I mentioned a few days ago that I never shared my HCs and interpretations of the NPCs... So here's a post about my fanon + headcanons! For the moment, the main four o_o
NOTE: I can't say this is OOC 'cause the NPCs don't have much development beyond simply doing their assigned tasks (and dying). If you don't like something, please refrain from leaving negative comments; this is just my personal interpretation T_T
MODERN AU HCs LATER!!!
GnB Headcanons !
✦ Barry Sherrington ;
Born into a working-class family, Barry lost his mother at a very young age and has no memory of her. He was raised by his father and older sisters (Eleanor and Mabel), who are the closest thing he has to a mother figure.
Barry has always been quite impulsive, getting into various problems by not holding back his words, escalating to physical violence. This led him to participate in underground fights; people recognized his agility and placed a lot of bets on him.
He and Charles (London Engineer) have been friends since childhood, they had to drift apart once he moved in with his uncle. They reunited some time after the fall of London.
His uncle sent him to the army hoping it would help straighten out his nephew's reckless attitude… which was quite the opposite; his temper was even stronger. Barry would move heaven and earth to prove them wrong.
After escaping San Sebastian, he lives with guilt gnawing at his mind; he knows he could have prevented most of his soldiers from dying, but upon seeing the cannibals, fear gripped him and he fled. There are nights when he can't sleep because of the feeling; he just wants to go back to the village with his chickens.
He tends to exaggerate a bit when telling anecdotes…
He's overly expressive, perhaps even exaggerated in his reactions; he speaks loudly, jumps easily, and his face even turns red regardless of his emotions. (Possible ADHD? Maybe…)
Barry is a charismatic but overly reckless officer, Karl has told him so repeatedly, causing arguments between them.
He excels at music; he can play the violin and a little piano. He tried to learn the viola but gave it up. On one of those occasions when they broke into an abandoned house to look for supplies, Barry found an intact violin in the corner of the room. He thought about it and decided to take it with him, and he plays it during long trips.
Seeing her little brother so restless, Mabel took it upon herself to teach him sewing, needlework, and knitting, just to keep him occupied. He does it mostly as a hobby!
He doesn't understand the concept of personal space; when he gets too excited, Barry will hug the person and lift them into the air, or repeatedly hit their arm.
Despite the tensions between their countries, Barry spends much more time with Jacob, to the point of considering him a best friend. If the redhead gets into trouble, the Frenchman will be there too. "OI JACOB, COME HERE AND SEE THIS!"
✦ Jacob Bergeron ;
His childhood memories are hazy. Jacob remembers that after breakfast, he would accompany his father to herd the sheep near the hill before heading to town. Until one day, his father simply packed his bags and, without a clear explanation, left him at that boarding school.
He doesn't know if he has any other family. He remembers a mention of a supposed aunt who lived in the capital, but he doesn't know who she is, nor does he feel the need to investigate. He also couldn't say whether or not he resents his father for leaving. Jacob has interacted with Mr. Benjamin (Saint Sebastian Sailor) a couple of times, and somehow, he feels the same peace as if he were still on those mornings on the hill.
He was placed in a group with other sappers. The atmosphere among them was mixed; while some mocked his "strange lack of expression," others tried to include him. Jacob did enjoy spending time with them until they separated.
He has experienced depersonalization for years, causing serious mental health problems. His surroundings, other people, and even himself sometimes feel like strangers.
He has cataracts in his left eye, which began to develop in his adolescence. Since they could be treated, he can see almost nothing out of that eye.
The reason he has a shaved head is because he had a bad habit of pulling out his hair, eyelashes, and eyebrows; when he discovered he was creating bald patches, he shaved his head as a drastic measure.
(TW) During his recovery, he spent his nights questioning how it was possible that he was still alive; he found it strange that he even failed at his own death.
One night, he heard noises in the room. The engineer feared being eaten alive by the rats, but to his surprise, the little creature only came to steal small portions from his plate. Noticing this, Jacob made it his goal to catch the rat, a difficult but not impossible task.
Biscuit is more than a pet; he's a companion and best friend, always perched on the engineer's shoulder. If he needs to keep him safe, he puts him in a little bag he got for him.
He can draw, though he's better at landscapes than portraits.
Although he is selectively mute, he has had to force himself to speak; he feels strange hearing his own voice.
He usually spends his time isolated working and/or studying (he has an interest in artillery), sometimes they bring him food, other times they take him out of there to take a break.
✦ Karl Friedrich ;
Coming from an upper-middle-class family, Karl was always surrounded by luxury, but within limits. His mother (who was present with him most of the time, along with his nanny) wanted her son to be a good man and not another "spoiled brat."
The reason he got his position was thanks to the influence of his family.
Growing up in an environment where he was taught to prioritize himself has made it difficult for him to relate to others, and his intimidating appearance means that some people don't want to deal with him.
But everything changed in Leipzig. After the bridge was destroyed, two of his men brought the French engineer, Karl immediately ordered that they take him with them (a somewhat risky decision, since he was a dying man), although he didn't care, the officer wanted to at least give him a dignified place to spend his last moments of life. He spent the following nights watching over Jacob.
He's the spitting image of his mother; both he and Mrs. Friedrich share the same attitude, the same personality, and that expression that seems to judge others. The difference is that he doesn't know how to make eye contact without it becoming awkward.
One of his skills is horse riding. If he hadn't enlisted in the army, he most likely would have practiced to become a equestrian.
He's also quite good at dancing; he used to participate in too many social events, hanging out dancing with strangers.
Before an important dinner, he practices a possible conversation in front of the mirror; because he has dyslexia, he takes time to practice those words that are difficult for him to pronounce.
Karl had a small porcelain collection, including figurines, tea sets, vases, jars, and much more…
He takes great care of his image; some have jokingly referred to him as a "vain officer".
Karl tends to bite his nails constantly, to the point of damaging his fingers; gloves have helped him break this bad habit.
This man is too stubborn when he sets his mind to it.
✦ Jean-Louise Duboire ;
As the sole heir of the Duboire family, his father took his education very seriously, often being quite strict. After the French Revolution ended, Jean spent several nights reflecting on his situation, ultimately deciding to enlist in the army, leaving behind both his family and his old routine…
Being promoted to officer still feels unreal to him, believing it was merely a fluke. Seeing his superiors abandon them, he decided to take charge and lead his comrades. During the time between Paris and Roscoff, he didn't allow himself a moment to sit and analyze his current situation, and whenever he felt overwhelmed by his thoughts, he simply took a swig from a bottle of wine.
At first, he was not used to being treated as a superior.
When the rumor of the soldier from Leipzig spread, Jean showed considerable interest; the surprise he felt upon learning that the soldier was still alive was a great honor for him to be able to meet him in person.
Due to the constant stress of his environment, the appearance of gray hairs accelerated. At first, he hid them, but once more appeared, Jean felt ashamed of them.
Jean plays with the tip of his mustache whenever he feels thoughtful or anxious.
He grew his hair long, but one night he simply decided to cut it (he still regrets it).
During one of those escapes from a horde, he tripped and his glasses broke. He stood there processing what had happened for a few seconds before someone helped him up. Sometimes he asks for help, "What does it say here?" Other times he prefers to strain his eyes, though he ends up bumping into things. Thanks to that, they assigned him an assistant.
He constantly recalls his father's words "Don't disappoint me again," a phrase that, even today in his adulthood, still affects him...
At first, he let all of Arnaud's disrespect and complaints slide (perhaps they had a complicated friendship), but things worsened when Jean was promoted. For some reason, he became more insolent with the officer, pushing him to his limit. Jean couldn't take it anymore and punched him.
Jean was under considerable pressure to get married. He had several suitors, but rather than developing romantic relationships, he developed friendships with some of them. He's probably demi-aroace???
A precious object that he carries with him is a necklace with a crucifix, a gift his grandmother gave him.
