So I have been having THOUGHTS about Cook and Tim. I simply must share this with the world. Somebody see my vision please I am scratching at the walls.
I will be going over what I think their childhood were like and how their relationship developed throughout the years, up until the current time in the game.
THIS IS A HEADCANON AND VERY MUCH PURE DELULU. DON'T TAKE IT SERIOUSLY.
Okay? We good? Let's go.
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SO, I think Cook and Tim are about the same age, give or take a couple years.
I headcanon them to be childhood friends.
Cook is near-sighted, so when he's still a child, maybe his family couldn't afford glasses for him, so he squints a lot and makes a habit of standing close to people so he can see them properly when they speak. He finds joy in cooking with his family, in making something warm and nice, that brings a smile to the receiver's face.
Tim is a bit more well off, since his father is a shipwright. He's a design whiz, but that makes it hard for people to keep up. The other kids think he's weird for his ideas and kind of bullies him for it.
BUT COOK IS A GOOD BOY AND DEFENDS TIM. RESPECT THE ART DAMMIT!!
They start hanging out after that. Tim drawing and designing, while Cook brings him snacks and listen to Tim explaining his work.
(Insert: Tiny Cook and Tim laying side by side on the floor with drawings scattered around them oughhhh)
Also, Cook needing to fidget and taking some of the pencils and sticks and tapping a rhythm 🥁
Tim gets used to the proximity of having Cook so close by his side. So when Cook finally got glasses, Tim feels a bit lonely when he doesn't sit/stand as close anymore 🥺🥺
When they're a bit more grown up (maybe their teen years), they start having to follow their dads to work. They don't get to meet as often, but Cook still drops by Tim's place or the pier to bring him snacks. They can have a nice quiet evening together chatting about their apprenticeship.
I'm not sure when Tim lost his arms, or if they're even prosthetics at all, but it's really traumatic. Cook is there for him and helps with rehab. He supports Tim to get prosthetics so he can do what he loves again. A lot of Cook feeding Tim and helping him day-to-day happens during this time 🥹
I think Cook fell first, but Tim fell harder. Cook has always been somewhat attracted to Tim's smarts, and he's genuine in his admiration and respect for the genius. When Tim makes it big, he knows Cook isn't the type that approaches him because there's something to gain.
Meanwhile, Tim has always seen Cook as being some sort of a simpleton. Very "big dog" type of way. He likes how eager and patient Cook can be, and it's nice to be with someone who tells things to him straight instead of pandering with sweet words.
When Cook tells him that he's leaving the island to be in a band, "distraught" is an understatement for how Tim feels. WDYM MY BIG GOLD DOG IS LEAVING?! HUH?? WAIT, MY?????
That's when Tim realized that he has already fallen for Cook, but now he's going away. It hurts, but Cook has supported him in pursuit of his dreams all this time, it's his turn to support Cook.
So I think the Ranbo ship has some nifty features, courtesy of the magic shipwright :)
Cut to present time, Tim tries to catch a show whenever he can. If he's out sailing with the Wanderer crew and they cross-paths, the two spends time together to "catch up" ,,-w-,,)♡
