Contemplating the idea of a physical fight between Isaac and Tyler in which neither has the use of their outcast abilities and I just…
… Like, I want it for the drama but I really think these twinks would completely ruin the gravity of the moment and it would just devolve into bratty hair-pulling until one of the strong female leads gets fed up and pulls them apart like squabbling puppies.
In all seriousness, I actually think Isaac would “win” and I base this mostly off the fact that Thing is high-key so vicious and badass. Thing fights dirty constantly and I think he gets that from Isaac, so yeah, I actually headcanon that Tyler would be cooked in this scenario
SWEATS NERVOUSLY... my 8 billion redacted thought...
something something Torch being passed around the camp.. something something of it being good and feeling good because all he knows is to give and give... and to take their release and become the outlet for some banditos.... metaphorically and physically.... some crazy selfworth issues as well... doesn't know when to stop giving.. doesn't know when enough is enough... putting his body on the line for everyone.. physically and metaphorically.... everything is a bit of a blur but gotdamn does it feel good.. probably gets solid care afterwards as well... looking after their good leader :).. even though theres. so many layers to this.
(ephi u dont have to answer this btw. my 8 billion redacted thought. runs away with a fumbs up)
oh no im answering it, trust me. under the cut.
okay hi. we’re all here in the underground bunker.
oh he's DEFINITELY letting himself be passed around or called upon. hanging by the campfire every evening waiting for whoever to walk up and start flirting and then inevitably fall into their bed. (always their bed, never his own.) sometimes it's just one person that approaches, sometimes two or three.
I think it's important to note here that like. I imagine the banditos are a lot more relaxed about the concept of sex. like sexual liberation is a hugeeee part of bandito culture as a way of breaking free of the strict rules of Dema. (I would probably say that its only ever called 'intercourse' in Dema, and is only permitted between a man and a woman for the purpose of expanding the family line.) I do think of the banditos having a lot of casual flings and open relationships within the group, but there's also no shame for anyone who would rather commit to just the one person, or not partake at all.
I also think they hold the idea of consent very high in their like. list of camp rules. talks in the medical tents about using protection or maps that point out the locations in the surrounding area where people often disappear to so that people that are still getting used to the shock of it all, or just don't care to be around it, can avoid the chance of running into it.
All of that to say, they're very laid back about it and it's not taboo like it is in the city, so no one bats an eye at Torch wandering off with someone (or a group), and it certainly doesn't raise any questions about his leadership skills. very respectful people. also they're shagging in the woods sometimes. but that's less relevant.
back to the fun bit. I do think some of it stems from him needing to feel needed. he certainly enjoys sleeping around, but at times when they hit a dead end with rescuing Clancy, he does lean into it more as a way of feeling useful. he knows he's good looking, he knows that people respect the way he is, and he knows that people want him. whether he's fucking someone or being fucked in return, he knows it's something he can offer when morale is low and things look bleak. probably spirals a bit too if he has a night alone; back in his tent with Clancy's empty bed left to remind him of what he failed to do.
I think every now and then the group designate someone to steal him away for the night and just. hang out with no expectations. check up on him and reassure him that he's doing the best he can under the circumstances. that he's loved and respected by everyone in the camp.
It's a release for him as much as it is for the others, he loves the busy nights where everything just blends together, existing in a haze where it's hard to work out whose hands belong to who. also. um. if i may suggest. there's gotta be some killer weed out in the camp. establishing boundaries and consent and then smoking a joint or two together and just going at it.
aftercare is also something the banditos are very insistent about when it comes to educating new arrivals who didn't recieve those kinds of sex-ed lessons in the city. things can get pretty intense, so checking in both through it and after are super important. there's usually some food laying around that someone will make Torch eat (because odds are he took a a smaller dinner portion than he's entitled to so that the others could have more), they make sure he drinks and then they clean him up with such tender hands and reassuring words. if he goes back to his tent, someone will always walk him there, or at least offer to do so. but the invitation to stay the night is always offered too if he thinks he needs the company. he'll help them out, then they'll help put him back together in return.
now more fun stuff. does not care about being marked up. he will be shirtless around camp unbothered by the scratches down his back or the hickeys littering his neck and chest. again. he knows he looks good. he's also down to try pretty much anything once. definitely has a few no-gos, but like. if someone asks to tie him up, he's gonna say yes. he can also slip pretty easily into any sort of role in the bedroom (tent?), whether that's someone more dominant or more submissive, or like I said, fucking or being fucked.
I think that wraps up my thoughts in response. again, I think a really important part of it is that it doesn't diminish his leadership in anyone's eyes. it might be a shock for anyone fresh out the city, but it’s usually understood pretty quick when adapting to the way the banditos view the situation as a whole.
thank you sooooooo much for the ask. i return 8 billion redacted thoughts with several billion unredacted ones. sending a fumbs up right back.
