#madamefaust

5. Enola Holmes

Thanks, @madamefaust 😊

hoooooooooo boy. this is something I’m very keen on exploring in-universe, so I don’t want to overdo it in answering questions. when it comes to family, Erik very much doesn’t understand. it’s one of the things that he has the MOST trouble relating to Christine over. he knows that her father’s death was formative in her life, and traumatizing, but he can’t relate to that feeling. the most he can really give is being sorry that she’s upset in a general sense. family is just something that he has always avoided. he distances himself from things to make them hurt less; if he doesn’t acknowledge the concept of family, and the fact that he’s missing one, he doesn’t have to deal with the pain that comes with that, even if it would be healthy to express it. khan and darius fill the role of a found family, but he wouldn’t use those words to describe them. he wouldn’t know to. as far as home goes- also shaky. the entire concept of “home” for him is centered around safety. he was so unstable for most of his life, having a home is sort of still new to him. it has kinda become prison-like, though, with the way he isolates himself inside. he hasn’t stayed in one place long enough to really develop a bond or concept of home, it’s always sort of been wherever he finds a safe place to rest his head. so that’s still developing for him, though the experience of being able to have things that are his is rewarding for him, now that he has somewhere to keep stuff.

Definitely more comfortable in my opinion. Though it would take a really, really long time and a million spoken and shown assertions of the Daroga, I think at some point Erik would be okay with being around him without wearing a mask, forever in disbelief that Nadir actually yearns to see, touch and caress his unmasked face. I think in the beginning Erik wouldn’t even be able to make eye contact or daring to get close to the Daroga by himself while his face is exposed. And reaching a state of actually being able to be totally relaxed while not having his face covered, would be a very long way of patience, kind, assuring words and tender affections for Nadir, but eventually Erik would learn to believe. And then his insecurity and shame would change to gratefulness beyond words and a heavy need of affection and closeness.

I’m not sure whether that means quarantine-themed or something to help me get through quarantine? For the former I’d say “It’s the End of the World as We Know It” by R.E.M. (cover by Great Big Sea also acceptable), and for the latter...”I Want It That Way” because it produces the most hilarious and dramatic singalongs in our house. :)

😂