#brasky

I think Brian in a lot of ways understood systim better than Masky did, and while he cared a lot for him, he did use his understanding of systim to his advantage against the Operator and Alex, too caught up in his chess game to realize how bad his actions might be.

In a lot of ways, Jay and Brian share a similarity here, since as Marble Hornets progresses, Jay gets less and less conscious of how invasive/weird his recording of things is, a fact brought up and implied heavily at the start of Season 3. Except while Jay's recording is (I would argue) self interested, Brian's interest is more focused on a vague "greater good," or these guerrilla warfare tactics almost against a paranatural entity. But I digress.

I think Brian knew more alters than even Masky was aware of, from how when Masky was able to access front, it basically opened a backdoor to sometimes let other people in too, as only really Tim could fully lockdown front. (And even then, triggers still sometimes got through him.)

I think there was a lot of trust between Masky and Brian too though, as for a while, even though Brian was having Masky do things for him and you could argue he was using Masky, to Masky it felt like an equal relationship.

Brian wanted things, and Masky wanted to supply, to help their best friend, to be cared for and for once not have to make decisions.

Masky has been a protector for their system since they were a little kid, and no matter how much they love Tim, they are exhausted from it, as anyone would be. Getting to follow for once is relieving, and the way Brian claims he wants to hurt this entity that has been haunting and tormenting the person Masky cares about most—it is a breath of fresh air, something hopeful almost.

I think a part of Masky knows that Brian is putting their body in danger with what he asks of them, but Masky is too eager to help someone and not be in charge for once, and they not only trust Brian and more important, want to trust him.

I think it helps that the Operator is almost a weak spot for Masky, a topic that makes them angry and makes their protector instincts flare. It clouds their judgement a bit, and that makes them more willing to do something they're not supposed to.

Masky felt extremely guilty over Brian's near death when they properly learn about it, (which is pretty early before they start working together,) and blames herself partially for it. Brian was their best friend after all, and she should have protected him, she had been there and she failed. (If you believe that Entry 51 happened the day after Entry 56/57) Never mind the fact the Operator showed up and fucked everything up, she refuses to take that as an excuse.

Masky and Brian are very physically affectionate to me, though almost entirely because Masky is. Brian doesn't feel like a person anymore and struggles to reciprocate hugs and the like, but Masky wants to badly to pull him close, to hold him, to shield him. She almost wishes that she could just pull him into their head, so she could properly keep him safe, but sometimes she gets nervous that what they are (a system) will put Brian off.

I think Brian is nonjudgmental though. Its hard to be judgmental of anything like DID when you have faced horrors beyond imagining.

I think he did care very deeply for Tim and his system, and he didn't want to hurt them, but stopping Alex and the Operator took precedent in his mind. They killed him and changed him fundamentally. He wants them to pay.

I think he nearly regrets it though, sometimes, when he is laying on his mattress at night and feels the cold and mildew setting into his bones, sinking past his skin which he is sure he is rotting.

(He wishes Masky was there, to check, like it had in the past. It has so much experience dealing with delusions and he wishes it was here to help with his—but he knows he has burned that bridge.)

I think when he realizes he is out of his depth, after Jay's death, he panics. He feels a sort of reckless almost frenzy, and it completely jeopardizes whatever small fragility he had. It is why he tries to go contact Masky again, to get her help.

But he refuses to answer his call.