#poor bell

Breaking news: American dad and USSR dad fighting over how to raise their child. Custody battle ongoing, misgendered child might be tempted to just jump ships and disappear into a forest to never reappear ever again.

Since Father’s Day is coming up, I figured I give some of my Bell’s headcanons growing up with Perseus for Safehouse Week 2025, as my Bell is Perseus’ daughter.

Please note that I probably will not have this be daily, though I’ll try. It depends on wether or not I get energy/inspirationto write

1.) I think it make sense for Bell to be his daughter/granddaughter/father-figure. A child could be conditioned to be unquestioningly loyal. That a authoritative figure is always right. To be groomed into firmly believing in whatever someone wants.

His perfect operative daughter.

2.) Growing up was rough for Bell. While there were moments for her to be a child and memories to look back fondly, more often it was training and studying. She had to be useful, after all. It’s where the language and cryptography skills came from.

Bell did have some friends, but it was mostly other children with trusted parents in the Perseus collective.

3.) With Perseus personally training and guiding her, Bell made her first kill at the age of 10. She can’t remember much about the man she killed. Supposedly he was a threat. Bell unintentionally blocked out that memory. Once her father was done congratulating her, once he was out of sight, she threw up.

It got easier after that, but she never told Perseus about how she felt.

4.) Up until she was 6, her father would often tell her stories about Russian folklore, Soviet history, or something similar before Bell went to sleep.

When Bell can’t fall asleep, sometimes she’ll ask Adler to tell her a story or talk to her until she falls asleep.

5.) While Perseus was never physically abusive towards Bell, he was manipulative and controlling. He did truly love Bell and was protective of her, but it didn’t change how he put his mission before her.

Though if he knew what Volkov did to Bell, he would have killed him himself. Same with Arash.

6.) Bell surprisingly doesn’t have that many scars on her body. Nothing super major, anyway. The few nasty scars she does have mainly came from childhood training and very early missions.

Safehouse Crew: PTSD

Reagan: And who has had PTSD for the longest time?

Everyone but Bell: *immediately looks over at Bell*

Bell: What, just because I've had PTSD my whole lives makes me the perfect candidate for this stupid project?

Adler: Shit.

Mason: Wait, three?

Cop: Yeah?

Sure! Here goes nothing 😅 

Do check out @smokeywhalee and her fics!

Adler:

Received the order for Bell’s execution from Emerson Black.

Adler pretty much exacerbated her pre-existing identity crisis, even more so when he left her for dead. 

He felt his heart sinking down to his stomach when he found out that Bell survived, but he couldn’t show it.

He regrets everything.

He gives Bell the space she needs.

Woods:

He is shocked and appalled to have found her bleeding out like that.

This man is 100% by her side as she’s trying to heal.

Seriously, he and Mason are her literal life savers!

Bell was petrified to tell them the truth, as it might break their hearts. 

The phrase “YOU CAN’T KILL ME!“ is not just his anymore. I said what I said.

Mason:

He and Woods are the ones Bell trusts the most. Especially after losing Lazar.

This hit particularly close to home for Mason, given what he went through in Vorkuta. He know how it is for someone to lose themselves.

He’s there for Bell like Viktor Reznov was for him.

He and Woods lose a great deal of respect for Adler when they find out the truth.

Park:

Initially refused to believe that Bell survived

“Bloody hell, Adler! What is going on!“

Bell doesn’t fully blame Park, as the latter had no idea what happened,  but the guard is till up. It goes down slowly, but surely.

Hates herself for taking part in brainwashing Bell.

As Park helps provide Bell with mental health resources, Bell realized the former had nothing to to with the botched execution.

Sims:

Couldn’t even imagine the possibilities that Bell survived. 

Bell is fully aware that Sims never had an issue with her. She has no quarrel with him.

“You sure are made of iron, I’ll give you that.“ 

Upon finding out the truth, he helps finding her a shrink. 

He can’t help but to feel disheartened when finding out that his best friend did this.

“She didn’t deserve this, Doc!“ 

Hudson:

Couldn’t believe his own eyes that Bell survived.

Has finally realized just how many sacrifices Bell has made, and stops antagonizing her.

He has finally accepted Bell as one of his own.

“We owe you one, Bell.“