gaz pls pls pls the kids miss u

like I think his opinion on things like PDA ping pongs wildly depending on how "securely" he thinks he has you. and it's over petty things too.

if you didn't drink the coffee he brought you in the set time interval he's decided means you enjoyed it. he'll take in that little data point like a reading on a report and act what he deems accordingly. and a lot of the time you're left in the dark as to what set him off, only that something did and it's your problem now.

He takes forever to get used to people and even then he may never really express true affection towards them. Just a desensitization towards their presence.

He doesn't enter into any even remotely situation without the sense he has some sort of tactical advantage. Not necessarily based on rank or like physicality (since those are usually givens) but based on general environment. If he's going to ask you for something it's going to be when its dark out and you're alone and you haven't eaten for awhile. Why those all those prerequisites to ask to bum a cigarette?

He's like a wild animal. He won't 'attack' unless you're back is turned, or you look like you aren't paying attention, or maybe you seem unsure. He feels more confident when you're caught off guard. Your uncertainty emboldens him, your confidence makes him want to withdraw. If it ever feels like he's in a situation and more uncertain than you are he'll try and abort as soon as possible. This is why confrontation just doesn't work with him. He'll avoid the problem and, consequently you in general until he think's you're over it. Then he may bring it up later in a manner where he feels he can control the narrative better, or else drop the issue entirely.

Barring like, his own personal issues, he is surprisingly quick to change his mind on lots of topics. He has very little attachment to most facets of humanity which means he doesn't have super strong opinions on most things. He has an altered view of things based on the shit he's experienced, sure. But he's not like Price (or Gaz!) who see their way of doing things as something enlightened. Normal civilian life has the same kind of appeal to him as a fairy tale might. He understands that his way of viewing the world has been severely skewed.

versus

I think the reason he usually is portrayed as a beta is an extension of the idea that he's the most 'normal' among the main cast and people often see him as boring because of it. And betas are kind of the‘boring’ designation. I don’t agree that Gaz is the most 'normal' (Id probably argue that role goes to soap actually), but he is the most ‘well-adjusted’. Which is actually why he's a beta in my mind. 

Betas aren't directly involved in the reproductive process in most abo universes. They don't enter heat/rut. In some universes even lack the ability to scent or mark mates entirely. One of the advantages of having a population of people who just generally aren't reproducing is that those people have a lot more energy and time to dedicate towards work. It’s a pattern that plays out a lot in real life and so I think it would be a kind of a cultural, if not biological norm that betas take a lot of pride in their ‘work’. More specifically in being active and especially in being 'useful'. Usefulness would be very important because its a way to almost justify themselves, both to society and their own psyche. 

So I raise you, a promising young SAS qualifier. Beta, with a bit of a complex about it. Betas and alphas are both prominent in the military, but there's always a bit of an insecurity there. Especially in SAS, which thins out a lot of betas who just can't shore up the physical requirements necessary to pass selection. Gaz does though. Excels in all categories. Hand him a test and he'll do what it takes to ace it. The trajectory and struggle to get in is a high all on its own. Makes his instincts sing. The constant affirmation that he's doing the pinnacle of what a young man in his position can do. That he'll get to do real work. He's not just pushing papers at some desk. It doesn't matter anymore, the casual locker room talk from his alpha teammates. The comments from his family even. The idea that betas just aren't enough. 

No, Gaz is a good beta. He's a useful beta. And he's doing real work. He's really sure of that at first. The first year or two in. But all work is work in the end. Even work out in war zones. Every group they clean up after has another waiting to take their place, or the crime leaders get a new alias and jump the country, or the bad guys (shockingly) move faster than the bastards up top can sign paperwork bestowing him full clearance to just fucking execute the enemy already. 

But, Gaz is a good beta. And he knows not to rock the boat. And he's satisfied with that. Or he can make himself satisfied with it. The high is gone, yeah, but he's doing well at what he's doing. Been promoted a few times. Holds some rank. He's doing well. Reached heights most others could never. That most betas would never even dream about. His story is a motivational speaker's wet dream come to reality. Maybe that'd be good for him. Do good work here, chase off a few baddies in the process, retire in twenty on a fat pension. Go around to elementary schools telling young betas that they don't have to submit themselves to being accountants and receptionists. Maybe film some TEDTalk and that’ll be that. It's good work. Work he can be satisfied with.  

Kyle goes through Resistance To Interrogation. He makes it out.  

It's abundantly clear that it's not enough anymore. Every second spent standing and waiting for the shots he knows are coming anyways. Every moment verifying the pre-verified information that he already gathered using the most kid-gloved methods he could think of. Piccadilly happens, and he's a mess. 

He doesn't rock the boat. Or he hasn't. Especially not with his superiors. He does good work. Good work. Maybe not useful work. Never useful. Never enough. But he does good work. He's been good. So, when Kyle lashes out to (not at, never at) Price, it's a moment of extreme weakness.