supple sounds of dinner bells by BlueVertices on AO3 / @darkrablue on Tumblr has been one of my favorite fics for a while and I couldn't get this scene out my head 🫀🤗
Napoleon complex + Engie's dad + the Conagher brothers = happiness
(not for Spy tho)
This is actually very much based on a post I made some time ago
💬 0 🔁 3 ❤️ 46 · Engineer x Spy where Engie feels really guilty because he's been officially dating Spy for a while now and hasn't introduc
I hadn't had time to put it in a drawing until now🎉
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I really like how all the Conaghers turned out in this drawing.
Especially Fred, he looks so round considering what they're probably going to do to Spy if he doesn't give the right answers in the second coma when they take the tape off his mouth.
Maybe I've started a grand list of Conagher brothers observations, theories, and headcanons...
Conagher Brothers
Zed Conagher
Oldest by technicality, him and Maynard are twins. (I know the clone theory, but it’s not in this interpretation)
Constantly convincing himself he is better than everyone else, stronger and smarter than both his brothers combined.
^ Has a very fragile ego, and is always subconsciously defending it. He walks tall, talks tall, and never lets anyone talk down to him without a damn good fight.
Horribly sadistic, but with thought put into it. He’ll bring all of his special tools and take his time with torturing someone.
Likes to be the one in charge of everything, from what they’ll do with trespassers to how the money is spent (even on small things).
Maynard has always been physically stronger than him, but Zed knew that he could get around that and use Maynard’s weak mind to gain the upper hand. It’s not love of the game, it’s the desire to be better after being put down by so many others. Zed has so thoroughly convinced himself that he is the best there will ever be, but that doubt in the back of his mind keeps him striving for more control.
Very protective of his tools, makes sure to clearly label all of them so even Maynard couldn’t make the mistake of touching them
A ceiling fan fell on him once
Overall awful driver
Despite having such a serious and aggressive demeanor, he still goofs off with his brothers and can take a joke. But only on his own terms. If he’s in a serious mood, everyone else has to be, else he snaps at them to grow up.
Skilled at persuasion, unless he’s under pressure
He has a history of “bad luck” with past romances, from his high school sweetheart going missing to casual dates turning up dead weeks later. Those who aren’t close with Zed dismiss it under unfortunate circumstance
Constantly talks over everyone else
Maynard Conagher
Just as sadistic, but more simple about it, he doesn’t care to waste time
^ If Zed had been the one attacked by Fritz, he would have taken the doctor and kept him there for weeks before actually killing him
He isn’t the smartest when it comes to understanding people or their feelings. It’s not just in an empathy way either; he knows that something is wrong about how Zed treats him, but doesn’t know what or how to voice it.
^ Even if he did find out that he is being treated unfairly, he wouldn’t be able to speak up for himself since he is wary of Zed.
He is actually far stronger than Zed, but doesn’t realize it since Zed is so confident and has always looked down on Maynard.
Cannot sit still for the life of him, even after Zed’s threats
Maynard doesn’t know who he is without Zed. Their whole lives they were “the twins” and never individuals (no matter how hard Zed tried to be someone unique), and to this day they are still each other’s half.
Loves to doodle on everything, mostly out of boredom but sometimes just for the sake of annoying Zed
How did Maynard learn the piano?
^ It couldn’t have been at Dell’s home, since Dell’s Ma couldn’t stand having the twins in her home since they were destructive and cruel.
Genuinely believes he has to say “bless you” every single time!
Terrified of dogs after an incident in their childhood where Zed pushed him into a yard of aggressive dogs that almost tore him apart before the owner came out. To this day he can’t fully straighten his left arm or any of the fingers on his left hand.
^ Can’t tell left from right solely because of this. He can’t make the little “L”
^^ You would think that it’s easier since he can just remember “left is the injured hand” but no. He isn’t the brightest.
Horrible with money
Dell Conagher
Of course, the youngest brother
While he is the most human and caring out of the three, he knows how to handle himself in a fight after so many years of putting up with the other two
They call him by name. Zed and Maynard constantly refer to one another as “brother” when speaking directly (which is weird enough as is) but when Maynard picked up the phone he immediately exclaimed “Dell!”
^ When Maynard realized it wasn’t Dell he was speaking to, however, he from then on referred to Dell as “my little brother” which begs the question of the nature of their relationship
Could Zed and Maynard be Dell’s half siblings?
^ Okay, you gotta hear me out on this one. Zed and Maynard lived with their Pa on the ranch, while Dell lived with his Ma in the nearby city. Same Pa, different moms. Zed and Maynard’s mother never kept in touch, no visits or mail, nothing. So their only role model was their Pa, who… was barely capable at keeping the kids alive.
Never finishes a drink, always leaves like an inch at the bottom of the cup. He claims it’s because of backwash (Dell has seen some nasty stuff working as a bartender) but doesn’t justify any further even when prompted
^ Zed absolutely hates this, and drinks the rest when Dell isn’t looking
Always cold
Has visual snow syndrome, which began in his late teens
While the both twins are introverted and reserved, Dell is quite outgoing and chatty (of course, working as a bar owner/tender)
The only religious one of the three, goes to Church every Sunday that he can.
^ Their father had been very against religion after so much hard times and waiting for God to save him. However, Dell’s Ma was loyal to the faith and taught Dell everything, so Dell only had positive memories around Christianity.
Never steps on the pavement cracks (religious AND superstitious)
General
They do all care for each other, truly.
Zed and Maynard talk with each other at the most strange or inappropriate times, and always expect an answer. (In a far away room, when one is extremely busy, from the bathroom, etc)
They lost their eyes when the Respawn Machine started to go wrong, and the goggles act as their new vision
Maynard: “Did you even think ‘bout my feelings?” Zed: “Yeah, just don’t care ‘bout ‘em though.”
The twins share all of their clothes and neither have any idea whose is whose
When they were the babies!
Zed was the kind of fucked up kid who liked to hurt animals for fun, and Maynard never thought anything of it and would help out. But when Dell found out he had started crying and freaking out, and Maynard felt guilty and confused, what had he done wrong? He asked Zed about it, and Zed just said that Dell is a crybaby and that it’s fine.
They would go on stupid adventures (often having to drag Dell along since he was too worried) in the woods around Zed and Maynard’s farm.
^ One time they had stayed out too late and Maynard gave Dell and piggyback ride on the way home, while Zed “bravely” led the way. (He got them all lost)
WHAT IF ZED GOT SCARED BY SOMETHING OH MY 😭
^ In what way though? Like a “I’m not going that way because there’s a big scary dog but NO I AM NOT SCARED!” or a genuine fear that has a deeper meaning?
^^ Both. Both is good.
Maynard wore browns and dark reds, Zed wore blues and greys, Dell wore whites and anything warm.
What if Maynard got a growth spurt before Zed? He would be pissed
We got chill, grumpy, and a fucking menace
The twins would get into fights all of the time, both verbal and physical. Immature arguments turned scuffles in the dirt
Birthdays and Important Events
Zed & Maynard - 1932
Dell - 1936
The Great Depression ended in 1939
WWII was from 1939 to 1945
Emesis Blue took place October 31st, 1968 - November 4th 1968
