident)
Kel has had his fair share of mental health issues that he simply doesn’t talk about. This includes a brief history with self harm and disordered eating/extreme dieting. He has confessed to his team (the only people he feels remotely okay being vulnerable with) that if not for them, he genuinely thinks he would have tried to kill himself. Sometimes he falls back into old habits (especially after the truth)
Kel was disowned by his parents when he came out as gay in college. By fate, he attended the same as Sunny, and the two finally were able to reconnect after the revelation of the truth. This turned into a romantic relationship. Unfortunately, when Kel returned the summer after junior year and informed his parents of this relationship, he was scolded and it was decided by his father that he wasn’t to step foot in their house unless he was coming with a woman. This is Sally’s first fully conscious memory of her big brother Kel. Hero wasn’t there for the event, and arrived shortly after (as Kel was packing up the remainder of his childhood room). Upon being told, Hero finally came to the realization of how little they truly cared for Kel, and for the first time, began an argument with their parents. He threatened to cut them off, and demanded that they give Kel more respect. It didn’t work.
Kel developed a slight smoking habit after being disowned. His first time driving his own car was to an addictions anonymous meeting (which Hero made him sign up for).
Kel worked a job as a basketball coach (as professional didn’t work out), but when a player’s parents found out he was gay, reported it to the school and claimed it was inappropriate for a gay man to be coaching their sons, leading to Kel being fired.
