jeff, eyeless jack, and ticci toby hcs
how do they handle jealousy?
warnings: typical creepypasta stuff. murder, weapons, desc. of gore
written for @mikeissotuff
. jeffs entire sense of self comes from needing control
. underneath his desperate need for control, he's painfully human
. he's emotionally stunted and definitely not used to anyone giving a damn about him after he killed his parents
. when he feels jealous or protective, he doesn't really understand why
. so he uses anger to cover for it
. anger is easier than vulnerability
. when he's jealous, he's not quiet about it
. he'll act out (scoff, roll his eyes, make rude remarks if someone else has your attention)
. he hates feeling replaced or ignored
. "oh, so he's funny now? cute."
. he'll casually insult whoever is taking your attention from him
. he'll pick apart their looks, voice, whatever he can possibly find
. jeff will interrupt conversations, stand too close to you, and make flimsy excuses to leave and drag you with him
. if someone flirts with you, they will, of course, "mysteriously" disappear
. maybe they got scared off by jeff's appearance
. or maybe he stabbed them to death while ranting about how you're all his
. you'll stick to believing the first option for peace of mind
. jeff will be really confused about his jealousy
. half of him knows it's completely irrational, but the other half doesn't care
. he doesn't know how to share you
. and quite frankly, he doesn't want to learn how
. all he cares about is that you're all his
. if someone he actually respects is stealing your attention, he'll just go quiet
. but don't assume he won't be standing right next to you, waiting impatiently for the conversation to end so he can have you all to himself again
. he doesn't understand why it bothers him so much. he hates the way you laugh with other people. it's not like he's a jealous person.... right? he just hates the way it feels. it makes him feel like he's sixteen again, watching everything important to him slip away
. jack doesn't understand jealousy as an emotion
. he feels it more as a instinctual disruption
. to him, it's like an animalistic urge to protect you when he feels threatened by someone else
. jack's jealousy doesn't come from adoration or soft care, it comes from possession
. he doesn't crave attention, but once someone earns his trust, he won't let go of it easily
. and he definitely doesn't like to share what's his
. when jack is jealous, he doesn't lash out, he stops
. he gets eerily quiet, unreadably so
. his silence is heavy, watchful
. jack will study the person stealing your attention
. he'll memorize their scent, voice, habits, patterns
. not because he wants to attack immediately, but to understand the threat
. jack's eyes may be gone, but his attention is sharper than sight
. jack doesn't show emotions the way humans do
. instead, he catalogs behavior
. he'll watch you with someone else and note everything. the distance between you, how much you laugh, your expressions, the tone of your voice, everything
. his jealousy translates into marking behaviors
. but these behaviors aren't always obvious
. sometimes, you don't even notice
. he'll leave traces of the tar leaking from his eye sockets on your belongins
. sometimes, things of yours will go missing
. nothing important, maybe a glove, a piece of jewelry
. but then a few days later, you'll find it tucked away safely in his space
. he doesn't need to say it out loud
. the missing objects, the faint scent of smoky tar lingering, they all whisper the same thing: you were his first
. since he can't fully articulate feelings anymore, he'll put his jealousy into other behaviors (other than watching you, of course)
. he will overfeed, hunt more aggressively, and vent his anxiety through violence
. jack will withdraw, and sometimes you won't see him for days
. but even if you don't see him, don't think he isn't watching
. on the rare occasions he speaks, his tone is colder than usual
. he sounds like he's dissecting you with his words
. when you ask if something's wrong, he'll tilt his head, silent
. it's easier to pretend he doesn't feel anything than admit he does
. jack is certainly not the type to throw tantrums (unless he's murdering someone out of rage, of course)
. but he's not afraid to make his "rival" uncomfortable
. their food will taste off
. their room will reek of blood and tar
. he'll never attack, but instead, remind them that something far older, more possessive, and something hungry is watching
. his jealousy doesn't need to be seen to be terrifying
. he thinks of his jealousy as a conflict between what's left of his humanity and what's taken over
. the human part of him thinks he shouldn't care so much
. but the part of him that's monstrous and carnivorous only thinks "mine"
. he's not jealous because he's insecure, he's jealous because he can't remember what it's like to not have you as only his
. toby's emotions hit in sudden spikes
. jealousy doesn't creep up his spine, it hits him like a train
. he doesn't always recognize it as jealousy
. sometimes, he just knows something isn't quite right
. he knows it feels wrong when your attention isn't on him
. he's touch-starved, attention-starved, and validation-starved
. because of this, the idea of being replaced makes him panic, even if he tries not to show it
. he doesn't mean to get jealous, it just happens
. one moment he's fine, and the next he's grinding his teeth because you laughed a little too hard at someone else's joke
. when jealousy manifests, he gets restless
. the tension builds up in his body, and it keeps building until he's twitching or tapping incessantly
. his laughs will turn sharp and forced
. toby clicks his tongue, muttering under his breath
. he can't sit still if the "rival" is still around
. he'll pace, crack his fingers, do something to keep him from exploding
. you can tell he's jealous when his hands won't stop moving
. anything to keep him busy while he's spiraling
. toby doesn't plan his reactions, they just happen
. he'll interrupt conversations without meaning to
. if someone gets too close to you, he'll interject with a half-assed joke or random outburst to shift the focus back onto him
. sometimes, he'll physically insert himself between you and the other person
. he doesn't know it comes off as aggressive, and even if he did, he couldn't care less
. he steps between you like it's instinct. you try to move, but his hands are already gripping your shoulders, twitching.
. when he realizes he's acting jealous, he'll try to cover it up
. "oh, wow, i g-guess you two are real close then, huh?"
. "nah, i'm not jealous, why would i be? i don't ca-care." (he absolutely cares)
. it's part of his defense mechanism. make it a joke before anyone can call him out
. he laughs it off, but there's an edge in his voice. too high, too forced, like he's one curse away from snapping.
. instead of getting cold or distant, toby gets clingy when he's jealous
. he really doesn't want to lose you, so he'll overcompensate
. suddenly, he's everywhere
. hovering, talking too much, standing too close
. he'll use excuses like "i'm bored" or "you're entertaining" but in reality, it's "i need to make sure you're not slipping away"
. he's constantly touching you
. he'll grip your arm, pull your sleeves, bump shoulders, or rest his chin on you
. but he needs to have some form of contact with you
. if the jealousy gets too strong, he'll snap
. not always violently, but emotionally
. he might suddenly blurt something sharp
. "w-why are you alw-always with them?! why do you c-care so much?"
. the moment it's out, he'll regret it
. his voice will crack, his hands will twitch, and he'll stutter so badly it frustrates him more
. apologies, nervous laughter, awkward attempts to act normal again
. he hates how ugly it feels
. he doesn't want to scare you, he just wants you to look at him again
. once he's calmed down, he'll apologize awkwardly
. sometimes, he brings you something random as a peace offering
. it could be something anywhere from a human tooth (you know exactly how he got that) to a strip of fabric
. once you reassure him, he'll melt instantly
. he'll be clingy again, but softer and quieter this time
. he just needs to know he's still wanted
. you tell him that he's the only one you want around. he laughs, but it's shaky, like the words are something he's not used to believing