Do you think Richard ever had/would get a pet, especially after DBD to help him recover? Like a dog or something?
Sorry this is so long, typing it all is frustrating sometimes but I will sacrifice for you because I think the answer is interesting ahaha 😂
I think as a child, Richard and his little sister really wanted a dog, especially Richard!
I think he had (/has) bad anxiety, struggled with school and found it hard to make proper + lasting connections with people. So, many of his relationships (continuing into adulthood too) often tended to be shallow and unfulfilling and thought a dog might help battle that loneliness. He also thought that the dog could help keep his little sister safe against bullies when he couldn’t protect her (he got into fights a lot as time went by).
I think Richard’s dad was abusive but it often showed up in ways such as extreme policing of money, food, clothing, etc.. combined with his manipulative and impulsive nature. Therefore, the idea of the family “rebelling” against him really pissed him off. Richard’s mother was complacent in the dad’s abuse and because of his manipulation she even agreed with some of the rhetoric he would use to control the family (for example, sexism about women staying silent and hidden away or using religion in a twisted way to justify his behaviours so they’d sound right when they weren’t)
I’m pretty sure I made this up but, I found this “Richard lore” I had written somewhere about his dad that is uberrrr dramatic but I still like it, so I’m gunna include it here 😂… Despite his fathers’ warnings, sometimes Richard would wait by the neighbours house and play with their dog through the fence when his dad wasn’t home. Once the dad found out, he decided the only way left to stop all this was to properly scare Richard into submission. He took Richard to a friends’ house and purposely riled up their hunting dogs so they’d freak out and held Richard’s face down next to them to prove a point that dogs were violent and used to keep people “in line.” I think after that Richard wasn’t too fond of dogs after that cause,,, trauma obviously. Even as he got older and that fear potentially started going away a bit, dogs still put Richard on edge sometimes (loud and energetic big dogs in particular) but it’s getting better now.
I also think that Richard says he doesn't like cats but he loves cats and made sure to find Sasha a new home after Blackgaard's castle burnt down.
That being said, I think he still likes the idea of having a pet. And although he’s too scared he'll mess things up with a pet, a part of him will always mourn the youth and childhood that he never got to experience. Maybe it would feel like he was reclaiming part of his life..? Who knows, but I have a feeling that once he worked through some things, he’d actually be a good animal person, it’s just best to start with experiencing other people’s pets first for now ❤️
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OK SO I HAVE TO ADD THIS because @aiorevelations reminded me of this imagery!
RICHARD AND PUPPIESSSSS 😭✨😍✨🙈
Can you imagine this man cuddling puppies?! Picking them up, nuzzling them, giggling and stupid mushy stuff. His big brown eyes getting all squinty cause he can’t stop smiling!
Help, I’m actually dying 😩