I kinda want to know more about what jaws was like back at hydra since they were basically raised there 🤔
Jaws Under Hydra
Summary: [JAWS AU] This ask was hiding from me, I swear! But it's here now *finger guns*. Anteeways, this is a pretty important cornerstone of Jaws life, to get a bit more on what they were like before they met earth's mightiest heroes and before they met they're redheaded paramour, so I figure I'd give it a proper heading y'know? But onward and upward!
[JAWS AU Masterlist]
Warning(s): Dark Themes; Mention of brainwashing, psychological conditioning/abuse, out of body experiences, and cannibalism (this is past jaws we're talking about here). Other than the obvious, if you think about the shit that goes on here for too long, its pretty angsty bud...
Note: I had to look back mad far in my notes to find the character profile mockup I did, but I did eventually find it, so I hope you enjoy :3
Word Count: Halfway to 1k
*squints* I give NO ONE permission to repost or translate my work. Make your own shit
I spoke briefly about Jaws' life under HYDRA in the very first part of the JAWS AU, but let's see here...
Jaws' life under HYDRA was a lonely one to say the least. They were basically alone and in pain for the first half a year post-first procedure while they got used to the adamantium coating their skull. We're talking consistent headaches and migraines. Like the pulsing in your face and teeth when you have a sinus infection but dialed up to eleven.
That being said, Jaws' life as a subject of HYDRA was still a lot better than a lot of others we know and are familiar with. They were fed regularly, had decent clothes, got a small semblance of an education (granted it was highly biased in favor of what HYDRA wanted Jaws to know and learn)... essentially the bare minimum. This is in part due to two factors: how young Jaws was when they were captured and brought into the facility, and also who was in charge of them. That being Doctor Faustus.
Johann Fennhoff didn't need to use torture or physical abuse to get Jaws under his thumb, even with their explosive temper. He was better versed in psychological warfare, and simply used methods of mental manipulation to condition Jaws to be complacent in following his instruction... with mixed results.
It was easier to control Jaws when they were younger and more impressionable. They were always a bit hardheaded, but they listened better. much like Bucky when he was under HYDRA, Faustus used activation words and repeated phrases to cooperate. As Jaws got older and eventually became an adult, simple hypnosis wasn't effective anymore and Faustus had to progress to using hallucinogens that were more and more potent. This worked better, but they made Jaws more irritable on the come down.
The final form of Faustus' hallucinogenic gas was one that left Jaws vulnerable to hypnotic suggestion. Same methodology as the old stuff, but stronger and more refined than the new stuff. Jaws wasn't fully aware of what was happening around them when the chemical invaded their system, but the rage fueled by the fear that gripped them when the foreign substance started to flush out of their system was not a pleasant experience.
Whether Jaws realized it or not, the longer they were exposed to the hallucinogen, the more they were growing immune to it's effects, which led to the break in control at the beginning of the JAWS AU when the Avengers encountered the tiger shark mutant.
Faustus kept Jaws in isolation the majority of the time while they were in the HYDRA facility. The most they got to see of the other agents and experiments was during missions, since even Jaws' trainings were privatized. In a lot of ways, Jaws was Faustus' cash cow; they got the job done efficiently, and at that moment in time, Jaws was satisfied with having their bloodlust satiated being their reward for a successful mission.
It was also Doctor Faustus that pushed Jaws to commit cannibalism while they were still young. Jaws was well fed compared to other subjects under the Asphalt facility because unfortunately disposable people are in no short supply among HYDRA. Be they failed subjects or experiments or hostages that had outlived their usefulness. For better or worse, Jaws didn't have any real moral hang ups about that until they left HYDRA.
It's fair to say that Jaws became a bit of a glutton during their time under HYDRA. The promise that they could inflict pain was their main motivating factor (their general distaste toward human beings was cultivated more into hatred as the years went by). Getting their lunch on top of it was just a bonus, really.
Jaws has always been averse to being around people for extended periods of time and was easily provoked, so they preferred to be alone to float in their saltwater tank most of the time.
Just alone with their thoughts. The water sloshing around them... in their soundproofed tank... with their eyes closed.
The few people that Jaws interacted with consistently were the scientists responsible for surveilling the mutant and reporting behaviors back to Doctor Faustus.
They were around a lot more when Jaws was just a kid and they were basically glorified babysitters, but as Jaws got older, they were stand-ins for guards/therapists/parental figures/friends/ whatever Faustus needed them to be for his haifisch to progress as he wanted.
Jaws didn't have many personal belongings and had virtually no sense of self when they were fully sentient. They functioned solely off of the pursuit of survival, and because Jaws wasn't around people long enough to care about them, they were a million times more apathetic than we're more familiar with them being in current days. It was less from a place of "I don't care what you have to say, I'm gonna do what I want" and more so "Meat sacks shouldn't talk so much."
I can't say that Jaws forged any meaningful connections while under the New York Asphalt facility, and they weren't fully aware of what was going on around them half of the time. It was a blurred cycle of sleeping, killing, testing and improvements over and over again.
I think the culture shock Jaws had after leaving HYDRA should be studied actually. Jaws didn't have too much of a clue what was out there in the world (having only faint memories of their life back on Enoka as an infant at this point), but there had to be a latent yearning for more than what their life was for them to actually try and adjust to "normal" society after being freed.
Natasha totally dresses up on New Year’s Eve hoping to catch Jaws’ attention and it works very well. Jaws almost walks into a table of food because they’re too busy staring at Nat. Luckily Wanda was able to stop that with an amused snort.
Natasha knows exactly what will catch Jaws' eye too. Her acting coy when she finally meets up with Jaws during the party 🤭
Both Jaws and Natasha are standing by the open bar, Natasha standing behind the counter. "Do I want to know what that was earlier? You almost knocked over half of the refreshment table,"
"Yeah no, Sam just told me there was, uh, a chocolate fountain brought in for the party," they sporadically moved their hand gesturing to the table and the turn of events. "Got a little excited, you know,"
"I'm glad Wanda was there then. Wouldn't want you to ruin your suit. Very fetching by the way." Natasha reaches up to smooth her hand over Jaws' shoulder in a light motion, removing some imaginary wrinkle.
"Thanks, Stark is good for some things apparently," Jaws' eyes go to Nat's hand and move down her arm before taking in the rest of her outfit up close.
"See something you like?"
Jaws nods a few times with an off-tempo bounce, "Hell yeah- I mean- you look friggin' stunnin' tonight, Natty. Is that dress new? I definitely would've remembered you buyin' THIS"
"It was one of the things I bought for tonight, so I'm glad you like it, detka." There's more warmth in her eyes than there was before.
"I'm gonna like everythin' you wear, Natty. You buy anythin' else I should know about?"
Only one side of Natasha's lips turn up in her usual teasing smirk. She goes to lean up by Jaws' ear, "You'll have to wait until later before I can show you properly, rybka. Wouldn't want to spoil the surprise."
Jaws eyes give a slow blink, their smile growing further on their face. "I do like surprises..."
Jaw’s totally keeps a picture of Natasha, Wanda, and Yelena in their wallet. Do they have a phone? Sure. But it’s not the same. They need this picture.
🥺
"I don't see the big picture, I have a little picture. I take it out and look at it every day." - Pietro Maximoff
You can't tell me Jaws doesn't have that same sentiment.
Fury and Hill come to realize pretty quickly that their orders mean basically nothing to Jaws. There’s nothing they can threaten jaws with either to get them to comply. But simply asking Natasha or Wanda if they could get Jaws to do it will always get them results. Jaws might be dramatic and grumble a bit but they would do it. That’s why 95% of Jaws’ missions have Natasha or Wanda on the team as well.
mhm precisely
There's not much you can do to intimidate Jaws into doing something they don't plan on doing themselves.
It took two times when Jaws was finally able to go on missions for them to be like, "Well this is gonna be an issue."
You had an instance where Jaws is just beating a target till their two inches from death for information even though they're a public figure and their instructions were to incapacitate him and bring him in for questioning.
The thing is: Jaws is efficient at getting the job done, it's the specifics of what they have to do that they pass over. "Let's skip the song and dance. I can get the answers you want right now, gimme five minutes."
Jaws works best in strike missions or those with high threat level since they get shit done. Jaws definitely has to be with Natasha or Wanda for something like and intelligence or recon mission though. Again, you wanna guarantee Jaws will listen? Bring Natasha and/or Wanda *shrugs*
Natasha and Wanda getting Jaws stickers to decorate their water bottles special. Knowing if they do something just for them Jaws won’t repeat the biting incident. Especially if there are Black Widow and Scarlett Witch stickers involved.
After that incident for sure, I see you and I raise you this scenario instead:
Jaws doesn't put the stickers on themselves because "why am I putting stickers on a water bottle?", so when Natasha and Wanda get them their water bottles, they stick the stickers on themselves as a "These stickers reminded me of you baby," or "I picked them out for you to have, gup" when in reality they know Jaws wouldn't destroy something Nat or Wanda did for them.
Natasha being like “Yelena wants us to watch Fanny while she goes on a mission but I’m not sure we have the time” and Jaws is so offended “that is our fluffy godchild! We have a responsibility to make time!”
If they don't have a mission or pressing business of their own, Jaws and Nat will always have time!
After Jaws and Natasha get together, they totally flirt when the spar. Because it’s fun and they like to see if they can actually distract each other enough to get the upper hand. It tends to work better for Nat than Jaws but Jaws will never complain about ending up beneath Natasha. Even on the training mat.
I touched on this a bit here
Jaws is always happy to see Natasha on top of them, no complaints there.
For sure Nat distracts Jaws more, the distracting/flirty bit is more in her wheelhouse, so it's kind of a given. BUT- let's not overlook that there are times when Jaws has gotten the drop on Nat too 😌
Jaws is smirking down at Natasha, their hands holding her wrist to the mat. "You gotta be on your back sometimes Natty, take a load off."
Natasha merely raises a brow, "Enjoy it while you can, Tiger."
Jaws' head tilts to the side a bit, "I'll be enjoyin' it later too, maybe you'll even refresh my memory what it looks like to see you this way."
"I certainly will,-"
Steve stops hitting his punching bag, "Right here? IT'S NINE IN THE MORNING YOU TWO!"
