#askmango

ofc we can, my love!

its no secret that alphas are attracted to will's scent- but mack takes it to a whole other level

Smiley: So you know, normal gang stuff!

Anon, I love your mind!

Mack clearly loves, craves, and needs control. I don't think it's a stretch to say that, and if anything, it's the least interesting thing about him to me. I don't say that to be pretentious or different; I just think, like most faces of a franchise, first overalls and or captains, it's very typical and expected to seek that control and or naturally accept it. Where I differ (at least from what I've seen on here) in my headcannoning/rpfing of it...is that I don't think the "cure" for that excessive need/pressure is to completely strip control from him.

I might be projecting a bit of my own psyche into this, as I was the co-captain of my team when I played competitive sports...and lowkey had (minor) anger and control problems. Still, as someone who can relate to Mack a little in that sense, I personally can't see him wanting or needing to be submissive to find a healthy balance.

Enter Smith, 20. (i've been wanting to use that forever, it's tuff as hell)

I know Will is often characterized as "nonchalant", and while he fits that to a certain degree, it's a little surface level. If anything, to me that "noncholance" stems from being kind of a people-pleaser (insert everything I could possibly say about the bc and usndtp dynamics + the windshield accident + baking for the marleus + how he blushes at every praise). Mack gets his confidence from seeing the numbers, goals, and plays pay off (wins, playoff push, medals, etc). Mack doesn't care about or need the extra praise (from someone he doesn't look up to/value) to feel confident and sure about himself (insert how he reacts to reporters glazing him). Will, on the other hand, seems to get his confidence from being told that he's good, being asked about a sick play, Drew telling him to say the line, etc.. it doesn't matter who it is.

I've been waiting for someone to 'ask' me this just so I can talk about it! Congrats, you're the chosen victim, anon!

Will comes from a traditional-ish, wealthy, religious household, in abo terms...it means he'd take his nest-building beyond serious! He's the type of omega that'd be brought up with the utmost respect and etiquette for it. Collen would never let her son, the baby of the family, an omega, lack the skills needed for "proper" nesting.

Even if some omegas adapt and or modernize how they nest, you better believe she'd make sure Will knew the importance behind the old-fashioned way of doing things. That's why for the longest time, he'd only include clothing and scents from family. Even when he left for bc, and every alpha, beta, and even omega in a 20-mile radius wanted to give him something for his nest, Will would politely decline.

That's why Will would probably be over the moon if/when Mack started "properly" courting him...cause that meant he could finally take Mack's scent into his nest like he's been wanting to. Mack for sure had to pull out the elc money to buy Will the finest nesting blankets he could get his hands on. (Will was taught never to accept anything but the best for his nest.)

On the topic of taking things into his nest, like everything else, it was done traditionally. Mack doesn't even get to see it until they're ready to bond.