excuse me i am crying because of the lack of eli content in this fandom. I love him so much tbh he's so soft and gentle but idk I feel like he would also dom hard. anyway, he's just so good and you know he just wants to take care of the Dep. His lack of content is CRIMINAL
Well that second sentence took a little turn.
I gotta say that Jacob’s region was pretty rushed for me–not that I rushed through it, but that it went by very quickly–so I never really got a chance to do much for Eli, talk to him, etc. What I did hear from him was really endearing, though. Dutch says you don’t wanna fuck with Eli and the Whitetails because they’ve been running that militia even before Jacob and his soldiers settled in, but Eli’s just the biggest goddamn softie in the world. Sees you survived the Chair and drags you out of that room; tends to you carefully as you recover, guides you gently back down to the couch to get some rest; radios you constantly (and even after you disappear in the fugue states) to make sure you’re all right, just wanting to “check in” on you, etc. The way he talks during one of the missions he sends you on suggests he’s watching you through the cameras, too! “Nice and slow.” Like.. Eli… you gonna fuckin say that and not fuck me that way? Eli. Eli please.
All of that was incredibly endearing to me, and it was obvious he not only cared about the militia’s chances but yours, the Deputy’s. Whether it was because things were just that dire in the mountains or if he started to idolize the Deputy, I’m not sure. It could be both. Eli does admit that he and Jacob both “took a shine” to the Deputy. Now just imagine those two having it out over who gets their turn lmao.
Like… Eli’s gotta have nerves of steel because he runs a goddamn militia, and he’s gotta be tough just in terms of how many losses they’ll accumulate, what they’re up against, what they risk by giving people chances, etc. But the way he treats the Deputy (and, by extension, his militia) is more like a loving, protective family. He’s a clear “light” inverse of how Jacob wants to train people to be strong so they can protect their family–light in the sense of light / dark, good / bad, but those are such blanket words and I’m not sure I like the generalization.
It’s why I gasp/screamed when I did the last conditioning mission of Jacob’s, turned that cornered, and shot blindly at my next target. It’s why I dropped my controller, clapped my hands to my mouth, and watched in horror as who I shot came into focus. It’s why, when I looked back at the footage, I saw that all the enemies in the second half of that conditioning mission didn’t disappear in a puff of smoke like the others–they were real. They were all real. And it only hit home when I got to my last target.
Jacob’s congratulations is even more bitter and cruel and horrifying in that respect. He doesn’t even seem to really gloat in Eli’s death. He’s too busy being proud that you’re as ruthless and efficient as he always wanted you to be, because now you can kill him, too. Basically–Jacob wanted you to be strong so you could kill him (and Eli), Eli wants you to be strong so you can be alive and safe.
And I just… weirdly enough, wish I knew how Eli felt about that.
Gimme eldritch Eli, defying death to whisper in the Deputy’s ear as they try to sleep. Give me eldritch Eli whose presence is burned into the Whitetail Mountains, a la Twin Peaks’ Black Lodge being felt in the owls and the Glastonbury Grove. Give me eldritch Eli who is unseen in the waking world but inhabits the Bliss, a prisoner of Hope. Just. Gimme something, man.
And y’know what? The Twin Peaks shit would’ve been neat because Eli’s last name is Palmer.
Also Eli is totally the soft!dom y’all have been waitin and looking for. You just gotta tell him to trim his beard because holy shit he looks out of control.
ETA: And lest I leave your thirst wanting: Eli’s got that kinda good dick that’ll humble ya.
